The walk toward the secret meeting was short. The location chosen for said meeting was a nondescript room on the ship, likely to avoid raising any alarms.
Upon entering, Samael spotted several familiar figures: the Admirals of the Migrant Fleet.
They have 5. The first one doesn't need a description, as he was Rael'Zorah, Tali's father.
Next was Shala'Raan, and she was, for the best or worst, the most neutral of the Admirals. She didn't favor war or peace, as long as either ensured the fleet's survival. Samael was fond of her due to her practicality.
Then there was Zaal'Koris. He cared deeply for his people and never shied away from expressing his opinions, whether or not they aligned with those of his peers. He was the one who stood up in front of the Quarians during Tali's judgment in the games, stating that the Geth were right to retaliate against the Quarians. Boldly put, he had guts.
If Koris could be considered a Paragon, then Han'Gerrel was a renegade. A ruthless Quarian, he would not hesitate to do whatever was necessary to achieve his goals. His ambitions did not align with the interests of the Quarian people; he only cared about his own glory and legacy. He favors war more than anything, as it helps build his reputation. Unsurprisingly, he was not the most popular Admiral.
Lastly, there was Daro'Xen, the fifth Admiral. She was ruthless and a mad scientist, focused solely on her research involving AI and the Geth. Like Gerrel, she would go to great lengths to achieve her objectives. A mad bitch, to simply put it.
It was clear that each Admiral had their own flaws to varying degrees, but they could be reasoned with.
"Hello there," Samael said in a casual tone, disregarding the fact that this meeting could change the status quo of the Quarians forever. "I assume my father-in-law has already briefed you on the basics?"
Ah-hem
Rael'Zorah coughed, indicating that he had not mentioned Tali and Samael's relationship. Sure enough, the Admirals looked taken aback and glanced at Tali, who was seated beside the rest of the group, while Samael remained standing.
She briefly looked at Samael with what a pout face ( he knew, even though she was wearing a helmet), and then nodded at the Admirals, a gesture they repeated, even though surprised by the revelation.
The silence didn't last long. Daro'Xen, who seemed to hold the most authority among the Admirals and had been eyeing RR curiously since the beginning, said, "Yes, we heard the basics from our friend. Now, please explain everything to us."
"Basics" was a stretch. Rael had merely mentioned that LD and his daughter possessed something that could change Quarian life forever. That was enough to warrant this secret meeting, even though they had another assembly scheduled in a few hours.
It signified that the matter was truly important. Some tried to avoid attending, but a consensus was reached, and they showed up. Besides, even if it turned out to be nothing significant, they would at least gain some rapport with Samael, LD's owner.
At this point, Rael moved to sit beside the other Admiral at the table. So, on one side, we had Samael and his group, and on the other, the Quarian Admirals.
Samael eyed them for a brief moment, ' All of them had different personalities, so the way I present the information might change their instance in all that follows. Still, we are running out of time, so I really don't have much of a choice here.'
Deciding to be direct in his approach, Samael started talking. '' Well then, I, rather, Tali have acquired the ultimate Gift in her Pilgrimage. LD helped, but that's not the point. Tali and Rael, could you please?''
At what Samael said, and under the shocked gazes of the Admirals, father and daughter took their helmets off.
That was a crazy gesture, and the Admirals' body language showcased that as they tried to grab medicated to give to them. After all, their immune system was so bad that even in the decontaminated ship, they were in danger.
Shala'Raan said urgently, '' What are you guys doing?!?''
Samael calmly said, '' Watch.''
His calm tone made the Admirals stop, and think about what he had just said. A bold assumption crossed their mind, with Daro'Xen being the most excited, '' Could it be...?!''
Tali nodded, '' Yes, LD has made something that heals/better our immune system. With it, the Quarians don't need the suit any longer. We are free.''
Silence ruled the room, and everyone was already thinking about the possibilities that would come from it. First and most importantly, they now had a shot at living a normal life, and that alone was more than enough in their situation.
Some, like Han'Gerrel, were also thinking about the upcoming conflict with the Geth. With the Quarians now able to survive without their suit, they could face the Geth without fear.
Before his fantasy could carry on any further, Samael said, "But this Gift does not come without a price."
While some Admirals were inspecting Rael and Tali without their helmets, Shala remained calm. She was the most collected of them all, as she expected that this Gift would not be free. Everything in this world has a price, and something this significant has an even greater cost. "What do you want?" she asked.
Samael repeated what he had said to Rael earlier. "You will need to help in the upcoming fight against the Reaper, starting immediately—"
"Impossible." Han'Gerrel recovered from his initial shock and rejected Samael immediately. "We will first retake Rannoch, deal with the Geth once and for all, and only then will we join the war effort. The galaxy has earned only that from us."
Those who heard him might think he was enraged at the galaxy for the treatment the Quarians had endured all those years, but those who knew him understood that he wanted war with the Geth more than anything. Now, with Samael insisting they must stop everything and join his side, it was out of the question.
Safe to say, he was blind to reason.
Samael expected this reaction. "Do you realize that without the Pill or help from others, you will never retake Rannoch, right?"
Han'Gerrel gritted his teeth. "We can win."
"No, you can't and won't. If the Geth wanted to kill all of you, they would have done so long ago. They have remained quiet because you have been quiet. But if you start attacking Rannoch, they will retaliate and kill all of you."
Han'Gerrel and the other Admirals fell silent, knowing deep down that it was the truth.
After a brief silence, Shala'Raan asked, "Is that all you want?"
Samael shook his head. "I was interrupted before I could say everything. Besides the Pill, I will provide you with a temporary planet for your species to regroup, and after the war with the Reapers, if we survive, I will help you retake Rannoch without having to fight the Geth."
Those words stirred something inside the Admirals. They had asked for help countless times from the Turians, Salarians, Asari, and many other species, only to be turned away. Now, here was one of the newbie species, the humans, offering assistance.
Still, Samael's words carried weight, as he was a renowned leader of LD.
Shala'Raan spoke quickly, almost fearing she had heard it wrong. "Can you guarantee everything you just said?"
Samael nodded. "Yes. I give you my word, and if you want, we can even have a contract detailing everything. The war against the Reapers isn't something to take lightly. We need all the help we can get, and even then, it might not be enough."
Shala'Raan exhaled deeply and looked around at her peers. The only calm one was Rael, as he had already heard Samael's proposal hours ago. The Admirals looked at each other and nodded. "Do you mind if we discuss this for a moment?"
"Go ahead, take as much time as you need."
The Admirals formed a circle in the room and began discussing the situation among themselves. Rael was the first to speak. "I'm in."
They looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "LD is offering us all we've ever wanted for decades: a place to stay, a new chance to live, and a future. Only a blind person would reject it."
"What if they are lying? What if they don't help us after we agree to help?" Han'Gerrel clearly was against the whole situation, as it would not aid his quest for glory.
Thanks to the Quarians as a whole, the rest of the admirals weren't so naive. Even Daro'Xen, the mad scientist, could only see good things coming from it. "Think about it. We will be healed, and have a temporary planet to repopulate our species, all in exchange for helping in a war we would have aided in anyway. There's literally nothing bad about this deal for us."
Of course, they had to win the war against the Reapers, but one obstacle at a time.
Zaal'Koris also saw no problem with the plan. "Honestly, this is our best chance to regain our strength."
Han'Gerrel looked at Shala'Raan, hoping that with her support, he might stop this, but no. She nodded in agreement. "We will accept it."
Han'Gerrel sighed. He had lost—not only in this decision but also in his mission. He knew that from now on, things would become more complicated with the question of war against the Geth. He would still try, but it was going to be much more difficult.
The admirals discussed the matter for a few more minutes, and then Daro'Xen addressed Samael. "Do you have the contract?"
Samael smiled and extended his hand to RR. She took a document out of her body, a contract he had prepared long ago, already anticipating the contents of this meeting.
"Here you go."
Daro'Xen eyed RR once more. "You have to let me research this machine in the future."
Samael just smiled at her, silently indicating that he would not allow that to happen.
Daro'Xen understood and then looked at the document. It contained everything: The Quarians would receive the Pill, a temporary planet, among other things, all in exchange for their assistance in the war against the Reapers.
She signed, followed by the rest of the admirals. Han'Gerrel was the last to sign. He eyed Samael once more. "Do you even believe those Reapers were real? I mean, they could just be Geht for all we know."
People like him were the problem in the galaxy. The truth was right in front of them, yet they chose to remain blind to it.
Samael looked at him with a disapproving expression. "I have been preparing to face them for years. The evidence of their existence is all around the galaxy, you just have to look for it. And think about it: what if, at the end of the day, I am right but do nothing about it, and YOU are wrong?"
Even with all his extensive preparations, things would not be easy. If he did nothing, then...
Han'Gerrel said nothing further and signed the document.
"Pleasure doing business with you." Samael took a copy of the document and then handed out four Quarian Pills. He gave one to each admiral who hadn't taken one yet. "Here, and congratulations on your new life."
The admirals looked at the Pill for only a brief moment before taking it. Now, they had another chance in life, one where they were free.
"You just have to wait an hour or so for your immune systems to improve. After that, you can discard your suits once and for all."
Shala'Raan nodded. "Thank you for this. The Quarians will owe a debt to you and humanity going forward."
Samael looked at Tali with love in his eyes. "I didn't do this for that, but I will welcome it."
Shala'Raan teased Tali after noticing their interaction. "You have to tell me more about this."
Tali chose to ignore her admiral for the moment.
After that, the meeting came to an end. Samael provided them with Miranda's contact information in case they had any questions.
He also sent her a message explaining the situation. She responded with an 'OK.'
Soon, the groups exited the secret room, heading in different directions.
A FEW HOURS LATER
After the reunion with the Admirals, there was not much time left until the next gathering regarding the Gift Tali had, this time with all the Quarians on the ship, led by Tali instead of Samael.
Samael sent a message to the rest of the crew with the location of the reunion, calling for their presence. Mordin soon replied, mentioning that those who had been drinking had recovered and were on their way as well.
Before long, the entire crew was gathered in the still-empty reunion room.
"So, what did we miss?" Wrex asked as he settled into an empty chair.
"Not much, just that we garnered the support of the Quarians." Samael casually replied.
Wrex looked surprised for a moment, then relaxed. 'If he could gather MY support and the Asari's, the Quarians should have been relatively easier.'
"It's good for us." Samael continued, "The Quarians are skilled at making great things with inferior materials. We will need their expertise."
The crew began to banter while they waited for the Quarians to arrive. They didn't have to wait long, as the previously empty room filled up quickly.
The Admirals arrived first, followed by the Conclave and then the rest of the Quarians. Now, the room was full, all waiting for the reunion to start.
While the Admirals were informed about the situation, having already taken the necessary steps and the Pill, the Conclave and civilians knew very little, if anything at all. They only knew that Tali had brought a gift, and they were hopeful that it would help them immensely.
Daro'Xen looked at the Admirals, who nodded at her. It was the signal to start the reunion. "My people, I'm sure there are already rumors circulating throughout the Fleet. Today, we are here to tell the truth about it."
"But I ask you all to stay calm. The things discussed from now on might be shocking, but it is the truth." Daro'Xen then motioned to Tali. "Tali, if you may."
Tali nodded, stood up from her seat, and looked at the rest of her people. They were just like her months ago, scared of their own shadow. Now, it was her turn to help them.
She looked at Samael and her family and saw only support in their eyes. She took a deep breath and began to speak. "My people, I'm sure you know, but months ago, I was recruited by LD. Not only that, I was recruited to the ship of the LD owner, and I changed my name to Tali'Zorah Vas Phoenix."
"At first, I felt inadequate. What was I, a Quarian, doing there with one of the most qualified crews in the galaxy? But as time passed, I realized something: They didn't see a weak Quarian; they saw me, the real me, beyond all my weaknesses."
"I opened up to them after that, and in doing so, I came across many of their secret projects." Tali took a pill out of her suit. "And I came across this. LD has been making this for a long time, and I only helped at the end. But the results are amazing."
With her other hand, Tali removed her helmet. Scared murmurs began to roll around the audience, with some reaching out to their med kits to give to Tali. Before they could say anything, the rest of the Admirals did the same, removing their helmet.
By now, everyone could see that the situation was far wilder than they initially thought, and Tali wasn't in the mood to keep them waiting. "This thing is called the Quarian Pill. I know the name is basic, but what it does isn't. It gives us a second chance at life."
"This is something that heals our immune system. My people, we don't need to wear the suits anymore."
The Quarians recovered from their shock, and while some cheered, others remained in disbelief about the whole situation.
"The necessary quantity to heal all of us has already been made by LD. Not only that, but LD has offered asylum to us—a planet—for us to recover on before focusing on Rannoch," Daro'Xen continued, explaining the whole situation. "We will help in the war against the Reapers, and then, LD will help us retake Rannoch."
"Our nightmare is over. We can dream once more!"
With that, the atmosphere inside the ship reached a boiling point, and Tali and LD's names would be remembered as a myth from this day onward.
It was chaos after that, as everyone wanted to take the Pill right away. Samael had already sent them to the Migrant Fleet, and now they just had to wait a few hours.
But it was difficult to contain them. For now, the Admirals decided to send Tali and the rest of LD's crew away, as their presence was complicating matters.
Samael shook hands with the Admirals. He had done everything he came to do: helped the Quarians with the Pill, signed the contract, etc. Now, it was just a matter of time before they joined the war effort.
He even offered a ride to the Citadel reunion, but they declined.
Tali stood face to face with Rael. She wanted to say many things, to scream at him, but she didn't. She was trying to see past his mistakes. "Father... I will be going now."
Rael couldn't be more proud of his daughter. He knew he had a tough road ahead to gain her forgiveness, but he was trying. "I will see you soon. Don't be a stranger, call often too."
"I will... Keelah se'lai."
"Keelah se'lai."
After that, the entire crew rushed to the Phoenix to leave the Fleet. Minutes later, they took off, leaving a wonderful gift for the Quarians.
---
INSIDE THE PHOENIX
"Now that we've resolved the Quarian issue, where do we go next? The Citadel, or do we have another stop?" Veronica asked as everyone settled on the Phoenix after leaving the Migrant Fleet.
"One more stop. Set a course for Noveria while I make a call," Samael replied.
"Roger." Veronica set the course immediately and noticed something after making a few calculations, "How long do you intend to stay on the planet?"
"Not long. Why?"
"It will take us ten hours to arrive there, and traveling to the Citadel from there takes another twelve hours. So, we'll basically lose a day already. It'll be a race against time to reach the Citadel on time for the meeting."
The Citadel Reunion was happening in 3 days + a few hours. They were running close.
Samael patted her shoulder. "I trust you."
Veronica sighed and nodded. "I'll make it happen."
Samael left the cockpit and called Miranda. It didn't take long for her to answer. "Samael? What can I do for you?"
"First things first, how are you and Jack? Everything okay?"
"We are healthy, don't worry."
"Good, good. Now, do me a favor and buy this company right now."
When Miranda received the details, she was surprised to see that this company was located in Noveria, a rather peculiar place. The planet is literally covered in ice, with viciously low temperatures that could easily kill those unprepared. Because of that, many stories about companies doing shady dealings on the planet exist.
And now, Samael was buying one of those companies, meaning he knew something others didn't. Miranda trusted him with her life, so she simply said, "Anything more?"
"Hmmm." Samael hesitated for a moment. His fortune was enormous, and at the end of the day, his company was merely a means to an end. So he intended to buy all the companies in Noveria and deal with them. The rumors about shady dealings and experiments happening all around the planet were true, so it was a win-win situation, "Buy all of them."
Miranda smiled upon hearing that. 'Typical.'
"No problem."
"I need this urgently, so don't worry about the price—just buy it. If you want to keep the costs down, ask the Shadow Broker for help finding dirt on those companies, which shouldn't be hard at all."
"Anything else?"
"No. Talk to you later… and send a kiss to Jack." He had already sent the contract with the Quarian to her, so she was in the loop.
"Will do."
The call ended, and Miranda got to work. She immediately looked up all the companies located in Noveria, gathered their names, and sent a message to the Shadow Broker, asking for their secrets.
They had the money, and now she was waiting for the figure to respond before making some calls.
Touching her now rather prominent belly, Miranda felt a little bad for her family out there. While they were in space dealing with many challenges, she was here doing nothing... well, she was handling LD matters, but honestly, she preferred to be in combat.
However, she knew everyone had their role, and she would honor hers. After she gave birth, though, she wanted to return to action.
Just then, someone entered her office. It was a child who looked to be about nine years old. "Sister, sister! How are you today?"
It was Oriana, Miranda's sister. Their father had created Oriana after noticing Miranda's rebellious nature and had hidden her away. But Samael informed Miranda about it, so she rescued her sister and dealt with their father once and for all.
He would not bother anyone anymore.
Jack was accompanying Oriana as she entered the office and closed the door. She smiled at Miranda and blew her a kiss.
Miranda rolled her eyes at Jack, then spoke to Oriana, "I'm doing amazing, and you? Have you made more friends today?"
Oriana had been raised to be a better version of Miranda; she was forced to study and train from a young age, which had taken a toll on her. But now, in the short time since she had been rescued, she was slowly coming out of her shell.
"I sure did! The sparring session today was amazing! I won more than I lost."
Unlike the games, Oriana had been raised by their father directly in a stricter manner than Miranda, which meant she was also forced to train in combat. Whether they liked to admit it or not, she was good. At just nine years old, thanks to her superior genetics and biotic powers, she could face those far above her age and win sometimes.
Miranda ruffled her hair, "Good for you."
"Hehehe."
Miranda then picked up Oriana and placed her on her lap. She looked at Jack and said, "Samael sent a kiss."
Jack, the secretary, hurriedly sat down. "Oh? What else did he say? Did he ask for the progress in the Illusive Man training?"
Miranda adopted an exaggerated expression. "He will now cause trouble in Noveria, as he asked me to buy all the companies there. And no, he didn't ask about the training."
Jack made a sad expression upon hearing that last part. She was making great progress with the man, but almost no one was paying attention. Well, she was sending the progress to the others who were experimented on, but talking face to face was better, "... I miss being in action with the crew."
"Me too, me too." Just then, Miranda's omni-tool vibrated, indicating she had received a message.
She checked it, and sure enough, it was from the Shadow Broker with information on those companies.
Miranda handed Oriana to Jack. "Time to make some calls. If you want, you can play here; I don't mind."
"Yeeeeayyy!" Oriana cheered, while Jack looked tired.
Both of them started to play with their biotic powers while Miranda began making calls to buy all the companies in Noveria.
---
WITH SAMAEL
With that now out of the way, they only needed to arrive at Noveria. There, he would rescue one of the most dangerous species in the galaxy: the Rachni.
As allies, they were formidable, and as enemies, even more so. But, like the Geth, they were essential in the upcoming war, as they could increase their numbers rapidly and build things quickly.
And right now, the galaxy was racing against time. The Reaper fleet was coming for them in less than three years, and they hadn't even started to build the Crucible.
"Let's save an old friend once more."