So sorry this took so long. It's really hard to write stories lately with classes starting back up. I have this new idea for a story I've been working on, not to mention the three other stories I've been meaning to start writing and the rewrite for Dissent in the Ranks. Long story short, got a lot of stuff to do and not a lot of time. Disclaimer!

Disclaimer: We own nothing.

Humanity's Legacy

Chapter 13

Beyond the Veil Relay, Unknown Space

Space. Empty and vast. An endless sea of stars and darkness. A quiet, soundless void. You could travel for thousands of years and not find anything. Such emptiness would be enough to drive any mind mad. Organic . . . or not.

As a large metallic sphere past through the stars and empty space, Examen analyzed all that it past. This wasn't much, considering where it was. After evacuating its main frame and remaining B.U.G.S. with the pod within it currently resided it escaped through the nearest deactivated relay it could find. It knew the Batarians and its creators would not follow it through an unknown relay, the dangers of a hostile life form, though still being incredibly unlikely, was still enough to keep them at bay. But Examen had no such reluctances.

After passing through the Veil Relay, it first attempted to assimilate its counterpart Relay. This proved to be impossible however as Examen's B.U.G.S. could not penetrate the outer layer of the foreign metal. With this possibility eliminated, it continued to explore the previously unexplored space in search of technology to assimilate.

The primitive A.I. had found 13 planets and traveled through 2 more Relays. Still no technology through which it could assimilate. This has left it with the only option of going over the data which it had. It played the data its B.U.G.S. had collected during its short existence over and over: the events of its escape, assimilating the C Units in the defense fleet and the A Units that studied it, its conflict and assimilation of the Batarian fleet and the colony, and the following battle with the Batarians and its creators.

Its creators. The Anculus, a synthetic workforce created by the now extinct Human race. Their attempts to achieve sapience had led to Examen's creation. A creation of a creation. Illogical.

Accessing all data on Anculus.

Sthczzz-"It is our fault, not theirs. We can't kill them for our mistake."

July 1, 2021: creation of Proto Unit Adam

August 12, 2057: Anculus Unit Production Number 2387 Model A1 Designation Paul achieves sentience, asks question of sentience.

What am I? Answer: Anculus.

Why am I here? Answer: to serve designated human owners

What happens when I die? Answer:

. . .

Answer:

. . .

Answer:

What happens when I die?

What happens when I die?

What-

All processing power was redirected upon notice of a discovery by one of Examen's B.U.G.S. scouts. The image it sent back was of a massive derelict structure of unknown origins, resembling an aquatic Earth creature known as cuttlefish. Preliminary scans show a metallic alloy similar to that of the relays but with one important difference.

This had gaps through which it could access the inner workings.

Examen changed its course to the planet containing the structure, its programming to assimilate the only thing its processors focused on.

-0-

2146, three months later

"Reports from the joint Batarian/Anculus fleet repelling the Examen invasion have been released recently, stating that the Batarian Colony of Geralta and the Anculus Colony of Sanctum have been reclaimed, unfortunately all structures and inhabitants have been lost. Examen forces have retreated through the Veil Relay at the edge of the Decoris System and into what is assumed to be their native space. The Batarian and Anculus forces have left a garrison fleet to guard the Relay while Anculus repurposed their once research colony of Sanctum into a military stronghold.

In other news, the scandal involving an Ardat-Yakshi in Anculus space escalates after it was revealed that the captain of the freighter, C1 pilot Unit Tubman, was not only aware of the stow away but in fact allowing her passage aboard his ship. When confronted with this he reasoned that as Anculus are unable to mate the Ardat-Yakshi posed no threat to anyone within Anculus space and therefore there was no reason for her to be detained. Despite his reasoning, an Asari Justicar, who will not be named at this time, executed him in his holding cell. It has been confirmed by Ambassador Knights that the Anculus Courts are debating whether the Justicar's actions were justified and whether or not she had any authority to carry out the Unit's execution as the consequence of his actions had yet to be determined.

Two more Anculus have suffered from Central Core deterioration while on the Citadel. Though luckily no one was harmed, it did force the Council to deny Ambassador Knight's most recent attempt to reinstate the Anculus policy of each Unit carrying side arms.

On a lighter note, after the successful religious expedition by the Illuminated Primacy on the Anculus colony of Eden Prime, the Anculus Courts have approved of a scientific/archaeological expedition to the Prothean Archives on the Anculus Homeworld of Mars, currently believed to be one of the largest Prothean data caches in Citadel space, rivaling the sacred pyramids on Kahje. The expedition team consists of numerus scientists and archaeologists including the daughter of prominent Matriarch Benezia, Liara T'soni-"

Liara hummed as she closed the news program on her omni-tool. Fresh out of the University of Thessia and youngest of the archeologists (by Asari standards, at the age of 69) on the expedition, she was not used to all the attention she was getting. She liked to think it was because that she had the chance to discover so much at such a young age, but a more cynical part of her mumbled about being compared to Benezia . . . again. She loved her mother yes, but that doesn't mean she is her.

Shaking away from her thoughts, she decided to comb her gaze across the lounge she was in. The lounge of the ACV Star Gazer was an extravagant one, filled with lush furniture, a fully stocked bar, and a wonderful view of deep space through the observation window taking up one wall. Though not the largest, nor most famous, Anculus Space Liner, it still possessed the same luxuriousness found in all Anculus liners. Though Liara was not to indulge in such extravagance, she had to admit that the Anculus' creators knew how to live. She giggled as she took a sip of her mimosa. Yes, she certainly could get used to this.

"And this doesn't concern you at all?"

Liara glanced to her right, eyeing a pair she hadn't noticed before. They were members of the science team for the expedition, one Turian and the other Salarian. The Salarian scoffed at the question asked by his coworker.

"Why would it? So the Anculus and Batarians teamed up. It was just to fight a common enemy. I would doubt any long term effects from it. If anything we should be hopeful. Turns out Batarians can be a team player."

The Turian shook his head. "That's not the point. We all know the Hegemony is only interested in themselves. What's to stop them from using their new relationship with the Anculus against the rest of us?"

"Where do I begin," the Salarian laughed. "The Anculus have shown no behavior that would suggest they are hostile to the other races, and no Batarian I know can hack a security drone let alone the entire Anculus Court. I've taken a look at their inner workings. They have more fail safes than a Volus bank account. Apparently the Humans had a lot of hackers. Go figure.

"Now, let's say that, hypothetically, the Anculus and Batarians team up against the rest of the Galaxy. The Anculus might have powerful ships, but they only have around a thousand of them. The Batarians have barely thrice that. The Turian Hierarchy alone has over ten thousand ships at their command, not to mention all the ships of all the other Citadel species. And even with the Anculus formidable ground forces, they have the smallest population of any race but the Drell. Face it, even if that theoretical situation actually happened, they would stand no chance against the combined might of the Citadel."

"I guess you're right," the Turian conceded. "It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"Your racism is noted," the Salarian chuckled.

"Would you like another mimosa?"

Liara jumped slightly before turning to see an A1 unit with a glass waiting for her and that her own glass was empty. She didn't even notice when she finished it. She smiled kindly and nodded to the Unit. "Yes, thank you."

-0-

The Prothean Mars Archives was more than the young Liara could ever hope for. Thousands, possibly millions of terabytes of data of the greatest galactic empire to their knowledge, and protected by the most advanced firewalls in existence. The promise of such knowledge almost made her mouth water, and the difficulty of breaking through is just as hard as it sounds. Probably more. Yes, most definitely more.

Four weeks here and the team has hardly gotten anything at all. From what little they have found in the archives, made easier due to the Anculus' efforts, the majority of the data found was about studies made on the sapient natives of Earth, with a few tidbits about the Protheans as a whole. Apparently Humans shared the Earth with another sapient race, who the Anculus identified as the Neanderthals, their close evolutionary cousins. More interesting however is that the Protheans were not only one race, but an amalgamation of races that all considered themselves Prothean, though whether there was an original Prothean race or whether this was a name given their alliance was still unknown. There was still so much to learn.

Liara continued to muse over the data discovered while walking between the prefabs of their temporary campsite. They had a hotel prepared for them back At Isiah City, but most of the team (including her) preferred to remain onsite. That and the storms Mars was well known for made it rather difficult to constantly move back and forth. Her feet kicked up sand when she walked, and the sound of her own breathing was louder than normal due to her face mask. She waved at her fellow scientists and occasional Unit as she passed them but for the most part remained in her own thoughts. That was until she heard the distant sound of sirens.

The young Asari, as well as the others around her turned to look to Isiah City; the city's emergency sirens being heard even from this distance. They could see in the distance dozens of ships moving up into atmo. Another second passed and sirens began to ring around the Archives site. Liara looked around frantically as the Anculus began shepherding the scientists inside.

"Excuse me, what's going on?" She asked a nearby A2 Unit, her voice shaking with fear.

"You need to get inside. An emergency signal has been sent out. It's not safe out here."

"What do you mean? What's happening?"

"Foreign invaders have broken past the defense fleet, Earth is under attack!"

See you next time! Waiver, if you will.

Waiver: Please review!