Mass Effect: The Rising Storm

by Rebel Space

It is year 2684, after hundreds of years of struggle, rebellions and economical collapses, the Empire of Earth and humanity stands as strong as never before, looking once more at distant stars on night sky. With it's first ever first contact ending in a disaster, the Empire swore to cleanse the galaxy out of aggressors, by diplomacy or by capital-class mass drivers. AVE TERRA!

1. Chapter 1: The Enigmatic Anomaly

2684 – Solaris-Gamma system, frontier of United Earth Empire space.

UES Everlasting Eclipse

Everlasting Eclipse was a fine warship, a modified version of Luna-Class heavy frigate. In 389 meters long, it housed 354 crew members and 56 marines, as well as a bunch of robots with gen-II AI. It's armament consisted of several heavy torpedo launch tubes, two networks of X-Ray pulse laser point defense systems, 20 heavy railgun turrets, 16 missile-swarm launchers and a spinal mass driver, a coilgun if specific. It had most of the modern technologies staffed, hell, even one of the last models of new particle shields, Alcubierre maneuvering-support drive and latest quantum sensors. This is why it and a task group of 2 more light frigates, 1 heavy destroyer and 3 corvettes along with a science vessel were given the task of exploring an anomaly at the edge of Solaris-Gamma system, at the edge of UEE space.

The anomaly appeared to create strong mass effect fields, the ship that first discovered thought that it's an rich element zero deposit, a mineral that isn't very popular in UEE space because of it's obsolescence due to many of capabilities it offers being achieved and mastered long before first eezo deposit was discovered. It still finds limited use in sphere of entertainment and some military aspects.

However, the object was more than that, it was now clear. Everlasting Eclipses sensors were indicating that object is, in fact, an artificial construction made of unknown material. It resembled a tuning fork. A tuning fork 15 kilometers long. It's size rivaled a super-dreadnoughts, not even talking about smaller classes. Although it was still smaller than most mega-stations, which were up to 23-25 kilometers in diameter. The object was codenamed "Solar Rail", because of it's resemblance of a mass driver, and the fact that it targeted another system which was 1285 light years away from the Solaris-Gamma.

The group slowly approached the object while science ship made it's scans. Commander of the battlegroup, Captain Steven Jones was not sure what to think of this. This object could possess a danger, yes. But it also was new technologies, and new technologies means advancement, and the advancement is crucial if species wanted to survive. The science ship later sent a probe for close deep scans as the material the object was made of seemed rivaled strongest of nano-composites. When the probe neared the "Solar Rail", it was suddenly captured by the beam from the center of Solar Rail and sent into FTL after a couple of seconds of accelerating.

Everyone was stunned for a moment from what they've just seen.

"Serenity, get me the science team, now."

The feminine AI voice replied instantaneously "Aye aye captain"

"Science-chief Morrison, what was exactly that?"

"We don't fully know ourselves, it appears the "Solar Rail" accelerated the probe into FTL speeds and sent it to B55323 system."

"Huh, Serenity, send priotiy-2 message to HIGHNA-"

"Detecting Solar Rail activity! 49 contacts just dropped out of FTL. Their signatures and energy readings is nothing like our ships. They appear to make heavy use of element zero."

"Oh cra- Send priority one message to HIGHNAVCOM! Now!"

"Already done, sir."

"Good, send first contact. Chief Morrison, retreat your ship to behind us and keep the distance. Be ready to flee if things get ugly."

"Understood, captain."

With that, the low-range QEC cut off.

"Serenity, what do we have on those ships?"

"They are keeping arrow-like formation, they are not moving nor I detect their weapons warmed. I transmitting the first contact package on all radio frequencies and short-range QEC range. Not detecting any laser communications incoming."

"Any word from other vessels?"

"No sir, perhaps the unknown shi- They've opened fire."

"RETURN FIRE! LAUNCH TORPEDOES AND MISSILES!"

The battlegroup returned fire as their ship-board AIs were executing evasive maneuvers. Missiles and torpedoes were launched as enemy mass driver rounds struck against particle shields of a destroyer and a light frigate.

"Hannibal's and Achilles' shields down 59% and 42% accordingly. They've been hit by what appears to be a cruiser and heavy destroyers. We destroyed 9 vessels, all matching heavy frigate sizes."

"Fire everything we have, those bastards will regret ruining this first contact."

And with these words, mass drivers and missiles pods unleashed the hell upon their targets.

Enemy ships returned fire, this time they were much more lucky and destroyed two corvette and Achilles as their reactors were hit and vaporized the vessels, nano-composite armor even not being able to save from a rain of high-yield mass driver rounds, Hannibal's sub-light drives were seriously damaged and spinal cannon crippled.

But before that, all their coilguns and other ordnance struck hard against enemy vessels and destroyed them with ease, numbering in 13 enemy vessels lost.

"Damn it! Cover Hannibal and retreat into FTL. We can't win this…"

"Aye aye captain."

As the Hannibal finished it's maneuver's, the battlegroup dropped into FTL, but no before sending all their nuclear ordnance into the enemy fleet. QEC indicated that they successfully detonated deep within their fleet.

And with that… The first contact war began.