"I'm not guilty!"
They took Williams to the brig, and she tried very hard to prove she wasn't at fault, but I didn't listen. Instead, I watched them load Jane onto a stretcher and carry her aboard the Normandy.
"What happened here?"
Anderson looked at me closely. His gaze held both severity and a demand for an answer.
"The beacon was found. Unfortunately, I... was temporarily compromised, because I had to send three turian nuclear bombs from the Krogan Wars era into the sky. That required significant focus and concentration. Command was temporarily handed to Lieutenant Shepard; she began searching the spaceport while I recovered. Then Jane reported the beacon was found and active, followed by her yelling for Williams to back off. We'll get more details from Shepard once she wakes up."
"Understood. We'll keep the girl in the brig for now, though it's a shame... Williams... if she's related to that Williams, he was a good man. It'd be a hell of a thing if his granddaughter is guilty in this incident."
"We'll see."
I shrugged, doing my best to show indifference toward this particular girl.
"Nihlus—how did you end up like this?"
Anderson looked at the turian, who was watching thoughtfully as they loaded the beacon's remains onto the Normandy.
"Got caught stupidly... ran into my mentor, who shouldn't have been here, and I relaxed. Seems like... an experienced operative, and still took a bullet to the head like some rookie."
"Mentor?"
"Saren Arterius."
When that name was spoken, Anderson turned into a statue.
"Saren?"
"Yeah... honestly, I had every chance of dying, but talking to Shepard on the Normandy made me tense up inside. I didn't realize it, but even while relaxed, I still kept track of the situation—so I heard him draw his pistol."
Nihlus exhaled.
"I don't know what came over him..."
There was genuine confusion in Kryik's voice. He really was trying to understand his mentor's motives, and couldn't.
"...Working with the geth... and that giant ship... what is all of this supposed to mean?"
"One way or another, we'll find out."
I said it with a quiet sigh. Saren—whatever Anderson and other humans thought of him—was a fiercely loyal agent of the Council, and his actions here on Eden Prime raised questions. Because they cast a shadow over the Council itself.
"Alright. Everyone aboard..."
Anderson waved everyone toward the Normandy, and we lifted off smoothly from the planet's surface. I headed to the comm room.
"Go ahead, John."
A pleasant, melodic voice came through.
"Hi, Oriana."
I smiled at the girl I'd found a few years ago. And I'd known exactly where to look. Of course, I still hadn't told her I was her brother, but that didn't stop us from working together. In practice, she was now head of the corporation division responsible for colony development.
"Something happened?"
"Yeah. Eden Prime. Send ships with humanitarian cargo and hospital vessels. There was an attack on the dig site, and the Alliance won't refuse help right now."
"And in the noise, try to take that planet for ourselves?"
"Exactly, sweetheart."
"Hee-hee-hee..."
Oriana laughed, a little embarrassed.
"Two of our colonies are already protected well enough. Not perfectly, but it's not for nothing they have the status of Earth's best-defended colonies—and the safest. Like they used to say in ancient times: a virgin in the most revealing outfit, riding a donkey with bags of gold tied to its ass, could pass through at any hour of the day."
"That sounds like an exaggeration..."
"Well, maybe a little. And of course I understand we'll have to pour a lot more money into the colonies, but..."
"Yeah, I get it. They're already turning a profit even while we keep developing them."
"Exactly. So it's time to take on the third colony."
"Alright. I'll handle it. The corporation ships will depart soon."
"Thanks."
"It's my job."
Oriana shrugged casually and adjusted her hair. But despite her outward calm, it was obvious how happy she was about my gratitude—and that I valued her as a specialist.
"Alright. I've left you the instructions. Time for me to get back to my own work."
"Until the next call."
"Yeah."
I nodded goodbye, and the connection cut.
"Using your position?"
Anderson's voice came from behind me—he'd stepped into the comm room right after I ended the call, with a hint of amusement.
"Yeah."
"Tch... no remorse?"
"Should there be?"
"Not really... just old man grumbling."
"Old man?"
I looked at the captain with a mocking smile. He just waved me off.
"I'm not young, and I assess my capabilities realistically. I'll tell you more: if you're made a Spectre, I'll be removed as the Normandy's captain."
"They'll hand the ship to me?"
"Exactly."
It was easy to see—and hear—the agreement and even satisfaction in Anderson's look and voice. No need to chew over the importance of that step.
"That's a shame."
"Tch... John, you need to understand..."
"I understand everything—politics, symbolism, all of it. Handing the ship to the first human Spectre. I also understand what follows."
"And what is that?"
Anderson looked at me intently.
"Calls. People asking me to drop by this or that corner of the galaxy, cover someone's ass here and there, bury information... there will be a lot of requests. Sure, I can refuse all of them—but then at the next port a reporter will walk up and ask, 'Is it true you betrayed the Alliance and humanity?'"
"Hm... That's possible. And you see a way out?"
"Resignation."
"Excuse me, what?"
Anderson stared at me, shocked.
"Resignation from the Alliance military. I won't stop being human, but it'll become a lot less convenient for anyone who wants to pressure me. Besides, the Spectre rules—which I haven't received yet—probably include something that would let me say I had no other choice, if I don't want to cast a shadow over humanity."
"Hm... While we're en route to the mass relay, we can ask Kryik about it. I doubt he'll refuse a little consultation."
"Let's do it. And I'll ask Chakwas how Jane is doing."
After that, we headed to the med bay, where Nihlus was.
"Karin, can we bother our turian friend?"
Anderson spoke to Chakwas, and she smiled warmly.
"Of course. Even though the wound looks frightening—and the first aid was barbaric..."
She shot me an unapproving look.
"...there's no threat to his life."
"Then why am I being kept here?"
Nihlus tried to sit up, but when he met the ship's doctor's kind, understanding gaze, he flinched and lay back down immediately.
"Still, it's no trouble."
"Good. Captain, Captain..."
She nodded first to Anderson, then to me, then lost interest in our impending conversation, sitting at her desk and starting to fill out documents at the terminal. That was normal enough—at least in the Alliance: medics were simultaneously the most respected people on a ship, though nothing in the regs said so, and at the same time treated like servants—no one would ever suspect the doctor might leak information.
"And how's Jane?"
"Still unconscious... Based on my data, she suffered very serious neural impact, so she needs deep sleep. Do not wake her."
"Of course."
Neither Anderson nor I intended to argue with the ship's doctor.
"Nihlus... we have a few questions about service in the Spectre Corps."
"Ha. You're not even in the Corps yet, and you already want to learn the internal kitchen?"
There was light mockery in the turian's voice—and irritation. Apparently it annoyed him that I was poking where I didn't belong yet.
"I'm not interested in the internal kitchen—nor whether you'll recommend me or insist I'm unworthy. As far as I know, the final decision will be the Council's anyway."
"Then what are you interested in?"
It seemed I'd caught his attention.
"First, I need to know if your charter forbids a Spectre from remaining on the rolls of a member state's armed forces inside Citadel space."
"Interesting question. No, there's no such requirement. I'll say more: Spectres can carry out assignments from their governments—and not just them, but individual Councilors as well."
"Too bad..."
Everyone present probably heard the regret in my voice.
"Well, the priority is always Council assignments. Everything else comes after. So..."
Kryik looked at me carefully.
"...you don't have to resign from the Alliance military."
"That's what's depressing."
I sighed.
"Funny. People usually react differently to that news."
"Ha. Usually a Spectre candidate isn't from a species that joined Citadel space not long ago. And that still thinks everyone owes them. So..."
I grimaced.
"...I'll have to come up with a very convincing cover story for why I can't do every assignment from the Alliance government."
Kryik just shrugged.
"Alright, I'll think about that later. What I'm more interested in is the Council's possible reaction to Saren attacking Eden Prime."
"I already sent a message... I was told Saren's punishment will be decided at a hearing on the Citadel. We just need to get there so I can testify."
Nihlus frowned.
"Interesting... how safe will you be on the Citadel?"
"Not very safe."
Kryik looked thoughtful.
"Sure, the Council has already suspended Saren's Spectre status, but he has a lot of friends, contacts, people who owe him, and he can hire mercenaries. Still, don't worry about it. If I get eliminated on the way to the hearing, that'll be proof of Saren's guilt."
"Then we have nothing to worry about."
I turned toward the exit with a faint grin—and at that exact moment, Jane's eyes opened with a quiet groan.
Chakwas was at her side instantly, neatly twisting her arm when Jane tried to punch the ship's doctor. Ignoring it completely, she continued the examination.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like shit... like a herd of geth stomped all over my head."
"Well, there definitely wasn't a herd of geth there..."
I studied Jane thoughtfully.
"...But one stupid chicken who went for an activated beacon is absolutely to blame for how you look right now."
"Williams..."
Jane said the name with a low groan and disappointment.
"Exactly. You gave the order not to approach the beacon?"
"Yeah... my armor should have it recorded."
"We haven't investigated yet. We decided to wait until you woke up. So as soon as Dr. Chakwas says you're good, we'll hold a hearing."
"She's fine..."
Chakwas cut in.
"...but her brain activity is abnormal. It's gradually decreasing, but it's still not normal."
"It's all... visions... or nightmares..."
Jane carefully touched her head.
"Visions?"
Kryik looked at Jane intently, and after noticing my nod, she decided to explain.
"I didn't understand much... it's all... like a mess. Except... total war... fear... hopelessness..."
She closed her eyes.
"That's all I got."
"I'll report it to the Council."
Kryik said it with grave seriousness and immediately activated his omni-tool.