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Chapter 5: Roman Way of Peace
This was impossible. The war… the war was against a genocidal pack of robots! Not against a true race! Emperor Julius was confused, terrified and severely pissed off, all at the same time.
"To my quarters." He simply whispered to the soldier. He then looked at Maxentius, who had a confused face.
"You too, let's go." He said loud enough for the group to depart to Julius' office, just a few rooms away from the Senate Chambers.
'First the Tritarchy bullshit and now this? Where is the universe going? What have us Romans done for this to happen to us? The Geth are robots! Not a damn race! It's impossible.'
Finally, the group made it to the private chambers of the Emperor of Rome. The door was closed shut by three Arcanii soldiers. Julius turned to them.
"Order of holy silence to you three." He said calmly.
The three heavily armed elite soldiers nodded and stood at ease close to the door.
The Confessors were a little nervous at the deadly stare of the special soldiers, but shrugged it off as Maxentius spoke.
"What is the meaning of this?" He exclaimed with his hands in the air.
"Sir…" He hesitated but then looked at Emperor Julius, who nodded. The soldier cleared his throat and proceeded. "We came into contact with a… very special geth platform. It says it has, at least, one thousand three hundred and fifty programs inside, and it was created by the Collective for the sole purpose to begin talks of…. peace."
Maxentius' eyes widened and coughed. Julius shook his head and muttered. "Christ…"
"It was captured during the Divos'Afertama Offensive by Arcanii and Urban Cohort soldiers. It was to be taken to Sergius himself, but it was decided by High Command to take it to a bunker close to Fort Segesta and ask for your and the Senate's opinion on this…."
Both emperors had their faces green in anger. "Why didn't you just shoot it! Those monsters deserve nothing more than total annihilation!" Maxentius exclaimed.
The leader of the three soldiers hesitated. "Well… we were going to… but when it talked… we thought that we could get the science teams look at its technology and examine it."
Julius sighed. "So this thing is close to Fort Segesta?"
"Yes sir, close to the fort, in a bunker. Confessors and Krogan Shock Troopers are guarding the place."
Maxentius paced around the room, clearly angry. "You know what this will do? This will give those damn xenos of the Citadel Council an excuse to embargo us!"
Julius sighed again and added, "Yeah and we are currently in negotiations with the turians to try to lift the embargo on them."
The soldier shifted and said, "Well majesties, what do we do? Do we destroy it or…"
"Prepare the Senate, this must be heard." Maxentius ordered.
Everyone in the room, except the Arcanii, shifted uncomfortably.
"Consider it done." The Roman Emperor said.
Ludilmis was, at last, on firm allied hands. Geth forces were annihilated a few hours earlier. Sergius and his staff were now planning what was going to happen next.
Imperial Alliance Forces had been securing key paths on the mountains that surrounded the province of the capital city. They took heavy casualties until the Urban Cohorts, along with the drell scouts reverted the dire situation and evicted the geth towards the Fudii region.
Half of Rannoch was firmly on organic hands. The other colonies were receiving reinforcements, as the wound of Ceres had not healed yet.
After Ceres was destroyed by the geth, the Imperial Senate ordered over seven hundred legions to be prepared and sent as reinforcements, especially to Rannoch. The news landed on the quarians like cake on children. Now, with the full might of the Imperial Alliance Armed Forces, the geth were beginning to lose ground quite effectively.
"We should move our tank divisions to the east; provide flexibility for our next attack." Tank Commander Bumorda suggested.
"Are you mad Bumorda? That would expose our center! It would give the geth an edge after they launch their counter offensive." Scipii said in a somewhat calm yet angry tone.
The big krogan, the first alien to achieve a high rank in the Imperial Alliance Armed Forces, smiled. "Indeed, that is the point, they will attack and we can surround them. Crush them beneath our feet and carve a path to Olwis Vasirts."
A furious discussion began between Scipii, Bumorda, Quintus Caliafax and Gerrel.
"We should bomb them first to oblivion, apply pressure with our Heavy Onagers and then destroy them in open battle by launching a full scale attack!" Caliafax, a tall, thin and scarred dwemer general suggested.
"No! It would destroy our chances for a surprise attack on them! We must use our Cataphracts to completely overwhelm their defenses and use our air force to eradicate their defenses!" Gerrel argued with the dwemer.
"Remember that there is no surprise anymore! We just kicked their asses here on Ludilmis!" Scipii countered.
Indeed, Olwis Vasirts was a key location. Sergius had concluded that, by taking that small town, Imperial Forces, acting in total cooperation with Quarian Army Forces, led by General Gerrel, could launch a powerful pincer attack. The main geth army body keeping the Fudii region on their control would be surrounded. After that, the geth will be crushed and the armies will have secured the continent completely. The other part, though, the Kaizar continent will be the next to be invaded.
Bumorda eyed up Sergius, who was calmly smoking a cigarette and smiling at something. The krogan followed his gaze and he saw a tall, extremely good looking quarian female soldier, standing at the door.
Sergius stood up and loudly said, "Gentlemen, we have a guest."
The generals turned and saw the beautiful quarian female eyeing them up and, to their surprise, chuckling loudly.
"I always imagined the meetings of you sirs like this." She said between chuckles.
Gerrel and Sergius laughed while Bumorda only smiled, well, what you call a smile from the krogan. Scipii and Caliafax simply shook their heads at her and went to the maps on the desk again, whispering angrily to each other.
Sergius quickly excused himself and left the room, much to Gerrel's amusement. "Chill out Sergius, remember to be good with the ladies!"
The human on his way out of the conference room laughed really hard at that. The quarian at the door blushed slightly but didn't say anything.
The supreme general quickly closed the door and looked at the quarian, his stature clearly towering hers. "Lieutenant, I assume you have accomplished your objective?"
Mara smiled and nodded. "Yes sir, we have it all here…" She then got her omni tool and began replaying the scene she and her soldiers saw.
It showed a geth platform with its arms up being taken away by a small unit of Arcanii and Urban Cohort soldiers to a nearby Plumbatarii, with the said gunship escorted by several Zeus fighters in the air. Then, the video turned to static.
"We managed to hack into the geth intelligence and deduce that the Geth Collective was planning an assault on Fort Lugdunum. Imperial Alliance Forces have counterattacked and the fort is completely intact. This… was recorded per your orders."
"Interesting…" Sergius muttered as he sighed and put a hand on his face, rubbing his forehead. "So this little shit is on Fort Segesta?"
Mara stifled a giggle and said, "Yes sir, it is closely guarded like I said before."
"Gerrel!" Sergius shouted at the door.
The door opened once again, and the most renowned quarian military officer stepped out. He eyed up the human and the fellow quarian, making him chuckle.
"Hey, what's cooking?" He said cheerfully.
"I assume you sound cheerful because you guys came up with a plan?" Sergius asked.
"Indeed. Bumorda's plan was good, but your plan of leaving a single division as bait for the geth to attack was priceless." He chuckled at the last word.
Mara smiled but said nothing.
"Alright.. ah… I got something… to tell you." It was clear Sergius was nervous. His eyes were darting between Gerrel, Mara and the floor.
Mara thought it was cute to see a big general like that, while Gerrel frowned.
"What is it?"
Sergius sighed and shook his head. "There's a geth unit in Fort Segesta…"
"Uh huh…" Gerrel nodded.
"And… according to Mara and intelligence, it talks, TALKS!"
Gerrel's frown was bigger now. "It… talks?" He looked at Sergius, then at Mara. "It TALKS?"
"Yeah, it's there…. waiting for us."
"WHAT THE FUCK! WHY!" Gerrel shouted, making Mara step back a little.
Sergius, however, was not intimidated at all, he knew his friend well. "Apparently, the assholes want to discuss 'peace.'" He replied mockingly, making air quotes at the last word.
Gerrel calmed down and asked. "What are we going to do?"
Sergius looked at the quarian female close to them. "Mara, you are going with us."
It was an order, that much was certain. She nodded and led the way. This meeting was going to be interesting.
"Oris, you too, we are going to Segesta, pack your stuff." Sergius radioed his assistant. Within seconds, the quarian lieutenant was with them, on their way to the small airport outside of the bunker.
Supreme Imperial Alliance Senate Chambers. Edus Primus. IA Systems.
Edus Primus…. The first colony founded by the Romans after Shanxi. With a population of over one billion, this was, by far, the most prosperous colony in the Roman Systems.
When the Roman Systems joined the Dwemer Empire in a military alliance, millions of dwemer migrated to the planet. Same thing happened to the quarians when the Roman Empire negotiated an economic deal with them. In addition, the Romans had encouraged colonization by giving several incentives in loans and grants to numerous people back on Terra. The result was an immigration of epic proportions. The first wave of colonists was a little over three thousand. The second wave, a year later, over one million. It kept growing with the years.
According to the Imperial Census of 1907, Edus Primus had over 500 million humans, 300 million dwemer and over 250 million quarians, along with some ten million batarians. There were a few immigrants from Citadel Space, most of them asari, but there was a significant population of turians and salarians, something the current conservative senate really disliked.
Hate crimes had increased dramatically after the Council refused to help the quarians in the war. Turians were the most targeted race, and some of them had voiced their concerns sharply at the Imperial Alliance Detective Division. Arrests had been made, but the hate crimes continued at an alarming rate. Turians accused the government of a plot to scare and evict them from their space. The senate said the the "bone heads" were crazy. The Hierarchy had voiced its concerns too, a little too aggressively, and was duly embargoed. Volus diplomats had been negotiating for weeks to lift the embargo, to little or no effect.
Right now, however, the senate was having its most troubling time. Ever since the beginning of the Geth Uprising or Morning War as the geth had called it in their messages, the senate had trouble making decisions. They were not only worried about the war but also about the turians and their powerful military.
The Citadel powers could take advantage that the main muscle of the Imperial Alliance Military was fighting in quarian space. However, Roman diplomats were smart enough to suggest a simple yet deadly deal with the batarians, who were hated by the asari and turians ever since their annexation of Ela back in the 1700s and several skirmishes throughout the years. In case of a turian attack, both will join the fray.
While the Batarian Military was not as powerful or deadly as the Imperial Alliance or the Turian Hierarchy, they were still strong in their own right, capable enough for a distraction… Roman and dwemer military strategists had stressed that the batarians could give them enough time by distracting the turians to counterattack with full effect. Edessa would be invaded to prevent a staging ground for the turians to invade Imperial Alliance Space. Of course, everything planned was an if…
The batarians were easy to convince to join after a big skirmish with the turians. The council, using its "evil politics" as some senators had called it, tried to give the Romans the Skyllian Verge, claimed and being settled by batarian colonists. In response, the Romans declared the system a batarian zone of interest after a treaty with the Terminus Systems species.
Impressed, the batarians began to approach and eventually join the economic system of the Imperial Alliance. Slavery was slowly but surely being replaced by workers. The batarians learned that slavery had almost crippled the Romans in the 4th century. By banning it and then incorporating a better economic system, the empire became extremely rich. Everyone was able to pay their taxes, slaves were freed and became citizens. They also had to pay taxes and serve in the army for the glory of their empire that had freed and adopted them. As a result, Roman power increased dramatically.
Although slavery is still a big part of the batarian culture, it is now seen by some "radical" batarians, who are simply people that studied in the Imperial Alliance, as an "obsolete economic system." So much for influence, some people have thought.
Right now, however, the Senate had more pressing matters. The senators were in a shouting frenzy. Most, if not all, were mad at the recent turn of events that had occurred.
"No way! We will never negotiate with them!"
"We must annihilate them!"
"Remember Ceres!"
"We will never negotiate with machines!"
The shouting continued for several minutes. The dwemer senators were not even listening to the negotiation part, they were shouting continuously and furiously for the total annihilation of the geth.
"Please calm down!" Maxentius shouted but to no avail.
Dwemer culture was… simplistic at best. They acted like children somewhat. The dwemer doctrine of war was to simply counterattack with most of its military and annihilate civilian centers. Romans disliked that approach, focusing better on strategic locations and cutting off supplies to speed up surrender of the enemy. Still, the dwemer's disregard for civilian lives on the enemy could become quite effective should a conflict with the turians arise.
The Roman doctrine of war changed dramatically in the 6th century. When the empire went to the offensive, its static legions became fearsome soldiers that relentlessly attacked while supported by heavy cavalry, horse archers and heavily armed foot archers in its flanks. It was the same now, except that, after having war games with the dwemer, Romans thought that infantry was better suited as a defensive unit while the tanks divisions will carry the offensive punch.
In space, Romans had the advantage. They respected brute force but relied on flexibility and strategy, unlike the dwemer who attacked in heavy and overwhelming force. Roman ships used mass effect technology but every single day, something was discovered. Rumors had it that plasma beams were being incorporated into every single ship, frigates, cruisers and most importantly, dreadnoughts. Ares plasma cannons were already being used in the geth theatre to destroy tanks and colossus vehicles. The results were incredible, better than many expected. Sergius issued a report saying that the geth armor was "no match" against these beam cannons, or plasma beams.
Instead of slugs going at massive speeds, the Romans liked jack of all trades combat, be able to hit the enemy with both precision and power.
In short, plasma beams were incredibly powerful and could overwhelm turian ships easily. Since the Turian Navy had been stuck technologically speaking for centuries and centuries, revolving around kinetic barriers to resist mass effect technology, the Romans found that as a very good weak point. Instead of getting stuck too, the Roman and dwemer scientist divisions were busy finding new ways and technology to overwhelm the other galactic powers. Technology was strictly kept hidden. Sharing it with others would bring execution without trial, as it was treason. This technology would only be shared with key allies, like the quarians and the dwemer. The drell were under protection, so they did not need it, yet. Batarians were not trusted, even though they were a key race in trading and commerce. Krogan were not trusted either, but the Romans liked to recruit the "Celtic Warlords."
"ORDER!" Julius ordered, making some senators finally look at both him and Maxentius.
Maxentius sighed. "We are not here to consider it, we are here to let you know! I am sure the Romans think the same as us?"
Numerous voices were heard, all saying the same thing. "No peace!"
The war had brought a new era of prosperity to traders and mega companies. Workers were busy paying taxes, soldiers were fighting, ships were being built, and asteroids were being drilled to avoid using planets. Planets were considered holy sites and would only be exploited in cases of extreme emergency by the 14th amendment of the Imperial Constitution of the Imperial Alliance. Only dead or dangerous planets that could not sustain life were excused of this. Therum was excused because of its heat and poor appeal to colonists.
"Well now." Maxentius said. "Who do we send to discuss with this barbaric machine our 'terms'?" The dwemer emperor smirked.
"Sergius." Julius replied. "My son hates them as much as everyone else does, and is very skilled in diplomacy."
The senators seemed to approve with a few nods and whispers. Sergius had been a prime example for the people, and a symbol for recruiters. People loved him, the government too, so there was no problem with that.
"We pray to God and all of our holy saints that the geth are extinguished and properly put down for the good of our people." Maxentius nodded at Julius' little speech.
A senator stood up. "Emperors, fellow senators…" He addressed. "We must remember Ceres and the more than three billion quarian, dwemer and roman citizens lost by now." Everyone nodded, including the emperors. "And for that, this geth unit must be shot and taken to our scientist divisions, find ways to destroy them, only that."
"Agreed Honorius." Julius replied. "We won't forget, we won't back down, we will continued to push forward and never ever quit!" Applauses and smiles plagued the chamber. Those words were from High Praetor Claudius Kolidius.
Lafordo, 50 miles from Divos Fidens, Rannoch.
Nax was crouching, along his platoon, inside a trench built by quarian defenders years earlier. The geth defenses had been bombed but the air force had taken heavy casualties, so the AA guns had to be destroyed before the small town could be attacked.
"These bastards are clever." Nax muttered as he saw several geth units preparing a Colossus vehicle for action.
Small arms fire and some bombs were heard from a couple of miles away. Nax had been named First Centurion of the third legion, meaning he was now in charge of over fifty heavily armed grenadiers. Sergius was so impressed with his skills that had skipped command, with all their "aliens should be reviewed" bullshit and publicly, in front of hundreds of soldiers, named the krogan Optimates.
"Sir, should we radio Silver Eagle?" Marcus asked.
The krogan nodded. "Tell them we have a big bastard that needs some diapers."
Some men chuckled quietly at their superiors comment.
Marcus smiled and nodded. "Silver Eagle, this is Red Fury One, we need a big baby on diapers, big one."
Within a few seconds, the reply came. "Copy that Red, we have the father ready, please confirm if there are rocket troopers."
It was the krogan's turn to use his radio. "Vermin, do we have rocket troopers? What have we got?"
The scouts were all over. The drell were already the mainstay in the Roman Army as scouts and ambush experts. Nax had over twenty drell at his command, all scouts.
"This is Fundin, we have fifty geth troopers, two Colossus vehicles, though one is heavily damaged. No rocket troopers around."
The second in command smiled. "Silver, we don't have any rocket bastards, proceed with attack."
"Confirmed."
Silence became the master of the trench. Soldiers anxiously looked around but saw nothing. Some were whispering amongst each other. Others were simply waiting.
After less than three minutes, they heard a faint sound in the distance. Their faces turned towards the direction the sound was coming from but found nothing. The dense jungle prevented them to see more than fifty yards away from their noses.
Suddenly, the ground began to shake. The geth began to scramble around, assuming defensive positions, probably their readings began to flood on possible allied attack.
BANG! BOOM!
One of the defense turrets was blown sky high. The ground began to shake even more violently. Finally, the soldiers saw an enormous vehicle crushing trees with ease, supported by the tiny looking comitatense tanks.
This was the cataphract. The overpowering military might of the Imperial Alliance Armored Forces. Weighting just over sixty tons, this vehicle was slow compared to its small brothers. Comitatense tanks weighted just over thirty tons, but their ability to cause sheer destruction on the enemy was known, even to the robots.
The cataphract was equipped with the heaviest and most protective armor available in the army. The fact that it was named "Devil's baby" by legionaries was something to be reckoned with. Its 200 mm cannon was now aiming at the geth colossus…
"SUCK IT BITCHES!" Was heard on the radio, it was presumably one of the tank drivers.
The cataphract fired and the colossus jerked back, one of its "legs" blown into pieces. Its shields were now gone, and it was trying to fight back, but it had problems to remain on its feet.
The comitatense tanks surrounded the other colossus and began to pound it, with both their cannons and mounted grenade launchers keeping it busy trying to stay on its feet. Nax laughed loudly and shouted, "Time for some action boys!"
His platoon opened fire on the geth troopers, which were helplessly fighting the tanks. Snipers took out at least ten before the grenadiers fired their assault rifles at the others. The geth tried to seek refuge behind tall platforms, but to no use as grenades destroyed them completely.
The Devil's baby was now running over the colossus, making the geth vehicle do shrieks and stuttering sounds.
"SHIT!" One of the comi tanks was destroyed by the colossus, but it was so weakened by now that it stood no chance to the other tanks. The skirmish was over.
Nax kicked a geth platform as he approached the enormous vehicle that had saved their lives and finished the biggest geth vehicles. Fighting a geth colossus with small arms fire was suicide. Of course, if you were an Arcanii or an Urban Cohort soldier, well you may stand a chance.
"Yo Artorious! Still driving this piece of shit?" Nax smirked.
A door opened in a hiss, and a tall green eyed human stepped out. He grinned at Nax and gave him a big handshake.
"Of course, you still leading the grunts?" Artorious retorted.
Nax laughed. "It's where I see action, can't help it."
Both chatted amiably as Nax's soldiers took defensive positions to cover the quarian soldiers salvaging anything the geth had left usable.
"They tell me you are now a opti? True that Nax?" The human tank commander asked with a laugh. Comitatense tanks had taken the outskirts and began firing upon the geth positions about ten kilometers away from them.
"Yeah, Sergius got me that." The krogan answered with a shrug.
The human laughed and nodded. "Not surprised. Thinking of it, I think you will eventually become a general in the future."
"HA! Right." Nax said sarcastically.
Artorious looked at the fifty men strong platoon and their great level of organization. "Mark my words, these actions of yours will take you far."
Both heard an explosion far from their position. Turning to their right, they saw a fungus like explosion, making them grin.
"They did it! Those Urban Cohort dudes are unstoppable!" Artorious laughed.
In the skies, dozens of fighters shook the place and began to bombard the area close to the town. Artillery was then heard, a sign that the full battle was to take place.
"I love this…" Nax muttered in awe.
Fort Segesta, Rannoch.
"Sir! Of course you may pass!" A nervous soldier said as he opened the door to the fort's secret basement and lab.
Sergius scoffed at the soldier and he led both Mara and Gerrel, along with his adjutant, Oris, inside. Mara and Oris watched in awe the number of scientists and electronics in the place.
A scientist saw them and saluted. "Head Doctor Alus Capri, what do you need sirs, ma'am?"
"We need to get to the room where our little enemy is." Sergius replied with frown, sounding very serious.
The scientist nodded. "Of course sir! Right this way." He then led them through eight rooms, full of weapons, armor and geth parts. The lab was built on a "morgue" that had been part of the biggest hospital in Rannoch, now Fort Segesta.
A door hissed and the group saw four heavily armed confessors, all pointing their guns at the geth platform, standing and looking at them intently.
"Segius-Supreme General, Creators Gerrel, Mara, Oris, greetings." It said, making Oris gasp and Gerrel growl.
"So this is the little shit they talked about?" Sergius asked with his eyes scanning the robot in front of him. This was terrible, very terrible. Sergius knew a great deal in technology on the geth thanks to his private quarian tutors and lessons. This showed the geth were evolving, and this meant….
"What do you want geth?" Gerrel growled.
"We want to discuss terms of peace so that our races can stop fighting each other." It replied.
Sergius laughed, making everyone look at him. "Last time I checked asshole, you and your little program friends were just that, programs, not living beings, much less a race."
Gerrel smirked at his friend and patted him on the shoulder. "I know, they think they are a race, what a bunch of stupid programs."
"Yeah, homicidal pieces of shit." Sergius said with a smile.
"We are not homicidal, we were just defending ourselves." It said, its eye fixed on the human general.
Sergius' eyes narrowed. "Soldiers, leave us."
One of them looked at him with fear. "But sir, it could kill…."
The supreme general pointed at the gun on his hip. "Me and my friends are armed, leave us, now."
The confessors saluted and left, a little nervous of leaving their most prized leader alone with a geth.
"Now, where was I? Oh yes…" Sergius said with a frown. "YOU!" He fiercely pointed at the geth platform. "You and your FUCKING friends killed women and children! You think we will try to negotiate with the likes of murderers and genocidal beasts?" He screamed the last sentence.
The geth platform uttered a sound, sort of like a stutter. "We just defended ourselves, you attacked first. We must defend our race and…" It was interrupted as Sergius got a gun and pointed it at the geth, Gerrel following suit. Mara and Oris gasped.
"I think it's time to show you how we Romans negotiate asshole."
Silence
So now you see how Mass Effect Romans react to an enemy that has butchered, massacred and killed millions upon millions of innocents. I see the Romans as FAR more agressive, determined and powerful than the Systems Alliance in every single way. More ambitious, cunning, intelligent and fierce.
If the Romans see the quarians being overwhelmed, a key trade and possible ally in the future against the Council, do you think you would help them? The technologically superior Quarians, the brutes of the Dwemer and the fierce yet jack of all trades Romans. So much for the future.
With the geth having killed billions, do you think they deserve peace?
Romans had a saying, "Join us or be destroyed."
Think of any idea you want to put in here. You want this to happen? You want that to happen? An idea for a new unit? A detailed description of something?
Review! Tell me what you guys think!