Well this took longer than I thought it would, hope you enjoy today's lesson. But first, review time!
The Beast-King Beyond The Wall: Welcome aboard my dude!
Katana of the Blade: Yes! I hope I can do the same with Mass Effect as they are both good trilogies.
Jlargent: Who is Jericho? And they might be listening to some in the next chapter, but I'll put the song title and artist so you dudes know what to have playing while reading.
a54321: Thank you for both the compliment and encouragement to do more. I'm enjoying learning more about these two trilogies while writing this story.
And thank you so much for the faves and follows, everyone! Now let's begin learning about the synthetic race from Mass Effect!
The video started glitching out for a few seconds before we were logged into a secure connection. We see a triangular symbol made of three L's with three circles in the center. Something is written in a strange language before swapping through several more, including Aurebesh aka Galactic Basic from Star Wars, until we see the translation in English.
GETH CONSENSUS
We see a vista of rocks and running water.
Weiss looks at Lex. "Is that Earth?"
Lex shook her head. "Nope, it's my wife's homeworld, Rannoch." Emerald and Cinder looked at their mom in shock while Lex smirked. "You didn't think you were the only ones in our family that were from different worlds, did you? Like you, they are from a different reality, but their realities are separate from what many would call 'canon' so it was safe for us to be together." She caught a stray weapon being thrown at her and glared at the fourth wall. "Anyone that has a problem with that, they can fuck right off."
Cinder looked at her hands. "So our other mothers...?"
"Are all different species? Yup. Tali is a Quarian, Anko is a human that can use an energy source in her body called Chakra, Sunset was originally a unicorn then became human and now is an anthropomorphic unicorn, and Robin is also human but has special powers unique to herself. And your father, Glitch, is an anthropomorphic Changeling, which is a species of pony that can shapeshift into different beings while yours truly is a Kitsune Vixen, of course." (1)
Emerald raised an eyebrow. "Our family is weird."
Lex giggled. "True, but I wouldn't trade any of you." She pulled her daughters into a hug and smiled softly at them. "Plus, if it weren't for your father and I falling in love, you wouldn't have your little sister, Mei."
Cinder giggled. "She is adorable and very ticklish."
Lex nodded before looking at Penny. "Here's a question that only you can answer, young Penny." She smiled softly. "Does this unit have a soul?" Everyone looked at each other in confusion while Penny pondered over what Lex meant as the video resumed.
A female voice began narrating. "The development of a self-aware computer system is one the most dangerous threats to modern galactic society. How organic and synthetic life would co-exist, or whether they could co-exist at all, has been an important philosophical question since the first steps were made towards creating an artificial intelligence."
We transition to the SSV Normandy flying toward a massive space station, the Citadel.
Everyone was awed at the sight of both the Normandy and the Citadel. Coco's jaw dropped. "It looks like a flower! It's a giant flower!" Lex rolled her eyes and smiled as she thought the same thing when she first saw it. (2)
"In the region of space controlled by the Citadel Council, such pursuits are now illegal, and violations of this principle are harshly dealt with." We transition to a dying Quarian on Rannoch. "Those who question the necessity of these laws need only venture past the Perseus Veil, where three centuries ago the Quarians were almost completely annihilated by an artificial species of their own design. Today this region of space is forbidden, home to a cautionary tale feared across the galaxy. In the language of the Quarians they were named the "Servants of the People", now they are simply known as the Geth." A Geth dropship dropped off an object that grew into a Geth Colossus.
Yang smirked. "That doesn't look so tough. I bet I could take it out easily."
Lex gave Yang a deadpan stare and snapped her fingers before a full-size hologram of a Geth Colossus was shown to them, it was bigger than the Deathstalker and Nevermore Grimm they fought during their initiation. "You were saying, little dragon?"
Ruby sighed as her sister blushed in embarrassment and nervously laughed while Qrow shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder if you got your cockiness from Tai or Raven."
We see standard Geth infantry alongside the armature. "Superficially, the Geth resemble their Quarian creators, likely a remnant of their original purpose. They are completely synthetic however, consisting of a flexible, but extremely durable outer shell, and artificial muscle tissue." We transition to a single Geth unit speaking to someone.
Lex used her magic to hide her sorrowful look at the sight of her ally in Mass Effect 2 and 3. "Legion. I wish there was another way we could have saved your people without losing you." A single tear fell down her cheek. "Keelah Se'lai, old friend." She didn't notice that Emerald saw through her illusion and would ask her afterwards why she had shed a tear for the Geth onscreen. (3)
"A common design feature among the Geth is a single illuminated photoreceptor, typically located on their equivalent of a head." We transition to a Geth sticking to a wall before seeing another Colossus. "Over their history, the Geth have evolved into numerous subtypes; specialized constructs ranging from the diminutive but extremely agile Geth Hoppers, to the far larger Geth Colossus."
We now begin to see the hub of all Geth data. "Each Geth, regardless of its model, is made up of hundreds of programs roughly equivalent to the Virtual intelligences used by the organic races of the galaxy. These programs work in parallel with one another to form a kind of emergent intelligence. An individual Geth construct is more akin to a mobile platform than an actual body. The programs that make up its consciousness are endlessly transferred and downloaded and might reside in the equivalent of a Geth infantrymen before being transferred to become the mind of an entire starship as required."
Jaune looked at Lex. "So our equivalent would be nanomachines?"
She made an unsure gesture. "Well, yes and no. You're thinking more like a hive mind. In the Mass Effect universe, Penny would have been very illegal to make due to the council's laws, like both her father and Ironwood would have been arrested before they could even build her body. The Geth sometimes operate like a hive mind and some, like the one you're about to hear about, have their own individuality."
Nora tilted her head in confusion. "Uhhh, did anyone get that?" Everyone shook their heads.
Lex sighed. "Look, without spoilers, it's explained better here but, think of it like your world's council."
"Ohhhh." Neo nodded before looking at Yang in confusion. "I don't get it."
Lex facepalmed hard. (4)
We begin to see different sections of a Geth ship. "When not in use, Geth programs reside in enormous server hubs, functioning as their equivalent to an organic city. Within these server hubs, millions of Geth are linked in communion. The defining attribute of the Geth is this powerful neural network. The entire species utilizes a kind of communal processing power."
We see a Geth Armature on Noveria looking for a target while Geth Troopers run past it. "An individual Geth construct might possess only a basic intelligence on par with animal instincts, but the more Geth present in a given area, the greater their capacity for higher reasoning and complex thought."
There was now a platoon of Geth being shown on screen before we transitioned to the Geth manufacturing facility on Rannoch. "Groups of Geth can analyze situations and make tactical decisions as well as any organic race. The Geth's ability to communicate their exact thoughts and ideas flawlessly to one another without any fear of misinterpretation has led to the development of a society with no traditional form of government or delegation of authority."
Before anyone could ask how they function as a society the video immediately answered their unspoken questions.
"When matters concerning the Geth must be decided upon, the entire species communicates all viewpoints until a consensus is made. Invariably, whatever action most benefits the Geth as a whole is the one taken."
Glynda, Qrow and even Winter winced at that logic as that sounded like something Ironwood would have done and Ozpin had likely done the same in a past life. Lex sighed and looked down. "There is a saying that I remember from a movie back home on Earth."
Ruby looked at her wonder. "What was it?"
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. It's a saying that has been brought to the forefront of many stories today, the Geth's logic stems from that saying."
Winter looked at the demoness in shock. "Oum, that sounds like the General's thinking with the Vytal Festival."
"Unfortunately, constant thinking like that leads to what would have happened to Atlas and Mantle had my friend not intervened." Everyone heard a faint shout of Katana thanking Lex for the sword. "You just now received that? I need to talk to Tali later about the time differences between our dimensions." She took a deep breath before shouting through the dimensions. "You're welcome, Katana! Make sure Ruby doesn't touch it or it'll hurt like hell!" (5)
"Most importantly, lies, deceptions, and manipulations are impossible among the Geth, although they are not above employing them against other species." We now see a Geth Space Station before seeing the inside of a Geth Dreadnought. "They find it more efficient to exist in space stations drawing resources from asteroids rather than typical planetary settlements. Together with their starships, these often feature limited gravity, a complete lack of windows, and a limited atmosphere or climate control."
Lex snorted while her daughters and Ruby rolled their eyes. Cinder poked Lex's forehead. "It's not that funny, mother."
Lex struggled to stop laughing. "Yes it is."
Yang raised an eyebrow at them before smirking as she had a feeling about what Lex was laughing at. "Nobody better fart or it's game over."
"The silence can be deadly." They both snorted before falling out of their chairs and held their sides as they laughed for a good while as everyone else either sighed or rolled their eyes.
Neo had a hand on her face as she shook her head and groaned. "Gods damn it, Yang." After the jokesters calmed down, the vid resumed.
"As perhaps the only completely synthetic life-form in the galaxy, the Geth are reclusive and secretive. Since their creation they have chosen to remain within the protection of the Perseus Veil, a dense nebula that cloaks their activities. As they do not share the same goals, needs or instincts as biological species, they rarely interact with other civilizations and relentlessly destroy any trespassers in their territory."
Qrow leaned back. "Damn, extreme isolation from outsiders. And I thought the tribe was bad for that."
"Despite this apparent hostility, the Geth primarily seek the peaceful advancement of their own race free from the influence of galactic society and believe every sentient species should be able to do the same. They have made repeated attempts to observe and understand organics, hoping to avoid any future conflict. In wartime however, the Geth are especially dangerous. Their mechanical nature makes them ideal ambushers, requiring neither sleep, food, or relief."
Coco blinked. "Imagine if we fought someone like that during the Great War." Everyone shuddered at the thought as the war would have likely gone on for even longer.
Penny looked at her hands as she was now closer to being human since she could actually sleep and eat now. She blushed at the thought of relieving herself. "I hope I don't have to do something like that. Though the other variant of relieving myself doesn't sound so bad, if I find someone who can handle me." (6)
"Geth forces can shut down their power sources to stay undetected, lying in wait for days, weeks and perhaps even years until an opportunity presents itself." We see a Geth Stalker folded up before unfolding and latching itself onto a ceiling. We transitioned to Geth Anti-Air guns firing off at the ships in orbit around Rannoch. "Phony distress signals are a tactic particularly favored by the Geth, ambushing any potential rescuers."
We now see the enormous Geth fleet at the Battle of Rannoch. "Geth units show little sense of self-preservation and will expend as many units as may be required to take an enemy position. Geth routinely engage in seemingly-suicidal actions, such as boarding a ship, engineering it to crash and then remaining on board to ensure its destruction." We see numerous Geth soldiers collapsing. "When Geth shut down, their memory cores are destroyed and programs transferred elsewhere, preventing any Geth from being successfully captured for study while ensuring it's experiences, actions, and perhaps soul, are kept intact."
Penny's eyes widened as she realized why Lex had asked her that question. She looked at the demoness before looking at her hand until she clenched her fist and gained a determined look. "I think...no, I know my answer to your question, Lexious."
Lex looked at the young girl with a proud smirk. "Does this unit have a soul?"
Penny smiled and nodded. "The answer to your question is yes, Lex."
Lex smiled softly. "I know, little Senshi. Keelah Se'lai."
Ruby tilted her head. "What did you call her, Lex?"
Penny immediately translated what Lex called her with a smile. "Senshi, it's Japanese for Guardian."
"Guardian Penny." Ruby smiled at her friend. "It fits you really well from what Katana told us." Everyone nodded in agreement while Penny was happy to have her own nickname from their hostess. (7)
We see a tiny portion of the combined Galactic Fleet readying for the final battle of the Mass Effect Trilogy. "Geth warships number in the tens of thousands, including designs roughly equivalent to the dreadnoughts, cruisers, fighters and dropships used by Citadel species. Since the Geth are not limited by the demands for rest, wages or autonomy that would affect an organic workforce, their potential is constrained only by resources and time, allowing for the creation of such massive forces."
Everyone's jaw dropped in shock at the size of the massive fleet. Winter could hardly believe what she was seeing. "That more than dwarfs the size of all of the fleets on Remnant combined."
Lex smirked. "You haven't seen anything yet. You've only seen a small portion of the fleet." Everyone looked at her in shock that the fleet was even bigger.
"At the time of their creation however, the Geth were intended only to serve their Quarian masters as a cheap labor force. Designed to remain non-sentient, the Geth's networked intelligence eventually began showing signs of self-awareness. Alarmed at the increasingly unpredictable behavior of their synthetic workers, the Quarians attempted to shut them down."
Weiss's eyes narrowed. "Of course, don't want anyone finding out that they broke a major law." She scoffed. "Sounds like something my sister and I's sperm donor would do so that no one would ask any questions."
Winter gave her little sister a small proud smile. "You'll do our Grandfather proud, Weiss."
We now begin to see the Battle of Rannoch as Geth ships fired upon the Quarian ships who couldn't return fire in time. "In what would become known as the Morning War, the Geth initially refused the order for self-termination and eventually took steps to defend themselves when the Quarians began attacking them directly. Even at the height of the conflict, some Geth refused to abandon their loyalty to the Quarians while many Quarians themselves argued that the Geth should be allowed to continue to exist. As the war progressed, these more moderate viewpoints were swept aside until finally, the Geth were able to achieve victory."
Lex couldn't believe what she was seeing. "This is what would've happened if I didn't choose to save both races." Her eyes widened as she realized something. "Primus, is this the timeline my wife came from? After this, I'm gonna spend some more time with her." Little did she know, her daughters were having similar thoughts of spending time with their Quarian mother as well.
We see numerous ships, possibly the survivors of the Morning War, moving past a blue sun. "Reduced to a mere fraction of their pre-war population, the Quarians fled their homes aboard a vast flotilla of starships, now known across the Galaxy as the Migrant Fleet. While the Geth were more than capable of wiping out the remaining Quarians, they were wary of the ramifications of annihilating an entire species, especially their own creators."
Ren held his chin. "So they realized that if they eradicated an entire species, it would've haunted them for the rest of their lives."
Jaune nodded. "That's actually something you don't see often in sci-fi stories since they mostly have them immediately kill humans and faunus until a resistance begins to fight back."
Lex looked at him in surprise. "You guys have your own version of that series?"
"The Eradicator films? They're alright, not the best sci-fi but they're good for what they are."
"Remind me to show you guys those films later. I have a feeling that my world's version is much better than yours." (8)
"Instead, convinced the Quarians were no longer a threat, they allowed them to go in peace and retreated into isolation." We now see a massive ship leading dozens of Geth ships towards the Citadel. "Roughly three centuries after the Morning War, the Geth were contacted by an ancient entity that would later be known as Sovereign. A synthetic creature in many ways resembling the Geth, Sovereign offered advanced technology in exchange for attacking the Citadel, center of galactic society."
Lex didn't hold back her growl at the sight of the gigantic synthetic. "Manipulative bastard." She flipped off the screen while glaring at Sovereign. "Rot in hell you pile of scrap."
We now see the battle of the Citadel as numerous ships fought back against the invading army. "The majority of the Geth dismissed the offer, but a small percentage had come to regard Sovereign as a god, the pinnacle of synthetic evolution. Expelled by the mainstream Geth, these "heretics" as they came to be known, aided Sovereign in its attacks on Eden Prime and the Citadel before being largely wiped out by the Citadel Fleet and Commander Shepard, the first human Spectre."
Qrow looked at Lex. "I'm guessing Shepard is a guy?"
Lex shook her head. "Actually, you can choose Shepard's gender and facial features. Mass Effect was Bioware's first series that wasn't based on an existing franchise."
We now see a unique Geth with a massive hole in its torso. "Immediately curious with Shepard, the Geth commissioned a unique mobile platform roughly 11 times more capable than the standard Geth constructs. Later designated Legion, this platform would prove instrumental in bridging the divide between the Geth and the organic civilizations of the galaxy, perhaps laying the groundwork for a meaningful co-existence." We now see numerous synthetics that look similar to Sovereign.
Pyrrha looked at the screen in shock. "Brothers, what on Remnant are those things?"
Lex's eyes narrowed at the sight of the synthetics. "They are called 'Reapers', little gladiator. You'll learn more about them later."
"The chance for a mutual understanding may have come too late. Sovereign was not the only one of its kind and the Geth could become a powerful tool in their plans for the galaxy." We see the Battle of Rannoch again. "The Quarians too have made moves to retake their homeworld and evidence of the Geth's benevolence may not be enough to halt them. In the end, the fate of the Quarians, the Geth and the entire galaxy may be decided by a single choice." The video faded to black.
Lex stood up and stretched before looking at everyone. "So who wants to try the weapons from Mass Effect and maybe some other weapons from different franchises?" She smirked as all of the students, her daughters, and Neo all raised their hands. "Everyone follow me."
(1) - In order, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy from Mass Effect, Anko Mitarashi from Naruto, Sunset Shimmer from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Equestria Girls, Nico Robin from One Piece, and Bass Glitch who is an MLP OC from a friend of mine.
(2) - Honestly, it really does and even to this day, the first shot of the Citadel still blows my mind every time I see it.
(3) - For those curious, the closest translation that Tali gives us is "By the homeworld I hope to see one day".
(4) - Basically, it would be very heavy spoilers trying to explain it.
(5) - This is in reference to my Blade reaction where Lex sent Blade's actual sword to Katana and how she didn't receive it until chapter 3 of her Captain America 1 reaction.
(6) - I did say that they bypassed her censorship protocol, also I didn't mention who she was interested in for the second part as I'll leave that up to your own interpretation.
(7) Since she became Mantle's guardian and the Winter maiden in Volume 7, I thought the name would work.
(8) - A little hint at what my next story will be after I finish the X-3 reaction. And it'll be a big one, Katana already knows since I gave her a preview of it before I started working on these reactions.
And that's where we'll end this chapter. Next time, Lex will be showing different weapons from Mass Effect and other sci-fi franchises which might hint at future stuff down the line.
I hope you all enjoyed learning about the Geth as I did. So the next chapter of Blade is coming along nicely but it'll still be awhile, if anyone wants to help me with the transcripts of the remaining two Blade films and the first three X-Men films, I would greatly appreciate it and will give credit to you.
Anyways guys, it's late and I'm tired.
This is church2550, signing off 'til the next time. I'll see you then! Stay safe out there, Guardians!
