Authors note: Decided to split this chapter up into two, maybe three parts to get it out in sections, otherwise it'd easily be the end of the month till it would come out.
enjoy!
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Shanxi Theta System, Shanxi orbit. August 12, 2138. Two days after the end of Reitaisai.
Desolas Arterius stared out the viewport of the passenger cruiser, looking down at Shanxi as the ship moved further and further away. The green continent, surrounded by brilliant blue was like an eye staring out to space. The idea of it did not make him nervous though, and he figure that he had Reitaisai to thank for that.
The Alliances festival had been more than just a cultural exchange, or a way for the Alliance to show off. He had seen Alliance weapons, tried dozens of types of food, saw different views of Alliance history in vids and stage plays, and had even found out he had an affinity for magic. And that was just the simplest things to remember.
"You look like you're homesick," Adaaya said with a chuckle.
"Hardly," Desolas said as he turned to Adaaya who was seated across from him, taking up not one, but three entire seats due to her wings. "It just feels like it went by so fast. The festival, I mean."
"Yeah, it has a habit of doing that. Even after going multiple times it always passes by too fast." Adaaya said with a smile as she leaned forward in her chair and looked at Desolas, her expression suddenly becoming neutral. "You look like you're trying to keep your mind off of something though."
Desolas let out a sigh, part annoyance and part a strange amazement. He had run around the festival with Adaaya for nine of the ten days, and in that time she had gotten a strange understanding of his expressions. It took most Asari or Salarians many years to grasp a Turians facial expressions, yet she had done so in just over a week. "Yes. I'm . . . . . anxious, I guess. That and I'm surprised that Executor Pallin agreed so quickly."
"Hey, if more Alliance people go to the Citadel, some are bound to be magicians, it makes sense to learn about it and know how to counter it. Though that information will take a long while to spread!" Adaaya said with a knowing grin as she leaned back. "What made you take Patchouli up on it though? Curiosity, or something more?"
"Honestly, I'm not completely sure. Curiosity, and maybe a hope to find something, I guess." Desolas replied as he looked back out the window at Shanxi. It had been on the first day that he had found out his affinity for magic, and it had taken him four days of deliberation before he had called Executor Pallin, his boss, to explain the situation. Surprisingly, Pallin had suggested he take the offer, saying that it would count as advanced external training, and that had been the end of it. Later that day he had returned to Patchouli, and told him he would take her up on the idea.
From that point on, Adaaya took it upon herself to help Desolas pick out equipment and personal effects she said he'd find useful in the class, as well as showing him which clothing stores would be more economical and effective. Honestly, her help had been very useful, and he would have been lost without the aid.
Though admittedly some of the supplies she insisted he would need seemed, strange, bulky, and even archaic.
"Good a reason as any other." Adaaya said with a grin as suddenly purple lights began flashing in the passenger cabin. "Oh, boundary slip warning. You're not used to them, right?"
"The one that brought us to Shanxi made me feel like I was dying from the inside out for an hour." Desolas replied, cringing at the memory.
"Then you'll want to strap yourself in, just in case."
Just as he did as Adaaya suggested, the ship entered its slip and everything changed. The light in the cabin became odd, and for Desolas, the effect was different from before. He felt light, like his body had no mass yet was still affected by physics. Like his entire body was changing, becoming something else, and after a few seconds, the feeling passed like it had never been present. "That was, different."
"The first slip is always the worst, and after a while you just stop noticing them." Adaaya said with a grin as she tilted her head to the wall. "Look out the window."
Desolas did and felt awed all over again. Darkness flecked with wisps of purple light flooded the space outside of the ship, making it seem as if the ship was moving though a dark mass, or a black hole. Going through a mass relay had a similar effect to using a mass effect drive, a blue aura would surround the ship, passing over it at incredibly fast speeds. The difference between the two forms of travel was staggering, and while a mass relays effects were beautiful, this felt oddly refreshing. "Why does it look like that? I've done a bit of reading on it, but the information is vague and confusing."
"It is confusing." Adaaya admitted with a scowl. "Boundary principle physics are probably the hardest science in existence, as it deals with nonexistence."
"I remember reading that. Do we seriously not exist right now?"
"Kind of, it's complicated and I'm not sure of the exactness of it, but we exist within nonexistence, and the boundary drive uses that to pull the ship through vast distance in a short amount of time because of it."
"I remember, the travel time on the other passenger ship of the Alliances from the Citadel to Shanxi was extremely fast. Only a couple of hours and we were there." Desolas said as he glanced around, seeing many people walking around the central area of the cabin. "This one is different, however."
"Well yeah, this passenger cruiser is smaller and not meant for just passengers." Adaaya said with a shrug.
"What do you mean?"
"The liner that went to the Citadel was a very simplistic one, get people from point a to b. This cruiser is more advanced, and takes far less time to get to the destination. The only council citizens on it are those who are coming deeper into Alliance space to learn on the Philosophe. Like you."
"I see . . . Do you know how many are part of the . . .program?" Desolas asked, having to take a moment to find the right word.
"Yes and no." Adaaya said as she tapped her wrist comp and brought it to life, a screen appearing off of it. "I know that the Citadel Council requested a handful of people for it including a half dozen military officers and a single spectre, but I don't know how many regular civilians accepted."
"I see. Do you know which spectre?" Desolas asked curiously.
"No. they would be on this ship however, if you want to go hunting for them."
"No, we'll see them when we dock." Desolas said as he pulled his gaze away from the window, feeling like the wisps of energy outside were pulling him in. "You said this ship was heading deeper into Alliance territory, but where exactly?"
Adaaya grinned as the ship suddenly lurched, and the lighting returned to normal. Glancing out the window Desolas saw something that made his eyes go wide and his mandibles spread in surprise. Out in the darkness was a space station. It was shaped like a pair of crescents with their backs to each other, one small and one large, and along the edge of the larger crescent were dozens of massive ships, each one easily over a kilometer long. "Welcome to Arcturus, the Alliance shipyard!" Adaaya said with a smile as she got up and stretched her wings up towards the roof.
"That . . . . . that looks massive! All the Alliance ships are maintained here?"
"No, not all of them." Adaaya said as she reached to a rack above them and pulled down the large metal case of Desolas's and her own duffel bag of belongings. "Arcturus is our capitol and dreadnaught docks, both for their creation and maintenance. Some cruisers too as it maintains Operative ships as well."
"What about other ships then?" Desolas asked as Adaaya began walking away down a hall, Desolas following.
"There are other docks around some planets, and smaller ships can use planet side spaceports for maintenance as well. We'll be docking soon, and then we need to find the Philosophe's bay. Though someone will probably be waiting for us once we get off."
"Right." Desolas replied as the two of them went down the halls of the ship alongside many others. Most people were Alliance, but the few Council citizens looked either worried, anxious, or giddy with excitement as they moved through the halls, some constantly talking to others and never stopping.
Leaving the cruiser and entering onto Arcturus station itself Desolas, and all the other Council citizens, found it to be far more utilitarian than they had first thought it would be. The floors were made of grey steel plates, walls of steels a shade lighter, and the ceiling the same. Columns of steel, many with cables running through them and protected by cases of glass shot up out of the floor at regular intervals up to the roof. At the end of the dock was a pair of doorways, one with a terminal of sorts by it, as well as a pair of guards in cloth uniforms, but with large rifles in their hands. For a couple seconds no Council citizen knew where to go as most of the Alliance people headed for the doors, causing some to nervously follow. As Desolas tried Adaaya grabbed his shoulder and held him back, just as the second of the two large doors opened, and a woman strode through with an arrogant step and a brilliant smile upon her face.
The Alliance people bowed or waved to her as they passed her, and she stopped before the assembled Council races and those Alliance people that remained behind, likely the assistant teachers and helpers for the course. To the Council people she looked extremely strange, her clothing being a combination of cloth and strange metal sections upon it, including bulky blocks on her wrists. But to those who recognized her, she was brimming with enthusiasm, and they quietly braced themselves for it.
"Hey there, everyone! Just to check first, all of you are here for the basic magic instruction course, either as a student or an assistant, yeah?" the blonde loudly asked, making some Council people visibly stunned and surprised.
After a couple seconds of nods and quiet, nervous assertions the blonde smiled.
"Alright then, introductions! Names Marisa Kirisame, Alliance Operative, and Headmaster of the MAS Final Spark! I'm often called the ordinary magician, the love magician, the potion breaker or the spark mage, and will be acting as one of the four head teachers for your course alongside Patchouli, Alice and the other!" Marisa said with a big smile, seeming almost larger than life.
For a few moments no one said anything, then one person, a rough and angry looking Turian, strode forward." Your ship is that giant gun? The one that took out our fleet?" He asked angrily.
"Yes." Marisa said, her expression changing ever so slightly. It looked as if most did not notice, but Adaaya took a half step back, nudging Desolas to do the same. He could see it, her muscles tensed in an instant, ever so slightly, just enough to prepare her for whatever was to come.
"Then I shall take my revenge!" the Turian yelled as he ran at Marisa, pulling a knife out of his clothing as he went in for the strike.
"Oh?" Marisa said with a bemused expression as she skillfully dodged the Turians first blow, then his next, and the next. "So is this some sort of test, or are you actually out to kill me?"
"Of course I'm going to kill you. You killed hundreds of our people and think some monument will change that!?" the Turian yelled as Marisa dodged another blow, making him pull out a Carnifex. "Your security sucks!"
His shot rang out, sending a single mass accelerate round through the air at Marisa. Only for it to stop in front of her face and disappear as a flash of yellow passed around Marisa like a barrier.
"No, you think too highly of yourself." Marisa said as the block on her arm pieces shifted and floated in front of her hands, allowing her to grip them both. "You think you're skilled sneaking that onto the cruiser and here to use on me? No, our security people were ordered to ignore concealed carries, but to report them to us so we could get an idea of who were here for actually teaching, and who could be weeded out in the starting hours." Marisa said as she tensed her grip on the two Hakkero in her hands, their centres lighting up and humming with power. "I'll give you one chance. Stand down and drop all weapons you are carrying."
"Or what?" the Turian barked as he kept the Carnifex pointed at Marisa's head and fired three times, each heavy round colliding with Marisa's barrier and turning to nothing.
Marisa smiled and pointed one hand behind her, then with a flash, was propelled toward the Turian faster than most could blink. In that one moment, she swung her other hand into his chest, knocking the wind out of him, just as the Hakkero in the same hand flashed for just a bare half second.
The Turian flew up into the roof with an ear splitting crack, then after a couple seconds of his body being seemingly embedded into the steel, fell out and down onto the floor with a thud, blue blood spattering across the floor just to the side of where everyone gathered.
After almost a minute of complete silence Marisa turned to the group, hr expression cold and serious. "First lesson. Everyone teaching and assisting in this program are very capable of killing you if you give us reason. Anyone concealing weapons or mass effect technology that honestly wishes to learn magic drops them now, or back up to the side wall!"
Immediately two people, a Turian and Salarian, left the group and stood over by the wall that Marisa had pointed to, shocked expressions covering their faces. Seconds later four people began pulling out equipment from their pockets and dropping them to the floor.
When the sounds of falling technology and omni tools finally stopped, Desolas found that almost every second person had tried to bring something Element Zero powered with them. Was it so hard to just not rely on it for a time?
"Drop it!" Marisa said sternly as she walked up to a Drell and glared at him.
"What do you mean?" the Drell asked calmly.
Marisa let out a sigh of exasperation. "Look, I know you're the spectre the Council wanted in on this, but that does not mean you get special privileges. Drop it, or I drop you!"
"If I do, how am I to contact the Council to keep them informed of my actions?" the Drell countered, taking off his Omni tool and holding it in his grip firmly.
"You contact them through our technology, through our ambassador, that is how." Maria said simply. "If you have a problem with that, you can leave with those guys who realized their attempts at murder would be failures!" She added as she pointed to the ones at the wall, who now looked mortified, like they hadn't realized what they had been trying to do, or what would become of them.
". . . . . Very well." The spectre said with a sigh as he dropped the omni tool into Marisa's hand, or he would have, if she hadn't move it too fast for it to fall on the ground.
"Good, they'll be gathered up and returned when the course is finished, if you finish it. Alright everyone, follow me! We'll head through the doors where you'll be scanned again for anything not allowed, and then we'll head to the ship where everyone else is waiting for us." Marisa called out as her smile returned and she began walking to the door.
Luckily, no one had anything else on them, and the trip through the gate and down the expansive halls was unimpeded, at least by people's items. The massive docks, the ships in them, the magically powered cranes and the weapons and plating being held and moved by them, they all grabbed many people's attentions. What got the most reaction out of people however, was when the group arrived at the dock of the Philosophe, and saw the massive ship in all of its splendor, nearly so close they could touch it.
There was no chance to stop and gaze upon it though, as Marisa kept moving and guiding everyone into the ship and down its halls, halls that amazed as much as the exterior did. The floors were made of a dark wood, with the walls covered in similar paneling. The ceiling of each hall was black with globe like lights every meter. Strange ornamental sculptures and glowing symbols sat on pedestals in the hallways at random, and everyone could feel like they were being watched as they went through the halls, but could not see anything that would warrant such a feeling.
After a number of switchbacks however, they came to their destination, a library. In Council space, the idea of a library was that of a place with dozens of terminals where people could research whatever they needed. This library however was like those from stories of old, of times when electronics were rare, or even earlier when they did not exist.
The room they stood in was impossibly absurd, a room easily over thirty meters tall, and so long and wide you could not estimate its true size. Massive bookshelves sat in rows on either side of the room, reaching up to claw at the ceiling, each one full of tomes, massive books and scrolls. In front of them, with the shelves to either side, where a half dozen tables of dark red wood surrounded by chairs, and at the end of them, the other three magicians who would act as teachers.
As Marisa walked up to the three of them, Patchouli stepped forward and spoke, her voice like a commanding order as it echoed between the shelves. "Thank you, all of you who have chosen to accept our teachings on magic, I am Patchouli Knowledge, Headmaster of the Philosophe. Aside from myself, your primary teachers shall be Alice Margatroid, Marisa Kirisame, and Byakuren Hijiri. Would all of our assistants please step to the side, escorts may now leave."
Adaaya and about four others all walked over to the side, while the other Alliance people all backed up and left the room, much too many's surprise. Once they left the other blonde teacher at
Marisa's side stepped forward with a neutral expression. "My name is Alice Margatroid, these five people shall be acting as our assistants to teaching you, and as long as it does not break any rules you may ask them questions as you feel necessary. They can choose to not answer you however, if they deem the question to be inappropriate. In order, these are your assistant teachers. Mima, David Anderson, Kahlee Sanders, Adaaya Shepard and Conrad Verner. Each of them have differing skillsets and histories of magic, allowing them to help teach all of you in different ways and answer questions you may have."
"There is however, one last thing that we must discuss before we get to the true beginning of this course." Patchouli suddenly said as Alice stepped back. "The rules of this course. We will not be treating any of you with special privileges regardless of your race, or rank. While on the Philosophe, you will be treated like any other student for a regular advanced course, meaning the following. You are considered part of the Philosophe's crew, and will follow all regulations therein, including the assistance of minor maintenance. If the Philosophe engages in combat, all students are expected to assist in some way. Additionally, if you prove to be incapable of following the studies, or refuse to, you will be removed from the course. If you break rules, you will be removed from the course, and if you cannot pass regular examinations to prove your ability to learn, you will be removed from the course. As long as you understand these facets, all will be well. But just to make sure, are there any questions?"
No one moved to answer; though a fair number looked anxious or worried.
Patchouli smiled. "Good, then let us begin!"
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Aralakh System, orbit around Tuchanka. October 17, 2138.
Eirin sighed as she stood at the back of the bridge of her own personal ship, a heavily modified Corpse hunter class light cruiser that she had named the Genesis. It was modified into a science cruiser, capable of holding tests and experiments on everything from biology to astrophysics.
To one side of the bridge stood her main and primary passenger and associate, the Krogan Shaman, Bakara, one who not only had the gall to request to speak to Kaguya herself, but had managed it, and even had provided a highly intelligent argument and reasons for what she was asking. It impressed Eirin that a shaman of a race the Council considered nothing but brutes could be so calm and prepared to do whatever she thought necessary for her people.
What didn't impress her was the space around the Krogan home world. There were no Krogan installations, but instead a trio of small Turian space stations, each one with long range cannons capable of tearing regular Council vessels to pieces. Judging from the long range scans of the guns however, they rarely saw use.
"Have they gotten back to you yet?" Eirin finally asked her pilot calmly.
The pilot shook her head, her doglike ears flopping side to side. "No, they said to hold, but I've been holding for almost an hour now. I'm guessing they're not sure what to do."
Eirin let out an exasperate groan, knowing part of the problem was that her vessel was marked as a science vessel, so it likely made the Turians on the station nervous about her intentions. It was well founded considering what she was here for, but the lack of response was unbelievable. "Those stations, what exactly are they for?" Eirin asked as she looked to Bakara.
"They monitor all traffic entering and leaving Tuchanka. The Turians idea of keeping peace. They stop any ship that is carrying ship grade weapons or parts. The intention is to stop my people from ever having our own ships. Doesn't stop those in the terminus though, so it's mostly for looks." Bakara answered, reasserting Eirin's respect for her, and like of her personality.
"If the Turians were informed of my true purpose here, what so you think they would do?"
"Deny your landing. Using force if they deemed it appropriate. And they would." Bakara said with a chuckle. "But your true purpose is not what is seems, now is it. Lady Kaguya already gave me the whole agreement. I just need to see our side come to fruition."
Eirin nodded in understanding. Bakara had gone to Kaguya to talk about saving the Krogan people. Curing the Genophage was an option, but Bakara had made it clear that the Council would never allow it, and that a cure would not save her people, merely doom them to a quicker extinction.
The two of them had come to an agreement. If Bakara could unify the Krogan peoples, introduce at least some semblance of a government, of a culture, some proof that they were not just the remnants of a people addicted to violence, but a thriving people, she would convince the Alliance to argue for the Korgan peoples independence, and more importantly, a work around for the Genophage.
She was not about to just send her off though, and had requested for Eirin to go to Tuchanka, both as an overseer, and as a scientist. As an overseer she would watch over Bakara's work and see how it progressed, giving Kaguya updates as required. While, as a scientist, she was there for her own purposes. Krogan biology was extremely interesting and curious, as was the biology of their planet. A nuclear war had annihilated much, as had the nuclear winter that came after. Yet according to Bakara, life still went on, plants and animals still existed, always fighting for dominance. She wanted to see what she could discover from the planets lifeforms, as well as see for herself just how ugly the Genophage was, both in its effects and its design.
"Ma'am, they've gotten back to us, and wish to speak to the ship's captain." The pilot said calmly.
Eirin nodded as she walked up to a terminal on the side wall and tapped it a couple times, making it go through the slightly complicated process of connecting their communications with Council communications technology.
"This is General Orix Glaucus of the Krogan DMZ scanning station, Vigilant. Whom am I speaking to?" came a Turian's voice as soon as the communications connected.
"I am Eirin Yagokoro, Alliance Operative and scientist of Alliance Research and Development. I am also the captain of the Genesis. Have you been informed to my reason for being here, or no?" Eirin asked, knowing that subordinates did not always relay everything they should to their superiors unless they were good at their jobs.
"I was informed of an Alliance vessel requesting clearance to land on Tuchanka, but not why. Please state your reason for coming here, Operative."
Eirin noted that she felt no hate in the Turians voice. He was simply addressing her as he would anyone else. He clearly took his job seriously, despite the idea that such postings were considered a punishment to most apparently. At least according to Bakara. "I have been invited by a Krogan shaman to assist in the investigation of a way to continue the existence of the Krogan peoples, as well as to investigate the flora and fauna of the planet."
"You are here to cure the genophage?" Orix asked calmly, not showing off ant anger or any emotion whatsoever. Whoever he was in person, he was skilled at controlling himself.
"To investigate it, and perhaps limit the effects, but not to outright cure it, no. Is that a problem?"
"No. Just be aware that those that try often disappear, or wind up dead from clan warfare. I will not stop you from landing on Tuchanaka as your ship registers no ship to ship weaponry, but be aware that we will not attempt to extract you once you are on the planet. Your life is your own, understood?"
"I understand. Thank you, and have a pleasant day.
". . . To you as well, Alliance." Orix said before the communication ended.
"Well, that went surprisingly well." Bakara said after a couple seconds of silence.
"Thinly veiled threats aside, yes it did." Eirin said with a sigh as she looked to her pilot. "Bring us to the planet, nice and slow."
"Yes, Ma'am. To the set landing zone the Turian's just pinged us as safe, or another?"
Eirin glance to Bakara, who stepped up to a small terminal behind the pilot's seat that was showing a holographic image of the planet. She looked over it for a few seconds before marking a point on the map, in a valley that looked lush and easily defended from all sides as it backed onto a mountain. "This is where the female clan, my clan, resides. There is a sheared section out of the mountain at the back that your ship should be able to land on. We would only need to make a simple walkway up to it for continual passage to and from."
"A good location. Go there . . . . . You said the female clan? All of you keep away from the rest then?"
"Yes, that is something that will need to change, in time. For now though, it serves to keep us away from the other clan's squabbles."
"Do your people know you are returning?"
"No, I've had no means to contact them, they merely know that I will, because I gave my word." Bakara said as a strange hissing past over the ship as it moves into the planet's atmosphere.
"Ma'am, we're detecting the female village, or enclave, but we're also detecting a massive biological signature at the outskirts of it."
"Get us a visual." Eirin ordered as she tapped the holocomputer, bringing up an image of the terrain around them. After a few seconds the village in its entire sprawl was visible, as was the massive snakelike creature at its entrance, being pummeled by turreted and small arms fire.
"A Thresher maw, and a large one at that." Bakara said, sounding worried. "It has broken many of our defensive emplacements from the looks of it. If it not killed or driven back, it may enter the village. There are too many young there, it would be a slaughter."
Eirin looked at the map for a moment and nodded. "Land us where Bakara mentioned, I will be the first to disembark!" She stated as she left the bridge, Bakara following out of both curiosity and worry.
"What are you planning on doing?" Bakara asked as they felt the ship shudder slightly as it slowed down, likely hovering over the landing zone.
Walking into the decontamination chamber Eirin took out a strange looking baton, surprising Bakara when it turned into a six foot long bow made of steel with sections that seemed to glow and pulse with power. "I will kill it." Eirin stated simply as the decontamination finished and the external doors opened up along with a ramp, letting Tuchanka's scorching sun bear down on the two as they left the ship and walked to the edge of the cliff.
Below them was the village, houses of stone, some as small as cottages, and others the sizes of entire city blocks, surrounded by roads of solid cut stone and massive tree analogues, many with draping vines. At the villages entrance, crawling over the wreckage of a gun toward a line of hardened Krogan women, all wielding many kinds of guns, was the Thresher maw.
Eirin had heard stories of the creatures when skimming over the Council database. It was apparently a beast that could survive nearly any climate, and who reproduced by jettisoning spores high into the atmosphere. Many of the spores would leave the atmosphere and drift through space as well, causing them to heat up when they landed on another planet, reawakening the dormant spawn. This meant that Thresher maws could be found on many planets, and were almost always a danger to those on the planets themselves.
Eirin however, was more interested in its biology than horror stories of ill equipped colonists. A creature able to survive as it did, and equipped with both massive claws, and spit that could melt most metals was a fascinating subject, and the fact that one was in front of her was too good to pass up. It was time to test the supposed strength of its scales and hide.
"Can you kill it?" Bakara asked anxiously eyeing Eirin's stringless bow.
Eirin nodded, mentally noting that Bakara did not say it was impossible, only if she could kill it. That meant there had been many killed in the past. Holding her bow up Eirin grasped at the non-existent string, forming both the string, and an arrow of energy into existence as she pulled both back. For a moment she simply watched with the string pulled back as the thresher maw lobbed spit at the Krogan narrowly missing as the all dodged as if it was a common occurrence. Then, as it pulled itself more out of the ground to rise higher up, she let go of the arrow as she spoke words that made Bakara shiver uncontrollably for a second. "Curse of the heavens: Apollo Thirteen."
Bakara had expected the arrow to simply fly out from the bow when Eirin let go. But at the moment of her words, the arrow exploded out as dozens upon dozens of arrows in every direction. Then each arrow, now looking like nothing more than a glowing sphere, gathered at the front of the bow into one bright light, and shot out at the thresher maw faster than she could track. A second later an explosion echoed out from the Thresher maws side directly above its right limb, and bott the limb, and half of its head exploded and blew backwards across the landscape, covering it in gore. Its body then fell to the ground lifeless, some of it sliding back into the ground harmlessly as its blood flowed out like a river for a time.
Eirin nodded to herself as she stowed her bow, noting how there was a slight pause before her Spellcard had taken full effect on the creature. It could have been from the distance, but if it was from the maw resisting her strike, even for a second, there was a great deal of research to be done.
"Shall we go and survey the damage?" Eirin asked as she looked back to a rather surprised Bakara.
"Hmm, yes. That would be good. I just hope no one was badly hurt." Bakara replied quickly as she walked up beside Eirin and looked down. "There, we can use those ledges to get down."
"I will meet you at the village entrance then." Eirin said as she suddenly walked off the cliff and flew off down toward the Thresher maws corpse, as if she had wings or a jetpack.
Bakara looked and smiled as she began jumping down from ledge to ledge. Knowing that she had made the right decision going to the Alliance and requesting to speak to one of their leaders directly. Her people would have a chance now. She could feel it!"
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Matriarch Escelva sat in her office glaring at all the reports strewn across it. Everything they could get on the Alliances 'magic' had been gotten, but it had gotten her no closer to what she wanted, no closer to the truth.
The Alliance thought they could hide things, thought they could manipulate and keep themselves comparatively hidden away, with their secrets guarded. It was only a matter of time though, after all, the Asari were the controllers of the Galaxy. They eventually would take everything a species had and would make it their own, giving that race no choice but to fall in line as they willed it. All she needed was a single in to the Alliance's magic, and while it would take time, she knew exactly how to get it!
Tapping a key on her computer she smiled as she spoke. "Get me a direct line to the Batarian Hegemony!"