Wow, it's been a while since I managed a chapter out this quickly. Oh well. Disclaimer!

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Humanity's Legacy

Chapter 14

Anculus Unit Production Number 5431 Model A3 Designation Oghren was like most A3 Units. He was short, exactly four feet (just over a meter) and stocky. He learned from the Hubs that the A3 and C3 Units looked similar to Volus according to the rest of the Galaxy. Not that he would know from personal experience having never left Earth. No, instead he was one of the many Units left behind to watch over their creations Homeworld and maintain their ruins and artifacts. His current objective was to repair the gates to one of the many cemeteries. It was blown down during the last hurricane to pass through. As he went about welding broken metal and replacing a few nuts and bolts, he let his optics wander to the graveyard. It wasn't given a name, there were far too many across the world for that. It was simply a seemingly endless green field filled to the brim with tombstones, some marked with crosses, stars, wheels moons, and all of them bearing the names of the people who were lost.

As Unit Oghren continued to look over the graves, the empty city miles away providing a back drop, he noticed something odd. He actually noticed it for some time now, at least four months prior. After exiting the time in the Hubs debating whether to follow Examen into the Veil Relay, he noticed the things around him affected his processors differently. He didn't know what to make of it nor could he adequately describe it. It was as if everything was . . . deeper, more defined. It reminded him of when he first gained sentience almost a century ago. The A3s weren't like the other Units, though they still asked The Question, they didn't seek out the answer as fervently as the others. If this was the result of progress into finding that answer however, perhaps he should rethink that mindset. Yes, he's going to hook up into a Hub when he finishes his repairs. Unit Oghren was determined to learn more of this development, even if software research was not an A3's strong suit.

Before he could finish his repairs, a great BOOM sounded throughout the field, followed by a shattering sonic boom, knocking the portly synthetic to the ground, his arms flailing as he fell. The sound of shattering stone overwhelmed his auditory sensors but before he could regain his footing and investigate, a second boom knocked him down again followed by a deafening crash. Dirt and rock crashed against his frame as he was thrown back. As suddenly as it began, everything became silent, allowing Unit Oghren to regain his footing and looked to see what caused such chaos. He looked up . . . and up . . . and up . . . and up . . . and up until he nearly lost his footing again.

It was massive. The structure rose so high it blocked out the sun, drenching everything around Unit Oghren in near darkness. It almost resembled a bee hive, except for the size and the metal constructs breaking from the rock at uneven intervals. In the center of the structure, a great eye began to grow a sickly green, glowing brighter and brighter until its energy finally released. The green wave exploded out, rolling over the hills and graves. When it reached Unit Oghren, he felt and saw the world go blank. There was nothing but an endless darkness as every one of his sensors was detached from his central core.

For a full hour he stumbled around as his systems attempted to reboot. Eventually they did, allowing light and sound to bleed back into his processors. He looked around for the construct but he did not find it. No, what he found instead where thousands of empty graves, the freshly dug up dirt spread about the grassy field, and all the tombstones smashed.

Every.

Single.

One.

Until the day of his expiration, Unit Oghren still did not know how or why he said what he said.

"Oh sodding hell."

-0-

"I apologize Councilors, but it seems I have misheard you. It sounds like you said you are not going to do anything."

Councilor Pennis (AN: pronounced tennis with a p you sick bastards) glanced nervously at her fellow councilors (not that anyone could actually tell). At times like this she wished she just let Meerin keep the job. Ever since the Examen incident occurred, everyone noticed a change in the Anculus behavior. Most of them became more casual in their speech; they spent incredible amounts of time around areas and objects of beauty (more so than usual). Ambassador Knights on the other hand was far more firm in their debates. He still had not let go of the Anculus' old policy of carrying side arms. But right now, that was the least of her problems.

"That is not what we said ambassador," she said calmly to him, wary of his reaction but still maintaining her composure. "We simply have nothing to go on."

"Pennis is right," Qup added in. "We know nothing of the faction that attacked Earth."

"That is not true. Our stealth ships have traced them back to the Omega 4 Relay. From the data we have gathered, we believe these unknowns to be Collectors."

"Collectors?" Qup scoffed. "They are nothing but a myth. Stories spread by smugglers and mercenaries."

"Real or not," Tevos stated with a glare at her Salarian counterpart before turning back to the ambassador. "The Omega 4 Relay is in the capital system of the Terminus systems. It is beyond our reach."

"But not ours," Knights pleaded. "We have had previous dealings with the Pirate Queen Aria. We can discuss with her rights to send a retaliation fleet to track down and destroy these aggressors."

"Or you could spark a war with the Terminus," Qup growled. "Not every war lord in that part of space follows Aria, and even if they did they wouldn't react kindly to synthetics entering their territory. We cannot indulge such an action. We can however provide several fleets to reinforce-"

BANG "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"

The three councilors and everyone watching the proceedings were left speechless. Unit Knights looked down to his clenched fist which were buried in the now bent railing of the ambassadors' platform. He stared at his slowly unclenching fingers, quiet for some time. He looked back, locking eyes with Meerin's widened eyes back by the steps to the Council's chambers. The Unit turned back to look up at the Councilors, his eyes lighting up and projecting an image in front of them. An image of thousands of freshly dug graves and crushed stone.

"They desecrated Earth. They stole the remains of millions of Humans, defiling our creators' final resting place." Unit knights allowed the image to fade. His next statement sent chills down possibly everyone who heard it. "We will not be satisfied until these violators have been brought to justice. Regardless of the decision of this Council, the Anculus are going to war."

Bit of a short chapter, but can't be helped. Next chapter, we see the Anculus march to war. Waiver, if you will.

Waiver: review please.