A/N: Just a little one-shot about what I hope will happen next. In this continuity, BioWare didn't drop the ball. The Crucible did exactly what it should have done: kill the Reapers, period. I'll be really mad if the next Mass Effect game isn't about something like this.
Escalation
Massive celebrations are underway on almost every world as the galaxy rejoices after the defeat of the Reapers...
Both the Rachni and Collectors have come forward to formally apologize to the public for their actions taken while under the influence of the Reapers...
With the destruction of the Alliance Parliament, a new human government is being formed under the authority of the Systems Alliance...
"The Reapers showed us just how weak we were when they took our homeworld from us in a matter of hours. We must ensure such a devastating defeat NEVER happens again..."
The Systems Alliance and Geth Collective, who have been close allies since the Reaper War, signed the Treaty of Mutual Defense, officially forming a new military alliance between Humanity and the Geth; simply calling themselves, the Allies...
The Citadel was moved back to the Widow System in a joint effort by the Collectors, Geth, and Humans after its existence in the Sol System was deemed too high of a security risk.
The Batarian Hegemony, which was devastated during the Reaper War, has been officially dismantled, and a new civilized government known as the Batarian State is being formed under the supervision of the Allies...
The Rachni People's petition to join the Allies was accepted yesterday, shortly following the Batarian State's.
The Collectors declined their invitation to join the Allies, but have stated they will still maintain constant communication with the Geth...
The Allies have begun construction of a new Arcturus Station. No information has been released on the specifications of this new battle station, but it's safe to assume it will be considerably more powerful than the old station destroyed by the Reapers in the Battle of Arcturus...
The Quarian's recently submitted a petition to join the Allies...
"The Quarians will not be accepted into the Allies for failing to meet the following nonnegotiable terms:
All member species of the Allies must maintain a modern military.
All member species of the Allies must be able to defend themselves against attack by a modern military.
All member species of the Allies must be able to defend another species against attack by a modern military.
All member species of the Allies must possess the biological characteristics of a warrior-race, as defined in the Treaty of Mutual Defense."
A Batarian insurrectionist faction has risen up against the Allies, drawing considerable support from both remnants of the old Hegemony and various Terminus factions...
In response to the growing strength of the Insurrectionists, the Systems Alliance has officially denounced the Treaty of Farixen, forfeiting Humanity's seat on the Council and increasing naval production to their fullest potential...
The newly formed Krogan Empire was granted full membership into the Citadel Council...
With the advent of the biotic induction process, biotics have become a mandatory part of basic training in the Alliance...
Geth-quarian skirmishes continue to heat up and many fear it may escalate into war...
The Turian Hierarchy recently denounced the Treaty of Farixen, and began increasing its naval production. The Turian Councilor condoned the Hierarchy's actions, blaming much of the devastation caused by the Reapers on the Hierarchy's decision to limit themselves in order to appease the Asari...
The Geth have imposed martial law on all quarian worlds...
Tensions between the Alliance and Hierarchy continue to rise due to the Alliance's growing power...
The Quarians have demanded the Geth vacate Geth-Quarian Space, a demand which the Geth strongly refused...
The Quarian Navy's attempt to break the blockade over Rannoch ended in disaster with the entire quarian fleet destroyed...
Riots on Rannoch erupted into shootouts, resulting in thousands of quarians dead...
"The Quarians have attempted to exterminate our people not once, but twice. Twice! Both times we allowed them to keep the very freedom which they pathetically tried to take away from us! They deserve nothing less than sheer and utter ANNIHILATION! But we will not stoop to their level. We are above them. We always have been, and we always will be! We will allow them to live once more. However, it has become clear that coexistence between us is impossible. The Quarians are far too treacherous. They can never be trusted. We will not destroy them, but we will no longer tolerate them either..."
The Collective extended an ultimatum to the Conclave in a hearing today. Leave, or die...
The Quarians departed Rannoch in a new fleet the Geth pieced back together from the destroyed Migrant Fleet...
A new era of technological advancement has been ushered in as militaries across the galaxy begin massive buildups...
Tensions between the Hierarchy and Alliance have sparked an arms race as the Alliance attempts to subdue the Insurrection, and the Hierarchy attempts to keep up with the Alliance in terms of weapons technology...
This just in, the Hierarchy severed its long and prosperous trading partnership with the Alliance, and imposed a trade embargo on Earth Systems Alliance Space...
Recent intelligence revealed a turian terrorist cell supporting the Insurrection. The Hierarchy has strongly denied involvement...
An Alliance raid on the turian terrorists took a disastrous turn when local Hierarchy forces arrived on the scene and decimated the Alliance team, taking at least a dozen prisoners. When Alliance officials demanded their return, the Hierarchy responded by claiming they were conducting an illegal operation on turian soil...
Tensions between the Alliance and Hierarchy threatened to erupt into war after a rescue mission turned into a slaughter when an N7 team infiltrated the Hierarchy facility where the captured Alliance team was being held and killed over 400 turians...
An uneasy peace was mediated between the Alliance and Hierarchy in the Council Chambers today, seemingly averting war...
"With the Insurrection defeated, our people can finally stand strong together with our allies, rather than divided against them..."
Even after the defeat of the Batarian Insurrection, the Alliance refuses to reacknowledge the Citadel Conventions, forever abandoning any hope of rejoining the Citadel Council...
"The Citadel Conventions were written for a different time, and that time has passed..."
Countless families lost their homes when the Alliance evicted all turian citizens from human space and terminated all joint human-turian military operations...
The Hierarchy has demanded Allied disarmament, threatening military action if the Allies do not comply...
"Under absolutely NO circumstances will the Allies be conducting ANY disarmament. Not now. Not ever..."
BREAKING NEWS: TURIANS INVADE...
SECOND HUMAN-TURIAN WAR...
"By the Treaty of Mutual Defense, the Geth Collective officially declares war on the Turian Hierarchy..."
"By the Treaty of Mutual Defense, the Batarian State officially declares war on the Turian Hierarchy..."
"By the Treaty of Mutual Defense, the Rachni People officially declare war on the Turian Hierarchy..."
The Hierarchy suffered several devastating defeats when the full force of the Allies counter-attacked...
"The Krogan Empire will stand by the Turian Hierarchy in their fight. Together, WE WILL CRUSH OUR ENEMIES, AND BRING THE ALLIES TO THEIR KNEES..!"
KROGAN EMPIRE ENTERS THE WAR...
"Any and all of those discovered to be aiding the Turian Hierarchy or Krogan Empire, shall be considered enemies of the Allies, and will be treated as such..."
Krogan forces struggle to gain the upper hand over the Geth...
The Krogan-Turian Alliance has requested military support from the other council races...
All of the Asari Republics have declared a state of neutrality in the ongoing conflict...
The STG was discovered to be feeding intelligence to the Hierarchy, and the Salarian Union has now been declared an enemy of the Allies...
The Yahg, who recently achieved space-faring status, denied their invitation to join the Council, and condemned the organization as weak and hypocritical...
"The Council disgraced us. Spat in our faces, and then closed us off from their presence. Now, because they face an enemy that's more than they can handle, they have the nerve to ask for our help NEVER..!"
The Asari Republics have ceased all humanitarian aid after threats from the Allies...
Matriarch Lidanya, the commanding officer of the Destiny Ascension, as well as several other high-ranking asari, have been especially critical of asari inaction during the war...
"The time for peaceful negotiation has passed! We can no longer sit idly by as war rages around us! We must act! We must fight alongside those we have called friends and allies for thousands of years! Do you think the Allies will stop at Palaven, Tuchanka, and Sur'Kesh!? They will storm our shores and burn Thessia to the ground if we do not stop them now, before it's too late..!"
The warring faction of asari continues to gain support...
The Quarian Conclave was granted full membership into the Citadel Council in return for their support against the Allies...
After a failed assassination attempt on Matriarch Lidanya, the warring faction has overthrown the Asari Republics, and officially declared war on the Allies...
The Allied-Council War has engulfed all of the galaxy's major races...
"I remember how it all began. At first it was great. New alliances that I never though possible were forged from the fires of the Reaper War. Humans and Batarians, living together in peace, without the constant hatred, violence, and terrorism. Humans and Geth, working together to build better worlds rather than destroy each other. But with new allies come new enemies, or old enemies in this case. Peace never lasts, and it wasn't long before the galaxy burned once more..."