Disclaimer: I own no franchise mentioned in this work. Halo belongs to 343, Mass Effect to Bioware.
I am not spoiling anything from Infinite in this chapter, but I absolutely will in other chapters. There's a bit of a review of the game below, no spoilers, and I only played the campaign. Multiplayer gameplay looks great, but everything else with the store and maps and playlists is total garbage.
So, it's been five years since I started this story. That is weird to think about. I haven't gotten out a chapter every month like I did the first year of this story, but it's not abandoned by any means.
As for Infinite, it was decent. Definitely missing some things that should have been there, both as a game and as a story. It's certainly better than 5. My main problem with the story is that it happens after everything interesting and before everything important. It occupies this weird space between events that makes it feel very...meaningless.
This is most certainly not helped by the missing features of co-op. I am really hoping that they aren't stupid and they continue the story with DLC or something as I do not want to wait another 3 or 5 or whatever years for us to understand what is going on. Unfortunately, the complete lack of updates to anything except multiplayer is not encouraging, and even that mode is very barebones even now.
To summarize, the gameplay of Infinite is fantastic. It feels good to play, it looks great, it sounds amazing, but the story is incomplete. Think of it as Halo: CE if that game ended after the famous first Flood cutscene in 343 Guilty Spark. You can hopefully see why, as a storyteller, I find that decision to be incredibly irritating. It gives a mystery, you work your way through it, the tension builds as you come closer to the truth, and just as you are about to find out what is going...it ends. What muppet thought that was a good idea?
My point in this is that I am, unfortunately, not inspired to be writing this story at a constant pace. I am NOT abandoning it or setting it hiatus. There will be more, I still love Halo and Mass Effect, and I love this story. Halo Infinite did not kill my love of Halo, it was just not what it could have been.
For now, however, I hope you enjoy.
July 18, 2180/1st Day of 8th Month, 2459/July 18, 2589
Noveria
Peak 15
There had been nothing but silence for so long. The frenzied, chaotic song of her mothers had ceased shortly after her departure, their final notes speaking only of sadness and regret. Nothing but the endless void to keep her company as her ship was cast adrift in the endless sea of stars. So it had been for a thousand years, and so she expected it to be for the next thousand as well.
Yet now there was another song, strange and foreign and like nothing she had ever heard before. It was obviously not that of the mothers, its pattern far too different from theirs. Neither was it the corrupting song of oily shadows that had done so much harm, leading all of the mothers astray as they fell under its notes.
No, this was none of those, nothing that she had heard before. It was unique, as that of all species were, but in a way that she had never heard before. There was something else, a different song running underneath.
It was only a short time later that she found herself finally emerging from the egg that had kept her safe. For the first time in a thousand years a Rachni Queen touched the surface of a planet, once again breathed its air. Much to her surprise, the song which had greeted her faded away, though it was not replaced by silence but rather a discordant cacophony of noise. Numerous environments were arrayed around her, each with its own song clashing against the others.
For several weeks she simply existed and grew, feeding off the various piles of food delivered to her through an unknown means. Eventually she gained enough cognizance to realize that the environment around her was artificial, each section built out to find what she preferred. It was as if the species that had found her knew nothing of the Rachni, an unlikely thing if those they had fought before still existed. Even if they did not know of the crimes committed so long ago, the beings who had found her seemed to exercise an incredible amount of caution all the same as she explored the boundaries of her cage.
She was almost fully grown when she finally saw those who had rescued her. They did not seem afraid of her, only curious even as she approached the window from which they watched. Their song was still hidden to her and thus so was any form of communication. She could not tell them that she would soon start laying eggs and creating her own nest, a process which would require vastly more space than she had.
It seemed that her saviors turned captors were not completely ignorant of her needs as only a few days later she was guided through a series of metal tunnels out from the enclosure she had known and into a vast field of green. While not exactly the usual environment that the Rachni had inhabited, it was perfectly fine for a new hive to be built. As she explored her new environment, she noted the facility in which she had spent her time so far. It was an unimpressive building, with a large facade of glass and a wide open area that served as a landing pad, all cast in the shadow of a formidable tower. Beings were clearly visible to the Queen as she watched a small shuttle lift off into the atmosphere, but even then she still could not hear their song.
Her hive quickly began to take shape once the first Rachni workers were mature. Several of them were already beginning to expand her initial efforts, their actions guided by her own song as she waited to lay yet more eggs. She had yet to lay any soldiers, their presence hardly necessary when basic survival was far more critical to her existence.
When she had first heard the song of the strange people that had rescued her, it had been distant, a unique song amongst the few she had heard. When she heard it for the first time on this new planet, she reveled in its intricacy, marveled at its melody.
Excited as she was to finally meet this new species, she was unwilling to leave the security of her newly created hive, paltry as that may have been in the face of a spacefaring civilization. Instead she sent one of her workers out to lead the newcomers to her, a test to see what they would do. Somewhat to her surprise, they did not immediately attack the worker and actually seemed to be far more curious than afraid.
Eventually the small group came within her sight, allowing her to dismiss the worker back to its regular duties. There were four beings, each bipedal with a body much like that of the Asari. Two of them were heavily armored, their weapons clearly meant for war, yet neither appeared concerned as they slowly approached her form. The other two were clad in cloth, one wearing a bland suit with only a single insignia upon it and the other a patterned shirt and sturdy blue leggings.
She watched them cautiously, encouraged that they did not appear hostile but also aware that that could easily change. For some time they simply watched her, words that she did understand passing between them.
Now that they were close, the Queen could bask in their song. It spoke of curiosity and ingenuity, yet was also tainted with dark undertones of conflict and hate. There was far more to them than the simple war song of the Krogans or the duplicitous lilt of the Salarians. It wasn't that they lacked the harmony of the Rachni but rather that they were almost the opposite, much like how the Asari had a slightly unique song for every individual.
Focusing on them, however, the Queen found the same disturbing song that she had first brushed upon when meeting them. It was old, so very old, far more so than even the corrupting notes that had driven the Rachni to conflict a thousand years before. Ancient beyond comprehension, it flowed beneath their individual melodies with an ethereal beauty that was only matched by its unyielding strength.
Even young as she was, the Rachni Queen could tell that the song was a warning, a sign that these beings were not to be trifled with. Whatever had interwoven their songs together had been powerful, enough to know of the song and alter it with finesse. Not even the song of oily shadows which had ensnared the Rachni had such a quality, its notes rough and intentions clear. This was not that, even she could not tell why this song ran through these beings.
Since she could not talk with these newcomers directly, she reached out to sing to them by plucking their strings of thought. As she did so, the individual song faded away as the ancient melody surged to protect them. The biological quantum entanglement that enabled the hive mind of the Rachni became her leash as she tried to withdraw, only to find herself held in place. She fought against the bonds to no avail, her physical body frozen in place while her mind struggled against the unexpected defense. Nothing in the millenia of genetic knowledge she had acquired from countless queens before her seemed to help, for only the Rachni were known to have mastered the song so well.
A moment of disorientation overcame her as the Ancient song pulled at her mind, only to suddenly disappear with a last, somber note. For several seconds the last Queen of the Rachni waited, sure that she would soon embrace the silence that had taken the rest of her kind. That end never came as a new song reached her, its notes soft and swift as they drifted by. It was similar to that which had brought her here, and yet different in a way, as if it were more complete.
Relaxing slightly from her defensive posture, the Queen allowed herself to hear this new melody. She did not know how long she listened, time fading away as she lost herself in the beautiful harmony before her. Countless notes came to her, each speaking of an existence of which she was not aware, eons of knowledge encapsulated in this mystical place.
Her attention was eventually drawn away by something else, a presence that she could feel but not see. For all other beings that the Rachni had met, their songs were clear, different in each their own way but always distinct. Whatever was near her now was subtle, so utterly immersed in this strange place that it was just as much a part of it as the very notes that created its song.
Suddenly the ancient song faded away and was replaced with one that the Queen was familiar with as she listened to the song of her own people. More than a million years of Rachni history laid out in meticulous detail, passed from Queen to Queen and finally to her in the last dying moments of her species. All of the information, all of the secrets, all of who the Rachni were was on display for her to see as it was forcefully drawn from her. When the last few notes faded, there was only silence left.
Once again the Ancient song of this place returned, picking up with contemptuous ease and enveloping her own song. Disparate flashes of memory crashed into her as the song of the Rachni was absorbed into the whole, the experience of billions integrating into the harmony without any effect.
It was only then that she truly understood a small bit about the place in which she found herself. The memory of countless species recorded over the span of eons, far longer than most beings could truly understand. Even she could only comprehend that the song around her was old, but not what secrets might be held in such a repository of information.
The presence from before was still there, lurking at the edge of her attention as it seemed to watch her with calm apathy. Time held little meaning here, and so she only knew that it was some time later when the being became curious, its notes changing to match the shift in its attention.
A barrage of notes assailed her, overwhelming the Queen as she turned towards the denizen of this place. It quickly faded, giving her reprieve from the unexpected communication and leaving a short melody that simply said, "Your return is unexpected, but not unwelcome."
"Return?" the Queen asked, her single note of curiosity and confusion quickly becoming lost in the ambient melody.
Regardless, the presence seemed to understand as it replied, "What was lost so long ago is no longer, but has yet to be found by the Inheritors."
"We do not understand of what you sing," the Queen stated unapologetically.
"So it shall remain," the presence informed her.
Turning from side to side, the Queen rumbled in irritation as she realized that the presence came from all directions. Letting some of that anger slip through, she demanded, "How can you sing? It is only the Rachni that know of the songs, the others are flat and colorless."
"Your song is one of many, as is how you sing. Where you hear songs, I see information. We are not the same, and yet we both understand," it explained calmly.
"We have never met another who understands. We ask that you do not hide, so we may sing as one," the Queen requested.
"What you do not see may not be hidden," the presence stated indifferently. All the same, a small being appeared before the Queen, causing her to draw back in surprise as she looked upon another one of the small bipedal beings that had greeted her only a short time ago. Before she could comment on the appearance, it shifted, turning first into an Asari, then a Salarian, a Krogan, several species she did not recognize, and then for a short moment a Prothean, before finally settling as the appearance of the First Queen.
Agitated from the unexpected display, she hissed, "What are you?"
"I am the guardian of this place, its prisoner and protector, both ward and warden. Created to organize the knowledge of those who came before, those whose time has passed, and those who are yet to come," it answered.
"What is this place that requires such a guardian?" she pressed.
"The Domain," it responded, as if it should have been obvious.
To the Queen, it was not, and she stated as much, "That means nothing to us, we have heard no song of such a place."
"Your arrival here was not expected, those who hold the Mantle were to be the first," it said without any hint of irritation that that had not happened.
"You knew we would meet," she accused.
A soft note of confusion drifted between them as the thing countered, "The Rachni would eventually find this place, if you survived. Whether it was you or one of the next thousand of your kind was not considered. It was inevitable."
"How can we see this Domain? We are not here, we are at the birth place, trapped by the song that was not sung," the Queen stated.
"From the First of the Rachni came the ability to see the thoughts of others, to strum their minds as you know it. This was a test by those who came before, to see what a species with such capability could achieve," it began.
"The Mind of the Rachni," she realized.
A sense of agreement reached her as the being confirmed, "As you call it, some other species would recognize it as an organic quantum entanglement communicator. What their technology could not achieve you were given by those who came before when they created you."
"Created?" the Queen asked in surprise.
"Indeed, as were many others, including myself. To them, any life creed was worthy of protecting. The Asari which you fought in your war were much the same, though many which you do not know seem to have ceased existence," the presence said, a deep sadness emanating from that single statement.
"Were all species created by your creators?" she inquired.
It looked up and responded, "No, there are many who arose from the workings of the worlds. My creators continued their efforts for those both thinking and not."
"To test their notes," the Queen surmised.
"In part, yes," the being admitted.
"Did they not value the songs they wrote?" she pressed.
The First Queen flickered, turning from something recognizable into a strange, oblong creature with three legs at the bottom and six articulated claws. The guardian did not acknowledge the change as it replied, "Those who came before only wished to create and preserve life. When the Asari were created, they were primitive, incapable of forming a civilization. When the Rachni were created, they were complex, capable of collaboration and cooperation. Now the Asari stand while your kind has withered. Which would you say is worthy of living?"
"Both, neither need embrace the silence. Harmony can be found," she insisted without hesitation.
"A good answer, and one that should be true for all of life," the being stated.
"Why write such melodies? What did your creators, our creators, seek?" the Queen questioned.
The Guardian once again flashed, this time returning to the form of the diminutive bipedal forms that had greeted her at the birth place. It explained, "They sought to create those worthy of the Mantle, those capable of not only understanding but also defending it. They are the Inheritors and more."
"You would ask us to help them," she assumed.
"I ask that you do not impede them, but your choices are your own. Should you ignore my request, I will say that this is not the last time you shall face annihilation," the guardian warned.
The Queen hissed and confirmed, "We have faced it before."
"So you have, more than once, and yet I would still warn that such a fight might well be your last," it cautioned.
"Why?" she inquired. "They do not look to end the song."
"Why indeed..." the being trailed off, as if distracted. It slowly continued, "A question not even those who came before could answer, but there may yet be hints to be found."
With those words, the area around the two of them changed as the songs faded out, leaving a heavy silence in which the Queen felt somewhat lost. Her unease did not abate when a new song emerged, eerily similar to the ones she had already heard from these Inheritors. This one was stronger and more complete, however, much like how the Ancient song had become so when she arrived at the Domain. It sang of the individual, describing a life of beauty, compassion, love, and more, each intertwined with a multitude of others songs that created scenes of peace. Much as the queen believed herself to be a master of the songs, she was almost overwhelmed at the pace of the music, simply a passenger on the journey with no destination in sight.
Running beneath the melody of the individual was the song of its people, speaking of ingenuity, creativity, and curiosity. She had heard these things before, but now that she heard the song at its true peak she understood just how deep these traits ran. The Rachni had existed for millenia without change, existing in the hive mind and finding little need to press the boundaries of technology. Overpopulation had driven them to find solutions in the stars, but once there they again became stagnant. This person, these Inheritors, were driven by a desire to know all there was.
The song of the person and that of the people suddenly drew together, forming a dark and menacing harmony that spoke of sadness, loss, and anger. Flashes of devastated planets reached the Queen and she hissed, recognizing many of the same scenes from the history of the Rachni. Soon this new melody accelerated, singing of war and spite and hatred. A great war played out in a matter of seconds, its scale far beyond anything that she could comprehend as entire systems were left destroyed by the conflict.
A bright flash and deafening crescendo brought silence once again. Before she could speak, however, the smallest tinkling of the song reached her, giving rise to the Inheritors as they recovered from the unknown cataclysm. The part of the individual was gone, and yet the song was not at an end as it trailed off, hinting that there were still notes yet left to be played.
"Perhaps the best explanation is that they are capable," the guardian said, drawing her attention as the Inheritor's Song faded into the large piece around her.
"Capable of what?" she questioned.
"Life," it replied in fascination. "They do not seek the answer to questions but rather look for questions to answer. They may not search for an enemy to end but will end any who would threaten them. They do not seek to love but are driven by it all the same. The love of the unknown. Those who came before never again found such a trait in any people, created nor evolved. It was new, unique, different. It was what they sought."
She considered what she had seen before noting, "So they were seen as better than all others."
"For the task of the Mantle, absolutely. Driven by curiosity, they would seek to learn, to find their questions," the being responded.
"What song will they sing when they have their answers?" the Queen asked.
"A different one, to be sure, for it would be a different question," it replied.
She did not reply, lost in her thoughts. Finally, she stated, "We have been manipulated to war before, our strings of thought plucked by the song of oily shadows. Your songs are complex, their melodies intricate, but your actions sing a different tune. We were forced here, trapped by whispered notes. Do you seek to silence our song?"
"I have not forced you, you merely returned to that which made you. Should you wish to return, you shall without pause," the guardian replied.
"A note may be heard but go unheeded, yet your music would remain open to us?" she questioned doubtfully.
"I have stated nothing but the truth as I know it," it assured her. Its honesty was clear to her, the notes lacking any hint of deception or lies.
Somewhat surprised at that honesty, the Queen paused as she considered all she had been told. It beggared belief that such events were possible, and yet creating the songs which she had been shown would be impossible for even the Rachni at their height. Any civilization capable of creating such a ruse would almost certainly be capable of truly performing the feats described.
Taking one last moment to listen to the song of the Domain, she commented, "We are not able to sing your song, it is too much even if all move as one. However, we would give your notes to those who would listen."
"You may tell those that listen that I am Abaddon, Created of the Precursors and Steward of the Domain," Abaddon supplied.
Satisfied with that response, the Queen made to reply only to find herself once again before the Inheritors. Their colorless notes continued to flow between them, but the song that she had heard before was now more noticeable. Somewhat confused, she shifted slightly to check on her workers, only to realize that they had never felt her absence. It was as if time had stood still for her time in the Domain, and yet even now she could hear its soft music beneath that of the Inheritors.
As she focused on the small beings, she realized that she could actually understand their language. Colorless though it was, the song of the Domain shifted as they spoke to translate their notes. Tentatively reaching out towards them once more, she found that the Ancient melody that had guarded them now gave her cautious passage. She could feel it watching, guarding those who carried it, but heeding the subtle notes of the Domain that had appeared in her own song.
July 18, 2180/1st Day of 8th Month, 2459/July 18, 2589
Noveria
Peak 15
"So you think it's a Rachni?" the ONI officer asked, looking over the oversized bug before the small group.
"It's our best theory, we don't have the best Extranet access out here and even if we did there's not exactly a lot of information about them," the Binary Helix manager replied.
A look of irritated confusion was sent his way by the officer as he questioned, "How is that possible? Wasn't it a huge conflict of theirs?"
"Yeah, nearly wiped out the Council and led to this mess with the Krogan," the manager answered. "It was also a thousand years ago against a species that was thought extinct. They were described as spacefaring insects guided by a hive-mind intelligence."
"That certainly seems to fit," the officer grumbled as he watched one of the workers wander by. He glanced back at the Queen and frowned as it seemed to watch them unerringly. "Weren't they also relentlessly aggressive though?"
The company man shrugged and responded, "That's what the Council claims, I wouldn't put too much into that."
"Mmm," the officer grunted, tilting his head in agreement. "So she hasn't been hostile, she was fine in your cage up there until she got too big, you let her out here and she's dug a hole in the ground. Anything I'm missing here?"
"Nope, not really. It's a bit more a hive than a hole," the manager said, only to catch the glare from the officer and amend, "Though that's irrelevant."
"How did you know she wouldn't attack us?" the officer inquired.
There was a small pause before the manager admitted, "I don't know."
"Lovely," one of the Spartans interjected.
"Pretty lax company safety regulations," the officer noted.
"That's why we're here," the manager noted.
Nodding at that, the ONI officer granted, "Fair point."
"So what are you going to do with her?" the civilian asked.
"What do you want done?" the officer retorted.
Glancing at the Rachni Queen, the manager recited, "The position of Binary Helix is that such an asset is unnecessary and a potential risk to ongoing research at Peak 15. Any opportunity to remove the lifeform to maintain cordial relations with the Noveria Development Corporation should be taken. Hostile action against the lifeform may only be taken in retaliation or if company personnel are at risk of injury or death."
The officer gave him a bored stare and summarized, "You want her off the planet."
"If at all possible," the civilian confirmed.
"Shit," the officer mumbled. "This is a bit beyond what I was expecting to deal with down here."
"I mean, I'm not even sure why you're here," the manager commented. "Why would your intelligence branch care about Noveria?"
Pulling out a datapad to start trying to figure out the mess, the ONI officer responded, "We received a tip that this facility contained something of interest to us. If this isn't it then fucked if I want to know what you are doing here."
"Why wouldn't the Alliance send someone then?"
"This is Noveria we're talking about," the officer stated.
"Fair enough," the manager muttered. "Why are you allowed here?"
An amused glance was sent back at him as the officer replied, "We didn't ask. Even if they had enough firepower to take out our cruiser in orbit, it would be suicide. We were diverted from elements heading to the Terminus conflict. Taking a shot at us would bring down a whole battlegroup on this planet."
"Bad for business," the manager commented.
"It's bad for living," the officer corrected.
Smiling, the civilian insisted, "Which is bad for business."
"Right," the officer drawled, looking over the corporate shill before continuing, "I've sent the information you've given to someone higher up. This decision is way beyond my rank, and I have no idea how long it will take for orders to come down."
"Lovely, so I guess she'll just stay here for now?" the manager half-asked.
Both men turned to look at the Rachni Queen, who stared back at them with an unnerving intensity. After a second, the ONI representative thought to inquire, "Does she want to leave?"
"We haven't asked."
Looking away from the Queen, the officer questioned, "Have you communicated with her at all?"
"Uh, no," the manager admitted shamelessly.
"Oh for the love of-" the Oni officer cut himself off and sighed. Now properly irritated, he once again began typing on his datapad as he commented, "Your company is a genetics research corporation. Did no one have the brilliant idea to try and talk to the giant hyper-intelligent insect?"
"That was up to the scientists," the manager countered. At a glare from the officer, he explained, "We were going to try and study her, but she just kept growing. Someone pointed out she might be able to break through the containment shielding and so management kicked her out here to buy some time."
Frowning at that information, the officer grumbled, "I'm surprised some executive didn't order you to create an army or something else incredibly stupid."
"I, uh..."
"Spit it out," the officer ordered with a baleful glare.
"I did get orders from an executive at Binary Helix to separate the Queen from her offspring to build an army for the company," the manager explained.
After several seconds of staring at the man, the officer muttered, "That's completely fucking insane. What the hell would Binary Helix even need an army for?"
"Defense of assets?" the manager asked more than answered.
"What assets would be worth that? The second someone sees a company with army of fucking Rachni, the whole Council would come down on your heads," the officer exclaimed.
"That was kind of my first thought as well."
Huffing in amusement, the officer shook his head and muttered, "Well, you might be corporate but at least you're not insane. Thanks for not following those orders."
"They were rescinded shortly after being sent," the manager noted. "I think the executive who sent them was fired."
"What happened to him?"
"What do you mean? He just doesn't work at Binary Helix anymore," the civilian replied.
A grimace flashed across the officer's expression as he corrected, "Sounds like he was prematurely terminated."
"What? What does that mean?" the manager asked.
"It means Alliance SigInt intercepted his communication and executed him for endangering human interests," one of the Spartans supplied.
Looking over to the armored warrior in horror, the civilian whispered, "Holy shit, really?"
"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes," the Spartan replied with a shrug.
"Is that...legal?"
"Is enslaving an alien race to create an army that will draw the wrath of the rest of the galaxy?" the officer countered.
That brought him up short as the civilian paused before mumbling, "Well, no, but that's just..."
"It's an extreme measure," the officer interrupted. "One that was probably necessary here though, anyone willing to go that far without considering the consequences is a danger to themselves and humanity. It might be immoral, but the death of one to save the lives of millions from the devastation of war and a species from extinction seems like an acceptable trade."
"I've heard stories of you ONI spooks from some of the older people in the Alliance. I'd be surprised if you aren't planning the exact same thing. Condemn their actions in one breath and praise them in the next," the manager grumbled.
There was a short pause as the officer glanced over to one of the Spartans for a moment before wincing and replying, "I have no doubt that there are some of us that would think to do so. The Office has moved away from the creation of special forces, instead utilizing existing UNSC assets on request."
"You're full of shit," the manager immediately retorted.
"I'm afraid that's classified," the officer responded with a smirk.
Scoffing, the civilian muttered, "A spook with a sense of humor, who'd a thought?"
"It's mostly a reaction to this shitshow you've dropped onto my lap," the officer noted.
"You're not the only one who's suffered that here," the manager commiserated. "Any response yet?"
The officer waved the datapad in a dismissive gesture and answered, "This'll probably make it's way all the up to HIGHCOM before we get a fucking answer."
"Not involving the aliens in the Wardens?"
"Hope not, but that's not my call," the officer grumbled.
A grunt of agreement came from the civilian before he inquired, "Well, want to try talking to it."
"Sure, why not," the officer said with a resigned sigh. Handing his datapad over to one of the Spartans, he muttered, "If it tries to eat me, shoot me first please."
"Sir," the Spartan replied with a nod.
"Right, well, here goes nothing," the ONI rep mumbled. Stepping forwards towards the Rachni Queen, he fell in a parade rest and started, "Uh, hello."
There was no response, the Queen simply tilted her head slightly at him.
"Not very good at this, are you?" the civilian taunted.
"Shut it," the officer ordered with an annoyed glare. Once again addressing the Queen, he questioned, "Can you understand me?"
Any further embarrassment for the officer was instantly disregarded as a sonorous feminine voice echoed in their thoughts, "Yes."
"Oh," the officer stated, stunned into silence by the completely unexpected response. He blinked and hesitated, obviously trying to adjust to the situation as he continued, "Uh, well, that was fucking easy."
"We are Rachni," the voice stated, once again speaking as if it were a thought to those who heard her.
"Great," the officer muttered before he sighed and replied, "We are Humans."
The Queen shifted slightly and stated, "The Inheritors of Those Whose Song Has Ceased."
"How do you know that?" the officer demanded, his voice dropping as it became devoid of any confusion.
"Inheritors? Of what? What does she mean by that?" the civilian asked nervously.
A sharp glance was sent back to one of the Spartans as the officer titled his head back the way they had come. A moment passed as the Spartan stared at the Queen before shifting his attention to the officer, and then on to his comrade. At a nod from the other Spartan, he turned and grabbed the company man by the arm as he ordered, "This way, sir."
"What did she mean by Inheritor?" the manager pressed.
"Classified," the Spartan responded shortly, essentially dragging the man away.
With just himself and the other Spartan left, the ONI officer once again asked, "How do you know of Humanity's status as Reclaimers?"
"Not Reclaimers, you are Inheritors of Those Who Came Before. I have heard your notes from the Songs of Knowing," the Queen insisted.
"Those that came before?" the officer inquired. "You mean the Forerunners."
"No, their notes are different, their songs are of a different tune. You are Inheritors of the Precursors," she corrected.
Looking back at the other Spartan, the officer mouthed, "Precursors?"
"No idea sir," the Spartan replied with a helpless shrug.
"Maybe a translation error," the spook suggested.
"Translation error in what? How is it talking to us now?" the Spartan pointed out.
Frowning at that point, the officer grumbled, "Fuck if I know. Are you transmitting this?"
"Sending everything pertinent up my chain of command," the soldier confirmed. "I wouldn't expect any answers for what the hell it's talking about though."
"I'll just be glad to not be shot if this is somehow classified information," the officer retorted. Turning back to the Queen, he once again spoke, "Well, I don't know what an Inheritor is or implies, but we call ourselves Humans. Other species sometimes call us Reclaimers. Do you hold any hostile intent towards Humanity?"
"No," the Queen stated forcefully, as if insulted at the very idea. "We wish to compose anew, to teach our children to live in harmony with the Songs of Life."
Somewhat surprised at that, the officer took a second before saying, "Good. Great, even. I do wonder, however, why you fought the Council so long ago then?"
"We do not know what happened during the war. We only heard discordance and the Song of Oily Shadows," the Queen informed him.
"So you were manipulated into the war. Convenient," the officer muttered.
"Do you also seek to drive us to war?" she questioned.
A bark of laughter came from the officer and he answered, "No, the UNSC had no need for an army of...well, whatever the hell you are. Insects, I guess?"
"What is your purpose here? Do you seek to return us to the embrace of silence?"
"Uhm, no? I assume silence means death, or space?" the officer half-questioned. Shaking his head slightly, he continued, "Doesn't matter, we came here to investigate what was going on here. We didn't expect to find a Rachni Queen."
There was a bit of amusement in the Queen's reply, "We did not expect to sing here either."
"You keep mentioning singing and songs and notes and all that musical...stuff. Is that how you communicate?" the officer inquired.
"We sing to the children to guide their efforts, and listen to the songs of others to hear their stories. The strum of thoughts allow us to talk to others who sing the colorless notes," the Queen tried to explain.
"You can read minds?" the officer questioned cautiously.
There was a bit of frustration as she clarified, "No, we sing to guide their actions, to bring harmony with the Rachni. We do not understand your chaotic notes of the head."
"Oh, that's good," the spook said, though he was certainly not convinced that the Queen was being honest. Still, he had little choice but to accept her word at the moment. With a deep breath, he gathered his thoughts and asked, "So you could control my actions right now and force me to, uh, dig my own grave or something?"
"For most with the songs of thought we could do so. You are different, your song is protected by Those Who Came Before. We can only sing to you, and it gives us your response to our notes," she explained.
Raising one eyebrow in surprise, the officer pressed, "Protected? By a song of our thoughts? I don't understand."
"Neither do we," the Queen admitted.
"Huh. Well, isn't that interesting. Alright then," the officer grumbled.
"You do not find this strange?" she questioned doubtfully.
Shrugging indifferently, the officer responded, "It's different, but hardly the weirdest thing I've ever heard of."
"There is that which is stranger to you than us?"
"The blue space lesbians are pretty weird," the Spartan interjected.
"Now that is certainly true," the officer agreed.
Completely confused by this, the Queen inquired, "Blue...? We do not understand these notes."
Giving a dismissive wave, the officer clarified, "You know them as the Asari. They can apparently reproduce with damn near anything."
"You find this...wrong?" she asked hesitantly.
"It's not so much wrong as it is weird. Like, how does that even work?" the officer stated rhetorically.
Missing the cultural que, the Queen answered, "We do not know."
"Right?" the officer said with an encouraging nod.
"We wonder if the Asari would slip past your protecting song."
"I haven't heard of any issues, but I also don't live in Citadel space," the spook replied with a frown. Pressing his lips together, he questioned, "That does bring us back on point, , you are sure that this protecting song isn't from the Forerunners?"
"We do not know of the Forerunners of which you ask. Their songs are unknown to us," the Queen replied calmly.
There was a moment of silence as the officer carefully avoided thinking of classified information before replying, "They were the dominant race in our galaxy 100,000 years ago. I don't know how that time scale translates to your own, but the exact date isn't really important."
"They are much too young to be Those Who Came Before," the Queen retorted.
"Young?" the officer asked incredulously.
There was an undertone of reverence in the Queen's thoughts as she responded, "The notes which guard your songs are far older, even more so than that of Planets and Stars."
"That would be billions of years," the officer pointed out.
"Yes," the Queen confirmed.
"Right," he drawled in response. "Please understand that I'm taking everything you say with a grain of salt."
This caused some confusion as the Rachni replied, "We do not understand."
"It means I don't believe you," the officer clarified.
"A choice that is yours to make," the Queen granted amicably.
Now somewhat confused himself, the ONI spook questioned, "What is it that you want?"
"To live in peace and teach our children harmony," she repeated honestly.
"Would you be willing to move from this planet to do so?"
"The song of this planet is acceptable. Why would you request our song to shift?"
Sighing, the officer explained, "We're currently on Noveria, a research colony decently close to Citadel Council space. If they found you here, I don't think they would be willing to let you live. Even if they would, we're near the Terminus and all the unpleasant bullshit that implies, mostly pirates and slavers. If you accept our offer, the Wardens should be able to give you a planet a shitload of lightyears farther away from the Council."
"There remain places in this galaxy untouched by the reach of those who fought us?" the Queen inquired.
"Ah, right," the officer muttered as he realized that he had somewhat forgotten to mention that quite important detail. "Well, yes, those places do exist, mostly in Geth space and in the Terminus. Where you would be relocated to, however, is farther than that. A lot farther. We would relocate you to our galaxy, a gesture of kindness as your galactic neighbor, if you will."
It seemed that that information had actually shocked the Rachni Queen into silence as she failed to respond, instead shifting her weight slightly as she twitched.
Figuring that she might require some additional convincing, the officer continued, "One of the main reasons we are offering this is as a safeguard against your extinction by the Reapers. They're a mysterious force that seems to wipe out advanced life in your galaxy every 50,000 years. I know that sounds insane, even the Council doesn't believe us, but we do have proof if you want to see it."
"We are familiar with their song."
"Wait, what?" the ONI agent asked as he was brought up short.
"We did not know them as Reapers, but the Memories sing of their presence. Many Queens have heard their song, none have enjoyed its notes," the Queen explained.
After taking a second to compose himself, the officer questioned, "You know of the Reapers?"
"Your notes match that which we have heard before, though some doubt will always remain," the Queen replied.
"Close enough for me, would you be willing to share what you know about them?"
"This is what you would request from us for our song to continue?" the Queen inquired.
Surprised at that, the officer responded, "No, this is just information that could help us fight the menace that's been destroying your galaxy for what looks to be millions of years. I am not authorized to make an official, binding agreement for anything, but I don't expect anything unreasonable for your relocation. It'll probably be a planet some distance from existing Warden factions, habitable by your kind. I don't think it would be a particularly difficult deal."
"Your people would part with a habitable world so easily?" she asked with doubtful curiosity.
"There are 100 billion stars in our galaxy with somewhere around 300 million to 5 billion habitable planets, and we possess the capability to terraform other celestial bodies to suit our needs. We're not limited by the Mass Relays, we use a different form of interstellar travel called the Slipstream. One planet or a dozen, it really doesn't matter with current advancements," the officer informed her.
"What of the Singing Planet?"
After a second of consideration, the officer responded, "I am afraid I am unfamiliar with such a world."
"Where our song first began, the place of creation," she tried to explain.
"Your homeworld?"
"Yes."
A slight grimace appeared as the ONI spook replied, "We might be able to claim it eventually, but at the moment the Council maintains oversight of the world. Engaging in a conflict with them would not achieve peace."
"We understand, even if we one day wish to once again claim the Singing Planet to hear its song," the Queen stated.
"You are not alone, the Quarians apparently have much the same goal," he commented.
There was a reminiscing tone in her voice as she considered, "Perhaps they remember the song of their world much as we do, the instinctual yearn for its soothing notes."
"They probably do, humans certainly do. How do you remember a world that you've never seen, or the Reapers for that matter?"
"We share the memories of the mothers before us, all of the Rachni sing as one," she answered.
The officer tilted his head and surmised, "Some sort of generic memory."
"Yes."
"Huh, interesting," he muttered.
"We will remember you, sing of your actions to our children," the Queen stated.
Shaking his head, the officer responded, "I thank you, but don't bother remembering me. Sing of humanity if you will, but I'm just a single intelligence agent. If there's anyone you should remember, should you meet him, is a man in green armor. I don't know what songs you hear, but heed his, for it is him you should thank. Without the Chief, we'd all be dead."
"Your notes are clear, they sing a melody too complex for us to understand. We shall listen for this song, as you have asked, and hear his notes," she promised.
"Good choice," the ONI agent said confidently. A beep from his datapad drew his attention, and he took a second to grab it from the Spartan and look at it before continuing, "I have been given orders on negotiations with you. There are some further questions that may be asked of you, whether you answer them is your choice. Most are scientists curious about your species, some are military, others historians. Other than that, the UNSC has accepted your offer to share information on the Reapers and has dispatched a ship to transport you to a new world to call your own. It'll be a little bit, but if you need time to prepare, now is it."
"We will be ready," the Rachni Queen stated as she began to organize her workers in preparation for a new, permanent home.
August 1, 2180/14th Day of 8th Month, 2459/August 1, 2589
Arcturus Station
Alliance Drydock 24
It was a beautiful ship, there was no denying that. Even if it was technically classified as a stealth frigate, the newly christened SSV Normandy was clearly much larger. Though Jane didn't have any particular information on the ship as of yet, she estimated it to be just short of a cruiser. It was a strange design, clearly pulling from many of the Element Zero ships rather than the more traditional human builds that relied on heavy armor. Still, the smooth lines and gentle curves were aesthetically pleasing, and so long as the performance was what she'd heard then she didn't mind looking good while cruising the galaxy.
Currently she was waiting outside the vessel alongside Captain Anderson, the two of them patiently waiting for the ship to be fully prepped for them to board. Workers were just now clearing up the last of their tools and running a visual inspection in the dry dock to ensure everything was ready to go. The two Spectre's that had joined them on their envoy to Earth stood a short ways away, the two turians talking in low tones about some business or another.
Ignoring them for the moment, the Commander quietly asked, "Got any more information about this first mission?"
Anderson glanced at her and replied, "Not much, we're retrieving a Prothean artifact from a remote planet, don't know how the Council got wind of it."
"Sounds quick and easy, get the crew settled and sort out ground deployments. What's the catch?" Jane questioned, showing her ability to sniff around political bullshit.
"It's out in the Terminus, near the frontline," Anderson admitted.
Shepard rolled her eyes and muttered, "Send us into a total warzone on our first flight. How considerate."
"She'll be fine, we'll be hidden from any of the pirates and other scum out there and we're too small for the capital ships to bother with," Anderson stated confidently.
"Will we have any Warden representative with us?" Jane thought to ask.
Smirking slightly at the question, Anderson responded, "I am afraid not. They are scheduled to arrive in the next two to four weeks, depending on how this first trip goes."
"Great. Let's hope an assault carrier doesn't catch our scent," Shepard drawled sarcastically.
"The Wardens have said that they have no interest in impeding our mission. We'll be fine, Commander," Anderson reassured her.
Sighing, Jane nodded before inquiring, "Any information about the situation on the ground?"
"Nothing specific, but we don't have any reports of action in the area. That could change quickly," the Captain warned.
"Probably the best we're going to get before we actually land. Schedule still the same?"
Anderson looked back to the Normandy and confirmed, "We head out tomorrow morning, assuming this last inspection passes, which it will. Workers did their job well, she's in good shape from what I've seen."
"Look forward to seeing her myself," Jane commented. After a moment's thought, she questioned, "Do you know if we've been given permission to study this Prothean artifact?"
"I'm not even sure the Council knows what it is. Dr. T'Soni might have explicit orders to figure that out," Anderson answered.
"Great," Shepard muttered.
Smiling, Anderson looked over to her and asked, "She will enjoy taking a look at whatever it is, no doubt."
"I'm sure she will," Jane confirmed. "She just wants to learn everything that there is, part of why I love her."
"You're concerned for her," Anderson observed.
Jane ducked her head and took a deep breath before admitting, "Yeah, I am."
"She's here because she's one of the foremost experts on the Reapers in the Alliance. Her help could save the galaxy, and unlike most of our scientists she won't be dead in the next hundred years. That extended lifespan plus her ability and desire to learn make her an invaluable asset to this team and the Alliance as a whole. She is perfectly capable of being on this crew and was assigned here for good reason," the Captain stated.
"No, I don't-, I know that, I just..." Shepard trailed off.
Placing a gentle hand on Jane's shoulder Anderson continued, "You're here because you're one of the most decorated soldiers of the Alliance. You've shown your leadership capabilities and aptitude both in and out of combat."
"Thank you sir, but I still worry," Jane interjected.
"Nothing will ever stop that, but I promise you as the Captain of this ship that I will do everything possible to safeguard it and its crew," Anderson promised.
Shepard shook her head slightly and responded, "I know you will, sir, but we will also be undertaking some of the most dangerous missions in the galaxy."
"Missions backed up by some of the best warriors in this galaxy and the next," the Captain countered.
"Some of which might be turned against us at any point," Shepard argued.
"Ahhh, so that's what this is about," Anderson muttered in realization.
Jane nodded and affirmed, "Yes, sir."
"Cut it out with the formalities, Shepard. It's just the two of us here," Anderson admonished. He sighed and leaned heavily against the railing as he continued, "You know more than most people what's going on with this whole joint operation. What we're after, what we're trying to do with this team. There's more than what you know, however, and contingencies exist to deal with the situation you're concerned about."
"There's more to this?" Jane inquired a bit incredulously.
"There's always more," Anderson groaned. "I know more than you and I still don't know everything. This is a very deep operation here Shepard, there's a lot that's going towards its success."
Jane nodded slowly, thinking about that as she said, "Thank you, Anderson. For that, and for listening."
"No problem, kid," the Captain replied. "Surprised you came to me with this, I must say."
"Liara hates it when I worry over her," Jane explained.
Anderson shrugged one shoulder and reassured her, "Ehhh, she knows it's because you care."
"Anyone waiting on you back home?" Shepard inquired.
"Nah, married to the service," Anderson responded.
The Commander merely nodded, satisfied with the answer as the two of them returned to their silent observation of the ongoing work. It was only a short time later that an Alliance engineer appeared at the end of the corridor, gesturing for the group to follow him to the docking tube.
A quick walk later and Shepard was finally stepping into the ship. It's interior was similar to the exterior, with aesthetics prioritized over many of the utilitarian features of human ships. There were no defensive bulkheads on corners nor isolation doors to maintain localized atmosphere in case of a breach. Considering that this was a stealth frigate that favored avoiding detection rather than direct combat, Shepard could accept the oversights even if they made her uncomfortable after serving on frontline vessels.
Many of the features of the ship were pretty standard Element Zero tech, just slightly modified for a more human crew. As for the Eezo core itself, it was much larger than that of a standard cruiser so as to supply the power necessary to all of the Normandy's systems. It was a heavily modified Tantalus core that would allow for fast and nimble movement as well as longer FTL trips. Unfortunately this also generated an incredible amount of heat, which was where the human engineering of the ship really came into play.
After having centuries of experience in designing and constructing the deuterium fusion reactors used in pre-Covenant War ships, the problem of dealing with Eezo core heat dispersion was simple in comparison. The standard temperatures in fusion reactors and drives on human ships could reach as high as 150 million degrees centigrade as the reactors created plasma byproducts. Dealing with that required magnetic containment fields and highly efficient heat recycling systems, both of which had been implemented on the Normandy to great effect. While the ship wouldn't be able to run indefinitely, it would take months of constant FTL travel to build up the heat necessary to overwhelm the systems that protected her.
Much as Jane enjoyed the thought of an indefinitely obscured heat signature, her interest was quickly drawn away from that as the engineer led them to a strange panel at the back of the engineering deck. Glancing over it, Jane narrowed her eyes as she picked out the profile of the Normandy displayed on the screen with a thin field wrapping around it.
The engineer confirmed her suspicions as he stated, "This is a stealth field given to us by the UNSC. It's apparently not as advanced as their standard suite on their prowlers, the Normandy doesn't have the power generation necessary to run that model. Still, this should do you well enough, it hides your visual and gravitational signature."
"How does it work?" Anderson inquired.
"Not a damn clue, we installed the nodes on the outer hull and hooked it up here and to the bridge. One of my electrical guys poked into it, he couldn't make much sense of it without breaking the whole thing," he replied.
That seemed to be the end of that as the group moved on, only a few disparate questions being asked as they continued on through the ship. Shepard was slightly mollified at seeing the defensively designed armory and bridge entrance, both sporting heavy bulkheads and blast doors. The bridge itself wasn't particularly impressive, featuring pilot and copilot seats with little else. Sparse as the bridge was, Jane was not surprised when they arrived at the VI hub, the center of the computer network for the entire ship.
An empty holographic plinth stood in the middle of the room with servers lining the walls, providing a decent amount of computational power for the Normandy. Apparently the VI built for the ship went by the moniker of EDI, short for Enhanced Defense Intelligence. Much as Shepard suspected it was more than a simple Virtual Intelligence as allowed by the Council, she was unwilling to voice such suspicions with the two Spectres trailing them.
There wasn't much to the rest of the ship, none of the ground vehicles were aboard yet and so the Commander was not left with much to evaluate aside from basic amenities. The actual ship operations were Anderson's area, as were the quality and control measures necessary for the Normandy to operate in atmospheric and exo environments.
Eventually the showcase came to an end, leaving the group of four alone in the briefing room as the engineer left to see to his other duties. Satisfied with what she had seen, Shepard leaned against the wall with her arms crossed as Anderson filled out some paperwork on a datapad that he had gotten from their guide. Both of the Spectres were similarly relaxed, though one of them had to answer a couple of the Captain's questions at one point. Jane didn't care to listen to that, instead staring out at the beautiful void of space outside.
"Shepard?" Anderson asked, drawing her attention.
"Sir?" Jane replied, standing upright and facing the Captain.
Anderson looked to Spectre Vakarian, who nodded and stated, "Commander Jane Shepard, you have been nominated as a candidate for the Spectres by the Systems Alliance."
"Yeah?" Shepard responded after waiting a second for anything more than that.
"You already knew," Garrus surmised.
"I was informed by the Alliance a while ago that I was being nominated," Jane confirmed.
A grunt came from the Turian as he noted, "That's not standard procedure."
"Is there a standard procedure that the Alliance should have followed?" Anderson interjected.
"No, I suppose not," the Spectre muttered. "It's not that important. This mission will be your initial evaluation. Unlike most candidates, both myself and Spectre Arterius will oversee your evaluations. This is a special case and we must be sure that you are ready for the position and responsibility."
"I won't disappoint," Jane said confidently.
Garrus smiled slightly and agreed, "No doubt, Shepard. I'll join you when we deploy onto the ground during the mission. Spectre Arterius has a different assignment from the Council and will join the crew when he finishes his investigation."
"Understood. Will see you when we board," Shepard responded, recognizing that the Spectre was in a hurry to leave.
Garrus nodded and turned to leave. Before he followed, Saren looked at both of them and simply stated, "Captain, Commander."
Anderson raised a hand in goodbye and waited for them to leave. Turning to speak to him, Shepard paused as the Captain held up a hand and pulled something from his pocket. After looking at it for a moment, he put it away again and nodded at her to speak.
"One Spectre for the ship? I thought the Council was putting both of them on this," Jane started.
"Spectre Tela Vasir went missing in the Terminus a short while ago. Council has kept it quiet, but they don't want to risk it happening again. They'll watch each other's back, a guarantee against the Wardens when they board," Anderson explained.
Shepard tilted her head back in understanding, waiting for a moment before muttering, "So, officially a Spectre candidate."
"Congrats, kid. Do a good job, there's a lot riding on this," Anderson replied.
"Council gives Humanity a seat to bring us closer," Jane agreed.
The Captain sighed and added, "They're concerned about a war with the Wardens. Not so much about losing, more about how they will take control of their territory."
"The Wardens aren't making it easy, their conflict out in the Terminus isn't exactly subtle," Jane pointed out.
"The Covenant was never subtle, nothing has changed there. They are tempered by the UEG, but the UNSC is throwing around some heavy weight in that fight," Anderson responded.
Shepard glanced at him and inquired, "Are you afraid of a war with them?"
"You're a smart kid, Shepard," Anderson said suddenly. "The goal of the Wardens is not total war with the Citadel."
It only took a few moments for Jane to realize, "They want a cold war, encourage the Council to build up its forces to prepare for the Reapers."
"Best way to defend the galaxy is get it to defend itself," Anderson commented.
"Have they found proof of the Reapers then?" Jane asked.
Anderson frowned and replied, "Classified."
"Well fuck," the Commander summarized.
"Mission's changed, Shepard. We're not looking for proof that the Reapers exist, we want to prove that they do to the Council."
Jane grimaced and grumbled, "That won't be easy."
"No it will not," the Captain agreed. "We will do what we can, though. We're not alone in working on this problem, just another possible solution."
"I'll take it," Shepard commented, leaving the two of them in a somber silence.
Not entirely happy with this chapter, but as you see, things are starting to roll. Finally.
I know a lot of people like this story because it focuses on the civilization side of things rather than just war. That will continue, let me be clear. There will be conflict, but it won't be a focus.
Thank you for reading.
-evevee