Edited by a person of many names Blood Raven AKA TimedRaven117. Go check out his story Mass Effect: X-Com Theory!
The Monolith Incident: Part 1
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Relay 314 system 2657 GS November /14/2329 AD
Jack Harper looked out the periscope of the Gecko transport, as it sped across the barren wasteland that was the fifth moon of the Shanxi gas giant, The place was miserable, and not worth visiting. But he was still under contract to the Morita Arms Corporation, and they wanted him to protect the miners on this planet. Unfortunately something had found their prospector team, or more likely they broke their radio, either way he and his closest squad mates, Maria his sniper, Jackson their appointed driver, Ben his right hand man, and Eva his tech specialist, had to check it out. And if they were really in trouble then call in the rest of his men.
Thanks to the long sight lines, Maria was literally a god on wheels if they encountered anything less than a heavily armored tank. Eva had a high powered emitter and transponder on her person to call in help incase the Gecko's own radio went out. Ben knew how to drive this thing if Jackson somehow kicked it. Jack, and everyone else really, didn't take things by half, they'd been in heavy fighting, they'd seen movies, they'd passed and survived training courses dedicated to everything that can go wrong going wrong. They knew the pitfalls that they could expect, and even a few that were downright impossible for the moon. They'd be damned if they died from anything less than an invasion.
"When are they going to start terraforming this rock? I'm getting tired at looking at this shit." Their driver, Jackson, complained.
"I heard three years," Eva Core said from the communications seat, "the Federation wants to turn this system into a bottlehead bulwark against Citadel aggression and culture, so they're a bit busy settling the world and setting up defensive stations."
"Which means we'll either be out of a job soon, or have to move to another planet the Federation doesn't give two shits about." Ben Hislop explained oh so accurately.
"Well it could always be worse-" Jackson was saying before being properly interrupted by something running into the road right in front of the APC.
"Oh shit!" Jackson exclaimed after whatever it was splattered across their APC's cameras and view slit, bringing the vehicle to a stop. Jack was already up and out, the first one out the back door, making sure his powered suit helmet was secure and so was everyone else's as he went. The APC was not made for extended extra terrestrial activity so everyone relied on inbuilt air supplies.
Looking around he saw a crumpled form laying on the ground not to far away, and saw it was Humanoid shaped. "Oh shit, Jackson, I think you killed a guy!" He cursed, slowly walking toward the form, his side arm out in his hand. Whoever it was had been hit and ran over by an eight wheeled, few hundred tonne, war machine at full speed. By all rights chunky salsa should have come into effect. There was no question the figure was dead….
So why the hell did it start staggering to it's feet? Jack looked at his pistol dubiously, before holstering it and shouldering his Morita rifle. Backing away as the form seemed push its limbs back in place, Jack was about to call out in alarm for someone to get the heavy cannon out, before it turned to look at them. He had no idea what the hell it was, but it's eye glowed blue and its skin, what he presumed to have actually been a scientist's EVA suit, looked like it had mechanical scales rather than smooth flesh. Even his experienced discipline crumbled as memories of the Arachnids various terror weapons flooded his mind, and he began to fire his rifle full auto right into the figure's chest.
"What the hell are you shooting at Jack!?" Ben called out in a panic as he exited the vehicle himself to see his friend, not having seen the monster.
Jack felt his rifle go click, and where he had been shooting was only a puddle of scraps of blue flesh where the monster was. Panting, having only realized now he was screaming in terror, he looked back to his friend, "I have no fucking idea, but no taking off our suits and someone get me a bioanalysis machine pronto! I think we're dealing with something new." He took several steps toward the monster, and took note of how Human it looked, or at least what was left of it, "Eva, I want you to download and share my camera footage for the last minute, and mark this place on the map. Everyone else help me seal this in a biohazard bag so we can pick it up later. And someone call fucking homebase, and tell them to go on high alert and call the system garrison, we need reinforcements ASAP. I want all our bases fucking covered before this all goes to Klendathu! Let's get to that prospector base, get the data, then hightail it to basecamp!"
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Jack had latched himself onto the side of the APC as it slowly crept toward the base camp, they were taking it careful and Maria was calling a stop once in a while to take shots at the monsters' heads with her Morita 202-SL Smart Long Rifle, or simply "Bolter", which was strong enough to down a tanker bug with a well placed shot. So far they had already killed a good number of them, but they barely accounted for a quarter of the prospector teams, and would still have to clear out the metal tents and prefabs to make sure that their buddies were still holding out, which they should be, they had the ammo, firepower, and smarts to stay alive. Then they had to deal with the tunnel going beneath the surface. There was something down there digging, because the mining drill was up here sitting next to a different tunnel.
After about three more stops, they rolled into the camp and the mercs stepped off the APC and began clearing the place, putting down the last of the monsters and sounding the general all clear. Ever since the bugs, the general defense and survival protocols had been refined, and not a single casualty had been taken. His team he had left behind had shown their stuff. As Jaime said, it was like the zombie apocalypse came, with all the flaws that came with it. Once they finished clearing the area, Jack had Eva check out the files on the database they literally ripped out of the prospector base in the name of time. And had Ben turn on the CHAS unit the local government loaned them.
"Keep that tunnel covered, and I want EVERYONE to stay in teams of three, everyone should be armed at all times. Whatever this is, it most likely came from down there. Get that CHAS unit ready to send down there to clear out any remaining zombies… we need a better name for these metal fuckers." Jack shouted out.
"Civilians, I want a soldier with you at all times, no exceptions, we can't take risks, and I want these bodies cleaned up in ten and put in body bags. I want a permanent guard with explosive charges ready just in case." Jack ordered as he checked the base's ammo supply and communications dish. Everything seemed to be in order thank god for small mercies. Walking over to the tent where Eva was, looking at the files they got from the abandoned prospector base, "Please give me some good news, and tell me this is not airborne. I know this rock doesn't got an atmosphere but I'd rather learn if it got in our air supply or not."
"Not airborne, at least, not in the sense you're thinking." She responded as she looked over the files, "The research notes recovered by the other team says they found an alien item they nicknamed the monolith, pretty deep below the surface."
"They turned on alien tech?" Jack sighed, shaking his head in disbelief that someone would be dumb enough to do so.
"No it was already on, and was giving out strange energy readings. The files indicate they they were going to hook up some science gizmos about the time Command lost contact with them. I can see that they lost a few of their number at once and then suddenly they started to get picked off and herded towards the chamber with the device, by the time they realized what was happening it was too late." Eva explained.
"Well that makes it easy," Jack said, sounding resolved.
"How so?"
"The problem is down there, not up here, we're safe and can let the Fed government take control of this situation, until then we can just seal up the hole, get on the horn and give the guys at command a status update. And even if it becomes a problem good ol' CHAS here can just walk a tactical nuke down into the chamber, set the timer someplace it can't be reached, and then walk out hunky dory. To be honest I kinda don't want ANYBODY have the ability to make space zombies. Especially those freaks in Paranormal Division. "
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Citadel Station 2657 GS November /21/2329 AD
From the office of General Carl L. Jenkins to ambassador Maghernus,
I'm sending you this handwritten and coded letter as confirmation. As you most likely will have heard, a strange artifact was found in the Shanxi, we tried to keep it under wraps, but some dock workers decided to let their loose lips sink ships. We are currently running counter intelligence, but we have no idea how far this rumor has spread. The artefact is contained for now, and I am in route with a full pathfinder company to make sure it stays that way with plenty of organic substitutes just in case it still targets us. But I have no doubt the council will be getting on your case about this, wanting in on this discovery or at least wanting to oversee this situation since it's what they typically do. With this in mind, I give you permission to allow one (1) of their Spectres, or a small team of properly informed experts, to oversee either the recovery or destruction of this object. Don't worry too much about any interference they may try, I can handle it if need be.
Signed
General Carl L. Jenkins
PS. Drinks on me next time I visit. The stuff you got last time was terrible.
~[==|==]~
Relay 314 system 2657 GS November /24/2329 AD
Specter Illia Verpine looked over the files she had on the Federation again. She was personally surprised that the Federation was being so nice and letting her on one of them on their worlds, even if the legality of the planet was in dispute technically speaking. The "planet" was unable to support life currently, so the Citadel wouldn't really do anything with it. But the Terrans on the other hand seemed to enjoy using their terraforming tech, since they didn't use the relays much, it made sense to make use of every single planetoid you got. To add on to the legality question here, it was some corporation who was making use, or just blindly stumbled upon the tech here, not the Federal government itself. All in all it looked like the council was going to have to talk about borders for the Terran corporations so they didn't run rampant throughout Citadel space instead of the Federation itself. That would end poorly for everyone else as they tried to scramble to play catch up with all those solar resources they'd ignored up until now. Not to mention it would be beyond weird to have Terran colonies on some no name moon in the Apien Crest, or near Thessia.
Well at least this operation seemed simple, they had found some ancient tech that had caused, in the words of the first responders, mechanical zombiefication, all she needed to do was make sure the artifact was destroyed or deactivated. She personally hoped they all agreed on destroying it. This wasn't the first time some weird tech did something similar. And it certainly won't be the last. And tech like this was just not simply made for the likes of them. There had been rumors of objects like this before and the object had always been destroyed since they were most likely some kind of special munitions mine, or area denial weapon used in some ancient war, and some tech just needed to be lost to time. She heard stories and urban myths that on Earth, the Humans homeworld, even centuries later they find buried bombshells in places like Berlin, London, Seattle, or Hong Kong. This was no different really. Just detritus of the past
"Ma'am, We'll be setting down in a few minutes, we suggest you put on your vacuum sealed suit now." The pilot of the shuttle she contracted called from his seat. Closing her omni tool and checking over her armor and weapons, it was alway good to be prepared for the worst she had found in her long life of service.
Once the shuttle settled down on the planet, Illia unbuckled and walked out into the base camp the Terrans had set up to the open door. She hadn't expected a welcoming party, so she was a bit surprised to see a yellow haired Terran in a black trench coat with silver trimming flanked by several Terran soldiers in black armor with five eyed optical lenses as a mask. Everything about the group screamed black ops, and when the leader stepped forward she could tell who they were here for.
Stepping forward the Terran leader extended his hand and stated with a barest hint of a smile, "You must be the Spectre advisor I've been waiting for." He said calmly enough.
Looking at the hand, she remembered it was a simple Human greeting to shake their hand as a show of honesty and trust. Taking his hand gently, so she wouldn't scuff his suit with her claws, she nodded, "Yes sir. I'm Spector Verpine. You asked for a Turian who had tech experience, so here I am. To be honest sir you should have just blown it sky high with one of your nukes."
The Terran nodded and shook her hand in return before releasing the Turian's talon, "A pleasure to meet you Specter Verpine, I'm General Carl Jenkins, Military Intelligence, these," he indicated the black armored soldiers, "are my personal bodyguard. They don't talk too much. Anyways, me and everyone else on this rock agreed with you, shit like this is far too dangerous to be messing with, and as we have pieced together from the records of those who found it, this thing works fast whatever it does."
Looking at the soldiers behind General Jenkins she raised her claws slightly in the Human equivalent of an eyebrow raise, "So your bodyguards are black ops I take it?" She asked as she let Jenkins lead her to the command center.
"Technically they're permanent on loan agents from Special Operations, black ops is a whole different division than my ministry. They're Pathfinders from the Elite Guard Allocation Command in SpecOps. Normally Pathfinders are spread out under three different groups. But you didn't come here for a lesson in Terran Federation Military organization did you?" Carl said motioning for Illia to enter the command post first as he followed her followed by his guards as they waited for recompression and decontamination.
"You're a little more forthcoming than I expected from someone in Military Intelligence." The Specter noted.
"Nothing I revealed is really a secret. Besides the truth keeps you from asking the right questions." Jenkins commented and she could hear the smile in his voice. Looking out the window, splattered with some bluish looking blood that had yet to be cleaned with flecks of blue scales. Some kind of crude militaristic looking VTOL made its way onto the landing pad they were just at.
"And what are the right questions?" The Specter asked with amusement of her own as the door on the back of the craft lowered opened showing a heavily armed team of Terrans exiting with large cases of what she had to assume were explosives judging by the warning signs.
"I'll let you know when you think of them." Jenkins quipped as he left the airlock to the next one to talk with the pilots and crew, leaving the Specter with his bodyguards. When it recompressed the soldiers took a moment to look over their own gear and helped each other do so. She could feel the almost indiscernible sounds of them taking over the radio. She kept her composure and studied the VTOL.
'Now that was a strange response' The Specter noted, wondering what exactly the General had meant, looking back to the Pathfinders, she noted how almost all of them had a lens focused directly on her, "You don't trust me I see." They didn't speak, but she could feel their sight on her as they waited to be briefed on the situation properly.
The VTOL spent half an hour moving to the location of the previous doomed camp, and during that time she had been thoroughly briefed on what to expect, what she was to do, and events in which she would be considered Killed in Action or Missing in Action Presumed Dead. Right after that, the General had given as much information as fast as he could, he had to disappear to the forward cabin, before returning of the last few minutes of the flight, "I apologize for leaving you with such untalkative company. But some business my staff foresaw, showed up."
"Please clarify General." The Specter asked, confused by the last part of the statement, but the Terran deflected the question by asking one of his own.
"Tell me, do you have any idea who may be interested in the artifact we found?" Jenkins asked hitting a button on the wall that opened up the canopy so they could see out.
"Well besides the Shadow Broker, or maybe even Aria T'Loak, no one who knows what they're doing, or would know where the hell this place is, something like this is so infamously dangerous that most people wouldn't even touch with a ten meter pole." Illia responded after a moment's thought.
"Yes I agree, that's why I had it destroyed already." The Specter looked at Jenkins, confusion becoming comprehension.
"I knew my translator wasn't glitching out in our conversation back at the base. If that's true, then why did you have the council bring me here?"
"Why did I have it let slip we found this device to begin with? Simple, my sources told me someone wanted this tech, and if someone wanted this tech they are a threat to both your Citadel and my Federation, maybe not today but someday they will be. So I built a trap, a trap they have already sprung." Jenkins began to chuckle, "Just because we are relatively new, doesn't mean we aren't genre savvy ourselves. A find like this will give any enemies of ours waiting to pounce the perfect opportunity to give us an excuse, and with Intelligence giving an outward appearance of confusion and disorganization…. Well, let's just say the opportunity may have been too good for a few."
Starting to get that this Human was a self professed master of deception, and counter intelligence, the Specter asked, "I'm going to assume you're not going to tell me about these sources of yours, so what's today's prey?"
"Good assumption for the former. As for today's prey, three Batarian pirate ships have just entered the system, my ships, whose numbers seem dreadfully low for such a mighty task as defending a planet, are under orders to destroy one and damage another, forcing it to retreat or surrender. The third craft will no doubt attack the camp site where we will ambush them and find out who sent them. With the information on their backers, you can go deal with them and make sure this threat never arises again, and cause dreadful embarrassment to the Council. Oh and to show my appreciate at your endeavours and assistance, I will send some pathfinders along for the trip just to make sure you aren't short on the firepower you need."
"And what if I say I work alone?" Illia replied, folding her arms. The craft landed at the base, and the back door lowered revealing several Terran soldiers that looked more like extremely well armed mercenaries than Federal troops, manning several metal walls that had been built around the camp. They gave an appearance of looking bored and unprepared.
"There's always a first for everything, and I need to make sure I send a few bits of mail to some friends on the Citadel anyways, just think of them as… Temporary companions." Jenkins said, walking out the back of the craft picking up a fearsome looking weapon fit for blowing apart Krogan, and a weapon only a krogan would be comfortable lugging around on any normal gravity worlds. He then looked over at the Spectre and flashed a smile, "Boys, play The Wanderer, by Dion. I hope you don't mind if I play some music fit to take care of these scum bags?"
The pathfinder next to her sighed as he pulled out a small speaker and a jaunty tune began to play from the base speakers. "You get used to him after a while, despite his quirks." That was the first time one of the Pathfinders spoke to her.
Shaking her head at the silliness Jenkins treated impending combat, the Spectre nodded as she prepared her own rifle, and asked, "So what's stopping me from not telling the Councilors that you lied the moment I get on a shuttle home?"
"Nothing. But this was mostly done for politeness sakes. We can't know everything for sure after all. The sources weren't clear on the whys and hows and whos, even what's. If they were I would not need to make a trap. Speaking of, here they come!" He pointed up as the Batarian vessel entered the atmosphere and rushed across the desert plane toward the camp site. "Here they come boys and girls! GET READY! For the Federation!" Yowling out alongside the more undisciplined mercenaries they collectively cheered as they sought out cover.
"Yeah! Let's give them a good ol' taste of the Ape Makers!" One of the mercenaries psyched himself and those around him, carrying one of those over sized rifles Jenkins had grabbed, as a missile came out of the dunes beneath the frigate sized craft, and smashed into the rear engines. The ship lost it's lift and quickly smashed into the grey sand, skidding along until it stopped within thirty meters of the camp.
"How did you know which way the ship would come from?" Illia asked, "Magic?"
"Not this time! I brought a full pathfinder company, not just the squad you've seen, so I had some troopers take some automated SAM sites and deploy them all around the base. No magic tricks there! Just simple preparation. As a bonus they can't escape now." As he spoke the pathfinders were moving toward the crashed ship, leaping from cover to cover, their weapons trained on all the doors.
As the Spectre watched, a group of Batarians suddenly rushed out a door, guns ready, they were butchered by the pathfinder and mercenary fire, almost half the squad seemed to be carrying light machine guns that were way too precise, and the other half carried rifles that would only be fit for Krogan to use. Another group, this one lead by a Krogan, tried their luck but met the same fate. The Krogan actually dropping dead from a few rounds to the brain pan, exploding his helmet and skull out so that his brains splattered everywhere. For good measure they then fired a hand flamer onto the body to counteract his blood rage and regeneration.
Before anymore morons could try their luck again, the pathfinders made their way inside, Illia could hear gunfire and screaming after that. Alongside the sounds of a lot of bones crunching and electrical discharges.
"They know they're supposed to get prisoner's right?" Illia asked, as the killing and violence continued.
"Yes, but to get the higher ups to surrender, you need to kill their underlings, make them afraid of death, they should demand for them to surrender soon, either motivated to save their own skin, or their crew's lives." The firing stopped not to long after that, and two pathfinders came out dragging what they could assume was the captain out, judging by the gold embroidery on his shoulders, "Or they could get lucky and just find him." He walked up to meet the pathfinders and their charge, so the Spectre followed.
"Hello, Captain, I assume?" Jenkins asked, looking down on the Batarian as he was shoved down into the grey sand, "You mind telling me who hired you, or are we going to have to dig it out?"
"Fuck you, you Human bastard, I won't talk," The Batarian spat at him both metaphorically and almost literally, since the Batarian almost forgot he was wearing a helmet.
"Your lucky I'm not a sadist, but you're unlucky that I don't care if you live or die. Specter Verpine, would you kindly enter the transport and see if you can access their ship files, while I pry the information out of my new friend?" Jenkins asked, "I don't want to show such barbarism to such a fine lady as yourself."
"Well you requested someone with tech skills. I assume your soldiers know I'm coming?" Illia asked.
"Oh, of course Specter Verpine." And with that Illia walked into the ship and as she did so she heard bloodcurdling screams come from the Batarian. She paid it no heed as she went in search of the command center.
Jenkins smiled as Verpine decided to give him some alone time. "Stand him up." He told the two flanking soldiers, who did as ordered and roughly held the Batarian up, "Now as fair warning, this is going to feel like the worst migraine you've ever felt in your life." Raising his hand and pointing the palm toward the Batarians head, the captain began to scream in bloodcurdling, soul wrenching pain. As more and more captured Batarians were escorted the transport they were inadvertently paraded past the captain with the General holding his palm to his head, seemingly doing nothing. The Batarian held his head, or tried to at least, and his four eyes looked around wildly in separate directions, his screaming turned to convulsing shudders of pain, and the Terran just stood there, seemingly not doing anything, "I can find it on my own, but feel free to shorten the process by screaming it out," The Terran General taunted, a bit of blood leaking from his nose, "And I'd be fast about it too, heads can sometimes explode when I have to tear into them like this. And we don't want to have your funeral a closed casket now."
"The buyer was a Turian by the name of Sindri! Pillars damned Sindri!" He screamed out, "He wanted this dropped off at Omega! We were paid in advance! That was where we were to take it!" The Batarian screamed, and Jenkins put his hand down, almost moving it to wipe away the blood before he realized that he was wearing a sealed helmet as well.
"Why does he want the artefact?" Jenkins asked the Batarian as he slumped on the ground, "If you give me a sufficient answer, I promise to treat your men like Prisoners of War, and not like the criminals you are. Criminals I might add, that would get a very swift death sentence."
"I-I-I don't know, oooohhh… I don't know, he's just a middleman for whoever is in charge that's all I know." The Batarian cried on the ground, his own olfactory nostrils bleeding. Jenkins actually pitied him. He hated doing this to people, no matter what species they were, but it was more than necessary. The Batarian continued mumbling, begging into the ground, "But- but- but! I -I can get you in contact with him, give him the artefact or a fake if you want and you can ambush him, if-if-if he learns that anyone but one of us tries to bring it in he'll go to ground and hide in Omega. Just please spare me and my crew."
Jenkins smiled inwardly, Looking to the two pathfinders he nodded, "Well then, POWs it is. Take him somewhere he can get medical treatment. And his men too. We need to make this authentic." Jenkins ordered the pathfinders who picked the Batarian up in a fireman's carry.
The Pathfinder actually struggled under the weight, "Damn he's heavier than I thought!" He complained, which got a chuckle from Jenkins.
Almost preternaturally he turned to the Specter and smiled as if nothing happened, despite the blood running down his nose, "Trade you my info for yours."
"I'm not a fan of cold blooded torture. I certainly don't want to feel what made those screams." Illia commented as she brought up her omni-tool and showed its data.
"Well, neither am I to be honest, but circumstances lead to such methods. Course he did get a good shot back at me as you can see. But his pain won't be physically permanent. Torture however leaves a psychological mark on both administrator and victim. It's not a tactic I use often, or condone." Jenkins explained as he stepped aside for the Spectre to pass."
"Why do I get the feeling you're playing a long game of some sort?" Spectre Verpine asked, sighing at the endless games of politicians.
All she received in return was a knowing smile.
~[==|==]~
Palaven 2657 GS November /25/2329 AD
General Desolas Arterius sat at his desk at Palavan Command, as he looked over the report from his science team stationed at the Temple. The theory about the place had always drawn his interest, even as a child. So when he had attained his rank, and a certain degree of autonomy, he had of course sent an expedition to the place. There had been expeditions before for hundreds of years, but no one had turned anything up, and at first it had been the same with his own scientists. But then one of them came up with some interesting theories, about how the Temple may have some kind of relation to some of the old tech rumored to be found throughout the galaxy that was considered too dangerous, and rightfully so, no one was immune from its horrifying effects.
But for the purposes of uncovering ancient Turian archeology for the Hierarchy, he found it was an interesting theory, enough so he had a few of his subordinates put contracts, info bounties, and feelers for such an object. He had hoped he would find one during that little skirmish with the Terrans, exploration often resulted in uncovering lost things buried deep below the ground, but that was not to be. This time.
Well at first it was, then one of his subordinates reported the Terrans had found what appeared to be one on their side of the border, said subordinate had already dispatched a pirate raid led by three reliable captains to retrieve the device, with any luck it would be here by the end of the week. And then he could see if the theories about the next step in Turian evolution were true.
But he felt it risky, while he admired initiative when it was appropriate, Sindri had jumped the gun. It would have been more prudent to petition the Council and ask the Terran's for an equal trade. After all it was essentially worthless to them anyways, and the Turians had much to offer the new race in terms of Eezo tech and military assistance since they were so new and wary from war.
~[==|==]~
Shanxi City, Shanxi, Relay 314 system 2657 GS November /25/2329 AD
Jack Harper coughed as he waited outside the Special Services office. He had been ready to get back on with his life after the latest weird event he got himself tangled in, but he had been called here instead. Which was freaking him out just a bit, he wasn't a fan of talking to military intelligence on a good day, but psychs even less so. Throw in that this was General Carl Leroy "Fucking" Jenkins, Minister of Paranormal Warfare and good friend to THE Juan Rico, and you had a recipe for putting a person on edge.
Jack was about to pull out a cigarette to calm his nerves when the secretary finally spoke, "The general will see you now." Standing up with an unlit cigarette in his mouth, complaining in his head, he walked over to the door, took a deep breath, and hoped to whatever power there was he was not about to get mind probed. Or worse. He opened the door and stepped inside to see the black uniformed General watching the sky outside his window. God this was so cliche.
"Jack Harper, Service number MS00123958374, former posting to 2nd Army Corp, 20th Division, 7th Brigade, 1st Regiment, 10th Company, also known as Garcia's Gators Cap Troopers. Retired voluntarily after four years of service with most of your company, when Garcia fell in the line of duty, your record says you were very good at fighting Skinnie, I especially liked when you started a civil war in the Cabal of Salambo. Such ingenuity comes only naturally." The General reported, turning around holding a datapad in his hand, "Starting that civil war stopped raiding in ten systems for a whole year. Tell me, is this you?"
Jack knew better than to lie to a mind reader, not to mention one who literally HELD his service record, so he told the truth, "For the most part, there is one lie in there, Ben Hislop was actually the catalyst to the civil war when he accidently killed the Skinnie Cabalite with a shock stick during interrogation. I mean accidently too, we weren't using the thing. We freaked out and did our best to cover it up, we just got lucky the Skinnies were already pissed off at the cabal and their mind controlling ways. Probably would have given us a medal too before trying to kill us."
"Honesty is a good trait to have Mister Harper, but that raises one more question, would you have told me that if I couldn't tell you were lying?" General Jenkins asked, putting the pad down on his desk and looking at Jack thoughtfully.
"No Sir. I would have kept the lie going. The entire incident was embarrassing enough without getting our squad pulled apart by a weapons infraction resulting in death." Jack didn't know what to expect, but a smile was not it.
"Tell me Mister Harper Do you know why I ended up Minister of Paranormal Warfare?"
"I heard you fucked up, and nearly got a planet invaded with bugs. So they took you off the front lines and threw a desk at you." He replied automatically, wincing internally at being forced to be so tactless when speaking to a General. Desk throwing was considered foul language. Hit too close to home for most officers who'd rather lead.
"All true. I thought I could control the bugs, even caught a queen to attempt it, and I got further than the government was willing to let out, which is why they didn't execute me on the spot. So they transferred me to take command of the clairvoyants, the people who can get a glimpse of the future, one of those glimpses is what brought me to that hell hole of a moon with that artefact, but another one is what brought you here to this office." General Jenkins explained a bit more upbeat than he would have liked.
"Sir?"
"Your efforts here on Shanxi and handling of the artefact show you are still loyal enough to fight for the Federation, if only with a bit of encouragement. Why are you not still in the Mobile Infantry?" There was the question Jack had been asking himself on and off for years.
Jack had to think about that a bit, "I just wanted to be the captain of my own ship as it were, I know I could have tried to go career and get the same effect but the pay is better and I can choose my own people to work with." Which included just about the rest of his company from his service days. They all had more loyalty to him than a new officer, and he offered good pay for a job they already knew how to do.
Jenkins had a very unnerving smile, "And what if I were to offer you a bigger 'ship' outside official Federal Government organization? With a bigger paycheque and with full autonomy, except one mandate, and one mission."
"I would ask what that mandate and mission is." Jack asked carefully.
"To protect the Federation from herself." Jack looked at the General confused, but before he had the chance to ask, he continue, "One of my clairvoyants saw and continues to see what he called the single most massive threat that would cause the downfall of the Federation, and it was not an external threat. He said the Terran Federation would fall to a threat of her own making, a scary thought. But not uncommon in Human history. Even worse however, is the fact that he says the Federation alone will not be able to handle this threat, there are few things the Federation can not handle. If I had to hazard a guess it would be the Black Cross or the Zegma Cartel, or god forbid another rebellion with even greater popular support than before. Or perhaps it would be one of our wild experiments, the options are many and mutating every day. However, thankfully the answers are simple. To stop or undo the damage done, we need a man outside official Federation control and organization, an illusive shadow who's not afraid to stand over the shoulders of our leaders and tell them when they are wrong, or get has hands dirty and find out what's going on in the Terran Underworld, I think you could be that man. If you're interested of course." General Jenkins explained, what he was describing could be construed to some as treason.
Jack had to think about it a bit longer, "But isn't this what the Federal Overview Board is supposed to do? To ensure freedom from corruption and self destructive ambition?"
General Jenkins sighed sadly, "Yes, but they are also visible, those with more complex and nefarious plans find it easy to avoid the watchful eye of FOB and Internal Investigations. And indeed I fear that they have their own clairvoyants and many in their pockets or unwittingly or unknowingly serving them. What I ask of you, is not to build and create an organization loyal to just you or the Federation, but loyal to the Federation's PEOPLE. Civilian and Citizen. To keep this goal clear, you will have to remain small and connected to the average joe. But you know the saying, one man in the right place at the right time can make all the difference."
Jack paused. This burden, this responsibility was back breaking, and this organization would likely not survive him. This kind of power to have the literal authority to shape the Federation as it saw fit to this degree was a power that could never be left in even a group of well intentioned hands.
Looking to General Jenkins he nodded, "On one condition…"
~[==|==]~
Terran Gunsmith's Extraordinaire Codex edition, Volume 1:
Morita 202-SL Smart Long Rifle "Tanker Killer" "Bolter": Sniper version of the 202-SA, given only to the best of the best of marksmen. Able to take down multiple bugs in one shot, and even the feared King Tanker if one is accurate enough, it's weight is problematic since it weighs as much as the old 201, but its firepower is deemed well worth the weight. It achieves this force through the use of specialised overcharged bullets, further accelerated by magnetic accelerators, and firing Gyroscopic rockets a second after the bullet leaves the muzzle. The tip is typically made of high explosive, and once it pierces the outer layer of armor, chitin, or shields, it will explode within the target.
Units produced: ~1,000,000 (1 Million)
Morita 201-A Assault Rifle "Ape Maker": While effective against humanoid or psychologically affected targets, the weapon was initially ill suited for fighting the bugs. The heavy ammo and weapon, bulky size, and insufficient stopping power was made up for its availability, ease of use, and modability with underslung attachments ensuring its continued use despite its flaws, and in experienced hands of veteran or even properly trained soldiers, they can make these flaws into non issues or advantages. The general production and issuing of this rifles spawned the term apes for the first time, mainly because you'd have to be as strong as a primate to even hold one for a few minutes, and indeed how veteran a soldier is can be determined by how large their biceps are.
Units produced: ~100,000,000,000 (100 Billion)
Author note
Guest chapter 17 . Dec 24
Why doesn't the Federation just wipe out the coventry? Complete genocide if their arrogant race?
L4 Coven and Stealth Battleships
Lord foul: mostly because they won't just roll over and let us. they have psychic powers and aren't exactly slouches in other areas either.
TimedRaven: Because they are a very advanced and powerful organization, that while unable to conquer the Federation the Federation is equally incapable of doing it back. They are also in the middle of a two front war, are now talking with the Citadel Council, and don't really gain anything from wiping out the Coven just yet.
lordkalel chapter 17 . Dec 25
I wonder when The Asari are going to meet the Coven?
L4 someday
Lord foul: I'm gleefully awaiting it myself, especially for asari like morrith
TimedRaven: It's unlikely the Asari government itself would meet them, they are simply too far away in SST terms. But Asari mercenaries or Asari Foreign Legion soldiers? That will be interesting.
Axcel chapter 1 . Dec 25
Good first chapter! Though, I do disagree with the distance the Mass Relay propelled the ship that first went through it. Waaaay too short a distance.
If that ship only traveled a hundred lightyears with the Mass Relay, and the galaxy map for traveling through mass relays in the games shows the relays thousands or tens of thousands of lightyears away from each other, and that mere hundred lightyears is four weeks by Federation FTL, then Federation space would have very few planets and only Earth would support life. The sheer time to travel would make problems with trade and the bugs would have easily dominated the Federation due to the military's slow travel time.
It makes no sense.
L4 ah that galaxy maps only shows primary relays i think but who knows
Lord foul: there are two types of relays (not counting the special snowflake ones like the Citadel, alpha, and omega relays ) primary and secondary.
TimedRaven: Primary Relays go something like 1,000 light years, secondary like half or less than that. Keep in mind the Federation have their own independent FTL, and while it's fast, there's only so much space you can colonize and claim. For an example, look at the Batarians trying to colonize the ENTIRE Skylian Verge on their own, they were in the process of it for something like 60 years, and still had many habitable worlds unpopulated.
Axcel chapter 16 . Dec 25
Ollanius Pius!? YEEEESSS! That ship is therefore the most epicly badass ship ever made, even if were to be killed as easily as a Red Shirt.
L4 RAVEN!
Lord foul: oh that raven (canned laughter plays)
TimedRaven: Another cookie if you can spot my reference in this chapter as well!
Axcel chapter 16 . Dec 25
I actually have two accounts, but I don't remember the login and pass for the Axcel (pretty sure I spelled it differently for the account) and I keep forgetting to login with the other (247 Rampant Bias). I'll try to remember to login (hopefully I haven't forgotten that login, too).
Glad you thought my comments were interesting. :D
L4 ah alright
Axcel chapter 16 . Dec 25
Blood Raven
About frigate weapons, I don't remember where, I think the wiki description has changed. Though, I read this when Mass Effect was still new. I distinctly remember it saying that Frigates strafe enemy ships with their GUARDIAN lasers in wolf packs. Now, it says that the wolf packs strafe targets whose barriers have been dropped by fighter-launched disruptor torpedoes.
It no longer specifically states GUARDIAN lasers are what is being used to strafe with. In fact, it states that knife-fight range is rare whereas it previously stated that frigates fight by closing to knife-fight range and attacking with their GUARDIAN lasers (which was ultra-retarded as it also stated at the time that GUARDIAN range is a mere ten freaking kilometers. In SPACE!). Perhaps a ret-con. I don't know if the novels reflect such a change, though, as I have only read one of them (the prequel).
Lord foul: I just went and reread the codex and I'm pretty sure that's off, and even if it were accurate it varies based on frequency used. the systems alliance used infrared, which has short range and damage but easy to maintain equipment. the salarians and geth use ultraviolet which is quoted at having six times as much distance and damage, but more finicky, expensive and fragile equipment.
Larger ships likely also have a longer range simply from having more power at their disposal.
The massive geth dreadnought in ME3 was able to carve through multiple ships with its lasers, and I don't think a 60 km range would let it do that
Further the Human frigate Iwo Jima was able to take out an armored land vehicle from the atmosphere on a Batarian world, so there's that
in any case, even if it somehow had such a crappy range as 10 km it would still serve its other purpose at anti projectile defence.
TimedRaven: Couldn't have said it better myself. Keep in mind i'm sure the Citadel aligned worlds have frigates and corvettes kitted out with nothing but GUARDIANs for missile and fighter defense.
Poliamida chapter 17 . Dec 26
Well, if there's something this chapter taught me, is that there are far more ways to say "smoke" that I originally thought. I wrote some down for further reference.
Fun chapter, i can't wait for more!
TimedRaven: And all without using a Thesaursus! I knew writing on a roleplay forum for half my life was a good idea!
Lord foul: glad you like it.
CBase chapter 17 . Dec 26
I want a xenocide and i want it soon!
Goodyear fic
L4: be careful what you wish for
Lord foul: I don't think that's what this fic is about (though I'm not sure what you mean by "goodyear fic"
TimedRaven: You'll get it eventually. You'll probably not like who it's against however.
Cap'n Chryssalid chapter 17 . 4h ago
Quite an enjoyable story. I found it on spacebattles, originally, before switching over to the version here. I'll tag it with a follow as well.
You don't see many Starship Troopers fanfics to begin with, much less ones that take an actual cohesive narrative rather than "timeline stories" - which I usually hardly consider stories at all. I was very happy then to find this. The exotic and uncommon setting combined with ME means it is hard to predict how or what will happen, and again, that is only a good thing. Here's hoping the southern front rallies and we get to see a full Terran-Turian allied push into the Skinnie Hegemony. It'll go a long way to opening up all kinds of other interactions in ME space as well as giving us more Terran and Turian cross-culture fun. It is very rare - almost unheard of - to find ME-crossovers where Humans and Turians are actually on good terms or relate in a positive way (rather than as outright rivals or the like). They have so much more in common here than in most any other crossover.
L4: holy beep it cap'n *head explodes*
Lord foul: ah no! put your head contents back where they belong (carefully hides shotgun)
TimedRaven: Wow I don't think me and L4 would have ever gotten such high praise from someone like you Cap'n. You put a great deal on our shoulders for better quality control!