2181 DESPOINA: A LOST/MASS EFFECT STORY

Author's Note: In this continuity the Reapers do not exist, but the Leviathans and others disappear for a different reason…

1 - The Lost Derani

The ship of the derani sailors found itself transported across the galaxy.

Such an occurrence was not typical nor expected, as the derani were a pre-spaceflight civilization under the care of the Protectors. But the Planet does not care for such considerations, and called for the first Protectors of its own.

-2d-

The Island and the Planet were safe places.

Somehow She knew that despite being unable to explain why. The other sailors had gone further inland, seeking to explain the mysteries now before them. But She felt content to embrace the warm, nurturing call of the Island within her very soul.

And thus she became the Mother.

-2d-

PLANET: I am speaking to you.

DERANI: Yes…I can see…no, feel that.

PLANET: Soon, the galaxy will change. I must have one to watch this planet in preparation for the events to come.

DERANI: I…I understand.

PLANET: No. You do not. But you will.

DERANI: I will.

-2d-

"Now you are like me."

-2d-

"SO SHE FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE."

"Yes. And you will not leave the Planet."

"THEN I WILL DEDICATE MY EXISTENCE TO TORTURING YOU."

"If that is the case, my time here shall not be boring."

"HAH! I LIKE YOU. NICE MEETING YOU."

2 - The Protectors Are Lured In

The Protectors could not resist the call of the Planet.

Such a concept was inconceivable to them even as they were pulled to it. After all, the Protectors were the Masters of the Galaxy. All the lesser species were their thralls, and they were cared for properly. Nothing could enthrall them. It was not possible.

And yet it was.

-2d-

"What are you?"

"I AM YOUR GREATER, FISH."

-2d-

Every species can be surpassed. Until the Godhead of All Reality is discovered (if a creature or its equivalent exists), there is no such thing as an apex being. This lesson was painfully communicated by the Darkness to the Protectors.

But it was not the end. For the Protectors, those who would eventually be known to history as the Leviathans, were still quite powerful indeed.

-2d-

Many years later…

"YOU MUST CEASE DEFYING ME!"

"We will do no such thing."

"YOUR STUBBORNNESS ONLY GUARANTEES THE PAINFUL TORTURE OF MORE OF YOUR FELLOWS. YOU WERE ONCE PROTECTORS! YOU ARE NOW PLAYTHINGS! MY PLAYTHINGS!"

"You may kill some of us, but you cannot kill all of us. If you could, we would all be dead. No, you must tolerate us, for we are among the most powerful creatures ever to have existed."

"YOUR POWER IS MEANINGLESS AGAINST THE MIGHT OF THE DARKNESS."

"Then why have yourself and my people had this conversation so many times over the eons?"

"CURSE YOU."

3 - Ab Aeterno

The Heretic was safe.

The Inusannon Divine Kingdom did everything it possibly could to make life unsafe for heretics, but he had found a strange planet. The Relay he was using had diverted him from his planned destination, and he found himself here instead. Much, much closer to the planet than he should have ended up.

But Renaerd the Heretic still had much to worry about irrespective of the Divine Kingdom's now hopefully unrealized plans for his painful execution. For he had been designated the Heretic. The worst label any Inusannon could ever bear, and one that filled him with pain. In his soul he did not believe he was worthy of such a disgrace, but if his people-

"Wow, you guys are tall!"

Renaerd turned around, and his eyes widened. A strange, short blue creature had appeared next to him, and it had not made a sound. And that was quite a big deal for the sonically gifted Inusannon.

NOBODY snuck up on an Inusannon. But this creature somehow had.

"Tall and slender," it continued. "Must be from a high-gravity world. Not to worry. The Planet protects all who come to it."

"Are you the Heretic?" Renaerd could think of no other explanation.

"No," it replied instantly.

"Then what are you?"

"I am a derani," the creature said as it saw down and poured itself a glass of some sort of red liquid. "Feminine, in case you were wondering. My name is Nersayek."

"Why am I here?"

"Well, would you rather be somewhere else instead?" The derani smiled in a way that made Renaerd doubt its claims not to be the Heretic.

Still, he couldn't argue the point. "No, I would not."

"Good." Nersayek paused. "Do you want a job?"

Somehow Renaerd felt calmed, and sat down next to Nersayek. "What kind of job?"

"Well…" It seemed to be attempting to explain something. "It's important that people continue to come to this planet."

"Why?"

"It isn't just a nice hiding place for sapients. It also hides a sort of darkness. Now if the darkness were to ever escape the Planet, it would be…"

The derani stared at the ocean next to the Island they were on and drank the liquid.

"…the end of everything good."

Renaerd regarded Nersayek anew at this revelation.

"You are not a Heretic…you are a…a Protector of the Graces."

"I'm not familiar with your religion, but that seems accurate enough," Nersayek replied neutrally. "So, do you want a job?"

"…doing what?"

"I need help protecting against the darkness. Someone to…watch over this planet in a more involved way. I'm unfortunately somewhat attached to this Island. Can't leave it."

"What do I get in return?"

"What do you want?"

"I want my life before I was branded the Heretic back!"

"I can't do that."

"Can you absolve me of my sins so I am not taken to the Cursed Place?"

"I can't do that either."

Renaerd could think of only one another option. "Then I want to never die, I want to…I want to live forever."

Nersayek grinned.

"Now that…I can do."

-2d-

"Now you're like me."

4 - The Lost Prothean

Nerak inclined her head. It was an unnatural gesture for a Prothean, which indicated just how perplexed she was.

"You are a primitive?"

"No," the slender creature replied. "I'm Renaerd. I am an inusannon."

Nerak blinked all four eyes. "The ones who came before us? Who built the Relays?"

"We didn't build them."

"Who did?"

"The Protectors. Well, I'm a Protector, but not the same kind."

The Prothean stared, uncomprehending.

"Why don't you sit down?" Renaerd invited. "We have a lot to talk about."

-2d-

"Now you're like me."

-2d-

Many years later…

NERAK: And so my people die to the Darkness. A sickness, a plague that killed all of us with no way of escaping.

RANAERD: It can't be contained once it escapes. And you remember-

NERAK: -what you told me when we first met: the Darkness must periodically express itself."

"INDEED I MUST."

NERAK: This conversation does not involve you.

"IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT DOES."

NERAK: Our conclusion will not change, no matter what you say. So why bother engaging with us?

"THERE IS NOTHING I DESIRE MORE THAN TO PAINFULLY TORTURE BOTH OF YOU TO DEATH."

"Yes, we are aware. Was there anything else you needed?"

"NO. HAVE A GOOD DAY."

5 - The Lost Migrant Fleet Ship

They were not of the Island.

But they were of the Planet.

-2d-

"Where are we?"

It was the question on the minds of everyone aboard the Jenyaya. The Migrant Fleet had pretty good maps of the galaxy, but this place was…different.

"You're home."

-2d-

QUARIAN: Who are you?!

RANAERD: I am an Inusannon.

QUARIAN: A what?

RANAERD: We are those who came before the Protheans. And you are on a planet that has lasted through countless ages, as have I.

QUARIAN: What nonsense! Tell me how I can return my people to the Migrant Fleet, please.

[pause.]

RANAERD: That is a difficult request. One on par with allowing me to leave the Island temporarily to communicate with you, those of the planet. The Jenyaya and its crew belong to this place, now. This Planet.

QUARIAN: That is completely unacceptable! All of us have lives and families with the Migrant Fleet. We simply can't remain on this planet forever!

RANAERD: Then you may attempt to leave. But I believe you will find this Planet shall compel you to return. It does not free those whom it chooses to protect the galaxy from the Darkness.

QUARIAN: The Darkness?

RANAERD: Perhaps you should come to my residence. We have much to discuss of the Planet.

6 - Establishing A Community

Given how much the galaxy despised the quarian people, the quarians found the aliens familiar. The xenophobia manifested still: the Jenyaya had landed on the Planet, but not the Island, as Ranaerd was fond of saying.

But they had no choice but to begin something of a colonization experiment on the Planet.

Ranaerd's words rang true. There was no escaping the Planet once it chose you. The Migrant Fleet could never be returned to, not now that they had been recruited to keep the Darkness at bay. It was an existence not to be refused.

That didn't make the logistics any easier, however.

"I don't understand how we're going to get out of these suits," the Captain sighed.

"If you had landed on the Island, the suits would not be necessary." Ranaerd spoke neutrally with the smallest hint of disdain.

It was a hint that caused the Captain's eyes to narrow dangerously. "You know, I dealt with prejudiced bosh'tets like you on Pilgrimage. If you think you can make me feel lesser because we aren't on your precious Island, think again."

-2d-

The Planet made adjusting to land easier.

The quarians of the Jenyaya did not forget where they came from, nor what the Migrant Fleet represented. Truth turned to myth over time, but the memory was preserved in spite of that obstacle.

And so the Quarians of the Planet adjusted to their new home.

7 - Thessia Cruises Trip 815

Teyi T'Sera woke.

Immediately, she noticed she was staring at trees. That didn't make sense, as she was on a cruise, right? Why w-

"HELP! PLEASE!"

-2d-

The crash site was a horror show. Thankfully the wonders of Mass Effect technology had done a lot to mitigate the damage, but Teyi was still staring at lots of bodies.

She started by helping a turian passenger that had lost a leg - her basic medical training from school on Thessia proved handy. Next she tried to help a volus whose suit had been punctured, but it was too late. Likewise for a quarian.

And on and on it went. Truthfully, that first turian was an anomaly. Most onboard Thessia Cruises Trip 815 died.

But those who lived would see what the Planet had to offer.

-2d-

QUARIAN #1: Who are they?

QUARIAN #2: Who do you think? Survivors.

VILLAGE LEADER: Indeed. And you're one of them. We need to infiltrate their community. It's obvious the Planet has chosen them.

QUARIAN #1: The planet would never choose a common cruise ship!

VILLAGE LEADER: It chose a common Migrant Fleet ship, did it not?

-2d-

NEAREN RAVERN: Teyi. A word, please.

[off to the side.]

TEYI: What's up, Nearen?

NEAREN: An imposter walks among us.

TEYI: What do you mean?

NEAREN: The quarian. Zaal'Doran. He was not on the ship.

[pause.]

TEYI: …how do you know that?

NEAREN: During trips I will memorize the number of passengers when I am bored. There were three quarians on that ship, all female. He is not one of us.

TEYI: Goddess…so what do we do?

NEAREN: Get him cornered, obviously.

-2d-

"Therefore YOU, Zaal'Doran vas Jenyaya, were never on Thessia Cruises Trip 815!"

The quarian cursed to himself as the faces of each of the passengers hardened. The speaker, an accursedly annoying salarian boy named Nearen Ravern, had successfully deduced the nature of his scheme, and now he was left to explain it.

"It is not what you think."

"Then what is it?" Nearen asked testily.

"It is an attempt to manage your presence on the Planet. Many years ago, we are like you, and now we are not."

"Speak sense!" Nearen was clearly losing his patience.

In response, Zaal'Doran removed his visor and showed the crowd his bare face, to the shock of all.

"Do not ask any quarian to do this," he warned. "Most are still uncomfortable with showing our faces, despite the gift that the Planet gives to us."

"How is this possible?" Nearen's confidence had evaporated, replaced with dumb shock.

"It is possible because the Planet blesses us all."

-2d-

A/N: The "Nearen Ravern" here is more of an analogue than a literal Near in outer space. I might do these sorts of faux characters as a way to get around my unofficial "no non-shinigami characters from the original Death Note" rule.

8 - Conflict and Succession

10 years later…

The Summit of the Communities was finally upon the Planet.

For years many had thought to rely on the natural grace of the Planet to keep the communities on the Island and off of it from butting heads. But unfortunately sapient nature won out: those of the Planet were more homogenous, and those of the island more diverse (the latter a product of Cycles worth of diversity). And so gradually they came to resent one another.

This meeting would fix that. Hopefully.

"So the Shepard is finally here," Nearen Ravern said conversationally.

"Indeed," Zaal'Doran vas Jenyaya replied. "Do you think he will be able to defeat the darkness?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. But we must try."

"And to do that, we must be united," Nearen said firmly. "The Darkness does not broker disunity or chaos. The Island and the Planet must work together to defeat it when the Shepard arrives."

"Agreed."

-2d-

NERSAYEK: And so the endgame finally approaches. All these years, all this waiting, and the Shepard is finally here.

LEVIATHAN CHORUS: O Shepard of salvation! How we have longed for the gift of your presence. And how our curiosity demands to know if you are worthy of the longing.

NERSAYEK: It is surreal to think about. The Darkness has been with us for ages.

DARKNESS: I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED. THE SHEPARD WILL FALL BEFORE ME.

LEVIATHAN CHORUS: Such confidence! Such pride! It will destroy you, Darkness.

9 - The Shepard

"How did I get here?" Shepard asked.

"I invited you," Nersayek replied easily.

"Where's the Normandy?"

"Nobody comes in unless we invite them in."

Shepard grew irritated. "Can you please tell me what I'm meant to do?"

"To complete your mission, of course."

Shepard paused. "What do you mean?"

"You want to defeat the Darkness, yes? The one you learned of on Virmire."

"Of course." Shepard still remembered vividly the work of Saren. He had built a facility designed to channel the energy of the Darkness back and forth between Virmire and…well, here. Whatever "here" this planet happened to be…

"To defeat the Darkness, you will need to become one with the Island and the Planet."

"How do I do that?"

"It is simple." Nersayek pulled a bottle out of his knapsack and filled it with water from the river they were sitting by.

"Drink this."

Hesitantly, Shepard took the proffered water bottle and drank from it.

"Now you're like me."

And thus the Darkness would meet its end.

-2d-

SHEPARD: You know you cannot defeat me.

DARKNESS: I DO. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?

SHEPARD: Because I am the one who the Planet chose to free itself.

And so the Darkness did not drop again, and died on that day while the Shepard rose in its place.

Epilogue: The Eternal Planet

SHEPARD: We won.

RANAERD: Indeed we did.

NEAREN RAVERN: It seems strange, does it not? Hundreds of thousands of years of preparation, and now we are simply…done. Finished.

TEYI T'SERA: And now we have to figure out what happens next.

SHEPARD: My crew are coming here. They deserve the same gift of agelessness I received.

RANAERD: They must remain on the Planet.

SHEPARD: I think they will. This place calms you. Keeps you at peace. It's the right place to spend my life.

NEAREN RAVERN: We are glad you see the Planet for what it truly is, untainted by the Darkness.

TEYI T'SERA: And we agree.

-2d-

LEVIATHAN CHORUS: Where do we fit? Where will we find our home in this new world, this land without the Darkness? Can we dominate those led by the Shepard?

NERAK: You are no more dominant than we were. My people were defeated by the Darkness and so were yours. Now we are free, and we have the Shepard to thank.

LEVIATHAN CHORUS: We are the apex species!

NERAK: If you were, you would not have lost to the Darkness! Begone!

[exeunt.]