Chapter 1
I sat in my seat, thinking. After all, there wasn't much else I can do in this never to be sufficiently damned back corner of the Shanxi system. I still didn't know what divine being I pissed off enough to get myself assigned here, but I must have done something. I am sitting in my F/A-753 Peregrine fighter, which had been "modified" by loading sensor pods instead of missiles, cruising around the outskirts of the newly colonized system of Shanxi. Being a former N7 Designated Alliance Marine, it was torture. After anti-aging nano was created, people started to get really board of their jobs after 80 years, and so career switching became pretty common. As it happens, the military put in place programs to help such changes, the result being that when one First Sergeant Mike Shepard (N7 Designation) of the Alliance Marines wanted to try his hand at something else, he was able to go to flight school without much issue. Except for being forced to go into the navy, and as a result fly survey missions. But really, why did I have to survey some empty system like Shanxi, why not somewhere where there was something interesting?
Just as the thought crossed my mind, I got a new reading from the pods I had deployed around my fighter. "Survey Lead, this is Survey 2-1, I've got something on my sensors, cross referencing with known readings now." As I was speaking, my AI began analyzing the reading and comparing it to anything it could be. "Copy that Survey 2-1, just keep me updated," replied Lieutenant Commander David Anderson, my current CO. Rumor had it he was on the fast track to Commander, and possibly one of the frigates now in production. "Shepard, I have determined what the reading is," stated my AI. "Well then, Greg, what is it?" I asked impatiently. Greg and I were partnered together back in boot camp, as all recruits are due to the advanced technology in modern war fighting equipment, and after 80 years we have an almost sibling relationship. "You probably won't like it. After all it's quite boring. Every system has a Mass Relay right?" Greg replied sarcastically. I immediately opened a channel up to Anderson.
"Survey Lead, we have a possible Mass Relay here," I say. "You know the procedure 2-1, move in, cover it, but don't get too close. I'll contact the Anion, and hopefully we'll get this cleared up fast." "Copy that survey lead. 2-1 out." The Anion is the frigate assigned to Shanxi while surveys were going on, as was standard procedure. Most likely her captain would relay the message back to Rear Admiral Drescher aboard the El Dorado, in the sector capital of New Wallachia, and have reinforcements called in for containment. This thought brought me up to the 10,000 kilometer no-fly line for the relay. When Humanity discovered the Protheans, Reapers, and Mass Relays from the Mars Archives, we put things together better than the Protheans did. The Mass Relays were there specifically to limit the technology of developing species, making the Reaper's job of genocide that much easier. As humanity expanded, the decision was made to possibly use the Relays, as we had already broken the tech trap, however dormant relays were another deal altogether. It was a decision made at the highest level to never activate a relay that we didn't know where it went, and even then to only open one with a full fleet present. Until such time as the destination discovered and charted, and a fleet moved out to be there if something went wrong, there was a no-fly zone 10,000 kilometers around the thing for military, and 100,000 kilometers for civilian ships.
I start moving my sensor pods to get the best coverage of the relay without going inside the containment zone, and settle in for the long wait for a relief force.
Rear Admiral Kastanie Drescher was doing paperwork. It was the curse of commanding a Battle Group. She hated it, despised it, and overall thought the world would be a better place without it. 'It's not like I can do away with it, unfortunately' she thought to herself. Kind of. 'Well, you could just ignore it,' her personal AI Chester replied to her private question. 'What have I told you about responding to rhetorical statements?' the extremely grumpy Admiral reminded him. 'Funny that, I don't seem to remember. Communication incoming from the Anion,' Chester quickly changing from sarcastic to serious. "Admiral, incoming priority transmission from the Anion. It seems that the Survey crews found a Mass Relay in the Shanxi system," said Drescher's communications officer. "Send in Commodore Merlo's task force. Let him know I'll get a containment force out there as soon as possible."
Aboard Vincent Merlo's flagship, the Haltija, the message was passed on to the Commodore. "Well then, why are you all waiting for, let's get this task force moving!" Vincent half yelled. 'Stop teasing them, some people don't like it,' 'Yeah, whatever Sonia, just because you have tender sensibilities doesn't mean everyone else does.' Truth be told, he knew very well that his AIs sensibilities weren't tender, but the age-old banter was refreshing. In his mind, the Mass Relays were just bad news. Who knows what crap the Reapers had shoved into them? For all humanity knew, they were giant WMDs, with the FTL benefit tacked on afterwards to keep new species from removing them!
While these thoughts went through his head, the Commodore's Light Task Force of five frigates (as the other five were on survey duty), moved into place for an FTL trip to the Shanxi System.
For the next few days, nothing of note really happened. The containment force of a destroyer and three frigates was dispatched, and it arrived without a problem. The ships from the El Dorado's Battle Group left, and one of the containment force's frigates picked up the duty to watch the survey mission. This all changed six days after the containment force arrived, when suddenly the Relay activated.
"Damn Turians! Has that fleet given up yet?" asked an angry Batarian slaver. They had been out, pirating and slaving, when they accidentally picked up some Turian general's daughter on one of the liners they attacked. The response was fearsome. Currently the motley pirate "fleet" of two old Batarian cruisers and four frigates was being chased just outside Council space. The lead cruiser's sensor operator replied warily, "No sir, in fact I think they might have been reinforced. I'm now counting 12 frigates, 7 cruisers, and possibly a dreadnought, though this things sensors are so worn it might just be another couple of cruisers really close together." Surprisingly to him, he didn't get shot for the report. "Why are they still following us, we gave back the girl!" The captain sat back in his chair, in thought. "Isn't there a Relay in this system?" the captain asked openly. "Yes sit, but it's dormant." "Ha! Since when have we cared about Council Law? Activate it and go through, that should throw them enough!"
On the Turian dreadnought, General Desolas Arterius was tapping his foot impatiently. He had been ordered to track down and kill these pirates no matter the cost, even though the General Silvanus' daughter was safe. He really had no idea why, but orders were orders. Even if it was causing him to miss his brother's promotion to Spectre status. "General, the pirates are changing course. For some reason they're heading to Relay 314, even though it's dormant." This got Desolas' attention. Not even pirates were that stupid, were they? "Sir, they're activating the relay!" Apparently yes, they are. "Move in, and blockade the relay. We'll go through with 7 frigates, 6 cruisers, and the Unconquered."
As the fleet moved forward, Desolas wondered what possessed these pirated to break such a vital law. Piracy was one thing, but potentially starting another Rachni War was a whole different story. It took a few minutes, but when the fleet was in position, Desolas gave the order to move through the relay with the specified ships. As they came out of the Relay they were greeted with a sight they never expected to see. Three strange ships were sitting there, looking like someone had taken a sphere, squished it, and pulled the back into an eclipse. While most stared at the strange sight, absently noticing the lack of the Batarian pirate ships, one of the sensors started to beep. "General! We're picking up left over radiation from nuclear weapons!" This snapped the crew of the dreadnought out of their shock. Nuclear weapons were illegal on planets, and anything over 750 kilotons was illegal altogether. "Yield?" Desolas asked cautiously. "By the computer's reckoning, three detonations each at around 6.5 megatons." Desolas just sat back in his chair. This was not the way he thought this day would end. "You know the law. Open fire."
AN: And that's a wrap! I know that Council law is only "no nukes on planets", but I changed it for obvious reasons. I needed a reason to start the conflict, and there isn't much of a way for the Turians to figure out about the AIs yet (though that will come up later).
AN2: For future reference, I use www behindthename com / random for any OC names you see.
AN3: Please rate and review. As I have said, this is my first fanfiction, and I want to know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. As to the point of view, when Shepard is present it will be 1st person, whenever it's someone else, it will be 3rd.