Rebirth The Mass Effect is old

The attempt to get off topic failed. The councilors exchanged glances and stared at me like hungry cats at a piece of raw meat. Oh, my God, I suddenly felt so bad! By God, it would be better if they were the same arrogant idiots as in the game. But now I'm facing three smart, cunning, and calculating paranoid politicians who have just been shown something interesting and potentially useful.

"What else do you see in your dreams?" Sparatus asked without a trace of humor or irony, glaring at me intently. Military chronicles. The massacre. Hefty bug-like creatures tearing sentient ones to pieces. Fleet battles with ships very similar to the one we saw on Eden Prime. Seeing the understandable question on Asari's face, I kindly informed:

"The fleets were losing. Always."

"What else?" Sparatus, the brute, clung like a vorloon to the victim! Okay, if that's what you want, listen up. Maybe you won't believe it and you'll leave me alone.

"The citadel. Relays. Exactly the same as now." To my quiet horror and panic, the advisers only exchanged knowing glances, and I felt a chill. Do they really KNOW?

"Recent excavations and research have shown that the Citadel... much older than we thought before." Azari's soft and gentle voice seemed to me like the sounds of a harbinger of Doomsday. "Was there anything in your visions that would confirm this?"

They must have read the answer in my face. The Salarian's attempt to say something was cut short by a thin azure palm raised in an international call for silence.

"Tell us."

"The Protheans didn't build a Citadel or relays." I answered dully, closing my eyes. "There is a whole series of visions that are similar to the old military chronicle. There are very specific markings on the image. They show how the Citadel was opened." Looking up, I met the Asari's attentive gaze. "I saw an ABANDONED and EMPTY Citadel, in which there were only Keepers."

I wasn't lying here: there really were such visions. Only three. But they were enough. Your words confirm some of our findings in remote, previously inaccessible areas.

"Do you believe me?" I asked in surprise.

"We've already dismissed your words once." Sparatus frowned. "You have provided evidence. We don't want to make the same mistake now. From this day on, you are the Spectr. We believe and trust the Spectr's. I see no reason why we should make an exception in your case." The Turian's creepy smile was unexpectedly reassuring. "You have been so persistent in seeking justice. We were impressed."

"I will do my best to justify THAT trust." Sparatus inclined his head in satisfaction.

"In that case, please explain one thing to us."

"Everything in my power."

"After carefully checking all available information, we have not found where the body of your colleague, Naylus, has gone." The Turian's gaze froze.

The slippers have sailed to the waterfall! And what should I do?

The brief panic had passed. Basically, the chain of events ended, and I got the title of Spectr the way I should have. It's already possible to tell the truth.

"As far as I know, he's still in the infirmary."

The councillors exchanged glances.

"IN THE INFIRMARY?" Sparatus asked softly. "Why not at the morgue?"

Sighing, I calmly said:

"Because Naylus survived. We managed to save his life.

Silence fell like a stone slab in the huge hall. The councilors exchanged glances, Sparatus gripped the thin railing with such force that the sturdy metal creaked.

"Please explain."

"We found survivors on Eden Prime. Dr. Warren and Dr. Mikael. Due to recent events, Dr. Mikael is slightly... He lost his mind. Perhaps this is enough to not take his words seriously, but I have been told more than once that madmen have not lost their hearing, nor the sharpness of their eyes and mind. They just perceive reality a little differently. The doctor said he saw a Turian in white armor." I turned on the drone and played the recording I made on a whim.

A shrill, awe-inspiring voice filled the huge hall.:

"I saw him! He is a Prophet! Leading our enemies into battle! He was here before they attacked!"

The councillors exchanged glances.

"I felt it necessary to warn Nailus, because even before landing, I had bad premonitions and a sense of loss. I used to trust my intuition."

"Go on."

"Already approaching the spaceport, I heard a single shot, and already on the spot we found the body of Nilus lying in a pool of blood with his chest ripped open. Have you seen the pictures?"

Sparatus nodded.

"The wound was fatal" I insisted on immediate hospitalization, and literally five to seven minutes later he was in the Normandy infirmary and is still there."

"Why did you hide this information?" Tevos asked softly.

"Saren." I replied simply. "We knew you wouldn't believe us. We knew that we had nothing with which to prove his betrayal. If you had known about Niall's condition, he would have been transferred to the Citadel Hospital. And nothing would stop Saren from finishing what he started. We were quite reasonably afraid for his life."

Sparatus and Tevos exchanged glances.

"Really. Such an outcome was possible."

"I would ask you not to take Nayllus away from the ship's infirmary. Dr. Chakwas categorically forbids its transportation. The condition of the Spectr has just stabilized and is still extremely severe. We have the most modern military hospital. Dr. Chakwas is a doctor with vast experience and knows perfectly well how to treat such wounds. There are no other patients, and all the capacities and capabilities of our infirmary are focused on the treatment of Nailus."

"Is the doctor on the ship now?"

"The doctor has now barricaded herself in the infirmary to avoid." I grumbled.

Sparatus suddenly chuckled.

"Even so."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I was the commander of the landing party. Even though Naylus-Specter didn't obey me, I still feel responsible for his life. As well as for the life of any reasonable person who stands next to me. Captain Anderson complied with my request."

Sparatus' contented face aroused quite legitimate suspicions and concerns. The Asari was smiling slyly, and the Salarian was frowning.

"We recognize your actions as legitimate and justified, Irene Shepard Spectr. Spectrum Nilus will remain on board the Normandy under your responsibility."

"Thank you, Counselor."

"If you find out anything else about the Reapers, Saren, or the Citadel, notify us immediately." Asari's sensual voice made me strongly associate it with the siren song. "If there is even the slightest risk of repeating the fate of the Protheans, he must be eliminated. We cannot ignore SUCH a threat!"

I bowed my head.

"As soon as there are real confirmations, I will notify you immediately."

"You can be free, Spectr."

Sparatus' voice was full of irony and satisfaction from a successful hunt. Bowing briefly, I walked stiffly out of the Council Chamber. Irene was ready to fail if she didn't hear a soft purring laugh!

* * *

The Ambassador and Captain Anderson were waiting for me at the elevator. There was no sign of Tali or Garrus on the horizon. Approaching the satisfied men, I asked a sacramental question.:

"And where?" I didn't want to lose only my newly acquired partners.

"They said they would be waiting for you at the Nagira bar if you would like to join them." Anderson replied, chuckling. "Congratulations, Spectr."

"Thank you." It's worth visiting them.

"We have a lot to do." — Udina was boring, and for the first time I wanted to punch him in the teeth, but I restrained myself. "You will need a ship, crew, and equipment."

"You have gained access to special equipment and weapons." the captain added. "At the C-sec Academy, contact the quartermaster."

"I'll come in." I nodded in agreement, considering how I should lighten the Citadel's warehouses. Anderson grinned, quite correctly understanding my dreamy look.

"We have important news for you, Shepard." Udina exchanged glances with Anderson, and the captain nodded in agreement. Captain Anderson resigned his command of the frigate Normandy. The ship is yours now."

I blinked in surprise and looked at the captain, who looked incredibly pleased with something. Anderson nodded in agreement.

"The Normandy is fast and quiet, and you know the crew well. The perfect ship for the Spectrum. Take care of him, Captain."

"This is your ship, Captain!"

Anderson chuckled.

"Don't worry about me so much. They'll give me another ship."

"But..."

"You need your own ship. I appreciate your concern for me, Shepard, but it's completely unfounded."

"Thank you, Captain."

"Now go and get some rest, Shepard. You've done the impossible today. All information provided to us by the Council will be waiting for you at your terminal."

Saying goodbye in a crumpled manner, I flew to the taxi terminal and chose Nagira. I didn't intend to lose sight of Garrus and Tali.

* * *

The bar greeted me with a roar of music and light noise. Pushing my way through the crowd at the entrance, I quickly found the reasonable ones I needed. Tali and Garrus were sitting at one of the corner tables hidden in a kind of niche and were actively discussing something. Skirting the drunken Krogan, I fell wearily onto a small couch next to the Turian and spread out over the upholstered furniture with a soft moan.

"Don't mind?"

My half-hearted question only elicited quiet chuckles from Tali and a smile from the Turian.

"That's good." Glancing blearily around the table, I grabbed a glass with some kind of lilac stuff and sucked in the spicy liquid in one gulp to Garrus' warning cry.

My head felt a little lighter.

"Shepard!"

"The work is over! Fuck officialdom and subordination, Garrus! Call me by my first name, Irene."

"It's a dextro drink!"

"I have a neutral reaction to dextro." I waved it off, finishing my drink. And if I get too drunk to have allergies, Dr. Chakwas will pump me out. After taking a meticulous look at the alcohol list on a small display mounted directly on the table, I ordered us all a drink, fortunately, due to my peculiarities, we could all drink the same thing.

"We're walking at my expense today. Still, it's not every day that they take in the SPECTR."

"Congratulations!" The guy started up, smiling a little guiltily.

"Thank you. I am very grateful to you. Nothing would have happened without your help."

Tali's thin hand rested on my forearm.

"Irene, if it hadn't been for you and Garrus, I would have died, and the information my found went to Saren."

"My investigation is complete." Garrus was looking at me with a strange expression in his bright blue eyes. He seemed to be thinking about something. "Without you miss..." Catching my gaze, the guy corrected himself, "I'm here for your help, Irene..."

She raised her hand, interrupting the Turian, who was painfully choosing his words.

"Let's agree that we were doomed to failure or death alone. Together we have achieved success!"

Garrus and Tali nodded in agreement.

"Then... for us, or something..."

* * *

Further drinking gradually dissolved into alcohol intoxication. And who said that you can't drink too much Turian alcohol until you lose your memory? You can! Yes, you can! And the hangover is no less severe. I felt this in all its glory when I woke up with a painful headache in the familiar Normandy infirmary under the ironic gaze of Karin's gray eyes.

Garrus was sitting on the next bed, looking at me with a crumpled face, and Tali, cheerful and interested, was reading something on a datapad.

"Karin... Please tell me that none of the crew saw me on the way here..." I croaked, sinking into the glass of water that the doctor had graciously handed me.

In response, a guilty look from ligth blue eyes and a soft laugh from the doctor.

"Calm down, Captain. Only Moro and the guys from the landing party saw you."

I groaned, burying my forehead in my trembling palm.

"It's a good first day as a captain... Tali, as the most sober of us, tell me, have we done anything wrong?"

The Quarian laughed loudly.

"Come on mam, Spectr, everything was quite decent! You just mam quietly got drunk with Officer Vakarian until you lost the ability to think straight."

"And then?"

I was terrified of a colorful description of the outrages, but Tali laughingly told me how the two of us, having finished pouring very expensive dextro-booze, suddenly blew up and stomped straight to the Normandy. And even smoothly. And silently. It's a good thing that my autopilot is still with me, and that Garrus has an analog of it. We were finally knocked down on the ship, and under the fucking gaze of a deeply shocked Joker and the jokes of the soldiers from the landing group, we crawled to the infirmary on our own (!) and surrendered to the mercy of the surprised Dr. Chakvas.

I fell into a slight euphoria of relief when a hoarse, croaking voice whispered:

"The SPECTR?"

We all turned around together.

"The spectr?" Garrus echoed, blinking his eyes in shock.

Bright green eyes looked at me, full of sincere surprise and dumbfounded. Nielus finally regained consciousness.

Chapter 9: Small matters

"Welcome back to the world of the living, colleague!" I couldn't help but smile. Since Nylus has woken up, it means that his recovery is a matter of time and not too far away.

"Where am I?" the Spectr asked a completely logical question and tried to get up, but immediately fell back on the bed, growling from the sharp pain.

"In the Normandy infirmary. And, Nylus, you won't even move your fingers without our doctor's permission."

The green eyes grew heavy.

"And don't argue, be kind. The wound is serious: You were standing with both feet in the grave." Garrus cringed at my voice, but Nylus just grunted. "Haven't you forgotten? You still owe me an excuse for how you managed to get shot at point blank range."

Nylus shyly averted his eyes.

"The Council..."

"He already knows." I cut him off. "We've found evidence of Saren's betrayal, and now he's our target. I'll tell you the details and news a little later, as I sort out the pressing matters and the Normandy departs from the Citadel. By the way, the Council left you on our ship under my responsibility.

"What is the reason?" Specter asked, and then, grimacing, he answered himself.: "Saren's mercenaries?"

"You know perfectly well that you would have lived in the Citadel hospital just as long as it took him to find out about such a gift from the gods."

Nielus nodded slowly and visibly relaxed.

"You've already met our doctor." Another nod. "Now I'll introduce you to those who helped me a LOT in my investigation. Garrus Vakarian. An officer of the SBC. He was conducting an official investigation into Saren's case. The best shooter I've ever seen. Garrus lowered his muzzle in embarrassment, but I could see that he was pleased with the praise. Tali"Zora nar Raya. It was she who brought the information, extracting it from the Geth memory module. A brilliant technician. And an extremely adventurous person. It was necessary... to hunt Geth alone. Successfully, moreover!"