Thank you for the support. Hope you continue it.
It's been a while since I updated and I'm extremely sorry for the delay. Here's a quick recap of the last few chapters to let you catch up before starting the new chapter, bear in mind this is just a very brief snapshot. If you want to refresh all the details, you may have to check those chapters:
After having defeated Sovereign at Ilos, Kaiser Naruto established the Terminus Empire with the help of the rescued shinobi and Protheans. Albeit this victory came at the cost of his team and lover Mikoto at the hands of Orochimaru-a key aide of the Reapers who escaped. Together with Princess Ren Uchiha, they forged their empire by uniting the colonies. They successfully integrated the Volus, Elcor, Hanar, Drell, Krogan, Geth and Quarian factions under their banner much to the ire of the weakening Citadel Council (Asari, Turians, Salarians and Humans). Cerberus once an ally of the Kaiser turned traitor and tried to expose the Kaiser's true identity by exposing the existence of Kushina Uzumaki, his real mother. This led to a conflict in which Princess Ren Uchiha discovered the current Kaiser to be a mere clone of her brother created on the machinations of Sakura Haruno, an Imperial medic that survived the Prothean cycle and gave her life in bringing the same man back to life. Meanwhile, former Imperial Admiral Jash Raval who was thought to have perished at Ilos had been searching for a new power named the Tailed beasts in order to strengthen their deterrence against the Reapers, having captured seven of the nine beasts he returned to the Kaiser's aid much to the man's delight. Having come to a frosty understanding in light of their impending conflict against the Reapers, Naruto and Ren decide to join forces and seek co-operation with the Citadel Council before the arrival of the true enemy even as the flames of war continued to engulf the galaxy once more.
Chapter 83
Day of Reckoning
Ren stared at the memorial wall in front of her with moist eyes with her only solace being Naruto's own presence beside her. Dim lights were flashing across the Hyperion with only essential personnel manning their stations, most of them far away from the two Uchiha's.
If they had been closer, they could have seen Ren's hands shaking and her shoulders trembling as she looked at one particular name in front of her.
She was still trying to process the memories of her lost brothers that Naruto had shown her.
It was as if it had only been yesterday when she had seen those young boys only to realize they all died 50,000 years ago.
"I'm sorry for causing you further pain. But you needed to know why I am hell bent on destroying Orochimaru" said Naruto apologetically,
"Maybe someday I will have the courage to see how my siblings faced our war and what happened between my brothers that inspires you to kill Orochimaru even if it means risking your life and everything we have built. But that day is not today" she whispered, earning a firm nod in return from him.
She looked at him and he reminded her of the person her brother had been before he entered the war. Ren had only been able to fight alongside her Naruto during their Empire's final years. The conflict had changed him into a strong willed person willing to make the hard decisions by then.
"Perhaps, I will never know why Sakura did what she did" whispered Ren sadly, as she looked at the martyred medic's inscription in the wall.
For a moment, she saw unbearable pain and hesitation appear in his eyes before he steeled himself and looked back at her.
"It is only recently that I have started remembering more memories of your brother and his life. But the more I get to know him and the ones he fought alongside with to defeat the Reapers, I came to understand why Sakura chose me" said Naruto honestly,
When he saw Ren staring at him curiously, he decided to explain a truth that no one ever knew.
A truth which Sakura lived and died with.
"Your brother was a gallant military commander who won many battles but couldn't save the war due to circumstances beyond his control and some of his own mistakes. But your people loved him, he was a symbol of hope and courage for them. Sakura knew that the shinobi and protheans would need someone like him to lead them in this new era, but that person should also be able to understand the races of this cycle instead of being just someone they had to follow. It was why she helped create me to act as a bridge between our two cycles" said Naruto with a gentle smile,
Ren hesitantly nodded but didn't say anything when she saw he was not finished with his explanation yet. In fact, he looked quite nervous to say his next words.
"Most importantly, there is a greater reason behind Sakura's actions. One that can explain everything she did, even going so far as giving her life to save mine" whispered Naruto,
"What is it?" asked Ren seriously, and saw him look right into her eyes.
"She was your brother's wife"
Ren was stunned.
She was unable to believe his words nor could she muster the courage to look at the dead woman's name on the wall again in the same light as she always had. It just couldn't be possible...
Her brother had never admitted this fact to anyone, even his own family.
Even so, Sakura had always been there by his side. She had never considered the medic of much importance and in public her brother never showed any affection for the woman in any manner. Neither did Sakura ever display any such romantic notion towards the last Kaiser of the Prothean Empire in public.
"It's...not...possible...he..never...I...saw...someone...else...stepping...out...of...his...quarters...after...a..long...night...and...that...woman...died...in...battle...the...next...day" said Ren in a stammering voice, her face having lost all color with this revelation.
She rounded up on him, the sheer denial clearly present in her shocked gaze even as she grabbed his shoulders to get some support. An action which he supported by grasping her arms to keep her steady.
"He was not a saint, Ren. No one is, and even if I can't recollect a lot of their memories...I think I understand why he kept it secret from everyone including you. He loved her" explained Naruto with a happy smile,
"Love?" asked Ren hesitantly,
"I would give anything to be able to do the same. One of the reasons that Mikoto died...was because of me. Orochimaru knew hurting her would break me more than anything else and it did. Your brother must have felt the same for Sakura and his silence over their relationship kept her alive till this era. In his final moments, he saved her and entrusted Sakura with the mission to save the galaxy. The fact that she dedicated her entire life and accepted death to keep that dream alive showed her feelings for your brother were as strong as he had for her" said Naruto sadly, as he glanced at the medic's name on the memorial wall and couldn't help but watch the woman he had loved dearly also have her name engraved on that very wall.
It also made him realize something important. He couldn't let history repeat itself.
"Let things stay the way they are with Liara. It's better this way"
"But you-" said Ren in shock, clearly aware of the feelings he had for the asari maiden.
She was interrupted by Joker's voice on the ship's internal speakers.
"Kaiser Naruto, our visitors have arrived. They are requesting permission to dock with the Hyperion" informed the pilot,
"Go ahead, Joker"
The moment of reckoning had finally arrived and Ren watched the blonde beside her steel himself to face Liara T'soni after a very long time.
(Parintha System)
Admiral Layna Ariella had been going through the usual patrol reports related to the Relay in her sector. Her crew were manning their stations dutifully lending credence to the power of the Asari Dreadnought, Amatakal.
A large group of cruisers alongwith wolf pack of frigates and fighter squadrons patrolled the entire sector in their unending effort to protect their homeworld from any threats daring to march in through the Relay in front of her.
Layna's force being a part of the Home Defense Fleet enjoyed the benefit of hosting some of the most powerful ships across the entire Asari Navy. Helmed under the experienced command of veteran matriarchs, they acted as the first line of defense for their homeworld with the 1st and 2nd fleets stationed over Thessia and its nearby planets alongside asteroid belts acting as a secondary line of defense.
The Asari Admiral was quite proud of her fleet's history of never once letting a single foe near their crown jewel.
It was this belief that nearly gave her a sudden jolt when in an instant alarms rang across her ship with the lights switching to emergency mode as the ground beneath her feet rocked violently.
Explosion tremors.
"Report!" she roared,
"Multiple contacts! A hundred unknowns with more appearing every second, Admiral" reported her XO urgently,
"How the hell did our sensors miss such a large force travelling through our Relay" demanded Admiral Layna murderously, the repercussions behind this were not going to be good for anyone. Certainly not for her, the Vanguard leader of the Home Fleet.
"We received no information about this from the Relay, Admiral" answered her Sensors and Communications officer in disbelief,
"Impossible!" muttered her XO, as the Relays had always given information about every approaching ship atleast an hour or two before their arrival in the worst cases. It was unfathomable that it would malfunction to report such a sizeable force travelling with impunity. Unless...
"Stealth Vessels! How many?" she questioned quickly,
"None that we can detect on our scanners, in fact we are seeing their signatures on the radar. Enemy ship count has increased to 500, most of them Cruiser class. All of them are openly broadcasting their encryption. It's the Terminus Empire, Admiral"
"So it has come to pass"
Admiral Layna steeled herself as she stepped in front of the bridge with righteous fury burning in her eyes.
"Counterattack!"
(Imperial Secret Station: Asteroid Belt near Planet Janiri, Parintha Systems)
Captain Erwin Bucock, leader of the 200 strong Stealth frigate Armada of the 10th Imperial Fleet couldn't believe what he was seeing on his screens. His XO was already barking orders to the crew asking them to reconfirm the visuals and signatures, but there was no mistaking it.
Those were Imperial vessels entering the Asari home system through the Relay.
Their numbers now reaching close to 2000 ships and rising.
It was a full blown invasion fleet.
"Irina! Have we managed to connect with High Command yet?" he asked urgently,
"Negative. All communication channels are being jammed. Possibly these vessels want to delay the arrival of the 1st and 2nd Asari fleets to their Vanguard's rescue. But there's no mistaking it, these signatures are a match with the 9th Imperial Fleet under the command of Admiral Valynia" reported Irina calmly,
Erwin frowned. Admiral Valynia was an estranged cousin of the current Asari Councilor-Tevos. Having lost in the power struggle of their family centuries ago, she was banished and had sought refuge in the Terminus eventually joining one of the colony militaries and then moved to the Imperial fleet to gain the position of Fleet Admiral.
Was this an act of revenge?
No, it couldn't be. No Imperial Fleet Admiral had the authority to launch an attack unless with specific approvals from either Kaiser Naruto or Princess Ren.
Even if he assumed Valynia had a personal stake in launching this suicidal attack, her subordinates couldn't hope to ignore the folly behind this crime.
And what role was he supposed to play in the current situation?
His standing orders were to observe, report and if required destroy Asari assets in the system in a preemptive strike on the brink of war or assist Imperial vessels if they launched an attack in this zone by crippling enemy establishment.
He found himself in an impossible situation as he couldn't even connect with High Command or Admiral Bucock, his own father under whose fleet's Erwin's group was operating.
"Captain, our interceptors have finished long range scans. There is an anomaly detected" pointed Irina, his XO.
"Report" he ordered swiftly,
"AI suits were able to penetrate the security firewalls of some of the vessels. They weren't able to access it for long but these ships had earlier used the Omega 4 Relay to reach the one in this system. Those are not sectors in which the Imperial Fleets operate even if their signatures tell us these are friendlies. I doubt the Asari ships with their outdated VI systems would be able to get this information while in the midst of a battle" suggested Irina worriedly,
"It's getting worse, sir!" warned Engineer Hiraka,
Erwin looked at the visuals provided by his long range interceptor squadrons and stealth drones.
The Asari had been successful in quickly reorganizing their forces into a united front against the enemies. It had led to them retreating a few million kilometers but now their 500 strong armada was gearing up to face a foe nearly four times greater in numbers.
The odds further plummeted for the Asari with the arrival of two dreadnought class ships through the Relay.
He looked at the Geth platform that appeared beside him in a few rapid paces much to the dislike of a few Prothean and Shinobi's alike who still had issues fully trusting the AI allies of the Empire.
"Break through the jamming! Get me High Command, Mein Kaiser or any goddamn higher authority if we are to save thousands from dying this day!"
(Asari Vanguard Defense Fleet; Flagship: Absolute Righteousness)
"Incoming salvo!"
"Divert all non-critical power to shields for maximum protection! Weapons, I want firing solutions on the double" barked Admiral Layna,
"Comms! Switch to ship based signal system and start Plan Gamma!"
The Asari Matriarch watched as her fleet took up its formation over the next few crucial minutes even as more and more enemies continued arriving through the Relay. Goddess, how many more were they supposed to encounter?
The count was nearing 2000 ships and the lone Asari dreadnought found itself pitched against two ships of similar classes as they marched forward to meet the daughters of Thessia.
Layna's 300 cruisers had arranged themselves in the front of their formation with her Dreadnought forming the backbone of their fleet, with a 100 frigates and destroyers placed at each of their flank to lead a counterattack or defend against an encirclement.
"Firing solutions ready! Targets in lock!"
"Fire!"
She watched the 1200 meter MAC cannon of her dreadnought launch its super heated slug at terrifying speed even as the missile ports across her ship's starboard opened up to launch hundreds upon hundreds of Seraph missiles in order to defend their fleet against the swarm of incoming fighter squadrons and drones launched by the enemy.
Asari Wolfpacks were also launched from their ships to join the ones already out in the field, but even so Layna could see her fighters were outnumbered 3 to 1.
An enemy cruiser was blasted apart when her MAC round tore through its energy shields and ate through its armor plating to dissect the ship into several smaller fragments before being engulfed in a violent explosion which took out atleast another nearby enemy cruiser.
She grimaced when the enemy's own volley reached them and atleast 20 Asari cruisers winked out of existence in an instant.
"Shailin, have we managed to contact the home fleet?" she asked quickly, earning a dismayed look from her XO.
"Negative, Admiral. Our lines are being jammed! I have launched stealth shuttles to reach them either way to get our message through!" informed Shailin Nevara, her trusted comrade who had served under her command for a century in the Navy.
"That will take a few hours atleast! We won't survive until then!" answered Layna hesitantly,
Her assessment was proven correct when the twin enemy dreadnoughts fired alongside their fleet blasting apart majority of her frontal formation to cinders.
"50 cruisers lost! 10 non-operational!"
"Goddess! Are our weapons having no effect on them? Have Commander Sitara take charge and reinforce the vanguard" ordered Layna swiftly,
Even as more of her cruisers moved forward to reinforce their crumbling frontline, the Asari Admiral saw the enemy had barely lost 10 of their vessels with half of them a casualty to her own dreadnought's cannon. The rest of her ships had to launch joint volleys to bring down a single ship, their energy shields too strong for the smaller mass accelerators cannons on her cruisers to have much of an impact. Her frigates would be useless against such an enemy.
"Admiral, our fighter squadrons are being torn to shreds!"
Her heart sank on seeing squadron after squadron vanishing from the battlescreen, falling one by one to the hordes of enemy drones and stealth fighters having the same energy shields protecting them against the missiles and rounds launched by Layna's fighters.
Three hours passed as more and more of her ships perished until she was barely left with half her force.
The enemy had barely lost 40 ships and now they were expanding themselves making the Asari Admiral realize what was happening.
"They are trying to surround us! Permission to let the frigates on each flank launch intercept course?" asked Shailin quickly,
"Commander Sitara killed in action!"
The front of her formation started to collapse when the twin dreadnoughts launched a precise strike directly on the Cruiser commanded by the Asari Commander. As she and her crew were engulfed in a violent explosion akin to a mini supernova, the remainder of the Asari fighters could only watch the tragedy in absolute horror.
Shailin saw her Admiral place her Naval cap upon her head and stood taller than before.
"We cannot hold them! Any further resistance will only bring unnecessary casualties on our side! Ask our surviving ships to retreat in an orderly fashion towards Thessia. This ship shall assume their rear guard defense, all non-essential crews and anyone that wants to leave is free to do so" announced the Asari Admiral without a flinch,
Shailin and the bridge crew looked at each other even as they announced their Admiral's orders to the rest of the fleet and their own ship.
"Orders relayed, Admiral. Commander Kiara has taken over the rest of the fleet" announced her XO,
Admiral Layna watched as her ship moved forward as the rest of her fleet retreated under the leadership of Commander Kiara Nevos. She frowned when 20 cruisers didn't retreat and instead formed a defensive formation around her dreadnought.
"What are they doing?" asked Admiral Layna with a heavy frown,
"There are still fools enough in our fleet. Foolish but loyal" whispered Shailin proudly,
Admiral Layna was filled with pride on that selfless action of her comrades. The feeling was further magnified when she saw neither her XO or her bridge crew move an inch from their stations.
They all knew what fate awaited them and yet they still chose to face it.
Most of her ship's crew made the same choice while she had to forcefully send away the non-essential crew despite their heavy protests.
As the enemy fleet moved to complete their encirclement, a rueful smile came upon the Asari Admiral's face.
"Avenge me, Lidanya. I leave Thessia to you"
She hoped her prayer would reach the Supreme Commander of the Home Fleet even as she watched the twin dreadnoughts of the enemy take direct aim at her ship.
"Fire!" she ordered, opening a salvo of fire from her dreadnought and its support cruisers.
Her XO stepped beside her and saw a fierce fire burning in her old comrade's eyes.
"Hold the line!"
(Hyperion)
Ren watched Naruto nervously tapping his feet drawing a knowing smile from Miranda Lawson currently standing beside him, the same as Ren.
"Relax, Naruto" pacified Miranda gently,
"You'll call him Kaiser" reminded Ren pointedly, earning a perfectly raised eyebrow from the former Cerberus fem-fatale.
They were both surprised on hearing the blonde standing between them chuckle earning frowns from both the females.
"Don't mind me, I was just reminded of the way you two met in the first place. Nothing much has changed" answered the Kaiser with a happy smile,
Miranda grimaced.
She remembered embarking on a suicide mission to kill the Kaiser for letting her best friend-Raval die, only to accept that same man's last wish of protecting the Kaiser after reading the letter he had left her. She could recall how Ren had been ready to kill her in that room when she had threatened to take Naruto's life.
Even now after knowing the truth that he wasn't her real brother, but a clone of his...the Princess was still irked if somebody disrespected the blonde or addressed him informally like she did.
It was strange to say the least but Miranda could see the conflicting emotions in the Princess's eyes for the man beside them.
Miranda could understand that emotion very well as she felt the same towards Naruto.
"I'm still surprised you keep her around" sneered Ren,
"Quite a charming mouth for a Princess" retorted Miranda smoothly, and smiled on seeing the Sharingan activating in those dark orbs even as her own biotics flared up in response.
It was this moment when the doors opened and their attention was instantly diverted towards the new arrivals and more importantly at the Kaiser.
They heard him gasp in surprise as he swiftly charged forward and engulfed a tired redhead crushingly in his arms even as tears fell from the older woman's eyes.
Ren and Miranda recognized her to be Kushina Uzumaki, mother of the ruler of Terminus Empire.
The former Alliance officer was dressed in her old uniform and looked quite frail after being in a coma for the past five years since the Battle of Ilos. She had been lucky to survive the destruction of the Normandy SR-1, her crew except for Shepard on the otherhand had perished in that battle. Both in space and on the planet.
Seeing her son after all this time, alive and well must have been truly relieving for the redhead as she wept tears of joy.
Ren watched Liara T'soni having a gentle smile upon her lips as she allowed the estranged mother and son their well deserved reunion, even if it meant the Kaiser completing ignoring her presence for the moment. The Princess couldn't help but feel guilty for having hurt such a pure hearted person.
The feeling was compounded a thousand times for Ren when Naruto finally broke the fierce hug with his mother to look at Liara. The sheer amount of gratitude and affection he had for the asari was easy for everyone to see.
Liara gasped when Naruto enveloped her in an equally fierce hug, one which she returned hesitantly when she saw Ren watching her.
"Thank you for everything, Liara. For saving her, for never abandoning me, for always staying by my side" whispered Naruto sincerely,
"Friends stick by each other. You're not getting rid of me anytime soon" she answered with a tearful smile, his words soothing away the pain of being away from him all these years.
She regretted not being by his side as he battled his disease, regretted walking away from him when Ren threatened to undo the genjutsu of her Mangekyo Sharingan that kept Benezia T'soni, her mother free from indoctrination of the Reapers.
That guilt ate away at her each day that she avoided him, and was the reason why she risked life and limb to rescue Kushina when she learned of the attack launched by Cerberus and Shadow Broker forces upon the secret medical base holding the redhead. The former Alliance officer had rose from her coma during their escape and had been left speechless upon learning of the events of the past five years.
He gently broke the hug after a few moments to look into her eyes only to be stopped by a light cough.
"Maybe we should take this somewhere more private, Kaiser?" asked Miranda politely,
Naruto realized her point when he saw quite a few of the Hyperion's crew members gathering nearby to watch the new arrivals. It wasn't everyday that you could meet the Imperial Prime Minister or the mother of the Kaiser himself.
"Yes, we have a lot to discuss" he agreed, stomping upon the sheer warmth bubbling inside his chest when he looked at Liara.
Memories of Ilos and Mikoto's fate flashed through his mind making him remember what he had to do in order to prevent that tragedy from happening again.
"Naruto...I'm so sorry"
Kushina realized how underwhelming her apology was after having just finished watching the memories of what her son had gone through in the past five years thanks to his Sharingan.
Losing his team, his lover, building an empire, facing the entire galaxy while suffering from a terminal disease and finally succumbing to it whilst protecting a friend who risked his life to save Kushina's.
The fact that he even showed her of his brief encounter with Minato during his shortlived death...
She remembered how disappointed her husband had been upon learning of the way she had failed their son.
"It seems all I've done is apologize to you for my failings my entire life" whispered Kushina sadly, as she couldn't help but recall all that he had done for her.
Sharing her information about the Reapers, keeping her safe from the claws of the Council and the Alliance politics, accepting her back into his life even when she spat right in his face over the different path he chose, never giving up on her when the Normandy went down at Ilos, rescuing her and spending the past five years ensuring she was given the finest medical treatment in order to recover...
He was even willing to burn down his own Empire if it meant saving her.
He chose her.
But she never chose him.
"You were all I had. I couldn't make many friends when I was a child, always yearning for something I could never achieve. A father's love, a mother's attention, of being loved and admired...I was so angry when I didn't get that. It's why I left Earth and joined Cerberus. Guess, I just wanted to hurt you by becoming the opposite of what you and father stood for" he confessed, as he looked at the vast galaxy around him through the window of his personal cabin.
"I couldn't understand what made you leave me, it made me feel unwanted. It's why I became one of the finest Assassin, figured if I couldn't be loved then I would be feared. I was naive and young..."
"I made my share of mistakes and successes too. Most of all I found a person who loved me, who accepted me, who stood by me and who died for me. She meant everything to me and when I lost her, that pain made me finally understand why you did what you did with us. You loved Father the way I loved Mikoto, I was lost for five years of my life after that...just drifting wherever fate carried me whilst striving to protect the galaxy. It was the same for you, wasn't it Mother?"
Kushina was openly sobbing and felt her heart drowning in grief of how much she had lost in life and with her son.
"Why?" she asked in a broken voice, as he came forward and knelt beside her to look right into her eyes.
"You and I are the same, Mother. In some ways atleast...but most of all we're family. No matter what happens...I'm always going to be there for you" he promised sincerely,
"You've become a fine man in my absence, my son" praised Kushina honestly with a proud smile,
"I missed you, Mother"
She wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug, wishing she could take away all the pain and suffering he had endured his entire life.
"I will never leave you again" she promised gently,
"What about the Alliance? Humanity?" he asked, knowing about her past loyalties.
"People always told me I was a stubborn fool. It was Minato who looked past all my faults and loved me...you inherited his dream. You are still trying to protect humanity from what's coming, but most of all you are our son. I am choosing you...now and always" promised Kushina fiercely, as she gently grasped his cheeks.
The dazzling smile that came on his face was enough to light up a thousand worlds.
Liara T'soni found herself walking through the War Room of the Hyperion and felt herself engulfed in nostalgia. If she closed her eyes, she could still hear the voices of her old team.
So many memories were built on this ship...so many bonds were forged, so many successes and failures endured.
A part of her felt at home.
At peace.
Something which she hadn't experienced in the past five years having spent each day building the Empire, navigating the politics, building alliances, and so much more. Now, she wanted nothing more than the familiarity of her old life.
Where she was just Liara, awkward Prothean Researcher and a shy but loyal friend.
Back then it was so simple, it was not to say she was not proud of her accomplishments and contribution towards the Empire. But deep in her heart, she had always yearned to go back to her old life, where she was content if not completely happy.
She frowned on seeing the reason for having lost all of that walking straight towards her.
Princess Ren looked nothing like her usual arrogant and confident self, instead she saw her bite her lip as she stepped before her and took a deep breath.
"How can I help you, Princess?" she asked curtly,
"I wanted to apologize"
Ren was blunt if nothing else. However her admission still sent the Asari for a complete spin. Ren took that silence as her cue to continue her explanation.
"It was not my right to ask you to walk away from Naruto. To be honest, I didn't trust you or your species and felt it was my duty to protect him from everyone. I was wrong and made you both suffer because of it, for that I am truly sorry" said Ren hesitantly, as she was unable to meet the Asari's piercing gaze that threatened to bore into her very soul.
"Why are you telling me this now?" asked Liara seriously,
"He is the hope for my people and he has been suffering all these years because of me. I have realized my mistake and even if he's not my brother...I can't bring myself to hurt him anymore. Nor you" said Ren sincerely,
"My mother?" questioned Liara seriously,
"I'll protect her till my dying breath, my Mangekyo's genjutsu will always protect her against the Reaper's indoctrination. You have my word for whatever you feel that is worth. I have also admitted of what I did to you to him, he wasn't pleased at all" admitted Ren sincerely,
"A lot has changed over these years, Princess" pointed Liara, earning a rueful smile from the Uchiha.
"Yes. But you still have a chance...something which I never got. My family is gone...yours is still here. I wish for things to be different for all of you then what they were in my cycle" said Ren earnestly,
Liara was left speechless when Ren offered a short bow before turning around and marching back towards the crew deck. The Asari maiden now able to understand the Uchiha's pain...she was now the last true and surviving member of her clan considering Naruto's origins were not completely natural. The woman had been through a galactic war where her powerful empire lost, in which her parents, siblings and friends perished one after another. She believed to have lost everything when she went into Stasis on Ilos only to realize her brother was alive in this cycle. If Liara had went through such hardships and pain, she probably would have also clung to the one person who was her last blood family. The fact that she walked away from Naruto in order to protect her mother was proof enough of how far a person could go in order to protect their family.
Maybe the woman before her had been the same.
"Princess..."
The raven haired beauty looked back to see the Asari giving her a grateful smile.
"Things will be different this time. For we have you to guide us"
Ren's eyes widened and she felt a lump forming in her throat and something prickly tearing up her eyes. Those words touching something deep in her heart as she nodded resolutely before proudly marching away to the crew deck.
Miranda Lawson waited and watched as the Kaiser and his mother were the first ones to enter the War Room. Liara joined moments later followed by Ren soon after.
"Now that we are all here, I want to discuss about our action plan for the Summit" he announced,
"It was a good move to begin negotiations. We cannot afford to wage a war against the galaxy, not if we want to throw all our power against the Reapers" agreed Liara readily,
"Agreed. I want you and Ren to accompany me to the Summit, your experience and insight will be invaluable during these negotiations" requested the Kaiser,
"I will" promised Liara with a smile,
"So will I" agreed Ren calmly,
"You will have to help me with the list of civilian and military concessions we can offer to the galactic powers in exchange for a peace treaty if not a mutual defensive pact. Maybe we should-"
He was interrupted when an emergency message flashed across the holo-screen followed by Joker's voice over their ship's internal communication channel.
"Kaiser, we are getting a Code Zero level emergency transmission from the Parintha System!" reported Joker swiftly,
"Thessia!" gasped Liara in shock,
"Captain Erwin Bucock was stationed there alongside his Stealth fleet to act as a deterrence against the Asari in the event of a war. A fine officer, son of Admiral Bucock of the 10th fleet. He's a good leader if a bit over ambitious at times" reported Ren quickly, as she read through the man's military records on her datapad.
"Patch him through" announced Naruto,
He found himself facing a tall and well built blonde with fierce blue eyes. The man saluted at him and the respect in his eyes was truly genuine earning an equal salute from the Kaiser himself much to the man's astonishment.
"Mein Kaiser, it's good to see you well. I'm afraid I don't have good news" said Erwin respectfully,
"Say it without hesitation. My people say it is important" encouraged Naruto,
"Three hours ago, we detected a sizeable fleet entering the Parintha System. 2000 ships, most of them cruisers and few frigates led by two dreadnoughts, they engaged the Asari Vanguard and have nearly wiped out half of their force. Their target appears to be Thessia, more importantly these vessels are similar in appearance to our own vessels. Their signatures matching with those of the 9th fleet led by Admiral Valynia" reported Erwin,
"Impossible! The 9th fleet is still deployed in their sector and has not moved an inch!" refuted Ren, as she double checked the Imperial Military Network earning a nod from Erwin as well.
"Yes, Grand Admiral. We thought of the same and our AI infiltrated one of the ship's networks. It seems they traveled through the Omega 4 Relay before arriving here. None of our fleets are stationed near that relay which makes me believe that this is the action of a third party that wants to start a war between us and the Asari" reported Erwin, as he continued passing on information about the new fleet's formation and how they had engaged the Asari forces.
"It won't matter. This attack will give the Matriarchs all the reason to launch a war against us. The fact that it is taking place just before the Summit makes me believe that either Cerberus, Shadow Broker or Orochimaru who are our primary enemies must be involved in this incident" suggested Liara worriedly,
"What do we do now?" asked Miranda seriously,
Kushina watched as all eyes landed upon her son and Princess Ren who looked at each other before the blonde looked at the Imperial officer on the holo-screen.
"Erwin, the Empire is not afraid of a war if it means protecting our people. But being dragged into a war started by someone else is not something which we can allow. It's an insult to our people and all they stand for" declared the Kaiser honestly,
"What are my orders, Mein Kaiser?" asked the officer seriously,
"I want to avoid a war if possible. Can you share with me a list of armaments currently in your fleet"
The officer nodded as he quickly passed on the requested information making both Naruto and Ren glance at it more attentively.
"We can't let them reach Thessia at any cost. I want you to slow their advance while I route the 10th fleet under the command of your father to reinforce this sector. Liara, I want you to connect with the Armali Council and brief them of our position in this mess. Let them know the Empire shall stand shoulder to shoulder in protecting innocent lives" declared Naruto, earning a grateful smile from the Asari.
"If we let Erwin engage with his forces, our cover will be blown. Other races will probably search for similar Imperial ships in their sectors. It will effectively destroy our ability to preemptively strike the enemy on the brink of a war. It effectively neutralizes half of the effectiveness of Operation Dying Light" warned Ren,
"I know Ren but the only way we will win against the Reapers is by bringing everyone together. I would like to make sincere efforts in that endeavor, things will be different in this cycle" he asserted without hesitation,
The Princess backed down after hearing those words and seeing the resolve in the Kaiser's eyes as he looked at his fellow blonde on the screen.
"But it shall never come to pass if you can't do the impossible, Erwin. You are the man on the ground, tell me can you do it?" asked Naruto honestly,
"I always hated when the other races looked down upon the Terminus, we have come so far under your leadership. While I would like to show the other races our true might, I also cannot allow my people to be made scapegoats in someone else's plan. My fleet will save Thessia, no matter the cost!" promised Erwin fiercely,
''May the winds of fortune be with you, Captain" wished Ren, earning a grateful salute from the officer.
(Parintha System: Imperial Stealth Frigate- Maurya)
Captain Erwin Bucock stood at the center of his ship's bridge watching as the 200 strong Stealth Frigate force rose from their secret base. Their stealth drives were engaged and all non-essential power being directed to weapons and shielding systems.
Even so, this was his worst nightmare coming to life.
No matter how advanced or powerful his fleet was, it simply wasn't enough to survive an encounter with a full fledged fleet like the one before him.
He watched as Irina Putin, his XO relayed their battle plan to all their ships making them understand the role each of them had to play in the upcoming battle. He had recalled all stealth fighters and drones, to be used in close melee combat once they engaged the enemy.
"Everything's ready, Captain" reported the Russian born XO, whose parents had fled to the Terminus in the hopes of a better future away from Earth.
"I would like to speak to everyone" instructed Erwin, earning a nod from the brunette.
In less than a minute, he saw all 200 of his fellow ship comanders appear on the holo-screen as the Geth AI announced he was also connected with each and every sailor across every ship apart from their commanding officers.
"There are times in every warrior's life when his choices define the destiny of their nation and their legacy to the galaxy. Do you remember the Battle of Ilos?" asked Erwin passionately,
He received a roar of approvals from his entire fleet as it was the first battle when the various colonial fleets of the Terminus had truly united under one banner: The Kaiser's.
"That day all of us in the Terminus united and gave the world a display of our power. More than that, we stood up for what was right. Irrespective of race or creed, we rose to protect the innocent. We fought against the tyranny of the Reapers to protect this galaxy!"
"I know many of you have misgivings about the Asari republics, as do I. Their policies towards us these past few years have been anything but friendly but today somebody is using our name to attack them. That is an insult on the Empire's honor! Do we need the help of a third party to fight our battles?" roared Erwin,
"NO!" echoed the counter-response,
"Fleet Admiral Raval and more than 11,000 of his men laid down their lives for these ideals at Ilos. They didn't ask the gender, race or social standing of the Protheans or shinobi and made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the Empire's future and that of this galaxy. We must do the same this day!"
"We cannot let the Reapers or anyone else use us for their own gain. We will not be dragged into an unnecessary war, instead we will show the galaxy of what the Empire truly stands for!" declared Erwin fiercely,
He was surprised when Irina thumped her fist against her chest making each and everyone of the crew on the bridge repeat the action. It started to become an echo as more and more of their comrades joined them as the Imperial Fleet took to the dark skies.
"For the Heroes of Ilos!"
Erwin had never felt this excited and anxious in his entire life as the roars of his entire fleet echoed all around him.
''For the Kaiser!"
Together they all charged their FTL drives as the roar of the Imperial force turned deafening.
"FOR THE EMPIRE!"
Author's Notes: End of chapter.
Phew, never thought we'll cross 400K. That makes this my 2nd largest story right after Sharingan Devil, by the looks of it this might become the biggest one in due time since we are only in ME2 era right now, with ME3-the final saga of this tale yet to come.
Considering the current situation across the world, I wish you and all your loved ones remain in good health.
This time is also giving me an opportunity to write freely once again, something which I haven't been able to do unfortunately for the past few months.
Reviews are always appreciated. Your love and support is the only reason I have been able to reach this far.
Until Next Time,
Blackwolf501
