Chapter 18:An Offer
"Admiral what is that?" The dreadnoughts operator yelled.
Ashley froze with fear when she saw what was outside her ship." Oh my god…that's …a…a"
"Admiral what do we do!" the pilot yelled.
Ashley snapped out of her fear induced trance and turned to the pilot. "Quick open a comm. With Shepard she'll…"
"She clo…closed the comm. Admiral." The pilot stuttered.
Ashley's body fell numb, She couldn't breathe, it was like all the air in her lungs were sucked out by the vacuum of space.
"Alert the council!" Ashley shouted. "Tell them…" Ashley's attention was caught by a brilliant flash of light coming from Omega. "Everyone brace for impact!"
Blare Feldmen the new chancellor of the new human council was a busy man. He'd convinced the other races except the asari to give him complete control of the council. His first order of business was sending a fleet to capture Hazel Shepard. He now has another concern, the Reapers have returned and Shepard might be the only one who can stop them. But he believes there is another way.
"Chancellor I think she's waking up!" The doctor announced.
"Take me to her." Feldmen ordered.
He was aboard a space station in the horse head nebula taking care of urgent business. The chancellor walked quickly to the stations med bay. In one of the beds laid the woman who led the assault on Omega station.
"Admiral how are you feeling?" the doctor asked.
"Where am I?" She asked, the lights blinding her.
"You've done enough doctor." Feldmen said. "I have something to discuss with the Admiral."
"Wait." The Admiral exhaled.
"It's good to see your still alive Ms. Williams."
Ashley pulled herself up from the bed, wincing in pain as she did so. "Where am I?" she asked.
"A secure location." Feldmen answered. "No one else survived the attack on Omega, you are extremely lucky that we found your body intact."
Ashley shot a glare at the chancellor. "What do mean "found my body intact"?" she asked suspiciously.
"You died and we found your body in the wreckage of your dreadnought." Feldmen answered. "I brought you back."
"Impossible!" Ashley shouted. "You can't…"
"The same procedure was done with Shepard." Feldmen interrupted. "But to be fair she was in much worse shape than you."
"It took us two years to bring her back and only a week with you." He added.
"Who are you…really?" Ashley questioned.
Feldmen gave the admiral a toothy grin. "That is of no consequence."
"Whatever!" Ashley spat "Did Shepard make it out alive?"
"Yes." Feldmen answered. "And she's been using Omega's destruction as a rallying cry for war with the citadel."
"And the Reapers are back!" Ashley added
"I know." Feldmen quickly replied. "But the galaxy is on the brink and we're fighting amongst ourselves."
"Hazel won't cooperate." Ashley whispered to herself.
"In order to survive Williams we need to make hard decisions." Feldmen said. "None of which will be easy."
Ashley tightly clinched her fist. "Do you know where she is?" She grunted.
Feldmen gave a long sigh and began scratching the back of his neck."My sources tell me she's on the edge of the Terminus systems and the traverse." He answered. "Honestly we don't know and she's becoming a threat each passing hour."
Ashley gave the councilor a puzzled look. "What is she doing?"
"Most people in the galaxy believe you ordered Omega to be destroyed and that has caused certain members of the Alliance admiralty to defect to Shepard's side and the Asari Republic is giving aid to her and allowing their worlds to be safe havens for Shepard and her troops." Feldmen answered. "A major invasion by Shepard and the asari is inevitable."
Ashley got up from bed and got in the chancellors face. "Hazel would never…"
"Invade an Alliance planet or leave a friend to die while the reapers slaughtered her allies?" Feldmen interrupted.
"Then let me stop her!" Ashley snapped.
"You're an alliance admiral that got the troops she brought with her to Omega killed and you are technically dead." Feldmen replied calmly. "Systems Alliance ships are leaving the Terminus systems and coming to the Citadel."
"Also no ship can enter or exit the blockade I've set across the Attican Traverse, without my authorization." Feldmen added.
"You have to let me try!" Ashley yelled.
Feldmen agitatedly exhaled. "There is one way!"
Ashley backed off from Feldmen and leaned against the bed. "What is it?"
"I can give you the writs and privileges of the special tactics and reconnaissance branch of the Citadel." He answered.
Ashley burst into laughter. "You want to make me a spectre?"
"Unofficially yes, but that is the only way you're getting to Shepard."
Ashley was quit for a moment and wasn't sure what to think. Killing Shepard would mean that her army would become disorganized and the asari would lose their chance to take back the citadel and the rouge alliance admirals would be hunted down. But most of all the Reapers where back and with Shepard gone Feldmen could unify the galaxy. "I'll do it." She muttered.
"Thank you Admiral Williams."
The med bay doors slide open, a dark haired woman wearing a Cerberus logo walked in. "How is my patient?" She asked.
"Oh…this is Dr. Oriana Lawson." Feldmen introduced. "She's responsible for your operation."
Ashley darted a glare at the doctor. "What is a Cerberus operative doing her!" she snapped.
"I'm a specialist in the technology that brought you back to the ranks of the living." Oriana calmly answered. "Chancellor Feldmen managed to find me just in time to save your life."
"So are you the same doctor who brought Hazel back?" Ashley asked.
"That was my sister and believe me when I say my work is far superior." Oriana scoffed.
"There will be time for questions later." Feldmen interrupted. "I have some things to discuss with Oriana."
Feldmen and Oriana walked out of the med bay together. "Did she take the offer?" Oriana asked, walking down the hallway.
"Yes and soon all obstacles will be out of my way." Feldmen responded. "That includes you and you're traitorous sister!"
Oriana turned around and paused at the site of the human councilor brandishing a pistol. "I know you've been giving Miranda Intel on my activities."
The fear in Oriana's eyes was unmistakable. "I…I haven't talked to her in…"
"Don't lie to me!" Feldmen snapped. "But it doesn't matter now."
Feldmen grinned evilly at Oriana. "An interested party is on their way to greet you're sister on Caleston."
"You didn't!" Oriana exclaimed.
Feldmen fired two shots into Oriana's abdomen. Oriana lay on the floor, blood pooling around her "Yes I did" He whispered standing over Oriana's body. "Shepard is going to kill Miranda and a detachment of turian ships will make sure she doesn't escape."
"One of them will stop you." Oriana coughed. "one of..."
Feldmen laughed at the dying women and walked passed her body."I doubt that."
"I really do."
End.
AN/ That Feldmen is a bit of a weasel isn't he? Oriana at first didn't even talk to Ashley in the beginning but decided to change it. This begs the question of how Miranda will respond.
Any way I hope you all like this chapter and the story so far, the end is in sight. (like five chapters) So keep reading and please review.