March 31, 11,958 CE
Union Council Chamber, Union Headquarters in Tokyo Settlement, Earth, Sol System, Earth Sector, Earth Cluster…
Commander White leapt up at the suggestion proposed by Representative Accord of the Night Kingdom. "What?"
"Please, calm down, Commander-" Minister Kavar tried to mollify the YoRHa leader.
"No, I have to concur with the Commander's sentiment," High Admiral Victoria narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "We are going to allow this… unidentified space creature hatch on Earth?"
"It is not an unidentified space creature," Accord snorted. "My sources tell me it is a sentient species. It will be safest-"
"If it's a sentient species, that's all the more reason we cannot allow it on Earth," Intelligence Director Serov asserted, jabbing his finger agitatedly. "However, I do agree, hatching it could be useful grounds for research…"
"And where, exactly?" Director Lovelace demanded. "On one of my colonies?!"
"Oh come on, you have so many… besides a bunch are already in Jackass' hands, I think you have enough to worry about there-"
"Excuse me, Serov-"
"Calm down now, both of you," Councilor Turing of the United Resistance Council mollified. "I admit, the Commanders of the various Resistance branches I represent are rather split on the opinion. Some wish to give these… Rachni, I believe they are called?"
"A rough translation based on the records on Mars, which mentioned them in passing," Representative Accord explained helpfully.
"...right, these Rachni a chance. Others believe they would be inherently hostile, and the ancient Protheans' failure to control them all the more evidence. If it were up to me, I'd say we settle them on a very remote world, but keep them under tight surveillance. The Machine Council, for example, have offered to take them in on one of their worlds..."
"Yeah, I bet they're a bunch alien-lovers…" Commander Jones of the Earth Maritime Fleet muttered under his breath.
"Is such an insult really necessary?" Chairman Pascal asked calmly, but sharply.
"The racist jab against our Machine comrades, no," Commander White gave Commander Jones a glare. "We all want the best for the Union. But his sentiment regarding the Rachni is warranted concern…"
"Unjustified concern, in my opinion," Minister Kavar added his two cents. "Are you saying that the YoRHa forces couldn't handle a little bug colony if they got out of control? If we let them hatch, and form a small community, we could try and negotiate, give them a chance to speak for themselves. It's only fair."
"Enough, enough!" Chairman Anemone, who was tele-meeting from Vienna, capital of a Machine nation called the Free State of Austria, shook her head. "Look, I think I have heard enough, and I've got a good idea where everyone stands… except you, Director Abel and Ambassador Smith. What are your thoughts on the matter?"
Director Abel of the Independists sighed. "Opinion among the Independists are heavily divided on the matter as well. Personally, I'd like to lean on the merciful route and give this alien race a chance. Perhaps, getting to know another alien race on more… friendly terms will reduce your… psychological dependence on Humans." As angry looks flashed through the eyes of the other Androids in the room, Abel hastily added, ''No offense meant."
"Abbottian scum…" Ambassador Electra Smith of the Artemis Republic hissed angrily.
"I am not an Abbottian!" Director Abel retorted emphatically. "We Independists wish no harm against the Oracles on Artemis! And I am grateful that Humanity created us. But we are smarter, stronger, more efficient and more resilient, and we suffer none of the biological weaknesses the Humans had, why should they be our be-all end-all? We can learn from them, but we have to recognize the Humans, for all their accomplishments, were often flawed and irrational in their thinking-"
As a chorus of angry shouting rose from the throats of the other Androids and drowned out Abel's words, Anemone hastily gestured for everyone to be calm. "Please, everyone, stay calm! Let's stay on topic, please!"
"Right…" Director Lovelace cut in. "However, I would like to know how exactly we know of their sentience? That they even have the intelligence to communicate? I believe the Prothean records suggested they were little more than animals."
"They were traveling in a spaceship, a spacecraft," Representative Accord emphasized. "One of their own construction. I believe that is evidence enough-"
"How do you know that spacecraft was theirs?" High Admiral Victoria questioned. "It could have been a Prothean craft! Or some other race! The Rachni could have been prisoners- or lab subjects- or livestock, pets, exotic zoo animals, any manner of things, really."
"The spacecraft are completely and radically different from anything the Protheans made," Director Serov protested. "And our analysts say the design suggest a insectoid hive mind mentality-"
"Whether they are sentient or not, we'll find out soon enough," Representative Accord cut in. "And if they are non-sentient, then you should be even less worried- they'd be even less of a threat and easy to contain."
"Mind if we let our Artemisian representative speak for a moment?" Chairman Anemone advised firmly.
"Well, everyone here has made decent points here," Ambassador Smith, who was representing Artemisian President Jennifer Brown, began. "However, my President has instructed me to oppose the colonization of these Rachni. The spaceship that Representative Accord so kindly mentioned, closely resembles the one involved in the Miramar Incident. Based on the evidence, we have every reason to believe the Rachni are the alien species responsible for the wanton act of aggression inflicted on the Artemis Republic in the Miramar Incident, and the Artemisian people will not be denied our justice-"
"Evidence? You mean the shoddy, unclear footage we've been shown?" Director Serov scoffed. "Oh please-"
"How dare you refer to the loss of Artemisian lives in such a flippant manner?!" Ambassador Smith demanded furiously, slamming a fist down on her armrest.
"I don't want to downplay the tragedy of Miramar," Representative Accord added hastily to try and salvage the situation. "But the evidence is questionable. Even if they are Rachni, how do we know they are of the same faction as the ones we have discovered? And are we to condemn some innocent young to death for the crimes of completely different members of their species? If the Red Druids attacked and massacred a group of alien civilians, is the Artemis Republic responsible?"
"Perhaps you have a point, but the Artemisian public-"
Abruptly, Ambassador Smith's comlink began to beep agitatedly, so she quickly answered it. "Hello- what? How is that possible? She did WHAT?! And- and- oh, all right, if it's their will, I have no choice…"
She turned to face the other members of the Union Council. "Fellow Councilors, I have a priority transmission from Artemis indicating a public change of opinion in the Artemis Republic. Permission to put it through."
"Permission granted," Anemone nodded.
The transmission was put through the chamber's central holoprojector, revealing Speaker Marie Chu of the Artemisian Senate.
"Greetings, members of the Union Council. Until recently, it was the position of President Brown, the Artemisian Senate, and the people of Artemis that the Rachni should not be allowed to settle in Union space. However, recent events have changed this position."
"What, why?!" High Admiral Victoria demanded angrily.
"Finally, someone sees sense," Director Serov muttered, earning him glares from Commander White and Director Lovelace.
"Senator Theresa Inari, Majority Caucus Leader in the Senate for the Progressive Republican Party, took the unprecedented step of consulting the Oracles without the President's knowledge some time ago. And after internal deliberation, the Oracles have delivered their decision. As a result, public opinion and the Artemisian Senate have reversed their decision. President Brown has also officially retracted her earlier orders."
The holographic image switched to the avatar image of Oracle Leader and former Artemisian President, Liliana Verdun. "It is the opinion of the Oracles that the Rachni be given a chance, but for security purposes, they should be settled on a colony world, and not on Earth, where they could potentially endanger the Union and pre-existing ecosystems, nor on Artemis, where they could threaten the Republic.
Human society valued the preservation of species, once we learned the value of conservation, and we loathed to condemn any species to extinction. While we were not always able to live up to such ideals, we hope you, our children, will learn from our mistakes. Furthermore, if the Rachni are as hardy as they are said to be, they could be very useful in settling and securing otherwise harsh and lifeless planets.
I cannot promise the Rachni will not be a threat at all, but they deserve the chance. Besides, they do not sound like a threat the Union military could not handle, given proper precautions are taken. Are there any objections?"
When she was met by deafening silence, and Androids hurriedly shaking their heads, Verdun finished with her avatar giving a chest-level salute like that used by YoRHa and the Army of Humanity, which the Union had officially adopted.
"Glory to the Union!" The Androids around the room hastily stood up and saluted back.
As the transmission ended, Anemone began, "I assume that means we have reached a decision. Are we in consensus?"
"Yes!" The Council members answered in unison. Even if some, like Commander White and High Admiral Victoria still had their doubts and reservations, once the Oracles had offered their input, the political momentum on the other side quickly evaporated.
Even if they still felt their positions were more logical, the Androids simply lost a lot of their will to continue at the thought of opposing the Oracles.
Perhaps the only two Council members not under the Oracles' spell, Chairman Pascal and Director Abel, were already sympathetic to allowing the Rachni to settle in the Union, so they provided no objection.
However, it certainly didn't prevent some from muttering about how the decision had come to fruition.
"Wow, Senator Inari is really flexing. Unilaterally consulting the Oracles is a shocking display of her influence…" Director Lovelace whispered to Ambassador Smith.
"Tell me about it…" Ambassador Smith whispered back. "I certainly don't oppose the Oracles' decision, but something about the Senator unsettles me too…"
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About an hour later in Minato District of Tokyo Settlement…
Representative Accord let out a breath of relief as she entered her safehouse and locked the door behind her. She then activated an encrypted transmission and said. "The decision is done. I've done as you asked."
"Excellent," The voice on the other side replied. "You've done well. And the Union's future is ever brighter because of it."
"It was pretty nerve-wracking," Accord confessed. "Tensions were high, old grudges being hashed out… I was convinced they were going to reject my proposal. They were behaving just like Humans did…"
"Perhaps that's just the issue with Androids, they've tried too hard to emulate their creators," The voice replied. "Not that we can blame them. Humans were pretty awesome."
Accord rolled her eyes but continued. "It was pretty brilliant, bringing up the Oracles, by the way. All opposition gone, just like that."
"Of course, Manah handled that well enough. It was risky, using Inari to sideline Brown like that… but perhaps there will be other political pay-offs in the long-run."
"You mean the next presidential elections?"
"Yes… Artemis currently holds its presidential elections every twenty years… so it'll be in 11,966… in about eight years."
"Returning to the Rachni, however, the Oracles wanted the Rachni settled on a colony, not on Earth."
"Apologies, but I knew they wouldn't accept the Rachni on Earth or Artemis," The voice replied. "Those worlds are too important. That's why I told you not to push the issue- you needed to look like you were giving up something in a compromise."
"A crude card to play…"
"Better than nothing. But, it worked out in the end without it anyway."
"So, what do you want me to do?"
"Lay low, Representative. Handle things in the Night Kingdom or whatever you typically do. I will contact you again."
"Understood… Director."
