The Normandy left the Citadel with a full crew, plus one. It made the crew nervous to have the turian on board. This was supposed to be a simple shake down run to test out the prototype ships' abilities and systems. With a Spectre aboard, it raised suspicions.
It was less than three hours to the relay. The Normandy would make the jump to the Utopia system in the Exodus cluster half way across the galaxy. In about a day they would be at Eden Prime. No one knew why that colony had been picked as the destination. It was a garden world, mostly used for agriculture. There was nothing of any real interest about the colony itself, other than the fact that it was one of the first human colonies established beyond the Sol system. It lay on the boarder of the Terminus Systems, placing it just inside Citadel space and a potential target for attack. That added to the nervousness of the crew. Eden Prime had been protected from any pirates or mercenaries that had tried to plunder it by the small Alliance Military force stationed there and the anti-craft guns that lined the perimeter of the settlement.
Commander Shepard was as curious as anyone else, but the Captain refused to give up any information. He fed her the same story he was spooning everyone else. Shepard's omni-tool beeped an alarm. Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau was preparing to hit the relay. She left the mess where she had been eating her lunch, and eyeing the young Lieutenant Alenko, to head up the stairs to the command deck and the cockpit.
Kryik was standing behind the helm, talons locked behind his back. Joker was giving the read outs. Shepard leaned over the line that divided the cockpit from the walkway, narrowing her eyes, scanning the console display. She always found the first jump of the day exciting.
"Board is green..." Joker's fingers danced over the console. "... in three, two, one.."
She felt the familiar vertigo as the relay sent the Normandy blasting through space with a giant arc of blue energy.
"Disengaging FTL drives, emission sinks active. Board is green, we are running silent Thrusters; ..check... check... all systems on line. Drift; just under fifteen-hundred K." Joker read off the data.
"Fifteen-hundred is good. Your Captain will be pleased."
Nihlus complimented Joker dryly and left the cockpit.
Shepard watched him go over her shoulder. She noticed a slight swagger in his step and grinned to herself. There was just something about him she found... interesting.
"I hate that guy." Mumbled Joker.
Shepard looked at the back of his head with curiosity.
"Nihlus just gave you a complement, sooo you hate him." Kaiden commented.
"Remember to zip up your jump suit on your way out of the bathroom, that's good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pin head. That's Increasable. Besides, Spectres are trouble."
Shepard took a military posture behind his chair.
"I don't like haven' em on board. Call me paranoid." Joker continued.
"You're paranoid." Replied Kaiden. "The Council helped fund this project, they have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment."
Shepard silently agreed with him.
"Only an idiot believes the official story." Joker shot back.
Shepard smiled at that. Both men were right. She had a feeling she would find out exactly how right they were, soon.
"They don't send Spectres on shake down runs." She said, glancing over at Alenko.
"See? The Commander knows what's up." Said Joker.
"Actually, I don't know anymore than you do, Joker. Captain's been keeping us all in the dark." She corrected.
"Joker, Status report." Anderson's voice demanded on the com.
"Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. We're running solid." Joker answered.
"Good."
Sonya's mind wandered away from the conversation, thinking about what Kryik had said to her in the lounge on the Citadel.
"Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is heading your way." Joker warned.
She started listening again when she heard mention of the Spectre.
"He's already here." Said the Captain, clearly annoyed.
Joker glanced over to Kaiden, who was staring back with an 'I told you so' look on his face. Joker shook his head.
"Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the com room for a debriefing." instructed Captain Anderson.
"Get that, Commander?" Joker teased.
"Yep, you made him mad. Now I get to pay for it." She teased back. She turned to go.
"He always sounds like that when he's talking to me." mumbled Joker.
"Can't possibly imagine why." Kaiden shot Joker a side long look.
Shepard allowed herself a smirk. Both men were incredibly cute. However, she could only be sure she wouldn't break one of them. Maybe if she was really careful with Jeff, and he lay on his back... She almost laughed at herself before bumping into Pressly.
"Oh, sorry. Excuse me." She apologized.
"Commander, do you know anything about the Spectre?" Pressly asked.
"What?" She felt her face get warm.
"Do you know why he's on board? It's making the crew nervous."
"I don't know any more than you do, Pressly. But I'll see what I can find out, ok?" She said, nodding to him.
"Okay. Sorry to bother you, ma'm." Pressly apologized.
"It's okay. I'll see you later."
Shepard patted his shoulder and went around him only to be stopped again by Jenkins and Dr. Chakwas just outside the com room.
"Do you know why were're headed to Eden Prime?" asked the young officer.
"Uh," She sighed. "No. Now spread the news, 'cause I'm tired of answering the same damn questions. I don't know anything you don't know. Okay?"
"Yes, ma'm. Sorry, ma'm!" Jenkins said, standing at attention.
"Don't call me "ma'm", it makes me feel old." She teased, feeling guilty about snapping at the boy. Jenkins laughed.
"Hey, didn't you grow up on Eden Prime?" She asked.
"Yeah, I used to climb up the hill and look at the lights of the colony after dark. It's peaceful. Too peaceful. That's why I joined the Alliance. I wanted more action in my life."
"Your 'action' usually ends up with me sewing together holes in your hide after removing rounds from your flesh." Dr. Chakwas stated flatly.
Her mannar was usually more polite, but she could see the gleam in the soldier's eyes that she had seen many times before. That gleam almost always ended up in the med-bay, blood shot and dulled.
"The doctor's right. Don't get too excited. Just stay focused. You'll be alright." Shepard said, then excused herself with a nod to each of them.
She was surprised to see Kryik waiting in the com room sans Anderson. The turian was looking at footage of Eden Prime on the viewer. He turned to her when she stopped a few steps behind him.
"Commander Shepard, I was hopping you'd get here first. Gives us a chance to talk." He kept his talons locked together behind him.
"About what?" Shepard asked.
She was curious why he was glad to have her alone. It made her a little nervous. Truth be told, it also made her a little excited. His bright green eyes fascinated her. He held her in his gaze, and the feelings she felt bubbling in her stomach were a mixture of incitement and fear. The same brightness of his eyes that she was drawn to also scared the piss out of her. Like they were filled with an un-natural demonic fire. He was a bit intimidating.
"I'm interested in this world we're going to...Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful." He said as he paced the floor.
"I've never been there." She replied flatly.
"It's a symbol for your people, isn't it? A perfect little world on the edges of your territory. Proof that not only can humanity establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But how safe are they really?" Nihlus stood a meter away from her. He could faintly smell her skin.
"Is there something you're not telling me?" She eyed him cautiously.
"Your people are still new comers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?"
Nihlus walked over to the railing and leaned his back against the console. He crossed his arms as he looked at her. He lowered his head slightly. He wondered what she was thinking. It was difficult to read her dark eyes in the shadows of the debriefing room.
The doors to the room hissed open. Captain Anderson came briskly down the ramp behind the Commander.
"I think it's time we tell the Commander what's really going on." said Anderson.
"This is far more than a simple shake down run."Kryik began..
"I figured there must be something else going on." Shepard said, turning her attention to Anderson.
"We're making a covert pick-up. That's why we needed the Normandy and her stealth systems on line." Anderson continued.
"What's the payload, Captain?" She asked, straitening her posture.
"A research team un-earthed an in tact Prothean Beacon during an expedition. We're taking to the Citadel where they have the facilities to study it." Anderson took a position next to the Spectre.
"Obviously this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander." added Kryik. "This discovery could effect every species in Council space."
"Are we expecting trouble?" Shepard asked, she looked directly at Kryik, almost accusingly.
"I'm always expecting trouble." Kryik said mater-of-factly.
He took a few steps toward her. He sensed her mistrust when her eyes narrowed at him.
"There's more,"Anderson continued. "Nihlus isn't just here for the tests and the beacon. He's also here to evaluate you."
"Is there something you need to tell me, Captain?" She asked Anderson directly.
"The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. We want more say in the Council's decisions. The Spectres represent the Council's power. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come." Anderson explained.
"I was impressed when I read the reports from the Skyllian Blitz." Kryik continued. "Not many would have survived what you did on Elysium. You showed a remarkable will to live and desire to protect others."
"So, that's what that whole conversation was about." She thought to herself.
"That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres." Nihlus was having slight difficulty in keeping his tone of voice professional. He wasn't sure why, but something about Shepard put a warmth in his gut when he was near her.
"Why would a turian want a human in the Spectres?" Shepard asked with a point of her chin at him.
"Not all turians resent humanity," Nihlus shook his head. "Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy... and the Spectres." He brought himself up a little taller. "We are an elite group. It's rare to find an individual with the skills we seek. I don't care that you're human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job."
Nihlus studied the gentle angles of her face. Looking into the depth of her eyes, he caught himself wondering exactly how little he cared that she was human.
It was unlikely he would find a turian female that would have him, being an outsider. He knew enough about Shepard to respect her. He'd spent enough time with her to know he liked her. How much would more time with her further his interest in her? It was an intriguing thought.
"Just tell me what I have to do." She said, looking up at him. The white tattoo on his face seemed to emit it's own light as it reflected the glow from the insets over head. She thought it made him look regal.
"I need to see your skills for myself, Commander. Eden Prim will be the first of several missions together." His talons were locked behind his back in military fashion, as unconsciously swayed on his feet slightly. He let his gaze linger on her a little longer than he should have. His hormone levels steadily increased with his curious thoughts.
"You'll be in charge of the ground team." Anderson continued, ignoring Kryik's distraction.
David Anderson knew Shepard was a lovely girl and that males, even of differnt species, would find her attractive at some point. He felt like a father to her after working with her for so long. Part of that meant looking out for the wolves.
Nihlus Kryik was a Spectre, and a turian. Anderson admired the alien for becoming a Spectre at such a young age. He respected him for standing up for what he believed was right, even when it got him in trouble. If Nihlus wanted to pursue her, well, Sonya was a big girl and it was her decision. He wouldn't interfere. But right now they needed to be soldiers.
"Secure the beacon and get it onto the Normandy ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you though his own mission." Anderson said, glancing up at the turian.
"Just give the word, Captain." Shepard replied.
"We should be getting close to Eden Prime..."
"We got a problem, Captain." Joker's voice came over the com, interrupting Anderson. "We just got a transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this."
"Bring it up on screen." Captain Anderson ordered.
They all moved toward the screen, Anderson in the middle. What they saw formed knots in their stomachs.
Gunfire, explosions. Military personnel were firing at something. One man grabbed the camera quickly giving a run down of the situation and requesting evac. He died mid sentence from a shot to the back of the head.
Shepard looked to her fellow officers. They stared at the screen, stone faced. She wondered if they were feeling the butterflies she was feeling.
On the screen the camera shifted blurring the image as the cameraman ran with it. It came to focus on a large black ship hovering just above the colony. It had long fingers, like tentacles. It looked to Shepard like a squid. It made her hungry, despite the butterflies. Then the camera jumped around again. More gunfire. The image went fuzzy.
"Everything cuts out after that. No com traffic at all." said Joker over the com.
"Reverse and hold at thirty-eight-hundred." Instructed Anderson.
The vid rewound and held. The image of the strange ship paused on the viewer. Arcs of red energy leaped away from the fingers. Kryik's mandibles twitched, just once.
"Status report." demanded the Captain.
"Fifteen minutes out. No other Alliance ships in the area." replied Joker.
"Take us in, Joker. Fast and quiet." He looked at Nihlus. "This mission just got a lot more complicated."
"A small strike team could move more quickly, without drawing attention." said Kryik.
"It's our best chance to secure the beacon. Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold." Anderson agreed.
Kryik turned to leave. As the doors slid open he chanced a quick glance over his shoulder to Shepard. If they survived this, the evaluation would be a valuable one. He was interested in seeing her in action.
"Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, Commander. You're going in." Anderson ordered. He watched Shepard as she looked at the screen.
What Shepard saw floating over the colony in the vid frightened her more than Nihlus' eyes. She steeled herself, narrowing her eyes at the screen before heading up to fetch Alenko and Jenkins. Whatever it was, it was just another bully. She was going to stop it.
"Hey, Alenko... suit up. You and Jenkins are coming with me to the surface."
Shepard was barely in the cock pit when she gave him the order and left. Joker looked at Alenko and gave him a knowing smile.
"Thanks, Joker. I feel much better about it now." Kaiden glared at Joker before leaving.
In the cargo hold Shepard and her team stood at the ready. Anderson was just walking toward them with Kryik not far behind.
"Your team's the muscle of this operation, Commander. Go in heavy and head strait for the dig sight."
"What about survivors, Captain?" asked Jenkins.
"Helping survivors is a secondary objective. The beacon is your top priority." Captain Anderson shouted over the wind as the bay doors opened.
"Approaching drop point one." Joker said over the com.
Shepard watched Kryik as he walked up, checking his weapon one last time.
"Nihlus, you're coming with us?" asked Jenkins.
"I move faster on my own." He replied, checking his sights. He didn't to look at the team as he jogged out of the bay and jumped down to the surface a few meters below.
"Kryik will scout ahead. He'll feed you status reports though out the mission." Anderson explained. "Other wise, I want radio silence."
"We've got his back, Captain." Shepard replied.
She tried to sound tough, professional. Her voice came out softer somehow. She was trying to steady her nerves. When she was on Elysium, her performance wasn't being judged. There were pirates and thugs, not some gigantic ship spouting electrical charges. She bit her tongue to focus her mind.
"The mission's yours now, Shepard. Good luck." The Captain nodded to her.
Anderson held her gaze a moment before they reached their drop point. He wanted her to do well, for the mission to be a success and for her to become a Spectre. Not the fist human to do it, though. He had screwed that up for himself years ago.
On the surface, Shepard led the team around some rocks and up a narrow path. There were strange floating creatures. She vaguely heard Alenko say something and Jenkins explained that the creatures were harmless. 'Gas bags', he'd called them. Shepard wondered what evolution caused them to develop that way. She continued up a path past a pond, almost tripping over an arm of a charred body.
"What happened here?" Jenkins asked through the helmet com. His voice carried the shock and fear they all felt.
The path opened up ahead. Shepard knelt down and held up her fist, signaling her team to wait. She trained eyes scanned the area. There were plenty of places for cover. That meant enemies could be waiting for them. She listened. Examined the ground. No shuffle marks for foot prints in the dirt. No sounds that could be heard over the wind and gun fire from the ani-craft guns near by. Doing her best to ignore the devastation of the colony below and the giant ship in the distance, she motioned to move out.