Chapter One

[Quantum Rain]

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----Intro post shall arrive later----

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--OUT OF UNIVERSE OCCURRENCE--

*The entire chamber falls completely silent. Suddenly, out of nowhere, another turian figure appears. His clothes are ragged and tattered, his gait sluggish, and his speech slurred. Gripped loosely at his side is a bottle of dextro-amino alcoholic drink.*

Former Turian Council Member: AH, YES, "REAPERS!!!" *He drops his bottle, which smashes on the ground, and air-quotes the word "Reapers".* The immortal race of sentient starships allegedly waiting in Dark Space. WE HAVE DISMISSED THIS CLAIM.

[Roach]

*Roach hauls the man to his feet and with a might uppercut send him crashing through the ceiling and into orbit*


"That is my testimony and all i can tell you."

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

MORAL OF THE STORY: Unsuccessful troll is unsuccessful.

--In-Universe--

*The previous occurrence did not happen. The chamber is still utterly silent, though Garrus is privately feeling both very smug and very afraid at the same time.*

Primarch of Thracia: What experience do you have with the...the Reapers, Admiral?

[Roach]

"I'm not quite that old" Roach says with a chuckle "But i have had visions of them felt the dark touches of malice from the mind of sovereign and harbinger. They have only one goal the destruction of all life."

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

*The chamber is silent once more as the Primarchs furrow their fringes over the severe implications of Roach's words. At length, Garrus steps forward.* Garrus: Your Eminences, with all due respect, we must return to the matter at hand. Admiral Roach has spoken and given us his testimony on the Rachni. We must hear from the Hive itself next. Personally, Eminences, I say spare them, but you can easily accuse me of prejudice and you needn't legally factor my recommendation into your decision. Let's adjourn once more until the diplomatic fleet returns with the Rachni's delegation...

*The Primarchs agree, and the meeting breaks up for the moment so that everyone may take a break to refresh themselves. Garrus walks up to Roach.* Garrus: Thank you, Admiral. Would you mind staying until the Rachni arrive?

[Roach]

*The chamber is silent once more as the Primarchs furrow their fringes over the severe implications of Roach's words. At length, Garrus steps forward.* Garrus: Your Eminences, with all due respect, we must return to the matter at hand. Admiral Roach has spoken and given us his testimony on the Rachni. We must hear from the Hive itself next. Personally, Eminences, I say spare them, but you can easily accuse me of prejudice and you needn't legally factor my recommendation into your decision. Let's adjourn once more until the diplomatic fleet returns with the Rachni's delegation...

*The Primarchs agree, and the meeting breaks up for the moment so that everyone may take a break to refresh themselves. Garrus walks up to Roach.* Garrus: Thank you, Admiral. Would you mind staying until the Rachni arrive?

"I have nothing better to do but i could use a drink my throat is dry from all that blabbing."

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--Out of Universe Occurrence--

Garrus: Well, Admiral, little problem...YOU HUMANS ARE ALL RACIST!!

[Roach]

--Out of Universe Occurrence--

Garrus: Well, Admiral, little problem...YOU HUMANS ARE ALL RACIST!!

--Out of universe response---

*Roach draws his lightsaber and cleaves Garrus in two*

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--In Universe--

Garrus: Certainly, Admiral. I hope you like dextro-amino wine.

*He leads Roach off to get him a drink, while Septimus busies himself with patrol reports.*

Septimus: Hmm...sightings of Sansha forces by the border patrols have decreased...good, good...

--Palaven, Orbital Perimeter--

*Palaven Orbital Traffic Control's remote sensing stations detect an anomaly inbound to the system. A few minutes later, the Hierarchy frigate comes out of hyperspace, but it is not alone. With it is an enormous ship looking like something straight out of a nightmare...but it is not Sansha. Heavy, maroon-colored chitinous armor colors its surface in plates alternating from smooth to jagged and gleams darkly in the light from Palaven's star. The great ship is far larger than a Hierarchy dreadnought--nearly two kilometers long--but still smaller than a Sansha Revenant-class carrier. It is still an awesome sight.*

*Panic breaks out at Palaven Orbital Traffic Control and they begin raising warships to try and answer this possible threat. Then, the frigate sends out a transmission.* Frigate: Chellick Trakus to Orbital Traffic Control. Stand down, stand down!! I repeat, stand the hell down! This thing is with us. *It then rapidly transmits a series of recognition and IFF codes, and Traffic Control reluctantly obeys.*

Traffic Control: Does this...ship require a berth?

*A huge, ancient telepathic presence suddenly touches the mind of the one who asked the question.* Presence: No. Once my task is done, I will remain in nearby the sea of stars and not disturb your steel titans.

Chellick: It does, however, need permission to land. It's got our civilians onboard.

Traffic Control: Certainly, Chairman Chellick. P-permission granted to your...companion to l-land.

Chellick: Thankee kindly. *To the ship.* Go on, then. Bring our people home; we're sending coordinates for you to drop them off now. Can you make sense of our...song?

Presence: Yes. I know where it directs me. I shall go.

Chellick: Good. I'll see you on the ground. Someone get word to the Primarchs that we're here and we're sorry for the delay?

--Palaven, Planetside--

*Garrus and Roach are enjoying their drink when his PDA suddenly buzzes angrily. The turian puts his drink down, picks up the device, and squints at it. His eyes suddenly widen.* Garrus (to Roach): Message from Chellick, our chief diplomat. He's back with the Rachni delegation...and he's sorry for the wait. (Pause) Chellick is almost never late. Something must have happened.

*He raises his voice.* Break time's over, everyone! Back to the Chamber--the people of The Singing Planet are here to speak with us!

*Immediately, the Primarchs begin heading back into the chamber and getting back to their seats. Garrus and Roach are the last to enter.* Garrus (privately, to Roach): I can't help being nervous. No-one wants to be the one who failed to stop the genocide of an entire species.

[Roach]

"I don't think it will come to that if it does my fleet will be sent to defend the Rachni I have made my verdict regarding them."


Roach takes a seat and waits for the Rachni to speak.


--33-JRO system Planet New Frontier--


The World mostly housing mines and inhabited by Dwarves its only defense a quartet of Star defenders and three Majestic Heavy Cruisers. The rest of the system defense fleet contained only 18 Star defenders 21 Dramiel Frigates and its flag Ship the Chimera Class Carrier Stalingrad.

*The stabber Class Light cruiser Argonian scanned the border of the system its sweeps picking up nothing out of place on the first leg of its patrol. Its captain Sat in his command chair his dark eyes sweeping the star field. Captain Vorak was a career military man and a Trandoshan he was well liked and respected by his men His dark green Scales contrasted with his white uniform four proud silver stars on his collar showed his captains rank he wore a large disruptor pistol on his left thigh.*

Vorak: Continue Standard search pattern Ensign Lornona.

Lornona: "Aye captain." The tall Klingon woman replied.

The vessels small crew kept busy about their stations scanning for anomalies. The bride was silent save fore the occasional beeps from consoles and the dull hum of the engines.

Lornona: Captain i have detected an anomaly its a worm hole sir a very stable one.

Vorak: Bring us into scanning range prepare the probe launcher.

The small vessel moved in front of the worm hole a probe rocketed out of one of the vessel missile tubes and began feeding data to the Argonian. All eyes were glued to the view screen then Vorak felt his body go rigid in alarm several dozen Sansha patrol vessels came into focus on the other side of the worm hole.

"Battle stations!" Vorak barked an alarm went off and the weapons and shields became active. "Contact the fleet get us out of here!" Vorak was not afraid of a fight but he knew when he was out gunned the Argonian turned and rocketed away but two Blood raider cruisers followed their lasers lit up spewing yellow beams at the Argonian.

"Target lock those ships load Titanium Sabot rounds and prepare to fire!" The computer got a lock and the ships guns open fire on their pursuers sending 180mm slugs pounding into the lead ships shields.

"Captain rear shields failing!" An Ensign barked from his station

"Bring us about load Havoc missiles and prepare to fire on my mark!" The Argonian pulled a tight turn and brought its stronger frontal shields to bear on her foes. "Fire!"

Two missiles flew out of their perspective bays and rocketed toward each ship they exploded in a bright flash leaving the two Blood raider ships exposed the Argonian opened fire its auto cannons overwhelming their armor repair systems and carving the ships hulls apart. The two ships exploded in brilliant blue flame. The Argonian finally got its message through the battle group from New Frontier arrived and too positions around the worm hole laying cloaked self replicating mines and turrets turning the exit to the wormhole into a killing ground it would not stop the Sansha and Blood Raiders for ever but it prevented them from breaking a hole into the rear ranks of the Free Peoples space.

[Quantum Rain]

--In transit--

"This way please, best not keep the captain waiting." The man said, motioning towards the door. "Hopefully it won't be so grim when we meet him."

---

--Aves, Farruvien, Ackbar's Office, present time--

"Put simply," Shadow started, mimicking the language with excellence despite only hearing it this once, and obviously not a bird. "They're one in the same, and you'll see why soon enough, so don't bother asking more." He turned toward Wraith again. "You also seem to know much of the Primitus, more than I initially expected, tell me, how did you obtain this knowledge when there were no Primitus ruins within this part of space to my knowledge?"

[Wynn]

--In transit--

"This way please, best not keep the captain waiting." The man said, motioning towards the door. "Hopefully it won't be so grim when we meet him."

---

--Aves, Farruvien, Ackbar's Office, present time--

"Put simply," Shadow started, mimicking the language with excellence despite only hearing it this once, and obviously not a bird. "They're one in the same, and you'll see why soon enough, so don't bother asking more." He turned toward Wraith again. "You also seem to know much of the Primitus, more than I initially expected, tell me, how did you obtain this knowledge when there were no Primitus ruins within this part of space to my knowledge?"

--In transit--

The kid stands up and nods and follows him.

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

--Aves, Farruvian, Ackbar's Office--

*Ackbar considers facepalming with his good wing, slashing Shadow across the face with his talons, or outright shooting him, and does nothing. Wraith folds her arms and mimics Ackbar's trick of switching languages, speaking in her own native Manaani, not realizing that Shadow can render any language comprehensible to Ackbar.*

Wraith: Not in this part of space, no. In the deep, dark places of the galaxy that civilized peoples instinctively avoid, there are things hidden, secrets meant to be locked away forever. My people have stumbled upon many of them as a result of the Mantle of the Progenitors passing to us, and with them came the burden of knowledge...

*Wraith tries to hide her thoughts, but simply cannot. Shadow is treated to a series of visions: A devastating, galaxy-wide war 100 years ago. A world besieged--a world called Hiigara. A proud people brought to the brink of annihilation...and then saved. He sees a great ship, easily over ten thousand meters long, blazing forth in almost divine fury to destroy Hiigara's attackers and return the galaxy to peace...*



*...but it is not the end. Shadow sees images of forgotten corners of the galaxy with moldering ruins from untold eons past. He then sees a vague premonition--shadowy vessels descending upon shadowy worlds, muted explosions on the surfaces of the worlds, and finally, what appear to be ripples in the surface of the galaxy itself.*

[Quantum Rain]

--Aves, Farruvian, Ackbar's Office--

"Oh, I get it now..." He said, having translated that last bit for Ackbar to hear as well. "The Progenitors managed to do more good than what was previously expected, and not only that, but Sajuuk survived. Most excellent. Oh, and you are wrong, those secrets were meant for you to find. That was the entire point of it, what, with two hundred thousand patrol ships looking for it."

---

--In Transit--

As they both walked into the captain's briefing room, the two were clearly waiting for their arrival. The first officer seemingly quite impatient about something, while the captain quickly turned around to greet his silent guests with a critical glare, as if to read and study the kid's mind, his face, his emotions and stance specifically. "...What's your name, kid?" He asked curiously and emotionless.

[Wynn]

--Aves, Farruvian, Ackbar's Office--

"Oh, I get it now..." He said, having translated that last bit for Ackbar to hear as well. "The Progenitors managed to do more good than what was previously expected, and not only that, but Sajuuk survived. Most excellent. Oh, and you are wrong, those secrets were meant for you to find. That was the entire point of it, what, with two hundred thousand patrol ships looking for it."

---

--In Transit--

As they both walked into the captain's briefing room, the two were clearly waiting for their arrival. The first officer seemingly quite impatient about something, while the captain quickly turned around to greet his silent guests with a critical glare, as if to read and study the kid's mind, his face, his emotions and stance specifically. "...What's your name, kid?" He asked curiously and emotionless.

*the kid opened his mouth to speak then stopped.* He stammered, "I... I--I dont know... I cant remember..." He seemed a bit uncomfortable.

[Quantum Rain]

--In Transit--

"You can't remember?" He said critically, obviously suspicious of the child. "Why can you not remember your own name?" The man seemed entirely emotionless so far, yet there was a hint of increasing agitation, likely due to lack of sleep and paranoia.

[Roach]

--Litany of defiance Ramius Orbit.--

The forges aboard the Litany were a busy place with Dwarven and Elven smiths busily forging blades and armor for soldiers and officers. Roach made sure that his smiths were always stocked with mithril Dwarven and Eleven steel. Heat filled the room that had formerly been a hanger bay the sounds of hammers striking anvils filled the air at the far end of the chamber sat a secluded forge abandoned a Stout Dwarf clad in full battle attire leaning upon a Dwarven walking axe Stood near by his eyes following any who passed. Roach's son Lance entered the hall he passed by bidding good day to the craftsmen he stop by the secluded forge the Dwarf guard looked at him his suspicious eyes beneath bushy brown brows.

"Hail Lance son of Roach what brings you to your fathers work shop?" The Dwarf said his moth nearly fully obscured by his full thick brown beard that was tucked into the silver buckle on his belt.

"Hail Errant son Earn i came to make a surprise for father i know he would not mind me using his tools and work shop would he?"

"Your father left instructions that his kin were allowed to use his workspace please go ahead young master if you need aid i shall be right here." Errant bowed slightly and stepped out of Lance's path.

Lance pulled a lever and the forge was filled with magma the only thing hot enough to smelt mithril with lance took his fathers hammer and tongs and began the task of shaping a blade. He folded the metal a hundred times making its strength unmatched he hammered out a blade five feet long with a slight curve forged in the style of a katana. He quickly cooled the blade and continued to pound it until he had given the weapon a fine edge. He the proceeded to a hand guard to the blade. He made the guard out of gold and engraved it with words of power from the ancient Dwarvish tongue. He inlaid similar runes into the blade a long inscription ran the length of the blade it read "Darkness be banished light has come" he wrapped the hand guard in Rancor hide, and with the help of the master Elven smiths enchanted the blade so it would glow blue when evil was near. And finally he made a sheath of Rancor hide and encrusted it with fine gems he showed his work o the other smiths who praised the effort it took to forge such a weapon three days Lance had stayed in the forge working tirelessly. He finally returned home leaving the blade on the table and passed out on the couch not even making it to his own bed.

[Wynn]

--In Transit--

"You can't remember?" He said critically, obviously suspicious of the child. "Why can you not remember your own name?" The man seemed entirely emotionless so far, yet there was a hint of increasing agitation, likely due to lack of sleep and paranoia.

The kid shook his head. "I--I dont know... i just cant remember..." He looked down at the floor, the metal reflecting his less-polite self.
"Cant remember your own name?" It mocked him. "What a pity..."

[Quantum Rain]

--In Transit--

"And yet you expect me to believe such given the current circumstances? Randomly appearing in a cryo-tube on my ship?" The captain says coldly now. "Captain, there was nothing taken from the cargo, and he hasn't tried killing us yet." The other spoke up, defending the kid. "Why should we distrust him?" "How can you be so certain that this isn't some spy or Imperium assassin?!"

[Wynn]

--In Transit--

"And yet you expect me to believe such given the current circumstances? Randomly appearing in a cryo-tube on my ship?" The captain says coldly now. "Captain, there was nothing taken from the cargo, and he hasn't tried killing us yet." The other spoke up, defending the kid. "Why should we distrust him?" "How can you be so certain that this isn't some spy or Imperium assassin?!"

The kid stood there with a fearful look in his face. "I'm telling you, I really dont remember. I dont even remember anything before i woke up in the cryo tube!" The kid exclaimed.

[Fore Admiral Disayle]

*Ackbar opens his beak to ask a question, realizes he probably won't get a straight answer from Shadow, and closes it. He then opens it again to ask another one, and is interrupted by his PDA beeping. With some annoyance, he answers it.*

Ackbar: This is the Commander.

Addrson: Sir, it's Addrson. I've put it all together; the meeting of the Generals will convene tomorrow at mid-sun in the Great Chamber.

Ackbar: To think I once personally retook that place from the True Children of Aves. The entire war hinged on winning this city back. Fitting, I guess, that the fate of our people should be decided there now. Good, Addrson.

Addrson: There's something else, sir. Our scientists have done a thorough examination of what's left of the ship that crashed in the mountains.

Ackbar: Rather quick for a thorough examination, Addrson.

Addrson: I thought so, too, sir, but if I may proceed...

Ackbar: Go ahead.

Addrson: They took samples of its outer material and found that, although its original structure and composition had been severely disrupted by the beating it took getting through our atomsphere, they could still discern exactly how it was structured and what it was composed of. It's essentially a sort of layered molecular armor, very tough and able to take a large beating, but it was completely compromised first by whatever shot at it--most likely the thing that blew our airships out of the sky--and then the stress of the crash. Most interesting, though, sir, is that our scientists found manipulating the material on a small scale to be quite easy, and furthermore, they could actually re-engineer it into a superior form.

Ackbar: So you're saying...

Addrson: Their conclusions, sir, indicate that our technology is actually far better than whoever built this...ship.

Ackbar: No surprises there. 500 years of fighting each other has forced our technology to progress constantly in this insane arms race. If I asked to build a rocket, we could probably do it in a month. I see. Thank you very much, Addrson. Good work; you're dismissed.

Addrson: Yes, sir. *The hawk puts the PDA away and looks at Wraith.* Ackbar: I trust you heard that? It looks as though your people will find it harder to wipe us off the face of this planet, crippled as we are.

*Wraith's mind has been racing this entire time.* Wraith: 200,000 of those...those things?! The full strength of the Navy was at one time half a million vessels, but those were spread out over all our territory and all but a few thousand were obliterated by the Vaygr. How did we not find any of them?! (to Ackbar) I did, but didn't you say we were on the same side?!

Ackbar (triumphant): So I did. You didn't, though. But in light of that, let's get back to one of my original questions. How did you come to crash on my people's world?

*Wraith hesitates.* Wraith: Kharak forgive me. I don't have any choice. I was sent out by the Daiamid on a secret mission to an uncharted star system to investigate possible Primitus ruins there. I went on a stealth frigate with a SpecOps team, and we found what we were looking for. The ruins were of some kind of...temple or something. We entered the structure and managed to access what was left of its computers and downloaded data we knew would be key to learning more about the Primitus and if they were returning. However, the moment the download finished, we were attacked by...I don't even know what attacked us. Something. Some things. Whatever they were, they killed my team and only I escaped to our ship. Then, as I was fleeing the system, a vessel unlike anything I've ever seen before came out of nowhere and attacked my ship. I managed to escape, and it hunted me across multiple sectors before I stopped here and tried to send the data back to Hiigara. It homed in on the signal of my ship and destroyed its comms array. I tried to escape it once more, but it hit my ship again over your world and then it was over. I couldn't maintain orbit, and now, here I am. *She intentionally leaves out the part about the beacon.*

*Ackbar nods, then turns to Shadow.* Ackbar: Is she telling the truth?

[Quantum Rain]

--Aves, Farruvian, Ackbar's Office--

"That's exactly what was expected to transpire, yes." He replied coolly, intrigued by Wraith's story. "If I asked you to pinpoint the system these ruins were located in, could you?" He asked, curious about something it seemed. "Also, do you have a copy of this information you downloaded?"

---

--In Transit--

"So you came here expecting me to believe that?!" The captain shouted, swiftly pulling out his firearm and aiming it at the kid.

[Wynn]

--Aves, Farruvian, Ackbar's Office--

"That's exactly what was expected to transpire, yes." He replied coolly, intrigued by Wraith's story. "If I asked you to pinpoint the system these ruins were located in, could you?" He asked, curious about something it seemed. "Also, do you have a copy of this information you downloaded?"

---

--In Transit--

"So you came here expecting me to believe that?!" The captain shouted, swiftly pulling out his firearm and aiming it at the kid.

Something came over the kid, he reacted as if he were some kind of professional. He grabbed the captains arm, twisted it and disarmed him, and threw the gun asied. He stopped. "Whoa, did... did i do that?" he mumbled to himself. He looked at the captain again. "What the [censored] is wrong with you?!" The kid looked scared and enraged at the same time. He made no further attempt to attack him, but also didnt walk away.

His reflection chuckled. "WE did that, and now WE'VE also done it.. theyre probably not too pleased now..."

[Quantum Rain]

--In Transit--

The first officer jumped up when the captain pulled out his gun, but then stood there in shock of what the kid just did. "How did you..." He started, but was interrupted by the captain's loud, paranoid driven voice. "You see?! Military combat training, he's an Imperium operative!" He jumped up, as if driven by joy or perhaps rage at the kid's reaction. "So you thought you could just walk in and kill us all, huh?" He said with a mischievous smile, filled with adrenaline at the new challenge.

[Wynn]

--In Transit--

The first officer jumped up when the captain pulled out his gun, but then stood there in shock of what the kid just did. "How did you..." He started, but was interrupted by the captain's loud, paranoid driven voice. "You see?! Military combat training, he's an Imperium operative!" He jumped up, as if driven by joy or perhaps rage at the kid's reaction. "So you thought you could just walk in and kill us all, huh?" He said with a mischievous smile, filled with adrenaline at the new challenge.

The kid backed up a little, but his expression went from that of fear to intense anger. "I have no military training goddamn it! Im not a spy! I have no idea what came over me, okay!?" The kid started to seem more than just angry. "I just came to life a few minutes ago! How the [censored] should i know anything about military training!? Im only a kid! What kind of sick army is this!?"

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