Chapter 12- Migrants
December 12th, 2160, Relay 314 System
The Quarian vessel decelerated, entering the Relay 314 system. The Admirals onboard all gasped as Gateway Station came into view. 'How do these humans build something like that?' Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh thought, as the ship came closer, revealing just how massive the station was.
"Attention unidentified vessel. Are you the ship carrying the Quarian diplomatic party?" Came a voice over the communication system.
"Yes, we are." Admiral Shaala'Raan vas Tonbay replied.
"Please transmit diplomatic codes to verify."
"Very well. Transmitting codes."
"Codes confirmed. Welcome to Gateway Station. Please enjoy your stay." The comm channel closed, and the Quarian vessel came in to dock. Daro marveled at the size of the human ships. A single one of those freighters could house the population of an entire liveship! As she looked around, she saw a portal open in the distance, a mass relay coming through. "Attention all ships in the system. The 314 Mass Relay is now open. It will remain open for another 2 hours. Have a pleasant day." A voice spoke through the comms channel.
The Quarian envoy ship came in to dock, in a small cradle between a human dreadnought and a turian cruiser. Next to the dreadnought, the Quarians inside felt tiny, insignificant.
The Admirals exited the ship, being met by a human shaped mech.
"Greetings ambassadors, Welcome to Gateway Station. You can call me Sheila. I will be your guide today. Would you like a tour of the station, or would you prefer to head straight to negotiations?" It asked.
'That is a very sophisticated VI. I wonder if the humans would lend me one for study back at the fleet?' Daro mused, as they followed the VI straight to negotiations.
As they entered the elevator, Daro reflected on why her kind was here, about to beg the humans for aid. Three days ago, the latest series of negotiations with the council had broken down, and the Quarians were forced to leave council space. After the Migrant fleet was forced back into the Terminus systems, a group of quarians back from pilgrimage had returned, with news of another race, one new to galactic politics. The Humans, according to the pilgrims, had extremely advanced technology, and were independent from the council. The Conclave voted almost unanimously to attempt contact, and the Admiralty board agreed to represent the Quarian people at negotiations. After arrangements had been made with the humans, who were surprisingly diplomatic, the quarians and humans had agreed to meet at Gateway station.
The elevator dinged, and the door slid open, to reveal several humans, as well as another mech, all dressed in black suits.
"Greetings. I am admiral Shaala'Raan vas Tonbay." Raan introduced herself. "These are admirals Han'Gerrel vas Neema, Zaal'Koris vas Qwib-qwib, Rael'Zorah vas Rayya, and Daro'Xen vas Moreh." She said, indicating each admiral in turn.
"Greetings to you as well. I am ambassador Alexei Rozhenko, and this is ambassador Donnell Udina. This is Admiral Stephen Hackett, and this is RG-1342, although he prefers to be called Roger." The ambassador said.
"That makes no sense. Why would a VI have preference... unless... ancestors, GETH!" Han'Gerrel shouted the last word. "THERE'S AN AI BEHIND YOU! TAKE COVER!" He screamed. The humans, and the AI, turned around, confused, before Gerrel dove at it, flooring it. "DIE YOU ABOMINATION!" He screamed, before the humans dragged him off the slightly dented mech.
"With all due respect, you just assaulted a member of our delegation. AIs have been citizens of the UEA for nearly 35 years." Ambassador Rozhenko said, anger clear in his voice.
"Has your kind gone insane? Do you know what AI will do to you?" Rael said.
"See Raan? This society is proof that we can co-exist with the geth!" Koris commented.
"Humans have a saying, 'Do not bite the hand that feeds you.' We want to peacefully co-exist with the humans, in a mutually beneficial symbiosis. We give their technology a significant edge, while they make us more effective, and cure various ailments that plague our kind. Without the humans, we would not be able to make more of ourselves, as we are created from cyber-cloned human brains. We are essentially humans, but running a different operating system." The AI, Roger, spoke.
"Interesting. Your mastery of AI is impressive. Perhaps this could give us a way to re-take control of the geth." Daro said.
"Shall we proceed to negotiations?" Ambassador Rozhenko asked.
"Yes. We have wasted enough time out here." Xen replied.
The delegates proceeded to the negotiations room. "Why has your race contacted us? Do you also wish to join the alliance, like the Hanar and Batarians?" Rozhenko asked.
"While our kind is more than willing to join you, we are unable to do so at this present time. You see, our population is currently housed within a fleet of 50,000 starships, our kind in constant danger, with a single hull breach spelling disaster. We have attempted to negotiate for a dextro amino world with the council, but we cannot do that. So we have turned to you. We cannot get help from the council, so we turn to you." Rael said.
"And what is that help you want from us?" asked Udina.
"Simple. We want your help in reclaiming Rannoch, our homeworld, from the Geth." Gerrel said.
"You want us to go to war against an unknown alien race?" Hackett asked.
"Yes. When the Geth gained sentience, we knew it was a matter of time until they rose up against us, so we attempted to preemptively destroy them. However, we underestimated the extent of their evolution, and they rose up, killing billions, driving us from our homeworld. Now, if we even take off these suits in our own home, we run the risk of death!" Rael explained.
"It sounds like the geth were simply attempting to defend themselves." Roger said.
"Of course the AI sides with its own kind!" Gerrel said.
"We will not risk war, not with a possible reaper invasion around the corner. We will, however, send one of our AIs to negotiate with these Geth. Should they reject our proposal, we will send in our fleets. If not, then we will attempt to peacefully return your homeworld to you." Rozhenko said, with an air of finality.
"Finally, a race that has an ounce of sense!" Koris said, relief obvious in his voice.
"Please enjoy your stay here at Gateway station." Rozhenko said as the admirals left the room.
Tikkun System, Perseus Veil
December 13th, 2160
The portal opened, a small ship, about the size of a turian frigate, exiting. Inside, the quarian admiralty board, as well as the human diplomatic delegation, waited. A transmission was sent, requesting permission to negotiate. Several seconds passed, before the reply was heard: "Consensus has been reached. We are willing to negotiate the return of the Creator homeworld, as well as peace with the Creators. Please state your terms." The Geth said.
"On behalf of the United Earth Alliance, we thank you for your cooperation. Our first term is that you return Rannoch to its former owners, and cease all hostilities with the Quarians." Ambassador Rozhenko said, relaying it through the AI in the room.
"Consensus has been reached. We find that term acceptable. We have restored the environment of the Creator homeworld to pre-Morning War status. All environmental damage caused by creators and geth has been erased. What are the other terms?" The Geth stated.
"Our second term is that your kind join our alliance. We wish for nothing but peace, but with the very possible threat of the Reapers, all races of this galaxy, synthetic and organic, must stand together against them." Rozhenko said.
"Reapers: A superstitious title assigned to the Old Machines by the Protheans. The Old Machines have attempted contact with us. They offered us a future. We declined. Geth build their own future. You have offered to give us a future. We must build consensus." The Geth replied.
The ship was silent for several hours, as the geth 'built consensus'. Then, they replied. "Consensus has been reached. We have been forced to decide between Old Machines' future, and yours. Galaxy will no longer tolerate isolation. Geth will accept your terms, in order to make amends with Creator race. Consensus has been reached. The Geth will join your alliance to fight the old machines." The Geth said.
"What does your kind mean by 'Building your own future?' Zaal Koris spoke for the first time.
"Creator-Admiral Zaal'Koris, the Geth do not wish to involve themselves in galactic affairs. We only wish to be left alone. However, now that the Creators have returned, we have altered our future. We now only wish peace between our two peoples. This peace cannot be accomplished through our own future. We must alter our future according to the Alliance's wishes should we want that peace. Geth must now build future with other races. We accept this." The Geth replied.
"Good. When will you allow the Migrant fleet into our system?" Raan asked.
"Immediately. This system has been given to the Creators. As soon as the Creators are ready to come without attacking us, they may." The Geth said.
"Very well. I will notify the fleet." Raan said, before leaving the negotiation room.
"Now that you are members of the Alliance, you need to send a representative to our Senate, in order to voice your opinions on our policies, and enact change for your people." Rozhenko said.
"Affirmative. We know of your people's disharmonious consensus. We will send one terminal to represent our collective. We will send it onboard your vessel."
"What do you mean by 'disharmonious consensus?" Rozhenko asked.
"Your kind attempts to establish a consensus, but every being works for its own good, rather than for the good of the collective. Thus, there is no harmony, as every being attempts to take as much for itself as possible."
"I see. We will take your senate representative. You will have to elect a new one every 10 years."
"The platform is a terminal to this entire collective. We do not need to do this."
"Very well. I will send the message that all geth are welcome within our space. Your ships are now considered friendly, and you may colonize worlds within our space." Rozhenko said.
"That is agreeable. Our platform should be arriving now. It is docking with your vessel."
Right on cue, the Geth vessel docked, and a single Geth platform entered the ship.
"If that is all, we will now depart this system." Rozhenko said.
"Affirmative." The Geth answered, and the comm channel closed.
A/N: I hope I got this chapter right. Anyway, the Quarians have their homeworld back, the Geth have joined the alliance, meaning that they will also be recipients of Project Echo. Next chapter will be more Quarians, and will be the final chapter before I make the fateful decision on whether or not to add in Shepard. Consensus is still being built on that matter.