“Before anything else,” I started, “much of what I’m going to tell you shouldn’t be circulated outside of the Legion. Is that understood?”

The eight new members of the team nodded, showing an acceptable gravitas to my words.

I continued as I began to feed them information through the Reaper net, “At the beginning of the apocalypse, an organization known as the United Governments Coalition was empowered with the collective authority of the then predominant governing bodies of the world. This was likely a measure to try to keep public opinion and fear in check, but they’re currently active and seem to be seeking to bring many regions under their control.”

The team followed my words, but I could clearly see confusion written across their faces as I continued. “Meanwhile, the Native Government - or what’s left of it - is unwilling to submit, leading them to something of a stalemate. Adding in alternate powers that are arising - the Legion, for instance - and we have something of a hot pot brewing. Currently we share a border with only Basilisk Port, home to an organization that identifies itself as “Basilisk” and follows a more or less centralized power structure with several branches that are beholden to the primary branch. Ostensibly, these branches are allowed a modicum of freedom, but are ultimately beholden to the primary body. We’ve been in contact with them on and off, some mild diplomatic talks, but nothing pronounced yet.”

If I had them lost before, they were even more so now.

“The reason why I’m explaining the landscape to you now is because we may shortly be making a lot of enemies.” I met their gazes flatly, “We’re hoping that Basilisk plays ball, but we may need to force the issue.”

“They’re a powerful military force,” Emma, surprisingly, spoke up for a moment. At everyone’s attention, though, she quieted.

I smiled, willing my helmet to slide from my face.

There was a moment of surprise and shock from most of the team, likely not having expected the biosteel black skin, red irises with black sclera. The rumor mill had always been busy regarding myself and the Legion overall, some things were less believable than most. I imagined that anyone who hadn’t personally witnessed what I was capable of might think that it’d be ridiculous to expect a person to no longer be flesh and blood.

The point, of course, wasn’t to startle them. I smiled understandingly, “It’s alright, you’re free to speak and ask questions. We have time.”

Emma recollected herself with a supreme force of will, eyes wide and glued to my facial features. I’d long adjusted to the open stares, but something about the way the group looked at me felt different, more akin to wonder now than shock or disgust.

“W-well, Basilisk has a well reputed military strength, centered around an actual military presence and port. From what I know, they’d be the exact opposite kind of neighbor that we’d want to make an enemy… Sir?” She finished, offering the last as a wary, almost uncertain show of respect.

I nodded, “They’re military prowess is such that they have outnumbered us. Though, our quality in terms of technology and innovation appears to be better, we’d rather not have to engage them at all.” At that, I pressed information through to them once more, “From what sources and communications we’ve caught, we estimate that roughly seventy percent of their military force is dedicated to naval and hybrid warfare, not strictly landlocked combat. With luck, we can work out an agreement going forward for mutual defense.” I turned my attention back to Emma with a thoughtful look on my face, “How do you know much about Basilisk, anyways?”

She shuffled in her seat, but I felt a firmness to her voice that seemed elusive in just about anything else she spoke of, “I have family in Basilisk, so I try to keep up to date on any news from there. It’s only recent stuff, though. Sunvilla… didn’t let much outside contact come through.”

Understanding was clear on my face, “Perhaps we can try to find them.” As I said that, I met each pair of eyes specifically, the original Alpha Team nearby and keeping apprised of the situation. “Given everything I’ve said about them, and the potential for powerful and positive relations, I want you to understand what’s so important that we might risk throwing that away.”

“You’ve no doubt heard of our alien visitors?” I watched them nod, “Well, they discovered that either the Native Government, or the United Governments Coalition have maintained activity on the global orbital defense system. Their ship was heavily damaged on entry. That in and of itself is a problem given that we want to have access to and from orbit, but the major issue is that these platforms are just as equally capable of firing upon ground targets.”

For a few seconds I allowed that to linger in the air, the dawning horror most present upon Domino’s face. He met my gaze, and I couldn’t help but sigh in confirmation.

“As you might imagine, if either NG or the UGC were to press the issue of command in an area, they would have a considerable threat over what we have to offer. They may have active sensors detecting what’s coming in and out of the atmosphere, but we should have a window of opportunity to try to claim the uplink center.” I then gestured to a digital map, a holographic display lighting up from the ceiling of the Ogre’s hull, “This center is right through Basilisk’s territory, on an island that officially is a nature reserve. Going off of what records we can find and traces of communications activity to and from the location, our analysts and myself agree that this is very likely to be one of the uplinks, probably the only one on our side of the continent.”

The group remained silent before Harold looked up, “Couldn’t we just blow up the satellites?”

I nodded, “That’s our last resort, but yes. Considering the potential for defensive and offensive operations, this would grant us considerable leverage in our geographical area.”

“Isn’t that the same thing we’re afraid of them doing to us?” Jessica questioned, “Wouldn’t it be better to just replace them with our own?”

“Yes, it’s the same thing. And while replacing them with our own isn’t impossible, the amount of resources required and creation of infrastructure would make it a project that simply couldn’t be done in the short term. If it comes down to it, though,” I shrugged, “then that’s the route we’ll take. It’s not worth a war with Basilisk. If they don’t willingly let us through, the teams are tasked to split up and make their own ways forward towards the island if possible, but to avoid combat.”

“Consider this,” I offered, “the Legion’s purpose is primarily to combat biotics, but our secondary purpose is to create a unified front against biotics. Our track record speaks for itself, and no organization worth its salt would be blind to this fact. So, what happens when we need to move through an area controlled by another governing body and they get nervous about our presence?” I paused for a few seconds to allow them to come to their own conclusions, before offering my own, “Perhaps they allow us through after negotiations go through, perhaps they tell us to leave, or worst case, they ambush our forces in an attempt to drive us away, leading to needless bloodshed.”

“But,” I gestured sharply, “that changes with an orbital weapon system. The price becomes much higher to attack us, making the other two options more likely. Whether or not we want to spread further, or whether or not we want to fight others, these platforms can be a deterrent to sentient forces. Moreover, we can use them to support Legion teams against biotics in the field, hardened targets, hives, we’d only be limited on targeting and collateral damage.”

Carefully I observed their expressions as I ceased speaking.

“I can understand the reasoning,” Domino stated slowly, “but I still don’t appreciate the idea that we might come into conflict with other humans.”

I smiled, “Good, then we’re doing something right.”

He gave a helpless sigh as I began to elaborate on some parts of the plan. I hadn’t gone into such detail with anyone else, but I was grooming them to be more than just some random team in the Legion. If there was anything that I needed more than just manpower, it would be future-seekers. I needed teams that looked forward, to try to see where we could go, and then to begin to build that path forward. I was under no illusions that I was fallible and set in my own ways. The more people that strove to better the Legion and the people, the better.

Especially because, someday, Earth would be free from biotics.

The thought hadn’t occurred to me often, because it almost felt like a jynx. We were nowhere near close to becoming the master of our world. There were abominations in the darkness that still lurked and waited patiently, watching for the time when they could destroy us.

Perhaps that was paranoia speaking, but it was hard not to lend credence to such thoughts in the wake of creatures like Wolven, or the escaped engineer of the Centaur.

But, perhaps we’d win. And then where would I be? My life revolved around biotics and the Legion, and the Legion revolved around biotics. What would happen-

I cut myself off from those thoughts, dragging my wandering mind away from the depressing pit that it was moving towards. In the end, the question became more about who I was than anything else.

I was who I needed to be right now. Everything else could wait until extinction no longer threatened us.

In the wake of the plan, the group was silent, considering all that I’d had to share I could hardly blame them. Idly, I moved to the cockpit of the Ogre, watching the vehicle drive itself with amusement.

No matter what happened, we would find a way forward.

It was just a matter of not sacrificing what mattered the most.