Spite Ch. 46 (Patreon)

July 3, 2168HEFV Gredos, Arcturus Station, Arcturus System, Arcturus Stream

As I stepped aboard the HEFV Gredos, I couldn't help but think that this should have happened months ago.

I had brought my intentions to my counterparts in the Hierarchy and the Alliance shortly after my potential crews were vetted.

I hadn't expected objections to come from either of them. Koslo had agreed without comment and Candilin had seemed convinced when I spoke with her, but apparently Primarch Hastas had disagreed.

I suspected that most of the resistance was actually coming from Councilor Salva - Candilin had shared shortly after our meeting with the Lystheni that he had concerns about continued friction with the other two Council governments. I could see how unilaterally contacting the Geth could worsen that, but I found it hard to actually care about the opinions of two governments that have done as close to nothing as they could manage.

We had only received token assistance from either government. Sporadic support from the STG and the commando teams from Benezia's faction were hardly commensurate with the effort from any single Coalition government.

Working with Benezia and her faction was more helpful for what it meant for Emissary Jath'Amon than any direct effect from their actions.

No one I talked to could even confirm rumors that either of them were working on countermeasures to indoctrination beyond a reluctant deployment of indoctrination sensors at critical government facilities.

With a track record like that, I don't think anyone could blame me for thinking that they would continue to do nothing.

I didn't want to alienate the Hierarchy, however, so I had kept working on bringing them to my point of view.

It had taken a meeting with Primarch Hastas and laying out my case personally for him to withdraw his objections.

The Hegemon had been remarkably indifferent to the delay and even the plan itself. Beyond confirming that I had his confidence, he had no strong preference as to how the issue was resolved beyond ensuring Leviathan-2 was captured or destroyed and Edan was dead. The Geth and the problems they presented were not as dire in his mind.

He had deferred to the decisions of prior Hegemons, essentially. The opportunity to deal with the Geth had passed. So long as the Geth did not make themselves an enemy, the Hegemony would reciprocate. With that in mind, my plan was preferable over actual military intervention.

The delays did give me far more time to go through the personnel that could be assigned to this task than I thought I would have. The list was also substantially longer than the one I had initially given the SIU.

The list they returned included all of the personnel from the External Forces squadron that had been in orbit of Camala. For the most part, it had been officers that had failed to pass their scrutiny and that could be rectified easily enough by using the Bekahlcha officers from my list.

In hindsight, I should have expected their inclusion. The SIU had already done a very invasive investigation on them and proved to their satisfaction that they were not indoctrinated and had incidentally proven their loyalty.

It also included extensive psychological evaluations, something that was very useful for the purpose of excluding the personnel that would not have volunteered had they the power to do so.

Two-thirds of the crew I had selected were from that External Forces squadron, with the remainder coming from the list of Bekahlcha personnel.

"I am honored to have you aboard my vessel, Emissary," Shipmaster Kraneya said deferentially. To my understanding, Kraneya was a distant member of House Khanfet, itself an unremarkable House. Aside from being in the right place at the right time to take over the Gredos, her service history was one of quiet competence.

I was confident that she could handle the task I had in mind.

"It is a fine vessel, Shipmaster. I have been told that members of your crew were instrumental in the search on Camala." That it reflected well on her went unsaid but not unheard.

"Thank you, Emissary," her posture significantly more prideful after the compliment. She had served aboard this cruiser for long enough that it was possible that she had something to do with the competence of the 'kokan under her. "If you will follow me, I have made arrangements for you to address the crew in the hangar bay."

"Lead on, Shipmaster."

I was led into the Gredos' hangar and ascended a stage built for the purpose of addressing the crew.

My presence instantly silenced any discussion among the gathered crew. Speaking to crowds of batarians never ceased to be just a little disconcerting.

Having a crowd's full attention was never so literal as it was with a crowd of batarians heeding a member of a higher caste.

"'Kogan, 'kokan," I started, "I bring to you a task of utmost importance. Many of you have participated in operations supporting special forces against the Shadow Broker. I am sure you have noticed that operations have slowed."

I surveyed the crew and saw most of the crew nodding. This ship had ferried SIU teams on several occasions.

"Our forces have discovered Geth garrisons within Broker facilities. Their presence greatly complicates our efforts to destroy the Broker and their insidious influence throughout the galaxy. Why the Geth have chosen to do this is unclear. They are not well understood and I have decided that we must first start with base principles. To that end, I have hand-selected this vessel and its crew for an important task."

At least flattering my audience was easy. Being specifically selected by a noble was absolutely something any Hegemony batarian would take a great deal of pride in. Based on the subtle shifts in their stance, it seemed to have the desired effect. It probably had a stronger effect than it typically would since I had replaced a noticeable portion of the crew with Bekahlcha personnel. The External Forces personnel could take their presence as evidence that they had met my expectations.

"This vessel will travel to the Far Rim and approach the relay leading to the Perseus Veil. It is assumed that the Geth have a monitoring station in the system. The Gredos will broadcast a message for them. It is my intent that they will heed that message and withdraw from their conflict with us. I will admit that this is unlikely to succeed, but an attempt must be made."

I wanted to make it clear that they weren't allowed to die in the Far Rim. 'Kokan weren't death seekers, but they spent their entire life being targeted by a vast propaganda effort telling them that their life were meant to be spent.

They might take the fact that I have personally given them this mission to mean that they need to die trying. That was obviously not the case. They can and should flee as soon as Geth ships show up.

"Should they respond violently or otherwise, your mission is complete. I trust Shipmaster Kraneya to return the Gredos to Coalition space. Should they decline to respond after a full day, Shipmaster Kraneya will return to Coalition space with our obligations fulfilled."

***

July 4, 2168HEFV Gredos, En route to the Far Rim Cluster

Ratin'kokan hadn't been surprised when his time working under the SIU had resulted in an association with them that was not so quick to end.

Such was the way of things after Camala. They should have expected to be called upon by the SIU after they had expended so much effort investigating him and his fellows.

He and others within the squadron have assisted the SIU in matters that required more manpower on several occasions since then.

Ratin had hoped the reduction in operations meant that the situation was calming down, but he knew now that it was because of the appearance of Geth outside of the Perseus Veil.

He had not had the honor of fighting them yet. They promised to be a difficult opponent and he expected to die if such a fight were to occur. He had grown as old as he had by knowing the simple truth of conflict. More often than not, making the first mistake was more pivotal than having the better plan.

He found it hard to believe the Geth would make such a mistake first.

His musings were interrupted by a notification appearing on his armor's heads-up display. A new message from Staff Officer Lasrek'kogan - MBR - mission briefing in 10.

"Shipmaster," he said.

Without turning to look at him, Shipmaster Kraneya gave leave for him to continue with a conspicuous twitch of her fingers.

"Staff Officer Lasrek'kogan has need of me in the marine briefing room."

"See to it then, Delegate-Sergeant," she replied.

He gave a nod to the shipmaster and then left the bridge.

Outside of the briefing room, the four squad leaders of the Gredos' marine platoon were waiting.

"Delegate-Sergeant," Corporal-Overseer Ferden said, "do you know what is going on?"

Ratin shook his head, "In due time, Corporal."

The door opened at the scheduled time and he and the squad leaders filed in.

Staff Officer Lasrek acknowledged them as they entered. "The shipmaster has given us a target."

He had the room's projector display the system map for the Holvarn System. The system contained the primary relay that connected to the Far Rim to the Perseus Veil. The primary relay was the system's sole feature of note.

Aside from the star and the primary relay, there was a sparse asteroid belt and two small terrestrial planets. Neither of which had an atmosphere.

"The shipmaster will be looking for two targets of opportunity. The first is the expected monitoring station. Should it be located, we will be tasked with entering it and leaving datapads and a transmitter. The transmitter is intended to continue broadcasting the message after the Gredos transits out of the system. The other potential target is their comm buoy, where we will work towards the same end."

The display zoomed in on the outermost terrestrial planet, Vael'shira. Orbiting it was the primary relay.

"We will know quickly if we are needed. The monitoring station, if it exists, is most likely on this planet's surface. The most recent expedition to this system did not detect any comm buoys, but if one is present it will be in the relay's approach corridor."

Lasrek looked away from the projector towards Ratin.

"Anything to add, Delegate-Sergeant?" Lasrek asked. Ratin thought it a good sign for the boy. Knowing one's own limits was as vital as having the strength to push past them. Lasrek knew he was an inexperienced officer and worked tirelessly to rectify that by relying on Ratin's experience when and where appropriate.

For better or worse, Ratin did not have anything to add. He shook his head, "no, sir."

***

July 5, 2168HEFV Gredos, Vael'shira orbit, Holvarn System, Far Rim Cluster

No one greeted the Gredos when it arrived in the Holvarn System and the cruiser went unopposed as it broadcasted its message. After the first eight hours, Shipmaster Kraneya ordered a lower readiness state, returning the crew to their regular shift rotation.

Ratin lingered in the mess, playing a card game with Ferden and Lead Corporal Serpfel, the leader of third squad. Lead Corporal Antal, the squad leader for fourth squad, had been knocked out of the game quite early on.

"I heard from Jhinar that the message is trying to warn the Geth about mind control," said Antal.

Ferden snorted. "You are a gullible one."

"That message is not meant for us, Antal," Ratin warned. "Your technician friend is fortunate that no one has seen fit to replace Commissar Procar."

Whatever the contents of the message were, the fact remained that it was intended for the Geth. If Emissary Iraphi wanted the crew of Gredos to know, she would have told them to listen to it.

She had not.

A disgruntled Antal made to respond but was interrupted by the shipmaster activating the vessel's intercom, "marines to the hangar."

With their argument halted by the order, the corporals quickly stood up and made for the crew ladder, knowing that it would be faster than the crew elevator as they were only one deck away from the hangar.

Ratin followed close behind after gesturing for one of mess crew to clean up the table.

Once the marines were all assembled and equipped, Lasrek gave a brief explanation, "we found their monitoring station. We will land nearby, enter the structure and set up the transmitter. We haven't detected any defenses, be cautious."

He and his fellow 'kokan nodded their understanding.

Less than ten minutes later, the marine platoon was disembarking their shuttles and approaching a small collection of sensors and transmitters protruding from the ground. Underneath a thin layer of earth was their target.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Ratin as they approached, nor did anything come up to repel them.

Lasrek was staring at the equipment as the 'kokan under him spread out to search for an entrance.

"Jhinar," he called the closest technician and pointed to the transmitters, "this has been tampered with, yes?"

The technician glanced up from his omnitool and examined the collection of Geth technology. "It seems so, sir." Jhinar walked up to it and began taking scans. "This is the main transmitter for reporting the station's data, but it has been deactivated in favor of this other system."

He physically tapped another transmitter that, on closer examination, was entirely above ground and spliced into the installation's systems. "This unit is a separate computer system and transmitter."

"Is it a tap?" Ratin asked. It was his first thought. He could not see why the Geth would do so, however.

"Possible. It could be sending the data to another destination or modifying the data before transmission. It is also Geth, though."

"Disable this secondary transmitter. Once that is done, we will leave our own." Lasrek ordered.

"As you say, Staff Officer."

While Jhinar worked, it became clear that they would not be able to enter the monitoring station. "Gredos, Lasrek, this structure is inaccessible. Maintenance corridors were not intended for bipeds. Additionally, the structure appears to have been tampered with - a secondary device has been spliced into the installation's transmitter. My technicians have disabled this device. We will deploy our transmitter on top of the structure."

Perhaps they should have expected the Geth to use small maintenance drones rather than their bipedal platforms. It also explained why there were no combat platforms to defend the installation.

"Acknowledged, Lasrek. Proceed."

Ratin settled in to wait.

After thirty minutes, their work was done and Lasrek called for the shuttles.

Once the platoon was safely returned to the Gredos' hangar the marines began returning their equipment to the armory. Ratin oversaw the process while Lasrek went to report to Shipmaster Kraneya. The staff officer was obviously preoccupied by the implications of the Geth apparently using espionage methods against themselves.

Ratin was glad that he did not need to worry over such things. He liked knowing what was happening, but he did not concern himself overmuch with analysis.

He did, however, find cause for concern when the Gredos' power plant surged to full power.

The battle alarm began ringing.

Ratin quickly reversed the flow of equipment, marines taking back their rifles and surging off to their assigned areas.

Once the last team was out, Ratin returned to the bridge. He glanced at Lead Corporal Serpfel who wordlessly informed him that the squad assigned to defending the bridge was all accounted for.

Ratin took his post and surreptitiously scanned the tactical plot.

A Geth cruiser and three frigates were burning towards the Gredos, not yet close enough to engage.

"Shipmaster!" the sensor operator shouted, "more contacts just came through the relay." The plot changed to display a larger segment of space. The first group were to their front, behind them lay the relay and the nine vessels that had just arrived and were now burning towards them.

After examining the plot, Kraneya said, "We will withdraw from the system in an hour." Based on the range, it would take almost two hours for the Geth to get to weapons' range.

Curiously, the first group started decelerating.

"The relay squadron is hailing us, Shipmaster." The communications officer's calm voice failed to completely hide his surprise.

Kraneya hesitated slightly before replying, "accept it, Lead Officer."

After a moment, a synthetic voice said, "Data received. HEFV Gredos, withdraw immediately."

Kraneya stared at the display for several seconds. "Our mission is complete, Geth. the Gredos will withdraw."

At a gesture, the communications officer cut the link. The Gredos transited out of the system only a few minutes later.

It was clear that the encounter left everyone on the bridge with questions. Ratin was no exception, but in matters such as these, he was comfortable with not knowing.

Whatever the details, it seemed the emissary's plan was met with some success.