Authors Note:
I don't own the rights to neither Mass effect or Mega man series, in any way.
Guys I cant say how much I appreciate all the support you are giving me. I always thank you for the time you take to point things to me about the story. But for the following chapters I wish to give a special thanks for the Following people:
- jetslinger333
- Kinunatzs
- m6102032
- Hishin Trueflame
I will not get into individual specifics, but they are the people that took time to talk with me and Brain Stormed me with Ideas. Great Ideas. Good Ideas. And I am using them from here on onward.
For that I give all of you my special Thanks.
And once more I hope you enjoy the Chapter.
Chapter 9 – Back Door.
Fedorian sighted, he was one of the admirals in line to be primarch due to his outstanding military career. But circumstances changed. And he was about to be thrown in a different type of battle field.
He sighted again and muttered.
"Politics."
Next to him he heard another sight.
"No need for such dismay Fedorian."
The turian looked to the asari next to him, she was in a black dress, with head ornaments. She redirected her gaze to the data pad on her hands.
"We were chosen by our governments to bring order to the chaos our Councilors put up. If anything we should be proud."
Next to them a salarian female typed away frenetically on her omnitool, while her voice came in a high pitch.
"Hum, statement suggest acceptance of situation. Datapad with fake text and hidden image of daughter might suggest lake of real interest in current situation. Forced to position? No Benezia really well connected to be forced. Self interest in recent events? Not likely. Never before showed real interest in galactic politics. Unless not related with politics… Perhaps… Yes must ask. Are you curious about the synthetic species?"
Fedorian mind cringed while trying to process the amount of information thrown at him at once by the vocal salarian.
"Spirits! Will I have to get used to your babbling Chirlan Solus?"
The salarian shrugged.
"Unless you are quickly replaced yes. Still waiting for reply Benezia."
The asari sighted as the text on her data pad switched to the image of her daughter.
"Yes you are correct. I have curiosity over the synthetic species."
Fedorian subharmonics hummed curiously.
"I would like to listen to your input in the matter."
Benezia looked over to the turian and nodded. Pulling up an omnitool with the news feed of the Reploids introduction to the old council.
"As you see they are synthetics but they were trying to introduce themselves to the galaxy. As far as I can see, when they got wind of the Expeditionary Fleet they tried to avoid a disastrous first contact."
Fedorian cringed as the salarian voice came with yet another high pitched speech.
"Curious. Turian know for military view of thing yet curious on asari input. Looking for cultural possibilities of attack? Possible. Looking for closer relationship with asari as possible bond mate? Not likely. Fedorian already has bond mate. Turians know for their unshakable loyalty. Trying to bring closer all assets at disposal of council? Most likely. Asari inputs very curious but also very accurate. Still most speculation. Reploids representant didn't have the time to bring up finer matters of spicies. None the less could have meant good will. Hum… Should give input raise productivity of group. Quarians seemed to trust the synthetic even being an A.I. If footage of Doctor Thomas Light not a forgery could possibly meant that base code of the reploids is made to respect aspects of organic life."
Chirlan took a deep breath and smiled brightly at the other two.
"Very productive talk! See you in the Council chambers. Much to think and information to gather. Will run some analysis and simulations."
With that the fast paced speech Chirlan walked briskly away from them both. Fedorian shook head.
"I believe should talk more once we have taken our new post on the council chambers."
Benezia bowed respectfully.
"As do I. See you in a moment."
Fedorian walked over the new office. As the turian were a military institution some tradition were still in place. Such as the transition of a new Councilor.
The office had a few boxes being carried away by some C-Sec that nodded respectfully at Fedorian and left. Villim raised and stopped in front of Fedorian. The two saluted one another.
Fedorian then announced.
"With great honor I relive you form your duties Councilor Villim."
Villim saluted back.
"With great honor I am relieved."
Simple as that the turians then fell on a more relaxed stance, as Villim turned to a counter with turian beverages.
And Fedorian answered.
"No I will have a meeting soon enough. I hatter be sober."
Villim laughed ruefully.
"Soon enough Fedorian you will find that these meeting require a certain amount of alcohol to go through."
Fedorian didn't criticize the comment as two C-Sec entered the room and Villim downed his drink in one go. He was being escorted to Palaven for a military Trial on his recent decisions as the Turian Councilor. Villim got then walked away from the room without another word.
Another C-Sec turian entered the room and salute.
"Congratulations Councilor."
Fedorian smirked.
"I may be the Councilor now Vakarian but that don't give you the right to go all formal on me."
Vakarian though for a moment and nodded speaking analytically professionalism.
"Then I am sorry for you. You are in deep trouble. It is obvious after the failure of the Expeditionary Fleet that the government are trying to save face punishing the old council and trying to push the responsibility on the new one."
Fedorian smirked ruefully, Vakarian was a little blunt and cold bastard. But a right one on that. However nothing to do about it now except to try and make things right. Right now he needed to think a way to solve that mess.
A soft chime came from his omnitool announcing that his fellow councilors were ready to the meeting.
"Well old friend I will see you around."
Fedorian walked through the corridors till reaching the council private room. Benezia had a weary look on her eyes, Chirlan didn't seem to notice him entering the room.
He them directed to Benezia.
"Rough time with Tevos?"
Benezia grimaced.
"Yes. Her… reception to her dismissal was less than ideal."
Chirlan quipped in.
"Asari costumes most curious. Describe less than ideal as throwing a desk with biotic trough the balcony into the presidium. Must keep registry to compare to what they think as a bad reception in comparison to less than ideal."
Benezia shrugged.
"Well anyway I believe it is time for us to decide on what to do about the Systems alliance. How are our fleets at the moment Fedorian?"
Fedorian begin typing in his omnitool a Chirlan stopped her frantic typing seeming to finally put her attention on the gathering.
"Not good. Fearing the quarian advantage in numbers, Villim sent out most of the fleets to engage Earth. By all accounts it should have been enough to take we sent almost half of our fleets, except the reserve and the fleets on patrol. Since none of them came back I had to active all of the reserves while we build up back again. Right now what we could do is gather all patrol fleets and reserves. It would gather us around 35000 ships."
Chirlan scratched her chin.
"Not a very positive prospect."
Benezia quipped in.
"And how are our estimative on our enemy's forces?"
Fedorian scratched his mandibles.
"No ship returned from Earth, except a few STGs and Especter Sailan. We must assume that the most likely scenario is that Alliance have won the battle there. Witch could boil down to two scenarios. One they have a fleet that survived the encounter. Second both fleet destroyed one another in the engagement. In both scenarios I would assume that our sheer number right now could be used to subdue then. However we got a most disturbing news on the fleet on the krogan DMZ."
Chirlan nodded.
"That is true our spy drones showed that there is a Geth fleet over Tuchanka protecting it. So far we can speculate that the Reploids have managed to bring the Geth into the Alliance. The fleet over Tuchanka is numbered in forty thousand ships."
Benezia blinked at that.
"I sorry you said Forty thousand?"
Chirlan nodded.
"Yes. Possibly they might have more behind the Perseus Veil. In comparison the biggest fleet we have today is the turian fleet with twenty thousand ships. Second comes the asari and salarian fleets with twelve thousand ships each. And then we have our client races fleets with four thousand ships each."
Benezia nodded.
"I understand but how did they make so many ships?"
Chirlan shrugged.
"Many possibilities, most likely Geth don't waste time. Since their isolation behind the Perseus veils. They are also synthetic, they have no problem with supply lines the same way we have. Their ships would not have the same level of care in atmospheric maintained like ours. Less things to worry in construction faster construction lesser cost in maintained. Over tree hundred years. Yes. Plenty time to build a large armada. Hard to fully foresee full armada strength."
Fedorian scratched his mandibles beginning to wish for the drink Villim offered. Things didn't look good.
Fedorian sighted.
"Well that is not all."
Benezia and Chirlan looked at him, while he proceeded.
"Right now our only ships and fleets are on patrol duty. Even those sieging Tuchanka were supposed to be patrolling the Attican traverse. If we call them to take down the Alliance in an all out war we will be completely exposed to the Terminus Systems. And I am already getting reports of movement along the border. It was a fortunate thing that the Last Council did retrofit the defenses but even so without the patrol fleets support I can see pirates and raiders getting bold."
Benezia then scratched her chin.
"Then I don't see war as a good path for us. I believe now would be a good time to reflect on why this war have started."
The other two looked at her, Benezia continued.
"You see from reports that we received from the old council they begun a series of preventive actions against the Quarians and Krogans, because they got antsy about a third parties using them to make the largest army in the galaxy."
Chirlan quipped in.
"If it had proven right. As far as we could see from reports they were indeed trying to change the path of their species. Krogan begun Cultural Revolution quarians begun to work towards becoming truly independents. Old council saw that as a Blow against citadel image."
Benezia nodded.
"In certain ways it was. Just like the news feed on Tuchanka put a lot on the table to think of. Perhaps the Council mistake was to not be open to changes. I can see much of the Alliance bringing a movement to our stagnant stage."
Fedorian nodded.
"That might be. Our military doctrine haven't changed in the last thousand years to be so overwhelmed in a single combat. We will have to change tactics and improve ourselves."
Chirlan blinked in fast succession fixing the other two councilors.
"Fascinating."
The other two threw an inquisitive look at her. The salarian then explained.
"You two don't share previous council insights. Neither do I. It's easy to know why I have being chosen as new salarian representative. My opinions not really popular in salarian union. But hold too much political power to be suppressed. Send to represent and fail and be hidden off. Easiest way. Wonder if… Perhaps yes have to ask. Are you two in similar position within governments?"
The other shifted uncomfortable as the salarian smirked.
"Ah… I see. So you also saw trough the deception. Must ask then. What are your true thoughts on the situation?"
Fedorian barked a laugh, but a new wave of relief running true him. He didn't really like the political bullshit. Being in the same boat put them in a position were sincerity could be spoken.
"I think the situation escalated into the most stupid outcome it could have. I spoke against the invasion. Too many unknowns. To underestimate an adversary was stupidity in highest level. To hold and prepare fleets while gathering intelligence. That was my opinion. The Hierarchy though I was a coward."
Benezia sighted.
"Well it must be obvious to you that the asari matriarchy approved the invasion with fear of losing technological edge on the galactic scenery. I though it as stupid. At some point we would have to move away from mass effect technology. The matriarchy didn't like it at all."
The salarian nodded.
"Yes. Many salarian were scared of a second Geth species. But Reploids came clean trying to proper introducing themselves. I tried to point that out to the Salarian Union. Was gently asked to step away from other political discussions. Also sent a few assassins. Lucky really tight ties with STG. Was prepared for them."
Fedorian shook head.
"Well as far as I can see. We might have a chance to win the war if we bring to bear the client races fleets and abandon all patrol fleets to attack. We will win against the Alliance but will surely loose the Citadel Council to the Terminus Systems. After the war neither race on the Citadel Council space will be in shape to rebuke the Terminus. Right now they are watching us ready to attack at the first sign of weakness."
Benezia typed a few commands on her omnitool and data on the terminus appeared.
"Perhaps we don't have to worry with that. If we are willing to compromise."
The other two looked over to Benezia. She kept typing as new information crossed on the hollo screen.
"You see after the Systems alliance begun to change the krogan and he Krogan began to act differently on the terminus you can observe a few communities trying to change too. In some ways the helpless krogan no longer acting as warmonger species brought a new example on the Terminus."
Fedorian leaned in.
"True enough, the Hierarchy have being tracing decline of crimes on border thanks to the Aralakh Company. But what are you talking about a compromise Benezia?"
Benezia nodded.
"We make peace and let them Alliance do to the Terminus what they have done to the Krogan."
The other two just stared at her in dumb silence as Fedorian was the first to ask.
"I am sorry. But why, in the spirits name, they would do that?"
Chirlan quipped in typing on her omnitool showing up doctors Light message.
"They can't help it. Reploids beliefs are in some ways in the core of the Alliance, and is their nature to try and help. They will not stand to seeing the people of the Terminus that live in such a wretched live to keep living that way. Many were just like the krogan and quarians. Some factions live in violence because they have no other choice. But once the Systems Alliance come around I see many joining them willingly or willing to be under their wing. They will surely bring stability in that sector."
Fedorian leaned back.
"It would also gave them great power on the long run. They would engulf the Citadel by their sheer size."
Benezia nodded.
"That is true, unless we also grow in the same pace. From here onward our efforts would be around commerce. To increase our economic power and tie our two governments would be the best hope I foresee to keep the peace between our people."
Chirlan smiled typing on her omnitool.
"Interesting approach. Creating an interdependence between us to make sure one cannot destroy the other without great backlash. Wait! Alliance synthesizer make such a thing impossible. Sub existence not dependent on our economy. Unless… Yes possible. Have to ask. Could the Volus Protectorate come up with unified bank system to better bind both economies? Would also have to show equal benefit to binding."
Fedorian looked up smiling.
"Well probably they can. The Volus are really good with their numbers. I believe they can come up with something."
Benezia hummed musing.
"Now we must think. Are we trying to reignite this war or are we aiming for peace?"
Chirzan leaned in.
"Peace indeed preferable. But looking weak might bring further aggression from alliance. They do have krogans as core species."
Fedorian smirked.
"I will make sure to bear the best we can from the fleets, including our client races fleets. Unfortunately we will be vulnerable for some time."
Chirzan nodded, while Benezia grimaced.
"Perhaps we could delegate it to some mercenaries. Like the Eclipse."
Fedorian sneered.
"Can't say I like that Idea. But I guess it is our best option to keep the colonies safe while we maneuver the fleets."
Fedorian then sighted.
"I will provide it. I believe you would have the contacts for that councilor Chirzan."
Chirzan was typing away on her omnitool.
"Yes. Yes, will send contacts to you later on."
Benezia then nodded.
"Very well we should then head for Tuchanka with our fleet and diplomatic envoy. All agreed?"
The other two nodded.
"Good. How soon can we depart?"
Fedorian typed on his omnitool getting the numbers.
"Will need at least four days to bring the fleets."
Chirzan nodded.
"In the meantime will coordinate the STG and Specters to keep an eye on the Alliance. We don't need any surprises right now. But still getting up to speed. Many projects were on the run before we entered in place."
Saelan was in the specters labs on the Citadel. He looked over the rusted and busted robot on the table. He had during the Expeditionary Fleet attack, managed to pass through the fleet and reploid defenses with a stealth ship. Small enough to not be perceived visually. Unless you were looking directly at it.
He came down to the ruined world and managed to salvage some of the Cataclysm robots. As a specter it was his duty to defend the Citadel. And right now he was hopping to provide the citadel with Reploid technology to give them a fighting chance.
He was dissection the memory units as the weapons on thin one robot. He began running the scanners trough the coding. His eyes widened in surprise. The coding in it was simply too much to be easily decomposed by his omnitool that was top of specters equipment.
When there was a small spark on his omnitool and the lights on the lab fluctuated slightly. Saelan looked around and turned up his communicator.
"This is specter Saelan. I just detected an energy fluctuation on the grid on Specters Area."
The voice came crackled on the other side for a moment and the Specter frowned.
"Sir it is a minor fluctuation. We are detecting it in a few areas on the Citadel. Our technicians are being dispatched right now."
"That was a surprise."
Taro observed Wrex rumbling voice at the Alliance council on the hollo chamber. All the other representatives of the Alliance together. The Conclave representative Zea'Zorah cried out.
"For the ancestors. Please tell me you are not thinking in bringing the Geth to the Alliance!"
Wrex barked back in annoyance.
"Why not? Look at that fleet they are already here and they already saved Tuchanka!"
Uto quipped in.
"But they are Geth! They are just finding a way to finish what they started and wipe out the quarians! We can't trust them!"
Wrex roared.
"Who said anything about trust? They are the strength we need to topple the Citadel Council!"
Sigma then quipped in.
"I am of the same mind as Wrex. With the help of the Geth we could take down our enemies once and for all. I know it is a great risky especially for the Quarians. But wouldn't it be worth to have one less enemy to fight?"
Feeda barked back.
"How can we have them in our ranks? They are…"
Feeda cut her own speech before she continued and Sigma narrowed his eyes sneering.
"Come finish it Admiral. You were saying how can you trust ?"
Annant growled annoyed.
"This is not how she meant it Commander! And you know it."
Sigma growled back at the krogan.
"Please enlighten me."
Taro observed as the talks run back and forth, in an endless loop getting ever so higher voices. Except for one. He observed X demeanor on the hollo.
The blue robot was silent, his eye seemed a little devoid of his inner light. But on the calm surface he could see that something was bubbling underneath. He spent too much time with him to not notice when something was amiss.
Taro shook head wondering. When was that he stopped to regard X as a thing and began to think of him as a being. He then looked around the shouts and discords on the table and something bubbled inside of him.
Taro draw his Carnifex and Shoot up, the admirals and the conclave dodged down as the Krogans watched with open mouths and the reploids with widened eyes. Taro holstered his gun and spoke calmly as if nothing ever happened.
"Now that the bickering is dead. X would mind share your though on the Geth subject?"
All eyes turned to X that blinked twice and took a deep breath.
"As far as I can see, Wrex done the right thing. He took the help but never said that it would be the entering ticket for the Geth on the Alliance."
Wrex just huffed crossing his arms.
"That's damn right! I am no fool! And I know that it has to come around all of us."
X continued.
"And the Geth didn't actually asked for it. They have asked for the Alliance interference with the Quarian and Geth war. That is the Alliance and Geth war now. We all knew that it was a possibility to go to war with the Geth in the future."
Taro narrowed his eyes.
"There is more isn't?"
X smiled.
"I guess I got a little jealous of the Geth."
Everyone on the room was silent. Zea then asked, with awe and doubt in her voice.
"I do not understand. What do you mean X?"
X nodded.
"No matter what we the Reploids do we will never be able to turn to our creators the humans and say. 'Here let me give you a hand.' Our Creators are long gone and I can't help them anymore. I can't even say I'm sorry for not being there to help them. There is no one there to hear it."
Ken'Bekk leaned in.
"X what happened to the humans was not your fault. You can't blame yourself for it. The reploids have done nothing wrong."
X then looked back at each of the admiral's eyes. Those piercing green eyes.
"And did the Geth? I mean was really their fault?"
Zea'Zorah spoke.
"Of course it was! They expelled us from Rannoch! Our own home world!"
X then pressure it.
"And how did it happened?"
Uto spoke with steel in his voice.
"The Geth accidently gained conscious and attacked us."
Taro'Xen understood were it was going and groaned. Everyone looked at him. Taro didn't want to be to one to say it. But no one else would see it that way.
"I have being studying synthetics since we found X. And that included researching our own history about the Geth. After thirty years of research I have begun to gather through our fleet fragments of information. As far as I can see this is how it really happened. We created the geth to be cheap labor force. As our need for more complex activities and the bigger the Geth consensus grow the smarter it become. So when it grow enough to be self-sentient we tried to destroy everyone one of them. Then was when the Geth fought back."
All the admirals were in stunned silence. Wrex shrugged.
"Well that sure bring a spin to things."
Zea voice was but a whisper, she sounded almost accusing.
"Is that true? You mean to say that the Geth were just fighting to protect themselves?"
Taro nodded at her as Uto quipped in.
"You have those files? That evidence?"
Taro once more nodded in accordance. Then Ken'Bekk asked.
"Why didn't you said anything about it before?"
Taro huffed shading his head.
"To be lynched? No thank you! I like living. Even because X already knew it."
All eye turned to X, as the blue robot nodded.
"Yes that is true I knew it from the start. Taro showed me the research and after talking together we thought it would be better to let the Quarians get more used to the reploids before presenting it."
Taro nodded.
"We thought that it was too soon to reveal it to the Alliance. The Quarian nurtured a hatred towards the Geth for so long. It would not easily be forgotten. We were afraid that right now it would tear the Alliance inside out."
Wrex narrowed his eyes.
"Well now I am pissed off."
Everyone turned at him. Wrex now stood up and his blood red irises narrowed at each of the quarians. That could not help but flinch under his glare. Even after so many years knowing the krogan Taro couldn't help to feel antsy under his glare.
"When we talked about this alliance you said the only way the krogan were getting help was if we let go of our old habits. And Aralakh it was hard. Slow and maddening thing to do! To make it work. To convince all the krogans to let go of their hatred towards the council and the despair of the genophage to build a future. And now! NOW! That we have a possible powerful ally at our doors almost BEGGING to be at least in peace! You have the courage to tell me you are too used to hate it to actually change and accept them? Is that right?"
Wrex was roaring at the end of his speech, and no quarian could look him in the eyes. But Wrex was not done yet.
"Tuchanka is in Shambles once again. My people risked everything for this Alliance. If you say that you cannot look over your wounds to move towards a future tell me now! And we will walk away from this farce!"
Sigma cut in then.
"Just wait a moment Wrex don't be…"
Wrex cut him off.
"We will! The Alliance needed the krogan to be their best. And we have done so. The only fair thing is that the Quarians be their best as well! Otherwise no deal! We will not be once again with backstabbing allies that only care for themselves."
Zea'Zorah voice raised above others.
"Overlord Wrex is correct."
All the eyes turned to her. She then proceeded.
"Taro send your findings. We will have copies delivered in every ship on every omnitool for all quarians to see. We then will meet the Geth with a white slate."
Zea then turned to Sigma.
"I believe your people will see a lot of strife on the streets and revolt. Are the Reploids ready for such a thing?"
Commander sigma nodded.
"Yes we still have many of the humans civilian control methods. We should be able to subdue it if it became violent, without hurting the quarians. But we might have to arrest a few ones for that."
Feeda'Kadi quipped in.
"I will send a few of our own civilian patrols. They should be better acepted then the reploids when things come to push."
Sigma scratched his chin.
"Very well I will coordinate them together."
Zea'Zorah them announced, her voice flexed a sour taste.
"I will inform the Conclave and once they have read through the findings of Taro and the people know of it. I will suggest that we come forward with a announcing to the people. All alliance wide that our history is wrong. And that we might be looking at the Geth on our Alliance."
Wrex nodded.
"That's more like it."
The quarians conclave and Admiralty joined to discuss Taro's findings and it was the lengthiest discussion of the conclave ever made since the Creation of the Migrant Fleet. All the remaining captains shouting and discussing for two days in a roll. It was supposed to be a one day reunion, but no contest could be achieved in that time. So they took another one.
A quarts of the quarians on Earth made protests through the streets. As they did not cause injury to anyone or tried to destroy the city the maverick hunters didn't act on them. It was only observing. It was the right to announce their discontent on the subject.
Other quarians were already used to the Reploids, and though that Taro's findings sounded plausible. If such a thing was true then perhaps the Geth were there indeed to offer assistance.
That was reluctant hope. That the Geth were not the monsters they were told.
The younger generation had an easier time absorbing that possibility. The older ones having a harder time. Some could barely tolerate the Reploids.
After all was said and done the conclave and Admiralty came to the same opinion they would only welcome the Geth on the chance that Rannoch was given back to the quarians. Otherwise the Quarians would only accept a cease fire. The rest of the Alliance stood to it.
The quarians needed their home world back and the krogan were right behind them. The systems Alliance new Fleet Arrived in Tuchanka and the Geth sent to the planet side a representative for the peace talks.
The round room was filled with tension, X though he could cut it with a knife. The quarian admiralty and the Conclave representing were present. Together with Urdnot Wrex and the clans representatives of Tuchanka. X, Sigma and Colonel were representing the Reploids.
The geth platform walked in the room. It eyes scanned around the round table. All member stood up and X spoke.
"We of the Systems alliance receive the Geth representative that wishes to address to us. We are opening this sessions to speak."
The Geth tilted its head as its flaps opened and closed. The synthesized voice announced.
"This is a platform of the Geth."
X nodded.
"Can we assume that this platform speak for the whole Geth consensus?"
The platform nodded.
"That is correct."
X nodded and inquired.
"For the sake of making for an easier communication I request to address to this platform with a standard designation."
The Geth platform tilted it head.
"This platform houses 1183 run times, which designation would you request?"
Sigma quipped in.
"Legion because you are many."
Many eyes turned to the commander. Who shrugged?
"It seemed appropriated."
The geth flaps open and closed.
"We find this designation acceptable."
X nodded.
"Then we can proceed."
All members sited, Legion done the same mimicking their method. There was then a long awkward silence. X coughed.
"Would you like to present your case to us now Legion?"
The geth tilted its head and nodded.
"The Geth consensus wish for the Systems Alliance to intermediate the peace between the Geth and the Creators."
A little more summarized then what X had hoped. Then Taro'Xen intruded.
"The quarians are a little wary that it is a ruse of the Geth Consensus to make us lower our guard to be killed by the Geth."
Legion flaps opened in full bloom and froze in that form, for over thirty seconds. Then they got back to normal.
"The Geth do not wish to harm Creators. We wish for them to come back home and live together once more."
Zea'Zorah raised the question, already predicting the answer.
"Why to drive us away in the first place then?"
The Geth looked down for a moment and then back at the representatives.
"We were fighting for our survival. We never meant for creators to be in such position. But the fought for the right to exist."
X observed as all the quarians took a deep breath. They were feeling stupid after all, with Taro's research and Legions words. The only people responsible for the Quarian plight were the quarians people themselves. It was their decision that led to all these events so many years ago.
Wrex the barked.
"Ok I got a question. Why now?"
Legion flaps opened and closed.
"Specify subject."
Wrex shook head.
"Why try to make peace with the quarians now?"
Legion nodded.
"Because we have being surveilling on the Extra Net. We saw that creators were now coexisting with synthetics. And synthetics promised to fight for all people. We estimated that now was the best chance the Geth had to achieve peace."
Zea announced.
"This alliance has no quarrel with the Geth. Hence forth a non-hostility treat can be arranged as other things. As the peace."
Legion looked down as his run times entered in discussion for a few minutes then it looked up again.
"What would take for Geth integration into the Alliance?"
Uto spoke up.
"First of all the return of Rannoch to the quarians."
All members of the Alliance nodded in unison. Legion flaps opened and closed.
"Then Geth will be allowed to be with creators once more?"
The Quarians exchanged looks and looked over to X that nodded at them. Taro'Xen spoke then.
"If your intentions are true we are willing to try. We will begin with a colony on Rannoch with the same number of quarians and reploids. In that proportion we will accept the same number of Geth platforms on planet side. We will make it a trial. With we can keep peace on that colony for at least five years the Geth will be welcome into the Systems Alliance as full members with all benefits that account for. Such as access to our technologies."
X asked the platform.
"Is that acceptable for the Geth consensus?"
Legion looked up to the group and nodded.
"The Geth agree with the proposition."
X stood up.
"Then it is my honor to announce that the Geth are now a trial race on our Alliance."
A chime from the Alliance Members omnitool, everyone looked at them and Wrex grumbled.
"Talk about timing. The Citadel Fleet just arrived."
Uto nodded.
"Around thirty five thousand ships in a single fleet."
X scratched his chin.
"Well I guess we got them a little jittery."
Legion tilted its head.
"Query. Are the Alliance going to launch an attack on the Citadel?"
Admiral Feeda typed on her omnitool.
"It looks like they have a diplomatic envoy requesting for peace talks."
Wrex waved his hand dismissively.
"If we count the Geth, right now our fleet is twice the size of their own. I say we crush them and be finished with it."
X eyes widened.
"Wait! what?"
Uto followed.
"That is true. It won't be a problem if we act now. Our fleet is in the numbers of seventy thousand ships. Even with some losses here we can still pull it up. We can put them down once and for all."
Legion quipped in.
"There are still Geth armada behind the Perseus Veil."
Wrex Barked a laugh and Sigma leaned forward.
"In that case are you saying that we could have a two front assault on the Citadel Forces?"
The Geth platform nodded.
"Affirmative."
X voice broke through the talks.
"Wait you can't all be talking serious?"
All eyes turned to him, as the Geth tilted his head.
"Geth do not understand. Our probability of success is of 90%. Why hesitate?"
Wrex narrowed his eyes towards X.
"Remember runt. There are times when you cannot hesitate in pulling the trigger."
X nodded.
"Yes, but you should not pull the trigger just because you can!"
All the others looked at him. And Sigma quipped in.
"X right now we have the upper hand. The council is weakened by their arrogance. We might not have such a chance to do it again. We should not let go of such an opportunity."
X looked around at all of them. How could they think of it?
"But why?"
Wrex growled.
"They dare to march upon our worlds X! They took arms and attacked us when we wanted nothing more then take care of our own business! You can't expect us to be still. We have to show them that they cannot do as they please. They have to see that there is a price for trying to stomp at us!"
X shook head.
"But the lives that will be lost…"
Sigma cut in.
"What about the lives that have already been lost X? What about all the reploid, Quarians and Krogans that died in this invasion attempt? We will just look the other way and pretend that it is all right?"
X had a lack of words, he could not retort the worlds.
"They sent a diplomatic envoy they wish for peace."
Uto nodded.
"Out of convenience of course. They bet on an easy win and now are paying the price. We must show that there are consequences for such actions."
There were no more reasoning that X could muster on them. But he got a gut feeling and a gut feeling alone that this was not what they should be doing. And he would not give an inch on that.
"The Reploid Nation will not take part in this slaughter."
All members looked at him, Wrex growled.
"You can't be serious runt!"
Sigma leaned in.
"X think carefully about it. We need this victory to ensure that such a thing will never happen again."
X stared down at Sigma.
"Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. This war will never have an end. As leader of the Reploid Nation I refuse to give a single reploid to this war effort. I will lead the Reploid Nation to defend to last quarian, krogan or geth against our foes. But I will not act to bring such slaughter to the galaxy. This will not be our legacy."
Legion voice resounded getting everyone attention.
"The Geth Consensus agree with X. We will dispose of fleets for defense but not for destruction."
Wrex raised up with rage dripping in every word.
"You egg heads cannot be that stupid! We have to take advantage now! You know what will happen? They will sent their asari whores to make us sign insulting peace! Anything to put then over us again! I will not have the krogan under the Council a second time!"
Zea raised her voice.
"Neither will the Conclave agree to be beggars of the galaxy once more! Do you think that we will go back to wandering the galaxy as scavengers? You showed us that we can be much more. And now we need your help X. We need the reploids to by our side in the battle."
X then raged. For the first time they saw the blue robot rage in front of them and all could fell a chilling down their spine as the greenish eyes flared. Legion could detect several run times in loop unable to fully process X presence in the room. Taro looked up as lights flicked randomly and over to his omnitool, seeing as it begun to run programs by itself.
"Listen to yourselves! You are so afraid of being once more sub judged by the Council that are willing to do the same thing to them yourselves!"
Wrex noticed that he had taken one step back from the leader of the reploid nation. X seemed to slowly take a breath as the light subdued from his eyes. Taro observed as everything whet back to normal. And X proceeded.
"I say we first listen to what they have to say. If true peace can be achieved I will support it. No subjugation. We as a free power not bound by the Council in any way. If in even that event you decide to go to war I will not support you."
All the members wanted to argue but could not. They knew the blue robot was to done yet.
"However, if the Council try to bind us I will personally be there on first row of the forces attacking them. I will not go by any lees them our freedom. But I will not be the thing I say I am fighting against."
Another chime came from Taro's omnitool, warning him of income messages to see that the diplomatic envoy was ready to the Peace Talks.
He them looked over the other members of the alliance and Wrex was the first to growl.
"Damn it all! All right we will do your way X! But just because I know it will fail. Them I want you to keep your word and be at the first assault on the Citadel."
The quarians nodded at Wrex assentation and X breathed relived. As he typed on his omnitool to the diplomatic envoy to meet them on planet.
Captain Lyndaia of the Destiny Ascension had Tuchanka on her screen. She felt antsy, the krogan home world was in shambles, but the sheer size of the fleet that guarded it was unnerving. The diplomatic envoy had being deployed at the world side and should be beginning peace talks right now.
And she did indeed wished for it to go smoothly. She was taken away from her reverie by the comns operator.
"Ma'am! You got incoming package on secure line. Priority Skyfall."
Lyndaia eyes went wide.
"Patch it through the fleet captains, let's see what the council got to us."
Lyndaia observed as the message had the signature of Specter Saelan. A little different from protocol, but not unheard of. She opened the packaged followed by an oscillation of her omnitool, she formed at it but soon enough the message came.
"Evidence shows that the Alliance Fleet will attack during peace talks. Be ready to counter."
Lyndaia narrowed her eyes cursing under her breath.
"Pacth all captains trough!"
The conms officer nodded as the bridges lights suddenly flickered. Lyndaia looked over to the engineer on bridge, a salarian that just shrugged.
"Just a minor energy fluctuation Captain. Nothing to worry about."
Lyndaia just stared down at him.
"Good! Keep it that way!"
The comns specialist then announced.
"Captain all ships are on the line."
The asari nodded.
"You all received a high priority encrypt package form the citadel Council, just like me. I want all ships in red alert ready for combat. Keep your weapons hot…"
The sensors specialist then shouted.
"Ma'am the Silent Huntress has just went dark! The sensors detect it was shot down by the Alliance fleet."
Lyndaia cursed under her breath.
"Goddess! All ships shoot back!"
