Disclaimer: The following is not used to make a profit or advertisement. Mass Effect is owned by EA/Bioware. Any original characters, story, elements, or dialogue are used for this story.
This story contains spoilers. Please do not read this if you do not like spoilers.
Update Notice: Well that was embarrassing LOL. I don't know why I keep putting pilot as piolet. I love how it didn't say it was spelled wrong until I wrote it in this note. Yes guys, I am really going to college HAHAHAHA. I apologize for stuff like this and this is one of the reasons I am writing. Anyway, thanks for letting me know about this.
Present Time
August 16, 2165
Arcturus, Arcturus Station Orbit
SSV Iwo Jima
Major Hackett stood over his pilots shoulder watching as he relayed new updates on the ship due to arrive any minute. It had been more than a week and Hackett was beginning to wonder where the thing was. No one was exactly sure who owned the ship, but the garbled transmissions sounded like krogan. Hackett's frigate was going to switch places with the Stalingrad after his pilot was finished relaying their message to command. There were several fighters in front of them as well as four interceptors and two cruisers behind their ship.
"Affirmative," the pilot said into the comm. "Well Major, guess we can dock this bay now."
"We better stay right here lieutenant. Look to the left of the asteroid in our view," Hackett replied in a serious tone, looking outward.
The pilot felt adrenaline course through his body and he looked in the direction instructed. Sure enough, he saw a Council freighter headed straight for them. It was coming at a slow speed. The piolet immediately reestablished a connection to command.
MSV Kardack
Wrex didn't know how, but Lakarta had been a decent pilot and had only had to offer her advice a few times. The original owner had set the vessel on autopilot, but that didn't mean they were clear of asteroids and oncoming ships. Apparently she had watched piolets enough times to know how to operate a ship somewhat.
Wrex was actually amazed at the view of the station in front of him. He could see that the station was still under construction, but it looked to be almost complete. It was one of the biggest stations he had ever seen, the first being the Citadel. Unlike the Citadel, the station was white and he saw many ships in orbit around the station. He knew that the they would be ready for them, but he was still impressed at the amount of ships.
It was about a minute later when Lakarta walked up beside him as they stared out the windsheild. "It's quite a view," Lakarta mumbled. Wrex turned to her and spoke in an equal tone. "Yes it is. I will give these guys some credit. The display is impressive and that's coming from a krogan battlemaster."
They continued to stare out the window until the communications button started blinking. Wrex walked over and pressed it. They heard some static and then a man's voice. "This is Major Hackett of SSV Iwo Jima. We have you in our sights and have picked up several transmissions from this freighter. State who you are and what your business is."
Wrex was pleased to know that the current update to his transmitter had worked and was glad he had gotten it before he left Omega and responded. "This is Urdnot Wrex, a krogan, requesting permission to dock with a female krogan, Lakarta. There was about five minutes of static until this Hackett got back on. "Your request is granted, but your ship will be searched and you will be under military guard for your visit. Please leave any weapons on the ship. We will scan you for any weapons when you pass through decontamination."
"Understood, Wrex replied. He turned to Lakarta. "You made sure the update to your transmitter works too right?" She nodded. He turned back and watched as the freighter was let through by ships that moved out of the way. Lakarta stood next to the controls and directed the ship to the nearest docking tube. When the ship docked, both Krogan walked through the decontamination cycle. At the end of the hall was a door with a red interface in the middle that turned to green and the door split itself open.
The krogan saw about a dozen people run by them towards the ship without giving them a glance. A man with brown hair, white skin, and green eyes stood with two soldiers. The man appeared to be important since he wore the attire similar to officers of the other races.
"Guess things are similar across races," Wrex thought to himself.
The man walked towards them and beckoned the soldiers to follow He spoke with a British accent. "I am Gunnery Chief Winston Lloyd of the 137. What is your official business at Arcturus Station?"
The two krogan looked at one another. Wrex nodded at Lakarta and she spoke. "We would like to discuss some things with any government official.
Lloyd was taken aback, but it didn't show. "I can't guarantee someone will be able to see you, as your arrival was unexpected. For now, you will need to follow me through customs. Our personnel are busy enough as it is. Follow me so we can get you both registered.
The two krogan nodded to Lloyd. The five of them passed through customs without much incident, though it did take several hours. They were eventually led to the sleeping courters to wait. It was a nice stay, compared to the other places they had been, even if they were constantly watched by cameras. When they tried some human food, they were surprised that some of it was really good and Wrex was soon requesting some steak each meal they had. It was five days before Lloyd knocked on their door.
"Is it time," Wrex asked.
Lloyd nodded. "The Vice President, Donnell Udina would like to speak with you, as this is an interesting circumstance. Follow me."
The krogan were led down the hall, passing other guest rooms until they came to an elevator at the end of the hall. The elevator ride took far too long in their opinion, but after about two minutes, it opened to another narrow hall with doors along the walls. Lloyd walked in front of them and pointed straight at the end.
"Udina's office is the office straight down the hall. We will have to be present during the meeting as a safety precaution.
When the five of them arrived at the office, the two krogan saw a man with brown hair and eyes with a face meant for a politician behind a huge desk in front of a large window that showed a great view of the fleet. The man spoke with a commanding tone. "Have a seat please so we can get started."
Lloyd nodded at the krogan and the two aliens sat in the chairs in front of the desk and the man immediately spoke again. "We were all intrigued about your unexpected arrival, but you must have had a good reason if you have a female with you Urdnot Wrex. From what I have learned about species, it is quite rare for your females to journey off world. Nevertheless, welcome to Arcturus. I am Vice President Donnell Udina.
The two krogan were unfazed by this statement and waited for Udina to continue, as his tone suggested he wasn't finished speaking."
"It is not common for me to receive an audience like this, but we have made an exception for you. It's quite the privilege."
"It was the female's idea. She wanted to speak with you since your entrance onto the Citadel," Wrex replied.
Udina nodded and turned to face her, which Larkarta took as the signal to talk. "Your race intrigues me. Your ideas and what you claim to stand for. Only time will tell if you live up to everything you say. Your alliance with the Geth is controversial across the galaxy."
Udina opened his mouth to speak when the door opened and everyone's attention went to it. The guards turned around, some wering looks of surprise. The visitor walked past them
Udina stood up with a stern face, but it quickly changed to one of astonishment. "Madame President, I wasn't expecting your presence in this meeting."
Wrex was impressed with how many scars this woman carried. Apparently she had been through alot, as some were similar to the ones received after surviving an explosion.
The woman spoke in a gruff voice. "I decided to see this matter personally. This meeting is already stirring up a lot in the Parliament as a whole." She turned and nodded at the two krogan and took her place next to Udina.
Udina cleared his throat and got over his shock. "Yes, well thank you for joining us President. The meeting has just started. As I was about to say Lakarta, our ideas are real and we have indeed allied ourselves with the Geth."
Lakarta nodded in understanding. "We will see." She turned to Dresher. "Madame President, what do most of your people think of the Genophage affecting the Krogan. As you know, it was a bioweapon designed by the Salarians to end the rebellions."
"We have done extensive research on this matter in the past. Many people, like me, think of it bordering on war crime, however, there are those that believe it should continue. Almost everyone agrees that it was the only solution to end the war," Dresher spoke.
Lakarta againnodded and looked at Udina with a serious look. "Your kind has been preparing for a war that is supposed to mean whether we live or die. I heard your prothean on the news. I can tell your words are sincere, though most of the galaxy still sees this as some sort of ruse. Only the Asari Councilor and Saren Aterius, the spectre that was your guide, believes you and that is not enough to prove this to the galaxy."
Udina shook his head in annoyance. "Even with a Prothean showing them the evidence, they choose to not believe it."
"They think your friend somehow brainwashed Saren and Tevos and they think the Coalition is trying to take over the galaxy for the Geth so they won't destroy humanity. There has been some rumbling among the Council diplomats that they should start arming their forces against you instead," Wrex added.
Dresher turned toward Udina with a shocked expression. "How do you know all this," she asked.
"I have a good friend that has a strong relationship with the Asari Councilor and it's all anyone talks about anymore. The turians want to go to war, especially since your kind has been activating relays. The salarians are an undecided party and Tevos is preaching for a peaceful outcome and to prepare for the Reapers. Your entrance sure did scare those pyjacks," Wrex replied with a smirk.
Dresher looked down at her feet. "I didn't think it was this bad. We knew the Council was going to be uneasy about our entrance, but… She looked up. "We can't afford a war. We need to focus on arming for the Reapers, not each other. We were all afraid this would happen, but they deserved to know."
Udina stood up and walked towards a window behind his desk and stared out at the many ships still in orbit. He could see Hackett's cruiser returning toward the station and couldn't help but shake his head at the ship. These Reapers would easily turn all of this into debris. He was furious, though he wouldn't show it in front of Dresher. He could not understand how they could be so blind when they had practically shown the evidence in their faces. Two races, possibly three was not going to be enough. If the Quarians were ever found that is. Suddenly a thought came to his head, which made him grit his teeth in rage.
"They don't want us to find them," he yelled.
Dresher was startled from her train of thought. "Who?"
"The Quarians. Those deceivers have given us falsified reports," he replied.
"We shouldn't jump to conclusions like that right now Udina. It has only been about a week since we started looking," she replied.
He ignored her, closed his eyes, and clenched his fists in anger. It made sense. They didn't want the Coalition possibly getting any more powerful than it already was, especially from the best tech experts in the galaxy.
Dresher turned back to Lakarta. "Why exactly are you here?"
"To present you with an offer. Our resources can aid you in the upcoming battle. My friend, Urdnot Wrex, once tried to unite the clans. His ideas were not very popular, but some do follow the Coalition's beliefs. If we could unite Tuchancka, you would have an army of Krogan willing to offer assistance. I understand the situation and I am sure many other people do as well. We need to focus on uniting a galaxy," Lakarta replied.
"If your people will talk the Council into creating a cure for the genophage," Wrex replied with a grin.
Udina's expression turned to one of disbelief. "Do you even remember what you just said about the Council's views on us currently?" Udina asked in a louder tone.
Wrex shook his head at the human. "We aren't asking you to waltz into the Council Chambers right now human."
Lakarta held up her hand to silence Wrex. "We ask that you talk to them about it when tensions possibly ease up between you both and if the krogan can show signs that they can be trusted with a higher birth rate after we have united many of the clans. We want to at least have the Coalition on our side," Lakarta replied. "Regardless of the outcome of the Council's decision, if you stand by the Krogan, than we will give you our resources."
"You came out here, all this way, to tell us this now. Why not wait until you have started," Udina asked in a stern tone.
Wrex was about to get up out of his chair, feeling a little agitated at his tone, but Lakarta pushed him back into his seat. "The krogan need some hope. Most do not see us having a future and think the galaxy is out to get them. If we can provide our people with some hope, like a possible genophage cure, it will make it easier to unite clans. The Council is also starting to block off communication with you and this was the best time. It could be several years before we speak again." She lowered her head and waited for a response.
Dresher looked at Udina again, who shook his head as a response. She turned back to the female korgan with a serious look. "We would like to know how you would go about this…unification."
"Hah, if you think it will be like your government, than you would be wrong." Wrex almost snorted. "Krogan respect strength on our world. The krogan need a powerful leader or leaders." He shook his head in Lakarta's direction.
Both krogan could tell the humans were processing the information, as their facial expressions were changing constantly, much like the Asari.
"The weak and selfless do not live long, which makes me wonder how this one survived." He turned to Lakarta who nodded for him to continue. "We will create a breeding ground where all clans are welcome and are allowed to join with Clan Urdnot. Women from different clans can mate with any clan they want. Women and children are very valuable and krogan would never attack a clan with many females, unless they are really stupid, as they would incur the wrath of thousands of angry krogan. All clans that are a part of Urdnot are in charge of their own criminals. Any clan can stay independent if they want, as long as they do not attack, though that is very likely."
"That sounds more like a dictatorship to me," Udina replied, a little malice in his voice.
Wrex shook his head. "I told you before human. Tuchancka punishes the weak and selfless. You do not have to like our plan, but it is currently better than anything else any krogan has thought of at this point. Can you imagine selfless individuals running things? It would be chaos. This is for the good of all krogan. Most krogan will want to go to war with the Council once unification is big enough. I won't let them. We need to focus on breeding, rebuilding, and the Reapers.
Udina shook his head and turned to Dresher, who he saw was deep in thought. He turned back to the two krogan. "We will review this discussion. In the meantime, return to your room if there is nothing more to discuss. Dresher or I will send word to hold another discussion once a decision has been achieved in the Parliament."
Wrex began to get up, but Lakarta stayed seated. "We do have something else for you, some information. Wrex's friend can get her hands on a lot of information. We would be willing to assist you in your search for the Migrant Fleet," she said.
Udina's face showed some shock for a second, but he regained his composure. "We would appreciate it," he said with a nod.
Lakarta got up and the two krogan were escorted out.
There was about a moments silence before Dresher spoke. "So what do you think about all this?"
"I think it is hard to say whether their plan will work, but I am more concerned with this new government they will form. Isn't the Coalition based on the belief that all people should have a say in the government? I really wouldn't feel comfortable with that type of government allying with us. We also must remember the Council will react to this," Udina replied.
"I understand, but they are a race brought up in a harsh environment and they could be a valuable asset against the Reapers. We will have to see what the Parliament will come up with," she replied. She got up from her chair and turned back to him. "I am headed to bed now. We will deal with this storm tomorrow. I suggest you do the same." She walked out the doors and Udina finally let out a large sigh.
Information regarding the Coalition.
Technology like weapons, equipment, and ships are about the same as they are at the end of the second game. The only difference is that humanity has more ships and has access to Geth technology and has more efficient thrusters and drive cores as a result of the Geth's assistance. The Prothean, Javik has also helped the Coalition create some Prothean technology like the Particle Beam. Several different garden worlds have been found and some worlds in the game will be renamed, due to this being an AU. Infrastructures like houses are almost the same as they were in the game as well. Ships do not have the upgrades you can get for the SR2, though most ships can use stealth systems similar to the Normandy.
Author's Note:
Seriously, high school doesn't prepare you for college. It is only the first week and I am already getting a lot of work. I apologize for having many people wait, but my schoolwork must come first. I will continue with this story, though it will be delayed a lot until summer rolls around. I hope you are all doing well and I will keep releasing chapters when I can and again, thank you for the support and reviews.
P.S: To those wondering, I have not forgotten about Eve.