[Book One] Chapter 02: First time on the Citadel

[Book One] Chapter 02: First time on the CitadelChapter 02: First time on the Citadel

The Normandy. The latest ship created by the Alliance in cooperation with the turian. The only one of its kind, a frigate prototype whose purpose was to undertake missions that conventional Alliance’s vessels couldn’t, notably stealth ones. Its captain, David Anderson was currently listening to his lieutenant Kaidan Alenko and the gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, who he ordered to come on board, telling him about the events of his mission on Eden Prime. He was keeping an eye on his XO and the colonist they had met, who were laying down on bed in the med-bay while the ship doctor, Doctor Chakwas was examining them.

“... and both of them were... caught by the beacon?”

“Yes sir. Once the beacon did its thing, they both fell on the ground unconscious.” replied Kaidan.

“Karin?” the captain asked the doctor.

“Physically, they are fine, a few bruises here and there but that’s it. Mentally... I cannot say until they wake up. What I can say is that the commander is experiencing REM sleep if her rapid eye movements under her eyelids are any indication.”

“And him?”

“With his helmet on I can’t say. I tried to remove it but it’s locked. I did find the opening mechanism on the side of the head but it’s password protected.”

Anderson nodded and turned to Ashley who spoke before he could even ask.

“I don’t know it, sir.”

The captain sighed in defeat, they could try to break open the helmet but it could have been dangerous and Karin would not have allowed that to happen anyway.

That run of the mill mission turned out to be a shit storm. He lost one of his men, his XO was out of commission, the council spectre was dead, the beacon lost, Eden Prime burning and cherry on the top Saren was in the middle of it.

Anderson never forgot Saren. A human hating turian, the best spectre of the council. Completely ruthless and devoid of empathy who would not and did not hesitate to sacrifice innocent people to reach his goals.

‘Yes, a real shit storm.’

“Williams, what can you tell me about your friend? No offense but he is...”

“Shady, sir?”

“Yes.”

“No offense taken, sir. As for Rick... I met him 2 years ago when I was stationed on the colony, or rather I met his wife Analysse. She was more or less the one in charge of the civilians there. While the colonists in general were... unappreciative of the Alliance’s presence, Analysse was nothing but welcoming and we quickly became friends. About a month or two after our first meeting she invited me to dinner at her home where I met him. He is... cold by nature and not very trusting, not very sociable either. Analysse had warned me in advance; apparently he just can’t stand idiots, which according to him was more than 99% of the population of the colony, Alliance soldiers included.”

“That’s a bit harsh.” Kaidan interjected.

“But true, you saw how the colonists were, lieutenant.” she replied before getting back on topic. “After a few months we warmed up to each other. Believe it or not but despite my earlier description of him, he is really sweet and fiercely loyal. Any time I had a problem or a need to vent he was there. He’s also smart, Alliance engineer smart. I once asked him why he was just a tech expert and he answered that it was an easy job, well paid and he had no one to report to except his wife.”

“No indication of military training or that he was a biotic?” Anderson asked.

“Absolutely none, sir. The only time I ever saw him with a weapon was during his monthly hunt when he was on his way to the forest for some game.”

“You said you went to his home for dinner, was there anything out of the ordinary?”

“Besides the fact that it was not a prefab home?”

“It wasn’t?”

“No, it was made of wood, like those old habitations in the mountains centuries ago. Analysse confessed to me that he built it himself and that when they became serious she didn’t hesitate to leave her well furnished home to move in with him, despite the fact that its location was a bit remote with the rest of the population. She was quite enamored with the place. Besides that, nothing was out of the ordinary, sir and I was there quite often during the past two years.”

Anderson sighed again, nothing the gunnery chief told him answered the questions he had. He would have to ask Admiral Hackett once he made his report. He dismissed both Kaidan and Ashley and ordered the doctor to contact him the moment one of her patients woke up. He left the med-bay and went to his quarters, he had work to do.

____________________________________________________________

It was half a day later when captain Anderson entered the med-bay again after Chakwas’ call. His XO was conscious and hoped she was well enough to get her version of the mission.

She was and her report was almost identical to Kaidan Alenko with the exception of the beacon.

“The beacon showed you things?”

“Yes. It was like... Like a warning. Images of death and machines, aliens slaughtered by thousands... It... it doesn’t make sense all that much, there was more, much more but it’s... jumbled.” she said, beginning to agitate. She was calmed down by Anderson’s hand on her shoulder.

“That’s okay Shepard. Breath.”

She did as ordered, inhaled a good amount of air and let it all out.

“What are your thoughts about him?” the captain asked, changing topics and motioning with his head behind his commander who turned around to have a look.

“Dangerous. Out for blood. Saren’s blood.”

“From what Williams told me, his wife was a casualty during the geth assault.”

“He didn’t explicitly say it, in fact it was Williams who understood that, but his behavior didn’t contradict that statement.”

“Anything else?”

“He’s very skilled in combat and competent with tech. Despite his grief and his rage, which he hides well, he’s in control. He thinks before he acts and he acts fast, sir.”

“I see.” was all Anderson replied, pondering something.

“If I may sir, why is he here?”

“Just like you, he was caught by the beacon. He may have the same or different information transferred.”

“So... we’re good for being studied by the big brains of the alliance?”

“No. Or at least not yet. For now, outside the men and women on this ship only Admiral Hackett is in the know, so, providing Karin gives you a clean bill of health you’re still under me.”

“What about him?” Shepard said, looking at Rick after nodding to Anderson’s statement.

“We’re keeping him with us.” he replied to which the commander nodded again.

“You’re not against it?” the captain asked at his XO’s agreement.

“You’re the captain, captain. Besides I... I have a feeling that he’s alright. Dangerous, yes but... not bad.”

“A feeling, huh?”

“Sorry, sir. That’s all I’ve got for you.”

“It’s alright Shepard. Always follow your guts, always.”

The conversation ended there. Anderson told Shepard, who had the green light from Chakwas, to busy herself however she wanted, but that he wasn’t to do any work from the time being. The commander chose to go have a talk with Kaidan and Ashley for the rest of the trip to the Citadel.

Half an hour later and the captain was back into the med-bay, Rick having woken up. Unfortunately he didn’t learn anything new or anything at all from the colonist. Ashley has been right, he was quite cold and not very sociable. Any attempt to know more about him personally was shut down immediately. He was not hostile, or provocative in any way but was very blunt and short with his answers. When he refused to remove his helmet so Chakwas could examine him. Anderson saw a hint of his feelings and thoughts about the Alliance in his rebuttal, with his tone and choice of words. They were not good. However it seems to be for the Alliance in general and not the individual which gave Anderson something to work with should the situation calls for it.

The rest of the trip was short, a quarter of an hour at most as they arrived on the citadel. In the cockpit, the captain, the Eden Prime ground team and the pilot were waiting to dock.

“Look at the size of that ship!” Exclaimed Ashley looking outside the porthole with Shepard and Rick on each of her side.

“That’s the Destiny Ascension, flagship of the citadel’s fleet.” Kaidan commented from behind.

“Well, size isn’t everything.”

“You seemed knowledgeable on the subject, pilot.” Rick said, his eyes still locked on the citadel’s beauty, with his usual monotonous tone.

“He got you there, Joker.” Ashley said with a laugh.

As the offended was about to give a retort, Rick spoke again dismissing any notion that what he said had been a joke.

“Isn’t there any Alliance ship capable of taking it down?”

“I don’t think so, those guns alone would rip to shred any cruiser the alliance sent.” replied Ash.

“Perhaps, but if you have the fire power you only need to hit first.” replied Joker.

The docking didn’t take long and once done the ground team plus Anderson went straight to the presidium, the rich and luxurious part of the citadel, to meet with the human ambassador. The captain and Kaidan answered any question the three others, first timers on the citadel, had.

The trip was short but not as short as the talk between the ambassador and the council who was clearly protecting their best agent beyond red tape and technicalities.

To Rick, Donnel Udina was a buffoon but a cunning one. A politician through and through. Perhaps snake would be more appropriate than buffoon, but the way he forcefully approached the situation and made demands to the council while not being in a position of strength, made him choose the latter instead of the former. He had been in the presence of the man for less than 10 minutes and he already despised him. However, the meeting was not as fruitless as Rick learned that Eden Prime was a test for Shepard to enter the spectre, which surprised him. There has never been a human spectre before after all and the councillian races were wary of the humans and their greed for more power.

The talk ended with Udina ordering the four people who were in the colony to join him later at the council tower to present any proof they had on Saren actions, before taking his leave as if he was the most important person in the galaxy.

“Since when do politicians order around military personnel?” Rick asked.

“They don’t, but Udina has a lot of pull around here and in the government so it wouldn’t hurt to follow his lead for now.” replied Anderson.

“So, what now, Anderson?” Shepard asked.

“Now? You should pay a visit to C-Sec to get any information you can on Saren.”

“I doubt they will give us anything on him, considering his status.” Kaidan stated.

“Most likely, that’s why you should also visit Barla Von. He’s a broker here on the presidium in the financial district, it’s not far from here actually. He’s very good at what he does, maybe he will have what we’re looking for.” replied the captain before sending them on their way.

He sat down at a desk and began his research on a man named Rick Wald.

____________________________________________________________

As Shepard was leading the group through the presidium, she started to get frustrated, the place was more than big and it was easy to get lost. Kaidan was of no help as, despite having been on the citadel one or twice he has never been in the presidium. Ashley was a first timer like herself and so was Rick, who had disappeared. Looking around she found him talking to the pink V.I., Avina. Shepard had talked to it at the entrance of the embassies and it had proven useful concerning events, either regarding the citadel or the galaxy as a whole. It even gave her directions to get to the financial district but it was apparently not enough for Shepard who seemed to be lost and in a foul mood. When Rick finally joined the group she, gently, let him have it.

“Are you done? Because we’re a bit pressed by time and we still need to find this Barla Von and take a tour at C-sec.”

“I’m done, we can go now.” he replied looking at something on his omni-tool.

“What did you need to ask that couldn’t wait after we’re done?” the commander asked while walking.

“A map of the place.”

That made Shepard stop in her tracks on the spot. Turning around she looked at him in disbelief.

“A map?!”

“While you were walking around like a headless chicken looking for the financial district. They’re rather good with tech and have good prices.” Rick answered in a matter of fact looking straight at the doctor instead of Shepard and continued asking questions.

“What can you tell us about the quarian, Doctor Michel ?”

Behind him, the commander had apparently had enough and drew her gun but was stopped by Kaidan while Ashley facepalmed and sent a silent prayer to her deceased friend to give her the strength to not smack her husband around. Wrex was snickering in the corner; he hadn’t joined for half an hour and he was already having fun.

“She came to me a few days ago. She was wounded, so I patched her up. Then she asked me where she could trade information for a safe place to hide. I gave her Fist name, since he’s working for the shadow broker.”

“Not anymore.” Garrus said.

“What?”

“It seems Fist turned his coat. He’s working for Saren now.” Rick clarified.

“That was very foolish. Saren must have paid him a fortune to betray the shadow broker.”

“Meaning the information must be very important for him. Did she say what it was about?”

“She didn’t talk about anything in detail, but it was about the geth.”

“With a bit of luck this information could link directly Saren and the geths.”

“This is too big for the council to ignore something like that.” Garrus stated.

“I guess it’s time to pay Fist a visit. That was the original plan anyway, want to join us?” Shepard asked Garrus who agreed.

“Good, then lets ...”

“Are you coming or not? The audience with the council is in less than an hour, we don’t have all day and that quarian is still in danger.” came a voice from the entrance of the clinic.

Sighing heavily, Shepard handed her gun to Kaidan who took it without a word, making Garrus raise a brow questioningly.

“So I don’t kill him.” the redhead explained.

“Annoying subordinate?”

“You have no idea.” she said in a painful voice.

____________________________________________________________

The way to Chora’s den, led the team through the market. Where Shepard was faced with a very hardcore fan of hers. The encounter was so weird and she was so awkward that Rick couldn’t stop laughing. A surprise to the rest of the group who was on Eden Prime. Though for Ashley it warmed her heart to hear her friend laugh after the painful recent event.

Arriving on the lower floor of the market they made their way through the crowd when Shepard stopped walking and asked Rick the way but got no answer.

“If I turn around, would I see Rick with you?” she asked Kaidan and Ashley who were right behind her.

“You better not turn around commander.” replied the woman.

“Wrex is not here either.” the lieutenant added.

Putting both of her hands on her face she started mumbling, imitating Anderson’s voice.

“Keep an eye on him, Shepard. He’s important, Shepard.”

“They are over there.” Garrus said, pointing to a stand on the corner.

Both Rick and Wrex were talking with a salarian vendor. The krogan was showing his shotgun to the human, making comments. Approaching them Shepard knew she was going to regret it but asked nonetheless.

“What are the two of you doing?”

“Buying the latest issue of Justicar Heroes” Rick replied sarcastically as they were clearly in a weapon shop. When the vendor gave him a shotgun, a pistol and surprisingly a sniper rifle, he equipped them all.

“... Kaidan, my gun please.” Shepard asked with her hand extended towards her lieutenant while glaring at Rick. It was Ashley who defused the situation.

“Rick, the way to Chora’s den?”

““It’s over there.”” said the colonist and Wrex at the same time and walked toward the corner just to the left of the weapon shop.

“Are you going to be alright, commander?” Kaidan asked to which he got a nod in return. Only then did he give back her gun then followed their teammates.

An intersection later and they were finally at the entrance of the night club, the problem was: it seemed to be closed.

Wrex and Rick pulled out their shotgun prompting the other four to draw their own weapons.The two former nod at each other and knock the door open. They immediately were under fire, their shield taking the brunt of it. No less than ten goons were in the room. Wrex physically charged on the left while Rick biotically did on the right. The rest of the team separated in two. Shepard and Ashley followed Wrex while Ashley and Garrus followed Rick. The fight lasted less than a minute. While the vanguard went into close quarter the rest eliminated what was left of the thugs the former were not close too.

“Everyone’s alright?” Shepard called out.

When she received five yes, everyone regrouped in front of the door leading to the back of the club. Rick overrode the door’s lock and the team was face to face with terrified warehouse workers.

“Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” one of them said.

“We’re just here to move things around.” his colleague added.

“Get the hell out of here and find an honest job if you don’t want to lose your life. Next time you may not be as lucky.” Shepard said.

In no time the two workers ran away out of the night club and the group continued their advance. Rick opened another door. They finally faced Fist who started shooting, making everyone take cover. When he activated two military drones things became complicated.

“What now?” Garrus asked.

“Now we wait.” replied the colonist who was doing something on his omni-tool.

“What are you doing?” Shepard asked, next to him.

“You’ll see.”

Less than ten seconds later, the drones stopped shooting in their direction and began aiming at Fist.

“God damnit ! Stop!” he yelled to no avail.

“You hacked his drones?” Shepard asked in amazement.

“Yeah, why risk ourselves when he’s providing us the tools to take him down?”

Twenty seconds later and the drones exploded.

“Is that normal?” the commander wondered aloud.

“Yes, the hack was quick so I couldn’t maintain control for long. Instead of having them focus back on us I made them self-destruct.”

Shepard nodded at that, mentally noting that it was a smart thing to do. Signaling everyone to get ready to move, she spoke to Fist.

“It’s over Fist. It’s six against one. Give up!”

“And let you kill me? Not Thanks, I’d rather take my chances!”

“We’re not here to kill you!”

“Oh yeah?! Tell that to my dead men!”

“They opened fire on us before we could even say a word! We’re not here for you.”

“Really?”

“Yes! We’re here for the quarian.” she replied, shaking negatively at Wrex who looked at her with narrowed eyes.

“Alright then.” Fist answered and threw his gun against the wall behind them. “I’m unarmed.”

Popping her head around her cover Shepard saw Fist standing up in the middle of the room, his hands raised up in the air in clear surrender. Signaling everyone that it was okay, they all made their way to the defeated man.

“Where is the quarian?” she asked.

“Not here! I don’t know where she is, that’s the truth, I swear.”

“Then you’re useless” Rick said, pumping his shotgun threateningly.

“Wait! Wait! I know where she will be!”

“Then talk.” spoke up Shepard.

“She wanted a meeting face to face with the shadow broker, but nobody ever meets with him and she didn’t know that so I gave her a location telling her she’ll meet him there but Saren's men will be waiting instead.”

“Where and When?”

“Here on the wards, in the back alley behind the markets at 11 am.”

“That’s right now!” Ashley exclaimed.

Rick was already out the door running as fast as he could, it was not far, but he had little time. He prayed that he was not too late. Climbing the stairs leading to the back alley he saw Saren’s men approaching the Quarian. With no hesitation he made a biotic charge right on the turian in the middle and hit him good, sending him flying before shooting one of the armored salarian in the head, vaporizing it. The second salarian had time to take two shots but Rick’s shield stopped them barely. It was enough as he aimed his shotgun again and made one big hole in his enemy's torso. Putting back the shotgun behind his back he drew his pistol and shot the turian, twenty feet away in the head. Looking around making sure that all assaillant were dead, he put back the pistol on his thigh and walked towards the Quarian who drew her own shotgun on him.

“Don’t move!”

“That’s very rude, you know.”

“What?!”

“Threatening to shoot the man who just saved your life.”

“As if!”

“You’ve been conned, Fist was working for Saren and those...” Pointing with his thumb behind his back, “ were Saren’s men.”

“He’s telling the truth.” said Shepard, coming back from behind the Quarian who gun raised; the team following closely.

“Fist betrayed the shadow broker for Saren because of the information you have on him. Saren paid him a fortune for that.”

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?!” the woman said, turning around and pointing her weapon at the commander.

“Oh boy... Where do I begin...” Rick wondered aloud.