Galactic News Update:
Colonial News Center: As diplomatic talks between the Alliance and the Citadel Aliens take a nosedive merely one day after first contact, many are left wondering whether Senator Udina's warnings regarding the potential risks and fallout of diplomatic talks should have been taken more seriously. In response to these events, the Alliance Navy has announced that it intends on reinstating several ships previously decommissioned after the end of The Brother's War. These ships will likely be refitted with newer systems and weapons in order to improve the power disparity between the us and the Citadel Aliens. In slightly related news, President Harper's Alien refugee program continues to split the polls...
Free Batarian Network: After the longest time of ignoring the warnings of the Free Batarians, our Human allies have finally discovered the true villainy that the Councilors at the top of their silver and gold tower posses. One may only hope that they realize the folly of negotiating with the serpents and join us in our righteous crusade to purge the wicked and carve a new era of liberty and justice in this galaxy!
Citadel Broadcasting Center: With the revelation that the Humans have collaborated with the Turians to work against a Client Race in the past, opinions against the newest member of galactic society has taken a steep drop towards general distrust. While opinion of the Batarian Hegemony remains lukewarm as ever, Human aggression towards them lead many to ask: will these Humans be willing to act against another Allied race in the future and...
Is the march to war inevitable?
-000-
The Presidium, The Citadel, March 3, 2193.
"Councilor, are we looking at a new enemy in the war?" An Asari reporter asked.
"Are these Humans in league with the Turians?" Another reporter, a Salarian this time.
"Does the JCF have any plans to deal with this potential threat?"
"Councilor!"
"Councilor!"
"Councilor!"
The crowd of news reporters piled on their questions on the Councilors.
A press conference was held by the Council to announce the results, or lack therof, from the first contact talks. Truth be told, Tevos thought the public took the news better than expected. There weren't any calls to outright declare war... yet.
"Rest assured, in the event that the Humans become an active combatant in the war, we will be prepared to defend against this new threat." Councilor Yorgal answered.
Each of the four Councilors had a facade to play when in public. The Asari were the heart, the Krogans the muscle, Salarians the brain, and the Volus... well, Tevos supposed they did well as support.
"The Council and the JCF condemns their collaboration with the Turians, but remain committed to maintaining the peace between us." Tevos told them.
The reporter crowd roared again as they threw more and more questions at the four Councilors, however they were waved off as the Councilors dismissed the press conference.
The four councilors left the stage, leaving the reporters without much answers. They took the elevator up to the tower ad took a short reprieve from the pressure of their work. Tevos sighed and rubbed her temples. For a race that looked, spoke, and emoted remarkably similar to the Asari, they certainly didn't work the way the Asari did. They were blunt, to the point, and yet at the same time carried the same guile that her race did. Taking a deep breath, Tevos slowly accepted the fact that the Humans may not be as simple the other races to deal with.
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The Silver Office, Arcturus Station, March 9, 2193.
"Ah, for fuck's sake! I can't believe they've done this!" Harper shouted out in frustration. "Accuse us of making war while their own client pillages and wrecks our countryside into oblivion! The guts on these assholes, can you believe it?!"
Krotoshinsky looked at his Globalist counterpart with an 'I told you so' look.
"Perhaps we should discard the idea that we can approach them at this time." The Nationalist politician said. "They are shoring up their own borders against us. We should prepare our navy for a potential war."
"That'll provoke them even further! If we move our navy to the bordering regions, they may see it as a preparation for invasion if discovered." Zhao countered. "I agree with the first half of your suggestion, but needless provocation of a superior force is something we must avoid!"
"Then what's your solution, Zhao? We can't just wait for them to suckerpunch us before we make another move." Krotoshinsky countered.
"We should hunker down behind our own borders, wait for all this unneeded aggression to blow over and approach them again once cooler heads can prevail." She offered. "Communication and intelligence between our two governments is very limited. We can use that to our advantage and let them forget about this whole debacle for the time being."
"I'm sorry Zhao, but I don't think we can afford that." Harper replied. "I'm not about to gamble several billion lives on the possibility that they'd be willing to forgive and forget. Considering they're politicians... 'forgive and forget' probably isn't in their vocabulary anyways."
"But consider the internal implications too! The people will see Udina right and flock to his radical Terra Firma party. We can't afford to have radical xenophobes like him in charge." Zhao countered.
"She's right." Harper muttered to himself. "Sending our troops to the border will prove Udina's point."
"Mr. President, I think the real question we should ask now isn't whether or not we should deploy our troops, but whether this one victory with Udina can damage us in the long run." Krotoshinsky proposed. "Not deploying our troops might earn us some favor with the aliens, but will it be enough to deescalate the conflict at hand?"
"I'm hoping it would be, but that would be naive. No, we can't afford for the aliens to catch us off guard again. I'm deploying the troops." Harper decided. "Also kindly tell Ambassador Nyx to meet me after this, I may be reconsidering his trade proposal."
Zhao was dismayed, but Krotoshinsky didn't look like he won anything either.
"Those sons of bitches... I hope Udina chokes on this victory." Harper cursed.
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High Primarch's Chamber, Cipritine, March 9, 2193.
A circle of the highest ranking Primarchs and Officers, be it in person or in hologram form, gathered at Fedorian's office. They were there to discuss further actions to be taken regarding the breakdown in Human-Council relations.
"We need to get them on our side." The Hierarchy's Grand Marshall, Kandros said. "As I have said before, if we can stretch out the Council forces on multiple fronts, one of them are going to break at one point."
As the supreme commander of the military, second only to Fedorian, the heavy losses sustained throughout the time she was in command weighed considerably on her.
"The relief would certainly be welcome." General Oraka said through the hologram. "But whether they can actually help turn the tide of the war entirely is something we must determine before bringing them into the fold."
"I concur with Oraka." Desolas added. "While our reserves will still last quite some time before depleting, we can't afford to have these Humans to join our war only to need us to shoulder their burden as well."
"We can always absorb them." Pallin, the head of all the Hierarchy's internal security commented. "They've got plenty of potential. If we mold them properly they'd make a fine addition to our empire."
"Executor, you know how I feel about the Dominions we have right now." Fedorian said. "The Drell, Elcor, Raloi, and the Vorcha are a pain as it is, and we found them before they were even space capable. These Humans are at least on par with the Salarians on a bad decade and should not to be compared with some two-bit Terminus warlord."
"Couldn't we at least ask what they'd want from us first?" Quentius asked. He may have been the lowest ranking Turian in the meeting, but his understanding of the Humans made him an asset needed in this discussion. "Offer them our assistance, but ask for their allegiance in return. It couldn't possibly hurt to discreetly talk to them about it."
"The captain may have a good point." Kandros concurred. "Nyx is still there with them. I suppose he's been sitting with a finger up his sphincter for long enough while waiting for us to come to a consensus."
"Come to think of it... scoping out their general mood wouldn't be too bad of a move." Fedorian mused to himself.
"While he's at it, have him try and assess their current strength." Desolas added. "Number of ships ready for action, troop counts, maybe weapon capabilities too if at all convenient."
"That's going to be a tall order." Oraka commented.
"If convenient, like the Admiral said." Kandros reminded the general.
"It's settled then." Fedorian finalized. "Ambassador Nyx will approach the Humans with an open invitation to an alliance in the event they enter hostilities with the Citadel. Is there anything else that we need to discuss?"
"There is, actually." Oraka said. "Intelligence suggests that a JCF naval formation will be entering my area of operations soon. Captured files suggests that their newest dreadnought, The Aigaion, it's complements of support ships, and well over a dozen divisions worth of reinforcements, will be involved in this. Normally, I'd have this reported through the usual channels, but the time frame given in the documents suggests they'll be here very soon, likely within the month. The normal channels would take far too long for this matter."
"General, are you asking for reinforcements, or an evacuation?" Desolas asked.
Oraka was silent for a while. He deliberated his options carefully before answering.
"Normally, reinforcements to deter the JCF taskforce coming should be enough. But things have become far more complicated. We are loosing men rapidly on the ground. We still do not understand the full capabilities of this new Dreadnought they field. In all honesty, I believe that a general evacuation of all Hierarchy assets in Thargora Thoraga may be beneficial to the war effort."
"And give up the Bozerr corridor?" Pallin asked, incredulous. "That system alone controls relays to four other Council controlled systems. Giving it up would shorten their front and free up forces that they can use to fight our forces elsewhere!"
Oraka was a about to reply, but an explosion in the background interrupted him for a moment. He rushed his reply before heading back out to lead his troops.
"With all due respect, Executor, the blood cost of holding this infernal planet has outweighed the benefits. Grand Marshall Kandros, if we want the Eighth Army to still exist by the end of this year, I urge you with utmost urgency to have the planet evacuated and the campaign called off!"
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SSV Black Typhoon, Over Elysium, March 12, 2193.
Hackett sat on his officer's chair, reading the news on his tablet. He can hardly believe it himself; war was looming on the horizon again. Couldn't they have gotten at least a year's respite before being dragged into another war? Unbelievable.
A few beeps on his computer perked his attention.
"Who could it be?" Hackett asked himself.
Inspecting the caller information, the naval officer found that it was the ACI officer that is to be attached to him. Hackett answered the call with a swipe of his finger, revealing Jack Harper's holographic image
"Rear Admiral Hackett, I'm Operations Colonel Jack Harper, ACI. I thought I'd introduce myself to you before our expedition started."
"Yes, I've read your file, but I thought it would be better to hear it from you directly. In fact, I was actually thinking of calling you myself."
Harper nodded in acknowledgement.
"Your service record is impressive. Coordinating defenses in a situation while severely lacking in information, organizing unconventional operations in the heat of battle, taking the initiative and ordering troops to take advantage of a one in a million opportunity, if all our officers were like this, we'd have won the war by Christmas of 2190." Hackett listed down.
"Thank you, though I can't take all the credit. I had the pleasure of having some of the most talented staff members at my disposal." Harper said.
"True." Hackett continued. "Speaking of which, I see that you have personally assigned a penal unit to this expedition."
"The 404th Airborne Assault Company is an experienced and battle hardened unit. Despite their shortcomings, I believe that they've earned a chance at redemption."
"Perhaps, but penal units are known to display low morale more often than not. Are you certain the 404th won't cause any problems?" Hackett asked. "This is an extended expedition, not unlike the ones that Admiral Grissom used to lead before this whole alien business. We'll be away from home for months, maybe even years, before we even find anything. Several of my crew members sent in transfer requests a few days ago, asking to not take part in the expedition. The 404th have no say in this, and I highly doubt they'd be excited for this."
"I'll keep them under control, sir, you have my word for it." Harper promised.
"Good." The naval officer nodded.
The PA system sounded, announcing that Hackett was needed in the bridge and that the expedition was about to depart.
"Well then, I suppose I'll be seeing you in AWACS... I'm sorry, I mean the CIC, once the flotilla arrives in Anhur." Hackett corrected himself.
The Black Typhoon and all the other ships in the expedition have been refitted and upgraded with the latest tech and equipment. Hackett hasn't gotten used to many of the new systems himself, but he expects to become quite familiar with it in the time to come.
"Indeed sir, you will." Harper said.
With that, the ACI officer ended the call.
Hackett took a deep breath and then exhaled. He picked up his officer's cap and looked at the new Rear Admiral insignia pinned to it. He had received a promotion following his defense of Eden Prime, which while it wasn't a total success, did manage to severely cripple the invading forces enough that they became a manageable threat. In addition, his excellent first contact proceeding was nothing to laugh at either. Hackett had earned his new rank fair and square. Putting on the cap, he got up from his seat and headed towards the bridge, where he would lead the flotilla into the unknown.
"Rear Admiral on deck!" The Black Typhoon's new captain announced.
"At ease." Hackett replied.
The Rear Admiral walked over to the ship's communication officer, who handed him the ship's horn. Hackett contemplated his words for a few moments before speaking into the fleet wide PA network.
"Ladies, gentlemen, sailors and fellow service members, I cannot begin to explain just how important our mission is." Hackett started. "Six years ago, we learned that we weren't alone in this galaxy the hard way. With barely any rest from the fires of civil war, we were thrown right into the inferno of what we now understand as a war of galactic proportions. I'm going to be honest with all of you; I can't begin to guess what's out there waiting for us. What I do know is that out there, in the great expanse of space, is our people waiting for us to find them and take them home. These are the people that we are fighting for. We are sacrificing our future, so that they can have theirs. Even through our faults and failures, our people home calls us heroes. It's time we lived up to their expectations."
Hackett took a short mental respite, looking to his bridge crew for support. He found that they too were ready to sacrifice themselves for the Alliance, just as he is. Taking a deep breath, he continues.
"We will depart in a few short minutes to decide the future of Humanity's place among the stars. At this point onward, until we return, we must remain ever vigilant. We are venturing into the unknown, where our enemy will be in their element. Every single mistake may cause us failure, and failure is not an option. So stand strong, stand fast, stand together, and we will not falter. Hackett out."
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Somewhere in the Terminus, March 14, 2192.
Kangl shook his head. His insiders in the Free Republic told him that a Human naval expedition will arrive in Anhur very soon. It would only be a matter of time until they discover where their people have been carted off to. He had read a brief report on them, courtesy of the STG. Though it wasn't very detailed, it did include the whole first contact packet that the Humans gave the Councilors. It would seem that they didn't particularly take well to slavery, Human testing, or death camps in general. They were severe in their punishments, and relentless during pursuit. It was only a matter of time until they found this facility. Kangl needed to move quick and secure if not himself, at least his family. But where could he keep them safe? He had a few ideas, but they were risky.
Kangl activated his terminal and opened up an intelligence document. It was about a colony. Small in size, but big in political implications. An Asari enclave in the midst of Turian space. Nevos, it's name was. An independent colony absorbed by the Hierarchy long before the Great War. Another point of contention between the great powers, but more importantly for Kangl, a blind spot in the Council's eyes. The Turians have since isolated the colony since the breakout of the war. All communications into and out of Nevos was halted entirely, save for the occasional supply run sanctioned by the Hierarchy.
If he recalled correctly, there were smugglers who shipped premium goods, and the occasional Asari defector, into the colony. The STG and the Asari Intelligence Service have yet to take advantage of this as it is uncertain just how useful this avenue of approach could be. Nevos was, for all intents and purposes, cut off from the rest of the galaxy for longer than Kangl had been alive.
He activated his encryption program and masked his terminal activity, a luxury he could afford as head of security. He contacted a powerful friend from his STG days who was working the more... shady side of intelligence. He waited for the call to connect for a few minutes, a usual thing when he spoke to her. The call finally connected, and he was greeted with a blank screen and a distorted voice.
"Kangl, it has been far too long since we last spoke." His contact told him.
"Indeed it has... Shadow Broker." Kangl said. "I'm calling in that favor you owe me."
"Hmm, I figured that it was only a matter of time until you contacted me about this." The Shadow Broker mused. "I assume this is regarding your family?"
"Do I even want to know how you figured that out?"
"Nothing nefarious, believe me. Mere projections and extrapolations from already known quantities. Political breakdown with the Humans will most likely lead to heightened suspicion and distrust. If the information of their Terminus expedition is to be believed, it will only be a matter of time until your operation is discovered, one way or another. My sister is not as thorough as she believes she is. There's a microscopic trail left, barely there and difficult to find, but not nonexistent." The Shadow Broker explained. "You want your family secured in the eventuality that the Humans decide to rain their righteous fury upon you, am I correct?"
"I suppose so. I assume you've also already figured out what I'm about to ask of you?" Kangl now asked.
"I wouldn't be the Shadow Broker if I didn't know, dear Kangl." She laughed. "I will arrange the transportation and have my agents personally escort your family to Nevos. Apart from that, you must inform them of this ordeal on your own."
"Thank you, I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am." He thanked her.
"There is no need. I take care of, and reward, those who are loyal to me. Besides, nobody else could have helped me with the Yahg situation the way you have."
"Speaking of which, where is that Yahg these days anyway?"
"He's confined in the observation cell. I converse with him sometimes, you know? He's surprisingly intelligent."
"I could have told you that." Kangl warned. "Don't underestimate him, his brutish size hides true capabilities."
"I'm certain he is, Kangl." The Shadow Broker said. "Now, is there anything else you would like to talk about?"
"No, that will be all." The Salarian security chief said. The two Salarians cut off their call, leaving Kangl alone with his thoughts once more.
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Archive Update:
M7 'Lancer' Automatic Rifle: A more utilitarian weapon for a less civilized age, the M7 'Lancer' was adopted by the Systems Alliance military as a standard issue weapon shortly after the Alliance-Batarian Conflict of 2186-2192. Replacing the M6 'Staccato', the Lancer was one of the Alliance's first few steps into total modernization and adoption of Mass Effect technology. In replacing the conventional magnetic rails used since the late 21st century with the more sophisticated Eezo propulsion engine, weapons manufacturer Blastech Arms Private Industries was able to replace the caseless projectile with the lead block system used by the rest of the galaxy. Taking steps to counter Council technology at the time, Blastech increased the size of the lead projectile relative to standardized JCF equipment. Firing a lead ball the size of a small marble -far larger than the usual grain projectile- Lancer fired munitions carry far more kinetic force than it's standard issue contemporaries such as the Turian 'Phaeston' Assault Rifle, the Krogan 'Striker' Battle Rifle, the Salarian 'Argus' Carbine, and especially superior to the Asari 'Tempest' Submachine gun.
The rifle places it's lead block storage and Eezo propellant in the rear of the weapon not unlike a bullpup rifle. By doing this, Blastech was able to shorten the M7 without having to compromise on barrel length and firepower. In theory, this will allow for better ergonomics, especially when operating inside cramped areas such as ships and small buildings. In practice, however, the M7 becomes rear heavy because of all the important equipment being placed by the weapon's stock, making the M7 less stable during sustained full-auto fire. In addition to this, the larger projectiles being fired by the M7 causes the rifle to burn through its lead block far faster than it's contemporaries. For example, the 'Phaeston' only depletes a lead block after at least nine thousand shots to the Lancer's three thousand, despite having the same base fire rate and lead block.
The modular design of the M7 would see it easily become the most versatile weapon platform in circulation of its time. The ability to add in grenade launchers, custom optics, switch out grips, modify its fire rate, as well as exchanging barrel made it a one-size-fits-many option. Following the Great Galactic War, the cheaper operating cost of adopting the M7 made it an affordable alternative for many. Private Military Companies such as the Blue Suns and the Talons, as well as many Terminus warlords found the M7 to be their go to weapons. This eventually lead to the rifle being fielded by several smaller Asari Colonies who were in close proximity to Alliance Territory. In essence, the modular M7 became something like the Kalashnikov of the 23rd century.
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A/N:
Shorter than expected update, class schedules are kind of a mess right now. I'll go into far more detail next chapter and get the ball rolling faster. I'd really like to move on to Shepard's story soon, but I do still need to finish this story in a satisfying manner.
Send in your thoughts so that I can make this story better.
Thanks for reading, enjoy the rest of your day, and Godspeed to you.