RR

Oxyd2013: That will be changing in the next chapter or two when Reapers, Geth and angry Batarians enter the mix.

Orionastro: Small steps first.

Nassana Dantius, the Asari representative in the Human ceasefire talks, sits in her seat with contained excitement, knowing that in a few short minutes her shuttlecraft will take her to the Human ship. Nassana is excited to see what the Humans present as hospitality with her own eyes, she has heard good things from the people that went to their planet, but she wants to experience it herself. Joining her is the Turian and Salarian representative, along with Matriarch Benzzia; her knowledge in the Prothean language and her past experience with Humans will make her vital. Joining them in the shuttle is the Human soldier, Shepard, they agreed to transfer her back to her own people, as it would be silly to send a shuttlecraft from the Human vessel to pick her up if her team are going to their ship anyway.

The ride to the human vessel is a short one, with the only thing of interest being that on arrival into the shuttle bay, a large increase in Eezo radiation is detected by the shuttle's sensors, but not enough to cause concern for her team. Turians have tough skin which gives them protection from radiation, and Salarians are capable of being exposed to high levels for short durations due to the fact they have unique biological systems that prevent cancers. Asari, originating from a world with a heavy eezo presence, will have no issues at all. The high eezo radiation is a puzzling one for the team, considering that the Humans had none in their system, but it can be explained due to travelling through a relay without an eezo drive to protect them from the harmful rays.

Getting out of the shuttle on the Human ship, Nassana instantly notes that the vessel is designed in an unusual style that is a reminiscence of Asari and Turian vessels pre-eezo gravity generators. Whereas Citadel vessels now have decks that stretch the length of the vessel, this human vessel has floors extending the width and depth of the vessel, this means that a Human deck is small, but they have a lot of them. The distinct advantage to this design is that if gravity fails for whatever reason, then the vessel can generate its own gravity by accelerating at a speed that the Humans find comfortable; a Council vessel can not do this, but the obvious downside is that decks are small. Other than this, Nassana's only remarks are that the Human ship looks very spartan inside, nothing can be found that doesn't serve a function. The Praetorian reminds Nassana of a Turian wartime vessel more than an Asari ship. A Turian war vessel during war, and during peace times are two vastly different beasts, the latter is designed to prevent a war by looking ferocious, making any onlookers think twice before starting hostilities, and the former is designed actually to fight a war.

After greeting her human counterparts, Nassana and team are guided through the spaceship, and as they climb a flight of stairs, the Turian negotiator asks a Human counterpart why there are so many space suits readily available on the walls of the vessel. The answer is that during combat, a Human vessel will vent all atmosphere to protect its crew from pressure waves, so each person on the ship needs a readily available spacesuit. The Turian who has served in the Turian navy appreciates the answer more than Nassana as he is more intimate with the effects of a high-velocity slug impacting a ship during warfare. Usually, it is not the lack of atmosphere, or even the slug itself that kills in naval warfare, but rather the extreme pressures caused in an atmosphere as a slug travels through it at high velocity. Often, in large ship-ship conflicts, mission killed vessels are frequently mission killed because their senior crew who make the decisions are dead, and not because their ships have received critical damage.

After ascending 5 flight of stairs, Nassana's team are invited into a cosy looking room that contains a circular table in the middle surrounded by a few comfortable looking chairs, on the table rests a large jug water. Unlike the negotiation room on the Ascension, there are no windows that look out into the vast emptiness of space; instead, around the walls of the room are various paintings and pictures. Some of the images on the wall depict Humans that must be famous, Nassana thinks, and some depict some famous event or another. The only image Nasanna does not need an explanation for is a black and white image of low quality; it tells the tale of a large mushroom cloud. The image is an unmistakable message, letting her know they have cracked the atom and used it for its destructive purposes. One or two, she could guess the history of, such as a human in a cumbersome white suit planting a flag, or an ancient-looking spacecraft taking off with what must be liquid fuels. The most notable painting is not the mushroom cloud, or the ancient spaceship technology for Nassana however, those paintings do not tell her anything she did not already suspect. Instead, the most notable painting for Nassana belongs with an image that depicts the Ringworld above the human world as the final segment is dragged into position, completing the 'ring'. If the painting tells a true story, it lets her know that the Ringworld is theirs, and not some Prothean megastructure like the Citadel. While this shouldn't be a problem, it will inevitably lead to issues down the line, Nassana knows the Citadel likes to have all the jewels, so for a new species to have a structure far larger and far more grandiose than the Citadel, then people will get jealous.

Before sitting down, the Turian representative approaches the image of the mushroom cloud and makes a remark to the Humans that they must not believe in windows. Their response is something Nassana believes the Geth would say, that being that windows weaken the hull.

"Truer words never spoke," Is the Turians broken response in Prothean before going on to add, "I think our two species will get along well."

As they eventually sit down to talk shop, the Salarian representative asks why over the night, the Relay started to spit out dozens and dozens of human probes of one type or another, only for the probes to immediately turn tail and return to Human space through the same Relay. The Human answer seems rehearsed as if they knew they would be asked this question; their response tells the team that the Humans are researching Relay transit. To Nassana, it would seem like the Humans are attempting to research it with haste.

The Humans seem to quickly move the topic on, causing Nassana to think maybe they are attempting to hide something, but, it is not causing an issue for now, so it is not worth sticking on. Picking up where they left off the day prior, progress begins once more, but like the day prior, it is slow work, with the wording need to be precise and agreed upon. Occasionally, some topics would be discussed that the teams had missed the day prior, such as what constitutes as a stealth vessel? The Human definition was far more descript than the Citadel answer and discussed certain technologies which Nassana has no understanding of, which in turn created even more discussions. Eventually, it was settled that a stealth vessel is something operating at around absolute zero kelvin and is operating with the intent of not being discovered, while the temperature decree holds no issues with Nassana, she had to cause further discussions as to what exactly 'operating with the intent of not being discovered' means to the Humans. Thankfully she asked because this caused yet another discussion, where the two sides had to come to an understanding.

By the end of the second day, there is still a lot to be put on paper, so it is agreed that a third day is required; further, it is agreed that it should be held on the Ascension. The third day is much like the second with the only thing being of note was that two of the Humans in the ceasefire talks had changed out, and more time was needed, so a fourth day is held on the Human vessel. Thankfully, after continually being rewritten due to new issues that were raised, the terms for the ceasefire is signed. The truce is due to come into force eight Prothean hours after the contract was signed, or as it is written in the contract, '28800 seconds, with each second being the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the Caesium-133 atom, defined as 53 protons, and 78 neutrons. Each neutron is composed of 2 Up quarks, and 1 Down quark, and each neutron built from one Up and two Down quarks. All of this is as at the lowest levels of the thermodynamic temperature scale'. This was the human definition for the second.

/.../

Praetorian

Anita Goyle looks around the deck; usually, the Augment known as Shepard is easy to spot, being an augment from the Marines Shepard is taller than most, and the soldier has a vivid hair colour, both are factors which make her stand out in a crowd. The problem is, however, that most people on the deck are not stood, but either laying down or nursing sick bags. The radiation sickness that has hit the Praetorian since emerging from the Relay has developed in most of the crew, and unfortunately for herself, it would seem like the Augment she is after has also come down ill.

It takes Anita no short time to find her Augment, and when she does, she wonders if what she is about to ask is a good idea. The soldier has her head buried deep in a bucket, and evidence would suggest the marine is holding the bucket for a good reason. "Commander Shepard," Anita tries, knowing just from her appearance, the soldier is most definitely not wanting to talk to her at the present moment in time.

The soldier doesn't even raise her head a little to look at who has come to speak with her; instead, she simply says, "Unless you have brought something to knock me out, fuck off."

Anita realises that being to the point will work best with the Augment, "You have been asked to visit the Asari vessel."

"Do I look fit to go?" Asks Shepard, whose head is still firmly buried in her bucket. Truthfully, Anita would not send the soldier, it is obvious that the Augment is not fit, but higher powers want the soldier there.

"It is an order from the top, so pull your head out of your bucket, and stop feeling sorry for yourself. The shuttle leaves in 6 hours time." Anita does not know if she went too far as she hears the soldier take a deep breath in, she knows augments can be short-tempered, and quick to aggression, so trying to order it around when it is obviously ill despite not being military herself may have angered it.

"Then I'll need something stronger than shuttle sickness tablets." Grumbles the Augment as she slowly lifts her face from the bucket, revealing sickly pale skin. "What's the task?"

"The mission," Anita starts to say while trying to muster up all her military 'presence', "Is attending a small celebration on the Asari vessel, showing our appreciation for the ceasefire. The alien team have asked for you personally, and your commanding officers want you there." The soldier looks far from pleased, but, at the same time, Anita believes that the soldier has found what strength it needs in order to be on the shuttle at the designated time. "Now get up, there are preparations to be made."

Just over six hours later Anita looks around the shuttle that has just taken her to the Asari mega vessel, her team, for the most part, all look respectable, but that should surprise no one. With news of the invitation reaching Sol, fashion designers were contacted, and 'appropriate' apparel designs were sent to the Praetorian via digital means so the ship could 3d print the clothes. The whole reason Anita is now wearing a dress by some of the most expensive and upper-class fashion designers is that someone up high realised the importance of showing off good clothes to a society full of human-looking Asari. While many back in Sol are running around with their heads on fire, attempting to plan the defence of Sol, some were thinking of what happens if future relations are established, and an invasion of Sol is not on the agenda; and they realised fashion would be an easy win in terms of trade.

Most remarkably, even the brutish Augment had managed to get into a representable state, and with enough makeup, its pale skin is a thing of the past; even the sickness was sorted with a liberal prescription of drugs from the doctor onboard the Praetorian. The doctor, much like the Augment, was unhappy with the situation, but, the council representatives had asked for her, and so the doctor had to make it happen, somehow.

/.../

Destiny Ascension

Looking around the room being used for the celebration, Tevos allows a small smile, knowing that so far everything seems to be going to plan. This day had been in planning since the ceasefire talks began, once something was signed, the diplomats were to immediately invite the Humans onto the Destiny to attend a small party, which would be held over the start of the ceasefire. When the Humans arrived onto the Destiny an hour earlier, a message of love and peace was delivered in the Humans own tongue, using everything the first contact teams had learned of the Humans to form the sentence. A translator is still a long way off from being developed. Then the Humans were invited to this room where they were to have a few drinks in celebration. In less than an hour, a painting of 'Shepherd's Gift' would be presented to the Humans, which depicts the Human Shepard as she offered Captain Corvinus safe passage on her own vessel. The idea of the painting was chosen as the Humans have shown numerous times to be fond of paintings, which depict significant events and right now, the Citadel is still out to try and win the trust and friendship of Humans. Just getting the Humans to consider a ceasefire was the first step in what will hopefully be a long and prosperous future, and the first contact teams realise that there are many more steps to be had.

As Tevos looks around, she finds Shepard half bent over near the back of the room, and being propped up by a table. Her demeanour seems considerably different since the day she provided the Human a tour around the Destiny. Getting a few feet away from Shepard Tevos says, "You look like you have seen better days." Tevos still relies entirely on her Prothean translator.

"Tell me about it," The Human grumbles as she stands up straight, revealing a slightly pasty looking face. "Excuse me; I need to visit the bathroom."

Shepard leaves Tevos quickly, and makes her way straight out of the room, avoiding and ignoring anyone who makes contact with her. It is a walk that Tevos has seen many times before, it is a walk of someone who is about to vomit, but Tevos is sure the Human has not been drinking. With a frown and some curiosity, Tevos follows the Human to the bathroom and finds her curled over a toilet, a vivid red substance filling the toilet bowl.

Tevos takes a moment to reflect on what she knows before accusing, "I know you are suffering eezo poisoning, how advanced is it." It is bold of her to accuse in such a manner, but the evidence for the Humans being poisoned from the substance is mounting by the second.

Shepard takes a few deep breaths before standing from her bowl and pulling a hand through her hair to pull it away from her face, this results in a small clump of hair coming away with her hand. With a scowl, Shepard throws the strands of hair into the toilet before replying to Tevos, "I'm fine, just ate something..."

Tevos considers for a second before clenching her fists. "What can you tell me of element zero." Tevos knows Shepard is probably not wanting to part with information that could make her species look weak, so maybe she will have to tell the Human what is wrong.

"Hard to make." The Human replies as she moves to a sink to wash her hands, "But why does this matter?" Tevos can tell Shepard wants to be anywhere but here.

"Have you checked for eezo radiation?" Tevos says, "Your home solar system is one of the most barren places I've ever seen for the element, yet you measure off the charts for eezo contamination. Your fellow people also show signs of it." Tevos has lived long enough, and interacted with enough people of all different species to know when someone is confused or trying to hide something, so she goes on, "You are suffering from severe radiation sickness Shepard, and I would bet because you have none of it in your home system, you didn't even know." In actuality, Shepard isn't off the charts for eezo contamination, but Tevos simply needed to labour the point.

"We haven't come across the stuff in large enough quantities to..."

Tevos clenches her fists again, "You went through the Relay, which operates off element zero. You have been exposed for possibly the first time in human history." Tevos allows for a small pause before saying, "You want to keep the fact you don't know a secret, so why don't we trade them."

"What?"

"Secrets. You know I am a person of importance, yes?"

"Yes." Shepard replies, remembering back to the conversation in the elevator, "You mentioned you were a representative on some council."

"The council." Tevos iterates. "The council you are negotiating with, I am for all purposes out here, the Council." This information would inevitably be discovered in little time, so no harm is really given by revealing this information now. "I am the Council. Why do you think the Turians arrived with such a heavy fleet? A council member going down could cause a third of the Council to ready arms, which is not good for the other two."

"That gives me nothing," Shepard says with a shake of her head, "I already suspected,"

Tevos suppresses a small sigh of frustration, "You are trying to protect your species image, I understand, I really do, I must protect my own every single day. To you, we are still people who could invade your solar system, so you need to look powerful, but I am trying to help you. We already know you are powerful, but willful ignorance does not look good on you." Tevos allows a few moments for the words to be translated on her omni tool and then for them to sink in, and as she waits, she just hopes the Prothean translation was clear in her intent.

After looking torn, Shepard says, "Give me a moment," Before going on to make a call on their phone device. After a few minutes of chatting with someone on their phone, Shepard looks a little frustrated before putting it down. As she talked to her phone, Tevos called a medic with a medical-grade omni-tool to hang around out of sight, so that she could be available on a few moments notice. When the Human is finished talking to her phone, she looks to Tevos with some intrigue, "Alright, prove it."

With this, Tevos calls her medic into the toilet, and a few moments later, Shepard is looking at a scan of her body, something she isn't too happy with as her body contains some secrets, but the situation is what it is. "What you are looking at here..." The medic says as they point to her skeleton, "...Are eezo contaminants stuck to the metal and bone in your skeleton."

"How do you get rid of it?" Shepard asks bluntly.

The medic's response is almost immediate, "You can create an eezo bubble, which can repel it like an eezo core... or for an easier mental image, like a magnet. With the right kit, this can take a few minutes." In theory, all Shepard needs to do is be on a ship with an eezo core as it travels through a Relay, the eezo bubble created by the eezo core would repel any eezo contaminants in her body.

"How long would this take you to set up?" Asks Tevos.

The medic once more gives an immediate answer, "The kit is already set up. If you wanted, we could have this done in 15 minutes."

After another chat on her phone, Shepard nods, at the moment, the doctor on the Praetorian is fighting a losing battle to keep the crew alive, so any insight the Asari may have is welcome.

/.../

Batarian Space

Wrex watches Tela Vasair walk back and forth in the living compartment of their vessel with his beady red eyes, and eventually, he says, "You know, there are easier ways to wear the carpet out." The Asari looks at him for a second before scowling at the Battle Master. The raid to free Alena's daughter was far bloodier than expected, the raid to free her daughter went well, but as they were about to leave the wretched Batarian world, the Asari warlord left a parting gift for the Batarians. Checking the news a few hours after it 'went off', Wrex found that Alena had released a deadly nerve agent, with most of the city it went off in now suspected dead.

The Batarians understandably want blood and have locked down all Batarian space, meaning at the moment, their shuttle is stuck hiding deep in a crater on some random asteroid they found drifting through space. If the Batarians find them, Wrex knows that their fate will be worse than death, so he is prepared to go down fighting, and make a name for himself that way. Tela Vasair, however, has other issues, her alien that she is supposed to get to the Citadel Containment fleet is now stuck on her vessel, and Alena's last act has not only jeopardised her position as a Spectre on the Council but has also made her an accomplice in the death of what is probably a few hundred thousand people. Dealing with Alena has many advantages, but sometimes a deal with the devil is just that. Wrex continues to watch Vasair as she paces till he hears Alena curse in the cockpit of the shuttle, and from the sounds of things, the Batarians have found them.

Cheers all