Chapter 33: 29 - Stupidity
Javik dropped that bomb and expected a reaction from the Council, but he only saw their faces change a little before calming down. Not waiting for them to recover, he continued.
''The Reapers are a race of machines, far more advanced than us, who periodically annihilate all intelligent organic life in the galaxy. My people fought them for 100 years until we finally lost."
Javik didn't like talking about that, but this time it was necessary. ' They must listen.'
But, reality is often disappointing, as the first question they asked didn't sound good.
''How come we don't have any kind of documents or anything like that to prove your story? The Protheans, for all we know, were killed off because of internal wars.'' Tevos calmly asked.
Javik paused. He looked at Samael who had just finished sighing and had a ' I told you' look on his face.
Pushing his feelings aside, Javik continued, ''The Reapers eliminate all traces of the civilization they kill, so very little of the Prothean culture remains. And what remains has rarely been excavated and released to the public. Your species was still in its infancy, without intelligence, which is why you don't remember. And if you do, it's in the form of myths and stories."
This was true for everyone present. They knew about the Reapers from the stories their ancestors had told them. They told them about the machines that exterminated everyone, but everyone thought it was just a story.
'' Also while my species did have differences, we would never kill off our entire species.''
Javik had to say that, so they would never think of that again. Regardless, he continued.
"They're coming. My people put me in cryo sleep so that I could help the next cycle fight the Reapers. I don't know exactly how long you have, but no more than 10 years. In 10 years, the Reapers will attack and you are not prepared to fight them.''
'' We need to immediately alert everyone and start preparing for the invasion. In my cycle, we were the only intelligent species, so they only focused on us. Now, with so many species with fighting power, we have a chance. But only if we come together.
'' United we have a chance of winning, divided we fall.''
Javik finished his speech there and left the Council to discuss the matter, which they immediately began to do. He then turned to Samael and Wrex and noticed that the human was looking at him with a look of pity.
Javik didn't understand why, but before he could speak, Samael said, "Good speech.''
Wrex, however, was a little excited about the prospect of the Reapers being real. 'They're a bigger challenge than a Thresher Maw...'
Even with the news that the entire galaxy could get annihilated, Wrex was only thinking about fighting. A true Krogan.
"What you said, is it true?'' Wrex asked Javik.
''Yes. Everything I said is true. The Reapers are coming.''
Wrex smiled maniacally, '' Great! When the genophage is cured, the Krogan will have another foe to fight!''
Samael grinned seeing Wrex like that, but he knew better, ' No one is prepared for them. At least not yet.'
Samael was prepared on other cycles but he still lost a lot in the process. This time, he would use everything he learned in the past cycles to ensure everyone lived.
And he was confident that with what he knew and could build, the galaxy had a chance.
But first things first. He would start building what he had in mind after dealing with all his family and foes first. Then, he would go all-in preparing the weapons and the equipment necessary to deal with the Reapers.
'' Can you tell me more about them?'' Wrex asked with a shine in his eyes.
Javik nodded and told the basics. How they are, how strong they are, what they do, their weapon. It was the basic, but Wrex could see how strong the Reapers were.
'' DAMN! That sounds like a challenge!'' Still, Wrex was confident they could win.
'' It will be. We will prepare the best we can for them.''
Just then, the Council finished their talking. Tevos, as always, started to speak, '' I'm pleased you came to us first to tell this news and to show the last Prothean alive.''
Javik had small hope things would go normally, but the Tevos continued.
''Regardless of your discovery of a living Prothean, we can't and won't act on his testimony. We have no proof what he said was true.''
Samael had enough and started speaking, '' So let me get this straight, you have the last living Prothean right in front of your eyes and he is telling you that the Reapers, who you all thought was a fairytale, are real, exterminated his race, are coming to exterminated all intelligent life on the galaxy once more, and you weren't believing him?''
Tevos had an indescribable look on her face, '' We need proof.''
'' What more do you need until you start to act?'' Javik asked in a hurry. He knew based on the little he learned about the galaxy, that the Council's support was important if they wanted to deal with the Reapers.
'' We need concrete proof of his history. All we know is that the Protheans disappeared one day from the face of the galaxy, nothing more. We need more proof before we start to say to everyone the Reapers are real... Even we don't believe your story.''
Tevos said that last part as a courtesy, showing the Council standing on this matter.
Javik was fuming already, almost exploding. His entire race was exterminated and he was the only one they left behind to help future cycles. But now, they weren't listening.
Samael was calm now, so he said, '' OK. We will gather you proof. But, you better hope we are not too late.''
The meeting was officially over, and Javik, Wrex, and Samael started to leave. Safe to say, it was a failure. Well, at least to Javik.
Samael predicted this outcome based on his past interaction with the Council.
Of course, now the Council knew about Javik and that was better than other cycles.
They only need proof. And Samael knew exactly where to find them. He looked at Javik with a soft gaze.
' I'll send you to Illos to meet Virgil, grab all the proof we need, and maybe rescue a few Protheans who could still be alive.'
Based on the time, a decade or so before the plot of Mass Effect 1 started, there could still be some Protheans alive in a Cryo-pod at Illos base. But they must hurry.
' Also... it's time to deal with the Illusive Man. I left him alive for too long. Retribution is coming.'
Samael was going to send a team with Javik to Illos, then he would go alone to deal with Cerberus and the Illusive Man once and for all.
Before he left the Council chamber, Samael remembered something and stopped in his tracks. He turned around and faced the Council who was still there.
'' Hey, can you please change the elevator music? It's getting on my nerves as it's the only music you guys play.''
Tevos was the only one who turned to face him, as the other 2 councilors left soon after Samael said that last part.
'' ... I will see what I can do about that.''
'' At least put some new stations on the elevator or other music there. It makes the ride more normal, you know.''
Tevos then turned around to leave but suddenly she turned around and caught something that Samael threw at her.
It was his card, the same one he had given Garrus and Wrex before. Samael had a lot of them.
'' Call me later. We have a lot to discuss.''
Tevos noticed the look on the human face and saw a lot of emotions on his face.
Pity, hope, encouragement. She didn't understand why he was looking at her like that. Before she could say anything to him, he simply turned and left the Council chambers.
She then looked at the number and quickly put on her omni tool before destroying the card.
Tevos had a lot on her mind right now, as she knew the story they told was most likely to be true, as the Asari had more information than the Turians and the Salarians.
But that didn't make Tevos feel better, as this meant the galaxy was doomed. So, she would stealthily start making some calls to see if they have something concrete on the Reapers.
' Maybe I'll have to go to Thessia.'
In Thessia, the Asari homeworld, they had underneath a temple, some Prothean artifacts that helped their species grow quicker and more powerful than the others.
' Maybe it's time to use it again and see if we can find something more about it.'
Tevos then looked at Samael's number. Based on the look he gave her before he left, he most likely knew a lot more than he let out.
' I'll call him later.'
She then departed, to get ready for another meeting.
Also, she also didn't like the music on the Citadel elevator, so she would push things a little to add news stations or other music like Samael suggested.
---
The meeting was now over, but the ramifications of it would only be revealed later on.
If it was good or bad, only time will tell.