Migrant Star Ship – Tikkun
Keelah-class cruiser
Asgard system
Galactic Standard 3rd Month, 15th Day, 2143
Fleet Admiral Vanir'Reegar took a deep breath, the decades catching up to him.
The Tikkun slowed down as it dropped off FTL. After the meeting with the Imperials: he would be stripped of his rank, a new admiral would be sworn in; and then, the Admiralty Board would vote among their number to see who becomes the new Fleet Admiral—depending on the outcome of the meeting, it could either be Raan or the Zorah boy.
He blinked his eyes, adjusting them, after the world bled back from redshift. It would be a few hours until they arrived at Loki, the planet that the tortollans had just colonized. The reports from the Uriyah had astonished him when first he heard it. An entire town constructed in more than two hours? Ancestors, he could not quite believe it himself, but why would the Nara boy lie to him?
"Admiral, ETA on Loki is three hours. The rest of the Flotilla is expected to arrive just shortly. They've been sent coordinates on where to position themselves over the planet. We're implementing the Trade Wall–Volus formation."
"And the Imperials just agreed to that?"
"Yes, although with some slight modifications to allow their ships some space."
The old man slowly lifted his body off the seat. His aides only looked at him. He had told them under no circumstance would they assist him with such trivial things as getting of his seat, walking down the ramp, etc. It was not pride nor arrogance that made him do it, it was stubbornness. He had stood as the Flotilla's lasting pillar for most of his life; and by the Ancestors, he would be one until he died!
"Have the rest of the Admiralty arrived yet?" he asked, bringing his omni-tool up.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral, the Yaska and the Qwib-Qwib were already here before us; the Terminus and the Neema dropped off F-T-L together with us. We're in formation now, heading towards the planet."
Vanir'Reegar nodded. We will find our salvation.
Level One Zone – Umbra
Eighth-Tier Colony – Loki
Asgard System, Exodus Cluster
Galactic Standard 3rd Month, 15th Day, 2143
Lia'Jaa looked at Umbra. She had seen it get built in real-time just yesterday! Captain Adan'Nara had even called the primary crew and the non-essentials of the Uriyah to help out, twenty-eight all in all, as a gesture of good will; but she found it unnecessary though, as the tortollans had finished the whole place in just a few hours. And it wasn't with prefabrications as well; it had been done entirely from scratch. She wasn't quite clear what happened, but it was like magic—three-story buildings created like the very concept of engineering and construction was just child's play to them.
Shaking her head out of her reverie, she looked to the sky and saw the tens of thousands of ships of the Migrant Fleet floating like a hazy blot in the dawning sky with one patch remaining relatively free. Every quarian, on those ships and on this planet, was waiting for the Imperial delegation to arrive any moment now. The tension was palpable even through their enviro-suits.
"Where've you been?" Hiram'Reegar stood beside her. There was a simple bow slung through his arm now. He had worn it after he went to the outskirts of the town, where Captain Griz'Om stationed himself and was taught the ways of the Hunter. Whatever that meant. She was half-afraid the little krogans had indoctrinated him to their religion. "Captain Adan's with the admirals in Tidehunter Hall."
"I was in Devilsaur Square, briefing the other marines about Imperial protocol Car'Od told me." The tortollan had been quite snippy with her. "Car'Od's the chief police officer here."
"Oh," he replied, nodding. "Anything else happen when I was gone?"
Lia'Jaa tilted her head. "Now that you ask, I heard Keen—" She stopped and stared back to the sky. Where once there was nothing, there was now a massive superstructure shaped like a pyramid hovering in orbit. "Keelah, it looks like a capitol building from Sur'Kesh just came to life and is now zooming through the galaxy…"
Hiram'Reegar breathed. beep. beep. "That bosh'tet looks like an Ancestors-blessed mountain!"
"Well, the Imperials have arrived," she replied simply.
Timeline of Events
2143
3rd Month
15 The Admiralty Board meets with the Imperial delegation. Fleet Admiral Vanir'Reegar vas Tikkun pleads on the behalf of the Quarian Conclave, his entire species, for aid. Members of the Imperial delegation, most having once been adventurers journeying across Imperial space, grant them amnesty, resources, a planet and access to their mainstream civilian technology.
30 In later weeks and with the help of Imperial portal technology, the majority of the quarian species settles in one of the sixteen known dextro-based planets in Imperial space, Martag'sorom (Orcish for forbidden pools), which is now renamed Mala Rannoch (walled garden at dawn in Khelish) in the Mor'shan system.
As an extension of aid and goodwill, ten Imperial ships are given to the Migrant Fleet.
A third of the vessels of the Migrant Fleet are salvaged for materials to be used in settlements. The rest are repurposed to create a shield around the planet.
The Cenarion Circle takes a vested interest in the weak quarian immune system.
4th Month
8 Fleet Admiral Vanir'Reegar vas Tikkun steps down from his post after more than a century of service. Jano'Gerrel vas Neema replaces him as admiral of the Wanderers' Fleet.
12 The quarian settling of Mala Rannoch is finished, the city of Das'Tikkun in the planet's southern hemisphere is designated as the capital.
13 Under the new Fleet Admiral's administrations, more focus is shifted to strengthening relations with the Imperium.
Admirals Jeelo'Xen vas Alarei and Kal'Raan vas Das'Tikkun are invited to the planet-city of Dalaran for a scientific symposium.
23 The first quarian, Anwa'Mekk nar Owatanka, to have affinity with magic is found. It is noted by members of the Tirisgarde that she lives near an aetherium (colloquially known as mana) vein.
5th Month
2 After several weeks of internal restructuring and legislation, the Quarian Conclave officially becomes the governing body of Mala Rannoch. Farr'Zorah vas Das''Tikkun is elected president with Kal'Raan vas Das'Tikkun acting as the vice-president. With popular support from its citizenry, the Conclave appeals for membership-status with the Imperium.
The Imperium grants the Conclave Grey-Status.
3 Hilar'Koris vas Mala Haestrom is chosen to represent the quarian people in the Imperial Senate.
6 The Lesuss Breach occurs, wherein a few of the colony's occupants escape. The Asari Republics censor most information about the case.
According to a census conducted by the Imperial Census Bureau, less than half of the quarian population now prefer Imperial technology over eezo-based technology, most likely due to the lack of element zero in Imperial space.
21 In an effort to gain another member-species and more power in the Senate, both the Alliance and the Horde shower the quarians with gifts, ranging from minor military technologies to whole ships.
6th Month
10 Scholarship programs, where select quarian individuals are shipped to Imperial academic institutions, are initiated in Mala Rannoch to further integration of quarian society to Imperial custom and society. Most notable of these scholars are Rael'Zorah nar Das'Tikkun, Han'Gerrel nar Ereyya, Zaal'Koris nar Arcturus and Shala'Raan nar Das'Tikkun, all children of high-profile quarians.
17 The makeshift defenses around Mala Rannoch are replaced with Imperial Defense Platforms. Engineers estimate the improvements to be done within the next two months.
22 Tensions rise in the Silithus Cluster and neighboring regions as rumors of a silithid resurgence spreads.
7th Month
1 After four months of investigation, the Council declares the entire quarian species fugitives. This act would placate much of the populace in both Citadel and Terminus space.
4 The Centaur Variance and the Harpy Voleries launch a raid on Mala Rannoch.
Level One Zone – Das'Tikkun
Fifth-Tier Colony – Mala Rannoch
Mor'shan system, Kalimdor Barrens
Galactic Standard 7th Month, 4th Day, 2145
Dull Telar and Ta'jari were close to the horizon, beginning their ascent over the city of Das'Tikkun and across the somber, orange sky. White, parabolic masses rose over the skyline, along with ancient, ruined spires that gleamed red and grey when the moon's light struck them. There was an eerie silence that stretched all over Mala Rannoch, a portent of something to come, a draenei aid worker had told Han'Reegar when he left his house. It still unnerved and fascinated him, and the rest of the people, how the tailed species were so similar to the people.
He let out a sigh and a beep; like everyone from his species, he still wasn't that accustomed to living on a planet where no-one was out to get him. The young quarian was sitting atop an ancient stone fence, legs brought close to his chest, head resting on his knees and facing the setting sun.
"Han?" a deep gravelly voice spoke from behind.
He lifted his head up and turned to the orc engineer in charge of Mala Rannoch's planet-side defenses—quarian technicians still had a hard time operating larger Imperial machineries, especially ones that involved aetherium. His skin was a lighter shade than most of his species and his fangs more rounded; but he was easily still burlier than any quarian.
"Hey, Mister Galddur."
The orc nodded, dropping his toolbox on the ground. "Shouldn't you be home at this hour?"
Han turned his head and rested it back on his knees. "I don't wanna."
Galddur scratched his head. "And why is that?"
"It's just—"
Then, the sky boomed—it was not a singular sound, but the aggregation of several bursts that converged. In the skies of Mala Rannoch, a hundred silhouettes of blocky starships appeared out of nowhere.
"The centaurs," the orc whispered.
Then, another burst of sound and there were new silhouettes with the others; but sharper and more bird-like.
"Harpies!" Galddur cried before pulling the young quarian off the fence and running back to the city.
FIN