"All of the rescued prisoners have been settled, Empress. We can leave for the Citadel on your command."
Revan nodded at the update. "Make the announcement that we will be leaving in ten minutes and plot a course using the Mass Effect Relays as the final approach and send a message ahead. No need to frighten the politicians too much by showing up unannounced."
"Yes, ma'am. ETA for the Serpent Nebula is six hours."
If things had been different, Revan would have preferred to avoid going anywhere close to the Citadel and simply focus on her own territory. But acquiring a couple thousand prisoners from the Cerberus Prison facility had altered her plans.
Revan could simply unload all of them on a planet that she controlled or even one in Citadel Space and allow them to deal with the prisoners. The amount would be a slight shock to the local systems to deal with, but not much more than what was already occurring thanks to refugees fleeing the Reapers and at planetary levels a few extra thousand was a rounding error.
But this was an opportunity to turn the heart of Citadel Space against Cerberus that simply would not be possible otherwise.
Because while Cerberus was officially labeled a terrorist organization, for most of the Citadel residents they simply were another violent group. Not a group that had almost twice now released something that could have ended galactic civilization.
Surely they couldn't be much worse than any of the other pro-species terrorist groups out there?
Revan hoped that by showing the bureaucrats in the Citadel the sheer scale that Cerberus could operate in by showing them the thousands of prisoners in one facility and the rest of the populous that even humans weren't safe from Cerberus, the organization would have many of their silent partners and supported turn away from them.
And by releasing the rescued prisoners in the heart of Citadel Space, stories about what Cerberus had done to them would spread light years faster than if Revan used a different location.
It would be the first move in her plan to corner and eventually destroy Cerberus entirely.
But that would be for the future.
For now she caught a shuttle and made her way over to the Normandy. Not only had Shepard invited her and Tali'Zorah over to let them reunite with some previous teammates they had picked up, Revan also wanted to have another conversation with the Turian Primarch while he was available. His support would do a lot to help broker deals for the Empire.
"Revan!"
"Wrex." The Empress nodded at the Krogan warlord's boisterous greeting. "It hasn't been that long, but I assume you've been well?"
"Slowly going insane, more like." Wrex unexpectedly scowled! "Between that damn Salarian and his needles and Shepard getting up to her normal brand of crazy, it seems like everyone else is out there having all the fun while I just keep getting stabbed in my… well, you don't need to know that part."
"But things are going well? With the Genophage cure, I mean?"
"I wouldn't know. The Doc sounds excited about the progress but I can't understand half the things he says."
Revan nodded at that. It was a familiar frustration for many people interacting with experts that sometimes forgot that their audience did not have several academic encyclopedias memorized or that their vocabulary choices would actually make things less clear if they used incredibly specific terminology.
She, herself, had occasionally been a perpetrator of doing so when it came to engineering projects and had actually gotten worse about the habit thanks to the Geth's ability to simply download or look up most of the information they lacked in real-time.
"I see… and the reason you are here to greet me? I'd have assumed you would be catching up with the others. I know Admiral Tali'Zorah was excited to see you again." Revan said.
"Yeah, little pyjak has moved up in the world." Wrex mused before shaking his head. "But she's currently catching up with Shepard and there's only so much talk about ship movements and logistics I can take before I want to fall asleep. Besides, I didn't want to miss you meeting Javik properly for the first time. Not with him getting on your little Asari friend's last nerve."
Lymrase?
Yes, the Asari Jedi was a bit more emotionally unstable thanks to Revan forcing her to break from her old mindset, but she shouldn't be that easy to upset.
Either Revan had misjudged her situation or this Javik was particularly irritating. Either way, she should probably step in before something unfortunate happened.
"Thank you for the warning. Though I have to admit, I wouldn't have expected you to play peacemaker while Shepard was busy."
Wrex laughed, "Peacemaker? I just don't want to miss what happens when he opens his mouth."
Particularly irritating, it was then.
Revan decided to deal with that first and tracked down Lymrase in the Normandy's exercise hall. Apparently her apprentice had been focusing on her lightsaber forms when this Javik had interrupted her. And given the conversation topic, she could understand why Lymrase was starting to lose her patience with the crustacean looking alien.
"What you have said does not change the fact that this weapon of yours is simply an overengineered primitive weapon. Any modern firearm would be more efficient than limiting yourself to a melee weapon regardless of the biotic techniques you rely on."
"It's not about efficiency. A jedi– a Force-user's lightsaber is an extension of themselves. It's not just a tool that someone carries around, there are plenty of traditions that explain this!"
"Traditions you either fail to adequately elaborate on or don't know the history of." Javik grumbled. "And truthfully I do not care what superstitious nonsense you Asari have invented to justify using a sword as a primary weapon, I just want to know why this technology has not been developed in a manner that can be used against the Reapers."
"Partly because the creation of a proper lightsaber requires some level of Force Alchemy to work correctly, meaning any creation of one is an artisan level of production. And partly because that process forges a Force Bond between the creator and the weapon in a way that makes ranged weaponry actively harmful to the user if one was made as a ranged weapon like you were likely expecting." Revan said, inserting herself into the conversation.
"Alchemy and bonds." The Prothean deadpanned as he gave Revan a look of pure scorn. "More mysticism nonsense. More likely it was an experimental process designed by my people before the complete fall of our civilization your primitive minds could not fully grasp."
"That would be impressive considering the technology behind lightsabers and their predecessors, forcesabers, are over 34,000 years old and originated in an entirely different galaxy than this one." Revan riposted. "And do not so easily dismiss mysticism when it comes to a Force-user. With the right tools and knowledge, even a rather weak adept could warp reality around them."
"That sounds like poorly understood biotics." Javik said stubbornly.
"Can biotics create fire? Lightning? Illusions that seem as real to any sense you care to name?" Revan said as she created examples of each technique. "Or perhaps you would like a talisman that can render its wearer invisible? Rituals that could imbue objects with protective qualities beyond their natural characteristics? Or," Revan held up the hilt to one of her lightsabers, "help create a blade that can almost instantly cut any material while bonding to it in a way that allows you to find it anywhere or use it as a focus to perform other techniques, no matter the distance?"
"...that has nothing to do with the efficiency of using a gun over a sword." Javik said, sidestepping the issue.
He was just going to keep picking at different parts until she agreed with him or could not form a convincing argument, wasn't he?
"Very well. In that case would you like a personal demonstration? Any firearm you care to use against my lightsaber. If you can even touch my shields I'll concede to your point." Revan offered and she could see Javik consider the offer.
"Heh, heh. This is what I was waiting for." Wrex laughed off to one side.
-o-
"Wow, sounds like you've been busy." Shepard said as Tali finished telling them about the resettling efforts still ongoing on Rannoch. "Even with the Geth helping get the remnants of the Migrant Fleet settled."
"What's even going to happen to all those ships now that the Quarians don't need them?" Garrus asked. "Are you going to refit them, or try selling them off?"
"Most of the older ones are getting broken down and used to build more Imperial-style ships along with what Geth model ships we can spare." Tali admitted. "All the refit packages are being focused on the Krogan ships instead."
"Krogan ships?!" Shepard blurted out.
"Yes, the Krogan have a semi-formal alliance with Revan's Empire." Liara revealed. "In return for air on Tuchanka, they have been fixing up and rearming the decommissioned Krogan fleet for their own use."
"Well damn. When did that happen?" Garrus asked.
"Not long before the first summit meeting before we went off to retrieve Eve."
Shepard frowned and looked at the Asari Shadow Broker. "I thought the Empire still had a months-long waitlist for things like that. Or was Revan just exaggerating for the politicians?"
Liara shrugged halfheartedly. "She was talking about the planetary shields specifically, and she wasn't exaggerating. There really is a rather long waitlist for those things even if two new factories were recently opened to meet the demand. The parts for ship sized weapons and shields are actually starting to be sold on the black market in Citadel space."
"I don't know if Revan will like that." Tali muttered. "Should you even be telling me that, even if you are an information broker?"
"It will be fine. Who do you think contacted me to help sell them in the first place?"
"You know, between all the missions and craziness that normally follows Shepard, I sort of forgot Liara is the head of the largest underground criminal market in the galaxy and not just able to find out whatever information she needs."
"Funny, I was thinking the same thing." Shepard added. "Hey Liara, any reason you haven't gotten us some of those upgrades?"
"Mostly because while those upgrades are incredible compared to most of what non-Reapertech has to offer, it is also very 'loud' compared to our current systems. Since most of the Normandy's operation relies on its abilities as a stealth frigate, I didn't see the point in offering anything that compromised that ability."
"Fair," Shepard grumbled, "but I still would have liked to know it was an option. The Alliance in particular would pay for any upgrades we could send their way."
Liara tilted her head, "They already are, along with the Turians and the Volus. It mostly hasn't been advertised because Revan is expecting issues between the Asari and Salarian Council members and is trying to avoid that as long as possible."
"Huh… that's good to know."
Shepard wasn't surprised that there were things going on in the background she wasn't aware of. There was simply too much going on with the war against the Reapers for her to catch up on every little thing.
It was just a pleasant surprise for once that positive things were happening in the background without her direct involvement for once.
Maybe things were starting to look up!
"Commander, a live weapon alert has been detected in the fitness room. Javik seems to be attacking Revan." EDI suddenly announced from a nearby speaker.
…or not.
Shepard was already moving towards the elevator even as she tried to get more context for the alert. "Can you tell me why a member of my crew just opened fire on the head of state for the newest galactic empire, EDI?" She barely paid attention to Garrus, Liara, and Tali shadowing her steps because of how much she was rushing.
"To summarize: Javik was debating with Revan's apprentice about the tactical inefficiencies about using a sword in a modern battlefield until Revan herself arrived. After a brief conversation she then proceeded to challenge him to land a single hit on her to prove that his opinion was invalid."
Okay, so probably not an assassination attempt or another Samara situation, but definitely not ideal.
She sprinted out of the elevator and towards the exercise hall, turning the corner just in time to see Javik fly through the air and collapse in a miserable pile at her feet. A quick look around showed Revan standing in the middle of the room – lightsaber ignited – and several other people watching from behind some improvised cover.
And Wrex laughing his ass off in a corner. Couldn't forget that part.
"What," Shepard started, using every ounce of her 'angry officer' voice, "the hell is going on in here?!"
Most of the crew immediately snapped to attention and lost whatever humor was on their faces. Unfortunately Wrex was not one of them and continued giggling to himself even in the otherwise silent room.
"A small demonstration in personal capabilities." Revan eventually offered, deactivating her lightsaber and smoothly hiding it behind her back. "I'd be happy to do another if Javik is up for another round?"
The Prothean groaned and made no effort to move from his heap on the floor.
Shepard looked from him back to Revan, who was attempting to stand there nonchalantly.
…
… Shepard was going to strangle her.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Support the Author at ko-fi.com/azurawriting
or over at patreon.com/AzuraWriting to read a few chapters ahead in the rotation