Chapter 1: Retribution
Four Months Ago-Council Chambers
Councilor Tevos came in to the Council Chambers exhausted. Last night she was up all night, dealing with angry calls from the Hegemony on the loss of their citizens in the Bahak system. The incident in that system was unlike anything the galaxy has heard before, an asteroid collided into a mass relay and the resulting explosion wiped out the system, there were no survivors. Up until then, it was thought that mass relays were indestructible, but after what happened it had now set dangerous precedent…Mass relays were now fair targets. She made her way to her podium in the center, her other three colleagues were exhausted also.
"I suppose you gotten calls too…" Tevos said.
"From batarian citizens on the Citadel, and their other colonies…" Valern said.
"Death threats from the Hegemony's high military" Anderson said. "They seem dead set in believing humans had something to do with this…."
"Well don't you?" Sparatus asked bluntly. Anderson frowned at him. "Don't give me that look, Anderson we all know the history between your people and the batarians….I've even heard rumors…."
"Bullshit! Neither humanity nor Shepherd had anything to do with this tragedy!" Anderson said angrily.
"You sure about that, Councilor? I've had reports of the Normandy entering the system" Valern said. "Considering his relations with Cerberus…"
"Shepherd is no longer apart of Cerberus, he told me himself after he finished his mission" Anderson said. "I know him, hell I raised him since he was sixteen, he wouldn't do this"
"I seriously doubt that" Sparatus said. "Look at his background, lost his family and friends on Mindoir, the incident on Torfan, and the X-57 incident just two years ago….his whole life has been shaped by the batarians, I'm surprised he didn't join Cerberus sooner…" Anderson glared at him, Sparatus had never liked humanity getting a council seat or a spectre even after humanity played a role in saving the Citadel from Saren. The old turian was a veteran of the First Contact War just like the dead ex-spectre, there was still a grudge against the Alliance for daring to be equal to the Hierarchy.
"I see you're quick to forget how Shepherd saved your life, Councilor" Anderson said. "That he saved all of us"
"After you broke your own people's laws…" the turian said. Tevos clear her throat and Anderson and Sparatus stopped their argument.
"The fact of the matter is that humanity, a council race is on the edge of war with the Hegemony…" Tevos said. "If war were to break out, we would have no choice but to join in and I don't believe that would be in our best interest"
"So what? We surrender Shepherd to the lynch mob?!"
"I believe the Alliance are the ones doing that, not us" Valern said. "However, they may have the right idea…." Anderson looked at the Salarian shocked. Councilor Valern wasn't a politician that tried to operate out of compassion but pure cold calculations. If someone was problem, he would have no problem throwing them under bus. "I say we strip him of his status…to show the batarians that we are taking this seriously."
"Because you've always taken the Batarians seriously…" Anderson said dryly.
Valern frowned. "We wouldn't have to, if your damned protégé learned to keep out of trouble!"
"Enough" Tevos said. She then sighed. "It's obvious we have strong opinions on the matter, let us end our session today and think on the matter" Anderson was the first to leave the chambers; he had to get to the bottom of this.
"Anderson is not going to be easy to sway to our side" Sparatus said. "He's too loyal to Shepherd, admirable for a human, but…"
"A problem…if even one of us is seen on Shepherd's side, the batarians will be out for our blood…" Valern said grimly.
"What should we do? He's the first councilor for Humanity, Earth won't be happy if we just vote him out"
"Not if he has a successor, I'm sure the Alliance believes Anderson to be a liability also" Valern said. Tevos thought about this, the asari have never likes stabbing people in the back, but at this perilous moment, she couldn't afford to hesitate.
"Do it"
"I shall make the calls…"
Presidium-Anderson's apartment
Anderson arrived at his Apartment, tired from arguing with the other councilors. He sighed at the emptiness of it, no one to greet him home from a hard day's work. He used to be married with two sons, but military life got in the way and his wife gave him an ultimatum: either leave the Alliance and spend time with his family or say good-bye to that family. Ultimately he choose the military, and his wife and sons cut all ties, he sighed…it was probably for the best, his life wasn't getting any less exciting. He got undressed, and took a cold shower before plotting on the couch and watching the vids. He frowned.
"This is a special Westerlund News documentary: Commander Shepherd: Story of a Fallen Hero" the vid said. "Narrated by Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani" The image changed to woman in a dark blue dress sitting on stool in the middle.
"Good Evening to all my Citadel viewers, as you've heard Commander Shepherd has been recalled to Earth to answer for the Bahak incident" She said. "Let us look back, at the history of Commander Shepherd before he became the disgraced Commander Shepherd" Anderson changed the channel; however he could not get away from the fallen hero stories they were doing for Shepherd. The media didn't waste any time moving on this story, not caring that Shepherd once saved their lives; and when he saw documentaries that were trying to vindicate Saren of all people…. Anderson turned the vid off in disgust.
"Ungrateful bastards…" His omni-tool beeped. He answered it and saw a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. His eyes went wide. "Kahlee…"
The woman smiled. "Long time no see, David" Kahlee Sanders was an old friend of Anderson, she was there with him twenty years ago when Anderson was being scouted as a possible spectre candidate. She was also there when Saren betrayed them, and blamed Anderson for the debacle and costing him his position in the spectres. Nowadays, she works as the head technology teacher at Grissom Academy, a school set up by her father Jon Grissom. Anderson took a look at his old friend, twenty years and she was still beautiful, her blonde hair was dulled from age but that didn't detract from her beauty. Kahlee was a natural blonde, a rarity in this day and age, which made her look exotic when they were younger.
Anderson blushed a little. "Uh…the years have been good to you, Kahlee…"
Kahlee smiled and blushed. "You too, David…" In that instant, twenty years came flooding back, she and Anderson were always attracted to each other, however things kept getting in the way back then…for one he was already seeing someone, and plus her father hated his guts for putting her life in jeopardy during his spectre test, even though that was Saren's fault not his. Kahlee snapped out of her thoughts, she was here for business. "David, I need your help…."
Anderson frowned. "What's wrong? Are you in trouble?"
"No, it's one of my students, she was taken by a Cerberus mole" Kahlee said. "I can't talk to Alliance officials, Cerberus may have more moles and you're the only one I trust on this"
"The only you trust, what about old man Grissom?" Anderson asked.
Kahee looked away. "Dad is gone; he passed away six months ago"
"I'm so sorry, Kahlee…" he said. "But wait, if he's gone then that means"
"Yes, I'm in charge of Grissom Academy" Kahlee said. "So please…"
"Kahlee I wish I could, but…" A beep came from his omni-tool. "Hold on Kahlee…" He opened the message and his eyes went wide, apparently Council had a vote behind his back and booted it him out as Councilor. It turns out they weren't kidding about appeasing the batarians, and decided to boot him out because he was on Shepherd's side. Anderson wanted to be angry, he really did, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Now he could do things his way without the Council getting in the way. "Kahlee, where do we meet?"
"Omega, bring plenty of firearms"
Anderson nodded. "See you there"
Omega- two days later
"You sure she's here?" Anderson said.
"Yeah, the info is from the Shadow Broker, its good" Kahlee said.
Anderson looked at her. "The Shadow Broker? You sure that's a good idea?" he asked. "He doesn't give away information without a price…"
"I know, but he seemed incredibly generous, he contacted me personally with information" She said. That was a surprise, the Shadow Broker wasn't known for his generosity, and there was always some hook for his help. He wanted to say more, but let it go.
"So what now?"
"We find her father, Paul Grayson…he's looking for her also…"
Welcome to Before the Storm, a prelude story to Mass Effect 3: Beauty and the Beast. So what do you think?
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