Told ya guys I'd come around eventually.
I missed you so fucking much.
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"Do you think it's necessary?"
"They had a few months to get to know you, Cutter, meanwhile I'm almost foreign to you."
"It's true, but do you really want this to be what the greater population will see of you? I don't doubt that there's citizens who've heard of you from the insurrection, but you're now taking a role where you also command ci-"
"Cutter."
"Yes, Admiral?"
"Calm down, you helped me with this speech, my tone might be dull, but I'm sure the words will slice a way into their hearts."
-Surprised by the warmth on his intent, the Captain sighed.-
"You and Daniela have new jobs, just let me progress with mine."
-The ensign manning the camera raised her right hand to signal that they were going live soon.-
-Cutter got off from the image.-
-Thus, a man with short white hair, wearing nothing but a plain black BDU that smelled as brand new silk, looked directly at the heart of those watching.-
-And once the greenlight came, he breathed heavily.-
"There's only one reason for being here: You're afraid."
"To the humans either in Tehran or in Rannoch Prima: You fled from the Covenant annihilating our homes, our lives."
"To the Quarians now enjoying a place they can permanently call home: You fled from mistreatment, from being under no roof."
"There's a threat to all of us, and it's the two galaxies around us. Our enemies, won't care for our alliance, nor will they hesitate to continue stepping on us. But that's what we should strive to overcome."
"Let them see as we take this opportunity. As two different kinds join to progress to heights never seen, to mesh in such ways that we shall overcome not only the fear for each other, to our technologies, but the fear for those who hunt us."
"We do not live in a peaceful universe, blood runs still from our infighting, and the future claims for more. So we shall build not only tools to defend us, but trust, an unbreakable chain we'll use to hold what might be the only chance for survival of two galaxies."
"I am Hieronymous Michael Harold Stanforth, Vice-Admiral of the United Nations Space Command's Navy, but for now, I will try to be the guardian of this endeavr, for as you keep erecting a society to stand the greatest of calamities, I'll work to see that our place stands in the void. No alien government shall fall upon us, not without us knowing it before. So rest assured."
"We're Semper Vigilants."
-With that, the ensign raises her thumb, the others holding signs and the lights for the scene silently celebrate.-
"Now we just have to wait for the reception on social media to see how it went."
"Don't worry."
"May I ask why?"
"Because this is more of a warning."
"An ONI way of telling them that the Covenant is in this Galaxy?"
"Indeed. The time is neigh for us to finally meet here, and thus we have to prepare ourselves, wether we like it or nt."
"Sir?"
-Stanforth smiled. If Cutter only knew how easy it was to piggy-back UNSC prowlers onto Quarian Cruisers.-
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First the UNSC.
They appear, unite with the Quarians, then they break the Normandy's stealth and kidnap them.
A week later they destroy a Turian-Human fleet.
It was an avoidable catastrophe, but he could do nothing.
Then, he has to keep working to stop the Collectors.
There's a breakthrough, eclipsed by meeting new enemies.
Ones he didn't see how they could stop.
The Citadel had been shaken, they thought this could be a contact between peers that could be intimidated by flaring shiny ships around.
They still held that stupid mentality inherited from trying to stop a Krogan War.
And he kept thinking that he could do something.
He felt dumb.
Useless.
He wasn't prepared for these new threats.
The only thing he could do was try to gather up his strengths and survive.
Now he saw only one way to ensure that. He was striking a boxing bag, as hard as he could, his knuckles covered in red-painted rags, as his skin had torn up from an entire hour of constant and brutal abuse of his own body, to try and reach new heights.
Every muscle in him was taxed beyond belief.
The sweat going down his skin made him shine, showing off his effort.
There was pain on his face, but besides his heavy breathes there was no sound, no groan, no plead, no cry.
Yet, was there anything else he could do?
If he wasn't able to beat his enemies, what could he do?
A stronger mind, indomitable reflexes; an unbeatable spirit dedicated to finding the right path for humanity, for the galaxy. Those were the pillars of an N7, he should be that.
Now, he only saw a broken vessel with none of that.
They had taken her.
Liara could be dead by now, and he could've done nothing to stop it.
Were it not for the mercy of that split-jawed fuck she'd still be on that planet.
What a Commander he ended up being.
He ramped up his punches, each one slipping up ever if so slightly to the sides, away from the front, the center of his target.
As he did this, he only got more desperate, the flurry of desperate attempts only deepening the issue.
Until he threw a kick, screaming out of pure anger.
The bag, tired from so much punishment, tore up as it was hit, its midriff collapsing, letting its sandy contents fall to the ground with a woosh that marked the end of his training.
He wasn't done though. He needed more, he needed to be better, to be stronger, to be what he wasn't, making that elusive perfection of himself his own.
With irrationality taking over his mind, a scream blocked his throat from saying anything; a powerful roar that accompanied his broken knuckles tensing yet again to lunge at the spilled sand and hit it.
He needed some relief, or to destroy his hands in the pursuit of a better himself.
It didn't come from that aggression though. It came from two tender hands surrounding him, one above the other right on his navel, palms pressing against the sodded T-shirt he wore, fingers locking in to make sure he was pinned in an embrace.
In his back, her chest emanated warmth that overcame his raging blood with soothing care.
Her head resting on his right shoulder, her breathing calm, the feeling of her skin slowly showing him love with the slightest of nubs, a lover's embrace.
She had suffered too.
But she knew his mind was more tormented than hers.
He'd been damming everything ever since they came back from the encounter.
He cried next to her bed as she recovered.
The crew worked on inertia and single-lined orders.
Not even a single hour after his treatment for the abrasive burns he'd gotten ended, he was on the range practicing until he didn't miss the targets by a millimeter.
No time for bonding with the crew, he needed to find a way how to not fail again, for the future awaited harsher fights for him to go through.
As she kept hugging him, she felt the stuttering, the trembling. He needed to say something, to do something.
A navyman couldn't always be off from shore, he needed to feel his home once in a while.
Shepard had replaced his home for the feeling that he was going forward, there was no better place to be than a Galaxy where the future looked to be safe from dangers looking to set it on fire.
So feeling his greatest achievement, having her, was enough to bring him to tears.
"You didn't fail me, Shepard, you rescued me." - She said, as soothing as she could, her voice low enough so that only his ears could catch it. - "I knew you would."
A gasp for air invaded him, the knot in his throat was holding him.
"The future always looks bleak," - Her fingers began moving a few inches up and down his sides, doing as an Asari mother would do to her kid. - "yet has that ever stopped you?"
His head tilted down, his arms clenching before surrendering to the warm feeling of Liara.
This wasn't the first time he felt weak, but it was the one that hurted him the most.
"I almost lost you." - He quickly said before feeling a knot kneading in his throat.
A gentle push was felt on his shoulderblades, rocking him from side to side, trying to calm him.
"Yet you didn't."
He gulped, but before he could reply, she answered what she knew he'd say.
"And if you did, would you be like this? Or would you be looking up while you seek a way so that no one else had to die?"
Just with that, she'd reminded him of not only his duty but his ideals.
He was her hero, thus she knew what he needed. Shepard was a soldier with the abilities of a diplomat when he needed; not someone instructed with his own feelings, he was told to brush them off or continue to see his doubts disappear as the events unfolded. That's why he needed her.
After all, how could she claim to be his other half if she couldn't have him in his arms?
In a breeze Shepard turned, his face flushed from the afterglow of training and the repressed sobs of a man who was so close to seeing everything fall. He then surrounded her waist, lifting her before kissing her lips with brute passion.
He had an indomitable spirit, hidden behind easily fogged glasses that only the fire of battle could keep clean; and she was her aide, who not only when facing the cruelty of everything they faced flared into battle, no, she was the one who now assisted his heart to keep pumping.
She'd follow him to hell, and he'd freeze it so that she might not get burnt with the embers.
There wasn't a thought in his mind of what he would do if he lost her again.
After their lips parted ways she smiled truly, for there was now a simple, wobbly grin on the face of her love. His heart was alive, his soul too; letting that spirit of his resurface, the optimism of a man that seeks a utopia for everybody with nothing in return bar support being welcomed back on his body.
He was architecture from bygone times, she was the one to erect pillars who'd let the beauty of its secrets resurface.
Her own Protean artifact.
"Thank you, Liara..." - He gently said, not being able to utter anything more.
"No, thank you for rescuing me, for still being my Shepard."
The eyes of both were to tear up, as they peered into each other's souls; their lips again closing up to meet.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt but the Councilor is waiting for us." - The voice of one turian interrupted.
A vinyl scratched as Shepard's eyes rolled, with Liara's brow showing nervousness, shyness from being discovered in a moment with her Shep; moreover when Garrus was right; after all she was supposed to come to tell him that.
After all, they'd been an entire week trapped on the Citadel, with all of them being constantly interrogated, not a single detail lost about anything they had learned about the newcomers, both of them.
These times he had wasted no time and told everything.
The entire crew, from Jacob to Mordin had given their appreciations about everything. From their weapons to what words were uttered by any of the aliens.
All to form a base of knowledge to know how to deal with them.
After the battle of Illum, they didn't want to face the possibility of getting blindsided.
Damage on Shepard's armor was extensive to determine the power of their weapons.
Thus he felt naked once he saw Garrus, who was dotted by Special-issued Gahnala armor; blue like his normal one, but with streaks of silver; from the Hierarchy, meaning that while he was still under Shepard's order: he was formally a soldier for all Turians again.
Even Liara wore medical padding that served as a combat spall-liner over her jumpsuit.
She caught him thinking about this, and she had the solution.
Udina had requested another visit from them; the Commander couldn't go with only his officer uniform again, he needed something else, something that lifted his hopes up.
"Ehem," - She coughed taking a few steps away, standing next to Garrus to whom she side-eyed. - "there's this little thing I need, you know?" - She asked.
He immediately understood. - "Oh! Alright, coming right up." - Then he went running to one of the ends of the current section of the ship.
"Shepard?" - Liara asked.
"Yes?"
"You once told me that you liked red, right?"
"Yes, why?"
"Perfect! Eh-nh... No particular reason, but did you like silver too?"
"I don't have anything against it," - He tilted his head to the side. - "why do you ask?" - Inquired again, perplexed by her evasive attitude.
"No particular reason!" - She said with a smile in her face.
Garrus came again, this time grunting as he pulled a crate that made a heavy thud ring once he left it at Shep's feet.
"I hope you like it." - Liara said, a bit nervous. - "I ordered after you told me of your hand-to-hand encounters, your... 'Benefactor' helped me get it."
"You got a new style, Cap'n." - Garrus added before kicking the crate's lid, revealing its content.
A new hardsuit.
Not only that, but one which immediately made him feel like the number one.
It was the armor from the Champion of the EUCC, dotted with the unequivocal symbol of Cerberus on the left part of the chestplate, showing that it had gone through alterations for him.
While his previous armor was the absolute peak for any military force, this one was one crafted to be the best.
The so-called 'Blood Dragon' armor.
Without a thought he lunged at Liara to yet again hug her, kissing her forehead countless times.
"No kissies for me? I was the one that carried it." - Garrus let out.
Shep of course took a moment to answer him. - "Once you buy me an M-55." - Before kissing Liara again.
"Bet."
After a few giggles, Liara let herself be loved, dotted with the kisses of her dearest.
Until it came for the moment when it inevitably stopped, and like a good companion told:
"Now, go take a shower, we gotta hurry."
"Aye, Captain." - He mockingly replied.
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The lights of the citadel had never been brighter, there was too much movement, from families rushing in from the destroyed worlds the Covenant had taken, ensuring themselves a bubble of worlds, to the refugees from the home of the Blue Suns, Zoria, which was destroyed a week ago.
Everytime he'd come here it was with purpose, few times he had managed to ease up in any of the districts.
That's not to say that he was unable to see beauty in the peaxe that still surrounded him. The Citadel was an absolute marvel of engineering that he hoped could once be replicated.
The Covenant had several ships a mile shy of the size of a wing from it, he'd seen it with his own eyes. But his heart always softened up as he saw the faux skies of the soul of the Galaxy.
That said, there was no wonder that their sudden appearance had broken the Pax Conciliarum established after the Krogan Wars.
Now there were constant screening, entire fleets coming and going, sometimes forever being lost as their patrols found enemy ships.
Members of companies went from side to side for meetings, military-industrial contractors began making shipments, workers moved as they were mobilized, people fled this, went to volunteer, some protested for immediate surrender, others for direct action.
The delegations of nations so hidden as the Narr'tekera from the Terminus Systems, a race of ursine-like molluscoids that barely had FTL capacities had come forth to reclaim the Council for a general defense pact; others came to offer lucrative trade deals for the procurement of equipment.
Not a single inch in the airspace of the megalopolis was safe from shuttles racing through.
Luckily, as a Spectre he had clearance for C-Sec to give him a direct ride to the embassies, where there was a large crowd of humans surrounding the place, pleading for humanity to disassociate from this mess, that the only thing bothering them was the issue of the fleet they had lost, and no one batted an eye to any more thanks to the new problem that arose.
Liara, who was the prime source of knowledge about these 'Covvies' was clearly distressed, the time she'd spent under them was enough for her acute eye to catch the details of a lot of these people's ways. And she knew that there was no way anything could be done if the new Council species didn't cooperate.
Garrus, who'd join in as the closest aide to Shepard saw this as an obvious logistical problem. No humans meant no APC/IFV production, which the Turians lacked due to their focus on light trucks and fast trucks; leaving a horrible gap in any protracted engagement with enemies capable of killing soldiers with one shot.
Due to this whole mess going on, C-Sec had deployed at least a hundred officers to keep the immediate area of the embassies clean from protesters.
Shepard thus tapped the shoulder of the Salarian driving for them.
"Drop us off here." - He calmly said.
"Sir, I'm cleared to land you in front of the Embassies." - He answered dutifully.
"Shep?" - Garrus asked, confused.
The Commander didn't worry. - "Please just do it."
Having no reason to disobey, the officer landed the shuttle on the outskirts of the crowd.
His companions looked at him with confusion, but the N5 course had taught him a lesson on control of these messes.
When he stood outside the C-Sec cab the people paying attention immediately took a look at who was there.
At first they didn't recognize him, despite the emblazoned N7 next to the icon of Cerberus, the now second strongest political force inside the politics of Humanity. The armor that he was wearing was just too different for them to make the connection.
Then, he took of his helmet.
The events had brought him a lot of fame, from his connections to Cerberus, to the incursion of the aliens; not to mention his ventures to protect human space.
Before he was an icon amongst the Alliance and beyond. Now he was a Legend, be it in a favorable or bittersweet light for them.
So when he just politely asked "Please, can I come through?" they didn't even think before taking a step to the side.
A man's face can become a symbol for ages to come, and his' was one destined to be one.
It wasn't a mere man, it was Commander Shepard.
His prescence's rumor spread like wildfire.
Quickly the protest had diverted into curious eyes searching for the Commander. Be it because they just wanted to see the man in person, or because they wanted him to join their cause, but they slowly began shutting off their chants and leaning to let him and his two companions pass through.
The smiles on their faces lighted a smirk of his own. He took not much pride in being recognized, and yet the salutes brought him immense joy, his efforts, despite not being enough in his eyes; proved that he was still on the right track.
All the pain had a goal, to see these exact same people have a happy life, where none of this was an issue, that all of their spent sweat served to fend off all threats.
Seeing hope in them was good enough for him though.
Most important of all, it made the fires of this demonstration die down, which would of course be a great plus when he inevitably had to talk to Udina.
Faces, faces, all of which he would once remember when he finally rested in a peaceful galaxy, different voices, all of which would once join each other in unison when the time came.
That said, as he walked through, saluting the people that cheered him on; he took notice of something, or rather someone.
In the crowd there was a cloaked figure, not unlike Kasumi, but her attire was more regal, the material it was made by had a metallic feel to it, but it was undeniably soft, made in a indigo color. Under the silver-lined edges of the hood there was skin clearer than Liara's, but still celestine, with cyan ingrained in streaks along her face, finished with a teal suffusion on her nose, as if shame had ran its course through her.
Her eyes though, were like two galaxies that flashed with the irradiation of creation, he didn't understand it, but it made him recall to when he saw Liara under the Kaidon's grasp, to that one younger Asari that was next to him.
The silk she wore, adorned in gold and purple dots, was a leitmotif of that beast's cape.
As their eyes met, her face suddenly shifted into surprise. She'd been found out.
That's when his heart skipped a beat.
He wanted to draw his gun and lunge at her but after a mere blink, he discovered how she had disappeared from his sight, not even the people there had noticed her absence.
No one else had seen her.
Most important of all, he had been left awestruck by this, his hands clenching, eyes focused, smile lost to a frown.
Liara immediately noticed his and grabbed his hand. - "What's wrong?" - She asked softly, trying to usher him before the situation turned awkward for the crowd.
Thankfully, he understood this quickly, snapping of from this at least superficially.
"Nothing, de-" - He was about to say 'dear', of course, but he then noticed the face Liara had, a tender blush, for she anticipated what he was about to say, in public no less. - "I'm alright, love." - He corrected himself, sending an arrow straight through her heart, making the crowd delve into their sentiments again to gossip about the sudden revelation.
She knew this was as much a distraction for the people there as it was a genuine show of care, but was she against it? Obviously no.
Even Garrus' "ears" perked up.
They kept walking on though.
C-Sec officers got their spirits lifted up when they saw Shepard and company emerge from the mass of people, which had lost the inertia and had lost the fieriness from before.
A turian proudly holding his M-8 Avenger stood next to them as a protocolar bodyguard to the entrance of the Embassies, where the receptionist, Saphyria, was happy to finally see people come without any rush. A glint of joy could be seen too as she recognized Shepard, who'd use to come here quite a lot just a pair of years back.
Fully knowing who was approaching though she opened the file and the moment they were a meter from her desk she spoke.
"Councilor Udina is in his office ready for you, Commander, though you'll have to wait for a few seconds, he has someone else that came before you." - She amicably explained.
"Thank you." - He gently said, after all, he had no doubt that Udina had to be occupied, when he came to see be interrogated by him he always mentioned how his schedule was full after this whole invasion debacle.
He looked at his companions. Liara was just happy to see finally see him up and well after barely being able to function for a long time.
Garrus meanwhile decided that, well, if they had to wait, he'd occupy himself with something.
For him, what option was better than just walking up to someone who was sitting in one of the benches of the lounge, and leaning in against the wall before talking to that person?
He had chosen as his victim for his horrible flirting abilities an almost fully cladded human woman, pretty similar in design to what Shepard had seen on that Asari a mere moment ago. She looked like a nun, but she obviously wasn't one, aside from having no religious symbols, she was pretty young, her hydrated almond skin was obviously devoid of much sun exposure, and filled with scars, which meant that she was someone far any ecumenical duty.
Moreover, taking a closer look at her, her neck was muscular, almost as much as Shepard's. Her hands rough, knuckles clearly reddened, as if she had been bruising someone recently.
It wasn't odd to see these kinds of characters on the Citadel, but the Commander couldn't shake off the lingering feeling from that one asari.
And yet, when Garrus said: "Hey, I thought supermodels weren't allowed to do political work in the citadel", he not only did not get brushed off or laughed by this woman. Surprisingly, she shyly smiled, her eyes lowering, hands intertwining immediately; which Shepard noted were surprisingly tough-looking, knuckles clearly hardened.
He was followed by that woman saying in an almost inaudible sweet voice, timid, even: "No... I'm not a supermodel," - As she said this, she seemingly recomposed hersed and then continued with a neutral tone. - "but thank you... What's your name?"
Liara and Shepard looked at each other bewildered.
Garrus was astonished too, but as the man he was, he wasn't gonna back off.
"Garrus Vakarian, you might've heard of me and my exploits." - He said, with a tone dancing between unabashed ego and sarcasm, a distinction not helped by the overly smug face he put on.
She raised her eyebrows and shook her head meekly from side to side, apologetic. - "Sorry, I haven't sir."
Far from being hurt, he brushed it off and took a seat next to her. - "Oh, don't call me sir, I'm still as young as humanity is in the galactic community."
A simple giggle came from her as she covered her mouth and looked at him, some sort of condescending intent plastered on her now.
Though before the other two could eavesdrop on the conversation more, the receptionist called for the two with a gentle wave.
Shep would've called Garrus to come with them, but he knew it'd be better if he took some time off; moreover, he could guard for if he saw that Asari too. So, he walked with Liara to the office of the Councilor.
As they approached, in the back of his head he suddenly felt something. As if the eezo nodules in his brain got washed over; like a wave of force impacted him subtly. Liara seemingly noticed this, for she shivered and glared at him before she said "I love you, never forget that." A reminder to soothe her unnerved body, and his altered mind.
Then, once the door opened, his eyes visited someone he'd never thought he'd see so soon.
It was a woman standing proud in front of the desk of the councilor, a woman, a white suit adorning her, contrasting with her hazel skin, marks of age dotting her, along with a large gash that decorated her face. Her glance was knowing, teasing, the grey sclera of her eyes meeting the leer the commander gave her as she tilted her head to look at him.
Illuminated from behind by the yellowish light of the Presidium her ominous presence seemed to speak by itself, and it said 'Nice to meet you again' with the subtlests of venoms.
In front of her, Udina was frowning, the sides of his head sweating, leaving a mess on the shoulders of his suit.
She lightly bowed and then swoop her right arm across her chest, indicating the free seats next to her.
Unspoken invitations he held no right to go against.
Liara had never seen her before. For her, she was just an officer of the Alliance with a peculiar uniform, reminiscent of some garments Cerberus' agents sometimes used. All until she noticed that nothing in her was standard, from the medals she wore, the insignia in the hat that covered her grey-invaded lush dark hair; or the eagle right next to the engraving of her name. 'D. Castro'.
She knew by now about the new humans. But to see one in person had an uncanny sensation that furthered that unease she held deep within.
Nevertheless, they had to take a seat, for Udina too gestured it.
The silence was then broken by the Councilor soon enough. - "Commander," - He began, taking a breath. - "I trust you already know miss Daniela."
"I do." - He simply answered, not dwelling on details.
"Miss Liara if I'm not mistaken," - Udina gestured to the Asari in the room. - "sorry to involve you in this, but I think the Commander has fitted you into the details."
Said woman was just looking at the newcomer, she was enthralled by her, not because of beauty, but her innate curiosity called for her to study this abnormality that broke everything she thought of reality itself. So she babbled on a bit before just gently shaking her head up and down.
Sure enough, then the other human approached her, and placed one of her hands right on her back, in an almost mother-like gesture if it wasn't for her obvious disgust at touching an alien barely being disguised by her superiority-fueled glance.
"I've heard, that you've had an incursion with some..." - She took a moment to weigh her words, to seek for an approach, but she seemingly abandoned all pretense and just said it plainly. - "Members of the Covenant." - Her tone went then from its condescending form to inquisitive. - "Please tell me any name you remember."
Between Shepard and Liara only one name resounded. - "Tovar." - She said. The man who had taken her into her fold, smashing her head against the ground for every time she didn't dispend an answer to his multitude of questions. The monster who turned the skies of the planet into eternal dusk. - "Tovar'Rudamee."
The image of his hordes running to her after she blasted her office up protecting herself from an unspeakable machine came back.
A step could've raged on and she would've been able to clearly hear every single one of the steps from the beast himself.
As if he knew everything of her he approached and asked if she could make Shepard come to him. Loyalty couldn't make her body not squirm, giving him the answer he wanted.
Sometimes, when she didn't answer, he purposefully stomped on the head of some of the people that worked in the building she'd bought for her business. Yet everytime she did answer, it was the most intricate conversation she had ever been on, the only way she could express it is by comparing it to a priest talking to an atheist in a debate over nature.
The name she uttered also made Shepard's teeth grit.
What was more important though, was the fact that the Admiral seemed shocked.
She immediately took a step to the side, hands on her lower back; and asked. - "Are you sure of that?"
"I am."
Shepard felt like he could corroborate her story, but then he realized that they had asked for her for a reason; she was the one who had more exposure. She was bound to have more details.
The Admiral's eyes darted from side to side.
Udina decided to intervene. - "Miss Daniela, do you know anything about him?"
Immediately, she nodded.
"He was one of the shipmasters from the fleet that attacked Persia." - After that, she glanced at the councilor before darting back to Liara. - "Your superior here had told me that he'd named himself with a particular moniker. What was it?"
Forcing her memory up, she reminisced and talked. - "Master... Master of a fleet."
"Fleetmaster." - She corrected before nodding and closing her eyes. - "Anything else you have to share about him?"
"He had an intricate way of acting," - She began loosening herself a bit since she herself had analyzed this over and over, even determining some details she hadn't said on previous interrogations. - "he gestures for his soldiers to sack for data discs with general media instead of anything relating to military or economic goals. When I was under his captivity he even asked me about Athame, because he had apparently taken another Asari as some sort of personal slave and she wanted to see if we thought differently."
Her reference made Shepard glance everywhere as if the image of seeing that same Asari she was talking about invaded him once more.
Daniela seemed somewhat surprised, but it was quickly replaced by disdain as she inquired more. - "Anything else? Maybe something relating more to his troops?"
To this she hadn't much of a clue, bar the umbrella theme they all seemed to be ruled under. - "Yes. There was a clear division between his troops. Some wear more ornate clothes or armor, despite everything, even down to their species being the same."
"The Covenant does work under a scheme of colors to distinguish their forces." - She said, what Liara was saying was so elemental that it was insulting.
"No, I mean, they had these kind of vaguely reptile-like troops amongst their forces, some had round shield-like things on their forearms; while others had square ones."
One eyebrow was lifted, she understood where she was going, but expected some more explanation; differences of equipment between fleets was to be expected. That said, the detail did arouse something deep within her.
"It's like they had two separate armies, as if the ornated ones were from a separate caste, and they had a name; from the domain of their leader..."
This time, Shepard could add something. - "Eudolaan. Their leader said he was the 'Kai', or something amongst those lines, of Eudolaan."
Liara nodded, confirming it.
She immediately covered her mouth, her soul fleeting for a moment.
Udina had been walking with her for a long time, treaties he'd have to relay to the rest of the council; but he was the one against the ropes. Seeing her pressed by this revelation was terrifying due to the implications.
"Is there something special about that?" - Udina asked, trying to soothe the crawling fear.
Her left hand left her mouth, she glanced at the ground, and spoke in one go. - "We mainly fight against the Ministry of Resolution. They are merely soldiers, they receive orders, they come to our worlds and burn them. Those in the Covenant dare not defy their designation." - She then bit her lip for a moment. - "Other ministries aid them, but only in an ancillary role, with designated missions by their Prophets, their leaders... When defending Persia, we intercepted comms about the 'Eudolanites', they appeared just as whatever they had extracted from our planet exploded in their flagship. And for what we know, they are sons of no Ministry, they're a vassal state in the Covenant, but their Kaidon was appointed as some sort of military judge."
"So he is here to judge us?" - Shepard asked.
"He might be, but as a monarch, it's possible that he instead wants to take over this galaxy, to correct it."
Liara then interceded. The image of lines of people being beheaded, their heads thrown from the buildings of Illium, with all the kids being taken into dropships; and those who survived shackled to the seeming officers of the fleet. - "He instills fear, but tries to appear as someone with rationality. He tries to coax people into blindly following him; twisting morality, he is a nation builder; it would explain his methods."
"It would certainly explain why the sphere of space he controls keeps growing at such a slow pace." - Shepard said, his soldier mind viewing this in another way.
No comment followed. For the other human this revelation had been pressing. For it meant that they wouldn't strike at them first; no, they'd most likely destroy this galaxy, and if they did that, gone would be the option for the UNSC to finally have an ally in their war. The plans had changed.
But not enough for her to dismiss it all.
"Then, I offer you one thing, to your group." - She swoop her palm to point at Liara and Shepard, though she obviously meant the Normandy as a whole.
Her voice had gone from disdain to now again condescendence. - "And don't worry, I talked with the councilor about this, your dubious legal state within the council allows me to offer you the chance, to help tune this galaxy against the Covenant."
For Shepard though, he knew that the Galaxy could unite, that they didn't need the UNSC, that while this was a gigantic task, they'd come out on top, even if they needed to wage a guerrilla war. That thought though, was horrible to have, because it meant allowing their freedom to disappear, that all hope for a real military engagement to disappear, for billions to die before they could finally stop the Covenant fleet that was infecting them; and maybe, just maybe, fend off the rest right at the entrance to this Galaxy.
They could succeed, but the price would be too big for them, and a devastated Galaxy would never be able to stop the Reapers.
So why not accept this hand? As far-fetched and weird as it felt now.
"It doesn't stray too far from our mission, to stop the reapers."
She sighed, rolling her eyes. - "Commander, if those Reapers are real, then I assure you, the Covenant would be glad to meet them, but until now, they shouldn't be your focus."
"And what about the Collectors? Udina has seen the videos himself, they are a real threat." - He accused.
"That's the thing, we want them gone too. No species that attacks our kind is welcomed within ten thousand lightyears of the UNSC."
Liara and he were a bit shocked by her answer.
"The UNSC has offered me already a series of treaties which range from the return of the prisoners from the engage in their space to trade agreements; the Alliance already is contemplating it."
"What about the rest of the council?" - Shepard inquired.
"They are managing themselves, there are thousands of orders for the military-industrial complex of even the Terminus Systems, they wouldn't in their right mind refuse peace with the UNSC; moreover when we now have to deal with Covenant sightings and skirmishes across the Attican Traverse."- He waved it off, cleaning some sweat from his brow. He was thankful that Shepard hadn't reacted the wrong way. - "Having you do duties that bring us closer to dealing with these other aliens is something they wouldn't doubt green-lighting."
The commander breathed in. For one, he knew the situation they were in, as much as he was conflicted in his feelings about the situation, he himself knew of the threats. So just how he saved the Council and the Destiny Ascension when he could save human lives, he had to grit his teeth and accept the help.
He glanced at Liara for resolve.
She tilted her head with an awkward smile.
The decision was his.
A question arose in him though. One that might decide the outcome of this all.
"How would I operate? Under UNSC command?"
"In close cooperation, yes." - The Admiral answered, not coyly this time. - "We'd act as a liaison, or think of as an AWACS plane; with some of our assets assisting you."
"Assets such as?"
Her knowing smirk arose once more.
"Udina, send her up." - She plainly said, as if ordering the Councilor. Surprisingly enough, he tapped on his console soon enough. Then, she continued. - "You'll work mostly with our office of Intelligence, a few naval assets such as frigates, and our special insertion unit."
As she stopped talking, the door suddenly opened, behind was the voice of Garrus saying "Hey, you can't just enter there!"
In front of the door though the young woman from before; she had disposed of the robes, revealing a padded jumpsuit that did little to hide the trained woman underneath; in her hands, some sort of SMG as she walked in an almost robotic manner to the side of the Admiral.
Garrus then came forth, seeing the situation. He gulped when Admiral Daniela glared at him; and he awkwardly closed the door as he walked to the end of the room.
"I assume that's the 'Turrean' Udina said was a part of your crew." - She asked, raising her eyebrow again.
"I am!" - He said, taking a more martial stance to dissimulate. Something which made the amazon next to Daniela smile for a second.
The Admiral then gestured to her companion.
"She is Alice, she would be one of the operatives you'll work on an occasional basis." - The alluded woman nodded.
Then, from the side of Udina's desk, she took from a case a helmet, which she promptly gave to Alice.
She immediately wore it, sliding herself in a swift motion
It was then that Shepard understood who she was. That helmet had the same look from that day.
She was a Spartan.
His amazed face was all that she needed to understand.
"You'll understand, we couldn't bring her with full armor, getting here was almost a miracle given how tightened your security measures are."
This could be it.
Having allies like this, a real military lending him assets, could bring the Collectors down, this time there was the pressure enough to make it a reality.
If he played his cards just the right way, the could really unite the galaxy.
For the darkest of times brought the best and the worst of everyone, and he was going to fight to shine that miracle inside of everybody.
Liara didn't understand much, but she nevertheless tried taking notes of this whole event. It was just a surge of knowledge.
Then, just as Shepard was about to talk, while she wrote, there was a glint in her eye, she moved to block it with a hand and kept writing.
But Alice noticed this. There was no light source nearby other than the few in the ceiling, and yet there was something, a light violet that pulsated on her hand.
She violently turned around, to the window, and searched.
Too late.
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The artificial breeze produced by the cabs flying around made her cover move even as she was covered in what seemed like magic.
Her hands were tightly gripping one of her gifts.
It had been custom-fitted for her.
Just as the armor she wore, just as the decorations all around her.
In a day she had gone from Naara Iosova to Naara'Rudamee. Some accused her of being a subject for reclamation, or a 'reclaimer' as they interpreted from their 'luminaries'. But the title brought not the right of royalty.
It only meant that she was a subject of the Covenant now, just as thousands if not millions were.
The daughter of the Fleetmaster.
Her bones were broken during the day in arduous training, she was nestled in the softest of beds during the night, taught about everything they could teach her about while healing her wounds.
Her father too was tending to his own catastrophic wounds.
And yet he saw fit for her to take a mission so early in her training.
Could he disobey him and try to warn everybody about what was inbound? Yes. Did she want to? No.
Behind the Covenant there were now shipyards being made, entire asteroids converted into nanolaminate, the material her hidden carapace was made of.
There was no way of stopping them; making the galaxy see that they were bound for defeat, that they had to kneel lest they be destroyed was her only goal. To find peace amongst submission.
And even if she wanted to, next to her, hidden from normal eyes; a companion.
His eyes were similar to the Kaidon, perhaps because they shared the same title. He was one of the Kaidons of one of Eudolaan's Trearaae, subjects.
Kaidon of Nio'olle. In his head rested a diadem with a mere purple jewel, armor dotted with magenta swirls, the icons of his kind. All the while his legs seemed to be uparmored when compared to any other part of his body.
Not a single word came from him he only watched through the visor of his helmet; slowly indicating with his hands where should she adjust the crosshair.
Every second she felt the need to pull the trigger. Yet she was instructed to wait for confirmation of a target.
Meanwhile, words raced through her as her eyes darted through the Presidium.
She had never visited it before, this was all new for her. It was a beautiful place.
Sadly she had come forth as an assassin, not a tourist. Though her father promised that one day, they'd walk here, overseeing a happier galaxy.
Speaking of which, the words traveling to her ears were his.
Carrying a softer tone, for he knew, this was hard for her. She dare not defy, but her body could act against her. It was the nature of all things living and conscious, as he said, only by conquering oneself can one truly conquer others.
"Tell me, dear, do you think this is unfair?" - He asked, breaking the religious sermons he preached for the two he'd sent for this mission.
Her answer was innate. - "I do."
"Why is it?" - His words carried no ill intent, it was mere curiosity.
She remained silent for some seconds, pondering how to answer it, she knew the answer, but the reason was convoluted in her mind and heart.
"Do you think you shouldn't be doing this?"
"Hmn." - A muffled answer, affirmative, if with a hint of doubt.
"Then, who else should be doing this?"
There was an obvious answer for this. - "Any of your soldiers." - She said, ragged breath, a feeling that she was in the wrong creeping in.
"Yet for them it would mean nothing, just another task, at most, a way to get promoted."
Her silence kept a 'And what it means for me' hidden. But a father knows what his child thinks.
"Dear, for you this is your test, not only of your guts, your value to the Covenant, but of one thing."
She was left to guess. - "My loyalty?"
"No, dear, I have that assured." - He said before huffing out a laugh. - "It's your strength."
As if she had any. She was weak. She was blindly following the orders of a maniac because she didn't want to die, and because she was getting deep into thoughts that contradicted all she had learnt through her life.
"You will be a leader for your people, and for that, you must begin deconstructing the mistakes of the past. Bring down this old regime, for it is you who will unleash eternal glory, a new banner which you will tint with your own colors and introduce to a truth so big they'll notice the futility of denying it soon enough."
"Sir, I am not a queen, I was no one, I'm not even an adult for my kind."
"I was not a king myself. I was someone made to be a pawn to bigger keeps. But I saw what had to be done, so I grabbed destiny and shackled it. For what I say is being echoed in heaven, so it shall be done. I was destined to rule nothing, a throne empty, the frail young newborn of the fallen house of Eudolaan, I retook my planet, then, my system; then what we once controlled. When the prophets came to strike me down, they couldn't; and neither could I. They showed me the errors of my ways and let me dig deeper for a truth I'm showing you now."
"For we earned the right to flare our flag, we shall earn our right to the forever times." - For once spoke the other Kaidon, his voice raspier, he was older than her father, and yet he spoke with admiration.
"You, Naara. I was the Arreos of my people; I united them just like our Ancestor broke through his own old regime, two hundred years before the union with the Covenant he was exiled and conquered space, I retook that and came here; to make it so you forge the destiny of your people."
She wasn't stupid, she could hear behind the poetry. He wanted a figurehead, someone to mold into a political pawn as she lorded over the captured Galaxy and paid tribute to the Covenant.
But for some reason, she couldn't just take it like that, she smiled at his words. They made her feel important.
"Thus, show your strength, for you are not weak; you're my daughter, the matriarch that will guide to the gods, might you be blessed with the mind of the Librarians, the might of the Didacts, and the eye of the Princeps. Don't be afraid, I set you free, so join me in this holy war."
As he ended, the Kaidon next to her tapped his visor, suddenly, in her sight appeared a little icon, she was free to fire.
It was a special rifle, one hand-crafted for her; holding the accelerator tech of her people, and the plasma of her keepers. It had a UV-laser to demarcate an area with heat, and there would impact a single bolt of heated hydrogen, encapsulated to penetrate like a bullet would, but with the speed, the violence that only plasma could bring.
The target had been set.
She had been overlooking at the other Asari. She had exchanged words with her while they were captive, nothing worthy to remember bar her connection to Shepard.
Around, the Councilor, a weird woman, and a Turian.
For a moment she thought that she'd have to fire at Shepard, given his importance to this galaxy.
No, he wasn't going to waste this oportunity.
An icon appeared in her sight, over the human councilor.
Slowly she crept the gun to have the barrel lined up perfectly to his right temple.
Everything was going to go perfectly.
All until her vision was illuminated by a yellow flare around her.
For a moment she got scared, thinking this was some kind of ocular damage until she noticed they were her shields.
They were being drained rapidly, and a clanking noise covered her ears.
Moreover, in her sight, a weird helmeted figure was shooting at her; the origin of this attack. Behind her, the people were beginning to move in response.
They had been caught.
"Fire at the councilor!" - The other Kaidon ordered.
Quickly she regained composure, fear overruling her actions as she just took aim at the body of Udina again, and pulled the trigger just as the woman in white clothes came by.
One single bolt raced through at speeds enough to make any object into a nuke.
It ran through the air, igniting it. The heat of the laser amped, making sure that the objective had a prepared wound as flesh was eviscerated.
Then, against the window it melted some glass before continuing unimpeded, and right to the side of the chest of the woman, entering it, then, the magnetic capsule was broken; the plasma was free to expand.
A red mist covered the scenery for a moment.
Before she could assess the damage she was shoved to the side by the ruler of Nio'olle, Bissiedo'Naee. He took the fire from that one attacker.
"Run, child, go to the rendezvous point, I'll see you there!" - He told her, seemingly not angry at her that the mission had gone awry. - "I'll make sure this gets finished!"
Then, he jumped down, his cloak disappearing, revealing the gold-cladded officer.
People screamed as they saw him land right above a Salarian and then run across the Presidium at speeds never seen in any living being from their homeplanets.
She, of course, saw how C-Sec officers around fired at him; and he continued.
For a moment she tried to understand this, but her own cloak had been dispelled as her shields regenerated. Leaving her in the open. She had to run. Now.
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When John woke up this morning, for the first time in a while, told his siblings about this, bar Alice, who was out in a mission.
There was a chirp in his voice, so jovial, so pure, utter joy as he recounted the events; so infectious that none of them protested at the sudden change.
He told of waking up in a field of yellow, blue, red and white flowers in a lush green plain. A sky filled with clouds of so many shapes they looked painted into the firmament.
No one but him, and warm wind that he ran with. A noble grace in everything, an innocent smile infecting him as his bare foot stepped in the blades of grass as he run.
He could feel like he could fly. As the mountains lost in the mirage that was the horizon accompanied him, he also saw pillars of basalt and marble around him, sometimes blocking the light of an eternal noon sun, creating shadows he raced against.
Then, there was a cliff, the end of the plains he enjoyed so much; but he loved running so much that he jumped. And a column of marble let him on its back, and he ran through it, jumping into another, and another, leading him always forth, across where all the rivers of his little paradise met, a house, as he described it. Though his face showed some kind of sadness at describing it, as if it wasn't the right word, but he couldn't talk about it in any other way.
The air, sodded with freedom then turned into a familiar scent, like lavender and caramel. The house, colored graay, with streaks of celestine waves, crept open, made from the same pillars around him; and then it enveloped him.
Around him there were some kinds of whispers, of words he didn't understand, but somehow he felt like they were engraved in his mind, as if the whispers of a mother to its baby, remaining hidden in the child until it grows and feels a connection to the same words.
Darkness meant not fear for him, as he saw one glint in front of him, the end, the end of the race.
At first he saw a computer, then, a statue, then, a glow like that of some AIs. But when he ran into it; it was eerily like a human, if different enough to have an uncanny feeling to it.
Dressed in clothes like that of Romans of old, covered in aureolas of olives and with free hair that obeyed no law and no color.
In its chest, of an off-white cream color; was some sort of symbol, a circle, segmented in various parts, with the middle looking like a key.
The being smiled at him.
And told then, it spoke to him. - "You want a wish, hamanune? I have been waiting for you." - In a soothing voice, like he was catering to him personally. - "Let the gentle touch of your forerruners guide you, let my mantle help you."
He didn't remember what he said was his wish.
But he knew that after that, the figure, this massive humanoid, offered him his hand, to touch their indexes together.
Yet he woke up before they could.
It was an odd dream, but coming from John, it might as well been the tale of the century, a fantasia in the leagues of Tolkien, so simple, but for a man like him; this was an oddity worthy of the warm smile of his family.
Then, John said one thing after being prompted about what could he have wished for by Fred.
And he answered. - "Maybe I just wanted a hug?"
That's what he got in return.
Right after that, John ran to his chattercel, and told the same story to Tali.
Of course, they spent the next hour talking after this.
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I love you so fucking much, guys.
Sadly, since I'm studying and all, I lost a lot of my notes for this story, so sorry if it feels a bit awkward.
And of course, sorry for not including a song name into any of the script.
But I hope you enjoyed this.
I love you guys, and thank you for reading this despite how long it's been since I've updated it.
Worry not tho! Law might be hard, but leaving old habits is harder!
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Nowwww, to the...
Reviews:
ghosthyena7: Thank ya matey, God bless ya too.
Victorius 435: Oh, believe me, I didn't lose that part of my notes, they won't be in the back. ;)
Commander 117: Next chapter she's gonna face one! Worry not, matey!
Chronus1326: No, matey, thank you for reading this!
Guest 1: ur dumb
Halo Star Wars X-over fan: u're smart
SpaceCommander-09: Meeeeep Meeeep.
Guest 2: ur smart too. By the way, don't guide yourself by that too much, if we were stuck in that gigaton rule it wouldn't even be funny when it came to narrating/reading battles, matey.
Guest 3: I LOVE ALIEN WOMEN AND I CAN'T HIDE IT. I WILL FUCK AN AYYYY IF I HAVE TO.
Crazzytony: Oh, fret not, the Halo Wars Arbiter (Ripa'Moramee) will appear, but he will do so in the 2nd act of the story. We aren't even in the middle of the first act (though to be fair, the first act is the longest one). And thank you! I'm glad that you found him an actual threat, I was pretty fearful of not having him feel like a real villain. Thank you for always reading, matey!
Nancho The Supreme: Uy, let's go step by step. Yes, Covvie ships can instakill ME ships, but by then they weren't so sure.
Then, I tried to correct those mistakes here! Though, well, we don't know much about the covenant so I tried instead introduce said aspects more and more. And, well, I make human-related comments for the Kaidon since it's what the audience will know, I don't want people going to the wiki to get some obscure references, but you're right in that it does feel like a human villain instead of a Sangheili sometimes.
Oi, and also, Covvie FTL methods are very, very quick, even more those of this particular fleet (sadly, this is in part because the plot demands it) so even if they aren't instantaneous, they can go from edge to edge of the galaxy within a reasonable timeframe.
Thanks for your criticism, and your support. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Guest 4: Seethe.
evolution-500: I hope I've been getting better and my corrections have cleaned things a bit though! c;
And yes! It will continue, next chapter we will have a snippet!
Assassin: Jamás! Hasta que esté terminada!
Andres DMB: Oh matey, you don't know how much I want to do that, but sometimes it ain't just the time, too many numbers scare the people! But when the battles begin, have no doubt I'll talk about that, the next chapter will have a few mentions about the composition of the Council fleet.
And thank you! I put a lot of effort into building him as a credible threat that doesn't feel Mary-suesque, just like with Naara. And, well, I need to establish a lot of things to make the changes that will come in the future make sense. So be wary of the details, because I try my best to have each one of them have a payoff!
Also, just for you, the ship that carried the UNSC envoy here is a modified Quarian cruiser, called the Attreya. Its changes include:
-430m in length (thanks to the packages of vanadium steel armor.
-The backside of the ship was reffited to house cargo and or military units, its civilian life quarters used in the construction of Rannoch Prima. In this case, it allowed it to carry an ONI segment and a sub-prowler.
-An internal antigrav generator that allows the ship to go into low atmosphere (though not as low as frigates can go).
Armament wise it includes:
-2 outrigger Light MAC cannons the port and starboard of the ship,
-The disc-like formation was replaced by a series of barbettes to house 30 M42 Archer missile pods and 8 M14 Streak missile pods.
-The top and bottom cannons were also replaced by 14 Dual Mark 20 Spitfire Naval cannon emplacements from old navy stockpile.
-12 M800 Ramparts.
-8 M600 Bulwarks.
-4 Harpoon Nuclear Delivery Systems.
-8 Medium Fusion Destructive Devices to be used in Archer missiles.
And, it can carry
-5 D-75-TC Pelicans. / 10 Nandaos Exo-Endoatmospheric Strike fighters (Or 12 Standard Council fighter aircraft)
-170 troops (A company).
Because of the usage of shields, narrow profile, but weak overall structure, it is doctrinally employed in the UNSC navy as a Light destroyer; though in practice it's reserved as a light cruiser, often accompanied by heavier-armored UNSC frigates or other refitted Quarian ships. Ships like this (Quarian cruisers built by Quarians, ergo, not limited-classes of ships like bought Turian Cruisers) number at a respectable 680 across the Migrant fleet, with 214 'Heavy Cruisers' marked separately and indeed marked as Light Cruisers/Heavy Destroyers, per the rest of the fleet consisted of mainly skeleton-crewed heavy frigates turned into light frigates or corvettes by the UNSC.
I hope that snippet from my notes was enough to satisfy you for time being.