One-Shot: An Interview With the Link

Nuroktar System, The Welcome Home (formerly The Howling Darkness) [Triangulum II Galaxy]

October 22, 2036

"On behalf of Confederation News Network, we would like to thank the Link for this interview."

Khalisah al-Jilani did her best to sound calm, but truthfully she was nervous. This small blue-white alien with silver skin - sort of like a miniature quarian - stared at her with piercing white orbs that lacked pupils. She knew the entire Link was watching her, and it made her feel small.

VERY small.

The Alar smiled. "Do not be alarmed. We are delighted to have you hear as we make preparations to open the Welcome Home for all sapients."

She relaxed a bit. "Thank you. So, the biggest question all of our listeners have is: what is exactly IS the Link?"

"The Link is a gestalt intelligence consistent of all individual Alar. We are somewhat similar to the historical Rachni, but our individual components retain their identities as individuals."

"Fascinating...and why did you recently rename your home galaxy?"

The Alar's expressed darkened. "We are an extremely empathic people, Ms. al-Jilani. It was very, very difficult for us to be alone for such a long time. Alyarae was the only planet in our entire galaxy capable of sustaining life. The only one. We were so lonely...and then the Geth came!"

"Yes, the Geth. How did First Contact go?"

"Wonderfully...at first." The Link paused as it remembered the pain. "Then an attempt to trace the location of the Reapers in Dark Space lead Harbinger back to us. And..."

The Alar looked down with a haunted expression. "And the Aware - the non-sapient animals of our homeworld that we uplifted - turned on us. We were forced to slaughter them all. That is why we are so, so glad the Reapers are finally dead."

"So what comes next?"

"Colonization!" The Alar replied happily. "We have terraformed almost our entire small galaxy. And we never truly made use of our dark matter-based transportation during the Reaper War. Now it can be used to make a peaceful, happy protectorate of the Confederation."

Khalisah grinned as the turned off the vid recording the interview. This had gone, very, very well.

"Thank you for your time, Link." She stood up and began to leave, but they stopped her.

"Khalisah."

She turned around. "Yes?" She questioned.

"Never be afraid of us. We are a people of love and joy. We wish to bring the same to all sapients."

Khalisah smiled warmly, touched by these wonderful creatures. "Thank you. I'll see you soon."

-e&d-

I never really got a chance to dive into what exactly the Alar/Link are, so here you go!