Sorry I haven't updated this in some time. I should be good for more focused updates...hopefully. This chapter will introduce the diplomat Udina as well as another race and a subspecie. Hope you all enjoy.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Prothean/Synthetic Speaking"
Chapter 3: Metamorphisis
"I still can't believe you lost," Miranda Lawson looks at Jane as the older female limps in. Weeks ago, a young sword-horn bull had challenged her to the right to rule. When the pair met on the field, it was like a clash between titans. Neither one would back off or kneel, locking horns and tusk while throwing punches and kicks at one another.
For hours, the pair clash with the sound of muscles and bones clashing together until the young bull manage to knock the older cow down. As Jane fell, a sharp snap echo through the arena as the shin in her right leg snaps.
Sitting down at last, Jane lets one of the medics scan her injured leg, "What can I say, I've been on the top for a time."
"I'll say," the uxitaur look over as one of her kin injects the healing solutants in her leg, "you've been mayor of this town since I was a young calf." As the pair laugh, Miranda hears the sound of feet stomping quietly towards them before the sword-horn walk in.
Few scars decorate his face indicating his youth with his worse one being the missing patch of skin and flesh from around his left eye. Tribal tattoo of an orray decorate the right side of his chest. Like all other sword-horn, his horns are sharp along the edges and his whole body is a deep gray color.
The only thing that is different are the pair of green eyes normally found among the red-face, "That was a good fight."
As he step forward, Miranda prepare to strike the rhiman when Jane smile at the young bull, "Now young man, where have you been?" Seeing the younger rhiman chuckle, she shakes her head before looking at a confused Miranda, "Come say hi to Jacob Lucien Shepard."
"Wait, this is your son?" seeing her friend nod, the uxitaur turns back to a grinning bull, "well...shit."
On the Citedal, a large crowd gather as the shuttle coming from Gaia drifts down. Several camera and reporter crews talk over one another as the passengers depart.
A lot of them are uxitaur with a few of the civilian sub race also step out. A family of six field-breaker gaze around in wonder, a young pair of forest-tender frown at the lack of plant life and a sword-horn cow smile as her son talks animatily.
The last one to leave is a high blood uxitaur wearing a full dark blue suit with a white collared shirt and a dark blue tie. Glancing down at his pocket watch, he glance around the area, "I get here on the appropiate date and time...and I have to wait for some-"
"Sorry! excuse me!" looking up, the high blood watch as a turian woman try to pass through the crowd, "if you could just-"
Moving forward, the crowd part around him as the uxitaur approach the female turian, "You must be Vina, yes?"
Seeing her pant, the older being waits for her to straighten up, "Y-Y-Yes sir, I'm here to take you to your Embassy." As the uxitaur nods his head, the pair head to the vehicle park on the street.
Once inside, the pair could be seen heading northward.
Jane Shepard and her childern shift uneasily as they walk on. Looking down at the omni-tool, Jane smirk as Jacob sneers at the technology, "Something wrong, Jay?"
"I really wish you didn't call me that," glaring at a pair of salarians, the bull sighs before he takes a deep sniff, "hey...does anyone else smell that?' As the quartet sniff about, Joice bumps into something...tall.
The alien before them stands at eight feet in height with a large hump on its back. A bony plate rest on its head as it turns towards the calf, "Watch it ya liitle-"
Growling at the being, Jane shoves the short male back, "Back off Dickless before ya start something ya can't finish." Blinking in surprise, the being makes a stupid move.
He draws his head back for a headbut.
Urdnot Wrex downs another ryncol, a deep frown on his face. Members of his clan have found him and were swarming behind him even when he told them to beat it. After the Turians had been pushed back by the Ungulates Union, there's been talk of conflict among the clans.
As he prepares to drain another ryncol, a loud crash can be heard as a Jurdon krogan is push into the building by a figure. The nasal horn of the red-face rhiman digs deep into the krogan's chest while her tusks gores into the younger male's stomach.
As one of the krogan's buddy stands up, a sword-horn rhiman that is missing part of his face knocks the guy out while the female beats the other guy's face in.
With one final punch, she drops the unconscious krogan on the ground just as two red-face calves enter the area. Taking a seat at the bar, she waits for the bartender to focus on her, "What can I get for ya?"
"What's the strongest thing you got," as the turian points at the ryncol, she nods her head firmly, "I'll have what he's having."
As the male places the alcohol in front of her, Wrex couldn't help laughing, "Yer sure ya can drink that?" Narrowing her eyes, she grabs the ryncol before downing the drink in one go. As she motions for another one, she arch a eyebrow with a challenging smirk.
The pair hear a burp making them look down as the youngest of the girls take the ryncol away from her lips, "Hmmm, taste like tolim."
"What's tolim," seeing the rhimen rolls their eyes, Wrex couldn't help scowl at them.
As more ryncol is pass over, the eldest female and the male downs their, "Tolim is one of our heavier drinks that is suppose to be bad for you...so naturally, everyone drinks."
"Naturally," taking a sip of his ryncol, Wrex glance at the three rhimen beside her, "out with the mate and kids?"
"No, all three of them are my calves," taking another drink, the cow smirk at the krogan while holding out a hand, "anyway, the name's Jane Shepard."
"Urdnot Wrex," shaking her hand, he raise a brow as two C-Sec officers walk in, "got company on your flank." Watching as the officers heads towards them, Wrex and the Rhimen glance over them.
The first is a young teal asari that seems to bounce from foot to foot. Her partner is a male green salarian with brown eyes. "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to accompany me," tensing as Jane downs another ryncol, the asari looks nervously at her partner.
Sighing to himself, the salarian moves up with a frown, "Miss, we had gotten a call that you have injured a bystander-"
"Incorrect toad," pulling from his own drink, Wrex flash the amphibian a smirk, "my friend here was just minding her business when the child decided to scare her kid."
Looking at a nodding bartender, the salarian notice the krogan back out of the bar, "I see...in that case, it's a matter of self defense." "Sorry about the intrussion," following after the nervous krogan, the pair of C-sec officers pull out a pair of hand chuffs.
Looking between his mother and Wrex, Jacob clears his throat, "So, what are krogan's like?" "First time anyone asked that question in a while," a mirthless chuckle escapes from his mouth as Wrex downs some more ryncol, "krogan society used to be about gaining honor from fighting the most enemies."
A few of the younger krogans shuffle nervously as the older male motions to them with a scowl, "Now a days, you hear the word krogan and everyone and their mother will say savages or beasts...it disgust me."
Minutes pass by before Jane looks at the panting male, "So what are you gong to do about it?" Silence hangs from him before Wrex lifts his ryncol only for Jane to grab his wrist. Snatching the drink from his hand, Jane glares at Wrex, "Answer me or are you not even man enough."
"I' .dealing with them," breaking free from her grip, Wrex lets out a huff as several of the younger krogans settle down. Feeiling eyes on him, Wrex was about to say something when seven rhimen walk in while sniffing the air. Looking at Jane, he motions for her to hand back his drink, "The krogans have already decided to fuck themselves over...I can't be a part of that."
"Then fix it." "You think I haven't tried," glowering at her, Wrex fails to notice the rhimen that entered snorts, "I have! My own father betrayed me when I tried to convince others about my idea! On hollowed grounds!"
"Then congradulation on proving to everyone," waving to the nervous krogans and tense rhimen, Jane leans forward with a sneer, "that when face with destruction or change...the krogans are too cowardly to stick with their path." Feeling Wrex grab her collar, Jane lash out with a straight to his jaw. Stumbling back, Wrex notice a few rhimen stand up only to be blocked by some of his clansmate.
Letting out a growl, he rush forward and slams a right hook to her chest. As a gasp escapes from her lips, Jane thrust her shoulder into Wrex's stomach before flipping him over. As he drops to the ground, Wrex grabs Jane's leg as it comes down for a stop. Pulling her down, he's caught unaware when she lash out with a backhand. Rolling away, Wrex begin to stand but fails to the ground as Jane charge forward.
Holding her back by the nose horn, Wrex stands up before throwing Jane into a wall. Denting the wall, the female rhiman shakes off the blow while remaing on all four. Huffing to himself, Wrex prepares to walk away but the a rhiman with grey skin and a partially broken nose horn block the exit, "What do you want?"
"She ain't done yet," pointing at the elder female, the younger female smirk as Wrex growls at a pawing Jane, "you got her blood pumping. So you either give up in front of everyone her...or you man up and actually fight."
"All this from-" "We rhimen apply combat to everything," tickiing off her fingers, the others watch as Jane pace back in forth, "protection, religion, politics-" "How that last one work?" seeing her cross her arms, Wrex sighs before looking at Jane, "you'll won't let me leave unless we fight."
Sighing to himself, Wrex face towards Jane with open palms, "You don't want any of this Shepard."
Stomping hard enough to shake some tables, Jane lets out a snort and a bellow before charging at Wrex. Rushing forward with his head tilted down and almost parallel with the ground as some patrons dive out the way, Wrex crash into her with bone shattering force. Muscles ripple before Wrex tries to push Jane back only for her to rise up with a right hook. Catching the fist, he tries the same only for her to grab his fist. As the pair push one another, Wrex pulls his head back and slams it into her face.
Gripping her arm, he throws her to the ground before pinning her down, "Are you quite done?!" Feeling her stand, Wrex slams a knee to her chin before stepping back. As she stumbles back, Jane give a quiet yelp as she falls to the ground with her leg crack out of place.
"Fuck," bracing her right hand behind her, Jane lets a snarl cross her face as she tries to stand. Hand slipping under her, she feels as clawed hands holds her under the armpits. After being sat down in a chair, Jane locks eyes with a frowning Wrex, "What is it?"
"Was there a reason for this," waving around the bar, he frowns at the direction her eyes were facing. Looking behind him, Wrex can see the admiration in them as the younger krogans gaze at him.
Turning back to Jane, Wrex could see the smug smile stretch across her face, "Yes. You see them?" Seeing the krogan roll his eyes, Jane ler out a snort as an uxitaur runs up with a med kit, "When you give up, they think that there's nothing to fix."
"So what, I'm suppose to just keep pretending that nothings wrong," a sneer cross his face as Wrex watch the uxitaur patch up the leg.
Shaking her head, Jane points across from her and at the younger krogans, "By giving up, you give all your enemies power over you." Rising up once the uxitaur walks off, Jane lays a hand on Wrex's shoulder, "If you trully care about your people and culture, you would prove them wrong and yourself to them."
As the last of the rhimen walk out, Wrex leans back with a frown. Placing credits on the table, he stands up before walking out. Stopping just at the door, he turns his head towards the younger krogans, "Let's go munchkins, we got some folks to knock some sense into them."
"Where to first," looking at the young krogan that spoke, Wrex and the others blink as a slightly feminine voice came from the speaker.
Shaking his head, Wrex continues towards the hangers with firm determination, "Wrill. It's time we drag the krogan back, this time as an unified people." Looking at the others, he let out a sigh, "I don't expect you to follow me...but if we succeed, it will show those bird fuckers and toad bitches that we can be a true people."
Looking at their leader, each of them gain a smile before turning to the youngest among themselves, "I doubt we will be able to take the world without help." Focusing on their leader, he watch as Wrex pulls a card from his pocket, "How-When?!"
"When she was walking past," a smirk cross over his face as Wrex place the card back, "it seems that she and her's don't want to watch us kill ourselves after all."
As the group if krogans walk by, a pair of asari look on with narrow eyes, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Of course," the elder of the pair smile kindly at her younger counterpart before glancing at the krogans walking down the alley, "we help the ungulates gain an ally and the krogans are brought properly into the fold."
Tapping his hoof on the ground, the civilian let out a sigh of relief as the doors open. Walking forward with self assured steps, the uxitaur bows at the asari before him, "Greetings Lady Tevos. May your house always be safe."
"Thank you for coming Udina," waving at the ungulate to sit, she waits before bring up a report, "Jane Shepard has made contact with one Urdont Wrex. I believe that he and his may require your help."
Nodding his head, the ner'uxitaur types slowly on the omni-tool. Knowing the politician is still listening, Tevos brings up a screen showing an old starship that has obviously seen better days, "This is Rayya, a quarian Liveship. I need your people to find a place for them to colonize."
"Hmm...it'll be difficult," tapping his right hip, Donnel let a sigh escape his lips, "Gandalf barely tolerates the idea of having the krogans as allies. Having a fragile race like the quarians might be too much."
A quiet hum cross Tevos before she hears a knock on the door. Looking up, she and Undina watch as an elcor walks in with a hurried gait, "Councilor Tevos, I bring urgrent news!"
Gandalf blinks slowly as a wet cough escape while he looks around himself. Four batarians hang from the rafter while more can be seen scattered across the room. Glaring at a smug batarian, Gandalf slumps down as the omni-blade slides from his lung, "You newcomers think you're all that. Well you're not!"
The sound of footfall seems to give the batarian some courage as he leans down with a feral smile, "My people will enjoy taking your men, women and children until their spirits are broken and they never can hear the word freedom agai-"
Words escape the slaver as Gandalf push forward with the last of his strength and dig his nose horn into the chest of the batarian. As the door slams open and a group of ungulates wearing black armor enter, the ancient rhimen smiles as his eyes dull, "You talk too much bug."
On the surface of the small colony world, corspes of batarians and ungulates litter the area as two members of the STG look on, "A shame that one of the leadership had been killed. Would have liked to picked his brain."
"It was the warmonger of the trio," hand darting across his omni-tool, the older salarian look between the screen and the ground below. Reaching forward, his hand makes contact with the railing as a group of tall lumbering beings. Each of them have a small nasal horn while they wore baggy pants and straps going across the chest of two of the members.
As they pick up the bodies of the dead, the two STG members record the process.
Admiral Rael'Zorah nar Rayya gives a deep sigh as he turn the news off. Hearing soft footsteps, he turn to his wife as Lulu'Zorah takes a seat next to him, "So...I have big news."
"Me too," switching the screen off, he gather her into his arms gently, "I've been told that I will be meeting with the Ungulate Union." Seeing the question form on her face, Rael'Zorah chuckle slightly before kissing her, "Primes Sabrina and Ozpin have offer to allow us a selection of different planets to choose from."
"That's great news," hugging him tightly, Lulu'Zorah pulls him up with a wide smile. Giving him a brief kiss, she dance from foot to foot, "So...my news probably isn't as big."
"Nonse-" "I'm pregnant," seeing Rael's mouth drop in surprise, Lulu shifts nervously as he moves closer, "I made sure that it would be alright and since several quarians are on others ships, I figure it would be fine."
Feeling a pair of arms lift her, she let out a surprised squeak when her husband twirl her around, "This is great news, Lulu! This just gives us more of a reason to succeed!"
Hugging the admiral with all her strength, she can't help the feeling that life was turning for the better.
Rael'Zorah let out a deep sigh as he and the two sword-horn rhimen walk down the hall. Murals of ancient wars and busts of past leaders line the walls as he look around nervously. Gazing up at one of the escort, he clears his throat, "So. How long have you been an escort?"
"Five years," looking back at the quarian, the female gives him a gentle smile, "usually, we wouldn't need to even do this. Since you're the first of your kind in our space, we're making an exception." Stopping before a pair of doors, her partner opens them while she motions him through.
Giving a slight bow, he steps towards the desk where Ozpin sits while reading a report in paper. Moving closer, Rael holds his breath as he watch the elderly uxitaur levitate several documents. "Greetings Admiral Rael'Zorah nar Rayya. Please, take a seat," signing off the document, Ozpin sends it and the others off while looking at the sitting quarian.
Clapping twice, Ozpin watch as a cup is place before Rael before grabbing an apple, "I apologize for the lack of better dining but I don't want to risk you removing your armor."
"It's quite alright," taking the giant ungulate, Rael drinks from the slush before giving a sigh of relief, "I thank you for giving my people a chance."
"You deserve more. You and your had been forced off your home world," shaking his head, Ozpin takes his glasses off while wiping them, "the mormen can understand what you're going through."
"The who?" "Hm," looking up, Ozpin place his glasses back on and lock eyes with Rael, "oh right, the servent that just left is a member of the mormen race. It was in recent history, some three hundred years ago and we were exploring deeper into our area. We watch as thirteen dreadnought sized ships that were scraped together, leave this world that seem to black out as they fled."
Biting into the apple, Ozpin's eyes seem to flicker to somewhere else before he refocus on the quarian, "When we sent drones down to explore the planet surface, we found the surface teeming with these black insect like creatures. After talking to their leadership, we realize that the world itself was infected with this deadly parasite like creature...and order the orbital bombarment of the planet."
"The mormon see your strife," pointing at Rael, Ozpin looks into the mask of the younger male with a grim gaze, "and see that you can, hopefully, gain back your home world...but you can't do that from a group of ships."
"That's correct sir," turning as the uxitaur walks to a shelf, Rael wring his hands together, "hence why I'm hear to convince your government to-"
"Convince," letting out an amused snort, Ozpin place thick folder before the admiral, "you don't need to convince us. We just need to know which two of the detxro-friendly garden worlds you want to settle."
"Two garden worlds," briefly opening the folder, Rael swallows hard before looking at the smiling ungulate, "this is...it's too much."
Waving at the admiral, the uxitaur prime grabs a steaming pot and pours some coffee into his mug, "Nonsense. We're not using the world and we don't need it, it would be a waste to simply have them sitting there."
Looking between the folder and Ozpin, Rael'Zorah gives a choked laugh, "I...I don't know what to say."
"You're welcome young man," patting the quarian on the shoulder, Ozpin guides the admiral to the door. After the pair shake hands, Ozpin waits for the escort to take his guest down the hall while smiling, "Also, the people all voted for your to own those worlds. I know you'll put them to good use, yes?"
As Rael'Zorah stumbles on to the shuttle that will take him home, the quarian pilot look over with a worried exspression, "Admiral, is everything alright?"
"...Let's get to the Rayya, I think everyone wants to hear the news," hand on his mask, Rael takes a shaky breath as the shuttle begins its ascent, "...keelah."
This ends Chapter 3. Next up will be a timeskip to the beginning at Mass Effect I. I thank you all for the wait and I'm trying to update all of my stories so please stop annoying me about it. I do plan on making references to Mass Effect Andromeda when I get to the Mass Effect II Arc. Keep being awesome and until next time.