CODEX

Citadel Space, the Terminus Systems, and the Yahg Empire

Citadel

The Citadel is an ancient deep-space station, presumably constructed by the Protheans. Since the Prothean extinction, numerous species have come to call the Citadel home. It serves as the political, cultural, and financial capital of the galactic community. To represent their interests, most species maintain embassies on the Presidium, the Citadel's inner ring.

The Citadel Tower, in the center of the Presidium, holds the Citadel Council chambers. Council affairs often have far-reaching effects on the rest of the galactic community. Five arms, known as the wards, extend from the Presidium. Their inner surfaces have been built into cities, populated by millions of inhabitants from across the galaxy.

The Citadel is virtually indestructible. If attacked, the station can close its arms to form a solid, impregnable shell. For as long as the station has existed, an enigmatic race called the keepers has maintained it.

Citadel Council

The Council is an executive committee composed of representatives from the Asari Republics, the Turian Hierarchy, and the Salarian Union. Though they have no official power over the independent governments of other species, the Council's decisions carry great weight throughout the galaxy. No single Council race is strong enough to defy the other two, and all have a vested interest in compromise and cooperation.

Each of the council species has general characteristics associated with the various aspects of governing the galaxy. The Asari are typically seen as diplomats and mediators. The Salarians gather intelligence and information. The Turians provide the bulk of the military and peacekeeping forces.

Any species granted an embassy on the Citadel is considered an associate member, bound by the accords of the Citadel Conventions. Associate members may bring issues to the attention of the Council, though they have no input on the decision.

Citadel Space

Citadel space is an unofficial term referring to any region of space controlled by a species that acknowledge the authority of the Citadel Council. At first glance, it appears this territory encompasses most of the galaxy. In reality, however, less than 1% of the stars have been explored.

Even mass-effect-FTL drive is slow relative to the volume of the galaxy. Empty space and systems without suitable drive discharge sites are barriers to exploration. Only the mass relays allow ships to jump hundreds of light years in an instant, the key to expanding across an otherwise impassable galaxy.

Whenever a new relay is activated, the destination system is rapidly developed. From that hub, FTL drive is used to expand to nearby star systems. The result is a number of densely-developed star clusters thinly spread across the vast expanse of space, connected by the mass relay network.

Spectres

Spectres are agents from the Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance and answer only to the Citadel Council. They are elite military operatives, granted the authority to deal with threats to peace and stability in whatever way they deem necessary.

They operate independently or in groups of two or three. Some are empathetic peacekeepers, resolving disputes through diplomacy. Others are cold-blooded assassins, ruthlessly dispatching problem individuals. All get the job done, one way or another, often operating outside of the bounds of galactic law.

The Spectres were founded after the Salarians joined the Council. For many years, they operated in secrecy, as back-room "problem solvers". Only after the Krogan Rebellions did their activities become publicized. Assignment of a Spectre is less contentious than military deployment, but makes it clear that the Council is concerned about a situation.

Citadel Conventions

These diplomatic talks occurred in the wake of the Krogan Rebellions, as a response to the destruction of the conflict and an attempt to distance the Council from the brutal Krogan warfare.

The Conventions regulate the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction. A WMD causes environmental alteration to a world. A bomb that produces a large crater is not considered a WMD; a bomb that causes a "nuclear winter" is.

Use of WMD is forbidden on "garden" worlds like Earth, with ecospheres that can readily support a population. If a habitable world is destroyed, it will not be replaced for millions of years. The Conventions do not forbid the use of WMD on hostile worlds or in sealed space-station environments. Many militaries continue to develop and maintain stockpiles.

The Conventions graded Weapons of Mass Destruction into tiers of concern. Tier I is the greatest threat to galactic peace.

TIER I: Large kinetic impacters, such as asteroid drops or de-orbited space stations. Effectively free and available in any system (in the form of debris left over from planetary accretion), kinetic impacters are the weapons of choice for terrorists and "third galaxy" nations.

TIER II: Uncontrolled self-replicating weapons, such as nanotechnology, viral or bacteriological organisms, "Von Neumann devices", and destructive computer viruses. These weapons can lie dormant for millennia, waiting for a careless visitor to carry them on to another world.

TIER III: Large energy-burst weapons such as nuclear or antimatter warheads.

TIER IV: Alien species deliberately introduced to crowd out native forms necessary for the health of an ecosystem. Ecological tampering can take years to bear fruit, making it difficult to prove.

However, the introduction of the UNSC to the galactic community has changed how the Citadel races perceive the use of WMD on garden worlds; due to their adeptness at terra-forming, the UNSC can simply clean up the radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons, as well as repair any environmental damage caused by WMDs. It is costly and time-consuming, but it can be done; as such, planetary destruction is part of the UNSCs space-warfare doctrine." If all else fails, bounce them back to the Stone Age!"

Such a casual attitude towards the use of WMDs, as well as the UNSCs refusal to sign the Citadel Conventions, is a source of great contention between the two states, and has led to much Asari propagandist artwork; one such work, called "The Humans are building a new Galaxy", depicts demonic Humans with red eyes standing over the burnt corpses of the many Citadel races, with a nuclear fireball in the background.

Treaty of Farixen

Due to the destructive potential of dreadnoughts, the Council races agreed at the Farixen Naval Conference to fix a ratio of dreadnought construction between themselves. At the top of pyramid is the peacekeeping Turian fleet. Below theTurians are the other Council races, currently the Asari and the Salarians. Council associate races are at the bottom. The ratio of Turian to Council to associate dreadnoughts is 5:3:1, for every dreadnought an associate race is permitted to build, the Asari have three, and the Turians five.

Once again, as with the Citadel Conventions, the Treaty of Farixen is also mostly invalidated with the arrival of the UNSC on the galactic stage. The destructive power of dreadnoughts is nothing compared to the planet-cracking firepower of the UNSC flagship, Infinity; which is the only dreadnought built by Humans. Even the UNSCs cruisers and carriers have enough firepower in their nuclear arsenal and ship-board MACs to lay waste to entire colonies, not to mention the frigates and destroyers which are the smallest of vessels in the UNSC fleet, but are still superior to Citadel dreadnoughts. The only advantage the CDF dreadnoughts and other warships have against UNSC frigates and destroyers is the longer-range of their MACs, and their rate of fire, which is mitigated by the durability of UNSC warship armor.

The Terminus Systems

The Terminus Systems are located on the far side of the Attican Traverse, beyond the space administered by the Citadel Council. These systems are populated by a loose affiliation of minor governments, united only in their refusal to acknowledge the political authority of the Council or adhere to the Citadel Conventions.

Their independence comes at a price; the Terminus is fraught with conflict. War among the various species is common, as governments and dictators constantly rise and fall. The region is a haven for illegal activities, particularly piracy and the slave trade. The prevalence of Batarian criminal gangs has led to the Batarian language becoming a "lingua franca" in the Terminus. The Terminus Systems have no central government, but the Omega station serves as a trade capital.

At least once a year, a fleet from the Terminus invades the nearby Attican Traverse. These attacks are typically small raids against poorly-defended colonies. The Council rarely retaliates, as sending patrols into the Terminus Systems could unify the disparate species against their common foe, triggering a long and costly war.

History

Before the Rachni Wars, the Terminus Systems were the frontier of Citadel Space, a gold mine of Element Zero and other valuable minerals, but due to the distance from Inner Council Space, the authority of the Citadel Council was rather loose, as well as their military presence. This made the frontier the perfect place for pirates to establish bases and ply their trade.

During the Rachni Wars, it was the Terminus Systems that bore the brunt, with the Citadel Council providing just enough military forces to keep them from overwhelming the frontier, while they devoted most of their time and resources fortifying Inner Council Space. When the Krogan entered the conflict and drove the Rachni from the Terminus Systems and back to their Homeworld, the Citadel Council quickly re-established their authority over the frontier, though the colonists would continue to harbour resentment towards the Citadel Council for centuries to come.

When the Krogan Rebellions broke out, much of the fighting was centred around Inner Council Space; as such, the Citadel Council pulled out any and all military assets in the Terminus Systems to defend the Core Systems. The fronter colonies took advantage of the turmoil of the Krogan Rebellions to secede from Council Space; by the time the Rebellions were at an end, the Terminus Systems were too powerful for the Citadel Council to reassert its authority, and so, the Terminus Systems were legally granted their independence.

The Yahg Empire

Homeworld: Parnack

Known Colonies: 512

Total Population: 325 billion

Imperial Navy: 1,100 warships

History

Arising from their Homeworld in 1825 GST, they discovered a Prothean cache of Element Zero, the basis of all Mass Effect technology. Unlike the races of the Citadel, there were no data archives providing instructions on how to utilize Eezo, how to build starships, the principles behind FTL, or how to operate mass relays; in fact, there was no mass relay in their home system, and they didn't discover any until 300 years after exploring the galaxy. The Yahg had to experiment and discover how to properly harness Eezo.

After colonizing eighty-four planets in their Home Star Cluster, they set their sights on exploring the regions beyond. This was a significant hurdle to overcome, as Mass Effect FTL Drives accumulate static electrical charge when a vessel has been in FTL flight for some time. Eventually, after two-and-a-half days, it must be discharged into a planet's magnetic field. As such, the star systems between mass relays, the "Dead Zones" are inaccessible for exploration and colonization.

This is where the Yahg got creative, with an innovative method of exploration called "Star-Hopping." Basically, the Yahg would use long-range telescopes to observe the star systems surrounding their Home Cluster and identify the systems with planets suitable for serving as drive discharge sites. Yahg starships could then travel dozens of light years by "hopping" from star to star, and establishing refuelling stations along the way; it's costly and time-consuming, but it's worked well for Yahg, whose fledgling interstellar empire now spans 512 colony-worlds, across 150 light years of space.

In the year 2125 GST, the Yahg first discovered a mass relay on the very edge of their territory, and used it to travel to the Attican Traverse, where they discovered a Batarian colony, Zhuligg. The Yahg, being a highly aggressive and imperialistic civilization, invaded and conquered the colony. The Batarian Hegemony petitioned the Citadel Council for assistance in driving off the invaders, and a multi-racial task-force of one-hundred and seventeen warships was sent in to relieve the colony.

Ever since, there have been a number of raids, border clashes, and brushfire conflicts between the Citadel Council and Yahg Empire, in the Attican Traverse, Skyllian Verge, Perseus Veil, and the Terminus Systems. When the Krogan accepted client status in the Hierarchy, Krogan auxiliary troops were stationed on colonies bordering the Attican Traverse, to defend against Yahg incursion.

Culture

Yahg society is built around a pack mentality. A group of Yahg will not cooperate until a single leader has attained dominance through either social manoeuvring or brute force. Once the leader is established, the defeated Yahg do not hold a grudge and former rivals serve their new superior loyally. Their government is set up in a similar manner, with the strongest and most capable ruling as the Emperor.

Military

The Imperial Navy is quite large, but still too small to stand against the combined forces of the Citadel Council. They have 1,100 warships; 110 dreadnoughts, 198 cruisers, 264 destroyers, 396 frigates, and 132 corvettes.


Author's Note

You know, I've always wondered about the Terminus Systems: how did they come to be, and why would the Citadel Council allow them to grow powerful enough to challenge them? This is my idea of how they came about. What do you think?

Say, what do you all think about the Yahg's Star-Hopping technique? Too wild and crazy, or feasible? I originally came up with the concept a year or so back, when I was planning to write an Mass Effect AU fic about Humans discovering Eezo on Mars, but no Archives, and no access to the mass relays. That fic was scrapped, but I decided to transfer some ideas to this fic. The interesting thing about Halo and Mass Effect, is that the Humans are innovative, while the aliens (Covenant and Citadel Council) are imitative. When I was planning this fic, I was thinking: Why should Humans be the only innovative species? Isn't that Human-Wanking? So, I decided to make the Yahg an innovative people, and because they are rather aggressive and ambitious, their presence on the Galactic stage would shake the Citadel Council out of their complacency, while also giving the Turians a good reason to take on the Krogan as a Protectorate. I mean, seriously? Have you seen the Yahg? If you're going to fight them, you'll definitely want the Krogan on your side.

Of course, the Krogan's annexation isn't flawless, as there is still quite a lot of animosity between them, but the fact is, the Krogan aren't stupid: Tuchanka is still a radioactive pile of dirt, and if they want to thrive as a civilization, they need to colonize. And that means reconciling with the Citadel Races. But they're not the only ones: the Quarians are also trying to get into the good graces of the Citadel Council, and reclaim their former glory. Basically, the 500 years after contact with the Yahg is a period of reconciliation between the Citadel Council and it's outcast members.

Reviewer comments

Six samurai of dragon order: Basically, the Krogan don't like small ships; too cramped.

Prince Sheogorath: Most likely, the Reapers did terra-form worlds after their harvests; afterall, if the Relays don't lead to an abundance of habitable worlds, then the Citadel races might try to find ways of gaining independence from the relays.

Unidentified Guest: Rangers are a part of the UNSC Army, meaning, that they are grounded on colonies and have no relationship with the Navy; as such, no drop pods.

Lord NV: I'd like to think that some Geth did survive the purges, and have retreated to unknown regions of the the way I see, they've grown bitter towards their creators and other organic races, so no alliances with the UNSC. As for the CODEX about political relations between the UNSC and Citadel Council, I won't be doing that until last.

Anywho, does anyone know how I can get my story onto the Halo/Mass Effect Crossover Page, or onto the Alternate First Contact Page?

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

R and R, please!