On the Illusion of Might

by evevee

We thought ourselves powerful, able to conquer a galaxy with nothing but toys. When we overcame every challenge, breached the space between the galaxies themselves, what use were the words of a race ashamed of their own past? Yet we cannot deny that we were warned, for while a challenge to a human is laughable, a challenge to humanity is a death sentence.

14. Rejection and Reception

Disclaimer: I own no franchise mentioned in this work. Halo belongs to 343, Mass Effect to Bioware.

Not much to say for this one. Hope everyone is having Happy Holidays, whatever those may be.

Now for Review Responses! If you don't care, skip to the breakpoint below. For responses, later reviews will be listed first, because I'm lazy and can't be bothered to reverse-order them. To those I do not explicitly mention, thank you for reviewing!

Had to address this several times, so coalesced all those reviews into this note: I know that kilograms measure mass. Grams for mass, Newtons for force, pounds for weight, meter/sec squared for acceleration, etc. I don't know why people are pointing this out as I could find no mistake when I looked back at last chapter. I used Imperial instead of Metric tons, since Imperial measures weight while Metric measures mass. Since Halo is an American franchise and the MAC round numbers are not specified from what I could find, I assumed Imperial. I might be wrong, but that doesn't change much. One Imperial ton has a mass of 907 and some change kilograms while one Metric ton is 1000 kilograms. Not radically different.

Guest #1: Chief will appear, focusing on large scale stuff right now rather than individuals.

The Cursed Merc: I found no such entry for a Turian MBT in the Codex. As for Mass Accelerator rounds, perhaps the rounds from starships can be built in such a manner, but ground weapons have too small of a caliber. No matter which way they go, however, the issue remains that rounds either penetrate far too easily or don't have sufficient lethality.

Siphon 117 - Last chapter took place 13 days after negotiations. Glad to hear that you're alright with talk over combat, we still have a good chunk to go before war happens. At this point, the Wardens and Citadel have only been in official contact for two weeks.

Emberframe: That was not an error. The UNSC uses 300, 600, and 3000 ton rounds for their MACs. Converted to kg, that is ~250,000, 500,000, and ~3,000,000 kilograms, respectively. Some rounding is done for those. In comparison, Citadel Mass Accelerators on Dreadnoughts use 20 kilogram rounds.

theIrishWriter: Good questions, and we will get to the answer eventually.

StarBlaze24: I would argue that the canon Citadel Council was quite delusional. Aside from that, they don't care about getting new species inasmuch as making sure the others don't have relations with those species. It's political pandering.

Now onto the chapter!

---

March 15, 2589/First Age of Realization, 22nd Solar Cycle

Wardens of the Mantle High Senate

Harvest

Considering the massive size of several species in the Wardens of the Mantle, the High Senate chambers were eerily quiet as the attendees made their way to their seats. As the first meeting following the First Contact with the Citadel Council, the gathering would be focused on the proposals and other political business that needed to be dealt with.

The delay in holding the meeting had been on purpose as the Reclaimers attempted to learn more from their counterparts on the Citadel. From the reports given to each leader present today, that mission had been more than successful, which was encouraging.

Seeing as each government of the members of the Wardens had already decided their stance on the proposed treaties, the gathering was little more than a formality. As such, the chamber was filled with ambassadors and representatives rather than the leaders of each species. Any important information would be relayed back to those who needed to know, though nothing particularly new was expected.

With the last of the delegates present, the tense silence was broken by Jasper Dillinger, the UEG's Ambassador to the High Senate as he announced, "The High Senate of the Wardens of the Mantle is now in session for this day of March 16, 2589, First Age of Realization, 22nd Solar Cycle. Treaties presented by the body known as the Citadel Council are to be debated and voted upon for acceptance, modification, or rejection by the High Senate. The floor is now open for debate on the Treaty of Farixen, which all present should already be familiar with."

Almost as soon as the human had sat down, the Swords Ambassador Rteke 'Lodav began, "There is no modification to the Council's ship limits that the Sangheili would be able to abide by." Several of the other politicians signaled their agreement, their demeanors relaxed as the Sangheili cut straight to the point with no hesitation.

"The UEG has consulted with the UNSC and concurs with that assessment by the recommendation of our military," the Human representative stated.

"They have not proven themselves. I say no," Tirleus declared, speaking for the Jiralhanae tribes in place of Lydus.

No one in the High Senate chambers was surprised by those decisions. While they did not rule over the Wardens like the Council, all present knew that the Jiralhanae, Humans, and Sangheili fielded the largest fleets and thus would lose the most if the Council's Treaty of Farixen was accepted.

Since the Wardens were a democratic body, however, it would be possible for the remaining four undeclared members to outnumber the three opposed and greatly limit their allies. Which, by its very nature, made absolutely no sense to any of those present. Limiting their allies when the Citadel was threatening their territory was the least productive thing they could do at the moment.

"There is no talk here. I ask for a formal vote," the Unggoy representative called out.

Seeing several nods of agreement from other members, Dillinger spoke, "The floor is now closed to debate. A formal vote for the acceptance or rejection of the Treaty of Farixen presented by the Citadel Council to the Wardens of the Mantle has been called. Polling begins now."

"Voting has now ended and the results have been tallied," the human called out several seconds later, a hint of boredom present in his otherwise formal tone. "No votes for, two votes waived, five votes against. The Wardens of the Mantle hereby reject the Treaty of Farixen and all its terms, limitations, and rights."

"Moving on to the next item, the Citadel Council has asked the Wardens of the Mantle to become party to the Veil Accords. The floor is now open for debate." When no other members replied in the silence immediately following his statement, the UEG Ambassador resumed, "I motion to veto acceptance of this Treaty for violating the rights of a member species of the Wardens of the Mantle."

None of the representatives were surprised at that, though there was still a slight whine from the Huragok. Everyone ignored it as 'Lodav replied, "This motion is supported by the Swords of Sanghelios."

"Are there any challenges to the motion to veto?" Dillinger inquired, not even bother to look up from the datapad he was working on. As expected, silence was all that greeted him, allowing the human to declare, "The vote on the Veil Accords is hereby revoked and the proposition rejected by the Wardens of the Mantle with no challenges. Citadel limits on Relay activation have also been presented. Before the floor is open for debate, are there any outstanding arguments to the acceptance of this measure that a member would like to present?"

When no members raised any concerns, the UEG representative continued, "I would like to call a formal vote on the Relay activation limitations proposed by the Citadel, with no preceding debate. Objections?"

Once again, silence answered him, allowing Dillinger to announce, "A formal vote for the acceptance or rejection of the Relay limitations presented by the Citadel Council to the Wardens of the Mantle has been called. Polling begins now."

A short time later, the human addressed the chamber once more, "Voting has now ended and the results have been tallied. Three votes for, four votes waived, one vote against. The Wardens of the Mantle hereby accept the Citadel's proposal for limitations on Relay activation."

"Last on the list of agreements from the Citadel is their proposal to share technology. This would include discoveries of Prothean ruins by members of the Wardens as well as existing technology from the Citadel. All members of the Wardens would be required to share Forerunner discoveries with members of the Citadel in turn, along with their current existing technology," Dillinger explained.

The Unggoy representative was the first to speak following that as he said, "Absolutely not."

"Would the Citadel accept the modifications we would make to have such an agreement be acceptable?" 'Lodav questioned.

Tirleus snorted and answered, "Of course not. They would ask to have the Rings if we agreed." The others acknowledged the truth of that statement with silent nods. After a short time, the Jiralhanae continued, "I request to veto this proposal."

"On what grounds do you submit this request?" Dillinger asked.

"Accepting the Council into Forerunner sites presents a direct threat to the galaxy. The Rings are not toys to be played with by those ignorant of their purpose," Tirleus stated.

The human considered that before replying, "They could be allowed to view the Halo Rings, but not set foot on them."

'Lodav drew the attention of the room as he argued, "I do not trust them. Even if they were not shown the Rings, they would access other Forerunner sites. Educating them on how to access those areas could lead to the Parasite being released, in the worst of many undesirable cases."

Dillinger considered that before giving a shrug and leaning back as he responded, "I have no challenge to that veto."

"No challenge," the Sangheili said, repeating the human's words.

When the rest of those in the chamber held their silence, the UEG representative declared, "The proposal from the Citadel to the Wardens of the Mantle to share technological advancements and ruins is hereby vetoed and rejected from the floor with no debate. At this time, the decisions on these Treaties from a foreign entity will be sent to the appropriate leader of each member of the Wardens so that they can be verified and used in diplomatic talks. Are there any further issues to be discussed for this session?"

Silence followed the question, leading Dillinger to announce, "This session of the High Senate of the Wardens of the Mantle is now complete. All present are dismissed."

---

15th Day of 20th Month, 2458/March 16, 2589/March 16, 2180

Citadel Council

Private Council Chambers

For all its importance in determining the direction of the Citadel races, it seemed oddly ironic that some of the most important decisions happened behind the closed doors of the Council's Private Chambers. Of course, considering the topic of discussion, Tevos couldn't help but feel that keeping this particular meeting quiet was an extremely prudent move.

Currently, she was waiting for Valern and Sparatus to appear, for the Council had finally received a response from the Wardens of the Mantle as to their proposed agreements. The message had come in only minutes earlier and was the reason for this unscheduled gathering that would determine relations with the Wardens for many decades to come.

Respecting the fact that her colleagues would take some time to arrive and view the missive themselves, Tevos had refrained from opening it. While it would have been beneficial to be more prepared, the Asari Matriarch was far more nervous that what was inside would disrupt her carefully controlled posture. A few minutes to regain her composure would not be enough to direct the other two members of the Council if she appeared disturbed when they arrived.

After a short time of waiting, Valern arrived in the room, taking his place on a chair specifically designed for him for these meetings. Several more minutes passed before their Turian colleague joined them, irritation clear on his face.

Tevos nodded to him and started, "We've received a response from the Wardens on the Treaties we presented at First Contact."

"Finally," Sparatus muttered, quickly diverting his attention to his omni-tool as Tevos shared the message with the other two Councillors.

It took only moments for each of them to scan over the small document, a feat considering the importance of it. It seemed that the Wardens' propensity towards large things like their ships did not extend to their diplomatic missives. In two short paragraphs, the Wardens had rejected three of the four major measures that the Citadel had created to keep peace and balance between species, and the one they had accepted was merely a formality and wouldn't affect them in any meaningful capacity.

Sparatus was the first to speak, "This cannot be allowed."

"We can't force them to accept, even if it is true that they should do so," Tevos interjected, cutting off whatever else the Turian had to say. Sparatus glared at her, but the Matriarch knew that his anger was focused on the Wardens and not herself.

"Information is too scarce for negotiation," Valern said, picking up where Tevos had left off. "They could make demands that we do not want to meet. It is their hope that the Citadel will give them something in return for doing the right thing. If we want them to accept what has been proposed, the Council must know more before making any move towards discussion."

All three Councillors considered for a short second before Tevos replied, "Our current method of obtaining information has failed. I have heard of no breakthroughs from the STG nor have any Spectres managed to acquire passage into their territory."

Valern tilted his head slightly and confirmed, "No important worlds. We have information on several outlying colonies of the Reclaimers as well as Sangheili. Agents have informed us that there is nothing of value in any of those locations and they have been ignored in favor of more promising leads."

"Nothing from the Banished still?" Sparatus inquired, obviously already expecting an answer in the negative.

That expectation was met as the Salarian answered, "The STG is still unable to find a way to track their method of travel in this 'slipspace'. Observation and statistical analysis has revealed that it is far faster than what the Systems Alliance led us to believe. Their explanation on how slipspace travel can alter time fails to show how the Wardens have consistently traveled faster than Mass Effect vessels, at least among their military."

"Civilian ships, however, seems to maintain lower speeds, as is to be expected. The gap between their military craft and civilian transports indicates quick advancement as innovation overtakes their ability to disperse new technology. Obviously their studies into these Forerunner ruins have allowed this," Valern finished.

"They rejected the idea of sharing those ruins even though they could benefit many in Citadel space. I think that we should begin a more thorough examination of areas we have already mapped out to try and find some of these ruins for the Council. It would negate any advantage they have in that area if the STG can closely examine the alien technology and find a weakness," Sparatus suggested.

The Salarian Councillor added, "Agents have already been deployed to investigate the Batarian Hegemony's claims that one of their colonies in the Terminus was attacked by the Wardens. If true, then we can ascertain the combat abilities of their fleets and perhaps examine any technology left after the assault."

"If their claim is true, then they have attacked a member of the Citadel. Play this correctly and they will be forced to accept our treaties to avoid a public outcry. Without that, they will be unable to operate in our galaxy to sustain their economic demand for Citadel products," Sparatus stated.

It took only a second of thought for Tevos to reply, "We can accomplish several goals with one well-executed operation. The Wardens proposed joint-forces, and they have not indicated that that offer is withdrawn. If we deploy an experience Spectre alongside a fleet, it might be possible to obtain the information that we need instead of wandering aimlessly amongst the stars."

"Gain access to their networks and retrieve necessary data," Valern commented as he considered the idea. "Certainly possible. May be possible to allow a backdoor for remote access and further retrievals in the future as well. Would need to assure reliable return, however, as well as sufficient deniability."

After a second of silence, Sparatus responded, "An operative with direct experience in working with Warden species. Obviously, Spectre agents Vakarian and Arterius come to mind first. They've dealt with the Banished and Alliance before. Might be easier for them to gauge the military strength of the Wardens."

"They've also taken out one of these 'Kig-Yar' vessels before. Considering the massive size of Warden flagships, they could get an accurate assessment of strengths indirectly compared to our own ships. Two combined exploration fleets should be a sufficient display of force, and the science teams included should be able to break any security on Warden systems," the Turian Councillor added.

Tevos let out a noncommittal hum at that, unconvinced but unwilling to say so. Instead, the Asari Matriarch pointed out, "Official discussions with the Wardens would have to be organized. As much as we may disagree with their decisions, I believe that maintaining a facade of acceptance will continue to benefit the Council more than hostility at this time."

"Possible to gain access to their civilian networks if we sent an Ambassador to one of their worlds?" Valern questioned with honest curiosity.

The other two Councillors didn't let their surprise show at the suggestion, but spent several seconds thinking on it. Eventually, Tevos replied, "An interesting idea, but every species had been very hesitant to reveal the locations of any of their worlds, let alone important ones. Instead of trying to find them through trial and error, perhaps we could send a diplomatic team capable of accomplishing our needs."

"Already in process of selecting an Ambassador to the Wardens. The only world they'll find that could possibly be useful is whatever planet hosts Warden meetings. Eliminating Warden leadership with a strike at one of their meetings a possible solution, but does not solve our intelligence shortfalls. Retaliation too likely," Valern summarized quickly.

Councillor Sparatus grunted and agreed, "We'd need the location of a world important to one or more of their members. Finding the name to that world could allow us to search it specifically in the data we acquire."

"Information surely restricted on Warden meeting world," Valern argued. "Need to access network from different location where access is not limited. Reclaimer homeworld most preferable, as they seem to lead the alliance."

Tevos concurred, "Even if they deny that, they have apparently convinced the other species that they hold the key to their Forerunner technology. While I don't care if they are fooled, we will not be. The Humans will have the locations of all ruins discovered. If we can get that data, we could claim one of those sites by 'discovering' it. Since they refused to sign our reasonable request to share those ruins, there would be no reason for the Council to surrender the site to them."

"Deploy the two Spectres you have selected to act as guards for the Council's Ambassador and representatives of the Citadel's military. Once on the Human's homeworld, they can begin gathering information relating to defenses and other items that will help us determine the threat they present," Sparatus said, focused on the martial aspect as ever.

The Asari Matriarch acknowledged the statement and suggested, "Ambassador Benezia would be the obvious choice to send as a political representative. She has experience in dealing with Humans from her work with the Systems Alliance and has proven competent in her duties. Her presence in the Alliance, however, prevents that from being a permanent solution. A separate Ambassador will be chosen with Benezia accompanying them to compare the Alliance and Reclaimers."

"Perhaps adding personnel from the Alliance might allow us more options as well. More trust amongst their species," Valern commented.

"If we request that the Alliance sends Udina alongside our party, it could help," Tevos agreed. "Give him strict instructions to try and improve the public view of the Council in their populace. The Alliance's deception has placed it in a precarious position as it is. To keep their gains, they have to follow our lead."

Sparatus scowled at the reminder and asked, "We have confirmed that they do not know the location of their own homeworld? I find that extremely unlikely."

Valern answered, "STG agents on their colonies have found no navigation data related to the locations of their old worlds, and extensive examinations of data from their current capital have shown much the same. Apparently it's a defense mechanism, though it would seem to hurt more than help at this point."

"It won't matter if they agree to deploy forces alongside our own. Eventually we will be able to track a civilian ship, failing all else, and their resistance will crumble. Maintaining ships of the size we've seen must take immense resources and they wouldn't attempt such a display of force while keeping secrets if they could back it up. Their larger ships can only be in one place at a time. Against a full attack fleet they will fall," the Turian Councillor said confidently.

"Erring on the side of caution in regards to that is wise, but I do agree that such a scenario is likely," Tevos replied. "For now, I shall get in contact with Ambassador Benezia and let her know that the Council will be directing her to meet with the Reclaimers. She accepted transport from the Systems Alliance to their world, so the same method should be acceptable to the Reclaimer's home"

Her Salarian counterpart nodded decisively and added, "I will contact the Humans of the Wardens and obtain approval for this plan. Details will be sent to the Ambassador and any others that will accompany her."

"Spectres Vakarian and Arterius will be notified to meet the Ambassador at an acceptable location. I do not expect their fleets to be allowed in Warden space, but there is no reason to draw them back to the Citadel only to send them to join the Wardens. I will relay their instructions and other necessary information," Sparatus finished.

"Excellent. Until later, Councillors," Tevos replied, quickly rising along with the other two and making her way to perform her duties in this endeavor.

---

March 18, 2589/First Age of Realization, 22nd Solar Cycle

Wardens of the Mantle Council of Guardians

Harvest

"Are there any others who will be joining us today?" Hood asked into the silent room, looking over the multitude of military commanders that were ready to begin their meeting. When no one called out, the Fleet Admiral continued, "Good. The Chamber will be sealed until we are done with this meeting. All information shared here is to stay amongst those present, as usual."

As Hood finished his introduction, the gentle hum of an energy shield activating could be heard through the walls as the building turned into a nearly unassailable fortress, which was not even counting the fleets that were guarding them in orbit. Considering that the military leadership, or what constituted such, for the entire Wardens of the Mantle were present, such measures were not unwarranted. Unlikely as it was, no risks would be taken for a lucky hit or rogue ship taking out this gathering.

Every being there ignored that, however, as they had seen it all before. While the Council of Guardians for the Wardens of the Mantle met at every Summit, this meeting was significantly different. As the first gathering after First Contact with the Citadel Council, the focus would be on the serious threat of war that confronted them rather than the Kig-Yar nuisance that was the usual topic of discussion during Summits.

After a few seconds of bypassing security measures on the holotable at the center of the room, Hood once again addressed those present, "As promised before our Contact with the Citadel, more information has been obtained by the Office of Naval Intelligence as well as through other means that gives us a better insight into the Council's plans. I have also met with a contact within the Systems Alliance and established an understanding which will allow us easier planning for the coming conflict."

"We all know that a war is inevitable, but we are now forming a solid idea of how it will play out. Due to the rejection of their limitations, the Council has begun an operation to infiltrate our borders through civilian craft. ONI has already identified several agents from Citadel intelligence that have made it onto minor colonies on the outermost border of Warden territory. For the moment, the problem is under control, but it will not last."

"I know that several contingencies were formulated by various members before First Contact, in case a foreign power ever located and identified important worlds. I recommend that all members begin implementing these countermeasures, even if it is sooner than anticipated. The UNSC will continue our attempts to delay and eliminate any information that could compromise worlds," Hood announced, looking around the room as he did so.

After a second of silence, a Sangheili Fleetmaster inquired, "Do we know their strategy for performing this operation? It seems subtle, but they do have the Alliance to assist them."

"Operatives are attempting to obtain access to our public information networks and travelling on the outer boundaries by using civilian transports. We suspect that the Citadel will accept our offer to establish combined forces to evaluate our ability to conduct offensive and defensive operations. The possibility of Citadel intelligence tracking civilian ships has also been suggested."

"A UNSC assault on a Batarian colony has given our soldiers firsthand experience with fighting against Mass Effect technology, and our predictions for the outcome were passably correct. Information from the Banished about strengths, weaknesses, and other tactical measures of the criminals they have engaged can be applied to Citadel technology as a whole. It can be assumed that the Council will also attempt to gain information about our capabilities by examining those battlefields. Those are the most likely methods, but I cannot say for certain if they will be the only ones," Hood answered.

"Are you not concerned that the traitors in the Alliance will be able to direct the cowards to our territory?" Lydus asked, ignoring the mention of the UNSC assault. The attack had already been approved before First Contact to achieve the goals of the Wardens and thus was not a concern of this particular Summit.

The Fleet Admiral turned to the Alpha as he replied, "Discussions with the Alliance have proven beneficial, far more than any talk with the Council. Cowards or otherwise, however you see them, they are focused on recovering and building their civilization, not starting another war. The population of the Alliance is about five billion. The UEG has about 37 billion and the advantage of processed resources from the wreckage left after the Covenant War. So long as they are left alone, their military leadership will direct all ships to avoid leading the Citadel to important worlds."

"Of course the Council will ask them to reveal our worlds. The Alliance knows this, they acknowledge it, and they have planned for it. All navigational data relating to our territory was wiped when the Alliance fled from the Covenant, as dictated by the Cole Protocol. As such, the Alliance will attempt to delay Citadel fleets as much as possible, diverting to minor or outlying worlds rather than important systems."

Murmurs sprung up at this before quieting down as the Arbiter responded, "Such actions would be a betrayal to the Citadel, just as they abandoned their own kin. Why should we trust them to keep their word?"

Hood took a second to consider that and structure his reply before answering, "I wish to make clear that the Systems Alliance never betrayed the UNSC, UEG, or Humanity. Deserted, abandoned, and forsaken, perhaps, but not betray. They ran from the Covenant for the purpose of survival, not with the intent to endanger or otherwise destroy our government."

"Among them were Insurrectionists, who were guilty of the crimes you accuse them of, but there were also civilians and soldiers, people who just wanted to live. UNSC security protocol was observed when their Exodus fleet left, and they have clearly expressed no intent to attack us now. Due to the extenuating circumstances surrounding the Outer Colonies at the time as well as their offer to maintain peaceful relations, the UEG is willing to tolerate their existence."

"Of course, other factors contribute to that, mainly that the UNSC is not interested in becoming involved in an extended conflict with our fellow humans. Ultimately, the Alliance was formed to try and ensure the survival of Humanity under the assumption that the UNSC would lose the War, a not entirely unreasonable assumption considering our strategic position at the time. There is no crime in that, as cowardly as it may have been," Terrence said, letting silence fall in the chamber as he finished.

When no one else spoke up, he continued, "As traitorous as it seems for the Alliance to assist us in avoiding the Citadel, I have examined their reasons and concluded that there is precedent to do so. There was no mention of this subject at First Contact, so the following information will be new to some. It will be distributed through the proper channels when UNSC analysts have finished compiling and archiving all pieces."

"As a Reclaimer of the Mantle of Responsibility and a member of the Council of Guardians of the Wardens of the Mantle, I am declaring the beings known as 'Reapers' to be a threat to the Mantle and the continued existence of several species." At this announcement, there was no shouting or accusations of falsehoods but rather contemplative quiet as those present considered the implications of the Fleet Admiral's words.

Currently, there were only two threats that merited such attention. One was the Flood, for the obvious reason that the Parasite had destroyed the Forerunners and would likely annihilate any species that came into contact with it. While Humanity could contain it by this point, they would have to know that an infection was in progress in the first place to do so.

The other threat was the Forerunners themselves, or rather their ruins. As shown by the Covenant, an inexperienced and naive species could cause great damage if they utilized such discoveries without sufficient temperance. If some species were to gain control of a Halo Ring, the devastation from its misuse would be catastrophic. While all members of the Council of Guardians recognized the similarity between their attitude and the Citadel Council's in regards to guiding species, all agreed that appearing arrogant when it came to Forerunner ruins was far better than the annihilation of all life within 25 radii of galactic center.

According to protocols and regulations agreed upon by Warden members, any indication of such a threat superseded all other mission objectives if detected. By declaring the Reaper's to be similar in nature to the destructive nature of Forerunner artifacts and the Parasite, Hood was ensuring that all available assets would be diverted to counter the threat they represented. Of course, such an allocation of resources would disrupt many fleets and schedules, but there was no preventing it.

Considering that, none were surprised when the Arbiter simply replied, "Make your argument, and we will hear it."

Hood nodded and resumed, "Several present may recall some mentions of these beings from our analysis of the Alliance's First Contact with the Citadel Council. At the time, we disregarded those whispers as superfluous until further notice, as it seemed to be a passing point and there was more important data to obtain. After a discussion with one of the leaders of the Alliance military, that is no longer the case."

"The Reapers are responsible for the destruction of the Protheans and many other species in the Citadel galaxy. How far back this goes is unknown, but it's much farther than is acceptable. Everything the Citadel species have built with Mass Effect has been designed off the Relays and other examples of alien technology. After careful analysis, the UNSC and ONI concur with the Alliance's conclusion that this is a ploy to limit the Citadel species."

"Why they eliminate species or what triggers their attacks is unknown. Geological evidence suggests that their assaults occur once every 50,000 years or so against developed species. While they do not present a credible threat to the continued existence of the Wardens of the Mantle, the same cannot be said for the Citadel Council. With all their travel, communications, and technology based around Mass Effect, the Reapers can brutally incapacitate all members with one strike," the Fleet Admiral said, easily keeping the attention of all present.

A couple taps on the holotable at the center of the room brought up a sketch of what everyone assumed was one of the Reapers. Hood confirmed this as he continued, "While they do not seem to build on the scale of the Forerunners, the Reapers are both numerous and possess unknown capabilities. What we do know is that they can eliminate multiple species in the Citadel galaxy and that they are extremely old and capable of exterminating civilizations seemingly at will."

One of the Sangheili Fleetmasters interrupted as he asked, "They are an ancient race, yet you do not consider them a threat?"

"They weakened themselves, ironically," Hood said before the Fleetmaster could continue asking questions. "By ensuring that the species in the Citadel galaxy use Mass Effect and then eliminating them, the Reapers have become ensnared in their own trap. Any time a species becomes advanced enough to possibly expand on the technological base, they are eliminated. While this ensures the dominance of the Reapers, it also limits their growth and weakens them if a species develops different technology."

The implication was easily understood by all present, but the Fleet Admiral held up a hand to forestall any questions as he continued, "The Forerunners never knew of the Reapers, or they would have eliminated them long ago. That does leave us in an interesting position, however. We are an unknown, a new element that can subvert and destroy the Reapers. Of course, now the question is what to do with that advantage?"

"As flawed as they are, the Mantle is clear. The Citadel species are to be protected from this threat," Lydus answered, though it was clear that he understood the problem with that.

"An interesting predicament, to be sure. Save the group that wants to destroy us while defeating them in a war that we do not want and fighting a war that they cannot," the Arbiter summarized succinctly. "You Humans are far too competent at finding enemies that unite foes."

Several sounds of agreement made it clear that that attitude was shared, but Hood merely tilted his head in acknowledgement and answered, "Blame them. Not our problem that they want a sure death."

The Sangheili leader nodded to his human counterpart in agreement and replied, "These Reapers are why the Alliance has agreed to work with the Wardens. Not to betray their allies but to save them from a fate that seems impossible to those who have never seen the harsh reality of the Void."

"As a civilization, the Citadel Council has experienced war, death, and the other unfortunate truths of existence. In its current state, however, I agree with that assessment. The citizens and militaries of the Citadel do not have firsthand experience. Their perception is skewed by their long period of peace. That will come to an end, either by their own actions or those of the Reaper's," Hood confirmed.

"If we unite their tribe with our own to form one whole, then we can solve their weakness," Lydus suggested, obviously in full support of that action.

The Fleet Admiral shook his head slightly as he turned to the Alpha and argued, "It was considered, but we don't have enough time to use that tactic. There is no doubt that the Wardens could absolutely crush the Citadel Council with our fleets, invade their worlds with our armies. It isn't a question of martial force, however, but one of recovery and control."

"Once we had conquered the Citadel species, we would need to reconstruct the infrastructure that had been devastated during the war. That would include teaching the Citadel species how to construct and utilize our stronger but completely different technological base, an idea that neither the UEG nor the UNSC finds acceptable. Beyond that, however, is the issue of maintaining control of the population.

"As docile as any species may seem, the Wardens simply do not have the numbers to enforce cooperation across an entire galaxy. Even the Forerunners were only capable of such after thousands of years and through the use of Guardians and other AI constructs. We would face rebellions and insurrections across entire solar clusters. It would be the perfect distraction to allow the Reapers to weaken us greatly if they struck," Hood explained.

Lydus grunted, irritated but smart enough to see the wisdom of that argument. "Battle with the Citadel is coming. We cannot stop that. You are a Reclaimer, always making plans and building a bigger picture, as you call it. What would you have the Wardens do?"

"I am in no way suggesting that we completely avoid conflict with the Citadel to build our own forces," the UNSC leader clarified to the Council of Guardians. Many appeared satisfied with that but kept their attention focused as Hood continued, "In fact, I would advise the opposite. Goading the Citadel into a conflict will convince them that they need larger fleets, and that will allow us to devote more forces to the Reapers when they come."

"You believe that they will arrive that soon?" the Arbiter asked with a hint of surprise.

Hood considered the question for a moment and answered, "I believe that it is best to plan that they will. Whether they do or not is inconsequential if we plan for their arrival to occur at the most inconvenient time." The Sangheili accept that answer, his tactical mind satisfied with the reasoning.

"With the Citadel focused on changing their industry to wartime production, our only challenge will be keeping up the pressure. If they believe they are on the back foot in a fight rather than already defeated, they will be on guard, prepared for an assault. While they still do not stand a chance, that mentality will allow them to maintain control of their population rather than forcing the Wardens into doing so ourselves. Their increased production of materials will also allow them to defend their worlds slightly longer and save as many beings as possible."

"I will not lie. Many are going to perish, even with our assistance. As of now, the goal of the Wardens in this conflict is to simply save the Citadel species from extinction. This plan requires information from the Citadel species, however, and while ONI could gather that, I would prefer to have them focus on looking for the Reapers. By allying with the Systems Alliance, the UNSC can provide that information to the Wardens," the Fleet Admiral explained.

Thel 'Vadam nodded and summarized, "Our war effort could be coordinated to avoid severely damaging their infrastructure while still presenting a threat. A sound plan in theory, but obscuring its existence from the enemy will be difficult."

"Of course," Hood acknowledged. "Perhaps we don't need to try and do so, however. Obviously civilian casualties are to be avoided as much as possible, both by the rules of war as well as to prevent a galvanized populace. We want to harass the Citadel military, not create a hatred of the Wardens amongst the people that could hinder our efforts against the Reapers."

A projection of the Milky Way replaced the Reaper on the holotable as Hood continued, "Our first objective in a war scenario would be to contain the Citadel forces as much as possible. Seeing as we do not have the fleets necessary to establish a full cordon around their exploration fleets and other assets, it will be necessary to create a threat large enough to their home galaxy to merit the recall of these forces."

"With our establishment of Bastion and the assets stationed there, we have the opportunity to strike at a variety of targets that can achieve this goal. A list of plausible worlds and systems is being compiled by UNSC strategy specialists for each member of the Wardens to assault. We have ruled out direct assaults on the Citadel itself, along with invasions of homeworlds."

"The idea of striking at the Citadel's Super-Relay that allows them to travel between their galaxy and ours has been considered, but was ultimately rejected. Cutting off the Alliance from the Citadel would hinder our information acquisition as well as prevent the recall of Citadel exploration fleets," Hood explained.

Before he could continue, one of the few Unggoy present questioned, "What of the species that have been considered for membership?"

"That is yet another concern to be addressed, and one that requires delicacy. While the more time the Citadel has to prepare, the better they will fare, we cannot begin a conflict without preparation. Any plans we make will become less stable as more variables are introduced, so an effort must be made to reduce them. Our plans for dealing with the Krogan, Quarians, and various other species will need to be accelerated to ensure their survival," the Fleet Admiral replied.

Hood ran his finger through the projected galaxy, tracing a specific path as he explained, "This is the approximate path the the Citadel has established from their Super-Relay to the edge of Alliance space. It is the quickest way for Citadel vessels to make their way towards our territory."

"This corridor is both an excellent opportunity for us as well as a potentially irritating nuisance. Due to the threat presented by the Reapers, beginning the extraction of the Quarians from their current situation is vital. Utilizing the system of small relay copies that the Citadel has built, it will be much easier to settle them on various worlds selected for colonization. This does come with issues, however, hence the nuisance that this path provides."

"Citadel fleets will also be able to make their way closer to our borders with these Relays. While I understand that destroying them would prevent this, there are several reasons that this is not a feasible tactical option to achieve our objectives. First is that the Quarians will need to use the system, obviously, and that will take time considering the size of their fleet. During their travels, they will need to be supplied and otherwise supported to successfully be able to recover as a species," Hood said.

Rtas interjected with the suggestion, "Several members of the Wardens operate large carrier vessels. This operation could be greatly facilitated and much more easily concealed with their use."

The Fleet Admiral acknowledged the idea and countered, "Currently, the only thing keeping the Quarian species alive is their fleet. They will be extremely stubborn about parting with it, at least so I've been told by the psychoanalysts. Small ships could be ferried, but we will need to limit the craft we devote to such an effort. No Supercarriers or the like, only minor vessels in small numbers, both to keep our strength hidden and to avoid issues with having armed ships near the Quarian fleet."

"That does bring up the issue of the Quarian's method of travel. Settling their species on a planet close enough to our borders to ensure their security is nice, but Citadel technology is capable of tracking Mass Effect FTL vectors. We must balance our strategic advantages with the objectives they are meant to achieve. Several solutions to this specific issue have been considered, but a recommendation has yet to be issued."

Before the human could continue, Lydus spoke up, "If they will incite war, then misdirection would be the best defense. Direct the Quarians to a planet that is of little importance, then evacuate them once the battle has begun. When the enemy attempts to attack their location, we spring the trap and display our superiority."

"That is a valid plan, and it fits with leaving the Citadel's toys in place. If their relays direct them near Alliance territory, it will be far easier for our intelligence to keep tabs on their progress and allow us to focus our efforts on their galaxy rather than running around to secure Forerunner sites. If the Reapers attack during the conflict, their relays would also provide an escape route as well as chokepoint to combat that enemy," Hood replied, garnering mutters of agreement from the other military commanders.

"Of course, this all depends on our offer being accepted," the Arbiter pointed out.

The Fleet Admiral shrugged slightly and admitted, "So it does, but statistical analysis indicates an acceptably low chance of rejection. So long as we keep our interactions with the Geth quiet, no issues should arise. Since Warden representatives have built strong relations with that faction, we are confident in our ability to continue operational modularity for a sufficient time. The Geth are not at threat of extinction, both due to numbers, their digital nature, as well as the significant assets that they have accumulated under our direction."

"We cannot delay forever. Enemies of the Mantle will not rest until they have won or are reduce to ash," an Unggoy stated.

Hood nodded and clarified, "Uniting the Creators and Created is especially important with the Reapers imminent. Our AI have made significant progress is educating the Geth on the concept of the Mantle of Responsibility, so we should have little issue from them. The Quarians, however, will be far more pressed. There is great hatred of the Geth due to their conflict, even if reason would dictate that the Quarians brought it upon themselves."

"The matter of inducting new members into the Wardens of the Mantle is a matter suited better for the High Senate," Thel said, bringing the attention of the chamber to himself. "I think I can confidently say that the Council of Guardians sees no security threat to any existing member or the Mantle itself by any species under consideration for joining the Wardens."

When none present objected to that statement, the Sangheili leader continued, "Hastening the introduction of new members in the face of this threat is advisable. I will contact our Construct assigned to the Geth and instruct her to propose the idea so that the Collective may come to a consensus."

"That works well with the Geth, and perhaps the Quarians to a degree, but it is the Krogan that causes concern," Hood responded. "Their lack of a unified governing body prevents meaningful diplomatic relations. While our original schedule involved more subtle methods of fixing this issue, I believe that a direct approach will yield acceptable, if not excellent results."

The Fleet Admiral turned to address Lydus, "Jiralhanae tribes are similar to the clans that the Krogan have established on their homeworld. ONI believes that Citadel interference has prevented any one clan from growing strong enough to unify the Krogan, as unsurprising as that may be considering the Krogan Rebellions. As fearful as they may be, however, the Citadel's concerns are inferior to the threat of the Reapers. The Krogan cannot survive as a single planet species."

"Lydus, if you would organize a party to make First Contact with the Krogan, we can begin making progress on that front. As much of a threat as they may present unchecked, they would be an excellent ally to have on the ground in the coming conflict. Keeping the Citadel uninformed of our efforts in this area is preferable, though not completely necessary. Eventually this operation can be used to push the Citadel towards war at a time when it fits our needs, so please try to be subtle for the time being," Hood requested.

"Would the Council be suspicious if Atriox was to approach the Krogan?" the Alpha asked.

Hood considered that for a bit before replying, "I cannot say for sure, but it has potential. If an excuse is needed for him to approach the Krogan homeworld, ONI can set up something. Bounty for a warlord or the such." Lydus lifted his chin in acknowledgement of that, though did not respond verbally.

"How do you plan to incite the Citadel to war when we are prepared?" Thel questioned in the silence.

"Before First Contact, the Citadel Council had been planning actions against the Wardens, or at least the UEG in particular. While this may have been due to concern of the freedom of other members, we think it was more likely an attempt to draw species to the Council. Standard political maneuvering, an issue for the High Senate rather than this body," Hood began.

The Fleet admiral swiped his hand across the holotable, bringing up a projection of the Citadel galaxy next to their own as he continued, "Our rejection of the treaties that were presented at First Contact will have sparked a renewed interest in conflict. Without those control measures, and therefore the ability to acquire, inspect, and otherwise learn our technology, the Council will be looking to regain face. We must remember that their game is political, and that they are not the only leaders in their galaxy."

"Each race contributes to the Citadel's fleets while maintaining their own, separate command structures in individual forces. Much like the Wardens, there are joint-forces to increase military cooperation as well as forces specific to each member, for their use alone. To some degree, the Councillors are beholden to their governments, though they still wield great power with the positions as the leaders of the Citadel. Laws of Citadel space are dictated by the Council, but each seat is filled by the government it rules over."

"Normally, I wouldn't care about this power play, so long as it didn't interfere with UNSC, UEG, or Warden assets. The limitations and liberties the Citadel gives itself is up to them, seeing as they make laws for governments and not the people. With the Reapers coming, however, the limitations on ships and other items must be lifted. That's not a hard goal, since the Wardens have already disregarded the Treaty of Farixen that is the source of those limits," Hood stated.

Several dots appeared on the Citadel galaxy, showing known locations of Citadel fleets as well as their size, with larger point equaling larger fleets. "So far, the Council has only seen corvettes and frigates, along with two CAS Assault Carriers. I don't know what their thoughts are on that, but I also don't believe that they've understood how outclassed they are in that regard. Hearing that a vessel is however many kilometers long is just a statistic, while seeing one from afar as the Council has done is simply a pretty sight."

"Of course, throwing a CSO Supercarrier or the Dauntless would be far above what is necessary or reasonable, as is showing off a full battle fleet, but a small display wouldn't go awry. Something that gets the Citadel thinking about the numbers of their larger ships, rather than just the small corvettes and frigates that make up the vast majority of their fleets. Show them that even without their Mass Effect we are still a threat."

"There are two opportunities for such a display that we anticipate. The first is while we escort the Quarians to their new world, as the Council will be watching that operation closely. On one hand, we may achieve our goal and show off a little muscle to the Council. On the other, we might do the same to the Quarians, either intimidating or emboldening them."

"Show too much strength and they will ask us to take back their homeworld by force, an impossible prospect considering our dealings with the Geth. If we intimidate them, introducing our AI infrastructure will become nearly impossible. Making peace between the Quarians and Geth would greatly help with that, but such plans will have to wait until we can bring the two together without Citadel interference to enforce their punishment," the UNSC leader stated.

Hood waited for questions, but when none came up he resumed, "Our second option is based on our assumption that the Citadel will request to send an Ambassador to various members of the Wardens. Obviously, they will expect to see the homeworld of that species, along with the forces around it and other sources of pride for a people. In essence, an intelligence gathering mission disguised as a diplomatic visit, nothing unusual with that."

"Limiting this request to one world would be best. All members are capable of the show of strength needed, as a single battlegroup would be sufficient to send a message, if we go by a common composition of one carrier, ten to fifteen cruisers, and several attached frigates and other light support vessels. Such a number of ships of that size already exceeds the dreadnought counts of the Asari and Salarians."

"There are several mentionable risks regarding that course. Most prominent is information control, as the Citadel's representative would attempt to access WayPoint or other public networks. While the vast majority of content in those systems is completely harmless, there is also information on Fleet composition, system coordinates, and assets that would interrupt our efforts. Filtering that information would have to be delegated to an AI due to the volume of data," Terrence remarked.

"Limiting interactions with civilian populations is another challenge, one that may require considerably more direct interference. There will be multiple members of an Ambassadorial delegation and it would not be hard for them to wander off to gather intelligence unhindered by the guides of the party. As difficult as that is, it is possible with the necessary experience and resources."

A sigh escaped the Fleet Admiral before he concluded, "In the worst case scenario, these measures will be inadequate to hide the location of whatever world they visit. Obviously we will transport this representative in our own ships, but it would be prudent to assume that they could either track something on the individual or that an image of the night sky will be sufficient to deduce system coordinates."

"Stealth, subtly, misdirection, lies, adaptability, and control," Lydus mused in the silence that followed. "Not the strength of the Jiralhanae. We do not mind a fight if the cowards were to find us, but you wish for talk."

Hood nodded and confirmed, "For the moment, yes. Your warriors will have their battles in the coming war, but I would like to lessen the casualties of the Wardens and civilian populations as much as possible." The Alpha shrugged, satisfied by the promise of combat and unconcerned with the political dealings between factions.

"I understand your reasoning," the Arbiter started, drawing the attention of the room. "The Citadel wishes to establish relations with individual species, separate from their talks with the High Senate. We are doing much the same with members of the Citadel. If one member is contacted, however, does this Council of Guardians think itself so high as to interfere with that interaction without permission from the member?"

"I won't play politics here, Arbiter, but I will say that every member has the right to ask, or not ask, for help with a situation. I respect that sovereignty. Unluckily, this isn't a situation that will affect one member, no matter how much the Citadel may wish to deal with that species alone. If security is not maintained and the Council learns of fleet deployments, systems, and Forerunner sites that we have secured, the situation will deteriorate rapidly," Terrence replied, cutting directly to the point.

The Fleet Admiral continued, "The Council doesn't know of the Rings, or Shield Worlds, or the Flood. Can they find those themselves? Yes, though operations to prevent that are underway. Even so, it gives us plausible deniability. Having their diplomatic party discover that information in our systems doesn't give us that option."

"These requirements limit the choices to the Reclaimers alone," Thel pointed out, though he didn't seem overly irritated with the concept.

"If Sangheili honor would prevent the execution of our objectives, then they do, as much as that irks me. Jiralhanae are too blunt, Mgalekgolo too foreign, the Unggoy already have a planet threatened by the Citadel, and the Fringe has multiple homeworlds. While all members have developed their intelligence networks, ONI is still dominant in that field. The UEG makes rigorous use of infrastructure run by AI as is, making it a simple matter for limiting WayPoint access."

Hood tilted his head slightly and mentioned, "This also puts Earth at risk, however, hence why I am hesitant. Regardless of my caution, the UNSC has the assets, personnel, and logistical support to defend the UEG from a foreign incursion. Our orbital constructs can be concealed readily enough by using viewscreens for the delegation, though the capabilities of their cameras and other such devices might allow them to distinguish stations from stars."

"Most notable, though, is that it is extremely likely that the Citadel will ask to visit the homeworld of Humanity. They might ask more, but denying those requests is up to the politicians, not myself. If we plan to host the Citadel Ambassador at Earth and they request a different species, we can 'offer' Earth as an alternative," Terrence suggested.

"Your world is surrounded by an armada of ships supported by hundreds of orbital defense constructs as well as shipyards. The largest threat becomes public interaction," the Arbiter mentioned.

Terrence nodded and clarified, "Allowing questions from or to citizens would be risky. You must remember, however, that the Ambassador they send will either be completely unfamiliar with Humans or only have experience with the Systems Alliance. There is a difference of scale, both in regards to population as well as time."

"The Systems Alliance homeworld has been host to Human activity for the past forty years, at most, and has a population of around three billion people. That is more than half the total Alliance population, leaving most of their planets sparsely populated. Their homeworld only counts as a small Inner Colony or large Outer Colony to the UEG, at least by numbers. Earth, to contrast, has a population of over sixteen billion and has hosted Humanity for tens of thousands of years."

"Any delegation sent will be expecting to see something similar to the Alliance homeworld, or perhaps their own homeworlds. Lightly populated areas, with several heavily developed cities and large, open spaces otherwise. From the intelligence we've gathered, Citadel homeworlds are reserved for the highest in society, the politicians and commanders rather than working-class citizens, and hence a smaller population. That is completely different from Earth," Hood said with pride.

He clarified, "We have megacities that stretch down entire coastlines, places where it is possible to drive from one city to the next without ever leaving developed areas. It is that shock value that we plan to use. Get the Citadel Ambassador in a densely populated city like New Mombasa, New York, London, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, Sydney, you name it, and they won't have time to be gathering information from people. They will be in the middle of millions of humans, preventing them from ever actually establishing contact with a single person. Their security will be too busy attempting to ensure the safety of their diplomat rather than talking to civilians."

Lydus grunted and muttered, "It's underhanded, vicious, and totally human."

"Turn their own desire to meet with your people against them by overloading their capabilities," Thel summarized, clearly impressed as he was able to understand the strategy behind it. "A sound plan, though it has its flaws. There is obviously some method that you will use to secure the Citadel Ambassador against attacks, but such measures do not concern me. What does is the possibility of the cowards sending a Batarian to your world."

Hood inclined his head in agreement and responded, "A delegation composed of members from every member of the Citadel has been considered possible. Ours effort to distance the Batarians from Citadel policy has been showing progress, though that will be accelerated as well with the Reaper threat. If they do decide to send a Batarian, however, it will have to be able to show forethought in what it says. Learning that the Batarians practice slavery will spur the UEG population to support a war effort, but I'd prefer to avoid confronting the Citadel delegation with a protesting mob."

Thel clicked his mandibles and agreed, "That would make things rather difficult. Do we need to bother separating the Batarians from the Citadel if we are going to enter battle with both? It would be far easier to intimidate the Citadel if we simply annexed the Batarians and reformed them into a more acceptable civilization."

"We had not considered Batarian worlds as particularly valuable targets, but that plan does have merit. With our operations, we have the option to defeat the Batarians if they stay with the Citadel, or weaken the Citadel's forces against us if they go to war with the Hegemony. For the moment, I would like to leave our plan for the Batarians untouched and take advantage of whichever situation ends up being the outcome," Terrence answered.

The Arbiter brought up no issue with that, allowing the single military commander of the Allied Systems of the Fringe currently present to ask, "I know that some investigation was done into the connections between the Batarians and the pirates of the Terminus. In the war with these Reapers, will the Wardens still endeavor to dislodge that particular group of filth?"

"If the Reapers do not kill them first, then the Terminus systems are the main target for any joint-forces we assemble with the Citadel. Now that First Contact has been made, we can move from observation to action. Citadel patrols are extremely light in the Terminus, which allowed us to establish Bastion in a remote location. Further operating bases will be smaller but it is even more important that we secure key systems for our fleets to regroup and resupply in the case of a Reaper attack," Hood replied.

After a second, the human added, "It will give the Citadel several tempting targets to attack, but that's the point of Forward Operating Bases. Given that the Citadel cannot follow our ships if they retreat as well as their hesitance to commence orbital bombardment, it should be simple enough for assets to dig in and withstand any assault that gets through our cordons."

"I have no issue with engaging their forces in battle directly, but these fancy plans create problems. How they work against an enemy and the consequences that follow are my concerns. Establishing cooperation between our warriors will be difficult following a war," Lydus pointed out.

"Humans have a saying, 'No plan survives first contact with the enemy,'" Hood responded. "All commanders should keep in mind that anything decided today for our strategies and plans concerning the Citadel are subject to change with no warning. The threat of the Reapers forces us to this extreme, beyond the usual dynamic element added to our tactics to allow for flexibility. Some things will not go to plan, and that is life. We will deal with that when it comes and try to allow for as many possible solutions as fits our need."

The UNSC leader continued, "Included in that is our joint-forces proposal. Should we move forward with that option now, to try and form some relations between Warden and Citadel forces, or wait until after the coming conflict? Instead of limiting ourselves to those two options, I would recommend a third alternative."

"We know that the Reapers are going to attack, or at least can assume so with reasonable lack of doubt. Our motivation for provoking the Citadel to war is, as was stated before, to get them up to state of readiness such that their forces can defend their worlds while the Wardens deal with the Reapers. To do that, we need the ability to halt the war at any moment and deploy our forces accordingly to counter an enemy advance."

"Instead of of trying to convince the Citadel to negotiate peace or something such as that, which would take time and effort, we can create a unified fighting force with both Citadel and Warden assets. While joint-fleets would be assigned to fight pirates, criminals, and other mild irritations, this crew would be directed to look for signs of the Reapers. Once an attack occurred, their evidence would be brought to the Council to show, without doubt, that the threat is galactic and genocidal in nature," Hood explained.

Thel 'Vadam questioned, "By forming this plan, we can assume that you have found some form of transport for such a group?"

Terrence answered, "Indeed. A contact within the Systems Alliance has informed the UNSC of a vessel being created in a joint-project by the Turians and Alliance. Originally, this craft was supposed to show the unity between the Alliance and Citadel, but First Contact with the Wardens has changed that. Some pressure in the right places can easily place this ship as the leading contender for a joint force."

"Due to their firm belief in the existence of the Reapers, for good reason, Alliance High Command is willing to accept this idea. A force, operating completely independently of all other fleets, gathering information to convince the Council. Once that is complete, their objective would be changed to countering the Reapers as well as unifying the Citadel members so that the Wardens can focus on the enemy."

"This would be a high priority and high risk mission. Assuming that it goes through and is approved by the Citadel, we can expect at least one Spectre to be involved, as well as a variety of other Citadel species. Seeing as the enemy that is being pursued is a direct threat to the Mantle, the UNSC will be deploying overwhelming force to counter it. It is possible that the success of this team could convince the Council of the Reapers before war, allowing them to begin building up their forces without war, however unlikely that is," the Fleet Admiral said before pausing for questions.

A deep rumble heralded the Mgalekgolo commander asking, "Demons would be fighting in this colony?"

Hood nodded and confirmed, "Not just random soldiers, though. The UNSC would be deploying a full Spartan-II team, since their abilities are wasted on the rank and file enemies that anti-piracy fleets would be deployed against. I highly doubt that such a concentration of force would be needed against Citadel forces as well. Since the Chief has such a high rate of discovering and surviving threats to the galaxy, there isn't any question as to his deployment, and where he goes, Blue Team follows."

Lydus took a deep breath before stating, "The glory of fighting alongside not only the Devil but three Elder Demons as well is a chance rarely seen. Yet, you describe this pack as if they will continue to search, even if conflict begins with the Council."

"That is correct. If they cannot prevent the war, they will have stealth capabilities to avoid it to continue their mission," the Fleet Admiral explained.

"Such things are not the strength of the Jiralhanae. We will keep our sight on the foe at the front while the Reclaimers battle from the shadows," Lydus declared.

The Arbiter waited until the Alpha had finished before asking, "How will our forces be secured? You would not dare send such an important individual into the unknown without some escape plan, not to mention that the Spartan's Construct will not abandon him."

"This has been considered, as you say, and a solution has been devised. Well, perhaps given, as there wasn't much choice in the matter. Cortana is currently in command of the most powerful vessel in the galaxy, a fact that we are all well aware of. Now, obviously, the Citadel can not be allowed to see the Dauntless until after the Reapers attack, and even then it is prefered for that knowledge to stay classified. With her deployment in a war effort rather impossible, the Dauntless will be shadowing the Alliance vessel to provide assistance if necessary. Communications with the Wardens will also be maintained through the ship, allowing changes in order if necessary," Hood told the Sangheili leader.

"Understood. I will select a team of warriors worthy of joining this mission and capable of keeping their cover when deployed behind enemy lines," Thel replied.

Terrence simply addressed the whole chamber as he responded, "Information on deploying assets for this proposal will be sent out to all members of the Wardens. The UNSC is waiting for further information from the Alliance as well as the confirmation of the Citadel, so any further progress will have to wait until then. For the moment, I believe that we may take a break and reconvene in a short time to discuss less prevalent matters relating to ongoing operations."

With that, the chamber was filled with murmurs of conversation as the commanders began to discuss the information shared. Events were being set into motion, but the Council of Guardians had done all they could for the moment. The next move belonged to the Citadel Council a galaxy away.

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Still not much to say. Hope you enjoy, will have the next chapter out sometime in January. Closing in on the final stretch before fecal matter begins to make contact with the oscillating cooling device.

-evevee