Humanity has always dreamed for the stars. In antiquity astronomers predicted the skies turning black, or wondered at stars that could be seen even in daylight before disappearing. Then with telescopes humanity discovered that they were no longer at the center of the universe, but rather in a part of the universe that was as inconspicuous as the expanse upon expanse that surrounded them. Then later still humanity made rockets and ascended into the heavens, first to the edge of the atmosphere, but then to the moon to a body of rock not part of the earth.
Some histories end here. Some histories have humanity losing interest in this, retiring their rockets and settling for mere robots to explore the faces of other worlds. However, that history is not this history. Here is the story of a humanity that did not lose its footing, nor its curiosity, but rather would emerge onto galactic stage as mysterious and would later save the galaxy itself, all because its people did not fear the unknown and would not stick to that which was merely known. This is the story of a humanity of realized potential and it all started in 1977 when the dream of Gerald K. O'Neill was successfully pushed through congress rather than forever sitting on the back table never to be remembered.
Author's note:
This is going to be a narrative telling the story of what I think might have been (if our reality was indeed in the mass effect universe).