Vanguard

"What's your name?"

"Negative."

"What?"

"I have no name, no serial number, not even a marque. I am not a product of your society or any other organic. I am both one and many. My mind…our minds do not require such designations to be singled out. There is rarely a need to single us out in the first place."

The organic seemed to understand to at least some extent, which was more than the vanguard expected. Just coming into contact with the ship harmed the minds of most sapients, even when direct control wasn't being exerted. Yet he was still lacking, the issue of individuality being the most direct example.

"You seem surprised…" the vanguard continued, continuing to communicate with its servant. "You appear unable to comprehend…"

"No, I comprehend. I just find it…surprising that one as mighty as yourself would be without designation."

Flattery…did the organic really believe it would do him any good? Well, it wouldn't do him any harm at least, but still, his façade was obvious. The vanguard had probed his mind, knew that what was once a petty quest to ensure his own species' supremacy had become an interchange with the one who could extinguish galactic civilization in an instant. Or would, if the Citadel would react to his commands. Yet this wasn't a bad thing. Let the organic know the goals, if not the outcomes…or rather, not this specific outcome at least.

"How…how long have you been in the galaxy?"

"Negative."

"What?"

"Time…for most species, it is measured by the rotation of a planet around its star. This is imperfect. No measure of time is equal in this way. Time is itself not always progressing at the same pace. But at no point in your history has time been measured directly. Only pre-determined units have been used. These units are of no relevance to me."

The organic understood, even if he didn't comprehend. As his mind buckled under the vanguard's presence, it wondered if it should rectify this. Come down to his level, allow him to understand to the extent that was required. It decided that this would be so…and what better to start than with one of its original queries?

"Perhaps I should make this easy for you. Perhaps I should make communication more preferable. Perhaps I should provide a designation."

"Yes? And what would that be?"

"Sovereign," the one the protheans called a Reaper. "You may call me Soveriegn."