Anam Cara - Soul Friend/Mate (Gaelic)
SILC - Synthetic Intelligence Life Codes (previously known as Geth)
A Calm Resolve
Prothean Ruins, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 11 Jul 2192
Rasha looked around one last time before signaling Prime Vidan, who responded by quickly approaching. As he came to a halt in front of her, she was thinking, It's beyond amazing to me how much the members of the SILC Collective have learned about the various languages, particularly phraseology, sentence structures, shortcuts… even slang. She was reminded of it nearly every time she spoke with them. Vidan was certainly no exception and when his machine voice posed the question, "Need something, Rasha?" she simply had to chuckle.
"I don't mean to laugh, but I love it so! You do realize how much you are starting to sound just like the rest of us, with your learned speech mannerisms, don't you?"
Vidan's lights shined brightly for a millisecond, and he actually responded with a laugh himself. "That is the goal of living among you… to not only learn your speech patterns, but your preferences in communication… particularly the differences between rudeness and what you consider teasing. That is the one mannerism with which we have had the most difficulty." He paused only briefly before continuing, "But I am sure that is not the purpose behind you waving at me to capture my attention, so what is it you need, Rasha?"
Smiling, she answered, "I'm just going over my final checklist before we call it a day. I want to be able to call Liara this evening to tell her everything is ready for the students' arrival Friday night."
"We are complete except for the final temporary structure." The Prime pointed at the large transport container that had been dropped at the site. "The package is still in storage. We saw no need to pre-deploy the pieces – with the possible risk of overnight damage – until tomorrow morning, seeing as Doctor T'Soni and the students will not arrive until late tomorrow afternoon. It was my understanding she wanted them to see… and possibly participate… in the construction of the last shelter. Has this changed?"
"No, it has not." Rasha nodded in approval. "That's excellent. And the pyramid entry? Located and cleared?"
"Yes," replied Vidan, with an echoing nod. "And the tunnel has been reinforced and made safe for transit. Nothing will interfere with travel to the pyramid's entry so long as the reinforced structural beams remain intact, and the barrier generators continue working. We have placed many more generators than needed to maintain tunnel integrity, with a full fifty percent overlap, so if one fails, the two adjacent generators still have the complete space covered. Perhaps a bit excessive… but they are inexperienced students, and we were told to err on the side of organic safety, just in case someone becomes too inquisitive for their own good and accidently powers down a generator."
At that Rasha had to chuckle again. "One never knows, so whoever told you that was likely spot-on. Though, they are doctoral students, so a bit older than your regular college kid. They may be offended if you call them 'inexperienced' to their face."
Vidan's lights flickered, indicating communication with the Consensus. "Potential for offense is noted… even though none of these students have completed any form of fieldwork to date, so them being inexperienced is a factual assessment."
"Yes, it is… but realizing you don't know something and having it thrown in your face are two entirely different things. You can still ask them to be careful and explain the barrier system to them as part of the site orientation… and tell them everyone gets the same briefing, no matter who they are. You might even give Doctor T'Soni a glance and mention her by name. Remind them that every work site has the potential to be different, even with the same deployment kit. I'll even mention it to her, so she understands the purpose of you singling her out."
Rasha couldn't actually hear anything, but she imagined little thought gears spinning in his head as he attempted to understand her point. She was somewhat surprised when his lights flashed one final time and he responded, "The Consensus understands this approach and will comply. Thank you for the excellent insight, Rasha."
Prothean Ruins, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 14 Jul 2192
Being located on the same planet, the travel time to the dig site was extremely short by normal dig site transit measurements. Even so, they had all gotten to bed rather late. The whole idea of having the students attempt the construction of the last shelter was nothing less than what Liara could only describe as an eye-opening experience. If nothing else, it certainly gave the class an appreciation for what an advance logistics team faces upon their arrival at a new location… and this was on their homeworld!
Breathable atmosphere, what they considered 'normal' gravity, nothing out of the ordinary… and the construction still took nearly five hours. The first four were spent mostly struggling; the final hour was the actual construction completion by the SILC, while the students watched in awe of their efficiency. When Liara asked the students what they had learned, they all had basically the same response. "Contract and hire the SILC for mobilization!" She had only laughed and told them to make their way to bed as, after a day like that, morning would seem to come much too soon.
Surprisingly, when Liara joined the group nearly thirty minutes before the morning's designated show time, many of the students were already there, speaking with Rasha, Sal and Rix about multiple topics, ranging from how they got started, what their program had consisted of and, of course, what it was like working with the saviors of the galaxy. Sparing them from answering, Liara walked over and smiled, responding, "You have me all semester to figure out the answer to that one on your own. For now, let us turn our attention to Prime Vidan, so he can brief us on all the safety protocols for working in the ruins." Looking to the SILC, she prompted, "Shall we begin?"
Once Vidan completed the safety briefing as he and Rasha had discussed a few days before, Rasha took control of the group and issued the necessary equipment. "Now, we will proceed down through the tunnel. As Vidan cautioned, do not linger, and don't touch any of the equipment. It is a new tunnel and the unexpected can always happen. If something does go wrong, remain calm, knowing we have a full support team here. Keep track of your gear and watch where you step. No one has seen the inside of these ruins for 50,000 years, so everything is important, no matter how inconsequential it may appear at first glance."
She paused for a brief moment to locate and hold up a device. "Remember! This is your most important tool at the onset of any dig, especially a fresh site like this one! Pictures and locational mapping occur first, before anything is touched or moved! Only after that is complete do we begin careful exploration of the chamber. Watch where you step as we move through, one chamber at a time… and, depending on what we find here, this could be our site for the duration of your time in the program. Should we locate anything of significance, we would remain here, working this site again on our next trip, rather than make the scheduled trip to Sol."
Liara smiled and added, "There is also a possibility we will find what the Department of Antiquities –who, by the way, funded this trip for you – sent us here to find. Should such an artifact be discovered, we will clear away debris and secure the location, so they can bring in specialists to do the in-depth study. You may also have the opportunity to see Shepard at work, with her amazing ability to read, understand and speak the Prothean language. It is an amazing experience… one that few have had the chance to witness."
One of the students raised a hand, catching Liara's attention, to ask, "So, it's true that she was the one mostly responsible for the development of the lexicon?"
"In a way, yes." Liara smiled and glanced in Shepard's direction. "She is most definitely a talented polyglot… and speaks every prime language within the Council races, and a few more on top of those. A unique gift that aided us in numerous instances through the multiple conflicts we've been involved in over the past decade." Liara couldn't help but grin as every one of the students turned to look at Shepard in awe.
"I'll get you for that one later, T'Soni," Shepard chuckled. Looking at the students she shook her head and chuckled. "Yes, it's true… and it's part of what got us to where we are today; living and breathing in today's galaxy, no matter what the Reapers thought they were going to do to us. My one piece of advice to all of you is never, ever give up… especially when you really want something. There is always a way to accomplish your goals. You just need to find it."
The first day on the site was a rather adventurous one – at least for the students. Liara felt as though each one had asked a thousand questions. She had little time to relax and was incredibly glad she had thought of bringing the entire Sal/Rix/Rasha team to assist in the dig instruction. What pleased her the most was the level of student involvement; their questions were frequent and of high quality, staying focused on the tasks at hand and solely regarding archaeology. At break times, which Liara was sure to take every time they completed their survey of the current room in which they were located, they discussed what they had seen and if anyone had unanswered questions to ask, or observations they cared to share.
At the end of the last segment for the day, Liara spoke to the group. "Everyone here has their own eyes… with an individual viewpoint to go along with what they have seen. Each person may see something differently. No single interpretation is right or wrong, and only through discourse can we resolve differences and perhaps come up with a consensus of thought. In this particular case, however, we have living Protheans to assist us… something archaeologists in the past have never had." Liara's smile grew wide. "When I began studying the Prothean culture, never in a million years did I expect what were theories would be actually proven correct."
Her smile faded and her eyes clouded. "Given my theories regarding some immensely powerful mechanical race destroying the Protheans, however…" She paused only briefly before drawing a deep calming breath and continuing, "In this instance, I would have much rather been proven wrong, than be in the position I am now. Proof that the Reapers existed cost the galaxy more than any of us cared to pay."
Sal was standing next to her and, as Liara's voice cracked with her last statement, turned to draw her into a reassuring hug. "But you made us ready, Liara. You and Shepard pulled victory out of… out of the madness of an unbelievable Reaper reality. You found the plans for the device… and then, Shepard somehow managed to convince the entire galaxy to help build it! This is why the two of you are heroes! The fighting? The actual war? Yes, the news coverage of all that made you famous… but doing the research, finding those device plans, and getting it built in time? That was something only a researcher… an archaeologist who believed… could do. And I know you get tired of hearing it but you and Shepard together, as a team, did that… so, thank you."
Many of the students were nodding in agreement, but one of them spoke up and answered, "Yes, Doctor T'Soni. Thank you for being who you are and for being willing to teach that passion to others." She paused to look around the cavernous room in which they all stood. "I never believed I would be standing inside an actual Prothean pyramid… as a student! When they polled all of us regarding the new curriculum changes and asked if we would desire and be able to accommodate such a trip within our class schedule? There was no question my answer was an absolute yes!"
That statement brought out a chorus of agreement, accompanied by cheers and joyous laughter, bringing tears to Liara's eyes. After a moment, she managed an honest smile and answered, "Thank you, all… for the support of the curriculum and being here with me for the weekend. I couldn't ask for more from the first group to do such an excursion with me." She paused and looked at Rasha. "So, that concludes today's session. Rasha, if you would lead us out, please?"
"Doctor T'Soni?" A student's voice rose from somewhere in the middle of the group of thirty. "Would you be willing to come back after dinner? I mean, we're only here for the two days… and it's not like we have anything else to do with our time out here, especially after dark. I don't know about everyone else, but I would be happy to come back down after we eat and work for a couple more hours… maybe move into the next room?"
Liara stared at the group with something akin to amazement. "Is that truly what you wish to do?"
She could only laugh at the excited babble she received in answer to her question. She glanced at her watch and discussed the issue quickly with Shepard via the link. "Alright then. Dinner first, then we'll rally at the door at 8 PM. We will only have a couple of hours though… because we honestly need to be out and in the housing shelters by 11:00 for a good night's rest. Acceptable?"
Rasha grinned and shook her head in amazed approval, a grin on her lips as she said, "Alright then. You heard the doctor. If we plan on coming back here tonight, we'd better get moving. Watch your footing and follow me!"
Prothean Ruins, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 15 Jul 2192
As the previous evening passed, Liara could tell the students, even with their youthful exuberance, were tiring so called a halt, chasing them out of the dig site and to their beds. Even after the late-night work, the morning had started on time, the students once again showing up early, as eager as they were on the first day. They quickly ate breakfast while Liara laid out the plan for the day, then everyone made their way back into the Pyramid, immediately starting the task of cataloguing the artifacts they had mapped the previous night.
It was just before lunch when Shepard came to her. "Liara. A moment please?" Shepard had apparently attempted to contact her through the link, but Liara was so involved with her students, she didn't hear the quiet mental tap.
"Of course, Shepard." Liara excused herself from the group she was speaking with and started to walk towards her bondmate, who flashed a quick smile.
"Just bear with me a moment and come with me… I have something to show you." After a moment's walk down a side passage into what appeared to be a storage room, Shepard stopped. "Have you ever been in – or read anything about – a pyramid that had stairs going down from the bottom entry level?"
"No…" Liara paused a moment before continuing, "The Prothean's were… are… very utilitarian. If the space was something they needed, they made it accessible. Why would you ask that?"
"Because I felt something from this general direction… and sought it out, but when I found only a storage room, I thought I was mistaken." She paused and walked toward the far wall. "That is, until I decided to simply look around… and found this."
As she approached the wall and raised her hand, the outline of a hidden door suddenly glowed, with a virtual control panel appearing, seemingly out of thin air. "The panel reads 'lower level access,' and there are commands to open, close, lock and unlock the entrance. I'm going to step back and let you walk over… but, I do believe, it has a sensor which, like the virtual constructs we've run into at other facilities, actually senses that I am a Prothean…"
Shepard stepped back far enough for the panel to fade back into the ether, then motioned for Liara to step up. "Be prepared to light up your barrier, in case it also has defensive countermeasures… I will do the same."
A voice behind them surprised them both as Riana growled, "Not on your life!"
Startled, the couple spun in surprise, with Liara greeting their tagalong. "Riana! Goddess, you surprised us! That's hard to do."
"But not unexpected." Shepard nodded her head, a smirk on her face as she added, "I wondered how long it would be before you realized we had left the room." She chuckled quietly. "A little slow on the uptake compared to your normal response time, Ri."
"This is no joking matter, Captain!" Riana glowered angrily as she asked, "Just what exactly are you doing?"
"I found a door, and I'm testing a theory," Shepard responded without hesitation. "None of the other devices we have ever encountered had active defenses. Even the passive barrier on Therum didn't pop up until Li punched too many wrong buttons. And, just like every other site we've been to, no active defenses were present… note I said not present… not that any existed and were inactive. I expect there is nothing here, as well… my barrier ready comment was just an added precaution."
"And if you approach the door with an active barrier, the system could react differently," conceded Riana. "Even so, you should not be out here alone without commando escort. You know this."
"Yeah, because one of Liara's students, whom we vetted so carefully, could still be a paid assassin…" Just the look on Riana's face made Shepard realize her sarcastic comment was a step too far and she immediately raised both hands in apology and surrender, adding, "Alright, even though we know these students are no threat, that was uncalled for, I know. Sorry, Riana. You are absolutely correct we should have told you... but, now that you're here…"
"I will approach the device, not Lady Liara." Her tone brokered no argument and Shepard stepped to the side, indicating Riana should proceed. "Thank you for not arguing the point, Shepard."
With that, Riana walked toward the wall, only to get no reaction from the supposed doorway. Getting bolder, she actually went all the way to the wall, stating, "This is remarkable. Even as close as I am, I can see no seams… no indication of a doorway, whatsoever." She took another step and ran her hand across the stone. Surprised, she took a step back. "It's… warm."
"Yes, it is," Shepard nodded. "If you are willing to back off and let me give it a go, I'll see if I can unlock it. As long as it's not bio-coded to a particular individual, I should be able to do so… but I'd like both of you back a bit… just in case there does happen to be any type of defenses on the other side of that door."
Liara moved back immediately, even as she added, "Before you attempt to open it, I do have a confession to make." She paused as both her companions stopped dead in their tracks and turned to look at her. "Matriarch Elesia selected this site because of unpredictable, infrequent power flashes. They occur on an irregular basis with no discernable pattern… indicating something here has power but is potentially unstable. What we don't know is why the power apparently cycles instead of remaining either on or off. She thinks it very possible there is something here actively monitoring and controlling the power… and she wants to know what it is."
"That's the real 'artifact' she sent us to find? A potential power source and whatever the mechanism is that is here to control it?" Shepard raised a brow and rubbed her chin. "That is not something you should have kept secret from the planning team, T'Soni. With power available, there actually could be active defenses… anywhere in this structure! What if one of the students accidentally triggered something?"
As if the concerned irritation bubbling through the link wasn't enough, the hard tone of Samantha's voice certainly told Liara she was in trouble with her bondmate. Riana recognized it immediately as well and took a step back; even as Liara's first, she did not care to get in the middle of this particular conversation.
Liara knew this was a serious matter and immediately relented. "You are absolutely correct, Shepard, but Matriarch Elesia swore me to secrecy regarding the true nature of the artifact… until this very point. She told me that when it became apparent the energy source was truly some form of Prothean tech and not criminal activity or something left over from plunderers, I would be free to tell you everything. Which I have now done. She truly didn't believe a bunch of students would find something that had remained so well hidden for 50,000 years."
Sensing Shepard calming, Liara relaxed a bit and her shoulders dropped with the decreasing tension level. "But, neither could she take into account your ability to sense Prothean technology… because we have never revealed that to anyone. Well, except the Prothean leadership. Once we agreed to the exchange meld after we first met, we couldn't have hidden that from them if we had wanted to."
"Fuck," Shepard growled at herself. "So, this is partially my fault for not wanting my… our… secret out. You're right. She couldn't have known I would detect this… and even that happened only because I got bored, then curious, and started wandering around in the outer edges."
Riana looked back and forth between the couple before asking, "All that aside, what do we do now?" She was extremely glad this hadn't blown up into a full-fledged argument. Riana remembered – all too well – how much the last big fight had torn both of them up… both too sure of their own position to give in and both positively miserable to live with the entire time, until they finally sat down and talked their way through it.
"Well, what's done is done… and none of that really matters at the moment anyway." Shepard shrugged. "If we're going to continue working with Elesia, I suppose we need to tell her about this when we get back… but, in the meantime, I don't believe our way forward needs to change. You two back up a bit, and I'll see if I can open the door."
"By the Goddess!" was all Liara could say as she stared out across the floor. They had climbed down a long, spiral staircase to a lower level – only to discover a space very much like the catacombs of Ilos, only smaller. None of them had ever seen anything like this within any of the pyramids they had seen to date.
It immediately made Shepard wonder if they needed to return to the other sites, so she could walk the perimeter walls to see if there were any more like this one. "This is huge! We need to remain calm and call Ilos as soon as possible." Shepard's eyes were wide as she took in what was before them. "I can't believe all this remained intact… and functional! Must have been because it is so well concealed. The Reapers likely concluded it was a ghost signal, being as intermittent and irregular as it was, and simply skipped over it. It's… simply amazing."
"We also need to contact Matriarch Elesia… so she can inform the Board of Governesses," added Liara. "Which means we need to return to the surface and pull all the students in preparation for departure. Getting them to leave at the regularly scheduled time after such a discovery may be extremely difficult."
Riana was still staring in wonder at what lay before her eyes. "Are they all truly alive?"
"Oh, they're alive… at least some of them. See all the ones that are dark? Those stasis units are either empty… or its contents deceased… and have been powered down to conserve power for the others." Shepard drew a deep breath and continued, "I also remember how protective Aelia was of the last batch they reawakened. She will want the same thing here, so we have to be very careful about how we handle this."
She looked at Liara and continued, "You do realizie we have to tell the students, to quell rumors and explain to them just how important it is they keep this quiet for now, right? We need to give the leadership, from both Thessia and Ilos, time to talk this through and figure out a way forward. My biggest fear is word gets out and a new rush starts, where parties who have no idea what they are doing go hunting, trying to make the next big discovery."
Liara gasped, "And inadvertently kill all the Protheans within!"
"Or, worse… occupy the sites and hold them for ransom." Shepard's face was an expressionless mask as she said those words.
"They wouldn't!" As soon as she said it, Liara realized how naïve that assessment was. "Goddess! Some groups would, wouldn't they."
"Anything for a profit… and they would expect a big one for some… what?" Shepard's eyes swept over the entire field of stasis pod racks, stacked ten high. "2000 Prothean souls?"
Riana's voice cut through their pondering. "Nothing is going to happen unless we get our asses out of here and you relock that door, Shepard. Time to get moving."
"Absolutely right, Ri." Shepard looked at her bondmate with a soft, understanding smile. "Just like our first run on Ilos, Li. However much you want to stay, it's time to go, Doctor."
Prothean Ruins, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 18 Jul 2192
Liara should have expected Matriarch Elesia to have a contingency plan in place, which she did, and the Minister of Antiquities instantly turned into a tornado of activity. Messages went out to the necessary parties with ten minutes of her conversation with Liara and, over the course of the next couple of hours, their contingency response team had gathered and begun to make the necessary preparations for their departure from the city.
Prothean First Female Aelia Dethan was also nothing if not efficient. She had her own team put together within an hour of the phone call from Shepard, and they had departed Ilos that very evening. By the time they reached Athena Nebula three days later, an Asari envoy ship was already waiting for them at the relay, to escort them directly to the pyramid site.
Even though the student group had departed – along with their professor – Shepard, Rasha, and the SILC engineering team had remained behind to safeguard the site and enlarge the parking apron to accommodate more… and likely larger… ships. Rasha had seen how site activity could explode following a major find such as this and wanted to make sure they were ready. In that three-day period, they had made a landing pad large enough to hold four cruisers at the same time.
Via the link, Shepard remained in regular contact with Liara, keeping her apprised of the status. {First ship is touching down now, Li… so I need to go. If you have time, feel free to eavesdrop, but I'm going to concentrate on the Prothean contingent and give Aelia my full attention.}
{Thank you, Sam… I'll listen in when I can, but I have three appointments remaining today. I truly wish I could be there with you, and I still plan to see you late Friday afternoon… as soon as we can get there after my last class.}
{Looking forward to it, Anam Cara. Gotta go!}
Aelia jumped off the end of the stairs before they even touched the ramp and Shepard smiled at the First Female. "Welcome to Thessia, Aelia! Screw the formalities and follow me. The Asari envoys can catch up."
"Thank you so much, Shepard. You have no idea how relieved I am that it was you and Liara who made this discovery! Who knows what could have happened, had anyone else been the ones to locate another set of active catacombs!"
Shepard started moving as she spoke, so Aelia didn't even need to stop. Looking over her shoulder at Rasha, Shepard grinned. "You know the way, so bring the rest of 'em whenever they're ready. If they're angry I didn't wait, tell them…" She paused only a second before finishing, "Never mind… just bring 'em down!"
Once Shepard unlocked the door and informed the SILC standing guard of the approaching Asari contingent, she and Aelia headed down. Aelia didn't slow until she reached the bottom of the stairs and looked out upon the stacks of stasis pods. Her pace slowed considerably as she contemplated what was truly in front of her. "By the heavens, Shepard… so many lights… are they…"
She stopped, her throat not wanting to function properly. Shepard reached out to lay a hand gently upon her shoulder. "I don't know for sure, Aelia, but yes… the pods with lights are still functional. I do not, however, know the status of the Protheans within. Honestly, we don't understand Prothean physiology enough to risk opening any of them… and I remember how protective you were with the other group you recovered. I decided if they have waited 50,000 years, another 3 days until you arrived couldn't possibly matter."
She dropped her hand as Aelia peeled her attention from the pods to turn and face the captain. "Thank you, Samantha… for the notification and for respecting our ways. If all those lights…" Again, she stopped speaking, her throat closing with emotion.
Shepard smiled softly. "I know… it's hard to process. I want you to know I did some quick calculations, and I already have Tali returning to Ilos to place five more biodomes. With her SILC construction team, I imagine they may be up and operational before you make it back with all your new Prothean friends. They'll have quite the adjustment to make… just like you did."
Aelia drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I managed… and they will do so, as well, as they have us to follow. We will teach them their new history… everything since the awakening… as soon as they are ready."
Prime Vidan had been monitoring the pods since their discovery, and finally entered the conversation. "I have also been engaged, First Aelia. I took the liberty of contacting the Consensus, and we are currently energizing platforms for three more housing construction teams. To start, we are currently gathering enough materials to build an additional one thousand housing units. Jorè and Mujin are reworking the city expansion timeline with Akrelo, who also has an additional 198 Batarians scheduled to arrive over the next three months, mostly in family groups of three or four, requiring a total of 71 homes, just for them."
"City expansion timeline?" Aelia looked rather puzzled as she looked at the SILC unit before her.
"Yes," responded Vidan. "Jorè and Mujin discussed this after your departure and feel expanding Oasia that much more could potentially strain the local resources, at least until the infrastructure is better developed, so they are moving forward on development of the second site, Ilion."
"Ahhh, of course!" Aelia nodded. "So… they plan on sending this group of survivors, along with the newly inbound Batarians, there? Is it the Ilion location where they want to build the new homes?"
Vidan's lights flashed. "If you are not opposed to the idea, yes."
Aelia finally realized what was happening and pointed at the Prime. "And you are speaking with them right now… through the Consensus… and via a second platform on Ilos!"
"Yes."
"Then tell them I agree with the plan and to get busy building!" She paused, looking out upon the pods. "And I am sure you have completed a count of the still active pods showing life signs… being the basis for your 1,000 housing units."
"Yes. There are a total of 4000 pods, 1,563 showing active life signs. Of those, we used family distribution numbers similar to those existing at Oasia. We can adjust numbers and build more or less as required, once the pods have been transferred to Ilos and we have more information on who sleeps within."
"Wait. What?" Aelia stared at the SILC. "You can transport the pods… without disturbing the stasis?"
"Yes. The pods have independent back up power that can last for up to three hours. Each pod can be transferred to interior power, relocated to one of our transports, then connected and powered by ship systems within 43 minutes, 27 seconds. We assumed you would prefer to wake them on their new homeworld, surrounded by their own people. Is this not the case?"
"By the stars above! Yes!" Aelia was actually laughing and crying at the same time. "I had no idea such a thing was possible! Thank you!"
"It will require two days of preparation time to identify and mark the exact pods that need to be transferred. Once we have the final count, we can land the ships and begin the loading and transport process." Vidan paused for a moment before adding, "Jorè believes it would be better to bring in one ship and get started, completing the transfer incrementally rather than in mass. He would like your opinion."
"I agree," Aelia answered without hesitation. "It would reduce the workload at the receiving end and give us more time to adjust power distribution as the load increases, to make sure the systems in place can handle it." She shook her head. "The last thing we would want would be to relocate everyone and then lose them all to a stupid power failure!"
The Prime nodded. "Agreed. Though the possibility of a power system failure is remote, it is not zero. Even with the pods having a three-hour reserve as a safety net, incremental loading is a logical approach. Also, I am unsure if you would agree, but it would also allow time for a phased awakening, as houses get finished. Rather than build all 1,000 houses at once, basically finishing them all at the same time, we could complete fifty at a time. Combined with a phased awakening, we could ensure everyone has a place to call home when they wake."
"And not overwhelm the caretakers at the same time. Even as eager as we are to have them join us, the idea has merit, so I will discuss that with Jorè and Mujin once we get home. Everything else sounds excellent, so… let's get started." She looked at Shepard and asked, "Do you think there will be any problem getting the approval of the Thessian leadership to do this?"
Surprising everyone, Councilor Tevos' voice answered the question. "Absolutely not. These are your people, Aelia… and if you feel they will be better served by transporting them to their new home while still in stasis, then that is how it shall be done."
Shepard's eyes lit up and she immediately moved to hug her friend. "Gods, Rae! It's good to see you. Why are you here?"
"Good to see you, too, Samantha." Rae paused and took a moment to look around. "By the Goddess! This is… unimaginable! To know they have been here all this time, none of us the wiser…" She shook her head and turned back to the group to answer Shepard's question. "I am here because the Governesses wisely decided this was an inter-species issue that needed to be handled at the Council level. Then, seeing as we are on Thessian soil and I was the one who originally dealt with the arrival of our Prothean friends, the rest of the Council was quite happy to hand the task over to me."
She smiled and reached out to shake Aelia's hand, who surprised her by pulling her in for a hug. "Thank you… and it is good to see you again, my friend." Aelia stepped back and waved her hand in the general direction of the stasis pods. "I don't know if you were within hearing range when Vidan offered his estimate of 1,500 some pods still showing life signs… It is a miracle!"
"By the Goddess! No, I did not hear that!" Rae drew a sharp breath and asked, "What is your current population? It couldn't have grown by that much yet, has it?"
"With the breeding program in full swing and the addition of our Batarian friends, we are still under 1,000. I think our last count was in the 930s?"
"942, to be precise." Vidan then added, "Our first priority at Ilion, following the construction of the new city hall, was to build a full-service medical center. That building is 72 percent complete. An additional 50 SILC units have been activated to complete its construction by the end of next week. As part of that, with the facility being on the river, a secondary hydroelectric power plant is being constructed, its sole purpose being to charge a back-up power reserve system, much like the one in this pyramid, in the event the medical center eezo core needs to be shut down for any reason, including both routine maintenance and failure." His eyes actually flashed as he chuckled, "A good plan, especially since hiding from the Reapers is no longer a necessity."
As Rae looked at the Prime in speechless surprise, Sam chuckled and shook her head, saying, "Yes, Rae. However unexpected, they are developing a sense of humor… or, at the very least, trying to do so. May the Gods help us all." A serious look returning to her face, she turned back to Vidan. "So… timeline?"
The SILC immediately understood the vagueness of Shepard's query and answered in full. "We now have three ships in orbit, to which I have already forwarded the stasis pod configuration and power requirements. The transport bays are being reconfigured as we speak and expect completion by this time tomorrow."
"So quickly?" asked Rae.
The Prime looked her way and nodded. "Yes, Councilor. Remember… SILC do not require sleep." Returning his gaze to Shepard, he continued. "While temporary living facilities are being placed immediately, the medical facility will not be ready until the 26th. With a three-day transit, we can depart here mid-day on the 24th and arrive mid-day on the 27th. We can relocate and connect the stasis pods to facility power at that time, as medical personnel will not be required until the awakening process begins. We are also bringing three additional ships, which are reconfiguring their cargo bays enroute, and will add them into the rotation as they arrive. We will continue the shuttle runs between here and Ilos until all pods have been relocated, obviously prioritizing those with live subjects."
"So, you also plan to transport the other pods, those carrying remains?" asked Aelia, the obvious pain of losing so many… again… apparent in both her voice and her expression.
"Yes. Unless you tell us otherwise. We concluded you would want all brought home to rest," responded the Prime before continuing. "During this initial timeframe, we are also constructing a hospital dormitory with ten rooms each on the second and third floors, including private baths. The ground floor will hold a common area with a message center, a small kitchen, and a dining hall, as well as an exercise facility. All of this will be immediately available to anyone who needs or wants to stay close to the hospital during the awakening period."
"You are amazing, Prime Vidan." Aelia looked at the SILC and managed a smile. "There are not enough thanks in the galaxy for what the SILC are doing for us."
"It is our pleasure to serve, First Female Aelia."