Asari Councilor Tevos, as soon as she entered her office, went to the quantum communicator. The news was fantastic, unreal. But it urgently needed to be reported to the Matriarch Council so that the Council, which tended to be somewhat slow in making decisions, could begin discussions.
The news of a sapient civilization preparing for first contact in twelve years would be discussed by the governments of all the Council races in the coming hours. Obviously, the other Councilors were doing the same as she was—reporting. Making sure she wasn't being overheard, the Councilor contacted Matriarch Lidanya, one of the council members and a fleet admiral. An Asari with yellow-blue skin and red patterns around her eyes. Seeing Tevos, the Matriarch nodded:
"Councilor. Your report was expected later. Has something urgent happened?"
Maintaining a calm confidence, the Councilor nodded.
"Yes, Matriarch. The news sounds somewhat, hm, fantastic, but it has indeed happened. First contact events are here, right at the Citadel. I assume the other Councilors are reporting this as well, and the extranet news is packed with images. An emergency meeting of the Citadel Council in two hours, Matriarch."
Matriarch Lidanya pulled back, likely to give orders. Then she returned to the projector.
"Details."
"Two hours ago, an unidentified ship arrived in the Widow system. Patrol forces detained it when they scanned it. Unknown ship design; most of the crew is of an unknown race, but there are also representatives of the Council races. An Asari and a Turian. The Asari identified herself as the daughter of Matriarch Benezia. There are also representatives of both known races, a Quarian, and an unknown one calling himself Javik. The newcomers look like us, with lighter skin and fur on their heads. They claim to have arrived from the 2186 standard year. Readings from the ship and mass effect technologies unknown to us confirm what they say. Even if it is… fantastic."
The Matriarch nodded.
"You did everything right, Tevos. Proceed as follows. Send the Asari to Thessia, cautiously but firmly. All information about the ship as well. We will study this and make a decision. This new race—is it known where they are? Where their home world is?"
Oh yes, and that was good news.
"Yes, Matriarch. According to the ship's VI, first contact is due to take place in twelve years. In the history they have, a conflict occurred with the Hierarchy during contact when the newcomers attempted to activate a relay. There are coordinates; these relays have not been opened yet. This can be used to limit contact and buy time for a decision."
The Matriarch nodded.
"Acceptable. We will discuss this matter, but our preliminary position: do not interfere. We can wait until the new race makes contact itself, without breaking the rules. And avoid conflict with the Hierarchy by meeting the new race exactly where we know they will be. Having prepared for the meeting properly."
Councilor Tevos nodded.
"I understand, Matriarch. I will forward everything we can get from this ship and its crew."
The Matriarch disconnected, and the Councilor went to the office. There would be a lot of work.
***
The Hierarchy Councilor finished his report to the Primarch and fell silent, waiting for a decision. The Primarch was in no hurry to answer; the situation was unusual. More than unusual.
"So, a new warrior race at Relay 314 and further inland. Interesting."
An inaccuracy had to be corrected.
"At the time of the expected conflict, their advance fleet group was there. Но we will get the route. According to the data provided by their Asari historian, they are only just preparing to leave their home system. They are no match for the Hierarchy."
The Primarch clicked his mandibles, looking at his subordinate.
"And in a decade they were able to develop and give the Hierarchy a fight, and then take a seat on the Council in less than a hundred standard years. Impressive."
Impressive, yeah? More like terrifying. Likely many would remember the Krogan Rebellions, looking at the rate of these newcomers' development. The Krogan reproduced very quickly before the genophage, and the Council used them as cannon fodder during the Rachni Wars. And when the Rachni were defeated, the Krogan did not want to settle for what the Council gave them as a reward. Which led six hundred years later to the Krogan Wars, which lasted another century or so. These newcomers look much faster and more dangerous, especially given the mentions of the war with the Batarians and the First Contact War. They develop quickly, build up their numbers quickly, and are aggressive. Should they be considered allies or a problem?
The Primarch was likely thinking something similar. So the Councilor cautiously remarked:
"The Hierarchy became a member of the Council as a result of the Krogan Wars, Primarch. This is concerning. The newcomers told of these Reapers, but the whole situation is doubtful. Too rapid a development; dangerously rapid. It may make sense to prepare and show them their place. In the future. I also filed a claim for the ship."
The Primarch was silent for a while, then remarked:
"Justify it; that was not in the report."
The Councilor, clearly pleased with himself, remarked:
"Initially, the Salarian Councilor wanted to keep the ship on the Citadel for study. Но the Asari immediately began re-recruiting the crew into their armed forces and requested the transfer of the Asari from their ranks. Our specialists studied the documentation and noticed that the project for this series of ships was a joint development of the Human Alliance and the Hierarchy. Since there are no humans in space, there are no grounds for the Council to claim the ship. Only us. At least until official contact. I also asked Vakarian, a Turian from the crew, about potential recruitment. The Councilors are unhappy, but the law is on our side as long as there are no humans in Citadel space."
The Primarch nodded, pleased.
"All reasonable. What did Vakarian answer?"
"Recommended taking at least the pilot and the ground team. It includes an unknown xeno. And the pilot is interesting because, despite his brittle bones, he destroyed everyone our formation at the Citadel put up against him on the simulator. He's an ace."
The Primarch listened in silence, lost in thought. Eventually, he clicked his mandibles and nodded.
"I approve of all these decisions. Take the ship as quickly as possible. The crew as well, if possible. I am almost certain the Asari and Salarians will object to premature contact. We agree with that. Moreover, I will order an increase in patrol forces at the relays from the human side. To avoid provocations from your colleagues or the Batarian Hegemony."
The point was taken, so the Councilor finished for the Primarch when he paused:
"But when contact occurs, these humans will accidentally have representatives from all the major Council corporations. If not Asari in the government. They look quite a bit like Asari."
The Primarch allowed himself a laugh.
"Likely. They will find a way if they know exactly where to fly. These humans will need equipment and technology that the corporations will be ready to sell them if they find a channel for smuggling. But that is my concern, not yours. Yours is to bring the Hierarchy's position to the Council and assert our rights to this technology and crew. Take as much as you can."
And the Primarch would handle securing the territory and preparing for the conflict with the newcomers. All clear.
"It will be done."
***
The Normandy crew, those who survived, gathered at a café in the Presidium. Expensive, but the news had spread through the extranet instantly, and the establishment was experiencing an influx of customers, so they were given a discount. It was a chance to collect their thoughts and talk. To remember those who hadn't survived and those who stayed behind. The Commander, Wrex, Legion, Thane, and many others. Everyone who was left was here now. Both the survivors of the ground team and part of the crew. A few journalists trying to be pushy were carefully but firmly escorted out by security. Но they couldn't do anything about those who were just curious. The atmosphere was somber. Many had died; many would die.
The Normandy crew would be retired by the time the Harvest began. The Council, as usual. For everyone here, the slaughter in Earth's orbit ended a couple of hours ago. It was unknown if the Crucible worked. It was unknown who survived and who died. It was unknown… nothing but uncertainty, and the Commander, who had pulled these bureaucrats through with his charisma, wasn't here. Plus the Council behaved as usual—instantly started dividing up the Normandy and its crew, ignoring everything else. The idea of contacting Earth was blocked by the Salarians and Asari in a firm manner. The law forbids it, yeah, yeah.
Only to start offering service in the armies of the Council races in the very next sentence. The Asari Councilor had taken Liara earlier, and she only came in for the general assembly message. Overall, the crew that had gone through the battle in Earth's orbit reacted very negatively to the situation. Но a decision had to be made—there were no humans, contact was forbidden, and money was needed. So the moods were somber. If Cerberus were here, half the team would have signed up instantly.
The ground team and Joker occupied a separate table. Jeff was literally carried in by EDI, although he hadn't really wanted to go at first. Liara smiled at that and remarked:
"There are many warriors among the Asari. No one will judge you for such a thing, Jeff."
Joker just joked in response.
"At least everyone will see how valuable I am. I need to be carried on hands," and then he sighed, "so, we're saying goodbye, Liara?"
She nodded.
"I am being summoned to Thessia; I think the Matriarch Council will want to hear the answers in person. They asked to pass this information through Benezia, my mother. I could not refuse, and it is a chance to speak with the council. I do not think they will listen, but I will try. If not, I know where to look for the Shadow Broker in the future. We will think of something."
EDI nodded.
"I have recorded our battles with the Reapers for you, Doctor T'Soni."
She smiled.
"Thank you, EDI. You will not stay here either, will you?"
"The Turians are inviting everyone to the Hierarchy," Ashley agreed, "as I understand it, the Normandy is an Alliance and Hierarchy project, and the Turians claimed the rights to the ship and its restoration; the Council could not refuse without breaking their own laws. And they invited the crew into their armed forces."
Javik remarked:
"For them, it is a chance to prepare for the Harvest. Forty cycles is not much, but more than the Empire had."
Everyone nodded. A chance to prepare. A chance to survive that battle far more successfully than we already did. For that, even into hell.
"Damn, I can't believe we're in the past," Joker remarked, "the little Normandy is even cooler than I thought."
And he looked around, looking out from the balcony at the Presidium. Bright, calm, and safe. There was no Geth breakthrough, no Reapers, and no Husks. A territory of peace.
"Can't either," Jacob agreed, "so calm. What about you, Tali?"
The Quarian sighed.
"I saw the Migrant Fleet crumble in Earth's orbit under the Reapers' blows. I must inform them. If it doesn't work out…" the girl thought about whether she should say it, "I'll try to contact the Geth. EDI found pieces of Legion's code for me, which helped the Geth become, well, smart. If I can find those who aren't heretics, maybe we can reach an agreement. I think John would have appreciated the idea."
Suddenly Javik, who had been silent all this time, spoke up.
"I am with you, Quarian."
That fact caused immense surprise in everyone, so the Prothean actually explained.
"I must prepare for the Harvest. Synthetics proved themselves effective in battle. If they have a loyal Creator and time, an army will be ready by the time of the Harvest. You are ready for harsh decisions, even to the detriment of your species' interests."
Tali protested:
"Not true! We managed to make peace between them once. If the Geth develop, maybe it will happen sooner."
"Or they will destroy your species completely," Javik remarked, "but I will still help."
Tali turned away. The logic was such that you couldn't argue, which made the rest of the crew sour. The Council's behavior made Joker nostalgic for the times when John would just disconnect in the middle of a conversation. Unfortunately, you can't do that in person.
"I'm with you," Jeff decided, "if we can move EDI, that would be great. I don't think the Council will allow an AI to exist, even a friendly one. And I'm against her being kept as a lab subject or killed."
The artificial girl hugged her boyfriend.
"Thank you, Jeff. In the case of the Geth, my chances of functioning increase significantly. Но it will be difficult to move me from the Normandy's servers."
Jacob thought for a moment.
"We have a shuttle, our engineers, and Tali. I think they can help pull the necessary servers if we act carefully and quickly."
Liara remarked:
"There is security on the ship. You will need a good distraction. And you are lucky that I have some developments as the future Shadow Broker."
Joker smirked.
"Great idea, Liara. Но we'll need a ship to the Migrant Fleet. And as quickly as possible, before they take the Normandy away."
Ashley raised her hand.
"Not to mention they won't just let us go. It's a good thing they don't have our translator. They don't, right, EDI?"
The AI nodded:
"I took advantage of the Commander's absence and minimized the transmitted information. There have been no hacking attempts as of yet."
No objections. EDI had to be pulled out. In Citadel space, an AI would be destroyed at best. At worst, she would forever be in the laboratories of Palaven or Sur'Kesh. There was not the slightest hope that the engineers, taking the Normandy apart piece by piece, wouldn't realize she was an AI.
"We need a plan."