Okay, mass effect End War is owned by Ubisoft and Electronic Arts.
The content is from the writers of Dawn of Titans who are Andotrota, V-rcingetorix, and F13D which this story is inspired. Because F13D opened my eyes that stories are biased to one side or another thus showing the superiority of the faction they love. Something that a few writers are working hard to scrub out and most of all the bad guys doesn't adapt to their situation and we all like a few competent villains from time to time.
Hell, ever the good guys have to adapt too.
SH: "Is this line secure?"
DA: "The line is secure. Admiral."
SH: "Good, then I'll get straight to the point, Anderson. Parliament had been pushing for more from the Citadel for years now, and the Ambassadors have finally begun to make some headway."
DU: "No small feat, given how stubborn the turians are about our situation and past events."
NP: "They're not stubborn, but bitter. The turians still hadn't gotten over the losses they took during the first contact war."
DU: "Regardless, the Council has seen fit to evaluate a human for the Spectres again. It's an incredible opportunity for humanity, a chance to prove that our capabilities can be used for the greater good than just our own interests."
DB: "In truth, It may be more of a leash. The Asari said that we are slowly isolated. They have a point. After the Skylian blitz, the public is starting to think
DU: "Well, what about Shepard? He's a spacer. Lived aboard ships most of his life."
AD: "Military service runs in the family. Both of his parents were in the Navy, and his father fought in the first contact war."
SH: "He proved himself during the Blitz. Held off enemy forces on the ground until reinforcements arrived.
DA: "He's the only reason Elysium is still standing."
DU: "We can't question his courage."
DB: "But what about his mental stability? He saw his whole unit die on Akuze. He could have some serious emotional scars."
SY: "That would be taking it lightly; Shepard was in therapy for several weeks on Elysium to better manage his trauma before Blitz. He's a political landmine waiting to blow."
NP: "I have to disagree with Ambassador Yang. He is an N7; they don't break easily; his defense of Elysium is proof of Shepard's ability to remain cool under pressure."
VK: "But can he make the difficult decisions? We don't want to show the galaxy that we're soft."
NP: "The man is not Spetsnaz Anton. While I do agree about sacrificing for the greater good, we need a person who can make compromises. Not ruthlessness.
AD: "Every soldier has scars. But while the incident on Akuze was tragic, it taught him how to survive, while the Blitz taught him how to lead."
DU: "Is that the kind of person we want protecting the Galaxy?"
DA: "That's the only kind of person who can protect the galaxy. Humanity needs not just a survivor but also a hero. And Shepard's the best we've got."
DU: "Sigh, I'll make the call."
In the year 2090, explorers on Mars discovered the remains of an ancient spacefaring civilization. In the decades that followed, these mysterious artifacts revealed startling new technology, enabling travel to the farthest stars. The basis for this incredible technology was a force that controlled the very fabric of space and time.
They called it the greatest discovery in human history.
The civilizations of the galaxy call it... Mass Effect.
Sol System.
SR1 Normandy.
March 14th,2183.
Commander John Shepard, XO, of the new Alliance frigate, the SSV Normandy The title was still fresh when he received this new posting. He never expected that someone like Captain David Anderson would appoint him as his XO; it felt like a dream come true. Ever since Shepard was younger, he dreamed of exploring the deep reaches of space, which made things better for him as he was a Spacer kid, born and raised on stations across Alliance space. Both of his parents were Alliance officers, and they were constantly moving from posting to posting. As he looked out the starboard window down at Earth, Shepard thought back to what had led him to this position—to be wearing N7 armor and to be chosen to become one of the best the Alliance military had to offer. Shepard had not only survived Akuze but had also single-handedly won the Alliance a great victory on Elysium, rallying the civilians into defending their home as a coalition of pirates and slavers invaded, intending to wipe out the human colony. Shepard managed to repel the constant pushes of their attacks and keep them contained. After hours of brutal fighting, Alliance reinforcements showed up, took charge, and forced the invaders to break ranks and retreat. Securing a major victory for the Alliance and making John a hero
"Commander."
John immediately reached up to his ear and activated his comm. "Yes, I'm here."
"Captain Anderson here. We are about to get underway; our first destination will be Eden Prime."
"Understood, sir," John replied.
"Head up to the cockpit and keep an eye on the proceedings; Nihlus is already up there."
"Wouldn't you rather be up there, sir?" John asked.
"I've already seen what this ship can do; besides, I have to report to Admiral Hackett of the fifth fleet."
I understand, sir, and I'll be sure to give you a report as soon as I am able," John said.
"Good, Commander. Anderson out."
John switched off the comms and left the starboard viewing window. He walked up the steps to the first deck and emerged into the CIC through the deck of the Normandy like a veteran member of the crew, although he was actually still brand new to the layout of the ship. Adding to the fact he wasn't the only one, since nobody on the ship was also new, this ship was operated by veterans with years of experience under their belts. He was quite fascinated by the layout, as the ship was the latest to be operated by the Systems Alliance and was operating on state-of-the-art technology. Not to mention that this ship was co-developed by the Turian Hierarchy, the United States of North America, and the European Federation as part of an outreach program to improve relations between the Alliance and the Hierarchy.
This stealth frigate was nothing like what the Alliance would design, with the command deck in the bow, the airlock, the CIC containing the galaxy map, and the comm room towards the stern. The comm room also serves as a conference room for debriefings after missions and allows Anderson to privately consult with Alliance command.
The Combat Information Center (CIC) of the SSV Normandy is unusual. Alliance ships usually place commanding officers in the middle of the room to facilitate communication with subordinates, but the CO's station in the Normandy's CIC is at the back. This is because, as a turian design, their commanders prefer to look over their subordinates rather than be in the midst of them; the engineers wanted to observe how well it functioned within the human command structure. When necessary, the Normandy's officers can utilize unique suit radios to communicate with the ship's operators. The cockpit area is equipped with an internal kinetic barrier designed to protect the pilot from exposure to vacuum if air pressure is lost in the CIC.
As the ship was moving around the orbit of Jupiter, Shepard entered the command center and saw a number of crewmen operating the stealth frigate at its full capacity. He had to maneuver around the ship's doctor, Dr. Karin Chakwas. She was a British citizen who was at least in her mid-seventies or early eighties. It would seem most likely that she had been around the first generation of servicemen and women when she was just a child. She was talking to Corporal Jenkins, a young man born in one of the colonies. Most likely she was making small talk with the soldier because she was the kind of woman who would like to get to know the crew on a personal basis. And lastly, staff Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko, a biotic who served in the European Enforcer Korps grenadiers for almost seven years under his belt, An experienced veteran of the Anhur rebellions, a garden world in the Eagle Nebula, as part of a task force sent by the big four on the side of the abolitionists. Unfortunately, the Systems Alliance didn't take such a course of action, but it was overruled, and the ownership of the colony went to the Russian Federation.
The voice on the intercom was announced by the ship's pilot. "The Arcturus Prime Relay is in range. Initiating transmission sequence." The pilot's name was Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau. If memory serves Shepard correctly, some of the crewmen call him "Joker" for some reason. He didn't know why the name stuck, but he'll eventually find out as he approaches the front of the ship.
"We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination The relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector." Shepard entered the elongated deck, where crewmembers sat on opposite sides of the gangway as the pilot talked again, "All stations secure for transit."
As Shepard approached the cockpit, he noticed a Turian standing behind both the pilot and Kaiden Alenko, who was sitting in the seat next to Jeff Moreau. "The board is green. An approach run has begun." Jeff said again as Shepard looked out the cockpit's window and saw an image similar to a large turning fork. The Mass Relay
The Normandy approached the object while the Relay's axis turrets kept spinning in a counter-clockwise motion, surrounding a bright blue glow in its core.
"Hitting the relay in three...two...one," Jeff announced as a blue stream emulating the Relay's core danced around the Normandy's hull. Then, all of a sudden, Normandy was nothing more than a blue streak across space and possible time.
Jeff Moreau was compiling the numbers of their latest jump into space, as the turian standing behind him was watching. The turian naturally made the human crewmembers nervous, especially when this turian was, by all accounts, a Spectre. His name is Nihlus. Shepard didn't get his last name yet, but he saw the turian colonial face tattoo. It was white and covered most of his face. For some reason, it is customary for Turks to place some ink on their faces to identify their ethnicity among their own species.
Jeff ran a verbal checklist. "Thrusters...check. Navigation...check. Internal sink emissions engaged. All systems online. Drift...under 1500 K."
"1500 is good. " The voice came from beside John, and he glanced at the Turian, Nihlus, that was standing just above Joker, observing the Normand's jump. "Your captain will be pleased." Without another word, Nihlus turned and left the cockpit.
As soon as it was safe to speak, Jeff whispered quietly to Alenko next to him. "I hate that guy."
"Nihlus gave you a compliment, so you hate him?" Alenko queried.
Jeff replied back to Alenko's questioning. "You remembered to zip up your pants on the way to the bathroom? That's good. " Joker replied, joking and making light of the situation," I just jumped halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. So that's incredible!"
"Besides, Spectres are trouble." Joker followed up, "I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid."
"You're paranoid," Kaiden replied, quite humored by Joker's paranoia. " The Council helped fund this project. They had the right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment."
"Yeah," Joker scoffed. "That's the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story."
John had to admit that the Joker did make something of a point: Spectres were the best in the Galactic community; they were above the law and answered to no one but the Council themselves. The Citadel Council was the head of the galactic community, always deciding what was in the people's best interests. The council consisted of an Asari, a Turian, and a Salarian. Many of the other races had been fighting to get a representative on the Council, except for humanity, that is, until three years ago. "They don't send Specters on shakedown runs." John agreed.
"So there's more going on here than the captain's letting on." said Joker, paying a quick 'I told you so' glance to Kaiden.
Kaiden didn't have time to answer before the cockpit's comms activated and Captain Anderson's voice came through. "Joker! Status report."
"Just cleared the Mass Relay, Captain." Joker replied over the comms. "Stealth systems engaged. Cloaking systems nominal. Everything looks solid."
Anderson answers back. "Good. Find a comm buoy and link us to the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime."
"Aye, aye, captain," Joker said. "Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way."
"He's already here, Lieutenant." Anderson said with a lower-toned voice, causing Kaiden to look at him with a smirk while Jeff shook his head, "Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing." Then Anderson's voice went silent.
Joker turned to look up at John. "Did you hear that, Commander?"
John had picked up on Anderson's tone and didn't like the sound of it: "He sounds angry." Shepard thought out loud again. "Something must have gone wrong with the mission."
Jeff scoffed again, saying, "Captain always sounds like that when he's talking to me."
"I can't possibly imagine why." Kaiden couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
Shepard couldn't help but smile as another humorous smile spread across his face. Deciding not to tempt fate, he walked out of the cockpit, making his way to the comm room, which is located at the back of the command center. Jeff looks around to see if Shepard is out of hearing distance and talks to Kaiden quietly again.
"Don't have strong feelings for N7 officers either."
Kaiden jerked his head to the left and said, "Now you've got a problem with N7s too? You're just full of love, aren't you?"
"I hate the Spectre," Jeff explains himself. "I just don't like N7s. There's a difference."
"Why's that?" Kaiden asked.
Jeff added. "I know they are humans like us, but I don't like the fact that an N7 can do my job by replacing me in minutes for what took me years to learn. If the captain decides to replace me with another pilot, he could. Then my usefulness is gone like that of the Dodo bird."
"So it's out of envy?" Kaiden said.
"Envy?" Jeff shook his head. "Taking orders from a guy surrounded by the best equipment that could match the four powers in firepower? Why would I want to be stuck in one spot for a long period of time, being forced into a tight, cramped area, being told what to do by computers and the intercom?" Then Jeff paused, and Kaiden leaned over and made a smirk towards Jeff. "I just burned myself, didn't I?"
"Yeah, you did." Kaiden nodded.
"I'll just shut up now." Jeff continued to compile some data.
"Best idea you had all day." Kaiden smiled and punched up his own data.
After having a chat with Navigator Pressely about his suspicions on the shakedown run, Nihlus in general, and having a turian spectre on board an Alliance warship, After convincing him to get over his dislike of Turks, he promised to look into it. As Shepard continued walking through the CIC, making for the comm room, he heard a snippet of conversation between the same Corporal he had accidentally bumped into and the Normandy's doctor.
"I grew up on Eden Prime, doc." The corporal asked, "It's not the sort of place Spectre visits." There's something Nihlus isn't telling us about this mission."
Deciding to lay his mind to rest, he approached him and spoke, "Something on your mind, Corporal?"
"What do you think, commander?" The corporal asked, "We won't be staying on Eden Prime too long, will we? I'm itching for some real action."
"I sincerely hope you're kidding, corporal." Doctor Chakwas spoke in a cold tone. "Your 'real action' usually ends with me patching up crew members in the infirmary."
"You need to calm down, Corporal," John said. "A good soldier stays cool, even under fire."
"I'm sorry, Commander." The young Corporal apologized. "But all this waiting is killing me; I've never been on a mission like this before. Not one with a Spectre on board!"
"Just treat this like any other assignment, and everything will work out fine," said John. He liked that he was committed, but his overeagerness was something he would need to keep an eye on.
"Easy for you to say." The corporal replied, "You proved yourself on Akuze and the Blitz; everybody knows what you can do. This is my big chance to prove to the brass what I can do."
"You're young, Corporal," John said. This kid reminded him of his days in the N7 program. Young guns like Jenkins were often the first to leave or get out, thinking they could take on the world, but in the end, their stupidity let them down. "You have a long career ahead of you; don't do something stupid to mess it up."
"Don't worry, sir. I won't screw this up," the Corporal replied.
Shepard nodded before turning to Chalkwas. So, doc, what can you tell me about Nihlus?"
"Turians are generally well-respected by the other species. Their fleet has more patrols protecting Citadel Space than any other." Chalkwas explained, "They don't always get on well with us, though. Some people find them too rigid. Others still blame them for the First Contact War." She said
"As for Nihlus, I haven't said more than two words to him. He usually only speaks to the captain."
"I hope we get the chance to see him in action." The Corporal said in excitement," I heard Nihlus took down an entire enemy platoon all by himself!"
"What do you know about the Specters?" Shepard asked.
Chalkwas shrugged her shoulders and said, "Only what I've heard. Specter agents work directly for the Citadel Council. They usually work alone or in small groups." She interpreted," Spectres don't have any official power, though. Basically, they're a shadow organization with a mandate to preserve and protect galactic stability."
"Protect it at any cost," The Corporal added. "Don't forget that part. Specters operate above the law."
That sounds dangerous. Shepard thought that since agents
"How do you control agents with unlimited power?" Shepard thought out loud.
"I supposed the Council could revoke the Spectre status of an agent who got out of hand. At that point, Citadel Security Services would take over."
"Those C-Sec grunts wouldn't stand a chance. A Spectre's worth twenty of those ordinary soldiers."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because Spectres police themselves. When an agent goes rogue, they send another agent to take'm down. That's Spectre justice!"
Chalkwas rolled her eyes at the young man's naivety: "The corporal's confusing romantic legends with reality, Commander."
"I agree with you on that, but why don't we have any of our own people in there?" Shepard thought out loud again.
"Spectres usually come from the Council races. Like the turians." Chalkwas stated," We've been trying to get a human or Raloi accepted into their ranks for years now. So far, it hasn't happened."
"Hey, Commander! You'd make a good specter!" The corporal suggested to Shepard without thinking, "They're always getting dropped into impossible situations. Forced to survive unbeatable odds. Just like you on Akuze, or better yet, the Blitz!"
Shepard winces when hearing about the name Akuze again. Painful memories of those days were still fresh in his mind. It was supposed to be a regular mission when Alliance HQ received intel that pirates, backed by the Batarian Hegemony, were about to attack one of their colonies on the outskirts of Alliance space, which was in its early stages of development. This was further proven when colonial officials lost all contact with one of their pioneer teams. An Alliance N6 marine unit was then sent in to investigate but found only the intact settlement and no survivors. When they camped for the night, they were set upon by thresher maws. It was slaughter almost to the last man: fifty marines were lost, and only Shepard made it back to the landing zone alive. No amount of training taught him how to deal with the nightmares that followed when he slept or the guilt that only he made it out while the men he once called his friends got melted to death by highly corrosive acid. "I try not to think about Akuze," Shepard muttered out loud.
"Sorry, Commander." The corporal apologized, saying, "I didn't mean to offend you. I respect what you did there. We all do."
Seeing that the corporal hit a sour spot, Chalkwas quickly intervened, saying, "Let's not dwell on the past, commander. Was there something else you needed?"
"You're from Eden Prime, aren't you?" Shepard asked, wanting to change the subject to corporal for a change. "What's it like?"
"It's very peaceful, Commander." The corporal replied," They've been really careful with development, so you don't have any city noise or pollution." He explained it to him. "My parents lived on the outskirts of the colony. At night, I used to climb this big hill and stare across the fields at the lights from the main settlement. It was gorgeous. " The corporal smiled, remembering the days when he was a kid, before sighing, "But when I got older, I realized It was a little too calm and quiet for me. That's why I joined the Alliance. Even paradise gets boring after a while."
"Any idea why Eden Prime was chosen as our destination?" Shepard thought out loud.
"Not really sure, Commander. Eden Prime is one of our most stable colonies. A good place to take the Normandy for her shakedown run, I guess. No real danger there." The corporal answered truthfully to him, only for it to be replaced with excitement in a split second. "But there's got to be something else going on. We've got a Spectre on board! That's why I'm so wound up. I can't wait for the real mission to start!"
Shepard just nodded; he didn't really have any more to add. "The captain is waiting for me." He said this as he gave the conference room door behind them a nod.
"Goodbye Commander." Doctor Chakwas said respectfully as the two parted, letting John on his way.
John slipped past the two and entered the comm room. He walked down the short ramp into the large circular room, and just at the end of it stood Nihlus, who had his back turned towards Shepard and was looking at the screen showing the scenery of Eden Prime. He stepped into the center of the room and cleared his throat.
Nihlus turned to face John and said, "Commander Shepard, I was hoping you'd get here first. It will give us the chance to talk." Nihlus began.
John looked around the room, but Anderson was nowhere in sight. He was sure he would be here. "The captain said he'd meet me here," said Shepard, a little suspicion in his voice.
"He's on his way," Nihlus said simply. He then began to pace but kept his attention on Shepard. "I'm interested in this world we're going to—Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful."
"They say it's a paradise," Shepard commented. "Matter of fact, Corporal Jenkins is from that world."
Nihlus takes another breath and says, "Yes, a paradise. Serene, tranquil, and safe Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy but also protect them. But how safe is it, really?" Nihlus wondered, and John frowned.
"Do you know something?" Shepard asked, and he stepped closer to the pacing turian.
"Your people and Raloi are still newcomers, Shepard; the galaxy can be a dangerous place." He folded his arms and faced Shepard. "Is the Alliance truly ready for this?"
Before Shepard could answer the turian with a smart remark, Captain Anderson walked into the room. Captain Anderson is a human with dark skin in his late forties with thirty years of combat wisdom to add. Becoming one of the Alliance's most decorated special forces operatives and the first to graduate from the N7 Special Forces program at Arcturus Station, serving with honor in the First Contact War. And lastly, his surrogate father raised him when his dad died before he was born. He looks seriously at Shepard.
"I think it's time we told the commander what's really going on." Captain Anderson said as he came into the room.
"This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run," Nihlus said, adopting a business-like attitude.
Shepard turns his attention to Anderson. "I figured there was something you weren't telling us." He said it in a neutral tone.
"We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime." Anderson began. "That's why we need the stealth systems operational."
Why the secrecy? Shepard thought. "There must be a reason you didn't tell me about this, sir," John replied, feeling left out of the loop.
"This comes from the top, Commander." Anderson said. "Information is strictly on a need-to-know basis. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of Beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean." John gave a surprised expression.
"I thought the Protheans vanished 50,000 years ago," Shepard said, thinking out loud as he frequently did.
"Their legacy remains." Nihlus began," The Mass Relay, the Citadel, our ship drives—all based on Prothean technology."
Anderson raised his hands. "This is big Shepard." Anderson said," The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward one hundred years. But Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this. We need to bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study."
"Obviously, this goes beyond mere human interests, commander. This discovery could affect every species in Citadel space." Nihlus said.
John almost felt as though Nihlus's words were a bit contradictory: humanity had discovered the beacon, so why was it being passed on to the rest? "The Citadel?" Shepard questioned the decision. " Captain. Eden Prime is a colony of the Alliance. So why didn't we keep the beacon for ourselves? I bet the scientists from the Chinese Union of Socialist Republics have more understanding of Prothean technology than the Council." He couldn't help but ask.
"You humans don't have the best reputation," Nihlus said bluntly. "Some species see you as selfish. Too unpredictable. Too independent. Even dangerous."
"You clearly haven't met any Quarians or Raloi, have you?" Shepard rebutted.
Anderson took control of the conversation before it could get out of hand. "I agree that the CUSR has a better understanding of element zero technology than the rest of the Alliance, but sharing that beacon will improve relations with the Council." Anderson began, taking over for Nihlus. " Plus, we need their scientific expertise. They know more about the Protheans than we do."
"But captain, I understand that improving relations with the Council species is important, but the last time I checked, aside from the Artemis war, they didn't help us during the Mindoir war or Skylian blitz," Shepard argued with them. "Besides that, we've already secured our position in the galaxy thanks to the Coalition and our alliance with the Quarian migrant fleet and some of the Krogan clans. All in all, the big four seemed to be dead accurate about not becoming members of the Citadel. " He finished.
"You're right, Shepard. You may be the up-and-coming new species; however, I am impressed with how the Alliance was able to stand on its own without Council support for all that time. Since then, the System's Alliance has done more for the galaxy than any single species could, but since the Alliance and the Confederacy joined three years ago, there has been a lot of catching up to do to bring the rest of the Coalition and the Council relations a little closer." Nihlus takes a deep breath.
"This brings me to the next topic. The beacon's not the only reason why I'm here, Shepard." Nihlus said, stepping forward.
John felt a little confused by this new statement, and he looked to Anderson for an explanation: "What does that mean?"
"Nilhus wants to see you in action, commander." Anderson said," He's here to evaluate you."
"Guess that explains why I bump into him every time I turn around." John thought out loud. The thought was true, though; ever since he received his posting aboard the Normandy, he always felt as though he was being constantly watched. When he looked around, he always noticed Nihlus close by, watching him and evaluating him. "But how is he evaluating me exactly?"
"The Alliance has been pushing for a long time." Anderson began," Humanity and the Coalition as a whole want a larger role in shaping interstellar policy than we currently have in the past few years. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come."
"Not many could have survived what you went through on Akuze. After that, you held off an enemy assault during the Blitz single-handedly." Nihlus said in praise of John's previous efforts," You showed not only courage and incredible skill but also a remarkable will to live—a particularly useful talent. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres."
John felt a great sense of accomplishment flow through him. Anderson was right; it would show the Council just how far humanity has come, and he was the one getting chosen for this prestigious honor. But something else Nihlus said didn't make all that much sense to him; he had put his name forward. He thought it would come from a superior officer in the Alliance parliament, not a turian. Ever since the First Contact war, some turians and humans alike held a fierce grudge toward each other, while the rest seemed to get along quite harmoniously.
"Why would a turian want a human in the Spectres?" Shepard asked, curious why such an elite galactic organization would want him to join.
"Not all turians resent humanity," Nihlus said. "Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy and to the Spectres. We are an elite group. It's rare to find an individual with the skills we seek. I don't care that you're human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job."
Shepard turned his attention away from Nihlus; receiving praise from a turian spectre was a double whammy for him. "I assume this is good for the Alliance." He asked Anderson.
"Earth needs this, Shepard." Anderson replied," We're counting on you."
"I need to see your skills for myself, Commander." Nihlus said," Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together."
"You'll be in charge of the ground team," Anderson began. "Secure the beacon and get it onto the ship ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission."
"What can you tell me about the Protheans?" Shepard asked, a bit curious about the long-dead civilization.
"Just what they taught us in school," Anderson said. "They were a technologically advanced species that ruled the galaxy 50,000 years ago. Then they vanished. Nobody really knows how or why, though I've heard plenty of theories. But everyone agrees galactic civilization wouldn't exist without them."
Then Nihlus added," Their Citadel is the very heart of Galactic society. And without their Mass Relays, interstellar travel would be impossible. We owe the Protheans a great debt."
Realizing that this conversation was about to drag on into a pointless history lesson, Shepard changed the subject and wanted to know more about the colony they were going to land on. "The colony. I'd like to know about Eden Prime before we touch down."
"It's a peaceful farming world, but it represents something much bigger." Anderson said," Eden Prime is one of our oldest and most successful colonies. It proved we were ready to face the challenge of settling new worlds, to forge a place for humanity beyond earth." He stated to him, "It symbolizes humanity's growth and evolution as a spacefaring species. And after this, it will be known as the world where humans made a discovery of galactic importance."
Shepard raised his eyebrows. "The beacon—is that so important?" he asked.
"All advanced galactic civilizations are based on Prothean technology. Even yours." Nihlus answered.
"If we hadn't discovered those Prothean ruins buried on Mars, we'd be stuck on Earth for another decade, and the four powers would probably start a fifth world war." Anderson said grimly, knowing firsthand how tense those days and ages were. "That was just a small data cache. Who knows what we can learn from this beacon?" Then he had a more serious expression. "What if it's a weapons archive? We can't let it fall into the wrong hands."
"Like who?"
Anderson sighed "The Attican Traverse isn't the most stable sector of Citadel Space." He pointed out," There are plenty of raiders and criminal groups active in the region. They might figure a Prothean beacon is worth the risk of attacking an Alliance ship. Plus, Eden Prime is right on the border of the Terminus systems."
Shepard frowned "The Attican Traverse is under Citadel protection," he proclaimed to the two of them. "We made sure of it when we destroyed Torfon and took Anthur. If the Terminus Systems attack, it's an act of war. A war they won't win."
"Technically, yes." Nihlus agreed with him: "But some of the species in the Terminus might be willing to start a war over this."
"The last thing the Council wants to do is get dragged into a major conflict with the Terminus Systems. We have to keep this low-key." Anderson added.
Shepard nodded in understanding. "Just give the word."
"We should be getting close to Eden." Anderson was cut off at mid-sentence by Jeff, or now the new name for Shepard is Joker, who interrupted on the intercom.
"Captain." Joker's voice came into the PA. "We have a problem."
"What's wrong, Joker?" Anderson replied.
"Transmission from Eden Prime, sir," Joker said with surprising urgency. "You better see this."
Anderson hesitated for a moment and gave Joker an order. "Bring it up on screen."
The wall behind was actually a screen, and it flickered to life to show what Joker had been talking about. Gunfire could be heard as a rifle barrel came into view, along with a marine who passed by the camera. A battle ensues from the point of view of a soldier's helmet camera. Soldiers on the ground were opening fire on an unknown enemy. The helmet camera was looking at what appeared to be a female soldier wearing white armor with pink trimmings. The female ran towards the soldier with the helmet camera and yelled at him.
"Get down!" the marine said as she pushed the person holding the camera just in time as rounds flew past where the person was standing. The marine then fired her Avenger assault rifle as she continued to hold the trigger down. The camera then shifted to show the battlefield, where dust could be seen flying in the air as rounds impacted the dirt. An explosion kicked up dirt.
Then the scene once again shifted, this time to show a marine holding the camera. This appeared before the squad leader.
"We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties! I repeat: heavy casualties!" The squad leader said this as he held the camera while looking over his shoulder.
We can't...aryh!" An explosion off-camera cut off what the squad leader was about to say. "-eed evac!" The squad leader managed to say, as gunfire and explosions all around him erupted, "They came out of nowhere! We need-" A bolt of plasma pierced the squad leader's chest, causing the camera to fall out of his hands as the now-dead squad leader fell.
The camera was then picked up to show an Alliance marine firing his Avenger, then stopped as a mechanical groan could be heard. The Marines stared off into the distance with their mouths open in disbelief. The scene changed to show what appeared to be a large mechanical hand coming out of the clouds; red lighting flickered in between the fingers. The scene then changed to show more explosions before it ended with snow filling the screen.
"Everything cuts out after that," Joker said. "No comm traffic at all. There's nothing."
The captain's eyes narrowed. "Reverse and hold at 38.5," Anderson ordered. The image paused, and it appeared to be a massive black arthropod-shaped ship landing on the ground. It had red lighting bolts emitting out of the crevasses of the legs. "Status report."
"Seventeen minutes out, captain." Joker reported," No other Alliance ships are in the area. Except for the tenth UNAS flotilla, they've already engaged."
"Take us in, Joker. Fast and quiet." Anderson said, glancing at the specter. "This mission just got more complicated."
Nihlus nodded, realizing that their worst scenario had come true. "A small strike team can move quickly without drawing attention. It's our best chance to secure the beacon."
"Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold," Anderson said to Nihlus, and he walked out of the room. Then he looks at Shepard. "Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, commander. You're going in." Shepard silently acknowledged Anderson's order and stared inquisitively at the black arthropod ship. Anderson was right; this mission had just become a lot more complicated.
Codex: Systems Alliance
The Systems Alliance is an independent supranational government representing the interests of humanity as a whole. The Alliance is responsible for the governance and defense of all extrasolar colonies and stations.
The Alliance grew out of the various national space programs as a matter of practicality. Sol's planets have been explored and exploited through piecemeal national efforts. The expense of colonizing an entirely new solar system could not be met by any one country. With humans knowing that alien contact was inevitable, there was enough political will to jointly fund an international effort.
Established in 2090 after the discovery of the Prothean archives on Mars, it quickly supplanted the United Nations of Earth (UNE, established after WW2 in 1945) in the role of leading mankind into the future. Still, the Alliance was often disregarded by those on Earth until the First Contact War. While most of the national governments dithered and bickered over who should lead the effort to liberate Shanxi, a four-power alliance fleet struck decisively.
Post-war public approval gave the Alliance the credibility to establish its own Parliament and become the galactic face of humanity. And now, controlling space exploration, human militaries, and the global economy, the Alliance is the de facto leader of all humankind.
Codex: Four powers
Founding members of the Systems Alliance and four of several other nations that drafted and ratified the Systems Alliance charter, in establishing a representative political body to expand and defend human territory. Formed by the unprecedented energy crisis of 2016, the four nations would become the massive military superpowers they are today. Starting with the signing of the historic Slam Treaty, agreeing to co-develop technologies for a comprehensive, interlocking anti-ballistic missile system.
Surviving the great collapse of 2032, the big four entered a truce to deal with internal matters of the state.
It wasn't until the discovery of the Prothean archive that Earth's four largest superpowers became the main political and financial backers of the Systems Alliance. Since one of the four is a main supplier of troops and equipment to its military arm. Meanwhile, the other three nation-states focused on other advanced independent technologies, giving them an edge in mass-effect technology.
These Four intergalactic powers' names are: The United States of North America, The European Federation, the Russian Federation, and lastly, the Chinese Union of Socialist Republics.
Codex: Turians
Roughly 1200 years ago, the Turians were invited to join the Citadel Council to fulfill the role of Galactic peacekeepers. The Turians have the largest fleet in Citadel space, and they make up the single largest portion of the Council's military forces.
As their territory and influence have spread, the turians have come to rely on the Salarians for military intelligence and the Asari for diplomacy. Despite a somewhat colonial attitude towards the rest of the galaxy, the ruling Hierarchy understands they would lose more than they would gain if the other two races were ever removed.
Turians come from an autocratic society that values discipline and possesses a strong sense of personal and collective honor. There is lingering animosity between Turians and humans (Raloi) over the first contact war of 2157, which is known as the 'Relay 314 Incident' to the Turians. Officially, however, the three species are allies, and they enjoy civil, if cool, diplomatic relations.
Although the Chinese Union of Socialist Republics is the only Earth nation to maintain good economic relations with the Turian Hierarchy and the Volus Protectorate,
Codex: Spectres.
Spectres come from the Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance and answer only to the Citadel Council. They are elite military operatives, granted the right to deal with threats to peace and stability in whatever way they deem necessary.
They operate independently or in groups of two or three. Some are empathetic peacekeepers, resolving disputes through diplomacy. Others are cold-blooded assassins, ruthlessly dispatching problem individuals. All get the job done, one way or another, often operating outside the bounds of galactic law.
The Specters were founded after the salarians joined the Council. For many years, they operated in secrecy as back-room "problem solvers." Only after the Krogan Rebellion did their activities become publicized. Assignment of a Specter is no less contentious than a military deployment, but it makes it clear that the Council is concerned about a situation.
Codex: First Contact War
Humanity's second 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/Raloi 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 but encountering heavy resistance from the Four Powers garrison, Raloi units, and what was left of the Alliance forces. Half of Shanxi was occupied, making it the first and, to date, only human world to be partially conquered by an alien species. The Turains 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 and the alliance ground forces under General Sawyer launched a strong counteroffensive, evicting them from Shanxi.
The Turians, Humanity, and Raloi mobilized for full-scale war, drawing the attention of the rest of the galaxy. The Council quickly intervened. Fortunately for humanity and the Raloi, the first contact war ended with a diplomatic solution.