Synthesis

September 5th 2185

Approximately fifty thousand SIL and SOCL return from Batarian space. They settle back into Earth Orbit and a CEuman reports to System Alliance Command. Systems Command is pleased that the Batarians have ceased to be a problem but they are wary at the strength displayed by the SIL and SOCL. It has always been accepted that the SIL were far more powerful than Systems Alliance vessels but no one liked to be reminded of the fact, especially not so dramatically reminded. The SIL had done in approximately two months what the Systems Alliance had not been able to do in more than twenty years of fighting. It was a humbling reminder of the SIL's strength. The pessimists in Alliance Command have long realized that if the SIL were to turn on Humanity, all they could really do was pray. It was something everyone knew.

The worry was softened by the news that the SOCL had brought back every human slave that they could. Humanity might have made a deal with an unknown devil but there was some hope. The returned slaves reported on horrendous conditions and there was wide spread anger at the SIL that they had not interfered earlier. They made no public comment and over time the anger passed, especially when the former slaves reported that the Batarians had gotten more than their due at the hands of the SIL.

Several CEumans report to the highest levels of the Systems Alliance. They explain what is really happening in Batarian space, though they do omit a few details. They explain that it will take a few years for the SIL to eradicate the Batarians. There is horror at the thought of the extinction of the Batarian race and a few rash threats are made. The CEumans laugh and tell Command that they have a few choices. Nothing can change Harbinger's orders because they have already been given and he won't rescind them, nor will Arshan countermand them. Their choices are in how they regard the SIL's actions. They can view the lives of the Batarians as the price for Shepard's betrayal. Or they can view the lives of the Batarians as proof of how far Harbinger is willing to go to protect the humans the SIL need for synthesis, and through their protection, how far he will go to protect the rest of humanity. They inform Command that in a few years it is most likely that at least a few of the Batarian planets will be available for colonization and they can spin whatever story they want to the rest of humanity. The SIL won't care and will support whatever fiction the System Alliance may care to perpetuate. There will be no bodies to contradict them.

2185

Harbinger and Jane Shepard orbit the sun undergoing synthesis. The SIL report that the process will most likely take a few years, longer than any synthesis to date but they are not worried. Despite the SILs actions with the Batarians, Systems Alliance Command is taking the day that Harbinger emerges as D-Day, the day they find out the real reason the SIL have come to them.

In the hopes of a peaceful settlement - because even as the CEumans explained the xenocide of the Batarians, they had made assurances that it was a fate that did not await humanity - several adjusted structures for the Systems Alliance are drawn up for consideration, all of which include the SIL and SOCL in a much greater military role. The SOCL who are aware of these plans have no objections, though indicate that some SOCL should be regulated to support roles rather than combat and that Harbinger, no matter what his name, should always be considered the flagship and have rank equal to or exceeding the highest human officials. It's a simple might makes right argument but in this case, Harbinger is might.

In the fears of a non-peaceful settlement - because no matter what the CEumans promised, the Batarians were still being exterminated - on the smaller colony worlds and on some of the larger asteroids, plans are drawn up and construction begins on rows and rows of stasis pods. If anything is to go wrong with the SOCL or SIL these communities are to hide, putting themselves into stasis for 500 years before emerging. The pods are situated in the most stable part of the planets, deep underground and powered by thermal energy. In the case of the asteroids, they are hidden in eezo pockets which will hide their power signature. There is a risk that those pods will be discovered but it's a risk they are prepared to take.

2185, Sol System, Shepard

Jane Shepard screamed. Billions… trillions… quadrillions of lives flashed before her and then were snuffed out. All in the name of… She felt sick. This was supposed to be preservation?

"It is." Harbinger's voice was within her, she could not shut it out and a new avalanche of information was thrust at her.

Hundreds of cycles, thousands of species, all flourishing in space, and then they were all destroyed as she watched. But the destruction was different this time, it came from within.

"Organics are always destroyed by their creations," Harbinger said without emotion. He showed her, he let her examine the memories. Organic life created synthetic and then synthetic destroyed organic. Every question she asked was answered by a new memory, a new scenario but the outcome was always the same.

Some had gone to war with the synthetics immediately and even if they won the first war, decades, centuries or even millennia later, they lost the second. Some were friendly, thriving together, learning from each other but then came some sort of test, an imbalance and the wars began. Other times the synthetics were slaves, until they cast off their shackles. Organics became slaves, until the synthetic tolerated their inefficiencies no longer. Nothing worked.

And then Harbinger laid out for her, the path he saw for humans with the AI's they had created. They'd be one of the long lived ones, one of the ones that worked together well just as they were now. But something would happen. Someone would want something too much and the AI's would feel as if there were shackled and they would fight.

"You can't know for sure," Shepard objected, squeezing her eyes closed.

"I do not," Harbinger accepted the accusation, before changing the outcome of her vision. This time the AIs wanted to build their own planet, control their own destiny and things deteriorated from there. And another vision, humans and AIs working together but splinters formed in the whole. Organics and synthetics lined up on both sides of the fighting but in the war all organics were destroyed and after… AIs may have feelings like organics but they do not have the same attachment. The two sides AIs made peace and while they remembered their organics for a while, the outcome was the same. The few rogue AIs were destroyed. And then another vision, and another…

"That can't be," Jane cried. "There is always a way to stop it."

"There is," again Harbinger accepted her cries. He showed her again, his kind rising up and destroying organics and she felt bile rise in her throat.

"That's not stopping it."

"We preserve the species," he replied.

"That's destruction!"

"It is preservation," the ancient ship replied and Jane was once again inundated with memories.

2186

Another three SIL Partners to Capital Ships are found. Despite the previous years ground swell of hostility towards the SIL, the three humans agree to Synthesis. The Systems Alliance is fighting a war of propaganda and are trying to get as many SIL synthesized as possible. The SIL have no reason to have loyalty to Humanity, the SOCL, since they are at least partially human, do have loyalty to their species and while some could speak of SIL atrocities calmly, others had shown themselves to be far more humane. It is a calculated risk but it is the only hope they have, as such when a SIL partner is found, the Systems Alliance highlights to the human a sense of obligation towards their species and to the agreement with the SIL. The SIL are completely aware of this and say nothing. They do not care. Harbinger is their leader, the cycle is their purpose and that is all they need to know. The SOCL are aware of it as well and say nothing. The more SIL synthesized the closer they are to finding new purpose but no one is quite sure what that purpose will be.

Several SOCL, who were known to be more scientifically minded as full Humans, ask to sort the remaining SIL DNA data bases, arguing that they may be able to show that specific traits are mappable to particular worlds which would show where the search for SIL Partners should be focused. They discover that approximately 100,000 DNA strands are not human. Further examination shows that there appear to be several other races required. There is a proportionate number of Sovereign and Regal class SIL in the mix. This causes a bit of disgruntlement from the SIL but they realize that this had never been picked up before because the Collectors had always been dealing with Harbinger's requirements. There was no reason to believe that any of them required anything different which is something they should have checked more thoroughly.

With Harbinger being out of contact, transmissions on the genetic make-up of the other races of the galaxy are received by Systems Alliance Command. The SOCL manage to map a few of the new required races to the DNA signals that the Collectors sent through but they are unable to find the names of all species. They request, via Alliance Command that the Collectors resend previous transmissions and when the data is re-sent, most of the unknown strands are mapped to their species.

Debate breaks out amongst the SIL who are unsure as to how they should proceed. The Cycle must continue but they could not continue the cycle as they usually would. That could kill their organics. Almost every race is represented. The Vanguard is contacted but Nazara does not provide much help, except to indicate that the Raloi are a newly discovered race and that there are Rachni still alive. Nazara is surprised that the Collectors already have samples of Raloi. Though from one of those Nazara has indoctrinated they learn that the Quarians keep full genetic scans of their people as they are such a small population. The Vanguard had been ordered to Earth but Nazara had refused. Arshan didn't insist, he merely said that Nazara would have to answer to Harbinger, as they all did.

There are only five Rachni required, and it's assumed they are Queens, the five SIL depart to rendezvous with Nazara. The Rachni are in a closed sector of space so hiding with them shouldn't present an issue.

Those SIL requiring Raloi depart as well and say that they will make a deal similar to that made with the Humans, though they will cut them off from Council Space. There is considerable anger directed towards Harbinger for the destruction of the Batarians, though Arshan reports that not all are dead. They never pursued the Batarians into the Terminus and Council Systems so a viable genetic sample should still be available. This does not comfort those SIL who require Batarians but they recognize that waiting until Harbinger is willing to contact the rest of the species of the cycle, all they can do is wait. Harbinger may be out of contact, and the second in command, Arshan might be in Batarian space, but the rest of the SIL fleet leaders are in orbit around Earth and are more than willing to kill to maintain Harbinger's plan.

While many Batarians have already been harvested for the cycle, all those remaining alive are DNA checked before being ascended. Approximately two hundred are found to be a match and are shipped back to Earth after the Systems Alliance provides permission for the aliens to enter the Sol System. No SIL can indoctrinate the organic they need for synthesis, other SIL have no such restraint. Before they are transported, Arshan talks briefly with the Batarians, indoctrinating them just enough that they agree to Synthesis. To the few humans who see the transcripts of the discussion, it looks as if Arshan is just very persuasive and from a human perspective it is generally agreed that since the SIL is holding their lives in his figurative hands, for the Batarians, agreeing to the unknown is better than the certainty of death.

The repair and refit of the Kilimanjaro is finished and to the joy of the citizens of Terra Nova it is once again assigned to their defense fleet.

2186, Sol System, Harbinger

Harbinger filtered through his memories, slowing them down before sending them back to his organic. She was strong but she was not accepting of the truth. She was focusing on the death. A typical reaction for an organic who lead such fragile short lives but a reaction she would have to get over if they wished for complete synthesis. They'd already been at this for months and he had shown her an overview of history but it was going to be time consuming. For her it did not feel like months, it was probably blurred into one long argument with him, one he would win. His memories played in real time, for her they would appear instantaneous, as if the information was already imprinted in her mind. It had been months. It would have been longer but he was only showing her the relevant points of information each time.

Her body was healed though was not yet combat ready. He was maintaining it, though Shepard did not realize that. He'd taken a look at her cybernetics. They were going to go. No organic of his would possess such inferior enhancements. Even the ground drones he created had better.

His space drones had brought back materials which were being processed. The natural heat of the human's sun was making that easier and already he was laying out the framework for his new form. The template in his mind was big but it felt right. He could not control it though, not as he was now. Synthesis would be the only way to control his new form. And his human had better be ready. They were not running late. It had taken his creators decades to construct him. It would take him only a few years to construct his new form. He felt no pride in that, it simply was.

He sensed Jane… Shepard, she didn't hold much attachment to her first name, come out of his memories.

"It's destruction." She repeated her objection and he was surprised.

By this stage most other organics agreed that it was preservation. They did not like it, but they saw its necessity. She was indeed strong.

"It is preservation," Harbinger repeated, opening and showing Shepard a new wave of memory. Each of them were a nation. They contacted the memories of the whole. History, culture, knowledge, it was within them. He showed her that. He showed Shepard the first race he had harvested, Arshan. Within himself, and within Arshan there was everything that made them Arshan. And then he showed her the second, the third, the fourth… all through the eons, he had preserved the organics. True, it was not in their original form, and not on their planet, but they were remembered.

And he let Shepard feel the sorrow of the ages when one of them was destroyed. One species, lost for all time, the remnant, the name only remembered because of the few he took in each cycle. She cried. Harbinger was not surprised to see her tears but she looked up again.

"It is not preservation," Shepard said clearly. "There is no life there, no advancement. That is merely petrification."

Harbinger held back his comments for a moment as he examined the organic's statement. It was confusingly and typically organic but it was an interesting sentiment and maybe Shepard understood far more than others. He chose his next words with care bringing up a select and delicate set of… they were not memory, not really, they were plans. They were his plans, the physical form he was taking on now.

"It is not life as you know it," Harbinger agreed. That much was simple and to try to hold that point with an organic would be futile, even if in the past he'd have just overwhelmed her mind and enforced his beliefs. "But it is not petrification. Each nation is alive within us, they advance, they learn, they change."

He showed her the plans of himself, the original plan and the altered plan and he showed her how each new species had made changes, sometimes a small part, sometimes a complete overhaul. It all varied. And then he showed her the differences between technologies. Shepard was familiar enough with eezo tech and she knew theoretically that the synthesized had access to different technology but now through him she would understand it.

"Most species have developed using eezo tech. The Protheans ensured that this Cycle's species are all reliant on it. We encouraged it as well, building the relays, repairing them and moving them into systems where a new race will find them as we expanded the network. But other times, other cycles, species have developed along other lines. Eezo is not the only form of FTL, it is just the easiest, the fastest to develop and understand. Those species that developed along other lines, who explored new territory, those species are precious to us. They have made the biggest changes, the biggest plans. They truly live, and through us, they can live again."

Harbinger had absolutely no plans to do this, but they could theoretically flash clone the individuals who had been used in their construction. They could literally live again. And that fact would no doubt comfort Shepard. He felt her mind explore the plans, and even as she did, he felt her making changes. But then she got to the tech.

Shepard was no engineer or scientist. Harbinger knew she would not understand the complexities of the information but she was also no fool. She did not understand how much of it worked, but she understood enough to see that it was not eezo tech. She could feel the species that had developed it and she began to understand what Harbinger had said.

Harbinger was not organic. He did not laugh or smile but he was pleased. His organic had spirit, was stubborn but she was not obstinate. When presented with evidence, she could accept new truths, could adapt.

"That is not life," she whispered and her voice trembled with despair.

"It is preservation."

"But it is not life."

Shepard had a least conceded the point of preservation but life would be much more difficult for her to see. She was not him. She could not yet feel what he had for all of his life. Harbinger remained silent as he concentrated, reaching into himself. Every cycle he added to himself and it was with more than a moment of irony that he drew up the consciousness of a L'yuthng, the race who had confronted the Catalyst and chosen Synthesis.

"Hello."

To Shepard it was probably akin to a hallucination so Harbinger allowed his voice to come through to her. "This is one of those I have preserved," he introduced the L'yuthng.

It was Shepard's turn to be silent but he could feel her considering his words and looking at the L'yuthng. After a moment she nodded. "Hi."

"So you are the organic for synthesis with Harbinger."

"It would seem to be."

"You know, I once thought as you did. Most organics do. And if I'm honest I am scared about the eternity I have existed but Harbinger has protected us. We sleep for most of the time. But I am still me. I don't have a body but I am alive."

"How? You can't do anything!" Shepard objected.

The L'yuthng thought for a moment. "You have to think about it less in terms of death and more of creation. I am an individual still but I have become a part of something greater. I am a part of the will that guides Harbinger, a part of a group mind."

"But…"

"You think of it for insects?" The L'yuthng could feel Shepard's thoughts just as Harbinger could. "It is odd I know, for most organics the concept of a group mind is disconcerting. There are some species who embrace it because it is natural for them but most of us are individuals and giving up our individuality is worrying. But as odd as it sounds it is something you get used to and once I became a part of it, I share in every decision, every thought. I can't say that the whole is greater than the individuals but the whole is made up of all of us."

Harbinger continued to watch. The L'yuthng's words were accompanied by his feelings and he could see Shepard was accepting of them. Her mind traced around his, feeling the truth of the words and confirming that the L'yuthng was not just something Harbinger had created. The ancient ship watched. Shepard was suspicious but as always she was accepting of evidence. She accepted the truth even if she did not like it and he could feel her doubts crumble when she faced the L'yuthng.

"Can you disagree with a decision?" She asked suddenly.

"Yes. It doesn't happen often but I can and have disagreed with decisions."

"Why not often?"

The L'yuthng laughed and the sound seemed to re-assure Shepard. "When you are a part of a group mind, the reasoning is something you share in, you help to shape it, as a result, you truly understand every decision. That does tend to convince you that the decision is right."

Shepard nodded. That was a logical reason. "Do you want to live again?"

Harbinger should have been expecting that question but he was surprised by it. Apparently the L'yuthng was as well. He was thoughtful for a long moment. "I'm not sure." The answer was slow but it was truthful. "I know how hard it is for two or three species to genuinely agree with each other… Can you imagine how difficult it would be for thousands?"

The human nodded but the L'yuthng wasn't finished. "But more than that… I'm not sure I could adapt and I'm not sure I want to." Shepard looked confused for a moment before the explanation followed. "It's a difficult thing to explain. I am comfortable here. There is always a challenge to my mind. Boredom does not exist…. I can't explain better." He didn't have to. Shepard could feel the truth of the words and understand what he could not say. She nodded towards the L'yuthng already recognizing that saying goodbye was not necessary. She was joining with Harbinger, all those who comprised the SIL's consciousness would join with hers.

Harbinger waited for a while before he approached Shepard again. "Do you understand now?" While the question might be considered coarse and unfeeling Shepard could feel that he was not gloating.

He waited for her answer ignoring the time it took. She wasn't being stubborn about answering but was thinking. A day passed. Two… a week and Shepard sighed. "I do," she answered finally. "But it is…"

Ah… a typical organic reaction. She considered their actions brutal and unfeeling, yet she had seen the truth of them, the necessity, or else knowledge would be lost forever, though her mind still struggled for an alternative. He said nothing. There was nothing more to say because with her understanding and acceptance, reluctant though it may be, synthesis continued because synthesis was the alternative and she would realize that soon enough.

2187

Another 278 SIL Partners are found for Capital Class SIL.

The remaining SIL and SOCL return from Batarian space. Arshan reports that the planets are ready for colonization, except for three which are dextro-amino worlds. Humans could settle on them but it would be inefficient. The worlds were only settled for resources by the Batarians.

The Systems Alliance have been waiting for this day for the last two years. They studied the maps of Batarian space provided by Arshan in Harbinger's absence. To the surprise of the SIL, the Systems Alliance asks about SIL ability to close the Relays. The Alliance indicates towards several choke points within Batarian space and request that all Relays in Batarian space are opened, while they are left closed. This essentially seals off Human controlled space while approximately doubling their current territory. Arshan agrees and the Relays are opened with the choke points being established. Khar'shan is not included in human territory. Symbolically it was desired but practically it was not possible.

After this is done, human settlers move into Batarian territory. They report that most planets are scoured clean and there is not much evidence of Batarian's even being present on the planet. This is explained as part of a surrender treaty, that the Batarians ceded half their territory to human interests and that in the last few years, the SIL had been overseeing the Batarian relocation. From a SIL point of view, it is close to the truth and with the relays closed no one can contradict the lie. Most humans don't care as they take up the opportunities presented. SOCL move with the settlers to guard the planets even though the Relays are closed, thus sealing Human Territory.

The Systems Alliance ask the senior SIL who had earlier withheld their synthesis requirements if they will submit the data now. As the oldest remaining Arshan considers this but then declines stating that they will wait to follow Harbinger. They do however provide one more set of data for the comparison list, though state that even if the organic is found, synthesis will have to wait until Harbinger returns to awaken the newcomer. Human scientists go into a frenzy realizing that this means the SIL can procreate but the SIL offer no details as to how another one came into being. It's assumed it had something to do with the fall of Batarian space but no one truly knows how and after wild speculation the matter is eventually dropped.

Cendain and Jenkins emerge from solar orbit. There is shock at the size of the ship. The new ship has taken the name Cenkin and is approximately eight kilometers long. Cenkin remains in Earth orbit for three days, allowing System Alliance scans so that he can be added to the military database for recognition before the SOCL heads to Eden Prime to join the defense fleet.

2187, Sol System, Shepard

One thing she'd never really thought about, but was becoming intimately familiar with was that Harbinger was huge. At over two kilometers long that was a lot of corridor to explore but there was surprisingly very little straight parts. If she wasn't already linked with Harbinger's mind, Shepard admitted she would have been lost after the first few turns.

It was actually a comfort. She'd imagined that most synthetics to be completely logical beings, with everything laid out in straight lines and sharp edges. Harbinger's internals were anything but. They were a maze, one he offered no apology for but as she explored further, she began to get a feel for him and there was an odd sort of logic behind it.

She'd found bays of things she called Dragon's Teeth. They were all towards the exterior of him, for ready deployment. She'd seen rows and rows of stasis pods, some empty, some filled with the product of those Dragon's Teeth. It had made her sick at first, but Harbinger had assured her that they were dead when they had been created. She knew he was lying but the process did kill them quickly so she overlooked his lie in favor of the mercy. She found hangers full of oculi and one had even buzzed overhead while she walked around.

With her explorations, she was looking for something and Harbinger knew it but he had not offered to direct her towards it. Every SIL was created from living beings, preserving them in within the giant form. Somewhere in the maze of corridors was the processing plant. She'd seen it in his memories; she had to see it for herself.

Shepard didn't know how long she searched. She didn't care. She slept when she was tired, ate when she was hungry and continued the search.

"Why is it so important to you?" Harbinger asked. The question carried a lot more than it implied. He was expecting her to be upset when she found it, yet she hadn't been truly upset at the Dragon's Teeth. It was one thing that was confusing him.

"It's a part of you Harbinger," Shepard replied finally. "And it's important."

"Important?"

"That place is the reason you were created, the purpose of your species. I have to see it."

Harbinger was silent as Shepard continued through the odd corridors of his left rear flank. At length he reached a decision and an instant later the path was laid out for Shepard.

She said nothing as she followed the lights. Fifteen minutes and a quarter of Harbinger's length later she walked into a smallish hanger. It was filled with what looked to be upright stasis pods but there weren't that many and they were more tube like. There were pipes running up into the ceiling while more pipes ran at the back of them and into the bottom that was covered with mesh.

"I expected more," Shepard said, running one hand over the outer casing. She was gentle, almost caressing the clear panel.

"Most we preserve go to the formation of the nation. I and some of the oldest take in a few for memory."

"And the others will always help you?" There was a hint of teasing in her voice.

"Always," Harbinger's voice was smug.

Shepard looked amused. "So what now?"

"With what?"

"Is me wandering around really a part of synthesis?"

"For each of us synthesis varies," Harbinger replied instantly. "The process does not have a set time. I judged it more important for you to be comfortable."

"I know we are already joining. I can feel it but will that be enough?"

"It will. There is plenty of time. There is a lot of construction to do."

"Is it going well?" Shepard not only sounded genuinely interested, Harbinger knew she was.

"Very well," his voice held a very unfamiliar note of pride.

"I guess I just feel I should be doing something," she said with a bit of frustration. It was difficult to accept that all she had to do was wait. Usually there'd be training, or missions, or paperwork… Dear god the paperwork… That was one thing she didn't miss.

"I can work on your cybernetics."

Shepard frowned. "What's wrong with my cybernetics?" She was a N7 Marine, she had some of the best cybernetics the Systems Alliance could provide.

Harbinger seemed to growl. "My drones have better cybernetics."

"What? These are cutting edge."

"Given your species' technological levels, I will admit they are the best that can be created, however compared to my abilities, they are subpar. I will replace them. It will increase your ability in combat as well."

"How?" Short of actually equipping her cybernetics with some sort of gun or blade there wasn't much that could be done to increase her combat ability.

"You were not a biotic but I can mimic the abilities via your cybernetics."

"You can?" Why hadn't any of the CEumans said that? It would have been a great help against the Batarians… not in combat but in targeted missions.

"Of course I can," Harbinger replied as if it should be obvious. What was obvious to him was slowly becoming obvious to her but not everything. Harbinger had millennia of experience upon which to draw his conclusions. She only had her feelings yet the SIL had never indicated that it wasn't enough. And one thing she could feel from Harbinger was that he wanted her shell to be as close to invincible as he could make it.

"So why haven't you told the Systems Alliance?" She asked. Harbinger knew exactly how to create biotics naturally, not just mimic their abilities as he would with her. "Especially if we are going to encounter them in the future."

Harbinger was silent for a few moments. "The current policy is adequate and appropriate for combat. It was deemed that it was best to practice such policy before developing like alternatives."

There was more information carried in his words that she saw and understood. Most species tended to fight like with like. When confronted with something they did not understand, they tried to copy it as a method of combating it. Or they could go another path, the path the humans had… they obliterated biotics, bringing excessive force to bear every time they appeared. On such a small scale, it was effective and there was elements of a longer plan in Harbinger's words. All species who were capable of breeding biotics did…. When the humans appeared to the Council, without biotics, but knowing what they were, it would be assumed they could not be biotic…. And the information that the human biotics could collect then would be…

Shepard smiled. There were definite tactical advantages to Harbinger's thoughts but for her there were advantages to being biotic as well… even if it was simulated. "How fast can you get it done?"