Chapter 25 Rise
Joker sat at the helm of the Normandy waiting for permission for landing out of the window he could see the massive landing bay of the Galactica before him. All around Normandy the colonial vipers patrolled with four colonial Raptors two on each side. The instructions from the Galactica said they were there to help guild them in but judging by the fact that the Normandy's missile target alarm get going off the real reason was to stop them from attacking their ship.
"So do you think we will fit?" asked the current second in Command of the Normand Miranda as she stood on the bridge behind Joker and EDI. Since Shepard and Garrus were off ship Miranda was second in command after Ashley.
"It's a tight fit but no real problem." explained Joker "We have about 7 meters on either side of us and around 40 meters to our front once we get all the way in."
"That is the one part I don't really like, docking is one thing be we are going inside another ship which we know next to nothing about." explained Miranda
"We know one thing for sure." said Joker as Miranda looked at him "If things go side way and we have to shoot our way out, we can't miss."
"Very true Jeff." stated EDI as laugh a bit as Miranda rolled her eyes.
"Attention Normandy this is Galactica flight control you are cleared for landing." Stated a voice over the radio
"Understood Normandy moving in." said Joker as the expert pilot began moving into the landing bay of the giant colonial Battlestar. The Normandy was pushing the limits of the size ship which could fit inside the landing bay; however this was the most effect way to deliver the food. Once inside four landing struts came out from their holding area on the Normandy as it touched down inside the giant Battlestar. The landing bay was partly designed to be used as a moveable dry dock for smaller warships during the first Cylon war and lately it had been used mostly to move supplies from ship that where too large for raptors to do themselves.
"The Normandy has landed." reported the colonial flight operator as the flight pod began to move into the main body of Galactica "Retracting flight pod and preparing to pump in atmosphere the flight pod. Extending air lock for docking."
The Normandy rocked a little bit as the Galactica's internal airlock attached itself to the Normand's haul. Normally they wouldn't bother with pumping air into the flight pods, only when they needed to do repairs did they do it. The rest of the time they left the pods extended so incase of Cylon attack the Raptors and Vipers could land.
The outer airlock of Normandy followed by the inner one opened up as Shepard followed by Garrus and Tali walked back onboard the ship which had become home.
"Commander on Deck." stated Joker as he spun around in his chair and jokily saluted Shepard, while most of the other crew saluted him.
"That enough Joker." said Shepard before turning to Miranda "How are preparations for the food and medical going?"
"We are maybe 30 minutes away from having all the food ready to go, I recommend we give them two of our three emergency containers and Dr. Chakwas is handling the medical side." explained Miranda "However it will do much to help a population of this size."
"But it will help a bit." added EDI
"Alright, will you inform the crew that in 45 minutes we will be conducting a tour for the Admiral of the Colonial fleet plus members of the government and some of their press." explained Shepard
"I will inform them." said Miranda as she crossed her arms over her chest "Shepard, you look like you need some sleep. I know I can't order you but get some sleep."
"I am on my way to bed now, maybe I get a quick nap before they arrive." explained Shepard
"No rest for the wicked, ah Commander." laughed Joker as the Sheppard walked away heading toward the Captain's cabin.
"Something happened didn't it?" asked Miranda as she turned to Garrus and Tali.
"Nothing much, we kind of maybe destroyed their religion and their current civilian leader is religious nut case who thinks that the System alliance has to listen to him." explained Garrus
"That is crazy we have hundreds of worlds." stated Joker before Miranda looked at him 'Ok we have hundreds of worlds within our territory most of whom are abounded because of the Reapers. Still the point stands."
"And Shepard delivered that point home when he shot the guy when he pulled a gun on us." explained Tali
"Shepard shot a member of a civilian government." exhaled Miranda
"Only after he pulled his gun on us and he tried to order Shepard to kill us since we an affront to their religious text." clarified Tali
"Was it a good shot at least?" asked Garrus
"Straight through his own gun and into the son's of a bitch shoulder." stated Garrus with a smile on his face.
"If this guy really threatened to have you and Tali killed I am amazed Shepard didn't kill him." stated Miranda before looking at Garrus "Hell I am surprised that you didn't do it yourself Garrus."
"Shepard beat me to it." admitted Garrus "And he should count himself lucky I would have shot him between the eyes not in the shoulder."
"You two get some rest as well." said Miranda as the two of them headed toward their own small cabin set up near the engine room. It wasn't much only wide enough for the two of them to lay down but it was sterilized and was clean enough for Tali to risk taking off her helmet. Once the two of them had gone Miranda headed down the back to the prepared to take care of the business of informing each command to prepare for guest. As she walked past the galaxy map she felt a hand on her shoulder, she spun around only to see EDI standing behind her.
"Did you have a chance to look over the DNA profile?" asked EDI as Miranda slowly nodded her head.
"It is perfect." stated Miranda as EDI smiled "And that is the problem it is too perfect."
"I don't follow." stated a confused EDI as the two of them started walking.
"The thing if I had to come up with the dream woman for Joker, it would be pretty close to those looks. Which makes me wonder if you are building this body for him or for you?" explained Miranda
"I understand your point but what if Jeff doesn't like the new body, wouldn't be best to become what he wants?" asked EDI
"I think if you asked him he would say become what you want to become. He would love you even if you became a Krogan." explained Miranda as EDI laughed a bit.
"Even though the Krogan form does have its strengths I wouldn't want to become one." explained EDI
"But the point still stands." explained Miranda "Build your own body not some dream woman for Joker. Now are you sure this is the body you want?"
EDI looked down for a moment as she thought about it for a moment before the two of them stepped into the elevator.
"There were two things I changed once I found out they are only the third highest traits in the women in Jeff's adult photo collection." explained EDI, Miranda blinked a bit "I personally liked it better but I thought it would be best."
"First I find it kind of disturbing that you know the traits of women in Joker's porn collection." stated Miranda as she placed her head in her hands "Second I realize that you probably know more about the crew then anyone so you probably know what everyone likes."
"Unless they shut me monitoring systems down I have eyes and ears everywhere. However I normally shut them down myself when I know things are getting personal" stated EDI "Apart from the bathrooms that is and I thank you for your insight."
"I hope I didn't set you back in your project." said Miranda
"Not at all, I only have one shot at this and they are only minor changes." explained EDI as the elevator came to a stop at Crew Quarters deck. "It should only take five minutes to make the changes and only an hour to grow the new sample."
"And once you have the sample how long will it take you to grow the body?" asked Miranda
"The Cylons technology is actually very good at growing whole bodies, I could rush it and get it done in two days but I will take the slow path and take seven days." explained EDI as she headed toward the medical bay to start her work.
"So seven days to a new you." said Miranda to herself as she moved off the elevator and headed toward the ship chef.
Down on the planet the standoff between the bunker Prothean and the team from the Normandy had ended as they stood across from each other.
"Lt. Commander Vegter, report." ordered Javik to the female Prothean who was in charge of the bunker.
"My combat team was awoken once the bunker was breached, we moved to defend the people and when we arrived we saw the Asari and the human." stated Vegter as she and the other Prothean combat troopers put their weapons away. "We moved to defend the members of the empire."
"As you should have." stated Javik
"They could have said something." stated Liara
"It would have cost them the element of surprise." stated Jacob "Luckily they are bad shots."
"You have no place to say that human, you are a subject race." stated one of the male Prothean combat troopers as him along with all the Prothean apart from Javik.
"It is understandable that their aim is off due to unfreezing sickness." stated Javik "When someone is in cryosleep too long they can have slight double vision for up to three days."
"Why do you explain things to them?" asked one of the males "They are subject races."
"There is no empire is there?" asked Vegter as the other Prothean looked at her "The Asari and the human are too advanced to have just been uplifted. When we went into cryosleep humanity where just discovering writing and the Asari still mastering the production of steel, there is no way they would have been ready for uplifting during your life time Commander Javik."
"You are correct." Stated Javik sadly "My mission failed, we where betrayed and when we sealed ourselves away we only had a few hundred warriors. Then the automatic timer failed combined with power failures meant that when I was unfrozen just over five years ago I was all that was left."
"How long?" asked Vegter
"Fifty thousand years." stated Javik as the Protheans looked at each other
"Then there is no time to waste the Reapers will be returning." stated Vegter
"They have returned." stated Liara as the Protheans held their breath for a moment "And they are gone."
"Gone?" asked one of the other Prothean
"Wouldn't it be easier if you just shared your memories with them Javik?" asked Liara
"No, while our races ability to transfer memories by touch is helpful and works perfectly for sharing shorts bits of information transferring something so complex would come across as only broken fragments." explained Javik
"How did you defeat the Reapers?" asked Vegter
"A human defeated them per say." stated Javik "One commander Shepard who is the living exemplar of Victory, managed what no one ever did and unite the races of the galaxy under one banner and that was enough."
"What do you mean?" asked Vegter
"Turns out that the Reapers are not just limited to this galaxy, they have forces in countless galaxies. They clear those galaxies so that organic and inorganic life don't destroy everything." explained Liara "When they saw how our galaxy came together as equals both Organics and Inorganic they thought it was worth studying to see if a galaxy could live in peace."
"So Shepard made peace with them and as long as we treat each other right we will live in peace." stated Jacob as the Protheans had a look of pure disgust on their faces.
"You made peace with those who have killed countless trillions." yelled one of the Protheans before looking at Javik "How could you allow the lower races to make that call."
"I was only one, no empire and it was their cycle to choice." explained Javik "However now, we have a chance to rebuild what we all lost, our empire may yet rise again."
"I am sure that the council would happily give you at least an embassy on the Citadel right off the bat." explained Jacob "Hell, the Hanar believe you to be their gods they may push for full council membership."
"As humanity says we will cross that bridge when it comes to it but first lets find out how many of our race is still alive." explained Javik "Where is central control?"
"Follow us." stated Vegter as the Protheans moved toward out of the bunker and into the staircase which had lead them down to the bunker however instead of moving up the staircase they moved to behind the staircase. They came to a stop facing a seemly normal rock wall, the team from the Normandy had simply walked past the wall as they moved through the large bunker doors into the chamber they had found. Everyone watched as Vegter reached out her hand touching the wall, the moment she did the wall disappeared to show a long hallway.
"A holographic door." stated Javik
"The Reapers would find that bunker and destroy it and totally miss this door." explained Vegter as they moved down the hallway until they suddenly found themselves standing on the edge of a large seamless bottomless tunnel which disappeared into the darkness.
"Well this seems kind of a dead end." stated Jacob as looked over the edge into the dark abyss.
"This is the end of the line for you." stated Vegter as she looked at Jacob and Liara as suddenly a moving platform came out of the darkness before coming to a stop right in front of them "Wait here for our return."
"Wait a second." stated Liara "Why should we wait?"
'Ya, what the hell is up with that?" asked Jacob
"This is a Prothean matter it doesn't involve you." stated one of the Protheans
"Liara, Jacob it would be best if you let me handle this." explained Javik as he stepped onto the Gondola along with the other Protheans.
"Alright, we will head up to the shuttle and contact the Normandy." said Liara as she and Jacob stood back as the Gondola moved away from the edge and headed into the darkness.
"What was that all about?" asked Jacob "They act like we are nothing."
"You have to remember the Prothean culture was an empire, with subject races under them. The only race with any real power was the Protheans themselves." explained Liara as she turned and started to walk away.
Out in the darkness of the tunnel Javik stood in the middle of the moving platform surround by his own people for first time in 50 thousand years.
"That human and Asari thinking that they are equal to us." growled one of the male protheans "They are subject species nothing more, we will rebuild our empire."
"Be calm, things has changed a lot over 50 thousand years." stated Javik as he put his hands behind his back "This is their cycle not ours we are leftovers from a cycle which was destroyed. We will rebuild our empire but it will not be the empire as it was before, we will all be equals."
"We are superior to them." stated a Prothean as he glared at Javik
"If we are so superior to them then why are we at their mercy for a recue?" asked Vegter as her fellow Protheans looked at her "It is an front to everything we have been taught but the truth is that we are no longer the most dominate race in the galaxy. They have won the right to rule, we are lucky that they are being so kind to us. Would we do the same if the roles where reverse, I think not."
"We can rebuild our empire and reclaim our position as the dominate race in the galaxy." Stated the Prothean
"And if we did do that we would bring the Reapers down on all of us." stated Javik as the platform came to a stop on the far end of the tunnel "We must adapt to the new galaxy terrain because if we don't we will be destroyed."
"As the highest ranking member of our race left alive we will follow your orders." stated Vegter as they stepped off the platform and walked past some fixed defensives including massive ceiling mounted guns which were suppose to stop Reapers from breaking the giant doors that lead to the central bunker control. The doors opened as Javik entered the bunker command for the first time. As expected there where row after row of computer terminals with a single large fixed screen against one wall. Along the back wall were empty cryopods.
"You woke up here?" asked Javik as he looked at the five other Prothean.
"We are the defense force for the bunkers." stated Vegter "The entire defense force."
"Only five of you?" asked Javik "That is the entire military force to defend this bunker?"
"Yes, the rest of the military sacrificed themselves to hold the Reapers off so that the civilians could make it here." explained Vegter as Javik looked at her.
"That is odd; we always save the military first." stated Javik as he tried not to remember how many times the military forces was put on the last transports off world even as civilians where left to the Reapers.
"It was the only way to throw off the reapers. The war was already lost and with you saving the warriors we focused on the civilians, the women and children." stated Vegter as she touched the main computer terminal bringing up a map of the bunker network. Javik eyes widened as he saw that the bunker was set up like a giant web, with multiple smaller bunkers radiating off from the main command center.
"How many of our people made it?" asked Javik almost afraid of the answer, he looked up at the screen as seven bunkers turned from green to red meaning that they had lost power however most of them remained green.
"Out of 25,000 who went into cryosleep we have lost just under 10,000 to power storages." stated Vegter as Javik couldn't help but smile "Leaving us with 15,742 subjects of the empire still alive in cryosleep, Most of them are females and the young."
"I am not alone anymore." stated Javik "The Prothean race will rise again."
Well I hope you liked this chapter, I personally believe that since Protheans were the dominate race of their cycle they wouldn't like the idea of needing help from lower races. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and I ask that you keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75