Nemean Abyss, Interstellar Void
Normandy SR-2, Deck 3, Mess Hall
0704 Local Time, June 27th, 2185 Gregorian Calendar
Virox silently read through the lines of text from a brief response he had received from his superiors, glancing at the closed doors to the Med Bay every now and then. The muffled sound of a conversation that was going on inside was too quiet for him to pick up, even with earflaps opened completely. An odd word here or there was the only thing that his translator could discern, and even then there was no way to make a coherent sentence from what did make it through.
After Tali fainted from her wounds, he and Shepard quickly brought her back to the Normandy and basically right onto an operating table. Doctor Chakwas and Profesor Solus have worked tirelessly for almost 10 straight hours to stabilize the quarian's body and stem the spread of the infection, permitting no visitors into the room during the whole ordeal. This understandable, since Tali's already battered immune system would have likely not been able to cope with a fresh batch of pathogens. Now after over 24 hours and a confirmation that they could enter the room, Shepard had gone inside for a check-up and some light treatment of the minor bruises she sustained during the final parts of their escape. Virox however refused treatment on principle until Tali was stable, and was now waiting for news.
His presence was already an inconvenience, as two members of the Cerberus crew, who were planning to sit down at the table and talk, now found themselves whispering amongst themselves and with the Mess Sergeant Gardner, probably debating how they were supposed to approach the area without agitating him. Virox did not care for their frivolities, in fact he cared little about his entire surroundings. When Garrus came to see him in the same spot shortly after they returned and asked about what happened, he told him "Not now." and the turian backed off, once again leaving him alone with his thoughts.
He caught himself reading the response he received from the General Inspectorate (he was still technically a part of that) for the third time. The words within it were clear and understandable, but his mind somehow refused to absorb their meaning. His eyes were focused on the last part in particular, one that filled him with the most dread.
"...Thus, due to your failure to prevent, in your own words, avoidable destruction of imperial military property, combined with your previous misconduct towards a superior officer, the GIAF thereby issues an immediate recall order for Sergeant Virox Ri'Kaan to be put on trial under military tribunal. Report to the Omega System as soon as possible, you will be met there. Signed, Inspector Za'Raan..." He read it out loud, his voice barely audible even to himself. There was a signature and surprisingly a Ravashir holoseal. Now it was clear that his days were numbered, for he knew what punishment would await him if they got involved.
Trying to shift his focus away from his grim prospects, Virox instead focused on putting together the last pieces of the Grox attack mystery in his head... well, those pieces that he had. There were still too many blank spaces and unknowns for his liking, but he had no choice. He asked EDI to send the finished report back to the Empire through the nearest comm buoy, and after receiving the reply there was nothing else to do. For now these were the facts that he managed to piece together:
First, the Grox somehow managed to find the station and approached it undetected, before remotely taking over its communications array and storming the station. Some of the crew tried to physically cut the signal from the rest of the network, and were wiped out after initial success and the signal was restored. It was at THIS point that Virox believed that the response force was sent. Either it was the two frigates only at this point (and the cruiser was dispatched later), or the frigates went on ahead and the cruiser had to be rerouted from somewhere else, explaining the gap in their time of arrival. He did not know for sure.
Second, after their first failure the station commander gave the order to scuttle the station by overloading the main reactor, which his depleted forces also failed to do. The Insectorox (and possibly some Dronox as well) wiped out the defenders, scattering the survivors far away from each other and making them easy pickings for the Grox, who later seized the command center and used its surveillance to hunt down the remnants.
Third, the Grox had begun collecting bodies for... some sort of experiments, for which they used the energy from the main reactor. Collecting intact corpses, they started to put them into the chrysalids, hoping to achieve an unknown goal. Around the same time the Grox assault ship had to deploy to deal with only two frigates that entered the system, although it took time.
Fourth, and in Virox's opinion the most important part, something went wrong with the experiment. Whatever they were turning his people into, it was clear that the Grox assumed that the resulting monstrosities would be under their control, and they clearly weren't. Without the assault ship to dispatch additional reinforcements, the loose carvin slaughtered the contingent still present on the station, but not before some of the remaining Dronox shut down the reactor, possibly to stop more feral carvins from awakening.
Virox thought about why the assault ship did not return to assist, and his only credible hypothesis was that the ship WAS en route back to the station, but was then forced to deal with the cruiser that entered the system just moments before the reactor was shut down. As to why it did not come back after that... maybe they thought it wasn't worth it to continue the experiments? But then they would have scuttled the station. Or, perhaps unknowingly, the piecemeal deployment of forces into the system convinced the Grox that a larger formation was on its way, one that a single ship would not have been able to handle. This was yet another piece of the puzzle that was missing, leaving Virox with guesswork - something that the tribunal would likely not take very seriously.
He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of the med bay door opening. Out came Professor Solus and Commander Shepard, exchanging brief words. Virox stood at attention and approached Shepard, having prepared himself for what to say.
"Commander, I-" He started, but was immediately cut off by Shepard, who raised her hand.
"It's not me that you should apologize to." She sternly said, with an expression of exhaustion and slight disapproval. "Tali's inside, she's more deserving of your apologies than me."
"I was planning to do that too... but-" Virox tried again, and this time too he was stopped.
"Then go apologize." She replied, gesturing at the door.
"Tali'Zorah's health stable. Had contact with much more minor infections than an ordinary quarian. Immune system stronger than the species average. Will make a full recovery." Mordin added. Unlike Shepard, his face was friendly and reassuring. Perhaps one of the characteristics of a doctor?
"...good." Virox said, realizing that any further discussion was pointless, and so gave a simple nod before entering the med bay in silence.
The whiteness of the room was as striking and unpleasant as always. He always hated med bays or hospital wings. Whenever he visited them, it was because he was unable to serve, to be useful, a reminder that he messed up on an assignment. Except this time, instead of frustration over his own wounds sustained due to his screw-up, it was a cold, writhing, unquenchable guilt that he felt when he looked at Tali lying on one of the beds.
Much of her stomach was covered by a device that he did not recognize, but if he had to guess it was for keeping the breached area disinfected and help it heal faster. Medicine of aliens confused him. For a carvin, all it took was time and food to heal properly, maybe some medication. Implants were serviced by doctors who doubled as mechanics. Now, looking at Tali confined to the bed, he saw the fragility of life like he had never seen before.
After a moment she noticed him, slowly turning her head towards him and waving her hand. "Oh, hey Virox. Came to visit?"
It wasn't clear if it was the medication that made her so bubbly and happy or if she had learned to laugh at her suffering naturally and Virox just did not get to see that side of her yet. Either way it left him unsure of how to respond, as all the carefully planned and prepared lines he mustered before this point seemed to have evaporated in an instant.
"Yes, well it's only natural that I do after what happened." He quietly replied.
"Oh? And what hapeeeeeeeened?" She asked, stretching the last sylable over a good second.
Virox blinked in surprise, not really expecting that reaction. "You mean... you don't remember?"
"My memory is a bit fuzzy. I remember we went to that station between the black holes. Then it all went wrong and after that..." Tali slowly said.
So she doesn't remember. That or it's the meds at work. Virox thought, wondering if this was an immense luck or lack thereof. What in the stars am I supposed to say?
Obviously she was not all there, which left him with a dilemma. Either he could take a cop out and 'postpone' the talk due to her current condition, knowing full well that after Omega, he would not see them again... or he could not do that, and instead finish this properly.
"Well... I came to apologize. It's because of me that you ended up in this predicament and almost died." He said after a moment of hesitation. "Had it not been for my stubbornness for that data then-"
"Wait..." Tali interrupted him, as if she stopped listening after the first sentence. "Does this have something to do with you throwing me? I distinctly remember being thrown. Through space. Right above a black hole. Is it that?"
"No, that was after the fact... well, after you were wounded and right before you passed out." Virox clarified, mildly annoyed by the interruption. Still, it surprised even him how tolerant he was. Back home there was no way he'd bear so much time with someone behaving like that.
"Yeah, that was not nice at all. Do you know it's rude to toss a girl around without her permission? And on top of that..." She went off on a tangent, blabbering and spewing out nonsensical sentences, surprisingly only few of which were actually directed specifically at him.
Confused and unsure what to do, Virox glanced pleadingly at Doctor Chakwas, who was sitting at her desk and watching the entire scene with great interest. However the human doctor clearly had no intention of helping him out, as she simply shrugged and let out a chuckle, visibly amused by his plight. At this point Virox was running out of options to get her to listen, when an idea popped up in his mind.
"You know, I promised you something back at the beginning of that mission. Guess this is as good a time as any to deliver on that promise." He tried to interrupt the quarian's incessant stream of words, and surprisingly it worked. She stared at him in a mix of curiosity and anticipation, probably trying to recall what the promise was about.
He mentally chuckled at his own commitment. It was never a real promise, so why did he feel the need to fulfill it as if it was one? This entire assignment was an exercise in frustration at feelings he never knew he could experienc. But having grown somewhat attached to this rag-tag band of the most unlikely heroes for a suicide mission, he felt genuine enjoyment in being a part of that team... and shame, knowing that he would be leaving them.
Using the window of opportunity where Tali was silent and fully focused on him, Virox deactivated the locks on his armor. Immediately he felt a slight relief, as the pressure upon his back lessened considerably and two small hatches opened with a quiet hiss. For the first time since he left the Empire, he spread his wings in front of someone else.
...
...
"...whoa." was all that Tali could say, staring at him almost with awe. The glowing orbs visible through her mask that were her eyes became even bigger, like two bright stars.
The sensation of being looked at in this manner was new to Virox. Wings were usually seen as a detriment in the Imperial military. You could barely glide on them, and they took so much space that some soldiers even had them cut off and installed special implants that prevented their regrowth. He never thought to attribute beauty or anything else to them, other than their limited usefulness. Seeing Tali's reaction was refreshing and surprising, like so many other things he experienced during his stay on this ship.
"I remember you being curious about them, so..." He said, unsure of where to go from there.
Thankfully this was enough for Tali to once again get all bubbly and talkative. "Keelah, they look so soft and fluffy! Why do you never show them? You look like... like those good spirits in human folklore, what's their name?"
"Angels." Doctor Chakwas came to her aid, and Virox realized that she too was staring, if only slightly more subtly. "I remember you visiting me here several times, even for physical examinations, and yet you've never shown them like this, which frankly is kind of a shame. They're quite beautiful, if slightly repressed."
Okay, this is certainly awkward. I did not plan for this at all! Virox thought, as the human doctor was now reaching for the tip of his right wing. "They're usually just a useless distraction so I keep them hidden."
"Your feathers look worn out. Do you mind if I...?" Chakwas asked, her hand almost touching the outermost feathers.
"I'd rather-" He was about to argue with her, but then a saving grace had descended upon him in the form of a feminine human voice coming through the speakers.
"Virox, Commander wants you on the bridge." EDI announced over the intercom.
The message was as sudden as it was welcome, and Virox quickly folded his wings back into place and shut the hatches that covered them, much to the disappointment of the women in the room. He preferred not to be groped in what was essentially a public space on the ship, especially since the glass was see-through.
Having placed his feathered appendages back into their cozy if cramped resting place, he bid the two women farewell. "Well... guess it's time for me to go. Goodbye."
With that he left the room and headed towards the elevator.
He did not want it to sound like that. But subconsciously he could not bring himself to lie anymore.
Nemean Abyss, Interstellar Void, en route to Hourglass Nebula
Normandy SR-2, Deck 2, Bridge
0712 Local Time, June 27th, 2185 Gregorian Calendar
"He is coming up right now." EDI told Shepard, as the latter was leaning onto Joker's pilot seat.
"Good. Not a word to him. We're already in a fragile situation as it is." Shepard ordered, before turning to the pilot. "And if he asks, you just act stupid."
"Oh, so you mean like usual?" Joker asked mockingly, but upon receiving an annoyed glare from her, he quickly corrected himself. "Right, right. He may actually die. I'm taking this seriously."
All this secrecy was there for a reason. After Virox had submitted his report about the mission, he had promptly received a very concerning reply. Even though Shepard had ordered EDI to not spy on him, this particular time she could forgive the insubordination, since the contents of the message sent to him by his superiors were quite damning. An immediate withdrawal from his post as a liaison to the Normandy followed by a court martial. And after having conversations both with Virox's superior and the shadowy figure from before the most recent mission, Shepard was understandably suspicious of the entire situation.
The latter in particular was on her mind constantly, since the response also contained a 'holoseal', which EDI had informed her actually contained a small yet heavily encrypted file. After partial decryption and translation it was revealed to contain a single, untranslatable word - Ravashir. This immediately set off alarm bells in Shepard's head, as it was the very word that the unknown carvin contact told her to beware. She could not ask Virox about it, since the entire endeavor would have likely been exposed. EDI hypothesized that it may have been a name for an intelligence section of the carvin military, or some sort of internal security service. Whoever they were, they had an interest in Virox's dismissal.
"We're approaching the Osun system. ETA, 1 minute." Joker reported just as the doors to the bridge slid open and Virox walked in.
"You wanted to see me." He stated emotionlessly, and Shepard noticed that he used neither her rank nor her name. His expression was also that of a grim dejection, further reinforcing the idea that his future prospects were not looking good.
"I did. How are you holding up?" She asked.
Virox stayed silent for a moment, his gaze distant and unfocused, before replying "Better than Tali."
"Glad to hear it." Shepard replied, trying to put a compassionate smile upon her face. "We'll get it all sorted out in a minute.
"Understood." The carvin quietly answered, though soon added "Commander, I think there's some important information that you should know of."
Here we go... act oblivious. She thought to herself, knowing full fell what he was about to say. "What is it?"
"...Judging by your reaction, I'm assuming that EDI did not notify you of this, but... I have been recalled from my assignment. I am to report to Omega System to be transferred off the Normandy." He said, his voice barely audible through the hum of the ship that could be heard in the cockpit.
Shepard did her best to feign ignorance, knowing that the carvin was skilled in spotting abnormalities in behavior. "What? That's... uncalled for. What were their reasons?"
"Assault on a superior officer and unjustified destruction of Imperial property." Virox said, staring at the floor. "If possible I would like to get this over with as soon as possible."
Relieved that he bought her act, Shepard gave him a silent nod. She already knew the charges against him, having read the reply herself, and all of it just seemed wrong. It was as if his superiors were trying to find any excuse to get him removed from his post. But why? Why now, after Shepard had volunteered to put her own ship in danger for the Carvin Empire? Did they want her gone? She couldn't tell.
"If that's the case, the Hourglass Nebula is just a jump away from Omega. We'll get it sorted out as soon as we finish our business here." She said.
"And what is our business here?" Virox surprisingly asked, and Shepard was once again put on the spot. She feared that the attentive carvin would sense that something was amiss, and she was putting their mutual trust to the test anyway. This time however Joker came to her aid.
"We're entering the Hourglass Nebula now, Commander." The helmsman announced as the ship decelerated from FTL, revealing the massive hulking structure of the mass relay to their port side. Virox, as hoped, did not repeat the question, instead electing to stand silently behind and observe the situation.
They barely left the long shadow of the relay and Shepard did not even get to give any specific instructions when EDI reported "Commander, I am detecting several carvin ship signatures in the immediate vicinity. It appears that they have detected us entering the system."
That was uncomfortably fast. Then again they claimed this cluster as their own. Shepard mused before issuing orders. "Joker, get us closer, nice and easy. EDI try establishing a connection."
Both gave short confirmations and got to work. The Normandy jolted slightly as it altered its course, and the speakers on the bridge began emitting a quiet static, awaiting a return signal. They did not have to wait long before a rough, clacking voice of a carvin came through the speakers.
"To the vessel entering the system. Our database has you flagged as Normandy SR-2 of Cerberus. Please verify." The carvin serviceman (or woman, it was hard to distinguish) demanded.
"This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy SR-2. Flashing IFF right now. We are not hostile - repeat - not hostile." Shepard said, giving a quick glance at EDI's terminal.
The AI must have understood the message, since they soon received a reply. "Verifying IFF. Maintain course and reduce speed. We have been informed of your arrival."
They did as the carvins asked, and Shepard was now seeing that Virox started sending her more more intense glances from the rear. It was abundantly clear that he was concerned about this whole situation. She couldn't blame him for being suspicious - the moment he was dismissed from his post, he's being conveniently delivered to his people, though not in the way he asked for. It wouldn't have been unreasonable from his perspective to think that Shepard wanted to get rid of him, even though that wasn't her intention.
"IFF verification complete. You're in the clear, Normandy. State your business here." Came the response from the carvin flagship.
Okay, here we go. Shepard took a deep breath, realizing all too well in what sort of dangerous territory she was stepping in. "We have completed an assignment given to us by your empire, but there were some issues and complications along the way which I would like to clear up."
"What sort of operation were you conducting, and who sanctioned it?" The disembodied carvin voice asked.
"The message was sent by the Frontier Naval Command, and delivered by commodore Xol-Irix." Shepard truthfully answered, and was briefly met with silence.
"Xol-Irix Vu'Taan? Are you certain?"
"Positive." She confirmed.
The surprise in the speaker's voice was evident, and after yet another pause they replied "Stand by, Normandy."
With that the connection was severed and once again silence fell in the cockpit. The paranoid part of her mind screamed at Shepard to run away, but the carvin ships that approached them did not change behavior in any way, maintaining the same course and speed. If they planned on turning hostile, they did not show it.
"What is all this about, Commander?" Virox finally mustered the will to ask, although his voice was rich in dejection. "We should be en route to Omega right now."
Over the past few weeks that he had been on board, Shepard had slowly learned to recognize his expressions. Those of anger and fury were the easiest ones to learn, while those of joy and happiness, which he rarely displayed in public were the most difficult. But now she saw that his presence was... smaller, weaker. He seemed to shrink, and his face showed apathy. But why?
Realizing that she would not convince him traditionally, Shepard instead asked "Why did you give up? Are you willing to just take the court martial, knowing you won't win?"
"There is no winning in this situation." Virox almost whispered. "The Inspectorate has the backing of the Ravashir, and they play by their own rules. If they decide that I'm out, then I'm out."
"But this is wrong!" She protested, to which Virox in turn snapped.
"Is it really!? I tried to MURDER you! " He roared so loudly and suddenly that even Joker jumped in his seat. "And now I almost got a teammate killed because of some misplaced sense of glory! Tell me, Shepard, how would they deal with a soldier that did such things back in the Alliance!?"
For that she had no answer. It was true that when stripped of all the context and looked at through a purely rational lens, what Virox had done was inexcusable, and up until recently he had been incredibly hard to work with, causing unease amongst the rest of the crew. But things HAD changed, and Shepard DID have the wider context. She was willing to trust him despite the initial difficulties they had when working together. She even defended him from his superiors' wrath, hoping that the matter was settled. So why did they still insist on his dismissal?
She did not get to answer Virox's question because once again she was interrupted, this time by a request for contact from the carvin ships. "Commander Shepard, this is Commodore Xol-Irix. Are you receiving this?"
Sparing one final painful glance at Virox, she answered. "Loud and clear."
The screen in the cockpit briefly flashed with static before displaying a silhouette of a carvin of a familiar posture. Xol-Irix still retained the dignified look and an almost noble demeanor, but he exchanged his dark grey suit for some sort of field uniform that partially exposed his cybernetic arms. Quite unusually, there was a pistol holstered at his side.
"I am pleased to see that you've completed your investigation so quickly, though I must say I did not expect us to talk again so soon." He spoke, his voice also sounding more to-the-point and blunt than before, indicating that he wasn't on a diplomatic assignment. "I was sent here to investigate the reports of insubordination within the ranks of our internal security forces, and wasn't notified that you would arrive in the system."
"Are you talking about the Ravashir?" Shepard asked randomly, still having this peculiar name on her mind.
Xol-Irix's 'face' twisted in a surprised frown, and his jaws twitched accordingly. This was the biggest indication that she was onto something. "How do you know of this?"
"Lucky guess." She replied, and when the commodore wasn't convinced, she added "A secret encrypted transmission was sent to me just seconds after you finished briefing me on the situation in The Great Wound. A mysterious figure of unclear identity ordered me to head here after the mission was complete and to 'not trust the Ravashir'. I first assumed it was you, but based on your reaction I guess this isn't the case."
"You would be... correct." Xol-Irix slowly replied, then began intensely staring to the side at something outside of the camera's field of view.
Based on what he had told her, it seemed that these 'Ravashir' was some sort of internal intelligence or security agency, not too far from what Shepard imagined them to be. Adding Virox's pessimism and his claim of their almost completely 'free reign', they must have had immense political power within the carvin state. But they did have an agenda and were clearly not incorruptible if they were being investigated. And they did have clear issue with Virox given that they were one of the parties involved in his reassignment.
"Actually, given our present circumstances, I would like to talk about another issue, one that could potentially be linked to your investigation." Shepard broke the uncomfortable silence, having gotten an idea of how to approach the matter of Virox. "I want to know why you have decided to terminate the agreement between the Normandy and the Carvin Empire, and requested your liaison to be withdrawn."
"No such orders are in effect, Commander. I do not know what you're trying to insinuate." In an instant Xol-Irix snapped back to her and his gaze seemed to pierce her whole being, looking for any sign of disingenuity.
"Are you certain? You better double-check that." She did not let up, knowing that she had the advantage.
The commodore briefly shifted his eyes away from her, visibly browsing some sort of database. "I am positive that this is the case, Commander."
"Then explain the orders that your liaison had received after we came back from The Great Wound." Shepard demanded, perhaps a bit too harshly.
Xol-Irix's expression moved from one of suspicion to that of genuine curiosity, though the change was subtle and almost completely seamless. The slight hostility and accusatory stance from before was gone, only confusing Shepard more. It appeared that neither of them truly knew what the hell was going on with this contradictory information, and both wanted to.
"Is Sergeant Ri'Kaan readily available for a conversation?" He asked after a longer than anticipated break.
Virox took it as his cue to step up into the camera's field of view, and stood at attention in accordance with military protocol. "Yes, sir."
"Send me the copy of that order at once. It will be verified momentarily." Xol-Irix ordered, and Virox did as he was told, activating the omni-tool and sending the message through EDI's briefly opened firewalls.
Xol-Irix promptly opened his own omni-tool and read through the message, his emotions unreadable under the once again flawless mask of professionalism.
"I believe I see the issue, although I fear it will not ease neither your concerns nor mine." He said, as his eyes dashed through the lines of text he was now reading. "The dismissal was first put forward by the Ravashir, and finally ordered by the General Inspectorate of the Armed Forces, which Sergeant Ri'Kaan still technically reports to. But it appears that approximately 40 minutes after the order was sent, a directive straight from the Ministry of War, to which the GIAF is subordinated to, had rescinded it, and the ships that were supposed to fly to Omega to meet you were withdrawn. I see no mention of this specific order being received by your side, so I suspect that by the time it was put into effect, your ship had already disconnected from our comm buoy network and entered FTL, preventing this correction from reaching you."
"That would indeed align with our own timetable." EDI quickly interjected.
While Shepard was thankful for the clarification, the entire situation seemed strange and devoid of reason. "So what, is this just an instance of miscommunication? Why was the order even issued in the first place? And on who's authority? The Ravashir?"
"I wish it was just that, Commander, but things just get more disturbing." Xol-Irix replied, with a slight undertone of genuine worry. "Apparently, shortly after the original dismissal was rescinded, Inspector Ra'Taan, the Ravashir commissar that initiated the whole thing in the first place, AND their chiefs of staff, were all arrested on the charges of treason and subsequently shot without trial. Both of these actions were curiously conducted not by the Ravashir themselves, but by the local Army units with attached elements of state police."
"Is it really strange that the Ravashir wouldn't want to kill off their own? Seems reasonable to me that they'd cover each other's backs." Shepard asked, not understanding the unusual nature of the situation.
"Wrong. The Ravashir have the strictest requirements for loyalty of all the imperial institutions and organizations. They're not just loyal to themselves, but the Empire as a whole." Virox clarified, the depressing dejection on his face being gone and instead replaced by concern. "I've heard that they killed off over a hundred of their own members in one section and dismissed another two hundred for 'insubordination and dereliction of duty'. Without due process."
"A slight exaggeration, but Sergeant Ri'Kaan is largely correct in his assessment." Xol-Irix clarified. "The Ravashir are almost always involved in prosecution and punishment of those charged with treason. It is the highest crime one can commit in the Empire. Their absence in this instance therefore is all the more unnerving."
"Alright, well at the very least we have something to work with." Shepard nodded, and while she was still not fully satisfied with his answers, it was better than what he said before. "Any idea why the Ravashir pushed for the Inspectorate to relieve Virox?"
"No id-" The commodore began, but cut himself off, seemingly having thought of something. "Actually... there might be one."
"Let's hear it." She urged him, seeing the hesitation in his body language.
Xol-Irix's eyes moved between her, Virox, and an open document on his omni-tool. One did not have to have gotten a degree in xeno studies to realize that the commodore was nervous. He had been courteous and polite to her before, the very thing that won her over in his character. But he was also a loyal soldier of another government - one that had made no secret of its distaste for Cerberus and the other 'bandits and terrorists' active within the Traverse and Terminus, placing their already limited trust solely in Commander Shepard. And Xol-Irix wasn't operating in a vacuum, but was beholden to his superiors, much like Virox was, so each of his actions had to be defensible in front of his higher-ups.
"This might have been a ploy to lure into an ambush and destroy you and your vessel." After a dozen seconds of uncomfortable silence, he finally decided to give his answer, and when Shepard in turn was left stunned by his words, he added "The ships that were supposed to be sent to Omega weren't some lightweight envoy vessels. They included a light cruiser, a corvette - that is your frigate equivalent, and a complement of fighter-bombers - a force that under the present circumstances should never have left the naval base without an explicit order from the admiral. This very movement of forces may have actually been what prompted the higher commands to take notice of what happened. I will have to investigate this further."
Shepard processed the words she just heard. The carvins, the very same ones who had done more to help her in her fight against the Collectors than any other galactic government, were trying to have her killed? Or at the very least some influential people within the Carvin Empire wanted her dead? So many thoughts rushed through her head, to the point that she struggled to concentrate, but one overarching question was heard loud and clear above all the maelstrom.
"...why?" She simply uttered.
"Unknown." Xol-Irix replied equally concisely. "And for what it's worth, Commander, I do regret that this happened to you, assuming of course that this is what truly transpired. You have done well by the Empire, coming to its aid in an hour of need. You have accommodated one of our own onboard your ship. And while I cannot promise you that the rest of my people share this sentiment, since xenophobia is still deeply ingrained in our society, as an individual I hope to never meet you on the battlefield as an enemy."
That was... actually kind of wholesome. In a weird carvin-esque way. Shepard thought, mustering a weak smile on her face. "Well... thank you, I guess."
The commodore's expression softened too, as he gave her a polite nod, and the two of them took this as an unspoken sign that the discussion was at an end. They had nothing else to discuss, and considering the possibility that some people within the Carvin Empire could still want her dead, or at the very least far away from their space, made for a pretty convincing argument to leave this system for the foreseeable future. However it was at that moment that Virox stepped up once again.
"Permission to speak, sir." He said with the same emotionless voice that he used when he first spoke to the commodore.
"Granted." Xol-Irix answered. Unlike Virox, he did retain some of the previous softness of voice.
"Are... are there any active charges against me that may be pressed upon my return to the Empire?" Virox asked, and Shepard was surprised by his stutter, although she probably shouldn't have been. He had convinced himself of the certainty of his demise, and now this certainty was not just shaken, it was absolutely destroyed.
Somewhat surprisingly, Xol-Irix seemed annoyed by the question, though he did activate his omni-tool once again and began browsing through it. Shepard couldn't understand why any more charges against Virox would ever be pressed after this. His dismissal was rescinded, and the two people responsible for this mess were dead (very harsh, but logical in a twisted way). It seemed that she still lacked the understanding of how the Carvin Empire operated, their customs, traditions and code of conduct. And while this wasn't exactly her fault, since she was technically dead during the first contact with the carvins, it was still frustrating.
Virox on the other hand was nervous. His cybernetic tail was 'tense', standing upright and not swaying around. The rotating sawblade-like end of the tail kept twitching, turning a few degrees to one side or the other seemingly at random. Shepard had never seen him in such a state. Then again, she wasn't exactly able to be empathetic to someone who was at risk of being put in front of a firing squad. Despite all the crazy stunts she pulled during her hunt for Saren, she never really got that far with the law, Spectre status be praised.
"As of now, no, there are no actively pressed charges against you, Sergeant. Your actions onboard the blacksite in The Great Wound are deemed as acceptable, and the charges of assaulting a superior officer were withdrawn after your acting commanding officer spoke in your defense." Xol-Irix said. "When the latter incident was reported, this was the only instance when the higher commands were genuinely interested in your dismissal and replacement."
"My... acting commanding officer?" Virox's eyes widened in surprise, and Shepard now felt just a bit out of her comfort zone. She didn't plan on telling him of her conversation with the Inspector just yet, so that he could focus on the mission. In hindsight it was probably not a good idea, but having him find out like that wasn't pleasant.
"Correct. Commander Shepard gave the impression that your actions were marginally defensible or at the very least understandable, and that she does not feel the need for your replacement. As such you are to remain in your post until the agreement is terminated through official channels by either side." The commodore replied, turning off his omni-tool. "Were you not made aware of this?"
"...no, sir." Virox said after a brief moment of hesitation.
"Strange... perhaps the Ravashir also blocked that information. In any case now you should rest easily." Xol-Irix concluded and turned his gaze towards Shepard. "Farewell Commander. Xol-Irix out."
And with those words he was gone. Shortly afterwards carvin fighters and and picket ships, that have been circling around the Normandy for the duration of this conversation, disengaged and began their return to the main body of ships keeping its distance near the adjacent gas giant.
"Well... that just happened." Joker, who remained silent throughout this entire exchange, now suddenly blurted out.
Shepard however did not pay much mind to his jests, instead looking at Virox, who's eyes seemed to be looking at something far away in the distance, or simply nothing at all. The tension in his torso and tail was gone, and the only motion he exhibited was the almost invisible breathing combined with occasional blinking.
"Virox? Are you okay?" She asked, knowing from experience that emotionally volatile carvins could be a danger to themselves and the nearby bystanders.
"I... this is a lot to take in. I need some time to think... alone." Virox replied, barely louder than a whisper. He did not even bother looking at her, instead he turned towards the exit and started walking. "I will be back in the main battery."
The door shut behind him, leaving Shepard standing alone in the cockpit, with Joker in his seat behind her. Right now the die was cast. The best she could do for Virox right now was to give him some space to think about what happened.
Argos Rho, Phoenix System
Intai'sei, Thoreau Mesa, Governor's Mansion
1534 Local Time, June 28th, 2185 Gregorian Calendar
"Have a seat, ambassador." Zayan Te'Kraan urged his turian counterpart, Orinia, pointing to an empty chair on the other side of his desk. She begrudgingly complied, seating herself in front of the carvin in complete silence.
Out of all of her recent diplomatic assignments, this was by far the most frustrating one. The incessant pressure from her superiors to stand fast against any and all carvin demands was met with the seemingly unstoppable carvins, who were making gains on almost every front, slowly but surely dismantling the unified Citadel front against them with promises of greater autonomy from the 'dictatorship of the Council'. Until now, as the Hierarchy, having finally relented under the pressure of its allies in the Council, ordered her to salvage what was left of the current security architecture and convince the carvins to sign the Treaty of Farixen with Dreadnoughts defined in the same way as when the Systems Alliance signed the treaty.
Orinia had mixed feelings about Zayan. When he first began his work on the Citadel as a simple envoy, she didn't think of him much. Just like the rest of his staff, he was clumsy, blunt, and clearly unaware of how politics were conducted in the Council space. He was however a good listener and had a keen memory, of which she was convinced after one of diplomatic banquets that the carvin attended.
Much has changed since the last year, primarily Zayan himself. The young (by carvin standards) and naïve carvin envoy was transformed into arguably the greatest diplomatic weapon that the Carvin Empire posessed in their arsenal. Sharp-witted, ruthless, and adept at navigating the diplomatic quagmire of Citadel diplomacy. Apparently (though she did not hear it herself) there was a joke running around the human and asari delegations that if Carvin Empire had just two or three more Zayans, they would have ran rings around the other delegates, making them look like children. Obviously this was an exaggeration, but Orinia could definitely agree that the main limitation of the carvin delegation was the lack of similarly skilled diplomatic staff. But this was of little comfort, since few genuinely believed that such a state of affairs would last indefinitely.
"Before we begin, I have a question for you." Zayan said, having poured a glass of dextro beverage for her and now pouring a different drink for himself. "Did you come here to speak to me as a politician or as a person?"
"Are these mutually exclusive?" Orinia countered his question with one of her own.
"In this instance, yes. The moment I hear you slip into the political doublespeak and ambiguity, you can be certain that I will do the same and not commit to any concrete idea that you may wish to discuss." Zayan calmly replied. "And if you try to bring up this meeting during the public talks, you can be absolutely certain that I will contradict or deny any accusations you will make against me. So given that you have actually mustered the will to arrange this meeting in the first place, I advise that you do not waste both of our times."
"Of course." She gave a polite nod of acknowledgement.
"Now..." The carvin started, briefly interrupted by a gulp of a greenish liquid that she couldn't recognize. "Would you care to tell me why you have decided to arrange a private meeting at such a short notice?"
Orinia took a slow and deep breath, knowing full well that what she was about to do was tantamount to admitting defeat of a year-long policy of staunch defiance against the Carvin Empire. And unfortunately she was almost certain what the response would be.
"I am sure you have been made aware that the other Council races have put forth a proposition to have the Carvin Empire sign the Treaty of Farixen as interpreted during the last signing." She said as clearly and courteously as she could manage under the circumstances. "After much consideration, Turian Hierarchy is willing to go along with that proposal. We sincerely hope that your government decides to follow through with the signing and both sides can begin normalizing relations."
Zayan looked at her with an unreadable expression for a good few seconds. His insectoid jaws clicked, yet no words were picked up by her translator. It was that mask of a veteran politician that the carvin had mastered in record time that prevented anyone from knowing what his true intentions were. But then the façade slowly vanished, replaced instead by a smile.
"That does sound interesting." He replied, clicking his tongue in-between sentences. "I'm certain that the Empire will consider your offer. Thoroughly and carefully."
This left Orinia somewhat perplexed. She was convinced that the carvin would simply refuse, leaving her once again in a position of needing to convince him of the advantages of such a decision. Instead he left her hanging. It was only after his smile twisted into a grimace that she understood what he had just done.
"I haven't expected someone of your position of being so petty." She remarked almost venomously.
"Hardly. I warned you to be mindful of your choice of words and to speak to me as a person, not a politician." Zayan retorted. "Yet you elected to ignore that warning in the very first sentence, and instead chose to speak as you have done for the past two weeks without significant result. And you're wondering why your diplomatic efforts are failing."
Bug-faced bother. Orinia mentally cursed the carvin.
"I am going to give you one more chance to state your case. Otherwise I see no point in continuing this meeting." He advised her.
"Very well..." She responded, thinking of the right choice of words for this situation. After a moment of deliberation she opted for the professional by-the-book style she usually used to communicate with the higher-ups. "Turian Hierarchy will no longer block the signing of the Treaty of Farixen by the Carvin Empire. In principle of respecting self-determination, we will also not aim to limit the size of your navy."
"Much better." Zayan's expression softened. "Although I hope that you did not come into this meeting convinced that this is all it would take for the Empire to accept your offer."
As much as she wanted to, Orinia did not. She was well aware of the comfortable negotiating position of the carvins, who wrapped the minor races around their finger and now had the backing hanar, the elcor, and even their own client state of Vol Protectorate had diverged its foreign policy from that of the Hierarchy to an uncomfortable extent. Intelligence reports suggested that the Alliance was also interested in closer cooperation with the Carvin Empire.
"While those are not any concrete plans, the Turian Hierarchy will support the obtaining of a Citadel embassy by the Carvin Empire once the conference is over." She began, hoping to find some ground to catch the carvin's interest. "In addition we know of the carvin plans to integrate deeper into the wider galactic economy, and as such we're willing to sign trade agreements with your Empire. This would grant you a favorable position to export your products into the wider Citadel market, which has the largest and richest consumer base in the entire galaxy."
"Interesting..." The carvin ambassador pondered the proposition. "Go on..."
After that Orinia outlined a few carefully prepared potential agreements and treaties that the Turian Hierarchy was 'willing' to sign, although she knew that only a fraction of them would come to fruition in the immediate future, assuming the carvins actually did what they were asked to. Zayan listened carefully, now and then asking a question about the various technical details regarding these treaties. He was particularly interested in the proposal to lease an enormous tract of land on one of the levo-amino turian worlds, Gellix, and establish a logistic hub for carvin corporations, possibly even a large manufactory.
"Those are some... certainly appealing proposals." He said, all the while relentlessly typing into the holo-keyboard of his personal computer. "And all that only for the Carvin Empire to sign the Treaty of Farixen?"
"Yes. After it is signed, the Hierarchy is willing to discuss the details of future dealings between our governments." Orinia answered truthfully.
"I see..." Zayan nodded and after a moment stopped typing before raising his gaze towards her. "Do you take me for a fool, ambassador?"
The suddenness of that question caused Orinia to flinch instinctively. The stare of the carvin ambassador seemed to weigh on her shoulders like a massive piece of steel, and the raw anger that emanated from his eyes was overwhelming.
"How naïve were you to think that I wouldn't see through the ploy? Promising us gifts and concessions only AFTER we sign the treaty?" Zayan asked with barely contained anger. "Why would we abandon all the work put into dismantling the rigid and defunct state of affairs that YOUR CIVILIZATION had helped to create? After we've raised the hopes of our potential partners in the elcor, hanar, volus, and others, only to withdraw as soon as you dangled some cheap goods in front of our faces? Do you wish to insult our intelligence?"
It was now that Orinia understood his anger. What she was doing, despite somewhat good intentions, would have ruined the carvin image on the diplomatic stage. They would have been exposed as hypocritical if they accepted this proposal, betraying the trust of their future allies. Still, she had her orders and she would try to carry them through no matter how difficult it may be.
"I understand how this may seem from your side-" She started, but was interrupted mid-sentence.
"No, ambassador. I do believe that 'I' understand what you're trying to do." Zayan cut her off, his tone so low that it was almost a growl. "You did not come here to offer us anything, because you have nothing TO offer us. You came here to beg!"
He stood up, stretched his posture upwards and shoulders wide. Looking down at her still sitting in her chair, he towered above her, and Orinia's fingers instinctively reached for the panic button that all delegates were issued by the Alliance security staff. She did not actually believe that he'd dare to attack her, but her self-preservation instinct refused to be silenced.
"You came here to beg us not to shatter the illusion, the fantasy of greatness that all three of the greatest Council races, but yours in particular, continue to indulge in. You beg us not to destroy the last signs of your supposed 'might', as your civilization, having lost its youthful vigor, slides into stagnation." Zayan continued, slightly calmer than before, but still venting out his anger. "Your people, having become so fat, so lazy, so convinced of their own excellence, still cling to the same thousand year old idea of greatness and supremacy over all the other 'lesser species' of the galaxy, as the rot of decadence had set deep into the very fabric of your society. Your apathy during the geth rebellion, the Relay 314 Incident, the betrayal of Saren Arterius, the Battle of Citadel, and now your petty infighting in the civil war on Taetrus - all of these are proof that the golden age of the Turian Hierarchy has passed. Now all you can do is verbally lash out in panic and anger at the more vibrant cultures like humans who have the will and means to overtake you, as you cower in fear of being pushed away into irrelevance!"
The last word boomed through the metal walls of the governor's mansion, adding weight to the already powerful delivery of that statement. Orinia was left speechless, unable or perhaps unwilling to respond. She had seen Zayan irritated, exasperated and even angry before, but this was different. The suddenness and hostility in both his speech and body language - this was none of them. It was bitterness.
And as much as she wanted to dismiss his words as a product of the mind of an exhausted diplomat, his words stung her much more than she would have liked. She served during the Relay 314 Incident, and saw personally how their military suffered a defeat at the hands of what was essentially an interstellar civilization in its infancy. Some military analysts have fiercely claimed that the conflict could not be called anything but a draw, however Orinia knew that it was the humans that achieved their strategic objectives, while the Hierarchy failed. The recent scathing criticism against the turian-led Citadel Fleet and its performance during the geth attack also resonated perhaps too well with Zayan's claims.
"I do not hate you personally, ambassador. I hate the establishment you're trying to preserve. One that has turned decrepit, feckless, and frail over more than a thousand years of stagnation, as it either couldn't or refused to be challenged by its surrounding reality. And nothing you can say will change my views on that particular matter." The carvin returned to his seat, his breath still heavy and his eyes still radiating fury. "So for the sake of both our times and sanities, I advise you to discuss potential agreements between our civilizations ONLY when you have either a document ready to sign or a solid framework for one to be conceived in a reasonable amount of time. As long as you come here only with vague promises, we have nothing to talk about. Am I making myself clear?"
"Yes, I believe so." Orinia spoke for the first time in minutes.
"Good. I will not apologize for the words I said, maybe only for their delivery, as I stand by my assertions." Zayan let out a sigh of exhaustion and began writing something on his personal computer. "Now if that's all then I suggest we-"
He was interrupted by the opening of the door leading into the office. Through it two tall carvins entered, clad in blue and red armor. Orinia had seen them before, furiously discussing things with Zayan in a dialect she couldn't understand. But why were they here? Interestingly Zayan seemed just as surprised by their entrance as she was.
"We're almost done here, just give us a moment." He told them, but they only stopped right next to him, prompting him to stand up. They then spoke in that strange dialect that her translator couldn't catch, and for a split second Zayan's confused surprise was replaced by utter shock. He quickly corrected himself and asked "Have you no proper decency to address me in a manner understandable to our guest?"
Before Orinia could even begin to appreciate the surprisingly considerate gesture from the ambassador, one of the armored individuals swiped his cybernetic fist and hit Zayan right next to the base of his jaws. He stumbled backwards, grabbing hold of the edge of the desk in an attempt to keep his balance. The one with more insignia pinned to his armor grabbed hold of him by the collar of his suit and spoke.
"As you wish." He almost whispered, as his friend helped him to restrain their target. "Zayan Te'Kraan, you have been charged with high treason. "
"On who's authority!?" Zayan screamed, still trying to wrestle his way out of the hold he was now in.
"OUR authority, and you know that the law stands with us." The higher ranking carvin replied, and when Zayan made yet another attempt to break free his grasp, he punched the ambassador in the gut.
"The High Generals will have your head!" Zayan uttered through his jaws almost clenched shut.
Orinia watched the entire scene play out, in consternation. On top of the previous outburst by Zayan, it was all so unexpected and strange that she did not quite know how to act. Her fingers once again reached for the panic button when the higher ranking carvin officer spotted what she was doing.
"Don't interfere, xeno scum!" He shouted, leaving his subordinate to finish subduing Zayan, and started walking around the desk towards her. "Your sort has never brought our kind anything but misery. So I give you a choice - leave at once, or stay and suffer the consequences."
It didn't take a genius to figure out that the 'consequences' he was talking about were not going to be pleasant or healthy. But as he was approaching her, Zayan managed to grab the half-empty glass from the table and shattered it in the face of his assailant, prompting the latter to scream in pain and stagger away while holding his face. Then the ambassador pounced upon the other attacker and the two became embroiled in a vicious brawl. Orinia used that opportunity to pull out the panic button and began pressing it furiously. The fact that Zayan had probably saved her from the other carvin's wrath wasn't lost on her. Hopefully Alliance security personnel weren't having a doughnut break right now, because things were getting completely out of hand.
In the meantime the lower ranking officer managed to get most of the glass shards out of his face and now grabbed Zayan from behind, locking the latter in a chokehold. His superior stood up and began mercilessly punching Zayan both in the face and gut. So powerful and brutal were these punches that the ambassador was spitting out blue blood with every hit, defenseless against the onslaught he was now enduring. The carvins didn't even flinch when the alarm siren blared across the building, signaling that Orinia's panic button worked.
Then, mere seconds after the loud wailing of the alarm started, the door to Zayan's office opened and Orinia briefly blessed the spirits for making the humans react so fast, before realizing that A) it was impossible for them to physically get here so soon, and B) the figure standing in the door was yet another carvin. This one had a different armor than the blue and red-clad officers that were now beating up Zayan.
They too had noticed his presence, as the senior officer called out to the most recent arrival. "Lieutenant, help us restrain the traitor! That's an ord-"
However in a display of absolute irony the 'Lieutenant' delivered to the officer's face a blow so powerful that it sent the latter was sent flying onto the desk. The Lieutenant then lashed out at the second assailant, separating him from the horribly bruised Zayan. He grabbed two of the carvin's three outer jaws, pulled on them, before sending a kick right in the soft and flexible part of the armor. Even having done so much damage, the Lieutenant doubled down and slammed the man's head into the wall repeatedly, until the body went limp.
"Gah, xeno-loving bastard!" The second assailant roared, still trying to get off the table. "This conference will put the Empire on the Council's leash!"
"Then be glad that you won't live to see it." The Lieutenant replied and smashed his head in so hard that a fairly audible crack came from the carvin's skull, leaving the body lifeless and heavy. Almost as suddenly as it started, the fighting died down completely. Only a painful cough by Zayan seemed to bring the Lieutenant back to reality. "Ambassador, are you alright?"
"I'm..." Zayan tried to reply, but yet another coughing fit prevented him from saying anything more. As the Lieutenant was trying to help him up, the doors opened yet again, and this time several Alliance security personnel barged into the room.
"Freeze!" The chief of security, lieutenant Kaidan Alenko entered first, with the right fist emitting a purple biotic glow and the left with an omni-tool overlay active. It was only when he got a good look at the gory spectacle did his stern expression collapse, replaced instead by shock. "Oh Jesus Christ..."
"Hands in the air! And get those tail spikes hidden!" Another Alliance soldier called out, pointing his weapon at the carvin Lieutenant, and when the latter did not move he shouted more aggressively "NOW!"
"Do... *cough* as he says." Zayan managed to utter, though one of his jaws was bent unnaturally, and streams of blue blood ran down his neck and torso. The Lieutenant finally complied and did not resist when two guards led him away from the door and to the side.
By now the room was flooded with Alliance security personnel, some confused, others scared. Orinia wasn't surprised, after all these were mostly colonial security troops so expecting the same level of professionalism as from the proper combat elements was unfair, though couldn't help but frown with disapproval.
Security chief Alenko, having made sure that no other threats were present in the room, approached her. "Are you alright, ambassador? You hurt or otherwise unwell?"
"I am quite fine myself." Orinia replied before at the struggling Zayan. While she had no soft feelings for him, basic logic and courtesy dictated that the most hurt person in the room should receive the most attention. "Though from the looks of it, it's not me that you should be worrying about."
"It was your panic button that went off. We assumed you were the target of aggression." Alenko explained, though he also spared a look of pity upon the carvin diplomat. "We need a doctor here, stat! Don't try medi-gel on him, it'll only make things worse! And send word to the rest of the delegates that the talks are postponed!"
The humans under his command carried out his orders quickly, albeit somewhat chaotically. Most of them were also highly cautious around the spots smeared with carvin blood since it was known to be extremely toxic and dangerous if it reached the bloodstream. Within minutes the area was sealed off, the room was somewhat tidied up, evidence photos were taken by the guards, and the previously oversized crowd of guards shrank to just five, including the Security Chief.
Lieutenant Alenko, having made sure that Zayan received some basic treatment, crouched down next to the carvin. "Can you speak, ambassador?"
"Yes..." Zayan wheezed through his still blood-stained face. The deformations of his jaws clearly made it difficult for him to speak.
"Well then, can you please tell me what the hell just happened?" The human asked with a clearly forced gentle tone.
"I... don't... know..." Zayan replied word-by-word and then turned his head towards his savior who was standing just a few steps away. "Lieutenant..."
The armored carvin flinched and looked at the surrounding humans that kept him under guard. Even when the Security Chief gestured at him to speak, he remained silent. Only after Zayan once again said something in that strange unintelligible dialect did he finally decide to respond.
"As our delegation's security detail, I received a warning from the highest commands that there may be an attempt on Ambassador Te'Kraan's life." He said with a low and emotionless tone.
"An attempt on his life?" Alenko asked in surprise, which Orinia couldn't help but share. "By whom?"
"The Ravashir... it appears that they tried to stage a coup." The Lieutenant replied.
A/N: Done. Sorry for the delay, but you get a longer chapter in return. I don't know if I'll be able to upload as consistenly as before, since I have once again graduated from unemployment, but I'll try my best. Hope you liked where this is going. Cheers!