Councilor Tevos halted at the chamber's entrance, feeling a shiver down her spine—a primal warning of an impending storm. Inside, Councilor Milsa remained seated like a frozen statue, her eyes narrowing to icy slits fixed on Councilor Gladius. The latter, however, maintained his focus on one of the scattered data pads, betraying an underlying turmoil. Rage seethed beneath his composed exterior; his mandibles quivered like exposed nerves, and his obsidian eyes gleamed with intensity as they scanned the screen. Hunched and predatory, his sharp fingers dug into the central table, creating a tense atmosphere in the room.
As Tevos entered, the acknowledgements from Milsa and Gladius were brief and brusque.
“Tevos,” Milsa greeted neutrally.
Gladius, without uttering a word, nodded at her before resuming his focus on the data pads.
Tevos accepted their chilly greetings with grace, taking her seat and promptly inquiring, “What has happened?”
“Duplicity,” Milsa replied coldly.
“That would be a good word for it,” Gladius agreed, his attention still fixed on the screens. The salarian's glare intensified, becoming more withering.
“The 17th Fleet has vanished,” she stated frigidly. “Their whereabouts and current status have been concealed from us.”
The asari matriarch shook her head. “I don't understand,” she said. “They sent a report a few days ago, citing issues with some ships that caused a delay in reaching their next route.”
“I've received the same report as well,” Milsa stated. “However, given the absence of details, system logs, or any updates, STG dispatched a scout ship to the assigned system to assess the situation. The Fleet was nowhere to be found. And that's not the only concern.
“We've now received additional reports of erratic movements within the Turian Fleets,” she continued, her voice crackling with tension. “The 15th has inexplicably doubled back on their routes, adopting tighter, offensive formations. The 16th and 18th have veered off course, lingering on the edges of their systems for days on end. Most alarmingly, these maneuvers all synchronized within a tight window, hinting at a coordinated operation shrouded in secrecy.”
Tevos frowned and turned her gaze to the turian. “Gladius,” she called. “An explanation would be appreciated.”
“It certainly would,” the turian replied, his voice gruff as he finally looked up. “Regrettably, it wasn't until a few hours ago that I caught on to the fact that I've been cut off from the loop.”
“A likely story,” Milsa scoffed.
“Why would the Hierarchy do that?” Tevos asked neutrally.
“The most plausible reason would be to prevent me from reporting it to you,” Gladius replied with a soft sigh, releasing the data pad he had been holding. “I know my duties and remember the oaths I took when I became a Councilor. If something happened that concerned the Citadel, I would have informed both of you. The Hierarchy likely realized that as well.”
“Do you think we're fools?!” Milsa demanded.
“Peace, Milsa,” Tevos pleaded.
“No, Tevos!” the salarian exclaimed. “Salarians may have short lives, but we don't forget history! The secrecy, the strange fleet movements? This is how the krogans behaved before the start of their rebellion!”
Gladius’ plates flexed at the accusation. “Do not call our loyalty in question, Milsa,” he growled.
“Why not, considering the circumstances?” Milsa countered coolly.
YOU ARE READING
Drift Effect
FanfictionIn the early 21st Century, Humanity made First Contact. By the end of it, they lost Earth. However, they survived, carving their place in the sea of stars, hoping one day to finally retake back their home world. The void, though, is a dangerous plac...
