Alternate Past: Uncertain Future MkII
Credit to aDarkOne for writing this chapter with me.(Seriously, thank him guys. Because of him, I'm updatings as frequently(for me that is) as I am.
I did grammar corrections, so any remaining faults are with me.
Read A/N on bottom for any issues with Arbiter Armor and/or Denton
Chapter Thirteen
"It is well that war is so terrible - lest we should grow too fond of it"
-Robert E. Lee
**Fours Hours prior to full activation of UNSC AI, Morrison, designation 01/138**
"The majority of the ships have been brought into formation or into hangars, Admiral." On the holotank, Mjolnir ticked off the last of the errant ships still flying around the system, leaving only those assigned near Palaven extracting the remain ground forces. On the bridge, the crew let out a collective sigh of relief, having been working nonstop for several hours, coordinating with both the AIs of several ships and their crews. The arrival of the Era's sister ships; the UNSC Ascendency and UNSC Dawn of Man, had only added to the confusion before the Rear Admiral had taken tactical command. By the grace of whatever was out there, the highest ranking officers on the other INFs were navy captains. "Orders have been relayed to planetside forces and total withdrawal of humans: KIA, WIA, walking wounded and combat-ready is at 35%, sir." Across the bridge, the crewmen and women almost seemed to slump at their stations, utterly exhausted, having been working essentially nonstop since they had been called in by the Spartan extraction team when the negotiations had gone pear-shaped.
De La Rosa rubbed the exhaustion from his eyes. "Good, very good." The Rear Admiral, for all his experience and strength, was still a normal human. Meaning he was as exhausted as the rest of them. "Has there been any news of the Everest? If we're going to get involved in a shitstorm like this, at the very least, better we have something to show for it." The entire bridge straightened, straining their ears, some actually turning towards the Rear Admiral, trying to hear the AI's answer. When Mjolnir answered in the negative, De la Rosa cursed softly under his breath, but not soft enough as it seemed everyone had heard it. Though, he didn't notice, and if he had, he was too tired to even care. "Right, get the next shift up here, everyone is to get at least an hour of sleep. Once all of our troops are back on-board, we'll-" He stopped, seeing Mjolnir trying to grab his attention. 'What is it?' He 'spoke' to the AI through his neural lace.
'Our guests wish to "negotiate" with you Admiral.' Jesse's eyes widened by a fraction.
'Why? Why now of all times?' He asked, bewildered. Seeing as before they seemed too prideful, almost to the point of arrogance when he had first seen them, and shell shocked when they had left. He didn't expect them to be ready to talk so soon, if at all today. Yet, it seemed the galaxy had more than a few surprises in store for him.
'I believe they are willing to capitulate.' This time Jesse's eyes widened noticeably. 'I have been listening in on their conversations, using the data collected during our first encounter with their race over Shanxi. They do not believe they can stand against whatsoever. I am inclined to agree.'
'Be that as it may, I am in no position to negotiate anything with them. Our ambassador is in the medbay. And from what I was told, they had to put him in a coma as he was shot by some strange munition. And there is no else authorized or even qualified to negotiate.'
'I'll have to disagree on that, Jesse.' Both AI and human nearly jumped, one figuratively, the other literally, as a third 'voice' entered their conversation. 'So sorry, didn't think this was a private conversation but I heard you two talking about our lovely guests. Hope you don't mind.'
'Who is this, identify yourself.'
'Doctor Alan Morgan Denton, at your service.' It wasn't an easy feat to shock a Rear Admiral of De la Rosa's caliber, let alone a 'Smart'-class UNSC AI, and the good doctor, if he was who he claimed to be, had just done that. Though both for different reason; one because they did not believe someone of such prestige would still be onboard, the other at how easily their private conversation had been breached. Denton had become a household name after the attack by the fleet, Terra's Rage during the latter and initial parts of the Great War and Heretic Wars respectively. It was he who was, as far as everyone knew, the reason why the UNSC had managed to incorporate Forerunner technologies into accelerating the construction of what few ships the UNSC had and were building at the time. Even now he was, depending on who you asked, equal to, beaten by, or above Doctor Catherine Elizabeth Halsey in regards to knowledge of Forerunner technologies. 'Before you ask how I got here, I was part of the group you lot managed to evacuate from Shanxi. I just never left after that. Though, I will admit, it's great to be aboard the ship Lizzie and I built together.'
The admiral did his best to not gape at how nonchalantly Denton had referred to Halsey, considering the respect the good woman had gained over the years. Metaphorically, he shook his head, coming back to the here and now. 'Doctor, you said something about negotiating?'
**APUFMKII**
Deeper inside the bowels of the Era, Denton simply smiled as he shut down the link. "Hmm, perhaps I should have mentioned that I wasn't the only one still here?" Indeed, having 'commandeered' one of the spare Officer's quarters on the ship, along with keeping his presence more or less a secret, thanks to a little deep-rooted programming in Mjolnir.
"Well, this should be interesting." He smiled. "Though they really should have let me be the one to meet these 'Councilors' first. Ah well." He leaned back in his chair, mentally reviewing everything he read about these 'Citadel races'. The turians were much like the UNSC, though far far more nationalistic, to the point where some would excused for comparing to that of Nazi Germany, despite how the former was a far cry from the latter. They would both the easier and more difficult to deal with. The krogan could be compared to the Sangheili, but were more diverse and at the same time, divided. Seemed that the race could be a ruthless as the human Insurrectionists had been, but at the same, were more culturally advanced since they had gone through a sort of Renaissance. It would interesting to deal with them. The salarians, well they were just overly ambitious amphibians. Surprisingly, they would be the easiest to deal with, after all, he constantly butted heads with Paragonsky and survived. Funnily enough, it was a fact that no one realized. Though it was interesting how people mistakenly thought he was the one the rumors spoke of, when it wasn't. The asari on the other hand…
The console in the room starts ringing, drawing the doctor's attention. "Yes? Hello?" \
Mjolnir's avatar manifested itself on the console. "Greetings, Doctor Denton."
"Oh! Hello there. So sorry, little busy, trying to find out how to make sure no one starts shooting each other. Don't want to be involved in another war, eh?" He moved to shut off the console only to be stopped by Mjolnir.
"That's why I called. We've received orders from Premier Minister Alexi Kowalski and Lord Hood. It is paramount that a treaty is made." That got the doctor's attention. Forgoing his usual carefree attitude, he focused on the AI.
"Tell me everything."
And so Mjolnir did. How the UNSC was not ready for a full-scale war (even against a technologically inferior opponent like the Citadel Council). The assault on Palaven was a debacle of epic proportions. The munitions and resources expended here, along with the ships and personnel lost, was a great blow to the UNSC navy. The fleet Terra's Rage had been most powerful humanity had mustered together during the Heretic war and the Great War, but over the course of the former, followed by the Second Insurrection, meant even that was a ghost of a shadow of its former self. Sure they had enough ships for patrolling their borders, protecting their territories, but nowhere near what was needed for a real war. Especially not one with an economy as large of the Citadel Races. For every one ship the UNSC could field, the Citadel races could bring dozens. Even if the UNSC did win, it would be a pyrrhic victory at best, and mutually assured destruction at worst. And that was not considering the New Covenant. And another war might just be the push the UEG over the edge and into a full-scale civil war. Apparently, someone had recalled that Denton was still onboard the Era, ('Paragonsky no doubt. Halfway across the galaxy and still the hag wants to keep an eye on me.'), the Premier and Hood granted him what was essentially blanket approval. "Promise them whatever it takes, but make sure that we appear strong. Under no circumstances can there be further hostilities between the UNSC/UEG and this Citadel Council." Denton was now leaning back into his chair, processing the power that he, however temporary, was granted. "Damn…" For all intents and purposes, it would be him, and him alone, that would determine if an uneasy peace or a new war would be the next chapter in humanity's history. "You must have a hand in this, you little bitch." He muttered, thinking about Paragonsky. He rubbed his right arm unconsciously."Just when are you going to give up trying to get me killed? First you send one of your lapdogs to fetch me, and now this? Just what are you trying to do?" He turned back to the terminal, working the screen, bypassing firewalls and failure screens before it showed what he was searching for: the four aliens that he would soon be negotiating with. "Better get to work."
**APUFMKII**
New Covenant Space
High Charity Station
The Mausoleum of the Arbiter
Thel Vadam looked upon the rows of caskets that ran up the walls of the Mausoleum. Each representing the Arbiters that came before him, his predecessors. The traditional armor the Arbiter, from the time before the very First Age of the Old Covenant, was before him, in its usual place of honor. "Ancestors, what am I to do now?" Of course there was no answer from the empty armor. Thel shook his head. "Were it so easy." Still, as he looked over the old armor, his old armor, again, his mind wandered to the battles he had lead while he wore it. First during what would become the final years of the Human/Covenant war, or as he considered it, The Shameful War, and last wore in what became the Heretic Wars; when leading his forces against those who would still try to wipe out the humans.
He had spilled much blood while he wore the armor, both his own, and that of his enemies. He had long since stopped wearing his old armor that was stained in the blood of his victims. Victims, it was never a word that he, nor any Sangheili, would ever use about those they killed. Always it was the enemy, scum, pest or other such nomenclature that implied it was "acceptable" to kill them. How many had he killed? Personally and on his orders. One little known fact about his race was that each had what the humans called Eidetic memory, or the ability to have perfect recall of memories. Which for him and many like him, he remained all those that he had slaughtered: the unarmed, young and old, their faces haunting him and many others. He unconsciously touched the diagonal scar running down his body. A cut that would have been fatal were it not for his energy shields and the high quality of his old armor before he became the Arbiter.. A human, their equivalent of a young sangheili still in training, had charged him with an energy cutlass, no doubt pilfered off a kig-yar corpse, coming down at him from above. Thel had barely managed to backstep and still suffered a deep gash before he disemboweled the human with his gauntlet energy dagger. The armor was covered in other marks from similar incidents though none were as severe.
He was drawn out of his memories as he heard footsteps approaching from behind. "Apologies milord, but the Councilors have called for you. There has been a...development with the humans." Thel already knew who it was before he laid eyes on him, Sesa 'Refumee, Supreme Commander in the New Covenant Fleet, and one of Thel's closest friends. Laying eyes on his friend, Thel internally sighed when he saw Sesa on his knee, bowing to him. As much respect as Thel had for the old customs, there were times he saw them as impractical and unnecessary. Something he would never have considered them to be before his newfound friendship with the humans.
"Stand up Sesa, you know I care little for such formalities. You said the Councilors have called for me?"
Rising to his hooves, Sesa nodded. "Yes milord. The entire Council has been called, even the Kig-Yar and Unggoy have been summoned. A Full Session has been called. I was sent when they received no response to the call from you." Thel stiffened. A full Session was not something to be taken lightly as they were only called when the decisions made and developments were heard that could affect or involve the entire Covenant. The last time one such session had been called was when the Heretic Wars and the Human-Covenant war had began.
"Very well, let us go then. If it is indeed a Full Session, then there is no time to waste." As Sesa nodded and began to lead him to the main Council Chambers, Thel couldn't help but the feeling of foreboding regarding this session. Things were bad for the New Covenant, but if the last few years had taught Thel anything, it was that things could always be worse.
**APUFMKII**
The four Councilors waited in the rather, by UNSC standards, opulent room, having been brought here not too long ago. Again being escorted by the armored behemoths that were as tall as many krogans. When they had asked why they had been moved, their only answer was that someone would be here soon. It had been a short while since then, and their nervousness permeated the air. Even Wrex was worried, despite how well he hid it. Tevos actually managed to stay in a seat and avoiding any nervous fidgeting, a testament to her experience and self-discipline. Teranus was also in a seat but could not avoid tapping his talon against his arms, try to suppress his nervous energy. Valdn however, was failing miserably. His self-discipline almost nonexistent as he constantly paced the room, muttering to himself about STG, Black ops, uplifting and other inane babble. Which was quickly beginning to wear on the others' nerves.
Before anyone could say anything, the doors opened. The human officer they had seen before entering, followed by another, thinner human that seemed to be almost aloof of the situation. The way he simply flopped into one of the available seat, unlike the admiral who sat with the dignity reflecting his age and position, only seemed to reinforce that. To everyone that is, except Tevos, and even then she barely noticed the look in his eyes. Only thanks to her long time experience in politics, and the asaris' natural empathic be talents did she notice anything amiss. How his eyes betrayed the bitterness underneath the carefree exterior.
The admiral started broke the silence before it could set in. "While I wish I could I say good day, we all know it has been anything but." No one disputed that, first contact and it had resulted in the annihilation of a fortress world along with the first ever assault on a Council species homeworld. All thanks to two corrupt military commanders gunning for their next fortune and a single politician's refusal. "That being said, while I am not the representative of humanity, and our official ambassador is still in a medically-induced coma." He paused, as though considering his words, "That being said, Doctor Denton," Here we indicated the other human that followed him into the room, "has been permitted to discuss the preliminary treaty on the UNSC/UEG's behalf." The doctor touched two fingers to his brow as a way of acknowledging the Councilors, with the Admiral barely suppressing the urge to slap his palm to his face at how calm Denton appeared to be. "D-"
"Ah, c'mon Jesse, you know I hate it when people speak for me. Relax a bit, and get that stick out of your ass. We're only discussing a treaty with a race that we just almost obliterated!" At this point the Admiral did facepalm. "Why do I even bother…" He muttered. The councilors were, for a lack of a better word, shocked by the display. In spite of all their experience, they had never meet anyone with such a cavalier attitude when dealing with them, outside of their families. "Uh, hello?" Denton began waving his hand in front of Tevos's face like a child, "Anyone home?" that snapped her out of her stupor and brought her back to reality.
She bowed her head slightly, "My apologies, we are simply surprised by how...carefree you seem to be. Though, you are…?"
"Denton, Professor Alex Morgan Denton. Can't tell you more than that though, outside of that with my buddy Jesse," The professor slapped the admiral on the shoulder, "and I, have been granted the authority to negotiate the preliminary terms of a treaty between our governments. This means we'll be all talking and trying to make sure than when my bosses get here, no one is wanting to be shooting each other? So, what do you guys, er, people, say?"
With little other recourse, the Citadel councilors nodded, and the negotiations began.
**APUFMKII**
As Thel entered the Council chambers,he knew that his feeling was right. Rather than bored politicians idly conversing with each other, the air was wrought with tension and it felt as though all it would take would be a single plasma shot to set it off. Every eye was on him as he approached the main table, with the raised seats around them filled with lesser ranked politicians. Waiting for him already seated along with the rest of the High Council was Rtas'Vadum, Commander of Special Operations of the New Covenant.
As he approached, Thel couldn't help be compare it to the first time he had donned the armor of the Arbiter. After the news from the Oracle within the Forerunner Dreadnought, of how the humans were the chosen inheritors of the Forerunners, marking those the Covenant had been slaughtering for decades as the Children of the Gods, the Covenant was in disarray and upheaval. He had worn the armor of the Arbiter out of desperation, to try and quell the panic, the shame and self-destruction the Covenant was suffering from. It was a title he had planned to set aside after the Covenant had stabilized, but alas, the people had called for him to keep it. To serve as one of their leaders, answerable only to the entirety of the Council itself. The silence that permeated the room was similar to when he had entered wearing the Arbiter armor for the first time.
As he took his own seat, he could almost feel the eyes of all those in the chamber bearing down on him. Without preamble, Rtas started the meeting. "Councilors, we have a situation and a potential crisis on our hand. As you may or may not know, the humans have found another coalition much like our own, and the events thereafter. However, we have more pressing matters on our hands. Our fleets, our industries are on the verge of collapse. Our engineers, our machinists have informed us that our industries and our fleets are falling apart. Saboteurs, assassins and spies from the Heretics and the Heretic humans have crippled what remains of our fleets. The humans, Lord Hood, have tried to teach us how to build again, but as you all know, the losses we suffered at the hands of the scum," Rtas spat out the word, no willing to grace the traitorous Luro 'Taralmu by using his name. "and those that followed him, utterly ruined and crippled our ability to maintain our armadas. What engineers, machinist and Forgemasters remain tells us that within four solar cycles, what ships we have, will be all that remains."
Thel nodded, as he knew like Rtas said, when Luro had begun his heretical campaign, he made sure to gut the Covenant armada by taking all the engineers, machinists and shipbuilders they had, and killing as many of those that did not follow Luro that they could. The few that were left were both numerous and skilled enough to finish what ships were still in production, and teach a next generation, but it would be an incomplete teaching as the masters were either dead or gone. What Forgemasters they had were dedicated to a single aspect of building, not a master of all.
"I have heard much the same Rtas, but what can we do?" Thel asked. "Unless the humans plan to go to war with another race, I believe we will have time to learn and build again." When Rtas didn't respond, he felt a chill in the air. "Rtas, what are you not telling us?" He knew the humans would have brought retribution against the new races, but a full-scale war?
The Special Operations commander sighed. "And this is the reason why I have called for this Full Session. Two of our youths have returned from human space with grave news. And I have called them here to explain what has happened." Waving a hand towards one of the doors, they opened, allowing in a young female and male sangheili. "Squl'de Qurad and Serana Ke'dar." As the two youths approached, the trepidation he felt increased tenfold, for the news certainly involved the new species at the human colony world. The knowledge of the new species was known only to a select few of the Covenant, Thel being one of them, the entirety of the Council, however, did not. And whatever news these two brought with them, would surely be only the tip of the plasma stave.
**APUFMKII**
Back aboard the UNSC Era of Retaliation, the three Councilors were wide eyed and jaw dropped at the conditions, no, outright demands for peace between the UNSC/UEG and the Citadel Council. Indeed, even the Admiral was jaw-dropped at what he had just heard.
The man who had listed the conditions was leaning back in his chair, as though he had made these sorts of deals all the time before, or made such outrageous demands. Wrex was the first to regain his wits among the five, "Want to run that by us again? I'm sure that the translators fouled up, and you're not just crazy." A sentiment shared by the others, as even the human admiral found the demands ridiculous.
Denton smirked as he reiterated the demands. "Alright then: again the conditions for peace between the UNSC/UEG and the Citadel Council are: the capitulation of the Turian Hierarchy to the UNSC/UEG and becoming a vassal nation of said government, reparations in terms of material and resources for the lives lost and damages during the Invasion of the UNSC/UEG colony of Shanxi and the handover of all ships and individuals involved in the attack of Shanxi. All of this is only up for negotiation with the release of UNSC Everest and its crew."
"Y-y-you can't be serious?" Tevos stuttered, her calm demeanor slowly starting to crack, "These demands are outrageous. The supposed cost in material reparation is one thing, but you are asking that a part of the Citadel Council to become your vassal race?!"
Denton shrugged, "Why not? You turians did it with the Volus." When their faces betrayed their confusion as how he could possibly know that, he elaborated, "When you first attacked Shanxi, our ships hacked yours and downloaded everything. From starmaps to this 'codex' of yours." The three of the four councilors looked towards each other, before turning their attention to their turian counterpart, who had his arms crossed and looking straight down at the table. "You said that the conditions of the peace treaty between our two governments would be open to negotiation per the release of your vessel?" Tevos and Wrex snapped their heads towards Denton and Teranus respectively, just realizing that Denton did indeed say that the conditions for a treaty were up to negotiation on that one condition. Denton nodded, "Then I'll contact my people to begin the process. I think that your species understands the hassle of bureaucracy." With that Teranus rose and made to go to the far wall of the room, before he did though, he added. "I will trust my compatriots to handle the negotiations, for I no longer trust myself, for now." With that he moved, leaving the other five at the table. Denton clapped his hands together, a happy but serious look on his face. "Right then, lets start."
**APUFMKII**
Councilor Wrex stared across the room at his human opponent. The truth was the krogan leader still wasn't sure whether Denton was a shrewd negotiator who had been running an enormous bluff or just an arrogant madman. It didn't help that Wrex had never seen a human before today. They looked like strange 'male' asari to him, but the old battlemaster was smart and experienced enough to realize that that their similarity to his allies might be less than skin being said, it made the negotiations even more difficult since he couldn't (and he very much doubted the other Councilors could either) even see a hint if the human was nervous at all, let alone alone if they were bluffing or not. As it was, he was inclined to assume the worst.
Tevos on the other hand, appeared calm. Inside though the matriarch was consumed with fear. This new species upset the galactic balance of power that she and the other asari matriarchs had spent millennia since the founding of the Citadel Council building. To her they were more than a military threat, they were also a social and existential one. A threat to the place of power in the universe that she thought her people occupied. And their apparent willingness to destroy worlds on a whim made them all the more frightening. But this was both an opportunity as well as a threat. If she could convince these humans to peacefully align with, or even join the Citadel Council, the asari could retain their power and influence and over time, possibly even add the humans power and influence to their own. Inwardly, she smiled as she realized the potential benefits these humans could give, if she could just manipulate them a little (sadly, she did not realize that the negotiations had not been in her favor since Denton entered the room).
But Teranus, who had sinced returned, was almost apathetic, slouching in his seat, though that could be blamed for the fact that the seats were not designed for turian physiology. He already regretted his foolish and childish response back aboard the Citadel. He knew what the humans could do from Shanxi, and none of them bought for a second the ambassador's claims that the attacks of the turian shipyards were by so-called "rogue factions." And now an entire world and untold millions had paid the price for his rashness. At this point, he was willing to give almost anything just to appease the humans. Almost being the key word. He still had his pride and his duty to the turian people. But as it was, he wasn't sure just what he could do now.
Valdn, on the other hand, was near a panic attack. His self-control would have begun to slip and started babbling like a certain ex-STG operative were it not for the "Emergency" supplies he always kept on hand. Topev was a highly regulated prescription drug, designed to serve as a sort of relaxant, but it was addictive. Still, his position as Councilor meant he had the power to skirt around such laws. As it was, his biggest concern was trying to find out just what these humans had used to bypass the relays and work his way from there. That is, as long as his supplies lasted.
Admiral De la Rosa was merely a silent observer at this point. Regardless of what he thought of the doctor's methods, Denton was the one with the authority to negotiate, not him. Therefore the admiral was mainly there to keep Denton reined in (if possible) if the intrepid genius threatened or promised anything truly impossible and/or insane (although De la Rosa wasn't confident of his ability to actually do so considering the things Denton had already said).
Denton knew that the negotiations were reaching a crisis point. As soon as the Councilors overcame their fear and worries about imminent death and/or defeat they would start focusing on what the UNSC had just done to their people. So he decided to take the initiative and bring it up himself. By offering something none of them could reasonably expect at this point.
"Although we didn't order the destruction of Impera, I know that we bear partial responsibility...so, as the duly authorized representative of the United Earth Government I am willing to discuss reparations with the Councilor for the Turian Hierarchy."
Teranus barely repressed his snort. As much as he wanted to rail against the human negotiator for the destruction of Impera, he knew it would cause more problems if he did. Instead, he took a deep breathe before asking, "Just what sort of reparations could you offer, for the annihilation of a planet, along with the entire population settled on it? I very much doubt you can simply create a planet to replace it." He tried to keep the malice out of his words, but some still seeped through.
Denton simply took it all in stride. "You are right, we can not replace the world we destroyed, yet." This time Teranus did snort at the impossible implication, while Wrex and Tevos eye's widened, taking Denton's words for what they were, considering everything thus far. "But we can offer you resources, and aid. We have more than enough worlds and resources to share. I can also promise you justice, or the least, I will try my best to bring before you the person or persons responsible for this act of genocide."
Teranus was actually gaping at the last one. He had expected to argue and fight to be given the person responsible for Impera, and at best expected some half-promises. To have to fight tooth and nail just for the human's to admit how despicable Impera's destruction was. Not, not this. Tevos on the other hand was, outwardly shocked, but inside she was steaming. In one swift move, he had already made the arduous task of trying to manipulate him even more difficult: removing the option to guilt him into whatever she desired. Wrex on the other hand, was impressed. Economically, it would be a self-crippling move that could take decades if not millennia to repay, but this human seemed to think otherwise. And the lack of reaction on the other human's part further supported it. And it just started the process of a more friendly relationship between turians and the humans. A politically brilliant move if it all panned out.
What none of the Councilors realized was that the humans weren't being as generous as it appeared. Thanks to Slipspace they had access to uncountless resource rich but uninhabited worlds. Moreover, their advanced technology made harvesting such raw materials even UNSC/UEG already possessed a great surplus of raw materials. The reason behind why their Naval fleets were so small, not that the Citadel Councilors realized that, was that humanity had very few ship left to even transport these materials to where they were needed, and even fewer shipyards to produce civilian vessels, let alone warships. The only facilities capable of producing warships were the Reyes-McLees shipyards of Mars and Reach. All others were confirmed destroyed or contact lost.
'If I do this right we can help our economy recover while building good relations with these aliens.' Denton thought. Knowing that simply shipping all the raw materials to the Hierarchy would be a massive undertaking. That could help boost the all too weak civilian section of the human economy (which had been struggling under the deprivations of a total war economy for decades only just started to recover from now).
"Perhaps once the situation is settled we can also open trade between our nations" Denton said. Knowing that if they could get the Citadel Races dependent on them for raw materials in the first place, then it would be easier to start charging them for such things once the reparations had been paid. Moreover, that kind of economic relationship between the UNSC and the Council Races would give humanity a great deal of influence over the Citadel Council (Denton knew that few governments would admit they could be manipulated through money, but he also knew that virtually all of them were).
However, the Councilors had not attained their positions by being fools. So they didn't leap at the chance for trade like the human negotiator had been hoping. Instead Tevos simply said "we will examine that issue at a later date."
"There's still the issue of punishing those responsible for Impera" the turian Councilor continued coldly.
Denton sighed, "I can not make any guarantees or promises about them, but I can promise you that I will do my best to bring those responsible out into the light."
"That's not good enough!" Teranus snarled. In response Tevos put her hand on his shoulder and simply said his name.
"Teranus."
It was just one word but it managed to communicate so much. Teranus couldn't win this battle. He knew it, and the other Councilors knew it. Teranus simply didn't want to admit to himself that an entire world of his people had died and there was nothing that he could do to avenge them (at least right now).
However, childhood training and a lifetime of service had instilled a strong sense of duty in Teranus. He knew that as the Turian Councilor he had to put the welfare of his people above his own feelings and desires. So he simply remained silent, instead of demanding and ranting the way that he wanted to.
'Are they lovers?' Denton wondered. Surprised at the physical affection between two different species. The thought forming a strong mental image in his head. Then the negotiator told himself to get his mind out of the gutter and focus on the task at hand.
"So are these general terms for peace acceptable to you?" Denton asked, knowing that he needed the alien leaders at least nominally on board.
Despite his drugged state, the salarian Councilor was able to see the situation with a clarity his comrades lacked. The asari, krogan, and turian Councilors all knew that they should take the deal. But Wrex was too proud, Tevos was too cautious, and Teranus was too angry and bitter to be the first to say so. After another moment of awkward silence Valdn stared at the human negotiator and replied "all things considered your terms are barely adequate...but they are acceptable."
In a traditional epic, things would have ended there. But real life is more complicated and messy than that. Denton and the Councilors spent the next hour arguing over the size of the concessions, the exact borders of UNSC and Council space, how to return POWs, and numerous other issues. Attempting to outline the form of the new relationship between the Citadel Council and humanity. Trying (at least on the human side) to ensure that this type of destructive conflict never happened again.
**APUFMKII**
Back aboard High Charity, the Councilors present were, for the first time since the Forerunner Oracle had spoken, stunned into silence. Only Thel and a few others already knew of the new species, but even they were stunned into silence. Not just by the eyewitness accounts from the two before them, but the news of what the humans had done. When Thel had loaned the small task force of ships to the humans, all he had known was that it would used against these new species that had attacked the colony. Indeed he had agreed that these newcomers needed to be taught a lesson. But that meeting had been lacking in any details about just what had happened on the planet itself.
Now they knew. This new race had committed the same atrocities as they had during the height of the Great War. The execution, or rather slaughter, of civilians and in some cases, devouring them. Like the feral Unggoy and Kig-Yar that had been allowed with human prisoners. These new races were a complete unknown, nothing like them had been found by the Covenant in all its millennia, nor was there any information within the Forerunner archives they had access too.
Yet UNSC had shown no hesitation in destroying one of their heavily populated worlds for a battle that would have barely been a skirmish in the Great War. Destroying an entire planet just to intimidate the newcomers. Considering how they felt about the races that had made up the old Covenant…
"Its only a matter of time until the humans use such brutal methods against us" one of the Councilors stated, saying what everybody else at the meeting had been sent a glare in their general direction, but couldn't help but agree. He was one of the few on good terms with the humans, more so with their higher ranking leaders. But he was not blinded by faith and worship like he was before. He knew that there were among them, like there had been among the Old Covenant, those that are more brutal, close minded and ruthless than the others.
Since the Great War had ended, relations between the New Covenant and the UNSC/UEG had been tenuous at best, and fractured at worst. He along with several of the other Councilors tried to foster better relations with the humans, and tried to change the opinions of the people of the New Covenant, but these efforts always suffered setback after setback. Sabotage, assassinations, espionage, all this and more turned more and more of the New Covenant away from seeing the humans as the Children of the Forerunners and the Inheritors of their Legacy, and simply as another race among the stars. And some, as the enemy. Before all that, the humans were almost revered, but what good will they had gained by the Forerunners had long since been spent.
This would be the stroke that broke the Thorn beast's neck.
"Perhaps our old leaders were wrong to treat the humans as their enemies but they made them their enemies and the humans have remained so ever since regardless of any treaties...who among us has not lost at least one friend or family member to ONI since the war ended?" another Councilor added bitterly. A resounding roar of agreement echoed through the chamber.
"If ONI, no, if the humans are willing to destroy an entire world for what barely amounts to a skirmish against a new species, one that has only laid siege to a single planet, then what will become of us! We who have burned scores of their worlds. I see no reason why they wouldn't turn these world-killers against us, and I see no longer see any reason why we should not finish the Campaign that we began decades ago!"
"Aye!" Another Councilor stood, drawing the attention of the rest. His White gold armor standing out in the relatively darkened chamber. "The humans have claimed to be the Children of our Gods, of the Forerunners, but this madness, this insanity, is not the Will of the Gods. It is their own petulance and greed that drives them! I say we finish what we started, and eradicate the blight that is the humans!" Again another roar of approval resounded, though it was considerably lesser than before.
"No, I will not stand for this!" Another Councilor rose as he yelled, his White gold armor streaked with lines of camo green, marking him as one of the more fervent supporters of the humans, "They are the Inheritors of the Mantle, we all heard the message from the Oracle itself! You would damn the ways of the Covenant, of our faith, simply for petty revenge?" Others began shouting their approval and their own arguments, and soon their opposition also joined the verbal fray. The noise in the chamber was deafening, it could barely be heard was being yelled. Some tried to quell the shouting, but it only added to the din.
"Enough!" Thel slammed his fist down onto the table,drawing the attention of all around him. The Arbiter drew his sword and shouted "haven't you all been listening...it doesn't matter if the humans deserve to be destroyed or not because we no longer have the strength to do so...and I will not allow a pack of fools to throw away our people's last chance for the sake of their anger and pride!"
The Councilors stared at Thel in shock, it was one thing to know intellectually how bad off the New Covenant had gotten, it was another to have Thel himself say that their nation was too weak to wage war.
"A war with the UNSC right now would destroy us...we need to focus on rebuilding and gathering allies who will not stab us in the back...THEN we can worry about things like revenge and wounded pride" Thel explained in more moderate tones. His powerful gaze daring any of the Councilors to disagree.
Slowly, one by one, each of them began to sit down, none of them willing to challenge the Kaidon of Clan Vadam, let alone the Arbiter of all people. Thankful, Thel relaxed. "But I agree, we can no longer be so lax against the humans as we have been. Changes must be made, our borders and our fleets strengthened, and, information must be gathered." As he said this, his gaze drifted over to the two sangheili youths before him. The two were a part of the UNSC armed forces, a growing trend among the new generation; the ones that were born after wars' end.
"And the ones who have only seen their own people rapidly decline as the humans rise" Thel realized, as he looked into their faces and saw none of the respect bordering on reverence that virtually all older sangheili gave him.
"I know you see greatness in the humans and weakness in your own people...but no matter what you do the humans will never truly accept you...you will always be untrustworthy 'Elites' to them" Thel told them, deliberately using the human slang for his species.
The two youths looked towards each other, the female touching her side at the rapidly healing wound. They did not want to believe the Arbiter's words, because of the friends they had made, but they couldn't deny that they experienced far more hostility while in human space than kindness (even after proving themselves numerous times, both on and off the battlefield).
The pair kneeled, and spoke in unison, "What would you have us do, my Arbiter?"
**APUFMKII**
Denton resisted the urge to slap his hand and drag it across his face. Arguing with the Citadel Councilor was one of the most complicated and frustrating things he had ever done. It wasn't merely the fact that two of them (the krogan and asari Councilors) literally had centuries more experience than him at this sort of thing. There was also the fact that there was only one of him, and four of them on the other side. All with different grievances and priorities.
Then, of course there was the fact that the turian Councilor hated him. It was hard to read alien body language but something about the way Teranus looked at him told Denton that if it had just been between him and the turian, Teranus might have tried putting those sharp looking claws he had to use. However, due to his dealing with the Elites, Denton was used to negotiating with people who were much bigger and stronger than him, so it didn't phase the doctor that much.
'Although if the average turian feels the same way another war in ten or twenty years may be unavoidable' Denton thought.
As it was, the krogan seemed to be the easier of the two to handle. Since his behavior and negotiation style was a close comparison to the sangheili. In fact it was almost as though he was dealing with a sangheili. The two shared too many cultural traits. Denton internally shuddered at the thought of the Krogan being part of the Covenant. They already had living 'tanks' in the form of the Mklekgolo or the Hunters, add in the krogan and they were the ultimate shock force. Still, the krogan's age and experience was giving Denton a challenge.
As for the asari, well she was being a bigger headache than he thought possible. Throughout the entire negotiations, she had tried to take and keep control, trying to force the direction they would go. Her age and apparent experience didn't help, but what was made worse was how she tried to influence them with her body(more than once subtly thrusting her chest out as though trying to draw attention to her cleavage). And Denton wasn't even sure if she was consciously doing it or not. As it was, he was leaning more towards the latter.
The salarian Councilor was more of a mystery. Unlike the asari, his features were so alien it was hard to read his expressions. Moreover, his fast talking and jittery movements reminded Denton of somebody who was high. But he had been told by Mjolnir that such behavior was normal for salarians (who tended to do everything fast). Something which seemed to worsen as time went on. Denton had tried to use ocular implants in order to understand the salarian's body language, but he was twitching so much it was though he was going through withdrawal.
Denton was getting tired, and wanted to ask for a recess, but he couldn't. If he did, that could make him, and the UNSC/UEG seem weak. It wasn't possible at this point to convince the Citadel Council that humanity was good, which was all the more reason the UNSC/UEG had to appear strong. Otherwise the Council Races might think that they could get away with retaliating for Impera in the (near) future.
He need to try and break the discussion away from its current stance. Try and find something that would either appease the Councilors, or cow at least one of them, while keeping the UNSC/UEG looking strong. He blinked as he felt his neural implant be connected to the Infinity's network. Mjolnir's voice filling his mind. 'Professor, I think I may have found something.'
'Unless its something that can help me right now, you better disconnect now.' He thought back, 'What is it?'
'I've been reading through the Codex these Citadel races have, and I've found a discrepancy and a correlation.' Information was sent to his ocular implants, which soon began posting images in Denton's 'sight'. 'These asari, there's something off about them. Their evolutionary pattern doesn't make sense, though I'll blame that on the Forerunner's playing around in their sandbox more than anything else, but that's not the problem. There's multiple points in history where the asari had a technological jump, a massive one, that shouldn't have been possible without at least a world war, and I've found too few conflicts to account for all the jumps.'
Denton smirked slightly, knowing where this could be headed, 'And the correlations you found?'
'The only ones I've found is when the Old Covenant began to take apart Forerunner artifacts and reverse-engineer them, and when humanity started to find the Forerunner archives. Compared to the asari, the level of jumps are similar, and I've not found any other similar instances anywhere else in their Codex.'
'It sounds like the asari have been hoarding Prothean artifacts' Denton thought.
"Madam Councilor I wonder if you could tell me more about the Council policy regarding Prothean relics" Denton asked the asari with a wicked grin.
Tevos was puzzled by this change in the conversation but answered politely enough "Of course...it's Council policy that any examples of Prothean technology discovered must be announced and shared with the other Council and Associate Races."
At least that was the official policy. In practice it often took the Associate Races years or even decades to gain access to any newly discovered Prothean technology. And the asari had been secretly keeping a working Prothean Beacon (perhaps the most valuable example of Prothean tech ever discovered) to themselves for their own benefit.
"I was just curious because it seems odd that your species has been able to advance so much more quickly than the other Council Races" Denton continued with that same shit eating grin on his face.
"We have some of the best scientists in the galaxy" Tevos calmly replied. Although inside she was panicking. Wondering if he could possibly know about the secret Prothean Beacon on the asari homeworld.
"Yes yes, perhaps you do. However, I must ask, what prompted your people to put so much effort into research and development? It must have been considerable for you to have produced such results in so little time. Even my own people did not advance so quickly without cost or reason. In fact, more often than not, the reason why we made such strides was because of conflict. Just two world wars and an arms race between two Superpowers catapulted my species from the basic internal combustion engine to space travel and silicon-based technologies in less than a century. It's almost as though you had the gods themselves working alongside you."
"All species are different Doctor...I'm sure there are many things in your society I would find remarkable...but as fascinating as this discussion is we should focus on the matter at hand" Tevos replied, suddenly just wanting the negotiations to be over and done with (to get away from this all too perspective human and his disturbing questions).
Denton frankly wanted to continue the questioning. Both because he was genuinely curious now and also because he was enjoying seeing his formerly aggressive opponent in these negotiations on the defensive. But he knew that that would be counterproductive so he simply said "of course madam Councilor...now I believe we were finalizing the exact borders between our two nations?"
Not trusting herself to accidentally say anything that this human could use against her, she simply nodded. Her plans to manipulate the human had backfired catastrophically. Instead of her leading him around like a love-struck turian, he had pressed her back against the metaphorical wall like a naive maiden on Omega. Utterly dominating the discussion. And worse yet, by all appearances, he knew about the Prothean Beacon on Thessia. And even if it was just a bluff, there was no way she was going to risk that secret getting out.
The sooner these negotiations were over the better, the other matriarchs had to be told. And perhaps she would contact Aethyta, something that she would not be looking forward to.
**APUFMKII**
They say timing is everything, and the UNSC AI Morrison, onboard and controlling the UNSC Valiant Class super-heavy cruiser the Everest, was about to prove that it had perhaps the worst timing in the galaxy.
The Citadel Council and Doctor Denton had signed a treaty mere moments ago. Officially bringing an end to armed conflict between the Council Races and humanity. The military forces of both sides had disengaged and drawn back, and the turians were in the process of going through the procedures to release the Everest.
But nobody had bothered to tell Morrison that. As soon as all his systems were fully charged, the human soldiers inside who had been sleeping in cryopods, and had since been thawed, opened up the armies and let them loose against the intruders inside the Everest. The few turian technicians who were still inside the ship (taking the last of their equipment and some last minute scans) were no match for the angry, numerous, and extremely xenophobic soldiers (who were outraged to find aliens trespassing on their vessel), dying before they had a chance to figure out what was going on or even issue a warning.
Then the Everest violently burst out of the lunar bunker where it had been hidden, destroying the facility and killing everyone inside in the process. The appearance of the battlescarred vessels was so surprising, no reacted as ship forced its way from the lunar bunker. The old but still powerful weapons blasting the two closest turian warships out of the sky moments later.
Throughout the Palaven system, people were too shocked at the sudden appearance and violent actions of the Everest. Although there was one notable exception. Within the conference room where the Citadel Council, Doctor Denton, and Admiral De la Rosa were meeting.
Councilor Teranus had been pushed too far, seem too many of his people die, and had his pride hurt too much at this point to think at all clearly (this last attack after peace had been declared was simply too much). He began moving towards the human negotiator and admiral, intent on ripping out their throats with his bare hands. His predatory instinct and righteous fury completely in control.
All of the humans in the room were simply too shocked to react in time. But Wrex, with his centuries of battlefield experience saw what was about to happen. A big part of him would love to see these treacherous humans die, but he knew that that would restart a that his people simply couldn't win (not yet anyway).
A massive krogan fist met Teranus before the turian Councilor could reach the humans. Wrex's blowing knocking the male out and across the room.
'I really hope I didn't kill him' Wrex thought as he turned to the confused humans and thundered "Open a channel to everybody in the system...I need to address our fleets right away or the shooting will start once they get over the surprise."
"Wrex how could you-" Tevos started to say, only to be rudely interrupted by Wrex as the shouted "shut up woman I'm trying to save all our lives."
"All communications channel are open, Councilor Wrex, you can address everyone in the Palaven System, now" Mjolnir announced, choosing to comply with the Councilor's demand on its own initiative (because Wrex was obviously right).
"This is Councilor Wrex representing the Citadel Council...to all Council military forces...do not I repeat do not open fire...the human vessel that attacked is a rogue vessel that was acting on its own...the humans will be leaving the system now...empty handed and without any prisoners."
Meanwhile, AIs throughout the human fleet were communicating with the Everest Explaining to Morrison (in seconds) the situation, just moments after the Everest had destroyed the two turian warships, and what exactly he had just done. Making the Everest's AI as close to being mortified as an artificial intelligence could get, with his emotion subroutines finally coming online.
Councilors Valdn and Tevos also addressed the fleets too, telling Council forces not to attack and that the Everest was a rogue element acting on its own. Assuring everyone that the humans would be gone soon.
"Thanks Councilor Wrex you really saved us there I-" Denton started to say, only to be interrupted by a krogan fist to the face. Which admittedly hit him much less hard than Wrex had hit Teranus.
Energy snapped and crackled as cloaking fields disengaged and Spartans seemed to almost instantly appear in the room with weapons drawn. But Denton sprang to his feet and said "no no...I probably that coming...I'm sure Wrex isn't going to hit anybody else right now" as he clutched his broken nose. He had suffered far worse already, this was simply the latest of injuries as far as he was concerned. Each of the Spartans looked towards Denton who just nodded, lowering their weapons but staying in plain sight.
"I could have hit you hard enough to crush your skull...frankly you would have deserved it after breaking a treaty WE JUST FUCKING SIGNED...but I knew that would restart the war" Wrex replied stonily.
"Okay...we just need you to-" Admiral De la Rosa started to say, only to be interrupted by Wrex.
"NO...we are leaving now...Teranus needs medical attention...besides after this latest stunt I don't trust any of you hairy mammals as far as I can throw a dreadnought."
"What about the people you promised us...the ones responsible for the attack on Shanxi?" Denton asked as blood dripped from his face onto the floor, creating a pitiful image of a human specimen.
"We need to get back to our own people to look into that...but I'm sure that they probably died during one of your recent slaughters" Wrex answered.
Wrex was obviously not telling the truth, and everyone in the room knew it. But he wasn't actually trying to deceive anyone. Regardless of what the treaty said, there was no way the Citadel Council would be willing to turn over anyone else after this latest outrage.
The battlemaster glowered down at the humans, daring them to disagree with him. Daring them to scold him for violating the treaty after their side had so violently broken it.
"Yes..I'm sure they died in all the...confusion" Denton answered slowly. Internally he was furious, the Everest had just completely ruined everything he had done in a single moment. The UNSC/UEG would no longer have to worry about trying to appear strong, oh that much was assured.
At that point the humans were actually eager to get the Councilors off the ship (Denton certainly didn't want the krogan Councilor to hit him again). The Spartans escorted the Councilors to one of the hangars where they called for and boarded a turian shuttle. As the shuttle departed the Era, the turian Councilor started to wake up, staring ahead himself blearily.
"What...what hit me?" Teranus muttered drowsily.
"I did Teranus...sorry about that...I couldn't let you kill the little bastards" Wrex explained, not including the fact that the four of them had apparently been surrounded since the negotiations began.
"WHY WOULD YOU DEFEND THEM!...THEY MURDERED IMPERA AND BROKE THE TREATY AS SOON AS THEY SIGNED IT! the turian Councilor shouted, shocked completely awake by Wrex's words.
"Because we were losing..the trashed our shipyards and planets and we barely scratched their paints jobs" Wrex said grimly.
The words seemed to deflate Teranus, because he knew that the krogan was right. So he slumped down and said bitterly "so those oathbreakers are just going to get away with it?"
"No..I promise you my friend that even if it take a century I will make these treacherous little bastards pay for what they've done today...they have better weapons now...but as soon as that situation changes...then they will be at OUR mercy" the battlemaster proclaimed. And something about the way he said it made everybody in the shuttle believe him.
Please review!
A/N: I'm disregarding the Arbiter from Halo Wars as it does not make sense to me as to why there would be an Arbiter as in Halo 2, Truth said that each Arbiter is created during times of crisis. And until the loss of Installation 04(Alpha Halo), the Covenant suffered no real crises. In fact, I may disregard Halo wars entirely.
Also, Denton's character, the good doctor may seem to be behaving childishly throughout all this, but there is a
