Chereads / Time Effect ( A Mass Effect Fanfiction) / Chapter 123 - 103 – Citadel Reunion (1)

Chapter 123 - 103 – Citadel Reunion (1)

"Now what?" the Queen asked after the deal was made. They were in her rudimentary mental realm, staring at each other. They didn't have much more to discuss, after all, they had already done what they came to do.

"Now, you decide. After I leave this mental realm, you can choose to hatch right away or wait until you arrive at the planet where you will reside for now. My company, LD, is respected and feared around the galaxy. We will protect you every step of the way, so don't worry."

The Queen didn't hesitate. "I'll hatch now."

She knew there was a Krogan nearby, but time was of the essence for her. The faster she hatched, the sooner she could produce offspring.

"I'll end our psychic link right now."

"Wait a second," Samael said, needing a moment.

The Queen was puzzled. "What do you want?"

This mental space was a mixture of her mind and Samael's, making it feel strange. There were parts that felt incomplete, and no one could tell if it was due to her mind or his.

"I just want to check something for a few more moments." Samael had never encountered that mental realm in his mind, the one where the other him was hidden, ever since the first time.

He had meditated and created countless mental barriers, but something still didn't feel right. His instincts were telling him so.

So, he was using this opportunity to see a portion of his mind and see if he could notice something he hadn't before.

But—

Samael sighed, as he noticed not much was different. 'Well, Leviathans it is.'

He really, really didn't want to go to them, but he had no other option. If the Asari, with their perfected minds, could not help him, and neither could the Rachni, he was out of choices.

"Let's leave. Also, wait a few moments before hatching, as I'll explain the situation to others."

The Queen said nothing more and ended the connection with Samael, allowing his mind to return to his body.

---

OUTSIDE WORLD

Not much time had passed since Samael touched the egg and fell into the water tank. Nothing much changed either, as he stood there with his hand on the egg, doing nothing.

If he hadn't worn the respirator, things would have become dangerous by now, but he had that covered.

Still, everyone around was anxious, as they were dealing with unknown territory. Well, for some, since Wrex and Samara were familiar with the Rachni.

Even then, both considered going to the Phoenix and calling Mordin and the rest of the doctors to check on him. Samara even wanted to meld with Samael to understand the situation better but was stopped by Wrex.

"Don't. Trust him. Besides, we don't know if it will help or damage him." Wrex was a little apprehensive too, but he viewed it from a soldier's perspective more than Samara did. Samael had gone there on a mission, and interfering with him now could hinder that.

Samara said nothing more and nodded, deciding to wait for any movement.

Naomi at the side was sweating bullets. He had brought the LD owner here, to Noveria, a shady place, and he touched the egg of a Rachni Queen, passed out, and hadn't woken up yet.

If something happened to him, not only would Naomi himself die, but even his ancestors would be revived only to be killed again for such transgression.

He knew that LD was at the forefront of the upcoming battle against the Reapers, so any damage to Samael would be catastrophic.

'God, please!' Naomi, who hadn't prayed in years, did so just now.

Almost as if the heavens listened to him, Samael opened his eyes at that moment.

Wrex was the first to notice, so he rushed to the tank to pull him out. He didn't need to do that, as Samael was more than capable of doing so, but they were brothers and helped each other out.

Samael nodded at Wrex, took off his respirator, and said, "Thanks for that."

"No problem." Wrex then got serious. "What happened?"

Samael sighed and gave him a small smile. "Well, the galaxy has a new ally."

Wrex paused, stared at Samael, and saw that he was telling the truth. He could only sigh at that affirmation, "I hope you know what you're doing."

'' They will help and I'll help the Queen keep them in line, just like you will be doing with the Krogan. And honestly, with their help, we will gain more than lose.''

'' We will see.''

The rest of those who had come with them rushed to Samael's location, Naomi included. "What happened?"

"As you all know, the Queen was awakened inside the egg, deciding to not come out until she felt safe. When we arrived at the planet she sensed use and hoped for the best. Still, as the Rachni don't have vocal cords and can only communicate through mental contact or by using other species, she could not do much. So, I decided to talk to her, and voila," Samael explained.

Samara was following the conversation closely when she glanced at Wrex, who was sighing. She sensed that something significant must have occurred after Samael and the Queen entered into mental contact. Not wanting to be left out, she asked, "What happened then?"

CRACK.

The egg began to crack, signaling that the creature inside was hatching. Everyone, except Samael and Wrex—who was now smiling a little, thinking about a future where the Krogan and Rachni fought once more, retreated slightly, as they were not in the loop yet.

Samael smiled as he observed the one-meter-tall Queen emerge from the shell. "Now, we have another ally," he declared.

--

After that, everything happened quickly. Any mention of the Queen was erased from Noveria, and she was secretly transported to the Phoenix for transport and medical research—non-invasive, of course.

Before heading to the Citadel, they planned to transfer her to another ship and relocate her to one of the planets they owned. Samael wanted to send her to Javik's planet, the same one where the Thorian and the Quarians were temporarily residing.

However, honestly speaking, the Rachni wasn't exactly trustworthy at the same level as the Prothean and the Quarians, so he used one of the three planets he had purchased ages ago. One was designated for Javik and the others; another was intended for the Rachni and possibly the Krogan in the future, while the last was meant for his retirement plans.

Naomi gained a raise (bribery) thanks to his contributions that day. Overall, everything in Noveria unfolded in less than a day, meaning the Citadel Reunion was still a day or two away.

Now, everyone in the Phoenix was crowding around the medical area, eager to see the Rachni Queen. Just like Javik back then, she was a rarity that they thought they would never see in their lifetime. In less than one year, they had witnessed two species once considered extinct.

It was quite an achievement.

Grunt was the most animated of them all, itching to go inside and fight, but he was held back by Wrex, who said, "Wait a few years."

"Why?" Grunt asked.

"The Rachni have allied with us against the Reapers. When and if we win, they will still be out there in the galaxy, waiting for us. We can fight them then."

Grunt made an "oh" face. "Good idea."

"That's why I'm the Krogan Emperor!" Wrex added, though he wouldn't admit he heard that from Samael.

Javik shook his head at the duo, then returned his attention to the Queen. His species, just like many others, tried to breed and control the Rachni, and just like the others, failed. Still, the resilience of such creatures was incredible, having lived through many cycles without being wiped out by the Reapers.

Inside the infirmary were Chakwas, Mordin, Clare, and Samael. Obviously, they, like much of the galaxy, had never seen a Rachni before, let alone examined one.

Still, proving their expertise, they did their best, with Samael overseeing them. He refrained from speaking, wanting them to learn on their own, though he knew more about the Rachni than anyone else in the galaxy.

"Hmmm, fascinating," Mordin said as he showed something to the other two doctors. "Its brain is something I've never seen before—more complex than an Asari's, yes."

"This is something they didn't teach us at the Alliance Academy."

"Or at the LD compound."

Samael found it cute to see his companions eager to learn something new, but both he and the Queen, who was scanning the crew on the ship, were not exactly pleased. One Rachni had just hatched and wanted to rest, while the other was preparing for the upcoming Reunion.

Thanks to his friend, the Shadow Broker, Samael was aware that a few people were plotting against him, so a bit of caution was necessary.

"So, is everything okay with her?" Samael asked the trio of doctors.

They stopped reviewing the Rachni medical data, and Mordin took it upon himself to answer. "We aren't experts in Rachni biology, so we can't say for sure, but based on the parameters of the galaxy, yes, the Rachni is healthy."

It made sense that there were no medical records for such creatures since everyone in the galaxy believed they were long gone. They were just like the Protheans, but in the latter case, no information was available because of the Reapers.

"So, is she safe in this environment?"

"Yes."

"What about means of communication? Can she touch others?"

"You mentioned that the Queen doesn't have vocal cords and only communicates through another medium, such as a person. We confirmed this, and based on your exams," Mordin held up Samael's medical chart, "everything looks good. She can communicate if she wants, and if someone volunteers.''

Samael looked at the Queen with a gaze that seemed to ask, 'Do you want to?'

Thanks to their conversation in the mental realm, the Queen picked up on Samael's gestures, including a nod or a shake of the head. In this instance, she shook her head, indicating her decision not to talk with others, at least for now.

"How about some visitors?" Samael suggested, glancing at the crowd outside the infirmary. "I mean, you are a celebrity."

The Queen extended one tentacle to Samael, who grabbed it.

"As long as they don't touch me, they can watch from up close."

The Queen then retracted her tentacle, and Samael nodded. He looked at the three doctors. "Well, she doesn't mind being watched closely, but no touching, for her safety and for the safety of others. Also, where do you think she should stay for now?''

The ship that was going to take her to her new planet was already on its way, so until then, she had to stay somewhere. Honestly, the medical area was the best choice, as the other areas around the ship weren't exactly accommodating for the Queen.

"Here. We would like to take this opportunity, if you don't mind, to study you better," Chakwas said while looking at the Queen.

Clare and Mordin sighed in relief as the Queen nodded, accepting the offer.

With that, the whole situation with the Queen ended, and peace returned to the Phoenix—not.

Samael had one more thing to say to the Rachni Queen. "From now on, when you arrive at your planet, focus on giving birth. We are running out of time, and you are crucial in the next steps of this war. As long as you do that, I will hold up my end of the bargain."

They had already discussed this, so the Queen simply nodded at Samael, indicating she understood. She also knew that from now on, she had to stay in line—not only for her survival but to ensure her species could have a place to live in peace in the future.

"The next time we meet will probably be months or even years, so I want to say thank you for your help. I hope we survive this," Samael said sincerely. " and guide our respective species to a long-lasting peace.''

With that, Samael left the infirmary and met with the rest of the crew. He could only sigh upon seeing their expectant eyes. "She said you guys can check on her, but no touching, as she is quite special. You could literally go nuts if you touch her."

Everyone nodded, indicating they understood, though it didn't diminish the popularity of the creature. After that announcement, the infirmary became the hotspot of the Phoenix, at least until the transport ship arrived.

Samael went in the opposite direction, and after giving a kiss to each of his girlfriends, he told Joker, who was now the pilot of the ship, "Set a course for the Citadel."

The reunion that would shape how well the galaxy would face the Reapers was about to begin.

---

Just like the Phoenix and Samael, countless species were sending their representatives to the reunion. It was something without precedent.

Elcor, Asari, Batarians, Quarians, Krogans, etc.—you name it, they had representatives at the reunion.

The last time something similar happened was during the Rachni Wars when the galaxy was on the brink of destruction.

Now, it was a reunion that would shape how things would go in the future. The stakes had never been higher.

Even though this was supposed to be a gathering where everyone was on the same page, some individuals were planning trouble for one of their biggest allies. It showed that some people could be foolish, even in the face of death.

This reunion promised to be eventful.