Chapter 2: Weight of Responsibility


Location: Noveria; Peak 15; Hot Labs; Rachni Hive.

Deus ex Machina. If there is one area where the kurozu invests on quality, this is it. They serve as the Avatars of the collective of Industrialist and Militaristic AI that betrayed humanity to their death so long ago, so they may provide a personal touch to the slaughter that the million-strong swarms of disposable drones can not.

But while universally powerful, there are certain limits that depend on manner of construction and materials involved. Simply put they can be divided into a number of letter-based categories, from the mass produced D and C classes, to the higher quality B and A classes. After that is the mighty S class... and come to think of it; the mythical P class – the lattermost which exist for only one purpose: To counter Milieu.

Which of these this Deus ex Machina constitutes was uncertain, but it left no time for such consideration with a hesitation that was effectively nil. Indomitable and single-minded in its purpose, the giant strode onward and fixed its many optics on the Rachni Queen... and thrust a drill-tipped appendage with every intention to immediately eviscerate the creature.

It closed the gap in nearly an instant, far faster than the Queen could ever hope to dodge, poised to close shut the book to Rachni history for the last time.

And failed as a much slighter figure than both of them threw itself between them and backhanded the appendage clear of its target, the drill mounted on it reduced to a mess of twisted scrap.

"I'd ask you a few questions of how you learned of what's going on here..." Slow hissed, his anger white-hot much like his thrusters as he hovered between the two, "if I did not already know it to be a wasted effort."

"Dôji, so far away from your despicable people. So desperate for companions you befriend even this vile creature, so insolent in its return from glorious nothingness." the kurozu maliciously mocked as it glowered down at him, "Abandon these worthless creatures, and you may yet find your loneliness allayed under our tender care."

No doubt that involved him being strapped to a table and carved open by dead-eyed scientists in yet another attempt to gleam at the science used in his construction. "How generous of you..." the Aspect huffed sarcastically while he raised his arms and solemnly replied as he gathered power, his claws tingling at the prospect of an entirely unambiguous battle with the archenemy of his people, "But... I got a better idea: How about I help pick that monster you clothed yourself in to pieces?"

"Foolish, pitiful dôji." it let loose a malevolent laugh that sounded like the grinding of gears, "This avatar far exceeds-"

"Karakuri Henge:" Slow cut it off as his left-hand gauntlet reconfigured radically into a stylized deer's head, its mouth wide agape, "Deer's Hollow!" and discharged a compressed ball of air, delivered with such force that a section of its rounded shields was crumpled, the chest armor sank inward, and the whole much larger machine was launched off its feet and into the air just far enough to be completely clear of the laboratory blocks before gravity decided for it to fall again. It brought enough a forceful stop to its tirade that its final syllable sounded much like a cough.

Strangely though, it landed this time far more lightly, with much less damage to its environment. "Oh great." Slow muttered, "It's got an element zero core."

Nevertheless, his action caused a stunned silence to descend on the area.

"We need an answer." several voices croaked as the Queen came to loom over him from behind, remarkably composed for one who was a hair's breadth from death moments ago, "You intervened on our behalf, yet the motives remain suspect. What are your intentions? Why did you come here if not to use us?"

"Not much to say for starters." Slow sighed, his gaze fixed on where the kurozu had flown. Seeing as the kurozu did not come any closer, likely to make him come to it, he guessed there was time to elaborate: "... When we came here, it was simply to investigate – given the secrecy of this place. For instance it would not do if the kurozu established a secret base away from Peak 17."

The Queen said nothing, and prompted with neither words nor gesture for him to continue.

"Instead we found out about you." he said, his tone so soft it was almost inaudible, "A species revived, but doomed to die again if the current status quo doesn't change."

"... Why would you care?" she asked, "The Rachni are not of your people."

"Extinction is a tragedy without measure. A tragedy that won't happen again if I have anything to say about it..." Slow stated grimly, his gauntlets quivering as images of a civilization rendered into utter ruin came to mind. "Tell me, Queen of the Rachni..." he cast a sad sidelong glance her way, "Is it wrong to simply want you to live?"

The Queen seemed a bit taken aback – though he could not know for sure. By her very nature as a giant insect, she was utterly inscrutable. "Altruism, such that it seem too good to be true. Is there truly no ulterior motive?" the many voices asked in apparent befuddlement.

Slow began to pace onward, "Most importantly, we wanted to save you. But since you ask: I'd love to have you for an ally, to help dismantle the kurozu forces on this world."

"So you do seek to utilize us?"

It was both a question and a statement of fact, but devoid of any accusatory undertones – instead consideration colored the plethora of voices.

A shrug, "As equals, not master and slave. But ultimately, whether you choose to join us or leave this world for another to rebuild in peace, I'll respect your decision and leave it at that."

"Now if you excuse me..." he flexed his claws, "I got to go take out the trash."

He left the Queen alone with her thoughts and leaped onto the roof to confront the Deus ex Machina that for all the while had been completely silent... until now. The giant was no less than seventy feet distant with a knee against the roof, all of its attention focused solidly on him. It took no more than a second for battle to be joined.

Slow narrowed his eyes at a coiled limb with something akin to a chainsaw for head held to a state of extreme tightness before it was shot at him, aimed directly at his head. He reflexively tilted his whole upper body away rather than test the weapon, and watched as it flew past before he dug his feet into the metal and while the enemy's limb remained extended lowered his posture and charged the much larger synthetic with every intention to break it while the opening in its defenses remained.

"I am Sovereign." the AI in control of the Deus ex Machina boomed as he closed the gap, "You will submit."

Several more limbs – all equipped with claws and pincers – were unfurled from hidden compartments and launched across a wide arc, from where they changed trajectory and homed in on him. While at it, Sovereign started to withdraw the saw-arm.

Slow's eyes darted to and fro to take all these threats in before he acted, somersaulted to dodge a particularly viscous set of pincers, span, and grabbed the saw-arm which he then severed clean at its seventeenth joint and used the couple seconds worth of energy that remained to the saw blade as he span again to cut clean off five of the other limbs as they attempted to seize him. Finally he discarded the severed limb and sprinted through the opening he had made.

In less than two heartbeats he closed the remaining distance, and applied his Deer's Hollow – charged up to unleash sound energy this time around – to its gut at point blank range almost from below it. A howl shattered the air, both the bark of his weapon and the enraged cry of the AI as the Deus ex Machina was launched off its feet again, all balance lost, with a giant hole blown through its chest.

During the little pause that brought, the Aspect looked a the machine's innards and drew a conclusion. This new model of Deus ex Machina did not carry its core in the chest, and there seemed to be at least two more supporting spines. Their fight, which by then had barely spanned eleven seconds, was not yet over.

Further limbs sprouted from below its large shields and speared down toward him at no less than the speed of sound.

Slow bent backward and swayed from where all the attacks converged before he reached out and tore off the nearest limb – one armed with a pile bunker – just in time to see a large-barreled weapon appear from the giant's shoulder, aimed down at him as it growled with a gain of power in preparation for its payload to be set loose.

That delay cost it.

Deftly he flipped round the pile bunker weapon he had taken away and thrust it into the cannon, which turned out to be a perfect fit. Sovereign turned its avatar's head and stared at the useless appendage that was stuck in the barrel and howled in the knowing of what would happen next as the cannon finished its charge... but with nowhere for the energy to go.

Slow was knocked back quite a distance by the resulting shock wave as the giant's shoulder violently exploded and sent hundreds of pounds worth of wreckage including three of its shields to the ground. The Deus ex Machina reeled from the blow and stumbled awkwardly, now much more bottom-heavy as it once again found the flimsy ground again.

"What was it supposed to exceed, Sovereign?" Slow asked wryly as he picked himself back up from where he had rolled to a stop and brushed pieces of errant metal from his clothing.

"Silence..." Sovereign growled as it flexed the machine's remaining arms and erected from their sockets those the remaining quartet of shields were mounted on, then parted those metallic barriers to form massively oversized digits, while what remained of the far more spindly limbs coiled around the larger ones to strengthen them – or provide a makeshift ablative armor.

Unfortunately for it, no sooner did this reconfiguration take place before it rocked under the force of multiple impacts and countless smaller ones that for all the effort put in did little more than sting it. Slow turned his gaze to the floor far above them and smiled, "Tired of waiting, huh?"

From the windows up there, every geth trained their guns on the Deus ex Machina and piled on it a steady deluge of AP rounds and grenades. Under this barrage, Sovereign could only sputter impotently as its avatar was gradually chipped into pieces, yet determined to still fight as it directed its attention on Slow and trundled toward him.

He sighed as a strange song filled the air besides the gunfire, "Just retire already. Without backup that C-class mockup just won't cut it."

However, that did not mean it was wholly subpar. Without him and the geth here, this Deus ex Machina could have managed to clean out this whole facility effortlessly.

Damaged as it was, and the AI blinded by its fury, a large enough opening existed that it soon was brought to a screeching halt as from every opening in the roof, from every nook and cranny, there rushed in a swarm of angry Rachni – all of whom once within range coated its leg-assemblies with corrosive acid that entered and sizzled into its more vulnerable innards through the puncture holes made by the geth's stubbornly delivered fire support. Given this development, it was time for the killing blow.

"Damnable bea-" the AI howled as it tried to lash out at the nearest warriors, to kill them as painfully as possible, only to see the arm blown off in the middle of its transition by a grenade, "Grah!"

"Karakuri Henge:" Slow ignored its curses as he had his Deer's Hollow altered. It was augmented, made larger yet more compact, more aggressive in its design, "Crown of the Deer."


Too caught up in its compulsion to slaughter, and the boundless fury born from the frustration of losing control. Its offensive and defensive capabilities had been curtailed, and mobility died as it was assailed from additional fronts. The defeat of this avatar was imminent. Sovereign was all too aware of that.

It just did not know precisely how imminent it was... until it heard the dôji's voice amidst the cacophony. To delay it, the Deus ex Machina was turned about... only to find the diminutive being absent from where it last were.

Until it caught movement, just inches above the avatar's head.

"Dance of the Deer!"

What followed was an immediate loss of connection a thunderous punch connected from directly above, and caved the Deus ex Machina's head into its abdomen.


Slow watched from where he hovered as Sovereign's newest platform collapsed in a cloud of shattered wires and polymer from the blow he just dealt it like a house of cards. Its innards now a complete mess, the main body so ruined that the limbs nearly fell away – and revealed the element zero core was in what passed for its left shoulder. Without the mass reduction brought by the core, the Deus ex Machina remains sank heavily into the superstructure, which gave away much like a pond of mud would under its colossal bulk.

There was no victory cheer about it, only silent appraisal.

"Aspect Slow." Legion's voice rang out from seemingly nowhere, "Status?"

He brought up the omni-tool on his right-hand gauntlet with a flex of his elbow, "Just a couple of scratches." he replied, "I'll be alright."

"Has a settlement been reached?"

"I'm about to check." Slow said absently as he angled his gaze down, and found the Queen now close to where the kurozu had fallen, surrounded by a protective screen of drones and a carpet of those tiny bugs that carried along a single scientist's body. "One moment."

With grace and his Karakuri Henge quickly undone, he dropped himself onto the machine's head – the crumpled mess of what was left of it – and attended to the Queen with a smile and began tactfully, "Thanks for the assist."

"... You're welcome." the Queen through that lone body responded haltingly, "Now we continue."

"I take it you've made a decision."

"Close, but we desire to know. While we are intrigued by the prospect of being treated as equal by an alien intelligence for the first time in memory, we must know what is in it for us, to resist those fiends, these 'kurozu', rather than leave and hide from further conflict."

"Fair enough." Slow again folded his claws into the sleeves, "Not to put a damper on it, but the kurozu's ultimate goal is to destroy everything. So while you can guarantee short-term survival through hiding yourself, if those who fight the kurozu fail... you'll be alone when they finally, eventually, find you."

"We see... How many struggle against them currently?"

"Currently just dôji and geth. I guess the Council species counts to a degree, but they are being much less than helpful in their current manner... squandering resources on attacking us rather than those who actually wants to wipe them out."

"So you are pressed for allies."

"We can still possibly win if you choose to go and hide, but the more allies we have..."

"... The greater the guarantee for victory." the Queen added.

"Aptly put." Slow nodded slowly, "You don't need to stay, but it would be appreciated."

"Fear not for our refusal." she rumbled with finality, her decision reached, "The Rachni shall fight."

The dôji let out a sigh of relief, delighted, "I, we, thank you, Queen of the Rachni. You are most welcome."

It seemed to nod, "But you must offer protection. If they have not already, with our reappearance the Council will unleash their krogan swarms."

"We'll make sure of your safety." he grimaced inwardly, uncomfortable with what he gleamed from information on the Krogan Rebellions, "But for now we best get moving. The geth should be finished setting up an escape route for your hive by now."

"Affirmative." belched Legion's voice from the omni-tool, "We are ready to provide escort on your mark."

"Very well." the scientist's body wheezed in a way that made the dôji mildly wince, as though the connection between it and the Queen grew distant.

He picked up on this and grew curious, "Something wrong?"

"No... In truth, when we awoke from the silence... we were resigned to fade away once more. That a glimmer of hope would come, to allow us to compose anew... never occurred to us. How very strange the melody of fate is."

At that, Slow, privately amused by virtue of being the weaver of fate, could not help but put up a big grin. The Queen seemed not notice as she sang for her hive to prepare and embark on the great migration ahead. And for the umpteenth time he wished there was another dôji here, with whom he could share moments like this. But, strange as it may sound, he wasn't that lucky.


Five hours later...

Location: Noveria; Hollows.

While the escape route provided by the geth was relatively short, the migration of an entire hive made sure the move took several torturously long hours to complete in a situation where even ten minutes could be considered an eternity. Yet against all odds it managed to pass unhindered thanks in no small part to the measures taken before the mission, among other things.

"Query."

Slow looked up at the versatile platform he had gotten the most familiar with and smiled as the cacophony of the uprooted hive moving further into the tunnel network alongside a contingent of geth assigned to their protection to find a suitable place to set up a new nest died down. Legion had spoken up with a notification that would soon if he was not mistaken be followed by a question. "Yes?" the dôji encouraged.

"After the kurozu attack we calculated a ninety percent possibility of orbital bombardment to take place within an hour." Legion continued, its voice while flat managed to make the implied disbelief all the louder, "Yet in all of five hours and eleven minutes we tracked the battle net, we found no request nor demand for a strike mission. Did you provide us an additional boon?"

"I can understand why you think that." Slow folded arms against his chest, "But I did in fact not perform any large scale probability alterations aside from the two boons you requested."

"Then how?"

He smirked, "Why, is the reason not obvious enough for you?" and playfully teased, "It's a simple yet complicated matter that require no intervention on my part. For starters, recap for me about Noveria's settlement."

"Item: Noveria. A frozen terrestrial planet chartered by the Noveria Development Corporation, who lease out labs to perform research too dangerous or controversial to be performed elsewhere."

"Good. Put simply this world submits to corporate and private interests. Now, how would you rate the bureaucratic shit-storm that would come from ordering an orbital strike on a top secret lab that already fly the flag of a corporation out of the blue?"

"Unfavorable. Desolas-General could still justify it."

"No doubt, but then Binary Helix would question how in the world Desolas had eyes in their facility, and for how long." Slow pointed out and chuckled mildly, "Spies, sabotage. Very serious breaches of the code of conduct laid out by the NDZ. They would have revoked his rental of Peak 17 and thrown him off the planet, which would have left his schemes exposed in front of the whole galaxy. Tell me Legion, with that kind of situation on hand... what choice did he have?"

"Only one." the geth clicked, finally getting, "To not raise an alarm."

"Correct."

Legion nodded, "Understood."

"Glad you do." the Aspect replied in kind and flexed his claws, "Now if you don't mind, I think it's time for a break. Have you data-mined the daily dose of the Extra Net for me?"

"Yes. It has been uploaded to your omni-tool for perusal."

"Nice~" Slow breathed appreciatively as he opened the left-hand omni-tool and found in the mail a hefty list of news, much to his private glee. So devoid of creature comforts with at least a month since the last meal, the galaxy's equivalent of newspapers is one of his very few distractions from work. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." it intoned.

Intent on his break he turned and wandered further into the bustling cavern they are currently in and found near the opposing wall a suitable stone on which to sit. Legion as part of his retinue simply followed him. An action Slow did not comment on as he sat his slender form onto the hard and cold spot that nevertheless provided the closest thing to a backrest for him to lean on.

Naturally the headlines featured the comet impact he inflicted, quoted by experts to as a freak incident. The damages on facilities within range were somewhat extensive, but thanks to well-equipped shelters the casualties were low. On site Council forces are predicted to busy themselves with aiding the NDZ for at least the next four days. "Sorry about that." Slow sighed quietly, "If only you understood what we're trying to prevent."

Legion cocked its head, "Aspect Slow?"

He wiped his eyes and said softly, "Nothing. It's nothing." before he closed the article and looked for something else. That was when he gleamed an article named as 'The War Continues'. Hardly the most thought-provoking title, but it was the contents that astounded him. Until now the action on the Dôji Front had been tight-lipped, and he thought it would remain so.

Until now.

With a tentative press of a claw he opened the link and found an image of a huge station surrounded by elements of a colossal fleet in its orbit located in what the Council called the Atapo System which relay lead to the so-called Dôji-Occupied Hjesanin Cluster. "Legion, what is that?" he pointed at the station.

It inclined to examine the image and paused, "A Hierarchy Sephraic-Class Battle and Supply Station."

"Quite a mouthful." he wryly remarked, "How long does it take to build something like that?"

"Given no delays: Two weeks." Legion shrugged, "Sephraic Stations were designed specifically for ease of construction through assembly of pre-constructed modules on site to quickly provide support in the case of a difficult campaign far from more permanent bases."

"A sort of Mulberry Harbour, huh..." Slow commented, and noted the other synthetic's blank look – which was a pretty astounding feat in its own right, "Something out of Human History, Legion."

The article included a brief interview of one General Adrien Victus, the assigned leader of an assembly of nine thousand warships collectively referred to as the Sword Armada. An astounding number rendered somewhat moot due to limitations of Mass Relays that can only transfer so many ships at once, and requires those who jumped to clear the way for subsequent waves. Rendered further difficult because of something about the opposite relay having been repositioned in orbit round the planet they designated H-1-4, then blockaded by anti-orbital batteries on the planet surface, and a large 'Dôji Fleet'. A thick debris field of wreckage built up from several previous battles and settled into orbit round the relay did not make things any easier for them.

Hence the Sephraic's presence.

"My people are fighting." Slow breathlessly whispered, and was immensely pleased with the subsequent image provided. A picture of Ultimo as he hovered amidst the remains of a turian cruiser, and whose eyes appeared very expressive in his sadness. Still, Slow could not help but smile at how beautiful the flame-haired dôji appeared... A real feast for the eyes.

And eye candy was for him far between nowadays, so he took special care to save the image.

If his mood was in any way down prior to the break, it just improved dramatically. Slow reclined further for a moment and let the inner warmth he felt knowing where his people are and that they are doing well under the circumstances wash over him. He missed everyone so very dearly, but was separated by a distance that might just as well be half the universe and his current duty. He could not go home before the kurozu and their pet General's schemes here are brought to ruin.

That in mind, Slow closed the mail and stood to stretch his limbs. "Knowing all of that, I'm too excited to just sit around here." he quietly chuckled, "Legion, how goes the digging?"

Nonplussed, as usual, Legion's reply was prompt, "Breakthrough to the next subterranean section is projected to take place within the next four hours."

"Hm, that doesn't match up with the number from before our mission in Peak 15." he hummed, it should have nearly finished by now, "Has there been a complication?"

"Yes. The tunnel caved in on the excavation laser. Work to clear the area and make repairs are underway."

And there he found the place to work out the additional energy he just worked up. Slow applied the back of the gauntlets to his hips and smiled challengingly, "Let's see if we can shorten that time, shall we?" before he turned and sauntered on with clear intent. And Legion while puzzled as a logic-driven being could be at such eccentricity followed without comment.

Don't let up, guys. I sure won't!


Two weeks and three days after First Battle for Nirvana...

Location: Utopia System (H-1 System by Council); above Nirvana; Maginot Line Terminus; Asura-Class Frigate "Ontonon"

While seemingly at rest, the Ontonon was filled with nervous energy courtesy of its young crew almost right out of training as it lingered in the shadow of a turian Arakan-Class Cruiser, one among a veritable graveyard of nine hundred something warships that lazily orbited the local relay. Enough piled up that the more callous of dôji tended to call this the Scrapyard. Since the first incursion that took place more than two weeks ago, several more major battles took place even as the aliens built up that big base next doors.

While it was in a wholly different system, the connection offered by the mass relays made the distance involved entirely moot.

Thankfully due to the relays' recently discovered limitations the still nascent Dôji Navy managed to hold the line in spite of being vastly outnumbered. And each successively repelled attack in turn cluttered the relay's relative vicinity sufficiently to make it a navigational hazard.

For larger ships, that is.

Jealousy, the Aspect of Envy, scowled mildly at the crew of this here ship he had chosen to accompany in this sortie, some regret plain in mind. Only the Com Dôji, Elaz, being a Son of Regula, maintained the proper calm and discipline needed right now. The rest... not so much. Not the Helmsman, who nervously writhed boredly where he lay, partially merged into the ship's control systems. Not the overly confident Commander. Not the similarly trigger happy Gunner, not the nervous Technician.

He listened as Elaz hissed at the Helmsman who just arced his luscious back impatiently.

It was easy to wonder who was really the CO on this ship. Jealousy lamented his choice to board this rather than the almost sickeningly adorably-named frigate Snoopy that hung silently two miles distant behind another length of wreckage, whose crew while being mostly composed of Sons of Service – who wouldn't look out of place in a meadow writing poetry about flowers and sunshine – appeared far more able in keeping their cool.

Jealousy shook his head and focused on the display as amidst the wreckage relay-ward there drifted quietly one of three flotillas of small and rounded Dennar-Class frigates, escorted by a score of Aleida-Class fighters that looked positively dainty and made their own Kalki seem burly.

"Salarians. Asari." he muttered his observation.

Elaz nodded briefly, an Engrave apparently dispatched and received though he did not order it, "Ultimo agrees with your assessment."

The Gunner hummed as he sat upright in his seat and eyed the targeting interface that dominated his view, "Does it change anything?"

"Not at all." Jealousy said strictly, "Wait until the signal."

"No way..." the Helmsman sighed.

"Quiet."

Jealousy continued to observe as an alien frigate settled above what remained of a dreadnought and had its airlock open, from where a wary bunch of bipeds in spacesuits with something big between them left and descended on the wreck. A fusion bomb. This whole scrapyard essentially forced the aliens to abort further major assaults, and sent instead flotillas to carefully diminish it into fragments their kinetic barriers can better handle.

Further above it, two of the dainty asari fighters bobbed past and veered to the right, incidentally in the direction of the 12th flotilla. Aside from the Ontonon and Snoopy, the 5th flotilla that Jealousy presided over in this sortie included two more frigates and fifteen Kalki – the latter of whom hung further back. Alongside them there are two more flotillas, identical in number. Everyone hidden just out of sight of the enemy.

Suddenly the fighters' lazy orbit round their charge stiffened.

"Someone just powered up." Elaz confirmed Jealousy's most immediate suspicion, "It's the Cain, 12th flotilla."

The Aspect of Envy sighed frustratedly, "No choice but to engage. Give our fighters the order to commence." Up ahead, the organic team hurried back onto their frigate, fusion bomb still in tow, while the rest of the flotilla turned to engage the unit they just detected.

"Aye." the minor dôji replied and pressed a single button on his console to alert their fighter contingent that it's time to begin. In unison, the lead pair of Kalki pulled out from their hiding places. Knight One launched one after another a trio of missiles toward the closer of the asari units, which thanks to its pilot's quick reflexes dodged the first... but got winged by the second munition, then turned into a miniature sun when the third hit it head on. Knight Two followed up with a well-aimed salvo from its mass accelerators at the downed fighter's comrade who tried to home in on them, only to instead fold into itself as the twin bullets gutted it.

Each of the other fighters came out of the woodwork and raced onward to engage the flotilla's fighter escort, the vacuum between them quickly riddled with mass accelerator rounds and guided munitions as their Council counterparts responded with gusto. Naturally the flotilla turned on their point defenses to assist.

"Our turn." Jealousy continued tersely.

As one, the 5th flotilla powered up and from a cold start emerged. With satisfactory skill, the Helmsman brought the Ontonon out and about while the Gunner prepared a firing solution, and proceeded with a whoop to fire their main gun at the nearest enemy frigate, which staggered as its kinetic barriers fizzled out from the hit, followed by a second that put a hole through its center mass. Unable to withstand this punishment, the alien ship broke apart.

Other lights flashed much further into the distance as the other wolf packs engaged their own targets. The skirmish was on, and in spite of the Cain's mistake their ambush seemed largely successful. So Jealousy for the moment left the crew to its own devices and closed his eyes as he settled into a more or less meditative state.

Noh Power: Heart Reading.

And clear as day, he became aware of every decision about to be made by the people around him – including the distant organic crews. He read them like open books, and knew a fighter that just managed to get below was about to let loose on them, "Turn left, sharply."

While young and of the raucous sort, the Helmsman reacted immediately and narrowly dodged the trio of mass accelerator rounds... followed in turn by a short-lived ball of fire as the Gunner ended the source of immediate danger with a burst from the Ontonon's GARDIAN array.

So far, so good.

Jealousy listened idly at the reports made, but made no comment except to issue alerts when something unfavorable was about to happen. At a point, the five Aleida that remained after the initial exchange split up and engaged to allow their remaining charges to retreat. Three rushed the Kalki in a show of overt recklessness, while the two others swung around to flank and slash on through. A subsequent warning made sure they did not take the bait.

Within a further minute, the remaining fighters were mopped up... followed by the flotilla's final Dennar, disabled as the Snoopy put a round through its thrusters. On their end, the skirmish was done. Now to handle the aftermath.


Two minutes later...

Location: Utopia System; above Nirvana; Maginot Line Terminus; Relay.

With mildly forced calm, Ultimo from where he sat atop of the relay's quantum shield watched the distant skirmish in much the manner of a lion watching its cubs make their first kill – though with more an emphasis on skill and execution rather than the inevitable lethality. Much like when their civilization started out and the number of minor dôji swelled.

While they weathered the previous battles aptly, it was more due to staggering defensive advantages than outright competence. As a whole, the Dôji Nation remained inexperienced in terms of space warfare, and needed every opportunity to train themselves even if it meant to partake in life and death struggle. More importantly, they needed the time to build up their standing forces. In this, these skirmishes to prevent elements of the Council Sword Armada from clearing the clutter in preparation for another great offensive helped, on both counts.

So to allow the former and ensure the latter, Ultimo hung back... but unless circumstances demanded it did not get himself involved. They at least had Jealousy for support, so he needed not worry if things turned sour.

"Looks like things are going smoothly." Jin commented as he hovered into the periphery of Ultimo's vision.

Voices do not carry through the void, but lip reading remained a thing. "The Cain started up prematurely and almost gave them all away. Otherwise the ambush went well."

"Of course, my lord." the com dôji who has served Vice and the other Grand Aspects for nearly a century nodded his agreement, then blinked distractedly, "An engrave just came in. It's the 23rd flotilla. A salarian Dennar frigate managed to slip from the skirmish. Too distant now to pursue."

"How many bombs?" Ultimo inquired. While he watched from the moment those flotillas entered, the poorness of line of sight in this place more than likely made sure he missed a few drop-offs.

Jin was prompt, "Seven. One of the drop-offs took place at a dreadnought."

Given the yield of those fusion bombs, able to both destroy their targets and scatter surrounding wreckage, the organics wouldn't trigger them to blow until they've cleared the area entirely by way of jumping through the relay. Some would wonder why the organics did not simply bomb those wrecks closest to the relay, but a few bombs place strategically would clear more of the cluttered field than a hundred bombs elsewhere.

Ultimo directed his gaze in the 23rd's general direction, "Where is it?"

"Hm." the taller minor dôji cocked his head as he sent and received another engrave... complete with relative coordinates, "There... right there." he gave the direction.

Not the most exact science, but Ultimo found the Dennar. As can be attested to the nature and experience of its salarian crew, they had the ship move very swiftly yet very nimbly through the field of wreckage like they were born here and knew every corner, with aptitude every dôji crew wished they had.

While it came at a heavy cost, their escape was almost virtually guaranteed.

Almost.

Ultimo had until then kept himself powered down to avoid detection, and shivered as he removed every restraint and his energy signature lit on the Dennar's sensor array like a small star just ignited above the relay. Startled by the sudden development, its crew veered their ride away in expectation of imminent attack. A supremely logical move under the circumstances but ultimately futile.

Noh Power: Time/Space Manipulation...

In this instance, he did not even bother to take flight. All he did to close the distance was to spatially transfer himself onto the Dennar's hull where he got momentarily hit by the shift of gravity before he shoved his claws through the hull to properly anchor himself then planted his other palm down with a very specific plan of action.

"Time Destruction."

Fear probably grew overly abundant on board as his Noh produced the desired effect. Ultimo vastly sped up the ship's time itself but without affecting its crew. Hull integrity failed, circuitry shorted out, color blotched, faded, and no matter the newness every component turned rusty and failed. Within a few heartbeats the ships turned several centuries old, so by the time Ultimo withdrew, the Dennar's engines had sputtered and died.

Now devoid of thrust and all means to maneuver, he needed only eliminate its momentum and flipped fully onto his gauntlets as the ship nosed down and fired his thrusters carefully up so not to suddenly break the ship in twain until he got just enough of a counter-thrust to finally halt the machine – in spite of the considerable difference in mass.

Ultimo withdrew his claws and transferred himself into the ship proper in a burst of light that momentarily made its crew cover their eyes that turned wide, horrified, when the light faded and revealed the flame-haired dôji among them. "Only ten, huh." he observed in a curious but benign manner while every armed salarian pulled their guns on him, each quick to spread to give one another a clear field of fire.

Without hesitation, the one who appeared to be the Captain pulled the trigger, but froze solid alongside his subordinates as Ultimo raised a palm and brought their time to a screeching halt: "Time Stop."

To the helmsman's credit, he managed to get a shot off, though even the eezo-wreathed round stopped before it even managed to climb a foot off the barrel. Ultimo looked on them, then went ahead and conjured a spatial ball, from which Jin emerged a moment later. "Swiftly done, my lord." the com dôji bowed, "I've already made the call. The Ontonon will be here within ten minutes."

"Jealousy, huh." Ultimo thought of the Aspect on board it, "Aptly done, Jin. What's the general status?"

"We got thirteen pilots wounded, the Kalki of four of these were destroyed... while the rest are currently undergoing field repair. The Nielsen of 23rd flotilla sustained heavy damage, but other than a few scratches its crew suffered no loss. On the other side, including these here, we've captured forty organics... asari, salarians, one elcor."

"When you phrase it like that, it sounds like a shopping list."

"Apologies." Jin nodded, "Norto had in mind to elaborate."

"It's fine." Ultimo chuckled, "Any response from the relay?"

"None. All available ships and fighters have taken up position. If the aliens try to send reinforcements, we-" the taller dôji paused, "One probe just came through – ah!" and yelped as a slug suddenly impacted his shoulder hard enough to spin him around, and leave a cracked mark on his skin.

From seemingly nowhere another salarian had sprung out and hefted a large pistol at them. One that seemed a great deal heavier than those the others carried. A weapons upgrade? Ultimo reacted immediately and with a good grab threw Jin to the floor and took himself to the fore just in time for a second shot to be triggered. With it the salarian threw himself onward.

Ultimo weathered the shot to his chest without a scratch, though it did make him briefly double over in his unpreparedness for the slug's weight, and watched from the corner of his green and red eyes as the alien sprang to the side to slip past them.

Was it to throw out a call for aid?

To set off the fusion bombs they planted?

Both?

Either way the alien operative had to be stopped. "Time Speed." Ultimo utilized his Noh and blurred back upright for just the moment the approach brought them within inches of one another in this narrow bridge. Their eyes locked very briefly.

That instant was all the time he needed to grab the gun by its barrel and crumpled it with a good squeeze while he at the same time seized it by the collar and threw the operative to the opposite wall a little harder than was necessary. "Gah!" the salarian managed to croak before he fell, unconscious.

He followed it up with another application of Time Stop before he turned back to the prone Jin who clutched his damaged shoulder tightly and settled down on the knees to look over his comrade worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, no problem." Jin coughed, pained yet still worked up a more or less business-like manner, "More importantly, the probe's destroyed courtesy of the 12th's Talos."

"Keep it that way." he nodded, allowing the bravado, "Come, get up. Surely you don't want to not look presentable when Vice comes to take the next shift."

The com dôji's face reddened ever so slightly, "H-how do you know?"

Ultimo only gave the flustered dôji a puckish smile for an answer as he pulled himself up and with both gauntlets interlocked behind his back took to wander over to the cockpit and gaze through the window, glad to unload stress however little with such exchange of words. He knew for a long while that Vice saw Jin as his favorite com dôji, and that Jin reciprocated though a little differently.

A vista of dead hulls however banished the small lighthearted moment. War remained the reality as it has been for ages. Will there ever be peace, or would they continue to fight forever? Ultimo shook off the grim rumination and resignedly turned away.


Thirty-five minutes later...

Location: Atapo System; Sephraic-Class Battle and Supply Station "Endless Vigil"; Private Cabin.

When all of this started out, he was confident and with both dignity and honor accepted his responsibility to lead. He thought that with his wit and skill, victory would only be a matter of time. Yet after weeks of failure he now walked the halls of the Endless Vigil a broken man.

Silence reigned as Adrien Victus entered into his private cabin with nothing else in mind but sit down and reflect on things. Regret clenched his heart, and powerlessness plagued his spirit. He could not help but wonder if the Primarch was wrong to put his name forward for the command of the Sword Armada, or if his appointment was the product of colleagues who want to see his unorthodox approach to warfare laid low by the staggering attrition inherent to this front. The turian General got himself seated and tapped a talon on his personal computer in a key sequence that immediately spawned a haptic image of the H-1 System. It was obvious that the Council at least hoped he could resolve matters here with minimal loss of life and resources... but Adrien saw no easy way to solve this dilemma, against the most difficult battlefield conditions he's ever seen.

It appeared far beyond his ability to manage.

The battlefield largely consisted of a narrow tunnel with a solid wall of metal and guns at the end of it. Adrien looked on the stacked circle formations that comprised the dôji's main defensive line. A vast conglomeration of cruisers and dreadnoughts that stretched toward the planet below, each ring of a different diameter so each consecutive ring has a clear line of fire.

At large, the strategist in him admired the formation... so perfect for the blockading of a relay as no matter where a ship exited it would be within the line of fire of at least three warships. The turian in him however learned to more than hate it for its effectiveness at killing the people under his command. Against those masses of warships and the ground-side anti-orbital defenses he had lost a thousand ships, over a hundred thousand men and women. And in return they only managed to inflict considerable damage to two of those rings before the area around the relay got so cluttered it was impossible to continue the assault.

Demolition raids were then conducted to clear the way. Attack runs that in the first five attacks saw the successful destruction of forty-eight wrecks, until the dôji picked up on them and staged ambushes in return. What had seemed a functional idea was no longer a workable solution.

Still, for lack of a better idea those raids continued being conducted until today when he finally called them off. Too costly for so little gain. His staff, all of whom would have been his equals in rank was it not for his appointment, clamored for the chance to mount a rescue operation to save what remained of the latest failed raid.

A foolish endeavor that would have seen them run afoul of one of the Three Anomalies – A group of three dôji so powerful that to wrap any of them up in a warship regardless of its capabilities would have been an explicit downgrade. Adrien pressed a few buttons to bring up their images for observation like he had already done a hundred times before.

Confirmed to have been present during the latest raid was a slender affair who sported a mane the color of fire and optics of peculiar green and red. It was called the Jailor – in place of the official designation of Anomaly One by some in the armada – for its propensity to cripple ships and leave their crews alive for capture. No one dared to wonder what happened to these after.

In contrast, Anomaly Two – called the Butcher – simply partook to slaughter. Anywhere it went, ships died. Waves of undisguised terror preceded it, and devastation followed in its wake. No matter how many times he looked on it, Adrien was chilled by how devilishly its optics glinted.

Anomaly Three – the Ghost – was the most mysterious, and much to the relief of many barely ever left the fleet. It had the fewest documented feats to its name, yet the most fearsome reputation. Anything sent its way vanished, even Dreadnought-scale slugs. The overall lack of verifiable evidence of its capabilities attested to a very low survival-rate against it, and played up the superstition of any number of crew. Enough that it has become a matter of policy for ships to flee if they so much as stray within visual range of it.

With a critical mind Adrien reread everything they knew of the H-1 System. Everything they knew of the dôji. Yet all he managed was be reminded of how hopeless it was to find any weakness or opening to exploit.

Victory through sheer attrition seemed the only viable option.

Frustrated by his persistent failures, and all too aware of how much spilled blood this war required, Adrien buried his face in his palms as the lights cast by the haptic images danced across the walls and ceiling, oblivious to his trepidation.

"General." the haptic map was pushed to the side by the turian image that represented the Endless Vigil's Station VI, "General Corinthus wishes to see you."

"Thank you." Adrien sighed belatedly, grateful for the distraction, "Send him in."

Corinthus was one among the more conservative majority who favored a stand-up fight over any clever ploys. A state of mind that ran a stark contrast to Adrien's preferred methods. Yet he considered him as one of his oldest friends. Adrien stood as he heard the door part and faced it as the fellow General came in, followed closely by Kabalim Nyreen Kandros.

During the fleet battles there were scattered reports of crews who battled with dôji borders and vice versa. Whenever biotics were deployed, the effects were shown to effectively debilitate dôji assailants. So the Hiearchy supplied Corinthus who would lead the assault wherever they hit the ground with a Cabal unit for biotic support.

"Looks like I dropped by just in time, Adrien." Corinthus mused as he neared and took in the sights, "You look rather pale."

"Good to see you believe in me so much." Adrien replied wryly as they shook hands, much to Nyreen's perplexity.

The fellow General spread his mandibles amiably, "When I saw how much doom and gloom gathered around your head downstairs, I just knew I could not leave you alone."

"General..." the Kabalim stared at her immediate superior in abject disbelief, "If I may be so bold, you are being..."

"Too casual?" Corinthus shrugged, "Adrien and I have been friends since before you were born, Kabalim Kandros."

She mildly bristled but said nothing, and remained more or less at attention. If he could not maintain proper decorum then she certainly would. For a spell there seemed to run an electrical current between them before their conversation resumed like nothing happened.

"In any case," the old friend of his continued, "with all the trouble of late, I imagine you want nothing more than to unwind."

"You assume correctly," Adrien assented, "I got several hundred thousand people under my command, and I dread throwing them into the slaughter without a good chance of success."

Corinthus pointedly nodded, "And I share your sentiment. You and me, we are not afraid to spend men for the cause... but we don't want to waste them for no gain."

"That's the position exactly." he pointed to a couple of chairs to the side, "Kabalim Kandros, if you may."

Nyreen nodded her assent and gathered the chairs for his friend and herself in short order while Adrien wandered to a nearby closet and returned to his seat with a bottle and a trio of cups, two of which he offered to his visitors. An offer the Kabalim only reluctantly accepted.

"Rather light." the fellow General commented once a fill was poured and sampled, "Kuskar brew, I take it?"

Adrien grinned a confirmation, "Nothing heavy before victory."

"Solid as ever those principles of yours." Corinthus raised the cup.

He did likewise and they exchanged a toast, "You know it."

Words could not appropriately explain how relaxing the next couple of hours turned out to be. Adrien discussed with his friend whatever came to mind and for the first time since this whole debacle started he managed to think clearly with no muddle to restrain his thought, and what distant migraine previously threatened to take hold was banished like a leaf in the wind.

Gratitude was too mild a word for this bliss, even if they occasionally veered onto topics more or less... odd, to say the least:

"Wait, you're serious?" Adrien asked disbelievingly, a question Nyreen likewise if quietly wondered as she stared at her superior, "There are truly those kinds of people?"

"Very much. Some deviants who fantasize about those dôji." said Corinthus with a shrug as he sipped from his cup, "When I think about it, I kind of see where they are coming from... but please..."

For an elaboration on that topic, he needed no more than a glance at the haptic images of the three dôji. Their thin waists and the manes that could in a manner of speaking be seen as exotic head fringes appealed to turian sense of beauty. Just as their unique skin tones can be deemed interesting to salarians. And the similarity in morphology would make them pleasing to the asari eye.

The design choices were in no doubt deliberate.

Soon after they – much to his and Nyreen's relief – moved on to other topics that revolved around friends, families, and duty... that inevitably lead to the equally inevitable conclusion where they discussed recent events and of the difficulties involved. Still, the tone was kept casual and did not darken the mood between them.

"- We got no freedom of movement, with no other choice but exchange fire and hope we can leverage enough force to break up their defenses before they clog the relay with the ships of our dead." Adrien recounted and could not help but sigh, "It's like engaging fortified positions across open ground."

"I get that." Corinthus nodded, "It's really too bad we don't have a wall between them and us."

Something deep inside his head felt like it clicked into place, but reality swiftly took over. "Huh, that would have been nice." Adrien laughed dryly, "No chance of things being that convenient though."

"On the ground at least, we could make some cover ourselves. Maybe a big crater with the biggest explosive we can toss on ahead." his friend said, "Not much, but it would've given a few precious minutes."

Adrien started to agree, but his eyes glazed over as he stared contemplatively into space, "Make some cover ourselves..." before he blinked and turned his attention to the H-1 System map and looked on the debris field again.

"General?" Nyreen frowned, uncomprehending.

Corinthus hushed her down, his tone very quiet as he smiled, "You're onto something, aren't you?"

A frustrated growl left him. It was there all along, within arm's reach. An option existed after all! Not at all a perfect solution... but it'd give them the opening they need no matter how briefly. It could change their current deadlock. Not much, but a little... perhaps enough to eventually tip the scales. We need much more than the debris field can provide though. Adrien thought irritatedly, Where are we going to find more?! It's not like we got piles of scrap just lying around...

Korlus.

Of course!

With a jolt, Adrien rose from his seat and strode for the door, "I apologize for cutting this short, friend, but I need to see the Council at once."

Corinthus nodded as he, too, stood, "No apologies needed, General."

No more than farewells were exchanged from there before their meeting concluded and Adrien hurried down the corridors for the Conference Chamber while he drummed a full five talons furiously against his omni-tool, so immersed in his thoughts he barely acknowledged the personnel he passed en route.

Only once the draft was done did he call for his XO, Abalus, to inform the Council he needed to have a word with them, and entered the Conference Chamber just in time for the response.

"They will be ready to see you momentarily, General."

"Good." Adrien replied as he hurried to the center of the room and it darkened and the vista changed completely. All around him, the Council Chamber appeared in all its glory. His gaze however focused on no one but the three who ultimately gave him this command. "Councilors." he gave a stiff bow.

"General Adrien." Sparatus addressed him curtly, "Your XO told us this was urgent. Has something happened on the front?"

"It remains unchanged." he put their concern at ease, even if it meant he just told them he had yet to make any significant progress since the first invasion attempt failed, "A state of affairs I intend to see an end to."

The Councilors exchanged looks briefly. Valern looked the most thoughtful, "I take it you have a plan of action, General?"

"Fully, Councilor." Adrien stated in confidence as he brought his omni-tool up and made the final preparation, "I will send you the specifics now."

Silence followed as the Councilors waited for as long as it took for the data-package to arrive and be checked before its contents transferred to the consoles before them. Tevos embarked to bring up from hers a haptic screen and read, joined quickly by her colleagues.

After a short while, the asari looked back at him, "What your plan involves is an undertaking of a sort unheard of in all our history, General."

"I understand how... ambitious it is, Councilor." he replied evenly, mandibles set, "This is necessary to avoid a phyrric resolution to our conflict with the dôji as their blockade is much too effective. With no more than conventional measures we will not break through without suffering heavy casualties. Far more than we have already."

Valern frowned, "What you suggest is a gamble."

"It's on the unusual side." Sparatus calmly interjected, "But if it works..."

"There is a certain merit to it..." Tevos added slowly as she looked on her colleagues, "However, we must deliberate more closely, and see if it truly can be done."

Neither of them could find faults with the logic behind her statement, and subsequently nodded their assent. She therefore continued, "Thank you, General, you have given us much to consider. You will be notified once we arrive at our decision."

"That is all I ask, Councilor." replied Adrien with gratification and a brisk salute.

She inclined her head, "This meeting is adjourned."

For a moment he closed his eyes, and by the time he opened them again the vista of Council Chambers had seamlessly reverted to the Conference Chamber and left him to return to work while he waited for their eventual response. It took no less than eight hours before he finally received a message on his omni-tool and brought it up for immediate perusal.

What he found filled him with satisfaction, relief, and trepidation in equal measure.

The support for his plan came about by unanimous vote of approval. And in three weeks time, provided nothing got in its way, the Sword Armada will have boots on the ground in the H-1 System.


Author notes: Chapter Two done. Turned a whole lot longer than intended. Anyway, Slow has recruited the Rachni to his cause, the life and struggle in the Dôji Nation's adopted home continues, and General Adrien Victus is hard at work. Also, while I planted ship designations for dôji ships in Rising Eden, I might as well type 'em down again here, for orientation, along with those of the relevant alien species for future reference. (Because just calling them asari frigate this and salarian cruiser that is just unwieldy)

Dôji Navy:

Kalki - Fighter (Interceptor/Bomber)

Asura - Strike Frigate

Vajra - Defense Frigate

Kurma - ELINT Frigate

Shiva - Cruiser

Brahmastra - Dreadnought

Chakravartin - Juggernaut

...

Turian Navy:

Kharak - Fighter (Interceptor/Bomber)

Digera - Frigate

Arakan - Cruiser

Atrin - Dreadnought

...

Asari Navy:

Aleida - Fighter (Interceptor/Bomber)

Kurinth - Frigate

Tevura - Cruiser

Athamere - Dreadnought

...

Salarian Navy:

Seph - Fighter (Interceptor/Bomber)

Dennar - Frigate

Slovae - Cruiser

Etro - Dreadnought

...

(And there you have it)