"Tali, connect to the tech, I need to bring an intact capsule here so the Queen can move into it. Then the capsule must be closed and disconnected so we can move it to the SSV Normandy."
"Okay."
There was agreement in her voice.
"And also, do everything so that you can falsify the recording in the shortest possible time, so that a recording of her destruction can be sent to the Council."
"Ah?"
"I don't know what we'll do yet, but..."
"I understand, but I don't know how to fake recordings."
There was sadness in Gadget's voice.
"Well... if you don't know how, then we'll improvise. In the meantime, we need to call the SSV Normandy. If Benezia and Aria T'Loak are finished there, let them load onto the ship and fly here."
"I'll arrange everything..."
Jane nodded.
"I thank you, my song will praise you."
"Oh, you're thanking me too early... I haven't decided anything yet; rather, I want to consult with those who are much more experienced than I am. So your life is still hanging by a thread."
"I... understand... but you haven't interrupted my song yet, which means there is a possibility that my song will not break off further."
"John, there's nothing left of the Huntresses after the Singularities, but we managed to search Elysia's body. She had a pistol and a data disk. We took the Omni-tool too. I don't know if we can get anything out of all this, but..."
"Good, all that's left is to wait..."
Garrus Vakarian chuckled and stepped aside, after which we indeed began to wait, watching Tali work. And she worked fast and extremely precisely. Not even ten minutes had passed before the Queen moved into an intact flask. And then the flask was moved to the complex's transport platform, where we also headed. At the same time, we sent Elysia's body in the old flask along the same route as the Rachni.
"John..."
As soon as we were on the SSV Normandy, I saw a displeased Aria T'Loak meeting us in the cargo bay.
"What is this?"
"This? This is the Rachni Queen..."
I shrugged carelessly.
"...and this is Matriarch Elysia's body, and now you will see a trick."
I nodded to the Queen, and the body slowly rose.
"I greet your song, those who will decide my fate."
"Fuck..."
The word came synchronously from Aria T'Loak and Benezia.
"...she... is sentient and speaks?"
"Exactly. And that is exactly what my problem is related to, as well as the fact that she is essentially a test subject, and killing her..."
I winced.
"What, remembering your own childhood?"
Aria T'Loak smiled mockingly, and the others cast a brief glance at me, as she didn't hesitate to bring up this topic in front of my subordinates.
"Partly... And if you gave me a chance then, now I've decided to give her a chance myself... if you can call it that, since I'm handing her over to you for judgment. After all, you are both experienced enough to calculate the risks that I cannot see."
"And do you see them at all?"
Aria T'Loak continued to needle me, while Benezia frowned slightly, looking at the Rachni, who remained silent.
"Well, I see some of the pros in the form of, possibly, a large army when the Reapers attack; also, the Rachni can be used as helpers in construction... in many places. But all this will only be relevant as long as there is a Reaper threat..."
"Just say Reapers, it's much more convenient."
Aria T'Loak waved her hand carelessly.
"Yeah... so, if we're lucky enough to survive the coming war, then the problems will start, because a common enemy unites, but the lack of one... well, Humanity is still gnawing at each other on Earth. And it's not just Humanity that's fragmented... Asari, you don't call them countries, but Matriarchs' areas of influence, but you gnaw at each other too..."
"We understand."
Benezia interrupted me.
"And overall you're right; personally, I can already name about fifteen positive points of coexistence and about thirty negative ones. However, they need to be weighed, calculated... and only then can a conclusion be drawn as to what will be more profitable for us. Aria T'Loak, we need to..."
"Yes, yes... talk. Let's step into that corner and talk."
The two Matriarchs stepped away, and I looked around and gestured for Tali to come over.
"Yes, Captain?"
She was slightly tense.
"Here..."
I handed her the data disk and Elysia's Omni-tool.
"...hack it and check it, but use a computer without a network connection for this. It would be great if you don't just disconnect it from the network, but pull out the block responsible for it entirely."
"Protocol 'Exodus'?"
I blinked in surprise.
"Which one?"
"Oh! Sorry... it's just that with the name and some other points, you fit Quarian traditions so well that I forget you don't belong to our race. Protocol 'Exodus' is the protocol used when they tried to hack the Geth during the Morning War. To prevent them from hacking the complex systems and then the ships, a computer or Omni-tool not connected to the systems was used, and then the data from it wasn't just transferred—no, the data was photographed from the monitor, then the computer itself was completely wiped and deleted. The photographed data, in disarray, divided into several parts in case of a virus encrypted in an unknown way, was converted into digital form, then photographed again, and only after that combined on another medium."
"Paranoids..."
Ashley Williams couldn't help but comment on what she heard.
"You'll take the equipment in the container. There are enough computers and simple Omni-tools there."
"Okay."
Tali nodded and immediately headed for the container, while in the meantime, I again turned my attention to Aria T'Loak and Benezia, who were talking off to the side.
"So, what have you decided?"
"Who the hell knows..."
"But I know."
Aria T'Loak smirked.
"And what do you know?"
"I know..."
She looked mockingly at Benezia, who had asked the question.
"...that we will do the same as John. Shift the responsibility to the Council, or more precisely, to one specific representative of the Council. You are assigned to the Asari part of the corps, aren't you?"
I nodded, though Aria T'Loak didn't need my answer. She understood perfectly well that she was right, since I had been sending her information.
"Well, report to her, let her have the headache. Because... no, killing isn't a problem and my hand won't waver unlike yours, but... she really can bring benefits. So let either Tevos decide, or if she doesn't have the brains, let her involve the rest of the Council."
"Fine... we'll deal with that... Is this Matriarch familiar to you?"
"No."
Aria T'Loak shook her head carelessly, while Benezia thoughtfully examined the body with a hole in its forehead.
"Some extra?"
"Um... I've seen her somewhere..."
Benezia scratched her chin uncertainly.
"And where was that?"
I looked at Benezia with interest, but she only shook her head.
"I don't remember..."
"Well, then she wasn't anyone truly important."
Aria T'Loak waved her hand dismissively.
"Now let's step aside and talk business."
"Well, let's."
And we went into my cabin, where we settled in with great comfort.
"Before we begin..."
I activated my Omni-tool and used it to give the women access to the database that Tali had swiped from the complex.
"...there's a ton of data here, scientific, and just various dirt, but all this needs to be sorted through and we need to think about how to apply it."
"Ho-o-o-oh..."
Aria T'Loak looked at me approvingly.
"...also..."
Using my Omni-tool again, I sent them the recording of the conversation with the Asari who was now acting as a relay, allowing communication with the Rachni Queen.
"And this can be used..."
Benezia nodded approvingly.
"Fuck..."
"What?"
I looked at Benezia with slight surprise. "It's just all this..."
She moved her hand through the air.
"...I still hoped that those memories of yours were just a fantasy, excessively real, of an inflamed childhood mind that you believed yourself."
"Aria T'Loak..."
There was condemnation in Benezia's voice.
"What, Aria T'Loak?! You want to say you haven't thought about it yourself? Haven't hoped for the same? Because the future that awaits us is horrific."
"Speaking of a horrific future, or rather a horrific past to which it refers us. Liara. Please come to my cabin."
I called the girl, activating my Omni-tool.
"You want us to look in her memory at how she dug into Jane's memory?"
Benezia tilted her head inquiringly.
"Exactly."
I nodded.
"Just to finally smash the rose-colored glasses and Aria T'Loak will finally stop hoping that the trouble will pass us by."
"M-da..."
Aria T'Loak shook her head.
"To hell with you..."
We waited for Liara, and she allowed her mother and Aria T'Loak to look into her head without any problems. And after both Asari learned exactly what Jane had seen, silence fell over the cabin.
"Fuck..."
A single word from Aria T'Loak, and then she rubbed her face with her palms. After which, as if peeking out from behind her palms, she looked at me.
"Listen, you won't forget about me, will you?"
I raised an eyebrow in slight confusion.
"Don't mind her, Aria T'Loak is just a little panicked... I am too, but... I have a place on Thessia, though I doubt I'll be meeting the harvest there. Most likely, I'll choose one of your colonies for that. But Aria T'Loak, she, as you know, is used to dealing with pirates, and they like to stab in the back."
But despite Benezia's words, Aria T'Loak continued to look at me.
"Aria T'Loak..."
I tried to smile so that she would feel my support.
"You helped me at the moment when I needed help the most. And I am grateful to you for that. And naturally, there will always be a place for you on any of my colonies. If you want, we'll move Omega Station to the colonies; if you want, you can just move and take an important role on the board of directors."
Aria T'Loak sighed with some relief.
"So... what are we going to do?"
"And what can we do? We already have several projects launched... And colony defense... And underground bunkers being built on the border with the mantle using modern technology. And even escape ships... also being built deep underground. What else can we do?"
"Well, basically nothing..."
Benezia shook her head.
"...just keep doing what we're already doing. But I will talk to the Council of Matriarchs anyway. And if they don't start doing anything at all, I will finally withdraw all my capital from Thessia."
"Pff!"
"Daughter..."
Benezia looked at the snorting Liara.
"...I know you moved to one of John's colonies long ago. But I have a responsibility to other Asari."
"Well, then move them..."
I replied with a slight smirk.
"...I've said many times, specialists, even the kind that Asari mostly like to become in the early stages of life, are needed in my colonies. So move the Asari to my colonies."
"I've already started that process... but a Matriarch must care not only for those who follow her, but for everyone else..."
"You're talking nonsense..."
Aria T'Loak shook her head.
"You should only care about those who follow you. And the rest... the rest are on their own."
***
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