Author Note:
Here is list of sectors that SDH Corp. controls for future reference and to ensure there is no confusion.
Y Beta — Renamed to Sordahon Corporation Home Sector.
V Alpha — Sector containing a shipyard and a few maintenance docks.
Freedom's Reach — Sector containing 9 station complexes.
Unknown Sector Alpha — Sector containing 5 station complexes.
Unknown Sector Beta — Sector containing 17 station complexes, known for its vast resources.
Unknown Sector Epsilon — Sector containing one station complex.
Unknown Sector Nu — Sector containing 12 station complexes.
Y Alpha — Newly established sector that contains some resources but is not used much, it is controled by the Corporation for the sole reason that jump gate connecting to it is Unknown Sector Beta. Patrolled by small fleet just to prevent creation of pirate footholds. It also contains an inactive gate that is just left alone. It's nevertheless a sector visited by various prospectors and miners as price of setting up a station here is not high while a miner just needs to pay a small tax fee. Sometimes also used as a testing ground for new technologies.
Argon Year 840 — Sector Y Alpha
Aboard Mining Ship Vulture
"Mining, mining, mining, oh sssweet mining. Creditsss all around me, just waiting to be mined." Short lizard looking Teladi said with a cheery voice.
"Next time I haul my cargo away I should be able to make some nice profitsss, maybe even upgrade my cargo hold. More ores, more creditss."
Little mining ship happily mining in vast expanse of space, Teladi aboard never believed in Argon meaning of luck, always thinking that his hard work is gonna pay off.
His goal to have his own station, an achievement desired by most if not all Teladi. Even his mother urged him to get one, hopefully faster than she did after being 286 year old, credits add little by little, regardless of the job.
An ambition as great as any he heard an argon he traded with once said.
"Flying here was such a good choice, SDH Corp. should've just sent a mining fleet here, so much profitss left for me still. Tax cut I need to pay is not even that big compared to inner Teladi sectors."
"Oh, that piece of rock finaly cracked, my mobile mining drill must be getting old taking so much time."
"Ship, open up cargo bay and gather my profitss."
"Acknowledged. Opening cargo bay, commercial mining tractor beam engaged, gathering ore..."
"Good, it will take some time so maybe I will rest a li-"
"Warning, unknown energy spike detected! Distance 6 light sezuras(10.2 light seconds)"
"What in profitss name? I don't have enhancement googles installed on this ship, can't see anything from that distance."
"Could it be an enemy of the profitss? But as a proper Teladi I must see if there is profit to be made. Ship! Set course towards that energy spike. How long until I reach it?"
"Approximately 2 hours."
"Oh right, this ssship has one of those newer inertial dampeners, acceleration is not that bad. Though I would like to have a jump drive. Such money efficiency."
Little mining ship happily approaching unknown, is it riches? Is it danger?
Council Era 2148 — Star System PXV-031
Aboard Turian Cruiser Relentless
"Captain, all systems green, we are ready to go." Said Turian Military Ensign.
"Good work, ensign." Tall Turian in blue armor has spoken.
"Comm officer, connect me to Asari Research Vessel 'Brightful'."
"Sir, you are on channel."
"Matriarch Viscera, we are ready to start your research mission as of now, our task will be escorting you while you activate the new relay, however I would like you to acknowledge that under circumstances that could put your or my crew life at risk, I will take over the command."
"Very well Captain Sareos, you have experience in this type of thing. I would like to ask though if bringing a cruiser with 4 frigates and 8 corvettes is not a bit too much? I doubt we will find anything like the Rachni."
"Your concerns are noted, however I would like to draw line here on how the escort which I'm in charge of goes. This fleet is standard one necessary for protection of your vessel."
"Of course, I leave myself in your hands Captain."
"Good, please proceed then, we are approaching the inactive Relay now."
A modest fleet approaches as of yet inactive Relay, where could it lead? Matriarch Viscera wonders.
She may accept that research mission out of boredom induced by Asari politics, but she still will treat her job properly. She hopes though that nothing unexpected happens.
"Captain, Vessel 'Brightful' started activating the Relay."
"Indeed." Hopefully nothing like Rachni...
"Relay active."
"Send recon probe through the Relay."
"Probe sent."
"Connect to Research Vessel again."
"Relay active, Matriarch. Probe sent. If nothing unexpected is on the other side, I will go through it with my fleet excluding one frigate."
"We await the result Captain."
A short while later.
"Captain probe came back, downloading data... A star system with a G type star, an asteroid belt, one gas giant and three barren planets." Ensign said.
"Prepare to go through the relay, maintain formation."
"Sir, yes sir."
"Traversing in 3, 2, 1."
The fleet shots light years arriving in an unknown system.
"Get me full system scan."
"Captain, scans match those sent by probe, nothing significant detected."
"Sent one frigate back and bring Research Vessel here."
"Yes sir."
A circled object floats in space, unused, forgotten. Will it be discovered?
"Matriarch ship is present Captain."
"Good, send two frigates to the gas giant for scouting, we must be sure nothing hides in the thick atmosphere."
"Frigates sent."
"Now, leave behind 2 corvettes and 1 frigate to secure the relay. The rest is to maintain formation and be vigilant. Also open channel."
"Matriarch, please proceed with your mission, we will focus on escorting you."
"Good, let's see what this system has to discover."
The fleet of 1 research vessel, 1 cruiser, 1 frigate and 6 corvettes proceeds to scour the system of any valuable data.
Three days later.
"Matriarch, do you see that?" Asari maiden researcher speaks aloud.
"Did you detect something?"
"Yes Matriarch, I'm detecting strange but weak energy spikes. Like if some ship or perhaps a station was powering up."
"Contact Relentless."
"Captain, we detect an energy spike, do you confirm?"
"We do, however we can't pinpoint it as of yet, please remain vigilant and be prepared to retreat at any moment."
"Matriarch, the energy spike is rising... I got it! It's in Lagrange Point between 2nd and 3rd planet!"
"On screen!"
"What is that thing?" One of officers.
"Circular object, metallic, certain parts are in blue color, it also has sort of arm like appendage."
"Massive energy spike detected! It's off the charts!"
"Damn it! What is that thing, Scan it!"
"Scanning, I'm getting data. By Athame! It can't be right!"
"What did you get, answer me maiden!"
"It, it's a wormhole! I detect strange gravitational weaves, it ripped a hole in space time!"
"How can it be possible, no, it can, but only by theory that is thousands of years old. But to see it in real life."
"Matriarch, Turians ship are on interception trajectory towards that wormhole gate object."
"Incoming call."
"Matriarch, I'm taking over command over this mission, my ensign said that this is a wormhole, which means that if it really connects to another place in the galaxy, it could be very well an unknown threat from whatever built this thing."
"Henceforth I strongly recommend that you travel to relay point while we check that gate for danger."
"You are right Captain, however this, this wormhole is not something that can be just laid off like that, a research team is needed there!"
"Your vessel doesn't belong to Turian navy and thus I cannot order you, however do not blame us if we can't protect you properly because you did not heed my advice."
"Do not worry Captain, after you."
The fleet makes their way towards the Jump Gate while Captain sends a message to the Council about the discovery, and request for reinforcement, preferably at least a dreadnought.
On the other side of the gate.
Aboard Mining Ship Vulture
"How long until that energy sspike?"
"Approximately 4 Mizuras(10.88 minutes)."
"Is it close enough to sssee it at least?"
"Activating basic visual scanner. Activated."
"That's a gate, there wasn't one here last I heard, Ship?"
"No active jump gate in ship memory, however there is data on inactive gate in this area."
"Wait, doess that mean it activated? I wonder where it leads to. Maybe more profitss."
Teladi stands still as a gleam of greed fills over his mind.
"Yes, Yes! This is my hard work paying off! If I chart a new sssector and sell the information I will make plenty of profitss!"
"Such a lucrative opportunity, wait, what about SDH Corp. Fleet here? Did they not detect it activating?"
"Jump gate is beyond asteroid field, possibility that their ships did not detect it."
"Well then, do not inform then. When I return I will negotiate a lucrative deal with them regarding that. Maybe I will even get a position in their corporation, who knows?"
"Acknowledged."
"Now, let's see what's on the other side, nothing strange detected after it's activation right?"
"None."
"Sweet."
"I Succelus Amadus Ictorias II shall discover the new sector!"
"Proceed through the gate!"
"Setting course, accelerating."
"Traversing Jump Gate in 3, 2, 1."
"Captain, 5 minutes to gate." Navigation officer said.
"Well then, get me comm to ships in formation and their crews."
"Please proceed sir."
"As some of you may have already heard from your captains, We detected an energy spike and in its place found a metallic circular object that seemingly created a wormhole, we do not know how why and by who but our current task is to figure that out alongside securing it from any threats."
"Captain, we are here."
"Scan it, but one scan at a time, we don't know how that wormhole could react to it, best be careful now."
"Send a message to ships to prepare for anything that could happen to that wormhole"
"Yes sir."
"Energy scan done, it seems that gate is somehow absorbing light from nearby star to power itself, it's absorption rate is beyond anything we can create, this alone will propel our understanding by decades!"
"Good, make sure to save scan data to send it later."
"Electromagnetic scan done, electromagnetic weaves are acting strangely here, probably due to space time being manipulated, further research needed."
"Heat scan done, detecting significant heat build up in the ring itself which is then somehow converted to pure energy by the arm appendages."
Some times after...
"All scans done sir."
"Good work officer. Now contact Matriarch Viscera."
"Captain?"
"Matriarch, preliminary scans have shown the area and wormhole to be relatively safe, for now at least. If you are still suggesting 'helping' then I ask for you to use scientific devices to full effect, perhaps we will gleam a bit beyond what our scans have shown."
"We have already started when you opened channel, I will contact you after we complete it. Just a few scans left-"
"Matriarch, space time anomaly detected! Something seems to leave the wormhole!" - Navigation Officer Maiden
"What is that thing? Prepare weapons but do not fire yet!"
"Scanning, sir! I'm detecting strange electromagnetic weaves in addition to some kind of heat, perhaps plasma covering that object. I think it's a ship!"
"What else?"
"Some kind of weird gravitational anomaly in conjunction with the other ones make it hard for us to get a proper reading sir."
"Gravitational anomaly? Is that not just element zero field just like any other?"
"No sir, at first sight, it seems similar but the more I scan the more it doesn't make sense to me! It seems like ME field but also not one!"
"Sir, the object is moving!"
"It's course?"
"Straight line towards research vessel! It had that course through the gate."
"Considering it didn't change it and it going towards research vessel I must consider it as threat."
"Should we Captain? What if it's some new race here? Shouldn't we make Matriarch change her position and send First Contact Package."
"I-"
"Captain, some kind of weapon activated on that object! It's firing!"
"Damn it, Destroy it!"
"It ran away before we could shoot sir. It went back through the wormhole."
"Damage Report!"
"Sir, Corvette 'Stunning' reports hull breach on deck 3, two injures, no death."
"Captain!" XO calls out.
"What is it vice captain?"
"I read the energy readings from the brief moment it fired, it was some kind of energy weapon, it ignored Corvette 'Stunning' Kinetic Barrier and melted through it's hull. Thankfully it wasn't powerful enough to melt through the other side."
"Energy weapon? Of power to cause damage on a corvette? That thing was smaller than it and certainly not a military vessel, that doesn't sound good."
"Prepare all our data scans and send it by highest priority to the Council and Primarch.
"It seems we have another Rachni now, perhaps even worse..."
Author Note:
Succelus Amadus Ictorias II POV from this meeting will be in the next chapter.