Landing.
Our “small” group left the Normandy, and almost immediately at the checkpoint, we ran into an armed squad.
“I am Captain of the Hanshan Port Security on Noveria, Maeko Matsuo.
According to our port regulations, you are not permitted to carry weapons.
Surrender them or return to your ship.”
The girl’s voice wavered noticeably at the beginning, and her eyes made it clear she’d rather see her superiors’ orders dead and buried — but she stood her ground and did her duty.
That commanded a certain respect, which is why I decided not to give the order to open fire.
At least not immediately.
“The Port Administrator Bel Anoleis also wishes to discuss your behavior during the landing approach…”
I sighed.
“Spectre John Shepard, ship Normandy.”
I introduced myself in return, to maintain at least minimal politeness.
“Do you understand how this looks right now?
A girl and five people with her — even with one of her subordinates being a biotic — threatening a combat squad that includes a Spectre, asari commandos, and some unknown but clearly heavy-duty soldiers in exoskeletons?
If I just…”
I demonstratively raised my hand, fingers arranged as if I were about to snap.
“…snap my fingers, all of you will be turned into bloody pulp right here.
And you’re demanding we surrender our weapons?”
“The rules…
they apply to everyone.”
“To everyone except Spectres.
And I confirmed my Corps membership while still on approach.
You know — I like you as a professional.
When we were coming in to land, I was thinking about literally turning everyone who got in my way into bloody mincemeat…”
Several people behind the girl swallowed hard, their saliva suddenly very thick.
They, like their captain, understood perfectly well how our confrontation would end if it actually started.
“…but seeing such professionalism…
I have two proposals.
First: I’ll give you a chance to contact your boss, explain the situation, and convey my words — if I’m obstructed in my work, I will remove the obstacle regardless of its status.
Second proposal: In addition to being a Spectre, I’m also the head of a corporation with a branch here on Noveria — though I’ll be pulling it out after all this.
So I’m offering you a job at New Life.
Hopefully, I don’t have idiots like the ones who gave you that order working for me…”
The girl twitched the corner of her lip and activated her omni-tool.
“Administrator Anoleis, Spectre Shepard has numerical and technical superiority.
However, in his kindness, he has chosen not to destroy my squad.
His demand is to be allowed through without disarming, and to be permitted to do his work unhindered — otherwise, according to him, it would be simpler to eliminate us as an obstacle to completing a Council mission.
Awaiting your orders.”
“You idiot!”
The voice of the speaker was clearly a salarian — not surprising, since the current port administrator was salarian.
“You called me for someone who refuses to follow my orders?
Just drive them off!
Parasini has already flown in from her post ever since she allowed them to land, and they destroyed one anti-orbital defense tower and killed my people!”
“Understood…”
I said this in a calm voice, with notes of weariness.
“…the boss is an idiot.
I knew that in advance.”
A snap of my fingers, and immediately a biotic barrier appeared around Maeko’s group.
“The barrier is one-way.
Anything can get in from your side, nothing can get out…”
A biotic push immediately struck the barrier — launched by the biotic girl from Maeko’s squad.
“Stand down!”
She shouted at her subordinate, who froze in place, though clearly planning to try breaking through the barrier again.
“Surrender your weapons.
Remove your armor.
If you refuse to comply, you’ll be shot.”
“What’s going on there?!”
The administrator, still on the line, demanded an answer from his subordinate.
“We’ve…
lost, without firing a single shot.
I’m sorry, sir, but I’m not going to get my subordinates killed in a hopeless attack.
Disarm!
Remove your armor!”
“Ma’am…”
“Kyra, shut up…
You saw how easily he created that barrier, plus the commandos…
we don’t have a single chance against a squad like this.
And that’s without even mentioning his subordinates in exoskeletons.
So just take off your damn armor and put down your weapons.”
And as Maeko had ordered, everyone put down their weapons and placed their armor beside them.
“I hope there’s nothing there that you bought with your own money…”
Though my tone probably made it clear I didn’t care even if there was.
The barrier shifted shape, and instantly all the items were outside its field.
After that, I nodded to one of the commandos.
“Create a singularity there.”
“Understood.”
A short nod from her, and a singularity appeared over the equipment, rendering it unusable.
“Now — you go first.
We’ll follow.
And we’re going to see your boss, since that’s what he wanted.
Understood?”
“Yes.”
Maeko said this in a slightly displeased voice, but she had no choice.
She understood the situation perfectly, so she didn’t argue.
However, as soon as we left the arrival zone, I heard a mocking voice from off to the side.
“Beni, I told you it was him…
that idiot can’t go anywhere without adventures!”
“Aria, you’re talking about a Spectre — show a little respect…”
“Respect?
This milksop decided to start shooting at the port while we were inside.”
“For the record, we only fired at one tower…
and we were about to shoot at the admin building.
You couldn’t have been in either place.
I know you too well.
You were safe.”
I turned my head slightly and said this with a light smirk.
“Yeah, yeah…”
“Mom!”
Liara rushed to Matriarch Benezia and hugged her, making the Matriarch chuckle.
“Little Wing, what’s wrong?
Everything’s fine…”
“Ahem.
You should have just said you knew the Matriarchs Benezia and Aria — then there would have been no problems with your passage.”
“I could have, but…”
I cast a glance at Maeko.
“…that would have been a private visit.
I arrived here as a Spectre.”
“Fine, let’s get business done.
We need to deal with your boss — the one who thinks he’s above Spectres and therefore above the Council.”
A predatory gleam flashed in Aria’s eyes.
It was clear she was more than pleased that something was about to happen.
A mere five-minute walk — during which both asari joined us — and we were standing before the office, in front of which an actual army was stationed.
Well, it might seem that way to someone who’d just arrived and had nothing to do with actual armies.
“I am Spectre Shepard.
If you don’t clear the passage, I will open fire in five…
four…”
“Fire!”
One of the guards gave the order first, and all the shots were absorbed by a barrier one of the commandos had created.
After that, I gave a short wave, and Jane and Rebecca opened fire on the idiots.
Maeko just closed her eyes painfully — she hadn’t had time to say anything, neither to warn her subordinates nor to order them to drop their weapons.
It was already decided.
The squad guarding the administrator was shot down without trial or investigation — simply for resisting a Spectre.
“Fuck…”
Maeko cast a glance at her subordinate, who was in shock from the quick execution of her colleagues.
“So, Stirling — still want to earn favor with Anoleis?”
“Fuck that…
life’s more valuable.”
Meanwhile, the squad was dealt with.
I calmly opened the office door with a weak biotic push, then took two steps forward — but one of the commandos stepped in front of me, created a barrier, and went ahead.
“I could have handled it myself…”
“Shepard, you’re a Spectre now, not some errand boy.
Don’t act like something you’re not.
You have subordinates — give them orders.”
Matriarch Benezia said this in a slightly displeased voice.
“Yeah, yeah…”
The precaution turned out to be unnecessary — there was no one inside.
The administrator himself was cowering under his desk, trembling with fear.
“So, friend…”
I demonstratively drew my pistol and pressed it against this character’s knee.
“…I could finish you right here and now.
But honestly — your death gives me nothing…
except moral satisfaction that a piece of shit like you — and I know a lot about your little dealings — is finally dead.
But maybe your life could be useful to me?”
“Yes!
Yes!
I can be useful!”
Anoleis shook his head frantically, showing he wasn’t thinking of resisting and was ready for all possible cooperation.
“How wonderful…”
A short interrogation — in which Matriarch Benezia and Aria also participated — showed that this character could indeed be useful, so I didn’t kill him.
But I don’t think he’ll be happy about it.
The two asari, in whose care I left this idiot, will extract everything he knows — and then finish him off.
“Ahem…”
Two women were standing by the office entrance.
One — already familiar to me, the one I’d just disarmed.
The second was unfamiliar.
And it was Maeko who caught my attention.
“I apologize — am I correct in understanding that Administrator Anoleis is no longer the administrator?”
“Who the hell knows?
They’re dealing with him right now, and once that’s done, everything will be decided.
I’ve, shall we say, delegated the resolution of this matter to my trusted associates.”
“Delegated?”
The second woman joined the conversation, and her voice sounded familiar.
“Yes, delegated.
Do you have a problem with that?”
“I…
no…
I was just his secretary, and I wanted to ask a favor…”
The woman was clearly starting to beat around the bush.
“I don’t have time to deal with your favors.”
“Sir, I still ask you to hear me out.
My name is Gianna Parasini…”
She furtively glanced around.
“…and I would very much like to speak with you.”
“What’s with people these days?
I tell them I’ve arrived on Council business, that I need to resolve a matter quickly — and they keep throwing obstacles in my way or trying to pawn off some unrelated issues that could distract me from my mission.”
“Sir…
I’m willing to…
compensate…
your inconvenience.”
“Compensate?”
“Yes.”
She nodded eagerly, but in the next second, a pistol was pressed to her head — and she hadn’t even had time to react.
“Did you just offer a bribe to a Spectre on duty?
Are you stupid, or just immortal?”
Cold sweat broke out on the woman’s forehead.
“Mr.
Shepard, I apologize for interrupting, but — did you offer me a job at your corporation?”
I shifted my gaze to Maeko, who had clearly distracted me on purpose.
“Yes…
I did…”
After holding Maeko’s gaze for a moment, I pulled the pistol away from the other woman’s head.
“Right now, my trusted associates are working with the administrator.
If your issues are related to this character, then you’ll resolve them with my people.
Understood?”
“Y-yes…”
She nodded somewhat jerkily.
“Good.
And you — I take it you know her, since you decided to put your shapely ass on the line to deflect the possible wrath of your future employer?”
“I know her…
She’s a careerist and a bit of a schemer, but a good girl.
And I’d rather not see her brains decorating this place.”
“Got it…
Loyalty to comrades is a good thing.”
I quickly activated my omni-tool, found the phone number of my representative on Noveria, and he answered almost instantly.
“Yes, boss?”
“Maeko…”
“Matsuo.”
The girl understood my hesitation and reminded me of her name — or surname, who can figure out these Japanese naming conventions.
Sure, she didn’t look entirely Japanese, but by name and surname…
anyway, I was grateful for the reminder.
“Yes, thank you, Maeko Matsuo — do you know her?”
“Yes…”
“She’ll probably be coming in to apply for a job soon.
Interview her and process her paperwork.
If she wants to join our branch’s security detail, put her there.
If she wants something more exotic — serving on a ship or at one of the colonies — then forward her file with a note that I’d like her to work for me.”
“Understood!”
“And yes — start winding down operations on Noveria.
In a couple of months, our branch shouldn’t be here anymore.”
“Understood.
May I ask the reason?
This location is quite convenient for business…”
“I didn’t like the administrator’s behavior.
That’s more than enough reason.”
“Understood.”
I ended the call and looked at Maeko.
“I’ve given them a heads-up about you.
So you can head to the branch.”
“Thank you.”
She nodded and went about her business — or maybe straight to get hired.
But the woman standing next to her remained in place, hesitantly glancing at the office entrance.
It all helps promote the story.
And every 100, 300 and 500 stones adds a bonus chapter.
Every 5 reviews too.