Be warned, this doesn't belong to the 1632 series. It belong to the Jao Empire series. But there's not a category for them yet so i will stay with this, since both series belong to the same author.

I don't own anything: Mass effect is Bioware's property, and the Jao Empire series belongs to Eric Flint.

Before starting this cross-over I want to flesh things about the Jao, the Ekhat and the Lleix, the three races (aside from humans) that appear from the Jao Empire series.

First there's the Jao. They resemble, vaguely, sea lions. The Jao were engineered be the Ekhat in their pursuit to destroy the other. They are strong, resilient and particular because they don't have sexual hormones. Courtesy of the Ekhat, this way the bastards could control their numbers. Another point of their biology (this, though, it's not clear, since some say it's rather cultural) is their lack of innovation and their obssession for utilitarian things. To make yourself an idea:the Jao still use the same technology as the Ekhat, after centuries of freedom, because it works fine. Their culture consider new things ollnat, which means thing-that-may-be (more or less), and they aren't seen in good light by most kochan (clans, thing in the hillbilly families and how extended they tend to be and you will get another rough, very rough, idea). kochans are their organizations, formed from taifs, which are clans formed recently and still are forming themselves. Earth is still in the second status.

The kochan decide major issues at the Naukr Ludh (I think I didn't miswrite it), similar to medieval councils (meaning that everybody has to be happy with the decision) which has have an arbiter: the Bond of Ebezon. The Bond is formed by jao that decide to abandon their kochan and takes decisions in the name of all Jao when they cannot reach an agreement. They are like a mix of Templars (which means they usually tell the council to piss off and impose their will over the kochans) and Jesuits (which means they are a think tank).

When a new clan is being formed, one of the existent, mostly the bigshots, takes care of it, and so it will become affilated. Said affiliation will be reflected in a Jao's naming.

Last, and most important things:

1) the Jao can feel the flow of things. They feel time. Meaning that they don't use seconds or clocks, because they are living clocks, albeit without measuring units. For a Jao being a minute before the begining of something means that the flow is nearly complete.

2) Jao use body language extensively, they have a lot of postures and combinations of them, which have a very particular and determined meaning. Jao feel that someone is being gross if he forces his name (unlike humans) or makes the Jao in question go in front of a line. For a Jao, it's an honor to be the last one.

The Ekhat. Technically speaking, they are a family of species. They are older than the reaper themselves. Currently it's agreed that their Empire across the galaxy began many MILLIONS of years ago and collapse by the middle of the pleistocene (that's two millions of years ago).The Ekhat were the creator of the actual FTL method (in the jao universe, that's it). After the destruction of their Empire they turned towards the other species and began a campaign of omnicide across our galactic arm. They resemble yellow mantises (some have eight bladed legs, though) and are around four or three meters tall. In the current day and age there are four factions: The Melody, The True and The Complete Harmony (the creators of the Jao) and The Interdict. If you ask an Ekhat about this factions he will call you fool, because those aren't factions, the Ekhat are above factionalism, simply diferent voices of their great melody. Then he will kill you in a gruesome way and commit suicide for entering in contact with an inferior species. This last part is the number one reason they commit all their war efforts to battle from orbit.

Last there's the Lleix. Basically they are space Jews. In fact, this statement is made in the novel: they are sought to be exterminated, have wandered in search of a home and their social structure is like the Jews when they lived in old Babilony. They are nearly as tall as the Ekhat. Think of the gray little men that appeared in some sci-fi films, with tunics, and you will have a good idea about them. Also they are the best polyglotes in the galaxy. Why? Because by the second week they were in contact with humans they spoke english better than me. They simply absorb language like a sponge. This species fought the EKhat, losing world after world, and was the one that sow the seeds of freedom in the Jao. Currently they are living on Earth.

In terms of Techonlogy the Jao surpass the Citadel. They aren't constrained by size issues. The biggest ship, the Lexington-Class battleship, is several kilomiter long and sport eight 'spines' formed by eighteen cannons, half kinetic weapons (and these don't throw simple metal slugs like the citadel's vessels, they are nuclear sabots), half energy weapons. This motherfucker managed to smite five Ekhat vessels. Also they can use plasma from the stars to shield themselves and bombard enemy world with it. The Ekhat used it once when they tried to invade Earth. Just one load from a ship and three million persons died in China. In terms of maneuvers, they are matched, or the citadel loses, since Jao ships are made (all of them) mobile enough as to navigate the currents of a photosphere (a star's entrails).

Secon issue, numbers: here I'm not sure, but most likely, the Citadel wins this by a long shot. You see, the Lleix are barely a hundred thousand, because only a small portion manages to flee a world when the Ekhat come. The Jao, with their artificial reproduction are barely five or four times more numerous than humans, who must be around the 6,5 billions. Actually, Earth is the most populous planet of their empire, and by a long margin.

For those that want to further expand the knowledge here's a link: /szymon/Baen/The%20Baltic%20War/The%20Course%20of%20Empire/0743471547

Chapter 1.- Encounter.

Five weeks ago, Caitlin Kralik (Stockwell before marrying), departed from earth with the Lexington and the fleet towards the forward base. This new world, which would receive the name of Shanxi, was to be their logistical base for the exploration. It was too the first colony established by both taifs of Terra, the human (under sovereignity of the UN) and the Jao (under Aille, the overall governor of Terra). This new world resembled a lot to Earth, but had a tad of exotism.

The operation itself was big, and would grow bigger. The Bond, the 'father' of the Terra taifs, was interested in finding new allies. Advanced allies, to boot. Up until now, the only species minimally developed they found were the Ekhat, humans, and Lleix. There was a small detachment of Lleix here, for they would make superb translators. All in all, the participation was made by both of Terra's taifs, the Krant kochan (one of the smallest, poorest and weakest), Lleix and the Bond.

The Lleix weren't just fore talking, they were there to fight too. After millenia of running away, an elian (guild) to defend the Lleix was formed: the Defenders. They would be the army of the new Lleix dominion. After the founding of the Workorganizers (a version of the Trade Unions that Tully created) many new elian came into existance, being formed by workers of the Dochaya, those who weren't chosen by any elian in their coming of age. Among those guilds there were the Defenders, the Negotiators (their diplomats) and the Enginemakers (engineers that intended to make robots, so they could mecanize labour). Actually the Defenders was, possibly the biggest elian, numbering eight thousand members, with three quarters being dettached alongside the Star of Valeron, the first warship made by the Shipbuilders and Weaponmakers in a looong time. It was around a third of the size of the Lexington, and it was meant to be the first of the Star-Class cruisers. In this one lived eight thousand Lleix, between Starsifters, Navigators, Shipbuilders, Negotiators, Weaponmakers and the core of Terralore (formerly Jaolore).

The eldest of the Defenders was the strategos (they loaned the greek term), who planned battles and assisted the general, who was meant to be a skilled and talented member with experience, but not too old. From there onwards, they worked the ranks using the human chain of command basing it on merit and skills.

The fleet was formed, now, by four Lexington-class battleships: the Lexington, the Paul Bunyam, the Boston and the Yorktown. In the end chief-engineer Kaln krinnu ava Krant won and the Krantz vessels gitfed from earth were named Paul Bunyam and Babe the Blue Ox. In addition to them and the Star of Valeron, there were eight ships gifted by the Bond (and manned by them). Last, but not least, four brand new frigates built in England, the Trafalgar-Class: the Trafalgar, Benbow, Nelson and Drake.

Odd costume that of naming ships. Dannet krinnu ava Terra, admiral of the reconnaisance fleet still found it odd. When she asked what a 'trafalgar' was, she was told that Trafalgar is a place, where the English (the moiety that built the vessels) achieved a great victory, and that the others were named after illoustrous commanders. She couldn't but say that was really weird and with a slight touch of morbidity. Well, she didn't say such a soft word, in truth.

Still, it wasn't her right to criticize others' customs, specially considering her background. Before Aille ruled, before the Terra taifs, that world was ruled by Oppuk ava Narvo, Narvo being the most militaristic of the Kochans. It was one of the two biggest ones, alongside Pluthrak, Aille's old kochan. Oppuk's rule had been tyrannical, ignoring the conquered's needs and problems, strangling them. Dannet was sent from Narvo to repair his misgivings with the new taif. Still her status wasn't precarious. Terra didn't pay only attention to Oppuk, there was a good example: Llo krinnu vau Narvo, a pilot that sacrificed herself to destroy an Ekhat vessel. Narvo wasn't demonised, but there was still a bit of resentment, even after four 'years' (as terrans refered to a full rotation around their star) of tending the wounds.

Relating to this new world, Shanxi, it was fitted with a brand new city, made half jao, half human, with a small sector for the Lleix. Arround half a million citizens, that would work the factories and fields, supplying the military and, in time, becoming a trade center for the empire. Humans, after all were the second most numerous species and the one with the fastest growth ratio, so it would soon become a thriving market, as humans understood it. Truly, she didn't understand the whole thing about 'economics' as humans called it. And like her, most, if not all, the Jao who didn't spent a long time on Earth.

And so, Earth would become the capital of the Empire, not only in population, but in economical and cultural terms. The first was obvious, since neither the Jao and Lleix had 'economies' in the modern human way. The second, was obvious too: not only lived on Terra former members of many kochan (and more were coming, specially seeking to improve their status), and the humans (who were culturally advanced, more than the jao in many aspects), but there was a colony of Lleix. And that civilization, while lacking resources at Valeron to maintain a military force, had developed a rich culture.

Dannet thought grimly that Terra soon would become the capital, in all aspects, if things progressed this way. By now, Krant had already fallen into their orbit. And why not? Krant was one of the poorest kochan. Two Lexington battleships would mean a lot for them, both in trade incresing and military. To add things, many industrials from Terra had set business too on Krant, with Jao partners.

The door opened. It was colonel Gabriel Tully. Dannet was wary of him. He was the one in charge to execute Oppuk, sweet Oppuk. And he was a human, the race that had turned sweet Oppuk into a mad beast. She was a little resentful, even after knowing of Oppuk's madness, even after that time, even after serving with him.

The human made the human salute, the one soldiers used. It was one of the few signs of body language that was minimally clear in humans. It would mean: or awaiting to be instructed.

"Reports from the Drake and Benbow indicate that unknown structure seems functional."announced Tully.

"Good, does the research team have any clue of how can it be of use?"

The research team was about to discover its function, indeed. Captain Hackett studied the massive structure. Why they built it? That was the main why, alongside another thousand whys about many other things, alongside hows and whens.

The research team was investigating the massive structure with the assistance of a unit of engineers, mostly Jao females (which were said to have a knack of technology).

Some of them must have activated a wrong signal, since they got sucked suddenly.

When he got up, the whole command bridge was drown into chaos: they went outside any of the charts they had.

And in front of them stood a whole fleet.

Citadel calendar year 2157. Relay 314.

THW Palaven Sun

Saren Arterius was short of excited, for it was his first deployment. With his older brother! Desolas Arterius, the hero of the Hierarchy. Truly a great way to start one's career.

The young turian stalked the void of the space, where dots appeared: the Openning Fleet. Since the Rachni Wars, opening a relay without the Council's permission was completely forbidden. The destruction caused by a realy opened freely (the Rachni Wars and the Krogan Rebellion that was caused indirectly by it) made it hard to get the permission, and once said permission was conceded, the petitioner didn't open the relay, but a whole fleet from the council. Salarians, turians and asari.

Right now, the fleet had four dreadnoughts and seventy other vessels: fourteen cruisers, twenty-four frigates, and thirty-two corvettes. The turians brought two dreadnoughts and thirty vessels, the rest was from the salarians and Asari. Among the salarians was a company of the STG.

Desolas held overall command assisted by fleet commander Benezia T'varu and captain Kirrahe of the STG. Now, the three of them were assembled, discusing the minor details.

Desolas was tall and powerfully built. He had never been a handsome turian, less with the scars that come along years of active service. Yet he was atracting, there was an air of enigma surrounding him, a gist beneath that face and eyes, suggesting things. He was like a magnet, attracting people to him, under his command. A born leader in Benezia's attitude.

As for Kirrahe? A fool, a goddam muscle-for-brains. All turians, without exception, were nothing more than muscle. It was their role in the citadel, as was the asari's to be the face (and many times the wallet) and his species' to be the brains gearing all the machinery.

He wasn't even hearing them. Why he should? Everything had already been overseen by the STG. The salarians won wars, then fought them. Things were crystal clear already before starting them, in most cases. And this one was no exception.

Alas, there was one thing he didn't expect, nor his STG had foreseen.

The mass relay opened. Someone had activated it from the other side.

Fuck. Was all he could thing for now.

He calculated what mysterious force was coming. If they could deploy enough firepower as to destroy it instantaneously then they would attack. As horrible it may sound, one was more eficient in the first negotiations if he knew beforehand the other side. And the best way was to analize their technology, culture and capabilities. And it's a hard procedure to take measurements from one person if he is unwilling, more difficult than a scenario where said person is unaware, or immobile. Like corpses. Dissections told quite more than one could imagine.

Four vessels entered. Four dreadnoughts. He wouldn't be disecting anyone soon enough, instead he had to think, and quick, how to counter this possible menace. Writings said that they emitted no eezo, which made them more terrifying. Why? Simple: you don't waste resources in many big ships without having a warrant that you will preserve them long enough to pay up the costs. Even the krogan cared about detaisl with the very few vessels they made. No eezo meant they had developed a way to supply all the gadgets that needed it with another method. Otherwise the ships would have been quite smaller or just one. A group of big vessels meant that it's sender was confident in them surviving a long travel.

The behemoths turned around and reactivated soon the mass relay. The citadel fleet was left alone. General Desolas exploded in a fit of indignation.

"They opened illegally a mass relay! It's forbidden to activate them without the Council's permi-"

"Desolas! Think for a moment!" Admonished the asari commander."If they don't know about the council's existance, how will they petitionate them for opening a relay?"

Arterius considered that for a moment. He thought a bit, and soon saw the sense of Benezia'statement. He had been such a fool! He nearly triggered a war for such a foolish reason. How can you cuff someone who broke a law he didn't know and that belonged to the legislation of a polity you never met before.

"What should be our course of action general?" Asked a Turian aide.

But it wasn't Desolas who responded, but Kirrahe. His voice barely managed to contain the angst.

"We follow them, with all our vessels at disposals."Ordedered the salarian."And call the citadel for reinforcements."

Desolas and Benezia agreed. Their duty was to explore the other side of the relay and interact with whoever dwelled in it's immediate surroundings. Still, both of them had a very bad feeling.