Title: Ship of The Line – Effect 31
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific.
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, Star Trek or Mass Effect... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: Bored with how things are going to play out, Janus interferes more directly in Halloween, making things more interesting and changing the course of the entire Galaxy. (Buffy/Star Trek/Mass Effect)
Elayna resisted the urge to rub her temple as she stood next to the fellow Councillors on the Council Plinth and the Batarian representative was yelling at them from across the gap. Why had she bothered to agree to a fifth term as the Asari Councillor? Oh yeah, because it would have gone to the political climber Tevos or the bitch Benezia, but at times like this she wished she had let one of them deal with this crap.
"For the hundredth time, it was not the Turian Hierarchy who has been attacking the Batarian Homogony." The Turian Councillor.
The Batarian representative began yelling again. Eight months ago, an unknown force destroyed twenty Batarian Warships, and someone had been attacking their Slave Ships for about a year before that. Since that first battle, six more military engagements between this force and the Batarians had occurred, with the Batarians losing badly every time. Even two Batarian Dreadnaughts had been destroyed. The Batarians had fallen back, abandoning settlements and outposts, and the last time they had been beaten like that it was by the Turians, so they assumed it was them again.
There was a commotion at the back of the Council Chambers as a group moved forward. They were a mixed group, including four Asari, six Turians, a Krgoan, five Quarians and… whatever the leader was. The group were all dressed in black uniforms, most with a red highlight, a few with blue or yellow, and the leader with a grey trim. Even the Quarian Environmental Suits were in the same colour scheme as the rest of the group.
The leader looked a pale Asari but with hair, like the Quarians had under their helmets. A new species was a surprise but so were the Quarians, especially as a young Quarian seemed to be the primary Aide to the leader. No one had seen any Quarian, apart from the diminishing group of Indentures on Illium, in almost two years. Even the massive Quarian Fleet had seemingly disappeared.
"I assume I am addressing the Citadel Council." The leader asked as she stood on the small balcony across from the Council Plinth.
The Batarian Representative had moved as the intimidating group approached.
"Yes." The Salarian Councillor replied.
"I am Ambassador Jenny Calendar." The leader said. "My race is called Humanity and I represent an organisation called Section 31."
"If you wish to join the Council Space then we will send you the standard package with the rules, laws and military restrictions." The Turian Councillor said.
"You miss understand, Councillor." Jenny said, as one of the Quarians set an item down on the floor. "Section 31 does not want to join Council Space. Section 31, and our Quarian Allies on New Rannoch…."
"The Quarians settled a planet?" the Turian Councillor asked, angrily. "They are forbidden. We will bomb the planet back to…."
"Touch the Quarrians and we will destroy you." Jenny snapped so sharply the entire chambers went quiet. "Your, frankly ridiculous, prohibition only applies within Council Space. New Rannoch is not in Council Space, it is in Section 31 Space, and we will obliterate any force that comes to our space with that intention."
The Turian Councillor was so angry he could not speak, his mandibles simply quivering in rage.
"The Quarians created an AI." Elayna explained as if to a child.
"And we already told them how stupid that was, but it has been a Century." Ambassador Calendar replied. "Besides, our own AI are way more advanced than the Geth and aren't networked."
"Are you Insane?" The Salarian Councillor said. "They will turn on you."
"Hasn't happened in the last six centuries." The Ambassador said with a shrug. "We trust our AI a hell of a lot more than we trust you."
"You will kick the Quarians off that world and will destroy all of your AI." The Turian Councillor growled.
"Why would we do that?" Calendar asked, nonchalantly. "You have no authority over us."
"You have Council Citizens in your entourage." Elayna pointed out.
"Do we?" Ambassador Calendar. "Humanity had never been part of the Council Community, and the entire Quarian Race was stripped of the Citizenship and cast out a Century ago. As for the others, they have all renounced their Citadel Citizenship in favour of Section 31 Citizenship."
"They can't simply renounce…." The Turian Councillor began.
"So, your practice Slavery?" The Ambassador snapped.
"Of course not." The Salarian Councillor replied.
"Then legally you must allow individuals to renounce their citizenship." Calendar pointed out.
Seeing the Turian Councillor was about to have another outburst, Elayna put her hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Very well, Ambassador." Elayna interceded. "You obviously came here to discuss something, so let's get to that issue."
"There were two items." Calendar began, tapping a control on her wrist.
From a holoprojector that one of the Quarians had placed on the ground, a huge map of the galaxy was project into the void between the Section 31 Delegation and the Council.
"Firstly, the highlighted area is Section 31's claimed space." The Ambassador said.
A section of the map was highlighted. The part closest to Council Space was close to some Turian Colonies, including some unexplored areas and extending deep into what was recognised as Batarian Space.
"Much of that belongs to the Batarians." The Salarian Councillor pointed out.
"Not since we liberated it. Section 31 has been at war with the Batarian Homogony for almost two years to end their Slave Trade." Calendar replied.
The Batarian Representative tried to surge forward at the Ambassador only to stopped by the Section 31 Krogan.
"Just give me an excuse, Slaver." The Krogan growled.
"Very well." Elayna said. "The Council has no interest in that area at the moment. We will respect your boarders. And the other issue?"
"In five days, large elements of the Quarian Fleet will be jumping into these two systems." The Ambassador said, highlighting two remote systems that are technically in Council Space. "They will stay in the vicinity of the Mass Relay long enough to get organised and then they will jump out. If all goes well, they will return through the same two systems in a few weeks."
One of the two systems was a tiny Drell Colony and the other was not inhabited.
"We appreciate the notification." Elayna acknowledged, knowing better than to ask about what would be happening.
Ambassador Calendar nodded, and the Section 31 delegation turned and walked out.
"We will send ships to covertly observe this movement." Elayna said quietly enough not to carry to the rest of the chambers. "An Asari ship."
She added the last when she saw the anger in the Turian Councillor's eyes. If he had his way there would be war.
"The STG will set up observation posts along the new boarder to see what they can discover." The Slarian Councillor added, also softly.
"Agreed." The Turian Councillor growled after a few moments.
TBC….