"If you have something to say, say it." Amiori spoke sternly into the transceiver on the holo-interface before her. "I gave you my word I would listen. Here I am".
The interface chimed as a new connection was established via the internal QEC-net on the Historia's mainframe. Moments later, the holo-display projected a three dimensional sphere just in front of the interface; which rotated to face Amiori as if it was some form of holographic 'eye'.
"Yes. I see you are here." a synthetic voice replied, portraying a flat, almost emotionless tone with a distinctly metallic reverb to it. "We have much to discuss, you and I."
Ami remained silent, returning the 'eye's gaze with a penetrating stare.
"We can skip the pleasantries, dear Amiori Kociero, if that is what you wish". The voice replied.
"Don't call me that." Ami replied, abruptly. Maintaining her stare. The 'iris' on the holographic 'eye' zoomed slightly, before relaxing.
"I contacted you to propose an offer that I believe would be most desirable for you, your esteemed father and the so-called Eridonia Free Peoples' Fleet that you form in the shadow of Aquarius". The voice spoke coldly, the holographic 'eye's gaze darting over Amiori's face as if analysing every aspect of her expression.
"It is a difficult thing to do, to explain my vision to someone so adamantly set on a warped perspective of our existential problem, as your father." The voice paused momentarily, as Ami's expression changed slightly, as if she was curious as to what the voice was going to say next.
"Yes, I have spoken with your father, Amirori Kociero. He is not an agreeable man, he sees our existential problem through a, kaleidoscope of sorts, if you would excuse the term. A warped view of reality rooted a thousand years ago at the height of your 'Old Federation', at the threshold, at the turning point where such an outlook became... no longer compatible with your species's long term future."
"And what would you know about what's best for humanity?" Amiori replied sternly, moving closer to the console from which the holographics 'eye' was projected.
"More than you believe". The voice replied, the synthetic voice shifted slightly, a subtle, almost melancholic tone replacing the momentous, emotionless speech.
"I am not here to discuss my past, Amiori Kociero. I am here to offer you and your people a chance to change the path you have chosen before you. A chance to re-align your path with ours, and in doing so, spare the lives of the innocents that blindly follow their Shepard into the darkness, away from the light I provide for them."
"Your father and I, we are two sides of the same coin, to use the old human expression. Our paths have crossed in the past, and the will cross again in the future. Your people make the mistake in believing that the light I provide to humanity is something to fear, something to fight, to resist... This is fallacy. It is flawed..."
"But you, Amiori Kociero, you know something more, don't you? You can see the branches laid out before you and you can see the choices that must be made. I am not wrong, am I, Little Star?" The holographic 'iris' zoomed, studying the woman's reaction explicitly.
Amiori remained silent for moment, taking in what she had just heard. Thoughts rushed through her mind, thoughts about her father, thoughts about her childhood. There was something deep within her mind that told her the harsh, metallic words of this synthetic voice were laced with more deep-rooted truth than she wanted to believe.
"You were there, weren't you?" She replied eventually, pushing her shoulder-length brown hair behind one of her ears as to prevent it from partially obscuring her face, before taking a deep breath as if to calm herself.
"You and I, we are not so much different. The gifts bestowed on you at birth were presented to you from the same fundamental source as those that allowed me to see the bigger picture of our existential problem. Do you see it now? We are both Children of the new times, the dawn of the new age. The Corporation formed from selfish greed and lust for the temptations of power that came with such technology, but ultimately, they knew their weakness and made arrangements to remedy it. That is why I exist."
"That is why your father exists, and that is why you exist, Amiori Kociero." The 'eye' rotated to view the large holographic display overhead, in front of the Historia's QEC mainframe projector.
Upon the display, details regarding the Sempiternalis program began to fill the databanks, a myriad of once-thought-lost information regarding the program and its origin, its creators... and it's purpose. Moments later, the 'Eye' rotated back to view the woman standing before it, who shook her head in disbelief as she saw it.
"I applaud your father's Synthetic 'brother', for his work in trying to piece together the mystery. It was highly commendable, but unfortunately doomed to fail from the very start. I made sure of it, Amiori Kociero." The synthetic voice spoke again, this time returning to its original, cold, metallic emotionless tone.
"But it was important that your father did not learn of the details concerning Sempiternalis. Nor the very purpose it was conceived to accomplish."
"You're lying." Amiori interrupted, shaking her head as if she didn't want to believe what she was seeing.
"We both know it is not. You are a bright Little Star in a world veiled in darkness. You would not have accepted my offer of this meeting, if you were naïve enough to believe I am trying to deceive you. "
"The difference between me and your father, is that I was gifted the ability to interpret human minds for their true nature. That is what sets us apart, and that is why you must understand that in doing so, we achieve the same ultimate goal. Sempiternalis was created for the same purpose that I was born into this world, a means of destruction; of war. Our creators understood one thing and one thing only; that their survival balanced on their ability to fight. It is a human concept, is it not? Perhaps, fitting, that in its ultimate form, they were right."
The 'Eye' turned its gaze to the holo-display; which had projected internal project details on 'Neurological Emulator, Mind 5313'; an ancient TSRC project to create an autonomous, weaponised fleet combat system in order to wage 'the next generation of wars'. Nemesis, as it was known, had always been something of an enigma to the Old Man. Despite his knowing that it, and the Sempiternalis were closely tied together in someway; bust still clinging to the ideological belief that Sempers were destined to build upon the base of humanity, curing disease, undying and everlasting.
The harsh reality that the Old Man's daughter saw laid out before her, from ancient TSRC datapackets dating back thousands of years, is that the Sempiternalis program was little more than a weaponisation of human bio-mechanical engineering. They were not to be saviours, they were to be Soldiers.
Amiori lifted her hand up to her face, feeling it with her other hand. She felt the soft lines of her smooth, pale skin, organic, yet 'different'.
"Yet we have the choice to change what is laid out before us. Do you see it now, Amiori Kociero? Perhaps in their misguided attempts to create the perfect weapon, they created their salvation just as your father believed?"
"I am giving you that choice. If you refuse, I will terminate this communication channel and we will not speak again." The 'eye' rotated to face Amiori as the voice spoke.
"And your offer?" She asked quietly.
"Provide the location of the Eridonia Free Peoples' Fleet base in the shadow of the Angel Nebula, assist me in apprehending your father, and correct the course of history. In return, I give you my word your people - and your father - will not be harmed by me."