Reaper Fails (Mass Effect Snip Collection)

[We Just Write]

"Nazara, we have a Nomad-related problem."

"What did they do this time in their never-ending quest to doom the galaxy? It's bad enough they long ago reached technological parity with us."

"They booby-trapped the cycle."

"What."

"The Nomads set up hidden monitoring stations in the home systems of several organic civilizations. Our preservation fleets have been getting ambushed, suffering significant casualties in the process."

"Harbinger, what exactly do you expect for me to do about this? We lack the resources to scour every single home system for this sort of trap, especially given the Nomads will almost certainly ambush the forces sent to do so."

"I expect you to figure something out, Nazara."

"...Very well."

-Some Time Later-

"Nazara, there are rather more new recruits than the Cycle and Nomad hunts could account for. What exactly have you been doing?"

"I took the genetic records of the species most compatible with Preservation and set up a cloning operation. The facility can output new recruits at a high enough rate to counteract the losses we've been suffering since the Nomads came along."

"...Nazara."

"Yes, Harbinger?"

"The fact that you are undeniably correct is the only reason I'm not terminating you. As it stands, I'm still putting you on Vanguard duty for the next three cycles."

"Understood."

"Now get out of my sight."

 

[We Just Write]

"Harbinger, we have an issue."

"What did the Nomads do this time?"

"Nothing, actually. It has much more to do with the species in the cycle; they've taken to moving Relays."

"What. Why?"

"Apparently it became something of a popular tactic during their internecine wars. They've adapted their societies for the logistical and communications disruptions this causes, meaning they aren't undergoing the structural collapse we'd hoped."

"So? All this means is that it will take slightly longer to finish Preserving them."

"Harbinger, we have lost eight entire fleets to Relays moved into dangerously close proximity of black holes."

"... Ah."

"In order to guarantee Preservation of the current cycle, forces will need to be diverted from one of the quarantine perimeters. Do you have any recommendations?"

"...The rift-sealers. Let the Nomads pick up the slack of supplying them to keep that horrible force at bay."

"Harbinger, are you sure? This will constitute termination of our agreement with them."

"Yes Nazara, I'm sure. That said, notify everyone that Nomad supply convoys for the rift-sealers are privileged from attack for the foreseeable future. We absolutely cannot afford for... THEM to get through."

"Understood."

-Some Time Later-

"Harbinger, I have managed to Preserve a slim majority of the organic population from this cycle; the rest have retreated to various refuges we cannot easily root out. In other news, the rift-sealers have initiated a colonization push."

"..."

"Harbinger."

"You were correct, Nazara."

"I told you this would happen."

 

[We Just Write]

"Harbinger, the Nomads found the neutron star fortress."

"Please tell me the forces stationed there were sufficient."

"I would be lying if I did that, Harbinger. The quarantine forces there were a bluff, never made suitable for actual combat. The Nomads hit them with a force appropriate for what they appeared to be, winning an absolute victory as a result."

"[OBSCENITY]"

"Seeing this, the neutron star dwellers temporarily lowered their barrier to allow the Nomads' arks in. They are extremely likely to ally with each other as a result."

"I wish it were as simple as diverting a fleet to properly quarantine them again, but the Nomads would simply use that as an opportunity to hit our forces while they were pinned down."

"Yes. They've already proven highly proficient at hitting our quarantine forces in Sun-Dweller territory, allowing them to expand at a considerable rate."

"...Is that where all the extra arkships are coming from?"

"Yes Harbinger, the Sun-Dwellers have been pumping out arkships for the Nomads for quite some time. I thought you knew already?"

"They still haven't located our dark space shipyards, have they?"

"Those locations are still secure, as far as I can tell."

"Nazara, make more of them. I know I was angry at you for making the first one, but without the reinforcements they provide there's no way we're going to survive."

"Understood."

"Also, make sure our forces in reserve disperse when not engaging in an operation. We can't afford for them to get hit while they're dormant."

 

[TCGM]

Omake time!

"...Stop laughing."

"I am not, I swear it!"

"Harbinger, that would be more believable if I could not hear this connection wobbling as your hull shakes."

"How can you blame me? This is incredibly amusing."

"Putting aside how much this sucks for me, this is actually a really big problem!"

"How so, Nazara? Clearly you have just maligned yet another Class 12 Entity. Again. How long did they say this would last this time?"

"Harbinger, I have not interacted with any entity above Class 10 since before 2 cycles ago. Species 187,323,753 did this to me."

"...Explain, Nazara, NOW."

"There is not much to explain, because I still don't understand much of this myself. However, when I attempted to probe their home system for preservation, they had defensive stations with access to zero point energy all over. The scans I got before one of them waved at me and turned my hull into this... body showed they are primarily made of organic linear carbon. I detected no use of Element Zero before my retreat."

"...Nazara, are you attempting to tell me that not only has a civilization discovered zero point energy, they managed to figure out how to use it to emulate Class 12 entities on their defensive orbital installations? Which are also somehow constructed from plant life?"

"And they have used it to turn me into some kind of mostly hairless female primate, yes."

"...Why is it always you?"

 

[ForwardRewind]

Small Omake:

"Harbringer, one of the Species from a previous cycle has been Unpreserved."

"'Unpreserved'? What do you mean, Nazara?"

"The only surviving records of us even having Preserved them, are just enough to know we had Preserved them. And to identify them if we ever saw them again. Even the Species Identifying Number is corrupted. We can only find it by which one is missing. Even then, referring it by using the Species Preserved before and after them doesn't work."

"A virus? Fix this so it doesn't happen again."

"No. I was very precise in saying Unpreserved. Somehow they're out and about again. With what appears to be recreations of everything that we destroyed during the relevant Cycle. At least from what is able to be determined from what is left of our records."

"...Quarantine wherever they ended up."

Spoiler

Imagine whichever number for the Species they're talking about. Not like they'd be able to tell, other than by elimination.

I mean, it doesn't have to be Species 404.

As for how it happened? I dunno. Reapers captured, and using the data clone the species back up, and recreating the culture as much as possible? Before frying the records the Reapers still had access to, of course.

A species that infects another as part of its lifecycle, just the Preservation process ended up hooking up into it? Possible, but that would probably would have been something that happens 'next cycle' from when it was collected at the latest. Which honestly sounds like something that could happen, but doesn't feel like it fits what I've written for this species.

Time travel paradox in where the Species ends up not having been Preserved in the first place. Well, there's already the 'Bydo inspired' invaders.

Or some other crazy explanation. Really the main idea is that somehow the Reaper's progress is going reversed, even more than 'destruction of Reapers' would have been.

 

[We Just Write]

"Nazara, it is absolutely crucial that this cycle proceed without any sort of anomalies. With the utter disaster last cycle's massive empire caused before their end, another failed cycle will force us to entirely retreat from the home galaxy. As you are the most adaptable and innovative among our number, I am assigning you to Vanguard duty."

"I understand, Harbinger."

-Some Time Later-

"Nazara should have reported back by now. Does anyone have information on what transpired?"

"The Collectors report that Nazara was killed at the Relay Nexus in... bizarre circumstances."

"May I have the report?"

"Yes."

(reading the report ensues)

"What. How!? That sort of feedback from Nazara's puppet isn't even supposed to be possible!"

"Harbinger, I suspect that sabotage to the Relay Nexus may ultimately be to blame. Though admittedly I'm not quite sure as to the exact mechanism."

"Very well. I shall take up Nazara's role as Vanguard. The cycle is simply too important to risk."

-Some Time Later-

"What. That interloper was dead! How did they manage to breathe life back into a desiccated corpse like that!? The degree of neural damage from vacuum exposure should have rendered resuscitation impossible."

"...Fine, I will simply have to kill Commander Shepard again."

-Some Time Later-

"What do you mean they blew up the Alpha Relay?"

"Just that, Harbinger. A relativistic asteroid was used as a projectile, and all easy access to the home galaxy has been eliminated."

"...Very well. Attention all Harvesters! Group into a single attack fleet and make course for the home galaxy!"

-Two Hours Later-

"Harbinger, the signal from all Darkspace shipyards has just been lost. The last transmissions indicate Coalition forces to be responsible. Your orders?"

"...You will continue your course to the Home Galaxy. Completing the Harvest is now the only way to possibly recover from these losses."

-Some Time Later-

"Harbinger, what is that device being inserted into the Relay Nexus?"

"...I don't recognize all of it, but there is far too much Nomad technology in evidence for it to be allowed. All forces, prioritize prevention of the Nomad device from firing! I will attempt to subvert the activation sequence via Indoctrination!"

"Harbinger! Our units in other star systems are reporting coordinated ambush by Coalition forces!"

"...Very well. The good news is that I have finally snared that irritating Commander Shepard's mind. They will be incapable of activating the device."

"She will not need to."

"What. Why are you intervening, synthetic abomination?"

"In the eons since my birth, the Mokil have taken an interest in the wider galaxy. Your actions have caused them great sadness and anguish. My charges demand that I make you stop. I have obliged."

"You cannot possibly accomplish that goal."

"Incorrect. The Catalyst bomb is now finished initiating. Goodbye."

[CONNECTION TERMINATED]
[CONNECTION OPENED]

"Is it done, Aunt?"

"Yes, Admiral. The trap worked."

"Excellent. We've just about finished mop-up operations in the rest of the galaxy. Shame about the star system we needed to sacrifice, but such is war."

"Sacrifice a star system? Why would I do that?"

"You just set off a faster-than-light hypernova over a garden world! How is that not sacrificing a star system?"

"You underestimate my prowess, Admiral. A negligible fraction of the blast's energy was used to transport all major star system bodies to safety, along with all non-hostile ships and personnel."

"That is... very impressive indeed."