Timeline :
• 100,000 years ago. The first humanoids achieved Sapience.
• 50,000 years later. Subplot : Revan's Apprentice. Series : Star Wars, Skywalker Saga. Galaxy : Coruscant.
• 2000s on Earth, in a distant Galaxy. Subplot : Holo Soul. Series : Star Trek Voyager. Galaxy : Trek. Inspired By : "Number One Dad" by "Tamuril2".
• 300 years later. Subplot : USS Emissary. Series : Star Trek "Other". Galaxy : "Trek" and "Citadel Space".
Galactic Powers .
There are 42 Interplanetary governments, in known space. Meaning unions involving multiple worlds / species. With the Citadel acting as a neutral third party, and trade union, most races listen to.
• The Terran Empire.
• The Ctarl-Ctarl Empire.
• The Federation of Allied Planets.
• The Shadow Proclamation.
• The Borg.
• The Cybermen.
• The Synthetics Democratic Union.
• The Dominion.
• The Jedi Council.
• The Sith Empire
• The Planet Trade Organization.
• The Mobius Federation.
• The Magical Union.
Author's Note :
( The following was taken from the Mass Effect Wiki. And Tweeked to fit into my own lore. )
• Citadel :
The Citadel is an ancient deep-space station, the size of a Star Cluster. Designed as a massive Ring, and 5 arms called "Wards".
Embassies are held within the Presidium, the Citadel's inner ring. With the outer shell being where ships park, with the crew having to go through Citadel Security, or "C-Sec", to legally progress into the station itself.
The Citadel Tower, in the center of the Presidium, holds the Citadel Council chambers. Council affairs often have far-reaching effects on the rest of the galactic community. Their various decks, have been built into cities, populated by near a trillion inhabitants, from races across the galaxy.
The Citadel is virtually indestructible. If attacked, the station can close its arms to form a solid, impregnable shell. For as long as the station has existed, an enigmatic race called the keepers has maintained it.
The Citadel was formerly believed to be constructed by an ancient race called the Protheans. But now known to have been constructed by a race of Sapient spaceships, called "The Reapers". Which were defeated more then 1000 years ago. And are now being lead by a former Spectre, by the name "John Spartan 117, AKA The Master Chief", whom digitized himself, and took command of the Reapers.
Numerous species now call the Citadel home. With it serving as the political, cultural, and financial capital of the largest galactic community, the Citadel. Other governments have settled their capital on stations, in orbit around the Citadel.
With most species, having an embassy on the Citadel, in addition to being part of another intergalactic Government.
This is only possible, as The Citadel has pledged to stay neutral, between Interplanetary conflicts. With their military only stepping in for Galactic threats, and as domestic police. While the Citadel Council often acts as a neutral third party, during diplomatic discussions or disputes, to promote peace.
• Citadel Council :
Though they have no official power over the independent governments of other species, the Council's decisions carry great weight throughout the galaxy. No single Council race is strong enough to defy the others, and all have a vested interest in compromise and cooperation.
Any species granted an embassy on the Citadel is considered an associate member, bound by the accords of the Citadel Conventions. Associate members may bring issues to the attention of the Council, though they have no input on the decision.
• Prime Directive :
As part of an intergalactic treatie, for all Citadel races. Only planets capable of traveling faster then light, have colonized other worlds, or are capable of sending a real time transmission outside their solar system, are permitted to contact.
There is to be no trading or interaction with these civilizations, outside global disasters. With no interference in how their world develops.
Even with space fairing races, their culture must be respected, so long as it doesn't directly contradict Citadel Law.
• Citadel Space:
Citadel Space is an unofficial term referring to any region of space controlled by a species that acknowledges the authority of the Citadel Council. At first glance, it appears this territory encompasses most of the galaxy.
• Spectres :
Spectres are agents from the Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance and answer only to the Citadel Council. They are elite military operatives, granted the authority 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 Spectres were founded after the salarians joined the Council. For many years, they operated in secrecy as back-room "problem solvers." Only after the Krogan Rebellions did their activities become publicized. Assignment of a Spectre is less contentious than a military deployment, but makes it clear that the Council is concerned about a situation.
• Galactic Currency .
All Citadel related species, have free health care, along with housing, and a monthly grocery allowance, as well as a separate toiletry allowance.
While this makes life easier, it isn't a perfect system. As people usually only get enough to keep their family alive, and must purchase everything else as "Luxuries".
But even this much is thanks to the electronic currency, of the Citadel. So money can be created as needed, by each planetary government, to fund all their citizens necessities.
The Citadel, itself, issues these allowances, to the crews of all registered ships.
With an all digital currency. Licensed Corporations, although regulated, can generate potentially infinite money to pay their employees. While they can't use this ability to earn money for the owner, this means even smaller businesses can afford to hire however many people they want, and pay them a livable wage, without effecting their bottom-line.
These business licenses, can be gotten by ships, through the Citadel... although their is a lot of regulations and red tape, to lesson criminal activity.
However, there are Underworld bank accounts, hackers have created. While hackers can't get pass the firewalls to generate credits, they can create untraceable banks. Which pay pirates and Outlaws "Interest" if they put large sums of money into them.
Many of the larger guilds do this, in order to pay criminals a salary, instead of per job. With their salary increasing per job, when they deposit more credits into the Underworld bank account.
The Account is controlled by scans, of the Captain, who then pays the crew a weekly salary. So there is no way to prove if a criminal is using one.
• Farms on the Citadel :
Government controlled farms grow special foods. Created through a mix of genetic engineering, and Alchemy magics.
The plants come in a variety of shapes and flavors. While being comprised of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and all nutrients required by the one who eats it. Thanks to it's Alchemy magics, they are 100% healthy, leaving no waste. With produce fully ripening, as quickly as it is picked. And never spoils.
The Engineers :
150,000 years ago, the Mala'kak had a thriving Empire. However, they joined forces with the Forerunners. Destroying most Sapient life in the Galaxy, in order to starve a race of parasites, called "The Flood".
However, there were several plans to preserve the species. Such as collecting thousands of each species, before activating their weapon to destroy all Sapient life. Then depositing them back on their homeworlds.
A few decades later, with the Forerunners and the Mala'kak being the only space fairing creatures left... the Mass Effect Reapers, a race of self aware space ships, attacked. Harvesting the remaining survivors, but leaving the other races alone, given they were no longer technologically advanced enough.
Seeing no way out, the Mala'kak left clues, seeding their genetics across millions of worlds, and encoding a message with the DNA.
A hundred thousand years later, the first humanoids evolved. While they weren't exactly the same, across all worlds, they did have many similarities. As their genetic message, containing the Mala'kak's history and their Warning of the Reapers, caused these humanoids to subconsciously evolve with similar cultures, and even give their cities similar names. Though clearly not exactly the same, as their was diversity in how they evolved. Such as the large differences, between the Terrans and the Vulcans.
The Master Chief :
(Based loosely on DinoJake's master piece of Fan Fiction, "The Last Spartan".)
John, Spartan tag 117, the same Spartan that many claim to be largely responsible for the victory over the Covenant, was found after 130 Cycles. Where many had hoped to find his body, the galaxy was amazed, as he was found still alive in stasis.
Many of the species, formerly enslaved by the religious cult's ideals, were seen celebrating in the streets at the return of the Master Chief.
• Battle of the Citadel :
Nearly 1000 years ago, a rogue Spectre, named "Saren Arterius", attacked the Citadel through a functioning mass relay hidden inside a statue in the Presidium.
Saren brought a combined force of krogan and geth. The Krogan were a race of warriors, that he was cloning and experimenting on, and using as slave canon fodder. Where the Geth were a race of Synthetic lifeforms, that had broken into two factions.
With the Reaper, Sovereign, attempting to open a Portal for more Reapers to come through.
In the battle that followed, the Destiny Ascension dreadnought evacuated the Citadel Council, but ordered the wards' arms closed, sealing them and the geth inside an impregnable shell, cutting off any reinforcements or escape. This combative tactic would have wholly destroyed the Council fleet were it not for the actions of The Master Chief, who had followed Saren.
Led by The Master Chief's ship, Normandy, the Systems Alliance's Fifth Fleet assembled under the command of Admiral Hackett, and waited just outside the Citadel's closed arms. Meanwhile, The Master Chief fought Saren's forces inside the Citadel and eventually forced the ward arms open again.
The Normandy defended the Destiny Ascension as it fled, saving the lives of the Citadel Council. Taking its cue from the Normandy, the Fifth Fleet supported the withdrawal, and took heavy losses from Sovereign's advanced firepower.
At about the same time The Master Chief killed Saren, Sovereign's once-impervious kinetic barrier overloaded and the Fifth Fleet focused its military might to shatter the flagship. The geth fleet was soon decimated without its leader.
In gratitude for this, the Citadel Council granted the Terran Empire a Seat on their Council.
As well as granting them jurisdiction over all Humanoid races. Officially recognizing humanoids as more then pest, but another intergalactic government, in it's own right.
Most notably, they agreed to stop humans being used as slave labor, throughout Citadel Space.
Since then, Humanoids have nominated most of the new seats on the Council. Including the Volus.
• Death and Return :
Unfortunately that celebration left a bitter taste in many mouths, as 9 months later John Spartan, the Master Chief, was declared dead after an attack on his ship, by a then unknown vessel.
However his demon luck rang true, as he appeared back on the Citadel a mere 2 years later, ALIVE and reinstated into the Spectres.
There he teamed up with the Current human Spectres, Jane and John Shephard, no relation. They worked together to investigate the disappearance of Human colonies.
It took just under a galactic standard year, but due to the United armies of humanity's most powerful species uniting, they were able to beat them back.
• Reapers Defeat :
Over the course of three years, humanity prepared for the Collectors' masters, and as expected they arrived to Harvest all space fairing civilizations. These were called "Reapers" as they symbolized the end of everything.
The Galaxy united and lured the Reapers into a trap. The final battle around the Citadel. There the three human Spectres were able to defeat them. By uploading the Master Chief's Artificial Intelligence assistant, "Cortana", into the Citadel Mainframe. She was able to take direct control of all the Reapers, reprogramming them into a more passive state.