Evolutionary Divergence: Codex Chapter 1: Factions, a Halo + Mass Effect Crossover fanfic

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Searching Factions:

-The Leviathans: No available data located…

-The Reapers: No available data located… Searching under "Mythical/Legends/Stories…" File located, retrieving… The Reapers are a myth described by several Asari when excavating Prothean ruins. Some speculate that this has something to do with the mass extinction of the Protheans, but no other concrete evidence can be found. The Reapers are often dismissed as a myth or a metaphor to the death of the Protheans.

-The Precursors: The Precursors are rumored to have been an extragalactic race that came to the Milky Way almost 200,000 years ago. Many UOA scientists and historians believe that the Precursors seeded the Milky Way with life, including races such as the San 'Shyuum, the Forerunners, and Humanity. Not much is known about them except that they were extremely advanced with the ability to even create the heavens themselves. No one is sure why they disappeared or whether more exist in other galaxies, but they were replaced by the Forerunners.

-The Forerunners: The Forerunners were an advanced race that preceded the current galactic powers by almost 100,000 years. The technology used by the Forerunners was staggering. They made use of anti-gravity fields, direct-energy weapons, advanced AIs, and huge dreadnoughts. They were responsible for creating the Ark, a massive space station on the edge of the galaxy, and the Halo arrays, huge planetary rings capable of holding their own ecosystem. The Forerunners had a philosophical duty known as the Mantle. The Mantle was a philosophy of the Forerunners, that all life should be protected. The Forerunners even went to war with an ancient Human/San 'Shyuum Empire after aggressions were made. The information from the archives in the Ark was scarce, but it describes an era known as the Struggle. Many scientists and historians speculate as to what this era means. No other information is given accept that the death toll was high and many worlds were lost. The information quickly resumes when the Forerunners talk about the Flood, a parasitic species that threatened to consume all life in the galaxy. The Forerunners constructed the Halo rings as a last resort weapon against the infection. The Halo rings were super weapons capable of wiping out all sentient life in the galaxy, starving the Flood of its food. The firing of the Halo rings would mark the end of the Forerunner Empire, but their legacy would live on in the forms of their technologies and the humans, who they marked as their successors. The Forerunners dubbed the Humans "Reclaimers."

-The Flood: The Flood are a parasitic life-form from the ancient times. From the archives on the Ark, the Flood appeared outside Forerunner space almost 100,000 years ago, directly after the Struggle. The Flood ravaged the Forerunner worlds, consuming all sentient life and adding them to their bio-synthesis form. The Flood accomplishes this by fusing parasitic cells to their host. This allows them to grow and feed off the host's biomass while multiplying. Soon, the host becomes the minority of the new life-form and the parasite takes over the actions and thoughts of the body. The mind is then torn apart by the parasite while "stealing" and useful information, such as piloting ships, using weapons, star charts, and other vital information. If the Flood achieves enough biomass across the galaxy, it forms a Gravemind, a Flood intelligence that is capable of directing every action of the Flood across the galaxy, regardless of distance. The Flood proved to be the downfall of the Forerunners, as they forced the Forerunners to unleash the power of the Halo rings, destroying all sentient life in the galaxy. Most of the Flood starved after this event. The Flood were rediscovered on the Halo installations, where they were taken for study by the Forerunners. They were accidently released on Installation 04 during the Covenant Civil War but were contained before they could spread to other worlds. They have since been put under lockdown in biohazard labs. They are rarely studied as it was determined that the danger they pose outweighs most of the benefits.

-The Protheans: The Protheans were an ancient race that dates back to almost 50,000 years. The Citadel races give them credit to building everything from the Citadel and Mass Relays to the actual Element Zero. They utilized many technologies including mass effect drives, eezo weapons, particle beams and possibly anti-gravity fields (though this is speculation given by the several researchers who claim to have seen artifacts that defy gravity; they are never recovered). The Hanar believe that the Protheans are the ones who created all life in the galaxy and worship the Protheans. They refer to the Protheans as "Enkindlers." The Protheans held onto an interstellar empire and built many relics to their civilization. One of the most prominent has been several "beacons." These beacons have allowed the Citadel races to unlock the technologies of the Protheans and use them for their own devices. No one is quite sure why the Protheans went extinct. No information is ever given on the events leading up to their extinction, so no explanations are given.

-Chaos: The forces of Chaos are beings that are created in the Immaterium, a dimension that can only be accessed by psychics, or those that swear loyalty to one of the Chaos gods. No one knows why Chaos came into being, but their place in the galaxy is clear. The forces of Chaos have only one purpose; simply cause chaos and destruction. Almost every single soul in the galaxy has a connection to the Immaterium. This is because Chaos beings are simply physical manifestations of the emotions felt by the denizens of the galaxy. They feed off of the emotions of all races in the galaxy to increase their power. Mankind seems to have a special connection to Chaos as corrupting mankind has become a primary goal. Some Eldar speculate that Humanity has stronger emotions than other species, creating a need for mankind's emotions like a drug. Chaos seems to revolve around three main gods. Khorne, god of war and blood, is responsible for causing chaos on the battlefield. He revels in any conflict, no matter how small. Nurgle, the god of famine and disease, is partially responsible for any times of strife or hardship in any culture's history. Tzeentch, the god of change and manipulation, is a schemer. He will usually cause many events to take place, only to reverse them in the event that he is bored. He will then scheme to get things back to the status quo before resuming his original scheme. It has been predicted that a fourth god is in the making, but no proof has ever been presented. Chaos sees itself as the opposite to the Emperor, as the Emperor is the embodiment of order in the galactic powers. Since the Emperor started his campaign for the Imperial Truth, a philosophy that abandons superstition and fear with logic and reason, Chaos has gotten significantly weaker. Cultist groups still appear every once in a while on Orion worlds.

Government: Chaos is ruled by the three Chaos gods. They have absolute power in the Immaterium, though no one knows what is possible in the Immaterium. This has created many wild theories as to how the gods divide power and realms between themselves. Currently, no one has ever bothered to find out.

Military Strength: Chaos has very little strength as far as a military goes, as their plans to corrupt mankind have been repeatedly thwarted. They make use of the denizens of the Immaterium. Referred to as Chaos Daemons, the Daemons are extremely dangerous, but quickly deteriorate in the material universe. This has stalled Chaos's advances for millennia as the Daemons never got the chance to truly invade. The only times when Chaos is considered a physical threat is through possession of a psychic. Ever since the Emperor, with the help of the Eldar, placed an incantation on all psychics, the threat of possession dropped, although it is not unheard of for a psychic to get possessed when skimming the edges of the Immaterium. The main infantry of Chaos are the Chaos cultists. These are simply people who have joined with Chaos. They are really no more than fanatical cannon fodder. The highest tier has been actual daemons who escaped the Warp and are able to function in the material universe for a time, but these Warp storms have often disappeared after a few minutes. Devastation is massive, but short lived. No other forces have been seen as of right now.

Economy: The only economy that the Chaos gods understand is blood and souls. They will not accept any other forms of payment, except for Khorne, who is willing to accept skulls for his throne of skulls.

Society: No one has ever journeyed into the full dimension that is the Warp and come out alive (or at least sane). It is difficult to describe the society Chaos thrives in, but some people (including the Emperor) say that it a horrible place that operates under different physical laws. There are entire cities made from rotting flesh, even as some faces still scream in agony. The atmosphere is full of different emotions, even as they feed the hungry gods of Chaos. The many denizens of the Immaterium are Daemons, who walk the path of damnation. For Khorne, there is a giant lake of blood. In the center of this lake is an entire throne made of skulls. No one is quite sure how to describe the other resting places of the gods, as they can offer no words as to the cruelty seen.

-Orks: The Orks are believed to have been a sect of humans who developed on a world far from Terra, the capitol of the Imperium of Man. They were consumed by Chaos early on and soon became corrupted by power. They worshiped vague versions of the Chaos gods. These two gods, referred to as Gork and Mork, promoted aggressive conflict. These two religious figures spearheaded the advance of war and chaos across their home world. Seeing his chance, Tzeentch came before them as a prophet and offered to raise these people to a higher existence with their gods. After a contract of blood was signed, Tzeentch then transformed all of the humans into a new genetic construct. Now green, muscular and somewhat dim, the Orks had only one desire: to fight, no matter who won. With a new reproductive system (the use of spores), these Orks soon began to fight for every single inch of territory. It was then Chaos stole a sect of the Orks and implanted them with technological knowledge at a genetic level. The Orks would be able to build massive fleets and other weapons, but could not understand why or how they worked. After several Ork Warbosses took leadership, the forces of Chaos manipulated them into attacking the Imperium of Man. The ensuing crusade, known as a "WAAAGH!", crashed into the Imperium of Man's outer defenses, overrunning one of the military worlds called Cadia. The Cadian Imperial Guard holds out on one of Cadia's moons, where the Orks were finally pushed back. After years of fighting, the Orks are pitted against an Eldar battle fleet and destroyed at the edge of the system. The Space Marines, the Emperor's elite soldiers, then fought on the Orks own worlds. As of 3,674 B.C.E., the Orks have been declared extinct, though it is reported one ship did escape the blockade for who knows where.

Government: The Orks have a clan-leader system. Whoever is leader of the clan is in charge. Another may challenge for the right to rule the clan, but this usually involves all Orks present, not just the leader. The brawls tend to get ugly very quickly. If a WAAAGH! is formed, then a Warboss is the leader, regardless of clan leadership. Nobs are the elite Orks and usually keep order in the ranks during WAAAGH!s. After a WAAAGH! is done, the Nobs usually lose their status of power, but go on to challenge their own clan leader. The Warboss is usually always a clan leader anyway so not much has changed.

Military Strength: The Orks were based on a tribal system of clans, who were led by a Warboss. Sometimes, one Warboss would be able to defeat another and claim all of those Orks under him as part of his clan. This usually swells in size until the power becomes to too large to control and civil unrest breaks out, or control is maintained enough to create a large a WAAAGH! to form. The Orks use a combination of close combat tools (such as primitive axes and spears) to more advanced handheld weapons (including machine guns and rockets). They have a wide class of vehicles and ships, though appearances can be deceiving. From an outside standpoint, the Ork constructs look like a large pile of junk cobbled together to imitate a vehicle or vessel. However, the true secret is far darker. Having been in connection with Chaos granted them the ability to understand technology on a genetic level, ensuring that they would know mechanics by instinct, but would not understand it. When constructing these machines, an Ork can simply will a machine work as intended. How Chaos was able to give this ability is anyone's guess, but it allowed the Orks to have essentially unlimited weapons. If something was slapped together that looked even remotely like a gun, than it was a gun and it would fire. When such a weapon is dropped, no one else can use it, as the Ork's will is gone to make it work. This caused endless frustration in the Imperial forces fighting the Orks, as supply lines would get cut and they couldn't even use their enemy's weapons as spare parts. When the Ork threat invaded the Imperium, they had thousands of ships. However, they valued quantity over quality and most ships were destroyed before even landing at Cadia. Their ground tactics proved to be similar, as they would rush the battle lines with close combat weapons. They wore very little armor accept for their commanders, who had some very advanced technologies with them, including personal teleportation and tesla fields. Eventually, all forces were wiped out by the Space Marines. The main infantry of the Orks were their Ork Boyz. These Orks would charge with little to no armor and try to get in close combat with their enemies. Devastating at this range, many Orks died to reach that position and it became a weakness that was exploited in the later battles. For their ranged infantry came the Shoota Boyz, who would wear even less armor, but were armed with actual guns, most of them machine guns. The Rocket Boyz equipped themselves with actual rockets on their backs as makeshift jetpacks. They typically were a very fast unit. Then there were the Nobs. The Nobs were the Orks version of "Nobles" who would generally lead parties of Orks into battle. They typically wore better armor than their comrades and provided leadership in the bands. After that came the actual Warbosses, who lead the WAAAGH!s and clans. They would be armored and armed with the latest in technology from the Ork war machine (which wasn't really much). Many of these Orks were transformed into cyborgs to improve their fighting ability. Called Cyborkz, the Warboss could take extensive damage and dish it out too. The workers who provided them with the technology are the Mek Boyz. The Mek Boyz are those Orks who have the mechanical knowledge to build and maintain weapons. They have this knowledge at the genetic level, so it is by pure instinct. However, they do not understand it, so improvements on current technology are only after-thoughts, such as adding more cannons to the tank. Finally, the Weird Boyz were those Orks who could access the Immaterium. They are usually the pawns of the Chaos gods, since many became shamans who praised the gods Gork and Mork. The Orks used a number of vehicles, including makeshift trucks and tanks. They usually appeared as junk cobbled together to look like vehicles. But the Orks willed them to look like tanks, so they work like tanks. The same was said of their fleet. However, they always value quantity over quality so most vehicles can take little damage. It became common that the Orks would always strike first so they can use the confusion to cause panic and make sure most shots fired would not reach their targets.

Economy: The Orks had an interesting bargaining system. It mainly consisted of one Ork killing another and declaring the item in question, "MINE!" While not ideal, it did get the job done, and there was always more Orks to replace the last one. Usually the item in question was a weapon or a trinket from a battle. It was not uncommon to see some Ork Warbosses collect Imperial Guard helmets and hats for their amusement. This usually raised their status among other Orks.

Society: Ork society was a violent society completely focused on conflict. All communities looked to be pre-industrial huts and villages next to industrial war factories. Most of these settlements were run down and in need of repairs. The Orks usually spent all their time fighting one rival clan or another. The Orks reproduced by spores that take root in the ground and soon grow into a full Ork several months later. This ensured that Orks always had sufficient numbers to wage wars. Reproduction was extremely fast and large. By the time the Orks attacked the Imperium, their population was close to a trillion strong in the army alone. Orks are not the brightest species in the galaxy, as they have little understanding as to how their technology works. All Orks celebrate their two gods, Mork and Gork. These two gods praise conflict and this has shaped their society ever since. Their society is considered dead since the species was declared extinct, but others still wonder if the Orks will return.

-The Rakatan Infinite Empire (pre-UOA): The Rakatan Infinite Empire was a massive and tyrannical empire that held sway with many worlds on the edge of what was to become the Orion arm of the galaxy. From their home world of Rakata Prime, the Rakata utilized a mysterious energy known as the Force to achieve their great status. Able to manipulate the universe around them gave the Rakata a great amount of control. Before their rise to prominence, the Rakata were divided between two factions: the Council of Elders, who supported peaceful integration with the wider galaxy, and the Council of the One, who supported a single ruler and wanted to enslave all other species as lesser races. Eventually, the Council of the One succeeded in a coup and took control. Controlled by the single leader, known as the One, the empire expanded into many worlds, enslaving the native species. Soon, this brought them into confrontation with another growing empire, the Tion Cluster. This eventually led to a full scale war that culminated into a virus that killed off two-thirds of the Rakata, stripped the Force from the rest, and caused riots on the occupied worlds. Since all of their technology was based upon the Force, they could no longer use it. The end of the Infinite Empire occurred with civil war on Rakata Prime. The rest of the enslaved species would overthrow their handlers and become independent.

Government: The policy decisions of the Infinite Empire were made by only one Rakata. Named the One, this Rakata was essentially a dictator and centralized power within the empire to answer only to him. Enslaved species had no representation. Instead, a warlord was appointed to each world to gather resources from the enslaved worlds to continue expansion. The implied government system was a military hierarchy.

Military Strength: The Rakata's use of the Force gave them a huge advantage over other races. Able to do almost impossible feats, the Rakata military made the Force into a weapon of war. This was combined with their technology to create huge Force-powered fleets and an army of Force users. The Rakata also utilized some very advanced direct-energy weapons, capable of great destruction. The largest military feat they achieved was the Star Forge, a massive factory orbiting their local star. Based off of ancient Forerunner technologies, the Rakata were able to draw energy from the star itself to power the massive factory. This factory, fueled by the Rakatas' emotions of Force energy, was able to produce any amount of warships and droid armies so long as the resources were constant. By the end of the Infinite-Tion War, the Star Forge had produced hundreds of ships and millions of droids. However, this would all come to an end when the Tionese released the Force Plague upon the Rakata, stripping the Rakata of their power to use the Force. All of their technology was based upon the Force, so all of their fleets and armies became useless. Even today, sometimes wrecks of the fleets can be found in space around former Infinite Empire systems.

Society: The Rakata had a totalitarian government, all major power vested in the One. Life was often very controlled and the only ones allowed to explore new areas of expertise were the military scientists, who would create weapons to use in conquest. The Rakata had based some of their technologies off of the Forerunners, but could not achieve the full extent of their abilities. Many of their structures appear very archaic in nature, usually defined by having rigid geometric shape. The most prominent appears to have been the pyramid and the sphere. The Rakatans regarded themselves as the master race of the galaxy due to their use of the Force. They saw no use for religion as they believed that they were gods. When the Tionese Force Plague wiped out most of their civilization, their society collapsed and had to start fresh.

-The Tion Cluster (under Xim the Despot): The Tion Cluster was a powerful collection of various species that sought complete dominance of their area of space. The various factions would all fight against each other for every scrap of power. Civil war and unrest were common. Due to travel being limited to just the nearby worlds (no FTL), resources were scarce and survival was whether you could survive long enough to steal some money. The most powerful gangs in the sector were the Hutt cartels, who would typically exploit many of the species with promises of power. However, this all changed when Xim arrived from outside the Tion Cluster. A criminal who was exiled from Corellia years ago, Xim came into contact with the various Tionese species and gangs. He soon took control of one minor gang on an outer planet. He then used his expertise on hyperdrives to create more and soon his gang took control of the whole sector. Xim then expanded the territory of the Tion Cluster. However, he had to deal with constant troubles at home, as many former rivals started to rebel again. This changed when the Rakata reached Tionese space. Xim rallied the rest of the cluster to fight against the invaders and the Infinite-Tion War commenced. Seeing as how he could not win through military action or attrition, Xim requested his scientists to study the Force for weaknesses. This culminated into a bioweapon. Known as the Force Plague, it had a 70% chance to kill any Force sensitive individual and if it didn't kill, it would strip the individual of the Force. When the Rakata finally attacked the Tion Cluster's home system, the virus was released. This marked the end of the Infinite Empire. However, the bombing of Tion Prime would be the death of Xim. When the smoke was cleared from the war, the rest of Xim's lieutenants started to fight among themselves for leadership. The Tion Cluster fragmented and degenerated into various pirate/mercenary factions.

Government: The leadership of the Tion Cluster went to Xim himself. Xim made all the decisions in his pirate empire, but it was his lieutenants that carried out his orders. Xim punished anyone who defied his rule. Being the only human also gave him a unique appearance among the denizens of Tion. The old gang leaders were the lowest on the leadership scale. Their only response ability was to keep their men in line with Xim's desires.

-Military Strength: The Tion Cluster didn't have any technological advantages on the immediate battlefield, but made up for it in other ways. Most of the army and navy were composed of various gangs and pirate fleets. While very irregular, their tactics proved quite devastating to the Rakata. They had a mix of close-combat fighters who used swords and knives to their advantage to legions of snipers. Snipers had become common, as many small gangs didn't have the manpower to defeat rival gangs in direct skirmishes. With a sniper, losses could be minimized for a time. Pirate fleets excelled at raiding. Equipped with very fast engines, the pirate fleets could evade enemy forces and use hit-and-run tactics. It was these tactics that left an impact on the Rakata. Since laws did not make a huge appearance, the Tionese were free to create almost any weapon imaginable. It was this advantage that gave them the ability to develop the Force Plague. Most of their military assets were destroyed by the end of the Infinite-Tion War. Whatever was left was put into service by the various factions of Tion when Xim died.

Economy: The Tionese economy had several lucrative businesses. The slave trade was a huge market and many species were enslaved just for the market. The drug market was exploited as many people became addicted to various drugs and had a need to get more. This usually filled the slave market as many could not pay back the loans for the drugs. Prostitution was rampant and it offered an "exotic" market to Xim's lieutenants. Various gangs kidnapped young children to fulfill the sick fantasies of Xim's inner circle. The economy was generally run by the Hutts, who turned out to be great business dealers, whether legal or illegal. Any other markets usually collapsed. If Xim needed something else, a slave force would produce it or he would just steal it.

Society: Society was considered glorious at the top (Xim and his lieutenants), and deprived of happiness at the bottom. Under Xim, many planets constructed massive cities on Tion Prime and others. However, most of the cities were dedicated slums for the enslaved populaces. Many stayed poor as gangs extorted the people for money and weapons. Work was usually forced unless you joined a gang, but even then you were likely to be bullied by other, larger gangs. Slavery, drugs, and prostitution were common trades in the Tion Cluster. The average citizen was most likely a slave. As of what trade was questionable, as some people were indentured to multiple masters. When the Rakata bombed Tion Prime, many worlds rebelled against the rule of their masters. They were eager to join any faction for protection against the pirates. Tion Prime itself fell into civil war, as many lieutenants wanted to assert their authority, but faced competition from various local gangs and pirates.

-The Tion Cluster (current): The Tion Cluster has not changed much since the days of Xim. The various species still engage in the same trades as before. Now they include many species and individuals that were exiled from the Republic (and subsequently the UOA). This has caused even more gangs to rise up. However, while the streets may be dangerous, the cluster itself has calmed down. The Hutts run most of the operations, but face competition from other players inside the system. Some of these elements include the Black Sun Syndicate, the Zann Consortium, the Exchange, the Piracy League, the Rogue Traders, among others. It is also a prime hub for any insurrectionist forces to meet and regroup. There are also whispers of other societies existing, but most people dismiss it as rumors and gossip. These often include very "exotic" Eldar rituals.

Government: Most of the Tion Cluster is run by the Hutt Cartel. Described as as gangsters, the Hutts will usually do almost anything if it involves gaining more money or influence (in order to get money). The Hutt Cartel is run by several different Hutt clans, though only one holds dominate power. Power struggles between clans are always present. The rest of the cluster is run by numerous gangs and other criminal organizations.

Military Strength: The Tion Cluster is filled with freighters and ships that have been retrofitted with many different weapons. Most of these weapons were either stolen or salvaged off of wrecks of the UOA. The secrets to slipspace have not been uncovered by the Tion Cluster, so most of their ships use hyperspace or phase drives. However, some factions have acquired slipspace drives, even if they do not know how to manufacture them. One of the most infamous is the Aggressor-class destroyer Merciless, the flagship of Tyber Zann. Almost all of the forces in the Tion Cluster use laser technologies from the Republic/Confederacy area of space since they're cheap to produce and easy to use. They have many ships, though most are small freighters. However, one should not be so quick to underestimate the Tionese, as most ships have armaments well above stock specs.

Economy: Still the same as under Xim, though the Hutts are more critical with how they raise and use money. Mercenary squads have also become a lucrative business. The main economic hub for all of the Tion Cluster is Nar Shaddaa, a moon of Nal Hutta. Nar Shaddaa is covered in city, but none of its dark alleys are inviting to most. It is said that you won't find another place in the galaxy where the scum of the universe chat civil. Well, at least until a deal goes sour. Frequently, the Tion Cluster will pay top credit for any technologies in the UOA, which insurrectionist groups are more than happy to answer. Since the UOA put the blockade around the Tion Cluster, it is very difficult for pirates to slip in and out undetected, so other groups outside the border are called upon to bring in treasures.

Society: It pretty much matches the old Tion Cluster, but the cities have evolved from simple slums to skyscrapers (such as Nar Shaddaa). The living conditions are still terrible, but it is safer then before, as the new gangs have a vested interest in public safety (dead people don't pay extortion money). The open streets are relatively safe for criminal standards and even markets exist for the most exotic goods. The most significant fact is that some corporations have invested numerous sums into the Tion Cluster. With little in the ways of regulations, these corporations are free to test their designs without drawing too much attention to the moral issues.

-The Mandalorian Empire (pre-UOA): After the Taungs had been chased off-world by the humans of Coruscant, they eventually settled on a planet that appeared to be dead, as skeletons from ancient monsters could be found across the planet. They would name this world Mandalore and settle in its shadows. They would prepare for their revenge against the Galactic Republic, even if it took centuries to prepare. The Taungs were always warriors and trained themselves for elite combat, whether from long range to close quarters. While the Mandalorians expanded, they met many races who they incorporated into their empire whether peacefully (if they could prove to be warriors on par with the Mandalorians) or forcefully (into slave labor). They created a wide swath of territory capable of going toe to toe with the Galactic Republic. They returned to the known galaxy while a civil war was going on between the Galactic Republic and the Galactic Confederacy. Sensing weakness from years of war, the leader of the Mandalorians, Mandalore the Great, chose this time to attack both sides. The Mandalorians ravaged system after system. Victory seemed to be assured. Then the Republic and Confederacy decided to make an alliance to fight the Mandalorian threat. The combined strength of both militaries was enough to turn the tide in favor of the Galactic powers. Eventually, both laid siege to Mandalore. Capturing the Mandalorian leader in a space skirmish, Mandalore the Great was forced to surrender to the Republic. He was later exiled by his own people for his failure to win against their ancient enemy. The rest of Mandalore crumbled without his leadership and fell into civil war amongst three factions: the honorable True Mandalorians that sought to bring Mandalorians as highly paid and honorable mercenaries, the New Mandalorians that wanted peace with the galaxy to create a brighter future, and the Death Watch, a faction that wanted the Mandalorians to return to their old ways of savage raiding. This splinter would mark the end of the Mandalorian Empire.

Government: Mandalorian leadership was given to any warrior that could claim the helmet of Mandalore, the original helmet worn by the leader of the Taungs while on Coruscant. The warrior would forget all about his or her family, clan or other affiliations. They would simply become Mandalore. Mandalore is responsible for all leadership in the empire, though he or she may have subordinates working under them to command more efficiently. After Mandalore, the next leadership chain came in the individual clan leaders. Family was considered to be very important, so clan leaders were regarded with the highest respect.

Military Strength: The Mandalorians were considered very elite warriors. One warrior could count for about ten of the basic enemy trooper (at minimum). All Mandalorians were equipped with the latest in technology and equipment. This included multiple weapon systems, such as blasters, hidden rockets, stun shots, poison darts, and a whip chord, to even jetpacks and other survival systems. This made each Mandalorian a very deadly tank. Their armor was always heavy enough to shake off most fire power that was shot at them. The Mandalorians enjoyed mobile combat rather than battlefronts. They used their jetpacks to a great extent to encircle and flank the enemy from behind and in the air. They used few vehicles in ground combat, but made use of sturdy transports and a few tanks, including the deadly Mandalorian Assault Tank. The anti-grav tank was armed with two powerful blasters, capable of putting a hole through a shielded bunker. Their space navy was much the same way, as most of their ships did not exceed the classification of cruiser. This brought them much maneuverability in combat and made tactics more flexible since a fleet did not have to be well coordinated to launch an attack. When the Mandalorians finally fell and devolved into civil war, most of their military hardware was destroyed, not to be regained until the galactic powers reestablished contact.

Economy: The Mandalorians had an economy based upon utilitarianism, since most of their excess was put toward building a fleet to take revenge upon the Republic. While this system was able to fuel the army needed to complete the invasion, this mostly due to the anger the Mandalorians had against the Republic. As time went on and new generations took leadership and work, production levels started dropping. The new Mandalorians had little reason to keep building the fleets save for glory and the many species that joined them had never even heard of the Republic, so anger was misplaced. There was almost no incentive to do more unless honor was threatened. By the time the fleet was completed, production had dropped to about 35% from the levels at the start of building, even with a larger population. Only the military held the same efficiency throughout the era. When the Mandalorians delved into civil war, this system would prolong the war for centuries. All production was put into military efforts, so no progress could be made into other areas (such as science and technology, which could have ended the war).

Society: Mandalorians liked to live on the bare essentials, as any excess was put toward the war effort. This created a society completely based on utilitarianism. While there were cities, most never reached more than a population of 25,000 people. The buildings that made up the skyline were grey and dull, similar to the attitudes of their people. Mandalorians were considered cold and calculating when it came to deals and negotiations, but their care for family ad kin was second to known. Most, if not all, Mandalorians would die before seeing a part of their family murdered in cold blood. However, if a member of the family acts dishonorable, then the Mandalorians will have no qualms about disowning and exiling him or her. Almost all Mandalorians joined the military, waiting to take revenge on the Republic. Those that did not helped with the agriculture and manufacturing process. Had it not been for the influx of alien species, the Mandalorian Empire would have crumbled from mass starvation. Mandalorians had a well-integrated society, since one's value was based upon personal achievement, not species or connections.

-The Jedi Order: The Jedi are a group of species who are able to communicate with a mystical energy known as the Force. The Jedi can use the Force to do many impossible things, from lifting heavy objects into the air to casting lightning from their fingertips. The Jedi understood the Force in terms of light and dark. The light side was viewed as ideal but not practical, as it sought to distance Force users from reality. Without passion, the will to help those in need was already lost. The dark side was considered corrupt and sought to control the Force along with other people. The idea of trying to control one's reality was seen as tyrannical in the eyes of the Jedi. The Jedi maintained peace in their society and were made of multiple races. They are not affiliated with any galactic government, but they are highly respected as "civilian" peacekeepers. Those Jedi that wanted a military arm would eventually form Project SITH.

Government: The Jedi govern themselves through a council. This council can be of a varying number of people, as wisdom has no boundaries with numbers. The council is responsible for guiding the Jedi to a path of peace. They mediate on issues of importance and determine the best course of action. They share their finds with the Senate, who then may decide whether to intervene. Jedi plans are usually accepted, but debates can get heated for a number of issues.

Military Strength: The Jedi have no formal military. They instead act as peacekeepers across the galaxy. They are still counted as civilians by galactic laws. The Jedi are not without strength. They can use the Force to wield a number of attacks or defenses. The most notable feature of the Jedi (and later the Sith) has been the lightsaber. The lightsaber is a blade of pure light, capable of deflecting direct-energy weapons with little effort. The Jedi usually have a small fleet of starfighters to assist them in intergalactic travel to worlds. These fighters are usually heavily shielded and carry an impressive armament.

Economy: The Jedi have integrated themselves into the galactic economy, though they themselves usually live with the bare essentials. They usually sponsor many charity events and will give to the poor whatever they can spare. They are usually funded by the UOA for their jobs as peacekeepers.

Society: The Jedi spend many years of their lives tuning themselves to the Force. The Order is very strict on those that use the Force for selfish gains. They can often be described as utilitarian. Society is generally melted down to the bare essentials, though some Jedi have had extensive and expensive items in their possession from past cultures or other means. Despite the fact that the Jedi are a powerful force in the galaxy, they do not feel they are above the law. One of their core beliefs is that the innocent should never be involved in disputes. If innocent lives can be saved, then action must be taken. Another principle is that if a life can be spared, it should be unless the Jedi in question deems the offender danger to society as long as he or she lives.

-The Citadel Council: The Citadel Council is an alliance of races united under a single body of government, the Council. The Council's purpose is to solve problems that arise in Council space and keep the peace between all races. The Council includes representatives from various races including the Asari, the Salarians, the Turians, the Volus, the Elcor, the Hanar (by default the Drell as a client race), and the Batarians. The Quarians and the Krogan used to have representation, but were exiled due to past conflicts. Each race gets an embassy on the Citadel, a large space station in the Serpent Nebula. From each embassy, each race may voice their concerns and complaints to the Council. From there, the Council decides on galactic policy. However, the Council itself is only made up of three races, the Asari, the Salarians and the Turians. These three races have determined that only they can take the massive burden on guarding and administering the galaxy. They voice that the strain would be too much for other races to endure. Because of this, the Council places restrictions on all races that are a part of the Citadel, such as the Treaty of Farixen which limits fleet building and the Citadel Conventions which limits the use of WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction). The Citadel Council was originally formed when the Salarians found the Citadel and made contact with the Asari that were already there. The Council incorporated many races into Citadel space, including the Turians who would join the Council. The Citadel has several bloody conflicts, including the Rachni Wars and the Krogan Rebellions. Yet, the Citadel Council has stood strong in the face of all of these developments.

Government: The Citadel Council is run by a council of three individuals, one from each of the Council races. They oversee all of Citadel space and act as moderators for all conflicts between civilizations. The other associate Citadel races have embassies on board the Citadel to voice concerns, but it is the Council races that make the decisions that affect the galaxy. This disproportionate balance of power has angered some, such as the Volus who have been on the Citadel for centuries, but most are content with the additional protection of Citadel forces. Anything not of galactic importance is turned over to the autonomous governments inside Citadel space.

Military Strength: Most of the military dedicated to the Citadel comes from the various sub-factions, but there are some forces that only answer to the Citadel Council. C-Sec, or Citadel Security, is the security force on the Citadel. They keep law and order inside the Citadel. Joining C-Sec is prestigious; applications must be sponsored by a Citadel Councilor or the ambassador of an associate Council race. Generally, applicants have many years of distinguished service in the military or police forces of their nations, but an inexperienced applicant with demonstrable talent will be fairly considered. The complete opposites of C-Sec are the Spectres. The Spectres are special agents deployed by the Council to do perform operations under the public eye. No one is exactly sure how many Spectres there are in Citadel space, but the parameters of the job are clear. The Spectres are chosen as the best of the best and they are technically above the law. They just need to get the job done. This has caused an outcry from C-Sec, as many claim that no one should be above the law. The Spectres can question, interrogate, or kill anyone they wish without being disturbed. Almost every file they touch immediately becomes classified.

Economy: The economy of the Citadel is similar to free market trade thanks to the Volus, but several species (especially the associate races) put large tariffs on foreign goods so that their own will look better on the market. There is a galactic wide currency available known as the Citadel Credit. Most goods bought and sold are medical supplies and consumer items, though it is not uncommon to see weapons available for personal protection. The hub of most trade from Citadel space comes from the Citadel itself, Noveria (a corporate world), and Illium (a major trade post with the Terminus Systems).

Society: Society in Citadel space is generally based on principles of freedom and free will. Travel between all Citadel worlds is approved. Military life is generally separated from civilian. Arts and sciences are promoted by many companies and government projects. Generally, order is preserved across Citadel space. Most of the population lives under the cultures of the individual sub-factions, so it is hard to get a true meaning of society for Citadel space as a whole.

Searching under Citadel Sub-Factions…

-The Asari Republics: A mono-gender race, distinctly feminine in appearance and having maternal instincts, the Asari are known for their elegance, diplomacy and biotic talent. Their millennia-long lifespan and unique physiology that allows them to reproduce with a partner of any gender or species, gives them a conservative but convivial attitude toward other races. The Asari were instrumental in proposing and founding the Citadel Council and have been at the heart of galactic society ever since. They act as the diplomats of the Citadel Council.

Government: Aside from their Council representative, the Asari have no politicians or elections, but a free-wheeling, all-inclusive legislature that citizens can participate in at will. Policy debates take place at all hours of the day, in official chat rooms and forums moderated by specially-programmed virtual intelligences. All aspects of policy are open to plebiscite at any time. In any given debate, the Asari tend to lend the most credence to the opinions of any Matriarchs present, nearly always deferring to the experience of these millennia-old "wise women".

Military Strength: The Asari do not possess a military as large as the Turians, but their natural biotic talent has made them deadly opponents. The Asari Commandos are the elite of the Asari military. They dedicated years of their lives to training in the arts of war. Their biotic powers are considered second to none in Council space. Since their numbers are so few, the Commandos are typically assigned to special operations. The Turians typically pick up the general warfare. Their space forces, as per the treaty of Firaxen, are smaller than the Turians fleet. However, the Asari are considered the most technologically advanced race in Citadel space at this time. They developed the largest dreadnought in Citadel space, the Destiny Ascension. They are considered possibly the most powerful and influential race in the Citadel.

Economy: The Asari possess the largest single economy in Citadel space. They have extensive trade and social contacts. Craft guilds, such as those within the cities Serrice and Armali, hold a virtual monopoly on advanced biotic technology. Given their political influence, an embargo by the Asari would prove disastrous for any Citadel species.

Society: Because of their long lifespan, Asari tend to have a "long view" not common in other races. When they encounter a new species or situation, the Asari are more comfortable with an extended period of passive observation and study than immediate action. They are unfazed that some of their investments or decisions may not pay off for decades or centuries. Matriarchs can seem to make incomprehensible decisions, but their insight is evident when their carefully-laid plans come to fruition. In interstellar relations, this long view manifests in the unspoken policy of centrism. The Asari instinctively seek to maintain stable balances of economic, political, and military power. Traditionally, Asari spread their influence through cultural domination and intellectual superiority. They invite new species of advanced development to join the galactic community, knowing that their ideals and beliefs will inevitably influence the existing culture.

-The Salarian Union: The Salarians are warm-blooded amphibians native to the planet Sur'Kesh. Salarians possess a hyperactive metabolism; they think fast, talk fast, and move fast. To Salarians, other species seem sluggish and dull-witted, especially the Elcor. Unfortunately, their metabolic speed leaves them with a relatively short lifespan; Salarians over the age of 40 are a rarity. Salarians are known for their observational capability and non-linear thinking. This manifests as an aptitude for research and espionage. They are constantly experimenting and inventing, and it is generally accepted that they always know more than they are letting on. They act as the intelligence arm of the Citadel Council.

Government: In many ways, the Salarian political network functions like the noble families of Earth's Medieval Europe. Structurally, the government consists of fiefdoms, baronies, duchies, planets, and marches (colonization clusters). These are human nicknames, as the original Salarian is unpronounceable. Each area is ruled by a single Dalatrass (matriarchal head-of-household) and represents an increasing amount of territory and prestige within the Salarian political web.

Military Strength: The Salarians believe that a war should be won before it begins. The unquestioned superiority of their intelligence services allows them to use their small military to maximum effectiveness. Well before fighting breaks out, they possess complete knowledge of their enemy's positions, intentions and timetable. Their powerful intelligence network is spearheaded in the field by Special Tasks Groups (STG) who monitor developing situations and take necessary action, usually without the shackles of traditional laws and procedures. This may be as simple as scouting and information gathering, or as complex as ensuring a conveniently unstable political situation stays that way. The effectiveness of the STG during the Krogan Rebellion is what provided the template for the Council to establish their Spectre program immediately afterward.

Economy: The Salarian economy is the smallest of the three Council races. It is based on "bleeding-edge" technologies; Salarian industries are leaders in most fields. They make up for a lack of military quantity by holding a decisive superiority in quality.

Society: Salarians excel at invention, preferring to use cutting-edge technology rather than settle for anything less. The Salarians see information gathering and even spying as a matter of course when dealing with other races, but this is not underhanded: they simply embrace the dictum of "knowledge is power." Salarians are often a very busy society to make up for their relatively short lives. Powerful female Dalatrasses are dynasts and political kingpins. They determine the political course of their respective regions through shrewd negotiation.

-The Turian Hierarchy: The Turians are a species that can be said to have avian-like features and a metallic carapace. Originally from the planet Palaven, Turians are best known for their military role, particularly their contributions of soldiers and starships to the Citadel Fleet. They are respected for their public service ethic (it was the Turians who first proposed creating C-Sec) but are sometimes seen as imperialist or rigid by other races. Turians are known for their militaristic and disciplined culture, making them excellent soldiers.

Government: Turians have 27 citizenship tiers, beginning with civilians (client races and children). The initial period of military service is the second tier. Formal citizenship is conferred at the third tier, after boot camp. For client races, citizenship is granted after the individual musters out. Higher-ranked citizens are expected to lead and protect subordinates. Lower-ranking citizens are expected to obey and support superiors. Promotion to another tier of citizenship is based on the personal assessment of one's superiors and co-rankers. At the top are the Primarchs, who each rule a colonization cluster. The Primarchs vote on matters of national importance. They otherwise maintain a "hands-off" policy, trusting the citizens on each level below them to do their jobs competently.

Military Strength: The Turian military has formidable discipline, strategy and training making their fleet the single largest portion of the Citadel Fleet. Their fleet is also allotted the single largest number of dreadnoughts by the Treaty of Farixen. They are considered the galactic peacekeepers of Citadel space. Boot camp begins on the 15th birthday. Soldiers receive a year of training before being assigned to a field unit; officers train for even longer. Most serve until the age of 30, at which they become part of the Reserves. Even if they suffer injuries preventing front-line service, most do support work behind the lines. Command and control is decentralized and flexible. Individual squads can call for artillery and air support. They make extensive use of combat drones for light duties, and practice combined arms: infantry operates with armor, supported by overhead gunships. Strategically, they are methodical and patient, and dislike risky operations. The Turians recruit auxiliary units from conquered or absorbed minor races. Auxiliaries are generally light infantry or armored cavalry units that screen and support the main battle formations. At the conclusion of their service in the Auxiliaries, recruits are granted Turian citizenship.

Economy: For many years, development of a proper was hampered by cultural disinterest in economics. When the Turians accepted the Volus as a client race, business development improved. The military is supported by a well-developed infrastructure. Manufacturers such as Armax Arsenal and the Haliat Armory produce advanced, reliable equipment. Volus manufacturers have been known to produce cheap knock-offs of Turian equipment. Most trade comes in the form of resources and equipment.

Society: Turians are noted for their strong sense of public service. It is rare to find one who puts his needs ahead of the group. Every citizen from age 15 to 30 serves the state in some capacity, as anything from a soldier to an administrator, from a construction engineer to a sanitation worker. Turians have a strong inclination toward public service and self-sacrifice, so they tend to be poor entrepreneurs. To compensate, they accepted the mercantile Volus as a client race, offering protection in exchange for their fiscal expertise. Turian society is highly regimented and very organized, and the species is known for its strict discipline and work ethic. Turians are willing to do what needs to be done, and they always follow through. They are not easily spurred to violence, but when conflict is inevitable, they only understand a concept of "total war." They do not believe in skirmishes or small-scale battles; they use massive fleets and numbers to defeat an adversary so completely that they remove any threat of having to fight the same opponent more than once. They do not exterminate their enemy, but so completely devastate their military that the enemy has no choice but to become a colony of the Turians. The Turian military is the center of their society. It is not just an armed force; it is an all-encompassing public works organization. The military police are also the civic police. The fire brigades serve the civilian population as well as military facilities. The corps of engineers builds and maintains spaceports, schools, water purification plants, and power stations. The merchant marine ensures that all worlds get needed resources.

-The Vol Protectorate: The Volus are an associate race on the Citadel with their own embassy, but are also a client race of the Turians. They hail from Irune, which possesses a high-pressure greenhouse atmosphere able to support an ammonia-based biochemistry. As a result, the Volus must wear pressure suits and breathers when dealing with other species. Because they are not physically adept compared to most species, Volus mostly make their influence felt through trade and commerce, and they have a long history on the Citadel. However, they have never been invited to join the Council, which is a sore point for many Volus individuals. They are known throughout Citadel space as bankers and financers.

Government: Rather than being a fully sovereign government in its own right, the Protectorate is a client state of the Turian Hierarchy. In return for falling under the protective umbrella of the Turian military, the Volus pay a tax to the Hierarchy, as well as deferring to the Turians in all foreign policy matters and providing auxiliary troops to the Turian armed forces. They still maintain an embassy on the Citadel, making them an associate species of the Council, though they currently share their embassy with the Elcor.

Military Strength: The Volus are not physically cut out for combat, be it a full-scale war or even a bar room scuffle. As such, they are highly dependent on the Turians for defense, although the Volus themselves do provide some auxiliary troops to the Hierarchy. The Volus will support the Turians in any war they might pursue, and the Turians will do the same for the Volus. Volus prefer airpower in conflicts, counting on Turians for ground support. They maintain several flotillas of heavy-bomber frigates capable of warfare in any atmosphere. Interestingly enough, they also have a small fleet of dreadnoughts.

Economy: Volus culture is dominated by trade, whether it be of land, resources, or even other tribe members. The Volus have a reputation as traders and merchants. They authored the Unified Banking Act, which established the Citadel Credit as the standard currency of interstellar trade, and the Volus continue to monitor and balance the galactic economy even today.

Society:The Volus have a reputation as traders and merchants, and many work as some of the best financial advisers in Citadel space. Due to the Volus not being physically adept, they tend not to be violent, and can even seem overly-pacifistic and cowardly to other, more militant species. Their inability to provide adequate soldiers for themselves and the Citadel is a primary reason for not yet being inducted into the Council.

-The Courts of Dekuuna: The Elcor are a Citadel species native to the high-gravity world Dekuuna. They are massive creatures, standing on four muscular legs for increased stability. Elcor move slowly, an evolved response to an environment where a fall can be lethal. This has colored their psychology, making them deliberate and conservative. Given their method of communication, they likely have highly-attuned olfactory senses. Elcor speech is heard by most species as a flat, ponderous monotone. Among themselves, scent, extremely slight body movements, and subvocalized infrasound convey shades of meaning. Since their subtlety can lead to misunderstandings with other species, the Elcor prefix their entire dialog with non-Elcor with an emotive statement to clarify their tone. The Elcor do not like to travel, as they wish not to be in the tight confines of ships.

Government: The Elcor follow the recommendations of their Elders, who spend years poring over ancient records of jurisprudence to determine the precedent that should be followed in any given situation. The Elders record closely argued and minutely detailed instructions on what course to follow in any theoretical crisis. These are filed away in huge libraries of data discs and are consulted when needed. This makes Elcor policies very predictable, provided one has done a great deal of research.

Military Strength: Because of their slow, conservative psyches, Elcor are not suitable for making the spur-of-the-moment decisions necessary in combat situations. Instead, they rely on sophisticated VI combat systems. These war machines can choose between thousands of gambits developed and polished over centuries by Elcor strategists. The slow speed and immense size of the Elcor makes them easy targets. Fortunately, their durable hide allows them to shrug off most incoming fire. Elcor warriors don't carry small arms; their broad shoulders serve as a stable platform for the same size of weapons typically mounted on Alliance fighting vehicles. According to an Elcor diplomat on the Citadel, Elcor soldiers are called "living tanks" by their enemies, among other less flattering names.

Economy: The Elcor economy is small, but extremely well developed. They see no point to rushing things, and are fond of making thorough, century-long development plans. They don't need to trade for any resource—they have all they require to supply their own needs, and trade only in finished goods. Any attempt to embargo their space would be fruitless.

Society: Elcor usually prefer to stay on their colonies rather than travel in space, which may be why few Elcor are seen on the Citadel or on other worlds. Possibly because of their size or evolution in the open air, the Elcor find the necessary confines of space travel uncomfortable. Evolving in a high-gravity environment where a fall could be lethal has made Elcor psychology deeply cautious and conservative. Their culture is built on small, tight-knit groups, and their conservative nature means the Elcor government is extremely stable. Despite this, they are always welcoming to outsiders.

-The Illuminated Primacy: The Hanar are a species resembling Earth's jellyfish and are one of the few non-bipedal Citadel races. Hanar are known for their intense politeness when speaking, and their strong religious beliefs regarding the Protheans, whom they refer to as "the Enkindlers." The Hanar "stand" slightly taller than a human, although most of their height is in their long tentacles which have three fingers at the base. The invertebrate, water-native Hanar cannot support their own weight in normal gravity. When interacting with mainstream galactic society, they rely on contra-gravitic levitation packs that use mass effect fields. Their limbs can grip tightly, but are not strong enough to lift more than a few hundred grams each. Hanar also possess the ability to secrete natural toxins.

Government: The government of the Hanar can be comparable to a confederacy of the entire Hanar race. The Hanar also represent the Drell, a species that was dying when the Hanar found them. The government also contains a semi-religious aspect as all Hanar consider the Protheans to be the givers of life itself.

Military Strength: Drell servants usually carry out Hanar assassinations, as the Hanar are too cumbersome out of the water to participate in a physical fight. In the water of their home world, the Hanar become very vicious fighters. The Hanar have little in terms of true military strength, though the Drell have become very deadly assassins.

Economy: Few Hanar are willing to deal with other species. Economic contacts are limited to a handful of trade stations on their borders. Due to this self-imposed isolation and the unique physiology of the race, their economy is small and isolated from the rest of the galaxy. Few standard technologies (designed for bipedal and fingered species) are available in their space, and they produce very few goods that are usable by others. Possibly due to their physical frailty, the Hanar employ robo-miners to excavate valuable resources.

Society: The Hanar home world, Kahje, has 90% ocean cover and orbits an energetic white star, resulting in a permanent blanket of clouds. Due to the presence of Prothean ruins on Kahje, the Hanar have developed a religion centered on the ancient species, calling them the "Enkindlers". Hanar myths often speak of them as an elder race that uplifted and civilized them by teaching them language. The Hanar communicate using sophisticated patterns of bioluminescence—which other species need machine assistance to translate (though many Drell apply genetic modification to their eyes in order to perceive higher frequency flashes which allows them to understand the Hanar) and speak with scrupulous precision and extreme politeness. Most Hanar take offense at improper language, and must take special courses to unlearn this tendency if they expect to deal with other species. Other races sometimes see the Hanar as elitist because of their intolerance for "incorrect" speech (and occasionally refer to them derisively as "jellies"). The Hanar themselves are known to become vocal if their religious rights appear threatened in any way, which occasionally causes clashes with other Citadel races.

-The Drell: The Drell are a reptile-like race that was rescued from their dying home world by the Hanar following first contact between the two. Since then, the Drell have remained loyal to the Hanar for their camaraderie and have fit comfortably into galactic civilization. The Drell possess eidetic memory, an adaptation to a world where they must remember the location of every necessary resource (vegetation, drinkable water and prey migration paths) across vast distances. The memories are so strong that an external stimulus can trigger a powerful memory recall. These recalls are so vivid and detailed that some Drell may mistake it for reality. The Drell work mostly as assassins for the Hanar.

Government: The Drell have no formal government and their usually represented by the Hanar in the case of the Citadel. The Drell usually refer to the Hanar in the case for galactic policy.

Military Strength: The Drell do not possess a formal military. However, they are some of the most well-trained assassins in Citadel space. The Hanar frequently employ them to carry out missions against potential enemies.

Economy: Drell base most of their economics on the Hanar, though those Drell that venture into the wider galaxy can usually make a good living working as spies, assassins and other roles that require stealth.

Society: Most Drell are content to live on Kahje. They are afforded every opportunity to thrive by the Hanar, yet some outsiders and even some Hanar regard the Drell as second class citizens. However it is quite the opposite, they have integrated themselves into every level of Hanar society as respected, productive citizens. Those who leave Kahje tend to be adventurers. These solitary Drell travelers often seek out new species elsewhere, and in turn adopt that species' culture. Such Drell number in the thousands, and are scattered across the galaxy, tending towards quiet, integrated lives. Most Drell are deeply religious, believing that they have souls separate from their bodies. They see death as a departure from the body, and they also state that a person's body and soul form a Whole. When the soul is traumatized or otherwise disrupted, or the body is ill or injured, a person is no longer Whole. They also believe that their body can be directed as a separate entity from themselves. The Drell religion is also polytheistic, with the Drell having multiple gods whom they pray to in varying situations. This religion included at least three gods: Amonkira, Lord of Hunters; Arashu, Goddess of Motherhood and Protection; and Kalahira, Goddess of Oceans and Afterlife.

-The Batarian Hegemony: Races of four-eyed bipeds native to the world of Khar'shan, the Batarians are a prideful species and want to make sure everyone else knows it too. The Terminus Systems are infested with Batarian pirate gangs and slaving rings, fueling the stereotype of the Batarian thug. It should be noted that these criminals do not represent average citizens, who are forbidden to leave Batarian space by their omnipresent and paranoid government. Despite several disagreements with the Citadel and simmering hostility toward humans, most Batarians prefer profitable pursuits such as drug running and slave grabs to out-and-out warfare. They have a reputation for being shrewd businessmen and merchants, though in more lawless regions of the galaxy like Omega, negotiations with a Batarian are likely to be conducted at gunpoint.

Government: It is not known what the average Batarian thinks about their enforced isolation, as the Department of Information Control ensures that only government-approved news enters or leaves Batarian space. Given the Batarian government's oppressive nature, it is speculated their supreme leadership is autocratic or totalitarian in nature. The Batarian home world, Khar'shan, is still divided amongst nation-states. It should be noted that the Batarians have repeatedly clashed with Citadel forces, as the Hegemony is very expansionist.

Military Strength: Little is known about the Batarian military. Most Batarian military hardware is produced by a nationalized institution called Batarian State Arms. The Batarian fleet is known to operate at least one dreadnought. They also field smaller vessels, including the Hensa class of cruisers. The Batarian military has a special forces division known as the Special Intervention Unit. All that is known about the SIU is that their training program is brutal. After the Blue Suns hired a group of former SIU operatives to run a hostile environment training camp on the planet Xetic, an investigation by Illium authorities into the camp found that the mortality rate was as high as 18%; however, an independent Blue Suns inquiry found that the Batarian operatives' harsh training techniques were consistent with those employed in the SIU training program.

Economy: The Batarians claim that they have an economy as great as the Asari Republics. The truth is that their economy is almost downtrodden. However, the Batarians make a good deal of money in the slave trade. Though slavery is illegal in Citadel space, the Batarians still practice it and feel that the anti-slavery laws of the Citadel are prejudicial.

Society: Batarians place an extremely high value on social caste and appearance, and overstepping one's place is frowned upon. Casting aspersions on the monetary worth of a social better is considered a serious insult. Batarians strongly believe that species with fewer than four eyes are less intelligent; they often gain the upper hand in interspecies arguments because other races find it difficult to know which eyes to focus on when speaking to them. Slavery is an integral part of the Batarian caste system, despite being illegal according to Council law and it is currently unknown how the Batarians maintain standing on the Citadel with slavery still actively practiced. The custom is so deeply ingrained in Batarian culture that Batarians consider the Council's anti-slavery standing to be prejudicial. Rogue Batarian slave rings are feared throughout the galaxy, especially among colonists. Body language is an important part of Batarian society. For example, tilting one's head to the left is a sign of admiration and respect. When a Batarian tilts his head to the right it is a sign that he is (or considers himself to be) superior to the one that the gesture was directed at. Therefore, this gesture can also be interpreted as an insult.

End of Citadel sub-factions...

-The Covenant (Pre-UOA): The Covenant Empire was a leading force in the Orion arm of the galaxy. Composed of various species, the Covenant was able to combine the strengths of multiple races and exploit them. The leaders of the Covenant were the San 'Shyuum, who now called themselves the Prophets. They found the relics of the Forerunners. Interpreting the Forerunners as gods, the Covenant thought that the Forerunners had transcended to the heavens. They sought to emulate them. Although the Forerunners had locked their technology to only respond to humans, the Covenant found a way around this in the species known as the Huragok, who were made by the Forerunners to act as biological supercomputers. Using the Forerunners as templates, the Covenant imitated the technology. They soon had stockpiles of direct-energy weapons and built massive ships, the largest being the Supercarriers. The Covenant soon made contact with the UNSC. When the High Prophets found humanity's connection to their "gods," they were horrified. If the rest of the Covenant found out the truth, it would shatter the unity of the Covenant. The genocidal war against humanity had begun. However, when the rest of the Covenant discovered the truth five years later, the Covenant fractured into Revolutionaries and Loyalists. Many of the oppressed species joined the Revolutionaries, who were led by the Sangheili. The Loyalist contained many Jiralhanae, who were fanatical in their loyalty to the Great Journey. Eventually, the Revolutionaries made an alliance with the UNSC and a titanic battle took place around the Covenant capitol High Charity. Soon, this led to the Battle of Installation 04. It was this battle where most Covenant Loyalists were destroyed. It also was where the secrets of Halo were revealed to the UNSC and the Separatists. When humanity joined the Covenant and the Prophet of Truth died, this marked the end of the Covenant in its current form. It would be succeeded by the United Orion Alliance, or UOA.

-Tyranids: The Tyranids are a species of terrible xenos that is actually a space-faring ecosystem dedicated solely to its own propagation and evolutionary advancement. The Tyranids collectively form a monstrous superorganism that travels the universe in their great Hive Fleets of biomechanical Hive Ships, systematically consuming all other biomatter to enable its own rapid evolution and reproduction. All Tyranid organisms are Synaptic (psychically-reactive), and each Tyranid creature within a Hive Fleet shares in a communal Hive Mind, granting the ability for trillions of beings to communicate and organize instantaneously on a staggering scale. As each fleet is beaten back, another comes to take its place. The next fleet is usually stronger.

Government: The only form of government organization the Tyranids seem to have is the Hive Mind. The Hive Mind is the gestalt collective consciousness of the Tyranid species. It is a nearly omniscient entity composed of pure psychic energy that originated outside of the Milky Way Galaxy; the Hive Tyrant is said to be a living vessel for it. It controls every Tyranid creature in a mental vice-like grip and directs their every action. This control can be disrupted, however, with the death of the Hive Mind's synapse creatures through which it transmits and augments its psychic commands, such as when a Hive Tyrant's death leaves the lesser Tyranid bioforms to act completely on basic animal instinct.

Military Strength: The mentality of the Tyranid approach to warfare can be described with the phrase "quantity has a quality all its own". From the "lowly" Ripper, to the deadly Hive Tyrant and beyond, the signature of the Tyranid force is that they overwhelm their foes with sheer numbers, reproducing massive numbers of highly virulent organisms in record time from the biochemical soup that they derive from the biospheres of the worlds that they consume. The components of a Tyranid Hive Fleet travel almost exclusively in large groups known as swarms that possess specialized biomechanical creatures for destroying and consuming a wide variety of prey life forms. Tyranids have evolved sophisticated methods for facilitating genetic transfer across species boundaries. As a result, a significant goal of any Tyranid invasion is acquisition of useful new biological traits from other lifeforms. These are used by the Hive Mind to enhance the Tyranids' effectiveness in consuming new worlds to gain more of the necessary organic raw materials for further reproduction. All Tyranids are reproduced by a single, highly intelligent female bioform known as a Norn-Queen. A Hive Fleet's Norn-Queens are the most important Tyranids within the fleet, for if they are injured or killed the Tyranids cannot reproduce their numbers from the captured bio-mass. As a result, Norn-Queens can be found only at the heart of the largest and most-well defended Tyranid Hive Ships.

Economy: The Tyranids have no need for an economy.

Society: The Tyranids only societal value is reproducing itself and getting stronger.

-The Rachni: The Rachni are an extinct insect-like species from the planet Suen that threatened Citadel space roughly two thousand years ago during the Rachni Wars. Intelligent and highly aggressive, the spacefaring Rachni were driven to expand and defend their territory. They were eventually defeated and completely eradicated by the Krogan, who had been uplifted by the Salarians for their combat prowess and physical resilience to directly confront the Rachni in the harsh environments of the Rachni worlds. The accidental discovery of the Rachni led to the Citadel races curbing their rapid expansion, in fear of being plunged into another galactic war.

Government: The Rachni were led by queens. Queens were the largest and most intelligent of the Rachni. Queens led the Rachni and provide guidance for the rest of their species. They usually stay hidden and were never seen outside of Suen.

Military Strength: A the height of their power, the Rachni had huge armies and massive fleets. While the workers tried to avoid the fighting as much as possible, it did not stop some sacrificing themselves in suicide explosions to protect the queens. Soldiers were bigger and provided the grunt soldier on the field. Soldiers were the main defenders of rachni held areas and could cause toxic damage with their spit. Brood Warriors were Rachni who were much larger and stronger than normal Rachni Soldiers. They are male gendered Rachni and they have some biotic ability.

Economy: Due to limited contact, not much is known about their economic system. Seeing as how it had hive-minded queens, it may have been a commune of some sort.

Society: The Rachni, a species of spacefaring insects guided by a hive-mind intelligence, evolved on Suen, a planet tidally-locked to its red dwarf star. Life developed in a habitable terminator zone between hemispheres that were constantly scorched or perpetually frozen. The harsh conditions of Suen's surface forced the Rachni to forage underground amid sprawling subterranean river systems.

-The Krogan Clans: The Krogan are a species of large reptilian bipeds native to the planet Tuchanka, a world known for its harsh environments, scarce resources, and overabundance of vicious predators. The Krogan managed to not only survive on their unforgiving home world, but actually thrived in the extreme conditions. Unfortunately, as Krogan society became more technologically advanced, so did their weaponry. However, they destroyed themselves in a nuclear civil war that devastated the planet. Only with Salarian help years later did the Krogan go back to the stars. With the help of the Salarians, the Krogan were "uplifted" into galactic society, and lent their numbers and military prowess to bring an end to the Rachni Wars. Ironically, after the Rachni were eradicated, the rapidly-expanding Krogan became a threat to the galaxy in turn, starting the Krogan Rebellions and forcing the Turians to unleash the genophage. This genetic "infection" dramatically reduced fertility in Krogan females, causing a severe drop in births secondary to prenatal and postnatal death and, ultimately, population, eliminating the Krogan numerical advantage. The current Krogan clans are broken, as most Krogen work as mercenaries in the Terminus systems.

Government: After their defeat in the Rebellions, the very concept of Krogan leadership was discredited. Where a warlord could once command enough power to bring entire solar systems to heel and become Overlord, these days it is rare for a single leader to have more than a thousand warriors swear allegiance to him. It is speculated that their instinctive aggression and territorial nature prevent the Krogan from forming any kind of centralized government or parliament that is not based on fear or obedience.

Military Strength: Since the genophage, the Krogan can no longer afford the casualties of the old horde attacks. The Battle Masters are a match for any ten soldiers of another species. To a Battle Master, killing is a science. They focus on developing clean, brute-force economy of motion that exploits their brutal strength to incapacitate enemies with a swift single blow of overwhelming power. This change of focus from mass-unit warfare to maximal efficiency has increased employment demand in the fields of security and 'muscle for hire.' Due to the unsavory reputation of the Krogan, most of these jobs are on the far side of the law. Since the end of the Krogan Rebellions, the Krogan have been prohibited from constructing warships. This ban is enforced by the Council Demilitarization Enforcement Mission arm of the Citadel Council, which maintains garrisoned outposts throughout the Krogan DMZ. Every few years, another Krogan warlord violates the law, but usually an alliance of rivals ends his dreams of hegemony before Citadel forces even have to fire a shot.

Economy: The Krogan economy is limited to non-existent. There are no known corporations owned by Krogan, so employment is usually limited to being mercenaries in the Terminus systems. There are resources still to be found on Tuchanka, but anything needed is either shared with the clan, or taken from another.

Society: The harsh Krogan home world conditioned the Krogan psychology for toughness just as it did the body. Krogan have always had a tendency to be selfish, unsympathetic, and blunt. They respect strength and self-reliance and are neither surprised nor offended by treachery. The weak and selfless do not live long. In their culture, "looking out for number one" is simply a matter of course. Krogan have powerful territorial instincts which serve them well in combat, but can create problems; when traveling on starships, for example, Krogan find sharing quarters nearly impossible. Female Krogan rarely leave their home worlds, focusing on breeding in an attempt to keep Krogan numbers from declining too quickly. The few remaining fertile females who can carry young to term are treated as prizes of war, to be seized, bartered or fought over. Recently, it has been noted that the females of the Krogan species live in clans separate from that of the males. Envoys are sent out from the female clans to determine who amongst the males is worthy to visit the female clans. Due to the effects of the genophage and the lack of fertile females, this happens often and many male Krogan sire children from one female.

-Xenomorphs: Xenomorphs are considered one of the most dangerous alien creatures in the universe. When standing upright, the Xenomorphs are vaguely bipedal in form, though they adopt a more hunched, quadrupedal stance when walking or sprinting. They have a skeletal, biomechanical appearance and are usually colored in muted shades of black, blue or bronze. Xenomorphs do not radiate heat, as their body heat matches the ambient temperature of the environment in which they are found. Xenomorphs have segmented, blade-tipped tails. They have elongated, cylindrical skulls, but possess no visible eyes. They possess two mouths, one inside the other. The second "shoots out" at the intended target to puncture through any armor or flesh. Their means of production are the scariest possible. In order to reproduce itself, Xenomorphs use a parasitic being only known as a "facehugger." They will latch onto a victims face and wrap their tale around the neck. While the victim loses consciousness , the facehugger implants an embryo into the victims throat. The facehugger then dies, but the embryo will feed off the victim until it grows enough into a "chestburster," where the Xenomorph will burst from the victim's chest. This kills the host and the Xenomorph is free to grow in size and kill more. They have a queen that lays the eggs necessary for reproduction. Xenomorphs are now declared extinct since the Cleansing of Yautja Prime, but many Yautja are skeptical. Many speculate that Xenomorphs are actually a biological weapon designed by an unknown civilization, but no answers have been yielded, not that many would enjoy studying them.

-The Migrant Fleet:The Quarians are a nomadic species of humanoid aliens known for their skills with technology and synthetic intelligence. Since their home world Rannoch was conquered, the Quarians live aboard the Migrant Fleet, a huge collection of starships that travel as a single fleet. Quarians are generally shorter and of slighter build than humans. Quarians have an endoskeleton, lips, teeth, and two eyes with eyelids and tear ducts; they also have three thick fingers on both hands which include a thumb, an index finger, and a long finger, similar to the middle fingers for humans, as well as three toes on each foot. Quarian facial structure and hair actually makes them the most similar to humans in physical appearance. Their lower legs are bowed backwards significantly. Aside from hands and legs, their general body shape and sexual dimorphism is similar to humans. Their ears or ear analogues differ in a noticeable fashion from those of humans, with references made to "what passes for the quarian version of an ear". Also like humans, Quarian blood is red. The most distinguishing feature of Quarian biology is their weak immune system, compounded by centuries of living in sterile environments. As a result, all Quarians by necessity dress in highly sophisticated enviro-suits, to protect them from disease or infection if they are injured. Their suits can be compartmentalized in the event of a tear or similar breach to prevent the spread of contaminants. Along with their suits Quarians also have extensive cybernetic augmentations integrated into their bodies. A Quarian's lifespan is roughly equal to a human's, but is prone to be less if infection breaks into the suit.

Government: It is technically still under martial law but is now governed by bodies such as the Admiralty Board and the democratically-elected Conclave, though ship captains and onboard civilian councils tend to address most issues "in-house" before it gets that far. Quarians are divided into several clans that can be spread across several ships, or restricted to one.

Military Strength: The Quarian Marines are top soldiers to most in Citadel space, but are limited in numbers since populations are dwindling. They are able to perform professional operations and keep the peace in the Migrant Fleet as a police force. They usually travel in small squads to make sure they get the most effectiveness without causality. This is usually impeded by how easily the suits of Qaurians can be punctured. The Migrant Fleet, also known as the Flotilla, is considered to be the most powerful fleet in Citadel space, with more ships than any other nave, though most are civilian ships that are unable to fight. This fleet is constantly growing, though the Quarians themselves are dropping in number.

Economy: The Qarians have a very different economic system from the rest of the galaxy. While credits influence what is available in Citadel space, currency is non-existent in Quarian society. Quarians value the little space they have above all else, so no unused items are kept to maximize space. When a Quarian has an item they do not need, they place it in a public area, in what resembles a market. The items available are put into storage lockers, and those in need may simply take what they find. However, food and medicine are handled more strictly. The food coming from both the Liveships and from scout ships is put into a central stock and distributed carefully to individuals. Outgoing food is tracked carefully, so as not to put the Migrant Fleet at risk of food shortage, or worse, mass starvation. Medicine is also distributed carefully. However, since the Quarians wear their enviro-suits everywhere, even when aboard the Migrant Fleet, they are at a very low risk of sickness. Controlling the flow of medicine also creates an emergency stockpile in case of a widespread outbreak, which is necessary since the Quarian immune system is so weak. Another means of resource income for the Fleet is from whatever system that the Migrant Fleet is passing through at the time; the Quarians will strip-mine any promising planets for resources with well-trained efficiency. Any other races with industrial or corporate interests in that system will often offer a "gift" of ships, food, or other supplies to encourage the Fleet to leave.

Society: The Quarians' top priority is the survival and sustainability of the Migrant Fleet. Most of their laws and customs revolve around this goal. It is illegal for couples to have more than one child, so that the fleet can maintain zero population growth (if the population begins to shrink, this rule is temporarily lifted, and incentives may be provided to encourage multiple births). Families are thus very small and close-knit. Because every Quarian depends on his or her crewmates to survive, they are much more community-minded than individualistic species like the Krogan. Loyalty, trust, and cooperation are highly prized qualities. Even in their ancient past they were a very emotional people, which the Protheans believed was a side-effect of their eco-symbiotic society. Young Quarians are required to undertake a Pilgramage outside the fleet in order to pass into full adulthood. The Pilgrimage is an opportunity for Quarians to experience the world outside the Migrant Fleet, interact with other cultures, and learn to appreciate life among their own people. Their departure is a major event; the whole crew assembles to see them off, and they are given many gifts to aid them on their journey, along with immunity-boosting injections and advice on surviving on the outside. The young Quarian cannot return to the flotilla until they have found something of value to bring back - whether information, money, or supplies. When they return, they do not go back to their birth ship, but instead select a new ship to join; this helps maintain genetic diversity by preventing intermarriage between close relatives. The Quarian presents their gift to the captain of the new ship to prove they will not be a burden on the crew. Although the gift may be rejected if it is subpar, this is very rare, as most captains are eager to welcome a new shipmate on board. Having a large crew is a prestigious thing, as it means the captain has the financial and material means to provide for many people.

-The Geth: The Geth ("Servant of the People" in Khelish) are a race of networked artificial intelligences that reside beyond the Perseus Veil. The Geth were created by the Quarians, as laborers and tools of war. When the Geth became sentient and began to question their masters, the Quarians attempted to exterminate them. The Geth won the resulting war, and reduced the Quarians to a race of nomads. The history of the Geth's creation and evolution serves as a warning to the rest of Citadel space of the potential dangers of artificial intelligence and to the legally enforced, systematic repression of artificial intelligences throughout galactic society. Physically, the humanoid Geth resemble Quarians—their hands, head shape and legs are similar—which is probably a holdover from their origins. A common design feature among Geth is a single brightly glowing photoreceptor, causing some to refer to them as "flashlight heads". Geth are primarily composed of two materials: a flexible but durable outer shell, and a kind of synthetic muscle tissue

Government: The Geth do not have known government, but estimates have been made that the Geth operate as a collective entity, always gaining consensus for any decision made. The closest possible government type would be a direct democracy, where all citizens must make a choice in order for a decision to be made. It is unknown what would happen if the Geth do not reach consensus.

Military Strength: In combat, Geth units show little sense of self-preservation. Because Geth programs can share memories and files with extreme ease, the experiences of individual Geth programs are not lost when a platform is destroyed and archived versions of programs can be downloaded into new bodies. As Geth programs are functionally immortal, they place little value on platforms and will expend thousands of units to take an enemy position, which was commonly experienced by the Quarians during the Morning War. For this reason, Geth are willing to engage in seemingly-suicidal actions like boarding a ship, engineering it to crash, and then remaining on board to ensure the ship goes down. When Geth shut down, they fry their memory cores as a defensive measure, which is probably why Geth haven't been successfully captured for study. Best size estimates on a single Geth fleet range from 5,000 to 10,000 ships with unknown armament. These fleets include dreadnoughts, dropships, and fighters. Since the Geth are not limited by the demands for rest, wages, or autonomy that organic workforces require, they are limited only by time and raw materials in what they can construct, allowing for the creation of such massive fleets.

Economy: The Geth have no need for an economy. Everything they do is for self preservation of their mechanical creations.

Society: The Geth are reclusive and secretive. This is partly due to their synthetic nature: They have no need to interact with other races because they do not share the same goals, needs or instincts as organic species. As machines, comfort is also not a concern for them, something that is reflected in elements of Geth ship and station design (e.g., minimal gravity, lack of windows, efficient use of space, function over form, lack of atmosphere, and absence of climate control). Not much else i known about the Geth.

-The Terminus Systems: The Terminus systems are a loose coalition of worlds that do not respect Council authority. Their independence comes at a price; the Terminus is fraught with conflict. War among the various species is common, as governments and dictators constantly rise and fall. The region is a haven for illegal activities, particularly piracy and the slave trade. The prevalence of Batarian criminal gangs has led to the Batarian language becoming a "lingua franca" in the Terminus. The Terminus Systems have no government, but the Omega station serves as a trade capital. Since Aria is the current ruler of Omega, she technically speaks for all of the Terminus systems. They have many alien species, but most are minor and do not have extensive intergalactic power.

Government: The Terminus systems have no official government, but the collective decisions are usually deferred to Omega. The colonies and planets are usually self governing and don't respect any authority save their own, though the Batarians are inclined to think otherwise.

Military Strength: The strength of Omega comes with the major pirate and slaver gangs in the Terminus. Despite the fact that they are gangs, some of the equipment could very well count them as a para-military. They include many (stolen) weapons, vehicles and ships. Their total might varies, as they constantly fight among themselves for territory, but it is known that should any transgressions be made from outside, they would unite to crush any opposition (and make a profit off of it too). Several major gangs include the Blue Suns (Turian based), the Blood Pack (Krogan and Vorcha based) and the Eclispse (Asari and Salarian based). Each gang specializes in a different type of warfare. The Blue Suns will be the vanguard, the Blood Pack the assault-with-numbers, and the Eclipse will use cyber-warfare and biotic abilities.

Economy: Mostly the same as Citadel space, though laws are non-existent, making it the prime location for research corporations and illegal activities. Slavery and drug dealing are prime trades in the Terminus systems. While most planets would rather be left alone, they easily become targets for the gangs in system. Raids into Citadel space are common in order to bring back slaves or traffic drugs.

Society: As a society with no intergalactic laws, the Terminus systems consider themselves free. However, some rules need to be set, otherwise there is no profit. The gangs usually keep order in their own territories and constantly battle each other for more. The life expectancy is not high unless your a top member of a gang. In the Terminus systems, anything goes. After all, there is only one official rule on Omega: "Don't fuck with Aria."

-The United Orion Alliance: The United Orion Alliance, or UOA, is a collection of factions in the Orion arm of the galaxy that have banded together under one intergalactic government for the betterment of all under its jurisdiction. The UOA ensures that every faction gets a voice in intergalactic politics, as they believe any decision should not be limited to just one or several factions (though some would disagree). With the combination of all technologies in the UOA, they have set a prosperous future for its denizens, but that is only possible if they are to keep the peace. Every time the UOA incorporates a new faction, they have had to reorganize politically to suit the new change in power. As of right now, the UOA is in its eleventh reincarnation. Recently, there has been talk of a new political reorganization, one that would destroy the foundations of all factions and simply make all factions into a New Orion Empire. This has been met with mixed results as some would claim that it would trample the autonomy of many governments and species, while others would see it as the next step to achieving unity and what the Forerunners could not.

Government: The UOA is run by three branches of government, very similar to a republic. The UOA Senate is the legislative branch of the UOA. Each senator represents a sector of the UOA. The galactic map is divided into sectors to ensure that only matters of galactic importance can be debated. The UOA Council is the executive branch and ensures that all factions have a voice. The High Courts are the judicial branch and ensure justice is fare and legal. Under these branches are numerous smaller bureaucracies. Relatively, the UOA has done extremely well managing the red tape, taking lessons from the Galactic Republic. Again, there is high tension to reorganize into one faction, but many are hesitant, since it could destroy the republican system put in place. The capitol of the UOA is the planet Coruscant. Once it was home to the Republic, it was chosen as the UOA capitol and moved via Webway and slipspace to the center of UOA space. The entire system is reserved as neutral territory from all sub-factions, though due to history, Coruscant will always appear pro-Republic in culture and politics.

Military Strength: The UOA can call upon all of the fleets of its sub-factions, but it may also use its own forces. The Jedi serve no one but act as peacekeepers throughout UOA space. The UOA frequently call upon them to solve small issues, ensuring they do not grow into larger ones. The Sith are those Jedi that agreed to form a military arm to the UOA. They answer to no one but the UOA. They act as the enforcers of UOA space. If a problem cannot be solved in peace, it may take a more aggressive action. As for other military strengths, the UOA has the armies of Prometheans acquired from contact with Offensive Bias. They only serve the UOA Council and are usually seen guarding Coruscant from any threat, official or terrorist. Any Forerunner ships located in shield worlds or other installations are immediately set to guarding the skies of Coruscant. This has made Coruscant the most well-defended planet in all of UOA space. All factions have sent ships to help guard Coruscant. This has made the Capitol Fleet the largest and most powerful fleet in UOA space. Defensive structures dot the planet. These include ODPs, Golan defense stations, and Argonev star bases. Even the skyhooks that rise from the city planet have basic defenses on them. This doesn't even include the multiple smaller defense platforms scoured throughout the planet's orbit. Many in the UOA consider Coruscant to be a fortress world in its own right. The most recent military project the UOA has embarked on is the construction of the 50 km long Gaurdian-class dreadnoughts. The UOA military is based on the station High Charity, which orbits Coruscant. Here, the military and Intelligence committees meet and discuss future plans regarding military action. Each faction sends a representative to each in order to coordinate military efforts. The representative is usually the top commander in their respective organization, but this is not always the case.

Economy: The UOA uses the Orion Credit as its currency. Backed by a workforce and huge industrial production from many worlds, this makes the economy of the UOA a force. They are able to produce many items quickly and cheaply. The presence of Rakatan artifacts like the Star Forge make production of complicated objects simple. Imperial Forge Worlds have the capacity to produce huge amounts of arms and materials. The outer mining worlds can quickly ship materials to the foundries. Fleets of merchant ships flood the hyperspace lanes. This is all combined with the economic power of the Apollo Trade Order and the Kig-Yar Merchant Consortium. These two factions have been at the forefront of trade and regulations. Their only motive is to promote trade and profit amongst all of the UOA. The have overseen the destruction of tariffs to ensure that all trade done is free market-like and capitalistic. While some species have grown concerned with the change in economic cultures, no one can argue with the benefits of the change. Many corporations and trade entities have combined with them to form stronger economic ties, but some worry that this could spill over to economic extortion. These include the Techno Union, the Trade Federation, the Commerce Guild, the Banking Clan, the Corporate Sector and similar entities. This has only increased the prosperity in the UOA and the Orion Stock Market has been making huge gains. With the news of an unknown artifact being discovered, many in the UOA are looking to expanding their markets to this new side of space.

Society: The UOA is based upon the principles of freedom and enjoys giving its citizens the most amount of liberty it can. Unfortunately, some of these attempts are limited when cultures interact. Some species rely on restricting some freedoms for the betterment of the species. This has created some antagonism between the UOA Senate and the individual worlds it governs, though most arguments are only talk, not actual conflict. The advent of so much technology and so many species has forced some species to specialize in roles for galactic policy. Humanity is one of the few exceptions. This has created some antagonism amongst the UOA species. With humans being the dominant species in UOA space, some have argued that the UOA is nothing more than a human empire. Most of this is simple rhetoric, but there have been some protests and even riots over the issue. These have been minor, but some see the pro-human rhetoric of the Imperium of Man as proof. All factions in the UOA have adopted the Mantle, a philosophy that cherishes all life in the galaxy. Their mission is to protect and help life prosper. Many soon believe that it is only a matter of time till the Mantle reaches the universe stage.

Searching United Orion Alliance sub-factions...

-The United Earth Government: The United Earth Government, or UEG, is the official government of Earth and all of its colonies. The UEG is a human faction that bases itself around the planet Earth. While they may be the one of the youngest of the human factions, they were also the first to discover the Forerunner technologies. This discovery put them ahead in the technology race for some time. The have since traded technologies with the other factions freely and formed strong relationships with the rest of the UOA. They were also a founder of the UOA, along with the Covenant Revolutionaries. They have strong ties with the former Covenant species, as mutual respect has fostered into friendship, especially among the Sangheili. The UEG has since made very good relations with the other human factions, some of the IOM's pro-human rhetoric has made the UEG cautious. They have been on good terms with most other species, but are still wary of the Yautja due to their history of hunting down several of its citizens in the past.

Government: The UEG have a parliamentary government based on having an active president to be the leader in the congress, and each system in the UEG is represented in the congress. This change in political power helped solve some of the Insurrectionist feelings in the UEG colonies. When political power shifted back from the UNSC to the UEG, the new reforms were well received.

Military Strength: The United Nations Space Command, or UNSC, is the military arm of the UEG. The UNSC has utilized numerous weapons, including the devastating Magnetic Accelerator Cannon (MAC gun). Ship design is mostly utilitarian, with the ships appearing very box-like and grey. With the new technologies provided, the UNSC is able to shield their ships and unleash devastating firepower. In land combat, the UNSC deploys its steadfast army of marines. They are supported by an arsenal of tanks, aircraft and heavy support weapons. The UNSC makes use of the new direct energy weapons available from the Forerunner archives along with the new and improved gyrojet weapons. The most devastating tool of the UNSC is the Spartan troops. Spartans were designed for combat and make use of advanced MJOLNIR power armor. This increases their strength and toughness to many levels. Currently, there are five different Spartan Projects, but only three are currently being trained. The Spartan I project was a first trial and considered a failure, with only one survivor able to participate in combat. The Spartan II were the next step, but involved intense training from a young age, so candidates were kidnapped as children. There was a public outcry when word got out. The Spartan III project was the next evolution, taking young adult volunteers for augmentation. The Spartan IV project involved training these troops to use recon and stealth for missions. The Spartan V project involved using battlesuit technology for heavy support duties. The intelligence arm of the UNSC is the Office of Naval Intelligence, or ONI. They are responsible for uncovering the secrets of the Forerunner artifacts, the creation of the Spartan projects, and containment of threats inside and outside the UEG. Like all intelligence agencies, they have some controversy in their history.

Economy: The UEG has strong trade routes throughout its sovereign space. These worlds vary from commercial to industrial to mining colonies. They are usually heavily populated relative to space, so there are dense populations. The new trade routes with the UOA have only bolstered its already impressive economy. With the help of the Apollo Trade Order, orbital industry has gained huge ground as an alternative to planet-side industry. They are also the prime manufacturers when it comes to reverse-engineered Forerunner technologies. This market is highly profitable all over UOA space.

Society: Society in the UEG is generally normal for humans. Liberty and freedom is cherished, but laws are enforced to ensure that all have the opportunity to set your own fate. Many in the UEG have served in the military, as a reminder to all in the UOA and beyond that humanity is ready to fight. Stations and homes in the UEG are decorated with local fauna. Many humans in the UEG love the sights and smells of nature. The UEG has tried its best to build its cities around the environment on their worlds. The discovery of Forerunner technologies and architecture has allowed them to do this with extreme effectiveness. The UEG still honors those who fell in the Human-Covenant War and many monuments still exist as reminders of the genocidal campaign.

-The Sangheili Empire: The Sangheili Empire is the official government of the Sangheili and all of their colonies. They are a saurianspecies of fierce, proud, strong, agile and intelligent warriors and skilled combat tacticians. Their jaws are quadruple-hinged, with an upper jaw and four mandible-like lips. The Sangheili are a species devoted to honor. The will never hesitate to decapitate a foe or help an friend. These qualities, especially in regard to humanity after the Human-Covenant War, have made the Sangheili highly respected in UOA space. Due to their history, the Sangheili are on good terms with many of the former Covenant species. The Jiralhanae are still rivals in the eyes of the Sangheili. This has caused a few minor battles between the two, but relations have improved since the Human-Covenant War. The San 'Shyuum are still mistrusted, even though they have since made it their duty to help the Reclaimers ascend to the level of their gods, the Forerunners. The Sangheili are on good terms with the majority of the other UOA factions. The Yautja completely respect their code of honor and are the Sangheili's most trusted allies in UOA space. Even the IOM have a grudging respect for the Sangheili's military prowess.

Government: Sangheili government appears to be a feudal meritocracy, and is partially democratic, as elders of different clans rule different areas. The ruler of these areas, a Kaidon, is elected by a group of council elders that reside in that area. If a council elder believes that his vote was "ill advised" or "had second thoughts", it was considered a tradition for council elders to initiate some form of attack, such as sending assassins, against the Kaidon in order "...to test the true merit of [the] ruler's martial abilities." The belief was that "a Kaidon who could not defend himself was not a true leader." The representative for the Sangheili in the UOA council is the Arbiter, a warrior considered second to none in skill for the Sangheili. The Arbiter is ultimately the voice of the Sangheili.

Military Strength: The Sangheili are a species that almost specializes in military action. Their troops are well trained for any situation, including defense, assault, boarding and other actions. Their most infamous weapon is the iconic Energy Sword, a sword made of hard-light. It is able to slice through almost any armor. Every single Sangheili carries one as a side arm, as it has a symbolic as well as a military purpose. The Sangheili make use of plasma weapons, a type of direct energy weapon. These weapons use superheated plasma for many different roles. The plasma weapons have improved greatly with new energy sources provided by the UOA. The fleets of the Sangheili are massive and include their many ships from all sizes, including the huge Reconciliation-class Supercarriers, at about 29 km long. These massive carriers are able to glass entire worlds and carry more than enough troops for small planetary occupation. The Shipmasters aboard each vessel take great pride in their position.

Economy: The Sangheili are experienced in mining certain materials and manufacturing plasma-based technologies. They are the largest producer of plasma weapons and have the market cornered on plasma power generators (save for the Tau Empire). Despite the advances in ranged weapons, the Sangheili still use the energy sword as a main weapon. Due to the popularity of the energy sword, the Sangheili have created numerous versions to meet a new market demand.

Society: In many ways, the Sangheili are much like humans. They communicate, are loyal to their superiors and comrades, become protective of their troops and become angry and vengeful if other Sangheili are killed. They fear very little, taking great pride in an ancient, honor-laden code. Even when mortally wounded, the Sangheili still charge towards the enemy in a doomed last minute attack. Sangheili honor also dictates that they always be the first ones into a battle, and to never allow themselves to be captured alive. In the Covenant, the Sangheili looked down upon those that would take a less-military role, but have come to appreciate those occupations. Most Sangheili will serve in the military forces at some point in their lives.

-The San 'Shyuum Nation: The San 'Shyuum are a mammal-like species, are also very frail. Originally from a low gravity world, the San' Shyuum required anti-gravity chairs to move about their environment. The San 'Shyuum are natural scientists, especially when it comes to Forerunner artifacts. They were originally the Prophets of the Covenant Empire and led the Covenant to war with humanity (UNSC). However, the lies were uncovered and the High Prophets responsible were killed. When it was revealed that the ancient San 'Shyuum once held an alliance with an ancient humanity, the San 'Shyuum made it their new goal to help humanity achieve the greatness that their gods, the Forerunners, had years ago. They are relatively small in relation to other powers. They generally have fair relations with the rest of the UOA. Most of the mistrust is due to a superiority complex; most of the San 'Shyuum believe they could run things better. They are on good terms with the UEG due to their knowledge of the Forerunner artifacts and several discoveries made. They are still somewhat mistrusted by a majority of the former-Covenant races, though this has lessened slightly over time. Their best relations are with the Zetan Commonwealth, as both specialize in scientific discovery. They also maintain their symbiotic relationship with the Huragoks. However, many are still wary due to their manipulative nature.

Government: The San 'Shyuum use a ruling council to decide what to do as a species. Each person on the council holds a certain position of knowledge ona subject. The San 'Shyuum rarely use the term Prophet anymore, as people dream of bad memories of the Covenant. The San 'Shyuum have a small population, so the council represents the whole species, not just the relation between home world and colonies.

Military Strength: The San 'Shyuum have little in military forces, but they do have some advanced security forces. The San 'Shyuum have started to make use of cybernetics to improve their strength on high gravity worlds. The San 'Shyuum use advanced plasma weapons, most are marked as experimental to other forces. However, their numbers are not large and they rarely commit more than half a million units to galactic security. They also have an advanced space fleet. Like their ground forces, it is not large, but they possess several Reconciliation-class Supercarriers. Interestingly, there are still Sangheili who guard the Council. However, they do this more out of tradition than respect.

Economy: The San 'Shyuum do not have a strong industry for producing goods. Instead, they sell licenses for reverse-engineered and imitated Forerunner technologies. This has created a lucrative market, though most of the Forerunner technologies are a joint operation between San 'Shyuum and humans. They are masters at designing new applications for Forerunner technologies and own several think-tanks and design firms. The usually contract the actual construction to other races.

Society: The San 'Shyuum have a very small population. Most still live on High Charity. They have several systems colonized, and eager to expand. However, low birthrate means that this will have to be done slowly. Since the introduction of cybernetics, the San 'Shyuum have overcome some of their biological limitations, but still like to use anti-gravity chairs to give them an appearance of superiority. The San 'Shyuum still like to beleive that they can lead the galaxy better than anyone else, but they have proven to be very competent administrators, in government as well as business. Caution is recommended, as the San 'Shyuum are known to be manipulative. The San 'Shyuum still see the Forerunners as gods, but now have dedicated themselves to helping the Reclaimers rise to the level of their gods.

-The Lekgolo Coalition: The Lekgolo are tiny, orange, worm-like creatures that group together to exponentially increase their intelligence, strength, and maneuverability. The Lekgolo will frequently combine into one massive creature, known as a Mgalekgolo. These massive soldiers are very tough and can best be described as walking tanks. When a single colony of Mgalekgolo becomes too big, the colony will divide in half to create two independent Mgalekgolo colonies. These colonies will share an extremely close and mysterious bond, referred to only as being "bond brothers", or "mates." The Lekgolo are viewed as being alien even among their peers. The Lekgolo are highly respected for their military prowess, but many species find them strange in civilian roles. They still hold their respectable relationship with the Sangheili, as each view each other as respectable warriors. The Lekgolo have recently started to come into the wider galaxy, but most still stay in their area of space.

Government: The Lekgolo view each individual colony as a "nation" in the loosest sense of the word. Every single Lekgolo colony is allowed to vote on the issue, though most will only consult other Lekgolo in the local area. The colonies will only convene together when it comes to galactic policy, but even then it is rare. Not much else is known about their government.

Military Strength: The Lekgolo will frequently combine into a single being known as a Mgalekgolo, a powerful form. The Mgalekgolo will typically carry a heavy weapon in one hand and a giant metal shield in the other. Due to the nature of colonies to divide into two bond brothers, there are almost always two Mgalekgolo on the battlefield. They will typically fire their main weapon until they can charge into the lines of the enemy with their shield. Their main heavy weapon is typically an assualt cannon that fires lobs of plasma into the enemy. The Lekgolo are typically used for heavy support roles or deep strike teams. The Lekgolo have a large fleet, but they typically have nothing larger than large battlecruisers. To fit the large Mgalekgolo, the interiors had to be modified with larger rooms. The Lekgolo usually like to hit fast into enemy lines so they can start deploying their land forces (which are far superior in effectiveness compared to their space forces).

Economy: The Lekgolo have become leaders in finding the secrets of Forerunner artifacts, with the ability to search across the artifact in their worm form. They have also become great industrial workers, especially in mining and heavy industry. The Mgalekgolo are tough workers and can usually outperform most other species in mining. The only drawback is its massive size in the small caves. The Lekgolo have recently started trading some of their art to the UOA. The public is usually shocked at how vivid the paintings and poems are and will pay top dollar for even a small sample.

Society: The Lekgolo are viewed as one of the strangest sentient lifeforms in the UOA. Their way of life is almost unknown. The only reliable information comes from observing their colonies, the Mgalekgolo. The observations have frequently reported how Mgalekgolo meditate before battle and recite war poetry as soon as an enemy is dealt with. With the recent surge in "civilian" occupations, the Mgalekgolo have frequently assumed smaller forms to better get along with other species. The Mgalekgolo still hold a little disdain for those species they feel are weaker then them. This no longer results in friendly fire, but it does intimidate several species that are just in from of them. However, they do respect the Sangheili and have found new respect for the strongest warriors of each faction, especially the Space Marines of the Imperium and the Avaters of the Eldar.

-The Jiralhanae Tribal Confederacy: The Jiralhanae are an ape like species. Brutes are of simian origin and have been said to resemble large gorillas, but, in some ways, they also resemble ursine, or rhinoceros as well. They have thick, gray skin, and are covered with matted, black, tan, or brown fur-like hair and some have short, black, or brown colored beards. Their large, stocky appearance is most likely due to the gravity on their planet, which is about twice the gravity of that on Earth. As they age, the hair will change to a grayish-silver color, which is a great sign of respect for all the Brutes. When the Covenant fragmented, many Jiralhanae sided with Truth and the Loyalists. Most of them were wiped out. Tartarus continued to lead the tribes until the UOA decided to end the threat permanently. Doisac, the Jiralhanae home world, is currently blockaded with a DMZ. Any Jiralhanae left in galaxy are either primitives on Doisac or part of the new Tribal Confederacy in the UOA. These Jiralhanae are no longer the savages of old, but still retain their passion for battle. They are still rivals in the eyes of the Sangheili which has resulted in a few battles. Most factions have fair relations with them, as they are often prideful in front of other species. They do maintain good relations with the Kroot inside the Tau Empire, as both seem to have similar primal natures.

Government: The Jiralhanae are ruled by multiple tribes inside their area of space. Each tribe sends one representative to a tribal council, where they will choose a leader. The decision is often challenged and results in duels, some of which are deadly. The winner will become the Alpha Chieftain and be the leader of the Tribal Confederacy. Most tribes leave each other alone, though some are known to get aggressive for territory.

Military Strength: The Jiralhanae rely on brute force to achieve their goals. They often use their weapons until they are left with no ammo then charge into the enemy. Their weapons frequently have sharp edges on them for close combat. They come in many numbers to overwhelm the enemy, though recent tactics have put more armor and shields on their warriors. The Jiralhanae use small bikes known as the Type-25 Rapid Assault Vehicle, also known as the chopper. They plow into enemies with these massive bikes before speeding away. The Jiralhanae fleet contains many ships, though most are small cruisers, as they are easier to manufacture in large numbers. They typically rush to knife-fight range before issuing boarding parties.

Economy: The Jiralhanae are masters at gravity manipulation. They are the prime producers of gravity lifts for civilian use and gravity hammers for military use. The Jiralhanae have created a huge industrial workforce and are typically hired outside of their space to complete operations, even on Imperial forge worlds. Their natural strength and durability have made them valuable in the industrial workforce. They typically become merchants for a while, though many will comment that the Jiralhanae will not tolerate theft and will drive a hard bargain.

Society: The Jiralhanae used to be described as loyal but brutish savages. They have since calmed themselves and are considered civilized by human standards. They are still victims to blood rages, where their tempers explode and become more like their primitive counterparts. In this rage, they charge their enemies (and allies) with no regard to their own safety. Cybernetics have since reversed the most prominent features and can even increase the adrenaline of the Jiralhanae. The Jiralhanae They are very possessive over their territory and will attack anyone that attempts to steal from them. They are very superstitious and during the Human-Covenant War the Jiralhanae were fervent followers of the Great Journey. They are very loyal and will fight to the death in order maintain their loyalty.

-The Yanme'e Hives: The Yanme'e are insectoid creatures that travel in swarms. They are flight capable, which makes them ideal for scouting and skirmishing. Yanme'e typically mount small antigravity devices on their exoskeleton to assist them in flight. They are actually excellent mechanics, though most jobs are usually deferred to the Huragoks. The Yanme'e have hard exoskeletons made from a glossy chitinous substance, as well as two pairs of veined wings. The Yanme'e originally sided with the Loyalists when the Covenant Schism occurred. Shortly after the Installation 04 incident, the Yanme'e quickly withdrew from the war. They then joined with the Revolutionaries following their victory at Doisac. The Yanme'e have since been dedicated members of the UOA. With the new influx of ships, they quickly filled the ranks of mechanics needed. They also were eager to fill any recon and skirmishing roles left in the military. They maintain good relations with most of the species of the UOA, but seem to have taken a keen liking to the Vespid in the Tau Empire.

Government: The Yanme'e are a hive species and are collectively ruled by a queen. There are multiple queens, but all are subservient to a prime queen. This has led to some interesting confrontations, as an attack on one drone worker/soldier technically counts as a declaration of war for the entire species. The collective mind of the hive has also come to a completely new understanding, as they have had to deal with the concepts of individualism, rather than armies of drones for a single species.

Military Strength: The Yanme'e excel as scouts and skirmishers, quickly taking flight to harass the enemy until they are weakened. They are extremely good at intelligence gathering, as their hive mind allows them to quickly gain information at staggering rates. The queen, being the leader of the hive, is also the leadership in war time, though for political purposes, a drone is place on the military council. The Yanme'e have a sizable fleet that excels in longer range combat. This means that they can harass the enemy in distance before tactically retreating. They often try to set traps in conjunction with other fleets and have been known for their deceiving tactics.

Economy: The Yanme'e are known to have excellent industrial capabilities as well as being mechanical experts. In civilian life, the Yanme'e are mechanics and can just about repair any starship in the galaxy. The Yanme'e are jealous that most of the military mechanical work is sided toward the Huragoks, but have created a friendly rivalry with them, though the Huragoks could care less. The Yanme'e work with drone like effeciency and some corporations almost treat them like droids, though are careful not to openly state their assumptions.

Society: The Yanme'e are a hive species and every action is usually dedicated for the hive. There are some occurrences where Yanme'e do not connect well to the hive and have a sort of individualism, but these cases are rare. The Yanme'e work for the betterment of the hive and so require little in the way of incentive. They often busy themselves with work, mostly in the mechanical expertise area. They have made excellent mechanics and will repair almost anything, as a test of their own (or collective) abilities to outdo the Huragoks. The queens are the ones with the true intelligence and rarely leave Yanme'e space. To the UOA, it is said that a queen only appears to honor someone, or to punish them. The Yanme'e have several wingless males that are used to fertilize the eggs of the queens. They are almost never seen. The drones will usually carry about like any other species, though many will note how often two workers will think and act alike when they come into contact with each other.

-The Huragoks: The Hurgoks are actually creatures made from nanites in the shape of their biological counterparts. Created by the Forerunners, Huragoks act almost like biological supercomputers.

-The Kig-Yar Merchant Consortium:

-The Unggoy Republic:

-The Forerunner Ecumene (Remnant):

-The Imperium of Man:

-The Eldar Carftworlds:

-The Tau Empire:

-The Apollo Trade Order:

-The Vasari Empire:

-The Advent Unity:

-The Yautja Kingdom:

-The Eden Enclave:

-The Zetan Commonwealth:

-The Galactic Republic:

-The Galactic Confederacy:

-The Rakata Infinite Empire:

-The Mandalorian Empire:

-The Jedi Peacekeepers:

-The Sith Security Forces:

-The Chiss Ascendency:

End of UOA sub-factions...