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  “Now, once we arrive at our destination, I want everyone to remain calm and do nothing sudden.” Seraphiel was in the middle of explaining. “The Protoss might be a bit jumpy, since the location of their homeworld Aiur isn’t widely advertised.”

  As her little speech came to an end, the ship dropped out of phase space. As soon as they were in normal space the stations around the new bridge started giving warnings. “Hundreds of vessels detected. Correction, thousands. They’ve seen us, and many of them already have weapon systems targeting us.” Yoruichi announced with slight alarm in her voice.

  "Many of their vessels are quite advanced," Chachamaru added her brief analysis. "Not as advanced as ours, but still. It would be inadvisable to fight them.”

  "Keep our shields down and weapons on standby. Let's not give them a reason to start shooting at us." Seraphiel reminded them. "Rangiku, I want you to record what I'm about to say and relay it to any ship in the vicinity unedited and verbatim."

  “Ready.” The Shinigami nodded. “Go.”

  “Calling the Golden Armada of the Daelaam, this is Seraphiel. Artanis, get your skinny ass in gear and stop acting like a wuss. You owe me for Aiur and saving the Khala.” She looked at the surprised Rangiku. “Got that?”

  "Message sent," Rangiku replied simply, the corner of her mouth twitching due to a suppressed grin.

  “All of the previously advancing vessels have turned around and are buggering off.” Yoruichi laughed in disbelief. “Whatever it is that they got from that, there’s only a single ship on approach. A large vessel that I’d assume to be a carrier of some sort. Nobody is targeting us anymore.”

  “What’s the Khala?” Teclis asked curiously. Ever the researcher.

  “It’s the communal psionic link shared by all the members of this faction of Protoss. It’s not a hive mind exactly, but it allows those involved to share their thoughts and minds. And once they die, their spirit supposedly returns to the Khala. I have no idea if the dead can still participate in some way or not. Nor do I much care. Anyway, at the end of the war with a dark being with almost godlike powers, this Amon tried to take control of the Protoss through the Khala. As you know, I have some modest psionic abilities myself, and convinced him to think again.” Seraphiel regaled with a mean grin.

  “Modest psionic abilities she says…” Shepard muttered just loud enough to be heard.

  “I can imagine the convincing was rather unpleasant.” Wrex laughed. “I also imagine you had something to do with the eventual defeat of this being with almost godlike power. Although, having talked with you enough, godlike isn’t such high praise anymore. Some gods sound outright puny. Would be disappointing if this one fell into that category.”

  “We’re being hailed!” Rangiku announced, and a large holographic projection in the middle of the bridge turned active, showing the image of a female Protoss in full armor.

  “Seraphiel! I should’ve known it was you! No one else is brazen enough to just show up unannounced.” The Protoss didn’t actually have a mouth, and all their ‘speech’ was psionically projected, so when one of them sounded amused, that meant they were projecting the emotion on purpose. “Artanis would like to lodge a formal complaint and asks that you stop referring to his posterior in such a way. As his mate, I’m extending you a formal request to do the opposite. Unofficially of course.”

  “Of course, Selendis. Nothing would make me happier than to accede to your request.” Seraphiel announced happily. The straight-laced leader of the Protoss military had become a lot more relaxed after they'd gotten to know each other.

  "Excellent. Now why are you here? I doubt that you just came to mock my mate, as fun as that would be. I see you brought another Champion along. One my mate frequently clashes with in events." The grey-ish blue-skinned being added.

  “I just built this wonderful new ship.” She stated.

  “It looks very you.” Selendis retorted sarcastically.

  “Thank you. I always try to invoke a sinister image. I have a problem though. The ship needs an AI, and I can’t be arsed to program one when there are other perfectly valid options available.” She went straight to the point.

  “So, you came to us. You want one of the Purifier engrams as your new AI.” Selendis realized right away. “That’s not impossible, though we can’t exactly give you access to someone like Clolarion or Talandar.”

  “That’s fine. I don’t need a warrior anyway. My crew can do the brawling on the ground. I’d rather like a pilot. Someone with great potential, even if not the most experienced one. They’ll need to adjust to my technology anyway, and being too used to flying a carrier or a tempest will only make things harder for them.” She gave her preferred parameters.

  “Hmm, I think I have just the one in mind. Ashredar was a promising new pilot, mostly flying scouts when his ship was shot down and his real body too damaged to survive. He chose to get uploaded as an engram. Nowadays the Purifiers use his engram on Void Rays. I could get you a copy.” Selendis tilted her head a bit. “Artanis requests that this count as one of the million favors that he and our people owe you.”

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  “Deal. If old skinny-butt wants to get more even on the ledger, then who am I to argue?” She laughed happily. She’d somewhat expected this, which is one of the reasons why she’d taunted Artanis in the beginning.

  “I’ll warp a core with the engram over. Knowing you, you have an AI core of your own design anyway, so the transfer process is on you. Oh. OH! Zeratul asks if you’d agree to take a disciple of both him and Artanis along? Apparently, the young templar needs some real experience, and he knows you’ll get into trouble anyway.” Selendis asked, obviously getting a message from someone else.

  “Can he handle himself? You know the level of trouble I get into.” Seraphiel asked carefully.

  “Oh, yes. He’s quite skilled and powerful. Just needs more experience, like Zeratul said.” Selendis assured her. “I wouldn’t even offer otherwise.”

  "I'm surprised Zeratul is still alive," Seraphiel muttered quietly. "Tell Zeratul yes. Warp the newbie in along with the engram. I'll make sure to project a field you can use."

  “My thanks. Old Zeratul can get cranky and annoying when he doesn’t get his way. And you know he gets all cryptic and gloomy when he’s cranky.” Selendis joked.

  “Changing the subject, I heard you have a son now. How’s little Tassadar?” She asked after the young Protoss she’d fought back when she’d just gained access to the System.

  “Fine, fine. Academy life suits him.” Selendis tilted her head a bit and looked at her knowingly. “Apparently, he ran into a Draenei called Seraphia, who he has taken as a source of inspiration. Maybe more. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, now would you?”

  "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." She lied smoothly. "Sounds like a nice girl though. A good role model."

  “Uh-huh.” Selendis had known Seraphiel was involved as soon as she’d heard the name. “Well, I suppose it’s not very likely the two will run into each other anymore.”

  “Does seem unlikely, yes.” Seraphiel easily went along.

  "Poor boy," Yoruichi commented from the side with a small smile.

  "Really unlucky for him," Shepard confirmed without cracking a smile.

  “Right, I better get that field set up before I have a mutiny on my hands.” Seraphiel continued. “It was good to see you Selendis. Give my regards to Artanis. And remind him he still owes me.”

  “Oh, believe me. He knows. It was good to see you. Do visit us a bit more often." Selendis confirmed happily before the connection was cut.

  “Sooooo. Cradle robbing now?” Yoruichi asked.

  Seraphiel scoffed. “I was a child. He still is. We met once. Get your mind out of the gutter.” At the same time, she projected a field of psionically enhanced energy nearby, just in time for someone to start warping aboard.

  The Protoss warp tech was excellent, able to transport someone over vast distances in a few seconds. The downside was that the system was rather particular about what qualified as a viable destination, as one of these fields was required. Usually, such fields were projected by the pylons that powered all of Protoss technology. Some, like her, could project such fields unassisted. It was a very, very effective way of reinforcing armies on the field. One she would copy instantly if she ever had a need for armies.

  The individual Protoss that materialized was at the same time a very traditional-looking member of the Protoss race, while also having little oddities that made him quite different. He was dressed in the gold and white armor of a Templar, and on his right wrist was the bracelet that projected a traditional psyblade. On his back though, was a cape used by the Dark Templar, and on his left was a bracelet that would project the blade used by the same. On his back, he also had a staff that Seraphiel knew could project a scythe blade of psionic energy on both ends, a weapon often used by a particular sect of the darker cousins of the Daelaam Protoss. In contrast, he still had his nerve cords, a bunch of brownish hair-like appendages extending from the back of his head that connected him to Khala, something the Dark Templar ritualistically severed. They did it both as a show of philosophical differences, and a practical matter since the two sects used to be at war with one another. Nowadays they were staunch allies, but the tradition remained.

  All in all, he was an intriguing mix of two cultures, clearly a sign of his two masters. He was also very powerful, combining the energies of both sects, something she thought only Artanis had managed to do before. "Naidam, reporting for duty." The Protoss made a salute, banging his chest armor with his three-fingered fist, and standing at attention.

  “Naidam. I believe that means creating your own path, does it not?” Seraphiel asked.

  “It does, ma’am.” The young Protoss nodded in confirmation. He seemed to be rather rigid in his behavior. At least on first impressions, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Not something that was likely to last with this crew. He’d have to either relax or he would have a stroke. Did Protoss get strokes?

  “None of that. I’m Seraphiel, or if you must use a title, I was a High Executor of the Golden Armada at one point.” And wasn’t that long ago. “Strictly speaking I’m retired, but the title still stands.”

  His glowing eyes seemed to get a bit brighter. “Truly? I had heard someone not of our people held the position once.”

  “That would be her.” Yoruichi joked. “Despite the way she looks, she’s older than dirt. And I mean that quite literally. She’s older than your home planet.”

  “Ouch. That’s hurtful.” Seraphiel grasped at her chest dramatically. “From such a close friend…”

  “Don’t worry Seraphiel!” Rangiku announced happily. “For being older than dirt, you’ve kept up rather well. Not too many wrinkles…”

  “Smooth. Just for that, you get to install our new AI.” Seraphiel flicked a finger, and the AI core held by Naidam floated to Rangiku.

  “Ok. How though? I know nothing about computers. Even less about what passes for one on this ship.” Rangiku protested.

  "Figure it out," Seraphiel said simply. She did wonder how long it would take for Rangiku to figure out she could just press the core against any exposed portion of Wraithbone. The psionic material would handle the rest.

  “I shall endeavor to help you orange one!” Naidam announced with a voice full of vigor. “The project will help me with assimilating to the new crew!”

  “Orange one?” Rangiku mouthed at the others, though led the young Protoss away.

  “You think that was wise?” Chachamaru asked carefully. “We wouldn’t want to destroy our new AI.”

  "I'd be sorely disappointed if she didn't stumble into the right answer, if by no other reason than accident and blind luck. And destroying an AI core like that would take concerted effort. They'd actually have to try to destroy it to succeed." Seraphiel explained with a shrug. "Not entirely impossible, but if they do end up doing that, I'm going to have so much fun punishing them that getting the core fixed is small potatoes in comparison."

  "I was more referring to his first contact on the crew being Rangiku," Chachamaru stated shamelessly.

  “Well, I couldn’t really perform a thorough review and a welcoming ceremony in the middle of the bridge, now could I? He can spar with Wrex later.” Seraphiel sniffed and tossed her hair a bit in a theatric show of displeasure.

  "Poor bloke." Shepard shook her head, echoing Yoruichi's earlier words. "You're really not being nice with the Protoss, are you? First, you lead their prince in all but name astray, and now you're going to throw their future hero to Rangiku and Wrex? Cruel, even for you." Apparently that particular joke was going to last.

  “You know I’m going to be gentle.” Wrex grinned.

  Everyone laughed at that. “Wrex, you don’t even know what that word means.” Shepard pointed out.

  “I know what it means. I’ve been gentle to females long before your species invented space flight.” Wrex scoffed.

  "Wrex, I don't think Krogan females are the shining examples of gentle either. Headbutting people is not gentle. Also, eww. I really didn't want the image of Wrex being 'gentle' with our new Protoss friend in my head today. I think I'm going to need to drink myself to a stupor just to bleach that image from my mind." Shepard made gagging sounds.

  “You just can’t appreciate my charm. Your loss.” Wrex just grinned wider. “I’m sure Seraphiel doesn’t mind the image.”

  “Oh yeah, I’m currently ‘not minding’ the image very much.” Seraphiel joked with a faked passion in her voice, causing everyone to laugh again.

  After everyone settled a bit, Seraphiel took the reigns of the conversation again. “Right. Let’s go find us more crew then. As much as I don’t mind our new addition, we need actual non-combat crew as well. Besides, someone promised me Asari commandos. I intend to hold you to that Wrex.”

  “Consider it done. I already sent the message before we came here.” The Krogan nodded.

  “Let’s see if we can snag a few Quarians as well. They make for perfect engineers and non-combat support personnel. Maybe even a Volus to handle our finances. Those guys really know their business, and that would allow Chachamaru to hand over the accounting duties to someone else.” Seraphiel outlined her plan.

  “I don’t mind doing the accounts.” Chachamaru protested very lightly.

  “Perhaps, but you’re allowed free time as well. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how hard you’re working.” Seraphiel gently scolded her.

  "Fine." The android pouted playfully.