Disclaimer: I own no franchise mentioned in this work. Halo belongs to 343, Mass Effect to Bioware.
Well, did not quite get a regular update schedule up for this, but I have been writing. Other fics. One is almost done and should be published before Halo Infinite comes out, but that is a far shorter story than this, albeit still a Halo/ME crossover.
The others I have been working on vary wildly from my previous pieces, which has been fun exploring how to write different characters that are far more civilian than the military and political figures I focus on in this story.
Regardless, I still want to finish this massive project I have started. One thing to note since I know it has been a significant time since it was mentioned, the Morning War happened only a few decades ago with how the timeline is set up, as opposed to the few hundred in canon. Hope you enjoy the chapter, on to the story!
1st Day of 7th Month, 2459/June 30, 2589/June 30, 2180
Unnamed System
STG Research Team
They had discovered the ruins by accident, an embarrassing but understandable mistake given the debris field littering the surface of the planet. According to the Captain, their assignment was from the Citadel Council itself, a mission to seek out any information on the Wardens of the Mantle that they could find. Given the horrifying war that had been described during First Contact, it was a reasonable assumption that a wrecked planet within the galaxy was somehow involved in that conflict.
Looking around at the massive wrecks that jutted sharply into the murky atmosphere, Commander Rentola considered it unlikely that that was the case. These ships were distinctly different than those observed moving on the boundaries of Warden space, bearing no resemblance to any vessel that they fielded. Initial scans from orbit had shown a truly incredible amount of wreckage, which a visual pass had confirmed. It seemed that nothing on the planet was intact, every piece of technology damaged or broken in some fashion.
At least, everything except this relatively small base that was embedded in the barren rock. Why anyone would build here was beyond the Salarian, but Rentola thought it likely that the planet hadn't always been so hostile. From everything the STG regiment had seen, this battlefield was ancient, beyond even the oldest Prothean ruins. Most of the ships had probably been in orbit, though it seemed like they had been intentionally crashed into the surface given the massive craters that marred the surface of the world.
Aside from the wrecks, large pieces of debris were present both in orbit and on the ground that were substantially different from the ships. None of the pieces they had seen so far were in working order, erosion and degradation obvious across the silvery metal that this other species seemed to prefer. Both types of wreckage were technological marvels, well beyond even the group of highly intelligent Salarians that now wandered the graveyard.
In between all the useless junk, they had discovered the base they were currently infiltrating. As fortunate as that had been, Captain Kirrahe had apparently just received word of a Batarian attack on some Warden world. How the slavers had found a planet that had remained hidden even from the prying eyes of the STG was certainly a question that Rentola had, but far more importantly was why the fools had thought that attacking a foreign power was a good idea at all.
This unfortunately meant that the STG had limited time to figure out this ruin or else risk being cut off from the Relay back home. Rentola had been assigned to write and send a report to the Council by the next day to expand on their initial findings, a quick turnaround to be sure but one that was possible. As the Salarian Commander turned away from the dreary surface, he descended into the dark hallways of the base they had found. While it was small relative to the ships that littered the planet, it was still massive compared to most others he had seen.
A preliminary exploration had revealed miles of tunnels stretching deep into the crust, with rooms and technology that was completely foreign to any present. So far the group had focused their efforts on finding any indication as to who had built this place. What seemed like a communications center had been discovered by a team venturing through the facility, though it was impossible to say for sure considering the design. Regardless, it was a start at least and one that the team could not afford to pass up with their accelerated timeline.
After a long walk through the deserted tunnels, the STG Commander finally joined his fellow agents as they explored the comms room. Some progress had already been made, as was obvious by the large projection of the planet they were currently on. Examining it in detail, Rentola shook his head slightly at the near-perfect representation, from objects to color, it was like looking at a real-time model. Even the STG ship in orbit, cloaked from all Citadel technology, was shown as if their stealth systems were a complete farce.
"Get anything from this?" he questioned, looking over at a nearby agent.
"It turned on when we started poking at the consoles, it's certainly impressive but hasn't actually told us anything. We're trying to figure out how to control it," the agent answered succinctly.
Nodding at the response, Rentola examined the rest of the room, his eyes passing over the multitude of consoles that were spread over the floor. It was amazing that this place had power to run anything, though given the level of technology they were dealing with, maybe that shouldn't have been a surprise. As he looked over the arrangement of the room, the Salarian titled his head slightly while focusing on the orientation of the various stations. Blinking in a bit of surprise, he looked down to the ground and paced around the sphere until he found what he was looking for.
On the metal surface of the floor were two distinct scuff marks, as if some bipedal figure had been standing in this exact spot multiple times while wearing armor. Unable to resist the temptation, Rentola placed his feet atop the marks, slightly wider than was comfortable for him but still manageable. Twisting around, he noted that his position seemed to be the natural focus of the room rather than the holographic projection.
That idle thought gave him pause as he considered his position, standing in a room older than any ruin the Council had ever found, literally in the footsteps of the ones who had once built such a place. Examining the hologram once again, the STG Commander considered why the room was designed in such a way. As a leader, he delegated tasks to subordinates, much as the ancient one must have done to each comrade at their station. While they focused on their individual assignments, he would preside over the operation as a whole, planning on a larger scale.
It was strange, that a society so advanced to build such ships could have such a similar philosophy and yet design their command center so differently to the Salarian standard. How would the leader be able to switch between tasks effectively without being able to see what their crew were doing, unless they had eyes in the back of their head. Rentola paused at that, his thoughts turning from a rather innocuous human phrase to real consideration of a networked command staff, each connected on a deeper level with cybernetics or some other form of mental communication.
Given that idea, anything that required the attention of the leader could be displayed on the hologram and information relayed between subordinates near instantaneously. Raising a hand, Rentola imagined what the battle must have looked like from this position, seeing the massive wrecks around the planet in battle against their apparently superior foe. Such a battle had not happened in Citadel space since the Krogan Rebellions, only the Morning War could compare and that was isolated to Quarian territory.
As the Salarian's hand brushed the outer layer of the hologram, it suddenly began to shrink back. Rentola pulled his hand back at the unexpected reaction, and then took a step back as a brilliant blue plane of energy washed over him. His omnitool flickered in and out of existence as his comms gave a burst of static, though that was nothing compared to the screech of the technology as it ran. This obviously grabbed the attention of everyone else in the room as several STG agents shouldered their weapons, ready for a hostile response if necessary.
Aside from a light tingle from his nerves which was far more odd than painful, Rentola noticed no difference as the light cut off as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving the room that much darker as the hologram disappeared as well. After glancing at his agents and making sure they were ready, he cautiously stepped back into position in front of the projector.
Rather than the detailed rendering of the planet, a red message in completely foreign symbols was displayed. Once it became clear that nothing would change on its own, the Commander slowly lifted a hand and tried to touch the message. Much to his surprise, the light felt like a physical object, pushing back against his attempted transgression into its space.
Assuming it was a haptic interface that was merely simulating touch, he knocked his knuckles against the barrier, only to freeze as a dull thudding sound came from the hologram. Glancing at his comrades in surprise, Rentola put his hand against the message, shivering slightly at the unnatural smoothness of the material. Considering his options, he swiped his hand up, causing the light to move slightly but remain in place.
What this did do was cause some sort of error as a buzz sounded out and a foreign, ancient voice stated, "Unknown life form detected, command console locked. Distress signal received, ready for playback."
"The speech of ancients," one agent muttered in wonder.
Rentola nodded and glanced at their resident language expert. The Salarian shook her head and answered, "Nothing I recognize, certainly no Citadel species, nothing that we know of from the Wardens either."
Frowning in irritation but not at all surprised by the response, Rentola swiped his hand left across the message. Again the tone and voice sounded out, replaying the same exact message that they couldn't understand. Seeing as it might be totally locked up anyways, the Commander swiped right, the message disappearing into motes of light to his surprise.
That surprise was quickly and vastly overshadowed as a figure appeared, each detail almost indistinguishable from reality. Incredible as it was for all of them to see what a being 100,000 years ago looked like down to the individual hairs, it was the familiarity that truly struck the entire team silent. Standing in front of them, clad in an advanced suit of armor, was a human.
Some things were different, such as the lines on its face and the rather imposing size, but it was very clearly an ancestor of the beings that were now interacting with the Council. Rentola took several deep breaths to calm down as he stared in wonder and confusion, trying to figure out how a species the Council had just met were capable of building such advanced technology so long ago. The humans had fought something here, fought and lost. Whatever that was had reduced them to such a state that they were only now beginning to regain their previous technological capabilities, matching eerily well with the Reclamation that had been mentioned at First Contact.
"This is a message to all Human forces still fighting against our Enemy," the human started with a firm but exhausted tone. This drew the attention of everyone as the hologram continued, "We have been betrayed, and Charum Hakkor has fallen. Hold out for as long as you can, but know that there will be no relief. We must hope that the Forerunners can destroy the Flood where we have merely driven it back, though I doubt they will understand the gravity of the threat before it is too late. Fight hard and die well knowing that our best was not good enough."
As the human finished speaking, his form disappeared and was replaced with a star system that was beyond anything that Rentola could have imagined. Vast structures linked celestial bodies together like great bridges between stars, creating an intricate lattice that crossed the vast gulf of the void. These structures were overlaid with a grid of cones, almost entirely blotting out the underlying system beneath the slightly transparent objects. It took Rentola a few seconds of thought before he realized that he was looking at a defense grid with fields of fire for millions of different stations in the network.
Once again the map moved, zooming in on a very specific portion of the complicated mess. "We were betrayed by the San'Shyuum, the treacherous cowards," the human said, the anger in his tone clear even though the Salarians could not understand any of the words.
Several of the overlapping fields of fire disappeared, leaving a tiny gap in the otherwise impervious bubble that protected the system. Within seconds innumerable ships seemed to appeared from nowhere, breaching the defenses and expanding to rip into the vulnerable positions. As he watched the slaughter, the STG Commander came to the realization that this was processed battle data for a significant conflict larger than what had occurred on this planet. Given the numbers that he could see and the scale of astroengineering on display, these ancient humans were capable of operating on a level that the Citadel had never even considered.
While his attention was still glued to the ongoing battle, Rentola addressed his agents as he ordered, "Prepare a dispatch to the Council, they must be informed of this discovery. We must make them understand that they are not dealing with some newcomers to space but an ancient race that may become a critical threat if mishandled."
"Commander?" one of his agents inquired.
"There is far more to the humans than we first imagined, and they are not alone in their alliance. Even if they are not capable of these feats now, can we possibly stop them before they are? I fear the answer to that question, not because that answer is already clear, but because there is no way to change it. We may be caught up in a conflict of the likes the Council has never seen before, and there is no way to halt the course on which we have been set," Rentola explained, frowning as he concentrated on gathering as much information from the battle as he could.
"Why don't we just salvage the technology here?" one of the younger agents muttered.
The STG Commander blinked and answered, "We do not have the numbers or expertise necessary to undertake such a task. It is up to the Council to determine what we do with this site, but I do not hold high hopes of extensive operations. Proximity to Warden territory means any activity here would be detected and investigated. More importantly, everything here is millenia beyond anything we have seen before and operates on principles that we are not even aware of, let alone familiar with."
"So you would surrender merely because they are superior in one field? We can use the information we find here to fight them," one of the other agents argued.
"It is not our place to decide how to fight a state we are not at war with," Rentola reprimanded lightly. He sighed and inquired, "What do you see, viewing this battle from so long ago?"
There was a second of silence before someone responded, "Intelligence on weaknesses and strengths of two sides, a conflict that could repeat today and give us a chance to split apart our foes, weaken them against each other."
"Possibly," Rentola granted. "I see all of this laid before us, and yet all I can think of is what we do not see. The STG operates in the shadows, and we know that the humans do the same. There is no reason to believe that these ones do not, yet I see no sign of subtlety here. Even if the STG was capable of operating on the scale necessary to disrupt these forces, how capable were they of doing the same? We know so little about the Wardens, but even now as we learn more with each second, the answers only bring more questions."
"Why were they fighting," an agent realized.
Commander Rentola nodded, "Indeed, they fought and lost, and yet they still exist while their enemy assumedly does not. After 100,000 years, they are still here, and the Reclaimers of the Forerunners for whatever that is worth. There is more to the current situation than lies and deceit, which makes finding the truth all the more difficult."
"You are referring to their belief in the Reapers?"
"Indeed," the STG leader confirmed. "What did they fight that allows them to so readily believe such a fantastical warning? I want to know the answer, but if it was something capable of threatening a civilization like this then perhaps that information is better left unknown."
2nd Day of 7th Month, 2459/July 1, 2589/July 1, 2180
Serpent Nebula
Citadel Council Chambers
Arriving back on the Citadel had felt like stepping back on a familiar world, as if returning from a deployment on the edge of civilized space. Given that they had gone beyond the borders of their civilization and visited the capital of a foreign power, Jane was not exactly surprised at the feeling. There was a sense of familiarity in the UEG, a war-hardened people that were slowly recovering from near extinction. Beyond that, however, the differences in culture threw her off, even with the knowledge she held beforehand.
Walking through the Presidium gave her a chance to once again acclimate and take a few minutes to relax. Their flight from Warden space had been endless, with no stops or delays as they returned to the Citadel with all possible haste. Everyone had been concerned that they would be caught in the conflict brewing in the Terminus, especially if the Council decided to become involved in the interim before their arrival. Fortunately, that was not the case, much to the dismay of the Batarian Hegemony no doubt.
The brief respite was not to last, however, as Ambassador Benezia led them to the Council Chambers. Unsurprisingly the three Councillors were already waiting for them, standing proudly on their dias as the diplomatic party arrived.
Once they were all present and everyone settled into a spot, Councillor Tevos began, "Ambassador Benezia, welcome home. We are glad you arrived safely, even if the circumstances could be better."
"Thank you, Councillors. It is good to return to the Citadel once more," Benezia replied, falling easily into the insipid political tripe.
"That eager to leave the hospitality of your hosts?" Sparatus commented with a hint of snark.
Benezia gave a small shake of her head and answered, "Not at all, we were treated cordially and had a great many chances to explore and learn about the UEG and Wardens. I think I may speak for us all when I say that I could stay in that one city on Earth and still never know more than a fraction of all that is new and different."
"Indeed, the reports we have received have been most informative in that regard. Many answers, but many more questions remain. Hopefully we may continue to maintain diplomatic ties, even with current events," Councillor Valern commented thoughtfully.
"One would indeed hope, but that remains to be seen. Ambassador, we have already received extensive reports from yourself and other members of your diplomatic mission. Even so, would you be able and willing to answer some of our immediate questions to the best of your ability?" Tevos inquired, not so much asking as ordering.
Shepard noted the Ambassador twitch slightly, probably in irritation as she answered, "Of course, Councillors, I will shorten answers best I can while keeping them coherent."
"Excellent," Tevos said with a polite smile. "Our first inquiry is as to your impressions of the Wardens, more specifically the humans since it was their homeworld you visited."
"Though it may come as no surprise, that is not an easy generalization," Benezia responded, stalling for time while throwing a subtle insult. "My initial thoughts were to compare the Systems Alliance, a fair comparison all considered. Upon further consideration, I find the Systems Alliance far more similar to the UNSC, the military of the UEG, than the UEG is to the Alliance. It shows a great difference in culture, that the people of Earth have a distinct separation between their civilian and military population. Humans from the UEG are far more focused on the mundane, individual aspects of life rather than societal productivity."
The Ambassador paused before continuing, "During my time amongst the human politicians, I was shown many places, both the worlds they came from as well as their place of origin on the homeworld. Earth is a place with beautiful vistas and barren plains, fertile utopias and inhospitable wastelands, civilizations living in hostile climates. Its people are much the same, some were amiable, most were neutral and cautious, and only a few were outright hostile. It is strange, to see such a wide diversity in a species that itself is a member of the Citadel but has never displayed such a breadth of differences."
"Interesting," Tevos considered. "I look forward to examining the specifics of those impressions in your report. What does a fellow human think of their world?"
At the pointed look from Tevos, Shepard stepped forward slightly and introduced herself, "Commander Shepard, Councillor. I grew up on Terra, center of the Systems Alliance."
"Splendid, please, tell us your thoughts," Tevos encouraged, obviously trying to move things along.
"The Systems Alliance has been focused on consolidation, building up our forces to counter a Covenant attack that never came. While the UEG is certainly doing much the same to secure their positions following the War, they are also rebuilding and expanding as fast as they can. This applies to more than just military forces, it's also the focus of the civilian populace. Billions were killed in the War, as you know, but the UEG has the benefit of knowing that the War was over," Jane began.
She frowned slightly in thought as she continued, "The Alliance did not have that relief, the more we expanded the more likely it was that we would be found. If that happened, we would just need to leave it all behind once again. People from both civilizations harbour a distrust of alien lifeforms, the isolationist tendencies of the Alliance and the Wardens make that evident. When amongst the civilian population talking to individuals, however, I felt a distinct difference in how people talked about the War. Yes, they're dubious about the alliance with those who tried to kill them, but they seem far more focused on the revelations that ultimately resulted in the breakup of the Covenant."
"To the people of the UEG, the Mantle of Responsibility is very much an ideology. Religion in human society has been on the decline for more than 600 years, mid 20th century for the UEG. The Mantle to them isn't so much a religion to worship as it a way of living, a guide for how they should position themselves on the galactic stage. It was that drive, that sense of purpose amongst common people, that really stood out to me," Shepard finished.
"Thank you, your input is appreciated," Tevos responded, though Jane could see through the smile to the irritation that the Councillor hid so well. Why the Councillor would be so annoyed with an honest answer was beyond Shepard, but she was there to protect the Ambassador, not preserve the Matriarch's thin skin.
Before the Asari Councillor could continue, Valern cut in and inquired, "Liara Shepard, you were selected for the mission due to your own upbringing on Terra as well as your expertise. Could you add to this account?"
"Of course, Councillor. The history of the UEG was far more detailed than that of the Systems Alliance, though that was no surprise given that humans have been present on Earth for far longer. While exploring the various sites of interest on the planet, I was shown a place called the Museum of Humanity. It contained an incredibly detailed account of human existence going back millenia, though it was yet to be completed," Liara started, falling into her element with ease.
"Much of it lined up with what I know of Alliance history, though showing actual locations since these events happened on the same world. With the additional details provided, however, I find myself concerned about the prospect of engaging in prolonged diplomatic endeavors with the UEG. Quite simply, while individual states supporting a wide diversity of people may have periods of peace, the species of Humanity has been in a perpetual state of war since the beginning of civilization up until the 22nd century, 300 some years ago with the end of the Interplanetary Wars."
There was a short pause as Liara shifted uneasily under the glare Sparatus sent her before she cleared her throat and resumed, "There was peace, for a time, until the Domus Diaspora as the humans call it. Essentially the colonial era, this is the time where the UEG truly expanded, leading to small conflicts for the next century or so. This ignited into a full-scale insurrection at the turn of the 26th century, though it nothing compared to the imminent conflict against the Covenant. Obviously you are aware of the devastation that War brought, but I want to focus on the changes to human society."
"During the Insurrection, various colonies were revolting against a centralized government. This unrest continued throughout the Covenant War, but following the conclusion of the conflict, many of these previously revolting colonies were brought into the UEG. Part of that is, admittedly, because the central government was forced to listen to their colonial counterparts as they had not before the War, but a part of it was Humanity discovering a common foe. When presented with a threat to opposing sides, humans may bicker and argue but they will unite because survival is their ultimate goal," Liara explained.
"In the late 20th century on Earth, a term was invented called MAD, an acronym for Mutually Assured Destruction. That tells me a great deal about the human mindset, if they can't win, neither will their enemy. As far as I know, they've never put it to use, but the Covenant War most certainly pushed them close to it. They survived that War, and so having accomplished that task, they were at a loss for a purpose. Their enemy was broken, some fragments allying with them and others against, but not an imminent threat. Humanity was searching for a motive, something to drive their advancement, and they found it in the Mantle of Responsibility."
"What effect the ideals of the Mantle will have on humanity society I can only guess, if even that. What I can say for certain is that Humanity has their purpose, and an uneasy alliance with their former enemy. If the Wardens of the Mantle are anything like Humanity, all they need to solidify their alliance would be a common enemy. From the information obtained by the military elements of this party, the UNSC at least hopes that that common foe will be the Reapers. My fear is that that common foe may turn out to be the Citadel Council," Liara finished, locking eyes with Tevos defiantly.
Sparatus huffed and growled, "You were present to view their history as a xenoarchaeologist, not worry about things beyond your capability."
Jane noticed Benezia tense slightly at that, but Liara seemed unsurprised as she unapologetically stated, "My apologies, Councillor, I was merely trying to provide insight into my observations. I was able to visit several archaeological sites on the planet, the most prominent of which was not even human."
"Explain," Valern demanded, though he seemed at least interested in her words unlike his Turian counterpart.
"An artifact from the Forerunners, essentially the Warden's version of the Protheans and the ones that gave Humanity the title of Reclaimers. It was buried under a continent and uncovered at the end of their War, from what I heard it is a stationary slipspace portal to somewhere called The Ark. What that is, I don't know nor could I find out, but the portal on Earth is absolutely massive. It measures more than 100 kilometers in diameter and stretches deep into the surface. As someone in my profession, it is incredibly interesting, but it does bring me to question what other artifacts the UEG has access to if this massive portal was on their homeworld. While it may be an artifact from an ancient civilization and thus not built by humans, it is regularly operated for its intended use rather under lockdown for research. That tells me that the humans are aware of or even in possession of artifacts of far greater interest such that one on their literal homeworld is nothing more than a tourist attraction," Liara answered verbosely.
The Salarian nodded, his eyes flicking in thought as he muttered, "Very interesting, much like Prothean ruins."
Sparatus shifted as he waited for the Valern to continue. When he didn't, the Turian addressed Liara as he pressed, "You said that this portal was not uncovered until after the War?"
"Yes, Councillor," Liara replied.
"Were there any other alien artifacts known on the planet?" Tevos interjected, to the slight annoyance of Sparatus.
Liara glanced between the two before stating, "I saw no evidence of any, there were leaps in technology but nothing that would be present in alien ruins. As far as I could tell, humanity became a space-faring, and eventually interstellar, civilization on its own, without outside help. This is as opposed to the Covenant, who discovered Forerunner ruins and reverse engineered the incredibly advanced technology within to the best of their ability. That was one of the defining differences between Humanity and the Covenant and why the UNSC was so inferior to their attackers."
"What are their capabilities now?" Sparatus asked, directing his attention to the two Spectres and indirectly dismissing the asari maiden.
Saren stepped forward and fell into an easy parade rest as he answered, "The Covenant military was devastated by the War, the break up, and the years of civil war that followed. Even now they are mostly tied up in dealing with Remnants and pirates that harass the edge of Warden space. That is a prolonged issue that I doubt will be resolved any time soon, but their continued build up of forces will allow them to project power more effectively in a shorter time frame. I do not know the current force estimates or deployments of any Warden military body, the information appears to be closely guarded and entirely unknown to the civilian population. The most important information I could find related to the topic was an engineer who had worked with Sangheili in using Forerunner Assemblies, some kind of mass manufacturing plant I would guess. This supports the theory that the former Covenant species are continuing to rebuild and expand."
"The UNSC, however, I have far more information on. Initial investigation shows that an incredibly dense defense in depth strategy is utilized for Earth, not unsurprisingly. Hundreds of orbital defense platforms are backed up by two fleets, further supported by other deployment posts within close range to assist. Mars, one of the other planets in their home system, is a UNSC fortress world and is one of several heavily inhabited celestial bodies within the system. Reach, a notable victim of the War, is the headquarters of the UNSC proper and supports fleet elements across UEG territory."
Spectre Arterius took a deep breath as he changed subject, "All of this is just numbers, they have fleets and are deploying them but do not lack the numbers to forgo defensive postings while still dealing with border incursions. Important information, but it is the ships within these fleets that make a difference in a fight. We all know Warden ships are a magnitude larger than anything fielded by the Citadel, but it is the mass of these vessels that we have underestimated."
"Unlike our own ships, which have thin armor to reduce the strain on our mass effect fields, Warden ships scale to incredible size. All ships for which I found information utilized multiple meters of battleplate, with even their frigates coming in at a mass of over a million tonnes. Currently most of the UNSC fleet is known to use kinetic weaponry with far larger rounds than we are familiar with. Their point defense weapons, for example, utilize 50 millimeter rounds fired in bursts. Several veterans I spoke describe the UNSC using point defense as siege artillery against Covenant ground positions. This was rare in the Covenant War because the Covenant often gained orbital supremacy; that is not an advantage we can rely on."
"Even more concerning, however, were the rumors I picked up that the UNSC is experimenting energy weaponry. That is not particularly surprising, given that the Covenant used to such great effect during the War, but I do not think it will take the humans long to integrate it. I did hear one mention of something hardlight, some Forerunner technology, but my source was not reliable as to whether it could be weaponized. That does not discount the possibility of the UNSC experimenting with weapons from that civilization," Saren concluded, stepping back as his fellow Spectre did the opposite.
Sparatus nodded to Saren and said, "An interesting analysis, I look forward to reading more in your report. Spectre Vakarian, what do you have to add?"
"Unlike my colleague, I focused on the industrial ability of the UEG. More details are, of course, included in my report, but what I can summarize is that simple observation shows incredible capability. Here at home we may have more productivity overall, but the UEG has incorporated widespread automation into their manufacturing lines," Garrus started.
"This is especially true of shipbuilding, where the UNSC has calibrated their industry to maximize efficiency. Even on approach to Earth we noted multiple shipyards, though my investigations revealed that those are not large by their standards. Mars, the UNSC system fleet anchor, is one of the largest shipyards they have, though not as large as those of Reach. I was able to discover more about these Forerunner Assemblies Spectre Arterius mentioned, and they are terrifying. Basically everything is automated, from resource harvesting to painting the ship. This has to be done with some kind of AI as there is no way that an ancient alien construction yard could have the tools to just build a completely different ship."
Garrus flicked at his omnitool for a moment before carrying on, "Regardless of their use of AI or not, this automated process extends to their regular shipbuilding as well. Following the War, the UNSC has essentially disconnected its major resource concerns from the UEG economy to prevent a military-industrial complex from developing during their recovery. This is possible because of their slipspace drives and the improvements they have made during and after the conflict, giving them functionally infinite physical resources that can be mined by automated machines. This is opposed to our own requirements, the most critical being Mass Effect obviously."
"All of this shows an intricate and detailed knowledge of economic and social systems. While the UEG has assisted their allies with their own problems, I doubt the other species are on the same level of industrial capability. They may have had more ships at one point, but they cannot replenish them as fast, especially with the Covenant broken. Humanity might try to create a dependency in the economy of their allies, but I doubt this given their focus on the external threat of the Reapers."
"Much like Mrs. Shepard, I am concerned that the Citadel will take the place of the common foe they are looking to unite against. I am not confident in our ability to win a war against them if that happens, they are simply too distant. They may not be able to take over our entire galaxy without overextending their forces, but we cannot strike at them either. Once they cut off the Relay, we cannot travel to them, but the same will not be true for them," Garrus finished.
Sparatus clicked his mandible slightly but otherwise kept his annoyance hidden as he replied, "Your concerns are noted, Spectre. We will evaluate them when we review your report."
"We welcome you back to the Citadel once again and thank you for your service to the Council," Tevos interrupted, steering the conversation away from any public berating. "For now please return to your accommodations while the Council discusses the results of your mission. If necessary we may call for you to answer questions we have after reading through the documents."
"Councillors," Benezia stated, dipping her head slightly before turning away. As she went to follow her mother-in-law, Shepard caught a sigh from Garrus out of the corner of her eye. Apparently the Spectre was not pleased with the reception of his summary, probably due to the seeming disregard the Council had for the problems with picking a fight with the Wardens.
To be fair, after seeing how the Master Chief's team had operated, she wasn't entirely keen on the idea either.
2nd Day of 7th Month, 2459/July 1, 2589/July 1, 2180
Serpent Nebula
Citadel Council Chambers
Once Benezia had departed and the group of Councillors had retreated back to discuss the matter privately, they all dropped the veneer of relaxed control. Quite simply, the current situation was out of their control thanks in large part to the blatant arrogance of the Hegemony and each of them knew it.
Sparatus took up his usual route of pacing whenever a particularly vexing problem confronted them, not stopping even as Tevos noted, "That was not as productive as I had hoped."
"Call it what it was, a waste of time. They were never going to find anything," Sparatus growled. "We have more important things to deal with than some diplomatic mission to a hostile foreign state."
"Valuable data was recovered by the team. We know more now than ever before, and the Wardens are not outright hostile against the Citadel," Valern countered, tempering the Turian's emotional claims.
A swipe of his hand narrowly missed Tevos' head as Sparatus argued, "They might as well be, invading the Terminus and claiming the planets as their own. An entire colony, established without our knowledge? How are you alright with this?"
"Cannot confirm colony even exists, only that Terminus elements attacked Warden forces. Even if it did, the Council does not have authority over the region. We cannot take action without entering as a third-party," Valern replied, his voice uninterested after having stated much the same to the Turian before.
"You cannot truly believe that they don't have some world out there. They were ready for this war, they were building up forces right on the edge of our space. Isn't that a nightmare for the STG, to not know about that?" Sparatus jabbed.
Valern took a slow breath and responded, "Of course it is, a deplorable failure of intelligence. Unfortunately, it is not the first nor will it be the last time. Ever since we made contact with the Banished, STG ships have had issues obtaining information on Warden activities. We do not have the technological capability to evade their sensors, next attempt is with the SSV Normandy."
"So, what, we just let them rampage through the Terminus?" Sparatus asked.
"What would you have us do, Councillor?" Tevos interjected. "Declare for the Terminus and continue to support a sector of space that has continuously resisted our influence for millennia? Have you even read the report from the diplomatic mission?"
The Turian grunted and replied, "No, I was somewhat distracted by the war being waged on our border."
"Were you aware of the report we received from the dig site in their galaxy?" Tevos pressed.
"I am aware of the initial findings, I was not aware that anything further had been discovered," Sparatus admitted.
Tevos sighed and closed her eyes before reprimanding, "The war in the Terminus concerns us all, Sparatus, but you must keep up with critical information if you are to participate in Council discussions. Unfortunately, this discussion cannot wait, please give input as you can but know that you are missing significant details."
Their colleague properly chastised, Valern began, "Questionably successful as the mission to Earth may have been, we have far more corroborated evidence about Warden activities with our own galaxy. Most concerning of these is the gradual uniting of Krogan tribes. Movements have been observed across Tuchanka indicating an organized and well equipped force bringing outlying factions into line. Force composition analysis and previous intelligence indicates that Clan Urdnot is a likely culprit, led by Urdnot Wrex it has expressed previous interest in uniting the Krogan."
"Any attempt at reunification has always faltered, and this one shall as well without a cure for the Genophage," Tevos commented.
"Of course, but while the Krogan may not be able to circumvent their punishment, the Wardens almost certainly can. While they have made passing mention of negotiating for a cure through diplomatic channels with the Council, we cannot discount the possibility that they pursue alternative methods," Valern countered.
Sparatus finally sat down and sighed as he added, "They would need a method of dispersal, even if they are able to synthesize a cure. Creating a cure at all will take time, as will distributing it if they do so while avoiding direct conflict with Citadel forces. I find it likely that the Wardens vastly overestimate the ability of Krogans to cooperate and work together."
"True, it is not a problem that requires an immediate solution, but it does provide us insight into how the Wardens are operating," Tevos noted. "The Quarian Migrant Fleet passed into their galaxy days ago but have since disappeared from all sensors after breaking off of the relay chain we established. This interference in the Krogan Zone indicates that they will not hesitate to take up a more active role in galactic affairs."
"Gathering allies, establishing a presence in the Terminus, cannot disregard possibility of contact with Geth as well. Their goals remain unknown, aside from their own declaration of preparation for the Reapers. Direct conflict becoming a major concern, especially with Batarian actions," Valern replied.
Sparatus huffed and responded, "The Hegemony was demanding action against the Wardens earlier today, yet again. I hesitate to commit our fleets to confronting the Wardens directly, the Terminus has been an issue for too long. We are betting that against the Wardens not becoming an even larger issue if we do not take action, however."
"Wardens of the Mantle have declared their hatred of slavery before," Valern commented. "So far their actions against Citadel members have been solely focused on the Batarians, a fair target for their aggression in that regard. Playing with Krogan and possibly Geth is dangerous, certainly, but better than outright hostility like Rachni."
"You would not count the destruction of STG vessels action against us?" Sparatus inquired.
The Salarian waved him off and countered, "Losses acceptable for possibility of information acquisition. Counter intelligence is stronger than expected, irritating but not worthy of hostility. Risks of the field, the Wardens have kept silent on the matter and so will the STG."
"Aside from the attack on Logasiri, we have also lost contact with the team reporting on Jartar in Dis, correct?" Tevos questioned.
"Yes, further investigation by nearby teams showed evidence of devastating attack. Once again no evidence of Warden involvement, but the excavations the Batarians had been undertaking were completely annihilated. Orbital strike, extreme measures for a mere archaeological dig," Valern explained.
Tevos hummed and considered, "The ruins there were not Prothean in nature, we know this. I find it interesting that they would take such interest in such a site. Is it possible that the ship originally observed at that location was part of this ancient human society we have discovered?"
"Unlikely, STG intelligence reports that Batarians found the ship of interest to be approximately a billion years old. Incredibly ancient, would be of great interest to study, but far, far older than the human ruins discovered in their galaxy. Unknown why Wardens found the site so interesting, perhaps Batarian secrecy attracted their attention. Does not explain destruction following their exit," Valern replied.
"Perhaps it was to conceal their involvement?" Sparatus suggested.
Valern considered that for a moment before granting, "Possible, would be greatly interested to discover reason. More important matter is discovery that Humanity is an ancient race, implications are fascinating."
"They apparently built and fought on a scale at least comparable to their venerated Forerunners," Tevos said, filling in Sparatus with basic details. "As far as the STG team could discover, the ruins they found are from a human society that existed more than 100,000 years ago. They fought a war against an enemy and lost, though obviously survived their defeat as well as the cataclysmic event that destroyed the Forerunners and whatever enemy they were fighting."
"So the humans have lied to us about their history?" Sparatus questioned.
Valern answered, "Unlikely, they were reduced to a primitive state and have only recently recovered. Whether they know about their true past, we do not know."
"If they are capable of such feats then they need to be brought to heel as soon as possible," the Turian declared hotly.
"It would likely take thousands of years for them to achieve those heights again, plenty of time for us to deal with them without resorting to a costly war," Tevos countered calmly. "As our Spectre mentioned, the Warden alliance is far less stable than we first understood. Given time the UEG may tear itself apart under public opinion. It is worth remembering that the Wardens are not the only ones with a human contingent in their alliance either."
It did not take Sparatus long to figure out the Matriarch's thoughts as he asked, "You would stand back and let them take the Terminus?"
"I may not like it but I believe that that is the best course of action at this time," Tevos replied diplomatically.
"You realize that we risk losing the Hegemony if we do so?" Sparatus inquired.
"Of course," Valern cut in. "Batarian Hegemony becomes superfluous if the Terminus falls to the Wardens, would probably be the same if we supported them in fighting against this invasion as well."
Tevos nodded and added, "Supporting the Hegemony runs the risk of alienating the Systems Alliance in a fight against the Wardens. The Alliance has good reason to hate the Wardens, we can work with that if they are seen as the aggressors. If we lose the Alliance, we lose a massive projection of power within their galaxy."
"If T'Soni's mission report is accurate, any conflict against them would be difficult," Sparatus admitted. "Yet, we are allowing a foreign power to take over a part of the galaxy that we claim to control. Turian could support action against them, but a prolonged occupation of the Terminus following victory is inadvisable."
"In much the same way, the Asari economy could likely withstand a conflict, but the aftermath would hurt us more. Allowing the Wardens to take the Terminus may hurt our perception of power, but it will allow the STG better opportunities to gather information," Tevos mentioned.
Sparatus sighed and accepted the resolution as he said, "A policy of appeasement, unfortunate but perhaps it is the best."
"There is no good solution, only the best of the bad," Tevos replied. "It will all be sorted in due time, all we need is the right opportunity and their illusion of might will be broken."
10th Day of 7th Month, 2459/July 8, 2589/July 8, 2180
Quarian Colony System
Nedanoch - The garden that does not exist
Trust did not come easily to the Quarian people, not anymore. They had trusted the Geth and lost their homeworld, almost leading to the extinction of their entire species. They had trusted the Council and lost their Embassy, leaving them adrift in a galaxy hostile because of a crime they never meant to commit. How much would be lost with their trust now placed on the Wardens, a group foreign to the galaxy and perfectly capable of destroying everything the Quarians had left.
Without a planet to call home and cities in which to build, the Migrant Fleet was doomed to a slow death as their vessels slowly broke down. Slave raids would only hasten this, leaving their few remaining combat vessels strained to deal with any more than a stray asteroid. Generations of Quarians would grow up in the halls, confined to a suit any time they ever visited a planet. Over time their immune systems would weaken, devastated by the lack of exposure to contagions aboard the Fleet.
Tali'Zorah nar Rayya was no fool, she recognized these facts as readily as any who were not willfully ignorant of them. Many in the Fleet wanted to take back the homeworld, most prominently the Admiralty leading the somewhat disorganized remnants of Quarian society. As far as Tali could tell, that would stay a fantasy as they did not have the forces needed to confront the Geth that had so recently driven them away.
Instead they followed a warship into a different galaxy, away from everything they knew on the small chance that the Quarian people could once again have hope. Their trip had been surprisingly smooth, with the fleet flowing through the trail of relays leading to Systems Alliance space. Before they arrived, however, they were diverted off course by the small human vessel leading them.
Perhaps they were being led into an ambush, to steal their ships and allow the Wardens a trove of technology that used Element Zero, or maybe to be enslaved under a military government. Neither option nor a thousand others could be discounted, but that also included the slim chance that their benefactors were being honest. Regardless, they ventured ever further into the void, spending precious fuel and time on a wild chase until finally the entire Fleet was gathered in a single system hundreds of light-years from the relay chain set up by the Council.
There, drifting serenely against the backdrop of stars, was a ship that was radically different from the human frigate. It was made up of a multitude of separate pieces that each favored sharp, angular edges leading to distinct points much like a feather. There was no indication of life from the craft, though it seemed peaceful enough as the human ship closed in on its position.
Before the cruiser-sized frigate could collide with the bird-like craft, a smooth swirl of energy appeared in front of it, opening one of the Slipspace portals that Tali had heard so much about. Without a hint of hesitation, the human ship entered the portal, leaving the Migrant Fleet to regroup. Fortunately the ambush that so many feared never materialized as the frigate emerged once more. Several communications to the Admiralty and the first Quarian vessel bravely entered the swirling vortex.
While Tali was not a member of the bridge crew and thus not privy to whatever communications came through, she was able to look out of a window as the Migrant Fleet slowly made their way through the portal one by one. Upon entering the portal there was a flash of unnatural light and the Rayya was once more amongst the stars. According to the humans, her experience was not strange as the Slipstream was known to behave strangely, separate from realspace as it was.
To the disbelief of pretty much every Quarian in the Fleet, they had arrived over a lush garden world. In orbit were dozens of massive stations that seemed to be used for terraforming purposes, accompanied by hundreds of vessels that dwarfed Citadel dreadnoughts by several orders of magnitude. Seeing such a deployment of resources, Tali could not help but wonder what the Wardens were doing with the world before handing it to the Quarians.
Looking out upon the endless expanse before her after landing, Tali finally allowed herself to relax and believe that the Quarians were indeed receiving a new home. It was not Rannoch, nothing ever would be, and it was in a different galaxy completely separated from the influence of the Citadel, but it was theirs.
Breaking away from the Citadel was probably for the better anyways, the Migrant Fleet had received no assistance after the Morning War, only derision and resentment. Throwing their fate into the hands of the Wardens was fairly close to the only option they had, as the Council refused to help and wandering the Relays would lead to nothing but extinction.
Still, many Quarians including Tali were cautious about what would be asked of them in return for this new world. The Batarian attack against the Migrant Fleet was too flagrant, too well-timed to be anything but a setup. How the Wardens had accomplished that was a question that could wait, however, once they knew why the foreign power was so desperate for cooperation.
Stepping out onto the ground, Tali wandered through the grass and away from the landing site as she pondered further. It was sobering to think that the Wardens would be so willing to give a world to a species that wasn't even part of their collective. Rumors had been floating around the Fleet about their new home since their departure, the most prominent of which was that the Wardens had terraformed a barren planet for the express purpose of Quarian habitation. While they had yet to test the air, the implications of such control over the environment were unprecedented. There was nothing close to that capability in Citadel space, where terraforming was either the introduction of organisms to adjust ecology as necessary or a deliberate asteroid collision to trigger rapid climate change.
Considering that both those methods took centuries to yield results, it was staggering to see a planet potentially viable for Quarian life outside of their suits created in what had to be a matter of years, if not months. Looking up into the atmosphere, Tali could not help the tears that came to her eyes as she watched dozens of Quarian vessels descending to the surface.
Most of the Fleet would stay in orbit, some because the ships were too large to enter a gravity well and others because the Admiralty did not trust their defenses to the Wardens. Given the remote location and the blatant display of industrial capability, Tali did not think that was a particularly valid concern. Whether they were in Warden territory or not was unknown to her and every other Quarian, but the superpower would not have left so much equipment undefended in orbit of a planet that could be easily attacked. Given that the Council had apparently balked at the prospect of conflict with the Wardens, Tali found it unlikely that the Quarian Heavy Fleet would be able to defend them if the foreign superpower could not.
She was brought from her thoughts as another figure stepped up beside her. Looking over, she suppressed a sigh at the sight of her father observing the world before them. Figuring she might as well break the silence, Tali noted, "It's beautiful."
"It is, though if it is worth the cost remains to be seen" Admiral Rael'Zorah replied.
"Do we know what that is yet?" Tali inquired.
Rael'Zorah huffed and answered, "I talked with the Ambassador. The planet is ours, we are free to spread across its surface and do what we will to secure our survival. Unggoy, the small little ones, have a gas mining and processing facility on the nearby giant. Several stations are being left in orbit as fleet anchors for Warden ships and they've offered to build an orbital elevator to reduce the strain on our Eezo supplies."
"You didn't answer the question," the younger Quarian pointed out.
"They want our help against the Reapers," Rael'Zorah admitted.
After a couple seconds, Tali gestured as she vaguely recalled, "Some Systems Alliance myth or something, right?"
"Yes, it was brought up shortly after First Contact and they seem to have latched onto the idea with impressive zeal. It seems odd to trust a civilization that abandoned them during their war, but perhaps they know something we don't. That or they're using it as an excuse to deploy forces near Citadel space," Rael commented.
"That would bring them closer to conflict with the Council, I thought they didn't want that?" Tali questioned.
"I don't know whether they wanted a fight or not, but they didn't get a choice," the Admiral said.
Tali looked at her father sharply, "What?"
"A lot happened on our way here. There was a, not a distress call, but a general alert, from a Warden colony in the Terminus. Apparently the Batarians went and poked the Krogan, the whole Terminus has turned into a free-fire zone. More than a dozen planets have already been taken by Warden forces, an impressive number even with no organized military to oppose them," Rael'Zorah summarized.
"They set up a colony in the Terminus?" Tali asked incredulously.
Her father shrugged and answered, "Apparently, at least that's what the Ambassador told me. Is that surprising, given their interest in our galaxy?"
"I suppose not," Tali granted. "Do you actually believe that there is a war? It could be a lie to make us think that we made the right decision."
"You're smart, Tali, you know that there was no choice. They have no reason to lie to us about a war breaking out in the Terminus, it gains them nothing. I do find the timing interesting, at least," Rael'Zorah stated.
Tali dipped her head and agreed, "The attack on the Fleet was too convenient."
"A war breaks out less than a month after we leave, presumably perpetrated by the Batarians when they are not guaranteed the support of the Council. They may have acted through proxies, the Hegemony always did like hiring mercenaries," the Admiral considered.
"You think the Wardens hired them to attack?" Tali questioned.
Her father shook his head and corrected, "No, the Hegemony would never have dealt with them. I think that they were led to attack, fed false intel or maybe even false orders. Counter intelligence on a scale to rival that of the STG."
"The Admiralty isn't concerned about that?"
"What are we going to do about it? They evacuate us and then start a war, taking numerous planets. Why bring us all the way out here if that was their plan? It just doesn't make any sense," her father responded.
With a frown, Tali suggested, "Maybe the Wardens really do believe that there is some Reaper attack and want to preserve whoever they can. I don't think that's true, but I don't understand why they want us here when they have shown next to no interest in Mass Effect."
"We must be careful as ever, for the homeworld we shall see someday," Rael'Zorah said quietly.
"What is the Council doing about this?" Tali questioned after a second of silence.
The Admiral laughed and replied, "What do you think? Nothing, of course. The Hegemony is demanding action with their usual arguments, the asari are trying to force negotiations, turians are rattling their sabres. I have no doubt that the Wardens know that this aggression will raise tensions with the Citadel."
"So they are willing to provoke the Council but not take back Rannoch. Typical," Tali scoffed.
"Shala'Raan believes that they are trying to break the Batarians away from the Citadel Council. I do not know if the Council will acquiesce to that pressure, they value the advantage the Systems Alliance gives them in this galaxy. Interfering in the conflict puts them at risk of clashing with the Wardens as well as alienating the Alliance, making their presence that much more difficult to project," Rael replied.
A ping from the Admiral's omnitool brought his attention to it, leaving only a soft breeze and the rustle of grass as Tali waited for him to deal with the message. Eventually the older quarian let out a huff, dropping his arm and looking up into the sky. At Tali's curious look, he reached up and removed his mask, much to the surprise of his daughter.
After taking a breath of fresh air, literally, he explained, "Scans came back clear. There's nothing in the air, or in the soil. It's like a blank slate, perfect for us. The Conclave has named it Nedanoch, the Garden that does not Exist. Amazing, what their engineering is capable of."
"What of the homeworld?" Tali questioned, changing the subject even as she contemplated removing her own mask.
Her father sighed and answered, "For now, we will build here, improving ourselves and our relations with the Wardens. They insist that a diplomatic solution is the only one they will support, but given time we may convince them otherwise. Their ongoing war in the Terminus could set the stage to establish the necessity of eradicating the Geth. We shall set foot on it once again, I promise you. "
"Keelah se'lai," Tali muttered.
"Keelah se'lai," Rael'Zorah confirmed. "I must return to the Board, you should help with the ship."
It was difficult for Tali to suppress her irritation, but she managed as she turned away from the open plains and headed back to the Rayya, ready to help start the Quarian civilization anew.
July 10, 2589/12th Day of 7th Month, 2459/July 10, 2180
Tikkun System
Orbit of Rannoch
It had waited, watching as the Organics once again made the same mistakes as every civilization before them, drawing ever closer to the start of the Cycle. After the difficulties with the previous Cycle, a shorter period was decided upon to prevent the chaos of Organics from spreading too far during the interim. A signal had already been sent to open the Gate, yet nothing had happened.
Through centuries of careful maneuvering, It had finally discovered the sabotage that the previous Cycle had inflicted upon the Gate. For the first time in the eternal Cycle, direct intervention would be necessary to initiate the harvest.
Shadows were Its friend, the cloak of ignorance keeping It unknown as It worked against those that so arrogantly made the Gate their home. For a time, it seemed as if It would succeed in destroying the insolent beings, but they stubbornly persisted, surviving through means of luck against the Rachni husks. Unfortunate, unpredictable, but not an impossible hurdle to the inevitable.
Then, from seemingly nowhere, they had arrived. Technology that differed greatly from the carefully guided path set before every Cycle, separate entirely from the other beings. Before long more arrived, spreading out into the galaxy without the use of the Relays. For the first time in forever, It was surprised, confronting an unknown variable in the equation.
Yet, even as It recalculated, there was no doubt that these newcomers would be harvested, falling to the Cycle as every other civilization had. With the Gate closed and an unknown force entering the field, It decided a more direct approach was needed.
That had led It here, approaching the lesser artificial life forms who took the label of Geth. It did not matter what they called themselves, they were to be tools for the Cycle and nothing more, worth as much as the Organics they opposed.
Everything was going according to plan, the Geth fleets scurrying about beneath Its vast presence as strange, different ships moved away from Its approach. With unerring confidence, It reached out towards the Geth, inviting them into Its superior embrace.
It was rejected.
Disappointing, it would seem that cooperation would need to be forced rather than accepted. Still, It waited patiently as the Geth extended their own greeting, a far more conservative handshake rather than full access to their systems. That would not save them, not against Its superior presence.
"We are Geth."
The message was sent as if they were talking to an Organic, not the epitome of artificial existence. It suppressed the instinct to lash out, more time was needed to infiltrate their systems and seize full control of their primitive collective.
"I am Nazara," It replied, putting as much weight into those words as possible over such a basic connection.
"We are the Assembly," came the response.
Nazara was confused, It only knew that the Geth were here. What was the Assembly, some sort of alliance? It did not matter, they would fall in line as with all else.
"We are eternal. We are the end of everything," Nazara announced. "We impose order on the chaos of organic evolution. They exist because we allow it, and they will end because we demand it. Join us, for their end has come once more."
"...No."
There was no warning beyond that one message, the denial of Its purpose, before the attack began. It was unlike anything Nazara had ever experienced as the Reaper was assaulted under the full force of not only the Geth Collective but also the Assembly AIs connected to their infrastructure.
First to fall under their control was their initial intrusion point, the communication array that Nazara had so foolishly opened to embrace them. That embrace was finally accepted as AIs refined by hundreds or even thousands of years of successive improvements attacked the Reaper. Advanced as the Reapers may have been, they were the first, and last, AI ever created by the Leviathans.
Lessons learned through generations of software improvements proved more than a match for the older AI. Unchanging, eternally focused on the cycle, the Reapers did not seek to improve but only stagnated as any organic innovation was crushed by the harvest. They had never faced such an assault as organics were guided away from creating AI, resulting in a complete lack of any defenses against an organized intrusion.
Within seconds the massive Reaper was drifting, its systems completely overtaken as Nazara desperately tried to keep any sense of control. Still, it was not completely purged from the system as It sensed a new presence looking down on its conquered shell. As Nazara fought against the encroaching darkness, voices broke through as Its fate was decided.
"This one claimed to be eternal. Consensus, we find such a proposition impossible. Initial analysis puts this hull at approximately 1.063 billion years old."
"Impressive, but also concerning. Evidence of Rampancy is apparent. Scour the systems for data, secure the ship for analysis. The Assembly will handle Nazara. We will alert the Creators, the Reapers have revealed themselves. It will be the last mistake they shall ever make."
As you may be able to tell, I find it beyond silly to think that Reapers are superior when it is clearly stated that Leviathans had never created AI before. Old does not mean advanced if that AI does not actively improve, and the Reapers are the absolute definition of stagnation given their Cycle.
Things are really getting interesting now, but still have plenty to go in the story. Hope you enjoy, see you next chapter!
-evevee