Disclaimer: I do not own the Mass Effect games. This story is written with no profit in mind. I make no money from it. It isn't for sale or rent.

Chapter 2

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Part 1

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22.04.2183 GS

lower wards

The Citadel

A Quarian stumbling through the back alleys, keeping to the shadows and as much as possible out of sight – that was a three hundred years old picture within Citadel space. So much so that no one really paid any attention. Centuries of fear and propaganda had firmly fixed an image of an up to no good suit rat within the minds of most people as far as the Quarians were concerned. With the exception of those few who actually took the time and risk to get to know one, for most people a Quarian was best kept out of sight and out of mind. That, combined with the sporadic surveillance coverage within the lower and less well doing sections of the wards, explained why Tali managed to slip through unnoticed for so long. Too many people who managed to get a glimpse of her simply put her very existence in the back of their minds and soon forgot.

She wanted to laugh hysterically at the very idea, that conspiracy obsessed fool Prazza was actually right for once. Well, two times – if you count a rogue Council Spectre working with the Geth being close enough to a conspiracy between said machine and the Council to keep the Quarian people from retaking Rannoch.

Tali dashed towards the next shadow and leaned on the wall. It was only a generous dose of stimulants and painkillers that kept her going. All she wanted was to find some snug place to crawl into and go to sleep. However, she couldn't afford to do so. Tali knew that Saren had people after her and soon after she arrived on the Citadel and got shot, C-SEC apparently went on high alert searching for an unidentified Quarian female. She overheard that from couple other patients in the clinic and once she got somewhat more lucid, the Human Doctor confirmed it. She also told her she had contacted a friend in C-SEC, which prompted her to run as soon as she was able. It was obvious the Doctor had her heart in the right place, she didn't even care that Tali was a Quarian! However, if C-SEC got her, she was sure they would handle her to Saren – he was a Spectre and thus above the law. At best she would suffer a regrettable accident and no one would really care to investigate – why bother, she was a suit rat after all. Damned Bosh'tets!

At least she managed to contact an agent of the Shadow Broker – if it wasn't for one of her crew who died getting her this far, Tali would be lost on the Citadel with no plan. It wasn't like anyone would simply believe her evidence! C-SEC was more likely to lock her up and forget about her because of those thugs who tried to grab her at the docks! It didn't help that one the few working advertisement and news panels she passed by, all everyone could speak about was how the Humans brought evidence against Saren and it wasn't credible enough so now no one was investigating him. Those Bosh'tets messed up things so much that even if she managed to show her evidence to someone in authority on the Citadel, no one would take it seriously! At least now when it came from a Quarian… If the Shadow Broker sold them the data however… That was probably her best chance – both to see the Geth and Saren stopped and as importantly, find herself some protection to survive the rogue Spectre until someone could take care of him. Tali didn't even dare hope that whatever the Broker would be willing to pay would be enough to cover her pilgrimage gift. On the other hand, Fist told her the Broker was interested enough to meet her face to face as she demanded. That had to mean something, right?

And she was rambling… Tali shot herself with another dose of stimulants and painkillers – something that she would be paying for soon, but she needed it to clear up her mind and get to the meeting point without someone grabbing her. A curious wave of warmth and coolness raced through her veins, her heart beat even faster and a wave of perspiration covered her skin only to be absorbed by her suit's under-layer. Tali panted as the meds kicked in for good and straightened up with a jolt. She switched on her omni-tool to check on her location and plan the next part of her journey. If it wasn't for the maps of the area being so out of date, she might have been there already, however she had to backtrack multiple times due to too many passages either ending up in solid walls or leading not where they had to. Without knowing, Tali found herself passionately cursing the Keepers and whoever put them in the Citadel just like billions before her.

"Let's see… Get past that avenue unseen… That's going to suck… Then through those back-alleys… then I'll need a vantage point to scout the place..." Tali rambled to herself for a couple of minutes before the drugs were fully in effect and she could more or less move without shambling like a drunk.

Half an hour later and too many close calls with either thugs, what had to be two different gangs and C-SEC patrols, she finally reached the vicinity of the meeting place. There were markets a few levels up and the commotion from above seeped through the ceiling making it easier to sneak around unnoticed. That place would allow someone less conspicuous than Tali to lose themselves in the crowds, probably one of the reasons why the Broker chose there to meet in the first place.

Tali went low, keeping to the shadows as much as she could and crawled quietly towards the secluded alley that was her destination. An insect buzzed past her nearly startling her. If it wasn't for the last few hours skulking through the darker parts of the Citadel and encountering all kinds of vermin, she would have jumped in surprise! You simply couldn't find such things back in the Fleet – with her people's immune systems being what they were and the need to keep often centuries old ships running, any kind of vermin or insect had to be exterminated with extreme prejudice before they could ether make someone sick or eat through something important.

Here on the Citadel, apparently dealing with the damn menaces wasn't anyone's priority.

Another bug buzzed past her helmet and Tali suppressed the need to lash at it. She had never been gladder that she was sealed within her suit as she was during the past few hours.

She warily glanced around the corner of the alley – it was nicely kept in shadow, though that wouldn't help much if someone in there had thermal or night vision switched on. To her relief, there were four people there and the two fully armoured – either Humans or Batarians, were turned away from her. The other pair – Salarians in black bodysuits, were looking around, either for her or uninvited visitors.

"She's late." One of the armoured figures grumbled.

"She hasn't been around the Citadel before. Probably lost." A Salarian said. "We'll wait for now."

Tali wondered if one of them was the Shadow Broker or perhaps he was hidden within one of the shadows seeping within most of the alley. She slowly pulled away from the corner and leaned on the wall. Good, she was in the right place. Now, to check her hear, quietly mind you, in case the Broker decided he didn't need to pay and just grab her… She certainly hoped that wouldn't happen. He was probably her best and last chance to get out of this as intact as she was.

Tali's breath hitched when a purple glow lit up the shadows in front of her illuminating a tall Asari woman. She was the source of the light! 'Biotics!' her mind screamed and she tried to hurl herself aside. Even with reflexes boosted by the stimulants, the other woman was simply too fast. There was light and then Tali found herself frozen in place just as she was jumping.

"Boys, deal with those thugs." The Asari ordered while waving a hand and levitating Tali. "I'll keep our little Quarian safe."

Despite the stasis, Tali's eyes widened when three more figures materialized from the shadows around her. One was huge – a Krogan who had a terrible smile on his face. Next was a Turian in C-SEC armour and that clinched it for Tali – she was fucked. The last of the group – a fully armoured human, again C-SEC. Those were either Saren's people or they would hand her to him once he asked. She was so dead…

"The hell was that?!" One of the Broker's people exclaimed from down the alley.

The Krogan charged with a roaring laughter. Biotics surged around him and the last thing Tali could see was the C-SEC agents activating their omni-tools and sending sparkling overloads down range. Then she could only listen to the explosions, shots and screams… There were two terrible crunches too – that Krogan probably trampled the poor bastards and suddenly it was all over.

"Five of Fist's 'finest' are done for." The Turian announced after a minute or so. "I got their omni-tools and weapons for evidence. We might close a few cases once the CSI is done with them."

"Good thinking. Did you get IDs just in case?" The Asari asked.

"Pictures of one Batarian and Salarian, DNA samples from all of them. The coroner would have to identify what's left from the other three."

"Nicely done. Wrex, can I count on you to aid C-SEC on grabbing Fist and delivering him alive for interrogation? The Council is picking the tab on that one. Vakarian, you're with him to make sure your colleagues don't shoot him and or something."

"Saren's the bigger payday anyway. As long as Fist is done once you've squeezed him for everything he knows."

"If practical, I might leave him to you. Or he'll have an accident. That certainly would save the taxpayers a bit of money."

"Cut through the red tape too." The Turian, Vakarian nodded – that much Tali saw now that he came within her field of view.

Those people weren't with Saren, nor were they the Shadow Broker's!? What did she get herself into?!

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Part 2

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22.04.2183 GS

STG Safe house

The Citadel

All Tali could recall before being gently pushed into a lavishly decorated apartment, was being told to keep quiet and her omni-tool confiscated before being led to a nearby air car where once sat and strapped on the back seat she got hit with another stasis – as a precaution and then a crazy ride with the Human – Shepard, driving like a maniac and the Asari keeping an eye on her. When the other woman led her to the couch, the Quarian simply collapsed into it in a boneless heap. Tali vaguely recalled a curious Salarian coming to wave an omni-tool all over her then barking some orders before two humanoid shaped blurs moved around. Someone moved her until she laid on her back then they began to fiddle with her suit – she should have been panicking by that point, however she was simply too tired and woozy to care. Tali felt the familiar sensation of something being injected through a port in her suit then she knew no more…

"She should still be in the hospital. While I do have medical training, I'm not a Doctor!" Jondum snapped at Vasir and the Human she dragged in.

"We aren't getting her into a hospital until we know what's what. Here, this is her omni-tool. Crack it without wiping out the contents. If you really need her, I'll awake the kid." Vasir offered him the small device.

"Is that wise? For all we know, she stashed the data somewhere on her way to the meeting." Shepard suggested.

"She's practically overdosed on stimulants and painkillers. If it wasn't for Saren likely running around with the Geth and a super-dreadnought of unknown origin, I wouldn't even consider waking her up without at least twelve hours of straight up rest." Vasir explained. "For all we know, that bastard is planning another attack as we speak. We need some solid data – hopefully the kind that will warrant an open response."

That answer gave Shepard a pause. "You think that whatever she has might not be conclusive enough." He concluded.

"It's possible. Whatever it is it will need time to be verified as genuine. We might have to keep the source quiet – too many people distrust Quarians for no good reasons. Damn politics…" The last Vasir muttered too quietly for Shepard to hear. "Goddess, for all we know, this whole mess could be some Geth ploy to throw us into chaos while they achieve whatever other objectives they have. A single civilian surviving to 'see' Saren at that dock? If it wasn't for the scans of Nihlus body you brought back proving that someone caught him off guard and shot him in the back of his head, my first reaction would be that this all is a set up… though Saren didn't really help his case with the hit he ordered on you, your crew and the kid. For all we know, that order didn't even come from him, simply someone or something using his voice after compromising his contact with Fist. This is the real world, not that damn Blasto movie where things align to be resolved in a neat simple fashion." Vasir lectured.

"I see." Was all Shepard said.

He did too – it was hard to believe that simple machines could craft such an elaborate ruse, however no one had really seen them in centuries. Who knew what they were capable of or how they thought. For all anyone knew, the only thing Saren really did was being an ass during the meeting with the Council. That unfortunately wasn't a crime. Thinking about the evidence as objectively as he could, Shepard had to admit that it was very thin. In this day and age, when almost everything could be crafted with access to enough time and resources… He began to suspect that unless what this Tali girl had was incredible, the best he could hope for was that the Council recall Saren to have a talk with him in private. If he actually complied, then things would get even more complicated. On the other hand if he was guilty and merely trying to slow down any investigations in his affairs, he wouldn't come anywhere close to the Citadel without a whole fleet backing him. Shepard wasn't really sure which possibility he preferred.

Vasir gave him a long look and her face relaxed a bit. "I see you think about the implications of our actions and what we might have recovered. Conclusions?" She asked.

Shepard told her.

"More or less right. There is more than enough to continue investigating Saren quietly, however until we find something solid, he's officially off the hook. Unofficially..." The Spectre shrugged. "It's not the first time one of us has been accused of being a murderous maniac, nor it would be the last. It's just that usually there's some solid evidence. Then it depends if the Council would disavow the actions in questions or intent to make a point about their power. While we're speaking about power, despite popular belief we don't really get to do anything we want. While it's true that we're technically above the law – which nicely allows us to cut through red tape when necessary, we do answer to the Council. Further, there are limits that any of the three big governments behind the Council would allow for Spectres without official sanction for their mission from high up. So if you need to shoot people and break up things, make sure to think about the consequences. That is especially important when something is politically sensitive."

"Vasir's correct. On paper we do have the authority to take charge of any council military asset, including whole fleets. To order the bombardment of Garden Worlds even." Shepard could hear the emphasis there at the end. "However, unless you have an excellent reason for it, you can expect to either get laughed in the face, shoved into the brig until you're brought back to the Citadel to explain to the Council what madness possessed you or worse, accidentally get shoved out of an airlock..."

"Like Saren would soon need to come explain himself, no matter if he is innocent or being set up by the Geth, however unlikely that is." Shepard nodded.

"That's right. Keep in mind that when all is said and done, we Spectres aren't blunt instruments even if a few of us has such reputation – that was often gained when either working within the Terminus Systems where you need to shoot people and blow up stuff to make an impression or a mission went to hell and we had to fight our way out and did it successfully. While all of us do receive mandatory combat training, that isn't the point. More than half of us are accountants, engineers or even lawyers untangling sensitive issues within the heart of Council space. That was in fact something that made the dossiers your people forwarded most curious. You were all soldiers and if we wanted simply more muscle we would have went to the Hierarchy."

"It was my engineering skills that made Nihlus want to evaluate me then."

"That along with the improvisation and leadership you demonstrated on Elysium." Vasir confirmed. "Speaking of said skills – go help Jondum and demonstrate them too."