NOTE1: Hello folks! So, a little big announcement. I have kind of hit the shallows when it comes to inspiration for my stories. I have many ideas on how to proceed, yet... I always feel like the words and the quality of what I write is not "publishable". I've written 5 scenes for chapter 34 and recycled them. So I will just publish, for now, the one scene I am happy with. There's a little rant at the end when I explain parallels between my story and real life. Do not mistake it as me flaming against particular countries. I try to be objective. And when I see patterns I know something is up. Also, I've started work on a dark fantasy novel I wish to publish one day and I am splitting further my writing time between TIHoM and my novel. The Lost Civilization is taking a big backseat right now.

Chapter 34: Bones for the Watchdogs of Democracy

Citadel, Presidium

Asari Republics Embassy

Councilor Tevos Belsari spoke to her colleagues on the Armali Council from the privacy of the embassy's meeting room.

"First order of business. News in Alliance media is that Irissa's trial will begin shortly, at an undisclosed date," she initiated the meeting. "We know who will defend her in the federal court. What do we have on her defense?

One of the members responsible with centralizing information and coordinating the group's intelligence gathering, Sanis, took the lead.

"As per Human common practice, she is represented by a lawyer. Similar to our legal consultants. Specialists in civil law. Irissa is represented by Nicolas Alves da Silva. He has his own law firm. He volunteered to represent Irissa."

That particular piece of news surprised not just Tevos, but her colleagues too. "Why did he volunteer?" Tevos asked. "Was he the first one to reach out and he got the case? For a small fortune as payment, no doubt?"

"Actually, it is interesting," Sanis begins her exposition. "According to the Federal Monitor, he was the fourth to offer to represent her. This is interesting due to a few things.

First, the media reported this as one of the fastest cases of the prosecutor sending the accused before a court. And the court set the hearing date quickly. The press has drawn parallels to notorious figures in Human history. Many corrupt politicians were judged almost immediately after being put under accusation. The same goes for captured Insurrection leaders, federal funds launderers, corrupt judges and officials, and organized crime leaders. The Alliance Intelligence Command – the Humans' overarching federal intelligence organization and secret service – was referenced in every case. They were tied directly or indirectly in gathering the evidence for the prosecution.

Second, he should not have been selected to represent Irissa. The order in which things normally go is that the defendant asks for their preferred lawyer. In this case, there was none. She should have had her pick from the list of offers – which did not happen either. The lawyer stated on his professional media profile that he was assigned the case by the system. The last option is the principle of first arrived first served. Somehow, Nicolas Alves da Silva got the case. By every rule in the book, he should not have.

Third, the Human himself. We've searched his past activities. We've discovered that he's a very vocal advocate for more transparency at the federal judicial level. He's raised the issue of what the Humans call a 'kangaroo court', citing trials also mentioned in the parallels drawn by their press. He believes that the federal institutions are not transparent in certain judicial proceedings, that they are bending the law to suit the circumstances. He correctly pointed out that federal legislation is explicitly vague on some of the articles that regulate judicial proceedings," Sanis explained.

Another Asari on the meeting spoke up. "This is perfect! This sounds like the open door we've been looking for. Correct me if I am wrong."

Tevos could follow her line of thought and reached the same conclusion.

"One door for two goals," Sanis added. "One – somebody from a high enough level helped the lawyer get the case. It must be somebody who shares his concerns or thinks they can use the lawyer to further their own goals. Whether they coincide or not is another topic. But all findings point to a person who shares the lawyer's ideas. Two – we can use this Human's platform as a vector of penetration into internal Human affairs."

Tevos could only agree. She glanced at Matriarch Arteana's holographic image. She was impassively following the meeting. In recent years she actively participated when she felt the need to put things on the right track. Tevos deduced that she wanted to leave her younger circle become fully independent. Arteana did not make a gesture to betray that she noticed Tevos. She just listened. If she wasn't going to say anything, Tevos would take the lead.

"To make sure everyone understands. We will publish articles in Human media where we bring this topic up to sway public opinion against the leadership," she stated. Everyone was in agreement. "Acquire as many Human media outlets as possible and spin this story – tyrannical, corrupt federal government has secret legislation to suppress the population and rivals who are not part of their corruption network. Spin this story as many times as possible.

Make it look like they have been embezzling federal funds for decades while shutting down the competition with special holes in federal laws. Make it look like they can detain anybody and sentence them immediately if they want to, and that Irissa is merely a victim of a group's last throes to regain some legitimacy," Tevos instructed.

Her peers were in agreement. It was common practice by now. Same strategy, different story.

"There is the issue of acquiring a foothold in Human media and political system," Sel'nola brought up attention to her person.

Tevos decided to answer her concern. "It's unlikely the large outlets will accept money from us and allow us to dictate their editorial agenda. We should look at the smallest outlets and buy their loyalty."

It was extremely unlikely the largest Human media outlets would even entertain the thought of associating with the Asari. Not with the recent scandal started by the federal government. It would be suicide for them. The best way to gain a foothold was through the smallest outlets – those who do not have the luxury of scoffing at the sums of money the Asari will offer.

"We will penetrate Human media from the lowest levels and work our way up the chain," Tevos continued. "We will make the employees of these outlets see how the benefits will outweigh the desire for a clean moral sheet. And employees will move, over time, to other media companies up the food chain and tell them how great it is to have contracts with Asari companies."

"What guarantee do you have the plan will work?" a colleague inquired. "On what analysis is it based? We cannot allow a second blunder like Ilsia."

"I did my research," Tevos assured her. "I am basing it on historical precedence and their greed."

Even Arteana turned and dedicated her full attention to Tevos. She held a questioning gaze. "Greed?" she simply demanded further explanation.

"Yes. Humans are, by their nature, greedy. I've sifted through multiple scientific papers they had available on their Internet and early 21st century history," Tevos said. "They are competitive. And there is a general drive to rise up the social ladder more through wealth than reputation. More money means access to more resources for survival. Albeit, it has subsided after the reforms of the 2020s and popular backlash on corporate leaders and politicians. Many Humans will follow this drive.

There are numerous, extremely numerous cases where the individual's desire for wealth and power overcame the moral option. In hindsight, few of them have another moral justification behind their decision. The point is, many Humans allow greed dictate their path. Pure greed, for wealth and social recognition. I propose we use their very nature against them. They will try to hide their deeds they cannot morally justify. This will only be another hook we have on the individual."

Tevos concluded her reasoning. Her colleagues looked between each other. They still looked uncertain. The councilor decided to pitch the second part of the plan.

"The media companies will have to roll with our stories. When they will see how much money they earn from Asari payments, they will want to increase their business. Growth demands investment. And, right when they are vulnerable and cannot afford to turn us down, we give them the story we want them to tell or we withdraw immediately and leave them underfinanced at the worst possible moment. And the company will not make it public, least they be judged by society.

Once a critical mass of loyal outlets is reached the whole phenomenon will propagate on its own momentum. We'll use the promise of more money to have them publish our stories. We will flood the low level media with conspiracy theories. And start picking at every piece of federal legislation where we can make it look like it is infringing on individual liberties and rights.

There is a sizable chunk of Human population with an affinity to the occult. And another sizable chunk that will jump at the mention of the federal government not granting them full liberty. They will propagate our agenda like useful idiots. Then, the larger outlets will join because it will bring attention, views. The larger the population exposed to the stories, the more outraged Humans, the more pressure on the political class to revise legislation. [1]

What we will aim for is to reduce the federal institutions' ability to fight corruption. Right now, I think the Humans are too wary of corruption due to historical precedence. And it tends to be snuffed out in its initial stages. Their intelligence services have dedicated teams to combat it. And there is too much mandatory transparency for any officials to be able to do anything without coming under scrutiny.

With sufficiently popular support, the political class will have to revise the legislation we are targeting. I want more lenient sentences on corruption. Today, one can be sentenced for life imprisonment with heavy labor for significant acts of corruption. Along with confiscation of property that cannot be justified by the person's legal income. Then, we will take away the ability of the institutions responsible to stomp corruption under the veil of repealing non-constitutional laws in this area.

With a weakened judicial system, easily corruptible and greedy Humans will rise through the ranks of the Humans' federal institutions. They can be bought. They can buy more for us. We will also work on repealing the law which makes it mandatory for every media outlet to make publically available every source of income they have. This is the primary method by which the Humans try to keep the media transparent and expose interest groups behind them. They even call mass media the watchdogs of democracy. Having this watchdog under our control is paramount.

This is how we can bring the Humans under our control. Once we take control of their newspapers, magazines, radio, television, Internet streamers... they will hear our voices. And they will play to our music," Tevos finished. She took in the satisfied expressions of her peers.

"Just one question, Tevos," Arteana demanded her attention. "How will we pay the media outlets at first and in the future? According to the law you mentioned on income, it will look highly suspicious."

Tevos smiled. "What would be wrong with Asari companies advertising their products and services in Human media? And paying much more money as the excuse they get the exposure they desire? Nothing is wrong with it, I reckon."

[1] It's similar, to a certain degree, to the strategy Putin is using on Eastern European countries (former Warsaw Pact) to stir nationalist (preferably the extremist kind) movements and distance the countries from the EU and USA's sphere and influence. I figure that if they cannot compete with NATO budget wise, then the big heads resort to subversion. So yeah, here is another real life parallel incorporated in the story. The mainstay rhetoric I'm seeing in my country is "orthodox brothers unite", and "homosexual EU evil", and "imperialist corporations stealing the country's resources and people" and all that sort of nonsense. Look up Alexandr Dughin's doctrine if you don't know it already – will shed a lot of light on what is going on. Don't take this as me being salty or bashing said countries. I am only criticizing the leading power groups in charge of them. Be careful what memes you laugh at and what "news" you take seriously. Always double check your sources. The western system is not perfect, but I like my journalists and political opposition to live instead of being poisoned, and as little nepotism as possible in state structures.

AUTHOR's NOTES

Active plot lines in the story as of this moment (i will include these from now on):

Alliance internal political power struggles (the Federalists vs Terra Firma)

Hierarchy internal political power struggles (Fedorian vs Sparatus) and what looks like a civil war brewing

Turian-Alliance joint operations against Saren and what they perceive is the beginning of a Reaper incursion of some sort

Alliance-Asari proxy operations

Alliance moving into the Traverse and encountering resistance

Alliance-Asari political and public image war

Salarian power struggle (military meritocracy vs dalatrasses); this one is now on a back burner, but its premises are explicitly detailed in chapter 26

A STORY BROUGHT TO YOU BY Apollonir