SEKSEMANI
UATHA SYSTEM
TURIAN PROTECTORATE
NOVEMBER 13th, 2188
THE MEPHISTIA, a heavy turian cruiser, had come across the shattered volus transport just shy of the outer gas giant Zuthren. The mighty vessel had been on a standard patrol across the three systems in its reach and then back round again. Only three lifepods were found and only one of those contained anyone living. The volus officer in it was in bad shape and died before he could give them any answers. A PAD found with him mentioned only the inner system planet Seksemani along with the legend 'dire need'. The Mephistia sped in-system to find… nothing. The settlement reported no activity, the local turian detachment likewise. The destruction of the volus transport was logged and pondered over. The Mephistia transferred a few troops and supplies and was soon out-system bound, the volus incident sent up the chain of command. An hour later a frenzied emergency call from Seksemani had the Mephistia scrambling back.
One message from the Mephistia reached turian High Command. It was badly fragmented and all that could be deciphered was 'unbelievable', 'planet destroyed' and 'vessel unknown…', followed by the ominous whine of a starship's disaster beacon that was quickly silenced. An Alliance cruiser in the area that had intercepted the beacon investigated and reported no sign of the cruiser and a radiation wall it could not scan beyond. The turian dreadnought Silent Vigil, dispatched to investigate, returned in dire straits and ninety-six percent casualties. The ship limped into port and only a single lieutenant was left to report when the ship finally docked. A remote astronomy probe four systems away reported a 'catastrophic radiation event' in the Uatha system. Turian High Command posted warning buoys and dispatched scientists to the vicinity in an attempt to find out what had happened.
The report was short and chilling.
The Uatha System had simply ceased to be.
"THE SUBDUED TONE"
PLANET WELWOLWEL
ANIQ'TI SYSTEM
HANAR OVERSIGHT SYSTEM
NOVEMBER 13th, 2188
IT HAD BEEN SETTLED almost five hundred years ago and had been a vital linking world in the hanar religion regarding the 'Enkindlers', Welwolwel had been an obscure waypoint outpost during Prothean times and the ruins barely touched over the millennia. That cycle of Reapers had disrupted enough of the local tectonics to simply sink it, which had the unintended side effect of making it ideal for hanar settlers and pilgrims. After a week of silence, a drell troop had been dispatched to investigate. Welwolwel had been covered in warm and shallow turquoise seas and the land tangled with lush blue-green vegetation, the area of the sunken Prothean outpost had been like a great glaring eye from orbit. Images transmitted from 'The Subdued Tone' showed it black and burning, the eye of the outpost a dark crater with lurid fires kilometres deep. As the seas boiled, the atmosphere thickened into clouds that rolled and thundered with a red fury that shocked all who witnessed it. The drell vessel had returned and an official period of mourning declared. Welwolwel burned. Several outposts connected to the planet vanished or went silent. The hanar calls to the Council were politely but firmly queued.
As quietly – and politely – the hanar put their worlds on war alert.