Incursion: Alliance Effect

by Drewman784

We all remember the First Contact War, the brief but devastating contact war between the Species Alliance and the Turian Hierarchy. But now the war is over and diplomatic relations are being established as we speak. So the question is, what happens now after the war is over? *Side-story to Xcom: Incursion*

2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone and welcome back to Incursion: Alliance Effect! Last time, S'iin met the Citadel Council and set the stage for Incursion: Alliance Effect. And so now we continue with Incursion: Alliance Effect with chapter two. Sorry if this is a shorter chapter, as this is a sidestory, I want to get back to the main story (Xcom: Incursion) as soon as possible, seeing as most of the story's followers are just waiting for that to be updated. It's almost been half a year for me to update that so yeah, I would say that I should get on that as soon as possible.

"We do not remember days, we remember moments."

-Cesare Pavese

2110 March 12th 10:00 AM Earth Time

Citadel, Alliance Embassy

Threielle lazily opened his eyes, still drowsy from sleep. Ethereals needed more sleep than most Alliance and Council races because of the burden psionics gave to the mind, as was the norm with psionic users. Quite literally the only thing keeping his spirit within the physical form he inhabited was his considerable psionic will. Normally, Threielle would have slept in deep meditation for another hour but a loud beeping sound had woken him up.

S'iin looked to his desk next to the bed and grabbed his omni-tool where the beeping was originating from. Quickly turning the Omni-tool on, he was greeted with a female synthetic voice.

"Good morning ambassador Threielle S'iin. You have one new message." The Synthetic voice said, causing S'iin to do what the Humans called "rolling one's eyes". S'iin had on occasion received messages from Alliance and Council advertisers promoting the newest in gene Therapy or Implants. 'Make Implants Great Again!' They would say. What an odd bunch. Of course they may be trying in vain to latch onto the memes of the past.

"Thank you Annabelle." S'iin said to the AI. While Annabelle wasn't a proper AI and wasn't self aware, S'iin liked to pretend that the AI could think for herself. He had adopted the trait from the other species in the Alliance, it was typical of sentient species to "Humanize" things, this served a very important evolutionary purpose, and was why humans would see faces in the weirdest of places.

"At your service ambassador." Annabelle said in a warm voice.

S'iin decided to check the message anyway, figuring it might be something actually worthwhile. S'iin began entering his twenty-three digit password, he went through his messages, quickly finding what was causing the alarm on the omni-tool to trigger. A high-priority message from the top brass in the Alliance.

Any grogginess S'iin had felt earlier was immediately wiped away as he quickly opened the message and checked its contents, making sure it was legitimate. Scrolling down the message, S'iin progressively got a sinking feeling that all was not well in the Alliance.

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Urgent: READ AT ONCE

To: Ambassador Threielle S'iin

From: The Office of President Soule

Ambassador S'iin, if you have not heard of the news already, you're about to. I warn you that the contents of this message may surprise or even shock you. As of 1500 standard hours yesterday, we have been receiving reports that a small band of Batarian slavers has raided a fringe colony by the name of Fllar'r.

Now, we can confirm that these events have indeed transpired. Fortunately, the raiders have seemed to have underestimated the colony's ground defenses who were able to hold out until military aid could reach them. Even as the news is just coming out, the Batarian government is denying any involvement with the slavers in question, despite their reputation and the origin of nearly all the slavers were Batarian.

However we have some solid proof that we have extracted. This includes but is not limited to: Batarian POWs claiming their government was involved after some psionic interrogation, government documents and papers found on captured ships. There are other indicators of Batarian hegemony Involvement but we are not yet certain this isn't a False Flag operation.

However irrelevant of original senders, it appears our message from before has not been clearly heard. This is of course not acceptable on any level. As you know, because of the long standing political ties between the Citadel and the Hegemony, they have a permanent embassy on the Citadel.

As you are the only Alliance agent on the Citadel at this time, and our immediate need for information, you will need to confront the Batarian's ambassador and attempt to extract information from him. As you are reading this, your Omni-tool will be in the process of downloading a separate AI. When you approach the Batarian's ambassador, try to get as close to his computer terminal as possible so the AI can break through their firewall and into their network. While we have no indication that the Hegemony's ambassador would have any knowledge on this, he could produce some leads for us to follow up.

Good luck, ambassador.

S'iin reread the message before sighing in frustration. The Batarians knew they would be held accountable, why attack an Alliance colony? Maybe the message hadn't been clear enough in the galaxy, that it doesn't matter who you were, what your ideology was, or who you served. If you attacked the Alliance, your entire species would suffer the consequence along side you.

"Download complete." Annabelle stated matter of factly, interrupting S'iin's thought.

"Thank you Annabelle."

"Your welcome sir."

"And Annabelle?"

"Yes sir?"

"Cancel my meetings today. With apologies. I have a feeling it's going to be a long day."

"Right away Ambassador S'iin! What should I tell them?"

"If they really need me I'll be in the Hegemony Embassy Compound asking very important and uncomfortable questions."

2110 March 12th 10:10 AM Earth Time

Citadel, Batarian Embassy

Ambassador Gezis Kraffohan, Great Negotiator, Member of the Merchants Caste, sat at his desk in the Batarian embassy, exhausted after having to answer the questions of many angry Alliance officials complaints, demands, and outright threats to his and his species lives over his Omni-tool. Gezis was personally panicking and in deep fear. The Alliance was not someone you messed with, the Alliance brought the Hierarchy to its knees and forced the Council to negotiate at a severe disadvantage!

Even inconveniencing an Alliance Species member was asking for trouble. Outright attacking one could result in the manifestation of the Alliances threat to anyone who would dare!

The Council may have put up with it if grudgingly, but they had a reputation for not caring for something unless it directly affected the big three or if it would shake up the status quo.

But the Alliance would consider the Hegemony responsible for the crime if someone didn't come up with evidence that proved it wasn't them! No plausible deniability here. Either you were guilty or not, but it was irrelevant if you weren't guilty if you couldn't provide the information to prove your innocence.

At that moment, his Omni-tool began to vibrate, causing Gezis to power on said Omni-tool. The words 'One new message' quickly flashed across the screen. Gezis quickly typed in the five digit password and checked his messages.

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Urgent: READ AT ONCE

To: Ambassador Gezis Kraffohan

From: The Office of Citadel Affairs Sovile Kraffohan

Brother, as you have no doubt heard, a Batarian slaving party attempted to ransack a Species Alliance colony not a Standard day ago. Reports of this… unfortunate incident have been leaked to the Alliance public and Citadel species.

Many high ranking officials within the Alliance are calling for a retaliation strike. Of course what the Alliance may say about us being involved is fake, you yourself know we would never hurt our friends, the Alliance.

'Fat lie, we do it all the time in the Terminus' Gezis thought bitterly.

However with the actions of the slavers, the Alliance and many Citadel species have been angered at the Batarian Hegemony. This will almost certainly lead to violent and economic actions taken against the Hegemony. Therefore, neither we nor the Council can guarantee your safety on the Citadel either by Spectres or by an Alliance hit team of some sort. We recommend an immediate withdrawal from the Citadel, back behind the Hegemony´s border. We wish you to leave Representative Ughazon who has already volunteered to take your place in the meantime. A Batarian Military Flotilla is en route to pick you up from the Citadel docks and will meet you there in the next two standard hours. The exact coordinates are on the bottom of this message.

May the Pillars Grant you Wisdom and Strength brother

It was as he was looking at the coordinates that his Assistant came through his office door and blurred out in a worried manner, "Sire! The Alliance Representative-" The door opened to reveal the floating impassive form of Ambassador S'iin. Gezis nervously stood up from his desk.

"Ambassador S'iin, what a pleasant surprise!" S'iin floated into the room, bypassing the

assistant.

"Don't play games with me ambassador Kraffohan, you know perfectly well why I'm

here." S'iin said coldly. Gezis felt a cold shiver run up his spine.

"Ambassador, as my colleagues have stated, the Hegemony had nothing to do with the attack." S'iin shook his masked head.

"That's not where the evidence points to ambassador." Gezis' eyes looked everywhere

but at S'inn.

"I have no Idea what you're talking about." S'iin floated forward to his desk and Gezis backed up slowly.

"I think you know perfectly well what I'm talking about ambassador Kraffohan. And I can assure you ambassador, that the Hegemony will be brought to justice if our suspicions are proven correct."

"You have no right to say that ambassador." Geziz said meekly, S'iin floated closer with menace.

"And that's where you're wrong ambassador Gezis. For if your people and government are found to be guilty of wronging the people of the Alliance, ignoring the warnings we have given, you will be punished severely to make a point. And believe me when I say this; The Alliance won't take this lightly." And with that, S'iin turned abruptly and floated slowly out of the room, cape trailing behind him. Gezis shook his head and shakily sat down, the sooner he got off this damned station the better.

Gezis glanced at his computer terminal, catching a 'downloading' screen before it suddenly disappeared. Gezis looked on confused at his terminal, he had not downloaded anything, so why had there been a downloading screen? Gezis shook it off merely as an automated update of his web browser before beginning to pack for his departure from the Citadel and locking down his computer terminal and severing its connection to ensure no outside force could access it.

Following these events, Gezis Kraffohan would be transferred to Kharshan for debriefing and statemandated holiday, before being sent to the Batarian colony of Camala, a major population and industrial center with Eezo for negotiations with Salarians interests. Not half a standard year later, Gezis would be proclaimed dead like millions of others who tragically died on the Batarian colony of Camala in 2120 August 24th

It was the beginning of the end for the Batarian Hegemony.

And so the Batarians and galaxy at large witness the consequences of antagonizing a dragon.

The Alliance Times

2120 August 24th

BATARIAN COLONY WORLD OF CAMALA ERUPTS IN FLAMES

Millions feared dead as a bright light of a fusion nuclear explosion rocks the colony

Batarian State National News

2120 August 24th

COLONY WORLD CAMALA ENGULFED IN EXPLOSION

Our beloved supreme Hegemon Khekira Drafderoh assures "Everything will be fine"

The Pillars of Truth

2120 August 24th

Colony world Camala is decimated in nuclear blast

Was it an accident as the authorities tell us? Or deliberate assault by jealous rivals?

Citadel Daily

2120 August 25th

Batarian Colony World Camala destroyed!

Millions grieve as reported deaths rises to seven million

The Alliance Times

2120 September 3rd

Death toll on Batarian colony world, Camala, rises

The estimated deaths have reached a new time high of 11.7 million dead according to a new report due to Eezo and radiation poisoning

Citadel Daily

2120 September 11th

The Destruction of Camala; was it an accident?

Rumors start circulating of a secret weapon used on the colony by Batarian Military

The Pillars of Truth [Now hunted]

2120 September 13th

Do not trust the Government!

They're responsible!

The Alliance Times

2120 September 21st

Protests in the Batarian Hegemony Colony of Camala Turn violent

Batarian Military Police reportedly opened fire into a crowd of Batarian protesters-Many feared dead; some Xeno expat and Citizens feared among executed

Batarian State National News

2120 September 21st

We urge all Batarians to come together in mourning and peace

Violence and protests will solve nothing

Pillars Of Truth [Underground]

2120 September 26th

Now is our time to rise up and free ourselves!

Citadel Daily

2122 October 13th

Violent riots and protests erupt across the Batarian Hegemony after documents are leaked detailing genetic testing and illegal sterilizations by the Batarian Government.

The Alliance Times

2122 October 14th

Violent takeovers across Batarian space commence conducted by what the government calls 'insurgents'.

Citadel Daily

2122 October 15th

BATARIAN HEGEMONY DECLARES MARTIAL LAW

The Batarian Hegemony declares martial law today, until 'insurgents' are dealt with.

A/N Sorry I had to leave you guys on a cliffhanger there, It will all be explained in the next chapter of Xcom: Incursion. Probably one more chapter of this and then we'll be back on track with the main story. Act II's gonna be a fun one ;) Anyway, until next time...