Councilor Yinari T'Noiro entered her apartment and went directly to her refrigerator. She pulled some wine out and drank straight from the bottle, a new habit of hers that had developed recently, due to current events. She turned and headed for her living room, flipping on the light. She screamed when she saw a very familiar salarian sitting on her couch. It was her primary contact from her friends in the STG.
"Hello, Councilor. Would say it's good to see you, but we both know that's not the case."
Yinari recovered from her fright, and then frowned. She took a swig from her bottle. "Captain Etwin. I could say the same to you. I take it my guards are no longer with us."
"Guards have been in my pocket since before they were even assigned to you. Offended that you would think otherwise, if I'm frank."
Yinari ground her teeth. "Very well, since we're being frank, I'll skip the pleasantries. Why are you here?"
"Better question is: Why are you here? Surprised you didn't immediately resign upon cover being blown."
"Someone has to clean up this mess-"
Even after spending a great deal of time around them over centuries of life, the sound of salarian laughter was still strange and alien to her asari ear.
Captain Etwin finished laughing, and fixed her with an amused stare. "I see capacity for self-delusion is as cavernous as ever. Tell me, whose mess is it, if not yours?"
Yinari fumed at that. She'd been dragged through the mud by the media for weeks now, she didn't need him of all people to start judging her. "And I see that your capacity for self-delusion still matches my own. Tell me, Captain, does it occur to you that if it's my fault, then that means it's your fault too? You and every other co-conspirator."
"Of course it's our fault, we engineered it."
Yinari stared at him in shock.
"Surprised? I'm not. Asari longevity grants many advantages, or at least Asari would like to believe it does, but also grants numerous disadvantages. Restrictive perspective, in this case. You and predecessor unable to comprehend shorter-lived species having long-term plans of their own."
She smirked. "Oh, so you're telling me it's been the STG behind this for four hundred years? Well, you've managed to drive us all straight into the ground. Bravo, I suppose."
"Collapse of Citadel is...side effect, of true objective."
"And what, dare I ask, is your 'true objective'?"
"The end of Asari Hegemony over the galaxy."
"Oh, I see. And how long has the STG been planning this little revolution of theirs?"
"Not STG's plan."
That threw her for a loop. "...Who else, if not them?"
"Unsanctioned clandestine Organization. Made up of individuals...dissatisfied, with current distribution of political power in Citadel Council. Has been slowly been seizing control of key assets within your conspiracy since before it became your conspiracy. Possesses no name, or documentation, minimal communication between members. No trace of its existence can be found in any database in entire galaxy. Not even in STG database."
Yinari rolled her eyes, trying to ignore her growing terror. "Oh my, how dramatic."
He looked back at her blandly. "When facing counter-intelligence capabilities of STG's caliber, some amount of 'drama' necessary."
"Fine then, what's the real goal of this little clubhouse, then?"
"Already told you. Asari leadership is demonstrably sub-optimal. Previous Asari Councilor was ringleader for conspiracy and political machine, but did not act alone. Friends and assets within Asari government gave critical assistance, enabled tendrils of conspiracy to reach all member governments."
"How can you judge an entire species based on the actions of a few particularly bad individuals? The asari look to their own interest firsts, as any other species does, I'll grant you that much. But how could you possibly call it a 'hegemony', when we've done nothing but promote cross-species cooperation and government? We've gone out of our way to maintain a balance. To not be the only ones in charge."
Etwin smirked. "You still believe that, even after learning of Athame beacon?"
Yinari's heart nearly stopped.
It's not possible. I can count the number of people in the galaxy who know of the beacon on my fingers. It's just not possible, this can't be happening.
"I...don't know what you're talking about."
Etwin might've rolled his eyes had he been an asari. "Yes, I'm sure you don't. Unbelievable that asari would withhold single greatest prothean archaeological find in galaxy for themselves, after all. Especially when, as you stated, asari so concerned about maintaining 'balance'. "
"...Why are you telling me this?" Yinari felt a lance of fear stab through her as she asked the question. There was only one possible answer, after all...
"Because tonight you will take handgun you conceal in your armchair and take your own life with it. You are of course, too self-absorbed to ever blame yourself enough to commit suicide without coercion, as we both know. Fortunately, public does not know you as I do. After such inconceivable disgrace, story is believable. Would advise against biotics."
He didn't change his tone or urgency at the last sentence, despite him having obviously uttered it because he'd noticed the blast Yinlari had been charging in her left hand as quietly as she could. The complete lack of concern made Yinari forestall her plan to break his skull open with a biotic blast. He was confident. Distressingly confident.
"...and why should I?"
Etwin wasn't smirking at her anymore. He just looked at her gravely. "Illium Central Academy, Dorm Building 4-28, Room 1589."
Yinari backed away. "No, no..." She leaned against the wall, struggling to stand.
"Room is occupied by Pureblood Asari youth, Katini T'Goseet. Must use mother-parent's surname. Studying for doctorate in Agricultural Engineering. Rarely sees family. Common occurrence for politically inconvenient offspring. Mother deceased. Father-parent visits her as often as career allows, wider galaxy is told she is on vacation to private family ranch during visits. This is false, of course."
Yinari sagged to the floor, panic bringing tears that blurred her vision. "...no...nonono..."
"Tonight, Councilor T'Noiro will commit suicide via a shot to head from mass accelerator. No note or message of any kind will be left. She will make no calls or other attempts to contact anyone whatsoever."
Yinari couldn't help the sob of fear that slipped out.
"After the Councilor's death, Councilor's secret daughter will grieve, heal, finish doctorate and spend life working to provide food for the people. Much more constructive life than her mother's."
Yinari looked at him in fear, waiting for the next part she knew was coming."
"If, tomorrow morning, Councilor T'Noiro is still alive, Katini T'Goseet will be found dead in her room from asphyxiation due to failure in air circulation. Shortly thereafter, Councilor T'Noiro will be found dead after throwing self off of apartment balcony. Media story revealing secret, Pureblood child will provide explanation."
He stood up, eyeing her armchair. "Would prefer to avoid the second scenario. Would be much better for loose end to tie itself, without innocent blood being shed."
He went to leave the apartment. No trace whatsoever that he had ever been there would ever be found.
"...wait."
He stopped, turning to look back at the Councilor curiously.
"Did I ever even have a chance of turning things around? Or was I sabotaged from the start?"
"...watched imported human film with nephews some nights ago, heard charming phrase that describes situation well: 'Ripping the bandage off', as I recall. Had you ripped bandage off, exposed conspiracy, dragged both co-conspirators and hidden members of my Organization into light, might have avoided complete collapse. Was best, most obvious option available to you. But, that would have meant a loss of face for the Asari. Reduction in their international image. Probable loss of dominant position within council as well. You were content to let Council suffer, even burn down entirely, so long as Asari were still ruling over ashes. That is why Asari are most dangerous species in galaxy, and why they must be torn down."
It was hard for Yinari to tell if she was laughing or just crying. Probably both.
"Oh, and who gets to rule over the ashes instead? Let me guess: the Salarians?"
Etwin shook his head, saying the last words Yinari T'Noiro would ever hear as he walked out the door.
"No. Everyone."
This morning, Asari Councilor Yinari T'Noiro was found dead from an allegedly self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Many speculate that this is the product of stress induced by the ongoing investigation into the former Councilor's alleged misconduct and corruption charges. An investigation has been launched by C-Sec to determine if foul-play was involved.
The Councilor was unbonded and leaves behind no children. She was seven hundred and forty-six.
Hey everyone, this was originally going to be a small opening scene, but it ended up being long enough to be it's own chapter, albeit one on the shorter end for me. Since it's gonna be a good while before I can hash out the next chapter, I figured I would publish this one just so the content drought would be broken up. More to come!
As always, thank you very much for reading.
