Jenkins
The citadel was truly an impressive structure. Absolutely immense in its size it held millions of people and thousands of ships coming in and out every few minutes. Seeing it in person was… something else. I had at first been fascinated to see it in front of me. Right there was one of the coolest locations in a game world I had ever personally experienced, and I was getting to visit it. Walk across its surface in person. At first I had felt a sense of honor, of wonder at the opportunity that should have been impossible.
What followed that feeling was guilt, and a pang of sorrow I had been ignoring everyday since I awoke here. Why was it me? Why was I the one who was here, how many others would have been better suited for this position, who could have accomplished more. I missed my family, my brothers, and my parents. 6 months and still when I stopped to think about it the separation felt devastating. I would think about what had happened to me that caused me to wake up here. Did I die, was I a corpse they mourned for. Was I simply transported, and I was a missing person they never knew what happened too. The one I liked to imagine was that my consciousness was just copied. There's a version of me back home on earth with everyone, and one here in the body of Richard Jenkins. I could never really know, so I ignored the thoughts, pushing them back out of my mind. They were a distraction and I had enough guilt to think about here without mourning my lost family.
I had been a coward. My fear of being discovered, assumed crazy for being what I am, led me to make choices that would hide that fact. In the 6 months since I had woken up here I never once messaged or spoke to Jenkins parents. I could have, but I was afraid they would notice something was off with their son, and I would be found out. It was foolish and stupid. In truth I didn’t think of them as my own parents, I pushed them from my mind without another thought. Until I stood on that dock edge on Eden Prime. I saw the land where Jenkins home should have been, how the entire hillside had been turned to ash. I could have sent a message, warning my parents to stay away from the colony. I could have done something to save them. But I didn't.
Nihlus, a good man and one who genuinely seemed to want the best for Shepard and Humanities growing influence, lay dead. I had allowed that to happen, planning around it instead of trying to prevent it. I had been afraid of making too many changes, of risking the plot I knew collapsing with too many changes, and being unprepared for what was coming. I could tell myself its cause no one would understand, but in truth I was afraid of being useless. Of my knowledge of future events becoming useless. Then I’d just be some guy, I wouldn’t deserve my place here aboard this ship or with this crew. Becoming friends with Kaidan, Dr. Chakwas, Sam and Luther. Receiving compliments from commander fucking Shepard. If I didn’t know what was coming how could I deserve those things?
I was a coward, that’s all there was to it. And I needed to change. I couldn’t, no I wouldn’t allow people to die just because I was afraid of changing too much. I would tear this story asunder if It meant one less person would die. Shepard told me we were the heroes. And it was time I started acting like it. I couldn’t explain things, not as they were. I would be seen as crazy, lose the trust I had gained. There was no shot they would believe me, and any progress I had made would be lost. But I would stop holding back in fear of what could change. There were several tasks I would need to do aboard the citadel to start with. Most could happen after the meeting with the council. I didn’t expect things to go largely better, with the evidence we had there was a chance the council would see reason and just declare Saren rogue, but I found the odds unlikely. It was a meme in the Mass Effect community that the council was downright useless when it came to making good choices.
Still didn’t change my plans, hope for the best plan for the worst. Besides, even if they agreed and found Saren guilty that would make certain things more difficult as well. I still need to get Shepard to recruit the rest of our team. Wrex and Tali are both picked up while searching for evidence to stop Saren. If the council is on board right away I would need a good reason to find them both and quickly, they weren’t expendable. If we wanted to eventually get peace with the Krogan, and between the Geth and Quarians we would need both of them on our side. I had a lot of these thoughts racing through my mind as we stood in the office of Ambassador Udina. The man was the representative of our entire species to the council, and was currently speaking with their holograms arguing our case. It wasn’t going well.
“This is an outrage! The council would step in if the Geth attacked a Turian colony!” The holograms showed the council member of each species. The Salarian Councillor, Valern was the first to speak. The Salarian were an amphibious race, similar in many respects to salamanders. They lived short lives and had large bulbous eyes on rubbery skin, ending in a dual point that nearly joined at the top of their head. They had flat faces, and bore many similarities to the stories of gray aliens we had back on earth.
“The Turians don’t found colonies on the border of the Terminus Systems, Ambassador.” He was uncaring, as the salarian were ruthlessly intelligent, and found empathy far rarer then some other species. He was backed up by the Asari Councillor, Tevos.
“Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the Traverse.” The Asari were the most conventionally humanoid of the council races, with blue skin and uniform divided flaps on the top of the head that gave the impression of hair. They were natural biotics, and were actually a mono gendered species, although they all appeared feminine, and most preferred female pronouns. Udina did not appreciate being written off by two members of the council but was aware he could not push the issue further on Geth invasion, so he changed approaches.
“What about Saren? You can’t just ignore a rogue Spectre. I demand action!” He looked a moment away from throwing his desk off the open balcony his office sported, but was holding it together.
“You don’t get to make demands of the Council, ambassador.” The Turian Councilor, Spartacus was the most hardass of the lot. He bore a lot of resemblance to Nihlus, with dark plates and white markings across his face, and seemed uninterested in the conversation as a whole.
“Citadel Security is investigating your charges against Saren. We will discuss the C-Sec findings at the hearing. Not before.” Tevos is the last to speak, and as she finishes she cuts the communication line, causing the orange flickering holograms to fade.
For a second I worry Udina is going to lose it, as the 4 of us watch waiting for a reaction, he simply exhales as his shoulders drop. He turns around to face our group. Captain Anderson, Commander Shepard, Lieutenant Alenko, Gunnery Sergeant Williams, and my self Corporal Jenkins. Quite the crowded entourage to say the least.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Captain Anderson. I see you brought half your crew with you.” Udina scanned as all with his eyes, and seemed thoroughly unimpressed. Kaidan and Ashley only gave a glance in response before turning to admire the view from the balcony, and I followed suit. The Presidium was the section of the Citadel that was within the ring we could see on our approach. The ‘ground’ for lack of a better term was built to the exterior of the ring, so you could walk around its entirety and loop back on yourself. The ceiling was fixed with a highly advanced led that simulated a sunlit sky, providing light for the entirety of the interior. It was gorgeous, the metal of the interior walls was a glossy white, and a river flowing through the center area, adding remarkable color and vibrancy to the environment.
Udina and Anderson spoke back and forth, and I paid only half attention to it. Udina was a snake, he cared only for power and authority and would eventually betray us to the Reapers to try and secure his own survival. He would need to be dealt with eventually, but for now he was just a disrespectful Ambassador, one that was half decent at his job, and one we needed the assistance of. Still he held no respect for us soldiers it would seem, and only tolerated Anderson because he had too. He had managed to convince the Council to give us a hearing, but was unhappy to know Saren was being accused. Shepard tried to speak up, ensure the Ambassador that Saren was indeed a traitor, but she was ignored. Udina claiming she had ‘done enough to jeopardize her candidacy for the Spectre’s’. Absolute Prick.
Eventually he dismisses us, ensuring that we’d have clearance to reach the Council chambers in the Citadel Tower. Telling us to meet him there in 30 we were left to our own devices.
“And that’s why I hate politicians.” Ashley speaks as soon as Anderson and Udina step out of sight.
“Tell me about it, what a prick. He doesn’t give a shit about what happened on Eden Prime. Only that it looks bad on Humanity, and him, that it didn’t go well.” I cross my arms feeling the same frustration.
“He’s fine guys. And he’s right that we better hope the C-Sec investigation goes in our favor. Did we submit our evidence, Jenkins?” Shepard tried to calm us down and switch our focus.
“Yeah, I handed it over to C-Sec when we arrived. If they find anything else to back it up we should have an open shut case.” I respond, trying to keep my personal feelings on the matter to myself, but it seems my look of doubt gets picked up.
“You don’t look convinced, that voice log is pretty damning isn’t it?” Kaidan asks me, as we leave Udina’s office.
“I mean it’s good we have it. But if the Council doesn’t want to listen to it they can just write it off as hearsay. After all, it only shows Saren was there, not that he’s actually responsible for anything. So honestly I don’t know how well this will go.” Everyone is quiet for a moment, dwelling on my words. I feel bad for dragging down the mood but it’s actually Ashley who speaks up.
“Well Saren is responsible. So even if the Council ignores our recording there will have to be other evidence somewhere.” We give a couple nods in response and overall feel ready for the coming meeting, only knowing we have a little time to kill, and there’s something I wanted to take care of ASAP.
“Well we have a little time to kill. I was going to look around the Presidium a bit, see what they have, you’re all welcome to travel with me.” Shepard looks back at the group stopping us just in front of the desk/lobby of the embassy.
“Yeah-- of course.” Ashley and Kaidan both jump right to saying they would stick with the Commander, but I wait a moment before responding.
“Actually, I think I’m going to go check out the markets. They apparently have access to plenty of alien tech. Upgrades, armor, equipment. I’d like to get some things I could take apart in my spare time.” I give a look to Kaidan, trying to hint I’m searching for biotic amp materials. Please man realize I want to be left to my own devices.
“Well we could, join you. The market would be a good place to visit.” Shepard speaks up offering the suggestion to stick together. But with my prayers answered Kaidan jumps to the rescue.
“Actually we should let Jenkins do some shopping on his own. We would just be a distraction with the techno babble. Plus I actually wanted to look around the embassies, speak to some other Ambassadors. There are lots of species here that we would never encounter in human space.” He gives me a wink as he spins a convincing story. Thanks man, I swear I’ll buy an amp too while I’m here, right after I deal with my actual goal.
“Ah sure. We can meet in front of the Tower elevator then? 30 minutes?” Shepard checks in and I nod in reply.
“Sounds good, I’ll see you all there.” I give a wave and turn around, walking out of the embassy deliberately trying to keep myself from running. Looking back I see as the trio turn to go back into the embassies, encounter some neat aliens and groups. I instead had a job to do. Someone to save from a side quest that had no real good ending in the base game. Something I always wished I could do since I played the games myself.
I picked up my pace into a jog, crossing a bridge outside the embassy over the river that flowed through the Presidium. Turning right at the end I paced the massive statue that stood off the path in the water, one that pictured a large, hulking alien with thick armored plates, a hunched back and thick limbs. A Krogan, their statue placed in honor of the Rachni wars and the Krogan species who’s uplifting* had saved Citadel space. There had been some protests during the Krogan Rebellions** to have it taken down, but it had been left standing as a show of respect, and hope for a peaceful solution. There wasn’t one.
Jogging past the statue I slowed my pace as I entered a large open space. The market. It was actually rather small, just a few aliens, each spaced apart in the area, standing at a table where they distributed their wares. I gave a nod to the Hanar, a large floating, pink, jellyfish-like creature that was in the center of the space, but walked past him. There was a staircase that led to a back room, a simple storage space that was empty of people and lit by a few luminescent bulbs. Turning right I found a large console built into the wall, and a generator next to it. Not unusual to any passer by, plenty like it exist throughout the station, but exactly what I was looking for.
Facing the device I scanned it with my omni tool, and noted the machine was drawing in an insanely large amount of power, far more than was needed for a simple console, although that had been expected. I crossed my arms, preparing for a complicated conversation, before speaking.
“I know you're there. You’re isolated to this console, and currently working on finding an escape to Geth space. I’d like to propose a different offer.” I spoke out loud, and although nobody was present I knew I was heard.
“Probability of discoveries confirmed at one hundred percent. Initiating self-destruct protocol." The mechanical voice speaks from the security console, as the illegal AI I uncovered prepares to destroy us both.