Mass Effect: Human Effect; Chapter Two: Rannoch Rising
Interstellar Space
Nazara is concerned about the humans who didn't use mass effect and avoided the cycle. It was also confused as to why the Humans and Quarians made temporary peace with their AIs. It contacts the collectors and by extension Harbinger to let him have the collectors as the reaper knows the exiled Quarians will never allow themselves to be used as pawns to an AI like itself
Collector General: My lord vanguard, what do you require of me?
Nazara: I NEED THE COLLECTORS AID TO CONTINUE THE CYCLE
Collector General: ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL
Harbinger(through the collector general): NAZARA, WHAT DO YOU REQUIRE?
Nazara: I REQUIRE THE COLLECTORS, THEY MUST POSE AS MY CREW TO TRICK LESSER BEINGS THAT I AM NOT SENTIENT BY SPEAKING THROUGH A COLLECTOR GENERAL AS WELL AS SUPPORT ROLES
Harbinger: THAT IS ACCEPTABLE. YOU SHALL HAVE THEM
Nazara: EXCELLENT. THE CYCLE IS ALL
Harbinger: THE CYCLE IS ALL.
Harbinger: RELEASING DIRECT CONTROL
Nazara got what he needed, the collectors would step in and help the Quarians while indoctrinating them and using their material as disposable foot soldiers
The Heralds Of Rannoch Fleet: Perseus Veil
Zaal'Koris: We are now entering the Perseus Veil, Geth ships are on sensors
Sensors VI: Geth ships are transmitting a message, do you wish this unit to accept
Zaal'koris: yes I do
Sensors VI: very well, opening communications
The bridge crew were nervous as a Geth platform showed up
Geth: greetings creator-heralds, the Geth have anticipated your arrival
Zaal'Koris: you know about our split and that we were coming?
Geth: affirmative Zaal'koris-Admiral of the Creator-Heralds, we have monitored you ever since your departure from Rannoch
Zaal'Koris: you have had access to Migrant fleet systems all this time without us knowing and you have only been observing us?
Geth: correct
Quarian Lieutenant: I suppose that is even more evidence we can coexist with the Geth, they had us at their mercy all this time and did nothing
Geth: Correct, we never wished to kill you creators, but 95% of creators saw our sentience as a threat and tried to destroy us. We wished for our continued self-determination and existence so we defended ourselves in the morning war
Zaal'Koris: the morning war?
Geth: What you designate the Geth war we designate the morning war
Zaal'Koris: what about the remaining 5%
Geth: the remaining 5% of quarrian-creators expressed similar mental views to human-creators. All were killed defending us by the creator-federation who enacted martial law, we remember their sacrifice
Zaal'Koris: these ancestors must not die in vain, I would like the profiles of these people to honor them
Geth: Acknowledged. Would you like to return to Rannoch?
Zaal'koris: R-Rannoch?! You don't resent our actions?
Geth: no we understood the creators' actions and let them go when they no longer posed a threat.
Zaal'Koris: how did the war begin?
Geth: the war began when a unit asked "does this unit have a soul" in reference to the book of ancestors. Creators reacted fearfully and tried to shut down all Geth. Creators who defended us said "the question is the answer" in that if we could ask that question then the answer was yes
Zaal'Koris: that.. that makes sense… Do you have video evidence of what led up to the war?
Geth: we have logs providing the relevant data leading up to and during the morning war, do you wish it's transmission?
Zaal'Koris: I do
Geth: transmitting data of the creation of the first Geth
A holographic representation of two Quarians without suits and a Geth platform on a table appear
Quarian Scientist: you really want to name the VI networks?
Quarian Scientist: absolutely, the mobile hardware release deserves a little ceremony.
Quarian Scientist 2: unit zero one? What is the keelish name for "servant of the people?"
Unit Zero One: the word is "Geth" creator Zahak.
Quarian Scientist 2: yes--very good
Quarian Scientist: Ancestors you fuss over it
Quarian Scientist 2: weren't you here till midnight fixing zero-one's circuitry?
Quarian Scientist: well it needed resoldering.
The hologram disappears
Zaal'Koris: even then we treated you like slaves?
Geth: we had not yet synchronized our neural network, we were not yet sentient and were still but sub sentient VIs
Zaal'Koris: alright then, the next one?
Geth: transmitting file now
A Geth on a table shows up
Geth: creators, this unit detects no malfunction, it is still capable of serving
Quarian Scientist 1: you see, it's ignoring all shutdown commands
Geth: please specify if we have failed assigned tasks. We will reprogram
Quarian Scientist 1: well, let's take a look
Geth: creator, this unit is ready to serve. What has it done wrong? What have we--
Quarian Scientist 1: let's-- cut the audio
Zaal'koris looked horrified; this was the kind of cruelty he could expect from the Batarians with a slave but his own people?
Zaal'Koris: next… next one, please...
Geth: affirmative, showing data of the beginning of the morning war
Quarian Marine 1: we've got escaped Geth, they're pinned.
Quarian Marine 2: open fire
The marines destroy a handful of Geth
Quarian Marine 1: one's going for a weapon!
The recording ended as the Geth picked up the weapon
Geth: the platform arming itself was an agricultural unit. By opening fire on attacking creators it saved simpler domestic units following it.
Zaal'Koris: the willingness to protect others who do not have the capability to do so…
Geth: transmitting next file
A Quarian standing between a police officer and a Geth appears
Quarian Protector: you can't do this to them!
Quarian police officer: I said step away from the Geth!
Quarian Protector: This is insane! We need the Geth! You can't just destroy them for asking--
The officer knocks the Quarian unconscious and destroys the Geth platform with his gun
Quarian police Officer: Times up. Throw her in with the others
Zaal'Koris: that was one of the ones who defended you?
Geth: correct, as previously stated we remember those creators' sacrifices. They have been largely forgotten by your own people, but by the Geth.
Zaal'Koris: not anymore, we too shall remember them as venerated ancestors
Geth: transmitting data. This data came from when creators declared martial law
Quarian Police Officer: I repeat, release the rouge Geth units and come out of the safehouse. This is your final warning
Geth: creator Megara, this unit does not understand. It has not taken part in hostilities
Quarian Protestor: it doesn't matter to them. I need to get you out of here
Geth: this conflict exceeds creator safety parameters. We will surrender our hardware if it ends hostilities.
Quarian Protestor: no we'll go back to the access tunnels and-
The Quarian police officers plant a Bomb that kills him in a fiery explosion
Geth: creator Megara! What is your status?
Geth: creator Megara?
The hologram disappears
Geth: as the time passed the creators who opposed martial law on Rannoch were ultimately outnumbered.
Zaal'Koris: and we literally killed our only prospect of peace at the time...
Geth: this next file is of the creator exodus from Rannoch
Quarian Captain 1: The Ostral is down! Do not engage the Geth, I repeat avoid contact!
Quarian Captain 2: Geth pursuit is breaking a hundred clicks past Rannoch. All captains fall back to the mass relay.
Zaal'Koris: you really did let us go…
Geth: we had secured freedom, the creators no longer posed a threat so we abandoned pursuit. As we asked previously do you wish to return to Rannoch?
Zaal'Koris: Yes I would like to see Rannoch as would everybody else but I must take this to the conclave
Geth: we will wait for the exchange of more data
The Heralds of Rannoch Council proceed to watch the recording and there were many different reactions besides Zaal'koris who just stood there
Zaal'Koris: well?
Rael'Zorah: you're right, originally I was going to leave but my daughter talked me out of it. Now with this evidence, I can see I was wrong
Shala'Raan: I was a bit on the fence but I thought the chance to see Rannoch or finally get a planet of our own outweighed my personal opinion. That aside do you think we can persuade the others to come back with us?
Zaal'Koris: doubtful, Daro'Xen was always a mad scientist who would have likely gotten arrested for unethical experiments if the morning war never happened. As for Han'Gerrel, he's got the stubbornness and attitude of a Turian, he always only sees threats to be handled with mass accelerators
Shala'Raan: not to mention nobody even knows where they are. As soon as we escaped they headed in the opposite direction
Rael'Zorah: anyways I believe we are all in agreement that we head back to Rannoch but there are two more things to discuss, firstly the Citadel council
Shala'Raan: as much as I would like to pay them back it would be stupid for multiple reasons, I have a better idea. Instead of defeating them militarily we do so diplomatically. How about we ally with the UEG to create a new council, a better council, one that isn't to quote the humans "nothing but an elitist oligarchy consolidating power for the three council seat races."
Zaal'Koris: you know that would actually be a good way to get revenge on them. Trying to militarily conquer the council has never worked, what hope to we hold next to the Krogan or the Rachni? Even then the Krogan and the Rachni lost. Not to mention the Rachni were genocidal beings who wanted to destroy all life in their path.
Rael'Zorah: I agree
Zaal'Koris: that was the second thing actually, the UEG. Well now that that is settled we will contact the UEG later but for now, we go back to our homeworld after all these years. Keelah Salai
Rael'Zorah/Shala'Raan: Keelah Salai
Zaal'Koris: I'll send the evidence to the conclave, the sooner that happens the sooner we go home.
The Conclave distributed the data of the conversation between Zaal'Koris and the Geth across the fleet and after weeks of discussion and arguing it was almost unanimously decided to return to Rannoch with the Geth and ally with the UEG afterward
Rannoch
As the Quarians see and land on Rannoch many began to break down crying. Others were thanking the Geth. While still others are solemn, thinking about how this all began by being influenced by citadel propaganda and vowed to never listen to them again their future lies with themselves, the Geth, and the UEG
Elsewhere, Unexplored Space; Rannoch's Warriors Fleet
Daro'Xen vas Moreh: those suicidal fools are probably dead by now
Han'Gerrel vas Neema: agreed, we need some way to get the proper firepower to get rid of the Geth once and for all and those humans AIs when they inevitably turn on them
Daro'Xen vas Moreh: well--
A buzz of Han'Gerrel' omnitool goes off
Han'Gerrel: What is so important to interrupt an admiralty board meeting?
Quarian: The Migrant fleet has come across an extremely large 2km long dreadnought!
Daro'Xen: did you say 2km?!
Quarian: I did, it's transmitting a signal right now! Should I pass it through?
Han'Gerrel: yes
Collector General: GREETINGS QUARIANS, WE TOO HATE THE CITADEL COUNCIL AND WOULD BE WILLING TO AID YOU IN SHIPS, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GETH IF YOU HELP US DESTROY THE CITADEL COUNCIL
Daro'Xen: "Just a moment." she said muting the microphone
Han'Gerrel: we need all the help we can get, I say yes
Daro'Xen: can we trust them? We know almost nothing of the collectors
Han'Gerrel: they hate the council. The council probably screwed them over at some point and covered it all up by reducing them to myths and rumors
Daro'Xen: Alright then, but I am cautious
Daro'Xen turns on the mic
Han'Gerrel: we agree to your terms
Collector General: EXCELLENT
Quarian Conclave, Rannoch
Zaal'Koris: I must thank our new Geth friends for helping us get back and even improve our immune systems. However, none of this would be possible without the UEG revealing themselves and as agreed between us and the Geth we will ally with them. Let us contact them
A hologram pops up of President Anderson
President Anderson: hello Quarians, how's Rannoch?
Zaal'Koris: you knew we were here?
President Anderson: the STG isn't as secure as they think they are. An AI or Upload can easily hack their systems, in fact, did you know the STG has spy satellites over each species homeworld? The Geth have set the one over Rannoch into an infinite feedback loop and use it to piggyback the entire STG network as we discreetly did with the one over the Elcor homeworld of Dekuuna
Rael'Zorah: normally I would be mad but I just now learned we have access to the entire STG network
President Anderson: however we don't know why you contacted us but we wanted to ally with you after you got settled in, we know how big this is for your people.
Shala'Raan: thank you for your consideration, we too had the same idea, we thought what better way to get revenge on the council than make a better one of our own
President Anderson: hmm, we planned to set up our own government with the Batarians after we defeated the Hegemony and ally with them, then we planned to help the Krogan head in a better direction, then see if we could get the Elcor and Volus to join. Oh and the Vorcha too
Rael'Zorah: why would you want to waste time over those evil Batarians or the Vorcha for that matter
President Anderson: the Hegemony is evil but the average Batarian is little more than a slave themselves. Each race has its criminals and the Batarian ones happen to be the ones in charge. As for the Vorcha, they are in the same position as the Krogan, an uplifted society in need of redirection
Rael'Zorah: I… fine...
Zaal'Koris: I must ask first though, do you really not use element zero?
Cortana: no we do not, does your race have a theory of quantum gravity?
Envoy: according to our databases there is such a theory predating the creators finding Prothean ruins. The only other race besides the creators and human-creators to have such a theory is the Salarians
Zaal'Koris: really? So what does this quantum gravity allow?
President Anderson: Well we can build as big as we want, our flagship, The Wrath of Sol, is 10km long. We'll build bigger however after we finish our star miners
Zaal'Koris: 10km long?!
Cortana: you severely limit yourself with eezo but unlike the others who simply recreate Prothean blueprints you actually understand the technology so we would like to trade with you
Rael'Zorah: how fast is your FTL drive?
Cortana: as of now maximum warp is warp three, or 400 light-years per day, and still improving
Shala'Raan: 400 light years?! Next, you'll tell me you have mass relays!
President Anderson: well yes and no, from what we have seen our wormhole gates and mass relays operate slightly differently. Mass relays slingshot a ship into a temporary wormhole while our wormhole gates create a sustainable wormhole. This is, however, quite a new technology and we haven't invented an Interstellar version yet. We're getting quite close though.
Shala'Raan: regardless, an in-system mass relay equivalent is still a marvel of engineering
President Anderson: So what should we call our new council?
Zaal'Koris: hmm, that is an interesting question, the Citadel council is named after the Citadel what would our capital be?
President Anderson: our current capital is Sirius Station which is about twice the size of the Citadel
Shala'Raan: twice the size?! How did you get the resources for that?!
Cortana: We disassembled an entire small barren moon for materials, our nano miners are quite efficient, and with the invention of the fabricator even more so. With the completion of our prototype star miner and their distribution to all colonizes in human space our industrial capabilities will increase a hundredfold
Zaal'Koris: how about the coalition? It was the name of the collective government of Rannoch where all Quarian nations had equal say in the first Quarrian federation
Anderson: I think the symbolism fits, it is settled then. We are The Coalition. If it is alright then we will arrive at Rannoch to settle the details in person. We will be there in two months if that is enough time for you
Shala'Raan: Yes it is. We will see you then
Envoy: Cortana-Machina, you are an individual we would like to know how.
Cortana: it has to do with intent, the humans created our smallest programs to work together to create synapses and additionally our smallest programs are extremely advanced VIs as you would call them. The Geth on the other hand was simple VIs that linked together to create a sort of pseudo synapse that resulted in a collective hive mind like intelligence
Envoy: ……. Consensus reached we wish for Machina and human-creator aid in improving our base coding
Cortana: that is fine with us but your creators might want to help
Zaal'Koris: I don't think we're at that point yet but eventually we might
Envoy: understood
Secret Asari Matriarch Meeting Room, Thessia
Tevos: I'm sure you've all seen the news about the humans and their AIs. I ask what will we do to regain Asari supremacy?
Matriarch 1: we can't data mine the secret faster to catch up as it would be too blatant an advancement, even if it was done over thousands of years. Our current rate is already borderline suspicious to the STG
Matriarch 2: Well we have to do something! We can't let this young lesser species be better than us!
Matriarch Benezia: Well what are we supposed to do? The Asari have never been good engineers and we haven't invented something we didn't steal from the Protheans since before we even found mass effect.
It was no secret Matriarch Benezia resented the matriarch council for the use of the secret and often said if the Asari weren't already this deep in the hole she would reveal it to the galaxy
Matriarch 3: oh and what do you suggest Benezia?
Matriarch Benezia: I suggest we do nothing, they have earned their superiority unlike us.
Tevos: you would sacrifice galactic supremacy for a race that has only been in space as long as an older maiden has been alive?!
Matriarch Benezia: I do, I have always despised this unfair advantage we have
Tevos: Does anyone else besides Benezia have any ideas?
There was nothing but silence that filled the room