CITADEL
The space station was filled to the brim with people from different species. It was hard to believe that not long ago, this place had been covered in blood and debris. Although some areas still needed repairs or a fresh coat of paint, the space station was in good condition considering the circumstances.
Everywhere you looked, it was crowded. This was to be expected, as news about the upcoming Reunion had recently been announced to the public. The announcement triggered an influx of visitors, as civilians feared their representatives might abandon them if the reunion's contents were bad, causing a bit of chaos in an otherwise calm Citadel.
Additionally, protests erupted around the Space Station, with various groups demanding that civilians be allowed to attend the upcoming Reunion, as they felt it was too important to miss.
Thanks to that, the C-Sec had their hands full. However, Garrus, who had authority over the C-Sec, was somewhat at ease. He focused on the Reunion rather than overseeing the security of the Citadel. He delegated that responsibility to others since he had a significant role in the upcoming event.
There were even rumors about him leaving his position after the reunion, as he was going to be recruited into a Spectre or a similar role. Times were so chaotic that many rumors like that were rolling around the galaxy, with no one knowing what to believe anymore.
Among the crowd were three human reporters who, thanks to their connections, had special privileges that kept them away from the chaos. They were waiting for an opportunity to speak with Samael, as they vowed to do better.
In the last week, they had put their plans forward, resigning from their jobs and now the last and most difficult part waited for them: Be recruited by LD.
Sure, they had Samael's contact, but things like that were better said in person. They were confident he would listen, as he had nothing to lose and much to gain with them joining LD.
In the middle of everything, a ship quietly docked at the Citadel, causing no stir.
WITH TEVOS
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Tevos had a long week. Not only had she battled against the Collectors, but she was also overseeing the reconstruction of the Citadel. And let her tell you, it wasn't simple or easy.
There were many areas to consider, countless tasks to complete, and numerous people to lead. It was chaotic. Still, she was a Councilor with experience, so she managed it well. It helped that money was not an issue, but through that experience, she realized a significant problem the galaxy faced: people.
Despite there being trillions of individuals across the galaxy, few were willing to help, even when offered compensation. The majority of the repairs were carried out by Quarians, Humans, Turians, and Asari. From those, only the Quarians weren't in a secret deal.
So, out of 4 species, only one came forward willingly.
This indicated that the issue needed to be addressed in the near future, as things were bound to become even more complicated with time working against them and the increasing need to build many things.
In the middle of this chaotic last week, there was a secret meeting, different from the upcoming Reunion, with selected representatives from different species, all aimed at making their lives easier in the future.
Castis Vakarian, Garrus's father was among those she met and struck a deal with, along with others. The reunion that would shape the future was scheduled for today, and she was glad the whole situation would end today. For better or for worse.
'Thanks to all our preparations, things should go smoothly... I hope.' Tevos thought.
She knew some people would cause trouble during the reunion, but based on her knowledge, they were prepared to handle it.
She was getting a drink when she received a message on her omni-tool. She brightened when she read it, 'Finally.'
The message informed her that some people had arrived at the space station and had already disembarked and were coming to meet her. Now, things would proceed more easily.
While she was a councilor overseeing all galactic projects, she was more than glad to receive help today.
She tapped her omni-tool a few times and called a couple of people: Castis Vakarian and Commander Anderson.
The two of them would be nominated councilors later in the reunion, along with a few others from different species, as it was the carrot-and-stick approach they had devised earlier. However, the Turians gained that spot thanks to the secret deal they made, while the humans gained their thanks to Samael.
The future councilors would be based on their willingness to help, and based on what she was seeing, the Quarians surprisingly would gain a spot today.
With a few hours remaining until the Reunion began, Tevos just called another one, but secret. With Castis Vakarian, Anderson, and the newly arrived Samael.
Tevos gulped down her drink. "So many secret meetings... well, all for the benefit of the galaxy."
Now, she just had to wait for the rest of the group to arrive.
WITH SAMAEL
As soon as they landed on the Citadel, Samael granted shore leave to everyone. He informed Liara, "Your father is at the Citadel, by the way. If you want to meet her, just call this number. Your mother is also around, so maybe a secret meeting with both?"
At this point, Liara wasn't even surprised that Samael knew about it. She appreciated the gesture and replied, "I'll do that."
He also informed Tali, Shepard, and Veronica, knowing they would accompany Liara to the meeting, whether in was a normal way or a more stealthy one.
EDI and Joker decided to take a mini vacation. With their relationship solidified, this getaway was a nice break for them.
Thane, Kasumi, Keiji, and Kaidan went off to meet with Ash, Vega, and Jacob, who had been at the Citadel since the battle a week ago. They had a lot to catch up.
Mordin, Chakwas, John, and Clare headed off to take care of their own business.
RR was the only one who went off alone to attend to her matters.
After that, Samael messaged Tevos. He was in the loop about everything about the reunion, but hearing it was better than just reading it, so Samael went to meet Tevos to discuss things before the reunion started.
He brought Javik, Wrex, and Grunt with him, as both were going to become councilors today and the third one almost cried about being left out. It was a crazy situation all around, but it was well thought out.
It would showcase how serious they were about the carrot-and-stick approach, as they would make a scene during the reunion, pleading for help in the war effort before being made councilors.
Though both were warriors and had no interest in being councilors, the entire reunion was going to be a performance to win support from the other species.
Soon, the quartet arrived at the council chambers, and all C-Sec officers who saw them let them pass. Some civilians in the area tried to say something, but they were quickly silenced.
They entered Tevos's room and saw that she was there with two others. "Tevos. Long time no see," Samael greeted.
Tevos responded, "Samael, it's good to see you. It has been less than a week, but it felt like months."
She then greeted Javik, then Grunt, then Wrex. The latter smirked when she did so, as they shared some history. Tevos just snorted at him.
It really did feel like months. The last year alone felt like she had aged a millennium, thanks to all the troubles that kept coming her way.
"Now, I think you know them, but let me introduce you," Tevos said, guiding Samael and the others to Anderson and Castis Vakarian. "This is Commander Anderson, and he will be the human councilor."
"Nice to see you in person. Our last call wasn't pleasant, but I'm glad to meet you." Anderson said, shaking hands with Samael. He couldn't help but praise the young man in front of him—less than 20 years old, a trillionaire, and had the council in his hands. Everything about him was impressive.
"Yes, sorry about that. I'm glad to see you so healthy and ranking up within the Alliance," Samael replied.
Anderson chuckled a bit. "We all know it's all you."
Whether it was about the health improvements or the ranking boost, he knew Samael was involved in some way. LD had been making progress in the health department and giving/selling to the masses, and basically, they had the Alliance under their thumb.
"But you earned it. Be proud of it... Also, go meet Shepard after this. She misses you."
Anderson looked surprised but nodded, "I'll do that."
Samael then turned to Castis Vakarian. " It's an honor to meet you."
"My son speaks highly of you. It's nice to put a face to the person he admires." Castis replied, the feeling of respect being reciprocated.
From what Garrus told him, Samael was way more amazing than the rumor about him circulating around the galaxy.
"Garrus is also an amazing soldier, you should be proud." Samael said.
After Wrex and Javik greeted both Anderson and Castis, things calmed down. Tevos started the meeting, "Now, what do you bring of news to us?"
While she reported everything back to Samael, he didn't exactly do the same, emphasizing that the things he was doing needed to remain a secret.
It was true, further proven when the Salarians discovered that a cure was being spread on Tuchanka, they decided to detonate a bomb that would have killed many and likely damaged or destroyed the last Shroud on the planet.
Samael laid out everything he accomplished in the last week. "Well, don't be too surprised. First, we cured the Krogan from the Genophage. We expect their numbers to increase significantly in the coming months, so they will help in the war efforts."
"WHAT!?"
To their horror, Samael didn't stop there. "Then, we cured the Quarians. They can now live without their suits... We expected their full support in the upcoming reunion, but this just solidified it."
Grunt and Wrex were enjoying the expressions on Tevos's and the others' faces. The young Krogan asked, "Did we make the same faces when we found out?"
"Maybe, but we are more handsome."
"Hehehe."
"Hehehe."
Tevos put a hand on her head, a gesture that Anderson and Castis copied, but Samael continued.
"Then, we rescued a Rachni Queen and gained her support. She will help us by breeding and using her children to build things faster. With the support coming from those developments, we should be able to finish constructing everything we need in time."
Pause.
Tevos's brain stopped functioning. Just like the Reapers, the Rachni were supposed to be a myth, long extinct. Now, not only was it a fact that they were still alive, but also that they were working with them, the galaxy they once almost destroyed, on a war effort. This was enough to leave her speechless.
Castis spoke quietly, almost in disbelief, "Are you telling the truth?"
Samael pointed at Wrex, and the trio looked at the Krogan, who said, "It's true. I saw it with my own eyes, and yes, she's on our side."
That last part was spoken with sadness, but everyone chose to ignore it.
Tevos wished she could sink deeper into her chair to think, but it wasn't possible. So, she did the next best thing: she stayed silent.
Sometimes, it was best to remain quiet to recover from something unexpected. And what Samael had just revealed ranked high on the list of the most shocking things she had ever heard.
"Any more surprises?" Anderson asked after a brief silence.
Samael hesitated but nodded. "We may or may not be able to gain the Geth's support. As you know, yes, they helped the Reapers in the attack on Thessia, but it was only parts of them, not the whole species. The other part wants nothing to do with the Reapers, and that's who we will try to recruit. With their help, things would go even more smoothly."
At this point, Tevos could only laugh out loud at the absurdity of it all.
No one said anything, as everyone felt the same way she did when they heard it.
After some time, she asked, "How much faster will we be with their help?"
"Let me put it this way: Without them, our chances to build the Andromeda Arcs and many other secret projects LD has, which will help in the war, on time is 10%. With the Geth, Quarian, and Rachni help, that goes up to 10000%. We will have the numbers, something we don't have right now."
Castis and Anderson were aware of the Andromeda Project but not its details; Tevos, on the other hand, knew all about it and understood that what Samael said was true, as she had just experienced it after the Battle of the Citadel. Still, it was too much to take in.
"How sure are you that those alliances will work? And after the war, how will things be?"
Samael remained calm. "The Rachni promised their support if we don't interfere with them after the war, so as long as we don't attack them, they will not attack us. Additionally, LD has given them a planet, so don't worry about that."
"The Quarians will have a lifelong debt, so there's that. The Geth will be more complicated, but I promise you I can convince them."
There was no hesitation or fear of failure on Samael's face. Tevos could only sigh at that. "Okay, okay... Goddess, this is too much to take in."
Anderson and Castis could only nod in agreement.
"Take your time." Samael wasn't in a hurry. He had a busy week, so moments of quiet—
BREAK
Everyone looked toward the source of the sound and noticed that Wrex and Grunt had broken a cup.
The young Krogan pointed at Wrex, indicating that it wasn't him who broke it, even though the cup was in his hands. Javik just shook his head at them both.
That was enough for Tevos to recover. "Okay, let's continue this, otherwise I fear I won't be able to function properly. About the upcoming reunion, what do you know about potential interference?"
Samael sighed. "Well, the Salarians have information about LD creating and using AI.''
There wasn't much reaction from the others, as AI is a sensitive subject to navigate. Still, all their species secretly tend to research AI and try to use it to their advantage.
The only difference between that and LD is that LD actually managed to create and utilize it, which others eventually discovered.
"Were you going to tell the galaxy about it?" Anderson asked.
"I never really tried to hide it, so if you looked into it, it was easy to find. Yes, I would tell the galaxy about the AI LD made, but only if necessary. By the way, RR is the AI."
That last part was directed at Tevos, as she was the only one present who had previously interacted with the AI.
The Asari made an "oh, that makes sense" face. "Well, how do you think this will affect the reunion?"
"Not much, really. They will probably stir things up, trying to gain more power for themselves, but they don't realize that we need unity now and not more problems."
The Salarians wanted more power and would throw LD under the bus to achieve that—literally, the company that was helping the most in the war effort against the Reapers. It was a shortsighted move, but that was typical of the Salarians.
"LD will face sanctions, you know that," Anderson said gravely. "Not only from the Alliance but from the Council too."
That was something even Samael could not prevent. But—
"So what?" Samael replied calmly. LD was merely a means to an end, and even though it might literally disappear thanks to this revelation, it didn't matter to him. At the end of the day, all he wanted was to live in peace, and if he had to lose LD for that to happen, so be it, "Let it take the fall, but make sure to push the sanctions to post-war against the Reapers. LD is essential in the upcoming years.''
Tevos nodded in agreement. "We can do that."
"Good. Then we will reveal information about the Genophage Cure, the Pill, and the Rachni, but we won't discuss the Geth yet, as we only have one of them to testify.''
It was Legion, but it was far from enough. They needed more before coming to the public with the news they would join the war effort.
''Next, we will talk about the new Council and its councilors, the Andromeda Project, and how everyone can contribute. This reunion will significantly impact our war efforts, so we need to stay focused."
Anderson, Castis, Tevos, and Samael continued to discuss how to conduct the reunion more effectively and the topics to cover.
After about 20 minutes, Samael said, "Then there's nothing more to discuss. Now we just need to wait for the reunion to start."
The others nodded in agreement, feeling content with what they had discussed so far.
"Finally," Wrex said out loud. "I want to see the look on those Salarians' faces when they realize they won't be on the Council, but the Krogan will!"
The secret meeting came to an end after that. Castis and Anderson said goodbye and left, leaving Samael's group and Tevos behind.
"How are you doing?" Samael asked. He had relied a lot on the Asari in the past week.
"Tired, but alive. After the war, I might take a long vacation." Whether they won or lost, she would take the time to rest. "And you?"
"Could be better. But I'm honestly optimistic about our situation." Samael was truthful. If things continued this way, they had a chance of winning without suffering significant losses.
But only God knew if that would continue.
"Good. What are you going to do now?"
"Well, I'll go talk to Garrus and then head to the Reunion. We only have a few hours, but it should be enough."
"Well, then I won't hold you back any longer. See you later." Tevos said goodbye to Grunt, Javik, Wrex, and Samael.
The group left to meet Garrus, and Tevos stayed behind, mentally preparing for the upcoming reunion.
---
WITH LIARA
Thanks to the information from Samael, which she confirmed with the Shadow Broker, Liara had arranged a meeting with her mother and father—without both knowing about it, of course, since the two of them weren't exactly on the best of terms.
After saying goodbye to the others, she went to see her family. Unbeknownst to her, three people were following her to ensure their girlfriend was okay.
The place she chose to meet just happened to be the bar her father owned. She arrived before them and waited, a lot on her mind.
In the past year, things have changed significantly. Not only had she gained friends and a boyfriend, but also a girlfriend and a new family. She had grown stronger, met a living Prothean, and experienced many other extraordinary things.
It felt as if all that boring stuff from the past 100 years had vanished. Don't get her wrong—sometimes boring can be good—but this… this was life.
As she sipped her drink, Liara noticed her father sneaking glances at her. She must have thought that, even though she called her, she didn't know what she looked like.
She just didn't know her daughter well enough.
With a gesture, Liara motioned for her supposed father to come over. She passed her work responsibilities to others and approached her table. "Hello… daughter."
"Father. It's nice to meet you in person."
Aethyta smiled at her tone; fierce but well-meaning. "Yes. I didn't want to say anything bad about your mother, but—"
"But what?" Benezia's voice came from behind them. The reason she was late was because of work. She rushed over as soon as she could and caught the tail end of that comment.
"But you didn't let me meet her."
Benezia snorted. "Stop lying, it was both of us that chose that."
Aethyta and Benezia's relationship was complicated from the beginning but their only regret was how it affected Liara. Both, after the battle at the Citadel, dealt with their differences and were focused on bettering their relationship with Liara.
Crazy to think the only push they needed was an extinction threat.
Aethyta said nothing more about it. After greeting Benezia normally, she looked at Liara once more. "Now, my daughter, why did you call us here?"
Liara hadn't had family time in a long time, and this was what she wanted. With war on the horizon and limited time to make preparations, she wasn't sure how long it would take for them to meet up normally again.
"I just want to spend time with my family before the war."
Benezia and Aethyta exchanged glances and could see the worry reflected in each other's eyes. To be honest, the galaxy's outlook wasn't looking good, but they could still hope.
Besides, spending time with the daughter they had neglected for their work seemed like a nice way to spend whatever time they had left and what they had planned too.
"You know what? I think I like the sound of that.''Benezia said.
"Me too. Now, how about you call those three friends of yours? They weren't exactly hiding that well." Aethyta glanced over at the other end of the bar, where three people were unsuccessfully attempting to be stealthy.
When they noticed someone looking at them, they tried to hide, but it was futile.
Liara smiled at them and motioned for them to come over. The duo complied. "Father, Mother, I know you must be aware of their names, but let me introduce you. This is Shepard, a Spectre.''
Shepard greeted both of them with an awkward smile. "Nice to meet you both."
"Likewise," they replied.
Liara then pointed at Tali. "This is Tali. She is one of the best engineers in the galaxy."
Tali was without her suit, wearing just a hoodie. In front of her future family, she took it off and greeted them. "It's an honor to meet you."
Benezia and Aethyta nodded their heads in acknowledgment.
Liara then pointed at Veronica. "And this is Veronica. She is the best pilot that LD has."
Veronica laughed a bit. "You don't need to hype me up that much, but I'll take it." She then said to her future family, "Nice to meet you."
Before Benezia and Aethyta could ponder all of this any further, Liara added, "The three of them were in a relationship with me and Samael."
That last piece of information was unexpected for both Benezia and Aethyta. They looked at each other, before looking back at Tali.
"Wait, why is a Quarian outside of her suit?!" Benezia exclaimed. That was what made her pause for a few moments.
The moment Tali took off her hood, she attracted some people's attention as it wasn't every day they saw a Quarian without their suit.
Aethyta looked at her with disdain. "Why focus on that? She's our daughter's girlfriend!"
Benezia glared at Aethyta, but said nothing.
Liara chuckled at their reaction. "Don't be too shocked yet."
"What do you mean?" Aethyta asked, feeling curious. She will admit, that she didn't expect any of this when she received a call from Liara, but she loved it.
"Well, LD has managed to create something that allows the Quarians to live without their suits. Soon, they will be out in the open once more, not just Tali."
All the Quarians received a message to return to the Migrant Fleet, so by now at least 80% of their population must have taken the Pill. LD has made more than enough for them.
"That's ... amazing." Benezia stated honestly. This was something she never thought possible, but here we are.
"Also, LD has developed the Genophage cure and released it to the Krogan." Liara dropped another bomb without giving time for her family to recover from the first news.
...
"I need a drink." Aethyta said after hearing that.
"Me too." Benezia added.
Liara chuckled a bit at that. '' And we might or might not have saved a Rachni Queen, who promised to help us against the Reapers.''
Tali, Shepard, and Veronica watched as the two Asari froze upon hearing the revelation. They whispered among themselves, as they were there only to accompany Liara and didn't want to interrupt, "Say, isn't that supposed to be a secret?"
Tali shook her head at Veronica. "Well, I don't know about the Rachni, but the rest isn't a secret."
It took a while for Benezia and Aethyta to recover from their surprise, but when they did, they asked numerous questions to Tali, Liara, Shepard, and Veronica, who were happy to answer.
The family reunion continued, with Liara enjoying every second of it. This also allowed the others to get to know Aethyta and Benezia better.
Meanwhile, the clock continued working and the reunion was fast approaching.