Chapter 7.
Captain Sal'Linus stood on the bridge of his ship, one of the newest in the Quarian fleet, and watched the enemy approach. Ships moving through space were rather boring to watch. Though they moved at incredible speeds, the black void of space eliminated any reference points that would indicate they were moving at all. The moments leading up to a battle in space were rather dull Linus admitted to himself. Hours, sometimes days even of sensors and scans telling you the enemy was near, but nothing visible. In an instant though it would change. The ships would emerge from the darkness and the battle would begin and he would long for these stretches of calm waiting.
A veteran of the Reaper War, Sal'Linus was a Quarian Marine who had served as a member of the Quarian team assigned to retake Rannoch in 2187. He was one of the first dozen Quarians to set foot upon Rannoch's surface in three hundred years. Prior to the Reaper War, he had spent his pilgrimage on Tuchanka fighting with Wrex's troops to bring order to the Krogan planet. Not only had he been a boon to the Krogan's technical side, hacking enemy systems and repairing weapons, he also proved to be a natural fighter. His bravery knew no limits during that time as he stood shoulder to shoulder with the Krogan as they battle the clans who opposed Wrex's new ideas. When his pilgrimage was over, he carried the respect of the entire Urdnot Clan, but more importantly, his pilgrimage gift was an official proposal for an alliance between the Krogan, under Urdot Wrex, and the Quarian people. The first such Alliance the Krogans had ever extended and the first the Quarians had been offered since before they were exiled. The entire offer would prove to be a moot point as the Reaper War arrived before the Alliance could be finalized, and afterwards both races found themselves part of the galactic community as Council members and united. This did nothing to diminish Sal'Linus' achievement and standing among his people or the Krogan. He had become a liaison officer to the Krogan and through him, the two races built a remarkably strong bond.
Over the next few decades, he would find himself rising through the ranks of the new Quarian military and as the medals on his dress uniform could attest, he was in the thick of every engagement since. Now in his fifties, he was short listed to an Admiral's posting, and likely headed to the top of the Quarian Command Board. First though, he had to get his ship through this fight.
Ahead through the bridge's forward window he was able to start making out the shapes of the approaching ships. As they came closer, the light from Tikkun, the system's star, began to reveal their shapes, sizes, and numbers. Emerging from the darkness of space were thousands of ships resembling birds of prey, diving toward their unsuspecting victims. Long hulls with wings low and angled back supporting four engines on each side, they were built for speed, and not just for space. With their configuration, those ships would be deadly in a planet's atmosphere, easily maneuverable and aerodynamic, well designed to fight with or without gravity.
Behind them came larger vessels. The carriers were easy to identify as dozens of small one to two-man fighters poured out of cargo bays. The tiny ships would be an annoyance at best and lethal at worst. Like their own fleet, they were meant for strategic attacks, getting in and out of enemy lines and delivering precise strikes in places the larger ships cannot. The remaining large vessels he had to assume were troop transports and command vessels as they were holding back safely behind the leading warships. Sal'Linus dismissed them for now. He would keep an eye that way, but first the fighters.
Minute after minute, more of Akzunatai's forces began to appear from the dark and within an hour since the first vessel appeared, nothing but the enemy could be seen from his forward window. Checking the port and starboard views, he could see the sides of other ships hovering in space, waiting just as he was and ready to begin.
Unlike the Reaper War, the galaxy was united as never before and all around the Captain was the proof. Thousands of warships from across the galaxy made an impressive array of military might. Human and Turian, Salarian and Asari had come in force to join in the defense of the Quarian home world and supplement the Quarian and Geth navies. Knowing the immense numbers on his side did little to comfort Captain Linus as even more enemy ships continued to appear. Seeing overwhelming numbers was nothing new to the veteran marine, but this was on a whole other scale. This was not a territorial dispute, nor a well-organized terrorist organization. This was nothing less than an invasion meant to bring subjugation or complete annihilation.
Over the open communications link to the fleet, Linus heard the voice of Admiral Hannigan requesting identification and intent of the approaching vessels. No response was given. None of them had expected one, but they had said that they lost nothing to remain civil until the end. The Admiral repeated her hail three more times with no new response from the enemy. The tension was building. Linus could feel his crew's anxiety. The air was heavy and still. No one spoke. No one stirred from their stations. He could hear the quiet hum of the ship around him though it too seemed quieter, as though the ship itself were holding its breath in anticipation of the upcoming plunge.
A flash of light blossomed from one of the enemy ships. Hundred more followed. The war had started. Over the comm line he heard the calm voice of Admiral Hannigan: "All vessels, this is Admiral Hannigan. Remember the plan. Remember what we are fighting for. You are free to engage the enemy."
Captain Sal'Linus turned to his crew and found them watching him in anticipation. He smiled and looking directly at his tactical officer uttered the simple command: "Fire."
The scent of sulfur wafted on air currents that pushed down from the jagged mountain tops. From deep inside rocky crevices, and bottomless canyons the rotten smell rose and wound its way around broken rock formations in striated colors that showed the violent origins from which the mountain chain had been formed. As the toxic fumes cleared the uppermost ridges, a strong wind sucked it high into the atmosphere before sending those fumes, much dissipated, rushing down the steep slopes of the volcanic mountains to the forest floor below. Yellow streaks left in the winds wake stained the cliff sides as well as the leading edges of the trees and grasses below, a legacy of Akzunatai's poison upon the land.
Thousands of years earlier, the lands in this region of OniThar had been mostly flat plains and gentle sloping hills around which were wide rivers that had created fertile valleys. Farmland, cultivated for generations, with small towns dotting the landscapes, often a half day walk apart had developed along the rivers with buildings built from stones mined from quarries and wood from the many forests that grew tall and wide across the plains. All of it was gone now. These were the lands devastated by Akzunatai during his invasion.
The LiThar had fought Akzunatai to a standstill when he did the unthinkable. Using the powers of creation that he possessed, he reached into the planet, to OniThar's core and forced it to erupt. No natural volcanic eruption, no matter how powerful could have done what he did that day. The very planet was ripped open and the molten hot guts poured out. The ground had shaken, the sky filled with cloud, ash, and heat, as an unstoppable wave of lava leapt upward in violent burst only to fall back upon itself, piling ever high and outward, building the very mountains that now ringed Akzunatai's fortress and destroying everything else. The rivers that had once flowed, boiled. The farmlands burned and dried out as did the grasses and trees of the plains and forests. Both animals and LiThar fled for their lives, but everywhere they turned, the world was on fire. The Southern continent fell in hours.
To the North where the massive forests with their famed hardwood trees covered the continent, the last of the LiThar watched the orange light in the Southern sky. They had felt the trembling of OniThar and heard the booming of the planet erupting. Hundreds had come to stand on the ocean shore in wonder and fear. It was days later when the first survivors managed to get across the isthmus and make contact. They had been in the Northernmost village and fled within hours after the eruption. Akzunatai himself arrived not long after the refugees and faced with enslavement or having the entire planet destroyed as he had done to the Southern Continent, the LiThar surrendered and submitted. Thus, ended the war and began the generations long servitude of the LiThar.
Over the centuries since, the land had recovered though it was forever altered. In the middle of the once great plains, where farms had thrived, now an ugly, jagged, and intimidating volcanic mountain range stood. No eruptions had occurred since their formation, but smoke still billowed from calderas at the peaks and fissures along the slopes. A silent and ever-present reminder of Akzunatai's power that held caution against and discouraged rebellion. The mountains themselves formed a ring inside which Akzunatai had built his fortress. Upon the slopes of the tallest peak of the Southern range, a massive castle rose hundreds of feet into the air. Crenellated walls rising level upon level, interspersed with guard towers protected the main hold and looming above it was a massive tower whose apex was Akzunatai's war room and personal chambers. Outside the main fortress was a city. Rows of buildings and warehouses, workshops, and homes where his forces worked and lived. Buildings that rose several stories tall, stark grey and ugly, while expansive flat airfields stretched for miles made the area an industrial hellscape. In roughly the center was a lake with rivers flowing into it from the lakes high in the mountains and two rivers flowing out, one to the North and the other South. Where they cut through the mountains, they created steep canyons that were easily guarded before winding their way to the plains and forests beyond.
It was along the banks of the Southern river that Nelis found herself. Battling the jungle growth that had taken over the region and constantly swatting at the insects who were attacking the exploration party with enthusiasm was quickly making her tired and irritated. Yes, she had been in worse places on mission, and yes, she was trained and conditioned to handle the environment and her own body, but never had she been on such an important mission, that to have unforgiving, tangle vines and monstrous insects constantly assaulting was wearing her patience extremely thin.
Two days earlier Joker had landed the New Horizons safely in the jungle canopy where they hoped they would not be easily discovered. They knew that they had to have been spotted as they landed. The skies had been clear and after a brief discussion, they had decided that it was far safer to land in the day than at night on unfamiliar terrain. If scouting parties were sent out, this would give them more room to evade. The LiThar were of limited help. While this may be their home, they had not been allowed to explore much beyond the Mountains since their enslavement. Only a select few were given permission to leave the range and then only under guard. Fendala had told them she had heard rumors of LiThar that lived outside the range in the wilds that now prevailed where once their society had thrived, but she had no proof nor any information that would help locate them.
Since landing, the group had spent the time gradually making their way closer to the mountains and fortress beyond. Getting inside that range was still a topic of discussion. The only viable way in, besides an assault with their ship which no one wanted, was the river. Fendala and Mavish both confirmed that the river was well guarded though, more so to stop people leaving than entering. An attack from the outside could buy them enough time to get a small group past the guards. The attackers would then have to escape back into the jungle and make their way to the New Horizons and flee the region till a signal could be sent for retrieval. It was a bad plan, none argued, but it was what they had.
Nelis moved around a large tree with vines draping from the branches high above her head to form curtains of living matter and froze. Her eyes widened and jaw dropped. Not five paces in front of her was an archway flanked by two stone statues of what she assumed were LiThar warriors. Both statues had seen better days. Standing twice as tall as a LiThar put their heads only slightly above her own, but both leaned against the stone arch looking more like drunken soldiers after a night of celebrating than the fierce warriors she assumed they were meant to be. Many of the details of their faces and bodies had been worn away over the ages but she could still recognize the clawed hands grasping the spears, the pointed ears, now rounded away and elongated muzzle, now bereft of the teeth in its open mouth. Perhaps the jungle canopy had managed to protect them from the worst of the elements, or perhaps it was the craftmanship, Nelis did not know, but even her untrained eye could see that once these two figures had been carved with intricate details and would have been an imposing site to any approaching the archway.
To either side ran a crumbling wall of stone. Mostly covered with the same creeping vines that hung from the trees around her hiding them beneath a green blanket, but here and there the stonework would appear. Nelis looked at the ground and could see piles of crumbled stone at the wall's base; evidence that the wall had once been a massive and towering structure. Nowhere today could she see that the wall was any taller than her own chest. Beyond the wall she could see what once must have been a wide courtyard leading to the structure in the rear. As with all the jungle, the light was dim beneath the leafy canopy, and the courtyard was no exception nor were the structures within. The low ruined buildings were dotted with openings that had once been windows and doors, now were dark portals from which Nelis felt as though she was being watched.
Pressing her comm button twice, sending a soft click to the team behind her through their earpieces signaling them to halt. Using the same soft clicks, she sent the signals for them to hold and for the advance team to join her. Before leaving the ship, they had selected those who would go first into any are that may hold enemies or allies. Alongside herself were Meela and Robert. The three had not only developed a close personal and romantic relationship, but had become an incredibly effective unit, moving flawlessly alongside each other as though they could read each other's thoughts. Lexandrius normally would not have encourage such a close relationship within a single unit, but here his options were limited, and he could not deny their skills. With the three soldiers, went Mavish and Shethra and the Asari Ambassador, Voln. They needed LiThar presence incase they ran into other LiThar or Akzunatai's guards, Mavish volunteered as they wanted to keep Fendala safe as her knowledge of the fortress was vital to their success. Shethra as a medic was welcome to the team. He had become proficient with the anatomy of the others, Drell, Asari and Human and was also as knowledgeable about the city and Akzunatai's forces as Mavish. Voln represented the Milky Way. Whether an encounter was agreeable or hostile, her role was to represent the New Horizons and the Council back home. She spoke with their voice and her decisions would be honored. Their objective was simple. Make contact, then determine if safe for the rest of the group to join.
All the LiThar agreed that there had always been rumors of LiThar that had escaped into the wilds. Mavish had seen the search parties depart from the airfield, but they had never seen them return with anyone. The official statement was that none escaped. What was whispered is that they either vanished beyond the search party's ability to find, or they were killed and left on the outside, so no proof of escape existed.
Nelis waited till the others reached her. She had given no indication that she had found the ruin as she wanted to see the LiThar's reactions. She was not disappointed. Eyes wide and mouths gaping, Mavish and Shethra silently approached the ruined archway and the two weather worn statues. Neither had seen the ancient works of their people. They did not know that any still existed, thinking them all wiped out during the cataclysm of Akzunatai's victory. Neither had any inclination as to the purpose or origin of the statues nor the site within the walls, yet Shethra gasped in wonder and Mavish let slip tears from his eyes at the sight.
The others too were in amazement at what they saw, though it did not hold the same meaning as it did for the LiThar. While they all had home worlds that contained ruined remnants of their ancient past, they still had connections too and meaning of those ruins. They knew what they were for, who had made them, when and why and what happened. Answers that could be easily found in history books and museums. Even the Quarians in their long exile were not nearly so far removed from their past as the LiThar.
Nelis gave them only a couple minutes to gawk and marvel before bringing everyone's attention back on task. Once she had their attention, they readied to move forward. Mavish and Meela both echoed her in that they felt they were being watched. Friend or foe was uncertain, but Mavish said that in his opinion, if it were Akzunatai's forces, they would have attacked by now. On guard, the team moved towards the archway, every step carefully placed so they moved in silence, slowly crossing the uneven jungle floor till they stood before the arch. Mavish moved to stand next to Nelis at the head of the group. Nelis took a steadying breath and led her team to find out what awaited inside.
The ancient stones toward overhead and the temperature seemed to drop as they passed beneath the LiThar sentinels. It was only a few steps and the team cleared the archway. The courtyard spread out before them. Roughly oval shaped, the clearing was ringed by the remains of several buildings and openings where others likely stood. In the center was what they guessed had at one time been a fountain, now broken and cracked, the basin filled with dirt and weeds hiding the shattered statue that had once appeared to be rising from the water. The surrounding ground was covered in jungle undergrowth, weeds and vines, and the massive roots of the large trees that wound their way across the uneven surface in a twisted motion. Over time, nature had reclaimed much of the surface, burying the plaza under centuries of decomposed plant matter and dirt, yet still, in some places Nelis could see parts of the square cut stones that had once paved the area.
Opposite the arch at the far end of the oval shaped clearing was a ruin larger than the rest. Set upon a raised mound, with two-dozen wide, cracked and weather worn steps leading to the top, the ruin was obviously once a place of great importance. Broken columns rose from the top of the mound and encircled the structure, looking like broken teeth with their jagged edges worn smooth from winds and rains and the intricate carved piping that raced upward around their circumference, now nearly indistinguishable. On the sloped sides of the mound, the remains of the columns could still be seen poking up from among the brush allowing the newcomers to guess at the grand heights they once soared. The main building had been worn down till the upper most edges were no more than two stories high and the jungle canopy towered overhead. The entire structured leaned slightly to one side and Nelis could see uneven mounds indicating where the rest of the once glorious structure had fallen.
All of what they were seeing would have been enough to have captured their attention indefinitely, but all eyes were drawn to a singular being. Where once grand doors likely stood, the opening to the main building was now a dark, gaping hole where no light penetrated, and it was from this hole a solitary LiThar emerged. The Small creature looked much like those the New Horizons had found except he was much dirtier and showed the obvious signs of living a rough life. His fur was matted with mud and grime making the true color nearly indistinguishable, though it did create an excellent camouflage. His legs and feet firm, body straight and as tall as his small stature could make it. His arms were at his sides, hands empty of weapons though a long knife was at his side and strapped to his back was a bow and quiver full of arrows. He faced them squarely, face smooth of expression, ears rotated forward and the small, beady eyes of their species staring straight at them taking a reading of them all with practiced precision. As Nelis and her team reached the bottom of the ancient steps, he raised his hands and barked an order to halt.
The translators made his words clear to all and the group froze in place instantly. While nearly all the crew had learned at least some of the LiThar language over the course of their journey, they had thought it best that a LiThar take the lead on initial talks. Knowing what was expected of him, Mavish stepped forward. He knew this was a crucial moment. They needed to establish several factors, were these people friend or foe, would they help and if not, could they extract themselves without fighting. Keeping his hands open and at his sides, he kept his eyes fixed on the LiThar stranger. The others would watch his back, he only had to concentrate on the task at hand.
"Good day." He began in a firm voice, loud enough to be heard by all in the clearing. "My name is Mavish, formerly a Commander in Akzunatai's Test Flight Division. Those here with me are friends who I will be glad to introduce when I know who you are."
The other LiThar silently watched the group. Mavish's words hung heavy in the air. The six people knew they were surrounded. They knew too that if it came to a fight, things would get ugly fast. The three soldiers held their weapons at rest and all of them had their shields primed on their armor. They may not get the first shots, but they would survive the assault and be able to retaliate instantly. After that, a lot would depend upon how well armed these LiThar were. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, the stranger spoke again.
"Welcome, Mavish. My name is Kloss. We saw you land your ship a couple of days ago and have waited and watched since. I believe we both have questions and stories to share. Please, be welcome here." As Kloss finished talking the buildings around him came to live as dozens of LiThar emerged and began to set up an efficient campsite. Places to sit, mixtures of logs and folding chairs quickly appeared and formed a circle to which Kloss motioned for them to take a seat. In moments, they were seated with drink and food, and introductions were made. Along with Kloss, there were nearly five hundred LiThar in the wilds. Not all were in the same area for safety reasons.
Kloss and a female, Omalia led this group of survivors. They called themselves that as that was what they truly were. Escaping was nothing short of the greatest survival as even if you were lucky enough to escape the search parties that came after you, you were never truly safe. Those on the outside could not make permanent settlements. They were always on the move, leaving no trace that they had ever been in a place. Their nomadic lifestyle had become normal with setting up and tearing down camps as familiar as walking. This was how within minutes of giving the word, Kloss and Omalia were able to give their guests seats and refreshments in a relatively comfortable manor.
Before the New Horizons crew shared their story, Mavish explained about the translators. He told how they worked within a person to make native language understandable to non-speakers. This was why he did not need to translate what the LiThar survivors said as they could be understood. Some of those here had learned to speak LiThar, Ambassador Voln being foremost among them, but if they would consent to have the translators implanted, they would work far better and make all present understandable. The two leaders traded looks but agreed. Shethra administered the shots and they waited while the microbes established themselves. Once they had confirmed the translators were working, Mavish gave them his team's story up to meeting with the New Horizons. From there, Voln told it from their perspective. She told of the messages they had received, and the responses taken. She told of the Council, their peoples, and worlds, and she told of the Shepards. She did note that most of this information would be best told by Vala Shepard herself, but for now she could give the basics. It took a few hours, but eventually the tale was told, ending with their arrival in this ruin. Voln sat back in her seat and waited. Mavish watched the leaders closely. It was one hell of a tale. One that had he not witnessed a large part of it himself and not spent the last couple of years with these people, he too would have a hard time believing.
Kloss and Omalia were in a difficult position. What they had just heard was incredible, difficult to believe yet, it rang of truth. It was also hard to argue when face to face with the aliens. They also simply wanted it to be true. If there really was an entire galaxy mobilizing to fight Akzunatai, if Vala could do what Voln claimed, and if they succeeded, LiThar freedom may at long last be possible. It was a lot to digest. They had both heard rumors of a LiThar resistance, but they had not been a part of it. Few were by design. There really was nothing special about either Kloss or Omalia. They were not soldiers, freedom fighters, or rebels, just people who had finally had enough and took their chance. Neither had expected to survive their escape attempt, but they had both realized death by Akzunatai was inevitable. They could either wait for him to kill them randomly, die of exhaustion under his control or take a chance at something else. They had chosen. Now they would get to make another choice. Continue to live in fear or take one more step towards freedom. Omalia smiled, steely eyed determination and anger burning in her eyes. Kloss matched her with his own fierce gaze. They were done being survivors. It was time to be more.
"Call your ship." Kloss spoke. "Tell them to join us here. What we are about to do will not be easy, even with Akzunatai gone. We need time to plan. While you do that, we will talk to the others and bring them up to speed. I cannot guarantee they will all want to join, and I will not force them if they choose to depart, but I think most will stay."
"I will send messages to the other groups." Omalia spoke after Kloss turned to talk to the others. "I do not know where they are so this will likely not be fast, and may not work at all, but if any are near, we will find them." With those words the LiThar woman sprinted to a group of three standing to one side of the plaza. She spoke quiet words to them and with silent nods, they disappeared through a hole in the wall into the jungle beyond.
Voln had immediately contacted the New Horizons, notifying them that they had made contact and then to Lexandrius relaying all clear. It would take a few hours for his team to reach them as they had hung back for safety. While they waited, Voln, Mavish and the two LiThar leaders sat and continued to learn about each other. Shethra made his medical skills available to the group of survivors and Nelis, Meela and Robert began to integrate themselves with the "fighters" in the group. None of them were soldiers, but all were smart and skilled in stealth and survival. One had to be to live outside Akzunatai's control. By the time the rest of their crew arrived hours later, Nelis had tested and found herself impressed by the skills the LiThar showed in handling their bows. They may be primitive weapons, but when wielded with the accuracy shown by these LiThar, she realized that they could be efficient and very lethal.
When Lexandrius and Vala, along with the rest of the ground team arrived, more introductions were given and Vala was immediately the center of attention. Nelis watched her friend and saw her through the eyes of the LiThar. Taller than them on average by nearly a meter and purple tinted skin as opposed to fur made the main differences and for the first time, Nelis saw the animal origins of the Quarian race clearly. Both species had the backward curvature of the lower legs allowing for faster running and powerful jumps. While the LiThar had more digits on hands and feet, both ended in sharp claws and were powerful in their grip. Vala's long hair looked remarkably like the manes on the LiThar and her ears, while on the side of her head, like a human, did have slightly pointed tips that bent subtly forward. After years of working with her, Nelis saw her friend in a new light and wondered about that significance.
Vala had sat with the other leaders answering questions and explaining her power. She refused to demonstrate as she feared that using her power here on OniThar would alert Akzunatai to her presence. She did not know if he had set traps or alarms against his siblings, but she wanted to err on the side of caution with so much at stake. Instead, she showed them videos of herself using the power. Fighting and healing, they were taken from various sources, security footage, ship monitoring and some were made herself or with Angela's help. The LiThar's expressions were typical, fear and wonder mixing, and it did not take long for them to realize that Vala was not boasting. Hope, kindled by the arrival of Nelis and her team, flared to life within LiThar eyes.
Night fell and they bedded down within the ruins, joining the LiThar in the relative security of the ancient stone structures. The following morning as Vala stood drinking a cup of coffee, watching as the LiThar and her shipmates cooked their morning meal, Kloss beckoned her to follow. Up the crumbling stairs of the temple ruin, they climbed till they reached the landing. From there, they entered through the rough rectangular opening of the main door. Vala noticed that the stone frame had once been intricately carved with what appeared to be vines. At one time, the interior would have been a vast, open space but was now filled with debris from the collapsed upper floors. Kloss moved through the debris with ease and Vala followed, mimicking his movements exactly and soon she found herself at a tiny opening in a wall. Once a door, now barely a crack in collapsed masonry, she watched as Kloss wiggled through before following. Her much larger form was a tight fit, but she managed and soon found herself in a stairwell leading below the temple. They descended dozens of steps, deep into the bedrock of the jungle where the laid stone foundations vanished, and rough-hewn rock formed a tunnel. Both the LiThar and Quarian eyes could see well in the dark which made the descent possible, but as they reached the end of the corridor, Vala could sense a change in the air in front of her. Kloss lit a torch and orange light erupted, bathing the area in a flickering glow. Vala gasped.
The room was a large, rough dome shaped cave, arching high overhead. Alcoves carved into the rock ringed the room and at the far end, a tunnel led away, dark, and ominous. Vala took an offered torch from Kloss and slowly began to walk around the perimeter of the room. Into the alcoves she peered, confirming what she had though to have seen. Looking back at Kloss, the LiThar nodded. Vala continued walking, examining each opening, mentally cataloguing what she was seeing until she returned to the LiThar at the entrance. The two stood in silence for a time, while he waited for her mind to process and form the questions.
"We are in a tomb." Vala spoke, a whisper yet it seemed loud in the dark cavern. Kloss simply nodded his response. "Not one for the common people either, judging by their clothes and the relics with the bodies. These were people of importance to the LiThar. Leaders of some sort." Again, Kloss nodded. "Not rulers, kings, or governors, they are not displayed in wealth or power, nor were they warriors, no weapons, shields or spoils. They were spiritual."
"Why did you come here Vala?" Kloss interrupted her thoughts. "I know what you said yesterday. I know what your ambassador said, and I have talked to your other companions and their stories are all the same except for one. Your bond mate, Angela, spoke differently." Kloss watched as shock and confusion spread across her face. "I do not think you mean to harm us Vala." He spoke quickly as he saw a flash of defensive caution flash in her eyes. "I truly do think you have come to help, that you will help and that you will succeed, but I wonder if you truly know the reason you are here?"
Kloss walked away from Vala, crossed the room, and entered the darkened corridor beyond. Vala was lost in er thoughts at the LiThar's words, but she followed him into the tunnel. It was not a long journey and soon she found herself inside another room like the first. Kloss never stopped, continuing into another tunnel leaving Vala only moments to glimpse at the alcoves full of more bodies laid out and appearing much as the others. Through three more of these cavernous tombs, they passed till they reached one from which no other exit was present. Instead of having a tunnel like the others a large rock stood on end. Covered in drawings, and carved symbols, Vala gasped and starred in lost wonder.
The young Quarian woman was shocked, her mind struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. The symbols were writings that she could understand! The words came to her clearly, as though written in modern Quarian script. That alone would have been enough, but the image in the center of the stone, raised above the other figures, was a Quarian, or a version of a Quarian. The overall shape was similar, but with elongated limbs and claws, and facial features more animal that modern Quarian. More akin to what she had envisioned her Nthula-Dom ancestors may have looked like during their evolution into modern Quarians.
"What is this?" Vala asked out loud, but not directed to anyone. "How…" She looked at Kloss, eyes wide with fear. "Who else has seen this?" she snapped at the LiThar. Kloss backed up a step at her fiery question.
"No… no-one, just me I believe." He stammered. I have lived out here for many years and explored these ruins thoroughly, often going deep within them to hide from Akzunatai's searchers. I found this a couple of years ago and had not thought of it again till I saw you. Even then, I did not put together why you seemed familiar till early this morning. Vala, you do realize what this implies?" Vala nodded and turned back to look at the drawing.
"It means we are connected Kloss. It means that somewhere, somehow, we are linked. Maybe the being we call Rannoch made us both, he certainly brought us together. I am not certain, but what I fear this will mean is exactly what is taking place in your thoughts right now." Vala stepped closer to him and knelt so they were eye to eye. "You are starting to think that I am this person." She flung her hand to point at the drawing. "I am not your god!" Vala rocked back till she sat on the ground. Her body sagged and she began to sob. In a ragged, whisper she spoke more to herself than Kloss. "I just want to be normal. Why does everything want so much more out of me. Why did this happen to me?"
Kloss looed at the woman now below him. His heart went out to her as he witnessed her sadness. Dropping to sit on the stone floor next to her, he let down his own well-built walls and spoke from the heart for the first time in decades. "I do not know why this happened to you Vala. I cannot guess the reasons of the universe or the gods that inhabit it. Nearly fifty years I have been living in the wild jungles that cover what was once my people's home. I have become an outlaw, a thief, a murderer. Someone who does what he must to survive. I was not always this way though. Once, before all of this, I was an amor smith, a damn good one if I might say so. I had a mate and we had children, a boy, and a girl. We were happy, or as happy as we could be in slavery. I ran a shop in the city crafting armor for Akzunatai's forces, much of it still worn today." A touch of pride entered his voice for a moment before sadness crept back in.
It was early evening when they came. Twenty soldiers and Akzunatai himself. Bresa, my mate and I were closing the shop. Nia and Kon, our children were sweeping the floors when the front doors were kicked open and quickly my family was swept aside by the soldiers and I was seized fast and forced to my knees in front of Akzunatai. He looked around at my shop and my family before turning to me and speaking.
"My soldiers tell me you made faulty armor for them and that is why they were killed in their fight. They say your shields failed and that the enemy rounds went through them as though they were cloth. Have you anything to say before I kill you?"
I was terrified. I could not see Bresa or the children, but I could hear them crying. I knew this was to be our end. I had only one hope left. "My lord, Akzunatai, I do not believe my armor was at fault. Give me one chance to prove it before you kill me, and I can show you the error and how to save your soldiers." Akzunatai nodded and told me to explain myself. "The armor works as designed, as a singular unit." I began though I heard rumblings from the soldiers in the room. "The flaw is not in design, but in execution. When the armor was ordered by your general, I was given explicit instructions to design armor that would cover a soldier entirely, allow free mobility and redundant shielding. He wanted to create shock troops able to withstand brutal punishments, but not become encumbered and slow. I designed a suit that was a single unit, multiple pieces allowed for too many gaps in coverage, and demonstrated the effectiveness of its design by wearing it myself and having your general shoot me multiple times from every conceivable angle. The suit worked perfectly, and I am still here today as proof."
Akzunatai turned to look at his general who nodded in agreement with what I had said. I could see anger building in Akzunatai's eyes. Clearly, he was seeing that he was being lied to, and not by me. I continued my explanation. "My lord, if you will look at your general, you will see that he is wearing the armor I designed as intended, as are several others here. However, if you look at the two holding me, you will see that they are not wearing the head pieces. This is not a result of rough use or of battle, this is intentional. I am placing my life on the line in saying that I believe if you check, those hoods have been cut away by choice and that most of your deaths were head injuries. I know that it is a matter of pride among many of your soldiers to go without head coverings in battle as a show of toughness. While that is brave of them, it is also the reason the armor failed. Armor not worn cannot protect."
I fell silent and waited. Akzunatai studied me for some minutes. He also looked at his soldiers and finally turned to general for confirmation. The general confirmed that all I had spoken was true. Those who had removed their hoods were part of a group that refused to cover their heads. They were not the only faction within the army with traditions that got themselves killed, but there was little that could be done to stop them.
Akzunatai turned his gaze back to me and spoke. "You have served me well smith. My general has collaborated your story and defended you before we came here. I wanted to see if today the day was, I found a new general as well as armor smith. You are free to continue." Akzunatai turned and departed with no final words. I could sense his anger and knew that those soldiers would be dealt with. I thought it was over. I was wrong.
I turned my head to look for Bresa when I felt myself lifted into the air and thrown. I sailed through the door and rolled across the street, slamming into some crates at my neighbor's store. The soldiers who had held me were on me instantly, one pulling me upright and forcing my head to look at my store as the second fired a round through the door. He must have hit the furnace with an incendiary and the entire building exploded. Heat and debris washed over us in a maelstrom. I felt the air pulled from my lungs and my vision went white. I vaguely remember being knocked backwards into the wall behind me.
When I came too it was over. I was alone with flames and death. Broken bones, wounds dripping blood, eardrums ruptured and seeing double, I rolled over. Next to me was the dead body of the soldier who had held me. Across the debris filled street the remains of the other could barely be recognized. I dragged myself closer and closer to my former shop. Nothing was left. A pile of rubble burned fiercely, singeing my fur as I slowly made my way closer to where my family had died. I think I planned on throwing myself into that inferno. I never made it as I passed out.
I woke the next day still face down in the gutter. My neighbor, a grocer, whose crates I had crashed into, saw me, and rushed to my side. Quickly I was scooped up and carried into their apartments above the store. It would be days before I remembered anything more than glimpses of them tending my wounds and trying to get me to eat and drink. When I finally gained enough strength to wake fully and rise, a week had passed since that night. I shuffled to a window and looked down upon my former life. A blackened mound of ash was all that remained. I could still see embers glowing in spots. The street in front had been swept clear and a sort of "no-man's land" boundary had been established around that smoldering pile. I watched as other LiThar passed by. They would not even look at it. It was just another piece of evidence that their lives meant nothing. I made my way back to my bed and cried.
The rains came a few days later and the embers were finally extinguished. I made my way across the street and with a borrowed shovel, I began searching for anything that may have survived. I found only ash. I dug for two days, but nothing remained. The temperatures had been so intense that even the stone melted. That night I tried to kill myself."
Tears had flooded Kloss' eyes as he told his story. "My neighbor saved me. Found me hanging in my room and cut me down. "You cannot let Akzunatai win. He took your family, but not your life. Do not let his victory over us come without a fight. Do not let their deaths mean nothing." I remember his words as though they were spoken just now. I slept that night and the next day I packed a bag and departed. That night, I vanished into the mountains. Two weeks later, I was on the other side and here I have been ever since.
Vala, I do not tell you this for sympathy, nor do I tell you so we can compare who has a worse life. I tell you so you can understand why you must accept what has been done to you. We do not need you to be our god. The LiThar people have not had much luck with gods. Those we worshipped before, the ones these LiThar must have been associated with, did not help us when Akzunatai came and destroyed who we were. Instead, they let another god, an evil god enslave us, torture us, and control us. We stopped praying so long ago the prayers themselves are forgotten. Our hope, our future is not through a god, it is within us. Our will to go on. We could, however, use your help."
Vala looked through tear-filled eyes at the LiThar squatting beside her. She saw the truth in his eyes. He was excited and scared which was only natural, but he also looked at her with anticipation, hope and reverence. He may have said they did not want a god, but right now, he was desperately trying to learn if he was in the presence of one. She sighed. There was no getting around it. She looked again at the ancient painting, at the Quarian-like figure. Who was this being? Vala knew she would get no answer today, if ever. She looked down at her hands as they lay in her lap. Nodding slowly, she resigned herself to what was to come. Rising to her feet she looked down at Kloss. "Please keep this to yourself for now. If we succeed, I know it will not remain hidden, but for now, I need to be free to do what I came to do. After… I do not know. Let us see if there will be an after first." Kloss agreed and the two made their way out of the cave.
Five days after the events in the cave, the scene in the ruins was much different than what they had found when they arrived. The LiThar can move extremely fast when needed, and urgency had been critical. Nearly all the messengers sent out to the other groups had returned along with those able and willing to join. The only ones not yet returned were those headed to the Northern continent, the extreme South, and the islands. The distance was simply to far even for the fastest runners. Still, even with those absent, the messengers had managed to return with support.
Nearly one thousand LiThar gathered within the ruins and the air virtually crackled with tension. They were scared and angry, excited, and anxious. A group composed of both sexes, young and old, all carrying what weapons they had and looking as ready to fight each other as they were Akzunatai. Dirty fur, clothing worn thin and all tense, unable to relax even among allies, the results of living in constant fear for years, yet still they came. Hope is a wonderous thing Vala thought as she watched them finishing morning chores and gather to hear what was to be said. Everyone knew that they should not be gathered like this. Instinct screamed to run, far and fast, hide and stay hidden. Only death awaited those who conspired against Akzunatai. Only death was on the other side of this path and the only variables were in how much pain one would suffer before seeing death.
Briefings had been held explaining the plans multiple times over the days as more LiThar arrived. They had been divided into groups for training as most had never used a gun before, relying on primitive bows, spears, and knives for survival. Lexandrius, Nelis and the other security members did what they could in a crash course boot camp, and now the day had come. Within the hour, they would split into their assigned teams and begin the hike to Akzunatai's stronghold, by which time they would have the advantage of nightfall. From there, the plan became simple, while the danger increased ten-fold. Never a mission had Vala been this terrified, but never had the fate of the universe depended upon her succeed. Was this what her parents had felt those final days?
Angela approached handing Vala her equipment pack in which she had stored freshly filled water bottles. Angela was of course going with Vala. Both her mother and Captain Verel had protested that she was needed more onboard the New Horizons working the communications network, but Angela became adamant, and in a private conversation with the two commanding officers, told them in no uncertain terms that she would not be separated from her bond mate now when Vala needed her most. Verel had become angry at her insubordination, but Samantha closed her eyes. In her head she could hear the voices of the past crying out in painful memories. From long buried recesses came painful cries of Tali being hauled onboard the Normandy during the final battle, too injured to continue yet unwilling to part with John as he went to the beam. She heard that heart wrenching scream as the citadel exploded taking her love from her. She remembered her own agony being separated from Kris while stranded, unsure if the woman was alive. No, she could not put her daughter through that pain. Placing her hand on Verel's arm, she told them that it was okay. Angela would go with the infiltration team. Vala would need her more than they would.
Packs shouldered, weapons loaded and harnessed, the two women were soon joined by the rest of their team. Nelis, Robert and Meela, along with Neela Voln would join them to provide fire power. Mavish and Fendala along with six other LiThar, recently escaped from the city would make up the rest. While the others provided a distraction by assaulting the city, their team would sneak past and make their way to the airstrip and from there, the tower. Fendala and Mavish knew the airstrip and tower, but the city was an unknown. The other LiThar knew it well, having lived among it their entire lives and all having escaped since Akzunatai's departure meant that the knowledge was fresh unlike what many of the others who had been gone for years knew.
Kloss and Omalia called their attention from atop the temple steps. The plaza quieted down as all eyes focused on the elders. "Today is an historic day for our people." Omalia began, her clear voice carrying over the assembled crowd. Pride rang forth, a clear note, hopeful and uplifting. Those gathered smiled, young, and old alike fixed her with an unwavering stare. "Years beyond counting, beyond memory have we been slaves to Akzunatai. Carrying out his orders, supporting his goals and sacrificing all that made us LiThar. Today it ends. Today we fight. This will not be easy; this will not be hard either. What we are about to do, directly attack Akzunatai's forces, storm his citadel and wrestle his power from his grasp will likely lead to our deaths. Many of us will not survive the day. However, when we win, and I believe we will win, we will have given our lives for something greater. Freedom. Freedom for our families, friends, people. Freedom for our children, for our future. Freedom to once again be LiThar!" The plaza erupted into cheers. The noise was as a wave rolling over the land, washing away the heavy darkness of fear, and filling it with hope. Vala nodded to the LiThar elders then turned and started walking for the jungle. The clock was running, and they had a lot to do.
Miles from the LiThar ruins, guards stood sentry atop the massive stone towers flanking the river as it departed Akzunatai's domain. The heat of the morning sun added its weight to the already oppressive humidity rising from the jungle below. The air, thick enough to taste, lulled the guards into a sleepy state, and most were already leaning against the stone walls, eyes half lidded. They all hated this assignment. It was dull, a mind-numbing tedium of watching the water flow by hour after hour in its relentless flow. Nothing that could attack them lived outside the volcanic mountains, and what little did live in the jungles, was nothing more than animals that were hunted for food.
A strange roar of noise caused the guards to leap to their feet, eyes wide with surprise, looking curiously around both at the other guards and the jungle before them. Nothing they had encountered could make a roar like that. It sounded almost as though a group of voices rising in a battle cry, like what their own people would do when charging an enemy. That did not make sense though as there were no people out there and the LiThar were behind them, silent as usual. The guards' eyes swept the jungle, trying to see if there was movement beneath the dark canopy. A futile effort as the foliage had grown up dense along the river and in the years Akzunatai had been gone, efforts to keep it cut back had lapsed. What was normally easily visible terrain within the first five miles of the towers, was now down to one, and even that was becoming overgrown with smaller shrubs and tall grasses. The shift officer made a note to have the groundskeeping crews address it tomorrow before settling back at his post.
Red streaks of light crossed back and forth between the fleets of ships indicating paths of the deadly missiles being fired between the warring vessels. In between were smaller flashes showing the fighter units as they chased each other attempting to bring down their opponents and score hits on the larger vessels. Constant blooms of white showed shields flaring where impacts occurred and occasional bursts of brighter oranges and yellows blossomed where the rounds penetrated the weak spots and tore through hulls, igniting fires that were quickly snuffed by the vacuum of space but not before doing immense damage to the ship.
Two days they had been fighting each other since the first shots were fired. The Allied forces of the Milky Way had managed to hold thus far, but Akzunatai's fleet was beginning to break through. Three times smaller attack units had broken the line to make a run-on Rannoch. The reserve vessels and the planetary defenses had held them off, though the last strike managed to get two enemy vessels through the upper atmosphere where the anti-aircraft guns of Val'Shan used to bring them down.
Miranda stood on the bridge of her ship watching the battle unfold. Only taking one brief rest, she was tired, but refused to show it to her crew. She had been trained for this by her father and Cerberus. Her body could take the abuse and be pushed further than a normal human, she knew her limits. She had been forced to test them many times throughout her life. Her ship shook with the impact of another missile. The shields flared and held, and they returned fire in kind. They were fighting a losing fight, a fact she knew going in, but it was still disheartening to see their combined forces defeated. Not they were going down easily. The debris floating in the space around both fleets was solidly more Akzunatai's than their own, but Akzunatai could afford the losses, they could not.
The main advantage the Milky Way forces held was in their technology. Proving superior to that which Akzunatai had at his command, their dreadnaughts and cruisers were proving extremely effective in holding him off. Even their fighters in one-on-one fights were proving to be superior both in firepower and pilot skills. Akzunatai's numbers though was his strength and with an easy twenty to one ratio, his gunners did not need to be accurate, just persistent. Send enough firepower to a target and you were bound to score a hit eventually. That kind of strategy was costly, one that can only be effectively employed by a commander who did not care about the losses of life it produced. Seeing the hundreds of destroyed ships in the debris field, and the untold cost of life, proved what kind of ruler Akzunatai was. That display, above all else, motivated the allied militaries to fight all the harder to defend their freedom.
Bright light blossomed from a side window bathing the bridge in an orange glow. The comms squawked a desperate cry for help before falling to static as more explosions filled the window and illuminated the surrounding ships. The Juneau, an Alliance dreadnaught exploded. Akzunatai had been concentrating fire upon her for some time now and had finally broken through. More explosions appeared as her two Turian escort cruisers, Xiantha and Mecharis also fell to enemy fire. Miranda watched in silent horror as enemy ships flooded through the gap they had created, speeding toward Rannoch below. She could see other allied vessels rushing to close the gap, but she knew it was futile. The dam had failed at last. They had delayed as long as they could and now it was time to move into phase two. She told the comms officer to open a channel to the fleet.
"Attention all vessels. This is Admiral Hannigan. The line is broken. Activate Phase Two procedures immediately." She closed the channel and fell silent. Nothing more was needed to be said. The plan had been rehearsed many times. The Captains knew their duties. They would execute a controlled retreat to Rannoch's surface, bringing the enemy ships to the waiting forces below. Over the next several hours the war would shift from a space battle between ships to a ground fight between people. Many captains and admirals found battles in space easier to deal with when it came to loss, at least while in action, as one could think in terms of ships not people. The pain of individual loss came later when names flooded one's desk. Generals had to deal with it as it happened, often looking into the eyes of fellow soldiers while they died. She was not looking forward to what was to come.
Her own vessel was to be one of the first to retreat to the planet. She had fought against this but was overruled. Her personal knowledge and ties to the core elements of this war dictated that she be forefront both in space and on the surface. Ensuring her commanders were executing their roles, she gave command of the ship over to her captain who would bring the vessel to land on Rannoch and headed for her quarters. It had been years since she had worn armor into battle, something both her and Felicia had been happy about, but today she would again suit up. She had been made to fight and if she were to lead this war, she was not going to do so from behind a desk in a dress uniform. No, Miranda Hannigan nee Lawson was not one to hide from a fight or ask others to do what she would not. She would wear her armor, shoulder her rifle and gods help any who got in her way.
On Rannoch's surface, John and Tali stood side-by-side watching ships descend through the atmosphere to land troops on their home world. Their own forces were touching down at the academy airfield until it filled at which time, they would switch to the alternate sites across the desert all within a couple of miles of the designated battlefield where the ground troops waited. Akzunatai's forces though were chased by both smaller fighters and anti-aircraft guns to a site over ten miles away from which they would be forced to march on the defenders.
Not that the enemy forces did not try to land elsewhere. Gunfire was constant now from the defense rings around Val'Shan and the Academy. Even the ground troops around the Shepards were engaged, using rockets launchers to pepper the enemy vessels as they attempted to rain death upon the troops below. Only a few hours into the planet-side fighting and Rannoch's surface was beginning to look much like other planets had during the Reaper War. Craters where large caliber missiles had impacted tore open the desert landscape, charred debris from downed ships littered the area for miles in all directions, and temporary fortifications of stone and steel had been erected to create bunkers from which soldiers returned fire while remaining relatively protected.
The worst part, as in all wars, was the bodies. While casualties were still light, they still happened. Even minor wounds left their scars on the surface in the form of blood stains. More and more did those meet John's eyes as the fighting only intensified. His own hands had been stained with blood for a time as he had helped to carry a wounded soldier to the medics after an enemy craft had managed to strafe the area before being shot down by an RPG. John was no stranger to the horrors of war, and he had simply washed his hands and moved on, but as all veterans know, you cannot escape the sights of war, just hold them off for a time.
Miranda walked through the command center's door with Kasumi right behind. She barely reached the war table before starting to speak. Conversations from the other commanders fell silent as they listened to her report. "Kasumi's spies have reported back, Akzunatai has amassed his troops and begun to march. They will be within visual range in about two hours. We are continuing to send attack ships against them to delay their arrival, as well as surface missiles, but they do have their own to use against us. From what we have learned about Akzunatai from our new LiThar friends, ground fights are what he is best at. We may be better equipped, and on home ground, but he has the numbers. HE can afford to lose hundreds to stop one of ours. We cannot afford to lose any. I say that not only in terms of statistics, but because we value life. All of us in here, and those soldiers outside are more than just numbers on a sheet, pieces to be moved and used. They are family and friends. People with loved ones of their own. They are the reasons we fight. Akzunatai does not care about individuals, only his own success. That gives him an edge over us, and one that I am not willing to meet. So, how do we stop him?"
The room was silent for a few moments as the gathered commanders, the best the galaxy had to offered looked at one another. Seconds of uncomfortable silence filled the room. Finally, a rumbling was heard from one of the chairs at the rear of the space. Urdnot Wrex rose from where he had been sitting and walked to the table, his massive form forcing two Salarian generals to step aside to give him space to join. "Krogan do not fear the odds. We have never been defeated by numbers. I have an idea to beat them, but you will not like it."
John stared hard at the Krogan leader. Wrex was a friend and far more intelligent than anyone had given him credit for back when he was merely a mercenary. Over the years since, he had become not only fighter of great renown, but a politician worthy of respect. Under he and Bacara, the Krogan had flourished and become a respectable people in the galaxy. Returning not to the barbaric ways of the Krogan during their rebellions, but instead they had rebirthed their deeper ancestral heritage and were now enjoying a renaissance on Tuchanka. At council meetings, when Wrex spoke, they listened. Today they were listening again.
Wrex met John's stare from across the table. A smile was on the old Krogan's face and fire burned in his eyes. John knew his friend had a real plan. One that would likely work and one that was likely very unconventional. John smiled back and chuckled softly. Miranda turned at the sound and looked at John questioningly. "If Akzunatai is half as smart as we are led to believe, we are in trouble Admiral. We need something he will not expect. Something that plays into our strength and puts him on unsure footing. I know of no one better at putting people off balance than Wrex. Let us here him out."
Miranda nodded and turned back to Wrex. "Very well Urdnot Wrex. What do you have in mind?" Wrex told them his plan. Eyes went wide and color drained from many of the faces around the table. When he finished only Grunts trademark chuckle could be heard from the rear of the room. Kris had a predatory look in her eyes made terrifying by the crooked smile on her face. John's own face betrayed him as he smiled at the proposal. This plan might just work.