Codex Entry: First Contact War

Humanity's first contact with an alien race occurred in 2157. At that time, the Alliance allowed survey fleets to activate any dormant mass relays discovered, a practice considered dangerous and irresponsible by Council-aligned races. When a turian patrol discovered a human fleet attempting to activate a relay, they attacked. One human vessel survived, retreating to the colony of Shanxi.

The Turians followed, quickly defeating the local forces. Shanxi was occupied, the first – and, to date, only – human world to be conquered by an alien species. The Turians believed the handful of ships they defeated represented the bulk of human defenses. So they were unprepared when the Second Fleet under Admiral Kastanie Drescher launched a strong counteroffensive, evicting them from Shanxi.

The Turians mobilized for full-scale war, drawing the attention of the rest of the galaxy. The Council quickly intervened, forcing a truce. Fortunately for humanity, the First Contact War was ended with a diplomatic solution.

Chapter I – Diagnosis

Kadyszewski hated this working environment as well.

The Nexus has been shut down almost completely for the last months, so that they could ration the power. Due to this there was no place for a researcher, who longed only for a quiet space, where he could work. Oh he knew, that since the Hyperion arrived the Nexus Operators were reactivating shut down sections, but a Research Environment wasn't priority – as the krogan woman has explained him, with a syrupy smile and not-hidden danger in her voice.

Thanks to this he didn't share his work space only with the researches behind him, but also with some research assistants and of course the whole section in front of him – only the busiest space on the whole Operations Deck. There were everywhere people, talking, working, running around and whatever else they were doing – that was no space for proper research.

"We can start building a bank of vaccines, once we get more biomaterial.", the salarian Professor started talking behind him once again. Kadyszewski sighed, because he knew what was coming: another longer conversation between him and the other scientists, loud enough that it became even louder for him. The virologist tried to focus on the data displayed on the terminal, he was working at.

But another distraction was coming from the front: Dr. Lexi T'Perro went the few stairs up to his station. "Hello, Jacob.", she greeted him friendly.

Seems there will be no research today anymore…, he thought and leaned back, looking up to her. "Hello, Doctor.", he greeted her back, not even trying to smile, "What are you doing here? Aren't you busy with the awakening process on the Hyperion?"

She shook her head. "Not anymore.", she explained, "Got transferred to the Pathfinder's ship."

"And why aren't you there?", he inquired, almost wishing she would go away.

"Because the administration doesn't approve with the deployment of the ship.", the Asari replied, seemingly ignoring the obvious hostility of the human physician, "And I thought we would have left the Milky Way Bureaucracy behind, when we switched the galaxies.", she chuckled, "But it seems they are more stubborn than Kathis.", she chuckled again, before realizing something, "Oh, these are…"

"…Thessian cockroaches.", Jacob interrupted her, finishing her sentence, "Yeah, I know. I had the displeasure of meeting their teeth…or whatever they own."

Curiosity appeared on Lexi's face. "You were on Thessia?", she asked accordingly, "Didn't know that."

"Probably not the only thing.", Kadyszewski replied grumblingly, before sighing and explaining, "Needed to enlighten some of my colleagues and impress some sponsors for my research back then. Most boring stuff I ever had to do – and I like to read medical books.", Lexi chuckled, while he leaned forward, "So is the Small Talk over?"

She got a mischievous grin. "You aren't as bad as I heard.", she replied, leaning forward to look at his data, "So how is the research? Have you found out something?"

Finally something interesting…he thought and started typing something on the keypad. "It could be better, but also much worse.", he explained, before activating the small round holo-projector found beside the terminal, "I found our little friend."

A blue Holo-projection appeared above the device. It showed a sphere, with several antennas all around its shell. It was surrounded with all kinds of data, although most of it wasn't readable thanks to its size. "You were right.", Kadyszewski explained, "It is a virus."

Lexi looked at it with a fascinated face. "You could detect it despite the remains of the toxin?", she asked, looking down to him.

He nodded. "The accuracy is only 79%, I admit, but my guts tell me, we have found our bad boy.", he continued explaining, before typing something on the keypad again, to highlight and magnify the data sets, "He can be located in most parts of the body, but I still couldn't analyze how he is working. The research equipment of this place…", he leaned back and turned his head around, with an annoyed face, "…isn't as sensible as I would wish. The working environment is actually worse than on the Hyperion."

"Can you find a cure?", Lexi asked, ignoring the complains.

Jacob leaned back forward. "The good news is that this virus' structure doesn't differ much from the ones I have researched back then in the Milky Way.", he explained, "The Bad News: he belongs to the category, which was hard to treat already back then."

"What was the problem?", the Asari inquired.

"There were many problems.", Kadyszewski replied, "But most of them were connected to the rarity of certain material needed for the meds. The resources were hard to find in the Milky Way and here on the Nexus…", he pointed at the terminal with its data sets, "I was looking through the inventory, hoping to find some of the necessary resources, but wasn't able to find anything yet."

Lexi put a hand at her chin, seemingly thinking. "And are the same resources required to prevent the virus of further spreading?", she asked, not looking at him, but instead at the data.

"You want to stabilize him, hm?", the human assumed, "I think I know some other ways to extend the time we have to find a cure. But all of them are highly experimental, thanks to the fact that I have only a guess about how it's working."

"But you can guarantee their success?", Lexi inquired, looking at him with a serious face now.

Kadyszewski leaned back and started to smile for the first time during this conversation. "I haven't become a virologist for taking unnecessary risks - I can guarantee it.", he replied, sounding even excited, "But in the end: this will not cure him. We will still need to find the necessary ingredients for the meds."

The tension seen on her body disappeared from one moment to another. "We are out here to explore, aren't we?", she asked, smiling again even, "So we'll explore and find them out here."

He shook his head. "I know what we need.", he explained, "No offense, but explaining you what features are the right ones we need, would take too long."

"Then come along.", the asari suggested, "I bet the Pathfinder will need a competent virologist onboard his ship anyway. After all we are looking for a place to live, for the long-term."

That took the human aback. "Leaving the Hyperion?", he asked, sounding not as sure as one moment earlier, before needing a while to think about it.

"You are not afraid, are you?", Lexi asked, sounding confused about this reaction.

"No, of course not.", he replied again grumblingly, "I am a virologist on the most exciting Research Mission ever, but…", he exhaled some air, before adding more confidently, "It will be no problem. But I will need to do some things earlier…except for treating my patient."

"Of course.", Lexi replied and turned around partially, "Then we'll see us on the Hyperion to treat our pathfinder. See you then."

He waved towards her, when she left him. He needed to exhale once again, looking slightly angry about this result. Almost…she got me almost…he thought, before saving his data and getting up. He left the Nexus quickly and took the tram back to the Hyperion. He passed the Cryo Bay and went straightaway to the Pod Chambers. He didn't need to look long to find the pod he was looking for. "Sorry.", he whispered towards it, "But I will need to leave you, Skarbie. For some time. I hope it will not be long…and that we will be able to revive you afterwards as well.", he put a hand on the pod, "I promise I'll come back for you…like always."

"Mass Effect Andromeda", all copyrights reserved for Bioware and Electronic Arts

But the changes are mine.

Author's comment:

I hope you liked this chapter.