New Backwaters: Mass Effect

(Chapter 1)

Three years after the cosmic, confusing and destructive motives of the Reapers, a state of relative peace encompasses the galaxy after Commander Shepard's control of the Reapers.

Despite his new immaterial transcendence, Shepard is nevertheless no perfect divinity. If he were perfect, then he would be worse; he would be a contradiction, an undoing. He is no God – and maybe it is better if no such sky-bound deities exist.
He shall still be subject to faults and later persuasions to possibly adverse actions – though to be faultless is to be dead. Thus, was seen by Shepard's corporeal and grounded (relatively) friends, acquaintances, and lover(s) that non-corporeal Shepard would have to be regularly reminded of his sacrifice, of other's sacrifices, and of the presence of his friends still loitering about on the ground and among the stars.

Despite the formidable presence of the Reapers, it is believed that the "Shepard intelligence" does not wish to use the Reapers to play about with the sapient species of the galaxy like pawns, and as such, he shall not intervene in all matters of inconvenience - in three years of Shepard's control, the Reapers had intervened by fixing the mass relays, the citadel, 14 emergency cases when people were in dire distress and providing regular Intel to Alliance command and The Shadow Broker so they could aid various cases and pique the interest of historians. At least one Reaper was station as a sort of guard or camera for Shepard at every populated planet, and information pertaining to the previous lost races of the galaxy would be released to them in drips.

Just because a force of masterfully powerful and knowledgeable synthetic cuttlefish was watching over the galaxy - it does not mean anything like eternal peace or enlightenment. If the infinite amount of information they have harvested was suddenly given to the galaxy, it would be an overload. If people had increased knowledge and means supplied by the Reapers to live much longer, it would seem like a good thing, but even in a place as large as the Milky Way, overpopulation would be a problem. Could the galaxy just sit back while Reapers do all their daily chores? It would be too good to be true.

As such, Shepard had to be pragmatic and measured with his help. it would always be there in times of need, but it would not take over - it couldn't.

Shepard did want to help the galaxy, but was always in this fear of overbearing control on the species of the Milky Way. Some people would want justice by the Reapers being destroyed for their millennia of crimes. Again, the Reapers would aid them but also leave the galactic community to develop and discuss their predicaments by their own means. For limitations may mean development. Without them, we gain the chance of cultural stagnation.

While Liara T'soni still remains grieved by the loss of her partner (Shepard), she continues her work as The Shadow Broker aboard The Normandy. Garrus Vakarian has been given special command of the Normandy SR2 (despite him being a Turian and the Normandy being an Alliance ship), with all the surviving crew acting alongside him in the vicinity of peacekeepers and diplomatic intermediaries.

Urdnot Wrex and Eve continue to keep the Krogan pacified, and there is the possibility of a new enlightened age for the Krogan. Nevertheless some individuals are growing wary of the Krogan's new-found united strength after Mordin Solus's cure of the Genophage.

The Geth and the Quarians are settling back onto their homeworld together as equal citizens and Admiral Hackett is working well to help inter-species relations and tackle remaining Cerberus splinter groups.

Small splinter groups of rouge Cerberus operatives still plague the star systems, and pirates and mercenaries still dither about looking for credits – to the detriment of more peaceful beings wishing to retire after the terror of the formerly evil Reapers. Yet a new addition to the labyrinth on these innumerable nebulas may help work towards some inkling of justice, discovery, and true success. Otherwise – tensions may sadly, and most probably, extend further.

There is also the possibility of new threats. The Milky Way galaxy has 200billion – 400billion stars. Even with the mass relays charted by the many species of the galaxy, and the many FTL drives propelling ships across star systems, to explore this entire demographic will take decades, if not centuries.

The year 2189 CE is where we shall continue our forays into the developing unknown...

Behind an isolated and uncharted mass relay, hidden in the undiscovered backwater system of Maestum, in the remits of a small star called Nubilis, lies the rich desert planet of Pulvereus. Here reside the tall exoskeletal species known as the Prudens.

With off-white bony plating/skin capable of surviving in a vacuum (albeit for a limited amount of time), and notable mathematical and philosophical insight, the Prudens have advanced for centuries confined to their planet – barred by entering space (by peopled craft beyond their moons at least) for over 230 years by paranoid and isolationist politicians trembling with a decisive fear of what lies beyond their view. These attitudes may have unwittingly saved them from the Reaper threat, but now, however, a group of Pruden scientists and explorers have been able to persuade the overly-careful bureaucrats of Pulvereus to be allowed to construct a state-of-the-art spacecraft to explore beyond their solar system, further systems, and discover the unseen.

Professor Aurelius Skelling, famous/infamous Pruden Special Forces (PSF) operative and psychoanalyst, has gathered a series of various specialists and comrades. From biologists, chemists, technicians and highly trained security personal, to lead this risky mission.

Meanwhile, Skelling sat quietly in his armchair, in the corner of his sleek and clean apartment in the sparsely-spaced yet city of Taylorm, engrossed in a book about ancient Pruden philosophy - his communicator now buzzing for his attention. He slid over to the counter and took the call.

Aurelius Skelling: Yes?

Zena Xenkis: Oh, ah, Hello Professor, Zena Xenkis [the Admiral's secretary] here...Admiral Princeps wishes to speak to you in the Commissioner's Office.

AS: Oh dear...Well inform him that I shall rendezvous with him and the Commissioner in 20 minutes. And please tell the Admiral that Dr Patolog found Crusta scabeim, a sexually transmitted disease only found - normally at least - in Lesser-spotted rock cats, amongst the staff of the Central Judicial Office. I would think that the ramifications of this are...unnerving. And disgusting.

ZX: Oh myyy! That's disturbing. I'll tell him. Good day Professor.

AS: Your valediction is reciprocated. Good day Miss Xenkis. Signing off. [communication ended]

(End of chapter 1)