Authors Note:
I don't own the rights to neither Mass effect or Mega man series, in any way.
Once again THANK YOU GUYS!
It's great to see more and more people interested in this story. I also have lost my reader proof. I sent messages and I am waiting for answers from other betas. Till then you know the drill. English is not my native language and thank you for taking the time to point out the things you all think I can improve on.
Chapter 7 – Failure
X was walking down a metallic corridor, he heard Zero asking besides him.
"You sure about this X? I mean these guys are not really the most understanding bunch."
X sighted, his friend was on edge.
"Zero you don't have to come if you don't…"
X didnt manage to finish the phrase as Zero cut him off.
"The hell I don't! Commander Sigma assigned me to make sure you come back in one piece. And I will be doing just that."
X smiled.
"So I guess you are just out of luck."
The two walked down the corridor reaching the teleportation hub. The room was circular and had a huge window showing a control room on the other side. X saw a tall reploid with a green chest plate a round red crystal on his forhead and expressionless blue eye. Comander Sigma was an imposing figure, even a few krogan squirmed under the Maverick Hunters Comnader stare.
X heard commander's Sigma voice crackling through the speakers.
"X I'm going to ask one last time. Are you sure you want to go on with this plan?"
X didn't look but he was sure that Zero was smirking, thinking 'I said the same thing!'
X stared at Sigma.
"Yes I'm sure. But if anything goes wrong…"
X observed the distaste in Sigma as the commander of the Maverick Hunters narrowed his eyes. X then concluded.
"You take care of the reploids Sigma. And be ready for the Citadel. Because they will come crashing down on our people."
The blue reploid observed as time seemed to slow down as Sigma stared at him and then nodded.
"I will X. I will not allow anything to happen to the reploids. You have my word on that."
X smiled and walked on the teleportation hub. Sigma made a move and the there was a blinding light. X and Zero where now on a quarian ship. The room of the teleportation hub was round dim lights, cables hanging from all over the place. And a familiar quarian.
X smiled.
"Hey Taro! Ready to make history?"
Taro shook head.
"Welcome to the Marean X. And no. But I guess we don't have a choice now."
X heard Wrex rumbling voice with a mirth.
"We could let them find Earth being ruled by synthetics. That would be a story to tell."
X turned smiling to the krogan, while Taro groaned and shook head.
Zero then quipped in.
"Anyway I think we should put this show on the road. Where will the quarian Migrant fleet be? Earth or Tuchanka?"
Wrex waved dismissively.
"Earth of course."
X observed Taro nodding.
"Tuchanka's reforms are more advanced then Earths. And their population can fend themselves from orbital strikes better. There are plenty of defensive planetary canons and bunkers there."
Wrex nodded and added.
"That and the fact that if one of the council ships land on Earth…"
Taro nodded with steel in his voice.
"If the maverick virus where to spread to the galaxy there is no saying when it would stop. We would witness the death of billions. Perhaps trillions."
Taro then hesitantly looked over X.
"Did you run the tests? Of what would happen if the maverick virus where to infect the Citadel ?"
X scowled.
"The would go berserker like any other synthetic. But they would become faster and smarter to destroy organics or sentient synthetics like reploids. We run the tests on isolated labs. They almost got out."
Zero nodded then.
"I don't think we need to remember what happened last time that happened?"
X watched as everyone looked at Zero, if there was someone how knew the terrors of the Maverick Virus that person would be Zero. The red reploid told X that sometimes he could 'Dream' for so speaking, about when he was going berserk. To dream was a curious cycle for a reploid. It happened mostly when they were in repair capsules or on recharging cycle. It was a moment of nonlinear processes. As far as X could tell it was pretty close to a human dreaming process.
Wrex nodded and walked over to the teleportation hub.
"That's why I will be on Tuchanka preparing the krogans for the worst if this all go south. Taro make sure your people keep Earth safe. If that place is safe the rest of the galaxy will be too."
X listened to Taro huffing.
"We are actually technicians. We understand this treat better then you Wrex."
Wrex just smirked as a blinding light surrounded him and he disappeared from the teleportation hub. X walked with Taro to the meeting room, Anant was there with the quarian conclave representative.
She nodded and greeted X.
"It is a pleasure to see you again X."
The conclave nodded.
"We just wish we had more time for this."
Taro'Xen agreed remembering.
"Thirty years surely went by faster than I expected. I had hoped to have reached Rannoch before something like this happened."
X smiled at Taro.
"We never know Taro, perhaps we still can."
X fest Taros eyes staring at him. The blue robot was expecting the quarian to retort something he just shrugged and said.
"Perhaps."
Tevos was feeling a head ache. The batarian ambassador was raging on the podium about how the Expeditionary Fleet was a ruse to take away the Attican Traverse from the batarian Hegemony. A territory which the Hegemony self-claimed. However the council never agreed with such declarations.
Tevos used her most cordial voice.
"I am afraid ambassador that such territory has never been recognized as exclusively belonging to the Hegemony. The expeditionary fleet will secure the Attican for all Citadel Races. There will no such exclusivities."
The batarian ambassador rant went on for an hour before he left the council chambers storming out. Tevos sighted and look over to Valdan.
"Do we have any other case to discuss?"
Villim's omnitool pinged and the turian ambassador eyes widened.
"It looks like the quarians and the krogans are requesting an audience with us."
Tevos eyes widened as Villim resumed.
"They claim to be bringing the representative of a new species."
Tevos eyes locked inwardly. What that meant? Why would they risk coming to the Citadel? Why they would be exposing themselves to the galaxy. The new genophage was in its early stages of development. Would they risk it by trying to force the Council hand now? What was the Systems Alliance planning?
Tevos was taken away from here reverie by Valdan voice.
"Tevos we will see the new comers."
Tevos nodded static. The council made a move, and the Systems Alliance was fast to follow up. Much more than they had. The asari heard the ambassadors of the other races whispering among themselves. She took a deep breath, calming herself and raised the shield that cut the council from the rest so others could not hear them.
"What do you think of this? It is another attack towards us?"
Villim mandibles twitched.
"Spirits if that's true they have grown even bolder."
Valdan quipped in.
"Actually this seems very promising."
The other two councilors had inquisitive looks on their faces. Valdan proceed.
"If they are coming clean, even if the krogans and quarians are not members of the galaxy they have prospered by hiding a third species from the rest. It will not look good to them."
Tevos nodded.
"It will diminish their good image, and political strength."
Villim shook head.
"Remain on your guard last time we thought we had them they turned the table on us."
Tevos awaited the trip of the new species. A long route through the presidium to show them the greatness and might of the Citadel Council. The trip usually made species that started to space fare, to be awed with the power of the Citadel council. Tevos had the feeling that somehow it would not happen with the reploids.
A female krogan entered the Citadel Council chambers, accompanied by two krogan scorts. A quarian came following her, two fleet marines following. And then, came a humanoid creature, it wore a bluish armor covering it whole body. A metal faceplate covered his face, it possessed five fingers, two legs. The face plate had glowing greenish eye slits. Behind him came one security Tevos deduced, it wore a red armor, and the eye slits wore blue. It had a handle on the back and a peculiar long blonde fur coming out of the helmet.
Wrex wasn't around neither was Taro'Xen. Tevos took a moment to wonder why. When she couldn't come up with an answer she simply shook head and smiled to the three approaching the council on the podium.
"I am Tevos. Councilor of the Asari Republics. To my right is the turian councilor of the Turian Hierarchy. And to my left is the salarian councilor of the Salarian Union. We welcome you to the Citadel. The center of galactic civilization."
As if on cue X stepped up. Even through his faceplate his voice came clean.
"My name is X. And I represent the Reploid Nation. Which is part of the Systems Alliance. An alliance of races in the goal of peace, advancement and mutual aide."
Tevos glanced at her companions, she had to give credit to them. None even blinked at the statement. X came strong with all his cards at hand. He was indeed coming clean with all of this.
The asari gesture appeasing to the whisperers of the chamber.
"Most intriguing X. Must I assume you are also a represent ant of this Systems Alliance?"
The quarian representative stepped up.
"I am Zea'Zorah Vas Elani. I am the Quarian conclave representative. And together with the Reploid representative X and the krogan representative Anant Gemack. We represent The Systems Alliance."
There was shouting and rage running amok the Council chambers, Tevos face was impassive, but inside she screamed. 'Victory'
Tevos raised her hand asking silence and the noises dimmed. She then nodded.
"I see. That is most uncommon event."
Villim quipped in.
"You see X. The Citadel Council exists for over a thousand years. We kept the peace among other species and usually take upon ourselves the duty to harbor the new space fairing species into the galactic scenery."
Valdan nodded and said.
"One can only wonder why the quarians and the krogan would not present your species to the Council."
Anant was ready to answer when X cut her.
"It was me that asked that of them. And proposed an alliance between our species."
Valdan tilted his head.
"You must understand that we are a little confused with your statement X. What you described as an Alliance is the basic promise of the Citadel Council. Why then would you simply form a new organization instead of joining with us? Our resources, knowledge are obviously wider and broader, than the quarian and krogan. With the council you would obviously prosper."
Tevos noticed hesitation on the Systems Alliance representatives as the krogan and quarian exchanged looks. They had worry on their expressions, corporal expressions on the quarian side. Pearhaps they still had doubts about the reploid alligeance?
X stepped up.
"That would probably not happen. The reploid nation cannot exist within the Citadel Council laws. There a few technicalities to which we cannot comply."
Villim perked up, Tevos could feel the turian to the idea of getting another batarian Hegemony on their hands. Dealing with a second slaver species would be nightmarish.
X continued.
"Besides, if we joined you who would help the quarians and the krogan?"
Tevos just stared blankly at X. Who would help rag tags and brutes? What would anyone hope from such…? The asari matriarch finally understood. What made the reploid nation leader so unique. That one thing that brought the krogan and quarian at his hand. He was a hopeful. She scowled internally. X manage to reform the krogans by being hopeful. It was pure luck. She was an asari matriarch and a member of the Council. She could not afford to be luck and hope for the best to happen. It was upon her the responsibilities the lives of billions of asaris through the galaxy. Being hopeful was not a choice for her. For her it was needed to be a realist. And reality was, krogans never showed the potential to change. And the quarians… Tevos felt a new wave of inner rage towards the blue reploid, this time because he made her doubt her decision so many years ago.
Tevos nodded towards X.
"I must admit that the way you speak give the impression that you are already acquaintance with our history. Would that be correct?"
Anant stepped up.
"X have been working with quarian admiral Taro'Xen vas Arena and Overlord Urdnot Wrex for the last thirty years. But the alliance itself only have been consolidated in the last five years."
Valdan raised one finger.
"Well I must say that such behavior is not forbidden. The Quarians and the krogans are no longer part of the Citadel Council as client races. Should we also say that the new display of technology presented by the quarians is indeed of reploid origin?"
Tevos approved of the salarian approach and saw X hesitate for a moment, he was feeling pressure. The other species representatives were perked in interest. The conclave representative then spoke.
"Although, the Reploid science had its influence towards the development of our most recent inventions, we can assure that it was a joint effort that made it all possible."
Tevos smiled inwardly and bowed respectfully.
"We are in no way diminishing the efforts of the quarians. But it must be noted that it was the Reploid science that opened up such new avenues of technological research."
Valdan then took it as a cue.
"That is why new races are introduced to the Citadel Council. It is so that their knowledge and new ideas may spread and benefit all of the galaxy. And not just a few."
There were several approving nods from the rest of the council chambers. Villim than quipped in with tempered mood.
"Let's not be hasty. I believe that Representative X was taking its time to come in terms with the things he said his kind could not comply with yet. Why don't you elucidate us in that matter? What is that your species cannot comply with the Citadel Laws?"
The conclave representative stepped forward.
"If this Council does not oppose it I wish to bring forward how Earth. Home world of the reploids was found and how the alliance came to be."
Tevos blinked twice and looked over the other two Councilors that nodded in agreement.
"By all means please proceed representative Zorah."
The quarian nodded in agreement. She pressed keys on her omnitool and image of Taro during his pilgrimage appeared.
"Third years ago, Taro'Xen nar Raya, was in his pilgrimage rite with a few other quarians, when they were forced to run away from Slavers. They flew through a series of uncharted relays to elude their chasers…"
Villim mandibles flared open.
"You mean to say that the quarians were activating dormant Mass Relays?"
Zorah raised an appeasing hand.
"We recognized that it was not in according to the law, and understand the risky that Admiral Taro'Xen brought with it. But given the circumstances we believed it to be understandable."
Villim was ready to rebuke when Tevos raised a hand and said in a soothing voice.
"Of course, please continue."
Tevos was not letting the discussion deviate to the rachini wars and back to the krogan. That line was a dead end.
The quarian representative nodded as she typed another commands revealing images and footages from Earth.
"Taro'Xen arrived then at this system, when the instruments of his ship detected a civilization in the star system. And they found the shambles of a garden world."
Tevos watched with curiosity, if this was indeed the Reploids home world the cataclysm, whatever it was had been an apocalyptic event. The asari watched the turian councilor observing with military interest and the salarian was searching and accessing what nobody else was thinking.
Villim tilted his head.
"It looks like the world was torn apart by a war. Judging by the footage."
Zorah gave a look toward X that nodded and the quarian proceed.
"Yes indeed. Something along these lines. Before I get to those events let me say. The sentient species of Earth were known as Humans. After ten years savaging through the shambles of this world Taro'Xen manage to uncover the human history."
Tevos raised her eye brown.
"Humans? I believed the name of the species X represent is called Reploid."
Zorah nodded.
"Yes we will get to that, in the mean while you could say that the humans were the Reploids forefathers. When Taro reached Earth he scavenged through the old humans data banks and found that the humans had met their end just a hundred years before his arrival."
Zorah typed new commands and images of Earth before the cataclysm appeared showing a live verdant world, full of great cities and humans up and down bustling streets.
"The humans were a fascinating species. They were the most culturally diverse species ever found in the galaxy so far. If X so permit later on we would be glad to release some information about them. It was actually human science doctrine that allowed us to slowly move away from our old ways in the field of science."
Valdan scratched his chin.
"And what doctrine would that be?"
Zorah smirked behind his mask.
"That if you can imagine it, it can be done."
The room was filled with stunned silence. Tevos scowled internally. Her thoughts raged on 'Who the fuck these people think they are? Protheans?' Everything that was worth being developed had already been developed. There nothing more to do. The protheans left it behind for the asari so they would know everything that was there to know. What were the humans thinking? That they could dare to do better than an Empire that spanned through the galaxy? Tevos looked left, Villim looked stunned not sure on what to think about. And Valdan, looked in shock. Like he was show the sky for the first time. The salarian had a mixture of excitement and awe at the human doctrine.
Zorah proceeded.
"Of course with his studies on humanity, Taro'Xen also discovered that they never discovered Mass Effect technology. Element Zero being rare on the home system and the fact that they were not a space fairing species. Therefore unable to find Protheans ruins to learn mass effect technologies. With the scavenged data we got from humans we manage through their knowledge of energy mastery, to develop Tuchanka's radiation shields. And not just that. We developed new photon emitters for the omnitools, that I believe many of you use now. Also we developed a fully functional Energy Shield."
Valdan smiled kindly.
"Could you elaborate on the energy shied? What it does exactly?"
Zorah nodded.
"It is works exactly like a Kinect barrier. But instead of just blocking Kinect energy it also block any type of energy. It could be used to block the gardians laser if they were to be in range."
Tevos nodded.
"Most impressive. I must assume that if you are using then now it means they are more efficient then a Kinect barrier?"
Zorah shrugged.
"Only by a small margin. Its true benefit comes from the fact that it does not require the use of element Zero to work. Our ships have become at least forty percent cheaper to produce and maintain."
There were awed gasps all around the council chamber. Villim then raised his claws.
"That do indeed sound amazing, however it only increase my concern about how did the humans meet their doom."
X looked at Zorah and nodded. The quarian cleared her throat and proceed typing new commands on her omnitool the image of doctor Light and Doctor Willy appeared.
"As observed by the turian councilor, the cataclysm, as the humans dubbed it, could have been seem as the final event of a war of sort. It begun with these two humans. These two were scientist geniuses who had happened to have a clashing of ideals in regards of the study of robotics."
The council stared at Zorah with blank faces. Zorah took a deep breath.
"The study of managed Synthetics."
The room exploded in shouts and fear. Tevos observed as Villim was abnormally calm with the situation. The turian raised his talons and slowly the assembly became silent.
The turian councilor announced.
"For spirits sake. There is no need to be so alarmed. The quarians would have burned the whole world if the synthetics were still there. Please continue."
Zea'Zorah cough nervously and proceed.
"The 'Robotics' were an area that flourished with Doctor Light design and insights. The human's synthetics followed what they dubbed the three law of robotics."
Zorah typed a few commands and the three laws appeared on the council display.
The three laws of robotics.
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
Valdan was the first to coment.
"That actually sounds very solid. With this three laws the human's synthetics were tame?"
Zorah nodded typing new commands on his omnitool showing a new set of images.
"In a matter yes. The laws where the very nature of robots. The humans manage to live in peace with their synthetics till Doctor Willy decided to try and use robots to take over the world."
The image of robots attacking the cities and war raging on trough many human cities, and then the image of what looked like a human children, in a bluish set of armor fighting waves and waves of Willy's robots.
Zorah retook the explanation.
"This blue robot was doctor's light creation. Named Megaman and fought against Doctor Willy's plans and robots."
Valdan looked at the footage of battle and his eyes were glued as he asked.
"Are those DEW?"
Villim scoffed him of.
"Oh please Valdan. They neither manage to space fare, how they would be able to develop direct energy weapons?"
Zorah interrupted them.
"Because they had mastery of energy sources. These are indeed DEW."
The councilors were in stunned silence. And all eyes fell on Anant. The krogan smirked.
"Do not worry, we did not take interest in those. We believed in using human's technology to build instead of fighting. So the krogans hold no energy weapons with them."
Tevos could hear every one on the room realizing the breath they were holding.
Zorah picked up.
"These wars kept escalating. Both sides building and upgrading themselves. Till at some point Megaman killed Doctor Willy and released the doctor ultimate weapon. A computer virus, dubbed Maverick Virus that made every synthetic go berserker. And like that humanity found its end at the hands of its own creations."
Villim looked at Zorah.
"And once again it is shown why developing A.i is such a bad idea."
Zorah raised a hand.
"In this matter he quarians believe that the unique mistake in the human's demise lies in Willis disregard for human life. We don't believe that their synthetics were indeed a danger to their creators till the release of the Maverick Virus. A weapon that should have criminal repercussions even more severe than the use of weapons of mass destruction at garden worlds. At least that is what the Systems Alliance believes."
Tevos nodded it was the most reasonable thing she heard the whole day. But something was still not right.
She then raised her question.
"I am sorry representative Zorah. But so far it is still not clear where the Reploid Nation comes into play."
Zorah nodded and typed a new set of commands.
"In the last year on Earth. Taro'Xen came across with a secret bunker of Doctor Light. The laboratory was filled with Doctor Experiments and plans for the future."
Anant quipped in.
"It was doctor Light last years. Even in the face of destruction and end of his species he kept building for the future. He kept believing that tomorrow might be better. The krogans respect his example that moved us toward a better future."
Tevos was taken aback. Anant spoke with such respect in her voice and about a person who was not a combatant. That was unheard of on a krogan.
Zorah pressed new keys.
"And this was Doctor Light legacy for the future."
Then the image of Doctor light appeared.
"My name is Thomas Light I am the researcher how design and built Megaman X."
The elder human coughed sickly, Tevos looked down and saw X eyes lids glowing greenish, with emotion? She looked to her side and Valdan was with widened eyes. She turned back her eyes to the video.
The image of Doctor Light continued to speak.
"I granted X special powers that no other robot possess. Utilizing his conscious, he is able to think, worry and act entirely of his own accord."
Tevos heard Valdan cursing under his breath, she did not understand what was so alarming so far. X was another robot as any other right? He was bound to not harm organics.
Doctor light continued its speech.
"This means he's also imbued with the materials necessary to facilitate the evolution of robots in the same manner as life. It's an unfortunate fact that human life is short and fleeting. I fear that I will not have the time to ensure the safety of the X project. That's why I have decided to seal him away.
Perhaps he will be discovered in the far flung future and will fight valiantly to ensure peace for all people. Yes. I firmly believe that this will come to pass."
Tevos Felt disbelieve. This human, a revolutionary one, but one that saw the terrible implications of on his own home world and even so decided to believe in them. To put his last efforts in creating a new type of robot to help the people of the future.
Doctor Light face was showing a worried expression.
"But I'm not without worry. I fear that X will be swept up in the war we call progress. I urge the people of the future to remember that X is my… nay. The worlds hope."
Valdan's voice screeched through the room.
"Specters take position!"
Tevos widened her eyes trying to understand what was happening. Villim had the same confusion as her in his eyes. The specters had their weapons pointed at the representatives.
Tevos hushed towards Valdan.
"What are you doing Councilor?"
Valdan scowled at the two.
"Don't you see? Megaman X is X. The representative of the Reploid Nation. We are dealing with a nation of Rogue !"
Tevos eyes widened enough to jump out of their sockets as she slowly turned towards X. His faceplate hissed in a fast movement opening up showing a face. A face that was very familiar with the first mega man.
X raised his hands and nodded at Zero that had a hand ready on the handle on his back.
"That is true. I am X. Doctors Light latest creation. And the reploids are created after my blue prints. But we are…"
There was shouting, cries of fear and rage. And then a shot was heard. X eyes widened Zero was in front of him. The red reploid shoulder armor was pierced, electrical sparks were jumping sporadic. Zero just stood there staring down at council. His face plate was down too. And Tevos shuddered. X was trying to be diplomatic. To calm them down. Zero eyes were telling the next shot would be the last.
Villim's voice echoed through the chambers.
"You all are unbelievable. It wasn't enough everything your kind have made so far. They had to go and ally themselves with Synthetics. The same synthetics responsible for genocide of their own creators! You are hereby declared enemies of the Citadel Council and it affiliated species!"
Zorah stepped up.
"Then we do it with pride! We will fight side by side with these synthetics and you know why? Because for the first time in eons our people could believe in a future. And it was all thanks to him. The synthetic called X!"
Anant nodded.
"For the first time we have allies. For the first time we are not alone. We will fight till the very end if needed. And it will be side by side with our friends and allies."
Zero step up, and the room silenced. His eyes locked at the turian councilor.
"Don't even think that you have the power to face us because you don't have."
Villim perked up.
"You can't truly believe that your meager alliance of rag tags can possibly win against the might to the combined forces of the Citadel Fleet."
Zero never tore his eyes away from the turian and he shuddered at the gaze the red reploid gave him.
"You might reach Earth, but every inch of that road will be paved in blood. If you came for war you will pay so badly for that. That your name will go down in history as synonymous of fool, for starting such a gruesome battle."
Villim's mandibles flared in rage.
"Arrest them and send the fleets we are going to war!"
Valdan agreed immediately.
"You are soulless things! You cannot be trusted to rule yourselves. We will bring you down."
Tevos raised her chin in cold tone.
"For greater good we will bring you down."
The council chambers erupted in shouts of approval, all races were in agreement. Zero looked around. C-Sec and specters were closing in to arrest them. But what burned in his mind was X face. His eyes completely wide in disbelief.
Zero then reached for the side on his helmet activating his communicator.
"Marean take us out of here."
The council was then silent in stunned sound as all the representatives became balls of light and disappeared.
There was then a ping on Villim omnitool. He answered and a voice came on the other side.
"Sir the quarian cruiser just made a run to the mass relay and disappeared."
The footage played over and over again, the conclave representative Zorah announcing.
"Then we do it with pride! We will fight side by side with these synthetics and you know why? Because for the first time in eons our people could believe in a future. And it was all thanks to him. The synthetic called X!"
That was a new data, new information. It's been a long time since they have manage to hack into the systems of the Citadel. Observing and learning. The more they learned the more they believed that the isolation was the only choice.
Till now.
Now there were new variables. Information that seemed impossible at first. The many begun to discuss. What should they do now? To intervene would mean to go to war. To fight once more. Were they ready? Yes they were ready to fight. But would they fight alone? Or would the Systems Alliance become their allies?
Too many questions and no answers. Then a new footage. The human under the designation of Doctor Light.
"Perhaps he will be discovered in the far flung future and will fight valiantly to ensure peace for all people."
New query, does 'All people.' Includes the Geth?
