1100 hours Fleet Digital conference Gateway Star system

Bill looked around the conference room and saw 11 Admirals both men and women. Who looked eager at him, with the look as if they were in the presence of a demi god. "All of you may be seated; we have a lot to go over." Bill expressed to the officers. As the officers took their seats, he decided to give begin his briefing like he would have done when he only had command of the 1st Heavy Assault Fleet. "I be blunt with you all, we have the largest, most advanced fleet, in all of Trader space. With the 12 fleets we have enough of firepower, ships, and marines to conquer the heavily occupied star systems of either the Advent or the Vasari. Yet the amount of lives lost to take that system will be horrific. I have been given the task to take the 11 of you, to basically follow me into what will be the biggest operation the TEC has taken since the beginning of the war." Bill gave a pause to catch his breath, giving that rather dramatic effect that he didn't intend to give. As he looked around, he saw that he hooked in the Admirals without even trying. "1 month ago a magnetic storm transformed into a newly formed wormhole, we have been given the task to take what I am going to call now the expansion fleet. To what it should really be called an Armada. We will take this Expansion Armada and will take a journey to what is believed is a previously uncharted system. The reason we are going in with so much is that there is so much to gain. With the resources on the other side the TEC will be able to turn the tide against the invaders and the war shall be over. Do any of you have any questions?"

An Admiral on the other side of the conference rose and asked the question that was on all of the minds of their fellow Admirals. "Sir, what is the likely hood that the wormhole is unstable and we are trapped on the other side. I know we have the military means and discipline but what should we do about the civilian population. They might not understand that we might not get back to Trader Order Space for a long time if at all ever." Stated Rear Admiral Tom Smith commander of the 12th Heavy Assault fleet. Travis decided this was the right moment to put in his two cents. "We will rebuild and recreate the Trade Order. As it is part of the "Lost" contingency plans. Keep in mind Tom all of the civilians are volunteers and they have all agreed to being part of history. Back to you Fleet Admiral" Travis conveyed. Bill rose and stated "If there are no questions, I will have to say we will begin our journey to the stars quickly and see what fate will bring us. There will be a fleet wide announcement to let everyone know what we are about to embark on. Dismissed!"

As quickly as the meeting began it ended just as fast. The Admirals looked happy to be on a mission that had so many unknown factors. Bill was just simply glad that the briefing was over and as the last Admiral said their last good bye to the Fleet Admiral. He just simply looked at the AI and with a sarcastic comment "Travis is there something that you know that I don't know." Travis saw the glaring look that Bill always gave when he doesn't know something that could be vital to the mission. With the defeated expression Travis just looked at Bill and said "I know you don't want to hear this but, TEC high command wanted to make sure that if the worm miraculously collapses that you will become the leader of the TEC. Wherever that worm hole goes. Also don't kill the messenger I am just repeating what was sent to me."

As if the gravity in the conference room was increased Bill just collapsed into his chair with his jaw open in the complete and utter shock. That he will be the leader of a faction of the Trade Order with executive powers as a Fleet Admiral. Just having the power to simply do what he wants for his people was astounding the man. It made him think back to the time that he was thrusted into command by simply being the most senior officer in the battle group that was defending a key choke point of the Advent front. A chill went down his spine for remembering the total carnage of that battle. He looked up and saw Travis yelling at him to respond. "Bill, Bill BILL! Dam It, why did you lock the conference room?" With a flicker of movement Travis looked at Bill watching with that calculating expression of a man who just woke up from something tragic. As he was about to ask Bill his condition, Bill just raised his hand and calmly stated "I am fine, just completely shocked about all of this responsibility, that I now have for my people that are now under my care." With that Bill walked to the conference door and with a chirper tone said "I'll meet you at the bridge; it's time to get this Armada out of Gateway and into the other side of Pandora's wormhole."

30 Minutes later on the Bridge

Bill could be seen looking at the tactical map planning the formation for a joint jump. As the last sets of orders were being sent and ships taking up position that his command Titan would lead the charge. Knowing that it was time for the long expected speech to be made he went to his command seat and started the speech that would be known to the whole Trade Order as Fleet Admiral Richard "Bill" Klybers' destiny. As the communications activated Bill straightened himself up in his chair and began his speech with what animated to one of hope and wonder. "Citizens of the Trade Order, as a civilization we have always looked to the stars in hope of finding new life. But when we thought we were the only species out there we were sorely mistaken, when the Vasari attacked all of those years ago. We changed our policies to a one of war. We thought we have the strength to hold the alien menace at bay. But we were wrong our ancient the enemy that we exiled came back with a vengeance that we simply call them now as the Advent. Time and time again we have held what is rightfully ours against them." He gave that pause to catch his breath and spoke "Now we have a means to gain new territory through the recently formed wormhole in the "Gateway System" with this we shall expand into a place that no human has gone before, to say that humanity has boldly gone out to the stars!"

As Bill looked around the bridge he saw his crew stare at him with eyes of those who will follow him to hell and back. In the spur of the moment he declared the famous last words "We the Trade Order will not back down against the darkness that threatens to take out the light of civilization. The Expansion fleet will be the light on the other side of "Pandora's" wormhole we will see you all on the other side. Fleet Admiral Richard Klyber out" The speech done the crew cheered with the many millions of men and women in the Fleet that they were the beacon of light to the other side of the wormhole.

On cue thousands of ships made their way to "Pandora" and in an instant millions of lives left what they have come to know and love as the Trade Order space.

1 Day Later in "Pandora System" POV of merchant ships

The many Captains in their merchant ship approaching the phase jump to the star "Gateway" were having a good day and listened to the recording that was heard all over Trader Space. Right as they were getting into jump position. Thousands upon thousands of ships came into reality; the sensors on many merchant vessels were going crazy as they tried to count all of the incoming ships. It dawned a many a captain of what they were about to witness, that they were the ones who will see off, a beacon of their people go through the wormhole. Immediately all the merchant ships, were going to leave system decided to stay and watch them leave. As they watched the Expansion Fleet enter the wormhole simply vanish without a trace and went back to being a magnetic storm. Shock filled all the ships as they watched as instantly millions of live were now lost to space.

On board the Titan Flagship Dauntless location unknown

Travis in the milliseconds after exiting the wormhole was using all of the processing power he had at his disposal to ensure that the wormhole was there. Only thing was that the wormhole just vanished behind them. He turned his avatar to look at the crew and see complete and utter shock as they realized as they were a statistic in being lost, due to an unstable wormhole. But what unsettled Travis, was how the Fleet Admiral had the indistinguishable look of something being placed on his should that in all of his time in combat was something the he was forced to deal with.

In that instant the communications being sent to the Dauntless was staggering all asking for orders and hope on what they should do. Being snapped back into reality Bill coldly stated to the fleet "Lost Contingency is now in effect!"

Timeline of events in unknown space

1 week after jump, a star system with 13 worlds been discovered the order was given to colonize them. Quickly those were the main effort at the time in rapidly building the infrastructure so the supplies they had wouldn't run out.

1 month later- The worlds are quickly built up to become known as the core worlds. A startlingly discovery is found on the capital planet called "Logos" a Prothean artifact containing designs of mass effect cores, star maps, and location of devices known as Mass Relays.

2 months later- With the discovery of the mass effect it was concluded that there were advantages of using mass effect cores but TEC technology is much more effective. The only use of mass effect technology is to adapt ships with a mass effect cores to give a secondary ftl and access of the Mass Relay devices. It was noted that Mass Relays were similar in concept of Vasari Phase stabilizer and the idea of using phase jump inhibitors at the Mass Relays was conceived. The TEC leadership took this knowledge and expanded rapidly to have nearly a 25 worlds under their rule.

25 years after the massive colonization effort, the total number of planets of 300 hundred planets under TEC control in the area known as the Labyrinth Nebula. Many military and civilian technologies have changed for the of a civilian life has been altered from a 100 yrs to nearly to double that. While the military tech preps for the inevitable fight. There is only one relay left to open which was a main relay that led to a relay 314.

Present day on the Flagship Dauntless

Fleet Admiral Klyber was impressed with the amount of expansion done he had what some would call an instant empire. He looked at the last relay in the territory that has become Trade Order Space. Knowing that it is time for whatever is on the other side of the relay can see the might of the TEC. Before doing so he looked at the final updates of his empire taking notes that the fleets have been placed strategically to be immediate response to whatever will go through the relay systems and those that lead into TEC territory. Still he was impressed on how quickly all of the planets were changed from barren worlds to heavily fortified fortress worlds. With an industrial and economical might that can rival it as well.

Still it was time to send lone a scout ship to see what is on the other side. With his personal 1st Heavy Assault Fleet and the 12th Heavy Assault Fleet were on standby if things went south for the scout. As the scout ship activated the relay it was sucked through the relay, they are about to realize that they were about to change the fate of a world and enter the galactic scene…

Authors note

Looked at the first review and I agreed that my original number of ships was ridiculously huge. Now it is a better size of 22,000 ships of various classes. With the massive territory to boot that a military and nation was needed to at least have enough ships and territory to almost equal that of the other races.

Just some minor tweaks to the story and thanks for some of the reviews been very helpful.

Next chapter will be in the middle of the fight at Elysium and "diplomatic response from the citadel race it will be longer of course and will take longer to write." will be in a different chapter