Chapter 3 – New Discovery, Old News
Author's Notes: More to the story, the build up is pretty slow to the actual crossover but I try to set the stage for the Halo characters and settings in the Mass Effect universe. I'll use it later when things are flying past with Shepard on the Normandy. I'm also trying to decide if I should put Codex entries at the bottom to introduce the technology. If people read this and review I'll use the public opinion to direct that.
Usual Notice: I don't own this stuff, Mass Effect and Halo belong to their companies.
Four years, four long years seemed to fly by with what had been found. Cortana and the 32 other AI's had a field day, it's not every day they got to analyze their own galaxy in a different universe. As she peered into the depths of this universe day in and day out, she found that she was unimpressed. Much of what she found was mundane. Everything was the same, there was nothing to directly account for how different the galaxy was compared to their original universe. As she and the scientists delved deeper into the workings of the universe, however, a peculiar value came to light. Something different but small.
Through four years of research, testing, and to some extent, the reports from the scout fleets (led by the Galaxy-Class ships that were the successors to the Infinity) the difference was found. A tiny difference in the value of interaction between the Strong Nuclear Force and the Higgs-Boson (HB) field, the field that interacted with matter that imparted the property of mass. Cortana began to work with the other AI's to run simulations based on what had been found and they found that the difference accounted for a large percentage of the changes in stellar evolution and placement. After a year and a half of thinking, they were confident. Cortana would show the fleet what they had found.
"Admiral Hood, could you join the Arbiter and the Cheif in the CIC as soon as possible. I have some news." Cortana's voice came over the intercom of Admiral Hood's quarters.
"Of course Cortana." Admiral Hood hoped there was better news than the bland reports the scout fleets had been sending.
Apparently this galaxy had a much smaller number of immediately habitable worlds. The planets could be terraformed, sure, but the lack of life above the occasional microbial and at most, a few plant-covered worlds was much higher and was becoming concerning.
'I'll ask Cortana about it, I'm sure she knows and I wonder what she and the Arbiter's thoughts on that are.' That train of thought came to a close as he entered the CIC.
"Good to see all of you, Cortana, you said you found something?"
The AI's avatar appeared next to him. "Yes, the other AI's and I have been working with the science teams and for the last year and a half working to take into account what we thought was a curiosity into our simulations. Now we think we've found one of the deciding difference that this universe has compared to ours."
Now she had their interest. "We found that there is a tiny variance, on the scale of a millionth of a decimal point, in the value of interaction of the Strong Nuclear Force and the HB field."
Admiral Hood looked down at the hologram on his data pad that depicted the math involved HB, Higgs-Boson field. "Yes but how does that account for the differences in the galaxy at large?"
Cortana had been expecting this question, she did think orders of magnitudes faster than her flesh and blood counterparts after all, although her answer was still vaguer than she'd have liked.
"Well, the difference effects the evolution of stars and the tiny difference was enough to push the stars slightly out of alignment with our charts but not enough over the billions of years to effect larger stellar structures. It has no effect on us or our technology at our scale however so we have THAT bit of good luck."
It didn't account for everything but enough. "Also, some of the other AI's predict new elements but the numbers seem too incredible so until we find some or can synthesize some, I'll reserve judgement."
Admiral Hood looked down at the numbers scrolling across the data pad again, them still not making any more sense than a moment ago.
'Well, at least we have some answers although a few more questions, maybe that will help answer the question I have for Cortana.', he thought.
Changing subjects Hood asked,"You're aware of the large disparity between the numbers of life-bearing worlds in our universe compared with the staggeringly low amount in this one?"
Cortana brought up and sorted through the four years of reports from the scout fleets. She hadn't been following that particular piece of information very closely.
"I see in the reports, yes, it does seem to be a huge margin of difference. The stellar evolution piece might account for a small amount of these but nowhere near the number we've been seeing. In our galaxy, we'd find almost ten times the amount of life. Especially complex life above plants… I am going to need more time to look at this Admiral."
After a moment he responded. "Understood Cortana, let me know when you have something."
He brought up some of the planets on the holographic projector after the others had left the room. Sorting through them for nearly an hour, he began to notice a similarity in some of the scans. Groups of planets seem to have had layers of the surface scoured off at intervals that roughly coincided every 50,000 to 75,000 years.
While the groups of planets were wide spread and some groupings of the layers differed by millions of years, it was still a very suspicious arrangement. He forwarded a request the results be analyzed before shutting off the program and leaving. The Admiral went to bed that night with a worry growing in his mind. Undefined and still a small voice but nonetheless, it was there and he thought, it can only grow.
Lieutenant Nickolas Austra sifted through another report while in orbit over an unremarkable planet in yet another unremarkable star system.
'One more ball of dirt in the galaxy, good for nothing but resources.' He was unimpressed with his scouting duty over the last year and a half.
He initially had been excited although a little worried when moved from the bridge crew of the 'Reclaimed Mantle'. It seemed like a demotion to him at first until he had been briefed on the 'Valiant Front' Galaxy-Class ship that would lead the scout fleet he was assigned to.
The mission was one of exploration where the skills and dedication he had demonstrated would be needed. While exploration was the main mission, if a situation arose, he and the crews of the other scout fleets had proven their dedication to protecting the SSC.
"Nick, there are eleven other planets we have to scan, I'm deploying the deep scan probe network on this planet, we should move on."
He sighed as his AI finished his report. Eleven more of these rocks, he knew they were still significant just because this galaxy seemed devoid of life. More information was useful but ultimately boring for those gathering it.
"Fine Andrew, let's move on, check the cloak again and we'll start moving inwards towards the star."
The AI complied and outside the ship a cloud of softball sized machines began spreading out from a ripple of light before the ripple continued its orbit in silence.
The AI in question was atypical on these missions, more so on the Prowler-Class ship 'Forward Unseen'. His name was Andrew, a name taken during the time AI's were recognized as full citizens, to avoid a conspicuous name. If asked about it the AI would explain it was to celebrate that they were fully integrated into the society at large. Unique names were no longer needed. His avatar also reflected this, it was a 20-something appearing male in civilian dress. While appearing normal there was an edge of eccentricity to it being that he was an AI, capable of incredible feats of computing and analysis.
He and Nick had started talking to each other during the time the fleet was still being assembled, being a "civilian" AI, he was given a certain amount of leeway to partner up with someone. After a few decades of working with each other, it was approved for the AI to join the fleet as Nick's partner. There were other stipulations as well, contributing to fleet planning, R&D, and various other tasks but they were well within his capabilities.
"Scans from the outermost planet are almost complete Nick, once we retrieve the probes we can move onto the next planet….a super Jupiter if these readings are correct."
Those usually were mildly more interesting, the cloud formations at least gave something interesting to look at while the probes finished their work.
"Well, let's not keep them waiting!" Nick checked the heading and prepped his station for the next planet.
'Someday we'll find something interesting.'
Ok, so here's what I have written so far, I'll be posting more each week...probably more frequently. Review and let me know if there's suggestions, comments, criticism, all that good jazz. I'm open to pretty much any of it since this is actually my first attempt at fan fiction. Good Reading to ya!