Pahhur
"So explain this to me Tech." Neko and I had gone back to Tech after I woke up.
"It's a little complicated, but it has to do with time-lines. Let's make this fairly simple. Let's say the Luffy we know comes from Time-line A; where Avarus destroyed his world and threw the people there into the compounded new world. Where you just went would be Time-line B; where those events either haven't happened or will not happen. Just by entering that time-line you have created a new path, basically Time-line C. Now I'll try to keep our portals keyed to the new time-line, but I can't promise anything yet. My powers allow me control over dimensional travel, but very little control over time; at least until I can get the computer to run more smoothly."
"So basically there's three Luffys now." I said, trying to grasp what was going on.
"No, there are millions of Luffys, you just interacted with one of... Yes, there are three Luffys."
"Which means we could triple our numbers!"
"No Pah. It doesn't work like that. In most cases, time-lines aren't supposed to touch each other. When they do, a sense of uneasiness fills all affected people. Avarus capitalizes on this, and can transform it into blood-thirst. I assume he has already done so with the people he captured. We should just keep ourselves to the time-lines we interact with, to keep him from gaining more shadows."
"You're basically saying its already too late to save the others."
"It is consistent with the data I have on Avarus. Usually he has shadow versions of each new God within a few hours or the ritual's completion. He didn't even have to hunt for bodies this time. No, instead we should focus on what we can do. Reinforce our own troop size, gather more resources, and try to stop Avarus on any front he opens. Speaking of." Tech turned to his computer system. "I'm planning on sending the next group out, my new scanners have picked up Solarus in at least three different worlds. You three should go rest though."
"I'm fine to go back out." I said.
"Pah, you were knocked unconscious for over a day."
"Yeah, and I've eaten since then. So I'm ready for another trip." Tech just shook his head. "Alright." He hit his comm system. "Jato, expect to have Pah come along as well." Tech punched a few keys into the computer as jato came in accompanied by Seth and Asuka. "Good luck!"
I looked around me carefully as I stood in an overwhelmingly white place. The sidewalks and walls were all the purest white color; yet nature was everywhere, creating a stark contrast. People were meandering around, only a very sparse few were human. Next to us was a green bug-like thing working on a console.
"Uh excuse me." Jato reached out to get the thing's attention when a voice picked up from behind us.
"Please do not bother the Keepers. They keep this Citadel safe for all of us." I turned to see a 'woman' standing behind us, though I could see through her purple skin to the statue behind her.
"Uh sorry. Where are we?" Jato asked.
"This is the Presidium, human embassies are in the east wing. Do you have an appointment?"
"N-not really no."
"Please present visitor registration."
"Uh, you guys ready to run for it?" Jato turned back to us.
"We're just a little lost, could you direct us to the um..." I stammered on the last bit when a tall creature approached us.
"Is there a problem here?" It looks like a cross between a bird and an insect, especially due to the very slight metallic look of its skin. It tapped a large gun in one hand impatiently.
"Uh no, who are you by the way?"
"C-Sec. If you don't have a pass to be up here you will have to go back to the Wards."
"We're..."
"We're human ambassadors." Asuka said suddenly, stepping forward.
"You're not dressed like..."
"We're disguised, it's not been a safe trip."
"Then shouldn't you be over at the human embassy?"
"Like I said, we're lost." I chipped in.
"Right, well I assume you're here to assist with the Saren trial?"
"The... Yes, that!" Jato said nodding.
"I'll show you to the embassy; but you better have more evidence than what your Commander provided to implicate a Spectre."
As we were marched to the embassy, we entered a room where an older looking man stood, looking over the presidium. His white suit matched the surroundings perfectly.
"Sir, a group of Ambassadors to assist in the Spectre case."
"I didn't..." He turned to look at us. "Who are you?"
"Jato, sir. We're here representing a uh... colony. We could use your help."
"Why weren't these people taken to external affairs? Security!" Not long after, we were dropped off in a place called the Wards.
I sighed and slumped into a bench. Before me was a miraculous sight, I could see the depths of space, and just across was another arm of this massive space station. People were living up and down this thing.
"Well great. Maybe we need to change tactics." Jato said.
"Yeah, I don't think people will be too keen on helping us, when they have their own problems to deal with." Seth said, sitting next to me.
"Why don't we help them out. See things through, and then when the problems are dealt with they'll probably willingly help us." I said, sitting up.
"They were talking about a trial against someone..." Seth said.
"Saren." Asuka confirmed. "Maybe if we help with the proceedings, we can get assistance for our own problems."
"Hey, you lot looking for Saren?" I saw a tall man, standing in a nearby corridor, shrouded in black armor.
"Yeah, do you know anything?"
"I know where you might be able to get the information, a Quarian girl has it, but she's hording it away. So you'd probably have to use force to get it back."
"We do need that data." Seth said.
"Can you tell us where we can find her?" Jato asked.
"She'll be in the back ally over there in... about an hour or so. A few associates are also heading there to help procure the information."
"Thank you, you can count on us." I said. "Come on guys! I wanna check out what this place offers in the way of food!"
Unfortunately, the Citadel relied on an electronic currency, and so I had to go hungry as we set up in the back ally to wait.
Not too long afterward, a couple men in black and white armor showed up, nodded to us, and walked to the other side of the hall. A little while later a girl showed up, locked in a suit from head to toe. I couldn't even see her face due to the mask.
"Do you have the data?"
"Where's the Shadow Broker? I asked to see him in person."
"He won't come, give us the data." They were drawing guns, but she was faster. She threw a grenade, causing a small explosion; I was up and moving.
"Hey we really need that data!" I yelled, running through the fire after her; only to be met by a few bullets. A woman accompanied by a pair of aliens rounded the corner and was firing liberally on everyone in the hall. The quarian girl had ducked for cover, but the two men weren't so lucky. The bullets were exploding around me, so I chose to charge forward, as I closed the distance, the larger creature next to the woman slammed into me, sending me sprawling down the stairs.
"Pah!" Jato yelled, and entered the hall. "Hold your fire! We're not here to hurt anyone!" He yelled, arms out. The woman ceased fire, and looked over us.
"Cease fire. Garrus, check on the quarian."
"I'm fine. Thank you." She said, climbing out from behind some boxes in the corner.
"Do you know who these people are?"
"No."
"We're here to help." Jato said. "We're trying to get information to help with the trial. And... you're here doing just that, aren't you?" The woman nodded and walked down to him.
"Commander Shepard. You are?"
"Jato. Ambassador Jato."
"I... don't buy that."
"We're just from... a distant colony."
"Your friend charged a Krogan. I don't think you're any sort of politician."
"She's..." My head was throbbing as I got up. "I got nothing."
"What are those things made out of? Walls?" I complained as my head beat to my heart.
"Alright, so who are you guys, really?" Shepard asked.
"Let's just say... we're not from anywhere you would know about." Jato said.
"And you're just going to help? Why?"
"We... We need help in return. There's a very dangerous person, we can't beat him alone."
"Let's get this data to the Presidium. You go to my ship, we'll talk more there. Garrus, can you take them?"
"Yes sir!"
"So you're trying to tell me, you don't even know about space travel?" We were wandering the ship, Garrus was keeping an eye on us.
"We travel through portals. No ship involved." Seth said, poking at one of the consoles.
"Portals? You mean to travel from the surface to anywhere else, instantaneously?"
"That's pretty much it." I said.
"Beats the hell out of the relays. About how close to your mark can you hit?"
"Well, Tech know all the details, but right now I'm not convinced he's not sending us off at random." The comm system came on.
"Commander Shepard has come aboard." We headed out to see her returning with the quarian and krogan behind her.
"Joker, get ready to leave. We're heading after Saren."
"Wait, you put the guy on trial... and he wasn't even there?" Jato said.
"He was in communication, but the Council saw him as guilty. I was promoted to Spectre status, and given command of this ship to go bring him to justice."
"I guess we can stick around." Jato said. "If you'll have us."
"The help will be appreciated; but you guys will have to come clean. Where do you come from?"
"Do you guys know Dimensional Theory?" Jato asked.
"Yes. Oh."
"Alright, that's cleared up, let's go!" Pah said, running over to a window.