Chapter 46: Coup D'etat

Rael looked at his omni tool anxiously watching the timer slowly tick down towards ten. Ten programs, that was the threshold he had calculated for Legion before he lost all sentience completely, and time was running out. Han and the rest of his team of butcherers had been working day and night for the past week removing one program a piece seeing if it was responsible for Legion's ability to leave the consensus. Quarian society often called the Geth soulless murderers but, in his experience the Geth merely learned from their creators. Han had been committing a mindless genocide for the past week, ripping out program after program before examining it and then destroying it all the while making Legion watch. He couldn't imagine the pseudo psychological damage that would cause a synthetic since protecting each one of those programs had been Legion's prime directive.

He had remembered Tali bringing him back to the fleet in chains as her pilgrimage gift. While he was proud she could finally call herself a vas, after a six year pilgrimage, he was disappointed she treated the Geth in question with such disdain. Yes the Geth had driven them from their homeworld and the Veil three hundred years ago but, it wasn't their fault. They had just been following strings of code originally designed for defense, and code could be edited. Over the last two years, Rael had been trying to get Tali to see Legion wasn't like the others but she remained distant with him. She apparently blamed Legion for losing a friend on the Normandy crew, so he sent her out scavenging for Geth materials out in the Terminus to work with.

His first thought was using Legion as a backdoor into the consensus and delete the lines of code making them hostile. It would've been an easy fix and they'd all be back on the homeworld again, his hopes had vanished when Legion explained the Reapers. A race of sentient machines programmed to cleanse all galactic life every fifty thousand years, a hard idea to swallow for everyone in the galaxy to swallow, besides Quarians. After that, he and Legion worked together as best they could to remove the indoctrination virus from the consensus. Their shared hypothesis was that something that could shut down Reaper programming in the Geth could also shut it down in the Reapers themselves. It would've been a way to save the entire galaxy instead of just themselves.

Unfortunately, the destruction of the Shellen and it's food supplies put an increasing amount of pressure for results, which led to the other Admirals involvement. Han grew even more impatient with Legion needing to be quarantined from the infected consensus as time went on and he finally took over the project using his rank as military Grand Admiral. If Rael genuinely believed Han could have actual results with his approach, he would've let this go. The problem was Han was a genetisist, not a programmer. Rael was afraid Han would find the right answer only to toss it aside forever. There couldn't be any do overs with Legion, it was clear that the Geth was one of a kind. Which was why Rael was pacing around the abandoned laboratory, what he was about to do could be seen as treason.

The second member of his team snuck inside the room with him, "You have no idea how much security Gerrel has in place. I don't know how long it will take for Koris to..." He trailed off looking around the room, "Admiral, what is this place exactly...?"

Rael had been hoping the soldier wouldn't have noticed the children's toys and apparel scattered around the room mixed with needles and tables to strap a small Quarian down on. When he used his old access key, he himself had been surprised the lab was exactly the way he had left it some sixteen years ago. Then he realized leaving the room exactly the same was Han's way of connecting with his now exiled son. Keelah knows the man couldn't actually care about his son, especially if torturing him were some of Gerrel's fondest memories of the boy. It was the darkest parts in Rael's life and the primary reasons he switched sciences to become an engineer.

He sat on one of the tables and motioned to the children's suits, "You remember the Kal'Reegar trial a few years back..? He claimed all the Admirals on the board knew he had been experimented on as a child to enhance his immune system? He was telling the truth Vasa..."

Vasa'Nir vas Tonbay had been one of Rael's oldest friends and served as a Sheriff of sorts for the upper section on the Rayya. He had been going through a lot since his wife had died on the Shellen and his daughter, Qetsi'Nir had joined the Nedas movement. It was an organization designed to bring non-violent exiles like Kal back to the fleet seeing as they weren't criminals. This was a lot to put on a man already going through so much but, Rael didn't see many other options.

Vasa put his hands on his hips, "You knew he was telling the truth and you voted to exile him anyways? What the osik Rael?!" He started attempting to count all of the suits on the floor, "How many kids did he do that to? I count at least a hundred suits."

Rael rubbed his hands together looking at the clock, "It was just Kal. After we injected him with a virus...we'd strip him naked for a day and then give him a new suit..everytime."

Vasa stared at him with his orange visor, "Rael, that's torture. You could've killed him a thousand times over it sounds like. Why did you bring me here? So I could arrest you?"

The door opened again and a female voice answered, "So you could arrest Gerrel and give us our lab back."

Rael gave an appreciative nod towards her, "Vasa'Nir vas Tonbay, I would like to introduce you to Jona'Olam vas Kalom my chief science officer."

Vasa gave her a polite head tilt, "It's a pleasure but we've already met. Our children have an arranged marriage once Qetsi returns from the Citadel."

Jona was busy closing the blinds to the room seemingly ignoring them, "Oh right, Senna was excited when he saw your daughter." She turned her focus to Rael, "How much time do we have, realistically?"

Both men noticed the mother's almost flippant tone seeing Vasa and he was sure the other Quarian wondered why. It could've just been that she was focused on their mission here like they should be but, Rael knew better. Her son, Senna, had never looked at women at all. Nor had he asked his parents to start looking for marriage opportunities when he returned from his pilgrimage like most men his age would've normally. Rael would've just written it off as Senna being shy and wanting to focus on being a marine but, after Kal was voted off the fleet, Jona kept her distance from him even though they worked together. Rael could just be jumping to conclusions, it just wouldn't surprise him if Senna was gay and Jona knew about it.

Rael was sad she didn't feel like she could've talked to him about it but, he understood why she hadn't. For all appearances, he had voted Kal off of the flotila just because he was gay. The truth was he had voted with the other Admirals just because that was what was expected from him. The fleet had just returned from participating in the Skillyian Blitz and birth rates were already naturally on the decline. Giving Kal a pass could've potentially hurt future genetic diversity at a time they needed to preserve it most. It was just another reason they needed to retake the homeworld, strict marriage arrangements wouldn't be necessary.

He looked at his omni tool again, "If Han's team is keeping their current pace, we have twenty minutes to make sure Legion still has coherent intelligence."

Vasa looked between the two of them obviously confused, "It sounds like you two have a plan so...why am I here exactly?"

Jona set her own omni tool's clock to the same time speaking absent mindedly, "Your going to arrest the di'kut. That a problem?"

Vasa put a hand on his hip and tilted his head, "Yes actually it kind of is. I don't have any crime scene techs to look at all this. For all I know the two of you set this place up just to get Gerrel out of here. No offense but, it's no secret you two hate each others guts."

Rael sighed looking around the room, "Your right we could've, and I don't have time to convince you otherwise. However, by Quarian law if two Admirals agree on another being unfit to serve, it would be your duty to relieve them of duty."

Vasa's eyes widened, "Your suggesting a coup? To relieve the Grand Admiral from duty right now while we are in the middle of a war with Cerberus? For a crime he started thirty years ago? That's insane."

Zaal's voice came from behind them, "Rael, I'm very busy coordinating food rations between civilian ships. I hope whatever you called me here for was impor...tant."

The civilian Admiral trailed off looking around the lab. Rael envied Zaal a little, he was too young of an Admiral to know what Gerrel had been up to in this lab. He couldn't imagine what it was like to discover one of the worst rumors to go around the fleet in a century was true. Rael couldn't even tell Tali it was true when she asked because he couldn't face her anger when she inevitably realized he was involved. On every other day of the week, Rael was a coward but, today he was protecting their chances of getting back to the homeworld. And more importantly, the opportunity to potentially destroy the Reapers if they had a breakthrough.

Rael opened his arms wide and gestured around the room, "You've wanted to shake Han's power loose? To contact the Council for proper support? This is the way."

His knees shook as he stepped inside the lab, "Reegar was telling the truth. He spent his entire childhood in this room and you bosh'tets all cooperated in it."

Rael took a deep breath to face his own faults, "Yes we did, and I know you must be disgusted with me but we don't have time to argue about the merits of what happened here. Right now all I need you to do is tell Vasa that you think Han'Gerrel is unfit to serve."

Zaal surprised him with a tilt of his head, "Why? Why would you want to show me this now?"

While Rael hadn't been expecting the question, he quickly answered, "Gerrel is stripping apart Legion for parts thinking he'll find the answer to break the consensus. I know otherwise, and I know we have to act now in order to save the fleet."

Zaal looked down at his feet and shook his head, "I can't do that Rael. What he did here with his son is terrible and he will pay for it. Unfortunately, I can't agree to stop him now when I think he's doing the right thing. Working with the Geth is dangerous, and when we're already incredibly vulnerable I can't condone taking more risks."

Jona got into his face with a hostile tone, "Damnit Qwib-Qwib, why don't you grow some fucking balls?! Do you honestly think we're just yanking your chain for the fun of it? This is for the good of the whole fleet!"

Vasa looked between the two of them and then at Rael, "Care to fill me in about a Geth we apparently have aboard?"

Rael filled the silence, "My daughter brought a talking Geth to the fleet as her pilgrimage gift. We've been studying it for the past two years trying to find a way to peacefully break the consensus. Gerrel has had other plans."

Zaal shook his head and turned to leave, "When the Geth is dead, I'll move to arrest him immediately. I'd also get a lawyer for yourself since you knew this was going on. Good day Admiral."

Rael's heart sank as he watched Zaal leave as fast as possible not wanting to be seen anywhere near this room. He thought Zaal would jump at the chance to take down his political rival. It was disappointing that his fear of the unknown with the Geth overridded his hate for Han. Rael was thinking of another way he could get Gerrel away from Legion as soon as he could but, he wasn't coming up with anything. He could potentially call another Admiral down here if they had more time yet they didn't have any time left. Unless Han stopped suddenly, Legion was going to be officially brain dead within the next five minutes and there was nothing he could do about it.

Vasa gave a regretful shrug, "I'm sorry Rael, I won't break the law for a Geth."

Jona grabbed his arm and pulled him to face her, "We were nearing a breakthrough on systemic viral attacks. Imagine our children on the homeworld in the next few months because we acted today."

Vasa tugged his arm free and opened the door, "Then maybe you should share your data with Gerrel and learn to work together on this. I don't know about you, but I actually want to be with my kid when we land on the homeworld."

He left the two of them alone and Jona shouted at the air, "Kriff! Two years of our lives go right down the drain because vas Qwib-Qwib's are all bosh'tets!"

His omni beeped at him warning him that they were at the two minute mark and Rael had an idea. It was a terrible idea that could get them both killed so, he needed to be sure it was what he wanted to do. He had an M10-Predator pistol on him and he knew Jona had something similar on her person. If they were quick and careful, they could take Han hostage and attempt to break the consensus with Legion before anyone realized Gerrel wasn't showing up for his official duties. If they were discovered though, they would get killed by a team of Quarian marines. He decided his people were worth the risk, Tali was worth it.

Rael let his voice sound more confident then he felt, "No. We're too close. I promised to build my daughter a house on the homeworld. I'm not going to sit and wait while the politicians argue. Are you with me right now?"

Jona tapped her chin, "I think so, we'd have an easier time of it if we used some of Tali'Zorah's more working material. The Geth could repair themselves and serve as quite the distraction."

Rael practically snapped at her, "Absolutely not! I don't want Tali exposed to any more political blowback than she already is. You either come with me alone or you don't come at all."

The two of them started running to reach Gerrel's new research lab as the last thirty seconds closed in on them. When they reached the door and kicked it down, Gerrel was holding the drill like extractor getting ready to reinsert it into Legion's optical sensor once again. Even though he was going through with what was essentially a treasonus coup, Rael couldn't help but feel a flood of relief flow through him. They had managed to save Legion just in time to keep his sentience in tact. If Legion could still somehow see him as a friend after what happened here, they could continue their work in peace.

Han froze when he heard the door get kicked down, "I wondered how long it would take for you to intervene. This is bold though, even for you."

Jona stepped forward and put her pistol to the back of his head, "Drop the extractor and walk back to the wall."

Rael was watching him but slowly walked towards Legion, "Legion how are you doing?"

The Geth's speech whirred and grumbled, "We...I imagine this is how organics feel after losing vital components to their hardware. I will need to run a diagnostic to determine the extent of the damage."

Rael could already tell the damage was far more severe than even he could've imagined. It was easy to miss if you never communicated with the Geth before but, the use of 'I' was a red flag. Legion must only have one logic core program, he no longer had anything to bounce his ideas off of and thus used 'I' instead of 'we.' Rael gulped and looked down at the extractor on the table and saw it was still full of the days programs that Han hadn't disposed of. While it must've been only a tiny fraction of all the programs that had been removed over the past week, it could potentially be the difference between a first grade education level or a college degree for Legion.

He shook his head and put his gun down, "That won't be necessary yet Legion, I can already see the problem and can help."

After a cry from Jona, he spun around to see Han hold her at gunpoint with her weapon, "Don't you dare repair him at all! I already have neutralizerd it as a threat for good! I was close to finding the key to everything."

Rael was doing his best to look for his gun subtly on the medical table behind him, "No Gerrel, you may have ruined our only chance at doing something more than saving ourselves. Legion could help us defeat the Reapers and do real good for the galaxy!"

Han laughed and stayed behind Jona, "When has the galaxy ever done anything for us?! Even as our own people starve around us, the Council puts conditions on sending aid! We should let them burn for everything they put through."

He put his fingers around the grip of the gun and felt Legion's arm moving as well, "The Council and the rest of the galaxy will treat us with more respect if we actively help them without expecting something in return. How do you expect we will survive when the Reapers have killed everyone else? Where will our pilgrims get the resources we need?"

Jona suddenly shouted making them both jump, "Legion DON'T!"

They both looked at Legion who was holding a piece of Geth hardware, "What do you mean Creator Olam? I was reading a 50-50 percent chance Creator Zorah being injured or killed, I just wanted to help."

Rael hoped the worst hadn't come to pass but, a synthetic voice filled the intercom across the entire ship, "Warning, warning active Geth detected. Warning, warning this is not a drill. Warning, warning..."