Our "small" group left the SSV Normandy, and almost immediately at the checkpoint, we ran into an armed squad.
"I am the captain of Noveria's Port Hanshan security, Maeko Matsuo. According to our port regulations, you are not permitted to carry weapons. Surrender them or return to your ship."
The girl's voice wavered almost imperceptibly at the start, and her eyes showed she wished her superiors' orders were buried in a grave, yet she stood there performing her duties. This commanded a certain respect, and for that reason, I decided not to give the order to open fire—at least, not immediately.
"Also, Port Administrator Bel Anoleis wishes to discuss your conduct during the landing approach..."
I sighed.
"Spectre John Shepard, ship SSV Normandy."
I introduced myself in return to maintain a minimum level of politeness.
"You realize how this looks right now, don't you? A girl and five people beside her—even if one of her subordinates is clearly a Biotic—threatening a combat squad consisting of a Spectre, Asari Huntresses, and a number of unknown but clearly formidable soldiers in Exoskeletons? If I were to just..."
I demonstratively raised my hand, positioning my fingers as if I were about to snap them.
"...snap my fingers, you'd all be turned into a bloody mess right here. And yet you demand we surrender our weapons?"
"The rules... they are the same for everyone."
"For everyone except Spectres, and I confirmed my affiliation with the corps back on the approach. You know, I actually find your professionalism quite likable. When we were coming in to land, I was truly thinking of turning anyone who got in the way into bloody mincemeat..."
Behind the girl, several people swallowed saliva that had suddenly turned very thick. They, like their captain, understood perfectly well how our confrontation would end—if, of course, it began.
"...but seeing such professionalism, I have two proposals. First: I give you the opportunity to contact your boss, explain the situation, and convey my words: If anyone interferes with my work, I will eliminate the obstacle regardless of its status. Second proposal: besides being a Spectre, I am also the head of a corporation that, of course, has a branch represented on Noveria, though I'll be pulling it out of here after all this. So, I'm offering you a job at New Life. I hope I don't have any idiots as big as the ones who gave you this order working for me..."
The girl's lip twitched, and she activated her Omni-tool.
"Administrator Anoleis, Spectre Shepard has numerical and technical superiority; however, in his kindness, he did not destroy my squad. His demands are to pass through without being disarmed and to not be hindered in his work. Otherwise, in his words, it would be easier for him to eliminate us as an obstacle interfering with a mission for the Citadel Council. Awaiting your orders."
"You fool!"
The voice clearly belonged to a Salarian; nothing surprising there. The current Port Administrator is indeed a Salarian.
"You decided to call me for the sake of someone who refuses to follow my orders? Just drive them away! Parasini has already been removed from her post after she authorized their landing, and they destroyed one PKO tower and killed my people!"
"I see..."
I said this in a calm voice, tinged with a hint of weariness.
"...the boss is an idiot. Though, I knew that in advance."
A snap of the fingers, and immediately a Biotic barrier appeared around Maeko's group.
"The barrier is one-way. Anything can get to you, but nothing gets out..."
A Biotic push immediately struck the barrier, launched by the Biotic girl in Maeko's squad.
"Stand down!"
She barked at her subordinate, who froze in place, though she clearly intended to try breaking the barrier again.
"Surrender your weapons, remove your armor. In case of refusal to obey, you will simply be shot."
"What is happening there?!"
The Administrator, still on the line, demanded an answer from his subordinate.
"We... lost, without firing a single shot. Forgive me, sir, but I have no intention of killing my subordinates in an attack doomed to failure. Disarm, remove armor!"
"Ma'am..."
"Kyra, shut up... You saw how easily he created that barrier, plus the Huntresses... we don't stand a single chance against a squad like this. And I haven't even said anything about his subordinates in Exoskeletons. So just take off the damn armor and set the weapons aside."
And just as Maeko said, everyone set their weapons aside and placed their armor in the same direction.
"I hope there's nothing there you bought with your own money..."
Though my voice surely made it clear I didn't care even if there was. The barrier changed shape, and immediately all the items were outside its film, after which I nodded to one of the Huntresses.
"Create a Singularity there."
"Understood."
A short nod from her, and a Singularity appeared over the equipment, rendering it unusable.
"Well, now you go in front, we go behind... just so you don't pull anything unexpected. And we're going exactly where your boss wanted—to him. Is everything clear?"
"Yes."
Maeko spoke in a slightly disgruntled voice, but she had no choice. She understood the prospects perfectly well, so she didn't argue. However, as soon as we left the arrival zone, I heard a mocking voice from slightly to the side.
"Beni, I told you it was him... that idiot just can't go without adventures!"
"Aria, you're talking about a Spectre, show a little respect..."
"Respect? This brat decided to shoot up the port while we were inside."
"Just for the record, we only shot at one tower... and we were preparing to fire at the Administrator's building. You couldn't have been in either place. I know you too well. So you were safe."
I turned my head slightly and spoke with a light smirk.
"Yes, yes..."
"Mother!"
Liara rushed to Benezia and pulled her into an embrace, at which the Matriarch smirked.
"Little Wing, now, now, everything is fine..."
"Ahem, you should have said right away that you were an acquaintance of Matriarchs Benezia and Aria, and then there would have been no problems with your passage."
"I could have, but..."
I glanced at Maeko.
"...that would have been a private visit, and I arrived here as a Spectre."
"Alright, let's finish with business. We need to deal with this boss of yours who decided he stands above Spectres and, consequently, above the Council."
Aria's eyes flashed with a predatory glint. It was clear she was more than pleased that something was about to happen.
After literally five minutes of walking, during which both Asari joined us, we were in front of the office, where a veritable army had entrenched itself. Well, it might have seemed that way to someone who had just arrived and had no ties to the military.
"I am Spectre Shepard. If you do not clear the way, I will open fire in five... four..."
"Fire!"
One of the guards gave the order first, and all the shots were absorbed by a barrier created by one of the Huntresses, after which I gave a short wave of my hand, and Jane and Rebecca opened fire on the idiots.
Maeko only painfully closed her eyes; she didn't have time to say anything at all, neither to warn her subordinates nor to order them to lay down their weapons. Everything was already decided. The squad guarding the Administrator was gunned down without trial or investigation, simply for resisting a Spectre.
"Fuck..."
Maeko glanced at her subordinate, who was in shock from the swift execution of her colleagues.
"Well, Stirling, still have a desire to suck up to Anoleis?"
"To hell with him... life is more valuable."
Meanwhile, the squad was finished, and I quite calmly opened the office door with a weak Biotic push, then took two steps forward, but a Huntress immediately stepped in front of me and, creating a barrier, went in first.
"I could have done it myself..."
"Shepard, you're a Spectre now, not a gopher, so don't go trying to act like one. You have subordinates; give them orders."
Benezia said this in a slightly disgruntled voice.
"Yes, yes..."
However, the precaution proved unnecessary, as there was no one inside, and the Administrator himself had crawled under the desk and was trembling with fear.
"So, my friend..."
I demonstratively pulled out a Pistol and pressed it to the knee of this character.
"...I could finish you right here and now, but honestly, your death gives me nothing... well, besides the moral satisfaction that a piece of filth like you—and I know a lot about your little dealings—is finally dead. However, perhaps your life will be useful to me?"
"Yes! Yes! I will be useful!"
Anoleis shook his head, showing he had no intention of resisting and was ready for all possible cooperation.
"Splendid..."
A short interrogation, in which Benezia and Aria also took part, showed that this character could indeed be useful, so I didn't kill him, but I don't think he'll be happy about it. The two Asari, in whose care I left this idiot, will squeeze everything he knows out of him, and only then will they finish him.
"Ahem..."
To the side of the office entrance stood two girls: one already familiar to me, the lady I had recently disarmed, and the second was unknown to me. It was Maeko who caught my attention.
"Yes?"
"I beg your pardon, but am I correct in understanding that Administrator Anoleis is no longer such?"
"Who knows? They're dealing with him now, and once that's finished, everything will be decided. I have, if you will, delegated my trusted representatives to handle this matter."
"Delegated?"
The second girl joined the conversation, and her voice seemed familiar to me.
"Yes, delegated. Do you have a problem with that?"
"I... no... it's just that I was his secretary and wanted to ask you for a favor..."
The girl clearly began to dodge.
"I don't have time to mess around with your favors."
"Sir, I still ask you to hear me out. My name is Gianna Parasini..."
She furtively darted her eyes around.
"...and I would very much like to speak with you."
"What is wrong with people these days? You tell them you've arrived on Council business, that you need to resolve the issue quickly, and they repeatedly throw wrenches in the works or try to foist some side business on you that might distract you from the mission."
"Sir... I am ready... to compensate... for your expenses."
"Compensate?"
"Yes."
She nodded readily, but in the next second, a Pistol was pressed against her head, and she didn't even have time to react.
"Did you just offer a bribe to a Spectre on duty? Are you stupid or just immortal?"
Cold sweat broke out on the girl's forehead.
"Mr. Shepard, I apologize for interfering, but did you offer me a job in your corporation?"
I shifted my gaze to Maeko, who had clearly distracted me from what was happening on purpose.
"Yes... I did..."
After drilling Maeko with a stare, I pulled the Pistol away from the second girl's head.
"My trusted people are working with the Administrator now, and if your questions are related to this character, then you will resolve those questions with my people. Understood?"
"Y-yes..."
She nodded slightly jerkily.
"Good. And you... I take it you're acquainted with her, since you decided to put your toned ass on the line against the possible wrath of a future employer?"
"Acquainted... she's... a careerist and a bit of a schemer, but she's a good girl, and I wouldn't want her brains decorating this place."
"I see... loyalty to comrades is good."
I quickly activated my Omni-tool, found the phone number of my representative on Noveria, and he answered my call almost instantly.
"Listening, boss."
"Maeko..."
"Matsuo."
The girl realized my difficulty and prompted her name—or surname, who can tell with these Japanese names. Of course, she doesn't look entirely Japanese, but by the name and surname... anyway, I was grateful to her for reminding me what she was called.
"Yes, thank you. Maeko Matsuo. Know her?"
"Yes..."
"She'll likely be coming to apply for a job soon. Interview her and sign her up... if she wants to be in our branch security, you can put her in security, but if she wants something more exotic, serving on a ship or at one of the colonies, then forward her file with a note that I'd like her working for me."
"Understood!"
"And yes, start winding down operations on Noveria. In a couple of months, our branch shouldn't be here."
"Understood, but may I ask the reason? It's just that this place is quite convenient for doing business..."
"I didn't like the Administrator's behavior. That's more than enough of a reason."
"Understood."
I cut the connection and looked at Maeko.
"I've warned them about you, so you can head over to the branch."
"Thank you."
She nodded and went about her business, or perhaps straight to hire on, while the girl she had been standing next to remained in place, glancing hesitantly at the office entrance.
***
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