A/N: Hello and welcome to my re-imagining of the Mass Effect series and the background of the games. This will feature technology from popular science fiction and several alien races of my own design. This work is inspired by 'Mass Effect: A new past' by bombsquad.
Mass Effect doesn't belong to me. Due to the political climate, I feel that I have to say that I this fiction is just that and does not reflect my own beliefs or ideals. I hope you all remember that.
January 4th 2020: Russia cuts off gas and oil to Western Europe. Simultaneously, Argentina declares war on Chile, launching a powerful offensive. The USA sends a peace keeping force. Having undergone rearmament, Argentine forces are able to hold the American forces sent against them, if only because of the fact that the US is being forced to divide it's armed forces between South America and the Middle East.
June 13th 2020: Fearing the worst both economically and militarily, Britain leaves the European Union. Following this, Spain suffers from economic collapse, dragging down the value of the Euro. This prevents much of Europe from following Britain's lead in building a series of nuclear reactors to replace ailing fossil fuel supplies. Following aggressive moves from the newly allied Russo-Chinese 'Eastern Bloc', The UK, Australia, New Zealand and India undergo joint military reforms. Japan joins this group, collectively referred to as 'The Commonwealth'.
January 3rd 2021: Commonwealth members take delivery of the first of their new weapons systems. India relieves the majority, their precarious location ensuring precious war materiel is delivered their first. Inside of a week, Indian borders are reinforced by the latest main battle tanks, artillery, strike craft and the first suits of powered armour. These strong points are designed to endure the perceived numbers of the PLA, though they are not expected to survive, they are thought to be able to blunt and slow the attacks enough for a counter assault to be readied.
May 1st 2021: With the world watching, India, Australia and Britain host Mayday parades displaying their newest weaponry in true 20th century fashion. Indian reserve units are used due to the state of readiness maintained at the borders. Watchers are treated to the sight of the Cataphract main battle tank trundling through Canberra, New Delhi and London, flanked by the infamous Hanuman Strike craft, a gunship made legend by the ability to transform into a light Walker. At the ankles of the Hanuman marched soldiers of all races and creeds clad in first generation 'Dingo' power armour, carrying the latest assault weapons.
May 2nd 2021: In the wake of the parades, Argentine forces renew their assault on northern Chile. Joined by Paraguayan, Bolivian and Brazilian troops covertly moving through forested terrain, US forces are forced back. Though few of the gains made by the aggressors are tactically valuable, the damage to US morale is significant. Forced to chose between the Middle East and South America, the USA feel they have no choice but to focus on the threat closer to home. Following the withdrawal, Canada no longer feels as well protected by the United States, and seeks membership with the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, Mexico searches for protection from the southern nations and enters a full military and economic alliance with the United States of America.
May 14th 2021: Taking advantage of the American withdrawal, Russian forces, spearheaded by 2,000 T-2 Medium Walkers, rush into Georgia, in the span of 18 months, Russia controls from Turkey to Iran. In the course of the invasion of Iran, a nuclear reactors is breached at the height of the most destructive battle of the campaign. The Russian forces are victorious but crippled for the time being. Though officially an accident, it is truly the CIA, demonstrating that the United States of America, while weakened, is still formidable and always ready to act.
July 4th 2021: In a devastating display, North Korea races across the DMZ. Unable to respond, US officials, including the President himself, beseech the Commonwealth to intervene.
July 6th 2021: US forces in Chile, in a heroic display of singular skill, tactical genius and overwhelming firepower, break the back of the Bolivian army and air force in a single apocalyptic night of fighting. With Bolivia effectively removed from the fighting for the foreseeable future, any hope of a true Argentine offensive is quashed.
August 1st 2021: Commonwealth fleets set sail from Japan. In hours the Commonwealth is providing air support for beleaguered South Korean forces. By midnight, Hanuman Strike craft sweep over tank formations before dropping from the sky and storming previously North Korean held cities on foot.
December 8th: Commonwealth forces, centred around Dingo armoured soldiers, perform a trio of precision strikes aimed at capturing military strong points. The third strike, aimed at taking the North Korean leadership, is a hard fought battle. Bereft of air support, Japanese, Australian and New Zealander soldiers are pinned. The only reason for their success was the heavy armour afforded by Dingo powered armour. The soldiers so equipped were able to take out the heavy armour assets surrounding the emplacement, followed by storming the compound. In the ensuing action, 80 percent of the military leadership is taken captive, with the remainder being killed in action.
December 12th: North Korea surrenders and is occupied by Commonwealth forces. South Korea willingly joins the Commonwealth. With North Korea occupied, the vast industrial power of the region is folded into use. Korea is officially united.
December 25th 2021: Using the Falklands as a springboard, Commonwealth forces, mainly British and Canadian strike at Argentina and Brazil. The Royal Navy attempt a series of daring carrier borne air strikes on key cities and bases. Argentine air defences reap a toll on the craft used, whilst Brazil suffers the, loss of several munitions factories. With 'Operation: Awful Sleigh Bells' underway, Argentine command pulled back the majority of the armed forces to attack the British.
January 22nd: Argentina and Brazil fall to the US and Commonwealth. The US, treasury drained, accepted a position in the Commonwealth, under the condition of low interest loans and aid in rebuilding their armed forces.
February 23rd 2032: Russo-Chinese Armoured units attack India and Nepal. In minutes, simultaneous strikes from US, UK, Canadian, Japanese, Australia and New Zealand forces are launched.
February 24th 2032: Under attack from all sides, Russo-Chinese forces are pushed back with alarming speed. Only the knowledge of American Nuclear weapons prevent the Russo-Chinese use of such device.
August 13th 2032: The Kremlin falls to the Commonwealth, though little is left.
August 15th 2032: Fearing defeat, 3 nuclear missiles are launched by Chinese submarines. London, New York and the advancing Commonwealth 3rd army are devastating, total casualties number 1 Billion. In response, China's remaining cities are levelled by tactical nuclear strikes. Deaths are reassessed to be 1.8 Billion. China surrenders.
In the aftermath, a collection of small scale skirmishes, diminished resources and economic devastation force all nations to join the Commonwealth. With the last nations absorbed, a series of laws are passed, limiting the Commonwealth's power over individuals. The Commonwealth signs a charter, with the laws of Australia forming the main basis of the legal system. Cultural identity is to be preserved so long as it violates no laws.
2038: The Commonwealth Health and Medical Service is formed. While private medical care is available, all tax-paying citizens are eligible for free medical care. Alongside this, schooling is made a state expense, paid for in taxes, with private options available. All medical and educational facilities are brought to a government approved standard.
2041: The Commonwealth launches a campaign of space exploration, intent on settling on Mars and Venus. A spacecraft is designed to convey gases from Venus to Mars. Alongside this, civilian spacecraft are sent to Mars, intending to explore and build.
2043: Dr Xi Zhou, along with three hundred scientists across the globe, create a method of FTL. The device creates a spatial rift along a narrow channel where the speed of light is increased by an incredible degree. This system is not mobile, using waystations in space to create the paths. The paths can only just reach thirty-five or forty light-years without an opposite waystation, though theorised to reach one hundred in such conditions. Travel along the paths is done at the rate of eighteen light-years a day, but causes no problems for the ship or crew other than a blinding of sensors on arrival. The paths are called Zhou-paths, in honour of the creator.
2046: The capital of Mars is dubbed New Sparta, and is the new centre of heavy industry in Commonwealth space. Within the decade, the population of Mars reaches 100,000,000 and boasts a military of 17% of the population.
2050: Venus' first city is recognised, New Rome is built mainly of high strength ceramics. New Rome produces many chemicals used in day to day life.
2051: Primitive life is found on Io, astounding scientists. Minerva Waystation is built to house the scientists as well as provide an FTL hub. The Zhou-path generator takes fifteen years to be completed.
2057: The Commonwealth Combat Vessel (CCV) Odysseus is the first vessel to travel at superluminal speeds. Odysseus is 400m long and armed with two banks of high-powered lasers on either flank and two torpedo tubes on the prow along with advanced LADAR suites. Most importantly, Odysseus carries the tools and talent to build a Waystation at Alpha Centauri. Odysseus finds the Alpha Centauri system to hold three rocky, Earth-like planetary bodies, and a number of asteroid belts. The findings are sent back to Earth and Odysseus takes up position guarding Centauri Waystation.
2060: Awful meteor strike reveals ruins beneath the surface of Mars. A team of the best and brightest are assembled to research these ruins. The team concludes that the race that built the structure are called Protheans and that they disappeared 50,000 years ago. The team also discover an Element capable of affecting the mass of other particles, including atoms. Records recovered detail construction methods for such drives, as well as the hitherto unknown fact that Charon is actually a Mass Relay, a large structure that uses 'Element Zero' to allow FTL travel to a partner Relay. They have greater range, travel and cycle times than Waystation so, but can only send a craft to their paired relays. In addition to this, they 'skip' many systems. An estimated 5% of all star systems have a relay, with only 15% of space being within range of such devices.
The knowledge that Humanity is not alone in the Universe is met with mixed feelings by all of Humanity. Production of war materiel, particularly naval craft is increased greatly.
2070: Religious leaders have, after a decade of debate and discussion have agreed on their beliefs concerning aliens. The collective belief is that, while they are not created in any Human Gods' image, they are still the children of the God or Gods that created this Universe, and thus to be treated with the respective and compassion given to a fellow Human.
2100: The Commonwealth celebrate the new century across 40 systems and fifty-three worlds. The youngest of these is Shanxi, the fourth system with a relay, though this one is inactive. For the foreseeable future, expansion will be done along Zhou-paths, aiming along a narrow string of stars near Lupus Prime in the Wolf 359 system. Unbeknownst to the general public, this is because of a series of signals received from a fairly distant star, dubbed Gossamer 636.
2121: The signals from Gossamer 636 become more agitated and frequent. As Commonwealth sensors close in, three separate signals are heard. Commonwealth naval units are mustered at the last colony before Gossamer 636, and order to recon in force. At the head of the pack is CCV Assegai, the second Sekhmet-class Carrier. Backed by two Ba'al-class Battlecruisers, eight Ra-class cruisers, three Bastet-class Line Carriers and eighteen Hathor-class frigates, organised into pairs. Alongside these were fully manned fighter and bomber wings along with boarding craft and dropships. Each ship was manned with a full Marine compliment including armoured and ground support assets. The fleet is dubbed Battlefleet Gothic, under command of Admiral Vernon Hemmont.
Codex:
Commonwealth: The Commonwealth is the governing body of Humanity and all it's colonies. It has the remit to collect taxes from citizens and businesses and to use these taxes to the betterment and protection of the people of the Commonwealth. Founded by much of the British Commonwealth in 2020, the modern day equivalent was never meant to go so far as it did. Every year the 13th of June is celebrated as Commonwealth day, often with parades from military forces, veterans and groups such as the Boy Scouts. The Commonwealth is forbidden from repressing any individuals cultural or religious expression unless they break a law.
Commonwealth Armour: Starting with the Cataphract main battle tank, the Commonwealth has a large number of armoured fighting vehicles. With vehicles ranging from light to heavy thanks and walkers so, to APCs, armoured cars and even bikes, each one is designed to be used in conjunction with the fast moving, rapid deployment forces preferred by Commonwealth strategists. The lighter vehicles are able to be dropped from orbit in large drop pods. Heavier armour requires dedicated dropships.
Power Armour: For the majority of the Commonwealth infantry, Power Armour is unavailable, but Marines, Commandos, Heavy Infantry and Military Police are all allocated sufficient resources to equip themselves with the pinnacle of personal protection. Each unit has their own armour, but all are more protected, faster and stronger than an unarmoured Human. The armours are named after dogs due to the distinctive muzzle on the helmet holding air purification systems and advanced augmented reality features.
Waystations: Part fortress; part travel method; part wet dock and part city, the Waystation is the linchpin of the Commonwealth. The Waystation has a large antimatter engine it's core to feed the huge energy requirements of the Zhou-path generator that holds the Commonwealth in one piece. Each Waystation is equipped with Kinetic barriers of unequalled power and banks of missiles, laser weapons and fighters and bombers along with thousands of people on board.
Zhou-paths: Invented in 2043, Zhou-paths are the main FTL method used in Commonwealth space. The Zhou-paths are slower than eezo FTL and more restrictive, but impossible to intercept. Ships travelling by Zhou-path appear in a white-blue bolt of lightening. The space in an area of three or so light seconds is hit by white noise on nearly every sensor. For nearly a minute Commonwealth craft are blind, unprepared craft for nearly twice as long. The advantage of the Zhou-path is the ability to reach beyond the range of Eezo craft without a relay.
Commonwealth Navy: The Commonwealth Navy is tasked with being the long arm of Humanity and the first line of defence against aggression. The Navy controls the majority of spacecraft in Commonwealth space. The Navy is also tasked with the defence of Waystations and orbital platforms. Not being constrained by Eezo, Commonwealth ships are much larger than Eezo fuelled ships.
Sekhmet-class Carrier: The Capital Ships of Commonwealth fleets, the Sekhmet is a heavily defended command and control post capable of unleashing clouds of Rapier interceptors, Broadsword fighters and Cleaver or Cutlass bombers. Armed primarily for self defence, though heavily armoured and disturbingly fat for it's size, few craft could hope to survive and encounter at range.
Ba'al-class Battlecruisers: A distinctive sight in any fleet, the heavily armoured prow; long, minnow like body and flanks bristling with missile pods and laser banks mark the Ba'al-class as line breakers. They are the only craft in the Commonwealth with this thing profile, and are a scarily fast ship. They usually take point on fleet manoeuvres.
A/N: I'll continue the rest of the codex next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed this, read and review!