MASS EFFECT: INTERCEPTOR 2
*Episode Thirty-Five*
The journey back through the mass relay went beneath Arlen's notice. He reclined on the expensive leather seating in the common area of Vasir's ship, one long leg dangling off the edge while the other was drawn up for him to rest an arm upon, and it was that position he'd maintained for some time. Vasir had left him alone for the most part, to process what Prax had told them and to make her own report to the Council, but Arlen had barely moved. He just stared blankly ahead as he tried in vain to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Vasir emerged from the cockpit, prodding at a datapad as she began to talk without checking to see if he was listening.
'Well, that's a first. I can't reach the Council, just some idiot bureaucrat who says they're in a closed session and can't be disturbed.'
Arlen had enough prescience to ask, 'Is it really that unusual?'
'Not for your average nobody off the Presidium Commons, but for a Spectre? When we have something to say, they make the time to hear it. Something's going on over there and I don't like it.'
Arlen hauled his leg off the seat, making room for Vasir to sit beside him. Under the weight of both their armour suits the whole thing creaked loudly, though it was more the leather that hadn't seen enough use to be properly worn in than any threat of the sturdy furniture actually breaking. Still, it was enough to annoy Arlen into a grimace. It wasn't exactly quiet with the rumble of the ship all around him but it was a soothing ambience nonetheless, and it was the first chance he'd had to settle down and think for some time - a chance that had passed by without success.
Vasir gave him a caring look. 'Hey. How are you holding up?'
Propping his elbows on his knees, Arlen let his head fall into his hands, the reply coming from between his gloved fingers. 'After learning a high-ranking turian admiral is personally gunning for me? I don't think holding up even figures into it.'
'Yeah, sounds about right,' Vasir remarked, arching her painted brows as she joined him in gazing at nothing in particular. 'This Kaion guy was tracking you from the start, using your own captain in C-Sec to keep tabs on you. I guess I don't need to tell you he was probably the one who framed you for stealing the T-Seven?'
Arlen lifted his head, a near dead weight. 'I still don't know how, but yes, that seems likely, given his knowledge and access to classified areas and information. I'd also put every credit I have on him being the one who had me arrested for it.'
'You'd think an admiral would leave matters like that to the local authorities.'
'Exactly. He wanted to get me on board the Kanderax, I'm sure of it.' Arlen let out a ragged breath. 'But I don't think he wanted to kill me, or to hand me over to the authorities. He had plenty of chances to do just that but chose not to. Based on what Prax said, it sounds like Kaion has something else in mind.'
'Maybe it's best if you stay behind and let me go after him,' Vasir suggested. 'Whatever Kaion wants from you, he's risking everything to get it. It's only a matter of time before your people figure he's not playing straight Quasar. Once that happens, his own crew will arrest him.'
Snorting bitterly, Arlen glanced aside. 'The way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if they're all loyal to him and that damn dreadnought is his own personal kingdom. It feels like everywhere I turn, nobody's who they say they are. But I can't let you do this alone. I need to hear the truth from Kaion's lips.'
'We'll get it,' Vasir said firmly. 'One way or another, we'll get the bastard to talk.'
Arlen looked at her, his eyes sparkling with something dangerously close to hope. In Vasir he saw only the hard resolve of a Spectre, though she did grant him a small smile. He mirrored the wry expression, grateful that she was familiar enough with turians to recognise it.
Vasir shifted a little and said softly, 'Look, I'm not sure if this means much to you, given everything that's happened but…thanks again for coming back for me on Korlus. At first I was freakin' mortified you wasted your chance to get away with the T-Seven, but I guess that was pointless.'
'I've heard the humans say hindsight is twenty-twenty.'
'I'm a Spectre,' Vasir replied insistently. 'My eyesight is supposed to be better than twenty-twenty, but your instincts have been right on the money since Bekenstein.' She seemed oddly frustrated as she took a few moments to find the right words. 'Look, all I'm trying to say is you're…not bad at this.'
The compliment - such as it was - was spoken awkwardly, as if she'd changed her mind just as the words came out. Instantly, she dipped her head, shaking it slightly.
Arlen couldn't help but chuckle. 'Thanks…I guess?'
'Oh come on,' Vasir protested, sounding halfway between angry and pleading. 'Do you realise how many times I get to praise somebody as a Spectre? And to praise a cop of all things?'
Nodding slowly, Arlen tried to appear sincere. 'Yeah, I suppose that must be pretty painful. Is that why you look like you've swallowed a cigarette?'
She gave him a look that would've burned through a cruiser's hull. 'Screw you, I take it back.'
Despite everything, Arlen chuckled. 'You can't do that!'
'Like hell I can't.' Vasir sat up and folded her arms indignantly. 'Like I said, I'm a damn Spectre. I can compliment anybody I want and retract that compliment whenever I want.'
The playful edge to her voice made Arlen realise it was the first time he'd truly enjoyed the company of another since Petra, and those memories were laden with regret after losing her. Even his reunion with Lina had been a painful one, though she did make him realise he needed to appreciate friendships just like this one. He had to wonder if Vasir too felt the same sense of companionship, and if she had as few opportunities to experience it as he did.
He continued to ponder the matter as silence fell, and he had little choice but to assume the life of this Spectre was a lonely one, much as Nihlus' had been. It went beyond the lack of people one could really trust in that profession. It was the constant deployment to the most dangerous places and situations the galaxy had to offer. It was the knowledge that forging personal connections was difficult and even when successful, those connections were like glass; fragile enough to be easily broken, and when shattered they would hurt all involved.
Even so, it was impossible to ignore the jokingly haughty air Vasir had taken on. No doubt to anyone else it would've seemed genuine but Arlen knew better, or at least he thought he did. It gave him enough confidence to shuffle a little closer.
'I appreciate it,' he murmured. Vasir again looked at him doubtfully and he felt the need to go on. 'Seriously, I do. Spectre status aside, I know it doesn't come easy for you. We both know I haven't had the best experiences with Spectres but you, Tela…I don't think of you as a Spectre. I think of you as a friend. I realised that when I couldn't leave you behind back there on Korlus.'
He reached out with a hand. Vasir seemed unsure at first, but after a few seconds she clasped it in her own.
'Same to you, Arlen.'
Again, they grew quiet but this was different. Perhaps Vasir only intended to squeeze his hand briefly in a show of comradeship but she didn't let go. Arlen watched as her lips parted, on the verge of saying something more, seemingly lost for a moment as she gazed down at their entwined fingers.
Arlen too didn't know quite what to make of it. He didn't want to let go any more than she did. A part of him knew this too was a rare occurrence for both of them, and it could've been nothing more than a shared, instinctive desire to treasure this strange moment.
Finally, Vasir met his eyes. They glittered blue, displaying something more than the iron will to which Arlen had become accustomed. Her harsh features softened as reluctance gave way to a feeling that clearly frightened as much as it enticed.
She leaned in close enough for Arlen to feel the warmth of her breath on his skin. It brought to mind memories he'd buried, that he tried to bury even then as his heart beat furiously with desire for contact - any contact, physical or emotional.
It was as Vasir's lips graced his mouth that Arlen pulled away, jerking his eyes forward to break the moment.
Vasir too straightened, her jaw set and lips working as she attempted to waylay their embarrassment. It wasn't working and Arlen was compelled to speak.
'I'm sorry,' he said gently. 'I don't know what came over me.'
Vasir shrugged, a display of apathy that was undone by her shifting expression. 'Nice of you to try and take responsibility, but you don't need to bother. It's been a few centuries but it's not the first time I've been shot down. I'll live.'
'It's not like that,' Arlen hurried to say, earnestly enough to draw a curious glance from Vasir.
'Then what is it?'
He couldn't tell her. He couldn't confess that it was Amanda's face he saw as Vasir moved in for the kiss, that it was her smell that filled his senses as she slid closer. He just could not admit that the softness of Amanda's lips on his was still the most cherished memory he had, and that was all he wanted. To pretend otherwise would have been an insult to Vasir, one that he couldn't stomach for the sake of a moment's pleasure.
'I'm sorry,' he repeated, climbing to his feet.
He didn't look at Vasir as he made his way from the room back into the cockpit, leaving the asari to sigh deeply and compose herself once more.
~~~ME-I2~~~
The Council chambers were empty, save for the councillors themselves. The rich violet light bathing the pale walls, balconies and pathways was temporarily blocked as a turian frigate passed in front of the high window overlooking the audience platform. It was upon that elevated podium the representatives stood, though not in their traditional positions. The asari Councillor Tevos faced Councillor Sparatus directly as the salarian Valern tried to mediate from in between, the shaking of his hooded head growing more exasperated as voices were raised.
Tevos was flushed with anger, giving her usual calm voice a threatening edge. 'It isn't just the barriers the Hierarchy have thrown up around the investigation. Your people deliberately concealed a threat to galactic peace while our worlds were being attacked! If you'd told us about the Titus-Seven from the start we'd have been able to increase security accordingly!'
Councillor Sparatus stood defiantly with his hands behind his back. 'Are you forgetting that security measures have already increased a thousandfold since the geth walked into these very chambers? What more could have been done if you knew about the T-Seven?'
'There is always something more that can be done. Our embassies have been attacked, our ambassadors are missing or dead and we can't simply blame it on the batarians this time.'
'And what about when C-Sec warned Thessia about the impending attack? What was done then? You continued to hold your blasted functions in spite of the danger! Are you saying you don't trust C-Sec's judgement or their competence?'
'She isn't saying anything of the sort,' Valern interjected, 'simply that had we known of the Titus-Seven, it would have changed a great deal. She is also correct in that there is no real evidence yet of batarian involvement in either asari embassy bombing or the murder of Ambassador Tessarius. We only have the suspicions of Executor Pallin-'
Tevos stepped in again. 'And while I have nothing but the greatest respect for the executor, C-Sec has also failed to make progress in the T-Seven's recovery, despite - or perhaps because of - the Hierarchy's attempts to conceal the facts.'
Sparatus gestured angrily. 'We were facing a security leak the likes of which we've never seen before! Until we could ascertain how deep those leaks were, we couldn't make this public knowledge!'
'This is why we have intelligence agencies,' Tevos snapped back. 'STG, the Spectres, we have the tools to help one another in precisely this kind of situation. If you'd made things clear to us from the start, went through the proper channels, then perhaps-'
'Just like you told us of the Destiny Ascension plans?' Sparatus interrupted.
Tevos was clearly taken aback. She stammered, 'I-I don't know what…'
'Do you deny that the schematics for the Destiny Ascension were stolen by a mole within your own embassy?' the turian councillor pressed. 'That some of the most highly classified asari military secrets were leaked from right under your nose to batarian terrorists?'
Tevos was stunned into silence. She glared at Sparatus as if struck, the silver stripe painted on her bottom lip warping as she pursed her mouth furiously.
The hostility was like latent electricity in the air, waiting for the chance to crackle and spark. They all sensed it, and it was only because of the councillors' long history of working side by side that they had tolerated each other's presence to this point. Even so, the earlier report provided by Tela Vasir had given each of them details that the others would rather have kept hidden, and it was not a state of affairs to which any of them were accustomed.
It was at that moment the final councillor, who had remained carefully silent, spoke at last.
Councillor David Anderson cleared his throat softly to break the stillness that had come over the vast chamber. His suit of dark blue and burgundy perfectly suited his dark, weathered complexion, giving him the gravitas for his role even if he didn't always treat it with enthusiasm. His Alliance captain's uniform may have gone unworn for months now but he still held himself with the authority of his rank, and he also still knew how to command. His tone was conciliatory but firm enough to draw the attention of both Tevos and Sparatus.
'With respect, Councillors, I may not have been doing this job for long but I know when somebody's trying to pull the wool over my eyes.'
Valern looked at Anderson, his large salarian eyes narrowed in confusion. 'What do you mean?'
'I mean it's clear Crimson Fist has done more than attack our worlds. All this, the people within our own governments they've turned to their side, it's all designed to create a rift between the Council races. We can't let that happen.'
Valern nodded eagerly. 'He's right. Mistakes have been made, that much is clear, but we can't allow these revelations to poison us against each other. We have to set an example to the other species in this galaxy, now more than ever.'
'And what example do the turians set?' Tevos asked, her eyes locked with those of Sparatus. 'They have put their new dreadnought under the command of a warmonger in Admiral Kaion, who has already made his desire for punitive action against the Terminus Systems quite clear. Is it just a coincidence that this new wave of attacks has given Kaion some kind of justification in his calls for strikes against batarian colonies? Or is this all meant to distract us from the Silean Nebula?'
Councillor Sparatus stiffened defensively. 'What are you talking about?'
Tevos had salvaged something of her usual demeanour, her manner deceptively placid. 'We can talk about keeping secrets from one another, and the pressure we're facing to go to war against the batarians, or we can talk about the most pressing territorial issue since your people joined the Council. Now the talks have ceased completely after the attack on our embassy, an all too convenient development for some.'
'Show some respect!' Spartacus snarled, jabbing a finger at her pointedly. 'Ciro Tessarius is dead! This is far more than an inconvenience, this is an attack on the turian race! I have always worked to maintain the integrity of this Council but these accusations are going too far. I will not let the asari impose any kind of censure on us while they pretend their hands are clean!'
Anderson frowned as he saw Valern was stiff with shock. It was obvious that such arguments amongst the councillors were rare, perhaps even nonexistent.
'I propose a recess,' Anderson suggested. 'Until everyone has managed to regain control over their emotions.'
'Agreed,' said Sparatus, who still hadn't taken his eyes from Tevos. 'I have nothing more to say.'
'Likewise,' the asari replied, meeting his hard stare. 'Until the turians account for their actions, there is little else to discuss.'
Valern was the first to leave. He shook his head as he walked but said nothing further. Tevos was next and Sparatus a heartbeat later, all three aliens travelling their separate directions out of the chamber.
The only one left in that vast room, Anderson sighed quietly. He placed his hands behind his back and paced about the audience platform, contemplating everything that had happened. Only days before he'd been touring salarian, turian and asari warships, bored stiff with the pomp and ceremony of the unity celebrations. Dinners, galas, every manner of diplomatic event had monopolised his time and it hadn't taken long for him to start wishing he was back in command of an Alliance vessel.
As motes of dust shone in the lilac glow from the windows above, Anderson spared yet another thought for the one who'd secured - or doomed him to - that job.
'Well, old friend,' he murmured under his breath, not to himself nor to anyone else present, 'here I am. Not doing as well as you probably thought I would.'
He looked up, to the panes of hardened glass that showed only the vibrant hues of the Serpent Nebula beyond. If Shepard was watching, somehow, then Anderson wanted him to hear his next words as he smiled sardonically.
'If you could see what I have to put up with, I know you'd consider yourself the lucky one.'
The remark echoed against the pale metal cloisters, through the rock gardens and faded into the empty air. Soon after, Anderson made his own way out, quietly wondering how long it would be before the Council would reconvene - and if he had the stomach to join them.
~~~ME-I2~~~
Arlen's report had already made its way back to JSTF, causing no small amount of concern for Lina as she read it from a datapad. Lorica joined her on the command dais and she too winced at what she saw.
'Well, that's a name I wasn't expecting to see,' the asari commented worriedly. 'One of the most senior officers in the turian fleet and captain of their most powerful ship. Who'd have thought he'd be wrapped up in all of this?'
'No one,' Lina answered stonily as she set the datapad on the dais railing. As her mind began to work, she rattled off a series of commands on instinct alone. 'We'll need everything. Personal files, military records, everything. There must be a link somewhere, to someone. Kaion can't be acting alone.'
'He had at least one Spectre in his pocket,' Lorica agreed.
'And the commander of the C-Sec Interceptors, at least to begin with. Ferrata was preparing to go on the run when we caught him, and he was talking to someone. My guess is he knew Kaion was going to try and silence him so decided to make a break for it. As for who he was speaking to…'
'Eris Saverra?'
'That's my best guess. Why he felt the need to contact anyone, I don't know. All it did was waste precious time.'
Lorica hefted her shoulders. 'Maybe Saverra, or whoever it was, scared him even more than Kaion. We'll probably never know for sure.'
Confirming her acceptance of the theory with a nod, Lina turned to the main screen as Lorica broke off to speak a few words into her omni-tool. Within a couple of minutes, the screen was flooded with information, as well as a picture of Admiral Kaion himself. He looked thin and jagged, even more so than a regular turian and not even the traditionally elegant robes of rank he wore could make his appearance less sinister. His near-black plates were marked by old scars and white spikes of paint, some kind of obscure turian colony insignia that Lina didn't recognise.
'Let's assume Kaion arranged the T-Seven theft,' she thought aloud. 'It's safe to assume he was high up enough in the turian command structure to know about the bomb and how to get his hands on it. He then framed Arlen for the whole thing. At the same time, he was using Ferrata both to spy on Arlen and to liaise with Crimson Fist, setting up the delivery of the T-Seven to the batarians.'
Lorica lowered her omni-tool. 'Ferrata was also in touch with Eris Saverra to take delivery of the Destiny Ascension plans, and Goddess knows what else is on that OSD we haven't decrypted yet. But Ferrata was also playing Arlen, covering up vital intel on Zwei Jaeger and his crew, trying to sabotage his investigation.'
Tapping a finger on the railing, Lina turned back to her. 'That's just it. Arlen is the common factor in most of this, not to mention the fact that Kaion had Arlen arrested by the turian military. If Arlen hadn't broken out of custody, not even Vasir would've been able to help him. Kaion could have simply manufactured any excuse not to let her board the Kanderax while he arranged to send Arlen elsewhere, putting him out of everyone's reach.'
'So why the hell does he want Arlen so badly?' Lorica asked, frowning. 'All this effort for one person? It doesn't make sense.'
'We'll find out when we get our hands on him.' Lina motioned to the screen, shaking her head. 'Though we'll have to rely on Vasir for that part. It'd be hard enough getting near him even if the task force wasn't operating without Executor Pallin's authorisation.'
'We can work all that out once Arlen and Vasir get back. In the meantime…' Lorica raised her omni-tool again. '...Kim's team have managed to track Eris Saverra to the Factory District on Zakera Ward. It's old intel, obviously, but it's the best we've got. Only problem is…'
She didn't need to finish. Lina was well aware of the Factory District's size and complexity. It was a labyrinth of warehouses, assembly lines and shipping facilities on an enormous scale, deep within Zakera's superstructure. Even if JSTF had the authority to draw upon all the resources of C-Sec for the hunt, it would be just as difficult as the search for the T-Seven had been at the start of the crisis. That was if Saverra was even there anymore. Without an APB, or any kind of alert from JSTF, Customs wouldn't have been any the wiser if she'd taken a transport off-station under a false identity - and it was safe to assume she was capable of that much, at least.
Lina let none of these misgivings show as she looked back to the screen. She stared into the hard eyes of Admiral Kaion and murmured, 'There's something else I want to know, and that's what links Saverra to him.'
She inclined her head to the screen and Lorica shrugged. 'All we know is she was his informant but at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if they were secret lovers. There's enough of that kind of thing going round at the moment.'
'Speaking of, you get anything out of Ambassador Novari's apartment?'
'No. Her place is in a dark zone, so no security cameras or other devices we can pull readings from like we could from Tessarius' home. The keepers are still dealing with that area of the Presidium after the geth attack, and you know how they are about us doing our own repairs.'
Lina knew all right, and she tutted in frustration. 'Another piece of the puzzle I can't place. What do Novari and Kuril have to do with any of this?'
'They got close to Saverra,' Lorica replied as she closed her omni-tool and settled alongside Lina once more. 'Antus Kuril uncovered her attempts to spy on Tessarius, even if he didn't realise it at the time. He was so paranoid that someone would discover his own dirty dealings that he didn't consider Saverra was a traitor herself. She just happened to take the initiative by killing his boss, hoping to implicate Kuril in the murder. Once that happened, it wouldn't take much digging for C-Sec to find out he'd been spying for the asari for years.'
Lina folded her arms. 'Is it possible Admiral Kaion knew about the intelligence leaks and tried to use Saverra to get to Kuril?'
'Anything's possible, I guess. He was already using Prax Cingetos to tie up his loose ends, so why not an agent in the asari camp? Assuming, of course, they ever came face to face. Ferrata looks like he was a proxy between the two, so it could be that Kaion doesn't even know she exists.'
Lina sighed. It was exhausting just to think about.
'Asari working against turians,' she lamented, 'turians working against asari. And we still don't know if Saverra was really working for Kaion all along. The Destiny Ascension plans aside, she was spending a great deal of effort trying to spy on Tessarius, and I don't see why Kaion would be involved in that if-'
A thought occurred to her, and the sudden pause made Lorica glance up hopefully. The asari knew that look, even though she couldn't see Lina's face.
'What is it?'
Lina took a step towards her. 'You told me earlier that you gave that gold pin to Kuril, right?'
'Yeah, but-'
'Is it still transmitting?'
The words had barely left Lina's lips before Lorica caught on. The amber shapes of her omni-tool sprang to life once more on her forearm as she worked the controls feverishly, and it only took a moment before she grinned.
'Yes!' she exclaimed, her eyes alight with triumph. 'I left it on Kuril! The signal's weak but now that we know where to look-'
'Get Kim on it right away,' Lina ordered. 'I'm going to scramble everyone we've got left and co-ordinate from here. Have Kim's team rig a signal booster to your omni-tool, along with a mobile tracker, then get ready to move. We're sending you to the Factory District within the hour.'
'We might not find Saverra,' Lorica warned as she took her pistol from its hip holster and checked the weapon over. 'We could get there just to find Antus Kuril's corpse.'
'So long as we find something.'
A few whispers were already going around the command centre as those nearby told others what they'd just overheard, as it always was when the team got a new lead and took one step closer to their goal. Official orders would soon go out to all sections, but for now Lina was happy to let her people enjoy the buzz of excitement. They'd had little to cheer about lately, after all.
Returning her attention to the main screen, Lina worked the various dais terminals with only a scant amount of conscious effort. The focus of her true thoughts, however, remained in front of her. Admiral Kaion was still in their sights, and Lina could hardly wait for Arlen and Vasir to come back and put an end to whatever he was planning.
~~~ME-I2~~~
Vasir's ship slid through space like a fish effortlessly gliding through water, between various Citadel Fleet patrols and into the shadow of the Ward arms. It was just a tiny silver speck next to the great cruisers of the fleet, and though many had left to return to various duties in other sectors over the last few days, there were still enough frigates and other vessels to fill the empty starless sky.
Arlen's eyes followed them all, one by one, as they slipped past. He'd made himself comfortable in the copilot's chair for the final part of the journey, and even enjoyed the firsthand view of emerging from the Widow relay and into the Serpent Nebula. Under different circumstances, he might have made a game of guessing when the Citadel's unique profile would appear like a dark, clutching hand from the purple mists but there was little room in his mind for anything other than plans, strategies and contingencies.
Vasir joined him, settling into the pilot's seat without a word. Any lingering misgivings over their earlier interaction was hidden behind her usual grim mask, and when she spoke her voice was all business.
'We'll head to Citadel Tower first. I need to find out what's going on with the Council. Spectres being above the law is all well and good but if I start arresting senior military officers of any species without clearing it with them first, well, that's a recipe for trouble.'
Arlen too kept his manner professional. 'Fair enough, I'll go with you. We shouldn't split up right now, there's no telling who else Kaion could send after us.'
'Worried you'll get yourself arrested again?' Vasir asked with a smirking glance.
'Worried we'll get ambushed by rogue Spectres, krogan bounty hunters, anyone else with a score to settle. Besides,' he added, with a grin of his own, 'I pulled your ass out of the fire last time, remember?'
'Yeah, yeah,' Vasir mumbled. 'I'll never live it down.'
She took the ship past the base of the Ward arms and beyond the Presidium ring, its enormous curves plunging the whole cockpit into darkness. Arlen ran his gaze over Citadel Tower as it loomed over them, a kilometre-long spike of metal and soft yellow lights. A small docking bay shone as a bright blue rectangle in the shadow, and the docking VI took them in smoothly. The hangar was tiny, a private dock clearly meant for VIPs and emergency traffic, and only a handful of labour mechs occupied it as they hauled cargo back and forth.
Arlen and Vasir were already moving as the magnetic docking clamps outside were snapping into place and they made their way off the ship without a backward glance. Arlen couldn't completely hide his curiosity as Vasir led him through the tower's sublevels, through uniform corridors of creamy-hued metal lit in spots of pale blue and white. It wasn't his first time in Citadel Tower - far from it - but he couldn't help being amused at how functional and mundane most of the areas outside the Council chambers were.
They came to one of the many glass-fronted elevators found throughout the Citadel and Vasir immediately keyed in one of the upper floors. The door slid up and in an instant, the outside world became a blur. Arlen ground his teeth against the forces at work as floors moved by at blinding speed, offering only fleeting glimpses of what lay beyond the glass. He realised this was an express elevator, much faster than normal and meant for situations exactly like this.
He tried not to stagger as the elevator came to a halt and the door opened to reveal something much more apt for the tower's importance; a long hall decorated much like the Council chamber itself, with alcoves housing topiaries and small fountains backlit in gold. Though he couldn't be certain, Arlen was sure this corridor led to the outer rooms surrounding the chambers, where the Council and their most important staff held residence.
Vasir led the way, marching through a door at the end of the hall. Arlen was unprepared for the sudden noise beyond, much less the small crowd of robed and suited men and women of a half dozen species, all huddled around a single desk. A salarian clerk with grey-blue scales spoke firmly to them all, addressing each with a stern look.
'And as I've already told you a dozen times,' the salarian said bitterly, 'the councillors are unavailable. I'm aware you've got an appointment but-'
'I've had this appointment for months!' someone unseen complained loudly, a turian to Arlen's ears. 'This is a disgrace! I've travelled all the way from Palaven to be here!'
Vasir shot Arlen a contemptuous look. It was hardly a stretch to assume these politicians would consider their business every but as important as Vasir's but the Spectre was in no mood to mind their sensibilities. Arlen stood back as she elbowed her way through the crowd, barking threats at the ones who wouldn't take the hint. Arlen noted the many other doors in the room and recognised it as an antechamber of sorts, lined with couches, vid screens and tables of exotic fruits where high profile visitors could relax until their time to see the Council arrived.
Vasir finally made it to the desk and the salarian quailed a little to see someone so armed.
'Y-yes?' he stuttered. 'Can I help you?'
Vasir's tone was uncompromising. 'Tela Vasir, Council Spectre. I've got important news for the Council, I need to see them immediately.'
'I'm sorry, I can't let you in,' the clerk replied. He motioned with his thin hands, trying to give his words some kind of weight. 'The Council is in recess, they're holding emergency talks to discuss an ongoing high-security situation.'
'I am the high-security situation, you idiot!' Vasir snarled. She planted her hands on the desk and leaned over it, making the clerk shrink back even further. 'You've got two choices; either unlock that door or I'll put you through it.'
Arlen couldn't help but grin at the comment, though his brow plates and mandibles tensed at the salarian's reaction. To howls of protest, the clerk stood and beckoned Vasir to follow. Arlen went with them as the clerk took them through a different door to the one he guarded, into a small utility room of sorts. He locked the door behind him and his eyes glistened with alarm as he spoke hurriedly.
'All right, you didn't hear this from me, but I've been ordered not to let anyone disturb the Council. I couldn't say this in front of the politicians but it's because of the councillors, they can barely speak to one another, I've never seen anything like it. Sparatus and Tevos are throwing around words like treason, each accusing the other of trying to undermine their species. They won't listen to Valern or Anderson, it's like they've gone mad!'
Vasir looked as if she didn't believe him. 'They've all had disagreements before, we can't-'
'This is more than a disagreement!' The desperation in the clerk's voice was enough to bring such a look of concern to Vasir that it chilled Arlen's blood. 'They've secluded themselves for now but I can't tell you when they'll be available again. Some of us are worried that this will only get worse. If tensions continue, we might be looking at the end of the Citadel Council as we know it.'
'That's impossible,' Vasir scoffed. 'We know who's behind these attacks, if the Council will just listen to us-'
'Then take it up with C-Sec,' the clerk insisted. 'Sparatus won't trust anything an asari has to say right now, and Tevos won't trust anything you have to say.' He gave Arlen a pointed glance before shrugging. 'It's never been this bad before. If the Council doesn't trust one another, then what can anybody do?'
Arlen touched Vasir's arm, drawing her shocked gaze. He murmured, 'Official channels are out of the question. We need to get back to JSTF and work out some kind of plan. If Kaion knows we're onto him, he could simply fly the Kanderax back to turian space and we'll never see him again.'
Reluctantly, Vasir nodded. She stepped aside, allowing the clerk to open the door and return to his station. As they retraced their steps, she spoke up again.
'I don't understand. What could create this kind of mistrust in the Council, to the point where they can't even talk to each other?'
'Lies,' Arlen spat. 'Lies upon lies. Secrets upon secrets. And I don't think Kaion's working alone here.'
'Then who else?'
'Someone with the connections, the resources and the motivation to cause as much chaos within the Council as possible. I've seen it before.'
He hesitated to say the name aloud. It sounded ludicrous to any who hadn't devoted the past year of their lives to hunting down the clues, observing all the signs, or seen them before in the metal-fused flesh.
'Who?' Vasir pressed.
In spite of his certainty, Arlen still couldn't quite speak the name. He fell silent, and settled for confirming his suspicions within his churning thoughts.
The League of One.
~~~ME-I2~~~
Arlen knew Lina was back in charge at JSTF, but nothing could have prepared him for the suspicion he received at the entrance checkpoint. The guards wore Enforcement emblems on their armour but helmets obscured their faces, and they took the time to relay several messages back and forth with the command centre before finally letting Arlen and Vasir through. They were field agents posing as Enforcement, Arlen quickly deduced, and their facade was only skin deep, meant to deter casual observers rather than stop any concerted effort to gain entry. Whatever was going on, it was clear Lina was stalling for time - and that meant JSTF was operating under the fear of discovery by the rest of C-Sec.
'It was less tense on Korlus,' Vasir muttered as they strode through the short corridor and entered the command centre itself.
Lina was already giving a briefing from the main dais, speaking loudly and clearly to the whole room. Her back was illuminated with shifting displays of maps and schemata, and it was immediately apparent that they belonged to a section of the Wards. She motioned to the screen occasionally as below the dais, an assortment of species in standard C-Sec uniforms listened intently.
'Teams one through six will establish a perimeter,' she explained as another map drew out a large section of Zakera in blue and white lines. 'We all know the risks of standing out too much, so don't gather in groups of more than four. Ground teams, this is all on you as we dial in the signal coordinates. The trace is already coming up against some pretty sophisticated countermeasures but fortunately for us, our tech is some of the best in Council space. Be ready to move at all times and use your best judgement as we narrow down Antus Kuril's location.'
Arlen wandered down the central ramp and took position with the other officers, waiting patiently for Lina to finish. Vasir was visibly agitated with the delay but Arlen would not interrupt the JSTF commander.
After a few minutes, Lina concluded the briefing with a curt, 'Dismissed.'
The assembled personnel scattered and streamed past Arlen, and he noted how tired most of them looked. With the exception of the salarians, who could famously operate on little sleep, everyone else sported bloodshot eyes and pallid skin, in the case of the humans. He of all people could sympathise.
Lina quickly noticed the pair and beckoned them up onto the command dais, calling out, 'Keelah, you two are a sight for sore eyes.'
Arlen's gratitude at seeing his quarian friend free of her prison cell was almost overwhelming, even as he crushed the emotion on instinct. There was still work to do.
'Looks busy here,' he remarked, looking about the command centre. 'What happened?'
'New lead,' Lina replied, taking a second to type at a dais terminal. 'We've got a signal trace that should lead us to Antus Kuril, assistant to the late turian ambassador. Evidence suggests Kuril fell foul of one of our co-conspirators, so as it stands, he is our link to one of Crimson Fist's main suppliers of information.'
Arlen's mandibles flexed in thought. He desperately wanted to pursue this lead himself, but there was one other that took higher priority.
'What about Admiral Kaion?' he asked.
At that, Lina's helmet dipped a fraction and her voice became uncertain. 'Yeah, he's another matter. We've been trying to come up with some way to approach him since we got your report from Korlus, but the fact is he's a senior officer in the turian navy. If we still had Pallin's backing, then it wouldn't be an issue but as it stands, we have no official jurisdiction.' She motioned to Vasir. 'I was hoping you'd give us a way forward in that regard.'
Vasir's response was just as grave. 'If it was anyone else, I'd be kicking down their door as we speak. But this Kaion guy is a big deal politically, and the Council is in pretty sorry shape right now with everything that's happened. If we try to board the Kanderax without the turians' blessing…'
She didn't finish. She didn't need to. Though the thought of open war between the Council races was the furthest thing from anyone's mind, this certainly felt like the first step towards that end. The erosion of trust would come first, and all else was just a steady escalation of slights, of squabbles and isolation, until finally the day would come when it all erupted. It may not have happened that day, or even a century from then, but Arlen knew their true enemy was ageless.
Yanus alone had seen the salarians' admittance to the Council, kept alive through the passing millennia by means both strange and terrible. All the League of One wanted was to bring down the Council, and Arlen had seen one of those attempts almost succeed. This time, however, there was no Yanus operating in plain sight. That was why Arlen couldn't speak of his suspicions to anyone, with the exception of Lina. He didn't even have proof that Kaion was connected to the League, and despite his private assurances that his hunch was correct, there was still a small voice in his head that told him he was drawing conclusions with evidence that simply wasn't there.
'I know,' he said quietly, regarding both women with a dour look, 'but by the time we get any kind of approval from my people, it could already be too late. The T-Seven is still out there and Kaion was fooled just like we were trying to go after it. He has just as much interest in finding that bomb as us, so if we can just get to him then maybe-'
He paused as a strange, sudden hush dropped on the command centre. It was subtle enough that Arlen might not have noticed, but for the way Lina's eyes grew wide behind her visor.
Arlen turned, and he too tensed at the sight of several newcomers standing at the top of the entrance ramp; but they were not strangers by any measure.
Executor Pallin looked down on them all with a kind of furious disapproval that even those who'd worked with him for many years had rarely witnessed. His presence was made all the more intimidating by the presence of four Special Response officers at his flanks, heavily armed and assault rifles drawn.
No one dared say a word, and it was left to Pallin to be the first to speak. He looked to the armoured turian officer to his immediate right.
'Lieutenant Cato, find Commander T'Rana and see to her safe release. If anyone objects, make it clear you're authorised to use deadly force.'
'Yes, Sir,' came the cold response from Cato, who made his way down and past the tiers, ordering one of the analysts to show the way to Lina's office.
Lina took a step forward on the dais, silently presenting herself to Pallin. The old turian shook his head.
'Once more I find myself having to relieve you of command, Lina,' he growled, casting a scathing look over the entire command centre. His gaze settled on Arlen. 'If there was any question of who was helping you break the law with your operations here, then I guess I have my answer. You can all consider yourselves under arrest.'
Shock rippled through the room. Arlen saw terror in the eyes of all, except perhaps Vasir, who merely raised a brow in mute challenge to the notion. Movement flickered at the corner of his eye and he looked to his left, in time to see Commander T'Rana being escorted down from Lina's office, a smug look plastered over her violet features.
'If you're going to lock someone in your office, make sure you lock your terminal first,' the asari taunted as she passed the dais.
Of course she'd contacted Pallin from Lina's office terminal. It was a foolish oversight, all right, but Arlen knew if anyone was owed a lapse in judgement it was Lina. She'd had far more pressing concerns than T'Rana since her release from her cell.
T'Rana stopped at the foot of the main ramp and glared up at Kimberley's section, narrowing her eyes at Lorica. 'And don't you think I've forgotten about you. I don't care who you are or who you work for. You'll pay for what you did to me!'
Pallin waved a finger and the rest of the Special Response team began to descend the ramp, heading directly for the command dais. Arlen searched his training, his instincts, desperate to intervene somehow, but nothing came. This was the end.
To his - and everyone else's surprise - Lina spoke.
'Stop!' she shouted.
It wasn't the word but how it was said. Arlen looked at Lina and saw that she held herself straight and proud. Her voice didn't shake with emotion but rather rang out with the strength of well-earned leadership. It was enough to make the officers ahead pause, momentarily unsure, and to make Pallin's lips part questioningly. Even T'Rana frowned, indignation and curiosity playing out in equal response.
Before she continued, Lina glanced once more at Arlen and Vasir and half-whispered, 'Leave this to me.'
Though he would have been lying if he said he could read her expression, Arlen knew Lina well enough to see the change in her. This was the Lina who helped him foil Yanus twelve months ago, who'd carried the entire task force on her shoulders in the fight against the Forgotten Legion and who had led them in the fight against Crimson Fist so far. Arlen had no choice but to trust her, and even if the choice was his, he would still do so without hesitation.
Arlen, Vasir and the entirety of JSTF held their collective breath as Lina looked back to Pallin and took a deep, steadying breath in anticipation of what she would say next.
