Dawn of Titans

by F13D

There is nothing fair, just, or honorable about war. There is only winning and losing, the living and the dead. Humanity has learned this truth and has ascended to the stars. What effect will this have on the rest of the galaxy, one that has experienced millennia of peace? Will it be able to maintain the peace or will it be ushered into a new age of war? Let the end begin. A/U

21. Chapter 21 - Formal greetings

1-20-2157 0910 hours (Alliance standard time)

SSV Bagration

Battleship

Command Deck

The gentle hum of the life support systems and slight rumble from the engines seemed strangely distant inside the large human vessel. The bridge of the SSV Bagration swarmed with activity, each section exchanging information and reports at blinding speeds. Various holo-screens filled, then emptied and filled again with sensor data, analyzing spatial geography with an exceptionally ruthless enthusiasm. From her position at the wide galaxy map, near the rear of the bridge, Admiral Drescher and several of her senior officers examined the synopsis of that data. What the codex had revealed gave hints, but nothing taught better than experience.

The Serpent Nebula was one of the older relics of the galaxy, thick and heavy over the passage of countless millennia. Its murky depths had yet to be fully charted, even by the salarians, despite their insatiable curiosity. Some quality of its chemical makeup defied analysis, leaving the denizens of the galaxy reliant on sub FTL speeds when exploring. People being people, very few ventured into its depths for that reason.

Buoys marked the known routes, and relayed every scrap of data they could detect, raising headlines when even a stray comet passed within range of their limited sensors. While brought up when the talking heads thought if it, the Nebula was truly a mystery holding an enigma wrapped in a guise no one could see.

"Arriving at the target system in T-minus six seconds."

Drescher gave a brief nod to navigation. She had already relayed her orders to the task force not much earlier, so she didn't need to worry.

The small task force of nine ships arrived in the system in a flurry of electrical archs that existed for only a brief moment before the universe reconciled itself, eliminating the foreign elements. The mixed Alliance/Confederate formation packed itself together with the Bagration in the lead. As rehearsed, each ship exited the Relay in near perfect order.

Every vessel and its commanding officer knew what role they played. The destroyer squadron accompanying the battleship formed on its flanks, bringing additional weaponry to the vanguard. The corvette flotilla assigned to the task force hung close to the Bagration, using its massive bulk to shield them from possible scanners angled from the Citadel. Upon re-entry, they activated their stealth systems and broke away, heading past the Relay in the opposite direction.

Admiral Drescher watched as the bridge crew manned their station, communicating with each other and the other ships in the task force in a perfectly organized manner. The professional attitude prompted an approving nod, but otherwise she stood with a stern expression on her aging face.

This was a crucial step; making an impression on the Citadel proper was nearly as important as it had been to the turians in the Shanxi system. Her shoulders relaxed a minuscule fraction as she made a small inspection of the tasks force status – a motion perceived by her bridge crew, and therefore relayed throughout the ship … and the fleet. Every action she took would be seen; and the only thing faster than FTL travel was gossip, a tradition older than every nation on Earth, probably.

"All vessels: slow to cruising speeds!" Drescher ordered. Her voice was calm, but carrying, the product of years of experience at the Command Central.

"Aye, commander." Her navigations officer replied. Seconds later the thrusting force of the engines slowed to a crawl, counter-thrusters activating quite violently. Battleships may have existed to be floating fortresses, but that also translated to being less-than nimble craft.

It was a necessary precaution. Surrounding the taskforce was the dense fog-like shroud of the Serpent's Nebula, its dense nature severely limiting visibility. Thankfully, the Bagration's sensors were still fully operational, and picking up a massive energy spike. The eezo readings were off the charts and for a moment Drescher was concerned she might have stumbled into a trap.

Suddenly, the brilliant blue nebula obscuring the forward view ports dissipated, giving the Bagration its first glimpse at the center of galactic civilization. To most, it truly was a sight to behold, nearly identical to what the Codex had shown.

The Citadel was a monolith of truly gargantuan proportions. Its length exceeded forty kilometers, larger than even Arcturus's expansive girth. Its length split into multiple arms, kilometers wide at their base, but still possessing an ephemeral beauty. Like a butterfly, opening its wings to the morning sun, the Citadel unfolded itself to create a truly awesome display, a welcoming gesture to the newest species in the galaxy – at least according to the records. As a first sight, it was intimidating indeed … and Drescher knew it.

"My god," one of the crew-members whispered.

Drescher herself was silenced by sheer awe, not an easy feat. It took time, but she recollected herself and began delivering orders. "Activate sensors to full power; I want to know what I am looking at."

"Affirmative, ma'am transferring sensor data to command console."

She checked the sensors, bringing up the visual enhancements. There were more lights outside the Citadel, ships, tiny by comparison yet equal to her own fleet in size. Their running lights, outlined the slight silhouettes of alien ships; were too many to be counted. Like her own convoy, they were holding position in a parade-like fashion. At the center of the formation was a massive ship, bigger than any of its neighbors. Its height rose kilometers over them, forcing Drescher to crank her neck upwards to receive a full view. The formation didn't look menacing, not exactly; so much as it did … enchanting.

The sensors seemed to indicate a certain dichotomy in the alien fleets. The largest ship held its position amongst others that looked similar; graceful swooping lines that surrounded an oval aperture that glowed element zero blue. Above the Station hovered a larger fleet, populated by the angular turian ships, none quite as large as the monster hovering to one side but in vastly greater numbers.

That left a small grouping of sleek vessels below the Citadel. Unlike their neighbors, this small fleet appeared ready for action, every member oriented towards the Alliance delegation like a school of sharks.

"Ma'am, we're receiving hails from the alien formation," Holms reported.

Drescher nodded; they had predicted this possible interaction. "Patch them through."

Immediately a message was broadcasted through the Bagration's loudspeakers.

"Unidentified vessel, this is Matriach Lidanya of the ARV Destiny Ascension. Please state your intentions."

Drescher wasted no time preparing the codes Admiral Servius had given her, transmitting on every channel her communication specialists could detect. The turian admiral had warned her that the Citadel would have precautions in place to deter criminals; but the codes he'd given her would help them identify her task force as a diplomatic force. It seemed unidentified intruders near the Citadel station were not kindly received, for understandable reasons.

To lessen mistrust, Drescher had the task force power down their weapons. That particular decision had been the result of a long and heated series of meetings, particularly on the behalf of those captains that had been in Shanxi the longest. However, she had won her point after noting that the vessels operating under stealth did not need to follow the same procedure.

After sending the code, Drescher waited anxiously for a reply. The horrible thought coursing through her mind refused to leave, a malevolent idea haunting her attempted calm. Having just survived a massive naval battle just a short time earlier, it struck her that she could easily perish here. To have come this far, only to be shot down by a security fleet would be highly ironic … an amusing thought, if morbid. Strict honesty forced her to admit it was not like she was practically defenseless. She was sure the security fleet had to be more than a bit intimidated of her own ship as well. Still, a thin layer of sweat covered her features.

Then the comms crackled.

"Codes confirmed. We have been informed of your arrival; please proceed to docking bay D24. You will receive an escort to your destination. Follow the route precisely; if you diverge from it we will assume hostile intent. Matriarch Lidanya out."

It wasn't long before the Bagration received the coordinates. There was little difficulty for the Alliance battleship and her companions to follow the route precisely, ending with the massive ship docking without incident. The crew was efficient and disciplined,

Drescher piped a call to the ambassadors. "Madams, Sirs, we are approaching the station. Godspeed on your mission."

---

SSV Campoformio

Diplomatic ship

Citadel Docking Bay D-24

A crew-member opened one of the side compartments in the Kodiak, withdrawing four self-contained oxygen recycling masks, one for each delegate. She handed the masks to the delegates, pausing to make sure each slid the clear plastic over their mouths and noses. No one was taking any chances with foreign contaminants, as evidenced by the masks and several biological sensors on their omni-tools.

While their skin was unprotected, it was the Alliance's hope that any foreign bacteria that did make contact could easily be treated on the ship's medical center. The marine escort didn't need such devices; combat-grade armor came guaranteed with similar functions, even better in certain cases.

Goyle inclined her head to one side, listening. Mechanical whirring sounds could be heard from the Kodiak's doors; the shuttle's specially outfitted docking tube had to be just connecting. If it worked correctly, the alien metal of the Citadel's airlock and the shuttle's ablative metal alloys formed an airtight seal. Or so they hoped.

"Commander Hower, if you would be as kind to take up a position beside us. Have two of your marines stay a bit behind I know it goes against your training, use us as cover. Everyone else: Hands at your sides and no one make any sudden movements." Goyle glared at the soldiers until they complied. She didn't want to risk a diplomatic incident within the first few seconds of official contact.

"And please, please keep electronic surveillance to a minimum. Passively observe their radio traffic as much as you can, but do NOT attempt any sort of system intrusion, unless you believe them to be hostile. We don't know how sophisticated their systems are and I'd like to avoid the appearance of cyber-warfare."

"Affirmative, ambassador." Hower gave her a salute, crisp and professional.

As the Kodiak's shuttle door hissed open at the middle, Goyle took a calming breath. She peered through the passage and saw that beyond the plain gray metal of the Kodiak docking tube lay a bright white room, what she assumed was the airlock of the Citadel. Goyle started to step forward, her steps mirrored by the marines beside her.

As they crossed through the docking tube into the threshold of the station, Goyle felt the pressure of artificial gravity washing over her. But it felt slightly … odd. It wasn't something she put her finger on, but it certainly felt nothing like the form of gravity Alliance ships used, the kind she'd grown accustomed to over the years. It was slightly off-putting, but she pushed the feeling to the back of her mind.

All ten of them passed through the airlock, and the Kodiak's docking tub doors slid shut behind them, booming with hollow finality.

"Attention shore party. Stand by for decontamination."

Out of the ceiling an opaque mist began to spray from unseen nozzles; Goyle's hands hovered over her omni-tool. Innocuous-looking as it was, its hidden programming held enough deadly weaponry to get her thrown off multiple human worlds.

"Commander?" She kept her voice steady.

Hower convened with Velasquez for a moment before replying. "It's safe ambassador. According to our engineer's readings, it's a decontamination mist just like the voice said."

Goyle calmly moved her hand back to her side, letting the mist gently beaded up, instantly evaporating as soon as it made contact. She raised her eyebrows when a blue square materialized in the air, its appearance very similar to the Alliance's own bio-metric scanners.

With a slight hum, the presumed scanner began slowly moving towards them. The softly synthesized female voice they had heard earlier returned saying, "Decontamination in progress."

The scanner's field passed over Goyle, conveying a slight tingling sensation across her skin, but it quickly passed. The field moved inexorably onward, scanning the rest of the small room before reversing direction.

Before disappearing, the female voice returned. "Decontamination scans complete. No foreign contaminates detected."

Goyle and her N7 escort stood ready, waiting for a sign of what would be happening next. While professional, she could see some of the group remained nervous, deep down and – she could empathize. After all, they had just traveled practically across the galaxy, from a war-torn colony to the center of a foreign power. Moreover, they would soon be diving into negotiations with the alien coalition supposedly responsible for that strife. It was understandable that the tension filling the airlock would increase. The door slid to one side, letting the tension release at the first gust of artificial atmosphere.

Goyle's eyes took in the scene in an instant. The first figure she saw was a male turian, standing a few meters directly in front of her, his distinguishable fringe easily determined. Piercing green eyes quickly surveyed her, then darted to the N7 marines beside her, lingering just long enough to be noticeable. He was dressed in what appeared to be black hard-suit with bright red trimmings and designs. He was tall, Goyle placed him at above six feet; but what was the fact that his skin tone somewhat resembled the red trimmings of his suit.

His rigid stance radiated an atmosphere of pure calmness. With confidence, he professionally wore his uniform without the slightest wrinkle. The one thing that jumped out to Goyle though, was the style of markings on his face, nearly covering it all.

Flanking the man stood two full squads of large beings, fully armed and armored. They appeared to all be of the same species, with several exceptions. Goyle felt her heart stop. 'What have we gotten ourselves into now?'

The turian in the odd uniform stepped forward. "Hello. I'm Assistant Executor Pallin of Citadel Security. I welcome you aboard the station."

After a brief pause, Goyle stepped forward as well. "Anita Goyle, Systems Alliance Director of Foreign Affairs. It's an honor to meet you Assistant Executor, from what I have seen, it is a beautiful place."

"The honor is all mine, Director." Pallin replied respectfully. He gestured down the path between both platoons, further into the station. "Now if you will follow me to the Citadel Tower in the Presidium, the Council is waiting for you."

---

Citadel

Presidium

C-Sec Headquarters

Docking was a long procedure, filled with dozens of minute details best processed by synthetic minds. Regulations required an active organic mind overseeing it, but in the past seven hundred docking maneuvers he'd undergone, there had been precisely two incidents that had required his direct intervention.

As expected, the contacts touched without his needing to lift so much as a finger.

Inside the vast C-Sec office sat Desolas Arteruis, Chief of Citadel Naval Operations, staring at a reasonable sized monitor. He typed away, eyes skimming over various C-Sec reports. "Avina, what have we got?"

The VI repeatedly blinked, processing and displaying the data he'd deemed necessary. However, due to the increased electronic traffic, it took the virtual intelligence longer than usual to complete its tasks.

This greatly irritated Desolas. As a high-ranking official within the Citadel, he had many other tasks to finish, and had lost patience hours earlier, regaining it only with great effort. He began beating his talons on the table, chanting the Five Rules the entire time. This had not been in the plan for the day. Earlier, much earlier, he had made plans to have an all-too-rare relaxing evening with his family, mainly his younger brother Saren.

They had agreed on blowing off steam at the local bar to ease their stress; he with his work and Saren with his own tasks. Now of course the evening was ruined; a pity. Relaxation was a rare commodity nowadays. His own line of work, while a source of great pride, was also the cause of great stress. He had considered ignoring the call to the Citadel; there was little good reason to continue overworking his body. Of course, his conscious and sense of duty had reasserted itself … and he found himself in this situation.

But now, seeing how the situation had evolved, he was happy that he had come – to a certain extent. These 'humans' and 'raloi' were truly interesting races. Reports of the incident were fascinating to read, and spoke well of the Systems Alliance, for taking prompt and reasonable actions. At the moment, while waiting for more information, he was staring at a monitor, watching as Assistant Executor Pallin waited with the honorary C-Sec detail near the arrival's docking destination. He had heard a great many things of the unknown races. The bare facts, let alone rumors, did much to earn both his caution and respect.

It wasn't just a simple meeting of minds … this conference. The discovery of two new species heralded a potential for incredible violence. Historically, while rarely turning to aggression, a First Contact could indicate war on a galactic scale.

Frowning, Desolas ran a quick search. The Hanar and Drell First Contacts had been peaceful, as had the Salarian and Volus. But the Krogan were introduced to the Citadel after their discovery by the Salarians, and their resulting victory in the Rachni Wars while the turian themselves had entered the galactic chessboard during the Krogan Rebellions. Just the military potential of his people had prevented centuries of bloodshed, but in doing so had altered the balance of power in such a way that historians were still struggling to understand.

Parnack, and its barbaric primitives were certainly an outlier. Still, the lesson taught by the aggressive Yahg could not be ignored.

The Rachni had been a truly disastrous First Contact, out of six. Technically, the Krogan and Turians had achieved peaceful initial greetings, but both had become embroiled in war almost as soon as they'd been discovered. Statistically speaking, call them a half value each. The current ratio then was two out of six contacts resulting in galactic war … these humans and raloi had a thirty-three percent chance of being exceedingly hostile. But, there were other factors.

They had been discovered by Admiral Servius, an already distinguished naval officer, who would no doubt be heralded as an exemplar member of his species. Unfortunately, first impressions had been soured by the fact that it was the Hegemony that officially made contact with the Systems Alliance and had done so by opening a dormant Mass Relay in the process.

'By the spirits, do the batarians have any sense of self-control?' Desolas dropped his mandibles in a private display of contempt, 'I always knew they were scum, but this time they crossed the line. If it were my decision I would simply kick them off the Citadel and let the new races have their way with them.'

It was galling, remembering all the times he'd advocated for increased patrols in the Traverse. In hindsight it would have been preferable to simply blockade any ship entering from batarian space and force them into allowing routine inspection. Impractical perhaps, but preferable to the current situation.

The Citadel's VI responded in his internal earpiece. "There are ten figures currently undergoing the decontamination process. Another group of five is being scanned as per routine security protocols. The first group matches bio-signature parameters for human life forms, six male and four females, half of which appear to be heavily armed. The other group consists of raloi bio-signatures, predominately male with only one individual unarmed."

'Nine armed guards in total?' Desolas thought. He had been told that the Systems Alliance was very keen on security, but it didn't make it any less surprising that they would bring what consisted of an armed squad.

While the heavy precautions could be due to a lack of trust in the Citadel's own security; he could not fault them. The system had failed them, allowing an associate race, one who had not been adequately supervised and – up until this point – been allowed to roam like hedonists, to unjustly massacre them.

What greatly interest him was how the humans apparently had five civilians as opposed to one. He had read reports of how the humans were rather diverse, but he would have never thought it applied to their government as well.

'Perhaps they have a government very similar to the Republics; many city-states, one overall government. It would explain the number of ambassadors.' While unverified, he decided to use the explanation as a primary guide for dealing with the potentially non-unified leaders. As head of Fleet Division, he was well accustomed to making deductions in a vacuum.

He just prayed these humans didn't enjoy debating as much as the asari.

A quiet chime alerted him to an incoming data transmission. With a quick wave of his left arm and some specific talon-prints, he ejected a chip from his omni-tool. Within seconds of inserting the chip to his private terminal, the information was displayed on a holographic screen, detailing the biology of the two species.

Even though he was just skimming the most vital bits of information, he was genuinely surprised by its contents. Due to the infamous bureaucracy for which the Citadel was known; he had only just acquired the information, and was barely in the process of assessing it. He made a mental note to send an appeal to the Executor, requesting a fast-track for any requests of imperative intelligence. Specifically, for the security of the station. How could he plan an adequate defense against these races if he didn't even know their basic biology?

The data was extremely helpful. Apparently, the raloi were largely similar to his own species: down to similar facial features and apparent avian nature, despite being classified as reptilian. Their skin appeared to be much smoother however, resembling soft pristine leather. They had a much bulkier frame overall, but Desolas was confident that turians held the edge in agility and range. He was glad to hear that the raloi preferred tropical climates and breathed a mixture of nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere.

'That certainly is a blessing. The Hierarchy doesn't need another dextro-acid species competing for colonization rights.' It had been an unspoken truth, that once the quarians had been banished from the Citadel, all dextro-acid worlds within Council Space became the property of the Hierarchy by default. Even un-colonized planets served a purpose, forward operating bases that few contested … save the batarians, of course.

The other race, however, was more interesting. They greatly resembled the asari with some modifications to skin-tone, facial features, and a more robust figure. Like the small annoying mammals he'd seen on tour, humans possessed hair. Records from before the Quarian/Geth debacle indicated the quarians too had hair, but it had been a moot point for over three centuries now. Though he was no scientist, he was intrigued by the obvious variety.

'Perhaps their home-world has several types of climates causing such anomaly in their evolution.' He thought. 'Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. Within a few weeks I'll have to read through the salarian drivel. Spirits, how I hate this job sometimes.'

The air shifted, cascading down the exposed sections of his armor, and he could hear the soft hiss of his door opening. He didn't need to turn around to know who the new arrival was, the biometrics already held the information on his screen. "Good day, brother," he said without taking his eyes off the holo-screen.

"And to you as well, though I can't say I'm surprised to see you camped in here like a varren." The newcomer walked slowly into the room, as was his way. The figure was careful, analyzing everything as if seen for the first time.

"Well my job happens to be that important, Saren."

The taller turian paused. "So you requested my presence because …?"

"I thought you would have enjoyed suffering with me. Besides it's not like you have anywhere to be right now." Desolas gestured to a nearby seat.

Saren gave a light laugh, choosing a closer chair. "Unfortunate, but true."

Desolas nodded, feeling somewhat chagrined at the relief washing over him; at feeling relaxed knowing the other was safe. It was a trait that had often gotten him chastised for being overbearing – but as the older sibling he simply couldn't neglect his duties as role model for Saren.

There were upsides to the trait. It was one of the reasons why his younger brother had been labeled an exceptional soldier within the Hierarchy military. As a distinguished member of the elite Havoc Corps, Saren was well-known for being a man of action and would be hard-pressed sitting behind a desk all day.

Being a bureaucrat was something Desolas knew Saren would never become. While both brothers were avatars' of the Hierarchy's strict adherence of the greater good, their chosen career paths had taken them down separate destinations. One was a leader, the other was a fighter. One used proven doctrine, the other improvised. Desolas relied on experience, while Saren survived through raw skill. Even coming from the same family, none could have predicted how different the brothers would turn out to be.

Desolas shook his head. There was no regret for his chosen career, at least not most of the time. Many years ago, he had learned to place the good of the Citadel and its associate races before the good of even his own kind. A minor sacrifice for himself was nothing by comparison.

Saren was equally dedicated. He was impetuous and passionate, qualities certainly useful on the battlefield, but not conducive to diplomacy and compromise. The skills he did possess were evidenced by the multiple awards Desolas knew were stashed in a secure locker; they saw the light of day only on formal occasions.

Still, Desolas was determined to drill in the lessons he had learned, especially considering the rumors of late. He'd dropped enough hints, but the Council had already been inspecting Saren as a potential Spectre candidate. If that were to happen, it would mean he would be the youngest turian inducted into the clandestine force. Given that Spectres served the Council above all others powers, it was his personal mission to force Saren to understand the merits of such things. Of course things had been difficult; Saren being incredibly stubborn on the issue.

"So I assume these new races are the cause of your imprisonment?" Saren asked, a half-smirk in his eyes.

Despite his casual attitude, Desolas could see the scrutiny behind his brother's eyes. Like any turian, Saren was trained to analyze, to seek out threats and weaknesses. Given the Hierarchy's militaristic nature and its role within the Citadel, it was vital that all threats be purged before having a chance to sprout. The Krogan Rebellions had merely been proof of a civilization's way of life, one that had been nearly destroyed by the backwards war-loving fools.

"Indeed they are and, in case you haven't noticed, it's my job to make sure nothing goes wrong." Desolas replied.

He heard Saren gave an unconvinced grunt. "If the rumors I've been hearing are anything to go by, then you've already failed."

"It is a precarious situation." Desolas ignored his brother's sarcastic remark. He wasn't going him the pleasure of a reaction. "Nothing else can go wrong. The Council has already restricted Relay travel and has set up checkpoint bordering batarian space."

Saren's mandibles jutted outwards, figuratively blowing a raspberry at the ruling body. "I believe it's a little too late for that."

Desolas had to agree with his brother. The Council held a long history of being lenient with the Hegemony, most predominantly allowing them to continue practicing slavery due to their so called 'cultural rights'. Ironic; the rights of one group required the removal of the same rights of others.

Unfortunately that wasn't the only example. The Hegemony had flat out slapped the Council in the face, ignoring its laws on a frequent basis. Despite being welcomed into the galactic community with open arms – a colossal mistake in his opinion – batarian aggression had provoked multiple crises in galactic relations over the years. Four centuries ago, a batarian fleet had bombarded the salarian colony world of Mannovai. Barely a century later, the Hegemony forcibly annexed the independent asari colony of Esan; and less than fifty years ago, Citadel forces had skirmished with the Hegemony military over the planet Enael. Now, the batarians were at it again, attacking an unknown civilization and risking the possibility of all-out war.

'Whatever happens from here on, no good turian will die protecting those scum.' Desolas could follow many orders, but making turians fight and die in vain was not one of them. That would be the final straw. If the Council sided with the Hegemony, he was prepared to resign. He refused to be a part of an organization that set aside its ideals to satisfy a parasitic relationship with liars, thieves, and murders.

He shook his head, returning to the task at hand. "What are your impressions of them?"

Saren sniffed, appraisingly. "Admirable. Worthy of respect."

"Why?"

"They've fought and defeated the batarian forces over their colony." Saren let his teeth show; he held as low an opinion of the Hegemony as his brother.

Desolas held back a careful look; "You know I haven't confirmed those rumors?"

"You've never denied them either."

A smile appeared over the older Arteruis brother. Saren had remarkable skills indeed. They returned their full attention to the monitor, watching as Pallin escorted the delegates through the many serene locations of the Citadel.

A small detail did stand out to Desolas. Interestingly enough, the humans did not seem favorably impressed by the ships on display. Even the Destiny Ascension, the largest ship ever built to his knowledge, failed to elicit a reaction. The Council had conveniently placed it in a critical point, visible from the docks on the way to the Presidium. Fortunately the spectacles of the route seemed to leave an impression on the raloi, but so far the humans had yet to show any sign of emotion.

'Strange, perhaps the humans are trained to suppress unnecessary reactions.' Desolas pulled his seat closer to his monitor, watching with keen interest. 'But then, why would the raloi do the opposite, if they are such close allies?'

---

Citadel

Presidium

En route to Council Chambers

Etos' head turned from side to side, taking in the station around him. He had never seen so many wonders in his brief existence. The sheer size of the space station with its lakes and forests, the statues and artworks, and all of the alien species roaming around was truly spectacular. He had to force himself to stay concentrated, staring straight ahead as the C-Sec patrol led the raloi/human envoys towards the station's Council. He kept his posture dignified, walking with a straight back. As the Confederate's ambassador he had to look regal and poise.

Walking through the streets of the Citadel, he could see the alien guards were clearing a way through the quickly gathering crowd. Civilians from multiple races gawked at him and his protection. He could understand how they felt, he himself feeling the same sort of curiosity.

Subtly, his predatory instincts subtly made themselves known, keen eyes scanning the crowd. Like an apex predator stalking its prey in an open field, , Etos felt himself becoming delighted over seeing multiple races whose biology made them inept for warfare. He could see a few who violated this observation, but those seemed to be the exception.

Etos checked his preparations once more, a huge burden relieving itself from his shoulders as he felt a small metallic sensation in his uniform's pocket. The feeling brought a smile to his face, which the crowd misinterpreted as if it were directed towards them. With the newest translation updates installed in his omni-tool, he could hear and very well understand the crowd's cheers.

'Hanar, volus, elcor ...' He mentally listed off the various species throwing greetings at him. In order to gain a better sense of the other races, Etos made sure he had read every available report concerning each of them, ranging from their role on the station, their unique biology, and even their history. His brain was in constant overload having to keep the wide array of information in his memory.

He could see how the turian guards looked at him and his colleagues with a mixture of interest, trepidation, and calculation. He certainly couldn't blame them for having such feelings; the young raloi did strike an imposing figure. Towering over two meters in height, Etos was comparable to a miniature giant. His physic was no less impressive, his hard-suit displaying his toned body. But these were merely physical traits, ones that were obvious. What the turians should really be concerned about was what they couldn't see.

He made a similar observation upon the human entourage, sensing the many different emotions emitting from their souls. Fear, anxiety, anger, and dread were sentiments shared by the group to varying degrees.

'Just because they are my allies does not mean I can't remain skeptical. An bond formed out of necessity is always weaker than one formed from trust.' Etos granted the humans the benefit of the doubt, focusing on much larger opponents.

"VIP en route to CC. Patrol 2-5 moving through sector G-8, are we clear over?"

The lead turian guard, holding his omni-tool close to his helmet, searched the nearby balconies for threats. No one expected the worst to happen, but it was preferable to remain vigilant.

'They are all on edge,' Etos recognized. He could understand why. They were guarding a foreign dignitary, as alien as they were to him and it was their job to get him to the Council alive and unharmed. 'We will have to be cautious around these turians. They are unlike the others, whose weakness can be sensed.'

"All VIP escorts, you are clear for transport. Move to sector Transit Zone Four and wait for pickup, over."

He, along with the humans, was escorted to a landing pad where the turian security squads fanned out and secured the perimeter. He recognized the pattern easily and was somehow comforted by the resemblance of raloi tactics. He looked to his guard of Shadows, who nodded approvingly at the security measures. Four armored shuttles landed, and he was huddled into the second one while the human delegates and their guards stepped inside the third before they took off at great speeds.

He had thought that being confined within the windowless shuttles would give him some breathing room and some time to clear his mind before his meeting with the alien council. But being in such close proximity to so many aliens was unsettling. He was literally rubbing shoulders with his two guards while the turian drivers continued piloting the craft in silence.

The awkward and uncomfortable ride lasted less than five minutes before he was ushered out of the vehicle. If he had thought that the scenery of his previous route through the Citadel had been amazing, then it paled in comparison to what he bared to witness now. Everything the raloi had ever created, from the greatest technological innovations to the most regal of palaces were utterly shamed.

Looking upwards, the sky gave a dazzling sparkle, billions of scintillating points of light making their presence known even through the thick panes above him. Their steadfast brilliance comforted him like nothing else. No matter what alien species came, or even if he were destroyed by an errant trigger-finger, the stars witnessed and would remember long after he departed.

Walking along a metal walkway, flanked on both sides by leafed trees, bushes with flowers of varying colors, and even small shimmering rivers running along the path to his sides; it was simply breathtaking. Looking up, he could see the glass ceiling, through which was a magnificent view of the Widow System, and a huge dreadnought flying just outside. Truly, it was a marvel to behold.

The main interest, he decided, was in the trees. Gardens could be designed in many ways, to display herbs and flowers like the National Gardens of Palacea, or a tribute to the ancient majesty no man could truly master, like the Darkening Forest. Somehow, trees added a sense of gravitas, a feeling of things that were older than yourself looking over your shoulder.

Here, the Presidium Gardens lacked some of that, leaving him somewhat lost. The trees present were thin, short specimens, with more blue in their leaves than green. Yet they had an inherent majesty about them, echoes of the planets where their ancestors dwelled.

His group followed the path up onto a glass podium, now looking across the room. He could see three terminals, currently unoccupied, across a small chasm between his podium and their position. The murmurs of the collected officials and dignitaries filled the large room. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see numerous aliens gathering on the nearby balconies to have a better view of the proceedings. They were no doubt curious as to how the humans and his people looked liked.

'Good this means the negotiations will be broadcasted. Even better.' An even bigger smile appeared over his face, amused by his great luck.

After another minute of waiting, which he figured felt like an eternity to the humans given the sweat coating their skins, the station's three councilors made their entry. Seeing the humans in their state, Etos was thankful for his race's ability to handle tropical heat. To him it was slightly chilly, but nothing more.

As the codex had suggested, the Council consisted of the three major races, a turian, asari, and salarian. Each councilor took their positions upon the formerly unoccupied terminals.

From his peripheral vision, Etos noticed a batarian as well, a male given his appearance. 'A brute, trying to pass himself off as an ambassador. How amusing.' He noticed how the batarian lacked any facial markings or tattoos, a visual contrast to each councilor.

'Is it possible the tattoos signify an individual as a councilor? It could also be an unlikely coincidence that the three Council races merely have them to display their culture.' He didn't have much time do dwell on the thought for long as the entire chamber immediately fell silent upon the Councilors formal arrival.

While they disguised the move with polite chatter amongst themselves, Etos saw through the attempt. They looked at him apprehensively, sizing him up, analyzing him. His posture, his eyes, his hands … all seemingly taken in with careful examination. He saw the humans were not exempt from such scrutiny either.

Theoretically, the Councilors were most likely making notes to themselves, regarding the stress level and biology of the gathered dignitaries assembled before them. It was certainly a sound strategy. Any conclusion their observations made would quickly be taken into consideration. It was a standard practice in politics. He bared his teeth in a welcoming display, using the motion to hide inner glee. Even the most careful examination would fail to identify the true nature of what he carried.

The asari councilor politely cleared her throat, showing her intent to speak. "The Council is now assembled. We welcome the dignitaries of the Systems Alliance to our Citadel and to the galactic community to make their case against the Hegemony."

Etos noticed how the councilor had used a possessive term when describing the station as if they were the rightful and sole heirs of it. Only now did he realize that he had been taken along the most scenic and impressive route to these chambers on purpose. The huge ships guarding the station, lingering at the docking bay long enough to obtain a good view of their formation. All of it was part of a game with the sole intention of weakening his resolve and accept the barest deal offered. As much as he would hate to admit it, it did work to an extent.

"The charges are violation of the Citadel Conventions Protocol One and Two, Common Article Two and Three, thus resulting in grave breaches. Additional charges include willful killing, torture or unconscionable treatment, willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health to force conscription, and extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity," the asari read off.

"Baseless accusations without any proof!" The batarian ambassador hissed. By the reactions, it was apparently out of turn. "It is clear that this is nothing more than another attempt by the Council to disrupt the Hegemony's cultural rights. It is obvious since the Council has been unable to conform us; they seek to bring forth more accusations – this time with new races bringing the charges in order to gain support."

Etos saw the disruption caused by the batarian ambassador did not sit well with the Council, especially with the turian councilor, whose narrow eyes and tight jaw made clear of his disdain.

"With all due respect Ambassador Pazness, we have all gathered to hear both sides and come to a solution. You would do well to remember that your kind has a long history of disrupting galactic peace." The uncharacteristic glare from the salarian councilor seemed to subdue the batarian ambassador, if only for a moment.

"We apologize to everyone assembled for the interruption." The asari's elegance would have entranced Etos, if not already prepared to hear such things. "I greet all of you assembled in the name of the Citadel Council. I am Councilor Tevos and to my left are Councilor Sparatus and Soliris."

He made a shallow bow and waited for her to continue, but instead it was the turian councilor who spoke, his slightly resonating voice sounding odd in the vast chambers.

"We have received recorded evidence from both the Systems Alliance as well as from one of our most decorated admirals respectively. I will do well to remind you ambassador that as of this moment it is the Hegemony's word that is being examined."

"We've also been notified by STG Operatives that, according to the Hegemony's own naval registry, there are nearly three weeks in which the 16th fleet is unaccounted for. Please ambassador would you like to inform us of the gap?" The salarian councilor inquired. Unlike the gentleness of the asari, and the assertiveness of the turian, this councilor was logical and straight to the point. It appeared to have some affect as Pazness seemed caught unguarded.

"What!? Impossible, I have no prior knowledge of this!"

"Perhaps that may be true, but if that is the case then I hope you understand why we would be highly suspicious of the Hegemony's attempts." The asari's soothing tones veiled what was obviously a rebuke behind mediating words.

"Not to mention, Admiral Servius has recorded footage of pirates using a dormant Mass Relay," The turian councilor flatly stated. He keyed a few commands on his terminal and a holographic display of the incident filled the room.

From the angle provided, Etos could see the turian corvettes did their best to remain hidden as they recorded incriminating evidence of the event.

"As you can see, the pirates clearly used the Relay to FTL to an unknown system, one now confirmed to belong to the Systems Alliance. Once the rest of the Hierarchy's Second Fleet had regrouped with the advanced recon ships, they followed the pirates and found this ..."

The scene changed to show Hegemony and Systems Alliance ships embroiled in a fierce naval battle, dozens of ships being annihilated to hundreds of ordnance being fired. Etos was able to point out a few raloi ships as well, the remnants of Talal's battle group. The scene was then fast forwarded to highlight a large remaining portion of the Hegemony's fleet now skirmishing with the Hierarchy fleet, an even more vicious battle if that was possible.

"As everyone can see, this is enough incriminating evidence to launch a full investigation on the matter. Personally if it were up to me, I would have expelled your government for its failure to comply with Admiral Servius' order to surrender." he vicious tone in the turian councilor was clear. A welcome sound to Etos. Leaders who couldn't control their followers deserved – a well, perhaps cultures differed here. But this turian seemed to have the right idea.

"This is a clear fallacy!" The batarian ambassador once again yelled. "This does not prove a Hegemony Fleet was responsible for activating the Relay."

"Perhaps not, but it does prove the Relay was already activated by the time the pirates arrived within the system and it also proves that the Hegemony fleet was already conducting operations in the area. It's rather reasonable to assume the Hegemony was the one responsible for activating the Relay as the evidence points to it." The salarian commented drily. Even if the footage did not show the Hegemony fleet actually activating the Relay, the general public would be quick to accuse the Hegemony of such actions.

Of course, Etos decided to stay silent, not wanting to provide the actual truth. In reality, the Confederacy had more involvement in activating that particular Mass Relay, the same Relay the Hegemony was currently being blamed for.

'Absolutely perfect … and a nice twist of poetic justice,' He thought.

Tevos interrupted his thoughts. "Every bit of evidence we have points to the Hegemony being responsible for the activation of the Mass Relay and guilty of willfully caring out war-crimes. As you know the penalty for such things would be the removal of the Hegemony's embassy on the Citadel."

"This is absurd; the Hegemony would never stoop to such acts! We are a noble and proud race, committed to following the route to a more peaceful galaxy. This proceeding does nothing more than to expose the clear bias of the Council against the Hegemony." The batarian ambassador growled. "I demand to see this so-called 'proof,' and test it for myself!"

"If you wish for us to believe you ambassador, then please provide evidence to the contrary." The asari calmly stated, choosing to ignore Panzess' claims.

"I cannot refute accusations made against my kind that I have no prior knowledge of taking place," Panzess stated in response. His body hunched slightly; not in fear, but more closely similar to a predator realizing of a hidden threat. Possibly from his own people.

"Either you are lying ambassador, or you are truly ignorant of these events taking place. If that is the case then it's most likely that the admiral of the Hegemony fleet acted on his or her own." Tevos gestured, allowing the salarian to take over the questioning.

Etos could see what the whole negotiation was coming too. The Council was coming on hard, fast, and strong. He also understood their strategy of switching turns to speak. It made them look like they were agreeing on everything and had the effect of throwing the other party off. Clever.

They had the whip, putting the batarians in their place and asserting their authority over the newcomers to the masses, who were undoubtedly watching through all the cameras and other recording devices which were placed in the room. Not that he could see them. Now they needed a carrot designed to make him and the humans feel privileged and honored, that way the council could coax whatever they wanted out of him and still look like the heroes to their people and the newcomers.

Not that their tactic would work. The analytics had foreseen such a move, and had prepared accordingly. Now it would undoubtedly be the asari councilor who would take charge of the proceedings. The codex had pointed the asari as being the main diplomats of the Citadel, forging deals and usually acting as mediators in conflicts. They were the obvious choice as the warm, friendly, and welcoming race.

Sure enough the asari ended the questioning with an interrupting sound, clearly rehearsed to look spontaneous, and proceeded to speak. As much as the asari had experience in politics, the action couldn't fool Etos. He had been exposed to such tactics for many years, by senators and consuls within his own government.

"While we must place some ground rules for the sake of mutual security it is however an auspicious day. We are welcoming an entire civilization to the galactic community, two new races with their own history and culture, art and knowledge. While our initial meeting turned into an unfortunate incident our continued relations will see us exchange ideas and incorporate the human and raloi race into the galactic fold."

She smiled at him, largely a part of the gathered guests. He, along with the humans, mirrored the gesture. He knew what they were doing, they thought they were clever, but in truth they really had no idea.

The asari continued.

"We must of course render assistance to the human and raloi race medically, technologically, and economically. The Citadel species can offer much to the Systems Alliance and it is to my hope that we can continue this great era of peace."

That finished Etos's opinion. He knew what she had meant by 'assistance.' Make the new races reliant on the technology and products of the Citadel species. By 'economic' support, otherwise known as free market business access, they would thereby outdo what they believed was available to humanity and the raloi. It would have the effect of making sure both races would be dependent on the business and markets of the Citadel species, thereby creating leverage.

He had to admire the skill, however. The words were spun in way to make it sound as if they were rendering assistance to failing, primitive races. He could tell the human delegates did not like that either. The Council had really rehearsed it all it seemed. Now it was his turn to answer.

"Members of the Citadel Council, I am honored and awed by your seat of government and the generosity displayed by the species of the Citadel."

He could see the genuine grin of the asari councilor, hidden behind a façade of polite, but proper calm. The salarian and turian councilors appeared unfazed by such praise, perhaps more concerned by the actual substance of the meeting. Either way, they believed that they had made an irresistible offer, one that the newcomers in one way or another could not refuse.

"I would therefor like to apologize on behalf of my species for the unfortunate incident, where a member species of the Citadel attacked both my kind and the humans in unprovoked aggression and blatantly activated a dormant Relay as a result." He believed he showed them the point there. They would not be able to excuse the actions of the batarians. He did notice the faint smile on the faces of the turian and salarian, while the batarian ambassador was practically fuming.

"We agree completely that some ground rules must be placed for the mutual security of our people." He held up his hand in an apologetic gesture. "But I am afraid that I am unable to make those negotiations myself."

He reached into his pocket and produced a small sphere. It was a mobile holographic platform. It would allow an image of another person, or in this case people, to be projected even if they were light-years away. A basic tool created using Mass Effect physics, but greatly under-utilized in the political arena.

When Etos had first proposed this tactic many were baffled. Would it work? Would it be beneficial? Could it give the Confederacy an advantage? After much debate, it was finally settled. It seemed various party members would rather be presented together than not at all. It would convey a message of unity, like the one the Council was emitting now with their higher position and superior numbers.

It would also secure the integrity of the individual negotiating since they wouldn't be compromised by the numerous pleasures the Citadel promised. Furthermore, it would mean that the members of the Confederate government would be able to negotiate with the Council without any being present and therefore not be in danger of capture or threat. The many senators, consuls, and even electors had of course heard everything since he had transmitted the negotiations through his omni-tool.

He placed the sphere on the floor and pressed a button on the top. It immediately sprung to life, rising multiple meters above the ground before projecting the colored image of the amphitheater of the Confederacy. Standing front and center was First Electore Phaux himself.

"Greetings honored councilors of the Citadel. I am First Electore Phaux of the Raloi Confederacy. My many compatriots and I will be negotiating on behalf of my people."

The raloi Electore looked at the Council intently. For Etos, he assumed the Council found it odd talking to a hologram. He certainly had pulled a fast one on the council while showing the raloi's potential as a member species. To have the ability to make a transportable holo-projector, one that could walk around at will no less, was no easy feat.

The Council certainly seemed absolutely baffled, their years of experience unable to mask their shocked expressions. Etos immediately knew his tricked had worked beyond any expectation. For a full five seconds the entire chamber was eerily silent. As for the icing on the cake, First Electore had given the proper name for the raloi, the Confederacy. No doubt this would make the Council appear ignorant and if their blank stares were anything to go by, they were clearly embarrassed. Etos ran a quick mental calculation, and decided they would try continuing in the negotiations and not let attention remain on their rather obvious mistake.

"I'm sorry Electore Phaux, but did you say the Confederacy?"

"That is correct councilor."

Tevos bowed her head, extending both arms slightly. "The Council humbly apologizes for not being aware of your governments' proper designation. Based on the pieces of intelligence provided by the Systems Alliance, we believed both of your kind to be lead by the same organization."

"The apology is not needed, Councilor. I understand given our cautious stance, you would have been unable to deduce our proper history, culture, and race."

Etos saw the asari councilor's head turn to the humans. "Then would I be correct in assuming the Systems Alliance merely represents the human race?"

This time it was the human delegates turn to speak.

---

Citadel

Presidium

Council Chambers – Minutes Earlier

Stunned did not properly describe the situation. Goyle had seen many incredible things during her career, but nothing could eclipse the plethora of every kind of alien life standing before her. Seeing photos of the many species was one thing, but it was certainly another to be standing merely feet away. Then there was the chamber where she stood.

Her overall impression of the Tower was of metal. Metal and sparse greenery. She had come from old stock, with homes on multiple planets, each with its own charm. What she had learned from one venerable gardener was that green did not just mean a certain color, it encompassed a whole feeling. It rested the eyes, comforted the nose and soothed the hand. Splashes of color amongst the greenery gave the eye a place to track, motion in a static environment.

The Tower used that trait to perfection, planting bits of foliage in strategic locations to divert the eye. Colorful plants nestled between harmless-looking shrubs, and several taller plants gave the illusion of a deeper growth than one could normally expect on a space station.

Every bit of it led the eye to the stairs, leading towards the Council. It was a work of art, done in living material. Genius, when contemplated long enough.

But Goyle was expected to resist such temptation from absorbing her mind, unlike Adam and Eve.

"Then would I be correct in assuming the Systems Alliance merely represents the human race?"

Goyle smoothed the seam of her elegant robes and shook herself minimally. Her sharp eyes closed for the moment as she thought over one piece of information from the briefing before opening them again. The raloi had caught the Council off-guard, now it was up to her and her allies to take advantage. Again, she blessed the fact that the raloi had met with the Alliance peacefully; if the two had opened negation by fire … Lord only knew what would have happened.

She took her place in front of all the human delegates under the calculating gaze of the Council. It wasn't dissimilar from her colleagues. "That would be correct, councilor. The Systems Alliance is humanity's representative body of Earth and all her colonies. My colleagues here," She motioned to the four individuals standing behind her with a wave of her arm, "Are each from Earth's largest nations, whose militaries and civilians were instrumental in the repulsion of the batarian's invading force."

Her first words were stirring and bold, yet she had only merely begun.

"Likewise, the batarians have committed dozens of war crimes against their people, including mass murder, kidnapping, and torture. It is only because of our belief of peace that we wish to avoid extending any bloodshed so long as those who are responsible are brought to justice. The Coalition is here for that exact purpose."

A momentary pause soon followed, indicating her spectacular performance. She had now revealed the true nature of the alliance, but at the same time had given a proper name to identify the raloi and human union.

"It is good to hear ambassador, it is a tragedy that our people had to meet under such dire circumstances," Councilor Tevos said with a frown on her features … those all too human features.

"Indeed a tragedy on an immense scale," Goyle replied sadly; instantly she crafted a subtle jab of her own. "So many lives have been lost in the war for our colony. Even more so when hundreds of thousands of our citizens have been kidnapped and enslaved."

"As per the Citadels own conventions, a sovereign race's own cultural heritage must be respected." Once again the batarian ambassador inserted himself into the conversation. "The proud Hegemony will not conform itself to please others beneath it."

An intake of breath indicated annoyance. "I do not need to be reminded of the conventions considering my race was one of those who drafted it." Councilor Soliris pointed out. An acerbic look communicated better than words of her opinion of the batarian's argument.

"Councilor Soliris is correct," the resonating voice of Councilor Sparatus once again capturing attention, "If the Hegemony wishes to participate in such deplorable practices then they are free to do so, but they should leave the rest of the civilized galaxy out of it."

"You wish to discuss deplorable practices, councilor," the batarian ambassador vehemently spat out the title, "How about the clear attempt by this Council to improperly assign blame to the Hegemony without sufficient evidence to indict it. For that matter how do we know it was not the humans or even the raloi that activated the Relay? As we now know the previously unknown system has been confirmed to belong to them."

Inwardly, Goyle cringed. The batarian ambassador's deductive reasoning was not too far from reality. Up until this point, the Systems Alliance had failed to correct the turian's assertions as to who had really activated the Relay. Since the blame was being put on the shoulders of the race who had attacked humanity it seemed like a justified scapegoat, but if the real truth were ever to get out … it could greatly complicate matters.

"Ah yes a previously unknown civilization activating a dormant Mass Relay and attacking a Citadel affiliated race," Councilor Sparatus used pointed talons to emphasize his sarcasm, "We have already dismissed that claim."

"Regardless, whom activated the Relay is irrelevant at this point," Councilor Tevos said calmly. "What we are aware of, without question, is the many crimes carried out by Hegemony forces. Either they were sanctioned by your government ambassador or this is a clear sign of a rogue fleet operating on its own whims."

"While we disagree with the actions of the less respectable members of our race, I would like to remind everyone here that the Hegemony has not been made aware of the Council's findings. If you are truly committed to a peaceful resolution then I propose these proceedings be postponed until my government can carry out its own investigation on the matter."

Goyle began opening her mouth to protest, but Councilor Soliris beat her to the punch. "Impossible, the clear conflict of interest is too large for us to ignore. It is the reason why we haven't informed you of the events until now."

"Well if the Council had bothered to inform us of the situation, we would have cooperated and possibly even kept the slavers from escaping." The batarian folded his arms across his admittedly wide chest.

"Yes because that has worked so well in the past." The sarcasm from Councilor Sparatus was undeniable. The turian apparently had a grudge, and held it well. The lack of respect was obviously driving the batarian ambassador slowly over the edge.

Goyle found that highly ironic. From what she deduced from the codex, both species placed a high value on respect, but the difference was how the turians gained it through merit whereas the batarians gained it from titles. Two species with such a core value embedded in their cultures, yet polar opposites of each other.

"I am not surprised at your behavior councilor," Pazness sneered, "You turians always believe your culture to be so superior, yet last time I checked you required a client race to handle your finances!"

Even from a detached outsider's perspective, Goyle couldn't help but raise her eyebrows. It was clear the jab was meant to hurt, and if the scowl appearing on the turian's councilor's face was any indication, the verbal reprisal was going to be ... formidable. She braced herself for whatever shouting match was about to occur.

"You wish to talk about cultures ambassador?" Goyle and everyone else turned their attention to Bowers, surprised he had taken this moment to speak up. Perhaps that was a good thing, considering he had defused whatever verbal volcanoes about to erupt, and had simultaneously stolen the spotlight.

"There was a time when my country once practiced slavery, a dark stain in our history. For nearly two centuries we sold our own countrymen, until a civil war divided us. At a time where we only had primitive weaponry, we killed hundreds of thousands of our own people, cultivating in over a million casualties. We have fought in wars spanning our entire homeworld, interstellar conflicts, and yet – to this day – that civil war remains the single bloodiest conflict that my country has ever waged!" No one dared stop Bower's tirade. Goyle silently approved, allowing him to take center stage.

"Yet upon its end, when the mourning fathers and weeping mothers sent their children to the afterlife, my country could stand with respect, atop the sacrifices of many brave men. It could honestly state that we could now abide our constitution, a document granting my fellow citizens unalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness!"

Perreau stepped forward, a deep anger suffusing his normally placid face. "The European Federation shares the same values and stands together with our North American allies." Goyle's approval grew; this continued the verbal assault, preventing any opening for the batarian ambassador to counter. "We expect nothing less than the most severe punishment against the batarians or else we have no choice, but to declare war."

"You dare challenge the Hegemony?!" The batarian ambassador pointed an accusing finger to Perreau. "I will tell you now primitive human you do not want to-"

"Primitive? Is that the word you use to describe the force that repelled one of your fleets and captured hundreds of thousands of your soldiers?" Hun's ghastly tone contrasted deeply to the weight of his words. "To show how genuine we are for peace, we are prepared to extradite all of them to your government. Well the ones that are found innocent of committing any war crimes at least, that should ease your burden of transportation cost greatly." Hun's disdain was well hidden, like the devil smiling upon a sinner.

"That certainly is a reasonable offer, don't you think so ambassador." Councilor Tevos' assertive tone made it clear there was to be no arguments.

Pazness grunted before admitting, "As best I can hope for, but how can I be assured my people are being treated properly, and in accordance with the Citadel Conventions?"

"We will allow a small turian security team from Admiral Servius' fleet to land on our colony and inspect the prisoners themselves." Goyle interjected. Arcturus might not be pleased when they learn of her proposal, but if the batarians wanted a third party to view the state of the prisoners then the turians would be the best bet.

"Unacceptable. The Hegemony doesn't have faith that the Hierarchy will operate in an objective and impartial manner. If possible we will like to send some of our own people, anything less would be unjust."

If Councilor Sparatus' glare became weaponized, burning lasers would have incinerated the batarian's skull. His clenched jaw and stiff shoulders displayed his raging fury at the amount of disrespect. Before he could speak however, Councilor Tevos was quick to intervene.

"Perhaps that may be so, but the fact remains it was a Hegemony fleet that attacked the Alliance's colony and I don't think either they nor the Hierarchy will be all too pleased to see a batarian affiliated vessel arriving in the system. Given the circumstances they wouldn't be wrong in assuming it to be hostile and that would greatly complicate matters, wouldn't you agree ambassador?"

Goyle raised her estimate of the asari's capabilities. That was yet another fire that she'd been able to put out.

"If you are so concerned for an impartial view," she continued, "then the Republics will send a party of humanitarian aid workers to ensure the detainees are treated properly, granted the Alliance holds no objections?"

"That can certainly be scheduled at a later date." Goyle replied, rather satisfied with the arrangements.

"And allow this Alliance to hide any atrocities they themselves may have committed, I-"

The batarian ambassador never got to finish, once again interrupted. "Like your kind has attempted to do?" Kapalkin's calm demeanor seemed to be made of ice. Goyle was impressed he hadn't interrupted sooner. "As the Council itself has stated, it is not our word that is being questioned it is yours."

"Hmph, with circumstantial evidence I might add." Panzess snarled.

"Ambassador, do you or do you not have any evidence to refute the human's claims?" Councilor Soliris questioned.

"I've already answered that question."

"Then we have no choice, but to proceed with what evidence we do have." Councilor's Sparatus mandibles twitched and flexed, indicating to Goyle that he was perhaps smiling. She felt she could make an accurate assumption as to why.

"This is an unfortunate matter, but one that must be dealt with swiftly to maintain peace and harmony," Tevos began. "While there is not enough evidence to indict the entire Hegemony government for the activation of a dormant Mass Relay," Goyle could see the batarian ambassador give a smug grin. It grated on her nerves to no end; despite the accuracy of the statement. "It is without question that a registered Hegemony national fleet was operating in the area, conducted military operations, and carried out numerous atrocities. Therefore the Hegemony is now liable for punishment."

"What!? This is preposterous!" Pazness seemed to screech at the top of his lungs, causing those with sensitive ears to slightly cringe.

The salarian Councilor took over. Based on the reactions of the audience, Goyle thought it probable she was the often-chosen member to deliver such messages. "The Council will accept nothing less than the complete return of all captives obtained from Shanxi, complete reparations for damages sustained to the Colony and respected Coalition navies plus ten percent, and new sanctions on trade with all Council races will be placed on the Hegemony. Trade agreements currently in progress will be re-evaluated and possibly renegotiated. Finally, the surviving crew of the Sixteenth Fleet must be extradited to the Citadel for trails."

"An outrage." The Batarian ambassador rose from his seat, "I will confer with my people, and then return with an appropriate response for your biased actions!"

"Just be thankful you haven't been banished yet from the station." Sparatus shot back as the batarian ambassador left.

An internal struggle plagued Goyle's mind. She was delighted to hear the Systems Alliance and the Confederacy would be able to stimulate its losses in terms of military infrastructure. Likewise the fact the Council sided with humanity by initiating sanctions against the batarians was another great bonus. But inarguably the best news was the Hegemony would be forced to relinquish all its slaves captured at Shanxi. Yet the lack of true punishment left a vile taste in her mouth. The batarians were still – nominally – a Citadel race, and had the protection offered by that aegis.

Strictly speaking, none of the Coalition could attack Hegemony holdings without being left open to Council reprisal. The fleet hovering outside the Citadel was a silent warning against such a route.

"Pardon me Councilors, but may I ask why the batarians are not being evicted from the Citadel? Surely after everything you have witnessed, you do not trust them." Phrasing the question posed difficulties; a poor choice of words might give the impression of questioning the legitimacy of such a decision, despite its generous terms. That would increase problems above and beyond what they currently had.

"That is a question of legality I am afraid," Soliris spoke. "The Council serves as mere intermediaries between each species' government and its purpose is to mediate any disputes. Legally speaking, the Council does not have any authority over individual governments, as that would interfere with their sovereignty. As you have seen today, it is not a perfect system, but it continues to be most effective."

"There is also the issue that the Coalition is not a Citadel-affiliated entity," Sparatus sighed, rubbing the tip of his nose, or the turian equivalent of one. "Like Councilor Soliris herself stated, we cannot issue harsher punishments unless we override both of your government's sovereignty. I can understand your frustration, after all your government is not the only one that has to send condolences to weeping mothers."

Goyle lowered her head, feeling as if the wind were knocked out of her. It hadn't been a jab directed towards her, rather a genuine moment of respect, but she couldn't believe that in light of everything she had forgotten that her species wasn't the only one to have suffered loss.

"If the Coalition would like to post-pone any further proceedings with the Council we could reschedule another appointment." Councilor Tevos words fell from her mouth as a mother would tend to a frightened child. Goyle could feel her heart skip a beat, the soothing words brushing into her ears.

She solemnly shook her head. Humanity couldn't afford to appear weak. The heroism and valor displayed on Shanxi were proof of that, valiant efforts tangible as the soldiers protecting her mere feet away. "While the events on are colony are truly tragic, we cannot let it dictate our future. We are ready to complete this proceeding."

"As is the Confederacy," Electore Phaux asserted. Perhaps he didn't want his people to be shown as weaklings either or maybe he simply refused to be out shined by the Alliance. Goyle wasn't sure, but was still grateful.

"Very well." Tevos smiled at her, "Then let us continue deeper in the discussions."

---

Citadel

Presidium

Council Chambers

Tevos smiled, radiating warmth at the parties gathered. "The Council and all the races gathered here today would like to welcome the Systems Alliance and the Confederacy to the galactic community. While first impressions have been soured by unprovoked batarian aggression, we hope the future will continue an era of peace." Her words were welcomed by an ovation, dozens of individuals seated on the nearby balconies clapping with vigor.

"Before any associate race can join the Citadel there a prerequisites that must be met in order to ensure the stability of all governments," Sparatus intoned. "Of the most important is the Treaty of Farixen, which limits the number of dreadnoughts each species may field. Second to that are the Spectres, which operate on our behalf in discretion in order to preserve life. Finally, when it comes to military matters every race must obey the Council Conventions or face severe punishments like the batarians. If you have any weapons of mass destruction, understand that you are able to use them in dire situations, but are strictly forbidden from using them on Garden Worlds. This encompasses nuclear missiles, biological weapons, and orbital bombardment. "

"Of course that is merely defense," Soliris stated. "Technological progress is inevitable, but we maintain laws to prevent illegal proliferation of banned technologies considered too dangerous. These include unsanctioned genetic manipulation and perversion, creation of sentient AIs, and the usage of unwilling participates in experiments or to test products."

"In the spirit of co-operation we also require all of our associate races to share data from any Prothean artifacts they discover so that all may reap the benefits. Prior to receiving any embassies, each race must show that they acknowledge the existence of the Citadel and its laws." Tevos finished. The ease with which they had finished each others sentences, continuing a single train of thought gave a testament of the Council's unity.

"Forgive my input, Councilors, but that is rather a large set of pre-requisites." The hologram of Electore Phaux flickered slightly. "How will this impact the self-governance of our people?"

"I can understand the anxiety one may have, but the restrictions aren't quite as severe as they appear on paper." Soliris quickly intervened. If the Council had a fish on the hook, then Soliris would make sure it was captured. Tevos silently complimented her colleague's quick nature.

"Almost every race that has ever joined the Citadel has found the stimulations to be very generous, especially considering what they receive." Tevos still retained some measure of shock from having to communicate with a leader backed by five hundred other members of his government. For a community the size of the Citadel, creating such a device as the hologram being used by the raloi was not a problem, but its high costs deemed it impractical for civilian purposes.

"I am sure the benefits of joining the Citadel are vast, but could you please specify?" One of the female senators asked. Tevos acknowledged the raloi woman's question, quite pleased by the politeness the Confederation was showing.

"Protection from outside threats," Sparatus said. "The Hierarchy handles most peacekeeping patrols in conjunction with the indigenous race."

"And full access to the vast scientific breakthroughs the Citadel has made in the medical, engineering, communications, and agriculture fields. By sharing any discovered data on the Protheans the Citadel moves that much closer to a utopian society." Tevos continued. "In addition, members may have unrestricted access to Relay travel, throughout the entirety of Council space."

"That seems quite a justified trade." This time it was Goyle who spoke. "But I still have a few concerns and I am hoping they can be alleviated."

Tevos tilted her head in recognition, but made a subtle signal to her fellow Councilors. It was quite common for a new race to have reservations. "It would be the Council's pleasure to answer any questions you may have."

"According to the codex, the Council maintains an elite group dedicated to preserving galactic stability by whatever means necessary. What I would like to know is, considering their broad freedoms and lack of transparency, how will they impact our sovereignty? And how often are they deployed?"

"The lack of information on the Spectres is to safe guard their identity, though rest assured they do submit extensive reports to the Council after each mission. Their deployment should not impact the authority of a separate nation as their sole purpose is to ensure peace. Only if we receive sufficient evidence about a serious threat are they ever activated. The Council does not take the deployment of Spectres lightly." Soliris answered.

"I see, thank you for answering my questions." Goyle gave a smile to the Council to show her gratitude, but Tevos noticed that she had not mentioned whether her concerns were alleviated or not.

"How does the Council handle colonization rights?" This time it was one of the male human ambassador's who spoke. Wei Hun, if she remembered the name correctly.

"The Citadel Colonization Committee or C3, handles all colonization claims and rights." Soliris answered promptly. "If you wish, I will send you a full copy of their guidelines."

Discussions continued, extending long into the evening. They discussed further matters on colonization rights and boundaries. They were rather surprised to learn that Coalition territory overlapped with areas the Hegemony had been vying for control, even going as far as to claim ownership for some time now. Considering the actions from the batarian government, Tevos and the Council were happy to allow humans wide expansion rights, but warned them that future conflict with the Hegemony may be inevitable. They also made clear that they would have to stay officially neutral in such a conflict.

The teeth on human faces – and that of the raloi – convinced Tevos that conflict would not exactly be avoided at all costs. For good or ill.

Soon they had moved on, going over other matters concerning the many treaties, regulations, and conventions covered by the Citadel.

Negotiations entered the thirteenth hour. In fact the depth to which the Coalition sought information about the Citadel was a bit unnerving. Even Tevos, with her centuries of experience – and the patience to match – had to admit she was being overwhelmed.

"One of our greatest of inventions medi-gel came about genetic engineering. I am sure once you see the many benefits you will craft a few exceptions." The Federation's ambassador made a strong case, so strong Tevos could see her fellow Councilors ready to jump at the deal. If the data given by the humans were to be believed then this 'medi-gel' would revolutionize the entire medical industry. The vast data offered by the Coalition had been enough to keep Soliris' extensive mind to become occupied, something Tevos thought impossible.

"Very, well. Given the much life-saving potential this product has the Council will make an exception and allow it to be sold in Council space and on the Citadel."

Sparatus shuffled a talon, flipping screens on his tablet. It was fortunate they had chosen to sit; this was proceeding far longer than expected.

"Moving onto the Treaty of Fairxen." Sparatus took over the discussion, allowing Soliris to recover after the intense portion on medi-gel's medical potential. "At the Farixen Naval Conference, the Council races agreed to fix a ratio of dreadnought construction between ourselves due to their destructive potential. As peacekeepers, the turian fleet has the most. Just below the turians are the other Council races – the asari and the salarians. Council associate races, like the hanar and volus, are at the bottom of the list."

For a moment, Tevos regretted allowing Sparatus to take control of the subject. His frank attitude was a burden sometimes; no one wished to be known as the 'bottom of the list' after all.

"The ratio of turian to Council to associate dreadnoughts is 5:3:1." Sparatus continued, not noticing Tevos's discomfort. "Signing the Treaty of Farixen is a requirement for any race wishing to open an embassy on the Citadel."

"We can understand the need to regulate such dangerous vessels," the ambassador known as Kapalkin spoke. For the entirety of the proceedings, he had remained silent so to hear him speak was quite a surprise. "With that said will our carries be subjected to the treaty?"

"Considering, from what we've inferred, your carriers are … rather megalithic ships, but because they are designed to carry and transport mass amounts of vehicles, space craft, and troops across the galaxy and not specifically designed to combat enemy ships and/or bombard planetary targets their construction will not be included in the Treaty's policy."

"That is the last of our concerns Councilors, once again thank you for taking the time to address all of our concerns." Goyle smiled at them. Tevos felt a small shiver run down her spine; the expression had been similar to that of a cathar shark on Thessia. Perpetually grinning, always hungry.

"We understand the list was a rather long one, but the patience and time afforded to us truly shows you are genuine in seeking a more peaceful society," Electore Phaux said.

A small smile appeared over Tevos face. Once again her efforts to secure peace had paid off and now the Citadel could greet two additional races upon the station.

"However, we must respectfully decline membership. Based on the structure of how Spectres operate, the limitation of our fleets particularly after how we've been attacked, and the fact that the Hegemony remains a member of the Citadel – the Coalition cannot in good faith accept membership." Goyle's words had a resounding impact.

Tevos stumbled over her words, trying to gather her bearings. Only once before in the Citadel's history had a race ever declined membership, The krogan had been reluctant to join, until they'd heard of the rachni and seen a challenge worthy of their mettle. Yet even without the rachni, they had been highly interested; at worst, estimates had shown they would have joined a mere century later. Perhaps the Colation was similar?

She managed to recover before her colleagues, and swiftly adopted an understanding mien. "We are sad to hear this, but understand membership is not advantageous for everyone." Sparatus flinched behind her back, but only someone well-versed in turian dynamics would have noticed.

Soliris – quick as ever – merely followed her lead and gave an equally considerate half-bow. "In the interests of forging a good relationship between our peoples, it would be unwise to ignore each other however. The clouds will not return to their origin, at the days end. Would you consider a minor affiliation?"

"Such as?"

"We will recognize the Coalition to remain a neutral and sovereign state outside of Citadel jurisdiction, on the condition that they abide by the Citadel Conventions while within Council space. The Coalition will receive an embassy to maintain dialogue on the basis of cultural rights and be treated as sovereign soil and vice-versa. Other matters such as colonization and trade rights can be negotiated at a future date. Would your Coalition agree to these terms?"

Tevos mentally prepared herself for a refusal. The krogan, according to her research, had required nearly a month of negotiation before learning of the rachni. However, she was quite pleased when the lead Coalition ambassador nodded.

"The Coalition accepts these terms and agreements and will abide by them for as long as the Council and the races affiliated with it abide by our own."

With that, the ambassadors believed the session to have concluded displayed by their body language. The raloi hologram disappeared and the human dignitaries gave a polite bow before being escorted out of the Chambers. As they left the Council chambers through the back exit, Tevos saw one of the news monitors that hung everywhere in the Citadel. On it was a vid of the council talking to the human minister. The text in the bottom read: 'Newcomer civilizations decline to join the galactic community and remain sovereign states. Negotiations with the batarians break down, parties are unable to reach an agreement, has the Citadel council allowed a rouge state to form?'

'By the goddess, this was really one of those days.'

---

A/N: And there you guys have it, the big negotiations chapter! I would like to address some concerns some of you will have.

If any of you are unsatisfied with either the punishment on the batarians or feel that humanity got the short end of the stick, though I would argue that isn't the case, the thing is diplomacy in the real world are a complex and frustrating thing. I mean look at my home countries election cycle, U.S for those interested, it is something that you cannot call simple. Also like I said many times, the Council in this fic is actually trying to keep the peace and unlike many other stories here they aren't a bad guy.

In regards to the human slave issue, I will like to point out one sad fact: No matter how hard you try you cannot save everyone and that is a theme that will remain constant in the fic. Likewise if you will see in the next chapter how trust-worthy they really are, sarcasm. And likewise you will also see how humanity responds to that. I know I will have someone who claims there is no way humanity would ever go something as big as this go unanswered, to which you are correct I mean the SA do have the SGB.

Let me give you guys a life lesson, never piss of the guy who has 85 megaton nukes and goes through them like batteries on a TV controller.

My partners and I have displayed immense surprises and plot twists thus far so kindly allows the trust that we do have something big planned and haven't taken the easy route or left something as fundamentally big to the story as this alone.

Lastly, some of you have expressed interest in Dawn of Titans have its own TV tropes page. For those of you that don't know TV tropes is a wiki that collects and expands descriptions and examples on various conventions and devices (tropes) found within creative works. One popular example would be ProfFartBurger's Warverse stories: The First War and The New Face of War. Unfortunately I have to state that the site is a reviewers suggestion site, meaning as an author I can't advertise my own story and it has to be an separate individual. That being said if any of you want to see DoT gets its own TV tropes a page either create an account and suggest it on the Fanfic recommendations page or simply keep annoying the admins of the site until the story gets on there. Which ever works. Also if any of you do so, make sure V-cringetorix's AU stories get on there as well because I've been trying like hell to get it on there but no dice.

Anyway until next time.

Trivia:

1. This chapter is one of the few that has given me the most grievances due to the complexity of its nature. That being said, it is only thanks to my partner V-cringetorix that this chapter was finished so quickly. Everyone who enjoys this chapter please send him a PM thanking him for his contribution on this fic or better yet check out his stories they are really great.

2. Like mentioned above this chapter has gone through some of the most rigorous editing imaginable. It has gone through review four separate times to make sure it was on par with our standards.

3. The Citadel descriptions were partially inspired by the Chicago skyline, whilst traveling at night.

4. The raloi projection was inspired by the Star Wars Episode 1: Phantom Menace Neimodian Projector. (That being said, I am really excited for Rogue On

5. Politics are still V-rcingetorix's Achilles Heel, so understand the hard work he put on this chapter alone.

6. For all those ME meme fans, how do you all love Sparatus now? I personally wrote that quote "Ah yes ... we have dismissed that claim.' ahead of a lot of stuff mainly because I couldn't help it and I am sure many of you will enjoy it. Clearly, Sparatus is now our favorite councilor so make sure to vote for him for re-election. Campaign slogan, 'Make the Citadel great again!' (Okay I'll stop now)

Another reason why we did this was so that we can have a nice balance of dark tone, yet have some comedy to destroy the tension. And folks you are going to need it because the next is extremely dark.

7. This chapter comes in at 14k words, not necessarily the biggest we had thus far but a nice chunk. Yet you will be shocked to learn we had to cut a lot of content to avoid dragging things out and ending where we wanted to. Plus a good chunk of the stuff that we cut, while good, was really hard to insert it without destroying the character's personas we've cultivated thus far.

8. Well for those of you who have played close attention you will know a lot of stuff is yet unverified. For example, check out humanity's battleships and the amount the SA has versus the amount of dreadnoughts currently employed. Add in carries and now you have a super power wielding formidable ship vessels unrestricted by the treaty due to ... loop-holes. I personally think humanity has an edge when conferring about the Treaty of Farixen, because we have tried something similar: The Treaty of Washington, which the Farixen treaty is based off of.

The Japanese skirted the treaty by building large ships with the minimal gun batteries, which the Imperial Navy then inserted the much larger guns it had in their arsenal during their preparation for war. Here the SA does something similar by placing concentration on battleships and carriers, both classes of vessels that fall outside of the Council's description of a dreadnought. The Council views them as capital ships, the SA views them as artillery pieces. An important distinction.

9. Here we see the main name for the Confederacy/SA alliance; the Coalition. This was inspired heavily by NATO and I think serves as the best proper name of identifying them as other fics have gone with less ... formal names.

10. For those Tom Clancy universe fans you will know that the three of the Big Four ambassadors are the leaders of their respective factions in either Endwar or Splinter Cell.

11. Out of all the trivia notes for each chapter, this one has the most in-depth and possibly the most extensive.

12. I inputed the future title for one of DoT's sequels during Tevo's POV. See if any of you can catch it.