The Silence in the shuttle was crushing as no one spoke a word.
The flight from the docking bays to where the trial was being held was not long a particularly long one, but the quiet made it seem like an age.
Kaidan Alenko sat on the hard bench. At any given moment he felt like he was going to vomit. His mind replayed the bout that had happened between Garrus and him. The long embedded disbelief in the 'lie' that everyone else seemed to accept had finally come out. Yet rather then feeling vindicated for letting it out; his face seared with shame as he had looked like an utter fool. He glanced at Liara's veiled face and looked away in disgust.
He couldn't help but think back to just moments before when he, Miranda, and Liara had left the Ardennes for the trial. He had changed in to his dress blues. Medals, pendants, and awards rained down from him. His cap was straight, his military dress coat pressed and ridged, and his boots black, spotless and shined. But he had felt like a wretch as he marched to the bridge.
Once there, the airlock had refused to open, to allow him freedom from the inescapable pressure cooker he found himself in. It all came crashing down as a chair turned around and sitting in it was a stone faced Flight Commander Jeffery Meroue. Joker as no where to be found. Sure, he was still the same the Best Damn Pilot in the Galaxy, but the wise cracks were gone. What Kaidan saw sitting in the Command Chair was a Task Master.
If Shepard was the Commander, He was the Pilot.
Before the first Normandy was lost and Shepard had vanished; Joker had flown ships like the hot rods they were. Cocky. Taking foolish chances, and generally loving 'fast'. But after that, his flying style had changed. Joker had been out flanked. It didn't matter that the ship was larger, or that it had bigger guns. He had still lost. When Kaidan had been aboard the second Normandy for a short time during the war, he had seen how Joker's style had changed. He now operated the ship as weapon of war. He demanded the best from it, himself, and the crew because he knew that anything less would spell another loss. Cocky and flashy were gone from his repertoire. Only Experience remained.
"You know why I left the Alliance Alenko, and joined up with Shepard before the war with the Reapers?" Joker asked.
"Open the Door Joker." Kaidan gritted. He knew what was coming. He didn't want to hear it. Yet the door remained sealed.
"I left because the Alliance is full of people like you." Joker said icily. Liara remained silent out of respect. EDI out of plain curiosity.
Miranda on the other hand tried to rush towards her husband's aid and of shear shock by his audacity. "Joker that's enough.." Miranda tried to cut in but Joker cut her off.
"You didn't even want to try to find her!" Joker said rounding on Kaidan again.
"There was nothing to find, she was gone. She had slipped away!" Kaidan growled.
"Your really believe that don't you. You really do believe she just simply walked away." Joker chidded. "You stayed as the good son to the Alliance. You took them at their very word didn't you. Hell they even made you a Specter for it! And you did nothing while the Alliance and the Council tore her to shreds! You did nothing as they tore apart everything she had fought for!" Joker spat.
"And you quit." Kaidan recoiled. Miranda grabbed his right arm in an effort to curtail the argument.
"I've never quit. Not once. The Alliance quit on me. They grounded me. They quit on Shepard, and when she came back they either ignored her, or they used her. Like they are now. Tell me Kaidan if you don't believe that the Alliance isn't above using someone, then why hasn't the Alliance Ambassador tried to petition for Shepard?" Joker's face darkened further.
Kaidan's face burned and his eyes darted away.
"She came after you when every Council member, General, and Admiral ordered her not to. Do you even remember that." It wasn't a question, but a seething statement.
Kaidan had said nothing. He let quiet build in the cockpit until it, and all the eyes that watched him threatened to crush him.
He only received a reprieve when Joker had reached over to a command consol and released the lock on the door. "Now; with all due respect, Captain, get off my ship and come to terms with where you stand." Joker said with a tone of Contempt. Then he looked to Miranda, and Liara. "Sorry Ma'am, Dr. T'Soni." And mechanically he turned around.
Kaidan's thoughts rushed back to the present as Kaidan felt a hand take his. Miranda gave it a gentle squeeze, and Kaidan looked up at her face. It was still cold and unreadable, but the gesture seemed to settle his nerves.
All I have is the truth... He thought as he made up his mind. His eyes peered out the window as the shuttle finally exited the Docking Bay shuttle access tunnel.
"Oh my god..." Kaidan whispered as his eyes took in the vista that was before him. Buildings on the edge of the capitol wee still burning. He could see throngs of protesters clogging the streets. Illegal holo boards had been erected blaring a myriad of messages, ranging from condemning Shepard, to making her a saint before the trial had even began. Even more he could see C-Sec patrols trying to curtail the rampant rioting and looting taking place. Martial law, and the curfew were having no effect on the populace's madness.
He peered over to Miranda' and her face had changed from one of impassive silence to utter disbelief at the scene. He then turned to Liara, and hers was the epitome of icy calm. The look on her face was one of an architect who's scheme was unfolding precisely according to plan. It caused a shiver to run down his spine.
As the Shuttle arced towards the center of the Capitol. Kaidan could see the Council tower standing high above all the other structures. It's pearl obelisks shining like a rust colored beacon in the mid morning's smoky light. As they got closer, the shuttle change course to the Tribunal.
The tower stood next to the Council tower, but was much shorter, yet had a much more sinister semblance to it. It rose twenty stories above the sea. The outside was an impressing array of gray stone and black metal paneling that reminded Kaidan of the links and twists of medieval chains and shackles. Enormous tapestries of crimson hung flowing in the smoke filled breeze, still signs of remembrance for Councilor Anderson. At the top was a smooth dull gray dome and in the shape of a broad pestle. Five stories below it were five large landing pads, all of which were filled with shuttles bringing people for the trial.
The entire spectacle caused acid to creep up Kaidan's throat and he swallowed hard to try to wash it away. This is not a place for the innocent, but for the condemned. He thought.
The shuttle landed softly, and the starboard hatch opened with a hiss. Replacing the muted silence was the orchestra of chaos. He sensed a buzzing in his ears. Like a whisper that could be heard, but not understood. Like a tickle on the back on his mind. He strained trying to block it out.
"Kaidan..." Miranda called.
He was still sitting in the shuttle while both Liara and Miranda had already gotten out on to the pad. He didn't want to go, he couldn't face...her.
But he didn't have the luxury of choice.
"Captain. I need to go to make room on the platform..." The pilot said tersely said looking back.
Kaidan stood up and meekly nodded as he climbed out. He smelled the acid stench of industrial fires, and he winced as the smoke started to burn his eyes. If the effects were this bad on the shuttle platform, he could only imagine what it was like to be on the streets below.
"Captain...Commander. Good luck." The Pilot said as she closed the hatch. The Shuttle soon lifted off and departed in to the sky is a whine of thruster fire.
"Liara! Over here!" Kaidan heard an older female voice call out. His attention was drawn to a pair of waving arms that both Liara and Miranda were rushing towards. He soon realized the voice's own was another Asari. Kaidan was soon close behind.
The Asari looked to be no older than late fifties or early sixties to him. Her skin had a slight purple hue to it. She was dressed in the typical Asari fashion. A full length gown, predominantly of crimson, but with gold flecks that made it sparkle in the smoky late morning sun. Her hands and arms were fully covered in violet gloves.
Liara rush over and smiled to her. "Its good to see you Da'ma."
The other Asari appeared surprised by the greeting, but soon smiled broadly as she lightly touched Liara's arm.
Liara turned towards Miranda and Kaidan. "This is Captain Kaidan and Commander Miranda Alenko of the SSV Ardennes."
"Pleasure." The elder Asari said with a slight bow of the head. Her voice warm, but filled with care.
"This is Matriarch Atheta, my Da'ma. My Father in your terms." Liara said softly.
Miranda smiled, and Kaidan didn't know who to react, but they each in turn shook hands.
"Your fiancé really knows how to start a party." Atheta said in an amused tone, and Liara couldn't help but blush slightly.
"We better go. The trial is going to start soon. The Jury arrived hours ago and I assume they are ready. I have our seats reserved, but it will take time to get there." Atheta said as she turned and started walking to the over crowded door, Liara following at her side, Miranda right behind them, with Kaidan reluctantly shadowing.
It was after the shuttle had left that Kaidan soon realized that is wasn't buzzing his was hearing, but crowds. Millions of beings had clogged all the streets and building tops surrounding the Council tower, the Tribunal, and William's Hall. From where he stood at the edge of the platform, the sea of people seemed to never end.
They were angry. Angry at the Council, at every other established government. At Shepard. At life. They were angry.
[][][][]
Garrus adjusted the silver head cloth that cascaded down his head, covering up the blue glowing cybernetic implant that silently hummed away. A shiver swept through him as he looked in the mirror, the reflection reminding him too much of another icon. Saren.
Garrus had always hated many of the ceremonial trivialities that the Turian Hierarchy loved so much. Head dressings being one of them. It had been given to him by the Turian Hierarchy at the end of the war. He had never worn it before now.
He grimaced at his reflection though as he grudgingly admitted that this time he would have to endure it. He also had over painted his facial marking with red. He had to shred his identity.
It had been so much easier when he had gone to Omega all those years ago. Afew months after Shepard had died, he was just another Turian with blue face markings.
But the Six Year War, or the Reaper War, had changed that all. He chuckled at the thought of being able to walk down the street and no one recognizing him. This is going to be interesting... he mused.
Three loud bangs hit the door. "Hey scar face, are you just going to stay in there all day? Your not going to get any better look!" Jack bellowed.
A smile crept over Garrus' face. The more things change the more they stay the same.
He reached over and picked up a 'loaned' mantis sniper rifle. It wasn't calibrated how he liked, nor did it have all of the upgrades as his prized one at C-Sec headquarters, but it would do.
He walked out to the foyer and Jack jumped down from the mess hall table and smirk on her face. "I always knew you looked better as a Suns Captain, than a C-Sec pig."
Garrus just smiled back. He then look over to the Veteran. "Shall we go?"
"Right..." Zaeed said lazily getting out of the chair. "Lets get to work..."
The trio walked through the Ardennes heading up towards the airlock. As they passed Garrus couldn't help but feel the Alliance soldier's eyes on them as they walked. Garrus knew why. Even though the Alliance and the Suns had done a good deal of...business...together, the common solider would always mistrust the Soldier of Fortune.
It was understandable. Where one fought for an ideal. The other fought for credits. There one fought for home and family. The other simply wanted glory.
"Do I have to go down to engineering and tell them how to do their jobs? That last simulation run was sloppy!" Garrus heard Joker yell from the cockpit. "Roll was a full second to slow to port, and the down pitch was limited to just 30 degrees. It should be 35!"
Garrus came up behind the command chair in time to see Joker slam his fist on the console. "Get it fixed, and we'll run it again."
Zaeed and Jack stood by the airlock waiting for Garrus to join them, but he felt he needed to say something to Joker.
"Are you ok?" Garrus asked.
Joker slumped in the chair. Garrus noted for the first time how old Joker looked. His beard had begun to have a smattering of gray flecks in it, and his eyes just looked tired.
"I haven't flow in days. This ship is a poor excuse for a Normandy Class frigate, the Commander is going to trial and I can't do a damn thing about it. So yeah I'm just all sun shine and bunnies."
Garrus' mandibles twitched in slight amusement at the word "Commander".
"This isn't over Joker. We haven't lost her yet." Garrus said as he lightly patted Joker's shoulder. It felt odd doing it. Turian's rarely touched one another openly to display a showing of comfort, but Garrus just felt this is was 'right' to do it.
Garrus started to walk away when Joker called back. "Just be safe out there will ya?"
Garrus turned back. "Sure thing...Sir." He responded.
"Your such an ass!" Joker snipped, hearing Garrus laughing as he went through the air lock with Zaeed and Jack.
As the Ardennes' airlock closed behind them Garrus felt the stillness of the Alliance berths. Ships from the sizes of large shuttles, to corvettes, and other frigates like the Ardennes lined the row of the Alliance Docking berth. But like the Ardennes, all were in lock down. Any high ranking military or diplomatic figures would have already departed to the Tribunal hours ago ahead of Liara, Miranda and Kaidan.
Garrus, Jack and Zaeed had walked to the tram stop and through about half of the trip to the main terminal without saying a word to each other. Nothing had to be said. The tension so thick in the air it could have been cut with a knife.
Garrus looked over at the grizzled Veteran who was staring off in to space. His arms baring his chest. Jack looked equally absentmindedly out of the tram window at the view of rock and steel beams rushing by.
"So what's the plan?" He asked.
Zaeed took a moment to raise himself back to the moment, meeting Garrus' eyes with his.
"We are here to provide protection and security to the general populace. That's the long and short." He said.
"Till the shit hits the fan." Jack added.
The tram finally stopped at the main station. Unlike the Systems Alliance berths, the main station was a buzz of activity. It was jammed with people of all species trying to get access to the Capitol, and every C-Sec official was being mobbed for information and access to the city.
Garrus' eyes narrowed and his trigger finger twitched as he saw Eclipse Mercenaries unloading their gear and preparing to head out.
"Things are that bad huh." He said as they passed.
"What? Are you surprised Archangel?" Zaeed chided.
Garrus smiled at the nickname. It had been years since he had heard it. "No. That's Shepard for you."
As they walked by, a few of the Eclipse mercs would stop and give the passing party the bird, or some other obscene statement or gesture. It didn't help things, that Jack threw back to them just as much if not more. More than once Zaeed had to clap Jack on the shoulder to let her know that she needed to cool it.
"Screw um. I love to see them try anything." She spat back.
"Yeah, but lets do the job and collect our pay, then you can have your fun." Zaeed said in a hushed tone.
Jack shrugged him off, giving him a vicious smile. "Your no fun you know that?"
"Heh, I'll make sure to cry about it later." Zaeed quipped.
They pushed their way towards a corner where a Turian in Blue Suns armor had just wrapped up a conversation with a C-Sec official. Her skin was a sandy color, and her facial markings done in black waves.
"Bad news Boss. Plans have changed. C-Sec wants us to set up at a new AO." She said to Zaeed.
"Just fuckin-tastic." Jack said callously.
"Any idea what is up with the change? Zaeed said with unease.
"Seems like C-Sec want the majority of our unit to join them and Eclipse in handling the center of the Capitol. They are having one hell of time keeping the crowd under control and away from William's hall, the Council Tower, and the Tribunal."
"No fucking way! No way am I working with Eclipse!" Jack yelled, causing more than one person to look in their direction. Archangel turned away out of habit from the encroaching view of eyes.
Zaeed clapped Jack on the Shoulder again, bending close for her to listen. "Goddamn it Jack! Just calm down. We can roll with this." Jack shot him a withering look, but gave a slight nod of agreement.
The Blue Suns Turian looked in Archangel's direction with disdain. "So who's the rookie? He looks familiar..."
Archangel growled at the other's comment and Zaeed just laughed. "Archangel. He will be with Jack and I for the start of this little tour."
The other Turian gave off an expression of surprise. "What, another one? Zaeed, you know that name is cursed!"
Archangel couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, well I've heard that before."
She looked at him. "Then you haven't heard of what happened on Omega in 2185. One damn guy by the name of Archangel decimated all of the top gangs on Omega, including the Suns at the time. Then up and vanished. He was like a Shade. More than one 'hot shot' has thought of himself as Archangel since then and gotten his head blown off on the very next mission. That moniker is cursed. "
"Fascinating. You don't say." Archangel said nonchalantly, the other Turian growling in responce.
Zaeed Walked close to her. "Cool it Kalina! He's golden. So lets get to the goddamn gunships and find a place to setup. I'm getting tired of this shitty docking bay!" He ordered.
"Yes sir." Kalina responded with precision.
Archangel wasn't sure be he swore over hearing Zaeed going in to a quite triad about babysitting as the group started out towards their awaiting gunships.
"What's your story?" Kalina asked as they walked.
Archangel barked a laugh. "There is no story for me."
Kalina narrowed her eyes. "Its not often I run across a Turian who wears a head scarf like yours. Who did you kill for it?"
"Who says I killed anyone for it?" He replied.
"So semantics is it? I can deal with that." And she quickened her pace and brushed roughly against him.
He growled in indignation at her.
She stopped and turned back to look at him. "I dunno what your story is, but its not straight. I dunno how you know Zaeed or Jack, but you just didn't sign up yesterday. You don't smell right." And they continued trailing Jack and Zaeed.
[][][][][][]
The Blue Sun's gunships roared through the caverns of towers that made up the Capitol. Tendrils of smoke slithered up in to the sky from countless fires. Archangel looked out and was in awe at the sheer size of the throng of people that seemed to stretch on forever.
Zaeed who was sitting across him on a bench reached up and pulled a radio set to his mouth. "Now hear this! We are getting paid to be peacekeepers, so don't treat this operation like it's a Strike Bust!"
Archangel turned a surprised eye towards Zaeed. Zaeed continued to look at him in an unwavering manner, and continued to talk.
"As such, if I catch any of you bastards looting, I'll have Jack deal with you. If I so much as hear a rumor that one of you idiots shot a civilian, I'll kill you m self! Now lets do this Blue Suns Style. Quick and clean so we can get out and collect our pay."
Suddenly the gunships stopped then lowered quickly to the ground. No sooner had their landing gear touched down that protesters, anarchists; just a mass of people rushed in on them and began pounding away as the ship's hulls.
"And here I was hoping things would be interesting." Jack said wistfully as she sat on the bench. A smile on her face. It was all standard procedure. A moment later the gunships launched smoke grenades and flash bangs in to the area. The mob quickly disbursed and let the new arrivals have their space.
As soon as the ramp areas were clear the Blue Suns troops began filing out and quickly taking up point along the expansive street. Archangel followed close behind Jack, and walked up to Zaeed who was busy talking with a Captain of another gunship.
Eclipse Gunships started to land near by them, and unload as well, having let the Suns do the hard work of clearing the area.
"Looks like this is going to be a cake walk boss. Crowd seems to be more focused on the Tribunal than us." A human engineer said pointing towards the sea of beings.
Even at the great distance the mob's voices were nearly deafening, and in more than one cluster, fights threatened to breakout which were only curtailed by C-Sec Agents rushing in at the last moment. But the C-Sec Agents were just far to few for them to have any lasting peace or civility to the situation. All they could do way try to stamp out the flash fires that only continued to flare more and more.
"Well then I guess we have our first volunteer for look out." Zaeed said smiling. He looked over to Archangel. "Where do you want his group to set up at?"
Kalina gave a shocked look at Zaeed's gesture to the new comer.
At first he was surprised, but then looked at the composite of the group. Three snipers, the engineer, and a sentinel. A good early warning group if anything happened. Then his eyes spied a partially constructed building. Perfect.
"That will do nicely, 9th floor facing the north east. Good vantage point for anything coming our way." He shouted.
"Alright. You heard him! Get your asses moving!"
The engineer groaned, but knew better than to argue with Zaeed. They marched off towards the tower, and radio calls started coming in from other teams letting Zaeed and Jack know they were set up and settled in.
Archangel watched as Eclipse unloaded large amounts of Loki mechs. Gone were the Ymir's that he has seen them use in the past. Now piloted Atlas mechs had taken their place. The Eclipse all started to march in towards the Tribunal, the heavy mechs leading as they cut channels through the mob. The tunnels closing just as fast as they opened. People could be seen throwing empty drinking containers and rubble at the passing mechs, but the actions did nothing to raise their ire. Much to the crowd's dismay.
As the holes folded behind the passing Eclipse, the Suns were left to deal with the angry mob.
"Is that kind of hardware really necessary for this situation? It's only pissing the crowd off." Archangel remarked as he rushed forward to subdue an arguing Batarian and Quarian before things got too out of hand. Kalina was close beside him as he pushed the Quarian roughly back. Kalina was handling the drunk Batarian.
"No it's not." Kalina said smoothly as she moved her head to avoid the Batarian's stream of spit that missed her. She quickly had the Batarian on the ground roping his face into a spit mask. "But it's Eclipse, so what can you expect?" She said as she hauled up her suspect and drug him away to let him cool his temper in a near by corner. A line of ill tempered people, looters, or rioters started to filled the sidewalk. In an hour they would all be let go.
Archangel let the Quarian go as protester continued to hurl unintelligible insults. What could Archangel do? What could the Suns, C-Sec, and the Eclipse do? They were aiming to just keeping the situation at a low boil. A situation that could pan flash in to an inferno at any moment.
There were no holding pens for these people. There couldn't be, there had been no time and to do so would only anger the mob even more. They wanted blood. It didn't matter whose. They wanted peace. For they could only remember turmoil. They wanted an end. Because madness of instability had plagued them for so long. Unending rebuilding and no 'justice' for a war that had ended. They had no one to hang for their homes that were burned, no one to shoot for loved ones and friends lost. He looked past the morass of the crowds and in the distance some 10 kilometers away he could see the dark gray Tribunal wrenching from the ground. The deluge of people lapping at the base like an angry sea.
Author's Note: Happy Monday to all, and Happy Holiday's! I hope you enjoyed this week's installment. Please review if you want to. I'm interesting in seeing what my readers think of how things are shaping up so far.