10/04/2015
Thank you to Pax Humana for betaing
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Mass Effect: Synthesis
Jade Tatsu
Chapter 36 Three Little Pigs
October 3rd 2190 10:21, Earth, Undisclosed Location
Quentius stared at the screen. The humans had awoken him from a deep sleep and had marched him out of the cell into another room, where they had chained him to the floor and a table. They'd pulled off the helmet and left him there. Another human had been seated on the far side of the table and had remained behind when the others left.
The human had remained silent and Quentius had used the opportunity to examine it. It had short cropped reddish fur, over cream colored skin and green eyes. Black armor covered the human's torso and Quentius realized that the human was female. He couldn't see anything else but something nagged at his mind. He didn't know how well humans could read his facial expression so he forced it to remain neutral as he thought.
He couldn't keep his expression clear when he realized what was familiar. The armor. He'd seen it before. The invader. He'd never seen her face but he knew it was her.
"Primarch," her voice was soft but Quentius could hear her power and didn't have time to object that he was not a Primarch but a Councillor before she continued. "I have something to show you." She seemed happy as she gestured towards one of the plain walls.
An image appeared on it. He recognized it immediately. A planet, Palaven. It was a fast way to get his attention. The image shifted quickly and again, he recognized what was displayed: the Skidarian Bowl. It was one of the most recognizable features of his home world. From there, the visual moved to the ground and Quentius recognized several Primarchs. A faint chill of fear raced through him but the Turian Councillor clamped down on his emotion. Emotion could not help him here.
Questions plagued him though. What were the Primarchs doing in the Skidarian Bowl? Quentius risked a glance to the human. It was a bad assumption to make but he thought that her expressions were much like an asari. Sitting there, she was almost completely expressionless, though perhaps she bore the slightest trace of amusement. The image shifted again and this time there was a human there. Up until that point the visual had been silent, now a conversation came through.
"And Turian surrender?"
The voice was not fluted and thus, the voice was not turian. It came from the human, except the words were unbelievable!
He stared at the screen but the image continued dispassionately. Quentius recognized the Primarch who stepped forward. Wadeross was a solid turian. He didn't play games and he was on his knees. The Councillor's heart pounded in his ears as he watched and his every breath seemed to be drawn from a long distance.
"On behalf of the Turian Hierarchy, I offer our surrender. Immediate recalls shall be sent to our Councillor and all turians and citizens of our client races in Citadel Space. Our border patrols on their behalf shall be summoned to Palaven and all trade between Turian interests and the Citadel races will halt."
Quentius couldn't hold back a gasp. That was a complete surrender! The human on the screen didn't seem at all surprised by the declaration. They nodded. Despite his surprise, Quentius noticed that the human was older. Their fur was grey and their skin lined. He thought the human was male as their voice was deeper.
"The genetic scans?"
Wadeross shook his head. "We do not have the capacity to scan our population."
"I and my allies do," the human replied easily.
The image shifted before it froze to once again show Wadeross kneeling.
The human in the room shifted. "I think that's pretty clear," she said with a soft smile at him.
It took Quentius a moment to realize that the human had spoken in turian. Her voice wasn't quite correct, though her pronunciation was perfect. He forced his eyes away from the screen to look at the human. Wadeross' words echoed through his head as he looked at the human.
Her green eyes were bright and her lips were creased in a small smile. "So Primarch Quentius, shall we talk?" She invited, once again speaking turian.
Quentius held his mandibles still only through force of will as he watched the human. "What is there to talk about?" he asked finally, controlling the fluting of his voice as well as he could.
"You could start by telling me what the asari and salarian councillors have been up to."
"Beyond starting a war?" He couldn't help but snap before he mentally berated himself. He was a Councillor! One human recording didn't prove anything.
Except…
He was prepared to think it all a human fabrication except for Wadeross. Fabrication would have used a random turian and even if the humans had images of the Primarchs, how did they know to use Wadeross'? He was a good Primarch. He wouldn't kneel to anyone. So what did that mean? Was it real?
It felt real. He was here. The Citadel had been moved somehow. No matter how that had happened, that couldn't be faked and Palaven had been under attack… Quentius closed his eyes briefly, weighing his thoughts.
"Details," the human prompted.
"What details don't you already know?" Quentius asked, opening his eyes. The humans had access to the Citadel. If they didn't already know everything, they would soon.
The human laughed. Quentius could feel her amusement. "I see Nazara didn't bother much with you," she said but the turian councillor had no idea what she meant.
"Nazara?"
"The one you call the Sovereign." The human flicked one finger and from the corner of his eye Quentius saw the image on the screen shift. It moved outwards, away from Wadeross' prostration to show the human. This time he could see what was behind the human and Quentius gasped when he recognized another ship like the Sovereign. How many of them did the humans have?
"I already know almost everything, Primarch Quentius. I just need to know if there was anyone else involved."
Quentius sat for a few moments, his thoughts racing. The human looked completely in control but that was not surprising. It was her world, those were her guards and she was not chained, but beyond all of that, there was the feeling that she had absolute control. And what did he have? What was his place? The vid before was real. He knew it which meant he was no longer a Councillor… just as the human had indicated when first addressing him. Did he owe them anything? That was the question.
"Saren was the one in control," Quentius heard himself say and even if he hadn't consciously thought it, he knew he'd made his decision. Something around him seemed pleased though the human's expression did not change. "I believe he approached Councillor Tevos first."
"Why approach the Asari Councillor? Why not Sparatus?"
The question was fair and showed far more consideration for Council politics than he thought the humans would know. Quentius looked straight at the human. He didn't know for sure why Saren had gone to Tevos but he had some suspicions. "You have to understand the Council," he began, not quite sure how he could convey the subtlety that was his assumed reasoning. "It's meant to be three equal representatives, asari, salarian and turian. But the one thing you have to remember is that even though it's been about two thousand years since the discovery of the Citadel, the Asari are very much in control. For them, it's been three to four generations. Hardly any time at all."
The human nodded her understanding. "So the Asari lead the Council?"
Quentius nodded. "Esheel was happy to contribute."
"We knew that. So no one else was involved?" The question was probing.
"Some of the Asari Matriarchs," Quentius shrugged. It was easy information. "Sometimes Saren appeared with Matriarch Benezia."
The human accepted the information and remained silent for several minutes. Quentius just sat. He wasn't sure what he was feeling. He felt empty and exhausted but at the same time he wasn't tired. He had never felt like this before. "What do you do now?" He asked the human.
The human didn't appear to hear but after a moment her eyes turned to him. "Now?" the question was rhetorical. "Now," she repeated, "it appears I will leave to raze Thessia."
It took Quentius a few moments to understand. "No!"
There was a chuckle from the human and she leaned forward, resting her chin on her laced fingers. "I admit, I was going to head to Sur'kesh. The attack had some asari aspects but was conducted in the manner of the salarians using salarian probes but from what you've told me the asari were the driving force. Saren was Nazara's representative, but the asari were the troops. It was a good play by them. Most of my forces are already massing near Sur'kesh to see their fall."
"No, you can't!" Quentius objected.
"Oh don't worry," the human sat back, waving one hand in dismissal. "I was always planning on getting them both. The order just changed."
"How many?"
"Hmm?"
"How many will die?"
The human chuckled again. "Wadeross asked the same question."
"And what answer did you give him?"
"I don't think you want to know," she said as she rose from her chair.
She smiled at him.
"The batarians would have had us believe the turians to be aggressive, militaristically minded Council thugs but I must say I have found turians to be most helpful."
"Your species is new! You can't have met many turians."
"Before you, only the one but Garrus Vakarian was very helpful."
"Vakarian?" Quentius gasped.
Vakarian had assassinated Sparatus. How could he be helpful? Or was that a human plot? No, it couldn't be. The Relays had been closed and the humans couldn't have been in contact with the rest of the galaxy, let alone with Vakarian, to organize Sparatus' assassination. For that matter, why assassinate Sparatus? Tevos or Esheel would have been better targets. He shook his head.
No, Sparatus' assassination was one of the few things the humans didn't have anything to do with.
"I'll send someone to explain it to you," she said as she slipped through the door. Quentius just stared. Things were out of control but he had the feeling that things had been out of control for quite some time.
October 3rd 2190 15:18, Earth, Soliphon
Shepard sat in Soliphon's hold. It felt rather odd. She could feel him pressed against her, his will to control organics wrapped tight around her. If she had have been in her original body she would have felt nothing. The augmentation of that shell was extensive.
The body she was in now was a clone. It was mostly unenhanced but had one ability embedded which would be damaging long term but might be useful in making a point to the Councillors. Even without extensive enhancement, it was perfectly capable of carrying her consciousness and because she knew synthesis, Harbinger's aspect was there with her.
Bodyguards lined the hold and it was open to the air. In the distance, she could hear the hum of ships trying to get a glimpse of what was happening. They were at a reasonably safe distance and Soliphon wasn't trying to indoctrinate them, anyway. He would instead be focused on her prisoners.
Councillors Tevos and Esheel. Their ankles were chained both to the chair and floor, and their wrists to the table. Someone had found them some orange clothes and she'd sniggered slightly at that when she'd seen them. The orange clashed horribly with Tevos' skin and it was very odd against Esheel's. They weren't in a position to care.
"Councillors," she greeted them, making sure she smiled for oculi that hovered over them. "Welcome to Earth."
The signal would be broadcast to the galaxy, via Harbinger. For the moment, he'd record the interview before hooking into every comm buoy to broadcast it and other recordings. It was a bit odd to think that the sentient ship was more than a little gifted as a vid producer. Of course, being a gestalt entity, Harbinger was gifted at many things.
Still it took a deft hand at production to induce the emotions he desired. There was a fine line between fear and despair and it was definitely the later they wanted to induce. Even in aliens, just like in humans, overwhelming fear could lead to anger. That anger would lead to them fighting harder in an attempt to bring themselves some satisfaction before their inevitable defeat.
Despair, on the other hand, despair let them wait quietly until that end. Harbinger focused on that. Shepard wanted Thessia and Sur'kesh to know why they would fall. This interview, combined with select footage from the day just past, would serve both purposes.
The Councillors said nothing. She hadn't expected them too. "I'm going to ask you a few questions. Your answers will-" Shepard shook her head. "No, I'm going to annihilate both of your home worlds anyway. Your answers will let your people know why."
"I won't answer you," Esheel spat.
"Oh, I think you will. Let's start with something easy, for the record. What are your names?"
She watched as they both fought Soliphon's compulsion. Nazara had no doubt riddled them with his own but indoctrination was indoctrination and their subconscious recognized Soliphon's presence. It was a short battle.
"Esheel, Dalatrass of Fushi'ita."
"Tevos Nyus Akaran."
They answered at the same time. Shepard smiled thinly. "I am Shepard Harbinger, CEuman to the SILO Harbinger Shepard." She watched as they tried to take in her name before moving to another question. "How long have you known about my species?"
"Two years," Tevos answered without pause. "One year," Esheel's answer quickly followed.
"See, answering me is quite easy," Shepard taunted. "Now, something a little more difficult. How long have you been planning the extinction of my species?"
Shepard watched as Tevos fought Soliphon again. So, as Quentius had indicated, the instigator was the Asari Councillor. It didn't matter but it was nice to have confirmation.
Esheel answered first. "A year."
"Tevos?" Shepard prompted.
"A year," the Asari Councillor choked the words.
"And what was the plan?"
"Biological strike, on all the planets we could reach." Esheel answered. The Salarian's eyes glared but there was nothing the Councillor could do.
"Did you launch that attack?"
"Yes."
"Why?" Shepard asked, resisting the urge to smile. She already knew their answer. They didn't have one. Or rather they did, the answer Nazara had fed them, which was not a rational explanation, as they were about to realize.
The two Councillors remained silent. She could see them thinking and saw the exact moment realization dawned.
After waiting several minutes Shepard shrugged theatrically. "No viable answer for that, for why you violated so many of your own laws?" The question was rhetorical. "Something easier then. Is slavery illegal?"
The sudden change in topic caught both Councillors by surprise. "Yes," they replied without hesitation though both could be seen to be thinking hard, trying to discern where she was going.
"How did you develop a biological attack against a race you had never seen?"
Again, she watched them fight Soliphon's compulsion and again the SIL won with ease.
"Slaves were purchased from the Batarians," Tevos said. Her voice was beginning to crack but still held an underlying note of pride. Shepard's eyes narrowed slightly. That pride would need to be crushed.
"Genophage experts developed attack. Not completed. Not strong enough," Esheel replied.
"Those humans you used to develop a plague to release upon a race you had never seen and never contacted, what were their names?"
"I don't know," Esheel snapped. "Tevos bought the slaves."
Shepard turned towards the Asari Councillor.
Tevos realized the weight of the question but there was only one answer and Shepard knew what it was. Tevos didn't know. She'd never spoken to the humans she'd bought, never bothered to attempt to learn anything from them. "I don't know," the Councillor said finally but a spark of rage caught her. "They came from a race that destroyed the Batarians. A race that burned garden worlds! Humans are a threat! You have proved that."
"Were the Batarians a Citadel species?" Shepard asked, ignoring Tevos' outburst. It was time to drive home another point.
"Yes."
"Did the Batarians practice slavery?"
"Yes."
"Is slavery against Council law?"
"Yes."
Shepard smiled at the admission before moving onto the next point. "Did the Batarians tell you that they had found another race, one that was colonising the Traverse?"
"No."
"Did the Batarians tell you they were attempting to subjugate that race?"
"No."
"Did the Batarians tell you they were defeated?"
"No."
"Then how do you know it was humans who burned their planets clean?" It was not the strongest point to make but it would suffice. This interview had already shown that the Council admitted to genocide against an innocent race and that was enough.
Again, the Councillors were silent. "No human fired so much as one shot on a Batarian planet."
"Where is Councillor Quentius?" Tevos asked finally attempting to change the subject.
"I have already spoken with Primarch Quentius," Shepard replied willing to let the asari councillor ask her question. She could take control of the conversation again later.
"Primarch?"
Shepard could hear the confusion in Esheel's voice. She pointed one finger above her and Soliphon obliged by projecting an image. Wadeross knelt in front of Hackett, with Centomoru behind them. The audio said everything it needed to and she watched as they absorbed the information.
"That's not possible," Tevos whispered, though her voice was shadowed with doubt.
"You see, while I was visiting the Citadel I had another fleet visit Palaven to explain the situation to them."
"And they surrendered to you?" Esheel's voice dripped sarcasm.
"Admiral Hackett is very persuasive."
Tevos realized the military implications first. "How many ships do you have?"
"Enough."
"You violate Council law, the Treaty of Farixen!" Esheel snapped, her salarian intelligence catching on quickly but her training dictating her thought.
Shepard laughed. The sound was light and amused. Around the world, she could imagine other humans watching this, snorting at Esheel's pronouncement. It was hard to tell with the orange cloth against Esheel's skin but it seemed as if the salarian realized her mistake and flushed.
"Why Palaven?" Tevos asked when she realized that no answer would be forthcoming about military information.
"Councillor Sparatus sent an ambassador in response to our opening the Relays," Shepard said. "A human he rescued from your barbarism and a turian. Garrus Vakarian," Shepard said as if she had trouble remembering the name. "He has proven to be most helpful."
"Murderer!" Esheel hissed.
Shepard waved one hand to dismiss the statement. "Not that I particularly care but no, Vakarian did not kill Sparatus."
"How do you know that?"
"The same way as I know you were responsible for the attack on civilian planets. I asked."
"Who killed Sparatus?" Esheel asked slowly, dreading the answer.
"Your Spectre, Saren Arterius." She said it brightly. "Since he'd gone rogue, it's probably a good thing I put him down for you."
The two Councillors glared. While they may not have known who had killed Sparatus, they knew it hadn't been Vakarian. Esheel frowned. "You were injured."
"That was yesterday," Shepard shrugged.
"No one heals that fast," the salarian insisted. "Not even krogan," she spat the addition.
Shepard sighed and drew her knife. Even though body guards lined the hold, she was hardly unarmed, though she had not bothered with most of her power armor. With a quick motion she bared one forearm and slashed her knife over it. Blood welled up and ran down her arm, dripping on to the table but almost as soon as she'd made the cut, the slash began knitting together. Shepard winced slightly. Harbinger's aspect had engineered this body to have accelerated healing but all that really meant was that the natural pain was compressed. It stung but a few moments later she wiped the last of the blood away to reveal a thin white line that was already fading. Long term, the ability would degrade her body but she wouldn't be using this shell for that long.
The two Councillors stared and she could see their minds working as they considered the implications. For all that they knew, she was completely human and the level of healing was normal. "Like I said, yesterday." She paused. "Now Councillors, do you have anything else to say?"
They looked at her sharply, understanding the question but not the implications. Shepard lowered her head slightly, indicating with one finger behind them. Both Councillors turned and she saw their eyes widen. Two body guards had slipped up behind the Councillors with their weapons drawn. The barrels were pointed towards the base of each Councillor's skull. There was no mistaking their intent.
"You can't!"
"Why not?"
"This is a violation of fundamental diplomacy between sentient species. This is worse than murder. It is assassination!"
"No, it isn't."
As a soldier, Shepard had long ago come to terms with death. She didn't need the somewhat dogmatic justifications the Systems Alliance gave out, that killing an alien was not murder because they were not human. Technically, it was true. The law didn't recognize an alien to have the same rights as a human, though it was being updated to account for Quarians and it included special provision for CEumans. For Asari and Salarians, military law would probably come to proclaim that "kill on sight" was a fair and reasonable response to them, unless they were SIL partners. The Councillors had already been scanned. They were not that lucky.
Esheel, at least, realized what she meant with her denial. "You barbarian!"
Shepard seemed to consider that. "I dismiss that claim," she announced finally, "though the term applies to you."
"How?" Tevos asked softly and Shepard could feel her attempting to use all the powers of persuasion and diplomacy the asari were known for.
"You admitted to employing tier two weapons of mass destruction in an effort of exterminate my species. According to your records, such an action was banned approximately 1500 Thessian years ago.
"Additionally, you maintain that slavery is against Council Law but once again you show your barbarism, knowingly purchasing slaves for the development of a WMD. But also, you knowingly allowed Council associate members to continue the practice.
"You, Councillors, are barbarians, playing at civilization. You accept the laws that make civilization when they support you, but the instant they don't, you look the other way because that is more convenient to you.
"I however, have not forsaken any of my rules. So which one of us is barbaric?"
"You cannot do this!" Esheel objected.
"Of course, I can," Shepard disagreed, flicking one finger towards the guard. She didn't need to make the gesture. They already knew what she wanted them to do. The gesture was for the audience. There was a soft putt and Esheel's body stiffened before it pitched forward to slump on the table. Blood began leaking from the Salarian's mouth.
Tevos stared. Seeing Esheel's body made the situation all the more unreal. She had expected gore and blood and was prepared for that. The wound was discreet. A small hole at the back of Esheel's head. There had been little overt violence and it was this that she found the most disturbing, that death could come so simply.
"Nothing further, Tevos?"
The Asari Councillor shivered, breathing hard as she forced her eyes away from Esheel. Shepard watched dispassionately as her jaw worked, the usually eloquent diplomat shocked into silence. "Why?" the asari asked finally.
"Why what?"
"Why any of this? No matter what Saren would have had us believe, it's obvious we never had a chance."
There were so many ways Shepard could answer that.
The fact that Nazara and the Council even thought that they had a chance was the most irritating to Harbinger. The betrayal of the Catalyst hurt but was expected but Tevos would not understand any of that so Shepard gave the human answer. She knew human contingency plans for the event of SIL betrayal and she knew that they weren't needed so until the humans realized that it would be best to be diplomatic.
"Your probes hit many of our colony worlds. Every human man, woman and child on all those worlds died. The CEumans didn't but that was due to outside interference. Those humans were civilians. Farmers, crafters, merchants, people who just wanted to live their own lives. They would never have taken up arms against you. Their worldview, like most humans, was much simpler, live and let live.
"You destroyed that. You killed them.
"I am Marshall Shepard Harbinger. I am the head of the Systems Alliance's Military. It is my job to see to the protection of Systems Alliance colonies. Your attack probes meant I had failed. I take that failure personally and so, for those who cannot seek justice for themselves, the Systems Alliance has taken up arms. Your worlds will burn, your people will fall, because you barbarians of the Council willfully used weapons of mass destruction against civilian targets. You were never fit to rule."
Green eyes bore into Tevos' blue and Shepard didn't even bother to signal the guard. The asari slumped forward and Shepard rose.
"Thank you, Soliphon." Shepard's bodyguards quickly moved into position. The great ship didn't answer as she emerged into the sunlight and Shepard could feel that Soliphon's attention was on information which had just come in from Tuchanka. As the hold closed, Shepard turned and looked up at Soliphon. "Get going," she instructed with a small chuckle.
Soliphon had been injured in the battle with the Catalyst but hardly so injured that he would not respond immediately to the location of the salarian he needed for synthesis.
"Take Nomiri and Hetrans with you. Their synthesis partners are there as well. Convince the others if there is any issue."
Soliphon could not indoctrinate the salarian, but Nomiri or Hetrans could, just enough for the salarian to agree and right now, she knew that all of the SIL wanted synthesis urgently. They would do whatever it took.
The ancient vessel lifted off without a sound and Shepard watched for a few moments before turning towards the media lining the ropes that had been set up in the landing field. Withholding a sigh, she walked over. Public announcements to the galaxy on the state of matters were one thing, but she needed to keep humanity informed. The media were still necessary.
She looked out at the gathered reporters with a wide smile. "Now, any questions?"
Next chapter: "Understanding will come," she repeated as the door sealed behind her.
Kudara - I've had that discussion elsewhere in full and I'm a bit tired of it because I've been saying this is what would happen for the last 12 chapters or so. As a result all I'll say is I'm fully aware of what indoctrination is and unlike a lot of fics, humanity is not going to take the moral high ground. By your logic, humanity is NOT responsible because they never voted either. I don't see how killing the Asari and Salarians is different from killing the Batarians but not many people complained then! If you want discuss it further please PM me, or use one of the other places I've posted. Otherwise… well it's too bad that you don't like it but so be it.
Alucard - Garrus might have accepted it but it won't happen.
gug - I did thank you.
It was a bit quick and painless but they knew how utterly defeated they were, which is, IMO the greater victory. Since this is such an action packed chapter... review please?