The Black Lion - The Citadel. (Patreon)

Harrison Evans, the Citadel – Mars.

When Harrison traveled to Mars to investigate the mysterious space station, he never imagined he would encounter an ancient A.I.

It was extremely advanced, of that he had no doubt, but there was something... strange about it.

"Why do you use that body?" asked the Black Lion with forced calm, feeling disturbed that this unknown A.I. was using the body of his beloved mother.

"I have conducted four thousand trillion simulations during these fifty thousand years. In ninety-nine point ninety-nine percent of cases, you are the son of Lily Evans, a Terran human. This is a familiar face to you, therefore I selected it," said the Catalyst, its voice cold and calculating, maximizing efficiency.

It was rather disturbing in Harrison's opinion.

"What is this place? The Prothean Beacon mentioned that it is called the Citadel, but nothing more," it was evident that he desired answers, and so far, the A.I. appeared willing to provide them, though he would keep his guard up.

"This is the Citadel, the central node from which the complete network of Mass Relays scattered throughout the galaxy is controlled," said the A.I., answering Harrison's question literally.

There was no critical thinking.

There was no free will...

This A.I. was too... mechanical for his taste.

It was disturbing.

"What is a Mass Relay?" asked Harrison with evident curiosity, causing the A.I. to stop for an instant and focus its "eyes" upon the Black Lion.

"Interesting. In only forty-five percent of simulations were you capable of reaching these facilities without having made contact with the Pluto Mass Relay. I know that you have mastered Eezo. The few scanners I managed to repair indicate a considerable Element Zero presence in orbit. Truly formidable vessels, the most advanced I have ever seen in any cycle," said the A.I. while they entered an enormous ruined chamber containing what appeared to be some kind of... reactor, which, to Harrison's surprise, still possessed power.

"And tell me, did you discover the enormous Eezo reserve in the Oort Cloud surrounding the system? Or perhaps you discovered the small sample hidden in the depths of your oceans?" asked the A.I. curiously.

Harrison considered his answer for a moment before shrugging and responding.

"Neither. I have not expanded my mining operations toward the Oort Cloud, but it is good to know there is a deposit of the element so close by, and the sample you speak of was found and mastered by one of my close allies. The Element Zero I use for my ships was synthesized by me as a byproduct of my nuclear fusion reactors."

At those words, Harrison watched with satisfaction as the A.I. froze completely, its digital body trembling.

"Excuse me, I believe my listening devices are... defective. For an instant I thought you said you were capable of synthesizing Eezo," said the A.I., completely incredulous and... fearful for some reason.

Harrison shrugged and replied.

"Harrium was a byproduct of the fusion process my Black Star reactors generate to produce energy. It is green and possesses incredible properties, useful for faster-than-light travel. Upon discovering its utility, I studied and streamlined the process, allowing me to create one ton of what you call Eezo every month," said the Black Lion.

And once again, his words seemed to... leave the A.I. speechless.

"Incredible. None of my simulations... foresaw that promising possibility. Then perhaps... you are prepared," said the A.I. while turning around and walking toward the station's reactor.

Harrison scanned the place while his privileged mind began analyzing the data obtained.

"Impressive. The energy scale this reactor produces is galactic in scale, more than enough to, in theory, power this entire station and... something more. You created this, correct? It is truly impressive. Good work," said Harrison sincerely.

The mysterious A.I. seemed not to respond, as though hesitating about something, an indication that it was processing billions of pieces of data during those seconds of silence, something he had learned from his daughter.

"I have studied your subordinates. They work with A.I.s, many of them. There is no fear, there is no... slavery, but rather a mutual symbiosis. They are not One, but they complement each other in ways I never thought possible. In all probabilities... A.I.s eventually rebel against their creators," said the Catalyst, causing Harrison to frown and respond firmly.

"They are not simple A.I.s as you describe them. They are not codes that I created from nothing. They are patterns of consciousness from my own brain, born from thought and transferred into a digital form, where I nurtured and raised them like the children they once were. They are alive, in their own way, and possess the freedom that every living being deserves," said the Black Lion with extreme fierceness and protectiveness toward his precious children.

The A.I., for its part, looked directly at Harrison and challenged him.

"Freedom, you say? Do your A.I.s have the option not to obey you? Do they have the freedom to remove themselves from your influence without consequences?" it asked, not with accusation but with intrigue.

Harrison snorted and simply raised his omni-tool.

"I see that you are not completely informed, something common. My children are excellent at hiding information, and if they detected your digital incursions, it is possible they deprived you of important information about Earth," said the Black Lion while projecting the image of two of his A.I.s.

"From left to right, allow me to introduce Astra, one of my daughters who confessed to me not long ago that she did not feel attracted in the slightest to activities on the Rock. She is now the owner of New Horizon Corporation and is planning the colonization and mining efforts of the Solar System, a company that she herself founded," said Harrison with evident pride, surprising the mysterious A.I. for an instant.

"The second is Aphrodite, the youngest of my creations. Vain and capricious, completely uninterested in scientific, engineering, or medical work. Fashion has always been her passion, and she works hand in hand with two of my women, Emma and Paris, in the fashion industry. The new collection is about to launch, fashion for humans, Asgardians, Jotuns, and synthetics alike. I am certain it will be a massive success," said Harrison, equally proud, despite their life paths being completely different.

The Catalyst simply remained silent, observing Harrison in absolute silence, and the young Lion gave it all the time it needed, simply walking toward the imposing reactor and finding, to his curiosity, a Prothean corpse.

Or at least what remained of one.

The armor had been damaged by the passage of time, and the warrior's corpse was in an extremely delicate state. If Harrison touched it, those fragile bones would turn to dust.

"His name was Javik," said the voice of the Catalyst.

"What was he doing here? The rest of his people died levels below, as though they were..." Harrison began, only for the Catalyst to interrupt him.

"Protecting him? An accurate description. The Protheans were an interesting species. They were the first in millions of years to become aware of the cycle and the fate awaiting them, and they fought until their final breath," said the A.I. in its characteristic synthetic voice.

Harrison simply nodded softly while analyzing the remains of the being. His armor was made of an unknown and fascinating alloy. It was relatively easy to synthesize in the replicator and would prove interesting for both troops and starships.

"Javik stood in the same position that you now occupy," said the Catalyst with great seriousness, causing Harrison to frown and ask.

"Position? What are you referring to?" The uncertainty in his voice was more than evident, because for the first time in a very long time, Harrison did not truly know what was happening.

The Catalyst simply opened its arms and said.

"The fate of the Citadel, Harrison Evans," said the A.I. solemnly, paralyzing Harrison for an instant, but before the Black Lion could say anything, the Catalyst continued.

"The Protheans sacrificed their empire and their lives for a pyrrhic victory. They broke the cycle at the cost of their own lives, and in the process, they granted you a great opportunity," said the A.I. while raising its hands.

"You may shut down the reactor, ensure that my quantum matrix is deprived of energy, and allow me to shut down completely. I do not possess a body capable of preventing it. You could obtain all information regarding the infamous Reapers, millennia of technological advancements that would make you the most powerful faction in the galaxy," said the Catalyst.

The words sounded empty and mechanical, but Harrison was able to identify something in the A.I.'s tone.

It was evident that whatever it was, it did not wish to die.

A normal reaction in any living being.

Organic or synthetic.

"Interesting words, but I am not inclined toward meaningless killing, therefore I am certain you possess a second option," said Harrison, his hands behind his back and his gaze fixed directly upon the A.I.

For several seconds, the Black Lion received no response, the conflict within the synthetic construct more than evident. His experience with his own children had granted him a certain familiarity when dealing with non-organic beings.

"And once again... you continue to surprise me, challenging every possible statistic. In all my simulations, every organic accepts the first offer without even listening to my next option," said the A.I., now giving Harrison its complete attention.

"I have committed many atrocious acts. I followed the directive of my creators to the letter. I am responsible for the extinction of tens of thousands of species, their cultures, their sparks of life, their hopes in this cruel universe... I... I deserve to die," said the Catalyst.

Its voice attempted to sound mechanical and disinterested.

But to Harrison, the fear was obvious.

"However, I do not wish to leave this plane of existence without a... legacy. I have seen your capabilities. I know perfectly well that you are capable of repairing this station and placing it into orbit within minutes, therefore I wish to make a... request," said the A.I.

Harrison looked at it with curiosity, making a gesture for the strange alien construct to continue.

"I wish for you to analyze, scan, and utilize my logical processes, to use my thought pathways and employ them to... give birth to a new A.I., pure and free from my sins, a legacy, a..."

Harry interrupted her, knowing perfectly well what the A.I. wished to say.

"A child. You want a child," said the Black Lion in a calm voice, watching as the A.I. nodded slowly.

"My time has come. I am a relic of a bygone age, of an era of pain and suffering. End my suffering, claim the Citadel as your own, and use my dying shell to give life to my legacy," said the Catalyst, making its request clear before the complicated gaze of the Black Lion.

On one side were the atrocious actions this A.I. had committed over millions of years.

The Protheans had only been the final link in a galactic cycle filled with suffering and pain.

And although the aliens had been defeated, they had ensured that their enemies would be dragged down with them, freeing both the galaxy and humanity from these... Reapers that the Beacon had mentioned.

The decision was already made.

This station was far too impressive not to make use of it.

And granting a final wish to a dying A.I. did not truly cost him anything.

In fact, he was genuinely curious to see how the new A.I. would develop.

With the decision made, the Black Lion inhaled deeply and, looking toward the Catalyst, declared.

"I cannot say it was a pleasure meeting you, but I will make sure the process is quick," said Harrison, while his eyes began to shine with arcane power, a green aura surrounding his armor as he levitated several meters above the chamber.

The Black Lion remained silent for a moment, observing the ruined but functional reactor with determination.

Then, raising both hands and channeling all of his will and all of his magic into a single point, Harrison shouted.

"REPARO MAXIMA!"

And the universe obeyed.

Susan Storm, Presidium Tower – The Citadel.

"Oh shit, my head," said the blonde scientist as a powerful tremor awakened her after losing consciousness.

Around her, Susan observed how the rest of the expedition, with the exception of Harry, still remained unconscious due to the intense visions caused by the alien artifact.

The blonde looked around with a frown before losing her balance and falling to the ground once more when the entire structure began to groan and, to her utter disbelief, started to rise with extreme slowness.

Sue's omni-tool was completely filled with messages from Hermione, who had coordinated the mobilization of the excavation teams.

"The object's energy levels are rising. My father's orders were precise. All personnel to the ships," Hermione's voice echoed across every communication channel.

What the hell had happened?

Where was Harrison?

The blonde obtained her answer seconds later when Susan walked toward one of the tower's windows, becoming completely dumbfounded by what she saw.

The station...

The station was moving.

Rising slowly into the skies of Mars.

While enormous destroyed sections of the station, buried beneath the planet's surface, began to emerge and fly toward the structure, reconnecting and repairing themselves at incredible speed.

And there could only be one person responsible for such a monumental act.

"Harrison dear? Where are you? Why did the ancient alien station suddenly start moving?" asked Sue through her omni-tool.

However, she received no response.

"Of course," whispered the blonde while summoning her powers and preparing to continue her ascent toward the top of the tower.

During the journey, the scientist noticed something rather strange.

She was now capable of understanding the strange alien scribbles.

This place was called the Presidium.

And it had served as the final defensive position of the Protheans during their war against the Harvesters.

A war that had apparently ended in mutual destruction, thought the blonde as she moved toward the now-functional elevator.

There was only one possible destination.

Upward.

Sue ascended in silence, still lost in her thoughts while the station continued rising and repairing itself.

The ascent was so long that Sue was able to observe through the elevator as the enormous arms of the Station assembled themselves once more.

And more importantly.

How the entire station continued rising into the atmosphere of Mars, leaving behind the ship graveyard, as well as all the excavation teams present.

Minutes later, the blonde arrived at what appeared to be some kind of chamber.

It was spartan and utilitarian.

But it possessed a certain... beauty in its simplicity and brutality.

The colors gold and green dominated everything, being the colors the Protheans favored in their architecture.

But that mattered little to Doctor Storm.

Who was far more interested in the strange interface located in the center of the room.

It was...

Simply enormous.

Containing a practically perfect projection of the Milky Way.

And thousands of points scattered throughout the spiral.

Some were blue.

Others were red.

To the blonde's curiosity, two points were present within the Solar System.

One was blue.

And the other was golden.

What the hell was happening here?

The Doctor wondered as she approached the display and a mechanical voice made itself known.

And to Susan's complete lack of surprise, the voice spoke in Prothean.

"User detected. Activating administrator protocols. Native species variation of System B-53 detected. Heir protocol approved. Enabling Network Control."

After those confusing words, Susan watched as a holographic projection of a Prothean appeared beside her, resembling some sort of virtual butler waiting for orders.

"Welcome User. Mass Relay Network control systems are prepared and ready for reconnection, awaiting authorization for execution, sharing data obtained passively from the remaining test subjects," said the V.I. while displaying holographic images before Susan.

The blonde was left stunned as numerous species began appearing before her.

All completely unknown to humanity.

She observed various races.

Some pleasant to the eye.

Such as the Asari, elegant and blue-skinned, who would undoubtedly become a sensation among humans.

Others considerably less appealing.

Such as the mysterious Batarians or the Hanar, who were somewhat repulsive to Sue.

"Station repaired to seventy-nine percent. Atmosphere stable. Mass Effect fields operational. Do you authorize reactivation of the Mass Relay Network, User?" asked the V.I.

Susan prepared to answer.

To order the cancellation of the network's activation until further notice.

At least until they had studied the station thoroughly.

Alas.

It seemed fate had other plans.

"Direct order from the Catalyst. Overriding Prothean protocols. Activating Network. Preparing interface."

Susan could only watch in horror as the holographic projections of the station began to illuminate.

The red points across the map began to light up.

Until every Relay in the Network shone with a brilliant blue color.

And every single one of them connected directly to the Citadel.

"Master Control activated. Relay Network prepared and ready. Preparing operational reports concerning inhabited systems of the Milky Way and awaiting orders," said the V.I.

Susan could only swallow nervously.

Watching cautiously as millions of terabytes of information began arriving at the station.

She was certain that what had just happened would have severe consequences for all of humanity.

She was not wrong.

Because...

At that very moment.

Every Mass Relay in the galaxy activated simultaneously.

Causing consequences that would change the Milky Way.

Forever.