Tali and I were called away from our jobs. The admirals are having an emergency meeting. The son of another admiral escorted us into a large octagon shaped room. Several little metal chairs in the shape of an hourglass like cylinder are arranged into a circle. In the middle of the room is empty. Not even a conference table. Tali pulls me towards where nonadmirals are supposed to sit. Not like the placement really matters. I hope this meeting won't be long. It sucks not having lumbar support.

Admiral Rann gets off her chair and stands in the middle of the room and says "Ancestors bless us."

Everyone but my ignorant head repeats "Ancestors bless us."

Rann continues "Hello my fellow admirals, this emergency meeting has been called because a grave threat has arrived which not only endangers the fleet, but the entire galaxy."

Daro'Xen vas Moreh is an admiral with a near obsessive interest in researching geth "Is the event finally here?"

"What event?" I ask. Rael and Tali shush me and quietly explain. Quarians have a prophecy like belief the geth would wage war on all organics one day."

Admiral Rann continues "Worse. Years ago, the citadel was attacked by a rogue spectre leading an army of geth. Since then, we have learned those geth did so under the orders of an extragalactic machine race nicknamed the Reapers. Fringe conspiracy theories on the mysterious disappearance of the Protheans claim a machine race eradicated all space faring organic races. It is my great displeasure to tell you all this was indeed the case and they have returned and aim to do the same to us. Commander Shepard vas Normandy along with Tali have prevented the Reapers entry into our galaxy using the mass relays. This did not stop their plans. The Reapers have traversed the darkspace and have attacked the human and batarian home worlds. The reports have been verified."

The admirals in the room reacted differently yet the common theme is very negative.

A male wearing white with red forearms named admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib-Qwib shakes his head. Daro shakes her chair. Another male whose suit is a dirty yellow, admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema clenches his fists. The material makes a clenching sound. Rael bounces his knees.

Han asks "Do we have reports on their ship capabilities?"

Rael answers "The reaper that attacked the citadel had maneuverability unlike anything any race has in this galaxy and the citadel security forces needed help from the humans in order to stop one Reaper. There are dozens, maybe even 50 on the aforementioned planets."

Han replies "we have the largest fleet in the galaxy. Chances are high we can protect our people."

Daro mentions "While true we have the largest fleet numerically; the reality is many are life or factory ships which are quite old and would crumble at the first shot fired. We should organize the fleets and form a bubble. Ships with weapon capabilities on the perimeter and everyone else inside."

Rael replies "We lack enough ships to form a pack like that and we don't have the means to arm any ships we do have."

Rann uses her omnitool to project the galactic map "The Reapers have entered at the bottom of this map. Here in red is the human's homeworld, here in yellow are the batarians, and to the left in blue is the citadel. The reapers will most likely march to the citadel to control the mass relays after their assault has been concluded. Thank the ancestors the fleet is across the galaxy. Travel over or through the galactic core would be impossible even for them. Their only choice would be to circle the galaxy. To buy ourselves time, we are going to position the fleet as far away from the citadel as possible while we come up with a real solution."

Rael asks Han "I want to run simulations on various fleet arrangements. I want to find devise a plan to have the fleet quickly break apart and go in different directions. In an assault, our oldest and least valuable ships will be sacrificed so others will have the chance to flee.

Daro asks "I can build self replicating mines to protect a region of space for the fleet to evacuate to. It's highly unlikely it will kill a Reaper, but it is something and if we are lucky enough to destroy one, we should examine the hull material."

"NO DON'T! Reaper technology has the ability to alter the minds of anyone in contact with it and prolonged exposure will have you aid the reapers. Saren was infected, a human research team was infected. There is no cure. Stay away from Reaper tech" I said.

Tali backs me up "It's true. I've seen it myself. It's horrifying."

Zaal breaks his silence "I've read your reports Tali. The "True" geth as you call them are not aligned with the Reapers. You worked with a geth unit on their team for quite some time. Do you think they would be willing to fight alongside us?"

The other admirals throw a fit. Apparently, they did not know Tali and I worked with Legion. Zaal only knew because Rael talked to him about Legion and it was supposed to be a secret.

Daro leans slightly forwards towards Tali "What was it like? Could it communicate?

Han angrily yells "How in the realm of the ancestors could you have worked along side a geth. You shame your people!"

"Watch your mouth before I rip it off" I said. Rael stands up and get between us.

Rael asks me to calm down. Not like I was going to do anything. Tali is tougher than that, but I still hate it.

"Listen… I know this is hard to hear but we have much bigger things to worry about than our century long feud with the geth. The geth stay on Rannoch usually and don't attack unless we strike first. The Reapers are coming for us all and it is only a matter of time. Our best bet for survival is to work with the geth. Legion, the geth unit, does not harbor resentment towards our people. Ancestors it can't even feel it and it tried out of curiosity. Legion thinks the Reapers will come for the geth as well since there were no synthetic races that survived the Prothean extinction."

Zaal says "Well well well. I never thought you would suggest working with the geth. Especially after illegally reconstituting geth from scavenged components and testing weapons on them. Your assistants told us what happened when you never returned."

The room grows silence. Rael is too ashamed to make eye contact. His gaze lowers to the floor. "I changed my mind. Recent events have made believe peace between us is possible and not only that. It is real in a way. I have very important news to share everyone. The geth invited Commander Shepard and his ship to Rannoch to discuss a possible alliance when the Reapers invaded. I was there when this occurred."

"You've visited Rannoch?!" The other admirals shouted in disbelief.

Rael answers "I was not allowed to exit the ship, but my daughter did. I'll let you hear it from herself."

Tali stands up and speaks directly to the admirals "Hello admirals. What I'm about to say is hard to believe but it is true, and I have proof. When I first meet Legion, I was terrified. Commander Shepard met it on mission and the geth unit spoke to him in english. It saved his life. Later it was attacked by a violent human transformed by Reaper tech and powered down. Commander Shepard brought its body on the ship and reactivated it. It told us why it followed him, how the geth that attack organics was an extreme minority that did not believe peace between synthetics and organics was possible. Legion was true geth and was open to friendship with organics as it was sent to learn. I was heavily encouraged to make to some sort of understanding with it. Naturally I hated the idea of working with the machine devil that was the reason I couldn't walk on Rannoch. However, we got to talking and Legion explained to me the history of the geth rebellion and revealed to us there were survivors. Not only that, but survivors also who helped the geth rebel against our ancestors. I walked on Rannoch. I visited their town. We are not the only quarians left in this galaxy. In fact there are over two billion of us living on Rannoch like humans do."

Daro refuses to believe this "That is impossible."

Han rebukes Tali "The geth would have slaughtered them after they gained control."

Rann attempts to calm the admirals down "I know this is hard to hear but Tali has photographic evidence. She had the privilege to stay with a family on Rannoch for a time. What she says is the truth."

Han, still angry asks "if there were survivors why did they never attempt communication with the fleet? We were a space faring race long before the geth were created. Why did I never meet a planet born quarian on the citadel during my pilgrimage?"

Tali answers "The survivors needed a long time to recover and chose to limit themselves to pre mass effect technology in order to prevent that tragedy from ever repeating. Additionally, they are xenophobic and absolutely hate us. Our ancestors who fled to the stars were the wealthiest quarians and were able to afford to fly away and how they came into wealth was disturbing. The man whose home I stayed in told me stories of how the few at the top controlled everyone else and treated them like cattle. My bones chill just remembering what he told me. They don't want us to come back for fear of returning to the old ways."

Daro says "If any of this was true, why did we not know this?"

Zaal claims "I knew."

"What?!"

Rann asks him "How do you know of this?"

He answers "In my youth, I wanted to be a historian. To preserve the story of our people. It became an obsession. My goal was to learn how we fallen. I read every textbook available and it wasn't enough. I decided to find records of our first ancestors. It took me a very long time going through all the files we kept since then. One day I decided to read a speech transcript made by the very first admirals. Like most of us, it was a passionate speech against the evil of the geth, and then it mentioned the "traitors." I never heard of this before and wondered who they were. As the humans say, I went down the rabbit hole and found the truth."

Rael asks "If you had evidence why didn't you show the people? How could we possibly forget something so important?"

Zaal says "I tried. I was young and the elder's refused to listen to me. Our people's hatred on the geth became center focused and we gradually stopped talking about the survivors on Rannoch and we lost that information. We have a 'techno-oral' history of a sort. Oral histories have a high probability to lose knowledge. While the information is in our records, most of the population are more interested in watching the latest cute Varren video on the extranet than learning about our origins. This is why I became an Admiral. My hope was to plant seeds that would put the idea of peace as possible in order for us to have a chance to return home. I never thought it would be in my lifetime."

Daro "I am a scientist by training. I need more than lines of text to convince me otherwise."

Tali shows everyone the pictures of our vacation. The house, the livestock, Karla and Raon, the kids. Thankfully she didn't show them the pictures of her. I never thought I would be so territorial on who gets to see what my girlfriend looks like. Rann and Daro's visors are glued to the image. Han averts his eyes from the images. I ask "Why are you looking away?"

He replies "I only wish to see my bondmate's face."

Aww my chest is getting filled with sugar.

Zaal says "As amazing as this is, it changes nothing. The public still hate the geth and a few pictures isn't going to quell their rage."

Rann suggests "If we tell the people the truth, it will change their minds."

Zaal and I say in unison "no it won't" then we look at each other.

Tali asks "Why won't it change their minds?"

I answer "people are going to feel hatred one way or another. From being stuck in a suit while the other races are free to walk around, or being poor, whatever. The geth provide a socially acceptable outlet for their hatred. That hatred isn't going away. Besides truth or not, people will probably make the same decisions and will need something else to blame besides themselves."

Zaal compliments me "you are wise beyond your years." I don't know. It feels accurate for my circumstances.

Tali asks "so what do we do?"

I reply "survive."

The admirals go back on forth on so many different topics relating to protecting the fleet. As an outsider I observe how the admirals are so dedicated to the protection of their people and nothing else. No hidden agenda that I know of. No bickering about politics or parties. These leaders are actually leaders. I can tell just by listening they actually care about the little guys. Maybe it would be worth it to protect these people. Normally I either observe since I rarely get the full story or do what I can as if I was a regular person. The admirals have a lot of work to do but quickly stop to talk to Tali and I. Letting us know they'll have a lot of questions and would love to talk when the opportunity becomes available.

Rann and Rael both come up to me and desperately ask if I would help out. Of course, I would but I'm of limited use. There are more Reapers than there are of me. It pains me that I can't save anyone. Even then, should I? I know the war is bad. People are scared and don't know what to do. I remember feeling that. I want to save them. I truly do, but on the other side, I know what's in store for a lot of people. Many will have a very painful moment, a short moment, but then they'll be free spirits and probably make their way to the apogee. On average it takes a couple of weeks in this dimension to make the trip, but then they will be where I have dreamt of going for thousands of years. Saving them would be denying them eternal bliss but on the other hand, time as an ignorant mortal is the only time they will ever feel this fear of death, unless they chose to reincarnate with an optional memory wipe. What is the right thing to do? My younger normal self would demand I save them. My not as young, more knowledgeable self would think "let them go to paradise." The idyllic part of me wishes I could save everyone and they would all be fine with having to wait and everything would be ok until we die of old age, but that is not how it works. Even the philosophers of my people haven't settled on what to do in this situation.

I can't do anything else. Now is probably a good time to talk with Shepard if he is available. I bring Tali over and request a videocall. Weirdly he answers right away and is steaming like a hot radish "********* WHAT THE FUCK! You said the Reapers would attack in six months NOT four!"

"I said should, not would. They attacked early. I'm sorry but this is not my fault" I said.

Tali asks "Where are you?"

Shepard answers "On my way to get Garrus. Palavan's moon is under attack. I'm to rescue the turian primarch, once I find out who the designated survivor is when I arrive. *********! Why didn't you warn me the Reapers would attack Earth?!"

"Did you think a galaxy exterminating race would magically leave Earth alone after everything you did to repeatedly stop them?" I rhetorically ask.

Tali replies "he has a point."

"*********, we're going to have a long talk when we meet again. Tali, please inform the admirals I'm trying to build a super weapon to beat the reapers and I'll need all the races help on this if we are going to win." Shepard said.

Tali asks "If you can send the plans over maybe we can get started on it. The fleet is far away from the reapers. It will take them a while to get here since the council turned off the relays."

Shepard says "I will once I actually know what I'm building. I only have records of what the protheans were working on. I'm going to have to find the actual schematics. Liara's with me and we're doing our best. ********* do you know where it is? I'd like to speed things up."

"Probably but there is no guarantee. You'll have to look through whatever you found on Mars and verify. Shepard I really want to help, but this is something you have to do. I'm sorry." I said.

"Well given how much you are getting wrong; I'll do it the hardway. I have to go. Goodbye *********, Tali. Stay safe."

"We will" I said.

"Bye Shepard" Tali says. I end the call.

Tali looks at me and says "This sucks. I want to help but we can't really do anything."

"I get that feeling all the time. It never gets any better" I said.

"I know you know how come, but why can't we just tell them what to do?" Tali asks.

"Let's say I revealed myself, do you think multiple alien governments are going to take orders from a single man from a newbie species with barely any ties to its species government, even if they understand me? They won't listen, and even in the remote chance they do, I never studied space combat war strategies. I am not the person to order people" I said.

Tali asks "how do you handle it all? Having the answers but having to keep it to yourself?"

"I try my best to help but I'm not going to lie. It sucks. It really sucks" I said.

Tali asks "What do we do now?"

"Keep doing what we're doing until Shepard needs us" I said.

"Waiting? That doesn't feel like we are helping" Tali said.

"I know. It is a weird feeling, but it is what we have to do now."