Chapter 5 – A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing
The morning came to Kaidan with the wonderful, comforting presence of Terra in his arms and spooned against him. The feel of her, combined with his lingering memory of the previous night, stirred his body, but it wasn't long before that same part of his brain treacherously reminded him of the impending meeting and its subject matter. His arms tightened around Terra, his face pressing into her hair, wishing everything else away. When her hands ran along his forearms to hold onto him, he knew she'd been awake long before him and was no doubt torturing herself with the same thoughts. He was glad when she turned to face him, her kiss banishing the melancholy.
The sound of Rorie's footsteps thundering across the hall towards their room made them smile, and they quickly prepared to counter the incoming bombardment.
"Wake up!" the little voice demanded.
"We're awake!" Laughing, Kaidan caught Rorie just before she landed on them, her black hair falling into his face, and he lowered her to the bed between them, where she burrowed into the covers with them, her toy, as ever, clutched in her hand.
"A varren in our bed!?" Terra teased, taking pleasure in that delightful giggling.
Rorie raised Puppy up to her mother and made a growling noise which soon turned to more laughter.
Loving the normality of the moment, Terra ran her hand over her daughter's head, brushing away the errant strands of hair in the process, and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "How about I bring you and daddy breakfast in bed?"
"And Puppy, too?" Rorie checked.
"Of course."
Kaidan and Rorie looked at each other, then nodded enthusiastically.
Slipping into her dressing gown, Terra walked downstairs, needing to keep busy. Yesterday had brought a horrible heaviness, made bearable only because her family were now with her, but today there would be no maintaining the pretence that everything was fine. She dreaded the meeting. The hoops she'd had to jump through just to get the leaders support during the Reaper War had left her wary of depending on them now, aware they had different agendas.
Determined to enjoy the early morning with her daughter before she and Kaidan had to leave, Terra forced herself to concentrate on nothing else but those two special people.
oOo
oOo
It was a relief for Kaidan to see so many of the galaxy's leaders attending; to know that this time round they were listening.
The four councillors stood proudly at one end of the Council's boardroom table. Councillor Dominic Osoba filled the long-empty human position, barely four months into the job but already showing a diplomatic mind that sat well amongst his fellow councillors. He'd been vetted to within an inch of his life (nobody in the human Parliament were willing to risk another Udina scenario) and that in-depth scrutiny had taken time. With Osoba finally in place, one thing was clear: he was a friend to the Alliance. That respect, so hard fought for with the other councillors, was a breath of fresh air as far as the Alenko's were concerned.
Around the table were Primarch Victus, Dalatrass Linron, Wrex, Admiral Koris, and Admiral Raan – now also the ambassador for the quarian embassy. The ambassadors for the elcor, hanar, and volus, were also in attendance, including Bakara as the krogan ambassador.
The geth representative, a mobile platform named Diniel, deliberately stood beside Shepard, seemingly aware that she was the only one completely at ease with his presence. Despite the recognition of the geth involvement during the Reaper War, and unlike their creators, no councillor was prepared to take the step to invite the AI's to an embassy. That would take a few more generations; the distinction between the heretics and geth one that few recognised. It was also true of the rachni, who had sent an asari messenger on behalf of the queen so she could remain informed, though was unlikely to add much to the meeting herself, the rachni choosing to have as little to do with the other races as was possible. It made their presence here all the more appreciated by Kaidan and Terra.
Then there were those closer to the two human Spectres. Hackett and Coats represented the Alliance, bringing in Dr's Ann Bryson and Brynn Cole as the experts in their fields. Liara had come, known only as a well-networked information broker to most of the people here, with Javik accompanying her. Garrus was present as C-Sec's Executor, and Dr Narin Solus, nephew of Mordin, had made his way over from his lab in Huerta at the Council's request for an update on his spore research.
Aethyta breezed in at the last moment and took a place beside her daughter.
"Matriarch Aethyta. I'm surprised to see you here," Tevos said, coolly.
"Someone's got to make sure you don't lead the asari down another path of neutral idleness," Aethyta responded, casually.
Tevos blinked, looking uncomfortable. "I don't think-"
"Now that's true," butted in Aethyta, with a satisfied gleam in her eyes. "At least not unless it directly effects the asari."
Instead of defending herself Tevos turned the focus on Aethyta. "As sadly lacking in tact as ever, Aethyta."
Unfortunately for Tevos, Aethyta had more teeth, and she grinned smugly. "How are you taking that rejection from Sha'ira?"
"Father!" hissed Liara.
"How-!?" Tevos' face was considerably pink as she glanced at an amused Wrex, the only one unconcerned at keeping decorum. She swallowed before continuing. "I believe we should begin the meeting. I'm sure we are all on tight schedules."
Aethyta chuckled in victory.
"I like you," declared Wrex, with a grin.
Appraising the krogan on her other side, she leered back. "That so? You know, I'm half-kro-"
"Do not even think about it, father," warned Liara, quickly.
Sighing in response, Aethyta shrugged at Wrex. "Kids spoil all the fun."
The salarian Dalatrass deliberately and loudly cleared her throat. "As Councillor Tevos said, some of us have important work to do."
"I'm pleased so many of you could make it here at such short notice," Sparatus added in formal greeting to them all, starting the meeting.
"I had hoped it would be markedly longer before we had the need to reconvene again," Victus said, honestly.
"Yes. This sighting is most troubling," Tevos frowned.
"I must apologise in advance," commented Osoba. "Having only recently been honoured with my new position, I'm still catching up with all the details on these Leviathans."
Koris shifted on his feet. "With the re-structuring of our culture as we adapt to life on land, and the building still ongoing, the Admiralty had little time to give this issue our full attention," he admitted, then looked directly at Shepard and Kaidan. "For that, I apologise to you both. I think we all thought we'd have longer."
Disappointment ran through Kaidan, and he looked around the room wondering how many more of them were only here to maintain the illusion of taking this seriously. The reports of the latest artifacts to be uncovered, and the updates on research, were not plentiful. That they had still been placed to one side wasn't what he wanted to hear. A glance at Terra told him she'd been expecting this.
"Some things never change," Wrex muttered. "Guess the krogan are more than physically superior - we can multi-task better, too," inferring that despite over-seeing his own peoples re-building and settling a second planet, he'd maintained his attention on the Leviathans.
"Do we have any further information on where the Leviathans were heading?" asked Valern, ignoring Wrex's comment. With everyone else, he looked at Liara as the person who had first detected them.
"There has been no further sign of their movements since my third beacon went silent. I have many more in various locations throughout the systems. They have either not been passed or have simply been left alone."
"Left alone?" queried Osoba, in concern. "That would suggest they wanted us to know they had returned."
"I'd say it's highly likely," put in Hackett.
"But why?" asked Sparatus. "Tactically, they have greater advantage by remaining silent."
"They don't believe they need to," Shepard stated. "As far as the Leviathans are concerned they're superior to us in every way. We're their tools, nothing more. They certainly don't fear us."
"But to send this…message?" Raan questioned. "It's like they are challenging us."
"Throwing down the proverbial gauntlet," muttered Coats.
"They're toying with us?" Victus frowned.
"We beat their creation, their enemy. That got their attention," Kaidan spoke out. "But to them we're nothing but tiny bugs scurrying around beneath their feet. At best, we're a curiosity to them. They want to see what we do, but they don't see us as a threat to them."
"Well that pisses me off," growled Wrex. "The krogan are no-one's tools. Or playthings," he added with a scowling glance towards Linron, who responded with a matching glare.
"I can't help feeling we're way behind in this," murmured Shepard, looking at Kaidan.
Kaidan nodded. "It's like they have something up their sleeve, something to reinforce that arrogance enough to make them want to let us know they're back."
The room was silent as the unease spread through them.
Hackett broke it. "That arrogance will be their downfall. We've already beaten impossible odds. In the face of what came before, I'd say the Leviathans rate in second place."
"Don't underestimate them, Sir," Shepard cautioned, adopting proper protocol out of habit for the highest ranking Admiral. "They've been around a long time, and we know relatively little about them or what they're capable of."
"Indeed," Linron agreed. "These Leviathans killed multiple Reapers with one pulse where we were unable to bring down even one without an abundance of casualties-"
"Shepard and Alenko did," Wrex pointed out with clear disdain for the Dalatrass. "More than one in fact."
Linron almost sneered back at him. "Not without a lot of help."
"Not from any of your people-"
"Enough, Wrex," Bakara's firm voice rang out, her stern gaze on his leaving no room for debate.
"The Dalatrass raises a good point, though," suggested Hackett. "We should focus on this pulse of theirs."
"How an organic creature can produce such a pulse, we cannot even begin to fathom," Koris said morosely.
Tevos nodded in agreement. "The power of their minds is a formidable thing."
"How can we possibly counter something we have no intelligence on?" Linron added.
"By not looking at them like they are something akin to Gods." All eyes turned to the domineering voice of the prothean who stood slightly back from the table. "They will have a weakness. We just need to find it." Javik met each of their gazes as he spoke.
"This one is in agreement with the Enkindler," chimed the hanar ambassador.
"There's a shocker," drawled Aethyta. "Didn't you hear the first thing your Enkindler said, jellybabe? If only he could make the Leviathans cower with the force of his scowl, we wouldn't be here now," she joked.
"If the matriarch has finished," snapped the Dalatrass.
Aethyta bent her head closer to Liara's. "Take note, Little Wing," she murmured. "That's what happens when you have no passion in your life; your face ends up as puckered as your ass-hole."
Amidst the coughs that covered up the ripple of amusement from the human and turian presence around the boardroom table, and Wrex's more blatant one, Liara looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her up. "By the Goddess, father! Internalise!"
"Why?"
"The Dalatrass heard!" she hushed out.
"She was meant to," smirked Aethyta, enjoying the death-inducing glare that was aimed her way from Linron. "Else it's no fun, Liara! Hanging out with the prothean is doing nothing for your sense of humour."
"Need I remind you all that we only defeated the Reapers because of past races?" Linron said loudly, subconsciously gesturing towards Javik as an example, and continuing the conversation as though Aethyta hadn't spoken. "If not for the Crucible plans we'd be nothing more than newly-formed Reapers by now."
The noisy intake of breath signified the volus ambassador, Lok Dalen (who'd replaced a disgraced Korlack a few years previously) was about to speak. "That's right. Our previous success was down to luck."
"Maybe a little, yes," conceded Hackett. "But make no mistake, we won that war through co-operation, determination, skill, and a hell of a lot of firepower."
"Anxiously: Even the Reapers were not able to destroy the Leviathans," droned the elcor, Calyn.
"Don't start panicking," drawled Wrex. "They're organic. They bleed."
"Except we can't get close enough to strike a blow," said Victus. "One pulse and our ships systems are down."
"We have a way to produce a field around their artifacts, don't we?" Sparatus spoke. "The Leviathan Defence Field. Doesn't it stop the pulse, too? Can't we use the LDF around our ships?"
"Dr Cole?" Despite knowing the answer, Hackett gave the floor to the ex-Cerberus scientist who was personally leading his science team on the defensive field research.
"Unfortunately, we've encountered a problem. The field that works so well on the artifacts becomes unstable over too large an area."
"You're saying we can't have the defensive field on anything the size of our ships," Raan checked.
"Precisely," nodded Brynn. "In fact, the largest we've been able to create a consistently strong field is little more than the size of a shuttle."
"Effectively useless," Linron bit out.
A rasping sounded out again. "Can't we just combine several fields together?" asked Dalen.
Brynn shook her head. "We've tried. They simply don't knit together well. The LDF isn't viable to protect a ship."
"It's a moot point anyway," Hackett stated. "Assuming we can even locate them, they are known to dwell in the deepest parts of oceans. Our ships that can provide the heaviest fire are unsuitable for that environment, and shuttles have insufficient weapon fire for an enemy that size."
"So we need to continue taking out the artifacts," stated Coats. "An already huge task. Now the Leviathans will be on the other side of them."
"Then we still have to address the pulses," added Victus. "What do we know about them?"
"Very little," Liara provided. "We have not had enough contact with them to gain sufficient data readings."
"Wouldn't Edi have something from your first encounter on Despoina?" asked Hackett, looking at his daughter.
"Unfortunately, with the importance of the data unknown at that time, those readings were stored in Edi's Core memory banks aboard the Normandy. The crash damaged some of her memory drives, including that data."
"And the pulse that killed the Reapers on Earth?" Coats queried.
"Edi wasn't functioning well at that time. She was unable to record new data."
"What about the beacons? Or the volus ship?" Kaidan wondered.
"Right," Shepard followed the thought. "Isn't there a chance that they may have been able to record something they weren't able to transmit before they went down?"
"It is possible," considered Liara. "I will make it a priority to retrieve those beacons and salvage the black-box from Zorran's vessel."
"In the meantime, there is little we can do," Sparatus said grimly.
"If we find them, couldn't the Normandy get in close to the Leviathans undetected?" Wrex wondered out loud.
It was Ann Bryson who shook her head. "Even if we knew which direction they had gone, from Admiral Shepard's reports of her last encounter with them, the Normandy had been in stealth mode at the time the Leviathan attacked. It's likely that it could sense her mind – the connection having already been established previously."
"Do you forget, krogan? Anyone close enough to those things could end up being indoctrinated," Javik said, bluntly. "We would only be fed false reports, if they were even allowed to live in order to send them."
"I thought the artifacts had to be present," frowned Sparatus.
"Only for long-distance control," answered Bryson. "Shepard's mind was taken when she was face to face with them. And, unlike through the artifacts, that control was almost instant. Besides, so far, the only way we know how to pinpoint their location is when they are communicating, but we would need to use an artifact in order to do so."
"And a host," added Coats, sombrely.
"Yes. And it's unlikely the Leviathans would allow anyone to survive such an encounter again."
Wrex was bothered by how little they could actually do. "So we just carry on waiting for them to make a move? Won't they head straight here? The most heavily defended station would be the first place I would go to hunt my prey. Take out everything, including the kid."
"To be as brazen as to attack directly would be to risk their deaths," Javik imparted. "Even they cannot destroy everything that would be thrown at them should they attempt such a thing. If they could, they would have dealt with the Reapers a long time ago. We are united and many. They are few. We have already seen that they would rather hide than endanger themselves. I believe that they will continue in that manner."
"It is a tactic that had them surviving countless cycles of Reaper harvests. I agree," said Hackett. "They'll maintain previous methods and use others."
"Then they will be unable to strike straight away," stated Javik, ignoring the over-long stares from all those around him who saw him as a curiosity. "We know from the thralls they released that they were forced to give up their 'tools' when they left for dark space."
"Couldn't they now be back under control?" asked Osoba.
"After the first remote colonists called in to explain their loss of time, we made it a priority to destroy those artifacts present on each colony," answered Hackett. "Then we proceeded to contact each and every colony, outpost and facility we have." All the leaders nodded in agreement that they had also done the same. "They all came back reporting no similar loss in time."
"The Leviathans will need to work at gaining more thralls," Javik declared. "We have time."
"We would suggest that would be a dangerous assumption." The unassuming synthetic voice of the geth Prime pervaded the room. "There are many worlds which are not known, with races that may have previously been enthralled. They may not have made the connection between their missing years and an artifact. From our understanding, once a link is made, the Leviathans can reconnect at will. They could already have tools at their disposal."
That was met by uncomfortable shuffling.
"So basically we know nothing for sure," scoffed Sparatus.
Hackett drew himself up tall and proud, hands clasped behind his back. "They'd need a large fleet with advanced technology and ships to have a hope in hell of getting near the Citadel. I can't see an unknown race being that advanced without our notice, or in the very least, the Reapers notice. Every advanced world was attacked," he argued.
"Admiral Hackett makes a fine point," agreed Tevos. "We are well-fortified, even in the wake of the Reapers. I cannot see such an attack as viable."
Victus paced a little. "They would, however, have those damn artifacts with them to remain under control, and through those the Leviathans would be able to use their pulses."
"So we're going in circles. It all centres on the pulses." Linron crossed her arms, giving the distinct impression she wasn't impressed with any of this.
"We gather a united force around the Citadel," Hackett insisted, his eyes taking in the solemn face of his daughter, his words intended mostly for her. "The second anything unusual crosses our radars we have the Citadel close. With basic ships and technology, they'll get nowhere near enough to use the artifacts against us."
"Executor Vakarian. Should the worst happen, what defences are in place within the Citadel itself?" Osoba enquired.
"We have the IPD's-" Garrus began to answer.
"I'm sorry. IPD's?"
"Apologies, Councillor. Indoctrinated-Presence Detection programs."
"They were engineered using the readings taken by the AI, Edi, when the Leviathan was in contact with me," explained Ann Bryson. "Basically, they should detect the subtle difference in brain activity of an indoctrinated person."
"Should?"
"It's untested, of course."
"Edi's confident it will work," Shepard stated, inferring her own belief in it.
Accepting that, Osoba nodded at Garrus to continue.
"The IPD's are installed at every dock's security checkpoint, which will send a station-wide alert. I also have those same detection programs installed at various key locations within the Citadel should anyone be able to bypass the docking bays. Of course, if an unknown race is attacking, we're going to be aware just from face value. Nevertheless, the small corridor areas within the checkpoints also have a Defence Field incorporated to cut the connection of anyone under Leviathan influence as they pass through it."
"Sounds like the Citadel is in hand, Executor. So we come to the ongoing research into incorporating the fields into our omnitools," Valern said, neatly moving them on. "Without access to our minds, we can never become their tools."
"Yes. Any progress, Dr Cole?" asked Sparatus.
"We have the concept, as you know. Our prototype – which Admiral Shepard, General Coats, and Dr Bryson currently have installed in their omnitools - worked well, but as yet we've been unable to find a way to use less expensive, more readily available resources while maintaining a strong field. The energy required is just too much for cheaper materials in such as small item. We keep ending up with unstable omnitools."
"Why exactly were three people singled out for this prototype?" wondered Dalen, sounding a little put out.
"They've all previously been enthralled by the Leviathans. Should they come in contact with an artifact, the Leviathans would be able to control them instantly." Hackett spoke with an intense severity, fear for his daughter underlying his words.
"I think we can agree that the last thing we want is to risk Shepard or General Coats falling under Leviathan influence," imparted the Primarch.
Both the volus and hanar ambassadors fidgeted restlessly at that.
"They also, along with Dr Bryson, are privy to a lot of inside information," added Hackett. "The less the Leviathans know about what we have against them, the better."
"In light of the Leviathans return, maybe we should look into obtaining more of these expensive materials," Osoba suggested.
It was met with silence.
"The problem is that they are desperately needed on our recovering home-worlds," replied Tevos, ever diplomatically. "There's just nothing to spare, and wasting more resources in pursuit of other mining areas simply takes more ships and personnel away from the Citadel."
"More than that, I'm reticent to rely too heavily on technology when we're facing an advanced race," worried Victus.
There was further silence as the lack of progression sunk in with all those inside the boardroom.
oOo
The turian cruiser Espasian was the first of the Citadel's multi-species patrol fleet to detect the sudden influx of ships that appeared from all directions almost simultaneously. At first, the bridge was a hive of activity as they reacted to the unexpected surge, but as each ship - some human, some turian, salarian, and asari - was scrutinised and allowed to pass without pause, the crew returned to their patrol.
oOo
Joker had never seen someone with so much energy. No wonder she needed to eat frequently. After sitting remarkably still through a whole episode of Baby Blasto (which was just as daft as the films in his opinion) Rorie had decided she wanted to dance and had activated 'Moon' to play some irritating nursery rhymes which she did all the moves to. After Joker had teased her that she danced as well as her mom, Rorie had sulkily stopped. Then she'd taken to rampaging round the ground floor on a small hover-scooter which had freaked him out. After a few near-misses with the pristine surroundings, he'd suggested getting out of there, just so he could relax.
Sat on the sofa, Joker was waiting for Rorie to return with her shoes when the silence suddenly rang out at him. "Um…Edi? Think we should be concerned?"
"I think you should," she responded, with an amused expression.
It was in that instant that his cap was swiped from his head, followed by scampering feet and giggles. "You little thief!" Despite the loss of his prized cap, Joker couldn't help grinning at the image of a victorious laughing Rorie running as far as the front door, then turning to face him and plonking his cap on her own head. It was too big, and she couldn't see, which delighted her as she proceeded to walk forward with arms outstretched.
Once Joker had reclaimed his cap, Rorie hugged his leg.
"Got you, and your hat!"
"Cap. Yeah, you got me. You know, we could get you your own cap."
"Like yours?" she looked up at him, hopefully.
"As close as we can get to mine, sure. Ready to go?"
"Uh huh!" She gently took his hand and adjusted her usual speed to suit Joker's more laboured one as they walked to the door.
When it opened, Joker turned to see Edi still in place, watching them. "Everything okay?"
"Yes. I was just recording the moment. It seemed…poignant."
Joker just gave her a confused look. "Oh…kay. Coming?"
"Of course." She crossed the room to join them and they headed out to the Strip.
oOo