"How is this to be understood?"
In Udina's voice, as soon as I entered his office, there was fury and contempt.
"Why didn't you report to me immediately after arriving at the Citadel?"
"Ambassador... it seems to me you are taking too much upon yourself..."
I gave a restrained smile.
"...I am not your subordinate to come running at your first beck and call."
"You are human! And I am the ambassador of humanity!"
"Yeah, and what next?"
"You are a Spectre from the Alliance, which means, despite everything, you answer to me!"
"Um..."
I turned a bewildered gaze to Anderson, who was standing behind Udina. And in the eyes of this old space wolf, I could see pain... The pain of having to work with this man.
"Ambassador, are you sure you've correctly understood the laws concerning Spectres?"
"Shepard..."
Udina calmed down a bit.
"...I understood everything correctly. However, do not forget that you are human and that all I have to do is snap my fingers..."
He demonstratively did as he said.
"...and all contracts with your corporation concluded by the Alliance government will be terminated. It's a bit harder to pressure other races to do the same..."
A haughty smile appeared on Udina's lips.
"...but the colonies... well, really, they can be handed over to someone else."
"So that's how it is..."
I nodded.
"...well then, don't be offended by my next actions. You see, I'm no fool, and knowing your rotten nature, I decided to record the conversation as soon as you started making demands of me. So... you won't succeed. You see, this conversation will be evidence in the Citadel court that contracts are being broken to exert pressure on me, which means the Alliance and all firms that do so will be forced to pay astronomical compensation. And if they refuse to pay it, I will simply take what's mine by force."
"By force?!"
Udina was clearly shocked by my words.
"Exactly. It's not for nothing that corporations are called a state within a state. I have a large enough army to take what's mine by force. As for the other races, Matriarch Benezia is on my side; I doubt you have anyone among your friends who is even a quarter as influential. And in a pinch, I communicate with Aria T'Loak. The connections of those two will be more than enough to ensure any of your actions prove futile."
"By the way, this recording will be handed over to the Alliance government, and don't hope it gets lost. I won't hesitate to use my Spectre status to ensure it's played directly at a meeting of the Alliance government. I think Chairman Amul Shastri will be interested to hear how someone appointed merely as an ambassador threatens to terminate state contracts."
"Stop him!"
Udina turned to Anderson, but he only shook his head.
"Ambassador, an attack on a Spectre, on the Citadel... he has the right to use any weapon and destroy us, and nothing will happen to him because he's recording and will easily prove we attacked. If something happens to him, the cameras in the embassy building will be enough to prove he came here and either left with injuries or didn't leave at all. I'm afraid after that, such sanctions will be imposed on the Alliance... that humans will find themselves in deep trouble."
"You..."
Udina was in a rage.
"Me. So what did you want? I have plenty of work to do, you know, and I don't really want to stand here."
"Get out..."
This was said in a voice that made it immediately clear: if it were up to Udina, he would have shot me. But he was still a politician and understood that after such an act, his own life wouldn't be worth a credit. Besides, I was sure that even if he had lost his temper now, it was only because he perceived me as a dumb soldier.
"As you wish... though calling me in just to threaten me..."
I shook my head.
"...however, that's your decision."
I left Udina's office, surprised by his behavior. After all, a diplomat can't be like that... or is it just that I'm used to working with personalities like Benezia and Aria, and other truly influential individuals who no longer need to prove anything to anyone?
No, the fact that this guy was an idiot was clear back during our first meeting, but now he had surpassed his former self by three or four heads!
Leaving Udina's office, I headed... no, not to Tevos, but to that same Asari diplomat, as I needed to clarify some details regarding her task.
"Shepard?"
"Miss Dantius, good day... though I suppose I don't have the most pleasant news for you."
"Not the most pleasant?"
The Asari looked at me somewhat fearfully.
"Yes, the news is far from pleasant, and that's why I decided to even visit you in person. You see... I couldn't go myself at your request, of course, but I asked a couple of acquaintances to look into the situation. And they looked into it... and how they looked into it..."
I stared intently at the lady, then activated my Omni-tool and displayed documents above it.
"Here is documentation confirming that no one kidnapped your sister. She conspired with the pirates herself and was extorting money from you."
"I..."
The Asari averted her gaze, trying to show me she was embarrassed, and though she was a good actress and I was even ready to believe her, some data I had managed to review back on the ship told me she was currently trying to manipulate me.
"...Spectre, may I appeal to you?"
"Appeal?"
"Yes."
She nodded and raised her gaze to me, and honestly, if I didn't communicate with Aria and Liara, who often tested my resolve, I wouldn't have been able to resist. Though I must note that Liara never did it on purpose, whereas Aria... that woman often provoked me, though unlike Liara, it wasn't provocation through her own embarrassment and innocence, but provocation through arrogance and harassment.
"So?"
"I... I ask you, couldn't you solve this problem with Dahlia?"
And her eyes went... flutter-flutter...
"Uh-huh, so, solve it?"
"Y-yes... I won't remain in your debt. Believe me, I understand that such things aren't done for nothing. So I would be very grateful to you."
"I see what's going on with you..."
I shook my head, and the Asari continued to play her part, pretending not to understand what I was talking about.
"...you want to cover the tracks of the fact that you originally started rising on Red Sand. And that it was you who placed your sister in the position over the pirates. Very clever... especially clever to act through a Spectre, who theoretically can arrest or eliminate anyone except a Councilor. And it's even more than logical that you decided to act specifically through me, because I'm so young and only recently became a Spectre. But I'm not such a simpleton."
"You..."
Fury was heard in the diplomat's voice. She started to rise from her seat but froze instantly when she saw a pistol pointed exactly at her head.
"What do you want?"
She asked this question after taking a deep breath and a long exhale. By the end of the question, she had completely regained her composure.
"Oh, how pleasant it is to talk to a politician capable of regaining their composure in a short time."
I decided to flatter her a little.
"Flattery won't help you. Let's just figure out what you want."
"Oh, I don't want that much... though my request can't be called small either. I need control over that group you previously led. And naturally, your cooperation."
"What?"
"Oh, come on... you're no fool and must have seen that preparations for war are gradually beginning..."
The Asari frowned somewhat suspiciously and nodded.
"...and I need my own forces to protect the colonies. Of course, NOW, these bandits won't work with heart... But when the war begins. When their loved ones need refuge, that's when they'll realize that my leadership over them is a blessing from the Goddess."
"Ahem... I take it you know significantly more than society?"
"Significantly..."
I nodded.
"...and I can say that in the next ten years, though perhaps much sooner, a war will begin that will call into question the survival of all races of Citadel Space and explored space."
"That's hard to believe..."
"I don't really care whether you believe it or not. I'm just stating a fact. You either work for me, or I simply send you and your sister to the next world. And I'll hand over the information about your little schemes to the Spectre corps."
"So I have no choice..."
The Asari winced.
"Well, why no choice? There is one; you're just ignoring the option you dislike the most, namely death."
"I meant a choice that would suit me."
"Well, such a choice isn't always available. But yes, you don't have that kind of choice. So? Death or work?"
"Work."
"Very good..."
I demonstratively put away the pistol.
"...you'll receive data on your first task soon."
"Um... is that all?"
The Asari blinked in bewilderment.
"Well, yes... or were you expecting something else? Information about you is already with my corporation's security service, as is information about your sister. Surveillance on you has already begun, and you'll be eliminated at the snap of a finger. So just do everything I tell you, and you'll live. Moreover, you'll live better than you did up to this point."
"Better, huh?"
She gave a crooked smirk.
"Well, yes, better."
"You want me to believe that? After the choice you offered?"
"And why would I lie?"
I tried to convey surprise with my voice.
"After all, even if I'm forcing you to work for me, but... anyone, if truly backed into a corner, will try to cause trouble at the end. And very serious trouble at that. But if you realize that your life has become better after you started working for me, then you yourself will start putting in more effort to do it better."
"Pff..."
"I suggest evaluating the changes. And then making a decision."
"Suppose. What should I even expect?"
"What to expect?"
I looked at her thoughtfully.
"Well, those you'll be in contact with will explain that to you in more detail. Oh, don't worry, they won't put a rifle in your hands and won't make you kill everyone around you."
"Right, as if that's the worst thing that could happen."
"Listen, I really don't know yet exactly what you'll have to do. My corporation has so many directions of development, so many interests, that it's hard to say exactly which tasks will fall to you. Maybe opening some shop on the Citadel, or on the contrary, making sure a shop closes. Perhaps you'll have to monitor smuggling, ensuring that certain inspection groups acquire selective blindness... there are many options."
"I see..."
She sighed, and after saying goodbye to her, I left her office. Was I afraid the conversation had been recorded and now she would start doing something? No, because my specialists had already hacked everything, including the Omni-tool, which is considered very difficult. However, not impossible.
Having dealt with this matter, I finally headed toward Tevos; I didn't forget to message her that I was on my way, but when I was already approaching the building where her office was, I received a message saying she had an important guest and our meeting would have to be postponed until the next day. I had to agree and headed to the Spectre corps, where I again took up the task of replenishing all sorts of supplies.
I had, of course, submitted a list of requirements to the corps, and some of it should have already been delivered to the ship, but I decided to push for what was needed—for example, new weapon prototypes. Of course, it wasn't easy to do, but it was necessary. After all, the survival of my team depends on it.
And it was during this activity that Pressly contacted me again.
"Shepard..."
"Yes?"
"I've just been contacted by the Twelfth Fleet. The Normandy is being recalled from the Spectre corps."
"Really?"
I raised an eyebrow inquisitively, not believing that an idiot had been found who decided to try something like that.
"Yes."
"I see... can you forward the documentation to me?"
"I... John, it's classified... and you..."
"And I'm a Spectre. Pressly, honestly, you read the documentation just as I did. Once a ship has been fully transferred to a Spectre, it can no longer be recalled. The Alliance can puff out its chest, say things, make demands, but it all means nothing."
"I... understand..."
"Well then, forward those documents to me. I'll send them to Tevos; let her deal with the idiot who decided to encroach on the property of the Spectre corps."
"Alright... oh, I feel like I'll be kicked out with a black mark."
"If so, believe me, I'll always need an XO, though... perhaps in that case, you'll even become a captain. Not on the Normandy, of course, but you'll like the ship."
"I... thank you."
***
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