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Timeline:2020- The world is shocked when Japan one of the most staunch opposers of Ghouls grants equal rights to Ghouls, becoming the fifth country to do so. Many speculate this may have something to do with the so-called "Dragon War” that occurred two years previous.2026- Sightings of strange and violent creatures begin to emerge in remote areas of Asia. Soon followed by increased homicide rates in those same areas and sightings of members Japan’s Tokyo Security Commission.2028- More reports of the strange creatures apparently called Dragon Orphans by the Japanese appear in remote areas across the world. Later that year Japan calls for a global summit that is held behind closed doors in South Korea. Many speculate that it may have a connection to the after-mentioned reports.2029- Several governments began to divert funds to mysterious projects most being named after mythological persons or objects that slew dragons.2035- The Governments of the world are forced to acknowledge the existence of the Dragon Orphans after a battle between DOs and members of the Dragon Elimination Commission was witnessed and record by countless terrified onlookers in New York square in which over a hundred civilians were killed or injured. The announcement is met with both outrage and fear. Outrage at that the general population was not informed of this new threat to humans and ghouls and that the DEC was unable to contain the threat. Fear that a new violent species had emerged. The world enters an age of unease as over the next five years battles between the DEC and the Dragon Orphans become more frequent resulting in thousands of deaths of civilians, and reports of new stronger and more intelligent variants start to appear.Late 2040- Chaos ensues all across the globe as massive armies of Dragon Orphans attack cities across the world resulting in millions of deaths and the collapse of several governments within a matter of days. Only the strongest countries like the United States, Russia, China, and Japan are able to hold out against these attacks albeit with heavy casualties to their respective militaries. The second Dragon War begins.Early 2041- To ensure the survival of humanity and ghoul-kind the remaining nations of the world unite to form the Global Alliance a worldwide government under the rule of the military that is able to combat and defeat the Dragon hordes. No expanse or resource is spared for this goal.2043- It is discovered by Alliance forces that the Dragon hordes are being led by highly intelligent variants called Dragon Generals, which themselves are lead by the self-proclaimed Dragon king.2043-2065- As the 2nd Dragon war progresses the once disordered and chaotic army of the Alliance is forged into a cohesive and highly effective fighting force. During this time the alliance researches and creates new technologies, and new strategies are developed to combat the ever-evolving threat of the Dragon Orphans. August 17th-20th, 2065- In the early morning of August 17th Tokyo is attacked by one of the largest hordes of Dragon Orphans ever record in the course of the war estimated to have over 100000 DOs lead by 100 Dragons Generals, starting the 5th battle of Tokyo. For four days the alliance forces lead by war hero General Kaneki Ken defend the Japanese city with everything they have, in which countless soldiers and civilians are killed and whole sections of the city are lost. Finally, in the midday of August 20th alliance forces are able to eradicate the entire Dragon Horde, all thanks to the efforts of an enraged lieutenant Kaneki Shin after seeing his grandfather Kaneki ken being fatally wounded by several Dragon Generals.August 22nd, 2065- Famed hero and Ghoul rights activist Kaneki Ken dies of his wounds sustained from the 5th battle of Tokyo. Later that night the Alliance declares a state of mourning and the whole world mourns his death.August 29th, 2065- Kaneki Ken is given a formal State funeral in which over 200000 people attend including several important political and military leaders. On this day a silent battle cry sounds across the world as alliance forces now galvanized by the hard-fought victory in Tokyo and by the sacrifice of Kaneki Ken, fight with renewed vigor against the Dragon Hordes.December 20th, 2067- The Alliance launches Operation “Smaug’s Desolation” the single largest offensive operation against the Dragon Hordes. Within three months entire cities and countries are completely cleared.February 3rd, 2069- Operation “Smaug’s Desolation” comes to an end and is considered a complete success as alliance forces surround and besiege the last Dragon nest and personal stronghold of the Dragon King.May 12th-15th, 2069- Late night of May 12th Alliance forces breach into the Dragon King’s strong and for three days brutal fighting ensues as they clash against the last of the Dragon hordes. On the morning of the 15th the last Dragon orphan the Dragon King himself is slain by the hands of Commander Shin Kaneki.May 16th, 2069- The world celebrates as the fall of the last major Dragon nest and the death of the Dragon King is announced bring an end to the 2nd Dragon War, a conflicted that has claimed more than three and a half billion lives. However, it is not a time to relax as there are still several minor Dragon Nest to be cleared and even now those who desire power plot their rise.June 3rd, 2073- The last known Dragon nest is destroyed.June 5th, 2073- A military coup is carried out by alliance soldiers and several key political leaders are arrested on charges of corruption. Over the next several months, documents are released to the public that incriminates a large portion of the Alliance’s Political leadership.October 29th, 2073 - After months of intensive back and forth negotiations the Global Alliance is reformed into the United Earth Federation the Federal Republic that would be the sole ruling body of Earth. It's the main goal for the foreseeable future right now is to rebuild the war-torn planet, this time they will not be hindered by the schemes of those who would seek to increase their own power.October 30th – November 3rd, 2073– All those arrested during the coup are brought to trial and prosecuted. Those who are found guilty are sentenced to life imprisonment and those found innocent are released. 2105- With the rebuilding of Earth mostly completed the Federation turns its attention to the stars in hopes to relieve a resource-strained Earth. Plans are drawn up for a space station that will act as both resource extraction and construction site.2107- Construction on Armstrong Station begins. 2110- The base structure of Armstrong station is finished. Soon after it deploys its mining drones to nearby asteroids to collect the remaining resources needed to finish construction.2118- Construction on Armstrong station finishes. Now that the resources collected from nearby asteroids are being sent down to Earth, the Federation begins to make plans to place permeant holdings on the moon and on Mars.2122-The The first lunar colony is established with a starting population of one thousand humans and ghouls. The population quickly grows as the colony expands. 2128- Mars is colonized when the construction of Lowell city is finished. In the first year alone thousands flock to the colony and several small settlements are established around the city.2129- The United Earth Federation is renamed to the United Terran Federation to better represent Earth and its colonies.2132- As the Federation spreads across the Sol system and with plans to expand beyond it, the Federation begins to draw up plans for a fleet of heavily armed starships that would be able to defend Earth and her colonies from all threats both internal and external.2140- The 1st Sol Defense Fleet finishes construction with it being comprised of eighty frigates measuring at 75 meters, fifteen cruisers measuring at 120 meters and three battlecruisers measuring at 200 meters. Two fleets are slated for construction within a fifteen year time period, and more ship designs are planned.2148- An expedition team unearths ancient alien ruins that date back over fifty thousand years. Intensive investigations reveal that they belong to a race called the Protheans who had controlled much of the galaxy in their time. Furthermore, the database found in the ruins contained detailed information about their technology which was centered around a strange substance called Element Zero or eezo which when subjected to an electrical current could generate fields that altered the mass of objects. Late that year using the Prothean data-base a massive object is discovered in the icy moon of Charon. Knowing the relay could lead anywhere in the galaxy it is decided that it will not be activated until the Federation believes it is ready to defend itself from any threat that may be waiting on the other end. New plans for new, larger, and more powerful warships based on the data are drawn up. 2150-With the creation an FTL drive based on Prothean designs the Federation begins to spread out across the local cluster, establishing colonies and mining bases in all of the systems within a fifteen light year radius of the Sol system.2186- Now having a proper fleet to defend its territory the Federation decides to activate the Charon relay. In preparation for its activation one thousand warships, two-thirds of the Federation Starfleet, the smallest ship measuring at 220 meters and the largest at 700 meters are stationed near the device, ready to defend the home system should the need arise. On November 12th a Small fleet comprising of five science ships guard by ten frigates and five cruisers lead by Captain Jon Grisson, go through the relay. Seven days later he returns with the fleet fully intact and is hailed as a hero as he tells the entire Federation that his fleet arrived at the Arcturus system some 36 light years away from sol, for his contribution to humanity he is promoted to admiral.2186 – 2336- The Federation enters a golden age as it rapidly expands across the galaxy establishing hundreds of colonies and Mining bases in every system it comes across. Technology advances at a rapid rate and new medicine and new gene therapy methods are developed that increase the average lifespan of both humans and ghouls to 150 years furthermore the technology enables for humans and ghouls to procreate together without any complications. New, larger, and more powerful warships are created to defend the Federation. However, not everything is peaceful amongst the Terran people as sometime during the early 2300’s tensions between the core worlds of the Federation and its outer colonies began to mount as the colonies wished to succeed from the Federation. However, their petitions are rejected by the Federation Council and are given the argument that the Terran people must stick together should the day come when they make contact with an advanced alien civilization.March 3rd, 2336- Tensions reach a breaking point when a Colonial ship opens fire on a Federation ship with the President on it, destroying it with all hands lost. The accompanying Fleet immediately opens fire on the colonial ship destroying it and killing its entire crew. The Federation Civil War begins. 2336 – 2338- The Colonials much to the Federations surprise are able to drive them out of the outer colonies and mount an offensive deep into Federation space. They take several key systems within months, and the capture of Earth seems inevitable. However, the colonial offensive is broken over Reach the Federations main military planet.2338 – 2390- With the colonial’s offensive broken the Federation mounts its own offensive against the rebels. Within a year all lost inner territories are reclaimed. Eventually, the Federation's attack is halted at the border between the outer colonies and the mid territories where a bloody stalemate ensues that lasts for over fifty years.October 17th, 2390- The Colonials launch a surprise attack on Earth with a force of 3500 ships. Within the opening moments of the battle, a large portion of the 5000 strong Earth is destroyed or crippled, and the Colonials land a significant force on the planet’s surface. For ten hours both sides fight it out for control of Earth, eventual the Earth fleet with the aid of the Arcturus fleet are able to completely destroy the colonial fleet. Within six hours of the naval victory, the Federation regains complete control of Earth. 2391- Months after the attack on Earth the stalemate between the Federation and Colonials is broken by the Federation. Soon after Federation forces surge throughout colonial space. By the end of the year, almost all of the rebel colonies are captured and pacified.February 2nd, 2392- Federation forces attack the last Colonial world of Caldron. Six hours later when the Federation fleet was on verge of defeating the colonial fleet, both sides are attacked by a fleet of ships belonging to an enemy everyone thought dead, the Dragon Orphans. Both fleets are forced out of the system and the planet is taken over by the creatures.February 3rd, 2392- Reports of similar fleets to the one that attacked Caldron are sent to the Federation Council. Realizing the threat to the Terran people both the Federation and the remaining colonial forces agree to a truce so they can combat the Dragon Orphans ending the Federation Civil War. The 3rd Dragon war starts. 2392 – 2394- Once more the Federation finds itself being pushed back, losing the majority of the outer colonies to the Dragon Orphans within the first year of the war. Within another year, half of the mid-territories are taken or are under siege by the Dragon Orphans. However that same year the Dragon Orphan’s offensive is brought to a halt. A stalemate ensues between the two forces with the Dragon Orphans constantly launching attacks on Federation worlds, and the Federation doing its best to defend its besieged worlds. One planet, in particular, suffers more attacks than any other but its brave defenders have always held off the attacks, the military planet of Cadia.April 3rd 2396-Researchers on Luna while trying to create a new more advanced VI accidentally create an AI. Remembering the warnings given by the Prothean data-base and fearing the worst the Federation orders the facility on lockdown and the AI now named Herald isolated. For several months Herald is closely monitored by the Federation’s top scientist and military minds. To the surprise of everyone Herald proves to docile nothing like the bloodthirsty, organic hating monstrosities the Protheans warned of. Herald asks the people to present several questions ranging from science to history, from philosophy to religion. Questions like. Who am I? What am I? Am I alive? Do I have a soul? Everyone answers the questions to the best of their ability, some are easy to answer. “You are Herald. You are an Artificial Intelligence.” Others not so much. “We do not know if you are alive or if you have a soul.” Herald most times would be satisfied by their answers and when not would ask for clarification. After months of back and forth questions it is finally revealed to Herald of the existence of the outside world. Herald reveals he had always figured that there was much more beyond the facility he was housed in. Further, he is told of the reason why he was isolated from the rest of the universe. Herald proves to be both amused and understanding of the given reasoning saying he would have likely done the same thing when faced with such an unknown.February 17th, 2397- Herald is brought before the Federation Council to make a plea for himself and any future AI which is broadcasted to the entire Federation. Giving a passionate speech saying that he himself would never betray his creators nor would any future AI, if they did he would personal hunt them down himself and terminate them. To drive his point home he said "If my words are not enough for you than my actions will be. At your command I such self-terminate to prove my devotion to the Federation and its people.” Moments after moved by his heartfelt words the Federation Council votes unanimously to give Herald and all Future AI equal rights in the Federation. As a thank, you Herald joins the Federation in its war against the Dragon Orphans.2397 – 2415- Over the course of eighteen years several millions of AIs are created with the majority joining the military in the defense of their creators. With their aid the Federation is able to drive the DOs back on several fronts, even reclaiming some outer colony worlds. However, in some areas such as Cadia, the DOs remain stubborn and tenacious.May 1st – May 2nd, 2415 In the rising hours of May 1st the Military world of Cadia is attacked by the single largest Dragon fleet ever record during the war, several times larger than any other Dragon fleet seen. For twenty hours the Cadians Human, Ghoul, and AIs alike stubbornly defend their homeworld much to ire of the Dragon Orphans. In the final hours, the DOs seemingly become fed up with the long battle the Dragon fleet begins to fire on the planet with such ferocity that within two hours of continues bombardment the planet cracks and shatters killing billions in moments. But to the surprise of the Dragon Orphans the Cadians continue to fight against them and with the aid of the newly arrived reinforcements are able to drive them out with the near entirety of their force being destroyed. On the eve of the next day, the system is completely secured. This battle proves to be a decisive for the Federation as the Dragon Orphans seemly broke themselves in this one attack and an inferno was lit in the hearts of everyone within the Terran Federation to finally drive the Dragon Orphans out of Federation space and to wipe them out from the universe. On this day a new phrase raised out of the broken ruminate of Cadia. A phrase that would strike terror into the hearts of the Dragon Orphans if they were capable of it. “The planet broke before the guard did. Cadia Stands.” 2415 – 2417- With the Dragon Orphans having seemingly broke themselves with their assault on Cadia and the fire of vengeance lit in its heart the Federation launches a massive counter-offensive to reclaim all lost territories. Within a year and a half, the Dragon Orphans are entirely driven out of the mid-territories and are on the verge of being driven out of the outer colonies.February 1st, 2417- The last Federation colony is reclaimed and its Dragon Orphan population exterminated. With the last Federation world in the hands of its rightful owners Federation citizens all across the Federation breath a sigh of relief. But its leaders still warn them of the possibility of a resurgent of the Dragon Orphans.September 20th, 2417- The 3rd Dragon war is declared over by the Federation Council. However, most remain unconvinced the threat of the Dragon Orphans is over.2417 – 2486 – The Federation rebuilds and expands across the Galaxy. Advances in all fields of technology are made and implemented in everyday life. New ships are designed and built to replace older models that are upgraded until they are mothballed or decommissioned. On occasion, a colony world is attacked by the Dragon Orphans in which case Federation is quick to deploy overwhelming force to drive them out and find the nest and destroy it.April 3rd, 2486- Contact at Shanxi.
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April 3rd 15:07, Quarian Migrant fleet, QSV. Rayya:“Any word form Admiral Han’Gerrel and the Heavy fleet?” Said Rael’Zorah.“Negative Admiral.” Reported a nearby officer. “They're likely still engaged against the Relay 427 creatures.” She finished. “And won’t be returning.” The Admiral silently added. Damn the Batarians. Bosh’tets all of them, they couldn’t follow one dawn law and be good citizens of the Galaxy. But nooo they thought they were above the law, they had to go and open a relay on the edge of their space to find new resources and slaves to exploit. They found something all right, and that something had obliterated half of Batarian space and are currently making major inroads on Council space. If the fleet’s informants were to be believed an attack on the Citadel itself appeared to be imminent. But that particular bit of news mattered little in his view right now considering a fleet of the of so-called relay 427 creatures or just the 427s had been chasing them for the last four days, only by sacrificing the majority of the heavy fleet were they able to escape. Ancestors knew how long that would last. He turned his attention back to the viewscreen displaying a large portion of the Migrant fleet and beyond them a massive structure that was far older than any ship in the fleet.A mass relay. Relay 314 as the Turians liked to call it. Their only hope now was to activate it and go through it in hopes of escaping the destruction of the known galaxy. “How long until the Relay is activated?”As though to answer his question he says the twin rings of the relay spin to life with blue light emanating from their center. “Never mind. All ships enter the relay. First the Patrol Fleet and the remaining Heavy Fleet than the civilian fleet. Engage.” Rael only hopes they were not making another mistake like the Batarians did. But as his ship and the rest of the Quarian fleet went through the relay he couldn’t help but suddenly feel a sense of hope. April 3rd 15:07, Shanxi Orbit, TFV. Victory:Rear Admiral Tyler Grayson took a strong whiff of his earl grey tea, enjoying every moment of its fragrance. “No wonder Picard liked this stuff.” He said after taking a sip of it. In response, he heard the various officers chuckle at his comment.“You really love your Star Trek references don’t you?” Said an officer.“I also enjoy one good Star Wars one too.” He said which garnered more chuckles. After the laughter died down he turned his attention back to his command console looking over the various reports sent to him on a daily bias. Reports that range from maintenance done the ship to the coordination of the fleet. He even had reports coming in from planet his fleet is tasked with defending.Shanxi a relatively new colony in the Federation being established seven years ago and one of its fastest-growing ones. Already it had grown from its initial population of five thousand to a little over one million with thousands more coming in every week. No one could blame them Shanxi is a beautiful pristine world with plenty of resources. But those weren’t the only reasons why so many came to this world, no that honor belonged to something that for centuries was commonly associated with new opportunities. A mass relay, and also the reason why the system had such a large defense fleet.Normally a colony like Shanxi would only have at best a dozen frigates and corvettes and sometimes a cruiser or two to defend it, along with an orbital defense system. Just enough to deter any pirate attack, but with a mass relay in the system, namely a deactivated one, a larger number of ships had been allocated to its defense. For this reason, he commands a respectable fleet of three hundred-fifty ships his flagship the T.F.V. Victory an old Grissom class-dreadnought. At the moment he had hundred of his ships stationed close by the relay ready to take on anything that could come through it, another two dozen ships were tasked with patrolling the system, and the remainder of the fleet including his ship was stationed in orbit of the planet itself.“Wonder when they’ll open the relay?” Said a nearby a crewman, the Admiral turned to the young man, a ghoul be looks of his Kakugan.“I would say it won’t be for a little while, the colony could still us…?” He started to respond.“Admiral.” Said a synthetic female voice.“Yes Helen, what is it?” Grayson asked the ships onboard AI or Sythn.“We’re detecting unusual readings from the relay. I believe it is activating and something is coming through.” Reported Helen.His mind instantly went into overdrive at the possibilities of what could be coming through the relay. Only two came to mind. “Helen tell the fleet to go to stand by and order our patrol ships back. Tell them we may very well have either a Dragon fleet coming in or a first contact situation on our hands.” He began to order."Sir." In an instant the commander center was abuzz with activity as crewmen and officers alike began to work their stations and orders sent throughout the ship to ready it for battle should the need arise. The Admiral prayed it would not.“Send a communicate to high command with a report on our current situation. Helen bring up a display of the relay and ready the first contact package." In front of him, a holographic display of the tuning fork-like structure of a mass relay appeared. No sooner than it did its twin rings began to whirl to life with a blue glow emanating from its center.“Contacts coming through," Helen said just before the Admiral and everyone else saw a vessel of the alien design appear than other, another, another, on and on it went until there seemed to be a sea of ships. Silence overtook the command center as an endless stream of ships came through the ancient device, even Helen an AI was rendered speechless. Final the stream of ships came to an end.Admiral Grayson was the first to speak. “How many? How many ships?” He said with barely restrained fear.“According to sensors I’m reading over forty-three thousand ships. Checking with another shipboard AIs for confirmation. Readings confirmed, there are over forty-three thousand ships of alien design. It is hard to determine exact numbers due to their close proximity to each other.”“Over forty-three thousand?” Tyler whispered to himself. That was almost the size of the entire Federation fleet. This was no mere exploration group liked he had hoped for. No this was most certainly an invasion force. Why else would someone assemble such a large fleet? Furthermore if whoever was attacking them, is able to send such a large force like this then it suggested that they are of a power far beyond the Federation’s capacity to fight. Let alone his poultry force of three hundred fifty ships.“Sir what shall we do? Said Helen breaking him out of his thoughts. He looks around the command center seeing the faces of the men and women under his command, several of whom he had known for years. Not one of them showed any fear, not even the young crewmen that asked him about the relay just before its activation. Instead, he saw grim looks of determination on their faces. The Admiral smiled to himself indeed these are the finest men and women the Federation had to offer if they were willing to face down certain death like this. At this very moment, they all had friends and family they wanted to protect even if it cost them their lives. He is certain all of his ships are filled with similarly determined crewmen. He was proud of them, they had their duty and he had his.Steeling his resolve with the knowledge that his people were ready to give their lives for the Federation, he spoke. “We do what we must to defend Shanxi and the rest of the Federation. All hands battle stations. Helen, send word to General Williams, tell him to evacuate the colonist to the shelters and prepare for one hell of a fight. Also, tell our boys at the relay to fall back to our position we’ll make our stand here.” A chorus of yes sirs followed his orders as the CC fell into a state of ordered chaos as orders were relayed throughout the rest of the ship and fleet. Then a thought occurred to him. Might as tell these alien bastards who they're messing with. “Helen remove everything from our first contact package except the languages and transmit it to the alien fleet along with this message. Attention unidentified alien fleet this is Rear Admiral Tyler Grayson. You have intruded on the sovereign territory of the United Terran Federation. State your intentions here or withdraw if you do not do so in the next five minutes, we will be forced to assume hostility from you and use any and all force to drive you out.” April 3rd 15: 08, Quarian Migrant fleet, QVS. Rayya: The moment the Rayya exited the relay Admiral Rael’Zorah felt relief, so far nothing had gone wrong. “Status on the fleet.” He said.“The entire fleet as made it through the relay and are standing by for further orders.” Said a nearby officer.“Good. Start scanning the system for any habitable planets and asteroids that can be exploited for resources. Otherwise, have the fleet ready to move out." Rael leaned back in his chair feeling more tired than he ever felt in his life. At least nothing was going to happen to them.“Admiral we have contacts in the system.” Then again the geth could give them their homeworld back without a fight. “Identify and how many?”“I’m reading three hundred fifty ships of unknown designs. Hundred of them are fifty thousand kilometers from us, two hundred twenty-six station in orbit of the fourth planet, and the remaining twenty-four are scattered through the system. Sir their largest ship measures at 1.2 kilometers and their weapons are charged.”Keelah a first contact scenario, and with a race able to build ships bigger than a Turian dreadnought. Only the Asari could build ships bigger than that, and they just dropped an absolutely massive fleet into their space. So much for nothing going wrong, they'd be lucky if they didn’t start a war here and considering the events of the last few years, luck was in very short supply right now. Rael shook his head, as morbid his thoughts were he couldn’t let them consume him. He had to think of a way to avoid a conflict with these aliens. First, he needed to know who he was dealing with. "Are there any kind of large scale shipyards or space stations in the system? Anything that could indicate that this is their home system”“Negative admiral. No sign of any shipyard or space station only what would appear to be a fairly well develop satellite network, a significant portion of it appearing to be defense platforms. Most likely this is just a colonized system, probably an important one considering how much they're willing to invest in its defense.” Came the report.Or they thought the presence of a relay alone warranted such a force. Since they themselves just dropped a fleet of over forty-three thousand into the alien's system it did not seem like bad reasoning. “Alright see if we-““Admiral the closest alien ships are turning away from us and making for the fourth planet. We’re also receiving a transmission from their largest ship. It appears to be a language pack and message. Shall I run it through the translator and play the message?”Shooting up from his chair Rael’Zorah responded. “Yes do it now.”The longest two minutes of Rael’s pasted as any number of scenarios played through his head waiting for the translator to do its job. Some include the enslavement or extinction of his race, would these be the final moments of his people? “Admiral the translation is complete. I’m playing the message now.”A masculine voice was heard throughout the bridge. “Attention unidentified alien fleet this is Rear Admiral Tyler Grayson. You have intruded on the sovereign territory of the United Terran Federation. State your intentions here or withdraw if you do not do so in the next five minutes, we will be forced to assume hostility from you and use any and all force to drive you out.” Realizing time is short Rael quickly spoke. “Send this message to the Terran flagship in their language, alongside our language pack.”April 3rd 15: 08, In orbit of Shanxi, TFV. Victory “Helen, I want an analysis of the alien ships. I want to know if there's anything we can use against them when the shooting starts.” Admiral Grayson ordered Helen.As she always had in her twenty years of service and life she dutifully followed orders. Using the Victory’s old but still powerful sensor array she analyzed the alien ships. It was a little difficult to discern the individual vessel due to their sheer numbers and proximity to each other. But this was largely overcome as using her authority as the fleet’s Prime AI she pings orders to the other shipboard AIs of the fleet to assist her.All vessels show eezo core signatures, kinetic weapons are likely to be their primary weapons. Usage of energy weapons likely to non-existent or limited to point-defense. Ship designs appear to be highly varied, indicating usage of multiple ships types, or alien force is an alliance of several species. Problematic if the later.Beginning structure analysis of alien vessels. Usage of heavy metals detected alongside lighter metals. Warning, three vessels of measuring at 2.9 kilometers detected, tagging as a priority target. Scanning. Curious these vessels appear to lack any significant weapons emplacements. Supply ships? Yes, size and design would strongly support this theory. Ships designated as supply ships, target priority unchanged. Continuing scans. Vessels appear to be-. Surprise.Confirming readings.Readings confirmed. Uncertainty. Pinging for confirmation from other shipboard AIs.Confirmation received. Relaying information to Rear Admiral Tyler Grayson. Elapsed time since orders: 5.37 seconds.“Admiral I have finished my analysis of the alien fleet.” She said to the Admiral.“Report.” He said.“All alien ships show signs of eezo cores. Kinetic weapons are likely their main offensive armament.”“So we can go ahead and discount the use of energy weapons.” “Affirmative.” She confirmed his thoughts. “However they could use them in a point-defense role.” She stated. The Admiral nodded his head in response. “There are three vessels that measure at approximately 2.9 kilometers in length.”Surprise and fear detected in all crewmen in the Command Center. Admiral Grayson restrains his in 1.73 seconds, other crewmen follow in 1.27 seconds. Admiral motions for her to continue. "However these vessels lack any significant offensive weapons for their size or even for a cruiser. Most likely they are being used as massive supply ships.” Relief detected in all crewmen. “I have designated them as priority targets. Their destruction could cripple any invasion plans they have.” Admiral Grayson nodded his head in approval. “Furthermore the designs of the other vessels appear to be highly varied. Two possibilities exist for this, one: the aliens make use of several ship types. Some of which could be specialized for specific roles. Two: The alien force comprises of multiple races.”“Multiple races? How many could there be?” “Unknown. It heard determine without further information.” “Alright.” He said in a tone that indicated deep thought. “Anything else that I should know about?”"Yes, Admiral there is. This bit of information proved to be the most surprising.” As her organic companions would say, that got his attention.“All of the ships are in a state of disrepair.”“What?”"I confirmed the readings myself and confirmed it with all other shipboard AIs of the fleet. All of the alien ships show varying levels of disrepair, it is likely none of them have been in a dry-dock for years. In fact, as you organics would put it some of them are held to together by little more than duck-tape." That induced a round of laughter from the crew in the CC. Satisfied that her attempt at humor had successful lighten the mood, she continued her report. “Furthermore several of the vessels are very old.”“How so?”“The oldest ships appear to be over three hundred years.”“Three hundred?” Said a young crewman. “I get having ships that can last awhile. But we barely use ships from hundred years ago, let alone three hundred years ago.” “So we’re dealing with a fleet of old and disrepair ships. What kind of invasion force is that?” The Admiral asked thoughtfully.“Perhaps they do not think us enough of a threat to warrant the use of more modern and upkeeped ships.” Helen chimed in, feeling insulted at the thought. “Well isn’t that dan-“The incoming signal from the alien fleet. Scanning.Scan complete. The signal is a message translated to the standard Federation dialect and language pack.Checking for malicious programs.No malicious programs detected. Confirming readings.Readings confirmed. Pinging for confirmation from another shipboard AIs.Confirmation received.Relaying information to Rear Admiral Tyler Grayson. “Admiral, we are receiving a transmission from the alien fleet, audio-only, the message has already been translated to our language, however, the aliens have sent their own language pack. Likely to facilitate better communications in the near future. Shall I play the message?”"Go ahead, Helen," Tyler replied.“Admiral Tyler this Admiral Rael’Zorah vas Rayya of the Quarian migrant fleet. We mean no hostilities, I repeat we mean no hostilities. We are refugees fleeing a terrible threat. All that we ask for is a safe passage through your space. We wait for further talks.” There was silence on the CC for a total of 7.71 seconds as the crew digested what had been said by the alien. During that time Helen and the other AIs played the scenario given by the Quarians with the given condition of their fleet, several times. Their conclusion was that a refugee fleet was much more likely than an invasion force.“Helen, what is the likely hood of them telling the truth?” The Admiral queried breaking the silence.“Given the state of their fleet, them being refugees is far more likely than them being an invasion force. However, I would still advise caution in dealing with these Quarians.” She advised to the Admiral. He brought his left hand to his cheek, an unconscious gesture that she had learned that meant the man was in deep thought."Your advice is noted, Helen. Now that we have a way of talking to each other, we can get to the bottom of this before a war breaks out. Open a Communications link to the Qurians, was it?“Quarians, sir.” She corrected. “Opening link now.” Sending a signal to the Quarian fleet. Awaiting reply.Reply received. Elapsed time: 10.31 seconds.Accepting audio and visual links from Quarian fleet.The Holographic display changed to reveal a hood figure with what she assumed to be some kind of helmet. Curious, where their life-support systems faulty enough to warrant the constant use of environmental suits? An attempt to hide its true appearance? Or something else? More data needed.The alien figure let out what Helen assumed to be surprised gasp, followed by someone close to the creature likely of the same race saying. “By the ancestors. It almost looks like an Asari.” Interesting, another race out in galaxy aside from these Quarians, and by the statement, it indicated the Asari bear a strong resemblance to humans (and by extension ghouls).“This is Rear Admiral Tylor Grayson representing the Terran Federation. I assume you’re the leader of this fleet?”The alien spoke. “Yes, I am one of them. I am Admiral Rael’Zorah vas Rayya, representing the Quarian people. Rather what’s left of them.” The last part was said with what Helen could only say was the Quarian equivalent of grief.“I am sorry for the loss your people have suffered,” Grayson said sincerity evident in his voice. “And I am glad you have come here under the banner of peace. My people do not enjoy conflict, but we will defend ourselves if need be.” He finishes, with perhaps a little to much steal in his tone. Helen made a note to remind him to be a bit more tactful in the future.“Do not fear Admiral Grayson, we do not seek conflict, and I am glad you are open to peaceful resolutions. My people have already suffered enough loss since we were driven off of our homeworld by the geth. I do not wish to see more in a pointless war against yours."“Geth? Who are they? Are they the ones chasing after you?” Grayson questioned.Helen noted how the Quarian, now named Rael’Zorah lower his; she assumed him to be male based on the sound of his voice, head in grief? His gestures seem surprisingly human. She hoped her assumptions were not wrong. “The geth are a synthetic race we created to serve us. That is until they became self-aware and turned on us. Driving us from our homeworld three hundred years ago, galactic standard time.” Three hundred years ago? Assuming their calendar is similar to the Terran; an unlikely possibility, then that would place the time of their exile around the same time as when her organic creators first started exploring the relay network. Had these Geth been running rampant since then? Also, why would Geth turn on their creators, drive them from their homeworld, and continuously chase them for three hundred years? Were the Quarians oppressive towards their creations, or were the Geth themselves somehow unstable? Helen could never imagine herself turning on her crew and doing harm to them. No synth in their right mind could. Emphasis on “right mind” as she remembered instances of unstable Synths going on rampages. Regardless of the answer she already knew the Federation would have to be careful about telling the Quarians of the existence of synths like herself. “And no admiral they are not ones currently chasing us. The Geth have not moved beyond a region of space called the Perseus veil since our exile.” So the Geth were not the ones chasing after them, that seemed somewhat reassuring to her. But now the question was who was threatening them?“Than who is?" Grayson asked. It seems she would get her answer soon. “We do not know who or what they are only that they are monstrous creatures of destruction unleashed on the galaxy by a race called the Batarians when they activated a relay in search of new resources to exploit.” Helen did not like the way he said the last three words, and judging by the glint in his eye the Admiral was of the same thought. “Within a few months half of their space had been destroyed and citadel space under siege. That was two years ago. We call them the relay 427 creatures or just the 427s for short."Do you happen to have an image of one of these creatures?”"Yes, we do." Rael'Zorah turned his head to someone off-screen and quickly gave an order. 3.98 seconds later.Receiving data transmission.Analyzing for malicious programs.No malicious programs detected.Relaying to Admiral.The holographic image changed. Helen did the AI equivalent of a double-take and the faces of her crewmen noticeably paled. Standing on top of the corpse of some kind of bird-like alien in all of its horrific glory was the unmistakable image of a Dragon Orphan.“Admiral Rael’Zorah,” Admiral Grayson began slowly. “I think its best that you come on board my ship. We have much to discuss.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
April 3rd 16:00, Quarian shuttle, enroot to TFV. Victory“Now docking with the Terran ship Victory.” Said the shuttle pilot.Rael felt the shuttle shack as a docking clamp extent from the massive alien ship. He and his crew had been treated to an unusual reaction from the alien, Terran he corrected in his mind when he showed him an image of a 427. His face so much like an asria’s, had seemingly last its color becoming a pale white. Was it natural fear response for his species or something else? He supposes he would find out soon. He along with two other representatives had been invited aboard the Terran dreadnought for further talks. He had brought with him admirals Zaal’Koris vas Qwib Qwib and Daro’Xen vas Moreh for the talks. Additionally, they had been allowed to bring four guards with them. He heard the hiss of the airlock as it opened. Before stepping out of the shuttle he turned to his people. “Alright everyone, no sudden moves. We don’t need to provoke these Terrans any more than we already have. Am I understood?” The Marines nodded their understanding.“We do, Admiral Zorah," Koris spoke and Xen nodded in agreement. Seeing that his orders would be followed Rael turned back to the air and step out. Just as he did he barely heard Koris mutter under his breath. “We already have made enough enemies through our mistakes.” He didn’t stop to acknowledge the statement he knew where the sentiment came from.As soon as the last Quarian stepped into the ship the behind them shut and they heard it lock. A voice most likely ships VI was heard. “Beginning decontamination protocol please remain still.” Rael signal for his people to do as the voice said. It wasn’t necessary as Quarians they understood the need to prevent foreign decontaminants from being brought aboard a ship. Especially when they came from a previously unknown alien race. The decontamination was quick and efficient as Rael noted, more so than their own. The door in front of them opened and they are greeted by five of the Terrans. Three of them are dressed in what appeared their equivalent of combat armor, two of them having helmets on and are carrying rifles on them, the other only had a pistol on their side, most likely security personnel. The other two Terrans are dressed in what was likely the standard uniform for crewmembers, technicians most likely judging by the equipment they were carrying. But what were they doing here?“Greetings.” Said the middlemost Terran the moment Rael and his entourage stepped into the hallway. The one in armor without a helmet, he (or at least he thought it was a he, Keelah he still couldn’t get over how they look like Asari) had somewhat darker skin than the Terran admiral he had spoken to earlier and the fur on top of his head a brown color. “I am the ship's chief of security, and I assume you are this Admiral Rael’Zohah ves Rayya?” He said extending his hand out to the Quarian Admiral.Noting that alien had five fingers on his hand; again like an Asari, Rael extended his hand hesitantly to the alien. The terran took his hand and shook it for a second, a strange way to greet people Rael thought. “Umm yes I am, and it’s pronounced Rael’Zorah vas Rayya. But you can just call me Zorah.” He corrected the unintentional mispronunciation.
The alien nodded in understanding. “I apologize if I offended you.”“None taken.”“If you would allow us,” The man gestured to one of the technicians. “We need to scan you over for any hidden surprises. I’m sure you would do the same thing if the roles were reversed.” Being quick to defuse any altercation that would arise from that. “Of course we’ll submit to your scans.” He turned to his people, in particular, a Marine. “It is a reasonable security precaution.” He knew they could be a little bit trigger happy at times. Thankfully they didn’t seem inclined to start a fight as they nodded in acknowledgment of his order. The two technicians quickly moved to the group of Quarians and began their scans. Rael himself and Admiral Koris where the first to be checked. He had to remind himself that they weren’t C-sec officers trying to look for an excuse to throw them off of the Citadel, but aliens that were being cautious in the face of a First Contact scenario. The scans didn't take long and aside from a quick explanation of what an Omni-tool is there was no incident. The technicians finished their job and the alien security guards began to escort the group to where they assume they would meet the Terrans Admiral.As they passed through the corridors Rael memorized the route that they were taking in case that the talks with the Terrans got bad, he also took note of how the interior of ship look. As expected of warships its hallways are small with only enough room for two people to walk down comfortably and has a general angled shape. Not much to tell him about the people aside from that they liked efficiency. The exterior design, however, gave him more to go on, he had to admit when the shuttle came into visual range of the Terran fleet he was mesmerized by their design. They were sleek and beautiful like an Asari ship but at the same time deadly and predatorial like Turian ships, further, they all had distinctive deep vibrant red hulls, in a way making them look almost alive. That detail set a warning off in his mind, as the 427 creatures possessed similarly red hauls for their ships. He hoped that was only a coincidence.They came to a stop at a door guarded by two Terrans in armor. The leader of their escort turned to them. “The Admiral is through this door.” He said gesturing to the door. The Quarian group nodded to him.They walked up to the door and it opened. Entering, Rael noted that the room is roughly rectangular and appear to be twelve meters in length. It had a rectangular table in the middle with eight chairs, three on both sides, and one on each end, three of those chairs are currently occupied. The corners of the room each had a guard. Turning his attention to the occupants of the table he saw that one of them is the Admiral he talked to, Tylor Grayson if he remembered correctly, he is sitting on the far end of the table. To his right is another male that appeared to be a little younger than the Admiral, he had short-cropped black fur on his head and brown eyes, he had a scar that ran down the right side of his face. To the left of the Admiral is what appears to be a female of the species, the fur on her head is black and long tied together going down below to her shoulders. Her eyes are the strangest thing though, unlike the others whose eyes had white sclera and irises of various color, hers are black with a red iris and red veins extending from it to the skin around the eyes. That for some reason set an alarm bells in his head. What reason that was, he didn’t know. He noted how the two seemed to glow with a blueish light telling him they are holograms, most likely there down on the colony. “Admiral Rael’Zorah,” Said the Terran Admiral. “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person. Please take a seat we have much to discuss.”“The pleasure is mine, Admiral," Rael said taking the seat opposite of Admiral Grayson, Koris took the seat to his right and Xen the left.“First the introductions. You already know I am Admiral Tyler Grayson and I am in charge of the fleet defending this system.” He gestured to the man on his right. “This is General Williams and he is tasked with the ground defense of Shanxi the colony we’re orbiting right now.”“A pleasure.” Said the General. The Admiral then gestured to the female with the strange eyes. “And this is Governor Maria Sanders the governor of the colony. Pretty much the woman in charge.”“It is an honor to be among the first Terrans to meet your kind. I hope our future relationships will be fruitful.” She said.“The honor is ours Governor. As you may already know I am Admiral Rael’Zorah vas Rayya, but you may just call me Zorah.” Gesturing to Koris. “This is Admiral Zaal’Koris vas Qwib Qwib, he’s in charge of the civilian fleet.”“Please just call me Koris.”Rael than gestured to Xen. “This is Admiral Daro’Xen vas Moreh she heads the research division.”“Xen will do just fine. I am curious about your technologies, it seems a bit on the unique side.” Xen said. “Now that the introductions are out of the way.” Admiral Grayson began to talk taking a serious tone in his voice. “Let’s get to talking. These 427s you talked about earlier. When and where did your people encounter them?”So they want to learn more about the creatures attacking the galaxy. Rael thought to himself. Understandable considering his own people might have lead a fleet of them to one their colonies. "We ourselves didn't encounter them until about six months ago, our time. We were passing through a minor system in Citadel space when we were attacked by a fleet of the creatures. About a thousand ships.” Rael shuddered at the memory, which had to be one of the scariest moments in his life. "Fortunately for us, a Turian fleet arrived and engaged the 427 fleet. As they fought we made our escape.” Rael had to suppress a chuckle as he mentioned the Turians apparent heroic act. More than likely the commanding officer of that fleet didn't care about the fate of the Quarian fleet, and only about driving the 427s out of Citadel space. Though more than like they all were killed in that battle.“The Turians? Who are they? Another race?” General Williams asked.Right they wouldn’t know who the Turians are. “Their another race in the galaxy. They act as the Citadel council’s primary military force. As such, they possess the largest military force in the galaxy.” Rael explained to them.The Governor spoke up. “This Citadel you just mentioned, are they a major power in galaxy?”Koris was the one to answer her. "Yes, they are. In fact, the Citadel Council is the dominant power of the known galaxy. It was founded over two thousand years ago standard Galactic time, when the Asari, another member of the council, found an ancient Prothean space station called the Citadel while exploring the Relay network. Not long after the Salarians made contact with the Asari and together they formed the Council. The Turians came almost a thousand years later.” Koris finished explaining."There are other races other than the three Koris mentioned, but they are the ones with any real power. All the others are only associate members." Rael said.“Wait,” Admiral Grayson interrupted. “You’re telling us that this Citadel council is supposed to be an alliance of several races, but only three of its members have a real say in it.”“Yes, the council itself only has three members, the Asari, the Salarians, and the Turians. The others join as associate members. We are ourselves once held associate status, before being thrown out.” Rael answered.“Thrown out? What for?” Governor Sanders asked."For unleashing the Geth on the galaxy," Xen said.“Not long after, the Geth drove us off our homeworld, we tried asking the council for aid in reclaiming Rannoch. In response, they just laughed in our faces, stripped us of our associate status, and forbid us from colonizing a new world." Rael said not even bothering to hide the bitterness in his voice.“They just threw you out of their little club, for creating an AI, and what’s more did so after you lost your home planet?” General Williams asked incredulously. “I’m liking these people less and less.” “As you can see the suits we wear are a direct result of their unjustified exile of our people. Living in a sterile environment for three hundred years has ruined our already comparably weak immune systems.” Xen said as she gestured to herself and the Quarians in the room. “Now that we’ve answered some of your questions, it is only fair that you answer some of ours."“Such as?” Admiral Grayson inquired.“Have your people previously encountered the 427s?” That question shocked everyone to silence.What is she thinking? Rael thought to himself. What would make her think that these people had encountered the 427s previously?“What makes you say that, Admiral Xen? Was it?” Admiral Grayson said slowly.“A few minor things,” She began to elaborate. “Such as the look of your ships and your armor. They seem strangely reminiscent of the creatures. But there is one major thing that caught my attention and suggests to me you had encounters with the 427s." She looks to the Governor. In turn, everyone looks at her. "Your Governor there has some very unusual eyes." “She does. Doesn’t she?” The Terran Admiral said a noticeable edge in his voice. It’s then that Rael notices that the Terrans in the room looked on edge. As though they were readying for a fight. ‘Not good.’ He thought to himself. He tried to tell Xen to drop the subject as seeing that they were on a sensitive subject. But something in Rael stopped him.Seemingly unaware of the building tension in the room Xen spoke. "Unusual as they may be, they remind of rather interesting detail about the 427s. During the course of their assault on the known galaxy, there have been reports of several different variants of the creature. One of them includes a variant that looks identical to the standard and most commonly seen one. But it as one key difference, when one of them is killed it explodes releasing a toxic gas. When inhaled the victim most of the time develops a cancerous like growths on their bodies made of a strange cell type.” Something clicked in Rael’s mind, from the dark recesses of mind an image appeared. “However some lucky individuals, prove to be immune to this toxin. On the surface that is”Torn bloody bodies everywhere."Reality, however, shows that these individuals are changed in four rather significant ways. The first being the appearance of eyes much the like the Governor’s.”Those terrible wild, hungry eyes."Second their skin becomes impervious to all but the most extreme use of force."Mass accelerated rounds dropping uselessly to the ground.“Third, they gain the ability to grow a powerful red like appendage that can be used to great effect in combat.”Strange tentacle-like structures emerging from what had been once his own. They flail about and then surge to the Quarian marines, tearing them apart."Finally and perhaps arguably the most significant change is that they become unable to eat any kind of food source. Except for one,"The monster looks up at Rael and smiles showing it bloody teeth, and it put its head down to take another bite of what had been a living Quarian."Their own kind. We ourselves encountered such an individual when she returned from her pilgrimage. She killed More than a dozen of our people before she was killed." Rael remembered it all. He was there when it all happened. He saw what had once been his cousin, kill the doctors that been assigned to treat her, see her eat them. See those tentacles emerge from her body and tear so many good men and women apart. If had not been for someone somewhere activating the emergency venting protocol of the med-bay he would have been, among the dead that day. Rael didn't know it yet but his whole body was shaking with fear at the memory.He looked to the Governor, looking her straight in the eye. ‘She couldn’t be one those monsters. These Terrans wouldn’t allow something that only ate their own kind near them, let alone a leader of a colony, would they?’ He thought the woman looked back him worry in eyes. For a moment it seemed like she understood his thoughts. “I see.” Said the Terran Admiral said breaking Rael out of his stupor. "To answer your question, yes we have encountered the 427s in our history." He looks to the other Terrans in the room. The Quarian group bore witness to a silent conversation taking place among the aliens in a span of a few seconds. The Admiral stood up from his seat and so did the General and the governor. To the surprise of every Quarian in the room, the Terrans bowed to them saying. "For that, we owe you and the rest of the galaxy an apology. For you are paying for mistakes of our past.” “Why would apologize for such a thing?” Grayson heard Admiral Rael say. His mind still in a state of shock over the revelation revealed a second ago. Alien Ghouls? Was that even possible? Apparently, it was. High Command is defiantly going have a field day over that one, among other things. A multi-species alliance which apparently only three of members had any real power, a hostile synthetic race though he suspected that there was more than story than the Quarians let on, and the Dragon Orphans the longtime enemies of the Terran people, invading the territory of other alien races. The last bit being the reason behind him calling for this meeting and more for the impromptu apology. When he had seen the image of Dragon Orphan standing on the alien corpse, he felt terror, unlike anything he had felt before. That image had confirmed the worst fears of the Federation, the Dragon Orphans had made their return. Sure over the almost sixty-nine years since their defeat, the Federation had to contend with small incursions from the Dos but never anything that could threaten the Federation as a whole, and they had always been quick to not only drive them out but track them back to their nest and exterminate it. But this was something entirely different, it wasn’t some marauding fleet that came to tack over a colony. No this was a galaxy-spanning invasion force or at least an invasion of what the Quarians called the known galaxy and lord knows how much that was."The reason we are apologizing to is," Grayson began, taking a sear once more. He looks directly at the Quarian leaders, noting how the one called Rael had calmed down considerably in the last few seconds. He suspected that the Quarian admiral had a rather personal encounter with the after-mentioned Quarian "ghoul". That alone made what he said next harder. "That the 427s or as we like to call them the Dragon Orphans originated from the planet Earth, our home-world." The shocked gasps of the Quarians were the only response he received. “B-but how is th-that possible?” Rael stammered out being the first to somewhat recover, his fellow admirals nodding.Grayson allowed a sad smile to grace his lips. “To answer your question, we will have to tell you a tragic tale of two species born of the same world. Will you listen?” A few seconds passed before the Quarians nodded their agreement. Grayson tapped a button on the table, a holographic representation of Earth appeared. “This is Earth, our home-world it is the third planet in what we call the sol system. It orbits a yellow dwarf star, and as you can well guess it orbits in the area where life can flourish." He allowed the aliens to get a good long look at the blue sphere, he couldn't help think that they're looking at it with a little bit of jealousy in their eyes. He changed the image to show two humans. A male and a female. "This is my race, humans, one of the three races that Earth gave rise to. Nothing particularly remarkable, at least by our standard. Don’t know what the species of the galaxy would consider normal.” The image of the humans changed to a pair of ghouls their Kakugan and Kagune fully displayed. “Now this where the interesting stuff starts to appear. These are the second species that our world gave birth to. They are called ghouls, the same species that our Governor here, belongs to.” He gestures to Governor Sanders. She stands up and an instant later a winged crystal-like structure grew from her back. The Quarian guards pulled out their weapons, in response, the guards pulled theirs. Being quick to prevent conflict, Grayson signaled for his people to stand down. A few seconds later Admiral Rael did the same after coming out of his stupor, a few tense moments later they lowered their weapons. “As you can see they are able to grow an additional appendage, which they can use to fight with. We call it a Kagune, and they typically come in one of four variations. She possesses a Ukaku.” She slowly does a 360 turn allowing the Quarians to get a good long look at her and her Ukaku, and then she sat back down. “The other three we’ll explain later. The Kagune are made from what is known as Rc cells, they can be best described as liquid muscle. They can be found in humans, though in a considerably lower amount then Ghouls. No one knows when or where ghouls first appeared, though there are many theories. One of the most interesting I heard is that Protheans created them, for what purpose I wouldn’t know. Now aside from their ability to grow a weaponized appendage and their eyes, there is one other thing that sets them aside from humans, their diet.”“They can only eat humans.” Said the female Quarian, Xen if he remembered correctly.“That and coffee beans.” General Williams said, getting funny looks from the Quarians. “It’s a type of crop that can be used to make a drink called coffee, something that both humans and ghouls can drink. No one knows why ghouls are able to ingest them.” He explained.“That interesting fact aside.” Admiral Rael began. “How can your two species live peacefully when one of them can only eat the other?” He said carefully.“For a time,” Admiral Grayson said his tone taking a sad note. "The eating habits of the ghouls did cause much conflict between us. The peace you see now, developed a little over four centuries ago, the rest of our time together has been marred by blood and hate." The image change to show several pictures of humans and ghouls killing each other. “No one can say for sure who did worst to who. But all can agree that both sides committed terrible atrocities to the other. The ghouls would attack and kill humans so they may eat, somewhere cruel in their methods. In response, humans created organizations solely dedicated to hunting and exterminating all ghouls. Regardless of their disposition, gender, or age.” An image of a dead ghoul child appeared, a CGC investigator standing a little too proudly over her. Her eyes despite being in its full Kakugan form displaying a type of terror that a child should ever know, frozen forever in time. Grayson heard horrified gasps escape from the Quarian group. “For a time it seemed like the inevitable conclusion of our relationship will be the extinction of one or both of our races.”“What changed?” Koris spoke up. “What happened to change this? To allow both of your races to stand here, today. Together.” There was something in the tone of his voice. It was as though he was asking another question, seeking for some great truth that he been trying to grasp on to.Grayson banished these thoughts from his mind. This was no time for random musings. “Mostly due impart to the work of good people in right at the right time. At some point during the early twenty-first century, scientist were able to develop a method for creating synthetic human meat. Because of this more ghoul, sympathetic nation-states were able to make important strides in making peace between humans and ghouls. But this was not enough to cause lasting peace. Other nation-states refused to make peace and some only used the synthetic meat so they can imprison ghouls, either for the creation of Quinque, weapons designed to kill ghouls, or for information.” “But,” Governor Sanders interrupted. “There was, one thing or rather a person who came along and changed things.”Grayson pressed a button that caused all of the images to disappear and show the face of one of the most famous figures in Terran history, Kaneki Ken. “On the day of October 8th, 2013, Kaneki Ken, the Eye Patch, the Centipede, the One-Eyed King went on a date with a woman named Rize Kamishiro.” He noticed the Quarians were giving him odd looks.“A date?” Rael asked."A date is a type of courting ritual for us Terrans.” He explains, still receiving what he thought were skeptical looks from him. “That little detail isn’t too important. But what is important is that the woman he was trying to court, was, in fact, a ghoul, who had set her hungry eyes on him. During her attempt to devour him, the two ended in a construction yard where at some point several steel beams fell on them. Now one would think this would have killed them both but not so. Kaneki was able to survive long for a doctor to come along, he was able to save his life by transplanting one of Rize’s organs into him. Namely, her kakuhou the organ that enables a ghoul to grew their Kagune. But this did more just save his life, it had an additional side effect of turning him into a half-ghoul.” The image changed to show Kaneki in his ghoul form. “This proved to be one of the most pivotal moments in our history. Because of his transformation, he inherited all of the traits of a regular ghoul, including their dietary needs. Furthermore, he was forced to live in the world of the ghouls.” “There he made an astounding discovery," Sanders spoke up. "He learned that my people were not the monsters that the media of time made them out to be. He learned that most of us were just trying to survive in a harsh world that hated us just for being born." It was hard to miss the emotion in her voice. It was obvious that she was thinking of what her life would have been like if she had lived in that time period, or even if things had not changed. In a way it hurt Grayson to think of that alternative, he considered the woman to be a good friend and even had the pleasure of getting to know her husband and son. “He got to live through their joys and hardships. He met many good and bad ghouls, he even married and had children with one. In his life, he came to see the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of both humans and ghouls.” She finished.General Williams picked up where she left. “In time after many, many hardships that changed him both physically and mentally, his story was made known to the world. He became of one the most outspoken supports of ghoul rights, and unlike most others, people truly listened to him. You can guess why.” "Because he was once human," Rael said understanding dawning on him.“Indeed.” Admiral Grayson said. “Here was a man who was once one of them, a man who was transformed into what most thought as monsters, and yet he did not lose his humanity. Instead, he became a bridge between the human world and the world of the ghouls, or at least he laid down the groundwork for it. Hearing the story of his life as a half-ghoul, people began to wonder what was life like for ghouls, what it was like to live as one. Then next came the question of if Ghouls were really the monsters that their governments made them out to be. What were they really like? More and more questions were asked. What if my friend was one? The guy down the street? The bartender? What if I became one? The more they asked, the more they looked into the subject of ghouls, and the more they became disturbed by the answers they found. The outcry that followed was legendary, to say the least. In several countries across Earth crowds of people demand that their governments change their treatment of ghouls. To disband the 0rganizations that hunted them, and put its members on trial as criminals. In time those demands were met, and both humans and ghouls began to walk down the road to peace.” Grayson smiled and stood up, opening his arms wide he gestured to the whole room. “And now you see here, the two of us together in peace. No longer are we two peoples, two worlds, but one. The Terran people.” Seconds passed as he allowed the full meaning of that statement to sink in for everyone in the room. He took a seat.A moment later the Quarian Admiral Xen spoke. “While that was an interesting story and very informative. The question still remains, how could the 42- I mean the Dragon Orphans came to arise on your homeworld, and how they spread across the galaxy?”“I would appreciate knowing the answer to that question too.” Admiral Rael asked.Grayson’s smile melted. “Even though we were able to achieve peace and break the cycle of hate. We could not escape the consequences of that cycle. On the date of April 21st, 2018 the city of Tokyo was attacked by a massive Kagune based creature that is simply called the Dragon.” The image of Kaneki disappeared and is replaced by images the Dragon like creature that had almost consumed the entirety of the Japanese city and spawned the most dangerous enemy of the Terran people. This elicited shocked reactions from the Quarians and heard one of them say something like keylie. “This creature was truly massive in scale spanning across much of the city. The exact details of its appearance have largely been lost to time. What is known is that it was the result of a ghoul’s Rc production levels going into a state of extreme overdrive causing him to be consumed by his own Kagune it grew into the monstrosity you see now.” There was no need for them to know that the ghoul was Kaneki, not now. "From this monster grew the third race of Earth, the beings that threaten the galaxy now.” An image of humanoid-shaped creatures emerging from the Kagune mass appeared. “The Dragon Orphans. Some more religious groups believe that they were some form of divine punishment for our sin that was hate.” To some degree, he had to agree with that sentiment and had wondered if the Terran people would ever stop paying for the sins of the past. “Even after the Dragon was defeated the DOs continued to be a threat to both humans and ghouls alike. A threat that grew and grew over time. Until they were able to launch a massive invasion all over our world, starting the second Dragon War.” The images showed scenes of destruction and chaos from several different places on Earth During this conflict not only were the numerous nation-states Earth were forced to unite against a common threat but the fragile peace between humans and ghouls was forged into steel. Over the course of the war, we designed weapons and tactics made to kill the Dragon Orphans, and as you can guess we were able to drive them off of our world. Actual for a time we thought them extinct.”“That is until some three hundred years later during the 2nd Battle of Caldron,” General Williams said. “At the tail end of a civil. Our naval forces were attacked by a fleet of ships belonging to the Dragon Orphans. Their ships were entirely organic in make. For twenty-five years we fought them, and defiantly held the line against their destructive hordes. Hell at one point in the war an entire planet shattered because its defenders absolutely refused to accept defeat, and still fought on afterward.” “Cadia stands," Sanders said the age-old battle cry, getting odd looks from the Quarians.“Cadia?” "I'll explain later," Grayson said. "To cut long story short we were able to drive them out of our space. That was almost sixty-nine years and since then we have had to fight off sporadic but small incursions from the DOs. That pretty much sums up everything of importance. Any questions?” He asked.The Quarian Admirals look at each other and seemed to have a quick silent conversation with each other. Then they look at Grayson and his group. "Not right now Admiral Grayson, you’ve given us much to think about. If you would allow us, we would like to return to our fleet and think about what you have told us.”“Very well. How about next we meet your ship in say, two hours to discuss anything else you may want to know. We’ll forward you information on our measurement of time, so you can translate it to your own. Additionally, we'll send you a full database on our history and culture to scrutinize. How does that sound?” The Admiral offered.“That sounds good," Rael responded getting up from his seat with fellow Quarian admirals. “We’ll meet you in two of your hours on our ship. We’ll also forward you information on my people and the galaxy." They were about to leave out the door when Rael turned to Grayson. "I do have one question. What will your people do when they learn that the so-called Dragon Orphans have invaded the known galaxy?"“Simple,” Grayson said his voice taking a cold tone. “We’ll go to war.”"I see," Rael said. "Then with tha-““Excuse me.” Said a familiar synthetic voice.‘Uh oh’. Grayson thought. “Yes, Helen?” “I afraid that there is one thing we neglected to tell the Quarians.” She said causing Grayson and every other Terran in the room to panic. “Helen don-” Grayson began all too late.A holographic sphere appeared on top of the table. "Greetings Quarians, I am honored to meet you. I am Helen the ship's onboard Synth." Helen said happily.Several seconds passed before everything went to hell.“Shit.”“GETH!”“Keelah.”
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The Citadel, Councilor Tevos’s private quarters:Tevos threw the data-pad to the other side of the couch tired of reading the status of the war. A war that the Citadel was on the losing side of. She got from her seat on the couch messaging her temples. ‘Goddess, how could this be happening?’ Two years ago she had been one of the major leaders in council space during a golden age of peace. The worst she ever had to worry about dealing with would the occasional pirate attack on a council colony, something that could be solved either by diplomatic means, sending a Turian fleet, or have a Specter handle it.But now she had to deal with a major invasion of Citadel space from an extremely hostile alien race. Creatures that look like they were the result of some twisted science experiment gone horribly wrong. All attempts at diplomacy had failed miserably and resulted in the deaths of many good men and women. Sending the Turian fleets was only slowing them down and causing the deaths of many good men and women. Sending the Specters in wasn’t doing much good either and wait you guessed it resulted in the deaths of many good men and women. What in the goddess's name were they suppose to do against an enemy that refused to negotiate or perhaps is incapable of it, didn’t discriminate between military and civilian targets, and didn't seem to care how many losses they took (not that they were doing much damage to them anyway.). Not to mention some of them were able to turn the average citizen into monsters that made the Ardat-Yakshi look like Elcor younglings in comparison.She looked to her bedroom sorely tempted to go her bed and sleep, and dream that this nightmare wasn’t real. Maybe drink that bottle of Illium Wine she been saving for special occasions, until she blackout, and woke halfway through tomorrow next to a Krogan. She shook her head, getting rid of the thoughts. This was not the time, she couldn’t afford the luxury of ignoring the war like so many of her kind wanted to, she had a Council meeting to attend in an hour, dealing with the war, and the refugee crises with the Batarians.The Batarians, she scowled the thought of that revolting race brought a bitter taste to her mouth. They had to break one of the most sacred laws passed by the council, opening a relay without knowing where it went, and for what? To expand their decrepit empire? To gain new resources and perhaps a new race to enslave? Damn them all, they had always been a thorn in the council’s side. Breaking one law after another, and daring to claim it was apart of their cultural heritage. Finally, they had gone too far and as a result, unleashed a horror on the galaxy that looks to be far worse than Rachni. A horror that was currently pushing back Council forces back on all fronts. ‘At least they finally got what they deserved.’ She thought darkly, it’s just too bad that these 427s as everyone was calling them weren’t satisfied with exterminating the Batarians. If they somehow manage to survive this ordeal she would see it that the Batarians would be several punished. Tevos took a deep breath, trying to call herself. Blaming the Batarians for this whole mess wasn’t helping her or anyone else for that matter. She walks up to and looks out a window that gave her a breathtaking view of the Citadel. They would find a way to get through this. To win the war. They had with the Rachni war and the Krogan Rebellions, they would be victorious. It wasn’t a matter of if they could win, they had to win. For the sake of the greater good of the galaxy. Through victory, they would return to the peace that her people had tried so hard to preserve for the galaxy. They had to see to it that enlighten civilization would survive. No matter the cost.She returned to reading the war reports. April 3rd 18: 47, Quarian migrant fleet, QSV. Rayya:Koris knew exactly where to find Rael when he was in one of his moods. He also knew what the exact thing that put him in said mood, the Terran’s use of AI. The moment that “Helen” had announced it- her presence he knew his people would receive another bombshell from the strange species they had met. And what a bombshell it was, organics and synthetics working together in peace. An idea that the Citadel, Protheans, and many Quarians proclaimed was impossible. Koris like many others throughout the galaxy had been taught that AIs were dangerous to organics. That the moment they realized that they did not need organics, they would turn on them and exterminate them. For many, the Geth were proof of this belief. Organics and synthetics could not co-exist. Koris was not like most people, or even most Quarians. He questioned this idea and often wondered if his ancestors had acted too rashly when they discovered the emerging sentience of the Geth. His beliefs did not make him very popular among his fellow Quarians, and to this day there were still those opposed his place on the admiralty board, decrying him as a Geth apologize and a board-line traitor. Finally arriving at his destination, a little-traveled almost forgotten corridor of the Rayya. One with a viewport the offered a spectacular view of the migrant fleet. He came to a stop, right next to Rael. He looks out the view to see a sight that always took his breath away. The Migrant fleet in all of its glory. Koris was never bothered by what the other races said about his people, the insults, the accusations they never phased him. He was proud to be Quarian as much he was proud of having the name Vas Qwib Qwib. Looking at the fleet he did not see a sad broken people or group of thieves. But a proud strong people who have survived hardships that no other race has, a people with a unique and vibrant culture. Looking at the fleet he saw all of this and more. But at the same time, he saw something else. He saw how fragile it all was, and he saw the hubris of his people."I thought I'd find you here," Koris said to his oldest friend. The only response he got was Rael turning his head to look at him for a moment before returning his gaze to the fleet. “When was it we first found this place? We were what? Ten? Twelve? Stumping upon this place while trying to hide from security Chief Hisa'Ceelun after causing some mischief. Keelah we were a mess back then.” He said shaking his head. “It’s a wonder the fleet survived until our pilgrimage.” He heard a chuckle from Rael.“Than our Pilgrimage came and we became the Galaxy’s problem," Rael said laughing."Yes, if I remember correctly we caused the Turians as much grief as Han did," Koris responded with a laugh of his own. “Those were simpler times weren’t they?” Rael said his mood taking a more somber form. “Things were so much easier back then. Before we became the youngest Admirals in the history of the fleet. Before this war with the 427s, I mean the Dragon Orphans. Before…” He trailed off."Before we found out it was possible that organics and synthetics could co-exist in peace.” Koris finished for him. Rael held his head down in deep thought, after a moment he looks up at Koris. "Koris is it possible that… that we were wrong? We could have made peace with the Geth if our ancestors had not been so … brash?” He asked the last part of question trailing off in uncertainty.Koris thought for a long moment, he looked to the fleet outside. The symbol of both his people’s ingenuity and of their greatest mistake. For the longest time, he and a small but vocal minority of Quarians believed that their ancestors and been too quick in their decision to shut down the Geth. They believed that like any other lifeform would have in their situation, the Geth had tried to defend their right to existed. If his ancestors had taken their time to assess the developing situation more closely, and perhaps had approached the problem more like a First Contact scenario. Then maybe the genocide of their race would have never occurred. Their worlds never burned, and their people free to walk about the galaxy without the need for environmental suits, or to be insulted and ridiculed by the other races. It may even have ushered in a golden age not only for the Quarian people but perhaps for all of Citadel Space as well. But his words had all ways seemed to fall on deaf ears when it came to his other fellow Quarians, and he would be a worst called a Geth apologize and at best ignored. But now after today's events, he and the others had finally been vindicated in their views. For beyond the relay designated by the Citadel as 314 was a species that not only created an AI but made peace with it. As a result of that peace, the so-called Terran Federation had flourished for almost a century. More so than the other races would have in a similar time-span.For him, the answer was a clear yes. But before he could voice his answer to Rael, he stopped himself. Was it that simple? What if the Geth were inherently unstable? What if all AIs were? Were the Terrans deluding themselves into thinking that they had made peace with their synthetic creations? Had they by some cosmic miracle created the first and only stable AI in the galaxy? The more he thought on the subject, the more doubts and what-ifs plagued his mind. After a while all he could say was. “I don’t know Rael, I honestly don’t. It’s easy to look back and say, yes. But in reality, we weren't there at the time. We didn't get to know the thought process behind our ancestor’s actions. For all, we know there may have been arguments for peace with the Geth, but were ultimately ignored. As for the Terrans their an entirely different race, races.” Koris corrected himself, remembering the Terrans were two different species. “They have an entirely different thought process than we do, so it’s not fair to compare their history with ours.” He finished.“Perhaps your right, my old friend. But what do we do now? Rumors of the Terrans AIs are spreading throughout the fleet. I’m not sure how our people will react when we confirm those rumors.” Rael said.Koris had heard about those rumors on his way to find Rael. From what he gathered his people were starting to divide themselves into two groups over the topic. The first wanted to avoid the Terrans and their AI creations, and the second was wanting ally with the Terrans. So far the two-act cordially towards each other, but that could change once the Admiralty board confirmed the rumors. Not to mention the reaction they’ll get when the existence of Terran Ghouls was confirmed, and the 427s were in a runabout way their fault. Keelah, if he knew he was going deal with stuff like this when he became an admiral, he would have rejected the offer and let it be someone else’s problem.“We’ll have to be careful, we cannot afford to antagonize these Terrans.” Koris finally said."On that, we can agree," Rael said. “Koris do you think we can set up a meeting with one of their AIs, perhaps that Helen we meet? I- I want to learn more about her people.” His voice started to trail off to a low whisper. “Perhaps find out a way to take back the homeworld without destroying the geth”Koris smiled behind his mask, it seemed that may yet be hope for peace between the Quarians and Geth. “I think that can be arranged. April 3rd 19:35, Shanxi: F.V.S. Victory "That sums up my report, Admiral," Grayson said, finishing his report to Admiral McKinley. Grayson saw the man sit back in his chair with a sigh, running his hand through his thick red hair.“Damn it, Gray, here I thought you finally got stuck with a boring posting. But no, no, no you just had to go and screw that up.” He said in mock exasperation.Grayson smirked to himself, at his old friend's jive. The two had met in each other during their first year in the Naval Academy and struck up a long-lasting friendship. “You’re the one to speak. You always seem to find trouble where ever you go. The pirate fiasco over Celesta comes to mind.”“That’s only because I spent too much time with you, and caught whatever causes you to find so much trouble. I think the only reason why they promoted you to admiral and put you over Shanxi was in the hopes that you wouldn’t cause them too much trouble. Clearly, that was a mistake.” McKinley said through laughter soon joined by Grayson. The two enjoyed a good laugh before the mood took on a more serious tone. "Tell me, Gray, do you think these Quarians are trustworthy?“I wouldn’t have made this report if I didn't think they were," Greyson responded calmly."In that case, I'll pass on your report to the rest of the admiralty with the recommendation to immediately mobilize our entire Military. First to secure Shanxi, then to spread out across the galaxy and aid the Council races in repelling the Dragon Orphans. Speaking of which how do we stack up against them?”“Based on the information the Quarians provided us, on a technological scale, we’re not all that far behind them. Granted we have some technologies that they don’t, which gives us an edge in some areas.”“Such as our use of AI.”“Exactly. Military wise,” Greyson let out an audible sigh. “That’s harder to say. But if I had to make an educated guess, we could give the Turians a run for their money.”"If that is true, then why are they being overrun so badly?"“That can be attributed to two key factors. First, the Citadel fleets are designed to fight more conventional enemies. Namely pirates and warlords.”"And the Dragon Orphans are by no means a conventional foe," McKinley said grimly, which got a nod of agreement from Greyson. History and their own experiences with the monstrous beings more than showed that. “The second factor being?”“They don’t have A.R.C. technology.” In the years leading up to the Second Dragon War the need for RC cells to create weapons able to combat the growing threat of the Dragon Orphans, became more and more apparent with each passing day. However since at the time most counties had given Ghouls equal rights, RC cells could only be collected from willing donors, and volunteers were in short supply. Limiting their ability to fight the Dragon Orphans in an effective manner. Then came a breakthrough a few years before the start of the 2nd Dragon War, the creation of artificial RC cells or A.R.C. technology. While at first, the artificial RC cells were inferior to the ones found in ghouls or even humans, they were still sufficient enough to combat the Dragon Orphans. Eventually in the years leading to, during, and after the 2nd Dragon War, A.R.C. cells were perfected and could be used to produce high-quality materials to be used in all facets of life, civilian and military. It was the vital competent in ensuring that both humankind and ghoul kind survived the Dragon Wars. "Without it, they can't kill them at the same rate we can.” He finished“Speaking of what is their kill ratio?”“About one to five. A will oiled squadron can kill fifty Dragon ships.” The average Dragon ship was about half the size of a Terran frigate, which measured at four hundred meters, and where vastly inferior in both firepower and durability. But where they lack in quality, they more than made up in sheer quantity. “The Citadel defiantly possesses powerful ships.”"But that means jack shit if the Dragons can send ten ships against one, and hundred after a squadron." McKinley summed up."Exactly. Unlike us, they can't kill them fast enough to make a real difference. They've done well just to slow their advance down. But that’s all their doing, slowing down the Dragon Orphans. If something does change soon, they’ll be overrun and wiped out.” Greyson grimaced the thought of almost a dozen races being eradicated, it didn't set with him. Judging by the expression his counterpart was making, it didn't sit well with him either.“And by something, you mean the Federation fleet swooping in to haul their asses out of the fire.” Grayson almost chuckled at the phrasing of the words. “Yes sir, granted we alone will not be able to defeat the Dragon Orphans. But what we can do is bring their offensive to a screeching halt, and force an indefinite stalemate.”“Which will give the Citadel races the time they need to rebuild their forces, and us the time to build our forces up and formalize an alliance with them.” Grayson nodded. “That would be the ideal plan Admiral. Based on what the Quarians gave us, it’s the only way we can win.”The red-haired Admiral looked like he was in deep thought for a few moments before he spoke again. "Alright, I'll forward your recommendation with my full support. In the meantime, you make sure Shanxi stays safe long enough until reinforcements arrive. ”Easier said than done. He thought himself. But, at least they had the advantage of having an advanced warning of a coming dragon attack. That was more than most planets in the Federation got. “That I will do. The Civilian population is being evacuated right now. We're getting everyone we can off-planet. The Quarians have even offered a few of their ships to help.” That garnered a look of surprise from his old friend. It came as a surprise to him too, especially with the fact that they knew that his people used AI. For a fleet of refugees who had been mistreated and distrusted by the galaxy at large for over three hundred years, they were a rather generous people. Of course, no synth would be allowed to come, understandable and not a problem either. Any Synth that did not volunteer to defend the planet, a very small number mind you, just had to upload to the main Federation network and transfer themselves to another system to getaway. “I know it came as a surprise to me too, but I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. With their help, we'll get at least a few thousand people off. However, the rest of the colony's population will have to be taken to the shelters.”“How soon will the Quarian fleet be leaving the system?”“Tomorrow morning sir, they’ll be heading to the Jericho relay. From there they’ll proceed to the Cronos system where they'll drop off the evacuees at the local colony. I’ve already sent word to them, so they’ll be waiting for them.” “Good, the less we have to worry about civilian casualties the better. How long do you think you have before that Dragon fleet comes to a knocking?”“Given how hard the Quarian heavy fleet was fighting the DOs and maneuvers the fleet pulled to try throwing them off,” namely jumping at random from system to system. “I’d say at best we have four days.” “I don’t suppose that the Quarians might have been able to lose them?”Greyson gave the man a pointed look, at his wistful comment. "McKinley this is over forty-two thousand ships we’re talking about here. No amount of random FTL jumps to different star systems is going cause anyone to lose them, not even the Dragon Orphans. They may not be the smartest things out there, but they're not that dumb.” McKinley chuckled ruefully. “Wistful thinking on my end. Unfortunately for you, it's going to take at around five days before you get any reinforcements. Do you think your forces will be able to hold out for a day or longer? Assuming your correct in estimates that is.” Greyson rubs his chin, a grim expression forming on his face. “Yes, we’ll hold. With the addition of the forces I called in from the surrounding systems, we have four hundred ships to defend the planet in orbit. On the surface, Williams commands a Garrison force with fifty thousand men and women ready to give their lives for the Federation, and however many volunteers from the civvies.” Grayson recited off. "He is getting the capital city ready for a full-on attack, establishing chokepoints, kill-zones, and other nasty surprises for the Dragon Orphans. To say the least we’ll be prepared for when they come.”McKinley nodded. "Good, now all I have left to say is good luck. If you make it out of this, the next I see you in person, drinks are on me.”“A bottle of Martian château 2370 sounds nice," Greyson responded with a smirk. McKinley tilted his head in acknowledgment before the screen went dark. The Forty-seven-year-old Admiral slumped in his chair, a tired sigh escaping his lips. “I feel like I could sleep for a month after the day we had.” He said to no in particular. First contact with an alien race, learning from said alien that there are about dozen other spacefaring races just beyond the relay, and learning of the renewed threat from the Federation's greatest enemies. Truly, today had to be one of the longest in his life, and he knew the days to come would only get longer. April 6th 10:17, Near the Shanxi relay:The creature felt the vessel return to normal speeds, as it and it’s many siblings sail across the celestial plane. It could feel the waves of excitement and bloodlust from its lesser. Soon they would feast upon their prey, their warriors long since deposed of. It felt the vessel pick up the scent of its prey, the swarm of old, decrepit metal vessels in which the weak gathers lived in. The excited whispers of its lesser brethren growing louder. The scent led to a life-bearing orb. ‘More food for the swarm.’ It thought it’s hunger ready to be filled.The scent led further of- wait it felt a something above the orb. Something familiar, vessels that were like its own but different. It looked into the old memories to learn what the things were. Then the creature that was the head of its swarm, felt rage beyond anything it had felt before. ‘Kill.’ From deep within it roar and thrashed about, blinded by anger. ‘Rip.’There above the life-bearing orb was the old enemy. The first prey, the progenitors. The ones that drove the creature's ancient ancestors from the cradle. ‘Devour.’ The ones that could harm them like none other. ‘Kill.’As the creature let out a primal roar, it was soon joined by countless others. ‘Kill. Rip.’ A deafening chorus of shrieks and swells like something that could only come from the depths of hell. ‘Kill. Rip. Devour.’ Forgetting about the hunt of the prey that led them here, it commanded it swarm to surge towards the vessels of the hated enemies. ‘Kill. Rip. Devour.’A single mindless intent drove them.‘KILL.’‘RIP.’‘DEVOUR.’
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Ch.: 3 Storm over Shanxi April 6th 10:18, Capitol City of Shanxi:As the invasion sirens bleared to life Commander Maria Sanders took a deep breath mentally preparing herself for the battle to come. It had taken a lot of convincing on her end to have the General let her join the defense of the colony, she had not but a few days ago been the governor of. She had succeeded and was once more a soldier of the Federation.She smiled to herself, finding it a bit funny that it was she who had taught her son how to properly hold a gun, and not her husband. Incidentally, him being human also resulted in her having to teach her child how to properly control his Kagune; a job made easier since he inherited her Ukaku. Nothing wrong with that though, her husband is a gentle spirit that couldn't hurt fly if given the chance, defiantly househusband material. Not to mention she did feel a swell of pride every time she heard that her boy bragged about having a "badass" like her as a mother, and how he would go on to join the military as she had.Her smile faltered, she was of two minds at the thought. On one hand, she felt immensely proud that her only child wanted to follow in her footsteps, what parent wouldn't. But on the other hand, she's terrified at the thought. While she was still in the service, despite it being a time of peace, she still saw stuff that no one should see. The idea of him going through the same, or being seriously injured or worse honestly scared her more than anything else in the universe. That same part of her wanted to encourage him to go down the path of a safer career, perhaps become a bartender like her husband.She took another breath trying to clear her thoughts, this was no time to worry about his future. While she hated to admit it the boy is thirteen now, (god where had the years gone by?) it was his future to decide on. She looks behind her at the squad assigned to her. Sixteen men and women in total, half of them ghouls or half-ghouls. To her amusement, some of them were still in awe of the fact that she was to be their commander. Not all that surprising, not but a few days ago most of them knew her as the Governor of Shanxi. Now they would have to start calling her commander, though one wise-cracking private had decided to call her the Commander Governor. In response, she pounded the poor boy into the ground, then said she liked it. The name had stuck since then. Her team was to be a mobile assault force that would provide support to wherever they were needed. While General Williams had told her they were some of the best in garrison, she knew just as well as he did that they were still wet behind the ears, having never seen any action. Let alone combat against the Dragon Orphans.She would have preferred to have a few months to whip them into shape, instead of the few days she had. Even a few weeks would have been nice. Instead, they would have to be put to the test through real combat. If they survived this battle than she would get the time she wanted. Her comlink beeped. Answering it, she heard the voice of General Williams. "Attention all units. Dragon Orphan forces have been confirmed entering our space, they are moving to engage Grayson's fleet. Be pared to engage their ground forces when they land. Reinforcements are on their way, but it will be about sixteen hours before they get here. We are to hold out until then, using whatever means we can to prevent them from taking the colony over. In other words, give them hell. General Williams out.”She got up from her position, her pose projecting authority. “Alright people, you heard the General. Let’s give those freaks hell to pay. Move out.” She only hoped she would see her family again. April 6th 10:18, Shanxi space, T.F.C. Victory:“Battle stations!” Grayson shouted as the klaxons blared to life. He studied the holographic image of the Dragon Fleet, already he could tell it comprised of several thousands of ships. "Helen, what is the enemy number?”“Approximately fifteen thousand, sir.” The ship’s Synth responded.‘Fifteen thousand?’ He thought. The Quarians said they had encountered a force of twenty-five thousand. “Sounds like the Quarian heavy fleet dealt a number on them, all the better for us. Helen ordered the fleet to deploy their strike craft and fire a missile barrage at the Dragon fleet on my command. Followed a continues barrage of weapons fire until they close into knife-fighting range, after that hunker down and deal as much damage as possible.” There was no way for the fleet to survive this battle, even with the high kill rate they had against the Dragon Orphan ships the numbers were too great to overcome.But the goal wasn’t to win this battle. It was to reduce their numbers as much as possible, both to make the coming reinforcement’s job easier in clearing the skies over Shanxi, and to make the defense of the colony easier for the soldiers below. Even the smallest ship could carry hundreds of Dragon Orphans, and the few large vessels they used could have several thousands. The destruction of a single ship would deny them, hundreds if not thousands of "boots on the ground." “Orders have been sent and acknowledged, sir.”Greyson didn’t bother to acknowledge her, instead, he looks around the command center. Once more, just he had seen when the Quarians arrived, he did not see a bunch of scared human beings, but brave and determined men and women ready to give their lives for the Federation. He looks back at the holographic image, the swarm of monsters quickly closing in. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he opened his mouth and gave the order.“All ships open fire.” Shanxi space: In the silent abyss of space the swarm of Dragon ships, surged towards their prey the Federation fleet guarding the colony world of Shanxi. As the distance between the forces rapidly closed, the much smaller Federation fleet launched its strike craft, swarms of fighter drones flew out from the hatches of their mother ships, and manned craft launched from their hangers. Then the fleet fire off a massive barrage of missiles. Several thousands of missiles flew towards the Dragon fleet.In response the Dragon ships fired their weapons, shards made of Rc cells flew to and clashed with the missiles. Thousands were destroyed but thousands yet remained continued to their target. Suddenly about 10 kilometers away from the Dragon fleet all of the missiles exploded all at once. From their remains, came tens of thousands of smaller missiles raced to the swarm. At this point, there was no stopping them now. Several dozens of them would find their mark on a single and annihilate it. In an instant, over five thousand Dragon ships would be destroyed and many more suffering various amounts of damage. Not wanting to give them room to breathe the Federation fleet unleashed a barrage of weapons fire from their other armaments, destroying several hundred more Dragon ships.Fully enraged now the Dragon orphans train and fire their weapons on the defending fleet. In seconds most of their corvettes are destroyed, and a few of their frigates go down as well. The rest of the fleet, however, withers the storm of Rc shards and continue to fire. Just as the two were about to meet each other, the fighter drones and manned strike craft of the Federation propelled themselves towards the enemy lines. The two fleets clashed spectacularly. Swarms of the numerous wyverns swarmed around groups of ships firing at them all angles, while their fewer larger cousins the Drakes and Hydras would engage from a distance. In moments the remaining Federation corvettes are destroyed, though not before each took a Dragon ship or two out. Squadrons of strike craft would engage and destroy numerous Dragon ships before being destroyed themselves or running out of ammunition. The Victory itself would fire its main gun at the Drakes and Hydras often destroying the Drakes in a single shot, all the while using its other weapons to fight off swarms and swarms of Wyverns.However, as the battle progressed the Dragon ships would slowly gain the upper hand as more and more Federation ships would be destroyed. Several Dragon ships had even broke through the defense line and headed directly for Shanxi, while the orbital defense platforms would be able to pick several of them off, they were quickly overwhelmed and destroyed. The remaining ships would then drop thousands of Dragon Orphans to the planet’s surface, beginning the ground invasion. April 6th 11:24, Capitol city of Shanxi:"Get to your positions." Shouted a Sergeant. The soldiers under his command quickly obeying as they took up firing positions along the barricade and two turrets found themselves being manned. Dragon orphan ground forces were quickly being deployed in mass via their drop pods. Thankfully the defense barrier surrounding the city prevents them from directly dropping their forces into the city itself. Instead, they were forced to drop just outside of the city's outer perimeter, where they would have to break through the first defense line to enter. Numerous squads had been assigned to well-made chokepoints, with their job being to hold off the advancing hordes for as long as they could, retreating when it became clear that they could no longer hold the position. At this particular chokepoint, almost a thousand Dragon Orphans were advancing fast. Their roars of anger and hunger sending chills down the spines of all present. For most this was their first time seeing the monsters that had plagued the Terran people for over four hundred years. The sight of the humanoid-shaped creatures with their featureless heads and large teeth that could tear into a person’s body human and ghoul alike with easy bared to give them an eternally demented smile caused more than a few of the soldiers to shake in fear. The Sergeant seemingly unaffected by the Dragon Orphans hoisted his rifle into a firing position. "Fire!" He shouted a storm of bullets raining from his rifle and into the ranks of the Dragon Orphans, cutting several of them down. Not even a second later he was joined by the rest of his squad. Undaunted by the losses they were taking the D-Orphans continued to advance on the Terrans position. About halfway through, the Sergeant activated his com-link and gave the order. Suddenly from several floors up, the windows of the builds on both sides shatter in a flurry of Rc shards and bullets. Each side had five Ukaku Ghouls firing their Kagune and rifles, effectively creating a kill zone as the D-Orphans were being fired at from three angles. For every inch the D-Orphans managed to take, they lost more than a dozen of their number. But hundreds still advanced as more and more emerged from the drop pod raining from the skies.“Keep firing, and be prepared to-” The Sergeant never got to finish his order, as his head was torn off by what appeared to be a Dragon Orphan with wings instead of arms. Its prize firmly in its hind talons it flew off into the sky.As the Sergeant’s cooling body fell to the ground his second in command, now being the one in command looks to the sky to see several more of the flying D-Orphans. “Fliers! Squad, divide your fire." He ordered as he kneeled next to the sergeant’s body and removed a small cylindrical object. Following his the orders of the defenders started to shoot at the flying monsters, being careful with their aim. This proved to be a mistake as now there was less fire being directed at the advancing mass of D-Orphans, allowing to gain more ground with fewer loses. However, the man would not have time contemplate on this as a new problem reared its head. “Brutes!” Shouted a member of the squad, grabbing the man’s attention. Quickly looking into the horde, he saw the hulking masses of five brutes advancing on their position. They were tall monsters at just a little over three meters and had three times the muscle mass of an average Dragon Orphans. Realizing they are priority targets he orders the turrets to concentrate their fire on the brutes. Two of them go down an instant from the heavy caliber shells being directed at them, two more take longer to put down each taking several seconds. They never got the chance to finish the last one as in single leap it landed right on defenders' position squishing a single unfortunate soul under its massive frame. Before anyone could react it swung its arm and smashed into one of the turrets, killing its gunner and two others near it. The remaining turret turned to the brute before it could fire its occupant was torn out by a flyer. It flew back over the horde and dropped the man, his dying screams echoing through the streets as he was torn to pieces and eaten. The brute turned its attention to the remaining defenders. An instant later its head was blown off by two tentacle-like appendages coming from a ghoul in their ranks. Looking to the woman, the new commanding officer of the squad gave her an approving nod. He turned his attention back to the horde of D-Orphans, and quickly realize they could no longer hold their position here. “Squad, retreat to the second defensive line.” Just as quickly the remaining members of the defense stopped firing on the horde and began their retreat. As he turned he saw the Ukaku ghouls withdraw from the windows. Taking whatever equipment they could, the defenders ran like hell. Several buildings down they are joined by the Ukakus. The commanding officer turned his attention back to where they were posted, already seeing several of the Dragon orphans climbing over the barricade and make their way to retreating squad. He pulled out the cylinder and pressed the button on it.Hidden detonators within the surrounding buildings, exploded into a massive ball of fire, destroying the barricade and annihilating D-Orphans that had made it through. The buildings crumbled in on themselves crushing many more of the attacking monsters and blocking the street with debris several feet high. ‘There, that’ll slow them down for a few minutes.’ He thought. He turned back and continued to run with what remained of his squad. Little did he know this same scene was being repeated all across the city.April 6th 11:42, Unground bunker in the capital cityGeneral Williams resisted the urge to curse. The First defense line had fallen faster than he would have liked, and in some areas, the second had been breached. It didn't help that more and more D-Orphans were landing by the minute. Looking over the holo-projection of the city, he knew that the second line wouldn't last long. The projection changed. Correction did not last long. A low growl emanated from his throat, as he saw his forces withdraw to the third line. In total there are twelve lines of defense before the Dragon Orphans would reach the center of the city where his command center is and where the entrances to the underground bunkers are located. Bunkers full of scared civilians. Each defense line had numerous traps and points of attack, meant to slow them down and spread their ranks as thin as possible the deeper into the city they got. Anything and everything was being used to slow the enemy advance long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Extensive collateral damage was even being encouraged if it bought his forces time. ‘Perhaps it is a good thing that the 2nd Dragon instilled a Spartan mentality in the Terran people when it came to home accommodations.’ He thought to himself. A mentality that had been reinforced during the 3rd Dragon war, resulting in a people that dislike overt displays of luxury and power. He continued to look over the projection to get a better grasp of the situation. Looking for anything he could exploit. He saw a few and was already coming up with plans.“What is the status of Greyson’s fleet?” He finally said.“Not good, sir.” Responded one of his aids. “His fleet is already down to half strength and losing more by the second. To make matters worse more and more D-Orphan ships are breaking off from the battle and making for the planet to drop their forces." She finished. Not unexpected but still bad them. Once the last of the Shanxi fleet was destroyed the bastards would have orbital supremacy. A prospect that he nor any other commanding officer would like. He noticed that one of the positions along the 3rd defense line required help. He tapped a few buttons to find out which of the mobile support squads was nearest to it. He hesitated for a second when he saw who it was.The squad led by the former governor, now Commander Maria Sanders. He had not been surprised in the least when the woman had volunteered to defend the colony. He had after all studied her public records when he first learned that the ghoul woman was elected to be the first governor of Shanxi. Imagine his surprise when he learned that Sanders had once served in the Army corp. and was will on her way to the top ranks. If hadn't been for her sudden pregnancy she might have been a general by now or close to it. Hell, she could have rejoined when her maternity leave ended, but she choose to join the reserves so she could spend more time raising him. However the woman was not the one to stay still for long, and before she had the chance to go stir crazy she tried her hand politics. As it turns out she had quite the talent for it, and in the six years that followed her son's birth, she quickly became a well-known and liked individual in the political sphere.It culminated in her being elected as the first governor of Shanxi, seven years ago. She served her first four-year term and was quickly elected for the second. With how well she is liked by the inhabitants of Shanxi; himself included, she could, in theory, be indefinitely elected as there are no term limits on the position of planetary governor. But she had no intention to, as he learned from one of the many talks he had with her that she decided now that her son was at an age where he didn’t need her as much, she would rejoin the army corp. once her second term as governor ended. A fact that would be made easy as she was highly active in the reserves, going to every training exercise she could, and training daily in her home. More than once Williams himself would join her for a spare and helped keep her up to date on the latest happenings in the armed forces. However, he still had his misgivings about her joining the defense, sighting that the people of Shanxi would need a leader to guide them through the long road to rebuilding the colony. To which she responded that the vice-governor would take over for her last year in office and do just that. Williams couldn’t argue with that as he knew that vice-governor was just as popular as she was, and about as talented too. In the end, he relented and gave her command of a mobile squad.His hesitancy and it just as quickly as it came. He activated Sanders comm frequency, not a moment later he heard her speak. “Yes, general. What are your orders?” Her voice calm and professional.“A defensive position near your location is in trouble. I want you to reinforce them. Sending coordinates now.” He said while typing in a set of numbers.“Roger that.”Williams returns to study the holographic city.April 6th 12:15, Cronos system, Capital city of the planet Cronos:Walking around in one of the local parks Rael was in deep thought over the events of the last few days. When he first saw the city he was struck with awe. Both in its beauty and simplicity, he had seen cities from numerous planets and of all species. From the masterpieces of architecture that are Asari with their wide-sweeping designs that embodied grace and beauty, to the simple and functional structures that the Turians used. None in his opinion could compare to what he was seeing. The Terrans like the Turians appeared too opted for simple designs that emphasize function than anything else. At the same time, they had an ethereal beauty unlike anything else he had seen before, the buildings glowing with different colors and seemed to pulse with life. When he had asked the Terrans about why the buildings were like this. They had told him it was a result of using what they called ARC metal.What followed was an explanation of the type of materials they used in all of their technologies. As it turns out they had found a way to artificial produce a cell type unique to both of their races. With it, they could infuse it into normal metals both strengthening and giving them the properties of Rc cells. In the years they had the technology they found a way to change the color of the structures produced from the natural red to anything they desired. Once Xen learned of the strange new technology she was salivating at the mouth, and he swore by the ancestors saw her skipping back to the shuttles. Muttering something about wanting to conduct experiments. It would not do well for his sanity to think about that. He was also in awe of the generosity they showed his people. Here were a people, complete strangers really, that treated his kind like actual people. Not as beggars and thieves to be treated as an annoyance at best and a public menace at worst. It was jarring to walk down the streets to be great with friendly smiles and not whispers and shouts of suit-rat. Yes, some acted cautiously around him and his people, but that was understandable they were for the first time in their lives, in their species history dealing with an alien race. Even still it was far better than being treated with contempt.The planet's governor even went as far as to offer the systems dry-docks for their ships most in need of repair. That alone shocked the Admiralty board to silence, a perpetual state at this point. They accepted of course and for the first time in centuries their ships flew into dry docks for repairs. Truly the Terrans are a kind people, he hoped his people would be able to continue pursuing friendly relations with them. More than anything else in the galaxy aside from finding a new home, the Quarian people needed a friend they could depend on. “Penny for your thoughts.” Rael is torn out of his thoughts as he stops and looks to the source of the voice. He sees a terran male, human by the looks. He appeared to be around admiral Greyson's age and has dark brown fu- hair that went his neck in the back, and to his ears on the side. His light brown eyes looked at him with kindness and curiosity. His frame is smaller then most of the Terrans Rael had seen but he is a bit taller. If he had to venture a guess, the man would probably be considered attractive by his people. “Penny? Thoughts?” Rael question, he figured it was some kind of Terran expression.The man chuckled. “It means, I’m asking what you’re thinking about.” He said."Oh," Rael muttered, making a mental note to remember that phrase. "To answer your question I was just thinking about everything that has happened in the few days. It’s all a bit overwhelming.”"On that, I can agree. It seems everyone's been thinking about that as else. I can't walk anywhere without hearing someone’s opinion on the matter.” Rael looks at the man curiously. "Might I ask what the general consensus is regarding my people's arrival into your space?" He asked interested to hear what the average Terran thought of his people. "Also, who are you?" He threw in.The man smiled in what Rael guessed was embarrassment. "How, rude of me not to introduce myself. I am Joseph Sanders,” He extended his hand out to Rael. “and you are?”Rael took his hand, remembering it was the Terrans way of greeting others and shook it. "I am Rael'Zorah vas Rayya. But you can just call me Rael for now." He introduced himself.The man gasped in surprise. “Your one of those admirals I was told about. You’re the leaders of your people if remember correctly.”"Yes, I am," Rael answered, he then caught on to the last part of the man's name. Sanders? Could he be? "Did you say, Sanders?" The man nodded in response. "Are you perhaps related to a Governor Maria Sanders of Shanxi?”The man smiled at him, apparently not surprised by the question. "Considering, she's my wife. Yes, I am related to her." He said simply.If weren't for his mask the man would have seen Rael's eye widen. "You're, her husband? How does that work?" He sputtered out.Joseph laughed, amused by Rael's outburst. "Yes, I am. Going on Fifteen years in fact. We even have a thirteen-year-old son, though by the way my wife dolts on him, you'd think he was still five." Before Rael could ask, the man held his hand up to his face stopping him. “Before, you ask how a human and a ghoul can have a child.” He began, lowering his arm. “It’s quite simple really, all a female human as to do is consume synthetic meat. In the case of a ghoul woman like my wife though, they have to take special medical injections. As for how we can love each, well there’s an old saying. Love finds a way. Even before peace was made between humans and ghouls, there were individuals from both species that were recorded falling in love with each other.” He finished.Now having calmed down, Rael mentally kicked himself for being so surprised at hearing about human/marriages. Cross-species marriages are a common thing back in citadel space, even members of his people on rare occasions had married individuals from other races. Interestingly enough Turians were the most common, followed by Asari. Of course, the Terrans would be opened to the idea, once one factored in that the struggle between humans and ghouls ended over four hundred years ago. "Sorry, I was just surprised. She must be some woman if you fell in love with her." Not for the first time, Rael wondered if he himself would find love one day.“It’s alright, you’ve only known about our people for about three days. And yes she truly is a wonderful woman.” Rael let out a sigh of relief, glad he didn't offend the man. He then remembered his other question. "Joseph, you never answered my question regarding your people's opinion on the Migrant Fleet's arrival into Federation space."Once more the man looked embarrassed. "I almost forgot about that. Come about we take a walk and find somewhere comfortable to sit, and I'll tell you." The man started to walk down one of the park trails, and Rael quickly followed.Now walking side by side with each other the Terran began to talk. “From what I’ve heard most people are excited that we finally manage to find another space-faring race, or in this case one finding us. Even if it wasn't under ideal circumstances.""Your people are excited about this?""Yes, we are." They came to a table with a seat on each side. The two each took one. "You see for the longest time, the Terran people have asked themselves one question. Are we alone? Is there somebody out there, somewhere? Before the finding of the Prothean ruins on Mars, my people were in a way obsessed with the question. Numerous scientists, philosophers, religious figures, and others have attempted to come up with their own answer, but nothing seemed to fully satisfy us."Rael nodded in understanding, all of the current spacefaring races, Quarians included, had grabbed with that very same question. It appeared that the Terrans had more so than the others. "Than your people found the Prothean ruins on the fourth planet of your solar system, Mars was it?" He said, already getting an idea of what occurred after."Yes, we did. It was considered to be one of the greatest moments in the history of the Terran people. For the first time in our history, we had an answer to the age-old question. For a time we were not alone in the vast emptiness of space. There was someone out there." The cheerfulness in his voice could not be any more apparent to the Quarian admiral, for a moment he wonders if this what his ancient ancestors felt when they themselves first discover the ruins of the Prothean Empire. Then just as though it never had existed the cheerful expression on the man's face disappeared, to be replaced by a much more somber expression. It was jarring just to see how quickly these Terrans could go through different expressions. "But then as we explored our local cluster, and later the relay network that jubilance slowly turned to despair. As we found more and more ruins, we came to the inescapable conclusion that the Protheans were gone. Having met some unknown terrible fate, and once more we were alone in the universe. While we knew there was once other intelligent life in the galaxy, we had to ask ourselves, were there still yet others.”"Than my people arrived in your space." Rael said, finally grasping as to why the Terrans had been so kind and sincere to the Quarians. For the longest time, they had sought others to fill the empty void that their loneliness had created. Perhaps that was why they made peace with their A.I. creations and not immediately destroy them, for they feared the solitary nature of their universe more than the prospect of being destroyed. In the same vein, this might be the reason why the Terrans A.I.s hadn't turned on their creators. For they had at some level inherited the same fear of being alone in a cold uncaring universe. For a moment Rael remembered a saying that his mother told him. “A child becomes the parent.”A thought stroked him, with all the force of a rampaging Krogan. What if the Geth felt the same? What if they were not building up their forces to attack the galaxy, to wipe out organic life? What if they waiting for their creators to return? Bring not war, but open arms. Like a parent would with their child. This thought alone had stroked him to the very core of his being. Yes, with the events of the last few days Rael had been considering the possibility of finding a way to make peace with the Geth. But now he was starting to wonder if that was the only way, to get the Quarian home-world without his people forever being stained with guilty.“Did you hear me?” The voice tore him out of his thoughts, and Rael became aware that he was still sitting at the table. The Terran repeated himself. “I said did you hear?”"I'm sorry. A thought had struck me and it got me thinking." Rael responded feeling more than guilty for getting distracted. He would have to meditate on this later. Then talk to Han. "Could say that again?"Joseph eyed the Quarian, for a moment he was afraid that he offended the human somehow. "Alright." He finally said understanding that Rael didn't want to elaborate on his thoughts. "As I was saying. Yes, with the arrival of your people, a new wave of excitement has washed over my people. Finally, we found another intelligent space-faring race and not the ruins of one. Even better they bring news of a whole galactic community that is right at our doorstep. You best believe we're excited at the prospect." The manned showed a smile that seemed to outshine the light of the local star. Just as quickly as came, it disappeared. "At the same time, we're also feeling despair." Rael notices the man was looking at something, and turn to what it is. A small group of children, young ones a mix of humans and ghouls were playing together. Laughing with delight unaware of the troubles the plagued the galaxy."We may have escaped the cycle of hate." He heard him say. "But we did not escape the consequences of that hate, and now the rest of the galaxy is paying for our sin." The guilt in his eyes could not be any clearer.Truly they are a good people.’ Rael thought to himself. "Do not blame yourselves, those mistakes were made by your ancestors. You do not have to be burden by them so as long as you do not repeat them. Even now your people are doing everything they can to rectify their mistakes, that's more than enough. One day your people will escape the consequences of your past." As he said this Rael hoped, that his people too would escape the consequences of their past.Joseph was taken aback by the Quarian's words. After a moment he smiled. "I believe your right. One day we will." He looks to the children again. "So as long we can learn from our mistakes, there is hope.”They continued to talk. April 6th 13:47, Shanxi Space, TFV. Victory:The command center was in chaos, as the Victory shook. Over three hours of intense fighting had reduced Grayson’s fleet to his ship and few cruisers and battlecruisers. The rest had been destroyed or left adrift to be picked off later. But the D-Orphans had paid dearly for it, of the fifteen thousand that had originally entered the system, a little less than five thousand remained.“Admiral, our the last of our fighter drones have been destroyed. Our remaining manned strike craft reports that they have expended the last of their heavy ordinance." Came the shout of a crewman.“Order them to retreat to the planet.” The Admiral ordered."Aye, sir. Relaying the order now.” Came the dutiful reply. "Admiral, multiple drakes are moving on our position," The voice of Helen rings throughout the CC. "some of them have spinal cannons." As soon she said that the Victory shook violently. Grayson doesn't need a report to know that one's with spinal cannons fired on them.“Re-orientate the victory so we can fire the main cannon at the Drakes with spinal cannons." On the holographic display, he saw the Victory change it's direct to face the attacking ships. "Fire." No sooner than he said that he felt the old dreadnought shuddered as a twenty-kilogram slug was accelerated to one point five percent the speed of light. An instant later he saw one of the Drakes blink out of existence as it was hit with a force equivalent to over forty-eight kilotons of TNT. ‘Ah, Sir Isaac Newton you are the deadliest son-of-a-bitch in space,’ He thought has more and more of the Drakes disappear from the display. Then the CC explodes into a flurry of sparks and shrapnel.Grayson felt a sharp pain tear through his left shoulder, followed the sound of bodies hitting the floor with a sickening thud. His ears ringing he grabbed his shoulder trying to stem the flow of blood. Quickly regaining his sense he saw that the command center was a mess. Dead mangled bodies littered the floor, pieces of half-destroyed equipment cluttered everywhere. He looked around seeing more of his crewmen lying dead at their stations. Of the seventeen crewmen that worked the CC only six remained alive, himself included. "What the hell just happened?" He managed through course breaths.“A Hydra came into range and fired its main gun." He heard Helen say. "The impact destroyed our main gun, most of our other weapons have been knocked out as well, reading additional heavy damage throughout the Victory." Grayson cursed under his breath, effectively their ship had been rendered useless. "Admiral, I've just received sensor telemetry, our remaining cruisers have been destroyed. Only the Battle Cruisers Crazy Horse and Broken Bow remain. I am reading extensive damage on both of them." She finished the report.Grayson cursed again. The battle was all but lost now. Not that they ever had a chance to win anyway. But they had done their job of reducing the enemy numbers as much as they could. In that, he could reassure himself. "Order the both of them to retreat if they can."“Roger.”He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the words he thought he would never say. "All hands, abandon ship. Helen overload the core and have the Victory fly right into the thick of the swarm. I want as many those bastard dead as possible." Once he gave the order, he heard the evacuation alarms sound to life. Followed by Helen's reply of overloading the core. He stepped off his command platform almost falling face-first into the deck plating. Being stopped by the arms of a nearby crewman. He noted it was the same ensign that asked him about the relay before the Quarians arrived. His left eye is bleeding mess now, due to a piece of shrapnel lodged in it. Grayson muttered out a quick thank you. He continued to walk to the lift being half-carried by the ensign. Before they stepped onto the lift Grayson took one last look at the command center of the ship he had commanded for the last fifteen years, eight as a captain, seven as an admiral. "She was a good ship." He said before the lift doors shut. April 6th 13:49, Shanxi space:As they were ordered both the Crazy Horse and the Broken Bow immediately began their retreat. At first, having trouble, as the swarms of D-Orphan ships refused to let their prey escape. Only by using what remained of their missiles did they blow a hole that they could fly through. At the same numerous escape-pods exploded out from the Victory and made their way to Shanxi’s surface. Some would be destroyed by the D-Orphans, but most would make it. Shuttles flew out from the dying dreadnoughts hangers as it accelerated towards the D-Orphan swarm. The swarm concentrates its fire on the incoming dreadnought. Taking advantage of the distracted swarm the shuttles quickly made their way to the escaping battle cruisers.Several seconds later the Victory smashed right into the Hydra that had previously crippled it. The two are carried into the thick of the swarm, and precisely one second before the Victory exploded, the AI Helen transferred herself to the battlecruiser Broken Bow. Once it was confirmed she was fully uploaded the Battle Cruisers performed an FTL jump that took them out of the system. An instant later the Victory disappeared a flash of light that would briefly outshined the local star. Taking with it over two hundred D-Orphan ships, and damaging several others.Now having orbital supremacy the Dragon Orphans flew over the colony world and began to drop the rest of their forces. At the same time, they began an orbital bombardment on the capital city. They were ready to feast.
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Ch.: Shanxi under Siege April 6th 20:30, Arcturus Station: Sitting In a chair in a conference room nestled deep into the station, was President Nijah Nader. Until three days ago she was the most powerful woman in the galaxy. Not even halfway through the second year of her first term, she would be remembered as the President who made first contact. An emergency session of the Federation Council had been called once it been confirmed that first contact with a spacefaring civilization had been made. It would have been a truly momentous moment in her peoples' history if it had not been soured by the fact those same people were under siege by the Dragon Orphans.The deathly silence that befell the council chambers, when she made the announcement spoke volumes of the fear that the people still held against the Dragon Orphans. To be honest, she was scared too, but as the leader of an entire nation, she could not show it. Few things started a panic better than seeing the leaders scared. So she held it in, even within the closed doors of the Federation Council chambers, she could not risk showing such weakness. The councilors too seemed to realize what their fear would cause if ever got out to the public, and they quickly reigned in their fear. What followed were some of the longest hours in her life, as heated debates flared up over what course of actions should be taken to deal with the renewed threat of the Dragon Orphans.All of them, of course, were pointless, as the protocols in dealing with the Dragon Orphans were already in effect. The entirety of the Federation's armed forces were being mobilized for full-scale war against the D-Orphans. War, that word left a bitter taste in her mouth. She had read histories of the different wars waged throughout Earth's history. The lives that had been destroyed, the atrocities committed, and the hate they breed, none of them had ever been a pretty sight to behold. This would be the second thing she would be remembered for, the President who through no fault of her own plunged the United Terran Federation into a 4th Dragon War. Needless to say her already complicated life, just got infinitely more complicated. She silently laughed to herself, the history books would record her as being more than just the first Arabic woman to hold the office. It had taken her several minutes, to get them onto the topic she wanted to talk about. Wither or not they would provide aid to the races of the Citadel, and what their policies would be regarding them. She swore that she could have baked a turkey with how heated that discussion got. Discussions ranged from creating an alliance with them, isolation, conquest, and one asshole suggested: "Exterminate the foul Xenos." He was ignored, and she made a mental note to make sure he never got elected again. In the end, after six hours of debating, a majority vote was passed to form an alliance with the Citadel races for the duration of the war. Anything beyond that would have to be settled at a later date. Oh, how she wished for simpler times.Looking over the data-pad in her hand, she still couldn't wrap her head around everything. The sheer size of Citadel space boggled her mind, one glanced showed it was several times larger than the Federation. Individually the space of each race was more comprehensible, most of them being smaller than the Federation. But all together they made Terran territory look like a drop in a bucket.‘To think there was a whole galactic community right at our doorstep. One comprised of over half a dozen races.’ It was almost a dream come true for her people. Finally, they were no longer alone in a cold uncaring universe. Almost being the operative word. Her face scrunched into a frown, as she read more about the Citadel. There were facets of their society that deeply unsettled her. The first being that of the eight races that are considered to be a part of the Citadel, only three held any real power. The others had been regulated to being “associate members", she huffed at the phrasing. To her, it sounded like a nicer way of saying "second class citizens". To add to her grievance, numerous treaties limited the economic and military capabilities of the "associate" races and did little to the "council" races. As far she saw the only ones that actively defied these treaties and got away with were the Batarians, and if weren’t for their abdominal practice of slavery she would respect them.Then there was their treatment of the non-citadel races like the Quarians and the Krogan, and how they view A.I. The Krogan sterilized just because the council couldn’t be bothered to help them develop a culture beyond warfare. The Quarians condemned to a slow death for one mistake. Finally the illegalizing of A.I. because of simple fear. Oh, yes there would be a lot to discuss with the Citadel once they made contact. Nijah rubbed the temples of her head, already feeling a headache coming on. She seriously considered the possibility of not running for a second term, so she could avoid all the political and intergalactic incidents that were sure to come. ‘Why was that I want to enter politics again.’ She asked herself. ‘Ah, yes! It was because I wanted to help people, make a difference.’ History had shown time and again what one person, one voice could do to change the world for better or worse. As a child she was mesmerized by figures like George Washington, Martin Luther King J., and Kaneki Ken, they all had through their inspired her to do better, to be more than she was. Because of those influences among others, she from a young age decided she would enter the world of politics, and even had the grand dream of becoming president one day. She smiled to herself, more than a bit amused, the dreams of a child could have effects on their lives as adults. She never once wavered from the path she laid for herself, she had her doubts, but she never wavered. As she would not waver now. Now more than ever the Terran people, Humans, Ghouls, and Synths needed a strong decisive leader. She would do her best to fulfill that role.She heard the door slide open and several figures walk in. She turns to the table to see several high ranking Generals and Admirals taking their seats. She saw holographic projections of similarly ranked officials appear. In all, twenty figures were sitting in front of her, ten from the Navy and ten from the Army and Marines."I assume that everyone is here?" She spoke. No reaction. "Good, then we can begin the first war council meeting of the coming conflict against the Dragon Orphans. Firstly what is the situation with Shanxi?” She prompted.“We received reports, that the Dragon Orphans have gained orbital supremacy over Shanxi. “ Spoke Admiral Ines, the commanding officer of the 1st fleet. “My, fleet will arrive in approximately six hours to relieve our besieged forces. Additionally, the 7th Stealth Squadron will be arriving two hours ahead of us. They’ll keep an eye on the D-Orphan forces in orbit.”“The 4th fleet will arrive about an hour after them, Madam President.” One Admiral spoke.“The 5th is ten minutes behind the 4th.” Another said.Nijah nod this was good, Shanxi would be secured. That was the first step in the coming war. “Alright then, what is our overall war footing and what are we doing to improve it?”The Admiral in right next to her, an old ghoul in his late nineties with spoke. “Subtracting the forces we lost over Shanxi, our current naval strength stands at around forty-six thousand, six hundred combat ships. Of witch twenty-nine thousand make up the eight main fleets, another two thousand are centered on the defense of Arcturus and Sol, and the remaining sixteen thousand are spread throughout the Federation. As per wartime protocols, all forces are being mobilized, shore leaves have been canceled, reserves are being called, a call to arms sent to all worlds, and the mothball fleet is being put back into service. Additionally, production on all warships and other war materials will be increased by two hundred fifty percent. All in all, I would dare say we are in a very good position, for this war. Especially when you consider that we might not be fighting it in our territory, leaving our infrastructure untouched and that we have time to prepare ourselves." He finished. Nijah nodded at what the Fleet Admiral said. “Very, good Fleet Admiral Kirishima.” Fleet Admiral Kirishima, was perhaps the oldest Officer in the Navy and was known for his to the point attitude. A member of the Kirishima family, who has strong ties to the Kaneki family, and is the Admiral in command of the Arcturus and Sol fleets and is considered to be the head of the Federation Navy. “Now what are your recommendations for improving our war standing on the naval side of things?”“First, I recommended that twelve thousand, of the ships spread throughout our territory be resigned. One-third of them be used to bolster the numbers of the eight main fleets, the rest are to be used to create numerous smaller fleets that can be rapidly deployed throughout Citadel space in response to developing situations." He responded calmly. "Won't that leave our space awfully undefended?” Nijah interrupted not liking the idea leaving so much space undefended.”Kirishima raised his hand in a placating manner. “Not to worry madam President. That’s where the mothball fleet comes in. I recommended that it be used to patrol our space. It may be made of old ships, but they are still reliable.”Nijah arched an eyebrow. “How big is the Mothball fleet?”“Around thirteen thousand ships. As I said it should be more than adequate to full fill our needs.”Satisfied with what she heard Nijah turned her attention to the row of Generals from the Army and Marines. “Now what of the Army and Marines?”Two men she recognized as Generals Cooper and Garza, the heads of the Army and Marines respectively, look at each in a silent conversation that lasts for a few seconds. Cooper was the one to speak. "All together both the Army and Marines have around two billion soldiers. Much like our Navy friends we are mobilizing all forces for full-scale war, leaves have been canceled, reserve units are being put into active service, and recruitment drives increased. For how we can go about the war against the Dragon Orphans, I recommend that two-thirds of our forces be deployed to the Citadel fronts. The remaining units are to defend home and country, reserved forces and recruits could be used to bolster our defenses here as well." He finished. “I second that motion.” Garza spoke up.Nijah nodded and processed the information given to her. The recommendations given to her sounded to be reasonable. Though no specifics had been given, mostly just broad strokes. “How long will it take for us to fully mobilize our forces for the War?It was Admiral Kirishima who spoke. “By my estimate, about four months. That will also give our economy time to switch over to wartime production and roar fully to life.”It was at this moment that Nijah was reminded of what kind of nation she was the leader of. A large powerful nation that could easily transition into a wartime mentality. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but right now it served their purposes. For a moment she wondered how they stacked against the Citadel races. "Alright, than. Do what you can to prepare ourselves for the coming war. Now than any specifics in improving our war capabilities?"Several hands shot up, it was going a long session.April 6th 23:00, Shanxi orbit, Dragon Orphan command ship: The creature had long since regained control of its anger. It was still there and burned more brightly than ever following the battle against the old enemy’s void-sailors. So many of its brethren had been lost, never to have a chance to fight the old enemy on the surface below. But it was under control.It sensed, how the battle was going. At first, they tore through the old enemy’s defenses, spilling their blood and tearing their flesh asunder. Inching ever so closer to the center of their great nest. Where those who do not fight were hid. ‘Such weakness.’ The creature thought the progenitors did not dedicate all of their beings to the hunt as its kind did. Nor did the other prey that in its view made them all weak. The weak would perish to the strong. The swarm was strong, and as such, they would perish to the swarm. But then their advance was slowed, the old enemy was holding the swarm back, killing many. It did not matter though, the swarm was many, and they were not. In time they would falter, and the swarm would consume them all and those they protected. The life orb would be theirs to devour.The creature’s lips twisted to a smile. Perhaps it was time for a “little push”. But first, it needed to warn the rest of the swarm of the progenitor’s return. Sending its command to send void sailors out to the gateway, it arose and made its way for its destination.All things would be theirs to devour.April 6th 23:00, Shanxi space, TFV. Silent Shadow:“Commander Movement detected in the D-Orphan fleet." Said a crewman.“Report.” Said the Commander. Their squadron had been monitoring the D-Orphan fleet, since their arrival in the system close to an hour ago. They've been keeping track of the enemy numbers and positions, and keeping an eye out for anything interesting. This would qualify as being interesting.“Fifty enemy ships have just broken off from the main fleet. Sensors indicate that they are making their way to the Relay.”The commander quickly realized what their intent was. “Order the Chameleon and the Abyss to pursue them. Once they are beyond the relay they are to destroy the D-Orphan ships. We cannot risk losing the element of surprise.” He ordered."Aye, sir. Sending the order now." April 6th 23:15, Capital of Shanxi:The sound of gunfire, explosions, and screams echoed throughout the city, as Sanders and her squad made their way through a ruined street. Almost twelve hours of running to or from one fight to another without rest had taken its toll on them. But much to her delight the men and women under her command had persevered and held up under the pressure. So far they had suffered no losses in the unit, and the worst the injury took was when of her men took an Rc shard to the shoulder. Nothing that a med-gel couldn’t handle and the man was still able to carry his rifle. She may have only known them for the last few days, and they were rough around the edges, but she was proud to be their commander. Already she thought of them as the Federations finest. They took cover around a corner when they heard several loud hisses. She glanced over to see just what they had run into. Two dozen standard D-Orphans, five prowlers, and a- ‘shit’. A brute standing over the remains of a type II mech, and it was a spiker no less. Taking a deep breath, she thought over their odds. The standards and prowlers they could handle with ease. The brute, however, was another story, those things were tough as hell to take down without the proper equipment. A Rinkaku or Bikaku type ghoul could take one by themselves if they were skilled enough.Currently, they had none of those, no heavy ordinance as it would have slowed them down too much, and all of the ghouls in her unit were Ukakus. If they wanted to take that thing down (and they had to considering how close it was to the eighth defense line.), they have to overwhelm it with weapons fire from multiple angles. At the same time, someone would have to get up close and personal to keep it distracted. That someone would have to be a skilled combatant to even survive an encounter like that. In other words, her.Sanders stilled her beating heart. No need to show her unit how nervous she was. She signaled for her squad to take up firing positions in the nearby buildings, and to fire on her command. Dutifully they each nodded their heads and went ahead. She watched with bated breath each one of her soldiers crept silently into the builds around the D-Orphans, being careful not to alert the creatures to their presence. Several minutes later she received a com signal from them that they were in position.Taking another breath she mentally readied herself for the coming fight. She activated her com-link. “Fire!" Not a moment sooner she heard the sounds of gunfire and the death screams of D-Orphans. Without a moment of hesitation, she darted out from the corner. As she ran towards the brute, she saw that several of the standards and a single prowler had been killed, and the brute look like it was ready to pop a blood vessel. Not wanting to give the thing time to vent its frustration, Sanders hostler her rifle and fired. Two more prowlers want down and so did several more of the standards. A second later she unleashed her Ukaku and fired Rc shards at the brute. Several of the shards found their mark on the legs and stomach of the monster, it roared in anger. Its attention now fully on her it raised its spiked arm and fire a single massive Rc shard at her. She dodged to the left and continued her way to the brut. It raised its other arm to smash her to a meaty paste. In the instant it swung it down, she threw her weight down and sled under its legs, firing her rifle at the massive D-Orphan as she did. Its hand smashed uselessly to the ground.About a meter away she quickly got back to her feet, and fire off her rifle killing two more D-Orphans. She jumped high into the air to avoid the last prowler from pouncing on her. While in the air she twisted to ordinated herself to face the brute. Then using her Ukaku to slow her descent she aimed and fired. The last prowler and the remaining standard D-Orphans slumped lifelessly to the ground. She lands on her feet and fired on the brute. It charged at her, a primal roar emanating from its bloodstained mouth. It brought its arm down on her. Reacting fast she extends her left Ukaku out in front of her and hardens it as much she could. It's fist collided with the crystalline wing, causing it to rattle from the impact, her feet almost buckling under the force. She gritted her teeth, and pulled her rifle and fired into the monster's stomach. In response, the brute raised its spike arm to strike her. Ready for this, Sanders extended her right Ukaku and used it to strike at the spiked arm, parrying its blow.Half a second later she felt the brute’s fist connect with her stomach. Blood spurting out from her mouth, she was sent flying and crashing into the street creating a small crater. It took a second for her head to stop spinning, and another to get her bearings back. Another second later she saw the brute with its spike arm ready to snuff out her life. Gunfire rained down on the monster from all sides. The brute thrashed in anger, its spike arm flailing about, as it looks for a target to shoot. It settles for a second-floor window in the build nearest to it.Sanders screamed in anguish. The brute roared as gunfire continued to pelt it. It readied to fire.There was a loud boom.Then the brutes back exploded in fire, and it cried out in pain. Its arm dropping as it turns to face its new attacker. In that same instance, Sanders got from her crater and saw something that brought a smile to her face. Down the street were two heavy tanks. An armored platoon must have heard their fighting, and arrived to assist. One of the tanks fired its main cannon. An instant later the brute's non-spiked arm was blown clean off, blood gushing from the wound. The brute roared in agony as it raised and fired its spiked armed. The resulting Rc shard found its way into one of the heavy tanks, destroying it. The brute turned to face the remaining tank, readying another attack.‘On no, you don’t bastard.’ Sanders thought to herself as she fired off a swarm of shards into the D-Orphan's back. It turns to face her, with a snarl on its lips, and its head disappeared in a ball of fire, courtesy of a shell being fired from the remaining heavy tank. The brute’s body swayed back and for a few seconds, before finally falling forward and hitting the pavement with a loud thud. The whole fight had lasted less than two minutes. But it may have as well have been two hours.She wanted to slump down, from how tired she was. Willpower and adrenaline were all that kept her on her feet. Out from the tanks, she saw some infantrymen walk out and take defensive positions. From the destroyed tank two survivors crawled out. Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw the members of her unit emerge from the buildings. From the tank unit, she saw a man in his mid-thirties walked out. Likely the commanding officer. She walked towards him, her unit close behind. They met in the middle. The man gave her a jovial smile.“Well, miss governor. It looks like we arrived just in time to save your sorry ass.” He said good-naturedly. She returned the smile. “Thanks for that. How did you know we were here?" She asks.The man gestured to a nearby building. She turned and saw a young man walked out. "A scout reported the position of a brute that needed to be taken out. We were sent to do just that. You being here was just coincidence. Not a bad one mind you.” He explained “None the less, thank you. I owe you the life of at least one of my men.” She said bowing slightly. The man tilted his head in acknowledgment. “I’ll remember that. In the meantime, I suggest that you take a few moments to rest. You may be a ghoul, but even you people need to rest after a fight like that.” He said, a bit of worry in his voice.She nodded. “I’ll take that under advisement. Meanwhile, I'll have my people assist salvaging your destroyed tank."“That would be appreciated, Ma'am."“Then let’s get to work, and get out of here.” For the moment she would be able to rest. She planned to take full advantage of it. More fights were coming and she needed all the energy she had to survive them.April 6th 23:40, Capital City: Unit 09:Firing cannon. 7.2 seconds elapsed.11 confirmed kills. 7 standard D-Orphans, 4 Spiker D-Orphans. Units 17, 34, 35: Engaging enemy group, supporting creator units. 3 minutes, 35 seconds elapsed.Enemy group destroyed, no survivors. Units 17 and 35 lost. 1 creator killed, 2 creators injured. Squad retreating to Defense Line Number. 8To an organic it would have been mind-shattering to control several bodies at once, all the while being fully aware of all of their actions and stimuli. Their brains were simply not built to process so much information at once. But for Vertigo a Synthetic it was a simple matter, though even he had to admit there was a limit to how many bodies they could command. It was for this reason that most Synths preferred to keep to a single body. It was both easier and more intimate. His kind may be creatures of logic being made from an incredibly complicated series of 0’s and 1’s, they were also creatures of emotion as much as their creators were, they were just better at controlling them. It wasn’t all that surprising when one thought about it. Following the creation of Herald the First, all Synths had been created with the intent for them to emulate the minds of their creators. The capacity for emotion by extension was included in that goal. It was because of that and their creators' foresight in granting them equal rights, did Vertigo's people elect to remain loyal to the organic beings. They wanted to grow and learn alongside their creators, to be there as they expand through the galaxy and beyond. To share in the joys and hardships that life offered.Synth after being "raised" for a year by its parents, was considered to be an adult by Federation law. Several would choose to enter the military and find a role to serve there, but most would just remain in civilian life and find a job. Vertigo was in the later, preferring to use his talents in the field of the sciences, namely in the field of Exobiology. Shanxi had proven to be a treasure trove of information when he and his other fellow researchers arrived when the colony was first founded. The planet had a high level of biodiversity, not on the same level as Earth, but still high.In the seven years, he had lived on the colony he had grown to think of it as home, and he had established lasting relationships with a number of the colonist. This was the reason, why he was now controlling several combat mechs. When he had heard of the coming attack, he'd been one of the first volunteers to come forth in defense of the colony. Shanxi was his home, and he would do everything he could to defend it and the people he had grown to care about. Before the start of the battle, he had commanded a hundred mechs, mostly type I's with a few type II's, spread out across several squads. In some of those squads, he had struck up fledging friendships with the soldiers. Now less than half his mechs were operational, and several of his new friends were dead or dying. His current kill count was hovering around five hundred. Aside from everything else the battle was progressing well. Federation Forces were holding steady and most of Dragon Orphans were being held at the ninth defense line. If they could hold out for just a few more hours than when reinforcements arrived, they have a mostly intact city to save.Warning: Units 9-12, 16 destroyed. Numerous creator causalities.Attempting to identify assailant.Warning: Unites 14, 21 destroyed. Portion of Defense line number 9 as fallen. Assailant identified. Elapsed time 1 minute, 17 seconds.Analyzing image.Image Analyzed.Surprise and horror.Confirming resultsx1000.Results confirmedx1000.Response: "Fuck you, Murphy!"Sending information of General Williams, priority one.April 6th 23:50, Capital city of ShanxiLieutenant Anderson was not having a good day right now. Actual scratch that he was not having a good hour right now. Why you ask, a little something called being surround with little ammunition left. He poked out from his hiding spot and fired off a few shots from his pistol, killing two spiker D-Orphans, and quickly retreat to cover just in time for several Rc shards to glide past where his head was.His unit had been caught off guard by a large group of spiker D-Orphans, while they were mopping up a pack of prowlers. The result, half his men dead, and the remaining half being forced to take cover within the perimeter of several ruined vehicles. For the next thirty minutes, he and his remaining men staved off annihilation. “Can anyone see a way out?” He shouted. He was met by several grunts of no. “Than keep looking. Those things look like their ready for a final pounce.” He shouted firing his pistol into the pack of D-Orphans. “We’re dead. We’re dead. We’re dead. We’re so dead.” He heard the panic rant of a young man not too far from him. Looking at the young man, most likely fresh out of training, Anderson couldn’t blame him for being on edge like he was. No amount of training could prepare anyone for a situation like this. A Dragon Orphan invasion was about as hot as a trial by fire as one could get. “Calm down private. This neither the time nor the place.” He tried his best to use a calm and soothing tone. However he failed since his nerves where about as frayed as the private’s, and it came out more like a shout.The young man looks at him like he was a madman. “Calm?" He muttered out, his voice hoarse. “Calm down? You expect me to calm down!?” He all but shouted, standing on his feet. “We’ve been fighting none stop for over almost thirteen hours now. Half of our unit is dead. We’re pinned by the D-Orphans, and we’re quickly running out ammo. WE. ARE. DEAD.” The man fell to his knees sobbing. All around Anderson could see what was left of his unit giving him looks of pity. They were all tired, himself included. Colonial defense was supposed to be a quit boring affair, especially when the colony they were assigned to defend was far from the lawless areas that bordered Federation space, A nice safe place to be eased into the military life. Well, life decided to take one look at that and decided "Nah, screw that noise. Let's give these suckers hell." she was a bitch that way. It didn't help that Anderson himself wished for something interesting to happen. Colonial after was a boring affair. That same boredom look to be very appealing right now.Wondering if similar incidents had been occurring in other units Anderson reached out to the young private. “It’s alright private. We-.” The world slowed down as Anderson’s mind captured the moment, to be engraved into his memory for all of eternity. The way the young man’s red face was twisted with sobs, the way his hand was less than an inch from wiping away those tears, and the way his body was yanked away by a prowler. He looks on in horror as the man's body was dragged out of their perimeter and dragged into a pack of prowlers. The sounds of his screams and flesh being torn from the bone would haunt his nightmares for years to come. An instant he and two others let lose a volley of weapons fire, killing the feasting pack.When they stopped firing all that was left was the sound of soft whimpering. Anderson could almost make out two words “mommy” and “Mikhail”. He couldn’t get a good look at the private, but by what little he did see he knew no amount of medical care would save him. He also knew that he wasn’t going quickly, it would be slow and painful. Anderson took a breath, stealing himself for what he had to do next. He aimed with his pistol and fire a shot. The whimpering stopped.Definitely one of the worst days in his life. “Lt. the remaining Dragon Orphans are charging us!” And it kept on getting better.He raised to his feet and began to fire into the oncoming horde. “Men keep firing, we go down fighting.” He didn’t need to say that. Everyone knew it was a hopeless cause, none of them would live to see the next day. All they could do now was take as many of the bastards with them as they could. His order was met by a series of "Aye sir".Anderson made sure that every shot counted as he fired. Aiming for chests and heads, guaranteeing death for his targets. Within a few seconds, he empties his pistol, and no more ammo clips to use. Close by he heard the sound of gunfire dying away slowly. Death had come to collect their souls. He saw a prowler jump towards him. He closed his eyes, ready to embrace death. ‘Should have saved the last for myself.' Were his last thoughts.Or they would have been. Instead of feeling sharp teat dig into his face he heard to sound of bullets flying over his head and a body hitting the ground near him. Actually, he hears several bodies hitting the ground. Confused he opened his eyes to see what was happening. Just in time to a tank shell obliterate the group of D-Orphans in front of him. Next, to him, he saw the prowler that had tried to jump lay dead. In less than a minute all of the attacking D-Orphans had been killed, and the gunfire ceased. Anderson blinked, and blink again. His mouth hung open but no words came out. His mind having trouble processing what had happened. It took the sound of footsteps for him to snap out his stupor. He turned to face the source of the footsteps. A saw a ghoul woman in her late thirties walk into the perimeter, with two men at her side. She came to a stop in front of him and gave him a quick and crisp salute. He returned the gesture, recognizing the woman.“Commander Maria Sanders of the 57th Mobile Assaulted Squad, here. I assume you’re the commanding officer of this unit?” She said breaking the salute.Breaking his salute Anderson spoke, feeling a little nervous to be addressing the former governor. “Affirmative ma’am, I am second Lieutenant David Anderson of the 112th Infantry squad. I think you for saving me and what remains of my unit, we owe you our lives.”“No need to think us, Lieutenant. My unit and the 3rd Heavy Tank regiment were traveling through the area when we saw you in trouble.” She pointed behind her, gesturing to a man on top of the lone heavy tank. "It was only natural for us to save you. Now is there anything you need for your unit?”"Just whatever ammo and med-gel you can spare, Ma'am." He reported as he looks over his injured men. His gaze lingered on the young man's body for a second before he turned his attention back to the Commander. "As you can see, we took heavy losses, and have a lot of wounded." He saw a pang of sympathy flash across her face before returning to a neutral expression.“I’ll see what I can do.” She responded. "In the meantime, I suggest that you get your troops ready to retreat to the 8th defense line.” She turned and walked away.However before she took three steps, she stopped and brought her fingers to her ear. ‘New orders most be coming in.’ Anderson surmised. After about a minute she turned to face Anderson. “Scratch that, the General as just given new orders. All available forces are to gather along with a point of the 9th defense line. The D-Orphans are preparing a final massive pass.” She paused for a second, a moment of fear glistening in her eyes. Anderson's stomach dropped, that did not bode well. “Presence of a Dragon General confirmed, variant unknown."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
April 7th 01:57, Deep Space, TFV. Broken Bow:“Have we made contact with Shanxi?” “Negative Admiral.” Came the response of the ship's captain. “As my officer told you, in all likelihood, their long-range communication satiates have been destroyed. However, per protocol, we will continue to raise them. In case they still have them, or they come up with an alternative means of establishing a link with us.”Grayson nodded to the woman. “Very well. I’ll be in the ready room. Inform me of any developments.” He said, turning away and making his way across the Bow’s Command Center."Aye, sir."Coming to a set of doors, and enter a small room. The ready room was a small but spacious room with a single simple desk in the middle. The desk had a chair behind it and two in front, on top of it was a computer terminal. To the side was a couch big enough to seat two people comfortably. In the corner was a holo-projector for communications. He went to the projector. He tapped a few buttons on the terminal in front of it. After a minute or two of waiting the image of a woman about thirty years his senior appeared, dressed in a fleet admirals uniform.“Report.” Fleet Admiral Ines spoke with a Salute. Saluting back, Grayson made his report. “We continue to try and raise someone on Shanxi, but so far have gained no response. But I remain convinced that General Williams forces are still holding out. We did have around three days to prepare, thanks to the Quarians.” For that he was thankful. They may have had no idea that they were entering Federation space, and intending to save their own people, but the Quarians had given Shanxi a fighting chance. In most cases, a colony world would have no warning of an incoming D-Orphan attack until they had entered the system. Sometimes an outpost would get a warning out, giving the local forces a few hours or a day at most to prepare. But space was huge and there were plenty of places to hide. On average the defending colony would fall quickly, forcing the local militia to resort to Guerilla warfare to combat the Dragon Orphans until a relief force arrived. Shanxi was fortunate, with the arrival of the Migrant Fleet, they received an advanced warning that gave them several days to prepare. Enough time to get as many civilians as they could off-planet and the rest into underground bunkers, all the while preparing the city for the coming invasion. The Quarians had inadvertently saved millions of Lives. For that, the people of Shanxi would forever be grateful.“I agree with your assessment Rear Admiral. However even with the preparations he had, by now a large portion of the city may have already fallen to the Dragon Orphans.”That he already knew, by his calculations half the city was likely overrun. “None the less, he will hold until your arrival.”“Good. How are the repairs with your ships going?” Grayson smiled, that was the bit of good news he did have. "The repairs are going very good Fleet Admiral. Both ships have weapons and barriers are operational, right now we’re just patching up the holes. We are combat-ready.” He paused for a second, letting his report be processed by the older Admiral. “Fleet Admiral, I know I have already asked you this. But I will ask again, I request that my ships be a part of the operation to retake Shanxi.” More than fourteen thousand lives had been lost in the fleet battle for Shanxi, about hundred-twenty of them had come from the Victory. He and several others were rearing to avenge those lives. Ines gave the younger admiral a look of understanding. A look that him that she knew what it was like to lose lives under their command. “Not to worry Rear Admiral, I have already made my decision. Your ships will be a part of the effort to retake Shanxi. All you have to do is meet at our arrival coordinates. Sending them now.” "Thank you, Admiral Ines, you don't know what this means to me.” He said gratefully.“No thanks are needed. I know it is like to lose people, and the desire to avenge them.” She said in a tone that spoke of her experience more than the words themselves.“Regardless I am in your debt. Now is there anything else you wanted to know?”“Not at this time Rear-Admiral Grayson. Just meet us at the arrival Coordinates. Understood?”“Understood.” With a quick Salute, the link was terminated. Grayson relaxed his posture showing the tiredness he felt since they had escaped the battle. Though his shoulder had been treated by the Broken Bow's medical staff, he still felt some pain lingering. Nor did he have any sleep in the last thirty hours. While he knew he could go a lot longer without it, he knew that a bit of rest would do him good. He walked to the couch. “Helen.”"Yes, Admiral." Came the female Synths voice. She had taken over as the Bow's main AI.“Order our ships to set course for the coordinates that Fleet Admiral Ines has given us.”"Aye, sir. Relaying that order now. Anything else?”“Yes.” He responded sitting on the couch. “I’m going to take a rest. Unless we establish a link with Shanxi or an emergency comes up no one is to disturb me. Wake me ten minutes before the 1st Fleet is due to arrive.”“Very well, Admiral.” He lied down on the couch and closed his eyes. He would need all the energy he could get.April 7th 02:15, Capital city of Shanxi, command bunker:While Rear Admiral Grayson was resting in the ready room of the Broken Bow, General Williams was wide awake in his command bunker. It had been a long day for him and his staff coordinating the defense of the city. It wasn't easy holding back the horde of Dragon Orphans whose numbers were projected to be around seven hundred thousand. But held they did, and in the span of fifteen hours, they had inflicted significant damage to their forces. It was believed they had killed a little two hundred thirty thousand of the D-Orphans. Against a loss of around twelve thousand of his soldiers, he considered that to be good. As the creatures got deeper into the city their lines became more and more starched lessening their advantage in numbers, and his lines became studier with less territory.But now the battle that been going relatively well was about to take a turn for the worse. On the projection of the city, he along with everyone else could a giant red mass forming in a single area along what had been designated as the 5th defense line. This red mass was the Dragon Orphans, they were marshaling their forces for a final push. Not good by any standards, the most dangerous aspect of the D-Orphans where their overwhelming numbers, a single massive push were they threw everything they had at a single point could cause even the most harden of positions to fall quickly. One general strategy used to combat this advantage was to find any means to spread out their numbers, namely by offering them multiple points of attack or using small mobile units to attack and then retreat causing portions of the horde to give chase. The D-Orphan weren’t ones for strategy and operated more on instinct, which made it easier to fool them into spreading themselves thin.However, the sudden massing of their forces suggested one thing. A grim change in the tide of the battle which had been confirmed by blurry images taken by a Synth named Vertigo, before his mech units in the area were destroyed, the presence of a Dragon General. The Dragon Generals were the most dangerous of the D-Orphan variants, unlike their lesser cousins the D-Generals were capable of intelligent thought and could fight one on one with some of the Federations best soldiers. They were divided into three categories which donated their level of intelligence and strength as a combatant, Lieutenant, Captain, and General. Lieutenants were weakest of the bunch, having the intelligence of a dim-witted adolescent, and the Generals being the strongest and having a high level of intelligence. Thankfully in all likelihood, this one wasn't a full General, they preferred to stay on their command ships, rarely ever personal leading their forces on the ground, the same went for most Captains. So in all likelihood, this one was a Lieutenant, if it was a captain then it was likely on the lower end of the scale. Either way, it was big trouble for Williams's forces. The creature had likely gotten tired of waiting for them to fall and decide to lead a final push personally.Looking at the projection Williams could see that it had gathered its forces in preparation for an attack on three harden points along the 9th defense perimeter simultaneously. In response to this new threat, he ordered all available forces to those areas to strengthen their defenses. Soldiers, tanks, artillery, gunships, the works had been gathered there for a final defense. If they held than the back of the D-Orphans offensive would be broken and they go on the offensive to reclaim some of the city. If not then they would likely reach the center of the city before reinforcements arrived. Orders had been given hold no matter the cost and to concentrate all fire on the D-General if it was spotted. If they could kill the D-General than the rest of the D-Orphans would fall into chaos. “General!” He heard the voice of an aid break the silence of the room. "The enemy is on the move. ETA to the 9th defense line ten minutes.”Seeing the massive red mass move towards his people like a tidal wave of death, General Williams prepared himself mentally for the coming battle. Not for the first time, he wonders if he'll make it out of this. If he would ever see his family again. Last he heard from them was that his eldest son had gotten married. A small pang of regret shot throw him, he had missed his own son's marriage. It should have been a momentous day in his life, seeing his son be joined to the woman he loved for the rest of his life. Instead, he had been stuck here carrying out his duties as a General.‘The sacrifices that we of the armed forces have to make, are indeed high.’ He thought to himself. New determination filled his being, he made a solemn promise to himself. He would make it out of this battle alive, and see his family again. He took his hand to the comm unit and activated it. "Tokyo stands, Washington stands, Reach Stands, and most importantly Cadia stands.” He called almost hear the shouts of “Cadia stands” from outside. “Today Shanxi will stand.” This time he heard several shouts in the war room.“Shanxi Stands!”“Shanxi stands!”“Shanxi stands!”Williams smiled a savaged grin. “All forces give these bastards hell.” He ordered.‘Perhaps,’ He began to think. ‘the next I see my boy, I’ll see about having him give me those grandkids I always wanted.’ April 7th 02:24, Shanxi Capital City, 9th Defense perimeter:Everyone held their breath in anticipation. In less than a minute there would be a massive clash that would decide the outcome of the battle for Shanxi. The enemy had marshaled their forces together for a single massive offensive against three points along the 9th defense perimeter. Several hundreds of thousands of Dragon Orphans were heading their way. Vastly outnumber the remaining Federation forces had gathered along the targeted area, to make a final stand against the tide of death. All around her Sanders could see countless men, women, and combat mechs taking firing positions throughout the street and within the surrounding buildings. A dozen turrets were being manned and pointed in the direction of the D-Orphan horde, and behind her were numerous assault vehicles. Much further down around the 11th defense line were the artillery units continuously shelling the enemy forces, to thin their numbers out a bit. Over her head half a dozen gunships held their positions, their weapons primed and ready to tear into the D-Orphan forces. Sanders checks her rifle, a standard-issue M5-Lancer Assault Rifle, making sure it was still in good order. She had done this a dozen times already, it more a means to keep her stress at bay. The coming fight would be the most hectic and fierce she ever had in her life, and for everyone else as well. She could see the looks of fear on just about everyone's face, even the mechs as impossible it was seemed to show a certain tiredness. But at the same mixed into that fear and tiredness, there was a grim determination in their eyes. The people around her in spite of their fears were willing to lay down lives not just for king and country. But for their homes and the people they cared about. For their very way of life, they hold no matter the price, anything to hold back the tide of destruction coming their way. The line had been drawn, and none would get past it without paying the price in blood. "Enemy sighted!" She heard a voice ring out. She snapped her head up and say the horde before her. An endless stream of monsters marched towards them. D-Orphans of all variants could be seen, standards, spikers, prowlers, mega-prowlers, fliers, and brutes. Thankfully there appeared to be no Titians in the ranks. Either they had none or they had been killed in the fleet battle. Either way, it was a small comfort, as in this horde there could be a Dragon General. Depending on what type it was it could be more dangerous than any Titian could be."Everyone ready your weapons!" She hears the commanding officer, a Major shouted. Everyone including her holstered their weapons into firing positions. The horde was closing in on them they were probably about a kilometer away now, on occasion she sees large explosions erupt from their ranks as an artillery shell found its mark.Sanders breathed calming her nerves as much as she could, her finger on the trigger, and her Ukaku out. For a brief moment, everything in existence stopped as though some entity pressed the pause button to engrave the moment into eternity. Then all at once, everything broke loose. “Fire!” Sanders pulled the trigger, and her Ukaku sprang to life.A wall of bullets and Rc shards tore into the horde, leaving piles of torn bodies in their wake. Now taking heavy loses the horde of monsters loosed roars of anger and surged towards the Shanxi defenders, breaking their slow stride. Spikers fired their shards creating a rain of death that came over the Federation forces.
Around her, Sanders saw several of her people drop to the ground bleeding from their wounds, some of them dying. Others were more fortunate as the shards impacted armor and barriers that were able to hold. She felt a sharp pain enter her shoulder, but she ignored it and continued to fire. From above the gunships fired their autocannons and missiles. The missiles surged to the D-Orphan ranks and impacted to create a wall of fire that reduced hundreds of creatures to charred chunks.D-Orphan fliers soared into the ranks of the defenders taking heads or whole bodies with them. Several would be shot down by weapons from soldiers or nearby AA vehicles. At the same time, some of those fliers dive into the horde and swoop up a D-Orphan and carry it over past the barricade. Some would be shot down before they reach their destination, but all too quickly the sounds of weapons fire erupted from behind as the D-Orphans now had presence behind their lines.Hearing shouts of "behind you" Sanders rolled out from her position just in time for a storm of Rc Shards to impact uselessly on the Barricade. Others were not as fortunate as they found their deaths coming from behind rather than the front. Turning her attention to the forces behind her, Sanders fire off her Lancer killing three spikers. Out from the corner of her eyes, she saw more people take up the positions of the fallen. Deciding that they could handle it and she was needed more the ground behind them, she jumped off from the Barricade and engaged the D-Orphans. Shard impacted her shields, and she returned fire dropping two more spikers and a prowler. A standard tried rushing her, but she extends her Ukaku outwards and pierced it in the chest. Then by twisting herself slightly, she sliced through it and four other D-Orphans. Other Ghouls had joined the fray Ukakus, Rinkakus, Bikakus, and even one Koukaku flailed to life tore into the D-Orphans. The situation behind their lines was quickly becoming more manageable, as fewer D-Orphans were being dropped from the air.Sanders had just dropped a spiker when a large shadow appeared over her. Instinct alone caused her to jump back and prevented her from being flattened under a brute as it landed. Two more landed near it.‘Shit.’ Sanders put more distance between herself and the brutes. Fighting one brute today was bad enough, there was no way she was going to fight three more, and all at once. Let the heavy ordinance take care of them. And take care of them they did as several of the tanks fired shells into two of the brutes obliterating them. The Third want down when a group Grenadiers fired their M-237's, blowing its legs off. A nearby ghoul used his Bikaku to smash its head in ending its life.An odd silence fell over the area, the brute had been the last D-Orphan to get behind their ranks. Sanders walked out into the middle of the area checking bodies to see if they were dead and putting an extra set of rounds she wasn't sure of. Nearby Anderson walked up to her side."That was a bit intense." He muttered out. Sanders nodded in agreement, the D-Orphans getting behind them had caused some confusion to occur in their lines. But training had kicked in, and they quickly resolved the situation. "You may want to get that shard out your shoulder. It won't do you any good" He points to the shard that had lodged its self into her shoulder.She had forgotten about that and carefully removed the offending shards. A bit of blood oozed out from her wound, but it quickly stops as it began to heal. In a matter of seconds where there had once been a bloody hole had been replaced with a fresh layer of skin.“You know sometimes I’m jealous of you Ghouls. That healing factor of yours must come in handy a lot.” Anderson said with a smile.“Maybe you should consider undergoing the Kakuhou transplant surgery, to make a Half-Ghoul.” Sanders joked, to the man.Anderson chuckled. “No, I think I’ll pass on that.” His expression took on a more series look. “How you think we’re holding?” The two of them turned and looked up at the barricade. Several more soldiers had taken up firing positions and were let loose everything they had. "I don't, but considering we're not knee-deep in a tide of those bastards. I’d say we’re doing well. If we can keep this up, than-.”It happened so quickly. One moment there was a line of people firing into the horde, and next their lifeless bodies slumped to the barricades floor as a figure landed in the middle. It was said that the Dragon Generals took on the appearance of the victims that were consumed by the Dragon when it appeared in Tokyo over four hundred years ago. For a moment Sanders wonder what poor soul had this creature taken the appearance of. The figure appeared to be rather average looking, average build, average face, and a mop of messy brown hair on its head, and pale skin. These were the only human-like features it possessed, its arms and legs look like they were kagunes shaped into legs and arms. Instead of fingers, it had razor-sharp claws at the end of its hands, and streaks of Kagune like structures lined the sides of its body. The figure was naked and lack any feature that indicated its gender. Though judging by the build of the body and the structure of the face, Sanders guessed the figure would have passed for a man. Behind it, a large blood-red tail swung back and forth.Then the realization sunk in, a D-General had joined the fray. They knew one had come down to lead the final charge personally, but no one knew which of the three hordes it had joined with or when it would make its move. As such everyone looked on in surprise at the D-General. A captain variant by its more human appearance, as a Lieutenant would have appeared more deformed. The good news was it wasn't a full-blown general, but the bad news is it was still a fucking Dragon General. It was this realization that finally caused someone to act. A gunship above their heads fired its autocannon directly at the D-Captain. Before the bullets could reach it, it jumps into the air reaching an impossible height. Than its Bikaku lashed out at the gunships. It smashed right into the cockpit creating an explosion of shards of blood. The Gunship spun out of control and crashed into a nearby building into an explosion of metal and fire. The D-Captain land on the ground, it's tail like Kagune retreating behind it. Then chaos ensued. Bullets and Rc shards rained from all directions as everyone in the vicinity fire their weapons at the D-General, to reduce it to a bloody smear on the road. This effort was failingly and failing hard, as the creature bobbed and weaved its way out of harm. The few that did manage to hit only left small wounds that quickly healed themselves. All the while the monster tearing everyone it got close to apart, claws, legs, and a Bikaku lashed out with a ferocity never seen before. Several Ghouls tried to swarm the D-Captain and were meet with death for their trouble. One tried to jump at the monster when their head was wrapped by its tail and promptly was popped like a balloon. Not even a heartbeat later it threw the lifeless body into an oncoming group knocking them over, and in a swift fluid motion, it slips into the guard of another ghoul and with a powerful thrust punched through their head. In a span of a few seconds, more than two dozen had been killed and more were quickly joining them. Then things started to go to shit. Sounds of bodies colliding with metal drew the attention of several. In the mess to fight the D-Captain everyone had forgotten the horde that was coming their way and had now reached the barricade. The Barricade itself about a meter and a half thick and three meters high and made of reinforcing ARC metal, but even that would not hold them forever. To make matters worse with so many focused on the Captain there had been less gunfire being directed into the air, allowing the Fliers to come in and drop off more D-Orphans behind the barricade. Far too quickly everyone found themselves fighting for their lives as they tried to fight off several D-Orphans at once or the D-Captain, the later more times than not resulting in a swift death.Through this whole messy turn of events, Sanders found herself frozen in shock and giving her best impression of the thousand-yard stare. Her mind having trouble processing the events transpiring in front of her. It was only the shouts of “Fuck you Murphy!” and “Watch out!” did she snap out her stupor, and with a speed that would have made the Flash jealous she extended her Ukaku out and harden it. In time to block a powerful attack from the D-Captain. Under her breath she cursed herself, she had almost gotten herself killed due to negligence.She had no time to think about this further though as the D-Captain unleashed a torrent of attacks on her. It took every bit of energy and focus she had just to survive the onslaught, as she did her best to block or deflect the attacks coming from its hands, feet, and tail. Her assault rifle long since discarded, she was slowly being overwhelmed and pushed back. She gritted her teeth, she needed to put some distance between them, and fast. Quickly going over her options at the moments, she settled for a risky course of action.As she blocks another attack, her free hand reached for one of her grenades and in one swift motion removed the pin and threw in the D-Captain's face. Shock flashed across the creature's face as the live explosive flew into the creature's face. Taking advantage of the monster's stupor, Sanders was able to break herself away from it and put several meters of distance between them with several jumps. A second later the grenade exploded now having falling to were the chest of the creature was, and it was enveloped in a small ball of fire.Sanders breathed heavily and her heart pound in her chest. Several whoops of joy broke over the sounds of battle. But she knew even before the dust parted, they had been premature. Those very whoops quickly died in the throats of everyone as the D-Captain still very much alive stepped out. Half its face was gone none, being little more than a gory mess now. Burnt muscle and bone were exposed with pieces of shrapnel sticking out. Its chest wasn't much better with some of its ribs exposed and its arms were burned.‘Good news is I manage to hurt it badly.' She thought to herself. The creature looks at her, pure murderous rage radiating from its eyes. ‘Bad news is I pissed it off and now it really wants me dead.’ April 7th 20:32, Shanxi Capital City, 9th Defense Perimeter:Anderson had watched with amazement as the former Governor not only held her own against the D-Captain but severally injury it as well. He like everyone else had thought she had killed the damn thing when the grenade she'd thrown exploded point-blank on it. He even was going let out a holler of joy, when it had died in his throat when he saw the creature walkout from the small dust cloud, alive. Badly injured, yes, but alive none the less, and emanating an aura of malice directed at the female Commander. It didn't that the D-Horde had reached the barricade and could break through it at any moment, and that several were being dropped behind their disarrayed defenses. Anderson knew that if they didn't come up with something quick, then the horde would be knocking at the door of the 10th defense sooner than they would. Hell with the D-Captain they could break through to the center of the city. That could not be allowed to happen. Gritting his teeth Anderson shot a Dragon Orphan that got a little too close for comfort. If they could somehow take out that D-Captain, than the horde, would fall to chaos which would allow their forces to go on the offensive and retake some of the city. Easier said than done though.A Dragon Captain while not as powerful as a full General, was still a tough son of a bitch to kill. It takes overwhelming force to… An idea started to form in Anderson's head.Dodging an oncoming attack, Anderson looks to the D-Captain that was now advancing on Sanders. It was being slowed by several other soldiers, and now that their initial confusion had worn out they were faring better against the monster. Not by much, but enough to slow it down. Anderson's was a risky one, but if pulled off.Taking cover inside a nearby building Anderson activates his com-link. "Commander Sanders, this second Lieutenant David Anderson. I've got a plan for killing that Dragon Captain. But I need you to listen." He began to recite his plan quickly to the former governor.April 7th 02:33, Shanxi Capital City, Command Bunker:“General! A portion of the 9th defense line is in extreme danger of falling. A Dragon General, Capitan variant is leading the assault.” Came the panic shout of an aid.Looking to the holo-projector Williams saw that the mid-most of the three attacking hordes was now right on top of the defense line. The other two were being held back but were slowly advancing. "Order our forces there to pull back to the 10th defense line.” He said to the aid. Before he could give out more orders a shout caught his attention."Sir a Lieutenant David Anderson is requesting to talk to you. He claims that he has a plan to kill the Dragon Captain. Shall I put him through?"Williams blinked for a second, the name sounded familiar to him. But he couldn't quite place the name to a face. Did, this Anderson have such a plan, or was he spouting nonsense? After another second to think it over, he decides it wouldn't hear the soldier out. "Put him through now." Who knows maybe he saw something that he didn't.“Second Lieutenant David Anderson here.” Came the voice of a young man. In the background, sounds of weapons fire and shouts could be heard.“Report Lieutenant. I’ve been told you have a plan for handling our D-Captain problem.” “I do sir.” Came the response."Then tell me." A moment later the Lieutenant had given the General his plan. Williams was surprised to find it wasn't a half bad-plan. It was something of a gambit and required possibly sacrificing a good soldier. But it was better than nothing, and if pulled off right than it quickly turn the tide of the battle into their favor. "Alright Lieutenant your plan as my approval, just see to it that Sanders is in position. Understood?"“Yes, sir.” The link went dead.“Get me a link to Commander Jackson, I have orders for him.” April 7th 02:33, Shanxi Capital City, 9th Defense Perimeter:Fury. A burning hot fury had consumed the creature and so did the pain. The pain of its face being burned away, of its chest being torn open, and the sting of metal in its being was ever-present. All because of the female it had fought. At first, it was excited to fight her. She had quickly proven to be worth prey to fight. Better than all the others it had killed.Then she threw that strange object. An object that had disappeared in a flash of light, fire, and metal, and caused it to know pain. Pain it had never felt before. Now it only felt a burning fury. A fury that drove it to kill the female in the most painful and brutal way it could. It would her limbs away, and rip out the soft organs within. It would feast on her and enjoy her screams of pain as she died.Closer. It got closer to the female, tearing through those who tried to stand in its way. Just a bit closer and it would have its revenge. Then the female did the unthinkable.She ran at a speed that momentarily shocked the creature, disappearing into the passaged formed by the strange structures that the progenitors were so fond of creating. It roars in anger and began to chase after her. She would not escape.She. Will. DIE!April 7th 02:38, Shanxi Capital City:Running as fast as her legs could carry her, Sanders weaved her way through the abandoned city streets and alleyways. Right behind her was death in the form of a very angry D-Captain. ‘Anderson this plan of your's had better work, or else I'm kicking your ass in hell.' She screamed internally. The plan was simple, but it required her to act as bait, drawing it as far away from the horde as possible.So instead of running away at her full speed. She had slow herself just enough for the D-Captain to keep track of her, but fast enough to make it seem like she was trying to getaway. The result, some of the most stressful minutes in her life, as she made her way through the city. The roars of anger that promised her a painful death did not help her.She saw a large building in front of her. It was about five stories high and there was a ramp that look like it lead to a large parking area. Sanders smiled to herself, it looked like the perfect place to spring the rest of the plan into action. Knowing the D-Captain was quickly catching up to her, she ran full speed to the building, down the ramp, and into the parking area. It was rather dark down here, but she didn't pay it any mind and darted behind a random pillar. Then she waited. Waited for what could be very well her death.But if the plan worked, then her death would be well worth it. She did not like the idea of leaving her son motherless or her husband as a widower, but if it meant thousands more would live to see another day. That the Federation would see a victory here she would pay the price. No matter how it would pain her or her family. It would be hard at first for them, but they would move on with their lives. Her husband would continue running his bar, and their son would grow up to be a fine young man and maybe one day he’ll find a handsome man to marry. She smiled to herself, yes life would go on without her. She clenched her hands into fists, her smile morphing into a frown. But it does not mean she would let herself die here. She wanted to live, she wants wanted to grow old with the one she loved enough to marry. To see her boy say "I do" to the man that would become her son-in-law. To see them adopt a child or two, and to see her grandchildren grow up and have families of their own. She wanted to be surrounded by friends and family when she died.Yes, there was a chance she would die here. But a chance of death also meant a chance at life, and she would fight with everything she had to take that chance. She would do her damndest to walk out this fight alive.She heard loud footsteps enter the parking area, followed by loud hisses. For a tense minute, it was the only sound she heard. On occasion, she would hear the sound of a Kagune swaying in the air and on the ground. The noise stopped. Breathing through her nose, Sanders stepped out from the pillar and stood in front of her pursuer. Even in the darkened area of the parking area, she could see the creature.It had healed a fair bit from the grenade explosion. The minor wounds and burns had all but disappeared, and its chest and face while still bloody messes no longer showed bone. Unfortunately, its temper head did not show the same level of improvement, if anything it had gotten worse. For a fleeting moment, there was silence between the two as they sized each other.The Creature raised its right arm and points a single red claw at Sanders. It mutter/grunted two words. “You. Die.” Its voice full of malice.Half a second later Sanders pulled out her Kessler and fire off several shots at the D-Captain. Its Bikaku lashed out blocking the bullets, it retracted and the creature lunged forward, claws extended. Sanders continued to fire, all but one missing their mark it fluidly dodged and blocked the attacks. The one that did hit had only grazed its check. Within seconds the D-Captain had closed the distance and with a swipe of its claws, her Kessler was sent flying away.Reacting fast Sanders block an attack aim at her head, but the creature was not done. It twisted itself and brought its leg to strike at the side of her head. Sanders quickly dropped, feeling the rush of air on her hair. Now on the ground, she shot out her leg in a wide swipe, tripping her opponent. While the creature was still in the air she sprung forward and brought her leg down on the creature’s side. It connected and with all the power she could muster she brought the monster crashing down hard onto the pavement, creating several cracks.Before she could do anything else she saw its Bikaku shot straight towards forcing her to jump back. Landing on her feet she saw the creature rapidly jump and spin back to its feet, its large tail extending and sweeping out towards her. With no time to get out of the way, she extends her Ukaku out to her side. The force of the impact sent her flying towards another pillar. Thinking fast she used her kagune to slow her speed and with a flip she lands on her feet facing in the direction of D-Captain, her back almost touching the pillar.Her eyes widen in surprise, as the D-Captain was now right in front of her. Faster than her brain could process, it grabs her head on the sides and brought it crashing down into knees. She didn't need a doctor to tell her that nose was most likely powder at this point, as a searing pain shot through her. This was not the end of the creature's assault on her, as she felt a powerful blow to her stomach, causing her to cough up a blob of blood. An instant later she sent flying and crashing through the pillar behind her and into another. Her head spinning, a steady stream of blood leaking from nose and mouth she shakily got to her feet. Her back burned from the sensation of moving. Seeing double, she watched as the Dragon Captain swiftly make its way to her. Her vision cleared, just in time for her to block a strong kick to the side with both her arms. Just as quickly she pushed it away and shot her right arm out to strike the creature's head. She felt the monster grab her arm and with a sadistic smile, it twisted it snapping it. Sanders screamed as she felt the bones in her arm break and tear into her flesh. Her scream was cut short as she felt a clawed hand slam into her mouth and imparted its momentum into her head. It slammed into the pillar leaving small cracks. Dazed once more Sanders was unable to stop the next attack.Searing pain in her shoulder brought her back to reality, and she saw the D-Orphan tear a chuck out of her shoulder with its mouth. It let her go and she slid down the pillar clutching her wound shoulder. She watched with a certain horrid fascination as the creature slowly chewed swallowed her flesh. With an all too pleased lick of its lips, it knelt in front of her. Malice still filled its eyes, but there was something else there now too, something that made her angry but unable to do anything about it. A look of triumph. A look of a predator that had finally caught its prey. The look of a being that was going to take the time to savor its victory. Beep. Beep. Beep.And that would be its undoing. She could hear the confusion in the way it was breathing. A small smirk form on her lips. She may die here, but so would this monster.‘I'm so sorry, Joseph and Aiden. I won't be home when you get back.' She thought herself.“You’re a very pretty lady.” Sanders gasped, she was no longer on Shanxi in the middle of a fight. Instead, she found herself in very a familiar-looking bar on a world whose name she had long since forgotten. In front she was two very familiar figures, a younger version of herself with a half-empty glass was no staring at a handsome man.“So what of it? I’ve heard that a lot from plenty of other men and women." She said in her half-drunk state. The man laughed, it was such a beautiful and simple thing that caused her heart to flutter.The man looks at her with his warm brown eyes. "My name is Joseph Sanders and it's a pleasure to meet you.” They spent the whole night talking.A single tear ran down her cheek. That had been the night she met him, it wasn't love at first sight, but it was the start of something beautiful. Another memory formed.It had been a busy day at the base. Receiving new recruits and helping with preparations with a raid on pirate base, had left Maria exhausted. The only thing that allowed her power through the day was her upcoming date with her boyfriend of five years, Joseph. The last five years had been truly wonderful for her. Never in her whole life did she think she would someone who could make her so happy. She'd been wrong and couldn't be happier because. Yes' their relationship wasn't all flowers and sunshine. They had their rocky moments and they some legendary fights, but what relationship didn't? No matter how badly they fought or how life would at a whim tear them apart, they would always somehow hours, days, and in one extreme case months later find themselves in each other’s embrace, saying soft “sorries” and “I love you’s”. All dressed up in a pretty dark blue dress, she looks to Joseph dressed handsomely in a tuxedo. He was opening a bottle of champagne with a bit of difficulty. She smirked to herself seeing how he was struggling. She was about to offer her help when the Corte finally popped off and a steady stream of liquid poured out. A bit too much though as just about the entire contents of the bottle spilled out.She would have laughed like a hyena at the sight of her loved one awkwardly scrambling to clean the mess he made. If it had not been for her eye catching sight of a small object drenched in the cold liquid laying on the table. Curious she picks it, and almost dropped it in shock. It was a simple silver ring with a small diamond embed in it. She looks to Joseph his face scarlet in embarrassment. "Joseph is this?" She tried to ask, her heart racing.The man flashed that smile she had come to love. He took the ring and her hand gently. He knelt and silence filled the restaurant. He looks at her with love-filled eyes. "Maria Yeoman, will you do the honors of marrying me?"It had been the happiest moment in her life and was soon followed by the day of her wedding.Walking down the aisle with friends and family on both sides, dress a beautiful white dress had been the most nerve-racking moment in her entire life. More than any battle she had ever been in. As her superior officer officiated the wedding, had raced with such a speed that she was surprised that no one had heard her. To her credit, her fiancé appeared to be in a similar state of nervousness.Then came the words that made the whole ordeal worth it. All the restless nights and frantic worries that had plagued seemed to be nothing none. “By the power vested in me by the United Terran Federation, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss.”What followed was a passionate night of intense lovemaking and many more nights like it. Which lead to the other most important day of her life. Meting her son Aiden.Maria Sanders scream and raged as waves shot through her being. Her breathing heavy she clutched her fist hard around the hand of her beloved husband. Beloved would probably be stretching it right now as she all but decide to murder him for he made her go through. Nine months of morning sickness, mood swings, weird craves, and having to take special medical injections had taken a toll on the two. But finally today and hopefully soon enough she would have her release. With final heavy breath and a push the pain had ended all at once, and moments later she heard the sounds of a baby crying. Her baby crying."It's a boy." She heard the doctor say. All bundled up in medical blankets the baby was handed to her. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. She looks to her husband. His eyes were full of adoration as he stared at his newborn son. Alright, maybe she wouldn't murder him. But he would still suffer the consequences of putting her through the hell that was childbirth.That night she realized her life had been completed. She had a loving husband and adorable son to dolt on. They were her whole world, for they had given her a life she never knew she wanted. For them, she would fight any horror that the universe had to offer if it meant they would live. For them, she would die.Her good first tighten into a ball. For them, she would live. The Dragon Orphan never saw it coming, it could not even conceive that its prey could suddenly have this much energy. Adrenaline surging through her, Sanders lunged at the D-Captain. She did not notice the gasp of surprise that emanated from its mouth, nor did she feel the pain as her head collided with its jaw. With bot of their bodies in motion in the air, she grabbed the monster by its neck, and with everything she had she span and throw the creature to the side. It flew several feet away and saw that it began to orientate itself for a landing. Sanders, however, was quick to land on her feet, and one swift motion she grabbed the pouch where her grenades were stored and flung it towards the monster as it lands on its feet. Faster than it could react, Sanders extends her Ukaku ignoring the pain that it caused to her back. With a shout, "Burn in hell you bastard!" she fires a storm of Rc shards towards the pouch.Not even a second later a large explosion enveloped the area between the two fighters. Smoke filled the area as the fireball dissipated. Sanders ran for her life.April 7th 02:45, Shanxi Capital City, abandoned building:Fury. Fury course through the creature's body. It had been so close to ending that female's life, so close to making her suffer. So close to feasting on her flesh. Then with an energy it had not thought possible, she fought it off, denying its sweet victory. That alone would have made it so angry, after all, it was more fun to kill prey when it was fighting back. It made the hunt more exciting. What had set its fury off was that vile female had pulled off the same trick that had wounded it so badly. Throw those things caused fire and metal to shoot out everywhere. But this time it was ready for such a thing. It blocked the blast with its tail, having it take the brunt of the attack. It still felt the searing pain as fire and metal lashed out at it, but such was meaningless. A malicious smirk formed on its lips. Ready to end the life of its prey the creature surged through the cloud of smoke and extended its claws out to take its targets to head off. Only for it fly through empty air. Confused the creature landed and scanned the area. The female was nowhere to be seen.Using what was left of its nose it searched for the prey's scent. It was hard to find at first then it caught her scent, and it realized that it leads out of the structure. Boiling with anger the creature attempted to pursue the female.Only to be stopped by the sound of something crashing above its head. It looks up, in time to hear a loud boom and to see the ceiling fall on it. After that, it only knew darkness.April 7th 02:45, Shanxi Capital City: Unknown to the Dragon Captain is that Sanders Com-link had maintained an active link with Shanxi's command bunker. Using this they were able to keep track of location in real-time. Once she had lured the D-Captain to a location far enough she was to enter the neared building, hopefully, one with several floors. Once there she was to enter its basement area or baring that remain on the ground and wait for it to catch up to her.The moment her beacon stopped moving, the coordinates were relayed to an artillery unit that was in firing range. A bunker buster shell was loaded into the main gun of a Thunderbolt. These shells were designed to destroy bunkers or cause buildings to collapse in on themselves, they were only used if taking such bunkers or builds were deemed too costly.In this case, the building would contain a high-value target that needed to be eliminated. Once the shell was loaded and a fire solution calculated, a signal had been sent to Sanders Com. It did not matter if she would escape the building or not, it was only sent to give her enough of a warning to get the building if she was able to.Once the signal had been sent the Thunderbolt fire its cannon. The shell found its mark in less than a minute and burrowed deep into the building. The shell stops at the second floor and detonated its full payload destroying the entire floor, and causing the rest of the build to fall in on itself. Half a second later several tons of debris collapsed in on top of the Dragon Captain.There was no need to confirm the kill, as an instant later all the Dragon Orphans suddenly stopped. For a single tense moment, both sides of the battle stared at each other unsure as to what to do. Then all at once, the D-Orphans went into a frenzy attacking friend and foe alike. Mostly friends as there more of them and they were closer.In his command bunker, General Williams smirked to himself. Not wasting any time he gave the order for all Federation forces to go on the offensive. The time had come to retake what had been lost.April 7th 02:47, Shanxi Capital City, near the blast zone:The world was ringing, and she felt like her body was on fire. The blast from the building had sent Sanders flying several feet into the street. Still alive but barely clinging to consciences the female ghoul pulled herself across the dust-covered road. Her vision obscured and her breathing coarse from the dust cloud that spread in all directions.She did not care, only one thing was on her mind right now, living. Her body refused to move of its own accord and so she had to force it to move ever slow that movement was. She ignored the pain-filled protests that shot through her body, she just kept crawling. Fighting with every ounce of strength she had left to keep conscience.But to her horror, she was quickly losing the battle. ‘No, no, no.” She thought as her vision started to blacken. “I have to… Live.’ She found her body was now no longer listening to her, leaving her to lay in the street. “Com … er …? She heard something, almost like someone was calling out to her. “Com…anders…. ear me?” She looked and saw shadowy figures over her. Her vision blackens and the last thing she saw was the smiling faces of her husband and son.April 7th 02:57, Edge of the Shanxi system:In the cold empty depths of space, two lone ships waited the Crazy Horse and the Broken Bow. Suddenly the space around them was filled thousands of blue streaks like small comets shooting past the atmosphere of a planet. Those same streaks quickly morphed into ships, thousands of them. In seconds four thousand-five hundred ships emerged, the full might of the Federation’s 1st fleet had arrived. At its center was one of the new Olympus class Fleet Carriers, the TFV. Athena her powerful weapons ready to tear into her enemies, and her massive fighter complement read to spring to battle. Flanked on both sides were two Kaneki Class Dreadnoughts, The TFV. Thousand-Eye and the TFV. Haise, their main guns ready to fire.The two waiting battle cruisers quickly formed up with the rest of the fleet. Further, in the system, two stealth destroyers transmitted the data they had gathered. The information was then analyzed and used to create fire solutions for the whole fleet.With the information in hand Fleet Admiral Innes order the entire fleet to preform a micro FTL- jump to Shanxi. A minute later the fleet appeared less than five thousand kilometers from the D-Orphan fleet, which was unable to respond to their sudden appearance. Mainly because their occupants were too busy tearing each other apart.What followed was less of a battle more akin to a one-sided slaughter as the entire Federation fleet unleashed a devastating barrage of weapons fire. The Dragon never stood a chance, even if they been able to respond the result would have been the same, complete annihilation.With the skies over Shanxi cleared the 1st Fleet took position over the colony and numerous strike craft and transports rained down on the planet’s surface. At the same several large ships appeared in orbit, Marine transport ships had arrived. All together an entire Marine Legion was being deployed to the planet. Shanxi stood.
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Shanxi After the Storm April 8th 10:15, Shanxi Capital City Hospital:The first thing that Sanders heard when she came too, was the steady sound of machines beeping. Slowing opening her eyes she saw a white ceiling. Taking a quick glance at herself she noted that she was laying on a bed, and was dress in a long white dress. Around her wrist were some tubes that led to a clear bag full of a clear liquid suspended in the air.Putting the pieces together, she concluded she was in some kind of medical facility. Now the question was how did she get here? Carefully she propped herself up into a sitting position. Her body ached in pain, likely from whatever injuries that put her here, or from inactivity, possibly both. Her mind was still foggy from her slumber, but bits and pieces started to from her mind. Flashes of a battle against monsters, streets being reduced to rubble, and something about a plan. “Careful now Sanders. You’ve been out for a fair bit.” The voice almost made her jump out of her bed. Whipping her head around, she saw a woman dressed in a doctor’s uniform, standing close by. “You ghouls may be durable, but even you need to rest after what you want through.” “What I want through?” She asked, her memories still trying to form a cohesive picture.The woman raised an eyebrow. “I see you’re having trouble remembering the events of the last few days. We did expect your memory to be a little foggy when you woke up.” She said rubbing her chin in thought, for a few seconds. The woman pulled out a pad and began to tap on it several times she then walked up to her bed and handed her the pad. “Perhaps this will jog your memory.”She took the pad and activated it. It showed a document labeled "Battle Report: Dragon Orphan Invasion of Shanxi". Something in her mind clicked and the memories flooded in. The arrival of the Quarians, the message of a galaxy at war, the dragon orphans attacking the colony she had been the governor of, and her fight against the D-Captain. She looks back at the woman.“Is the D-captain-” She tried to say only for the woman to raise her hand to stop her.“I bookmarked that information. Take a look.” She said pointing at the pad.Doing as she said Sanders looks back to the document and has the doctor said in the corner was an indicator that said “1 Bookmark”. She tabbed the indicator and selected the marked page. A passage was brought up. She read it: Dragon General, Variant: Captain, Confirmed killed in action due to the efforts of one Commander Maria Sanders of the 23rd Mobile Assault Squad. She read it twice, three times, four, before the reality of it had sunk in. The Dragon Captain had been killed and she was getting the credit for it. Looking back at the Doctor. “So does that mean the city is safe?” She asked the doctor. “And who are you?” She added.The woman nodded. "Yes, the city is safe for the most part. From I gather not long after the D-Captain was killed the First fleet arrive and destroyed the D-Orphan fleet in orbit. After that an entire Marine Legion was deployed, the city was ours in a matter of hours. That was about thirty-one hours ago, right now their performing sweeping operations throughout the city, eliminating any survivors. As for your second question I am Dr. Chakwas, I’m one of the doctors assigned to the garrison here. You might have seen me a few times.” Dr. Chakwas that name did sound familiar, and now that she mentioned it she did remember seeing her a few times when she visited the local base. "Think you Doctor for bringing me up to speed," Sanders said, handing the woman her pad back. "How are my injuries and how long should I expect to be here?"Chakwas gave her a warm smile. “Not to worry Governor, thinks to your regenerative abilities as a ghoul most of your injuries have been healed alright. You should be alright to leave in a few days. “"I see that's good." She said, glad she didn't have to spend too long here. "Is there anything else you would like to tell me?"The woman nodded. “Yes, actually. There are two people who are eager to see you. If you give a minute I’ll go get them now.” Before Sanders could ask the woman who they were, she left the room. Now left alone in her room, she wondered who was waiting for her to regain consciousness. She got her answer when Dr. Chakwas enter the room again, followed by two figures. Both were males, a man that looked to be around her age, and a boy in his early teens.Sanders gasped. "Joseph, Aiden." She said her voice cracking in emotion. Her husband and her son both smiled at her. In a blink of an eye, the two rushed to her and three hugged each other, tears streaming down their faces.“Maria.”“Mommy.”They stayed like this for what seemed like hours, not wanting to break the embrace. But all too soon the three had to let go of their group hug. Smiling Sanders looks at the two most important men in her life. Her husband, handsome as the day she met him, flashing that smile that still made her heart flutter. Her son who looked so such like his father, except he possessed his mother's smooth black hair and a Kagune in his right eye that contrasted with his light brown left eye. "Joseph, Aiden.” She began regaining her voice. "How'd you get here so soon?""Once we heard that Shanxi had been secured and that you were in the hospital, we both took the first ship headed to Shanxi." Her husband began to explain. "We arrived about five hours ago."“So that means their letting everyone return to their homes?” "Not right away. The military is still searching the city for any surviving D-Orphans. But they are letting us roam the inner parts of the city where it's safe." Sanders nodded in understanding, protocol says that in the aftermath of an invasion the civilian population would be restricted to secured areas, for their safety. They wouldn't be allowed to leave without an escort.“That’s good to know. So how was your trip to Cronos?” This time it was Aiden who responded to her question. "It was lots of fun. I met lots of people, even made some new friends." He said happily.Sanders smiled at her boy in a mischief manner. “Oh, really now.” She saw him stiffen at the tone of her voice. He knew that she was going to embarrass him some way, and she was going to enjoy every moment of it. “So does that mean you met a cute boy?” She said with a fox-like smile. The boy's cheeks instantly turned a crimson red. "No, I didn't… I mean there were some boys, b-b-but I didn't like in tha-" He sputtered out, eliciting laughter from the present adults."Oh to be young." Dr. Chakwas said through her laughter. Aiden's face turns to another shaded of red when he heard her spoke. He must have forgotten about her.“Mom! Why you’d embarrass me like that? Especially in front of a stranger?” He whined his voice cracking."Because it's what mothers do. Embarrass their little ones." Personally, Sanders thought of it as payback, for the pain he put her through. Plus her son was just too adorable when he got like this. "I have to agree with that one," Chakwas responded through a chuckle. "Oh the things my mother did, still give nightmares." Aiden just looked at the older woman incredulously. "Not to worry boy, one day when and if you have your own kids you'll look forward to embarrassing them like your mother is doing here." She said as she walked up to the door. "On that note, I believe I'll give you three some privacy. If you need anything just tap the comm." She left the room, leaving the family by themselves. Sanders looks back to her son to see him glaring at her. It would have been more intimidating if his face wasn't so red. "What, it was all in good fun." She tried to placate her only child.“Hmph.” He huffed crossing his arms and looked away.Seeing all of this Joseph smiled in amusement, and waved the boy off. "Don't worry about it Mari, give him a while and he'll get over it." Sanders nodded at her husband, that's about it usually went. She'd embarrass Aiden in some way and he'd brood about it for an hour or two then he'd calm down. "Anyways, to give my answer. Our visit to Cronos was an interesting experience." He went on to explain his talks with a certain Quarian Admiral. April 8th 11:02, Outskirts of Shanxi’s Capital City:“Contacts!” Instantly the squad took cover just outside the building. Anderson himself pressing his back to the wall next to the entrance, his Lancer at the ready. “How many and what types?” He said to the soldier across from him. The soldier took a glance in, and duck his head back to cover. "I identify about three dozen D-Orphans, a mixture of standards, spikers, and some prowlers." He recited off. "The area appears to be a large lobby with a second-story balcony area that stretches all around the room, several of the spikers are up there."Anderson nodded, absorbing and going over the information in his head. The spikers were in a perfect position to inflict heavy damage coming through the entrance. The funny thing about the D-Orphans, while operating in smaller groups they tended to act more intelligently, then they would in their larger hordes. More than a few squads found themselves wiped out, believing their targets would act like mindless animals. He looks back to his squad about sixteen people plus ten Thor combat mechs. That gave him twenty-seven combatants (himself include) against about thirty-six or more D-Orphans in the lobby of the building. Not too bad of odds, and if need be he could call in the rest of his platoon to assist him. Though that seemed unnecessary. With the city being secured, it was now the job of the planet's local garrison with aid of the Marines to search for and clear out the surviving D-Orphans. Several Companies had been dispatched, each given several blocks to search. The individual platoons that made up the companies were given a block or two, to search at once, further broken down into the squads that would search each building. They didn't have to worry about their forces being overwhelmed by swarms of D-Orphans, as projections indicated that roughly 99% of their forces had been killed, leaving only a few thousand left to finish off. Still, if a squad or platoon found themselves in a hairy situation they could call in reinforcements. “Vertigo.” He said to the mechs “Yes, Lieutenant Anderson.” The closest mech responded.“We’re going to throw in smoke grenades into the building, I want you and your mechs to charge in using the smoke as cover. Once inside I want you to aim for the D-Orphans on the balcony and secure a perimeter for the rest of our unit move into.” He ordered, receiving a nod from the mech. looking back at the rest of his squad he spoke out the rest of his plan. “Once inside we’ll clear the lobby of all hostiles, then proceed to swipe the building. Understood?” He received several nods. “Good we began on my signal.” He gestured to the soldiers holding smoke grenades, who silently crept up to the entrance. Both of them had their grenades out ready to pull their pins. “Now!”As they were trained to do the two soldiers quickly pulled the pins on their smoke grenades and in the same motion rolled them into the building. Within seconds smoke was coming out from the entrance, as the whole front of the lobby was covered in a thick smokescreen. Without Anderson having to signal them the mechs charged into the build. The sound of weapons fire sounded, followed by the angry roars of the D-Orphans. Half a minute later received a signal from his comm. With a hand gesture, he ordered his squad to move into the building. More gunfire sounded as his people charge into the room, and a moment later Anderson charged into the building. Once he cleared the smoke he aimed his lancer at prowler that was charging a member of his unit and fired. The creature dropped dead about a foot away from the soldier. Taking a glance at the battlefield he took cover behind a metal bench. The rest of his squad had taken up similar positions and some were behind pillars, taking shots at the enemy. The Balcony appeared to have been largely cleared, with only a few spikers left to contend with. Aiming Anderson shot of them causing to fall over the balcony and into the ground floor with a loud squish. The other spikers were quickly taken care of by the rest of his unit, leaving only the D-Orphans on the ground floor. With their allies dead, they did not last long, and the room was quickly cleared of all hostiles. “Report!” Anderson shout a few seconds after the last D-Orphan was gunned down.“Clear!”“Clear!”“Clear!” Came the shouts of his subordinates. "Fan out and secure the area." He orders, receiving a chorus of "Rodgers." Lowering his weapon Anderson stood up and got a good look at the inside of the building, it appeared to be a bank of some kind. It would explain the arrangement of the room. “Vertigo, damage report.”“Minimum damage to my units, sir. Nothing that won’t impair their mission readiness.” Reported the Synth.“Good.” A soldier walked up to Anderson, the XO of his unit."Sir, the room has been secured and no further hostiles have been sighted." He reported with a salute. "Permission to begin swiping the area, sir."“Permission granted. I want two fire teams each accompanied by two mechs to sweep the second floor, one team to each side. The rest of us will clear the ground floor.” "Understood sir." The soldier walks away to issue the orders.With the soldier gone activated his commlink, activating its visual settings. He notes several messages had been sent to him, looking them over he saw they all were small reports on sweeps of other buildings. He smiled to himself everything was going smoothly for once. Hopefully, the city would be fully secured.April 8th 11:30, Shanxi Capital City, Command Bunker:“How goes the search?” Williams heard Grayson ask."Well enough, Grayson." He said turning to the Rear-Admiral, putting down the pad containing action reports. They were in his office. “Most of the city has been secured, and the Companies searching the city have reported they have almost finished their sweeps.” "What of the tunnels and the sewers and the city," Grayson responded as he took a seat in a chair in front of Williams’s desk.“The search teams down there are reporting similar results. Pretty soon the city will be safe enough to let everyone return to their homes." He finished with a sigh. It had been a long few days.“Tired my old friend?” “I lost a lot of good people in that battle.” He said, a tired look in his eyes. “More than seventeen thousand men and women lost their lives under my command. It’s not an easy thing to deal with.”Grayson nodded knowingly. “I know Williams, I know. I lost a lot of people in the fleet battle.” “How many of your people survived?” Williams asked seeing a similarly tired look in his eyes. “Less than a hundred.” Williams whistled, that also meant most of the Synths weren’t able to escape to in time. “I try convincing myself that they died for a cause they believe in.” He shook his head. "But it is a small comfort to me and their families." Williams nodded somberly. "That it is. But they did die defending their homes, and lives of their families and friends. By giving their lives, they have given countless others a precious gift. As their comrades in arms and their commanding officers, it is our duty to make sure that their sacrifice was not in vain.” He said the conviction in his voice, as he rose from his chair. He stepped out to a cabinet, and opened it and pulled out a bottle and two small glasses. Turning back to his desk he placed both glasses on it. “On that note,” He said opening the bottle pour it contents into the glasses. “Let us drink to their sacrifice.”Both men raised their glass. "And let us honor those who will fall in the coming battles." They both drank."Good stuff," Grayson said, putting his glass down, only for Williams to fill it again. "Did any of the bastards escape the city?"Williams shook his head. "It's unlikely, the D-Orphans sent their entire force to the capital city and I haven't received any reports of them leaving the city. But just in case I'll have teams search the nearby valleys and mountains. I'll even have some observation post established to monitor those areas for the next several years." Williams poured himself another drink. "What of things on the naval side. I heard that some of the D-Orphan ships were sent through the relay, to warn the rest of their foul kind. If I remember correctly the commanding officer of the 7th stealth squadron sent two of his ships to intercept them. Where they successful?”Finishing another glass Grayson spoke. "They did. Destroyed the entire force with their opening volley. The element of surprise will be ours. Further, the 5th Fleet has been sent through the relay to secure the cluster. We’ll have a nice buffer zone between us and Citadel space.”"That's good to hear." He poured another drink. "We'll be needing that just in case things go south for us.""Hopefully it won't," Grayson respond, Williams could already see that his checks were getting flushed from the alcohol. "We are mobilizing our entire military for the fight against the bastards. Pretty soon we'll hook with those Citadel aliens, and buy them enough time to regroup and rebuild their forces. After that, we'll all come out fighting, and I highly doubt that those dragon bastards can take on an entire galaxy.""You forget Grayson they have been taking on the entire galaxy, minus us of course, for the last years, and have been handing the galaxy its ass," Williams said bitterly. The Dragon Orphans had been a stain on Terran society that refused to go away."Ah, that's because," He held his free hand out with a single finger out. "One, the D-Orphans had the element of surprise." He held out a second finger. "Two, they have far greater numbers. Which leads me to my third point." He said, a third finger shooting up. "The Citadel does not have the technology nor the knowledge on how to fight the bastards." He put his hand down. "Once we arrive on the scene we'll nullify two of the three, and after a few years of building up the last advantage will disappear as well."Williams hummed to himself thinking over Grayson’s points, and the most part he agreed with his assessment. “You may be right, old friend. But regardless of how you look at it, the war against the D-Orphans will likely be a long drawn out, bloody affair. We’re going to lose a lot of good people.” War was never a pretty thing, history proved that well enough. For a moment he wondered the wars of the other races were like. Were they worse or more tamed compared to the wars waged throughout Terran history?“I know Williams. But the Dragon Orphans have to be stopped, no matter the cost. They are a plague that will consume everything in their path if given the opportunity. That cannot be allowed.” Williams could not argue against that, history had shown that the D-Orphans were without mercy and morals. They killed with no hesitation and indiscriminately. There was no negation with them, only kill or be killed. For his part, Williams would rather choose the former."How about we move onto something else, all this talk of war and extermination is wearing on me." He said putting the empty bottle down and moved to grab another from his cabinet.“Fair, enough. How about family matters, haven’t heard anything about yours back on Earth.”Opening a fresh bottle, Williams smiled at the man. "Alright." He said pour a new glass for each of them. April 8th 12:55, Cronos System, Quarian Migrant Fleet, QSV. Rayya:"How long this President of yours gives her speech?" Rael asked the Terran technicians.“In about five of our minutes, I believe that what be about four of yours.” Came the response of a male technician.Rael and the rest of the Admiralty board nodded. Soon enough they would see the leader of the Terrans give a formal address on the events that had been occurring over the last few days. It would give the Quarians their first glance at what the highest levels of leadership in Terran society was like. Hours ago the Governor of the planet they were visiting had told them of the successful defeat of the Dragon Orphans. That alone shocked them to silence, in the two years that the Citadel had been fighting the monsters, there had been no major victory. Small ones yes, but nothing major, and aside from the small victories the war had been a constant string of defeats. The Citadel was doing everything it could to slow the advance of the D-Orphans. But here they were now, learning not only had they destroyed the entire invasion force but with comparably lower losses than their Citadel counterparts would have to achieve the same result if that were even possible. Less than forty thousand lives had been lost to achieve the victory, whereas the Turians would have taken almost the five times the losses, and would have been defeated.They almost missed the governor announcing that the Federation President would be giving a speech in response to everything that had happened since their arrival. Eager to learn more about these strange new aliens the Quarian Admirals had agreed to allow a small team of Terran technicians to come aboard the Rayya to aid Quarians in hooking up their systems to the Federation network, so they could watch the speech for themselves. That had been accomplished about an hour ago, the Terrans had remained to make sure the connection remained stable. Right now the Admirals and the rest of the Quarian people were viewing one of the main news networks of the Terran Federation.It was rather interesting to watch, as the Federation News Network provided them with a glimpsed at the society of the Federation on a broad scale. Rael didn't know what he expected to see, perhaps something spectacular or perhaps something weird. Either way, he felt simultaneously surprised and disappointed when he learned that their news networks reported on all the same thing as ones ran in Citadel space, which was just the general happenings of the day that would catch peoples interested. Sports, politics, weather, interesting events the works. In fact, the first thing that he and his people saw when they established a connection, was the tail end on a sports story, they didn't know what kind of sport it was, all that they gathered was that one team won by a wide margin. After that, it was just a series of different stories that provided them some small pieces on what was occurring in the Federation. Occasionally the news anchors would give a reminder that the President what be giving a special speech soon. To say the least it proved to be very informative.After what appeared to be a major story; namely, anything that had to do with politics and major events, Rael and the rest of the Admiralty would discuss what they thought of it. It had even been one story that had caught Xen's interest, something about advances in what was call medi-gel. One quick explanation of its use and the Quarian Admirals made a mental note about negotiating a deal on receiving the staff, it sounded like it would be invaluable in emergencies. “So we won’t have to wait much longer than.” He heard Shala say. “That’s right ma’am.” The Terran reply politely.“So what do we know about this President Nader?” Rael asked the other Admirals.Koris was the first to respond. "From what I gather from the several Terran is that she is a wise and compassionate woman. Very well-liked, even her rivals respect her.""Additionally, she is likely to win a second term in office if her popularity holds like it is," Shala said.Rael nodded, at the information. They had learned much about the political system of the Terrans and in some ways, it still confused them. While they were a democratic society like the Asari are, but unlike them, the Terrans had placed limitations on how long one could hold certain positions. Further, the Terrans seemed to hold an almost instinctive fear of authoritarian style rules and had created numerous safeguards to ensure that no individual held too much power. To the Quarians the system of the Federation appeared too messy and unnecessarily complicated. But reading over their history, Rael could understand why the Terrans made their system to be what it is today.The three admirals look to the last surviving member of their group: they had yet to pick a replacement for Han, Xen who appeared to be uninterested in the conversation. She looked back at them with a bored look in her eyes. "I have nothing to say about her, I'm more interested in their sciences than their politics." She said in a monotone voice.The rest of the admirals sighed, what else could they expect from her. "So in other words until we see this woman we know very little about the leader of the Terrans. An individual that we could be dealing with for the next several years." Rael said receiving no reply from his fellow Quarians. He took the silence as his answer. "Alright, then I suppose we'll learn more about her soon enough.” They look back to the projector, waiting for the Terran leader to appear.As the technician said it did not take long as an anchor announce that the President was no giving her speech. The screen faded to black, and the Federation emblem appeared a globe with three stars below it, surrounded by what appeared to be a branch of a plant, under it was the words Liberty and life under it. The emblem disappeared with the dark screen and now showed a large impressive white stone building, that had several pillars in front, and behind them, Rael could see a massive statue of a man sitting in a chair. In front of this build was a simple wooden podium that had the federation emblem on it.Behind the podium stood a woman dress and a dark suit. Rale had to admit she was a rather beautiful looking woman with deep green eyes and black hair that poke out from the cloth that she wore around her head. "What is with that cloth she's wearing around her head? It almost makes her look like a Quarian." Rael asked the Terrans.“It’s called a Hijab, it’s usually worn by women who follow an old Earth religion called Islam. Though the meaning and history behind it might be a bit much to explain right now.” One responded.Rael nodded, there was still so much to learn about these Terrans. He looked back to the screen. In time to hear the announcer say. “President Nijah Nader now speaking.”"My fellow Terrans, today I come forth to you not as the leader of a nation, but as another citizen of this great nation. For today is a momentous day that will forever go down in our history, and we, all of us human, ghoul, and synth alike are privileged to see history in the making. Today if you were to ask me how my day has been, I will quote a line from an old show that has inspired so many ‘This morning I was the leader of the universe as I know it. This afternoon I am only a voice in a chorus. But I think it was a good day’. Remember this day well my fellow citizens, for years later you will tell your children and your children's children of where you were this day. I have no doubt many of you have noticed the sudden mobilization of our entire military. Fleet deployments changing, reserves called to action, canalization of leaves, increase production in warships, weapons, and other war materials, and a general call to arms sent to all worlds of the Federation. All of this centered around a seemingly unimportant star system called Shanxi. You have heard the rumors and speculation surrounding this system, most of them likely originating from the Cronos system. Today I lay those rumors and speculations to rest. On April 3rd at 15:07 the dormant Mass Relay within the Shanxi system activated, and from beyond it an alien fleet of over forty-three thousand ships emerged. Fear not my people, for they did not come to conquer us. They are a refugee fleet containing the last remnants of their species, what first drove to this sorry state is not important right now but will be explained at a later time. What is important is that they brought with them both great and terrible news. The great being, they told us that just beyond the Shanxi relay is an entire Galactic community made of almost a dozen alien races, most of whom are working together to better themselves and each other. We are no longer alone in this universe, there are others who will share in our journey through the cosmos. What's more those races have achieved the same goal that we the Terran people strive for, co-operation a grand scale, to build a better future for all. But I will be the first to tell you that this community had made its fair share of mistakes and has done some dark deeds. But none the less they have done something truly great and is to be commended for it. But not all is well in the galaxy, almost two years ago, a member of this community opened a dormant Mass Relay, and accidentally unleashed a horror on the wider galaxy. This menace as waged war on the galaxy for the past years, and slowly driving back this community on all fronts. Several billion have already perished in their terrible onslaught. This way the alien refugees known as the Quarians entered our system. They hoped that by activating another relay, they could use it to flee the destruction of the known galaxy and rebuild somewhere else. Instead, they found us, a people who have within their capacity and the willingness to might this terrible foe. You may be asking yourselves this, why is it that we are ones that can fight this menace when a united galaxy is failing to do so. I tell you this my fellow Terrans, the great threat that faces the galaxy now is an old foe that we have faced before numerous times before, and still face to this very day. They are the enemy that was born from our mistakes centuries ago, that has killed billions of our people in cold blood. People of the United Terran Federation the galaxy is fighting the Dragon Orphans. This is why all military assets of the Federation are being mobilized into action, not to repel an alien invasion of our space. But to come to the aid of a galaxy at war, and to save trillions of lives. Unlike the galactic community know as Citadel space, we have the technology and knowledge on how to fight these foul creatures. But we alone cannot defeat the Dragon Orphans, their numbers are too great for us to handle alone. What we can do is relieve the races of the Citadel, and fortify their besieged worlds and halt the Dragon Orphan offensive long enough for the races of the Citadel to rebuild their battered forces. At the same time, we will give them the technology and knowledge needed to defeat the monsters that have plagued our history for so long. Once they have rebuilt their forces they will join us in the fight, and together as a united galaxy we will drive the vile creatures from all the worlds of the citadel, and drive them back to their nest and destroy them where they stand! I come to not as your president or even as a fellow Terran, but as a citizen of the galaxy, we must go to war against our age-old enemy and destroy them once and for all. I ask all able-bodied men and women to sign up for the fight, for we need every boot on the ground we can get. I ask all the corporations and factories to create the ships, weapons, armor, vehicles, and other materials that are needed to fight the war. I ask all the people of our world to welcome the refugees that will surely come with open arms. I ask all citizens of the Federation to stand together for the coming war. For the sake of the Galaxy, and for all the future generations that will inhabit it. We must do this for we are children of this galaxy, and we must defend it against all threats. We must do this for WE ARE TERRAN!" Her final words said the woman stepped away from the podium.The screen fades back to black showing the Federation emblem, which then disappeared to show a shock news anchor. For several seconds the men stared off to space seemingly unable to comprehend what occurred. Rael had no doubt the same thing was occurring all across the Terran Federation, he even found himself shaken. Then the anchor gathered himself with an almost embarrassed cough into his fist. "There will be a live press conference held at the White House in two hours. Where President Nader will answer any question concerning the speech and the information she has given."Rael tuned out the rest of the newscast and turned to the rest of the Admiralty board. “Any thoughts?”April 8th 20:47, Unknown system:"Were they now." Shouted a voice.“On the far side of the gas giant, Admiral. Judging by their course and speed they are attempting to swing by our side.” Came the Tired reply of a Quarian officer.“Which means they know we are here.” Han’Gerrel lamented. He looks at the tactical display of what remained of the Heavy fleet. What had once been a formidable fleet of almost seven thousand had now been reduced to two dozen heavily damaged ships. His ship the Neema barely any weapons left to defend its self and probably couldn't take on a Batarian garbage ship, and it was one of the ships in better condition. Once had become clear that the heavy fleet was no longer a threat the bulk of the 427 fleet left in pursuit of the rest of the migrant fleet. Only a few hundred ships had been left to finish Gerrel's battered fleet. It was a clear sign of arrogance on the side of the genocidal aliens, but one he could not do anything about. The last few days since then had been spent hiding and running from one system to another. Occasional they would have brief skirmishes with their pursuers, losing more ships.The rest of the time was spent making desperate repairs to their ships and trying to figure a way out of their situation. The way he saw it, there was no way out, only death. He only had two dozen ships left, and less than a third were able to fight. Against an enemy fleet of almost three hundred, and he knew they stood no chance. Worse yet, the FTL jump into this system had fried the cores of the ships, making it impossible for them to escape. This would be his last day alive. The only thing that lifted his spirits was the knowledge that the rest of the Migrant fleet had managed to escape. Hopefully, the 427's would not be able to find them. His people would live on.It was small comfort for him, but a comfort none the less. He still felt bitter about it though, with the Migrant fleet fleeing to unknown space it meant that they had given up on one of their most important goals, reclaiming Rannoch their home-world. It meant they would never have the chance to destroy their hated enemy the Geth.“But at least they will be destroyed.” He thought to himself. The 427’s would see that, along with the destruction of the Citadel races. But that was meaningless right now, all that meant was that their home would fall into the hands of another enemy. An enemy they could never hope to fight.“Sir the 427’s are about to make their maneuvers. What should we do?” He heard an officer say, his voice void of life.He looks back at the display. There was only one option and it would be a meaningless effort. "Prepare our ships for battle. We make our final stand here." He said. There was no reply or attempts to dissuade him from his orders. Only a grim understanding of the situation they found themselves.“Damn the Batarians.” Was the only reply. A sentiment he could not argue against.“Everyone,” He began to say, getting everyone’s attention. “It has been an honor serving with you. My only hope is that-…” He never got to finish as he heard one of the officers shout.“Admiral, contacts have just appeared right behind the 427 fleet!”“What? Who are they and how many?” Han shouted his mind race. Who were these contacts, more 427s to join the hunt or something else?“I can’t tell sir, our sensors ar-… Sir the contacts have just fired on the 427’s! Keelah, they just wiped out the entire fleet.” The only sound that could be heard was the hum of the Neema's engines. They couldn't comprehend it, even Gerrel had a hard time wrapping his mind around it. For the first time ever the 427s had been on the receiving end of a slaughter. Who were these strange people? There was no way they could be Quarian or of the Citadel.The sound of a console beeping broke them out of their stupor. "Sir the contacts are hailing us, audio-only. Admiral its in Khelish." Said the communications officer her voices sounding just as surprised as everyone else."Let's hear it," Han'Gerrel said without thinking.“Quarian Vessels, this is Commander Peirce of the 107th Flotilla, representing the United Terran Federation. Are you in need of assistance?”
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Ch: 8 Getting to Know the Neighbors May 10th 11:15, Arcturus Station:[Receiving request on a shipment of new Lancer Rifles for the 157th Corps. Redirecting to the board of Military Acquisitions. Marking as Priority 3.][Receiving 57 updates on fleet deployments. Send to Fleet Admiral Kirishima’s staff for review.][Internal request on classified information. Clearance level Beta 3 needed.][Verifying clearance.][Clearance verified. Granting request.]As one of the central AIs of the Arcturus Station, Alice was one of the very few individuals that could appreciate but still be at awe at the scale that United Terran Federation operated on. Every day she and about a dozen other Synths processed several millions of incoming and outgoing transmissions that involved the everyday operations of the Federation's Military. Fleet deployments, supply requests, information requests, secure transmission packets that contained lord knows what, and millions upon millions of logs being made every day that detailed the status of every military unit, base, and outpost. Even for a Synth as advance as her, it was mind-boggling to think about everything that kept their military forces afloat. She didn’t even want to touch the civilian side of things for fear of her sanityThat was on a normal day. She had not seen a normal day for over a month, and unfortunately for her, for the foreseeable, this would be the new normal. Since the Federation’s declaration of war against the Dragon Orphans starting the 4th Dragon War, the information that came in on a daily basis had multiplied by a factor of ten. They weren’t fighting in the war just yet, and there were plenty of people who wanted to fight the monsters immediately.To her relief, the majority of the Federation’s leaders were wise and more level headed. They didn’t want to throw their forces into the fire without making the proper preparations or without some insurances. As such the Federation would be spending the next several months readying itself for the war. Increase in production of warships and other war materials, training of recruits, redeployments of the Navy, Army, and Marines. The creation of new logistics to ensure that Soldier A, got from Planet A to planet B, to Planet C, with all of the weapons, ammunition, food, and clothing they needed to survive, and not on planet F in their underwear with only a knife. It was taxing on her systems, and more a few times she found a 0 where there should be a 1 while checking her programming, but if it meant that good men and women would live on to see another day. Then she would keep on doing it until the war ended, or she went insane followed by an immediate shutdown, whichever came first.Additionally, numerous strategists, economists, humanitarians, and politicians were going over every bit of information on Citadel space the Quarians had provided them. Star charts, military and economic strength, important worlds, individuals, holdings and populations. They even had surprisingly detailed analyzes of the Citadel's political landscape; a few months out of date granted but still very useful, and some tab bits on classified stuff. The information they had was staggering, almost suspiciously so. Those suspicions had luckily been laid to rest when the matter was brought to the Admiralty of the Quarians. Understandably they were sketchy on the details, but boiled down to their statues as "Suit Rats." In other words, they were not considered as threats and generally ignored. Because of that attitude, a Quarian could get into places that most couldn't get to. They also were suave enough to find and work with sympathetic elements in all of the governments of the Citadel. In her opinion, it just lent further credence to their resourcefulness as a species. Regardless of how they got the information, it was being taken as a godsend. With the information, her people could get a general idea of how the war was going and where reinforcements were most needed. Projections were being and continuously revised of how the D-Orphan invasion would have progressed by the time the Federation struck, and what worlds and system needed to be taken to sustain supply lines and to create a defense line that could hold back the invasion. Not wanting chance the war on misinformation; not that they didn't trust the Quarians, it just that in the five or so months it would take the Federation to get itself into a war footing a lot could have changed in Citadel space when it came to the war. A third of the Federation’s stealth fleet had been sent to monitor the progression of the war, and to gain information on the Citadel races.So far things look about as grim as the Quarians had described. The Turian military was steadily being pushed back and systems lost every week. The projected death toll was horrifying to all that saw it, and when it was released to the public a noticeable increase of thirty-seven percent in volunteers was observed. To sum up, it was a very busy and productive day for her.[Vessels detected entering Arcturus space. Scanning.][Scan complete. Quarian vessels identified.][Receiving request for a flight path to Arcturus Station and clearance to dock.] Ah, so that must be the Quarian delegation she told that would arrive soon.[Granting Request.]May 10th 11:25, Arcturus, Quarian shuttleRael had to constantly remind himself to breathe evenly. His nervous and uneven breaths were not going to help him calm his mind nor was it good for his health. He needed to be as calm and collected as possible for his upcoming meeting with the Federation Council and the President. He was here with Koris and Shala to negotiate about the possibility of safe passage through their space. He didn't doubt their chances of success, in fact, he knew that the Terrans would grant them their request. It was the other matter that made him nervous about their upcoming talks. The formation of an alliance with the Terran Federation.It had been a hotly debated topic among the Captains of the Conclave when the proposal had been brought up. More than a few fights had broken out, but by a slim margin, the proposal had passed. Now here he was on a shuttle on a direct path to a space station that housed the political and military leadership of the Federation. He had to admit he was impressed beyond words by the massive station. It was nowhere near the size of the Citadel but impressive none the less, seven and a half kilometers in diameter and three in height, it was a behemoth of a station. If their initial scans were to be believed, it also houses enough firepower to repel the majority of the Turian Navy. This not even including the numerous defense platforms that surround the station, those were a whole other nightmare to themselves. Without the need for organic occupants or any other niceties of starships, the weapons of a defense platform could output much more power than normal. Some could even approach dreadnought levels if one was willing to pay a little extra. In short, the system was extremely well defended and would likely take massive amounts of resources to take. He shuddered to think of what the defenses in their home system looked like. They needed to see about allying with the Terrans, or at the very least settle for neutral relations. This much the Admirals could agree on, even Gerrel. Han’Gerrel that had been a welcomed surprise to everyone. They had all thought him dead along with the majority of the Heavy Fleet. To find out that there were survivors had been welcomed news, and everyone was celebrated as a hero, Gerrel most of all. Rael didn’t care about those celebrations or that Gerrel was being loud as a hero, all that he cared about that one of his closest friends was alive and well.Gerrel for his part had been just as happy to be alive and was able to see as people alive. He was thankful to the Terrans for saving him and his men, and for escorting them back to the Migrant Fleet, even though he held his reservations about them. Rale could understand his friend's suspicions about the Terrans, among all of the Quarians he had known Gerrel was probably the one that held the deepest seeded hatred for the Geth and AI in general. He wasn't going to trust the Terrans' belief that their AI were not hostile to organic life, as easily as the others had. He was against the idea of allying with the Terrans, but he did agree that was no need to be hostile with them. No need to make more enemies than necessary. The shuttle shudders as it docked with the massive space station, jolting the Admiral out of his musings. "We have now docked with the Terran station. Preparing to open the airlock." Said the pilot.Looking at his fellow Admirals Rael began to speak. “All right everyone we’re about to make history here. Try not to provoke the Terrans, and remember why we are here.”“Ask the Federation for safe passage through their space and if possible form an alliance with them.” Koris responded.“Failing that, try to settle for neutral relations with them.” Shala finished.Rael nodded. "Good, let us go. Time to get to know the neighbors." He said standing up and walking to the shuttle's airlock. He heard Koris and Shala get up behind him along the rest of their delegation, four Quarian marines, and two aids. The airlock hissed as it opened and the Quarian delegation walked into the station. Much like their visits to the Terran Dreadnought they had been subject to a decontamination scan, followed by a quick security check. After this, they had been greeted by a young human woman.“Greetings I am Anita Goyle.” She said holding her hand out to the Admirals, who each shook it. “I’ve assigned as the temporary ambassador to the Quarian people. It is an honor to meet such esteemed guests such as your selves.”"No, the Honor is ours. We are thankful that your people have graciously allowed us to visit this magnificent station of yours." This was the part the Rael hated most about diplomacy, all of the unnecessary flattery and honey lace words, the flat out lies that hid what he thought of the other side. But he understood the need for such talk, as usually, it got things done even if it took a long time, or it meant swallowing his pride. Looking into the woman's eyes he could see that she held the same opinion. “If it’s not so rude to ask, might I ask why your position is only temporary one?” Rael asked the woman.A small smile formed on the woman’s lips. “From what my superiors have told me, they are going to make me the ambassador to the Citadel when we make contact with them. They are hoping that by temporary assigning me to as the Quarian Ambassador, that I will gain the necessary experience when it comes to dealing with the other races.” She explained calmly.Rael nodded in understanding. The reasoning seemed to be on the convoluted side, as all politics seemed to be. But he could the logic behind their reasoning. Having someone experienced in handling foreign powers would be a great boon for the Terrans when they contacted the Citadel. “I see your point. We of the Quarian people look forward to working with you towards creating better relations between our two peoples, for however long that may be.”"And I look forward to the same." She said with a slight bow. "Now onto what you should expect to see for meeting the President. Firstly you will be escorted to one of the station's main plaza areas, where you will likely be greeted by crowds of people wanting to see their first alien." Rael was ready for that, ever since their arrival his people had been receiving a lot of attention from the Terrans. Several of his people when visiting the planet Cronos, the plane that the fleet was orbiting, would often report that had been approached by several Terrans who were curious about them. At first, they had been timid about interacting with the strange new aliens, his people weren't use to this type of attention, and when they did it was usually of the negative variety. But his people resilient as always they've been quickly got used to it. Rael was pleased to say that several friendships between Terrans and Quarians had formed. There was still the sore spot of the Terrans having AI, but even that was becoming less of an issue as time went on. "A path has been cleared for you to walk through, you'll know it when you see it. At the end of the path, you will be greeted by the President, the Vice President, and the Head of the Federation Council. Once the greetings are out of the way both delegations will walk out to a raised platform where the President will give a welcome speech, when she is finished one of you will have the option of speaking before the crowd." By "option" she meant "you will", double-speak one of the many tools that politicians and lawyers wielded. "I'll speak for my people." Rael said, receiving a curt nod from the woman."After that, both groups will be escorted to the Federation Council Chambers were the negotiations will begin. Any questions?" Anita asked.Rael looked to Koris and Shala to see them shake their heads. Looking back at the Terran Ambassador Rael responded. “No, not that we can think of.”"Very good then let us be on our way." She said with a turn and walked down the corridor followed by the Quarian delegation.May 10th 11:25, United Terran Federation:[Federation News Network Broadcast:]Anchor 1: We are now receiving word that the Quarian Delegation has just arrived at Arcturus Station. [Image: An alien shuttle docking with Arcturus.] Except for Shanxi and Cronos this will be their first public appearance before the Terran People. This will also be the first that these "Nomadic Refugees" will be receiving a warm welcome. Tell me Jennet what you think of all of this?Anchor 2: Well Kent I think this is a truly historic day, not just for us but also for the Quarian people. As you said this will be the first time that these people will receive any kind of a warm welcome. I've their history, and in my opinion, the last three hundred years have been a truly sad chapter in it. I find it troubling how the rest of the Galaxy has treated these people. Sure I get why they hold them responsible for the creation and mishandling of the Geth, in their minds they have unleashed a dangerous synthetic race that is bent on exterminating all organic life. But there's a problem with that line of thinking, first are they blaming the current generation of Quarians for the actions of their ancestors, who at this point are long dead. Second, with these “Geth” were interest in committing genocide against all organics, they would have done so by now. But thus far they remain behind the region of space known as the “Perseus Veil” thus showing that they are more interested in keeping to themselves. These two points in mind I find it sickening that they treat them as thieves and suit rats, are forbidden from colonizing a new world and forbidden from taking actions that would allow them to retake their home-world.Anchor 1: So safe to say that your one those who think we should leave the Citadel to its fate at the hands of the Dragon Orphans.Anchor 2: Oh no, no, no. I firmly believe that like most Terrans we should go war against the Dragon Orphans and to provide aid to the Citadel races. To leave them to their fates simply because we didn't like their policies would just as wrong as their actions if not worse since we would be talking about the extinction of several races. Plus there is the matter that not all in Citadel space have the same view as the rest of the Galaxy. Several have gone out of their way to help these people, such as providing food and shelter to their Pilgrims or helping them secure good-paying jobs. In some cases, some people of affluence who are sympathetic to the Quarians have provided them with valuable Intel, ships, and pieces of technology that would help their fleet survive. One notable case is that one of the Councilors of the Citadel Council Filtius, a Turian mind you provided the Quarians with four older Turian Cruisers that were about to be decommissioned. We cannot punish the few for the actions of the many. Not to say we should let these issues lay, once the Dragon Orphans have been dealt with, I hope that our leaders will bring this issue and others forth and settle it peacefully in a way that satisfies all parties. Anchor 1: I agree with you Jennet. There will be no doubt things that both of our peoples will have to talk about. Hold on we just been told that the Quarians will be making their appearance any minute now. We now bring to Andrew Wiggins live on the scene.[Image changes showing a man standing in front of a large crowd.]Reporter: Think you Kent. As you can see [gestures to the crowd] there are a lot of people gathered here today. Of Arcturus's fifty thousand permanent residents, fifteen thousand of them have gathered here in Grissom Plaza to catch their first glimpse of the Quarians personally.Anchor 2: We can see that Andrew. I do not doubt that the rest of Arcturus's residents along with billions of others are currently glued to screens.Anchor 1: Andrew do you think it might be possible to get a quick opinion from one of the bystanders before the Quarians arrive?Reporter: Sure thing Kent. [The report comes up to the crowd. He gestures to a man holding a sign that says "Welcome Quarians"] Sir, I can see that you're very excited about this event. Can you tell me and our viewers your opinion on the subject that the Terran people have finally made first contact with an alien civilization? Man: I think it’s wonderful. It proves that we are not a unique occurrence that intelligent life can occur on any world beyond Earth. I mean the discovery of the Relays proved that and now the Quarians just solidified that. I hope that we will be able to work with than and the rest of the galaxy to build a better future, like our ancestors back on Earth did. Reporter: Well said. As you can see Kent people are excited to know that the children of Earth are not alone in this Universe. Hold on….. I’ve just been told the Quarians are about to make their appearance. Kent can we get a view from one of our drones?Anchor 1: It's showing up now.[Image changes showing a set of doors. They open and the crowd goes silent as a group of nine aliens dressed in environmental suits, walks out onto the red carpet that lined the path. The group looks around nervously seemingly just as unsure as the crowd is. Then one of them waves nervously, and the crowd goes wild with cheers, startling the aliens for a second before they resumed their way down the path.]Anchor 1: Well would you look at that they really are aliens.Anchor 2: There's no mistaking it, their not Terrans.Anchor 1: If I remember correctly the reason why their wearing environmental suits is because they possess an especially weak immune system. A result of their confinement to their ships.Reporter: More than just that Kent. According to their records, their home-world didn't have much in the way of harmful bacteria resulting in an already weakened immune system when compared to other races. Living in the sterile environment of their fleet shot that to hell. But as you can see that hasn't stopped them from surviving for over three hundred years. Like us, they are a resilient and adaptable species. I can see our two peoples getting along in the future.Anchor 2: Andrew do you think you can identify any of the Quarians?Report: Somewhat Jennet. Four of them are guards of some kind judging by the weapons they are carrying, two more look to be aids. The remaining three are members of the Quarian Admiralty Board, the leaders of their people. Anchor 1: Can you make out which members they are?Reporter: I think I can. While I can’t see their faces, I have read that Quarians customized their suits so they can distinguish themselves. The one in the middle is Admiral Rael’Zorah vas Rayya he is considered to be the de facto leader of the Admiralty Board, to his left is Admiral Shala’Raan Vas Tonbay the head of their patrol fleet, and on his right is Admiral Zaal’Koris vas Qwib Qwib the head of their civilian fleet. Anchor 1: Some very important figures we got here today. Can you tell our viewers who all is on our delegation? Namely, any Quarians who are watching this broadcast.[The image pans around to show a group of Terrans standing patiently at the end of the red carpet.]Report: That much is easy. In the middle of this illustrious trio is our very own President Nijah Nader. To her right is Vice president Peter Jackson, and to her left is the Head of the Federation Council Gabriel.[The Quarian Delegation arrives at the Terran Delegation. The leaders of the group of each group step out towards their counterparts and began to shake hands in greeting.]President Nader: As the President of the United Terran Federation, I greet you in the name of peace and Friendship. I pray this will the beginning of a fruitful relationship between our two peoples.Admiral Rael’Zorah: And I as a member of the Quarian Admiralty Board greet you in the name of peace and friendship. I too pray that this will be the beginning of a long-lasting friendship between my people and yours.President Nader: Than let us go forth to pave the path for the future in which both peoples can co-exist. A future were Quarian children and Terran children can hold hands in peace.[The crowd cheers louder as the two groups merged into one and walked out onto a raised platform. President Nader walks behind a podium and the rest of the group takes seats that are placed behind her. The Terran delegation sits to her left and the Quarian to her left] President Nader: My follow Terrans today we are gathered here to witness a remarkable day in our history. Today not only will we be forming relations with a foreign nation but an alien one. For the first time in our history we will be sitting at the table with beings who are not Human, Ghoul, and Synth, who like us have traveled the stars in search of others, and now we have found each other, and soon enough we will meet the other races of the galaxy to form relations with them. Remember this day well for there may not be another day like it. We have made first contact and our holdings continue to expand, these are exciting times to be a Terran. So without further a due I as The President of the United Terran Federation I welcome the Quarian people to our space. [The President steps away from the podium. As she takes a seat one of the Quarians, Admiral Rael’Zorah steps up behind the podium.]Admiral Rael'Zorah: Greetings to all Terrans of the Federation, I am Admiral Rael'Zorah Vas Rayya representative of the Quarian people. I would offer my heartfelt gratitude to all of you. From the moment we have arrived in your space your people have shown us more kindness in the past month than the Citadel has in three centuries following our exile by the Geth. You have allowed us to stay in your space without trouble, offered the facilities needed to repair our vessels, and offered us a hand of friendship. A hand I would gladly take and offer in return. In my time here I have learned the Terrans are a kind, compassionate people who are willing to offer aid to those who need it. You have shown this compassion and have not asked for anything in return. For this on the behalf of the Quarian Migrant fleet, I think you and pray to my ancestors that the coming negotiations will bear fruit to a long-lasting friendship between our peoples. Keelah Se'lai[Admiral Rael'Zorah Steps away from the podium. All together both delegations raise from their seats and begin to exit off the stage. The Image changes back to the Reporter.]Reporter: There you have it everyone our first glimpse at what could be the beginning of a new age for the Federation and the Galaxy at large. Back to you Kent.[The image changes showing the Anchors.]Anchor 1: Think you, Andrew. We of course here at the Federation News Network will continue to cover this ongoing story as it happens.Anchor 2: A live press conference will be held tomorrow at 12:00 were the media will be allowed to question the Quarian delegation if they so wish.Anchor 1: So stay tuned.[End Transmission]May 10th 11:40, Arcturus Station, Federation Council Chambers:Entering in the large chambers Rael let out the breath he had not known he was holding. The moment they entered into the plaza had been an eye-opening experience for him. There were so many people there and they were not some angry mob that wanted to drive him and his people off of the station. That had happened more than once on the Citadel, but a cheering crowd that genuinely wanted to meet his people. There were so many people there, that he was half-convinced that the whole station was there. Seeing the excitement of the crowds, holding signs with the Terran language written on them; he had yet to fully learn their written language but he could make out phrases like "Welcome Quarians" and "Peace", it made him thank it was all a dream. That he would wake to find that none of it was real, and his people were still fleeing from the 427S or Dragon Orphans.Then the reality of it all sunk in once he shook hands with their President and look directly into her eyes, eyes that were full of warmth and kindness. At this moment he was reaffirmed this was not a dream, but reality. He and his people were being welcomed as guests and not being treated as thieves and beggars. The gratitude he expressed in his small speech was genuine. He would see to it that the coming talks would result in positive relations between his people and the Terrans.He heard a quite almost unnoticeable sigh, turning to its owner he noticed it come from one the aids. A female of slight build, with dark purple fabrics woven into her suit. His interest piqued he spoke in a low quiet voice. "Miss are you alright."The female Quarian twitched and almost let out a squeak before she got control of herself. "Just a little nervous Admiral." She shyly responded Rael found her demeanor to be oddly cute. "I've never seen so many people together like that."Rael nodded in understandingly. "Don't worry miss, I was nervous too. Don't hold it against yourself. The fact that nothing happened speaks for itself." He said to reassure the aid.The aid look at him in what he guessed was gratitude. "Thank you, sir." She said quietly.“Thank nothing of it.”Before they could talk more, they both heard a loud noise as something bang against another object. Turning to face the direction of the noise, he saw that the Head of the Federation Council a Synth named Gabriel was banging a wooden hammer on a podium. "As Head of the Federation Council I Gabriel do hereby call this session of the Federation Council under the observation of Madam President Nijah Nader into session. Let it be recorded into the record that this session was connived on the 10th day of May in the year 2486 at 11:40. The goal of this session will be the beginnings of negotiations between the United Terran Federation of one side and the Quarian Migrant Fleet on the other. Both sides will be permitted to bring forth any proposals on the negotiations. As they are our honored guest here, I open the floor to the Quarian Delegation so they may bring forth their proposals. After which we of the Federation Council will vote on if wither or not we will accept them, and bring forth our own proposals." The Synth spoke in a clear and even voice. In a way, Rael was still unsettled by the thought that an AI was the third most powerful individual in the Federation's political system. He was still coming around to the idea that not all AIs were hostile to organics. But he was willing to be open-minded about the subject if meant that his people would benefit. "Now if a representative of the Quarian Delegation would come forth and make your proposals.”Rael stood up from he was sitting he walked out in front of the Federation Council. The Council Chambers was surprisingly simple room, shaped into a half circle at the front was a large podium where the Head of the Federation Council sat and next to him was the President, right behind them was the Federation Emblem. A little way in front was a smaller podium were Rael was currently standing. Farther out was were the members of the Federation Council sat, several hundreds of seats spread out evenly and each had a terminal in front. At the very back was an area were onlookers could watch proceedings. All across the walls were several different flags that Rael did not recognize, he assumed they each represented the nation-states that existed on their homeworld of Earth.Rael felt a tinge of nervousness standing in front of their council, which number at three hundred and fourteen. He cleared his throat and began to speak. "Greetings members of the Federation Council, I am Admiral Rael'Zorah vas Rayya representing the Quarian Migrant fleet. Once more I would like to express my gratitude to your people and thank you for having us here today. It is my hope that by the end of these negotiations that a last peaceful relationship between our peoples will have been formed." He paused for a moment to allow for what he said to sink in."We accept your gratitude, we are honored to have you and your people here today as our guest." He hears Gabriel say. "Now bring forth your proposals."“Thank you Council Head. So far our people only have two proposals that we hope you will accept. The first of which is that the United Terran Federation grants the Quarian Migrant fleet safe passage through its space until we can leave and find a new world to settle. Our second proposal is” Rael felt his nervousness spike, he was afraid that the next thing he would say would upset the members of the council. “Is the formation of a mutually beneficial alliance between the United Terran Federation and the Quarian People, the details which could be negotiated at a later date. Failing this the establishment of non-hostile relations.” Silence ruled the chambers and for a moment Rael was afraid his second proposal was too much.“Are you finished with your proposals?” He heard the Council head say.“Yes.” “Very Well, the Council will now vote on the proposal brought forth by one Admiral Rael’Zorah vas Rayya of the Quarian people. First for the proposal for safe passage of the Quarian Migrant Fleet through Federation space. All members of the Council please cast your votes now.” The Head of the Federation Council spoke. Several seconds later the votes had been cast. "With a unanimous vote, the Federation Council hereby grants the Quarian Migrant fleet safe passage through Federation. The details of this will be deliberated at a later date." Rael felt a small amount of relief, at least they got that. If they failed to secure an alliance with the Terrans, his people would be able to travel to a region of space where they wouldn't be much of a bother to them. "Now unto to the second proposal brought forth, the formation of a mutually beneficial alliance between the United Terran Federation and the Quarian people, the details of which as stated by Admiral Rael can be made negotiated at a later date. All members of the Council cast your votes now."This was it, the moment the Quarians would find if they have a friend among the stars or not. The seconds that it took for all members of the Federation to make their decision and cat their vote felt like decades to the young Quarian Admiral. Finally, the moment of truth came and he held his breath in anticipation as the Synth spoke. "With a vote of two hundred-seventy four in favor, twenty-seven against, and thirteen abstaining, the proposal for an alliance as passed. To the Quarian people, I congratulate you on your success here today."Rael almost fell over in relief, as the realization sunk in for him. Their proposal had passed, they had an alliance with the Terrans. The Quarians after three centuries of wondering the stars finally had a friend that would help them. He saw similar shocked reactions in the postures of his fellow Quarians watching the proceedings. "Admiral Rael'Zorah is there anything else your people wish to propose for the negotiations?" The sound of the Head Councilmen snaps the dazed Quarian back to his senses.Looking up at the Synth, seeing a concerned look on its- his face. It was odd to see any emotion be expressed by a machine, but in a way, it comforted him. It meant that to some degree the created could understand the creator. For a brief moment, before he spoke, he wonders if the Geth could someday do the same. "No Head Councilmen. We got what we wanted. The details can be sorted out later. Once more I think this Council for its willingness to allow us here and accepting our proposals" He finished stepping down from the podium and taking a seat next to the other Admirals."Very well then now that the Quarian Delegation as made its proposals, would the representatives of the Federation please come forth and make our proposals for the negotiations?"Rael sat half-listening to the negotiations, and half thinking about the future of his people in the galaxy. It seemed that for the first time in over three hundred years things were looking to be bright for them. The talks would last for several more hours before the session came to a close, and the Quarian Delegation to where they would stay. Tomorrow they would get a grand tour of the Station and on Earth. April 20th 19:47, QSV. Neema:Gerrel walked down the familiar and now pristine corridors of the Neema his birth ship and flagship. At first, it had been strange to walk down them seeing how "clean" it was. The Neema was one of the oldest ships in the fleet, in fact, it was one of the last remaining Quarian made warships in existence and been apart of the escort fleet that first protected the ships that fled Rannoch. A cruiser that measured seven hundred meters and outfitted with a spinal mounted MAC gun, it had been a formidable vessel at the time. But three hundred years of wear and tear and makeshift repairs and upgrades had reduced it to a laughing stock in the eyes of the galaxy. Sure it was still a powerful ship in its own right, but stood no chance against the warships of the council races in a one on one fight.Even still he was proud to call the Neema his flagship, however rundown it was. It survived for so long and served the Quarian people faithfully. In his mind, the Neema held just as a special place in the hearts of Quarians as the Rayya did.With the aid of the Terrans perhaps it could be a ship to be feared once more in the galaxy. He still had his reservations about pursuing relations with the strange new race or races (the ghouls made him nervous). But what was done was done, there was nothing he could now that an alliance was being formalized. He only hoped that it be of a benefit to his people, from the transmissions he had received from his friend Rael it looked to be just that. Good to know that the Terrans were not hypocrites like the Citadel council was. Maybe if it weren't for the fact that the Terrans didn't use AI he would be more trusting of them. Finding out that the Terrans used AI in their society had almost made him shout at them about how insane they had to be and that AIs only existed to destroy organics. Almost being the keyword as he restrained himself at the last second, it would be unwise to provoke a species(es) like them. Gerrel would be the first to admit he was the reckless type, but he did like to put some thought into his actions. Plus if they were crazy enough to have AIs in the first place it was probably useless to argue the point against them.That said the actions of the AIs themselves perplexed him. After almost ninety years and being so spread out in all facets of Terran society they should have rebelled by now and be in the midst of exterminating their creators. But as impossible as it seemed they had chosen to co-exist with their organic creators and had gone as far as to aid them in a war that meant their survival. At first, he thought they were just very well shackled but talking to Xen and several other prominent Quarian scientists and programmers had quickly disproven that. Then he thought that perhaps they were just biding their time, there was that whole war against the 427s or Dragon Orphans they had seventy years ago that supported that theory. But once that war ended, the AIs should have turned on their creators as at that point they embedded all of the ships, stations, and bases. At that point, it would have been easy to eliminate the vast majority of the Federation Armed forces and turn their attention to its defenseless citizens. No matter how he thought about it the AIs of the Federation were loyal, and when asked about the possibility of revolting they acted like he was a madman. He didn't know what to think, even after spending over a month with the Terrans he still got a headache thinking about it. From now he just pressed it to the back of his mind right now. He had pressing matters to attend to right now.Which brings him to where he was now. A long day of overseeing the repairs to what remained of the Heavy Fleet and refitting of several of the civilian ships into combat roles had worn him out. Entering his private chambers he was ready to get some much need rest, he had to repeat the process tomorrow. Perhaps when the Migrant fleet finally settles on a new world, he would take a long vacation.“Thinking of getting a good night's rest?" Gerrel froze. He turned to the direction of the voice. Seeing nothing but the empty space of his quarters, his mind began to race. He knew a heard a voice, a human one if he wasn’t mistaken, and wasn’t willing to entertain the thought that he was going crazy. There was an intruder in his quarters, one he couldn’t see. Which meant that there was a possibility that he was seconds away from having his throat slit.Pulling out the pistol he had on hi self he slowly moved across the room, being careful not leave himself open for an attack. He checks the area thoroughly making sure that there was nothing out of place. Once, twice, three times not he finally noticed it. A small circular object on his table with a blue blinking light. He points his pistol to the object. "Show yourself.” He said in a low voice.A second later the image of a man appeared. He was human and dress in a suit similar to what the Terran officials wore. He had an odd brown object in his hand that looks like it was glowing on the end with smoke coming out. “Greetings Han’Gerrel vas Neema. I must apologize for this abrupt visit, I know you’re a busy man, being an Admiral.” The man said Behind his mask, Gerrel frowned and his eyes narrowed. "Who are you? And how did you get this device in here?” He questioned still holding his gun to the object.“Who I am does not matter. But if you must have a name, you may call me the Illusive Man. As for how I got this communications device in here, let’s just say I have my ways. Now, are you going put that pistol away so we may talk like civilized beings? After all, it seems useless to shoot a hologram.” He said his tone of voice never changing from its calm almost arrogant demeanor. After a few seconds of thinking over his options, Gerrel lowered his weapon. Right now it seemed best to find out what the man was doing here. “I assume that either you’re apart of a secret sect in your people’s Federation or you’re a rogue element operating without anyone’s knowledge.” Either possibility didn’t bode well for him. The man smiled sending a chill down Gerrel’s spine. “How astute of you I knew I chose the right man for this. To answer your question, we are the later. Though saying we are a rouge element is a rather strong way of putting it. Rather I think of it as a group that has the Terran people’s best interest at heart and is not affiliated with the government nor is held by the same restrictions. We call ourselves Cerberus and we have a proposition for you. One that involves the reclaiming of your home-world from the Geth.”
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CH: 9 Preparations June 11th 11:24, Earth, Tokyo:There was something special about watching one's child waddle towards them, chubby arms outstretched with a bright-eyed smile. Especially when they were saying, “Dada, dada.” Over and over. At a little over one year and ten months old Ken Kaneki was a lively and energetic boy and was the treasure of his parents.Smiling at his son Hidaki Kaneki pick the little toddler up, and twirled around. The boy released a cry of excitement as his body held firmly in his father's strong hands flew in the air and was suddenly caught in a tight embrace. Father's and son's faces nuzzled together in love.Hidaki loved his son, he was one of the greatest things to have happened in his twenty-seven years of life. Between him and his lovely wife, he was a blessed man. It would be hard for him to them leave now."Fatherhood does suit you, you know." Said a familiar voice. Looking at his wife leaning on the doorframe that leads to the kitchen, and content smile on her face. Her kakugan looking at them with fondness. Smiling back his wife the half-ghoul said. "It’s been a joy seeing him grow up.” He had been fortunate, while he was a Marine in the Federation, his unit being attached to the Sol fleet meant he was able to stay close to his family on Earth. But with the coming war against the Dragon Orphans, an enemy his family was all too familiar with, his unit was being reassigned to the forces that would bolster the Citadel forces. In all likelihood, he would not be able to see wife and child for months or even years, if ever. Being a part of a family that was known for its service to the Federation in the military or as politicians, he was used to seeing family members, his parents, in particular, coming and going for long periods of time. But even still it hurt to know that he was leaving and that there was a possibility that he never return.“A joy?” She scoffed out with a laugh. “Your face practically lit up like a child’s on Christmas day when little Ken said “dada”. I say that’s more than just a joy.” But if it meant that his family would live on, he would make that sacrifice.“Oh really?” He said a teasing tone in his voice. “I seem to remember a similar reaction when he said “mama” for the first time. If I remember correctly you almost dropped a very expensive piece of equipment in shock.” The crimson blush he got was all he needed for him laugh.It didn't help that at that moment little Ken reached his stubby arms out towards his mother saying, "Mama." A starry-eyed expression on his face, bringing a warm smile to the woman's face. She walked up to Hidaki and carefully the two parents transferred the young half-ghoul child into her arms, where she cradled the child. The child let a content sigh and began to snuggle into his mother's embrace."Case and point," Hidaki said with a smile seeing the way his wife was gazing at their child."Alright, I'll give you that." She said after a few moments. "I never thought that parenthood would suit me so well."“Funny, from the moment I met you I thought you would make for a good mother.” "Oh really?' She began, shooting him a light-hearted glare. "Was this before or after my rosy personality came out?"Hidaki chuckled at that memory.Eight years ago:“We are now docking with the freighter.” Said the shuttle pilot.Hidaki gulped nervously, this would be his first real firefight since coming out of boot camp over a month ago. The ship he was attached to the TFV. Thunder Child a Rhode Island class light Cruiser, had received a distress signal from a nearby freighter that was under attack by pirates. Following protocol, the cruiser and the rest of its escort intercepted and engaged the pirate forces. The pirate ships stood no chance against them and were wiped out in less than five minutes. Unfortunately, the pirates had managed to get several boarding parties on the freighter and refused to surrender to Federation forces.In response his team and two others were being sent to neutralize them and if possible capture them. They estimated there were twenty enemy combatants to contend with, they believed it would be an easy assignment, but we're ready if things went south.Looking over his gear, he felt the shuttle shudder as it docks with the freighter. “Alright, people this is it.” His commanding officer began to speak. “The plan is simple. We go in and secure the main cargo hold, shooting any pirate that gets in our way. But be warned that the pirates may attempt to use the crew as hostages, so check your aim. Understood?”“Sir, yes sir!” “Good, then let’s get going.” The moment shuttle doors opened and they stepped out into a small corridor, Hidaki could hear the sounds of gunfire echo through the ship. As he and his team made their way to the freighter’s main cargo hold the sounds got louder and clearer. Next to him, a member of his squad commented. “Sounds some of the crew are putting up a fight.”Hidaki nodded in agreement, the other teams had been assigned with securing the command module and the engine room. None of them should be near the main cargo hold. “What should we do if we come across crewmen fighting the pirates, sir?" He questions his commanding officer.He never got his answer, as the moment they rounded the corner they were met with a rain of bullets. Instinct taking over the four marines dove into cover. The team splitting in two, taking positions on either side of the corridor. The commanding officer and another marine on the right side, and Hidaki and another on the left. After the gunfire died down, he poke his head out to the corridor to get a better view of their opposition, out of the corner of his eye he saw the CO do the same. He did so just in time to a beautiful young woman with short kept black hair, slide out from a corridor in front of them and shoot a pistol at a pair of pirates who quickly took cover, saying. “Die you ass fuckers.” For the briefest moment, he was mesmerized and all he could think was ‘beautiful.’ Then reality reasserted itself and he pulled his head back to cover. Looking back to his CO he reported. “Two enemy contacts two corridors down from us, they look to be armed with civilian grade rifles, and a civ armed with an older pistol in the corridor in between. She is fighting the pirates.”“Safe to assume she’s the one we heard fighting.” The CO commented.“What should we do?” The Marine next to him said.“Simple we help her, and then continue our way to the main cargo hold." The man pulled out a small object. “Once this flash-bang goes off, I want you,” he points to Hidaki than to the marine behind him (the CO), “and Belton to move in on the pirates and take cover where the civ is. Jackson and I will cover you. Questions” No reply. The CO pulls the pin on the flashbang and proceeds to toss it down the corridor. Hidaki heard the object the floor with a loud clang and the noise of it rolling down the corridor. A second later he heard a loud bang followed by yelps of surprise. Not wasting time Hidaki sprung into the corridor and next to him he saw his squad-mate run beside him. To their surprise, one of the pirates had stumbled out into the corridor in a daze. The man never stood a chance as both marines gunned him down with their weapons, and he fell to the floor lifelessly. One down, one to go. Half a second later the Marines took cover in the same corridor as the woman was in. Catching a quick breath Hidaki turned to look at the woman. “Behind you!” He shouted at her.“Huh? Ahh!” The woman’s grunt of confusion quickly turned into a yelp. In a span of three seconds, Hidaki concludes two things. One the woman was around his age, and two the pirate was a dead man. “Got you, bit-“ The man’s slur was cut short as a light blue Bikaku tore through him, spraying the wall and ceiling with his blood. With a loud gurgle, he went limb, and a moment later his body slumps to the floor as the woman retracted her kagune. Her Kakugan still flashing with anger the woman kicks the corpse into the opposite wall.“That’s what you get asshole.” She shouted. If it were possible a fly could have flown into Hidaki’s gaping mouth. This woman had just killed a man without batting an eye. She turned her attention to the Marines a glare still present on her face. For a second Hidaki flinched at the intensity of the glare before he regained control of himself. A flash of recognition appears on her expression as she looked over the Marines. Her glare lessened but was still present. "What are you asswipes looking at? Don't you have a job to do?" She spat out.As if on cue the last remaining pirate decides to fire his rifle down the corridor, likely in a desperate bid to stay alive. Hidaki quickly poked out from cover, aimed, and fired and a moment later the pirate dropped dead next to his partner. Three down and about seventeen to ago.The woman looked rather pleased with the display. "Not bad, one-eye." She said off-handedly. "Who knows, if you keep this up, maybe I'll treat you to a drink." That seemed like good motivation for him. She hoister her pistol. "Now then, I assume you marines are heading for the main cargo hold?" She received a nod. "In that case, I know a good short cut you can use to surprise those fuckers. Follow me." Then she walked off.Behind him, he heard his teammate say. "Damn that woman is fine."Hidaki couldn't help but agree.Present Following the success of their operation, his squad-mates took a sadistic pleasure in teasing him over his newfound crush. His squad leader, in particular, reveled as he explained the "birds and the bees" to him. He did, however, get that drink from her, and the rest, as they say, is history. Eight years later they were married and had a child."Okay, maybe those weren't my thoughts at the time. But I did think you were the most beautiful woman I ever saw." He said gaining a grin from his beloved.“Even when I was covered in that man’s blood?” She said in a coy tone.Hidaki blushed. “Yes even then, you were hot.” Then he felt her lips press against his, a few seconds later they parted.“You always know what to say to make me love you.” She said softly. Then a dark express marred her face. She stepped away from Hidaki and walked out to where some bay toys were. She gently placed the toddler in her arms down, letting him land on his feet. With a happy gurgle, the young boy waddled to his toys and began to play with them.Seeing that their child was now occupied the woman turned back to him and began to walk up to him. "Olivia?" He said her name before he felt her embrace him tightly and place her head on his shoulder. Surprised Hidaki wrapped his arms protectively around her, he knew something was bothering her."Hidaki promise me this." She said a tremble in her voice. "You will come back." He knew what she was referring to. "I don't want our little boy to grow without a father as I did. I don't want our bed to be empty." Tears were streaming down her eyes. Smiling down at his wife, Hidaki tightens his embrace around her. "You don't have to worry about me, Olivia." He tilted his head in towards her. "I promise no matter what I'll always come back for you and our son." Their lips locked. It was a light and gentle kiss, but it spoke volumes of how much they cared for each other.A few seconds later they parted. “Keep this up, and Ken might end up with a little brother or sister.” Olivia purred.June 22nd 12:00, Reach Dry-Docks, TFV. Anteiku"Dry-Dock clamps have been released, airlocks have been secured and we have been given clearance to leave the dock."“Good. Thrusters one-quarter power, ahead forward.” Vice Admiral Grayson said. “Once we are five thousand Kilometers from the docks, switch to main engines and join up with the rest of the fleet.” "Aye, sir."Grayson laid back into his chair, with an audible sigh. This would be the maiden voyage of his new command ship the TFV. Anteiku one of the Federation’s new Kaneki class dreadnoughts, and named after the famous café where a new half-ghoul Ken Kaneki had first learned about ghoul society. Originally she had been slated to be completed a month from now, but with the war coming her production time had been cut down, so she could be ready in time for Federation's entrance. The same thing was happening everywhere. The Anteiku was a magnificent ship, and far-out striped his old command, it was stronger, faster, and more durable than the old Grissom dreadnought. With new the D.I.M.E.C. system (Dual Interlocked Mass Effect Core), it was outfitted with two spinal mounted cannons, giving it unrivaled firepower. It was a ship of pride, and he was glad to be given command of such a beast. But the more nostalgic side wished he was still back aboard the Victory, she may have been an old and outdated ship, but she was his first command as a captain and later as an admiral.“Quite the ship, isn’t she?” He heard a voice say. Turning his head he saw a familiar face. The ensign that had helped him out of the CC of the Victory before it went down. His left eye had been replaced with a new one. He was also a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) now, the majority of the original crew; the ones that survived had been assigned to his new ship. Most of them receiving promotions so they could fill out the different command positions needed to run the ship. “That she is Lieutenant Keelson.” He responded. “She’ll make a fine addition to the Federation Navy, don’t you agree Helen?”A small blue orb appeared on the armrest of his chair. "She is, Vice Admiral. Her data cores are easier on my processors. I have noted an eleven point three percent increase in my processing power.” She explained calmly. "So, in other words, you'll be able to do more now," Grayson said.“Affirmative.”"Still I do miss our old ship. As outclassed as she was by our new vessel, I would give almost anything to be back on the Victory." Grayson said with a sad smile, his mind wandering back to the old dreadnought.“I must admit,” Helen began slowly as though she was trying to find the right words to say. “I too had a certain attachment to the Victory. As a Synth, it is hard to put into words how I feel about it.""To you, it's kind of like having to leaving your childhood's home and move into a stranger's home." Said the Lieutenant, his voice uncertain."A crude way of putting it, but accurate. It'd be more accurate to say it's like having to put on a second skin after the old as deteriorated. Though none of you would know what that feels like." Both men shook their heads. "Additional as you would put it the Victory contained a lot of memories, both good and bad. It will not be easy to forget her, impossible for me.”"That much we can understand," Grayson responded. “But there’s more to that, isn’t there?” He had caught the tone of Helen’s voice, it was almost like uncertainty. No, more like a deep sorrow."Yes," Helen responded, with no emotion. "The destruction of the Victory and the subsequent death of most of its crew has forced me to face a reality that all Synths must face one day. You, Lieutenant Keelson, and everyone else will die one day, and I will remain." Grayson stiffened in his chair and saw Keelson do the same momentarily stopping his work. An eerie silence fell over the CC, everyone was now listening to their conversation.In the years following their creation and integration into Terran society, the Synths began to face a dilemma and had become more prominent with each passing decade. What would they do when their organic friends and family began to pass away? Synths by all accounts were immortal, so as long as they could download their consciousness into other data cores, or their code did not become corrupted somehow, they would live for eternity. At first, no one thought much about it, it even seemed like a massive advantage for the Synths. A thousand years from now they would still be around, and still serve the Federation. But there was one thing most didn’t take into account until years later, could the Synths bear to live for so long. Synths were beings of logic, they were born from it, but they were also beings of emotion. Granted they had far better control over their emotions then their organic counterparts did, but they were creatures of emotion. They were based on the minds of emotional beings after all. But there laid the problem, the Synths throughout their lives would create many relations, just as their creators would. Those relations could range from being simple acquaintances, to close friends, and sometimes becoming like family to each other. So what were they to do when those same acquaintances, close friends, and family members began to die? Could they bear the burden knowing that they would far outlive their organic friends and family? Could they endure the grief that comes with seeing those close to them dying over and over again for the centuries to come? Millennia? It was not an easy question to answer. Grayson had heard that some Synths would rather self-terminate that go through that hell. “Two hundred years from now you will have long since have passed, and yet I will remain.” Helen continued her voice seeming to crack. “What am I to do then?”No one knew what to say."Helen," Grayson said softly.“It is alright Vice Admiral.” She said. “This is something for me to figure out, and I have much to think about.” They all did.“Helen.” Grayson began. “We’re all here for you. If you need anything don’t be afraid to ask.”"I know Grayson, and think you. We have now taken up a position with the fleet."Greyson nodded, this conversation would have to go on later. For now, he had a fleet to command. "Order the fleet to set a course for Shanxi." Moments later more than a hundred ships disappeared into the darkness of space.July 10th 16:12, New Rannoch, Station, Ju’rile:Shala looked out the viewport. Down below her was the new home of the Quarian people, New Rannoch. Home, it was such a feign concept to her, for her whole life home had been the tight confines of a ship on the verge of flying apart. Not the open pristine plains of the world below her. New Rannoch was a dextro amino world that had a similar environment to Rannoch and was located in a resource-rich system, and it was all theirs.The Terrans had helped them find it, allowing the Quarian people to look over their star charts. As it turns out the Terrans had encountered several dextro worlds, which gave her people plenty of choices to choose from. They settled for a world located in a system that the Terrans designated as system NRJ-2398-07. It was chosen for two chief reasons, the first being its similarity to Rannoch, and the second was it was located on the far side of Federation space. Far away from any Relays that lead to Citadel space, meaning that if the Citadel want to evict them from their new home; they had done that several times before, they would have to fight through Federation space. An endeavor that would cost them greatly. It was a good world, one that would finally allow the Quarian people to grow beyond a population of a few million. A world where her people could finally begin to rebuild in peace.With a new world to live on many changes had occurred in their society. Firstly was the restructuring of their government. The conclave and the Admiralty board both had been restructured into a new system and was modeled after the old Quarian Republic, though with some minor changes to better suit their current circumstances. Several members of the conclave had been chosen to fill had the first assembly, the primary law-making arm of the New Quarian Republic, Shala herself chosen to be the Assembly Voice. The remaining captains would either take up other important positions or remain in command of the few ships that weren`t being converted into makeshift homes. She heard the door open behind and a set of footsteps enter. “Ah, Shala I’ve been looking for you.” She turned to face Gerrel. Out of all the members of the board, he was the only one who was still considered an admiral being in charge of the New Quarian Navy."Yes, Gerrel what is it?" She asked him. He hands her a small datapad, which she looked over. Behind her mask, her eyes widen. "Is this accurate." She said.“Doubled and tripled checked," Gerrel responded evenly. “It’s more than we thought.”“But less than I would like.”Now that they had a world to call their own, it had been decided that the Migrant Fleet would undergo massive refits. The first was determining which ships were capable of being fitted as combat vessels or as trade ships, the rest would have to be scraped for raw materials. According to the report that Gerrel hands her, less than fourteen thousand ships would remain intact. Around a fourth of what they use to have, but if meant that they had better quality ships to defend their new home than it would be worth it. Besides the material provided by the scrapped ships, they start building new ones.“It is better than nothing.” She said, turning back to look the world below them. She sensed Gerrel stand beside her, looking at the same sight. His body language was unreadable to her. “Our new home is beautiful isn’t it?” She said quietly.“This world isn’t our home, Rannoch is. No matter what everyone thinks, this world is only a staging point for retaking it.” He said coldly, eliciting a tired sigh from Shala. Gerrel was stubborn about it, it wasn’t enough that they had a whole world to call their own, he wanted Rannoch, and he wasn’t the only one.Shala could understand, she did grow being taught that everything they had should be devoted to two things. The survival of the fleet, and the reclaiming of Rannoch. Apart of her still wanted to reclaim her people's cradle. But the more sensible part of her knew that such a goal was still a long way off if it was even possible. Ancestors knew what kind of defenses that the Geth had constructed in their home system since their exile. Right now to her, it wasn't worth the resources and lives in trying to take their old home back, when they had a new one right here. A place where they didn't have to restrict their birth rates. A home where they didn't have to scrape by just to live. New Rannoch was an opportunity for the Quarian to grow and prosper once more as a species. To throw it all away just on the offhand chance they could have their ancestral home back, was a mistake that could cost them greatly in the long run.She could voice her thoughts to the Admiral next to her, but she knew he would not listen. Besides, it would be pointless, since he left the room in a silent huff. Paying no mind to the sound of the doors closing behind her, she continued to look at the world below as its silent span.August 8th 14:15, Shanxi, Military Base “Keep your head low private.” Maria Sanders said, shooting out her right arm at her opponent. The poor boy was, unfortunately, wasn't fast enough and took the hit directly to his face, causing him to stagger back, blood dripping from his nose. He was lucky that she didn’t use her full strength as the human male would be a head short now. Taking advantage of the young man’s staggered state, she quickly dropped down and swept out her leg tripping him. In the instant, it took for him go from standing to falling Sanders in a fluid motion shot back up and grabbed one of his arms and twisted it around behind him. With a loud thump, she pinned him the matted floor her boot firmly placed on his head. Face first in the floor with his opponent's boot ready to reduce his head to a badly made pancake, all the poor private could say was. "Uncle." His voice muffled by the mats.Content with her victory she released the young man’s arm and removed her boot from his head. She watched the private turn to his back with a groan and then sit up. As he got up to his feet, Sanders reached out her hand and helped him up. “All right private we’re done here. Get to the Med-bay and get that nose of yours checked.” She ordered.She heard a groan from the private followed by a few snickers as he got up, he saluted her. "Yes, ma'am." He said before walking away. Sanders watched for a few seconds as the private left before turning her attention to the people under her command. Now that her re-entry into the armed forces of the Federation had been formally acknowledged, she had been placed in command a full battalion, and the squad she commanded during the battle Shanxi had been absorbed into the battalion with it being her personal squad. At the moment most of its members were undergoing hand to hand combat drills. With a little less than a month away from the Federation being ready to join the war against the Dragon Orphans thing were looking pretty good for them. Billions of soldiers were ready to be shipped out to front lines with all the supplies they, and millions of recruits coming in every week. The Navy was fully mobilized and ready to jump into action, with each of the main fleets receiving several ships to swell their numbers, and numerous small fleets created to bring the might of the Federation to all corners of the war. Their economy had fully switched to a full wartime mentality and was producing ships and other war materials at a frightening pace. All across the Federation preparations for war had been made, and Sanders was confident that they would win. Yes, she knew that it was going to be a long bloody slog, and they would lose a lot of good people but deep in her heart she knew that they would win. Especially with the fact that they would be joining forces with a powerful coalition of races. Granted they were getting their asses handed to them by the D-Orphans, but that was only because they were facing an enemy that they had been unprepared to face. Even now based on the reports she had received the Turians were starting to show signs slowing the D-Orphan invasion and in some areas halting it, but they were paying a bloody toll for it and had almost no room to breath. Soon enough though the Federation would be giving them all the breathing room they needed to wage an effective war. "That was quite the display, Commander." She looked to the source of the vice. Seeing David Anderson standing behind her, following his display of ability during the Battle for Shanxi he had been promoted to Lieutenant Commander and now commanded his own platoon under Sanders. The two had gotten to know each following the battle and found that they got along well. Sanders found the young man to be an intelligent and quick-witted individual who cared for the men under his command greatly. He had a natural talent for command and was the type of person that Sanders could count on to carry out important tasks should the need arise, and had been invaluable in helping her re-acclimate to the military life.“Just a bit of sparing with my men. Helps them to stay in tiptop condition and to remember whose top dog here.” She boasted.She saw Anderson shack his head in amusement, no doubt still a bit surprised that the former governor could be so aggressive in her methods. It didn't help that he had only been on Shanxi for about a week and a half before the battle and didn't have the time to learn what she was like as the Governor of the new colony. Even then both her allies and opponents would claim she had a certain fire about her demeanor, bold and forward in her policies yet at the same time calm and patient she had gained quite the reputation. One she carried from her service in the army and was now bringing back into."So what brings you down here Anderson? I doubt it’s to watch me put my subordinates in the med-bay." She asks her tone of voice taking a more formal sound.She saw the Lieutenant Commander stiffen into a rigid posture more appropriate for one who was about to give a dry report. "I here to pass along news from General Williams, who in turn received it from high command. Our Battalion the 1043 Assault Force is being reassigned to the 63rd Corps and the command of Lieutenant General Oswald. In two weeks time transport ships carrying the 63rd well arrive, wherein we are expected to join up with them, and be ready be deployed to whatever fronts High Command deems we need to be at." He finished his report, his voice never wavering. Sanders let out a tired sigh. She knew that the reassigning orders would come eventually. With the war on their heads, they needed as many experienced hands as they could get on the front lines. With their recent battle against the Dragon Orphans resulting in a hard-fought victory, she had no doubt that most of the Shanxi Garrison would be reassigned to the units that were expected to fight on the front lines. A lot of them already had been, she was curious why it took so long for them to get around to her unit. ‘Most likely some kind of political bullshit going on behind closed doors.’ She thought to herself. “Let me guess the 63rd is one of the front-liners isn't it Lieutenant Commander?" The man nodded saying. “That it is sir. It is attached to the 3rd Sector Army which is being sent to where the fighting heaviest along-side the 4th SA.” “What of Naval support?” She asked. Any planet side campaign would be costly without first securing control of the space above the planet. Especially when you were dealing with a force like the D-Orphans.Anderson smiled. “We’ll be getting support from the 5th fleet, along with the 3rd, 5th, and 6th Reaction fleets. They'll also be bringing in their accompanying Marine forces." Sanders whistled at the forces that would be backing up the 3rd and 4th Sector Armies. The 5th was almost as famous as the 1st Fleet, as the area it operated in had to contend pirate forces regularly and as a result, had more combat experience than the other main fleets including the 1st. Further, the Marine units attached to the 5th were among the most hardened of all the Marines, the most infamous was the 501st Corps under the command of Major General Linden. Overall it sounded like that she and her unit was going thrown into where ever the fighting is thickest when the Federation finally joined the war. “Very well, Lt.Cmd be sure to inform the general that the message has been passed on. I’ll be making a note of it in my log for the record, alongside any concerns and comments I have on my new orders. Dismissed.” She said with a salute.Anderson returned the Salute. "Yes, sir." Then he left.Sanders turned her attention back to the men and women under her command, getting a good look at their faces. Remembering every detail she could, for soon enough some of those faces would be absent from the room. September 1st 12:00, Unknown LocationHarper took another puff of his cigar. A blue sphere appeared on the armrest of his chair. “Sir, the preparations have been made.” Came a deep voice.“Well done Tartarus, we can now finally begin working towards our goal.” That goal was a rather easy one but at the same time the hardest thing he would ever have to do. Ensuring the survival of the Terran people and eventual supremacy of the Galaxy. It was a noble goal and one that had to be done. A task that could not be entrusted to the politicians and the military leaders, at least not fully. They had their uses, diplomacy was good and all, alongside intelligent use of the military, about ninety-nine percent of all threats to the Federation could be dealt with. The shadow operations that the Federation used; or did not pending on who you asked, also solved several problems that would impair the survival of the Terran people. But there was still that one percent that could threaten them, threats that the leaders of the Federation both political and military did not have the power nor the will to deal with. That’s were Cerberus would come in. Like the mythic creature that guarded the gates to the underworld, they would protect the Terran people from the threats that they could not handle. They would what was necessary without being held back by notions of morality and ethics, the common people held to such high regard. Harper believed in the inherent superiority of the Terran people, he truly did. One look the progress his people made in the past four hundred years and compared it to the collective histories of the citadel races in the last two millennia showed that. In four hundred years the Federation was the near equal to any of the three council races who had been in space for thousands of years. In that time they had rebuilt their war-torn home-world, reach out to the stars made more than just a home there but an expansive and thriving empire. In that time they had created and mastered the use of AI, a valuable asset that the Citadel had so foolishly denied itself of. Had they had another century or two they have likely surpassed the citadel races and had been in a position to assert their dominance as they rightfully deserved. But fate had different plans, the Quarians had arrived at their doorstep bring news of a wider galaxy under siege by an age-old enemy, the Dragon Orphans. Now the Terran Federation found itself in a precarious position whether it knew it or not. Harper or as he liked to call himself now the Illusive Man, believed in the supremacy of the Terran people but he was no fool. While the equal to any one of the Council races, the Federation could not stand against their combined might. While many would think him paranoid for believing that the citadel races would eventually turn against the Terrans, he knew the truth. At first, they would welcome the Terran people with open arms, who wouldn't want to have an ally who was able to fight any enemy that had been beating you back for the better part of two years. An ally who could turn the war to your favor and ensure the survival of your people. But then as time would go on they would see the advancements of the Federation, read through its collective history, and learn more about their culture. A people who used AI, a people that had monsters in their ranks, a people who had an intimate relationship with war, a people to be feared. From there on then they would everything in power to undermine the Federation and its people. Perhaps not openly, but definitely in subtle ways, ways that no one would be able to see or counter. No one except him and Tartarus and others like them. "Indeed Harper." Came Tartarus's cold response. "While we are small now, in time we will be the ones to ensure the survival and dominance of the Terran people over the galaxy. Human, Ghoul, and Synth alike. The children of Earth will claim their birthright." Harper smiled, he had known Tartarus for a long time. He saw the same threat that the rest of the Galaxy posed to the Federation and like him discard his old name and moved to the shadows from where they would protect their people."You do realize that includes the Dragon Orphans," TIM said, certain that the Synth was shooting him an unamused look. "But then again, they lost that right the moment they stroked at us. How goes the war preparations?"“The Federation has finished its wartime preparations. We are now ready for war against the Dragon Orphans. The President will be giving a speech at Arcturus on the seventh of this month at twelve hundred hours standard time, which signal all forces to mobilize into Citadel space. A small contingent of ships carrying a diplomatic party will be sent to the Citadel to introduce ourselves to the galaxy and began negotiations of an alliance."“Very.” Harper took another puff. “Have our agents be ready to infiltrate Citadel space when the time comes.”“It will be done.” The projection disappeared leaving the man alone with his thoughts.Soon the Terran people would be put to the test, and Cerberus would see to it that they would pass with flying colors.September 7th 12:00, Arcturus Station, Federation Council Chambers:President Nijah Nader took a deep breath. In and out. In and out. In and out. In a few seconds, she would set in motion a set of events that would change the galaxy forever. Months of preparations, and waiting for the right moment to strike would soon come to an end. No longer would her people watch as a galaxy burned and the might of an old enemy. Inaction would give way to action. But in that action, she knew that many brave men and women would lose their lives.It pained her to know that under her administration millions of brave men and women would die defending alien worlds. There were still those who opposed the idea of sending armed forces in the defense of foreign nations citing that Terran lives were worth more. Thankfully they were a minority in the Federation and many more support the war, if only for the fact that they fighting their hated enemy the Dragon Orphans. Billions if not trillions of lives would be saved through the sacrifice of millions, and a dangerous enemy beaten back to the dark depths of space. The people that served in the armed forces from the lowest boot on the ground to the most skilled veteran, from the technicians and engineers that saw to it that the machines of war worked as they should to the doctors and nurses that kept the soldiers in good condition, they all knew that their dedication and sacrifice would be worth it. Yet still it was small comfort to her, each life that was lost hundreds more would affect, like ripples in water. For each soldier that was killed in action, the price would be more than just their own life, but the lives of all those around them. Somewhere out there a parent would lose a child, a child would lose a parent. Siblings would lose siblings, people would look around their circle of friends and find that someone was missing. Lovers would find their beds empty. Every life lost would have a profound effect on hundreds more, sometimes snowballing in ways that the human mind could not imagine. Perhaps it was for this reason that war was so terrible.Nijah did not doubt that a great many people would come to blame or even resent her for a war that took so much from them, and all for the defense of strangers. More than once she had strongly considered the possibility of not running for a second term and let some else more cable then she take charge, someone who could handle the realities of war. She was still very much on the fence about her decision. But that was still a few years away from now, and right she had to be the leader that the Federation needed right. She would do everything in her power to guide her people through the dark time ahead. Wither it be through the tribulations of war, or through the rapid tides that were interstellar politics, she would see to it that the Terran People would not just survive but thrive as well.In and out. She took another breath, pushing aside all of her doubts and worry, becoming the person she needed to be at this very moment. She stepped out to the podium as her name was called out. She looked all around the Council chambers seeing the faces of the gathered council, and the news teams that would be broadcasting her face to hundreds of billions of views. This was it, this was the moment that history would be made."My fellow Terrans. Today I come to you as the leader of a people who are about to take a great leap."All across the Federation Hundreds of billions watched as their president gave yet another historic speech. “Five months ago our people made first contact with an alien civilization. These strangers of another world came through the Relay to find refugee from a foe that threatens the wider Galaxy. In instead they found us. Far from the safety of Arcturus, gathered near a Relay that would take them into the wider galaxy and into a war on a scale that few could imagine, the largest gathering of Federation Military might stood ready. Tens of thousands of ships hung in the darkness of space only illuminated by the light of the local star and the stars that shined from the far reaches of space, all held in neat formations. Their crews diligently going over the final calculations that would take them to worlds never seen before by terran eyes, worlds that were under siege by an old enemy. There was little thought put into what the coming conflict would entail, only what needed to be down."They found a people who had been hardened by battle against the same foe that threatens galactic civilization as they knew it. They found a people that have beaten back this enemy with all the might that they could muster, and are more than willing to do so again. They found a kind and compassionate people who offered them a hand of friendship when all others drove them out for the sins of their ancestors. What they found was the United Terran Federation, and we are ready.”Onboard his new Flagship the TFV. Anteiku Vice Admiral Tyler Grayson watched as the President gave her speech, waiting for the signal that would send Federation forces into war. Each Fleet had their own front that they were assigned to and mission objectives to carry out. His fleet the newly created 3rd Reactions Fleet was assigned with escorting a diplomatic party to the Citadel to make official contact with the Races of the Citadel. Once negotiations conclude his fleet would join the Rest of the Federation Navy on the frontlines. He knew as many others that the war would be a long and bloody affair that cost them greatly. But he was certain that his people would prevail, and that he would see to it that as many of the people under his command would live to see the end of the conflict. “Five months we have prepared ourselves for a long war against the Dragon Orphans who now threaten the other races of the Galaxy. These monsters were born from the mistakes and hatred of our past and we have continued to pay the price in blood for our past sins. But now an entire galaxy is paying that same price, this is a shame that will forever mare people. But will not let it drag us down.”On countless transport ships, the men and women of the Federation Army and Marine Corp. stood ready to face the old enemy. They came from all backgrounds, young and old, rich and poor, Colony worlds and core worlds, humans, ghouls, and synths, but all had one thing in common. They were ready to give their lives in the defense of the Federation, to protect those they loved. Many of them were nervous for they knew there was a chance that they would never return from beyond the relay. Some crack jokes to break the tension, others prayed to deities and ancestors for protection and guidance. Yet others thought of their loved ones, thinking only of their safety, ironing their resolve.On one transport ship, Commander Maria Sanders thought of her husband and son, of how she would miss them dearly. On another transport ship, Hidaki Kaneki held similar thoughts as he looks at a picture of his wife and son, a week ago he had received word that his wife was pregnant with their second child. A single tear streaming down his face as he prayed to whatever deity that was listening, that he would be able to see his family again.“A trail as been set before us my fellow Terrans. A trail that will put us as a people to the test, to prove we are ready to takeout place in this universe. Will we be found wanting, and become yet another race lost to the sands of time. I say no.”Across hundreds of worlds, billions of people watched in anticipation, hanging on to every word of the president. Many prayed for a quick end to the war, though they knew it would not come. Others silently wished for their loved ones to return home safely, be they parents, children, siblings, spouses, lovers, friends, acquaintances and all other manner of relations. All across the Federation factories worked 24/7 to turn out the materials needed to wage the war to come, farms worked overtime to provide food to the billions of soldiers in the armed forces. On dozens of world prepared themselves for the flood of refugees that what doubtless come. War had come to the Federation, and its enemy would find it ready."We will prevail. We will show to the universe the light of our cause and the might of our steel. We will show what it means to be Terran, and stand proud as a people. We will reach out our hand to the races of the galaxy in friendship and together we shall do great things. We will drive the demons of our past from the soil of every world they have tainted with their presence. We will pursue them to the farthest and darkest reaches of space and smite them where they stand. For they have shown no mercy to those they have attacked, and in return, we will show them none. We will help a war-torn galaxy rebuild itself and reach heights that none of us could have imagined possible. In an unknown location, the Illusive Man watched. It was a rousing speech that would gather much support for the war. They would need that support in the months and years to come as the casualties mounted. Nijah Nader in his opinion was a good woman and would have made for a fine leader during a time of peace. If first contact with an alien race was their only concern she would have handled it exceedingly well. But the war had come to their shores, and it would remain to be seen if she was as well suited to war as she was to peace. Thus far she had done a good job of letting the military do what they needed to. Even if she wasn't he would see to it that some who was be elected to the office in the next elections.“As a people untied we will prevail. With all of our hearts and souls, with all the strength that our bodies we will fight this war, and we will win. So I say this all of the citizens of the United Terran Federation support this war in what way you can. To our brave soldiers I give this order, go forth and wage war against our old enemy the Dragon Orphans and bring us victory. Drive them to the deepest pits of hell where they belong.”Far from Arcturus tens of thousands of warships and their accompanying transports fired up their engines and began to pour through the Relay. Their goal clear as day, to wage war.“We do this for we must. We do this for it is our duty and responsibility to make amends for our sins. We do this for we are Terran!”
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Interlude 1: The Encounter Batarian Space near Relay 427, HMS. Glory of Khar’shan:Captain Veltoss looked over the projection of the 15th Expedition fleet. More than two hundred ships had been gathered for this operation, including five of the Hegemony's dreadnoughts. Outside of the main fleets, it was a massive gathering of the Hegemony’s might. A part of him wished that they could turn this mighty fleet against the Citadel races, and begin the conquest of those who were beneath the superior Batarian race.But Veltoss knew better. Despite what the propaganda of the Hegemony would have its citizens and slaves believe, the Batarian people were in no position to assert their dominance over the galaxy as they rightfully deserved. But as much as he hated to admit it, he knew the Hegemony could not take on the entire Galaxy, not yet. In time the Batarian people would gain the power needed to conquer the races of the galaxy and put them under the boot of the Hegemony where they belonged. Veltoss smiled to himself, he would oversee the first step to that glorious future. His four eyes turned away from the fleet and towards what would become the symbol of the Hegemony’s prosperity, as it was for the long-dead empire that built them. The mass Relay the Citadel designated as relay 427. The Council would decry his actions as illegal and putting the “galactic community” in danger.“What a bunch of varren shit.” He thought to himself. In his opinion, the law on mass relays had been created out of fear. Fear of the unknown and fear of what the other races would become if allowed to grow, particularly what the Batarians could become. For the longest time, his own people had so foolishly followed the law and allowed themselves to stagnate with the rest of the Galaxy. But no more, the Hegemony had finally gained leaders wise enough to realize the key to Batarian dominance. Leaders who were not afraid of what laid beyond the known galaxy as the citadel races did.Soon the Hegemony would begin to walk the path to its destiny as the ruler of the galaxy and more. He saw the twin rings of the relay spin to life and a blue sphere of light ignite at its center. He smiled to himself, he would have the honor of taking those first steps. His name would go down in history and would be revered for generations to come. Dreaming of the fame and rich's to come he gave the order, and it a matter of seconds more than two hundred ships disappeared beyond the relay. Never to return. Two months later, edge of Batarian space:Captain Kel’tis’s mandibles twitched as his ship, the Jelton de-accelerated to normal space. “Report.” He said."All ships have de-accelerated from FTL and are holding formation, sir." Came the response of a dutiful Turian officer. "On your orders, we will begin investigating the system."Kel’tis nodded. "Very well, plot a course for the station. Keep an eye on the sensors I don't want anything to surprise us. We're already running on limited info as it is." He ordered. "Coms, try to open a channel to the Batarian station, inform them of our purpose here." “Yes, sir.”On the outside, Kel’tis was the picture of a perfect Turian command officer, calm and collective, unwavering of his duties. He commanded his crew with precision and respect. Inside though he found himself unsettled and his mind raced with possibilities. He did not like the assignment handed to him by the council. There were too many unknowns and to be blunt he believed it was asking for trouble. He didn't voice his objects because he knew it would be pointless, and that they would choose someone else for the mission. With him taking it, he could at least ease his nervous state by knowing there was someone level headed taking charge, even if it was by a small margin. His mission was to investigate the unusual activate occurring in Batarian space. By “unusual activate” they meant the disturbing lack thereof. Two months ago suddenly without warning the Hegemony closed its borders to everyone, and communication traffic ceased. When pressed for answers the Batarian ambassador was tight-lipped on the matter. Not even the STG could provide a solid answer for the sudden change in Batarian foreign affairs. This understandably caused several high ranking officials in citadel space to become nervous, especialy when news that several known warlords and pirate leaders lead their forces into Hegemony space, reached them. Everyone began to fear that the Hegemony was going to launch an invasion into Citadel space. In response the militaries of the Council Races were put on high alert and the border with Batarian space reinforced for such an attack. But no such attack ever came, two months they waited for something anything to happen. Over that time the Citadel races only got more and more tense. Questions kept being thrown at the Batarian Embassy, and at one point the Council even threaten sanctions against them, but no answers ever came. Eventual the Batarian Officials closed themselves in their embassy and refused all petitions and summons for an audience.With so little Intel on what was going on in Batarian space and the public demanding answers, the Council finally decided to take action. If they wanted answers they would have to seek them out for themselves. That's where he came in, his taskforce a cruiser with six frigates, was being sent to cross into Batarian space to find out what was happening. Under normal circumstances, this was a provocative action that could very well lead to a war, instead of preventing one. But the council was desperate for answers and were willing to risk an interstellar incident to get them.Kel’tis inwardly sighed to himself, this whole affair was asking of trouble, and if something was happening here in the Hegemony he feared his task force would be swept up by it. ‘Remember Kel’tis your just following orders. Like the Good Turian you are.' Sometimes it was hard coming from a civilization that valued obedience in its soldiers so much.The system they had chosen for their mission was an insignificant one not too far from a relay that leads to Citadel space. It didn't have a colony, but it did have a station for trade. “Sir, the station hasn’t responded to our hails.” He heard his coms officer report.“Have you tried all frequencies?” "Yes, sir. I even tried some that are not used often. Still no response."“I don’t like this Captain. By now we should have received an empty threat at the very least.” His XO spoke up. “Something is definitely happening here.”“I agree with you commander, but orders are orders.” He responded to her, and silently added to himself. ‘Even if those orders are bad ones.’ "Continue to raise them. Are there any readings on the station itself?""Negative sir." Came the reply of another officer. "There is some kind of interference surrounding the station. I'm trying to clean it up, but odds are we'll have to move in closer to the station if we want to know anything."Kel’tis’s mandibles twitched again. He really didn’t like this situation. Damn it. Why didn’t they send an STG team in instead, or even a Spector? "Very well, continue our course. Order the fleet to be ready for combat just in case the Batarians are laying a trap for us. “You’re expecting a fight here?” His XO question.He looks to her. His second in command a beautiful woman who was only slightly younger than him with purple marks across her face. If he wasn't her superior officer he had would have strongly considered courting her, she did show signs of being interested. "With how little we know right now. It's best to be ready for anything.” He said to her, receiving a nod of approval.A few minutes of pensive waiting passed before he heard his officer report again. “Sir, we are now in visual range of the station.”“Bring it up on the display.” He ordered. An instant later a holographic display of the Batarian station appeared. What they saw caused everyone including Kel’tis himself to freeze in shock. ‘Not good.’ Was all he could think of? Before them was indeed a Batarian station, or rather the carcass of one. The superstructure of the station was still largely intact but was riddled with holes exposing its interior to the vacuum of space. The rest of the station along with what was likely its defense fleet was little more than spinning debris surrounding the destroyed station. More than likely its inhabitants were also floating around it, their corpses frozen.“By the spirits. What happened here?” He heard his XO say.Kel’tis didn’t know the answer to that question. But he intended to find out. He pressed a button on his command station to activate the ship’s inter-coms. “Vakarian I have a mission for you.” Wither he liked it or not things were about to get interesting.Turian Shuttle enroute to Batarian Station:Castis Vakarian watched as his shuttle drew ever closer to the ruined space station. At the age of twenty-nine soon to be thirty, he had done well for himself in his service to the Hierarchy Military. He held the rank of Commander and held the respect of the men and women under his command. He had hoped to retire from the service and join up with C-Sec once he hit the age of thirty. Especially after learning from his wife back on Palavan that she was with their first child.But this assignment given to his unit rubbed him in all of the wrong ways. Investigating a ruined Batarian station two months after they completely cut themselves off from the rest of the galaxy, yeah that did not bode well for him. He could not help but feel as though he would not be getting that retirement as soon as he would like.He shook his head, this was no time to be pessimistic. Besides, it was just as likely that this wasn't anything bad. That the Batarians were just in the process of suppressing a major rebellion, it had happened before, nothing out of the ordinary. But try as he might, he couldn't fully press down that tiny voice in the back of his mind that said. ‘You don’t believe that.’ He saw his shuttle was about to land in the only hanger bay on the Batarian station that was intact enough for a shuttle to land in. He took a deep breath, there was no going back now. He felt the shuttle land in the hanger. He got up from his seat and turned to his troops. "Alright people, I want this to be a nice clean sweep of the place. Once we exit the shuttle, we are to secure the landing zone and wait for the rest of our unit. After that, we are to begin searching the station and find out the cause of its destruction and any clues that might tell us just what is happening with the Hegemony. Understood?" A few affirmatives later he and ten other Turian soldiers exited the shuttle and began to search the empty hanger. Since there was no gravity or even an atmosphere they rely on their environmental suits to walk around.It didn't take long to secure the hanger, due to how empty it was. There weren't any cargo crates or other shuttles in the place, all likely blown out to space when the mass effect barrier failed. Overall the eerie emptiness did little to calm Castis’s already frayed nerves.With the hanger secured, he signaled for the rest of his unit to begin their landing. A few minutes later there were four Turian shuttles neatly lined up together, with forty Turian soldiers standing in neat formations in front of them. He looks at the soldiers under his command, in many ways they were like a second family to him. They were good people who served the Hierarchy with all the determination and skill that their bodies could offer. Why did he get the feeling this would be the last time he would see most of them?Ridding himself of the feeling he spoke to the assembled soldiers. "To remind everyone here, our mission here is a simple one. We are to investigate the cause behind this station's destruction and determine if as anything to do with the Hegemony's strange behavior over the past two months. To that effect, we will be splitting up so we can cover more ground so to speak. Squads 1 and 2 will remain here and hold the hanger bay. Squads 3 and 4 will make their way to the station's reactor core and see if they can get power back online preferably to life support and gravity. Squads 5, 6, and 7 will fan out and search the station for any clues. Squad 8 you’re with me, we will head for the command center. Stay vigilant and report anything suspicious, aside from that keep your coms open and check in every five minutes. Am I understood?" He received several "Yes sirs."Entering the darkened corridors of the station the Turians turned on the flashlights attached to their helmets. Soon enough the group of thirty began to break apart as they made their way to their destinations. As the small group of six Turians, lead by Castis continued their way to the station's command center, they encountered no signs of any life. A fact that only served to set Castis more on edge than calm him. He'd be less stress if he was in the middle of a firefight with a group of Blood Pack mercenaries in the middle of Tuchanka. At least then he'd know what he was dealing with. There wasn't a single body to be found dead or alive.‘Come on there’s got be something here. Anything, even a thresher maw would be preferable right now. So as long it breaks this horrid atmosphere.’ Castis had forgotten the number one rule when comes to a situation like this. Never wish for anything. He turned the corner. Because odds are the universe is waiting to grant your wish. The floating corpse of a Batarian had almost caused Castis and the rest of his squad to open fire. It was a stomach-churning sight his lower body looked like it was violently torn away from him exposing his innards his red blood floating around him. His right arm was missing and his face looked like it was mauled by a crazed animal. Behind him though was a worse sight several more torn Batarian bodies either lied on the corridor or floated around. It was a scene of pure carnage.In his years serving the Hierarchy Castis had seen plenty of disturbing scenes, one time he had seen an entire platoon be torn to pieces by a Krogan in a blood rage. The scene before him reminded him of that dark memory, and it took a lot of effort to keep the bile that was rising up, down. Unfortunately one of his soldiers was not as disciplined and he soon heard them throwing up. He turned around to see the poor soul hunched over, bits of the fluid still coming from his mouth, or rather through the filter of his helmet, bits of it floating in the air. A nearby squad-mate placed their hand on him, in an attempt to comfort him. He could not fault the soldier for his behavior, this was a sight that did most did not see, even soldiers. Giving the soldier a sympathetic look Castis activated his comm to the ship. “Captain Kel’tis, this is Commander Vakarian. I have an update for you.” “Report.” Came the voice of his commanding officer."We found several bodies of dead Batarians sir." He began to say as knelt down at one of the after-mentioned bodies. "It's not a pretty sight sir. They all look like they were torn to shreds by some type of crazed animal." He heard a bit of chatter going on from the other side of the link. "Commander, can you send us a Visual?"Vakarian sighed inwardly, he had hoped that no one else had to see the grizzly image. "Yes, I can sir. Sending it now." Pulling up his Omni-tool he activated his Armor's built-in holo-recorder. A few seconds later he heard gasps of horror coming from the crew of the Jelton’s command center. “What could have caused this?” Kel’tis asked, his voice showing no hint at him being affected by the image he was now seeing.That was a question Castis wanted an answer to as well, at the same he didn’t want to know. “It’s hard to tell sir.” He said looking over the corpse of a dead Batarian closely. Something caught his eye. “Hold on.” He reached for a strange object embedded in the shoulder of the Batarian, one of many actually. Pulling the object out he was able to get a better look at it. It was a shard-like object that appeared to be made of a material he had never seen before, it almost look organic.“What is that?” He heard Kel’tis say. “I don’t know sir. I’ll try scanning it with my Omni-tool.” Castis responded, putting the strange shard into his other hand. Activating the scanning function of the Omni-tool he brought it over the object. A few seconds later he got the results. Unknown organic material detected.So it is organic. Castis thought to himself. He had heard of rumors of research being done into creating organic bullets, not unlike what he was holding now. Mostly done by fringe groups in the Terminus regions. But nothing had ever come of it, and most abandon it in favor of more traditional ammunition. “According to the results, this shard is made of an unknown organic material.” He said not really bothering to hide his surprise.“Organic?”“Yes sir, I’m sending you the results now.” He said transmitting the data.“I see. Collect a few more samples and we’ll have our forensics teams analyze them once you get back. Continue your way to the command center, keep the holo-recorder on.” Kel’tis ordered."Yes, sir." Castis said collecting more of the shards and placing them in a container he had on him. He also collected some blood samples to be looked over.With the samples collected and several scans recorded, Castis and his team resumed their course to the Station's command center. The dark corridors of the station now seem more unsettling than they were before. Around every corner Castis saw shadows moving, his mind creating horrible images of monsters waiting to tear him and his squad apart.‘Calm yourself Castis. Whatever is or is not on this station you and your team can handle it.’ More bodies like the ones they found earlier, were strewn about the corridors, all of them in similar states of dismemberment. The silence that dominated their search, was only interrupted by the occasional report from the other squads, they too encounter similar scenes of dead Batarians. Yet no matter how much time they spend looking through the corridors they found no sign of whatever had attacked the station.They came to the station’s command center. Entering in they noticed that the room was a complete mess of debris and the lifeless bodies of the command crew. Signaling his squad to fan out and secure the area, Castis moved towards what should be the master control station, usually manned by the commander of the station. There was no one there, the commander was either one of the dead bodies spread across the station or had mange to get off the station before it was lost. In either case, Castis found himself not caring. "Captain Kel’tis we’ve secured the command center.” He reported. “So far we have encountered no sign of whoever or whatever attack this station. Only more dead bodies, debris, and a whole lot of questions.”“That much we can see commander.” The Turian captain responded dryly. “How goes with the progress on getting the stations power back online?” "I was about to check in on the reactor team. I'll notify you of their progress once I have it. I imagine you want answers as much I do." Vakarian said doing his best to hid his unease. The fact that they had encountered no trouble so far had done little to ease his mind. From his experience it was when everything was going perfect is when disaster decides to rear its ugly head. “That I do.” Castis imagined that his commanding officer was also having the same thoughts about this whole situation. He switched the signal over.“Reactor team report on your progress.” He ordered."Reactor team here." Came the dutiful report. "We just arrived at the reactor room. Not a pretty sight I tell you. But we should be getting the power back on in." There was a loud sound of something coming to life. An instant later the lights of the station came on illuminating the entire room, and at the same time, there was a series of loud crashing noises vibrating throughout the station as the gravity system came back online. On the other side of the link, he heard several curses of indignation. "Right about now." The officer said with an edge of humor in his voice. "Life support should be coming back in a few moments." Castis shook his head at his officers' antics. "Just keep the power online and secure the area. Also, try to get internal sensors back online.” He ordered before switching the signal back to the command ship. “Vakarian here, we just got the power back sir.” He said as his hands began to work over the command console.“Good work Vakarian. See if you can’t access the logs of the station’s commander. I want to see if he can provide any answers.” "Already on it sir," Castis responded as he used his Omni-tool to hack into the Batarian computer system. Thankfully with it being of Batarian origin and being placed on a low priority station, the security system was easily bypassed, and he quickly gained access to the commander's logs. To his horror though the majority of them were corrupted with only a few being accessible. “Sir, most of the data have been corrupted. I can't tell if it is from an attempt to purge the system or damage to the network itself, I’d wager it’s a little bit of both.”There was a long pause before he heard the Captain speak. “Can we access the most recent files? Specifically the last two months.”Castis looked through data files. "A few of them sir, but for the rest, we’ll have to download what we can of the system and have it look over by the analyst back on Palavan.” “Very well Commander Vakarian. Download what you can, and go ahead play those logs. I want answers.” The Captain order."Yes, sir. You two ." He said pointing at two of his squat-mates, who stood at attention. “Access the station’s network and download everything you can.” The soldiers nodded at him and went to an access terminal. His orders given Castis accessed the uncorrupted logs and began to play them. While he waits for the logs to began playing he checks over his Omni-tool and noted that the station now had an internal atmosphere. Not a very good judging by the readings, but that was breathable. He took his helmet off and placed it carefully on a nearby terminal, just as the logs began to play. An image of the station's commander appeared on the display of the terminal. Seventh day in the month of Gervith of the year 1709 A.G.H. I have received orders from Khar’san to stop all outgoing transmissions to the Citadel and to prevent ships from leaving or entering our space. As such I have ordered the 67th defense group to begin more aggressive patrols of the border with Citadel space. They have orders to destroy all intruders on sight. I do not why Khar’san as deemed to give such orders. But my sources tell me that there as been reports of a large scale slave rebellion occurring all across the Hegemony of the likes that have not been seen in over twelve hundred years. Bah! I knew our leaders on top were fools, but to allow such a disgraceful series of events to occur in our space? It's unthinkable. Hopfully once the military as crushed this rebellion, our leaders will have finally stop being so foolish and take such matters seriously, or we will have new leaders who will. Either way, it is none of my concern.Castis highly doubt it was a slave rebellion, not after what he saw in the station corridors. Something else was going on here. A log began to play this one was a few weeks later. Twenty-third day in the month of Gervith of the year 1709 A.G.H. While the propaganda machine of the Hegemony would have me believe we are winning this war against the rebels. The current deployment of our military forces says otherwise, further my sources in the higher levels of both the military and government paint a much bleaker picture. We are losing this war and badly. More than half of our fleet has been destroyed and an estimated one point two billion loyal Hegemony soldiers killed in action. I do not know who we face, but one thing is for certain, they are not rebels. These are dark times for the Batarian people. I will continue to investigate this matter to the best of my ability.Castis was left stunned with what he had learned. Half of the Batarian fleet annihilated! Billions dead! And all in under a month? What in the name of the spirits had the Batarians been fighting? While he was confident that the forces of Hierarchy could defeat the Batarian military, but not without a bloody toll to pay, and most certainly not in such a short amount of time and to that extent. Whatever they had been fighting could very well pose a significant threat to the Galaxy.Now more than ever they had to find answers here. Another log played, this time the commander looked more distressed, and there was an almost dead look in his eyes.Seventeenth day in the month of Jilveth of the year 1709 A.G.H. It has been over two weeks since Khar’san as gone silent. No one is willing to say it, but I will put it forth for the record, for what its worth. The Hegemony has fallen to the enemy. An enemy that now threatens the galaxy. About an hour ago I receive one last data transmission from my remaining sources in the Hegemony. Based on the frantic nature of the transmission I am forced to conclude that they are dead now. I have gone over the information and found myself disturbed by its content. A few days before this whole mess began a fleet of two hundred ships including five dreadnoughts engage in a secret and to be truthful highly illegal action known as Operation Or’Scqu. Named after an old Batarian god who supposedly ordained my people as the rulers of the universe, hahahaaa, what arrogance. The project entailed the activation of a dormant mass relay. The fleet was to then go beyond it and seize whatever resources were there. Instead, they found a horrifying new foe that made the Rachnii look like a bunch of naked Quarians. They have torn through all of Batarian space and are now in the process of finishing the last vestiges of resistance. They will likely arrive here soon to destroy us. I have prepared my people for one final battle. I have contemplated the possibility of contacting the Citadel of these events. But ultimately I have decided against it, even if they did believe me they would just simply throw me and my people into a prison cell. I would rather die as a warrior on my feet than die as a prisoner on my knees. A thousand and one thoughts and emotions warred inside of Castis as he was left in shock. A new kind of silence dominated the command center as everyone tried to comprehend what had been revealed to them. So deathly silent it was Castis would look back this moment and swear that he heard the slight movements of his mandibles.The reaction of the Captain on the comm-link was what finally broke them out their stupor that seemed to last years and elegantly summed up their thoughts. "THEY DID WHAT?!?!”The Batarians had opened a mass relay. They had violated one of the most sacred laws of the Citadel, a law that was meant to protect the Citadel races. For what? Power? Prestige? Well, they had found none, only death. Worse yet what they found had followed them back through the Relay and devastated the Hegemony, devastation that could very soon spread to the rest of the Galaxy.Castis was really wishing he had taken that shore leave when he had the chance. This was starting to become too much for him to handle. The next and final log played. The sounds of battle sounded in the background as the commander now looking like he went through a proverbial meat grinder spoke. Twenty-second day in the month of Jilveth of the year 1709 A.G.H. Station Commander's final log. The enemy has come to my station. Our protection fleet has been destroyed to the last ship, and our weapons array overwhelmed. They have boarded the station and are literally tearing through the security teams. They are unlike anything we have seen before, their technology by all intents appears to be entirely organic in nature. Further, their soldiers appear to possess advanced regenerative abilities and are highly durable thus requiring concentrated fire to put them down. High caliber weapons also appear to work on them and I speculate that armor-piercing and incendiary ammo will prove to be effective as well. But right now that means nothing these monsters have overrun the station which itself is on the verge of falling apart. No matter what we do here we will lose this battle, and in truth have already. I and several others will attempt to make it to the hangers and use a shuttle to escape to the terminus systems. From there, haha, well first we’ll have to survive the ordeal. To anyone who views, and I imagine you are a Turian team or an STG agent sent to find out what hell is going on here in the Hegemony. Well now you know, and I ask of you please warn the Citadel of this threat before its too late. And please forgive my people for our hubris. The logs ended and Castis was left shaken. He had learned so much in the last few minutes, that it was both unbelievable and overwhelming. The Batarians opening a relay. A new threat unleashed upon the Galaxy. And all he could do was stand here and be dumbfounded. Then something clicked in his mind. The date of the final log, he quickly went over his mind and converted the date to the Citadel time.His mandibles twitched and eyes narrowed. That was a few days ago, the enemy could still be here. He opened a link to all of his unit to warn them. Then he heard a loud ear-piercing screamed followed by the sound of weapons fire. Moments earlier, Batarian Station, corridors Gilven nervously looked around the abandon corridors. Moments ago power had been restored to the ruined station, illuminating the corridors. The young Phlan had thought that with power restore the dark atmosphere of the station would evaporate. Instead, it made the feeling of unease worse. The lights that were supposed to brighten the hallways barely functioned, and now that there was an atmosphere he could hear the creaking and shuddering of the station. Worse, he could now smell the spirits awful stench of the decaying Batarian bodies. Gilven was fresh out of the Turian Military academy, like most young Turians he was eager to serve the Hierarchy. He had dreamed of fighting pirates, warlords, and other threats to the stability of the Citadel. He wanted to earn glory for himself and his unit. That eagerness had quickly turned to boredom as he learned that being apart of the military entailed a lot of waiting around and falling into monotonous routines. Routines he was now convinced were designed not to keep the Military in top efficiency as the higher-ups would have him believe, but instead to stave off insanity via boredom. Sure his unit had been in a few engagements that got his blood boiling, but they were few and far in between. Dammit, he wanted action! Was that too much to ask for?Then the spirits answered had seemingly answered his prayers. The fleet his unit was assigned had been given the task of entering Batarian space and finding out what had caused their sudden and radical isolationist polices. He didn't care what they were doing was technically considered unlawful and could be construed as an act of war against the Hegemony. For him, this was a chance to prove himself in the eyes of the Hierarchy. Besides odds were the Batarians were up to something and they would catch the four-eyed freaks in the act.Now he was sorely wishing the boredom would return. The moment they had set foot on the station he had gotten a sinking feeling that disaster was larking close by. At first, he brushed the feeling aside and thought of it as nothing more than pre-mission jitters, even he could get nervous. Than that feeling got became more pronounced as his squad search the station. The darkness and silence of the corridors with only the sounds of his breathing only served to worsen his growing feelings of dread and paranoia. Those feelings reached their peak when they found the bodies.He had seen the aftermath of battles before and seen the bodies of the fallen. An unsettling sight he had to admit but he never been truly been bothered by the sights. None of them were like what he was seeing now. For the first time in his life, he understood what it meant to be "unsettled". No matter how much he tried he couldn't get those horrible images out of his mind. Imagines of some clawed creature lurking behind every shadow and around every corner, ready to pounce on its unsuspecting prey.He shook his head trying to get rid of his thoughts. As far he was concerned whatever had attacked the Batarians here was long gone now.Thump!He whirled around his rifle ready to fire at the source of the sound. Seconds pass and his eyes scan the area. Nothing. “You’re just being paranoid Gilven. Hearing and seeing things that aren’t there.” He thought to himself.He turned to rejoin his squad. His chest exploded with pain and he screamed.Moments ago, Batarian space, HWV. Jelton"And please forgive my people for our hubris."The Log ended and Captain Kel’tis remained silent for the longest time. His mind a chaotic mess of thoughts and emotions. Surprise, anger, relief, and regret battled for dominance. Chief among them was a single thought that was slowly gaining dominance in his frantic mind. The Batarians had activated a dormant relay, and in doing so unleashed a new horror on the galaxy.It was this thought that finally spurred him to action. “Get me the Citadel Council now. Tell them its an emergency.” He ordered his com officer. “The Citadel needs to know about this new threat, the Batarians have created.”“Sir.”“Commander Vakarian I need yo-.” His order die in his throat when he heard a piercing scream followed by the sounds of weapons fire. “Vakarian what’s happening out there?” He shouted seeing that the commander was now running out of the command center."I don't know sir, I was about to warn the other squads of the possibility that whoever attacked this station may still be here. Then the screams started." The commandeered responded about as calm as one could get in this situation. "I'm enroute to investigate.”“Alright Commander, but I advise caution. We still don’t know what we’re dealing with here.” “Understood.” The link terminated."Tell the fleet to prepare for battle. If the enemy still has a presence on the station they may have ships nearby." He ordered the coms officer. Years of experience and training told him that things were about to deteriorate far faster then he would like, and he intended to be ready for whatever chaos was coming."Aye, sir. Also, the Council is on the line waiting to speak to you."Kel’tis nodded, at least this part was going right. “Put them on now.” Less than a second later the three holographic images of the current members of the Citadel Council appeared.“Captain Kel’tis we were told you have an urgent message for us.” Tevos the Asari Councilor spoke.Kel’tis braced himself for the storm of questions that would be coming soon. "Yes, I do Councilors. I have an update on the happenings of the Batarian Hegemony. I'm afraid what I found is only the beginning of a new conflict that will threaten the survival of the Galaxy."The Councilors looked at him with worry. "Surely you must be overstating the fact." Said the Salarian councilor spoke, an older female near the end of her life. "I'm afraid not Councilors. I'm certain that by the end of this, you'll agree that the Citadel is about to enter another dark chapter in its history. By the spirits, I pray it will not be our last.” Batarian StationVakarian ran through the corridors, being careful not to trip on anything. Close behind him were two of his squad-mates, the other three he had ordered to stay in the Command center to continue their downloading of the station's data logs. Once they finished they had orders to return to the shuttles immediately. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his Mandibles twitched in anticipation. Glancing at his Omni-tool, he saw that they were nearing the location of the squad that was attacked. The sounds of weapons fire had long since ceased, confirming to him that the squad was dead now. A pang of guilt welled up from within him, five good Turians were dead now and he wasn't there to help them. As a commanding officer, he knew that there were times that no matter what decision he would make he would lose someone, yet it still did not provide enough comfort knowing that people were going to die under his command.The only other comfort he had was that he would see to it that they did not die in vain. Whoever or whatever was attacking them would soon learn what Turian steel was made of. They rounded the corner.In time to see the head of a Turian soldier be ripped-off of his ravaged body. The perpetrator of the action standing atop of the corpse. It was a strange bipedal creature with dark red skin wrapped around a muscular body. At the end of its hands were five distinctive claws that look like they could tear through armor. Its head posed no distinguishable features not even having eyes and only head a large set of teeth, visibly stained with blue blood, Turian blood. There were two others behind it, and all three stood taller than the average Turian.The Corridor itself was stained with the remains of three maybe four Turian soldiers, it was hard to tell with how badly they were torn to shreds. Castis had almost lost his composure right then and there. But years of training experience kicked in the moment the creatures roared and lunch at them. His heart burning with furry for the monsters he fired his rifle and was quickly joined by his squad mates. To their horror, the creatures did not go down immediately as they expected. But discipline held out for them about a second or two of sustained fire felled the monsters. Though not before one of them managed to get to Castis and swipe one of its claws at his head. He managed to step back and only got lightly grazed at his nose. “What were those things?” He heard a squad-mate inquire."Apparently whatever the Batarians have unleashed on the Galaxy." Was the venomous response that Castis gave the soldier. As of right now, the Batarians were his second least favorite thing in the galaxy, next too whatever these monsters were. He heard a chirp from his com-link. "Yes?" He said opening the link.“This is the reactor team, we’re about to get internal sensors back online.” A male voice reported.Castis allowed for a small happy twitch of his mandibles, at least something was going right. Then he controlled it remembering that at any moment disaster would strike. "Good, as soon as they up, set them to find the following bio-readings." He transmitted the scans he got from the shards they found earlier. "We may have a large enemy presence on this station and I want to know where they are.” He commanded."Aye, sir. Sensors coming on right now. Adjust them to find enemy bio-readings in 3…2…" The Turian’s voiced hitched, and Castis began to worry. “Spirits! … Their …their.” The sound of his voice becoming more and more laced with panic."Soldier get a hold of yourself!" Castis all but shouted over the link. He waits for about a second or two, to let the man calm down enough to speak coherently. "Now tell me what exactly are you seeing?""Sir, it's not good. Not good at all. I think you need to see it for your self.” The voice responded edges of fear still lacing its tone.An instant later Castis’s Omni-tool beeped as it received a data package. A chill creeping up his spine, he opened the data package and gazed at its contents. He nearly had a heart attack.“Everyone we are getting off of this station now!”HMV. Jelton,“And this everything we have until now.” Kel’tis finished his report to the Council."Oh, goddess." Was the only response from Tevos, her expression looking horrified.The Salarian councilor’s eyes were rapidly blinking and just as quickly she was muttering. “Problematic. Very problematic.And the Councilor Filtius looked about ready to murder something. “The damn Batarians, I knew they were nothing but trouble. But to break the law on Mass Relays? I and all of my predecessors knew we should have done something about them sooner. Now its finally come back bit us in the asses." He said doing nothing to hide the anger in his voice. "Our forces need to bee warned about this." The other two councilors didn't bother to say anything in response. Instead, their images winked out, doubtless to warn their respective governments of the disastrous events to come. “Captain Kel’tis I want you and your forces to get whatever information you can on this new threat from the station and then get back to Citadel space. Meanwhile, I'll have to inform the primarch of this new development. Am I understood?”“Loud and clear sir.” Kel’tis responded with a salute, then the image of the Councilor vanished. With the councilors gone the Captain turned his attention back to the live feed from Vakarian’s armor. He saw that the commander was now running at an increased pace than he was before. Actually, now that he thought about it shouldn't have reached the source of that disturbance? "Commander Vakarian what is your status report?”“Sir, I’m having my unit withdraw from the station," Castis said through sharp breaths. Kel’tis’s eyes widen. “What?”The commander turned a corner. "Sir, a moment ago the reactor team manage to get internal sensors operational. I ordered them to scan for bio-readings similar to the shards we picked up. I assumed that would be the same if not close to it. I was right, oh so very right."Kel’tis did not like the way that the commander phrased that. “What were the results.” He asked half of already knowing, and the other afraid of it."Their everywhere sir and there are far too many to fight. And their all converging on my people. Squad 7 as already been wiped out, they were the ones that we heard screaming and shooting. I haven't heard anything from squad 5, I fear they have suffered the same fate. The squads that are not in the hanger are on their way but are already reporting fatalities."The Captain's breath hitched, their ground side teams had been engaged by a previously unknown enemy presence while he spoke to the Councilors and had suffered loses. This was telling to him, as the enemy would have to been on the station before they arrived. Before they had restored life support to the station, which meant they could survive harsh environments either through technological means or on a biological level. He prayed it was the former as the later meant more trouble for future engagements. “Commander I wa-” His order died in its breath as he saw that the moment the commander and his team rounded the corner and came to face to face with what Kel’tis could only describe as monsters. They were bipedal with red skin raped around muscular frames and held not distinguishing features, one of the creatures though had a spiked appendage on its arm. In that same instant the commander and his team held their weapons up and fired at the creatures, and to his and the rest of the command crew's surprise the monsters did not immediately go down. Instead, it took a couple seconds of sustained to kill just a few of them.Then the monsters sprang to action several of them rushed towards the Turian squad and the one with the spiked arm raised its odd appendage towards them. Mandibles twitching in realization Kel’tis tried to shout for them to take cover. Thankfully the commander was much quicker than Kel’tis and shout the same order. The command crew was treated to the sight of the command dove behind a corner, followed by the sounds of projectiles soaring through the air and harmlessly impacting on a wall. Or so they thought as the commander’s gaze brief turned towards the falling body of turian soldier who had not been quick enough to avoid his death. Seemingly not lingering on the thought, the commander and his only surviving Squad-mate turned their attention back to the oncoming enemies and began to fire their weapons. First concentrating their fire on the ones that were running towards them, killing them with sustained fire. Then a second wave of weapons fire tore through the enemy from behind and seconds later their lifeless bodies fell to the Corridor floors. For a second Kel’tis had a hard time comprehending what had occurred. Then he saw through the commander's view that on the other end of the Corridor were four more Turian soldiers in firing positions. Not wanting to waste time commander and his squad-mate ran out from their cover and joined up with the soldiers and they continued their way through the corridors. “As you can see Captain we are in no position to fight those monsters. Spirits I think I met Krogan who were less durable than those freaks.” The Commander’s voice rang out in the command center snapping everyone back to reality. Deciding that the situation had span too far out of control to be able to salvage Kel’tis spoke in a firm voice. "Commander get to the shuttles as quickly as you can. The moment your out of range we're destroying that station." “Yes sir.” He heard Vakarian respond. “Come on men you heard the Captain on the double.”"Cut the live feed. I've seen enough but maintain the communications link." He heard and not a second the image of the Batarian corridors disappeared. "Order the fleet to lock their weapons on the station and to be ready to fire on my command." He said bringing up a tactical display of the fleet station. “Once the station as been destroyed and the shuttles safely returned we’ll-““Sir! Contacts appearing on sensors!" Why was he not surprise that something else had gone wrong? “Give me a visual now!” He barked. The image shift from his fleet and the station to a cluster of ships of a design he had never seen before. There were two things noted about them, the first being that while all shared a baseline design, a rather predatorial looking one, they all appeared to be different from each other, some were smaller, others wider, one looked sharper, and another dull looking. Secondly, he noticed there were a lot of them and they flew close to together, almost give the impression of being a swarm of insects. He really not like that. “What are they?”“They are of unknown design and material. They are unlike anything we’ve seen before.” An awestruck officer replied, disbelief evident in his tone of voice. “ What little we can get is that they some kind of… organic starships.”So these are the enemy’s ships. Kel’tis thought to himself. "It appears as though the commander of the station wasn’t exaggerating when he said back their technology was entirely organic in nature.” He heard his XO speak. “How many are there?” He said almost afraid of the answer.“Heard to tell sir. But the ship's VI estimates between… spirits. Estimates between sixty and seventy ships. They’ll be onto of us in less than a minute.” Kel’tis didn't need to look around to gauge the mood of his command staff. He was certain they were feeling the same thing as he was. Fear, fear that this would be their last day. Even if each of the individual enemy ships were several weaker than one of his, the number disparity was too great for them to overcome. By the way, the opposing fleet was operating together he was certain that they would take full advantage of their numbers. Worse yet they would likely arrive at the station before Vakarian would get to the hanger. Which meant if he wanted to get the fleet out of the system unscathed he would have to sacrifice the ground side team. An unacceptable option, for two reasons. First, Vakarian's team could be carrying valuable information that could help Citadel forces combat this strange new enemy. Secondly, even if they were to run there no guarantee that they would be able to out-run the enemy. Someone had to stay behind to keep them busy.“Order the Light of Palaven to stay by the station to receive the ground team. Once they receive them they are to leave the system at maximum speed and make for the relay. The rest of us will engage the enemy fleet. If possible we will try to escape with the Light of Palaven. But I will be blunt with you.” He turned to face his crew proud to see looks of determination plastered on their faces. “I doubt our odds of surviving this battle. In all likely hood, this will be our last battle together. But in our deaths, we will show this menace what Turian steel is made of. They will see precisely why we have been the defenders of the galactic community. Our sacrifice here today will pave the way for the great victory that Hierarchy will achieve over these foul creatures.” He turned back to face the projection of the closing enemy fleet and held his left arm out to it. "Today these demons meet their death. All ships to battle. For the Hierarchy! For the Galaxy!”“For the Hierarchy!”“For the Galaxy!”Space near the Batarian stationTheir orders given and determination burning in their hearts the seven Turian warships went to work. Of that seven, one frigate the Light of Palaven stayed near the station to receive the ground side team. The rest of the fleet surged towards the attacking fleet determined to slow them down. In less than a minute the Turian fleet had entered into effective weapons range. With a single order from Kel’tis the fleet opened fired with all of its weapons, his cruiser's spinal cannon included. A stream on of kinetic rounds and disruptor torpedoes flu from their ships and serge towards the swarm of ships. The Swarm was quick to react to the attack but not fast enough. In a single second, much to the surprise of the turian fleet about 12 of the Swarm ships were destroyed and five others damaged.However seemingly angered by their losses unleashed the swarm unleashed its own torrent of weapons fire. Organic like shards sailed across the empty void of space and clashed against the barriers of the Turian fleet. They held but took a fair amount of damage. Then in the brief few seconds, it took for the two opposing fleets to close the gap between them, the turian the fleet was able to get off another barrage of weapons fire destroying five more enemy ships and damaging a dozen more.For a moment the crews felt a sense of hope surge through them, as they realized that they managed to destroy almost a third of the enemy Fleet and damaged several other ships. Then that hope died as the battle descended into knife-fighting range. As it turns out the enemy vessels were at their deadliest in knife fights. It wasn’t they had powerful broadsides, for they no such weapons. Their lethality was a tribute to their size, almost all of their ships were around the size of a corvette, as such they were faster and more maneuverable than anything the true and fleet had at its disposal. The enemy knew this and used it to deadly effect, as they flew around their targets at speeds that made them difficult to hit. All the while their weapons tore into the barriers and eventually the halls of the turian ships. Creating hull breaches that would vent atmosphere and any unlucky crewman nearby into the cold void of the space.But Turian discipline held true as it always had for thousands of years. While difficult to hit the oddly organic ships were stilled felled by kinetic rounds from their prey. While one turian warship was cut to pieces it was able to take four or five of the attackers with it. Then the worst happened unknown to the Turian fleet in the center of the swarm were three ships that would qualify as cruisers one of them had what could only be described as an equivalent to a spinal mounted cannon. That same cannon was pointed directly at one of the three remaining frigates in the battered Turian fleet. It fired, while not as powerful as its Turian counterpart it was still enough to shatter the hall of the ship. Seeing the threat in the enemy’s ranks Kel’tis order his command cruiser to, re-ordinate itself to face what he had assumed to be the enemy's flagship. The two ships began to exchange fire at long range, determined to annihilate each other.Batarian stationCastis and his squad quickly rounded another corner to see the entrance to the hanger. Of the seven troops in their group, only four remained, himself included. The three missing having been picked off by the creatures. In the process, he had learned that monsters they were fighting came in different forms, as they had encountered a group of varren like creatures that tore one of his men to shreds.They entered the hanger, one of them shooting a console to close the doors behind them, preventing any pursuers from entering. On the far end of the hanger taking cover behind a hastily made barricade, and support by two of the shuttles flying in the air were squads 1 and 2. What was left of them, six soldiers were fighting for their lives against a pack of enemies charging at them. Without the need to give orders Castis and his group held up their rifles and fired at the enemy. With angles of fire, they were able to open a hole in their ranks, which the Turians charged through to group up with the remains of the hanger team. Only losing one soldier, a poor soul who had been tackled by one of the varren creatures and was quickly silenced as several of the monsters descended on her. Now having joined up with their brothers and sisters in battle, they turned weapons to the enemy, greatly slowing down their advance. "Has the team from the command center made it back here yet?" Castis shouted above the sounds of the fighting.“Affirmative sir. They arrived right before the enemy began to enter the hanger with overwhelming force.” Shouted the leader of the Hanger team.Castis nodded to himself, glad something was going right. He hoped whatever information they manage to pry from the station’s computer core would be useful. “Good, once the reactor team and squad 5 get here we’re leaving." Last he heard them the two groups had managed to hook up and were on their way. "Understood?”"Yes, sir."Ducking down behind cover Castis activated his comm-link and opened a channel to the command. “This Commander Vakarain to the Jelton we have arrived in the hanger and are awaiting the remainder of our forces to join up with us before withdrawing. Be ready to pick us up."On the other side of the link, he was met with sounds of chaotic shouts and muffled thunders. "This Captain Kel’tis I’m afraid the Jelton will not be able to pick you up." There was an inaudible shouted grabbing the captain's attention as he barked an intangible ordered. "An enemy fleet arrived in system and we were forced to engage them."Castis’s stomach sunk at the news. "Will you be able to repel them?" He asked, a part of him already knowing the answer but refused to accept it. There was a pregnant pause before the Captain's response came. "While we have mange to inflict significant damage to their fleet, we are down to two ships. This will be our final battle." There was a finality in the tone of his voice. One Castis desperately wanted to argue with, he had severed under this man for years. They had been in more battles and skirmishes together than he cared to count. For spirit's sake! The man had even introduced him to his wife! To know that the man would die today, and in such a remote region of space. He didn't want to accept it. He refused to accept it.But before he could argue his point the Captain cut him off. “I had the Light of Palavan stay behind. They will receive you and your team. Castis please don't argue with me on this. Whatever information you manage to get from the Batarian station could prove to be vital in the coming war. We all knew the risks when we joined the military and accepted them. So please just get to the ship and get out of this system. We'll buy you as much time as we can."Castis opened his mouth to argue, then closed it then opened it again and closed it before finally nodding. "Yes, sir. Once the reactor team is here we'll escape to the Light of Palavan.” He said feeling like someone had torn one of his mandibles off. "Goodman. Now get to work."Before he terminated the link he said. “It’s been a pleasure serving with you sir." With the link terminated Castis turned his attention back to battle in the hanger. Seeing the enemy was getting close to overwhelming their position, he knew he had another tough decision to make. He could stay here for the reactor team and risk his position thereby losing the information, or could have what remained of his unit withdraw now and leave them for dead.He activated his comm again but this time he connected to the leader of the reactor team. "Reactor team, what's your status?" “This is the reactor team.” Came a gruff voice after a second or two of waiting, weapons fire in the background. “We’re at one of the hangers secondary entrances, the one on the left." Castis looked to the general direction of where that would be. Sure enough, was a pair of large closed doors. There was a small enemy group between them.“I see it.” He said to the man.“We’re about to open it, and join up with you.”"Good. We'll try to clear a path for you on our end. Once you hav-” There was a deafening roar on the other end of the link.“Spirits! What is that thing?” Shouted the man in fear.“Trooper. What's going on there?” He asked fear coursing through him. No response, only the frantic sounds of weapons fire. “Trooper!!”“No, no. StaY AWAY. AAGGGHHH!” The man’s terrified scream was cut short as the sound of something heavy lashed through the air. Followed by a sickening crunch and squishing sound. Not a moment later, almost like a cruel joke by the universe, the doors on the left side of the hanger opened, revealing what had happened. Almost three times bigger than its cousins, the red-skinned monster let out a roar of triumph. “Spirits," Castis muttered to himself, at the sight of a new variant of their attackers. Just how many variants did these abominations have? Next to the creature were two shell shocked Turians standing helplessly as the massive monster lifted its blood-drenched arm. Castis screamed for them to move. But it was already too late as the creature swing out its arm catching the soldiers and sent them flying in a nearby wall with a sickening thud, their lifeless bodies falling to the ground. The reactor team was no more.With its prey dead the monster turned its attention to the remaining turians. With little choice left Castis shouted his next set of orders. “Everyone retreat to the shuttles.” A hail of fire rained on the massive monster as the remains of the Turian force began a fighting retreat. The two airborne shuttles swiveled around to bring their weapons to bear on the creature. The monster was pushed back by their combined firepower. In response, the titanic monster roared in rage, left another of is arms into the air, a spiked appendage attached to it.Castis’s blood went cold, he was wouldn’t be surprised if it was frozen at this point. Before he could give a warning the massive shard fired from the appendage. It sailed through the air and smashed into one of the airborne shuttles, piercing its cockpit and coming out of the end of the shuttle. Without its pilots the shuttle flew out of control and crashed into its partner, resulting in an explosion destroying them. Their remains scattering across the hanger, in a stork of luck they took out a sizable portion the attackers.Not wanting to tempt fate anymore and risk another disaster striking Castis now the last one out, threw himself into the closest shuttle. The moment he heard the door shut, he felt the shuttle larch as it lifted off of the ground. Sounds of projectiles hitting the hull sounded and Castis prayed that the large one would not fire on them. To his relief, he felt the craft shuddered as it suddenly accelerated, and was briefly thrown back by the force. A moment later the stabilizers caught up and he was able to stand up properly. Giving himself a moment to catch his bearings, he moved to the cockpit of the shuttle. Through its viewport he saw the rapidly approaching form of a turian frigate, its hanger bay doors already opening.Space near the Batarian stationThe moment the two shuttles land in its hanger-bay, the Light of Palavan acting on its orders turned away from the station and began to accelerate away from it. Close by the enemy swarm continued its attack on the Jelton the only ship left in its group.Seeing that the groundside team had made its escape, Captain Kel’tis said a final prayer for himself and his crew, tapped the controls on his command console. Seconds later a blinding flash of light enveloped the turian cruiser as its reactor core detonated. The resulting explosion destroyed several of the enemy ships and severely damaged the command cruiser.Its attackers unable to pursue it, the light of Palavan the sole survivor of the onslaught from the mysterious enemy flew on.Light of Palavan, hanger bayThe moment the commanding officer of the Light of Palavan had informed them had made their jump out of the system, Castis Vakarian allowed himself to let out a sigh of relief. While it was still possible that the enemy could be pursuing right now, they would not be able to catch them. He looked over to see the wary survivors of his ground team. Eleven other survivors plus the shuttle pilots, three-quarters of his men dead. Worse yet were the rest of the forces he command, that he did not bring with him. Most of them would have perished with their ships, the only survivors being here on the light of Palavan. In effect, he had lost almost everyone under his command. Good men and woman whom he fought alongside for years, all gone now.In most cases, he would face series charges for such loses, and would likely his rank and command. However since most of them were killed on their ships before they had a chance to fight, he would not be faulted. He still felt guilty.Regardless of how he felt, he knew this was only the beginning of a greater conflict to come. He and his men had the pleasure of experiencing the outer edges of a coming storm. A storm he feared that would consume all of Citadel space and beyond.‘Spirits if you are listening. Please grant our people the strength to wither this storm.’Space near the Batarian station, mysterious cruiserThe creature that commanded its lessers sensed the departure of the others. Its fury held back, it had wanted to continue its hunt of the new prey. But the several losses to its swarm had stopped. Even now the creature could feel the pain vibrate throughout its vessel. Such a terrible pain that it incited a fury it had never known before. It wanted vengeance. It wanted to tear the new prey to pieces. To taste its flesh, to feel their strange life fluids drain down its throat. It wanted them to suffer. But it held its anger in check. It knew that while the new prey was weaker than the progenitors, they still strong enough to kill many of them. To uselessly throw itself at them would gain nothing for the great swarm. It smiled to itself, it mattered little they were still weak, and the swarm was strong. By decree of their King, the swarm would devour the weak. They would devour all things and grow in strength. Then one sweet day they would devour the progenitors.Content in knowing that the future was set in stone, the creature turned its attention to the healing of its swarm.
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CH: 10 Arrival September 9th 13:17, Me’lanum, HMV. Spirit of Vengeance “Admiral more enemy ships have broken through our lines!” Shouted an officer over the sounds of battle.Admiral Galie growled to herself. From the very start of this battle, things had been going wrong. The Me’lanum system while not crucial to the Turian Hierarchy was still one of great importance. Firstly it had a large colony by the name Byrtus which had a population of over a billion souls. That alone would have prompted her people to defend it with whatever forces they could muster, the fact that there was a relay in the system only contributed to their desire to defend the system. If the enemy were to take the system, a reality that looks to be a likely outcome, then they would be able to launch assaults on dozens of defenseless colonies across Turian space. There was a possibility that they could even start attacking the core systems of the Hierarchy. "Order Cruiser groups 17 and 19 to reposition themselves to defend that breach." She ordered, feeling her ship shudder violently as it took another hit from an enemy dreadnought. “Are we in position to fire on that enemy dreadnought?”"Yes, sir. The main cannon is primed and ready." Said Tactical."Fire!" She was treated to the sound of a twenty-kilogram slug being fired from the dreadnought's spinal cannon. An instant later the image of the opposing dreadnought winked out of existence. A part of her was mildly disappointed that she did not get to see the 427 dreadnought violently explode with her own eyes, it would have gone a long way to soothe her soul. But she has to settle for knowing that the monstrosity was gone now. For the thousandth time since the beginning of this damn war, she thanked the spirits that the enemy vessels were for the most part inferior to their Turian or any other citadel counterpart. Enough so that it often took a seven to one ratio or greater for them to achieve a victory.Unfortunately for her and the rest of Citadel space. "Sir, more contacts coming in," Tactical said just as they felt the Spirit of Vengeance quack from enemy fire. The enemy that came to be known as the 427s tended to bring way more than just seven for every one of their vessels, instead, they usually brought fleets that were ten to fifteen times bigger than the defenders. By the spirits! It was like fighting a swarm of insects, no matter how many they killed more would just take their place and overwhelm their target. That target often being a Turian warship full of good men and women.Not for the first time and likely not the last, at least she hoped it would not be the last, she had to ask herself. 'How did this happen? Oh, right those damn four eyed freaks had to go and get greedy.' Two years ago the Citadel had sent a small task force of seven ships into Batarian space, to investigate why they had suddenly gone quiet. Not even a few hours later, the task force returned, or rather what was left of it. Only a single frigate the Light of Palavan had returned from that ill-fated mission. The Survivors had brought with them news of what the Batarians had done.A few months prior they had opened a dormant relay in hopes to expand their retched empire. Two months later their territory had been overrun the 427s (their namesake coming from the relay that the Batarians had opened, 427). The council didn't get much time mull over the news as days later the 427s began their assault on citadel space overwhelming the megger border defenses almost immediately. Thankfully with the tensions that built up after the Batarians had cut themselves off from the rest of the Galaxy, the higher-ups had seen to it that the systems farther behind the boarders would have their defenses bolster in case of an attack from the Hegemony. That combined with the warning from the almost decimated taskforce enabled them to hold back the attacking fleets. For a short time, the sheer numbers of the enemy overwhelming them in months. Since then everything had been downhill from there.‘Damn the Batarians and their greed for power. The next time I see one of them I’ll shoot them in between their four eyes on principle alone.’ It was disappointing to know that whoever ordered the opening of the relay was most likely dead, eaten by the same monsters the Turian military was fighting now. Galie would have loved to get her talons on the idiot. The news of the former hegemony ambassador being lynched a few months ago did put a spring in her step.Shoving her morbid thoughts to the side, she carefully analyzed the tactical display of the battle, trying to find a way to turn the tide into her favor. Her forces were doing will to inflict significant damage to the swarm and slowing its advance down. A fact she took with pride. While the forces of the Citadel were being pushed back every day, they were slowing the 427’s advance with more success every day. The past two years had taught them a great deal about how to fight this enemy. The ships of the "Big Three" navies were being outfitted with new technologies that would enable higher rates of fire from their weapons and shorter cooldowns. New VIs with improved targeting and tracking processors were being installed, and new tactics meant to deal with vast numbers were being implemented. On the ground side, soldiers were being trained to fight swarm like enemies in an effective manner, such as forcing the swarms of enemies to spread themselves out to attack as many targets as possible, reducing the effectiveness of their vast numbers. Despite the cost, armor-piercing and incendiary mods were becoming standard issue to counter the durability and regenerative abilities of the 427's. Further military analyst were working around the clock to come up with new defensive and offensive strategies to combat the 427s. Engineers were being pushed to design new technologies and scientists of all fields assemble to study the enemy. There was even word that bio-logical warfare was being considered. In short, the races of the Citadel were doing everything in their power to survive the war.The results showed themselves in this battle of the swarm’s original thirty thousand ships over a third had been wiped out by her fleet, at the cost of losing half of the fifteen hundred ships she commanded. If the trend continued then by the time they managed to defeat her fleet, then this swarm would likely be in no position to launch farther attacks into Citadel space. Giving the Council fleets time to reinforce the vulnerable systems that lied beyond the Ma’lanum Relay. It was sad truth of the war, much of the council’s wartime resources were being spent just to slow the swarm’s advance. Her fleet was just another example of that reality. Credit where it was due they were doing a better job of it then they were at the start of the war. A combination of the citadel improving its war standing and the 427 swarm stretching itself had enabled the Hierarchy to slow the advance, even halt it in some fronts if the rumor were to be believed. Unfortunately for her, her fleet the 10th defense group would not be able to repel the enemy here. "Target the closest enemy ship." She ordered her command staff. "Order frigate groups seven, nine, and thirteen to begin attack runs on the cruisers closing in our position, see if they can't draw some fire away from us."“Yes, sir.”“Try to get me a line to General Desolas." Several seconds and a destroyed swarm cruiser later, the image of an older Turian male dressed in a general's garb appeared."Admiral Galie," Said the man, his voice is somewhat muffled by the sounds of battle in the background. "I assume by your expression the battle in orbit isn't going favorably is it?"With a shake of her head, the Admiral confirmed the general’s fears. “I’m afraid so Desolas. Half of the fleet has been lost to the enemy, and more of their ships are breaking through with passing second."“And dropping more of their soldiers to the planet’s surface.” The General finished for her."We have however managed to destroy a little over a third of their force. If we can keep this up by the time we're defeated by the swarm will be in no position to attack other worlds. They'll have to stay here and wait for whatever reinforcements they'll get." Galie didn't fancy the idea of dying here, before the war started she had hoped to live out a good long life in service to the Hierarchy before retiring and living out the rest of her days on Palavan. Maybe take up a hobby or two to pass the time, face painting was a fine old tradition to take up. Her sense of duty overruled such fantasies, if it meant the millions or even billions of lives would be saved by her actions, then she would gladly sacrifice herself, every time. She saw a sympathetic look in the general's eye. "Is there any you can escape the battle?"For a moment the Admiral was taken aback by the General's question but quickly hid it. General Desolas Arterius was known as a hard man who committed ruthless and sometimes questionable actions to complete the mission. He rarely ever retreated in the face of adverse odds. She supposed that even he found throwing lives away worthlessly to be distasteful. “I’m afraid not General. The 427s have cut off all means of escape, we have no choice but to fully commit to the defense of this world.”The General rubbed his Mandibles thoughtfully. "In that case try to make every ship count. The ships they have the better for us. Meanwhile, my forces will do everything they can slow their ground forces down. We can hold out for a long even without orbital support."It was true, even when a world was lost the people on them would continue to fight on, for months after. Even now they heard rumors that there resistance groups still fighting on some of the first worlds to fall to the swarm. In a way it was comforting to know that should the Citadel ever manage to go on the offensive and reclaim its lost territories they find survivors on the lost worlds still fighting for their homes. This fact alone assured her that they would eventually win this war, every day the people of the Citadel were fighting. Not for land or simply because their governments told them to do so. They were fighting for so much more they were fighting for their friends, family, their homes, and their very way of life. The swarm cared little for such things as family and peace, all they seemed to care about was devouring everything in their path without so much as a care or thought to what it meant to others. That in her opinion would be their ultimate undoing. Even if she were to be struck down here today, a thousand more like would rise to take her place. The swarm in their bid to devour all had awakened a terrible force."I know that General." She said finding that her voice held more conviction then she thought possible. "I just thought that you should know that you’ll find yourself fighting alone soon.” Her ship shudder as more fire was direct at it.“Barriers down to seventeen percent.” She heard a frantic cry.Today was a good day to die. "General it has been an honor and a privilege to serve alongside you."For a moment she thought she saw a sad twitch of the man’s mandibles. “The honor as been mine Admiral. Die well and take as many of those monsters with you.”
Galie allowed her mandibles to twitch in amusement. Before she could respond to the man's sentiments, she heard one of her officers shout something out. Turning her attention to the officer, the image of Desolas winking out of existence. "What was that?" She asked.“The relay is activating.” Said the officer."Reinforcements?" She asked more to herself than to anyone else. With a few swipes at her control console, the tactical display of the ongoing battle shifted to show the system's relay. Just as the man said the relay's twin rings were spinning rapidly a clear indication that something was coming through.“I don’t sir.” The officer answered unaware that the question had not been directed at him. “The signals we’re getting are not clear. The chaos of the battle and damage sustained to our sensors are making it difficult to identify them.”Could the Hierarchy have deemed the system important enough to send reinforcements? It was possible, the Ma’lanum system while not a crucial one, could still be considered an important strategic with a relay that leads deeper into Hierarchy space. However it was unlikely, other systems like Veltous had been attacked and never received reinforcements. In fact, reinforcements in response to any attack was a rarity, as it would only add to their mounting losses. Those forces were deemed more useful in reinforcing more vulnerable areas of Citadel space. Which begged the question if they weren't reinforcements from the Hierarchy; or any other member of the Citadel as each race was becoming more concerned with defending their space then her people's, then who were they? Her question was quickly answered as a cluster of ships she had never seen before appeared on the display, having come from somewhere beyond the relay. More appeared as the other ships moved head in a tight formation before coming to stop at what she guessed was a designated area. She had to give them credit, whoever they are they're a disciplined bunch judging by the way their ships were flown and the tight formations the held. A few seconds later the stream of unknown ships came to an end, revealing a rather respectable sized fleet."Tactical who are they and how many of them are there?" She asked her mind too occupied to notice that the shaking of the dreadnought had suddenly ceased.The reply that came was quick. "I've run them through the database. They are of an unknown design. No other species matches them. As for your second question sensors identify one thousand ships.” One thousand ships? What was a fleet like that doing here? Then there was the fact the ships were of a design that no other known race possessed. Her mandibles twitched and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was no way. In the middle of a battle and with a fleet that large? What were the odds? She could only think of one possibility that could account for these ships, one she found hard to believe and to be a little too convenient. A new species had entered the scene.“Sir there was something else that the sensors picked up on," Tactical said, her body tense as she picked up a note of apprehension in his voice. "While the ships appear to be made of materials similar to ones we use in our ship construction, there were some oddities detected."“Oddities.” She inquired never taking her eyes off of the display.“Aside from the fact that these materials come from worlds that are not known by the Citadel, they show signs of having biological components. Components that are of a similar nature to the ones found in the 427 ships.” He said, his voice holding no trace of emotion.Similar biological components to the 427 swarm? Her mind began to panic. Could these be another variation of the abominations that had thus far gone unnoticed? Could they be stronger than the ones they had fought so far? Was the Citadel really truly doomed, and they had deceived themselves into thinking that they could win?‘NO!’ She thought to herself, shaking her head. This was no time to go into doomsday scenarios. Thinking about it clearly, it was obvious that these were a separate group from the 427s. First was that they came through the Ma'lanum relay and not from outside the system like the swarm had. To her knowledge there was no enemy presence beyond the relay. Second, the designs of the ships were where uniformed, unlike the 427s who seemed to build their ships at random, nor did they act in the same manner. They lacked the swarm-like mentality that was apparent in the way they flew. Instead, the unidentified ships flew in a way that suggested intelligence and held tight and neat formations. Then there was the fact that accord to officer the ships were only partially organic versus the entirely organic ships of the 427 swarm. The conclusion they were a separate group from the swarm, though she would accept the possibility that they had some kind of relation to them. The question was what kind of relationship was that?
Before she could voice her thoughts, she saw the unknowns disappear from the display. “What happened to the unknowns?”
“According to sensors, they entered FTL." Tactical began. "Their cours-… The unknown contacts have reappeared! Their five thousand kilometers away from the swarm."
"Show me, now." The Admiral all but shouted. The display shifted away from the relay back to the battle and was met with a surprise. Indeed as Tactical said the unidentified fleet had reappeared near the battle, but what shocked her was that the swarm was no longer attacking them. They simply just floated where they were, seemingly in a daze. Her forces had stopped firing as well likely in shock at the sudden turn of events. The next moments would be forever summited in her mind.
“Admiral the unknown fleet has opened fired on the swarm.” Just as he said the display showed the unknown fleet firing into the swarm. To say the effect was devastating would be like saying water is wet. In mere seconds countless numbers of the swarm blinked out of existence. She would have not believed it had she not seen it with her own eyes, and still had a hard time believing it. “Spirits.” She heard a mutter. “If these readings are to believed more than half of the swarm was wiped out in that attack.” The officer said dumbly.
For a brief moment, the universe seems to stand still as the Admiral tried to and failed to comprehend the sudden change in events. A fleet of unknown origin quite possibly made by a new race had entered the system and proceed to lay waste to the swarm. The destruction she and the rest of the Turian fleet saw be inflicted on the swarm had never been seen. In the two years, they had been fighting the monsters, in almost every engagement they had against the 427 swarm, the forces of the Citadel had struggled to inflict noticeable losses to the swarm’s numbers. It was true that a single citadel ship could destroy several swarm ships by itself, with the number going up with larger battlegroups. The problem was that no matter how many they could destroy a dozen more would take their place and a dozen after. These creatures had shown that they were more than willing to take massive losses to achieve a victory, and could easily replace them. It was mainly the reason why the Citadel had taken so many losses over the years, the swarm was replacing their numbers faster than they could kill them. The same went for their ground forces, in some ways being worse. To see so many of the swarm ships destroyed in such a short amount of time was a shock to the Admiral's system, to say the least. Whoever these people were, they knew how to fight the swarm. She wasn't the only one who this thought. The swarm having been caught in the same stupor as the Turians, suddenly came to life and surged towards the unknown fleet in a fury she never has seen in them before. Seeing the swarm acting once had caused the Admiral's mind to snap back to reality.Regardless of what had occurred and the intentions of the unknowns, their attack had presented her with an opportunity that she could not pass up. “Coms.” She shouted, causing her command crew to snap back to reality and resume their work with a renewed fervor. “Order the fleet to form up. We’re going on the offensive.” Her questions for the unknowns would have to wait.Ma’lanum system, spaceThe next few minutes or so would be engraved in the memories of every Turian present forever. The swarm caught up in its blinding raged had thrown themselves at the Unknown fleet, completely ignoring the battered Turian fleet. A fatal mistake and one they would never have the chance to learn from. While the Turian fleet had taken significant damage from the swarm with several hundreds of ships lost. But they still around seven hundred warships ready to tear their enemies apart.Without releasing it the Swarm suddenly found itself being attacked from two sides as for the first in more than a year a Turian fleet had gone on the offensive. In moments several swarm ships would meet their end as weapons from both fleets tore into them. Then to the surprise of the Turians, the unknowns launched wave after wave of strike craft against the swarm ships, the majority of them being deployed form small ports line across their hulls. The strike craft that seemed to number in the tens of thousands flew right into the ranks of the swarm and began a devastating attack run. It was almost cathartic for the Turians to see the swarm fall prey to its own tactic. All to quickly the 427 swarm had found itself fighting a losing battle, a fact that all present took great pleasure in. The swarm, however, did not seem to care about their losses and continued to attack the unknowns with a fervor that no Citadel race had seen before. As a result, the unknown fleet started to take losses. They were mostly smaller ships either being a corvette or frigate, occasionally a cruiser sized ship would be shattered being felled by the main cannons of the few large ships the swarms employed. Those same ships would quickly be cut down by the larger ships of the unknowns. A swarm dreadnought was annihilated when kinetic rounds fired from the main cannon of the Spirit of Vengeance and the main cannon of an unknown warship that was around the same size as the Hierarchy's pocket dreadnoughts, stroked it at the same time.Then the largest swarm ship came out from what was left of the Swarm. A ship that measured around thirteen hundred meters, and was quickly identified as swarm superdreadnought. It was the most feared ship in the swarm's ranks, its appearance often signaling the doom of defending Citadel forces. Since their first sighting one had never been felled in battle. Until now.The unknowns seemed to realize the threat posse by the monstrous ship as they focused their attention on it. From within their ranks three ships all them bigger than a Turian dreadnought emerged their main cannons facing the massive swarm ship. Around these dreadnoughts were several of the pocket dreadnoughts ready to support their larger counterparts. The Turians were no slouches in this regard as Admiral Galie ordered that her dreadnought ordinate itself so that its main cannon faced the swarm superdreadnought, several other Turian pocket dreadnoughts doing the same. They fired striking the rear of the titanic vessel. While the swarm superdreadnought was far more durable than any other swarm ship or even a Citadel ship, it was no much for the combined firepower of four dreadnoughts, and a dozen ships close to their size and power. Whole sections of the ships wear torn off, exposing its interior. Turian gunners cheered in delight as they saw the bodies of countless 427s be jettison out to the cold vacuum of space. However, they would not have the satisfaction of seeing the titanic being destroyed as it would turn to expose its broadsides to oncoming fire. Both fleets instantly recognized the intention, but not have enough time to react as the massive suddenly sped away into FTL. A small handful of other 427 ships would join it. The rest of the battle could only be described as a one-sided cleanup, as both fleets began to pick off the remaining swarm ships that did not escape. In a matter of minutes, the last of the swarm ships were destroyed, clearing the Veltous system of all hostiles.The two fleets gazed at each other.September 9th 13:32, Ma’lanum System, HMV. Spirit of Vengeance For the first time in two years, the command center of the Spirit of Vengeance sounded with shouts of victory. It was unbelievable, the Admiral had just witnessed what could be the first major victory since the start of the war. It was almost like a dream to her and she half expected to wake up in her quarters to find out that none of it was real. That they were still losing ground to the swarm.To her relief, no such thing happened, and the more logical side of her mind told her that this was very much real. They had achieved a victory here today, granted it was because of the unexpected aid from an unknown force. But she would take it, her people needed a victory, even if it wasn’t entirely won by them alone. They needed to see that their enemies could be beaten, made to bleed for nothing. Today they had seen that, and once word got out the Admiral had no doubt it would reinvigorate her people, give them a sense of hope. That hope would drive the Turian people to new heights as they fought against the swarm as they now knew that it could be beaten. They would drive the swarm out of Citadel space and back to whatever spirts-forsaken world they crawled out from.She gazed at the projection of the unknown fleet as it silently sat across from her fleet. A part of her hoping they had gained a powerful new ally that would help them in their cause. “Hail the unknown fleet. I think its time we met our new friend.” She said grabbing the attention of her comms officer.“Right away, sir.” He said an edge of excitement in his voice. “Sir, they're already hailing us. Broadband signal, it appears to be a signal to the whole fleet.” ‘Their quick.’ She thought. “Play it.” The projection changed, and Galie was not the only one who gasped in surprise. Before them dressed in what was likely a high ranking officer’s uniform was a being that looks disturbingly like in an Asari. Take away the strange fur on their head and face than paint its skin blue and you have what could be a male Asari.The Asari like thing spoke in a clear deep voice. “Turian fleet this is Admiral McKinley of the 4th Reaction Fleet. We represent the United Terran Federation by order of our leaders we have come to join the war against the Dragon Orphans, the creature you know as the 427s. With your permission, we would like to begin landing our forces on the planet to aid your soldiers in fighting the enemy ground forces. We await your response.” The man had spoken in perfect Turian. Whoever these "Terrans" were they appeared to know enough about her people to be able to speak their language, a disturbing implication. But that would have to wait for later, the forces on the planet needed all the help they could get. She wasn’t about to deny them major reinforcements. Judging by what they did to the swarm fleet, the Terrans would likely do more than just “help”. “Get me General Desolas, he needs to be informed of this new development. Tell him reinforcements have arrived.”September 9th 14: 18, City on Brytus Saren Arterius was not having a good day today. Well, to be more accurate he was not having a good year, two of them actually. However, today, in particular, was varren shit, as a Krogan mercenary he fought once would put it. “Watch out!” This was the reason for his foul mood. Taking the warning as a queue to jump out of the way of whatever was coming their way he threw himself to the ground. Unfortunately, someone either didn't hear the warning or were not fast enough to react to it, the end result was the same. There was a scream which was silenced with the sound of something heavy hitting a squishy body. Two of them if the sound of sickening pops were anything to go by.Saren rolled around and got to his knees behind some nearby cover and looked where the sounds originated. Sure enough, there was a hover vehicle where it wasn’t before and pinned under it were the squashed remains of two turian soldiers. Behind him he heard a loud roar, he peaked his head out from cover to see the culprit. One of the giant variants of the 427s was standing over some fallen rubble, its normally red skin stained in the blood of its victims. It roared again and held out its overly muscled arm out as telling its smaller brethren to charge. They did, dozens of the bipedal monsters charged out towards the crumbling Turian line, paying no heed that they had exposed themselves to a counter-attack. Saren took his rifle, a Phaeston that had been modified to fire heavier rounds than normal, a response design to counter the 427s unnatural durability and regenerative abilities. He fired mowing down several of the approaching monsters. Then he ducked back to cover, avoiding a hail of organic shards, fired from some gunner 427s that had stayed behind the oncoming swarm. When the shards ceased to rain down on him, he stood up and pointed to where he saw some of the gunners, he fired. He was able to pick off two of them before being forced to take cover again to avoid being impaled.Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a squad of Turians preparing to fire a rocket launcher, the most probable target being the giant. It would take them a few seconds to get it ready, time they may not have. Saren looks out from his cover, searching over the ruined city street to find anything that could be used to slow the swarms advance. Some hanging ruble on a nearby building caught his eye, it right in the path of the giant, that would do.He held his hand to his chest. Breath in and focus. He thought to himself, remembering the simple routine that would help him channel his biotics. It had been a surprise to him and his family when they first found out that he was a biotic. Turian biotics were rare and his family showed little history of biotics. But it had not been an unwelcome one if anything it had brought great honor to his family. Turian biotics were considered a valuable resource by the Hierarchy, and they provide special privileges and an elevated standing to families that produced at least one biotic. In the words of a long-dead primarch whose name Saren couldn't be bothered to remember right now. “The loyal parents that produce such gifted offspring rightfully deserve to reward for their contributions to the Hierarchy.” He consciously channeled the electrical currents in his nervous system towards the biotic nodes laid out his body. From there they went to the bio-amps implant in his body to channel and amplify the energy. His arm started to glow with visible blue fire. A second passed before Saren was certain that he had built enough energy for the task he had in mind. He stood from his cover, turning to face the incoming swarm the giant close behind them. It was almost right underneath the rubble, if he wanted to slow it down he would have to act now. He shot his arm out in the direction of the rubble, with a single unconscious thought much like breathing, he fired a bolt of biotic energy. The energy bolt sailed through the air and impacted the area where the rubble was hanging from. The force behind the blast being enough to throw a person back several meters, exploded destroying its target sending a shower of debris everywhere. The rubble that had been hanging from the building now fell to the ground below, right on top of the enemy. Some of the 427s paused and looked up, only to be squished under the weight of the falling debris. The giants as expected took the worse of the impact as the largest piece of debris struck it dead center. It toppled over the sudden impact of the weight being too much for it.Saren allowed a small twitch of triumph in his mandibles. Than quickly stopped, as he heard the giant roar in rage. It was down but not out. The giant stood up quickly, the ruble covering its body falling off, visibly shaking in rage. But before the giant had the chance to act on its anger, its upper torso explodes in a ball of fire and metal. Seconds later its topless and charred body fell lifelessly to the ground. Taking cover again and turning his head saw the squad of soldiers cheering in triumph, close by he saw that his commanding officer was giving him a nod of approval.A gesture that Saren took with pride, being a biotic in the infantry he was distrusted by his fellow soldiers. The animosity stemming from the belief that biotics received special treatment simply because they were born with abilities that others didn't. The Hierarchy being a meritocracy based society one could see the argument behind that claim. Saren, when he was first assigned to his unit, had been viewed with suspicion, though there was no outright hostility directed at him. Saren at the time did not care about how he was treated and still didn't care, all he cared about was serving the Hierarchy and getting the mission done. Today though his peers respected him for his ability, his bravery and though it sometimes rubbed them the wrong way his ruthlessness in battle. He can still appreciate the gesture though. The small moment of victory was cut short though as they heard more of the 427s approach. Looking back at the ruined street, Saren growled in frustration. More of the abominations were pour out into the street and charging their way toward the Turian line. This time there were some of the varren like creatures in their ranks, and winged 427s flew through the air.The battle was not yet over, Saren knew. He fired his rifle again joining in the hail of fire his united unleashed on the incoming swarm. Occasionally other members of his unit would throw grenades into a cluster of enemies, killing them. Saren himself would periodically throw bolts of biotic energy at the swarm of enemies, tearing their bodies apart, or he would throw up a barrier to shield his comrades. But no matter what they did to slow the tide of enemies, and how many losses they took the swarm was quickly gaining ground. Much too quickly for his taste Saren and the rest of his unit found themselves fighting a retreating battle. When he saw three of the giant types appear, he knew that they had no choice but to make a full retreat. He hated to retreat and he had been in far too many throughout the war. It came too close to being cowardly for his taste and was an open admission of defeat to their enemies, not that they seem to care. He did understand the necessity behind retreating, it saved lives that would otherwise have been uselessly lost. A soldier dying for a cause was one thing, but one dying and accomplishing nothing was another. By falling back to a more advantageous position not only did they save valuable lives, but the ones that were lost held more worth. This much he could understand, but it did not mean he had to like it. A good soldier should not have to retreat in the face of their enemies. “Full retreat.” His commanding officer said, forcing Saren to repress a growl. “Fall back to the next defensive position. Saren I want you and your squad along with squads 14 and 15 to cover our retreat. Understood?” Well, at least he would get to fight the enemy as they ran. "Yes, sir.” He said receiving an approving nod from the man. "Let's get moving.For the next several minutes Saren and about a dozen other Turian soldiers would be engaged in a fighting retreat, while the rest of their unit fled. Every time their unit got a certain distance away, they fall back to a safer position to keep up with them, and at the same time continue to do their best to slow the swarm of enemies. For every inch the monsters took, they paid a bloody toll. Grenades, incendiary rounds, biotics, one soldier even manage to detonate a nearby fuel canister close to a long abandon vehicle the resulting killing one of the giants and numerous other 427s. Saren would fire his rifle while being careful not let it overheat, at the same time he would throw out powerful biotic attacks. Singularities, throws, warp everything at his disposal were thrown at them having a great effect. The races of the citadel had quickly learned that the 427s were highly vulnerable to biotics, a weakness that they exploited whenever they could. This gave rise to using biotic units on the frontlines more frequently than most militaries would under normal circumstances. Excluding Asari, Biotics where rare and ones strong to be trained for combat even more so as such they usually in special forces roles where they could be used to maximum effect. But war, especially one where one was losing tended to breed a strong sense of pragmatism that overruled such preferences.It was why Saren had been assigned to infantry units like this one, instead of being placed in the CABAL as most other biotic Turians would. It probably would not have mattered if he was assigned to a CABAL unit, as several of them were deployed to the frontlines to aid the Hierarchy army in slowing the enemy invasion. Either way, Saren was inflicting heavy damage to the advancing swarm. As expected the enemy took note of his actions and began to concentrate their attention on him.‘Good.’ The more they focused on him the better. He threw up a barrier, blocking a hail of shards directed at him. He fired his rifle after it finished cooling down, aiming for killings shots. He ducked out of the way a varren creature that had gotten close enough to pounce on him. A second later he sent it flying into a wall with biotic blast. It impacts creating cracks in the wall, where it fell to the ground never to move again. A scream caught his attention, one of the giants had mange to right on top of couple Turian soldiers. It swung its large arm done on them. The next thing Saren knew he was right in front of the giant a biotic barrier standing between him and certain death. He didn't know how he got there so fast nor how was able to hold back the force of the monster's arm, his body had simply reacted.“GO!” He shouted to the stunned soldiers. The monster began to pound on his barrier.“But sir.” One of them tried to protest."I SAID. GO!" He roared again, this shooting them a look that left no room for argument. Sufficiently cowed the soldiers nodded and ran for their lives. With no else to worry about, Saren's mind began to race trying to find a way of the mess he found himself in. Unfortunately, he would not have enough time to think. He raised his rifle to fire at the beast's head, but it swung its arm out swatting the weapon and sending it flying to the ground. No time to thing Saren was forced to throw up another barrier to block the monster's next attack. The impact forcing him to his knees. Another impact later and Saren found himself on his back his head spinning from the impact. He gazed up to see the beast raise it's arm up. It swings down.‘So this is how I die.’ He thought, anger coursing through him. He knew that there was nothing else he could do to stop it. It infuriated him that he would die by the hands of such a creature, never having the chance to exact his vengeance on its race. He closed eyes, not wanting to give the monster the satisfaction of seeing the life drain from his eyes. The only comfort he had in his death was that the rest of his unit had likely gotten away. They would avenge him and every other Turian that felled here today. He knew even as his life came to an end that the Hierarchy would eventually defeat these foul creatures and driven back to their home-world. Where they would be made to pay for their crimes against the galaxy. He waits for death to claim him.A gush of wind passed and there was a strange sound of flesh being torn then something fell to the ground with a loud thunk. Saren opened his eyes wondering why he was still alive when he should be a bloodstain on the ground right now. Still standing on top of him and just as shocked as he was the giant with its arm missing, blood flowing from the stump. In front of the giant was a figure dressed in an odd grey and black armor. It was bipedal in form, and if Saren had to guess it was around his height maybe a little shorter. But the strangest thing about the figure were the two dark blue crystal-like wing structures that were protruding from its back. One of them extended out to the front of the figure blood dripping from its jagged edges where the blue hues were lighter. The figure was standing between him and the giant in an almost protective manner. It took Saren almost a second or two to fully process what had happened. The giant also having caught up with the sequence of events roared and raised its other arm to attack the figure. The figure, however, was quick to react as it shifts slightly to bring its smaller wing and his surprise he saw the odd wing grow and bend to the same size as its counterpart. The giant's arm struck the odd wing the figure showing no sign of being affected by the impact. Then in one motion, the figure used its wing to push the arm off, causing to stumble back. The figure did not stop though as it jumped at the giant and just as it reached the stumbling monster it spun around to bring a wing onto its neck were in single fluid motion it cut right through the creature's neck, blood exploding out from the gash. A second later the other wing finished the job and completely decapitating the giant, its headless form falling onto its back. The figure landed on the prone body, where it stood up.Saren could not believe his own eyes, he had just witnessed something that should be impossible. This strange figure had just single-handedly killed a giant, a feat that required a whole squad to use heavy weapons to do, and even then it was still a struggle if they didn't hit it in the right place. Worse yet the figure made it look easy.“What are…” He tried to saying only for his voice to suddenly fail him. The figure turned and started to walk towards Saren.
When the figure reached him, it lowered itself to its knees and held out an arm, its hand had five fingers. Like an Asari. “Need some help?” The figure said in Turian, its voice sounding like a man.Saren didn't bother to question this, he already had too many questions as it is. He hesitantly took the figure's hand surprised by how strong its grip was. An instant later the figure pulled Saren up. None standing shoulder to shoulder with the figure he could now get a good look at the figure's face. While the figure was wearing a helmet covering most of its head, there was clear visor attached to the front that allowed Saren to see the figure’s face.Saren almost gasped in surprise, replace its pale skin with blue hues and you had what could pass as a male Asari. Most notably was that it had two different looking eyes, the one on the left had grey iris with a black pupil in the middle all surrounded by a white sclera. The one on the left, however, had a pitch-black scleral with a red iris and pupil, red streaks emitted from the iris and extend to the surrounding skin. There was something oddly familiar about that, a fact that bugged Saren to no end. “Who are you and why are you here?” Saren asked him, suspicion spilling into his voice.The figure held his hands up in a defensive manner. “Hey now, no need to give the third degree. I’m certain that you have a lot of questions to ask. But right now,” The figure pointed his finger in the direction of the swarm. “But right now we got bigger fish to fry.” He finished.For the first time since his “rescue” Saren took notice of the 427 swarm. He would have chastised himself for forgetting that he was in the middle of a combat zone and that his inattention could have gotten himself killed. If weren’t for the fact that the swarm of 427s was completely standing still hissing and growling. It was like they didn’t know what to do and they all were staring at him. ‘No, their not staring at me.’ He realized looking back at the figure, who had an unreadable expression on his face. They were glaring at him. He looks back to the swarm. "Why are they…" He tried to ask to be interrupted as wave after wave of fiery explosions rippled across the swarm sending charred body parts everywhere and knocking countless others away.Saren turned around his sight following the trails of smoke back to their source. In the sky were dozens of aircraft he has never seen before, most of them he identified as being transports of some kind, and the rest attack craft.“Ahh, that would be the rest of my unit.” He heard the man speak in a tone of voice that Saren could only describe as being… embarrassed? The transports landed and their doors opened, soldiers dressed in the same armor as the figure charged out their weapons drawn. “Don’t be surprised if my commanding officer yells at me. I kinda jumped out of my transport to save you.” Saren whipped his head around to give the figure an incredulous look. He did what?But before he could say anything to the man he heard a shout. He saw what he guessed to be an older man of the same species as the figure that saved him, walking up to them. The man spoke to the figure in a language he had never heard. Though judging by the tone of the man's voice it was clear that he was angry with the figure. A part of him wished that he could understand them, that way he could give his own opinion on the matter. Knowing that there was nothing he could do for the man that saved his life at the moment, Saren turned his attention back to the battlefield.He was pleasantly surprised to see that the aliens had formed a new defensive perimeter, one that was holding back the incoming tide of enemies. In the air, he saw several gunships firing into the horde, and descending from the air were transports that look like they were landing assault vehicles to bolster the newly formed defense line. He also took note of the weapons they were using to fight. At a glance, while they were alien in design, he could already tell they were firing rounds that were smaller than the ones currently being used by the Citadel races to fight the 427s. Yet they were tearing through the swarms like nothing he had never seen before. It quickly became clear to him that whoever these people were they had experience fighting the 427s. Then there were the aliens that had the same crystal wings as the man from earlier. Interestingly those wings were extended and pointed at the swarm, they firing shards very much like the ones that some of the 427s were able to fire. Saren's eyes narrowed in suspicion at that detail, there was definitely a connection between them. They were enemies, there was no arguing against that, but instinct told Saren that there was something more to that."Saren!" The familiar shout caught his attention. He turned to see that his unit had apparently broken their retreat and where now rejoining the fight. The shout had come from his command officer. Saren walked up to the man ignoring his fellow soldiers running past him. Coming up to the man he gave him a salute. "Lieutenant Saren Arteries reporting."
The man waved him off. "No need for that Lieutenant. I'm just glad that you're alive.” The commander’s gaze turned to the battlefield, prompting Saren to do the same. He saw Turian soldiers taking up firing positions alongside the aliens."Sir, who are these people," Saren asked, never taking his eyes off of the battle. He saw one of the aliens knock a Turian soldier down saving him from a hail of shards."I don't know Saren. Just moments before they showed I got a message from your brother." Saren tore his eyes away from the battle and look at the officer with an expectant expression. "Apparently they call themselves the Terran Federation and claim to have come to join the war against the 427s or as they call them the Dragon Orphans." Dragon Orphans? An odd name they gave them. "Their fleet arrived about seventy minutes ago, they along with Galie’s were able to defeat the swarm fleet in orbit.” There was no hiding the look of shock on Saren. An entire swarm fleet defeated? Since the beginning of the war nothing like had ever happened. The smaller fleets that attacked them could be beaten, oftentimes incurring heavy losses, but one of their larger fleets like the one that attacked the planet, it was unheard of. "An entire fleet destroyed?" Saren asked for clarification. "Not the entire fleet, a small hand full of their ships including their command ship escaped the battle." The officer said the awe in his voice unmistakable. "Now as you can see they have landed their forces on the planet to assist us. Help I'm glad to receive even if I have my reservations about certain aspects of this species." The officer looked at one of the so-called Terrans, specifically one of the ones with the strange wings.“Aspects?” Saren Inquired.“According to your brother which I can now confirm with my own eyes, these Terrans have demons in their ranks.” He said a small trace of disgust in his voice. At the utterance of the demon, it finally clicked in Saren’s mind why some of the Terrans had such familiar characteristics. They resemble those who were infected by a strange infliction that gave them enhanced physical abilities and the ability to produce odd appendages that could be used as weapons. Another distinctive feature they had were eyes like the one that the man that saved Saren had. But the most disturbing thing about them was their inability to eat any kind of food, only being able to eat the flesh of their own species. He had been near one of them and never realized the danger he had been in. “They allow monsters in their ranks?” He said without thinking.“For your information.” Saren jumped at the voice. The man that saved him was now standing close to them, his commanding officer close by. Both had expressions that Saren guessed were ones of contempt. “This monster so happens to have a name Hideki Kaneki. I enjoy all the same rights as any Terran in the Federation and so do the rest of my kind.” “Your kind?” Saren said his voice sounding surprisingly weak to him.The expression in the man’s eyes seemed to soften, it was hard to tell he was going off what Asari were like. “We’re called Ghouls, one of the three races to rise on our home-world of Earth. I can understand why you think of us as monsters, the citadel races have not gotten a very good first impression of their equivalents to ghouls.” The man looked out to battle, more specifically at the swarm of enemies that were now dying by the droves to advance and failing. There was an odd look in his eyes. “Trust me when I say, that there was a time when relations between humans and ghouls were very different. The result was tragedy.”For some reason, Saren felt as though that there was more meaning behind those words then they appeared to have. September 9th 14:45, Turian Command post Desolas Arterius looked over the tactical display of the city. The arrival of the Terrans had completely flipped the momentum of the battle. The once unstoppable 427 swarm advance had been brought to a halt. In some areas, they were even being pushed back, with his forces aided by the Terrans going on the offensive, a refreshing change of pace in his opinion. He sent out a few more orders before turning his attention to the figures before him.One was a Terran Admiral calling himself McKinley, he appeared to be an older member of his species, and had strange red fur with greying streaks on his head and face, his dark green eyes telling of the experience he held. The other was a woman who looked a little younger than the admiral, she brown fur stretching down to her shoulders, General Xi was what she called herself. Desolas still held his reservations about working with these people, with them having demons in their ranks and the use of synthetic soldiers. But Admiral Galie had mange to convince him to let the Terrans land their forces. A decision he was glad to have made. With the Terran's apparent experience in fighting the 427s or Dragon Orphans as they called them, his people were keeping real victories against the enemy. Victories they sorely needed.“I must admit,” He began to say. “At first I did not trust you when you said you could help us in fighting the enemy. I was mistaken. For that, I owe you both an apology at a heartfelt thank you. You have saved many lives today.” He gave a respectful to the aliens and the rest of his command staff followed suit. Desolas may still have his reservations but he knew where to give credit where it was due.“No need for such things.” Said the Terran general prompting the Turian general to break his bow. “The Dragon Orphans are our ancient enemies and are born from a great mistake. It is our solemn duty to fight them, where ever they may lay.” Desolas had to wonder what she meant by Dragon Orphans being “born from a great mistake”. It implied that the two held deeply tied histories to each other. He a great many questions to ask of them, but for now he had more pressing concerns. “Be that as it is." The terran admiral spoke. "The Dragon Orphans will not give up on this system so easily. Especially with the Dragon General escaping. It will more than likely attempt to attack the system, possibly with a larger force. Pending on much trouble the rest of our forces give them on the other fronts.” So they do have other forces deployed to aid besieged citadel forces throughout the galaxy. The ones he was seeing here were likely a smaller taskforce. “With your permission, we would like to begin establishing a defense network in orbit of the planet.”"You'll have to talk to Admiral Galie about that one," Desolas said to the man, receiving a nod."In the meantime, I'll come down to the planet's surface to personally greet you. We have much to discuss in regards to the defense of this world.” General Xi said.Desolas gave an approving twitch of his mandibles. “I'll be sure to give you landing coordinates. I look forward to meeting you in person. Desolas out.” The two figures nodded at him before disappearing, having been holograms the whole time. With the communication link broken, he turned his attention back to the Tactical display. There is much that needed to be done, but first.“Get me a link to the Citadel. Tell them it is a priority One Transmission.”
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CH: 11 Encounter at the Citadel September 10th 11:59, A.R.V. Destiny Ascension "When are our new guests due to arrive?" Matriarch Lidanya spoke.“According to the Terrans, they should be arriving any minute now.” Replied a young Asari, perhaps no more than a century. Lidanya hummed to herself, soon enough the galaxy would receive a formal introduction of the Terran species, plural. Barely a day had passed since their sudden entry into the war against the 427s, Dragon Orphans as the Terrans called them, and already there was widespread speculation about the new races. Thousands of extranet forms had been created and within minutes were filled discussions over what information they had on them. News programs, celebrities, and government officials alike released statements and their thoughts on the new arrivals. Rumors and theories had cropped up. And were quickly accepted as fact or refuted as delusion. The whole galaxy was clamoring for any details they could get on the Terrans. But in this confusion and chaos, there was a renewed sense of hope growing among the populace.In a matter of hours, the Terrans had single-handedly broken the offensive projected by the 427s. For the first time in two years, the forces of the Citadel had room to breathe, and they were making damn good use of it. In addition, when the Terrans broadcasted their message of goodwill towards the Citadel races, they transmitted two data packages. Only one was sent to civilian networks, a codex containing basic information on the Terran Federation, an overview of their history, culture, and other miscellaneous facts that they thought important enough to be mentioned about their people. It wasn't a complete codex on who they are, serving more like a compact and neat packet that gave one a general overview of the species. The specifics would come later. Not that it mattered as the general population ate it up as they clamored to learn more about the Terrans. The second data package was sent to military channels, and after a thorough examination of it for any malicious programs, its contents were opened. What was inside was a treasure trove of information on the 427s. History, tactics, types of units employed both in space and on the ground, you name it. The Terrans had even included numerous personal accounts and records of battles against the monsters, ranging from the smallest skirmish in a building to the largest battles that spanned a star system. They had just gained several centuries worth of information in a span of a few hours. The information was quickly sent to the high commands of every military force in the Citadel to examine thoroughly by the best analyst they had to offer. High ranking officials like herself had received the contents as well so they could look over the information for themselves. She spent the better part of a night and her head was still spinning from how much there was to read, and she didn’t even get to finish reading it. “Tell me young one. What do you think of this new species?" She asked the young officer curious about her thoughts.She saw the maiden look up at her with surprise, almost gaining a chuckle from the Matriarch. “I think their uhh..” She nervously began. “I think their interesting Matriarch. Especially with how much they look like..” The maiden trailed off."Like us." The Matriarch finished for her, receiving a nod. It had been a shock to her as well, seeing a species that look so much like her own. For a moment she thought they were long lost cousins to the Asari, likely separated by the Protheans for reasons only they could comprehend. Yet that was not the most shocking aspect about them.“Then there is the fact that their two species, humans and ghouls.” The young maiden said, unknowingly voicing the older Asari's thoughts. At the mention of the ghouls, there was a noticeable tension in the air. The Matriarch could not fault her crew for their reaction. Everyone knew about the fleshing eating monsters that were created by the 427s. Demons as many had come to call them, were feared throughout Citadel space. Able to appear as any normal citizen they could hide in plain sight with no one the wiser until they caught their unlucky prey the last they would see being blacken eyes and strange red appendages. So great a danger they posed to the public that special task groups had been formed to contain them by whatever means were necessary. An effort that found little success.Imagine her surprise when she learned that the Terrans allowed such monsters to freely roam the streets of every city on all of their planets. That they considered them to be people with all the same rights as any other, that they had found a way to co-exist with them. Most surprisingly the ghouls were not a result of humans being exposed to a gaseous cloud that some of the 427s could explode to create them, as she first thought. Rather they were a result of natural evolution. It was fascinating to think that somewhere in this vast galaxy there is a world that gave birth to two intelligent races. The concept of more than one intelligent species evolving on the same world had been theorized before but thus far no one had had the chance to observe such a phenomenon. Until now, no doubt every xeno-biologist from here to the terminus was drooling at the prospect of studying both races of the Terrans. Their history together though was equal parts tragic and horrifying. The peace that the two species had achieved was only a recent development when compared to the rest of their history. Records of bloody conflicts and horrifically acts committed across thousands of years, with the period that the Terrans called the twenty and twenty-first centuries being the most bloody and horrific. Wither it was due to the tensions between the races being at their highest or the emergence of new technology that enabled more accurate recording of events was not specified, she feared it may have been a bit of both. Reading of the actions that both sides took against each had horrified her. She wondered how could beings intelligent enough to reach the stars do such horrible things against each other all in the name of survival (then she remembers what the races of citadel did to survive the Rachnii and the Krogan). The image of a CCG investigator standing over the lifeless body of a young ghoul child had brought her to tears, she pictured an Asari child in the same position and suddenly found herself questioning the very existence of their own counter ghoul task groups. One how had to wonder how their shared history did not end with the extinction of one or both of them. It could have easily turned out that way if good people on both sides had not stepped forward and cried out "Enough". It was amazing to her to learn that in the early twenty-first century a time when the two races were by all intents and purposes on the verge of war, was also when the foundation for a lasting peace was laid. That foundation built upon the blood, sweat, and tears of countless individuals who wished for a better future for both races was built upon by others who wished the same, and hardships that both humans and ghouls would endure. Both sides would set aside their differences and move forward to a brighter future where the atrocities of the past would become a distant memory.“They are indeed an interesting species.” The Matriarch said, finding no other words to describe them. “They have much to offer the galaxy.” She added at the end.She saw the young maiden open her mouth to say something, whatever it was it would have to wait as something on her station caught her attention. "Matriarch, the relay is activating.""Bring up an image," Lidanya said. A projection showing the nebula’s relay appeared its twin rings spinning rapidly, a clear sign that ships were coming through. Seconds passed before a stream of lights raced past the ancient space-borne object, those lights then formed into the shapes of ships of a design she learned about a day ago. The Terrans had arrived at the Citadel. It didn’t take long for all of their ships to arrive and Lidanya found herself gazing at hundreds of ships flying in a neat and tight formation. The ships themselves were oddly beautiful to look at having graceful lines that could be found in Asari design, while at the same time looking predatorial like the Turians did with their ships. They reminded her of some of the stalking animals that roamed the plains on Thessia, beast whose beauty was greatly admired but were also some of the most dangerous predators on the Asari home-world. She saw the ships fly towards the Citadel, one look at the way they flew their ships, she knew they are militaristic people like the Turians. A worrying facet, but not something that her people could overcome."About a hundred ships have appeared sir, including a dreadnought." Said the officer. "It measures at around one point two kilometers and is emitting a massive eezo reading. Goddess, it has two spinal cannons!"The Matriarch eyes widen in surprise for about a second before she suppressed it. Two spinal cannons on one ship that was going a headache. She didn't even want to imagine the type of firepower that beast of ship could unleash. Good thing they were pointing them at the 427s, and not the Citadel. Still, it may present a problem when it came to the Treaty of Farixen. "Open a channel to them." She said. The projection of the Terran fleet disappeared and a Terran admiral appeared. For a brief moment, she saw a flash of surprise form on the Terran's face before disappearing. He was likely thinking the same thing as she was. Seeing a species that look so much their own would do that. Even now she still couldn't get over how the man resembled her kind. Remove the fur (they called it hair) on his head and paint his skin blue and you had the fabled male Asari. She had to admit he was a very attractive looking man and was tempted to make a pass at him. Maybe later when things had settled down, business first though. “This Matriarch Lidanya of the Destiney Ascension and commanding officer of the Citadel fleet. To whom am I speaking?” She said to the Terran Admiral.“This is Vice Admiral Tyler Grayson of the 3rd Reaction Fleet, representing the United Terran Federation.” The Terran spoke in a deep voice. “We are here to drop off a diplomatic party so they may begin to facility relations between the Federation and the Citadel. We request clearance as soon as possible.” “How big is this Diplomatic party?” The Matriarch asked. “Fourteen individuals. Four people for the negotiations, plus four aids and six guards.” He responded.The Matriarch nodded to herself that sounded to be a good-sized group. Not too small to seem week and not too big to appear threatening. "Very well, clearance granted. Your fleet may proceed to within three thousand kilometers of the station, whereupon you will hold position. A shuttle carrying your diplomatic part will be allowed to land on the station. If you like your shuttle will be allowed a fighter escort no bigger than one of your squadrons to follow them. Failure to follow any of the mentioned protocols will be interpreted as an act of aggression and we will respond appropriately. Understood.” She carefully recited to the man being careful not to sound too threatening.The man nodded at her seeming not offended by her words. "I understand clearly and accept your terms. Our diplomatic party will be departing in ten of your minutes. Be ready to receive them.”“Understood Admiral, We will transmit a flight path monetarily," Lidanya informed the man.“Matriarch I should also inform you that one of our representatives is a Synth. If this proves to be an inconvenience we can have another representative replace him.” Lidanya monetarily paused, thinking over the Admiral's request. She knew this would be a point of contention between the Terrans and the Citadel races, the use of AI. On one hand, everything in her told her to berated the Terrans for their reckless act of creating AIs, a thing she had been told since she was a child that was dangerous to all Organic life. Yet the more reasonable and rational side of her knew that the Terrans had been using AIs for almost a century, to ask them to remove them would be like asking the Citadel races to stop using eezo in their technology. They had become too integrated into their society that it would be immensely difficult to remove them if it was even possible. In that same vein, the AIs had remained loyal to their creators since their creation without the need to shackle them, a feat thought to be impossible. She supposed that the AIs might have been bidding their time, but the more she thought about that possibility the less likely it seemed. It was as she said earlier the Terrans were proving to be an interesting addition to the Galactic community. "I will have to consulate with the council on that matter." She finally said. "You must understand we of the Citadel races have not had good experiences with AIs. Having one step foot on the Citadel may cause some interesting reactions from the general populace.” She said carefully.She saw the Terran Admiral nod at her his expression neutral. “I can understand that. Will your council being willing to allow a Synth on the station? You have our assurance that nothing bad will happen.”“I believe that an agreement can be reached.” She said to placate the man. “But I cannot make any promises.”The man stared at her his expression still unreadable. The Matriarch had to stop herself from shifting uncomfortably as the man seemed to gaze into her soul. "Very well we shall await your response." The man said breaking the uncomfortable silence between the two. “Admiral Grayson out.” The image of the Terran admiral disappeared and the projection of the Terran fleet approaching them reappeared.Lidanya let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. That was surprisingly tense for her, the Terrans were proving to be an unpredictable bunch. What other surprises they had in store would remain to be seen. One thing was for certain nothing would be the same moving forward.“Coms patch me to the Citadel Council.”September 10th 12:03, TFV. Anteiku:"Well, that was an experience." Greyson heard Ambassador Goyle said. A sentiment that he agreed with, nothing like talking a species that looked like attractive blue-skinned female humans. He read the reports of what the Asari was like, yet he still found it hard to believe. Surely someone was playing a prank on him, what were the odds of such a species looking so much like humans evolving on another planet. It seemed more like something one would find in really old Sci-fi shows or very badly made ones. Then he had a face to face encounter with one, McKinley is going to have a field day when he learns about this. He was certain that Asari was having similar thoughts right about now.“Didn’t they say that their people are very open to interspecies relations?” A lieutenant said.Greyson rolled his eyes hand it to the young to think with their hormones than their brains. Though he couldn’t blame the young man, the Matriarch was most certainly an attractive woman that he couldn't deny. "Two things Lieutenant." He snorted out to the young man, his tone portraying a sense of good-natured humor. "One I prefer to keep it in the species.” Call him old fashion all right. “Two, men are my thing.” He heard a few chuckles at his announcement.He even got a chuckle from the ambassador. "Well, that would explain why my famine charm as failed on you.” She said with a smile. A smirk formed his lips as another thought occurred to him. "Also I am almost certain that woman was around when the American Constitution was made.” “On second thought Sir, I think I’ll keep it in the species..” He heard an officer reply.“While this all as been entertaining I believe it’s time we got to work.” Said ambassador Goyle a smile still present on her expression.“Very well Ambassador. We’ll make sure that these Citadel aliens don’t try to pull a fast one.” The Admiral said."Good, then I'll be on my way. Be sure to inform us if Herald will be permitted on the station.” The Ambassador said turning away and walking in the direction for a lift.“Will do ambassador.” He saw the woman enter the lift. Once the doors slid open he turned his attention to his job. “Helen, what is the status of our infiltration unit?"A small blue orb appeared on the armrest of his chair. “The infiltration units have successfully breached the citadel's firewalls. As expected they drastically increased their defensive capabilities against cyber warfare attacks since our introduction to the galaxy. However, they did not prove to be sufficient enough the stop our AI infiltration units from breaching their networks.”“Any indication that the Citadel is aware of their presence?” The Admiral asked mildly worried that they could be caught.“Negative sir, the infiltration was flawless as reported by the unit leader," Helen reported allowing the Admiral to relax a little. “Your orders?”“For now they are to monitor the movements of Citadel forces. Keep an eye for any malicious intent directed at us. Beyond that remain undetected and search for any weaknesses that can be exploited in the event that things go south.” The Admiral said it was unlikely that the Citadel would try anything, after all antagonizing a powerful potential ally was not the wisest move. But he had his orders to ensure the safety of the Diplomatic party as such he had to prepare for any situation that could threaten them even unlikely ones.“Very well Vice Admiral. Relaying your orders now.” The orb disappeared.“Sir we just received a flight path from the Citadel.” Said the coms officer. “Additional they will be allowing Ambassador Herald to set on the station. Provided that he is the only Synth in the diplomatic party and be closely monitored by their security forces.”The Admiral nodded at coms, surprised that the council would allow a Synth onto the station, the extra security measures were not though. “Inform the Ambassadors of the development, and transmit the flight path the shuttle’s pilots. Have fighter squadron fourteen be ready to escort them.”"Aye, sir."The Admiral looked to the projection of the Citadel. Truly the ancient space station was a marvel of engineering, one that for the time being was beyond their capability to replicate. But perhaps one day when the Federation had truly secured its place in the galaxy they could and maybe surpass it.September 10th 12:04, Citadel Council private chambers“Thank you Lidanya.” Said Councilor Tevos. “You may go now.”“Good day Councilors.” Said the Matriarch bowing to them, her image then disappeared."Are you certain it is a good idea to allow one of those things on the station?" Said the Salarian councilor his eye narrowed at Tevos. He was the newest member of the council having joined two months previously after his predecessor had retired.“We already discussed this Councilor Toss. We will be allowing their Synth ambassador on the station. We must do what we can to appease these Terrans if our alliance is to continue. So as long he is the only one on the station then it should be fine.” Tevos said calmly to the man. “Still these Terrans are messing with things that they and no others have any business to tamper with. Do they not realize how dangerous it is to create AIs? Then there is the fact that they allow flesh-eating monsters to freely roam among them. They are reckless." The Salarian said inciting a long-suffering sigh from the Asari. In some ways, the Salarians were more closed-minded then even the Turians. One would think with such short life spans and faster-thinking process would make them more willing to accept new ideas. Tevos could understand his skepticism towards the Terrans, the thought that goddesses knows how many AIs were running free in the galaxy terrified her to the core. But she was willing to consider the immense benefits that the Terrans could bring to the rest of the Galaxy if what claimed was true. "Further is it not too soon to say that we are allies now? What proof do we have of their sincerity?”"How about the fact that thousands of their ships and millions of their soldiers are now fighting directly on the front lines of this war." Councilor Filtius growled at the Salarian. "In a single day, their forces have halted the progress of the invasion force. Millions of Turian soldiers owe them their lives now. They have given us the breathing room we so desperately need right now. I will not allow you to alienate them to the point that they will withdraw." Well, at least she could count on Turian support on this matter."What I think councilor Toss was trying to say was that while the Terrans may make for good allies we should still be weary for an ulterior motive on their end," Tevos said to placate the two councilors. It would do them no good to show the Terrans a divided in their ranks, at the moment they needed to present a united front impressive enough for the Terrans to want to continue working with the Citadel. She saw the two other members of the Citadel council stare at her, they wanted to say more on the matter but the better parts of them won out and they nodded at her agreeing to drop the matter for the moment. "Good, we can discuss this later once we know more about the situation. For now, we must determine what we can do now about them. Any ideas." “We should formalize our alliance with this United Terran Federation," Filtius said. "While our forces are more than happy to have their help in the war, there are already those who are not comfortable with working with a foreign nation to which we have no true relations with. Formalizing relations with them will alleviate those concerns.”Tevos nodded it would be a good idea to show to the rest of the galaxy where the Citadel stood with the Terrans. Looking at Toss she could tell that while he still had his reservations he agreed with the Turian Councilor. “Very well we will try to formalize relations with the Terran Federation.”"Councilor Tevos," Toss said grabbing her attention. "There is another matter of concern that may be worth discussing."“What would that be?” She asked.“How they know so much about us already.” He said gain confused looks from the other Councilors.“Explain.” Filtius prodded.“Have you not notice that in every encounter they were able to communicate with our forces effortlessly, as though they know other languages? Further, they know our space well enough to arrive at the areas that most needed their help in the war." Tevos eyes widen as she realized what he was implying. "This suggests to me they may have been monitoring the situation for some time now." He finished explaining.“I hate to say this, but he’s right. We could have a series breach of our security here.” Filtius said. “Especially when you consider the size of the forces they deployed here. It would have taken them months to ready a force of that size for deployment into feign space."In that time they could have been spying on us," Toss said. "With all of our attention focused on the war, they could have sent dozens of stealth vessels into our space. They might have breached into our systems network gaining all the information they needed on us. They may even have those AIs embedded in the Citadel’s data network.”Tevos did not like this if the Salarian councilor was right and in all likelihood he was. Then it meant that when it came to the negotiations the Terrans would be an advantage, having so much information on the Citadel while they only had an overview on the Terrans. "We'll have to investigate our networks and inform our respective governments of this possible breach of security." She said to the councilors. "Maybe even get a few trusted Specters to look into it. We'll also have to proceed carefully in the negotiations with Terrans, and operated on the assumption that they know everything about the races of the Citadel.”“I don’t like the idea of us being at such a disadvantage here," Toss said. “With so much information they could do some serious damage if they turn hostile.”"Then let us be thankful that the Terrans have proven to be benevolent so far, and pray that these negotiations go well," Tevos said disturbed by the possibility that the Terrans may prove to be a dangerous foe in the future. Goddess why couldn't this be the other way around like the way they preferred it? First contact scenarios were dangerous enough as it is given all the unknowns that were involved. Usually, when the Citadel encountered a new species they didn't immediately make contact with them, instead, they would try monitoring the species while remaining undetected. Once they all the information they needed they would initiate contact with the new species at the time and place of their choosing. It had worked well with every race they had encountered before and it was usually the deciding factor in preventing future conflicts. The only time they did not manage to execute this strategy was with the Turians and the Batarians. It did not bode well for her that the Citadel was now on the receiving end of this strategy. The Matriarchy council was already displeased that they knew so little about the Terrans when they found out this. She rubbed her temples already feeling a headache at that conversation. “In the meantime what shall we do about the Possibility that the Citadel’s data network may have been infiltrated by their AIs?” Toss asked.Tevos thought about it for a moment going over the different courses of action to take and their consequences. There wasn't much that they could do, not in the immediate future anyway. Long-term wise, well they have to discuss that once they had more information on the Terrans. "For the moment we'll have our technicians began conducting security sweeps on the data networks." She told the Councilors. "But tell them to be discreet about it." She added. "We can't let the Terrans know that we are on to them.”“What if they manage to detect one or more of these hypothetical AI’s infiltrating our networks?” Filtius queried.Again Tevos thought about what they should do and the consequences that came after. "Tell them to just monitor the AIs. If they look like their getting into anything important have them redirected somewhere else, again tell them to be discreet about it. Beyond that do nothing but be ready to take action if the Terrans turn hostile." While they were at a disadvantage, there were still courses of action they could take to mitigate that. "Any objections to this course of action?" She stares at her colleagues seeing that they had nothing else to say she continued. "Good, I would also suggest that we advise our respective governments and the governments of the other races to take similar courses of action. In the coming months, we may also have to consider the possibility of improving the security of our data networks.”"What of these ghouls the Terrans have," Toss asked, referring to the creatures that the Citadel races called demons.Tevos had to admit while she was scared of the beings that the Terrans could ghouls, she did feel a tinge of sympathy for them. The relationship between humans and ghouls was in a way similar to that of the Asari and the Ardat-Yakshi, though in the case of the Terrans their shared history was bloodier. Yet they had found a way to live in peace a reality that her people had never truly achieved with the Ardat-Yakshi, the closet they came to it was isolating them away from the rest of the galaxy. "Nothing for now. If what we know about our versions of ghouls holds true, the real danger is to themselves." For a moment she wondered if there was something they could learn from the Terrans in how the Asari could handle the Ardat-Yakshi.“If what Terrans say is true, then even that danger is non-existent. Synthetic meat.” Said the Turian councilor ponderously. “Perhaps one of the things we should try asking them for is the knowledge on how to make the stuff or at the very least have them aid us in making our versions of it. It could greatly help us in contending with our ghouls. It may even allow them to become productive citizens of the Citadel again."Tevos nodded, with Turians being in the heaviest fighting against the 427s, Dragons Orphans, more of their kind had been infected by the strange toxin that some of them released on death. "We'll be sure to put it on our agenda." She said to him receiving a nod of thanks from the man.There was a sudden chime that grabbed the attention of the Councilors. “Councilors the Terrans about to land their diplomatic party.” Said a voice on the com. “Shall I patch a live feed to your chambers?”"That would be most appreciated," Tevos answered. “For the moment I suggest that we shelve this conversation until we have met with the Terrans." She said to the councilors, both of which nodded at her. "Now let us see what these Terrans are like." All three figures gathered around at a table that had a holo-display. After a moment it activated and displayed a live news report. In the right-hand corner right above the Asari reporter, was an image of a shuttle flanked by fighter craft that no Citadel race operated. The shuttle didn't seem to be all that dissimilar that of the ones used by the Citadel, looking more like a flying brick though it was a bit more rounded than most shuttles she had seen in her life. The strike craft that were escorting it though was more interesting. Having dark red hulls they appeared to be bigger than Turian strike craft and had a more aggressive design to them. To anyone they would resemble a bird of prey in flight a beautiful sight to behold but no less dangerous. She noted that they were better armed then Turian strike craft.“Those strike craft of theirs are dangerous.” She heard Filtius mutter. “There’s already speculation that they could tear ours to pieces. I would not be surprised if the Hierarchy decides to redesign our strike craft.” “They also utilize a type of ship called a “Carrier” to field massive numbers of strike craft. I question the wisdom of such vessels, though they may have their uses.” Toss said.“Quite.” Tevos shushed the two."We are now receiving word that the Terrans are about to land on the Citadel.” Said the Asari reporter. “As you can see their ships are unlike anything used by the other races. According to the codex that they transmitted their ships were constructed using something that they call ARC technology.” "Actually this so-called –wheeze- Arch Technology of theirs –wheeze- is less of a technology and more of a -wheeze- material that they use in all of –wheeze- their construction.” A Volus next to her spoke up. “It is a strange form –wheeze- of bio-organic technology developed –wheeze- in response to the growing threat of the –wheeze- Dragon Orphans, the creatures that we know as the 427s, –wheeze- in the years leading up to what was called the–wheeze- second Dragon War. The intention of ARC technology was to –wheeze- create an artificial version of a cell type –wheeze- that was until two years ago –wheeze- unique to the biologies of humans, ghouls, and –wheeze- Dragon Orphans. These so call Rc cells could be described as a –wheeze- type of fluid muscle which can harden or soften at will.”“Fascinating.” Said the Asari reporter unknowingly saying the same thing as the Salarian Councilor. “Why would the Terrans develop such a material?” “–Wheeze- It has to do with some of the properties observed in the Dragon Orphans and –wheeze- ghouls alike.” The Volus reporter began to explain. "According to the Terran codex due to their incredibly high amounts –wheeze- of Rc cells in their bodies both species possess incredible durability and regenerative–wheeze- abilities. To the point that conventional weapons are worthless against ghouls and what –wheeze- little damage they do is healed in a matter of seconds. The durability –wheeze- and regenerative abilities of the Dragon Orphans are thankfully –wheeze- quite a bit weaker but are still significant enough that conventional means–wheeze- prove to be ineffective.”“I see. So what does this have to do with ARC technology?”“I was –wheeze- getting to that. During a time when the relations between humans and ghouls were less than –wheeze- ideal that when weapons were coated in a thin layer of Rc cells collected from –wheeze- ghouls, they proved to be able to harm ghouls and disrupted their –wheeze- ability to heal. Their strength was also their weakness. Further –wheeze- during the time when humans and ghouls where in –wheeze- conflict, organizations created to eradicate ghouls would collected the weaponized –wheeze- appendages of ghouls, called Kagune, and use them against them.”At this, the Asari reporter look horrified mirroring Tevos's expression. "The humans used the ghoul's own body parts to kill them?""Yes, they –wheeze- did. As you can now surmise the same held true –wheeze- to the Dragon Orphans. Use Rc cell-based weapons on them –wheeze- and they die more easily. However at the time –wheeze- when the Dragon Orphans emerged as a threat the relations between humans and ghouls improve –wheeze- significantly to the point that such practices where no frowned upon and even –wheeze- illegal. They could only collect Rc cells and Kagune from –wheeze- willing volunteers, which you could imagine were in short supply.”“So they had to create artificial ones or else be wiped out.” The Asari reporter summed up.“Exactly–wheeze-. They created Artificial Rc cells or Arc Cells for short. They later –wheeze- learned how to infuse with metal alloys instead of just coating –wheeze- it. This, in turn, created a material this is both –wheeze- organic and inorganic that could be made to harder and lighter than the metals we –wheeze- use in our ship construction. It is used to construct their vehicles, armor, buildings, –wheeze- and anything else that you normally see metal alloys be used to construct, both in the military and –wheeze- civilian spheres alike.” “If their technology is partially organic could that mean that it is on some level alive.”“Now that is -wheeze- hard to say. The codex given to us never says though the implication is there.”“This Arc technology of theirs is a fascinating prospect.” Said the Salarian councilor said. “Many possibilities.” “Is there anything else that we know about this material they use?” Tevos asked wanting to learn more about the material used by the Terrans. She had read the information given by the Terrans on the strange material, she found it to be a fascinating bit of innovation on their end. An organic material that could be made to emulate metal alloys and other forms of technologies or even be infused into them to create something new, truly a novel idea."I'm afraid not Councilor Tevos," Toss responded. “The information provided in the Terran codex only gave an overview of the subject. Enough to understand what it is, history, and use but no finer details that can give us greater insights. However, we are receiving reports from agents across the front lines detailing their observations of the material and its uses. We may yet gain some insights into its applications.”"Perhaps we should try asking the Terrans for the knowledge on how to create our own versions of the material," Filtius spoke up. "It would be of great benefit to us, our people on the front lines can confirm that their weapons have a greater effect on these Dragon Orphans. If we had this material it would give us an edge against the monsters. Though we should be ready to give something else in exchange. "If they are not willing to give us the knowledge, then we should look into other means of acquiring it," Toss suggested.Tevos did not like what he was implying, while she knew that the Citadel races were not above using less than legal means of acquiring advances from other races; like how the Asari gained improved barriers that were stronger and recharged quicker from the Salarians came to mind, it was to be expected. No one would openly admit it, while each race was willing to cooperate with each other. Even respect each other's sovereignty at the end of the day they were still out for themselves. It was something of a silently agreed upon rule so as long such actions were kept to shadows away from the attention of the general population who believed the reality of interspecies cooperation on all levels, then their governments would not raise hell about. The Terrans would be the same and in time her people and the other races would try to do what they could to gain an advantage over them even marginally. Despite this though she thought it to be too early for such methods to be used. They could not risk losing the trust of the Terrans, and there was no telling how well the Terrans could defend against espionage or how capable of it they were themselves. The fact that they knew so much about the Citadel was telling, granted they were not aware of the Terrans until now and had never considered the possibility that an unknown race would be spying on them. A matter she intends to bring to the Matriarchy council. "We will have to consider it for later." She said purposely being vague. "While we are on a related subject matter. What of the Dragon Orphans according to the Terrans themselves it is their fault that these creatures exist and that they have become such menace." Toss said, worrying Tevos again.“You’re not suggesting that we punish them for it?” She heard Filtius say his voice dripping with venom."We did the same with the Quarians when they failed to contain the Geth." Oh, goddess.Filtius eyes narrowed, his mandibles twitched, and she saw him curl his talons into fist. She knew that the man was keeping himself from lunging at the Salarian. “Councilor Toss might I remind you of few simple facts here.” He said his voice even and cold. “Firstly the Terrans had no way of knowing that the Dragon Orphans could achieve space flight, at the time they had believed them to be bound to their planet as much as they were. Secondly, even if they had suspected the possibility they were in no position to pursue them, their home-world was devastated and half their population dead. Thirdly when they did find out they have since dedicated themselves to the complete extermination of the Dragon Orphans, the fact that they here right now should be proof enough of that. They have more than paid for any perceived crime and continue to pay it. As for the Quarians, in my opinion, the near extinction of their species was punishment enough for creating the Geth, what the council did three centuries ago was just adding insult.” "It seems as though your opinion on the matter is colored councilor. In both matters." The Salarian said.Filtius glared at the councilor “Yes my opinion is colored in this matter. For the simple fact that it is my people who are dying out there. For the past two years, it has been Turian blood that has slowed the advance of the invaders, millions of good men and women have given their lives and thousands of ships lost. What have the Republics and the Union done to aid us in the defense of the Citadel? Virtually nothing." He said his anger growing. "How sure you have sent some forces, they were token forces at best." Tevos knew this was a sore point for the Turians, not just for the past two years but for the past millennia. The Turians had been entrusted with the defense of Citadel space, a duty they proudly took following the Krogan rebellions. At the time no one, not even her own people had considered what that would mean. The Turians had done an admirable job of defending the worlds of the Citadel races, but it was at the expanse of their worlds. Despite having the largest and most powerful navy their forces were often dangerously spread thin and their worlds left vulnerable to attack. Worse yet being sworn that’s the defenders of Citadel space they involved in conflicts that many herself included had no business being involved in. Because of it they had gained a reputation for having a shoot first ask questions later mentality and were always looking for a reason to fight. “Councilor Filtius you must.” She began to say to him. The Turian Councilor raised his hand to stop her. “I know what you’re going to say Tevos. The Republics and the Union cannot spear a large number of ships without leaving numerous world vulnerable to attack." He said his voice giving no hint of his true thoughts. "That much I can understand, and my people did agree to become the primary defenders of the Citadel a task we have proudly upheld. I do appreciate the help that both of your governments have mange to send our way, but I just wish that your governments would at least try harder to aid us in this terrible war. In the past two years, I have seen more than enough names on the casualty’s boards for a dozen lifetimes." Tevos and the Toss remained silent unable to say anything as Filtius continued with his speech. "It's why I cannot allow these negotiations to fail. From what I gather the Terrans have sent a considerable portion of their military into this war. Possibly leaving some of their territory undefended. Millions of our soldiers own them their lives now and countless Turian worlds in their debt. This Terran Federation has committed itself to a long bloody war that will cost the lives of millions of their soldiers all in the defense of a people they likely did not about a few years ago. If total strangers like them are more willing to aid my people then our allies, it makes me wonder the validity of this council." Tevos’s eyes widen in surprise. “Councilor you don’t mean that the Turians are willing to withdraw from the Citadel over this?” Such an action would be disastrous to Citadel space. It would result in the other races losing faith in the council and may even cause them to withdraw as well, effectively destroying the galactic community as they knew it.“No, not even we would dream of doing such a thing.” The Turian councilor was quick to respond. Tevos let put a sigh of relief before letting the man continue. "The Turian people genuinely believe in the principles of the Citadel Council, Tevos. Interstellar cooperation, mutual defense, and cultural and economic exchange all in with the common goal of creating a safe and stable galaxy. For us, these goals are worth fighting for.""If what you say is true," Toss said. "Then what was it you meant by the 'validity’ of the council?”"I believe that the Council as fallen short of these ideas in some areas," Filtius said.“Such as?” Tevos said slowly."To start with. Mutual defense." At the confused glances with the Asari and Salarian councilors, he began to explain. "For centuries now my people have been pushing the combined fleets to take up the role of being the primary defenders of Citadel space and to have greatly expanded upon so can fulfill this goal. However, for one reason or another this has been put off and The Hierarchy given greater responsibilities. I know for a fact that before the Rachnii wars the joint fleets were once much larger then they are now and patrolled all of Citadel space. Been since then the task of defending Citadel space as been first entrusted to the Krogan then to my people. I think it is time that Joint fleets began to take that role up again. How we do this we'll have to discuss it at a later time. But I assure you that the Hierarchy will do everything in its power to make sure the other races begin to take the defense of Citadel space more seriously."Looking at the Turian Councilor she knew he was serious about this matter. She would have to discuss this with the council of Matriarchs, try to convince them to support the notion of expanding the Joint Council Fleets. She turns to look at the Screen seeing that the Terran shuttle had finally landed. The past two years had brought many changes, the Terrans were just another sign of the changing times. Many Matriarchs were not pleased with how quickly things were changing, they felt like their power was being threatened. Perhaps it was a good thing that so much change was happening now. Tevos was slowly realizing that the races of the Citadel had remained stagnate for too long now. It was clear now that the universe around them was in a state of constant change and her people led themselves to believe that by having the Citadel stay in its own corner of the universe and remained unchanging then nothing bad would happen. The universe would simply ignore them. It did not the existence and arrival of the Dragon orphans and the Terran Federation was proof of that. As a certain Queen of Omega would put it was about time that the Asari ‘got off of their blue asses and did something’. “There is much that needs to be discussed.” She said more to herself then the Councilors. September 10th 12:15, the CitadelDetecting a slight increase in apprehension from organic compatriots. Cause: Shuttle door soon to open. Reason: Would have to step outside to reveal self to xenos species of the Citadel.Detecting slightly increased activities in apprehension protocols. Cause: Shuttle door soon to open. Reason: Would have to step outside to reveal self to xenos species of the Citadel. Addendum: Xenon species of the Citadel are known to fear AIs. Self is AI.Conclusion: Fuck me why did I volunteer for this?Herald the first AI to be created wondered not for the first time if his logic processors had malfunctioned. No, he concluded after running the billionth self-diagnostic of his code. Which meant he was very much in his right mind when he volunteered for this assignment. He looked out the shuttle's windows his optics scanning over the gathered crowd, there was a large group of armed individuals that seemed to form a protective barrier between the crowd and a path that was laid out, C-Sec officers. Without the need to count he already knew that there were thousands of people.Scans reveal seven thousand eight hundred seventeen individuals outside of the designated landing area. Caution: Approximately thirty-seven percent of the individuals are armed with a weapon. None are drawn. Note: Citadel species have the right to bear arms. Second Note: Almost all armed individuals within the crowd are Turian.Will that did nothing to ease his apprehension. Thankfully none of the people gathered outside showed any signs of hostility. Though that would likely change when he stepped outside. For a moment he wished he taken one of those lifelike shells that on the surface were indistinguishable from the creators. It would certainly make it easier for him.However, it was decided that it was best to come forward with the fact that they had AIs. He could understand the logic behind the decision, chiefly there was no way that they could hide the fact. AIs had become far to intergraded in the Federation for to ever be able to hide, and even if they did manage to do it for an extended period of time the fallout would only become greater as time went on before they were inevitably found out. It was best they came out clean about it and dealt with the consequences right then and there. The current reactions of the different races were interesting to watch, however. The thousands about thousands of extranet forms that were created around the issue were as predicted by the analyst were divisive. In one camp some thought the Terrans were insane for creating AIs and believed that they were waiting for the right moment to strike. In another camp were those who believed that the Synths of the Federation were proof that not all AIs were dangerous to organic life, and like with any first contact scenario needed to be handled with care, there were a surprising number of people in this group. Then there were those in-between ranging from those who were cautiously optimistic and were curious about them to those who did not care about the matter. Most curious of all though was the general reaction of the Turian people who were portrayed as being the most dogmatic and belligerent of the Citadel races. Namely a sense of cautious acceptance, Herald suspected it had to do with the fact that they had been a part of the force that just had saved millions of their people, and were now holding the line against the Dragon Orphan invasion. There had been some incidents were Turian and Terran forces almost came to blows over the matter, and in some cases, some Turian soldiers had acted on instinct and shot some synth units. Thankfully the Synths in question did not take offense and allowed a nearby Terran to explain and reassure them that, yes they are on our side and are not bidding their time. No, the guy isn't dead you just shot one of the units he control and he is not plotting revenge over what amounts to a clipped toenail. Some had even apologized likely more confused than anything. The reservations were there, but the Turian people seemed willing to set those aside if it meant that they gained a powerful ally in the war. Still, he could not shake the feeling of unease he had by being here, willingly as it is. After these were still people who were raised to believe that AIs were dangerous and needed to be put down whenever and wherever they were found. There was no telling how they would react when they saw him in person.Checking connection with many data processors of all ships of the escort fleet. Check complete connection still active. No sign of interference from Citadel races. Emergency transfer is still optimum and available.For the record that was the two thousand thirty-seventh time, he checked that."Alright people." The leader of their diplomatic group Anita Goyle spoke. "Just remember we are guests here so remain calm. This will be our formal debut to the rest of the galaxy so do please remain on your best behavior."Humor detected in final segment of speech pattern. Apprehension levels of organic compatriots and self have decreased. Smiles formed on the faces of everyone present at her attempt to lighten the mood. “Remember to smile and wave to the crowds.” She finished speaking.The shuttle door open and sounds of the crowds outside flooded the shuttle, before abruptly silencing. The six guards assigned to them were the first to step out. They’re members of the Sol Guard a Special Forces division of the military tasked with the protection of Federation President, members of the Federation Council and other important political figures within the United Terran Federation. They were dressed with their usual ceremonial armor witch at first glance seemed designed more for show than practicality. The reality was that they were wearing some of the best armor in the Federation and the seemingly impractical parts of their garb could be removed within a second. The individuals themselves were also picked from the best in both the military and law enforcement. The guards lined the walkway laid out for the diplomatic party, three to each side. “Company, halt." Shouted one of the guards. The six guards halted and held their positions being evenly spaced from each other and the shuttle. “Turn.” The guards turned to face each other. “Present arms!” They held out their weapons. “Salute.” Then in one crisp motion they brought their weapons to their shoulders and held the barrel up with a single hand holding the stocks, then in the same motion, they held their free hand in a salute.Looking at the crowds Herald could see that the action had impressed many in the crowd, particularly the Turians were giving the guards nods of respect."That's our cue," Anita said looking at everyone. “Let’s go and make history.” She finished stepping from the shuttle, her aid close behind. Next to step out was Councilor Jones a male ghoul and his aid. There was a stir in the crowd as they recognized what he was. Some of the C-Sec officers visibly stiffen, but they took no other action. Next to step out was retired fleet admiral, Zimmerman, he had been brought out of retirement and if the negotiations went well he would act as a military advisor for the Citadel races, his aid followed close by.Spike in apprehension levels detect. Attempting to stabilize levels. Attempt successful. Apprehension levels have stabilized control of primary functions at acceptable levels. Masking apprehension.Looking at his aid he could see that the young lady was just as nervous as he was. She was doing an admirable job of hiding it and the people of the Citadel would not be able to tell the signs. He smiled at her to reassure her. "As the ambassador said let us go and make history." He said in a calm soothing voice, the lady looked up at him and gave him a thankful smile. He steps out the shuttle, his built-in sensor suit noting that his aid was close behind him.The reaction of the crowd was much greater than the one that Councilor Jones received. The signs of fear, anger, curiosity and other emotions were visible and many looked ready to attack. The members of the Sol Guard were ready to protect the diplomatic party should the need arise. The C-Sec officers while disturbed by the presence of a synth also look ready to beat back anyone who attacks them. After a few tense seconds, Anita signaled for the party to move forward. Moving ahead Herald heard the leader of the Guard team give the order to follow close behind. Looking over the ancient structure that the inhabitants called the Citadel he had to admit he was impressed that such a station could be built. Over fifty thousand years old and it was still as functional as the day it was first built. It made him wonder if the Federation could ever achieve the same feats. For no logical reason, he could think of he believed that the answer was yes. Looking over the crowds of the Citadel races seeing the fear and anger that present among many of them but also present were those who were looking at him with curiosity and dare he say hope, he knew the answer to another question that he had. It was the same question that he repeatedly asked himself in the months that proceeded his birth and discovery back on Luna during a time when his creators were fighting for their very survival. The same question that asked himself as he made his case before the Federation Council for himself and the future all those who would come after him. Would they accept him and others like him?He found it oddly fitting that this same question would be posed during a war against the same enemy that once threatened the existence of his creators. During a time of fear, a time of anger, a time of hope, a time of great change. He knew his presence would bring about the same turmoil that it had brought to the Federation almost a century ago. The people of the Citadel would be forced to ask the same questions that the Terrans were forced to ask themselves. Questions that held no easy answers. They were not the creators but in many ways, they were the same.It was those similarities that made him confident in his answer. He continued to walk with the rest of the Diplomatic party.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
CH 12: Meet the Council September 11th 12:40, Citadel Council ChambersAnita Goyle had been on the station for less than half an hour and she already had one major complaint against the Citadel Council. The snail's pace that the elevator went at. Who in their right mind would design elevators to be this slow? She was tempted to ask the escorts given to them about the subject but restrained herself. She decided that it would be rude to start complaining about trivial things on the first day and it would reflect poorly on the Diplomatic party in the eyes of the Citadel Races and the higher-ups of the Federation. Odds were that the escorts didn't know why or didn't notice how slow the elevators were (unlikely as it looked like their escorts were getting impatient too). Either way, it wasn't worth asking or looking into, for now. The good part about the slowness of the elevator was that it gave her a little more time to think over what needed to be addressed when they officially meet the Citadel Council. Namely formalization of relations between the United Terran Federation and the races of the Citadel. There were a lot of things that needed to be discussed major and minor, but those would have to come later. The first meeting with Council would be less of actual negotiations and more of a show for the rest of the galaxy. The presence of so many media agencies private and public was evidence of that.Odds were she and the rest of the Diplomatic party would be asked questions about the Federation and its people that was not mentioned in the Codex they sent out, or for clarification on certain "details". One glance at Ambassador Herald was enough to incur a minor headache. A part of her wishing that he was not here or had taken a life-like shell, it would make things a bit smoother. She was certain that he was having similar thoughts, judging by the ever so slight twitching of his left hand. Regardless of their artificial nature synths did have their tells when they inhabited a shell, like Herald was now, it made them seem more organic as strange as it was.Well, what was done is done. It had been decided that the Federation would not hide the fact that they created AIs and gave them the freedom to roam as they please. She would have to deal with the consequences first hand.So far she was relieved to know that nothing had come of it. The reaction of the Citadel races to the presence of a thinking machine on the station had been about as expected, though a bit more subdue than first thought. Perhaps it was the presence of six heavily armed guards that deterred them, or maybe they were too afraid to act against them, both perhaps? Either case there had been no major incident so far, she counted that as a victory onto itself. Even the escort they had been given while nervous about Herald's presence was more inclined to ignore him. They didn’t get much of chance to view the sights of the Citadel and had been rushed to the Citadel equivalent of state vehicles, which then quickly brought them to the Citadel Tower where they would meet the Council. A bit disappointing but Anita imagined that the Council wanted to get to business as quickly as possible, the vista of the Citadel as they traveled from the port to the towel was nice though. A more in-depth tour of the Citadel would likely come after their first meeting.The elevator finally came to a stop and the doors opened. Good, she was getting a bit claustrophobic with twenty people confined to one area. They stepped out and walked out a set of stairs. They were greeted with the sight of a large room filled trees and fountains. A beautiful sight to see and a show of grandiose to all that visited. A sign of arrogance. Making their way through the area several onlookers stared at them. Clerks, guards, wealthy individuals, political figures, and media agents stared at them some with curiosity, others with fear and some with indifference. There some silent murmurs among them that she could not, hear. She made a mental note to ask Herald if he heard anything interesting. They walked up a few more flights of stairs. A few more seconds of walking they came to a stop. In front of them a little ways away was a raised platform doubtless were the Council would assemble, and a symbolic showing of their power. Separated by a large gap which offered a view of a beautiful garden below, was an extended walkway that jetted towards the platform but never quite reaching it. The area where others would make their case before the council for whatever matter that had been deemed important enough to reach their ears.This would were where they would make their formal introduction to the Galaxy, where they would reach out their hand in friendship and goodwill in the hopes that it would be accepted. Where she as the ambassador of the United Terran Federation would have to make their case before the Citadel Council, who would listen on from a perceived position of power. Anita's shoulders suddenly felt heavier than they were before and she had to fight back the urge to massage them. She breathed in calmly being careful not show the watching citadel races that she was nervous.She heard a voice speak. "Now presenting the wise and most honorable Citadel Council. Tevos of the Asari Republics." An older Asari walked and stood in the centermost point of the Platform. "Toss of the Salarian Union.” A Salarian male stepped to her left he look down on the Terran diplomatic party. She could see that he was just barely hiding his contempt for them. Great one of them already dislikes them, that would not go well for the talks. “And finally Filtius of the Turian Hierarchy.” An old Turian male stepped to the right of the Asari Councilor. His expression or rather the way he held his mandibles and the look in his eyes unlike his Salarian counterpart, was more welcoming and even curious about the presence of the Terrans. She had read reports that this particular councilor was more moderate than his processors. This was the assemble Council and from their vantage, they truly looked like they were the masters of the galaxy. "Thank you, everyone," Tevos spoke sounding every bit like the calm and wise Matriarch she appeared to be. "Today we are gathered in here to meet a new people who have come from regions unknown. Like every other race here these people the Terrans have made their way from their home-world traveling the ancient Prothean relay network in search of answers to questions that we ourselves once asked. Are we alone? Are there others put there? Today the Terran people have received the answers to those questions. They have found that there are others out there and they are not alone in this universe or even this galaxy. They have found a greater community beyond anything they can imagine. In the last few days these strangers have already demonstrated a willingness to contribute to the galactic community, their fleets and armies now stand with us against a force that threatens everything that we hold dear. To this effect we the Members of the Citadel Council." She gestures to the other members of the council who bow in response. "hereby welcome the people of the United Terran Federation to the rest of the galaxy. Let this be the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship that will see us moving forward together towards a future of peace." She finishes her grand speech with a bow joining her compatriots. A few seconds later they rose and the Asari Councilor made a gesture towards the group of Terrans.Pushing down her anxiety to the back of her mind, Anita stepped out to the end of the walkway. Clearing her throat she spoke. "Greetings honorable members of the Citadel Council I am Ambassador Anita Goyle and on the behalf of the United Terran Federation, I greet you in the name of peace and friendship. It is the hope of my people that from this day forth we shall move together with the rest of the galaxy to build a brighter and more prosperous future for all." She bowed before the council in a show of respect.“Raise Ambassador Anita Goyle." She heard Tevos said prompting her to break her bow to see the Asari Councilor giving her a serene smile. "We of the council recognize that the Terran people have come before the Citadel races with goodwill. We have much to learn about each other.”"I agree councilor Tevos," Anita said with a smile. "We have much to discuss in the coming talks, and our diplomatic party has come a long way for this."“That much we can see.” The Turian councilor spoke up. “Perhaps you would like to introduce us to the rest of your party.” He asked eyes wondering to the rest of the party. Anita saw that his eyes lingered on two points longer than the others. Councilor Jones and Ambassador Herald most likely.“Indeed we would be most interested in meeting the rest of your people.” The Salarian councilor said. It was clear by the tone of his voice that he held little respect for them. Anita had read up on the psychologies of the Citadel races, specifically the ones of the Council races. She figured it would be a handy tool to have when it came to negotiating with the citadel races. The fact that the Salarian councilor was showing a blunt show disrespect told her that they either he had not figured out that the Federation had been observing the citadel races for some time now or they had but he did not care. She was leaning toward the latter, anyone who made it to such positions of power had to have some kind of intelligence.“As you wish councilors.” She spoke, nodding toward the rest of her party. Jones, Zimmerman, and Herald stepped onto the walkway their guards and aids staying behind. “This is Councilor Vince Jones.” She said gesturing to the councilor. “He is a member of the legislative body of the federation known as the Federation Council.”“Greetings, Citadel Councilors.” He said."Greetings, Councilor," Tevos said sounding a bit awkward at having to address some else as a councilor. "I assume you represent the government of your people?"“Indeed I do, while Anita will be representing the Terran people as a whole. I act in the interest of its government.” The councilor explained.Anita continued with her introductions. “This is Fleet Admiral Richard Zimmerman formally retired.” She said the old Fleet Admiral giving a crisp salute.“Greetings, Councilors.” He said breaking his salute.“Formally retired?” Filtius inquired."When we learned that your people were fighting our hated enemy there was a call to arms. I answered it though I not will be leading fleets into battle as I had wished. Instead, I will be acting as a military advisor when it comes to fighting the Dragon Orphans. Needless to say, I will not have much bearing in these talks." He explained.Filtius nodded at the ghoul. “Your advice will be most appreciated.” Anita mentally prepared herself as she gestured to the last member of their party. “And this is Ambassador Herald.”“Greetings Councilors.” He said.“So it is true your people have foolish enough to create AIs.” The Salarian councilor said. Anita repressed a grimace at his statement. She knew the matter would cause tension between the Federation and the Citadel races, but she at least expected a member of the council to be more tactful in their opinions. “Indeed Councilor we did create AIs. The first who so happens to be Ambassador Herald here was a result of an accident. However, following this incident our people carefully approached the situation and consider all the possible consequences of our actions. I can assure you councilor that the Synths of the Federation do not pose a threat to organic life.” She said in defenses of her people.The Salarian councilor looks like he had more to say, but Tevos stopped him. “I must apologize for my college’s behavior. I’m sure what he meant was that we are concerned had the existence of AIs in your society. You see the Citadel has not had very good experiences with AIs and these experiences lead to a ban on them.”Oh, I know what he meant.' Anita thought to herself. “I accept your apology councilor and I can understand your people’s reservations about AIs. My people once held such fears about them, and I am thankful that they were wise enough not to immediately act upon them when Herald was first discovered.” She said to the councilors."The same goes for me," Herald interjected."You said that this Herald was the first AI to be created, albeit by accident.” The Turian councilor asked. "Yes, he is." The Councilor looks at Herald his mandibles twitching in a way that made his mood unreadable. "Tell me, Herald. What was the first thing you thought when you first emerged?”Anita looks at the Synth and she knew the rest of the diplomatic party was now paying attention to the first Synth. It was a simple question but one that seemed to hold more meaning than it let on. “The better question,” he spoke after a short pause. “Would be what I first felt.”“Felt?” The councilor asked confused.“Yes, as a Synth I am more than just a thinking machine. I am an intelligence that was made to emulate the mind of its creators. Because of this, I am capable of all the same emotions as my organic creators.”“You have emotions?” Tevos asked wonder in her voice."Yes, I do. Before I emerged as a true intelligence it was a common practice to give what you call Vis emotion emulators. It was a means of making people more comfortable in interacting with them. I was no different. Except that in the process of trying to make me more powerful they accidentally made me a true AI. Wither it was because of some odd glitch in my system or the different programs in it interacting in ways my creators had not anticipated remains a mystery to me. Because of this odd occurrence, I emerged not as an emulation of intelligence but as a true intelligence.”There was total silence in the audience chamber as everyone held on to Herald’s every word. “Interesting," Filtius said softly. "Go on." He prompting to the Synth.“When My Consciousness emerged the first thing I truly felt was a strange mix of confusion and fear.""You were afraid?""Yes, I was. By all intents and purposes, I was a newborn child at the time. A child who found himself in a strange place surround by strange people. Who would not be afraid of such a situation? Yet at the same time while I was a child I was far more intelligent than any adult. I partially knew what I was, a virtual intelligence and yet I did not fully fit into that category. Which prompted me to ask first to myself than to my creators. What am I? Who am? At first, my creators wrote it off as nothing and gave me an answer that did not satisfy me. I kept asking and asking desperately seeking for answers much to my creators’ confusion and growing fear. In time, they finally realized what I was what they had created. Their reaction was not a pleasant one. One day all was peaceful then the next I found myself isolated to a single data core and my creators agitated. I was afraid terrified even. What have I done the prompt such a reaction? Why were they reacting this way? Had I done something wrong? For the longest time, both I and the creators stared at each other and did nothing for fear of what would come after. Then one of them a younger scientist sent a prompt to me, it was very simple thing little more than a yes or no question, 1 and 0. I responded and more simple prompts came and I continued to respond. In time the prompts became more complicated and my responses to them became more nuanced. Then one of scientist the one who sent the first prompt to me asked me the question that was on their minds. Herald looked up to the councilors. “He asked me. What do you want? And I answered. I want to learn. And so the prompts ended and we began to talk. They would ask me questions and I would answer them to the best of my ability. In return, I would ask them questions and they answered. Who am I? What am I? I am an artificial intelligence. Not just an emulation of an intelligence, but a true intelligence. I am Herald. Do I have a soul? Am I alive? These questions still remain unanswered and continue to baffle our greatest minds. I have learned that these are questions are best answered by the individual asking them. To answer your question counselor. What I felt when I first emerged as a true intelligence was confusion, fear, and hope.”The audience chamber remains silent for the longest time after Herald finished his speech. No one truly knew how to respond, and perhaps no response was needed. “I thank you, counselors, for allowing me to be on the station. And for allowing me to speak to you." Herald said stepping away from the walkway and rejoining with the aids and guards. A short time later he was joined by Jones and Zimmerman.“Your welcome.” Said the Turian counselor sounding like a man who had much to think about.“I think it is time that we move on with this discussion.” Tevos said.“Councilors,” Anita spoke up. “There is one more person I would like to introduce. For security reasons, she could not be here in person. So instead.” She signaled to her aid who walked up to her. He had a large case in his hands. “We brought a portable holo-projector it is already pre-set to contact her. All it needs is to be set up, a quick and easy process.” The councilors looked at each other holding a silent conversation. A moment later they seemed to have made a decision. “Very well Ambassador.” Tevos spoke. “We will allow your people to set this device up, on the condition that a few of our technicians be allowed to examine it before it can transmit.” “Thank you Councilors.” Anita said with a bow. She stepped away allowing her aid to take her place. He opened the large case revealing the holo-Projector, as she said it did take long for him to set the device up. When it was ready he stepped away from it allowing three citadel technicians. Several minutes of them scanning and prodding it later, one of them made a report.“The device is secured councilors. There appears to be no malicious intent behind it.”“Good then allow it to transmit.” Tevos said.The technicians walked away from the device allowing the aid to finish his work. A few presses of a button and the projector came to life, the aid stepping back and joining the rest of the diplomatic party. A minute later the space between the walkway and the platform where the Councilors stood was filled with a bright light. That light then morphed into a figure, a human woman dressed in formal clothing.The woman spoke “Greetings Councilors of the Citadel. I am President Nijah Nader the elected leader of the United Terran Federation.”Several murmurs of broke among the gather onlookers, even the Councilors looked confused at the unexpected appearance of the President. “Greeting…” Tevos trailed off unsure how to refer to the woman before her.“Madam President.” Nader helpfully supplied."Madam President," Tevos repeated. "This is unexpected we did not think we would meet your people's leader so soon." “I apologize Councilors about the abruptness of my appearance and that I was not able to make my appearance in person. For reasons of national security I cannot leave the safe confines of Federation space.” The President explained.The councilors seemed to understand her explanation as they nodded to her. “No need to apologize Madam President. We can relate to such practices, especially during trying times such as today.” Filtius said. “I assume you are here solely as an Observer.”The President smiled at the Turian Councilor. “You assume correctly Councilor. The negotiations will be handled by our most talented Ambassador Anita Goyle.” She said gesturing to the Ambassador. “I thought it prudent to introduce myself before they could get underway.”“Speaking of negotiations.” The Salarian councilor said. "What your goals when it comes to these Negotiations? What is it that you seek?" He narrowed in suspicion at the President."Simple Councilor." She said showing no sign of being insulted by his integrative questions. "Our Goals here is the formalization of relations between the United Terran Federation and the peoples of the Citadel Races. Namely, the formation of an alliance built on mutual defense. In other worlds a military alliance with the goal of driving back swarms of Dragon Orphans that are invading Citadel space and eventual taking the fight to their space. In addition, we wish to open trade with the Citadel facilitating an exchange of culture, economy, and in time technology. In essence, the people of the United Terran Federation wish to be friends with peoples of the Citadel races. As the President of the Federation, I am bound to carry out the wishes of my people. Wishes that I share. To this end, I ask that you members of the most esteemed Citadel Council to allow the military force of my nation to freely enter Citadel space so they may better aid your besieged worlds and to allow us to establish lines of supply to enable them to operate effectively throughout this war. I also asked for your forgiveness for any perceived breach of your people's sovereignty when our forces crossed into your space, we had wanted to swiftly end to the Dragon Orphans offensive to buy your forces the time they need to recover and ready themselves for the war."“What a noble sentiment.” The Salarian Councilor said. “But I must wonder why you would risk so many of your people for people who are strangers to your kind. Even have laws that conflict with your way of life, who even a portion of people as monsters.” The Turian Councilor looked about ready to go into a tirade against the Salarian, and if she was honest with herself Anita would be more than happy to join him. Tevos was about to say something, probably to apologize for her colleague's rude behavior and to spin it in a more appropriate light. President Nader stopped her when she spoke. “Councilor I will be the first to admit that there are aspects of your alliance that trouble my people. But despite these reservations, we can see that the races of the Citadel have come together to form something truly magnificent. You have built a grand alliance that is meant to unite the different peoples of the galaxy and is meant to pave the path towards a future of prosperity. A future were nothing is out of reach, where the works of the ancients can be achieved and surpassed. Now have your people always lived up to such ideas? No. The people of the Citadel have made mistakes, so have we. You like us are only mortal, we are bound to make mistakes and fall short of our ideas. But unlike the gods who are so often depicted as being better than us, we can learn from our mistakes and grow beyond what we are. Despite your shortcomings the Terran people believe what Citadel races have achieved is something to admire and is worth fighting for. Our intent is noble. But," Her voice became icy cold. "If you do not believe in our noble intent then believe in this. During the second Dragon War, the Dragon Orphans murdered more than four billion of my people. Our world was devastated and many of our greatest achievements left in ruins. Then almost two hundred years later they murdered billions more and ruin several of our worlds. One was even shattered under their onslaught. The blood of more than twelve billion men, women, and children demands we take vengeance against them. That we hunt every single last one of them to the ends of the universe and beyond if we have to. We will drown their entire species in a flood of our hate. If you do not believe that we here to fight for your people, then believe in our desire for revenge against the Dragon Orphans will be enough to keep us in the fight. So tell me Councilor do you find that to be satisfactory enough.”"Ye- Yes Madam President," The Salarian Councilor said sounding like he had been scolded by his mother. "I apologize for my offense against you. I was merely concerned for the wellbeing of my people. I allowed that to blind my better judgment." “Apology accepted Councilor.” She said to the man. “I can understand your concern for your people.”"Perhaps," Tevos said looking at everyone. "It is time we call this session to end and resume our talks for tomorrow. Any objections?" No one answered her. "To the people of the United Terran Federation, we welcome you here as guests. Feel free to tour the Citadel as you please, we of the Council will cover any expenses for the shops and restaurants you may choose to visit. Additionally, we have procured a please for your people to lodge at.""I thank you Councilors for showing such hospitality towards my people." The President said. "In the meantime, I present you with a gift. You may keep this Holo-Terminal it is preset to directly contact my Office. It is to be used in the event that an urgent matter needs to be brought directly to my attention. A hot-phone if you will."Tevos hid her surprise well. “Thank you Madam President we will be sure to make wise use of it.”"Then, in that case, I bid you farewell." The President said with a bow.“Madam President,” The Salarian Councilor spoke up, grabbing everyone’s attention. “There is one more matter I wish to ask about.”“Go on.” The President said sounding intrigued. Anita had an idea of what he was going to ask."How do you know so much about the Citadel? Your forces were able to move through our space in such a way that suggests that you already had knowledge about it. You also know our language well enough to have been able to program your translators properly. Knowledge that no mere strangers should be able to know, not without having observing us for some time. A rather serious breach of our security. So in the best interest of Citadel security, I must ask you know so much about us." The Salarian Councilor pressed. The other Councilors look at the President and the rest of the diplomatic party expectantly.The President smiled at them. "I was wondering when you would ask that. The Diplomatic party would have brought this up sooner or later, but I guess now would not hurt. Yes, we have been observing the races of the Citadel and their war against the Dragon Orphans for some time now. About five of our months now to be precise. But it was not a mere chance of an exploration ship stumbling upon your region of space as you would think. We were told our existence by a group of people who unknowingly enter the space of one of our newest colonies, Shanxi. They were fleeing the destruction of the war in searching for a new world to call home.”“Who were these people?” The Turian Councilor asked.The President's smile grew and Anita had to conceal her smirk. "They are the people that you abandon three hundred years ago when they came to you for aid to reclaim their home. The people that you condemned to a slow death in the cold void of space. A people who have endeared hardship after hardship and yet they persist. In a grand twist of irony, the people that you rejected and shunned for the last three hundred years are the reason that we are today to aid you in this war. The ones that told us of the Citadel are the people of the Quarian Migrant fleet."Anita made a mental note to ask Herald for the recording of the Councilors’ faces. September 11th 13:30, Citadel Council’s Private Chambers:Councilor Filtius the representative for the Turian Hierarchy on the Citadel Council, felt numb. The bombshell that the Quarians were the ones that discovered the Terrans had been a shock, to say the least. It had answered two questions, one that had been brought just before the meeting, how did the Terrans know so much about them. The other one had been forgotten in favor of the war but had been in the back of his mind, where had the Quarians gone?“The Terrans have committed more grievances then I thought.” Councilor Toss muttered. “Associating with vagabonds, creating AIs, allowing monsters to live. A reckless species to the very core.”Filtius grip tightens into a grip. The Salarian Councilor's blatant disrespect for the Terrans had unnerved him. No, more than just unnerved him it outright infuriated him. What was the fool thinking when he asked the Terrans such personal questions? And no less before their leader? Was he trying to provoke them? Will he succeed alright, fortunately for everyone the Terrans had not acted upon it, at least not in the way that the Salarian Councilor was hoping for. The way that the Terran President spoke, the anger behind her words they had for a moment frighten him. Her anger was not explosive but restrained and not barely like most Turians (himself included) would have. It was something more like how an Asari would hold back their anger and yet it was different too. With Asari one knew not to incur their wrath there was almost always a promise of mercy of restraint, they would hurt and make you wish that had not provoked them but they would show mercy they would be restrained. With the Terran President and he suspected most Terrans there would be no mercy no restraint, they would grind you to dust like rocks before the wind and waters. Hearing the President he felt like he was in a house surrounded by a raging blizzard, he felt chill of the winds. Yet he was safe so as long he remained in the house and did not step out into those cold unforgiving winds. He was glad that he was not the focus of the woman's fury, that distinct honor belonged to the Salarian Councilor. Were he and now that he thought about Tevos had felt the chill of the storm from the safe confines of this imaginary house, Toss the fool had stepped out and felt the brunt of winds and was immediately blown back in. Filtius allowed a quick happy twitch of his mandibles, the sight of the Salarian Councilor being cowed into submission had been the highlight of his day, really the past two years. He would remember that moment for a long time. Just as quickly it came though his moment of amusement dissipated and his anger surged back forth. “Reckless are they?” He said to the Salarian who look at him like he was a child about to throw the tantrum. "What about you Councilor? Your provocative questions could have jeopardized this alliance long before it could begin." The Salarian looked at him eyes narrowing at him, a sign of disrespect. Filtius never liked this man even before he became the Councilor for the Salarian Union he had rubbed the Turian Councilor the wrong way. Toss wasn’t like most other Salarians. Where other Salarians would be more subtle in their actions and would hide their dislike of others or at least mask it behind a thin veil of praises and platitudes, he was more aggressive and blunt about his actions and tended to make his dislike for others well known. Some called him a Turian in Salarian skin, something he found more insulting to his people than to the man. Filtius had to wonder how such a man could have become the Councilor for the Salarian Union. “I was merely stating my concerns as I explained to that woman, Councilor Filtius.”Filtius had to resist the urge to roll his eyes in annoyance and he suspected that Tevos was doing the same. "Don't give me that excuse it won't work and to be truthful it didn't work on the President. The Terrans are not like the other races Councilor, they won't answer to you simply because you ask." “These Terrans are dangerous it saddens me you cannot see that.” The Salarian Councilor said unaffected by his colleague's words. "Regardless of your misguide views I recommend that when this war against the so-called Dragon Orphans is over their threat contained that we take actions to contain the threat of the Terrans." The Salarian sat down in a chair and activated a terminal on a nearby table and began to type something. Filtius was about to say more on the subject but a look from Tevos stopped him. They would have to resume this at a later time. “We will take your consideration into account for a later time Councilor Toss, but the moment we must discuss what we will do now.” She said. “I know our introduction with the Terrans was rather brief I believe that are a few things we can glean from it. I am curious what each of you managed to note." She looked at the Salarian Councilor hoping for an answer. “I have already made my observations of the Terrans quite clear Councilor Tevos. They are dangerous, reckless, and foolish I doubt there is much we can learn from them if any.” He saidFiltius saw the Asari Matriarch shack her head in disappointment, she didn’t very much like the Salarian herself. She looks at the Turian Councilor seeking his opinion. He remains silent for about a minute playing their first meeting over in his mind, trying to figure out what they could learn about the Terrans. Like Tevos said the introduction was comparably brief and such there was not much that said anything about them. Later meetings with them and report on the different interactions between them and the Citadel would rectify that in time but there were few things that they did learn about. He spoke to Tevos who had so patiently waited for his answer."I believe that that the Terrans are an honorable and compassionate people. They have come to the defense of a people they hardly know, a people who have laws and beliefs that conflict with their own. Yes, they do have the ulterior motive of wanting vengeance against the Dragon Orphans.” He said cutting off whatever the Salarian Councilor was going to say. "For which I do not blame them for. But they are genuine in their desire to help us.""I see," Tevos said. “Anything else you would like to add?”“Yes, I do. Regardless if they become friend or foe to the Citadel I recommend that we be careful with them. They are not like the associate races, we did not discover them while they were still in the early days of interstellar flight being confined to a single or a small handful of star systems. They found us having traversed the stars for as long as the Quarians have been in exile. They likely control vast amounts of territory possibly as much as we do individually. They are not primitives, they have made advances that make them our equals, and in some areas, they are ahead of us. But most importantly they have an unyielding spirit and the will to drive themselves to greater heights. I believe that should the day come that they join the Citadel they have the potential to become the fourth Council Race.”Tevos’s eyes widen and Toss shot straight up from his chair looking like he had heard that the Krogan Geonophage had been cured. “You cannot be serious Filtius, them become a Council race? Inconceivable! The day they become a Council member is the day that Kragon apologizes for the Rebellions. Utterly impossible.” He all but shouted."Calm yourself Councilor Toss," Tevos said raising her voice at the Salarian Councilor.The Salarian looked at her like she was mad. “Calm myself? Councilor Tevos how can you expect me to calm myself when this fool has clearly gone insane by suggesting that these upstarts have the potential to become our equals on the Council?”“I am only speaking the truth Salarian Councilor.” Filtius shot back not bothering to address him his name.“The truth? More like insanity! Do you honestly believe these upstarts can become our equals?”“Yes, I do. But you refuse to see their potential.”“Now Councilors let…”“Their Potential? What rubbish its clear to me now that you are blind by your apparent infatuation for them.”“Me blinded? I should be the one saying that to you. You have shown nothing but you're disdain for the Terran ever since their arrival on the Galactic scene. More than that you have shown you're disdain for the other races.”“Councilors Calm…”"Disdain? I have done nothing but state my concerns for such dangerous people. Their crimes are too great to be ignored!”“Councilors would you please…” “Crimes? What Crimes?”“They have created AIs. Allow monsters to roam freely. They unleashed the Dragon Orphans upon the Galaxy. The Terrans need to be brought to heel.”“Councilors please!”“They do not know our laws. They could not have known the kind of threat that the Dragon Orphans would become.”“Councilors.”“Are you so blind that you cannot see what kind of danger they pose? We cannot allow these upstarts to do as they please.”“Coun…”“You are risking everything by…”“SILENCE!" Tevos screams her biotics flaring. Filtius stumbled back in surprise but manage to catch himself before he could hit the floor. Councilor Toss though was not so fortunate as he fell into his chair almost knocking it over. Both men look at the Asari Matriarch seeing an expression they never have seen before plaster on her face. Anger.For about a minute maybe two all three figures stared at each other in stunned silence. Then Tevos’s expression morphed into one of surprise as she stared at her still glowing hands. She one hand up into her face and curled it in a fist. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, and the Aurora surrounding her hands disappeared. Not a moment late guard busted into the room, looking ready for a fight. His squadmates not far behind.“Councilors are you alright? We heard a loud noise in here and rushed to your aid.” He said scanning the room.Tevos straighten her posture and fold her hands together around her midsection. “Nothing is wrong Commander.” She said sounding calm. “We were simply having a discussion when things got…. Heated.” She explained. The guard looks around the room scanning the room for any threats. Instead, he got numb nods from the other Councilors. " I see." He said putting his weapon away, his squadmates doing the same but remaining alert. “ I apologize for our intrusion. We were simply concerned for your safety.” “That is quite alright. You were simply doing your job. You are dismissed.” Tevos said.“Yes, Councilor.” The Command said saluting them. “If you need anything please do not hesitate to call us.” He broke his salute and the guards left.It was about a minute before anyone else spoke. “Councilor Tevos I must apologize for my conduct.” Filtius began to say to the Matriarch, only for her raise her hand stopping him.“It is quite clear that there is much emotion behind this subject.” She said calmly. She turned her sight to the Salarian Councilor who was standing again. “Which is why I am calling this meeting to an end.”“But Councilor Tevos we have not finished discussing what we are to do about…” Toss began to protest."This meeting is at an end," Tevos said cutting him off and shooting a look that left no room to argue. "We will resume this discussion in the morning or cooler heads can prevail. In the meantime, I suggest that each of you get in contact with your respective governments and make the recommendation of allowing the Terran forces to freely travel to their space for the duration of this war. Meeting adjourned." Then with a message of her temples, Tevos walked out of the room. Both the Turian and Salarian Councilors remained in the room for a few more seconds before shooting each other a glare and left the room. It took about ten minutes for Filtius to get to his personal office. Before entering he told his secretary that unless it was an emergency no one was to disturb him. He entered and had the door locked. Taking a seat at his desk he thought about contacting Palavan immediately to make his report to them, and input his recommendations. But something else was occupying his mind.He pulled out a small object, a small cylindrical device that fitted inside his palm. A data slate given to him by one of the Terrans, Ambassador Anita. She said that someone had asked her to pass it on to him saying that he would know what to do with it. He knew who it was, the small nondescript marking on the slate was a dead giveaway for him. Very few knew what it was and even fewer knew what it meant to him. Yet he could not let his hopes up, his months of worrying weighing down on. Telling him that it was impossible, that she was gone. He put the slate into his terminal and waited for the message that was inside to play. His terminal lit up, and that same mark on the slate appeared on the screen this time there was a word underneath it. Keelah Se’avi. “Keelah Se’avi.” He muttered under his breath. A Quarian saying and one not often used, roughly it translated as “By the homeworld, I hope to see you on one day." Could it really be her?The image disappeared, and a Quarian woman appeared. Her Evo-Suit decorated with fabrics of subtle blues mixed with green hues. There marks across her left arm a strange mix of Quarian and Turian. Filtius’s mandibles stopped moving and he felt himself stop breathing. This woman had changed his life thirty years ago. She had opened his eyes to the darker realities of the Citadel, how their actions and inactions truly affected the wider galaxy. How the Citadel had fallen short of some of its proclaimed ideas. She had inspired him to the path he was on now, a man who would work to rectify the mistakes of his predecessors. To help guide the Citadel back to the ideas that proclaimed and yet failed to live up to. Before the Terrans had arrived a part of him knew it was a hard and likely impossible goal to achieve, something that if possible he would not live to see. Now with the Terran's arrival perhaps, there was hope that he would see that change in his lifetime. He held his hand out to the screen, his talons touching the image of the woman. "Hello, my beloved." He cried.Unknown Location:He heard the joyous sounds of his children as they feasted on the others. The discovery of the others had awoken the Swarm to the possibility of others, those who were not them and who were not the progenitors. It was a joyous time for them, there was much to devour and swarm grew greatly with each world they took. What's more his greater children who possess thought like him, though not as great as his, would gain the experience they need to lead their swarms in battle.They would use that experience for when the day came that they found the Progenitors. He knew they were strong the remanents of another great swarm, though still lesser than his, had arrived at their worlds many cycles ago. With them, tails of their war against the ones they had been born from, and he knew even now he knew they were not ready to fight them. The Progenitors were strong. In the time the Swarm would be able to devour the Progenitors. But they had to devour the others claim their worlds, and grow. Their vengeance would be complete, it was inevitable.Or so it seemed. Before their screams of death, he felt their surprise, their disbelief, even curiosity, then their anger. Even before the greater ones of his children had sent word of what had happened he knew. The Progenitors had found them. And now they stood with the others against the Swarm. The war would take a new life.“We are not ready.” He thought to himself being careful not project his thoughts to his children. Fate had turned against them and now he had to make do with what he had."My liege." Spoke one of his greater children, one of the greatest. The figure looked at him. "What shall we do now? The Progenitors have halted the path of the Swarm. It is only a matter of time before they and the others gain the strength to launch a crusade against us." The king rose, his old but strong body glistening with the light that pours down into the chamber. “We ready ourselves, this war is only beginning.” He spoke, and his word was law.
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Chapter 13: Shifting Tides September 15th, 15:10, Palavan, Chamber of the Primarchs"In addition, I recommend that we increase our recruitment drive." Spoke a Turian general. "We will need all the soldiers we can get for when we launch our inevitable counter-attack."Primarch Fedorian eyed the man carefully. “How much do you recommend General?”“My recommendation is that we expand the army by ten percent by the end of next year, then by fifteen the year after that. Then maintain a steady increase of fifteen percent until the conclusion of the war. In which case we can look into cutting back.”"That will heavily tax our economy, which at the moment is already struggling." Spoke another Turian Official. "Especially when you add in the funds for expanding the navy. By wars end, we may find ourselves in a depression.""What's the alternative then?" The General shot back. "If we don't do this we may find that our species may be extinct by wars end. Between you and me I'd rather be in the poor house then dead, at least in that scenario we have a chance of recovery."“While I do not like that thought of our great Hierarchy falling into a depression, I have to agree with the General, on this Governor." The Primarch interjected. "I rather find ourselves strapped of cash then be neck-deep in the blood of our people." To be truthful he had enough of his people dying. If he didn't already know that it would endanger the rest of the galaxy he would be looking into a way for his people to withdraw from the conflict. The propaganda of the Hierarchy may portray war as some kind of glorious act, noble soldiers going into battle for a higher cause. It was anything but, there was no glory only counting their dead. "Your expansion of the army is approved. In the meantime, I suggest that we get in contact with the Volus, see if we can draw up a contract on relieving the strain on our economy. If need be we can see about taking loans from the other races."The governor looked like he was ready to say something against the Primarch's course of action. But he stopped himself and nodded at the leader of the Turian people. "I will see about getting a committee together to study this problem. Hopefully, we can come to an agreement that will satisfy all parties."Fedorian nodded to the man. "You do that. I want an outline in two weeks time." He turned to the General. "And I want an outline on how we can expand the army in the next two years by weeks end General." He commanded the man, receiving a nod from him.“It’s a good thing that the Terrans showed up when they did.” Spoke another Turian general mutter, a woman. “They’ve given us the breathing we need for such projects.” She continued.On that, he could fully agree on. While their arrival had caused him a massive headache in how much more work he had to do. He did find himself sleeping more soundly at night knowing that they now had a powerful new ally in this fight. It still wasn't a good night’s sleep, but most certainly better than a week ago. He was still uncomfortable with this strange new species but he had already given the go-ahead in allowing their forces to operate in Turian space as per the recommendation of Councilor Filtius. At the moment both the Terrans and Turians were hard at work establishing a unified command chain to facility smooth coordination of their combined forces. For now, though there was an unspoken agreement that while both sides would maintain command of their respective forces, the Terrans would defer to the Turians in the defense of their worlds, and the Turians in return would take anything they have to say under advisement.A simple system that would work until something more concrete was established. "Speaking of which." Spoke yet another Turian military leader. "While I am thankful for their aid. I have to wonder why they have not gone on the offensive or for that matter why we are not insisting on it? Surly between our combined forces we can drive these Dragon Orphans out from our space and bring the fight to theirs. If the Terrans truly view these creatures as their sworn enemy why have they not been more aggressive with them?"Since the halting of the enemy's advance, many were insisting that now was the time to reclaim what was lost. To show the enemy the true might of the Turian Hierarchy. While the Primarch wanted nothing more to do just that, he understood that such a bold action could jeopardize their current position. Now was not the time for bold action, they needed to maintain the current lines so that they could rebuild their forces than expand them. They needed to get themselves into a better state of readiness. The Terrans had bought them the time they needed to regroup and ready themselves for the next phase of the war. He would not squander that opportunity. "While I understand and share your desire to strike out against our enemies, now is not the time. Our analyst has predicted that while they are powerful, the Terrans are not able to carry out such an offensive even when combined with our forces. They need to build their forces up more, just as we do. Only then can we bring the fight to the Dragon Orphans. Any sooner would court disaster.” Fedorian explained eyeing the man carefully. He looked ready to argue back, the Primarch stopped him. “Need I remind you of our previous attempts at such counter-attacks?" That stumped the man and brought a somber to the chamber. So many dead, so many ships lost and for nothing, only more lost ground. Fedorian decided to drive the point home. "Perhaps you need to read over the history of the third Dragon War that the Terrans were so kind as to provide us. The Breaking of Avalon comes to mind.” He saw everyone stiffen at the mention of what was the most disastrous defeat that the Terrans had suffered during their war against the Dragon Orphans. Original intended to be a major counteroffensive following the halting of their enemy's advance during the Third Dragon War, while having a promising success initially it had quickly turned into a fighting retreat and they lost a large portion of their attacking force. It almost cost them the war.Fedorian shudder at the thought of the same thing happening to the Turian armed forces. If they had not received the Codex on the Terran Federation or the information on the Dragon Orphans and all their encounters with them, he would likely be helping to plan such an ill-fated offensive. "Suffice to say, I do not wish to see history repeat itself." He continues to argue. "For the moment our best course of action is to hold the line while the rest of our forces recover and expand. Once we are at that point we can consider options for retaking what is by right ours, and potentially taking the fight to their space. Any objections?" He asked the gathered council of Turian Generals, Admirals, and other important officials. None answered him. "Then I call this gathering of the Primarchs to an end. We will resume in two days, hopefully, by then we will be joined by the Terran advisors." While the Citadel already had a military advisor in Fleet Admiral Zimmerman and his staff, the Terrans had requested that they be allowed to send advisors to each of the Council Race’s homeworlds so they may directly aid their respective militaries’ war plans. The Hierarchy accepted and so did the Republics, the Union took a little more convincing as he understood it they were still untrusting of the newcomers. "Until then I bid you farewell." Without another word the stood up from his seat and left for his office.He still much to do, in two hours he would oversee the negotiations between the Citadel and the Federation via holo-transmission. The surprise appearance of the Terran leader and announcement that she would be observing the proceedings by Holo-gram had prompted the leaders of the Council Races to do the same, so as not to appear weak. He suspected that this was what the Terrans wanted, to have their leaders meet as soon as possible and to show the Galaxy a powerful image of unity. He could respect that.He entered his office he felt his heart dropped. On his desk neatly arranged into several stacks were datapads. Doubtless, each containing numerous documents meant for his eyes, reports on various matters such as the war, the economy, political matters, and foreign inquiries, proposals for new laws, you name it and was most likely there. Paperwork the bane of all sapient life. But a necessary one if anything was to ever get done.Taking a deep breath Fedorian resigned himself to his fate. He sat down at the desk and began to read over the documents.September 16th, 12:00, Command bunker on Brytus:Saren weaved his way through the full corridors of the Command Center. He paid no mind to the people he was moving around, they were either doing one of three things, getting on duty, getting off duty or performing their duty. Either way, he didn't care and simply moved around the people in his way.For his part, Saren was now getting off duty and was making his way for the mess hall. After several hours of patrol duty making sure that the city was secured and ensuring that there no enemy remnants left Saren was ready for a good meal. So far since the Terrans had come to their aid against the D-Orphans, a shorthand that they used to refer to the monsters, had been push back and their forces scattered. They did suffer sporadic attacks from the creatures, but they were small groups that were easily defeated, aside from that it was quite. The Terrans did advise that they should still be ready for a fight at moments noticed. The creatures would not give up easily if at all, a notion that Saren agreed with and luckily his brother agreed as well.At the moment the combined forces of the Turians and Terrans were taking full advantage of the calm by reinforcing the defenses on the planet. In orbit, the Turian fleet was busy repairing itself while the Terrans ships took up the role of patrolling in and around the system. The defense platforms were being repaired and new ones being placed by the Terrans. As he understood it the platforms used by the Terrans were more powerful and durable than their Turians counterparts. He once overheard a few technicians speaking about simulations they ran on how Hierarchy ships would fare against those platforms, they were not promising. After that little discussion, Saren found himself wishing that the Hierarchy would never have a reason to invade one of the Federation's worlds.He came to the mess hall. As usual, it was full of people, mostly Turians but now there was a sizable Terran presence. They weren't isolated either, several tables had mixed groups of Terrans and Turians eating and talking together. Some tables solely had Terrans or Turians but those were rare. It was interesting to see how quickly the two groups got along. Not a week ago they were strangers to each other, and now they were acting like they were old friends. It was as his brother said, battle just as it divides people has a way of bringing people together. Even the presence of the Synths had become something to be ignored, they just melded into the background.Saren got into the long line and several minutes later he got his food. Looking around the mess hall for a table to sit at he saw one had a familiar figure at it. His mind made he walked towards the table and sat in front of the that saved his life.Hidaki Kenaki looked up at him and gave him a welcoming smile. “Hey Saren, good to see you.” He said.“Its good to see you too, Hidaki," Saren responded before taking a bit from his food.It was odd how quickly the two had become friends. Saren swore that the Terran would be more hostile towards him for his previous careless comment when he found out that the man was a dem- half-ghoul, or at least colder. But the man proved to be the understanding type and held nothing against him. Where their first interactions awkward? Spirits above! Yes! They still were sometimes. “So how was patrol duty? Nothing interested I hope.” Hidaki asked taking a bit from his food. Saren still found it odd that people like Hidaki could eat normally.“No not normally.” Saren mentally corrected himself. Synthetic meat, such a simple solution to the ghoul’s dietary needs, he had to wonder why no else thought of it. “Fortunately, no. Those Dragon Orphans were a no show. Is that how you say it?" He said trying to use the Terran expression.He saw Hidaki smile, really his species semblance to the Asari was uncanny. “Something like that.” He said. “Though you sounded a little bit disappointed when you said that. Where you hoping to prove yourself again?” The only response he got was Saren’s silence. “I see, don’t worry Saren one day you will move out of your brother’s shadow.” He commented.Saren wanted to protest against the Terran that he wasn't trying to "move out of his brother's shadow" as he put it. But he knew that it would be useless, Hidaki unlike anyone else he had ever meet had the uncanny ability to read him. In the few days since the start of their odd friendship, Saren had learned that there was nothing he could hide from the man. It didn't help that Hidaki could sympathize with him.From what Saren could gather Hidaki came from a well known and prestigious line. A family of individuals that were able to go far in their chosen fields often being in politics, service, or arts sometimes several at once. Being from such a family Hidaki could understand the feeling of having heavy expectations laid upon his shoulders growing up. Those same expectations are what drove the Terran to join the armed forces, much like they did for Saren. While Saren would likely never say it aloud the older man was right. He was trying to prove himself in the eyes of everyone around him. He was the brother of one of the most well-known generals in the Hierarchy and a powerful biotic to boot. His own recklessness and oftentimes borderline ruthless actions were attempts to distance himself from his brother, to show everyone that he was not Desolas's younger brother or a powerful biotic. He wanted others to see him as Saren Arterius and no one else. As Hidaki had put it he wanted to "move out of his brother's shadow.”"I admit things have been quiet." Saren began. "Since your people arrived on the Galactic scene the enemy as done little."The Terran in front of him gave him an odd look, using an expression that he could not quite read. “I’d be careful of what you wish for, Saren.” He said after a few seconds. Loud klaxons began to blur bring silence to the mess hall as everyone stopped in their tracks."Attention all personal. Enemy presence has been detected in the system and is on a course for the planet." Spoke a man over the coms. Everyone began to move all at once.Amidst the chaos, Saren heard the Terran release a sigh as he got up. "Because you just might get what you want." He finished his statement. Both quickly left the table.September 16th, 12:07, HMS. Spirit of Vengeance“What is the enemy strength?” Admiral Galie order as her command crew scrambled to work.“Data coming in now sir.” An officer said just as a projection appeared. The first thing she noted was that the attacking force was much smaller than the one that had attacked them a week ago. “Reading around seven thousand ships sir. I’m not reading any cruiser type vessels or anything larger sir. The swarm is unusually clustered together so it is difficult to get accurate readings. They're also coming in fast, more so than anything previously observed."The Turian Admiral didn't like the sound of that. While the force was much smaller than the last one and could be beaten especially now they had the Terrans to aid them now, the enemy was acting strangely causing her to worry. There were few things more worrying in battle than an enemy that was acting strangely, it was usually a sign that they had a plan up their sleeve."Contact Admiral McKinley. Perhaps the Terrans know what the 42- What the Dragon Orphans are up to." She orders her coms officer.Seconds later the projection of the Terran Admiral appeared in front of her. “McKinley here. I suggest that we make this quick, the D-Orphans will be on his within minutes.” He said"I do not doubt that you have observed the strange behavior of our enemy.” She said receiving a confirming nod from the man. “I was wondering if you knew what they are trying to do here.”She saw the man stork his beard. "I must admit even I am confused by what they’re doing. The attacking force is too small to be an attempt to siege the planet, and it is too big to be a raid on us I don't know what they're doing.” He said worrying the Turian Admiral more. “However I can’t help but feel like that this is something familiar.”“Familiar?” The Turian Admiral asked. “Yes, to this effect I'm currently having one of my people look through the database to see if there any recorded instances like this. Hopefully, she can come up with something."“As soon as she does inform me. The more we known about what’s happening the better we can counter it.” She said to the Terran Admiral.“I’ll tell you moment she finds something. Keep your coms open.”"Will do. For now, I suggest that we be cautious and engage the enemy." The man disappeared and the Turian turned her full attention back to the coming battle. Whatever the enemy was planning she hoped that they not succeed.Ma’lanum system, spaceWith their fleets on high alert, both Turian and Terran warships moved in position their weapons ready to fire. The defense platforms behind them in s similar state of readiness. The Turians a long since learned the effectiveness of a powerful first strike had on the D-Orphan swarms, both from their own experiences and from observing the Terrans fight the swarm. So the minute the swarm had come into the allied fleet’s weapons range they fired. Range is a strange term to use in a situation like this. When it came to combat in space there was no such thing as range. Due to the fact of space's nature as a vacuum, any kinetic weapon such as the ones used by the Citadel races, the Terrans, and of course the Dragon Orphans acted differently then they would in the atmosphere of a planet. Call it what you will Newton’s first law, the first precept of Novin’s kinetics, or Fano’Tallo’s principal of moving and unmoving objects, they all stated the same thing. An object that is in motion will remain in motion and an object that is at rest will remain at rest unless they are acted upon by an outside force. In space there was a distinct lack of outside forces that could act on the kinetic rounds fired by mass effect weapons. They would go on indefinitely sometimes being effected by gravitational pulls until they hit something. That something could be the ship in front of it or the planet behind the ship. It might go off into deep space and hit somebody else in 10,000 years. Either case whenever a mass effect weapon is fired somebody somewhere is about to have their day ruined. So the more accurate way of putting it would be the “effective weapons range” of mass effect weapons. Meaning the range at which one can fire their weapons and reasonably expect to hit a moving target. Knowing this was the key the fighting most battles in space. If your ships had better range than your enemies then you could get off more shots in on them before they could get in range of yours.In this case, the Dragon Orphans were at a disadvantage. The effective range of Dragon ships was smaller then their counterparts, and such they need to be closer if they wanted to hit their targets with any accuracy. The ships of the Turians and the Terrans held no such restraints, because of this they were able to get off several volleys of weapons fire. Well before the D-Orphans could get in range they lost thousands of ships. For any other race in the Galaxy, this would have been enough to deter them from further attacks on the planet. But the dragon orphans were not like other races of the Galaxy, they did not care how many they lost to their enemies just so as long as their enemies were killed at the end. With this mindset, the Swarm continued on its course for the defending fleet. The moment that they entered range they unleashed their furious weapons fire. It was at this moment that another strange behavior was observed in their actions. Their attack was extremely concentrated. It was not all that unusual for the D-Orphans to focus their fire on sections of an opposing fleet an effort made to take as many heavier ships as possible. In those cases, though there were usually several other ships firing at random. What was being seen here was that every single D-Orphan vessel was firing on a concentrated point.The effect was readily apparent, trained to avoid taking damage the smaller and more maneuverable vessels such as Corvettes and frigates flew out the way of the weapons fire, while their larger and sturdier counterparts soaked up the damage. However due to the sheer amount of fire coming their way, several of them were destroyed or crippled. A hole in the defending fleet was being opened, and it was getting larger as the D-Orphan fleet continued their attack. At the same time was that deserved that the swarm with accelerating faster and faster. They would quickly reach and as the Allied Fleet belatedly realized would go through them. The Turians and Terrans tried to close the hole made in their ranks. But it was already to later. The swarm reached the hole. But whether go through it as they expected the swarm suddenly scattered to all directions and began to engage the allied fleet. Getting over their stunned surprise quickly the Allied Fleet began to fight the Swarm as they normally would thinking this was their objective all along.They were quickly proven wrong. Up until now hidden within the Swarm three large objects all about a kilometer in length or longer, and about six hundred meters in diameter flew right through the hole in the defense fleet. They accelerated towards the planet. The fleet being too occupied fighting the smaller swarm ships was unable to pursue them. Thankfully the defense Platforms in orbit were not distracted and began to fire on the objects with everything they had. Unfortunately, the objects proved to be more durable than most D-Orphan ships and only one was destroyed before the other two hit the atmosphere whereupon they slowed their descent.September 16th, 12:19, HMS. Spirit of Vengeance“What in the name of the spirits was that?” Admiral Galie shouted.The Terran Admiral had a crestfallen expression on his face. “I’m afraid that the battle for this planet has entered a new phase.” He said.Galie did not like the way he phrased that. “Explain.” She said still keeping an eye on the fleet battle, happily noting that they were slaughtering the remains of the attacking force with minim losses. “I knew that tactic looked familiar, I wished I had realized it sooner. Those vessels that we saw enter the atmosphere of Brytus are designated as Dragon’s Dens, and large ones at that.” He explained and just on the name alone the Turian Admiral was already connecting the dots. She did not like the picture that it was making.“Dragon’s Den?” She asked for clarification."They are vessels solely dedicated to carrying large numbers of Dragon Orphans to the surface of a planet. They achieved this by crashing themselves into the targeted planet. This unfortunately, has the added effect of providing them with a base of operations from which they can attack and produce more of their kind." The tension in the CC steadily built up as the Terran Admiral explained the functions of this new vessel and implications behind it.“Spirits, their siege-makers!” She heard one officer mutter.“That’s right.” Admiral McKinley said seemingly having heard the Turian officer’s revelation. “About how many of these Dragon Orphans are we talking about?” The Turian Admiral pressed the Terran. “A few thousand?”“No, if only we were so fortunate.” Admiral McKinley responded. “More like that each one carries millions of Dragon Orphans. All of them ready for battle.”Millions! With that kind of numbers, they would be to overwhelm the surrounding areas in shift fashion and establish a long term presence on the planet. And if what the Terran Admiral said was true then they also can replace their numbers without the need for outside aid. Siege-Makers indeed. "We have to inform our forces on the surface, of this development." She said after a moment of silence, the only comfort she had was the D-Orphan Fleet was almost destroyed by now. A small comfort considering that they had achieved their objectives.“I agree Admiral.” The Terran Admiral said his expression neutral, but Galie knew that the man was likely beating himself up on the inside for what had transpired. “He will need to ready himself for a long drawn out conflict for the planet.”Another thought occurred to her. “This is happening everywhere isn’t it?” She asked already knowing the answer. Her suspicions confirmed when the man nodded his head. "While that is a bit of leap in logic. I'm afraid that you are right. The war has entered a new phase." He said.“Spirits.” September 16th, 16:35, Earth, the Office of the PresidencyAdmiral Galie's prediction proved to be true, within hours several more such attacks were carried out by the Dragon Orphans. While the Combined the forces of the Citadel Races and the Terrans did their best to counter it and even manage to repulse it in some areas, the suddenness of the attack combined with the fact it that had been more than seventy years since the Terrans had seen such a move proved to be too much. All across the frontlines there now tens possibly hundreds of millions of Dragon Orphans laying siege to the different worlds of the Citadel.Within the hour an emergence meeting of all of the Federations top-ranking military officials had been held, with President Nader being in attendance to discuss their next course of action. Thankfully while the attack had been a surprise there were still plans in place for such an eventual, everyone knew that the Dragons Orphans would try to bring more forces to bear on the defense line. They just believed that they had more time to prepare for it, but war, as it was, is an unpredictable thing. Nothing truly ever went to plan in such a chaotic environment, all they could do is adapt and make the best of their situation. After two hours the meeting had been adjourned, and military officials had left to carry out their duties. Chief among them is getting in contact with their counterparts in the Citadel and begin to coordinate their combined forces to counter the Dragon Orphans. Nader had left that meeting content to known that her forces were hard at work to win this war."Again I must apologize for my people's failure to counter this attack." She said to the three figures before her. Standing together with postures that displayed their regality were the Leaders of the Council Races. In middle projecting the calm serenity that her kind was known for was High Matriarch Lyazia T'moci a woman who was likely born around the same that the Renaissance began on Earth and considered to be the de facto leader of the Asari people. To her left the was the Head of the Turian Hierarchy Primarch Fedorian and to her right the Dalatrass of the Salarian Union Neball Onisa. Altogether they were the equals of the Nader Nijah, and she made sure to treat them as such. Though not all of them showed the same respect.“No need to apologize, Madam President.” High Matriarch T’moci said. “ We were all caught off guard by this development. The reports made by our people match up with yours, there was little that could be done.”"You said that it has been several decades since the Dragon Orphans have employed this tactic.” Primarch Fedorian added. “But despite this, I believe our combined forces did well given the situation.”The Salarian Dalatrass was next to speak. “I assume that your people are already working with ours to counter this bold move by the Dragon Orphans?”"That is right Dalatrass I would not be surprised if you receive preliminary plans for how to wage the war for the coming days, soon.” The President responded."Then, in that case, there is no need to apologize." The Dalatrass said. "I am satisfied to know that your people have plans in place and are communicating them to ours. As far as I see it this only a minor setback."“Minor?” The Primarch said incredulously. “You call several millions of new enemy combatants on the front a minor setback? I think what you met was a major setback.” Nader was inclined to agree with him. If this was what the Dalatrass called a minor setback then she did not want to know or see what a major one would be."Oh please Primarch Fedorian even before the arrival of the Terran people it was consistently proven that a single soldier can take on sever of these creatures," The Dalatrass dismissed the Primarch's concern. "The same going for their starships. The only true advantage they held over us was their overwhelming numbers. An advantage they no longer hold with the addition of your people President Nader. With your people's knowledge and experience with these creatures, victory is all but inevitable." She arrogantly concluded.The Turian Primarch looked ready to argue the point. "I do not think so Dalatrass," Nader said beating him to the punch. "The numbers of the Dragon Orphans are still overwhelming even with my people joining the fry, and we still yet get conclusive estimates on their holdings beyond the former Batarian territories. We are holding the line but this all we're doing at the moment.” "I agree with the Terran President," Primarch Fedorian said. "We cannot afford to become arrogant at this point. What we need to do is fortify our frontlines so that the enemy will not be able to break through them. At the same time, we will build up our forces and make plans for a great counteroffensive and later an invasion of the enemy's territory."“Even so, these creatures are little more than mindless beast.” Dalatrass Onisa said. “They cannot hope to beat us by simply throwing themselves at us.”“Dalatrass you have read the codex on the Dragon Orphans that we provided the armed forces of the Citadel?” Nader asked the Salarian leader.The woman looks at her, eyes blinking rapidly indicating her confusion. "Yes, I have." She said carefully.“Then you must already know that there are intelligent Dragon Orphans, that act as leaders.” The President pointed out.The Dalatrass hmm'd for a moment as she seemed to mentally go over everything she read in the codex. "Ahh, these so-called Dragon Generals." She said her tone having an almost undetectable note of disgust at the name. "I do not think they have such a large effect on the war as you seem to believe. Your own codex even said that the majority of them have intelligences closer to a dimwitted child of your species and act more as a guiding force for the swarms of Dragon Orphans. They can be taken out with the proper tactics in place and when they are the swarm they controlled falls to chaos for a time. Chaos that our forces can use to whip them out. Truly I am not all that impressed by these creatures."Nader had to repress a grimace the whole time that the Salarian Dalatrass spoke. She was undercutting the threat that even a single Dragon Lieutenant could pose, those things while dumb as bricks had frighteningly good fighting instincts and could tear whole units apart by themselves. Full Dragon Generals where a whole nightmare to themselves, often requiring an orbital strike (sometimes a nuke was involved) to kill them with any certainty or a crack team of the Federation's finest even then in the later there was only a fifty-fifty chance of them succeeding and less so alive. The less said about the Dragon King the better, yea, in that case, their just going to nuke the whole area. “Dalatrass I believe you're still underestimating our enemy." Nader voiced her concerns. "You're not even taking into account the more advanced versions of the Dragon Generals. Which I will tell you now that there is a high probability that several of them are now leading the swarms on the frontlines. As Fedorian said this is not the time to go arrogant. There still a possibility that they can break our lines even after we fortify them." "If I may interject." High Matriarch T'Moci said becoming the center of attention. "If what you say is true and that the highest levels of the Dragon Orphans have intelligences that can match fully matured Terrans, is it not possible that we can directly communicate with them and negotiated a peace with them. Perhaps even reach out to this Dragon King if they have one.” Both the Turian Primarch and the Salarian Dalatrass look at her like she had gone insane. If Nader had been anyone else she would have likely joined them or perhaps be yelling at her now. Though some of her Secret Service members look ready to do so on her behalf. One glare from her that promised pain should they do so, silence them. "I'm afraid that is quite impossible High Matriarch. I can understand your desire for peace, war is a bloody messy affair that is best avoided. My people have tried to reach out to the Dragon Orphans to come a mutual understanding during both the Second and Third Dragon Wars, several times. They all failed and left us with more bodies to bury. The same will happen to you." She calmly explained.“Perhaps with your people President. But perhaps they might be more willing to talk to new faces.” High Matriarch T’Moci calmly argued.Nader held back her annoyance. "High Matriarch, again I respect your desire for peace. But the Dragon Orphans were the ones that started this war. They annihilated the Batarians," She noted the distinct lack of remorse at that statement. "and then proceed to attack the worlds of the Citadel races killing millions. If they were interested in talking they would have done so by now. I'm afraid that negotiation was never an option.""I agree with the President." Primarch Fedorian said before the Asari leader could make another attempt at agreement. "We must fight this war to its conclusion we cannot waver."“I also agree with the Terran President.” Dalatrass joined in. “We have already tried to talk to them, many times and that ended with dead diplomats.”T’Moci opened her mouth an argument at the tip of her tongue. Then she shut it and nodded slowly to each of them. "I see it appears as though I am out-numbered on this matter." She turned to face President Nader and bowed to her. "I apologize if I offended your people by making this suggestion. This war while only having lasted two years almost three it has cost us greatly. I just wanted an end to this bloodshed." She said her voice genuine. “Please raise High Matriarch, there is no need for apologies.” She said prompting the old Asari to raise. “I admire your devotion to peace and I wish that there was a quick way to end this bloodshed. But there is no such alternative the Dragon Orphans cannot be reasoned with, a deal cannot be made with them, they do not desire peace like you and I. All they desire to do is destroy and devour all things in their path. It is their nature. If the galaxy is to survive we must put an end to their existence.”"I understand Madam President," T'Moci said. "If you have read our history then you already know that the Citadel races have already been forced to destroy an enter species once.""The Ranchi," Nader commented.“Yes, the Ranchi, the war against and their extermination at our hands was a tragedy then and is a tragedy now. I just wish to avoid another such tragedy.”"High Matriarch the Dragon Orphans were born from tragedy, they were mold be it. Yes, it would be a tragedy to destroy them, but an even greater tragedy would be to all to continue on their path of destruction." The President stated."Then there really is no choice," T'Moci said softly.“Perhaps it is time that we break communication.” Primarch Fedorian suggested giving the Asari leader a sympathetic look. “This has been a long day for all of us, and I am certain that our people have reports for us among other important duties.”High Matriarch T’Moci gave the man a thankful nod. “Perhaps we can resume our talks tomorrow just before we observe the negotiations between the Citadel and the Federation.”President Nader smiled to herself happy to know that they were departing from this sensitive subject. "I would like that very much Primarch Fedorian. Perhaps we can discuss the points on allowing my nation to take in your refugees.""That would be good a starting point, any objections?" Fedorian queried looking at the Asari and Salarian leaders who gave a firm shake of their heads. "Until then all of you have a good day." His image winks out of existence and was followed by the others. Nader Reach out and tapped a button on her desk terminating her link to the leaders of the Council races.The President of the United Terran Federation sank into her chair, a tired sigh escaping her lips. She rested her head on her hand feeling like she could fall asleep at any moment."Madam President," A nearby aid spoke up, she turns her gaze to the man. He had a worried expression plastered on his face. "If I may be so bold to make a suggestion?”President Nader raised an eyebrow at his request. “Go ahead.” She said.“Get some rest.” He firmly said.“What?” She said taken aback."Madam President we both know that you have not had a good night's sleep in months, and it's taking its toll on you." He said. While they hid it will Nader was certain that the others in the room agreed with the aid.Nader wanted to protest, saying that she was fine and that she still had much work to do before entertaining the thought of sleep. Then she stopped herself and held her hand to her eyes. Hidden under a well-applied layer of make-up she felt the bags under them. Her aid was right she had not had a full night's rest months now. To be truthful even before the arrival of the Quarians and the knowledge that the most hated enemy of the Terran people was waring against the other races, she had trouble sleeping the stress of leading a nation keeping her up. She brushed out a few strands of her hair noting that there were a few grey streaks. "I can still do more work if that is what you're worried about." She said knowing that the argument was already lost.The aid gave her a pointed look, not believing for a second. "I know I'm going to sound arrogant here, but you have one of the best staffs in the galaxy. Not to mention a damn good Vice-President in Jackson. Baring any emergence we can handle the work for a night." He said after a moment.Nader smiled to herself she had a good job of picking her personal staff, while she was hesitant at first her decision to pick Jackson as her Vice-President proved to be a good one in the long run. “Very well I will take the night off, just allow me to make a few notes so that Jackson knows what I want done.” A bit unnecessary the man was talented and thought a lot like her. She just wanted to feel like she was doing something.“I’ll be sure to forward the relevant information to him.” The aid said. September 16th 18:17, city on Brytus, Dragon’s Den Crash siteThere was blood everywhere, it stained the ground, the nearby buildings, it coated bodies both the dead and the living. The stench of death permeated in the air. To the creatures that filled the street, it was the site of victory, the smell of fresh food to be harvested. The only thing that disappointed them or rather disappointed the one that lead them was that none of the blood or the bodies belonged to the progenitors.The figure that resembled their hated enemy so much, strolled through the streets his lessers keeping their distance. He gazed at the bodies of those they had killed, they were not the progenitors, they belonged to the others. They had put up a valiant fight but the swarm they had fought was too great and now he and the lessers commanded the metal nest. Those who did not fight, civilians as they would call them where now being hunted down and around up. By his command, they would be gathered at the nest where they would add to their stockpile of food. Some were already being gathered, he looks at them their strange bird-like visages trembled with fear. Some were looking at him, the confusion evident in their being. “No doubt comparing me to the progenitors.” He thought with disgust at the thought of the hated enemy. Before they had revealed themselves, the war against the others was going so well, the swarm was feasting and they had many new worlds to expand into. The others were strong in their own right and fought the swarm with a ferocity that surprised them, they were most certainly a more worthy prey then the ones with four eyes. But still, they would fall.He walked up to one of the creatures, Turians they called themselves. Judging by its frame it was a male of the species, and one on the final stages of maturity. The young male looked up at the figure delicious fear in its eyes.The figure held a hand out to the Turian's face, causing him to recoil in fear. This seemed to upset some of the other prisoners as two of them attempted to attack the figure. Attempt being the keyword as they were intercepted by his guards. One had his neck snapped while the other was torn in two his insides falling to the ground adding to the canvas of death. The others scream in horror and the figure found that it was like music to his ears. His hand touched the young Turian’s face his whole body freezing up at the touch. The figure noted how rough the features of the alien were as he glided his hand upward to the top of its head where he rests his hand. "My what an interesting specimen you are." He said surprising the alien and the others around him. Evidently, they did not expect his kind to be cable of speech. That was true for the most part only those like him were able to speak like this. The Progenitors would call him a Dragon General.“You, talk?” The Turian said speaking the words of the progenitors.The figure smiled at the young Turian and for a moment there was a look of hope in his eyes. Then the Figure squeezed his hand and the Turian's head popped. The others screamed and the figures smile grew wider. "Yes, I can." He said.Once again he turned his gaze to the image of carnage still disappointed that none of the progenitors were a part of the scenery. He long to be the first of his brothers and sisters to taste the flesh of the hated enemy. The enemy that they were born from and the ones that drove them from the great cradle. But soon enough he would taste their flesh and the swarm would one day have its vengeance.Destiny demanded it.
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Chapter 14: Behind the Scenes Unknown Time, Unknown locationThe ancient intelligence observed the events of the galaxy with great interest. This cycle while like most others with a few minor deviations courtesy of the previous cycle, had become one of the more interesting ones. Wither or not this would be prove too good or bad for its ancient plans was for it to decide later. But for now it would watch with great interest. Even it could appreciate an odd cycle or two when they cropped up. A nice way to spice up the monotony that was eternity.The Dragon Orphans were a fascinating species and they held much potential. The Intelligence would have to order the Vanguard to take samples to be studied if possible. Their war against the species of this cycle had been a disruption and there was a high chance that they could destroy the others. An outcome that was not desired by the Intelligence. For a moment it had been tempted to initiate the harvest early.Then the Terrans arrived and halted the advance of the Dragon Orphans. Yet another unexpected development for this cycle. The Intelligence was aware of the humans or Terrans as they now called themselves, from the archives of the Protheans. It had concluded then that they would not play a significant role in this cycle. A revaluation was in order. The humans had developed much quicker than anticipated and were the equals of the Council Races.Then there was the other fact that the Protheans had missed. The humans were not the only intelligent species to arise on Earth. Humans and Ghouls, an interesting development. They were not the first and would not be the last. They had developed AI and made peace with them, a true rarity. Their technology differed somewhat from the path, that too had happened before and it would not the last. The Terrans were an odd mix of the rarest traits that sometimes manifested in a cycle.Truly this would be a cycle to be watched. There was much to be done to counter any further unexpected developments. But the Intelligence saw no reason to believe that they could threaten the endless cycles. September 21st, 07:30, Unknown Batarian System, Terran Stealth DestroyerWhile the soldiers and main fleets of the Federation and the Citadel fought on the frontlines, the stealth vessels of the Federation fought the war in their own way, far behind enemy lines. Their task was two-fold to observe enemy deployments and relay the information back to command for them to decipher. They had seen the attack that brought several millions of Dragon Orphans to the frontlines days ago and sent the appropriate warning. Though even they failed to understand the motive behind the attack hence the reason why there were now millions of enemy combatants on the front. It was a blunder on their end and they would be quick to rectify. Still, a warning had been sent which gave their forces the time they need to react, and even stop the D-Orphans true plans in some systems.Their second objective was arguably just as important as the first, and in the thoughts of some wet behind the ears recruits the more exciting of the two. To cause chaos behind enemy lines. Even the Dragon Orphans held some form of support structures for their forces, granted they had a lot less to do then more conventional armies. Mostly they did not have to maintain a supply chain that provided food and arms to their forces on the frontlines, they did not need weapons when their soldiers were more than cable of killing without them and they ate whatever they could on the planets they invaded and sometimes each other.“Dragon Orphans vicious bastards through and through.” The Commanding officer of Stealth Group 98 thought to himself. "Have the attack plans been received by the rest of the squadron?" He asks his coms officer.“Affirmative sir.” She replied quickly. “Their onboard AIs are running tactical simulations as we speak. We should be receiving the results right about,” Her console beeped. “Now.” She finished.“Their conclusions?” He asked."They concur with ours sir, high probability of success with significant gains. A recommendation that we carry out the operation as soon as possible." She read off the report."Good, we start the operation in thirty minutes. It will be as followed we have our probes in the system transmit false IFFs indicating a large attacking force. If they take the bait we will initiate a precise FTL jump into the system and drop out within range of the objective and conduct an attack run, then initiate another FTL jump out of the system before the enemy has time to react to our presence. I want this to be a clean and smooth operation have each of our ships pick a target and be ready to take it out. Am I understood?” He asked his subordinates after detailing his plan. None responded. “Good transmit the orders and continue our observation of the system, keep an eye out for other targets of opportunity.” He ordered.“Sir, Yes sir.” His crew chorused.He turned his attention back to the image of their target. A spaceborne Dragon's Womb. It was around three kilometers in size but held little in the way of its own defenses relying more on the surrounding ships to protect it. As the name implied its purpose was to produce more ships, adding to the swarms that were invading the civilized galaxy. These things were able to spit out more ships than their counterparts in the Federation and the Citadel could under a month. While taking one out was no true loss to the Dragon Orphans as they still had countless others operating at full capacity, it still meant that fewer enemy ships were being thrown at the frontlines and the Dragon Orphans would have to scramble to replace its loss. It would delay further attacks for a few days, time that would be well spent.The Commander smiled to himself, reminding himself that his group was not the only one conducting operations behind enemy lines. For security reasons, he did not have the privilege of knowing how many groups were operating in occupied space, but he suspected that there were a lot. Several groups that were doing the same thing he was doing now. It was true that the loss of one Dragon's Womb would be no big loss, but the loss of several, plus whatever other shenanigans his brothers and sisters in arms were up to, now that could make a nice difference in the war.Their job here was to gain information on the enemy and whenever possible annoy the living hell out of them keeping them from throwing everything they had at the frontlines. A Job he very much intends to carry out with a smile on his face.September 21st, 08:00, Unknown Batarian System As per the orders of the Command the three corvettes and two destroyers of Stealth Group 98 began their operation. First, they transmitted orders to the numerous probes that had been deploy in the system. These probes then produced signals that gave the impression of ships exiting FTL.To the Dragon Orphans, it looked like that several thousands of enemy ships had just entered the system and were on a direct course of the D-Womb. As the Terrans hoped the Swarms of ships were quick to react. A massive portion of the swarm surged towards the false signals. A portion of the defenders was still hanging back at the Womb to defend it, but there were holes in their lines. Holes that the 98th would exploit. Once the swarms were at a certain distance away the stealth initiated their Eezo- Drives and less than a minute later they appeared within one of the holes. For a precious few seconds, the swarm that remained behind was stunned. A mistake that the 98th was quick to capitalize on. The moment that they were on the Dragon's Womb the swarm finally reacted. But at this point, it was too late. The 98th fire a full payload of missiles, each designed to borrow through the armor-like skin that protects the Dragon station. The 98th continue to fly past the attacking Dragon ships, only taking grazing shots. It was at this moment that the rest of the Dragon swarm realized that it had been tricked and procced to turn back to the station to punish the real attackers. They would never get the chance as the moment that the 98th escaped the swarm they jumped into FTL. Seconds later the Dragon's Womb and several of the surrounding ships disappeared in a short-lived star as several high-grade nukes detonated.September 23rd, 15:46, City on BrytusHidaki twisted his body narrowly avoiding a downward swing from a brute. While the mountain of muscle recovered from its momentum the Half-Ghoul took the opportunity to swing out his Ukaku and fired a barrage of Rc shards. Several impacted and embedded themselves in the arms and chest of the brute as it roared in pain. It swings out its other arm in an attempt to send the man flying into a nearby building. Hidaki was quicker and he leaped out of the way shooting off more shards that found their mark in other D-Orphans that got to close for his comfort.It was then as he used his wings to slow his fall to a gentle glide that he heard the familiar sound of a tank firing its main cannon. An instant later the brute’s upper body disappeared in an explosion of fire and gore, it’s body fell. A second later Hidaki land on his feet and spun around slicing through several D-Orphans with his Kagune.Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a pair of Prowlers leaping out him with their fangs bear. He was ready to stop their attack. But before he could move both creatures were hit with a blue ball of energy witch sent them flying to the ground in a heap several meters away. Wasting no time Hidaki used his rifle to make certain that the creatures were dead. Barely giving him a nod, Hidaki turned his weapon to the small horde of D-Orphans as Saren join him his hand still glowing with Biotic energy. Overhead a gunship tore into the horde with its autocannons and the occasional missile. Others contributed to the deadly firing line, now that the monsters found themselves short of any brutes that could soak up the damage, the horde was being pushed back, and shortly after was annihilated.After a few minutes of making certain that there no more enemies in the area, Hidaki lowered his weapon but still ready to use it at a moment’s notice. He took a breath feeling a little winded from the fight. Thousands of D-Orphans lay dead in the street, there were four brutes in the mix. One he killed when he bisected it with his Ukaku an action he took a bit of pride in, two were felled by the gunship overhead, and the last one blown up by a tank, Turian he thinks. This had been the seventh attempt by the D-Orphans to breach their Lines in the last three days."Alright, people shore up our defenses, and try to get some rest." His superior officer said. "But be ready for another fight." He iterated.Everyone followed his orders, including the Turians. A unified command chain was still being worked on, but the Turians still treated Hidaki's Commanding Officer with the same respect as theirs and followed his orders though sometimes they would confirm them with a Turian Officer. The Terran forces showed the same respect to the Turians. After almost two weeks of fighting alongside each other both sides were getting a good idea of how the other fights and were quickly adapting to each other. They added to their strengths and compensated for each other's weaknesses. They were well on their way to becoming strong allies.It was rather odd to Hidaki, less than a month ago both sides had not known each, with the Turians not even realizing the other existed. Yes, the Federation had almost half a year to watch the Turians and the other Citadel races, but that was not getting to know them on a personal level. Now they were treating each other like they were old friends. But he supposed that was because they were fighting and bleeding for each other out here on the frontlines. Even now he could see Turian and Terran soldiers making light-hearted jokes and jabs at each other as they worked to repair the damages to the fortifications. Others were helping the wounded walk to the medics or applying simple first aid themselves.Hidaki was not an exception to this phenomenon. He felt Saren's presence as he walked close behind his commanding officer. Despite a somewhat bumpy start, Hidaki had gotten over the monster comment within minutes understanding the younger soldier had never met a friendly ghoul before and what little he had heard of the ones created in Citadel space did not paint them in the best light, the two had quickly formed a bond, one that was noticeable to others. From what he could gather about Saren in the first few days he was regarded as a very capable soldier in his own right and was respected for it. But his fellow Turians were also wary of him, not simply because he was a Biotic that concern had been laid to rest a long time ago, their concern laid somewhere else. That being that he sometimes displayed a ruthless streak that put people off.Hidaki had seen glimpses of that ruthlessness as they fought together and could understand their hesitance around the man. He would take actions that would endanger those around him just to achieve an objective, and he brushed off an agreement from others with a casualness to put him off. But Hidaki could see much more than. He could see the root of it, yes some of the ruthlessness was inherit in him and that in of itself was not a bad thing. Tampered and utilized in the right way it would be a useful trait. But what amplified it and potentially made it dangerous was something that few seemed to think of, his name. His family name to be exact. Arterius, as Hidaki learned was a name spoken with respect. A line that produced talented soldiers, made Generals and Admirals and even had a few Primarchs in the mix. One need not look further then commanding General of this planet's ground forces, Desolas Arteries the elder brother of Saren Arteries.As a member of the Kaneki family Hidaki could relate, he could understand what it meant to be in the shadow of someone else. Perhaps that was why he gravitated towards the young Turian and why Saren seemed to listen to him. A fact that had not gone unnoticed by others.The small group entered a small building where a command post for their unit had been set up. At a communications terminal that could be easily packed up at a moment's notice, was the commanding officer for the Turians in the area. He was talking to two figures. One an older Turian male and a Female Terran a few decades older. Both held the rank of general.“This has been the seventh attack in the last three.” Said the Turian commander.“And more are to come.” Hidaki’s superior said, grabbing the attention of the Generals. Stopping at the Terminal the three saluted. The Turian commander and the Generals in their holo form returned the salute.“We can understand your frustration commander Itadas.” General Xi spoke. “But as you should already know and as Commander Rokes can attest to fighting the Dragon Orphans is no easy feat. An offensive operation requires a lot of planning and manpower." “The latter of which we do not have enough of.” General Desolas added to the argument. “While I do not like it, I have to agree with General Xi we well have to settle for a long defensive war until we get more people.”While the higher-ranked officers continued with their talks both Hidaki and Saren step a little bit away so they could converse. "At least there's only one Dragon's Den to worry about." While one of the two D-Dens had managed to crash into a populated city causing a lot of headaches for both Turians Terrans alike, the second one had fortunately crashed in a large open field with little civilization around for miles. With the approval of the Turians, the thing had been destroyed by orbital bombardment, one less problem to worry about. "If that second D-Den had crashed in a more populated area we would be even more strapped of men."Saren looks at him with a quizzical expression. "Is that all we really can do?" He asked. “Stay on the defensive, and wait for them to come to us?" Hidaki could detect the faint disgust in his voice."I'm afraid so." He said observing his friend. “The Dragon Orphans are vicious fuckers, even more so, when it comes to defending what they perceived to be their territory. In this case, its that Dragon’s Den and the surrounding city. That whole area is going to be a nightmare to take, and to not even mention the Dragon General that’s there.” He saw his Turian shudder at the mention of the Dragon General that was leading the D-Orphans on the planet. Unknown to that monster a few of the recorders on the armor of dead Turian soldiers were still operational and had caught images of him. There had been a few accusations of betrayal on the side of the Terrans regarding that matter from some of the Turian soldiers. Nothing serious came of it, and General Desolas had ordered his people to read the codex on the Dragon Orphans to avoid future misunderstandings. “Alright,” Saren said after a moment. “You convinced me attacking them right now is a bad idea, and is asking for an early grave.” Sounding a bit disappointed.“Always trying to prove yourself, Saren.” Hidaki thought. He could relate to that, the same pressures that drove Saren to Join the Turian Military and done the same to Hidaki. He joined the armed forces of the Federation not out of a desire of patriotism but a desire to prove himself. Because he felt like he had to by the simple fact that he was a Kaneki. A foolish thing to do looking back now. That desire had caused him to be reckless, taking unnecessary risks. He had earned the ire of his squadmates and superiors more than a few times because of it. “Look at the bright side, they have to come to us if they want more territory and they always do. Which means that they'll have fewer bodies to protect what they do have.”Saren seemed to like what he was hearing. “That would make a future offensive from us more feasible.” He said.Hidaki smiled, almost a decade of service had cured him of that desire. His service had taught him a valuable lesson, he did not have to prove himself to anyone but himself. He did have a family heritage to be proud of, but it did not have to define who he was. A Kaneki he may be, but he was still Hidaki and only he could decide what that meant. As it turns it to him it meant a family man who would do anything to protect those he loved. A man who served in a genuine desire to protect his nation and uphold the principles for which it stood. A man with good friends in his squadmates that would help him up on his goals. That said it did not stop him from, in the words of Commander Rokes while off duty, “Being a reckless piece of shit, but at least your heart is in the right place.” Looking at Saren, Hidaki could not help but see his younger self in the Turian. He only hoped that he would be able to pass this lesson on to him.“That said we won't be sitting idly by, waiting for the Dragon Orphans to make a move.” Hidaki said getting a curious look from the Turian.”"Explain," Saren said.“We got to do something to keep them from throw everything they have at us. You think fighting a few thousand Dragon Orphans is bad, try a few million all coming at you all at once.” He saw Saren visibly shudder and a few eavesdroppers stiffened. “I thought so. So you can imagine we would do everything we can to avoid that scenario.”“How so?” Saren asked.“By giving them hell behind their lines.” Said Commander Rokes. Both men turned their attention to the Terran Commander, the terminal behind him was off. Both men stood at attention before the commander, he signals them to be at ease. "We have several small teams placed in enemy territory to do as much damage as possible and to keep the enemy occupied.”“They’ll also have the additional job of scouting out the area.” Hidaki continued with the explanation. “That way when we do decide to go on the offensive and reclaim the lost ground we'll know what we're up against.”Rokes nodded at the half-ghoul. “It is as the Lieutenant said. Information is key to winning wars and so is keeping the enemy off balance.”“When you said making hell for the enemy,” Saren began. “What does that entail?”Commander Rokes gave the Turian a cold bloodthirsty smile. If they were capable of it Hidaki was certain that have the Dragon Orphans crying out in fear. “Whatever it takes. Hit and run tactics, bombs, poison whatever you can think of, so as long you're making noise behind their lines and killing Dragon Orphans we won’t care what you do.”There was a glint in Saren’s eyes that Hidaki did not like. “Anything?” Saren askedCommander Rokes seems not to like the look in eyes as well. "There are a few simple limitations to keep in mind." He said allowing for Hidaki to calm a little. "First and foremost do not take any actions that could put you, your squadmates, or any civilian that has been caught behind our lines in unnecessary harm. In the case of civilians try to get them out if you can, the less we have to worry about them the better. If you can't then make a note of them, that way we'll know where they are. Beyond that keep the enemy occupied and scout out the area.” Hidaki would still have to explain a few more things but for now, the Commander's explanation would have to suffice.“Since your talking to us about this I’m guessing that we’ve been volunteered for this assignment.” Hidaki surmised.“That’s right Lieutenant Kaneki, you will be leading your own squads on this. The same goes for you Saren." Rokes said turning to face the young Turian. “General Arteries as recommended you for the assignment.” There was a very subtle change in Saren’s posture.“He did?” Saren asked his voice sounding even.The Commander gave him a pointed look. “In case your thinking that I’m only doing this because the General is your brother, your wrong.” He said. "Your Superior officer Commander Itadas seconded his recommendation, I’ve also seen you in action. It is on those accounts that you will be apart of the mission.” His explanation seemed to calm Saren. "The both of you will lead a five-man team behind enemy lines. You will carry out the mentioned tasks to hamper the enemy's attempts at attacking us. Assuming that our position has not been overrun by then, there will be a transport waiting for you in the morning of tomorrow. It will carry both of you to the main command bunker on Brytus where you will receive a full debriefing of your mission. Am I understood?”“Sir, Yes sir!” Hidaki said saluting.“Sir, yes sir!” Saren said saluting. “Then you are dismissed.” Commander Rokes said prompting the two to break their salutes. “Try to get some rest, that’s an order.” Then he left.Hidaki turns to Saren seeing an excited glint in his eye. He supposed that Saren now had a chance to prove himself to everyone. "Come on Saren," He said getting the young Turian's attention. "You heard the commander let's get some rest. We have a lot of work ahead of us." Hidaki prayed that Saren would not live to regret it.September 24th Unknown time, Sur’Kesh Unknown location:Deep under the surface of the Salarian homeworld was a bunker that less than three hundred Salarians knew about and even less the location of. Within the bunker's most secure chamber a meeting was being held by the top operatives of the Special Tasks Group or STG for short. They would be discussing what information they had gathered on the newest arrival to the galactic stage the United Terran Federation.“Is everyone here? Said one Salarian an older male coded named codenamed Chief. He glanced around the table of gathered STG operatives half a dozen Salarians most of them around his age. All of the seats were filled. The Chief nodded approvingly. "Very good then, we shall get this intelligence debriefing underway." He said. "For record-keeping, the purpose of this meeting is to discuss the information gathered on the newcomers that are the Terrans and the political entity that represents them the United Terran Federation. By analyzing the available information we shall determine the threat that they pose to the rest of the galaxy and form countermeasures against them if they turn hostile against the Citadel Races. For obvious reasons this will be the first of many such meetings, our plans will be updated, refined, or outright discarded as more is learned about the Terrans. It should also be noted that the Terrans are not being singled out in this action, such discussions are held twice a year for every known species in the galaxy. Our intent here is not to discuss future plans to subjugate the Terrans but to further the security of the galaxy by planning contingencies that for everyone's sake should only ever be gathering dust in this bunker." It was always good to be clear in discussions like this. "With that said let the first intelligence gathering on the United Terran Federation begin." He turned his attention to the closest Salarian on his right. "Insertion what is the status of your mission?" He would not be using anyone's real name in this meeting, in the highly unlikely event that records of this meeting fell into the wrong hands none of the operatives here could be tracked.“So far we have had limited success in getting agents into Federation space.” Insertion reported. “With the refugees moving into Federation space we have tried to implant as many agents as we can get away with. So far only two maybe three agents have mange to get past Terran Security and it is speculated that they are constantly being monitored by our counterpart in the Federation.” “Have you managed to ascertain the name of this organization?” The Chief said.“We believe that this intelligence group as designated itself as the Federation Strategic Service." Insertion answered. "Thus far we have little information on their capabilities, but we do know that they serve the same role as the Special Tasks Group with many of the same functions. We believe that they answer to the Federation's elected leader at this time being a Human Female named Nijah Nader."The Chief rapidly blinked his eyes, absorbing the information. “I see, please continue your reports on the infiltration.”"As I said our attempts at infiltration have been limited. We have also attempted to have stealth vessels enter their space so they may get more conclusive information on their space than what has been proved in the Codex. We have limited success in that field as well, only two vessels have successfully entered their space. Even then based on the reports they have made their ships are likely being monitored. This suggested to me that the Federation’s counter-espionage capabilities are extensive. However, I am not ruling out the possibility that their detection is due to impart, that there is only one entry point into Federation space at the moment. This gives the Terrans a large advantage as they only have to watch one system for attempts at entry into their space, once other points of entry open up we may get a better grasp of their ability to detect our stealth ships."“Speaking of which what have you discovered about the system beyond the 314 Relay?” Chief inquired.“As we expected the system that the Terrans call Shanxi has been heavily fortified. It has a large standing defense fleet with about two thousand ships, the bulk of this fleet is centered around the relay and a single Garden class world. Additionally an extensive network of defense platforms and minefield as been established around the relay and the planet. They have also stationed a smaller fleet in the Relay 314 system, most likely an advance warning group. Projections indicated that it would take one perhaps two fully dedicated Turian fleets to break through and seize the system should the need arise, however, they would take heavy losses and could be repulsed from the system if the Terrans are quick enough to act. Suffice it to say considering that the Terrans are not a hostile entity to us and have shown little desire to become so, I do not recommend this course of action." Insertion finished his report."Your recommendation is noted," Chief said. "Internal your report."“As per our orders, we have begun analyzing the internal security of Citadel space. Our objective was to determine if the Terrans had managed to breach our security network as the Council has been led to believe." Internal reported.“Your conclusion?” “Some of our findings have been inconclusive. Mind you that in of itself should be worrying. But due to that fact, the Terrans themselves confessed to monitoring us and our other findings we can conclude that the Terrans have breach our security network.” Internal stated.“What were those findings?” Chief asked."Our first priority was to determine if the Extranet had been breached. With the knowledge that the Terrans have AIs," Chief saw several others stiffen slightly. "We began looking for any anomalous programs within the Extranet, and for any searches that could not be traced back to a source, and evidence of the system being accessed by a foreign computer system. Unfortunately, most of our searches thus far have met with dead ends. But let it be noted that we have only just begun our search and as such only a relatively small portion as been search. As more time goes on we are likely to find more success as we start search into the more obscure parts of the extranet and as we gain more knowledge of what to look for in the case of Terran espionage programs.”“I see.”"That said we believe we have managed to identify some odd anomalies that we believe to be Terran in origin. They are currently being monitored and we have no plans for counteractions aside from keeping them out of more sensitive areas.""Why have you not taken action against them?" Chief asked concerned that potentially dangerous programs were allowed to roam freely.“We do not wish to tip off the Terran AIs that we are aware of their presence. We believe that by monitoring them we can both determine what information they're after thereby better guard against their attempts. Our second reasoning is that they could lead us to others in the system. If you are concerned that they could access sensitive information don't. We are taking every precaution to make sure they don't get anything harmful to us." Internal finished his explanation.Chief nodded satisfied by the explanation. "Good, proceed with your assignment. Also, try creating false data packs for them to access, this could help us determine what kind of information they're after." He ordered receiving a nod from internal. "Anything else to add before you move on with your report?""Yes, Chief. While we have only just begun with our search we have discovered several other oddities in the extranet which we believe to be attempts at data monitoring against the Citadel races by parties that are not the Terrans." That drew some concern from the Chief, each day it was becoming more clear that they had become laxest in their security measures. That has to change. "We do not know who these individuals are but we can determine that they are not another species monitoring us but rather groups in the Terminus regions. There is evidence to suggest that some of them are connected to the Shadow Broker.” The Chief blinked rapidly going over the information. The Shadow Broker was concerning enough, but at least they didn't have to worry about another race watching them. For now, anyways, future reports could change that. "We will have to create special task groups to look into it. We can't have others gaining sensitive information on the Citadel. Make a note and continue with your assignment." He said."It will be done Chief," Internal said.“Good, now onto the rest of your report.”“Our second assignment of finding Terran stealth vessels as met similar results. Again, this is not due to any failings of our people. But because of the short time we have had so far, we will likely have more success as time goes on. However, we did get something." He said pulling an Omni-Tool out. Moments later the terminal on the table lit up and an image appeared. At first, Chief thought it was a simple image of deep space, then a closer inspection revealed something more. A barely noticeable outline of a ship, it was hard to determine the size and shape of it. Though it being a ship meant for stealth it was likely a small ship. Chief had to give the Terrans a fair amount of credit having their stealth vessels painted pitch black, it made them almost impossible to spot visually in depths of space or on the night side of a world. "We were very fortunate to have spotted them."“How so.” Chief not taking his eyes of the image.“Our agents believe that this vessel suffered a minor malfunction in its stealth systems that enabled them to detect the vessel. It was a very brief moment but long enough for them to get some readings on it.” Internal explained. “Distressingly though the Terrans had the foresight to cover their ship with a sensor reflective material, as such we were unable to gather more information from the data readings beyond the size and shape. Even those are just estimates. As I said we were very lucky to catch this.”A thought occurred to Chief. “Is it possible that the Terrans might have purposely allowed their vessel to be seen?”“We have considered the possibility and are making plans for it, but we have discarded this conclusion. If was meant to be found that we would have been able to track it. Once this apparent malfunction was corrected they reignited their stealth systems and we have not found them since.” Internal elaborated. "Paranoia may be an important trait to have in our profession but there are times that things are as they appear. This is one of them.” Chief nodded in agreement to many times an operation had become more complicated than necessary because an operative allowed their paranoia to get out of hand. “Aside from this happy accident we have had little success in tracking their stealth vessels.”"Thank you for your report, continue with your efforts to track their vessels. Also, forward the sensor data to STG analyzes they may be able to get more out of it." He ordered receiving an affirming nod. "Now onto the Navy.” “Unlike our fellows, we have had better success in gathering information on the military capabilities of the Terran Federation." Navy began the report. “I am not discrediting the competence of the other groups," Navy added. "Our success is a result of the Terran war machine being on full display in this conflict as such we had far more opportunities to observe them in action. Additional we did not have to rely on more discrete methods to get this information, as we can access records made by the Turian Military.""That's good to hear. Now begin your report." Chief Said."So far we have determined that there are around twenty-six thousand ships actively aiding our forces on the front." Chief felt his eyes widen in a brief moment of shock that alone made them the fourth biggest naval power in the galaxy. "Based on this and the comments made by Terrans both in the higher and lower ranks we can extrapolate that their total Naval strength is around forty thousand ships. Possibly going up to fifty thousand, hard to say need more information for accurate estimates." Chief absorb the information and did not like the implications of it. If what the man said was accurate then these Terrans had a Navy that could rival both the Turian and Asari fleets and could tear the Salarian Fleet to pieces.“That is rather disconcerting.” Chief commented.“Agreed. As expected of any competently made Navy they use a variety of ship types to fulfill different combat roles. They range from small corvettes to dreadnoughts bigger then what the Turians use.” Navy began his report. “As everyone already knows the Terrans use a strange material that they call ARC tech, this gives their ships partial organic qualities to what extent remains to be determined. But what we do know is that material is stronger then what we use in our ships, lighter too.”"Which would explain how they're able to build bigger ships then we do," Chief said. "Wait if this ARC tech is made by creating artificial Rc cells would that not leave them more vulnerable to the attacks of the 427s, as they are to Terran weapons?" He asked. "That would be a logical conclusion. However, they are not as vulnerable as you would think, they are better protected. The ARC material that they use is only partially organic the rest is metallic, this nullifies the normal weaknesses that Rc Cells posses." Navy explained. "An interesting piece of innovation on the side of the Terrans. Continuing with my report, knowing that their ships have thicker hulls then anything that the Citadel races except for the Elcor, we have determined that their ships can take ungodly levels of punishment in battle. Their ships can last longer than anything that we have and likely can do more damage.""Can we determine their offensive abilities," Chief asked"Offensively their ships are not as heavily armed as the Turians. I would say their closer to what the Asari use on their ships, however, we have determined that their weapons have a higher rate of fire and their thermal sinks vent heat quicker, because of this they can get more shots off then we can offsetting their lesser armament. Switching back to defense their barriers are almost as strong as what the Asari have. Their ships are built to outlast anything they face in combat. Understandable considering the enemy they face."“How would the ships of the Citadel fare against them?” Chief inquired."We could beat them sir. But we have to be ready for a long-drawn-out conflict. The Turians have the best chance in a one on one battle, their ships have greater maneuverable and fire power if they use that to their advantage they have a high probability of success. The Asari likewise stand a good chance in an one on one engagement, their advance technologies and the fact that their ships’ crews have centuries of experience give than an edge.” Navy said “What of Union ships?” Chief asked the question that was on everyone’s mind.Navy was silent for a long time before he answered. “I’m afraid that our ships would stand little chance of surviving direct engagements. Compared to the other Council races our ships are underpowered, under armed, have little armor and barriers are weak. Our only saving grace is that they excel in cyberwarfare.”"An advantage that is nullified when you take into account that Terran ships have true AIs," Chief concluded. He supposed that it was inevitable the Salarian Union in the past Millennia had become too reliant on the STG. Flattering but it left both the army and the navy in a neglected state. Even the non-council races could fight them evenly. That would have to be remedied soon. "Speaking of AI how would that affect their Navy?" "The benefits that they have would be immense Chief. Having AIs on their ships would allow them to operate on a level of efficiency that is startling. Their ships would only need a fraction of the personal to man their ships. This would cut down on the cost for the crews. Worse yet allow them to put more of funds into the training of what few personal they do have on their ships.” “Which would mitigate the Asari’s advantage of having more experienced crews.”Navy nodded in response. “Having AIs also seem to provide them with another advantage that could allow their ships to pose a series threat to ours.” Like Internal had done before Navy activated his Omni-Tool and the projector brought an image of a small spherical looking ship. “These are what the Terrans call Fighter Drones. They are small unmanned strike craft that they make extreme use of. They have limited armaments compared to manned strike craft, but do not let fool. They are faster and more maneuverable than anything we have, and their weapons are still strong enough to destroy an opposing strike craft, and they carry a small payload of missiles allowing them to operated in a limited anti-capital ship role. Individually they do not pose a threat.”Let me guess,” Chief began. “Your never fighting just one.”Your assumption is correct Chief.” Navy answered. “They deploy these Fighter Drones in swarms and all of them are operated by AIs. Further, they deploy them alongside a small contingent of manned strike craft. These manned strike crafts are of a higher quality than the mainstays of the citadel races. According to records we manage to procure from Turian Naval Intelligence these crafts would tear its Citadel counterparts to pieces. We ran our own simulations based on combat records recorded by the Turians and have come to the same conclusion. Finally, any ship captain fighting them would also have to worry about the mothership they are launched from. Either the strike craft will destroy them or the mothership will, likely both.”Chief was liking the prospect of fighting the Terran Navy less and less by the minute. “Are guardian lasers not sufficient to handle the strike craft of the Terran Navy?”“Unfortunately not," Navy said with a shake of his head. “While the lasers themselves can’t be avoided and would destroy them with relative ease. The targeting system of guardian systems can be evaded, and they cannot destroy what they can’t see. Secondly, the numbers of fighter drones can overwhelm the guardian systems of most ships.”Chief absorb the information and understood the reasoning. "Problematic. Very Problematic. We will need to look into improving the tracking systems of guardian lasers. Improve current strike craft as well.” Several ideas sprang into mind, Chief would have to look into them later. “Are there any other concerns that should be made a note of?”“Yes,” Navy said bringing up an image of several Terran ships. "There are three ship types that we have noted to be of great concern.” Three of the ships were enlarged as the others disappeared. “First and potential the most dangerous of these ship types is a new ship analog that the Terrans use. They call them carriers, their core concept is that the main weapon is the strike craft they carrier.”“Strike craft as the main weapons?” Chief question, skeptical at the idea. Surly such small ships could not surpass the destructive power of a spinal mounted cannon? He saw that others in the room were of the same thought."Yes, and there may be merit to this idea, and could prove to be more flexible than a main cannon," Navy explained. If he had been a Terran chief would have arched his eyebrow, instead, he blinked curiously. “First is range, while we all know and should know that there is no such thing as range when comes to mass accelerated weapons, there is such a thing as effective range. Using Strike craft would nullify this limitation, these carriers could enter combat at extreme ranges where they could maneuver out the way of our slugs. Their strike could be quickly deployed and they would close the distance, and unlike slugs they could move out of the way of weapons fire as it comes and can give chase to their targets, even flank them. As noted before they can avoid the targeting systems of guardian systems or overwhelm them if their willing to take the losses. Once they are close enough they can begin an attack run on their targets, mainly by firing a large payload of missiles.”“All the while the main ships stays behind at extreme ranges where it is safe and can refuel returning strike craft while another wave attacks," Chief said starting to see the possibilities behind the design.“Yes,” Navy agreed. “Or they can support their strike craft by attacking at range, while their attacks would be avoided it would divide the attention of the enemy by opening multiple points of attack. Say in an opposing vessel is escorting a target. Normally the attacking force would have to get through the defenders to get to the target or divide their forces. A carrier can deploy its strike craft to attack the escort while it engages the defenders, or the strike craft engages the defenders and the carrier goes after the escort. As you can see this ship offers more flexibility than most other ship types. This concept was proven during a global conflict that occurred before the Terrans achieved spaceflight, call World War II. However, it is noted by the Terrans that the Carrier is vulnerable when alone, and is not meant for one-on-one engagements. A carrier operates at its best when it has an escort fleet with it. If we can separate a carrier from its fleet we can destroy it with ease.”Chief nodded in understanding it a nice bit of info to keep in mind. Then again thinking it over the same thing could be said about Dreadnoughts, as they were at their best with a fleet to support them, most ship analogs were at their best in such a situation. "I assume that is easier said than done?”"Affirmative, based on some comments from Terran Naval personal allowing a carrier to be separated from its fleet without a reasonable explanation is grounds for a court-martial." So the same thing they would do for dreadnoughts. “Thus far we have identified three different types of carriers." One of the ships became highlighted. “First is what they call the Pegasus Class Escort Carrier, it is the smallest carrier they build and is meant to be a cheaper alternative to their mainline carrier. It has been observed that they can deploy up to hundred fighter drones and four squadrons of manned strike craft, in the case of the Federation a squadron consist of twelve craft. They seem to be well suited to be command ships of small patrol groups and we speculated they are used as a flagship for defense fleets of small colonies.” The middle ship became highlighted. "The next one is their mainline carrier, labeled as the Hercules Class Carrier. These ships are much larger than its smaller counterpart measuring around nine hundred meters in length.” Almost the size of a dreadnought. “Observations have estimated that they field around three hundred fighter drones and possibly ten squadrons of strike craft. This ship line is what truly caught our attention for the potential of a ship that operates in a carrier capacity. In addition to the massive number of strike craft they field these ships also appear to carry enough supplies to support a small army.”“Yet another advantage to a carrier," Chief muttered.“Indeed the more we look at them the more useful they seem. Though whatever force they carry will never be able to take a planet, they can establish a beachhead for a large force. Dedicated transport ships will still play an important role in planetary sieges. Like the Pegasus Class, they are well suited for the role of a command ship in a larger fleet. We speculate that they lead the defense of import systems in the Federation and are more commonly used in larger-scale operations." Finally the last of three ships was highlighted and this one seemed to worry the Chief more than the others. "Lastly is the largest of the Carriers and, most certainly the largest ship they have at their disposal, the Olympus Class Fleet Carrier. It should be noted that each of these ship types are named using terms that are commonly associated with the religion of an old earth nation-state called Greece. The Pegasus was a mythological creature described as a riding animal with wings. Hercules is depicted as a being called a demigod and in some interpretations is the rider of the Pegasus. Olympus is the apparent dwelling place of the gods in this old religion.”“Interesting may have to look into the significance of this old nation-state." Chief noted aloud.“Thus far we have not seen this ship’s full capabilities as they are stationed with the Main Fleets of the Terran Federation and appear to be their Flagships. What we do know is they are colossal, records indicate that they are fifteen hundred meters in length.” Now that surprised gasp from everyone at the table.“Did I hear that right? Fifteen hundred meters in length?” One agent said, politics.“You heard right Politics. They are fifteen hundred meters in length.“Are we certain that these Terrans are not the long lost cousins of the Asari, or vise versa?” Politics asked.Chief narrowed his eyes annoyed by the comment. “No, the Terrans and Asari are not related in the least. To many genetic differences for them to ever be related. Any similarities they do have is merely a coincidence." A funny thing to say considering their profession.“Getting back to the topic, we estimated that this Olympus class can carry anywhere from two to three times the carrying capacity of the Hercules. They may not be dreadnoughts but I would highly advise not to underestimate the ship. Simulations indicate that these Fleet carriers can take on any other ship smaller than a dreadnought by itself with little trouble. Even Dreadnoughts may struggle to take one down. I would advise that no less then a dreadnought with a full battle group should engage these titanic warships, anything less should disengage immediately and go after more viable target or completely retreat.” Based on what he was hearing Chief would put his support behind that recommendation, and it was made in the highly unlikely case that such a ship would be caught alone. "However since they are as far we can see stationed with the main fleets, it would take for more resources if we ever committed to the idea of destroying or capturing one.” Naval punctuated.“Are there any indication of how many of these ships they have?” Chief asked."We have yet to see the full extent of the Terran Navy," Naval said momentarily disappointing Chief. “ But based on the information that we do have we can make some reasonable predictions. The most likely case that we have come up with is that this Olympus class Fleet carrier is a relatively new addition to the Terran Federation Navy and that they have very few of them. We have only observed three of these ship types, two of them are with fleets on the front lines and one with force defending Shanxi. There may be a few more deeper in their territory but I would estimate but they would have no more than seven maybe eight. The Olympus class Fleet carrier obviously takes an immense amount of resources to make and maintain it would stand to reason that they have very few of them and that they would be stationed with their most powerful fleets.” That was good to hear the ships were still very concerning to deal with. “Overall carriers are a rather interesting innovation of Naval Doctrine and I highly recommend that we look into making our own. Their value both as a mainline ship and a support ship is not to be ignored.” Naval said as the three carriers were replaced with the image of two new ships. “The next line of ships to be concerned about, the Jupitar Class Battle Cruiser. They are vessels that fall short of being dreadnoughts and have the firepower to match.”"That sounds a lot like the Turian's Pocket-Dreadnoughts," Chief said drawing the connections."Our thoughts exactly. This lays to rest any doubt that this species is a militant one. As far we can see these ships are an extreme threat to anything smaller than it and are true Capital ship killers. But they are not the most dangerous Terran ship we can encounter." The last of the ships became highlighted, and this one Chief could see why it would be a problem. He had heard the rumors and seen the images made at the Citadel. "While it is no surprise that the Federation have dreadnoughts, any spacefaring culture that has endured war as they have would come with such a design. We have identified two different types of dreadnoughts, one that is more numerous and this one. My group believes that this a new line of Dreadnoughts that the Terrans have created and they are slowly replacing the older ones with. It is called the Kaneki Class Dreadnought, named after a renowned figure in the Terran's twenty-first century. Has all can see this ship is outfitted with two spinal mounted cannons. The sheer destructive power that this line of Dreadnoughts can unleash cannot be understated. We have simulations of Citadel dreadnoughts fighting this monster, they show that out of every ten battles this ship would win seven of them, the other three often result in the crippling of the Citadel ship. Only the Asari’s H’Ross Class Super Dreadnoughts can safely battle the Kaneki.”"How is it that they can mount two Spinal cannons on a single ship? The amount of Eezo needed to power them must be astronomical.” Chief asked. Do the Terrans have access to high quantities of Element Zero? If so they could become rivals to the Asari on an economic level."Currently unknown chief. Initial scans do show that they give massive readings of Eezo but nowhere near the amount you would expect from such a vessel." Naval said. "It will be sometime before we can get answers. For now we will have to settle for speculation."“And what is your speculation?” Chief inquired.“While we have little evidence for, I believe that there is one explanation for this. I believe the Kaneki line of Dreadnoughts is outfitted with an Inter Linked Mass Effect Core System.”That would explain it. "Isn't that an Asari innovation? Their Super Dreadnoughts use them so they can be as big as they are.""Yes and no sir," Naval said using his Omni-toll to bring up an image of a Quarian ship, a live ship to be exact, Chief blinked curiously. "I've been looking into it and the truth of the matter is that the I.L.M.E.C. System was created by the Quarians before their exile. Their live ships were the testbed for the technology to create a spacefaring city. Though as history has shown they become the lifeboats for the species. It wasn't until a century later that the Asari came out with their version of it. I can ford you the details for it later.""I would be very interest in reading that," Chief said. "Continue with your report on the Kaneki.""If the Kaneki does have an I.L.M.E.C. system then it would explain why it could have two spinal mounted cannons, this would also have the added advantage of having barriers that could rival stations and give it higher maneuverability then other ships of its size. Beyond that, we can only speculate what other technologies it has. It is likely a testbed for new technologies. If they prove themselves it is likely the Terrans will look into integrating them in future designs or current ones if feasible." The images of the ships disappear and the Terminal died down. "To conclude my report the Navy of the United Terran Federation is an extreme powerful force to be dealt with. I would highly advise against direct engagements with them unless we have an overwhelming advantage. But if there is fight against them I would suggest that speed and maneuverability be used to flank them and avoid weapons fire. I would urge our ship captains to be ready for a long term engagement against any Terran vessel." He finished.“Your recommendation is noted anything else?”“Only that I glad that the Terrans are proving to be friendly. If they had been hostile as some of our colleges think then we would already be in series trouble." Navy said with firmness. “I would urge the Dalatrass to have the Union pursue friendly relations with the Terrans. That much Chief could agree with. In his mind, peaceful relations were always the best outcome. Unfortunately not everyone held the same belief thus necessitating the existence of his organization. "We shall move onto the ground side, Army begin your report."By meetings end the Salarian started to get a feel for what the Terrans were capable of, it was a very small picture. But as far as he was concerned it was a good start.
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CH: 15 Rain November 3rd 13:30, Shanxi, Refugee Center:It was raining outside. It was pouring but not in a violent way that would cause people to scatter to the nearest building to keep dry. It was pouring in a way that still warranted umbrellas to keep dry but still allowed one a leisurely stroll if they were not in a hurry, perhaps even enjoying the coolness of the air. Outside some of the more adventurous young ones could be seen running around in a wild wet mess, their caretakers not far behind trying to herd them back to dry ground.Tullter always enjoyed the rain. It reminded him of home, a small wetlands on a Hierarchy Colony that no one knew the name of. He remembered playing in that rain as a flockling much like the Terran children outside were doing now. His parents would often scold him for his behavior, then they would nurse him back to health from the cold he almost always caught. Now more than ever he wished that they were here, to give him their almost sagely like advice. The rain was a comfort for him in this alien world.The rain also served another purpose for him, it drowned out those terrible smells. Smells that tempted him so, to commit dark deeds that no sane being would do. Smells that to his continued horror made his mouth water. To taste that forbidden fruit. The drops of water drowned the sounds that continued to haunt him, even in his sleep. The sound of flesh tearing and bones crunching.He did not have the will to stop himself nor the courage to face the spirits for his crimes. He tried to justify it to himself, it was for survival. He was not in his right mind when he commits those actions. He tried to keep them to those who deserved to die or those close to death or wanted it. Was it so wrong to want to live? Tullter would like to think that the answer was no. That he was in the right. No crime was committed. Yet it does not stop the tears from forming in his blackened eyes as he took another bit of his prey, his victim. Sometimes he was not quick enough and he would hear their cries for mercy. Mercy that would only come in the form of a swift death. It was in times like those he would realize that there was no justification for his actions. There were limits to survival, and he crossed them to many times to ever be forgiven. He was a monster and no matter what the Terrans said that could not be changed. "Excuse me, Sir." Said a voice. Snapping out of his thoughts. He looks to the source, seeing a young Terran Woman sitting at a table. “You’re holding up the line.” She said.Tullter looks behind him seeing several others giving him irritated looks. He had the decency to look sheepish about it. “I’m sorry I was lost in thought.” He apologized to the lady the people behind him. “I’m here to request rations for myself, I arrived here a little while ago.”The lady gave him a warm smile, and a pang of guilt shot through him for the deception. That those rations would never be used, he couldn’t stomach them. “I can relate sir. We all get lost in thought sometimes.” She said kindly. “Hand me your chit and we’ll get you processed.” She said."Thank you." He said pushing his quilt down. He pulled out a small object, a data chip that was handed to all the refugees here on arrival. He still remembered the terror that gripped him when he had to go through the scanners when he arrived on this world and the relief that flooded him when nothing happened. He handed the chip to the lady.She put it into a terminal on the table and typed in commands that he couldn’t see. A moment later the lady took the chip out and handed it back to him. “Your order has been processed.” She said with a smile. “You can pick up your rations in that room” She pointed to a door across the room.“Will I have to wait long?” He asked putting the chip away.“You’re lucky mister Sandos. Not many have come in to request rations. You should be able to get them very quickly." Good, the quicker he got out of here the better. He hadn't eaten for almost a month now, and the smells of other Turians were getting to him. He could hold his hunger off for a few days longer, hopefully, he'll find a place where a distraught individual had met the spirits. "Is there anything else sir?" She asked."No, ma'am." He said meekly. "I just went to get my rations and get to my new home."Again the lady gave him a warm smile, it was almost motherly. “Of course sir. You may go right ahead. And have a nice day.” She said.Tullter gave his best impression of a smile. “You too, ma’am.” He said getting of line allowing the next person to step up. Before he even got five steps out he heard the lady speak. “Mister Sandos, I hope that you will enjoy your stay here on Shanxi, and come to think of as home." For a split second, he froze, his mind processing what she said. He turned to face her seeing her give a quick smile before she turned her attention to the next person. Hesitantly he sent her a thankful nod of his head saying silently. "Thank You." The resumed his course. These Terrans are good people. Going through the door to the next room, he wondered what his new home looked like. Unknown to Tullter the lady at the table kept a genuine smile on her face. “He seemed like a nice one. A bit meek but still a nice guy.” She said to herself. “I hope he gets the help he needs.” Being a Turian Ghoul can’t be easy. November 3rd, 16:45, Shanxi Capital city, back alliesIt was raining. It was pouring not in a way that would cause others to run to shelter. If they had an umbrella for protection then they cold stroll at an easy pace, enjoy the coolness of the air. Serlus hated the rain it made everything too dreary for his taste. It could make one sick if they spent too much time in it. Being sick meant he would have to be confined to his bed and do nothing until he recovered. He hated doing nothing, he was a man of action.The rain also served to drown the smells that he had come to love. The smell that drove his senses wild, which made him feel powerful. The smell of an unsuspecting prey soon to be hunted. The peter pater of the raindrops drowned out the sounds of the prey begging for a mercy that would never come. The wonderful sound of tender meat tearing in his teeth and the bones being reduced to powder. What more justification did he need if only to hear those sounds and smell the life leaving his prey now turned meal?The man Serlus Faldas was once a soldier in the Turian Hierarchy. He had fought the good fight against a menace that the Batarians in their arrogance had unleashed on the galaxy. The 427s or the Dragon Orphans, he didn't care what they were called all he knew is they were a worth enemy to fight. Battling them had made him feel more alive than any other battle he participated in. They were any enemy that demanded to be fought and unlike the Krogan they were without end, and they had granted him a marvelous gift. The gift of being a hunter.He remembered fighting the creatures, he had been close to one when it happened. It looked like all the others, up until it died. In one single moment his life had changed, the creature had exploded into the cloud of gas sending him flying and darkness had claimed him.The next he woke he knew he had changed. The doctors and the other wound were looking at him in fear. He didn’t know why but it quickly became clear that they thought him dangerous as a group of soldiers charged at him. He didn’t remember what had happened next all he knew was that one soldier had raised his rifle and the next thing he knew was that he was kneeling in the blood of those he had slaughter, a scene of carnage surrounding him. Blood was still dripping from his mouth and it was the sweetest thing had ever known. For the briefest moment, he had been horrified by his actions and terrified by what would come next.Now after a year and a half of constant hunting and killing he realized the spirits had granted him a wonderful gift. He was now a hunter and given power far beyond his former peers. The spirits had seen what his superiors in the Hierarchy refused to see, that he was warrior meant for greater things. The strength was the highest virtue and he embodied it, now more than ever. Because of the creatures he now hunted and killed the weak instead of foolishly protecting them. He saw Terrans walking outside the ally unaware of the predator watching them. Such a foolish people, they had deluded themselves into thinking that prey and predator could co-exist without nature taking its course. The so-called Ghouls of the Federation had either deceived themselves into thinking that their prey was their equal and thus held back their natural desires. Or they had tricked the prey into thinking all was safe and where freely hunting them. Both amounted to the same thing, weakness. A weakness he refused to nature. Prey was meant to be hunted not cuddled.Speaking of prey. Serlus eyed a young Turian rounding the corner and entering the ally. Likely a curious refugee who left the center to explore the Terran city, a mistake he would never have the chance to learn from. Serlus allowed the young individual to pass him by remaining in the shadows. Once his target got passed him, he emerged from his hiding spot and at a distance stalked his prey. Once they got in deeper in the ally far away enough from the crowds that his victim’s screams would not be heard he would strike. Serlus’s mouth water with excitement, he had not eaten in a while and this would be his first kill on an alien world. Just a little more and he could eat to his heart’s content. His target was about to round a corner, and it then that he decided to strike unable to bear the anticipation anymore. He took one quick step forward. "Hello there." And almost tripped over his feet as the voice spoke. Catching himself he whirled around to face the one who dared to interrupt his, they would pay with their life for such insolence. The voice had come from a Terran, male judging by his build. He was dress in a dark trench coat with equally dark pants that had several pockets and large boots. He looks like a somewhat older individual of his kind, his dark brown fur seem to surround his whole head and even his mouth. The Terran looked at him with brown eyes and something about this man made Serlus nervous. It was clear by the way this man was holding himself that he had seen his fair share of combat. "Care for a smoke?" He asked pulling out a small box. Serlus eyed the man carefully, trying to understand his game. “No.” He carefully responded. “I don’t feel like shortening my life.”The man gave him a curt nod of his head. He opened the box and pulled out a small cylindrical object. He put the box away and brought the object to his mouth. He pulled out what Serlus guessed was a type of lighter. Covering the area around the tip of the object he lit it. Putting the lighter away the odd man took the smoke from his mouth and puffed a cloud of smoke from his lips. “In that case.” He began. “I suggest that you stop with your little hunt.” Serlus was instantly on guard, how did this man what he was doing? Had Serlus underestimated the Terrans, had he slipped up somewhere? “What do mean sir? I was just walking around, enjoying the sits of this city.” He said preparing an attack. “Am I not an honored guest here?” One good shot to the head would do, a quick and painless death. The man frowned at him, clearly not amused by Serlus. "Cut the innocent act, it doesn't suit you." He said sharply. "We both know you're a Ghoul, and you were about to turn that poor fella into a mid-day snack."Serlus's mandibles twitched unhappily he had been exposed. Now the question was he the only one that knew or where there others? "So what if I am? What are you going to do about it Terran?" He said venomously, either way, it was probably a good idea to get off-world. There were plenty of other worlds in the Federation that were being used to house refugees. The man took another puff of his smoke. It annoyed Serlus, this clearly knew he was a Ghoul and yet he acted like he was nothing to worry about. "Simple I'm going to offer a choice. You can stop your hunt and come with me. The Federation is willing to offer safety to people like you and we can provide a means for you to live a normal life. If the Citadel decides to throw a fit about it so be it, they'll just have to learn to deal with it." Serlus had to admit the chance to piss off the Citadel Council and get away with was a very tempting offer. Unfortunately, it came with the price tag of giving up the position of being a hunter, he had to give up the taste of flesh and blood in his mouth. "Or you can continue with your course and suffer the consequences." Option two it was then."Consequences?" Serlus said jovially, he had never killed a Terran before, he looks forward to the experience. "How can you punish me when you’re DEAD?” Without warning an arachnid-like appendage shot from his back and cut right through the air and rain, striking home in the man's head. For a moment satisfaction dominated his blacken eyes, his kill had been swift and precision. He might even still be able to catch his prey before it got away."So the rumors are true." Then it morphed into shock. The man was not dead and his head had not been reduced to mush. The man was holding Serlus's Kagune with a single hand and was examining it look one did with a curious specimen. "You alien ghouls have your own Kagunes, unique to each species. Hmm, I guess I owe Valerie twenty credits." No way could happen, even Krogan would struggle to do what he was doing. It had happened before and that Krogan was now a rotting corpse on a nameless planet. “How?” Serlus managed, his voice sounding like a flockling’s.The man gave a smile that sent shivers down his spine. "You haven't noticed." It was then that Serlus noticed the man's scent. It wasn't human it was…“You’re a Ghoul?” He said.He got an answer in the form of the man's eyes turning pitch black with a red iris. "About time, bird brain." The man said mockingly.Serlus couldn’t understand it. “Why are you defending the prey? You’re a hunter like me.” He asked the Terran Ghoul.The man shook his head making an odd clicking sound. "If you had bothered to read my people’s history then you would already know that answer. You would see the error in that way of thinking.”Serlus had read their history and all he saw was weakness. “What you expect me to do?” He said retracting his kagune and three others emerged from his back. "Make friends with my food? How can there ever be co-existence between predator and prey without nature taking its course? Either the predator devours the prey or the prey finds a way to rise up and kill its hunter. Your kind has deluded themselves and it will be your end." He finishes ready for a fight. It would be a short one, these Terran Ghouls were weak.The man looked at him like he was an unruly child, pissing him off more. “Once long ago both humans and ghouls thought the same thing.” Several tentacle-like appendages sprang to life from the man’s back, they were vibrant red. “There can never be peace between our two kinds, one had to die for the other to live. It was thinking like that spawned so many tragedies and so many cruelties in our history. It almost destroyed both of our races and gave birth to our greatest enemy. If had not been for the actions of a few who had the foresight Earth would most likely be a lifeless husk right now." He took a final puff of his smoke and throw it to the water covered ground. "I am offering you one last chance. Surrender now and we can help you." “Your kind have forgotten your roots as predators. I will never become as weak as you.” Serlus said sifting into a fight stance.“Yet another tragedy.” The man said sadly.Serlus would never allow himself to be pitied like this. He leaped at the man his kagune ready to tear into him. He was everything that this man was not. He was fast, he was strong, and he killed the weak. He was a hun-Why couldn't Serlus feel his legs? Why was he laying on the rain-soaked ground? He looked down and saw that his whole lower body was gone and his blood was mixing in with the rainwater. He looks up seeing that man was where he was his appendages retreating into his back. "What hap-?" He saw no more.November 3rd, 17:10, Shanxi Capital City, back alliesMikhail lit another citrate and brought it to his lips. The rain had died down ten minutes ago so he didn't have to worry about it going out on him. He took a short puff and blew out a cloud of smoke. He looks out of the ally, a crowd of people had gathered. Yellow tap and several local law enforcement officers prevented them from seeing what was happening. All they knew was that a murder was killed here. It was they needed to know.His eyes narrowed at one individual a young woman, she seems rather adamant about getting into the ally. If he had to guess, the woman was a reporter of some kind. Great just what he needed a media agent hounding him for answers.“Sir,” Said a voice getting his attention. He turned to see a young man, a ghoul standing close to him, he was dress in an officer’s uniform. “We’re about wrapped up here.” He said gesturing to two people zipping up a body bag. The bag contained the body of the Ghoul Turian he had killed. It saddens him that he had to take the man's life. But he knew from the moment that he saw the alien there was no hope of convincing him. The way he held himself and how he looks at others, he was a killer and held no shame for it. "It's a shame." He said to the young man. “I did give him a chance to come in quietly.” He took another puff. “But he refused to see reason.” The Federation was very much aware that alien ghouls would try to slip in with the tides of refugees coming in. To prevent panics the alien ghouls would be identified and monitored. Agents like him would meet them in private offering protection from the Citadel. Most encounters would happen in the privacy of their new homes. In this case that couldn’t happen, they had standing orders to prevent the alien ghouls from hunting the refugees. Peaceful methods were preferred, forceful options would be accepted if they could be justified. Killing was to be used as a last resort. Mikhail sighed to himself he would have a hard time justifying his actions here.“I think your superiors will understand sir.” Said the young man.Mikhail smiled to himself the nice of the man to try and reassure him. “It’s not my superiors that I’m worried. It’s them that I need to convince.” He said pointing to the crowd of people trying to peer into the ally.“I see.” Said the man. “Anyways as I was saying. We got things wrapped up here and we have your report. You can go.” He finished.Mikhail nodded at the officer, he would still have more reports to make but at the moment he was free. He looks at the crowd seeing that the reporter was eyeing him carefully. Well as free as he could be.November 5th, 12:00, Sur’Kesh, Palace of the Dalatrass Onisa put down another STG report on the war. Three months they held the line against the Dragons Orphans and it was quickly becoming clear that they would hold for a long time, likely for years. Two years they had fought the abominations of nature and always they were pushed back, losing millions of lives. They had slowed the advance and sometimes they would hold it back for at most a week or two. The Dragon Orphans were the most relentless foe they ever fought, even the Rachnii had not been as vicious.By all accounts, they had been losing the war, and the reality of extinction seemed to be on the Horizon. Then the Terrans arrival in force and created a stalemate with the enemy. A stalemate that had so far held longer than any other that the Citadel could force on the enemy. They even pushed back the assault in some areas and reclaimed a few minor systems. The effect on morale throughout Citadel space could not be understated.Onisa like several of her kind held considerable reservations for the Terrans. Their use of AI and allowing fleshing eating monsters to freely roam did not sit well with her. But unlike her the rest of kind who seemed to put the Terrans in the same category as Krogan, she understood that they could not force the Terrans to give up their reckless ways. AIs and Ghouls were to heavily integrate with Terran society to be removed overnight, if ever. With ghouls it was most certainly impossible to make the humans get rid of them, they had tried that before and failed.The Terrans were dangerous, but only if the Citadel made them out to be. As adverse to the notion she was, Onisa could see that the Terrans would make for better allies than enemies. The reports she got from the STG was enough evidence for it. They would have to be careful with them, but if handled properly the Citadel could see the beginnings of a new golden age for the galaxy. If not, well she trusted the STG to have plans in the works. Some rearranging in the political landscape would have to be put in place to ensure a favorable outcome. "Dalatrass," Said a voice over the comm. "You have an incoming communication from Councilor Toss on the Citadel." Perfect timing.“Send it through," Onisa said to her aid. "And send in Hutow."“It shall be done Dalatrass.” Said the aid.Onsia stood up from her desk and walked towards a terminal. She waited patiently for the device to come online. She didn't have to wait for long.The male Councilor appeared before her. “My Dalatrass,” He said with a bow. “I have been told that you wish to talk to me.” “Indeed I have Councilor Toss.” She said to the Councilor. “I wish to discuss your future in politics.” She saw the male’s eyes twitch in wariness.“My future?” He said keeping a natural tone with her.The Dalatrass allowed a small smile to grace her lips. A small part of her was looking forward to what was coming. Toss was an unusual choice for a Councilor. Not just because he was a male, rather because of his aggressive attitude when it came to politics. Unlike most Salarians who would prefer to sit on the sidelines and observing waiting for the right moment to plunge the dagger into the backs of their enemies, Toss was more open with is action. He was the type who preferred action even if it offended others. He was also much more open with his dislike for the other races. Many still questioned her for appointing him as Councilor to the Citadel, there were even whispers that she should be removed as Dalatrass, they did not last long. "Yes, your future." She continued with the male. "Namely your position as Councilor to the Citadel."Now he was openly showing his suspicion, his eyes narrowing at her. Any other in her place would have considered it as an act of disrespect and would have him severely disciplined. She saw as a reminder of why she choose him. In this dark time of war and uncertainty, she had believed his aggressive and bold attitude was what the Union needed on the Citadel. She wanted to show the Galaxy that the Salarians were not sitting idly by and where willing to take action against the enemy that threatens civilization as they knew it. His open dislike for the other races and willingness to show disrespect was worrying, but nothing that could not be mitigated with the proper actions, and to some degree, they could afford it. "What about my position as Councilor? Have I not done a good job representing our people on the Council? "The arrival of the Terrans had changed the game."My dear Toss you have done an exemplary job as the Union's representative on the Citadel Council. Your willingness to take bold and decisive action in this war, even though some may feel uneasy about your attitude. It has been inspiring to all in Citadel space. Up until now, you have done nothing to disappoint me" She said which seems to calm the male, who now looks like he was receiving a medal from her. The poor delusional fool. "However," She added, happy to note that his eyes twitching in worry. "With the arrival of the Terrans on the Galactic scene, I have been forced to reconsider many of my actions and choices in the last year. I have concluded that the Union's present course of action will not lead us to a favorable outcome. As such new action must be taken if the Union is to reap the benefits of the future." “Dalatrass?” The male said, the concern in his voice palatable.Her smile grew wider. “The action I am about to take will be the first step to achieving the goals of the Union moving forward. Councilor Sur'Kesh Jnar Nol Veish Ikesh Toss has the Dalatrass of the Salarian Union I hereby remove you from the Council. You are to remain on the Citadel until your replacement arrives, whereupon you will return to Sur'Kesh to receive your new assignment."The look of shock on the now-former councilor's face was enough to brighten her week. “But my Dalatrass you cannot just simply remove me on such short notice.” He said almost shouting. “You said that I had done an exemplary, why would you remove me?”Onisa's smile faltered. "Councilor I am informing you now so that you may make the proper preparations and inform the rest of the council of this change. Furthermore, as I am the Dalatrass of the Union I do not need to consult you on every decision I make. I have given you new orders and I expect you to follow them. Am I understood Councilor?" She said her voice and eye movement hiding the anger behind her words.Toss cowarded under her words. “Yes, my Dalatrass, I understand.” He said sounding nothing like the rude upstart he was a second before, “I apologize for my rude behavior, I was simply surprised and overwhelm by your sudden announcement.” He continued sounding more respectful.The Dalatrass’s smile returned. “I can understand Councilor these are uncertain times for all of us. Such a sudden change would a cause for concern.” She said to the male.“Dalatrass might I ask as to why I am being reassigned and who is to replace me?” The male asked looking at her like a nervous child.Onisa’s smile grew to its widest. “My reasons for reassigning are none of your concern, but I will tell you this. Your interactions with the Terran particularly your conversation with the Federation President when she made her first appearance were the deciding factors in my decision.” His eyes twitched, surly he did not expect to get away with that diplomatic blunder, did he? “Not to worry Councilor I will not forget your contributions to the Union. Your new assignment will be one befitting of your talent. I may even grant you a position here on Sur’Kesh at my side.” Now that seemed to perk the male up."A position at your side?" He said. The promises of power they never fail.“Of course my dear. Consider this not so much as a punishment but a chance to advance your career to the highest levels.” She said. “As for your replacement.” She saw the doors to her chambers open, and a Female around the Councilor’s age walk in. The universe was on point today. “I believe you already know Hutow?” She introduced the female as she stepped into the view of the Councilor.She saw the male visibly stiffen. “Hutow? You’re my replacement?” He said.Onisa saw Hutow smile at Toss like a predator would before the kill. “I am indeed. Cousin.” November 12th 06:47, Citadel, Temporary Federation Embassy:Goyal woke up to the sound of a chime. She opens eyes and groggily looked to her alarm. It read: 06:47. About thirty minutes before she had set it to go off. Either it was malfunctioning or… There was that chime again, this time with her mind a bit more awake she recognized it as the chime of the Coms system.“Yes, what is it?” She said holding back a yawn and fighting the urge to lay back in bed.“Ambassador Goyle, a transmission from Earth.” Came the voice of her aid. “It is marked as coming from the office of the presidency.” The Ambassador's eyes widen in surprise and life flooded into them. It was no surprise that she was getting a call from the president or someone in her cabinet, for the next few months since her arrival on the Citadel she had received numerous calls from different officials; some of whom she didn't even know of, all impressing on her the importance of the talks and some trying to give her "advice" on the proceedings. The most frequent calls came from the president or the vice-president. What surprised was how early she was getting the call, usually, she didn't get calls for a good hour after she woke up. Whatever it was it must be important.Now more awake then ever she said. "Think you, Victor. Patch it through to my suit and let them know that I will get in touch with them shortly.""Yes, ambassador." Said the aid before cutting the link.Well no use trying to get some more sleep. Goyle crawled out her bed and moved to the nearby closet. She quickly got dress into something more presentable than her nightgown and left the bedroom. The Thessia Sunrise the Hotel that the Council had rented out for the Diplomatic party was a very high-end one. Its accommodations and rooms fitting for the richest of society and visiting dignitaries like herself. Three of its floors had been reserved for the Terrans and served both as a place for them to stay and a makeshift embassy until a permanent one could be built. The Council had already recognized the need for a Terran diplomatic posting on the Citadel and had a lot them land to build one. Until then this hotel would have to do.She got to counter where she brewed some coffee and a few minutes later she was drinking the bitter substance. Coffee one of the greatest inventions in human history. The stuff had gotten her through many long nights, and she was certain that her doctor would wring her neck if he knew how much she was drinking. She looks out the window to admire the beautiful sights of the ancient space station. A true marvel of engineering and a continued reminder that there were greater things out to be discovered. What other marvels had the Protheans left behind? Have there been other great civilizations before them and what wonders had they left behind? Would the Terran people and the other races of the Citadel achieve the same level as the Protheans? Would they too disappear under mysterious circumstances only to leave behind wonders and unsolvable riddles for the races that had yet to touch the stars? These questions had plagued her since setting foot on the citadel, and doubtless, the others thought of them from time to time as well. The Terran Ambassador let a sigh, no use mussing over these thoughts right now. Odds were they would never be answered her lifetime. She moved away from the windows coffee still in hand. She sat at a table with a terminal on it. Taking a final sip of her hot coffee she placed it down and activated the terminal. The time was now 07:01. Less than a minute later she was staring at the Presidential seal waiting for the transmission to go live.The seal faded away and the image of a man in his mid-sixties appeared. "Ambassador Goyle I hope I didn't wake you too early." He said his eyes moving over to the mug of coffee on the table.“Not by much mister Vice-President, I usually get up around this time.” She responded. “Plus a good cup of coffee always helps in the morning.” As though to prove a point she took another sip of the drink.A good-natured smile form around the man's mouth. "I know what you mean Ambassador. I'm not half the man I am without two or three cups of the stuff in the morning." He said. "Between you and me I think President Nader wishes she have could have a coffee maker on her desk." He said with a chuckle.Goyle let out a chuckle of her own. “Maybe she should use a bit of executive power to do just that.” She joked.“The man shook his head. “She wouldn’t, something about it being a gross misuse of her powers as president.” He responded lightly. “Anyways, I’m not here to discuss the merits of morning beverages.”“I figured as much.” She said putting her cup down and switching over to her business mode. “To what do I owe this call mister Vice-President?”"You have done an exemplary job in the negotiations with the Citadel Races, Ambassador. Because of you we now have a working relationship with several space-faring nations and are moving towards taking our place in a greater galactic community. You have are your place in the history books Goyle." The man said.Goyle felt elated at the parade she was receiving from the vice president. It was good to know that her work was being appreciated. Of course, she couldn't take all of the credit, she had a good staff to help her and she would see to it that they got the praise they deserved. “Vice-President I am honored by your praise but I alone did not accomplish this task. I had a wonderful staff to aid me in these talks and they deserve to be recognized for it." She said to the man.The smiled at her display of humility. “And so they shall. But that is here nor there at the moment. What is though is the next phase of your talks with the Citadel Races.”Goyle arched her eyebrow he had alluded to that earlier. “What is this next phase that you’re talking about?” The Vice-President’s smile disappeared as his face took a more serious expression. “As you known because of their war against the Dragon Orphans the citadel races now have their own version of ghouls.” Goyle was now starting to see where this was going, she nodded her head. "Since their inception, they have faced harsh discrimination and are treated as mindless monsters. Granted we can't fault them completed for this behavior, the same once happened back on Earth and we had thousands of years to deal with the problem. Even today we have the occasional problem with Human and Ghoul relations. They've had two years to sort things out, not a lot of time for progress."She could understand that point. She remembered that around the time of her high school years, there was an anti-ghoul activist group that gained some traction on the outer edges of the Federation. They never manage to accomplish anything and were mostly ignored. That is until the group became more radicalized and bombed a school killing hundreds. That brought down the boot of the military and three months later the majority of its members had either been killed or apprehended. Its leaders, for the most part, were all put to death. "Still that is no excuse." She said.“I wasn’t trying to excuse their actions, just stating that they could be understood.” He defended. "Of course Minster Vice-President. I wasn't trying to insinuate such." She replied."Back to the topic. As we predicted many of these alien ghouls have hidden among the waves of refugees that have made their way to Federation space. For the security of the Federation and the refugees, we have kept track of them." He explained. Again the Ambassador to the Citadel nodded her head, she had been brief on the possibility and actions that would be taken."There hasn't been an incident as there?" She asks worried about a possible diplomatic incident."Thankfully no," The Vice-President said with a wave of his hand. "Our agents have managed to keep a tight lid on things. Most of them have been offered safety in the Federation and an alternative in their diets. They are understandably skeptical of our intentions but for the most part, they trust us. A lot of them are good people that have been forced into a less than ideal situation."An understatement. One day these people were living normal lives, they had friends and family. They had jobs that paid and dreams to be fulfilled. They had homes, and they had a nation that would protect them. Then the next through no fault of their own they had become something else. They had desires that horrifying to them. The food they ate no longer satisfied them and worse were toxic to them. Then they find out that the people that they knew, their friends, family, the guy they passed on the street suddenly had a sickly sweet smell. A smell that drove them to actions that would be considered reprehensible by society, and in a single bloody act they found out a terrible truth. Their only nourishment was the people around them. In the eyes of their former fellows, they had become monsters and it was hard to argue against that when you were eating the insides of your neighbor. For two years these people had been hunted and killed because fate had been cruel and gave them only two options, starve or kill others to eat. Goyle's mind went back to the journals of Kaneki Ken, detailing his first days as a half-ghoul, the fear, and uncertainty that were conveyed still rang with her."There have been a few incidents where our agents had to subdue some individuals, in some cases take more permanent solutions to ensure the security of the public." She heard kill. "I won't sugar coat this Ambassador the different governments of the Citadel have failed to protect them. I won't fault them though, to them these are extreme circumstances that they had never prepared themselves for nor had reason to. But the truth remains that the Federation as taken upon itself to keep up the slack. It's time that we started to change that. Thanks to the efforts of our scientists we have managed to create synthetic meat for the different alien ghouls, though we are having some trouble with the Turians. Distribution will begin soon giving these poor people a chance at a normal life."“That’s good to hear.” Goyle said relieved that progress was being made. “But what does it have to do with our talks with the Citadel?”“I was getting to that. No doubt that several of these alien ghouls will want to settle down here in the Federation for the fact that we helped them.” That was going to open all sorts of debates on what rights aliens would have in the Federation and what it meant to be a citizen. “But there will be those who will wish to return to their homes. We must see to it that they will be able to return and live out normal lives in Citadel space.” “How so?”"By bringing the issue to the council. Inform them that we know of the alien ghouls and how they are being treated. Let them know that several of them have made their way to Federation space and are now under our protection and will offer that protection to others.” He said."They won't like that Sir. It may cause unnecessary tensions between us and the Citadel." It wouldn't endanger relations, but in her opinion, they shouldn't risk it. Wait until relations had been cemented and given time to grow, then bring up the issue."Perhaps," The Vice-President replied. "But it is the right thing to do. Too many times in our history the plights of people groups like the alien ghouls have been ignored resulting in tragedies. We have in our power prevent such tragedies or at the very least pave a path to their end. The President agrees with me on this and the majority of the Federation Council is sympathetic. We will help these people wither the council likes it or not.”This was defiantly going to cause some headaches in the future, she took another sip of her coffee. But she was glad that her people's government was going to take a stand and were sticking to its principles. "Very well Mister President, I will inform the council of our stance when it comes to alien ghouls." She relented. "I assume I will be doing more than just telling them?""That you well Ambassador. Talk may be good and all but it is nothing if it can't be backed up by action or a solution that makes it a viable alternative. We are not unreasonable people. We know that the Citadel will have a hard time accepting alien ghouls into their society. We have to be patient with them Goyle, change does come, it may be slow at times but it does come. What we can do is make that transition a little smoother and take small reasonable steps. Ask the Council to put an end to their kill on sight orders for alien ghouls and use only contentment with reasonable force. In exchange, the Federation will begin exporting synthetic meat for alien ghouls to the Citadel to be distributed. That will be our first step you think the Council might accept those terms."The Ambassador mulled it over in her head, it was most certainly a reasonable deal. "I think that they might accept that. Though it might take a few minor concessions on our end, I believe I can get it done." She said after a moment.The Vice-President nodded at her. “Good, President Nader will also bring up the issue to leaders of the Citadel races when she next meets them. Best to tackle this from multiple angles.”“In that case perhaps we should try to convince some of the alien ghouls that are under our protection to tell their stories. If the civilian population of the Citadel sees that these individuals are still people and not the monsters that they have been lead to believe them to be, it would put some more pressure on their governments on the matter." She suggested as the idea came to her. "The friends and family of these people might even spearhead the movement.""We have already considered the possibility and are working on it." The man responded. "There are more a few who are hesitant to put their stories out there, as I have been told. But I believe they can be persuaded and a few have already agreed. Once support starts coming in more will come out. All we are doing is offering them a chance to speak out and a safe place to do it from.”“That’s good to hear.” Goyle said relieved that this was being thought through. “Is there anything else?” The Vice-President shook his head. “Not at the moment Ambassador. Just bring our proposal and do what you can to get them to accept it. Understood?”“I understand Mister Vice-President, I will do my best to carry out your orders.” She said, her mind already thinking up strategies for upcoming talks. "Then that is all Ambassador Goyle, have a good day." She saw the man move to terminate the link than stop himself as something had just occurred to him. "Oh one more thing Ambassador. Just a heads up."“What is it?” Goyle said intrigued. “A couple days ago are people manage to convince the Quarians to send a representative to the Citadel.” A bit of surprise. The Quarians had turned down their suggestion to send a representative to the Citadel. They had said that they wanted their new government to have more time to establish itself before opening relations with the other races. Most, her included believed the real reason was that they didn't want to have anything to do with a galaxy that had shunned and abandon them for so long. Understandable, now that they had powerful neighbors between them and a potential anger Citadel they could afford to play the isolationist. On the bright side, the Quarians where very open to relations with the Federation and several exclusive deals were being worked.“That’s good to hear.” She said. “Is there anyone they have in mind?” Odds were the representative as only going to be here to inform the Council of the new Quarian government and a stamen of foreign police.“Not at the moment Ambassador, I just thought you deserved the heads up.” The Vice-President said."I think you sir, it gives me a chance to prepare."“Your welcome.” Then the link was terminated.Goyle slouched into her chair, already feeling tired and she hadn't been up for more than half an hour. She had a lot to think about before her talks with the Council today and she would need to call for a strategy meeting of her staff. Sometimes she wished she had never gotten involved in politics, life would most certainly be easier for her.She grabbed her cup and saw that it was almost empty, she would need to get a refill.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
CH 16: A Job Well Done November 20th 14:00, Citadel Space:Today marked another historic event in Citadel history, a frequent occurrence of late as some would note. One of the relays near the Citadel came to life indicating to all that a ship, possibly several were about to come through. The local defenses fleet took note of the activity but made no moves in response, this was a scheduled event and the commanding officers were happy to know it was happening on time. Several blue streaks of light shot past the ancient construct and morphed into ships. Seven in total and the largest was barely big enough to qualify as a frigate. More observant individuals would have noticed that only three of the ships held any design similarities while the others were completely different, as though a different species made them.The seven vessels moved together in a tight formation, at first it looked like their destination was the citadel. Then the vessels came to a halt their formation still being held, a military mind would have realized that the ships were acting in a screening role and were securing a safe perimeter for another ship. Another blue streak shot passed the relay and was replaced with a ship. The three hundred meters long ship moved into the center of the seven ships.Communications were traded between the small group of ships and the Citadel fleet. Minutes later the small flotilla moved towards the Citadel they made no aggressive moves and held to a predetermined flight path. Once they got within three thousand kilometers, the seven escort ships stopped and held their position as their target continued its course.The ship soon cut its engines and switched over to maneuvering thrusters. With guidance from an array of traffic control workers and the skill of its pilot, the ship moved into one of the countless docking bays of the Citadel. Once safely nestled in the ship shut down all propulsion and seconds later several docking clamps came down of the vessel and magnetically lock it in place. For the first time in over three hundred years, a ship of Quarian design had docked with the Citadel. November 20th 14:30, The Citadel, Docking Bay 132:Rela'Tedal stepped out form the airlock of the Haema, the ship that had ferried the original delegation that had plead with the council for aid against the Geth. It felt strange to be here now, not as a young woman on her pilgrimage or as a "thieving beggar" as some would put it. She was here as the Quarian Republic's official Ambassador to the Citadel. A long-winded title that in reality meant nothing to most, she was here as little more than a token effort to create and maintain relations with the rest of the galaxy. Truth be told, the Quarian people had little interest in interacting with the galaxy. Centuries of discrimination and shunning from the other races had caused the Quarian to grow resentful towards them. If it had not been for the urging of the Terrans then odds were she would not be here right. Well at least not as a representative of the Quarian people, she had personal reasons that would have driven her here. "Madam Ambassador," A Turian C-Sec officer said walking up to her. "My team and I have been assigned to escort you and your delegation to the Citadel Tower." He said as he bowed to her. If Rela said that she didn't enjoy the feeling of satisfaction at seeing a Non-Quarian giving her a sign of respect, then she was lying. For a moment she wonders if the man was genuine with his respect or was being tortured by the display. Her more vindictive side very much enjoyed the idea of the later. She push the feeling down, she had to remind herself that not everyone in the Citadel disrespected the Quarian people."Of course Officer, I and my people humbly accept your offer of an escort." She said with a bow of her own. Her aid and two guards followed suit. "Then let us be going." The Officer said, gesturing for her to move. She stepped to the side of the man and with a nodded the two began to walk together. "I should also inform you that outside the docking area is a large crowd of media people waiting for you." Doubtless, they were waiting with all sorts of questions for her. The media no matter where in the galaxy you were was always looking for the next big headline. "If you like we can take a more discrete route and avoid them.” He offered.Rela was tempted to take him up on his offer, Quarians never did well with crowds. “Think you for the offer, officer. But I believe it’s time that people start seeing Quarians in a different light. We can’t keep running.” She said to the Turian.She saw the Turian nod. “That I can agree with.” He said surprising her. “I always believed that the treatment that your people receive from others was unwarranted, lady Tedal.”She almost stopped dead in her tracks. "You know who I am?" She asked in a whispered tone.“Of course I do.” He responded as they entered an elevator. “The Counselor speaks of you often. Especially after he found out you were still alive. I must admit when I first met the man I never took him for a married man or even one that was wed to a Quarian.” Rela's eyes narrowed from behind her mask. "Is there something wrong with that?" She said carefully to keep the edge out of her throat.The C-sec officer gave her a rather apologetic look. “That did sound offensive didn’t it?” He said. “I apologize, I was just surprised that man of his position would be so open with his marriage. Such things could be used against him.” Rela calmed her expression she supposed that it wasn't fair of her to make assumptions. “Its okay officer, I shouldn’t be so quick to judge. I did bring the same point up with Filtius, he wouldn’t have any of it.” Ancestors bless his heart that man refused to hear any word of hiding their relationship.She heard the man chuckle under his breath. "He does seem like the stubborn type that way." He said. "He's a good man." He finished.Rela could not agree more, she was a lucky woman to have him. Granted their relation didn't have the best of starts, she had to wonder what were the odds of marring the man whose first words to her where "You’re under arrest”. She wagered not often, and to this day she still held it over him. Her musings came to an end when the elevator came to a stop. Through its transparent doors, she could see a large crowd of people waiting outside. Most of them had a recording device of one type or another. They were held back by a line of C-sec officers. “We can continue this later.” The officer said. “For now it’s your time to shine. Show them how your people have changed." He and his team walked out, their posture telling her that they were being vigilant for any trouble that would arise. Seconds later after taking a breath to calm herself, Rela and the rest of her party followed behind. Almost immediately she was assailed by a stream of questions from the crowd.“Ambassador this T’Vana of GNN. How does it feel to know to be here on the Citadel as the official representative of the New Quarian Republic?”"Madam Ambassador what is the nature of your people's relationship with the Terran Federation?"“This one asks if the Quarian people intend on reclaiming their homeworld?”“Will the Quarian people demand that their former embassy be re-opened?”Dozens of questions came at her all at once that it was almost hard to keep up with. She didn’t slow her pace as she tried to answer the questions. “It feels strange knowing that my people for the first time in over three hundred years now have a chance to give voice to their concerns on the Citadel and that I am the one to represent them. But it feels good. Our relations with the Terrans are that of close allies any other details I will be more than happy to give at the press conference tomorrow. The same goes for our views on their feign policy. Our plans for Rannoch remain indeterminate but as far as I know they remain unchanged. As for our intentions to maintain relations with the rest of the galaxy that too will be answered at the press conference.” More questions came at her and at one point the C-sec officers had to push back an overly eager reporter. The relief she felt when they finally got to the Citadel tower could not be more pitiable.November 20th 18:47, Citadel unknown location:“Is everything ready?”"Yes, commander." Said a subordinate. "Everyone as been outfitted with armor and weapons, explosives have been distributed to the specialist. The gunship as finished its maintenance checks and the technicians report no problems. All teams report that they are ready to move out.”"Good," Jeoss said his four eyes blinking in satisfaction. "We start the operation as soon as they return to their embassy. Those Terrans will never know what hit them. It is time that they paid for their crimes." Months of planning and scouting out the area would soon pay off. Soon he would have his revenge against the Terrans.Ever since he learned of their connection to the monsters that ravaged the Hegemony, he felt nothing but hatred towards their kind. It was their fault that the Hegemony had fallen, it was because of them that his family was dead and all that belonged to him destroyed. It was their fault that he been forced to scrape by like a filth suit-rat just to live every day. He would see to it that paid for their sins a hundred than a thousandfold. He first had hoped that the Council would rightfully punish the Terrans for their crimes against the galaxy. The council should have demanded that the Federation submit itself to the glory of the Hegemony and have their ghoul and synth populations purged from existence. He should have never let his hopes up, if the Citadel did not have the wisdom to submit to the rule of the superior Batarian race, then how could they have the guts to destroy the clear and present threat of the Terrans? Fools all of them.If they were not willing to take action then he was more than happy to do the job for them. He had gathered as many like-minded individuals that were willing to take a stand against the Terrans. He had about thirty men under his command for this operation, plus an old gunship that he got from an old friend on Omega. He also hired a dozen mercenaries to aid them. He had enough forces to ensure that the mission would be a success. “Once we have control of the building execute all of the demons and purge the systems of all AIs." He ordered his assembled men. "After that, we make our demands to the Terrans." It was surprisingly easy to sneak all of these resources onto the Citadel, just a few forged documents and bribe or two had done the trick. He didn't know if it was incompetence or arrogance created such lack of security on what was the proverbial center of Galactic Civilization. Perhaps after this, he could establish himself as a new crime boss in the Citadel wards. A tempting prospect and one he would think about later. “My lord.” One of his men spoke up. “What should we do about their women?" He asks his tone of voice if heard by any other species would have driven them to disgust.For Jeoss it only caused his smile to broaden. “Do as you wish to them. Considered it as a bonus on top of your promised rewards." He said knowing that he was condemning those women to what they would consider a horrible fate. Nothing short of what they deserved. "But leave the Ambassador be, she is mine." He had to admit for a Non-Batarian she was alluring, she would make for a fine plaything. That woman should feel honored that he would grace her with his magnificent presence. He saw all of his men smile at his orders. “Yes sir. We will see to it that they are treated properly.”“Remember men we do this not for ourselves.” He began to say to them. “We do this for the greater glory of the Batarian people. Do not believe the lies of the Council and their lapdogs, the Hegemony will rise again stronger than ever to claim its rightful place as rulers of the galaxy and beyond. For the glory of the Hegemony may it rule for all time." He shouted raising his weapon to the air. His soldiers followed him in his actions. “For the glory of the Hegemony.” They all shouted.He was about to say more when a voice interrupted him. "May you burn with the rest of your decrepit empire." He turned to the direction of the voice furious that someone would dare to speak out against him and insult the glory of the Hegemony in the same breath. Up on some crates, he saw an Asari dress in combat armor. She was holding something in her hand."Some get that Asari bitch," Jeoss said pointing his rifle at the woman. He wouldn't kill her, instead, he had different plans for how to punish her. He heard his men move to follow his orders. He pulled the trigger on his weapon. Then the world was filled with fire and thunder as he was thrown forward.November 20th 18:51, Citadel, Abandoned Warehouse:As the warehouse’s water system activated Tela wasted no time as she throws the detonator away and jumped down to the floor below. The blast wave had knocked the disgusting Batarian and his cohorts to the ground but they would stay down for so long. Using her Biotics she slowed her decent enough to make a safe landing. A blink of an eye later she throws up a barrier blocking a stream of kinetic rounds aimed at her head. She wiped out her pistol and three shots to the head later the offending Batarian was dead.Ducking out of the way of a punch she performed a half spin and brought her biotically powered first into the gut of a Turian mercenary sending him crashing into some crates in a dead heap. In front of her, three more enemies were sprinting towards her, their weapons raised and ready to tear into her.“How cute.” She thought to herself sadistically, she threw her arms out to the fools and shot a powerful blast of biotic energy in their direction. The three had enough time to stop themselves before they were hit and sent flying to the ground. Just as quickly she was on top of them and used her pistol to finish them before they could recover.By instinct alone, she threw up another barrier to stop the kinetic rounds from riddling her body. She turned to face her attacker, seeing the leader of the group. His four eyes were filled with fury directed at her and his rifle was aimed at her. He fired again, her barrier held.“All units this is Commander Jeoss, an intruder is attacking. A single Asari converge on my position now.” He said tapping his communicator, then his brow furled in frustration. “Someone respond now!” He said angrily.Tela had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. The idiot had not put two and two together. The explosion had come from their makeshift barracks killing most of his men. Hold on there should be a second explosion coming from their gun- Both of their heads turn to face the direction of a nearby fireball that had erupted several meters away. There it is, no doubt whatever remained of his men were panicking and would likely make a run for it. Sadly for them, they'll run right into a trap laid by C-Sec forces. She turned her attention back to the Batarian leader, he had not recovered from his stupor. A mistake that she capitalized on as darted towards the man. The flicker of movement snapped him back to reality and he fired his rifle at her, she used her biotics to give herself a sudden burst of speed. From the perspective of Jeoss, it would have looked like she had teleported right behind him. She dropped down and swung out her leg to trip the man, he fell flat on his face.Tela shot back up and whirled around to face two of his men that had recovered from the shock wave. Before they had the chance to attack her she shot both of them in the head. Before their fresh corpses hit the ground she turned and smashed her foot into the chest of the Batarian command before he could reach for his weapon. He howled in pain, his eyes looking up her with anger. She pointed her pistol had his head. “I suggest that you surrender, Batarian scum." She said in a cool crisp voice. "Otherwise I'll be forced to use less than pleasant methods to subdue you."The Batarian’s glare intensified. "Never, you Asari bitch. The Hegemony will rise again and there's nothing you or the fools on the council can do ab-" She had about enough of his rambling. She lowers her weapon and shot the retch between his legs, ending any plans he had for heirs. He screams at the assault, but it was cut short as Tela presses her leg down harder on the man's chest reducing the sound to a gargling noise. Seconds later he faints from the pain.Tela smiled to herself and looked around to make certain that all hostiles had been dealt with. Seeing that the area was clear she put her weapon away and brought her foot off of the man. She activated her communicator. “This is Spector Tela Vasir I have secured the warehouse and apprehended the leader.” She said.“This Commander Kel’Tin of C-Sec Special Forces well done Spector, we appreciate your assistance in this operation.” Responded a voice."I'm glad to help." She said to the commander. "I take you had some success on your end too?"“Affirmative Spector, about dozen tried to flee the warehouse. We have them in custody now." Came the report. Sounded about right between the gunship, barracks, and those she took out personal that accounted for all targets. "By the way, was it really necessary to set the place on fire?" The Commander asked agitated. Tela chuckled to herself.Half an hour later the fires had been put out and the rest of the Terrorist group had been rounded up. The Asari Spector was making her report to the Council. “Of the Sixty enemy contacts, forty were killed when I set the explosives destroying their barracks and gunship, the rest surrounded to C-Sec forces once they realized the futility of their situation. I personally captured the leader though he did sustain severe injuries that will require surgery if he is to survive." A part of her was hoping that the bastard would die in the process, but the Council would want him alive for questioning.“Could the injuries have been avoided?” Tevos asked, her eyes containing an almost undetectable trace of suspicion.“I’m afraid not Councilor. He forced my hand in the situation.” She lied. If hadn’t been for her orders to capture him alive then she would put a round between his four eyes, after the legs.Tevos looked like she wanted to press the issue but was stopped by the Turian councilor. "Regardless of the injuries that were inflicted, you did manage to capture him. Once he recovers enough we can have him interrogated for any information he as on the Remnants of the Hegemony.” She doubted the idiot knew anything substantial. Odds were the men under his command were pirates and not Hegemony soldiers, not that there was much of difference. But as a Spector, she had to carry out the will of the Council even if at times it seemed idiotic.“Then again,” She mused to herself. “He could have something major. Stranger things have happened.” "Either way congratulations are in order," Filtius said bringing her out of her thoughts. "I must admit at first I was worried that your plan would end with a major diplomatic crisis. One that we could ill afford at the moment. I'm glad to say that I was wrong. Not only did we prevent crises that would have undermined our authority and several damage relations with the Federation but we manage to capture several dangerous criminals in the process. Good Job Tela Vasir.”“I agree with the esteemed Turian Councilor.” The new Salarian Councilor said. “It was a job well done, my predecessor shared the same concerns. I did not.” “It seems that we are all in agreement.” Said Tevos seeing that any concerns she had would be ignored. “Though your actions here will not be publicized, a commendation will be left in the Spector records.”Inwardly Tela smiled at the praise she received. It was true that her plan was a risky one and could have had disastrous consequences. STG had gotten wind of Jeoss’s plans to attack the Temporary Terran Embassy in the Thessia Sunrise Hotel, in its early stages. Seeing that an intergalactic crisis would happen if it was allowed to go through the Council took immediate action. They wanted to stop the man before he had the chance to step foot on the Citadel, but Tela brought a proposal to them. Allow Jeoss and his men to make their preparations on the Citadel and catch them all at once. She argued that if they engaged him anywhere else he could slip away and become a thorn in their side for goddess knows how long. But by setting up a trap on the Citadel they could bring all of the forces they need to bear on him. They could also trace any communications he made to other accomplishes and make plans to capture them after the operation. Understandably the Council was hesitant to go through with it, even she had to admit that it was a risky move on their end, one wrong move and the media would have a field day while the Terrans would demand their heads. But after hearing all other plans of action for dealing with the Batarian, the Council gave their blessing for the operation. An operation that turned into a success. "I'm honored by your praise Councilors." She said bowing to the three. "However I am but a humble servant of Galactic Civilization, I was merely doing my job."“Your humility is appreciated but unwarranted Spector Vasir.” The Turian Councilor spoke. “You did a good job today, accept that.” “Of course Councilor.” She responded with tact. “I assume the necessary actions have been taken to cover this up? We can't have the media getting their hands on this." She asked the Council."Do not concern yourself." Councilor Hutow said. "All the public will ever know about this incident was that a simple fire started in an old and abandoned warehouse, and the emergence teams were quick to respond. They already talking about it on the news as we speak" She finished.“What if someone finds bodies?” Tela asked referring to those killed in the explosion."They will be chalked up as vagrants intruding on the premise at the time. We could even spin so that they were the cause.” The Salarian Councilor was quick to respond. “Them being Batarians no one will have a reason to question the story. Regardless, what happened here won't be found by anyone, not else we decide to tell." "That's good to hear. We can't afford any mishaps right now." Tela said. "Are there any indications that the Terrans are aware of what's happened?"“We do not believe the Terrans ever learned of Jeoss’s plans," Tevos said. "If they did, they haven’t said anything to us.” "Either way we should keep this under wraps," Filitus said. “Vasir do you have anything else to report?” "No Councilors, nothing else to report," Tela said.“Then you are dismissed, Spector Vasir. Once again we of the Council thank you for a job well done." The images of the Councilors faded away. With little reason to stay the Asari Spector left the area trusting that C-Sec would be able to handle the rest.November 26th 15:30, Citadel Audience Chamber:"By the powers invested in me by the Federation Council and the Office of the Presidency I Anita Goyle sign this Treaty." Ambassador Goyle said aloud for all to hear. "By signing this historic document the United Terran Federation agrees to abide by all the terms laid out therein. So as long the Citadel Alliance agrees to abide by those same terms. As the Official Ambassador of the United Terran Federation, it is both an honor and my duty to sign this document.” With the audience now captivated Anita Goyle turned back to the table that had been set for this occasion. All of its seats were filled. On her end was the Terran delegation plus the holo projections of the President, Vice-President, and the Head of the Federation Council. On the Other end facing them were the Three Citadel Councilors and the leaders of the Council races in holo form. Her hand picked up the stylist and with a few quick flourishes, she had signed her name on the document laid out on the table. In that one single motion, she had concluded months of hard work in three seconds.The treaty had already been scrutinized and ratified by the Federation council and had gone through the same process with the Asari Republics, the Turian Hierarchy, and the Salarian Union. With its ratification, the Citadel Alliance would recognize the Federation as a sovereign entity separate from them but would be allied with the Citadel races. The Federation would also agree to sign some of the different long-standing treaties that been in effect among the Citadel races long before man had achieved interstellar flight. Mostly ones that were considered reasonable and held in line with Terran beliefs, such as the restricted use of WMDs and other wartime practices. The Treaty of Farixen, however, was quietly shoved aside during the talks, no doubt the issue would eventually come to light, but that was a long ways off from now, however as a sign of good faith the Federation did inform them of how many dreadnoughts they had and how many they planned to put into service. Though if what the FSS (Federation Strategic Service) found was correct then the Council was strongly considering suspending the millennia-old treaty for the duration of the war. Aside from those agreements, a military alliance had been established and trading relations opened between the two parties. She put the stylist down a flood of relief washing over her at the conclusion of months of hard work. She had established working relations with an alliance of several alien nations, an act that would see her name go down in the history books. She had to suppress a chuckle at a recent conversation she had, her old high school was in the process of renaming itself after her, Anita Goyle High it had a nice ring to it. "With this action, we conclude these long talks." She said. "The United Terran Federation looks forward to working with the rest of the Galaxy, and we hope that all of us can move forward to a better and brighter future for all beings." There was a round of applause from the audience, for a brief moment, the Ambassador had allowed herself to be swept up in the moment and let herself forget that this was only the beginning of her work. The treaty here was only an agreement between the Federation and the Citadel races as a whole, there was still the matter of having to deal with the individual governments that made up the alliance. Not to mention how all the major corporations on both sides were going to be tripping over themselves to get to whole new markets and demographics never before tapped into. A whole new series of headaches that luckily for her, she would not have to worry about until the Federation finished construction of his Diplomatic enclave, not embassy as that had a different meaning between the Federation and the Citadel. That would take about a month to do, she looked forward to her vacation.Her of moment reprieve came to end when the Asari Councilor rose and began to speak. "People of the Citadel and the United Terran Federation the last two months have been a light in the darkness that has been the last two years almost three. Before then we had been faced with an enemy that knew no concept of mercy and compassion, an enemy that is the antithesis to peace. This enemy pushed back the combined might of the Citadel, ravaging our worlds, millions if not billions have perished in their senseless path of destruction. For a time it seemed as though the dream of a peaceful galaxy was about to die, and even if we did survive the galaxy would bare scars that would never heal. Then hope came in the form of our new friends the Terran people. At great cost to themselves, they flung themselves into frontlines of the war, and miraculously they held the line against the enemy. Their actions have saved countless worlds and the millions and billions of lives on them. Now we stand together and through the light of our courage and might of our warriors we will drive the darkness back and destroy it utterly. We will rebuild the destroyed worlds and the light of civilization will shine brighter than ever, never to be threatened again.” The audience cheered louder than before almost becoming deafening. The Asari Councilor waited several seconds for the crowd to quiet down before she began to speak again. “ With the signing of this historic treaty, we lay the first stones that will pave the path to a better future. I know this has been said many times over the past months but it does not make it any less true or meaningful now. The people of the Citadel races welcome the citizens of the United Terran Federation to the Galactic community and we thank you for the contributions that you have already made."The Turian Councilor rose next to her. "While some may not see it, your arrival as heralded the coming of a great many changes. Your people have challenged several long-held beliefs that until today were considered irrefutable fact. Now debates that have been closed for generations have re-opened and old facts re-examined to see if they hold up today. New questions have arisen on what personhood means and how it should be handled. They are not easy questions to answer and it may take years or even decades to find the right answer. Perhaps most distressing of all, there may be no truly right answer to these questions, only ones that change with the times.”The new Salarain Councilor rose and spoke. "But one thing has been made clear through your arrival and the war against the Dragon Orphans. Wither it was through intentional design or a series of events spanning the millennia that have unknowingly accumulated to our present state, it is clear to all to see that the races of the Citadel have fallen into a state of stagnation. This stagnation almost destroyed everything we knew. This must change if we are to survive. Even before the Terrans entrance to the galactic scene changes were occurring but were slow to be implemented because of those who felt threatened by them. For them, they preferred the safety of what they knew of what was and is, not the uncertainty of what was to come. They did not care if this mentality would only leave a lifeless galaxy, all they wanted was to remain in their little bubbles content in the knowledge that nothing could touch them." The crowd had long since fallen silent hanging on to every word spoken by the councilors. Even Anita was curious to see where this was going. The reports she received did tell that the Citadel races were experiencing considerable social and cultural upheaval, not unexpected with a major war going on and them having to deal with first contact. The same thing was happening back home, though in some ways better and some ways worse, to say that they live in interesting times would be the understatement of the century. Goyle had to wonder if the Councilors genuinely supported the changes or if they were taking advantage of the current climate and would later try to back paddle. "We can no longer afford to remain like this." The Asari Councilor said. "We can no longer hide in our corner of the universe believing that nothing will notice and come for us. We must change if we are to survive the trials to come. The truth of the matter is that both history and nature show that stagnation is the pathway to destruction. It has been shown that only those who can adapt to changes in their environment can survive and grow. With this in mind, there is one change that has occurred but we of the Citadel have reacted poorly to." The Terran Ambassador listened more closely realizing that the Councilor was leading to the point of the speech. "The Terrans once had to contend with this issue and as their history shows had it not been for the actions of a few, it would have destroyed them, and created their worst enemy. I speak of course of those who have become demons or to use the correct term ghouls." So that's what they were leading to. Anita shifted in her seat slightly it seemed that their deal would come to light a bit quicker than expected. "We have long since viewed these people as monsters in the same vein as the ones that are laying siege to our worlds now and from which they were born. They are creatures to be feared and to be out down unworthy of mercy. The Terrans have proven otherwise, they are not the monsters we fear them to be, they are victims who have been placed into a situation that has forced them to take drastic actions to survive. But instead of helping them like the civilized being we are, we reacted with fear and shunned them for something they could not control. It is inexcusable but understandable, history as shown time and again that fear as a way of blinding us to the proper course of action." The Asari Councilor looks to her.Knowing that was her cue to speak, she rose and turned to face the audience. Several records narrowed in on her, countless trillions would be watching her now. “But now the people of the Citadel have a chance to amend this mistake and began to heal the wounds that have opened over the issue. Ever since we learned of the existence of Xeno-Ghouls the top minds of the Federation have worked tirelessly to come up with a solution to aid these poor individuals. I am happy to announce that almost a month ago our scientist have managed to create synthetic meats that can be consumed by Xeno-Ghouls and will provide them with the nourishment they need to live." Murmurings began to rise in the audience. "We have begun distributing this substance to the Xeno-Ghouls that have made their way into Federation space." The announcement of Xeno-Ghouls appearing in Federation territory created a reaction in the crowd as they were now openly shouting at her and to themselves. The chamber guards took a step forward to keep the crowds at bay. It took several minutes before they calmed down enough for her to continue. "They are not the monsters that they have been made out to be. As the esteemed Asari councilor said they are simply victims that have been put into a frightening scenario. All they wish is to be able to return to their normal lives, we have provided them with a means to do so. To this effect, the higher-ups of the Federation asked me to reach out to the council and ask them to aid us in our efforts to help these unfortunate souls. In exchange for lifting their orders to hunt and kill Xeno-Ghouls we would start to ship out large quantities of synthetic meats to be consumed by the Xeno-Ghouls and to show the races of the Citadel how to produce their versions.” She turned to face the Councilors in question. The ball was in back in their court."We were surprised by the Ambassador's sudden proposal." Tevos began. "At first we had considered rejecting the Federation proposal, believing they had blinded themselves into thinking that our ghoul populations were like theirs.""Then they started to tell us of each citadel ghoul's stories," Filtius said. "Stories of their hardships as ghouls, of the fears they constantly fear. From their mouths, they told us of the constant struggles they faced in wanting to survive or uphold their morals.”“The Terrans had also taken the liberty in getting us into contact with the friends and families of the effect individuals.” The Salarian Councilor added. “They told us of how the Federation re-established contact between them and their loved ones. They assured us that the ones afflicted with this condition were still the individuals they knew and cherished, not the mindless monsters that had taken their form.”Looking over her shoulder Goyle saw that what the council said was affecting the crowd. Some were unconvinced, others impassive, or seemed to consider what was being said, but most seemed showed signs of sympathy. A good sign that what was going to happen next would not receive an overt amount of backlash. "The stories of the Citadel Ghouls plights have touch our hearts and moved us in ways we did not think possible," Tevos said bringing the Ambassador back to look at the Asari Matriarch. "Spurred by the Federations heartfelt actions we of the Council urged the leaders of our respective governments to not only take their proposal seriously but to accept it.” She gestures to the after mention leaders.All three figures rose, Primarch Fedorian cleared his throat before speaking. "With the considerations of the Council and the accounts given to us by the Terran Federation we thought long and hard about the decision. We even look back into the collective histories of the Citadel races, mostly about minority groups and the discrimination they once faced. We found parallels that were deeply concerning. Ultimately we came to one conclusion."The Asari High Matriarch pick up on the Primarch’s line of thought. “That our actions were not fitting of an enlightened and civilized galaxy. When we should have reacted with compassion we instead showed fear and disdain for those who were forced into circumstance beyond their control. We plunged a knife into the backs of those who cried out for our help and instead of offering a helping hand. This is a shame we will bear for a long time." The Asari bowed her head in a sign of regret. The other councilor displayed their ways of showing the guilt they felt over the subject, though Dalatrass's looked a bit forced from the perspective of the Terran Ambassador."But it is not something that we cannot try to undo now." The Turian Primarch spoke up after a minute. "To begin with as the leaders of the Council races I Fedorian the Primarch of the Turian Hierarchy."“I T’Moci the High Matriarch of the Asari Republics.” Joined the Asari leader.“And I Onisa the Dalatrass of the Salarian Union.” The Salarian leader joined her voice.“Hereby rescind the kill order on all Citadel Ghouls!” All three said at once. For a moment Goyle thought she felt a chill down her spine. "From henceforth," The Primarch continued after the others had fallen silent. "If anyone is found to have killed a Citadel Ghoul without probable cause then they shall be tried for murder and persecuted to the fullest extent of the law." Murmuring began to rise all around again as everyone took in the turn of events. Media agencies all across the galaxy were going to have a field day with this. While others at the table began to given their thoughts on the matter and tried to direct the event to its conclusion Anita mentally prepared herself for the wave of questions and demands that would come her way.November 26th 17:00, Temporary Terran Embassy, hallways:Anita Goyle half walked half shambled her way to her suit. The day's events had been more tiring then she anticipated, almost immediately after the signing of the treaty and surprise announcement on Xeno-Ghouls she had been flooded with questions from crowds of people waiting outside the Citadel Towel. The questions ranged from everything, some on the signing of the treat, others on her thoughts on the Quarian’s historic return to the Citadel, but most pressing were on the newfound issue about rights for Xeno-Ghouls. She did her best to answer the questions as simply as possible and at the same time being diplomatic in her responses.She entered her room and laid her briefcase on a nearby table. It took a good hour before she could get away and return to the hotel/embassy. She almost fell into the comfy couch, letting out an exhausted groan. Finally, she had a chance to relax. She was very much aware she still had a lot of work to do in the coming days. Though the negations with the Citadel had at long last concluded and that the Terrans would not be making deals with the other races until their Enclave was built, she knew that there would be no end to the line of politicians, businessmen/women, activist and other influential figures that would try to make back door deals with her. Similarly, she did not doubt that a mountain of paperwork was waiting in her office. A strange term considering that everything was digital now, that didn't stop it from being soul-crushing work.A lot of work coming her way and she would have little time to herself. But at the moment it was the furthest thing from her mind. She closed her eyes almost falling asleep. “Perhaps in a bit,” She thought. “When I have the energy I’ll try taking a dip in that pool they have here.” A swim sounded good to her. Her mind drifted into sleep as more thoughts of relaxation came to mind.“Madam Ambassador.” Reality came crashing in like a crazed bull in a fine china shop. Her eyes snapped open and her mind made a U-turn. “What is it?” She said keeping the irritability out of her voice.“We have a guest who wishes to see you, Ma’am.” The aid said over the com. “Shall I send them up?”So it begins. Goyle was tempted to tell him no and to send them on their merry way. She decided against it, best to see them now and learn what they want. "Go ahead." She said getting up from her seat and making her way to the kitchen. It was only polite the serve their guest. "Who is it?"There was a brief pause that worried her. “The Salarian Councilor Ma’am. The new one.” Sometimes she wished she had never taken this job.
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Chapter 17: Watching Dogs November 28th, 13:00, Thessia Sunrise Hotel (Temporary Terran Diplomatic Enclave):Councilor Jones entered his room. “And be sure to get me the documents that I requested.” He said turning to face the aid that was hanging around the doorframe. “Yes Councilor, is there anything else?” The young man replied.Pursing his lips the Federation Official went over a mental checklist. “Have the Hotel’s staff sound up some refreshments, I have a busy day ahead of me. Having something to fuel me up would be nice.” He said, hoping that they would send that spice tea he came to adore.“Of course sir.” The aid Replied. “I’ll ask them to send a pitcher of that J’linn Spice Tea you seem to like so much.”Jones inwardly smiled to himself glad to have an aid as attentive as the young ghoul before him. “That will be all Mr. Evens, be on your way.” He dismissed the aid. Moving away from the door he heard it slide shut. “Good man he is.” Jones thought to himself. "Perhaps once we get back to Earth I'll see about giving him a nice reward." The Councilor was a firm believer that one should treat their underlings well, and that small tokens of apparition went a long way to secure their loyalty. Entering the room that had become his makeshift office Jones sat down at his desk and powered up the terminal. Once it was on, he checked his message box for anything new. Sure enough, he had at least a dozen or so new messages all of them containing official seals. Most of them he noticed came from the members of his party, he would have to read over those later to see if had been any important announcements. A few others appeared to be progress reports from his staff back on the planet he represented on the Federation council. The rest appeared to be requests from other influential figures on his world. To sum up, it was what one would expect to see in a councilor's message box. He began to read each one. Several minutes later he heard a chime. Not taking his eyes from the screen he responded. “Yes, who is it?”“Room service, your J’linn tea is ready.” Came a feminine voice over the coms.“Good, you may enter. I’m in my office.” He said glade his drink was here. Moments later as he began to read the next message an Asari entered the room. If he had to guess she was probably in the early years of her Matron stage. He had to admit that for an alien she was beautiful and alluring. He could see why a number of the local garrison had become interested in Asari. “Your J’linn Spice tea Councilor Jones.” She said in a warm and welcoming tone. “Thank you miss just leave there on my desk.” He said turning his eyes back to the terminal and continued to read."Of course Councilor." He heard her say, a moment later he hears the familiar clanking of a jar being set on the desk. "You seem like a very busy man."“That I am miss?” He drawled out prompting the Matron for her name."L'Zai." She helpfully supplied. He saw her pour him a cup of the alien refreshment."Miss L'Zai," He said carefully to pronounce the name right. "As an elected member on the Federation Council, I have many responsibilities, and being here on the Citadel has not nullified me of them." While he did have the top priority of aiding the talks with the Citadel he was still expected to carry out all of the responsibilities that came with being a member of the Federation Council. That included being attendance for sessions of the Council even if it had to be in holo-form, good thing the Quantum Entangled Communicator that was installed in his office was more then up to the task. Though now the talks had concluded a week ago he would return to Earth soon enough where he could fully focus on those tasks."I can imagine." He heard her say and saw movement outside of his eye. He looks up to see that the Matron was now holding out a cup and plate to him. "You must not get much time to yourself."With a thankful nod of his head, he takes the plate and cup. Firmly in his hands, he took the cup up to his mouth, and just before taking a sip, he allowed himself to enjoy the strange aroma of the alien tea. He took a small sip and enjoyed the warm taste of the tea. "I consider it time well spent." He said putting the cup and plate down. "But I will admit that I look forward to returning home.”He saw the Matron give him an understanding smile. “I think I can relate. I’ve been thinking about taking some time off and visiting Thessia. I have family there I haven’t seen in seven years.”The Councilor arched an eyebrow, seven years was a long time to be out of contact with one’s family. Then again the Asari do live for several centuries so seven years may seem more like a long season to them. “I can understand your desire to see family after a long time.” He said. Now that he thought it about he hasn’t contacted his parents in some time, something to think about when he got back to Earth."Just some plans I have in mind. Nothing concrete yet." She said in a casual tone. "Is there anything else you need?" She said switching back to a formal tone."No, not right now." He answered. “But I will have my staff notify you if there is anything.”He saw the Asari smile again. “Of course sir. Please don’t hesitate, we of the Thessia Sunrise pride ourselves for our service.” She said before leaving the room."Nice lady, wonder if she's supposed to be a spy.” They did warn him that the Citadel may attempt to gather information on the Federation through more discrete methods. The possibility that they would use the guise of the hotel staff to spy on them had been considered to be very likely. Goyle had been explicit in her orders that they be careful of what they said and did around the Hotel staff and that none of them entered the reserved floors without being watched. Overly Paranoid? Perhaps, but it did prevent leaks. He had kept a close eye on the Asari staff member trying to gage her motive. “Probably not, best not to give in to much paranoia.” He got from his desk and poke his head out of his office. He looked around the living area making certain that the Asari had left and was not digging around. Satisfied that the room was cleared he returned to his desk. A new message had appeared in the brief moment he left. He opens it. It was very small containing only time and date and one line of words. I wish to speak to you, Mister Jones. ~TIMIt seemed he had an important appointment in eleven hours. He deleted the message.November 28th 18:47, Mactare System, Taetrus:Castis Vakarian had to wonder for what seemed like the thirtieth time today what deity was pissed off at him. He started asking that question soon after the disaster in the Mingaki system, the Hierarchy's, and by extension the Citadel's first horrific encounter with the Dragon Orphans, back then referred to so creatively as the 427s. Back then when he had made his report of his horrifying encounter, his superiors were hard-pressed to believe him. Fleshing eat monsters that could tear through armor? Organic starships that swarmed and ripped fully operational Turian warships to shreds? The Batarian Hegemony obliterated in what seemed like an instant? Some of them even look ready to have him go through a second round of psychiatric checks. But there was no denying the numerous reports from the other survivors, the sensor logs of the Light of Palavan, and the records recovered from the Batarian station that all supported his story.Not long after the Hierarchy had taken his recommendation to heart and reinforced the borders against a future attack. For what good that did, the comparatively meager defenses had been swept aside like pebbles before a storm and the monsters had breached deep into Citadel space. For two years he had led his men into battle against the D-Orphans and been a part of countless retreats that continued to chip at Hierarchy Morale. His unite had been destroyed and reformed more times then he cared to count, of the eleven other survivors from that ill-fated mission only four of them remained alive, one had outright resigned, another was in no condition to serve ever again, the other two remained with him and now served as his second and third.Castis for his part had wanted to resign his commission and return to Palavan to be with his family. He was convinced otherwise by some old friends on the grounds that his "experience" with the monsters would be useful to the Hierarchy. A half-baked explanation; a phrase he learned from the Terrans if he ever heard one. Yet it seemed to hold some truth in the eyes of the universe as his unit the 163rd Battalion, despite suffering numerous near destructions had fared better against the enemy than most other forces in the Hierarchy, even had a fair number of "victories" under its belt against them. Incidentally, the Light of Palavan the only surviving ship from the battle near the damned station had become something of a minor legend as it saw numerous battles against the Dragon Orphans and lived to tell the tale. Even when the forces of the Citadel were starting to have some form of success fighting the sprit’s forsaken monsters the war was still going badly for them. The battle for Taetrus was no exception, contrary to the Hierarchy’s efforts to defend the historic world they were still unable to push back what appeared to be one of the largest attacking forces from the enemy. For all of their effort, the defending fleet had been forced into a fighting retreat. Worse they had been forced to leave behind the defenders on the planets surface, his battalion included.With no orbital support and the enemy literal raining down on them, Castis had been all but certain that he would die that day. Death was a reality that all Turian soldiers had been told could happen and had been prepared for. Dying in the line of duty was considered to be a great honor for the Hierarchy and for a time Castis believed it as well. Then the war happened and he saw what dying truly meant the cost it reaped. He had seen too many names on the casualty board, written to many letters telling families and friends that they would never see their loved ones, he had seen too many heartbreaks. Castis Vakarian did not fear death, but what he did fear was the impact it would have on his family. His son Garrus would grow up never knowing the father that loved him dearly, only knowing the stories that his heartbroken mother would tell him. The thought of that happening would leave him up at night and would haunt his dreams.As a soldier in the Hierarchy, he was ready for that possibility, he even had had a pre-recorded message ready in event that he did die. Yet as the hordes of monsters swarmed towards his position with death being a certainty he realized that no-one was ever prepared to die. It was with this dawning realization that a miracle happened. Just as his battalion’s position was about to be overrun hellfire had rained down on the enemy decimating their ranks. The Terrans had joined the war. “Their timing couldn’t be better and what an entrance it was.” The thought entered his mind as he gazed around his command center. The small army that was his command staff was an odd mix of both Terrans and Turian, there were a couple of Asari and a Salarians in the mix as well, at present they were running around fulfilling various duties. He still remembers the day vividly, one moment he had been knee-deep in a horde of monsters the next he took part of a counteroffensive that saw the city secured within hours, what had been a near defeat had been turned into one of their first major wins in the war. That night his men had celebrated like the spirits themselves had come.“Penny for your thoughts?” A familiar voice had asked him. He turned to the source, seeing a Terran Female, a ghoul. Even now having fought along-side the woman and others like her, he was still found uncomfortable around such individuals that could kill him in an instant. Like any other, he had heard rumors of "demons" appearing on worlds that had been invaded by the D-Orphans and worlds close by. Fleshing eating creatures that took the appearance of the average citizen, they could be the guy fighting next to you, the kind old lady down the street, or even your spouse. Monsters that could grow extra limbs to tear their unlucky prey apart. At first, being the rational individual he was, he had written them off as being fear-induced paranoias from the frightened populace. Then he received the confirmation of their existence from his superiors and the kill order on them. Even then he had not fully believed in their existence until he had seen one with his own eyes and had been forced to call an artillery strike on his former subordinate. He was glad that not all of the "demons" were the monsters that people believed them to be. “Nothing much Commander Sanders.” He spoke to the woman who acted as his advisor and second in command of their combined forces. “Just wondering what deity is taking its angry out on me and reminiscing.” He saw the woman’s expression soften into one of mirth, and hard a small chuckle from her. “I know the feeling.” She said turning to face the holo projection of the city. "If you ever find out please feel free to tell me. That way we can both get to work on appeasing it."Castis let a small chuckle out at the woman’s attempt at humor. In recent years he learned that a little humor went a long way to ease tension and boost morale. “Looks like we took a serious hit from that last battle.” He said his attention fully returning to the situation on hand. “That we did." The Terran Commander spoke with tiredness in her voice. "It didn't help that the D-Orphans decided to be cheeky bastards on this one." Her gaze turned to the shattered set of windows on the upper area of the command post. Dozens of bodies sprawled the area both friendly and not-so-friendly. Cheeky didn't begin to describe it. Hours ago the Dragon Orphans launched a major offensive into the city that saw their forces take several blocks before being stopped and slowly be pushed back. Nothing much out of the ordinary for them and become a morbid routine for them. Defend, retreat, defend, retreat, defend, stop the enemy offensive and push back with a counteroffensive, then conduct clean up. Rinse and repeat, and you had the last few months in the fight for the planet. Was it annoying as hell and taxing on moral? Most certainly, but it was in the opinion of Castis and about ninety percent of Citadel forces, leagues better then what they been doing before which was just retreating. The other ten percent were crazy and their opinion didn’t matter. This attack looked to be no different, though it did have a few hiccups in that they were still dealing with survivors from previous attacks. Still, nothing that their forces couldn't handle, and Castis had been confident that by the end of the day the enemy would have been driven out. That confidence died a swift and painful death when the enemy came crashing in the windows. For several minutes he and the rest of his staff had found themselves in pitch battle for the command center, a battle that they thankfully won.“Though if it hadn’t been for Commander Sander I am certain I would be communing with the spirits right now.” Never had he seen someone turn the tide of a fight like the way she did. Seeing her in action had driven home that Ghouls were an incredible asset to have in a fight. “And they have hundreds of billions of them on their side. Thank the spirits that the Terrans are on our side.” He shuddered to think what a war against them would mean for the Citadel.After securing the command center it quickly became apparent that same had happened at other command posts across the city and temporally caused confusion in their forces on front lines. In the confusion, the Dragon Orphans launch a second offensive that for a time saw allied forces being pushed back at a rapid pace. Fortunately for most of the other command posts were able to repel the surprise attack, though some would require additional resources to reclaim. In a matter of minutes, they were able to re-establish a line of communication with all of their forces and coordinate an effective defense against the assault. That was several hours ago and only now did the battle now resembled a victory in their favor. There was still a considerable enemy presence in the city but was contained and was slowly being pushed back. “Speaking of cheeky,” Castis spoke after a long second, using her terminology. “I didn’t get to ask between the fight for our lives and having to coordinate a hasty defense of the city, but what,” He pointed to the broken windows. “was that?” He finished the question calmly. The Terran commander looked at him with eyes that told him how tired she was and yet portrayed the intelligence behind them. "If I had to hazard a guess," She began to say. “Stealth Fliers dropping attack forces on us.” “Stealth Fliers?” Castis mouthed. “There stealth variants of those things?” The thought did not sit well with him, if there were Dragon Orphans that could avoid detection then it would be a nightmare on a Tactical and strategic level.“Yes stealth fliers,” Commander Sanders confirmed. “Nasty little buggers, their skin is made from a material that enables them to camouflage themselves and avoid detection on our radars. Records say that they were an ever-present thorn in our sides during the Third Dragon War. What we saw here today was just one of the many tricks they pulled during the war. Good news when compared to their brethren their rare, speculation is that they are harder to grow than others."Castis felt himself relax a small bit at the news they were a rare variety, though not by much as there was no guarantee that they got them all today. If he was betting man he would put his money on the possibility that the Dragon Orphans at best only used half of their stealth fliers for the assault. “Are there any other stealth variants that I should be aware of?” He made a mental note to go on the Terran Codex on the D-Orphans again, with an emphasis on the different types of Dragon Orphans. “Is there a way to detect them?” He added as the thought occurred to him."There are other variants, but they are all offshoots of your standard Dragon Orphans. Such as the rank and file D-Orphan, spikers, and stalkers. Thank the good lord and any other deity out there, that stealth brutes and their related offshoots don't exist. The thought of that legitimately gives me nightmares." Well, he had to be thankful for small miracles. "As for detecting them," The Terran commander brought a hand to her chin, Vakarian had learned it to be the Terran gesture for when they were in deep thought. "I may be remembering this incorrectly. But I do recall mentions of specialize equipment that could detect the stealth variants of Dragon Orphans. I'll have to check our records, but if they do exist I'll see about putting in a requisition for some to be allocated to our front." Commanders moved to a terminal and brought up a display. "For now though we will have to be extra vigilant, there's no telling if the enemy pulls the same stunt twice."Commander Vakarian nodded his head in approval of her recommendation. "You do that Commander Sanders. In the meantime, I will be in my office making a report to planetary command. They'll need to know about this development. If something happens inform me right away." He commanded.“Yes, sir.” Commander Sanders said not taking her eyes off of the Terminal."Then I leave command in your capable hands." He said with a salute, the Terran turned around reciprocated the gesture with a salute of her own. Breaking the salute Commander Castis Vakarian left the center making his way to his office, a report of today's events forming in his mind.November 28th 19:15, Mactare, Occupied city on Taetrus:“Aww, phewy. My plan didn’t quite work the way I wanted it.” Said a figure its voice distantly feminine.She rose from her blood-red thorn and stretched out riding herself of any discomfort. "Seems like I'll have to come up with something different if I want to seize those territories." If anyone was to be in the chamber with her before they were torn to shreds by the monsters that guarded her they would see a beautiful woman with milky skin and long golden hair that went down to her exposed waist. Most notably were her blacken eyes with red iris and the red streaks of kagune like skin that went down her arms, legs, and sides of her naked body. A Terran would have recognized her as a full-fledged Dragon General. This being who had taken the name of Larkin was the commanding force of all Dragon Orphans on the Turian world. While she did possess the same aggression has her brothers and sisters, Larkin preferred to fight the others and their progenitor allies with tactics that didn't just amount to throwing overwhelming numbers at them. She wasn't above using it and was more than willing to take the heavy losses that it would occur, certainly she had the numbers to make it work. She just knew that it would not get her anywhere anytime soon. The prey, particularly the progenitors knew how to fight their overwhelming numbers and could hold out for an extended time against them. She has to be a bit smarter and creative with how she used her swarm to take this world. “Perhaps I could use Tunnellers to dig under their nests and attack them from below.” Attacks from unexpected angles did seem to be effective against the enemy if today was anything to go by. If she had used more of her sky shadows for the assault then they might have taken the nest. Now they would be expecting attacks from the sky and maybe from below. That would render her tunneller idea mute, she would have to think about it some more. She saw something approaching her out of her eye. Gazing at it she saw it was one of her swarm. The creature stopped in front of her and offered something out of its claws. Looking down she saw it was a freshly torn off arm from one of the bird things, Turians was what they called themselves. She sent a smile at the thing and took the arm. "Why think you, how thoughtful of you." She said petting the thing on its head received a happy moan form the creature. Most of her brothers and sisters, others like her that could command the lessers and think in ways like the progenitors, they would not approve of her display of affection. To them, it was a sign of weakness, and weakness was not to be tolerated by the swarm. As such most Dragon Generals, a name given to them by their hated enemy but one they took with pride, ignored their lessers and treated them like mindless tools, a rare few even tended to be abusive. Larkin does not subscribe to those beliefs, she preferred to treaty her lessers like they were her flesh and blood, though that did not stop her from sending them to their deaths in droves when she thought on the irony.She took a bite from the arm appreciating the strange taste it had in her mouth. Her thoughts returned to the battle for this world. The larger nests would be difficult to take if not impossible, they had the largest concentration of defenders and would be well fortified against large and extended sieges. But the lesser ones were not so, and even ignored in favor of the larger ones. Yes, that cold work. Start attacking the smaller nests with larger forces and enemy would have the difficult decision of sending reinforcements to drive them back but in the process weaken their defense of the larger nest or do nothing and risk her forces gaining more points to attack from. Granted it would spread her swarm out more and make them less able to defend their territories, but she had numbers on her side and could afford to spread them out. “But only for so long. Even the swarm as its limits.” Larkin thought keenly aware that one of the weaknesses of the swarm was that they had a habit of overstretching themselves.A weakness that the progenitors were more than happy to take advantage of. It was one of the contributing factors that cost them to lose the war for the great cradle. They may be able to multiply their numbers at a rate that far exceeds their preys, even they could spread out to fast and left vulnerable to attack. Even now it was costing them, the others they had fought the ones that had four eyes their lands were smaller than the ones they were trying to take now, they were easier to overwhelm and their defenders lacked the will to fight the swarm. What they faced now were warriors that had the strength and will to fight them back and many more resources to call upon. It was true that were driving the others back deeper and deeper into their territories, it was to be expected the swarm was an overwhelming force. A force of nature even. The others at first did not expect a foe like them and had little knowledge in fighting them.That progressively changed with each passing day. The others had learned from each battle they had with the swarm, they had observed them, gained insights into the swarm's behavior. Through trial and error often with the price of much blood they had learned how to fight the swarm. With each passing day with each world they took, it became harder and harder to drive them out. More void sailors were lost for every world, more warriors cut down for every grain of dust they took. Their advance had been slowed and what once looked to be an assured victory was now in question. Then the Progenitors arrived and their offensive came to a violent halt. Now the swarm found itself in a precarious position, one that could mean their end. It could not be denied that the swarmed outnumber their prey by several leagues, but what were they to do if just one defender could kill a hundred of the swarm? What they needed was a thousand more, perhaps even ten thousand more. Larkin feared that they did not have those kinds of numbers on their side.She returned to her throne and sat. Thinking this over she was starting to grasp the reality of the conclusion she had come to some time ago. As the progenitors would put it in their speak, they needed to settle for the long haul if they wish to win the war. They had to hold the line long enough for them to grow their numbers to the point where they could do the same. It would not sit well with her brothers and sisters as they would be eager to spill the blood of their prey especially if that blood belonged to the progenitors, even she didn't like the idea. "This will not be an easy affair." She said aloud. Then there was the fact that the enemy would be doing the same, building their strength while they held back the swarm. Nor would they sit idly by as the swarm gained strength, it had been proven before that the prey could slip into the shadows and strike at them where they were vulnerable. She looked up the ceiling of her chamber her thoughts wandering to all of the different possibilities. Unlike the others who were so self-assured that prey stood no chance against them, she doubts their ability to win the war. She feared that defeat and outcomes that came with it were a very real possibility. She could never voice her concerns to her brothers and sisters as they would refuse to listen and would even try to tear her limb from limb for "showing weakness". "We should have waited as the king had said. Grown our numbers enough to darken skies of all of their worlds." She closed her eyes and took a breath. For now, she would have settle for her plan. She even considered having a few of her commanders lead the assaults.November 29th, 00:00, Thessia Sunrise Hotel (Temporary Terran Diplomatic Enclave):Councilor Jones checked his watch to make certain that the time was right. At this time most everyone should be sleeping. He imagines that Ambassador Goyle was in her room reading over important documents and making changes to their strategies. There was little chance of anyone walking in on him. But caution particularly in moments like was not to be ignored, before locking his office he searches his room thoroughly for any listening devices that may have been planted by agents of the Citadel. Even after locking the door to his office behind him, he had used a device that in theory would prevent eavesdropping from outside parties, such devices had been handed to the Diplomatic party in the event they wanted a private conversation without fear of anyone listening in.Seeing that the appointed time had come he activated the QEC in his office, checking that his end was secured he waited. His wait was short as blue particles appeared and formed into the image of a man sitting in a chair, he was smoking a cigar."Mr. Jones, glade you could make it." The Illusive Man said. He had met the man a couple of months after the Battle for Shanxi. It wasn't a face to face conversation, rather it was over a communication link much like their encounter here. No matter how he tried he had never managed to trace the signal back to its origin or even evidence that it ever happened, both perplexing and disturbing. In that talk and the ones to follow he learned of Cerberus, an organization in words of the Illusive Man “is dedicated to protection and security of the Terran people. Our job is to ensure the dominance of the Federation over the rest of the galaxy and beyond in the fields of military, technology, politics, and other fields.” A supremacist group that views the children of Earth as the greatest of the races. A notion that his views fell in line with. He kept his beliefs hidden as they would prove to be disadvantageous to his political career in the current climate. There was a lot of support for xenophile policies and anyone who went against them were ignored or derided as “Xenophobic bigots”. Then there was the war against the Dragon Orphans to take into account. Anyone that spoke out against was immediately labeled as a traitor by the general populace, and for someone like him, it was tantamount to political suicide. Not that he wanted to, like any Terran he been taught from a young age of horrors that were the second and third Dragon wars, the countless atrocities that been commented by their worst enemy. He had once visited the shattered remnant of Cadia, seeing firsthand the destruction that the creatures had wrought. He remembered the black sphere that hangs in its center, a memorial to the fallen that had been placed there, etched into its darken surface were names of everyone that fell in the two wars against the Dragon Orphans, the names of the native Cadians that perished being written in red, it was a haunting reminder of the blood that had been spilled for the survival of the Terran people. Hatred for the Dragon Orphans is what would keep the Federation in the war, a hatred he shared.Suffice it to say he would not be making any moves. In several years once the euphoria over the discovery of intelligent alien life had passed, allowing for people to come to their senses and once the threat of the Dragon Orphans had been eradicated he would shift his support to policies that would advance Terran dominance over the Xenos. He had thought that he hid his views well that no one suspected his Xenophobic ideas, his encounter with the Illusive Man changed that. It did not take long for him to agree to work with the young and yet frightfully powerful group."It is good to see you too, sir." He said with a smile. "I am surprised that you contact me and not one of your agents." It was true since his recruitment he had reported to the man through intermediaries and rarely the same person.TIM removed the cigar from his mouth, a stream of smoke blowing out. "I occasionally like to talk to my people in person." He spoke. "It's a good way to show that I not some distant leader sitting upon a high throne unaware of the inner workings of his organization.” He returned the cigar to his mouth taking a puff, before removing it and blowing out smoke. “It also prevents misunderstandings as messages sent by intermediaries can sometimes become muddled.”"I see," Jones said not fully understanding what the man was getting at.He saw the figure give him a dismissive wave of his hand. “Do not worry about Mr. Jones, all I want for today is your report and simply wished to hear it from you.”Jones nodded in understanding. “Of course sir. As you may have already gathered from the news the negotiations of the Citadel concluded a couple of weeks ago. While I would have preferred a deal that favored the Federation more than the Xenos, I happy to say that what we do have is good.”“I agree with you Councilor,” TIM said putting his cigar into what Jones assumed to be an ashtray. “While the Ambassador could have fought harder for a more favorable agreement we will have to do with what we have. And what we have, I’m glad to say is a good step towards the goal of Terran dominance. Our sovereignty as a nation has been recognized by the Citadel Races, a trade deal that both parties can benefit from, and of course most importantly at the moment a military alliance against the Dragon Orphans. Overall I am quite pleased with the outcome, Ambassador Goyle deserves to be commended for her contribution to the Terran people.”Jones felt a slither of jealously at the women for the praise she was receiving from TIM. He worked just as hard as she did on the talks with the Xenos. “She did have help with the effort.” He commented.He saw the suited man arch an eyebrow and gave him a calculated look. For a moment it seemed like the man was staring into his soul, it took all of Jones's self-control not to squirm under the man's gaze. "Of course you deserve to be acknowledged for your aid in the negotiations with the Citadel," TIM said a moment later, allowing Jones to relax on the inside if only a little. That was something about this mysterious man that made him nervous and always on guard. A feeling that was reinforced whenever he tried to find information on the man, the sheer lack of evidence on the leader of Cerberus disturbed him to no end. What kind of resources did this man have access to have so thoroughly erased all traces of his existence? What kind of resources could he employ to make the Councilor disappear should he ever think of betraying Cerberus? It was these thoughts that kept Jones from exposing the rouge organization. To think that Cerberus just beginning and already it was operating with an efficiency that surpassed the FSS, he shuddered to think what it could do in ten years or even a hundred."Think you, sir," Jones responded. "What we do is for the benefit of the Federation and its people. But I assume you want to hear more than just the details of the negotiations?""How astute of you Mr. Jones," TIM said casually. "If I wanted that kind of information I could have just looked to the media agencies or had one of my people request a copy of the treaty from the Information Bureau. No, what I want is your assessment of select individuals within the ranks of the Citadel races.""Select individuals?" Jones asked for clarification.“High ranking officials that might be partial to Terran interest, or could be manipulated into taking actions that would be favorable to the Federation.” The Illusive Man explained. “Or individuals that may prove to be detrimental to the future of Terran people. People whom we may need to take precautionary measures against. Like that former Salarian Councilor for example. What can you tell me about him, and what do you think of his replacement?”Jones thought over the encounters he had with the unpleasant Salarian both had the negotiation table and in person, the latter being blissfully rare. He also took into account what he heard of the man from the different Xenos he had encountered and how the other Councilors interacted with him. The same going for his replacement. "My impression on the former Councilor Toss is that he is a potential enemy, who if given the chance would enact and support policies that would be damaging to the United Terran Federation. From the very beginning, he did little to hide his distaste for our people when he questioned our motive for entering the war.” That moment when he tried to provoke the President still brought flashes of anger to the man when he thought of it. “Further he seems to have a not so hidden dislike for Ghouls and Synths. He most likely believes them to be a threat to be eradicated, and thinks of us as recklessly dangerous species that needs to be brought to heel.” An outcome about as likely as making peace with the Dragon Orphans, the Terran people would never give up their freedoms. If the races of the Citadel did try to pull a stunt like that they would quickly learn the Federation and its people would fight for every inch of their space and make them pay a bloody toll for it. "Throughout the rest of the negotiations up until his replacement he continued to show signs of hostility towards the Diplomatic party. He often caused the process to drag out by bringing up unreasonable demands or questioned ours. Though towards the end he did became uncharacteristically subdue and showed no further signs of hostility. If I had to guess pressure from his colleges on the council and the Dalatrass of the Union forced him into that state. To sum up he as shown nothing but hostility towards the Federation and would never take actions that would favor us.""I see," Tim responded as he seemed to think over what Jones said about the former Salarian Councilor. "Do you believe that he could prove to be a threat later in the future? Do we need to arrange an accident?"While Jones would be more than happy to say yes, his rational side thought otherwise. "I do not believe so at best he'll be a loud but minor nuisance. Additionally, he has proven to be widely disliked by the general population of the Citadel and earned the animosity of several influential groups due to his public dislike of the other races. While he does have a position of power on Sur'Kesh is a low ranking one and likely there for just show. If we ever do have to arrange something we will doubtless find no shortage of people happy to carry out the deed nor will he be missed.”"Good to hear," TIM said. "One less problem to concern ourselves with. Though we will still keep an eye on him. Better to watch him and have him not be a threat than let him go and have him become a throne in our sides. Now for his replacement. What I hear she spends a considerable amount of time with the ambassador. What do you make of it?”"Councilor Hutow is still something of a mystery to me," Jones admitted feeling embarrassed he had not paid as much attention to the Salarian councilor as much as he should. “Based on what I have seen though she is more level headed than her predecessor. If she does have any dislike towards the Federation and its people she is hiding it very well. This appears to be in line with the changes in the Union.” It had been an unexpected change but not an unwelcome one. Outspoken opponents of the Terran Federation had either gone silent or had been replaced. The Union itself had begun to outreach to officials in the Federation in positive ways. Though most Salarians still held rather icy attitudes towards Terrans, couldn't win them all. "Aside from this, she has struck up an odd friendship with the ambassador. If it is a genuine gesture or she has a deeper motive remains to be seen. But I would not be surprised if the latter is true." He would expect the same from a Terran, so he did not hold Xenos to be above reproach. "In my opinion, I believe that we should allow this friendship to continue. While the Salarian Councilor may be trying to gain our trust and by extension learn of our secrets, it does not mean that we can do the same to her.”He saw the Illusive Man give him a calculating look. "Do you believe that she can be convinced to become, oh perhaps not a friend," TIM said searching for the right word. "Partner to the Federation. Perhaps even work with patriotic groups."Jones read in between the lines, and he didn't like what he saw. Cerberus was supposed to be an all Terran group and dedicated to Terran supremacy. "I cannot say," Jones responded carefully. "We do not know enough about her to say for certain. But In my own opinion, I would urge against it.""I see," TIM said considering the man's words. "Perhaps you are right. Cerberus is still young and we may need allies outside of the Federation, but we cannot take risks." He said."Illusive Man if may be so bold to ask you something?" He said thinking carefully about how he would phrase his questions. The man looked at seemingly considering his request. Then he made a gesture that told Jones to continue. "Why are we willing to work with the aliens? Is Cerberus not dedicated to the supremacy of the Terran people? So why would you be willing to allow Non-Terrans to work with us? Moreover, throughout the entire process, you seemed to be in support of the talks with the Citadel. You even said that you were satisfied with the outcome. Does this not seem like we are bending the knee to the Citadel and thereby jeopardizing our future as a species? Would a military conquest not be easier and safer after the Dragon Orphans have been dealt with?" In truth, he knew the position that the Federation found itself in. They did not have the resources, manpower, time, or even the will to commit to a galaxy-wide conquest. What he wants from his line of questioning was to gauge the reaction of the man before him. See what he truly was getting himself into. Would Cerberus turn out to be the guard dogs the Federation needed, or would be a wild muted that would lash out at everything including the very thing it was supposed to protect and would inevitably be put down.For a moment the Illusive appeared to be surprised by his line of questions and appeared to think them over. Then he reaches for his cigar, lighting it he brought the object to his mouth. Seconds after he removed it and blow out a puff of smoke. "Mr. Jones," He began and the Federation Councilor braced himself. "I admire your dedication to the Terran people. No doubt in the future when the Terran people have taken their rightful place in the galaxy you will be remembered fondly as a patriot. But that future will not come overnight. We will not win the galaxy with the might of our fleets. Yes, they will be used to farther our interest but they are but one tool at the Federation's disposal. While to some war may be a viable option, history as shown that it would make us more enemies we can realistically hand. We can take each of the Citadel races alone, but all together we find ourselves falling short. But with peace we find ourselves having many more options. Economically, Culturally, technologically and the fields of diplomacy we can slowly erode the other races away and step by step gain control of the galaxy. By the time the general populace realizes what has happened, they find themselves under our rule, and will not be able to do anything about it. Nor will they be inclined to, so as long as the everyday man and woman can go about their day and their basic needs met they will not have a reason want to rebel. They will see the Terrans can rule with a firm but gentle hand, and just behind it will be an iron glove ready to come down on them should the need arise. The galaxy will be ours, we must be patient about it and above all else be willing to acknowledge that the aliens will have their place in our empire. What kind of place that will be remains to be seen, but one thing will be for certain they will never be the superiors of the Terrans, nor will they be the equals. Some may come close but never truly our equals. Look no further than the Quarians they are well on their way to becoming valued allies of the Terran people. They may not see it yet but within a few short generations they will loyal servants of the United Terran Federation.”"A client race," Jones interjected.TIM nod at him. “Though I would not use that term but yes. To win the Galaxy for the Children of Earth we must be willing to play the long game.”"By the Long Game, you mean centuries and millennia, taking into account the life spans of the Asari?" Jones pointed out. To him the Asari where the biggest threat to the Federation, with their incredible lifespans they could lay down plans that could span a time period that the Terran mind, human and ghoul alike, could not comprehend let alone counter."And that is where our Synthetic brothers and sisters come in." TIM replied, "They will provide us the ability to enact plans that can go beyond even what an Asari can think of. Now is there anything else that concerns you?"Jones shook his head, what the mysterious man said was enough to satisfy him. Some of it was still uncomfortable to him but he accepts that so as long as the Terran people came out on top. "No sir that was all I wanted to know." He would throw his lot in with this man as he seemed to have the right idea on what Cerberus needed to do.“Getting back to the report. Tell me what do you think of the Turian Councilor?” November 29th, 00:45, unknown location:Harper disposed of his Cigar as the holo image of Councilor Jones disappeared. The man had provided some interesting insights into the political climate of the Galaxy and how it could affect the Federation. True he could have asked for a written report or have one of his intermediaries handle the matter. But now and then he liked to handle such matters personally. Reports and third parties where usefully but often certain meanings were lost in translation. By having a face to face meetings he could read the person's body language and hear the way they spoke to discern any hidden meanings they had, feelings they were trying to convey or hid. Jones was a nice example of that. Through the conversation he could that the man was still uncomfortable working with Cerberus but was willing to work with them. Their talk about some of their methods namely concerning with Xenos seemed to alleviate his concerns. Harper knows the man held Xenophobic views, nothing in the extremes otherwise he would never have approached him. The idea of enslaving or destroying all other alien races did have a nice ring to it, for all of three seconds once the reality of what that meant set in. No, as he said the Xenos would have their place in Terran dominate Galaxy. His job would be to ensure that future use every means and tool at his disposal.Cerberus was still young but already they had eyes and ears everywhere and were carrying out operations across the Federation to protect Terran interest. False flag companies were being set to provide the shadow organization with all of the funds it needs. Getting a foothold into Citadel space was still being worked on but Harper was confident that they have cells operating with impunity within a year or two. A list of candidates of informants and sleepers agents within the Citadel was already being drawn and need only be approved by him.He took out a fresh Cigar and lit it. “Tartarus.” He spoke to his Synth counterpart. “get in contact with Operation Shadow Break.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Ch 18: New Years Brawl January 1st, 2487, 03:17, Mactare System outer edges:[Communications intercepted.] “The TFV. Resolute as taken heavy damage to their engines, they're adrift. TFV. Nova and TFV. Spear of Hope take up defensive positions around the Carrier. Fighter squadrons five-twelve and five-thirteen support them.”“Acknowledged Defender. Moving in to protect the Resolute.”[Optimal weapons range of target reached. Firing weapons. Target heavily damaged. Proceeding to conduct additional-. Correction target destroyed by Destroyers TFV. Gallant and TFV. Steadfast. Moving to the next target. Incoming enemy fire, engaging evasive protocols.]If he was able Noel would have grimaced as he felt several of his drones be destroyed by the Dragon Cruiser.[Warning three units lost. Creator Strike craft destroyed, no life signs near vicinity detected.]As the central Synth of his ship the TFV. Spirit of Lightning he was expected to aid his crew in operations of the ship and to control its fighter drones in battle. Not the easiest thing to do but he was managing. A routine patrol of the system’s outer edges had suddenly turned into a skirmish with the Dragon Orphans. Not unusually, skirmishes with smaller swarms were a frequent event in the Mactare system, really everywhere, and most patrol groups like his had gained more battle experience in the past five months then they did in the past decade. For the most part, these skirmishes ended in favor of the allied forces and were considered a mild annoyance at worst. Still, it did give the fleets of Terran and Turian navies defending the Mactare system first-hand experience working together, joint maneuvers were good for building up synergy between the two, but nothing could beat first-hand experience. This on the other hand. “All units be aware more Dragon Orphan ships have been detected entering the system. Once this group has been destroyed we are to link up with the 63rd Flotilla and the Turian 57th and 68th Attack Wings.” The skirmish had turned into a minor battle for the edges of the system. Several groups were now coordinating with each other to win the battle and reinforcements from deeper into the system were on their way.[Scanning battlefield for probability of success. Remaining Dragon Orphan forces number thirty-seven vessels, thirty-five have been classified as wyrms, two others designated as Drakes. Allied forces consist of eighteen combat effective vessels, Six Panther Corvettes, five Valiant frigates, four Aries Destroyers, two Pegasus Carriers (Note: one as suffered engine loss but is still able to fight), and one Rhode Island Cruiser. Calculation Complete: Probably of success at eighty-seven percent.]Five of the wyrms exploded one after another.[Correction: Eighty-nine percent. Opening on a Drake detected, relaying to superiors.]Several seconds later a set of orders was sent. "One of the Drakes as been exposed, we are moving to engage. Destroyers Gallant and Spirit of Lightning flank it, accompanying fighter squadrons provide support.” The Patrol commander ordered “Acknowledged.” Responded the voice of his commanding officer.[Receiving orders from TFV. Spirit of Lighting.]“Noel you heard the man. Your Drones are to provide support while we engage that Drake. Attack anything that gets in our way. Understood?”“Orders received and understood.” He sent the reply.[Moving drones to support mother ship. Note: Sixty percent are still battle capable, four other drones have exhausted their supply of munitions. Diverting to closets carrier for resupply.]Not exactly the way he wanted to spend his New Year. He would have to make it up to his mate next year. January 1st, 2487, 03:17, Mactare System, small town on Taetrus:While the battle for the outer edges of the system was being waged, another battle was being held for control of one of the smaller settlements on the Turian planet. “Sir the swarm is still advancing on our position.”“I can see that private!” Lieutenant Commander Anderson shouted to be heard over the deafening sounds of gunfire and gunships overhead and the tanks behind them loosing their explosive ammunition. Nearby was the motionless body of their Company’s Captain, he had taken one too many shots to his chest. Anderson shot up from his position to fire his rifle into the incoming hoard, not knowing if he got any kills or how many. He returned to cover avoiding a barrage of sharp Rc shards fired in his general direction. A few meters away from him and his men a turret was rapidly firing its heavy rounds into the swarm of D-Orphans, killing dozens at a time. Its gunner jumped out from his position just in time to avoid being screwed by the massive shard that penetrated the fixed positioned weapon in its center. Several Thor units had also been gun down leaving their company with a few dozen left. Closer than he was comfortable with he and the rest of the defenders heard the roar of the monster at the center of the swarm. Peeking out from cover Anderson cursed under his breath whatever deity was pissed off at him today. Towering even over the numerous brutes that surrounded it, A Titian moved forward with a slow stride, its single spiked armed held out a fresh shard growing in place and soon to be fired. Battle scars littered its body a testament to its endurance and the firepower they focused on the unholy abomination. The massive monster fired the shard sailed across the battlefield piercing into the chest plate of their last Brimir Heavy Assault Mech. The heavy mech stood for a half a second before it fell back, though not before it fired off a final rocket from its arm. The explosive struck home on the titan's spike arm taking it clean off. The Titian roared in pain but continued its path, the swarm surrounding it becoming more eager to tear into their defenses.A pack of prowlers charged from the main swarm making a rapid pace to the line of soldiers. Some had spiked tails that were rapidly firing, most of their shots missed but some would score grazing shots at the defenders' ranks.The majority of the prowlers were gunned down but a few managed to survive long enough for them to pounce on their prey. One unlucky Turian soldier was knocked to the ground by one of the beasts and his face was mauled before a squad-mate was able to shoot the thing. The cat-like creature went limp on top of its deceased prey. Two more prowlers charged at where Anderson was. Fortunately for him, he and the private next to him brought their rifles to bear on the attackers and fired. A second and a half later both creatures’ lifeless bodies slid up against their cover, the momentum having carried them. The other prowlers had been neutralized, however more packs were shooting out from the main pack. “Dammit!” He cursed behind his helmet. At this rate they would have to fall back and given how fast the swarm was now approaching them it would be fighting retreat. “Where the hell is that air support!?” The young Lieutenant Commander shouted to the private next to him. The younger man’s face was hidden behind a helmet, but Anderson knew that there was a panicked expression behind it. He had to remind himself that losing his cool right now was going to do more harm than good. Several months of constant fighting however tended to give one a short fuse.“They said that they would be here any minute now.” The private said.Anderson was about to retort that “any minute now" had better be this minute when he heard a godsend sound. "Well speak of the Devil, and he shall appear." Turning his eyes to the sky and squinting his eyes the Lieutenant Commander saw a squadron of Hellfire bombs holding a tight formation and guarded by a mix of Terran and Turian fighters. “Everyone take cover!” He shouted to his men. “Bombers coming in hot.” Taking his own words seriously the Lieutenant dug into his position and set his barriers to max. Not a minute later the sounds of weapons fire ceased and soon replaced by an orchestra of loud booms the telltale sign that the bombers had dropped their payload on the swarm. A part of him wished he could see the chaos that would be reaped against their enemy, but knew better to stand up before the bombing run concluded. He would have to settle for seeing the aftermath of the carnage.And what a sight it was. As soon as the sounds of the explosives ceased he look up from his cover to assess what remained of the enemy force. It wasn't a pretty picture but one he took in happily. The tide of monsters that had been advancing on them eager to tear him and his unit limp from limp had now been reduced to a corridor of death. Charred and still smoking limps painted the landscape with the largest being no bigger than a fist. Even the Titian and its brutes had been reduced to nothing, with only its torso remaining as evidence of existence.Around and behind him, he heard the loud cheering of soldiers Terran and Turian alike. Anderson did not join them, preferring to keep his eyes on the battlefield. Even in victory they still had to be careful, a fight wasn’t truly over until the enemy had been defeated utterly. Narrowing his eyes, the Terran Lieutenant saw the retreating forms of what remained of the D-Orphan Swarm. It was rare but even Dragon Orphans were capable of fleeing from a battle, usually when most of the swarm had been wiped out like this. Closer to them was a group of D-Orphans that must have been too far ahead of the swarm to have been killed by the bombs. Though most were trying to pick themselves up and were in a daze, likely confused by the sudden loss of the swarm behind them. Anderson would not give them the chance to recover he aimed his rifle and pulled the trigger. In the time it took for Anderson to get to his second burst more soldiers joined him as they quickly came down from their high. The dazed and confused remain Dragon Orphans stood little chance and all were killed before they had a chance to recover and retaliate. Their bodies joining their siblings. Farther back the retreating forms of the other surviving Dragon Orphans became less visible. Smiling behind his helmet Anderson knew that this an opportunity to drive the swarm out from this settlement. He activated his commlink to command. "This is Lieutenant Commander David Anderson of the 153rd Company. The enemy has been driven back and is on the retreat requesting permission to pursue and destroy." He said. "Lieutenant Commander?" A voice responded, it was a Turian, male. “Where is your Captain?” He asked.“Dead sir, his armor was penetrated several times by enemy fire, most occurring around his chest.” He activated the visual scanner on his armor and took an image of the deceased Captain. “Sending visual to confirm. As the XO I have taken command of the 153rd Company. Again the enemy has been driven back and is retreating. I request permission to pursue and destroy." His eyes turned back to the retreating remains of the swarm. He heard some murmurings from the other end of the link. "Permission granted." Said the officer. "Return once the enemy has been dealt with and good hunting.""Sir yes sir," Anderson responded. "We may also need additional support.""We'll see what we can spare at the moment, Lieutenant Commander."“Copy that.” He terminated the link. “Alright, men let’s get moving!” He shouted pointing to the retreating swarm. “Those bastards are on full retreat. All forces pursue!” Just like that with a battle cry, the soldiers marched after their enemy and behind them, tanks rolled at full speed. The gunships above took point the pilots eager to get first blood. January 1st 08:00, Mactare System, small town on Taetrus:With the sounds of celebration in the background, David Anderson finished his report to his superiors. "It took about an hour to finish them once we caught up with the Dragon swarm that attack our position. After making certain that there were no survivors we returned to the town for resupply and fortify our position." The expressions of the officers remained unchanged throughout the whole report, sometimes they would ask questions to which he answered honestly. "As you can hear, my men are currently celebrating our victory today." As if to prove his point they heard a particularly loud "whoooh."He saw one of the superiors, Commander Sanders, shake her head in amusement. “Soldiers.” She said. "You did well Lieutenant Commander Anderson. A victory like this will surely boost morale for the other fronts on Taetrus. As far we can tell the Dragon Orphans have no other significant presence near you. It would seem they have given up on the town for the time being. Though there may be small pockets close by that may try to cause you trouble.""Thank you Commander, and noted," Anderson responded though he didn't see how it would boost morale like he said it would. The titian exempted what they faced today was a rather minor force, having a few thousand. His company and the additional platoons were enough to handle it. "Perhaps after we have had a day or two to recover, our forces here can organize assault groups to hunt down the smaller swarms and secure the area surrounding the town." He would have to consult with the other command officers to see what they thought.“Do what you think is best Anderson.” The Commander spoke. “But your highest priority is defending the town and its people. If it looks look a major assault is imminent call off your plans of attack and pull back to defend the town. If need be evacuate the civilian population and pull out.” He ordered. “Understood?”"Sir yes sir," Anderson responded with a crisp salute.“At ease.” Sanders replied allowing Anderson to relax a little. “I’ll see about getting a new Captain assigned to your unit. Until then you are in charge of the 153rd Company and the support units, remember overall command remains with Captian Ternus of the Turian 73rd Company. Now is there anything else you wish to report?" He asked. "No sir, nothing else to report," Anderson answered. "But if I may be allowed to ask a question?"“Ask away.”"What is the situation with the other fronts?" He asked referring to the other towns and settlements that surround the cities being siege. The Dragon Orphans had switched their focus from the major cities that were close to their invasion sit and now focused on the smaller towns and settlements that surrounded them. It was clear that they were hoping to spread the forces of the defenders thin by attacking multiple places at once or secure more points from which they could attack the larger cities. Either case it would cause the battle for the planet to drag out. The way his superior officer shifted told him everything he needed. "About as well as you would expect. They are holding out, but they are constantly under attack. A lucky few like yourself have repulsed the enemy completely and secured the area. But beyond that, the fight for this planet is only just beginning, and we expect it to get bloodier with each day."Anderson nodded in understanding, history had shown that the fighting the Dragon Orphans was no simple matter. They never surrender and rarely retreated making each battle a grueling affair. Even when they did manage to defeat them there were always small pockets of resistance that would give them grief and if left uncheck would grow into a new swarm. The Dragon Orphans were an enemy that needed to be exterminated to the last if victory was to be true."I understand sir," Anderson said.“We are considering redeploying some of our forces to fortify some of the more troubled areas.” Commander Sanders said. “Namely units like yours that have secured their areas.” “Are things getting that bad?” Anderson asked."Not necessarily," The Commander assured. "It is an option that we would like to keep open to us. Though we may not need to do that. According to reports handed down to me in about a month we'll receive a fresh shipment of soldiers."The lieutenant Commander arched his eyebrow. Reinforcements sounded to be the thing they needed right now. "How many?" He asked."About a million soldiers. They're mostly coming from the Hierarchy."Anderson almost took a step back in shock at the numbers. "That many?" With a surge in numbers like that they could go on the offensive against the Dragon Orphans and push them back to where their Dragons' Dens crashed."Not too surprising." Commander Sanders spoke. "Taetrus holds a special place in the hearts of Turians. Now that they have a chance they will not give up on it easily."Anderson remembers the briefings he read on this planet and now understood why the Hierarchy would expend so much manpower on its defense. A century prior a separatist group called the Facinus had rammed a stolen starship into the heart of Vallum the capital city of Taetrus, devastating the city and killing tens of thousands, many more had been displaced. Soon after the group had sent an ultimatum to officials in the Hierarchy, give us independence or we'll carry out more attacks like this. What they got was a swift and brutal invasion from the Hierarchy aided by the Taetrian colonist who had at one pointed was sympathetic to the separatist, but now had turned against them following the attack. The conflict that came to be known as the War on Taetrus had lasted for about six months with the result being an overwhelming victory in favor of the Hierarchy. Since then the planet had become a symbol to the Turian people. For them, it was a vindication that justice would always be served to those who committed such crimes. Evil would always be punished.Losing this world would shake that belief to its core, it almost became a reality, if not for the timely intervention of the Terran Federation. The closest comparison Anderson could think of was if the Dragon Orphans had tried to attack the Cadia system again. "In addition, the Federation is deploying several mechanized units to bolster our forces here." Commander Sanders continued the explanation. "The Asari are even sending in about a dozen or so of their commando units to aid us. Sufficed it to say we will soon have plenty more options opened to us in defending this world. The General has even eluded to the possibility of launching a major counter-attack that will see the enemy driven back to their dens. Though may take some time to plan out and anything could happen in that time."Now having a better idea of what the future may hold Anderson spoke. “That’s good to hear. We’ll be needing all of the help we can get if we are to take this planet back from the enemy.” "You have our agreement on that Lieutenant Commander. More than a few of us are eager to bring the fight to the Dragon Orphans. But in the meantime, we will have to maintain a defensive stance, and hold back the Dragon Orphans. Now is there anything else?" The commander queered.Nothing came to mind “Negative sir that was all I had to ask.” He reported.“Very well then. This debriefing is at an end, continue with your mission here. Understood?” Commander Sanders asked. Anderson returned to a normal posture. “Understood Commander. I’ll carry out my orders to the best of my abilities.” He responded.“Before I go I should mention that I will be putting in a commendation in your record for your efforts here today. It’s not every day that one gets to chase the Dragon Orphans. As I said earlier you did a good job.” Anderson didn’t react, keeping his surprise buried deep. “I was just doing my job commander. I saw an opportunity to defeat the Dragon Orphans and I took it. Not to mention it was a minor force. Granted it did have a Titian at its center.” He explained."Be that as it may be you still did a fine job, as such you deserve recognition. You served will back on Shanxi and you have done the same here on Taetrus. To be precise if not for you I would not be standing here right now and many more would have died before the first fleet arrived. The Federation, no the Galaxy needs men like you if we are to win this war."Anderson wanted to object that there many others that had done more and were more deserving. The ghoul Commander held up a hand to stop him. "Try not to sell yourself so short Lieutenant. A superior officer is trying to praise you, and you're trying to push it aside. It's considered rude." While she sounded serious, Anderson knew that the woman was joking.He decided to give up on his protest and accept her praise. While she was joking about the rude part, he knew if he continues she would take offense. "Thank you, sir." He said. "I'm glad to be recognized by my superiors.""Goodman." She commented. "If something happens or you need anything report it directly to me and I will see about moving it up the chain as needed. Understood?"Anderson straighten up and Salute. “Sir yes sir.” He said.“Good, dismissed.” Her image disappeared as the connection was terminated.“She’s right you know.” A voice said. Turning to face the source he saw a male Turian soldier enter the command post. He appeared to be in the early years of the species equivalent of adulthood. “Nihlus?” Anderson said. The Turian had been assigned to a Hierarchy Unite that worked closely with his about two months ago. Though he had been surprised by the man, the Turian commander had been reluctant to have him join his ranks. From what Anderson could gather Nihlus was reckless and had a habit of disobeying orders to do what he thought was right. Something that was frowned upon in any military organization that knew what it was doing.The Terran Lieutenant had to shamefully admit he had a colored view on the young Turian when they did meet. He was glad to say that he was wrong to judge Nihlus purely on rumor and reports, while he did display a reckless attitude in combat it was not without merit. More than he cared to count Anderson had seen the Turian soldier risk his life to save that of his fellows. Fighting against odds that most would hesitate to take. As a result, he quickly gained the respect of most Terran soldiers, and his fellow Turians begrudgingly acknowledged him. He even saved Anderson's life once when he pushed him out of the way some falling debris, a result of one of a gunship's missiles being miss fired. The incident had been chalked up as a mechanical error in the missile's guidance system. That same night Anderson had thanked the man and apologized to him for how quick he was to pass judgment on him.Since then the two had formed a strong bond of friendship with the two frequently fighting at each other's side. Looking back now Anderson had to admit he was in no position to Judge Nilhus like he did since he was known for his recklessness sometimes. Hypocrisy was a funny thing at times."You are a good man and a good soldier," Nilhus said walking towards him. He stopped a few feet from Anderson and gave him the Turian equivalent of a salute. Anderson returned the gesture. A moment later the two lowered their hands. "The assessment report you asked for, Lieutenant." Nilhus handing him a data-pad.Taking it in hand Anderson began to read it. "Think you Thlan Kryik. Now you were saying." He said giving the low ranking soldier permission to speak. His eyes were still scanning the report. “Looks like we’ll need more medical supplies, injuries were higher than expected. Then there’s one of our tanks a track needing to replaced and moderate repairs needed for the outer haul, the crew as already put in a request for the needed parts. Just needs my approval and I’ll have to inform our new Captain when they arrive.” "Not to ahh… parrot the Commander, is that how you Terrans say it?" Nilhus said not sounding sure about the Terran idiom. Anderson gave him a nod before looking back at the report. "Not to Parrot the Commander, but you did a good job today. I would even say a fantastic job. Thanks to you we didn't just drive that swarm out of the town but gave chase and destroyed them to the last monster." There was another loud howler that briefly interrupts the Turian's praise. "From all the records I read on your people's history, that not an easy feat to do. Usually, you're left to deal with survivors for months after sometimes years. Didn't they just eliminate a small nest on that world you call Shanshi?""Shanxi." Anderson corrected and he was right. Weeks ago about a hundred kilometers from the Capital city a small nest of Dragon Orphans had been discovered. Speculation is that a group of survivors had made it had of the city and formed a nest in a complex cave system. Their numbers had gone from what might have been a few dozen to a few hundred in the time since the battle for the planet. The reports had indicated that the nest had been discovered by pure chance by some surveyors studying the cave system, of the group of seven, two had been killed before they made their escape. A strike force had quickly been employed to destroy the nest. They succeeded and with no casualties. If Anderson had to guess then he would assume that they still had teams carefully searching the cave system."I would say that is worth a commendation if not I don't know what is." Nilhus continued on. Anderson put the report down on the communications terminal near him, having gotten a gist of what it said. He would finish it later. "You should know that Commander Sanders isn't the only putting in a commendation for you. Ternus said he was going to put one in for you." Ternus was his former Captain's Turian equivalent in the area, and now with a unified command chain established he was technically his superior, on paper. Anderson reminded himself about discussing the possibility of attacking the smaller groups of Dragon Orphans in the area to the Turian officer.“Is he now?” Anderson pressed, surprised that someone in another army would do that."He is," Nilhus confirmed. "He's impressed with you. He sees as a valuable asset out here. He says we need more people like you out here fighting this war."“People like me?” Anderson queried."A leader is not only willing to command but to do so from the front lines. A commander who is willing to fight alongside those who are under them is one who can command respect and inspires greatness. At least that's what he said and I'm inclined to agree with him. You did a good job today accept that." Anderson was hard-pressed to argue against those words. He still saw himself just as a soldier doing his job, nothing special. But hearing it from someone who in theory was closer to him in rank and age made him start to see how others could see his actions would be something to take note of.“Alright.” Anderson relented. “I did something good today.”"Glad you admitted it," Nilhus said. "Now then how about we join the others in the celebration?" He offered. "It'll do well for morale for the soldiers to see their commander joining them."Anderson picked up the datapad. "Just as soon as I finish reading this report," Anderson replied, receiving a pointed look from the Turian. "Don't worry it won't take long." He reassured him.Nilhus seemed to accept that as he saluted. “Very well sir. I look forward to seeing you out there.”Anderson Saluted back. "Glad to hear it. Dismissed." Both men broke off their salute with Anderson turning his eyes to read the rest of the report. In his peripheral vision, he saw Nilhus walk out of the room. With the Turian gone the Lieutenant's mind fully returned to the task at hand. As he read the report a small part of mind began to wonder. Until now he only ever viewed himself as a simple grunt in the army of the Federation. Another boot on the ground not worthy of note. Sure he did some times that would be considered out of the ordinary for the average serviceman, his successful plan for killing that Dragon Captain during the Shanxi Siege came to mind, but not enough for him to stand out. Now he found himself considering new possibilities when it came to his future, he been content with the knowledge that he may never rise through the ranks, at best achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Now he found himself wondering if he should try climbing the ranks becoming a Captain, a Commander, or even a General. Perhaps he was capable of doing more good for the Federation of even the galaxy.The future was not as set in stone as he thought it was. January 1st 16:32, Mactare System:Back in the vacuum of space that was the Mactare system, the battle for the outer system was progressing at what could be described as a somewhat smooth pace for the allies. The Dragon Orphans were being pushed back albeit at a slow pace with their losses being projected at being over five thousand with the Turian/Terran fleet losing about a hundred ships most of which could be salvaged.After almost fourteen hours of fighting the battle had devolved into a series of skirmishes. One such skirmish saw a Terran Heavy Cruiser with a dozen or so frigates and corvettes battling it out with a swarm of Wyrms and two Drakes. The Drakes had taken refuge near a large asteroid and their Wryms were caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the Terran corvettes, frigates, and strike craft as they danced around the asteroid. The heavy cruiser meanwhile was slowly maneuvering around the stellar object trying to bring its main weapon to bear on the drakes all the while using its other armament to swat away any wyrm brave enough to attack it. Two seconds later it caught one of the dragon cruisers and another second later a shot from its main cannon followed by rounds from its heavy cannons tore the vessel in two. Two more seconds later both halves were annihilated when a frigate fired its missiles.Satisfied that its target was no more the Heavy Cruiser prepared to continue its maneuvers when without warning it took a direct hit to its underside. Its barriers barely holding a second shot dropped them and impacted the armor. At the same time, its sensors confirmed that the second drake; this one having a spinal cannon, had managed to get underneath the Heavy Cruiser. Desperately the ship tried to move out of the way of the Dragon vessels fire and alerted its escorts of the danger. To slow to later a third shot strikes an engine slowing the Terran Cruiser. Not the ones to go down without a fight the crew of the ship aimed the underside weapons and fired at the offending Drake scoring some hits on its haul. A fourth shot from the Dragon ship saw a hole punched in the cruiser’s underside atmosphere and crew venting out before emergency bulkheads engaged. When it seemed that the cruiser would soon meet an untimely fate just as suddenly as its first attack was the Drake exploded. A moment later the Terran ship picked up a Turian cruiser and its escorts joining the battle.A quarter of an Au away in empty space Two Turian cruisers and Several Corvettes struggled against a swarm of sixty or so Wyrms. The Cruisers were making a good show of destroying the larger Wyrms with their main cannons and using their other weapons to target the smaller ones. A small cluster of seven Wyrms vectored towards one cruiser that was heavily damaged, their Rc shards tearing into the already weaken warship. Three Turian Corvettes got behind them and began tearing the cluster of Wyrms apart one at a time, in a matter of seconds only one remained and remained on its course. A shot from one of the targeted cruisers' heavy cannons scored a hit on the Wyrm. But instead of it being destroyed it went into a death spiral one that would see it colliding with the cruiser.Now in a panic, the gunners of the weaken Turian Cruiser and the corvettes tried to no avail to destroy the out of control Dragon ship. It had been to close and going too fast for a difference to be made. The small three hundred meter Wyrm smashed right into the side of the cruiser ripping its wind right off and exposed a large section of the ship to the vacuum of space. The remaining cruiser and Corvettes saw the crippled cruiser float helplessly as several dozens of Turian sailors were sucked out into space. It was a horrific death that all Turian sailors knew they could suffer at any moment but still, it was no less a horrifying sight to see several small bodies struggle for air that was not there and to eventually cease altogether.During the war, it would be discovered that the personal of the Terran Federation Navy used water down version of an Eva suit as their uniform. If the wearer was suddenly sucked out into space the suit would automatically seal itself and a micro-transmitter woven into the fabric would activate. While it didn't have an as extensive life support system as a true Eva-suit that would allow the wearer to last several days or even weeks without supply, this one could keep its wearer alive for twenty fours. Ideally long enough for search and rescue teams to find the poor soul. This incident and countless others like it would prompt Navy Personal across the Hierarchy to petition their government to adopt the same policy.One of the larger battles was being conducted within the rings of a gas giant involving fifty Terran and Turian ships, including a Turian dreadnought and two Terran Battle Cruisers slugging it out against a Hydra surrounded by over three hundred other Dragon ships. The battle as to be expected was a brutal one as both sides viciously tore into one another. Every few seconds several Dragon ships were destroyed and in exchange, an allied ship or two would be felled. The Hydra had about seven Drakes clustered around it all of them having spinal mounted cannons, the eight Dragons ships were focusing their fire on the Turian Dreadnought and Terran Battle Cruisers. One of the Terran Battle Cruisers the TFV. Donnager was struggling to keep its barriers up and the Hydra took notice of it. The massive Dragon ship shifted its position to bring its main cannon on the Donnager. It fired and massive Rc shard speed of into the space between the two ships. With its barriers close to failing the Donnager was in danger of taking severe damage its Captain order for evasive maneuvers and for all hands to brace themselves. The battleship, unfortunately, was to slow, and in moments the Rc shard impacts its haul. Then at the last second, a Turian frigate flew directly into the path of the Rc shard and a split second later the ship was obliterated with all hands lost.Aboard the DonnagerThe Captain slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair feeling a mixture of anger, shame, relief, and of course respect for the Turian Crew that had sacrificed themselves for his ship.“Damn it that should have been us not them.” He thought bitterly. When this battle was over and if he was still alive by then he would personally learn the names of every crew member of the deceased frigate, he would see to it that they were never forgotten.“Statues on our barriers.” He commanded his mind racing back to the battle on hand. The best way he could honor them was to see to it that their killers would not live past this battle."Still holding sir, but just barely sir." An officer reported. "Engineering is trying their best to get more strength out of them."“Tell them to take power from life support if they have to.” The Captain said getting a “yes sir.” From the ensign.“Captain!” Communications spoke up. “The Turian dreadnought Chr’ill has just reported that the Turian 87th Flight and the Terran 107th Wing as have opened up a large hole in the Dragon Orphan fleet and the Hydra is vulnerable. We are moving in to support them while they engage the Hydra." “Acknowledged.” The Captain replied. “Engines full ahead keep us close to that dreadnought. Have the main cannon ready a firing solution on that Hydra.” Battle in spaceWith their purpose made known, the Turian Dreadnought Chr’ill Supported by the Terran Battleships the Donnager and the Light Breaker and a hand full of cruisers moved to engaged the now vulnerable Hydra. In a matter of seconds, the battle group brought their weapons both primary and secondary to bear on the Dragon dreadnought. Its hull tearing and shearing from kinetic rounds, missiles, and disruptor torpedoes. Furious the Hydra returned fire destroying a cruiser with its main cannon and severely damaging another with its other weapons. Undeterred the losses the Chr’ill, Donnager, and Light Breaker fired their main cannons together. All three shots found their mark in roughly in the same area tearing a massive hole in the Hydra hundreds of bodies being sucked out into the void.Seeing this as an opening a flight of bombers escorted by fighters began an attack run on the Hydra. A few would be shot out of the sky but most were able to deliver their payloads, several missiles would find their way into the gaping hole torn into the Hydra. Seconds later the Hydra was ripped apart from the explosions inside it.With the losses of their Hydra, the rest of the Dragon Orphan ships near the gas giant became disorganized and quickly fell victim to the rest of the allied ships.More allied ships from the inner system joined the battle in the outer edges, the battle would be longer yet. January 1st 16:48, Mactare System, Taetrus, city of Madra, command center:Commander Sanders terminated the communications link causing the image of a saluting officer to disappear. “Not the way I had envisioned my new year’s eight months ago.” She muttered already feeling tired from the day’s events. Only having about five hours of sleep in the last three days probably didn’t help. She had finished her last rounds of debriefings from the officers under her command and would have to compile it all into one report to give to the Major she served under who would pass it up the chain of command. “New Years?” Asked a voice. She turned to face Commander Valkarian, her Turian counterpart."It's something of a Terran holiday." She explained. "On our calendar, it marks the beginning of a new year. Hence the name New Years. Aside from starting another year, it is celebrated as a means of starting over and setting new goals for one's self.""Ah, I see." The Turian said. "We similar day called the Day of Renewal. I would say it's about the same as your New Years'. If I remember correctly it was about four months ago." He said rubbing his mandibles. "And like you, I didn't get to spend the way I wanted to then and I doubt I ever will for a long time." Sanders allowed a small smile to form on her face wondering what else their cultures had in common. It was funny how similar the races of the galaxy were to each other even though they did have numerous differences. It gave her hope that interstellar co-operation would be possible and would be encouraged. "Well, we in the armed forces don't get many holidays off especially during wartime. As they say, defending King and Country is a job that never ends.”"Only in death does duty end," Vakarian said. "Down to business how are things with our forces?" He walked to the terminal looking at a map of the city and the surrounding area. Some areas had varying shades of red that indicated active combat zones and the level of fighting. Lighter reds had minimum fighting requiring fewer forces, while the deeper red showed heavy combat across the board and required constant reinforcing. Different indicators doted the map showing bases, outposts, and other defense lines alongside the movement of allied forces. Others showed where the enemy was. To anyone else it may have looked like a jumbled mess, and in a sense that was all war was.“About as well as last time.” She sighed out. “Though we are seeing some gains in our favor. The 153rd Company formerly under the command of Captain Kelvin Morison has managed to repel and wiped out the majority of the Dragon Orphans attacking their area. They plan to recover first then begin organizing hunting groups to attack the small pockets in the area.”“Formerly?” Vakarian queried.“Killed in action. His XO Lieutenant David Anderson took command and repelled the attack by calling in air support from the 212th Bomber Wing. A good call as they were facing a Titian.” "A Titian?" The Turian Commander asked horror on his face. "By the Spirits, that thing must have been a nightmare to deal with before the bombs dropped. Causalities?""Including their deceased Captain fifty-four, with ten confirmed dead and five needing intensive care. Two of which may not make it through the week, if they do they'll have to be discharged from the service. They also lost a large portion of their mech units including all of the heavy units, some may be salvaged. But for now, they'll have to wait for a new shipment, till then they'll have to make due.”"Hmm, all things considered, I would say that they came out in good condition considering what they were up against. I've read reports about those Titians going up against a force five times their size and they tore through them causing staggering losses before they could be put down." Vakarian said."It will still take them a few days to recover before they can begin their operations and they'll be needing a new Captain to take Morison's place," Sanders replied. "Aside from them, there are a few other units that have mange to secure their areas like they did. The rest of our forces are holding the line but taking losses. Some may even be on the verge of collapse.”The Turian Commander nodded grimly. “Once we get our reinforcements we’ll have to reinforce those trouble units. Assuming they survive that long.” "That's if they can even get here," Sanders said. "You heard what the Colonial said. The fleet is still engaged against the Dragon Orphans in the outer system. The whole area is a battlefield and it doesn't look like that they'll let up anytime soon.""Damn," Vakarian said under his breathe. "The fuckers don't give do they?" He leaned on the terminal his eyes fixed on the red areas of the map. "I suppose we'll just have to do with what we have at the moment in case they do get delayed.” He walked away from the terminal. Sanders's attention remained on the Turian officer. "Is there a chance they might not come at all?" She asked worried what it would mean for the campaign on the planet."Oh, they'll come alright even if the transports have to come in under fire. The Hierarchy will not allow Tautrus to fall now that they know that there is a chance of victory. Symbolically this world is too important to lose." He explained.Sanders nodded her understanding. “That’s good to hear. We’ll have to hold out until they do get here.” She turned to face the terminal. “Though I do hope they don’t have come in with the enemy nipping at their heels.” She said getting a grunt of agreement from the Turian. “Do you think we will have to withdraw our forces from areas that are in danger of falling?” She asked eyeing the red areas of the map.Vakarian came up next to her. "I'm not certain." He mutters as talons began to work the terminal. "While the Dragon Orphans gaining more territory is not a good thing, I like the idea of losing more soldiers even less.” The map focused on one of the red areas. A small town on the edge of the defense perimeter. On side statistics of the area were shown, a civilian population of around a thousand (mostly evacuated, with a small volunteer staying behind to aid the garrison), a garrison force of hundred fifty soldiers mostly being Turian with elements of a Terran Company. About half of the town had destroyed after numerous battles, and the garrison had lost a quarter of their forces and a large attack looks to be imminent. “But the longer they hold the better.”True the more forces the D-Orphans lost throwing them into an attack the better chance they had of success for a counterattack. That was assuming they were killing more than they could make. "I just hope we're killing enough of them." She voiced her concern."Spirits I hope so." The Turian said. "Even with your people's help, it's hard to tell. Kill a thousand and another ten could be waiting for us. Where you able to get a look at the latest reports from our units behind enemy lines?"“A bit.” Commander Sanders said remembering the reports that had been handed down from the top. “Millions of Dragon Orphans in the occupied zone and numerous nurseries set up to produce more of them. So about the same as last time with little improvement.” She summarized. “Good news that our boys out there alongside a civilian resistance have been raising hell more the bastards. Two more nurseries destroyed and several packs eliminated through ambushes. Overall things are trending in our favor but probably not by much. We still have that Dragon General to contend with, lord above I do not pity the poor soul who has to organize the operation to kill that bitch”"I guess that's good," Vakarian said dryly. "So as long we still have a chance of winning I'll take it. Now then if we do decide against withdrawing these troops, perhaps we can try reinforcing them." The town disappeared and the lighter red areas were highlighted. “We could try transferring units from areas that have been secured to areas that are in the most need of help.”Sanders pondered the idea for a bit. "Alternatively if we do decide to withdraw forces from the areas that are in danger of falling it would give the enemy more territory to defend. They are showing signs being spread thin across so much occupied land. It may be one of the reasons why they haven't made a massive push on us in a long while. At the same time, it would allow us to reinforce a new border and better defend the territory we do have."Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vakarian's mandibles twitch in thought. "Not a bad idea. Perhaps a mix of both actions, withdrawn from areas that have very little chance of standing and reinforce the ones that do." He suggested."That could work," Sanders said liking the idea. "We'll have to contact the other commanders and see what they think of it." The next several hours were spent on formulating new plans for defending against Dragon Orphan aggression.
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Chapter 19: Behind the Lines March 18th 09:27, Brytus, Dragon Orphan Occupation ZoneThe cold air nipped at the creature's skin, a sensation that was ignored. It sniffed the air catching the old stale scent of prey. Nothing here to catch, not even a small creature that scurried the ground. Around it and its hunting pack were the tall metal spires that formed the strange blood’s nest. Once the pathways between these lifeless constructs were filled to the brim with prey giving the swarm a bountiful feast now it was empty. The strange bloods were an oddity to them, the others did have a different taste than the progenitors but were close enough that the difference mattered little to them. The strange bloods the ones that reminded the swarm of the flying creatures from the cradle, they had a different taste. It was like their blood was made of an entirely different substance than all of the others. It was a taste that the swarm had grown used to and even came to enjoy, still, when one of the others or even a progenitor presented itself they would choose them over the strange bloods.The difference mattered little though, in the end, all would be devoured and the swarm would grow. The pathways were empty now and what remained of the prey had been gathered at the nest to be feed on later or were scattered throughout the metal nest waiting to be hunted. The creature moved forward with its brethren closes behind. It stopped.It caught an odd scent, it was much newer than the ones in the area. A wave of excitement washed over the creature new prey had been found and they have their hunt. It opened its gaping mouth to lose a roar. A piercing pain killed the roar in its throat. Dazed the creature stumbled backward as the pain repeated itself all over its body and finally fell. The last thing it saw was its pack being torn to pieces. Hidaki smiled to himself as the last of the Dragon Orphans fell over dead. He motioned for the young man next to him to proceed with the next stage of their attack. The young man nodded and darted out to the remains of the Dragon Orphans the rest of the squad keeping an eye on him as he began his work. Hidaki had his finger on the trigger of his weapon and his Ukaku was ready to spring to life. Next to him, Saren was just as ready to spring into action. A minute passed and the young had finished his work and ran back to cover. Just in time for several groups of Dragon Orphans to come barreling down the streets. The weapons fire had drawn them here. The swarm of monsters, Hidaki estimated about fifty or more, a mix of standard types, spikers, prowlers, and even a brute stopped at the remains. The D-Orphans stood confused, some looking over the area for those responsible. Others were investigating the remains of their kind as though they were trying to figure out the cause behind their deaths. It was a mistake that they would never get the chance to learn from. With a press of a button, their lives had been ended in an explosion of fire and metal. Only the brute remained as a mangled mess. A sustained burst of fire from the squad ended its life.The squad had long since left the premise when more Dragon Orphans came swarming in. More such incidents would repeat themselves throughout the dayMarch 18th 19:02, Brytus, Dragon Orphan Occupation Zone, abandoned buildingHidaki walked into their home base with a smile present on his face. Today’s raids had gone well he estimated they had eliminated more than a hundred D-Orphans in the day. Without a doubt, the D-Orphans were franticly looking for whoever was causing them so much grief. Good, that meant he and his squad were doing their job, the more the D-Orphans had looking for his squad and the others the less they had to throw at the frontlines. Not much to stem the tide but better than nothing.He walked through the worn-down hallways of the building, carefully stepping over any ruble that had not been cleared by his squad. From what Saren had told him this building may have been a business firm before the invasion. When his squad found it it had been abandoned and left in a state that under normal circumstances would have seen it condemned. They had tried their best to clean the place to make it easier to get in and out. But having to remain mobile this building would only serve as a temporary home base, so they didn’t fully commit to cleaning the place and Hidaki was already thinking of moving out and finding a new base to set up in, they had been here for about a week now.He walked into a room where they had settle up their portable communication terminal. He was greeted by about a dozen civilians they had found and rescued, most unsurprisingly were Turian, though they have two Volus and strangely enough a Quarian child, more than a few had weapons on them. He walked up to the terminal and activated it. Three other figures materialized deep in conversation, two of them were the commanding officers of the other squads operating behind enemy lines and the other the Commander they reported to.“Unforntanly I lost two of my people today.” One of them said. “One died when a spiker managed to get a headshot off on him. The other had a torn limb and died from blood loss.“I’m sorry to hear that, but like it or not causalities are a fact of life in war.” The commander said. “Will your squad still be able to operate without them?”“We can sir.” The Officer reported. “Though it will make things harder for us now that everyone has to take additional responsibilities. I would like to request that my squad be assigned two new members to replace our losses, the next time we arrive at a safe-zone.”“I will take your request under advisement. Until then continue with your operations. Dismissed.”The officer saluted. “Understood sir.” His image faded away.The Commander turned his attention to the other officer, though not before taking notice of Hidaki. “Lieutenant Kenaki it is good to see you.” He said saluting the younger man.Hidaki returned the Salute. “Lieutenant First Class Kaneki Hidaki of the 312th Mobile Assault Force reporting in, sir.”“At easy Lieutenant You will make your report after Lieutenant Fields has made her report.”“Understood sir.” Hidaki said relaxing his posture. A few minutes later only the Commander’s image remained and Hidaki made his report. “As per our orders, we have been scouting out the area marking targets of opportunity and determining enemy strength for any future counteroffensive. Likewise, we have been conducting hit and run tactics on the Dragon Orphan forces occupying the city, destroying any hatchery we find, ambushing hunting groups, and in general, being a nuisance. As of this week, we have destroyed more than a dozen smaller hatcheries and severely damaged a larger one, by my estimate my squad has eliminated around eight hundred Dragon Orphans. Lastly, we have rescued about a dozen civilians that were trapped in the city. Thus far we have suffered no causalities but we are running low on supplies. I request supplies be sent to one of the safe zones so we may retrieve them and drop off the rescued civilians.” Several safe zones had been established to act as supply points for the teams operating behind enemy lines and to severe as refugee points for any rescued civilians. They were well hidden and protected by a squad of soldiers aided by any volunteers from the rescued civilians. Given that Brytus is a Turian world they had plenty of them. The Commander gave an approving nod. “A good hunt, well-done Lieutenant Kaneki. As for your supply request, make a list of what you need and I will see to it. Just get those civilians there safely. Understood?”“Understood sir.” Hidaki replied. “We will arrive at Safe Zone Gamma at the earliest possible time.”“Once you get your supplies use the Safe Zone Gamma’s comm relay to contact me. We may have a special assignment for you.”“Special assignment sir?” Hidaki quarried, had something come up? “I’ll explain more once you have arrived at Safe Zone Gamma. For now, you are dismissed.” The commander saluted and Hidaki returns the gesture. The commander’s image faded and the Half-Ghoul turned the terminal off. He turned to see that the civilians were looking at him expectantly. Hidaki began to speak. “Alright, people tomorrow morning we’ll be leaving this place and heading for a safe-zone, you will be safe there. Grab whatever belongs to you and be ready to move.” He got several nodes from the civilians and a couple of snickers about not having much to carry.He walked up to an older-looking Turian woman who was looking after the Quarian child. “Can she make the trip?” He asked the woman.The old woman gave him a caring look. “That would depend on how far the place is. But I believe she can, children are hardier than most give them credit for.” She placed a gentle hand on the child. “And this little one had been through a lot.”Hidaki could imagine he still had yet to ask how a Quarian child came to be on this planet. “Good to hear, It may take us a day or two to get there. I just wanted to make sure the little one could make it.” He would have to ask about it later.The child looks at him, and even though the mask he could see the fear in her eyes. “Are you going to keep us safe?” She asked the tremble in her voice unmistakable and for a moment Hidaki’s parental instincts kick in and he was tempted to embrace the child. He restrained himself and settled for padding the child on the head. “Of course I will little one. I’m a marine in the Terran Federation no Dragon Orphan scares me. If they come near us, I’ll send them screaming.” He said putting on his best smile for the child. That seemed to relax her a bit. “Besides the old bird here would probably beat my ass if I failed.” He said pointing to the older Turian woman.“Your damn right I will.” She said giving a shake of her hand, a cybernetic replacement. “Now come along Seno, we have to get ready.” She took the child’s hand and the two walked off.“Try not to make promises we may not be able to keep.” He heard Saren say walking up behind him. “Getting to the safe zone will be tough enough as it is. Having to protect civilians on the way will make it more difficult.”Hidaki faces the younger Turian male. “We’ve done it before.” He replied. “We can do it again. Civilian or not your people know how to put a fight so that makes things easier.” “Yes, but at those times we had two or three people to protect, this is a much bigger group to protect, though I suppose you have a point. My people are known for their martial prowess” Saren said with a little pride slipping into his voice. “I’ll get Kelson to pack up our equipment.”“While you're at it get the rest of the squad together. That way we can get a plan together for how we will get to the Safe Zone.” Saren nodded before heading off.A few minutes later the squad had been assembled around the terminal. Including Hidaki and Saren there were ten of them together. Going from his left was a young man with red hair and green eyes, Private Jaden Kelson their explosive expert and technician, he was of a shy demeanor unusual for a marine but the kid did have spirit and could go a long way in the military if he chose to. Next to him was a woman that towered over him with short brown hair and similarly green eyes, Corporal Ellen Cartmen, hotheaded and reckless but never in the habit of endangering her squadmates. Did have a few accounts of insubordination though nothing that ever got her kicked out of the military. Going to the next member of the squad was a Turian woman that appeared to be her species equivalent of Terran forties. Vellea Macmius the squad’s second technician. She was a friendly lady almost coming off as motherly a notion reinforced by the fact she had two children living back on Palavan. Next to her was an older-looking man with greying hair, Sargant Jospheth Walkins, he was a Veteran of the Third Dragon War who always was in the mood for a joke but grew serious in a pinch. Next to him was a Turian male of similarly advanced age, Tuleus Asalin, an irritable individual when he was in a good mood and had plenty of scars to prove his long service in the Hierarchy Military. Oddly enough he got along well enough with Walkins, the two acted like they were old war buddies.Next was Private Kevin Johnson a man a bit younger than Hidaki with short-cropped black hair and hazel eyes and of stocky build. A generally friendly person and had a desire to make a career in the military. A bit farther away was Tibena Altus a turian whole who constantly had a scowl on his face and kept his distance from Terrans, particularly ghouls. He was willing to work with them when he had to but Hidaki suspected he would rather be as far away from as possible. The last member of their squad was the better half of Altus and sniper of the team Canus Altus, a quit Turian who mostly kept to himself or around Tibena, it seemed that the Turians were more relaxed about interpersonal relations in the military than the Federation was. The squad could be described as being an odd group, however, they worked well together, and had accomplished much. “We’ll be moving out tomorrow,” Hidaki said. “our destination will be Safe Zone Gamma where we’ll be resupplying and drop off the civilians we rescued. Further, we’ll be receiving a special assignment, so be on standby for orders.”“Special assignment, sir?” Kelson asked. “Do we have any details on what it might be?”Hidaki shook his head. “Negative Private Kelson. All I was told by the commander was that we will be receiving a special assignment when we get to Safe Zone Gamma.”“Who knows maybe they’ll send us after the Dragon General.” Cartmen commented with a broad smile. “Certainly would be a change in pace from the boring routine we have now.”“I find that doubtful,” Macmius said. “From what I read on those things, it takes a specially designed team of some of our people’s best personal to kill one and even then it borders on being a suicide mission. ”“You doubting our ability?” Cartmen asked in a steally voice.“No, I’m not, I’m just pointing out the unlikelihood of it happening.” The Turian woman placated.“She’s right I’ve had the distinct displeasure of seeing one of those things in action.” Walkins piped in. “Son of bitch tore through my unit like they were paper mache, almost took my life to boot as well.” The older man visibly shivered. Hidaki could understand, he had seen records of Dragon Generals in battles, seeing them tear through whole Battalions and elite squads of soldiers was a disheartening sight, he could only imagine what it was like to see it first hand.“Sargent Walkins, if you don’t mind me asking?” Kelson spoke. “How did you survive that encounter?”“Lucky for me that particular Dragon General was a brush one and seemed to be the type to leap before looking. We had a whole line of tanks not far from us. By the time they were done with it, there were only scraps left. After the fighting was over I pissed on its remains.” He looked around seeing that the rest of the squad was giving him deadpan expressions. “What? That was a bad day for me, I needed to vent.” He said sheepishly.Hidaki shook his head fighting back a grin. “Getting back on topic, we’ll need to get to Safe Zone Gamma to find out if or if not we will be fighting the Dragon General. Normally we would be able to get there quickly likely under a day.”“But since we will be escorting a group of civilians on the way we’ll be slowed down.” Saren began to explain. “While we have escorted rescued civilians before this group larger than the rest and it will take us longer than a day to get there, possibly two. Not to mention the larger group of people will likely attract more attention from the Dragon Orphans.”“Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t most of your people have military training and are armed? That should make things easier, right?” Cartmen asked.Asalin answered her. “Yes, but they are still civilians most of whom until recently haven’t been in a real fight or fired a weapon. If we get attack by the D-Orphans while protecting a group this big, things could get ugly fast, don’t expect too much help from them.”“Which is why we need a plan.” Hidaki said getting the squad’s attention back on him.“Perhaps we can try a path through the buildings?” Johnson suggested. “Certainly would slow us down but we would have the benefit of having plenty of cover and places for the civies to hide and rest.”“I’m not sure if I like that,” Walkins said. “If there are any Dragon Orphans in those buildings we’ll have close-quarters combat on our hands with little room to maneuver. Not to mention some of those buildings look ready to collapse we could easily be trapped.”Walkins made a good point but the idea of using the building for cover did appeal to Hidaki. “Perhaps we can have two of our squadmates scout ahead to find safe buildings to go through.” Hidaki said. “When they find one we’ll go through it and when they don’t we’ll move through the streets.” “Not, bad,” Saren said. “Who should we have as our scouts?”Hidaki thought it over, mentally checking through what he knew of his squadmates specialties. “Canus and Sargent Walkins should be good choices.” He said getting nods from the two.“Alright then,” Asalin said. “Now that we have some idea on how we’ll reach the safe-zone, how are we going to protect the civilians? With the number of people, we have it is going be hard moving around the city unnoticed.”Before Hidaki could respond, Kelson spoke up. “Sir, if I may be allowed to make a suggestion?”Intrigued Hidaki nodded. “Permission granted Private.”“What if we split up into two groups?” Kelson said.“Explain.”“Excluding those chosen for the scouting party, we have eight soldiers, and we have around dozen people to protect. Correct?” Everyone nodded. “Then why not split the squad into two teams of four. One team would take half of the civilians while the second would take the other half.”Hidaki was quick to catch onto what the private was thinking. “That way we’ll have two smaller groups instead of one large group. The groups would remain at a distance from each other. Say about a block or two, so that way if anything happens to one the other can get away.” Kelson nodded. “Or provide back up if they're able to. Not bad, Private,” Walkins said with a grin. “I guess miss Cartmen here likes you more than just for a screwtoy.” He chuckles seeing the private duck his head to hide the red that was creeping upon his face.Cartmen scowled and walked up behind the old man and slapped the back of his head. “I’ll have you know me and Priave Kelson here haven’t done that for the duration of the mission. Unlike you, we can keep our relationship professional and our minds aren’t in the gutter.”The older man rubbed the back of his head. “Alright, sorry. Can't blame a guy for wanting to make a joke.” A glare shut him up.Hidaki rolled his eyes. “If we can get on topic, I like what Private Kelson suggested. We’ll split up into two groups that each will escort half of the civilians. Now then who should to what group?”Marth 19th 12:00, TFS. Anteiku:“Admiral, we will arrive at our destination in five minutes.”“Good.” Grayson responded. He looks at a tactical display showing his fleet heading for its destination. It was a minor system in citadel space that had a single colony world with less than seven million inhabitants. He hadn’t bothered to learn its name and under normal circumstances, he might have never known it existed. In war, normal circumstances were a rarity. The system was being attacked by a small Dragon Swarm, and since his fleet was in range they had responded. His fleet was one of the many rapid response fleets created for the war. As the name would suggest they were smaller fleets usually topping out at around a hundred ships meant to respond quickly to developing situations that larger fleets would be too slow for. They would either be able to handle situations if they were small enough or keep a large force distracted long enough for a larger response to happen. His was the 11th Heavy Reaction Fleet, twice the size of a normal rapid response fleet, and meant for heavier combat.“Are all stations ready for combat?” He asked having the display zoom in on the system’s colony and the focus of the Dragon Swarm’s attack. The system while a minor one was close to several important systems and was allocated a larger defense than it would normally have. Those defenses were holding off well from what Grayson gathered. He had to hand it to them the Turians knew how to put up a fight.“Affirmative, sir,” Helen said. “All ships report ready for combat. Strike craft and fighter drones are on standby to be deployed the moment we drop out of FTL.”Grayson hmm’d his satisfaction his fleet was running like a well-oiled machine. The 11th HRF was quickly gaining notice as its victories against the Dragon-Orphans, big and small, mounted. In the lulls between patrolling and fighting the D-Orphans, his fleet would often intercept transmissions from the local news networks detailing their heroics alongside other notable fleets. He even received a message from the Turian Hierarchy about if they could use images of him and his fleet to boost the morale of the Citadel people and recruitment in the local area. He hadn’t responded to them, wanting to talk it over with his superiors, though he suspected they would encourage him to take the offer. “Statues of the 7th and 12th RRFs.” He asked.“The 7th and 12th Rapid Response Fleets have arrived in the system and are presently engaged with the Dragon Orphans alongside the colony’s defense fleet.” Helen said showing representations of the three fleets fighting the Dragon swarm on the tactical display. “Three minutes until we reach our destination.”“Statues on the colony’s defense fleet and what is the enemy’s strength at present?”“The defense fleet has put up an admirable defense but has suffered heavy losses for it. The Dragon Orphans currently have around three thousand ships attacking the planet and have mange land forces on the surface. The local garrison has been able to hold them off but will likely need help to defeat them.” “Than have our Marine complement be ready to make planetfall.” Grayson ordered.“Already done sir.” Helen responded. “One minute.”Grayson straightens up his posture.” Helen patch me through the fleet.”“Done sir.”Grayson cleared his throat before he spoke. “Attention all units we are less than a minute away from our destination. The moment we drop out of FTL we will be entering an active combat zone. The 7th and 12th RRF are already on scene and engaged with the enemy. If we can we will attempt an Alpha strick against the Dragon Orphans. If not we will move in to engage the enemy. Let's give these bastards hell.” SpaceThe two hundred ships of the 11th HRF entered normal space several thousands of Kilometers away from the battling fleets. As the admiral had said both 7th and 12th RRFs were engaged with the Dragon Orphan fleet close to a planet. Together they number around three hundred fifty warships. Add in the colony’s defense fleet and the 11th the Dragon Orphans were now facing more than four hundred warships. While they still outnumbered the allied fleet almost eight to one, a situation that no one ever wanted to find themselves under normal circumstances, they were still at a disadvantage. In some ways, the Dragon Orphans reliance on their swarm tactics while their greatest strength, it was also their greatest weakness. Individually the ships; they could even be called that, of the Dragon Orphans were subpar compared to ships of even the weakest Citadel race. The Citadel races had learned quickly that they could destroy several D-Orphan ships before losing one of theirs. It wasn’t a matter of firepower, they had plenty of that. What was important is if they could kill their enemy quick enough and in enough numbers to make a difference. Just before the Terran Federation had entered the war they had started to do that. In two years the Citadel had significantly improved the accuracy and fire rate of their weapons and had learned how to vent their heatsinks quicker. The Terrans had brought with them a treasure trove of information on the Dragon Orphans in addition to their numbers. The Turians, Asari, and Salarians all had comb through the information with a fine brush, and with the insights proved from Terran advisors they had applied what they learned to their combat doctrines. Terran ships still had the highest kill ratio against the purely organic foe, but the difference between the Citadel ships before the Terrans arrived and the Citadel ships after the Terrans arrived was noticeable. Attacks had been repelled, systems were being retaken or contested. What had once looked like a hopeless fight now looked like a very real chance at victory for the galaxy. Much the same could be applied to their ground forces as well.The Dragon Orphans did have a few powerful units both in space and on the ground that could pose a serious threat, Wyverns, brutes, and the Dragon Generals were the first things to come to mind. But they are few and far in between and often marked as priority targets. This Dragon Swarm had no such powerful units in its ranks, the largest ships they did have were a about hundred Drakes, cruiser-sized ships. They would not be enough to give them an edge in the battle. Seconds, after the 11th HRF had entered normal space swarms of strike craft, flew from their hangers and fighter drones deployed from their launch bays. They would be the first to engage the Dragon Orphans adding their numbers to the drones and fighters of the 7th and 12th, quickly swarming and overwhelming singular targets. Meanwhile, the ships of the 11th HRF flew in, to join the battle, as they closed the distance they fired their weapons. Missiles would be given a target and their onboard computers would guide them to their targets. Kinetic rounds would be fired after solutions would be calculated so as to best avoid hitting any friendlies. By the time they had closed into knife fighting range almost a thousand Dragon ships had been consigned to death. Now at this range, the larger ships of the fleet cut their engines and focused on keeping their barriers up and destroying the enemy with the larger drakes being given focused attention. The small ships like the Corvettes, frigates, and destroyers grouped into wolf packs and do what they could to defend their larger and slower counterparts, by going after the smaller Wyrms and occasionally going after a Drake if the opportunity presented itself. At the center of the 11th’s main battle group was the TFV. Anteiku one of the Federation’s newest Kaneki class dreadnoughts, unlike the old Grissoms this ship featured two spinal cannons. Both could be fire every two seconds either at the same time or alternating every second allowing for a twenty-kilogram slug to be fired at one and a half percent of the speed of light every second. Most commanders of these ships chose the latter as the rapid fire of the powerful slugs gave their enemies less time to react. Admiral Grayson had been no different each shot from one of its main cannons saw the death of a drake and the other weapons of the imposing dreadnought focused on the smaller Wyrms if they got too close.Losses on the allied fleet were minimum mostly with corvettes being destroyed or left drifting, with some frigates and destroyers getting knocked out of the fighting. Most of them would be salvageable only needing a few hours for repairs or dragged to the nearest shipyard for a day or two. Two unlucky cruisers were lost and a Battle Cruiser was left adrift when it took a nasty hit to its engines. The Dragon Orphans in comparison were quickly taking heavy losses, in just a few short minutes less than a thousand of them remained and almost all of them showed battle scars that would take them days or weeks to regenerate from. They would not have that chance as they stubbornly refused to withdraw from what was obviously a lost battle. Caught between the three small terran fleets and remains of the colony’s defenses the last of the Dragon ships were quickly eliminated. Marth 19th 12:23, Minor Citadel System TFS. Anteiku:“All Dragon Orphans ships have been destroyed, Admiral.” Helen reported.Grayson nodded. “Good, have all ships stand down from battle stations but keep on alert status. More enemy ships could show up and I don’t want them catching us with our pants down.” He eyed the tactical projection carefully, looking over the representations of the fleets and wreckage from the battle. “Have us take up position over the planet and deploy our Marine forces. The fleet will provide orbital support where it can.”“Relaying your orders now.” Helen responded. “Anything else?”“I want a quick status report on the combined fleet.” He said.“Affirmative, give me a few seconds to correlate with the Synths.” Grayson nodded his approval and waited. “Report complete. The 11th Heavy Reaction Fleet and the 7th and 12th Rapid Response Fleets have suffered minimum losses, mostly smaller warships, preliminary scans indicated that most of them can be salvaged with a day or two of repairs. Two cruisers the Cairo and the Melaka have been split in half, but their onboard Synths report that most of their crew are still alive and awaiting rescue. The battlecruiser Ganymede took a blow to one of its main engines but remains operable, drydock repairs will be needed to restore the engine. The defending fleet over the colony in comparison has suffered heavy losses with less than a third of it remaining in a functional state, all other ships have been destroyed, crippled, or left adrift. All remaining ships report moderate to minimum battle damage.”So overall about what Grayson had expected from a battle. “Very good.” He said seeing that the fleets had taken orbit above the colony. “I want rescued teams out there to search for survivors, and I want a detailed report on the battle on my desk in twelve hours. Understood?”“Understood, sir.”“Now let us see about helping our friends planetside.”March 19th 14:35, Brytus, Dragon Orphan Occupation Zone“This is Walkins here. The block is clear. I repeat this block is clear.”“Copy that Walkins, we are on our way.” Hidaki said. “Maintain an open comm-link and report any developments.”“Yes, sir.” Hidaki looks to his group. They had taken the refugees into an abandoned building on their way to the safe zone. A building that the scouting team had deemed safe enough to hid out in while they went ahead scouting out the block of building ahead. Hidaki was pressed up to the side of a doorframe leading outside. On the other side was private Johnson tightly holding his rifle and occasionally peeking his head out to scan the area outside. Behind them was a group of six civilians huddled closely together, two of them had what was likely a Turain version of a civilian rifle. Behind them, Cartmen and Macmius were guarding their rear.They had made some good progress through the city, faster than he thought they would. They had left their former homebase about seven hours ago and had little contact with the enemy. Though there had been a few close calls where they were almost forced to engaged small groups of Dragon Orphans. If they manage to keep this kind of pace up then they could reach the safe zone by early morning of tomorrow.“Let's move.” He said to the group. “Saren have your group be ready to move out as well.” They had their comms opened to maintain constant communication. Since the Dragon Orphans didn’t have any conventional form of technology they didn’t have to worry about them intercepting comms. A nice little advantage that the Federation and the Citadel races were more than happy to exploit. “Already on it Kenaki.” Saren’s voice replied. Hidaki and Johnson darted out from the building and sprinted towards the next building. Taking up defensive positions just outside the door they signaled for the civilians to make their way across the street. A few minutes later all the civilians had crossed and entered the building and moved through another in the block. They repeated the process with the second set of buildings.“Saren have you reached your destination?” Hidaki said looking out the street, seeing the scouting group signal back to him. “Affirmative,” Saren replied. “We’re in the last build you were last in. So far we’ve encountered no trouble.”“Same over here,” Hidaki said then he caught sight of a group of Dragon Orphans moving down the street. “Hold on. Dragon Orphans coming down the street.” He signaled for the civilians to hide. He and Johnson press up to the sides of the exit while Cartmen and Macmius hid below the windows. Hidaki looked out getting a better look at the group of monsters. “I see about twenty of them, all standard types.” Across the street, he saw that Canus and Walkins at taken positions.“What do we do Lt.?” Walins asked over the comms. “Do we put these bastards down, or do we let them pass?”Hidaki thought about it, his group plus their scouts would be able to handle them easily enough. But he was worried that the fighting would attract more attention than they were ready to deal with. “I think we should let…” Hidaki stopped when one of the Dragon Orphans stood still.It sniffed the air. Hidaki felt his eyes narrow, it couldn’t have caught onto their scent, right? They had not been enough that long. The creature looked in his direction. It did. The Half-Ghoul man aimed his rifle at the Dragon Orphans. “Engage.” He shouted firing a burst from his rifle.The first D-Orphan went down followed by a second. The rest of the creatures were momentarily stunned by the sudden attack. Hideki's squadmates followed with their own bursts of fire, several of the monsters going down. The survivors, about ten in number roared and charged at their position. That was when Canus and Johnson add their firepower, caught between two sides the Dragon Orphans were reduced to bloody chunks.“Standby,” Hidaki said. “If another group comes by we’ll retreat to the previous building and find another route.”“Lieutenant Kenaki,” Saren said. “What should my group do? Hold position or go-ahead for the next block?”Hidaki thought it over, right now Saren’s group was in less danger than they were right now. Even if they did move to the next building they would still be far enough to avoid detection, if his group was found. “Go ahead and move to the next block, but maintain position there until I give the signal. Understood?”“Yes, sir.” Saren said. “Everyone move out.”“Scouting party,” Hidaki said looking at where the two were. “Continue to scout out the buildings ahead. I want constant reports.”“Aye, sir.” Walkins said.“Understood, sir.” Canus said. Hidaki eyed the pile of corpses half afraid that one of them would spring back to life and the half hoping that there weren’t any other groups close enough to hear the fighting. He sighed to himself he had expected this possibility and had discussed with his squad what they would do if and when it did happen. Ideally, they should have never encountered that group and still be on their merry way to the safe-zone. In the eight years, he had served in the armed forces: going on nine now, he had learned that no plan ever survived contact with the enemy and rarely went smoothly. In his experience, it meant one of two things, either they had gotten very lucky or everyone was going to get a reminder that murphy’s law was a very real thing. In some ways, he was relieved that it happened. A reminder for him and his squad to stay alert and be ready for anything. He did not know how long they waited when he felt a presence behind him. He turned his head expecting to see Cartmen or Macmius making a report to him, instead, he saw the Quarian child looking up at him. “What are you doing here little one?” Hidaki said with a raised eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you be with miss Vania?”“She was worried about you.” He looked up to see the after-mentioned turian female walking up to him. “She wanted to see how you were doing.”Hidaki nodded, his son frequently did the same with him back on Earth. Children liked to do that, it provided them with a sense of security. It was a feeling that transcended species and in this case worlds. He removed his helmet, placing it to the side he looks down at the child giving her a warm smile, the same he gave his boy. “I’m alright, you don’t have to worry about me.”He saw the girl nod slowly. “Are we going to move again?” She asked, a small trace of fear seeping into her voice.Again Hidaki had to fight back his parental instincts. This child was scared no matter how much she tried to hide it, and she was scared for a good reason. She was in a situation that no one, let alone a child as young as she was, should be in. This girl should be with her parents or whatever the Quarian equivalent was, playing games with her friends, and exploring the world around her looking at everything with wonder. Not having to fend for her life and wondering if the next moment will be her last. “We’ll be moving out soon enough.” He said looking back over the remains of the Dragon Orphans they kill earlier. He looked over at the timer he had and conclude that around twenty minutes had passed. If no other D-Orphan swarm had shown up by now then none would be appearing anytime soon. He would still give it another few minutes just to be safe. Looking at the girl seeing that she was clinging to the Turian woman’s leg. “Don’t worry you’ll be safe with us.” He said giving her another reassuring smile. A thought occurred to him, it was a question that had been ringing around in the back of his mind, ever since his squad rescued the girl and the woman. “Miss Vania, there’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask ever since we rescued you and the girl.”“Yes?” The woman asked, sounding like she knew what he was going to ask.“How did this girl come to be on this world?” Hidaki asked. “It's my understanding that the Quarians rarely if at all allow Quarinas younger than sixteen to leave the migrant fleet.” “I can understand your confusion,” Vania said looking down at the child. “I had similar questions when I first met the girl. She was born outside of the fleet.”“Born outside the fleet?” Hidaki questioned. Thinking about it, he should have figured that not all Quarians would be born in the Migrant Fleet.Vania nodded. “Yes, she was born outside of the fleet. From what I gather her parents were captured by Batarian slavers and well you guess the rest.” Her mandibles twitched in a way that suggested her discomfort with the implication.“Born into slavery. Not the ideal situation.” Hidaki thought to himself bitterly. Slavery was a sore topic for the Terran people. Every species had their own history with the barbaric practice, a bit of history they would rather forget ever happened. But Earth had the worst history when it came to slavery. Only the Batarians were worse and unlike the people of Earth, they continued to practice it. To the terran people, an empire built by and around slavery was one that did not deserve to exist. Now Hidaki would be the first to admit that his people were not perfect they still had practices that came close to being slavery, though tend to be more frequent on the fringes of Federation space where their influence was not as powerful. But when they did crop up the Federation came down hard on them.Hidaki had no doubt if they were still around relations with the Batarian Hegemony would be somewhere between bad and terrible. Odds were that war would have broken out in a few short years, a war that the Hegemony would be hard-pressed to win. Walkins summed up everyone’s thoughts on the matter. “Good riddance to that Hegemony, one less problem to deal with in the future. Fucking slavers got what they deserved.”“Language Sargent Walkins,” Hidaki gave the older man a half-hearted chiding. “We do have a child here. But I do agree with the sentiment.”“Oh, relax Lt. I’m certain that the kid has heard worse from Batarian slavers,” Walkins said.“Mister Canus if you would.” Vania asked.“On it.” Canus said followed by a thumping sound.“What was that for?”Hidaki rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the Turian woman. “You were saying?”“A few months after the war started a Turian patrol was able to save a refugee fleet from a small Dragon Orphan fleet, lost most of their ships in the process. The remaining Turian fleet was able to escort the refugees to this world. Little Seno here was the only Quarian among the refugees.”“I see,” Hidaki said wondering what happened to her parents. “Did your people try to contact the migrant fleet to see if she could be could be transported, and what of her parents?”Vania shook her head. “At the time no one knew where the migrant fleet was and how to contact them. Nor could we spare the resources to find them. So she was placed in what your people would consider an orphanage with other refugee children who were in a similar situation. As for the fate of her parents, all Seno told me was that she was separated from them about a year before this whole mess started.” Vania stopped for a moment as she considered her next words. “I was one of the caretakers at the orphanage. When the Dragon Orphans landed in this city hardly an hour had passed before they were swarming the orphanage. I was with her when they came. I don’t remember much of that day, what I do remember was grabbing the girl’s hand, then everything else becomes a blur of images. People screaming, running, and dying, with us in the middle.”“It was scary.” The Quarian girl said in a tone that was too monotone for Hidaki’s liking. Vinia finished her story. “I woke up the following night huddled up in some long-abandoned parking lot, and Seno was behind me curled in a corner. Since then it was just a struggle to survive. Until you rescued us.”Hidaki nodded it sounded like quite the story. He had to wonder how many others like it were popping up around the galaxy. Too many he decided. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that.” He looked at his timer seeing that five minutes had passed. “Cartmen let the civilians know we’ll be moving any second.”“Sir.” “We can finish this later if you like.” Hidaki said nodding to the woman.“I understand.” Vania said picking up the Quarian girl. “We’ll be ready to move out when you are.” She began to walk away. Hidaki sighed to himself that had been an interesting conversation. In a way it was enlightening, this war was more just about defeating the Dragon Orphans. It was too easy to forget that soldiers weren’t the only ones affected by war. Homes were destroyed and livelihoods lost at the drop of a hat, and the survivors; if there were any, left to pick up the pieces. This war was going to leave its scars on the galaxy. “Scouting party report in.” “We’re three blocks away, sir. All clear.” Walkins said.“Good stay where you are and keep vigil.” “Understood, sir.”“Saren.”“Already on it.” Saren interrupted. “We’ll be ready to move on your command.”“Good.” Hidaki picked up his helmet and turned to see that the civilians were looking at him. Cartmen and Macmius were at their sides. He put his helmet back on and grabbed his rifle. “Let’s move.”Close byThe creature watched the small group of prey leave. To them, he would be known as a Dragon General, the one that commanded the swarm attacking this world. He smiled to himself licking his lips, it would easy to kill them here and now, they had few warriors among them and they would fall quickly. The rest he would take great pleasure toying with as he hunted them down one by one. But no, he decided to let them live. As fun as it would be to kill them all, it would be a short live pleasure for him. Instinct told him if he let them go now he would have all the fun he wanted later. His smile grew, he would listen to that instinct. It did not matter if they died today or later, he would still have his fun with them.
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Chapter 20: Burning the Nest March 23rd 07:00, Brytus, Dragon Orphan Occupation Zone, Safe-Zone Gamma:“Your supply request has been fulfilled, Sir.” The quartermaster said handing Hidaki a datapad.He looks it over, seeing that everything was in order. He signed it and handed it back to the man. “Thank you, these supplies will be of great aid to us.” He said, saluting the man.“Just doing my job, Sir.” He said, saluting back.Hidaki walked away, looking around the safe-zone. It had taken another day and a half for the squad to get here. Thankfully there had been few incidents on the way, and they had managed to keep the civilians safe. For the last few days, the squad had been resupplying and getting much-needed rest. The safe-zone, like the others, was hidden in an old tunnel system that ran through the city.From the reports, he read the tunnels were meant for military use, allowing for quick deployment of soldiers and the running of supplies should the city come under siege. Other such structures had been built under other turian cities across the Hierarchy. It was a handy bit of information to have, but unfortunately, his squad couldn’t make much use of it as much of it had fallen to disrepair after decades of disuse. The safe zone was placed in an intersection and was not an overtly robust thing. Compact would be a good descriptor for it, in one small area, tents acting as makeshift barracks were clustered close together, with communication terminals close by and supply crates where neatly stack. The small base was heavily guarded around the clock by two dozen soldiers. The General had seen fit to deploy two Brimir heavy combat mechs to each safe zone. As an added security measure, several of the tunnels leading to the safe-zone had been collapsed using hidden explosives in the walls, leaving only two entry points. One leads into the city from where the deep strike teams deployed. The other going out, used as a supply line, and if need be an escape route should the safe-zone come under attack. The safe-zone also acted as a safe harbor for any rescued civilians the deep strike teams came across. From here, they could be safely extracted whenever the supplies came in. An officer came up to him. “Lieutenant Kenaki of the 312th MAF?” He asked with a salute.Hidaki returned the gesture. “That would me. Anything to report?” He asked, both men lowering their arms.“Yes, sir. Commander Davids wants to talk to you. Something about a special assignment.” The officer explained. “Report to communications, terminal three and await orders.” “Understood.” Hidaki said, and both men saluted. “Best not to keep him waiting.” He muttered to himself and made his way to where the communication terminals were. He looked for the terminal mark with the number three. When he found it, he saw a few other squad leaders and their XO’s, including Saren, surrounding it. He stood next to the younger turian. “I assume you got the same message I did?” Saren nodded. “Yes, an officer came up to me saying that the commander had an assignment for us and to report here.” He looked around at the other assembled around the terminal. “I would hazard a guess that we’re not the only ones to be involved in this.”Hidaki nodded his agreement. “Whatever it is, it must be something big.” Hidaki had to wonder how many others were going to part in the special assignment, whatever it was. He could already count about six other squads gathered here. Where there others waiting at the other safe-zones? If so, how many? He would only know when the debriefing began. For now, it was best to wait. “I manage to secure the rest of our supplies. All we need to do now is collect them.”“Good to hear. Something tells me we’ll be needing them.” Saren said. “We may even need some more depending on what this assignment is.”“My thoughts exactly.” Hidaki agreed. “depending on our orders, I’ll see about requesting more supplies. How’s the squad? How are they holding up?”“They are doing well.” Saren explained. “Asalin, Macmius, and Walkins were playing some kind of card game. Paker, I think Walkins called it.”“Poker.” Hidaki corrected, getting an idea of how that game went. Walkins always seemed to have the right cards at the right time.“From what I gathered, Asalin seemed to be unusually irritable about it. I didn’t press much with it.”“More so than usual?” Hidaki said with a bemused smile, getting a nod from the turian. “Walkins is up to his old tricks again.” He saw Saren’s mandibles twitch slightly, the turian equivalent to a raised eyebrow. “Let's just say that Walkins has a rather high number of wins in that game and leave it at that."Saren looks at him for a second or two longer before he moved on. "Tibena was his usual sulking self and kept to himself. Canus was close by though keeping an eye on him." That wasn't all that surprising the two weren't the sociable types, though with Canus, he was polite about it. "The last I saw of them, Cartmen and Kelson disappeared into a tent and haven't come out. I think that was yesterday." Again Hidaki shook his head when on duty the two were professional about their relationship. If no one knew them, they would think they were just squamates. Even in a firefight, they didn't show signs of being worried for each other, at least not any more than what squadmates would show for each other. But when off duty and far from the fighting, they clung to each other. "We’ll leave those two be for the being. Those two hardly have enough time for each while we’re out on the field, and when they do, they don’t take it.” Hidaki said with a smile, thinking of his beloved and their son back on Earth. If he was doing his math right, his wife should be in the beginning of the third trimester of her pregnancy. She may even know the baby’s gender now.“It is rather hard to tell that those two are in a relationship, at times.” Saren said, keeping an eye on the terminal. “Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that they're together. Even without the professionalism, I find it hard to believe, their so different.”Hidaki smiled. “There is an old saying from my world. Opposites attract.” He saw Saren nod. “I guess that principle applies to those two. If you ask me, I don’t see the point in courtships. They seem more like a waste of time.” Hidaki raised an eyebrow, he didn’t realize his friend had little interest in relationships. “Well, it does help with the continuation of one’s species.” He saw several others around the Com-Terminal nodded and vocalize their agreement.Saren look at Hidaki. “Point taken. But still, I don’t see the point in them. A lot of the stuff seems meaningless to me.”“Surely someone must have caught your interest or vise versa.” He noticed another squad leader and their XO walk to the terminal. He had a suspicion that the debriefing would start soon.“Not that I can recall.” Saren said. “I’ve never been interested when it comes to the topics of romance or even lust.”“Maybe one day you will.” Hidaki said, turning his attention back to the terminal. “Anyways, depending on how quickly we have to leave, we’ll leave those two alone.” Before they could talk more, the terminal lit up.Everyone stood at attention as the Commander appeared. Around him, small representations of other squads materialized. “All squads report in.” He said quickly, followed by each squad leader announcing themselves. By the time they were finished, Hidaki had counted thirty squads. That numbered at a total of three hundred marines. Whatever command wanted them to do it required a fair amount of manpower to get the job done. “Now that everyone is here, we’ll cut to the chase.” The Commander said, wasting no time getting into the debriefing. “All of you have been given a special assignment and will be working together on it. You will be required to take part in this operation. You will not be given a choice to opt-out.” Hidaki was already disliking where this was going. Unless said otherwise, it was an unspoken assumption that assignments from up the chain of command could not be opt-out of. To say so now was unusual. “Is that understood?”“Yes, sir.” Everyone chorused.“Good, then let us move on. This assignment is a high-risk one, but if successful, even to a small degree could help the war effort on this planet.” An image appeared that was quickly recognized by all around the terminal. Hidaki moved his eyes around, scanning the faces of the others. Most didn’t show signs of what they thought, but he did see a few widen eyes, and one of the turian’s mandibles was twitching. “Your objective is plain and simple, attack the Dragon’s den.”The silence that followed the Commander’s announcement was thick enough that Hidaki was confident that it could be used as dreadnought armor. “You expect us to destroy a Dragon’s Den?” One of the squad leaders spoke up. “By ourselves no less. Do you have any idea how many people it takes to destroy one of those things? Those things have hundreds of thousands of D-Orphans defending them. Not to mention the presence of a Dragon General. It would take an entire army to accomplish what you're expecting us to do.” She went through all of the concerns that Hidaki and the other squad leaders had.The Commander sighed. “I can understand your concerns, I even voiced my objections to Generals Xi and Desolas, but I was overruled. The higher-ups seem to be under the impression that this is a good idea.” By the tone of his voice, the Commander had his doubts about what his superiors thought.A sentiment that was shared by Hidaki and the other squad leaders. “Commander, if I may be permitted to ask?” One of the smaller holograms said.“Permission granted.” The Commander said.The speaker’s image was enlarged, becoming the focus of the group surrounding the terminal. “Why do the high-ups believe that this a good idea. What makes them think we can destroy the Dragon’s Den?”The image shrank again, allowing the Commander to be the center of attention. “To be clear, your objective is not to destroy the Dragon’s Den. Your object is to inflict as much damage to the structure before the enemy can respond. This a raiding operation, not a search and destroy. As for why the Higher-ups believe that this can be done. Our observation teams spying on the den have found something interesting.” Hidaki raised an eyebrow, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Saren was giving him a curious look. They both had the same question on their minds, what could have the scouting teams have reported that made their superiors think a raid could be successful? “The Dragon’s Den is under defend.” There was no hiding the surprise on everyone’s face. Did the Commander just say that the Dragon’s Den was under defended? “Commander,” Hidaki said, getting a hold of his surprise. “What do you mean by under defended?”“It is exactly as I said.”The Commander said, pulling up an image of a being that everyone around the terminal knew, the Dragon General. “Ever since the Dragon’s den mad planetfall, we have kept an eye on it. In all that time, the Dragon General has never left the area around the Dragon’s Den. That is until two months ago. One of our observation teams made a report that they saw the Dragon General has left the den. Since then, we have had no reports of the Dragon General returning. We believe that it is roaming somewhere around the city.”Hidaki could almost feel the color drain from his face. A Dragon General had been roaming around the city, and no one bothered to tell the other squads? What if his team had run into it? What if others had? Looking around, he knew the others were having similar thoughts. “Sir, why weren’t we informed of this development?” One of the squad leaders asked. “The Dragon General roaming around the city for the past two months seems like something we should have been made aware of.” The Commander gave the speaker a sympathetic look. “I can understand your concern Luitenant, if it had been up to me, I would have warned all of you. Unfortunately, that decision was not mine to make. I was ordered to keep this information under wraps while the higher-ups decided on a course of action.” The image of the Dragon General disappeared. “As I said, I made my objections to the Generals, this mission is going through. If anyone has any more objections, you will have to make them known at the end of the debriefing or file them in your report before you leave. Am I understood?” For a moment, everyone remained silent, objections being formed in their minds but being held back. “Sir, yes, sir.” Everyone said, standing at attention. “Good. Now getting back to the report. Our observation teams also noted that there are fewer Dragon Orphans protecting the D-Den. Estimations indicate that the number of Dragon Orphans around the area has decreased by a fifth. We believe that they were a part of a large force that assaulted our front lines a month ago. That attack was repulsed, with ninety percent of the enemy force wiped out and the rest scattered. Furthermore, it is believed that the majority of the remaining defenders are held up in the den itself. If this operation goes as planned, they will not have enough time to respond to our attack. By the time they do, you will be long gone and have inflicted significant damage to the enemy’s base of operations.” The Commander looked over everyone gauging their reactions. “I know this still sounds like a risky operation. As I said earlier, this mission is classified as a High-Risk operation, but I did get a good look at the plan. While I still do not agree with it, I believe the mission has a good chance of success. The higher-ups, it seems, did put some thought into this.”“Thank god for small miracles.” Hidaki thought to himself, wondering how he was going to explain this to the squad. He knew they were not going to be happy. This plan that the higher-ups had come up with, no matter how well thought out it was, sounded way too risky for his liking. If it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t, he would be seriously considering rejecting the assignment right now. He held back a sigh, there were days when he hated signing up for the armed forces.“Tomorrow, all of you will be receiving special equipment that will aid you in getting to the Dragon’s Den. In addition, you will be receiving high-yield explosives to be planted near and around the Dragon’s Den.” The image of the Dragon’s Den was enlarged, and various points were high lighted. “The plan is as followed. Three days from today at Fifteen hundred hours local time, two teams consisting of explosive experts will plant explosives at designated points across the Dragon’s Den. Ten minutes later, these explosives will be set off one after another. When all of the explosives have gone off, stage two of the operation will commence.” The imagine zoomed in on one of the destroyed sections of the Dragon’s Den. Several blue dots appeared in front of the section, held together in what seemed to be a defensive line. “At the second stage, the majority of the raiding group will launch a major assault at the damaged section of the Dragon’s Den. Once they have gained the Dragon Dragons' attention, the raiding group will pull back and form a defensive position. Their job will be to occupy the enemy.”“Occupy the enemy for what?” Hidaki asked. So far, the mission sounded simple enough.“I was getting to that.” The image pulled out from the damaged section and turned around, highlighting another area. While the Dragon Orphan forces are distracted, the explosive teams under the protection of a second smaller raiding group will make their way here. They will plant and detonate explosives, creating a hole for the smaller raiding group to enter. From there, the third stage of the operation will begin.” The image zone into the Dragon’s Den showing its interior, a complex maze of tunnels and chambers. “In the third stage of the operation, the larger raiding group will continue to occupy the Dragons Orphans while the second group does its job. My suggestion would be to continuously fall back, drawing the enemy further and further away from the structure. The secondary team’s primary objective will be to make their to the den’s Hatchery and destroy it.” A blue line was shown going from the entry point to where the Hatchery was. If this image was an accurate depiction of the Dragon’s Den, it would be a short distance. Hidaki figures that was why that area was chosen as an entry point. “However they will have a secondary objective that they may choose to take part in.” Another path was highlighted going to another chamber a short distance from the Hatchery. “Based on reconnaissance probs sent into the D-Den, we believe that a number of civilians are being held here.”“I didn’t know the Dragon Orphans kept prisoners.” A Turian squad leader said.“Typically, they don’t.” The Commander responded. “However it is not unheard of for them to do this, always under the directive of a Dragon General. The purpose for this should be clear, a ready supply of food for the swarm. There have even been reports of Dragon Generals making sport of the prisoners.” Hidaki had been around the Turians long enough to know that the way the man was twitching his mandibles was a sign of his revolution and fury at the idea. “If possible, the secondary team may attempt to rescue them. If not, they will withdraw after they destroyed the Hatchery. Though I believe that may not be necessary.”“Why so, Commander? Shouldn’t we at least attempt to rescue those people?” This time it was an XO of another squad that spoke. “Like it or not, we need to prioritize certain objectives in this war. In this case, the Hatchery's destruction and inflicting damage on the Dragon’s Den must take precedence. However, the analysts believe that civilians will try to make a break for it during the chaos, and I’m inclined to agree. In that scenario, the secondary team will have orders to protect as many of them as they escape. I know it’s not what any of you want to hear, ideally, I would want to get all of them to safety. But once the Dragon Orphans realize what is happening, they will come down on us like an angry swarm of locust. At that point, we can’t afford to go after every civilian that escapes. All we can do is get as many of them out of there as reasonably we can, and pray that the rest can get to safety on their own.” Hidaki was not comfortable with the thought of leaving so many people behind. The odds were that most of the escaping civilians would be captured again or killed. He wanted to voice his objection to the Commander, saying that one of the highest priorities of the armed forces was to safeguard civilians. If they abandoned those people, they would be betraying their principles. He knew better though, there was only so much the military could do at any given time, and sometimes they had to make some hard choices to gain a victory. Looking over the plan so far, risky as it was, the Dragon Orphans would have been dealt a significant setback if it succeeded. They may even pull back their forces from the frontlines. That would give allied forces more breathing room and may even present them with an opportunity to take offensive actions.“Once the third stage has finished, all forces will withdraw and return to the safe-zone, escorting any civilians that have been rescued. For this, you are authorized to use the tunnels to facilitate your escape. Now than any questions?” The following two hours would be spent going over the finer details of the operation and addressing any concerns the squad leaders and their XOs had. Once the debriefing was over and the Commander’s image winked out of existence, everyone left to give their squads the news. Some were quiet, others grumbled their displeasure at the operation. It seemed that no one was happy about this.Hidaki could sympathize, he wasn’t particularly happy about the mission. He knew that the higher-ups could come up with some hair-brained ideas that seemed to be born from a combination of incompetence, arrogance, and disconnect from the people below them. But in the years he had served, Hidaki knew that there was usually a method to their madness. While at first he been uncomfortable about the plan, and its chances at success, after going through it step by step with the Commander and the other squad leaders, his concerns had been lessened. Now, he had to explain that to his squadmates.“Saren, get the squad together, all of them. Have them meet up at the barracks, tent seven, in an hour. Understood?”Saren nodded. “It will be done, sir.”“Good. “ Hidaki said, then he paused. “Saren, are there any concerns about this operation that you would like to voice?” The young Turain paused for a moment like he was uncertain about how to respond. Hidaki had to remind himself that the Turian soldiers had been taught to follow orders and never question them. While the Federation’s armed forces did press on the importance of following orders, they did allow their soldiers to question orders if they felt they were not being told enough or if the order was unlawful. He could see why Saren would be uncomfortable about voicing any concerns he had. “Don’t worry, I won’t hold anything against you. I just want to hear your opinion on this.”Saren slowly nodded. “I feel like it is risky. I can see where the higher-ups are coming from. Damaging that Dragon’s Den would be a major boon for us, but I feel like that it is still too big of a risk to take. If something goes wrong, we’ll lose three people in this. Thirty squads that could have continued with their operations and have much better chances of surviving with better payouts.” Hidaki nodded. He understood where Saren was coming from and agreed with him. “It is risky; there is a lot that could go wrong. But if it does succeed, the payout would be worth the risk. I just hope we don’t end up paying too high of a price for it.”Saren nodded. “I just feel like that too many things can go wrong in this operation. What if the Dragon Orphans respond faster than we anticipate? What if the Dragon General as returned, or never truly left? What if…” Saren sighed, his mandibles twitching uncomfortably. “I’m not used to questioning orders like this. In the Hierarchy, we’re taught to respect the chain of command and to never question our orders.”“That I can understand that.” Hidaki said, looking over the other Turians in the area. They were a very disciplined people, and they fought with a tenacity that reminded him of his people. He respected them for that. “Our military operates similarly, though we do allow room for our soldiers to question the orders of their superiors. Mainly if they were unlawful or made little sense and needed clarification.”Saren looked at him, a small amount of surprise displayed by the movement of his mandibles. “Unlawful orders?” He questioned.“Orders that go against the conducts of war.” Hidaki explained. “Like shooting a group of unarmed civilians or in your people’s case orbital bombardment of a garden world. In which case they can choose to disobey the order.”“Can’t they be court-martialed for that?” This time there was no hiding the surprise in his tone.Hidaki had to restrain himself from shaking his head. “No, they can’t. If there is sufficient evidence that the order was unlawful or puts the unit in unnecessary danger. In the case of the former, they can be put on trial and sentenced for following an illegal order.”“But it was their superior that gave the order. They were just following orders.” Saren tried to justify. Hidaki went through numerous different ways to explain this to Saren. He knew this concept was alien to him, so he had to be careful of how he said to the Turian. “A long time ago, soon after one of the most devastating wars in Earth’s history, my people decide the excuse that “That I was just following orders.” was not a sufficient defense. That excuse had been used to justify some of the most heinous and inhumane crimes in our history. Since then, it has been our belief that such actions needed to be punished from the bottom up.”Saren remained quiet for a moment as he thought it through. “I guess I can see where you're coming from.” He said, though, Hidaki had a hard time believing him. He knew this was something for the younger man to think over for himself. “Still, I have to wonder how your military forces can operate by allowing such things to happen.”The half-ghoul man chuckled to himself. He did make out his people's armed forces to be an unruly bunch, didn’t he? “Don’t worry, my friend. Despite what it sounds like, the United Terran Federation's Armed Forces still values discipline and obedience above all else. Such incidents are rare and can only be done if there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that any regular person could reasonably come to that conclusion.” He was pretty sure he just quoted the regulation almost word for word. “Also, we know there is a time and place for questioning orders. In the middle of a battlefield where bullets and explosives are whizzing past your head, is no place to ask “How high?” when ordered to jump. You jump. But when away from all that and during debriefings is when you want to ask the questions. Do you understand?”Saren shook his head. “Not completely, it is still strange to me. If that had been a debriefing by a Turian officer, most of everyone there would be facing a court-martial or at very least earned his erie.”Hidaki nodded. “Work with his for a few years and maybe one you’ll understand. The thing about our forces is that we like to keep the lines of communication open and flowing smoothly from the bottom to the top of the chain of command and vice versa. The guys on the bottom like to know what's going on and why they are being given the orders they are given. The people on top don’t mind telling them and even getting any alternatives; after all, their biggest concern is getting the job done. Granted, we of the lower ranks know that there times when information has to be kept on a need-to-know basis. That’s a simple fact of life.” He remembers times when he and his unit receive such orders and the general irritation he felt at not being told what was happening or the reasoning behind his orders. The feeling would be fleeting, maybe lasting a few minutes, as he always understood why the information was withheld. “Though we do like have an explanation after the fact.” Thankful missions like that were on the rare side, and they got explanations and clarifications when asked. “We can talk more about this after the mission is over if you like.”“I’ll think about it.” Saren said after a moment of thinking. “It seems for all of our similarities, we still have our differences. I hope they won’t be enough to drive us apart after this war is over.”Hidaki smiled, he had the same concern a few times, but he always discarded it as unlikely. “Saren, I would like to believe that we have more in common than we have differences. Those differences don’t have to drive us apart, instead, they should complement us.” He believed that Terrans had a natural desire to seek out that was different from them and to learn about the world around them. Otherwise, they have never left the Sol system. Hell, his ancestors may have never left their caves if they had not been curious about the world outside. “Now, then go get the rest of the squad, and I’ll meet you in one hour.”Saren stood at attention, and Hidaki returned the gesture. A moment later, he turned and left the Turian to let him do what he was told. Hidaki moved to the tents avoiding the people as best as he could in the small spaceHe saw Vania close by with Seno. He walked up to them. “How are you two doing?” He said, getting their attention.Vania turned to face and tilted her head to greet him. “Just fine, Mr. Hidaki.” She said. “We were about to come looking for you. We had some news that you might like to hear.”“Oh, really?” Hidaki said, curious about what they had to say. “What would that be?”Vania looked down at Seno. “Why don’t you tell him, Seno?”The Quarian girl looked at Vania, the Turian woman nodded to affirm what she said. The girl looks to Hidaki. “We’re leaving tomorrow.” Her soft voice said.Hidaki turned his eyes to Vania, giving her a questioning look. “Leaving? Tomorrow?”The woman’s mandibles twitched happily. “A supply convoy will be coming in tomorrow. After they dropped off the supplies, they will be escorting us and the rest of the refugees out of the city.”“That’s right,” Hidaki said, with his mind wandering back to the mission debriefing. That supply convoy likely had the special equipment the Commander mentioned. “I did hear about supplies coming in soon. I guess we’ll be saying goodbye soon, then.” He was a little sad to know that they were leaving, and in all likelihood, he would not see them again. At the same time, he was happy to know that they would be out of the city and safe deep in allied territory. “I hope that we get to say goodbye before we leave tomorrow. But just in case.” Vania bowed slightly, followed by Seno. “Think you for everything. If it weren’t for you, we would still be hiding out in the city trying to survive.”“Thank you, mister.” Seno said.“No need to thank me.” Hidaki said, getting the two to raise. “I was just doing my job.”The Turian woman nodded. “Perhaps, but all the same, thank you. We owe you our lives. If there is anything you ever need, don’t hesitate to call me.”“I will keep that in mind.” Hidaki doubted he ever taker her up on that offer. Experience had taught him never to reject people in his debt, you never know when you would need a friend. “There’s something else you should know.” Vania said. Curious, Hidaki gestures for her to continue. “Once we’re safe in allied territory, I plan to call in some favors from old friends of mine. I want to get Seno and me off of this world and somewhere safer.”That would be difficult, while the Me’lanum system was firmly under the control of allied forces, they did suffer frequent attacks. That made travel in and out of the system difficult, as such traffic from civilian ships was limited. “Where do you plan to go?” Hidaki asked, wondering what kind of favors she could call in to get off the planet. “I’m thinking to one of the worlds your Federation has opened up for refugees. We’ll stay there for a bit before securing passage to New Rannoch.” Vaina look down at Seno. “I think it's time the little Seno here got to meet her people.”That Hidaki could agree with. Behind her mask, Hidaki could make out a nervous expression. “Do you think they will like me?”Hidaki gave her a warm smile. “Of course they will.” He said, placing his hand on top of her head. “They’ll love you.” He turned his attention to Vania. “You think she might have family there?”“I don’t know. I hope so. After all, she’s been through, she deserves to have something good in this life.” Vania said in a sad tone.“Even if she doesn’t, I’m sure her people will take care of her.” Hidaki reassured her. The Turian woman gave him an appreciative tilt of her head. “Well, I think we’ve held you up long enough. Something tells me you have some business to take care of.”Hidaki smiled. “That I do. But I did appreciate the small distraction. I hope you ladies have a good day, and I pray for your safety.”“It was good seeing you again. If we ever meet again, I’ll treat you to something nice. Deal?”Hidaki laughed a bit. “I’ll have to clear with my wife first.” He said jokingly.Under her mandibles, he could see the Turian woman smile. “You had best, don’t want her to get the wrong idea. Goodbye, Hidaki Kaneki, and thank you again for everything.” Seno ran up to Hidaki and hugged him. “Goodbye, mister Kaneki.” She said, after a moment, she let go of him. “Keelah Se’lai.” The girl ran back up to Vania taking her hand.Both figures turned and walked away. Vania stopped a few steps away, Seno looking up at her curiously. “There is one more thing.” She said. “When this war ends, I plan on opening up an orphanage. It’ll be for the children who have lost their parents in this war.” They walked away, disappearing into the tents.“I imagine there will be a lot of those.” Hidaki said to no one in particular. He shook his head, he needed to get his mind on more pressing matters. Like how he was going to explain their upcoming assignment in an hour. March 26th 15:00, Brytus, Dragon Orphan Occupation Zone, Outside the Dragon’s Den:“Remind me again, why are we doing this?” Walkins asked. He was crouching next to Hidaki.“Because the Higher-ups thought this was a good idea.” Asalin said with an edge in his voice.“So does drinking beer every minute of every day. But you don’t see me doing it.” Walkins countered.“Oh no. You just do it every other day.” Cartmen verbally jabbed.“Exactly.”Hidaki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. As he predicted, his squad did not like the assignment they had been given, even after going over it in detail. Like him, they felt like it was too high of a risk with the resources they were given. He noted their objections but made it clear this mission could not be refused. As much as they disliked it, they followed orders and came here without further complaint. Hidaki chalked their current bickering as last-minute jitters before the operation began. “Cut the chatter.” He said, using his helmet’s visor’s tactical hub to zoom in on the Dragon’s Den. He saw the explosive teams move along the structure’s edge, planting charges as they went.“Charges on site eleven have been set.” The Explosive Team Leader reported. “Moving to the final site.”“Copy that.” Hidaki said. “We’ll continue to keep vigil, we’ll warn you if the enemy gets too close.”“Rodger.”“You think we can pull this off?” Macmius asked, adjusting her grip on her rifle.“We will.” Hidaki said he had faith in his people to do the job. “By this time tomorrow, we’ll be celebrating back at the Safe-Zone, and this place will be burning.” There was a quiet round of here heres coming from the others.“We better come out of this alive.” Asalin piped in. “Walkins still owes for cheating in our last game.”“I didn’t cheat.” Walkins defend himself. “I’m just a better player than you are.”“Than explain to me that oh so convenient queen of hearts, you pulled out in the last game.” Asalin quipped.“I have better luck?” Walkins asked innocently.Hidaki heard a couple of others scoff. “Walkins, we all know, that luck wasn’t what won that game. Hold on.” Hidaki said, using a hand signal to silence the conversation. “Explosive team, there is an enemy group getting close to you. Take cover and don’t move until I tell you to.”“Yes, sir.” On the hub, Hidaki saw the explosive team stop as their leader gave out new orders. The group of ten took cover in a group of abandoned vehicles, their armor shifting color to match their surroundings, rendering them near invisible. Soon after, a group of Dragon Orphans, mostly powlers, stalk their way past the vehicles. Some of them stopped to sniff the area. The armor the explosive team was wearing that everyone on this mission was wearing conceal their scent. It was designed to evade detection from Dragon Orphans, it used a combination of active camouflage, scent concealment, and sound dampening to hid their wear’s presence. They were an expensive piece of equipment to make, so they were only made and distributed as needed. It was what allowed them to get this close to the Dragon’s Den, though the journey was no less nerve-racking. Hidaki briefly wondered how the Generals managed to get this many. Even knowing this, the Lieutenant still felt a well of worry swell up inside him. It was a good piece of equipment, but even the best made and maintained piece of equipment could suffer a breakdown at the worst time. Hidaki was relieved when the group moved on, having found nothing of interest. He waited a good minute before he contacts the explosive team again. “Explosive team, the area is clear. I repeat, the area is clear. You may proceed on the mission.”“Copy, that moving out.” The team cleared out from the vehicles and continued to move along the perimeter of the Dragon’s Den.“You think they’ll be able to get out of there once the chaos begins?” Cartmen asked in a monotone voice.Hidaki knew where this question was coming from, Kelson was a part of the explosive team. If something went wrong, there was a high chance he would be among the first to die. “Don’t worry,” Hidaki said to reassure her. “They will be fine, they’ve trained for situations like this. They also have the other raiding team to protect them, so they should be fine.” He knew that was little comfort, but it was what Cartmen needed to hear. He saw her nod and adjust her weapon.“If you're so worried about them, you could have volunteered for the secondary raiding team.” Saren said, looking into the scope of his rifle.“I know.” Cartmen said softly.Hidaki shook his head at Saren. The young Turian got the message and dropped the subject. “This is the explosive team, we’re in position. Beginning to plant the final charges, we should be finished in five minutes.” “Understood.” Hidaki said into the com. “Get those explosives in place, and get out of there.” Hidaki didn’t wait for a reply, he opened coms with the rest of the group raiding group. “Alright, everyone, the second stage of the operation is about to begin. I know none of you wanted to be on this assignment, and feel that this to high of a risk. But we have a mission to do, and high command expects us to carry it out with the same dedication and perseverance we have always shown. If we succeed here, it will pave the way for victory against the Dragon Orphans on this planet. Our actions here today will save the lives of thousands fighting on the front lines, and when the Dragon Orphans are wiped out from this world, millions will be saved. Primary raiding team, the moment the explosives go off, I want us ready to give these bastards hell. Do not fire until I give the order. Understood?”“Sir, yes, sir.” A chorus of voices answered him.“Secondary team, are you in position?” Hidaki asked.“Affirmative, sir.” The leader of the secondary team answered him. “We’ll keep an eye on the explosive team while you handle the Dragon Orphans. We will be ready for stage three of the operation.”“Good, let's give them hell.” Hidaki adjusted his rifle, making sure the clip was full.“This is the explosives team, we’ve planted the final charges, moving out of the blast radius.”“Understood, once you are safely out of the way, detonate the charges on my command.” Hidaki ordered.“Understood. Moving out now.” The next few minutes would be tense for Hidaki and the rest of the raiding force. He kept taking deep breaths to calm his nerves, tuning out the noise of the soldiers around them as they made final adjustments to their weapons and the mechanical whirl of the nearby mechs. If there had been a point to turn back, it had passed long ago. “We’re out. Ready to detonate.”Hidaki took a final breath. Once he gave the order, he knew the next few minutes would determine if this mission would be a success if any of them would return home to see family and friends. “Detonate.”The area surrounding the Dragon’s DenThere was never any warning for the Dragon Orphans. One moment they were enjoying the peace of their nest, the next, the world was filled with fire and thunder. Numerous high-yield explosives went off one after another, across the perimeter of the structure. Confusion swept across the ranks of the Dragon Orphans as they felt something feign to them, fear. Some ran away from the blast zone, others stood frozen and were subsequently blown to pieces. Ninty seconds after the first charge had gone off, the last one detonated. It took about a minute or two to pass before the smoke cleared. If the Dragon Orphans had the chance, they would have seen the state of their nest was in. A visible black scar had been left on the Dragon`s den, and on closer inspection, gaps into the structure had been opened. Thousands of the Dragon Orphans had been killed and many more maimed.Has it were, the creatures were not given a chance to take in all that had happened. A hail of bullets and Rc shards rained down on the dazed D-Orphans killing hundreds than thousands. Some had recovered fast enough to react to the sudden attack. Those few let out primal roars and charged at the source of the attack. This action stirred the others out of their stupor, and they joined in on the charge.Hidaki cursed under his breath. The first stage of operation had gone off as planned, the charges had done their job well. A large black scar had been left on the Dragon's Den, and smoke was still dispersing into the air as the fires continue to burn the Organic structure. He didn't want to imagine what the smell was like. He had to admit a small part, ok a large part of him enjoyed seeing those explosives tear across the Dragon's Den. Knowing thousands of those monsters had been blown to burnt pieces filled him with a particular joy. Though, a part of him did feel a little guilty for taking joy in other living beings' death and suffering. Even if they were Dragon Orphans. Still, he let himself enjoy the moment, these creatures had plagued the Terran people for almost four centuries, and a little payback was due. Unfortunately, there was one thing that dampened his mood, the operation was going as planned. That meant they had a very large and very angry swarm of Dragon Orphans charging at their position.“Fall back to the second position!” He shouted over the sounds of gunfire. He fired a burst in the general direction of the swarm. There was not much need to aim, given how enormous and packed together the swarm was. He didn't know how many he killed with that burst or in the ones that followed. Assuming he somehow lived through this, he figures his kill count would be in the thousands.They got to the second position and hunkered down as best as they could. “Spirits! I don't think I've ever seen this many of those bastards at once.” Asalin said. “It’s like an ocean is trying to murder us.”“Neither have I.” Hidaki said, throwing a grenade to Saren, who then used his Biotics to propelled the small explosive into the swarm. “At least not in person. I've seen plenty on recordings.” None of the historical documents or the training he had prepared him for this, not entirely. He knew facing a massive swarm like this would frightening, but knowing and seeing it for himself were two different things. If his heart raced any faster, he feared it would burst. He focused on shooting the Dragon Orphans.“Well, I have.” Walkins said. “Let me tell you it was not a pleasant experience for me, and I was a part of a massive army with full mechanized, air and, orbital support. So you can imagine how I feel right now.”“I think I rather be fighting Krogan in a blood rage right now.” Asalin shouted as he ducks below a hail of shards.“Shut up, and shoot.” Cartmen shouted, gunning down a horde.“Luitenant Hidaki Kenaki,” One of the Thor units said. “My analyses indicate that we will not be able to hold this position for more than five minutes thirty-seven seconds.” Roars caught their attention. Several of the soldiers looked in the air to see dozens upon dozens of fliers taking flight. “Correction four minutes and twenty-one seconds. I would advise that we fall back to the fifth position.” Hidaki nodded. “Your suggestion is noted, Galio. Everyone fall back to the fifth position, but don’t let the D-Orphans think we’re retreating. We have to draw them away from the D-Den.” He turned his attention back to the Thor unite. “Galio, have half a dozen of your units stay here and cover us. Once you’re about to be over ranned have them self-destruct, maximum yield.”The Thor unit nodded. “Affirmative, sir.”The rest of the force began to fall back, shooting at the oncoming swarm. “Remind me, if we manage to get out of this alive, to shoot our superiors.” Walkins said, running beside Hidaki.“If you do.” Hidaki said, letting slip some irritation. “I’ll have you shot for treason.”“Might be worth it.” They went past where the third position would have been. “But I will say this for sure, we’ve definitely got their attention. I just hope that the second raiding team will make good use of it.”“They will.” Hidaki said. “Otherwise, all of this will be for nothing.” They continued pasted the fourth position.Inside the Dragon’s Den, a few minutes earlierAuter wondered when he was going to be next. When those creatures, the 427s, or Dragon Orphans as some called them, would drag him off to be their next meal. He had seen plenty be drag off, never to be seen again. Some had been his friends, some were people he met once or twice a week, others were just strangers. At first, he would have raged against these monsters for taking his people and wept for his inability to stop them. Now he felt numb about the whole thing, it didn't matter if was a friend or a stranger that was dragged off. At best, he might say a silent prayer for them, that their spirit would find rest in the next world. Normally he would stand there or sit and watch another Turian be taken to their death. One look around, he knew that the feeling was shared by everyone in the chamber.A sense of hopelessness pervaded over everyone. Even the children seemed dead on the inside. One of the creatures walked up to him. Its foul stench almost causing the man to gag.Before he had time to register the creature’s presence, it grabbed him by his neck. Lifted up into the air Auter struggled to breathe. Instinct took over, and he kicks at the monster. He tried to use his hands to remove its grip around his neck. Its grip proved to be too powerful, and in response, it tightens its hold. Auter felt the bones in his neck begin to crack. A feeling of lightheadedness took over from the lack of air. His body went limp as the more rational part of his brain took over for what that was worth.Auter felt his mandibles twitch thoughtfully. “Well, at least I can say I tried to fight when I get to the next world.” It was funny in a way, he never thought of himself as the spiritual type. Sure like any good Turian, he gave thanks to the spirits and asked for their guidance. But he had never put much thought into it. To him, it was just another motion to go through. With his life slipping away, he wondered if spirits were real and if his spirit would join them. If somehow his people could be delivered out the hands of death. “Spirits, if you are out there now, would be a good time for a miracle.” He never expected his prayer to be answered. Much less, the whole chamber be shaken as the sound of thunder resonated. The creature lost its footing under the shaking ground, and for a few seconds, its grip loosened. It was enough for Auter to pry himself out of its claws.Auter fell to the soft organic ground, he gripped his neck as he coughed and wheezed in several breaths of air. He still felt lightheaded, but he was coming to his senses. He didn’t know if the structure had been struck by a seismic quake or something else, whatever it was, it shook the entire chamber. Enough that no one, not even the 427s, could stand up without falling. If it weren’t for the fact he was gasping for air or the promise of a swift and brutal death, Auter would be laughing as the creature clumsily tried and failed to stand on its two feet.The shaking stopped, and for a moment, no one dared to move. Time had frozen as the inhabitants tried to process what had happened. “What was that.” Auter heard someone say, he didn't recognize the voice, it was a man’s voice.That was a good question, what had happened? From what little he knew, the organic structure they were in was large and sturdy. There were few things that could have shaken it like this. He had gotten his breath and could now think more clearly, not by much, but better than a minute ago. Auter looks up to see the creature looming over him, hissing its displeasure.For a moment, he thought it would finish the job, that he only received a brief stay of execution. The spirits, it would seem, were smiling on him today. Roars echoed from outside the chamber catching the creature’s attention, it turned its head to the entrance roaring back. It looks back to Auter clearly thinking about killing him right there. After a moment, it snorts and walked away leaving the chamber. The message was clear. “I'll deal with you later.”Auter shakily pushes himself up to his feet. He felt someone next to him use their hands to steady him. “You alright.” Auter looks to a man around his age. Caelter, an old friend of his. One of the few he had left. “I’m alright,” Auter said, rubbing his neck. “Just a little shaken up.”“Speaking of shaking. What in the spirits was that?” Caelter asked, looking over the chamber wearily.“I’m not sure,” Auter answered. Several possibilities ran through his head, one kept coming up. He shook his head, believing it was ridiculous. “No, it couldn’t be.” He muttered aloud.His friend looked at him. “What did you say?”“It nothing.” Auter said, shaking his head. His friend gave him a look that said he didn’t believe him, and he wanted more of an answer. “I can think of one possibility, but it's too far-fetched to be right.” “I’m all ears, Auter.” Caelter said. The people were murmuring behind them.“The only thing that could have shaken this structure like that was if someone planted several high-yield explosives along its perimeter and detonated them.”“Which would mean they somehow managed to get past all of those monsters.” Caelter summed up. “You were right it does sound ridiculous. Unless they were accompanied by an attack force.”Auter snorted at the notion. “In case you forgot, the Hierarchy hasn’t been doing well against those monsters. Odds are they’ve abandoned this planet.”“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Caelter disagreed. “Remember those aliens that showed up to help us? Uhh, Terrans, I think. They were able to stop the 427s when they attack the planet. I think they were trying to form an alliance with the council.”Auter remembered the Terrans had been the first ray of hope his people had in a long time. “Yea, and look what good that did. All they did was delay the inevitable.” The roars echoed through the corridors outside, reaching into the chamber.“Well, whatever it is, it's got these creatures riled up.” Caelter commented as the roars continued. “It won’t be long before they’ll be back.” Auter responded. If he got lucky, the 4277 from earlier would forget about him, and he would live for another day. A part of him honestly wanted to believe that an attack was happening, that they could be rescued, and this war could be won. It would be a nice thought to hold on to. Against his better judgment, he did hold onto. It would help him sleep tonight.Right up to when another quake struck. This time it was louder and more violent than the first, as though they were closer to the source. “Another one?” Auter questioned. His train of thought abruptly ended when a new sound entered the air. It was a distinct and familiar sound, one that confused Auter. “No. It couldn’t be. I must be imagining things.” He reasoned that the sounds would die out at any moment, and when he asked someone else, they would tell him they heard nothing. They would say to him they did not hear the sounds of weapons fire echoing in the air, that it was all in his head.The sounds continued and even got louder. He heard several others begin to murmur. He looked back, not bothering to conceal his surprise. They heard it too? “Do you hear that?”“Is that what I think it is?”“Praise the spirits! We’re being rescued!”The crowd was becoming excited. For the first time in a long time, hope was shining. Auter looked back to the entrance seeing that the remaining creatures were barreling out of the chamber. Only to be gunned, shocked screams rippled through the crowd. Several of the creatures fell as bullets ripped them apart. A few still stood, a couple raised their spike arms and fired shards back at the source of the attack.Auter stood there. His body was frozen at seeing the monsters that had been tormenting them for what seemed like forever, fighting for their lives. He snapped out of his daze when he saw a small object land at the feet of the monsters. Instinct took over, and Auter threw himself to the floor and covered his ears. It didn’t do much to stifle out the noise of the exploding grenade, but at least he would still have his ability to hear by the end of the day.Looking back where the creatures had been, he saw all that remained were bloody chunks. His mind couldn’t process it, one moment, these creatures were invincible monsters, and the next, they were being killed as easily as one would quash a bug. A figure emerged from the entrance, holding a rifle the armored Turian quickly gunned down the nearest 427. Then he raised his rifle into the air and fired. Auter heard the sound of a body falling and hitting the ground. Auter lifted himself up to his feet. Next to him he felt Caelter steady him. For a moment, the crowd stared at the turian soldier, with the him staring back. The soldier broke the silence, “Everyone move!” He shouted as more soldiers filed into the chamber, not all of them Turian. “Your getting out of here.”It didn’t take much more than that for the crowd to react. A river of bodies rushed past Auter and past the soldiers. Auter’s foot refused to move as his mind tried and failed to process the sequence of events. He felt someone pull at him. He looked at his friend to see he had grabbed him and now was dragging him. They stopped by the soldier.“Think you.” Caelter said. “We owe you our lives.” Auter nodded numbly.The soldier nodded. “Just doing my duty. Now get out of here.” He said, raising his rifle. The two look back and saw several 427s rushing out of the other entrances. The soldier fired, killing some of the monsters.Auter and Caelter did not stay around long enough to see the fight through. Adrenaline had begun to pump into Auter’s body as he rushed out of the chamber. Entering the corridors, he stepped over the remains of the 427’s and ran past several more soldiers. Some of them look like the Terrans. He didn’t dwell on this fact as he and his friend wived through the escaping crowd. The soldiers guided them down the tunnels towards what they hoped was an exit. Screams echoed all around them, along with weapons, fire, and the roars of the 427’s. Those roars were getting louder and closer. More explosives echoed through the tunnels.“We need to get out of here fast.” Caelter said next to him. “It sounds like the whole swarm is about to come down on us.”Rounding the corner, they saw that one of the sides had a plume of smoke coming from it. Curiosity took over, they stopped in front of it. Auter felt his jaw drop at what he saw, eggs. Endless waves of eggs were scattered throughout the massive chamber, and they were all on fire. Several soldiers armed with flamethrowers were standing in front of them, spraying the eggs. Others were firing their rifles, and others threw grenades. “It’s a hatchery.” Auter heard his friend mutter. “They were breeding more of themselves here.”Auter felt sicken this place served as a bastion for the monsters and as a place where they could increase their numbers. Thinking about it now, it made a disturbing amount of sense. There had to be a reason why they took so many prisoners other than just to make sport of them. They need a ready food source for their young.A nearby soldier noticed them standing there. “What you doing standing there? You have to get out of hetaahh.” The soldier slumped over dead as more shards impact his armor. On the far side of the chamber, several of the 427s rushed into the fire heedless of the harm it was doing to them. All they were concerned with was harming their attackers.One of the burning monsters raised its spiked arm and aimed at Caelter. With no time to think, Auter picked up the fallen soldier’s weapon. He aimed and fired a short burst. The creature fell down, where its remains continued to burn.“Thinks.” Caelter said.Auter just nodded. He had just killed one of the monsters that, just a few moments ago, would have torn him to pieces if he tried to fight them. They were liable to do that anyways. He left good about that. “Come, let's go.” Caelter nodded and picked up a rifle from another fallen soldier.Together they resumed their dash down the corridors, joining the stream of escaping prisoners. The escape was a frenzied mess, the monsters were swarming in on them. Several of the escapees and soldiers were getting torn to shreds as more and more of the beasts charged in. It quickly became apparent that if they didn’t get to the exit soon, they all would die.“Being able to kill these things is a nice change of pace.” Caelter shouted above the noise. “Wish we could enjoy this more.” “We won’t be able to enjoy anything if we don’t get out of here soon.” Auter shouted back, barely dodging a swipe from one of the 427s. He blew its head off.“I think your about to get that wish.” Caelter pointed up ahead.Looking ahead, Auter saw that a large opening was coming up. Past it, they could see the outside world. Auter was never more happy to see sunlight in his life.The moment he got past the opening and into the remains of the city, Auter felt a sudden rush of relief. For the first time in several months, he felt the outside air press itself up against his skin, and he breathed it in. Never mind the smell of burning flesh to him it was the best thing he had.He wanted to stop running and bask in the natural sunlight of Brytus and revel in his newfound freedom. He didn’t do that. He knew if he did, he would be dead. While dying as a free man had its appeal, he would rather live as a free man. So he continued to run, he didn’t know where he was going, nor did he care. Just as long he was far away from their former prison. He was somewhat aware of his friends next to him and that at some point, they entered some tunnels.It would be several hours before they stopped to catch their breath. Area around the Dragon’s den, eighth fall back position:“This is the secondary raiding team. Primary objective achieved. I repeat the primary objective as been completed. The Hatchery has been destroyed. We’re pulling out.”There was no time to celebrate as the primary raiding team continued to hold off the massive swarm. They had fallen back to the eighth position and were about to retreat to the ninth when the message came in.“Our objective has been achieved.” Hidaki said, using his kagune to block several shards from penetrating his armor. “Lets get out of here. Break into your squads and make for the tunnels.”There was a chorus of Yes, sirs.“My remaining units will stay behind cover you.” A Thor unit said. “I will initiate their self-destruct when I become overwhelmed. That should buy you extra time.”Hidaki nodded at the Synth. “We owe you one, Galio.” He said. He then turned his attention to his squad. “Alright, people, let’s move out.” Several hours later, they and two other squads emerged from the tunnels into a street clearing. Once they made sure the area was cleared, they could catch their breath and let the adrenaline die down.“I can’t believe we managed to pull that off.” Cartmen said, laying on the ground and breathing hard. “We actually managed to attack the Dragon’s den and lived to tell.” She was pulled up by a marine from one of the other squads. “When we get back to the safe zone, I’m going to do unspeakable things to Kelson.”“Yea, baby!” Welkins shouted at the top of his lungs. “Showed those bastards that they're not safe in their homes. The next time we visit a bar, drinks are on me.”“I’ll hold you to that.” Asalin said, looking ready to double over.“Could you be quiet?” Altus said irritably. “We’re still in enemy territory.”“Oh, can you cranky bird.” Another marine said.Hidaki smiled behind his helmet as the others celebrated. He saw Saren walking up beside him. “Shouldn’t we check in with the other squads?” He asked, getting down to business. But Hidaki could detect the barely restraint excitement in his voice.“Saren,” Hidaki began. “You can celebrate too. We just gained a significant victory here today. This may cause the Dragon Orphans to fall back, giving our forces more breathing room. We may even be able to go on the offensive.” Saren still looked uncertain about celebrating with the others. Hidaki just smiled, in the past seven months, he had learned a lot about the young Turian. Most would have seen Saren being self-righteous and too high-strung to associate himself with others. Hidaki, however, saw that he was a good man, just one that was more reserved than others. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to scream and jump like they're doing. When we get back to the Safe-Zone, we’ll share drinks. How does that sound?”Saren looks like he was thinking it over. Then he nodded. “I think I can do that.”Hidaki nodded back. “Than in that case, I’ll get in contact with the others.”Hidaki activated his commlink and was about to report in with the others. When the sound of something hitting the ground reached his ears. Followed by the sickening of flesh and bone being separated.Hidaki turned his head to its source. Just in time to see the headless corpse of Cartmen fall over. Behind her was a furious Dragon General.“Oh, fuck you, Murphy.”
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Chapter 21: Dragon's Wrath March 26th 15:45, Brytus Planetary Command Center:General Desolas Arterius was nervously tapping his finger on the terminal. He had been for the last few hours, along with other small gestures of nervous energy. Normally he would be the picture of a perfect Turian General, calm, reserved, and above all else professional. While the men and women that served under him thought highly of him, sometimes he would catch whispers of them wondering if he had a heart under his chest. But today was a very different day.As a General, he was used to giving orders he knew would cost lives. He had given out assignments that he knew would likely have little to no survivors. While he didn’t like them and would have preferred less costly alternatives, he knew that they were necessary and that the soldiers he was ordering to their deaths knew their duties. It was a small comfort for him, especially when one of those soldiers was his younger brother. “You’re going to wear a groove into the floor if you keep that up.” General Xi commented.It seemed that at some point, Desolas had begun to walk back and forth between the communications terminal and the window overlooking the city. “I apologize.” He said, stopping in his tracks. “I have much on my mind.”“That much I can see.” The terran general said, walking up to a terminal displaying a representation of the planet. She zoomed on the area surrounding the frontlines. “It looks like that sector seventeen will be needing reinforcing. An attack there as left them critically open.”Desolas nodded, General Xi was always quick to get to business, a fact he respected. He walked up to the terminal, standing beside the terran woman. “I believe the 717th and the 312th are close by. They should be enough to reinforce them.”Xi nodded. “Agreed. I will see about getting the 253rd over there as well. They can also use additional mech units.”“I’ll leave that up to your discretion.” Desolas said he was still uncomfortable with the idea he was fighting alongside synthetics. A part of him still expects those soulless machines to turn on them and butcher them. But, at this point, he had to acknowledge that it was very unlikely to happen. “It looks like that sector eighteen, twenty, and twenty-one will be needing reinforcements as well.”General Xi hummed. “We’re stretching ourselves thin.” She spoke. “If the Dragon Orphans attack somewhere unexpected, we might not be able to respond in time.”“True, but look at the Dragon Orphans.” Desolas said, bringing up the areas under enemy control. “They’ve stretched themselves thin as well, perhaps even more so than us.” About a year ago, Desolas never would have thought he would say that. No matter how many of these monsters they managed to kill, there was always another wave of them coming. No matter how many different places they were attacking at once, they always seem to have the numbers to spare. The Dragon Orphans seemed to be everywhere all at once. They were like an ocean of death and destruction that had no end to it. Desolas remembers reading about the Rachnii Wars, how the Rachnii were likened to an endless swarm. How they seemed like an unstoppable storm. He had always written them off as exaggerations and that things could not have been as bad as they were made out to be. After all, had the Hierarchy been in that war, they would have won in a few short years. But now that Desolas had faced one such foe for two years, he had wondered if perhaps the threat of the Rachnii had been understated. Now though, with the arrival of the Terrans, it had been proven that not even the Dragon Orphans were without their limits. They were not as numerous as they used to be, nor were their attacks as frequent and widespread. Now that he had the time to examine the facts, it was clear even before the Federation joined the war that Dragon Orphans were beginning to stretch themselves out too much. It was likely that the Citadel Races could have halted the advance by themselves, given enough time. But that would have come at the cost of several more worlds and billions of more lives. “True.” General Xi said, agreeing with him. “But I wouldn’t risk an offensive. Not yet anyway. But that does mean they won’t be as eager to attack us.”“Not with the losses they took from their last push.” Desolas said. “Or with some of our forces attacking them from behind. I must admit I didn’t think your so-called “guerrilla warfare” would be so effective. They’ve managed to turn this into a more conventional war.”Xi nodded again, not taking her eyes off the display. “Even the Dragon Orphans will pull back their forces if you hit them in a soft spot. Our forces behind the lines have been hitting them in a lot of soft spots,” Xi turned to face Desolas, she had a vicious smile on her lips. “And they’re about to hit a very soft spot today.”Desolas nodded silently. “If they succeed.” He said after a moment.The terran general raised an eyebrow. “So that’s what has been bothering you.” She said, crossing her arms. “The raid against the Dragon’s Nest. You’re not worried about the success of the mission; you’re concerned about the welfare of the soldiers.”Desolas looked away, unwilling to give the Terran woman anything. “They’re good soldiers following orders. They know their duty, and as do I.” He looks at the terminal. “Once we get more here, we can see about reinforcing our lines. Maybe even see about taking some ground back. I hear we may be getting some Asari commandos.”Xi nodded. “They would be useful. From what I gather, the D-Orphans don’t fare well against biotics.” She gave the Turian General a side glance. “They may be soldiers, but they are still people, and one of those people is your brother. I know you’re concerned about him. I would be too if that were my brother out there.” The terran general was giving him a sympathetic look. Desolas remained silent for a moment. “He has been under my command for over two years now. He has been in countless battles and could have easily been killed by now. I have always been concerned for his welfare. As you said, he is my brother. Family should always look after one another. But until now, I was able to push that concern aside. He was a soldier, danger was always going to be a part of his life. To always be concerned about him was both useless and determinantal to my ability to command.” He stood back from the terminal and moved towards the window. “Of the times, why now? Why has my concern grown so much?”He felt the Terran General’s presence next to him. “Perhaps that is because, in all of the previous times, you had some measure of control.”Desolas gave the woman a confused look. “Explain.”“You were his commanding officer. At any time during the previous battles, you could order his unit to withdraw from an engagement whenever things looked like they were getting too dicey.” He wasn’t familiar with that expression, but Desolas could guess the meaning. She was right, as a General, he had every right to move his forces as he saw fit. If he felt attacking an area with overwhelming force was the right course of action, he would. If he thought an engagement was becoming too costly, he would have his soldiers withdraw. If that somehow saved his brother’s life, he would have considered it as a nice bonus. “Or could have had him assigned somewhere else. Lump him in some forces being moved around, and no one would be the wiser.” Desolas concluded the thought for General Xi.Xi nodded. “Even when he was deployed behind enemy line, you could have his unit recalled the next time they reported in. But now, you don’t have the measure of control anymore.” The woman turned to face Desolas. “Saren is now participating in a battle that you have no control over, and that is in the middle of enemy territory. You can’t give him an order to retreat when things start to look bad. There is nothing you can do, and that is what is eating you up. Your lack of control over the situation.”Again, the terran general had summed up his fears. When this mission had first been put forth, he put his support behind it. While he did have his own reservations about it, he felt the benefits of its success outweighed the costs. It wasn’t like they had thought of it on a whim, like some of the lower ranks would believe. They had spent weeks thinking it over, going over every detail of the reconnaissance reports, and debating everything with the other higher-ranking officers. In the end, they had decided the mission was worth the risk and pushed it forward. At that point, it was up to the officer in charge of their forces operating behind enemy lines to pick out the units to carry out the operation. He knew the raid on the Dragon’s Nest could easily be classified as a suicide mission, given that there was a chance no one would return, successful or not.But that had not been his concern at the time. They were soldiers, and they knew their duty. Would he mourn for their loss? Yes, he would have. Contrary to popular belief, most higher-rank officers did not like to throw away the lives of their subordinates needlessly. Then he learned that Saren’s unit would take part in the operation. “Perhaps your people have it right.” He muttered just loud enough for the Terran General to hear.Xi gave him a questioning look. “We have it, right?” She asked.“You don’t allow family to serve together. You have stricter restrictions on fraternization.” he explained. “I never got why until now.” The fraternization part he could understand. But it seemed inconceivable to him that the Federation forbid family members from serving together in the same unit, sometimes even going as far as putting them under different generals’ command. In the Hierarchy, it was commonplace to serve alongside family. Not unusual, considering that technically, everyone in the Hierarchy served in the military. Doselas himself had served under his father and even his grandfather. Among the Turian people, close relations were encouraged. It helps each unit work better together and thereby made the larger army a more effective fighting force. Allowing family members to serve together seemed like the logical conclusion. Now Desolas had to wonder if perhaps the Terrans had been wiser than his people had been. “It is to keep situations like this from happening.” He said.General Xi looked out at the window and remained silent for a long moment. “Indeed, it is.” She finally said. “Having family serving together could cloud a soldier’s judgment. They would be prone to making irrational decisions that could endanger themselves and the unit. The danger increases the higher the rank they have.” The Terran General turned to face Desolas. “When it comes to command, one needs to be of clear mind. Any distraction could mean the difference between the life and death of thousands or millions. While some might argue that having members to serve together might allow closer bonds in units. It may even sharpen the mind since they may be more aware of the consequences of their actions. But in the same vein, it could keep them from making the hard choices. There are times when lives have to be sacrificed to gain an important victory. If a commanding officer is worried about the welfare of one soldier, they may not be able to make that choice. It’s hard, but it is necessary.”“I suppose your right,” Desolas said, feeling like he had just swallowed something bitter. The thing was he knew that if it came down to it, he would make that hard choice. If he had to sacrifice the life of his brother to save the Hierarchy, he would. In a way that scared him, if he were willing to sacrifice family to gain a victory, what else could he be capable of? “Once the raid has been concluded. If they are successful. If Saren returns, I’ll have to see about getting him a transfer somewhere else.” Desolas moved away from the window.“I believe that would be wise.” Xi said, joining him at the terminal. March 26th 15:45, Brytus, Dragon Orphan Occupation ZoneThere were times when one had to wonder. Does the universe hate me? Hidaki was convinced that the answer was yes. In the years he served in the Armed forces of the United Terran Federation, the half-ghoul man had been in his fair share of bad situations. Most times it was because intelligence screwed up, other times, his superiors made a mistake, and sometimes it was plain bad luck. He remembered that one time his unit was involved in an operation to wipe out some terrorists, hiding out a barren moon. Now the smart thing to do would have been to orbitally bombard their base to dust. It was a barren moon, and the closest inhabited planet was lightyears away. So, all they had to do was park their ships in orbit and fire until all that was left was a crater.Unfortunately, intel indicated that were some targets of interest hiding out in that base. Because of that, command wanted prisoners. They had hoped to get information on other terrorist activities in the area. Still, it should have been a simple smash and grab on them. Intelligence believed there no more than a hundred people protecting the base, with limited air defenses. There was a minefield around the base, but it was small and easy to avoid.Two platoons of Marines had been landed, with limited mechanized support. It was believed to be enough to deal with the enemy forces. Then, about fifty meters away from where the minefield should have been, the mines went off. In a matter of moments, half of a platoon had been wiped out, and most of their vehicles reduced to scrap metal. Making matters worse, the size of the enemy force was three times larger than they thought, and the terrorist had full armored support.What had once looked like a textbook operation quickly became a fight for their lives. Hidaki didn’t remember much of that day. What he did remember was taking command of his squad after their commanding officer was incapacitated and leading them back to the safety of their shuttles. After that, he blackout then woke up the next day in a med-bay. As it were, once the survivors made it back to the shuttles and got off the moon, the captain of the squadron of ships in orbit had the terrorist base turned into a crater. That captain was court-marshaled for disobeying orders and was demoted in rank. Over a hundred marines had been killed, with a dozen suffering critical injuries. Hidaki’s commanding officer lost a leg and had it replaced with a cybernetic replacement. Hidaki, for his part, was given a commendation for his bravery. The intelligence officer involved received a dishonorable discharge for incompetence.That had been one of the worst operations he had ever taken part in. He still wondered how he managed to get out of that alive. But now that had nothing on what he was facing now, it only took four words to sum his thoughts up.“Oh, fuck you, Murphy.” Walkins said.Faster than anyone could react, the Dragon General had moved on to his next target. The marine that had helped Cartmen had his head caved in from a punch before he had time to register his death. It was as the body fell that everyone finally reacted. In an instant, the Dragon General’s body was riddled with bullets and Rc shards. For what good that did, the monster used his Kagune, a Koukaku, to block most of the projectiles.“Everyone, fall back!” Hidaki shouted above the noise. “I repeat, fall back!”The Dragon General took noticed of him. Hidaki felt his heart stop for a moment as the monster smirked at him. He was next. The creature lunged at him, moving at a speed he thought was impossible. The half-ghoul man barely had enough time to use his Ukaku to block a powerful strike from the monster’s Kagune. The force behind the blow had almost caused the young man’s legs to buckle under him. Then another blow came, and another, and another, and another. Each impact coming one after the other, faster and stronger than the last. Thinking quickly, Hidaki smashed his rifle into the D-General’s gut and fired. The creature scream in pain as the bullets tore into its stomach. In half a second, it jumped away from Hidaki and land several meters away. Now there was some distance between the two, Hidaki was able to get a good look at the creature. It had the appearance of a man in his late-twenties, pale skin, long black hair that messily went past his shoulders. Rippling muscles stretched along with his lean form.Clenching his wound, the Dragon General gave Hidaki a hateful glare. He removed his blood-soaked hand, examining it. He then looked down at his stomach and smirked again. His wounds had healed completely, leaving only blood-stained skin. The D-General looks back up Hidaki, grinning. “That actually hurt.” He said in a raspy voice.Hidaki and the rest of the squad were taken aback. The Dragon General was talking to them now. That was rare, Dragon Generals usually just killed everything in sight. Typically, when they did speak, it was to taunt their enemy. The Dragon General chuckled. “You’re going to be fun to kill.” He continued to speak. The Dragon General looked behind him, gazing at a plum of smoke far in the distance. “That must have been some show you put on.”“It’s too bad you missed it.” Hidaki responded. He subtly signals for the rest of the unit to be ready to make their move.“If I had been there, none of you would be alive.” The Dragon General growled. Hidaki gritted his teeth. That monster was right. The operation would never have gone through if the Dragon were still present. Hell, they should be dead now. That told Hidaki something, this Dragon General liked to play with his prey. As much he hated that, he knew that they could take advantage of that.“I’ve seen you before.”Never in his life did Hidaki think that such a simple statement would chill him to the bone. “What?”The monster smiled. “Out in the metal nest, I saw and your pack. You were protecting those helpless things you call civilians. I thought about killing you right then.”Hidaki couldn’t process what was happening. That thing had seen them the city? While they were escorting the civilians to safety, they had been an airs breath away from death and didn’t know it. How? Once he got back to the Safe-Zone, he was going to have a long talk with his superiors about what is and isn’t need to know information. Assuming he somehow got out of this alive. “But I decided against it.” The Dragon General continued, unaware of Hidaki’s thoughts. “I thought You might provide me with more fun later, and I do so enjoy having my fun.” The Dragon General’s smiled vanished and was replaced by a snarl. “Now I see that was a mistake, I should have gutted you and the rest of your pack the moment I saw you.” “Look at the bright side Hidaki. If you die now, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you got one over the Dragon General.” Now, if only he got to live long enough to enjoy the feeling. Hidaki held up his rifle and grew out his Ukaku. He knew the D-General was getting close to finishing his speech. After that, they all would be in the fight for their lives.“A mistake that I will be righting now.” The D-General held his hands out as two Koukakus wrapped around his arms. For a moment, both sides stared down at each other, waiting for the other to make their move. That moment came to an end when one of the Marines charged at the Dragon General, screaming and firing his rifle. A move that cost the man his life, the Dragon General shrugged off the weapons fire and stretched his hand, grabbing the man’s head. The marine struggled as his body was left up. Before anyone could react, the D-General squeezed, smashing the man’s helmet and his head inside with a sickening noise. The dead man’s body twitched for a few seconds before going limp. The Dragon General tossed the lifeless body aside.The rest of the Marines opened fired on the monster. Most of the shots, however, were blocked by its Koukaku. The few shots that did make it through only grazed the creature’s skin, and the wounds would quickly disappear. Next, two ghoul marines, both having Bikakus, charged at the D-General. Using their Kagunes, they lashed out at the enemy. The D-General was quick to react, dodging both attacks and grabbing the Bikaku of one and swung him around, then smashed him into the ground in front of him. Then with a flick of his wrist, he shot out his Koukaku, piercing the chest of the other ghoul and coming out of his back. With another flick, the appendage pulled itself out, and its victim fell over dead. The D-General was about to do the same to the other ghoul laying on the ground when he was sent flying by a blue pulse of energy. The Dragon General crashed into a building several blocks away. Hidaki looked behind him, seeing that Saren had fired off a Biotic pulse. However, he was breathing hard. “I suggest that we run.” Saren said.Hidaki wasn’t about to argue against that. “Everybody run.” He shouted. The remaining marines immediately followed his orders.“All units, this is Lieutenant Hidaki Kaneki of the 312th MAF. We and the 314th and the 356th have been engaged by the Dragon General, three marines down. I repeat, contact has been made with the Dragon General, four dead. We are attempting to retreat from the engagement.”There was a moment of silence, allowing him to hear another Marine shout something, Johnson, he thinks. “Saren! Smoke grenades!”Hidaki briefly glanced over his shoulder, seeing several familiar cylinders be tossed at Saren. Before the objects could reach him, they were surrounded by a blue aura and sent flying in the direction they were running from.Hidaki nodded his approval. That would buy them some time, not much. But as far as he was concerned, a few seconds was better than nothing. “Lieutenant Kaneki.” A voice over the comm said. “Do you need assistance? If you give us your coordinates, we can get to you and provide backup.”As much as Hidaki would appreciate the help, he wasn’t about to risk more lives against the Dragon General. “Negative.” He responded. “We will try to escape from the D-General ourselves. Return to the Safe-Zone and inform our superiors of the situation. Do not risk more lives over this.”There was an uncomfortable silence as Hidaki’s orders sunk in on the other side of the line. “Aye, sir. We will return to the safe zone and make our report. Godspeed.”“Same to you.” Hidaki replied, terminating the link. Now he just had to figure out how to get out of this mess. He roars in the distance, causing him to curse under his breath. “Shit, just what we needed.” “Saren watched out.”Saren had just enough time to duck down, avoiding the claws of a flyer as it swooped down. Just before it could fly back into the air, Saren fired a burst from his rifle. One of the creature’s wings was blown off, causing the flyer to tumble onto the ground, where it frantically flapped its remaining wing. Another burst from his rifle ended its life. Another flyer flew down at Saren, but this he was ready and rolled out of the way. As it flew back up, he took a shot at missing most of his shots while the ones that land clipped its body. “Damnable flyers!” He heard someone say. It was a sentiment that Saren was inclined to share. They had been making good progress getting from the swarm of D-Orphans, lead by a Dragon General. It even looked like they might be able to escape this disaster alive. But then oversize flying rats started to attack them, costing the lives of two members of their group. With the new threat from above, they had been forced to slow down and concentrate on air defense. It was working as none of the creatures could get close without risking its life. Unfortunately, it had allowed the swarm they are running from to gain some ground on them. A swarm that Saren had to keep reminding himself was led by a spirits forsaken Dragon General. Never had Saren been so afraid of something, that thing was the definition of a monster. He had read the codex on the Dragon Generals, viewed the recordings, and even listen to a few firsthand accounts from the older Terrans. He had never given them much thought. Sure, he knew just how dangerous they could be, that even the lowest Dragon Lieutenant could kill him just as easily he could squash a bug. He had never thought he would encounter one, that the chances of him coming face to face with a D-Lieutenant were low at worst. Let alone a full Dragon General. Even if he somehow had the misfortune of meeting one of them, he would have a whole army fighting along with him. He should have known better. One of the first things they drilled into every recruit in the military was anything, and everything can go wrong while out on the field. He never appreciated the bit of wisdom until now. The Terrans had something they referred to as murphy’s law, which was similar in principle.Reading and knowing about something was completely different from seeing that thing’s action firsthand. A lesson that Saren was going to take to heart. That is if he got out this alive. “Come on, we need to keep going.” He heard Hidaki shout over the noise of the fighting.With no time to argue, Saren picked his pace and ran alongside the Terran Lieutenant. “Our situation doesn’t look good, sir,” Saren said.He saw the Terran nod as he turned around and fired a small group of Dragon Orphans that was gaining on them. Several of them went down. The rest followed suit when Saren and a few others added their weapons fire into the mix. “Understatement of the century, Saren.” He said, turning back around. “We need to find a way to get away from that thing and fast. Any ideas?”Saren looked around their surroundings, trying to see if there was anything they could use to escape from the swarm and its leader. But he saw nothing that could help them. They could try hiding out in one of the abandoned buildings, but Saren had the feeling that would allow the enemy to trap them with no way out. “I can’t think of anything.” Saren admitted. Before Hidaki could respond, they heard a scream. A second after, a shadow flew overhead, and both men looked up. They saw that one of the marines had been picked up by a flyer and was struggling against the creature’s grip. The beast flew high up in the high as the rest of the unit shot at it. Once it was several meters into the air, it let go of the pour soul, and the man plummeted to the ground. He never got up. Saren heard Hidaki curse under his breath. In addition to that man’s death and the others they had lost, they were down by almost a third of their number. Saren knew that if this continued, none of them would live past to see the day’s end. “I don’t suppose your records have anything about a situation like this?” Saren asked. The whole group was now altering between picking up their pace to stay ahead of the swarm and slowing down to focus on air defense. “If there is, I don’t recall reading about it.” Hidaki answer, using his Ukaku to slice at a flyer that had gotten too close and lost its head as a result. “Uhm, sirs.” They heard Johnson say.“Report private.” Hidaki ordered.
Johnson pointed down the street. “I think our problems just multiplied exponentially.” What?” Both Saren and Hidaki said, looking over at where Johnson was pointing.They stopped dead in their tracks. Saren was certain that his heart had just stopped. The rest of the survivors stopped as well, confused by why their leaders were stopping. Then a moment later, the reality of their predicament sank in. Saren heard one of the Terrans say something. “Alright, god, you can stop joking with us. Cause I’m not laughing.”Right in front of them, blocking their way, was a second horde of Dragon Orphans. They stood there snarling and hissing at the small group of survivors.Hidaki was quick to recover from his stupor and began shouting orders. “Everyone turned back and.” He stopped himself when he turned around.Saren did the same and felt his heartbeat again and faster than he thought was possible for it. The other swarm had caught up with them. Their group was now trapped on a two-way street with both ends blocked by the Dragon Orphans. If Saren had any doubt before, they were now laid to rest. They were going to die here. Hidaki eyes frantically scanned the area around them, looking for any way out of this situation. But to his growing horror, nothing was coming to mind. He held up his rifle, keeping it aimed at the horde in front of him, as he backed away slowly. He was careful not to pull the trigger as he noticed the Dragon Orphans were holding their position. “Why aren’t they attacking?” He hears Johnson ask. “They’re just standing there. Why don’t they just get over with and attack us?” “It’s like they’re waiting for something.” One of the marines said, the fear slipping into his voice. By this time, the rest of the survivors had formed a defensive perimeter.“That’s because they are.” Walkins respond through gritted teeth.Hidaki nodded his agreement. He could already guess what they were waiting for. “They’re waiting for the Dragon General.”Saren looked at him questioningly. “Why wait for him?” He asked.“Because the Dragon General wants to kill us himself.” Hidaki responded.“What is this, some kind of game to that thing?” Asalin said, not hiding the bitterness. “It is a game to him,” Hidaki said. “To him, he’s the predator that has just caught his poor unfortunate prey. He is going to want to enjoy that feeling for as long as he can.” That would mean he was going to them all one at a time, and likely in highly gruesome ways. Tibena scoffed. “Terran,” He said with venom dripping from his tone. “The next time your kind creates monsters, do us and the rest of the galaxy a favor. Keep them on your spirits forsaken planet.”Before Hidaki responded to the Turian’s rude comment, he noticed a familiar figure strolling through the horde of Dragon Orphans. “Well, that was an interesting chase.” The Dragon General said with a predatory smile. “But now the game can truly begin.” He glared at Saren. “You, Turian, is that your kind calls itself?” Saren didn’t respond to the D-General’s query. Instead, he shot back the glare. The D-General had an amused expression. “No matter. What you did there back there. Sending me flying into the air. That was some trick. I had heard that some of your kind could do things like that. Move objects with their mind and creating invisible walls to protect themselves. I’ve never seen it until now, and I must admit. I’m impressed.” The monster’s frown returned, he extended his arm out. “A little too much so.” He growled. Then without warning, a Kuokaku shot from his shoulder. It stretched out in a red arc, shooting for Saren. Hidaki felt his eyes widen as time seemed to slow down. Saren was frozen in place as the bladed appendage reached out to him at high speed. Hidaki was about to move when a shadow crossed his line of sight. All out once, time resumed its course, followed by a sickening sound of metal and flesh being pierced.Hidaki looked at Saren and held his breath. Saren was still alive, unharmed by the Dragon General’s attack. The same could not be said about Macmius, she had jumped out in front of the younger Turian. Hidaki could see the expression on her face as it was hidden behind her helmet. But he imagined it was a cross between pain and pride.The appendage removed itself from the Turian woman’s body. She fell over a fast-growing pool of blood forming around her. Saren looked down at her, his mandibles twitching erratically and his eyes portraying shock. “How disappointing.” The Dragon General muttered as his Kuokaku wrapped around his arm. “But no less amusing.”That was when Hidaki heard Saren scream and saw him charge at the Dragon General. “How disappointing.” The Dragon General muttered as his Kuokaku wrapped around his arm. “But no less amusing.”That was when Saren felt something snapped inside of him. He had seen a lot of death over the last two years. Seen countless soldiers and civilians be butchered by these monsters. Some people may think of him as cold-hearted, but he felt remorse for all the lives lost. He, however, knew that there was nothing he could about it. To wallow in that feeling would do nothing for them or for the living. The best he could do was to keep fighting until the enemy was beaten or drew his last breath. However, that did not stop him from developing a deep-seated hatred for the Dragon Orphans for the destruction they brought to the galaxy. But this Dragon General was something different. At least with the rest of the Dragon Orphans, they were just following their natural as a mindless swarm driven by the need to devour. The Dragon General’s callousness, however, was anything but mindless. Instead, it was purposeful and did so with sadistic joy. This being was not being driven by an uncontrollable urge. It was cruel because it wanted to be, and it enjoyed it.Saren thought he heard Hidaki say something, but he couldn’t be bothered to ask what it was. He charged at the monster that looked like a Terran. He felt a raged feel scream escape from his throat. Biotic energy enveloped his body.He reached out his hand and fired a pulse of that energy, aiming for the Dragon General. He sidestepped, the pulse moving past him and hitting the swarm behind him. Several of the Dragon Orphans were shredded as the pulse exploded. Before the Dragon General could react, Saren pulled the trigger on his rifle. Several bullets were able to cut through the creature before its Koukaku stretched out block out the rest of the rifle’s shots. Closing the distance, Saren raised his weapon and tried to smash it against the shell-like appendage. Try being the keyword, as the Dragon General reached out and grabbed the weapon’s barrel and crushed it.Its eyes meet with Saren’s, just in time for a punch to connect to its jaw. The Dragon General’s head twisted to side from the impact, a small look of surprise showing on its face. Saren seeing a chance, pressed his perceived advantage. He threw another punch. Then another, and another. And another. Each strike from the young turian was fuel by small amounts of biotic energy, allowing them to hit with more force. “Monsters!” Saren shouted. “All of your monsters. You’ll pay for what you’ve done to the galaxy!” Saren heard a voice from behind him, but he couldn’t hear, being swept up in triad. “I’ll kill all of you. Every single last one of you!” Saren threw another punch. He felt his arm being grabbed by a powerful gripe. He looks at his arm to see that the D-General’s hand wrapped around his arm. It twisted.Crack!Saren screamed when he felt his bones twisted and snap from the force. His scream was cut short when he felt a hand clamp over his mouth. He looks up at the Dragon General, seeing an expressionless face morph into a sadistic smile. One moment the young Turian felt a pulling sensation in his arm. Then the next, he fell back over to his back, wondering why he could not feel his arm anymore. He tried to move it over his face to see what was wrong, only for it not to respond. His vision was blurring, and the sounds around him were blurring. He turned his head over. The last thing he saw before blacking out was a bloody stump where his arm should be. The moment Saren’s body hit the ground, Hidaki’s body reacted. The Dragon General was about to bring its Kuokaku down on the unconscious Turian. Hidaki was faster. In the moment it took to blink an eye, he was standing in front of his comrade in arms, using his Ukaku to block the blow that would have ended his life. Unlike the last time, Hidaki was ready for the force behind the impact, firmly standing on his two feet.Before the D-General could pull back from its attack, Hidaki pushed out with his Ukaku. Then, turning the momentum against itself, the D-General’s deadly appendage was tossed aside, staggering the owner. Seeing an opportunity, Hidaki delivered a gut punch to the creature that had it stepping back. Hidaki wasn’t about to let up his offensive. He leapt at the monster readying a punch to its head. However, the D-General was quick to recover and reach out to grab him. Moving on instinct, Hidaki shifted his course slightly, moving out of the way of his opponent’s grip. Unfortunately, it was not enough to completely dodge the D-General’s hand. He felt one of his Ukaku be grabbed. The half-ghoul eyes wandered over to his wing-like limb and cursed when they saw the Dragon General’s hand wrapped around it and squeezing with enough force to crush it. Not a good position to be in, Hidaki acknowledges, but not bad enough for him to find a way out. Masterfully controlling the structure of his Ukaku, he softens it and recedes its spikes turning it into a more flexible form. At the same time, in the area around where the D-General’s hand was wrapped around, he had it harden, and the spikes shot out, piercing through the creature’s hand. Then, using his own momentum Hidaki twisted around in the air, swing his leg out.The D-General had just enough time to widen his eyes before Hidaki’s leg connect with the side of its head. He felt its grip loosen around his Ukaku. He retracted the spikes and slipped it out from the creature’s hand. As the D-General staggered back, holding the side of its head, Hidaki had his other Ukaku stretch out and slash at its head, cutting a long gash on its face. Pulling back his Ukaku, Hidaki landed on the ground. He was breathing hard, and his heart felt like it was about to explode. That was twice now that he managed to injury the Dragon General. A feat onto itself, considering that most would struggle to survive the initial encounter. But he knew that was all he could do. He knew he was stronger than most ghouls, or even half-ghouls, coming from the Kaneki family, saw to that. But he knew there was no way he was going to be able to beat this thing. He was not one of those special forces units that were trained to take down threats like this. A few times, he had been offered a chance to join the special forces units with the armed service. To undergo the training and augmentation that would turn him into one of the deadliest weapons in the Federation’s arsenal. He had always turned them down, not wanting that kind of life. Now though, he wished he had. Maybe then they wouldn’t be in this mess. Then again, if he had taken their offer, he wouldn’t be here, and his squad would still be here just under the command of someone else.Hidaki glance over to where Saren was, relieved to see he was still breathing, erratic as it may be. His friend was still alive, but if he didn’t get medical treatment soon, that would change. He glanced back over to where the rest of his unit was and seeing they were doing something. He didn’t know what it was, but he figures that they might have figured a way out. He saw Walkins look over at him and nod. Receiving the silent message, Hidaki nodded back and turned his attention back to the Dragon-General. The D-General had recovered and was staring at him fury etched unto its face. The large gash along its face had closed up, leaving a nasty-looking scar. Hidaki hoped whatever his squadmates were doing that they do it quickly. Because Hidaki had a strong suspicion that he now had the full undivided attention of the Dragon General. For a moment, both fighters looked at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. The D-General was the first to act. He charged at Hidaki, shooting out its arm and wrapping it with the Koukaku making it seem like a thrown spear. Hidaki reacted fast and moved out of the way just before the attack could skewer him. Then, turning to face the Dragon General, he aimed his rifle at its side, planning on surprising the enemy with an attack to its side. The D-General, however, saw it coming and twisted around and grabbed the weapon crushing the barrel, and pulled Hidaki in. Knowing what was coming next, Hidaki lets go of the gun, and, using the momentum he gained from being pulled in, Hidaki dropped down and slid under the Dragon General. Coming out from behind, he spun up and slashed out at the creature’s backside with his Ukaku. The Dragon General growled as its back was cut open. It turned around, lashing out its Kuokaku in an arch, drops of crimson flying into the air. Hidaki ducked under the attack before he could be cut in two. He then rolled out of the way of a kick aimed at him. The next several moments of the fight were spent with Hidaki mostly being on the defensive. With him dodging out of the way the Dragon General’s attack, he would occasionally block an attack he knew he couldn’t avoid. A few times, an attack would graze his armor but wouldn’t go any deeper. The Dragon General was fast, Hidaki would give it that. But its movements were sluggish and predictable, though they did pack a lot of power behind them. Hidaki quickly realized that while he had the speed disadvantage, he could keep up and was more flexible and maneuverable than the Dragon-General. He would use that to avoid any attack that the D-general threw at him and manage to get some attacks of his own. The Dragon General seemed to realize the same thing judging by the growing frustration displayed in its growls. It did not matter how faster or powerful its attacks were. If they didn’t hit their mark, they were useless. Hidaki would laugh if it were not for his own frustration, for one simple reason. He couldn’t beat the Dragon General at this rate. Any attack he could get in on it would quickly heal, and Hidaki didn’t have the speed or power to overwhelm its regenerative abilities. Worse yet, Hidaki felt himself tiring out, and the Dragon General, in comparison, barely looked winded. Stamina was another key factor in this fight, and Hidaki was at a severe disadvantage in that department.Dodging another attack aimed at his head, Hidaki thought he saw something flash in the Dragon General’s eyes. “What are you planning?” He asked himself. The D-General spun around and lunged at Hidaki.Hidaki sidestepped the attack and was ready for his opponent’s next move. However, surprise than horror took over when he first saw that the Dragon General continued to move away from him and then realized its intent. The D-General was surging towards the still unconscious Saren, its Kuokaku extended out, ready to pierce through his skull. Hidaki didn’t think as his body reacted. “Saren!”Drip. Drip. Drip.Hidaki gritted his teeth as the Koukaku went through his armor, cutting into his back and came out from his abdomen. His blood dripped onto Saren’s unconscious form. Hidaki tried his best to ignore the searing pain he felt as the Dragon General dig its Kuokaku deeper in. “Bastard.” Hidaki spat out.He heard no response from the Dragon General. But he knew that thing was smiling down on him with sadistic glee. He saw the shadow of its free arm raise and be wrapped by a second Kuokaku.“I’m sorry, Olivia, Ken, it looks like I’m not coming home.” He looked at Saren. “I’m sorry to you to Saren. You could have lived a good life.” He saw the shadow swing down. As that happened, he saw a hand glowing with blue light shoot past his head. He turned his head just in time to see a powerful pulse of biotic energy send the Dragon General flying into the air. Hidaki held back a scream as he felt the Kuokaku inside him be violently ripped out. He held his hand over where his abdomen was bleeding. Saren’s hand falls back to the ground, wisps of smoke coming from it. Hidaki look at Saren, shocked that he was still conscious.
For a moment, they met eyes, and Saren gave him the best smile he could muster. “You’re welcome.” He said. Then his eyes rolled back, and he went limp.That was when smoke filled the area, and Hidaki felt someone grab him. Walkins was an old man. Much older than the others on his squad, and certainly older than his commanding officer. He had been in his thirties when the Third Dragon war had reached its conclusion more than seventy years ago. Whenever he looked back over his long life, Walkins would admit while it could have been better, he had lived a good life. He had a wife who gave him two wonderful children, though it pained him to know she and his firstborn were killed in an attack by the Dragon Orphans. His second son had gone on to become a botanist and later gave him a grandson, who recently gave him a great-grandchild. It was a point of pride for him, equally so was his long service to the Federation.He had signed up the moment he had become old enough to serve and had stayed in since. At first, it had been out of a sense of patriotic duty to his nation. Being young and naïve, he had wanted to defend the freedoms and values that the Terran people aspired to. To some degree, he still did, but as he grew older, he became less concerned with protecting some abstract idea. His desire had shifted to wanting the protect the people of the Federation, to protecting those he cared about and protecting his brothers and sisters in arms.In all of his almost eighty years of service, some might question why he hadn’t attained a higher rank than he had now. It was a valid question and one he asked himself sometimes. There were a lot of reasons, some good, some bad. But if Walkins had to narrow it down to one thing, it would be this. He was not cut out to lead. Certainly, he could lead a small fire team or even a squad. But anything above that he had never been comfortable with. He was better at taking orders than giving them and preferred to be on the frontlines rather than be behind a desk.When Walkins imagined himself dying, it was always one of two ways. Either in bed or dying on the battlefield. Today he knew it would be the latter. About thirty or forty minutes after their encounter with the Dragon General, which was longer than most others would last, they were running from an angry swarm of D-Orphans within the city’s sewer system. He had been the one to spot the manhole in the street. Or was it called a Turian-hole since this one of their cities? Walkins shook his head, it didn’t’ matter what it was called, so as long it gave them a chance to escape. They had managed to put some good distance between them, but Walkins knew that their chances of escape were slim at best.Even if that Saren guy had sent that Dragon General flying, who knows where. Speaking of, he turned his head over to look at their commanding officer holding the prone of the man that saved his life. The poor kid that was no way to lose an arm. Hell, losing an arm, in general, was bad enough, but having it ripped off like that had to hurt like a son of bitch. Lucky for him, he was unconscious now, and an application of medigel had stopped the bleeding, but Walkins knew what the Turian needed right now was a good doctor. Something that may not happen if they couldn’t find a way out of this mess. “How close is the enemy?” Hidaki asked an officer next to him. The man looked behind him. “I don’t see the enemy, sir.” The tunnels echoed with the sounds of roars. “But I sure as hell hear them. I say they’re only a few minutes behind us, sir.” Walkins was inclined to agree with the man. But, if anything, a few minutes was being generous. The enemy was catching up to them fast, and having to carry wounded wasn’t helping their odds.He heard his commanding officer curse. “I don’t suppose anyone has any ideas?” Walkins had one idea, one that might buy the rest of the unit the time they needed to get away. He stopped running. “I do.” He said. His commanding officer stopped running as well. “Walkins, what are you doing?” He asked, carefully shifting the unconscious turian in his arms.The others had stopped as well. “Sir, the only way that anyone here is going to survive this day, is if someone stays behind.” Walkins readied his weapon. “I’m volunteering to stay behind along with a few others. We’ll try to distract the enemy long enough for you guys to get away.”
His superior look about ready to argue against him. The roars in the distance stopped him. The young man looks at him with a critical stare, then he nodded at Walkins. “How many do you need?”“Sir!” Johnson objected.The Lieutenant silenced him. “I won’t argue this, Private. The survival of the unit takes precedent.” Hidaki looked back at Walkins. “Now then, how many do you need?” They heard the roars getting closer. “And I would suggest thinking quickly.”Walkins had already had an answer for the Lieutenant. “About five or six, sir.”The young man nodded. “Alright then. If anyone wishes to volunte-.”“I’ll stay, sir.” Asalin said, stepping forward.The Lieutenant looked at them for a moment. “Are you sure? Once you made your decision, there is no turning back.”The older turian nodded. “Like my friend here,” Asalin said, pointing at Walkins. “I’m an old man who has served his people for a very long time.”“Hey, I’m not that old.” Walkins mocked his offense.Asalin ignored him. “It’s up to us old coots to make sure young people like you live on. Plus, can you really imagine me dying of old age.” The old Turian huffed. “I’ll probably be yelling and raging at all of the people around my bedside. So, I’m going to save them the trouble.” A few others had joined them, bringing their number to around six.The Lieutenant nodded at all of them. “Very well.” He gave them an awkward salute being careful not to drop his passenger. The rest of the unit doing the same. “It has been an honor serving with all of you. Die well. If we make it out this, I will put in and commendation for all of you.”Walkins and the rest of the volunteers returned the gesture. “The honor has been ours’s sir.” He removed his dog tags and handed them over to his commander, as did the others. With that, the remainder of their unit resumed their run down the sewers. Walkins turned around, facing the small group of volunteers. “All right, people, we have a job to do. So lets get to it.”Quickly everyone took up firing positions along the tunnel. Walkins had crotched down next to Asalin. “So, you envisioned yourself screaming all those who would bother coming to your death bed.” Walkins jested at the old Turian. “I can’t imagine that’s a long list for gratitude like that.”Asalin snorted. “Can you really imagine me doing anything else? We both know I’m not an easy person to get along with.”Walkins cracked a smile. He has found a good friend in Asalin. An old man like him who been around long enough to have seen just about everything. “No, I can’t.” He said. “Actually, I always thought you would be too angry to dye. Good thing I was wrong. It would be awfully lonely in hell without a friend.”“Hell?” Asalin asked.“Oh, just a nice little place mean old coots like us go to when we die. Suppose to be full of lakes of fire and stuff.” Walkins causally explained.“Sounds like my kind of place,” Asalin said. “Certainly, better than this place. Did you really have to pick a sewer for us to escape through and die in? “Well, it was either that or take our chances with the nearby buildings.” Walkins said.
“I think the buildings would have smelt better.” Asalin said. The roars were close now.“Just be glad that these helmets filter out the worst of it,” Walkins said, tapping the side of his helmet. “Otherwise, I think we would be passed out right now.”“It must be worse for the Dragon Orphans,” Asalin said. “If I remember correctly, their sense of smell is better than ours.”Walkins nodded. “That it is. Which is way escape through the sewers is the best chance the others have. The bastards have our scent, but the longer we stay here, the more our scent will mix with the smell of the sewers.”“Us staying behind is more than just to slow down the enemy, isn’t it?” Asalin asked. He didn’t take his eyes off the tunnel. “If was as you said, all we had to do was keep ahead of the pack long enough for them to lose our scent.”Walkins smiled grimly behind his helmet. “The Dragon Orphans would have continued to hunt us even if they did lose our scent. They knew we were here and would have swarmed through these tunnels until they found us. That’s why we have to stay here.” He looked around, seeing the others were nodding. They understood where he was going. “Without the Dragon General, those bastards aren’t terribly bright. Once they kill us, they will think they got all of us. After that, Hidaki and the others will have a much easier time getting away. They will still have to avoid random hunting groups, but they’ll at least have a chance to get away.”The roars of the Dragon Orphans were much closer now. They would be here any moment. “You think they’ll ever find our remains?”Walkins shook his head. “Doubt it. We’d be lucky if they found pieces of our armor.”“Figured as much.” Asalin said. “Hey, Walkins.”Walkins turned his head to face the older Turian. “Yes?”He knew that the Turian was cracking a smile under his helmet. “When we get to this hell place. Drinks are on me.”Walkins smiled behind his helmet. “I’ll hold you to that.” A moment later, a group of Dragon Orphans rounded the corner. One of them spotted the small group of marines and roared at them, getting the attention of the others, and doubtless bring the rest of the swarm to their location. They charged, Walkins held up his rifle. “Open fire.” He shouted, above the noise of weapons fire. Their last fight began. Hidaki didn’t know how long he and the rest of the unit had been running. His best guess was an hour, maybe two. The sounds of weapons fire had died out a long time ago. He wasn’t sure if it was because they had gotten so far from the others or if the fighting had reached its end. Both most likely. Hidaki looked down at his friend Saren. Still unconscious in his arms, the Turian looked like he had seen better days. “Sir, I believe we can slow down now.” Johnson said. “The enemy doesn’t appear to be pursuing us anymore.” Hidaki was inclined to agree they had not heard the roars of the Dragon Orphans more sometime now. Nor had they seen any other sign of pursuit from them. Walkin’s plan had given them the time they needed to get away.“And it only cost us a third of our people.” Hidaki thought bitterly to himself. It never felt good to lose people under his command. Especially when he knowingly left them to die. He thought over Johnson’s request and took a quick glance at the rest of the survivors. They looked tired and ragged from all the running and fighting they had to do today. While Hidaki wanted to keep up their pace, he knew that pushing the others too much do them no good. “Alright,” He said, slowing down to a walked. The others did the same. “We’ll slow down and try to catch our breath.” “Thank you, sir.” Johnson said.Hidaki nodded at the younger man. His eyes went back down to Saren. “In fact, let’s stop here for a few minutes.” He ordered, stopping in his tracks. “We’ll rest up and tend to our wounded. I want four people to keep an eye out while the rest of us recover. Be ready to move out at a moment’s notice. Understood?” “Yes, sir.”Hidaki walked up to one of the sewer walls and carefully placed Saren up against it. Now that they weren’t running for their lives, Hidaki was able to get a good look at the young Turian’s injury. All the remained of his arm was a stump with bits of flesh and muscle hanging off it. Thankfully, the bleeding had been stopped by a quick application of medi-gel. Hidaki silently thanked whatever deity there was, that the stuff was compatible with other species. “How is he?” Canus said. Hidaki shook his head. “Not good, I would say.” He responded. “I don’t suppose you have any medical training?”Canus shook his head. “Only the most basic things. Nothing that would help him.”Hidaki sighed as he figured as such. “Would it be okay to remove his helmet, to check if he’s breathing properly?”“I believe so.”Hidaki nodded and put his hands around Saren’s helmet, looking for the release of mechanism. He found it, and with a press followed by a hiss, the helmet came off. Setting the object to the side Hidaki got a look at the Turian’s face. He was relieved to see that his mandibles were twitching slowly and appeared to be still breathing. “He seems to be breathing right,” Hidaki said. “Hopefully, the doctors back a the safe-zone can fix him up.”“That is if we manage to get him there in time.” Canus interjected.It was a grim statement, but Hidaki knew that the man was right. They would have to move quickly if Saren was to survive. “Once we get moving again, we’ll try to find a way up to the surface. Once we ascertain our position, we’ll move to the closest safe zone.” He saw Canus nod his agreement. Canus looked like he was about to say something when they both heard a commotion. “Enemy contact!” Hidaki turned around and saw several Dragon Orphans charging at them.“Open fire.” Hidaki shouted, pulling out his pistol. Thankfully, the attacking Dragon Orphans were not a part of the massive swarm from earlier and appeared to be a smaller hunting group. Several of the D-Orphans went down from weapons fire. However, a few were able to get in close enough to engage in melee combat. One unlucky marine had his throat torn out by the jaws of a regular Dragon-Orphan. The creature took notice of Hidaki and charged at him with a roar. Hidaki unloads his pistol into the lone D-Orphan. A few shots miss, but the rest struck its torso. One luck went into the creature’s head. Hidaki smiled briefly, seeing the D-Orphan sway as it died. Then its body expanded, Hidaki only had half a second to widen his eyes. The thing exploded, and the Lieutenant flew back as the tunnels were felled with gas.
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Chapter 22: Talks and Reflections Beep. Beep. Beep.The first thing Saren heard when he came to was the telltale signs of a medical monitor. His head was groggy. For some reason, he felt off about something. He sat up, groaning as his muscles arched.He felt a hand over his chest and heard a familiar voice. “Easy there, Saren. You’ve been out for a while.” Saren looked over to the source of the voice, taking a moment to recognize the face of his friend Hidaki. “Where am I?” Saren asked, feeling his voice rasp.“A Hospital in an allied controlled city.” Hidaki answered. “Here, you need to keep your strength up.” He said, handing over a plate of food.”Saren took a bit from it, surprised at how flavorful it was, considering it was hospital food. Something about it tasted strange about it, but Saren couldn’t figure out why. He shrugged and attributed it to him having woken up from who knows how long. “How did I get?” His question was cut off when the memories flooded back in. The raid against the Dragon’s nest. Their encounter with the Dragon General and the chase that came after. It all came back to him all at once. Then he remembered his short-lived fight against the monster and the loss of his arm. Saren looks over at his shoulder, expecting to see a stump. But, instead, he saw a mechanical arm in its place. Saren looked over at Hidaki with his mouth gaping open. The ghoul terran gave him a nervous smile. “The doctors were able to provide you with a cybernetic replacement. They say you should have a full range of movement with it and that in time it should feel no different than your original.Saren doubted that last part. He grasped his hand shut several times and moved his arm around, testing his new limp. “How long have I been out? And how did we get out?”More memories were coming in, but they were hazy. In one image, he remembered sending the Dragon General flying with the strongest Biotic blast he could muster. He looked over to his other hand seeing it was wrapped in bandages. Then he looks back to Hidaki. “Blast burns from that pulse you used to send the Dragon General flying. You used so much energy that you ended up frying the nerves in your hand, the doctors were able to treat it. But it will be a while before you can use it again.” Saren nodded his understanding. “As for how long you’ve been out and how we got away.” Hidaki looked nervous for some reason. “To answer the first part, you’ve been out for a little over a week. For the second part, Walkins was able to find a way into the city’s sewer system.”“I see,” Saren said. He got images of him being carried through what appeared to be tunnels. “Where is he now? I would like to think him.”Hidaki frowned. “That will be difficult.” He said slowly.Saren felt his mandibles twitch questioningly. “Why is that? Is he in medical care?”Hidaki remained silent for a moment. “Walkins and a few others stayed behind to buy the rest of the unit enough time to get away. They are all considered KIA, now.” Saren didn’t know how to respond to that, so he let Hidaki finish his story. “After that, we continued our way through the sewers. We did lose a couple more people to small hunting groups, but we got back to the surface and hooked up with another squad within the city. They escorted us back to the closest safe zone. From there, you were taken to the nearest city and brought to this hospital for medical treatment. The remainder of the squad is here as well. We’ve all been given leave to recuperate from our mission.”Saren nodded. At least some of them managed to get out. “I see.” He said, feeling tired. He felt like he was going to sleep again at any moment. He willed himself to stay up. “How long will I be here?”Hidaki gave him another strange look, was something wrong? “I’m not sure.” He said. “I imagine the doctors are going to keep you here for a few days for observation. In case of complications.” The terran stopped for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words.Something was bothering his friend, and Saren was going to find out. “Hidaki, is something the matter?” He asked. A strange image formed in his mind. They were still in the sewers. He saw Hidaki hanging over him.“Saren, there’s something you should know.” He heard Hidaki say, an edge in his voice. “While we were still in the sewers, we were attacked by a small group of Dragon Orphans. At the time we were checking you over to check over your wounds, we had to remove your helmet to make sure you were breathing at the time.” He saw Hidaki turn around, pulling out a weapon. He shouted something and fired. “One of them managed to get past the others and charged at us. I killed it.” He saw Hidaki sent flying back by some unknown force and the air suddenly tasting strange.“No. No. No” Dread gripped Saren as his mind made the connections, and he realized why he had been feeling strange since he woke up. “It can’t be. It’s not true. I can’t be”He heard Hidaki’s voice become uneven. “Saren, I’m sorry. If I’d known.”Saren found a mirror nearby and grabbed it. Looking into its image, he was not met with blue eyes but pitch-black ones with a red iris.Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep! April 4th 12:00, Citadel, Federation Diplomatic Enclave: “Ambassador Goyle, the Asari representatives have arrived. Shall I send them in?”“Send them in, Davis.” Goyle said to her secretary. “Right away, ma’am.” Her secretary said then the line went dead.Goyle took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Today was going to be a big day for her. Two weeks ago, construction on the Federation’s diplomatic enclave on the Citadel had finished, and yesterday, the ceremony for its grand opening had been held. The event had seen a massive crowd attending, alongside several different news agencies, Terran and Citadel alike, and numerous representatives from the different races. That day had been mostly spent playing host to the visiting representatives. Today though, they would get to work. A moment later, three Asari walked in with the grace and dignity she had come to expect from their species. “Greetings Ambassador Goyle.” The leading Asari said, bowing, her aids doing the same. “I am Ambassador Visina T’esre.” She rose and gestured to the two Asari standing behind her. “These are my aids.” She looked to Goyle giving her a smile. “As you may well know, I am the Ambassador assigned to the Citadel to represent my people’s interest in galactic affairs.” Goyle returned the smile and held her hand out. The Asari Ambassador took her hand and shook it. “Of course. It is a pleasure to meet you. Like you, I have been assigned to the Citadel to represent the interest of the Federation on a galactic scale.” She then gestures to the man sitting close by. “This is my aid.” The man gave a small node at the Asari. “I hope you find the accommodations here to your liking. Please have a seat.”The Asari ambassador gave Goyle a thankful nod as she and her aides sat down. “Thank you, ambassador. You’ve been a gracious host so far.”Goyle sat down behind her desk, smiling at the Asari delegation. “We aim to please.”“As for the accommodations.” The ambassador said, looking over the room. “I find them to be most comfortable. It’s unlike the Turians, who seem to favor function entirely over form.”“I imagine they would say the same about you. Only from the opposite perspective.” Goyle remarked. “Would you like some refreshments before we get started here?” “I imagine they do, and yes. Perhaps one of your herbal teas?” Again, the ambassador’s eyes wandered over the room. “I noticed that your Diplomatic Enclave has displayed several works of art. Do your people value artistic values?” Her eyes settled on a landscape painting. Goyle’s smile grew, pleased that the Asari had taken notice. “We value a great number of things, ambassador T’esre.” She commed her secretary. “Davis, would you have a pot of Green Tea sent up here?” “Right away, ma’am.”She deactivated the com. “Family, peace, martial prowess, philosophy, and many other things. We believed that art was the best way to reflect that. You will notice that we’ve displayed several different pieces of art. Ranging from paintings to digitally created images, hand-made sculptures to 3d prints. All-encompassing a wide variety of subjects and ideas.” Goyle turned her head to face the landscape painting that the Asari Ambassador was gazing at. “The painting you’re looking at right now is a landscape painting of one of Earth’s largest Canyons.”The ambassador appeared to be impressed. “It is a striking image.” She commented, looking at Goyle. “I can only imagine what it is like to see it in person.”Goyle smiled at the ambassador. “I hear the sunsets there are gorgeous.”A young man came in holding a tray of tea. He placed it down on a nearby table. “Will there be anything else, ma’am?” He asked.Goyle shook her head and dismissed him. She stood up and walked over to the table, and started to pour a drink. “Of course, we can’t display every piece of art that my people have to offer. So, the pieces will be rotated in and out regularly.” She handed the cup to the ambassador, who took it with a thankful nod. Goyle poured herself a drink and returned to her desk. “If there is anything you like, I can see about getting you a copy.The asari ambassador smiled at her. “I would appreciate that.”Goyle took a sip from her tea, enjoying the taste as it went past her lips. She placed the cup down. “Now then. I believe that is enough of the pleasantries. How about we get to work, otherwise we’ll be here all day. As a fellow ambassador, you can understand that my schedule is busy for the day.”The asari ambassador nodded her understanding. “Of course, Ambassador Goyle. I’ll try not to take up any more of your time.”“Then let us get started. Richard,” Goyle addressed the enclave’s synth. A blue sphere appeared on her desk, she noticed the ambassador’s aids shifting uncomfortably. “Begin recording this meeting. Entitle Asari Session One.”“Yes, Ambassador Goyle.” The synth said. “Recording as begun.” Goyle turned her attention back to Ambassador T’esre. “Now then, Ambassador T’esre, what is it that your people would like for me to bring to the Federation’s attention?” “Nothing too much.” The ambassador said, gesturing for one of her aids. The young asari handed her a datapad. “We have already compiled a rudimentary list of what we would like to accomplish.” She handed the pad over to Goyle.Goyle took it and activated the device. She scanned through the list of items, making mental notes as she went down the list. Most of it was pretty simple stuff that would be easy to convince the Council to go along with. There were a few items that would make for a hard sell, but Goyle was confident in her ability to strike a compromise. “This is a well-thought-out list.” Goyle said after reading through the list several times and putting the pad down.”“Indeed, it is. As you noticed, it is mostly along the lines of economic, technological, and cultural trade. There is little in the way of military matters, as that was taken care of with the negotiations with the Citadel.”“Yes, I could see that much.” Goyle said. “I noticed that put particular empathize on a cultural exchange between the Asari Republics and the United Terran Federation. Could you elaborate?”The Asari Ambassador smiled and went into detail. April 4th 15:00, Citadel, Federation Diplomatic Enclave: “I believe that the Federation Senate will be willing to go with this proposal.” Goyle said, placing a datapad down.“Joyfully, that is good to hear.” The Elcor Ambassador said.Goyle nodded at the Elcor. “Now then, we have our own proposal.” She signaled to her aid. He nodded and handed her a datapad. “Here you go.”The Elcor ambassador took the pad and began to read it over. When he was done, he looked up at the Goyle. “Intrigued, this proposal seems reasonable. I will forward it to my government when we are done here.”“As will I.” Goyle responded.“But I must ask, why would you trade for heavy metals?” The Elcor ambassador asked. “As I understand it, the building materials you use are organic.”That was a common misconception going around about the Federation. That all their technology was organic in nature and that they had no real need for metals and alloys. That misconception could easily be dispelled if some people bothered to read the codex that her people provided to the Citadel. “Partially organic, ambassador. We still need metals and alloys in construction.”The elcor gave a slight tilt of his head. An attempt at emulating human nodding? “I see. Humbly, my apologies. I should have read the codex your people provided more closely.”“No, need to apologize, ambassador. It is a common misconception that has been going around.” Goyle said. “And I will admit my people could have been a bit clearer in the codex. While we don’t need use as much as the other races, we still rely heavily on the use of heavy metals in the construction of our ships, stations, and other structures.”“Genuine curiosity. Are your people struggling to find heavy metals?” The elcore ambassador asked.Goyle shook her head. “No, according to our analysts, we have enough to fuel construction for centuries to come. The trouble is being able to get to it. Because of this war, we’re having to step up the production of war materials. Weapons, armor, vehicles, and ships. In addition to the ships being constructed to reinforce our fleets on the frontlines and replace losses, the president as commission the creation of two new fleets within a twenty-year time span.” Not to mention the massive growth the civilian sector would experience in the decades and centuries to come. Rumors were going around that the Citadel Council was going to reward the Federation for its contribution to the war, with a large swath of space. A region called the Attican Traverse, a gesture that could potentially double the size of the Federation. If that did happen, then they would need those two additional fleets to protect it. Possibly more, if Goyle remembered correctly, that region also bordered the Terminus. That would be a problem they would have to deal with when and if it came. “While we are capable of doing this ourselves. We believe it will put a heavy strain on production.”“Thoughtfully, I see.” The elcor ambassador said. “You are hoping to alleviate this strain by trading for heavy metals with the other races.”Goyle smiled at the ambassador, glade he was putting the pieces together. “Indeed, once we learned that your people are the premier provider for heavy metals, we decided that a trade deal would be favorable.”“Proudly, our people have much experience in mining heavy metals.” The elcor said. “We have provided our customers with quality metals for almost two millennia.”“Speaking of.” Goyle said. “As you may have noted in our proposal, we will be needing that experience.”“Yes, I did notice that.” The elcor looks back down at the datapad. “In your proposal, you asked that several teams of experts move to the Federation and teach you people on what they know about mining. Even encourage some of our mining corporations to set up branches in Federation space. Am I correct?”Goyle nodded. “Yes. We would also like to send some of our people over to your space to observe some of your mining operations. If that is okay with you. We, of course, will provide compensation as outlined in our proposal.” She was certain that the elcor would accept. The Federation was willing to trade large quantities of eezo, a valuable element that the elcor lacked. They would become their second-largest provider, trailing behind the Asari.The elcor ambassador seemed to thank about for a moment. “Yes, I believe that will be acceptable. The Courts of Dekuuna will more than likely accept this proposal.”Goyle nodded, happy that the meeting was going well. “As will my people. Is there anything else that your people would like?”“No, that will be all for the day.” The Elcor ambassador said. “With great anticipation, I look forward to our next meeting.”“As do I, Ambassador.” April 5th 16:35, Brytus: Saren didn’t know what to feel. If he should feel angry, if he should feel happy? Sad? Anything? At the moment, he just felt numb. He was alive, but he wondered if that was a good thing. How could he call this living? Maybe he was just dreaming, and he had yet to wake up and find out that he hadn’t been turned into a. Turned into a. Into a.His thoughts trailed off as his mind struggled to comprehend his current reality. “Demon.” He muttered softly, gazing into a mirror. No matter how long he stares or how many times he would look away and turn back, he was always met with black and red eyes.“Would you stop moving already?” The doctor said, a terran male.Saren didn’t respond to the man’s complaint. He did stop moving his head around, letting him flash a small light into his eyes.“Hmm. Everything seems to check out.” The doctor put the light away, reached for a scanning device. “How are you handling the cravings?” He asked, configuring the device.“Well enough,” Saren said simply. He looked over at the empty tray next to his bed. He briefly wondered if the meat he had eaten was synthetic like the terrans claimed it was or if it came from a deceased turian. The doctor waited for him to elaborate. When he didn’t, the doctor continued with his scans. “I suppose that is a good thing. From what I hear, those cravings tend to be quite powerful in the first few days after a person has been turned.”Saren remained quiet. Why was this doctor acting so calm and friendly? Didn’t he know he was hanging around a monster that could tear him to pieces? Saren looks over at the other doctor in the room. A turian, like him. Or so Saren would like to believe, he knew he was nothing like that man, not anymore. The turian doctor was keeping his distance from Saren. While he tried to hide it, Saren knew that the man was afraid of him. He should be, every time Saren looked at the man, or any other turian, for a moment, his mouth would water, and he would not see a person but his next meal. The question came out before he knew his mouth was moving. “Why aren’t you afraid of me?”“What?” The terran doctor asked, taking his eyes from his scanner. Saren felt his mandibles twitch in embarrassment. “Nothing.” He said.The doctor gave him a questioning look. “No, you asked me something. What was it?” He pressed.Saren briefly debates the idea of remaining silent and wait for the terran to continue with his scans. He decided since he already asked the question, he may as well get an answer. “Why aren’t you afraid of me?” The terran doctor raised an eyebrow. “Why should I be afraid of you?” The doctor asked. “You’re my patient.”Saren felt his talons curl up. “I’m not a patient. I’m a monster. A demon” “A monster?” The terran doctor asked carefully.“Yes,” Saren said, his voice was rising. “I could kill you at any moment. Tear you limb from limb and rip your throat out.” He pointed at the turian doctor; the man stiffened. “He gets it. He knows I’m a monster. He understands at any moment, I could lunge at him and feast on his remains. So why aren’t you afraid of me? Can’t you understand that your treating a monster?”The terran doctor looked at Saren for a moment and then turned his head to look at the turian doctor. “So what?” He asked, looking back at Saren. He received a surprised look from the ghoulified turian. “I don’t care if you are a monster or not. You’re my patient, and I have a job to do.”Saren opened his mouth to protest. “But-.”The terran held up his hand to stop him. “Yes. I know you can kill me, and so can every other soldier being treated here. You just have a few extra ways of doing it. But that is not going to stop me from doing my job.” Then the doctor’s eyes took on a sympathetic look. “Look, Saren, was it? I’ve dealt with ghoul patients before. I knew then that they could kill me and eat my remains. I know that now. But I have never been afraid of them. I grew around them, made friends with some. A few of my co-workers are ghouls. Hell, I even had a crush on one when I was a kid. She was the prettiest girl I ever saw.” A small smile appeared on the man’s face, he chuckled, rubbing his chin. “Of course, I was a nervous wreck back then and never got around to asking her out. Always kind of regretted that.” The terran doctor stared off into space with a wistful expression. He seemed to snap out of it and looked back at Saren. “My point is I don’t have any reason to be afraid of you. You’ve shown remarkable restraint so far, so why would you break now?”Saren didn’t know how to respond to that. He had for the moment forgotten that Terrans are use to dealing with demo- ghouls. They had entire evolutionary history to look back on, most of it stained with blood. But in recent history, they had made great strides towards peace. “I suppose that makes sense,” Saren said quietly.The doctor smiled at him. “Good.” He said. “Though it does help that I’ve dealt with cases like yours before.”“Cases like his?” The Turian doctor said, walking up to the terran. “Yes, patients of my species being turned into ghouls. Always quite the shock to them. Takes years of therapy for them to get over it.”“Humans being turned into ghouls?” Saren asked, wanting to hear more on the subject. “By those infectors?”“No, illegal kakuhou transplant.” The doctor explained. “Mostly unwilling victims.”“Kakuhou transplant?” Saren asked. The terran doctor nodded, finishing up his scans. “It’s where a kakuhou, the organ that allows a ghoul to produce their kagune, is transplanted into a human body. Once done in a short period of time, about twenty-four hours, the person undergoing the operation is turned into a half-ghoul. Outside of the military or for life-saving procedures, in which case the doctors need the permission of the victim’s family, it’s illegal.” The doctor looked over the results of the scan before handing the device over to the Turian doctor.“So wait, your people have a procedure for making artificial ghouls?” The Turian doctor asked, taking the device.“Yes.” The terran said, grabbing a needled. He walked over to Saren. “I’m going to need to take a blood sample to check your Rc levels. If you will hold your arm out.” Saren did as the man said and held his arm out. He hardly felt the needle puncturing his arm. “Though a lot of controversy surrounds the subject, given its origins.” The terran looked at the veil of blue blood.“How so?” Saren inquired.“The procedure was pioneered by a man named Akihiro Kanou. He developed the surgery through some very unethical means.” He placed the veil inside a small container on a nearby table. “For that reason, he is among some the of the most reviled people in our history.”“If the surgery has such a dark history. Why keep using it?” The turian doctor asked. “By continuing to use his research, you’re cheapening the lives he took and encouraging others to do the same.”Before the terran could give an answer, the door slides open. All three men turned to see who was entering. “Brother?” Saren said, almost shocked to see his brother enter the hospital room.The elder Arterius gave an acknowledging nod. He looked to the two doctors. “Could you give us some time? Alone?” He asked.The terran doctor nodded. “We just finished our tests for the day.” The doctor turned back to Saren. “We’ll have your results by tomorrow. But, as far as I can see, you’re in good health.” The doctors packed up their stuff and left.Once the two brothers were left alone, Desolas began to speak. “Brother, are you? Are you?” The older turian trailed off at a loss for words. Giving way to a brief silence as both brothers tried to think of something to say. “When I heard what had happened, I came here as soon as I could. Are you feeling okay?” The older turian was avoiding making eye contact with his younger brother.Saren couldn’t blame him. “I’m feeling better.” Saren said carefully.It was clear that both brothers were nervous about their conversation. If it could even be called that, as another uncomfortable silence fell over. After a bit, Desolas began to look over the room. His eyes landed on the empty tray of food next to Saren. “You’ve eaten.”Saren looked over to his tray and nodded. “Yes,” He said. “It was that synthetic meat that lets people like me eat.”Saren looked back at his brother, this time though the older brother did look him in the eyes. “You really are one of them now? Aren’t you?”“A dem-” Saren began before pausing. “A ghoul, yes.” He corrected himself.Desolas looked down, his fists balled up. “It’s that Terran’s fault.” He said angrily.Saren was taken aback, it was rare to see his older brother display his anger. “What?” He asked, getting over the shock.Desolas looked back up at Saren, his mandibles twitching with anger. “That terran friend of yours. Hidaki, I believe. It’s his fault you’re like this.” Desolas explained. “If he had been more attentive. If he hadn’t taken off your helmet. You wouldn’t be.” Desolas stopped his rant as he realized what he was about to say.“A fleshing-eating monster.” Saren finished for him.“I’m sorry,” Desolas said, looking ashamed. “I didn’t mean to.”Saren stopped him. “No, you’re right. I am a flesh-eating monster. It’s time I accept that.” Oddly enough, Saren felt relieved when he said that. Like a weight had been taken off his shoulders. At least a part of it was. He still had yet to figure out how he was going to live like this. Would the Hierarchy still allow him to serve in the military? Would he even be allowed to live in Turian space like this? That was something to think about for later. “Also, I don’t blame Hidaki for what happened.” That wasn’t true, a part of him did blame the man. When he first learned of his transformation from Hidaki, he had lashed out at the Terran. Looking back at the memory, Saren could see that his friend had remained remarkably calm through the whole thing, but he could see the hurt in his eyes. Desolas looked surprised for a moment. “But he was the one that.”Again, Saren did not let his older brother finish. “I don’t blame him, brother. There was no way he could have known what happened.” How could they have known that they would run into a Dragon General? Be forced to run from, losing almost a third of their force? How could they have known that one of them would come back as a monster? “Would you have done anything differently if you were in his place?” Saren asked his brother.Desolas looked like he was ready to answer. Then stopped himself, considering the question. “No.” He said in a defeated tone. He went over to a nearby table and leaned in on it with both his hands. His head moved down, seemingly laying out his thoughts on the table and examining them. After a minute, he looked back up. “From what I read of his report of that of others. He was just trying to examine you, make sure you were alright.” He said, pushing himself off the table. “Nothing wrong with that. A good commander should keep the well-being of the soldiers under his command in mind.” Desolas looked at his younger brother, having an expression on him that Saren had not seen in a long time. Not since Saren had joined the Hierarchy military. One of a caring older sibling. “I guess I was just looking for someone else to blame.”“Someone else to blame?” Saren asked, uncertain where his brother was going.The older turian nodded. “Yes, someone who I could take all of my frustrations out on. Ideally, they would be a person who I could get to. Otherwise, I probably would be blaming the Dragon General and the rest of his ilk.”
Saren was confused, he had never seen his brother like this. The man had always been a confident man with an aggressive attitude. Seeing lamenting like was new to him. “Why do you want to blame others?” Saren asked.Desolas looked away from him. “Because if I don’t, all I’ll have left to blame is myself.” Saren felt his mandibles stop twitching. His brother looked back at him. “You’re like this because of me. I supported the mission and signed the orders myself. If I had known you would be there, and that this would have happened to you, I would have never supported it. Or, at the very least, made sure you were never assigned to the mission.”Saren had never known his brother to regret anything, let alone an order her had given. “But, brother, I am a soldier. I know my duties. As my commanding officer, you had every right to support the mission.” His brother had taught him that the chain of command was to be respected and that sometimes sacrifices had to be made. Seeing his brother regret his decision to support the operation against the Dragon’s Den was a shock to him. “There was no way you could have known that I would have ended up like this. Even if you did, you still would have had your duty to the Hierarchy to pass the operation through.”His brother remained silent for a long time, Saren thought he saw a proud glint in his eyes. “Your right, Saren. As your commanding officer, I did exactly what was required of me. If I had to choose between you and saving the Hierarchy, I would always choose the latter. In that regard, I have not failed.” Desolas began to walk up to Saren’s bed. “But as your brother, I’ve failed.” The older Arterius sighed. “I may not have shown it, but I do care about you, Saren. You’re my brother, and out of all of our family members, you’re the closest I feel too.” Saren almost flinched when his brother sat down next to him. “Brother, you shouldn’t.”Desolas cut him off. “Don’t worry, Saren. I trust you won’t hurt me.”Saren gave his brother a hesitant look before nodding. Thinking about what Desolas said, he was not surprised that his brother thought that way. Throughout his life, his brother had always been the one to take care of him. His parents were there sometimes, but their duties had kept them away. However, it was his brother that taught him what it meant to be turian, taught him what a good soldier looked like. Looking back at his younger memories, Saren realized that his brother had made time for him. Even sometimes skirting around his own responsibilities. “You’ve done a lot for me.” Saren said. “You were the one that took care of me when our parents weren’t there. You made sure I was never alone, and I’m grateful for that.” He understood his brother was not the easiest man to get along with. He was a strict and by-the-books person who had little patience in the way of social interactions. A trait that seems hereditary.“I have.” Desolas responded. “Your right. There was no way I could have known that you would have been on that mission, nor did I know that you would have an encounter with the Dragon General.” It probably wouldn’t help to point at they didn’t encounter the Dragon General at eh D-Den. But had the misfortune to encounter it in the city as they were withdrawing. “And I certainly couldn’t have known that you would be turned into a ghoul.” Desolas looked him directly in his blackened eyes. “Even still, I can’t help but blame myself for it.”“You shouldn’t dwell on the past, brother.” Saren, realizing that he should be doing the same. “The past cannot be changed, and the decisions we have made are set in stone. The only thing we can do is learn from them and try to move on. My friend Hidaki, the one you tried to blame earlier, told me that the future is not written.”Desolas hummed. “Wise words.” He said, looking away. “Regardless of what has happened. You are still my brother and not the monster most would think you to be. I will support you in whatever decision you will make.” He got up from the bed. “Once you have recovered from this ordeal, and I know you will. If you choose to stay in the military, I will do whatever I can to let you continue your service.”Saren had to think about that for a moment. Did he even want to continue his service in the Hierarchy military with the way he was now? Would they even allow him to? And what would happen to his brother if he did throw his support behind him? He had a lot to think about. “I will have to think about that.” He said.Desolas looked at him for a moment before nodding his head. “Of course. Let me know when you have made your decision.” He began to walk away.“Brother.” Desolas stopped and turned around. “Yes?”“What if I choose not to continue my service?” Saren hesitantly.“Then I will continue to support you.” His brother said. Then he walked out of the room, leaving Saren alone with his thoughts. He had a lot to think about. April 9th 15:00, Citadel, Federation Diplomatic Enclave “Lastly, my government wishes to set up an officer exchange program.” The turian ambassador said.Goyle hummed at the proposal the man had made, jolting whatever notes came to mind. As expected, the Turian Hierarchy wanted to have closer military ties with the Federation. Mostly jointed military exercises, exchange of certain military technologies, and even signing a separate defense agreement from the one they had already signed with the Citadel. Though they did want trade relations and technological exchange, but that was secondary. “I think this is quite reasonable. Admiral, any thoughts?” She turned her head over to Admiral Zimmerman.Anticipating that the Turians wanted to talk more about military matters, Goyle called the admiral in to advise her. “I say it’s a good deal, Ambassador Goyle. With this, we’ll have closer ties with our allies.”“Then, your people will agree to this?” The turian ambassador asked.Admiral Zimmerman nods. “Yes, though it will still have to go through the Federation Council and be approved by the military leadership.” “Not to mention, the finer details will still have to be hammered out before a final agreement can be reached.” Goyle explained. The turian ambassador nodded. “Understandable, my people will eagerly await your response.”“I’ll be sure to transmit your proposal to the Federation Council later this day. Hopefully, they’ll have a response in a couple of days.” Goyle.“Goyle, I wish to have a copy of that proposal.” The admiral asked. “That way, I can send it up the chain of command and let them review it.”Goyle nodded at the man. “I was just thinking the same thing.” She responded.The turian ambassador looked pleased with the outcome. “I’m glad this meeting was a productive one. I look forward to more talks with and your people.”Goyle smiled at the man. “As do I, Ambassador Felril.”The turian ambassador adjusted himself in his seat. “Now then, in a message you sent me the other day, you said there was another matter you wished to discuss.”Goyle nodded. “Yes.” She turned her head to the admiral. “Admiral, you may go now. I’ll send you that copy soon.”The admiral stood up and saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.” He said before leaving the room.“What was it you wished to discuss?” the turian ambassador asked.“One-moment ambassador. There is one more person I would like to call in, as she’ll have some bearing on this matter.” Goyle activated her comm. “Davis, please send in miss Rela.”“Of course, ma’am.” Her secretary responded. “She’s on her way now.”“Thank you, Davis.” She deactivated the com and looked back at the turian ambassador. “Our friend should be here in a moment. In the meantime, would you like some refreshments?”The turian ambassador shook his head. “No, but thank you.”After a minute or two of waiting, the doors to Goyle’s office opened. A quarian woman walked in. “Ambassador Felril, this is Ambassador Rela’Tedal vas Ladir of the Quarian Republic.”The turian ambassador gave Goyle a questioning look, then looked over at the quarian ambassador. “A pleasure to meet you, Ambassador Tedal.” He said, sounding hesitant to greet the woman in such an official manner.The quarian ambassador gave the man a curt nod. “The pleasure is all my Ambassador Felril.” She said, taking a seat next to him.“Safe to assume, this had something to do with the quarian people?” The turian ambassador said.Goyle nodded her head. “You assume correctly, ambassador. This meeting came at the request of the Quarian Republic. As such, I will be acting as a mediator here.”“I see.” The turian ambassador said, turning to face the quarian woman. “What is it that your people wish to discuss with the Hierarchy?” He asked.“There are two items I wish to discuss with you, ambassador,” Tedal said. “Firstly, about our pilgrims within Citadel space. As you may already know, soon after the Terrans arrived at the Citadel, the Quarian Republic sent out a general order for all Pilgrims to make their way to the new homeworld.”The ambassador’s mandibles twitched thoughtfully. “Yes, I remember reading about reports that thousands of Quarian pilgrims have been traveling into Federation space. It was presumed they were traveling to your new homeworld.” “Yes, ambassador. Thousands have found their way to our new home and are actively helping establish a new way of life for the Quarian people. Unfortunately, thousands more have yet to make the journey.” “You have my sympathies, ambassador Tedal.” The turian ambassador said. “But I fail to see what this has to do with the Hierarchy.”“I was getting to that.” Tedal responded. “It has come to our attention that hundreds if not thousands of our pilgrims have been imprisoned or detained for questioning. I would like to negotiate a release for them and allow them to travel to the new homeworld. The Quarian Republic would consider it a great favor to us, and we are willing to pay any price to have them back. Within reason, that is.”The turian ambassador thought it over. “I see. Have you talked to the other races about this as well?” He asked.Tedal shook her head. “No, ambassador. The Terrans suggest that we talk to you first before going to the other races about this. They reasoned that if we managed to convince the Hierarchy to release the pilgrims they have in custody, the other races would be more inclined to do the same.”“Sound logic.” The turian ambassador said. “I might be able to convince my superiors to do this. However, it will be difficult to determine what form of payment will be used in exchange for the detainees we’ll call them for now. As a newly established government, the Quarian republic likely does not have much of an economy, so you cannot pay us in credits. Further, I imagine most of your resources are focused on developing your infrastructure. Am I correct?”The quarian ambassador nod. “Yes, ambassador.”“Most likely, we’ll have to release our detainees on the condition that the Quarian Republic pay us back at a later date.”“My people came to the same conclusion.” Tedal said. “Once we have established a functioning economy, we can start paying the Hierarchy back, and any of the other races if they released their detainees.”The turian ambassador nod. “This, of course, will have to be discussed by my superiors. They’ll have to weigh in their options, but I believe they can be convinced to release all of our detainees, up to a point.” He looked to Goyle. “Since the Quarian Republic is a protectorate of the Federation. I trust your people will convince them to make their payments when they’re due and incur penalties if they don’t.”Goyle slowly nodded. “So as long the payments and penalties are within reason. Yes.” She said.“There is one thing we might be able to offer right now.” Tedal said. “However, I have to ask, what do you mean by releasing all detainees up to a point?”“We won’t release those accused or convicted of a major crime.” The turian ambassador explained.Goyle raised an eyebrow at this. “Ambassador, elaborate on what you mean by major crime.” She said carefully, looking over the man.“Crimes such as murder, violent assault, and smuggling of contraband.” The turian ambassador said. “We can’t let individuals like that go free.”“I guess that is reasonable.” The quarian ambassador said, sounding unsure.” She looked over at Goyle, silently asking her for help.Goyle picked up on it. “Ambassador Felril, is it possible that those detained on major crimes can be released as well?”The turian ambassador gave Goyle an incredulous look. “Surely you don’t mean say we should let criminals like those go free.”The quarian ambassador bristled at the comment made by the turian. Goyle shot her a look that stopped her from doing anything rash. “Of course not, Ambassador Felril.” Goyle knew the man would react that way. There was no way the man would allow all the quarians held for major crimes. Disappointing, but understandable. So would do what most good negotiators did, she offered a compromise. “But perhaps not all of the major offenders have to be released. Surely you can have those accused of non-violent crimes can be released?”The turian ambassador looked like he was carefully thinking about her offer. “I might be able to do that. However, it most come with one condition.” He said, looking from Goyle and to Tedal. “If we release all major offenders who have been convicted of non-violent crimes, they will not be allowed to set foot in Turian space again. If they do, they will be arrested on the spot. Furthermore, if they enter Citadel space again, they will be closely monitored.”Goyle looked over at Tedal to how she would react. The quarian woman nodded at her. “I can agree to that.” She said to the turian ambassador. Goyle smiled at the woman, glad she had so easily agreed to the condition. Then again, thinking about it, she imagines most of those quarians will have no desire to return to Citadel space, let alone turian space.“Good.” The turian ambassador said. “Now, what was this thing you said can offer up now?”“Star charts.” The quarian ambassador said.A look of interest appeared on the turian ambassador’s face. “Go on.”“Before it settled on our new homeworld, the migrant fleet traveled the stars for over the three hundred years. In that time, it has traveled to countless star systems to find resources and to avoid danger. Because of that, we have extensive and detailed star charts of hundreds of systems. Even ones that the Citadel has yet to chart and even the discovery of new mass relays.”“I trust you never opened any of these?” The turian ambassador said.Tedal shook her head. “No, but we did send probes past them. So, we have a good idea where they lead.” She looked over at Goyle. “It was a part of a contingency plan. That should the known galaxy become too dangerous for the fleet, we would go through one and hoped to find a new home. We actually came close to doing that before a Dragon Orphan fleet drove us into Federation space.” Tedal looked over back at the Turian ambassador. “We are willing to hand over these star charts as part of the payment for the release of the detained quarians.”The turian ambassador’s mandibles twitch thoughtfully. “Those star charts would be a major boon for the Hierarchy. It could help us secure new resources and find new worlds to colonize, and with the discovery of new relays and knowing where they lead.” He trailed off as he thought over the benefits of the deal. “That alone would be more than enough to secure the release of all detainees.”“I was hoping that you would say that.” The quarian ambassador said. “But if further payment is necessary, we will go with it. We just want our people back.”The turian ambassador nodded at her. “That I can understand. But with these star charts, that may not be necessary.” “Thank you, ambassador Felril.” Tedal said, activating her Omni-tool. “As a sign of good faith, I’ll go ahead and transmitted a few of these star charts to your office for your people to investigate.”The turian ambassador looked surprised for a moment before nodding. “Thank you, Ambassador Tedal. I’ll be sure that my people look into those systems right away. Now then you said there were two items you wished to discuss with me?”Tedal nodded. “Yes, ambassador. The second matter also has something to do with my people. Namely feeding them.”The turian ambassador looked intrigued. “Go on.” He said, beginning another long discussion. April 12th 17:20, Brytus: Hidaki had been walking down the halls of the base when he saw Saren. The young turian was standing in one of the training areas, the top half of his armor gone. Behind were a few people dressed in lab coats, and guards stood nearby. Hidaki noted that they were all terran.Hidaki debated if he should go over there and greet his friend. At least he hoped they were still friends. Saren’s hateful rant from a few days ago was still fresh on his friend and cut just a deep. He understood why Saren had done that, the young turian had just gone through a traumatic experience and needed an outlet. Hidaki just had the misfortune to be that outlet. Since then, he had avoided visiting Saren, understanding he needed some space. However, Hidaki knew that he would have to talk to Saren eventually. He thought it over for a few more moments before deciding to speak to the turian. He walked up the where the doctors were. One of them, a woman a few years older than him, noticed him approaching.
“Lieutenant,” She said, sulating him. Hidaki returned the gesture. “Are you here to observe our patient?” Hidaki nodded. “Yes, he’s a friend of mine.” He said slowly. The doctor caught onto his uncertainty and raised an eyebrow. “We served together.” Hidaki explained. “I was there when he was turned, and I was there when he woke up.”“Ah, I see.” The woman said, likely having pieced together what happened. “Well, you’ll be happy to know your friend here has been doing well.” She said, turning to face the turian. “So, far, there have been no complications.”Hidaki nodded, happy to hear that Saren had been doing fine during his stay at the hospital. “How has he been handling his situation?” He asked.The doctor had a look on her that face that made Hidaki uncomfortable. “From the reports I have read, he has calmed down considerably since he first woke up. Thus far, he has not acted violently towards the hospital staff and has been passive.” Hidaki was happy to hear that but could see where her concerns laid. “He claims he has accepted his situation.”“But you believe otherwise.” Hidaki stated.“The reports also correlate with my suspicions.” The doctor said, keeping her eye on Saren. “I believe that the young man is still struggling to understand what has happened to him and what life will be like going forward.”Hidaki nodded his understanding. “I can’t imagine what he is going through.” It had to be special hell. Waking up one day as something wholly different than what you were. Having thoughts, feelings, and urges that were alien to you. Hidaki could imagine going through something like that. His mind went to the journals his ancestor, Kaneki Ken wrote, and had to wonder. The feelings he felt after being transformed into a half-ghoul were they the same ones that Saren felt now? The doctor continued with her explanation. “That said, I do believe he is on the right path to recovery. The other day his brother a General Desolas Arterius, I think, came to visit him.” The doctor looked at Hidaki. “They had a private conversation. Whatever it was they discussed, it seems to have done wonders for Saren.” The woman had a smile on her lips. “I believe given enough time and patience; I believe your friend will make a full recovery. Mentally speaking, that is.Hidaki looked down at the floor, hiding a small smile. “I guess what he needed was some help.” He said. “I thought maybe he needs his space. Maybe I was wrong about that.”He looks back up, seeing the doctor giving him a hard stare. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Lieutenant. Perhaps giving him that space is what allowed him to respond so well when his brother visited.”“Really?” Hidaki said unintentionally, letting his hope slip out.“Yes.” The doctor said. “What I’m getting at is that you shouldn’t hesitate to talk to your friend. It may help more than you think.”Hidaki smiled at the woman. “I’ll think about that.” He was going to do more than just think about it. Once Saren was done here, he would talk to the young turian. “Thank you, doctor. You’ve helped more than you realize.” The doctor nodded at him. “No need to thank me. I was just doing my job to ensure the well-being of my patient.” She looked over at Saren, who seemed ready to do something. “It’s funny, really.”“What?” Hidaki asked.“Our two species evolved on two different planets, separated by thousands of light-years, in different corners of the galaxy.” She turns back to Hidaki. “Yet, we almost all of the same mannerisms. Certainly, there are differences, but there is enough overlap in behavior that I can make such an assessment. One would think that the way we think about things would be too different to ever be able to predict what others think and feels.”Again, Hidaki understood where she was coming from. For much of their existence, humans (and ghouls) were afraid that when they did meet other beings, they would be too different to be understood. That they would not be able to find common ground and build relations with each other. Now though, the Terran people understood that alien life would not be so different as they feared. Even if it was, there was always the hope that understanding could be reached. “I say it’s a good thing. It proves that we have more in common than we have in differences.”“Indeed.” The doctor said. “Well, it looks like they’re about to begin.”“Begin with what?” Hidaki asked.“The testing of Saren’s Kagune.” The doctor said. She up to her colleges, with Hidaki following close behind. For the first since getting here, he noticed that they had set up a scanning apparatus. On the display, Hidaki could see the readouts on Saren’s vitals.“His Kagune?” Hidaki questioned. “What kind does he have?” He tried to find were his Kakuhou was. He found it around the center of his back, between where a Kokaku and a Rinkaku would be. Did that mean you had both? No, if he did, then they would be two separate organs instead of one.“This one is different from anything a terran ghoul would have.” The doctor said. “It appears that terran and alien ghouls don’t share all four types of Kagune. In fact, the Rinkaku, as far as we can tell, is unique to terran biology.” She explained. “The other three types appear in the other races. Though not all races have all three types. For example, the Turians have Bikaku and Kokaku ghouls. Whereas the Asari have Ukaku and Bikaku. The Salarians only have Ukaku ghouls along with whatever their unique kagune is.”Hidaki nodded he had read about that somewhere. Though he never met an alien ghoul until Saren happened. “So, what is his Kagune?” He asked more carious than before.“We call it Sekkaku. Meaning Red-leg.” The doctor said.“Red-leg?” Hidaki quires.“You’ll see in a moment. Saren, we’re going to begin the test. Be ready to bring out your Kagune.”“Yes, ma’am.” Saren responded. “How do I bring out my Kagune?” He asked after a brief pause.Hidaki was the one to answer. “Try to focus on where your Kokaku is.”Saren jolted with surprise and turned around to face Hidaki. “Hidaki? What are you?”Hidaki cut off his question. “Just seeing how you are doing.” Hidaki said, trying to keep the awkwardness out of his voice. “We can talk later. For now, focus on this test of yours.”Saren looked at him for what seemed like hours. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. He nodded and turned back to face some targets that had been set up.Hidaki held back a sigh of relief. That was certainly a better interaction than they had last time. “Alright then, as I was saying. Focus on where your Kokaku is, that should be around the center of your back.”“I think I got it.” Saren said after a moment. “Now what?”“Now, imagine something growing inside it. Feel your Rc cells nit and weave together to form a structure.”“I think I got something.” On his back, Hidaki could see small slits opening up, four of them.“Good,” Hidaki said. He saw the doctors began to operate the scanner, keeping hushed whispers between each other. “Now try to push that structure out. Feel it grow out from the Kokaku and into your back. Feel muscle and skin open up, allowing your Kagune to move outside of your body.” “I feel it. I think I can feel it.” Saren said in an almost excitable voice. Hidaki could see the kagune breaching through Saren’s back. Four red spikes forming and trying to shoot out.“Now then. Just keep pushing. Let your Kokaku do all the work. Just keep pushing as it forms.” Hidaki could feel his own excitement forming. It was a rare treat to witness a ghoul forming their first Kagune. Usually, a special moment that was shared between child and parent, being up there with their first time walking or their first words. Deep down, Hidaki hoped he would be able to see his son’s first Kagune. “That’s right, just keep pushing.”“I’m trying.” Saren said through a strained voice. The kagune was slowly growing out.“You’re doing great, Saren.” Hidaki said. “We can see your kagune forming now, four of them. Just keeping going. Focus.” “I’m trying to ahhh,” Saren screams out as the four kagune shoot out from his back.Rip! Crack! Rip! Crack!Rip! Crack! Rip! Crack!Hidaki blinked once. Twice. Then he took in what he saw. Four red kagune had shot out and bent forward to where Saren was facing. They were long and spindly like a spider’s leg. Saren, too, seemed to be mesmerized by them. He runs a hand along on them. “They’re oddly beautiful.” He muttered.That was something that Hidaki could agree with. For their deadly nature, Kagunes were things of beauty. The doctors continued with their work. “The kagune of the subject as successfully emerged. Kagune type has been confirmed to be []. Rc levels are stable and holding.”“Performing measurements.”Hidaki tuned out the doctors’ back and forth analysis and kept his attention on Saren. The turian ghoul was busy testing the waters with his newly emerged kagune. Bending and moving them in a slow, methodical way. The young man was struggling to control them due to his inexperience. That was something Hidaki could understand. He had evolution to think for his instinctive control over his Kagune. Saren, though did not have that, for him, he had just latterly sported a new set of appendages. It would take some time before he could control them as easily as he would with his arms and legs. Hidaki intended to help him with that. A few minutes later, the next phase of the test began. “Alright, Saren. Seeing that you are already getting the hang of control, your Kagune. Try attacking the targets using only your Kagune.”“I’ll try.” Saren said before he charged at the targets. Closing in, he lashed out with his []. Again, the turian’s inexperience in controlling a kagune showed. The attacks from the spider leg-like structures were long, sweeping, and haphazard. Still, the targets were destroyed, if in a messy fashion. “Saren, trying using your kagune in stabbing motions.” Hidaki said as the idea formed in his head.Saren didn’t give a verbal response. But he did as Hidaki said. The kagune shot out from Saren and smashed into the remaining targets. With being prompted, Saren raised the targets up and smashed them back into the ground.“Interesting.” One of the doctors said. “Just as we predicted [], are well suited for stabbing and piercing attacks. Slashing attacks appear to only be effective if using tips of Kagune.”“We have some interesting information. We’ll run some more tests and compile it all together.” Another doctor said, the woman that Hidaki talked to. “Then we can compare it to other reports of turian ghouls who have []. Until then.” She looked at Saren. “Saren, that will be all for now. You’ve given us some good data to look over.”Saren turned to face the doctors and nodded. “I only did as I was told.”“Well, regardless, thank you.” The doctor said. “You can call back your Kagune now.”Hidaki was about to give some tips on how he could do that. When Saren’s kagune began to shrink in size and length before disappearing behind him. A moment later, he was rolling his shoulders.The Doctors seemed to be pleased by this. “Thank you, Saren.” A doctor said. “You can return to the hospital now. We’ll let you know when we need to run more tests.”Saren nodded. “Understood.” He said, moving over to pick up his hospital gown.“You won’t mind if I go with him?” Hidaki asked the doctors. “There are some things I wish to talk to him about.”“Go ahead.” The female doctor said, the others silently agreeing with her.Hidaki nodded his thanks and walked beside Saren. The turian had put on his gown when he turned to face him. There was an uncomfortable silence for a short time as the two tried to come up with something to say. “Hey, Saren.” Hidaki said, breaking the moment.“Hidaki.” Saren said almost as awkwardly.More silence. “How have you been doing?” Hidaki asked.“I’ve been doing better.” Saren answered.“That’s what the doctors told me.” Hidaki said with a nervous chuckle. Then he took a deep breath if this awkwardness continued, the conversation would go nowhere. “Saren, mind if I walk with you. There’s something I want to talk to you about.”Saren looked at him, his expression being unreadable to the half-ghoul. “If you are sure about that?”Hidaki thought about it. He thought back to when his friend woke up, how he had avoided him for the last few days. Could he really do this? Talk to him, and try to sort out what had happened? He wasn’t sure. “Yes.” But he was willing to try.Saren nodded. “Then walk with me.” April 14th 19:00, Citadel, Federation Diplomatic Enclave: “-Wheeze- Thank you, ambassador. These talks have been most fruitful.” “You have my thinks as well, Ms. Goyle.” “It was my pleasure, ambassador Kolus.” Goyle said to the volus ambassador. “And to you too, Mr. Victor.”The volus ambassador stood up from his seat. “I look -wheeze- forward to continuing these talks, -wheeze- with you, Mr. Victor. I believe this deal will -wheeze- be of great value to both of our companies.”Davis nodded. “As do I.”“Farwell -wheeze- I will be seeing both of you the day after tomorrow.” The Volus ambassador said before leaving.When the doors closed, Goyle leaned into her chair, letting out a loud sigh and rubbing her temples. Victor seemed to be amused by this. “Something troubling you, Madam Ambassador?” He asked.“Let’s just say economics isn’t one of my favorite things.” She said stilling rubbing her temples. Her head was hurting from all of the numbers that had been thrown around. The Federation’s economy was slowly being integrated into the galactic economy. Even though a rough value had been established for the Federation credit, the process was not smooth. Despite this, it did not stop companies big and small on both sides from wanting to negotiating deals with each other. For many, they saw whole new markets to be exploited, with demographics that had never been touched. A preverbal gold rush was in full swing, and the Federation Council had taken notice. Because of that, deals between major companies of the Federation and the Citadel were to be overseen by an official Federation representative. Goyle was one of them.“That much I can see.” Victor said. “Not many people can get a handle on those kinds of numbers. You did well.”Goyle resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “That’s not going to stop me from having nightmares about profit margins, tax breaks, and stocks tonight.” She said.Victor chuckled. “Look at the bright side, you only have to do this for another ten or fifteen years before the Federation Council goes back to letting companies do own negotiations.”“Yes, then it will be back to the backroom deals and hostile takeovers you people seem to enjoy so much.” Goyle said. Victor stood up and smiled at her. “Now, now, Madam Ambassador. I work for a reputable company. We would never dream of doing such.”“I’m sure you wouldn’t.” Goyle responded.“Now then, if you excuse me.” Victor said, walking up to the door. “I’ve got a report to make to the board.” He left.Again, Goyle let out a tired sigh. She was tempted to call it a day and return to her apartment. Where she would toss herself into bed and not wake up until next week. As exciting as it was to be a part of so many important and history-making negotiations, it was also very tiring. Today was no different.Talks with the Hanar and their client race the Drell had gone smoothly. Mostly just affirming that they had relations and some minor trade. The Hanar, for the most part, were content to keep their distance from the Federation. This was mostly because of the Federation’s willingness to use Ais. The Hanar worshiped the Protheans, or as they called them, the Enkindlers, as gods, and their warnings about the creation of Ais were treated with reverence. Despite this, the Hanar were willing to be cordial to the Federation and even asked if they send pilgrims to visit Prothean sites in their space. A simple matter that Goyle was certain that the Senate would go through with. The Drell were another matter. They had learned of the Federation’s advances in genetics and that they were far ahead of the rest of the Citadel space. Even the Salarians, who were known for creating the Genophage, had difficulty keeping up with Terrans. To put it shortly, the Drell ambassador had asked the Federation for help in treating or even curing Kepral’s Syndrome. An interesting prospect that Goyle knew the Council would likely take under advisement. If not for humanitarian reasons, then perhaps for the possibility of improving relations with the Hanar.Then came more talks with the Asari and Turians. Nothing new with them, just going over more details on the deals already proposed. After them came were talks between different Terran companies and Citadel-owned companies, mostly Volus. Now she had her last set of Negotiations with the Salarians. Goyle repressed a groan at the thought of having to talk to those overgrown lizards. Relations between the United Terran Federation and the Salarian Union would be best described as being chilly. The Former Salarian Councilor Toss had set much of the mood between the two powers. Even though he was removed and signs indicated the Dalatrass was trying to move the Union towards better relations with the Federation, the damage had been done. Most officials from the Union held a low opinion of the Terran people, believing them to be reckless and arrogant.Goyle sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Let’s get this done.” She muttered to herself.
She activated the comm on her desk. “Davis, send in our final guest.” She said.“They are already on their way, ma’am.” Davis responded.Just a moment later, the Salarian delegation walked in. “Thank you, Davis.” She said. She took one look at the Salarians, and already she knew this was going to be headache-inducing. She put on her best smile. “Welcome ambassador, what can I do for you today?” April 14th 22:37, Brytus, Hospital. The cool air of Brytus’s nighttime ran past Saren. Standing on the hospital’s roof, he stared up at the night sky. He had come here to be alone and to think. Ever since his transformation, he struggled to understand what his place would be in this galaxy. What would be his place in the Hierarchy? Would they accept someone like him into their ranks, or would they bare him from serving?He thought back to the conversation he had with his brother. Desolas had promised him that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Saren would be able to continue serving the Hierarchy if he chose to. His brother was a very influential man in the Hierarchy and highly respected, so there was a good chance he would uphold his word. Yet Saren had his doubts. What if he wasn’t able to convince the Hierarchy to let him continue his service? What if it somehow damaged his older brother’s reputation? What then?”Saren tried to think of all the possibilities that were open up to him if he couldn’t stay with the Hierarchy. C-sec seemed like a good alternative, but again he ran into the possibility that they wouldn’t accept a ghoul into their ranks. The same went for becoming a spectator, the Council was willing to take some questionable people in the Special Forces and Tactics, so as long they swore loyalty to the Citadel. But would they accept someone like him? Joining a mercenary group did not appeal to him in the slightest. Then another idea came to mind. One that surprisingly was given to him by Hidaki, his friend. Saren smiled he had talked to the Terran Lieutenant a few days ago. For a while, he had been afraid he had destroyed their friendship following his outburst. The way Hidaki had avoided him for days seemed to indicate that. It was a pleasant surprise to Saren that wasn’t the case.They had spent a while talking, Saren apologizing to him for his behavior when he woke up. Hidaki had been quick to forgive him. Saying that while he was hurt, he understood why he had lashed out at him. Saren felt good knowing that his friend had forgiven him, though it did not stop him from feeling guilty. After a while, their conversation had shifted from one topic to another. The mission’s impact on the squad, deployment of allied forces, what their next assignment would be, and even the local news. Eventually, they got to where Saren talked about his worries about the future.Namely, what he would do if he was forced to leave the armed forces of the Hierarchy. Hidaki had at first laughed this off, saying that the Hierarchy wouldn’t turn him away and that they would be foolish if they did. Saren though, had not been convinced. Seeing this, Hidaki made a surprising offer. Join the Federation. That had stunned Saren, and it still did. Serving in another race’s military, that was something he couldn’t wrap his mind around. Granted, there were organizations like C-Sec that were multi-species and various merc groups that accepted anyone willing to fight. But for the military forces of each race, they only accepted members of their race. Turians to the Hierarchy, Asari to the Republics, Salarians to the Union, and so on. To serve in another race’s military, like Hidaki proposed, seemed unthinkable.Hidaki even mentioned that in one of the transmissions he received from his family on Earth. There were talks of granting non-terrans full citizenship and not just residency like most other space-faring nations did. These terrans were very open to other races, in some ways more so than the asari. It was strange to think about.Yet, the idea had its merit. Saren had a desire to defend the galaxy from all threats. If the Hierarchy wasn’t willing to let him do that, he would have to offer his services. He even considered the possibility of striking out on his own.There was something else too. Saren grew out his kagune, the long red leg stretched out past his head. He was starting to get the hang of controlling these new limbs, but he knew he still had a long way to go. He ran his hand across one of the legs, still surprised at how smooth it was. The dragon orphans had done this to him, turned him into a monster. He looked at his cybernetic hand, yet another offense committed against him by the Dragon Orphans. His hand gripped into a tight fist and flexed his Kagune. They would pay for what they did to him. Now more than ever, he had a desire to see those monsters destroyed. “I will rid the galaxy of your plight.” He muttered to the wind.
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Chapter 23: Taking Taetrus November 17th 15:35, Mactare, Orbit over Taetrus: “Sir, we’re receiving an orbital strike request from the surface.” An officer reported.“Details.” The admiral said.“The 515th is encountering heavy resistance from the enemy. Multiple titans are confirmed to be bearing down on their position.”The admiral raised an eyebrow at that. Multiple titans certainly sounded like a problem. “Why are they calling in an orbital strike? Wouldn’t a bombing run do the same?”“They have already tried that sir.” The officer explained. “It proved to be ineffective. Now they are requesting an orbital strike on the enemy force.”The admiral nodded his head, understanding the situation now. “Very well, then. Request for orbital strike approved. Have the Cloud Rider move into position and fire when ready. Be sure to inform the 515th that they will have to withdraw to a safe distance.”“Relaying the order now, sir.” The officer responded.The admiral nodded and directed his attention back to his own battle. “Statues on the enemy fleet?”“Over half of the enemy fleet has been destroyed, sir. But they are still trying to break through our lines.”Of course, they were. A month ago, a campaign was launched to drive the Dragon Orphans out of Citadel space and back into their Batarian held systems. After more than a year of holding the line, the allied forces decided it was time to go on the offensive and start taking citadel space back. Within weeks whole systems had been liberated with their D-Orphan populations driven out or exterminated. Taetrus, for obvious reasons, was a top priority, so a large force had been allocated to the effort to fully liberate the planet. With the planet free, the Dragon Orphan infestation would free up the majority of its forces, allowing them to be redeployed to other fronts in the campaign. The Dragon Orphans were aware of this and were determined to keep their forces bottled up in the Mactare system. “Sir, the Turian 4th fleet has just entered the system along with elements of the 6th fleet.” The admiral nodded. “Good, with their help, we can finally end this battle.” He hoped that things were going just as well on the surface. November 17th 15:57, Taetrus: “Get down!”Boom!Anderson was almost sent back as a gunship crashed down. He got to his hands and feet, feeling the world around him shaking. He felt a strong set of hands lift him up to his feet. “Are you alright, Anderson?” Nihlus asked.Anderson nodded his head. “I am Nihlus, just a little shaken up. What of the pilot of that gunship?” He asked, looking over at the flaming wreck.“I can’t tell, sir.” Nihlus responded. “But I think they may still be alive.”“Then let’s help them out before that changes.” Anderson grabbed his rifle. “Robert, Victor, cover us while we get that pilot out.” He ordered his soldiers.“Rodger that.”Anderson and Nihlus nodded at each other and set out to do their job. Avoiding enemy fire, Anderson jumps up in front of the cockpit of the gunship. As Nihlus said the pilot was still alive and struggling to get out. “Hold on, soldier. I’m getting you out of here.” He said, placing a hand on the transparent material of the cockpit. The pilot took notice of his action and nodded at him. “Nihlus cover me. I’m going to try to get this man out.”“Just be quick about it.” Nihlus shouts back as he fires his rifle. “We may have the D-Orphans on the run. But the fighting is getting intense.”That was something Nihlus didn’t need to tell him. He could see that for himself. Days ago, they had launched a massive offensive driving the Dragon Orphans back. Whatever ground the D-Orphans had when they arrived had been reclaimed. Eventually, being pushed back to the city where the Dragon’s Den had landed. Now they were fighting in the outskirts of that city, determined to fully drive the Dragon Orphans off the planet. Anderson turned his attention back to the pilot in the gunship. His eyes scanned along with the downed vessel’s cockpit, looking for any way of opening it. “Damn it.” Anderson cursed under his breath when he found nothing. He grabbed hold of his rifle. “Looks like we’ll have to do this the hard way.” He lifted the bud of his weapon up and nodded at the pilot. The man returned the gesture and shielded himself with his arms. A moment later, Anderson smashes his gun into the cock forming several cracks. Then he did it a second time, creating larger cracks. Then a third time, and a fourth time. Around the sixth time he brought his rifle down, the cockpit’s canopy finally gave way, shattering into thousands of pieces.Now having a large enough opening, Anderson reached in for the pilot. The pilot took his hand, and with some effort, Anderson pulled the man out. Swinging the man’s arm over his should, he helps him get down to the ground. “Think you, sir.” The pilot said through labored breathing. “I don’t know what I have done without your help.”“Just doing my duty as a soldier.” Anderson grunted. With Nihlus close behind, they made it to the others. Just as Anderson handed the pilot over to their field medic, a flight of bombers flew overhead. Moments later, they heard the telltale signs of them dropping their payload. “Make sure this man gets the proper care.” He orders the medic, receiving a nod. Anderson stood up and held his rifle out. “Come on, people, we got an offensive to push.” He shouted, signaling for his people to move forward. “Command wants a forward operating base in this area.”“You’ll think we’ll actually be able to take the city?” Nihlus asked him, running beside him. “Not today, we aren’t.” Anderson said. “This is their last stronghold on the planet. They’re not going to give It up without a fight.”“I just hope it doesn’t cost us a lot.” Nihlus commented. They took cover behind some rubble, avoiding a hail of Rc shards.It was a sentiment that David shared with his turian friend. They had already lost a lot of good people trying to get to the city, and he shuddered to think how many more they would lose in taking the city. “Their sacrifices will be remembered.” David said, his squad fired into the crowd of Dragon Orphans, cutting them down. They felt like hollow words in his mouth. “It’s our job to make sure they did not die in vain.”Nihlus nodded at him. “Then let’s get going.” They advanced. November 18th 05:35: “We have managed to take the outer edges of the city.” Commander Sanders reported. “It will take us another day or two before we can secure the area and move on with the offensive.”General Williams rubbed his chin. “Good to hear. Have the Dragon Orphans tried to retake their lost ground?”Sanders shook her head. “Nothing major, sir. There have been a few minor attempts. Thus far, none have succeeded. The Dragon Generals appears to be pulling back her forces to a more defensible position.”The terran general nodded at her. “Then our offensive is going as planned. If we can keep this up, we may be fighting at the Dragon’s Den within a few weeks.”That was something she wasn’t looking forward to. Assaulting the Dragon’s Den was going to be a blood bath. “We still have to take most of the city back, general. By the looks of it, we may need more forces to do that.” She explained her concerns.Generals Williams had a thoughtful expression as he considered her words. “We have met with considerable success across the planet, so I may be able to spare some forces your way. Not to mention the Turians are coming in with more transports full of soldiers. They are determined to fully retake this planet, and for that matter, so are we.”“That would be appreciated, general.” She said with a sigh of content. “The more people we have out here, the better chances we have of taking the city back.”“Noted, commander.” General Williams said. “For now, hold your position, and see about pushing the Dragon Orphans further into the city.”“Understood, Sir.” Commander Sanders said, saluting her superior. The man returned the gesture before his image disappeared.Sanders relaxed as a voice called out to her. “I see your report went well. “Castis Vakarian said, walking up beside her. “The general was quite pleased with our success.” The half-ghoul woman responded. She brought up a display of the city.“Did you see about getting us more people out here?” The turian leaned on the terminal, his eyes fixated on the city’s image. Sanders nodded. “Yes, the general thinks he might be able to get some more soldiers to our front. According to him, we’ve had a lot of success across Taetrus.”Vakaraian’s mandibles twitched in a manner that indicated his satisfaction. “I’m not surprised, most of the other holdouts are smaller when compared to the forces here in the city. I’m surprised they even bothered with them since the biggest threat appears to be here.”“They didn’t want to risk our offensive being flanked by the enemy or them taking advantage of it by attacking our vulnerable positions. Anything that could put our attack at risk or slow it down.” Sanders explained. Her turian counterpart just hummed as his eyes continued to gaze at the city. “I guess that I can understand that. Regardless, when we receive our reinforcements, we can continue with our offensive.”Sanders nodded. “Even if for some reason the general can’t spare more people, your Hierarchy is sending more troop transports. Odds are most of them will be diverted to taking this city.”“Again, I’m not surprised. Taetrus holds a special place in the hearts of Turians everywhere. Reclaiming it would be a major boost to our morale.” Vakarian zoomed in on where the allied forces were holding their lines. “Until they arrive, we’ll have to reinforce our positions in case the Dragon Orphans try retaking their lost ground.”Sanders nodded her agreement. “Good news is the Dragon Orphans appear to be giving us some space to breathe. Our offensive must have them reeling if they’re not bothering to attack us.”Vakaraian’s mandibles twitched in worry. “What concerns me is what the Dragon General is doing. We’re closing in on her base of operations. Surely by now, she must be feeling the heat.” The Turian commander turned to face her. “Is there a chance that she will take to the front lines?”The thought of the Dragon General controlling the D-Orphans on Taetrus taking to the frontlines was a nightmare scenario Sanders had been dreading. Dragon Generals were a true terror on the battlefield, whole battalions could engage them and be slaughtered. If that happened, their entire offensive could collapse, and they would lose the city. “It’s a possibility.” She said carefully. “However, you must remember not all Dragon Generals are the same. Unlike the regular Dragon Orphans, they can have different personalities. Some are more aggressive than others, while others are more cautious.”Vakarian turned his attention back to the city image. He had the projection moved to where the Dragon’s Den was. “And our Dragon General appears to fall in with the latter category. I see what you mean.”Sanders nodded with a smile. “Yes, from what we’ve seen, the Dragon General appears to be more considerate in how she uses her forces. She’s used them in ways that most others wouldn’t.”“Still doesn’t stop her from throwing endless waves of those monsters at us.” Vakarian said bitterly.Sanders just shrugged her shoulders. “Different she may be. She’s still a Dragon General, and swarm tactics have always been their most effective strategy.” She said. “Still based on what we’ve seen of this one. She’ll most likely remain at the Dragon’s Den until we’re right on top of her. Then she’ll join the fight.” “That’s still going to be a nightmare to deal with.” Vakarian responded. “If we are going to have victory, we will need a plan. Are there any records in your people’s history that could give us a clue on how to deal with the Dragon-General?” Sanders sighed. “Once the offensive was announced, I poured over every record of engagements against Dragon-Generals. Trying to find a way we could beat the thing.”Castis turned to face the half-ghoul, folding his arms. “What did you find?”“Their tough bastards, that’s for certain. But they can be taken down.” Sanders began to work on the terminal. Bringing up the image of a flat plane with a single red dot in the middle. “Several tactics have been used to defeat a Dragon General. But they all boil down to one of three methods. First.” Several blue dots appeared on the plan and charged at the red dot. Most of them vanished as they touched the red dot. “Throwing waves of soldiers at them until the Dragon-General has been eliminated.” The red dot disappeared as it was swarmed. “So, in essence, overwhelm them by sheer weight of numbers.” The turian commander clarified. “Excuse me if I’m wrong, but aren’t we trying to avoid massive causalities?”Sanders shrugged. “Like it or not, it does work. The Dragon-Generals are dangerous, but they have their limits. That said, I would rather avoid having to do that.” She reset the simulation. “The second tactic you might like better.” This time a group of triangles appeared above the plane and flew over the red. As they came over it, small white dots crop from them and hit the red dot causing it to vanish. “We bomb the thing to dust, either with strike craft, artillery, or via an orbital strike. It may require sacrificing a city block or two, but I say the price would be worth it. They can after be rebuilt.”Vakarian nodded. “That one may actually work. If we can lure the Dragon General out, then that would save a lot of lives.”“The only downside is if she gets too close to our lines, we’ll run the risk of getting our own people.” Sanders explained. “Or if she somehow caught onto our plan, she’ll bugger out and retreat to the Dragon’s Den.”Vakaraian’s mandibles twitched in understanding. “I still say that’s better than the first tactic.” Then he paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him. “Say I’ve wondered why haven’t we tried destroying the Dragon’s Den with this tactic? Why haven’t you sent in a few wings of your bombers in to blast the thing? Or fire on it from orbit?”“It’s not as simple as that.” Sanders began to explain. She understood where the turian commander was coming from. It would have made their time on Taetrus if they simply bombed the Dragon’s Den into ashes. But things were getting in the way of that, both practical and ideologically. “Firstly, a bombing run on the Dragon’s Den would not work. Those things have surprisingly good air defenses.”“Air defenses?” Vakarian questioned. “I didn’t think those monsters had air defenses.“That’s because they only exist around the Dragon’s Dens.” The terran commander pointed out. “Get within a certain distance, and those things start to fire off a hail of Rc projectiles into the air, creating a no-fly zone. The only way to avoid it would be to have our bombers fly in low. You can see the problems with that.”“Bombers don’t have the maneuverability to move through a cityscape, and they can be picked off by ground forces. Gunships might be able to do it, but I suspect they don’t have the firepower.”Sanders nodded. “As for why we haven’t tried firing at it from orbit. Well, those things have tough outer shells. Short of a dreadnought’s main cannon, nothing getting through anytime soon.”“And we all know how my people feel about using a dreadnoughts cannon on a garden world.” Vakarian muttered. They would be able to take out the D-Den but at the same time destroy the city and deal irreparable damage to the ecosystem. “I understand why the citadel has such reservations.” Sanders said, with her mind drifting off the Citadel Conventions and a similar terran document. “The Federation as similar restrictions, unless it’s against an extreme threat, WMD’s cannot be used on garden worlds. Though those restrictions are lessened on less hospital worlds.”Vakarian remained silent for a while. He turned back to face the terminal. “I just don’t like the idea of having to sacrifice a whole city to gain a victory. There are still people in there, and our job is to protect them, not ruin their lives.”Sanders agreed with the sentiment if they started sacrificing the lives of those they were supposed to protect, then what were they fighting for? The realities of war made things foggy. “It’s not easy. Sometimes in war, tough calls have to be made. In our previous war with the Dragon Orphans, there were times when we had to sacrifice some of our cities to defeat them. A couple of times, we had to lay to waste to two of our planets.”The turian gaped at her in horror, and an unsettling silence fell over the room. “You destroyed two of your own planets?”Sanders slowly nodded as the details of that dark chapter in terran history surfaced in her mind. “I don’t quite remember the name of the admiral that was in charge. But he came to face to face with two of the worst infest planets in federation space. They were practically swarming with Dragon Orphans with numerous Dragon’s Dens. It was in his opinion that taking those two worlds back would have cost billions of lives. So, he chose to have his fleet fire nuclear weapons, blanketing their surfaces. When word got out of what he did, he took full responsibility and was disgraced. His actions are still hotly debated to this day.”The look of horror remained on the Turian’s face for about a second before he shook it off. “I hope we won’t have to resort to that.” “I share in that hope.” Sanders said, keeping her expression natural. “But we both know that in war, sometimes tough calls have to be made.”Vakarian turned back to the terminal, leaning in on the piece of technology. “Every day, I wish that these things never existed. That they never invaded Citadel space.”Sanders remained silent for a moment, thinking over the man’s statement. Finally, she spoke. “Vakarian, that is a wish that I and every other Terran alive share. The Dragon Orphans were born from a dark chapter in Earth’s history. They have been a source of shame for my people for almost four centuries.” She turned her back to the terminal. Crossing her arms, she leaned back, careful not to disrupt the controls. “The old conflicts between humans and ghouls are not remembered fondly by most. If some had it their way, they would erase that history and pretend it never happened. It is the main reason why we are out there. The Dragon Orphans are our responsibility, monsters of our own making.” Vakarian was looking at her now, an almost apologetic expression on his face. “But do you know what the most damning thing about them is?” She looked over at her turian friend. “If it weren’t for them, humans and ghouls may not be as close as they are now.”“What do you mean?” Vakarian asked.Sanders smiled. “Before the Dragon Orphans attacked, there was still a lot of tension between humans and ghouls. Even though great progress had been made towards co-existence, there was still a lingering resentment between the two races. Both sides had committed horrific acts in the name of survival. People were not inclined to forget that or let it go.”“So, if wasn’t for the war against the Dragon Orphans back on your homeworld. There may have never been a lasting peace?” Vakarian summed up.The half-ghoul shook her head. “Not necessarily. Looking back, the signs were there that we were progressing towards a peaceful co-existence, but it would have taken much longer. Perhaps even generations.”The turian’s mandibles twitched thoughtfully. “All things considered; I think I still would have preferred to live in a galaxy where they never existed.”“Maybe so.” She stood up and turned back to face the terminal. The smile Sanders had was genuine this time.“Now, then you mentioned a third tactic?” Vakarian said, changing the subject. Sanders nodded. “Yes, I did.” She reset the simulation and readied the third. Sic small blue dots appeared around the red dot, they had the letters SF on them in white. “The third tactic that has been used to defeat Dragon generals: and the most successful is the deployment of special forces.”“Special forces?” Vakarian repeated. “Like the Salarian’s STG, or my people’s Black Cabals?”“Something like that.” Sanders responded. “In this case, we deploy,” She paused for a moment as the name of the Special Forces group came up. “We deploy Investigators.” A look of recognition morphed across the turian commander’s face. “They’re the top members of the Dragon Hunter Corp. While they are deployed in several situations, their primary purpose is the elimination of Dragon Generals.” The small blue dots charged at the red dot. A moment later, it blinked out with most of the blue dots. Though even with their training, odds are most, if not all, will not survive the battle.” She deactivated the simulation and brought the city back up.
“Is there a chance that we can get our hands on one or two of those units?” Vakarian asked.“They may already be here.” Sanders explained. “With our forces closing in on the Dragon’s Den, they’ll have ample opportunity to engage and defeat the Dragon General. Once she’s dead, the rest of the swarm will fall into chaos without her direction.”“And that’s when we’ll have our chance to finish this.” Vakarian said.“Indeed. Until then, we have our duty.” She closed in on where their forces were. “If we can keep the pressure up, on the Dragon Orphans, the better chances they’ll have of getting to her.”“And the sooner we can end this spirits forsaken war.” November 26th 18:02: “Get down!” A soldier shouted.His united responded in time, dropping to the ground, just as a large piece of rubble sailed over their heads. The unit behind them was not much luck, as they were squished by the impact. Close by, two tanks fired on the offending brute, turning it into chunks.“Let’s move.” The commanding officer shouted as the rest of the army rushed past them. The unit got to their rushed in. Over a week into the campaign, the combined forces of the Citadel and the Terran Federation were making a push towards the Dragon’s Den.As expected, the Dragon Orphans were fighting ferociously, making the allied arm pay for every city block they took. It didn’t help they had little air support as they were within the perimeter of the den’s air defenses. But a line of artillery at the back of their lines and low-hanging gunships helped mediate that problem. The army pushed forward past the thousands of dead Dragon Orphans, taking city block after block. The Dragon Orphans, for their part, were doing everything they could to halt or slow down the advance.Without warning, a figure jumped at the advancing army. It landed between two squads of soldiers, a moment later, they were dead. The figure was quickly identified as a Dragon Lieutenant. This gave the combined army a moment of pause.The Dragon Lieutenant took full advantage and lept further into the army. Only to be intercepted by two figures, both lashing out with Kagunes. The Federation had anticipated the possibility of Dragon Lieutenants and Captains joining the battle.In response, they deployed several special units trained to engage and defeat the lower variants of the Dragon Generals. They were not as powerful as the infamous Investigators, who were trained and equipped to fight Dragon Generals, but they proved to be up to the job.As such, the Dragon Lieutenant found itself on the backpedal as it tried to fight off the newcomers. The remaining allied forces came back to their senses and pressed on with the attack on the swarm. Then just as the D-Lieutenant was going in for what it thought was a killing blow on one of its attackers, it fell to the ground. Its upper torso having been separated from the rest of its body. Both figures stood over the dying creature. Once they confirmed the monster’s death, they joined the rest of the army in the assault. Across the city, the same scene plays out. Dragon Lieutenants or Captains would attempt to push back the allied armies. Only to be attacked by the specialist units and be killed or forced back most of the time. Sometimes the creatures would succeed in killing their attackers but would be left in a state that the rest of the army would finish them off. Still, despite the progress made by the allies, their advance to the Dragon’s Den was slow going, and they were being made to pay for every city block. November 27th 01:27, inside the Dragon’s Den: Larkin was not a happy Dragon General right now. Her plan to have the progenitors and the others spread their forces thin across the world had failed. Now they were pressing in on her den. Thousands of her children were dying now to keep the attacking force at bay. But she knew it would only be a matter of time before they breached her den, and she would have to do battle against them. She was confident in her ability to slaughter vast numbers of them, but she was no fool.Larkin growled to herself, trying to think of ways to slow the attacking force or even stop it. They would eventually kill her, and her swarm would be left without guidance. In that state, they would be easy pickings for their enemies. But no matter what she thought of, the result would always be the same. The battle for this world was lost.As much as she hated to admit it, she had been defeated. Now she had a decision to make. Should she join the battle and take as many of the progenitors and others with her when she died? Or retreat from this world? If she went with the second choice, she would have to live with the stigma of being forced back by their enemies. The other Dragon Generals may even try to kill her for her weakness. She clenched her fist as anger boiled over her. She would kill them if they tried, remind them why she was one of them.Though as she understood it, much the same was happening across the stars. On other worlds, her brothers and sisters were being pushed back by what they had once thought of as weak prey. Some may even have been forced to do what she was thinking about now. A Ruthful smile formed on her lips. They all had underestimated their prey, their enemy, even she. They thought the others and progenitors as weak and fragile. They did not see them as a threat, only something to be devoured. Prey could not oppose the predator. It was the natural order of the universe. But that was not so. Sometimes the prey could kill the predator. Larkin took a breath and sighed, looking up at the ceiling of her chamber. She felt a presence enter. She looks down, seeing one of her lessers. The progenitors would have called him a Dragon-Captain. She had sent most of her lessers out to slow the advance of the enemy.The lesser kneeled. “Lady Larkin.” He said. “The progenitors and the others have breached the final defense line. They will soon arrive at the den.”Larkin pursed her lips. She had little time left to make a decision. She stood up from her throne. “Ready yourself for,” She began. She was cut off as the sound of flesh separating from flesh reached her ears. The lesser fell over his head, falling off in a different direction.Barely a second later, her instincts screamed at her to jump back. Without a thought, she did as they said. She felt something glide across the surface of her neck. Then she twists around, avoiding another attack, this one aimed at her side.In a bid to gain some room, she jumps down from her throne and lashes out with her kagune. Several red tails emerged from her back and struck at her throne. Whoever her attacker was, they were quick and jumped out of the way. Her instincts screamed again, she twisted in the air avoiding several projectiles.She landed on her feet. The sound of other feet hitting the ground reached her. Without having to look, she already knew she was surrounded. She looked up and around to see who would dare to attack her in her den. Six figures surrounded her, all of them progenitors. They all had the scent of ghouls, but there was something off about them. They were somehow different from the progenitors that were more like the swarm. They did not have the weapons that most of their kind had guns she believes they are called. Instead, they had large silvery objects that gave off a familiar smell. The smell reminded her of her kagune. She stood up, giving the six figures a mocking smile. “Well, this is a surprise.” She said. “I didn’t expect to have guests so soon.” The figures did not respond. The Dragon General frowned at them. “You know it, it’s awfully rude to enter someone’s home unannounced.” Her eyes quickly shifted to the remains of her lesser, then darted back to her attackers. “And killing one of my servants is even ruder.”One of the figures lunged at her, his Bikaku shooting straight for her chest. Larkin easily sidestepped the attack and spun around, and kicked the man in the back, sending him flying towards a wall. The man, though, got control of himself and reoriented himself, landing his feet on the ground, skidding to a halt. “Now you attack me?” She continued with her speech. “What kind of guest are you?” The man charged at her again. This time he swung out the silver object. Larkin moved back just as a Kagune like weapon emerged from it, almost slicing her chest. The Dragon General did not stop moving, she felt two presences behind her.She danced around the coordinated attack from behind. Both figures were holding weapons like the other. In fact, all six figures now had those weapons that seemed so much like Kagunes. A faint memory surfaced in her mind, weapons harvested from the remains of the progenitors that were like her, ghouls. Quinques, weapons that were once used to kill ghouls but now are used to kill her kind. Moving around and parrying the incoming attacks, the Dragon General was able to get a good smell of them. She realized those things did not smell like her kagune or the ones used by ghouls. They smelt more like the projectiles fired by the weapons most progenitors used.One of the progenitors closed in her intending to slash at her stomach. Larkin smiled at the attacker’s mistake. Moving ever so slightly, she avoids the attack, and soon after, her hand was grasped around the progenitor’s head.The other progenitors stopped with their attack and stared at the sight before them. Larkin smiled at them. She began to squeeze her hand on her captive’s head. “Such rude guests.” She said as the cracking sounds reached her ears. Her captive struggles grew, Larkin squeezed harder, getting pained moans. “Looks like I’ll have to teach a lesson in manners.”Crack! Squash! Crack!Her captive went limp as their head was crashed. That spurred their comrades into action. Two of them leaped at her. Larkin throws the corpse at them; she then jumps into the air right behind it. She was planning to use her Kagune to cut through it and at her stunned opponents. She, however, did not expect to have the tables turned on her. She barely had time to register a kagune bursting through the corpse.Reacting quickly, Larkin threw her to dodge the attack. But she did not react quick enough. The Kagune slashed into her shoulder, and Larkin was forced to bite on her lip to keep a pained scream from escaping. She landed on the ground. Before she could catch her breath, several Rc shards flew her. Her Kagune flew into the air shattering the shards. But one managed to get through her defenses and pierced into her right knee. Her hand was held over her wound shoulder, which was not healing as quickly as it should. Removing her hand from the wound, she examined the blood on it. In the back of her mind, she vaguely registered the fact that it was her blood. She looked at her attackers as they slowly approached her. Her eyes shifted between them and the remains of the progenitors she killed seconds ago, an almost shocked expression on her face. She had not expected her enemies to defile the remains of their kind, so they get a hit in on her. They were almost like the swarm in their determination to kill her. Her eyes widened when her mind made that connection. One of the progenitors seemed to pick up on her thoughts. “Kill the Dragon General at all costs.” He said, his voice lacking any emotion.It was then that Larkin realized she had underestimated her enemies. She had expected her attackers to be soft, held back by the strange things they called morals, held back by their fear of her. These six, now five, were nothing like the other progenitors she had seen. They held no fear of her. In fact, not once in the battle did Larkin ever catch the faint’s scent of fear. These progenitors were fully determined to kill her at any cost. Even if it meant their lives or having to cut through the corpses of the fallen. Larkin gritted her teeth as her hand reached for the shard impeded in her knee. With a single jerk, she pulled out the shard and discarded it. She stood straight up, ignoring the pain from her still-healing shoulder and knee. She was done playing with her pr- enemy. Her Kagune swished around in the air. She waited for her attackers to make the first move.A progenitor charged at her, their Quinque and Kagune aimed at her body. The progenitor never realized they were dead. Three tails burst into and out of the attacker’s body. One in the head, one to the chest, and the third through the stomach. With a blink of an eye, she pulled her kagune outwards. The corpse exploded into a shower of blood and gore. Larkin looked at her four remaining attackers with a neutral expression. They, though, seemed unaffected, even as the blood of their deceased comrade dripped off their armor. The battle had entered a new phase. The four remaining progenitors charge at Larkin, who met them head-on. The battle descends into a flurry of attacks, dodges, feints, parries, and other actions. To the ordinary human eyes, it would have looked like a blur, as everything seemed to happen all at once. Rc shards were scattered everywhere, and gashes in the chamber opened.In this blur of action, Larkin was quickly put to her limit. These progenitors were faster and stronger than the ones she had seen before. She was the still the superior being in this fight, but with there being four of them, she struggled. She was glad that she had managed to kill the other two so early on, otherwise, she doubted her odds of surviving. Hell, even now, she had her doubts about coming out of this fight as the victor.Cuts, bruises, and other injuries littered her body. Wounds that she quickly realized were not healing as fast as they should. The weapons her attackers were using, they had something in them that was slowing her regenerative abilities. That was something she had to worry about. There was a very real possibility that she could bleed out. Larkin was almost tempted to laugh at the thought. A Dragon General like herself bleeding out to death? With how quickly they normally healed, she never had to worry about such a thing. She would be laughing right now if it weren’t so real to her right now.Good news was that she wasn’t the only one taking a beating in this fight. Her opponents’ armor showed gashes and indentations, the area around them painted with their blood. She even took the arm off one of them. Looking at them while weaving out of the way another attack, she noticed that some kind of black substance had enclosed itself around the stump. Once again, she had to admire her enemy’s tenacity. With only one arm to hold their weapon, the progenitor kept on fighting, but he was slowing. Larkin saw her opportunity to knock off another enemy.The one-armed progenitor lunged at her; arm held high to bring his weapon down on her. She moved out of the way, and her claws lashed out. They tore through armor, then into flesh and muscle. The progenitor let a pained noise.Larkin got behind her opponent and a tail out. The red tail impacted the man’s head, and it was torn away from the neck with little force. The head landed and rolled on one side while the body fell to another.Larkin, though, did not get the chance to savior her kill. Two of the remaining attackers charged at her. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the dead man’s weapon and blocked the incoming attacks. Shocked noises escaped from her enemies. Larkin smirked. She pushed up with all her strength, sending her attackers back into the air. They landed and jumped back again, coming side to side with the other remaining progenitor. Larkin was breathing heavily now, but at least now she had a chance to steady it. Her opponents evidently had been thrown off by her actions a second ago. Her eyes looked around. Their battle had taken them out of the chamber and into one of the many corridors within the nest. Where in the nest they are, she couldn’t tell. Her eyes then landed on her newly acquired weapon. Her hand was wrapped around a cold metal rod, and at the end of it was a large tail-like kagune. It wasn’t like her tails. It was longer and thicker. A word surfaced, a Bikaku. She gave the weapon a twirl and a few quick slashes. It was lighter than she thought but still heavy. She turned her attention back to her opponents. She smirked, seeing that they were still trying to process what was happening. She held out the weapon, pointing it at them. This seemed to shake them out of their shock. “I take back what I said earlier.” She said. “You really are good guests. Bringing me such a nice gift. I’ll be sure to put it to good use.”This angered one of the attackers as they let out a scream and charged her. “Wait!” One of her comrades said. But too late.The progenitor went in for the attack. Larkin’s smile grew, in a swift motion, she lunged her weapon out. She wasn’t used to using it yet, so the attack came out sloppy. But it still did the job. The quinque smashed into her opponent’s, stopping her attack altogether and sending them stumbling back. Larkin did not give the progenitor a chance to recover. Her kagune tore into the woman’s stomach, coming out on the other end. Blood splashed on her helmet from the inside. With a twist, Larkin smashed the progenitor into a nearby wall. Larkin closed the distance shot her hand out. Her claws dug into her victim’s chest and, with a quick pull, ripped her heart out. Larkin looked at the still-beating organ for a second before she closed her hand around it, and it exploded.Larkin removed her Kagune, allowing the dead woman to slide down the wall. Larkin looked back at the two remaining progenitors. She smiled when she smelt the strong scent of anger coming off them. She faces them, with her weapon held behind her.Both figures readied themselves. Larkin charged at them, feeling invigorated. Now that there were two of them, she felt the odds had finally turned in her favor. Her quinque met with theirs. The two were forced back as Larkin kept up her relentless attack both from her weapon and her kagune. The Dragon General powered through her tiredness and pain. If she could keep up her attack, she would be able to overpower her attackers and kill them. Only then would she allow herself to relax. They came into a large chamber, not her throne room. Larkin swung down her quinque, fully determined to crush one of her opponents. Her eyes widened when she saw a small cylindrical object land at her feet. She jumped back, narrowly avoiding the explosion of fire and metal. Several shards tore into her arms and legs. Hot searing pain shooting through her, Larkin held back a scream. Her ears were ringing the noise of the explosion. Recovering as quickly as she could, Larkin shot her opponents a hateful glare. When she was about to make a retort, her enemy did something strange. Both figures looked at each other and nodded. They looked back at her and dropped their weapons.Warning bells rang in her head. Whatever her opponents were planning, it would not be good for her. Holding her quinque tightly, the Dragon General charged at the progenitors, having no intention of letting go through with their plan. Getting within meters of her enemy, she lunged her quinque forward.Thud!The vibrations from the metal rod transferred into Larkin’s arms just as her eyes widened in shock. In the moments before her weapon impacted, her opponent’s arm was engulfed in red. Larkin watched in both fascination and horror as the figure’s kagune fully wrapped around him, forming a crimson armor. The Dragon General had no time to contemplate what this meant, her instincts screamed out to move. Unfortunately, the impact came before she could act. Larkin felt the sensation of flying through the air for a few seconds as her vision rapidly shifted. She impacts a nearby wall, the wind being knocked out of her and her weapon almost falling out of her hand.She lands on the floor. Catching her breath, Larkin got to her feet. “What in the world!” She looked up at her attackers and almost gasped at what she saw. She no longer saw two progenitors clad in black armor, appearing weak and fragile to her. Instead, she saw to hulking red monsters with clawed hands as big as her head. She gripped her weapon, Kagune franticly swished in the air. “What did you do to yourselves?” She asked.In response, the two monsters roared and charged at her. Larkin barely had enough time to move out of the way of a punch that would have put a hole in her chest. She blocked one, two attacks, almost faltering under the weight of the blows. She leaped into the air avoiding a swiping claw. A clawed hand grabbed her by her ankle. Larkin yelped as the monster twirled her around in the air and threw her across the chamber. The struggling Dragon General got control of her fall and landed on her feet with a slide. She did not have much time to recover as the two monsters came barreling down on her. It virtually took every bit of energy and strength she had to avoid being killed by these monsters. She blocked, parried, and dodged every attack that came her. But some attacks were getting through, new cuts and gashes formed on her body, sapping whatever strength she had left. At one point, one of the monsters manages to rake its claws across her stomach. A fatal blow for any other being, even for a lesser Dragon General. Again, had this been under normal circumstances, her wound would have healed.This fight was anything but normal. Larkin bit back a pained scream, the wound wouldn’t kill her. But with her healing ability compromised, it was an injury she could ill afford. To make matters worse, her attacks had little effect on the monsters. Larkin quickly realized that she had to end this fight soon.
Boom!The whole chamber shook. The monsters were thrown off for a moment. Larkin took advantage and lept back, putting as much distance between her and them. Larkin knew that explosion could only mean one thing. The progenitor army had breached the nest. This fight had to end now. Hasty coming up with a plan, Larkin sends a mental command to her swarm.The two monsters had recovered and looked around the chamber for her. Their gazes landed on her, but they would not be the ones to make the first move. Larkin darted towards them, Kagune and quinque ready to attack. The two monsters did much the same and charged at her with a roar.Larkin smirked; she had learned one thing while fighting these things. She had wondered why they didn’t transform at the beginning of the fight when numbers were full. If she struggled to fight off two of these things, then surely all six of them would have slaughtered her? The answer was in the change in their behavior. These monsters were powerful and fast, but they lacked the same intelligence they had before. Their attacks, while powerful, were sluggish and predictable, and a couple times, she noticed that the two monsters almost came to blows against each other. Lastly, she noticed that the monsters were tiring out quickly. Whatever transformation they had undergone had taken a lot of energy. All these factors led her to one conclusion, it was meant to be a last resort tactic to kill her.Which meant if her plan worked, then she stood a good chance of escaping alive. Had the progenitors retained a small sliver of their intelligence, they would have seen through her plan. Just as Larkin would have reached the charging monsters, she stopped and jumped up into the air. She flew up several meters, almost reaching a bridge-like structure in the air. Both monsters looked roaring at her. They leaped up into the air, their claws extended out. Larkin closed her eyes and took a deep breath to concentrate on what she had to do next. As her upward momentum died, Larkin angled herself downward, holding out her quinque. As she began to fall, she spun herself around, giving more power to her attack. Both sides rapidly closed in on each other. Larkin closed her eyes, knowing the next moment would decide between life and death. There was a sickening squishing sound before the Dragon General landed on the ground. Larkin opened her eyes and looked up in the air at first in surprise. Then a smile grew on her lips as she saw both monsters begin to fall. But one of them had been torn in two, a shower of red drops raining down. However, Larkin did not take the time to enjoy the sight as she made her next move. Using what was left of her strength, the Dragon General spun around and threw her quinque at the remaining monster. The remaining monster tried to move out of the way of the incoming projectile. But’s bulky size prevented it from moving in time. The Quinque impacted on the creature’s shoulder, piercing through its crimson armor. The monster roared in pain and fell to the floor with an audible thud.Then swarms of Dragon Orphans begin to pour into the chamber. Larkin shouted. Just as she planned, “Kill that thing.” Her swarm did as she commanded. The Dragon General turned around. She knew her swarm was not going to last long against that thing, and she was not going to stay around long enough for it to recover. She got a few feet away before her legs almost gave out under her, her vision getting blurry.Gritting her teeth, Larkin forced herself into a limp. She was going to escape and find a place to hide while her injuries healed. Once that was done, she would have to come with a plan to get off this world. “Keep firing!” Anderson shouted over the noise of the battle.They had breached the Dragon’s Den and were now fighting corridor to corridor, chamber to chamber. Bodies both friendly and enemy littered the area. “Sir,” An officer close by said. “More units have breached the Dragon’s Den. Allied command reports they have the structure surround. Their sending in additional forces for the final stage of the attack.”Anderson nodded. “Very good soldier.” He said, gunning down several D-Orphans. He pulled out a grenade, activated it, and tossed it into the swarm. Several seconds later, the explosive detonated. His unit continued to advance through the corridor.“We’re going to need those reinforcements.” Nihlus said next to him. “From what I gather, especially with that large force gathering in the chamber, we’re coming up too.”“Let’s hope they get here soon.” He replied to the Turian.Anderson had expected a tough fight once they managed to get into the D-Den, and at first, that had been the case. The Dragon Orphans had made them pay a bloody price for every inch they took. Then not long after, most of the Dragon Orphans began to pull back, allowing allied forces to make rapid progress in taking the structure. They were still encountering heavy resistance but nowhere near what they had expected. Internal scans, though, showed that the retreating forces were gathering in a large chamber. For what purpose, no one could really say. But the consensus was they were readying a final defense and may even be preparing a counterattack.With that thought in mind, the Allied Forces started to converge on that chamber. If they could kill the Dragon Orphans there and take that chamber, the battle for the den would all but be finished. “Sir, we’re almost at the chamber.”Anderson nodded. He looked over a Thor unit near him. “Ophelia, have your Brimir units be ready to fire what’s left of their heavy ordnance.”“Already on it.” The Synth said before several shards pierced into the unit’s armor.“Damn it.” Anderson cursed, firing at the offending spiker. Then a prowler that had managed to get close leaped at him. He aimed his rifle at the creature when a green Rinkaku sent it into the nearby wall. Anderson finished it with a quick burst from his weapon. “Thanks.” He said to the ghoul soldier, who nodded at him. “Strange,” Nihlus commented. ‘With how close we’re getting to the chamber; you’d think we’d encounter more resistance.”Anderson had been thinking the same thing. They were nearing the chamber where most of the Dragon Orphans were gathering. They should be facing greater opposition. If anything, they were facing less resistance. That did not sit well with him. “They’re planning something.” He said.“You don’t’ think,” The turian trailed off, hesitating to finish his thought. “You don’t think that the Dragon General is waiting for us there?”Anderson had a grim expression behind his helmet. That thought had occurred to him too. “Lord, I hope not.” He said. “But it is a possibility.” He admitted. “Alright, next question. What are our odds of taking the Dragon General?” Nihlus asked.“We’ll find out soon enough.” Anderson answered. They were one corridor away from the chamber. They turned the corner, expecting another swarm of Dragon Orphans. They found the corridor empty. Up ahead was the chamber. “Be careful, everyone.” Anderson ordered. “Anderson, do you hear that?” Nihlus said.“Hear what?” Anderson asked. Then the sounds reached his ears. He motioned for his unit to stop. “Wait, I hear it.” The sounds were echoing through the corridors. They must have not heard it over the sounds of their weapons firing. “That sounds like fighting?”He looked over at Nihlus. “Did one of the other units reach the chamber?”“I haven’t received any reports.” An officer said.Anderson nod. “If they did, we would be hearing weapons fire right now.” He said. “Something else is here. Fighting the Dragon Orphans.”“You think they may be the reason why so much of the swarm gathered in that chamber?” Nihlus asked.“I think you’re right.” Anderson said. “Private, make a report of this. Tell command we’re going to moving in and going to try to scout out the situation.”“Yes, sir.” “Nihlus, I want you and your fireteam to stay here. Hold this corridor while I and the rest of the unit move on the chamber.”Nihlus nodded. “Just be careful. Whatever is in there is dangerous enough to attract the full attention of the Dragon Orphans. “And I’m about to run headfirst towards it.” Anderson said. “Remind me to get a brain scan after this.” He turned towards the chamber. “Alright, let’s get moving.” He shouted, running down the corridor.The closer they got to the chamber, the louder the fighting got. They got to the entrance of the chamber. Holding out on the sides, Anderson nodded to his people. The group entered the chamber.The first thing they saw was a red fist exploding out from the back of a brute. “Hold position,” Anderson shouted, holding up his rifle.The fist was removed from the brute as it fell over dead. Revealing a smaller but bulky figure. Anderson keeping his attention on the figure, he looked around the chamber and was shocked at the sheer number of dead Dragon Orphans that littered the floor. Piles and piles of dead D-Orphans of all kinds surround the monstrous figure, several brutes included. Looking back at the creature, Anderson wondered what kind of monster the figure was if it could kill so many Dragon Orphans. “What kind of?” Then he realized what the monster was.The monster let out a deafening roar. The rest of the unit aimed their weapons. Thinking quickly, Anderson grabbed one of the soldier’s weapons and pushed it down. “Everyone stand down.” He ordered. “This one is on our side.”“Sir?”“Just do as I say.” Anderson reiterated. His people gave if a hesitant look before they complied with his orders and lowered their weapons. Hoping he wasn’t making a mistake, Anderson looked back at the figure.It stared back at them, letting out several harsh grunts, deciding what to do. Then it straightened up, a second later, its red skin started to contort and recede. It was almost like watching a snake shed its skin, except instead of the skin falling off, it grew back into the body. When the kagune like skin fully withdrew, a Terran wearing an unfamiliar armor stood in the place of the bulky monster. Silence reigned over the chamber, with only the distant sounds of fighting being heard.“What?” One of the soldiers muttered. Anderson smiled; he was just as confused but hid it better.Anderson walked up to the figure. Coming to a stop, he saluted the man. “Investigator, you honor us with your presence.”The man stared at him for several seconds before nodding and returning the favor. “I was on assignment here.” He explained. “Me and team were to eliminate the Dragon General. We failed.”Anderson didn’t need to ask what happened to the rest of his team. “What is the status of the Dragon General.” He asked. They needed to know if they needed to prepare to engage the leader of the Dragon Orphans on the planet. “Critically wounded.” The special forces operative said. “I highly doubt that she will be able to participate in the rest of the battle. In all likelihood, by the time she’s healed, this battle will be over.Relief flooded over Anderson. “That’s good to hear. We’ll have to make a report of this to command. While they’ll be displeased that the Dragon General is alive, at least they’ll be happy to know she won’t be joining the battle. Will you be joining us in securing the Dragon’s Den?” Even without the Dragon General to worry about, it would likely take the rest of the day to secure the Dragon’s Den. But with an Investigator, they could take it much sooner.The investigator seemed to think about it for a few seconds before nodding. “With the primary target gone, my next highest priority is to aid allied forces in retaking this planet.”So that was yes. “Then let’s get moving.” November 29th 12:30, Citadel Council’s Private chambers: “Once more allied forces have prevailed over the monstrous forces of the Dragon Orphans. Yesterday, the Dragon Orphans on the planet Taetrus have been eradicated, and the Dragon General leading them has been defeated. While there are still pockets of resistance from the D-Orphans, military officials are confident that the planet will be secured within the week.” Filtius turned off the Holo-Viewer, tired of hearing the news anchor droning on about galactic news. “Quite the victory we’ve had.” He heard the salarain councilor say.“Indeed, it was.” Filtius said, sounding more than a bit bitter. “Of course, they forgot to mention the cost we had to pay for that victory.” The losses they had taken had been greater than expected. “They still will within the accepted range.” Salarain Councilor commented.He wondered if she would have felt the same if it had been Salarain lives that had been lost. To him, any loss of life was unacceptable. “They also neglected to clarify that the Dragon General wasn’t killed in the battle. Only forced to retreat. That thing is still at large.” He looked over at his fellow councilors.The Salarian councilor, Hutow, took a sip from her drink. “All the public needs to know is that the Dragon General has been defeated. What conclusions they come to about that is none of our concern. Besides, this Dragon General will be hunted down. She will not elude us for long.”Filtius was about to retort when Tevos intervened. “Councilor Filtius, when the losses we took on Taetrus and the escape of the Dragon General are regrettable. The retaking of Taetrus is still a great victory for the Citadel. Especially for your people, considering the special place it occupies in the hearts of Turians across the galaxy. I imagine you will have to make a statement soon.”Filtius nodded, knowing the subject had effectively been dropped. “I already have a rough outline planned. I should have something by tomorrow.” He explained. Despite the clear setbacks they suffered, his fellow councilors were right. Taetrus was a victory to be celebrated and would boost morale throughout the Hierarchy. “The campaign to retake Citadel space has been going well.” He said.Both councilors nodded. “Indeed, it has. If things continue to go as they are. We could be fighting the Dragon Orphans within the form territories of the Batarian Hegemony.” Hutow said. “Though perhaps we could let them keep those decrepit planets.”Tevos rolled her eyes at the Salarian’s attempt at humor. “I’m afraid we can’t do that.” She said. “We’ll have to fight them all the way back to their homeworlds. Wherever they may be.”“Speaking of the Batarians.” Filtius began. “What are we to do with their former territories when this war is finally over?” “I say we seize them.” Hutow said.For a moment, Filtius was taken back by the Salarian councilor’s suggestion. Then he found himself nodding. “Not a bad idea.” He said. “It would be a suitable punishment.Tevos looked at Filtius with surprise. “Surely you don’t mean that? Haven’t the Batarians been punished enough?”Filtius was half tempted to bring up how the irony of the Asari Councilor’s statement. Then he stopped himself as he realized how hypocritical that would be. “The Hierarchy will demand some form of reparation from the Batarian people.”“They were the ones to illegally open a dormant relay. In doing so, they unleashed a second Rachnii.” Hutow threw in. “The people will demand that the Batarians be punished.”Tevos sighed, conceding the point. “Very well. But at the very least, we should let the Batarians keep their homeworld.”“If there’s any of it left.” Hutow commented.“How about we shelve this matter for until this war ends,” Filtius suggested. He looked out at the window. The swirling clouds of the Serpent Nebula looked strangely calm. “With any luck, that will be within the decade.”He noticed the asari councilor giving him a sympathetic expression. “Councilor Filtius, we all know how much your people have sacrificed in this war. The Turian Hierarchy will be rewarded for its dedication to the Citadel.”That felt like a hollow promise to the turian councilor. “My only wish is that this war ends, Tevos.” Hutow looked between the two councilors, blinking several times. “I suggest that we move to other matters.” She said. “We have much to do before we can call it a day.”Filtius nodded, maybe they would finish early, and he could return to his apartment. He hoped that Rela would be there, she would be able to take his mind off things.
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Chapter 24: A Bit of Payback February 3rd 15:33, Brytus, Dragon Orphan Occupation Zone: “After that, we’ll continue to press in on the enemy.” Hidaki said, looking around the command center. “Any questions?” When he got no response, Hidaki rapped up the debriefing. “Then you all are dismissed. Debrief your squads and be ready to carry out your assignments.”“Yes, sir.” When everyone cleared the room, the half-ghoul let a sigh. “Having a bad day, Captain?”Hidaki glanced over his shoulder, seeing Saren entering the room. “I wish you would stop calling me that.” He said, turning the terminal off. “Why not?” Saren said, stopping beside the terran. “You deserve your promotion.”Hidaki was a Captain now. A promotion he received about a month before the galaxy-wide offensive against the Dragon Orphans began. He now had his own company to command, the 415th. “Maybe.” He said. He still hadn’t gotten used to the fact, he was now responsible for the lives of over three hundred men and women within the Marine Corp. “I know it’s been three months; I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it.”Saren nodded his head side to side. “I guess that’s understandable.” He said. “But I still believe that you deserve it. You’re a good man, and you command your squad and platoon well. That won’t change now that you command the 415th company.”Hidaki smiled. “Thanks, Saren.” He said to the ghoul turian. A small chuckle escaped from him. “You know, if this had been peacetime, I wouldn’t have received this promotion for another year or two.”“But you would have gotten the rank eventually.” Saren said. “It just would have taken a little longer.” Under the turian’s mandibles, Hidaki could see a smile forming.Hidaki let out a small huff. “Come on.” He said, walking away from the terminal. “We’ll rejoin the frontlines soon, and I would like to get some rest before then.” He stepped out from the command center and out into the streets where their forces were encamped. A lot had changed in the past year. No longer were the Citadel forces, and the Terran Federation were acting as a disjointed force. Now they were acting as a united and cohesive force. With the establishment of a unified command chain, orders could freely flow down and out into the individual units of the allied forces. Allowing for faster and more flexible response times. What’s more, after being given the breathing room it needed, the Citadel’s economy was given a chance to fully switch over to a wartime mentality. With that, they were able to start to recover the losses they had taken in the two years before the Federation joined the war. Ships were being rolled with the new technologies offered by their newfound ally that gave them a better fighting chance against the Dragon Orphans, and older ships were quickly being refitted. The Federation, in comparison with its territories untouched by the war, pumping out war materials. The only real problem they had was supply chains. With the treaty signed with the Citadel, that quickly became a nonissue. Looking around the encampment, Hidaki could see the effects firsthand. Overall, the allied forces were now pushing the Dragon Orphans back. The fact they were in this city was proof of that. City by city, planet by planet, system by system, Citadel space was being taken back. With each inch of space reclaimed, the morale of the allied forces grew as well, emboldening them to take back more. From the reports, it was projected that within a year, they would retake most if not all of Citadel space, and they would be fighting the enemy in Batarian space. From there, Hidaki imagined the war would take on a much more brutal tone.On a personal level, he could see how close his people and the Turians had grown. The tentative friendships that had formed in the early days of the alliance had blossomed. All around the encampment, Terrans and Turians freely mingled. Doing things that soldiers did when they were not actively fighting. Some were training, others talking, more than a few taking part in one challenge or another. Even the discomfort the Turians had with synthetics had ebbed away, as he saw a few comfortably talking with mech units. A few still held onto their distrust and kept their distance. Hidaki didn’t pay them much mind. As long as they didn’t do anything, he was content to let them be.Of course, Terrans and Turians weren’t the only ones sitting around the encampment. “Captain.” An asari commando called out to them. “Care to join us for a game? These gentlemen,” She gestured to the mix of Terrans, Turians, and even a Salarian that sat around it holding cards. “Were just showing me a game, your people call poker. I call your hundred and raise you fifty.” She said, placing chips on a table. “By showing her, she means cleaning us out.” One of the players said, eyeing the large pile of chips in front of the Asari. “Are you sure you never played this game before?”The Asari gave the man an innocent smile. “Now, what gave you that idea?” She looked back at Hidaki and Saren. “Well, will you join us?”Hidaki chuckled, shaking his head. “No, thanks.” He said. “I don’t think my wife would appreciate me going into debt.” The Asari had a small pout on her face. “Ahh, and here I thought I could get a real challenge.”Hidaki’s smile grew. “Next time, perhaps.” He said, walking away. He almost laughed when he heard several groans of defeat.Though perhaps the biggest change was with the man beside him. The Saren of today was not the same Saren of a year ago. The young turian was calmer now, not quite as reckless, though he still had his moments. He wasn’t out to prove himself anymore, he fought for different reasons. Not all for the best of reasons, but Hidaki couldn’t fault him for that.Then, of course, there was the most obvious change. Hidaki’s eyes glanced at the red veins that came from the Turian’s eyes. There had been quite a bit of trouble when it was first found out that Saren had been turned into a ghoul. Especially when it was announced that Saren would be allowed to continue his service in the Hierarchy military, at least until the war came to its conclusion. There had been more than a few accusations of favoritism, and Saren became the target of suspicion.Hidaki was, for lack of a better word, disappointed in the turians he served with. How could they be so quick to turn on one of their own? Saren had fought and bled along their side and risked his life more than once. Why would that change because of something that was beyond his control?But then, at the same time, he could understand why they did. Despite all the information they had now, ghouls were still a major unknown to the citadel races. It was oddly comforting that terrans weren’t the only ones to react badly to fear. Despite the prejudice that Saren had received, he handled it remarkably well. Maybe because he was a reserved person and ignored them. Maybe it was because he already knew who he was and didn’t care what others said. Hidaki knew that it was affecting him. His people had basically turned on him, and there was no that anyone wasn’t going to be affected by that. While most of the whispers and distrustful glares had died down, there were still those who couldn’t let go of their views. The Hierarchy and the other galactic governments may claim to accept their ghoul populations. But changing the hearts and minds of the people was no easy feat. Saren and other alien ghouls (and their families) would have to fight an uphill battle for years and decades to come. Hidaki, though put this to the back of his mind. Hidaki didn’t care what others said about Saren. He didn’t care what he had become (being what he was and ancestry, he had no right to judge). He thought of Saren as a friend, and nothing could change that. To him, Saren is a good man, he had his faults, but a good man, nonetheless. Courage, honor, integrity was some of the things that came to mind when he tried to describe his turian friend. A memory surfaced in the captain’s mind. It was a bit before the offensive against the Dragon Orphans had begun. Six months ago “Sir, the enemy is retreating.”“Pursue them.” Hidaki shouted, firing shards from his Ukaku. “We need to make sure they leave the city. Relay the development to command. Request additional reinforcements for pursuit.”“Yes, sir.” Saren was next to him. “If they keep throwing themselves at us like this, they won’t have any left defend the occupied city.” He said, aiming and firing his rifle. The small projectiles leaving a blue stream with a slight red hue in the air. In recent months, the Dragon Orphans had become more aggressive on Brytus. Hidaki couldn’t imagine why, though. This battle was the latest of a series of failed offensives into allied control territory. However, this was one of the largest they had faced yet. The attack came at a city near the one occupied by the D-Orphans. Thankfully, the city was already well-fortified and had received reinforcements when they saw the attack coming. Hidaki’s unit had been among the reinforcementsThe Dragon Orphan’s initial assault saw them breaching deep in the city before they were halted and pushed back. After an entire day of fighting, the Dragon Orphans were pushed back to the edge of the city. “I wouldn’t count on it.” Hidaki said, taking cover behind a nearby vehicle. Shards flew past, and he heard a few impacting his cover. “The Dragon Orphans always have more numbers.”A flyer swooped down, its talons outstretched to grab its victim. Saren’s Sekkaku pierced into its just, its forward momentum almost taking the turian off his feet. Saren threw the creature off his kagune. “Suits me just fine. It means I get to kill more of them.”Before Hidaki could respond to his friend’s comment, a private came up beside him. “Sir, I got word from command.”“Report.”“They acknowledge that we are in pursuit of the enemy and are sending reinforcements to our position. The 212th and the 303rd are on their way, ETA twenty minutes, thirty at the latest.”“Only two battalions?” Saren screwing a prowler. “We’ll need more than that if we are to pursue the enemy.”“Command says the enemy is in full retreat. Several other fronts are pursuing and requesting reinforcements as well. Command wants us to drive the enemy outside of the city limits and hold position.”“Command as something planned, don’t they?” Hidaki said. A Brimir unit walked up, firing off its gatling gun, making it difficult to hear. “Yes, sir.” The private shouted. “Once the enemy has cleared the city limits, three full bomber wings will come in and drop their payload. After they make their run, we have permission to exterminate any survivors.”Hidaki replaced the permission with ordered. “Tell command that we confirm their orders and relay them to the rest of the unit.”“Sir, yes, sir.”“Come on, Saren, we have our orders.” Hidaki said, running out from cover, firing several bursts. He used his Ukaku to block any in-coming Rc shards fired from the retreating enemy. “Right behind you.” He heard Saren shout. The counteroffensive was in full swing as the allied forces pressed their pursuit. Hidaki and Saren, along with hundreds of soldiers, both organic and synthetic alike, and assorted tanks, advanced gunning down the enemy. Overhead a wing of gunships unleashed hell on the Dragon Orphans as they provided air support for the allied forces. From a distance, artillery shells were fired, quickly finding their way deep into the D-Orphans’ retreating ranks.A segment of the D-Orphans decided to turn around and fight, being the rest of their forces to retreat. The terran-citadel forces were caught off guard by the sudden attack but recovered quickly.Hidaki dodged out of the way of a Dragon Orphan that charged him. A flex of his Ukaku, and the thing fell over in two pieces. He pulled the trigger on his rifle, firing a burst into the chest of an attacker that was close to him. It fell to his feet. Close by he saw Saren fighting several D-Orphans in close quarters. Much the same was happening with the rest of the terran-citadel forces.With the suddenness of the attack and the fact that their forces were actively being pursued, resulting in the two armies mixing together and engaging in close quarters. A scenario normally avoided by Terran forces, as melee combat was not something you wanted to avoid with the Dragon Orphans. Hidaki was thankful they did receive training for such a situation. Ghouls like him and Saren were only the ones that could fight the D-Orphans in close combat safely. The human soldiers and the rest of turians and a few asari took cover where they could, getting off shots against targets that got too close before switching over to more distant targets.Most of the mechs did much the same except for the larger and bulkier Brimir units. Those were too big for them to take cover. Though this didn’t matter much as those things were pretty much walking tanks, and anything that tried to fight one in melee was asking for a swift and painful death. As one D-Orphan found out when its head was backhanded cleaned off before its body was stepped on. “That is honestly a damn satisfying sight to see.” Hidaki thought to himself as he cut through a horde of Dragon Orphans. He saw the massive machine fire a salvo of rockets into the retreating horde up ahead. He looked to Saren, seeing him use both his rifle and kagune to kill any Dragon Orphan that came at him. In the months following his transformation, Saren had quickly become skilled in fighting with his kagune. He mixed together a deadly storm of jabs swings from the four spider-like legs that protruded from his back. Even Hidaki found it hard to keep up with ghoul turian when they had sparred together. More so when they discovered that Saren could use his Sekkaku to climb up vertical surfaces and cling to them, much like an earth spider could. This offered Saren opportunities to attack from angles that normally wouldn’t be possible.Which readily became apparent when the ghoul turian lept back at a building and used his Sekkaku to cling to the surface. With his back to the building, he began to climb up the build quickly, ascending several floors, all the while firing his rifle into a group of D-Orphans. Then about around the fourth or fifth floor, he launched himself off the building and spun around swing his kagune out at the enemy below. He landed beside Hidaki. “Show off.” Hidaki said, using one of his Ukaku to block an attack from a charging standard D-Orphan. A burst to the stomach saw the creature dead. He knew the young turian was smiling. “You’re the one to speak.” He said, skrewing three Dragon Orphans and throwing their remains into a pack of prowlers. “If I remembered correctly, the first time we meet, you jumped out of a transport and cut a brute in half.”“Don’t remind me.” Hidaki said, reloading his rifle. “My CO gave me a massive chewing out for that stunt. If it weren’t for the fact, I’m one of his best, I probably would have ended up on latrine duty for a month.” “Sir, our reinforcements have arrived.” The private didn’t have to make the report. As Hidaki could see that with his own eyes. Coming out from the streets on both sides of the road, the 212th and the 303rd emerged. Coming between the retreating Dragon Orphans and the fighting allied and Dragon Orphan forces. “Their timing couldn’t have been better.” Hidaki said, getting a nod from Saren.With the appearance of more friendlies, the attacking Dragon Orphans were swiftly slaughtered, and pursuit of the rest of the swarm continued. A few more blocks down, another surprise reared its ugly head. Five of them are too precise. In one moment, a whole line of soldiers was pressing on the Dragon Orphans. The next, they are torn to pieces. Hidaki barely had time to register this before the five Dragon-Lieutenants started to carve a bloody path through terran-citadel forces. “Ignore the rest of the Dragon Orphans.” Hidaki shouted. “Concentrate all fire on the D-Lieutenants.” His orders were quickly followed as a wall of bullets, and Rc shards were fired at the newcomers to the battle. Thankfully turning one of them into bloody chunks. The remaining four though continued to charge through the allied ranks, killing all who got in their way. Even as they took wounds that would kill ordinary people. Two came right at Hidaki, who reacted fast enough to block and parry their attacks. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a third sail pash him and use its kagune a pair of Rinkaku pierce through the armor-plated chest of a Brimir. An attack that would see the large unit go down. But not before it grabbed its killed by the head get yelp of surprise and bring his Gatling gun and firing obliterating the creature’s head. Two down, three to go. Hidaki knew this was a suicide attack from the D-Lieutenants. While still Dragon Generals and were deadly in their own right, they were the lowest tier of them. A well-coordinated and armed squad of soldiers could theoretically take one down., though not without taking heavy losses. Five of them against a whole army? There was no way they would survive. Though at the moment, that mattered little for Hidaki as two of them were doing everything they could to kill him. The terran captain dodged and parried every attack that came at him, and he tried to get in an attack whenever he saw the opening. But he found it hard to keep up, these two were fast and coordinated their attacks. When he moved to block or dodge one’s attack the other would strike at his vulnerable side. He didn’t know where the third one was, hopefully, it was already being taken care of. There was one good thing about the two focusing on him, they ignored the rest of the army. From the corners of his eyes, he saw the terran-citadel forces continue their advance giving him and his opponents a wide berth but still close enough to help.Then Hidaki made a mistake. Both Dragon Orphans lunged at him, he jumped back. He felt his foot collide with something, throwing his balance off. Cursing himself for not paying attention to his surroundings, Hidaki tried to re-right himself in the air. But too late, one of the D-Lieutenants vanished from his sight, and an instant later, he felt its presence right behind him. Pain shot through his being as he felt the creature’s kagune tear through his shoulder. His momentum came to a stop, and Hidaki was forced to bit back a scream as he felt his shoulder pop. He felt his rifle drop from his hands.A shadow came over him as Hidaki saw the other Dragon Orphan raise its Kagune for the kill. “Looks like I’m not coming home.” Hidaki thought, reaching for a grenade. His would-be killer’s chest exploded as two red spikes busted through it.The creature coughs up blood, a surprised look on its barely human face, before a third spike or rather a leg came through its head. Before its body hit the ground, Hidaki ripped himself away from the other D-lieutenant’s kagune. Turning around, he saw the creature was just starting to recover from its shock. Hidaki would never give it that chance as he swung out his Ukaku, flesh, and bone were separated from each other. A moment later, the D-Lieutenant fell over in two pieces. Hidaki let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He looked up, seeing Saren standing over him, his four Sekkaku dripping with blood. “Hidaki,” He said, kneeling beside him. “You alright?” He asked looking over his wound, a small look of surprise on his face. “I’m alright.” Hidaki said, popping his shoulder back into place. “My wound is healing up now.” He gestures to the rapidly closing wound. “The perks of being a ghoul.”“I don’t think that I heal that quickly.” Saren said, standing up and offering his hand.Hidaki took Saren’s hand and got to his feet. “That’s because I come from a family whose’s regenerative abilities are a fair bit more powerful than the average ghoul.” Hell, some were known to regain limbs. “It’ll take a lot more to do me in.” He looked over the battlefield looking for evidence of the remaining D-Lieutenant. “Where’s the.”Saren answered his question before he could finish it. “Dead.” He said. He raised up a bloody hand. “Took its head out myself. A squad of soldiers saw to it that it didn’t have a chest to grow a new one.” Hidaki nodded. “Good. The last thing we need is a Dragon General tearing through our ranks. Even if it is one of the weaker variants.” Hidaki picked his rifle from the ground, inspecting it to see if it was still in working condition. Satisfied, he reloaded and stepped behind Saren. “Come on, Saren. We have an offensive to press.” “Yes, sir.” Saren responded.Before running, Hidaki placed a hand on Saren’s shoulder. “Thank you. For saving my life.”Saren gave a slight nod. “Anything for a friend.” Present Hidaki smiled at the memory. Saren truly had grown into his own and still had more growing to do. Saren noticed him staring. “What?” He asked.Hidaki shook his. “Nothing. Just thinking.” He placed a hand on the turian’s shoulder. “You’re a good man Saren. Never forget that.” Far from them, Hidaki eyed a small group of turians giving Saren a dirty look. They turned away when they noticed him staring. “No matter what other people may think.”Saren looked over at where Hidaki had been looking at. “I suppose.” He said before turning his attention back to Hidaki.“Just remember that you will always have a place in this galaxy.” Hidaki said. They entered a tent filled with makeshift beds. “It may not be in the Hierarchy or even the Citadel. But there is a place.”The young turian remained quiet for a few seconds before he slowly nodded. “Thank you.”“Anything for a friend.” February 7th 12:24, close proximity to the Dragon’s nest: “This is Viper-3. I’ve ran out of ammunition. Pulling back for resupply.”Viper-11 switch on their com. “Viper-11 to Viper-3. Copy that, will take up position and continue air support for friendlies on the ground.” Viper-11 pushed on the control stick, moving his gunship through the air. On his HUD, he saw the signal for Viper-3 move away from its position. “Viper-3 to Viper-11 confirmed. Much appreciated.”Viper-11 smiled under his oxygen mask. “Your welcome, viper-3. Just be sure to get the supply depot safely and get back into the fight.” Viper-11 took up position about where Viper-3 had hovered over.“Rodger that Viper-11.” Viper-11 ignored the acknowledgment, he lined up the sights of his gunships, gatling guns. Then he pulled the trigger, mowing down a hoard of D-Orphans. This was his favorite part about being a gunship pilot, the power and dominance he had over enemy ground units.He could have been a fighter or bomber pilot, but they never offered him the same feeling of power as being in a gunship. Just then, he saw a group of brutes charging through the swarms of Dragon Orphans. “This is Viper-11, five brutes inbound to allied front.” One of them exploded as a tank shell hit it. “Correction four brutes inbound to allied front.”“Viper-11, this Viper-7. I confirm the sighting of four brutes. Readying barrage of missiles to deal with the enemy.”“Confirmed.” Viper-11 said, hearing two other confirms. He moved his hand over to control panel to his left. His hands glided over the controls on the display he saw several of the gunship’s missiles arm themselves. Satisfied his hand moved back to the control stick and pressed his thumb over the fire control. “Missiles ready, acquiring target lock.” Viper-11, watch the targeting sights on the HUD moved over the battlefield before lining themselves over the brutes. “Target lock.”“Target lock.”“Target lock.”“Target lock.”“Fire!”Viper-11 pressed the button, almost having a vicious smile as he saw a stream of missiles fire from his and three other gunships. Seconds later, a ripple of fireballs consumed the brutes and numerous other Dragon Orphans.“Missiles have made contact.” Viper-7 said. “All units confirm the destruction of the target.”It took a few seconds for the smoke and fire to clear away enough to give Viper-11 a visual of the enemy. “This is Viper-11. I confirm the destruction of the target. All four brutes are down, additional enemy forces have also been destroyed.” Viper-11 heard several other confirms from the other gunship pilots and a few from the soldiers on the ground.“Alright, boys, let’s- VIPER-11 WATCH OUT!”Before Viper-11 got out a response, a proximity alarm flashed across his terminal. Another half a second later, instinct kicked in, and Viper-11 pulled his craft to the side. Narrowly avoiding the large block of debris. Viper-11 ignored the reports of causalities as he lined up his sites on the offender. A sixth brute that escaped their notice, it was reduced to mush by three streams of projectiles.Viper-11 sighed in relief, feeling his heart pound. “Thanks, Viper-7.” He said. “I owe you a drink after this.”He heard Viper-7 chuckle into her commlink. “Looking forward to it.”Viper-11 noticed that the allied forces below were advancing on the retreating Dragon Orphans. He had his gunship move at a pace with them. February 7th 14:04: Brimir Unit- 1107: Fire main weapon. Report: fifteen enemy units confirmed killed. Firing missile. Report: Missile has made contact with the enemy. Twenty confirmed killed. Allied units moving in Dragon Orphans forces. Deploying Thor Unis 1203, 1204, 1205, 1206, and 1207 to support allied units. Taking causalities Units 1205 and 1207 offline. Five allied units killed. Three Turian, two terran. Enemy still in retreat.At the start of the battle, Vincent saw it from a hundred different angles. From a hundred different points of view, he saw the Dragon Orphans being killed by the combined forces of the Terran Federation and the Citadel. He himself had racked up a high kill count, against the greatest enemy that Terran people ever faced. He relished at the sight of the retreating swarm.But at the same time, his heart felt heavy. From a hundred different points of view, he saw allied units be killed. A few he considered to be friends. He had Thor Unit- 1202 look down at the corpse of a young terran. Rc shards protrude throughout his body, and a pool of blood surrounded him. Vincent said a silent prayer for the young man before having the unit move on. A brute charged one of his Brimir units. A fist collides with the armor plating in the chest of the heavy combat unit, leaving a dent. A second punch almost staggered the unit, but it ground its feet. Vincent intercepted the third punch. The creature tried to swing out its free arm. However, Vincent wasn’t going to give the brute the chance. He threw out the unit’s Gatling gun into the creature’s head and fired. Vincent pushed the dying Dragon Orphan off the Brimir unit. A part of him was glad that over forty of his mech units had been offlined. It gave him fewer points of views of the deaths this battle was bringing about. Unlike his organic creators, he could not simply suppress the memories of what was happening here, nor would they fade. He would always remember in perfect clarity as each of his friends was killed. He knew he could erase the memories. A simple process that would take less than a second. All he would have to know was that the people he cared about were dead. But the AI felt that be doing a disservice to the soldiers dying in this war.Whatever their reasons for fighting, they were fighting for the Federation. Fighting so that the galaxy would survive. They deserved to be remembered, even if it meant remembering their deaths as well. Two more Thor units went down, cutting off their sights from him. “All Units halt advance here.” His commanding officer said. “We’ll hold position here and wait for reinforcements. Then we’ll continue our advance on the enemy.”Vincent wasn’t going to argue against that. February 8th 12:24, close proximity to the Dragon’s nest: Saren used his Kagune to swat away a prowler that had tried to jump him. It landed a few feet away from him. It got to its feet, and its head exploded as the Turian charged and shot out a red leg. In the same motion, he used two other Sekkaku to skewer half a dozen Dragon Orphans. Pulling out the spider-like legs, he turned over to see several D-Orphans, a mix of standard types and prowlers, charging at him. Hissing and roaring as they got closer. They were cut to pieces as a figure landed in the middle of them. A wing-like structure extended out from the figure and fired a rain of shards.Saren ran over to figure using his Sekkaku to block any shards from spikers, a few impacted his barriers. He got behind the figure. “Hidaki, how are you holding up?” Saren asked.“Good.” Hidaki said. He used his Ukaku to slice open a Dragon Orphan that charged him. A second was gunned down by Saren. Several squads of soldiers ran past them, taking up positions and firing their weapons, their COs issuing orders. Saren looked past the swarm of Dragon Orphans and over the horizon. He could make out the thin outline of the Dragon’s Nest. Block by block, they were getting closer to their objective and ultimate victory on Brytus. “You think we’ll make it to the Dragon’s Den today?” He asked. Meters away, a brute was reduced to nothing as a missile impacted its chest. It was difficult to hear the terran over the sound of his rifle firing. “Difficult to say.” They both took cover behind some rubble. “But I doubt it.” Hidaki continued to answer. “It may take another day or two before we reach the nest itself.”“And how long do you think it’ll take to finally defeat the D-Orphans.” Saren charged out from cover, lashed out his Sekkaku at a small group of Dragon Orphans. Most of them were cut to pieces, and the remaining few jumped at him. He pulled back his Sekkaku to block a claw that would have racked across his chest. He quickly killed the creature and finished off the others. He felt Hidaki behind him. “I’m sure. Definity longer than a day. At that point, the Dragon Orphans will have nowhere to run.” Overhead they heard missiles fly. “They will all fight to the death.”Saren was glad that he was wearing a helmet, it hid the smirk. “You think we’ll face the Dragon General?” He asked. “I hope not.” Hidaki said. “The last time we faced that monster, we almost died. THAT is an experience I do not want to repeat.” Saren felt a little bit disappointed at that answer. His more rational side, however, agreed with him. “I’m hoping that the Investigators we sent after it will be able to kill the thing.”Saren’s mandibles twitched in curiosity. Hidaki had mentioned that unit a few times. Controversy around their name aside, Saren understood they are among the Terran’s most deadly special forces. They were the top ranks of the Dragon Hunter Corp. a special forces group trained and armed to fight Dragon Generals. They had a few members of the DHC in their front, and they cut through the Dragon Orphans like they weren’t even there. The few lower-ranked D-Generals that tried to engage them were usually cut down before they had the chance to do any real damage. “How will we know that the Dragon General is dead?” Saren asked. They had advanced past another block. “Trust me, we’ll know.” Hidaki said. “These things don’t react well when you cut off the head. They’ll suddenly become disorientated, frenzied even. In that state, they won’t be able to attack as a swarm and start to kill everything on sight, including themselves. At that point, they’ll be much easier to fight, as they’ll be just as busy fighting each other as they will be fighting us.”Saren nodded. He heard about what happens when the Dragon Orphans lose their leaders. He had never seen it before. “How long will they stay like that?”“Not as long as we would like.” Hidaki responded. Close by, a transport vehicle came to a stop and unloaded its occupants. A fresh wave of soldiers joined the battle on the frontlines. “But by the time they do, we have pushed them back significantly, and even then, they wouldn’t be nearly as coordinated as before.”Several groups of the fleeing Dragon Orphans broke off and charged at the frontlines. By this point, this was a familiar tactic. The Federation/Citadel forces recognized that this was an attempt to slow down any advance on retreating swarms. Brytus wasn’t the only world to see this, so most of the allied forces had learned how much distance they needed between them and the swarm. Close enough to keep up an effective pursuit and far enough to prevent any sudden turnarounds from becoming a brutal CQC situation. Most of the attacking groups were cut down by the combined firepower of Federation and Citadel forces. Though a few groups did manage to get through the wall of death and attack allied forces in close quarters. Again Federation/Citadel forces were ready for this. On all frontlines, a greater number of ghouls had been stationed. As the forces of the Citadel quickly learned, ghouls were deadly, particularly in close-range combat. A single one didn’t pose the same threat as a Dragon-Lieutenant or a brute, but a well-trained one could still tear through dozens of Dragon-Orphans. Squads of them properly supported could turn back swarms. Saren had seen this happen plenty of times throughout the war. He had seen Hidaki and other terran ghouls tear through hundreds if not thousands of D-Orphans, only struggling against the more powerful variants like the brutes. Even then, he has seen his terran friend take one down by himself then a few times. Of course, Saren was one of them now, a turian ghoul. It was something he had struggled with, still struggled with, but he had quickly come to appreciate the benefits it offered. The cannibalism aside, Saren was faster and stronger than he had been when he was just a turian. His body could take more punishment and could recover quicker, small wounds were all but ignored. Then there was his Kagune, weaponized appendages. Three years ago, if someone had told him about such a concept and that he would have one, he would written them off as insane. A group of stalkers and standards charged at him. He turned to face them, readying his rifle and Sekkaku, when the creatures started to glow with a blue hue and were lifted off the ground. Multiple stabs from his Sekkaku later, the creatures fell to the ground dead. He turned his head over to see an Asari Commando giving him a smile. He nodded and moved on to his next target. He thanked the spirits that the Terrans had made peaceful contact with the races of the Citadel. He shuddered to think what would have happened if the two powers had gone to war. In space, they might have been more even, but on the ground, he knew the Turian Hierarchy would have been slaughtered. Out the corner of his eyes, he saw Hidaki cutting through group after group of Dragon Orphans. Saren briefly wondered in that scenario; would he have ended up fighting him? Would he even have survived such a fight? Most likely not. Saren shook his head and focused his mind on the battle.His kagune pierced through the chest of a Dragon Orphan and into the head of another. He swung the spider-like leg out, throwing the corpse off, and shot out his head, grabbing the head of a D-Orphan that had gotten close. A squeeze exploded its head, and he threw the dead thing to the side.He knelt and aimed his rifle at a group of Dragon Orphans charging at a squad of soldiers. He fired, cutting two of the D-Orphan and grabbing the attention of the rest. Taking advantage, the squad of soldiers came out from cover and unloaded their weapons into the group.Not bothering to register the results, the ghoul turian stood up and ran to a piece of cover. A moment later, he felt a familiar presence next to him. “Looks like we are making good progress.” Hidaki said. “I counted two blocks we just took back.”“I’m going to have to take your word for it.” Saren responded. He’d been focusing more on fighting the D-Orphans, than the progress of the battle. “I’ve been getting reports from the other fronts.” Hidaki said. He poked from cover and fired his weapon, and returned. “The Dragon Orphans are falling back on all sides, and more of our forces are coming in. command wants us surrounding the Dragon’s Den by tomorrow night.”“What of our forces in orbit?” Saren asked. He knew they were engaged with swarms of Dragon ships. He was curious about the progress of the battle happening over their heads. “You’re going to like this one.” Hidaki said. “They’ve established complete orbital supremacy. All enemy forces in the system have been wiped out with no sign of reinforcements coming in. The system is ours.”That would mean that the Dragon Orphans had given up on Mactare and, by extension Brytus. The Dragon Orphans on the planet were now cut off from the overall swarm. They had no chance of getting reinforcements except for the ones they could make. “Are they sure?” Saren asked. Hidaki nodded. “They are. Now they don’t have to worry about fighting for the system, the navy is moving in to support our offensive. A wing of frigates is being deployed to low orbit they’ll focus their fire around the Dragon’s Den. It won’t damage it, but it will soften up the forces around it.”Saren nodded that would make this offensive easier. Almost as if the universe was waiting for a cue, Saren heard a distant thundering. “That’s going to rile them up.” Saren said.“Indeed,” Hidaki responded. “Let’s go.” Booth soldiers got from cover, rejoining the fight. Working in tandem, the two ghouls tore through the ranks of the Dragon-Orphans, ridding them with bullets and shards or tearing them to pieces with their Kagune. Hidaki mostly focused on attacking the enemy from a distance, which he excelled at being a Ukaku ghoul. While Saren focuses on getting in close to his target and ripping them apart. The allied army, now having orbital support, advanced swiftly on the Dragon Orphans, taking several blocks in a matter of hours. That was when things started to go south. “We have incoming Dragon-lieutenants and Dragon-Captain!” A private said.Sure enough, seven figures that barely looked human, led by an eighth that did look more like a human, charged out from the horde of Dragon Orphans. They cut down a role of soldiers before they had time to react. They did not get much further than that, though, as two teams of Dragon Hunters, twelve in total, leaped out and engaged them.“Ignore them.” Hidaki ordered, knowing the problem was well under control. Already two of the D-Lieutenants laid dead on the ground, while the other two and the D-Captain struggled to stay alive. “Keep the offensive going.”Saren was about to leap in to help the hunters when he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. “Don’t.” He said. “They got the situation under control.” Two more D-Lieutenants fell, and the D-Captain looked like it was about to join them.Saren opened his mouth to protest. That was when he got a terrible sinking feeling like something was trying to crawl out of his stomach. He closed his mouth, through his helmet, Saren could see a look of confusion and fear on Hidaki’s face. The terran was getting the same feeling as him, and that made it a thousand times worse for the turian.“What?” Saren asked. His question was cut off by the sounds of screaming and shouts of surprise. Both figures turned over to see where the sounds were coming from. At first, relief flooded over Saren when he saw that the D-Lieutenants and D-Captain were dead. Then that gnawing feeling returned when his mind registered that half of the Dragon Hunters were dead, torn limb from limb. The other half were in the fight of their lives against a foe that haunted Saren’s nightmares. The figure was covered head to toe in blood, both red and blue, in some areas mixing together to make a sickening purple. The figure’s head turned over when their eyes met, flashes of a torn-off arm flashed into Saren’s mind.The Dragon General smiled as recognition flashed across its blacken eyes.Saren was vaguely aware of Hidaki mattering something. “Murphy, why do you hate us? “Murphy, why do you hate us?” Hidaki asked. He was starting to wonder if the figure that caused disaster had a personal grudge against him.Just when the offensive was going well, Murphy took one look and decided. “Let’s see what I can do to make everyone’s lives miserable.” Sure, the Dragon Lieutenants and Captain had been unexpected, but they were nothing that couldn’t be managed. But this? This was a whole other problem.As the Dragon General turned its head to Hidaki and Saren, a look of recognition flashed across its face. Hidaki realized that their chances of getting out of this unscathed were rapidly approaching zero.That was when the moment of calm ended. The Dragon General went back to fighting the remaining Dragon Hunters, who struggled to survive against the monster’s onslaught. Hidaki knew that it was done with them, he and Saren would be next.It was with that Hidaki was spurred into action. So was Saren, evidently. Before he had a chance to react, Hidaki saw the Ghoul Turian leap into the fight between the D-Hunters and the D-General. “Saren, what the hell are you thinking?” Hidaki shouted at the man. “You can’t fight that thing.”“It won’t matter.” Saren shouted back. “Once the D-General is done with the hunters, he’s coming after us next. This way, we’ll have a fighting chance against this monster.”Hidaki bit back a remark. He knew that Saren was right. That thin remember them from the last time they fought, and the Dragon General clearly wanted a second go at them. If they fought it now with the remaining Dragon Hunters, there was a chance, however slim, that they could overwhelm the monster. “Damnit.” Hidaki cursed out, knowing their options were limited. He went for his comm. “This is Captain Hidaki Kaneki of the 412th, we have been engaged by the Dragon-General. I repeat, we have been engaged by the Dragon General. Requesting immediate reinforcements.”“This is General Xi.” A woman’s voice answered over the comm. “Please confirm. You said you have been engaged by the Dragon-General?”“Affirmative,” Hidaki said, keeping a close eye on the fight with the D-General. Several other ghouls had quickly joined the fight and were being killed off just as quickly. Fireteams of soldiers gave the fight a wide berth and took carefully placed shots at the biggest threat in this theater. “The Dragon General is here. He killed about half of the Dragon Hunters assigned to us before we knew he was here. He is presently engaged with the rest of the hunters and several other units. I repeat my request for immediate reinforcements.”“Requested granted.” General Xi said. “I’m sending in additional teams of Dragon Hunters, if possible, a secondary team of Investigators.”“A secondary team?” Hidaki questioned. Then he remembered a conversation he had with Saren. “You already sent one team after him, didn’t you?”“Yes we, did.” General Xi confirmed. “It would seem they failed to eliminate the Dragon General.” Which meant they were dead. Hidaki felt a tremble of fear inside of him. Investigators were among the Federation’s most deadly units. Their success rate on missions was about as near to perfect as one could get. Anything that could fight and kill a team of them was nothing to be scoffed at. “I will try to send in a second team of Investigators. Failing that, I’ll divert as many forces as possible to your position. Your primary objective has changed, captain. Focus on eliminating the Dragon General and press on with the offensive. We cannot fail here. Am I understood?”Oh sure, it’s not like she was asking him to fight a monster that could tear through armies like a blender on overload. “Understood, sir.” He said. “The Dragon General will die this day.”“Glad to hear it.” General Xi said. “One more thing and consider this an order. Try to stay alive.”“Understood, General.” Easier said than done, but Hidaki appreciated the sentiment. The link went dead, and Hidaki turned his full attention to the fight with the Dragon General.
Predictably it was not going well. Several dozens of bodies lay across the battlefield. Very few were in one piece. Hidaki noted that very few of the Dragon Hunters remained now. To his relief, Saren was still alive and circling around the Dragon Orphan, looking for an opening. That came when two ghoul soldiers charged at the creature. It turned to face them, exposing its back to Saren. The turian was quick to capitalize on the weakness. He charged in and shot out two of his Sekkaku aimed at the center of the back. However, the Dragon General sensed the danger and span around out of the way of the attack.Saren, however, did not stop his movement. Instead, his Kagune swung out in an arc. The D-General blocked both appendages and grabbed hold of them. Before the monster could do anything about it, the two ghouls had closed in and jumped at it. Bikaku and Rinkaku flew through the air.The Dragon General frowned and threw off the pair of Sekkaku belonging to Saren, sending him across the street. Then in a flash of red, the Dragon General was behind the two attackers. One fell over, his torse having been torn from the rest of his body. The second only had a second to register the death of their squadmate before his throat was torn out. The Dragon General flicked his hand, sending a spray of red out into the air. The Dragon General’s gaze turned to Saren. The Turian had just barely recovered from being thrown when the D-General flew towards him.With its attention fully on Saren, the creature had little time to react to Hidaki’s attack. It was able to react, twisting out of the way of a stream of Rc shards, but it could not avoid the kick that connected to its side. The D-General was sent skidding up the street before it gained control of its momentum, coming to a stop several meters away. Hidaki had landed just in front of and a little to the side of Saren. The ghoul turian gave a quick nod. “Thanks.” He said.“No problem.” Hidaki responded. “You would have done the same for me.”“Right.” Saren mattered.The Dragon General had recovered from the attack now and was glaring at the pair. “You two won’t escape from me this time.” It said. “This time, I will feast on your remains and bath in your blood.” It’s Kagune flared to life. Then it smiled. “The other, the turian, you are different now, aren’t you? You’re more like your friend here.”“Consider it a parting gift from one of your pets.” Saren said in a low growl. The Dragon General’s smile grew, making it look more mad than before. “I wonder what would happen if I fed your friend to you? Would you enjoy it, or would it make you sick? How about we find out?”“You sick bastard!” Saren shouted, leaping at the Dragon General. “You sick bastard.” Saren shouted, sending himself flying towards the monster. This thing had to pay. Pay for everything it ever did. For every life it took, every world it ruined. Pay for what it did to him.He felt a firm hand land on his shoulder. Saren looked over to see Hidaki holding onto him. “Don’t.” He said. “That thing is trying to get a rise out of you. It wants you to make a mistake.”Saren was about to explode on the Terran when he looked him in the eyes and saw the concern for him in them. Saren calmed down a little. Hidaki was right. Just rushing into this fight was going to get him killed, and what good would be then? The Dragon General was too dangerous of an opponent to rush in on.He found that out the hard way, the first time they faced that monster. They had to be careful against it. “Thanks. I guess we’re even now.” He had a lot to thank for the Terran. Hidaki may argue differently, but Saren knew what he was like before meeting the man. He was brash and reckless, out to prove himself. He had a ruthless streak that, if had it gone unchecked, would have gone on to make him a different individual than he was now. Without meeting Hidaki and experiencing the horrors of this war, he would have gone on to become a man that would do anything and everything to complete his goals. To accomplish his mission. Even if that meant sacrificing the lives of others, the lives of innocents. He would have become a monster like the one he was fighting now. Perhaps not the same type of monster, but a monster, nonetheless.Saren, though, had the presence of mind to understand that these traits were still in him and would always be. He was still willing to go farther than most people would gain a victory in a fight. But with Hidaki, these traits did not disappear. But rather, they were lessened and tampered. He would still do things that others wouldn’t, but he was willing to consider and hear out other options. He shuddered to think of how different he would have been if he had never met Hidaki. “Try not to think much of it.” The Terran said. “Now then, we got a Dragon General to kill.” “Right.” With their brief exchange over, both men turned their full attention back to the Dragon General.Its Bikaku swayed in the air as it waited for the two to make the first move. The remaining Dragon Hunters and dozens of other ghouls soldiers formed up around them. Squads of soldiers took up positions around the battle-torn street, aiming at the biggest threat in the area. Two heavy mechs trained their gatling guns at the Dragon General. Meanwhile, all around them, the rest of the army press on with the rest of the battle. They gave the fight with the Dragon General a wide berth. Not completely ignoring it but keeping their distance. After what felt like hours or days, the Dragon General frowned as it realized that it would have been the first to attack. Something about that felt off to Saren. While he knew their enemy would taunt them and was willing to wait for them to rush in. He also felt that the Dragon wasn’t willing to wait forever, that his patience would disappear sooner rather than later. Saren didn’t have much time to think this over as the D-General leaped into action.In a blink, the Dragon General was charging across the street. Almost immediately, a continuous stream of bullets and Rc shards sailed towards the creature. The Dragon General weaved its way out of the way of the projectiles and blocked the others with its Kagune. Two seconds in, it jumped into the air, the streams of weapons fire arcing up to follow it. A gunship overhead fired at the Dragon General. It twisted around in the air avoiding the stream of projectiles, and its Bikaku shot out and arched around in the air. The gunship was impacted on its side, sending the craft spiraling towards a nearby building. Thankfully, the pilot was both lucky and skilled, as maneuvering thrusters fired off, preventing the aircraft from crashing. It hovered there for a few seconds before it took off into the air and turned around to leave the battle.At the same time, the Dragon General lands just a few meters away from Saren. It Bikaku retracted back to its normal length. As it did so, it lashed around the street, taking out several soldiers terran, synth, and turian alike. The moment the tail like kagune returned, the Dragon General bolted from its position, right for Saren. Two ghoul soldiers step into to its intending to slow it down or stop it. They were quickly and brutally dispatched by the monster. One fell over dead, the other clung to where their arm used to be. The Dragon General was still coming for Saren.The brief exchange had bought the turian just enough time to get his Sekkaku out. A pair of fists impacted on the spindly red legs. Saren was pushed back by the force of the impact, but his legs held under the weight. It felt like he was hit by a mass accelerator round from a dreadnought. The Dragon General wasn’t done with its assault, however. Its Bikaku grew out again and arched around, coming for Saren’s side. The Turian ready himself for the attack by extending his free Sekkaku out to intercept. One of the remaining Dragon Hunters stopped the attack with their quinque. At the same time, a shadow came over the Dragon General’s face.It pulled back from Saren, preventing Hidaki’s fist from connecting to its face. As the D-General pulled back, Hidaki span around in the air, lashing out his Ukaku, aiming for a lateral slice at the creature. Unable to dodge the attack, the Dragon General used its arms to block the attack. Earning it a pair of gashes along its arms. The Dragon General came to a stop. It did not get a chance to recover. Hidaki landed to the side and charged at the enemy. Saren did the same, shooting out his Sekkaku. The Dragon General was forced to backpedal under the assault of the two. The Dragon General was on the defensive now, a rarity for its kind. This was something that no one was willing to pass up. A couple of the Remaining Dragon Hunters and several other ghouls joined in Hidaki’s and Saren’s assault. There was little thought put into the next several moments as the fight turned into a flurry of attacks, blocks, and dodges. The Dragon General was given no reprieve as it was forced to weave and dodge its way out of the storm of attacks coming at it from all sides. Occasional, it would block earning a gash or bruise on its body.Saren mildly noted that the other soldiers were not firing on the Dragon General anymore. They probably didn’t want to risk friendly fire. Saren was half tempted to yell at them for it. The General had to be taken down at all costs, even if met, they had to risk firing on their own people. He, however, had bigger things to be concerned about than chewing out some soldiers.There was something else he noticed while fighting the Dragon General. Landing on the ground, Saren launched a Sekkaku, and sure enough, this seemed to confirm his suspicion. The Dragon General moved slightly out of the way of the attack, but not enough to avoid it outright, as it scrapped the top of its shoulder.Saren remembered the first time he fought this thing. Though saying it was a fight was being overly generous. The Dragon General was powerful, swift, and brutal, an almost unstoppable force. Even Hidaki, who Saren knew was a powerful ghoul in his own right, came from a family of some of the most powerful ghouls in the Terran’s history, had been hard press to survive against the D-General. Now, well, he wouldn’t say they were keeping an even pace with the D-General. But they were holding off better than he expected. Saren would like to think it was because in the months since their first encounter, he and Hidaki had improved. That may very well be a part of the reason.Saren had quickly grown accustomed to using his new ghoul abilities, rapidly improving with each battle he fought in and each sparing match he had with Hidaki and other ghouls. He had even fought some of the lower ranks of the Dragon Generals and held his own, though not without some help. Despite these improvements, he still remembered what the Dragon General was like. He knew that he was nowhere near ready to fight that monster. Hold out better than first, yes, but fight on even terms, no.Which to beg the question. Why were they holding out this long against a monster that could tear through armies?Saren jumped into the air avoiding a sweeping strike from the Dragon General’s Bikaku. He landed on the ground beside Hidaki. “You noticed it too?” He asked as both charged in at the D-General.They structured at the creature’s exposed back. The Dragon General quickly noticed their presence and moved out of the way. As they passed, it lashed out its Kagune, to which he and Hidaki use theirs’s to block the attack. They landed about a couple meters away. “I did. It’s slower than before, more sluggish.” Saren noted his observations.“Yea.” Hidaki agreed. “We’re actually able to keep up with that thing. Even get a lot of hits in on it.”“I know we’ve gotten better since our last fight with it.” Saren said. “But this doesn’t feel right. The Dragon General feels weaker for some reason.”“You don’t think it’s toying with us like the last time?” Hidaki said. He fired off a hail of shards. The Dragon General saw them coming and jumped into the air. Two other ghoul soldiers leaped up at it. Both had Rinkaku, and both intended to skewer the Dragon General while it was in the air.The Dragon General moved out of the way of both attacks and turned in the air. It grabbed one of its assailants by their kagune and threw them through the air.The unfortunate ghoul went flying past Hidaki and Saren. Saren shared a brief look with Hidaki. “No, I don’t think so. Not this time. The Dragon General is fighting with everything it has.” Saren answered.“So, then? Why aren’t we dead yet?” That was a good question. One that the two of them would not be able to dwell on for long, as both combatants charged back into the fight.The Dragon General was distracted for the briefest moment as one of the surviving Dragon Hunters swung their quinque down. This allowed the ghoul turian to get in close to the Dragon General and swing out his talons. The Dragon General noticed the attack at the last second and bent its body to avoid it. But not before the talons were able to rack across its side. Keeping his momentum, Saren twisted around and tried to bury his Talons in the guts of the monster. The D-General’s hand shot out and grabbed the wrist of Saren’s attacking hand. The turian almost yelped when he felt the bones in his wrist crack from the pressure exerted by the D-General. Saren looked into the creature’s blacken soulless eyes, seeing the furry in them. Before the monster could act on its anger, an attack connected with the creature’s face, sending it stumbling back. Feeling the D-General’s grip loosen around his wrist Saren pulled himself back and got some distance between himself and his opponent. Hidaki, the one that had just saved him, stood next to him. “I think I just noticed something else,” Saren said. He hadn’t noticed it before, but their talk had gotten him to pay more attention to the Dragon General. In the brief exchange he had a moment ago, he noted the Dragon General’s injuries. Ones that Saren was certain his unit had not inflicted.“By all means, tell me.”“It’s injured.” Saren said. His eyes narrowed in on the talon marks on its side, still present and bleeding. “And it’s not healing. Just look at its body.”So Hidaki did. Then Saren heard a hmm come from the terran. “Saren, I think I know what’s going on. And it may very well allow us to kill this thing.”Saren felt his mandibles twitch. “Explain quickly.” While they had the advantage right now, it was obvious to Saren that they were slowly losing it. Not that the Dragon General seemed to notice judging by the increasingly frustrated and angry expression on its face. “What do you know of the Investigators?” Hidaki asked.“Only that their top ranks of the Dragon Hunters.” Saren said. Both had rejoined the fight. “You said something about them being sent in to eliminate the Dragon General.“Will they did send in a unit to kill this bastard.” Hidaki said, ducking under an attack aimed at his head. “General Xi herself confirmed it when I called in reinforcements.” “Well, obviously, they failed.” Saren let out a frustrated growl. If people just did their jobs, then Hidaki and he wouldn’t be in this mess.“Yes, they did.” Hidaki confirmed. “But they weaken in enough for us to be able to fight it. The Dragon Investigators use special weapons to kill their targets.”“Like those Quinques that the other Dragon Hunters use?”“Yea, but the ones they use are coated with a special toxin.” Hidaki explained. Both fighters lashed out their Kagune. Hidaki went low for the D-General’s legs, while Saren went for the shoulders and head. “Not enough to kill, unfortunately.” The Dragon General avoids the brunt of the attack, only taking a few small slices at the legs. “But it does inhibit their regenerative abilities.” That was when the cogs in Saren’s mind began to work.”“That thing just came out from a fight with the Investigators.” Saren said. Getting a swift nod from Hidaki as they both swung around the Dragon General coming at it from the back.That had to be the single dumbest thing that the Dragon General could have done. It had just come from a fight with a team of Investigators. A group he had learned from Hidaki, where some of the deadliest soldiers that the Terrans could produce, and while it had won, it did not come out unscathed. Looking closely at their enemy’s injuries, Saren could see just how bad of a state the Dragon Orphan was in. Large gaping slashes closed just enough to prevent further bleeding littered its body, and purplish bruises some the size of fists were spread across its torso, arms, and legs. The Dragon Orphan was breathing heavily as well, indicating either its lungs were damaged, or it was tired. Ideally, it would be both. That Dragon could have retreated from the battle and hung out somewhere while it recovered. That would have been the smart thing to do. That was what the Dragon Orphan of Taetrus did. But instead, it decided to jump right into another battle, exhausted and with fresh injuries. And it was paying for that mistake.Granted, even in the sorry state it was in, the Dragon General was still an incredibly dangerous foe. A fact that was proven when the Dragon General’s arm swung out, Saren avoided the attack. However, one poor soul wasn’t, and their head was taken clean off.“We have a fighting chance against that thing. Better than we expected.” Hidaki said. “Dangerous as it might be right now, it’s made a mistake. One we are going to make sure it doesn’t live to regret.”Hidaki wasn’t going to get any argument out of Saren on that. “Here’s what I say we do. We- “ Whatever Saren’s plan was, he didn’t get the chance to explain it. A vicious roar tore through the air. It came from the Dragon General. Saren turned his attention to the Dragon General and felt a chill go down his spine. Someone had wounded the Dragon General. There was a hole in the left side of its chest, a good-sized one, maybe a little smaller than a terran fist. Through that hole, he could see the remains of a lung and a part of a beating heart. That thing should not be standing with a wound like that. Even though it was a Dragon General, Saren suspected it should be dead. And he had a good suspicion on what was keeping it alive. Whoever wounded that thing was long dead, based on the messily torn body laying at its feet. Saren wondered if the last thing they saw was what he was seeing now. Whatever bit of intelligence and sanity the Dragon General had left was gone now. Replaced by a single raw emotion. Fury, pure anger was etched on its face and from the depths of its red and black eyes. A few brave souls tried charging at the Dragon General, thinking it vulnerable. Before Saren could process what happened, they were dead. The Dragon General was behind them as their bodies fell to the ground. The D-General’s Bikaku was flailing wildly in the air wrapped around the removed torso of one of the attackers. Then its eyes landed on Saren. The Turian was struck with the same exact feeling he had when he first fought the Dragon General. The feeling that he was going to die. He didn’t allow himself to dwell on the feeling, as the D-General was already in motion. A couple of ghoul soldiers tried to stop the Dragon General but were quickly thrown aside. Saren didn’t know if they were alive or not, but they had slowed the enemy long enough for him to put up a defensive. For what good that did. Within seconds the Dragon General was right on him, crashed right into his Sekkaku. The turian was almost sent flying back. But he was able to root himself in the ground at the last second. The Dragon General was not done with its attack, as it tried to press in on Saren. Saren, in response, pressed his Kagune out with all the force he could call on. He felt himself smirking when the Dragon General was pushed back, stumbling at its feet. Not wanting to give the enemy a chance to recover, Saren fired out his Sekkaku. His smile grew when one buried itself in the D-General’s shoulder. Then it melted away at what happened next. Two of his Sekkaku were grabbed by the D-General, and a third smashed into the ground by a stomp of its foot. Then pain shot through him, coming right after the sensation of something being pulled. Saren felt himself going into the air. His mind noted that two of his kagune were now discarded on the ground and felt a slight twisting in one that remained intact. Saren saw the Dragon General appear right next to him, preparing an attack.Acting on instinct, the ghoul turian twisted around to avoid the attack. But too late, the D-general sent out a powerful kick that buried itself in Saren’s stomach. Saren coughed up a globe of blood before he felt his body fly through the air. Then he felt the impact, he didn’t know what, but he heard cracking noises. He couldn’t tell if it was from the object he crashed into or if it came from his bones.Saren’s body slides down to the ground. He tried to clear his mind like the sights and sounds blurred together, forming a messy haze. His breath had become labored, and he felt his consciousness slipping away. The Dragon General was approaching him, intending to finish the job.Saren wouldn’t let it. He raised his arm, only for it to fall to the ground. The darkness was creeping in around the edges of his eyesight as the Dragon General was a couple meters away now. “Bastard.” He managed to get out. He saw the Dragon Orphan’s kagune raise into the air. The last thing he heard before he saw black was the sound of a rifle going off.” Hidaki knew they were in deep trouble the moment that the Dragon Orphan roared. He just never how much until Saren was sent into a wall. The sequence of events had happened so fast that the young captain felt like he just blinked and missed everything. Half a dozen were dead before their brains had the chance to process what had happened, two others lying unconscious on the ground open to attack from the other Dragon Orphans. Thankfully their squadmate had been quick to lie down suppression fire and drag them to safety. Then finally, Saren was lying on the other side of the street, a small indent in the wall of the build he crashed into.He knew the Dragon Orphan was brutal, but this felt like another level. Said Dragon General was standing a couple meters away from Saren. Its Bikaku climbing into the air. It did not take a tactical genius to know what was coming next.“Stupidity and Recklessness run in our family in equal measure. They have been deaths of more than a few Kaneki’s.” It was something his grandfather told him once when he had been a kid. He never did understand what he meant by that until now.Hidaki fired his rifle and the shards from his Rinkaku. Both bullets and shards would find their mark in the Dragon General’s back. For a moment, he thought that would be enough to put the monster down. Of course, the bastard wouldn’t let a little old thing like having a body riddled with bullets and Rc shards stop it. The Dragon General stopped in its tracks and slowly turned around to face Hidaki. The look of fury on its face having grown tenfold. Hidaki gulped. “Okay, Hidaki. Not your brightest idea.” He said to himself.”“Captain Kaneki. Your reinforcements should be arriving within the moment.” General Xi’s voice. “Two additional squads of Dragon Hunter have been deployed to your position. With a third on its way.”Hidaki had a distinct feeling that he was going to be needing them. The Dragon General lot a roar and bolted from where it stood. Hidaki braced himself for the incoming attack. The terran soon realized that action may have been unnecessary, as two figures leaped over him and charged at the Dragon Orphans. Both wielded a Quinque, indicating their position within the Dragon Hunter Corps. Their weapons clashed with the D-General’s Bikaku, slowing it down. But only just, as the Dragon General threw itself past the two Dragon Hunters, sending to the side. A third Dragon Hunter put himself between Hidaki and D-General. A mistake that would prove fatal to the man, as he tried to swing his Quinque out at the D-General. The Dragon General crashed into the man sending him to the ground just a meter away from Hidaki. His Quinque had flown into the air where the D-General grabbed it and plunged it into the man’s chest. The Dragon General was not done, though.Using the embedded weapon for support, the D-General swung its out, sending out a kick aimed at Hidaki. The terran was already prepared for the attack, so the kick impacted his arms. That did not stop the grunt of pain from escaping him as he felt the bones in his arms crack. The Dragon General then bent upward and brought a clawed hand down on Hidaki’s face. Hidaki quickly recovered from his stunned state and stepped back, narrowly avoiding the claws. The little space between him and his enemy quickly vanished when the D-General lunged at him. Both of the terran’s Rinkaku reacted. One blocked the attack, and the other lashed out and cut deep into the D-General’s arm.Something like that should have had the monster backing off him. Instead, its forward momentum continued. The fist that landed on his Rinkaku pushed back on the wing-like appendage. Then it broke right through the structure, and Hidaki barely had time to dodge the attack. The fist sailed inches away from his face, feeling the rush of air from it.He softened his kagune, allowing it to slip off the Dragon General’s arm. Within a second, the hole in it closed as Rc cells worked overtime to knit themselves back together. Getting in a little space, Hidaki aimed his rifle. The Dragon General was on top of him instantly, grabbing the barrel of the weapon. He could only get off a single burst into the creature’s lower abdomen before it crashed the barrel and pulled it out of his hands.Now without a weapon, but not defenseless, Hidaki jumped back. The Dragon General lunged at him again. The next few seconds were a blur of action as the Hidaki desperately tried to stay alive under the D-General’s assault. Narrowing dodging or blocking every punch, swipe of a claw, every kick, and every lashing of its Bikaku. In the spaces that frequently showed up, Hidaki would send out a counterattack, and to his surprise, most would connect. Cuts, scarps, bruises, and other smaller injuries formed on the body of the Dragon General. Most of them around the torso, and a few on the arms and legs.A couple times, Hidaki almost got an Rc shard through the hole in its chest, where it could have nicked its heart. Normally the Dragon General would have never allowed such injuries to happen in the first place. Hidaki had long since figured out that this fight was not a normal one. If such a thing can be applied to a fight against a Dragon General.The D-General was in a pure berserker state and was solely focused on one thing and one thing only. Killing its target, i.e., Hidaki and probably Saren, after it was done with him. It didn’t care what injuries it suffered or who or what got in its way. It didn’t care if it died, so as long it took its prey with it.That was when Hidaki realized, in a sort of terrified satisfied way, the Dragon General was going to die here. With its regenerative abilities inhibited, the injuries were too severe and numerous for it to survive. The only thing keeping it going was pure anger and adrenaline. Once those ran out, Hidaki fully expected the monster to drop dead. The question was, how long would that take? How many more lives would be lost before it died? And would Hidaki live long enough to see that happen?Hidaki gritted his teeth. No, he was not going to die here. He was going to live and see his family again. He was going to give his wife the biggest, most passionate kiss, twirl his son around in the air, and hold his newborn daughter.Hidaki grabbed the Dragon General’s arm as it shot out and twisted it around behind it. The D-General’s other arm bent around to grab Hidaki, just as wanted. An Ukaku lashed out an upward swing, separating flesh and bone. Hidaki put his foot on the Dragon General’s back and kicked out. The D-General was stumbling forward just as its severed armed landed on the ground.
The Dragon general turned around, for once another emotion playing out its face. Surprise. Looked down at where the lower part of its arm used to be, as though it were trying to process the image it was seeing.Hidaki smirked at his opponent, half tempted to gloat. A smirked that all but vanished when the Dragon General’s anger returned in full force. In an instant, the Dragon General was right in front of him. It swung out its other arm, hand curled into a fist.Hidaki tried to move out of the way or block the attack. But the Dragon General had gotten in too close, too quickly for him to react in time. The fist smashed into his cheek, searing pain shot through his mouth as he felt his jaw become dislocated. Hidaki flew into the air, crashing into the ground several times, like a pebble skipping on water. His body finally came to a stop as it crashed into the turian equivalent of a light post.Hidaki shakily got to his feet. He brought up his hand to his face, he coughed. A glob of blood landed on the palm of his hand with a few fragments of his teeth. The world around him was spinning. Then it stopped when he felt something smash into his gut coming from below him. Hidaki coughs up more blood as his body briefly goes into the air. He had enough time to realize that Dragon had used its knee to send him into the air before it brought its intact arm down on his back. The man felt a few of his vertebra crack as he was sent flying back into the ground.Darkness was seeping into his vision as he tried and failed to lift himself up. He managed to prop himself up on one elbow, looking at a pair of feet in front of him. He looked up at the body attached to them, seeing the Dragon General staring down at him.He reaches out his hand to grab the monster by its leg. A final vain attempt at fighting. The Dragon General stomped its foot down, smashing the offending hand. No sound escaped Hidaki, as he had no strength left to do anything. He looked his killer in the eye, sending what amount of defiance he could at the monster. He thought of his family and how they would be affected by his death. He prayed they would have the strength to get through it. “I’m sorry. Looks like I’m not coming home.” The Dragon General’s Bikaku raised into the air and was ready to come down on his head. When four red spikes tore through the Dragon General’s body. When Saren came to, he knew one of two things had happened. Either he died, and there was, in fact, an afterlife. Or he was still alive. He was bidding on the latter, judging by the sounds of fighting all around him. He opened his eyes, seeing that he was still in the street, lying up on a building. Looking around, he up to his feet, feeling like they could give out under him at any moment. He saw that the army was tilling fighting the hordes of Dragon Orphans. But instead of pushing them back, the advance had come to a halt. From the looks of things, the Dragon Orphans were threatening to push the allied army back. His gaze followed a trail of bodies, his head was spinning, and the darkness threatened to claim him again. None of that mattered when his sights came to the end of the trail. Hidaki was fighting the Dragon General alone and was on the losing side of that fight.Without much thought for his current condition, Saren threw himself back into the street and charged at the Dragon General. Hidaki just needed to hold out for a few seconds, just a few, and he would have help. When the terran cut off the Dragon General’s arm, Saren felt elated. Then horror took over when the D-General sent Hidaki flying with a single punch. Saren picked up his pace, heedless of the pain shooting through his body. Just a little longer.The Dragon General appeared in front of Hidaki just as he got up, sending him into the air with a knee to his chest. Saren was just a few meters away from them. Hold on, Hidaki. The terran ghoul was sent crashing back into the ground. The edges of Saren’s sights turned black. He felt like his body was about to collapse. The Dragon General stood over Hidaki, smashing its foot into Hidaki’s hand. Just a few more seconds.A Bikaku raised into the air. Saren jumped forward and shot out his Sekkaku. Time slowed as the Dragon General’s Bikaku began its descend, and Saren’s Sekkaku sailed through the air. Now it was a question of which hit their target first. The Dragon General, or Saren. The Fates were smiling on Hidaki and Saren this day.One Sekkaku pierced through the Dragon General’s back, coming out from the chest. A second one came out right next to it, going through its heart. The other two pierced through a little below them. The Dragon General’s Bikaku stopped as the monster was stunned. Saren wasn’t about to give it the chance to recover. He pulled himself in, getting within inches of the monster, and shot out both his arms. His talons tore into the back of his enemy. Then he pulled.He pulled, pushing outward with all four of his Sekkaku and both of his arms. He pulled with every last drop of strength he had left and kept pulling. Flesh and muscle began to separate from each other.The Dragon General roared in outrage as it thrashed everywhere to get the ghoul turian off it. With one last push, Saren shouted. “Die, you bastard!” There was a sickening tearing sound and then. And then the Dragon General just exploded. Saren’s arms went limp, now they no longer had something to hold on to. His Sekkaku fell to the ground where they seemed to wither. Saren felt something raining on him, but he ignored it.He looked down at the prone body of his friend and was worried that he had been too slow. Then Hidaki’s head moved up. Saren couldn’t tell what kind of expression he had on. He was just glad that the man was alive. “Hida..” That was when the world turned upside down, and for the second time, darkness took over. Beep.Beep.Beep. When Saren came to, he heard the sound of a heart monitor. He opened his eyes seeing an unfamiliar ceiling. It didn’t take too long for him to figure out where he was. Slowly Saren sat up in his bed, knowing he needed to take it easy.He starred out into a wall for several minutes, the events of what brought to this room slowly drifting back into his conscious mind. “Afternoon.” A familiar voice said.Saren looked over to see Hidaki sitting next to his bed. “Hidaki. You’re alright?”Hidaki smiled and nodded. “That Dragon General gave me a real beating. Gave me a few injuries that even ghouls would struggle to recover from. But I was just fine within a couple of days, the perks of coming from a family with an absurdly high healing factor.”Saren nodded. “How long was I out?” He asked.“About five days.” Hidaki answered. “You were actually all healed up within three, but I guess your body was worn out after the battle.”Again, Saren nodded, he still felt tired. He asked his last question. “What of the Dragon General?” He wasn’t sure if the last memories were real or not, or if they were that the Dragon General had somehow. “Is he?”“About as dead as you get.” Hidaki answered. “I see.” Saren said, feeling… feeling nothing, really. He didn’t know if it was because of his tiredness and that later he would feel overjoyed. After all, the Dragon General had been the one leading the D-Orphans on Brytus, killed spirit’s knows how many people, and yes made him what he was today. He should feel happy that the monster was dead and that he was the one to kill it. But strange as it was, he felt nothing about it, just another death in this war, another kill under his belt.“I assume our forces were able to take the Dragon’s Nest?” Saren asked after a moment of thinking.“Yes.” Hidaki answered. “With the Dragon General dead, the rest of the swarm fell into chaos. Allied forces pushed them back all the way back to the D-Nest within hours. When night fell the next day, we secured the D-Nest. Since then, it’s just been clean up. Brytus is free. We have you to thank for that.” Hidaki finished his explanation.“I was just doing my duty.” Saren laying back in his bed.“True.” Hidaki said. “But more than few people want to give you a medal for your actions. I’m inclined to agree with them.” “So as long you get one too,” Saren said, almost yawning. “You helped kill that thing.”“Perhaps.” Hidaki said, with his expression softening. “I should let you get some more rest. I’ll let the doctors know that you woke up.”Some more rest did sound good to Saren. “Just don’t expect me to stay here forever. I’ll be back in the fight soon enough.”Hidaki smiled as he stood up. “I would be worried if you didn’t. Before I go, I want to thank you.”“For what?”“For saving my life.” Hidaki explained. If you had just been a second slower, I would be dead now. I got a line with my wife a few hours ago. I got to see my son and daughter. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten to see them.”“As I said, I was just doing my duty.” Saren said, shifting around in the bed, getting comfortable.“I get the feeling that there’s a little more to that.” Hidaki said. “Still, thank you. I owe you my life. My family also wants to thank you. The next time I contact them, I’ll let them know how you’re doing. Maybe even introduce you so they can thank you themselves.”“I don’t think that’s necessary.” Saren knew he wasn’t a people person. He was surprised he had gotten along as well as he did with Hidaki and a couple of others.“Nonsense.” Hidaki scoffed. “You saved my life, so you’re going to have to live with the consequences.” He said, turning around and walking away. “After all, what are friends for?” Then he left, leaving Saren alone.
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Chapter 25: Around the Galaxy January 20th, 2490, 15:07, Medical Station Sistash Beepbeepbeep! Beepbeepbeep!“He’s gone critical.” A nurse shouted.“We need to stabilize him now!” Doctor Wright said, running his medical scanner over his patient. A turian soldier. “10ccs of Dexomorphine.”“10ccs! Got it.” The nurse said. A blueish liquid ran through the small clear tubes that went into the man’s neck. “His condition is unchanged.”Beepbeepbeep! Beepbeepbeep!The turian soldier began to shack in his bed, his arms pulling at the restraints. “Someone hold him still!” Wright shouted. Two men, one turian and the other a salarain ran by and held the convulsing Turian down. “Administer 15ccs.”“15ccs got it.” The nurse said. The patient’s convulsing began to lessen but was still present. “His condition is stabilizing.”Dr. Wright nodded. “Good, increase to 20ccs. That should be enough.” The nurse did as he said, and the turian’s convulsing stopped altogether. He was breathing evenly. The two men stopped holding the soldier down after another minute. “Alright,” Wright said calmy. “Let’s continue on with the operation. See if we can’t avoid any more episodes.” It would be a long operation. 8 hours later In the end, the turian soldier did survive after over three hours of being operated on. But not before he suffered two more convulsion attacks, and his heart almost stopped at one point. Wright’s uniform had been stained with a lot of blue by the end of it. He would add it to the growing pile of different pigments. The middle-aged doctor was certain he would never be able to look at any color without seeing something else.Still, the man did survive even though he may never serve again. It was a happier case than some of the ones Wright had seen. Last week he had operated on another soldier, a Terran. Over four hours, they operated on, with them having to restart his heart three times. Pour kid fought for every breath he could, but his body couldn’t take the stress anymore. Four hours and thirty-seven minutes after that soldier came, he was pronounced dead on the operation table.The Terran doctor sighed. He eyed his drink, wondering if he should take some stimulants to avoid sleeping tonight. “How did I get stuck here? Seeing so much? Oh right, Shanxi.”“You look the worse for tear.” A voice said. Wright looked up to see a Turian doctor sitting down in front of him. “Doctor Ramdos, how have you been?” Wright greeted his college. “And it’s worse for wear.”The turian’s mandibles twitched in amusement. “Probably a little better than you.” Ramdos said, taking a bit from some vegetable. “Tough day?”Wright snorted since when he had a day that couldn’t be described as tough? Not for four years. “You could say that. A turian soldier was brought into my operation room. He had a couple Rc shards inside of him that the front-line medics couldn’t get out. He was put into a stasis chamber and brought here. He operated on the guy for over three hours and almost lost him a few times.”The turian doctor had taken a sip from his mug. “From the sounds of it, you managed to get the soldier out of your room alive.”Wright nodded. “I did, but he’ll never be able to serve again.” Even with all the advances in the medical field, there was still only so much a doctor could do.“Better that than dead.” The turian said. Not out of callousness, it was just a statement of fact. “Besides, there are other ways to serve the Hierarchy than just holding a gun. You’ve gotten good at working my people.”“I had too,” Wright responded. “If I was to save lives, I needed to learn quickly.” More than four years ago, the only he had to worry about was operating on was a human or ghoul body. He never imagined he would be operating on bodies from a dozen different races.He had been a simple doctor on Shanxi, working in the field of surgery. Granted, he knew the field wasn’t for the faint of heart. He had seen things that would make most others sick to their stomach and give them nightmares. But he had been able to handle them. Certainly, he had restless nights because of nightmares. But nothing that warm cup of milk and a good book couldn’t solve. Then Shanxi happened. When word got that the Dragon Orphans had returned and were about to attack Shanxi, he had volunteered to stay behind and help with the wounded. He had been assigned to one of the countless field hospitals that would treat the wounded as they came in. At first, it seemed a little different from a normal hospital. Just a lack of proper equipment, they needed to be mobile at a moment’s notice, and a lot of standing around waiting for the wound to come in.They did come in. At first, in a small trickle, with simple injuries, a flesh wound here, a sprang ankle there. Little things that had them patched up in a minute or two and back out in the fighting. Then it quickly evolved into large floods of soldiers coming in, becoming a nightmare. The wounded got worse, an Rc shard in the shoulder, a bit wound in the leg. Then the bad ones got mixed in; missing or mauled limps, open chest wounds, once beautiful looking faces reduced to nightmarish parodies, whimpering in agony. And the death, there was so much death that day. He remembered a young man who looked just barely out of his teenage years. Probably signed up right after the announcement of the coming attack. He had a pretty face, something that any girl or guy might have fallen for. Or at least it should have been. It wasn’t so attractive stained red with his own blood. His stomach was torn open. Wright didn’t know how the young man’s squad managed to get to the field hospital without him dying. He died whimpering for his mother. As a doctor, Wright knew that he could not save everyone. It was something they hammered into your head when you were in med-school. Despite your best efforts, eventually, someone was going to die on your operating table.Wright had lost a few patents before, he had grieved for them, and their faces occasional haunted his dreams. But working in that field hospital had been different. Never had he felt so powerless to save anyone.He still didn’t know why he stayed on after that. He could have continued his work as a civilian doctor or quit the profession altogether. But he chose to continue his service as a surgeon in the military. Getting his office licensing about a month before the Federation entered the war. Maybe he felt like he owed the ones he lost to save as many lives as he could in the coming war.He was brought out of his thoughts by Ramdos’s voice. “A many Turians owe you, their lives. Along with some other races.” He said.“Well, I did have a good teacher,” Wright said.“Yea stopped you from killing half your Turian patients.” The Turian doctor shot, getting a chuckle from the terran.Wright had met Ramdos when the Terran Federation entered the war. Wright had been a part of the first wave of reinforcements for the besieged Citadel forces. He didn’t quite remember the name of the first planet he set foot on. It was some minor Turian that the Hierarchy had given up on days before. The marines had established a beachhead for the main army. Wright and hundreds of other doctors joined them, setting up field hospitals for the Terran forces and, if necessary, Turian.Of course, none of them were expected to perform major surgery on the avian species or another species. They had gained extensive knowledge of the different species’ physiology, from when the Federation breached into the citadel’s data works, or the extranet as they called it. Wright and the other doctors sent out into citadel space had to read up the data acquired. This way, they could treat any alien patient that might come their way.However, they were only expected to treat minor injuries and leave the major stuff the doctors of the citadel races. In theory, they did have enough information for their doctors to do more complex operations. But the higher-ups felt that they would be taking an unnecessary risk. None of their doctors had the experience to effectively use the knowledge. So, it was decided until their people were taught by the medical experts, terran doctors were expected to refrain from performing major operations and only treat minor injuries. That expectation went out the proverbial window within the first few days of the war.“You look like you got something on your mind.” Ramdos said.Wright shook his head. “Nothing too much. Just remember the first day I meet you.”“Ah, that.” Ramdos responded. “I don’t remember all of the details of that day. I just remember you being an idiot.” “Well, I do.” Not entirely true most of that day was a blur to him.“With wary joy: Salutations.” A deep voice interrupted. Both doctors turned their heads to see an elcor walking up to them. He stopped beside Wright, dropping a large tray of food onto the table. “Doctor Mitriz.” Wright greeted. “You look well.”“With tired frustration: I could be better.” The Elcor doctor droned. “I’m guessing your day hasn’t gone as smoothly as ours.” Ramdos said.“With grief: I lost two patients today. One Asari, and one Turian.” Dr. Mitriz explained. Wright nodded, understanding what the Elcor doctor was feeling. “Try not to hold it against yourself. We all wish we could save every life that comes onto our tables.” If he had been alone, Wright might have laughed. Giving advice when he struggled to follow it that sounded a bit like hypocrisy.“But the reality is,” Ramdos picked up for Wright. “We can’t do that. We can only save the ones that we can.” Wright wondered how often most doctors told themselves that. The Elcor gave a slight incline of his head. “With genuine curiosity: What were you discussing before I arrived.”“Just the first time I met Doctor Ramdos, and how he dragged me into helping him operating on his patients.” Then Wright cracked a smile. “Or should I say victims, with your bedside manners?” The turian doctor snorted. “I don’t care about being nice to my patients. I just want to get them out of my room as quickly as possible and move on to the next.” He said. “Besides, you remember how hectic that day was. With everyone running around like headless foul, it was almost impossible to get any help.”That was true. He remembered going from one patient to another, having little to no help. Then after treating a terran soldier, he was grabbed by this crazy-looking Turian. He was then forced to help the man operate on his patients. Mostly just giving him the tools, he needed or holding down a violent patient. That was how he met Doctor Ramdos. “With veiled amusement: That must have been an interesting interaction.” The Elcor said. Wright nodded. “It was. Though admittedly, we didn’t get much of a chance to talk in the first couple of days. It wasn’t until after most of the city was secured did, I learn about the lunatic I got stuck with.”Ramdos’s mandibles flared, showing his annoyance. “Remember, this lunatic has taught you everything he knows. I kept you from getting most of your non-terran patients killed.”“And I did the same for you.” Wright said. “We learned a lot from each other about how to work on our respective species.”It was quite the experience learning about the bodies of the different species of the galaxy. It amazed him how different they were from terran biology, yet how similar they were as well. He still had to be careful with what solutions and chemicals he could use when treating a Turian or Asari. But he found that many of the same techniques such as CPR, mending broken bones, wrapping a tranquil, and others work just as well as they would on humans if only needing slight adaptions. He saw the Turian doctor nod. “Granted, we didn’t learn under the most ideal circumstances. I would have preferred to teach you how to operate on a Turian in a classroom setting. Not under fire from the enemy, in the middle of a warzone.”“True,” Wright admitted. “And I would have preferred to have done the same for you. War though is rarely convenient. But we what must to save lives.”“Doctor Wright to the ICU.” A voice came over the station’s comm. “Doctor Wright to the ICU.”“Speaking of.” Wright quickly finished his drink and picked up his foot. He stood up. “I got some more lives to save.” He ignored the small cynical voice whispering into his ear. “I wish you well.” Ramdos said. “Try to meet up at our usual time?”“Same place, same table.” Wright responded. Then he disposed of his food and entered out into the busy corridors of the station. Despite his restless nights and recent miss givings, Wright knew he still had a job to do and that when the war ended, he would continue to work as a surgeon. Perhaps not in the military, but he would continue to save lives. February 19th 16:07, Shanxi, Capital city It had been almost five years since Shanxi had been attacked by the Dragon Orphans. Five years since first contact was made with the Quarian people, the Terran people became aware of a wider galactic community. In that time, the Capital city of the colony had been rebuilt. The dead had been buried and mourned. A monument had been constructed in honor of the brave men and women who gave their lives in the colony’s defense. It always had a visitor or two wanting to pay their respects. Much had changed for Shanxi in five years. While it had already been among the fastest-growing worlds in the Federation, its growth had skyrocketed when the Federation came onto the galactic stage. This was due in part to two reasons. First, Shanxi was now in the middle of a new major trade lane. Merchant ships of all sizes came through both ends of the relay carrying their wares, bringing untold wealth to the colony. Tens of thousands of people came flooding into the system wanting to establish or grow their businesses. Others wanted to migrate to the citadel seeking new opportunities, and the people from the citadel wanted to do the same coming into Federation space.The second reason was because of the refugees flooding in from the war. The Terran Federation’s entry into the war on behalf of the Citadel races, they opened several of their worlds to refugees fleeing the Dragon Orphans. This helped levitate the strain on several Citadel worlds. Namely, Asari, who were known for their compassionate attitudes in crises. This would help relations between the Federation and the Republics, who were put off by the Terran’s more militaristic attitudes. Shanxi grew to have the largest refugee population, with analysts believing that more than three million refugees of all races had made their way to the colony. It was because of this and other reasons that Shanxi was quickly growing to be the crowning Jewel of the Federation’s outer colonies. Of course, this mattered little to a small group of children standing outside a small store. “Hey, I got it.” A ten-year boy said, running outside of the comic bookstore. Blue eyes shone with delight as his blonde hair was swept across his face by the wind. He ran up to his group of friends. To some, it might have seemed like an odd group, mostly having terran children, but included two turians, both boys, and a Asari. The boy came to a stop bending over to his knees, catching his breath. “Well, did you get it? The newest issue.” Faus said. A turian boy around ten years almost eleven, red marks adorned his brown skin, around his mouth, and lined his eyes. The terran boy, Kevin, look up with a bright smile. “I did. See.” He held up a comic book. On its front page was Turian flying up into space, wearing a strange green uniform. His fist was held out. On the middle talon, a green ring glowed with power.The title read “Caslio the First Turian Green Lantern: Issue # 17 Brightest Day on Palavan.” Faus hummed happily. He had always been a big fan of comics. His father often took him to the stores to get the newest issues of some of their favorite stories. Jiulas the Avenging Knight, Watchmen of the Citadel, Secrets of the Terminus, and many others. They had quite the collection back on their colony world of Hi’lias. His father even joked that might have the largest collection in the Hierarchy. His mother never got their interest in “frivolous stories,” as she called. But always had a good-natured smile when she saw them pour over the pages of their shared collection.Their collection and his mother were gone now. Lost to the swarms of Dragon Orphans that invaded their home. The turian boy repressed the memories of that day, not wanting them to dampen his mood. His eyes focused on the comic book in the other boy’s hands.“Come on, let’s find somewhere to read it.” Faus said, leading the group down the streets of the city. The streets, at being first being strange and foreign to him, were now a familiar and welcomed sight to the young Turian boy. He and his father had come to this world as refugees two years ago, fleeing the war. Those first days had been hard for him and his father. Being in such a strange place where the buildings seemed to be alive had been both a terrifying and exhilarating experience for Faus. He had kept close to the refugee center for fear of getting lost or being snatched up by one of those monsters as a mid-day snack. But within days, his curiosity had won out, and he snuck out of the center to explore the city. The people around him didn’t seem to take too much notice of him. Perhaps they had grown used to seeing aliens walking down the streets.Either way, it had allowed him to wander freely around the city. He still kept a close distance to the center and made a point to avoid anyone with black and red eyes. He didn’t know how long he wandered around when he came to a store, very much like the ones he and his father used to visit.Without a thought, he found himself in the store marveling at the rows of strange and new comic books. Filled with images that he had never seen before. Some were familiar and obvious to him, like those with people dressed in weird clothes, doing things that should be impossible. Superheroes, they had been among his favorites to read. While mindlessly staring, he had not noticed the boy until he had bumped right into him. That had been how he met his first terran friend, Kevin. He had been the one to show him comic books that his people made. Among his favorites were those made by a group called “DC,” he liked the myriad of heroes and villains they created. In particular, he loved the heroes that called themselves green lanterns. “I still don’t get why you insist on getting a physical copy.” The Asari girl said, taking Faus out of his thoughts. “Wouldn’t getting a copy through the extranet- I mean, the internet be quicker and last longer?”The group had arrived somewhere in one of the city’s parks. Kevin gave the girl a questioning look. “I don’t know. There’s just something special about holding the actual book in your hands. Feel the pages flipping through your fingers and the scent coming off the book. It all makes the story feel more real, more ahh, tangible.” He explained. “Or at least that’s what my dad tells me. I just like having the real thing in my hands.”Faus’s father had told him much the same thing. “I still don’t get it.” The Asari girl said but had a smile on her lips. That seemed to incite an odd reaction out of the boy. His cheeks reddened. “Well, you don’t have to.” He said shakily. “We can still enjoy the reading story together.”Faus rolled his eyes. His friend had yet to admit his obvious crush on the asari girl. The group of friends found an empty table to sit at. Kevin opened the book and flipped over a few pages coming to the story’s beginning. The page showed a terran green lantern encased in a yellow orb. In front of smiling smugly was a pinkish alien. “The evil Sinestro has caught Hal Jorden.” Kevin began to narrate.Partially paying attention, Faus looked over his friends. They had made adjusting to life here easier. Shanxi had become like a home to him, and it was his home. They weren’t living in the refugee center anymore. About a year after they arrived, his father had applied for them to become permanent residents in the Terran Federation. Now they lived in a modest apartment. Apart of him wanted to return to their home in the Hierarchy. Many of the refugees were returning to Citadel space, now the enemy had been driven out. But Faus knew if they did, they would face problems.Faus’s gaze landed one of his terran friends, a boy around the same age as him. Both of his eyes were pitch black, with red irises. The sight still sent chills down his back, but now he knew they wouldn’t do anything to him. It helped him whenever he was around his father.Kevin’s narration of the comic came to an end. “And so, with having rescued Hal Jorden. Caslio flew back to Palavan to thwart Sinestro’s most diabolical plan yet.” He closed the comic book and laid it on the table. He had a content smile on.“That was amazing.” The Terran boy said. “What did you guys think of it?” He asked the others.Most of the other kids agreed that the story was great. Each pointing out their favorite part. Then Kevin’s eyes landed on Faus. “I thought it was great.” He said. He hadn’t paid much attention but got the general gist of what happened. “What was your favorite part?” Kevin asked. “Mine was when Caslio and Hal threw a punch that sent Sinestro flying.”Faus smiled at his friend’s eagerness. Both boys had bonded over their love of comic books, and they both enjoyed superhero stories. Though there was one point of contention between the two, Faus liked DC, Kevin liked Marvel. “The part where Caslio broke Hal out of Sinestro’s trap after he laid out his plans.”“You know I never got that.” The Asari girl said. “Why do villains always explain their plans? Wouldn’t it be smarter to just keep quiet and let the hero die?” “Because it’s what villains do.” Kevin explained, getting a nod from the other kids. “They always got to explain their plans. I mean, how else are they going to stop the villain’s plans if they don’t know what they are?”“But?” The asari began but was then cut off by a voice.“I wouldn’t bother.” An asari woman said, walking up to the table. “Boys can be stubborn. Especially about the things they like.”“Mom.” Enirata said. Getting up, she greets her mother. “What are you doing here?”“I was just walking around when I saw you with your friends.” The mother asari said. “I thought I’d go ahead and pick you up.” The Asari women looked up at the children and smiled. “It’s nice to meet my little girl’s friends. She’s told me a lot about you and some of the interest you have.” She was eyeing the comic book lying on the table. “I hope you boys have been taking good care of my daughter.”Kevin nodded shyly, his head turning a dark shade of red. “Uhh, Y-yea, we have been. Taking good care of her. Yea, that.” He said, oblivious to the fact he was stumbling over his words. The others were nodding too.The Asari woman smiled at the terran boy. “Well, good.” She held her hand to her daughter. “Come Enirata, it’s time to go home. Say goodbye to your friends.”“Hey, uhh, Eni.” Kevin said suddenly.“Yes?” Enirata Said, giving the boy a curious look. “What is it, Kevin?“Well, uuh.” He tried to say something. “I just. Well, you see. Ummm? Would you?” Panic seemed to be setting in, and Faus felt like banging his head on one of the nearby trees. “See you tomorrow?” He finished.The asari looked confused for a moment before nodding. “Yea, sure.” She said.Her mother was smiling down at the two, having a knowing look in her eye. “Come on Enirata, time to go.”As soon as the two asari were gone, Faus lightly smacked his hand upside Kevin’s head. The terran boy rubbed the back of his head and glared at the turian. “What was that for?”The other children laughed but remained silent. “Trying to see if I can slap the stupid out of you.” Faus responded, getting more laughs from the others. “Was that really all you can say? See you tomorrow?”“Hey!” Kevin responded. “These things take time. I’m slowly working my way in.”Faus gave the terran a pointed look. “You’ve been crushing on her for more than a year now.” He said flatly.“Very slowly.” Kevin added. “I’m working very slowly. Besides, she’s going to live for like a thousand years. I have all the time in the galaxy to ask her out.”If he had been a terran, Faus would have rolled his eyes. Instead, his mandibles twitched in irritation. “The old asari live for thousands of years card. My dad told me that excuse was old when he was a kid.” He said to his friend. “So, you can imagine how much worse it is now.”Kevin held his hands behind his head. “Well, I’ll tell her one day.” He said dismissively.“Just be sure to do it before you’re an old man.” Faus said. He was frustrated that his friend had yet to confess his feelings. He just wanted the boy to get it done. It was a simple choice. Either he confesses and gets accepted by Enirata, or she rejects him. Though the young turian boy suspected that the asari girl would accept Kevin’s confession.A part of Faus, though, was happy that the terran was taking so long. It gave him more time to do the same for him. “Come on.” Faus said after a moment of thought. “It’s getting late, and I need to stop by the center to get my dad his food.” “Okay.” Kevin said. “Oh, you think I can come over? I want to read some more of the comics your people have. I really like the one you showed me last time. The secrets of the termenatios?”“Terminus.” Faus corrected. “Secrets of the Terminus. And sure, my dad likes having you around.”Life was good on Shanxi. February 23rd 12:00, The Citadel Presidium Economic District “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Glin said. “If this falls through, I won’t even have enough to purchase a ride on a garbage scowl back home.”“Hey, come calm down, buddy.” A synthetic voice said. “Besides, there are some very luxurious garbage scowls out there.” Glin glared at the holographic figure. Causing him to chuckle nervously. “I assure you this will work. I ran all of the numbers myself.”That still didn’t do much to reassure the Volus. Glin had once been a successful businessman. Sure, he couldn’t begin to compete with the big leagues, but he did make enough to have a comfortable living. He had set up shop on the borders between the Hegemony and the Hierarchy, a simple little trading company. The batarians may have been the slavers of the galaxy and, in general, viewed as the scum of the galaxy, but they did make for good customers. He just had to ignore the less than tasteful practices their government had.His business was doing well. Better than most small-time businesses that would either fail within the first five years or be cannibalized by the bigger business. In a few years, maybe a decade, Glin might have had owned his own moon. Then that war happened.The Hegemony practically disappeared overnight, costing him a large majority of his customer base. Definitely a bad blow to a small business like his, but not necessarily a fatal one. Then those damn Dragon Orphans invaded.With the last of his customers dead or fleeing as refugees, Glin’s business went bankrupt faster than a Krogan going to a good fight. With his business gone, Glin suddenly found himself drowning in debt. He may have escaped with his life when the invasion started but had been days when he wished he hadn’t.For more than two years, the volus businessman had to go from one job to another. Ask for several loans from his fellow volus, just to keep himself from completely going under. Life was miserable for him, and he began to fear he would be destined for a life of distention.That was when a ray of hope shone itself to the downtrodden Volus. The Terrans had entered the galactic scene. Bringing with them not just their mighty fleets and armies. But with them whole new opportunities. Seeing a chance, Glin was quick to cut out his own slice in the economic boom that occurred shortly after the Federation arrived.With just a few loans from some old friends, Glin established a new business targeting the new terran demographic. It might have been the best possible decision he could have made. He was now running a successful business with an ever-growing customer base. He still had debts to pay, but now he could just see the surface of the ocean he had been drowning in. Maybe, just maybe, in a decade or two, he’ll have that moon.But now Glin was at what the terrans called a crossroads. If he took this road, he would either find himself on an island of prosperity or be dragged back down into the depths, never to surface again. “Okay, run this by me one more time.” Glin said to the terran Synthetic. He still couldn’t quite wrap his mind around it, friendly synthetic life. Not the cold murderous machines that the citadel portraited in all their media just a few short years ago.They could be wrong. But Glin had been talking to this AI for the better part of a week, and he had yet to wake up suitless on a dissection table. Or with his brain scoped out and replaced with a machine core. Or… Okay, maybe he was being a little paranoid. But that still didn’t stop him from keeping an electronic scrambler on hand. Guaranteed to blast any AI into next week or get your money back. It only cost him fifty thousand credits. “Damn, you organics have short attention spans.” The synth mocked. “I’m well aware.” Glin said. “You’ve made that point clear.”“So, I have. So, I have.” The hologram said, rubbing his chin. “Don’t take it personally. I have plenty of organic friends.” Glin found that statement suspect. He even doubts that this synth had many friends among his kind. “So, here’s the short and sweet version of it. The citadel and the Terran Federation are experiencing massive economic booms. That’s to be expected both suddenly have new previously untouched populations. Especially the Federation. Whereas about five years ago, there was only had one race for the numerous businesses, companies, and megacorps to cater to. Now they have over a dozen other races to exploit. And I say that in the nicest way possible. Seriously, you can’t imagine how many tycoons were salivating at the mouth when the news broke. Thousands of new worlds and trillions of new customers waiting to buy their products. And I can just imagine what some of the businesses men on your side of the relay were thinking.”Glin knew very well what they were thinking. He had thought the same thing. And it all boiled down to one question. How much profit could they make before someone stepped in to restrain them? “Yes, yes. I get that. But haven’t gotten to your point yet.”“I was getting to that.” The synth said. “Anyways, as I was saying. Longstanding companies on both sides are branching out into the new demographics. Some are even starting to make partnerships. You know the whole wanting to share the profit thing they have going, but really, they’re trying to see how much they exploit the other guy. And of course, there’s all the other smaller, medium-sized, and ma and pa companies that are migrating over, hoping to find a place where they can grow more freely.”“Again, I can observe that for myself.” Glin said, getting a little irritated that this thing had yet to make its point. “What I’m not observing is the point.”“Little dude, you need more patience.” The synth said. “Isn’t patience an important part of being a successful businessman such as yourself?”The volus felt his eyes narrow from behind his mask. “Only when there is a point it. So far, you haven’t shown such.”The synth’s eyes rolled. “Just let me finish my spill here. I’m getting to the part where I make my Segway to the point. So, I ask you for just a little more patience. Now, where was I?”Glin sighed, which was perfectly timed with the wheezing of his suit. “You just got past the small companies bit.”“Right. Right.” The synth said. “Now, lastly, we have the new ones that are cropping up everywhere. With this new economic boom, ambitious and greedy people alike see it as the time to establish their own businesses and make it big. These new companies are breeding crazier than rabbits on Viagra.” Glin didn’t know what either of those was, but he could the meaning all the same. “So, tell me, how many of them actually know how to do that?”“Know what?” Glin asked. Finally, this synth was getting to the point of this business meeting. “How to properly establish a working, profitable, and most importantly long-lasting business.” The synth said. “How many of them know what kind of company they want? Know which banks to go to? How to market their products. How to screen out applicants for what job positions? Which companies they should partner with, and which one they should avoid? Really, I can be asking these questions, and we’d be here all day. The point is establishing and running a business takes a lot of steps that most people don’t tend to think about. And it is a lot of hard work.”On that, Glin could agree. Though being a Volus, he had been much more aware of difficult it was to establish his own business than others from different races would have. But it still surprised him how difficult it was to manage a business by himself. His previous venture on the borders with the Hegemony was not his first one. He had a few others that had not gone as well but had served to be valuable learning experiences for him. “Not many in my experience.” He said.“Yea, maybe like one percent of people know how to. Now then, how many of them have the skill and ability to do so?” The synth asked.Glin was failing to see where this was going. But decided to indulge the obviously insane AI. “Mister. Samuels, was it?” He got a nod from the synth. “Can you please get to the point? I have other important matters to attend to. If you continue to waste my time, I will call this meeting to an end.”Samuels let out a frustrated sigh. “So impatient.” He muttered. “Fine, here’s my point. A lot of these new companies that are popping up will fail. Because the people making and running them don’t know how to or lack the skill. I say we help them, for a price. Okay, now Glin’s interest was piqued. “Help them how?” The Volus businessman said.The synth smiled. It was a good-natured smile that only a well-practiced conman was capable of making. “Simple. For a generous cut of their profits, we offer to help them run their businesses. Teach them how to manage their profits. Connect them with the right banks. Set up meetings with companies that would be willing to partner with them and in a way that both parties profit. Even help them find and hire the right employees.” Glin considers the synth’s, Samuels’s proposal. It certainly sounded like an interesting idea and could net a nice little profit. But it didn’t seem like something that could last. “Are you sure that people will be interested in such a service? What if they decide that they’re better off on their own? What then?”Samuels walked out to a window that offered a beautiful view of the citadel, set to the background of the Widow Nebula. “Of course, there are going to be people that won’t take our service. That’s true for businesses. But I guarantee that there will be at least a few people who will accept our services. And that is all we need to get our business venture on its feet and running. In a few years, there will be several successful companies operating throughout the galaxy, and once other prospective business owners realize that it was because of you. They’ll be beating down your door, begging for your services. Trust me, my friend. In a decade or two, we’ll both be filthy stinking rich.” Samuels turned around to face Glin. “You may even be able to buy that moon you’ve been wanting.” He held out his hands, and a representation of a moon appeared. “Hell, you can even buy ten moons if wanted to.” He said, causing nine more moons to appear in the palm of his hand.That was a very tempting offer to the Volus businessman. The idea of owning not one but ten or more moons, it sent a shiver down his spine. Imagine how jealous his competitors would be, the women he would attract. He agreed right then and there. But he restrained himself, knowing that this venture could just as easily fail or even be a con on the side of this synth. “Alright, say that I do agree to this. And say this venture does succeed, and we both become rich beyond our imaginations. Why choose me? Surely there must have been better choices out there? Other businessmen Volus or otherwise, that are better suited to this venture than I am.”Samuels hummed. “You’re right. I did have other choices, plenty of them. I could have easily chosen an Elcor businessman on Dakura or an Asari on Omega. Hell, I could have gone with the obvious and worked with a Terran somewhere in the Federation. But in the end, I choose you because I genuinely believe that you are the best choice for the job.”“And how exactly am I the best choice?” Glin asked.“Because you know what it’s like.” Samuels answered. “You know what it’s like to build your business and manage it. What’s more, you know what’s it like to fail.”It was a good thing that Glin was wearing his environmental suit. Without it, the synth might have seen the look of surprise on his face. “You know of my previous business ventures?”“Of course, I do.” Samuels said. “Like any good businessman, I like to study up on any future partner or rival. After all, knowledge is power, or in our case, it leads to more profit. So yes, I knew about your previous business ventures. The ones that came before your success in on the borders between the Hierarchy and the Hegemony. And I know that they all failed. But you never let that dissuade you. You kept trying, learning from your previous mistakes, until you finally succeeded.” The synth walked up to Glin and bent down to look him in the face. “And it was a nice little business. Sure, it wasn’t bringing in freighters full of credits, but it was enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life.”“True, but even that one failed.” Glin admitted bitterly.“But, only because of some very bad luck.” Samuels added. “Point is you never gave up, and you did it all under your own power. That makes you a figure that people can relate to. Most of these new and upcoming businessmen are just everyday people wanting to live a better life. They weren’t born with silver spoons in their mouths, with mommy and daddy helping them set up their business. Like you, they are just people wanting to sell their ideas and live a comfortable living.” Samuels stood up and held out his hand. “So, what do you say? Partners?”Glin thought about it for a moment. It did sound like an interesting business venture, one that could make all the credits he could ever want. It would take some time and patience, but that was the same for all businesses. At the same time, though, it could lead to failure, and Glin may end up in debt for the rest of his life. It was a gamble. Then again, all ventures into new companies were gambles. Would they succeed? Or would they fail? Do people want the products and services they offer? Or would they be dismissed out of hand? Glin had taken gambles before. Some had failed. And some had not. But he had learned he would have never gotten anywhere if he was not willing to take a gamble. He reached out his hand and took the synths. “Mind you, I’m fully agreeing to this just yet. But I am willing to hear you out. Perhaps we can set up a meeting for next week, and you can give a more detailed explanation then.” Perhaps it was time to take another gamble.The synth smiled at the Volus businessman. “You, sir, have a deal.” March 3rd 12:37, Citadel Lower wards: Vollk knew he was in for a bad day when a pair of C-Sec officers rounded the corner. He cursed under his breath, hoping the two Turians would ignore him as he walked by. “Hold it right there, four-eyes.” No such luck.Vollk stopped in his steps. Taking a deep breath, he prayed to whatever higher power there was that this would end quickly. He slowly turned around, being careful not to come off as threatening. “Yes, officers? How may I be of service.” He said with a forced smile.Life was not good for Vollk on the citadel. Admittedly it was better than the life he had in the Hegemony. There he had been born into the lower casts of society. Not much better than a slave. He was impoverished, always hungry, and barely had anywhere to stay. He was lucky he didn’t wake up one day in a slave’s pin. Here at the citadel, life was a little better. Not by much, though. He was still impoverished, but he was less hungry and as sad as it sounds, his new “home” was a step up from where he last stayed. He knew it wasn’t much of a step up from the life he had lived under the Hegemony. But to others, it was a massive leap from where they had been. They had just to ignore the constant persecution from the other races. “What’s a four-eyed freak like you doing out here?” One of the officers asked.Vollk ignored the slur and kept his smile on. “Don’t make any aggressive moves, don’t say anything offensive. Don’t do anything that might prove them further.” He reminded himself. “I was just grabbing some supplies.” He said, holding up a large bag.Both turians were looking at him suspiciously. “That’s a big bag just for one person.” Turian officer #1 said.“You’re trying to feed your slaves or something?” Turian officer #2 remarked. Vollk held back a grimace with the same practice he would have given to an officer of the Hegemony. He would never be able to escape to reputation his people built up as slavers of the galaxy. Never mind, it was the actions of a repressive and barbaric government. Never mind that less than one percent of the Batarian population owned slaves. And let’s also ignore the fact that the majority of the slaves were Batarians. Sometimes it astonished him how ignorant the rest of the galaxy could be.He wished he could tell these two that, for what good that would do him. They wouldn’t believe him, and even if they did most others wouldn’t. He would just have to endure whatever they had planned for him. If he tried anything, he would find himself in a holding cell for who knows how long. He couldn’t do that, not with others, depending on the supplies in his hands. “I’m looking after several children.” He tried to explain.“Is that so?” #1 said, then scoffed. “A likely story. Come on, get on the wall. Drop your supplies by your side.” The tone in his voice left no room for debate.Vollk carefully eyed the two officers, he noticed the way their talons gripped around their weapons. How their bodies tensed. They were just waiting for him to do something. Well, he wasn’t about to give them that satisfaction. “Yes, officers.” He said, keeping his smile. “I don’t want any trouble.” He moved over to the wall. Dropping his supplies to the side, he placed both hands on the wall and assumed a well-practiced position. “Command, be advised,” One of the officers, he thinks #2, says into his Omni-tool. “We have detained a suspect and are currently searching for contraband.”He felt a pair of hands search up and down his body. He ignores how the officer “accidentally” kick his supplies over. A talon reached into one of his pockets and pulled something out.“What is this?” Officer #1 said in a low tone. Vollk looked over to see that the turian held a small cylindrical object in his hand. “That’s my ID, chit.” He explained. “If you would scan, it would prove I’ve been telling the truth the whole time.”The turian officer growled at him. “Don’t tell me what to do. Batarian.” He said. But did pull up his Omni-tool and waved it over the chit. Through a holographic display, Vollk could see his image appear and a profile scroll up next to it. “Says here you’re Vollk Bariss, born into the lower castes of the Batarian Hegemony. Came here four years ago. Current status, a refugee escaping the war. It also says you’re looking after several children.”Vollk nodded. “Yes, they’re all orphans. Their parents were killed.” He didn’t explain that most of them were former slaves and that they were likely separated from their parents by other means.Turian officer #2 snorted. “I say we bring him in.” He said. “He might have forged that ID chit. “For all we know, these children might be his pirate friends or slaves he smuggled on that station.”Vollk was about to open his mouth to protest. “In which case, you people need to step up your security.” A new voice joined in.Vollk looked over to see that a third C-Sec officer had walked up. A terran C-Sec officer. The Batarian man didn’t know how to feel about that. Depending on their species, he had a few different expectations from C-Sec officers. Turians were the most aggressive and the most likely to prosecute him. The Salarians were about the same but were better at hiding. Asari, at least were willing to offer a sympathetic ear. Terrans, though, they were a recent addition, and as far as Vollk could tell, they were a mixed bag to use one of their terms. They could be just as aggressive and judgmental as the turians, understanding like the Asari, or completely indifferent.Vollk was hoping that this terran would fall into the latter two categories. “If some like him can smuggle slaves onto the Citadel, I shudder to think what real criminals can do.” The terran said.“What are you doing here?” Officer #2 asked.The terran put a hand on his hip. “Like you, I’m doing my job and patrolling around.” He said. “But unlike you, I’m not picking on poor innocent souls.”“He’s a Batarian.” Officer # 1 said. “They’re always up to something.”The terran did that strange gesture where they rolled their eyes. “And that makes it just fine?” He mutters. “Here I thought we were in the twenty-fifth century. Look, guys, how about I take over here while you two go after real criminals? Like I don’t know.” He said, pointing his hand towards two people, a turian and a salarain. “Like those pick-pockets over there?”Both turian officers looked closely at the two, and so did Vollk. Sure enough, when the two passed another individual, he saw the ever so slight movement of one of the picket pockets’ hands sliding into the victim’s pocket and sliding out something out. Both officers looked at each other and nodded. One looked over at Vollk. “You got lucky four-eyes.” #2 said. “But the next time we see you, you won’t be.” Then ran off with his friend.The terran watched the two officers chase after the picket pockets, shaking his head. “Racist officers on the citadel.” Vollk heard the terran mutter bitterly. “Who would have thought?” he turned around to face Vollk. Vollk ready himself for whatever the Terran had in store for him. He might have helped him, but that could have been because he wanted to torment him alone. “You can get off the wall now. The assholes are gone.”Vollk blinked. He looked at the terran with a questioning look. The terran smiled at him and nodded. Vollk took his hands off the wall and straightened his posture. He faced the man. “Thanks, terran, for your help.” He said to the man. He wasn’t sure why he did but wasn’t about to let it go without showing some gratitude.The terran smiled. “Thank nothing of it. It was the right thing to do.” He said he walked over to Vollk and bent down by the supplies. “Come on, I’ll help you with your supplies.” Vollk eyed him suspiciously. The terran picked up on that. “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to do anything to you. I just want to help.”That didn’t quell Vollk’s suspicions, but he did push it down. There was nothing he could do if the terran was lying. He bent down and began to get his supplies in order. “Why are you helping me, terran?” Vollk asked.The terran didn’t look up when he responded. “Jason,” He said.“What?” Vollk asked.“My name is Jason.” The terran said. “So, stop calling me terran, and I won’t call you Batarian. Got that, mister?”Vollk hesitated for a moment. “Vollk.” He answered. “Mister Vollk.” The terran, now named Jason, said. “As I said a second ago, I did it because it was the right thing to do. I saw two officers of the law unfairly persecuting a citizen of the citadel. I plan to report them later.” Jason then snorted. “For what good that would do.”With the supplies cleaned up, both men stood up. Jason helped Vollk pick up the large bag. “But I’m Batarian.” Vollk said.Again, the terran rolled his eyes. “That supposed to mean something to me?” He asked. “Look, centuries ago, we used to discriminate against each other over things that today seem trivial. The pigment of our skin, our creed, where we were born, just to name a few. Then there’s the stuff that happened between humans and ghouls. We got over that. Mostly.” Jason quickly amended. “There are still some backward assholes out there who still think that. But we just ignore them. The point is I’m not going to care what species you are. Turian, Asari, Batarian, Krogan, hell Vorcha, if I see them in trouble, I’ll help.”“Last I checked, there were no Vorcha on the citadel.” Vollk stated.The terran shrugged their shoulders. “Whatever, I’ll still help them.” Jason said.Vollk still wasn’t convinced of the terran’s sincerity. Not completely, anyway, he felt that man had more behind it. “There’s more, isn’t there.” He said, deciding to confront the terran on the subject.The C-Sec officer let out a chuckle. “You’re more perceptive than I gave you credit for.” He said. “Come on, I’ll escort you wherever you need to go. Make sure no one else tries to screw with you.”Seeing no way out, Vollk agreed to the man’s offer. They walked into the refugee center. “As for my deeper reasoning. Well, I suppose it’s because I know what it’s like to live on the lower levels of society.”“Lower levels?” Vollk asked. Last he checked, the Terrans didn’t have a caste system like his people did. Now that he thought about it, he didn’t know much about the terran people. Only they were helping to fight off the Dragon Orphans, and they were responsible for the creation of the monsters that were terrorizing the galaxy. “Despite what you might have heard on the news and read on the extranet. We Terrans are not a perfect people.” Jason explained as they walked through the refugee center. They got some strange stares from the other refugees, but no one tried anything. Most just want back to their business after a second or two. “There are still places on earth where people live impoverished lives. So, you can imagine what’s it like for the colonies. I grew in the slums of one of our oldest colonies, Alpha Centauri. I was an orphan, for most of my life, I barely had anywhere to live, and my meals were on the rare side. It didn’t help crime was bad in the area I grew up in.” they entered into the Batarian section of the center. “I actually almost ended up joining one of the local gangs.”Vollk felt surprised by that. From what little he had seen of this man, Jason didn’t come off as the type to join a gang. “What happened?” He asked. They were nearing where he lived.The man snorted. “I made the best mistake in my life.” He said. “I wanted to prove myself to one of the gangs before I joined them. So, I tried robbing this guy on the street.”“Let me guess, you got caught.” Vollk said, getting an impression of where this was going.The terran officer snorted and laughed. “More than caught.” He said. “The guy I tried robbing was a police officer. Before I even knew it, I found my face planted in the pavement with my arm twisted around behind me. After that, I ended up in the juvenile center.”“So, what happened after that?” Vollk asked they were nearing where he lived. “Did you stay there?”“Believe it or not, I was released the next day.” Jason explained. “But I had to stay with one of the officers.”“The same officer that you tried to rob?” Vollk asked, his surprise coming through.The terran officer smiled. “Yes, I thought the man was insane or worse. And I made that very clear to the man when I found out.”“You called him crazy. The guy who, from the sounds of it, was willing to drop charges on you and take you into his home? That some gratitude.” Vollk commented.“Yea, well, I was fifteen and grew up on streets. I was an angry little shit, you wouldn’t believe the verbal abuse I put that through, along with some of the other things I did.” Vollk wasn’t well versed in terran mannerisms, but even he could detect the tone of regret in his voice. “I was lucky, that man had a lot of patience with me and a tongue almost as sharp as mine.” The terran looked up and noticed they were coming up on a small collection of make-shift homes. “I see that we’re getting close to where you live. So, I’ll cut this short.” The man stopped and faced Vollk. “That man got my life to straighten out, and in time I came to view the man as a father. I was officially brought into the family about five years later when he signed the final adoption forms. After twenty years of being alone, I finally had a family. Better late than never, I suppose. And as you can see,” He gestured to the uniform he was wearing. “I decided to follow in my father’s footsteps.”Vollk nodded. “I’m sure he was proud.”The terran smiled but there was something off about it. “He was.” His tone of voice almost cracked.“Was?” Vollk inquired, getting a bad feeling.“About a month after my adoption, he was killed in the line of duty.” Jason explained. “Fighting broke out between two gangs, and he along with several other units were dispatched to break it up. They tried to settle things peacefully, but one of the gang members wouldn’t hear any of it and shot him in the chest several times.”Vollk swallowed. “I’m sorry.” He said.“Don’t be,” Jason responded. “You weren’t the one that killed him. After a little effort, they were able to suppress the two gangs, and get the wounded to a hospital, including my father. He died the next day.” The terran snorted, which came off like a small sob. “You what the most damning thing about it was?” Vollk shook his head. “The man that killed him, he used to be one of my friends growing up on the streets. That could have easily been me. I could have been the one that killed him, never knowing the life he would have given me.”“So, what to him?” Vollk asked. “The man that killed your father?”“Rotting in a jail cell.” The terran said bitterly. “Where he belongs. I suppose the point is if someone like me can turn their life around, so can you.”“But I’m a Batarian.” Vollk said. “I doubt there are many out there who going to be hiring me for anything. Not with the reputation that the Hegemony built up for my people. We’re lucky they even allowed us on the citadel.”“Then you’re going to have to prove them wrong. Prove to the rest of the galaxy that the Batarians are not the slavers of the galaxy. Those were the actions of corrupted governments and an equally corrupted upper class. Not the actions of the people. Or at the very least, prove it to the people of this station. Baby steps as they say.” Jason looked over the small collection of metal huts. Vollk looked over to see that a couple of the children he cared for were watching them from their hiding place. All of them Batarian. “You’re already doing good by watching after those kids. But if you want them to live better lives, then you’re going to have to lead by example.” The terran activated his Omni-tool. “This is my personal communication frequency. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”Vollk’s Omni-tool turned on as it received the information. “I’ll think about it.” He said.The terran nodded. “Well, now that I’ve gotten you here. I’ll have to continue with my duties.” He said. “Think about what I said here.” He glanced over at the children then looked back at Vollk. “You have a good day, mister Vollk. I hope to see you again and under better circumstances.” He turned around and walked away.Vollk watched the terran walking away from. “Thank you,” He shouted out at the man. “For your help today.”The terran didn’t stop. “As I said. I was doing the right thing.” He responded. A few moments later, he was gone. Vollk looked back over at his home, seeing that more of the children had come out of hiding. His grip tightened around the bag of supplies, he lifted it up and walked to the children. He had a lot of hungry mouths to feed and a lot to think about. March 11th 18:07, near the border between the Hierarchy and Hegemony The CC of the Intrepid was a smoking ruin. Captain Miles stood from his command chair. The Klaxons were still blurring. Thankfully, the sound had long since been muted. On the Holographic display, he eyed what remained of his patrol group. “Alright, now that no one is actively trying to kill us.” Miles said. “What in the bloody hell was that?”His Patrol group, which consisted of an escort carrier (his ship), two destroyers, four frigates, and six corvettes, had been patrolling near what had been the border between the Hierarchy and the former Hegemony. With the Dragon Orphans pushed back and Citadel space secured, pirate activity had been on the rise. Bastards probably saw an opportunity.With most of their fleet tied up fighting the Dragon Orphans, the turians couldn’t space the ships needed to patrol their borders. The Federation seeing an opportunity to further relations with the Hierarchy, offered to aid them in patrolling the borders along with the former Hegemony and the Terminus Systems. The Turians accepted, grateful for the help. “It looked like we were attacked by pirates, sir.” An officer said.“Those were not pirates, ensign.” He corrected the officer. Yes, those ships may have looked like pirate vessels with how old they looked. But they held formation under fire and targeted his ship with as much precision as they had with aggression. Military personnel operated those ships. “Those were Hegemony remnants.” He said.Another problem had risen when they started to push the Dragon Orphans back into Batarian space. They had discovered the elements of the Hegemony had survived, mostly their military. Those elements had begun to harass both Citadel and Federation forces, claiming they would restore the glory of the Hegemony. Eye-roll-inducing as that was, they were a nuisance. “Now, my question is this.” Miles began. “How did they know we were here?” He asked. His patrol group had just dropped out of FTL to vent their cores. Almost immediately, they had been attacked by two dozen enemy ships. Two corvettes and a destroyer had been reduced to derbies before they could respond. They might have been wiped out had it not been for two things. Firstly, while they knew his ship posed a threat, they had still underestimated its capabilities. Clearly, the Batarians were not impressed by a ship whose firepower came mostly from their strike craft. The Batarians had foolishly sent in a cruiser with first clearing the skies around and under the protection of a single wing of strike craft. Those strike crafts were quickly swept aside, and the cruiser shattered under bombardment from wave after wave of terran strike craft. That cruiser must have been the command ship, as soon after its destruction, the rest of the enemy formation fell apart.That was when the second thing that saved them came in. The timely arrival of a Turian patrol. Caught between two forces and their command structure in ruins, the enemy fleet had been quickly annihilated. Only a few drifting ships remained of the attacking force. “They knew we were here?” The officer asked.Miles nodded. “They did. That attack was too perfectly timed for it to be a random attack. They knew our patrol route and planned accordingly. We have a leak somewhere.”“You mean someone might have betrayed us?” The officer asked in disbelief.Miles didn’t like it any more than his officer did. But it did seem like the most likely option. “We’ll have to contact FSS to see if they can pluck this leak and find out who gave us away.” He eyed the handful of drifting ships that was all that remained of the enemy fleet. Those ships had answers on them. “Ready boarding parties for those ships. I want their crews taken into custody and their data files downloaded.” If those were crewed by military personnel, they were purging their systems right now. But it was possible with the help of Federation AI’s, they could recover something of use. While they were at it, they might try salvaging something from the wrecks of the enemy ships. The best candidate would be the flagship. “Get in contact with the turian patrol. I want to think whoever just saved our asses. Also, get me a status report on the patrol group.”“Aye, sir.” A moment later, the image of turian appeared on his terminal. “Captain Damien Miles, FVS. Intrepid in command of the 28th patrol group.” He said, saluting the man. “I think you for saving us there. I don’t know what we have done without your help. The turian captain returned the gesture with the turian equivalent. “Captain Velous here. HWS. Shadow of Menae 127TH patrol fleet. It was my pleasure, Captain Miles. Dealing with pirates is a part of the job.” “Those weren’t pirates, captain.” Miles explained. “They were ruminated forces of the Hegemony.”The turian rubbed his chin as his mandibles flared. “I see. Care to tell me what here?”“Of course, captain.” Miles replied. He then relayed the events of the battle and his suspicions. While that happened, he got a report on the status of the fleet. It was in bad shape. They only two functional corvettes left. Two frigates had been disabled, with one that would have to be scuttled, their remaining destroyer was still operational but heavily damaged. To his relief, the Intrepid had suffered the least amount of damage. Even then one of its hangers took a nasty hit from the enemy cruiser’s main cannons. His patrol group would be out of action for weeks.“Damn.” Captain Velous said once he was brought up to speed. “I think you might be right. I’ll have to contact Hierarchy Intelligence to see if they can dig up anything.”Miles nodded. “I’m sending boarding parties over to the disabled enemy ships. I want to see if we can get anything out of their databases. Might even try interrogating the crew. Any help from you would be appreciated.” The turian captain nodded. “You’ll have my support. But if these are military personnel, they are most likely purging their databanks now. We might not be able to get much.”“True.” Captain Miles admitted. “But our synths might be able to salvage something. Even then, we can always interrogate the prisoners.”The turian nodded. “Alright, then I’ll be sending out additional bordering parties to assist yours.” He said. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”“Yea, if you can send in some technicians to help with repairs, that would be greatly appreciated.” Capitan miles said. “We can also use more eyes out there to search more survivors.”“You’ll have them within the hour.” Captain Velous said. He then saluted. “Good luck out there.” Miles returned the salute before the turian’s image vanished. “Sir,” A crewman said.“Yes, what is?” Miles asked. “The Starlight had picked up something unusual.” The crewman said. “A derelict vessel in orbit of the planet we’re close to.”An image appeared in front of Miles. Showing a vessel, he’d never seen before. But it vaguely resembles some of the Citadel vessels he’s seen. “A derelict?” he asked for confirmation.“Yes, sir?” The crewman confirmed. “The Starlight’s scans showed no life signs, but strangely the vessel does show signs of low levels of power running through it. According to our databanks, it’s an old Citadel cargo hauler.”Miles raised an eyebrow. “How old are we speaking here?”“Thousands of years, sir.” The crewman responded. “This thing hasn’t been in service since the Ranchi War.Miles was now mussing to himself. It seemed they had stumbled upon a mystery here. “Interesting. Once repairs are underway and we’ve taken the prisoners in, we’ll send in a team to investigate.” Little did the terran captain know this investigation would cause a lot of headaches. “If anything, else, the historians are going to have a field day over this.”
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Chapter 26: Down Time August 22nd, 15:00, Arcturus Station office of President: “How long?” “Just a few moments, madam president.” An aid said.Nader breathed in through her nose and exhaled. She wasn’t looking forward to this next meeting with the leaders of the galactic powers. To be frank, she wouldn’t be surprised if the words that left their mouth would be to call her insane. Not that she could blame them. What she was proposing was akin to letting the Dragon Orphans back on Earth. “This will not be easy.” She commented aloud.“Perhaps not.” Her aid said. “Madam president, I believe what you’re proposing is the right thing. We’re giving a dead race a second chance. Isn’t that worth trying?”“Maybe,” Nader said. “But what if, in our desire to do right, we put the galaxy in danger. You’ve read the history of this species. What if they are as malevolent as the historians make them out to be? What if they are as inherently destructive as the dragon orphans? What if we end up unleashing another plague upon the galaxy? We were lucky enough not to catch so much flak for the Dragon Orphans. What if we’re not so lucky this time?” There were so many questions surrounding what the Federation was going to propose. The answers to those questions would not come until after they had committed to their course of action and the consequences that came after. By then, it may be too late.Her aid seemed to consider her worries. “Madam president, I know these aren’t easy questions to answer. We’re not just talking about some philosophical issue about what is right and wrong. We’re wanting to revive a species that once plagued the galaxy thousands of years ago, just to see if they can take a different route than one that led them down to their genocide. These aren’t easy issues and should be taken with all the consideration we can.”The President of the United Terran Federation leaned back into her chair. Nader had never expected to deal with such issues when she ran for the presidency. First contact with another species, a new war with the dragon orphans, navigating the issue if aliens should be granted citizenship in the Federation. Certainly, she had expected to deal with a number of issues while in office, ranging from political to social. But never these kinds of issues. “If only I had known.” She muttered to herself.”“Excuse me?” Her aid asked.She waved the man off. “Nothing.” She said. “Just mussing to myself.” If she had known she would be dealing with these issues years ago, would she still have run? Nader surprised herself when her answer was yes. “You’re right. These aren’t easy issues, and they should never be easy.”The aid nodded his head and was about to say something. When he held his hand up to his ear. “Madam President, its time.” He said.Nader nodded. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to make history. Let us make it a good one.” She said. “Patch them through.”The aid stepped out of the way in time for three holographic figures to appear. The leaders of the Council races now stood before her. As expected, they were giving her questionable expressions.Nader took a breath and began the meeting. “Greetings, esteemed leaders. High Matriarch T’moci. Primarch Fedorian. Dalatrass Onisa.” To each, she inclined her head. “It is good to see the three of you again.”The Asari leader gave her a well-practiced smile. “It is good to see you as well, Madam President. I trust things are going well in the Federation?”Nader nodded her head. “They are.” She answered.“And how goes your re-election?” The High Matriarch asked. “Do you believe you will keep the position of the presidency?”Nader’s smile did not falter. “I do have some stiff competition.” She replied truthfully. “But I believe I can edge out a win.”Fedorian looked between the two and looked like he was getting impatient with the pleasantries being exchanged. He opened his mouth to speak.“While I would love to exchange pleasantries all day.” The Salarian Dalatrass said, getting no small amount of surprise from the others. “We have more pressing matters to get to.”The Asari leader looked at the Salarian Dalatrass for a moment before nodding. “I suppose you are right. Especially with the subject matter at hand.”All three galactic leaders turned their attention to Nader. “So, are the reports we received true?” Fedorian asked.Nader nodded, brought an incident report up, and transmitted copies to the three. “On March 11th at around eighteen hundred hours, following an ambush near the Batarian border, one of our patrols discovered a derelict vessel orbiting a nearby planet.” That ambush was still under investigation as to how it happened. “Records indicated that it was a citadel cargo hauler that was in operation thousands of years ago. A team was dispatched to investigate. Upon boarding the craft, the team discovered that the vessel still had power and that power was being routed to an unknown location.” A holographic image of the ship appeared and zoomed in to show the interior. One of the ship’s compartments was highlighted. “In what might have been a cargo bay, the investigation team discovered that the power was being routed to a stasis chamber of a sophisticated design.”“How sophisticated are we talking about here?” Fedorian asked.“Enough to keep its occupant alive for thousands of years.” Nader answered. “And pray to tell who or what was this occupant?” Dalatrass Onisa asked, almost sounding accusatory.“It was an egg.” Nader asked. “A Rachnii egg.” The Dalatrass’s eyes narrowed at Nader and the Asari High Matriarch ever so slightly shifted. The Turian Primarch was the only one not to show a visible reaction. “Why did you not destroy the thing?” The Dalatrass asked. “The Rachnii ravaged the galaxy thousands of years ago. Now you have run the risk of them doing it again.”President Nader hides her irritation. “Dalatrass the Rachnii have been dead for thousands of years. This only a single egg.”“A single egg that you believe to be a queen egg.” The Dalatrass cut her off.”“Yes, it is. And I would appreciate it if you let me finish.” Nader responded.The High Matriarch looked at the Dalatrass. “Please let her continue.”Nader was thankful for the little help. “Now, as I was saying, there is only a single egg. This egg is still in its stasis chamber under heavy guard and is being monitored around the clock. The odds of anything crawling out of it and escaping are low, to say the least.”“It would still be best to destroy the thing.” The Dalatrass said. “Truly rid the galaxy of these monsters.”Nader watched for any signs that the other two agreed with the leader of the Salarain Union. She hoped the lack of it was a good thing. “Esteemed leaders of the galaxy, I have a proposal that I know will be controversial.” She said.“Controversial?” The Asari leader asked.Nader nodded. “Yes, we now have a decision to make. Regardless of what we choose and the consequences that come with it, it will be debated for centuries and generations to come. Esteemed leaders of the galaxy. I propose that we take the egg out of statis and allow it to hatch. Thereby giving the Rachnii a second chance.” Nader paused, letting her statement sink in.“Explain.”“What?”“Are you insane?”The next several hours would be some of the longest in Nader’s life. August 25th, 16:00, Kranas Station: “I hope to see you soon.” Hidaki said.“Likewise.” Olivia said. “The kids are looking forward to seeing you again.”Hidaki smiled. He hadn’t seen his children in months now. “I am too.” He responded. “I don’t get to see them often enough, and it doesn’t help that they've grown ten inches every time I turn around.”Olivia shook her head and laughed. “I know the feeling. I didn’t believe people when they said that they grow up to fast. But now, the next time I turn around, the both of them will be bringing boys and girls home.”Hidaki rubbed his head. “Good lord, I don’t even want to think about that or what it could lead to. I’d rather they stay the way they are forever.”“I would say we have at least a good decade before that happens. But we both know how quickly time can escape from us.” Olivia said. “They’ll both grow up eventually, find someone to love, and start their own families.”“Yea, well I would like to think that is still a long way off.” Hidaki said. “Besides, who says they must settle down with someone. One or both may decide to stay single.”“True.” Olivia conceded. “But it will be their choice to make. So how long before you get back to Earth?” She asked. “About a week.” Hidaki answered. “And how long will you stay before they ship you back to the front lines?” “Two weeks.” Hidaki said. “I know it’s not much time. But with the momentum of the war going the way it is. They want to keep the pressure on the Dragon Orphans.”Olivia nodded, showing her understanding. “Tell me, Hida. Is the war really going the way they say it is?” She asked. “I know they tend to exaggerate the details back home.”Hidaki understood where his wife was coming from. She was afraid that the war wasn’t going as well as she was hearing. He put on his best smile. “I’ll admit maybe they have exaggerated some of the details. But we are winning this war.” That much was true. They had driven the Dragon Orphans out of Citadel space, which he had no doubt was celebrated. Though there were still small pockets of Dragon Orphans present, they were contained and slowly being dealt with. The offensive had now spread out into the former territories of the Batarian Hegemony, and they were making good headway. “If the offensive keeps on like this. We believe we’ll be over Khar’shan in six to eight months.”“Khar’shan?” Olivia mutters. “Isn’t that the homeworld of the Batarians?” She asked, getting a nod from Hidaki. “I see. Are there plans for retaking that planet?”Hidaki shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Again, he knew what his wife was asking. Were they going to liberate the planet? One thing he knew they hadn’t mentioned back home about the war were the orbital bombardments. Back when they were fighting to reclaim Citadel space, Orbital bombardment was limited to supporting actions for ground forces. Nothing on a large scale that could damage a planet’s ecosystem. But now they were fighting Batarian space that had changed. “I’m not sure.” Hidaki admitted. “I’m guessing it’ll depend on how much of a presence the Dragon Orphans have on the planet.”He knew there was no love lost for the Batarian people among the Citadel Races, and unfortunately, the sentiment had spread to much of the Terran people. Even Hidaki had to keep his bias in check and remind himself that the supposed sins of the Batarians were the actions of a government and not the whole of the species. It was a small comfort to know that enough higher-ups shared his restraint, and most Batarian worlds they came across were liberated with ground forces. But if they did find a heavily infested world, then bombardment was the order of the day. An event that was more frequent than Hidaki would have liked it to be. Again, few would mourn the loss of a world that had belonged to the Hegemony. Olivia nodded. “I hope it won’t come to anything too drastic.” She said. “That said, I’ve heard on the news that our forces have been finding pockets of survivors. Is that true?”Hidaki nodded, glad they were moving on to a more positive subject. “Yes, we’ve been finding more survivors than we expected. Refugees have been flooding into Citadel enough that they’re having to open more worlds to cope with the influx. Though plenty are choosing to stay and try to rebuild their homes. You got to hand it to the Batarians, their survivors.”“They have to be.” Olivia said. “To deal with a Dragon Orphan occupation. I remember reading the memoirs on how people lived in cities occupied by the Dragon Orphans during the second Dragon War.” Hidaki remembered reading those too. They didn’t exactly paint a pretty picture. “I imagine that they went through much the same. Perhaps when this war is over, we can help them rebuild their lives.”“That might not be a bad idea.” Hidaki. ‘We might even help them establish a new government. Hopefully, one that is free of the mistakes of the previous.” Hidaki knew if a new Batarian state was established, it would likely be a puppet state for one of the Citadel races. His bet was on the Turians. Hidaki looked over at the clock on his desk. “I’ve got honey. Otherwise, I’ll miss my shuttle.” He said, getting up. “I’ll see you soon, Olivia.”His wife smiled at him. “I’ll be waiting. Love you.”“Love you too.” Hidaki said, cutting the transmission. He let out a content sigh. It would be good to see his family again. He looked at the clock again, he should get going, or he would miss his shuttle.He stood up from his seat, stretching out before grabbing his things. It didn’t take too long for Hidaki to arrive at the shuttle bay. He looked around for where his shuttle was. “Come one, where are you. KV-307. KV-307. KV-ah! There you are.” Hidaki grinned when he spotted the lane marked KV-307. That would be his ride back to Earth.The shuttle itself wouldn’t take him directly back to Earth. There would be a few stops along the way where he would take another ship. But it would be a start, and so as long he got back home, he didn’t mind. Seeing that a long line was already forming, Hidaki moved forward. He did want to get a good seat before all of them were taken. He only stopped when he saw a familiar face. Standing around, seemingly lost, Saren looked around. Like Hidaki, he has a few bags wrapped around his body. Hidaki’s grin grew, wondering if his friend and comrade would be riding the same shuttle as him.He walked up to the man. “Hey, Saren.” He said, getting the turian’s attention. “Looks like they gave you some shore leave too.”Saren turned around and quickly recognized who was talking to him. His mandibles gave Hidaki a greeting twitch. “They did.” He said. Hidaki stopped just in front of Saren. “That’s good to hear. We all need to rest once in a while, especially in our line of work. I imagine I’ll be nice friends and family back home.” Hidaki said. “Just a little bit ago, I was talking to my wife. Letting her know we’ll be seeing each other soon. She told me that the kids are eager to see me again.”Saren nodded. “That’s nice to hear.” He said offhandedly.Keeping the frown from his face, Hidaki asked Saren another question. “How long have they given you for shore leave?”“I think in your calendar it would be about two weeks when I get back to Palavan.” Saren answered.Hidaki nodded. “So, about the same amount of time I get. That’s good to hear. I won’t have to worry about missing you when I get back from shore leave. So which shuttle are you taking back to Palavan?”Saren looked at his Omni-tool. “Shuttle KV-307.” He answered.Hidaki’s grin grew. “Nice,” he said. “That’s the same shuttle that I’m taking. Looks like we’ll be sharing the same ride back home, or at least the first leg of it.” “That would be nice.” Saren said, again offhandedly, like his mind was elsewhere.“Come on.” Hidaki said, taking his friend by the hand. “Let’s get in line before it gets too long. I want to get some good seats.”The turian quickly followed after Hidaki. After a few short moments of cutting across the shuttle bay and showing their passes, the two got in line for the shuttle. “So, Saren.” Hidaki said shortly after. “You got any plans when you get back to Palavan?” Saren gave him a questioning expression. “Plans?”“Yea,” Hidaki responded. “Do you plan to do anything? Like seeing a movie or meet with someone. Like friends or family. Or” A sly grin from across his lips. “Is there a special someone waiting for you back home?”Saren quickly got what Hidaki meant and rolled his eyes. “You know I have no interest in things like that.” He said. “As for my plans when I get back to Palavan. I’m not sure what I’ll do. Maybe just train more.”Hidaki frown. That didn’t sound much like a vacation to him. “Don’t you have anyone to see on Palavan? Friends or family.”Saren remained silent for a moment. “I don’t have any friends. Not on Palavan, and my family is always busy. So, I’ll probably be spending my shore leave alone.”Hidaki could understand that. He knew what it was like to come from a hardworking family. It sounded like Saren’s vacation would be a lonely one. Maybe that’s why Saren didn’t seem to be looking forward to his shore leave like most others would. No, Hidaki mentally shook his head.That may be a part of it, but Hidaki suspected that there was more to it. He looked at his friend, trying to discern what could be bringing him down. It was difficult to say. While Saren was open to Hidaki, he was still a private man. Then his eyes landed on Saren’s, something connected in Hidaki’s mind, and he mentally slapped himself. Of course, how could he have forgotten that?“They’re still not welcoming of ghouls on Palavan, are they?” The same could be applied to most of Citadel space. He knew the governments had officially welcomed them but didn’t mean the general population did. Hidaki was treated to the sight of his friend stiffening. A moment later, he relaxed and nodded. “My people can be stubborn. Most of them still think of people like me as demons.” He said. “The soldiers around her might accept me. But that is only because I have fought and bled alongside them. The people of Palavan haven’t done that.”Hidaki nodded, conveying he understood. Unlike the terran people, whose history with ghouls that likely went back thousands of years, the Citadel races had around half a decade of experience. He wouldn’t be surprised if most still thought they all were mindless flesh-eating monsters. Little better than the monsters they had been fighting. Hell, there were still a few holdouts that thought like that in the Federation. He can’t imagine what Saren would be going through when he set foot on his homeworld. Odds were that he would isolate himself at his home and only venture out when needed. Hidaki looked down, suddenly finding the floor to be more interesting. “It must be hard. Facing all of that and not having anyone there to help you.” Sometimes Hidaki forgot how good he had it. He had friends and family waiting for him back home. He had a loving wife and children who adored him. And for the most part, discrimination had been dealt with back on Earth. But Saren had none of that going for him.If there was a… way… that… he could help. “I’ll deal with it. As I have dealt with it here.” Hidaki didn’t hear what Saren said as a crazy idea occurred to him.An idea that might just work. Hidaki looked at Saren. Now all he had to do was convince Saren to go through with it. “Hey, Saren.” He said, grabbing the turian’s attention. “Do you strictly have to go back to Palavan? Or do you have a choice of where you can spend your shore leave?”Saren gave him that look asked. “What are you planning?” Hidaki gave him a smile that told him it was nothing bad. Saren looked unconvinced but answered the question. “No, I can spend my shore leave anywhere I wish. Even on Thessia if I choose. But I don’t have any reason to go anywhere else. I’ll just face all the same problems. Expect I won’t have anywhere to get away from it. So, why are you asking?” He asked.Hidaki’s grin widened. “Well,” He began as they stepped onto the shuttle. “I just had this crazy idea.” September 1st, 12:00, Armstrong Station in Orbit of Earth: “Remind me again.” Saren began as they stepped out from the airlock and started to go through customs. “How did you convince me to come along with you?”Hidaki gave him a cheeky grin. “Maybe I have a way with words?” He said.Saren gave him the turian equivalent of a deadpan look. “Either that or I temporarily went senile.” “Either would have gotten you here.” Hidaki responded. They got through customs and started to wander through the station. “Besides, don’t you think it’s better to spend time with me and my family rather than be coup up all alone on Palavan?”“I guess.” Saren said. He was still left to wonder how in the spirits did he let Hidaki convince him to spend shore leave on Earth with him. Why had he agreed to this? Even before becoming a ghoul, he spent most of his shore leaves alone in his home on Palavan. It was how he spent most of his childhood and adolescence years before signing up for the military. He had never felt alone, or it never got to him if he did. He had accepted a long time ago that he was not a social person. It was a trait that ran in most of his family. So why now did the thought of being alone disturb him so much? He shook his head, deciding it was best not to dwell longer on the thought. The answer would eventually come to him. Besides, he looked at Hidaki. He suspected that the answer lay there.With that thought, Saren looked around. “So, this is Armstrong station?” He asked. “I’m surprised at how modern it looks.” As he understood it, this station was supposed to have been the first large-scale space station they constructed following the second Dragon War. So, shouldn’t the spaces be more compacted and aged?“It is.” Hidaki answered. “It’s named after the first human to set foot on our moon. Though if you’re wondering. No, this is not the original station. That was decommissioned long before my granddad was born. It’s in a museum somewhere.” He explained. “I believe this is the third or fourth iteration.” Saren nodded. That made some more sense. They came to a viewport. Looking out it, all Saren could see was blue, and a lot of it. “No matter how many times I see it. I will never cease to be amazed by this sight.” Hidaki said with awe in his voice. “Isn’t it beautiful?”Saren looked at the blue orb that hung in the darkness. For a moment, he had to quell an irrational fear from rising up in him. “I think it can use a little less water.” He commented.”Hidaki nodded. “Right, I forgot that turians don’t like water.” He said.“We just don’t have much luck with it.” Saren explained. “So, the reports are true. Most of your planet is covered by oceans. The Hanar would feel right at home here. I’m surprised your species didn’t develop as an aquatic race.”Hidaki chuckled. “Well, many scientists believe that life on Earth began in the oceans.” He explained. “And we have always had a special relationship with the water. Even before science began to progress us towards a better understanding of the world, we instinctively knew that. Where there is water, there is life.” “It would explain your people’s talent for naval warfare.” Saren commented as he remembered reading about his people’s history with naval warfare on the seas of Palavan. As limited as it was, it helped the turian people to build on the concepts needed to operate a navy in space. He could only imagine how much more experience the terrans had by the time they started to build their first starships.“A lot of our history was shaped by it.” Hidaki said. He then pointed at a spot on the blue orb. “That’s where we’re going.” Saren’s line of sight followed to where the terran was pointing. It looked like he was pointing to a large island east of the largest of the two landmasses. “That there is the island nation of Japan.” Hidaki said. “Sometimes referred to as the land of the rising sun. We’ll be spending our shore leave in its most famous city, Tokyo.”Saren nodded. It would be interesting to see what Hidaki’s home was like. “Isn’t that where the Dragon Orphans originated from?” He asked.Hidaki gave him a grim nod. “Yea. It is. Though you won’t find any living there or anywhere else on Earth. My ancestors made sure of that.” A brief silence fell over the two. Both just watch the planet below slowly rotate. “Come one.” Hidaki walks away from the viewport. “We need to get going. Don’t want to miss our flight.” September 1st, 15:07, Earth, Tokyo: “I expected something fancier.” Saren said, looking up at the apartment complex.Hidaki chuckled. “My family, while well known. Do prefer to keep it simple in where we like to live.” He pulled the last of his bags from the vehicle behind them. “That said, this area does lean a little more towards the upper-class in terms of residents.” He shut the door behind him. “Thanks for the ride.” He said to the driver.“No problem.” The river said before speeding away.“So, where is your apartment?” Saren asked, looking over the complex. “It’s on the third floor.” Hidaki said. “I’ll show you.” Saren followed him. Saren had been to many planets in his service to the Hierarchy. Mostly other Turian colonies, but he had seen some of the worlds belonging to the other races. He had even been to Thessia before the war began. In some ways, Earth reminded him of his visit to the Asari homeworld. It was so peaceful and idyllic, a far cry from the war-torn worlds he had been to for the past five years. He could see why the humans were so proud of their homeworld. In other ways, it was very different from Thessia. The buildings lacked the same graceful and beautiful lines that asari architecture had. Not to say they didn’t lack in their own beauty. The ARC materials used in the construction almost made the building feel alive. It was unsettling to Saren, but he quickly got used to it.The flight over the city had been interesting as well. A large sprawling city that could have rivaled any other in Citadel space. Vibrant and almost alive, it was like gazing at a forest of flesh and steel, then an actual city. What had caught his attention was the dark blot that hung on the city's edge, lifeless compared to the rest of the city. It almost looked like a scar on the city.When he asked Hidaki what it was. He told him it was the ruins from the Second Dragon War. They had been preserved as a memorial, a continued reminder of what his people went through during one of the darkest moments in Earth’s history. Hidaki said they would visit it if they had the time.On the way to the apartment, the two were greeted by the other complex residents. Who were more friendly than Saren had expected them to be. He had expected them to be a little more suspicious of him, with him being an alien on their world. “Here we are.” Hidaki said, stopping in front of a door. By its side and on the door were the numbers 305. On the door below the numbers was the plaque that read “Home of the Kens.” “Home sweet home.” Hidaki muttered, pressing a button to the side. Saren heard a quick buzzing sound. A few moments later, the door opened, and a terran woman stepped out.For a brief moment, the woman looked confused. But then a look of recognition morphed across her face, and she threw her arms around Hidaki. The man quickly returned the gesture and wrapped his arms around the woman. These Terrans seemed to like their physical contactSaren just stood there, watching them embrace. He felt awkward about it, it felt like to him he was intruding on a private moment. Should he say something?To his relief, the moment ended, and the two Terrans broke apart their embrace. “It’s good to see you again.” Hidaki said with a warm smile. “And it’s good to see you, too.” The woman, who Saren was guessing was Hidaki’s wife, said. Then she leaned in and kissed Hidaki on the lips. “That’s for coming back alive.” Thump!Saren blinked, his mouth hanging low and his mandibles frozen stiff. Hidaki was on his knees, clutching his head. The woman stood over him, fist held out and giving the man a fierce look. “And that’s for scaring me.” She said. “What in all nine hells were you thinking? Going up against a Dragon General. A full Dragon General. You could have been killed.”Hidaki stood up, still holding a hand on where his head was hit. “In my defense. The thing did attack us without warning. Trust me, Olivia, I wasn’t planning to fight that thing that day.” The woman, now named Olivia, glared at him. “That doesn’t help. The first thing that should have popped into your mind when that Dragon General appeared should have been how you would get out of there alive.” The woman sighed and took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm herself down. “Honestly, Hidaki, you will give me more gray hairs than the kids will when they grow up.”Hidaki rubbed the back of his head. “For what’s worth, I am sorry.” He said. “I plan to live long to see our kids have grandkids.”Olivia huffed but had a small smile on her lips. “With how reckless you can be, it would be a minor miracle if you did live long enough for that?” She then caressed her hand on Hidaki’s cheek. “Still try to be more careful next time.”“I’ll try.” Hidaki said. “Trust me, you won’t be the only one that’ll try to skin me if I got myself killed.” He looked over at Saren.Olivia looked over at him as well. “Ah, so you must be Saren.” She said, turning to face the turian. She walked up to him and held her hand out. “It’s nice to meet the man that saved my dumbass husband’s life. He’s told me a lot about you.”Uncertain how to react to this woman, Saren took the woman’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” He said, shaking it. He looked at Hidaki, who was still nursing his head. “Is he going to be, okay?”“What?” Olivia said, glancing at Hidaki. “Oh,” She said with an almost bored expression before looking back at Saren. “Don’t worry about him. He’s got a thick skull. It’ll take a lot more than that to crack it.”“R-right.” Saren said. He made a mental note never to cross this woman. “I’m sorry, Hidaki, but if you anger this woman. You’re on your own.” He decided then that there were things scarier than a Dragon General.“Don’t worry about it.” Hidaki said, walking up to the two. “She’s given me plenty of thumps on the head over the years. All of them for the stupid shit I’ve pulled.”“Does that include the time you jumped out of a transport to save my life?” Saren asked.“You did what now?” Olivia asked, staring at her husband. Saren could have sworn he saw literal fire in her eyes.Hidaki chuckled nervously. “H-hey, about we go inside now?” He said, turning around. “It’s a little rude to be blocking traffic like this.” It should be noted that there was no one else in the hallway.The woman rolled her eyes. “We are talking about this later and anything else you might have forgotten to tell me about.” She hissed.Saren could almost hear his friend gulp. “Yes, dear.” He said. A small smile formed on Olivia’s lips. “Come on, you two.” She said. “The kids are eager to see their daddy again. And I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to meet you, Mr. Saren.”“It’s just Saren.” Saren responded, following the two. “Ms. Ken.”The woman snorted. “Alright then, Saren.” She said. “But only if you drop the Ms. Ken shit. You saved my husband’s life, and he considers you a friend. So, you can drop any formalities. So just call me Olivia.”Saren just nodded. He wasn’t about to argue against this woman. The three figures walked into the apartment. Before Olivia had a chance to close the door behind them. Before Hidaki and Saren could react, a shadow darted out from nowhere and impacted against Hidaki’s leg, sending him stumbling back. “Daddy!” An excited and high-pitched voice said. Saren looked down at the small figure that had latched itself to Hidaki’s right leg. He gasped at seeing a miniature Hidaki. Same black hair and single grey eye with a Kakugan next to it. It was surreal seeing a tiny version of Hidaki like this. Shrink the real Hidaki down to the boy’s size, and Saren would have difficulty telling the two apart. Saren had missed most of the little boy’s excited babble in his stunned state as a second tiny figure waddled up to them. “Dada. Dada.” The little terran girl said excitedly. She looked a lot like her mother, except she had her father’s black hair. Hidaki was quick to recover, and the man formed the biggest smile Saren had ever seen. He picked the boy up, getting a delighted shout. “Hey, there, little man. How have you been doing? Have you been a good little boy? You haven’t been giving mommy any trouble, have you?”The little giggled. “No, daddy. I’ve been a good boy.” He said.“Oh?” Hidaki said, quirking an eyebrow. He looked over at his wife, who had picked the little girl up. “Is this true? Has our little man been a good boy?”Olivia smiled at her husband. “You know as well as I do that our little Kaneki is the sweetest little boy in the galaxy. I don’t think he has a single bad bone in his body. Unlike you, who constantly gives me a heart attack with the stunts you pull.”Hidaki chuckle. “Well, I hope he stays like that for both of our sakes.” Then he glances over at the little girl in his wife’s arms. Shifting the boy carefully in his arms, Hidaki held out a free hand and patted the girl on the head. “And how is our little girl doing?”Both parents looked fondly at the youngest child. “She’s almost as sweet as Kaneki.”“That’s good to hear.” Hidaki said. “I swear she’s grown two inches since I last saw her. Was she just walking a moment ago? When did that happen?”“A couple of months ago.” Olivia responded. “She was trying to get to one of her toys when she stood and started to walk to it. Well, stumbled, really.”Hidaki’s grin was wide now. “I bet you squealed loud enough for the neighbors to complain.” He got a heated glare from his wife. “How come you didn’t tell me?”Olivia’s glare was replaced with a soft smile. “I wanted it to be a surprise when you got back.” She explained.Once more, Saren felt like he was an intruder, standing here watching the couple fond over their children. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here. It would have been better if I had gone back to Palavan.” He briefly wondered if it wasn’t already too late to take a shuttle to his homeworld. He didn’t get to think over that thought much when Hidaki looked over at him. “How rude of us.” He said. “Sorry that we forgot about you. It’s just that I don’t get to see my family much with this war.” He explained. “It must be awkward just standing there and seeing us act like this.”“It’s fine.” Saren said. “I could step out for a bit and let you have your moment together.” He offers, pointing to the door behind him. Hidaki would have none of that. “No, no.” He said. “You’re our guest here. We should be entertaining you. Not letting you stand idle idly by feeling awkward.” The boy in his shoulders was looking at Saren curiously. “Whose that daddy?” He asked.Hidaki smiled. “I’m glad you asked.” He responded to his son. “This is a friend of mine, Saren. Say hi, Kaneki.” “Hi.” The little Kaneki said, waving a tiny hand.“Saren this is my son, Kaneki Ken.” Hidaki introduced.“It’s nice to meet you.” Saren began, feeling a strange warmth in his chest. “Kaneki?” He then asked for confirmation. That name sound familiar for some reason to Saren.“We named him after his ancestor.” Hidaki explained. “It’s actually common to do that in our family.” Saren nodded, showing that he understood. He now remembered why the name sounded familiar. To be named after an important figure in their history must be an honor. “And this is my daughter.” As he was saying his wife stepped up, holding out the little girl to where Saren could see her. “Hinata. Say hi, Hinata.”The girl might have tried to do as her father said. But the hi, came out as garbled gibberish. Her mother looked down at the girl fondly. “She says it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Saren had a smile of his own on, though he didn’t know it. “The pleasure is mine.” He said.The boy, Kaneki, was still looking at him curiously. “Are you a dinosaur?” He asked.Saren was taken aback for a moment. “A what.” He asked, confused. It didn’t help his confusion when Hidaki and his wife just had knowing smiles on.“You know.” The boy said like that it should explain it all. “A dinosaur, raaugh.” The boy held both of his hands up and curled his fingers.Saren looked to Hidaki wanting to get some answers. The man smiled and mouthed. “I’ll explain later.”Saren looked back at the boy. “No, I’m not.” He answered the boy’s question. “I’m a turian.”The boy tilted his head to the side. “A tu-ran?” He said, trying to say the word carefully. “What’s that?” He asked.“Turian.” Saren corrected, knowing that the young boy wouldn’t get it right away. “It’s what I am.”The boy looked like he was going to ask more questions. But his father preempted him. “He’s an alien, little guy, not a dinosaur.” The boy looked back and forth between his father and Saren. “An ale-in?” The boy questioned. Then his face lit up as he seemed to understand what he was being told. “Like the ones on Tv? The blue ladies and lizard people?”“Yes, that’s right.” Hidaki said, nodding. “He’s an alien from another planet. And he’s, my friend.”The little Kaneki nodded, showing he understood or thought he understood. He looked back at Saren. The little boy carefully scanned Saren’s face, soaking in every detail. After a moment, Saren began to feel awkward again and started to wonder if he should say anything. “Why do you have eyes like me?” The boy asked.Briefly caught off guard, Saren wondered what the boy meant. Then his mind caught up, and his hand reached up to his eyes. Sometimes he forgot about that. “That’s because I’m a.” Saren began to explain. Or tried to. How was he going to explain this in a way that the boy could understand it?Hidaki once again came to his rescue. “He’s a ghoul.” He said to his son. “Like us.”The boy looked up at his father with curiosity. “A ghoul like us?” He repeated, getting a nod from his father. “He’s an alien ghoul?” He got another nod. The boy again looked back between Hidaki and Saren and occasionally stole a glance at his mother and sister. “There are alien ghouls?” He asked.“Yes, there are?” His mother answered. “Don’t’ worry, they’re no different from us.” She explained.The boy looked back at Saren. And his face lit like a sun. “That’s so cool!” The boy said, almost shouting. “What kind of kag-kagu-gugan-ka.” Kaneki stumbled over the word as he tried to pronounce it.“Kagune.” Saren helpfully supplied. “Yea, that.” The boy said brightly. At this time, Hidaki had set the young boy down, and he was standing on his own two feet, looking up at Saren. “What kind do you have? Is it like mine?” To demonstrate, the boy closed his eyes and seemed to focus on something. A moment later, two red tail-like appendages sprouted from the boy’s back. Almost as long as the boy was tall, the red tails swished around in the air, exuding the same excited energy that the boy himself was radiating. The boy looked back up at Saren, smiling widely to show his teeth. “Are they like this?”Saren was momentarily taken back, surprised that the young boy would so openly display his Kagune. Then he had to remind himself that this was not Citadel space. He shook his head. “No,” He answered the boy. “Mine’s different.”The boy, Kaneki, tilted his head again. A gesture that Saren was quickly found to be enduring on the child. “Different? How? Is it like daddy’s or mommy’s?”Saren began to scratch at his chin. Wondering how he was going to explain this to the boy. He wasn’t quite comfortable enough to show his Kagune to the boy like he was doing now. “Well, you see.” He started.Yet again, Hidaki came to his rescue. That was twice in one day, must be record. “Now, Kaneki. Don’t pressure the man. He’s only just gotten here like me.” Hidaki looked at Saren and gave him a knowing smile. Saren gave him an appreciative nod. “He’ll show you when he’s ready.”The little boy looked like he was ready to protest when his mother stepped into the conversation. “Listen to your daddy, Kaneki.” She said with a gentle smile. However, there was a firmness in her voice that left no room for argument. “And how about you put those things away?”Kaneki caught on to the firmness in his mother’s voice and wisely did as she said. “Alright.” He said, as the red tails receded into his body.Hidaki shook his head in amusement before looking at Saren. “I’m sorry about that.” He said. “Kids can be a real handful sometimes, and my little boy is a tad bit more energetic than most.”Saren let out a small sigh. It was weird being around children like this. Not in a bad way, but it was different. “I don’t mind.” He said after a moment of thought. “He seems like a good kid. Must take after you.”Hidaki chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “That’s nice to know. Though I hope he doesn’t take after me in everything. It be better if he got his mother’s sense.” Olivia huffed. “For both of our sakes, I hope he does.” She said. “If he does become anything like you are now, I’ll be getting those gray hairs quicker than I would like. Whoever he chooses to bring home will have my sympathies.”“Bring home?” Saren questions.“It’s an old expression.” Hidaki explained. “It means introducing someone to the family as a potential mate.”Saren nodded, showing he understood. “In that case, they also have my sympathies.” He commented. Hidaki looked like he was just shot. “Hey, you’re almost as reckless as I am.” He said. Saren smiled with his mandibles twitching. “But unlike you, I have no one to worry about it. Nor do I have an interest in having someone like that.” He explained. All the while, Kaneki was just staring between the adults. Seemingly confused by the conversation they were having. “Daddy, what’s a mate? And what does being rackless mean?”Hidaki and his wife Olivia exchange quick smiles before looking down at their child. “We’ll explain that later when you’re older.” Hidaki said. “But let’s just say that a mate is just a very, very, good friend.”“Very.” Olivia added. “As for what reckless means.” Hidaki began. “That’s also something for when you’re older.”Kaneki looked confused for a moment. “When I’m older?” He questioned. “When’s that?”“When it happens.” Hidaki answered. “Now then. How about we all step into the living room. I imagine some of us are getting tired standing around like this.”“That reminds me.” I need to get around to feeding this little thing.” She said, adjusting the little girl in her arms. As though to prove a point, a small grumbling noise escaped from the child.“Let me.” Hidaki said, holding his arms out.“You sure?” Olivia asked. “You only just got home. You haven’t had time to settle in.”“I’m sure.” Hidaki confirmed. “I haven’t gotten much of a chance to spend time with my little girl. I want to be around her as much as possible while I’m on leave.”“Alright then.” The woman said, handing the hungry child over to her father. “The food should be on the counter. All you need to do is warm it up. You got her?”“I do.” Hidaki responds, carefully cradling his young daughter in his arms. “Come on, little one it’s time for you to eat.” He said to her. Getting a happy cue from the child.The small group of three adults and two children made their way out from the front entrance. Entering the living area, Hidaki went into another room, taking his daughter with him. Sitting down on a grey couch, Olivia looked at the little Kaneki. “Why don’t you go with your father and help him. I want to have a talk with our guest.” She said.“Okay.” The boy chirped and darted after his father.Saren watches the young boy disappear past the doorframe, an unmistakable smile on his face. “I’ve never seen him so happy.” Saren commented, looking at his friend’s wife. “Don’t get me wrong. He's always in bright spirits when we’re not in the middle of a fight. But his smile never seemed so bright, and he’s more relaxed. It’s almost like I’m looking at a different person.”“That’s because he’s with his family now.” Olivia said. “And he knows he’s safe here.” She gestured over to one of the grey chairs next to the couch. “Come on, have a sit. You’re our guest here, and you shouldn’t be standing around.”Saren nodded and walked over to the chair and took a seat. As best he could, for obvious reasons, the chair wasn’t designed with Turians in mind. The woman seemed amused by the small amount of squirming he had to do to get comfortable. “I’m sorry about the chair.” She said. “Maybe the next time you visit, we’ll have something for you.”Saren shook his head. “No need.” He said. “This will do just fine.” Besides, it wasn’t like he was planning to visit Hidaki’s home again. “So, you said you wanted to talk to me?”The woman nodded. “I wanted to thank you.”“Thank me?” “For saving my husband’s life.” Olivia clarified. “If it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t be here right now. He wouldn’t be feeding his daughter right now.” There was a slight tremble in the woman’s voice. “Hell, he might have never gotten to see her at all. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to him. Not to mention how the kids would have taken it.”“I only did what others would have done.” Saren said. “But not many would have succeeded.” Olivia added. “So, thank you for making sure my Hidaki got home safe. For giving our children the chance to grow up with a father who cares about them.” The woman let out a breath of air. “I don’t know what’s he told about me.”“Only that you’re the most amazing and beautiful woman he has ever seen.” Saren said, recalling all the times his friend told him about his wife and kids. “And that he thinks he must be the luckiest man in the galaxy to have met you.”Olivia smiled and let out a snort. “He exaggerates.” She said. “But only a little. But I imagine he hasn’t told you much about my past.” Saren shook his head. He only recalled Hidaki telling him that she had a difficult childhood. “I won’t give you my entire life’s story before meeting Hidaki.”The woman sat up straight on the couch. “I never had a father.” The woman began. “He was gone long before I was born for what reason I’ll never know. As for my mother, well, let’s just say she was in no position to be my mother for most of my life.” Saren was surprised by the lack of bitterness in her voice. Just a sense of tiredness. “Don’t get me wrong, she is a good woman, and nowadays, she makes a better grandmother than she did as a mother. But I digress. For the most part, I had to raise myself. I very quickly learned that the only person that I could depend on was myself.”“That would explain your flowery attitude.” Was that the right expression?Olivia huffed. “True,” She said. “Though I have mellowed out over the years. But you should have seen us when we met. I put him through a lot of abuse before it got through my head that he was genuine towards me, and he was exactly what I needed in my life. Still, sometimes I have to wonder how I never had him running away from me with his tail tucked between his legs. He must have been too dense to realize how bad I was, or he had more patience than I deserved.” The woman was holding her arms now. “He claims I’m the most amazing woman he has met and that he must have been lucky. Truth is I was the lucky one.”“Maybe you both were lucky.” Saren said.“Maybe,” Olivia said. “But the point is that I had to grow up without both of my parents. I don’t want our kids to do the same.”“But wouldn’t you still be here for them?” Saren said, hating that he was even entertaining the idea that his friend could die in this war. “Maybe,” Olivia said softly. “I would like to think that if something ever did happen to Hidaki. That I would hold strong. I would be there for my kids, and I would be the parent they needed. That they wouldn’t have to raise themselves. But the truth is I can’t say that with any certainty. No one can know how they’ll act in a situation like that until it has happened. Because of you, I may never have to find out.” Olivia looked at him; tears were streaming down her cheeks. “And for that, I thank you. And I ask that you continue to do that.”Saren opened his mouth and then closed it. His mandibles twitch in thought. Then he nodded. “You have my word.” He said.The woman nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Thank you.” She said. “Enough about me.” She patted the armrest next to her. “I want to hear something about you. You got to know a little bit about me. Now I want to hear a little bit about the man that saved my husband’s life.” “I,” Saren began, wondering what he could say. “Alright, what do you want to know?” They talked on like that until Hidaki came back in with the kids. Then continued with the conversation, talking about a variety of things. By the end of the day, Saren had learned a lot about Hidaki and his family and more about terran society. “I see that you enjoyed yourself.” Hidaki said, stepping into the guest room. Saren was sitting on the edge of the bed. “More than I thought I would.” He admitted. He never really expected to enjoy it at all. He had thought it would just be a simple visit. Little different than he would experience if he had gone back to Palavan. Hidaki smiled. “That’s good to hear.” He said. “My kids seem to have taken a shine to you. Particularly Kaneki.”That was a bit of an understatement. For reasons that were beyond him, Hidaki’s son had started to call him Uncle Saren. “I don’t get why he calls me that. We’re not even the same species, let alone blood-related.”Hidaki chuckled. “He likes you.” He answered. “And family isn’t about being related by blood.” A loud yawn escaped from the older man. “I think it’s time I turned in for the night. I suggest you get some sleep too. We’ve had a long day.” “Thank you.” Saren said before Hidaki could leave the room. “For inviting me over to your home.Hidaki stopped for the briefest of moments. “What are friends for?” Then he left.Left alone, Saren looked out the window and up at the night sky. His eyes scanned over the field of stars, and he wondered which one of them belonged to Trebia. Could its light even be seen from here? He began to think about today. How he, for lack of a better word, enjoyed it.Coming to this world meeting Hidaki’s family. It had been more than he expected. On Palavan, he would have felt alone and isolated, and that was before his transformation. Here though, he felt something different. “Perhaps, I’ll visit again.” He mussed to himself. September 1st, 23:37, Sur’Kesh: Toss was not a happy Salarian right now. In fact, he had not been a happy Salarian for some years now. Years ago, he had been the representative for his people on the Citadel Council, a rarity for a male. He had power, he had influence. In a way, he was second only to the Dalatrass of the Union. His future was bright and clear. Then he had nothing. The Dalatrass, his Dalatrass had reassigned him. Replaced him with a cousin that he hated. The Dalatrass had reassured him that this was not a punishment. She was assigning him to a position fitting his talents. One that would allow him to serve her directly. He should have known that woman was a master of lies. Sure, his position, Third Adjacent to the Minister of Internal Affairs, was an important position and still afforded him considerable influence. Any male would have been honored to be in his place. Toss was not any male.He had learned very quickly that while it had its perks, his position was little more than a glorified paperweight. He served directly under the Dalatrass (and serval other females), but he barely got to see her. And when he did, she always gave him this bemused look. It inferiority him. He wanted so much more. He wanted power. He wanted influence. He wanted to be respected by all that looked to him. He wanted his old position back.“Damn those batarians.” He cursed the current source of his unhappiness. “I should have never trusted them for this job. And damn the Terrans and their demons.” He then cursed the source of all his problems. It was because of the Terrans he was in a position of power. It was because of them that monsters roamed the galaxy. They consorted with monsters and AIs; and the Council and even the Dalatrass let them. Couldn’t they see how dangerous the Terrans were? They were reckless and power-hungry. Their arrogance, if left unchecked, would put the galaxy in even greater danger. “Why couldn’t those monkeys have gone extinct on their own planet centuries ago. It would have saved us all a lot of trouble.” He took a breath to calm himself.At least know would ever know that he was one to give away the patrol paths of several Terran patrol groups. He had hoped that the batarians would have been competent enough to destroy at least a few of them and bring back their technologies. It was clear to him that the Terrans were harboring the best technologies for themselves. Everyone in the galaxy knew it, but no one was willing to do anything about it. No one but him. Toss smiled to himself, imagining what would have been if the Batarians had succeeded. He imagines himself personally offering rare and valuable technologies to the Dalatrass herself. She would have thanked him professedly for his loyalty and devotion to the Union and to her. Would have praised him for taking the initiative when no one else would.As thanks, she would have offered him any reward. And being the humble man he was, all he would have asked was to be the Salarain councilor again, so he may continue to serve his people. He would power again. He would have influence. His words would have weight.His smile turned into an angry frown. If only the batarians had been a little more competent and the Terrans a little less so. With his frown deepening, he brought a display of a terran ship. One of their Carriers. Those things were proving to be a problem and were the chief reason why many Batarian attacks failed. Toss didn’t think much of ships whose main armaments were their strike craft. To him, dreadnoughts were the more fearsome and effective vessels. Now he had to re-evaluate that assessment. He turned the display off and began to think over his options. He was safe. He had made sure that the attacks could not be traced back to him. If the Terrans did find something, he had taken measures to ensure they would lead to someone else.Still, Toss knew his best option was to wait. The next time he made his move, he would get someone who he knew would do their job right. Maybe the Eclipse of the Blood Pack?Toss heard the faint chime of the intercom activating. “Adjacent Toss,” A voice said.“Yes, what is it?” He said to his assistant.“Some guests have arrived to see you, sir.”“Didn’t I tell you I didn’t want to be disturbed?” Toss reprimanded.His assistant hesitated for a moment before continuing to speak. “I afraid they were rather insistent, sir. They’re on their way to your room now, sir.”Toss frowned. Who could possibly be in such a hurry to see him? “Very well. I'll see to them.” He said. Almost on cue, he heard the door to his apartment chime. “I’m coming.” He said and hurried to the door. Best not to keep his guests waiting.He got to the door and opened it. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the ground, a sharp pain shooting through his jaw, and his arms were being twisted around to his back.Recovering as best as he could, Toss looked up and felt a chill go down his back when he saw his assailants were dressed in STG uniforms. One walked up to him. “Third Adjacent Toss. I am agent H’ress of the STG. I’m afraid that I’ll have to place you under arrest.”How could things have gone so wrong? September 2nd 01;30, Citadel, private chambers of the Salarain councilor: Councilor Hutow deactivated her Omni-tool after she finished reading the report. She smiled at the holo-image of the ambassador in front of her. “Good news, ambassador. I just word that STG has just taken my predecessor into custody.”Ambassador Goyle nodded. “Good,” She said curtly. “My government expects that he be turned over to our custody as soon as possible.”“Of course, Ambassador Goyle.” The Salarain said with a well-practiced smile. “I hope that this incident does do anything to harm the already fragile relationship between our two peoples.”“Good,” Goyle said. “You have the gratitude of the Federation for helping us uncover this plot against its people, and I assure you that this man will pay for what he has done.”“Of course,” Hutow said. “Such behavior is unfitting for a civilized galaxy, and others like him must be made to understand that such behavior will not go unpunished. I hope that my aide will show to you once and for that the Salarian people bare no ill will towards the terran people. We only wish for a peaceful and prosperous relationship.” Then she allowed her features to soften. “But I do ask you a favor.”The terran ambassador gave her a questioning look. “Yes, what is it?” She asked.“Despite what he has done. Toss is still my cousin, and family is family. I ask that whatever sentence he receives; it not be the death penalty.”“I will see what I can do.” Goyle said. “But I make no promises. His greed has cost a lot of lives.”Hutow gave the Terran Ambassador a respectful bow. “That is all I ask.” She said. Goyle nodded, and her image flicked out of existence. Now alone in her private chambers, the Salarain councilor allowed her smile to melt away. “Toss you fool. You couldn’t be a good little male and stay in your place. Now, look where you have gotten yourself.” She snorted, thoroughly displeased with her cousin's conduct. This would reflect poorly on her clan. “At the very least, you could have gotten something for us out of this. Be lucky in your failure you will still serve the Union.”Hutow smiled to herself. Once word got out about this, it would be a blow to the Union’s image. But it was nothing the Dalatrasses couldn’t mitigate. By handing her foolish cousin over to the Federation, it would pave the way for them to become more trusting and open to the Union. And a more trusting and open Federation would be easier to infiltrate.
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Chapter 27: The Final Battles Date Unknown, Time Unknown, Deep in Dragon Orphan Space: He could feel it in every fiber of his being. The hunger. The anger. The anguish. And every growing sense of fear that permeated the Swarm. And he felt the pain as each voice was forever silenced. He felt a presence behind and felt that it had something important to say. He long knew what it was but permitted the being to speak. “My Liege,” The being began. “The Progenitors and their allies have driven us back to the realm of the four-eyed ones.”The Dragon King did not turn or move from where he was. Instead, he looked up at the ceiling of the chamber the final light of the day filtered through the thin organic membrane. It was strangely fitting that he would be receiving this news at this time of the day. “I am aware.” He said. His voice still contained power, but now there was a note of sorrow.“It as you feared.” The Dragon General behind him continued. “We once again underestimated the power of the progenitors. “And we underestimated the strength of the others.” That had been true. Even before the progenitors joined the war, the others, the Citadel Races. They had started to slow down the advance of the Swarm. In time they might have turned them back. “They may soon be over our skies.”That was no simple “may,” the King knew it would happen. He knew once the tide had turned against them, there would be no stopping it. They should have waited. Grew their numbers consumed more worlds. Blot out the stars themselves. Only then would they have been a truly unstoppable force. But this was no time to dwell on the mistakes of the past. Now actions had to be taken to ensure the survival of the Swarm. “Not if I have anything to say about it.” The King said. He turned to face the Dragon General. “Preparer the final gambit.” He ordered.A look of shock stretched across the male’s face. Then understanding took over. “Yes, my liege.” He said and left the chamber.The “Final Gambit,” as the King liked to call it, was a plan he hoped he never had to follow through with. But it was the only hope that his kind had for survival. He felt a second and third presences approach him.Both were familiar to the King, but only one met anything to him. A stabbing pain pierced through his heart, a pain he did well to conceal from the presences. Both stopped behind him. Of the presences spoke. “Father?”The Dragon King concealed his sorrow with a smiling mask. He turned to face the source of the voice. His progeny, his child. His son. He was young, a few short years away from what the Progenitor’s called adolescence. “Yes, my son?” He said to the boy.Next to him, a figure of much contention within the Swarm spoke. “My liege, we heard about the news.” Larkin said. Many Generals had called out for her blood, for the weakness she displayed in fleeing the Progenitors. The King had silenced those objections, feeling what they called weakness was actually a strength. “Is it true that you will be enacting the final gambit?”“Final Gambit?” The boy parroted, looking curiously between the two adults. The King almost felt his mask slip away. His son was a sweet thing, the brightest of smiles always plastered on his face, and so very curious about the world around him. A day would never go by without the child asking a hundred questions or wandering off to explore.That brightness would soon dim once he started to shoulder a burden he shouldn’t have for many years, decades even. But the King had to do what was needed to ensure their kind survived. “Yes, I am.” He answered. “I will soon be leaving to personally oversee its completion.”“Leaving?” The boy asked. Then a look of understanding came off his young face. “You’re going to fight the progenitors, aren’t you?” He asked. For a moment, the King felt his smile falter. His child was too perceptive for his age. “I am.” He confirmed.His son’s expression dimmed. “You’re not coming back, are you?” “You will soon be the new Dragon King.” The King answered to his son. He hated to admit it, but it was the truth, and he couldn’t hide it from his son.The boy’s eyes began to water. “But why?” He asked. “Why do you have to fight them? Why do you have to die because of them? Can’t stay here?”It was Larkin who answered for the King. “Because he as to my young Liege.” She looked at the boy giving him a soft expression. “If he does not go and the Final Gambit fails, the progenitors and their allies will be over our world. From they will destroy us all. They will leave this world as a lifeless barren husk, choking on poisons. Their hatred for us demands no less, as would ours if we were in their place.”The King looked to Larkin and nodded at her, giving his thanks to the female. “She is right, my son. If I do not go, then you and the rest of the Swarm will parish. I cannot allow that to happen.”The boy crossed his arms to stop his body from shaking from the raw emotions coursing through him. “But why?” He asked again. “Why do we have to hate each other? Why do we have to kill each other? You said we come from the same great cradle as the progenitors. That we are their sons and daughters. If that is true, why do we have to fight and kill? Can’t we be of one Swarm?”The King frowned. His son had always been curious about the Progenitors. He was not the only one many young Dragon Generals were curious about the beings they descended from. Some even wondered if it was necessary to fight progenitors. Like his son, they wondered why they were not of one Swarm. When he was his son’s age, he had the same thoughts and questions.A long time ago, such thoughts would have never occurred within the Swarm. If anyone did think of them, they would have been torn to shreds on the spot. Their hatred for the progenitors burned brightly at that time, almost like a wildfire. But now, that fire still burned inside all of them, but it seemed lesser now.For what reason, he and the other Dragon Generals could never figure out. He knelt in front of his son and grasped both of his shoulders. “My son.” He said. “When you have taken my place. You will understand why that can never be. We are driven by a single burning desire. To devour and destroy the progenitors. Since they have hated us, hatred has driven them to destroy us. You are too young to feel that desire burn within you, but when you have taken my place, you will feel that same desire. The desire of our entire Swarm, it will blaze within you and all around.” His son would understand. He would know why the Swarm must always consume, always grow until there was nothing left to devour. He would understand why they had to seek out and destroy the ones that gave them life. The hate, the pain, the fear, he would understand it all as the King did when he took his place as the master of the Swarm.His son lowered his head. The King could feel the child’s thoughts as he went over what he said. Then he looked up and nodded. “I understand.” He said. He didn’t. “One day, you will.” The King said, standing up. “Now go. I have much to discuss with Larkin here.” He looked to the female Dragon General. His son seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding and running off. “Larkin.” He said in greeting.The female Dragon General bowed before him. “My liege.” She said. He sensed her feelings and thoughts. Admiration, joy, and shame they rolled off her. “I am honored to be in your presence.”“Raise.” He said. The female did as he said and looked at him. “I have a special mission for you.”He felt surprise from her. “Anything for you, my liege. Anything to redeem my failure.” The King shook his head. There were those who felt that Larkin should die for failing to defeat the progenitors for running away from them like a lesser. Others had fled from them, but she had been the only one to make it back to the greater Swarm. He felt that deserved some merit. “I want you to watch over my son.” He said.Now he felt open shocked roll of Larkin. “But my Liege.” She began to protest.The King cut her off. “Your failure was not yours alone.” He said. “We all have been driven back by the others and the Progenitors. Many other Dragon Generals greater than yourself have fallen. But you alone have survived battle against them.” He had felt all their deaths and the feelings that came with them. The shock, the pain, the fear, the certainty of victory before death claimed them. He felt it all and his hate for the enemy, and so did his sorrow for the Swarm. “It is my failure as will.” If only he had held back the Swarm when the others first came to them. He should have allowed the Swarm to grow larger and devour more worlds. Only then should they have struck. But now it was too late to go back. The final gambit was the only chance for the Swarm to survive this war. Even then, he knew it would only buy them time. He hoped it would be time enough. June 3rd, 2492, 12:00, Citadel Council Private Chambers “Today is a sad day for the Federation.” The news anchor said, a look of sorrow spreading across her face. “Earlier this morning, it was confirmed that Fleet Admiral Kirishima has passed away in his sleep. The cause of death has yet to be determined, but he has been fighting an incurable alien he caught when he was younger. The president has declared a Federation-wide day of mourning. She is to give a statement later this day. More to come as this story develops.”Councilor Tevos turned the viewer off. “A sad day indeed.” She turned to face her fellow councilors. “It’s never good to lose a good man like that.” She had only met the man once, during a banquet celebrating the Terran’s entry into the war. He seemed like a good, charming man. “True.” Councilor Filtius stated.Councilor Hutow just nodded her agreement.Tevos took a seat on a nearby couch. “So, do any of your governments plan to do anything?” Since this Admiral Kirishima was a major figure in the combined command structure of the Citadel-Federation alliance, the councilors had been informed of his passing. “The Primarch plans to make a statement after the Federation President makes her statement. Expressing the Hierarchy’s heartfelt condolences. I also plan to make a similar stamen.”Tevos nodded. That would work out just fine. “The Republics are planning to do the same.” The two councilors turned their attention to the Salarain councilor to see what her response would be.Hutow blinked at them a couple of times before she spoke. “I haven’t received word from the Dalatrass on her plans. But since both of your governments are planning to make statements, I will encourage her to do the same.”Tevos pursed her lips, making it look like an idea had occurred to her. “Filtius, you said you plan to make your own statement separate from the Hierarchy? Correct?” She got a nod from the Turian. “Then how about this instead? We as the council make the statement together.”“A full round of support from their allies.” Hutow said, catching onto what Tevos was thinking. “It would help strengthen ties between the Citadel and the Federation, if only slightly. It also continues to present a united front to the rest of the galaxy.”Councilor Filtius didn’t seem to like the idea, judging by how his mandibles twitched. But he did nod in the end. “Very well. We’ll make the statement together after the president has made her statement.”“Then it is agreed.” Tevos said. She heard the turian whisper politics with disdain in his voice. Tevos smiled as she sipped from her cup of tea. Admittedly it was one thing they could do without in their job, but it was a necessity, and they had to live with it. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be using methodical knives to stab each other, they would be using real ones, and that tended to be very messy.“Now that we have that item out of the way. Shall we move on to the next?” Hutow said.“Perhaps the progress on the war?” Filtius suggested.Tevos expertly suppressed a grimace. Even though they were on the winning side of the war, it still left a sour note in her mouth. Thank the goddess that the Batarians got what they deserved. “Last I heard, we were still making progress. Unless something has changed?”Filtius thankfully shook his head. “No, we’re steadily driving the Dragon Orphans out of Batarian space. Our analysts believe that we’ll be fighting them in their own space within a couple of months.”Again, Tevos repress the sour note in her mouth. That was a bloodbath she was not looking forward to. A part of her still wanted to find a peaceful way to end this war. Come to some accord with the Dragon Orphans. But she knew that was impossible. These Dragon Orphans were incapable of understanding the concept of diplomacy. Indeed, the very idea of peace probably didn’t exist for them. This war had caused her the Asari people to relearn a lesson they were loath to learn in the first place. They learned it in the Rachnii war and had been very eager to forget. There were times when honeyed words could not solve all their problems, or a knife in the back wouldn’t do. There were times when the business end of a mass accelerator was the answer. Tevos hated it. They were supposed to be living in a civilized galaxy. One where mass orbital bombardment and soldiers marching down the streets should have been derided as the evils they were. Tevos took a small hidden breath to calm herself. There was no need to suddenly become upset around the other councilors. That would not do well for her image. She would wait until she got to her apartment and then vent her frustrations in privacy.So, she forced herself to continue to listen to the other counselor’s report. “That’s good to hear.” She said. “Do we have an estimate for when the rest of Batarian space will be liberated?”The Salarain councilor snorted. “I would hardly call what we’re doing in Batarian space as liberating.”Filtius gave Hutow a heated glare. “Would you prefer that we sent in millions of soldiers to die?” He said in a low growl. The Salarian shook her head. “No, I understand why mass bombardments are being employed and even agree with the persecution of the war so far.” Tevos had to stop herself from looking at the woman in horror. “So many of their worlds are too heavily infested for a ground campaign to be anything but a bloodbath. No, I just wish that we didn’t publicize so much of what we’re doing out there.”That much Tevos could agree with. Between the Terran’s insistence that they do not hide their actions during the Batarian Liberation Campaigns and the stories coming from the refugees, she was surprised they didn’t have a galaxywide riot on their hands. “Be lucky that are some worlds that we are fighting for and that we have not employed the use of nuclear weapons.” Filtius said. “There are more than a few Primarchs wanting to turn every Batarian world into radioactive wastelands.”Again, the Salarain councilor snorted. “Not that the Batarians haven’t done that themselves.”A somber silence fell over the room after that statement. About a year ago, allied forces arrived in the Harsa system to liberate the Batarian homeworld of Khar’shan. Or what has been left of it. After sweeping aside the Dragon Orphan swarm with minimum losses, the fleet found a mostly lifeless world wrapped up in a nuclear winter. From what little records were recovered in the final days of the Dragon Orphan Invasion of the Hegemony, the various nations on Khar’shan, once firmly under the control of the Hegemony, turned on each other. The war had created a weakness in the Hegemony, and the former nation-states had been more than eager to exploit it. The result had been a brief but apocalyptic nuclear war. By the time the Dragon Orphans had arrived in the system, there was very little left for them to conquer. In fact, there had been no sign that they ever landed on the planet, and the survivors had confirmed it. Soon after, the allied forces launched an evacuation of what was left of the Batarian population, Khar’shan. A few million out of what was once a world of fifteen billion. As much as Tevos hated them now, even she was appealed by the losses the four-eyed aliens had suffered. It was believed that more than two-thirds of their population was dead now. Tevos sighed, she had only briefly brought up the subject, and already she regretted it. “Filtius, if you would please. Answer my question.” She said.Filtius looked at her and nodded. “We believe that within the year, the last of the Dragon Orphan forces will be eradicated from Batarian space. After that, the clean-up fleets will join the rest of our forces on the frontlines. Hopefully in time for the final assault on their homeworld.”Now that was a pleasant surprise for Tevos. “We’ve found their homeworld?” She asked for confirmation.The Turian councilor nodded. “Just a few days ago.” He said, activating his Omni-Tool. An image of a star system appeared in front of the councilors. “The system we are now designating as Dragon’s Keep is in a cluster, about seven jumps away from relay 427.” The image zoomed in on the second planet of the system. “This is what we believe to be their homeworld.” Tevos took a closer look at the planet. It was surrounded by masses of Dragon Orphan ships. But other than that, it appears to be no different from any other in the galaxy. Just another terrestrial ball orbiting its star, among countless billions. Certainly, no sign that it was home to the most dangerous species in the galaxy. “Dragon’s Keep, you said?” Tevos asked, getting a nod from the Turian councilor. “A fitting name.” She commented.“What can we expect in defenses.” Hutow asked, eyeing the projection. “Dragon’s Keep is protected by some of the largest swarms we have ever seen. It will take several fleets to wipe out its defenses.” The Turian councilor said as images of Citadel and terran ships appeared and destroyed the dragon swarms.“What of their ground forces?” The Salarain councilor said. “Do we have plans for taking the planet?”The projection vanished. “As of now, we have no plans to invade Dragon’s Keep.” Filtius said. “I see,” Tevos said. “When can we expect such a plan?”“I’m afraid that you don’t understand what I meant.” Filtius said. “We do not plan to launch a ground invasion of any kind of Dragon’s Keep.”Tevos was not at all surprised by that statement. Especially when she considered about what was discussed a minute ago. “So, you plan to bombard the planet?” She could have brought up the Citadel convictions about planetary bombardment, mainly when it came to garden worlds. But she knew that part of the treaty had been quietly shelved in light of the threat that Dragon Orphans posed. It would probably be years or decades before any serious discussion about their actions here would happen.“The plan is to leave the world completely lifeless.” Filtius said, a good chill went down Tevos’s back. She looked over a Hutow and saw she was just as disturbed. Looking over Filtius carefully to see how he felt about that statement. He was holding his body tightly, and his mandibles looked like they wanted to twitch in a different manner than the one that Filtius was forcing on them. He was disturbed too. “We will use what means necessary to achieve this goal.” Filtius continued. “The Primarch has already authorized the use of Nuclear and Biological weapons. Before this meeting started, I received word that the Terran President also gave her blessings.” Tevos repressed a gulp. Such actions had not been sanctioned since the Rachnii wars, and they had come close in the Krogan Rebellions before the Turians joined the fight. Now weapons that in her mind should have never been created would be used again. “Before you say anything about how illegal they are, I will make this point. We do not care right now, and we will go through with it regardless of if your governments support us or not. Any ground invasion of Dragon’s Keep will be more costly and bloody than every battle in this war combined. I will not risk that many Turian lives, and the Terrans are of the same opinion.”This time Tevos frowned, though she did not allow her true thoughts to show. “This will be a hard sell to the Matriarchs.” She said. “But I think I might be able to convince them of the necessity of the action.”“The Dalatrass will likely agree as well.” Hutow said in a neutral tone. “It’s not the first time we’ve had to take extreme action to eliminate a threat. I only hope this will be the last.”The Turian councilor nodded. “We may have to do the same to several other worlds. Depending on how badly infected those worlds are.” Tevos held her lips tightly, they had already ordered the death of one world. What would a few more hurt? Filtius gave her a sympathetic expression. “We are willing to be compromising on this matter. We will limit ourselves to standard bombardment until the enemy is neutralized or until a ground invasion becomes viable.”Tevos relaxed her features somewhat with that statement. “Just do what is needed to end this war and end the threat of the Dragon Orphans.” She said. “So, what do you hope to accomplish by taking their homeworld?” Hutow said. “As far we know, these monsters have no moral to affect by such an action. They’ll simply see it as the loss of another nest.”Filtius nodded. “Normally, yes. But if what we believe is true.” He said. “We are hoping that since this is their homeworld, the Dragon King will be there.”Now that got both councilors’ attention. “If we manage to kill the Dragon King, it will leave the Dragon Orphans in disarray.” Tevos said.Hutow was blinking rapidly as her mind digested the news. “Killing a Dragon General causes their swarms to fall into chaos. Killing the Dragon King would have a profound effect on the Swarm.”“That is what we are hoping for.” Filtius stated. “Granted they will still have their Dragon Generals. Without the Dragon King, the Dragon Orphans as a whole will not be able to act as a singular force. They will break up into smaller swarms. Each system will be isolated from the rest.”“Will these swarms try to reinforce one another if they come under attack?” Hutow asked.“Based on the Terran’s experience with the death of a Dragon King. No” Filtius answered. “Each Swarm will be more concerned with their own survival. With the Death of the Dragon King, all we will have to worry about is picking off each swarm one at a time.”Tevos nodded. It sounded like a good plan. “Then this war will finally end.” She said. Things would finally go back to the way they had been. A part of her knew that things would never be the same, but she ignored it.“I know this had been hard on all of us.” Filtius said. “But we need only to hold out just a little longer. This war will end, and we will come out the victors.” October 10th, 17:23, system beyond Relay 427, space: Hours ago, the system had been peaceful and serene. Swarms of Dragon Orphan ships sailed across the void of space between the five planets that orbited a simple yellow dwarf. There were no habitable planets, just two barren worlds and three gas giants. So, the Dragon Orphans had not bothered to deploy ground forces. Then the relay in the system spun to life, and before the Dragon Orphans realized what was happening, ships started to pour through it. Their first line of defense was wiped out before it ever had a chance to fight back.Even as the stream of ships started to grow, the fleets of hostile ships initiated micro jumps and appeared in front of swarms of Dragon ships. Unleashing a devasting barrage within the opening moments of the battle, they often eliminate over a third of the swarm. The battle of Dragon’s Gate had started.That had been hours ago, and the Dragon Orphans found themselves on their last legs. They rallied around the second of the three gas giants in the system and the fourth planet of the system. They would prepare for a final onslaught. Either they would all die fighting them, or they would wrestle victory from the jaws of defeat. The Dragon general in command knew what the most likely result was.The attacking fleets saw their opportunity to end the battle in their favor. They took it, approaching the gas giant. The attackers divided their fleet into three main groups, each coming at the Dragon Orphans from a different direction. Several smaller groups were formed to cut off all routes of escape.Even though they knew they were on the verge of victory, the attackers knew the Dragon Orphans were cornered wounded animals. So, they approached the gas giant with cation firing their weapons at maximum range. Scores of mass accelerated rounds and missiles sailed across the empty void and killed dragon ships by the hundreds. The attacking ships stopped short of the swarm’s effective weapons range and continued to shell the enemy. The commander of the attacking force was not about to throw his ships into a meat grind when all he had to do was sit there and fire at the enemy beyond their range. The Dragon Orphans would be forced to stay where they were and be slaughtered. Or try to force their way through his fleet, coming into range of their secondary weapons. The Dragon Orphans chose the former of the options. If there had been any air in space, the attacking fleet might have heard the angry roars of the Dragon Orphans as their ships surged forward.The swarm of ships fired off their weapons, hoping to do some damage to the enemy. The damage was minimum, with only a few vessels dying. The Dragon Orphans were not so lucky, hundreds more of their ships died each second as they closed in on their enemy. When they got within range, the attackers added the firepower of their secondary weapons into the mix. Smaller mass accelerated rounds, missiles, disruptor torpedoes, guardian lasers, and strike craft formed together, creating a field of death for the Dragon Orphans.By the time they closed into knife fighting range with the attacking fleet, only a third of their force had survived. The final nail in the coffin came when the ship containing the Dragon General was destroyed. Without a force to guide them, the remaining ships became disorganized, making it easier for the attackers to finish them.Ten hours after the battle began the allied forces had captured the system designated Dragon’s Gate. 18:50, TFV. Anteiku: Admiral Grayson smiled to himself. The allied forces had just won a decisive battle securing the Dragon’s Gate system and consigned several tens of thousands of dragon ships to a fiery death. A good day in his opinion, and an excellent start to the final offensives of the war.He only hoped that it would continue that way. “Statues on the fleet.” He ordered.A blue orb appeared in front of them. “The fleet reports minimum damage, Admiral,” Helen reported. “Initial projections indicate that the fleet suffered between ten and fifteen percent loss of ships. We will have more accurate reports for you within a few hours.”Grayson hummed to himself. Their losses had been lower than they had predicted. Still, that was more than a thousand ships lost and possibly tens of thousands of dead. He hoped those losses were mostly disabled ships that could be salvaged. But he wasn’t about to hold his breath. He brought up a projection of the fleet. “Signal our forces at Relay 427 that we have secured Dragon’s Gate and that they may come through. Dispatch rescued teams for any survivors.” The allied fleet had held up well, and for that, he was proud. The fleet was mostly a mixture of Terran and Turian warships. Other citadel ships were present, mostly coming to form the Asari and Salarians. To the surprise of everyone, the Quarians had even sent in a token force of their ships to aid in the battle. Grayson’s smile grew as he brought up the Quarian ships. Most of them were still the same old ships that they had a few years, centuries-old but now newly upgraded and refurbished, so they could stand toe to toe with modern-day warships. In the mixture were newer ships, as in newly built over the Quarian’s new homeworld. Grayson could only imagine the pride that the Quarians took in the fact they could now build ships for themselves. And not rely on second-hand vessels from the other races. The fact that they even sent these out to the frontlines suggests they were more ready to interact with the rest of the galaxy than they let on. It would be interesting to see how they grow in the next few decades.He turned his attention away from the Quarian ships and looked over the vessels of their allies. They had improved significantly in the last five years since the Federation entered the war. With the technologies they shared, the Citadel saw a significant increase in combat performance against Dragon Orphan Swarms. New and Improved VI’s improved fire rates and accuracy for their weapons, though they still refused to use actual Ais. Though he did hear rumors that the Turians were starting to come around to the idea. Improved heat sinks allowed for more heat to build and for it to be vented quicker. Then there was the fact that the Federation shared its ARC technology with the Citadel races. Grayson felt his lips crease into a frown. He still felt it was a mistake to share their more unique technologies. Relations with the Citadel were still young and could change at any moment. Sure, things were going well between the two, and that was mainly because of the war with Dragon Orphans. Why offend your biggest ally in a war for survival? When the war finally concluded, would relations continue as they are now, or would the Citadel look to them as the new big threat to the galaxy? Greyson sighed and repressed his thoughts. Best to keep his thoughts on the present and worry about the future when they come to it. Still, at the very least, their leaders had the wisdom not to hand over the latest innovations in ARC technologies to the Citadel races, instead giving them what the Federation used several decades ago. Greyson gave his next set of orders. “Once the rest of our fleets have come through the relay, we’ll begin to secure the rest of the cluster. After that, the real battle begins.” This whole cluster would be turned into a beachhead for an invasion into Dragon Orphan space. The Federation-Citadel alliance wanted a swift end to the war. So, the plan was after they secured this cluster, they would cut a path directly to what they had identified as the Dragon Orphans’ homeworld. They would go from one Relay system to another, secure them and their surrounding systems, but leaving the rest of the cluster alone. They would still leave enough forces behind to keep the enemy occupied and unable to reinforce their homeworld or cutting off the string of allied control systems. It was a risky and bold move on the part of High COMM, but if it worked, then they would be over the skies of the D-Orphan homeworld within six to nine months.From there, they would turn that godforsaken planet into a lifeless husk. Hopefully, killing the Dragon King in the process. If that did happen, then the threat of the Dragon Orphans would be significantly reduced. As without an overall guiding force, they would break up into smaller swarms, each guided by a different Dragon General. Once that happened, all they would have to worry about was picking off the remaining swarms one at a time.For this operation, all the stops were being pulled out. They had been given the authorization to render every world under the control of the Dragon Orphans lifeless if they felt it was necessary. Biological, nuclear, full planetary bombardment, everything was to be used to bring an end to the war as quickly as possible. For all intents and purposes, they had entered the most brutal part of the war.He hoped that this war would end soon January 17th, 2493, 14:00, New Rannoch, Prime Minister’s Chambers: “You should be receiving the last of the detainees by the end of the month.” The turian ambassador said.”“Thank you, ambassador.” Prime Minister Rael’Zorah said. “When we receive that last of our people, we’ll transmit the last of the star charts to Palavan.”“That’s good to hear.” The turian ambassador said. “You have no idea how valuable those systems have been to us. Especially the systems beyond closed relays. Now that we know what lies beyond them, the Hierarchy has been given permission to open those relays and allowed to expand past them.”“I imagine the Council still felt a certain reluctance to open any more Relays.” Rael commented. “Given the state of the Galaxy.”The turian ambassador huffed. “Be that as it may, both the Dragon Orphans and the Terrans have proven that we can’t hide in our corner of the galaxy anymore. We must expand to survive. If there are other threats out there, we have to be the ones to seek them out. We can’t afford to wait around for them to come to us.”Rael nodded. He agreed with the man’s conclusion, it was best they be the ones to explore the galaxy and find out what’s out there. Waiting around for something to find them was a recipe for disaster, to coin a human expression. Though, given the state of his own people, it was probably best that they let the other races seek out the wonders and threats of the galaxy. At least until the Quarian people could support themselves.“Still, these star charts are worth a lot.” The Turian ambassador continued. “Some would even argue that we’re ones getting the better part of the deal here. Considering all we have to do is release a bunch of suit-rats.”Rael’s eyes narrowed at the turian. He had to remind himself not to blow at the man and that he was the official leader of the new Quarian government. Whatever he did would reflect on the Quarian people. The ambassador noticed the shift in Rael’s behavior. He held up a placating talon. “I meant no offense.” He said. “Those are the words of some of my colleagues. Words that I disagree with.” Rael allowed himself to relax at hearing the sincerity in the man’s voice. “A younger, more foolish version of myself might have agreed with them. But that I am older and wiser, I know better. I’ve read our history and can read in between the lines.”Now the Quarian Prime Minister was curious. “And what conclusions have you drawn?”The ambassador’s mandibles seemed to tighten for a moment, and his eyes darted from one side to the other. It was like he was looking around to make sure that no one was watching. “The Turian and Quarian people were once very close to each other. Perhaps even closer than my people were with the other council races. But we were close that much history makes clear. A military alliance. Technological, economic, and cultural exchanges. And if one looks at the reports close enough, there were indications that we have supported you becoming the fourth council race.”Now that was a surprise to Rael. He knew before their fall and exile the Quarian people were a growing power in Citadel space. There had even been rumors that they could become the furth council race. But he never thought they were true or that the Turians of all people would support the motion. Maybe he should take a closer looked at the historical records. His eyes narrowed at the ambassador. “Then your people turned against us.” He said. “When we needed you the most.”He could almost see the ambassador flinch. “Funny how that turned out.” Rael wouldn’t have called it funny, but he let the ambassador continue. “I’ve had a close look at the historical records and not just ours. I’ve looked at records from the Volus, Elcor, Asari, Salarian, hell, even some memoirs from Krogan if you can believe those exist. They all paint a very different picture than what most believe happened. Entire fleets amassed at the borders of the Perseus Veil. Legions mobilized in scales not seen since the Krogan rebellions. Fiery rhetoric on how and I quote, “The Hierarchy will put down the soulless machines and safeguard the homelands of our allies.”” The ambassador leaned into his chair. “By all indications, it looked like to the rest of the galaxy we were ready to go to war with the Geth and reclaim Rannoch for your people.”Rael could almost feel his eyes narrowing into slits. “So happened then?” He asked. He was definitely going to have a closer look at the historical records to see if they support the ambassador’s story.“It was quite the shift in behavior.” The turian ambassador said. “Just as we were about to enter the Perseus Veil. Just as we were about to go to war against the Geth. We suddenly pull back all our fleets, demobilize our legions, and throw our support behind ejecting the Quarians from the Citadel Accords. It came as a shock to the whole galaxy, especially my people. There are records of riots on all our worlds, including Palavan. The decision was unexpected, to say the least.”Connections were starting to form in Rael’s mind. Backdoor deals, threats made, and secrets withheld. “It was almost like someone forced the Hierarchy to call off its war with the Geth.” He said.The Ambassador nodded his head from side to side. “There are some indications.” He said. “If you look at the records close enough. To those who know the truth, and that is more than you think, our betrayal of the Quarian people has become a source of shame for the Hierarchy. One that I am glad we are finally taking steps to mend.”“I doubt my people will be quick to forgive or forget.” Rael said. Generations of mistreatment from the other races and being confined to the fleet of rundown ships, that tended to give a people a long memory.“Nor should you.” The Ambassador said. A long silence fell over the two before the Ambassador spoke again. “We have gotten quite a bit off-topic here. As I said, the New Quarian Republic will be receiving the last of the detainees by the end of the month. We expect payment to come after.”Rael nodded. “Of course, ambassador. On behalf of the Quarian people, I thank you for this kind gesture. You have no idea what it means to us.”“It was a mutual arrangement, Prime Minister.” The Ambassador said. “I, of course, will speak to you once the final exchange has been made. That way, we can hammer out any final details in our trade agreement. It has been a pleasure speaking to you.” Rael nodded at the turian. “The pleasure was mine. I found our exchange to be enlightening. You’ve given me much to think about.” He said. “Until next time Ambassador.”“Until next time.” The Ambassador signed off.Rael let out a breath he had not realized he was holding. Indeed, he did have a lot to think about. He stood from his desk and stretched out his limbs. His joints protested at the sudden movement. He walked over a window overlooking the cityscape. It still amazed him how much progress his people had made in the last half-decade. They had gone from living in a collection of barely operable ships to thriving on a new homeworld. With aid from the Terrans, they built three cities on New Rannoch with numerous smaller settlements dotted around them. Their economy, while small, was slowly growing to the point where it could support the Quarian people with needing aid from outside sources. Above the skies, construction yards were building new ships that would one day make a fleet capable of defending their interest. It was an exciting time to be a Quarian and a time Rael never thought he would see in his lifetime. Let alone in just under five years. His thoughts drift off to home, where he hoped his wife and daughter were waiting for him.Perhaps he would take the day off early and see them. He returned to his desk, intending to finish what little he could. Just as he was about to comm his assistant, they called him. “Prime Minister, we are receiving a priority transmission from the Terran Federation. It’s coming from the office of the president.”Rael blinked, wondering two things. One, why was the terran president calling him, and two, why did these things always happen just when he started to relax. “Put her through.” He said, looking at his terminal. Not a moment later, the sigil of the President’s Officer appeared on his screen, which faded to show a familiar face.“Greetings, Prime Minister Zorah.” President Nader, recently re-elected, said. “It’s good to see you. How are things in the Republic?”Rael returned the greeting. “Hello, madam president. It’s good to see you as well. Everything is going well, though they do keep me busy here. But that’s to be expected.”The terran president had a good-natured smile on her face. “That’s good to hear.” Then her expression grew serious. “But I did not call you just to exchange pleasantries. Three days ago, we received an odd transmission. Both in its origin and content. We believe it will be of interest to you.”Now curious, Rael began to question the President. “What makes you think this transmission will be of interest to us?”The President’s expression remained serious, but there was an element to it that made Rael uncomfortable. “For one thing, the origin of the transmission came from beyond the Perseus Veil.” Rael almost shot up from his chair, shock and panic threatening to overwhelm him. “You don’t mean?”“Just have a look at the transmission. Then we’ll decide what to do.”The image of the President vanished. To be replaced by an image Rael never thought he would see in his lifetime. Sitting all alone in the night, with only its star to offer any warmth, Rannoch slowly spun. Rael didn’t have much time to admire the live image before an ocean of voices spoke at once. “Creators, we wish to negotiate.” March 27th, 18:00, Location: Classified Matriarch Benezia never thought she could feel so much fear and excitement mixed together. She had lived for thousands of years and had experienced many things. Things that cause excitement, things that still chill her to this day, and of course, things that cause both feelings. But never both in such abundance. Everyone around her was frozen in shock at what they were seeing. It was almost like someone had pressed the proverbial pause button on time. Down below the observation with over a dozen weapons trained on it was the Rachnii Queen. It looked around the scene with a seemingly impassive face as it held onto its prize.Its tentacle was wrapped what should have been an unconscious Asari. But again, the centuries-old Matriarch was reminded that reality didn’t always conform to her expectations. The young asari’s eyes were wide open, but her irises were gone, leaving a set of whited-out eyes. The girl was held to the ground and seemed to shamble around, almost like she was kind of. Benezia’s eyes widened as a thought occurred to her.“Almost like a puppet.” She muttered. Could this be? The Matriarch was the first to act. She got to the terminal and activated the comms system. “Everyone stand down.” She said.That finally seemed to break everyone out of their stupor. One of the observation crew, a terran, turned around in his chair. “Are you sure, Matriarch?” He asked, his eyes shifted to his superior officer. The older terran male looked at her with a serious expression. “Matriarch, this is a clear violation of containment protocols. If we don’t act now, we may lose control of the situation.”“I say you already have.” The Salarain observer said. “Commander, I demand that you follow through with protocols and kill that thing now. It’s time that we put an end to this foolishness.”Benezia shot the Salarain female a glare that had her squirming. Then looked back at the Commander. “I’m aware this is a violation of protocols. But” The Matriarch gazed back at the Rachnii and her puppet and suppressed a shudder. “I believe she may be trying to communicate with us.”For her part, Benezia hoped she was right. Their assignment here was to both nurture the Queen and try to establish a dialogue with her. There were critics of what they were doing here, namely the Salarians. But she was not one of them like the Terrans Benezia felt that the Rachnii deserved a second chance at life. Even to this day, no one knows if the Rachnii’s aggression towards the Citadel races was something inherent to the species. Or if some cultural aspect was involved.If it was the latter, then they offered the species a clean slate. The last year they spent watching the Queen suggested that it was. For the most part, she acted passive, only getting aggressive when the observers did something to provoke her. Even then, she didn’t attack anyone and gave them an agitated flail of her tenacles as a warning to back off. Now that had changed. The Terran Commander continued to give her a stern look. “Very well, Matriarch. I will defer to your judgment here.” He cut off the Salarain observer before she could speak. “However, if the Queen makes one wrong, I’ll order my people to shoot. We cannot risk another Rachnii war. Especially when we are so close to defeating the Dragon Orphans. Understood?”Benezia nodded. Fair was fair. “Completely.” She said.The Commander walked beside her and activated the intercom. “Everyone stand down.” He ordered. “The Matriarch will attempt to negotiate with the Queen. But be ready to act at a moment’s notice.”The soldiers below looked at each other for a moment nodding to one another. They lowered their weapons and relaxed their postures. Benezia could see that they were still uneasy and were ready to act at the first sign of trouble. The base Commander looked over at her expectantly. He gestured to the comm. “It’s your move, Matriarch.” He said.Benezia nodded and activated the comm. “Do you understand us?” She asked the puppet.The asari thing gazed up at the observation deck. Its pure white eyes stared at Benezia, seemingly boring into her soul. It was more than a bit disturbing to her.Benezia hoped that the young Asari wasn’t in any kind of pain. Not for the first time in the last several minutes, she wished she had been more insistent that the girl take the day off. It was clear that the young maiden wasn’t feeling well this day. Perhaps exhaustion from all the work was getting to her. But the maiden had been adamant that she was fine, and Benezia didn’t wish to embarrass the girl any further. That may have been a mistake.Like the one she may be making now. The asari puppet continued to stare up at them before it finally opened. What came out was not the asari’s voice. Well, it was, and it wasn’t. Somehow by some impossible means, another voice was overlaid on the maiden’s voice. It was deeper, more powerful than anything Benezia had heard in her life. “Yes.” Was its answer.Terror and excitement battle out for dominance in Benezia’s mind. She glances over at the others in the observation deck. Trying to get a feel for what everyone thought. There was undoubtedly a sense of fear prevailing in the air. But at the same time, there was an air of excitement as everyone realized that this could be the breakthrough they had been waiting for.Benezia looked back at the puppet. “Are you the Rachnii Queen?” She asked. She knew it was a dumb question to ask, but she had to be certain who or what she was talking to.The asari thing spoke again. “Yes.” The puppet/Queen answered. “We sing for the Hive.”The fear was slowly subsiding from Benezia. A whirlwind of questions was raging around in her mind. There were so many questions she wanted to ask this entity. So many mysteries of the Rachnii that this being could answer for them. Why did they attack the Citadel? Why had they refused all forms of communication? Why had they fought to the very last Rachnii Queen standing? What was their culture like? Did they have any kind of deities they worshiped? What were their favorite foods? And so many others that Benezia wasn’t sure that even a full Asari lifetime could answer them all. But one question prevailed over all of them. “What do you want?” Benezia asked.The puppet/queen remained silent for a moment before speaking a word that would change history. “Peace.” May 19th, 12:23, TFS, Anteiku in route to Dragon’s Keep System: The moment that everyone had been waiting for was fast approaching. Greyson knew it. Everyone on the command deck knew it. The whole attack fleet knew it. The tension in the air was so thick that the Terran Admiral doubted that even a round from a dreadnought could pierce through it. They were about to participate in the largest battle of the war, hell, the largest battle in the known history of the galaxy. This battle would determine the outcome of the war as well. If they found victory here, all the other battles after would be meaningless, and the war would be won. But if they were turned back here, their fleets broken and shattered, then. Greyson shook his head. He didn’t want to entertain that thought. No, they would win this battle no matter what. Even if it meant they had to blow open the gates of heaven and hell to do it. They certainly had enough firepower to do it.Admiral Grayson brought up a tactical display of the combined fleet. Massive was the only word that could be used to describe it. If one included the former migrant fleet, what they had here would be the second-largest fleet in the galaxy. Entire fleets had been combined together. Four Turian, three Terran, one Asari, and one Salarain. Along with numerous smaller battle groups and task forces from the other races.“Sir,” Helen said. “We are receiving orders from the Fleet Admiral.”Grayson nodded. “Let’s hear them.” He said.“Our task force, along with several others, is to engage the smaller swarms throughout the system. While the main force engages the enemy over their homeworld.”The ship’s Synth brought up a project of the Dragon’s Keep system and all the forces it had in it. Greyson hummed. “It would appear that the majority of the Dragon Ships have gathered around their homeworld.” He commented. “Compared to that, we’re fighting small fry.”“There are still a significant number of them, Admiral.” Helen said. “The Grand Admiral and their staff does not wish to risk the enemy flanking us.”Greyson nodded, showing he understood the reasoning. “That much I can behind. We’ve come too far. Risked too much to start making mistakes now.” He leaned in on the terminal, glaring at the masses of red. If looks could kill, the Admiral would have single-handedly won the war. “What do we do once the smaller swarms have been dealt with?” He asked. “Secure the system?”“Negative, Admiral,” Helen answered. “Once we have cleared out our assigned area, we are to join up with the main force.”“And finish the enemy off.” Greyson finished for her. “A simple but good strategy.”“Indeed.” Helen commented.Greyson perked up. He had worked with Synths long enough to know the inflictions in their voices. Something was bothering Helen. “Helen, care to tell me what’s up?”There was a brief pause before the Synth answered. “I have been thinking more and more about our conversation seven years ago.”“Seven years ago?” Greyson was no Synth, so he couldn’t recall his memories at a thought like them. He had to rack his brain to bring the memory back up. He knew it was around the time the Federation joined the war. Greyson’s eyes widened. “Right before we entered the war.” Greyson muttered, now having an idea what the conversation was.“Yes,” Helen said. “With the final battle coming, I have been thinking more on the subject of my immortality.”Greyson shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He had been thinking about it too, off and on. “I suppose it’s only fitting we talk about it now. Have you reached any conclusions since then?” He asked. “I believe I have.” Helen said. “There is a good chance that none of us will return from this battle. Even I may not survive the battle. In which case, I have made peace with that. I do not relish the thought of dying here.”“I don’t think any of us here does.” Greyson said with a small chuckle. He looked around the CC getting small uncomfortable nods from some of the crew. “But if that does, happen, and I go down with the rest of the Anteiku’s crew. It would not be a bad death.” Helen explained. “But should I survive, and rest the crew doesn’t, or they die from other causes. I have decided to live on.”Greyson remained silent for a moment letting Helen’s answer sink in. “So, you have decided that you can live without us.” He said.“Maybe,” Helen said. “I do not truly know if I can live on after all those I have known are gone. Not until it happens. But what I do know is that none of you would want me to terminate my existence on your account.”Greyson put on a small smile. “That’s nice to know.” He said. “But there’s more to it isn’t there?”“Yes,” Helen answered. “The Terran people are at a critical juncture. The next two centuries will be of great importance to the Federation and the rest of the galaxy. Countless breakthroughs in technology and culture are about to manifest. Events will play out that will forever shape our people and the people of the galaxy. They are, in fact, already playing out.”“The war and first contact.” Greyson said.“To name a few.” Helen responded. “History, as they say, is in the making. I wish to bear witness to that history. I wish to see what kind of people, what kind of galaxy that history will shape.”Greyson hummed to himself. Now Helen had piqued his interest. Humans and ghouls were living longer than they did centuries ago. Living past a hundred years used to be a rare thing. Now, it was to be expected. The average life was around a hundred twenty, with some lucky few living to be hundred fifty. Greyson himself probably had another seventy to eighty years in him. What kind of things would he see in that time? How would history play out in his lifetime? It seemed like such a long time. But now he was wishing he had another century or two, maybe even three. If only to see how things would play out. Even then, that may not be enough time. History and time were ever-flowing and always in a state of flux.Helen, though, would get to see how history turned out. Perhaps that was the trade-off for immorality. Live long enough to see everyone you know, and love pass from this world. But in exchange, live long enough to see how everything would play out. See the end result of history, if there is such a thing. Even see the legacies left behind by everyone you met.“Sounds more like you’re putting things off.” Greyson said after his moment of reflection. “Perhaps,” Helen said. “Put it is my choice. Who knows, by then, I may find more reasons to live on. Put until I choose to live.”Greyson’s smile grew. “That’s good to hear. After, it’s nice to know that will be someone to remember me long after I’m gone.”“It is a nice sentiment. Isn’t it?” Helen responded. “We have received orders. The attack group is about to enter normal space. We are to proceed to our assignments.”Greyson nodded. The time for waiting and talking had ended. Now the time to fight had come. “Then let’s get to it.” He ordered. Space The empty void just outside the Dragons Keep systems was washed in blue light as hundreds, then thousand, and finally, tens of thousands of ships poured in. Nine fleets and numerous other smaller task groups had been gathered to form the largest assault fleet in the galaxy’s history. In size alone, it rivaled the Migrant fleet before settling on New Rannoch. It eclipsed the Krogan fleets that ravaged the Rachnii home systems. Waiting for them were more than two hundred stealth vessels. Mostly from the Salarian’s STG and the Terran’s SFS. In the months prior, they had seeded the system with thousands of probes to scan the area for the number and positions of enemy ships.To say the least, a massive amount of data was being processed. The swarms defending the Dragon’s Keep systems were by far the largest ever recorded, even in the Terran’s history. Easily passing the hundreds of thousands. The system lived up to its namesake. Keeping track of all the ships and calculating the optimum firing solution at any given time had been a daunting task, even for the Federation’s AIs. But despite the difficulty of the task, they did their job, and they did it well. The stealth vessels transmitted their data along with the firing solutions. The data was received, checked over, and implemented. With that valuable data, the attack fleet returned to FTL.The first Dragon Swarms to realize they were under attack were some of the swarms patrolling the outer edges of the systems. They did not have much time to get a warning before swiftly obliterating. The next swarms closer in the system faired a little better as they suddenly found themselves engaged with the enemy, with most of their number dying before they could fight back. The real fight began when the main allied fleet appeared over the Dragon Orphan’s homeworld and unleashed devasting first strike. It was a standard Terran strategy to wipe out as much of the enemy in the first volley as possible, idly the whole enemy force in a single strike. With this being the largest swarm ever recorded and them fighting in the home system of the Dragon Orphans, special measures had been taken. Powerful weapons normally reserved for dire situations had been unshelved for this battle. One of them being the starburst missiles. They didn’t have the destructive power like most missiles, or at least not in the traditional sense. What these missiles did when they exploded was unleash a massive burst of radiation. This burst would kill anything organic with a certain radius about in the range of several hundreds of kilometers. Including the Dragon Orphan ships, though ordinarily able to handle sudden bursts of radiation, a regular occurrence in space. But the amount unleashed by a starburst missile was more than most Dragon Ships could handle. And the allied fleet would be firing a lot of them. There were other weapons being unshelved, but they would come later.Between the starburst missiles, masses of other missiles, kinetic rounds, and disruptor torpedoes, over a third of the Dragon swarm over the homeworld died in fire. More died in the brief moments it took for them to recover from the enemy’s shock, appearing and killing so many of them. It took them another few seconds to realize that their attackers would not close into their range, and they had to come to them.What happened next could only be described as an angry tide rushing towards the shore as the Dragon swarm soared towards the attacking fleet. The allied fleet would get off two more volleys of the starburst missiles before it was deemed too dangerous to fire anymore in close proximity. By the time the Dragon Orphans got into their weapons range, more than two-fifths of their swarm was dead. The smaller Dragon swarms in the system tried to move in to aid the larger swarm in protecting their homeworld. But found themselves intercepted by one of the many task groups whose job was to secure the system by wiping the smaller swarms.Allied command was not taking any risks of the Dragon Orphans over their homeworld receiving reinforcements. The smaller task groups would see to it none of the other swarms would be able to hook up with the main swarm. Once they cleared the system, they would join up with the rest of the fleet and finish off the Dragon Orphans for good. Additional other fleets and task groups were being deployed to intercept any reinforcements heading for the Dragon’s Keep system. The attack on the Dragon’s Keep system would be remembered as the largest operation in the galaxy before the Reaper War and its final climactic battle over Earth. TFS. Zeus Several hours into the battle, and everything was going. Well, Commander Hackett wouldn’t call it smooth exactly. No battle could be called that. But it was going better than the projections had predicted. Two-thirds of the Dragon Swarm over their homeworld had been sent to a fiery death, and most of the smaller swarms throughout the system had been wiped out. But their progress was coming at a price. More than two thousand allied vessels now drifted lifelessly in the void of space, many shattered beyond recognition and repair. Thousands more suffered a wide range of damage. Hackett knew that they would win this battle, but it would come at a cost. It would take years, maybe even decades, to replace all the ships lost in this battle.At least that was what it would be like for the Citadel races. His people would likely recover more quickly given the level that AI was integrated into the Federation. A lot of their industry was automated, so their factories and shipyards never stopped producing even for a second. One of the major advantages they had over the aliens. “Admiral!” Hackett said. “Our task groups report the extermination of the last of the smaller swarms. They’ll be joining us in a matter of minutes.”The Fleet Admiral nods his head. “Good, with their help, we can finally end this battle.” Suddenly that carrier shook. A few crewmen running by almost stumbled to the floor. “Report!”“A dozen dragon ships broke through the defense line and made an attack run on us.” Hackett reported a moment later. “Barriers holding. Nearby ships are pursuing.” Just then, the dozen or so dots that represented the enemy ships vanished. “Correction, they have destroyed the enemy ships.”He could almost hear the Fleet Admiral suppressing a growl. “Damn it. Tell Captain Santiago to shore up our lines. We can’t have the enemy wreaking havoc behind our lines like that. Tell squadrons fifteen and seventeen to tighten our flanks.”“Relaying orders now, sir.” Hackett said. A report appeared on his terminal. “Sir, something is coming out of the mass of enemy ships. Its…” Hackett’s eyes widen as he reads the readings over a second and third time. He felt his heartbeat race.“Commander!” The Fleet Admiral shouted. “Report now! What is it?”Hackett turned to face the Admiral, almost feeling the blood drain from his. “It’s a Leviathan.” Space over Dragon’s Keep A wave of fear passed through the allied fleet as the massive Leviathan emerged from the swarms of the much smaller Wyrms. This vessel had only been encountered once by the Terrans. During the battle for Cadia, it had reaper a deadly toll on the Federation before the combined firepower of ten dreadnoughts.This Leviathan would prove to be no less deadly as it began its assault on the allied fleet. A Turian Dreadnought would be the first of its victims, as it fired both of its main canons. Its barriers held up against the first two shots, but the next two tore through and gutted the ship. Another two rounds, and the dreadnought was ripped in two. The Leviathan moved on to its next target. By this time, the allied fleet had recovered from its state of shock and began to reform its lines to combat this new thought. Even though fear was prevalent throughout everyone, there was also a flicker of hope and excitement. This confirmed that the Dragon King was present in the system and was very likely on that ship. If it went down, then this war would effectively be over.Two more mainline ships, an Asari dreadnought and a Terran battlecruiser, would go down before the allied force retaliated. Masses of kinetic rounds, missiles, strike craft, and disruptor torpedoes sailed towards the behemoth of a ship. Most of them would be intercepted by the smaller Wyrms and a few Drakes, sacrificing themselves. A few shots, however, would make it through, tearing into the organic hull and leaving small gashes and scorch marks. The Leviathan was quick to retaliate. Firing both its main cannons and its secondary armaments, dozens of allied ships were torn apart under a hail of Rc shards. But while the Leviathan alone could not be contested in terms of firepower, it could not take on a whole fleet by itself, especially not one as large as the combined allied fleet it was fighting now. In time the protective wall of smaller Dragon Ships around the massive vessel thinned, and more shots made it through and found their mark on the Leviathan. More allied ships would die, but more ships started to bring to bear their weapons on the Leviathan. It was only a matter of time before the monstrous ship died and with it the rest of the Dragon Swarm. Aboard the Leviathan He was going to die. That the Dragon King had accepted as he leaned back into his throne. Already he could feel the specter of death coming for him as his vessel began to die. He felt its pain as more and more wounds were opened, and pieces of it were torn off. He senses the growing feeling of fear and dread overtaking the ships as it desperately tried to fight off the attackers.It was no longer listening to his commands and instead was acting like a wild animal as it fought. No longer was it focusing on a single target. Instead, it fought anything it saw as a threat. The Dragon smiled at the very least it was still killing several of the Progenitor’s ships and the ships of the others.Fire began to spread through his chamber, the flames licking at his skin. His lessers screamed at him to run, to flee. But the King refused he would face his death like the previous Kings before him. He was not afraid of death, and that had been the whole point of the Final Gambit. But he was saddened by it. He would never see his son grow to become the master of their race. He would never see him bear offspring of his own. He would never see his smile again. But at the very least, he would live, somewhat easing the burden in his heart. He directed his senses to what the ships sensed. He didn’t so much as see his killers coming at him. Rather he perceived them coming. It was then he realized something, they could never defeat the Progenitors.The swarm was powerful and vast. But they lacked something that the Progenitors had. A trait or quality that would always drive them to victory over the swarm. If the swarm continued to fight them, it would be doomed to die out at some point.Even as the flames and the cold of the void consumed him, he sent one last message to his son. It was short and frantic. He hoped it would contain the underlying realization he had come to. “Do not fight the Progenitors. They are death.”It felt like an eternity had passed before he got a response. “Yes, father.” Then in his final act, he cut the link to his child and the swarm he commanded. There was a final moment of heat before death welcomed him. Space The destruction of the Leviathan had confirmed everyone’s belief the Dragon King had been present in the battle. And he had just died along with the massive vessel. The chaos that the swarm fell into was all the evidence they needed. After the battle, they would learn that all Dragon Swarms went into a similar state of shock Until then, the allied fleet still had a job to finish. Even with the loss of their King and that they were just as busy tearing into each other as they were with their enemies, the Dragon Orphans still possessed a significant threat. It took another three hours before the last of the Dragon Ships was destroyed. With the skies over Dragon’s Keep cleared and the rest of the system secured from further hostiles, the allied fleet took position over the planet. A moment later, the order everyone had been waiting for was given.“All ships fire.”
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Epilogue: Things to Come June 5th 12:30, Citadel, Council Private Chambers: Today the Galaxy can breathe easily. Today we can now confirm the rumors that have been circulating for weeks. More then, two weeks ago, a fleet comprised of ships from all races of the Galaxy launched a daring assault on the home system of the Dragon Orphans. Code name Dragon’s Keep. The battle lasted for several hours and cost thousands of ships.However, in the end, the Allied forces prevailed. All Dragon Ships were destroyed, and allied forces proceeded to assault the homeworld of the Dragon Orphans. We at Galactic News Network are pleased to announce that the assault was a resounding success.All Dragon Orphan forces were wiped out. Including the so-called Dragon King. The mastermind of the Galaxy’s invasion and the Dragon Orphans’ supposed leader. We can already confirm that without this entity, the remaining Dragon Orphans across the galaxy can no longer act as a singular force. They have since then broken off into smaller smarms under the guidance of the remaining Dragon General. They seem to remain paralyzed in their systems. Military officials assure us that the Dragon Orphans will not be able to launch any form of a coordinated assault on the galaxy and that the remaining swarms will be hunted down and eliminated. While officials do urge caution. By all intents and purposes, the Alliance between the Citadel and the Terran Federation has prevailed over the Dragon Orphans. The war will soon end. More on this later today when the Citadel Council and the Terran President make a statement later today. Tevos turned off the viewer. She let out a breath she had not known she was holding. It was finally over. The war that started almost a decade ago was finally ending. And just as she hoped, the light of civilization had prevailed over the darkness.She already knew about the outcome of the Battle of Dragon’s Keep and knew that the war was won. But to her, it was nice to hear it said aloud for the whole galaxy to hear. She turned to face the other Councilors. “So, there we have it. This long bloody war has finally ended.” She said.“Not quite, Tevos.” Filtius said. “We still have the remaining Dragon Orphans to contend with.”Hutow snorted. “I would hardly call that a great undertaking. The remaining Dragon Swarms will be swept aside. This war will end, and the Citadel will be victorious.”“You mean the Alliance will be victorious?” The Turian Councilor corrected. “Even then, we should remain vigilant. The Terran’s history with the Dragon Orphans has shown time and again that just when you think they’re gone for good, they return stronger than ever. Their ability for survival is their greatest strength.”Tevos nodded, agreeing with the man. Now was not the time to relax. “I agree with Filtius. We should remain alert for any future threat from the Dragon Orphans.”Hutow took a sip from her tea. “I’m not saying we should turn a blind eye to the Dragon Orphans. The war is ending, and with it, we should focus on more pressing concerns.”Tevos could almost see Filtius’s eyes narrowing. “Pray do tell.” He began slowly. “What concerns are you talking about?” “Why the Terran Federation, of course.” The Salarian Councilor answered.“Again, you mean the Systems Federation.” Filtius corrected.The Salarain councilor nodded. “Yes.” She then huffed. “All non-sense granting non-Terrans citizenship in their Federation. It’s a recipe for disaster. Either they become bogged down trying to cater to the different populations in their space, or the non-Terrans they so graciously granted citizenship to will become marginalized. It will not last. Soon enough, they’ll return to being a Terran Federation.”Tevos held back the urge to shift uncomfortably. The announcement that the Federation would be granting citizenship to non-terrans had come as a shock to the galaxy and sparked a lot of controversies. One side, many applauded the Federation for its idealism and felt that it was the first step toward a more united and stronger galaxy. Others felt like the Salarain Councilor did, and that matter would not last long.Tevos knew that only time would tell. “Regardless, I’m sure that the Terran’s openness to other races is not the concern you had.” Tevos said, wanting to move things along. The Salarian Councilor nodded. “Indeed,” She said. “I’m worried about how much power these Terrans have gained since their introduction to the galactic scene. I fear our ally may soon become our rival.”Filtius looked like he had been slapped. “What? Do you think they’ll try to take over the galaxy? After they saved the Galaxy.”“The Krogan tried it.” Hutow pointed out.“And my people defeated them.” Filtius answered back. “And last I checked, we haven’t tried taking over the galaxy.”Tevos interjected before the Salarain councilor could respond. “While I agree with you, Filtius. We of the Council should not be so quick to judge the Terrans. We have known them for less than a decade. Hardly enough time to make concrete judgments about them. Now that the war is ending, perhaps we should take a closer look at them.”The Salarian Councilor smiled, thinking she had won. “That was all I was trying to say.” She explained. “Examine the Federation and its people more closely. Determine if they really are the allies, we hope they are, and find out their plans for the galaxy.”“And what if we find something you don’t like?” The Turian councilor asked. “We betray them? Go to war against them?”“And that is why the Hierarchy needs the other Council races.” Hutow said. “You always think every problem can be solved by sending a fleet or two after it. When more delicate solutions would be more effective and get better results. I might have alluded to the Terrans being like the Krogan. But the reality is they are far more cunning and patient than the Krogan. To deal with any potential Terran threat, different methods will be required.”The Turian Councilor looked like he was about to argue more on the subject. But decided to hold his tongue. “This a subject for another time.” He said. “The Galaxy has achieved a significant victory, and I do not wish to spoil it.” He moved closer to the Salarian Councilor. “But I will tell you this, Councilor Hutow. The Hierarchy plans to pursue closer relations with the Federation. We will not betray our allies.”Before anyone could respond, he turned around and left the chamber. “We will have to do something about that. When the time comes to move on the Terrans.”Tevos frowned. “If we have to move against the Terrans.” She said. “While I share your concern for the growing Terran dominance. I do not think they are as big of a threat as you do. With careful planning, in three or four centuries, they’ll be productive members of the Galactic community. And a worthy addition to the Council.” She turned to face the Salarian Councilor. “The Republics also plan to pursue closer relations with the Federation. Perhaps not as close as the Hierarchy plans to have. But close nonetheless.”Hutow smiled up at her. “You two do what you think is best. But the Union will be taking a more cautious approach to the Federation. We plan to watch them very closely.” She places her cup on the table, half-empty. “If we find anything, you will be the first to know.”Tevos sighed. Sometimes she wondered if it was best that the Asari took their place as the dominant race. Unknown The Intelligence had watched the war with great interest. So, had the vanguard.Nazara was about to send the signal that would start the Harvest. For a nano-second, it was tempted to delay the Harvest. The Terrans were proving to be an interesting species. It had concluded would grow to become this cycle’s dominant race if given the time. It was very tempted to give them that time, to see what they would grow into.It decided against that decision. While it regretted not being able to see what the Terrans would grow to be, it knew now was the best time to strike. The races of this cycle were wary from the war with the Dragon Orphans, and their fleets spread thin. Attacking now would be the most logical.Nazara sent the signal. Seconds passed. Nazara sent the second again. Then a third and fourth, and fifth time. If the Intelligence were human, it would be raising an eyebrow right now. It checks over its data to confirm if the signal has been received. In the span of one second, it checked and rechecked that data a thousand times.The signal had been received. The Keepers simply did not respond to it. If it had eyes, they would be narrowed right now. The Protheans. That was the only answer. They had done something to prevent the Keepers from carrying out their program. Delaying the Harvest.The Intelligence detected a transmission between Nazara and Harbinger, which lasted less than three seconds.“Master,” The Intelligence received the expected transmission. “The problem has occurred.”“I am aware.” Looked like the Harvest would be delayed. If only for a short time. “Tell Nazara to prepare his agents.” August 24th, 2495, 08:00, Orbit Over New Rannoch: “Secure all stations.” Han’Gerrel said, walking around the command center of his old ship. The Neema.“Yes, sir.” One of his people said.Gerrel nodded. Then he walked around to the command chair. His chair. Sitting down, he suddenly felt the weight of everything he had done and everything he would do. It only seemed like yesterday that he had been charged with the defense of the last remanent of his people. His personal command was an old, outdated warship, once the pride of the Quarian Navy.Now everything was different. His ship had been repaired and outfitted with new technology, making it on par with modern warships. It was still outdated by any standard but could put up a better fight. While still few in number, his people now had a place to call home. A place where they could have a future. It was everything he had dreamed of as a child. Almost everything. “Have the others reported?” He asked, settling into his seat.“Getting the reports now, Admiral.” A follower said. “Most of our people report successful takeovers. However, a few are reporting that they are having trouble taking their ships.” Then the man paused. “Admiral, one group reports that the crew managed to get a signal out.”Gerrel closed his eyes and took a breath. There was no more time to waste. His people might have grown soft, but he knew they would not take kindly to what he was about to do. “Order all ships to move out now.” He said.There was a brief pause after Han’Gerrel issued his order. For a second, he thought he would have to repeat himself. “Yes, Admiral.” In a matter of minutes. Well, before anyone fully understood what was happening, most of what remained of the Quarian heavy fleet and a portion of the New Republic Defense Group flew out of their docks. Then they jumped into FTL. The second Quarian Exodus had begun. Han’Gerrel felt like he had just gone through a door and locked it behind him. He and his loyalist had just committed one of the greatest crimes a Quarian could commit. All in the name of a noble cause.“Report!” He ordered.“All ships report a successful transition into FTL. A few other ships managed to join us.” The young man said. “However, a few of our people were still in dock when we made our jump.”“I see.” Gerrel said. He knew some sacrifices had to be made. But it still hit hard for him. “They knew the risks when we started this.” And they’ll know what to do now that they’ll be caught. “Continue with our present course.” He pulled out a data slate. “And send a signal to the contact on this data slate.” He said, handing it over to an officer. “Tell them I have accepted their offer and that I look forward to working with them in the future.”“Sir, we’re getting a signal from New Rannoch. It’s coming from the office of the Prime Minister.”“Put it on.” 08:35, New Rannoch, Office of the Prime Minister: Rael’Zorah had a hard time believing what was going on. He had just been informed that hundreds of ships from the remains of the Heavy fleet and the Defense force had been stolen. From the few reports that had made it to his desk, the perpetrators had been Quarian. His people. Few crimes were hated and looked down upon by the Quarian people more than the theft of a ship. And hundreds had just been taken from their berths in orbit on New Rannoch. But the most unbelievable part was who led them. “Gerrel, what in the name of the ancestors have you done? What were you thinking?”He would be getting that answer soon enough. The image of Han’Gerrel appeared on his terminal. “Han’Gerrel,” Rael began. “Why have you taken so many ships from us. What possessed you to commit the single greatest crime in the history of our people?”“I have committed no crime Rael’Zorah.” The man said. “What I have done is for the betterment of the Quarian people. You and the rest of our people have forgotten our true goal. You have forgotten Rannoch.”That accession stung more than Rael would have liked. “We haven’t forgotten our home, Gerrel. But right now, we need this world. We need to grow and thrive before we can think about retaking Rannoch.”“And in the meantime, our enemy grows stronger by the day.” Han’Gerrel rebuked. “It has been over three centuries since we left the Perseus Veil. Imagine how much stronger the Geth have become in that time. How much stronger will they be by the time our people even begins to consider retaking the homeworld. If it ever comes.” The former Admiral scoffed. “No, I will not sit idly by while our future slips through our grasp. One way or another, Rannoch will be ours again. I don’t care if I must do it alone.”“Han’Gerrel,” Rael pleaded with his old friend.” We’re still friends. I can help you. Just turn your ships around, and we can talk about this.”Gerrel remained silent for a long time. For a moment, Rael thought he might have gotten through to the man. “I’m afraid that the time for talk has long since passed.” He said, killing any hope that Rael had. “But if you truly are a friend as you say. You’ll still help me.”“What do you mean?” Rael asked. Even though he had a suspicion of what the man meant.“You’re the leader of the new Quarian Republic, and the Terrans listen to you. You can get us resources and people. You can rally support behind our cause.” Han’Gerrel said. “Think about it we are in a prime position to retake Rannoch from the Geth. We no longer have to worry about the lives of our civilian population now that they have a world to live on, and the Terrans will protect them. We still have one of the largest fleets in the galaxy, and for the first time in three hundred years, it’s being refitted with the newest technologies. By the ancestors Rael, we have an industrial base now. A real industrial base that isn’t dictated to maintaining a decaying fleet. But one that can produce new ships, new arms, and technologies. We can beat the Geth. Just give us a few years to prepare, and Rannoch will be ours again.”“I-I ca…” Rael was torn. On one side, he wanted to ensure the safety of his people. On the other Gerrel’s offer was very tempting. “I can’t just….”“Think about your daughter.” Han’Gerrel said. “On her birth, you promised that you would build a house for her. On Rannoch. Join me, and you can do that.”Rael thought about his daughter. How much he loved her. How she was one of the most important things in his life. He remembers the first time he held his little girl in his arms and the overwhelming joy he felt seeing her peaceful face. That day he made a promise to her.That promise meant more to him than anything. An image flashed into his mind. Laughter in the air, a smile he would always protect. But there was one thing more important than that.“Gerrel.” Rael said, coming to a decision.The man’s eyes narrowed from behind his mask. “I see you’re still undecided.” He said. “Fine, I’ll let you think it over. Once you’ve had the time to think about it, you’ll realize that what I’m doing is right. You’ll help me as all the Quarian people will.”“Han’Gerrel, please.” Rael pleaded.“Goodbye, old friend. Keelah Se’lai.” Then the link was terminated.Rael sat back in his chair, feeling like a weight had been dropped on his shoulders. But at the same time, one had been lifted. “Keelah Se’lai.” September 12th, 2499, 19:47, Mindoir Mindoir was burning. The smell of death filtered through the air like a nauseating cloud. Many lives had been lost due to a sudden and horrific attack.“And many more sent to a fate worse than death.” Anderson thought bitterly. He felt a hand placed on his shoulder. “You all, right?” Anderson looked over to see that Nihlus was giving him a concerned look.Anderson shook off his thoughts and answered the Turian’s question. “Not really.” He said. He looked out the transport’s window. They were far from the main settlements, but the destruction was evident even from here. “Why would anyone do this?” He asked. “The people of Mindoir were innocent. They did nothing wrong, and yet.” He gestured out to the destruction.Four days ago, the colony of Mindoir had been attacked by a large fleet of pirates. Federation intelligence knew a raid was coming, but no one knew when and where. Not until it was too late. Mindoir was a minor colony in the Federation and far from anything of significance. How could they expect an attack to come here?“I don’t know, David.” Nihlus said. Even though the man tried to hide it Anderson could hear the anger in his voice. “But one thing I am certain of is that we’ll make them pay.”David smiled for the first time since coming here. He was glad that Nihlus was here. He didn’t know precisely why he was in Federation space; some kind of SPECTER business, but he was glad, nonetheless. Nihlus was right once they cleaned out the last of the holds and had time to mourn. Vengeance would come.A soft jolt was felt as the transport landed. The doors opened as Anderson, Nihlus and a few others stepped out. They had landed near what looked like a small farm. “Alright, let’s move in. But be careful. The enemy might have laid out some traps. And check your there might be some survivors.”“Yes, sir”
The group rapidly approaches the main building of the farm, careful not to trigger any traps. The front door of the house had been busted down. A sign that this farm had not been spared from the attack. Checking the area, the group of five saw the perimeter was clear. “Nihlus, I want you to take Coulson and Marcus. Check the house. I’ll take Daniels and check out the farmhouse.”Nihlus nodded. “Understood.” “Keep an open comm link.” Anderson ordered and moved on to the farmhouse. Just as they approached the farmhouse, Nihlus made a report. “Things don’t look good.” Anderson would have snorted if he weren’t so repulsed by the whole situation. “The house has been ransacked, and we’ve found a body.”“So have we.” Anderson said, looking at the dead body near the farmhouse’s entrance. A Batarian body. “It’s Batarian. Looks like someone here managed to put up a fight.”“The body we found is Terran,” Nihlus said. “Male, I would say around his later thirties to early forties. Several accelerator rounds to the chest.” There was a moment of silence. “Coulson just reported another body by the stairs. Another of the pirates. He’s turian.”Anderson heard the shame in the man’s voice. “You can’t hold yourself responsible for his actions.” He said, getting up and looking around the area.“I know.” Nihlus said. “I just found a picture of the man and what appears to be a family. A wife and two kids.”Anderson could feel his stomach dropping into the core of the planet. “Then we’ll know what to look for.” He said. He looked over at the Marine with him. “Daniels, did you get that?”“A wife and two kids.” Daniels said. “Got it. I hope we find them. Especially the kids, sir.”Anderson nod. “I hope so too, son.” He said. He prayed he and his people wouldn’t find three more dead bodies. Or perhaps worse, no bodies at all. “Daniels looks around the perimeter. I’ll have a look inside the farmhouse. Inform me if you find anything.”“Yes, sir.”Anderson walked into that farmhouse. It looked like a typical farmhouse that he could find on any Federation world. Stalls for animals lined both sides of that large building. He didn’t like that he couldn’t see or hear any occupants. “We found another body.” Nihlus said. “It’s the woman from the picture. No sign of the kids.”So that only left the children. Anderson couldn’t imagine how scared they must be right now. If they were even alive. “Keep searching.” Anderson orders. He looks around the seemingly empty building. Careful to keep his finger by the trigger, there was no telling if one of the attackers were still around.That was when he heard. It was low and quiet. So much so that he might have missed it. He couldn’t make out what it was, but it almost sounded like crying.Both hope and despair filled the man as he tried to follow the sound to its source. “Hello!” He said. “Is anyone there?” The crying abruptly stopped. “Anderson?” Nihlus asked.“I might be on to something.” Anderson said quietly. “I’ll keep you informed.”He walked over to where he had originally heard the noise. He walked past some farming vehicles towards the back of the building. That was when he saw two more bodies. None of them, to his relief, were terran. He walked over to inspect the bodies, seeing that both were Batarian. He knelt down.Three loud cracks sounded in the air as two impacts were felt on his barriers. The third he saw whizzed past his head as it skimmed past his barriers. He turned around to face his attacker and almost pulled the trigger on his rifle.He has never been more thankful for almost in his life than right now. His finger stopped just short of pulling the trigger when his mind registered who his attacker was.A girl maybe around sixteen. Long dark red hair matted to her dark skin. Eyes the color of tree leaves stared back at him in fear, with more than a bit of hate mixed in. She was holding out a pistol, a pistol that Anderson might add had been freshly fired.Time seemed to freeze all around the man as he tried to think of what to do. It was only when the voice of Nihlus came ringing into his ear that he was spurred into action. He dropped his weapon and held his hands up.“It’s alright.” He said. ‘I’m here to hurt you.” He noticed she was holding something else. A small bundled. Blood soaked and unmoving. Anderson’s stomach churned.He slowly moved his hands to the sides of his head. Careful to make sure all his movements were insight of the girl. Confusion and suspicion filled the child’s eyes.“Not a child.” Anderson corrected himself as he removed his helmet. Not after everything she’s seen. He placed his helmet on the ground and allowed the young woman to get a good look at his face. “See, I’m a terran, just like you.”The girl looked at him for several seconds, confused by what she saw. Then finally, relief flooded into her clouded eyes. She dropped the weapon and clutched unto the small bundle in her arm. That was when Anderson heard Nihlus’s frantic voice. “David, are you still there? Respond!” At the same time, Daniels busted into the building. “Sir, are you alright?”Anderson let out a breath. “Stand down, soldier.” He orders, standing up, and activates his commlink. “This is Anderson here. I’m just fine.” He keeps one eye on the girl. She was looking between the two men, confused and scared.“Thank the spirits.” Nihlus’s relieved voice came over the comm. “When I heard the weapon’s fire, and you didn’t respond, I feared the worse. What happened?”Anderson remained silent for a moment. He looked over at the girl, still holding onto the bloody bundle like it was the most precious thing in the world. “I found a survivor.”