The Cerberus Files: Historical Analysis of Citadel and Terminus Space
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DAEDALUS-SEVEN-NINE-TWO
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To the Three:
A short primer on the state of the galaxy. I trust you will forgive me for reviewing this, but I am still organizing some of my notes on the asari, filthy witches.
Cerberus Message of the Day: Aliens are not as humans. What disgusts us delights them, what we find evil they prosper and pursue. Collaborate not.
An Overview of Aliens in the Galaxy
Before I begin my analysis of the various alien species (which will take some time), a high level overview is called for, if only as to set down some common points of knowledge.
The most powerful races in the galaxy are currently the asari, the salarians, and the turians. These three races have populations more than double that of humanity, fleets more than twice our size, and technology in advance of our own. More importantly, these three races compose the membership of the Citadel Council, the intergalactic government that controls all space with the exception of the Attican Traverse (which answers to Aria, T'Loak, an asari, so in effect the aliens run the entire galaxy.)
Below the three leading races are the races with an embassy – humanity, the elcor, and the volus. All three of our species are roughly on par with one another in terms of influence. Humanity's fleet is stronger and larger than the elcor or volus fleet. but the elcor outnumber us two to one, and have more advanced technology. The volus economy is one of the strongest in the galaxy. Collectively, the "secondary races" each are under the aegis of one of the primary races. In the case of humanity, the asari claim us as near kin, and are protective of us. The salarians have taken at least a technical interest in the elcor, and the volus are a client race of the turians.
The remaining races – the batarians, the hanar, the drell, the quarians, the krogan, and the vorcha – do not maintain embassies on the Citadel. The batarians, quarians, and krogan all had theirs removed for various reasons, while the Hanar feel the use of the Citadel for anything but worship of the Enkindlers is blasphemous. The drell follow the lead of the hanar. The vorcha , collectively, would not know what to do with an embassy if they had one, aside from eat everyone in it. There are a few other races in the galaxy – the geth, Collectors, yahg – none of which have any form of friendly contact with mainstream galactic society.
It is curious that things of this nature occur in threes. There are three primaries (asari, turian, salarian), three secondaries (human, elcor, volus), three outcasts (batarian, krogan, quarian) and three who have nothing to do with the Citadel governance (hanar, drell, vorcha).
Galactic Cartography
The Galaxy is divided into nine sections.
The Inner Rim is asari and salarian space, and is traditionally referred to as "Council Space". This is the richest segment of the galaxy, with over five hundred colonized worlds as well as the Citadel.
The Outer Rim stretches from the 'south' of the Inner Rim to the Attican Traverse, and is turian and volus space. Some four hundred worlds make up this area.
The Bright Rim and Dark Rim are on the outskirts of the 'west' Inner Rim, and form, along with a tiny glob of space between them, salarian space. Another large area, comprised of over three hundred worlds, it is nearly as rich as the Inner Rim.
Just on the edge of the Dark Rim is the Solian Traverse, or human space. Directly 'east' of that is the Attican Traverse, which is a mix of unincorporated systems, independent human colonies, and batarian space (as well as what passes for vorcha space). Roughly two hundred worlds form this area.
East of the Inner Rim is the Terminus Systems, under the control of the 'Alliance of the Fallen', an intergalactic mercenary and crime ring lead by Aria T'loak of Omega. Some three hundred worlds form the Terminus Systems, most ruled by petty warlords, corrupt corporations, mercenary bands or slavers. The krogan homeworld of Tuchanka falls into this area as well.
The 'northwest' of the Rim is called the Volian Traverse, and is home to the elcor, hanar, and drell. Some two hundred and fifty worlds form this area.
Finally, there is the Perseus Veil, a segment of the galaxy poorly explored. The rachni emerged from this area, and the quarians once lived here before the geth overthrew and exiled them to wander. It is currently unknown how many of the sixty or so quarian worlds the geth now inhabit.
The Inner, Outer, Bright, and Dark Rims all answer directly to the Citadel, and are considered under it's protection. The Solian, and Volian Traverses all answer indirectly to the Citadel. The Terminus systems and the Attican Traverse, as well as the Perseus Veil, do not recognize Citadel Authority.
Galactic Commerce
The largest corporate entity in the galaxy is the Noverian Development Corporation, followed by the Serrice Council, Aoegr Industries, Haliat Arms, Vol-Prime Banking, and Ashland-Eldfell Energy Corporation.
Most commerce is conducted via the extranet for information services and via secured freighters for physical goods. The Citadel provides merchant escorts for a small fee for travel within the confines of Council space but not beyond it.
The galactic GDP is 1.3 quintillion credits. 28% is asari, 17% volus, 15% salarian, 8% turian, 7% human, 6% elcor, 6% hanar/drell, 4% batarian, 3% Terminus Systems and 4% Noveria Development.
Asari dominate eezo mining, dark energy technology, shipbuilding, biotic technology, plasma manipulation technology, sports entertainment, heavy industrial work and civilian vehicle manufacturing.
Salarians dominate computer and information technology, extranet technology, armor manufacturing, optronic and biosynthetic circuit technology, medical surgical technology, precision machining, heavy metals processing and mining, and electronic entertainment.
Turians dominate weapons manufacturing, light metals mining, military vehicle manufacturing, food processing, dextro-compatable medical technology, and hardened computer systems.
Volus dominate banking and investment banking, venture capital firms, missile and torpedo technology, and hostile environment suit manufacturing.
Elcor dominate gravity manipulation technology, heavy weapons manufacturing, ion manipulation technology, toxic and hazardous materials processing, and superheavy metals industrial technology.
Humans dominate HE3 mining, light industrial technology, bio-genetic modification technology, racing entertainment, and shipping concerns.
Quarians, despite their nomadic status, are still the leaders in VI technology, advanced cybernetics, organic-synthetic interface technology, and rapid mining.
Krogan barely have an economy, but have maintained their dominance in hazardous metals mining and survival gear manufacturing.
Hanar dominate deciphering Prothean technology, terraforming and climate control technology, and sensor technology.
Galactic Politics
The current state of the galaxy is somewhat in flux.
The asari dominate all nearly all matters, although the salarians are dominate the scientific fields and the volus dominate matters financial. The most recent war was the First Contact War between humanity and the turians, and the Batarian Insurgency between humanity and batarians. Before that it was the so-called Second Krogan Rebellions some three hundred years ago, and several turian Colony wars.
The galactic economy is in a slight slump, with most political efforts swirling around the efforts of the volus to break away from the turians and get their own council seat. The increasing power of the VDF, while still small, is seen as a definite improvement, and in a year they are scheduled for their first military tithe of ships to support the Citadel Fleet.
There is a great deal of discussion about the Treaty of Fairaxen, as well as certain turian-asari trade negotiations.
Increasingly the Terminus Systems are falling inline with Aria's leadership and goals, with only a few major warlords maintaining any level of true independence. Her criminal empire, boosted by eezo mining and slave trading with the Batarians, has reached a level of GDP roughly half that of the elcor. Their military is on part (in numbers if not quality) with the SA, although she only has one dreadnaught.