Chapter 4: Consultations
Instead of meeting at the usual location where the Council met atop the Presidium, the room Jared Shepard found himself in was much smaller and much more secure. As he had told Anderson, the information about to be shared was too important to be revealed to prying eyes. If the extent of the threat became released publicly, Shepard thought it was likely mass panic would ensue, and the galaxy couldn't afford that sort of action any more than the current inaction.
In the room, there were seven figures. Jacob and Miranda were allowed to attend, though they were not to speak unless questioned. Shepard, as a Specter, had leave to speak more freely to the four councilors, representing the four races now sitting on the Council, the Asari, the Salarians, the Turians, and Anderson, for the humans.
The four sat at a table at the head of the room, each looking upon Shepard as professors might examine a candidate for their thesis. The questions would be fast and furious, but he was ready for their doubts. This time, the Commander mused, he had their precious proof.
Grumbling as was his habit, the Turian turned to Anderson and stated, "There better be a good reason for this. I hope this isn't another of Commander Shepard's ghost stories that we so love to hear."
The Asari looked ashamed at the lack of diplomacy while the Salarian kept a more neutral expression. Anderson looked like he was about to respond, but Shepard decided to pre-empt the councilor, growing weary of the petty provocations.
"Councilors, I come to you with news you will not want to hear. The Reapers are coming."
A quick glance showed the Councilors being prepared for their usual response, which was to say nothing. But he seized the initiative.
"Despite my numerous warnings, I know this Council has decided the Reapers are not a primary threat. Sovereign was the work of Saren or the Geth, in your eyes. I have told you otherwise, but you have demanded proof."
The Turian interrupted Shepard's words, "And I assume you have this proof, Commander Shepard. Let us see what you have found to give life to your human bogeyman." He shot a look of daggers to the Specter, as they had always been frosty in their exchanges.
The Asari interjected, "I would hear the Commander's proof before passing judgment. His service is recognized by this Council for saving our lives, and even if we don't agree with some of the current decisions, I have never known the Commander to lie." The Salarian nodded his approval.
Ignoring the taunts of the Turian, Shepard continued, "Thank you councilors. I have two items to report. First, the destruction of the Collector base past the Omega-4 Relay."
"Preposterous." The Turian didn't allow the report to continue. "No ship survives that passage."
His frustration rising, Jared rebuked the Councilor, "With all due respect, the Normandy is no ordinary ship. We have implemented the combination of the best Human and Turian technologies in its design, and we passed through the relay."
Scoffing, the Turian said, "How did Turian technology end up on a Cerberus knockoff, I wonder?"
Jared could tell from the muffled noises behind him that Miranda was seething, but he took the bait, "At least we put the technology to use which is more than you would do."
The tension rising in the room, Anderson spoke out, "Enough. Stop acting like damned children, and let's hear this report. You two can fight later!"
"Sorry, sir," was the unthinking response from Shepard. "Words will accomplish little here, so watch the vid instead. This footage was taken two weeks ago."
The video consisted of the entirety of the final mission against the Collector base. The Normandy was shown traveling through the relay, narrowly avoiding destruction from the automated defenses, the brief but violent battle in space, and then inside the Collector base. They saw the rescue of the crew, the vaporization of others, the many thousands of pods that were there, and the Harbinger. Lastly, they saw the abomination, the Reaper under construction, and its eventual destruction.
The video stopped, the Salarian offered the first response, "It seems the galaxy owes you a debt once more, Commander Shepard. The monstrosity was terrible, but I am glad to know you destroyed it as well as these facilities.
Level tempered, the Asari assented to this view, "Indeed. You have done well, but it would see the threat has passed thanks to your work."
The Turian said nothing, but Shepard continued.
"We did remove one threat, but we learned much more. We learned the Collectors are what remained of the Protheans after they were re-engineered by the Reapers. We learned they were acting under orders from afar, and even their destruction is just a brief victory." Shepard spoke earnestly but he sense the reply coming.
"You destroyed a threat that was targeting human colonists, it seems," offered the Turian. "But I see no Reapers. I see a mechanical beast that the Geth might have created, but no Sovereign, no threat that warrants more than a report."
"No, Councilor. I know you see nothing. You do that very well." His blood rising, Shepard was ready to spring his information.
"You may know by now that communications have ceased with the Bahak system and that the mass relay is no longer functioning." Allowing a dramatic pause to make eye contact with each Councilor, he said, "You probably do not know why. I will show you."
The video shows an asteroid heading for the mass relay. But as the camera pans, it is possible to see a fleet drifting into the picture. The camera zooms in to reveal dozens of vessels similar in size and appearance to Sovereign. The asteroid is closing in on the camera, but then it disappears as the Normandy hurries through the mass relay.
Silence deafens the room. The Turian has nothing to say. The Asari and the Salarian are equally silent, but Anderson provides a bit more detail.
"Commander Shepard was acting on the orders of the Systems Alliance. Admiral Hackett had dispatched the Normandy to verify the status of an operation posted there to lookout for such an incursion." He looked at his colleagues and admitted, "Our operatives failed. Had Shepard not been there, this invasion fleet would have reached any system connected to the relay system they desired two days ago."
Anderson looked around the room and said, "This is not a time for speeches. This is a time for survival. We have bought ourselves a little time, but the fleet is here, and we all know what Sovereign did. Now, we need answers and we need a plan."
The captain had not lost any of his passion for all the time he had spent playing as a politician, and the room was clearly moved by this declaration. "We need to come together now, or we will be killed together."
The Salarian asked the next question, "Commander, what exactly did you do to stop the threat? I know you must have disabled the transmitter…"
"Destroyed it, Councilor. It was the only way." Shepard put the blunt truth out there.
The Asari asked, "Can you destroy a mass relay?"
"Apparently. Though it came with a cost. We believe the resulting explosion probably destroyed the entire star system."
"Commander, do you know how many people lived in that system?" asked the Salarian.
"Our best estimate was 300,000 Batarians. We tried to warn them to evacuate, but it was not possible due to complications. There were Reaper sympathizers and saboteurs, indoctrinated people who intervened to stop this mission."
Jared stopped being a soldier for a moment, and allowed himself to be a man. "I made the decision that their deaths would be worth the lives of everyone else being protected. I believe the Reapers would have visited abominations on them worse than death, and the colony in place lacked the strength, numbers, and technology to resist the force you saw."
He allowed himself to get choked up as he said, "It was the worst decision I ever had to make. But don't let their sacrifice be in vain. Their lives bought us time to plan, to act, and to defend ourselves. We must make use of it."
Shaking his head, the Turian replied, "Shepard, you had no right to do what you did. But, I would have done the same, I think." He thought for a moment before asking, "Who else knows about this?"
Shepard replied, "Admiral Hackett knows. You know. I didn't report to Cerberus, but they may well know also."
The Asari asked the question that would be most crucial now, "And who will tell the Batarians about their lost colonists? Saving the galaxy or not, the Batarians will demand your head for this, if it becomes known who ordered the death of their people."
Anderson took this as his cue to speak up, "This information need not be shared with everyone. We cannot afford a panic, and nobody need know of the involvement of the Normandy. It benefits no one."
Jared kept a neutral facial expression even as he considered the situation. He had saved the galaxy one more time, and yet the question had drifted to how he might be punished or protected from punishment for doing the right choice, even though it was hard. Discontent with the Council for losing focus, he drew their attention back to the relevant issue.
"I make no apologies for what I have done. It was necessary. We have wasted so much time that the decisions we face now will have high costs."
With curiosity, the Salarian asked, "What would you have us do, were the decision yours, Commander?"
Shepard had long considered this question, not knowing the answer. The threat was so overwhelming, and the resources of any one entity weren't enough.
"Councilor, truly I do not have all the answers. But I agree with Councilor Anderson's words about how we must stick together. I do not know where or when this enemy will strike, but I think the militaries must mobilize now and we cannot afford any other wars."
"Well spoken, Commander," said the Asari, "but where do we defend, and what can we offer? If we make this information public, it will only be the shortest period of time before the threat is known, and then what will happen?"
"Were the choice mine, I would plot a course to the nearest relays to the Bahak System and meet the Reapers head on. While we cannot beat them ship for ship, we can set some traps, engage their fleet, and make sure they don't get their hands on any other mass relays. We can buy ourselves time to come up with a better plan."
Shepard thought more thoroughly about his own suggestion before adding, "And we should evacuate all those systems. The next point on the relay would be the Artemis Tau system, so I would start there."
The Salarian said, "Saving lives is a good thing, but how can we accomplish this with our current resources. Our fleets lack the manpower to move so many people, and I doubt people will be willing to leave their homes so eagerly."
The objection made perfect sense to Shepard who could only respond with a shrug, "I do not have these answers."
"Nor do we, Shepard," growled the Turian. "You always bring us such pleasant news."
"But honest news, and for this we are grateful," countered the Asari. "We must consider all you have said, but what will you do next with your crew?"
The Commander said, "We will remain at the Citadel until tomorrow, and then I shall depart for Earth. I have business there to attend to related to these incidents."
Anderson chose to bring the meeting to a conclusion saying, "We've learned a lot today. It might not be good news, but it could have been far worse. We need to use whatever advantage we have, and the Council may call on you for your help again once more Commander. Will you be ready?"
Jared offered his allegiance, "Yes, sir. I serve the Council and the people of this galaxy."
With that, the meeting adjourned and the councilors all left so only Miranda, Jacob, and Jared remained sitting in the room. Shepard thought he made the case and that it got through, but he could see any solutions would be difficult at best, and many had a chance for a catastrophic backlash.
"Thoughts?" is all he could ask his crewmembers who had come with him.
Jacob spoke first, "I don't think they'll do anything. They may cover their own asses and they will probably defend this station, but they're politicians. You know how they are." His disgust dripped from his voice, a soldier who put the priorities in a different order.
Miranda was more circumspect, "Jacob is probably right, but what can they really do? The galaxy simply isn't prepared for this kind of threat, and no one will believe it." She sighed, "They probably will just count on you to fix it again, like you always do."
"I don't know how we fix this. But we will come up with an answer." Jared answered bravely, but he fought to find conviction in his own words. There were so many of them, they were so powerful, and what resistance could be mustered. If there were more time, maybe it would be possible, but that was the one luxury nobody had to spare.
It was like a soldier who lay dying and Shepard wanted to stop the bleeding to provide some relief. He might or might not be able to save the patient, but he wasn't going to allow more pain than necessary.
"I have a plan, I think. Let's go back to the Normandy. Call the team back aboard."
His confidants looked confused, so he offered only this clue, "We may need to head somewhere else before Earth."
Author's Note: This chapter is slightly shorter than the previous ones, but there will be a lot happening starting with the next chapter, and you'll see this story breaking into following different characters in groups shortly. I had previously thought of making the subplots into separate stories, but it seems to me they are all part of the same vital thread.