Chapter Text
On a regular day, the Greenwich was the sort of place which could always put a smile on an officer's face. If the food, service, or music didn't, even the most seasoned officers of the Alliance would struggle to hold back a grin at the sight of marines cheering or graduates celebrating on the Citadel. The Greenwich was the go-to restaurant for Alliance members serving on the Citadel, if one could reach the Presidium that is. For once, however, Captain Hannah Shepard found herself struggling to be as joyous as the rowdy engineers sitting two tables over, or the medics celebrating their graduation, or any of the humans throughout the venue for that matter. Technically, she had just been given good news, but what kind of a mother would she be if she didn't worry? Anderson leaned back in his chair waiting for a response. She felt irritated despite herself. What was there to say? She didn't like it.
"I can't say I'm surprised," Hannah shook her head and sighed, "we've known since Elysium he would only climb higher."
"He reminds me a lot of you, you know."
"That's the problem," she grumbled. She reached forwards and poured more liquor from her flask into her mug. It was going to be one of those days.
Humanity really had come a long way in such a brief period of time. To have one of their own considered for Spectre membership so soon? It was unheard of. And of course her son was at the top of the list. Could Luke possibly have become a candidate for a more dangerous posting?
"Hannah, the top brass has already made up their mind. He's been the poster boy of the Alliance for years. Luke's the best man for the job."
"I'd never try to stop him. I don't even think I could. Moments like this just make me a little emotional, David," she ran a thumb along the rim of her drink. "I don't want him to end up like his father."
Anderson scoffed goodnaturedly. "The boy's been under my wing since the academy. He's easily one of the best soldiers I've ever seen. It would take a nuclear weapon to take him out. And even then I'm sure he'd survive on stubborness alone."
"I wish Lara could've been as lucky…"
Her friend pursed his lips, growing somber. He waited a moment before continuing. "You know," he leant forwards again, "Lara was a candidate for spectreship as well. She's come a long way as well"
"Have you heard much about her?" she tried not to let the hopefulness seep into her voice. It was nearly seven years since the incident and everytime she allowed herself to hope she was crushed.
"It's all confidential, only a few of the reports are available to me." Anderson paused before clicking his tongue. "She's still working as Meyer's XO"
The mention of that repugnant Captain's name immediately dampened her mood further. Hannah detested the man; he climbed the chain of command on a platform of efficiency and brutality. He was an insult to the Alliance and a stain on their reputation. The worst part was now that he had been injured in combat, the bastard had taken to putting together a crew which could do what he couldn't do in person any longer. He snatched up Lara immediately after the Massacre of Torfan and took some perverse joy in parading the 'Butcher of Torfan around the galaxy.
"That scumbag should be nowhere near my daughter. What happened on Torfan was not her fault!" she slammed her fist on the table, earning a few looks. Hannah didn't care and continued in her anget. "He's a sick man who's been tw-"
"I know," Anderson interjected, looking nervously around the room. She huffed and leant back into her seat, deflating. "Lara's not a bad girl," he went on, lowering his voice. "We'll figure something out, I just need more time. Meyer has a lot of pull with the brass so I can't just have her transferred. Hackett has promised to investigate it when he has the time, but he's a busy man and it's a complicated situation."
She did her best not to growl. "Thank you," she stated genuinely. "It means a lot to me David."
"Hannah, everything is going to be ok. Luke is an incredible marine," he chuckled. "You should be more worried for my life than his. Just last week he took out a ship of pirates without even firing a shot. He got one of his squad to hack-"
She pinched her brow and stood up suddenly, prompting him to stop. "I'm terribly sorry David but I think I just need to focus on something else for a while to take my mind off my children. Please excuse me."
Anderson was as courteous as ever and let her go, shaking her hand with a promise to continue doing his best to protect her kids. She exited the restaurant with a sigh and hailed a cab. It felt like the twins couldn't be protected anymore. Her omni-tool buzzed. Grateful for the distraction, she put the call through.
Staff Commander Luke Shepard finished clipping his pistol into his holster with a fair amount of satisfaction. After he and his team managed to halt a Blood Pack raid on the edge of the traverse Luke had finally been promoted from Lieutenant Commander. He didn't like to think that he had that much of an ego - no more than any marine at least - but damn if it didn't feel good to earn his second bars. And it perfectly cooincided with the news that Anderson was being upgraded to a new vessel. The Normandy was one hell of a ship. As much as Joker rattled on about the uncomfortable pilot seat, Luke couldn't complain at all.
For a marine like Luke, a ship this advanced felt like luxury. As far as postings go one couldn't ask for more than this. Luke sat in the mess-hall with the rest of his ground team drinking coffee. For the past five years his squad of marines had pulled off some of the greatest operations ever to be broadcasted on the extranet. At least that's what Butch and Jenkins claimed.
Butch was a fellow soldier through and through, just like Luke. No biotics, no fancy tech, simply good old-fashioned guns and bombs. Shepard met the Australian in the academy and they instantly connected. They were assigned to Anderson together upon graduation, which would prove to be one of the Alliance's greatest decisions (according to them, at least). All though she was a bit of a jokester Luke would have no-one else by his side when bullets started flying. Elysium was proof enough of their value as a team – though the media painted Shepard as the hero, he could not have accomplished what he did without Butch. Alenko and Smith joined the Normandy two years ago and made themselves invaluable almost immediately. Alenko's biotics had saved lives many a time and Smith's tech abilities were responsible for plenty of the team's successes. Past their combat abilities, Shepard found the two marines fairly introverted. Alenko was not shy but he was more than happy to let others do the talking. Smith was socially awkward, though Butch had spent the last two years helping him come out of his shell. Jenkins was the most recent addition to the team, being fresh out of the academy, and was certainly the most eager member. Shepard hoped that Jenkins' first mission would make him more mature. He had a greenness to him that made Luke nervous. Sure, they were all rookies at some point, but that just meant Luke knew all too wall wha tto expect.
Moving into the mess hall he barked a laugh as he took in the sight of Butch suspended in the air by Alenko, shouting loud enough that even Anderson could probably hear from the floor above. Anderson's voice cut through the intercom, interrupting the marines' break. The captain gave orders to prepare for departure on a confidential mission.
"You hear that commander?" Jenkins practically leaped out of his seat, "We're gonna get to see some action!"
"Calm down Jenkins," Luke intoned carefully. "Don't get too excited. Never casually leap into a firefight."
"I wonder where we're going," Alenko wondered calmly as he stretched in a not-so-subtle attempt to see if Luke knew anything else about the mission.
He shrugged. "We'll know soon enough. For now I want everyone helping the rest of the crew finalise departure preparations. Alenko, go help Joker. The rest of you, with me to the docking bay."
The Normandy shook as it hit the Arcturus relay. It was only a matter of time until they arrived at Eden Prime, though the destination confused Shepard. Eden Prime was a golden world, what sort of mission could require a squad of marines and the most advanced frigate in the Alliance? No one would dare attack the colony lest they incur the wrath of the Systems Alliance. Luke paused and mentally corrected himself.
That's what they said about Elysium too
A ping on his private terminal informed him that the captain wanted Shepard to join him in the briefing room. The marine weaved his way through the busy second deck, being joined by Butch as he approached the stairs. "Luke, we've got a Turian on board. I saw him with the captain."
"A Turian?" he furrowed his brow. "That explains the dextro food we just brought on board."
"You know what this means, right?" she gave him a side-eye.
"Spectre." They'd met two or three specters in the past. Neither marine was fond of them.
Butch exhaled irritably. "Who knows why he's here. A Turian Spectre hitch-hiking an advanced warship on a secret mission to Eden Prime. Sounds like the set-up to a bad joke," she drawled.
"I'd better not keep the captain waiting then. I'll fill you in after," they exchanged nods as she broke off from him.
Entering the briefing room, Shepard found the Turian Butch had mentioned standing confidently as he examined readings off the main display. The captain was nowhere to be seen. He barely managed to keep himself from muttering his annoyance. He didn't like this.
"Commander Shepard," he spoke without looking up. It was creepy. "I was hoping you would get here first," he stated, though Luke very much got the sense that it was less 'hope' and more carefuly planning. "It will give us a chance to talk."
"Talk about Spectre business?"
The Turian's mandibles fluttered momentarily, but Shepard couldn't make much of it. He hadn't spent enough time interacting with members of the other species to discern their mannerisms and reactions. "I thought the Captain and I were waiting until this meeting to tell you."
"A Turian aboard an Alliance vessel? It wasn't hard to figure out," he refrained from scoffing. He almost felt insulted. "You know who I am, so who are you?"
After another unnecessary moment of pause, the Turian turned his gaze back to his readings. "My name is Nihlus. As you have alerady deduced, I am a Spectre. As for why I'm here, well, we had better wait for your Captain. Until then I am curious about this 'Eden Prime'," he brought up a hologram of the planet. "I've heard it's quite beautiful."
Something about the Turian felt off, as if he was testing Shepard or probing him for information. "I've never been," he replied neutrally.
"But you know of it," Nihlus corrected. "It's a symbol for you humans, a symbol of your potential, no?"
Before he could answer the door slid open as Captain Anderson marched into the room. "I think it's time we told the commander what's really going on."
Thanking the lord that they could finally skip this frustrating song and dance, he shifted his gaze to Nihlus. "This is far more than a shake-down run, Shepard," he gave nothing away.
And then Anderson started talking.
Everything thus far had failed to take Luke by surprise. He had deduced that this mission would be different all ready. The stealth drives were in full effect, there was a spectre, and the drop zone was on Earth's greatest colony. What did take Shepard by surprise was the truth behind the mission. A Prothean beacon? The last time humanity made a discover this big it jumped its technology forwards hundreds of years. Now he understood why they were sending the Normandy there - if this got out... it could very well be enough to see another Elysium. Yet, as huge as this was, Anderson wasn't done.
"Nihlus isn't just here for the beacon, Shepard," he continued gravely.
"Indeed," the Turian purred. "I'm also here to evaluate you."
"Me?" That was… unexpected.
"Commander," the Spectre continued, "You are our candidate to become the first human Spectre. I'm sure you understand the gravity of the situation?"
"This is a huge step for humanity. It shows just how far we've come. You're the best of the best, we-"
"Captain!" Pressley interrupted, bursting into the room, "We've got a problem! Transmission from Eden Prime, you've got to see this."
What flickered onto the screen could only be described as pure carnage. A panicky comms officer pleaded for assistance as men and women around him dropped to the floor. An explosion rocked the camera and sent the comms officer flying. Another soldier picked it up and started running, momentarily pausing to point the camera at a gigantic structure entering the atmosphere. For a moment, everything fell silent. Shepard held his gaze to the mechanical behemoth on the screen and scowled. He had a deep, gut feeling of dread – this was the start of something truly horrible. Batarians, spice smugglers, psychopaths, Luke was no stranger to atrocity and violence. But this? This was different. He didn't need any evidence to prove it. Shepard could just tell.