Prologue: Deliberations

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with the Mass Effect series. Credit for this story goes to Bioware.

Song Credit: The majority of this chapter was written while listening to The Journey by Feint (ft. Veela). God Bless Feint & Veela.

This chapter is dedicated to Agent 94. I'm watching you, you crafty rogue. ;)

-28 March 2183-

Arcturus Stream/Arcturus System/SSV Kilimanjaro.

The conference room aboard the SSV Kilimanjaro was little more than a dimly-lit room with a round table in the center of it. Eight chairs circled the table, but only five of them were occupied. There was a single, long window that spanned most of the room's length, but the twinkle of stars in the cold void went unappreciated by the room's occupants. Four of the most influential humans in the Systems Alliance were aboard the Kilimanjaro, and all of them were seated at the conference table.

Human Ambassador Donnel Udina rubbed his forehead and made another irritated sound. The man's muddy hazel eyes were weary with fatigue and poorly masked bitterness. There was a droop to his expression that indicated Udina's facial muscles had lost a fight with gravity at some point. There was an air about him, one that suggested its owner found little worth smiling over.

There was an almost beady squint to the Ambassador's gaze as he glanced at the files on the table in front of him. One hand held up the file, the other ran its fingers through the receding crop of his graying hair.

"Well, what about Shepard?" The Ambassador began, his cross-cultural accent growling out with each word. "He practically grew up on starships. Strong military background and longstanding familial ties to the Alliance." He set the datapad back onto the table and smoothed the front of a white Citadel-style suit that cost more credits than most galactic citizens made annually.

Next to him, Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. His face was tracing of scars and lines, the marks of a man whose life had been defined by hard choices and conflict. The Admiral's eyes were strong, steel blue orbs that were as sharp and defined as the trimmed goatee around his chin and mouth. His skin was is white to the point of being pale, but the Admiral commanded nothing but respect from those around him. Hackett stood as one of the most celebrated officers in Alliance history, a hero right up there with Jon Grissom.

Hackett was in full dress uniform, the blue and gold of a ship officer and his Alliance cap, but everyone at the table knew that the Admiral wasn't one to stand on ceremony. The Admiral of the Fifth Fleet did not reach his position by making sure that his clothes were in presentable shape before going to war. No, Hackett was a Fleet Admiral because of his tactical brilliance, his unwavering conviction against the most daunting of odds and the fierce, almost fanatical loyalty that he inspired from his troops.

"Hell of a soldier," Hackett agreed. "The Commander's been posted under my command more than a few times. Always got the job done, no matter how tough it might have been. The man is nearly unstoppable."

"Shepard's not fit for the candidacy," Rear Admiral Mikhailovich said angrily. "We saw that first-hand on Akuze, damn him. Ran and hid when the rest of his unit got torn apart. That's not the mark of a Spectre candidate, much less a good soldier."

Gregori Mikhailovich could be described in one word, broad. Broad shoulders, broad chest and big hands, everything about the man radiated a kind of brutish cunning. The rear Admiral presented an intimidating figure, even entering his later years. While no taller than the other men in the room, Mikhailovich was a big man beneath his blue dress jacket and his bearded face was square and well-proportioned. The Rear Admiral wore his service cap almost as an afterthought. His green eyes were caged by wrinkles and had an almost palpable look of distaste about them. There was pinkish pallor to the man's skin, but it did little to make the Rear Admiral look more amicable.

With a reputation for daring and often brutal tactics, the Admiral of the 63rd Scout Flotilla retained a nasty reputation, one that he did little to dissuade. However, Mikhailovich's successes in combat and his indisputable effectiveness against fighting the raids coming from the Terminus systems allowed the Rear Admiral some measure of popularity with the Joint Military Chiefs and members of the Alliance Parliament. This 'popularity' allowed Mikhailovich to stick his nose into situations when he felt his presence was necessary. His presence in the room indicated that the candidacy of the first human Spectre was one of those situations.

"We've all read the reports on Akuze," Captain David Anderson said, his voice heavy with exasperation. "We've got Shepard's eyewitness testimony, the feed data recovered and your... assertions. What happened there was a disaster that could have been avoided."

The Rear Admiral fixed Anderson with a glare from across the table. "What exactly are you implying, Captain?" Mikhailovich's voice all but dripped malice.

The forty-five year old Captain was the youngest human at the table, but Anderson has seen and done more than some members of longer lived species do in their entire lifetimes. That experience showed on his face. Though the coffee tones of his skin were more than enough to disguise the wrinkles that had started to line his face, every one of his years weighed down the bags under his soft brown eyes. The Captain's brown hair was shaved close to his head and he kept his face clean of any facial hair. It was a look Anderson hadn't bothered changing since joining the Alliance.

Anderson was the Alliance's first N7 graduate and the Captain had set the standard ever since. Though not nearly as celebrated by the public as legends like Grissom and Hackett were, Anderson enjoyed a large amount of respect from those within the Alliance's military ranks, and had the ear of several prominent Admirals, Hackett included. Hackett's personal recommendation was one of the main reasons that Anderson could be a part of the current deliberations.

It also didn't hurt that the Captain was one of the few humans in the galaxy who had worked alongside a Council Spectre.

Anderson quietly stared Mikhailovich down. "I'm only saying that either you're right about what happened on Akuze, or you're not. Either way, someone dropped the damn ball."

"We're not here to argue either of those things," Hackett interjected, his voice laced with irritation. "The fact remains: Shepard survived what nobody could have and managed to get back in one piece. The man is a fighter, through and through. Hell, we all know that Akuze remains the only stain on an otherwise impeccable success record. That man has more successful high-risk and covert operations under his belt than any other marine in Alliance history."

Mikhailovich gave a snort and shook his head. "I still say Commander Riley is a better choice for the candidacy. She's the hero of the Blitz, for Christ's sake."

"She's also the 'Butcher of Torfan'," Udina said with a sigh. "The last thing we need is any more spotlight on that woman than she's already got. Never should have sent her to fight batarians in the first place, especially considering her history with them."

"I'm not concerned with what happened to a bunch of murderers and pirates," Mikhailovich declared. "What I am concerned with is making sure that the right person gets nominated for this candidacy. Commander Riley is the Alliance's most powerful biotic Vanguard. She managed to hold off an entire pirate invasion force on her own."

"Exaggeration," Hackett stated. "She started a local resistance movement alongside other off-duty soldiers and civilian volunteers."

"Which proves that she's the right candidate for the Spectre training. She's an amazing leader and doesn't flinch from duty. Hell, Riley is the only reason that Elysium was still standing before the Agincourt showed up with reinforcements.

"And Shepard was part of those reinforcements," Anderson said. "Reports indicate that his unit took out the majority of the ground troops."

"And he was able to do so because Riley had them scattered and scared out of their minds," Mikhailovich retorted. "She held off that army with an overcharged amp, her sidearm, her fists and a handful of volunteers. If that's not Spectre-worthy, then nothing is."

"She has one hell of a grudge against the batarians," Udina muttered. "I have a feeling that she'd wipe them all out if she could."

"You can hardly blame her," Anderson added quietly. "She lost everything when those slavers attacked Mindoir, and she was only a kid when it happened. It takes a strong person to get past that sort of thing, and an even stronger one to do what she does in spite of it."

"Torfan was a disaster," Udina reiterated. "Commander Riley got most of her unit killed and slaughtered everyone she came across. Hell, Major Donovan Kyle never recovered from that mess. Had to discharge him. Man was unstable after what Riley did."

"Shepard was on Torfan too," Mikhailovich snapped. "If you're going to make a criminal out of Commander Riley, then you'd better do the same to him. By all accounts, Shepard's actions killed just as many batarians as Riley's did."

Hackett's voice was laced with the slightest amount of anger. "Semantics, Gregori. Shepard killed combatants. Riley killed anything that moved, POW's included. Shepard has more restraint than Riley does."

Mikhailovich threw his arms up in exasperation. "We're looking for a Spectre, aren't we? What does restraint have to do with anything?"

"You should probably address that question to our guest," Anderson said quietly.

The four men shifted their gazes to the room's fifth occupant who, until then, had remained silent and hadn't moved in his seat. The light is low enough so that the figure was cloaked in shadow, but even a shadow betrayed that its owner wasn't human.

The turian Spectre, Nihlus Kryik, leaned forward in his seat and placed his elbows on the table. The low light caught his face and illuminated the brown and white of his facial markings and his mandibles, both of which were splayed out in an intimidating manner. His eyes were as alien as anything else; neon turquoise orbs that wouldn't have looked out of place on a predatory bird.

Nihlus looked out of place amongst the clothed humans, armored as he was in a top-of-the-line combat hardsuit. Gunmetal black with blood-red markings and bright-red lighting, the turian's meduim-grade armor was sculpted to protect his raptor-like physique while still allowing for the flexibility the Spectre needed in combat.

The Spectre's mandibles twitched as he looked over the datapad in his left claw. He didn't look directly at the others, but his enhanced peripheral vision allowed the turian to see the expressions of quiet unease on Anderson and Hackett's faces, as well as the obvious distrust visible in the eyes of Udina and Mikhailovich.

Nihlus had the most influential humans in the Alliance spooked, and he hadn't said a word.

"Both Ramesh Shepard and Lee Riley have exemplary service records," the turian began, each word accented by the flange of his vocal chords, "Aside of course from what the Alliance believes to be black marks, Akuze and Torfan, respectively." He made a show out of looking over his datapad. "The files show near-constant duty rotations for both Commander Shepard and Commander Riley, though Shepard has two significant gaps in his service record; a month in 2175 and a three month span in 2177. I assume that the second was indicative of his recovery time after the incident on Akuze."

Anderson nodded. "He was on psych evals for a few months. He objected, of course, said he was fit for duty, but we didn't take any chances. The rest of his platoon died down there. Ramesh was the sole survivor out of fifty men."

Nihlus shifted his gaze to Mikhailovich. "That was your operation, correct?"

The Rear Admiral blanched and his face turned red with anger. "Shepard botched that mission. He-"

A glare from Admiral Hackett silenced Mikhailovich almost instantly. The Fleet Admiral then turned back to Nihlus, a more composed look on his face. "Shepard wasn't in charge of the ground team, Major Solomon Prescott was. He died down there with the rest of the unit, I'm sorry to say. Nobody could have predicted a thresher maw attack." Hackett focused a second glare onto Mikhailovich. "You don't get to heap the blame for that operation on Shepard simply because he's the only one who came back."

The Rear Admiral's eyes narrowed, but the man stayed quiet. Even someone as reckless as Mikhailovich knew better than to risk getting put on Steven Hackett's shit list.

Nihlus ignored the feuding and focused his attention on Udina. "I'm reading here that Commander Riley was pulled from active duty for a month after what occurred on Torfan. Did she also receive psych evaluations?"

The Ambassador's reply was rife with hesitation. "No, but several Alliance officials wanted to keep her out of the spotlight for a time. Riley was, and still is, to a degree, our Alliance soldier ideal after the Skyllian Blitz."

"And having the Hero of Elysium painted as a relentless killer would be hazardous for recruiting."

Udina merely shrugged. "It's all there in the reports, Spectre Kryik."

Nihlus glanced over the files in front of him. "Riley's defense of Elysium is rather remarkable, though Shepard's survival on Akuze is equally noteworthy." He glanced at Anderson. "Shepard and Riley have had relations at one point?"

"They went through their N7 training together," Anderson told the turian, as if trying to cover for a pair of horny teenagers. "They trained under me from the beginning of N school. Their combat styles mesh well and they've been paired for several high-risk operations. They grew... close, as a result."

"I understand. Such things are fairly common between comrades in arms."

Hackett placed his arms on the table, his worn hands folded over one another. "It's never been an issue, though they have kept things somewhat clandestine. No formal request to pursue romantic involvement, or anything like it."

"Are they still intimate?" the turian asked, not looking up from his datapad.

Udina rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the other humans in the room. "I don't see what this has anything to do with-"

"They're not," Anderson said, cutting the Ambassador off. "I've spoken to Shepard recently concerning his relationship with the Staff Commander. He shrugged and told me that it was just an on/off switch. I don't believe that he sees a future with her." Anderson shifted in his seat and kept his gaze on the Spectre. "Commander Riley has a... I suppose you could call it a cavalier attitude. She's very professional, but hardly reserved. She enjoys the spotlight and is very open and vocal. Shepard is the opposite. The man is quiet, likes to think before speaking and doesn't act until he believes it is necessary. They're damn near unstoppable when they're working together, but Shepard and Riley are two very different people off of the battlefield."

"Understood." Nihlus looked each human in the eye and his gaze never settled long on any one man. "I hope you all realize that I need as much information as possible in order to determine personality types. It takes a certain kind of individual to be a Spectre." Nihlus' mandibles twitched as he focused his gaze on Udina. "To address your concern, Ambassador, I'm just as much interested in the little details as I am the big ones. I ask a question, I expect a straight answer. Are we clear?"

Nihlus received two quick, assertive nods from Anderson and Hackett, while Mikhailovich and Udina were a bit more hesitant.

The Spectre looked back down at the datapad and scrolled through another few lines of text. "It says here that Shepard was accused of taking red sand." He locked eyes with Hackett. "By one Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett."

The Admiral didn't bat an eyelash at the turian's tone, something the Nihlus could respect. "This was after Torfan, when Shepard was under my command. I suspected that the Commander was dusting up, though I didn't have any proof. I ordered a full series of tests to be done, all of them came back negative."

"Do you believe he was using?" the Spectre asks. "Red sand passes from a human body rather quickly, at least if it's used on an irregular basis. He could have been lucky enough to be on the tail end of a hit when you ordered your tests."

"The tests were negative," Hackett stated. "I only know what my gut told me at the time and what the doctors found out."

"That is not what I asked, Admiral."

Hackett sighed and glanced at his hands. "I've been Alliance my entire life, Spectre. I've learned to trust what my instincts tell me. And at the time, my instincts were telling me that Shepard was taking an illegal substance while on-duty." The Admiral looked into Nihlus' hard eyes. "And I don't think I was wrong."

Nihlus was quiet for a moment as he studied his datapad. Whatever thoughts he carried after Hackett's declaration were his own.

"It appears that Commander Riley has a few strikes against her as well," the turian said after a few minutes of silence. "A few notes for drunk and disorderly conduct."

"It wasn't anything significant," Mikhailovich interjected, a little too defensive. "An altercation with some Terminus merchants a few years back. Nothing of any real importance."

"The report says that she put three people in the hospital. They were batarians. She used her biotics to throw one through a reinforced window."

"And she was reprimanded accordingly," Mikhailovich snapped. The Rear Admiral suddenly remembered who he was talking to and had the good sense to look nervous.

Nihlus ignored Mikhailovich's tone and looked over the files again. "Riley is a biotic. L3 implants. How advanced are her biotic abilities?"

Anderson leaned forward in his seat. "As the Rear Admiral said, Riley is the Alliance's most powerful Vanguard. Her abilities manifested at a young age, around 14 or so, though she managed to keep them hidden until the attack on Mindoir."

Mikhailovich was quick to defend his preferred candidate, and he did so with a smirk. "Riley's biotics are on par with some recorded krogan battlemasters. She's a living projectile, charging into enemy like a force of nature. Her raw biotic strength is unmatched in the Navy and she's our only N7 Vanguard."

"She's powerful," Udina agreed. "Always testing her limits. I met her on Arcturus years ago, before Torfan. I was part of Parliament back then, on a goodwill trip to visit our fighting forces. I introduced myself while she was training." The Ambassador chuckled. "Riley gave me nod and a very practiced smile before going right back to tearing apart a practice dummy with her boitics. I got the sense that she didn't think too highly of me. Politicians and soldiers are rarely of the same mind."

Hackett leaned forward and added his thoughts to the profile. "The Staff Commander is also a pioneer in human amp interface technology, and consults with the Sirta Foundation in the production of our newest line of Unity amps. Made quite the fortune on her designs, if I'm not mistaken, though she donates most of her income to charities for raid victims and scholarships for biotic students."

"Riley's never given up on a mission," Mikhailovich interjected, more concerned with his candidate's military aspects. "I've never seen a woman so tenacious. She never gives up, never lets the odds get in her way. That hostage business on Chohe, the one people said would kill the Sirta Foundation for good? She rolled in there and wiped out every last one of those terrorists on her own. Not a single hostage was killed, even all drugged up like they were. She even stuck around to and gave the hostages proper medical attention before the rescue crews went in."

"The biotic powerhouse with a heart of gold," the Spectre mused. Nihlus scratched his right mandible with his free claw and shifted back in his seat. "And Shepard? His file lists him as being a Sentinel, though that doesn't give me an idea as to his skill-sets."

"He's our best marksman," Hackett stated, "Bar-none. The man's got more confirmed kills than any other marine alive. The Commander specializes in solo operations. He prefers a minimal squad presence if he needs one, usually no more than four people, but he can effectively lead larger groups as well. The Lieutenant Commander is our go-to man for high-risk covert ops."

Mikhailovich made a sound somewhere between displeased and disgusted, not realizing Nihlus viewed him with a nearly intolerable distaste. "He's no biotic," Mikhailovich said, grudgingly. "Latent potential identified at an early age, but it never manifested. No, Shepard's a combat techie. He's something of a wizard with his omni-tool as I understand it."

The turian arced a brow. "Wizard?"

Mikhailovich stammered a little. "It means... he's extremely proficient with modern omni-tool technology."

"Shepard's a genius with an omni-tool," Anderson informed the Spectre. "Riley relies almost entirely on her biotics to deal with enemy defenses. Shepard's tech expertise gives him a more varied suite of offensive and defensive battlefield options. Omni-weapons and defenses, shield-draining fields, foucault armor currents; Shepard's omni-tool utility has lead to some impressive combat functionality. He's also developed several breakthroughs in modern omni-tool applications."

Nihlus's left brow-plate quirked up a little as he read through Shepard's tech file. "So I see. The Lieutenant Commander invented the cryo blast program?"

A light smile played over Udina's features, offsetting the normally bland expression the Ambassador wore. "He co-opted the patent with the Alliance and Ariake Technologies. There was quite the stir in the galactic marketplace when that particular application hit the market, if I recall correctly."

Nihlus didn't reply, but he was quietly impressed. The cryo blast application in itself was a combat game-changer. Any half-decent combat app could generate fire or electricity in order to incapacitate, but a ball of sub-zero ice that could snap-freeze a target in seconds, leaving the target both weak and immobilized? That kind of ingenuity was unheard of outside salarian research teams. Nihlus used the cryo blast application himself, and regularly.

"He's a bit too fond of his tech," Mikhailovich said, drawing Nihlus out of his thoughts. "Started a scandal about neural implants and genetic modification. Voluntarily went transhuman back in 2175. Lot of conservative groups tried to crucify him, from what I recall. Said he was more machine than man."

Anderson folded his hands together on the table. "Shepard's still human," he claimed, sounding somewhat defensive. "He's had extensive neural work done to sync with his omni-tool. Far beyond Alliance safety regulations, but it's proven invaluable to his success. Shepard's also undergone a lot of gene therapy over the years. Faster reaction times, improved eyesight, stronger muscle density and more efficient oxygen absorption while breathing. He also had one of those... grayboxes, that's it, installed to record memories and deliver accurate data from missions. There's not a lot of modifications that Shepard hasn't volunteered for, standard or otherwise."

"A transhuman..." Nihlus mused, as if rolling the idea over in his head. "And the Alliance hasn't voiced its concerns?" he asked, somewhat intrigued. Both the turian Hierarchy and the human Alliance had contentious opinions regarding excessive neural re-write and genetic modification.

"We found several concerns," Udina muttered, very dejected. "There was quite a bit of litigation against the Commander back in '75 when Parliment outlawed graybox technology. His lawyers kept him from being discharged but many within the Joint Military Chiefs wanted him sidelined. Shepard shot them all down with his service record. Every time we voiced our disapproval, he countered us by performing another mission we thought impossible. Eventually we just abandoned the process altogether. Shepard's far too useful to the Alliance for us to try and restrain him with all that moral nonsense. Didn't see the point, considering that the man's a trained killer."

"It didn't hurt that Shepard is heavily invested the Alliance military," Hackett mentioned. "The Lieutenant Commander is the reason several of our current omni-tool upgrades exist today. He overhauled basic work with the standard neural interfaces we give to our soldiers, making omni-tool use a much quicker and more practical battlefield option. He's also a major investor in Aldrin Labs, Ariake Technologies, Kassa Fabrications and Hahne-Kedar, and he's co-founder of the Hahne-Kedar Shadow Works subdivision. Shepard's tech research has also been instrumental in developing our top-of-the-line armor and weapons. He's also invented several firearms that are currently being prototyped by Alliance R&D."

"He's wealthy, then?" Nihlus asked.

"According to his tax reports for the last eight years," Udina said with a chuckle. "That man makes more money than every human in this room combined." The Ambassador pulled up his omni-tool and scanned through the finances in question. "Yet almost all of his personal purchases are for armory licenses, advanced non-Alliance tech, armor modifications and weapon upgrades. He's got a weakness for high-end tech, if I recall. The rest of it goes into project investments with his affiliated companies and corporations, as well as a rather large account called 'Emergency Funds'." Udina quietly cleared his throat. "Not sure why that even exists, if I'm being honest. There's not a marine alive with a higher mission success rate than Ramesh Shepard."

"There's no problem Shepard can't handle," Anderson stated. "Recon, solo operations, covert ops, frontal assault, hostage negotiation, assassination; Shepard's done it all. He's also skilled in several forms of human hand-to-hand combat. The man's beyond dangerous, on or off the battlefield."

Nihlus's mandibles twitched. "I'm looking at his history of classified operations. There's quite a list here, going back years." The turian Spectre looked up from the data-slate. "The batarians have taken to calling the Lieutenant Commander the 'Black Death.' That's no small compliment from the Hegemony."

Hackett shrugged. "And they're also the ones who gave Riley the 'Butcher of Torfan' moniker. The Hegemony is quick to demonize our best people, especially if they're hurting those damned government-sponsored pirate raids they keep funding."

"There's something to be said in a name," Anderson said quietly. "Nothing stops that man. You'll see Operation: Broken Door on the list. Mission on planet Taitus, Talava System, Caleston Rift. Shepard and his trainee, 2nd Lieutenant Helen M. Lowe, were sent in to locate a pirate base on the planet's surface. Their mission was simple recon, nothing more. Three hours after the two dropped in, we got a message from the facility. It was Shepard, sending us the feeds from the security tapes. Somehow he slipped in and neutralized the whole damn base. Lowe was outside, ready with her sniper rifle to pick off the survivors, but none ever came out. There were forty pirates in that building and Shepard killed them all, to a man."

Anderson's words faded as silenced engulfed the room. Even Mikhailovich didn't have anything to say against Shepard at that point.

Nihlus set his datapad on the table, his alien features unreadable. "Thank you, gentlemen. I'll forward my recommendation within the hour. Captain Anderson, I'd like to speak to you for a moment, if you can spare it." The turian didn't tell the other humans that they were dismissed, but he knew he wouldn't need to. The intent was clear to everyone.

Udina left first, rising from his chair with a countenance of exhaustion that seemed to permeate the air around the man. His lips moved silently as he walks out of the the room, as though the Ambassador was already working out his statement to Parliment. Mikhailovich followed close behind, his eyes rigidly forward as he stomped past Nihlus.

Hackett stood without a word and Anderson rose to salute. The Admiral matched the gesture before turning to leave. He gave Nihlus a respectful nod as he walked past, one that the turian reciprocated. When everyone but the Captain and the Spectre remained, they locked eyes.

"Something you didn't want the others to hear?" Anderson asked quietly.

Nihlus rose from his seat and walked around the table to the room's solitary window. He gazed out into the stars, his talons clasped firmly behind his back. "No, but I did need some additional details that only you can give me."

Anderson moved to stand alongside Nihlus and joined the Spectre in looking out into the depths of space. "Ask what you need to ask, then."

"You seem to have equal respect for the abilities of both Commander Shepard and Commander Riley. You instructed both of them during their N7 training, if I recall correctly. Yet I noticed that you seemed to push for Shepard more than Riley. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter, Captain, without the trepidation of the Ambassador or the complaints of the Rear Admiral. You humans are far too confrontational and conflicted for my taste. It's better to get an honest answer from one of you than it is to get a majority opinion from a group. I chose you. Not only do you have rank, you also have my respect. Your Admiral Hackett also has my respect, but you have that personal connection I'm looking to address."

Anderson was silent for a moment before speaking, and he started slowly. "I consider Ramesh Shepard and Lee Riley to be the best humanity has to offer, even with their flaws and mistakes. I'm proud of them, both as an instructor and as a soldier. I'm sure either of them would be excellent Spectres."

Nihlus shot the Captain a sidelong glance. "But?"

Anderson sighed and clasped his hands behind his back. "But Shepard is the better choice between the two. The man works best when given autonomy, and he's calm in almost any situation. People call him cold, but he's just reserved. He doesn't get attached or emotional, at least not to the degree where it interferes with his work."

"Your choice of words suggests that Commander Riley is not as professional as you would like."

"She's been known to put personal goals ahead of mission parameters. Riley always was a little hot-headed and a bit emotional, even during her N7 training. It wasn't an issue until Torfan, but it hasn't resurfaced since. And I know for a fact that the Alliance would like the status quo to remain as it is." Anderson didn't meet the turian's gaze, but there was no need. Words were enough.

"You want Riley under Alliance jurisdiction in order to keep an eye on her."

Anderson stared out into space, as though trying to find the right words hidden between the light of the stars. "At the end of the day, it's not my decision. I wish to hell that it was, but I'm having to take a side seat to the politicking. I know that a human Spectre is a hell of an opportunity, especially considering... well, you know."

Nihlus nodded. "It's good to see that the incident on Camala hasn't affected your career with the Alliance. Captain Anderson. It suits you."

"The Alliance looks after its own," Anderson said quietly. "'A fantastic soldier.' That's what Hackett said of me, after the debrief. He claimed that the Alliance would've lost one of its best if someone had decided to sideline me after that mess with Saren." The Captain's tone took on a bitter edge. "Though I suppose they would have lost me anyway had things turned out differently."

"And you're concerned that the Alliance will lose either Riley or Shepard if one of them is inducted into the Spectres."

"The Council takes priority over my concerns," Anderson stated dryly. "I'm just here to make sure the process goes smoothly. This Spectre candidacy business is my operation until the Normandy gets transferred to Mikhailovich and the 63rd Scout Flotilla. Then it's out of my hands."

"You'd rather it wasn't?"

Anderson turned and looked Nihlus straight in the eyes. "I don't have a choice. Either way, the Navy loses one hell of a soldier. If it were up to me, you'd be getting Ramesh. I'd rather not hand over one of the most decorated marines in Alliance history, but I know he'd be the best for the job."

Nihlus faced the Captain and fixed him with an intense gaze. "Just one more question, Captain."

"Go ahead."

"There's a line that Spectres need to be able to cross in order to be able to do what they do. Contrary to popular belief, the Council doesn't have as much pull over us as they'd like to. Spectres have one mandate, one goal. We protect galactic stability, no matter the cost. Nothing can get in the way of that; no moral code, no sense of duty, nothing. We are the first and last line of defense for a stable galaxy. There is no sacrifice too large to ensure stability. We are heroes when it is viable and villains when it is necessary. All things are secondary to our goal."

"I'm aware of what the Spectres do," Anderson said, his voice taking on an edge as it rose to challenge Nihlus' vocal intimidation. "Get to the point."

The Spectre smiled for the first time since arriving aboard the Kilimanjaro. "My 'point', as you have called it, is this. I am under the impression that Commander Riley has already crossed that line, likely before the events that occured on Torfan, but she made the mistake of making things personal. I can't condone that in a Spectre."

"And what can you condone?"

"Self sufficiency. A willingness to survive in the face of impossible odds. A no-nonsense attitude. These are characteristics that Ramesh Shepard seems to exemplify. But I need to know how far the Lieutenant Commander is willing to go in order to accomplish his goals. Do you believe Captain, that if it was found to be necessary, that Shepard would be able to cross the line that all Spectres need to cross?"

Anderson steely gaze didn't waver in the slightest. "Yes, Spectre Kryik."

"I believe he would."

LM here,

Rather pleased with this prologue, even if it's all-talky no-shooty. Get some character development within the Alliance Brass (the important ones for this tale, at any rate) and a taste of Nihlus. Hope I pulled everybody off to your satisfaction.

Anderson's got an actual connection to Shepard now, something that was strangely lacking back in ME1. Don't get me wrong, Anderson's a great character and all, but the chummy father/son and father/daughter duality kinda came out of nowhere. Now we've got a reason for it. Marginalized Hackett a bit in this one to make room for the Captain, but I like it better this way. Anderson needed a bigger role in the Mass Effect series. He's Keith motherfucking David, for Christ's sake.

And yes, Shep's a transhuman, all neural implants and greyboxes. I'm sure there's a good reason for that, or whatever.

Levi Matthews