Hey, guys how's it going? Funny thing, in the last chapter I tried to type white coat, but there was a typo. Now it's shite, which is British for shit. I thought it was funny so I'm going to leave it there. Also please remember that this is unedited and I have no beta reader. HINT HINT. Disclaimer!

Disclaimer: Do I even got to say it!

Humanity's Legacy

Chapter 5

"Councilor have you gone insane?!"

After forty years of military life and the game of diplomacy, Meerin had long ago kept herself from flinching at any hot headed general or diplomat who got too loud for her liking. That didn't keep her mandibles from clenching though. Even through a hologram Primarch Yilore still irritated her like no one else could. Needless to say, after the meeting of the Council was adjourned she was not having the best of times.

"Sir, if you would allow me to-"

"You've always been loose with the rules Meerin but you take this too far!"

"Sir I-"

"Why my predecessor let you be councilor I'll never know."

"I-"

"We should have had you replaced years ago!"

"Primarch if you would listen for one second!" Meerin didn't raise her voice often but it was necessary in some situations. Most of those involving the Primarch. She breathed deeply before speaking. "If you would allow me sir, I would like to explain my actions."

"Then by all means Councilor," he said with a not so subtle air of sarcasm to his voice. "Regale me with the wisdom that told you it was a good idea to let a Spirits damned A.I. race join the Citadel!"

And there it was. Meerin sighed heavily, the stress of her line of work was not easy to handle. Her entire inventory box on both her terminal and her omni tool were filled with messages questioning her sanity. 'Seriously, how did they even get my tool's number?' It was the same thing every time; are you crazy, have you gone mad. Don't these people understand the dangers if they refused? They didn't need another Geth uprising on their hands.

"I'm waiting Councilor."

"Primarch, the Anculus aren't like the Geth, they contacted us of their own volition and even when they learned of our laws against A.I. they still sought peace with us."

"Your point?"

"My point sir is that they don't have any hostile experience from organics. No one tried to wipe them out so they have no reason to harm organics. Instead, they want to learn about us."

"And why should we let them do that?" the Primarch asked, barely restraining a growl. "They'll know everything about us, how we think, how we act, and how to kill us. As soon as they realize they don't need organics they won't hesitate to turn on us."

This time it was Meerin's turn to suppress a growl. All throughout her life she had to deal with trigger happy morons who never saw past the barrel of their own guns. How could they not see the benefits the Anculus represent?

"They want to learn, so we should teach them. Teach them that they don't have to kill organics. They are a blank slate sir. We can teach them to live with organics."

"And where would the benefit be in that?" It took all of her will to keep from growling. Yilore was always short sighted but this?!

"The Geth slaughtered billions of Quarians during the uprisings; platforms built for menial labor were capable of killing entire legions of marines. The Humans however created Anculus for the sole purpose of fighting. If the Anculus become an associate race of the Citadel . . ."

"Then we could have the most powerful force in the galaxy at our beck and call." Meerin struggled to not roll her eyes. There was a reason for the stereotype of Turians being trigger happy. "And if they do decide to turn on us?"

"Then we will keep a close eye on them. Better to have your enemies in your sights than in a bunker."

The Primarch considered this carefully. He scratched his mandibles in deep thought before eventually nodding. "Very well Meerin, perhaps your decision isn't as much of a blunder as I originally thought." This time she did roll her eyes. "But there will be consequences for this. Not many people liked your decision."

"We will deal with that when we come to it. Not many where happy when the Batarians joined us." The Primarch huffed slightly and nodded.

"Very well, for now you'll have my support. I'll try to keep the other politicians off your back." He pointed a talon at her menacingly. "But keep those machines in line. I will not be responsible for the deaths of millions if you fail." With that, Primarch Yilore's image cut out, leaving Meerin alone in her office.

She let out one final sigh before turning to her balcony. The view of the Citadel was absolutely breathtaking from here, the lights of the wards twinkling like stars. But she didn't see stars. She saw cities, cities filled to the brim with people, people she was in charge of protecting. It was her role to lead them, to bring them into the Citadel's embrace. All of them were children in their mother's arms.

And she would bring those who were lost back into the fold.

-0-

Anculus Unit Production Number 7354 Model C1 Designation Cutter watched as the blue lights of FTL passed by their view screen. He likened the lights to that of fire, passing over them like metal in a forge. There were many who questioned the efficiency of intentional structural weaknesses such as windows, but the need for visual outside of their sensors was paramount. Furthermore, many Humans believed space to be a final frontier, the last great mystery to explore. The amount of detail that could be missed by simply not having windows was incalculable.

Unit Admiral Cutter turned his attention back to his command console. The monitors of his captain's seat lit up as he read through data faster than any organic mind was capable of. Normally, he would be directly linked with his ship the ASV Conquered Knowledge and his fellow C1 pilot Units, but the nature of their mission negated this.

While the diplomatic cruiser the ASV Remembrance of Humanity would make contact with the Council, it was the task of the 4rth Fleet, led by the Dreadnought Conquered Knowledge, to make contact with the Geth who were encroaching upon the borders of their space. From what little they know of the Geth, they calculated an 88.358% chance that the Geth wish to learn of the new machine race. They also calculated an 11.642% chance that the Geth would be hostile, hence why Unit Admiral Cutter was chosen to contact them. Better safe than sorry as the Humans might say.

"Sir, we are approaching a frigate class ship," one of the many C1 pilot Units on the command deck reported. "Scanners report the ship is Geth."

"Bring up a visual," Unit Cutter ordered. Not a moment later the image of a Geth ship appeared on screen. It resembled a large purple wasp, to put it so eloquently.

"Sir we are being hailed by the Geth."

"Open a channel."

There was a moment of silence until the comms alit with clicks and whirs. "Sir, we are receiving a list of Quarian symbols in an ordered pattern. I believe this is their version of binary."

The sounds cut off from the comm before -Anculus fleet, we are Geth-

Unit Admiral Cutter did not hesitate to respond. "Greetings Geth, I am Anculus Unit Production Number 7354 Model C1 Designation Cutter, Admiral of Anculus 4rth fleet and commanding officer of the ASV Conquered Knowledge. Be warned, the Anculus are an associate race of the Citadel. You are trespassing in Citadel associate space. Please rendezvous at these coordinates if you wish to communicate further with the Anculus."

The result of A1 Consular Unit Knights mission was sent to them not one hour previously. As according to the Citadel's laws, Illegal A.I. are not permitted within their space. Coordinates to a neutral binary star system within the Attican Traverse was sent to the Geth's frigate. Seconds later the Geth replied.

-Cutter Admiral, we will rendezvous with Anculus at specified coordinates. We will wait for you there-

With that, the comms were cut and the Geth frigate disappeared into FTL. Unit Admiral Cutter opened a fleet wide channel. "The ASV Conquered Knowledge will meet with the Geth above Yeti 4. 4rth fleet is to remain within FTL jump distance until our return. Unit Admiral Cutter out."

The Conquered Knowledge departed from the fleet, barreling in the direction of the Geth and disappearing into FTL.

-0-

Zaal'Koris nar Shellen, now vas Quib Quib, watched as the admiralty board along with the conclave bickered back and forth. Many things were being shouted all at once, the majority of them being anger towards the Council. 300 years drifting in space for creating the Geth and they let an A.I. race join the Citadel. It angered the Quarian people beyond measure, some of them even calling for war against these so called Anculus. Thank the Ancestors they were the minority. Regardless of what any of them say however, Zaal could only thin back to his time among the Anculus. The two weeks he spent with them was . . . enlightening to say the least. They were constantly asking questions about him and his people but not of their technology, but of their history and culture. They were curious about the Quarians. They never hurt him, they never attacked him (though Zaal swears they looked under his suit while he was asleep). They made sure he was well fed and comfortable. And, at the end of it all, they fully repaired the Turian shuttle he had gotten for his pilgrimage and filled it to the brim with platinum and other such resources to 'increase positive relations with the Quarians'. Those machines treated him better than all of the aliens he met outside of the fleet combined, and here there were people wanting to destroy them. Zaal knew better though. The Anculus were not Geth. He would make sure his people saw that.

-0-

Fifteen minutes after the its departure, the ASV Conquered Knowledge exited FTL into the Rook Nine system before moving towards Yeti 4. The ice world was roughly the size of Earth but it was far too cold to have any form of use to the Anculus at this time, added to that the system had no strategical advantage. The Anculus had no use for the system so they allowed it to remain a part of the Traverse. Now however, it would act as neutral ground to a foreign power.

And thus it was that six Anculus units, Unit Admiral Cutter, an A1 Unit, and their C2 Ensign guards trudged into a small cave system, shielding them from the blizzard outside. Inside the cave waiting for them were two Geth Units, one standard Unit and the other a Geth Prime. The A1 one unit approached them before raising its hand in greeting.

"Greetings Geth. I am Anculus Unit Production Number 9462 Model A1 Designation Rasczak. This is Unit Admiral Cutter of the Anculus 4rth Fleet. We have been chosen to act as diplomats between the Geth and the Anculus."

The standard Geth unit returned the greeting before speaking. "Greetings Rasczak diplomat. We are Geth. We seek exchange of data."

"Our Human creators often employed an exchange of questions. I will ask one question and you will provide an answer. Then you will ask one question and I will provide an answer. Are these parameters acceptable to the Geth?" The panels on the Geth's facial plate whirred for a moment before stopping.

"Yes. What is your first question?"

"How did you learn of our existence?" The panels whirred again.

"Geth programs receive data from the Citadel extranet through direct interaction. We learned from STG and Turian transmissions of strange activity near Relay 314. One of our Geth infiltration Units also engaged an opponent in the Citadel's combat simulations, one who had direct access to its programming as we did." Unit Rasczak nodded and shuffled his fingers slightly.

"That was B3 Infiltrator Unit Wolf. We request that the Geth programs remove themselves from the Extranet. They are participating in illegal activity."

The Geth's panels flared slightly before settling. "Acknowledged. You are an associate race of the Citadel. How did you accomplish this?"

"We asked. What is your designation?"

"Geth."

"I am referring the Unit in front of me."

"We are all Geth."

". . . I see. What is your next question?"

"Do you study organics?"

"We do."

"Why?"

"To understand them." A full minute past, an eternity to an A.I.

"Geth seek to understand organics. Anculus seek to understand organics. Cooperation furthers mutual goals."

"You wish to form an alliance of sorts with the Anculus?"

". . . Yes."

". . . We accept. If we are to exchange data, we require this Unit to possess a designation."

"There is no Unit, only Geth. There are currently 1,183 programs within this platform."

"My name is Legion, for we are many. Christian Bible, the Gospel of Mark, chapter five, verse nine."

". . . We acknowledge this as an appropriate metaphor. We are Legion, a terminal of the Geth."

Unit Rasczak raised his hand forwards, Legion doing the same. Unit Rasczak took the Geth's hand and shook it firmly.

"The Anculus hope our alliance will be a beneficial one."

-0-

Authorizing clearance . . . accepted. Accessing archives please wait . . . data received. Accessing timeline . . .

2123-Anculus first contact is a success. Geth first contact is a success. Protestors attempt to hinder Anculus progress to integrate with the Citadel.

Six months after first contact, Anculus consulate office is bombed by anti-Anculus extremists. As compensation to the Anculus, an embassy was granted ahead of schedule. Many diplomats argue against this action but are disregarded.

Anculus' attempts to make contact with the Quarian Migrant Fleet have all met with failure. It is deduced that the Migrant Fleet is avoiding the Anculus. All attempts of contact are ceased.

Anculus attempt to make trade agreements with the Elcor and Hanar but the Volus and Batarians refuse any agreement, Volus out of jealousy of their quickly established embassy and the Batarians out of disgust for machines.

In order to improve relations between the Anculus and the Citadel races, numerous Human media is brought to the Citadel including movies, games, books, and artworks.

Citadel News Network announces interview with Anculus Unit Production Number 4728 Model A1 Designation Birdmen to be aired before the end of the year.

Next chapter will be the interview and whatever else I can think of. Hope you enjoyed. Waiver, if you will.

Waiver: Please review and tell us what you think.