So this is a rewrite to the Endwar effect that story i think cannot really hold so i take elements from the game and the novel and i modify it. And for the record, this story won't really follow the mass effect canon and also i'm not a profesiional writer so feel free to let me know if there are plot holes, mistakes or something like that.
Cheers and enjoy
2016 - Increased proxy wars between Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel and their respective allies leads to a bombing at Tel Aviv followed by the destruction of a Saudi Arabian tanker and Iranian oil rig which increases tension and lead to a short war between the three nations. The war involves mostly Iran and Saudi Arabia with occasional airstrike and missile attack to and from Israel. The war ends with status quo ante bellum but oil production in both nations and their allies such as Iraq, Kuwait and UAE and oil transport in the Strait of Hormuz has effectively ceased to exist.
Saudi Arabia cut ties with the USA after USA support to Israel in the war.
Russia, now the world's number one oil and gas supplier experience an economic boom and starts to rebuild it's military and the new president rules the country with irongrip, much to the dismay of the Russian people and international community.
2017- NATO unveils the CAMS (Combined Arms Missile Shield), an anti ballistic missile system. The USA and UK test it by firing nuclear ballistsic missile againts each other and CAMS successfully destroy all missile. The world celebrates the end of nuclear warfare and the new age of peace.
With the price of crude oil reaching USD $750 per barrel, the European Union transform to a state called the European Federation (EF),with the capital city in Paris, which consolidates policital, economic and military power of the richest country of Europe. United Kingdom and Ireland refused to join but maintain a very strong relationship.
Shortly after their formation, an EF R&D center at France announced that they were able to make guns that shoots solid-state lasers which is as effective as traditional bullets.
Russian annex and joined by much of the former USSR territory including CIS and Ukraine member to match EF's size and formation.
2018- The European Federation, which now has a greater population and gross national product (GNP) than America, and the USA relationship deteriorates as both superpower view each other as a threat and enters a costly arms & space race.
Russian Federation launches it's own missile system called STARS (Strategic Targeting Anti Rocket System).
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) at the USA successfully test a personal shield that can withstand bullet and solid-state lasers ,which also can be mounted to vehicles and aircrafts, and the US quickly comissioned it to their armed forces but EF and Russian spies and hackers also quickly steals the design and implement it to their own army.
2019- USA starts the weaponization of space by launching an orbital kinetic bombardment weapons platform called LOKI (Low Orbital Kinetic bombardment Installation) that have the power equivalent to a small nuclear bomb. The EF responded by deploying their laser bombardment weapons platform called ODIN (Orbital Defense INitiave) and dissolves NATO and take over NATO installations at Europe such as Ramstein AFB and other installations like the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.
The Russian while already modernize it's military still cannot conquer the space and instead launches STRIKE (Strategic Tactical Responds Initiative for Key Emergencies), a small but highly mobile short range nuclear missile, because of it's small range and non-ballistic nature the CAMS cannot destroy it.
2020-The USA launch the JSF(Joint Strike Force) ,a unified special forces command, led by Lieutenant General Scott Mitchell, mimicking the formation of the EF Enforcer Corps, led by General Amadou de Bankole. Russia also responds by expanding and unite their various Spetsnaz team to a guard brigade called the Spetsnaz led by General Sergei Izotov.
2 months after their estabilishment, all JSF personnel is equipped with exoskeleton that makes them able to use heavy machine and heavsy assault rifle as standard service the JSF unveils the IWS(Integrated Warfighter System) to be used by their soldiers, IWS is system that allows the soldiers to tag enemies, share data or video feed. Shortly there after, the European Union also unveils it's own system called ASDL(Advanced Soldier Data Link) which enables the Enforcer Corps to do the same thing.
The ISS is destroyed by a European Federation ANGELS (Autonomus Nanosatellite Guardian Evaluating Local Space) system, after a Russian black ops group tries to hijack it and the ISS is destroyed alongside the Russian group and a Japanese and Brazilian scientist.
2021- By 2021, all superpower has comissioned supercarriers, which is twice as big as nimitz-class carriers but many military leader are concerned about the vulnerability of the ship againts massed fighter-bomber attack and space weapons.
The European Union started to comissioned ADS(Active Denial System), a weapon that can literally fry soldiers alive, on their tanks and APC as anti infrantry weapons.
The JSF upgrades their exoskeleton system to "2.0" called Assault Powered 1 Exoskeleton Advanced 2 that enables JSF soldiers to use it for 5000 hours before its reactant needed replacing.
The SGB,JSF and EFEC now utilize UAVs and battle drones in combat. Though they are capable of being controlled remotely by human operators, these smart robots can act autonomously. Command craft are able to deploy defense drones to surround their perimeter or order them to perform reconnaissance or even attack enemy troops. Though not as powerful as traditional units, unmanned drones have proved invaluable at gathering information that influences command strategy without sacrificing an infantry, armored, or airborne unit.
2022- The KGB tries to even the odds between the superpower, as the Russians feels that the USA and EF didn't hate each other enough to not ally themselves againts the Russian, by using Ganjin, a paramilitary organization controlled by the SGB, to assault and hack an EF ODIN uplink installation at Finland and use it againts a US space vessel that carries a newly made LOKI platform and also destroys the launch facility and the people inside it.
A Ganjin agent named Christopher Theron seize control of the organization, after viewed the organization only becomes a tool for the Russian government, and cut ties to the SGB and Russia by killing Izotov in a meeting but with the help of former Ganjin agent called the "Snow Maiden", the JSF and Splinter Cell agents apprehend Theron and dismantle the Ganjin, but not before Theron assassinate President Kapalkin.
Chinese Premier,Indian President and Japanese Prime Minister declares neutrality alongside other countries such as Indonesia and Brazil
The United Kingdom and Ireland allows EF soldier to install and man miliary base and installations in their territory.
9 July 2022- Various world leaders meet in London to attempt to make one final attempt for peace.
Jessica and her team watch the video feed from the Athena space probe as the probe makes it's final approach to the Charon. Seven years ago, the probe New Horizon detects big anomality in Charon, the biggest satellite on Pluto, during it's attempt to map it. When NASA couldn't decide what it is, it send another team led by her to analyze the Charon once again and finally determined the cause of such anomaly. Thanks to the advancement in technology and space explore due to the recent arms race, the space probe that she controls now is more sophisticated than the New Horizon, and as such she and her team now can control and maneuver the probe and have video feed as opposed to only see the image the probe sends.
"Alright Lance, take her slow and steady." She told the probe's pilot as he takes control of the probe to maneuver it. "Bring us to the anomaly coordinate and gets us close there, at least we have to take picture or record it for the people back at NASA to figure it out."
The probe then slowly maneuver to the coordinate. Jessica wasn't sure of what the image she sees now, maybe it's just the better photo quality or not but she is sure that Charon's surface is…. ice. Anyway she still have to further map and analyze Charon.
"Alright, Beth. Does the anomaly still there?" She asked Beth, one of her members.
"Yes, the faint wave still emits from Charon. We have to get a closer look to see what's the source." Beth answered.
Lance then takes the probe closer to Charon and the team was able to look closer to Charon before something weird happened.
"Beth, Lance, I need your honest opinion. Is it just me or the surface seems shaking?" Jessica asked her team. The surface suddenly shaking when the team take the probe near the surface of Charon.
"I think the ground did shake, Ma'am." Lance answered. "I'm 100% sure the probe isn't shaking."
"But that's impossible. Can it have an earthquake?" Jessica replied.
"Ma'am, look! The ground is cracking!" Beth attempts to make Jessica look at the crack on the ground in the feed.
Jessica first can hardly sees the crack and wonders how good Beth's eyes is but the cracking soon gets bigger and it gets very visible in the screen, shocking the team.
"Alright Lance, let's pullout from the Charon. We ought to check how much damage it sustains. Might be useful" She ordered.
"Yes Ma'am" Lance responded.
The probe then move back out of it's approach and after a few minutes of observation, the crack still won't stopping.
"This is interesting, the crack just getting bigger. At this rate the planet might shatter." Beth reported.
"Shattered as in explode and ceased to exist?" Jessica inquire.
"Perhaps, or the ice would shatter and reveal what's under it." Beth answered.
Just a few moments after it, the planet sure shattered and unveiled a big artifact that looks alien and have two rings rotate in it's shining blue core.
"Whoa, the ice nearly hit the probe. No damage, Ma'am. But what is that?" Lance respond to the ice breaking.
"I'm not sure, Lance. But obviously it's not human. Except the Europe or Russia has some secret installation. Let's see the core. I would like to see what it is." Jessica ordered.
Lance then move the probe near the core and seemingly from the core it emits a ray of lightning and then the feed is soon cut to black. Shocking the team even further.
"What have you done, Lance?" Jessica asked the shocked pilot.
"I-I-I didn't do anything, Ma'am. Must be the lightning." The pilot answered. "But i'll pull out the recorded video."
The team then review the probe moments before it hits and it sure seems that the lightning knock the probe's down, but one of the member of the team seems to think otherwise.
"Lance, can you play the last moment again but at 1/100 speed?" Beth asked.
"Sure thing." The pilot nodded.
"What do you see, Beth?" Jessica asked the assistant that seems on deep thinking.
"I'm not sure, Ma'am. But I think the probe is…. moving fast, like real fast like the Flash superhero." Beth answered.
Jessica couldn't recall ever seen it moving but the Flash on DC film she sees seems to be very fast so she give her the benefit of doubt. Lance then played the video in a very very slow motion and in the last seconds after the bolt hit the probe, Jessica can finally see what Beth see. The probe does move and seems to moving very fast like the Hyperspace on Star Wars movie. The team fell silent as they see what the video reveal. The probe suddenly accelerate on a very high speed.
"I can't believe it. Do you think what I'm thinking, Beth?" Jessica finally said.
"Yes.., the probe is… launched?" Beth responded.
Jessica couldn't believe it but she finally remembers the only way to check it. "Lance, can you bring the speed record of the probe?" She ordered.
Lance then pull out the speed record which is usually didn't used to the screen and sure enough, the record state the probe moves 5 kph in one second and off limit in the next recorded second. And a very astounding acceleration recorded too.
"I have to make a call." Jessica said as she reach her phone and dial a number. "Get me the NASA director and the Athena mission director. Yes it's extremely important. Yes i'm aware they are busy. Just tell them that it's important and it can't wait and use the video call too. Tell them that Charon has exploded, they will listen, trust me."
Half an hour later, Jessica faced two very annoyed director. One that have to has his vacation interrupted and one that are annoyed that he has to cancel a meeting with the Vice President.
"What is it? It's Sunday and I'm in this little nice hotel on Hawaii which happens to be quite expensive so this better be not a joke." Says the visibly irritated Randolph Johnson, the NASA director.
"Director, I understand you're upset and I too is very close to getting the support of Vice President on additional project on Mars. But I'm sure Jessica won't call use without ordinary reason." Says Alex Miller, the Athena mission director. "Anyway Jessica, you're not supposed to debrief us before a week so what happens?"
"Gentleman, as you see on the feed before you, at 11.05 Greenwich Mean Time the Charon moon that orbits Pluto starts to have some seismic activity and by 11.18 it shatteres and reveals something inside it. It appears what we think as a satellite to Pluto is in fact a giant alien artifact covered in ice. As the probe nearing what we believe as the artifact's core, the probe was hit by a bolt of lightning and seems to disappear but if we played it on very slow motion we can see that the probe is being moved at an astounding speed and the probe's speed record confirms it. We cannot confirm it's speed but it is more than 100 thousand kilometres per hour" Jessica explains to the directors before her.
The directors face turn from inpatient to very shocked as fast as the probe moving. Their face looks shocked by the sight of the alien artifact and Jessica couldn't believe that their face can be more shocked than that and she's proven wrong when they even get more shocked when they see and confirm that the probe is moving very very fast.
The NASA director than quickly grab his phone and dial a number. Jessica couldn't hear what he says but she is sure he says the words "President" "Important" and "Cannot wait".