บท 128: Chapter 126

A/N: This is the vote for which station you guys think should be the new inter-species station

(Option 1)

(Option 2)

------

A few months later (2163), Axel was now sitting within a conference room onboard the newly constructed inter-species station alongside the Batarian Archon kagrom dob'notor and the Quarian Prime Candidate. The Prime Candidate is the elected head of state and head of government of the newly formed Quarian Republic. As Prime Candidate, they act as the central leadership of the entirety of the Quarian republic and are kept in check by the Senate and the people.

The current Prime Candidate was Zaal'Koris vas Rannoch having changed his last name with the founding of New Rannoch. He was well known for his sympathetic views on the geth and was originally the Admiral in charge of the Civilian fleet which played a big part in his selection for Prime Candidate.

The three of them had met for the official opening of the inter-species station which has been receiving a lot of visits so far. While the design of the station was rather simple and didn't have as many arms as the Citadel did, the station was twice the size of the Citadel.

The station had many hangers for docking tens of thousands of ships at once alongside the infrastructure to provide for the needs of the many species that would call this place a temporary or even permanent home. Quadrants and sectors were meticulously designed and allocated considering the unique environmental needs of various species, ensuring everyone could coexist without any environmental problems.

In addition to that, the station featured similar areas to the Citadel like the Presidium, which served as the hub for political and diplomatic activities; the marketplace, a sprawling bazaar teeming with goods from across galaxies; and the wards, residential areas that hosted a diverse assortment of inhabitants. The station was also equipped with advanced defense mechanisms to fend off possible intruders or potential threats.

Some new areas also included the Fusion Sphere, a dedicated space for scientific research and invention, equipped with cutting-edge technology, fostering cooperation in advancing the frontiers of science. And the Pantheon, where diverse cultural expressions and faiths were respected, celebrated and shared.

Zaal'Koris, his face hidden behind his environmental suit, spoke to Axel. "Emperor Axel, I want to express our gratitude for your initiative. This station represents a new era of cooperation among species. For us Quarians, it is a symbol of our rebirth and restoration."

"Thank you, Prime Candidate," Axel responded. "This station was established to foster cooperation between all races within the galaxy without having to kiss up to a council of three races."

The two leaders nodded at this statement, understanding the overall goal of the station. The group finished their conference shortly after, then left the room to return to their duties.

Already many ships had arrived at the station, each carrying representatives of various species from across the galaxy. The lively buzz of activity signaled the steady stream of visitors, diplomats, traders, scientists, and adventurers eager to see this new station which was said to rival the citadel.

The station was named Atlas station, but most people just called it Atlas. The Atlas Security Forces (ASF) was also established within the station and was made up of MCUs who have been programmed for security purposes rather than war fighting.

They still had the same capabilities so they could be turned into war machines at any moment, but for the time being they were to act as Security forces and would be interacting with species from across the Galaxy.

During his little adventure to see the rest of the Galaxy, Axel had seen a lot of different cultures, religions, living situations and races. He had met Asari matriarchs, Salarian scientists, and Krogan warlords. His relationship with the Turians was not the best at the moment so he couldn't enter their territory.

He had encountered a variety of other species as well which included the Drell and Hanar, the enigmatic Vorcha, the aggressive Yahg and the merchant-like Volus.

His time with the Krogan warlords was filled mainly with fighting as the Krogan sought to challenge him and his honor guards to a fight seeing their size. Axel thought it would be fun, so he accepted.

The fights ended up turning into a bloodbath as each Krogan that stepped forward was beaten until they couldn't move anymore which made more Krogan want to try their luck and prove themselves. Unfortunately, they all lost, so they tried to fight his honor guards and lost as well.

This was also the time when he learned about the genophage which was a biological weapon deployed against the krogan by the turians during the Krogan Rebellions. It was designed to severely reduce krogan numbers by "infecting" the species with a genetic mutation.

While he didn't support that method for winning the Krogan Rebellions, he could also see why they were considered a major threat and why they were dealt with using a biological weapon. But still learning about the genophage only reinforced his motives for going against the Citadel Council.

First it was the Quarians who were left to fend for themselves and refused help even after centuries of having to travel around the galaxy as nomads, now it was the Krogan who were dealt with using a biological weapon and left in an even more dire situation than the Quarians.

And then learning about how the krogan had to endure disposal of massive piles of dead children, was something that Axel couldn't wrap his head around. Catherine was the same as she couldn't beleive that children were not even given the chance at a future and were killed by the genophage at an early stage.

Because of this, she had opted to remain on Tuchanka and start researching the genophage and how to come up with a cure for it. Seeing her serious expression, Axel had left her on Tuchanka alongside a contingent of Honor Guards as she started her research of the genophage.

Having earned the respect of a few local Krogan clans from their fights, Catherine's presence was welcomed and her motive for wanting to come up with a cure was respected. Not many believed she could actually come up with a cure, but it was enough to start getting some Krogans to gather around her.

Even now, months after she started doing her research, more Krogans who respected her dedication to helping them had joined her side while other clans believed that an outsider was not welcomed on their homeworld. Tensions started brewing between the two sides while Catherine continued her research.

After leaving Tuchanka, Axel travelled to Thessia, the Asari Homeworld with the permission of Valese Asari Councilor.

There, he was introduced to the Asari's way of life, their emphasis on education, diplomacy, and mysticism. The planet itself was a mind-blowing amalgamation of ancient traditions and cutting-edge technologies. The Asari, it seemed, were a species that had learned well the art of balance.

Thessia was a breathtaking world. From the elegant skyscrapers interspersed with lush green parks in her cities to the sprawling forests and vast oceans that dominated much of the planet's landscape, it was clear why the Asari people held their home in such high regard.

During his visit he was getting many looks from many of the Asari as he traveled the planet. He figured it must have been because of his height as he was the tallest person they had ever seen, which was not the best thing at times. He found himself having to bend down numerous times.

While he was on the planet he learned about the tales of Ancient Asari and explored many of the profound cultural sites including the famed Temple of Athame.