Hello, the format for this chapter is a bit odd. It is intended to be an imitation of an internet forum/ shitty low-budget government website.

Some things to know about the rules I've used for the formatting before reading:

+Something with a plus sign next to it is supposed to represent a dropdown menu

-Something with a minus sign next to it represents a dropdown menu that has been opened by this chapter's pov character.

+There can be menus within a menu that can be either closed

-or opened. These menus are made distinct from their parent menus by not being in bold.

+If there are more than two levels in a drop down menu, then the second level will be in both bold and italics

Words that are underlined are meant to represent links

If the underlined words are in bold, that means that they have been clicked by our pov character.

When our character clicks a link, it takes them to a new page, indicated by the dividing lines. Links that have been clicked by our pov character will be in bold

Begin Story


Valid Citizenship ID Code Entered

Welcome back, Erissa. It has been 17 years, 3 months, six days since your last login

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Name: Erissa F'nett

Age: 645

Species: Asari

Ethnic Identity: Northern Hennelayunn

Homeworld: Thessia

Current world of residence: Confederated Republics of Tellagia (Since c. 1698CE)

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No ongoing court-mandated suffrage removal

No current political party membership

Political Party Membership Record:

Thessian Students' Galactic Workers Revolutionary Committee - Joined c. 1520CE; Ended c. 1520CE; Party no longer active

Tellagia Liberal Democratic Party - Joined c. 1705CE; Ended c. 1814CE; To regain access to party forums, re-apply for membership here

Tellagia Refinery Workers Advocacy Party - Joined c. 1900CE; Ended c. 1987CE; To regain access to party forums, re-apply for membership here

Tellagian Mothers Against Biotic Stimulant Legalization - Joined c. 2010CE; Ended c. 2012CE; Party no longer active

Elligible Vote Participation Rate (Past 100 years): 19%

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-Voting and Discussion Portals

View My Galactic-Level Policy Menus

View My Sector-Level Policy Menus

View My System-Level Policy Menus


-Refinery Station 17B "Denellee's Retreat" Menu

+Browse Official Debate Forums

+Pending Votes (3)

-Recently Completed Votes (3)

-Station Administration Office's Annual Budget Resolution

Link to Official Budget Document

Approve proposed budget (42%)

Reject Proposed Budget (58%)

Result: DOES NOT PASS

-Station Administration's Annual Budget Resolution (Revised)

Link to Official Budget Document

Approve Proposed Budget (71%)

Reject Proposed Budget (29%)

Result: PASS

-Referendum 1140-E

Should Denellee's Retreat (Refinery Station 17B) participate in the non-mandatory binding vote currently being held in by the Confederated Republics of Tellagia (link for details here)

Yes [Station 17B will be legally required to adhere to any and all policy changes resulting from the vote, no case-by-case policy opt-outs will be allowed] (83%)

No [Station 17B will not be required to adhere to any policy changes resulting from the vote, but citizens of Station 17B will not be allowed to participate in the vote] (17%)

Result: PASS

-Confederated Republics of Tellagia Menu

+Browse Official Debate Forums

-Pending Votes (1)

-Referendum 0087-K

300/303 Sub-System Polities have voted to adhere to the results of this binding vote.

Should the Confederated Republics of Tellagia declare war on the Batarian Hegemony?

Yes

No

Each eligible citizen is allowed one vote in this Referendum.

Vote ends in (36) hours

View Official Discussion Thread for this vote


Official Discussion Thread for Referendum 0087-K

Hello, I'm Matriarch Zatillia H'Tevka. I have the dubious honor of being the oldest asari who calls this gas giant home (Goddess preserve me, when did that happen?). In addition to being a licensed political moderator, I also am a renowned fence-sitter on this particular issue, as those of you who frequent the regular forums are likely quite aware of. These facts about myself combined together have evidently caused the fair citizens of Tellagia to appoint me official moderator of this discussion by popular consensus. I will endeavor to meet the expectations of this role and to facilitate an environment of healthy debate and discussion. To that end, I would like to start this thread off by making a few points and dispelling some of the disinformation that has made the rounds through both sides of the argument:

1.) The Hegemony did, indeed, start this war.

While it is true that the flashpoint that ignited this conflict (an alleged dispute over the opening of a dormant relay by the humans) has conflicting claims by both sides with little verifiable evidence of who did what to whom first, it is undeniable that the ones who chose to escalate the dispute to a full-scale war were the batarians. While, given the murky nature of the evidence, it is possible to make a good-faith argument that the humans were not blameless in the initial dispute, the fact is that it was, undeniably, the batarians who chose to escalate the dispute to a war. Even if one were to make the more shaky argument that that level of escalation was justified, it falls apart once we look at the facts and understand that this is the largest war since the krogan rebellions. There is simply no legal or historical precedent for this level of response to what was, by every standard, a relatively minor diplomatic incident.

2.) Referendum 0087-K is not illegal.

Another commonly-heard and very false idea floated around is that this vote is illegal. In short, this is pure fiction. If it weren't legal, then how would we be holding this referendum in the first place here, on a website owned and operated by the Asari Republics Department of eDemocracy? Note, this fact does not cancel out the argument that Referendum 0087-K is a very big breach of precedent. Individual members of the Asari Republics have not acted individually with regards to diplomacy since my grandmother was a maiden. This Referendum is completely legal, but it also undeniably is against well over a millennia of historical precedent. For those who believe that this fact is important, I urge you to help quash the false idea that Referendum 0087-K is illegal. In addition to being incorrect, it also undermines your own, very legitimate, argument through its disinformation.

3.) The Hegemony has not made claims on Tellagia, or indeed any space other than human space and the attican traverse.

This is a falsehood that floats around in pro-war circles quite a bit, and it is not true at all. While they have been making vague promises of 'consequences' for any government or organization that provides military aid to the United Nations, the Hegemony has never once made a claim on any Council-affiliated world. There is a legitimate argument to be made that batarian victory over the humans would pose a threat to us, and I would once again urge adherents of the legitimate argument to disavow the false claims, or else risk them undermining your own more legitimate ones.

4.) Declaring war on the Hegemony would not result in us automatically being "kicked out" from the Asari Republics.

This one is a fairly common misunderstanding, especially amongst non-asari or just the especially un-political, but no less untrue for it. According to the Asari Republics laws, the votes made at the highest levels of the Asari Republics do indeed have authority over decisions made at its lower levels. However, there is no legal mechanism to "kick out" a misbehaving republic. What the higher level votes can do is overrule a decision made at the lower level. So, in a hypothetical example where Tellagia voted to declare war against the Hegemony, it is entirely possible for a higher ranking vote to be proposed that negates the decision Tellagia made. However, a key point to remember is that participation in the Asari Republics is, ultimately, voluntary. So, in the hypothetical example from earlier, Tellagia could simply ignore the order and carry on. However, crucially, this would immediately mean the end of Tellagia's participation in the Asari Republics, and thus also take away every privilege and protection that comes with that. There is a distinct possibility that a vote will be held to condemn or forbid our actions should we vote for war, but it is not a legal guarantee as is typically implied.

5. Not disinformation, but: Please, stay civil and on topic

We are all aware of state of the rest of the galaxy and the various thresher maws in the room as a result of it, but please remember that the purpose of a thread like this is to discuss the issue at hand, not other, unrelated issues. In addition, an issue this significant is bound to arouse passions in all of us, but that is no excuse for mistreating each other. Hateful or vulgar language and behavior will not be tolerated. This is a public forum, so treat it as though you were in a public place.

Comments...1,2,3,4...975

User412323:

It's still so hard to believe that a backwater like us would be on the front porch of arguably the biggest galactic event since the krogan rebellions.

User125316:

User412323 I know, right? I moved here to get away from all of the nonsense going on in the galaxy. Nothing lasts forever, I suppose.

User109764:

Wow these humans are probably the most asarioid people we've ever encountered. Good grief it's like something out of trashy romance novel. Still, I wouldn't mind [Redacted by automod]

Moderator Timeout: In what universe is this on topic? Go take a cold shower.

User879601:

Did I miss something and we suddenly transformed into a naval power in the past week? Why are we even considering this? We've got, what, 100 ships to our name? 150 if we really start stretching our use of the word "ship". And most of them are just armed freighters or frigates from two ship generations ago. Seriously, someone explain to me how we'd do anything other than get in the way?

User178092:

User879601 Finally someone's talking sense. What difference is a patrol element's worth of aging asari warships going to make when those humans are outnumbered this badly?

User924376:

User879601 User178092 It's not just about the ships, it's about the message it sends. If we stand up, then other people who were on the fence might start helping too. And also, frankly, when you're outnumbered as badly as the humans and elcor will be, 100 ships is a damn sight better than a kick in the ass.

User167892:

I lost my daughters to these monsters. They're either dead, or worse. I've spent the past two hundred years trying to get justice for them, and now some species that's been in space for less time then some of my grand-nieces have been alive are somehow the only ones (besides the elcor, for the Godess' sake!) in this misbegotten galaxy actually trying to do fight this scum. I haven't worn my commando leathers since these kids were still shooting crossbows at each other, but I'm dusting them off. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't care which way this vote goes, I'm helping the humans either way. If they can somehow find a use for an old bag like me, that is.

User198756:

Anyone who's still on the fence about this ought to take a look at that footage those humans brought back with them from their little adventure in batarian space. Unsurprisingly, the batarians acted like batarians. Godess, what is wrong with those people? Their kind should have been put in its place long ago, we're fools for letting them fester for so long. But then, letting problems fester for centuries is what us asari do best, isn't it?

Automoderator VI Warning issued: Speciest rhetoric is not tolerated in these forums, future suspect phrases will be subject to examination by organic moderator.

User999874:

User198756 The father of my children is one of "those people", and I can assure you that the only thing wrong with him and his "kind" is the merciless tyrannical regime that has ground them into the mud for millennia. Or did you not notice how most of the victims in that human footage are other batarians. My bondmate is one of the gentlest people I've ever met in my life. The Hegemony breaks my heart, because having met him I can't help but wonder how many others like him are trapped in there, without any of the freedom we take for granted. While my heart obviously goes out to the humans, I fear what a species backed into the corner like them may do, because to war against the Hegemony without restraint is to bring terrible suffering to an already oppressed people and the hundreds of millions held in chains by their government. Lest we forget, every sapient is just as capable of matching the Hegemony's cruelty, given the right circumstances. Yes, even us (Or are we still pretending the extermination of the Western Clans never happened?)

User154672:

User999874 If it makes you feel any better, the humans have been on their absolute best behavior for the entirety of this war thus far. Now, I've never even met a human so take what I say with a grain of salt, but they seem to be genuinely committed to the anti-xenophobic rhetoric the "charter" of their "United Nations" preaches (give it a read sometime, it's so absurdly naive it may very well genuinely endear them to you). I must confess I've become something of a "fangirl", to translate one of their (many) language's phrases. I've scoured every scrap of their media I could find (particularly anything journalistic in nature from recent times) and I have to say this may very well be the least-xenophobic new species to come out of this galaxy in a very long time. Most of us have to figure out how to get along with aliens, but they seem almost eager to try. And it's kind of baffling, honestly.

Think about it: Every alien they've met has either tried to enslave them or left them hanging in the wind for the aforementioned slavers (except the Elcor, Godess bless them). Yet, despite that, if you watch a news broadcast or look for reading material on the topic from them, you'll have to try very hard to find any speciest rhetoric on display, despite the only real audience for it being humans. One would think they'd be left sour on the very concept of aliens after what they've been through, yet any genuinely xenophobic rhetoric is still hard to find outside of the hardliners and weirdoes that every species manages to produce. I thought that perhaps they're just an inherently kind or friendly people, so I've made a go of studying their history to see if that's true.

And frankly, their history just left me more baffled. The sheer amount of intraspecies conflict I dug up would make a turian blush. And that's just war, if we're talking about honest-to-Goddess atrocities than in their darkest moments they may very well even make the batarians squeamish. And yet, here they are, bafflingly affable. I have no idea what to make of this, and truth be told at this point I will happily take up arms to fight for their continued survival if for no other reason than because I have to figure out how in the Goddess' name this happened.

User198756:

User999874 Weepy bleeding heart nonsense like this is why nobody in this galaxy can ever get anything done. If the batarians have been oppressing themselves for a millennia then that means they have had millennia to free themselves. We reap what we sow. I have no sympathy for them. If the humans go "too far" I won't bat an eye.

P.S. That swerve into Western Clans nonsense was the most feeble attempt at whataboutism I've ever seen. We're really comparing an Iron age civilization's actions to a space age one's?

Moderator Warning: This is just a warning because you didn't say anything *explicitly* speciest but...c'mon lady, really? You're definitely dancing on the line of what can constitute "civil debate" here. Maybe go brush off the chip you've clearly got on your shoulder and then give this thread another try.

User999874:

User198756 Normally I wouldn't dignify your deranged rhetoric with a response but it must be said for future readers of this thread that the Western Clans genocide may very well have begun in the iron age but it ended shortly before we left our home system. Link to some Evidence But please everyone always remember to do your own research as well.

User154672 While I found your comment a little off-putting at first I must admit my curiosity got the better of me and I did more digging than I'd dared to try previously on these humans. And I must say, they're far more...unusual than I was expecting. It made me even more confident that they have it "in them" to do the unthinkable to the batarians if backed into a corner. But, strangely...it now makes me want us to help more than before, not less. While I'm far from qualified to make an intelligent assessment on an entire species, I will say that from what I've read of their history they've worked very hard to make themselves into what they are today. This isn't their natural state, they earned the peace, freedom, and kindess they enjoy now. If they lose themselves to hate and fear out of desperation, then I think the galaxy at large will be greatly poorer for it. I appreciate your comment, you've helped me with a difficult decision.

User154672:

User198756 Good grief. There's no greater argument for the necessity of democracy than the extranet, imagine if this wacko was in charge. How does one acquire such a total lack of basic empathy?

User999874 Someone changing their mind in an argument on the extranet? Unheard of! Scandalous! Jokes aside, I'm glad to find someone just as fascinated by the contradictions of these new guys as me. Maybe if those [Redacted by automod] in the core worlds actually took the time to learn about the people they're leaving to die instead of that prothean pole we hid away or whatever it is everone is whinging about, they'd feel the same way. Of course, that would require them taking their head out of their [Redacted by automod], wouldn't it?


Secretary General Bathusi Molefe would have to admit to being a little bit bewildered as he shook the hand of the asari in front of him.

"I hope you can forgive me for saying so, but when I was told that a lone asari gas giant colony wanted to join our war effort, I thought it was someone's unusually elaborate attempt at humor."

Newly appointed Tellagian Ambassador J'Feni smiled. "Yes, well, these are strange times. And, as the elcor have said: If you fall, which of us is next? I must also confess that I'm not sure how much help we'll be. We aren't exactly a military juggernaut. But our fleet, small as it is, is at your service. While there are few who share our proximity to the border, there are other asari republics that are threatened by batarians. The Tellagian Republics hope and pray that there will be others that follow our example."

When the Elcor had come to humanity's aid, Bathusi had been like a man dying of thirst being handed a pitcher of water. Part of him still couldn't believe it. The elcor ambassador had been adamant that their brand new alliance would not stand alone for long. Bathusi was less confident, but who was he to doubt the species that had dove into the fire to help them? Now, he saw truth in the elcor's words as the alliance gained its third member.

The newest species in the galaxy, the least powerful Citadel species, and an asari gas giant habitat network. I suppose if we keep picking up enough small pieces of the galaxy, we'll eventually have enough to put them together into something big.