Authors note: ehehehe, politics, and so much fun if your side knows what it's doing.
Oh, and I have a poll on my profile page(it will not show on mobile) if you feel like giving it a response.
Merry Christmas!
Widow Nebula, The Citadel - October 5, 2142
Every once in a while, a time that translated to roughly every three and a half months in Alliance time, the Citadel Council held a special meeting among itself and the ambassadors and politicians from each nation under it. And the Alliance as an extra.
These meetings were primarily to keep up with problems before they arose, deciding upon tariffs, trade regulations and other civil things of the like. Ambassadors could also bring up issues they had with other governments, regulations or things that the rest of the galaxy would be interested in, including new trade deals, new regulations or plans.
Flandre Scarlet, the Alliance Ambassador had chosen this time to tell the Council what had happened at Shanxi, and the Alliance's response on Torfan that was happening at that very moment. The only problem was that as the Alliance was not part of the council, unless she was asked a question, anything she wished to bring to light had to wait to the end where people could bring up things of note out of order as they pleased.
And at the rate it was going, Torfan would cease to exist before she even got to tell anyone about the attack on Shanxi that prompted the response in the first place!
They were still in the middle of trade and diplomatic discussions. Surprisingly though, the Volus, the Councils primary traders and merchants, were not the ones causing everything to lag. It was the Asari Republics ambassador, and her arguing about how unfair some trade laws were to the Asari.
Considering that the laws were the most lenient toward them and the Turians in the first place Flandre found it unlikely that she actually had anything to complain about, and was just trying to find a way to get more goods for them at an extremely low price.
The fact of the matter was that, while many people in the Alliance, including her own sister, and almost every ambassador in the council thought she was there just to mess with them, Flandre did know what she was doing. She had been extremely serious about being given the position of ambassador for the Alliance, and while there were many moments that allowed her to simply mess with the council, she did not do so just for the fun of it. it also served as a way to force their hands, to make them slip up and give her more information, to sneak peeks at things they didn't want the Alliance to know.
And there were a lot of them.
In the last meeting the Asari ambassador had tried to twist her words to trick the Alliance into allowing the Asari to travel in their territory at will. The idea had supposedly been for trade, but Flandre had managed to bend the matriarchs own words to make her spill that the actual reason was to try to map the Alliance's territory. Since then, she had never even glanced at her, and had not made the mistake of trying to broker increased trade with the Alliance.
Everyone still tried though. The Asari wanted to trade cultural items, the Volus wanted to trade anything, the Salarians wanted technology. She saw through them all though. the Asari wanted to force their culture on the Alliance to make them join the council and follow their laws, the Volus simply wanted money, and the Salaraian wanted any chance to get Alliance tech. Only the Turian Hierarchy was intelligent enough in their questions and requests, most of them being requests for the Alliance to assist on patrols over some stretches of space, to share patrol maps, and they had even once suggested working together on a cooperative ship design. That one was still being considered by Kaguya though, so it was up in the air still.
Then Flandre hear the words she had been waiting for, the Turian councillor stating that the meeting would move into military, territorial and scientific disputes, meaning that once it was done they'd get to the free conversations and disputes.
Normally the Turians spoke first, bringing up issues with patrols, requests for additional patrols from the other races and the like, but instead a Salarain stepped forward. "I apologize for jumping the line councillors, but something has transpired that requires immediate attention."
The councillors all looked toward each other, then looked back at the Salarian. "Then please, what is it?"
"There was an STG team watching Torfan due to a large scale increase of criminal activity there over the past months. Three days ago, the massive armada of ships left Torfan, seeming to head for Alliance space, only to return yesterday with less than half their force. Roughly four hours ago, they reported Alliance ships slipping into the system, and immediately sieging the moon and all ships around it!"
The entire council chamber immediately exploded with leaders, politicians and everyone in between screaming outrage, just actions, and anything else that came to their minds. Those nearest Flandre backed up away from her in fear, allowing her to tap a message on her wrist comp.
"Quiet!" Sparatus roared, making the chamber grow silent in seconds as he turned his head to Flandre. "Ambassador Flandre, is what this STG agent says true?"
Flandre smiled, causing those near her to back away even further. She did after all have quite the reputation as a highly capable, and gory, killer. "It is true in part. May I ask him a couple questions to ascertain that he speaks the truth to the best of his abilities?"
"STG operatives always tell the truth to the best of their abilities." Councillor Valern suddenly spoke up, sounding very sure of himself.
"Then you can prove that statement if the answer to my questions are perfect then, yes?" Flandre asked with a soft smile.
"That is acceptable!" Sparatus replied, earning a slight sideways glance from Valern.
"Thank you, Councillor Sparatus," Flandre said with a nod as she looked to the STG agent. "To begin, if your people saw a fleet of such a size leave Torfan, why did you not attempt to inform the Council of such a large force gathering, before it left?"
"The agents could not safely get a communication out without being spotted." The Salarian replied immediately.
"Understandable, but if that is true, how did your people discover that the pirate forces were heading for Alliance space? After all, you have to move through," Flandre paused as she counted in her head. "Four relays to reach Shanxi from that area of space. All you would have known is that they were heading toward Council and Alliance space, not which one!"
"The STG ship was able to tail the fleet a few relays away to discern where they were heading."
"And let me guess, when they knew, they returned to their position around Torfan allowing them to witness the pirates failure filled return?"
"Ah, yes. That is correct."
Flandre's gaze darkened as she glared at the STG agent, everyone in the room suddenly getting chills as she spoke. "So what you're saying, is that you knew pirates were coming to attack Alliance space, but deigned not to inform us so your people could go back and be glorified spies. When telling us with even a fraction of advanced warning could have saved lives?"
The council chamber was deathly silent as everyone waited for the Salarian to answer, their eyes, and especially those of the Tevos and Sparatus looking like they wanted answers.
"That . . . our forces were under strict orders to watch and document their actions, so-.."
"So your people ignored the pirates actions that clearly pointed to them coming to Alliance territory," Flandre finished for him. "If the pirates had headed to Salarian Territory, what would you have done?"
"We would have documented the action and sent advanced warning to other STG forces to prepare for their coming." The STG agent answered immediately, a second later his expression changing as he realized what he had just admitted.
"So, you did not do anything, simply because it was not your people," Flandre said with a shake of her head as everyone in the room refused to make eye contact with her as she continued. "if it had been any place in Council space they were heading too, you would have broken your orders to inform them and give them a chance, but for the Alliance you leave us to our own and do not give us even a courtesy call to warn us. The Alliance may not be part of the Citadel Council, but we are allied with your council. And you all wonder why the Alliance refuses to consider more trade deals!"
The entire room was silent, not a single person making even the faintest noise as they all refused to look Flandre in the eyes. Even the STG agent said nothing. But it was Tevos who finally broke the silence.
"From how you said it then, Ambassador Scarlet, there has been an attack on Alliance soil, correct?"
"That is correct. A pirate fleet numbering in over 100 ships attacked Shanxi two day ago."
"Then the Council shall immediately send aid and ships to-," Tevos began.
"That will not be necessary," Flandre interrupted. "Our own fleet came in to reinforce the planet and destroyed roughly sixty seven percent of the pirate fleet. Fewer than four dozen were killed, while over one thousand were wounded, and just under a hundred people taken prisoner from slavers."
"Is that why your fleets attacked Torfan?" Sparatus asked, sounding almost pleased with the idea.
"Yes. The Alliance decided that it would not allow such an act to happen without repercussions. A handful of hours ago the siege of Torfan began. Both to retrieve our kidnapped people, and to discover who planned the attack on us." Flandre explained as her wrist comp began blinking and she took a quick look, only to smile wider.
"They are pirates and slavers out of the Terminus systems, they likely have no leader." Tevos said with a wave of her hand.
"Except these ones did," Flandre said with a grin as she jumped down from the balcony and landed in the centre of the room, creating a hologram of information. "I just got word that the siege on Torfan was a success, and was sent this information. The Batarian that organized the attack was known by the name Bashok Griths. And after some quick looking, his name comes up on the Hegemonies Naval personnel list. Oh, and I think he might be related to someone. Right, Mister Griths?"
The Batarian Ambassador stiffened and looked down at Flandre from the balcony. "I do not know what you are talking about!"
"Of course not. Because your brother being part of the Hegemony Navy, and acting as a pirate with a letter of marquis to do so would look rather bad for you, wouldn't it? Oh, and here's the letter itself. Our people found it in his quarters on Torfan. Read it closely," Flandre said with sadistic grin as she brought it up for the entire chamber to see. It took only a moment for mumbling, angry growls and colorfully whispered words to begin emanating from every angle.
"This . . . . . .makes it clear that the Hegemony has been paying their people, and Terminus pirates to attack and enslave people, to keep their own slavery going." Tevos said sounding like she could not believe what she was looking at.
"You cannot believe this drivel!" The Batarian ambassador exclaimed with a roar. "These are nothing but lies!
"Oh, and is this recording a lie too then?" Flandre asked as the hologram changed to a Asari Matriarch's office, and began playing her entire conversation with Bashok Griths. As soon as it finished Flandre smiled innocently. "I certainly hope that Matriarch, Escelva was it, is not a high ranking one!"
"Matriarch Escelva is a business woman on Illium, not directly related to the Asari Republics leadership. But she is friendly with many of them." Councillor Tevos admitted, clearly looking worried and nervous.
"Then we'll deal with her at a later time. Regardless, I believe this is sufficient proof, along with the other documents, to prove that the Hegemony has been doing, yes?"
"Absolutely!" Sparatus exclaimed angrily as he looked to the Batarian Ambassador. "For centuries your people have claimed to know nothing of the piracy, the slavers, and now this. Just how long has the Hegemony been blatantly lying to the council!"
The Batarian was silent for a moment before letting out a laugh. "For longer than either of us have been alive, and then even more. Every time proof appeared in the past the council covered it up because it was a significant part of our culture. To deny us slavery is discrimination, a crime in itself. And you will be no different!"
"Oh, I don't think so!" Flandre said her wings shaking as she took to the air and hovered at the same height as the balcony. "With the pieces of proof before me, and the notice of the Alliances plans that will soon take action. As the Alliance ambassador I now state that the Alliance declares unilateral war upon the Batarian Hegemony and no others!"
"You fool! You declare war against all of Council space with your words!" The Batarian ambassador exclaimed haughtily.
"What part of unilateral, and no others do you not understand?" Flandre asked with a scowl as she turned to look at the council. "Besides, what will the council do then?"
Both Tevos and Valern seemed shell-shocked, unable to speak. Sparatus, however had no such problem. "I vote the Batarian Hegemony have their citizenship as a Council Species revoked, permanently."
"What?! Sparatus you can't be serious?" Tevos exclaimed in horror.
"I am serious. We've given them far too much leeway in the past. This will be how they learn that you do not screw with the Citadel Council!"
"I agree." Valern spoke up as Sparatus finished, shocking Tevos even further.
"This is an outrage! To the void with all of you!" The Batarian Ambassador exclaimed as he tried to walk away, only to have Flandre land beside him and form Lævateinn against his throat.
"You think I'll let you just go and contact the Hegemony and warn them? I don't think so, you are staying right here. And you are going to answer every little question I have!"
"Fuck you, Alliance piece of-,."
Flandre pressed the blade against his throat harder, drawing a slight amount of blood as she spoke and changed the hologram to a ship based video of the attack on Torfan, and its destruction. "I am not fucking around here! We blew up Torfan, and if you push us, if your people push us and there is no alternative, Hackett will be more than willing to obliterate your entire species without a second thought! Many of us will revel in it! But no, I'm giving you a chance here, a chance to save your people from utter and complete annihilation! You will tell me exactly how the Batarian caste system works and how to tell the castes apart. You will tell me this, because if you do, it will only be the upper castes and those that participated in slavery that will die, while the rest will live and get to rebuild their civilization, either under the Council, or our watch. If you do not tell me, I cannot guarantee that we will not split your planets crust, crack its core and annihilate all life upon it before doing the exact same to every planet under Hegemony control and hunting down every last Batarian in the galaxy!" Flandre screamed, her eyes glowing a baleful red as the crystals of her wings seemed to vibrate and pulse with energy.
"Y-you wouldn't dare, that's genocide! You'll be pariahs to the entire galaxy!" The Batarian Ambassador exclaimed fearfully.
Flandre moved her blade away from his throat, only to then grab his throat with her other hand before picking him up by the throat and dangling him over the balcony. "We already are in a way. SO TRY ME!"
"AAAAHHH, okay, okay, I'll tell you, dammit!" The ambassador groaned, trying to breath as Flanders's nails began to draw blood from his throat.
With one instant motion Flandre dropped back down to the floor below with the ambassador in hand, then let him drop onto the floor a moment later. "Good, we'll need a room!" Flandre declared with a grin before her wrist comp beeped twice, making her pale. "Oh, and before I forget for the third time this week, if you're wondering where the Quarians have run off to, they've joined the Alliance."
The entire room was dead quiet.
"So, about that room?"
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Torfan Debris Field, Alliance Bladebreaker Battlecruiser Agincourt - October 5, 2142
"Thanks for that, the guy just wouldn't quit." Desolas said as he and Adaaya walked out of the Battlecruisers bridge. One of the hanger workers had been stupidly adamant that Desolas was not to be allowed on board as he wasn't a Bladebreaker. So adamant in fact he ended up taking it to the ship's captain, who ended up getting an Operative to the ship involved. They didn't know which operative, but apparently that had worked and the man had shut up, and was sent to the engine department.
"No problem. Patchouli sent me a message saying it'd be better for you to tag along for a bit anyway. Her ship has apparently been tasked with keeping and watching over all the people our groups rescued from Torfan. The Philosophe's almost full, so she might be heading to Shanxi to drop them all off to get tests for their health done." Adaaya responded as they walked.
"Damn, how many did we save?" Desolas asked as he glanced around at the Agincourt's interior. Compare to the Philosophe it actually looked like a spaceship. The walls were made of dull silver steel with pale green edging. The floors were made of metal tiles with flat inset bolts all across them and was covered in scratches. The lighting was the real difference though, alternating strips of light on the upper corners of the halls illuminated the halls perfectly, making the Philosophes lighting seem like a cave in compare.
"All of those captured at Shanxi were found, beaten and bruised but whole. Those already on Torfan that we save numbered at almost a thousand. Apparently, there were a lot who were left behind though. Their minds either not all there, or just completely brainwashed."
"That bad?"
"Apparently, yeah. We're either lucky or unlucky not to have found any captives ourselves." Adaaya said with a shrug. "Those that are alive are the thankful ones, and most likely never thought they'd leave as free people. We did good; and watching that moon blow up was a great climax."
"Not really the end though when we'll be heading into Batarian space within the next few hours I hear." Desolas said dryly, unsure of what to truly feel at the moment. On one hand they had saved hundreds, who would have been bound for a life of slavery, and they even got the proof that the Hegemony was behind it, or so they heard. On the other hand, they just blew up an entire moon, and ever soul on it that hadn't been already killed. They were criminals and pirates, but Desolas himself was sure that he had killed at least two dozen with his own magic, with his own hands. It felt strange, different than killing someone with a gun. More personal.
"Yeah, I heard we're just waiting for more reinforcements to prepare their slip drives to meet us there. We'll probably drop into slip space in a couple hours and head directly to their home world. Cut the head off the snake and all that." Adaaya said as the two of them came up to a large set of metal double doors with a trio of green lights above it. "I need a bite, you coming? I think you'll find it really interesting!"
"Wait, what do you mean?" Desolas asked as Adaaya just smiled and opened the door, nearly dragging him into the Battlecruisers mess hall.
The mess hall was far different than he had expected. The Philosophe's was a long hall with food on the one end and long tables running the length like most he had seen in the past were. This one however was a large open hall with a counter on the one side, piles of uncooked meat, vegetables and noodles clearly visible even from the door. The tables were large squares with what appeared to be large cooktops in the middle, and at them people were cooking meat, vegetables and everything else right at the tables, and even eating from them right as the food was cooked!
"This way!" Adaaya said as she gestured for Desolas to follow her as she walked in, heading toward the counters of piled food. "Bladebreakers are far more action oriented than other elite troops, and over time form very tight knit groups. Those groups often eat together, and to help that along it was decided that Bladebreaker mess halls, either on the ground or in a ship would be designed to help that. Having the groups cook and eat their food together helps calm everyone's nerves from before and after action as well."
"I see. That is an, interesting idea I suppose. So how does this work?"
"Grab what food you want, put it on your tray and as soon as you it down start cooking. The tables have various oils and sauces already there to use." Adaaya responded as she piled her tray high with meat, vegetables and a much smaller portion of grains that looked to be a kind of noodle.
"So, I assume there's a table open then?" Desolas asked as he grabbed some food for himself, an even amount of each, and not even close to the amount Adaaya had on her tray.
"Oh yeah, the squad we went down with, my squad, should have room at it for us." Adaaya said as she prepared to move away but did a double take and looked at Desolas's tray. "You'll want at least double that amount of food. Magic uses energy, and so does movement. And we'll be doing a lot of both in the coming hours and days I think."
"Ah, right. I guess so." Desolas admitted as he grabbed a little bit more and then followed Adaaya across the hall. As soon as they approached one of the tables, everyone at it quieted down and shifted over, making enough room for two seats.
"Bout times you two made it!" one soldier called out with a smile.
"Yeah, you did so well keeping up with us all we're giving you a great gift Desolas!" another called out with a smirk.
"Oh?" was all Desolas could say as he sat down and immediately moved some of his food onto the grill in front of him with one of innumerable tongs that sat at the grills edge.
"Yeah, we've all agreed and put in the application to have you designated an honorary Bladebreaker!" Kasumi said with a grin.
Everyone smiled at this, except for Adaaya, who looked worried. "You are all idiots!" She finally said with a groan. "Do you not recall what that requires?"
"A whole squad's agreement, right?" one person asked.
"Well, they have that. What exactly does it mean though?" Desolas asked calmly.
"If you're given honorary status among any elite force in the Alliance, it allows you to jump right into that elite force if you join the military. It puts you at the lowest rank, but it gets you in because an entire squad believes you have the skill. However, in addition to an entire squadron putting your name forward, you have to be tested by a Bladebreaker aligned Operative. "Said a white-haired woman as she walked up to the table, getting everyone's attention.
"Aw, shit," Adaaya muttered as she gestured to the woman. "Desolas, this is Operative Youmu Konpaku, one of the two Bladebreaker aligned operatives on the Agincourt."
"Oh. A pleasure to meet you." Desolas said simply, unsure of how to act before an operative.
"And you as well. I have heard much, even more now that a request for honorary status has dropped. Luckily, we have a few hours till we move on Batarian space, so I'll test you now!"
At Youmu's words the wall opposite the food counter suddenly opened up, revealing a decent sized arena area. "Um, can I finish my food first?"
"No," Youmu said immediately. As she walked over to the arena and jumped in, dropping her swords at the side. "We do this now!"
Desolas let out a sigh and climbed into the arena. "So, are there rules as this is a test?"
"Yes," Youmu said as she pulled a pair of practice blades out of a section of the arenas edge and tossed one to Desolas. "No innate abilities, no magic. Just skill, and we see how long you last!"
"Oh, spirits." Desolas muttered as he picked up the blade and felt is weight. "May I alter it slightly?"
Youmu raised a brow and nodded. In that second a small amount of silver shot out of Desolas leg holster and wrapped around the handle, allowing him to grip it more comfortably. He positioned his feet apart from each other and held the blade up, signalling that he was ready.
Youmu acted instantly, closing the distance between them and swinging her sword in a broad horizontal arc. She was fast, almost too fast but Desolas managed to jump backwards and dodge it, only to be forced to block her second blow, the force of it almost pushing his own sword against his chest.
"Not bad," Youmu said as Desolas pushed her away and tried to strike her, his blow getting parried easily. "You're the first Turian citizen of the Alliance. Tell me, do you have a brother?"
"I do." Desolas replied simply as he blocked one of Youmu's blows and tried to strike her with his own, it missing completely.
"Are they in the Hierarchies military? Was he on Shanxi?" Youmu asked as she lashed out at Desolas, her own blow being parried this time, and Desolas's counter almost striking her, but instead sliding down the length of her blade. Much to her surprise he then spun about and swung his blade at her legs, forcing her to back step out of the way.
"He was. Why?" Desolas asked as Youmu took another step back, increasing the distance between them.
"Is he a biotic?"
"He is," Desolas said simply as he flipped the blade a bit in his hands. "He also lost an arm on Shanxi."
"I figured. You resemble him." Youmu said as she leapt forward and thrust he blade at Desolas. To her surprise he did not dodge completely, but instead sidestepped it, grabbed the blade with his free hand and swung his own blade at Youmu's body. She bent and twisted around it, then flipped over him and wrenched her blade from his hand, and before he could rebalance, swung it and stopped right at his throat. She was the victor. "You should know then, that I was the one who took his arm on Shanxi."
"I figured." Desolas replied as both of them untangled from the battle and stepped back from the other.
"As long as you know. . . . .You pass. Good luck down there." Youmu said as she dropped the practice blade back into its place and picked up her blades before leaving the room.
A second later the room erupted in roars and congratulations.
And a minute after that the order came down. Their ship has been chosen as one of many that would be taking part in the next operation. Taking Karshan, the Batarian home world.