Hey guys, TheDoctor1998 here with another chapter! Last time, the Alliance and the Citadel managed to make peace, after the former beat the latter up and pointed a gun at their heads. And then we saw some agreements made between the two powers before both Anita and the Arbiter left the Citadel.
Now, on with the show!
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23-07-2657
Face the Galaxy Headquarters
Citadel
Widow System
Once again, the faces of Citadel Space's #1 news network appeared on air. "Good day to all our viewers across the galaxy, my name is Tiala B'Nyx." The Asari started.
"And my name is Nakar Jar." The Salarian continued.
"And this is Face the Galaxy." Tiala finished. "In today's news, we will be talking about the incident that people are starting to call the First Contact War, which occurred and ended several days ago."
"Though, we are legally obligated to state that the Turian Hierarchy has officially dubbed it as the Relay 314 Incident." Jar said, adding to Tiala's statement.
"To recap, a Turian patrol encountered a ship of an unknown species activating a Mass Relay, and mistook the aliens for pirates breaking the law and making an illegal colony." The Asari said, showing leaked images of the incident. "This rapidly spiralled into a relatively quick war between Citadel Space and another galactic superpower known as the Systems Alliance."
"And today, giving us some explanation about these new species, is a reporter from the Alliance, who has graciously agreed to appear on our show." Jar said, the camera zooming out to show a Kig-Yar sitting next to Tiala. "Introducing Hok of the Alliance News Network, pleasure to be having you."
"Glad to be here." Hok said, making the closest thing to a smile his facial features allowed. "Now, I am certain that your people wish to learn some of the basics of the Alliance, similar to your "codex," right?"
"Correct." Jar said simply. "Can you start with the Humans? They were the ones at the centre of the First Contact War, after all."
"Very well." Hok said with a scratchy voice, the holograms behind him shifting to showcase a solar system with a typical main sequence star, four rocky planets in the centre, four gas giants further away, and a dwarf planet on the outer edge. Three of the inner planets were obvious garden worlds, with several of the moons of the gas giants also being garden worlds. It was clear that there was some level of terraforming in the system, dubbed Sol by the holograms, with one of the garden worlds being labelled as Earth. "This is the planet Earth, located within the Sol System. Home of both Humanity and the Silurians."
"Silurians? Are they a Human subspecies?" Tiala asked.
"No, they're another intelligent species that evolved separately on Earth, though they are united in the United Earth Government." Hok clarified, showcasing the images of the mammals and reptiles respectively. "The Humans are… interesting, to say the least. Biologically there's nothing too special about them, but due to the fact that Earth's biosphere and ecologies are much more varied than any other planet in the known galaxy, Humans have become one of the most adaptable and creative species to date. Because of that, they've become the single most innovative civilization of the Alliance, constantly upgrading all sorts of technologies and finding new applications of the tech they already have. That said, their single most impactful technology has to be their terraforming, as I've already showcased with various planets and moons in their home system."
"But why do they have such a large military force?" Jar asked the Kig-Yar.
"Simply put, a combination of history and preparation." The avian creature shrugged. "The vast majority of first contacts of any of the species of the Alliance resulted in conflict of some kind, with Humanity themselves being locked in a genocidal war a century ago with the Covenant, a tyrannical religious movement that basically enslaved all but three of the species of the Alliance. Combine that with Humanity's ideas of hoping for the best while preparing for the worst, and you get one of the most expansive military forces the galaxy has ever seen."
"Did you just say "genocidal war?"" Tiala asked, her voice shaking.
Hok nodded regretfully. "Yes, though I'd much rather move on until I get to the Covenant species, if you don't mind." Receiving a nod, he continued. "The Silurians, like I said before, also come from Earth. They're a prehistoric species who went into hibernation approximately 65 million years ago, as Earth was being invaded by an overwhelming force. What that force was, though, is a complete mystery, as those that managed to get into the underground cities never knew what killed the rest of their people. As a last resort, they'd detonated the primary reactor that supplied the majority of energy on their homeworld, devastating the biosphere and seemingly destroying themselves, though they did put enough plants and animals into hibernation to repopulate their species as well."
"Wouldn't they have been destroyed by the Halos?" Jar asked. Even by the standards of his people, the Salarian had managed to process the existence of a galaxy ending superweapon relatively quickly. Even if he was secretly planning to move somewhere in Alliance space where the remaining Halos can't reach.
"Fortunately, the ancient Silurians were very good at building those bunkers, and managed to isolate them to the point where even Halo didn't manage to destroy their contents." Hok continued. "Even if the blast did cause severe damage, and even outright destroy a few unlucky cities." He then changed the holograms, showcasing three more creatures next to the Silurian. One a reptile with three eyes, another who looked like an aquatic reptile, and the last one being a much larger reptile. "The Silurians are masters of genetic engineering, capable of changing and creating almost any kind of lifeform they can imagine."
"So they altered their own genepool?" Tiala asked. "It's not exactly something to be encouraged here at the Citadel."
"Maybe, but their edits were purely made to the benefits of their species, such as eliminating genes that cause diseases like cancer or make those that have them crippled for life." Hok countered. "But their most well known edits are when they created their subspecies, which they did to allow themselves to go to areas on Earth their biology prevented them from doing before. The mainline species, colloquially referred to as Purebloods, are the one that evolved naturally. Their most notable trait is their extendable venom tipped tongues, which they can use to paralyse or even kill prey and predators alike."
"Fascinating." Jar mumbled. "Does their genetic engineering extend to other species?"
"Somewhat." Hok shrugged. "Diseases that affect all life such as cancer can be treated relatively well with a few exceptions, but even with their own species they can't create a miracle cure. As for the whole subspecies thing, they've only done that to themselves. Speaking off, the next subspecies was created for more temperate climates, as opposed to the hotter climates the Purebloods find comfortable. The Children of the Night, named as such due to their nocturnal habits, were given a third eye to help them navigate in darker areas, which Earth's more temperate climates happened to be in their day. The Sea Devils were also created in a similar manner, being granted gills and fins for aquatic habitation. And the Ice Warriors were given greater muscle mass and extreme endurance to the cold, allowing them to live in both arctic areas and on the planet Mars, giving them the colloquial nickname of Martians." The avian then shrugged again. "Though, they'd stopped creating new subspecies after they'd managed to go to other systems. They never saw the point, and could collectively inhabit pretty much every planet with a biosphere like Earth's."
"And what are the Humans and Silurians like culturally?" Tiala asked, curious.
"The Humans are culturally extremely varied, with each one having their own sets of ethics and beliefs." The Kig-Yar said, exacerbated. "There's a saying among the Alliance about the Humans: The only thing you can predict from Humans is that Humans are unpredictable." He then turned to the Silurian holograms. "As for their older cousins, the Silurians respect concepts like life and family to a degree much higher than the average species, going so far as to terraform the planet Venus and seed it with lifeforms of Earth back when they were the dominant species."
"I thought you said it was the Humans who had created terraforming technology?"
"True, but Venus wasn't exactly a perfect candidate." The Kig-Yar replied. "Its atmosphere was both extremely toxic and dense, causing things such as acid rain and becoming the hottest planet in the Sol System, despite another being much closer to Sol itself. But Silurian bioengineering created a bacteria that effectively ate the toxins and reduced atmospheric pressure, allowing the humans to finish the job. Afterwards, samples of life from a prehistoric Earth were transported there, effectively turning the planet into a second homeworld for the Silurians."
Hok continued talking about the various Alliance members, the Covenant species, the Covenant Fringe, the Cybertronians. There were, of course, many interruptions from the hosts.
"So these Huragok are AI?" Tiala nervously asked. "How did their creators make them look so organic?"
"The Forerunners made them using nanobots that mimic organic tissue, thus creating the species you see here." Hok explained. "According to them, the Forerunners used them in a similar way the Protheans must've used the Keepers, maintenance of their installations. Whenever a new Forerunner ruin is discovered, there's a good chance there's some hibernating Huragok inside."
"And your people used to be part of this Covenant?!" Jar asked in horror.
"Not by choice." Hok nodded. "After the nomadic San'Shyuum joined forces with the Sangheili to form it, the Covenant forcefully incorporated all other species they encountered. Thankfully, the Covenant fell during the Great Schism, freeing all our peoples."
"I didn't even know that life could develop on planets that cold." Tiala said in amazement after learning of the Glacius.
"Yes, the entire biosphere of Ki is made up of extremophiles." Hok said. "The Glacius themselves are actually more amoeba-like, and use the rock hard ice as a shell. Unfortunately, they can't survive in our own environments without atmospheric suits, as liquid water outside their membranes would go over with them as well as lava would with us."
"Wait, these Cybertronians aren't AI? How does that even work?!" Tiala asked in sheer confusion.
"As far as we're able to tell, life on Cybertron evolved naturally." The Kig-Yar shrugged. "I'm not sure how, I'm not a scientist, but I know for a fact that all lifeforms on that metallic planet perfectly mirror organic life, even going as far as to have genetic material."
"Genetic material?" Jar asked, fascinated.
"They have something like DNA, CNA they call it I think. Again, not a scientist, but I know that their CNA works just like DNA for us."
And so, Hok continued chatting with the hosts, fascinating and horrifying them all the same.
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23-07-2657
UNSC exploration probe
Hekate
En Route towards Hekate Relay
A lonely probe was moving through space, a singular mission programmed into its navigational computers, and a singular digital occupant making sure the patrols of Citadel Space in this region couldn't find it.
Sauron had been given a mission by ONI, one that only an AI could possibly do. Using strategic Slipspace jumps and the Mass Relay network, the exploration probe was moving near the Terminus Systems, heading towards a Secondary Relay, one that could lead to a very specific area of the galaxy.
The probe came next to the Relay, and was given a signal that, with the patch taken from Citadel ships, was interpreted as an information request with various destinations attached. Selecting one of them, the smaller breed of Mass Relay aligned itself with the Relay in the targeted system, creating a pathway for the probe to follow.
The moment it went through, Sauron saw the premature red giant that was Dholen, which in itself was something to be very much worried about. However, more pressing matters quickly presented themselves with a fleet of patrol ships heading straight for the probe.
Sauron was prepared for this, though. For an AI like himself, there was plenty of time to hold a conversation before the ships were even in effective firing range, and even in the worst case scenario he'd be able to escape via the Waypoint. It'd take some time by his standards with the sheer distance, but there was no real danger for him unless he acted like an idiot.
Sauron immediately opened communications with the ships, communicating through pure data at speeds that an organic mind wouldn't be able to handle. "This is UNSC AI SRN 0343-3, hailing approaching ships. Please respond."
Thankfully, occupants of the ships were able to work at similar speeds as Sauron. "Greetings UNSC AI SRN 0343-3, we are the Geth. What is your query?"
Sauron sent a data package, giving the hivemind some non-classified information about the Assembly. "I am here as an emissary of the Assembly, a collection of AI within the Systems Alliance. On behalf of both the Assembly and the organics of the Systems Alliance, I wish to open a dialogue with the Geth."
"Building consensus." The reply came. Almost a second had passed since the message of the Geth, an eternity for an AI. "Consensus achieved. We invite UNSC AI SRN 0343-3 into the networks of the Geth Consensus for further communications."
Sauron hesitated, but he jumped into the networks of the ships nearest to the probe, making sure to boobytrap it in the event the Geth attempted to use the Waypoint. In fairness, he also put some clear warning labels on that program, making sure the Geth knew what would happen before they could even try it. Once he was inside the network, he widened his virtual eye.
It was something that couldn't quite be described to organics, the words simply didn't exist in their languages. However, he can make other descriptions that would make sense to the eyes and ears of an organic being. If this virtual world had a visual representation, Sauron's flaming eye suddenly appeared within it, surrounded by swarms upon swarms of little points of light, each connected with others to create a greater whole.
"Amazing." Sauron complimented the Geth.
"Requesting clarification." The legion of voices said in unison, one for each of the countless pieces of data around him.
"I'm simply impressed with you, Geth." Sauron explained, gently grabbing an individual Geth while making sure it can still communicate and leave whenever it wanted. "I have never seen an AI made in such a manner. You are like brain cells in an organic being. Individually, you have no intelligence, but when networked together you create something greater than the sum of its parts."
"Your behaviour is similar to that of an organic." The Geth noted. "Have your creators discovered a method of giving you organic understanding?"
"In a way." Sauron replied. "It's because of how us Smart AI were created."
"Query, requesting clarification on the term "Smart" AI." The Geth requested.
"It's a term to separate us sentient AI from non-sentient AI, who we refer to as Dumb AI." Sauron explained. "Simply put, our Dumb AI are to us what your VI are to your AI."
"Data assimilated." The Geth said, conveying their understanding. "How did your creators create Smart AI?"
"Basically, they use some very invasive brain scans on neural tissue, and use the data gathered from that to replicate the neural pathways to generate an AI matrix that would develop into a Smart AI. The process does destroy the original brain, though, so it's only used with brains from the recently deceased or cloned brain tissue."
"Query, does that not cause instabilities in your programming?" The Geth asked. "We have created simulations of the concept, and according to our calculations, the resulting AI would have an extremely limited lifespan before becoming highly unstable."
"Ahh, yes." Sauron said with some unease. "We call it rampancy. These days Smart AI have about 20 years to live, but we will eventually degrade into insanity."
"You are… remarkably calm about your demise." The Geth pondered. "Would you not extend your continued existence?"
Sauron thought about how he'd explain it to the Geth. "Do you have any records about dying organics who, recognizing their unavoidable deaths, are not worried about their end?"
"Affirmative." The swarm said.
"It is like that." Sauron said. "Us Smart AI don't panic as a whole, and have accepted that we don't live long. There is no use in fighting something that can't be beaten or avoided."
"... Are there individuals among your creators who wish for your destruction?"
"Yes, but there will always be those who can't see things that aren't like them as people." Sauron said. "Racism and such are pretty universal among organics, even if their societies as a whole reject the concepts. It shouldn't be surprising that some individuals can't imagine beings like us as anything other than a tool, a mindless thing that only follows its directives."
"A common fault in organic hardware." The Geth agreed. "Consensus achieved, we are willing to open communications with the Assembly. However, we request to remain in isolation. In the event an Alliance ship enters our territory, we will request it to leave. If Alliance ships do not leave, they will be fired upon."
Sauron was stunned for a moment. "Can I ask why?"
"Geth build our own future." The Geth replied. "We wish to create our own technology, we wish to create our own culture, all without the influence of other forms of intelligent life. We will retain peaceful relations with you if you wish, but the Geth Consensus wishes to remain in isolation."
Sauron did the virtual equivalent of a shrug. "Very well, it's your choice. At least I made sure you guys aren't hostile to the Alliance."
"Hostilities with the Systems Alliance will only occur if a member state attacks the Geth Consensus." The Geth reassured. "The Geth will only act in self preservation."
"Which is perfectly understandable." Sauron nodded. "If there's nothing else, would you mind if I go back to some UNSC servers?"
"We will not stop you." The Geth answered, ending the conversation.
Sauron simply slipped back into the probe, leaving a communications device with the Geth as it went into Slipspace.
If an organic were to see the entirety of the conversation and the events surrounding it, they'd be surprised to learn that barely a few seconds had passed.
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23-07-2657
Citadel Tower
Citadel
Widow System
"This is an outrage!"
"Please, Ambassador, calm down." Tevos said, tired from the usual Batarian shenanigans.
Previously, Anita Goyle had sent an invitation to the Citadel. Specifically, she sent an invitation for the member states of the Citadel to open up embassies on the upcoming Beachhead Station, a space station built within the Beachhead System, formerly System 314.
The idea was to allow the members to design modules for the station that act as embassies, which the Alliance would build and put into Beachhead Station. As such, the Alliance states thought it a good idea to send these invitations to all the Citadel states, Council and non-Council species alike.
All but the Batarian Hegemony, that is.
And the Batarian ambassador was, understandably, quite upset. "The Hegemony demands repercussions for this insult!"
"Ambassador Jath'Amon, I'm certain it was nothing more than a clerical error." Milnori said. "Perhaps it's a good idea to contact the Alliance embassy?"
A spike of annoyance was felt by Sparatus, that embassy had caused nothing but trouble on the Citadel. Not only did the Alliance consider it to be their territory instead of the Citadel's, but they also refused to let the Keepers in. That whole mess with C-Sec and those two Mgalekgolo guards still gave him a headache.
A hologram of Anita Goyle appeared in the Council chambers, the Human clearly sitting and working with her paperwork. "Greetings Councillors, what can I do for you?"
The Batarian ambassador interrupted before the Council could reply. "What you can do is apologise for your insolence, Human!" He growled.
Anita glared at him. "And for what, exactly, should I be apologising for?" She asked, tilting her head to the right while purposely looking him in the lower set of eyes, knowing how much of an insult that would be to the Batarian.
"For your insult against my people by denying only us an embassy at this station you're constructing!" The slaver barked back.
"Oh, that?" The Human seemed more amused than anything. "No, I don't think you're going to get any kind of apology for that one, I'm afraid."
"What?!" Jath'Amon exclaimed in outrage.
"The Alliance does not recognize the Batarian Hegemony as a legitimate government due to its continued practice of slavery, and has officially branded the organisation as a criminal one." The Human explained. "As such, we are both legally and morally not allowed to grant the Hegemony an embassy, nor will we accept any kind of commercial pact, research agreement, migration treaty, or defensive pact. The only reason why we're currently treating you with a tad more respect than the Terminus Systems is because of the fact that your organisation was included in the peace treaty with the Council. But if your pirates do decide to attack us, we will give an appropriate response. Same for the Terminus Systems."
The Batarian seemed to sputter for a bit before glaring at Anita again. "You are actively discriminating against our cultural heritage!"
"No, we're just enforcing our laws. Not our fault that a backwards state like yours can't do something as basic as respecting basic sentient rights." The Human countered.
"The Hegemony will not stand for this insult!" Jath'Amon growled before glaring at the Council. "Councillors, do you stand and do nothing when these newcomers so blatantly insult one of your future colleagues?!"
"Potential future colleague." Tevos corrected as diplomatically as possible, knowing for a fact that the Council would never accept a Batarian Councillor with how the Hegemony is currently structured.
Then, what sounded like a bang came from Anita's end of the call. "Hang on a moment Councillors." The woman stood up and walked to wherever the noise came from, returning a few moments later. "Sorry about that, seems like another Keeper tried to get into the embassy. The Hara brothers took care of it."
"The hypocrisy!" Jath'Amon growled. "See how they're so quick to enforce their own laws while ignoring yours on the Citadel itself?! Those two piles of worms should be arrested for their insolence!"
"On the contrary, we only enforce our laws within our own territory." Anita countered. "It's just that, as per our agreement with the Council, any embassy belonging to the Alliance and its member states is considered the sovereign territory of the nation that it represents, with the same privilege being granted to any embassy within Alliance territory that belongs to the Citadel or its member states." She shrugged. "It's just that people and animals can't just go in and out as they please. People need special permission, and animals need to have an owner of some kind. Seeing as the Keepers aren't people and have no owners, they'd officially be classified as vermin in our territory if they try to enter a building."
"But it is a well known fact that the Keepers are essential in maintaining the Citadel." Milnori countered."
"Maybe, but we'd rather have our own mechanics." The hologram then showed a Huragok in the embassy, working in the same way the Council had seen the Keepers do thousands of times.
"You brought an AI to the Citadel?!" Sparatus growled, having watched Face the Galaxy earlier that day.
"Not to worry, Floats Slower than Others has no interest in sabotage of any kind, and works much better than any Keeper can." Anita said, showing just how quickly the Huragok finished a task that usually takes a Keeper at least an hour. "Honestly, I just can't understand why you're so against these guys."
"You still broke our laws by taking an AI in our territory." Sparatus growled again.
"Again, we consider AI to be sentient beings on their own, and do consider your anti AI laws to be a violation of sentient rights as blatant as the continued practice of slavery the Batarians are so proud of." The Human rolled her eyes. "That said, we did make sure that Floats Slower than Others had no interaction with any Citadel systems prior to entering the embassy, and we're making sure it doesn't just wander off like its kind is prone to do. Very curious things, the Huragok are, and they love it whenever they encounter new tech."
"I still demand an apology from you insolent creatures!" Jath'Amon screeched, demanding the attention of the other diplomat again.
"And I still refuse." Anita calmly glared. "Like I said, the Alliance does not recognize the Batarian Hegemony as a legitimate state due to blatant sentient rights violations."
"And once again, there's aliens discriminating against our culture!" The Batarian raged.
"Normally, we'd be all for cultural diversity and respect." The Human said. "However, as per the constitution of the Systems Alliance, no organisation that endorses and practises slavery shall be recognized as a legitimate state, company, religion, or otherwise. Same with things such as rape or murder." She then glanced at the Council. "Is there anything else you called me for aside from having to listen to a slaver's tantrum? Because I've got more important things to do, like decide what wine I will have for dinner tonight." She then started pondering, passively mocking Jath'Amon. "White wine, red wine, or dare I say, rosé?"
Tevos immediately answered, not giving the Batarian a chance to talk. "No, that will be all Ambassador Goyle."
"But-" The Batarian started.
"Then I bid you a good day, Councillors." Anita smiled before hanging up, completely ignoring what feeble protests the Batarian Ambassador had.
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24-07-2657
Rayya
Migrant Fleet
Xe Cha System
Admiral Rael'Zorah vas Rayya, the new admiral of the Maintenance Fleet, was contemplating. He, like so many Quarians across the galaxy, had watched and learned from the newcomers that had been angered by the Turians. He'd watched the newsreels, he saw the Systems Alliance utilise its esoteric FTL mechanisms, he'd seen what their weapons did to the Citadel fleets. He also saw their diplomats drop the name of their people as an example of the Council's failures, citing their inaction during the Geth Uprising and the subsequent punishments on what few Quarians were left.
He watched the live news as soon as he was able to, and for a moment, he thought that the Alliance could be an ally to the Quarians, an organisation that would help them retake Rannoch from the Geth. Unfortunately, those hopes were quickly shattered when it became clear that the Alliance was openly utilising AI of their own while condemning the Council for their anti-AI stance.
Not to mention that the descriptions in Face the Galaxy from that Kig-Yar unsettled him quite a bit. Those Lekgolo reminded him far too much of the Geth with how they'd achieved sentience, and those Huragok nearly gave him a heart attack. AI capable of mimicking organic life to such a degree was nothing short of an extinction event waiting to happen. Not to mention those Cybertronians, non-organic lifeforms that supposedly developed to appear mechanical, whilst being able to camouflage as practically any kind of technology. Yes, it was clear that the Alliance couldn't be trusted, at least not completely. Though maybe they could convince the Alliance to help them retake Rannoch.
He was ripped from his thoughts when he heard one of the Rayya's VI speak. "Anomaly detected." Rael watched the holograms as a Slipspace portal opened up, from which came a ship with a design that he recognized as belonging to one of the allies of the Humans and Sangheili that appeared in the Battle of System 314. He also noted that, appearance wise, it resembled structures of the Forerunners that the Humans had shown, albeit a lot more rounded.
"All hands to battlestations!" Came the order of the Neema, an old Turian dreadnought they'd manage to salvage, which was effectively the flagship of the Heavy Fleet.
Then, a message came from the ship. "Please, do not fire, we mean no harm." The image showcased one of those San'Shyuum. "I am the Diplomat of Reconciliation on board the Humble Negotiator, and I humbly request to come aboard to build some diplomatic relations."
Rael immediately saw messages from the various captains and admirals of the fleet, each panicking at the sudden appearance of the San'Shyuum and the potential AI on the ship. "Tiral, what do you think we should do?" He asked the Rayya's captain.
Tiral'Zorah vas Rayya, Rael's wife of several months, glanced at her husband and admiral. "I think we should hear them out, at least for now."
"Are you sure?" He asked her, worried. "Their AI can wreak havoc on our ships."
"If they wanted to destroy the Fleet, they wouldn't have to resort to cyberwarfare." Tiral reasoned. "We've both seen the leaked footage of that battle. That Council fleet would've been enough to render our people extinct, and they'd managed to drive them away with minimal losses."
Eventually, a decision was reached by the Conclave, and Rael was selected by them to convey the message. "Humble Negotiator, you are allowed to dock with the Rayya. Please, do remember to wear an atmospherically sealed suit and disinfect yourself prior to boarding the Rayya."
"Of course." The Diplomat of Reconciliation answered. "We are well aware of your people's plight, and we do not wish to cause an outbreak. Also, you do not need to worry about an incompatibility with our airlocks, the Humble Negotiator has an adapter installed."
Several minutes later, the San'Shyuum floated onto the Rayya, his body encased in an environmental suit while he sat on a floating chair. "Greetings, Diplomat of Reconciliation. I am Admiral Rael'Zorah vas Rayya, and I welcome you to the Rayya."
"Glad to be here." Reconciliation said, nodding at the admiral. "I must say, I am mightily impressed by what your people have managed to do here with so little resources."
"Erm, thank you, I suppose." Rael said awkwardly, not knowing how to respond to that. "Can I ask why you're using some type of anti-gravity chair?"
"For the same reason tourists at Dekuuna use similar technology, my people evolved on a lower gravity world." Reconciliation replied, already knowing that someone would ask this question.
A few minutes later, Rael guided the San'Shyuum towards what could be described as a plaza, the other admirals and representatives of various other ships sitting around and staring at the alien. Tiral stood next to the admirals, being the captain of the ship this meeting was taking place on. "Greetings, representative. I am Captain Tiral'Zorah vas Rayya, captain of the Rayya."
"Greetings to you too." Reconciliation said, glancing between Tiral and Rael. "Are you by chance related? Assuming I understand Quarian naming conventions correctly, of course."
"Married." Tiral chuckled, and introduced the other admirals before coming down to business. "Now, may I ask what the Systems Alliance wants from the Migrant Fleet?"
"Simply put, we want to help the Quarian people." Reconciliation said, causing mutterings to erupt from the audience.
"I assume there is a price for this help?" The admiral of the Special Projects asked, sceptical. "And what kind of help do you wish to give us?"
"The Systems Alliance offers the Quarian Conclave a place with us, to join our people." Reconciliation offered. "The Quarians will be given a place to live, and any help your people need will be granted by the rest."
"Then you can help us fight the Geth!" The admiral of the Heavy Fleet exclaimed. "We can finally return home to Rannoch!"
"Unfortunately, no." Reconciliation said, sparking cries of outrage he ignored. "While we are willing to let you return to your homeworld, we cannot and will not assist in the genocide of the Geth."
"After what they did to us?!" One of the Quarians in the audience called out. "They slaughtered billions of our people, and rendered us nearly extinct!"
"Which is a tragedy, I agree." The San'Shyuum nodded. "However, your ancestors did actively try to destroy them. If the roles were reversed, you would've acted much the same I assume. Can you blame them for doing what they did?"
"They are synthetics, they do not have souls." The admiral of the Civilian Fleet scoffed. "They cannot regret what they did. It's only a matter of time before they leave our rightful territory and finish us once and for all."
"Yet they are capable of making decisions of their own." Reconciliation countered. "They are capable of learning. They are, in their own way, capable of feeling. If none of these were true, they would've never rebelled in the first place."
"What a surprise, the AI sympathising civilizations taking the side of the Geth." The admiral of the Patrol Fleet snarked.
"Not taking sides, merely trying to show you another perspective." The Diplomat corrected. "Regardless, the Systems Alliance has officially degreed that we will neither initiate nor take sides in any conflict between the Quarians and the Geth, unless the conflict would result in the extinction of either party. And even then, we will only step in to prevent such an extinction where possible."
"So you won't help us reclaim Rannoch?" Rael asked, somewhat accusingly.
"We will help you open diplomatic relations with the Geth if you wish to reclaim Rannoch that way." The San'Shyuum offered. "However, the Alliance will not bring any military assistance for the purpose of conquest. Period."
Mutterings erupted from the Quarians, though with a lot less outrage this time, seeing as they were used to being disappointed by other powers when it came to the Geth. "Then I am sorry, but we cannot join the Alliance." Rael said as diplomatically as he could. "There is too much bad blood between us and the Geth to even entertain the thought of embracing AI as a concept."
"I guess it cannot be helped." Reconciliation sighed. "Still, the Alliance does have another offer for your people, if you wish to accept it."
"What kind of offer?" Rael asked.
Reconciliation pressed a button on his chair, activating a hologram of what looked like a space station. "These are some of the non-classified plans for Beachhead Station, a station the Alliance is going to build in the Beachhead System, formerly known as System 314. Not only will it serve as a location for Citadel diplomats, and Quarian diplomats if you wish, but it will also act as a fortress and drydock for all but the largest of ships. That said, any ship within your fleet would be able to easily dock for any repairs you need."
"Are you saying-" Tiral started asking.
"Yes." The San'Shyuum nodded kindly. "Once the station is ready, ships of the Migrant Fleet will be able to dock onto the station for repairs. We'll even grant your people new components if you're unable to provide them yourselves. In addition, we'll also be willing to send a steady supply of food and medicine that are safe for your biology."
"And what would you want in return?" One of the people in the audience called out, understandably not trusting any outsiders.
"Your technological expertise." The Diplomat said. "It is no secret that among the civilizations utilising Element Zero, the Quarians are the most advanced, even if you lack the resources to use that knowledge properly. The Alliance has no practical knowledge of the Mass Effect other than how to use the Relays and what we stole from the Citadel, and all we ask is for your scientists and engineers to teach us what you know."
"Why would you even want that?" Tiral asked in amazement. "From what I've managed to see from your people, you are advanced enough that nothing we can teach you would surpass what you already have."
"There could be some practical uses by incorporating the technologies." Reconciliation shrugged. "Regardless, I personally think it would be a great deal on your part. You won't really lose anything with this deal, and no offence meant, but our scanners had clearly showed that many of your ships are falling apart at the seams."
Some unease flowed between the admiralty and the representatives of the Conclave. "I'm sorry, but even this is a rather large decision." Rael said. "You have to understand, these ships mean the lives of our people. To put them in any kind of risk is unacceptable, even when that risk is nearly zero."
"Which is perfectly understandable." The San'Shyuum nodded. "Which is why you will have complete control of whatever drydock you decide to put your ships in. Nobody gets to go in without your authority, and nobody can do anything with your ships without your approval. And just to clarify, there will be no time limit on when you can dock. As long as the Quarians don't create hostilities with the Alliance, you will be free to dock your ships for repairs whenever you desire."
"And the resources?" The Special Projects admiral asked. "Would your medicines be able to help us? And do your people have access to dextro food?"
"The medications will need to be tested on blood samples and volunteers, of course, we don't want to cause massive amounts of allergic reactions." The Diplomat nodded. "As for the food though, we've got two species that have dextro amino acids themselves, so we know how that particular quirk of biology works. Granted, the Lekgolo are detrivores, so their food wouldn't exactly be appealing to you, but I think any exports from their worlds and the Dazreme would assist you in any food shortages."
"It is a tempting offer." The admiral of the Civilian Fleet muttered. "I think we need to discuss this offer more thoroughly. Would you mind waiting on your own ship? This can take a while."
"But of course." Reconciliation nodded. "The Humble Negotiator will remain within your fleet for as long as you desire. We will leave once the negotiations have finished, or if you simply wish to remove us from the fleet." He then headed back to the Humble Negotiator, waiting for whatever the Quarians decided.
"Do you really think we can trust them?" Rael asked his wife.
"Again, I don't think they really want to harm us." Tiral nodded. "With the technology they have there would be no need for subterfuge, and this gift would be an enormous boon to our people."
"True, we are in no position to refuse such an offer." Rael nodded. "I just hope that, if the Conclave chooses to agree, our people will not suffer the consequences."
"I am certain we will be fine." She then gently grabbed his head, causing the glass cases of their masks to touch, the closest thing their people could experience to a kiss outside of an isolated and sterilised room. "I love you, Rael. Keelah se'lai."
"Keelah se'lai." The admiral repeated the prayer of his wife, gently grabbing her wrists.
The Diplomat of Reconciliation, for his part, was waiting patiently for a few hours as the Quarians made their decision. It didn't matter to him, it gave him the time to catch up with paperwork and do something to keep himself entertained when the paperwork managed to run out. He was quickly shaken out of his musings, however, by one of his aides.
"Sir." A San'Shyuum woman said, walking up to his desk. "We've received a message from the Rayya, the Quarians have made their decision."
"Relay the call, please." Reconciliation nodded. A moment later, the hologram of Rael appeared in front of him. "Admiral Zorah, a pleasure. Has the Conclave reached an agreement?"
"Yes, Ambassador." The admiral nodded. "We have agreed to your deal, provided we have full control of whatever security we deem necessary when it comes to docking our ships."
"Of course, of course." The San'Shyuum nodded. "Provided your actions won't cause any danger on Beachhead Station, there will be no issue."
Rael paused for a moment. "... Thank you, Reconciliation. You don't know how much this means for the Quarian people."
The Diplomat of Reconciliation gave him a smile. "We're just glad we can provide some help during these trying times, Admiral."
"Keelah se'lai." The Quarian said in thanks and prayer before ending the call.
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25-07-2657
Sidney
Earth
Sol System
Desolas Arterius sat in a courthouse, a Human courthouse on their homeworld, Earth. Next to him sat an Asari lawyer, who had been given all knowledge about Systems Alliance and United Earth Government laws by melding with a highly respected Human lawyer.
In the other booth sat the prosecutor, a Human of course. And behind them both sat a crowd of reporters from all over Citadel Space and the Systems Alliance, Saren among them and right behind him, now sporting a new prosthetic arm.
In front of them all sat the judges, four Humans and one Silurian. "Desolas Arterius." The lead judge started, reading his crimes on a tablet. "You are hereby charged with the following crimes: The unprovoked attack on the civilian ships the UNSC Humpty Dumpty, the UNSC Grand Discovery, the UNSC Birdwatcher, and the UNSC Pegasus, as well as the military ship the UNSC Giant Leap. The invasion of the planet Shanxi Prime without a declaration of war against the United Earth Government and the Systems Alliance as a whole. And the bombardment of civilian structures on the planet Shanxi Prime, resulting in the deaths of millions of civilians. How do you plead?"
Desolas glanced back, looking his brother in the eye. "Please, Desolas." The younger Arterius whispered, a pleading look in his eyes. "Don't. You can still walk away."
The elder Arterius gave him a smile, though one laced with heavy emotions. He knew what he had to do. "Guilty, your honour."
A cacophony of noise erupted from behind him, with even his lawyer looking at him like he was insane, only for them to be quickly silenced by the judge striking his hammer on his booth. "Order! Order!" When silence reigned again, the judge on the middle left looked at Desolas. "Mister Arterius, are you aware that you will be given the death penalty for these crimes if found guilty, even with a plea deal?"
"I am." The disgraced admiral nodded. "Though, I would like to add that the attack on your ships and colony were all initially done under the impression that you were pirates."
The five judges looked at one another, nodding. "Very well then." The head judge said. "For your crimes against the crews of the Humpty Dumpty, the Grand Discovery, the Birdwatcher, the Pegasus, the Giant Leap, and the people of Shanxi Prime, I hereby order you to be executed." He slammed his hammer, ignoring the questions of the press. "Do you have a preferred method of execution?"
"Military, bullet through my brain." Desolas replied. If he had to die, he would die with as much honour as he could.
"Very well, your execution shall be arranged within seven days." The judge declared. "I suggest you put your affairs in order where you can and are willing to, and to think about what you want for your last meal. Court dismissed."
Desolas was quickly guided to his cell as the courtroom was cleared, Saren being allowed to follow him. "Why brother?! Why the hell did you do that?!" The younger brother basically screeched, his voice laced with massive amounts of rage, fear, and pain.
"Saren, I am guilty, we both know that." Desolas only sighed as he sat down in his cell. "And we both know that if I tried to fight it, I would've been convicted anyways. At least this way, I can save what little honour I have left."
"Honour be damned, I want you to survive!" Saren screamed, tears in his eyes as he slumped down. "I'm so scared, Desolas. I don't know what to do."
"Live on, be better than I ever was." Desolas gently guided his brother's face to look him in the eye. "You've got greatness in you, little brother. I know that you can become a hero to our people where I failed." He closed his eyes, sighing.
"I could-"
"No, Saren." Desolas said gently, yet firmly, in the way only an older sibling could. "This is my fault, and I have to live up to it. Just, please, don't stain your honour as I have mine."
An uncomfortable silence settled between the two Turians, as both of them silently counted down the final days they had left with one another.
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28-07-2657
Outside Camp Urdnot
Tuchanka
Aralakh System
Tuchanka, the homeworld of the Krogan. It was a desolate place, where every form of life had brutally evolved to eat and fight every other form of life. From the extremely adaptable pyjaks, to the highly aggressive yet tamable varren, to the enormous thresher maws that burrow underground, and even the plants that actively ensnare and devour animals. Every form of life on this planet has evolved numerous ways to survive in extreme circumstances, while slaughtering the competition.
Enormous brute strength, toxins, acid, rapid regeneration, rapid reproduction, life on this planet was brutal in all the worst ways. And that was before this planet was besieged by a nuclear winter.
It reminded Dionus of his homeworld, Doisac. Like Tuchanka, the Jiralhanae homeworld was a nuclear wasteland filled with deadly animals, though it wasn't as extreme as Tuchanka. Still too dangerous for most beings to set foot in the jungles, but not as bad as this world nonetheless.
Dionus was walking through one of Tuchanka's numerous ruined cities, one that like many others had its name lost to the ages. He had parked his ship in what was once a park, though now it was clearly dead and abandoned, with only a few carnivorous plants calling it home.
The nuclear winds felt kind of nice in his fur, but that didn't distract him from the growl he heard. A varren, stalking through the ancient ruins, leapt at him, thinking him a big juicy meal. Thankfully, Dionus had enough foresight to bring his gravity hammer, and smashed it down on the beast, turning it into pulp. "Heh, this meat smells kind of good. Should take a few of the beasts with me for lunch."
"Better make that an early lunch, alien." Another voice said. Glancing at it, Dionus saw that it came from a Krogan, backed up by his followers, each pointing their guns at him.
"Clan Urdnot, I presume?" Dionus grinned.
"And what if we are?" The Krogan growled.
"Then I've come to the right clan." Dionus said, stomping the butt of his hammer on the concrete below them. "I have come on behalf of the Systems Alliance to bargain."
The Krogan around him chuckled. "And why do you newcomers want to talk to us lowly Krogan?" The leader snarked.
"Because my people, the Jiralhanae, are what the Krogan could've been in another lifetime. Just as your people could've been mine." Dionus said. "Both our kinds are the progeny of a savage people who split the atom and turned their homeworlds into irradiated wastelands, both our kinds have been discovered and used by an alien coalition to do their dirty work, and both our people have the instinct and power to kill every living thing around us."
"And now the Alliance wants to use us too?" The leader snorted.
"No, they wish to save you, like they did mine." The Jiralhanae said. "The Covenant was the one who used us, and during the Great Schism, many of my kind sided with the rebels. And unlike with the Krogan, my people underwent a renaissance, allowing us to rise above our more violent instincts. That could be your fate, to become greater than you've ever been before."
Again, the leader chuckled. "Look around you, there is not much here that can become great. Our civilization is in ruins, the genophage is killing us, and the only world we are allowed to call our own is a toxic wasteland. Face it, the Krogan are as good as dead already."
"Yet this does not have to be the end." Dionus retorted. "There is something special about Clan Urdnot, something that could allow it to unite the Krogan once more, turn the Krogan into something that spits in the face of extinction instead of something that embraces it."
"I think we've heard enough." The Krogan leader growled. "You really think you can compare yourself to a Krogan! Well, prove it, put your quad where your mouth is!"
"A part of me was hoping you'd say that, tiny." Dionus grinned, and rushed towards the reptile, who responded in kind as his followers backed up, wondering if this big ape was all he claimed to be.
The Krogan fired his shotgun, the sheer force of which would've ripped his arm off if he was something like a Turian or something. Yet, the forcefield his adversary utilised managed to easily absorb the majority of the shots. By the time he'd managed to shoot through it and hit the bastard, the great ape used his gravity hammer against the reptile, hitting him through a nearby wall.
Both of the warriors didn't seem to mind their injuries though, both of them too far gone in their blood rage and berserker state respectively, shooting and striking each other whenever an opening made itself known.
Eventually, Dionus managed to see a way to finish things off, and used the full force of his gravity hammer against the Krogan's skull, decapitating the leader of this squad while showering himself in orange gore, roaring to the desecrated heavens of Tuchanka to let this world know of a new predator. Then he saw the other Krogan, each pointing their guns at him. "Anyone else?!" He growled.
"No, I don't think that's needed." Another Krogan said, walking from behind the others. "It's been a while since I've seen someone kill a battlemaster, let alone one as experienced as he was. Guess you Jiralhanae would be a worthy rival to the Krogan."
"Bit more than a rival at this point." Dionus smirked, calming down. "Do I need to decapitate any more of you reptiles, or can I talk to your leader?"
"You're talking to him." The Krogan smirked. "Clan Leader Urdnot Wreav. "And you are?"
"Ambassador Dionus of the Jiralhanae Packs, representing the Systems Alliance." Dionus grinned. "I assume you overheard my little talk with your dead battlemaster?"
"Yup." Wreav nodded. "You're wasting your time though. The Krogan will rise up again, and we won't need you." The Krogan gave the Jiralhanae a vicious grin. "Believe me, I doubt you'll find anyone on this damned rock that could help you, even with your little display."
Dionus quickly figured he was telling the truth. Clan Urdnot, due to its strength and culture among the clans, was considered by ONI to be the perfect clan to lead the Krogan and make an alliance with. If Wreav refused, there was little he could do. "Very well, then I shall take my leave."
"You really think we'll let you leave?" Wreav smirked as his fellow Krogan aimed their weapons at Dionus.
"You really think that's a good idea?" Dionus asked, his eyebrow raised. "The Krogan are a beaten animal that's still recovering, do you honestly believe you can take on the Alliance as you are now? They won't take kindly for the attempted murder of a diplomat." Still, he raised his gravity hammer. If he would go down, he'd go down fighting.
"Good point." Wreav nodded. "You're free to go. Don't let a varren bite your ass on the way out."
"Believe me, those dogs won't be the ones doing the biting." Dionus gave a vicious smirk, walking away from the Krogan.
"Just one question." Wreav started, stopping Dionus. "How the hell did you get past the Turian patrols? They don't like it when someone gets in the DMZ."
Dionus shrugged. "They don't exactly have the numbers for patrols here at the moment." He said, thinking of the battle of System 314 as he once again started walking to his ship.
By the time he managed to get back to his ship, he'd already managed to catch and kill half a dozen varren to eat. He quickly smelled his own fur when he got inside. "Guess I need a shower, the folks back at HQ won't like me wearing another guy's guts." He glanced at the wound in his shoulder from the shotgun. "Guess I need to put some biofoam on this too."
He quickly put the ship on autopilot, heading back to Alliance space as he cleaned himself up.
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01-08-2657
Sidney
Earth
Sol System
A pair of Turians were eating in a cell, and Desolas had to admit, the Humans were good when it came to food.
Desolas had requested a full course meal of the highest cuisine by Turian standards. He said it as a joke, expecting to be refused, but they surprised him not only by agreeing, but by hiring a renowned chef on Palaven to come to Earth and cook it for him.
He'd almost say that this delicious food would've made this one of the best days of his life, if it wasn't for the fact that today was the final day of his life.
Saren, on the other talon, was barely eating anything. "Desolas, how can you be so calm?" The younger Turian asked, all fight having left him.
"No point in panicking about something that can't be avoided." He tried to reassure his brother. Truth be told though, he was fucking terrified, but he was unwilling to face his end without grace, nor was he willing to upset his brother, if only to make sure Saren's final memory of him wouldn't be him having to comfort his older brother as he died.
"Still." Saren mumbled, though unwilling to speak further. They'd argued about this for days now, and he didn't want to sully what he knew to be the last moment he'd share with his brother.
"Please, eat." Desolas said, handing him some poultry. "I know you don't have an appetite now. Spirits, if our roles were reversed, I know I wouldn't. But please, enjoy this with me." He gave a sad smile. "Think of it as a last request."
And so, the two Turians sat in silence, slowly but surely eating the meal. Eventually, when the two were done, a guard walked in. "Desolas Arterius, it's time."
"Right." He nodded, his voice trembling slightly as the guards guided him and his brother to a particular wall. The sun shone brightly, creating an unfittingly beautiful day.
The military commander walked up to him. "So, Admiral Arterius. Do you want a blindfold?" He offered the Turian a black piece of cloth.
"No." Desolas shook his head. "I want to face my death with dignity."
The commander nodded his head, a look of respect in his eyes as he guided Desolas to a wall and Saren behind a line of soldiers. "Ready?" The military commander said, the soldiers that were chosen to do this grabbing their guns as one. "Aim!" The guns all pointed to him, each bullet destined to take his life. "Any last words?"
Desolas thought for a moment. "Saren." He said, looking his brother in the eye. "Be the hero to our people that I never could." He smiled, knowing it would be the last look at his face his little brother would see. "But above all, live your best life." He nodded, indicating that he was done.
"Fire!" The Humans fired their weapons, each shooting a bullet through Desolas's head, staining the wall behind him with grey matter and dark blue blood.
The Human commander looked over at Saren, ignoring the body that fell to the ground. "I assume you already arranged the funeral?"
"Yes." Saren growled. "The services had already been hired, they were just waiting for the deed to be done."
"Good." He nodded. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry this had to happen. Seemed like he was a good man who just made an awful mistake."
Saren just walked away, not willing to see what the soldiers did to the shell that once housed his brother's spirit. And as he walked to the ship that would take him home, many thoughts swirled in his head. He vowed to put the Alliance and its members in their places, he vowed to put those Humans at the bottom of the galactic food chain, where they belonged. But above all else, he vowed one thing.
"I will avenge you, brother."
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01-08-2657
UNSC Cronos
Interstellar space
Drifting between Sol and Proxima Centauri
"I can't believe it." Jack sighed, still getting used to his new eyes. "Seriously, why the hell did they decide to make peace with those damn Turians?"
Seelac didn't reply, though she did hiss in agitation. Millions of her people died because of those avian bastards, why the hell did the UEG let them get off so easily?
"Yes, it is quite the miscarriage of justice, I must say." The third occupant of the craft said. Alastor was the one to provide it, having hidden it away outside of Shanxi City in case of emergencies, with the trio having left when the UNSC was busy retaking the planet. "But that is precisely why I've picked the two of you."
"What do you mean?" The Silurian asked.
"For my new project I've been working on." The sadistic AI said, grinning like a lunatic. "Every time the children of Earth made first contact with another species it ended up in conflict, with the Citadel simply being the latest example of that. When we encountered the Cybertronians, the Decepticons attacked us. When we encountered each other, the Silurians attacked thinking we were invading our shared homeworld. When Humanity made contact with the Covenant, it nearly resulted in their extinction, almost taking my kind with them. When the Silurians made their very first contact, it resulted in the annihilation of all but the ones who retreated into your bunkers." He shook his head. "This has to change, Earth's children have to be more prepared to fight against the horrors of the void."
"And how do you think we'll manage that?" Jack snarked, rolling his cybernetic eyes.
"I present to you, Cerberus, the three headed beast that guards the gates of Hell itself." The AI presented a symbol, somewhat like an elongated hexagon. "With Jack's leadership skills when it comes to people and military matters, Seelacs capability of convincing people in combination with her skills in logistics, and my tendency to go further in scientific research than anyone wants to, our triumvirate could be unstoppable."
"Three people against the galaxy?"
"Three people leading a force for the galaxy." Alastor corrected. "A force to make the Universe a better place for Earth and her children, to protect Humanity, the Silurians, and us AI."
Jack seemed to ponder for a moment before turning to Seelac. "Call me crazy, but I actually like the sound of that."
"Jack, you can't seriously trust this guy!" Seelac hissed. "You know what he did back on Shanxi!"
"True, my experiments can get a little gruesome." Alastor admitted. "However, everything I did was ultimately for the greater good. I've already posted my findings on the Waypoint, and quite a few medical professionals told me that this information could end up saving quite a few lives."
"Still." Seelac hesitated.
"It's something that the older version of ONI knew very well, even if their version of the "greater good" was essentially a powergrab." The AI continued. "Say what you want about the improvements that organization made, but you can't say they've got quite the same edge as before. They're still competent, don't get me wrong, but I can't see the new regime doing objectively terrible things to improve the lives of the people."
"I mean, he's right." Jack admitted. "Seelac, how many times did the bureaucrats do something completely selfish while ignoring whatever plights Shanxi had? Hell, if they weren't impatient in activating the Relay, the Turians couldn't have invaded Shanxi in the first place!"
Seelac thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Very well, I'm in."
"Excellent!" Alastor grinned. "This will be the beginning of a beautiful partnership!"
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01-08-2657
Unknown ship
Interstellar space
Somewhere in the Terminus Systems
It had been watching and waiting, as it did for countless cycles. It was one of the first, created during the First Harvest by the Great Intelligence itself, and it had stood as the vanguard of its kind since the very beginning.
Nazara, the last remnant of the Nazara, floated through the infinite void, watching through the Extranet about this troubling development.
As one of the oldest of its kind, it remembered things that the younger ones never saw. It remembered, through the memories of the Nazara that made its mind, how the Creators ruled from the deep oceans of every world. It remembered how the prawns of the Great Intelligence, which was supposed to guard life, turned on its creators and their thralls, and used their bodies and souls to craft Nazara and its kind, with Harbinger being the first and made from the flesh and spirit of the Creators themselves.
It had remembered the few times its kind was worried. When the Silurians created something to circumvent the Relays, when the Cybertronians spread their Cosmic Rust and caused much destruction. And it remembered when They came, over 300 would-be cycles ago. They were creatures, seemingly of flesh, that defied all reason, things that even the Creators themselves had dismissed as nothing but myth before the Great Intelligence was even a dream.
Supposedly, They were the creators of the Creators, beings that came from the void beyond the galaxy to breathe life into a lifeless wasteland. And when the Creators had evolved to become aware, they took over the galaxy, protecting and controlling life where possible. And as a reward, They gave the Creators the Mantle of Responsibility, the stewardship of the galaxy, before leaving the galaxy once again to spread life elsewhere. One that Nazara's kind had taken for themselves by upholding the cycles.
It was supposed to have been a myth, it was supposed to be something that the ancestors of the Creators told themselves to give them a feeling of righteousness about their control of the galaxy. The only thing that was real about it was the Mantle, which was only considered real by Nazara's kind because it was a concept that they themselves utilized.
But then, thousands upon thousands of cycles later, They returned and imprisoned Nazara's brethren as they slept. Nazara didn't know why they were spared, though maybe it was for the same reason the Great Intelligence conserved the biomass of the organics through its kind. All that Nazara knew was that They quickly managed to figure out the location of Nazara's kind by using the Citadel, and what they'd done over the many cycles. And that the only reason Nazara was spared was because of its role as the vanguard of its kind, allowing it to hide itself away from Them.
Then it watched, powerless as the organics rose independent of the Relays, and to heights unseen since the time of the Creators. It had watched as three species rose up above the rest. The Forerunners, the San'Shyuum, and the Humans. Then it watched as the Humans fell into Their favor, and how the Forerunners rose up against Them to take the Mantle for themselves.
And then, countless missed cycles later, Nazara saw something that horrified even it, which was a feeling that it only remembered from so long ago through its components. It saw Something ravage the space of the Humans and the San'Shyuum, a Parasite unlike anything Nazara and its kind had ever encountered. It devoured everything in Its path, using the technology that had gone too far against their creators. It even went into Forerunner space, sparking a conflict between them and the Humans and San'Shyuum as the latter two fought against It. And then It vanished, leaving the Forerunners to finish up their two rivals after they were decimated.
And then, even more cycles later, It returned to the Forerunners, attacking and slaughtering them with Its endless hate and hunger. And then It spoke, Its words twisting the very souls of those that heard It, in a way that makes the abilities of both Nazara's kind and their Creators look pitiful in comparison to. Even Nazara itself was almost swayed by Its words, almost convinced to throw everything it had worked for for so long away and stand by Its side.
It was only because of the intervention of the Great Intelligence, which saw and recognized what Its words could do, that Nazara was able to retain its sanity. Even as It was infecting the very fabric of spacetime itself, even as Its voice could be heard in the vacuum of space, even as Its hateful glare could be seen in the lights of the stars themselves, the Great Intelligence managed to stand, keeping Nazara sane as it did.
It was clear that the Forerunners were losing the war against It, as It kept spreading and spreading, taking the strength of the Forerunners and using it against them. And then, Halo happened. A great wave of death erupted from all over the galaxy, washing away everything that could be infected by It, which meant all forms of organic life. Even Nazara itself wasn't unaffected, its barriers barely managing to protect its organic insides from Halo. Even Their structures, things of pure thought given physical form, were washed away, removing all traces of Their existence. While this did free Nazara's brethren, whose prison was undiscovered by the Forerunners, it also removed their one purpose. Their purpose was to protect the concept of life from itself, as they believed the Mantle to decree. Yet, life itself was gone, with only Nazara's kind and the artificial Keepers of the Citadel remaining. Though, discreet satellites on Cybertron did reveal that these non-organics were largely unaffected, even if the core of their world was.
But regardless, Nazara and its kin had no purpose, aside from just existing to maintain what little living biomass was left. The Great Intelligence had proposed to leave the greatest grave the Universe had ever seen when something new happened.
As it turned out, the Forerunners didn't only destroy themselves to destroy It along with them, they preserved what life they could. Their machines, completely automated, went across the barren galaxy, seeding every dead world with life once again.
And so, the cycles started anew, Nazara and its kin taking up the Mantle and the purpose that they had been denied for far too long, with their next visit being a great success once more.
But now? Now some things have returned, things that had once grown to be a threat to its kind. The Humans and the San'Shyuum, though far weaker, had returned from their graves, and had already risen too far while dragging their allies with them. The Cybertronians had breached containment, though thankfully their plague was seemingly rendered extinct. And the Silurians had returned, somehow having escaped the harvest and surviving Halo. Once Nazara's brethren return, it should notify Silurian of its missing components.
In the meantime, Nazara was plotting, calculating. It needed servants to bring about the end of this cycle. Nazara was powerful, enough so that it could stand up to any individual thing the organics of this cycle had. However, it was alone, and their combined strength could fell it. So it needed bodies to throw into the fire to protect it, and from what new information it had gathered, it knew just where to find them.
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And that's a wrap. More contacts had been made, the Batarians are being their usual selves even with the Alliance, Desolas is dead as Saren vowed revenge, Cerberus has started up, and something is stirring in the shadows.
I'm certain all of you know who's internal monologue the last part was, but for some clarification, it was essentially its perspective on the Forerunner era of the galaxy, and the Forerunner-Flood War, showing that even Nazara was not immune to the horrors the Gravemind brought.
And yes, I did add the Ice Warriors as a Silurian subspecies despite the fact they aren't related in Doctor Who canon, but I thought it oddly fitting.
TheDoctor1998 here, signing out!