Disclaimer: Mass effect belongs to Bioware and/or EA (and not to the author of the fiction) any other elements of this respective fiction belong to their respective owners and not to the author of the fiction.

AN: This is my first time writing fiction, be gentle. I am a big fan of technology so a small part of it at least it plausible. The year system is intended to be a bit confusing but I wanted a similar time-line with the original universe. Also I know it seems 'yay humans' but they are the only species that appear in the first chapter.

BETA'D: I HAVE A BETA, go and hug The Wistful Bloom and say thanks for fixing the story.


Preview

"We both know the humans are a threat to the galaxy. They must pay for killing my brother, they must be stopped for all of our sakes."

"We have a ship designed for stealth, with systems so advanced that we could easily infiltrate the most heavily guarded areas of the citadel. We have a spectre that is uncannily ninja-like, and the launch schedule of the ship was moved three weeks in advance. No shit! We clearly have a genius on our hands."

"I fail to see how this is my fault. Every single action I took was perfectly thought out, and did not cause, in any way, the damage you accuse me of."

"Finally, here we are. A few more minutes, and I would've tried mag-boots on the tower."

"Your deal was with me, and I will keep my promise and not shoot you. You should be glad that I don't have time get the omniblade out and play a lovely game of vivisection. Did you know that the liver is my favorite internal organ?"

"These are the voyages of the starship Normandy, in its continuing mission to find old life and civilization."


"The humans of old tortured and killed their gods. Horrified by their actions, the gods never walked the Earth again."

2025 AD

Humanity's interest in space is rekindled and they start new exploration missions to the moon.

2069 AD

The first human permanent settlement is established on the Luna (Sol III-B). The event is planned to coincide with the first moon landing.

2075 AD

Cryogenic hibernation is developed and perfected to help the exploration of the solar system- reducing the amount of resources a long-term mission would require.

2090 AD

Computing power allows the creation of artificial intelligence. The programming necessary to properly create one unit makes the process expensive, and greatly limits the use to only several scientific AI. Development of conscience is considered, but not followed up after the protests of Human Rights organizations.

2103 AD

The first permanent outpost is formally formed on Mars (Sol IV).

2304 AD

Laser weapons technology is properly developed.

2416 AD

Human prospectors looking for minerals for asteroid mining discover a new element in the asteroid belt. Scientists rush to investigate the new element, and name it element 'zero'.

2522 AD

Members of the revived club "Pluto is a Planet" try to establish a base there, and discover that Pluto's satellite is a station of alien construction. It is quickly classified as Sol IX-B.

2525 AD

Scientists determine that the device is a FTL catapult. Unmanned ships are built and sent forward to explore, looking for more habitable planets to colonize.

2588 AD

All unmanned ships return and four habitable planets are discovered. More planets are detected outside of the network, but are rendered inaccessible by the lack of FTL.

The network of FTL catapults is suspected to be larger but the unmanned ships have no way to activate them.

2596 AD

Colony ships are built for the discovered planets and the biggest one, the great colony ship Atlantis, containing 25 million humans in cryogenic hibernation. Equipped with the Heritage database containing the entire scientific and cultural knowledge, all is guarded by an AI to watch over the sleeping colonists and every tool they would need to develop a civilization away from Earth until the development of FTL.

2597 AD

All colony ships except Atlantis are launched. Atlantis' launch date is postponed to after the opening of a large and newly discovered catapult relay. Several groups protest about keeping the people on Atlantis in cryogenic hibernation.

2601 AD

The catapult replay is opened and ships appear from, it killing everyone in their path. After hearing this news the Atlantis AI sinks the ship still on Earth into the deepest part of the ocean. The hull bends under the pressure of the ocean, but resists. The AI sacrifices himself to save the Heritage database, leaving only a small message behind and inducing a malfunction in the command level cryogenic containment.

2613 AD

After killing all sentient life and removing all traces of technology they could find, the reapers decide to relocate the system mass relay and ones nearby to systems with species that will approach sentience. Sol is removed from post-harvest scan for ten million years.

Four million years later, a small malfunction of the cryogenic hibernation alerts the command section, waking up one of the officers. Who, following protocol, wakes up the captain. The captain of the ship finds the message the AI left.

"Aliens attacked and killed everyone; Atlantis hidden underwater to give humanity a chance to rebuild."

The captain brought Atlantis to the surface and woke the first batch of settlers. The entire system of Atlantis was designed to work in tiers; with farmers and low level engineers first, and everyone else gradually awakened when they were needed. They received a briefing, and a small speech. A few lines of the speech were forever remembered in the history pads.

"Humanity was destroyed, but we have risen from our ashes like a phoenix. We will rebuild, recover, and rise again to the stars. This time we will be ready when leaving our system, we will be ready to fight any and every threat. Humanity will never fall, and we will never forget our past. Earth is a blank slate, without the mistakes of the past- let us rise again."

0020 After Rise of Atlantis

The last group was awakened, the 'base' cities partially constructed. Each 'base' city had been built over the locations of the great cities of the old humans, to honour them.

0030 ARS

Mining and heavy industry are fully established, eliminating the reliance on Atlantis' systems.

0090 ARS

The established leaders of the new city states decide to focus on science, and set incentives to help the population numbers grow.

0091 ARS

Great universities are built to educate the future scientists. Families with more than three children receive accolades from the government.

0322 ARS

Researching the few animals that had evolved since the disappearance of the old humans reveals a species of mice that don't age past maturity. While useless to the mice, the same effects are extremely desirable to society.

The media is delighted to announce the beginnings of research into gleaning these properties for human use.

0364 ARS

Gene therapy is developed from the mice, and deployed. But the therapy proves unsuccessful, because the brain begins to deteriorate after a certain age and memory loss remains a large issue. This inspires a new wave of scientists to try to find a solution to offer 'immortality' after the so called 'youth serum' has failed.

Old technology from the Heritage database may offer essential information regarding the uploading of a conscience to a machine. Proposals are put forwards for the hybridization of the youth serum and upload technology; to allow for the storage of memories and to avoid an 'overflow' of information and memory retention to the brain.

0575 ARS

The computer systems are finally small enough after the development of bio-computers. The program, now called the 'Fountain of Youth', allows humans to (theoretically) live forever: if they do not suffer terminal illnesses, die from disease, or are not seriously harmed by external factors.

0969 ARS

The beginning of a great return to space, and the beginning of the building of space habitats orbiting the planet. Plans follow, to build a shipyard and re-establish the mines in the asteroid belt.

1043 ARS

Primary outpost set on the moon.

FTL catapult noted to be missing by unmanned probes, suspected connection between alien attack and FTL catapult. Paranoid government bans all research into this.

1201 ARS

Mars terraforming plan launched, expecred to last 500 years. A similar plan is considered (but dismissed) for Venus.

1334 ARS

Nanotechnology and development in genetic engineering removes all diseases, making an average human lifespan theoretically unlimited (though external factors such as serious injuries caused by the self, others, or accidents would still cause death).

1431 APS

Plasma fusion reactor technology developed.

1800 ARS

Mass exodus to Mars to escape the now overcrowded Earth. Venus is avoided due to over-expensive terraforming cost, and the proximity to the sun.

1923 ARS

Big quantities of element zero are found in several asteroids. This allows scientists to build faster sub-light engines, reducing the Mars-to-Earth travel time to eight hours, and allowing for cheap and reliable means of transport.

Plans for using sub-light engines to colonize nearby star systems are drawn, but shelved by public unrest caused by fear of the unknown.

2012 ARS

The decision to build several space stations orbiting the Sun, following Earth's trajectory and speed, intends to solve future habitable space problems.

2401 ARS

The method for creating new materials and metals from plasma is developed, and the machines are named 'mass converters'. Mining becomes obsolete, as high pressure and temperature allows the creation of every chemical element. An unexpected side-effect of using huge mass converters is the creation of Element Zero.

2430 ARS

It is discovered that nodes in the nervous system allows manipulation of a mass effect field. Most people choose to have access to these abilities. Suppressors are created to limit the ability of criminal individuals.

2665 ARS

A new synthetic metal is created that generates electrons. The new metal is named 'Naquadah' and becomes the most important element after eezo because of its capabilities. One of the best uses proves to be very cheap superconductors, if it is unrefined. Highly refined 'Naq' is used to increase power generation.

2668 ARS

New alloy is discovered by scientists trying to outdo the team that discovered Naquadah. The new alloy seems to be ultra light and very resistant. The name chosen for it is Trinium.

2710 ARS

Methods of producing space-based plasma weapons is developed, though it is only effective when combining Naquadah, Trinium and eezo technology.

Military rushes to create weapon platforms and defense starships.

2714 ARS

Research reveals a method to create plasma based shielding device for starship.

2811 ARS

Following democratic votes, the new government named the 'System Alliance' is created.

22441 ARS

Older people start to get tired of life. A huge mainframe is built under the crust of the Earth to house the uploaded consciences of people who have decided to stop living. The mainframe is named MIND.

Venus and Mercury are avoided, due to low amounts of matter for mass converters and their proximity to the sun.

Space-lifting of materials from gas giants begins to fuel mass converters.

Jokes with probing Uranus start appearing.

73541 ARS

Space-lifting matter from gas giants to feed mass converters has lended to the disappearance of Uranus and Neptune. Saturn and Jupiter are next on the list.

92324 ARS

Wormhole technology allows for fixed point-to-point, instantaneous transfer between any two points in the universe. The machine used to create the wormhole is named 'stargate'.

120417 ARS

True FTL technology is discovered, named hyperspace. The technology allows the ships to travel in another dimension.

Government decides to change the year system to 'After Hyperspace'.

The alliance Navy decides to postpone all exploration until they are ready to fight any alien menace. New ships, weapon platforms, and ground weapons are designed.

Engineering corps starts building Earth a great docking ring connected by six space elevators with weapons, great energy shields and *** Classified *** Hyperspace engine ***Classified***

815 AH

Armstrong docking ring is finished. Building plans start to appear about outfitting every other station in the System Alliance on these specifications.

900 AH

Plans for huge gates to hyperspace that allow instant travel between colonies are drawn. The gates will be made from interlocking parts, all built to the same standards.

1200 AH

Colony ships are being designed and built for future projects, and the stations are finished refitting. Plans emerge to move the biggest and heavily armed station to another system, giving Sol another layer of defense in the planned Hyperspace Gate network.

2140 AH

Unmanned hyperspace capable probes are built and sent to scout nearby systems.

2142 AH

A decision is taken to replace every FTL catapult found with hyperspace gates. Protocol is established to activate any inactive catapult and scout the other side, replacing them with hyperspace gates if no threat is discovered.

2150 AH

Several colonies are established, including Eden Prime, Terra Nova and Shanxi are among them. Shanxi is established by private company, with low-level orbital defenses.

2157 AH

Remote-controlled ships are sent to open the so called 314 FTL catapult.


Codex

Cryogenic hibernation – a technology created to allow long periods of hibernation, requiring no power or maintenance after the initial power consumption. This piece of tech allowed humans to move across the solar system in the times when at their sub-light maximum speed it took 1 month from Earth to Pluto. While no longer needed, humanity still considers this one of their most brilliant discoveries because it was cryogenic hibernation that saved their race from aliens and kept them alive inside Atlantis until they rose again. Cryogenic hibernation can also be used on anything and everything from food supplies to hand weapons.

Laser weapons – The laser-based weapons, while proven non-effective for long range space weaponry, have proven very good for ground troops and as fighter weapons. The weapon has seen use as a law enforcement tool since its humble beginning when the ionized particle pathway the laser created was used to deliver a 1400 volt 3.5 Ampere electric that would shock and stun the target.

FTL Catapult (also called by council species Mass Relay) – A station using eezo to push (catapult) ships over great distance. The relay works by reducing the mass while providing a mass accelerated pathway, and then offering a big mass push. The mass relay forms a massive galactic network allowing instant travel between systems. Until contact between citadel community and humanity, the mass relays were believed to be the biggest achievement of the protheans. A recent study has show that these constructions have as a hull a trinium-carbon composition that, while it resists kinetic impact better, it is much weaker against plasma weapons.

Atlantis – Originally intended to colonize a planet and build a civilization without any help from Earth, that would wait until contact could be made. The iconic ship saved humanity and help them rebuild their fallen race. Some human historians consider the name ironic, because Atlantis sank in the ocean following a great catastrophe that killed the entire human race.

Youth serum – Genetic therapy developed by studying the Methuselah mice. This treatment cures aging, as a side effect it also prevents any and all natural and random cellular and DNA mutations. While some considered it a blessing, it was discovered that long life would cause long-term memory problems, so other complementary technology was needed to make the youth serum a viable solution to eternal life. In theory it could increase human life upwards to 400-500 years before memory damage would become severe. Salarians had shown interest in acquiring the research data or sample of the youth serum.

Fountain of youth – The program that gives humans true immortality, it consists of youth serum and extra component to manage memories. In the beginning, biological nano computers and later quantum computer are used for this task, human media speculates other options exists but are kept classified. While this program offers humans a body not touched by time and a brain that can truly store and retain memories and information for a lifetime, long life becomes tiresome and dull.

Plasma reactor – Described as a miniature star, the fusion reactor keeps super heated plasma contained until nuclear fusion between hydrogen atoms fuse- creating helium. Plasma reactors became cheaper and more efficient after the discovery of naq. While human have access to antimatter and singularity power generators, the use of plasma reactors in weapons and mass convertors means that System Alliance sees no reason to change it for the foreseeable future.

Mass converters – Considered by the citadel council the most important and powerful invention of humanity the mass converters are giant plasma fusion reactors with huge gravity created inside by eezo coils. Any element with a bigger atomic mass than sodium created inside mass converters has as result trace amounts of element zero as coating. The most cost effective way to create element zero in a mass converters is to create naq as primary element, because it creates the biggest coating of eezo as side effect.

Naquadah (short naq) – A metal with a higher number of protons then electrons and no neutrons that is seemingly able to create electrons. This dvi-alkaline metal has baffled scientists with its proprieties and stability since it was discovered. Not even today can scientists tell how the electron creation works; only that it works. Naq is currently the baseline for all human technology.

Trinium – As the name suggest this alloy is composed from three chemical elements and it has nearly 140 times (mohs 12.3) the strength of titanium and much lighter. Discovered in specially built mass converters by a team trying to 'outdo' the naq creators, this alloy was first considered a failure because of crumbling result tests, but computer simulations have shown that refining impurities generates a very resistant substance on the same grade with carbon nano-tubes. Often considered the metallic version of diamond, Trinium is the baseline for any construction in system alliance and is currently in high demand in the entire citadel space.

Plasma Accelerated Cannon (also PAC) – The PAC works by removing a portion of the super heated plasma inside a plasma reactor and putting it in a magnetic firing chamber to be pushed down a trinium enforce tube and propelled by magnetic-gravity explosion generated by eezo coils and naq electromagnets. The extreme heat and speed allow PAC's to burn into any armor and the plasma projective keeping the magnetic proprieties magnetizes parts of the hull hit creating problems at the internal systems of the targeted ship. Overpowering the naq electromagnets while lowering the temperature of the plasma projectile is a proven method to disable enemies. The two major downsides of any PAC are that it cannot fire in the atmosphere of a planet otherwise the heat would dissipate into literary thin air and that it requires a plasma reactor.

Plasma Shield– Combining eezo kinetic barriers and naq magnetic coils the plasma shield surrounds the entire ship in a high temperature plasma cloak burning everything the kinetic barriers don't stop and creating more plasma from everything burned. Initially considered an idiotic idea to add something so hot close to the hull of the ship the extensive use of magnetic coils makes this a very effective defense platform. While powerful the process of raising shields is a slow process taking between 4 to 7 minutes.

Stargate – The stargate is a device that generates a wormhole by harnessing dark energy provided from a large amount of element zero. One of the greatest creations of humans the stargate allows instant transportation between any 2 connected components for as long as power is provided. The minimum distance between stargate of 3 kilometers and the one direction of travel have done little to lower the use of this marvelous creation.

Hyperspace Gates – A massive circle built from 42 individual segments designed to work together creating a gate into hyperspace to another fixed hyperspace gate. Each segment has thick trinium armor and is powered by a mini singularity ensuring that it will never run out of power while keeping the gate opened and ensuring travel both ways. The hyperspace gate network complements and in some locations replaces the mass relay network is considered humanity's gift for the future races of the galaxy.

System(s) Alliance (SA for short) – The System(s) Alliance is the overarching government of the human race often considered all-powerful by the population.

System Alliance Parliament- Defined in the System Alliance constitution as composed from 200 elected officials. Each space station/planet/ship gaining one seat for every 0.5% from the total human population (regulations allow alliance between minor space stations/ships to gain a seat). Each representant is elected for a period of 2 years but he/she cannot candidate for the next 3 elections.

Alliance Navy – The main space based military of System alliance the Alliance Navy is considered by many the most destructive military power of the galaxy. The main duty of the Alliance Navy is to defeat any space base treat. The navy is continuously in friendly completion with the other 2 military powers of the System Alliance in development, recruiting and budget. Surprisingly the navy has 5 seats in the alliance parliament.

Alliance Army – The ground forces of system alliance, not to be confused with the marines. The duty of the Alliance Army is to protect any ground based location. The army uses projectiles as main weapons and all army armors have strength enhancing servomotors. As the most numerous ground forces the army has transport ships with heavy use of defense and next to no offense. Due to budget cuts only 3 seats in the Alliance Parliament.

Alliance Air Force – The Air Force offensive power is fighter based using disposable fighters and bomber controlled by pilots deep inside heavy fortified carriers. The only military force of the galaxy that uses antimatter torpedoes the offensive power of the air force is immense and the carrier is the biggest ship type known in the galaxy, period. Due to the number of personnel maintaining carriers and the big number of pilots the air force has 4 seats in the parliament.

Human – From planet Earth, are mostly based in the solar system but rapidly expanding outwards from the crowded system. Humans heavily use genetic manipulation giving them skin colors from violet to red and have the biggest genetic diversity in all species known by citadel council. Considering the long life of humans most of them have served in military in at least one of the 3 forces.


AN: The very first thing I regret is the lack of a beta or an English speaker to spell-check this. The second is that I am not a good writer but I am a nice reader and wanted to see how some ideas look on paper and not in my crazy head, also notice the lack of dialog, that's because I don't like OC. For those thinking Earth is overpowered, yes it might be true, but any elder race is supposed to be strong. The story has multiple elements 'borrowed' from other universes, extra cookie for who knows all references.

About the reaper attacking after the relay is opened, well maybe the relay the humans opened was one right to the citadel in the middle of a 'harvest'. The idea is that the current humans have no idea who killed their previous civilization only that they are somehow connected to the aliens that killed their previous civilization. Curious if my disclaimer is legal.

Awaiting opinions and reviews FLAMERS ALLOWED.