Author notes: *GASP* A totally new chapter? This is madness!

Madness?

…

THIS!

IS!

…

Chapter 7: Novus Ordo Seclorum

"You ready for this, Captain?"

"You're supposed to call me Councilor, Admiral." said Hannah, straightening her uniform for what felt like the hundredth time. "Technically, I outrank you now."

"Oh sure, rub it in." said Hackett with mock grumpiness. "Just remember that you wouldn't be here if I hadn't put you on that assignment to act as liaison to the Quarians. Ma'am." he amended a bit late and with a bit of an edge.

"Hearing you call me that sounds… wrong." said Hannah, shaking her head. "How about we stick with Hannah and Steven?"

"Sounds good to me. And stop fidgeting." he chided. "You're acting like a raw recruit on her first mission."

Hannah's body reacted unconsciously, and she stopped without realizing it. When she noticed the abrupt change, it surprised her slightly. "I don't know how you do that." she muttered.

"Comes with lots of practice." he replied. "You'll figure it out eventually."

"It'd better be sooner rather than later." she groused. "How much longer until we rendezvous with Admi-" She shook her head and corrected herself. "Councilor Raan?"

"Just a few minutes." he answered in an exasperated voice. "You know what you need?" he asked suddenly. "You need something to take your mind off of things. Try going over the game plan, out loud."

Hannah took a shaky breath to steady her nerves, and then started. "OK. First, you and I pick up Shala'Raan from her transport."

"And why is that?" he asked, quizzing her.

"We need to show unity with the Quarians. Plus, most Quarian vessels are falling apart, and having a Citadel Councilor show up in one isn't the best way to make an impression on the rest of the galaxy."

"Right. Continue."

"Next, the three of us plus the honor guard meet with Benezia T'Soni and head for the Citadel on a small shuttle. We use a small shuttle because it shows we aren't afraid of their forces, and it makes us look like we trust them. Plus, we'll lose less if they ambush us."

"See, this isn't so bad. Next?"

Hannah nodded. "The First, Third, and Fifth Fleets are waiting just beyond the Relay, so if something goes sideways, they'll come in with guns blazing and pull our asses out of the fire. When we get to the station, the four synthetic guards announce us, and their appearance should keep the other races off balance. We want them unfocused, so they'll be less likely to notice any problems on our end, and to make some mistakes of their own.

"Exactly. This is a psychological game, Councilor, and we play to win."

Hannah's voice grew more confident as she spoke on. "We take a small transport from the dock to the Citadel Tower on the Presidium, where Shala and I'll meet the other three Councilors, with Benezia introducing us. You give a speech, then Benezia, then Shala, then me."

"My speech is very aggressive and combative." Hackett continued. "It shows the other races we aren't afraid to show our teeth when push comes to shove, and that they poked the sleeping giant when they attacked us."

"Your speech should put a damper on whatever Benezia has planned." said Hannah, reciting from memory. "She'll probably have to adapt and change her speech on the spot to address what you say, and that'll make her sloppy. After all, Asari aren't known for their improvisational skills, and her sloppiness will breed mistakes."

"Then comes Raan." said the admiral, picking up where Hannah left off. "Since the other races aren't very likely to listen much to what a Quarian has to say, they'll get an earful. She's been practicing on making her speech about as long and boring as possible so everyone else gets antsy, and to give them time to think about what I said, and what you're going to say.

Hannah smirked slightly. "My speech is short, very nearly a Gettysburg Address, which should help it come out exactly according to plan. It lets the rest of the galaxy know that Humans hold arrows in one hand and an olive branch in the other, and that we'll use whichever we have to as the situation warrants. Finally, there's a meet-and-greet, an official photo, and we finish the whole thing off with the treaty signing."

"Very good." said Hackett with a wide grin. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Councilor."

"I hope so. This marks the beginning of a new age for Humanity. We can't afford mistakes."

"Goddess, I need a drink." mumbled Benezia as she rode the air cab away from the Citadel Tower. Ordinarily, she wouldn't admit something like that out loud, but since the only other person in the vehicle was Councilor Tevos, it wasn't that big a deal.

"I can imagine." said Tevos with a sympathetic look on her face. "I'm just grateful I didn't have to give a speech as well. They must've planned that."

"Of course they planned it." snapped Benezia irritably. Her face softened immediately after the words left her mouth, and she looked chagrinned. "My apologies. I'm still a bit flustered. I should've seen all that coming."

Tevos dismissed her apology with a wave. "The only thing I'm confused about is: why? Why would the Humans go to that much trouble to embarrass us in such a roundabout fashion?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Benezia, glancing at the other Matriarch. "They already defeated the Turians in war, and their technology puts the Salarians' to shame. The only Council race-" She caught herself and grimaced. "The only old Council race they hadn't upstaged in their chosen field was us, and now they've done that as well."

Tevos sighed. "They can't be like this all the time. I'm sure that in a decade or two, they'll let down their guard, and we'll see the real Humans."

"What makes you think that these aren't the 'real Humans,' as you put it?" countered Benezia. "Even now, we understand next to nothing about their history or culture. For all we know, this was being mild compared to their normal behavior."

"Perhaps." admitted the Councilor. "But they have to know things can't continue like this forever. And once the current situation changes, we'll be the ones dictating terms to them."

"I'll admit, vindictiveness has a certain appeal to me as well." said Benezia with a small laugh. "But we can't risk being openly hostile until we know how they'll react."

The car had finally arrived at the transit station near the embassies. Tevos exited, and Benezia was right on her heels as they made their way to the small bar nearby. "Well, once trade starts with the Alliance, we'll be able to learn more about the Humans." said Tevos, sounding a bit unsure of herself. "Or… we could just ask one of them."

"Like who? The Human Councilor? Her idea of conversation involves a gun and a glare." Benezia scoffed as they entered the bar and made a beeline for the counter. "Hannah Shepard is the last person I'd ask about Human culture."

"And why's that?" asked Hannah, stepping in from the small balcony attached to the bar.

Hannah's voice nearly made Benezia jump out of her skin. 'Thank the Goddess she didn't hear the rest of the conversation.' Benezia regained her composure quickly, and put on a mask of cold detachment. "Councilor Shepard." she greeted with a small nod. "I simply meant that you probably have too much work to do without spending time going over Human history and culture with us."

"Yes." continued Tevos, mirroring Benezia's tone. "I'm sure there must be books with information on the subject available. You needn't bother yourself."

"It's no bother." said Hannah with what was probably supposed to be a friendly grin. It turned sickly and died when the Asari didn't return it, and Hannah's voice grew detached as well. "It'll give us a chance to talk. After all, if we're going to be working together, we may as well get to know one another. And most of what I know about the Asari comes secondhand from the Quarians, so it may not be completely… comprehensive. Now, what is it you wanted to know?"

'Good job, Tevos. Now we'll never get rid of her.' "Well…" Benezia began, slightly unsure how to phrase the question. "Let's start with the history of the Alliance. How long has your species had a single governing body?"

"About seventy Human years." answered Hannah briskly. "I'm not sure how long that translates to for the rest of the galaxy, though."

Benezia did some mental math. "That's about seventy eight Asari years. Years on Thessia are about ten percent shorter than years on Earth. Still, that's a remarkably brief time to go from a single planet with many nations to a single nation with many planets, particularly for a young species." She emphasized the word just a touch, and Hannah's eyes narrowed.

"Young is a relative term." replied the Human Councilor. "But we didn't have many nations; we had two."

"Two?" asked Tevos in a mild surprised voice. "Arrangements like that usually lead to Cold Wars."

Hannah nodded. "And so it did. The Soviet Union and the Allied Nations of Man were in a continuous cycle of one-upmanship for nearly a century before they combined to fight the Federation. Nothing unites old rivals like new ones."

"Quite." said Tevos curtly.

Hannah quirked an eyebrow at Tevos' tone, but said nothing. "What about the Asari? How were the Republics formed?"

Benezia all but leapt at the chance to set the record straight. "Well, it started about five thousand years ago…"

"It's a pleasure seeing you again, Councilors." said Rael, extending his hand to Hannah.

Hannah shook it, and gave him a warm smile. "You too, Rael. It's been what, four months?"

"Five, actually." corrected Raan, brushing aside Rael's hand and wrapping him in a light hug. "What've you been doing with yourself, Admiral?"

"I've been overseeing the relocation of our people from the Flotilla onto the new settlements." he said with an exasperated sigh. "I tell you, if I'd known what a tedious process it was building a colony from scratch, I'd have stayed on the Migrant Fleet."

Raan laughed. "It can't be any worse than being a Councilor. Every time Hannah and I go into a meeting with the other three, I feel like we're wrestling a Thresher Maw."

"A what?" asked Hannah confusedly.

"Thresher Maws are theses big... things." replied Raan, trying and failing to explain the beasts. "I don't know enough about Earth animals to draw a comparison."

"Maybe I can help with that." suggested Hannah. "Describe them."

"Hmm. Well, they're a subterranean species. They burrow underground and only come up to attack prey, or defend their territory. Their bodies are long, segmented, and covered in a chitinous exoskeleton that protects their vital organs."

"So they're like big worms, then?" asked Hannah, typing on her omnitool. A moment later, a picture of an earthworm came up, and she showed it to the Quarians. "Like this?"

Raan studied the image for a moment. "Almost. But their body structure is much more advanced, and they're quite large. They can grow to be several hundred meters in length."

Hannah did a double take. "Did you say several hundred meters?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes." replied Raan, silently giggling at Hannah's consternation. "They also spit powerful acid as a defense mechanism. Their spit is strong enough to melt steel."

Hannah's eyes bulged, and she shivered slightly. "Remind me never to visit a planet with those things on it."

"What's the matter, Hannah?" asked Rael playfully. "Is the big, tough Human Councilor afraid of a little bug?" he teased.

"No, I'm afraid of big bugs." she retorted crossly. "No insect should be larger than a centimeter across."

"So a pet tarantula would be out of the question?" asked Raan impishly. "I've been doing some research, and they seem like they make good companions."

"Raan, I'm saying this as a friend." warned Hannah, placing a hand on Raan's shoulder. "If you ever get a tarantula, or any bug that big, within a kilometer of me, I'll smother you in your sleep."

"Don't let the rest of the Council hear that." said Rael with a grin. "I wouldn't put it past Tabril or Sparatus to try something like that." Suddenly, his eyes shot open. "Oh! I almost forgot why I came here in the first place. My wife is pregnant."

Hannah's face lit up in a massive grin. "That's wonderful Rael." she said, grabbing his hand and shaking it fiercely. "When's she do?"

"About six months from now." he replied, trying to pry himself lose from Raan's hug, which was quite a bit stronger than her last. "I meant to tell you both sooner, but I couldn't get away from my job, and I wouldn't have felt right if I hadn't told you in person."

"Have you decided on godparents?" asked Hannah.

"On what?"

Hannah slapped her forehead. "Derp. Choosing godparents for a newborn is an old Human custom. They're usually close friends of the family that promise to take care of the child if something happens to their biological parents."

"Hmm. That's a rather interesting custom." said Rael, pondering the question. "It makes sense, I suppose. If something did happen to me, I'd want to know my child would be cared for. I'll have to talk it over with my… what do Humans call it? 'Better half?' I'll have to talk it over with my better half, but I think you'd be the obvious choice, Shala."

"I'd be honored, Rael." she said with a laugh. "Have you given any thoughts to a name?"

"Well, we know it's going to be a girl, so we were thinking of naming her after my grandmother."

"Clebrinaniarcha?" asked Raan concernedly. "A bit of a mouthful, don't you think?"

Rael laughed. "No-no-no-no-no. My other grandmother. Tali."

"What's the status of our efforts with the STG?" inquired the Dalatrass.

"No change." replied the director with a small sigh. "The Humans are remarkably adept at spotting our covert teams when we enter Alliance space, just as they were during the war. Have they mentioned the encounters, Councilor?"

Tabril shook his head. "They never say anything about it, though it's obvious they know. It's almost as if they're treating the whole situation as some kind of game."

"What of our infiltration specialists?" asked the Dalatrass.

"Much the same." replied the director. "Most Human companies won't hire scientists from other species for their sensitive positions. Well, non-Quarian species, anyway." he corrected. "Even then, more than half their economy is contained within those two giants, FutureTech and Galactic Enterprises. Those two companies are so massive, they're more powerful than most non-Council species."

"The existence of two conglomerates with so much power is disconcerting." said the Dalatrass, rubbing her forehead. "How does the Alliance keep them under control?"

"By playing them off against each other." explained the director. "If one of them steps out of line, they come down on them hard, and begin shifting business to the other. And both are so heavily regulated, I find it difficult to believe they could so much as cough without the Alliance knowing about it."

"Hence why we can't get anyone into them, either." continued. "The Humans use some sort of machine that measures biometric readings to detect when a person is being deceptive. They call it a 'polygraph,' I believe. Before anyone is hired for a position that puts them near sensitive technology or personnel, they're required to take and pass one of these tests, and oftentimes to repeat the tests at random intervals. Fail a test, even once, and they throw you out on your rear."

"And our reverse engineering efforts?"

"Bogged down." answered the director, sighing again. "Without something from which to derive a baseline, we can't figure out anything the Alliance has. Chronospheres, Iron Curtains, PRISM and gap technology, it's all one big mystery. The only field we've had success in is AI research. Most of their information on the subject is declassified, and even freely available to the public. But unless you'd like us to build AI's of our own …?"

The Dalatrass shivered slightly. "I think not. Very well Councilor, director. We'll speak again next month."

"Just like we do every month." grumped Tabril once she had cut communication, rubbing his eyes. He was barely thirty four, but he felt like he was thirty eight. "Maybe I should retire early." he mused, trying to quell the headache he felt coming on. "I'm getting too old for this."

"Good evening, Centurion."

"Good evening, sir." replied Saren.

"Please, sit." said Sparatus, motioning to the chair opposite his desk. Saren did so, and Sparatus began. "I've been going over your record, Centurion, and I must say I'm impressed. You advanced through the Cabals with rather astounding speed. You're not even twenty one years old, yet you've attained a rank that most don't until they're half again your age."

"Thank you, sir." replied Saren formally.

"Relax, Saren." said Sparatus with a small grin. "While we're in private, I'd rather not stand on ceremony. Call it a side effect of needing to remain formal with the rest of the Council."

"Understood Councilor." said Saren, relaxing his posture ever so slightly. "If you don't mind me asking, what's all this about? I get the feeling you didn't ask me here to give a simple congratulations."

"No, I didn't." replied Sparatus, sizing the other Turian up. "Quite frankly, I want to know if you're interested in finding a more… fulfilling use for your skills."

"Fulfilling how?" asked Saren, now genuinely interested.

"I'd like you to undergo Spectre training." replied the Councilor bluntly. "The Hierarchy needs people like you, Arterius, now more than ever: people who know what's at stake."

Saren considered for a moment. "Permission to speak freely?" he requested.

"Granted."

"Does this have anything to do with my brothers?"

"I won't lie to you, Saren; it does." replied Sparatus with a nod. "However, it's not the primary reason for my decision, just a contributing factor. I knew General Arterius personally, and it galled me to no end to agree to the Alliance's… terms." he said with a growl. "Even so, it was necessary to ensure the survival of millions of Hierarchy citizens. For all their youth and arrogance as a species, the Humans are incredibly powerful, and they threatened to bomb Palaven if we didn't capitulate."

"Bomb?"

"As in nuclear." replied the Councilor dryly. "I believe Hannah Shepard's exact words were 'burning nuclear wasteland.' "

Saren let out a low, animalistic growl. "They wouldn't dare. Surely, the Council would never allow such a thing."

"The Council couldn't defeat the Alliance in a war." countered Sparatus grimly. "We couldn't defeat them during the battles at Shanxi and Rapture, and we still can't defeat them, even now, three years later. While it stings my pride to admit that, trying to deny it won't help our situation. What will help is having people we can rely on to do what needs to be done. People like you."

"You can count on me, sir." replied Saren with a salute. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, Saren. I know you won't"

"Sir, we need this program, now more than as ever. Humanity sits atop the galactic food chain because of our technology, but it's only a matter of time until pieces of it get stolen or captured by the other races and reverse engineered. It's been the mission of Cerberus to prevent that from happening, no matter the cost."

"The other races couldn't figure out the idea behind carriers until we showed it to them, Illusive Man." retorted the Prime Minister.

"That's exactly my point, sir." countered TIM, taking a long drag of his cigarette to steady his nerves. "We showed them. Until we can ensure our dominance through means other than technology, Cerberus remains our best defense against aggression from other species."

"Parliament disagrees, and quite frankly, so do I." replied the PM curtly. "My predecessor may've been content to let you play fast and loose with the rules for the past five years, but I'm not."

"I don't know what you mean, sir."

"Oh?" he asked contemptuously. "Invasive experiments on living subjects? Human cloning? Psionic testing?"

"All of those projects were approved by you predece-"

"I'm aware of that." snapped the Prime Minister, cutting TIM off. "In my opinion, he let you go too far. Unlike him, I don't believe in a policy of 'out of sight, out of mind.' That which grows in the shadows and withers in the light of day has no place in a free society, and I don't trust someone who I've never met face-to-face, and who's name I don't know. I'm shutting you down."

The Illusive Man said nothing as the Alliance Prime Minister cut the communications channel. After he was gone, the man who'd once been Jack Harper finished smoking his cigarette before making his next move.

"Idealistic fool. It seems that Cerberus has outgrown the Alliance." he mused.

"So be it."