NOTE1: Hello! Hey folks! Good news! Exams are over again. Starting work. I will have time to write more now that faculty ain't on my head. I hope to bring you two chapters per month, but… considering how I end up... it will be a chapter per month. Writing is very dependent on how you feel – mood and inspiration. Alas, I bring you the 17th chapter of my story. Enjoy! Please read NOTE2 at the end for some information.
NOTE1bis: Queue an inspirational song for extra effect for the second scene of this chapter - the presentation of Humanity. Personal suggestions: Apollo's Triumph by Audiomachine, Sogno di Voltare (Dream of Flight) by Christopher Tin [suggested by you, readers], The Unsung War from Ace Combat 5 [suggested by you, readers], Colors of Love by Thomas Bergersen [my personal choice because it has that great feeling of really giving you the feeling that it's an epic music for a major event; I like to imagine what I write and i feel like this song fits perfectly with it].
NOTE1bisbis: And holy hell! In a matter of days I'll be breaking the 1,000 followers milestone. Thank you for reading my story, everybody! I find joy in the fact that you're entertained by reading my story. It's all a writer in his spare time like me can hope for. Cheers! Alright, this was the last author note at the start. Off you go! Read the new chapter.
Chapter 17: Pax Humana I
"The Batarian Hegemony is deeply saddened by the new arrivals' attitude towards our people. We have done nothing to anger them, like the Council did in its crusade against the Quarians. As my government's voice on the Citadel, I extend a warning to this Alliance that the Hegemony is not to be trifled with. They don't understand our cultural values and it should be left at that. Instead, they are spreading lies about slavers and pirate gangs being sponsored by the Hegemony."
(Ambassador Jath'Amon's reaction to the conclusion of the peace talks)
Citadel News Network
Galaxy Today
"Good evening! And welcome to the special edition of Galaxy Today, the talk show where we discuss the latest events. And Goddess be damned if we don't have a lot to talk about and share with you," the Asari presenter spoke. "If you've been living under a rock, then this is the moment to pay attention. Because tonight, I, Helesna Arteios, along with our special guests, we will tell you everything you need to know."
The famous Galaxy Today show is known across Citadel and Terminus space for the debates it hosts. Many watch it for the different opinions regarding different events in the economic, social, political or military arena.
"This evening we have Veltoria Gairian – doctor in Turian and galactic history, she teaches history and political history at the prestigious Citadel University; Eyate Haen – reporter for Rakhana Continuum on the Citadel and a regular appearance here at Galaxy Today; and on live call from Palaven is Flavian Castis Vakarian – military and political advisor to Primarch Fedorian at Palaven Command," Helesna introduced the other people. "Thank you for accepting our invitation, especially you mister Vakarian. It is not every day that the Hierarchy is willing to participate in our talks."
"Greetings. Indeed, it's not often. But today is not every day," Flavian's holographic image spoke. The Turian Hierarchy knows the importance of maintaining a good image with the masses and answering questions when needed. After the PR disaster that was the Shanxi Campaign, the Terran Blitz, and the subsequent load of accusations made by the Alliance and the Quarians, it would be a very bad idea not to get involved a bit with the press.
"The busiest and most important day in galactic history," Veltoria remarked. "A great shift on the geopolitical scene."
"Yes, with the Human Systems Alliance's appearance and shocking refusal of joining the Citadel community… I believe this is only the first of many shocking news," Eyate said.
"Let's recap the terms of the peace treaty signed this morning," Helesna said. "First of all, the Humans and Quarians will not be signatories of the Citadel Charters but they get an embassy – or a diplomatic post as the Council calls it. Then the Turian Hierarchy has offered a public apology and will pay reparations to both parties, although the costs will be split between the Hierarchy, the Union, and the Republics. The Krogan DMZ is now under both Alliance and Council supervision, a new DMZ between the colony of Magna and Relay 314… To be honest, I don't even know what to begin with…"
"Let us begin with their refusal to join the Citadel," Eyate suggested. "The reason cited gives us reason to once more review the Council's actions."
"What do you mean?" the presenter asked.
"Well, their president does have a good point when it comes to the Hegemony. Somebody is buying those slaves. The slavers are raiding ships and population centers to earn money by selling the kidnaped individuals into slavery. It's basic economy: if there is demand for it, then there will be an offer. And the Hegemony is the largest slave owner in the galaxy, shortly followed by the Terminus warlords and the Illium 'legal slavery'," the Drell explained.
"Do you believe the Hegemony is backing those gangs?" Helesna asked.
"Yes, I do. I always believed that. And Terminus warlords too."
"With this attitude of the Alliance towards the Hegemony I would not be surprised if the two races clash in battle," Veltoria said.
"How so?"
"If you look at the sector of space claimed by the Systems Alliance you will immediately see why. Humanity has the Hierarchy and the Union on one side, the intergalactic void and the Hegemony on the other. In simple words, it's sandwiched between Citadel affiliated races. Their only option of major expansion is into the Traverse and the Skyllian Verge. The Verge is 60% within their borders while the Hegemony laid claims on it for future colonization," the doctor explained.
While the Alliance doesn't have any colony deep in the Attican Traverse, they claimed 30% of the Traverse as within their borders during the Citadel peace negotiations. Most of that space sports small mining outposts, exploration outposts, or deep space listening outposts. It was a strategy of aggressive expansion – grab as much land as possible and exploit it while the population centers are safe deep in Alliance space. The growing industrial juggernaut Humanity was shaping into wouldn't have been born if they didn't do this for the past 100 years of space exploration. The only colony at risk was Mindoir due to its proximity to the Verge and the presence of a Mass Relay in the system.
"So you're saying the Hegemony will fight the Alliance for control over the Verge?" Helesna questioned.
"It's a very plausible scenario. If the two fail to reach an agreement on local borders… a conflict will brew. Also, there's the fact that the Traverse is mostly unclaimed territory by the other races. It's crawling with smugglers, pirates, slavers, criminal syndicates, mercenary bands, everything that's in the Terminus will be found in the Traverse as well. The most prominent warlords are also exerting their influence along the Caleston Rift and Pylos Nebula. They resisted small scale Turian incursion in the area and they will resist the Alliance's expansion into the Traverse."
"What is Hierarchy's opinion on this, mister Vakarian? Would the Turian military intervene if a war started between the Alliance and the Hegemony?"
"Common sense dictates the following: if the two species didn't make contact for a hundred years in that sector, then it is unlikely that they will have major issues in the Skyllian Verge. 60% of the Verge lies within Human borders while 100% within Batarian claimed space. We will promote a policy of peaceful resolution to conflicts, but we'll step in if the situation demands it," Flavian explained mostly in a manner that didn't commit to either side. "As for the Attican Traverse, the Hierarchy's been pushing for a pacification of the region for many years. The Council's concerns regarding galactic security have stalled our plans. If we could secure and fortify the Pylos Nebula, Phoenix Massing, Caleston Rift and Ninmah Cluster, the Traverse would be open to colonization. Now it's a race between the Citadel and the Humans to seize control of the Traverse."
"Humans seem to hate slavery with a passion. I don't know what historical precedence this hate is based on, but I know that it can push them to violently take over the Traverse and the Verge. It would be a good casus belli and rallying cause for both their species and Citadel affiliated species to assert civilization's influence there. Mind you, it will be Human civilization, not Citadel civilization," Veltoria said.
"They have proven to be very good at gathering popular support for their cause," Eyate stated. "The public declaration of war on every possible channel was as much a PR maneuver as it was a formal acknowledgment of hostilities. I'd be lying if I said few rose up in protest against the Council for starting the war. It's not even a month since the violent protests have come to a halt when Councilor Tevos announced the ceasefire."
"Back to the Council, Representative Koris said that the Council is too morally corrupt to present itself as a trustworthy partner. What's your take on this?"
"With such a big galaxy as ours it is very hard to see everything in black and white. There are grey zones as well. The so vehemently debated status of the SPECTREs… again, they're there to make sure the peace is kept. I admit, their freedom to act should be cut down a bit, their activities under thorough supervision. But the SPECTREs are the Council's solution to the problem of overlapping jurisdictions in each species' space," Eyate explained. "A flawed system, but a working one. And it's effective."
"I have to disagree with you, miss Haen," Flavian said. "Personally, I find the SPECTREs a disaster waiting to happen. And recent history only strengthened that opinion. Take Tela Vasir for instance. If the Alliance is to be believed, she commanded 300 Eclipse mercenaries into slaughtering Human civilians and soldiers who had surrendered. The Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance was founded to conduct surgical strikes against the Krogans previous to, and during, the Rebellions. Now they're above the law and can do as they please. That doesn't sit well with me. I applaud the Alliance for its policy of cooperation instead of free hand for the SPECTRE agents. And I mean, what do you do if you are innocent but a SPECTRE must kill you? Do you just stand there and take it? Is self defense illegal in this case?"
"I have to agree with miss Haen on this one, mister Vakarian," Helesna said. "Equal representation on the Council for every race that's part of the Citadel. Do you believe we're going to see a change here?"
"Highly unlikely," Veltoria said. "To hold a seat on the Council, a race must be able to significantly contribute to the galaxy. And beside the Turian Hierarchy, the Asari Republics, the Salarian Union and the Vol Protectorate, no other faction is able to contribute in any meaningful way. The Volus are keeping the economy flowing like a charm, even if they lack in other fields. The Hegemony, Courts of Dekuuna and the Illuminated Primacy are too restricted resourceful wise by the Council's policy of not opening Mass Relays."
"Yet the Council itself sanctioned the expedition to open Relay 314," Eyate commented.
"The point is that without any expansion the associate races will remain that way. The Asari and the Salarians are this big because they had been exploring the galaxy and opening Relays left and right while other species were merely taking their first steps outside of their homeworld's atmosphere. The Turians might have been a later arrival, but the Hierarchy's rapid expansion from the Apien Crest to their sector of the galaxy gave them access to the resources required to build their militaristic empire. Without those resources I doubt they would have had the means to keep the war effort against the Krogans going," Veltoria stated.
"So you're saying the Council is directly responsible? They locked the galaxy in a …deadlock?" asked Helesna.
"Yes. And with the continued delay of expanding into the Traverse… it will remain that way."
"I find it interesting that the Council allowed the Alliance to open an embassy on the Citadel, on the Presidium no less," the presenter said. "Well, they formulated it as 'a diplomatic post', but it is an embassy for all intents and purposes. How do you see this?"
"Perfectly reasonable. The embassy is not bound by the Citadel's Charters. It is a means to keep official diplomatic channels open with their governments. As expected, they offered us to open an embassy on one of their stations," Flavian said his part.
"Yes, but from what I hear that station's location is classified. Transportation of staff and goods is made through Alliance ships under strict supervision," Eyate said. "I can't help but criticize this policy. It doesn't make me, as a citizen under the protection of the Council they were at war with, feel any better. If anything, it makes me doubt their desire for peace."
"Well, they aren't confined by Mass Effect technology, by Mass Relays. While I doubt they don't have a Mass Relay in their home cluster as they said they found Prothean ruins on their neighbor planet, this station they speak of may be unreachable by conventional FTL. And the Humans are not keen on disclosing their alternative FTL," Veltoria said. "Of course, this revelations opens and nullifies many military strategies the Citadel affiliates employ."
"Does the Council and, most importantly, the Hierarchy have contingency plans?" Helesna asked Flavian. "If another war breaks out, then no place is safe."
"We are taking every possibility into account as we devise new strategies to counter this new threat. We are not sitting idly."
As expected, a noncommittal answer came from Flavian. If he was going to be honest with himself, the Hierarchy's only strategy at this moment was to hold up strategic locations while a powerful joint fleet would smash its way through Shanxi into Alliance space. A very risky strategy. One destined to fail if no Mass Relay leads from Shanxi's cluster to the heart of Alliance space. It is the equivalent of charging blindly into a dark cave with varrens. The strategy also calls for a logistic fleet to accompany the battle fleet since supply lines would be either under constant attack or inexistent.
Without proper reconnaissance it would end up like the Battle of Teutoburg Forest where three legions under the command of Publius Quinctilius Varus have been annihilated by Germanic tribes under Arminius' command. The Romans deviated from their original path and went deeper and deeper into the unknown forest. On the polar opposite, the Germanic tribes were very familiar with the area and pounded the Romans with impunity. It is said that upon hearing of the defeat, Emperor Augustus was so shaken that he was butting his head against the palace walls and kept saying "Quintilius Varus, give me back my legions!"
"Noncommittal answer on your part, mister Vakarian," Helesna commented. "What of the Krogan situation? Urdnot Wrex's intervention at the negotiations changed everything dramatically. How is the Hierarchy and, by extension, the Council responding to this?"
"The Krogan situation is special. It is a humanitarian joint endeavor."
"If by humanitarian endeavor you mean giving up significant influence over Aralakh System to the Alliance and possibly risk a second Krogan rebellion if they cure the genophage…" Eyate said.
"Those are unfounded accusations, miss Haen. The Council agrees with the fact that the Krogan situation was a mistake and there were plans to start an education and relief program. The Alliance merely accelerated that plan. It is fortunate that Urdnot Wrex is willing to collaborate on the matter since he was the one to propose it," Flavian explained.
"And the military presence in the Aralakh System? One might argue that the Alliance is setting up an advanced base just 10,000 LY from the Citadel," Veltoria questioned.
"You are well familiar with the history between the Hierarchy and the Krogans. They don't trust us. Would they have simply accepted aid from those who neutered them?" Flavian questioned. "Humanity, while rather new to the galactic scene, is a neutral party and offered to help. Officially, Tuchanka is under the supervision of both Hierarchy and Alliance naval forces. Both parties have an interest in Clan Urdnot's success in uniting the Krogan clans. A united Krogan race, while also a terrifying idea to most, is also a new trading partner with potential for much more than that. So no, the Humans are not setting up advanced operating bases. We are correcting a mistake left untreated for nearly a thousand years."
"What about the imports of military vehicles and weapons? About the import of resources normally used to build vehicles suited for ground combat? What about the increasing militarization of Clan Urdnot and allied clans?" Eyate questioned. "Urdnot Wrex said yesterday that he only wants peace and for his people to rebuild. Is there any guarantee that they won't attempt to take revenge after rebuilding? Krogan lifespan is long and their memory longer."
"They simply don't have the manpower to start a war with the galaxy," Veltoria remarked. "They don't have any starships. An army without starships to deploy them are target practice for orbital guns. Then there is the conflict with hostile clans."
"Orbital bombardment has been banned," Helesna pointed out.
"Only with dreadnought and cruiser scale cannons. Frigates can still shoot targets groundside," Veltoria clarified. "I should know. It was the Hierarchy that proposed and enforced that law after the Krogan Rebellions."
"So what should we expect in the upcoming years from this rather… curious partnership going on with Tuchanka as its focus?"
"I'm expecting a conflict to brew in the midst of Citadel space," Eyate said. "With a united Krogan race, the standing powers will be challenged again. With Humanity as a new power on the scene and with their support, the Krogans will start a conflict one way or another. If my memory serves me right, Wrex was spreading rumors of a threat to the whole galaxy."
"A threat to the galaxy?"
"Yes. And he was not the only one. SPECTRE Nihlus Kryik and a certain Asari mercenary claimed they encountered and fought off a Collector incursion in known space," Eyate answered. "I don't know how much is real and how much is story. Little to no information flows to me or my sources from the Terminus, especially Omega. But I doubt there is a threat to the galaxy."
"Ah! I remember now what you're saying. The people were in a frenzy with their story," Helesna said as the memory came forward in her mind. She turned to Flavian's image. "I remembered the big fuss it created. SPECTRE Kryik, at the time Lieutenant Kryik, came forward with Wrex and a mercenary aboard a commandeered mercenary transport ship after the patrol group he was assigned to went missing. He was the one to first bring it up. Was the Hierarchy able to uncover further details since then?"
"Unfortunately, after these many years, we did not. The fate of the unaccounted crewmembers is still unknown. The perpetrators of the attack are still unknown, but presumed to be Geth since the patrol was close to the Perseus Veil. But the possibility of them being Collectors are too slim since the survivor didn't bring back any proof, video or audio."
"It shouldn't be too surprising that resistance was met along the Terminus border. It's not the first time Hierarchy ships came under fire there. It is worrisome either way, be the perpetrators Geth or any other faction. For them to attack a patrol group of the Hierarchy and completely destroy it… they are bold and have a plan. No other attack came close to such a defeat for us. Furthermore, it pushed the Council to pass a motion that restricted Turian patrols back to the Traverse," Veltoria said.
"Yet again, it's the Council that held back the Hierarchy when it was obvious that large scale operations should have been initiated in the area," Flavian commented.
"You don't hold the Council in high esteem, mister Vakarian," Helesna remarked.
"Indeed, I do not. I praise them for promoting peace and collaboration between so many different cultures and races. But there are times when the Council should let the Hierarchy do its job and help along the way. Instead of hindering us… I hope that with the recent events they will come around."
'Politicians be damned' Flavian thought. It's all good when the political class is in accord with the military, but when they are actively hindering the military and avoid dealing with the major issues just because it doesn't sit right with their views is more than irritating. Even more irritating is that Sparatus, unlike the overwhelming majority of its predecessors, was against Turian investigative and punitive operations in the Traverse and Terminus.
"However, back to the topic at hand, the Hierarchy expects the Krogans to form a civilization once more and, with some education, become a new power, albeit a minor one, and a trading partner to the galaxy. We are aware of the possibility of war in the future. Hopefully Wrex will stay true to his word and so will his people. The Hierarchy has no desire for war with them. Securing Citadel space against possible future Human aggression and the Traverse border takes priority. The Human Systems Alliance and Quarian Republic are expected to engage in cordial relations with us and develop friendly ties."
"Indeed a great shift in the order of the galaxy," Eyate chimed in. "On a social level, we will see what ideas and traditions we will import from the Humans. What cuisine and entertainment. As usual, the galaxy will be in a hype to study them, but that enthusiasm will die after a few short years as it happened many times. I'm very curious to read on their history, see how they came to be the people they are today. Also, due to similarities, I expect some Asari maidens and matrons to take an interest in them."
"They might have great success in the VI sector of Citadel economy. Considering they were able to create AIs, I wouldn't be surprised if they have the means and understanding to create much more advanced and efficient civilian VIs for export. That might be their forte," Veltoria added.
"All in all it is shaping out to be a very interesting near future," the presenter said. "Thank you for being with us this evening. Coming up next on Galaxy Today, we will discuss about the upcoming welcoming ceremony for Humanity. Shortly after a commercial break."
Citadel, Zakera Ward
Grand Citadel Arena
The Grand Citadel Arena was built centuries ago by the Asari as a place of culture for the galaxy's people. Cultural festivities and games are held here. This is where every race that joined the galactic community came to hold a festival or attend the regular ones. Today it was Humanity's turn to give the galaxy a show. Even if they weren't part of the Citadel, the Alliance didn't want to cut all ties with the aliens.
The central open area was bustling with Alliance technicians. They were finishing setting up large holographic projectors for the video introduction. Small stands were already prepared around. Then there were the thousands of seats set up like a football stadium. The Grand Citadel Arena was truly a huge place. It could easily fit 100,000 people only in the seats reserved for the public. Maybe half more the numbers can be accommodated in the remaining space.
In the oh so expensive VIP stand, the most prominent public political figures of the galaxy were taking their seats. President Kevin Montgomery and Ambassador Anita Goyle of the Human Systems Alliance, Representative Zaal'Koris and Ambassador Rael Zorah of the Quarian Republic, Councilor Tevos Belsari and Ambassador Irissa Myrais of the Asari Republics, Councilor Valern Haelon of the Salarian Union, and Councilor Tavus Sparatus, Ambassador Octavius Quentius and Primarch Tiberius Fedorian of the Turian Hierarchy.
Other less prominent figures such as Ambassadors Din Korlack of the Vol Protectorate, Talin Kaldun of the Courts of Dekuuna, Zymandis Bethla of the Illuminated Primacy and Urdnot Wrex were also in the VIP stand. Other rich or important people lucky enough to book a seat there, Lidanya, Benezia and Liara among them.
Liara T'Soni wouldn't be considered anything more than your average Joe Asari maiden at a first glance. Yes, she's more beautiful than any regular Asari, but that doesn't matter in the eyes of the big shots. More than that, she's the laughing stock of the academic circles in Citadel space. Her theories on the Protheans' disappearance were met with open hostility and she was ridiculed. But that was about to change soon. If what the AI named Alan said at the open session of the peace talks was anything to go by then she might be the one to laugh in the end.
She returned to Thessia shortly after the ceasefire. Liara didn't know about the short war until its closing days when a communiqué was intercepted by their long range communication systems. She was on an archaeological expedition with a team of students and teachers from prestigious Asari universities. It came across as a shock for the members of the expedition that the Republics were at war with a new species.
The intercepted messages painted a dire picture – the Republics' military was in disarray. The matriarchs of Unified Fleet Command were bickering with each other, more concerned about who will have more political influence at the end of the conflict and who will be charged as guilty for the situation. Liara had spent enough time around her mother to read things like that through the lines.
The naval forces are the only part of the armed forces that respond to a centralized command structure. Each republic has its own local tiny militia. Tiny if compared to Turian, Human or Batarian militias. The better trained troops of the Republics are the commandos, and most of those answer to individual houses.
When they packed their stuff and left, Liara and her colleagues stopped at the colony of Lessus. From there her mother booked a VIP flight to the Citadel for her where she is now. She wasn't on the best of terms with Benezia, but she was her mother in the end and Liara knew that she only the best intentions at heart for her child. And this festivity was more than enough reason to accept the invitation.
"What do you think of the Humans, Little Wing?" Benezia's voice retrieved Liara's attention.
She blinked once. "Not much. I'm very curious. They confirm once more our theory that only bipedal races reach this level of development, bar the Hanar and Elcor. The physiologic similarities are astounding to say the least. They resemble us in every way. Their females, at least. Who's to say that they aren't part of the solution to the missing link in our evolution?" she asked Benezia.
Benezia half sighed and half smiled. Liara could get too professional sometimes. "How do you feel about them as a whole?"
"That's a difficult question, mother," Liara said. "But… so far… I am scared. Genuinely scared. Maybe because the first news we received in a month was about this new species that came out of the Traverse and attacked the Council in a punitive act of violence. During our short stay on Lessus the only images I've seen were depicting the devastation they left behind their attacks… but I see great potential."
"Potential?"
"I… have this feeling, mother. I've seen their faces and how they acted with us here. They… they want to make friends. Very wary friends."
Benezia looked at Liara's young face in contemplation. "Maybe you are right, my dear…" she muttered more to herself. Seeing Liara like this made her remember that there are other ways to see the world, other than constant maneuvering and planning most matriarchs were so fond of. Benezia herself was guilty of looking for ways to engage in trade with the Alliance through House T'Soni's economic empire. But a curious maiden's innocence is most valuable. It helps them see the world in a way only children can – with hope and full of adventure.
Liara's attention was caught by a Turian taking a seat to her right. She looked at him without recognizing him. The Turian was wearing black and brown clothes. His face plates were a dark brown color with white traditional painting. Looked like a Palavanic style of tattoo. His blue eyes analyzed her for a second. It almost looked like he was trying to asses her threat level. The Turian flashed her the Turian equivalent of a smile and a simple head nod before darkness reigned in the arena.
The lights died until the arena was sunk in darkness. Then the central projectors came to life. Liara's eyes shot up. 'It begins…' she thought with excitement. The first image shown by the projection was a black screen. The first words spoken by a male Human voice were "The Alliance Ministry of Culture presents… a brief history of Humanity."
The whole arena was silent. They were watching intently. The first image they were treated to was Earth's night sky. The moon wasn't shining on the sky. Instead, it was the stars that adorned the heavens in their infinite beauty. A group of what resembled humans sat around a large campfire. They were hairier and looked dirty at a closer inspection. They had wooden and stone spears within arms' reach. A gutted animal was on the premises as well, its meat being cooked. Most of the audience, Liara especially, recognized them as primitive Humans. Hunter-gatherers.
"You may be wondering what this group of hunters is doing. What they are. They are Humans. They are my ancestors, born on a continent named Africa, on a rather unremarkable planet called Terra,"the narrator spoke. A young member of the group got focused by the camera. His attention was dedicated to the night sky. "And, like every species present here, our destiny was much greater than hunting and fending off other predators."
The image shifted back towards the skies. It changed from night to a hot desert day. The next thing the spectators were treated to was an army of Egyptian workers building a pyramid. A violin play started as well.
"We've built many structures in Antiquity," the narrator said. Liara watched in amazement as the Great Pyramid of Giza rose up to the heavens as it was being built in a timelapse. "The Great Pyramid of Giza."
Then the image shifted to show a huge male figure wearing a golden toga, a figure whose power seemed infinite. The throne was huge as well, compared to the Humans who were put in there as a reference. "Zeus of Olympia."
Another gigantic statue took shape in the form of "The Colossus of Rhodes," as the image changed once more. The young archaeologist was impressed by the grandeur these Humans instilled in their creations. Then the "Temple of Artemis" followed. The rendition of the original white architecture was very beautiful.
Then the harmony of the violin fell silent. A blank screen. Everyone was eager for more, waiting for this dramatic pause to pass. "We've built great nations in our history, forged empires. But, if there was something that followed us everywhere in time and space, it was conflict. Human history is rich in battles and conflict. It's what forged and destroyed superpowers."
Something Liara thought the Turians could relate to all too well. So far, Turian history is second to the Krogans when it comes to conflict, followed up by the Drell, Batarians, Salarians and Asari. She was curious what place in this unfortunate hierarchy Humanity would claim. Not a leading place she hoped.
At first, Liara was curious to see the Drell on the third place on this list, but one should also remember that the members of the Drell species were very prone to conflict. That, coupled with an uncontrolled and violent industrial revolution, changed Rakhana's climate so much that the planet couldn't support its native population. This sent the Drell nations of Rakhana on a path of war for resources, especially for water. The species survived only because the Hanar came across their homeworld and evacuated as many as possible. Billions died since then. Today, it is considered that either every Drell on Rakhana died, or the population is so low that they won't be able to rebuild their civilization there.
Batarians mostly fought each other once the caste system was established on Khar'Shan – that means since times ancient. Warlords and influential personalities conducted raids against each other at first. Then, once regional powers started to take shape, those fought each other for resources such as manual labor (slaves) and riches. While technology evolved, most of Khar'Shan's inhabitants failed to develop advanced automated production lines, thus further justifying the use of slave labor. This only improved with the development of early space flight. Since then, most slaves do the most hazardous jobs and the Hegemony had to put down countless rebellions and uprisings.
And, as much as Liara wanted it not to, the Asari were still on the list. Although on the lower end of the list, but they were still there. Thessia's nation states and powerful houses had many a bone to pick with each other in the past. The Asari fought few wars and most of those were small in scale. They were mostly on par with Ancient Greek's wars between city states. A mix of ancient and medieval. To put things into perspective, the largest war of the Asari – the Muraria Coalition War in which the grand city state of Muraria under the leadership of the charismatic and militarist Matriarch Ardat Caeri fell after a lengthy war to a coalition lead by Armali and gave way for the latter to rise as the dominant power – comes close to the American Civil War in terms of total casualties.
The blank screen faded and gave way to a clear, sunny sky. Cheers took the place of silence. A man wearing a very intricate piece of armor on his torso and a laurel wreath on his head with a stern face was looking down from the balcony. Flanking him were other Human males in what Liara guessed exquisite clothing if the colors and models on them were any indication. The screen moved and showed large crowds of people along the sidelines of a broad street. Hundreds of men wearing steel helmets, segmented armor covering their upper body – the lorica segmentata, and red shields in their left hands. They marched orderly, banners and standards held high with pride.
"The Roman Empire thrived on its conquests two millennia ago. Its legions were the most disciplined and well trained military of Antiquity. But, like every empire, it must conquer to survive."
The very same soldiers were now marching in a thick forest. The terrain was rough and the men looked battered, tired and dirty. Night was setting on the forest. The marching line was thin and stretched. Fear was plastered on their faces. Then, from the sloped flanks of the trail they were walking on, silhouettes appeared and attacked them. Liara watched with horror how the soldier clad in steel armor with red clothing underneath got slaughtered by their attackers. She got to see an extremely short rendition of the Battle of Teutoburg Forest.
"The Roman Empire as most Humans know it crumbled few hundred years later. What followed was called the 'Dark Ages', or the 'Medieval Era' defined by constant territorial struggles between royal families and religions."
The spectators were now treated to a scene representing Sobieski's charge during the Battle of Vienna, 1683 AD, as a symbol of the struggle between religious ideologies that dominated Europe and Middle East. Liara watched with great interest as the Polish hussars smashed into the Ottoman lines. Spear heads were stuck in armored Humans as they lay dead on the grass. Horses were wounded and were falling, their riders biting the dust. Fedorian was fascinated by the battle scenes. Leave it to a Turian to find entertainment in death. The depicted battle scene was true to the reality. Everything seemed way too real.
"But we didn't spend all the time fighting. The age of colonization was the first step towards a global civilization. European powers colonized North America, South America, Central America, Africa, Australia and islands in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Like our ancestors, we spread out once more into the world."
Great sailing ships took the place of bloody steel cashing battle. Huge masts were rising to the skies from the deck. The ships' sails propelled the mighty wooden constructs on the ocean with the help of the wind. It was mostly a timelapse that depicted Europeans traversing the Atlantic and settling the West Indies, the American coastline and Australia.
"The great nations thrived in the colonial and post colonial period. The colonies provided riches to the mother nations. But… for reasons differing from colonial nation to colonial nation, some colonies sought to gain their independence. This process was violent most times, and the mother nations would attempt to reassert influence. One such example is the American Revolution and the War of 1812."
Humans wearing red uniforms and three pointed hats were marching on an open field. They held what Fedorian guessed to be primitive rifles. They were marching in orderly formations. Eventually, they met the opposing force. They were in blue uniforms mostly. They leveled their rifles against each other and fired en masse. Massed formations weren't used on Palaven since they fought each other with swords and spears.
Smoke from the discharging rifles made it hard to distinguish anything or anyone. Liara expected to see the same formations, but she was surprised to see an endless body of water take the screen. Two large sailing ships were sailing by each other. One was smaller. The smaller had the British flag, the larger had raised the American flag. They opened fire almost at the same time. The air between the two ships filled with smoke as the two blasted at each other's broadside with lightning and thunderous cannon fire. Wooden shards were flying all around. One ship seemed to take light damage while the other was being penetrated by the cannon balls. The deck crews were also firing at each other with muskets. It was the engagement between HMS Guerriere and USS Constitution, or Old Ironsides as she was nicknamed. It is said that an American sailor shouted "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!" during the battle, the frigate shrugging off British fire due to the hull's composition.
The present Turians didn't like the idea of fighting on water. They have a very bad relationship with water. Turians are not made to swim, thus drowning frequently. But nobody could deny the fact that this scene, these ships, had something majestic to themselves.
"War evolved with Humanity. As we made new discoveries and improved our lives with technology, so did we improve weapons. The greatest killing in Human history culminated with World War One…"
'World War One? There were more than one?' Liara asked herself. That was extremely unnerving for her and most of those present, save for Wrex and the Turians. Fedorian and Quentius looked a bit distressed at first. They saw images from the harsh Western Front and the Balkan campaigns. It was utterly brutal. The conditions were miserable. It was a static war predominantly.
"…and World War Two."
Now came the real treat for any war movie enthusiast. The opening scene was a dogfight from the Battle of Britain. A Spitfire fighter was engaging a Messerschmitt in furious maneuvers and cannon bursts. The planes were manned by a Human pilot they could see through the canopy. Fedorian paid close attention. This could give him significant insight into Human military doctrine. After all, they love their fighters and bombers if the Blitz was any hint. The Spitfire was eventually shot down by the Messerschmitt, hit the water surface and sank to the bottom of the English Channel.
"Perhaps the most defining conflict in Human history, the Second World War propelled our species into a technologic race. The technologies and discoveries made during this period still serve the Human species to this day."
Then a Japanese Aichi D3A "Val" with a white paint job and a red circle seemed to phase into reality. The plane was in a dive. It released an object from its belly before pulling up. Any person with common sense recognized it as a bomb. Liara's eyes followed the explosive as it raced towards the soil. It hit a big steel ship in the bow area. Then, like a huge firework show, the seemingly indestructible ship's bow exploded. The screen froze and changed to black and white. USS Arizona's demise was seen by the galaxy as it was seen by those who were there on the Attack on Pearl Harbor.
Then, a night battle followed. Fedorian's eyes could make the silhouette of a large vessel on the night ocean surface. Then light filled the darkness as the massive 16 inch cannons of a Human surface vessel opened fire. The ship was truly enormous in Fedorian's opinion. His people never built large sea faring vessels. They avoided bodies of water. Humans on the other hand, they built them huge to sail Earth's oceans. They were second only to the Hanar when it came to ships capable of going underwater or on water. Fedorian did not know, but he was watching the USS Washington, a North Carolina class battleship, engaging in battle the IJN Kirishima in the naval battle of Guadalcanal. Then, Midway. Aircraft carriers launched planes and attacked each other.
The next black and white picture was that of a boxy machine coming to life, color filling the animation. It moved on an open field. Its cannon fired at something in the distance. The camera followed the shell until it hit another steel construct, penetrated the armor and exploded inside. It was the tank battle, Battle of Kursk. Fedorian recognized the machine as a tank, the human variant anyway. Its contemporary evolution, the Apocalypse main battle tank, gave his 27th Legion hell on Shanxi.
Then, a huge explosion. Intense light obscured everything. Once the light started to fade, the viewers could see that the scene changed once again. From a point of view that was kilometers away, they could see the distinct mushroom shaped cloud left behind a nuclear device's explosion.
"We created the atomic bomb as a means to stop war, to save lives."
'How can you create the most feared type of weapon in the galaxy to save lives? One of these things is enough kill tens of millions in the blink of an eye,' Liara mentally asked herself.
"The use of two of these bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shortened the war significantly. We like to believe that the killing of 200,000 saved the lives of millions. But, however we try to justify it, the deployment of nuclear weapons against civilians is not justifiable. It was the means to an end."
The message was visible for all to read. Humans would not shy from using nuclear weapons, as it was seen during the Blitz, if they concluded the tactical and strategic gains were worth the damage dealt to the biosphere of a planet. Exercise restraint, but don't be afraid to use them. It was a message the officials understood and took note of.
"What followed is what we call the Long Peace, but also the Cold War at the same time. It was a rivalry between Earth's superpowers at the time – the Soviet Union and the United States of America. A rivalry that propelled Humanity to the stars."
The launch of the Saturn V rocket was shown to the aliens next. It was original footage. The rocket that carried Apollo 11 took to the skies. Then, the landing of Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong on the surface of the Moon – or Luna as it was nicknamed.
"That's one small step for man, a giant leap for mankind," Neil Armstrong's words resonated as original footage of the first Moon landing was shown. This was truly a moment of great achievement for any race. Moments passed, unspoken thoughts of respect going through the peoples' minds.
"In a matter of generations, we spread from Earth to the Moon, to Mars, to the Jovian Moons, to other stars," the narrator's voice returned.
Images of great cities were shown to the galaxy. Not from Earth, but from the colonies. Cities such as Bastion on Reach, Acropolis on Mars, Utgard and Tiara on Harvest, Constant on Eden Prime, Scott on Terra Nova, Discovery on Horizon, Pirth City on Arcadia, Noah on Ark, Port Hanshan on Noveria, Atmosia on Atmos, and Asgard on Valhalla.
"And, soon enough, meet the people we share the galaxy with."
A short scene with President Montgomery shaking hands with the former Quarian Admirals at the public dialogue at the Alliance Parliament in Brussels was presented to the viewers.
"This is a brief history of Humanity, a short glimpse into the Human Odyssey – a journey that stretches back for a few millions years, and, hopefully, many millions more into the future, now intertwining with the other great odysseys of the galaxy," the presentation ended with the last words of the narrator. Everybody was silent as the final words were spoken by synthetic voice.
"Brought to you by the Alliance Ministry of Culture. Made in cooperation with Cyber Spark and Digital Reality. Digital Reality – dive into the digital world!"
Thessia, Armali
Asari Unified Fleet Command HQ
The grand halls of the huge building that served as the headquarters for the Asari military high command equivalent saw a drop in personnel traffic. Ever since the waters started to calm down fewer and fewer officers from the colonies were frequenting the HQ for emergency meetings or meetings for strategic reevaluation. Only the highest ranking officers were dealing with that now.
But today was no day for meetings on how to more efficiently counter the galaxy's upstarts. Not a day for anything that was normal. Today was a day for a hearing, or, better said, for a trial. Multiple Asari flag officers were gathered in the grand central ceremonial chamber. They were seated at a large desk that overlooked the chamber.
In the center of the grand chamber Atelas Razea was flanked by two commandos. No chairs for them. She was just recently released by the Alliance at the Citadel along with the first batch of Asari prisoners. The matron had a really bad feeling about this. She barely got out of a series of furious interrogations – for debriefing is too kind a word – with Military Intelligence.
"Admiral Atelas Razea, you have been summoned today to answer for your actions at Relay 314 during the Human attack. Under your command, the entirety of the Asari – Salarian joint fleet was taken prisoner," a matriarch said. "Hundreds of ships, including the dreadnought Vestes Vatari, were captured by the Humans. Anyone who would think they didn't study the ships is stupid."
"Do you see what you did, Admiral?" another one asked. "You gave up, willingly and without a fight, military technology to, what was at the time, the enemy."
Atelas figured out immediately where they were taking this. "We were hailed by the Humans," she replied calmly. "Their AIs spread through our comm systems into our ships before we knew what was happening. Our ships had been disabled. The only system that was responding was life support. I wasn't going to throw away tens of thousands of lives and hundreds of ships when they offered surrender."
"Severe incompetence in the line of duty, criminal negligence of cyber and electronic warfare regulations and contingencies," the first matriarch said in a conclusive tone. "Your dreadnought was equipped with the most advanced cyber warfare suite, matron," she said, choosing the stage in life rather than rank. "The crew's incompetence falls on the commander's shoulders."
"So what would you have me do, then?" Atelas raised her voice.
"As per naval military doctrine when it comes to contact with a new species, you should have used a computer system that was not networked to the ship to initiate contact. According to the debriefing of some crewmembers, that did not happen. The end result was, as expected, tragic. Three hundred Republics and two hundred Union ships captured without effort by the enemy. All under your command, matron."
Atelas knew the verdict. She was being used as a scapegoat by the military. Perhaps her political leverage… but there was none of that left either. She lost all her political power when news reached Thessia that she presided over the greatest humiliation of the Asari military since the Rachni Wars. Tevos and the Armali Council were backing this hearing.
Tevos, the Asari councilor that asked her to command the fleet, saw potential and competence in her. Now she just wanted to save face and blame it all on the most obvious person responsible for the disaster. The one who was unable to stop the Human horde at Relay 314 despite the powerful fleet she commanded. Alas, the matriarchs higher in rank than her saw her as a threat to their position in the military. She was like a rising star previously to the war. Now, with the perfect excuse, she will be given as an example of failure. Her days in the Republics' military were numbered. Curse them all and the Humans who invented the AIs. Them and their Quarian buddies.
"Nothing to say in your defense?" they asked as her thoughts ran through the implications aforementioned.
"The ships will be returned along with the crews in the following month," the one charged with guilt felt the need to point out.
"And how long until we check them all for sabotage or infiltration? It will take months to perform thorough investigations. Months which will see the fleet and its dreadnought out of action. In a time when we need them ready for action at any given moment!"
"This is a mistake you're making," Atelas warned them.
"The mistake was to assign you command of the fleet, matron! It is the decision of this board of the Unified Fleet Command that Admiral Atelas Razea, in light of severe incompetence and negligence of contingencies in face of the enemy, thus allowing the enemy to capture uncontested hundreds of warships and Asari technology, will be stripped of her rank and position in the Republics' naval forces, will no longer be able to claim any benefits for serving or having served in the military, and is banned from any command position in the naval forces."
Citadel, Presidium
Elcor Embassy
Ambassador Goyle walked through the large corridors of the Elcor Embassy on the Citadel. Due to their size, the hallways and doors had to be large enough to accommodate a constant flux of Elcor and individuals of other species. Goyle watched with amazement in her eyes how diverse the known galaxy was. Months ago Humanity was concerned about another large scale rebellion in the colonies. Now they are shaping the future of galactic politics among a dozen other races.
Two Alliance Marines were escorting her. They were part of the 200 strong company of Marines – 4th Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Security Guard Division – stationed at the embassy as security under the command of Captain Armando Owen Bailey. The 11th Marine Security Guard Division is tasked with protecting important Alliance locations throughout Alliance space and, most recently, alien space. The 12,000 strong division is headquartered at Arcturus Station where it boasts a strong presence, and its troops are deployed everywhere.
Eventually, she reached Ambassador Talin's office. The big Elcor welcomed her in his office and offered her to take a seat on the Asari made sofa his office was fitted with. She graciously sat down as her counterpart leaned back on his rear legs. After the formalities of greetings, they got to business.
"Genuine question, what brings you here, Ambassador Goyle?" he asked through his heavy, deep voice.
Goyle swept the few strands of her blonde hair behind her ear. "Ambassador, I come here with an offer on behalf of the Human Systems Alliance," she said with a gentle smile plastered on her face.
"Curious, what kind of offer?" Talin asked her.
"We are aware of the… injustice that's been made to your government. Your economy is already feeling the effects from the embargo put on you by the Council. And it will only get worse if you don't unlock the most important sector of your economy to trade."
"Hopeful, is the Human Alliance willing to buy metal ores and refined metal from the Courts of Dekuuna?" he asked in his monotone voice.
One interesting fact about the Elcor speech is how they prefix every phrase or proposition with how they feel about what they are going to say next. At first, the Elcor had a very hard time talking with the other races due to the their monotone voice not expressing any sort of feeling. This was a nuisance to other species. Elcor mostly conveyed feelings and moods through barely noticeable body language (to anyone not an Elcor). Thus, to circumvent this problem, they convened to express how they feel right at the start of the dialogue.
"Indeed, Ambassador. And not just any kind of deal. Metals are in high demand in the Alliance. Our industry's eating metal ores like you wouldn't believe. And, since our quite different technologic basis, we have an overabundance of element zero," Anita told him.
This bit of info filled Talin's heart with hope. After all he was appointed as the new ambassador due to his energetic and progressive style. The leading political class at home had great hopes that he will persuade the Council to revise the punishment and get some new trade deals going to unclog the cash flow. The Elcor were more than self sufficient and could face an embargo for generations, but it would spill disaster if they were to reenter the galactic market. Asari companies would buy their businesses at a price so low that it would be an insult, and thus, for almost zero cost, totally cripple their economic independence and make them totally dependent on the Republics' economy. Of course, after one of the major Eezo depots in the known galaxy was destroyed during the Terran Blitz, demand for the resource was at an all time. Its price grew with 9% since the raid on Parnitha. This was the time to sell Eezo.
"With great enjoyment, you are willing to trade Eezo for metals? It would negate the Council's embargo on the Courts. Cautious, it will also further strain our relations with the Citadel Council. They might reallocate Turian patrols from Elcor space to leave shipping lanes more vulnerable to pirate attacks."
"We are aware of your proximity to the Terminus Systems," Goyle said reassuringly. "With the adequate documents ratified, the Systems Alliance Navy can assign a few ships to escort merchant ships organized in convoys if piracy becomes an issue. I imagine ships filled with Eezo will attract some unwanted attention."
"Happy, we are grateful for your offer. What kind of metals are you interested in? We mostly focus on heavy metals used in the heavy metallurgic industry."
"That's exactly what we are interested in. We can establish a tonnage ratio for trade – metals for Eezo. This is on behalf of our government. We also hear that you place great value on the VI industry. Your people employ a wide range of VIs for a wide variety of activities. Would you be interested in a cooperation on that matter, Ambassador?" Goyle asked.
Talin hesitated for a moment. "Uncertain, Humanity created and has AIs in its society. Creation and usage of AIs is banned in Council space. It would give the Council reason to place further sanctions on us and probably mount a military intervention if they believe the AI situation degenerates into violence. Revolted, Asari and Salarian interests are to probably let us do just that so that they can reign us in."
Goyle was a bit taken by surprise. Sure, she got a similar vibe from the Asari and Salarians. Not so much from the Turians, save for Sparatus. Fedorian and his close entourage did seem the no nonsense and honest kind at the negotiations. But she had a feeling that everything Tevos and Irissa said with fake, centuries old trained smiles on their faces. Linron showed her hostility outright, no doubt there. She was wondering what game the Asari were playing against the Alliance.
"Nothing like that, Ambassador. There are the artificial Humans – Homo Artificialis, or Smart AI – and the Dumb AI. You can see them as very advanced VIs with no capabilities outside of their field of expertise. They can't learn much on their own. They can't have any complex cognitive process. Our version of a VI," she assured him.
"Curious, what would this cooperation entail?"
"You would have to talk to Cyber Spark for that, the leading company in synthetic development in Alliance space. They created the first Smart AI. I believe you've met him during the public negotiation. Cyber Spark approached the Government with hopes that we could come forth with an offer. As far as I was told, they are interested in joint technologic development of advanced VIs for the Elcor and Quarians. Maybe others if the market is interested."
Talin thought it over for a few moments before he agreed. "Hopeful, I will bring this to the elders of the Courts. Thank you, Ambassador Goyle. You saved our economy with the trade offer."
"It's my pleasure, Ambassador," Goyle said as she got up. "I shall bring the good news to my superiors. Lower level negotiations can establish the exact ratio for the trade agreement. Please, let us drink a glass," she suggested as the aide that was with her handed her a bottle of whiskey. "For our new found cooperation and friendship."
Earth, Australia
Queensland, Gold Coast
"Come on, Melinda! Where the hell did you put my keys?" Eddie asked as he was checking every pocket of his jeans.
"I didn't take them! You have your head up your arse more than you're willing to admit," the woman named Melinda, Eddie's girlfriend, answered from another room. "Did you check your work gear?"
Eddie opened the bag he took with him to work and took out the black pants, t-shirt and black cap. All of them had the company's logo on them in white. He checked the pockets of his work pants and found them in there.
"Found 'em! Thanks!" he shouted from the hallway and hurried to pack them back into the bag. "God dammit! I'll be late!"
Melinda came in the hallway. Her red-orange curly hair covered her shoulders. She was in nothing more than a pair of shorts, her breasts fully exposed. "Ed, why do you always have to take so much care of her and sisters?" she asked with a somewhat condescending tone.
"'Cause I promised her to take care of her sisters while she's away. And because she's my best friend. We've had this talk a few times, Mel. Don't start it again," he told her as he put his shoes on.
"Fine… but that doesn't mean I have to be totally okay with it. It's been more than 4 years since you've been helping her. When will we move together? Mom starts to give me shit on the matter…"
Eddie stood up after he put his shoes on and turned to look his girlfriend in the eyes. "Don't ask me to choose between you two, Mel. You know I can't. Alex is my childhood friend. Who do you think gave me half of those 16,000 credits I contributed with for your new apartment? Our apartment. She transferred me the money without second thought when it slipped off my tongue."
Melinda felt bad and it was visible on her face. "But… you never said-"
"That's because she told me not to. That was her helping me again. Helping us. I'm not leaving her and her sisters like that. They're barely 15 years old. I spoke to Alex. Once they finish high school we'll move together. I promise you. Until then, I have to keep an eye on them and help them," he assured her and gave her a kiss before leaving. "With her new salary she will be able to save enough in due time. Take care!"
Eddie descended down the stairs, left the apartment building and jumped into his car. Melinda watched his car gently lift off the ground and leave the parking lot. Her eyes followed his grey car speed away above the main road of the neighborhood.
Earth, Australia
Brisbane Airport
Alex watched out the window as the passenger aircraft she was in bled altitude and speed. Virgin Australia Flight 090480-2 was coming in to land at the Brisbane Airport from Hermes Station.
Hermes Station is a large space station in orbit of Earth that serves as the central node for civilian interplanetary travel. The station handles one million passengers a day. With Earth as the beating heart of Humanity, traffic is always high. Thousands of large aircraft ferry people from large airports to the station, and from the station to Humanity's colonies. And the other way around – from the colonies to Hermes Station, and from Hermes Station to Earth's largest airports.
With the war over, the Normandy was at dry dock at the Alliance Heavy Shipyards in the Eridani System, going through a few upgrades and tests. The other ships of her class will start construction by the end of the year. Every member of Fireteam Immortal, save for Shepard and Edi, used this opportunity to take a leave of a few days after a long period of work. Ashley went to visit her family on Reach. Kaidan, Alex and James flew together from Reach to Hermes Station where they parted ways for the time being. James was off to visit his uncle Emilio, booked a flight to Los Angeles International Airport. Kaidan went to see his parents and friends in Toronto, booked a flight to JFK International Airport and from there to Toronto. Alex had a ticket for Brisbane. Eddie would pick her up from the airport once she lands.
The aircraft's mass effect field greatly helped in its descent and landing. They landed with a gentle thud sound. Mass Effect technology was quite prevalent in civilian life, mainly in the transportation industry.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have successfully landed at Brisbane International Airport. Please stand by as we move to the debarkation zone," somebody announced over the PA system.
Alex put her Australian hat on her head as she checked her small bag for any missing items. Fortunately, there were no items missing. Her hat was an old school one, Australian style, dark brown of color with crocodile teeth attached in front on a snake leather belt. She takes her black leather jacket off the chair it was rested on for the length of the journey and wears it. After a few more minutes, the aircraft docked to the passenger unloading area. Everybody disembarked in an orderly manner.
At the check point, the overwhelming majority went for the regular check points. Alex and a few others checked in at the special declarations check point of the airport. There were four guards in light bullet proof vests, pistols on their hips. The man at the special declarations check point Alex had chosen seemed a bit bored. He perked up from his computer he used to pass the time and saw Alex.
"Good day, miss!" he greeted.
"Hello!" she greeted him in turn.
The man noticed the grey t-shirt under her black jacket had the logo of the Alliance Marines on the left side of the chest. The letters SAMC were written in white below the logo. Then he had another look at her face. The tall young woman had subtle scars on her face.
"You're with the military, miss?" he asked.
"Yes, Alliance Marine Corps," she replied, purposefully leaving out the 'N7 Special Forces' part. She was looking for the credentials in one of her bag's pockets.
"From the war with the aliens?"
"Aye. Got even a few reminders from it," she gestured to her left eye. The man recognized it as a cybernetic eye and was startled when he noticed the way it was scoping in on him.
"Jesus! Don't do that, miss…" he said. "So, anything to declare?"
"A pistol," Alex pulled out a pistol from the holster attached to her right side and put it on the metal table for the airport employee to analyze it. She handed him a paper and a chip with the papers in digital form to prove she owns the gun legally. Gun ownership in the Alliance was pretty wide spread. Mostly military people and law enforcement owned private firearms. The magnetic acceleration series of firearms are pretty expensive and a few private owners have them. The population was still sporting firearms based on chemical propellants to fire the ammo.
He inserted the chip into the reader and checked it with the real paper for any differences that might prove they're forged, although he got confirmation from Australia Law Enforcement that they were legit.
"M1911 Classic 200 Year Anniversary, manufactured by Colt, chambered for the .45 ACP" he read and let out a soft whistle as he linked the model with the price. "Those were expensive as hell. Where did you get one?"
Alex smiled. "My uncle bought it when he was 30 from a former Alliance Army mate. He was military too. Passed it down to me when he died," she replied.
He smiled as he handed her the gun and documents. "Beautiful piece that one. I'm more of a Hahne Kedar guy. I like the old, but these element zero based guns are interesting. Anyways, welcome back home, miss! And thank you for your service!" he told her and allowed passage.
She threw the bag over her shoulder and walked to the commercial area. She called Eddie to ask him where he is, but he was still driving. He'd be late 10 minutes. A beef sandwich with some vegetables would do just well to sate her appetite while she's waiting for Eddie.
She took a seat at a table for two people. The gun was in its holster, strapped to her t-shirt with belts, hidden by the jacket. The bag was on the second chair, on the opposite side of the table from her. She unwrapped the sandwich from the paper it was served in and took a bite. The flavor of the bun, seasoned and grilled beef, salad and pickles filled her tongue's taste buds.
To the larger table for four people on her left a family of three was eating as well. Mother, father and child. The kid, a boy who didn't look older than five, found more enjoyment in analyzing the meat in his food than consuming it.
"Mommy, where does meat come from?" he asked. 'God bless the kids' curiosity,' Alex thought.
"From the animals, my dear," his mother answered.
"They sell meat? Like- like a shop?" the child asked another question.
"No, kiddo," this time his father said. "Meat is the animal itself."
"Are we killing them to eat them?"
"It's called hunting, son," the father explained. "You have to eat to live."
"Why do we have to kill other animals?"
"Because that's how nature works. You hunt and you eat, or you starve and get eaten," the father explains and masquerades as a lion trying to bite him. The kid laughs it off and starts eating from his small meal.
Alex thought of what the man just said. 'You hunt and eat, or you starve and get eaten.' Humans have become the top predator on Earth because of our large brains. We evolved to use tools and hunt. We developed art – the foundation of civilization – and, soon enough, a global spanning civilization. We, from tree climbing and savannah striding apes, to cave dwelling hominins, to Homo sapiens, have bested nature's challenges and are now spreading out through the stars.
We came in contact with intelligent alien forms of life – beings that, in a similar manner to Humanity, became top predators on their own homeworlds. We came in conflict with them. And we, so far, held our ground and hit hard at them. What would a person who lived a hundred years ago say if he was to learn that Humanity waged a war, though a short one, with three alien civilizations? They would make an experiment of imagination. The implications are astronomical in scale. Homo sapiens is more than ready to take on the galaxy. This highly adaptive creature is a formidable machine of nature.
Alex thought of the following battles. Only a fool would assume this war and its few battles were the only ones Humanity would partake in against other intelligent species. It's an instinct ingrained in every being's essence to seek resources, resources that will secure its survival. If you don't have resources you simply cease to exist as a being. All intelligent species of the galaxy are doing their best to secure resources for their societies and, as an extension, individuals.
It is more than obvious that Humanity and Quarians will find themselves engaging in hostile actions with these races at some point in time. Why? Because they simply didn't join them. Humanity's technology and vast riches would have secured the galaxy for centuries to come. But they were not willing to give up their hard work for minimal concessions. It was, after all, a matter of survival for the species. Giving up resources and technologic advantages to other groups with no viable gain in return was a fool's move.
In this galaxy, like in the natural order of nature, the strong preyed on the weak. And the strong clashed against each other for dominance over a domain. The Rachni preyed on the Asari and Salarians at first. Then the Krogans preyed on the Citadel Council once they eliminated the Rachni – a perceived threat to their very existence. With a handful of severely underdeveloped planets given to the Krogan race as compensation for their service, their numbers grew quickly and they lacked the resources – food and living space – to sustain their population. This, coupled with their attitude prone to violence, was the true catalyst for the Rebellions. Then, the Turians joined the premises. Their generation long war against the Krogans wasn't because they wanted to join the Citadel, for they truly refused to do so upon first contact. It was the fact that they perceived the Krogans as a threat to their existence that pushed them to join the fight. They safeguarded their resources and secured a future for the species. The victory that brought an end to the Rebellions earned them a place on the Council, thus unlocking more resources in exchange for what they considered minor concessions. They now had a say on what the galaxy will do, earned a client race, opened the door to vast quantities of materials and technologies, all in turn for military protection.
Everything a person does can be explained, the true reasons for their actions extrapolated from an analysis of its species' primitive behavior. The instincts and habits developed since times ancient give a good understanding of a race's basic mindset, way of thinking and acting. That psyche.
"Ouch!" Alex exclaimed as she unwillingly attempted to bite her right hand. She was eating on autopilot while her mind was preoccupied with the previous line of thought. She used a wet handkerchief to wipe the food crumbs from the mold left behind by her teeth. A notification on her phone told her Eddie just parked his car. She set out to meet him after several months of time spent away.
CODEX UPDATE:
MURARIA COALITION WAR
The largest and most brutal war fought by the Asari against each other, the Muraria Coalition War is the closest the natives of Thessia came to a world war. To understand the conflict, one must understand what lead to it.
In the year 17,451 BC the great city state of Muraria, the dominant power on the continent of Nara (literally translated as bearer, home continent of the Asari race), Thessia, saw the rise of Matriarch Ardat Caeri to power. Ardat Caeri was a warrior since maidenhood. Her skill and natural inclination for strategy earned her the title of greatest military leader in the history of the Asari.
As the Human maximum "Geography determines destiny" goes, Muraria was built at the foot of the Akrada Mountains and near the Azure Ocean, thus favoring a miner's and fisherman's life for the city's inhabitants. The extraction and processing of metals was the main source of income for the city. Under her early rule, she promoted the mining industry thoroughly and opened mines all along the mountain range. Her policies paid off when a large deposit of precious metals was discovered in the mountains.
The main trading partners of Muraria were Armali, a great city state that thrived through commerce and a center of science, and Arteburo, the bread basket of the continent Nara. Arteburo was the largest surface wise of the preindustrial Asari nations. Most of Muraria's food was grown in Arteburo's fertile fields north of the Akrada Mountains.
Once it became common knowledge that Muraria's miners came across a natural treasure, the Matriarch Council of Arteburo increased the tariffs for food trade with the miner city. This was where historians believe the war began. The more absolutist character of Caeri shined through. She demanded fairness and threatened to cut off all metal supplies to Arteburo otherwise, which she did. Arteburo imported 60% of its metals from Muraria, so the embargo was a real threat.
In response, the matriarchs of Arteburo halted all food exports to Muraria. Caeri tried diplomacy to no avail. She tried to get trade deals with other nations, but she was refused everywhere. Everybody was making food reserves for winter. Only Armali offered a shady hand of help, buying food from Arteburo and selling it to Muraria at triple the normal price.
With the threat of starvation hanging over their heads, with the cold season just around the corner and no other viable options to pursue without going bankrupt, Caeri did the only thing she could at the time. In 17,440 BC she extended her borders from the mountainous terrain of the Akrada Mountains into the southern provinces of Arteburo through the force of arms, thus securing the southern harvest for her people. With adequate rationing of the food reserves and the year's harvest, Muraria was going to make it through the long and snowy cold season the Akrada Mountains were known for.
Arteburo did not take this lying down and mobilized its own warriors. The first army to engage Caeri's forces were mostly Asari farmers displaced by the occupation. Total defeat ensued. The poorly equipped farmers were not a match for the well armed, well trained forces of Muraria. In reality, Muraria's mining and metalworking industry was top notch, thus the armor and weapons forged for their warriors was of best quality. Few cities had the tradition and experience Muraria's blacksmiths had.
The winter of 17,440 BC was the most peaceful winter of the war. With open war now a reality, both nations were training warriors and gearing for the upcoming battles once the snow melted. Muraria was able to muster an army of 10,000 commandos – Caeri's professional warriors and the foremothers of modern Asari commandos – and 25,000 conscripts. Arteburo had 80,000 conscripts and 17,000 professional mercenaries at its disposal when spring came.
Caeri did not stand idle and wait for her military to build up during the winter. She was busy preparing defenses in the passes through the Akrada Mountains. Her strategy was simple, yet risky: bleed the enemy in the mountains and then attack. She was also confident that the enemy matriarchs craved for the rich natural deposits. She would use this greed against them.
Caeri's commandos looted the southern towns of Arteburo to increase Muraria's food reserves. Then they retreated back into the mountains and gave back all conquered land to Arteburo. Caeri's rival in the whole war was Sel'movi T'Soni who would later on go to establish House T'Soni as one of the most influential houses in Armali.
The Armali born Sel'movi was a skilled politician and trader in her late matriarchy years. As a matron, she distinguished herself as a capable mercenary leader during the Strife of Houses – the continuation of a series of small scale conflicts between major houses against the centralization movement.
After the first defeats suffered by Arteburo at Muraria's hands in the summer and autumn of 17,439 – 17,438 BC, Sel'movi and her mercenary organization were contracted to fight for Arteburo. Caeri's mounted commandos attacked the supply chain of Arteburo's military and caused mayhem behind the lines. With 20,000 total casualties and winter nearly upon them, Arteburo pulled its soldiers from the mountains. Their false belief that Muraria had been put in place and that they would starve with no harvest this year was shattered when Caeri launched an offensive once more. The execution was perfect, the victory was absolute. She shattered the enemy's force and once more seized the harvest from the southern provinces. Sel'movi took command of Arteburo's remaining military shortly after.
What seemed a regional conflict escalated with each passing year. Each year brought new victories for Caeri as she conquered more and more arable land in her quest to create a "necessary space for Muraria." Each year brought more defeats to Sel'movi. With combatants crossing into their borders, neighboring city states and nations were forced to take sides. Most of the minor powers favored Muraria.
Ardat Caeri's conquests caught the attention of the other well established powers of the continent. What they saw was a major threat to their sovereignty, a disaster waiting to spill into every corner of the continent. Few conquerors rose in Asari history. And those that did left a major scar on the peoples' mentality. They would stop at nothing once they tasted victory.
While most great powers wanted to stop and dethrone Ardat Caeri, a few were eager to join her cause in exchange for territorial promises. Conflict brew in every corner. It seemed that the Asari were walking a path of total destruction at this rate. Two major alliances were formed: the Coalition and Muraria Alliance. Multiple fronts opened, but the major one was still Muraria's front. Naval engagements took place as well, though the outcome was always inconclusive.
Naval engagements of this era was somewhat similar to how ancient Earth naval battles took place. The heaviest ships were built from wood and reinforced with iron plates in the biotic compartment. A ship would close in with the enemy's and the onboard biotics would attempt to sink the ship by throwing biotic attack at the waterline, or against the deck crew by lifting them into the air and make them easy targets for archers. The most powerful biotics would even jump on the enemy ship and start killing the deck crew.
Ship to ship combat was performed with shipboard artillery – catapults and an oversized traversable sling. The slings were used like canister shots – they would launch small stones in large numbers and aim for the deck. One well aimed shot at close distance could kill or injure numerous deck personnel. In response to this, the crew mounted steel plates on the sides with slits for archers to fire through. The catapults launched stones at the enemy ships. At long range, a catapult would perform plunging fire – the projectile will be launched at an angle that its trajectory arc will bring it in a near vertical manner down on the ship's deck, it would go through the deck and, if heavy enough, up to the bottom and cause flooding. At close range, the catapults were used to aim for the ship's sides and waterline.
The winter of 17,434 BC was the turning point for the Coalition. Arteburo was occupied by now and the fighting was close to Armali's borders. Sel'movi was able to stop Caeri's advance in the Ruava Delta. Caeri waited out the autumn rains on the western side of the river after early attempts to cross the delta were repelled. Attempts to move upstream and cross there was impossible because of cavalry contingents constantly patrolling the Coalition side of Ruava. Murari ships tried to move upstream, but Sel'movi's catapults sunk them and blocked the delta's navigable channels. Caeri made her move when winter came and the delta froze.
The following battle was the longest and most brutal engagement of the war, with neither side giving in. Caeri suffered the first major defeat at Sel'movi's hands, who was now one of the most important military leaders of the Coalition. The core of the Coalition army was made of Sel'movi's elite and battle hardened mercenaries. The new biotic tactics developed by them would lay the foundation for modern commando biotic combat moves.
With her army defeated and the enemy hot on her heels and their supplies fallen into enemy hands, Caeri issued the order for a forced march. The severe winter of the plains claimed half of the surviving soldiers. The vast majority of Caeri's initial 10,000 commandos lost their lives in the winter march. The loss of so many capable and hardened fighters would play a major role in her downfall. The Murari army reached the safety of Shishi, an allied city state, from where they were evacuated by sea before the enemy fleet arrived and the city was sieged.
The war dragged on for five more years. With her most elite troops dead and her experienced conscripts from the start of the war fallen, Ardat Caeri was unable to muster another capable enough army to match the Coalition's. Her new recruits lacked the discipline to follow through with her battle plans. Muraria's conquests under Caeri's leadership were reduced to their original borders. The guerilla tactics employed during the defensive campaign bought her valuable time.
Wretched by famine, disease and war exhaustion, Caeri was deposed in a coup d'etat by her very own people when she was preparing to defend on the Akrada defensive line. The formal surrender was accepted by Sel'movi T'Soni herself. A messenger appeared in her war camp when she was preparing to storm the mountains.
It is said that Caeri's first name was deleted from history by the people she conquered and given the name Ardat which means demon. The total death toll, civilian and military, is estimated to be in the range of 250,000. Roughly 800,000 more suffered from starvation, battle wounds, disease and other attritional factors. For a conflict fought 90% of the time with spears and swords the numbers are huge. Only late in the war did gunpowder make its debut. The use of biotics accounted for less than 15,000 confirmed kills. Attrition alone is responsible for 90,000 of the numbers. The rest was due to flesh being cut by blade.
The scale and destruction of the war left a deep mark in common Asari mentality. They were so horrified of how war could turn out that they became vehement pro peace activists as a species. Those who advocated for a more militarized society with the discovery of proof of alien life were compared to the late Ardat Caeri. Only after the Rachni Wars did the Asari open up to a more militaristic society, although by an insignificant margin if compared to Turian, Human, Krogan or Batarian society.
Ardat Caeri said this before her execution: "I only did what I had to do to protect my people. You, matriarchs of foreign blood and traditions, with your greed and thirst for power are responsible for the war. It pains me to see that this is the path the children of Athame will walk. True loyalty and respect will bring you true friends. But you, you blind old hags, will backstab them if it earned you some more power. I go down as a martyr. You live on as a blight."
NOTE2: What took me most to write was the presentation scene where Liara was finally introduced to the story. And the first scene with the Galaxy Today talk show. I really wanted to add more shows to Alex here at the end, but I decided better and will add them in the next chapter. I want to develop her character and Shepard more, flesh them out. I really want to. They will both be vital to the story. I know some of you don't like her, but she's mine and OffensiveAussie's solution to a… missing thing to canon Mass Effect. You will see what I mean in future chapters :D PLEASE let me know what you think about the short human presentation. I really want to know if I got it right.
NOTE3: Next, on the upcoming chapter: Alex returns home and spends some time with family, Wrex talks to Montgomery, Nihlus reveals some of his past with Wrex and Inira Kyala, maybe some tension within the Hierarchy, Fedorian visits Shanxi, Garrus and Harper stuff and …some geopolitical stuff :) CHEERS!
NOTE4: 14,000+ words, 44 pages in Word, Times New Roman 16. I hope the next chapter will be longer since I wanted to make this a 20k chapter, but my conscience was once again bragging me to update and had to cut out some scenes and put them into the next one.
Thank you all for reading!
A STORY BROUGHT TO YOU BY Apollonir
THANKS TO TheOffensiveAussie FOR HIS IDEAS
THANK YOU ALL WHO SUBMITTED IDEAS FOR HUMANITY'S PRESENTATION