God help me, I had intended to write an entire actual chapter but writer's block has been in the damn way so I've decided to steamroll this one out in a codex format because I couldn't get an actual chapter written with interactions and shit. In the end I just hope that what I've written is of high enough quality that all of you enjoy it.
Important note, this hasn't been beta'd
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"What kind of people do they think we are? Is it possible they do not realize that we shall never cease to persevere against them until they have been taught a lesson which they and the world will never forget?"
-Winston Churchill
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Codex Entry: Humanity: X-COM: The Contact War
Human Standard Calendar, Year 2091
What began as an attempt by the Turian Navy to punish what they believed to be a wayward race that had only just achieved space flight, the Contact War as it is now known was one of the bloodiest conflicts ever seen by the Citadel species since the Krogan Rebellions. Despite the best efforts of historians, the orders that started the blood letting are still debated openly as the exact source of the order to engage the Human race has been classified by the Turian Hierarchy. What is without known though, is that the order to engage the patrol ships at Shanxi brought about the decline of the Turian Heirarchy and the rise of X-COM as galactic forces. The events that occurred took place as follows.
On January 21st of the year 2091, a human scout ship attempting to activate a dormant Mass Relay one jump out from Shanxi was encountered by a Turian patrol fleet. Believing the vessel to belong to a new race ignorant of Citadel custom and laws, the patrol's commander requested official orders from the Turian High Command as to what to do in response. The order that came down was clear: engage the vessel and locate its home world for the purpose of subjugation as a client race. The patrol fleet obeyed as expected of Turian soldiers and destroyed the unknown scout ship before venturing through the only open relay in the system besides the one they had come through.
This Relay jump brought the patrol group to the colony of Shanxi, one of the newest and most profitable worlds in what was Humanity's rapidly expanding stellar empire. Certain that they had located the scout ship's home world, the Turian patrol approached the planet before being engaged by heavy ground based fusion weaponry and advanced surface based space fighters. Despite taking heavy casualties, the patrol attempted to begin landings on Shanxi's surface before being driven off and sustaining even more casualties to ground based missile silos armed with some form of fusion projectiles.
After sustaining close to eighty percent losses, the patrol moved off from Shanxi and called back to the Turian High Command for additional orders. In response nearly a full third of the Turian Navy was dispatched to aid in the pacification of the colony and to secure weaponry and other technology for study. This fleet arrived in-system approximately one day after the initial contact. Ground based contact with downed vessels and the deployment of additional troops was heavily slowed by significant and advanced ground based technology along with surviving missile silos which continued to engage when Turian ships made themselves available.
The soldiers that had successfully made it to Shanxi's surface faced heavy combat from guerrilla units as well as heavy resistance from civilians who engaged with soldier portable laser based weapons. Guerrilla units that engaged Turian army groups fought using heavy plasma based weapons, fusion based grenades, powerful stealth systems, and what appeared to be powerful mechanized soldiers in some form of powerful combat exoskeleton. Casualties sustained by the Turian forces on the surface reached nearly eighty percent before the end of the campaign when X-COM forces retook the planet.
During the battle in space to secure Shanxi from the Turians, X-COM's navy made heavy use of cyber warfare to great effect, raiding huge caches of information from the Turians. The Turian fleet proved particularly vulnerable during the subsequent battle to the heavy fusion, laser, and plasma based weaponry that were fielded by the human ships. Of particular note was the successful deployment of the flagship Last Order which was responsible for a large percent of the Turian losses in space.
After the conclusion of the battle at Shanxi, both sides fell into a lull for nearly a full week as X-COM analyzed the information gained during the space battle as well as everything possible that was recovered during the near slaughter that was defeat of Turian forces still on Shanxi's surface following a deployment order from X-COM's commander.
At the end of the week of peace, Human forces made use of a previously unknown method of FTL to jump deep into Turian space in a multi pronged attack across several industrial worlds and light military outposts. During these battles, X-COM displayed a distinct lack of concern for civilian surface casualties during orbital strikes. While population centers were not deliberately targeted, there were several 'accidents' along with high collateral damage when X-COM targeted facilities believed to be capable of assisting in the Turian war effort. In all cases, despite superior shielding, armor, and fire power, human forces never engaged reinforcements that arrived to repel their attacks, instead preferring to jump out of the system and disappear only to attack again elsewhere. If no Turian fleet elements arrived, the bombardments could last up to several days.
This campaign of hit-and-run battles and the willingness to fire on locations near civilian centers lead to a seventeen percent drop in the total industrial capacity of the Turian Hierarchy, along with an eight percent drop in total economic ability and a twenty-nine percent drop in ship building capacity. In response, several forward thinking generals and admirals of the Turian Heirarchy chose to request unofficial aid from the Asari and Salarians while the bureaucracy trudged along. While fleets were prepared within both species' territories, they would not be dispatched for more than four days, during which time Turian worlds suffered an additional thirty-one major attacks by human fleets with an estimated twenty percent loss in active military strength and capability.
The first few attacks were concealable by the hierarchy, but eventually word made it back to the rest of the Council species when the Asari cruiser Adamant witnessed one of the attacks while present for refueling a Turian military post. Both the Salarians and the Asari had already possessed suspicions that there were battles going on in Turian space owing to the sudden increase in the military readiness of the rest of the fleets along with the occasional sightings of damaged frigates and cruisers that the STG had reported were limping back into dry dock for repairs.
When confronted with incontrovertible evidence, Turian Councilor Sparatus came clean, finally explaining the situation and the full extent of the issue to the Council. While both Asari Councilor Tevos and Salarian Councilor Relar were disturbed to discover the capabilities demonstrated by the race that the Turians had come into contact with, both immediate saw to the full mobilization of their species militaries for the purpose of defeating the attacking species. Notably, the Salarian Union was dramatically slower in their mobilization owing to significant apprehension about the capabilities of their foes due to the already demonstrated energy weapons and alternative FTL methods that they were capable of.
As all three species readied there forces, attacks continued throughout Turian space steadily penetrating further past the edge till there was no doubt as to the eventual target; Palaven.
Deciding to cut what losses were possible, Turian military forces were pulled back from the invasion corridor and indeed much of Turian space to congregate over Palaven, knowing it to be the eventual target.
It was exactly twenty-seven days since the beginning of the offensive that human forces arrived at Palaven where they were met with the combined fleets of the Turian Hierarchy, the Asari Republics, and the Salarian Union. An astounding seventy-three percent of all Citadel naval vessels were present in formation as even the Batarians had supplied the majority of their navy for the confrontation in return for territorial gains should their defense be successful.
Even with such an overwhelming amount of firepower arrayed in Palaven's defense, the success of the endeavor was still in doubt. The human forces that had entered the system were in the hundreds, just over a thousand in fact, but it was hardly a large amount compared to the literal thousands of ships arrayed against them, the human fleet was hardly at a disadvantage and consisted of what was later identified as the lone super battleship Last Order, thirty-six regular battleships, twenty-four carriers, one hundred and twenty cruisers, four hundred and eighty destroyers, and six hundred frigates. The was later found to have accounted for a staggering four fifths of all human military vessels.
Believing this to be the last possible chance at peace, the Asari cruiser Cybean carried a diplomatic entourage that attempted contact as the lone vessel left the relative safety of the joint Citadel fleet. Blasting across all frequencies, the diplomatic party sought to initiate communications with the human forces in some form by praying they would respond to the mathematic based signal they were sending out known as the Fibonacci sequence.
For several tense moments there was no response from the human vessels before a signal was broadcast across every spectrum from the human flagship Last Order, detailing the next five numbers after the initial five number sequence sent by the Cybean.
A collective sigh of relief at the response was followed by a gasp across the Cybean as the grizzled face of now Admiral Hackett was displayed on the Bridge screens when a human return signal coming on the heels of their first signal was acknowledged.
Begin Recording: Cybean Bridge Recorders
Matriarch Benezia, Dalatrass Arle, Ambassador Trendar all look to the bridge displays where the face of the human has appeared. There are several seconds of tense silence before the person on screen begins to speak, notably their words in flawless Asari.
"This is Admiral Steven Hackett of the X-COM Naval Vessel Last Order, to whom am I speaking?" The human begins.
(There are several seconds of silence before the diplomatic group manages to respond, Matriarch Benezia speaking first.)
"Hello Admiral Hackett, I am Matriarch Benezia, accompanying me are Dalatrass Arle and Ambassador Trendar. We wish to make an attempt at peace before the blood letting can continue."
(Several seconds of silence follows during which the Admiral looks at a datapad handed to him before responding.)
"Very well Matriarch, state your terms. As the ranking officer present I will conduct these ceasefire negotiations on behalf of Humanity."
(There is notable surprise on the faces of the Citadel ambassadors before Ambassador Trendar speaks.)
"Admiral we would like to formally request that you and your navy withdraw from Turian space so that proper negotiations can occur between diplomatic representatives."
(Admiral Hackett narrows his eyes as if looking closer at Trendar before he replies.)
"Ambassador, your people started this war, if you want us to turn around and go back from our objective then you will need to supply proper reasons as to why."
"How about the fact that you are opposite a fleet several times lar-"
(Ambassador Trendar is silenced by a motion from Matriarch Benezia before she speaks, Daltrass Arle apparently deep in thought.)
"My apologies Admiral Hackett, though I will restate the request that you withdraw from Turian space, I would like to ask what you would require to make such an action reasonable."
(Hackett pauses, a small smile visible on his face.)
"Matriarch, at the very least Humanity demands reparations for the destruction of much of our colony at Shanxi as well as significant reparations for the deaths of our citizens in an unprovoked attack. Should this requirement be agreed to, I will withdraw my fleet from Turian space to permit the beginning of a formal peace treaty."
(Ambassador Trendar glares at Admiral Hackett before being spoken over by Matriarch Benezia.)
"Very well Admiral, we agree to these terms, the amount of reparations as well as who they will come from can be decided la-"
"Wrong Matriarch."
(The bridge crew as well as the Ambassadors look at Hackett with clear surprise as he continues to speak.)
"The amount can be decided later by lawmakers, but someone is going to promise to pay for the reparations now. I'm not going to let you [weasel/worm/evade] out of paying it by letting it get dragged out later. One of you is going to promise here and now that they'll pay."
(Admiral Hackett pauses and glares at Ambassador Trendar before continuing.)
"I might have a preference as to who it comes from but collectively I don't care so long as we get it."
(The Ambassadors look between each other before several nods are shared and Dalatrass Arle speaks.)
"We understand Admiral, and we will pay whatever amount is agreed upon later. The primary cost will be upon the Turian Hierarchy, however should they be unwilling or unable to meet the requirements the Asari republics and the Salarian Union will make up the difference."
(Hackett is quiet, bringing a hand up to cup his chin before he nods and replies.)
"Very well Ambassador, I find this agreement acceptable and as such I will pull back from Turian space and-"
(Hackett is interrupted and handed a datapad, he reads it and nods before handing it back off-screen to resume speaking.)
"In ten [days/planetary rotations] time a proper diplomatic party will arrive at your Citadel to conduct negotiations for a proper peace treaty. Good day Ambassadors, Hackett out."
(The view screen abruptly shits off and the bridge breaks out into dozens of conversations with the Ambassadors leaving the bridge, apparently arguing amongst themselves.)
End recording.
It can be surmised from this one communication that humans are supremely practical. While they had been seemingly intent on razing Palaven, when they had been offered an alternative they had quickly taken it, even while in a situation that they likely would have come out on top in had it become a battle. Subsequent communications with the humans were terse and the replies received by the Citadel were pure text communiques until three weeks after the standoff over Palaven when a moderate human fleet appeared via FTL at the Citadel, a mere fifty thousand kilometers from the center of galactic civilization and well within the range of known human weapons.
Panic had immediately struck in reaction as word filtered down through the Citadel masses and three riots were started in the attempts of civilians to evacuate before order was restored and the intentions of the human fleet were established. When a message from the fleet, coming from Admiral Hackett himself was relayed through the Citadel stating that the human fleet had come to negotiate peace, tensions aboard the massive space station began to ease as the Council scrambled to prepare for the arrival of Humanity's designated ambassador who was to conduct their negotiations.
Three hours later, Admiral Steven Hackett along with a squad of heavily armed and armored human soldiers arrived on the Citadel station to begin the negotiations.
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Dear god...I wanted a real chapter so much but just I couldn't get one out through my writers block, so instead that was the codex version of the Contact War. There will be less info drop and more interactions in the next chapter, I promise.