1119, September 10, 2560 (Military Time)\Serenity
Megellan gathered his things from the room that he for a short time called his home. The Serenity had needed an engineer in which he filled and glad to do it. However, his people needed him, Kedzuel needed him. Alan Tyler had found himself an engineer, calling upon a familiar face who knew Serenity, knew how she ran, was a part of her–from the inside out. Megellan, though was thrilled to be the engineer of a ship that he called a "Pioneer Vessel", a ship though primitive to what he was used to working with, but still a stepping stone of space exploration. He was happy to be able to work on her, to have an appreciation of what it was like to travel the stars more simply, and to understand just how big the universe was by traveling it so slowly.
Kethosians took too much advantage of their technology and began to become unappreciative of it. After spending such a short time upon the Serenity, Megellan had gained a new insight upon his own technology. He put on the armor that Alan had found him wearing when he was sustained in that suspended animation for over 50 thousand years as a prisoner to the now long gone Forerunners, beings who stole the Kethosians–the Precursors' technology to create their galactic empire–which was doomed by their own arrogance. They believed they were the ones to destroy the being known as King Ghidorah, and they were wrong.
Megellan tucked his change of clothes into the pouches lining his belt. He took hold of his helm and tucked it under his arm.
The green scaled, Lengodo Kethos' twitched a pointed ear and turned when he heard the sound of knocking at his door. Megellan smiled when he saw Alan walking through, the grin spreading across his scaly muzzle.
"How's it going?" Alan asked.
"Good," said Megellan. "I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to work on your ship. I had a great learning experience."
"Thank you for the help," said Alan.
They walked out towards the docking bay, and Alan looked upon Megellan, seeing the blue glowing cords dangling from the back of his neck. This was the first time he had a Technomancer working upon the ship, and it was the last. Through the power of the Array, Megellan was able to keep up repairing the Serenity with ability to repair he with little training. However, Megellan made the promise to Alan that he would do nothing to update her–or improve her since there was a common belief that altering her changes her personality. Even Megellan agreed that she needed to be preserved despite her flaws. Megellan only used his knowledge to keep her running. The Precursor scientist smiled as he looked upon the rustic bulkhead, the walls lined with rivets and piping, something that was missing on Kedzuel's ship.
Megellan knew he had to help his old friend on making the final repairs to the grand Battle Chariot as well as oversee the repairs to the other Shi-Class chariots. Kedzuel could not do this on his own, he needed someone smarter than he to make sure every bit was set properly in place. That is where Megellan shined the most. Alan wondered if the Precursor technology had changed over the course of 50 thousand years since Megellan had been there, but from what Megellan had told him, that was not the case. Due to Khan's own machinations, he had caused a technological regress of the Precursor society due to their utter dependency of Technomancy. Putting together ships like the Shi'Lithra needed scientists who remembered how to work on such technological advanced and picky ships. Megellan knew how to properly reconstruct those ships that were capable of creating a stable riff that only pulled in Strange Matter, the matter that made up creatures who came from the inconceivable odd separate universe that was the Far Realm–the place where King Ghidorah came from. The riff would appear and then disappear upon the command of each ships' pilot. Kedzuel was the pilot for the flagship of the massive fleet brought over from two million light years away in Andromeda.
However, there was something that seemed puzzling to Alan, something that Megellan kept saying over and over when he spoke of the Array. He called it a she and spoke of it as if it was a person and not a super, intergalactic computer that he and many others were able to connect to. The moment he wondered truly about it was when his First Mate Alistair died, or rather why he had to die, or rather why Megellan refused to even save him. That was still something that never sat well with him.
Why wouldn't Megellan save him when it was obvious that he had that ability? And why did the Array not allow him to do it?
The Array appeared a bit more than what it seemed to be and what Technomancy was–was more than it seemed to be.
Alan continued to stare upon the cords, tilting his head and his golden eyes narrowing. He touched the Precursor's shoulder and took in a deep breath, trying to properly word his question as best as he could.
"I suppose this is it," said Megellan, his voice breaking Alan's thoughts.
"Yeah," said the mutant. "I suppose."
Megellan held out his claw: "I can't tell you how much I appreciate for you rescuing me."
"Maybe you can repay that," said Alan.
"Repay?" asked Megellan. "What do you need?"
"I need an answer," said Alan. "I don't think Kiryuu or Malcho has this answer, despite them being Technomancers. But I think you do. What is the Array? What is it really? What is Technomancy?"
Megellan chuckled and gave a scratch to his head.
"I can't even begin to explain it," he said. "Not even in a relative term."
"Can you try?" asked Alan. "I would like to know. I mean–why didn't the Array let you save Alistair?"
"I already told you," said Megellan. "It goes against Free Will."
"What do you mean by that? What are these laws you talk about. Who is this–SHE–you talk about? That's what I want to know. Is she the Array?"
Megellan sighed and then walked towards a wall, leaning upon the side. He wagged his head again.
"To even begin to tell you about what the Array is, what those laws are," he began. "I have to tell you about the beginning of the universe–more rather the Multiverse. This universe is one of many that exist, nine to be exact, but before there were more. Unfortunately, the very thing that brought King Ghidorah here–also destroyed those many different other universes, which is why we are left with nine."
"What brought him here?" Alan asked.
"A weakened barrier between our Multiverse and the Far Realm," said Megellan. "And an accident. It happened 250 million years ago. Existence is much bigger than you know it."
"Alright," said Alan. He settled down upon a chair and leaned upon the back. "Go ahead. Tell me about it."
"I suppose I can give you a crash course in the Cosmology of the Multiverse," said Megellan. "Well, first off, you need to know that this universe is one of nine. Long ago, there were many universes, with infinite possibilities, but within a finite space. All of the various universes is connected through a conduit system known as the Plane of Shadow, and it is also intersected by the Astral Plane."
"I've heard the Astral Plane brought a few times," said Alan. "That is where Dunkelzahn had to go in order to bar King Ghidorah from returning to Earth. I suppose it was one of the reasons why he is trying to use the Reapers now."
"King Ghidorah has many methods," said Megellan. "Your Dunkelzahn friend was only hampering one. The Reapers are another. But yes, in a way. The Astral Plane serves as our bubble that surrounds the Multiverse, it is our shield that keeps out the Far Realm. The Far Realm is often referred to as the Outside, and this no mistake, it is the outside–outside of that bubble that protects us. There was a great war that happened 250 million years ago, a war that was raged by hyper-dimensional beings–beings you refer to as gods. But they are not gods, not really. However, many of them have the power to create life and direct its evolution, far more advanced than we can. You might say–they are the next step of life–if life dares to take that leap. There is a ruling being above all of them, that which many call You Know Who–many refer to her as that. Though she does have a name–many names." Megellan cleared his throat. "One name we know her as Takhisis. She is the balance between creation and destruction, life and death. Without her, it all would just spiral out of control."
"So, this–Takhisis is God?" Alan asked. "She told you not to bring back Alistair?"
"Alistair told her, remember?" Megellan said. "She does not dictate our actions, we do–and we tell her what we do. That is Free Will. That is the First Law. The First Law means Free Will cannot be hampered. You see, it was before, before this Multiverse existed, there was another, one that relied too much on those beings. So, life was stagnant. It didn't grow, and it withered and died. Free Will is a double edged sword, though. We make our own decisions, but it also leads us to ruin as well as triumph. But through all of this, it makes us stronger–strong enough to face the Outside. That is why she told me not to–because Alistair told her. Takhisis understands that without death, there is no consequence. Even she can die–and she will, eventually. But when she does, so does the Multiverse. We are of her, and she is of us. We are pieces of her. But we have choices while we live. All sentient life does. And these choices can either help or hinder our lives. But we are free to do so without the interference of Takhisis. She wanted this Multiverse to sustain itself, be an entity of itself and she only exists to provide the energy to fuel it or act when something great threatens it. That is all she does and nothing else. She does not want to change our lives because that contaminates the Multiverse, but we are a piece of her and she learns from us when we come back to her. Much like Call is a piece of Kiryuu Knight. Eventually, we have to return to her."
"Return to the Source," said Alan.
Megellan nodded, grinning, seeing the light just twinkle inside the Changeling's eyes as he slowly began to understand the Precursor's words.
"The Second Law is Matter cannot be made from Nothing," said Megellan. "We are all remnants of something else. Including Takhisis. She is a remnant of something far more ancient than you or I. We are all remnants of star dust, supernovas that exploded eons ago." He poked Alan with an armored talon. "This matter that you make up came from somewhere else. And our Multiverse was a remnant of the previous universe that came before it, and when this Multiverse finally dies, a new universe will be born from its remains. And the cycles continues. When life dies, and the energy she granted it to sustain it returns to her, so do our memories, our experiences, our choices–good and bad. She lives through us. She experiences what we experience. When we return to her, we tell her our greatest stories, and our greatest failings. And she takes the good and the bad."
"Is there judgement, a hell, a heaven when she listens?" Alan asked.
"There is–but not exactly what you think of it as," said Megellan. "These places we do not go to. It is not for us to go when we die to have a reward or a punishment. These places are where the lesser powered hyper-dimensional beings live, or are imprisoned. And these places exist within the Astral Plane. Many hyper-dimensional beings are imprisoned in what you call a hell, while many others are granted a place to live in quiet solitude in what you might refer to as a heaven. But where we go is only back to her. Which is why King Ghidorah is a problem here. He disrupts that–he doesn't allow the dead to return to her and hampers her growth as well. He is stealing her power when he absorbs us and takes our knowledge. Every piece that he takes to make into Reapers of Flood forms or anything else–everything he attempts to Indoctrinate is lost to her."
"So, what you are telling me is that King Ghidorah's true reason of being here–it wasn't ever about Kiryuu or me, or anyone else, it was about this Takhisis?" asked Alan. "This–godly being that created us? So, she's the Array that you use to command Technomancy?" He scratched his head, shaking his brown hair. "So you wield the power of a god? An all powerful god? Why not just snap your fingers and just end it all? Bring this Takhisis down here, have her fix everything?"
"It's not that easy," said Megellan. "We don't learn anything if it were that easy. Life has tobe hard. Life has to be full of lessons. And the other reason is, no one Technomancer can ever download all her power into their being. It's like overloading a circuit, eventually, you burn out the wires. It can only take so much energy coming from the source of power. If I were to just open myself up to all her power at once–I would fry instantly. So, we can only download so much. Better trained and higher performance users of the Array can download more power, but there is a limit. You reach that limit, you can suffer brain hemorrhages, coma, tumors, and of course eventually death. But to spread the power out between many people allows her energy to be wielded more efficiently. She doesn't want us to overload ourselves."
"Does she know what will happen?"
"She is not omniscient," said Megellan. "She never claimed to be. She cannot see the future. Besides, she has seen what a universe is like when it is locked in prescient visions. Free Will is destroyed. You cannot choose for yourself when your fate is already spelled out. It is best she does not have such abilities–for all our sakes."
"So, she is the Array?"
"Yes, and no," said Megellan. "She is the Source, the Array is just that, an array of various connector ports that connect to her. The cords from my back represent the Array's many extensions. It acts as a conduit, a terminal that connects us to her, and she is like the Intranet that we surf upon, downloading information, but she is also like a giant power plant. Which is why the Array can be altered and even corrupted. Files can be corrupted in the terminal. And there are so many billions of them that even she cannot go in and repair all of them. It is up to us to know which ones are corrupted so that we repair them ourselves. We ask too much of her many times, and she already does a lot. But since we are of her and she is of us, when we fix the files, it is like she is doing it as well."
Alan got up, running a hand through his hair. He wagged his head, trying hard to wrap his mind around what he was told. It was not easy, none of this was easy.
"You don't have to believe what I told you, Alan," said Megellan. "You don't. She doesn't expect you to. She doesn't want worshipers. That is why she is not a god. Gods demand worshipers, they demand you to bow before them and believe in them. Through that belief, they gain power. Takhisis is without that need. She just needs you to live and learn."
"I don't know what to believe," said Alan. "It all makes sense and it all doesn't make sense, mate. But–that's the answer? That's the real truth? No fooling, no tricks, no beating around the bush, that's it? Everything?"
"Yes," said Megellan. "The whole truth. This is the other truth. My species is the only species in the entire Multiverse that does not quite have all our Free Will. Takhisis made us with a purpose, to defend the Multiverse from creatures like King Ghidorah. And as I stated, it is an on going fight–even if we destroy him, there will always be more to take his place. That is why Khan, before his madness, uplifted your species to wield our technology and use Technomancy. He realized we can't be alone in this fight, it's too much of us. Perhaps that is one of her mistakes, she placed too much faith in one species rather than many. Takhisis isn't perfect, Alan. Even she makes mistakes."
Alan took in a deep breath, trying to further digest the rest: "It feels like you've just told me everything I needed to know, Megellan. And yet, there are always more questions."
"Answers always breed more questions," said Megellan with a weak smile. "But I've told you what you wanted to know–the important bits. And you may believe them if you want to, or completely dismiss them. That is your choice. She does not care. If she did, there would be one religion instead of many."
"I was never really a fan of any fate or god–all powerful being controlling my actions," said Alan.
"And she doesn't want to be," said Megellan.
"I like her already."
"She likes you, too. She likes everybody, no matter what they've done or what life they lead. She can be a bit fickle at times–and a bit of a bitch, but she has a personality, and chooses, she makes mistakes like we all do, and she learns from them. She's very powerful, but she isn't perfect. I like to think Kedzuel tries to embody her–mentality, show that a powerful being like himself isn't the perfect being in the world."
"Have you or Kedzuel met her?"
"She doesn't speak to many–not directly," said Megellan. "But yes, I've spoken to her, so has Kedzuel. She doesn't talk much, at least informally. She speaks when we ask the Array questions, when through our own experiences, and mo matter how many times we tried to look for an answer ourselves, we cannot see one–she will speak. She will provide us with a very short, open-ended answer, one we must interpret for our purposes. But she prefers not to speak and just let us use the knowledge she's gathered over the course of 15 billion years–that collective knowledge makes up the terminal that the Array is connected to. But she never tells us what we need to look for, that is what we have to do on our own. Her knowledge is like a library, with every book on the floor and uncategorized and no librarian to tell us where to look. On Erde-Tyrene, it is called the Great Library of Alexandria. The Array and the Library are one. But really it is the knowledge that Takhisis has gathered. That knowledge serves one specific purpose, how to make us impervious against the Far Realm. And no matter how much information is stored, not one of those books can tell us that answer. But this Multiverse is more or less a prototype, and with each universe that will succeed it, perhaps she'll be one step closer to that answer."
"Good to know," said Alan.
"250 years ago, Alan," said Megellan. "That is when it happened. That is when that monster came here. We never had a problem with keeping the Far Realm at bay until he came. A war that weakened the shield that protected our Multiverse from the Far Realm, Takhisis was left helpless when she had to let go of billions upon billions of possibilities, realties. It's not an easy thing to watch the very fabric of space and time ripping apart before your eyes. And this rip would have continued, but she managed to save just nine. We're all that is left."
"Not a very comforting thought," said Alan. "I never knew he was–so powerful as to defeat something like her so easily."
"He only did it because of her weakened state," said Megellan. "She's not dead, just very weak, still trying to hold onto what is left of the dream. She's spread so thin, Alan. Even if she could descend to help us, she'd still be powerless because we are already using that power. We would have to give it all back just to give her the strength to face him."
"What hope do we have if she can't do it?" Alan asked.
"Hope, that is all," said Megellan. "That is all. Even then, whatever happens in the end–not many will be saved–we will lose lives. We can't save everyone, but we can try to save as many as we can."
Alan took in as much as he could, still not quite understanding everything. Still, it was the truth, as best as the truth as he could even understand. He smiled and then held out a gray-scaled, taloned hand to Megellan.
"Thanks, mate," he said. "Thanks for–well–"
Megellan grinned: "My pleasure."
He looked up, as if hearing a voice in his mind that only he could hear. He took in a deep breath and dipped his head.
"See you around the galaxy, Captain," he said.
"Keep Kedzuel out of trouble," said Alan.
"That is a daunting and near impossible task," said Megellan with a laugh. "But I will try."
Then, he vanished in a flash of blue-white light. He reappeared in a field of grass surrounded by forests and a wooden walkway. Megellan smiled as he looked up at the sun. He knew exactly where he was. He heard the sound of feet shuffling, moving closer to him and he turned around. There, walking up with a big smile on his face was Emperor Kedzuel Draconis. He opened his arms up and gave his old friend a great bear hug.
"Good to have you back!" said Kedzuel.
"I knew you'd miss me sooner or later," said Megellan. He stopped when he saw a familiar face walk up from behind Kedzuel. There standing in altered Kethosian clothing was Dr. Liara T'Soni. "Dr. T'Soni, this is a surprise."
"Hello, Commissioner," said Liara.
"Megellan. Kedz, um–why is she..."
"Consider her an ambassador of Thessia," said Kedzuel. "She's here to help reacquaint us to the galaxy and its many changes."
"I see," said Megellan. "And I see you're–wearing Kethosian clothing. Is that the new style?"
"It is," said Kedzuel. "You've been gone for quite a while, fashions do come and go. Now it's all about slinky comfort, thin layers and less of them. You should see Serina's mauve suit–and its midriff."
"Oh dear 'You Know Who'," said Megellan. "I don't think I want to."
"Neither did I," said Kedzuel. "And I told her to at least wear something underneath–something a bit more professional."
"Did she listen?"
"Does she ever listen?"
"That answers that question," said Megellan with a sigh and a roll of his eyes. "But I must say, Dr. T'Soni, you do look sporting in our clothes."
"Jackie gave it to her," said Kedzuel.
"It's not bugged is it?"
"I already checked that," he said. "No, thank God. And there have been something else I've discovered that I wish to share only with you." Kedzuel looked behind to Liara. "Megellan is probably the only other person I can truly trust with sensitive information." He glanced around, making sure no one was near. "The Asari–their biotics–"
"I know about Element Zero making up their construction," said Megellan. "It was something Alan briefed to me when I was on his ship."
"This changes everything, Mel," said Kedzuel. "Everything."
"I know," said Megellan. "Who else knows this?"
"Possibly Jackie and if she knows so does Serina."
Liara stepped forward: "His Majesty–"
"Liara," began Kedzuel.
"Kedzuel told me about what being exposed to Element Zero can do," said Liara. "But most of my people haven't really suffered any sort of affects. If King Ghidorah had the power, he would have controlled us all already, right?"
"Right," said Megellan. "Still, it is a concern. It's possible he hadn't built up the influence he needs–the power his needs to take over an entire species–it's really hard to say."
"Regardless, Liara, I'm not going to throw you in the brig," said Kedzuel. "I'm just worried what Serina might say. If she gets that information–"
"Knowing how Jackie works–she probably already has it," said Megellan. "But I can always check–maybe forge a few fake files here and there."
Kedzuel smiled: "So missed you, man. I had to deal with Serina for the last 50 thousand years. I'm surprised I haven't executed her for each time she pissed me off."
"You sell yourself short," began Megellan as they began their walk back towards the Imperial Palace within the ship. "You are by far the most patient and forgiving of people I've ever known."
"Thank you," said Kedzuel.
He heard the chime sound again and Kedzuel groaned.
"It never ends!" he said.
"My Emperor, the Erde-Tyrene Admiral wishes to speak to you."
"Which one?"
"Admiral Hackett. He has brought dignitaries who wish to meet you from the planet of Sanghelios. Their ships just broke slip-space."
"Sanghelios," began Kedzuel. "Who–"
"The Sangheili," said Megellan. "One of them has a famous hero named Telek–Alan's superior. And I've worked with Dorva, who is serving on Alan's ship."
"Those guys," said Kedzuel. "Sangheili–Sanghelios–their species is named for their planet."
"So are we," said Megellan.
"True." Kedzuel cleared his throat. "Okay, tell Admiral Hackett that I'll be there in a few minutes." He paused. "Where is Hackett?"
"On the Cairo, Your Majesty," replied the voice.
Kedzuel nodded: "Work calls." He looked between Megellan and Liara. "Um, since you've worked with a Sangheili longer than I have–um."
"I'll go," said Megellan. "Besides, I can't leave you alone for a second. You open your mouth, cough, and we're in another war."
"I am not that unrefined when it comes to diplomacy," said Kedzuel. "But I could use the help."
Megellan shook his head. He looked down to Liara and smiled.
"He may be the Emperor," he began. "But Kedzuel is a warrior first. He loves to let his fists talk more than his voice."
Liara smiled, letting loose a small laugh as they returned to the palace