/Don't really have much to comment on, too tired. Enjoy!

Chapters[6] modeling

After the "getting over yourself" stage comes the "what do I do next" stage. First, how much time do I have?

DeltaDateAndEvent(getObjectFromDescription("Eden Prime Attack 2183"));
5d23h1m33s

That gives me a school week, or a week minus two days, or five days, or- you get the idea. That's quite a bit of time all things considered. I know I want to do good things for the galaxy, but what?

There's an ironic paradox- all the power in over the universe and no idea what to do with it.

I decide it's best if I break up my options in an organized manner, or attempt to anyway.

The first option is the classic self-insert. Join Shepard's crew, follow them around the galaxy and step through The Stations Of The Canon, maybe slightly influencing events as it happens. Except I'm pretty sure that I'll fuck that up somehow, and even if not deliberately probably drastically change events. The universe is not butterfly proof. I think.

The second option is quite similar to the first, but slightly different. Join Shepard's crew and actively try to make things better. That guy who kind of worked with Cerberus from that story with Q in it did this. Only you might fuck things up horribly, possibly killing more people, maybe even the saviour of the galaxy. With that being said, I think I'm the first with these abilities to try that.

The third option is to work behind the scenes, gently nudging Shepard in the right direction, giving some quiet help from the shadows. Maybe revealing myself later, when the time is right. Of course, one might screw that up too, revealing too soon, too late, or ending up doing nothing, or a clusterfuck of massive proportions.

The fourth option is to go get fucking rich, party hard, get laid, and just live it out awesomely. It might be some of the self-enhancements I did, but for some reason this just doesn't appeal to me like it should.

Maybe I'm selfish, but I want to meet Shepard in the flesh... I said meet, not fuck. So option three is out. I don't think I could stand just watching everything play out as it's supposed to, I mean, I'd go nuts not doing anything, feeling like I'm not doing anything anyway. So option one is out.

That leaves option two. So logical and rational.

So I need to meet Shepard, and I need to get on her crew. I have a few chances to do that. All of them I've seen in other self-inserts.

The first is to be a survivor on Eden Prime. Usually this one doesn't happen by choice. The problem here is that I'm exactly that- a survivor. Shepard gets the evidence, puts me in a safe place, and leaves. I could prevent that from happening, but it's still sub-optimal.

I could assist with the investigation. Most people just save Tali- not like she needed saving anyway. I could alternatively save Michel, or hang out on the Presidium with a briefcase full of evidence or something Different like that.

I could meet her on Noveria, or Feros, or Virmire, but any of those places bring problems of their own, and how am I supposed to know when she's there? I mean, I can know when Shepard will be there, but I'm not supposed to.

Or I could just appear randomly aboard the Normandy. But that won't work very well.

I need a few things in order. I need a persona- displaced nerd isn't going to fly. I need Shepard to take me along, preferably willingly.

Something like ex-merc or privateer would work. Badass enough to handle himself in combat, decent knowledge of the galaxy, and got something she wants. Perfect.

Except I look too young, I'd screw up and blow the cover story somewhere along the line, and I don't even have any idea what a merc does in this galaxy. Granted, I can fix all this by Hacking The Universe, but... dead Shaundi and all that.

I could claim that I'm some kind of information broker or somesuch. Except I don't really have that much information, though I can get a lot, and I'd be useless on the ground and Shepard knows this. That's okay, I'm content to stay on the ship, but would she even let me aboard?

This is without even considering other variables, like Anderson or Udina. Damn, there's just no easy answer.

Being alone really sucks. I work a lot better when I can bounce ideas off someone. Bounce off someone... wait, wasn't Tali already on the Citadel before Eden Prime?

GetLocation("TaliZorah",String);
Veil$40A8D47

Fuck. So much for that plan. Come to think of it, I seem to recall Tali's evidence mentioning the attack. How long did it take the Normandy to get to the Citadel after Eden Prime, anyway?

Eden Prime. The attack is still a school week or 1.2 college weeks away. Once Saren comes, he's going to decimate the colony. Kill most of the garrison, most of the civilians, burn humanity's shining jewel to the ground. That's horrible, but nobody could do anything to stop it. The attack came out of nowhere. Except I know it's coming.

I could just magick away the attack, and in doing so completely shatter what would be the plot of the first game. I could warn the Alliance, but would they believe me? And what happens if Saren calls off the attack? What if it's something small, like Shepard going in front instead of Jenkins?

I can save the colony.

But I might take the galaxy out with it.

Except I can save that too.

And possibly fuck up everything in the process.

And fix that too.

And end up with a neverending circle of patch over patch.

I don't want that to happen. Goddamn it, I need ideas!

I can't do nothing, that's for sure. But I have to be very careful or I'll end up with the break-fix loop above. I need a plan, but none is coming to me.

I slam my fist down on my desk, and the computer shifts a few inches. That's probably not good for it.

Okay, let's think this through logically. What's the goal? Save the colonists. I might not be able to save all of them, but I'm going to try. The other goal is, of course, not to alter the flow of events too badly, but I'm just going to put that aside for the moment. That can be fixed.

Options. Easiest option is to alert the Alliance. But I'm going to need to appear reliable, like a reputable source, or else they'll just ignore me. If they don't question me and investigate. Maybe there's a way to hack that.

Huh. No magical hints. Which means it'll probably take a script a few pages long, and I don't really want to to write a script that long. Even when the galaxy is at stake I can't move my lazy ass.

So that's out. I could intervene indirectly, maybe spawn in a few 304s and watch the fireworks. But that brings in way more problems than it solves.

I could intervene in a direct-but-not-direct way. Maybe put up a shield over the colony or make everyone super tough. But again, problems.

So that leaves direct intervention as the last option after my not-so-logical decision process. I need to protect the colony, but allow Saren to use the beacon, and make sure the Normandy arrives and Shepard uses the beacon.

It occurs to me that I could just despawn Saren right then and there, but I immediately dismiss the thought.

Eden Prime has the 212th stationed on the colony, and maybe a small colonial militia as well. I need them armed and ready to fight. They're going to be massively outnumbered and outgunned, so I need to give them an advantage, too. Maybe some new armor, new guns, and some heavy firepower.

We need to get the colonists to safety, to a defensible, sheltered position. I don't know of any on the planet, but I know I can find one. I rally the troops with a legit sounding warning, get everyone to safety, hold out until Shepard arrives.

Wait, how big is Eden Prime?

GetPopulation("EdenPrime");
3710892

Are you fucking shitting me? It didn't look anywhere close to that big in-game. That throws that plan out the window.

Wait. It didn't look anywhere close to that in-game. That could be rationalized as engine limitations, but a planet is a big place. Saren was looking for the beacon specifically. Which means that he's going to be invading a very small part of the planet. Small enough that we can evacuate and hold him off there. He's going to focus on the beacon, so we just have to contain and distract his forces until everything settles.

But how am I going to supply the 212 with extra firepower and make them believe my story? I've run into the same problem I had with my other plans- credibility. Sure I can get around it, but then I end up with even more problems!

I feel smart that I realize that this early in the game, but stupid that I'm letting it get in my way. I'm a physical god, damn it!

I bring up the news, looking for inspiration. Quickly I skim through the headlines, not bothering to actually read any of the articles.

Matriarch Alantha Dead At 988

Francis Kitt Discusses Shakespeare Project

Pushing Boundaries: What Pelya's Law Means

Insane Woman Awakens in C-Sec Morgue

Pirate Raid May Have Stolen Top-Secret Cargo

HBG Executive Assures Galaxy "We're not Cerberus"

New Study Shows Cancer Risk Higher in E0 Exposed Humans

Wait, back up a bit.

HBG Executive Assures Galaxy "We're not Cerberus"

That's it. I know exactly how I'm going to do this.

Corporation aegis = new Corporation("Aegis Foundation");