Warden Raskov paced back and forth in his office. The facility was functioning on backup power, and the infirmary was filled to the brim with both rioters and people who were loyal to him.
In one hand he manipulated a thin dagger as if it was a pen. The other was pressed behind his back. His eyes every so often darting towards the holo-display, waiting for it to awaken.
"Why wasn't I told that the 'dangerous' individual was going to be a Specter and Shepard on top of it!?" He yelled out loud. There was no one to hear him, but he didn't care. He kept his focus on the area of the holo-display wishing that it would span to life with his command.
The memory of the way she looked at him made his skin crawl and caused him to shiver. It had looked as if she would have ripped right through the table and sucked his life from him. I spent ten years in STG. I saw what creatures the Reapers were and what they concocted; but never have I seen anything like Shepard.
Even with her shackled, her presence was commanding, withering, and undeniable. It took every ounce of him to keep him exterior calm showing.
"What the hell was he thinking?! Bringing Shepard here? When I have a full platoon of Krogan!? Idiot!" He continued to rage as adrenaline surged through his system.
"What are they doing with Shepard anyway? I was informed to 'interview' a dangerous fugitive. Not a damn icon!" He continued to stalk back and forth as he recalled the past few hours...
"How could I be so stupid! Reading from a damn biography article and trying to make it even sound like a serious interrogation!" He threw the dagger at the far wall. It struck the wood with a audible 'thunck' standing rigidly at attention out to him.
Raskov went striding towards it to retrieve the instrument, but stopped when he saw that the projector was coming alive. It's for the best that the dagger is out of my hands anyway... He mused as he centered himself at the display and to military rigid.
As the display sharpened for his view, he was surprised to see it was Themos Sohmon looking back at him, and not Garrus Vakarian, the executor of C-Sec. Sohmon looked as if he had just rolled out of bed.
"Warden Raskov, I do hope there is a reason why you are breaking grid silence and waking me up at this Spirit forsaken time of the morning..."
Raskov stole a look at the krono display at the far wall behind the projections. It was three in the morning. Even so Raskov was in no mood to play nice with his superiors. If they can't stand the time; their problem and not mine.
"I asked to speak with the C-Sec executor. Where is Vakarian?" He asked
"I AM the Executor, Warden." Sohmon replied, making no attempt to mask his ill mood.
Raskov had never had a lot of 'love' for Executor Vakarian. He didn't care for Turians in general, finding them too rigid and 'by the book'. To Raskov they lacked the imagination needed for dealing with situations. But he had to admit that Vakarian didn't 'fit' in to the general Turian ideal. He had always felt that Vakarian wasn't cut out for C-Sec. That he just simply didn't fit. Raskov couldn't point to any one reason, but he knew Vakarian had been making a lot of waves in C-Sec, a lot of changes.
Guess it caught up to him... Raskov mused...
"I see. So I take it that he resigned?"
"Vakarian has been arrested in connection with the assassination of Councilor Anderson." Sohmon sounded cold, but almost happy by the pronouncement.
"Sohmon; did I just hear you correctly. The Human Councilor is dead?!" Raskov was shocked. If any of the Councilors had popular support by the general populace it was Anderson.
"Yes. Anderson was shot by an assassin earlier tonight while he was on his way to visit the Systems Alliance docking bays. Vakarian ordered the hit. So far we think that it could have been in retaliation for the arrest of the dangerous individual who was transferred to your facility earlier last night..." Sohmon said dryly.
"You mean Shepard, the Council Specter, Alliance Captain. Is that correct?" Raskov asked.
Sohmon straightened his posture to make him more imposing. "She was sent there so you could...'question' her."
Raskov's rage was starting to seethed out of him. "I just had to deal with a damn riot at my facility because of it!"
"A riot. Your facility doesn't even exist Warden. How could you have a riot?" Sohmon asked snidely.
"Shepard was sent to a facility where there was a full platoon of Krogan Soldiers getting ready for mountainous climate training. What makes the idea of sending an arrested Shepard to a facility with armed Krogan even remotely sane! I lost over half my people dealing with the riot, and the facility is nearly torn apart!" Raskov pointed is finger at the image.
Sohmon looked lost for a moment, but then he asked. "Is Shepard still in custody?"
"Of course she is." Raskov's agitation showing plainly.
Then a thought came back and hit Raskov. He didn't know why Shepard should even be there...
"What's going on here Executor?" His black pooled eyes drilling into Sohmon's image.
He didn't like what was cementing in his mind.
"Did you get any information from Shepard?" Sohmon queried.
"No! Like what?! What else is there to know about Shepard as far as what she has done that can't be gleaned from a simple biography about her? I only can deduce that she is engaged to the Asari she has been seeing. Besides the riot cut in to my questioning time with her." Raskov blared back.
"A motive, a reason, her mental state. You tell me Raskov." Sohmon said, he was starting to lose his patients.
That was all Raskov need to confirm his suspicions.
"Are you insane? Is the Council insane?!" He screamed.
"The Council has finally come to agreement that Shepard must be dealt with." Sohmon said in a warning tone.
"The Council...C-Sec... Do you know what you are doing!?" Raskov fired back.
His mind raced and floundered over what he had just heard.
Shepard had saved the Council more than once. She had led the peoples of the Galaxy to victory over the Reapers. She had united the people for the first time in history against a common enemy that would have surely swallowed them whole. Like it had done to the Protheans, and who knows how many other countless civilizations before them. She had righted so many of the Council's wrongs...
Raskov knew that at time terrible things had to be done for the greater good. He knew Shepard felt that same way...
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't agree with the return of the Rachni, but they had been instrumental with the Reaper's defeat, and he definitely did not agree with Shepard helping undo the Genophage. Yet so far the United Krogan clans had kept to their word, and there had been peace for the most part.
But what he was hearing was that Shepard was now seen as a criminal. The Galaxy's greatest Hero now becoming its greatest criminal!
"I am doing something that should have been done ages ago! Shepard should have been executed for Torfan!" Sohmon railed back at Raskov.
"Torfan?! She gave what those Bastards deserved!" Raskov yelled back.
Sohmon was getting angry with Raskov. But he knew how to handle the Salarian. He took a deep breath, and composed his stature again which had deteriorated over the course of the...conversation.
"Warden Raskov. Am I hearing you clearly, that you disagree with the Council's commands? That you support having a habitual mass murderer go free?"
Raskov's eyes opened wider with outrage, but Sohmon cut him off and continued.
"Because if that is the case; then I will let the pick up team know that they can expect to take TWO in to trial custody. Shepard and you."
Raskov knew exactly what kind of trial awaited Shepard. One without a Jury. One without an unbiased Judiciary. One where there would be no chance for an appeal. Only a firing squad waiting for her...waiting for him...
Why you son of a cloacae... Raskov cursed. Two can play at this game... He too quickly regained his composer.
"I'm sorry if I gave you...an impression, Executor. I was merely only stating the opinion of a segment of the people. It seems though that the opinion was not shared by the Council. I serve the Council and work to uphold Justice and the Law." Hi tone was cold, detached, but civil.
"Good. The squad I am sending will be at your facility within two hours. Keep Shepard under close surveillance till then. If you 'glean' any other information, please pass it along." Sohmon said mechanically.
"Understood. But Executor, before you go. Three things." Raskov crossed his arms behind his back.
"First. Don't use the information of Shepard's engagement."
Sohmon sneered. "What makes you think you can suggest to me what information I can use and can't?"
"I'm not suggesting, Sohmon. I'm telling. And second. It would be wise to tell the Council to heed this old human saying. "Repetition does not transform a lie in to a truth..." Raskov finished.
"And third?" Sohmon stated irritably.
"Get me a damn engineer! I need to get this facility back up and running!"
"I'll keep that in mind, Warden." Sohmon's image faded to blackness.
With that Raskov let out a violent tremor. He had always hated dealing with Sohmon, but the fact that he had disposed of Executor Vakarin by using his association to Shepard disturbed him even more.
Raskov was questioning his own loyalty...
Free Shepard...
His eyes immediately darted to the dagger. But he also knew his orders.
Not once had he failed to carry out orders. Not once had he shirked his duty. But now he couldn't begin to describe the feeling of utter tragedy that had fallen over him. He walked over to the wall where the ceramic blade still stood out to his out stretched hand. He yanked in out and inspected the blade.
Etched from tip to hilt in an ancient Salarian script read, Hunt for the Truth to kill the Lies. It was his STG unit motto.
Raskov knew that the fate on one person mean little. Even less when compared to a Galaxy of people. But no person deserves to be used only as a tool. Created, implemented, and then thrown away when their use was over like a cheap toy.
He took in a deep breath. He felt his age suddenly. I'm 39. I'm old and I hate this place. He had been in command of the facility ever since it was created, and he hated it. It had use, but no purpose. At least no useful purpose. A place without a name, where only rumors and stories whispered at the ghastly truth that he knew...
He hated it, but now he had a chance, a choice...
He made up his mind as he turned the dagger over in his hand.
"Corporal Sringer. Please tell Lieutenant Area'lius to come to my office. I need to speak with her about her...interpretation...of prisoner handling policy." He said in a cold manner. Much like that of a executioner waiting for his victim.
[][][][]
El'Jaid leaned up against the cold metal wall of her cell. Her eyes closed. She had given up any hope of sleeping. The bright lights of the cell, far brighter than the lights in the hall way made it impossible, what unnerved her even more was the dead silence.
She knew what this place had been used for. She had heard of facilities like this being created and used during the war. Indoctrinated Camps. Camps was an agreeable term, it was more like a sadistic cross between a sanitarium, and a POW prison.
It was facilities like this were 'supposedly' Indoctrinated Agents of the Reapers were sent to be 'helped' with their condition. From what El'Jaid had experience she could only surmise that any 'help' would have entitled a good dose of torture, interrogation, and then isolation. Clean, rinse, repeat.
All she knew that no good information could have ever come out of places like this. She had seen what indoctrination did. She had seen it with Saren, and Dr. Kenson. Both people had been either unwilling or unable to fight it. But that had not stopped the Council from misunderstanding Indoctrination and in the process creating living nightmares like this place...
She was trying her best to meditate, to try to get some form of rest. It didn't help when she knew that the guard was looking in to see if she had moved or anything.
"Corporal. Has Shepard been sleeping? A Salarian voice said.
"I dunno Sir. She's been sitting on the cot like that ever since we put her in there during the riot. Hasn't moved an inch." The guard replied.
"You're dismissed..." The Salarian said briskly.
"But sir! My relief had not arrived yet. I still have two hours on..." Her guard replied.
"I am your damn relief! Now get out of here before I have to throw in the brig for being an idiot!"
"Ye..Yes sir!" He quipped. El'Jaid heard the sounds of heavy foot steps quickly departing.
El'Jaid gave no heed as to what she had heard. She didn't open her eyes. She just continued to focus on her breath. But she knew the Salarian was watching her.
Silence filled the space between them for what seems like an age.
Then she spoke, her words precise, her tone short. "Back for another round of 'reviewing my history'?"
"No. Just looking for answers." The Salarian said quickly.
"Is that so? Seems you know a bit about me. But I don't even know who you are."
She still sat on her cot, her eyes closed. The Salarian continued to peer on at her, as if trying to see what she was thinking.
"I am Serone Raskov. Warden of this facility." He said.
"Warden? Humm, interesting to meet the Warden of an Indoctrinated Camp." She said calmly. She opened her eyes and looked back at Raskov. Her words were like a Thanix cannon. The Salarian said nothing, but his eyes looked away from her for the first time.
"That's not what this facility is now..." He said
"But that is what it was, wasn't it." She cut in.
His silence confirmed it.
"So why have an Indoctrinated Camp still up and working. The war ended years ago." She said.
He said nothing, but continued to look in at her.
"This facility is used for something else now...isn't it." She finished.
"The Council, has many tools that it uses. Some tools are better when they do not exist." Raskov said...
"Like an 'information' facility." El'Jaid said, her eyes had flared red as she heard Raskov mention tools. Again Raskov's eyes averted away from her.
"Does Executor Vakarian know about this place?"
"Of course not! He would have personally blown up every facility like this, even when it was used as an Indoctrination Camp..." Raskov said.
El'Jaid leaned her head back relaxing a little. She was glad to know that Garrus had his Modus Operatum well known around C-Sec.
"You never answered my question. Why am I here?"
Raskov's eyes left and right as if to try to find a path of escape. He could just walk away. She thought. It intrigued her that he was still even standing there.
"Why did you do it?" He finally blurted out.
"You can't answer a question with a question." She said tersely.
"And you're in no position to bargain for an answer." He responded.
She let a smile creep to the corner of her mouth. A Salarian always knows more than what they let on. She mused.
"Why did you do it?" He asked again, more earnestly this time. She could tell he wanted an answer.
"That depends on what your referring to." She got up and walk towards the door. Her hair was a red tangled mess. More than usual thanks to the past few hours. But her eyes glowed with a determination. A fire that was genuine. Raskov didn't move back. The Salarian wore the look of resolve on his face. As far as she could tell he wasn't armed.
"If you're referring to Torfan..." She started out coolly.
"I don't care about Torfan!" He yelled back. "Why did you come to Esthasia?"
"I was told to come for a in person meeting with the Council." She replied.
"Who told you?" He quickly followed.
"Councilor Anderson." She returned.
"He's dead." He said flatly.
El'Jaid's eyes flew open. Then she sneered back at Raskov. This is just another technique. He must know of my history with Anderson...
"You're lying." She spat.
Sadness glazed his eyes. It was genuine, like the fire in hers. "I wish I was. I spoke with Executor Sohmon and he informed me that the Councilor was shot by an assassin while we was making his was to the Alliance docks."
Grief momentarily over took her as she stumbled back away from the door and hit the wall. She looked down at the ground in front of her. A knot in her stomach made it hard for her to breathe. She had lost so many people she had known. Her family on Mindior. Her squad that she gotten killed at Torfan, Ashley Williams on Vermire, Thane Krios, Urdnot Wrex, Mordin Solus, and now Anderson. She had even nearly lost Garrus on Omega.
Garrus...
She looked up at Raskov. Her emerald eyes lit with red flame.
"Garrus Vakarian is Executor of C-Sec."
"Was. He is currently being held by C-Sec... for the assassination of Councilor Anderson. Themos Sohmon is now the Executor of C-Sec." He had disquiet in his voice, and El'Jaid noticed that his body language had changed slightly. It hinted that even he didn't believe that the story was really true.
Rage burned at El'Jaid. She didn't believe any of it. She wanted out; she just wanted this nightmare to stop...
"I answered your question. Now answer mine." She growled at him.
He was quiet for what seemed like an age.
"You were arrested and brought to this facility for questioning. I didn't even know it was you until I saw you in the...room. All I knew is that the Council was transferring an 'dangerous person of interest' to this facility. You're going to stand trial by the Council." Raskov said.
"Why?" She said edging back against the wall.
"I don't know. Executor Sohmon has sent a shuttle to pick up you up for the pre-trial hearing. It will be here in about thirty minuets."
El'Jaid's mouth was dry and she felt sick with loss and anger. Whether it was from the lack of sleep, the events of the past day, or with the news she had just been hit with she didn't know. Perhaps it was all of the above. She slumped down on the cot. El'Jaid knew that if it was a trial by the Council, she would have very little chance of coming out of it alive, let alone 'innocent'. She looked down at the bracelet that still haloed her arm. She thought of Liara.
What good is a dead woman's love? She cursed herself. She was on the verge of tears, but she wasn't going to breakdown. Not in front of Raskov.
She felt the familiar feelings she had before her trial on Earth. Only this was worse.
She heard a lock disengage and the door hissed open. She looked up. Warden Raskov stood in the door way.
"It's 4:30am. I know why you did what you did...during the war. The reason why you didn't fight your arrest. You're willing to do anything to help a friend, and protect a loved one from harm. What ever the cost. What ever needs to be done." He pointed towards her left arm.
"It's what Soldiers do." She replied in a somber tone.
"No. It's what leaders do, Specter. They make the hard calls that soldiers don't have to. No one can really know the weight that a true leader bares so that others don't have to." He turned and started to walk away from the door way, but looked back at her. "They are not tools to be used and tossed away. They are the forces that shape the reality around them." He disappeared from sight. El'Jaid heard the sound of foot steps echo down the hall way, growing ever fainter till all was silent.
El'Jaid was tempted to go running through the door. To go and confront the Council and Executor Sohmon head on. To blow Garrus out of his prison. That part of her was screaming just to see Liara again and go running from Council Space. She had done it before...
Why not again? Why not now?
She closed her eyes. Took in a deep breath and made up her mind. If she could have faced everything she had so far, she could face this. Even if it wound up with her facing a firing squad while tied to a post. It wasn't anything she hadn't gone through before. Because she of all people knew that sometimes the only was to survive a fire storm is to go through it.