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Espacole and Spork

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The moment their tattered fleet Relayed into the system - and out of the jamming field being put out by the Heretics and Collectors - their systems were inundated with communiques, alerts, beacons and emergency transmissions. It took half an hour for EDI and their comms unit to sift through it all for what was actually important and what had already stopped being relevant. Time the rest of the fleet spent forming up with the Remnants of the Heavy and Patrol Fleets along with another dozen Geth frigates, their destroyers and cruisers on their way from the other end of the system and a few neighboring ones besides. Which managed to aggravate both sides of the Geth issue across the fleet - the ones who hated them were pissed they were sitting around, waiting on them to back them up, and the ones just happy to have the help were just as pissed that they'd have to wait and just hope the Collectors didn't come through.

When they didn't, that only added to the anxieties the fleet of survivors had…

So, at Aria's suggestion, they called a war council, which they agreed to hold on the Normandy for a litany of reasons - but mainly, to avoid contaminating the Quarian ships or making the Quarians trust a band of mercenaries and pirates. Which made perfect sense to her. Although, why a true blue Cerberus warship was in any way more acceptable was anyone's guess, really. Tali suggested it was just because it came down to that or a Geth ship, which…

Well, some of the Admirals would sooner fight the Heretics again than board a Geth ship.

"So," Tali said, pacing up and down one side of the conference room while Shepard leaned against the other wall, "names again, please."

"Admiral Han'Gerrel, Heavy Fleet." She sighed, "Admiral Shala'Raan, of the Patrol Fleet. And Admiral Zaal'Koris, of the Civilian Fleet. That's all, right?"

"For who is coming, yes." She sighed, shaking her head and turning to lean against the table. "And the others?"

"Aria, who we know." Unfortunately or not, which was getting harder to determine every day. "Legion, acting as a representative of the Geth. And Bray, Aria's right hand. Who probably won't say much but, then again, he doesn't need to."

"Keelah, you're putting the Admirals in a small room with a Batarian, a Geth and the Pirate Queen of Omega…"

"I mean, we could do the cantina instead." Shepard smirked, crossing her arms with a quiet scrape of ceramo-plating on ceramo-plating. "If you prefer."

"Shepard…"

"Yeah, sorry, didn't feel the joke either." She sighed, turning and staring at the door with a deep frown. I just…"

"It's been a day already." Tali nodded understandingly, "And to be saved by a Geth? It's… Surreal."

"Mhm." She'd been saved, and saved others, more than a few times in her career, of course. And it always came with the same emotions - namely, anger, when other people died pulling her ass out of the fire. But feeling that for a Geth? Or, well, a lot of them, technically, but that only made it worse. "I just… What do I feel?"

"Determined." Tali answered, "To end the Collectors. For the Geth and for my own people, too."

"You know how many you lost?"

"Eighty seven from the ships that made it out." Tali answered, voice low and pained. "Four didn't, though. Small support craft. Hundred and forty to a hundred and fifty across each. I'm assuming the worst, so-"

"Almost seven hundred." Shepard murmured, "Fuck me… Tali, I'm-"

"Don't say you're sorry, Shepard." Tali cut her off, eyes had behind her mask. Setting her shoulders, she shook her head and growled, "Tell me we'll get it done."

"We will." Shepard nodded, "Trust me on that."

"Good." She sighed, leaning back and turning to look at the door. "That will… It's not good enough, of course, but it will do."

"It'll have to." She agreed, sighing as the gentle shudder of docking drew her attention. "Joker?"

"Aria just docked, Ma'am. She and her nerdy bodyguard are going through decon now. Upped the sterilizer, just in case, given, ya know…" He chuckled and went on, sounding tired and resigned, "The Quarians are just landing in the shuttle-bay, too. Suits should be on you in about five."

"Joker, you know that's a slur, right?"

"Uh, no?" The pilot snapped suddenly, "Shit, sorry, I was making a-"

"Politician joke." Shepard nodded, "Keep that one in your pants, Pilot."

"Aye, Ma'am." He answered, "Uh, sorry, Tali."

"You didn't know." She shrugged it off, shaking her head and chuckling a bit at the man's expense. "And I'm used to worse. If you want, I can send you a list of slurs so you don't do it again?"

"Yeah, uh, sure." He chuckled, "EDI totally won't make fun of that being in my downloads."

"Sounds fine to me." She laughed, "I'll come by later and we'll shake on it."

"Oh, you evil little…" He sighed, "Alright, I deserve that. Talk later, Tali."

No sooner did he cut the comm-line did the door open, and Aria stepped in, face set in a deep frown. Bray beside her, she slipped around the table and moved up to the far end, leaning against the wall while Bray leaned in the corner. Watching the door, she asked, "What happened out there, Shepard?"

"You didn't read the report?"

"Of course I read the report." She snapped, slamming a fist down into the table. "I just wanted to know how a damn dreadnought managed to sneak up on you!"

"On us." Tali corrected her firmly, "You missed it on your way in, as did your fighter when we went out to relieve the combat fleets."

"We all missed it, because none of us expected them to come out to meet us." Shepard argued quietly, gesturing at everyone in the room. "We all expected the Collectors to sit back, watch my team prepare to hit them where they live, and not do much about it. And we were all wrong to. Now we figure out what to do next."

"Right…" Aria leaned back and smiled, as much amused as resigned. "Yes, well, I'm glad to see you don't back down from a pissed off investor. Looks like we'll have a few to deal with in a few minute, from the loss tallies."

"Yeah, we will." So that had been a… Test? Joke? Something of the like, supposedly, from the Asari? It was impossible to tell, really, and as much as Shepard doubted it herself, the Asari was the exact kind of person to play that sort of game. But, before she could say anything else, the door opened again and Shepard stepped forward and put on a polite, if weary, face. "Admirals. I'd say it's a pleasure, but…"

"You can save the pleasantries, Commander." Zaal'Koris snapped shortly, leaning against the table's far end with a sigh while Han'Gerrel limped in, favoring one leg and with an arm in a sling. The Civilian Admiral watched him lean against one of the walls opposite her and then flicked her a look. "We're all exhausted, and a bit tense, as you can see."

"But alive." Admiral Raan said, stepping up to his side and laying a hand on his shoulder. "We should be grateful to the Commander for that."

"And the Geth." Tali pointed out quietly, anxiously rubbing her hands as the eyes of four people a thousand times as powerful as her turned to face her. "I-I mean, um…"

"Without the Geth, you'd all be sunning yourselves right now." Bray offered with a dark chuckle, shrugging when Shepard turned a glare on him. "What? They would be. And we'd be on the short-list for the next spots, too."

"You expect us to thank Geth?"

"I expect you to admit who pulled your asses out of the shit." Bray grunted, "And considerin' you pulled ours," he gestured between himself, Aria and Shepard with a hand, crossing his arms and relaxing against the wall, "you can let me speak my mind."

"Why you little-"

"Bray, that's enough." Aria snapped, flicking him a look over a shoulder and standing at her end of the table. "Crass as he is, he's not wrong. We're all in it, now, so I just need to know. Open minds, or open caskets?"

"Excuse me?"

"Let me make it clear, then, Admiral Toots." Aria sighed, shaking her head and running her fingers across her scalp, scratching at it like an itch. "I came out here 'cus someone interesting asked me to come along on a fun little errand. Do something no one else has for centuries. And now, I'm stuck knowing the only way I get back to my throne-"

"Bah." The Heavy Fleet Admiral groused, "You're no real queen."

"You want to challenge my title? Do it. Omega's way." Her Biotics flared and, when the Quarian just stared at her, she nodded and sighed. "That's what I thought. As I was saying… Only way we get out now is if you all put your skeletons in your closets and work with whoever can pull us out of this. And I trust you're smart enough to know who I mean."

"The Geth." Admiral Raan murmured, squeezing the other Admiral's shoulder in her hand before releasing him and asking, simply, "How old are you?"

"Old enough." Aria shrugged, "Why?"

"Do you recall the Morning War?" The Quarian asked, "Were you alive during it?"

"I…" Aria pursed her lips, then sighed and nodded, "I was young, but yes. I remember it. The fear, the paranoia- Some looking at VI's and damn nav-systems like they'd come alive and space them all on a whim."

"And you're willing to just… Trust them?"

"Not really, no."

"And you, Shepard?" Raan asked quietly, "You suffered at their hands, too. Saw what they are capable of. Do you trust them?"

"Trust isn't an option." Shepard stepped in, shaking her head and sighing when words failed her. "EDI, where is Legion?"

"In the armory, with Miss Chambers." EDI answered simply, affecting a flat tenor as she so often did when she felt the need to pretend to be less than she was. Something that, she realized, went against every single step of what they were doing here. What they needed.

And, suddenly, she felt her anger rising, hand curling into a tight fist.

"That is EDI." She finally said, voice low as she turned to meet Tali's gaze from across the table. The Quarian blinked, then realized what Shepard was thinking and squared her shoulders. She sighed, shook her head wearily, and finally nodded. So, Shepard said, "She's our ship-board, heavily shackled, artificial intelligence."

For a moment, the entire room was silent, before EDI sighed, "Commander… That was unwise."

As if on cue, the Quarians exploded into action. Shouting insults and demands, while Aria laughed and watched and Tali tried to calm them all down. Everyone except Raan, at least. Raan just stood there, head quirked while she stared at Shepard. As if looking for something. Finally, though, after a few moments of noise, Aria stepped forward and clapped her hands together, Biotics crackling across the room as sparks and energy rolled along the ceiling and walls.

"Enough, you idiots!" She shouted, shaking her head and sighing, "How the hell is this meant to help any-damn-thing?"

"She brought us onto this ship," Han'Gerrel snarled, "with a damn AI."

"Two, actually." Raan pointed out quietly, ice in her voice but a gaze that bored into her fellow Admirals instead of Shepard. "We all knew we were boarding a ship with a Geth platform on board. Shepard didn't have to tell us about EDI."

"I did." Shepard corrected her, "How can I ask for trust and lie about that? Any number of ways, that gets out. Hell, if the Heretics hit our fleet with e-warfare, she's our best shield. And how many of you will believe a VI can hold off the Heretics?"

Again, the silence descended, and Bray chuckled, "Well… That's a damn good point."

"Thank you, Bray." She sighed, shaking her head and moving on to the next hurdle she had in front of her. "EDI, send Legion to us. We need to ask it a few questions."

"They are on their way, Commander." EDI answered simply, before adding, pleasantly, "And, in spite of everything, I am honored to meet you, Admirals. And I apologize for my deception."

"Xen is going to eat this up…" Zaal'Koris sighed, shaking his head and sighing tiredly. Still, he turned as the door opened and Legion stepped in, meeting their gazes with their own flat one. Chuckling, the Quarian offered his hand and said, "Admiral Zaal'Koris. It's… Well, complicated, but still good to meet you."

It cocked its head, flanges flicking, and then turned a look on the Quarian's hand. Slowly, as if they were nervous about it, the Geth took his hand and shook it gently. "It is… A pleasure."

"Admiral Shala'Raan." The next offered her hand, too, and again Legion took it after a moment. As she took her hand back, cradling it gently, she chuckled and sighed. "I never thought… I almost didn't have the nerve for that."

"If you were afraid," Legion asked, "why did you do so?"

"We need your people's help." She answered, looking away. "I… Can set aside my discomfort for that."

Finally, they all turned to Han'Gerrel, who snorted and shook his head, "I'm not shaking its hand."

"Han-"

"You can trust them." Tali reassured him, "You have my word."

"And why should I trust that?" He snapped, shaking his head, "I'm the most out-spoken proponent for retaking the home world. It could kill me before any of you could react."

"We would not do so."

"And I'm supposed to just trust that?" He chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "At this point, the only reason I'm still in the room is because the shuttle we took over was a Patrol Fleet shuttle. Not one of my own."

"Han'Gerrel, you absolute-"

"It is alright. We will not press Creator-Admiral Han'Gerrel." Legion cut in firmly, stepping around to Shepard's side of the table - and out of reach of the Quarian entirely - and standing in its odd, surreally still way. It turned to her, finally, and asked, "What do you need of us?"

"Casualty estimates."

"You already-"

"Not of us." Shepard cut it off, shaking her head when Legion actually turned to her fully, flanges flicking in surprise. "We have our estimates. I want to know yours. How many Geth programs were destroyed- Died, buying us time to escape from the Collector and Heretic fleet."

"We…" Legion's flanges flicked once more, as they no doubt retrieved exact data, and then it answered. "We lost the entire fighter-wing complement, as well as the rapid-response frigates. In total, two hundred and seven platforms housing eight thousand four hundred and seventy five individual programs."

"Eight and a half thousand Geth died out there?" She asked, frowning, "Including Goliath?"

"In… A manner of speaking." Legion nodded, "Yes."

"You asked why you should trust shaking Legion's hand, Admiral, but I know what you really wanted to know." Shepard said, leaning against the table and meeting each of the Quarian's eyes - including Tali's - before she turned to Aria and Bray, too. "You all want a reason to trust them? Aside from them not blowing us into dust right now? Legion just gave you eight and a half thousand reasons."

"Geth don't die when their platforms do." Han'Gerrel chuckled, shaking his head and adjusting his sling. "They upload out of their platform when they face destruction."

"Legion?"

"The Heretic fleet put up a specialized jamming network, and targeted our ships' data-storage sections where possible." Legion answered simply, "We lacked a counter-measure for their jamming, and would have required ship modifications to resolve the targeting. We lack that time."

"But I don't understand why." Raan asked, shaking her head, "I mean- Why couldn't you counter the jamming?"

"Right." Zaal'Koris nodded, "That feels like something you would resolve fairly quickly."

"Only Geth are capable of jamming our systems so perfectly." Legion answered, hands flexing absently as its light dimmed. "We… Never considered that we would come to this. We have fought. Skirmishes. But to seek our destruction is… Beyond what the Heretics have ever been capable of."

"Can you manufacture a counter-measure?" Shepard asked quietly.

"Negative, Shepard-Commander." Legion answered just as quietly, voice very nearly sounding despondent, now, somehow. "We would need to change too much about our code. Our base programming, our code-frequencies, our synthetic-neural base- All of it. Such is beyond even us."

"We could have the science division take it to task." Han'Gerrel offered, scoffing when they turned to him. "What? We suffer the jamming effects, too. And as unlikely as it is we manage a solution, we have to try. Or else we'll lack any cohesion."

"And if you can't manufacture a solution," Shepard pressed, turning to Legion, "can you replicate the jamming?"

"It is possible."

"Then get to it." She ordered, turning to Aria and the Admirals and frowning. "While that gets worked on, we need a battle plan."

"We have enough numbers to overwhelm them." Han'Gerrel shrugged simply, "Firing lines, heavy missiles and strike-craft, and it should resolve itself."

"Presuming more Heretics are not en-route." Legion pointed out, "We should not presume their numbers will remain static."

"I also need the Collector vessel intact, for a boarding action." Shepard added quickly, explaining when the Quarians looked to her. "I need to get through the Omega-4 Relay and strike at their base, located somewhere beyond it. I have a plan to cripple it, but we need to get it alone. And that means-"

"Dealing with the Geth." Han'Gerrel rumbled lowly, "Or, well, the attacking ones. Now that I can get behind…"

Shepard frowned, but let it go, leaning forward to get into the details of the plan while Legion turned to leave with Raan - headed to meet with the scientific fleet's experts to work on the jamming problem. With the doubt over their ability to even solve the problem, Aria turned them to a more pragmatic approach - planning based on the idea they'd be jammed. And how they could get around that.

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Kishinokurobi :

There ARE ways the Geth use to get around these limitations - but no, not back-ups. It would kind of rob the 'unique-ness' of the individual programs and units, imo. And they haven't had a NEED for them. They can upload to other ships and escape - or transmit out of danger. ONLY a Geth would know the precise intricacies of it all to take advantage of it.

Captain Dick Scratcher :

Even if their chassis did survive, they'd be damaged. And collected by the Heretics who have now proven willing to do awful things to even their own people.

And yes, Legion DID have an emotional outburst. How very odd for a machine to do, hmmmmm?

Sebine :

Sebine pls.