ALL THE KING'S HORSES...(Revised and Reloaded)
Author's Notes: I've been asked by some people to continue this story and it's refusing to die on me. A couple of reviewers in particular made a good point—that I pulled the trigger on the story a little too quickly, that I was impatient and didn't give my audience a chance to really get into the story. I think part of the problem was that there was little frame of reference to the Mass Effect characters and universe. While this story does take place many...many...years after the Reaper War, I'm going to try to do more to integrate familiar ME elements into the story—that might help give people a better frame of reference. I'm also taking the opportunity to retool the story a bit—actually, a lot. I hope people enjoy this utterly revised tale—in many ways, it really is a completely new story. I can't promise rapid updating—I'm also writing several other stories (I'm currently working on the next chapter of "Through the Looking Glass", I work full time and am primary caregiver for my mother besides dealing with health issues of my own that occasionally pop up (plus, Victoria II: Heart of Darkness comes out next week), but I'll try best I can to keep time between updates as short as possible and ask that you please bear with me. Also, I'm going to rate this story M for adult themes. Now that that's over with, on with the show!
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One Year after the Battle for Earth...
"Are you sure about this, Ashley?"
"Yes." A dark haired woman wearing blue combat armor replied as she gently and tenderly placed the crying infant in her arms into the tiny tube. "We talked about this before we...before the attack on the Cerberus base. That if the Crucible failed..."
"We were to make sure that it was destroyed, along with every mass relay and as many records and starcharts as possible. Operation Scorched Galaxy." A male voice, gravely and authoritative in tone, interjected.
"A big FU to the Reapers." Another voice, this one female, her voice bitter and angry, caustically remarked. "We might burn, but we're not leaving anything for those bastards to screw the next bunch over with."
"Correct, Jack." The male voice agreed, "We succeeded in destroying the Citadel at the cost of Third and Fifth Fleets and we used the same trick Shepard used to destroy the Alpha Relay on virtually every relay in the network."
"Plunging the galaxy into a new Dark Age." The first female voice, soft and sad, remarked as she placed the little blue infant in her hands into a tube similar to the tube containing the human baby. "Unfortunately, we don't have any other choice."
"Dr. T'Soni is correct." The male voice affirmed. "We'll fight as long as we can." He defiantly stated, "But eventually the Reapers will wear us down. Just as they did the Protheans and all those that came before them."
"But only after we've given them the biggest and baddest butt-kicking they've ever had, Admiral Hackett." The dark-haired woman boldly declared.
"Exactly, Williams." The admiral nodded his head, "But Operation Scorched Galaxy is only part of our plan. The future will rest on the success or failure of Project Awakening."
"The Normandy and everyone else are either already in position or getting into position and the colony's being established on the third planet in this system." Ashley reported.
"You sure the Reapers won't be able to spot it?" Jack asked.
"We've made it as secure as we can." Admiral Hackett responded. "The colony will be totally dark—no technology—and it's completely off the grid—not mentioned in any records—so the Reapers shouldn't be able to find it and the only people who know about the cache and the stasis pods are the four of us."
"Damn. Those colonists are going to have it rough." Jack shook her head.
"That's why it's strictly volunteer." Liara interjected, "All of those volunteering have experience dealing with primitive environments and the condition for being included is a memory wipe of anything having to do with advanced technology, the Alliance, or galactic civilization."
"Like babies." Jack shook her head in disbelief.
"Only way we can be sure that the colony might have any chance of avoiding the Reapers." Ashley replied as the blue skinned asari woman pressed two buttons on a wall console.
"Whoever comes after us will have to develop the technology to be able to access the caches and won't be able to access all of the information contained in Awakening without the aid of our children."
"What if..." Jack began only to be cut off by Admiral Hackett.
"Hopefully, they'll be able to assist. But if not...if something should happen to Shepard's children, the next cycle will still be able to attain the information and special assistance necessary to defeat the Reapers. The only parts of Awakening they won't be able to access will be the special files—and those are such that they will only be of value to Shepard's children anyway."
"Hopefully..." Ashley sighed, "We'll be able to get all the caches set up before the Reapers get us all. We'll do the best we can, but it'll be up to whoever comes next to use it."
"That's all we can do—give the future a fighting chance." Admiral Hackett nodded his head approvingly. "Are the stasis pods working properly, Dr. T'Soni?"
"Yes, Admiral." Liara replied. "Our children are safe."
"Shepard's final legacy." Admiral Hackett remarked in a voice that was equal parts somber and optimistic.
"Take care, my baby. Sleep tight. Your Mommy will always love you." Ashley sobbed as she touched the pod containing her child, "Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?"
"Tennyson?" Hackett raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. John liked him as much as I do." Ashley smiled as she turned her attention back to her child, "Your Daddy and I will be looking down on you from Heaven."
"And you take care, my Little Wing." Liara cooed gently to the infant in the other tube. "Walk with the Goddess and I shall be with you in Eternity."
Watching as the stasis pods were locked in place, Admiral Hackett nodded his head, "Right. Our job now is to do everything we can to give those two and as many as possible a fresh start—one without the Reapers."
"Let's go." Jack snarled, "We've got Reapers to kill."
"I must lose myself in action..." Ashley whispered under her breath as she walked out of the chamber, Liara at her side, "...lest I wither in despair."
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75,000 Years Later...
Valeria Messalina smiled contentedly as she took stock of her situation. One of two adopted daughters of one of Etruria's wealthiest merchant princes, the olive skinned, dark-haired beauty enjoyed only the finest things. And so, here she was, in Vastati's, one of Alia City's premiere restaurants wearing a gossamer black gown, reclining on a klinai in a private dining room, watching a lovely dancer wearing nothing but body paint as she sipped valaberry nectar from a jewel inlaid golden goblet.
"Will there be anything else, Donna Messalina?" A bare-chested waiter wearing a dress kilt inquired.
"No..." Valeria replied with a smile, "That should be enough for now. Although I am expecting a client shortly...could you please see him in when he arrives."
"Very good, Donna. Your first course will be here momentarily."
Her mouth watering with anticipation as a pair of waiters attired similarly to the first waiter brought in a cheese appetizer, Valeria held out her hand as one of the waiters handed her a fresh goblet, this one containing a white wine to go with the cheese. As she took a nibble from the cheese, produced from the milk of the kala, one of Aeia's local fauna that had been domesticated years ago, the dark haired woman spotted her client being escorted to her by the head waiter.
"Hello, Freeman Jakson." Valeria grinned as she sipped her wine, "Prompt as always. Care to join me?" She invited as she gestured at the dining couch opposite where she reclined.
"Let's just get this over with." The older man growled as he looked down on the merchant princess lying down munching on a piece of cheese. "I've got you what you wanted." He said he produced an OSD from his shirt pocket, handing it to the woman.
"Thank you." Valeria smiled as she downloaded the contents of the OSD into her omnitool. "Just give me a moment..." Nodding her head as the data appeared on her display, the raven-haired woman's fingers danced over the omnitool. "There we go. I've just paid off all your debts to your creditors. You won't have to worry about indenturing yourself now."
"Then that concludes our business." The older man growled.
"Yep.' Valeria smiled back, "Have fun at the daro tables."
"Never again." Jakson grumbled as he walked away, "That's what got me into this mess in the first place."
Perusing the contents of the data that she had just downloaded, Valeria grinned in delight as the main course was brought in. Tapping her personal communicator, Valeria spoke in a soft voice, "Dad? I got it. Yeah...I'll bring it in tomorrow. Tonight? You want to see me tonight? Sure...no problem. Can I finish dinner first? Raul is fixing his special for me. Thanks, Father...you're the greatest! See ya!" Rubbing her hands together in delight at the sight of the plate of grilled yana fish placed before her, Valeria sighed contentedly, "Yep...today's been a good day and tonight an even better night."
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Atys University
"Read chapters eighteen through twenty for your next assignment." Dr. Alys Messalina instructed from the classroom stage, addressing her virtual and face-to-face audience. "There'll be an exam on the material next Dualmoon Day."
Alys watched as the nude and semi-nude students in her classroom filed out laughing and talking with each other. Deep in thought, the asari maiden, herself topless and wearing a long belted skirt, withdrew to her office as the last of her students left the auditorium. Taking a deep breath, Alys heated up a cup of sana tea, allowing herself a moment to enjoy the floral bouquet wafting up from the heated brew before taking a small, dainty sip. Then, reluctantly placing her cup down, Alys turned her attention back to her monitor screen.
"Still working on your Forerunner project?" A male voice called out from behind her.
"Of course." Alys responded, "Come on in, Michael. I was just trying to decipher these records. Maybe you can help shed some light on what they're saying."
"I'm not sure what I can do to help." Dr. Michael Rossi replied as he brushed back a stray lock of sandy blond hair. "You know my field of expertise is ethnography. I'm no linguist or archaeologist."
"I know." Alys sighed dejectedly, "I was just hoping that you might be able to find something in these writings that I'm missing."
"Did you think about asking your father for help?" Michael suggested, "After all, being a daughter of a League merchant does have its perks—or so I've been told."
Laughing, Alys shook her head, "Do I look like my sister? Val's the one who wants to go into the family business. I'm the brainy scholar, remember?"
"Brainy scholar with a bionic punch." Michael laughed.
"Yeah...well...that bastard had it coming to him...calling me a serpens-head." Alys grumbled.
"I'm sorry..." Michael commiserated. "I guess it must be rough..."
"Being possibly the last of my race?" Alys interrupted.
"Ummm...I'm sorry, Alys..." Michael stammered an apology as the asari gently held up her hand,
"It's all right, Michael. I've gotten used to the idea...and it's not as if I can't have children." Alys smiled, "At least I think I can have children. Unfortunately, our knowledge of my people's physiology is poor. What we have, we have from the Tarquini cache and we're still working our way through all of that. Still...there's plenty of time." The asari smiled as her eyes fell to the time display on her monitor. "Hells!" She exclaimed, "I have to get home. Father wants to see my sister and me about something. He said it was important."
"Then you better get going." Michael laughed, "Don't want to keep Hiram Messalinus waiting."
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As she entered the foyer of the palatial estate that her father called home, Valeria Messalina's jade green eyes quickly took in the luxurious surroundings. Smiling, Valeria breathed deeply, savoring the jasmine scented air as she nodded her head appreciatively at the rare and valuable sculptures and artwork collected by her father. Spotting her sister at the bar, nursing a green liqueur which the hedonistic Valeria immediately recognized to be Asterioth's Breath, a very rare and expensive drink, Valeria approached. "Hey, Sis. So...Daddy call you in too?" She asked as she took the stool next to her asari sibling and, taking out a long cigarillo, lit it. "Wonder why Father called us both in together."
"Looks like we're about to find out." Alys replied as she nodded her head towards the rotund man with a big cigar in his mouth approaching them.
"Daddy!" Both girls called out in unison as the man waved at them.
"What's up?" Valeria asked as the head of Messalinus Exotica joined his daughters at the bar.
"Why don't we go in my office, my dears." The burly man smiled broadly, "We have much to talk about."
Wincing slightly from the great bear hug she received from the laughing bearded man, Valeria smiled as she gave her father a quick peck on his cheek. "You are in a good mood, Dad! So...what's up?"
"Yes, Father." Alys interjected as she also gave her adoptive father a kiss on his cheek, "Your call sounded urgent."
"It is! It is!" Hiram Messalinus nodded his head as he gestured at the plush couch in his office. "Sit down, girls...we have a lot to talk about and all of it important." Sighing, the merchant prince remarked, "Never get old, my dears—it's a curse!"
"I bet you'll be carrying on long after I enter the matron stage..." Alys chuckled nervously, mindful of the fact that she, likely as not, will outlive her father, sister, and all of their descendents.
"You...old?" Valeria chuckled. "You can still out drink, outfight, and out fu...well...I've seen you drink and fight..."
"Ah...you're sweet, my daughters." Hiram sighed melodramatically, "But these old bones are creaking. No...this galaxy's for the young. And speaking of which..." He grinned, "Sit down! Sit down! As I said, we have much to talk about." He commanded genially as the heavyset president and majority stock holder of Messalinus Exotica made his way to the bar. "Your usual, my dears?" He inquired as he poured an amber liquid into a tall thin crystal glass and a green liquid into another and then a clear liquid into a gigantic engraved mug. Hoisting the mug in one hand, he motioned to his daughters as he simultaneously gestured to a box on the desk with the hand with the mug. "Help yourselves."
"Thanks." Valeria replied as she opened the box and took out a long, slender cigarillo. Setting her drink down, she then fixed the cigarillo to the end of a long gold cigarette holder as her father held out a light for her. Inhaling the cigarillo into life, Valeria took a deep breath and then exhaled a steady plume of smoke. Taking a sip from her drink, she nodded her head appreciatively, "My favorite vintage."
"Yes...this is good...as usual." Alys added as she took a sip from her glass.
Hiram chuckled, "Nothing but the best for Daddy's little girls." Returning to his desk, Hiram Messalinus sat down in his comfortable leather chair. Taking a sip of his drink, all traces of humor vanished as he regarded his children. "My girls...it's time for us to have a talk. Remember the story of how I found you?"
"Yes, Father." Alys nodded her head. "It was when mother was still alive. You were exploring Tarquinii...the fourth planet..."
"Right." Valeria agreed, picking up the narrative, "You found the archives with us in stasis pods."
"We were infants." Alys recalled, "Mother activated the pods and you adopted us."
"And you have been the tula-fruit of my eye ever since." The old man smiled warmly as he regarded his children. "Not to mention the fact that the cache—and everything in it—made my fortune. The salvage and patent rights secured our wealth and gained me a seat on the League Council, and have given scholars like Alys plenty to occupy their time with."
"So...why bring this up now?" Valeria inquired as she took another drag from her cigarillo.
"What have you learned from the historical archives, Alys?" Hiram asked as he lit up a fresh cigar.
Warming up to the topic, Alys took a sip from her drink. "Not a whole lot, Father. We've barely deciphered their language. Our scientists and engineers were able to reverse engineer some of their technology such as omnitools and OSDs and we've gained an understanding of biotics and how they work, but that's about it."
"Yeah..." Valeria nodded her head, "There's still so much that's locked that we can't access. Wonder why we can't."
"Good question." Alys responded as she sipped her drink. "In some cases, the locks were keyed to technological advancement. We had to prove that we could master controlled nuclear fusion before we could access the information for mass effect technology, for example."
"I wonder why it made us do that? Maybe to keep us from advancing too far too fast?" Valeria speculated.
"Probably." Hiram nodded his head. "That actually makes a lot of sense if you stop and think about it. More than one culture on Etruria has been destroyed because of contact with more advanced cultures. The Forerunners might be doing us a favor here."
"Perhaps." The asari then added, almost as an afterthought, "And there are also frequent mentions of a 'Shepard.' We haven't been able to figure out who or what this Shepard is or was as yet. It's possible that we might be dealing with some sort of religious figure or deity."
"We still haven't been able to crack the secret of using mass effect fields for interstellar travel, either." Valeria added, "So we're still stuck in our system."
"Not anymore." Hiram triumphantly announced. "One of our more ambitious and daring scouts has made a most interesting discovery out in the cometary cloud." He then slipped an OSD into a receptacle in his desk. "Watch."
The daughters watched the monitor screen intently as they observed the scout's video. Both girls gasped as their eyes spotted the object on the video. "That's a..." Valeria stammered in disbelief and wonder.
"Space ship." Hiram nodded his head. "Can you read the writing on its side?"
"It's written in the Forerunner tongue." Alys noted, "N...O...R...M...A...N...D...Y. Normandy. SR-2."
"Is it functional?" Valeria inquired as she exhaled a plume of cigar smoke.
"We haven't been able to gain access inside to ascertain that." Hiram ruefully admitted, "Heavens knows we've tried."
"Probably keyed to technological advancement." Alys nodded her head. "Before accessing it, we probably have to first prove that we can operate mass effect powered ships."
"And we're still about five to ten years away from that." Valeria interjected.
"Not necessarily." Hiram smiled knowingly as he refreshed his and his daughters' drinks. "Keep on watching." He instructed as he resumed playing the video.
"That's a..." Valeria stammered.
"Stasis pod." Alys finished.
"Right." Hiram nodded his head, "Only this one contains an adult. It was found in the same docking area as the ship. I assume he must be the pilot or an engineer. We've also found other pods. Some with their occupants alive...most, unfortunately, nonfunctional."
"Have any of them been awakened?" Valeria inquired as her breath quickened in excitement.
"No." Hiram shook his head. "We haven't been able to crack the code sequence. "Also..." He remarked as he pointed to a panel below the entry keypad on the tube, "Do you see?"
"Looks like palm recognition locks." Valeria noted.
"That's exactly what they are." Hiram nodded his head.
Looking down at her palms, Valeria chuckled, "I have a feeling I know whose palms are supposed to go in those locks."
"Very probable." Hiram nodded his head. "I want the two of you to go there and see if you can unlock those pods and crack that ship open. I want to know what we're dealing with here. This could be the most important find in Etrurian history and..." He added, his voice exhibiting a father's love, "It might help you answer some questions."
"We're on our way." An enthusiastic Valeria replied as her sister rose to join her.
"We'll let you know what we find out, Father." Alys added as both girls waved farewell to their father.
"Have fun, girls." Hiram smiled contentedly as he lit his pipe.