//------------------------------// // Meeting // Story: Mass Effect: Element of Kindness // by CommanderApplejack //------------------------------// Chapter 147 Meeting The whole group of ponies was assembled within the southern guard precinct, Luna and Celestia sitting opposed to each other with Cadence in the middle while the other ponies sat around in between. Rainbow was still outside as she was guiding a shuttle with Shepard, Garrus, Tali, and Legion down while the rest waited. Not a lot of talk was had between the ponies as neither princess was able to look at the other, Celestia in particular looking ashamed. The door to the room swung open, Spitfire stepping in followed by a grey unicorn in solar guard armor. “They’re here,” Spitfire announced as she moved over to her own seat while the Solar guard joined in next to Celestia. Rainbow then proceeded in followed by the four aliens, the guards in the room nervously shuffling and Celestia’s eyes going wide as well. Shepard stopped to look over the room, nodding at Luna and then focussing on Celestia. “Princess Celestia? My name is Commander Shepard, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” The commander said, Princess Celestia taking a few seconds to get herself together. “It’s my pleasure Commander, from the brief explanation I’ve heard you have been involved in taking care of Fluttershy here for the last three years?” the Princess asked. “For a time, yes, but Garrus here has been with her pretty much the entire way while I was out of the picture,” Shepard pointed at the turian who stepped forward up next to Fluttershy who nuzzled his side. “He’s been quite important to me out there,” Fluttershy sheepishly smiled. Cadence gasped and squeed at the sight. “That’s so cute! What do you think, auntie Tia?” the pink alicorn asked Celestia. “I’m… lost for words,” Celestia admitted after stuttering for a bit. “I’m glad you found someone to have as a pillar while you were on your own.” “He along with everyone on the Normandy really did help me out,” Fluttershy smiled as Garrus brushed a hand through her hair and scratched her ear. The solar guard next to Celestia huffed but didn’t say anything. “I’m glad something good came out of my screw-up,” Twilight quietly said from beside Fluttershy who opened her wing and wrapped it around the unicorn’s back. “You didn’t know what would happen Twilight, it happened and there’s nothing we can do to change that. I’ve made new friends out there and now found my old ones too, I’m not blaming you for anything that happened, the good, the bad, all of it came from my own choices,” Fluttershy smiled, brightening Twilight’s mood up.  “So, I think it’s time to discuss a few pertinent matters before the commander here has to go to finish his mission,” Luna interrupted. “Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie made a significant discovery below the Everfree forest in the form of a large underground base.” “This is the place where you found Cadence here?” Celestia asked Fluttershy who nodded. “Fascinating… Did you find anything else down there?” Fluttershy chuckled sheepishly, “Uhm… A very large warship.” Princess Celestia’s eyes went wide, “Come again?”  “There was a massive, finished, warship sitting in the base’s manufactorum,” Fluttershy flatly stated again. “We didn’t have much time to check its capability before being forced to use it… we might have accidentally remodeled the entire ghastly gorge in opening the doors to let the thing out,” she added sheepishly. “Where is it now?... and why were you forced to use it?” Celestia asked, shuffling uncomfortably on her chair. “It’s near the Badlands sister, the bearers of Honesty, Generosity, and Laughter are keeping watch of it right now. As for why they were forced to use it, the changelings had compromised a section of the shielding,” Luna explained to her sister who shot up from her seat. “Changelings?! Luna we need to-” “They’ve been taken care of for now Tia, before coming here we went into the hive to stop a faction of Legion’s kind from infecting the others with a virus,” Luna assured her sister, pointing at the geth. “A virus? Could you elaborate on how that would matter down here?” “Legion?” Luna asked, hoping he could explain. “We are not like organics, the virus would not ‘kill’ us it would simply rewrite our most basic functions to start thinking like the heretics. No physical contact would be required to deploy this virus. A faction of us split off from the consciousness some time ago, they had set up on the planet since our vessels found it impossible to venture through the shield.” “So they wanted to mind control you?” “Yes.” Celestia sighed as she rubbed her temples from all the information thrown at her. “Are there any of these ‘heretics’ left?” “We detect no communication traffic off-planet other than our own, the Normandy, and the equine vessel. Any active cluster will be reduced in size and most likely go dormant.” “Shining is headed this way with gear that will put the guard on equal footing with the heretics,” Luna assured her sister. “Talking about the Captain, is he nearby yet Legion?” “Transport vessel arrived within orbital exclusion zone, estimated time of arrival one hour.” “Orbital exclusion zone?” Tali asked in confusion. “The equine homeworld is an unknown factor, geth vessels will not approach now heretics no longer threaten us,” Legion clarified, Tali muttering something which her suits speakers didn’t transmit. “Not to burst your bubbles but has anyone sent ponies over to relive AJ, Rares, and Pinkie yet?” Rainbow interrupted. “Right. Captain Darkwing, are your nightguards in shape to fly over to the south of Equestria?” Luna asked her guard. “To be honest? No,” Darkwing admitted, the solar guard captain chuckled getting a fanged snarl in response from the thestral.  “We can give you a lift with the Normandy?” Shepard proposed before the altercation could escalate, “That way we can drop you off in the right place as well.” “That would make it more manageable,” Darkwing agreed, glaring at the solar captain. “I object! We should at least send a part of my guard as well!” “Captain Iron Hoof, your guard will soon have its current captain back in Shining Armor and will be very busy retraining with all the gear he has with him,” Luna told the unicorn but was glancing at Celestia to suggest siding with her. “I’m afraid Captain Iron Hoof’s appointment was of the more permanent type… but I agree the guard should be focussing on learning to use this new equipment Shining Armor is bringing,” Celestia compromised, Twilight chipping in as well now. “Wait, you’re taking away Shining’s position?!” the purple unicorn exclaimed. “Do you even understand what that position meant to him?!” Celestia looked over to Luna, the two alicorns wordlessly by mere twitches in facial expression before the Princess of the Sun spoke up again. “Well, there is nothing that can be done to Iron Hoof here, he will remain captain of my guard… but the guard of Princess Cadence here will need a new captain of course.” Cadence went slightly pale. “M-Me?” “Of course! You’re an alicorn, aren’t you?” Luna smirked. “But we’ll iron out the details later, we’ve taken up enough of the commander’s time.” “Yeah, gotta go save a load of human colonies,” Dash said as she and Fluttershy joined Shepard’s group. “Wait, you’re leaving again?” Twilight asked, her voice wavering and tears forming in the corner of her eyes. “Look, there are hundreds of thousands of lives at stake and I committed to help. We’ll do our absolute hardest to get back but we need to do this Twilight,” Fluttershy told Twilight, stepping forward and hugging her as well. “This is great and all but I wanted to suggest contacting the Turian hierarchy. They would be able to help get your crew up to speed quickly,” Garrus interjected, Tali shaking her head. “They need engineers that the Floatilla can provide to understand and handle the systems,” Tali countered, Rainbow nodded in agreement.  “I assume the Floatilla or the Hierarchy would want the ship to temporarily join them while training?” Luna asked to which both Tali and Garrus nodded, Fluttershy looked between the two of them as she thought over the two proposals and who to back. The turians would surely get the crew up to speed and well oiled… But the quarians would give us more knowledge of the ship’s systems… Though Fidelis might be able to help out plenty already and we’d keep the ship here... 1. Back Garrus 2. Back Tali 3. Ponies can figure this out ourself [Vote link]