Councilors Tevos, Esheel and Quentius were convened in the Citadel Tower. With the help of the Reapers, the Citadel had been moved back to its original location in the Widow system. The Citadel had been the site of the majority of the initial postwar rebuilding efforts, and was nearly fully restored to its former glory. Though the number of civilians living in the enormous structure had not yet come close to the population before the war, C-Sec and the embassies were fully populated, and more civilians arrived each day.
As Esheel and Quentius considered Tevos' latest proposal, the asari cursed her situation silently. The former turian and salarian Councilors, Sparatus and Valern, had almost always looked to her before deciding anything on their own. Unfortunately, they had both been aboard the Citadel when the Reapers had conquered it a year previously; Tevos had been on Illium, providing much-needed direction to the asari fleets as they staved off the invasion of their second-most important planet. It had been her strategic thinking that had led the asari to attack the Reapers' troop transports rather than their capital ships, ultimately saving Illium from the same fate as Thessia.
"I have to say, Councilor Tevos, I find your proposal troubling," Esheel said. Tevos sighed. Of course she did. "I understood your reasoning behind granting the quarians an embassy on the Citadel. And I even supported giving the geth their own embassy, something that I couldn't have imagined just a year ago."
A year ago you weren't even a Councilor.
"I have to say, I think I agree with Esheel," Quentius said. "I don't know that inviting the quarians to the Council is the best course of action right now."
"You supported bringing the krogan in. Even you, Esheel."
"That was different!" Esheel said. "I was hoping to placate them, to get them to stop asking for new worlds to colonize. I hadn't realized that both of you would be giving them your support."
"I would advise you to watch your tone, Esheel. And Quentius, I have to say I thought you'd agree with me on this. The krogan strengthened your ground forces on Palaven, but who was it who augmented your fleets? Who sacrificed themselves to repair your communications towers when they went offline?" Quentius was silent for a moment.
"I suppose… I see your point."
"And besides, your own Primarch suggested it even before I did. You didn't think I hadn't heard, did you?"
"Fine, you've made your point. We can invite the quarians to join the Council."
"I'm glad you agree," Tevos said. "In that case, I also suggest nominating a quarian to the Spectre ranks."
"Of course you do," Esheel said. "Since we're already handing Spectre ranks out like candy."
"Including the quarian, that's only four."
"It would have been five if your asari hadn't turned the position down."
"Spectres aside," Quentius said, "I still have reservations about your choice for the new human Councilor."
"Yes. If the old Councilor was in bed with Cerberus, how can you expect to trust her?"
"I think you're forgetting how vital she was to the war effort," Tevos said. "Cerberus could have been a much bigger threat if not for her. And intel says that she's been critical in the restoration efforts on her home planet."
Esheel scoffed. "Intel from who?"
"Admiral Hackett." Esheel went silent.
"Well, I suppose I can't think of any better candidates," Quentius said. "At least, ones who haven't already turned down the position."
"Exactly."
"Well, if that's all," Esheel said bitterly. "Can we adjourn this meeting?"
"Of course," Tevos said. Esheel turned and left.
"She'll come around," Quentius said. "She knows we have to keep a united front to keep the peace. She's just stubborn."
"I know, Councilor. And thank you for your support." Quentius nodded and followed after Esheel.
Maybe this new Council will be more… agreeable than I'd thought.