There aren't very many people who could piss Sarah off the third time they said something. But when she heard Saren speak with the same condescending tone that he always did when talking about humans.

As he said that they weren't ready to join the Spectres, she smirked, stepped past Udina who was too busy protesting that was not the focus of the hearing to see her. She stepped up, and said, "Saren, you're right. We aren't ready. Because if we were, you would no longer have that status. So long as a rogue agent such as yourself is a Spectre we aren't ready to join them. But not because of anything that you or any other alien says.

"It is because that as a species we aren't prepared to join an organization that supports our enemies. If the Council offered me the post right now, I would turn them down. Because we humans don't negotiate with terrorists, and we must fucking certainly do not ally ourselves with their organization." before turning and walking away.

Saren laughed, and said, "You have quite the spirit, Commander. Perhaps Nihlus wasn't as wrong as I thought he was when he put your name forward."
Shepard smirked, and said, "He wasn't wrong at all. You'll see that soon, Saren, when I put a bullet in your head. But not when you have your back turned to me. I'll give you more honorable a death than you gave Nihlus. I'll give you a chance to fight back. But a mere turian could not hope to defeat one born from the light beyond death."

"Such arrogance, this is why your race shall fall from grace one day soon."

Shepard looked at the turian stepped back towards him, seeming to grow larger with each step, and said, "This is not arrogance, Saren. It is fact."

"You say that but you are weak, human. After all, where you truly so great a force you could have slain the threshers on Akuze."

Shepard looked up at him, and said, "Sometimes a few must die, so all may live. Sometimes it is more than a single battle a soldier must look at, and make decisions that will have a better overall result for the war."

"You say you do not want to be compared to me, but our minds are not so different, Shepard."
Sarah leaned back, and said, "No. Let me put it this way, the only reason we can even have this debate is because I allowed my team to die. Had I killed the threshers to save them... our entire universe would cease to be.

"One cannot change part of their origins. There is a difference between what is mutable of the future and what is immutable. Something I am certain your small mind would not be able to comprehend, even were it still at its full capacity."

Saren glared at her, and said, "You speak with such certainty that you will find evidence that incriminates me..." his voice trailing off.

Sarah laughed, and said, "You always leave a trail of evidence, you just don't notice it. Like that time you assassinated a group of turians who were planning to overthrow the hierarch, plant one of their own in his place, and through him remove your species from the Council? Or perhaps your mission to annihilate that crazy cult."

"How do you know of those missions?" Tevos asked.

Sarah looked at the asari, and said, "The same way I know Saren was the one who killed Nihlus. His trademarks are all over the evidence, if you only knew what you were looking for."

Saren laughed, and said, "You, human, are as arrogant as you are easily proven wrong."
Sarah looked at him, contempt in her eyes, and said, "You know nothing of the fate you're sprinting towards. The end that you bring down upon yourself." before walking away.

As she did so, Tevos said, "This meeting of the Council is adjourned."

-=0=-

Udina said, "Shepard what the hell do you think you were doing? You've killed any chance you would have had of joining the Spectres! You just made yourself look like a madwoman!"
The Commnader glared at the politician, and said, "My words were not those of madness, and the Council knows it. I saw it in their eyes."
"What makes you so certain that aliens who would gladly see us never join the Spectres know you aren't crazy, Shepard? I'm not even certain you haven't lost your mind!"
"Because you have your head shoved too far up your ass, Udina. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a turian to find."

"You're going to hunt Saren down with no official support from the Council!" Udina shouted, "If you do that the entire human race will pay!"
"I'm not a goddamn idiot, Udina. I'm going after the turian who headed up the investigation. He may have more leads on the matter since the trial."
"He was told to cease his investigation before the trial." Udina said.

"It sounded like he already a lead." Ashley said, "That he just needed a little more time. Perhaps he's had that now, and he can help us prove Saren's guilt."

Udina sighed, and said, "You should check with Harkin if you really are going to try and find that turian cop. He might know something."

Sarah nodded, as Kaidan asked, "If Saren knows this turian is still looking into him, won't he be sending people to look for him?"
"Yeah..." Sarah sighed, then said, "Do we have any other leads on Saren?"
"The Shadow Broker may have more information. Rumors have it that Spectres work closely with him to find targets." Udina said, "The only person who we know of that has any kind of connection is the volus banker, Barla Von."

Sarah nodded, and said, "Alright, we've got work to do. Once I've got solid proof, I'll find you."

-=0=-

Saren turned to Benezia, and asked, "You heard Shepard's remarks during the hearing. Do you have any information about it?"
The matriarch stepped forward, and said, "A basic analysis based solely on science condemns her as a madwoman. Looking at asari, turian, krogan, and human mythologies show several references to a light beyond the grave. A few references to entities of light by several volus who have spent billions of credits searching various worlds for their burial grounds indicate that these would be the most likely candidate for what Shepard spoke of.

"Further investigation into the beliefs of these volus indicates that these supposed beings would be a considerable threat to the stability of the galaxy. Threatening the carefully crafted balance of power."
"How so?"

"Supernatural strength, lack of aging, natural biotic strength in the weakest members of their society being several orders of magnitude greater than that of any other species. They also have been said to possess knowledge of the mass relays beyond that of even those who initially created them."

"Your information is useless." Saren said. "What about combating these things?"
"Unknown. Their existence is still not confirmed. They are merely the only likely thing for what Shepard was referencing. It is probable that she was attempting to get into your head by making such strange remarks."

"That would be beyond a savage race like the humans." Saren growled, "Subtlety is lost on them."

"It is not. They merely have a different view of such things."

-=0=-

Chora's den smelled strangely clean to Sarah as she and the team walked in. She looked around the bar, until she saw a server who looked strangely out of place. She marched over to the young woman, and said, "Are you Jenna?"
The girl jumped, and said, "Yeah, what do you want?"
"Your sister is worried about you working at this place."
"Look, I don't need Rita to look out for me like I'm some little girl, I can handle myself."

"I don't doubt that, but before the day is out, a lot of people are going to die in this building. You really want to get out of here before the bloodbath ensues."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No, I'm warning you of what is coming. You are free to do with that information what you will. Neither I nor my team will knowingly fire on you if you are still here when that battle begins."

Rita laughed, then said, "Thanks for the warning, but I'm staying here."
Sarah shrugged, then said, "It's probably your funeral." before walking towards Harkin. He looked at her and asked, "What does a fuckup like you want?"
The Commander smirked and said, "I need some information. Heard you were a good person to ask."

"I can tell you whatever you want to, but you'll need to sit a little closer..." he said his voice trailing off as he openly ogled the Commander, who slammed his head onto the table. A moment later he said, "Wha... that can't be possible! You're supposed to be dead!"

Jessica sighed as she walked closer, and asked, "What are you talking about? Why should I be dead?"
"You're Jessica Shepard, a woman who died on Mindoir."

The Engineer laughed, and said, "Maybe it's a sign of the coming end times, Harkin. The dead walking the galaxy."

He looked at her, terror clear in his eyes, and siad, "What do you want?"

"First off, quit saying I should be dead. That's rude."

He whimpered, "Okay, please don't kill everyone."

"I also need you to tell Sarah where Garrus Vakarian is." Jessica said, laughing.

"Why do you care about that little turian bitch?"

The two Shepards slammed Harkin into the table, and the elder said, "Don't call Garrus a little bitch. He happens to be a friend of ours."

The corrupt C-Sec Agent glared at them, and said, "He's probably going to be at Dr. Michel's."

Sarah nodded at Jessica and said, "Thanks for the assist. I think he shit his pants."
"Fucker would deserve it." Jessica said, walking over to the bar. "I'm gonna need a bottle of ryncol."

The bartender looked at the engineer with shock, and said, "That would kill anyone who isn't a krogan."
"Trust me, kiddo, I'll be fine." Jessica said, with a smirk.
Then, Rakdos said, "Deny her request." to the bartender.
Jessica looked and asked, "Why?"
"Darkness comes our way, and you must be prepared for combat." the ancient human replied, handing her a blade.
She looked at it, and asked, "Why do I need one of these?"
"The Dark Brother has summoned the kin of Nicole, some who have not found the path to purity." Rakdos said, holding a twin blade in hand. "They will no allow us to escape so long as they live."
"Why would he be sending Butchers our way?"
"He wishes to use us as a tool for his goals." Rakdos said, standing firm. Then he whispered to the bartender, a young brunette, "Evacuate everyone. This structure will not be safe for long."
The girl nodded, when she saw the look in his eyes. Then, Jessica asked, "How many are there?"
"At least a dozen."
"We'll need to get Ori, Selene, and Brooks out of here. We don't know what will happen to them if they're near a battle with Butchers."
"They must stay near." Rakdos growled, "If they leave a contingent would split off and take them hostage."
Selene walked up, and said, "I'll help."

"No you won't. This isn't a battle you're equipped to fight." Jessica said, "The most good you can do is making sure nothing happens to Oriana. And if you betray me... they'll never find a single atom of you."
The clone nodded, and walked away, rifle in hand. Then, as Harkin, the last remaining customer, left, the door exploded. In walked twelve men and women. Ahead of them was a man with greying hair wearing an orange tunic. He looked at them, and said, "You are not Halthas's allies."
"You aren't a squad of Butchers." Rakdos replied. "Ally of the King, or servant of the Dark Brother?"
"Ally of the King." he replied. "Bryce Cousland, and you are?"
"Jonathan Rakdos."
"Who are your companions, Lord Rakdos of the First Realm?"
"Shepard, her clone, Maya Brooks, Oriana Lawson. Yours?"
"Fellow allies of the king. None of note to those of the first realm."
Jessica sighed, and asked, "Why are you here, Bryce?"
"We thought there might be allies of Halthas, the Dark Brother."
"Are your pals guardians?"
Bryce sighed, and said, "Sarah has seen the first part of the prophecy, hasn't she?"
"What prophecy?"
"The prophecy of the end times. Granted to the King by the Creator at the moment when his majesty transformed this dimension into the universe as we now know it."
"You mean the creator that can't actually touch his creations?"
"That one." Bryce grimaced. "Though those of the first realm needn't know about him. Save, of course, for the Old Ones."
"Why are you talking about the Old Ones? You talking about the ancient humans that made the Reapers?"
"Aye. Your realm is not ready for the knowledge of how our multiverse truly works."
"It is." Rakdos said. "A few are ready."
Bryce nodded, and said, "I shall trust in your judgement, Lord Rakdos."
"I am no Lord, Bryce. Never was, never shall be. And why are you in this realm at all? It isn't your native land."
"The way I passed on forced me into this place. Denied me an eternity in the place of my realm's dead."
Rakdos nodded, then said, "I am afraid it is time that we leave."
Bryce nodded, and said, "Good luck. Stay away from here, dark times approach. For both our realms."
Jessica replied, "Don't let my sister become that Halthas guy, Bryce. If you do, I might have to come back here to kick your ass."
He laughed, and said, "Hopefully such things will not happen."
Jessica grinned, and said, "Rakdos, get us out of here."
"Of course." he replied.
Sarah walked up to Bryce, and said, "You seem to show up everywhere. Does the King not trust me to handle Halthas in a way that will not lead to him being reborn in my body?"
"The King worries that even you are not capable of overcoming his brother. A god of chaos is no foe to face with arrogant overconfidence."
"I won't let him take control of me, because if he did... I know what would happen. I'll find a way to end him. Forever."
"The King believes you will try. But sometimes people make irrational decisions. Decisions with long term negative consequences. That is why I am here, to make sure if such a thing does happen, the situation can be contained."
Sarah sighed, and said, "Trust me, until I know how to permanently end him, Halthas will not die."
"I do, the King; however, is far too cautious to merely rely on your word."
"Then the king is an asshat." Sarah said, "You can go back to whatever you were doing. Just reliving the past right now."
-=0=-
A/N: Sorry about the wait. Hopefully the chapter was good enough to be worth it. If so, or if not, please leave a review.