"It doesn't matter, Ambassador Udina. Your people are responsible for where you put your colonies. You should have learned from the last attack on Elysium that it needed to be defended." Olan said to the Ambassador. He looked like an ant from Olan's seat. Everyone did.

"And besides, we have no forces to spare. The Council took a heavy toll at Judecca, and we're still recovering."

"So did ours!" Udina raged. "The Alliance helped you at Judecca, and now you abandon us when we ask for help?"

"We will now vote." Olan said, ignoring Udina, "Please be quiet, lest someone be confused and vote incorrectly."

The Ambassador kicked the air in front of him angrily, and nearly fell into the terrarium. However he regained his balance as the Alliance Officer behind him grabbed his arm.

"That is it. The Council will not be reinforcing Elysium." The Asari councilor said, counting the votes.

Udina spun around violently and stomped off without another word.

Olan sighed contentedly as the elevator fell slowly, silently, into the Presidium. The Lake was always beautiful to look at, no matter how many times you saw it.

"Why did you vote against sending help to Elysium?" Delusio Blakran, the Turian councilor asked him. The elevator was empty, save the two of them.

"That's confidential, as is me confirming whether or not I voted against it." Olan replied, his eyes fixated on the deep blue water below them.

"Oh, please. Don't give me that."

Olan sighed again, though with much less contentedness, and much more frustration.

"I voted against it because we honestly don't have the forces. But that's not all- the humans need to figure out how the galaxy works. They need to survive for themselves, without the Council stepping in and saving them. Every other race in this council has managed to last in the interstellar theater without a prop to fall back on before the Council came along. But the humans had the fortune to discover the Turians as soon as they developed FTL technology, and the misfortune of the First Contact War. But after that, they've relied on the Council for all the problems they couldn't solve. And we've always had a solution until now."

"I see hard times coming soon, Delusio. The humans will blame us for not sending them help, the Geth will take a more prominent role in the galaxy, and all our old friends will be simply new enemies."

"Thankfully, I'll probably be dead by then."

With that, Olan walked out of the elevator and walked off after a quick backwards wave to the Turian.

[Continued in Flux]

"Ambassador, we've already had this discussion." Olan said to an enraged Udina.

"Why won't you see reason? Elysium is just a stepping stone on the path here! Your colonies aren't in danger now, but they will be before you-"

"Enough! We have had enough of your bickering." Delusio said, interrupting the councilor. "The matter has been decided. At the present moment our forces are too weak to help you. So long as you cease this foolishness now, when the time comes-"

"There doesn't seem to be a lack of troops here." Olan heard echo through the room. It was John Shepard. The Spectre.

"Is there a reason you're interrupting this council meeting, Shepard? We haven't called you here." Ro'xal'a Urnia, the new Asari councilor said. She was adapting well to her new position.

"You're right, I wasn't called here." Shepard said, approaching the end of the platform where Udina stood. "But the 2 million dead humans on Elysium deserve some answers."

Ro'Xal'a kept a calm composure, which surprised Olan. He had been a wreck the first time he had spoken to the headstrong Spectre.

"As was just stated, our fleets are still recovering from the Battle of Judecca. We are sorry for the losses the Alliance suffered at Elysium but-"

"Bullshit!" John yelled, interrupting her. "You could've come in behind the Geth! One fleet was all we need-"

"But," she said, interrupting him in turn," you should have evacuated the planet at the first sign that the Geth were going to attack. The time you spent demanding forces to bolster your own fleets should have been spent evacuating Elysium."

"So we're supposed to run from the Geth every time they attack? Is that what you're saying?" Udina said, stepping in.

"No, but when you've got intel that a large invasion is going to take place at a large colony and you don't have enough forces to repel it, you should do the logical thing and not go off in a blaze of martyrdom." Delusio said.

Richard spoke up, feeling slightly lessened by the grand stature of everything. "With all due respect, Councilor, don't you think when you get intel that a large invasion is going to take place at a large colony and you don't have enough forces to repel it, that the people that have political lead over you should step in and actually help?" he fumed, training to remain as calm as possible.

"Less you forget, the Alliance participated in the Battle of Judecca as well, and had no problem supplying men. I'm sure a fleet or two could have been supplied for say... the Asari?" Richard hadn't wanted to point out the ever-present racial bigotry against Humans, but couldn't help it. Two million lives was too much not to point out the racism a float in the Council.

"If an Asari world came under attack, then the Asari would defend it with their own fleets." Olan said quickly. "They wouldn't require our help to begin with. The fact of the matter, quite frankly, is that your people made an error in judgement, believing you could fight off a Geth invasion, and now you're trying to seat the blame on to the council."

"Turian colonies come under attack everyday, and the Council does not send in their fleets. The Turian Heirarchy does. And if they are defeated, they don't come back and use the Council as their scapegoat." Delusio said, his enraged voice booming.

"That still doesn't explain why you won't help us take Elysium back." John said, feeling defeated. He knew he was right, but there was no convincing the Council.

"Yes it does." Ro'Xal'a said. "It's the same answer, Shepard. We can't produce ships and troops to man them out of thin air. We really are sorry for your loss. But we can't do anything."

"You should forget Elysium." Olan said. "If the Geth succeeded, you would do wisely to instead increase your defenses elsewhere. Attacking Elysium would only allow the Geth to attack another colony while your fleet picks off the few crippled ships they left behind."

Richard felt like flipping out his rifle and shooting all three of the Councilors dead. It was one thing to deny Humans access to reinforcements, but a whole other thing to blame them for the loss of Elysium. The STO Officer would have debated the issue, but he knew being a simply Alliance Political Officer and debating so fiercely would raise eyebrows. Instead, he stayed silent, desperately wanting to rebel against the Council.

"All the races of the Council feel for your loss." Ro'Xal'a said, genuinely. "But Olan is right. The Geth won't wait. They won't re-group and re-arm. They're probably preparing to invade another colony as we speak. This is your chance to beat them back, and counterattack while they retreat."

"We don't have anything left to beat them back with." John said, under his breath. He knew that approach would never work with them. "Maintaining the military is the Alliance's job. No one else's.", they'd say.

After a long moment of silence, the Asari Councilor ended the meeting.

Olan sighed with content- the council had made their point effectively. The water of the lake soothed him on his elevator-ride down, as it always did.

---------------------

"Thanks for trying, Crawford." John said, turning to face him. "I think I've had enough of answers now."

"Thanks for trying, Crawford. I think I've had enough of answers now."

"It's no problem, Shepard. You have to understand that I want to tell you my purpose on your ship more than anything, but..." Richard stopped himself, realizing he had already said too much. "You know Alliance Politics. All hush-hush."

Crawford cracked his neck slightly, looking around. "So, how's Bensen doing? And Williams? Both of them didn't look too good when I last saw them."

"They'll survive. We lost a lot of good men out there. A lot of friends." He said.

"I don't know about you, but I need a drink. You coming?"

"Only if we do it at Chora's Den," replied Richard, taking a cigarette and placing it in his mouth. He lit it casually, blowing on the device in relaxation; it had been much too long since his last smoke. "I have business there."

"Alright. Chora's Den it is." John said as he started towards the nearest Mass Transit console.

(Continued in Chora's Den)

((As it is with Richard))

It had been a particularly stressful day for Councilor Khearkas. Many tough decisions, none of which would affect him later, but tough all the same. Even his usually serene ride down the elevator, staring over the vast lake in the Presidium didn't calm him. There was a feeling of foreboding in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.

Suddenly his fears culminated as a pistol cocked behind him, and he felt a bit of pressure on the back of his head. He was about to be assassinated.

"Just do exactly as I say and you will live through this. If you don't... well let's just say your death will be extremely slow and painful." said Malware. Technically he was just supposed to kidnap this guy, but if he were to intimidate him, well that just might make his job easier. If he wanted to he could either shoot him if he tried to escape or gut him with that blade the geth installed in his arm.

"I-eh.... alright. W-what do you want me t-to do?" Olan asked, his voice quaking. The bastards had come. They ruined his favorite place, the lake. They came and corrupted this pristine lake, they perverted the beautiful gardens around it. Why were they so cruel?

Without a word, his captor guided him through the station. They passed guards at multiple points, and Olan knew he must have concealed his weapon. Or weapons. But he still didn't try anything. He was a politician, not a fighter.

It soon became apparent that they were heading to the docking bay, a wise move. A hostage situation on the Citadel itself would be too messy.

Malware took him to his recently acquired freighter and said "Get in." The Ambassador did so and then Malware then locked him in a storage room, and headed to the front. I wish they would give me more difficult assignments than this, security was too lax though, best keep my guard up. He thought.

Malware then stood next to his freighter, trying to remember his next goals.

[to be continued in docking bay]

Olan stood with the Council as reporters surrounded them, which surprised him- he thought people had completely forgotten about Shepard. They should have, by now.

He could barely hear what was coming from Councilor Ro'Xal'a's mouth over the noise the gathered media correspondents were making. At least Shepard appeared as miserable as him, though Olan doubted the Spectre had as much reason to be dejected. That damn kidnapper had taken Olan's favorite thing in the world- the tranquility of the Presidium's lake. He rarely felt the happiness he did when he rode the elevator down, and looked down at the genteel waters slipping and sliding past each other.

He was brought back to reality when Ro'Xal'a stopped speaking and Shepard's mouth began to move. The entire audience became silent and listened.

He was on a pedestal- he had literally been given a pedestal to stand on. Like so stalwart defender of humanity. What a joke. He was a crusty, washed-up, old salty dog.

All the eyes in the room seemed to shift onto Olan, and he felt it get warmer. What had Shepard said? Surely he hadn't repeated Olan's words from earlier. He had just been released from some strange man with a blade in his arm, sure he was about to be carted off to a waiting death.

He could feel the walls of the room caving in on him as it grew darker, and no one spoke. He became aware that he was panting. He could see Ro'Xal'a mouth something to him that he could not hear as he fell through the floor and into a deep black void.

(Continued in The Presidium Emergency Clinic)

John pushed his way through the crowd, hoping to grab as much attention possible- he had asked Executor Cyrus to meet him there.

"Executor!" he shouted, his voice barely carrying a foot. Luckly, Cryus saw him and managed to push his way over. The reporters fired a barrage of questions at him, but he ignored them.

"Executor, I need a status update on Richard Crawford." he said, leaning in so he could shout it in the executor's ear. The reporters seemed intrigued, but that wasn't surprising. They probably would keep writing if he decided to talk about the fine points of watching paint dry.

"We found a body, one of our operatives." the Executor shouted, seeming even less careful about being heard. "The one near Chora's Den. One of our tails might have seen something. We're tracking him down now."

John nodded and was about to try and leave when Cyrus pulled him back sharply.

"Shepard, I don't like to see my men get mutilated. And for all that Almore bastard did, no one deserves to die like that. I'm with you %100."

John nodded again, and this time managed to make his way through the crowd.

The elevator felt like it was speeding intentionally faster, as if trying to force Delusio to relive the worst day of his life again. His assistant, a turian named Temmel, remained silent during the trip.

The lift slowed to a stop and the door receded revealing the derelict courtyard. It seemed much emptier than ever before save for the few C-Sec investigators scrounging for evidence. Pieces of the floor tile was scattered around and several plants displayed signs of being shredded, no doubt from the hail of gunfire. As Delusio and Temmel proceeded to the shuttle bay, they passed the Council’s podiums where an investigator was snapping shots of Ro’xal’a’s and Olan’s pools of blood. Delusio neglected to look but Temmel managed a quick glance just to satisfy his curiosity.

The pair entered a hidden passage way dedicated for quick emergencies. In the small hallway, were three small turbolifts, each one for a councilor, which led to a small slip sheathing a shuttle for quick evacuations. The lift was last used by Delusio to evade the attack and until then hadn’t been used since the previous council fled the Citadel during Saren’s invasion. He wished Olan and Ro’xal’a had the same chance he did. Again, the memory of the asari’s face filled his mind. She looking at him in terror, pleading him with her beady eyes to do something but all he could do was run. “Never leave your brethren behind, you fight as one and retreat as one,” his instructors had once said during a battlefield test. All of the turian ethics that were drilled into his head so many times in the past failed him.

Temmel pulled out a small datapad and began to sift through different Council appointments.

“The case of Sigmon vs. Ortock is scheduled for today. Should I…?” Temmel was cut off by Delusio.

“Have it delayed indefinitely. The same with any upcoming trials and requests.”

“Right, but you should consider the request for the new C-Sec Executor.” Temmel pleaded.

Delusio pondered the appeal. “They are moving around headless now. Who do they have in mind?”

“A salarian named Sanare. He’s been STG exclusive for the past two decades but he’s the only one competent enough to fill Cyrus’s boots.”

“Get him on a shuttle to the Destiny Ascension. I’ll appoint him personally,” Delusio said as he boarded the single lift. “Is that all?”

“Well, not completely. Sanare is on assignment right now for Olan. He has no idea that the councilor has been assassinated.” Temmel muttered.

“Get me Olan's private comm channel to all STG operatives and send it to my shuttle. I'll contact him after the meeting.” With that, the turbolift dropped down to the hanger.

When the lift dropped, Delusio briskly walked toward the shuttle. The ramp of the shuttle was flanked by two rows of alien C-Sec officers parallel to each other. Several other squads were spread out throughout the hanger milling about consoles or guarding any other entrances to the hanger. The whole expanse was dead silent and once again not a single officer displayed any sort of emotion. Delusio was glad they weren’t celebrating a tragedy but they could at least show they cared.

He boarded the shuttle and found his private quarters and for the first time in several years he felt relaxed.

((Continued in Citadel Space))

(Continued from the Civil War)

With legs moving and guns firing, the Iron Brigade stormed into the Citadel. This was their strong suit- an assault on a few well-trained enemies. The C-Sec Agents, wearing heavy armor and armed well were firing back in moments, though they took a moment's pause to fully realize what was happening.

For a moment it appeared that the C-Sec Agents might push back the Brigade, but they're concentrating fire eventually proved the superior, and the last Turian fell as his shields failed, allowing a barrage of bullets to strike his body.

"It's up to you now, Dzhaikov. Get the turrets off-line for Cerberus." Peter said, and watched as the man quickly got to work at the single console at the end of the Citadel Tower's catwalk over its Terrarium. Without an order the Brigade began to fortify the position, ensuring all the entrances and exits were covered by overlapping fields of fire.

A transmission came in from Cassius.

"How are we doing? I need to get those turrets offline as soon as possible. Cerberus will come in and attack within the wards, giving you some leeway from those trying to hold you in the tower." his voice buzzed.

"Dzhaikov will have the turrets offline in a few minutes. We can keep them off until we're forced out of this position, but the coast is clear so far. Cerberus is clear to move in." Peter replied through the Comm Relay.

(Continued from Civil War Thread)

Vyrchu emerged silently from the maintenance passageways on the top level of the Tower, several C-Sec officers, turian and human alike, filed out behind her. She made her way to the other side of the tower as the officers spread out, all ensuring they would not be noticed until their rifles began to fire amongst the crowd. She quickly took her position when she found one of the snipers she had killed earlier and took his rifle.

"This is S-7, S-1 through S-6, use your rifles and take out as many as you can. S-8 through S-10, you have crowd control; use explosives and target the clusters. I want the targeting lasers off, and I want you to all keep moving in different directions; don't let them track you." Vyrchu said over her com as she prepared herself "Wait for my mark."

She glanced over and saw that they were facing a fair number of well armed individuals, but their close quarters weapons would put them at a disadvantage from their sniper strike.

"Go!" Vyrchu shouted as she and the other 9 members of her impromptu team made them selves known, seven rifles picking off targets amongst the crowd below, and numerous grenades being tossed in and blown up a moment later.

Van and his team climbed up the elevator shaft. There were turrets guarding the entrance. "If any allies are in the tower please clear the turrets guarding the elevator." Van requested on his radio.

Peter immediately took cover, and his men returned fire on the enemy. They had a height advantage, but judging from their fighting style, they were outnumbered. Their position left them few options for pulling back, so, taking a bit of cover, he began to speak on the closed comm channel with the group of gunmen who he had helped in the embassies.

They assured him that they would move into the balcony section as soon as they could. He didn't actually expect the motley group to destroy the enemy, but with hope they would be distracted enough to be picked off by his own men. Cerberus was still nowhere to be found, however.

"Cassius, this is Peter. We are pinned in the tower. Should we hold here, or should we get out?" Peter said over the comm relay with the Chapter headquarters.

The Tact Team managed to make it up the Maintenance Shaft, Crystal took note of where the gunfire was coming from. They were trying to get higher, but they couldn't find a way up.

The team took cover, getting close to the ground and hiding behind anything big enough to. They kept quiet, not wanting to be found by anyone that could be a hostile

"This is Marine Tact Team, are there any friendlies that need assistance?" She called over the C-Sec channel.

It was ablaze with chatter, most of it coming from the Embassies still, she was unsure if any of it was coming from the tower.

"If any allies are in the tower please clear the turrets guarding the elevator."

"This is Marine Tact Team, are there any friendlies that need assistance?"

"This is Spectre Vyrchu! We're in the top part of the tower and are in desperate need of allies; we can't keep our position much longer!" she cried over the com "Marine's, blow the turrets near the elevator so we can let more allies in. Also we-"

"S-1 is down!"

"Their flanking us! God dammit their fla-AAAUGH my leg! my-"

"S-9 down! Their coming up the maintenance ways to the upper level!"

"Dammit!" Vyrchu yelled into her comlink, having forgot to turn it off "They're trying flank us! I have 7 men left. We need assistance ASAP, so blow the damn turrets!"

Vyrchu dropped the rifle and made a dash around to the maintenance passageway, making sure to keep low and avoid the hail of bullets. She drew her sword as she neared it and cleaved an unarmored man in two, which was quickly followed by another that she impaled before using him as a shield to pull her gun and fire at more of the new arrivals.

"S Team, continue as planned; I'll handle the new arrivals!"

Roger Archer and his men charged out of the C-Sec elevator, having secured their escape route. Roger then let loose a message over Comlink "Long Live Terra Firma!".

"Marine's, blow the turrets near the elevator so we can let more allies in. Also we-"

Crystal heard the message, and quickly got to work.

"Were splitting up. Alpha, take out those turrets ASAP. Bravo, your with me, were going to give support"

The group responded in unison "Yes Ma'am"

4 of the group started to move, staying low and agiasnt the wall to remain undetected. Crystal and the other two started to make their way to the transmission. They got to the Turian, opening up on the TF around the Spectre. They dropped a few of the armed men, moving closer as they fired.

"Need Help" Crystal yelled to the Female Turian.

-------------------

Alpha moved along the passageways, looking for the turrets. They saw them, hiding behind a few crates.

"I see one, give me the C-9" The temporary leader said to Rat.

He handed him a fairly large package, enough to take out the turrets near them. He clipped in the detonator, setting it for 8 seconds. He quickly handed it to him, he threw it, it sliding under the first turret.

The 4 started running back, the explosion going off and knocking them to the floor. The sound of sparks echoed down the hallway, alerting them to success.

"God damn Rat, was that nessecary?" He said with a slight chuckle.

"Turrets are offline, anything more needed?" Rat said over the Radio.

Van and his team climbed up into the tower once the turrets were destroyed. "Thanks a lot." Van said. Van and his team of 12 began to run up the stairs. They engaged any hostiles in sight. Van scaled a wall and moved along the balcony taking care of any snipers in his way. The tower was almost liberated.

What was left began to board the elevator to C-sec. Roger Archer and his men were going to go down last. Roger had grenades in both hands for the inevitable rush after his allies.

"Need Help"

"Of course!" Vyrchu yelled as her blade sliced through the last of the force that had tried to flank them "We've done well, there are few soldiers left, but their well trained. My men can hold them off until the other force arrives."

The explosion rocked the tower, surprising Vyrchu with it's force. She smirked though as she saw her reinforcements arriving.

"Nevermind. The battle is ours; let us rain swift death upon our foes." Vyrchu said as she drew her pistol and began firing at the now fleeing enemies below as she placed her sword back in it's sheath.

[From Civil War, Presidium]

From the second floor balcony, Orthe and Riff fired a deluge of bullets straight at the enemies in cover. After a moment, the enemies in the center
of the tower were pushed back, but beyond that, the T.F. soldiers were out of reach.

"Damn it, we need to get down there." Orthe said. He ran across the balcony, and found a ramp down to the elevator. Unfortunately, it was spewing enemies, including Archer, himself. Orthe and Riff pulled behind a pillar, hoping to stay undercover.

"What are we going to do?" Riff asked silently, reloading his weapon quietly.

Orthe loaded up his own rifle, whispering, "If we wait a second, we can dispatch any sentinels they leave at the elevator, then rush them from behind. It's not the safest thing to do, but we can sandwich them, and wipe the bastards out."

"Alright, but let's wait until our team thins out their numbers, though. I'm not afraid of dying, but I don't want do go out as a martyr yet." Riff said, waiting anxiously.

After a few moments, they heard marching. Orthe peered out, and a smile crossed his face. "They're retreating. Let's blast their asses."

Orthe and Riff spun out of cover, firing wildly at the elevator. The T.F. soldiers outside of it tried to defend, but were shot down. Most of them had gotten into the elevator by now, and it was only a matter of time before they escaped back into their last stronghold: C-Sec.

Van reached the Council's pedestal. His team followed behind. They had successfully surrounded the TF forces. Van's team began to move in on the hostiles. This battle was theirs. A transmission came on Van's radio, "C-Sec has been captured. We need help."

Roger Archer and his men went back down into C-sec. They had no hostages whatsoever, they left all civilians flee and all the officers were dead.

*Continued in C-sec*

Vyrchu looked down and saw that her allies had surrounded the few remaining members of the, though unknown, 'Iron Brigade'. However, a message from C-Sec noted her to the next problem she needed to deal with.

"Marines, follow me to C-Sec, we're gonna drive these bastards out of here." Vyrchu said as she ran into the maintenance way and headed towards C-Sec.

"Yes Ma'am!" was the collective reply as some of them followed her, and others used the elevator.

(Continued in C-Sec)

Van left his team behind so that they could secure the area. He followed the spectre's team through the maintenance shaft.

((Continued in C-Sec))

Orthe saw the Spectre and her team pursue the Iron Brigade, nodded to Riff, and dashed down the ramp to the elevator. They joined the group of Peacekeepers, and then Orthe reactivated his comm device.

"This is Ryloth. Riff and I are going down to C-Sec with the Turian woman and her squad. The tower is secure. Meet us at C-Sec." he transmitted to the rest of his team.

[Continued in C-Sec]

"This is Ryloth. Riff and I are going down to C-Sec with the Turian woman and her squad. The tower is secure. Meet us at C-Sec." said the Krogan over Dante's com.

"Roger, alright men lets get back to C-sec" said Dante "we can't let Ryloth and Riff have all the fun".

"for Kane!" screamed Jack.

((continued in C-sec))