Through the Motions
Day.02
Anderson had briefed her on the crew; all above-average Marines and crewmen, top of their classes and the highest ranking officials. This set off all her alarms, but Anderson could not yet tell her more about the mission because it involved a Spectre and the Council. He excused himself, and Carrine slowed traveled around the ship, memorizing every detail.
As she entered the navigation area, she passed Dr. Chakwas and an excited young marine. The man's - boy's? - face lit up, causing the doctor to shake her head and wave the commander over.
"Anything I can do for you, marine?" she said as the man saluted her. "At ease, soldier." After talking to them both for a few minutes, she excused herself to meet the pilot, passing a turian on the way. Quirking her eyebrow, she stopped behind the pilot's seat and folded her arms over her chest. To the right of the hat-wearing pilot was the Lt. she had met earlier that day.
"...but only an idiot believes the official story," the pilot scoffed. Carrine had lost focus and decided then was the best time to make her presence known.
"I agree," she frowned, watching the panels flying in front of the pilot. "There's something unusual when a Spectre's on board." The Lt. looked over his shoulder at her, eyebrow quirked. She glared back at him, causing him to chuckle and go back to his work. 'My glaring is funny? What the hell is wrong with him?'
"Yep, Commander," the pilot said. As he opened his mouth to say something, Anderson's voice cut over the comm line ordering a status report. "Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."
"Good. Find us a comm buoy and and link us in to the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime," came Anderson's next order.
"Aye, aye, Captain," the man Carrine could now identify as Joker replied. "Better brace yourself, sir, I think Nihilus is headed your way."
She could her Anderson sigh. "He's already here, Lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing."
Joker shook his head. "You get that, Commander?"
"Yeah. I'll head down there now," Carrine replied. Taking one last glance to the Lt. on Joker's right, she turned on her heel and headed to the room behind the navigation map. Instead of finding Anderson, she met the backside of a turian.
Nihilus seemed to notice her presence and turned around. "Commander Shepard," he said, "I was hoping you would get here first, it will give us a chance to talk."
Carrine locked her hands behind her back, twitching to make sure she was within a millisecond's reach of her pistol. She didn't trust Spectres. "What about?" she snapped. The two made small talk about Eden Prime until Anderson arrived, and Shepard was not surprised to hear that they were going to the colony to recover something - a Prothean beacon, in this case.
"There's more, Shepard," Anderson said, "Nihilus isn't just here for the beacon. He's also here to...evaluate you." At the last part, Carrine's head snapped up and turned into an outright scowl. Nihilus watched her, not showing any emotion nor saying a word.
"And what the hell am I being evaluated for?" she spat out. "I believe I've proved myself several times over, And-Captain." She had to grit his title out through clenched teeth, her temper briefly getting the better of her.
"Shepard - Carrine - this is no insult to you. You're smart enough to know how things work, Commander; the Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy; we want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human in their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come." Anderson nodded at Nihilus, who looked like he wanted to speak.
"Not many could have survived what you went through on Akuze," Nihilus said, causing Carrine to bristle. "You showed a remarkable will to live, a particularly useful talent. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres."
Carrine effectively zoned out for the rest of the conversation, only nodding when she heard something along the line of orders of Eden Prime. Her reverie was only interrupted by Joker announcing a problem over the comm and a video came up on screen that took her attention.
"--get down, I said GET DOWN! --we are under attack, taking heavy casualties, I repeat, heavy casualties! W-we can'-Get evac! They came outta nowhere! We need-!" The feed cut shortly after the last man speaking died, and an enormous black ship showed itself descending on the colony.
"Status report," Anderson said in a clipped tone.
"17 minutes out, Captain. There're no other Alliance ships in the area," Joker responded.
Anderson was quiet for a moment. "Take us in, Joker, nice and quiet. This mission just got a lot more complicated."
As she entered the navigation area, she passed Dr. Chakwas and an excited young marine. The man's - boy's? - face lit up, causing the doctor to shake her head and wave the commander over.
"Anything I can do for you, marine?" she said as the man saluted her. "At ease, soldier." After talking to them both for a few minutes, she excused herself to meet the pilot, passing a turian on the way. Quirking her eyebrow, she stopped behind the pilot's seat and folded her arms over her chest. To the right of the hat-wearing pilot was the Lt. she had met earlier that day.
"...but only an idiot believes the official story," the pilot scoffed. Carrine had lost focus and decided then was the best time to make her presence known.
"I agree," she frowned, watching the panels flying in front of the pilot. "There's something unusual when a Spectre's on board." The Lt. looked over his shoulder at her, eyebrow quirked. She glared back at him, causing him to chuckle and go back to his work. 'My glaring is funny? What the hell is wrong with him?'
"Yep, Commander," the pilot said. As he opened his mouth to say something, Anderson's voice cut over the comm line ordering a status report. "Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."
"Good. Find us a comm buoy and and link us in to the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime," came Anderson's next order.
"Aye, aye, Captain," the man Carrine could now identify as Joker replied. "Better brace yourself, sir, I think Nihilus is headed your way."
She could her Anderson sigh. "He's already here, Lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing."
Joker shook his head. "You get that, Commander?"
"Yeah. I'll head down there now," Carrine replied. Taking one last glance to the Lt. on Joker's right, she turned on her heel and headed to the room behind the navigation map. Instead of finding Anderson, she met the backside of a turian.
Nihilus seemed to notice her presence and turned around. "Commander Shepard," he said, "I was hoping you would get here first, it will give us a chance to talk."
Carrine locked her hands behind her back, twitching to make sure she was within a millisecond's reach of her pistol. She didn't trust Spectres. "What about?" she snapped. The two made small talk about Eden Prime until Anderson arrived, and Shepard was not surprised to hear that they were going to the colony to recover something - a Prothean beacon, in this case.
"There's more, Shepard," Anderson said, "Nihilus isn't just here for the beacon. He's also here to...evaluate you." At the last part, Carrine's head snapped up and turned into an outright scowl. Nihilus watched her, not showing any emotion nor saying a word.
"And what the hell am I being evaluated for?" she spat out. "I believe I've proved myself several times over, And-Captain." She had to grit his title out through clenched teeth, her temper briefly getting the better of her.
"Shepard - Carrine - this is no insult to you. You're smart enough to know how things work, Commander; the Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy; we want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human in their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come." Anderson nodded at Nihilus, who looked like he wanted to speak.
"Not many could have survived what you went through on Akuze," Nihilus said, causing Carrine to bristle. "You showed a remarkable will to live, a particularly useful talent. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres."
Carrine effectively zoned out for the rest of the conversation, only nodding when she heard something along the line of orders of Eden Prime. Her reverie was only interrupted by Joker announcing a problem over the comm and a video came up on screen that took her attention.
"--get down, I said GET DOWN! --we are under attack, taking heavy casualties, I repeat, heavy casualties! W-we can'-Get evac! They came outta nowhere! We need-!" The feed cut shortly after the last man speaking died, and an enormous black ship showed itself descending on the colony.
"Status report," Anderson said in a clipped tone.
"17 minutes out, Captain. There're no other Alliance ships in the area," Joker responded.
Anderson was quiet for a moment. "Take us in, Joker, nice and quiet. This mission just got a lot more complicated."