Overall chapter X – Beyond the Veil, chapter 1 – Truth in Music
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction based on existing IPs. It cannot be distributed with intent of profit. All recognizable characters, lore and in general canon belong to their respective owners. All additions, deviations and reinterpretations of such are the fruits of my own imagination. Any similarities shared by the latter with other IPs or fictions is purely coincidental and unintended.
PRE-CHAPTER NOTES AND WARNING: this chapter is the both the first "prequel" to Shepard's story I've published, and the first of the parallel 'Beyond the Veil' narrative strand. While I don't know of many of either there will be, they both will include a variety of styles, as well as extreme time jumps over a vague timeline. Basically, they'll serve as world-building exposition, and a way to practise stake-free (in regards to the main story) character writing. Including of OCs who won't necessarily ever meet Shepard in person.
This chapter here will not be, in terms of structure, the actual chapter 1 of the prequels, or even the first prequel that people will read when this project is complete. But it will be such for 'Beyond the Veil'. Regarding the latter specific contents, it will focus on various members of academia, explorers and archaeologists, as they attempt to pierce the Attican Veil and figure out humanity's past.
Chapter posted on 26.07.2022
Tags: Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Friendship, Drama, Family
Rated M: for violent themes and their depiction
Description
"Talking"
Thinking
"Disembodied talking"
Reconstructed chorus rhymes of ancient human song
Title: different conflicting sources
Author: conflicting sources, unknown if an alias, a company, or some other entity
Date: unknown, themes appropriate for the Exodus suggest it was composed just before or early on. Some scholars insist it is much older, possibly even predating the Exodus cause. Credence to such theories is given by references to events and trends that could only have happened on the homeworld.
Notes: matching fragments across surviving and lost fleets indicated a substantial popularity in the pre and early Exodus periods. Completely absent in the mid and late phases.
The young asari's eyes sparkled with glee, as she read the latest article. Most dismissed it as nearly pseudo-scientific, or even human-funded subversive propaganda. But for this one, the Beyond the Veil Initiative was an infinite source of wonder. And their planned Expedition, the pinnacle of archaeology, a luster she hoped she could match with her long career ahead.
She was hidden in one of many bushes, part of her family's centuries old private garden. The greenery was breath-taking, trees and plants of thousands of species, hailing from planets across Citadel space. It already contrasted heavily with rocky pathways across. But even more so with the polished white or grey metal, making up walls, benches and the few fountains. Of course, this was all intentional, designed to mimic the Citadel Presidium own gardens. After over half a century, the young asari had long ago stopped paying attention to such details, maybe even considering this type of garden more 'normal', than those surrounded by stone or wood. Sometimes, she did admit the designers had done a rather good job. Only the unnatural upwards surface curvature was missing, possible on the station thanks to its ring like structure and artificial gravity. Which would have made this garden probably too expensive to be worth it, implemented on a planet, and without the Keepers to do free maintenance. Of course, at the moment she was making none of these considerations, preoccupied with a completely different matter.
Some would say she far too often had 'her head in the clouds', but she preferred to call it 'a mind free but knowledgeable'. Running through it, were now excited thoughts, even if, to avoid being spotted, she somehow managed to remain perfectly still. A great feat if one asked anyone who knew her. Or those like her. Part of her pondering and speculations were of course the broad 'Whys' and 'Hows' and 'Whats' of the human Exodus. Why did humanity leave her homeworld? How did they successfully traverse the Veil? What were they like before the Exodus? She then discarded them, as quickly as they came, since they were boring and too cliché. In favour instead of her specialities. The tech required to undertake such a journey, the culture that could birth and withstand it. The text refers to an empire, a crown, and hunting dissenters. Did they already have an interstellar empire, which they forgot? It would explain having enough eezo-cored ships to mount such an evacuation. Yet, it must have been at its infancy, because their immune system has always been much more adaptable than Quarian's, so a repeat of said Exile would be unlikely. Losing Thessia would hurt us asari hard, but we would have simply moved to the colonies. And what kind of empire was it? An absolute monarchy? Could their culture truly have been so authoritarian, before they became such a beacon of democracy? Or maybe it was a symptom of the early Exodus, imposing naval hierarchy on all of society. Like how many of their religions changed to focus on the homeworld, instead of a supernatural entity. She soaked in even musical details, the rhythm and phonetics, delightfully alien to her. A fresh challenge to overcome, new knowledge to apply in her dreamt near future digs.
Yes, humans, furred pinkskins among all maybe the most similar to asari, fascinated her. Almost as much as the Protheans, but then, all galactic civilization was built on their legacy. From the seat of government, the enormous Citadel, and many technologies. To the most essential of all, the Mass Effect FTL drive, and especially the intragalactic highway that were the Mass Relays. Like one of many dwarves, how could she ignore the giants whose shoulders they stood on. Yet, even in this humans could help her. A new point of view, one other piece of the puzzle. A step closer, to a true complete theory on the Protheans.
"T'Soni!" Of course, some people did not appreciate her 'wasteful daydreaming', as they called it. Marching-at-speed across the garden, steps deceitfully muffled by centuries of training, to the point of becoming muscle reflex. Was one of her tutors. Despite her already above average school performance, her mother had still thought it prudent to assign her several private teachers. Knowing the near unreachable expectations many had of her, Liara T'Soni, as the daughter of esteemed Lady Benezia, among the oldest of Matriarchs. The young asari perfectly understood and agreed with her mother's reasoning. To assist her between archaeology courses and junior research, officially. To avoid her getting rusty in other 'essential aspects of life', practically. And while, considering the vast wealth and prestige of a Matriarch, Liara found it almost predictable for her biotics instructor to be a veteran asari Huntress. She was also reasonably sure the Commando was a covert bodyguard too. Which wouldn't have been unexpected either, were it not for her... less than lawful character and past. At times, she suspected her father was behind it. After all, as a pureblood it was unlikely her mother's bondmate was now anything less than a matriarch herself. Or very close to such age. And while she had few memories and even fewer information, Liara knew her father had always been the less diplomatic, less tactful, of the two. In short, the hot-head. Perfect candidate for sending a brash asari with a long mercenary career as a tutor.
Opposite of her steps, Aleena's shouts were far louder than they had the right to be, augmented in a somewhat frivolous, but still frightening, display of biotics. With these shaking Liara out of any further reading, she resigned herself to come out, begrudgingly listen to another lecture, and avoid get beaten to a pulp for her next lesson. Frankly, her tutor was far too harsh! While technically a biotic teacher, Aleena was defacto her combat instructor. So Liara's constant successful escapes and camouflage hide-and-seek should have only highlighted her rapid learning of the trade.
"Liara T'Soni!" As she emerged from her hiding spot, the brushing of leaves were quickly caught by such a fine hearing. With shouts getting closer, soon enough Aleena was sternly planted in front of her. Hands to her sides, her gaze stronger than GUARDIAN lasers. "Were this camouflage class, I would be impressed, but it isn't! You were supposed to report at the training grounds at dawn!" Her voice lowered in tone, but remained equally scolding, as she massaged her forehead and her shoulders slouched slightly. "This is the third time you skip biotics class. If you keep lagging behind, I'll have to ask your mother for more lessons, and she will be pissed. You are smart T'Soni, but you know hiding and books won't win a battle. With your line of work, bodyguards will be few, raiders many. Eventually, there will be a fight you won't be able to avoid. Not even if you had your mother's silver tongue." Then, as suddenly as it had slumped, Aleena posture shot up. "Speaking of books, let's see what you have here!" In one swift motion, the asari Commando sprinted forward, her hands shooting out and grabbing Liara's reading pad. Her thievery done, Aleena fled down the garden, jogging towards the training grounds. Followed by one very pissed, but with a much less performant technique, Liara T'Soni. "Hey! Give it back!"
"Seriously? You bookworm were reading about humans again? What a waste!" Aleena taunted the younger asari, both as punishment, and to distract her from their destination.
"But you must be curious why and how the humans got here!" Liara countered, yelling over her lungs as she chased her fitter tutor.
"I bet they just ruined their planet, like the Drell. Or maybe they share more with the suitrats than living in starships." Was Aleena's simple retort.
Hearing some of her favourite academic theories so minimized, Liara found herself deeply annoyed. In a move that momentarily stunned and impressed her teacher, the young asari biotics flared and she charged, almost tackling Aleena, taking the pad back. Of course, her tutor then frowned in disapproval, since as a student she had never shown such determination and proficiency. Still, she relaxed and smiled, having found what button to push to make a soldier out of even this, as some would call her, nerd. Who meanwhile, had entered the annoying 'correct-people-who-she-thinks-are-wrong' mode. Years later, the galaxy would near unanimously adopt a human moniker for it, the dreaded 'Actually'.
"Maybe, yet this" Liara pressed a piece of text on the screen, highlighting it "references a storm, specifically. And the other fragments also are mostly about winter themes, like snowflakes. Most species, when ruining their planet, do so via CO2 induced greenhouse effect. Yet, here they wrote as if the planet froze until uninhabitability. And you know a reverse global warming has never happened."
Aleena was most unimpressed by Liara's logic, shooting it down with her much more straightforward, comfortable theories. "Unless they nuked themselves even more than the Krogan. I bet it's that, nuclear winter. Would make perfect sense with cockroaches."
"Stop being speciest!" T'Soni second, admittedly rather common among maiden and matrons, button was one which many non-Asari found bewildering. How could the rest of asari be so easily dismissive of others, when their culture demanded they mate with other species. "And no, they specifically accuse nature of having forsaken them. I think they evolved during a warm period and suffered an ice age, or maybe a supervolcano erupted."
Aleena shook her head in disapproval. "Were you just studying the Protheans, I would understand. Those at least lead to something useful once in a while. Like, I don't know, new tech. I'm quite certain some of my gun mods came straight from dig sites."
"But archaeology isn't about utilitarianism! It's about discovering how those before us lived, even in the tiniest details-" Liata attempted to counter, before being again cut off by her tutor.
"That's exactly your problem T'Soni! You focus too much on vague abstract notions, like 'what did Protheans dress like'. Those may fly in academia, but the people, the galaxy, want hard benefits. Stuff worth credits. Or that'll make you live another day." She then went back to the cause of their discussion. "It doesn't really matter why humanity left their homeworld. All that matters is that they are now here, armed and challenging the Turians."
Their heated argument having made the walk fly by, Liara realised a tad too late they were dangerously close to the training grounds, and Aleena still irate. A grim prospect for the following lesson. To make up for her failure in awareness, something both her tutor and Benezia had found difficult to impart her. She chose to admit defeat, and to steer the conversation towards the Commando's past deeds. Which never failed to make her if not happy, at least content someone was listening. Her stay in the infirmary a few hours later, covered in bruises, would reveal it hadn't exactly worked. Which Liara didn't really find too bad. Afterall, she had always known she wasn't cut for politics or subterfuge, unlike her mother.
So, she took out her pad. Better keep reading on archaeology instead.
CODEX ENTRY
Beyond the Veil Initiative
The Beyond the Veil Initiative is a composite organisation, specialized in archaeology but also welcoming experts of all other disciplines. From xenobiologists to musicians and cooks. Its mission, to trace back the steps of Humanity's Exodus. Already, the search promises many and varied rewards. Historians and archaeologists each day uncover more of the species long existence. New unconventional technologies puzzle scientists, all so simple yet overlooked in our comfort. Centuries worth of medical advances just like medi-gel, await new patients to save. Weapons able to shatter the strongest of synthetics, or work unbothered by overheating, without a need for radiators. But above all, the Initiative mission is to find a safe path through the Attican Veil. Which will not only lead to humanity's homeworld, but represent the largest expansion of known space since the Rachni Wars. Relays with known destinations, systems rich in minerals, virgin Garden Worlds. To do all this, it has grown exponentially in the years, and is now divided into several branches.
The most well-known is of course the 'Beyond the Veil Expedition'. Using human colonies almost inside the Veil as a jumping point, it has slowly advanced deeper inside it. But, such a quick pace has required a veritable fleet of spaceships, one the Initiative would have never been able to afford on its own. As such, collaborating and cooperating closely with human nomad fleets in the areas has become paramount, as well as proved to be its own treasure trove of information. Even if these, with their laxer laws on controversial topics like AI research, have an unfortunately unwarranted reputation across Citadel space. Which encouraged them to travel deeper in the first place. The Expedition surveys have already pushed back unknown space by several light years. Every day, new systems are cleared of synthetics, their weaknesses analysed, their knowledge downloaded. Yet, to be on the Expedition, is an honour reserved for few across Citadel Space. It's a difficult task, operating far beyond the light of civilization, in stars infested by hostile machines. As such, evaluations have to be very strict.
But this does not make the other branches any less prestigious. Most members and staff are split between the three major ones. The first, is the 'Known Space Archaeological Division', the interspecies Citadel based branch. Experts from across the galaxy heed its call, collaborating, advising and even joining. From salarian and asari, to even krogan, it is proof of the Citadel ideals of cooperation and coexistence. It is specialized in analyzing historical records in search for references to the Veil. Even myths are of interests. A secondary, but expanding, role is sponsoring dig sites across known space, searching especially but not necessarily for any connection between the Veil and Protheans.
The other two branches are instead human majority, predating the actual Initiative. They are respectively the 'Exodus Heritage Foundation', and the 'Homeworld Search and Reclamation Movement'. Both are themselves the result of several scattered post-Exodus organisations merging, after the Fleets and Settlers Alliance brought together most of humanity. The Foundation was created to conserve and encourage traditions born out of the Exodus, like nomad life both fleet and ground based. They even take on a sort of 'costumer union' role, lobbying and suing without pause to protect a tradition of flexibility and efficiency necessary in the fleets, not so much so in the Citadel unified market. Such as the right to repair. In this case, gathering much appraisal and support across known space, enough so to start pressuring the Council itself and many unaffiliated governments. Across Alliance space, it enjoys a capillary presence, with offices in most major cities, often opening on colonies even before proper major hospitals or schools are constructed.
The Movement instead, as the full name rather effectively describes, is single-mindedly focused on returning to the homeworld. Born after the First Contact War died down, and humanity realized they could find allies in a universe otherwise filled only by hostile synthetics. Acting also as a political alliance, with several affiliated parties, they push for policies and diplomacy that better bring the closer to their goal. in general, they take the form of push for deeper collaboration with Citadel species, and at the same time a greater military build-up. In preparation for a planned, generations long (atleast compared to human biological lifespan), campaign to cleanse the Veil of all Mad Machines. Paving the way for a safe route to the homeworld, as well as vast virgin territory that they believe is humanity's destiny to exploit. They were the ones to first push for the Expedition, even if their initial proposal was a full-on military scouting and probing mission.
The editorial board also works tirelessly, turning reports into articles for esteemed patrons and dear readers to enjoy across the entire galaxy, supplementing the three branches own mass media apparatus.