1–15–2157 0600 hours (Alliance standard calendar)
Citadel
Presidium
Union Embassy
Councilor Soliris was not an easily disturbed woman. It was a trait of those with shorter life spans; fast adaption was a way of life. Soliris had long learned to take grave news, political ambushes, and sudden meetings without so much as blinking an eye. She processed new information and put it to use quickly and efficiently at a pace that amazed even other salarians; 'prodigy' was the word often used. That was just one, among many reasons, why she had enjoyed a meteoric climb through Union politics, and why she had been chosen amongst all the Dalatrasses to represent the esteemed salarian race on the galactic stage.
She threw off the heavy thoughts, and stepped out of the elevator, entering her own private office on the Presidium. The well-designed room had served many previous salarian councilors; she made a mental note to make another sweep for any bugs her predecessor may have intentionally left behind. While ancient, the room design captured the beauty of salarian designs prior to meeting the asari. Its contours and curves complemented the crystal glass rather nicely. The office maintained cutting edge surveillance systems alongside C-Sec guards at every entrance and exit, along with a rotating configuration patrolling the perimeter nearby. A similar set up existed in the asari and turian councilor's office, albeit with a few key differences.
The entire office was designed to present a complex symbol of salarian prestige and ingenuity through the millennia, showcasing pieces artwork dedicated to some of the most renowned salarian heroes. Legends such as Silent Step and Ever Alert held positions of honor, although the subtlety of those artistic renditions may have been too elusive for the average visitor. Those heroes served as a reminder for the entire Union, of salarian intervention and influence that had long kept the galaxy a safe place, ensuring the continuity of galactic civilization. The Union was crucial to the advancement of civilization, despite the few setbacks it may have inadvertently caused.
Councilor Soliris saw her aide sitting at a nearby table, data-pad in hand, attention focused unwaveringly on the device before him. His whole demeanor displayed concern, causing his frown to deepen.
Soliris walked to his side.
"Are you alright, Valern?" She was careful to watch his pupils; they'd always been a weakness, although he'd been improving as of late.
Valern looked up, demeanor brightening as it always did. "Good day, Councilor. I trust that you slept well?"
"Not in the current state of the galaxy," Soliris sighed soberly, taking a seat opposite of Valern.
Valern was the most dependable and trustworthy individual with whom Soliris had the pleasure of working with. At a mere fifteen years of age and fresh from higher education, Valern lacked any real political experience, but he made up for that disadvantage with competence and increasingly growing intelligence. While most males tended to shy away from politics, going to the STG or other fields out of preference, Valern seemed fascinated by the prospect of political maneuvering and manipulation. Many Dalatrasses had complained of a male obtaining one of the highest salarian positions within the Union, but Soliris used that as a test, trusting Valern to find ways to keep them silent.
"Did you pass along my message?" Soliris asked.
Valern looked back at his omni-tool. "I'm afraid not Councilor. The turian embassy appears to be extremely preoccupied at the moment." He tapped his omni-tool, playing back a recorded message.
"I'm sorry, but Councilor Sparatus is unavailable right now. There are no openings in his schedule for today, and we cannot arrange meetings in the immediate time frame. Regrettably, we must ask you to contact our official embassy services to arrange an appointment more in line with the Councilor's schedule. We thank you for your patience and apologize for any inconvenience."
Valern ended the recording with one digit. Soliris just sat there, feeling extreme annoyance. The turians were treating her like a side-problem; a Councilor!
"What sort of nonsense is that?"
Valern just shrugged.
"Try his direct line. At this rate they'll keep us waiting for decades, and we both know I don't have that much time."
Valern pursed his lips. "I apologize, but that will not work either. I've already made several attempts to do so, but the turians have become unusually reclusive as of late. Councilor Tevos' aide reports the same thing: no contact."
"And what about the volus? I'm sure the turian's will listen to their own money." Soliris suggested.
Valern shook his head. "Ambassador Din Korlack has also reported that the turians have failed to meet with him on multiple occasions as well."
Soliris fell silent, thinking. "Clearly, something is not right. If the turians are not willing to talk with their own protectorate ..."
Valern rotated the data-pad and slid it over. "That's not the worst of it. Yet."
High Priority Message from STG Operative: Sharp Eye
The Hierarchy has redirected 60,000 troops and seven battle groups to the Attican Traverse. An estimated two-hundred plus number of transports, carrying an overabundance of goods, have departed to an unknown location, but Friend/Foe trackers indicate they may be headed for Relay 314. A fully armed, mid-sized naval taskforce has also been seen escorting the transports to the unknown destination. Reasons for these events have yet remained unknown. Will report with further details as they are uncovered.
"It seems the turians are acting secretively with no clear reason," Soliris stated. "If the Volus are also being kept in the dark, it makes me wonder what the intentions of the turians might be … and if the Citadel is safe."
Valern frowned, but did not disagree. It was clear that the turians had the military capacity to stage a coup, but what kept them from doing so was that they would lose more than they could ever gain if the salarians and asari were disposed. The guerrilla battles due to the asari alone would cripple at least half of the Hierarchy; the STG would utterly destroy the rest.
He shook his head. "Wouldn't that be counterproductive? The damage they would sustain from the combined forces of the Asari Republics and Salarian Union would be too much for so little gain."
"That is what concerns me. The lack of obvious motive or logic in the turians actions." Like most salarians, Soliris hated being blind and making decisions without a full picture of the situation. It was a common enough flaw, for salarians.
"I'm sure the Union is already taking the necessary precautions, but we are the players on this side of the field." Soliris assured her aide. "Come, we must leave." She stood up and started walking to the elevator.
"We are we going?" Valern asked, visibly confused.
"You said that we could not achieve communications with the turian embassy; so we are going to go there physically." Soliris' eyes narrowed. "Contact Councilor Tevos, and request she meet with us on the way."
Citadel
Presidium
Hierarchy Embassy
Councilor Soliris and Valern were waiting just outside the turian embassy, gathering attention from passersby. As professionals, however, they ignored the attention with an almost extreme act of nonchalance. Whatever the turians were hiding, they would found out about it.
"How much longer?" Soliris asked.
Valern checked his ocular implant, invisible to watchers but perfectly clear to himself. "The asari Councilor should be here in a few minutes," he replied.
His predictions were proven correct when the Councilor herself soon appeared, her stride both confident and elegant. Her own aide stayed a step behind and to the right, fitting for her station. They came to a stop before the salarians. "Councilor Soliris, it is good we could meet under such short and uncertain circumstances," Tevos said with a half bow.
"Indeed," Soliris responded honestly. "I hope the Republics have taken the necessary steps in the event the Hierarchy may need to be persuaded to share what they are trying so hard to keep a secret."
Tevos looked to her aide nodding once before returning her gaze to the salarians. Her aide stepped forward and handed them a data-pad before stepping back again. "Several large Republics' banks are ready to threaten massive sanctions upon the Hierarchy and many more are ready to recall any loans they have failed to paid," Tevos explained. "I trust that you understand our loyalty to old allies, but since we have agreed to your request, you know that you must also acquiesce to one of ours."
"Understandable," Soliris responded, crossing her arms. "But I would like to get to the bottom of this. Anything worth causing unease within the Hierarchy is a cause for concern."
"Indeed." Without so much as another word Tevos began striding off towards the turian embassy. Soliris and the two aides followed closely behind. Once they neared the embassy it was easy for them to spot the many differences surrounding it. There were at least seven more C-Sec patrols, in addition to the normal number, moving around the facility diverting prying eyes from the building. The window bulkheads were sealed tight, clearly highlighting privacy to be a top priority. Considering that the building now resembled more of a fortified base rather than an actual embassy, it was clear the changes had to have been subtle.
It actually made Soliris ponder why the changes had not been reported earlier. Or if they had been seen at all. Had the observation been contracted out to non-STG personnel?
Soliris and Tevos exchanged worried looks before wordlessly making their way to the main entrance. Directly in front of them were five C-Sec guards all well armed, stolidly motionless. The group walked up to the guards only for what appeared to be leader step forward motioning them to halt.
"Councilors Tevos and Soliris, it's a pleasure to have you both here," the officer stated. Based on his quick response it seemed as if he was already expecting them. "Allow me to introduce myself, Sergeant Picus head of the Third Citadel Security patrols." He placed a talon over his chest and gave a short bow.
Tevos returned the polite gesture before quickly getting to business. "We are here to meet with Councilor Sparatus with urgent matters that cannot be delayed. Please lead the way to him at once."
"I apologize, Madame Councilor," Picus quickly replied. "The Councilor is currently in meetings with the Primarchs and must not be disturbed. He sends his sincerest apologies for any inconveniences this may cause. His busy schedule prevents him from taking any unexpected visits. If you would like to arrange for a meeting more in line with his schedule, we would be happy to take care of all arrangements."
"Unfortunately, it is my turn to apologize sergeant, but that is not possible. As I have said, we have urgent matters to discuss with our colleague and will not be delayed," Tevos responded with polite force. Her calm posture did not betray her current agitation, centuries of experience taught her to mask her emotions.
Councilor Sparatus wasn't the most social individual, but even he would never refuse an audience with another councilor, unless… he was ordered to by the Primarchs themselves? A unanimous – or near unanimous – vote by the Primarchs was similar to the Convocation of Dalatresses, or perhaps when the Republics achieved a majority agreement. But what would the Primarchs have against the Councilors of their allies?
'By the goddess, what is going on?' Tevos thought, liking the situation less and less.
"Sergeant Picus, we must speak with the councilor, so lead us to him or step aside," Soliris stepped forward, clearly running out of patience.
Picus fidgeted slightly, highlighting his crumpling will. He looked to his subordinates for support, who stood erect and ready to carry out his orders. He then turned back to the Council representatives. "I'm sorry councilors, but my orders are to-"
"We don't have time for this," Soliris interrupted, barging right through the officer. The sight of a slender salarian forcing their way through a line of burly turian C-Sec officers would have been comical if not for the seriousness of the situation. "Tevos, follow me. I'll de-claw Sparatus with my own hands if I have to."
Tevos gracefully slid past Picus, joining Soliris in moving forward, only to be stopped by another set of guards. They each held outstretched limbs to prevent the Councilors from advancing. Normally a C-Sec officer would hesitate to lay a finger on a dignitary; especially ones as esteemed as the Councilors themselves, but it appeared their sense of duty overrode any contradicting beliefs. Seargeant Picus caught up with them, standing with his men.
"This is growing tiresome!" Soliris exclaimed. "Sergeant, I will warn you once; if you do not let us see the turian Councilor, the repercussions will be severe to both the Citadel and the Hierarchy. Is that what you want?"
"Never," Picus replied without hesitation.
"Then on behalf of the Council, I order you to let us pass this instant!"
Picus visibly struggled to make a decision; for turians, it was the ultimate battle of duty and loyalty – the blessing and curse of his people. Evidently he appeared to make a decision, and stepped aside, his subordinates doing to the same. Soliris and Tevos continued onwards, going deeper into the embassy while their aides stayed behind.
It had been a great deal of time since either Councilor had set foot into the Hierarchy embassy, but they both seemed to know where they were going. The embassy was like all turian architecture, incredibly organized and ordered to the point of being unnerving. Every centimeter of the structure was designed to make the most efficient use of space possible or to allow its guards to quickly fortify any of its routes. Overall it was very bland with little attention paid to anesthetics and nothing seemed to capture the councilors' attention. Asari would have held similar designs, but with fewer choke points and more artwork; the salarians would have reduced the entire complex to long hallways and security passages … but this was turian. Everything served a specific purpose, part of the greater whole much like turian society itself.
Turning a corner into the embassy proper, the two councilors were introduced to an uncomforting sight. The embassy proper was filled with extra desks for a great deal more turians than what Tevos or Soliris considered necessary. Additional communication arrays had been set up alongside the main desk, manned by turians that failed to notice their arrival. What were most notable were the guards in the room at every exit. The distinct onyx colored hard-suits and top military grade hardware left no room for errors in assuming who they were, the Hierarchy's legendary Blackwatch. They were utilized only in the most critical of battles, where failure was not an option. Their presence on the Citadel, secretively no less, was a step shy of openly declaring war – the Citadel was a crucial asset by any strategic analysis after all.
Soliris noticed the elite soldiers weren't wearing their traditional insignia's, possibly in an attempt to deceive visitors. She struggled to hold in a laugh; only the most naïve of individuals could ever be deceived by that trick. Still she had to hand it to Sparatus, without proper identification neither they nor any other ambassador could legally bring attention to these forces; any measly excuse could be made in order to discredit any allegations.
'Perhaps that was the idea, not to deceive but to avoid any official inquiry. My Sparatus, you are far more deceptive than you appear,' Soliris thought.
"What are Blackwatch soldiers doing on the Citadel?" Tevos whispered. "And more importantly when did they arrive?"
"I have no idea, but I'm adding it to my list." Soliris responded. Behind her façade she was greatly discomforted by the demonstration of turian stealth. Perhaps C-Sec being exclusively turian was a bad idea?
A turian approached them, coming to a stop and saluting as befitting of a superior officer. "Greetings Councilors, I am Captain Thesian Vidinos. I have been sent by Councilor Sparatus to serve as an escort. Please follow me if you will." Vidinos proceeded to move past them and back the way they had came, leading them away from the elevator.
"Where is Councilor Sparatus?" Tevos questioned. She made sure her voice kept in the lower registers; not quite in the commanding quality, but conveying her irritation.
"In a secure room at the back of the complex," Vidinos replied.
She nodded. His short, but direct reply was something she could appreciate under the circumstances.
As they walked further down the corridor, an unseen scanner read Vidinos' biometrics and opened a previously concealed door. "This way please."
The Councilors' reactions were a direct opposite of each other. Tevos was astonished by the secret door and made a mental note about it without breaking her expression. Soliris on the other hand wasn't surprised in the least; already aware of the secret entrance thanks to the STG. Though, she would have never had thought that Sparatus would ever actually use it considering his personality. If that was the case then something was clearly wrong. What both Councilors had in common however was being greatly irritated by the circumstances.
As they walked through the small disclosed corridor, Vidinos tapped a code on his omni-tool, resulting in the door at the end slid open. Voices carried from within, some angry, others conciliatory, but all serious. He stood to the side, waving the Councilors onward. They proceeded through the door and into a large conference room.
The voices immediately ceased, the vocal atmosphere replaced with lingering silence as attention turned to the councilors. Both Tevos and Soliris realized that every turian in the room was of high rank, either as a military officer or politician. Councilor Sparatus himself, sat at the head of the table, tapping away at the holographic controls and removing projected star charts that neither Tevos nor Soliris recognized. But, Soliris was able to send a rapid glance over them before they completely vanished, able to retain a perfect visual memory thanks to her race's photographic memory.
"This meeting will have to continue later, dismissed," Sparatus ordered.
Every non-Blackwatch turian in the room rose, saluting in one fashion or another before turning to leave. Their expressions were neutral, giving minimal indication of their mode. The door slid shut after the last turian left, leaving only the Councilors and the guards.
"Councilors, I wasn't expecting to see you today," Sparatus said. He stood, respectfully.
"It must be. We had started to believe that you had grown tired of seeing us!" Soliris responded.
"Nothing of the sort. As a matter of fact, I was just about to come visit both of you once my duties here were finished." Sparatus gave a small smile to his colleagues.
Neither Councilor returned Sparatus' gesture, Soliris' cold gaze meeting his eyes. "Is that so? Well I for one would like to question exactly what thoseduties are."
"Common procedure regarding security nothing more," Sparatus responded.
"Is that why the Hierarchy has been behaving erratically lately?" Tevos asked. "Why there are so many questions arising about your behavior?"
"I'm sure I have no idea-"
Soliris jumped in before he could mount a verbal defense. "Why has the Hierarchy raised all fleets on high alert across their territories and deployed seven battle-groups to the Attican Traverse?"
"As you already know, the Hierarchy has been pushing for increased patrols in Citadel space in order to secure the Traverse once our races begin expanding once more," Sparatus responded. "We are merely thinking ahead to the future."
"Is that so?" Tevos followed up her colleagues attack. "Is that why your government has placed a full tenth of reserves back into active service? Over five million soldiers?"
"Tevos, we-"
"And have already deployed a significant amount of forces and supplies to what appears to be Relay 314," added Soliris. "Tell me – what exactly became of the Second Fleet?"
Sparatus mandibles twitched in surprise. Even Tevos was caught by that news, her experience kept the most of the expression from being betrayed on her face, but Soliris could see her cheeks flush involuntarily – nothing an inobservant turian would notice.
"How do you know about that?" Sparatus' voice was steady, but intense.
"The same way I know that you've been refusing to meet with Ambassador Korlack," Soliris replied.
Sparatus remained silent, clearly unnerved by the amount of intelligence his salarian colleague held. Perhaps he had underestimated the STG.
"Do you understand how the recent behavior of the Hierarchy has made the Union very uneasy?" Soliris stated. "I've received many messages from multiple Dalatrasses. They aren't asking permission, they're simply informing me that they intend to deploy STG operatives and prepare to launch pre-emptive strikes, should their worst fears be proven. Sparatus, do you know what you have done?"
This elicited a response from Sparatus, albeit small scale. He sat up rigidly, his attention firmly set on Soliris. It wasn't so much as her statement, but the implications were known to all present.
"Very well." Sparatus's shoulders slumped. "I was ordered to prevent you from learning the truth for as long as possible," he sighed once, but long. "Under the circumstances I think we have withheld the information to an almost dangerous degree."
Sparatus straightened himself out professionally and replaced his demeanor with his usual self. "Exactly five galactic standard days ago, the Second Fleet came into contact with a large group of Terminus pirates who had the audacity to actually activate and utilize Relay 314. Admiral Servius followed them through it, to see what he could find."
"And what exactly did they find?" Tevos asked.
"The remains of the Hegemony Sixteenth Fleet, the pirate fleet, and not one but two space faring races." Sparatus clicked one of the buttons on his console, "Admiral Servius was forced to engage the rogue batarian fleet and the pirates, since they refused to surrender peacefully. As for the newly discovered races – Servius proceeded cautiously, doing everything he could to assure them that we were not affiliated with the batarians nor did we condone their actions."
"Councilor…" Tevos began, her frantic eyes betraying her calm composure. "Do you mean to tell me that the turians not only discovered two new intelligent races, but have already begun establishing relations without informing us of the situation?"
"Technically yes," Sparatus replied. "However, considering the many laws the Hegemony had broken, not to mention perhaps giving the new races the worst impression of the Council races, we believed it was best to first assure them of the situation and de-escalate any tension prior to informing the public. We didn't want to have another Parnack incident after all, and since our force was the only one near, we thought it best to gain as much information as possible."
"Sparatus," Tevos narrowed her eyes. "You do, of course, realize that your people have usurped the First Contact department? The section devoted solely to scenarios just like you describe?" she shook her head in disgust. "The fact that your race has discovered two new species and neglected to inform the Republics is an abysmal failure! What were you thinking?'
"As I have stated before, it became a circumstance of security and convenience. The Hierarchy believed it was in the best interests of the Citadel to quickly obtain dialogue and information from them."
'More like in the Hierarchy's best interest,' Soliris thought, but chose to say nothing. Unlike Tevos, she quickly realized the eezo mine that the turians had stumbled upon. Whatever technological, scientific, or artistic innovation these races may have cultivated, the turians would be the first to reap the benefits. She had to hand it to Sparatus, he had risen far, far above all of her expectations.
"These races," Soliris said, changing the topic from her colleague. "What can you tell us about them?"
"Only what they have chosen to share, and I dare say it is truly remarkable," Sparatus stated with pride.
Giving the equivalent of a turian smile, Sparatus pressed several keys on his terminal for a new image to be projected before all three of them, showing a creature in a full combat hard-suit that was very similar to the asari. In fact the resemblance was striking.
"By the goddess," Tevos whispered in shock.
"Very interesting indeed," Soliris added, raising a hand to her chin, using the other to support her elbow.
"Yes, I can understand the sensation. The similarities are indeed startling. Of course DNA files they have provided confirmed that while levo-amino based, they have no relations to the asari. They are however capable of producing biotic individuals, great numbers in fact despite not being inherently biotic." Sparatus explained.
Tevos circled the projection, taking note of the similarities between their species, but also of the distinct differences. The hair that replaced the head scalps, the different basic skin tone and texture especially. Aside from those differences, nearly everything else was practically identical to an asari – finger count, facial structure, basic proportions ….
'No, they resemble bulkier quarians rather,' Tevos contradicted herself in thought. Openly she said nothing, unwilling to complicate matters further. Unlike the other Councilors, given their species shorter life-spans, Tevos had lived long enough to have actually seen quarians without their enviro-suits.
The humans seemed taller and possessed a more sturdily build than the quarians. Their facial structure and hair were practically identical to the wandering nomads, complete with lips, eyelids, and tear ducts. The only noticeable differences between the two were the quarians bent legs and the number of digits on their appendages.
"I certainly was not expecting this," Soliris stated, great interest plastered over her face. "What else can you tell us?"
"They are a bi-gendered, mammalian species. They have a very robust physiology. Physically they seem on par with the batarians while being more agile, but not as lean as the asari. Their metabolism is faster than all but the salarians. They appear to have better stamina, but on are par with turians for endurance … but their most notable traits seem to be their genetic diversity and an ability to adapt. A well rounded species to be sure. Their military doctrine is also impressive, using novel tactics and technology to suit their needs. It's very surprising considering they are relatively new to space-flight and mass effect physics."
'Leave it to Sparatus to ignore true scientific discoveries in favor of military tactics, but I suppose he can't help it being a turian after all.' Soliris was already imagining what experiments could be conducted, intrigued by the limitless possibilities.
"What of the other race? You said the Hierarchy had discovered two," Tevos said.
Sparatus pressed a different set of keys to display another image. The new creature was vastly different than the last, appearing reptilian with an impressive physic. Its two-meter height gave the creature an imposing presence. To Tevos, it appeared as if it were a hybrid of a turian and krogan. Its eyes were placed to the sides of the head, while sharp talons were clearly visible at the ends of its hands. The creature was clearly stronger than an average turian, yet had the physical build to outrun a krogan. The signs of an apex predator were obvious.
"These beings call themselves the Raloi. These bi-pedal reptilians are renowned for their sense of smell. As you can see, they are clearly superior in muscle mass while having the build necessary for speed. Of course, the drawback is that they aren't very flexible, and their stamina is average. Military wise, it seems they generally prefer to use a combination of offensive and defensive tactics in order to secure ground while simultaneously keeping the enemy from becoming too organized. An interesting note is that they tend to prefer tropical climates, but are known to handle extreme weathers." Sparatus clearly directed that last statement to Soliris, who merely gave a scoff.
"They clearly have the brawn, but we'll see if they have the intellect." Since salarians were an amphibian race that predominantly preferred tropical climates, the raloi could either be considered a potential ally or a grave threat to the very existence of the Union.
"So far Servius has only been in contact with the humans, the raloi have chosen to be … reclusive … not that I can blame them," Sparatus said. "However, we learned from the humans that they and the raloi maintain diplomatic, economic, and military ties. Their government's name is the Systems Alliance, a clear sign that they share the same relationship as our three races do. The fact that two young races could develop such a coalition, even if minor, is impressive."
"I agree, though I believe we have already wasted enough time as it is. Sparatus, I presume Admiral Servius has invited them to the Citadel?" Tevos asked.
"Yes of course."
"Then I believe we should do our best to prepare ourselves for the occasion. I will be in talks with the Matriarchs about the situation and see what gifts we can give to our would-be honored guests. Sparatus, if you can, update me with any new relevant information," Tevos said, already making her way towards the exit. In all her centuries in foreign diplomacy none have been as taxing and stressful as this day has been.
Turvess
Tyran
Kongre Atrium
"The structure of the Council is meant to benefit the top caste while the lower associate races squabble in buffoonery. Therefore based on the information we have learned, it is clear to me, honorable senators that any allegiance to this Council would only bring about the ruin of our people."
Durak Ilgaz, the Vekil Representative from Rivain, now having spoken for some length, resumed his seat at the small podium facing the gathered senators. He bowed slightly, acknowledging the calls of support and applause from the right side of the chamber, where his fellow party members sat. Other than that segment, the assembled senators remained quiet.
If one were to enter the massive chamber from a newcomer's point of view, they would note that while the room was completely circular, it held seats in only half the room.
The crescent moon shaped amphitheater held its five hundred members in multiple tiered levels. In this fashion, the auditorium allowed every senator and vekil to have a seat, as well as allow an audience to easily see everything. Acoustics, carefully designed over the course of time, were almost perfect; allowing a single pin-drop to be heard from anywhere in the chamber.
A few meters away from the center floor, there was a small podium upon which was a chair; reserved for the Vekil if one needed to ask. Along the wall, between the twisting columns, were red banners, hung from the roof and decorated with sparkling rims and golden tassels on the bottom. On each banner was a golden avian creature, its head looking sideways with its wings spread, its claws gripping two green, crossing laurels. Between the laurels, in golden letters, were the founding initials of that great body: S.T.I. It stood for Senato ve Turvess Insanlar: The Senate and the People of Turvess.
Having heard the Vekil, First Electore Phaux rose to his legs. Despite what many considered to be ancient at almost a century and a half years old, he moved with the grace of someone half his age. His position, curse or blessing that it was, consisted of controlling the floor: choosing who had the word, and keeping the unruly senators in line.
"Vekil Durak Ilgaz has put the motion on the floor. Who will second it?" His old voice croaked like primordial being, low and commanding. Immediately several senators in the back sprang to their feet, offering their support.
One notable raloi, younger than the majority of his peers, watched the scene with keen shoulders hitched slightly, barely hinting at his disgust. The Consul's cronies were so quick to assist their 'humble' leader, sycophants in deed if not thought.
Etos Marae continued to watch as more and more of the consul's supporters added strength to their master's argument, completely disregarding its lack of substance. Despite being one of the youngest consuls present, a mere twenty-three years of age, Etos was well on his way to becoming one of the most influential members of the Emek party. His seat at the front, signifying his position as an esteemed member of the Kongre, gave him a clear view as Vekil Durak resumed his seat.
Its location gave Etos his greatest advantage, letting him read every minuscule twitch and move of the Vekil to determine his true motives. This uncanny ability, to observe body language of his colleagues and deduce their agendas was the reason he had risen through the ranks so quickly. In just two years, he had gone from an obscure – some would say – a very young child, to one of the ruling forces in the Kongre. His 'Increased arms production proposition' had been miraculously approved, thanks to current circumstances and had quickly expanded his influence. In fact he had been an instrumental figure in calling for the Confederacy to align with the humans' Systems Alliance. If the others were honest with themselves, it would be certainly fair to say that Etos was a force to be reckoned with, one that has been gaining momentum.
Etos allowed himself to feel a surge of satisfaction; he was a force the Vekil had not anticipated, perceived as a non-entity. It was an attitude he'd permitted to proliferate … until now. When the floor became available, Etos rose to his feet and spoke.
"Honorable Electore! I request the floor!" There was a moment of shuffling as all the senators turned to look at the young man. More sounds from the audience chamber, not quite as well-disciplined continued long after the senators stopped moving.
The primordial creature stared at him, shrewd eyes that had seen over a century of political machinations. The eyes smiled, but the rest of the body remained perfectly aloof; one of the many reasons Etos held him in such respect. "The floor recognizes the Vekil of the second parish of Ferelden, Etos Marae. You have the floor!" The Electore banged the long wooden quarterstaff in his right hand against the floor.
Etos cleared his throat, raising his head so that his voice would carry in the large room.
"Fellow senators, honorable members of this exalted assembly I believe that the most respectable Vekil of Rivain makes a fair point," he paused, letting murmurs arise from the ranks of the men and women assembled, but he quickly continued. "However, I also believe that he fails to see the potential repercussions of his proposition."
At his words the hall became silenced, he had their attention now. With his special gift, he could see the angered scowl of the older Vekil kept hidden, despite the years of experience honed through years of political struggles.
Etos continued walking down the steps as he spoke. It was an old trick, the most significant portion of his speech would come at the podium itself; people knew that innately. "Since the birth of our race, unity, cooperation, and mutual aid have been the foundation on which we grew."
He reached the podium, fully visible to the gathered politicians; a small turn of the head ensured the audience held a profile view of his features – priceless posturing in the grand scheme. "These words are the embodiment of our confederacy and reflect the very essence of our culture, our heritage that has stood for countless generations."
He paused again, holding the senators attention. Seeing that most were indeed listening closely, he continued, making gestures in theatrical fashion as he walked along the edge of the podium, turning from the audience to the consuls in turn. "The fact that we are outright taking an isolationist stance, dismissing all other options prior to a simple proper meeting with the Council is preposterous! Have we forgotten how we came about to become a space faring nation? Or how we held the line at an alien world, gathering valuable allies in the process?" Several senators and even a few consuls began to sit upright, nodding approvingly at the young raloi.
Etos' voice began to grow louder and more confident, taking advantage of the visible support. He spun, robes flaring and theatrically pointed an accusing finger at the older consul, including the seats occupied by the older man's supporters in his gesture.
"For too long the honorable Vekil and his respectable party members have held us back. By rejecting the increase in military spending over the years, they have allowed our people to grow weak and vulnerable. They have held us back for decades and now they seek to block a chance to become part of something greater." He turned back towards the senators sitting on the balconies, seeing uncertainty on their faces.
Etos directed his next words to them; the art of rhetoric demanded he incorporate as many possible. "I understand the fear many of you have regarding this Council and many of their decisions. I agree skepticism is the best course of action; however we cannot simply judge their merits based on the past alone. Aligning with the so called Council and its Citadel could usher in a new age for our people, an age where we carve out our place amongst the stars. For us to deny the Council an audience simply because we are afraid, to deny any alternative due to fear, is nothing short of cowardice. I would deem it outright treasonous to our people!" He closed his talon in a gripping motion over his heart and gave the assembly a pleading look, using quieter tones. "We must not let the fear of cowards and old men hold us back from our potential. If the raloi do not have strong leadership, our unity is broken and we will quickly descend into bloody anarchy."
He raised his voice once more, "Therefore I vote against the motion to not send an ambassador. Let us be wise and cautious yes, but let us not hide under the stones in terror." Etos returned to his seat, slumping slightly, almost unable to contain his smile. Many of the senators rose to their feet, shouting either encouragement or decrying his attack. Several of the gathered started shaking their talons at each other.
First Electore Phaux had to call for silence several times before the assembly calmed down sufficiently for him to be heard. When everyone had finally resumed their seats and silence had returned his hoarse voice spoke up. "The honorable Vekil Etos Marae has spoken against the motion." He turned his attention to Durak and looked at him expectantly. "Does the exalted Vekil Durak Ilgaz offer a rebuttal?"
The shocked Vekil quickly regained his senses and rose to his feet. "I will hardly offer this pathos-oriented argument any notice." He looked disapprovingly at Etos before continuing. "However I would like to clarify for the gathered assembly that we are not here to talk about abolishing any contact with the Citadel, merely that we as a people should decide our own future." He resumed his seat looking smug.
Waiting a moment to make sure that the Vekil– a man who would usually speak for hours on end – had truly nothing more to say, Phaux turned towards the assembly. "If anyone has anything further to add to the discussion make yourself known!"
When none rose to take the floor, the First Electore slammed his ornate quarterstaff on the floor and made the announcement: "The motion to avoid establishing contact with the Citadel has been put to the floor by the Exalted Vekil Durak Ilgaz of Rivain, seconded by numerous senators of his party. Vekil Etos Marae of Ferelden has spoken against the motion. All those in favor, vote now."
Etos saw the Rivain Vekil and his supporters make movements, using the time-honored system built into the desks surrounding the amphitheatre.
Several minutes later, the ancient speaker slammed his staff against the floor once more. "Those opposed to the motion, vote now!"
Etos pressed the crimson icon on his holo-pad. He was slightly concern that he couldn't see what the tally was for either side, but confident his point had been made. Win or lose, his reputation would rise; either as a rising force that could stand with the powers of their time, or as a strong, independent voice that had to be reckoned with. He turned expectantly towards Electore Phaux and awaited his judgment.
Etos could see Phaux reading the results of the voting; timeworn shoulders still unbent by the years. The markers were imprinted digitally on a screen attached to his podium for easy access. "With two hundred and twenty three in favor and two hundred and twenty five against … the motion to stop all proceedings with the Citadel has been dropped."
Cheers and thunderous applause, combined with angry cries of denial echoed through the chambers. Eto's back was pounded and his hand nearly shaken numb by congratulating senators. He couldn't help, but smile and nod while they complimented him on his victory.
'That was too close for comfort.' He smiled once his eyes scanned the older Vekil, slumped in his chair with a look of utter defeat on his face. 'It's a good thing you don't realize how close you were to beating me, in fact it would be for the best if you never do.'
When the noise quieted in the hall once again, Phaux made another announcement. "Now then onto the next course of business. Who shall we send to represent our race?"
Many senators turned their heads towards Etos. It was obvious they believed him to covet the glory of such a thing. 'There gonna love this.'
Standing from his chair once again, he made a bold declaration once again. "Honorable Electore, may I speak?"
Phaux gestured, "Vekil Marae of Ferelden has the floor."
Etos bowed acknowledgement, exchanging a smile with the old one. "Fellow senators and consul, I believe I have an idea that all may find agreeable."
Many perked at his statement while others rolled their eyes at what they believe would be another over the top performance. Yet none could expect Etos to deliver a roaring proposition, one that has never been done before.
A/N: Another cliffhangar! Don't you people just love me? I was originally supposed to have this up on Monday last week, but college got the better of me. Anyways you get to see things from the Council's and the Raloi's government perspective and you can see each has reason to be cautious.
I am going to address a few guest reviews, keep in mind I can't do this every chapter as a guest can review chapter 1 and I can't really go and edit it to address the guest. I read all reviews and if a guest leaves a simple praise its not a big deal however if they have a question then that presents a problem because then I can't respond. So for future reference if you have a question, but leave a review as a guest then I need to have some form of contact info so I can respond to you. That being said here we go.
Guest (Sep. 9) - I already have many units we have to juggle, both human and alien so while Endwar online units would look like a good addition there is a thing as having too much so for no the answer would be no, due already numerous units.
Guest (Aug. 22) - The SA corvettes have a main energy cannon that is 30 petawatts. I am aware the strongest laser that we have is 2.3 petawatts, but those type of lasers given their size would be outfitted on ships. To draw a comparison the E.F have lasers as a giant satellite cannon, the main weaponry on their spacecraft, used as a secondary weapon on their tanks and IFVs, and finally E.F troops have lasers as opposed to grenade launchers on their rifles.
While I haven't specified the exact concentration of the beams on anything other than the main cannon of the ships, that is so it can be open to interpretation. So just because I don't state the E.F is using lasers at 2.3 petawatts doesn't mean they don't have lasers that are more or less powerful. Adding a laser such as the one in Japan on a dreadnought, I feel, wouldn't work because such a weapon would take up power from other systems and for something with such low energy it wouldn't be beneficial. If you make the laser more powerful, then that means even more power would be taken and chances are there will need to add more power generators exponentially increasing the cost to operate such a dreadnought. When you design a military vehicle its not just the amount of firepower it can dish out, but how well they can serve their purpose without being tied down by the weight of their arsenal.
That being said, the Telsa is a super carrier so adding a main cannon wouldn't make much sense.
Anyway I hope you guys are satisfied with my answers. Now on other business.
I have a question for all my reviewers, do you guys think Andromeda will work from a lore perspective?
We all know the limitations of ME Relay travel and even the Reapers aren't capable of FTLing to other galaxies. I mean I am sure they can reach other galaxies, but that would be due to them being machines and with 30 lightyear travel it would take immense time. There is also the thing of not being fully aware of the state of the Milky Way galaxy which I feel is required in order to know why Andromeda is happening in the first place. Basically a why and how Andromeda is happening.
There is also the issue of possible plot holes. If there are other intelligent life in other galaxies then why didn't they try to harvest them as well? Why only limit yourself to just the Milky Way galaxy? Another thing is whether you are successful or not, how will others in the Milky Way be aware?
I am confident Andromeda will be a great game, I am just worried of Bioware having to juggle, ignore, or really stretch explanations given how they've limited themselves due to the writing of the original trilogy. Another thing is we don't know when the events of Andromeda occurs which is another important detail.
Finally, and this is just for me. What about the art that has been released? Our main ship, the Tempest, has been revealed and I feel a little disappointed. The reason is that it looks 90% similar to the Normandy and I really wanted it to be its own thing. It would have been nice to have a new model.
Likewise the new Mako looks nothing like the old one, yet it bears the same name. Why? If its a different vehicle a new name designation would be proper. Its why the M60 Patton and M1 Abrams have different names despite being tanks. Anyway let me know your thoughts,
Trivia:
1. The Council POV in this chapter was heavily inspired by 'Mass Effect: Invictus' by General Meridius, which is in turn inspired by 'Predestined' by Eterna1soldier. Both are excellent pieces of work and I recommend you take the time to read them. It's also a shame that they appear to be dead-fics as well. However, for those of you that have read 'Mass Effect: Invictus', you can clearly see some distinct differences between my version and his, such as the Council's thoughts of humanity and the raloi as well as of course the heavier emphasis of detail.
2. In this chapter we also see turians breaking away from the stereotypical truth-bound species we all know, love, and/or hate. This is to show that while they are honorable and truly believe in upholding peace there are times when it can conflict with the Council's own rules and that is a element I wish to explore.
3. We also get to see Vidinos, a character from Mass Effect 1 and the leader of a spec-ops turian unit from the ME3 war assets.
4. The raloi political POV was inspired by the book 'Give me back my legions', which dwells into the Roman expansion into Germany and Northern Europe. Ironically, while it is meant to be a military heavy book there is very little action, 90% of the book deals with politics. I also inspired by the fic 'Empire of Man' by Holland93. Can we get those fics completed by the way? I mean I enjoy reading fanfics too you know.
5. The word Kongre, used to describe the Raloi type of government, is Turkish for Congress. My partners and I are basing the Raloi off of the Ottoman Empire to make them feel distinct as you can already see by the type of words we are using. Yes I am aware the Raloi have a confederacy and the Ottomans had an empire, I said basing off of not making a carbon copy.
6. The word Vekil is Turkish for delegates, don't you all love the things you are learning?
7. Given the previous trivia note you can guess that S.T.I. or Senato ve Turvess Insanlar is indeed Turkish for The Senate and people of Turvess. See us Americans can be quite knowledgeable of other cultures.
8. Finally, Emek is Turkish for Labor so now you are all even more educated.
9. Etos Marae's name was inspired by a star system, all I did was butchered it. Unfortunately I forgot the name of the star system so for those of you curious, sorry.