Councilor Tevos halted at the chamber's entrance, feeling a shiver down her spine—a primal warning of an impending storm. Inside, Councilor Milsa remained seated like a frozen statue, her eyes narrowing to icy slits fixed on Councilor Gladius. The latter, however, maintained his focus on one of the scattered data pads, betraying an underlying turmoil. Rage seethed beneath his composed exterior; his mandibles quivered like exposed nerves, and his obsidian eyes gleamed with intensity as they scanned the screen. Hunched and predatory, his sharp fingers dug into the central table, creating a tense atmosphere in the room.
As Tevos entered, the acknowledgements from Milsa and Gladius were brief and brusque.
"Tevos," Milsa greeted neutrally.
Gladius, without uttering a word, nodded at her before resuming his focus on the data pads.
Tevos accepted their chilly greetings with grace, taking her seat and promptly inquiring, "What has happened?"
"Duplicity," Milsa replied coldly.
"That would be a good word for it," Gladius agreed, his attention still fixed on the screens. The salarian's glare intensified, becoming more withering.
"The 17th Fleet has vanished," she stated frigidly. "Their whereabouts and current status have been concealed from us."
The asari matriarch shook her head. "I don't understand," she said. "They sent a report a few days ago, citing issues with some ships that caused a delay in reaching their next route."
"I've received the same report as well," Milsa stated. "However, given the absence of details, system logs, or any updates, STG dispatched a scout ship to the assigned system to assess the situation. The Fleet was nowhere to be found. And that's not the only concern.
"We've now received additional reports of erratic movements within the Turian Fleets," she continued, her voice crackling with tension. "The 15th has inexplicably doubled back on their routes, adopting tighter, offensive formations. The 16th and 18th have veered off course, lingering on the edges of their systems for days on end. Most alarmingly, these maneuvers all synchronized within a tight window, hinting at a coordinated operation shrouded in secrecy."
Tevos frowned and turned her gaze to the turian. "Gladius," she called. "An explanation would be appreciated."
"It certainly would," the turian replied, his voice gruff as he finally looked up. "Regrettably, it wasn't until a few hours ago that I caught on to the fact that I've been cut off from the loop."
"A likely story," Milsa scoffed.
"Why would the Hierarchy do that?" Tevos asked neutrally.
"The most plausible reason would be to prevent me from reporting it to you," Gladius replied with a soft sigh, releasing the data pad he had been holding. "I know my duties and remember the oaths I took when I became a Councilor. If something happened that concerned the Citadel, I would have informed both of you. The Hierarchy likely realized that as well."
"Do you think we're fools?!" Milsa demanded.
"Peace, Milsa," Tevos pleaded.
"No, Tevos!" the salarian exclaimed. "Salarians may have short lives, but we don't forget history! The secrecy, the strange fleet movements? This is how the krogans behaved before the start of their rebellion!"
Gladius' plates flexed at the accusation. "Do not call our loyalty in question, Milsa," he growled.
"Why not, considering the circumstances?" Milsa countered coolly.
The turian's mandibles went completely still, glaring at his fellow councilor as his fists shook. For a few seconds, Tevos tensed her muscles, ready to unleash her biotics if the worst came to pass. However, Gladius then relaxed, closing his eyes and taking a few calming breaths.
"It's different," he said heavily. His omni-tool glowed as he typed something on it. "This will show you the reports of the rest of the Hierarchy fleets. They maintain their routes and schedules with no deviation, which means the anomalous behaviors are strictly restricted to those three fleets, all apparently centering on the missing 17th."
Tevos' and Milsa's own omni-tools glowed, drawing their attention.
"You may all verify my claim independently," Gladius offered. "As apparently my word doesn't hold much weight in this Council anymore."
The salarian devoured the data, casting stark orange shadows across her face. The matriarch, though, kept eerily still, her eyes laser-focused on the turian councilor, as if seeking answers not in the cold logic of data, but in his soul. Gladius knew he was being studied, but other than a fleeting glance, he sat in place, patiently waiting.
"We will do that, then," Milsa finally declared as she lowered her arm, the orange glow fading to nothingness. "I propose we confine Councilor Gladius to his office until we can confirm his findings."
"There's no need for that," the asari replied. "I believe him."
"Tevos!" the salarian protested.
"Milsa, Gladius has been your fellow councilor for years, decades for me," she said evenly. "We know him. Do you really think that detaining him is necessary?"
Milsa's eyes narrowed for a moment before she shook her head. "I'll withdraw my motion," she stated. "However, I will still have STG go through the reports."
The matriarch turned to her. "If you would kindly send their findings to me as well, it would be appreciated," she requested.
"Of course," Milsa replied.
Tevos nodded before focusing back on the turian councilor. "Now then, Gladius," she said, "other than the reports, what else do you know?"
The turian took a calming breath, cleared his throat, then shared, "As Councilor Milsa has iterated, the 17th disappeared from the grid. Their disappearance marked the strange movement of the other three fleets. The Admiral in me believes a situation has occurred. My initial thoughts were that an attack had occurred."
"Initial?" Tevos asked. "Do you not believe that anymore?"
"No," he replied. "In the first place, what kind of attack would garner such a response from the nearby fleets?"
"It has to be a serious one," Milsa answered, fingers cupping her jaw. "The only groups I can think of that could do that would be the whole of the Migrant Fleet. Or more likely, the Batarian HNA. Considering that we know of their general locations, the distance would rule them out as suspects."
"That leaves the pirates and mercenaries," Tevos stated. "And none of them can match the firepower of a patrol fleet."
Milsa nodded. "If anything, I would have suspected a coup instead," she speculated.
"That's impossible," Gladius disagreed. "I know the Admiral and General of the 17th. They would not have betrayed the Hierarchy."
"If not those, then what?" Tevos asked.
"Right now, it could be anything," Gladius replied. "However, the fact that they made the effort to keep it away from us makes me think they are trying to avoid Citadel interference."
Milsa hummed. "Economy is down in the Hierarchy territories," she muttered. "Found a cache of eezo, perhaps?"
"I can only hope," the turian councilor said. "I'm more afraid they found Prothean artifacts or even a Beacon and decided not to report it."
"Speculation will get us nowhere," Tevos interjected, shaking her head. "We need something to point us in the right direction."
"There might be," Gladius said. "The fact that three fleets have acted in such a coordinated manner means that the Hierarchy definitely knows of the situation. Which means that somewhere, a report has been made."
"Then we'll need that report," Tevos said. "Would the STG be able to dig it up?"
"Given time, maybe," Milsa replied. "Though it would most likely be faster to let Gladius investigate. I'd rather have them go through the current reports, while the on-site team will investigate the 17th's patrol routes."
"I'm currently going through my contacts," Gladius said. "I still have some pull in the Navy. Someone has to know something."
Tevos sighed, nodding repeatedly. "Then we have our path forward," she said. "I have a few correspondences of my own as well. Hopefully, our combined efforts will bear fruit."
Milsa nodded before standing up. "Then I shall take my leave," she declared rather briskly, giving Gladius a curt nod and a warmer one to Tevos. Without another word, she exited the room.
The silence lingered in the room for a few moments, broken by a chuckle coming from the turian. Tevos glanced at her fellow councilor, head tilting slightly to the side, while one of her facial ridges above her left eye rose slightly.
"Milsa doesn't trust me," Gladius replied to Tevos' silent query.
"She doesn't know you as well as I do," the matriarch replied gently.
"True," he agreed, though he shook his head. "While I thank you for standing up for me, she is correct to doubt. The circumstances don't put the Hierarchy in a good light."
"I'm sure they have their reasons," she reassured.
"They better be very good reasons then," Gladius said morosely. "Last thing I want is to wake up to the news that we had inadvertently entered a thresher maw's den, and we're too deep to just walk out unscathed."
She frowned. "Then we better work as fast as we can."