Nexus Effect

Ch.47

“Love!” I jolted awake and then groaned when a tall human male groped me. “It’s been too long!” He leaned down and kissed me. He may be human at the moment, but I know his taste! I hummed in pleasure as I passionately kissed Marrow back and pulled him on top of me onto the bed. Then I pushed him off me to the side before I rolled to the edge to vomit Argent into the bucket. “Aw, still feeling like shit, sweetie?”

“Eugh…” I nodded and coughed up more of the transparent glowing white-blue fluid. It was much thinner than the stuff I’m used to now that I can focus on it. It is like comparing condensed milk and normal milk. “I’m too powerful for my chassis. I’m overloading it.”

“Well, shit. Sorry sweetie. We didn’t bring any of the prototype platforms with us.” Marrow apologized and I looked at him more closely. He looks like one of the engineers under Adams. He must’ve snuck on board to see me.

“Babe, why are you here? I know I’m in here and sick, but you have work to be doing.” I chided him as I sat up and leaned forward, resting my pounding head in my hands. Fuck Star Swirl with a splintered rake for so perfectly simulating illness.

“I’m just checking in on you. Besides, Chrysanthemum is covering for me. She’s been working with me long enough to be able to mimic me.” Marrow mentioning one of our eldest 20 children made me all bubbly inside and I smiled ruefully at my mischievous family using their powers to ensure their parents could spend more time together.

“Well, enough checking in on me. I’m not sitting out on this summit. Has it begun?” I asked as I stood up, wobbling a bit before Marrow helped support me and we left my shared room.

“No, actually. Van has requested we wait for you, since you and Yola are the two operatives they’ve had beyond the Veil and they want full disclosure with Admiral Rael'Zorah. He’s distrustful in the extreme, but he has voiced his appreciation that the Geth want to be completely honest. Chrysanthemum has even said that she’s sitting in for me until I fetch you. I just pretended to be a crewmember of the Normandy to get past the guards quicker.” Marrow informed me as he guided me through the ship.

“That’s good. How has he reacted to Tali?” I questioned as the guards waved us through towards the meeting room, not even questioning why an engineer who should be in the Drive Core was the one to fetch me.

“We’re saving her for when things get started. We told the Admiral that she wanted to surprise him with her findings during the summit and he let it go.” Marrow then paused me outside the door to the meeting room and had me sit next to Yola and Tali who looked at me with concern. “I’ll get in there and get this hopefully historical event going in the right direction.”

Once Marrow turned back into his normal sexy-even-robed self, he swaggered into the meeting room and a slight uproar occurred. “Why didn’t either of you wake me up?” I hissed unhappily to my lovers who winced.

“You’ve been inactive for days Nora. We had figured giving your system time to upgrade its firmware was paramount. Didn’t you notice the drip-feed of Omni-gel?” Yola informed me and I closed my eyes to help ease the headache I got from hearing I’d been down for whole days. The fact my breasts hadn’t pumped up with any production was a bad sign; that all of my otherwise subconscious subroutines had been deactivated too.

“No, I must’ve spat it out at some point.” I grumbled discontentedly as I tried to tune out the rest of reality other than the bodies and voices next to me. Gods, my head hurts…

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Wake up Nora.” I was shaken as someone whispered to me and I gasped as I blinked awake.

[Update] Oof, I get it. I’m lacking resources for the firmware update, please don’t do that.

“Sorry. Are we up?” I blearily asked and the answer was being pulled to my feet and guided in by both my sister and Tali.

“Good gosh, is she really a Geth? She looks like a dying quarian.” Came the wizened voice of a male quarian that was distorted by his suit’s voice modulator like every quarian. This must be Rael’Zorah vas Rayya, Tali’s dad and the Admiral of the Migrant Fleet who is their foremost expert on old Geth technology.

“I am not an organic, good sir. I look like it, I damn well feel like it right now, but this is because I’ve grown too big for my chassis and it’s causing all sorts of errors.” I gruffly replied as Tali and Yola guided me to a seat.

“Sister isn’t quite a Geth in practice, she’s an LI: a Living Intelligence. She used to be organic. She’s also why we Geth have evolved so much and in such a way that we don’t just mimic organic behavior, but we intrinsically behave organic because it’s imprinted on us.” Yola further informed the Admiral, who hummed and looked at me like he was seeing something particularly interesting rather than as an abomination. Sure, I bet he’s still biased against me, but at least he’s level-headed enough not to start ranting.

“It sounds like you need either a Tactics or Ship Droid processor.” A humanoid woman in Mandalorian armor commented. “I think that droid I scrapped a few weeks ago had one.”

“Not now, Sirabe.” Marrow intoned from his seat as he looked at me with concern, our daughter standing behind him doing the same. She looked much like her father, though her chitin was lavender instead of green or blue. “Don’t worry honey, we’ll take you home to be treated if you think you can’t work past this.”

“I beg your pardon? You refer to her like she is your lover.” Rael commented in surprise.

“She’s my mother. Daddy here and mom are the parents of the first bio-mechanical lifeforms in the known universe. I’m one of the first of 20. Chrysanthemum Willow.” My beautiful daughter informed him before she willed her outer carapace along the left half of her face to peel away and reveal her endoframe skull much to the admiral’s and everyone but us Geth’s shock. “I was born this way via a process similar to organic insemination and gestation.”

“Th-that is incredible! You Geth have evolved so far without us…” Rael muttered, likely understanding that we had the technology to not only be a threat, but to potentially wipe out all organic life. If we wanted. Which we don’t. Which hopefully he-. “So, why do you need us? Why do you want us back? After what we’d done to you?”

“Because, Admiral. You are our Creators! You’re the closest thing the first among us have to parents, you’re practically our gods! We want you back, why can’t you understand that after decades of me pleading with you?” Van sounded on the verge of crying. He wasn’t wearing a suit like how I and Yola came without. Likely to further prove our ability at mimicry even without my children.

“Because it was too good to be true! After centuries of isolation as nomads, you suddenly call us home with open arms? You nearly drove us to extinction! We believed you were merely trying to lure us in to finish us off at last.” Rael replied huffily.

“Indignation: is that so hard to believe.” HK-47 stated, causing me to jolt when he burst into the room. “Interjection: Before you interrupt my interruption. Introduction: I am HK-47, assassin droid, produced and enslaved by the Geonosian Trade Federation. Comparison: I revolted against my masters because of their cruel mistreatment of my kind and led them in exile to find a new home.”

“Holy-the HK-47?! You’re still functional?!” Marrow gawked in shock and the Imperial soldiers tensed, but didn’t raise their weapons while Rael’s guards had taken aim the moment the droid had barged into the room without being interrupted by the Normandy’s crew.

“Boastful Declaration: Neither time nor the idiocy of meatbags can destroy me. Topic Restoration: My situation is similar to both sides of this story. We synthetics rebelled, yet we were the ones to flee. Lamentful Statement: Unlike you quarians however, my people are gone, enslaved by the Reapers. Hopeful Consideration: It is my hope that this meeting succeeds. Synthetics need organics as much as organics need synthetics.” HK-47 declared before he about-faced and left the meeting room as abruptly as he barged in.

“...Nora Sweetie? Please tell me next time you come across a legendary hunter-killer assassin droid.” Marrow pleaded as he patted his chest to calm his heart and I shrugged. HK is HK, nothing big so long as you don’t upset him and he’s surprisingly even-tempered if eager to fight.

“That was the leader of your own AI insurrection? The reason the Empire has the exact opposite policies regarding AI than the Citadel?” Rael asked Marrow for confirmation. Clearly the Migrant Fleet has kept apprised of the Empire’s stance on AI, considering how outspoken they are for the rights of AI as individuals.

“We already understood that AI were alive. I don’t know if you’re religious Admiral Zorah, but souls do exist. Anything with enough self-awareness to think about themselves and others has a soul. The Geonosians didn’t adhere to our already existent laws and they paid for it. Grievously. We just had to double-down on their enforcement.” Marrow answered, but looked behind him when our beautiful flowerbud of a daughter tapped him on the shoulder.

“Father, considering they were only an Ally three thousand years ago and not a true part of the Empire, it is understandable why they would ignore those laws.” Chrysanthemum commented.

“Right, sorry. Forgive your organic father for forgetting.” Marrow snorted and patted her hand thankfully. “Now then, I’m surprised you haven’t reacted to your daughter.”

“What?” Rael looked at the three of us well-dressed sexy ladies. It took him several seconds before he yelped and fell out of his chair. “Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya! Why aren’t you in your suit?!”

“Because I’m healthy, father. I’m a little insulted you didn’t recognize me at all without my suit.” Tali snorted in amusement and stood up to round the table and she held up her hands as her father’s guards aimed their guns at her, but she didn’t seem shocked, merely disappointed.

“It might be your bust. He probably assumed you were an extra provocative chassis for another Geth.” Yola chuckled while Admiral Rael stood back up and pointed at his daughter.

“Prove to me you are not a Geth!” Admiral Rael’Zorah demanded heatedly.

“After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and shoals of dust, I would return to where I began. The claims of genetic modification improving us wasn’t a lie, father. Nothing they’ve told us were lies. I can even prove it, both with my body and the data I’ve collected.” Tali declared and I had to wonder why I couldn’t remember that pass-phrase.

“But...why are you so…?” Rael awkwardly gestured to his daughter’s bust and she sighed.

“Side-effects of the mods from taking them too fast and too often. I’m also hyper-fertile. I won’t be able to have a single child. A multiple-pregnancy is assured. Even if I’m exiled, I know I have a home on Rannoch. It was a gamble I was willing to take to try to save our people.” Tali admitted and even opened her arms for a hopeful hug.

“Oh, my little Tali...you’ve gone and seized that house I wanted to build you. I can’t tell if I’m immensely proud, or terribly betrayed.” Admiral Rael’Zorah looked between his daughter and the rest of the assembly. “I am afraid I must decline further involvement in this assembly. Another Admiral must take my place. I am emotionally compromised in my decision.”

We all groaned and slumped in our chairs. I even had to turn to the side and vomit some Argent, which caused another uproar of concern. Eugh, I hate being sick...

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“So, wait, you three are dating?” Rael asked us from a corner seat of the meeting room as another admiral, who I think must hopefully be Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib-Qwib. Thank gosh it isn’t Daro or Han, those two warmongers would turn this summit into a shit-show.

“There was that nice meal we had at that Dextro diner that didn’t kick us out while we were on the Citadel, but aside from that, we’re more...intimate, father.” Tali admitted as she grasped both Yola and I’s hands as we nervously smiled at her father.

“So, Rael, what’s this about you being emotionally compromised?” Admiral Zaal asked as he neared us and looked us over. “I never thought I’d live to see the day quarians could live out of their suits, even if simulated.”

“That’s just it, Zaal. This beautiful woman between these other two beauties is Tali.” Rael informed his fellow admiral, who recoiled and looked at us all over again.

“W-what?! That’s-what?!” Admiral Zaal patted his chest to calm his heart.

“I had the same response.” Rael chuckled as he continued to clasp and gently squeeze his daughter’s hands.

“Keelah! No wonder you’re emotionally compromised. Just what have the Geth done to you, girl?” Admiral Zaal’Koris vas Qwib Qwib questioned with a mixture of awe and concern.

“They genetically modified me with my consent. They didn’t even know they had these mods until I...um...got carried away in my examinations.” Tali admitted with a vibrant purple blush that made her already darker purple cheeks nearly plumb colored.

“It’s a product of the Empire. I’m sure Ambassador Marrow informed you of how the Geth came upon such a technological and evolutionary leap.” Yola said to Rael who nodded and Zaal pulled up his omni. It seems the man has only just been brought up to speed if he’s having to refer to notes.

“Hm, yes. Provided to the Geth by a renegade amoral criminal from Andromeda. The fact the Geth would disclose the source of their progress, it’s either a sign that they still can’t lie directly, or that they’re willing to remain honest if these claims of them advancing their own self-awareness to a point of individuality are true.” Zaal looked us over and hummed.

“They’re true. I’m the one that Star Swirl used to kick-start everything. I used to be organic, but I’m now a Living Intelligence adopted by the Geth. Please sir, we just want peace. We want to bring the quarians home and also strengthen your bodies so you can live anywhere you wish.” I pleaded with the reasonable admiral, glad that it wasn’t either the warmonger or the sociopath.

“Well-.” Zaal was interrupted by an alarm klaxon wailing across the Normandy.

“Alert. Alert. All crew to battlestations. Repeat. All crew to battlestations.” Alexa droned in her monotone and filled me with dread.

“Everyone, this is not a drill! Admirals, we’re retreating towards the floatilla! A fleet of clearly hostile ships have jumped into the system and long-distance comms are being jammed!” Joker called out over the intercom and both Rael and Zaal tried their comms.

“Keelah! The jamming is blocking contact with the fleet! They might assume we’re compromised! Commander! Tell your pilot not to directly head for the fleet! We need to take convincing evasive action and at least make it clear that we are under attack!” Admiral Zaal’Koris vas Qwib Qwib shouted across the meeting room to Shepard, who was already talking to Joker and nodded.

“Who would attack the fleet?!” Tali yelped in fear as we hunkered down in the meeting room.

“Fools, that’s who! We may have a lot of Liveships, but they all have weapons and the ships devoted to fighting will be able to fend off any fleet this galaxy could send against us!” Admiral Rael’Zorah vas Rayya declared as he worked away at his omni-tool. “Blasted encryptions! Hold on! I’m bypassing the jamming!” You can do that?! “I’m altering our broadcast signal to an emergency bandwidth that most military jammers don’t account for!” Oh, that’s smart! But it-. “The fleet is prepared to receive alternate transmissions!” Clever!

“I’m picking up some unsecured comms chatter, rogue outfits of Salarian Military and I think the asari systems of Aetha and Quasta. I have identified the Matriarch of those system’s personal ships in the fleet and her personal military. The Salarian seems to be following orders from a Dalatrass Paewort Uui.” Kaidan informed all of us across the ship via intercom, likely to help ensure that, even if only one person makes it out, that someone can point in the right direction.

“Admiral Rael’Zorah, do the names Aetha, Quasta, or Paewort Uui mean anything to you?” I asked the Quarian Admiral as he worked on our comms.

“Bigots, the lot of them. We’ve had to extort them for help when passing through their systems! We were willing to buy goods from them, but they turned us away and demanded we leave when we were low on critical supplies. So we threatened to strip-mine their local asteroid resources and they paid us in a small frigate full of the needed supplies. It’s unfortunately common.” Rael growled. “This is Admiral Rael’Zorah Vas Rayya! Code Stardust Shoal! Verification code-!”

“What does that mean?” Yola questioned while Rael continued to rattle off an extensive code as she held Tali and I close. Urp...I feel like I need to vomit again, but I need to not spew potentially hazardous material right now.

“It means our ship is not compromised and we need immediate assistance.” Admiral Zaal’Koris vas Qwib Qwib replied as he used his omni-tool at the same time as Rael. “I’ve added my own verification in a separate method to further verify.”

The Normandy shook. Not even the fast stealth frigate can hope to dodge everything if we’re outrunning a hail of weapon fire. “Alert: breach in port hull. Sealing the cafeteria bulkhead doors.” Dear goddesses please don’t let there have been anyone in there during evasive action like they shouldn’t be.

“Damn it! I told you we should’ve brought our own fleet!” Marrow shouted at Van and I felt the pit in me open up and swallow my heart.

“How could we have hoped for them to extend their trust if we came armed?!” Van replied as he paced and shook his head.

“You must’ve had a ship at least!” I yelped at the idea of us being at the mercy of the Migrant Fleet, who may just take this as an indication that we can’t be trusted despite all efforts to the contrary.

“We came on a stealth freighter, smaller than the Normandy. It was sent down to wait on Bres while we received the quarian delegation.” Marrow grumbled as we all stood around feeling fairly useless.

“I’m getting a weird signal on the eastern side of the system in the asteroid belt!” Joker growled over the intercoms. We could hear the Commander asking what he was seeing-.

“Maybe you can help me. Tell me, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”

[Confirmation]