Ainz sat with his crew inside the Comm Room, where the Normandy's pilot was currently talking over the speakers with the intention of making everyone laugh. Although his methods were questionable, it definitely earned a positive response from Ainz, who shifted in his seat and breathed a sigh of bittersweet humour. He liked hearing them joke.
"Captain, that was WAY too close." Joker informed as he continued. "Ten more seconds, and we would have been swimming in molten lava. The Normandy isn't designed to land in exploding volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull. Just for future reference."
"We almost died, and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara questioned with evident offence.
"It's a good method to raise morale amongst the crew. I do not object." Ainz replied with a finalised tone. This caused the Asari doctor to relent and accept the Overlord's reason, although she clearly didn't understand the true purpose of allowing humour.
"I see." She said, nodding. "It must be a human thing."
"Indeed. It is best to ignore his... antics." Ainz reassured before turning his gaze towards the other aliens sitting around the Comm Room.
Kaidan and Ashley were next to him on either side, but the latter appeared to be much more tense by comparison, and Garrus had chosen to sit beside the former while leaning his sniper against one of the arms of his seat.
Tali and Wrex had seated themselves next to Liara, with the Quarian girl unable to focus on anyone in the room due to her own personal weariness. Ainz had noted this natural response during their mission on Therum, but he decided that he would question her later as to not embarrass her.
"I don't have a lot of experience dealing with humans, I'm afraid." Liara confessed before turning towards Ainz. "Yet I have never even heard of an alien species with such an... interesting visage. One that lacks both flesh and organs." She motioned a gloved hand towards his skeletal avatar.
Ainz merely nodded. "I understand your confusion. I am a long-forgotten Heteromorphic species called Overlord." He explained to Liara, although he used the hidden lore of YGGDRASIL to explain the lack of information regarding his undead heritage. This excuse had been used for deceiving the Council, and Ainz decided to continue the charade.
"That is... fascinating!" Liara exclaimed with excitement as her eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Even the Protheans have remnants of their civilisation for us to analyse, yet these "Heteromorphs" are not common knowledge. Amazing..."
The Asari looked towards the undead with a look of pure adoration and disbelief, which earned a confused mumble from Ainz as he attempted to shift away from Liara. There was a strange aura within the room, and he noticed others begin staring at the doctor with disturbed expressions. The sudden change in her personality was rather concerning.
Eventually, Liara calmed down and continued. "I am also grateful to you, Captain. You saved my life, and not just from the collapse. Those Geth would have killed me."
"Speaking of which," Ainz repositioned himself and placed a fleshless hand against his chin. "What did the Geth want with you? I could understand if they planned to kill you as a method of maintaining secrecy, but it would seem the Krogan was sent to collect you. I wonder...."
The Overlord pondered his own words, as if trying to reach a conclusion, which caused the rest of the crew to watch his every move. He began to scratch his claws against the bones of his lower jaw while tapping his foot against the floor, which caused a rhythmic slamming noise beneath.
Ainz suddenly turned to further question Liara. "Perhaps you have knowledge regarding the Conduit? It seems to be important to Saren's plans, after all." He looked into the Asari's eyes and waited for her response.
"I don't hold much knowledge about the Conduit, only that it was somehow connected to the extinction of the Protheans. I have spent the last fifty years of my life trying to find out what happened to them." Liara explained.
"Fifty?" Garrus spoke up curiously. "How old are you?"
Liara's eyes fell downwards in shame. "I... I hate to admit this, but I am only one hundred and six."
"Damn! I hope I look that good when I'm your age!" Ashley blurted out as she readjusted in her respective seat. The atmosphere became much less tense than before, mainly due to the human woman's sudden joke, but Ainz decided to reinforced his Heteromorphic species: If Liara became curious enough, she might follow him on his new mission.
"A century is a long time to short-lived species like yours. However, to Asari and Undead, it would take quite a long passage of time before we are adults." Ainz explained to Ashley with feigned confidence as a means of reinforcing his presence upon the rest of the Normandy crew. With a calm aura, and unreadable skull, it was difficult to doubt.
"Indeed, Captain, you are correct." Liara agreed. "Because of my youth, other Asari scholars tend to dismiss my own theories on what happened to the Protheans."
Ainz' crimson points gleamed. "Fascinating. What exactly were these theories?"
"When the Protheans vanished, they left remarkably little evidence behind. Almost... too little." Liara explained with a passionate voice that caused Ainz to falter. He did not expect the Asari to express such a vivid interest in all that related to galactic history. "This may sound crazy, but it is almost like someone did not want the mystery solved. It is like someone came along after the Protheans were gone and cleansed the galaxy of clues."
The Overlord nodded along with Liara's claims, and then he motioned for her to continue. Garrus and Tali both had looks of disbelief and confusion, as if they didn't expect someone like Ainz to take genuine intrigue in the doctor's historic teachings. It was almost unnerving, how focused he was on the words that left the mouth of the Asari girl.
"But here is the incredible part," Liara continued while leaning towards Ainz. "According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysteriously vanish."
Ainz scratched the front of his chin, pondering the Asari's words, before searching for confirmation. "So, what you are saying is that the cycle began long before them." The Overlord said with a curious tone before leaning back to relax into the leather of his Captain's Seat.
His words earned a thrilled nod from Liara. "Exactly! I have been working on this for fifty years, and I have managed to track down every scrap and shred of evidence. Eventually, subtle patterns start to emerge." The Asari Doctor took a moment to recollect herself, and waited for Ainz to speak.
"What, exactly, do these 'patterns' relate to?" He asked the blue-skinned female while leaning a fleshless elbow on his clothed lap.
"They hint at the truth." Liara responded cryptically before elaborating further. "It is difficult to explain, I cannot point to one specific thing to prove my case, as it is a feeling that derived from a half-century of dedicated research."
The admission of lacking evidence earned a confused and doubtful look from Ainz, who scratched the front of his face with a clawed finger and thumb. He didn't know if he should continue discussing the subject, due to the lack of reassurance regarding Liara's data, which the Asari noted.
"But, I know I am right!" Liara exclaimed. "And eventually, I will be able to prove it. There were other civilizations here before the Protheans. This cycle has repeated itself many times over." She awkwardly readjusted her leather seat.
"What do you mean 'cycle'?" Ashley questioned.
The Asari Doctor turned to face Ashley. "The galaxy is built on a cycle of extinction. Each time a great civilization rises up, it is suddenly and violently cast down." She explained.
"I see... That must be what I saw in the vision" Ainz said to Liara with a foretelling aura around him. "On Eden Prime, I uncovered a damaged Prothean beacon with important data about the Reapers -- butchering organics."
"Visions?" Liara questioned before nodding. "I see... Yes, that does make sense. The beacons were designed for the Protheans to transmit information directly into the user's mind. Finding one that still works is extremely rare." She looked at Ainz with an amazed expression on her face.
The Overlord began to understand the importance of the beacon, and what the future of this new world could be if such a catastrophic event were to happen. He wanted to understand more, and so he remained quiet to allow the Asari Doctor to continue with her history lesson.
"However, the beacons were programmed to interact with Prothean physiology. Whatever information you received would have been confused; unclear." Liara said. "I am amazed you were able to make sense of it at all. A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed by the process."
Liara leaned forward in reverie. "You must be remarkably strong-willed, Captain, unless manipulating mind waves is a natural ability of Heteromorphs..." She placed a gloved hand against her lip and theorised about Ainz' species, as the undead watched with a bemused glint in his sockets.
"That has nothing to do with the Conduit." Ashley said to the Asari with an agitated tone in her voice. "You really don't know anything about Saren, or what he is doing?"
Liara paused, and raised her eyebrow in confusion. "I... I do not know what...." She looked around the chamber in awkward silence, contemplating, before looking towards Ainz himself and asking, "Who is Saren, Captain?"
"Ah, I see." Ainz breathed in disappointment. "You do not have connections with Saren Arterius. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for you mother -Matriarch Benezia- who is evidently working alongside Saren and the Geth."
The undead watched as Liara's expression changed into a look of shock and horrific realisation. From the corner of his sight, Ainz noticed both Ashley and Garrus watching the Asari doctor with obvious doubt, but he wasn't interested in whatever schemes the two soldiers were planning. Ainz turned back towards Liara and waited for her to respond.
"I... I had no idea that..." Liara said, releasing a desperate sigh from between her lips. She placed both hands upon her knees, the fingers twitching, and tried to remain calm after receiving such terrible news. "I have not spoken to Benezia in years. To think she would do something so..."
"I understand that this is a lot to take in." Ainz said with a raised hand. "However, we need to focus on stopping the Geth and Saren from finding the Conduit. We could use an experienced Asari such as yourself to study the Prothean artefacts we may find on our search through the clusters."
The Normandy crew offered Ainz a perplexed look. There was an obvious distrust between Liara and the others, but the Overlord didn't care about their opinions right now; it was integral that he use every advantage he could obtain. That included specific people with special knowledge and talent for specific elements of this brand new galaxy.
Liara, also noticing the distrust, refused to look into their eyes and remained focused on Ainz. There was a moment of perturbed silence before Liara nodded with a smile. "I would be honoured to offer my expertise." She accepted.
"Excellent. Welcome aboard, Dr T'Soni" Ainz said before reaching out and shaking her gloved hand. The man gave her a confident look before he continued, "I will have the Normandy's doctor, Dr Chakwas, give you a medical scan. Then you can have some food and receive your quarters."
Liara opened her mouth, preparing to refuse the medical examination, but the strange glare she received from Ainz prove fatal enough to make her accept. "I... will see this Doctor Chakwas once the meeting is over, Captain." She reassured before straightening her back, feeling unsure.
Ainz nodded in satisfaction. "Good."
"Is there anything else, Captain?" Tali asked curiously.
The Overlord paused for a moment, or two, and then he nodded at the Quarian female to confirm that there was nothing else to discuss. "That will be all." Ainz stated vocally, informing the Normandy crew to return to their original positions and continue as normal. Each member in the Meeting Room were quick to follow his commands.
"Mission reports have been filed, Captain." Joker reported to Ainz over the comms. "'You want me to patch you through to the Council?"
Ainz thought about it for a moment. He didn't like talking with the Citadel Council members, due to their ignorance and lack of action, but he also understood that he was not above them -- sure, he was WAY stronger, but he did not want to draw attention to himself by killing them. He was worried that someone would come for him if he did such.
"I see no reason to refuse them." Ainz commented with a tone of defeat, which earned a low chuckle from Joker.
"Setting up the link now, Captain." Joker confirmed.
There was a moment of silence, and then the images of the Councillors -Sparatus, Tevos, and Valern- materialised on the Normandy SR-1's direct communication interface. Ainz stared at the three alien leaders with both hands folded to the back of his N7 Heavy Armour.
"Councillors." Ainz noted with a neutral tone.
"Greetings, Ainz Ooal Gown. We have received a report on the mission of Therum." Tevos began. "There was a brief mention of Dr T'soni being transported to the Normandy."
Ainz nodded. "Indeed, Councillor. Liara is currently being held on the lower floors, in a storage chamber through the medical room. Her knowledge may prove useful."
The Asari Councillor opened her mouth to speak, but she was rudely interrupted when the Turian Councillor began to interrogate the Overlord. "You have left the doctor in a random room on the Normandy? That is rather unwise..."
"There was no need for lethal force." Ainz replied, acknowledging how the Turian male was hinting at his inexperience, and wanted to remind Sparatus who he was dealing with. "Dr T'soni was almost killed by the Geth on Therum, I see no connection between her and Saren."
Sparatus was unconvinced. "And what if Saren was using Dr T'soni to deceive you into following on you vessel? She cannot be trusted, and should be kept under heavy--"
"I know what I'm doing, Councillor." Ainz chastised with a cold, ominous tone that earned a shiver from the Turian. It became clear that the undead did NOT like Sparatus, and wanted to end their conversation before it could progress.
"I will provide a report once my mission on Feros has been accomplished." Ainz assured, and promptly ended the call before releasing a desperate, exasperated sigh.
The Overlord scratched the back of his skull, desperate to escape his responsibilities as the Normandy's Captain, but ultimately managed to regain his composure. his mind was calmed through the undead's [Emotional Repression]. It helped Ainz remain focused on the main task at hand, and prevent the weight of his mission from effecting his mind.
Even so, Ainz could not help but wonder how long it would be before the mission finally proved too much to handle. He needed someone to provide support, but his comrades were no longer here to keep him steady. The memories of YGGDRASIL were bittersweet, but Ainz would rather know about his old friendships than forget them completely. He never knew if his old comrades would one day return.
All he could do was hope...
Not wanting to spend the rest of the night moping alone, Ainz turned on his heel and wandered through the main doors, continuing through the main floor. There was not much he could do at such a late time, but Ainz eventually decided to spend some time in the Mess Hall. Perhaps it would prove useful to spend some time alone to himself.
(~Currently - Normandy Mess Hall~)
Tali'Zorah sat at one of the metal tables positioned in the Mess Hall. At such a late time, most of the Normandy crew were asleep or working late on the electronics. There was almost no one in the Mess Hall, except for three others at the furthest table from her. She wondered if the humans were intentionally avoiding her because she was a young Quarian girl, who were assumed to be natural criminals.
In an attempt to distract herself, Tali decided to let her thoughts dwell on other issues, like her Pilgrimage. She was lining out what she could bring back to the Quarian Fleet after helping her new Captain -Ainz Ooal Gown- to capture Saren Arterius and destroy the invading Geth. It was a difficult task, but she would stop at nothing to do whatever the undead commanded her to achieve.
Tali continued staring into space, unaware of her own surroundings, before she noticed someone entering the Mess Hall from the elevator. She instinctively turned to identify the newcomer, only to find herself staring directly into the burning, crimson sockets of her new ship Captain. The young Quarian released a surprised yelp before using her suit's audio dimmers to quiet her own voice modular systems, effectively reducing her to being entirely mute.
Ainz Ooal Gown, the Heteromorphic Spectre, stood over her with a dark aura permeating his fleshless visage. Bad thoughts rushed into her mind at an alarming speed, as Tali believed that her Captain had come to chastise her for doing something wrong and jeopardizing the mission with her lack of knowledge about modern Alliance Brand ships.
It was not common for a ship's Captain to come down to the lower decks, even on their own military vessel, since his attention was needed elsewhere. Their position meant that most places on the ship were in desperate need of a professional, experienced war veteran to provide their personal observation in regards to the specific objective.
"Ah, Captain Ainz! Eh...I d-didn't see you come in, sir." She greeted meekly. Her body shook due to her nervousness, and while she desperately tried to conceal it from Ainz, it became apparent to the Overlord that she was struggling with direct interaction -- at least, when it involved himself.
"It is alright, Tali." Ainz soothed. "I merely came here to gather my thoughts and prepare for the next mission. The Mess Hall seemed the best option for some needed quiet."
"Y-Yes, of course, Captain!" Tali quickly responded with a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "Erh... H-How can I help you?" She asked after a moment of self-gathering.
Ainz, much to her surprised, chuckled. "Nothing. I have everything under control, Tali. There is no need for you to worry about making a good impression." He reassured.
"O... Okay, I understand." Tali replied.
"Of course, while you're here, I should probably use this moment to talk about a few.... problems, relating to our alien-crew setup." Ainz explained, flicking his right claw.
At the mention of aliens, which naturally included herself, Tali could feel a strange pressure building in her chest. It felt like her heart could explode at any given moment, as the skeletal form of Ainz continued inspecting her with his crimson orbs -- burning optics looking through her soul. It seemed like the Overlord was preparing to share negative information regarding her placing on the Normandy, and Tali couldn't help but flinch in preparation for his words.
"Tali, I apologise profusely for the lack of Quarian rations and dextro-based product on the Normandy. I am greatly ashamed that we cannot provide the necessary supplies for both yourself, Garrus, and Wrex." Ainz said before the man bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle, which earned a loud squeak of surprise -and flushed cheeks- from Tali.
"P-Please, Captain Ainz, there's n-no need for you to act like this!" Tali practically begged the skeleton. "I'm sure you didn't expect to have a Quarian, Turian, or Krogan onboard the Normandy ship! I-I could never blame you!"
Ainz froze at the Quarian's words, seemingly from shock, before lifting his skull and staring into her mask. "No. as your Captain, it is my responsibility to provide necessary items that are required for my crew. This includes food product, as well as medication and fitting equipment."
"W-Well, I forgive you!" Tali blurted out. She felt a strong need to face-palm in response to her lack of confidence, and believed that Ainz would see through her fake tones.
However, to her surprise, Ainz straightened his back and offered the Quarian a respectful nod. "I am glad you do not harbour ill feelings towards me, Tali. But even so, I will promise to collect proper rations from the Citadel once we have the time to gather some dextro-based food product."
"I-I... thank you, Captain." Tali said with a smile.
"No 'thanks' needed. Continue working like this and I am confident that you will--" Ainz began, only to be cut off by the sound of his Omni-Tool sending him a notification. The undead sighed before opening his device, reading through his messages, and responding with a quick e-mail. With a single movement, he closed his Omni-Tool and continued.
"It seems my presence is needed on the main deck." Ainz commented, more to himself than Tali. "I enjoyed our brief talk. Enjoy the rest of your break, and make sure to report to Engineer Adams before signing off for the night."
Tali opened her mouth to respond, but the Overlord was already rushing through the main doors to handle the newest assignment on the Normandy. She watched his every step out of the Mess Hall department, mind now acutely focused on the fleshless Captain and his strange behaviour since the beginning of their conversation. It gnawed at the young Quarian woman, but she quickly deduced that it was not her place to question the man.
And so, Tali returned to her mindless pondering. Sitting alone at the ten-person table, she continued pondering about the infamous Ainz Ooal Gown, and their charming interaction less than three minutes prior. The effect he managed to leave on Tali was unnatural, yet the woman couldn't say that she disliked the man's odd presence.
Tali could even say she enjoyed talking with him.