A/N: Hey everyone! Long time no read eh? Yeah I know you're probably like "F—k you man! Where have you been!" and I deserve it. Been real busy with new job and college but I am happy to say that I am finished for the semester and will try to continue this story throughout the summer! Anyway, here's a preview of my next chapter. Still a work in progress, but I figured my readers deserved to know that I still care. Enjoy! =)
…
Ksad Ishan sighed, irked that his movements had been firmly restricted to the 3rd deck of the ship the small human captain called Normandy. The living space was small, the food was terrible, and the ceiling was too low for what his fairly tall people were used to, making him feel claustrophobic. What's more, the different species of crew seemed quite comfortable with being around aliens. Something protheans weren't accustomed to being they were the only space faring race of their time. On top of that, they all wore the strangest clothing, even the turian who opted to wear nothing but battle armor, meanwhile the one who called herself 'Chambers' had acquired him sapphire colored robes meant for a tall turian. The neck was a little big and hung loosely on his shoulders but it was more than enough to give him a sense of decency.
Ksad slouched forward on the medical bed, trying to find a comfortable position. Despite the feelings of imprisonment, he had found a kindred spirit in the ships chief science officer who introduced himself as 'Mordin Solus.' He was even able to have quite an intellectual conversion with the ships AI. Everyone else he labeled as either foreign, or obnoxiously unintelligent. Captain Shepard, however, appeared to possess a great wisdom and strength of heart, though the human's cross-species marriage with the quarian, Tali'Zorah, was both puzzling and intriguing at the same time.
To help counter the boredom, Ksad had been allowed the use of a datapad to view the extranet and learn about the technologies and cultures of the current cycle. The device hovered inches from his glowing eyes turned luminescent by his biotic power. Faint ripples in space faded in and out of existence with each invisible key stroke. The aged human woman arched a curious brow at his unknowing display of power then shrugged and turned back to her computer. He found this cycle's knowledge of biotics so primitive when measured to that of the empire.
The human commander known by the crew as 'Shepard' entered even as he resumed his studying and came to stand within his personal space.
"Fifty thousand years and you have only managed to evolve half as much as the protheans. I hope you can forgive my cynicism when I say that your odds of survival when the reapers arrive are nonexistent." Ksad said nonchalantly.
Shepard crossed his arms defensively. "That's why we birthed you. If you have information concerning their technology, their weaknesses, we need to know it and we need to know it now."
"In that case, you'll be disappointed to know that the sheer amount of data stored in my memory imprints will take time to access, at this point I only have access to my identity and personality imprints."
I could live without the personality, Shepard thought as Ksad continued. "Even if I were able to collaborate, your divided governments and societies would most likely make any solution of survival difficult."
"You'd be surprised what the races of this galaxy are capable of given the chance to stand for something." Shepard countered. "Maybe you can't help us with a permanent solution right now, but if you've seen my memories then you know what happened at Capek. We need a better way to track these weapons."
Ksad turned to Shepard, intrigued. "I do have extensive knowledge of the ancient races from cycles past accessible from my imprints. Your frigate's agonizingly primitive sensors may prove to be a challenge to upgrade however."
"This frigate…" Shepard started, feeling offended at the condescending comment made about his ship, "is called Normandy, and it's saved me and my crew from missions thought impossible by many. It might do you some good by the crew to remember that."
"The sentiment you adhere to a lifeless object such as your ship is trivial, but I will do as you say if it will avoid any more 'quarrels' with your people." Ksad said unaffected by the human's sternness.
As if on cue, EDI chimed in with a slight sultry voice that started even the ancient prothean. "For the record, this ship is not a lifeless object. It is a part of me, and I a part of it."
"An Artificial Intelligence construct housed in the mainframe of a space-faring vessel?" the prothean said, wide eyed, "Are all the species of this cycle as ignorant and foolish as this vessel's makers?"
I say the same thing about his makers out loud if I didn't know he could turn me inside out with a single thought!" the human spectre scowled mentally while Ksad stared at him blankly. Though he didn't consider himself a "body reader," analyzing the body language of this prothean was proving impossible. Regardless of what words were being relayed, Ksad's tone never changed, it was no different than speaking to the Citadel VI Avina. With no change in expression whatsoever, Shepard wagered that Ksad could rival even Tali's 'poker face' and she wore a helmet!
Tali… If only he shared the trust she held for him with her emotional wellbeing, maybe he wouldn't be sleeping in a cryo-pod tonight…
…
"Ambassador, a word if you please…"
"Of course, Councilor Velarn. Please, sit?" Udina casually laid both arms in front of him on his desk making a polite hand gesture toward the chair in front of him.
"I am Turian, ambassador, we prefer to stand." Velarn said holding his head high with arms folded behind him.
"Forgive me if I offended. Now, what can I do for you this evening?" Udina asked lacing his fingers together, masking the suspicion from his features. The turian councilor began to pace, making brief sidelong glances to make note of the human ambassador's reactions.
"I want to address the unanswered questions surrounding our current predicament, namely the missing corpse of David Anderson." Udina quirked an eyebrow at this.
"Our predicament, councilor? I feel that the late councilor's death is more an issue of the human race, why concern yourself?" Velarn's pacing briefly paused while he glared at the human.
"Because, ambassador…" It was pleasing to remind the human of his place, "an attack on one member of the citadel council proves a very real threat to all its members as well as the state of galactic security at large. The people will demand truth, and I intend to discover it if it will prevent social unrest or worse, a war based on fear."
Udina leaned back in his chair, barely stifling a wicked smirk. "Point made. Indeed the races invested in this council deserve to have their feelings of safety restored. I will be meeting with the Alliance leaders in a few days to discuss throwing our resources toward the investigation. I plan to address the people of earth shortly after. Executor Nidas believes the assassin's recovered weapon will provide the breakthrough we need."
"I should hope so, but onto current matters. Humanity lacks a representative on the council, it seems that leaves you in a 'convenient' position doesn't it, ambassador?"
"Perhaps…" Udina muttered.
"And it should also be noted that with the councilor's body stolen, we are left without our most conclusive evidence…" Now that was the reaction Velarn was looking for. Udina narrowed his eyes, the mask shrouding his suspicious features fading.
"Elaborate please…"
Velarn stopped his pacing to lean over Udina's desk. "If the assassination plot were the work of radicals or terrorists, they would have openly claimed responsibility in order to have their plight recognized, and the lack of physical evidence as well as the proficiency in which the task was carried out, suggests that the work of common mercenaries is unlikely…" Velarn placed both arms on the desk, cornering Udina like wounded animal.
"Which leaves only one explanation, ambassador…" In that instant, Velarn drew a pistol, "a sleeper agent, desperately sweeping away the foot prints in the sand!"
Udina seemed unphased by the turian councilor's move, narrowing his eyes menacingly. "I think you've been reading too much into your biased suspicions, councilor Velarn."
"On the contrary, the only thing I've been reading is this…" Velarn drew out a datapad and carelessly let it drop in front of the human. Udina made several quick glances between the confronting turian and the object, eying it like a roach crawling across his desk fated to be squashed, then carefully picked up it and sifted through its contents.
"I know you recognize these." Velarn said watching the humans eyes glow from the light of the datapad.
"This information was found on former executor Palin's person after he died. Fabricated, all of it!"
"Palin discreetly sent be a copy of the contents, documents that link you to Cerberus contacts! Enough to have you tried for treason! Besides, Palin was an old friend of mine. I'm more inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt than you, Udina!" There was a suspenseful silence as Velarn inched his weapon closer to the human's brow before Udina spoke.
"Have you ever heard the human saying 'Ignorance is bliss,' councilor? You'd do well to remember it..." The turian caught the ambassador's eyes quickly glancing to his right before he felt a fist connect with the side of his head; a blow so powerful, it sent him tumbling backward to have him lying awkwardly on his side against the far wall of the room.
Velarn felt the warm fluid of his own blood running down his cheek as he lifted himself to sit against the wall while trying to shake off the blurriness in his vision. He brought his three-digit hand to the wound on his head and felt his vision return to normal upon the sight of the blue liquid trickling down his fingers. He groaned in pain as he looked up to see the human ambassador approach him with figure shrouded in a cloaking field by his side.
"What's wrong, councilor? I thought turian's preferred to stand? Only now do you see that any being will sit when struck hard enough." Velarn glared at the human and barred his teeth angrily, his mandibles twitching with rage.
"So what now, Udina? Are you going to kill me, or maybe keep me alive for use a hostage?" Udina knelt down on one knee in front of the wounded and dazed turian.
"I think we both know you'd rather die than be used as an instrument of leverage. After all, you are turian. Besides, there are other ways to 'tune' an instrument…"
...