Garden of Conquest Chapter 2 (Patreon)

The sun was shining, the waves of his new ocean were lapping up against the shore of his only continent, and here he was relaxing with Raven as they watched the glorious meteor shower just across the horizon. These heavenly rocks were the source of his ever growing mass as well as his own body of water to play with.

“Hey, I never did catch your name?” Raven asked as she reclined against the modified plant turned beach chair while she took a sip from her coconut. The tentacle sprouting beside her blinked as it considered it.

“Huh… oh yeah, forgot about that with all the excitement of yesterday.” He replied as he reached up to the coconut tree he remade from memory and plucked a fruit to eat. It wasn’t quite there yet but he’s getting there. It atleast tasted right and not just sugar water like the first few attempts. 

“If you found yourself in another body… are you still you or are you already another person?” He asked as he sliced the top of the fruit, cutting through the tough husk and woody interior to get to the sweet nectar and flesh inside. 

“I’ve read some books about it but I’ve never really thought about it. Also, can you turn a bit? The suns dipping a bit to the west already” Raven asked as the sun moved back to the middle of the sky. “Thank you.”

“Hmm… I think I’ve read an analogy about it somewhere. Like, would a ship still be the same ship if you destroy it, take the captain’s log, and place it inside a new ship. A modified Ship of Theseus paradox if you can call it that…” The tentacle pondered as it took a sip from his drink

“Not much of a Ship of Theseus Paradox when you only have the captain’s log.” Raven replied as thinked about it. 

“You’re probably right so I would need a new name! Plus imagine if a planet was named Mark or John.” The two shared a laugh at that thought. Still, that leaves him without a name. “I need a new name… got any ideas?”

“Hmm, naming a new planet. Something I’ve never thought of ever doing. Let me think for a bit.” She replied as she looked up at the clouds lazily drifting as some of them got torns to shreds from the shockwaves from passing meteorites.

“How about Azarath?” He jokingly asked.

“No.” The flat look and the unamused stare was all he needed to know to get that it was a joke too far.

“Sorry about that.” The tentacle apologized to which Raven nodded as she suppressed a wave of shame emanating from him once more. Strong emotions were still hard to deal with but she was getting there.

“You… didn’t mean it anyways.” She grumbled before she waved it off, “Anyways, your thoughts on Terra?”

“You… had a friend named Terra in one timeline. I don’t feel like I’m worth the name and before you suggest Gaia, Gaia is a woman's name and I’m not a girl.” He replied with a pout. 

“Well, you could be one.” Raven jokingly replied

The tentacle turned to Raven and asked her “Who are you and what did you do to my friend Raven.” Raven chuckled at that. 

“Wait… I think I have an idea. Are you familiar with the poem called “The Raven”?”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t the character there ask the Raven what his name was?” to which Raven raised a brow as she started reciting that particular line.

“Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian Shore! Quoth the Raven ‘Nevermore’.” replied Raven.

“Nevermore sounds like a fitting name right?” The tentacle asked 

“Do you even know the whole poem?” Raven was amused at his choice and humored him about it.

“No but it sounded neat and I think you’d like it.” the Tentacle replied, happy with his choice despite never knowing the deeper meaning of the poem.

“I… like it.” Raven replied as she thought about it, reflecting about the poem and the name. If there’s one thing true that Raven knows, the name could be an answer if she ever asks if he’ll ever leave him. After all, they were… friends. 

“Hey Nevermore, can you watch my drink for me?” She asked, handing her drink to the tentacle beside her as she stood. She stretched, rolling her shoulder after laying down for so long, before she walked away from the beach and towards the small hut that Nevermore made for her. 

It was a quaint little thing complete with all the amenities she needed. From a working shower to a bed, all made from modified plants. It was a living, breathing house and she felt more at ease in it than anywhere else oddly enough. She closed the door behind her, content that the wards she erected at least give her some privacy, before pulling on something she never thought she’d get to wear. It was a thing she thought she’d never get to use outside the public pools of Azarath. 

While she changed, Nevermore turned his attention to the sky as he directed the many asteroids he was gobbling up. Material was plentiful but he noticed something peculiar with some of them. Some asteroids glow blue as they streaked across his atmosphere. 

Inspecting the meteor impact yielded strange glowing rock the like of which he’d never seen. Were they Kyptonite? They probably weren’t as if they were, he’d at least find some green ones. Plus, the bacteria he had coating them weren’t dying with some integrating them into their own bodies. 

Feeling the bacteria fly away was quite freaky. What were they? That line of thought was soon cut off as the drink he was holding was grabbed by her companion. 

“Thanks.” Raven whispered as he felt her pass by and head towards the water. Turning his attention towards, he felt his thoughts ground to a halt as she watched her walk by. Daring was the apt word to describe the swimsuit raven wore.

The black two piece accented her generous figure well, leaving none to the imagination. His mouth was left open as he couldn’t help but stare. 

Raven stumbled as she stared back with a furious blush on her face making Nevermore look away in embarrassment. An awkward silence stretched between them as they refused to meet each other's gaze. 

“So… want to join me?” Raven asked as as rosy blush spread from her cheeks

“Err… tentacle here but sure?” Nevermore replied as he slithered towards the water with her.

As the two were bathing in the new ocean, Nevermores actions were not one to be missed. The strange gravitational anomalies he was causing were catching the attention of people up in the nearby systems.

Such strange anomalies were being picked up by buoys placed upon the new system to alert its owners of any prospecting miners that wanted to squat in the area and take what isn’t theirs. Gravitational anomalies were after all the tell tale signs of Mass Effect Fields. 

With the never ending pings coming from the buoy, the nearby government of Eden Prime is growing concerned. Deep within its capital, a meeting was called by the governor. 

“What do you mean there’s an entirely new planet in the system?” Asked the Governor as he sat at a small table with his staff and the System Alliance commander beside him while an entire team of nervous scientists stood across them showing them charts and other technobabble that he couldn’t even fathom.

“Why yes. One moment it wasn’t there and then poof, it’s there causing all sorts of gravitational anomalies.” the lead scientist replied

“Couldn’t you know… somehow missed it?” Asked the governor's secretary as the governor massaged his temple.

“No and it’s far too big to have formed in the last 5 years since we last did our survey. It’s practically the size of Pluto and the last time we did a survey, the only planetoid in that area is barely half the size of Ceres.” explained the scientist.

“Ok, so we know there’s a planet in the area. What do we know of it? Is there anyone living on its surface?” The commander asked as he stared at the grainy image taken by one of the unmanned drones sent to the system.

“Oh, that’s the exciting part. We believe that this planet is somehow capable of supporting life.” The scientist excitedly gestured, showing off the readings of its atmosphere and its unusually strong gravity that was earth-like. 

“As you can see, perfect atmospheric gas ratio, the right gravity and even signals of life based on the phosphene, methane and carbon dioxide levels on its atmosphere”

“Say what now?” the governor asked as he looked up to the scientist.

“It’s a Dwarf Garden World. Probably the first of its kind!” The scientist replied.

“Send an expedition. I want this planet surveyed, claimed, and protected before any Asarian, Turian, Salarian or god have mercy on us, the Batarians know about it.” Ordered the Governor as the people in the room all agreed. Things however wouldn’t stay hidden for long as a certain camera in the room turned without prompting from its operators in the security room. 

A group of Salarians looked at each other as they discussed the knowledge they gleaned from the meeting. It seems that knowledge about the planet wouldn’t stay hidden for too long.