Chapter Thirty-Eight: Science Unfathomable

"My brother had no idea what he was playing with on Taetrus. That seemly insignificant appearing rock alone created havoc across the galaxy, consuming the minds of him and the best the Hierarchy could have hoped to field in its defense against it. It alone plunged everyone into a war that, though well seen in advanced, no one was ready to fight. To think it was so callously given to him to see what would happen like some science experiment. For all of humanity's efforts and yet be damned by one bad mistake, an unlucky gambit. To think they, what the Terrans were so focused on fighting, could have won without ever really trying.

Desolas was a puppet. And he met his end like one. No brother should be the one to cut their loved one's strings and watch them fall… or well, watch what fell on them with kinetic force. There is no control of the power that exist beyond our comprehension. He made that mistake. But what Harper and the terrans need to understand is that they could have all fifty thousand years of a head start and still not wield the might and ability to stop, let alone destroy these creatures.

Humanity's understanding is non-existent. My brother's understanding was flawed, if out-right false. No no… I intend to know the truth behind all this. Our survival is at stake. Properly knowing our enemy is the only way we can adapt. No denial, no lie, only a synthesis of what we know and don't know will save us all."

Recovered Entry Logs by Turian Hierarchy Order of the Umbran Vigilate – Author: Late Council Spectre Saren Arterius– Recover Date: Terran Year 2185. – Order 314: Share all Reaper-Related Intelligence to United Terran Federation Section 14? Rejected; Reason: Section 14 leadership is no longer trusted with fulfilling the interest of the Order. File is to be classified at the highest level.

Part 1:

Citadel – Marcus Junius Memorial Hospital
June 5, 2167 – 21:00:00 UTC
Hours after Hackett's Raid

"Make way, make way!"

Right off the shuttle, the medic team rushed the stretcher onto the rooftop of the hospital spanning over the lake below on the presidium. Emergency room doctors rushed around the patient. Each of them had their omnitools out, scanning the patient and the severed section of where his left arm once was. Saren Arterius laid there, going in and out of conscious as they prepared an I-V drop of dextro medication.

"Heart blood pressure?" asked one doctor.

"210 over 120," reported a nurse.

"That's too high. We need to drop that number, now!" The average turian had a higher average blood pressure than races like the Asari or Humans, but even those levels were an indicator of heavy blood loss.

An Asari doctor joined them as they entered the elevator to go down. Noticing the heavy wound, she quickly gave a remedy, "We need 5CC of Rextonin," They quickly rushed to the operation room, "What the hell happen to him?"

"It's those 'Terrans'!" The Turian doctor carefully injected an I-V needle into the vein between two metal skin plates on Saren's right arm, "They assaulted the Citadel Chamber and apparently massacred the Spectre Guard!"

"Goddess! The Councilors?"

"Fine, miracously enough. I heard they weren't the target. But they teared down whoever got in their way."

"They were able to straight up slaughter Spectres Agents? What power and barbarity! This is the just the beginning..."

The Salarian doctor added on, "You still seem surprise? They destroyed the Destiny Ascension! By ramming it no less! It won't be long until their casualties arrive."

"So be it. But I won't let a soldier die without a fight-" The monitor on the stretcher began beeping erratically, "Ah damn, his pressure dropped too fast, he's going into shock!"

"Cut the Rextonin! Strap him down and keep his air mask on!"

Inside the hospital, they rushed the injured Saren through the ER.

Back up above, another shuttle landed. Quickly as the first, two turian rushed off to the elevator.

"Status!?" yelled the more commanding and well decorated of the two-high ranked turians.

A nurse rushed over with a tablet, "Your brother is currently being prepped for emergency operation. His vitals are erratic, and the doctors are trying to stabilize."

Colonial Primarch Desolas Arterius took it and gave it a quick glance.

"This does not look good…"

"No shit Arterius! I was there! The fucking pyjaks blew his arm clean off-"

Arterius stopped and grabbed Sparatus by the collar of his shirt, "He took a round protecting you and your insolent lot! And there will be hell to pay if he dies!"

"Let go of me! I am the Councilor of the-" Arterius pulled out his sidearm and shoved it into Sparatus' face, "Citadel… Council."

"If the threat of death doesn't scare you, I wonder how you would respond to Primarch Cassiud stripping you of your post for displaying cowardliness in front of the enemy!"

"Okay, okay! You made your point!"

Arterius released him and he rushed to the elevator. Sparatus scurried over as well. The primarch slammed the control console, his omnitool overriding the controls to rush the elevator down.

"He's going to need a new arms."

He turned to him, "What?"

"My brother will need a new arm. Make it so."

"O-of course. I'll have Citadel Medical grow a new one immediately-"

"He does not need a poorly cloned arm to hold him down!"

"Then what?" asked Sparatus.

Arterius tapped his wrist and sent a message to Sparatus' omnitool, "Contact this company. Tell them you are calling on my behalf."

"Prostetics tend to be of, uh, lower capability-"

"Not what he would get," they boarded the elevator down, "If he wants to grow stronger from this, he'll learn to master organic and synthetic."

Primarch Arterius and General Partinax
Fort Bao
September 4, 2168 – 22:00:00 UTC

As his shuttle descended fast through the Shanxi atmosphere, Nation fighters flew by on patrol of the air ways as Turian Nation corvettes dotted the horizon of Shanxi's grayed sky, securing their control of the planet. Desolas held on to the safety bar on the shuttle. His guards took one noticeable note of his apparently tired state. This one man had in the course of a day lead the forces of the now fractured Hierarchy on a massive victory against the seemly undefeatable and superior Terrans. It was only natural he grew fatigue at this late hour of the first day towards crushing the Terran Federation.

Tired as he really was, not even he himself knew what was ailing him. As he took a deep breath, his eyes glowed a hint of blue, a flash in his mind that pulled him away for the shortest of moments, before he powered through to get back upright. Brushing it off, he stood tall with his loyal followers as they began their approach to the captured Fort Bao.

"Sir," Said a nearby commsman approaching him.

"Uh, yes?"

"We received report from our rearguard in home space, Primarch."

Desolas shrugged off his growling fatigue, "Report than."

He dictated the news with enthusiasm, "Word from Admiral Latavia. Many of the Turian Expedition Fleets across the galaxy are already breaking position and heading home, surely to join our cause. And two additional star clusters have sworn loyalty and resource for our campaign."

"That is excellent news," he nodded.

"We also have new intelligence reports from our agents loyal to us on Palaven. By Admial Tomas' orders, the report they sent was to be forwarded to you personally."

Desolas took a quick look of the file on his omnitool. He had yet to even open the report for his eyes only. But he knew, somehow, it was news he was not only waiting for but with an outcome he had anticipated would finally come about. For now, whether it was good news or not, he could do little to act on it at the moment.

"Finally, Admiral Toma would like to inform you that a civilian Asari vessel has been successfully escorted to the Taiyuan Star System. Her passengers will be ready to descend at your orders within the hour."

"Good. Once we make touchdown, give them a green light. That'll do. Thank you."

"Sir," He saluted, and Desolas saluted back.

The primarch returned to his corner, leaning on the rail in rest as the shuttle landed. Their shuttle's door opened, revealing what still stood of the captured Fort Bao. Debris from the battle was already being cleared away of the second wave of engineering crews as the turian's logistic and medical corp had the duty of recovering the dead, both Turian and Terran. Burnt out ruins and bombed out concrete buildings showed how furious the battle for Fort Bao was. Truckloads of sealed body bags greeted them as well. Many more piled on the sides away from the main court, with only a copper orange stripe and a blue stripe to distinguish between friend and foe, told how both sides fought bitterly for the grounds the turians now stood on.

After touchdown, his guards moved out in quick order to form a perimeter between Desolas and General Partinax, who awaited him on the ground with his own staff. Desolas departed soon afterwards. Tired as he was, the news reinvigorated him inside as he had more than ever before to anticipate and look forward to. The first being his planned meeting with his general over the initial takeover of the Terran world of Shanxi.

"Primarch Arterius!" Partinax said with elevating pride, "Welcome to the human world of Shanxi!"

"Thank you for your warm welcome, and my congratulations on your victory for the Nation," Desolas said to him as they walked together away from the shuttle dock.

"The first of many, you said it yourself. In a day, we have routed their finest General and secure the lynchpin of Federal defenses. This victory will weaken their will! And be the prelude of many more."

"And I have no doubt of that. This is a momentous feat…" Desolas turned to him, moving closer for more privacy, "But I trust you are aware of what still needs to be done?"

"Of course, Primarch," They arrived at the edge of the fort, where a view point of the valley existed below, "The Terran's main forces have been crushed and what is left is scattered and in hiding. The city and surrounding towns have been secured, and we have begun construction of a new space port."

Desolas turned his eyes to Partinax, wanting to hear what they both knew, but needed to be spoken.

"But of course, in spite his defeat-"

Desolas spoke plainly, "General Williams is still alive. Both our intelligence reports his evasion to capture or being killed. And at this time, he has very well likely rallied what forces remain in their planned hiding points."

Partinax acknowledged and pointed out, "Williams' defeats came with the expectation he would survive and likely flee to rally resistance towards us. But with nominal control of the planet and our clear victory, we can hold this planet with control until we drive through the heart of their Federation."

"That I have no doubt," said Desolas, pointing outward to the plains below, "You engaged Williams in battle and won. Do not think I am not denying praise for that. But now that we have Shanxi and the completion of our Vendetta ahead of us, Williams will not surrender. As long as his precious 'Terra' stands, he and every soldier will keep fighting."

"I do not stand in ignorance of what awaits next," Partinax pointed out.

"I simply remind you that without a working space port, we cannot land troops and supplies en masse." Desolas pointed to his head, "Not only that, this environment and situation is perfect for resistance against occupying forces, like us…"

Partinax nodded with a reluctant sigh, "They are as well, if not more trained in both guerilla warfare and countering it. And our original plans of Hastatim force have proven to be ineffective."

"It will be vastly difficult to win their hearts and minds. Not without crushing the Terrans at the heart of Arcturus and finishing our vendetta. But antagonizing the civilian populace while we still have work to be done would damage our own hopes of a righteous vendetta to the galaxy!"

Another shuttle had landed back in the fort, the distinct sounds of an Asari shuttle prompting Desolas to turn around and bring Partinax to see. On board, a small crew of Asari and Salarians civilians departed with filming equipment and personal belongings.

"A news crew?" Partinax asked.

"Already the Council refuses to stop our actions. Why," He smiled, "They even wish to report on our victory over the human Terrans. We must show we are not the deserters or terrorist the Hierarchy or Federation wish to have us be viewed as."

"Primarch, I must object! This colony is still much of a war zone. As much as the galaxy should know of what happens here, this is not the best time."

"But we now play a different game," Desolas replied, "You challenged Williams to fight you in your field of expertise, and you showed him who was the better commander in tactical combat. But this is a strategic fight now. Williams rose to fame fighting superior forces like yours, fighting his own kind and their rebellious ways, winning not only the populace to his side, but battles to turn the tides.

If he keeps the populace resisting; he'll be a rallying cry to the Terrans across the galaxy to keep fighting us. If you fail to crush his efforts, our cause weakens. Spirits forbid, the galaxy sides with the humans in the end!"

"This is a dangerous ploy, Primarch."

"But one that can pay off very well. Play Williams' game. Keep him suppressed, and Admiral Toma can defeat them in due time. Win their people over, and even they, along with the rest of the galaxy, will cheer us on."

"To break their government is one thing, but humans and the Terran people as well?" asked Partinax.

Desolas looked at him, gesturing Partinax to follow him back to the fort's main yard, "We must plan for the future. Victory over the Terrans. Our victory would kill the very notion of 'Terran', the single idea that has kept humanity united since they bombed their own homeworld, what keeps them from scattering like the Krogans after the genophage. And victory here means victory over who rules over the Turian race. We gambled everything to come here. We must do the same to finish what we started."

"Even I know that the Terrans will do whatever it takes to stop us. Whether it be Williams here, or their nation up there."

The news crew and journalist noticed the two high ranking Turians walking near them. They quickly all swarm to interview the two as their escorts slowed them down and formed a blockade between them and Desolas and Partinax.

"I assure you Partinax, with what I have told the galaxy, and what you have done today, that President Bowman and the Terran nation would wish we were the only thing they had to worry about…"

"Primach! Primarch Arterius!"

"General Partinax, General Partinax, sir!"

"Now than, let us show the galaxy what we have accomplish," Desolas turned to the small crowd and began speaking to all of them, "Esteem body of the Council Media. I, Primarch Desolas Arterius, would like to extend my personal gratitude for coming here today. The Turian Nation has only begun to brining the United Terran Federation to justice. Shanxi is ours! And even now, we begin our just occupation of the people of this world as our fleets draw closer to the decadents heart of Arcturus…"

A guard of Desolas' escort received a new alert and quickly turned to him to report.

"Ah yes, one moment madam… what… wait, he went where? When!?"

As he turned his attention away, a flurry of questions were lodged at him.

"Primarch Arterius! What is your plan now that Admiral Fedorian intends to lead the Loyalist and fight you to reunite the empire?"

"Primarch! Does the Turian Nation have a response who Terran President Bowman's threat of a great scourge in retaliation for the Council refusal to aid the humans?"

After quickly being briefed on the new matter at hand, he gave his guard his new orders. They broke off, heading to the shuttle as the rest stayed with him.

"My deepest apologies. As the leader of the Turian Nation, I have been pressed to address new developing matters at hand. To answer your questions that the galaxy at large ask of me, and for information on your stay here on Shanxi, our victorious General Partinax and his staff will answer as much as we can on the matter. Excuse me…"

His guards made way for him to return to his shuttle on one of the newly rebuild shuttle docks. As Partinax was swarmed by questions from the Council media, Desolas made his way to the shuttle, hiding now both his growing ache and the worry he had upon learning the news.

"Taetrus of all places… What are you doing, Saren?"

Part 2:

Harper, Coré, Ryder

Simulation:
Old Jerusalem, Earth, United Sol

April 20, 2149 – 00:45:00 UTC

"Five seconds to touchdown!"

The three special force operatives gripped the handles of the bars holding them in place. Their boots were magnetically locked to the floor and the low warp static field created an inertia dampening field around them. But they still felt the shove downward, from head to toe, as their pod slammed into the ground. A second later, a light inside turned green and its passengers rushed out seemingly unphased. They took point in front of the pod, weapons drawn, only to be met by the garden plants and decorative walls of an open air square within the building they landed in.

"Quad clear," said Ryder.

Harper checked his arm console, "Heartbeat sensors are empty. We're alone."

"A drop pod is hard to miss though, especially in the early morning," Coré grabbed their gear and tossed it to Ryder, "We need to be moving, now."

"Our location?" asked Harper.

"We're just a block away from the New Gate into the old city," Ryder flicked his hand to throw out a holographic map in front of them, "The rear guard of the Ninth Battalion is here at the Dome of the Rock. We landed within what we believe was the KCC lines, so we need to move in to the Ninth's perimeter before the KCC and the GIS clash within the city."

"Time estimate?" asked Coré.

"Records say they attacked at six-hundred, local time. But best we move in. I doubt we can count on things going as expected."

"Right, let's move… Harper?"

Harper stood there in the middle of the square, an open quad inside a building that once served as a market place before the war. Though its decorations were worn out by a combination of years of intended use and by the lack of maintenance afterwards as the city descended into war, the elaborate Semitic and Arabic patterns of tiles and embedded gold and silver flowed around the square. Harper stared outward, impressed by the design but more so on the detail and meaning.

"Harper?"

"Eva…" He looked around, "Have you ever visited Jerusalem?"

"Every year on Uplifting Day."

"No no," he gestured to the building surrounding them, "The old one. Before the war."

"Not really."

"And you Alec?"

"I grew up on Eden my whole life. My deployment to Africa in 48' was the first time going to Earth since I was born. Besides…" he shrugged his shoulders, taking in the view of the court in as well, "I was never really religious."

"It was not the faith, but that physical manifestation of man's belief that created this place. An embodiment of a world long gone. And now gone itself…"

"Hmm…" Ryder checked his sensors, "We have bodies moving outside."

Eva turned to him, "Harper!"

"Right! Let's move out."

Harper and Arterius

Taetrus
September 5, 2168 – 05:00:00 UTC

"I didn't expect this day to start with a Turian Spectre escorting us into Hierarchy space," said Ben as he sat across from Eva in the shuttle.

"Former Hierarchy Space. And don't try to anticipate everything," responded Eva, "You'll just find your self surprised by just about anything you come across."

"How I have learned that the hard way," said Saren, eavesdropping on them from his pilot seat in front, "Tell me, is it the fact you are working with a Turian Spectre or the fact a massive war just broke out yesterday that makes this all the more exciting?" asked Saren, turning his eyes to Jack in the other pilot's seat with rhetorical anticipation.

He gave a faux chuckle, "Separately? No. Not even together. The fact I'm working with a man who's the brother of the one leading a vendetta with half the Turian military against the Federation, well. That's not normal by any standard."

"I hope it wouldn't be."

As they made their approach the last relay, Harper turned his seat to Saren and pulled his pistol out. He held it low to the seat, out of Eva and Ben's view. But while Saren had his eyes to the control screen, he already had his sidearm resting on his thigh, pointed at Jack.

"Why are you helping us?"

"I want answers," he said, still focused on their flight plan.

"How your brother started this war?"

"Oh no," his face momentarily broke with a humorless smile, "I know that. What I really want from you is," he turned to him, "Why did Section 14 help my brother Desolas start a war?"

They all heard and stared at him. He looked around the room with his eyes, seeing he had their attention. Jack lowered his pistol in shock.

"W-w-what!?"

"Playing dumb? Or being dumb? I'll play along. Think about the tools and weapons he had. Intricate detail on Terran social-political structure, to attack when it would divide your Federation the most. Working hyperdrive ships to terrorize your naval flanks. The technological ability to disable ships and AIs at will, neutralizing the one major gap between you and the galaxy. There is no doubt he didn't have such ability by natural means. Fedorian himself could only image having such an advantage."

"And you think we gave him those means and knowledge? To start a war? That's insane!" Jack slammed the controls, bringing the shuttle to a stop as they entered the range of the relay.

"Insane? Yes. Likely? Also as much. An attack just days before the largest election in Terran history? Political recourse would be sure and predictable. The nation's power house would be fractured, and the in-fighting would slow any meaningful response, except for your president, who's action have serve to flair ego all around and further the danger."

"Our political and historical archives are public knowledge!" said Eva.

"But a single year to learn such detail? The same goes for your hyperdrive," Saren turned to them, "Warp drive, sure. The schematics are simple. But the ability to tear holes through space and travel through a different dimension? That is not a feat so easily replicated in a mere year. Fedorian should have been more cautious when Desolas delivered Hyper-Communications. Your kind should have been more adapt to someone using the same tools against you!"

Ben groaned, "After Ackerman, we thought we did…"

Saren turned back to Jack, "Which leaves us with Primarch Arterius' Will of the Titans. Come now, Agent Harper. This program that subverts your highest securities and Artificial Intelligence. No one in the Council galaxy could devise a tool in a hundred years. But a Terran could-"

"We gave that to you? The means to walk right up to Arcturus and the heart of Federation space?" Jack was utterly breathless at the proposition, "We have nothing to gain!"

"Gain?" Saren nodded, "You have nothing to gain. But I can come up with a name for who could…"

"You mean Williams?" Jack spoke coldly.

Saren broke with a small chuckle and replied mockingly, "You stole the words out of my mouth-"

Jack rested the barrel of his sidearm on Saren's right temple, even quicker than the Spectre could react.

"You are utterly mad! Williams would never do such a thing!"

"Am I, Jack Harper?" Saren sat back in his seat, staring out to the image screen acting as their forward viewpoint, "To know who you three are? To know of the existence of Section 14?"

"How should I know this is just a trap to get whatever intel you needed and kill us off?"

"Wrong question, Harper."

"Then what?" demanded Jack.

"Tell me. How would I know of the Reapers?"

The shuttle went quiet. Saren singled the relay and in a flash, they emerged deeper into Nation space, only a dozen AUs from Taetrus. Jack lowered his pistol, eyes wide open in horror of that revelation. Saren seemingly swapped his attention to the shuttle control as they made the light jump to the planet.

"Welcome to Taetrus," said Saren as their shuttle descended into the sky above the world. Saren took a glanced a Harper, framing a startled response, "Oh yes, the Reapers. The supposed destroyers of the Protheans and the Human boogeyman that had influenced your race's development since, I give a guess, the birth of the Federation itself."

"How…"

"You really are dumb. But I guess beggars can't be choosers. What my brother has on this world, only your General Williams could have ever brought to him in a billion years."

They pass through the upper atmosphere and began their approach towards the city. Taetrus was a large, humid Savannah world. Diverse in dextro wild life, it was a once home to a more environmentally focused colony before joining the Hierarchy thousands of years ago. Though heavily populated as a core Turian world, many of its signature flat marshes still dotted the world. The agents looked out the viewport, seeing the large stretches of marsh surrounding the city.

"Reminds me of all those pictures I saw of marshes on Earth, before they drained them for farmland," said Ben as he stared out the viewport, noticing the wetlands and plants.

"So where are you taking us then?" Asked Jack as he sat back next to Saren.

"The Radiatum, where the main government building is. There is an underground bunker where he stored the Arca Monolith."

"So that's what its called?" Asked Jack.

"From his files. The moment he got his hands on it, he wasn't the same anymore. I couldn't tell than, with all that was going on. But whatever this is, it pushed him over the edge."

"But if Williams gave it to him, what could he gain from it?"

"Its not the only thing," Saren placed the shuttle on a VI autopilot and turned his seat to Jack, "Harper, about these Reapers-"

Their radio came to life with a voice on the other hand shouting out orders.

"This is Vallum Air Control. State your identity and purpose."

Saren turned back to his console, activating the radio, "This is Saren Arterius, Council Spectre. I have clearance to land from Primarch Arterius himself."

A moment of silence from the other end, before a quick reply, "Roger, you're clear to proceed."

Saren turned around to Ben and Eva, "We're approaching the landing zone. Ready your disguises."

The shuttle descended into the skyline of the city, rushing passed the few skyscrapers in the city, before reaching the Ratiatum. The shuttle circled the building before it began a final approach towards the rooftop. It stopped and hovered above the landing pad, slowly touching down. Several guards on the rooftop rush over to see the shuttle as it landed and the hatch opened.

Walking out first after the shuttle landed was Saren, in his distinctive silver armor covering his body, including his prosthetic arm, and his head band wrapping the top of his head. Followed close behind by the agents, cloaked in their turian disguise with the uniform of the Hierarchy special forces. They stayed close behind Saren, their weapons in their hands, in case Saren betrayed them by this point.

The landing pad guards saluted them, which they simply responded back to as they walked to the elevator. They got on board and began their descent into the building. The elevator rushed to the basement, the ride down being less then smooth as the constant bumps disengaging their damaged holo cloaks temporarily before the matrix refresh and reengaged.

They arrived at the final basement floor, opening up into a large wide concrete corridor. They stepped out with Saren leading the group while Jack, Ben, and Eva looked around, observing the corridor and blast door at the end of it. They continued down, reaching the small entrance hatch in one of the blast doors.

Several guards were stationed there, slacking off and not having noticed the agents walk up to them. When they do see them, they quickly scramble to their positions, saluting them as they approached.

"Sir! Identification please!" Said the guard next to the small hatch.

"Saren Arterius. Council Spectre. Please open the hatch and let us through."

The guards looked at each other, unsure how to answer back. He looked back to Saren, "Sir, we are not allowed to let anyone into the bunker storage."

"I have clearance from Primarch Arterius. Now open this hatch!"

"Excuse me sir. We'll need to radio in."

He opened up a comm link to the command room above, placing a talon to his ear piece. As he alerted them to the situation, he began to listen to new orders from above, turning away from the agents. As he heard them, he used his empty talon to signal the other guards, who had surrounded the agents.

Jack and Saren noticed this as Jack nodded to Ben and Eva to alert them of what was happening. They readied themselves, as the guards did their best to discretely ready their weapons. The guard finished receiving orders.

As he turned back to Saren, he spoke, "Saren Arterius, can you please come with us…"

He turned around, only to have Saren's pistol in his face. He fired, killing the guard, as the others raised their rifles and fired, mowing down the other guards before they could react. After they were taken care of, Jack placed a charge on the door and blew it open. The blast door was blown straight through leaving a large opening were the hatch was.

"Damn, that's one too many. Our holo cloaks are dead."

"A disguise won't hide the dead bodies and blast. Let's get in there."

After the dust cleared, they approached the opening and walked in. As they emerge from the dust to the inside of the room, they saw the Arca Monolith in the middle of room, surrounded by several linked computers and servers. The monolith consisted of a diamond shape object connected to a short podium in the center of the artifact. Two large covers, like petals of an unbloom flower, twisted around the center diamond in the middle, extending up to one and a half time the height of the turian Saren.

As they stared at the monolith, Jack activated his watch to get a scan of the object. As initial details came through, they noticed several figures appeared from the dark shadow at the outskirts of the room, covered in robes as they slowly walked to surround the monolith. The agents walked up closer to examine them, their weapons readied.

They approached the robed figures, who remained in place with their heads down, hiding themselves from the agents. As they got closer, a voice rang out, yelling at them from behind.

"Saren!"

They all turn back, shock to see Desolas himself standing on top of the rubble of the blasted door. He turned and pointed at them, "Ah, the Humans! Of course they would have made their way here, thinking the galaxy is free for them to walk right through." He looked at bit to his left, seeing Saren. "And Saren, you're helping them? My own flesh and blood?"

Saren pointed back at Desolas, "I'm not some mindless conscript on his first mission. I'm a Spectre and I demand you explain what the meaning of this… thing is! It has changed you!"

"You demand your Primarch and older brother? You have become like one of these humans. Well then, my ascended children!"

The robed figures removed their hoods, revealing at first glance a turian figure in the darkness of the room. But as they moved in closer, the three quickly realized they weren't normal turians. Their heads were marked by severely extensive cybernetics embedded, wires and tubing burrowed deep into them and give out a white and blue glow across their head and eyes.

They all gasped at the sight of the mutated turians. Jack stared at one, uttering out the first thing to come into his mind.

"Husk... they're all husk!"

Desolas yelled out to them, "Attack!"

The turians yelled out a screeching pitch and rushed them. The agents unloaded their weapons, shredding them as their rounds tore through, but they kept running after the agents. One jumped at Saren, who managed to counter and grab a choke hold of it with his prosthetic arm. He slashed its exposed throat with his talon. But when he realized it didn't kill the husked turian, he threw the monstrosity to the ground and fired point blank into its head till it was nothing but glowing wires.

Another grabbed hold of Ben, tackling him to the ground. He held his arm up to block the husk's attempts to slash him, each slash cutting a deep wound into his right arm. He took the opportunity to deploy a combat drone with his watch, which quickly shocked the husk. In the short second it was paralyzed, he used his watch and heated up gas with its holo accelerator and grabbed hold of the husk's face, burning through its head until the body stopped moving. Ben tossed it off him, before quickly pulling out a hypospray to inject and quick seal his wounds.

All the while, Jack and Eva, farthest from the turians with their backs to the monolith, took the distance advantage to lay down additional fire on them. Eva went for the charging husks' legs, slowing them down as the agent's SMGs shredded their legs. Jack went for the heads of those Eva crippled, dumping nearly half a block of tungsten-lead into each one before they finally dropped dead.

In a short minute, they killed the flock of turian husks that attacked them. As they gathered themselves, they turned back to Desolas, now back by a squad of troops. They kept their weapons up as he clapped his talons.

"Impressive! I expected much from the better agents of humanity. And you did well too, brother. But the children you killed are nothing compared to what I could field!"

"Don't be blind Desolas!" yelled Saren, pointing at the monolith, "This thing is unnatural to any life in the galaxy. Think about it, who even gave it to you to begin with?

"Well aren't you clever? Of course, I know it was the like of the humans themselves! But unlike the Turian Race, Humanity are no soldiers, no spies or scholars. They know not of what they handle! With this monolith and what they given to me in a foolish move to test what I can do, I shall turn the turian race into gods, destroy humanity's accursed 'Terra', and bring the Galaxy under our control!"

Jack walked up a bit and pointed at him, "Damn it Desolas. You have no idea what this thing is. Even I and humanity have no idea of its power."

Desolas chuckled before answering, "Now now, Agent Harper!" He held his hand out to stop him from asking, "Don't think of me as dumb. I read up on humanities' understanding. Do you know your Clark's Three Laws?"

Jack stared at him, hiding his confusion of the question.

Desolas signed and spoke.

"Clarke's First Law, Agent Harper. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

It's a pity those who wish to push our understanding are looked down on."

"If I remember, an asari matriarch proposed building our own relays," said Saren.

"Yes, that you are right brother.

Clarke's Second Law: The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.

It's a damn shame really. We and the Salarians, stuck in our old ways. Admittedly, we have so much to learn from you humans. For what you lack in refinement, you have in raw will. Now imagine; our abilities, your technology…" He grinned the grin of a primarch ready to strike the final blow, "Which leads to the last one, agents?"

Harper replied, with Desolas jumping in with him to say it as well.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Desolas laughed from hearing and saying it, before answering Jack's continued confusion, and now annoyance.

"Exactly! You charged on to the galactic stage, your vast difference acting like a blinding light. You made us out as savages, viewing your advancement as ungodly magic!" Desolas pointed to the monolith, "That there, a savage would view this thing as magic as well. But we both know it is just technology based on science we simply have yet to understand. So mark my words, when I fully gain control of this marvel, I shall usher in Turian Supremacy." He signaled his guards to the forefront and looked back onto Jack. "And now, to finish you all off. Cabals, attack!"

Two turian cabals engaged their biotics and threw a shockwave at the group. The biotic wave struck them, throwing them back towards the monolith and the center of the room. They quickly got back up and began to return fire, pinning down the cabals and guards behind the hole in the blast door. The agents rush to what little cover there was from supply crates and computer consoles, holding off the turians as they began to advance forward from the blast door, the cabals erecting a barrier to protect their advance.

As Desolas's guards got close, one of the cabal broke off and targeted Ben, lifting him up into the air. He struggled and deployed another combat drone at the biotic turian lifting him. The drone electrocuted the turian, paralyzing her and forced her to drop Ben. He landed on his feet and pivoted to charged at the cabal, shotgun in hand, but she regained her body control and grabbed hold of him again, throwing him at the monolith itself.

Jack saw Ben flying towards the monolith and broke off to jump at him and tackle him from making contact with the artifact, aware of what dangers it could do to him. But as he was about to tackle him out of the way, the Arca Monolith let out an energy bolt that struck Ben, holding him in midair as it began to transform him. Jack collided with Ben and fell back onto the floor. When he reached over to grab Ben, the bolt chained off from Ben and struck Jack.

A rush went through his mind, as he was held frozen by the clutches of the monolith. Visions rushed through his mind, depicting images of the monolith, surrounded by thousands of races that he could not recognize. As he saw each one, the sounds of a million words rushed through his mind, implanting different languages into him, all long dead. But before he could be overwhelmed by the mental grasp of the monolith, he regained control of himself. He slowly reached over and grabbed Ben, unleashing an energy burst that blasted each of them across the room.

Desolas looked on, seeing what happen.

As Ben and Jack laid paralyzed by the energy from the monolith, they let out a blighting white light that lit up the dark room. Desolas's troops are stopped by the blinding light, giving Saren and Eva, their backs to the flash, the chance to fight back unopposed. They killed several of his troops, forcing the rest back into the blast door. Desolas shielded himself, heading back into the corridor.

When the light died down, Desolas looked back into the room, seeing Ben laying on the floor across from Eva and Saren, who had fallen back to Jack to help him up.

Jack moaned as Eva and Saren grabbed each of his arms to lift him up, "I… I can't see, what's going on?"

"That damn monolith nearly killed you like it did Ben!" Eva took out her pistol with her free hand to suppress Desolas' troops.

His troops rushed back into the room, staying low to avoid Eva and Saren's gunfire. Desolas entered the room behind them and took a good look at the unconscious Ben. Realizing what happened, he turned to Jack.

He yelled an order to his troops, "Watch your fire. I want them alive. Recover the other human's body."

"Harper, we have to get out of here," said Saren.

"No!" he yelled before collapsing, "We have to get Ben. He… He's not dead yet."

"Jack, they have us surrounded. We can barely fight them, let alone with one of us carrying Ben," said Eva.

Desolas continued directing them, "Damn it! Charge at them. They can't fight anymore. I want them, now!"

"Eva, ready a charge on the monolith," asked Jack.

"What about our escape?"

He shrugged them off and wobbled back upright, grabbing his rifle from behind his shoulder, "I got a plan. Go."

Still blinded by the monolith, Jack aimed his weapon at the turian's general direction and opened fire, pinning them from advancing at them. Saren aided in suppressing fire as Eva threw a timed charge at the artifact. Eva ran back and joined in, letting Jack know the charges were set.

He then told them to grab hold of his shoulder, as his rifle ejected the casing of his last lead block. He dropped his rifle and yelled out to Desolas, who looked on at him from across the room, seeing the bright blue and white flash of Jack's eyes.

"Desolas! You may think this thing is some unholy science," He grabbed a smoke grenade of his chest and pulled its pin. "But here's some damn fucken magic!"

He dropped the grenade, which quickly pumped out a thick smoke, hiding the agents in a shroud. The smoke consumes the turians, which obscured their vision. Desolas quickly deduces it as a trick to sneak around and escape, ordering his troops to move in and search the room.

When the smoke cleared, they were scattered across the room, with the agents nowhere to be found. He looked back, seeing his rear guard blocking the door so they couldn't have escape. As his troops secure Ben's body and examine the artifact, one quickly yelled to Desolas.

"Primarch, get down! They booby trapped the monoli-"

Inside the shuttle on the roof of the Radiatum, an energy ribbon appeared, making a long elliptical orbit around a fix point in the open space of the shuttle. More quickly appeared, circling the fix point with increasing intensity until a bright energy wall made of spinning energy ribbons manifested in the shuttle. Inside the ribbon Jack, Eva, and Saren began to form in the position they were in, with Jack clutching a device close to his chest. As their form finalized, the ribbons begin to disappear, placing them inside the shuttle.

"What the hell was that!?" Said Saren, backing into the wall of the shuttle, trying to comprehend how he just appeared back on the shuttle as he hyperventilated.

Jack dropped the device from his hand, exhausted from the beam out. He chuckled before answering, "An experimental Site-to-Site Transporter. A little bit of Terran magic. The bastard didn't see coming…"

He turned his head up at the ceiling, unable to see, before dropping to the ground. Eva and Saren rushed to him and placed him on a cot, hearing taps from the outside of the shuttle, indicating gunfire. Saren ran to the pilot seat and engage the shuttle with a cold start, blasting it straight into the air, as the turians opened fire at the shuttle. Behind the roof guards, the elevator opened, with Primarch Desolas walking out, carrying Ben's body.

Part 3:

Conference Room 714
Versailles Module – Arcturus Station
September 5, 2168 – 13:00:00 UTC

"This is an outrage!"

The room burst into a deafening commotion of arguing and outright shouting. Physically, the room was small and would normally be sized for five people at most. It was heavily protected from eavesdroppers, disguise as a small meeting room. But the governors for the states of the Federation were all being holographically projected into a large meeting, each of them sitting in a similar room on their world. Using the magic that was light bending and holographic imaging, to anyone in the room from their end it looked as though everyone fitted perfectly inside. Each holographic person was compressed, stacked side by side except when they were talking. That was when they were projected in full 1:1 form. In attendance physically at the head of the table sat President Bowman and Fleet Admiral Donnelly. Councilor Goyle stood with them, projecting from the Citadel. The holograms were stacked as though there were near two dozen people in a room that could barely fit six people.

Only a hovering HUD on the edge of their eyes indicated who was talking and where. Otherwise, there would have been a lot of people for such a coordinated meeting in a small room. As the leaders of each state in the Federation, each governor has their state's and their own interest at heart. At least the star systems facing attacks by the Turian Nation were merely colonies and had yet to form into states; Otherwise there would had been even more political pressure.

"We demand answers, Mr. President!"

Each governor was directly elected into their seat by the citizens of the state. There were now twenty states in the Federation, including two carved from Batarian space and one from the new Quarian colony. Most of the states formed from the colonies and space entities of each star cluster on the main Mass Relay network in Federation space. Officially, all states were autonomous commonwealths, most of them with names like the Commonwealth of Voyager, or Maroon Commonwealth. This created the advantage of organizing a star government where they have multiple stars and planets to draw resource and manpower, creating a potentially independent and self-sustaining economy for resources if the cluster were to be cut off from the rest of the Federation. But just as well, internal infighting among different planetary bodies would prevent each state from actually becoming independent.

"He led us to victory in the Skyllian Blitz! Let him do what's needed to win here!"

Minor exceptions included the State of Exodus, which kept its pre-Federation name as the United Nations of the Exodus which reflected the background of different nation-state colony ships agreeing to form one united colony. The Starbound Republic existed as a special entity for those who have no declared primary residence on any colonial world. They lacked any internal body as all regions of space would be under a planetary state's control. But they do send representatives of their owned to Congress. The State of Kepler Verge, housing the new Quarian world, adopted the name of the Quarian Commonwealth-in-Exile, using the old government name of the Quarians before they descended into a technocracy during the Morning War.

"The damn birds are days away from the capital!"

Likewise, the states made out of the late Hegemony were still known collectively as the Batarian Confederation. While former Hegemony space would justify more states, no human politician wanted to give the Batarian strongholds any more senators than needed. Entire planets have been gerrymandered to keep the representatives they send to the house mostly human than Batarian. Even then, those states had far fewer seats than the approximately eleven billion people of the Confederation should have.

"Bowman has a plan!" replied Donnelly, only to be dismissed by the governors with quick grunts and wave-offs.

Governor Rex Degrelle of the State of Maroon was quick to reply with his deep and bashful voice, commanding the room immediately as each governor's HUD highlighted his figure and displayed him in full prominence for all to see. Such ability came from being the Terran Nationalist Speaker of the House of the exiled Congress during the Great Revival.

"Bowman expects us to just keep delaying! What kind of tactic is that, admiral? We have already loss millions losing Shanxi and these new military estimates predict we will lose…" He checked with his aids. Unlike others, he was projecting from his own office on Nodacrux, the capital colony in the Maroon Sea cluster, "Over two million more to be sacrificed just delaying them to Arcturus? A loss of five thousand more ships? Do you think the colonies can keep supplying endless amounts of men and metal? This is not the Revival!"

Governor Dorin Daladier of the State of Polynesia, a member of the Terran Social Liberal-Democrat Coalition that was itself in a coalition with the Terran Nationalist, added on, "Rex is right. We can't simply delay to some defensive line at Arcturus. Those damn birds can attack over half the Federation from that position. Shouldn't we be attacking? We have the whole Sol Fleet, no?"

Donnelly answered, struggling to come up with an answer for the politicians, "Look. First off, those reports submitted are worst case casualty estimates. Admittedly, I would turn to estimates done independently by the Army and Marines, which see only around a loss of five percent crew per ship, an average of only fifty personnel per ship, with around a thousand ships loss slowing them down to Arcturus-"

"We rather hear that from them than the Navy!" Remarked another governor.

Degrelle added on, "We are at war, and yet we lack appointment to the highest ranks! Who will be the new General of the Armies and the new Sky Marshall? We already lost both General Williams and Admiral Paris on Shanxi, and the rest of our brass are either idiots or god damn senile!"

"What of our losses!? As a former Flotilla captain, the idea of casually losing one ship, let alone a thousand is madness! The fact you all can casually refer the loss of hundreds of thousands of sailors as a number and argue who should be leader is a trait more akin to the Krogan! Why aren't we bringing this war to an immediate end?" asked Governor Polin'Traya of the new State of Kepler Verge, who was in her office on the Rayya. The state was the first to use an active ship as a capitol building, with their voters deciding tomorrow if it would be a permanent arrangement. "The Sol Fleet outnumber the 'Turian Nation' nearly three to one. Even our old flotilla can crush them!"

"But the Turians have a new defense mechanism. We can't get near to fight without them disabling our AIs and our whole fleet. Otherwise, the Second Fleet would have crushed them at Shanxi."

"But why Arcturus?" asked Governor Charles Benesh of the state of Exodus. He was on Terra Nova, another Exodus planet when the meeting was called. He was a Bishop Terra Firmist, a once powerful Firmist faction that were now a small minority of the Firmist party. "Why are we making a stand at the capital? At Arcturus Station?"

The old man that was the Head Fleet Admiral stood to try and calm them down, "Just, just give Bowman the time to explain-"

"We don't have time!" Degrelle interrupted, "We have a war to fight! Something you don't understand!"

Donnelly slammed his fist on the table, "What the hell do you mean?"

Degrelle shouted back, both his and Donnelly's hologram highlighted to the others, "What I mean is, why is Bowman taking advice from you? You are an old relic from the last century! Your last fight was from the damn Great Liberation on Earth over eighty years ago!"

"I fought in the Revival!"

"Fought?" He chuckled, "You had the entire Navy and you couldn't get our troops fire support. You let Ackerman run loose across the Sol system with the entire First Fleet for nearly two year before one of his own men stopped him. If he was in your seat, we might be winning instead. The fact our officer corps derives on your teachings instead is why we are losing!"

"How dare you! I gave everything for Te-" Immediately, he began coughing, wheezing for breath. His age now clearly showing on the head admiral of the Navy.

"Enough!" Bowman finally yelled across the room. Donnelly sat down and reached for a glass of water. Bowman than reasserted complete control of the room, slamming his palms on the table for good measure. The room turned to him, "Allow me to, well, quote the great late President Anderson in dealing with others on vital matters… Sit down and shut the bloody hell up, now!"

Everyone in the room did just that, but there was glares of anger from some, with Degrelle being the strongest source. Bowman glared back, commanding the room like a staff meeting on a star ship. When he was certain he had their undivided attention for good or ill, he continued.

"Anderson always had a way with words," chuckled Goyle.

"Anderson always knew when to be tactful or forceful. Now, I have explained our true situation, not the situation the media or Primarch Arterius' point of view to Congress and the world leaders. And I will make my point clear here, now!"

No one questioned the president. Bowman continued, knowing pausing would not benefit him in the end.

"We plan to rally what ships we have, over forty thousand in strength, in Arcturus. Our fleets are currently spread out in five separate minor clusters. This system is the one choke point they must enter to get to the rest of the Federation. With the situation demanding it, we have re-commission several Rapture Defense Satellites to support the fleet in long-range combat, and we are deploying a new weapon on Arcturus Station to deal a killer blow to the Turian Nationalist forces."

"Well?" asked Governor Zoe Kennedy. She was the youngest of the group, an academic mind only recently in her seat from a special election as a new technocratic wave spread across United Sol in the eve before the second midterm election, "What do we have to win the war all together?"

Bowman answered. He doubted his former Secretary of State was using his own daughter to get that information. But he knew Kennedy had his own sources.

"That is classified, Governor Kennedy. Rest assured, all of you. What we have will not only win this war, but very much upset the balance of power in the galaxy."

There was a murmuring in the room as the governors discussed what Bowman was talking about. But Deguller quickly objected before the others submitted to Bowman.

"That's it!?" He laughed halfheartedly at him, "You expect us to just take your word that ships, and some new weapon will win this war? You can tell Guzman and those idiotic excuse of a Congress that. But not us!" he slammed his hands on the table, the noise made from his desk replicated to every other governor, "The people, the voters are scared! You have refused to call in congress. You have refused to withdraw our military from the Council! What are we to tell our constituents? Because over half of everyone in this room is up for election tomorrow. I don't know about all of you, but I would tell them what they really need to know!"

Kennedy scoffed at Deguller, "Oh you'll tell them. Tell them what they need to vote for you!"

"Excuse me?"

"Enough," said Goyle, entering the fray, "We have far more pressing matters than last minute votes."

"Easy for you to say, Councilor Goyle," Deguller said, "Safe in that appointed position, ay? We have our jobs on the line. This is perfect breeding grounds for Firmist votes!"

Governor Nathan Yale of Hades Gamma yelled out, "The Terra Firma Party does not condone and absolutely condemn any act of prejudice and hate against our non-human citizens. Unlike some radicals, I know this war was caused by poor diplomatic relationships, severe economic imbalance-"

"And a massive conspiracy that our President authorized a false flag operation to get a seat on the galactic council," Kennedy sighed, rubbing her chin while in thought. She wondered if her father had a role in it as well.

Yale added on, "And Bowman had the gull to give a public ultimatum to that very council! Now we have no allies and likely face another war after this one. Pfft, a scourge… we didn't even have the backbone to retake old Earth twenty years ago…"

"Are we not going to talk about the teleporter tech we apparently have?" Kennedy returned the topic back to the immediate, "Anyhow, what matters is radicals were gunning for us for some time and that right now we are fighting the war they wanted."

"And a possibly quick one as well!" Deguller turned to Bowman, "We want to know what your new weapon is!"

Yale added on, "I also would like to know if we really are going ahead with the election? This is a very public event…"

Goyle spoke out, "Suspending the election can only be done with a four-fifth majority of a combined congress. And constitutional approval from the Supreme Court!"

"Billions will be out voting, in public. The birds have our hyperdrive! They could attack pass Arcturus! The colonies, old Earth! But if the Loyalist Act was declared, then-"

Degueller spoke out, turning to Bowman, "You do that and you can kiss your presidency goodbye! Congress is mandated to convene on September 11, the Loyalist Act be damn. They would impeach, convict, and throw you out of a Versailles Module airlock in a heartbeat!"

"I will not do such a thing, governor," Bowman replied, "My only job is to make sure Congress has a station at all to convene to this Sunday."

"And of this new weapon to win the war?"

"That is top secret, Degueller. Not even Goyle here knows. But rest assured, with it, our victory is assured. We just need to meet them here, at Arcturus, at our time of choosing. Our brave sons and daughters will make sure of it… As a former officer, it, by all means, pain me to make them hold the line."

"Our sailors will resist and bite," Degueller crossed his arms, "But you have earned no confidence from us. Vetrol betted too heavily on farfetched plans, and we had the Revival and over three billion dead to show for it." He turned to the Quarian governor, "Rest assured Governor Traya, we do not take the deaths of our soldiers and sailors lightly. The loss of Shanxi proved we have a very exploitable weakness, and no promise of a Deus ex Machina will save us."

"We have our solution, a true weapon of capability and united terran ingenuity to win this. But until that day, that is top secret. My decision is final-"

An alert on the table in front of him began beeping red. This followed with an aid bursting into the room, a tablet in hand.

"Mr. President!"

"This better be good," he took the tablet, glad for the interruption, "A Colonel Harper… is this true?"

"Yes sir."

He kept reading, "A Spectre?"

"Yes sir. Calling for you. Managed to bypass Councilor Goyle's office."

Goyle turned to them, "What is going on?"

Bowman finished reading, "Hell… Goyle, finish the meeting. I need to go, now!"

Bowman quickly rushed out the room, demanding a ship be ready for another trip to the Citadel. The governors looked on as their President barged out the room in the middle of the meeting.

"Damn it, Bowman!" yelled Degueller, slamming his hands on the table before pointing at him, "Where are you going!?"

Medical Bay – Starbase 101
October 9, 2168 – 12:00:00 UTC

On top of a tall hill, there was a temple. It stood high, as if it was clinging onto the sky itself. At the base of the hill was a long singular staircase leading to the top and the temple entrance. The building had a round base going around the temple, as the main hall in the center is flanked by four towers at each end. The main hall of the temple had large windows to let light in from all angles into the building. Inside was a large empty circular room, with four main support pillars to hold the massive glass ceiling above, as more glass stained windows lines the upper wall all around the room.

At the center of the room was a dark diamond, attached to a podium, being covered by two twisting covers, like pedals on a closed flower. The entire object reached up high, just enough to dominate the room with its presence but without being too large to be not fully seen from any angle in the room.

A single person appeared, fading into the room from nowhere and stood in front of the monument on the middle of the room, facing outward with his arms in the air. Another person appeared in the room, looking inward at the man in front of the monument. Another appeared and then another, all appearing in droves until the room was filled with them, looking into the man at the monument. A shout from the man yelled out and everyone rose their fist into the air. The monument flashed in an intense light, before a beam of energy shot out and surrounded the man, then radiated out to the entire crowd.

Back outside the entrance, the doors flew open as the crowd marched out in even rows, covered in robes with their heads down. From the temple, the same energy field radiated from it in a sphere, spreading in all directions. From other parts of the planet, people cowered in fear and horror as they tried to resist the wave, being effortlessly transformed into those at the temple. From space above, the entire planet is consumed by the energy wave, followed by thousands of ships ascending from it.

Across the galaxy, the bright blue energy spread out, jumping from relay to relay across the galaxy until it covered every corner of it, transforming everything and everyone into the monsters Harper saw on Taetrus.

He then woke up, opening his eyes slowly as bright light came in. He sat up, looking around as he slowly rolled over, falling to the ground. As he stood up, Terran medical staff rushed into the room, helping him back up onto his bed. As he sat back up, Eva rushed into the room.

"Jack, are you alright?"

"Huh? Uh… Yah. I guess so," He lifted his hand to his face, observing its detail and realizing his sight has return. Eva noticed and grabbed a reflective medical tray to give to Harper.

He took it and looked into it, nearly dropping it as he saw his eyes. His iris was now glowing blue against his natural brown. He looked to Eva. "What… What happened?"

"You used a transporter beacon to help us escape," She leaned over to the counter and grabbed a bottle of water, giving it to him to drink, "Jack, we'll need to take things slowly. A lot has occurred. A lot of time has passed."

"What do you mean? God, uh, I feel terrible, but… that dream, how long have I been out..."

Eva started at him, the expression on her face showing a bit of sadness. "Jack… It's been over a month since you been awake. The situation of our entire mission… Has changed."

"No… That can't be right… We were just on Taetrus!"

The door opened again, a familiar Turian walking in.

"No, Colonel Harper," Saren walked up to them, "We're on your Starbase 101, in orbit around the Citadel. We all been waiting for you. Happy Leif Erikson Day, whatever the hell that means…"

"Its October? Wait, the monolith… we destroyed it, righ-"

He froze, as his dream rushed through his mind, with more clarity of what he saw earlier. He snapped out, suddenly sweating and taking deep breaths. He pointed at the section of the wall in the med bay as he cradled himself on the med bed in a fetal position.

"There… We have to go there! The monolith is there!"

Saren looked at him in confusion before answering, "That can't be right. There's nothing there. We destroyed it, remember?"

"No!" He shouted, having another rush of his dream, more details coming in. He stood up of the bed, grasping his head as the visions overwhelmed him. With a quick snap, he pointed back to that part of the wall, "It's there! Another one. Far greater."

Eva activated her watch, "Nimrod, calculate the three-dimensional direction of where Harper is pointing, and tell us what is in that direction."

"Yes Ma'am. Calculating… Finish. Colonel Harper is pointing at the current physical locations of the planet Palaven in the Trebia system. Approximately twelve thousand light years from here."

Harper quickly replied, his voice almost like a madman, nearly incoherent, "Yes, Yes that's it. Desolas must have found another one. He's going to use it to conquer the galaxy! Turn us all into those things!"

"You don't say? Please explain..."

The three of them turned to see President Bowman and Fleet Admiral Woods standing at the door. Bowman continued, "But first, we should explain what's going on up to now."

"Now? Uh… the war!" He turned directly to them, "General Williams?!"

"What foolhardy missions Williams sent you on, to all our dismay, still stands. Frankly, it's now our best hope…" Bowman gestured to a monitor in the room, "Nimrod, play current news."

The screen changed from the medical readouts to a quick scroll of different news channels.

"The Federation remains in lock down under the Loyalist Act as Army troops continue mass deployment across the colonies…"

"Asari and Terran ships clashed in another skirmish today. Analysis believe the Republics are probing for weak points in the Third Fleet to take back Illium…"

"Army soldiers have crushed yet another protest by Citadel occupants as the Fifth Fleet lock down the remains of general Council space, cutting off contact between the Asari and Salarians.

"The economy remains in freefall as new news reports of the war has sparked a massive selloff of several military supplier companies. A recent victory by Turian forces has strengthen the Credit to .29 Council Credit per Terran Dollar..."

"The Seventh "Federal Fist" Marine Division has sustained heavy casualties defending against Turian counter attacks after the marine's capture of the Salutia colony. Meanwhile on the homefront, the Eighth "Ultramarines" Division have retaken the city of New Kiev on Nodacrux from Maroon Commonwealth separatist…"

"The Second and Fourth Fleet took heavy losses yesterday, pushing the Hierarchy 12th Fleet off the Cassiud Defense Line. The First Marine Division has been postponed in taking Taetrus however…"

"The Salarian Union has refused another cease fire offer with the Terrans, in spite offering the return of Councilor Nerval's-"

"Breaking News: The Sol 21st Flotilla had just recently disengaged combat with a suspected Cerberus flotilla near the Terra Novian shipyards. Civilian eyewitness from Bowman Academy reports seeing Terran naval ships, painted red and gold, just like at Arcturus, aiding in driving out the white and gold Cerberus forces before disappearing themselves…"

"With the entire Terran political world in complete chaos after Congressman Koris' Resiliency Day Revolt, President Bowman has been left, under the articles of the Loyalist Act, as the sole ruler of the United Federation. Some are now calling on recently appointed Head Admiral Drescher and reinstated General of the Armies Gustaf to advoke the Cincinnatus Prerogative …"

"And now, a moment to honor those who have fallen in defense of the Federation, as new casualty reports now place losses in the tens of m-"

"Turn that off, please," Eva sighed at the thought.

He clenched his eyes, before being rudely awoke by his vision. He rubbed his forehead and moaned, "What's going on?"

"You humans sure know how to mess things up," said Saren with a chuckle.

"Please don't remind me," asked Woods.

"Colonel Jack Harper," Bowman sighed and grinned his teeth, "Welcome back… to the Terran Scourge."

Terran Wikipedia

(By the Authority of the Federal Communications Committee, this document has been doctored in accordance to the 'Orwellian Freedom Act' to ensure non-biased and informative information for the Terran People.)

Great Revival

Section 3: Turmoil of the Anderson Administration (2128-2140)

In the first term of President Anderson, many colonial parties fought in numerous coalitions to assert colonial focus on the congressional stage. The Terran Nationalist emerged as a compromising party between the Colonial-Focus Terran Union and colony coalitions, and the Earth-Centric Terra Firma. In the years approaching the second presidential election, this marked a dangerous time on Earth.

Political unrest shook the planet; the Nationalist had loss many seats in United Sol while the Firmist, though in control of the state and Congress, was divided between the old Earth centralist, and a younger, more national focused bloc led by emerging politician and businessman Jeremy Bishop. Protest by Earth Centralist disrupted the economy and new radical groups emerged in opposition of the united government. Meanwhile, colonists were angered after off-relay and Alpha Quadrant relay exploration was canceled indefinitely after the Navy suffered several deadly accidents while exploring. With many radicals feeling the overall course was the shift away from Earth, and the colonies pushing ever more for attention on them, this created unrest that the young government was unable to stop.

On May 13, 2134, a terrorist group known as the Earth Resistance Front launched a coordinated attack against the Firmist Headquarters and convention center in London after the upset party convention that saw progressivist Jacque Tremblay elected as the Firmist Presidential Candidate. Believed to be aimed at the emerging moderate leaders, the attack saw many of the old Firmist leaders getting killed instead, leaving Bishop who survived as the new leader of the party. However, the death of Tremblay ended the Firmist run for the Presidency, giving Anderson assured victory on September of 2134.

His second term saw a move from a compromising of Earth and Colony to one that favored the colonies greatly. With the military, consisting of old nation-states forces, slow to stop the London terrorist attack and others on Earth and Mars, the 2135 Militarization Act was passed with near full support, a massive Tripartisan Bill that began the full and united militarization of the Federation. Though this marked a massive economic boom for Earth and Mars which was the main focus of the act, the massive recruitment of colonist and the outward expansion was seen as an open affront to a more reclusive and Earth focused policy. The new Fleet and Army was viewed as the colonies' way of breaking from Earth, and many became disenfranchised by the parties who were all leaning away for colonial support.

In 2138, the third great colonial effort began. With a new national bureaucracy and greater AI integration, more Earth-borns were sorted and sent off to the new frontier. Less than a year later, the newly colonized Voyager Cluster was brought in as a new state, followed by three more. Nearly one billion left, dropping Earth to 8.5 billion humans. At over 19 billion, the colonies became a major focus as the Nationalist, Firmist, and Unionist fought for states and absorbed many smaller parties in turn. In late 2138, a leaked document from the presidential office showed the first main effort to move the capital from Earth. While colonist cheered on the effort for a space station capital, Earth Bound citizens were livid, marking a drop in the polls.

A few months later in the '38 midterms, the Nationalist lost more ground to reactionary Firmist and Unionist politicians in the race and were unable to form a coalition in congress with colonial leaning factions. To win back key Earth politicians, Anderson announced he would decline to run for a third term and placed full support to Vice President Lin's run for office, who had a massive support base on Earth. To carry control of the congress into 2141 as well, the Unionist agreed to form coalition, having United Sol Senator Guanyu Yeung run as Lin's running partner for Vice President. In September 27, the last Tuesday of the month, Lin won the election with United Sol and Exodus carrying him the popular and electoral vote, though losing Nationalist stronghold Polyetheia in a Bishop Firmist upset and barely keeping Unionist Argos Rho to keep the coalition's simple majority in congress.

Though Anderson's presidency would be retroactively look upon as the most ideal and stable presidency in Terran History, it only marked the beginning of the decline of order on Earth…

Terran FCC 'Guardian Angel' Monitoring Surveillance Program: Military Activity Report – Naval Lieutenant Commander Jack Donnelly; Naval Chief Engineer Mulan Chikota; Naval Synthetic Commander Peter Stapleton; Thomas Anderson Elementary Sixth Grader Kenneth Donnelly - Subject: Standard Crew Bickering – Location: FSS Davy Crocket, Constant Shipyards - Date Stamp: September 5, 2168. Length – Five Minutes.

MC: And here we have the Davy Crocket's Warp Core!

KD: Aye, it's a beautiful looking core. Uh… where's the rest?

MC: Ah, buts that's the beauty of the new Houston-Class frigates. We use a new super counter-gravitational fusion core. This one core could output the same energy as five older models. With her energy output, we can not only do Warp 8.993 for five whole hours, but even enter hyperspace for short periods of time!

KD: That's amazing!

JD: *Out of breath* There... you are... you damn Scottish pint!

MC: Ah Jack, there you are. You know this kid?

KD: Cousin Jack here is my distant cousin from across the pond.

JD: Admiral Gramps made me watch him while we're docked over Eden. And you! You can't wonder around a damn military vessel. And stop acting Scottish, you little Canadian twerp!

KD: And yet, here I am. Aren't you supposed to be Chief of Security, laddie? And also, I'm Nova Scotian in descent!

JD: Just… just shut up and go back to the rec room. Akira got that Battlefield: Revival for the crew. Go play that or something.

KD: No way! That game is a load of politically correct propaganda... and micro-transactions.

PS: *Walks in from side corridor* I think there's a proposition addressing that. *Everyone turns to Peter* Meatbag, Tiny Haggis, Chief Chikota.

MC: Where are you off to?

PS: The Voyager Cluster. Matt needs my help with his dumb relationship whatever. Since we're docked here and not dying fighting the Turians, I might as well.

MC: *Surprised* That's helpful of you. I didn't think you care for such love birds.

PS: You tell anyone and I'll Geth you! I will GETH all of you! *Quarian Crew Members walk out of room in fright* And why is there a kid in Main Engineering? Whatever, I don't really care.

KD: Are you not worried about any leaks of your new warp core?

PS: This piece of garbage? We reverse-engineered it from a three-hundred-year-old Quarian ship. The Turians most likely have a more advance fusion core. *walks off frustrated* Omnissiah knows what else they fucking have at this rate…

JD: *Yells into corridor* What about the election tomorrow?

PS: *From a nearby comm speaker* Look up mail-in ballots, meatbag!

MC: Damn, I knew I forgot something. Now I got to stand in line tomorrow.

KD: Hey, Cousin Jack?

JD: God, what is it Kenneth?

KD: Is the chief here that same lady you told me you shagged back in the academy, because she is a fine-looking lass… and has a nice ass too-

JD: *Gags Kenneth Donnelly* Now if you would excuse me, Chief Engineer Chikota, I have a stow away to throw into the brig… and maybe out the airlock as well!

MC: *Notably Angry* Yes… you do that… Lieutenant Commander Donnelly!

KD: She's gonna kill you, isn't she?

JD: Shut up!

\/\/\/\/\/\/ A/N \/\/\/\/\/\/

Hello everyone!

It is absolutely great to be back and done with this chapter.
To be frank, this chapter was to be release a week after Chapter 37.
But a section that didn't want to be written and a new job delayed that,
And instead, a whole year went by.
My deepest apologies for making everyone wait. New updates will be more regular!

Especially since we move on to the next part, which I think would be fun.
The Terran Second Midterm Elections of 2168!
No wait, I promise plenty of interesting stuff is gonna happen on Election Day.
I mean, come on, its the Terrans we are talking about!

As for my rewrite, after deep though, and plenty of reviews about it
I have decided to commence a rewrite with some of the earlier chapters
mainly Chapter 1,2,5 and 6.
I believe my writing ability has approved ever since I started this story,
And I intend to fix and improve wherever I can.
Thank you for all your feedback!

And as always, thank you for reading and please feel free to review and comment.
I welcome all constructive comments, for I always aim to improve my writing!
If you got any questions or opinions to voice, always feel free to add it to a review, or PM me.
Always glad for feedback and responses!

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Posted on March 1, 2020