New Khar'Shan-Capitol Complex
Typical, the first building to be rebuilt in the wake of the colonization efforts is the Government complex…while the people they supposedly represent are living in tents and bitter poverty, barely without even the most basic amenities. Abigail Shepard frowned around the room she was now a part of, standing overlooking a group of politicians running around, standing next to a railing in a balcony.
Still this was a historic moment, the Batarians getting together to form a new Government for the first time in centuries.
But the question is what form will it take? And the answer belonged to those politicians down there bickering and running about like spoiled kids, much like herself in her own youth. The starry eyed radicals who wanted to do away with tradition and history to chart a new path now that the old order was so definitively torn down, the Hegemonic traditionalists who were stuck in their ways, afraid of change, afraid that they would lose their own positions and power, so they would take their own path and try and rebuild what they had. Slamming down and clutching down on anyone who would oppose them.
To the others? Abby shifted uncomfortably. Now there is the million credit question? They were the unknown, the wild cards, the dangerous Varren in the room whom no one knew which way they'd jump. They were radicals in their own way, but for very different reasons. Angry at the universe, feeling it had abandoned them, and they were effectively a dead species, even though there were over five hundred thousand Batarians left, and they in their anger and fear would strike out at the universe and try and take it down with them.
Their leader was the terrorist that she had taken down, but she could only imagine there were others who were willing to take his place.
Such is the life and role of a Commander in Special Forces.
"You look like you have the weight of the Galaxy riding on your shoulders…again." A familiar voice graveled out behind her.
She turned around to see Garrus Vakarian standing there looking at her.
"Garrus!" She yipped happily. "Wait…what are you doing here?"
"Oh you know…the Turian Government wants to keep an eye on the situation given that…you know it's the Batarians…and I was volunteered for the position because of my extensive experience with them. And I figured it gave me a chance to see my favorite human."
She grinned, "We keep on running into each other."
"Well considering how the universe likes to attract certain things to each other it's no wonder." Garrus said uncomfortably.
"You saying we are opposites Vakarian?" She teased.
"Oh no…I…well… seriously what is bothering you Abigail?" Garrus asked.
"'Bothering me' might be the wrong term for it."
"Well?" Garrus pressed.
She turned back to the balcony frowning, she felt Garrus approach her side and look down with her, studying the movement of people racing around down there.
"This." She said waving her arms around.
"What about it?" Garrus asked.
"The Batarians are either about to make a terrible mistake or the best decision in the history of their Government and society. Either for good or for ill." Abigail continued.
"And you wonder what decision they will make? Is that really our responsibility?"
"No Garrus, it is not, but if they make the wrong choice and try and take it out on the rest of the Galaxy then it will become my responsibility or the militaries in general, to try and stop them."
"Well it seems like the Democracy movement is gaining steam and that the Batarians will try and extend the popular vote."
Abigail snorted automatically.
"You don't approve of Democracy?" Garrus said somewhat surprised, "given humanity's reputation I would have thought you would be all for the Batarians extending a popular vote."
She bit her lip thinking, "Democracies only work as long as fifty one percent of the people remain virtuous and make the right decision, and since even the best of us will make the wrong decision more often than not…even for the right reasons…it makes the process even more tenuous. No, Democracy, like all systems of pure Government needs their own place and their own way to check the natural impulses and flaws inherent in the Government."
"Interesting." Garrus grunted.
"Besides, I have always admired the Turian system…at least in principle."
Now it was Garrus's turn to snort, "Ah yes, a 'meritocracy', just who decides what it means to have merit? Who decides the rules? What are the rules? Are you going to be a good Turian by being successful or by following a bunch of simple rules and regulations on some checklist?"
"I did get the feeling when I was on Palaven that is how it worked, given some of the people's opinion on Victus…and yourself."
Garrus's mandibles twitched, "Well that just proves that maybe you can beat the system. After all Victus was a habitual rule breaker and did things beyond the book. And me? I haven't exactly done things by the book myself. In fact I have done things about as opposite from the book as a Turian can get and pissed a lot of people off in the process. Yet look at me now? One of the top five most important generals in the hierarchy. Granted we have not exactly made friends among the Hierarchy's power elite, but we are being more flexible, and we are finding out how to get things done."
Abby nodded, but her smile quickly dissolved into a scowl, considering the other sequence of puzzling events which were going on in her life.
"You still look like something else is bothering you." Garrus pointed out off of her look.
She glanced at him and sighed.
"I met someone." She announced.
Garrus's eyes widened sarcastically, "Does James know?"
"Garrus!" She admonished but couldn't quite keep the smirk from gracing her face.
He chuckled.
She scratched the back of the neck cocking her head to the side. "I actually met him a couple of hours ago, a human, while I was trying to track down the terrorist I was here to capture…"
"A human? On New Khar'shan?" Garrus asked frowning, "I can see where this might be disturbing."
"Oh it gets better." She blew her breath out. "He was unconscious…hell he fell out of the middle of sky on top of me…" She noticed Garrus smirk… "Dressed in N7 armor…so we checked his Omni-tool. It revealed him as an Alliance Officer, former Alliance Officer…Cameron Shepard, Commander, N7 ranking."
"Cameron Shepard?" Garrus asked rolling the word around. "Well that sounds…familiar."
She nodded, "Yeah…and we checked with the Alliance database on the subject. There is no Cameron Shepard in the Alliance Military, none with the rank of Commander or retired Commander, and none in the N7s certainly. Hell at this time I probably know every single N7 we have because of my position and the time I have taken getting to know them."
"So…where did he come from?" Garrus concluded.
Abby nodded decisively. "Exactly."
"And what are you going to be doing about it?" Garrus asked curiously.
"I don't know," She sighed, "I suppose I should go talk to him. But I don't know what I am going to be running into. This could just be someone messing with my head."
"But?"
"Well it does not make sense given how he…'appeared'. Just 'flash… boom.' And he was there."
"Seems unlikely that someone would go to that much trouble just to mess with you." Garrus concluded agreeing with her own assessment.
"Yeah," Abby nodded slowly, "It could be…"
"Could be what?" Garrus's mandibles twitched.
"We'll see." She answered.
"Well the only way for us to be sure is for us to gain knowledge; the only way to gain knowledge is to take it head on. You cannot do that without talking to the guy or running…medical tests." He smirked at the last.
She snorted, "Ah yes, 'tests', Where is Doctor Frankenstein when you need him?"
"Not sure I get that one." Garrus frowned.
"Never mind." Abby replied.
She gave one more look at the various diplomats and support personal that were running around the tables, of the politicians trying to get a handle on their situation, trying to come up with the best Government for the future of their people.
In a way I envy them, she decided, nothing I can do in my situation, form a new Government, and have a hand in molding a nation, no my role is a lot more…physical.
"Well, I guess I should get to it." Abigail Shepard decided thumping the railing, "Thanks for the advice Garrus Vakarian."
"No problem Shepard."
And with that she left the room, heading for the make shift 'space port'.
SSV Normandy- Starboard Cargo
Cameron Shepard stood in familiar surroundings, he knew where he was, knew what this room was used for, and understood he was on the Normandy or a vessel of similar construction.
But the question he was asking himself was, how did I get here? And the answer, I don't know, made him glare around the room in wide eyed wonder as if this were the first time he had been in here, the first time he had any experience with a room such as this.
Just….hours…days?...before he was on the Citadel facing down a Reaper who was threatening to destroy it and all he held dear, threatening to pass a final judgment on the Galaxy for its 'failure'. There he was, watching a blue energy field flying at him, only to hurtle through the air, and then crash on a planet. Then he was here.
So is this the Normandy? He wondered.
In his analysis of the question he glanced along the far wall, and saw the two guards watching him. One black, one white, one armed with Avenger Assault Rifle, the other armed with a Revenant.
Whoever it is who is running this operation is treating me very carefully. He grunted to himself.
I can probably take them, just without the armor… It was a fifty fifty chance.
He was broken out of his reverie when the door to the cargo bay opened; he glanced over at it curiously, and saw two people come into the room.
They were led by a woman…she looks familiar…but from where? Cameron thought staring at her. She had just barely military length hair that curled around her neck and hung just around her forehead in a nice, neat, professional clump. She was about as tall as he was, and was wearing the standard 'battle dress', Alliance uniform with the shoulder length sleeves.
Dark blue eyes peered out at him with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. Her build was quite athletic. Her face was just short of what Cameron would consider to be beautiful but it held a certain attractive quality. Her lips were decorated in a very slight film of gloss, but Cameron suspected that was just for show more then she actually wore it to be considered more beautiful, as if it were just a chore, camouflage she tried to use to make people more comfortable around her.
Her posture definitely screamed military to Cameron, but not just military, but Special Forces, she had an undeniable energy about her that whether or not she was a biotic or a regular soldier she could leap into action in seconds if a threat crossed he path.
He finally tore his eyes away from her and glanced over at the person who was following in her wake, and Cameron instantly recognized his former subordinate.
"James!" He blurted relieved, but felt a wince make his eye twitch as if that did not sound right in of itself.
…
Abigail Shepard turned and looked at 'James' curiously.
The Lieutenant Commander shrugged subtly, what gives, the gesture told her. She shook her head and cocked an eyebrow back at her husband before turning to regard 'Cameron'.
"And just who are you to have such an intimate knowledge of my crew?" She asked.
The man opened his mouth to respond, and then quickly closed it, the wheels turning in his head as to what he was going to say.
Kinda rough around the edges looking, Abigail decided. He had a short crop, though a bit longer than what she was expecting, of black hair, piercing light blue eyes, and a generally blunt face. Probably not considered much of a ladies man, but then she wouldn't know.
He was, on second glance, taller than she was and heavier built, but still athletic and still…familiar. Even though she knew she couldn't have known him, had never seen him before in her life, she still felt as though she did. It was most…disturbing…she decided.
Finally he moved to finish the thought, "Cameron Shepard, former Commander in the Systems Alliance…and you are?"
She gulped subconsciously forming her response delicately, "Captain Abigail Shepard, currently assigned to command the Systems Alliance Special Operations Command."
"Abigail." He replied bluntly rolling the words around, sizing them up, and sizing up what she said. "Shepard." He finished bluntly.
She smiled, "You act like you've seen a ghost."
"Well," he sighed looking upwards, "If there was an Abigail Shepard, especially one who was so…cute…" She felt James stiffen at her side… "In the Special Forces Command, Captain or otherwise, I am sure the fellow N7s and other soldiers would take every opportunity to remind me of the fact and try and get us together, probably saying, 'oh look at them brother and sister Operators.'"
Her smile widened ever so slightly, but her eyes narrowed predatorily, "And there is no record of a Cameron Shepard ever serving in the Systems Alliance, let alone in the Special Forces."
"Well that leaves only one possible option." Cameron stated.
"Oh?" The N7 smirked stretching, "I would think there would be more than one. You could be a clone or a Reaper doomsday device they just forgot to activate before the war ended."
She saw Cameron smirk back amused, "Well I wasn't talking about that. Merely, I could be from a parallel universe."
"Parallel Universe?" Abigail asked playing dumb.
"You know, science fiction stuff."
"Oh right," Abby replied as if it had suddenly dawned on her.
…
Cameron took in the pregnant silent, knowing that somehow she wasn't convinced, his 'opposite number' if he was correct.
"Still does not preclude the possibility something might be going on, that you might not be entirely honest in who and what you say you are. I cannot just force you on my crew or the Galaxy if you are a threat, and I cannot know if you are a threat or not unless I am convinced one way or the other."
Cameron felt his eyes widen and dart around in his head picking it apart.
"Alright this is the Normandy right?" Cameron asked.
Abigail nodded.
"How is Ashley doing? I take it if you are off doing the Special Forces then that means she is in command right?"
"Yes, but that does not prove anything that is relatively public information." The Captain pointed out.
"What about James here? How do I know him?!" Cameron gestured at the Lieutenant standing in the corner.
"Hey buddy, we don't know each other."
Abby jabbed her thumb behind her.
Cameron gaped, his mind racing, trying to come up with a solution to his predicament, Abigail Shepard was beginning to look impatient.
"What about Javik?" Cameron asked.
"Javik?" Abigail asked blankly.
"Yeah, the Prothean who was here…we discovered him on Eden Prime, buried since the last war, the last survivor of his species."
"What about him?"
Cameron smiled, I have her, "I didn't really want him on the crew, he seemed off, but he was a Prothean, an asset, and I really could have used him in the end. The Crucible probably could have used him."
He saw Abigail smile, then nod, "Well, let me consider what you have told me, and then I will get back to you with my decision."
Cameron nodded, "All I can ask."
…
Abigail left the room and walked down the corridor to the engine room, with Vega in tow, she looked around the office and saw Engineers Adams, Pressly, and Commander Ashley Williams standing along the wall, leaning against the monitor. The monitor showed a picture of the Starboard Cargo Baby and their de facto prisoner.
"Thoughts?" Abigail asked.
"You buy what he had to say about Javik?" James asked suspiciously.
"I don't see why not," Abby bit her lip, "That is not exactly public information. We wanted to keep it secret from the general public and even many members of the Special Forces and Government communities. Not even the Council was briefed on his existence. Only the Normandy crew, Udina, Hackett, knew of him …plus anyone he chose to blab it to."
"Like the Citadel crowd?" Ashley smirked.
"Yeah, but they never had a name Javik, nor did they have any personal details about where we found him or the details of…well he was a bit of a pain in the ass."
Ashley and James chuckled.
"And for that matter," Abby continued plowing over the noise, "I have heard no real extranet reports of conspiracy theories, or solid stories about his existence, other than the 'Alliance was working on a Prothean clone to scare the bejeebus out of the Reapers'…and yes he used the word… 'and control the Galaxy', from that one nut who exposed the information on the Leviathans."
"So…at least we know he is accurate." James remarked snorting.
"Sometimes," Abby conceded.
"So…are we assuming he is genuine?" James asked, stating the question that no one had a good answer to.
"For the moment, I don't see the harm in giving him some leeway, but we should keep an eye on him, just in case." Abigail ordered with cocked eyebrows.
"Yes ma'am." James nodded.
Ashley nodded in turn.
"Dismissed." The Captain ordered leaving the room and heading for her new office.