…
"The crisis was over. What was more, they had taken the first step toward genuine friendship. They had exchanged vulnerabilities."
(Arthur C. Clarke)
…
Kyzil Plateau, February 27th, 6:46 AM, 2185
…
Following Aspet Amisen and the other two cloaked figures into the stone structure, which I assumed was some kind of temple, I was blown away by its construction, and the stone carvings that covered the walls. Natural light from the rapidly rising sun shined through holes in the roof and walls, casting an orchestrated glow over the carvings. The carvings themselves were sealed behind glass, most likely to preserve them.
"Since the dawn of my people, we have recorded our history in this sacred temple." Amisen explained, stopping in front of the nearest one. "Here, we begin."
He displayed the old carving, which appeared to be an image of a meteor raining down from the sky. Several Raloi watched as it fell, sending smaller fragments of itself through the atmosphere.
"Eight-hundred and seventy-one years ago, a meteor crashed through the atmosphere of Turviss, changing our way of life forever. It spread chaos and confusion among our then-scattered tribes as plants and wildlife began dying, including many of our own." He explained, lingering over the carving before moving onto the next.
This one showed a bleak landscape of dead plants and dust, as a group of cloaked Raloi walked as a group.
"Their original lives lost, my people moved to lands untouched by the devastation, attempting to rebuild." He went on, looking at me as I took in the imagery. "As the weeks, months, and years went on, my people began changing, evolving. We later discovered the meteor contained Nistronite, an element with unique properties that modified our biological forms, making us stronger."
He pulsed with what appeared to be biotic energy, holding out his odd hand as a miniature singularity formed in his palm.
"Interesting… your people developed biotics." I assessed, getting him to tilt his head in confusion once more as he closed his palm. "What your people call Nistronite, we commonly call Element Zero, or Eezo for short. Depending on the individual and level of exposure, they develop the ability to project biotic fields."
"Very curious… very curious I must say." The Raloi in the strange, black suit spoke out, lowering its neck to meet my height. "You say other species can use our abilities?"
"It... depends." I corrected, turning my whole body to face him. "Certain species, such as the Asari, evolved on a planet with high amounts of Eezo, giving all of them the ability to create biotic fields. Species like mine, humanity, and my second-in-command's race, the quarians, rarely develop biotics unless exposed to dust-form eezo in the womb. If they're lucky, it binds to their nervous systems. If they're not, they unfortunately die."
"Your second-in-command… he isn't the same species as you?" The other, black and gold cloaked figure questioned, sounding confused, but also intrigued as he leaned forward to look more closely. "You coexist on the same vessel with one another?"
"We do." Lenlo nodded, holding his hands together behind his back. "Though, considering my species has a compromised immune system, we're required to wear sealed environmental suits at all times. Our dextro-amino DNA also makes getting proper food and drink difficult."
"So your species are unified, or this is an independant mission of some kind?" He further prodded, looking and sounding quite suspicious.
"Technically, my human crew and I are under the employ of the quarian Migrant Fleet, in cooperation with the human Systems Alliance." I clarified, focusing all my attention on him. "The Systems Alliance itself is part of the Citadel Council, itself made up of many different species."
"But not this "Migrant Fleet?" He pointed out, cocking his head to the side.
I had to admit, this guy was observant.
"Currently, no. Formerly, yes." I cleared up, crossing my arms as he practically loomed over me. "I apologize, but I don't think I caught your name…?"
"I am Sparapet Iolin of House Vazgen, military head of the United Technocracy of Turviss." He answered with a sense of grandiose in his voice, almost as if trying to assert himself further. "The protection of my people takes precedence over any other considerations. I am simply trying to gauge you… tiny people."
While I was mildly put-off by his tone, especially with that last part, I ignored it, knowing he might just be used to being blunt with his opinions. Aspet Amisen must have noticed my eyes narrowing, and quickly walked up to us.
"Please don't mind my compatriot." He quickly said, giving him a brief look before focusing on me. "Iolin is a military man, raised to see everything as a possible threat. He doesn't mean to intimidate you."
"I am not trying to intimidate!" Iolin quickly shot back, making full eye contact with a glare. "I am simply trying to evaluate an unknown. There's nothing intimidating about that."
"While that may be the case, It is not helping with our first impressions." Amisen quickly rebutted, shaking his head.
While the three of us had been talking, the one in the suit had walked back, closely looking at each of my crewmembers with curious eyes.
"And your name might be…?" Dimitri asked, leaning back slightly as the tall figure got very close to him. This quickly put an end to Amisen and Iolin's conversation.
"Orontid of House Delmos, scientific consultant to the UTT and head of Project Iris." He answered after a short pause, looking back at me. "My project is responsible for the satellite that spotted you in orbit."
"Very i-impressive piece of engineering." Dan complemented, taking a step forward. "I must ask, w-what process do you subject your eezo to to re...reach such a high level of refinement?"
"Dan, now's not the time to ask about that." I admonished, leaving Dan and Sandis with what I assumed to be a disappointed expression. "I apologize, Aspet Amisen. My crew and I are… scientifically inclined people."
"It is quite alright." He nodded, bowing his head down slightly before looking back at Iolin. "All of us seek knowledge in this exchange."
With that, we moved on to the next carving, this one depicting a large-scale ground battle between two armies of Raloi forces. While most wielded spears and other weapons, others used biotics, devastation large formations of troops.
"As the years waned on and our desire for land and resources raged on, we fought each other, forming larger tribes in an attempt to wipe each other out." He continued, looking as if he was sad as he focused on it. He was quick to turn around and silently face the next carving.
This carving featured a semi-circle showing seven Raloi, all dressed radically different outfits. They were all gathered around a paper document, each lined up to sign it.
"As we secured all remaining land on Turviss, only the Seven Grand Houses survived the various conflicts." He went on, his expression "softening" slightly as he looked at this one. "They determined that working together and sharing resources among each other was the only way our people would thrive, and so they agreed to a congelar, a freeze on hostilities."
Even though I hadn't watched him for very long, it was easy to tell he looked incredibly happy with this one. Turning to the next, it appeared much more recent, with shaper lines and less erosion. It featured seven figures again, but this time they were facing two other figures, who I assumed were the Aspet and the Sparapet.
"Years later, after decades of peace between the Grand Houses, our people realized the true origins of Nistronite and how it had originated from the black above our planet." He stated, looking back at us all "With support from the Houses, we created several new initiatives looking to take our people into the confines of space."
Finally, we ended on a wall that was blank, much to my immense surprise. It had no glass cover, and had been lit with a floodlight.
Before I could say anything, Orontid immediately pulsed with a biotic field, the odd "bumps" on his suit visibly glowing as he held out his hands, revealing odd gloves covered with tubes or wires of some kind. He began to move and twitch his fingers carefully, almost as if conducting a symphony or performing sign language. Doing this, he carefully began forming an image in the stone as he pulled it apart in incredibly small fragments, slowly creating an image.
By the time he had finished four minutes later, it became clear what the image was. He had created a stone carving depicting the moment Aspet Amisen and I shook hands, with the sunset and the line of honor guards clearly seen in the background. It was… breathtakingly beautiful. He had gotten every single little detail he could, down to the creases in my undersuit.
"Oh wow… that's not something I expected to see today." I mused, turning to face Orontid as he deposited the chunks and dust into a bin. "You are a fine craftsman."
"I appreciate your support." He nodded, his aura fading as he let his arms fall to his sides again, the nodules on his suit no longer glowing. "I take great pride in my craftsmanship. It is a dying art among my people."
With that finished, we walked back outside, where all twenty of the guards were still standing at full attention. By this point, the sun had risen high enough into the sky that it neatly illuminated everything.
This really was shaping up to be an interesting day. Feeling the heat of the sun beginning to heat up the darker elements of my armor, I looked back at the city in the distance and smiled.
"So, what shall we do now?" I asked, looking back to Amisen whose expression softened.
…
Caesarea, February 27th, 10:46 AM, 2185
…
Walking around the alien city of Caesarea had been an interesting experience. It was designed much like a modern Asari city, though it functioned much differently. Since the Raloi were capable of full flight, it looked more like a giant birdhouse when viewed from ground level. Raloi civilians could be seen flying freely from one end to the other without trouble, landing on neighboring buildings without so much as a sweat. In this sense, it was very "clean" both visually and audibly.
The streamlined edges of the newer buildings, coupled with their mirror shine, reminded me a lot of Syd Mead's artwork.
There was little to no vehicle traffic, ground or air, and what little transportation there was appeared to be electrically-driven hovercrafts of some kind. What I found even more amazing was the way they had incorporated plant life into the city. Strange trees lined every nook and cranny possible, and vine growth covered every empty surface. If it weren't for all the activity around me, I might have assumed the city was slowly being overtaken by nature. Overall, I loved it, even if God hadn't gifted me with the ability to fully experience it.
Knowing it would be unwise to leave our ship unattended, I ordered Kirva, Tony, and Morgan to stay with the ship and keep watch for any priority messages. I knew I had kinda kneecapped them doing this, but I promised I'd eventually make it up to them sometime in the future. This left just Lenlo, Dan, Dixon, and Dimitri as my companions.
Aspet Amisen had spent the whole time discussing the different Grand Houses and the relationships between them. It was actually quite interesting once he explained it to me in person. It was good that he was doing this, too, since we'd be meeting all the leaders of the Houses, the Nakharars, in the city's Grand Hall of the Ancients.
House Halleck was the smallest and most altruistic of the Seven Houses, and are the primary producers of medical technology and protective wear on Turvess. They rarely engage directly with the more militaristic Houses, prefering to liason through House Delmos, their closest ally. They sounded like a decent bunch.
House Syunik hailed from a long lineage of traders and explorers, and are the economic powerhouse behind the bulk of the Raloi economy, closely regulating all trade routes, taxes and tariffs. Considered heavily capitalistic, they are often characterized as "cutthroats" by the other Houses according to Amisen. The way he described it kind of reminded me of Standard Oil and the business practices they'd employ.
House Rahmani was the greatest surviving Raloi military House, and held the largest standing army on Turviss. They are also known for producing many of the greatest warriors in their long history. In their era of peace, they've become adept negotiators, skilled in diplomacy and ambassadorial roles. It kind of sounded like my home country during the old days. Playing policeman to the world. My father might have found them interesting.
House Delmos, the engineering masters of the Raloi, were responsible for many of the technological innovations commonly seen on Turvess today. They often work closely with House Halleck on cooperative projects, and are responsible for the current UTT Space Program administration. They were the big brains of the operation, hence Orontid. They were the ones Dan, Dimitri and I were most interested in.
House Madan is the primary producer of food and other natural goods, and the largest via population. They hold sway over more than 95% of the planet's farming castes. Though the largest, they mostly lack military power, relying on militias and mercenaries to bolster their strength. In a sense, it was much like India in pre-industrial times, before Gandhi and before they became a world superpower.
House Vazgen was the industrial powerhouse of modern Raloi industry, and operate the largest factories and energy production facilities on Turviss. Holding a seeming monopoly on energy and manufacturing, they are often at odds with House Syunik, and are looked down upon by House Halleck as wasteful polluters. Amisen in particular did not care for the House, and by extension, Sparapet Iolin. The two bickered like a married couple.
Finally, there was House Auchlo, the cultural and historical leaders of the species. They are responsible for the dissemination and documentation of all Raloi music, art, and language, producing the most skilled teachers, artists, historians, and investigators on Turviss. It is rumored the Artsruni were spawned from their House.
The Artsruni were not a Grand House, but a secretive, ancient order of "knight-like" figures that traced their history back to the formation of said Houses. According to Amisen, are fierce fighters, honor-bound to their leaders, and have taken a sacred oath forbidding them to lie. They are led by a Grand Qaphela, who I had yet to meet. Apparently, the twenty guards that had been present at our first meeting were all Artsruni warriors.
I shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if anything went wrong.
The Grand Hall of the Ancients was obviously one of the largest structures in the city, though there were also various signs that suggested it was also the oldest. It featured several design elements reminiscent of old Byzantine architecture, though obviously lacking any of the Orthodox Christian or Islamic influences. All in all, it felt like an enlarged version of the Hagia Sophia in Turkey. It even featured a tall, central dome in the center.
"Wow… how long did this take to build?" Dixon asked as we began walking into the interior of the structure, where plenty of natural light was being provided by the open windows above us.
"Twelve years, though recently it underwent a five-year restoration." Amisen answered, turning around to face us as we stopped in one of the hallways. "It was built to accommodate all the meetings between the Grand Houses. To that purpose, it has served its intended use very well."
"I l-like these cross joints, very good for supporting the we...weight of the granite and other stones." Dan remarked, pointing at the joints in the ceiling that indeed held themselves together with gravity alone. "I wonder what the ac-acoustics in the main hall are like…"
"It's funny that you should mention that." Lolin said as we continued walking, revealing the chamber inside and its full glory. There were hundreds of Raloi gathered nearly in the room, with seven large, empty chairs near the center. Not a single person in the room spoke as we were led to several empty seats in the front, where we all sat down. The "chairs" were more like large, cushioned slabs, obviously better suited for Raloi than humans or quarians. There were also what appeared to be large cameras, likely recording or broadcasting all of this.
As we took in our surroundings, three figures stepped up to the level above the chairs, dropping their robes and revealing that all of them were equipped with drum sticks. They then proceeded to play a set of skillful drum music that lasted around eight and a half minutes, sounding oddly similar to Japanese music of the same style. The kind you'd hear set to the scene of a battle. It was oddly surreal, but I couldn't complain, nor would I have any reason to. They sounded awesome.
As the vibrations lessened and the drummers stood at attention, everyone in the chamber stood at once, prompting us to do the same out of respect. Seconds later, the seven Grand House leaders, the Nakharars, walked out, each sitting on their respective seats.
"This meeting is now in session. Thanks be to our ancestors and the great ones who have come before us. We thank you graciously for your sacrifices." The one sitting in the middle began, lowering his head with his eyes closed as everyone else in the room did the same for several seconds. He was covered in red and black, much like Iolin.
"As you all know, today is an incredibly special day for all of us." One on the left took over, looking over the crowd in the room before focusing on us. He wore blue and grey. "After years of hypotheticals, theories, and wonder, we've been greeted by our very first visitors from the black. Captain Sean Michaels of the Discovery, we welcome you to our meeting today."
"Um… thank you for having me." I stood and quickly thanked, nodding to them. "I'm thrilled to have met such incredible people today, and I look forward to sharing knowledge with one another over the coming days."
"And you have no idea how many questions we have." Another one interjected, donned in shades of purple and tan. "There is a lot of information we've all had to pour over the last several hours, and we still haven't scratched the surface of it all."
"However, for now, we'd like to narrow our questions on you and your present crew." The one in red and black chimed back in, holding his hands together in front of his face. "You and your crew discovered our world by chance? Completely by accident?"
"Yes'sir." I answered, giving him a simple nod as I held my hands together behind my back. "We were in the middle of a two-month mission to map out the uncharted region of space between the Klenot Nebula and Vallhallan Threshold."
"How much of the galaxy has been mapped by your people?" One dressed entirely in brown and gold asked, leaning forward in his chair.
"Well, that's a bit of a loaded question." I corrected, gritting my teeth as I fought to come up with the best answer possible. "In terms of bulk exploration and cartography, my species has actually done very little compared to the likes of the Asari and Salarians. Though, that's only really counting systems connected to the Mass Relay network. Right now, using our current drive systems, the Migrant Fleet and Systems Alliance have been making great strides mapping systems previously believed to be unfeasible or impractical."
"Yes, we read the part about these "Mass Relays"." The one in brown and gold continued, looking at a several large sheets of paper in his hands. "The information outlined in this "handshake package" detailed their usage. We're more interested in whether or not our system is anywhere near such a network."
"Actually, you're right in the middle of one of the biggest "dead zones" in the entire Relay network." I further elaborated, resisting the urge to pace. "While your world is within relative range of Sigurd's Cradle, it's zero-point-eighteen parsecs away, approximately… two-hundred and seventeen light days away. The network barely misses Turviss, leaving you in an... unusual position."
Murmurs could be heard through the crowd behind us as several Raloi silently talked to one another. The Nakharars looked more confused than they had originally.
"But you said you are on a two-month long mission, correct?" Purple and tan spoke back up, sounding very curious. "You traveled here in less time than that."
"You're forgetting the "drive system" he mentioned his people were using." Red and black quickly refocused, turning to look at me again. "This device… your people built it?"
"We de-designed it, actually." Dan quipped, getting me and a lot of the other people in the room to turn to him.
"Yes, one of our... former team members created what we call the Gravity Drive." I nodded, shooting Dan a quick glare before turning back to the Nakharars. "It allows us to traverse distances at similar speeds to that of Mass Relays, but without the relay itself. Without it, it would take years to see the systems we've discovered in the span of a month."
"Should we be worried about any… potential visitors from other parties?" One dressed completely In shades of green asked, getting an annoyed look from the one in black and red.
"Worried? No, you should be excited. My superiors, several members of the quarian Admiralty Board, will be arriving in a few days to further our relationship in a more… official manner." I informed them, feeling the heat of the sun beginning to heat up the darker elements of my armor through the windows above. "They'll likely arrive in one of their Liveships. It's a massive vessel, and I don't want your people to be surprised when they spot it."
This seemed to cause another stir in the crowd around us. The Nakharars seemed a little put off by my announcement, shooting each other suspicious looks.
"Sir, if I may?" Lenlo asked softly, standing up and looking at me. I gave him a single nod, holding my hand out towards the Nakharars. He stepped forward with his shoulders held high.
"And who might you be?" The one in red and black asked with a mix of caution and curiosity, leaning forward in his seat.
"Grand House Nakharars, I am Lenlo'Firna vas Discovery, my Captain's executive officer. As one of two quarian crew members of our ship, I'd like to personally reassure you that my superiors in the Admiralty Board are fine folks." He explained in as simple terms as possible. "Our people have a long, painful history, and we're always willing to make new allies in a harsh galaxy."
"We've read about your people in this packet your captain sent us." Brown and gold nodded, looking harder at Lenlo. "We've noticed it doesn't actually mention much at all, aside from your origins and the fact that you now roam the galaxy in a fleet comprised of thousands of ships. Certainly there must be a reason why your people do this instead of occupying your own world?"
So that why they had acted suspicious about the quarians before. The handshake package must have modified to remove all mention of the Geth, their war, and the exile they had been forced to endure. The same thought must have crossed Lenlo's mind as he turned to look at me.
"I mean, it's no secret. Might as well tell them." I urged, feeling that tinge of annoyance zap the back of my brain again, knowing that someone had inadvertently made things more difficult for us again.
"Two-hundred years ago, our people created a race of machines called the Geth. They once served us as laborers and weapons of war." He began to explain, holding his hands behind his back much the same way I did. "Over time, their programming evolved to the point where they gained sentience. My ancestors panicked and attempted to have them all destroyed. They rebelled."
This sent a large wave of activity and hushed conversation through the room, enough that the Nakharar sitting in the middle had to slam a staff against the floor several times to regain their attention.
"Go on." He nodded, obviously interested to hear the rest of the story.
"Well, my ancestors failed to contain the uprising, and many of our people died in the ensuing rebellion." He continued, shifting his footing slightly. "They were forced to flee the homeworld, and haven't returned since. When they turned to the Citadel Council for assistance, they took away their embassy and barred our remaining ships from Citadel space."
"If this was two-hundred years ago, why haven't your people settled a new world?" Red and black prodded, looking incredibly suspicious yet again.
"Until just a few years ago, we lacked the resources to undertake such an endeavor." He answered calmly, straightening his back again as he looked at me. "When my Captain came along with his team, looking for a place to take shelter from the rest of the galaxy's less… reputable elements, they shared groundbreaking technology with us that allowed us to explorer previously infeasible planets."
"And your people found their own world to finally inhabit?" Brown and gold asked, sounding optimistic, but cautious.
"Yes, the planet Reach, hidden in the Klenot Nebula in a nice stretch of space off the Relay network." He nodded, opening his omni-tool to the minor shock of the Nakharars, bringing up an image of our home. "Sure, it's not a perfect world, considering it doesn't even have a dextro-amino biosphere, but its rich in resources and protects our people from those who might wish us harm."
"And who exactly might wish your people harm, Lenlo'Firna vas Discovery?" Red and black asked, leaning his head against his hand.
"The pro-human terrorist group, Cerberus, and the Reapers." He immediately answered, getting several of the Nakharars to shoot each other quizzical expressions. "While Cerberus has become less of a pressing issue since we repelled an invasion force from them months ago, the Reapers are a much more… pressing issue at the current moment."
"Reapers?" One of the ones who hadn't spoken yet chimed in, donned in light grey and blue. "The Codex contained in your package made no reference to anything called a "Reaper."."
"The Reapers are a race of sentient, living starships that live in dark space." I took over, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lenlo. "While most of the galactic community doesn't acknowledge their existence, my team and many other people in the Migrant Fleet and Systems Alliance believe they are indeed real, and pose a threat."
All the Grand House leaders looked quietly at one another, giving each a single, subtle nod before the one in red and black turned to me.
"Thank you very much, Captain Sean Michaels and Lenlo'Firna vas Discovery." He thanked, standing up as the other six Nakharars and everyone else in the room stood. "We'll be meeting again tomorrow at the same time. Praise be to our ancestors."
With that, everyone began dispersing into their own little groups as they slowly shuffled out of the chamber. Before I could say anything to my friends, Aspet Amisen put his hand on my shoulder and looked down at me.
"Captain Sean Michaels, might you and your crew be interested in joining us for a banquet later this evening?" He asked in a friendly tone, making sure to look at each one of my crew members.
"No thank you, Aspet." I politely declined, bowing my head slightly. "We haven't finished testing the atmosphere yet for any irregularities or pathogens possibly dangerous for our biological forms. Once we've finished our tests and have determined it is safe, I'm sure we'd be happy to join you another day."
"Very well then. We'll escort you back to your ship." He nodded as we began our walk once more.
"Not to be rude, Lenlo, but I really wish you hadn't brought up the Reapers." I chastised quietly into our private radio channel as we walked out of the chamber, still feeling the eyes on the back of my head. "I appreciate you trying to reassure them regarding the Admirals, but the Reaper part could have been done without. We've got enough suspicion on us without freaking them out on top of it."
"I was just answering their questions." He defended in an innocent tone, sounding mildly put off by my critique. "It's not like telling them nothing would have hurt our relationship."
"It is not about the relationship, but about being tactful." I corrected, feeling the back of my neck warn up as we walked back out into the sun.
"I must agree with Sean, Lenlo." Dimitri chimed in, his usual serious tone making the air of the conversation much more intense. "The Raloi are not space-faring race. They do not want to inherit enemies they can not fight against."
"But… weren't we going to tell them anyways?" Dixon argued, sounding more confused than anything else. "I don't get the point. Wouldn't lying to them just make any negotiations or deals more difficult?"
"History has pr-proven that there is a time and place for well-placed lies." Dan lamented, turning to look at me for a moment. "But there's a difference between sim...simple lying and misinformation. One can be harmful, the other beneficial."
"It all depends on circumstance." I finished for him, shaking my head slightly as I felt the sweat roll down my face in the sweltering heat. "Come on, let's just get back to the ship for now. I need a shower."
With that, we had finished our first major meeting with the Raloi leaders. Part of me screamed that it certainly wouldn't be the last.
I was curious to see how they would react when the Admirals came knocking.
…
A/N: Well, a little more political than I had originally intended it to be, but considering it IS a first-contact scenario, I couldn't really be helped. I'd expect more of the same in the next chapter, but hopefully there'll be more… interesting topics at play by then.
As always, I'd love to read any reviews, I'm always up for suggestions or constructive criticism. Stay tuned!