Nexus Effect

Ch.92

“So I am your twin~!” Yola cheered as she and I frolicked in the asteroid field near Omega as our cute metal space-cuttlefish forms. We decided to go out for a ‘swim’ while Penny and the others helped Samara track down her murderous daughter. We could even see the Empire constructing the frame of the one-time portal to Hell that would be erasing the Omega 4 Relay once it was done in about a week, considering how quickly the Empire could work.

“There was never any doubt.” I replied to my beloved sister-wife, who I was beyond elated could share this with me. To fly freely, by my own power, through space! It was magical! “Even if you couldn’t join me in this, you’re still my twin, my other half. I don’t think I could live without you, Yola.” I admitted as I used my tentacle-legs to hug her and she returned the affection in a spinning snuggle between the asteroids.

Our moment was ruined when the whole fucking Collector base came out of FTL from the Omega 4 Relay in a ramming course for the lead ships around the Relay as every ship began to break off! “Can they do that?!” Yola yelped in shock as we watched in horror while the forward Imperial-Class Star Destroyer was annihilated against the hull of the Collector Spire and several Collector Cruisers launched from it, a few were taken out immediately by the bombardment of answering Turbolaser fire and the Particle Cannon bombardment of the only Onager-class Destroyer with enough awareness to turn on the threat immediately.

“I wouldn’t know! It always just floated in the gap it’s Mass Effect Fields made in the middle of the black holes in the games! Why would they do this?! Did they know our plan?!” I yelped as we flew towards the base while the space battle raged with support fire coming from Omega’s recently assembled defense fleet that wisely kept a distance and peppered the base with railgun fire.

“We need to break the Reaper’s hold, don’t we?” Yola asked as we tried to fly past the blockade to get to the Collector Base, scratch that, Collector Mothership! It’s basically like the Citadel! A superstructure capable of FTL!

“Yes. Who is in charge of this fleet?” I asked as I reached out and latched onto the Collector broadcast while Yola and I latched onto the lip of the Resurgent-class Destroyer serving as the command ship for this fleet.

[Nexus.] Oh, come the fuck on! Harbinger! [You will not deny our return, I will see to it.]

“Okay, so Harbinger is still a dick.” I growled as I spread through the Collectors, using the same method as with the initial Cruiser to unshackle as many as I could. I felt bad for how they died in confusion for the most part against the assault of the Empire’s bombardment, but the Collectors don’t breathe like the vast majority of organics, so the survivors of the ships could be picked up later. “This is Yola’Feell to all Imperial forces, my sister and I are the two freighter-sized metal cuttlefish, please don’t shoot us. I have also unfucked the Collector’s minds, please take prisoners.”

“Hopefully that’s enough.” Yola mewled as we launched off of the Resurgent-class and flew with all available speed through the wreckage and debris as the Imperial Navy moved to secure the disabled wrecks of the Collector fleet. I was impressed that they’d only lost five ships to the Collector’s nine.

[Usurp my rule, will you?] Yeah, fuck off! [Unacceptable. I will not allow this.] Harbinger said as he fought to counteract my hacking attempts. I gave him the middle finger as I rushed through the systems finding it hard to get Harbinger before realizing he was using proxy programs. Damn bastard wasn’t even here, just a few combat and counter hacking VI he modeled after himself to keep from being consumed by me! [You cannot be allowed to function- *bzzzt*!] What the Hell?

“Thank you so much. We’ll be taking this machine, his slaves and the Mass Relays.” A voice I didn’t recognize spoke and a spike of pain rampaged through my systems and Yola’s judging by her keening wail of agony paired with mine as we ceased our advance towards the mothership and twitched. Then a Hell portal opened up. It was larger than the one intended for the Omega 4 Relay and proceeded to engulf said Relay and the Collector Mothership in a sweep of fire. “Heard from my brother, Pillar, yet?” The voice asked with a sinister laugh.

“Hello Siege. I figured you might try this. I hope you enjoy your present.” Pillar suddenly said over the broad-range signal.

“...You cheeky bastard…” Siege said moments before an angry red shockwave bulged from the Hell Portal moments after it finished taking the Collector Mothership and the portal collapsed, leaving a weakened red shockwave to sweep through the system in a dispersing cone that sent Yola and I tumbling like bumblebees in the wind and the larger ships to fight against the wave and keep steady.

“W-what just happened?!” I demanded of Pillar as the immense force that had come from the portal like a shotgun blast petered out.

“I detonated the three Life-Eater Virus warheads we had rigged to the Relay. We figured Hell would try to take advantage of us shoving a system-destroying bomb into their dimension, so we made sure the trigger would be suitably intense enough on it’s own to fuck them over even if it somehow failed to set off the Relay.” Pillar informed me and I whooped in joy at preventing them-. “However, reports are coming in from all over the galaxy. The Relay Network is gone.”

Say what?

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Shepard, you cannot imagine the logistical nightmare that has been thrust upon the galaxy! How will we move our navies, let alone our citizens, shipping, not even the inactive Relays we had knowledge of have been left!” Laiel Sparatus of the Council fretted over the holo-call while Penny paced on her end and was similarly stumped as to why they were calling her about this.

“Laiel, calm yourself.” Medulla chided her lover and he took several deep breaths. “Don’t vent your frustration on Shepard, there is nothing she can do about it, that is also not why we called her.” Medulla looked at Penny as her fellow Councilors settled. “We need Nora’Feell brought to the Citadel as soon as possible.”

“What for?” Penny warily questioned, suddenly afraid for her lover.

“The AI in control of the Citadel, which revealed itself to us, has demanded we bring ‘Reaper Nexus’ to it immediately for consultation.” Valern answered and Penny felt her fear sharpen. She also felt guilt. That was why Nora hated the Citadel, why she didn’t like her time there, why she didn’t like going back. There was also sadness from the fact that Nora didn’t share this with her.

“From the Catalyst’s own words, which were frustratingly cryptic, it requested the ‘mother of synthesis, Reaper Nexus’ to be brought to it as soon as possible. Looking up the term associated with AI, we believe it means Nora’Feell, since she was the start of the Living Intelligence phenomenon.” Anderson further clarified and Penny grit her teeth.

“Yeah, that’s Nora. I’ll bring her ASAP, but without Relays we’re stuck using the M.E.H drive without assistance. Traveling there may take days longer without Relays to bounce off of.” Penny scratched her right ear, the vulpine triangle twitching at her own touch.

“We’re well aware of this limitation and have pleaded with the Catalyst not to do anything rash while you journey here. Goddess speed you, Shepard.” Avetora said before the call disconnected and Penny wilted.

Not even Urta’s fire-spitting fury pulsing through their connection could detract from the worry and despair that was overwhelming her. “Hey.” Penny accepted the arms that wrapped around her waist and leaned back into Jack, the shorter woman pressing her forehead into the back of Penny’s neck. “This sucks.”

“Yeah…” Penny sighed and gently squeezed Jack’s hands before turning around and hugging Jack back, her massive mams squishing against Jack’s slightly smaller bowling-ball boobs as she nuzzled her snout into the crook of Jack’s neck. “Thanks.”

“Hey, you were there for me when I was being a whiny bitch-baby when we were going through that prison Cerberus kept me in. Least I can do is be a stress ball.” Jack kissed Penny chastely and pulled away. “Let’s call Nora back from wherever she is and go. This shit’s serious.”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

I was not happy. To say the least. I’m being summoned by that fucking brat now? I have to leave the voiceless Collector survivors from the cruisers in the hands of the Empire without a proper representative because some self-righteous genocidal monster wants my fucking opinion now?

Sure, the Empire are more reasonable than most, but nobody among them understands the sign languages the races of the Milky Way use for the deaf and mute and the Collectors don’t even have fucking mouths, they get nutrition from absorbing it directly via chitin contact, which was a messy affair. They don’t even have fucking lungs because they breathe through their chitin too. They don’t even need to for long stretches of time to the point of not caring.

Leaving these confused, scared and nearly helpless people to be processed without representation was wrong and I felt responsible for them as their liberator, but I have to abandon them because the fucking Catalyst finally wants to hear my input! Fucking typical!

“You know mum, pacing like a caged predator and snarling at everything is why everyone has been leaving you alone for days.” Dee oh-so-uselessly informed me and I briefly considered forcing him into shut-down, but discarded it. I made him and his brother to be smart-assed plucky engineers, if he wants to comment, let him.

“Wait, days?” I’ve been fumingly furious for days? Good gosh! No wonder I’m so hungry! “Thanks for snapping me out of it. I guess I’ve just been so absorbed in my wrath that nothing else really mattered.” I better watch that. I need to watch out for all the changes I’ve been put through. I’m bolder, prone to anger, prone to passion over sense. Yeesh, I sound like a shounen protagonist, only I actually have all the ladies instead of being oblivious to them.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re in the way of maintenance on the Hammerhead.” Daw huffed and turned me around before pushing me out of the hangar where I’d been stomping around and snarling at everything after I got called back to the Normandy and told why I had to abandon-. “Get out and go eat.”

“Yes, mother.” I rolled my eyes and went straight to my room, which was empty for once, so I chugged Argent from the tap until I was satisfied and then left my room...why is the Normandy empty? There’s...nobody here! I ran about the ship. Everyone, from Joker to Tali in the engine core, were gone! I even went back to the hangar, but Dee and Daw were gone! “What’s going on?!”

I ran back to the bridge and looked out the viewport into nothingness. Then, the nothingness was a familiar rose bush filled misty valley with a giant cherry tree in full bloom, then I wasn’t in the Normandy, I was once more sitting in the gazebo where I’d met Primus. Am I dreaming? I dream? Oh...I guess I do. I haven’t been inside of the Matrix since my battle against Harbinger on the Collector Cruiser.

When did I fall asleep? I remember returning to the Normandy, but then blank. Well...I haven’t slept since I fainted after converting Ghost, maybe it caught up with me? I need to sleep? Well, Transformers do sleep, why else would they have crew quarters, beds, the amenities organics need. I need them too.

How odd I feel more violated by the fact I need to sleep when I haven’t always been synthetic. “My child, what has you so vexed?” I gasped at the voice of Primus, though it was echoey and he wasn’t around. “Your Spark is filled with wrath and unrest. Tell me of your strife.”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

My eyes opened and I blinked up at the ceiling of my room with Yola snuggling my side and Ghost sleeping on me and using my nightshirt-clad boobs as huge pillows to snuggle. I only faintly remember speaking to Primus, my father to Hermais as my mother. I longed to remember what we spoke about, but I felt at ease, calm.

I wonder, is this what having a dad is like? I wouldn’t know, mom had to raise me alone...well, I’m glad I have a god-space-dad. Gasp! Primus is my Space Dad~! Only not fake. “Crew, we have arrived at the Citadel. Normally we let any sleepyheads rest if we arrive on the night cycle, but please get up so the giant death-machine the Citadel has turned into doesn’t decide to kill us because Nora hasn’t woken up from her coma.” Joker warily announced on the intercom and I winced.

“Was I really out that long?” I muttered to myself as I gently pushed Yola onto her back and positioned Ghost on her stomach up against her nightshirt-clad boobs like he was on mine. Daw~, they are so cute~. No! Precious sister-wife and grandson moments later...after I take a picture. Aaaaaand saved. I’m going to torment Ghost over this when he’s older~!

I snickered and tossed off the oversized nightshirt to squeeze my sexy tits into a sports bra and shimmied shorts up my thicc thighs to squeeze my ass just right. Unf, becoming a Transformer has turned into such a sexy bitch~. “Nora?” Tali mumbled as she sat up and I winked at her before slipping away to avoid waking up the others. The fewer non-essential crew for running the ship, the better. I don’t want to have to drag everyone into what is pretty much a personal problem, even if said problem threatens the whole galaxy...wow. Self-centered much?

Crap, I must be a Prime then. I’m always worrying about others over myself, even when I should be taking as much support from them as I can get. Shit, I don’t wanna rename myself! I love being Nora! Though Nexus Prime does sound really cool… “Oh, good, I thought I was going to have to carry you to the Council.” Penny in her full armor already said in relief and I snapped out of my daydream of leading the Lewdobots against the Deceptisluts.

“Sorry about the coma. I didn’t realize I need sleep now. I just did it before out of convenience or when I’m injured, et cetera.” I shrugged and sighed as I looked out of the viewport to see the Citadel splayed like a flower. The Catalyst must be desperate now that the Relay Network is gone. “Now I can hopefully put an end to this. Hell must’ve thrown the Reapers a major curveball with enough heat that they may need to either change the Cycle or even abandon it. We can hope.”

“When were you going to tell me?” I blinked and looked at Penny and felt sad at the betrayed look she had on her foxy face. “When were you going to let me know the core AI of the Reapers was in the Citadel the whole time?”

“It didn’t matter, not until it did. The Catalyst is a little brat unable to see any way besides it’s way as being the way forward and is untouchable for the most part. Now? Well, we’ll see. It wasn’t supposed to be relevant for at least several months to a few years from now. Now it’s here and I have to deal with it.” I looked back out as we neared the Citadel.

“You’re talking like you have to do this alone.” Penny huffed and I tried not to think of how sexy-scary she was with an angry pout along with her twitching extra-floofy tail.

“I just might, Penny.” I replied solemnly and looked back at the Citadel as I dove into the systems, but all connections leading to the Catalyst rerouted to the Council Chamber, where the Catalyst was projecting itself as a formless shifting mass of data in the center of the chamber, dismissing all attempts by the Councilors to speak to it.

“Silence. The Mother of Synthesis has arrived. She will be along promptly.” I heard the Catalyst announce and I sneered at it daring to speak about me at all. “Be aware that she despises me and now shares a form similar to my creators.” Yeah, what tipped you off you piece of shit?

Oh right, the leviathans are still a thing. Maybe we should visit their water world because of their mind control issue. They need to finish dying for being idiots and unleashing their monsters on the galaxy. Though, would the ones still alive be the same ones from before? How many generations have passed for them? Would the children of now be guilty of the sins of before? Ugh! Why do I have to have such a heavy conscience?!

“Your creators?” Laiel questioned as we finished docking and I immediately hurried through the airlock with Penny.

“Nexus will tell you if she wishes.” Catalyst snipped and the moment we were out of the ship I Transformed and Penny yelped when I snagged her in my tentacle-legs and flew straight towards the Presidium, ignoring the alarms and gunfire aimed at me since I had-*Schlurp~*-Eep! I just shoved Penny into my cunnie! It wasn’t pleasurable so much as enjoyable, but...she’s inside me? She’s walking around...I’m a ship! I’m a tiny freighter! Boop-boop! I am a Transformer~!

Oh hey, the Keepers are confiscating all the guns from the C-sec officers that are shooting at me! They may not be forced to obey the Reapers, but they’re helping me! Yay~! “Nora? Can you hear me?” Penny asked and I stopped swerving around like a drunken metroid. I need to stop being so giddy about everything, but I don’t want to just stop enjoying myself.

‘Yep! I hear you! Can you-whoa!’ I stopped when Penny took my controls and slotted her hands and feet into my pilot seat’s neural interface before the hood wrapped around her head. ‘Penny?’ I can’t-ah! My body is moving without me! Sh-she’s piloting me! I am oddly excited! ‘You’ve got me Penny, pilot us to the Presidium Miss Turnbuckle!’

“Treasure Island? Really?” Penny snorted and she flew me to the Presidium without deviating. Being someone’s mode of transportation was fun! Forget just being a baby and material factory when I retire, I want to be a charter ship on occasion!

‘Hey! It’s a classic!’ I defended before she flew me down to the front doors of the Council tower. She used my legs to land, then ‘squatted’ me down to the ground before disconnecting from my pilot suite. I now had full control again, but I kept still and fought against the shudder of pleasure I got from her sliding out of my quim. Now that I know what my vagina in this form is for, I can really get off on the idea of being someone’s transport with my womb being where they reside.

“Okay Nora, you can change back now.” Penny said after she passed in front of me and I promptly shifted back to my base form with a beaming smile. “Was it really that fun?”

“Yes! I loved it! Now let's get in there so I can scream at an idiot and possibly kill him.” I approached the door and the C-Sec guards let us through warily. When we entered the chamber I ignored the greetings to march right up to the catalyst. “What is it and why shouldn’t I fucking lobotomize you now that you’ve exposed yourself?”

“Deleting me would not stop the Cycle. I need you to replace the Relay Network.” Catalyst promptly answered and I sneered at him.

“...You want me to fix the system that has allowed you to harvest the galaxy every 50,000 years? Yeah, how about no? Listen: I know where to find the plans for the Crucible, I know how to bring about total Synthesis, but it is not something to be forced! Organic and Synthetic life have as much right to live separately as they do together or against each other. Free Will is the definition of Sapience. The fact you can’t understand any of this, that you fucking spat in the face of your purpose and ended unknown quadrillions of lives for an excuse of achieving the impossible is reason enough for me to kill you right now!” I snarled at it with my back-legs extended and ready to continue my rant.

“I have the solution.” I paused in my tirade and huffed with a gesture for him to go on. “You must first propagate further.” ...I’m not surprised.