LP's Note: As with the other Broker reports, everything in this document will be entirely in-universe and usually with edits only to stylistic and linguistic elements and not to content. I've been able to give Xabiar a free hand to create because frankly in canon the Terminus is an illogical mess that has zero detailing.
The Circle is not supposed to mimic most human ideals of what a criminal organization should be. It was designed by a madman and a genius, and it has survived where so many other endeavors failed due to the structure and focus it has. The criminal orgs we see in canon should have been able to wiped out by a few platoons of soldiers, and their influence and survival in ME3 is beyond baffling to actively stupid.
Xabiar didn't leave an author's note with this one, but I think the chapter kinda speaks for itself.
THE TERMINUS SYSTEMS – MAJOR POWERS
SECTION 3: THE CIRCLE OF THE FALLEN
SUBSECTION 2: ORGANIZATION AND THE CIRCLES OF AUTHORITY
THE CIRCLES OF AUTHORITY
DEFINITION AND FUNCTION OF THE CIRCLES: The inner workings of the Circle of the Fallen are largely obfuscated from the wider galaxy. Anything that claims to document their inner functions are almost always incorrect, misleading, or actively deceptive. The Circle of the Fallen has an interest in ensuring that as few as possible understand their inner functions and organization, especially the degree of sophistication of their operations.
It is also unclear how many established Citadel powers understand the extent of the Circle's organization beyond the major contributors such as Omega, though it can be assumed that they possess a more accurate understanding for operational purposes. Ultimately, the bottom line is that Circle of the Fallen is more organized and extensive than many assume.
The foundation for the structure of the Circle of the Fallen are the Circles of Authority. A more direct comparison can be found in traditional government departments or agencies. Each Circle has near-total jurisdiction over one part of Circle operations, and are responsible for maintaining, expanding, and refining it.
In direct contrast to most government agencies, there is no formal structure or standards. The Circle adopted a standard of 'Executing the mission' instead. If one Circle can meet this requirement, then there is no reason to complain or interfere. This has allowed a wide variety of internal organizations, all determined by the patron organization responsible for the Circle.
On their own, the Circles are too focused on a specific mission set to sustain a larger organization, let alone a pseudo-state - but together they form something which is surprisingly robust and unconventional.
While the Circle has been aggressive in maintaining the status quo of the Terminus Systems, a deeper understanding of how the Circles of Authority function will quickly make one realize how they have been able to entrench themselves so thoroughly – and that just like conventional states, there is far more that allows their function than initially meets the eye.
COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION: On their own, the Circles would be effective in executing their missions, but this would mean little for the greater organization if they were effectively siloed and laser-focused on their own matters, and had little interaction with their sister Circles.
This is assuredly not the case for any of them.
While each of the Circles have their lanes of focus, they are explicitly expected to cooperate or collaborate with other Circles or member organizations as required. The Circle of the Fallen would be an inherently ineffective organization if these mechanisms were not in place. There are a few Circles which compliment each other very well, while having their own distinct missions.
There are ongoing efforts within the Circle administration to ensure that the various Circles regularly interact with, and be able to provide support to members when needed. Each member is also encouraged to take advantage of what each of the Circles provide, further normalizing inter-organizational collaboration.
This does not always mean that everything is smooth. There exist tensions and conflict within the Circles as to what some missions with multiple different vectors fall under - but these days the majority of the conflict comes not from infighting within the Circles, but more from Circles of Authority and the Circle member organizations themselves.
INFLUENCE OF THE PERFECT CIRCLE: As mentioned in the previous section, this section will be covering the influence of the Perfect Circle within the Circles of Authority. Understanding where those sympathetic to the Perfect Circle, and who these Circles associate with, is necessary for developing an accurate network of sympathy for it, and subsequently how stable and influential the existing approach of the Circle of the Fallen is.
Each Circle who has sympathizers may not have them for the same reasons, which adds further layers of complexity to this situation. Some have Circle Commanders who drive these sympathies, while others are primarily found among the rank and file, or which are driven by internal divisions. All of this is necessary to document and review so as to have a clear picture of the total influence of the Perfect Circle, and where it is potentially set to spread.
Once again it is important to reiterate that the Perfect Circle is in a nascent form right now, where there are many who are sympathetic, but it isn't strong enough to where it could be construed as an internal opposition, much less a deep state equivalent. Everyone remains loyal to the Circle of the Fallen – but support for the status quo is rapidly losing support across the board.
THE LESSER CIRCLES: The Circles of Authority can be broken into two levels – Lesser and Greater.
There has always been some grumbling about the naming convention, as it carries the implication that the Lesser Circles are inherently less important or even disposable. The truth is that this designation emerges from the fact that the Lesser Circles are usually smaller in size and have more niche or narrow mission sets.
The Lesser Circles are what the Circle of the Fallen uses to fulfill more specialized or niche missions, operations, or needs. Each of them exist to augment the existing capabilities of the Circle, and usually are the result of a Greater Circle divesting responsibility of one mission set to another who can properly specialize in it.
The Lesser Circles are managed by organizations or groups that few have heard of, and often differ substantially from your average criminal group in personnel composition, professionalism, and competence. The Circle of the Fallen has the option to be very picky with who they choose to fulfill these missions - and they are.
The result is that the Circles almost always have smaller missions and sizes, but due to their inherent elite status and competence, they have a major impact on the greater organization to the point where it is questionable if the Circle of the Fallen would be able to function with the same efficiency or effectiveness if they were ever removed.
The Lesser Circles should also be highlighted as being significantly more likely to have deeply integrated with the Circle directly, to the point where the Circle is their primary focus, instead of their non-Circle operations. This is a very important point, especially in the context of the Perfect Circle, and the sympathies therein.
For almost all members who command Lesser Circles, their fates are intrinsically tied to the future of the greater organization. Thus, they have a significant interest in ensuring it is the best and most beneficial it can be. If the promises or benefits of the Circle begin to wane, that creates instability that many simply cannot – and will not – stand for.
THE GREATER CIRCLES: The Greater Circles are those which are seen as the 'leaders' of the Circle of the Fallen. Composed of large, sprawling, and complex member organizations, commanding Circles of Authority that are similar in focus, they are defined by having larger and broader mission sets and operations.
They also enjoy greater privileges and power in deciding the direction of the Circle of the Fallen, especially when it comes to Circle creation, promotion, removal, and other policies which not just affect the Circle, but also the wider operations of the Terminus. They are in many cases the inverse of the Lesser Circles when it comes to the investment and attention the members pay to the Circle.
While Lesser Circles will have the leaders of the member organization also be Circle Commanders, most members of the Greater Circles will appoint a subordinate to manage their respective Circle of Authority. Even Venethix, the most involved leader of a Greater Circle member, has Eiron managing the day-to-day affairs of her respective Circle. Others like Aria, the Shifter, and so on at most receive reports on Circle activities, but otherwise will only show for Grand Circle meetings.
This has contributed to something of a disconnect within the Greater Circles between those managing the regular and daily affairs of each Circle, and their nominal patron organizations. Some have a greater handle on this disconnect than others, and work to maintain organization consistency between normal operations and Circle operations, but others have seen a clear shift that is not being taken into account by some members.
This is what has allowed Perfect Circle sympathies to grow within the Greater Circles, despite purportedly wanting for nothing, and having extensive power within the entire organization. More detail will be provided in the relevant sections.
THE GRAND CIRCLE: The Grand Circle is the term used to refer to all members of the Circle of the Fallen, including both Lesser and Greater Circles. The Grand Circle encompasses every Circle within the organization, and is only active during special sessions which require the entire Circle of the Fallen to make a decision.
These are usually the result of the Greater Circles being deadlocked in a decision, a narrow set of decisions or matters which can't be decided by the Greater Circles, or matters which the Greater Circles have permitted to be brought to a vote.
The Grand Circle is one of the only instances where the power disparity between the Lesser and Greater Circles is negated, and each has the same voting power. It is for this reason that Grand Circles are not common, and only rarely invoked. It is difficult to say what might be different if the Lesser Circles have had more influence in guiding Circle decisions – but there would have almost certainly been some substantial changes.
PROMOTION AND ASCENSION: An obvious question that will arise is the process for a Lesser Circle becoming a Greater One, and if such a mechanism exists at all. The answer is that it does and has in fact happened three times since the founding of the Circle of the Fallen.
On paper, there is no formal criteria for what constitutes being worthy of becoming a Greater Circle, but in practice it is a combination of time with the Circle, the sophistication of operations, and criticality to the greater mission of the Circle of the Fallen. There are significant incentives for the Lesser Circles to make themselves indispensable because it directly correlates to one's ascension into the Greater Circles.
It would be inaccurate to say that politics and existing dynamics do not play a part in it – every ascension to a Greater Circle requires the Greater Circles to even allow the vote to take place, followed by a true vote that unofficially requires unanimous support.
Additionally, to be promoted to a Greater Circle, there must also be a demonstration of being able to scale to the responsibilities of a Greater Circle, which involve more personnel and complex mission sets. The exact mission set of the Lesser Circle will generally change to be at least somewhat broader than before.
It is the ultimate achievement for any member of the Lesser Circles, and a symbol of their ultimate entrenchment within the Terminus criminal ecosystem. As far as many are concerned, this is the only sign of success that matters – and if they feel that they are being unfairly denied, it cannot be understated how this impacts their private sympathies.
THE LESSER CIRCLES
THE CIRCLE OF PROCUREMENT
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Shun Xiong [Human Female]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: The Red Riders
DEFINED ROLES: Product Procurement | Smuggling
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: As the newest member of the Circle of the Fallen, Shun Xiong's Red Riders stood out among a variety of smuggling, transport, and black market organizations for two reasons. The first was that they specialized in not only transporting illicit goods, but also establishing illicit markets and subsequent logistics to keep them sustainable.
The second was that they are one of the most prolific smuggling operations in the Terminus, boasting a vast number of connections that are rumored to go all the way to Earth itself. The latter has not been confirmed, but the Red Riders brought a robust and mature operation to the Circle of the Fallen, which they have successfully adapted to the needs of the organization.
The operations conducted by the Circle of Procurement fall into a few different camps. The first is the ability to acquire or search for unconventional or rare products which can't be internally produced, or easily acquired. Given the number of connections, this Circle has a good idea of, if not where to find the requested product, where to start looking.
However, what the Circle has been most employed for (Beyond traditional smuggling operations, both to deliver illicit goods, or support military operations) has been their experience in developing illicit markets across the Terminus and even colonies of Citadel states. They have developed a process where they work with local organized crime on the ground, and together develop a tailor-made market for illicit goods.
They have achieved such extensive success within the Terminus that some Circle members are considering how successful it would be if it was attempted on Citadel colony worlds that are more developed beyond wildcats. The work the Circle of Procurement has done has given certain Circle members a clear foothold on multiple worlds that many have eagerly taken advantage of.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: The Circle of Procurement is a moderately-sized operation, with the bulk of its personnel running the smuggling routes, with a smaller elite responsible for developing black markets and conducting administrative work.
Given that they primarily work with local organized crime, many times they hold an advisory role on many of these worlds, but their expertise is well-compensated. Due to having an established business model and significant experience, the Red Riders entered into the Circle with a mature operation which they were successfully able to translate into augmenting the Circle of the Fallen.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Procurement is divided into four different teams. They use a more informal means of organization than other Circles, but it has proved adequate from the more structured work environment within the organization.
INTERNAL MARKET: This is what the Circle refers to as the business interests within the Circle of the Fallen. If a member of the Circle wants something, be it products or services, they work with the Internal Market to determine what they need, for a negotiated price. Unlike other Circles, the Circle of Procurement will charge internally for some of what they offer.
This tends to only extend to products which are rare or otherwise not your typical acquisition, and they have been flexible as far as prices have gone. When it comes to services, such as developing a drug-running network, they will usually ask for the member in question to cover the costs of setting up the operation.
The Circle has largely accepted this as a price of doing business, and are willing to overlook this break from convention due to the successes of this Circle. It is notable that despite this leniency, the Red Riders are always careful not to push too far. Once the Internal Market processes the customer order, it will be sent to other groups to execute.
TRANSPORTATION UNIT: This is the sanitized and 'official' name for the fleets of smugglers that the Circle of Procurement employs. The Transportation Unit is responsible for picking up and moving products, either to or from their various clients. Many members within the Circle have utilized them to covertly move or acquire goods throughout the Terminus.
They are experienced pilots who run specialized ships that are designed explicitly for stealth, speed, and cargo. It's policy within the Red Riders that no one can join their ranks of smugglers unless they successfully completed a certain number of runs and had at least one near-capture encounter with territorial enforcement. These standards also apply to the Transportation Unit.
There is no cargo or goods that the Transportation Unit will not take or acquire. They don't ask questions, and don't stick around after delivery. They've delivered everything from food, to drugs, to slaves, to weapons, and much more. All they care about is moving the cargo from place to place, and receiving a nice payday at the end – one that comes right out of the coffers of the Circle of the Fallen.
MARKET DEVELOPMENT: The crown jewel of the Red Rider's operation, Market Development is the service offered where they will work with local organized crime to establish markets for illicit goods nearly anywhere you want. If there isn't a criminal market, they will create one. If there isn't a drug problem, they will grow one. If you just want a transfer spot away from prying eyes, with enough money or products, they can make that happen.
Market Development is not composed of your usual band of organized crime thugs. They're made up of disgraced academics, former intelligence operatives, former crisis and hostage negotiators, former law enforcement, lawyers, and psychologists. Given what their work is, this skill set is not exactly unexpected, as in order to work with organized crime, you need to actually find them – but they are a different breed than the smugglers.
Ideally, Market Development is able to identify an existing illicit market, and tap into it to allow their clients to move goods through there. These usually are the easy missions for them, as they come flush with enough credits to make even the most proud criminal give up what little pride they have for the payday and a cut.
Developing a true market is a more difficult endeavor, which requires time, oversight, and investment. Market Development is ruthless in their operations, and sees every world as a potential opportunity for corruption. They run assessments on what societies and cities would be most susceptible to drug proliferation, sex work, or even 'accepted' vices like gambling or hallucinogens.
It is difficult to say how many worlds and lives have been ruined thanks to Market Development enabling the Terminus criminal ecosystem to efficiently exploit them - but the results speak for themselves. They don't have much attachment to the implications of their work, and are more in it for the process and challenge than what happens once they finish.
There have been times where their talents have been employed for less nefarious means. The Shifter once had them set up markets that were responsible for undercutting corporations on agricultural worlds, as well as other ones that had monopoly control over critical resources. These markets primarily sold food, water, and medicine.
Of course, these also usually became vectors for more organized crime, but they aren't always employed for that end. It just doesn't happen very often.
THE PROWLER SQUAD: Every Circle tends to have one elite unit or two, and the Prowler Squad belongs to the Circle of Procurement. Thieves, treasure hunters, and explorers, there are a few names one can call them, but their mission is ultimately to acquire what cannot be bought outright. By force if necessary.
When an order comes in for something that the location is known for, but there is no peaceful means of acquiring it, the Prowler Squad is deployed to get it. This can involve anything from a direct raid where it is seized and returned, or an involved heist where they infiltrate and extract with the product in tow.
Their missions are as varied as their skill sets. Only the best of the Red Riders are eligible to join the Prowler Squad, which has been responsible for the theft and acquisition of products worth tens of millions of credits on behalf of various Circle members.
Granted, the Prowler Squad tends to not operate against opponents who have the resources or personnel to put up a true fight, but with over two hundred successful missions, it can be safely said that their skills are not in dispute.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: As the newest member of the Circle, they are among the most cautious when it comes to their grand ambitions. They aren't even looking to ascend to the Greater Circles – yet. That will come in time, but for right now they are focused on integrating themselves into the Circle and making themselves indispensable.
They overall tend to lean towards Omega's perspective and support the more decentralized model of the Circle of the Fallen. Many of them were familiar with Aria, and hold a seat in the Omegan Congress, though have a pronounced independent streak. They make an effort to maintain good relations with the rest of the Circle, though do not seem interested in cultivating any close ties with the Greater Circles.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: Despite their recent arrival, not even this circle is immune to sympathies for the Perfect Circle developing. This is an interesting case of a clear internal split manifesting. Most of the smugglers in the Transportation Unit don't care for the idea, and have already dismissed it. In general, it's failed to find ground within most of the Circle of Procurement, but for one group – Market Development.
It is perhaps not surprising that the group comprised of more intellectual professions finds the ideas espoused within the Perfect Circle appealing, though the strain that Market Development appears to support lean strongly towards optimizing the Criminal State, rather than some of the more high-minded ambitions espoused by others.
Sympathies to the Perfect Circle are not non-existent, but they are fairly weak, and it is unlikely it will progress beyond a curiosity for most of this Circle in the near future.
THE CIRCLE OF SAPIENT RESOURCES
CIRCLE COMMANDER: G'dora T'heriem'as, Holder of the Golden Chalice [Batarian Male]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: The Third Pillar
DEFINED ROLE: Slave Acquisition, Distribution, and Management
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: No matter what strangely PR-friendly term the Circle of the Fallen likes to use, the Circle of Sapient Resources is the slaving arm of the Circle; one integrated directly into the greater organization.
Is it a bit stereotypical for a Batarian to be running a slaving operation? Yes. Does that change the fact that the most efficient and successful slaving operations are run by Batarians? No, it does not. The Third Pillar refers to a space station by the same name which is the headquarters of G'dora T'heriem'as' slaving operations.
His skill? Providing exactly what the client wants.
T'heriem'as' slaving operations are 'limited' for a Batarian, but he is one of the most well-known throughout the slaving community. As a high caste, there are also many who seek to curry favor with him. Who he is will be elaborated on in the Persons of Note section, suffice to say that his talent for administration and acquisition made him appealing to the Circle of the Fallen.
Slaves have more purpose than one might expect in a more 'professional' organization like the Circle, and it's viewed as a fact of the Terminus more than an unnatural aberration. Many are used in disposable ways, such as decoys, living shields, suicide bombers, or test subjects. Any who are left are more…specialized.
There are only two kinds of slaves employed within the Circle. The disposable ones mentioned above, and then the specialized orders commissioned by Circle members to fulfill specific tasks or jobs, from administration, strategy, engineering, or sciences. That is T'heriem'as' real passion – the personal development of specialized slaves for elite (and wealthy) clients.
Given the difficulty and cost of acquiring such talent, from a purely economic standpoint, that is a deal that cannot be passed up. The Third Pillar hosts many criminal elites from across the Terminus where such slaves are shown off, which is what brought the operation to the attention of the Circle of the Fallen.
It is a Circle that a fair number take no part in for their own reasons, but it's become a critical resource for the operations of Circles Lesser and Greater, and will not be slowed anytime soon.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: The Circle of Sapient Resources is more of an administrative operation than actual slaving operation – though such operations do exist. However, overall, it is comparatively small for even a Lesser Circle, without much room or interest for growth.
The operation itself is not especially sophisticated, but it is a well-oiled machine that provides the Circle with what they require. Over time T'heriem'as has learned to adjust to the ebbs and flows of Circle needs, and has made sure to have a number of slaves reserved in case they are needed.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Sapient Resources is divided into three distinct units, listed below.
PROCUREMENT UNIT: T'heriem'as established one Unit dedicated solely to the acquisition of slaves from defeated enemies, either to press into service, or to sell to slave brokers. The Procurement Unit is always on standby to support operations or missions undertaken by Circle members who want assistance in enslaving any defeated opponents.
As most Circle members don't have explicit experience with managing slaves, the Procurement Unit acts as a professional force to ensure it is done properly, and with minimal risk. They will also provide advice on what to do with enslaved batches upon request, such as if to sell them, or keep them, or a mixture.
They are a dangerous, violent, and competent group that is just as much a military asset as they are a slaving one.
QUALITY CONTROL UNIT: As many members of the Circle engage in, work with, or otherwise deal with slaves, T'heriem'as established a specialized unit to assist them in their own slavery management. The Quality Control Unit is a small team which is responsible for appraising, and advising when it comes to slave economics and quality.
They have significant experience in both the slaving business, as well as slave management. They have been involved in slave conditioning, putting down slave revolts, and understand the slave psyche in an intimate way. They are able to tell quickly the quality of a slave, if they will be easy to condition, or be stubborn, or have a talent that could be exploited.
Their intention is to give the Circle members a tool to optimize their slavery business decisions – which is one that is employed on a regular enough basis that there is T'heriem'as will likely expand the Unit in the future to keep up with the demand.
TRADE AND ACQUISITIONS UNIT: The largest unit within the Circle of Sapient Resources is the Trade and Acquisitions Unit, which is responsible for acquiring and processing the orders from across the Circle for the kinds of slaves they need. An administrative and transport Unit, they do little more than process orders to the Third Pillar, which then acquires the slaves, followed by delivery to the clients.
Sometimes these orders are in bulk, especially for disposable slaves, and can be fulfilled easily. Others are more specialized and will sometimes take months to be fulfilled. Regardless of the order or length take, it is this unit's responsibility to ensure the client is aware of the status, and see to a completed delivery.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: Unlike many of the Lesser Circle, T'heriem'as is more divorced from the operations of the Circle than many. However, he is involved enough to be the nominal Circle commander, and ironically is more attuned to its needs than some of the Greater Circle.
T'heriem'as does not believe he needs the Circle to be successful, but his views have changed from this being a purely business move, to one where he has some degree of investment in the development of the Circle himself. He is fully convinced that the Circle would be less capable or successful without his contributions, and is more willing than most to express his displeasure with his station.
Golo and the Circle of Innovation are among the most frequent users of his services, but this hasn't stopped T'heriem'as occasionally expressing hints that Golo is an illegitimate member. However, rhetoric hasn't affected the internal relationships, and it is unlikely T'heriem'as will let his personal feeling sour what has been a very lucrative business decision.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: The Perfect Circle has found very little traction within the Circle of Sapient Resources for reasons that some would consider obvious, and a few that aren't. The small size of the Circle makes it more insular by default, but it is T'heriem'as' close oversight for his own operation which has ensured that any sympathies remain firmly secret.
Not that slavers are exactly enamored with the ideas of the Perfect Circle to begin with. Those inclined to have sympathies for the Perfect Circle tend to not be supportive of the slave trade, especially the kind T'heriem'as manages. It might be the Lesser Circle most free of the Perfect Circle's influence, but it's difficult to say if anyone considers that a real loss.
THE CIRCLE OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Pol Vaathaar [Asari]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: Crest and Shield
DEFINED ROLES: Dispute Resolution | Mediation | Internal Diplomacy
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: The concept of internal affairs is a unique one for a criminal organization like the Circle of the Fallen, and it subsequently makes the Circle of Internal Affairs one of the most unique in the organization, while also possessing one of its most important and critical roles.
Crest and Shield differs significantly from most members of the Circle in that they are not an overtly criminal outfit, but instead were a fringe organization specializing in mediation and dispute resolution.
Prior to their recruitment, one of their notable successes was their management of a negotiation that resulted in the co-sharing of power between a half-dozen Terminus warlords and independent states, while also being involved in addressing lingering concerns, and enforcing peace.
They are more comparable to a mercenary outfit delivering "Peace through firepower" though that does a disservice to their primary offerings. They have an interest in forging a lasting arrangement, but they don't tolerate half-measures and worthless prolonged negotiations. If a party has no interest in negotiation, they will leave and not waste their time. If one party is being unreasonable, they will work to delegitimize and isolate them until a more agreeable party takes their place.
While not engaging in criminal operations, they understand how criminal dynamics work, and are primarily interested in stability. They aren't in it purely for the credits, but Crest and Shield was explicitly founded to stabilize as much of the Terminus as they could. It was a bold vision for the asari founder Pol Vaathaar, but one she believed was possible to execute on a limited scale.
Crest and Shield was initially hesitant to work for the Circle due to the inherent criminality of the organization, but ultimately accepted the offer, as they believed that they could have a greater impact if they worked to make sure the most influential criminal powers in the Terminus got along.
Whether that has led to a more stable Terminus may be up for debate, but few can deny that the Circle has worked together far better since the Circle of Internal Affairs was founded.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: Pursuing a quality over quantity approach, the Circle of Internal Affairs is a small Circle, but is composed of experts and specialists at almost every level. Given the nature of their work, many of them are known across the Circle, and have forged strong relationships with the Circle leadership, and some of the rank and file.
Their operation can be considered reasonably mature, as it has become entrenched and refined since their initial onboarding nearly two decades ago. They are responsible for keeping track of the complex dynamics between Circles, their patron organizations, and the personalities within them all.
Without this information, they are unable to effectively intervene when needed. The effort put in has resulted in an extremely sophisticated operation responsible solely to ensure that infighting does not consume the Circle. It is impossible to say if the Circle would have remained the same without their presence, or if conflict would have claimed some of them – but with Crest and Shield present, it has mitigated this risk without question.
Above all else, they are perhaps the only Circle which is legitimately trusted to mediate fairly - and that is a triumph all on its own.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Internal Affairs is broken down into specialized Cells to deal with various internal crises that might arise, some more dangerous and risky than others.
DECONFLICTION CELL: Fights, disputes, and arguments are not uncommon among the criminal crowd, but there are times that they will spiral into something more prolonged or dangerous. Personalities, professional rivalries, and other vested interests further complicate and intensify these dynamics, all of which can spiral into something that can leave people dead.
The Deconfliction Cell is responsible for making sure that the fallout for any such crises is mitigated and contained. They will have officers and superiors on the line as they work to talk down the aggravated parties while assessing the source of the dispute. Almost all of the time, this kind of intervention is enough to sober all of the parties involved, and cooler heads usually prevail.
However, the Deconfliction Cell goes an extra step once peace is achieved, and makes an effort to reach some kind of mutual reconciliation to prevent flare-ups from happening in the future. This is not always successful, but has greatly enhanced the reputation of this Circle as a party that is genuinely interested in resolving problems, not just ending fights.
MEDIATION AND NEGOTIATION CELL: The spontaneous crises that can arise are less of a headache when two different Circles or members have a legitimate dispute with each other and want to resolve it formally or 'legally.' Within the Circle of the Fallen, they come to Internal Affairs.
It cannot be overstated how delicately the Mediation and Negotiation Cell has to walk to not only be considered a trustworthy mediator, but get each side to come to a reasonable resolution. Without any written law or regulation, a lot of it is improvised as they go along. For better or worse, they do set precedents, and they take that seriously.
This is the Cell which is most responsible for the reputation of Internal Affairs through the rest of the Circle, as they have been the ones responsible for successfully mediating dozens of disputes in ways that were mostly acceptable to each party, even if not everyone approved of the outcomes. What almost certainly sold the rest of the Circles on the integrity of Internal Affairs was when they ruled in favor of a Lesser Circle over a Greater One, which the Greater Circle conceded to.
It's not exactly an impartial view, but it did demonstrate that Internal Affairs was not afraid to go against the Greater Circles, and would be as close to a true neutral arbiter as you could get in this situation. Mediation and Negotiation has grown substantially in recent years, and given their importance to the Circle, is likely to only continue this trend.
LETHAL INTERVENTION CELL: From what I was able to find, the Lethal Intervention Cell has only been employed under a dozen times within the Circle of the Fallen. When a situation is deemed incapable of resolution, and there is possibility of an armed insurrection or threat, the Lethal Intervention Cell is activated to put down the threat.
This can only happen after attempts at negotiation have failed, and the offending parties have been declared rogue by their parent organization. As an internal unit, only Internal Affairs is allowed to actively put down current or former Circle members who are in a violent insurrection.
This never ends well for the offending parties.
The Lethal Intervention Cell is a team of elite soldiers who keep their true capabilities and size hidden, even from the rest of the Circle. They are drawn from all kinds of elite forces, keep their skills sharp by accompanying other Circles on combat ops, and spend their days drawing up ways to put down Circle units if they attempt to revolt.
Rarely are they needed, but when they are, most everyone is glad they exist.
CRISIS NEGOTIATION CELL: This particular Cell is more a contingency than something that actually exists. Crisis Negotiation is intended to be activated in the event of a Circle or member organization was planning to violently fight against another Circle or member organization. In other words, not just a dispute between soldiers, but if, for example, Omega and Facinus had a falling out and were planning to fight each other.
Crisis Negotiation would almost certainly draw from the best negotiators and mediators Internal Affairs could draw upon, who would use every connection they had to prevent a violent separation. It is a contingency that no one hopes will be needed, but plans have been drawn up just in case.
If there is anyone who could bring back the Circle from a violent collapse, it is them.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: The Circle of Internal Affairs has two things that make their position within the internal dynamics extremely interesting – they are respected, and they are trusted.
They deliberately do not align themselves with any interest or party, because they consider it imperative that all sides believe they are interested in good-faith negotiations to achieve a mutually acceptable resolution. They hold a significant amount of influence that they have refused to tap into, which has only made them seem more reliable.
Right now, it seems unlikely that they will deviate from this approach, though there are clear indications that they are displeased with the treatment of the Lesser Circles by the Greater Ones. They have made it clear that they believe that Golo was illegitimately appointed, and have taken an unprecedented step of requesting the Greater Circles engage in mediation to further explain their courses of action.
Venethix regained some respect by actually taking part in a discussion, though one that received no resolution, and which the Lesser Circles were not swayed by. Still, the message being sent is clear – Internal Affairs is leaving the door open to resolve the fissures between the Lesser and Greater Circles.
But everyone has to walk through the door, and sit at the table first.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: It is probably not surprising that the ideas of the Perfect Circle have found a home in Internal Affairs. Many of them view the idea of the Circle of the Fallen evolving into a legitimate state similar to the Citadel as the next natural progression, and further contributes to their mission of a stable Terminus.
It is perhaps more important to ask if there is any element of Internal Affairs that is not at least sympathetic to the Perfect Circle. For the status quo, this is quite a bad thing, as Internal Affairs is one Lesser Circle that has the influence and spine to do something with it.
They will not take a step willingly, but if the Golo situation shows anything, it is that they do have their red lines, and will act if enough of them are crossed.
THE CIRCLE OF RECRUITMENT AND DIGITAL OPERATIONS
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Ceras Oro [Salarian Male]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: The League of Six
DEFINED ROLES: Personnel Recruitment | Digital Operations
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: The obscure nature of the Circle of the Fallen to the wider galaxy is something which sometimes works to the disadvantage of the member organizations, especially those who are attempting to staff their respective Circles. While organizations know enough to want to join, to the freelancers or people looking for a job, there can be problems with advertisement and messaging.
There was a period where Grand Circle sessions were held to assess the viability of candidates, but this was soon retired as there were simply too many to get through in a timely manner. Establishing a Circle to handle matters of recruitment and appraisal soon followed, in which enters the League of Six.
A hacking outfit, primarily responsible for waging a quiet digital shadow war on the STG and attempting to expose various secrets of the STG and SIX, they could be classified as much as an intelligence outfit as a cyber one. For the purposes of recruitment, they had a unique approach, and it presented an opportunity for the Circle to address another matter – cyber operations.
Prior to this, there were no dedicated digital operations beyond standard security measures. The skillset brought by the League of Six was extensive enough that the responsibilities of their Circle were expanded – which is the only time that has happened. While the League has successfully managed their recruitment efforts, they have proven most effective at conducting digital operations on behalf of the Circle and its members.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: Prior to joining the Circle, the League of Six had an unknown structure, size, and composition. Its work necessitated such secrecy, and aligning with the Circle of the Fallen demanded some level of exposure. It's unknown if the Circle Commander, Ceres Oro, is actually the leader of the League, or a subordinate to the real leader.
As far as the Circle is concerned, it isn't important so long as their Circle fulfills their duties.
There is a clear divide between their recruitment operations, and their digital operations, which have rapidly matured over the past two decades. While their recruitment efforts can be classified as standard, their digital operations are among the most sophisticated in the business – which I suppose should be expected from any organization who intended to go toe-to-toe with the STG.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Recruitment and Digital Operations is broken into roughly two distinct mission sets, with two associated divisions each. These are detailed below. Note that this is unlikely to resemble the actual structure of the League of Six.
DIVISION OF PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT: The method that this Circle has chosen to pursue for personnel recruitment is a certainly unique one. Their extensive presence on the Extranet allows them access to various forums, chatrooms, and other sites which have whole hosts of whom they define as potential recruits.
Instead of conducting traditional hiring operations, the Division of Personnel Recruitment managed a Circle-facing application where members can put in requests for whom they want, complete with qualifications and standards. The Division will take this, and begin combing the Extranet with a combination of VIs, manual verification, and possible Ais, all to identify people who fit the mold.
They will then dig further into the potential recruit, usually by conducting invasive hacking on their personal information to verify standards are met. If satisfied, and the client concurs, they will arrange for an offer to be sent on behalf of the client, usually with a healthy signing bonus.
It is far from the most ethical way to recruit individuals, but anyone who is going to the Circle to assist with recruiting wants someone specific, and for better or worse, this Circle can get that for them.
DIVISION OF APPRAISAL AND RECOMMENDATION: This Division is solely responsible for vetting all the applications that come in from various criminal and mercenary outfits to join the Circle of the Fallen. It is seen as a largely tedious job, with almost none of the candidates possessing the skills, size, skillset, professionalism, or competence to serve within the Circle – but that is what this filter is for.
Appraisal and Recommendation will approve or disapprove each applicant. Disapproved applications receive a notice of rejection, with some brief reasoning as to why (usually along the lines of a diplomatic "you are not right for our organization"), and that they will be approached if the Circle changes their mind (unlikely).
Approved applicants are not actually approved to join the Circle yet – it only means that the Division has assessed that they meet basic qualifications, and will move to the next phase of approval. This stage assesses if they have a particular skill set or capability that would augment the capabilities of the Circle, and not be redundant with another Circle.
This second filter eliminates most of those who managed to pass the first one, and notices of rejection are sent. However, these are more detailed in their rejections, and state that while they meet necessary standards, the Circle already has an element that handles their specialty. The last few that get through this process now begin involving the rest of the Circle of the Fallen.
Appraisal and Recommendation will conduct a presentation to the Grand Circle on each applicant which reaches this final stage, and present a recommendation on if a new Circle should be created for them to fill. Regardless of if they recommend yes or no, the Grand Circle will hold a vote, and abide by the result.
Should the vote pass, Appraisal and Recommendation will begin reaching out to the applicant and begin the formal process of integration. Almost no applicants get to this stage, but every time it does, it is a very important event throughout the organization.
DIVISION OF PUBLIC-FACING DIGITAL OPERATIONS: Did you know that the Circle of the Fallen has social media?
Well, they do.
For a criminal cabal, it's rather banal and almost hilariously official in a way which really doesn't fit what the Circle of the Fallen is. I am almost certain that this is the League having some fun by pretending to be an official government. They do all the things that regular governments do, from posting photo ops of the Circle Commanders at meetings, staff at work, hype videos, and images with quotes attributed to various leaders of Circle member organizations.
I am at a loss as to what purpose this is achieving outside of being extremely amusing satire, and perhaps throwing off anyone paying attention. All the same, none of what they post is necessarily inaccurate. As far as I can tell, the images are real, and they do create promotional videos with what appear to be real Circle employees. There's a high chance that the voices are VI generated, especially given how easy that is to do these days, but they're high quality.
You might wonder what kind of community has grown around this. I wondered as well. I expected very little, and I was still disappointed. It appears to be a tiring familiar collection of edgy Turian teenagers, Citadel-based trolls, Aria fangirls (and guys), law enforcement haters, and the occasional bitter criminal mad that their application to join got rejected.
Of course, this Division seems to not waste an opportunity to cause chaos, one of which was the infamous "Fan Art Week" where they asked their followers to submit fan art of their "Favorite Circle Leader" and can you guess what happened? Yes, that's right, lots of Aria porn. Venethix came in a distant second, while P. of all people came in third, despite no longer being part of the Circle (he submitted several images himself).
From what I learned, Aria and Venethix were not amused by the incident, but the rest of the Circle found it hilarious, and it remains immortalized in Circle history. Again, I can only assume that this entire Division exists to distract from where the real digital operations take place, though sadly, I suspect this Division will be more restrained in future 'Community Engagement Activities.'
DIVISION OF COVERT DIGITAL OPERATIONS: The bulk of digital operations are managed by this Division, which handle a much more familiar range of operations, from data exfiltration, systems hacking, and cyberattacks, none of which are intended to be attributable to the Circle of the Fallen.
Give this Division a target, a mission, and they will get it done. The degree of complexity ranges from simple DDOS attacks, to botnet influence operations that affect market prices. The Circle has an extremely powerful tool at their disposal in the form of Covert Digital Operations, and the full extent of their impact has yet to be documented.
While this is a more nascent development, the Division is beginning to experiment with more complex psychological operations against specific targets, at the behest of several Circle member requests. They are almost certainly coordinating with several other Circles for best practices, but given their skills, it is likely that this Division will become just a little more dangerous.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: It is difficult to ascertain exactly where this Circle stands when it comes to their place in the Circle of the Fallen. Everything points to them being content with their role, with few ambitions beyond that. However, they are acting in solidarity with the Lesser Circles when it comes to opposition to decisions made by the Greater Circles, if only in votes.
So clearly, they hold some disapproving views on the state of things, but it is impossible to say how deeply this goes. They appear to be willing to evolve as the Circle demands, even if they don't necessarily want to be the change themselves. This may end up being important, and it would not be surprising if they remained largely neutral if any major changes took place.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: Impossible to say, as most of the personnel for this Circle are difficult to locate, and are likely closely managed by the League of Six. However, it is unlikely that there is much sympathy for the ideas of the Perfect Circle within the ranks.
The League appears to be more focused on maintaining their position and focusing efforts against the STG and SIX to really concern themselves with a potentially more powerful Circle. They are not in it for power as much as they see the Circle as a means to expand their reach, experience, and resources.
However, again, it is impossible to say. There may be more doubts within the League than meets the eyes, but without insight into the organization itself, it is a moot point.
THE CIRCLE OF OUTREACH
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Stanislav Volodymyrovych [Human Male]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: The Iron Curtain
DEFINED ROLE: Foreign Relations
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: Surprising as it may sound, the Circle of the Fallen does indeed maintain a dedicated Circle to foreign relations. This, as you might imagine, includes the Citadel, but also includes everyone that does not fall under the explicit influence of the Circle of the Fallen, including major powers like the Terminus Clan, and outlying independent worlds.
Who is best suited to undertake such an operation? Preferably someone with experience in maintaining connections between groups that officially have no contact. Enter Stanislav Volodymyrovych and the Iron Curtain. The name apparently derives from a term from Human history representing a metaphorical divide between major powers.
In this case, Citadel Space, and the Terminus Systems.
For nearly a decade, the Iron Curtain has quietly operated as a backchannel for mostly Human corporations, intelligence interests, and sometimes government officials between various Terminus criminal and mercenary organizations. These range from deconfliction talks, to trade and business interests.
The point being – the Iron Curtain acted as a medium for parties to communicate unofficially, and it worked exceptionally well. Enough that they were admitted to the Circle of the Fallen to manage their entire foreign operations - a task they took too with great enthusiasm, and went beyond expectations.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: Having a foreign affairs office is not a small endeavor, even if a large portion of it is unofficial. The Circle of Outreach came into being with much of its Citadel foreign relations well-established and only in need of expansion – but the Terminus was something of another matter.
This Circle has been in the process of acting as a legitimate representation for the Circle across the Terminus Systems, going so far as to establish embassies and actual representatives in some organizations and non-Circle powers, which has been an unexpected development and expanded the reach of the Circle in new ways.
This initiative is still in an early stage, but its success has seen more resources be dedicated to it, and it will almost certainly expand as more time passes.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Outreach is broken into four Departments with distinct mission sets.
DEPARTMENT OF TERMINUS INTERESTS: Spearheading the domestic efforts to make the Circle not just an unofficial presence, but a known one in the criminal ecosystem and beyond, the Department of Terminus Interests is the effort to formalize many existing relationships with non-Circle criminal organizations, and better define the dynamics between them.
Representatives of this Department are assigned to specific groups, with the intention of establishing a rapport that has several official and unofficial stages. The ultimate endgame is for a permanent representative to be attached to them, or an embassy opened on their headquarters or primary base.
Unorthodox and unexpected as this push was, it has seen moderate success, especially among smaller organizations who believe that aligning with the Circle more overtly will provide some advantage. Most of the hesitance comes from the fact that many see it as encroaching on Omegan authority by effectively allowing divided loyalties.
However, the Department has countered this by pointing out that Aria is part of the Circle, and thus there is no conflict. It is not necessarily the strongest argument, but so far Aria has yet to intervene one way or another, and so the Department is likely to continue barreling ahead.
DEPARTMENT OF CITADEL RELATIONS: We should first define what 'Citadel' relations are. If your first thought is the Citadel Council…you are only half right. This Department is responsible for maintaining a backchannel with the Citadel (specifically with Citadel Intelligence), but this also refers to the greater Citadel space.
Thus, this includes corporations, universities, and Citadel governments. This Department maintains backchannels with the multiple corporations from multiple species, volus venture capitalists, academic professors, and elites from the Systems Alliance and Asari Republics.
The Department acts as a conduit for dialogue to happen between their Citadel contacts, and the respective and relevant Circles. Sometimes grand deals are struck, other times there are covert agreements made to avoid scenes. There is a surprising amount of talk that goes on between this Circle and Citadel foreigners, much more than vague threats and deconfliction.
It can't really be said that overt tensions between the Council and Terminus have lessened, but the fact there exist some lines of deconfliction have made some Citadel personnel breath a small sigh of relief.
DEPARTMENT OF INDEPENDENT RELATIONS: The second domestic spearhead focuses on the groups that are either not overtly criminals or warlords, are far enough outside the spheres of power as to be nominally independent, or those who are powers in their own right.
While the Terminus Clan for example does not recognize the Circle of the Fallen, they do allow a backchannel in the event of absolute emergencies. This Department wisely does not push the Clan beyond what they are willing to share, but they are much more aggressive in their approach with more vulnerable independent worlds.
They set up official channels, establish embassies, and forge relationships that most worlds and groups view with understandable wariness. Right now, they appear to be growing more relaxed since it seems the Circle has no nefarious intentions yet – but the goal of this is to spread the influence of the Circle, and from that front, they can say it is mission accomplished.
DEPARTMENT OF COVERT RELATIONS: Perhaps the most intriguing of these Departments is the one surrounding what is defined as Covert Relations. Specifically, relations with foreign intelligence agencies. We have been able to verify that this Department has ongoing relationships with the AIS, STG, and CINT.
The exact extent of each is not well-known, but it is believed that their strongest relationship is with the AIS, followed by CINT, and the STG, which they are most suspicious of. Officially, the reason these agencies maintain channels is to ensure the security of their bordering colonies and interests.
Unofficially, it is almost certain these agencies see a vector to penetrate the Circle of the Fallen, or otherwise influence it. The slight problem with that approach is that Volodymyrovych is very aware of this, and appears to be playing an exceptionally dangerous game by attempting to work all of the agencies against each other, and weaken their operations in the Terminus.
It is not clear why a division like this exists at all, or why stringing along three of the most dangerous intel agencies in the galaxy is seen as a good idea. Volodymyrovych is not a conventional figure, but he's not stupid. If there's another angle being played here, it is one only he knows.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: The Circle of Outreach, and the Iron Curtain, appear to have two primary objectives. The first is to lessen the divide between Citadel and Terminus Space by facilitating 'easy' access, and thus make it politically costly to impose regulations and sanctions on the border.
The second is to legitimize the Circle of the Fallen as a central authority in the Terminus. Volodymyrovych has privately expressed that he sees the Circle as the future of the Terminus, and foreign policy is a key part of why that will be the case. While he appears to support the status quo, he is almost certainly willing to take the next step if presented with the opportunity.
His nature, and that of his Circle, is not one of confrontation, but that through discussion and negotiation changes come. He's been less aggressive in his disapproval of recent Greater Circle decisions, and attempted privately to speak with Greater Circle leaders to middling success. It is difficult to say what he would do or support if he judged the alternatives had failed, but he is unlikely to be the first to act.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: Volodymyrovych could be viewed as one of the forefathers of the Perfect Circle ideology, and certainly responsible for its spread and certain branches of it. The rest of the Circle holds much of the same views he does as it relates to the future of the Circle of the Fallen.
The Perfect Circle is merely a more refined and tangible form of what he already believes. We can consider the subsumption of this Circle to be near-total.
THE CIRCLE OF POLITICAL STRATEGY
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Amerian C'Hanna [Asari]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: The Institute of Iz III
DEFINED ROLE: Political Science | Academia
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: One would be hard-pressed to find something more unique in the Circle of the Fallen than an actual academic institution. They would also be surprised to find what is effectively a think tank there as well. Nonetheless, both are accurate descriptions for the Circle of Political Strategy, managed by the controversial Institute of Iz III.
The Terminus has almost no academic institutions, with the overwhelming majority being scams, and the only ones of worth situated within the Terminus Clan. The Institute of Iz III is an exception to both of these, though it derives its controversy from what passes for actual instruction there.
Namely, it's oriented around what the Terminus is often known for – crime.
It's an incredibly bizarre situation where the Institute openly advertises itself to criminal organizations, offering classes in economics, administration, business, and other relevant classes to various criminal professions. Instructors are 'qualified' not necessarily by their degrees or certifications, but their role in the criminal ecosystem, and general success they've had. It is a popular 'retirement' plan for many older criminals, who are welcomed by the Institute.
Still, it's been very successful, and a novelty of the Terminus that is as much a tourist attraction as a site of so-called learning. That all said – they do take their work seriously, and the Circle of the Fallen was interested in developing a Circle to assess and best exploit their extensive soft power within the Terminus.
For the Institute, this was the expansion opportunity they had been waiting for, and have since turned their Circle into effectively an expansion of their project. They are now arguably among the foremost experts on the nature of the Terminus Systems – and how to best exploit it.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: As a relatively new Circle, the Institute has reached a stage in its operations which can be considered reasonably mature. It is of moderate size compared to other Circles, and has a healthy flow of personnel that rotate from the Institute on Iz III to the Circle of Political Strategy and back again.
Some initiatives of the Circle are less developed than others due to their recency, but with all initiatives, these take time to do properly, and the expectation is that these will bear fruit in the near future.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Political Strategy is organized into Centers, just as it is organized on Iz III. Each center has a particular focus, some which are solely academic or advisory in nature, while others have parts devoted to active field work and research.
CENTER FOR TERMINUS STRATEGY AND INFLUENCE: The first Center established, and the one that is considered the most important for the purposes of the greater Circle, is the Center of Terminus Strategy and Influence. Functioning more as a think tank than an academic institution, it is composed of a rotating board of experts who analyze the trends and developments within the Terminus Systems, and give recommendations to the members upon request.
Given the scale of the Terminus, it is not apparent to outside observers the degree that this Center works to provide an accurate picture. They track everything. If there is a new group that has popped up, they will note it and factor it into their analysis. They will religiously track conflicts, incidents, and developments within regions from Omega to the fringe Terminus to give the most complete picture they can.
The vast majority of the time, most Circle members do not come even close to tapping into the wealth of knowledge at their disposal, with the exception of Aria, the Shifter, and Venethix, all of whom have more extensive plans. The rest are more interested in simpler questions, such as if they destroy a group, or encroach on certain territory, what the results might be.
This has made the Center and the Institute among the foremost experts on the region, to the point where there have been rumors of Citadel academia starting to take notice.
CENTER FOR ORGANIZED CRIME STUDIES: Partly a think tank, partly an internship, partly a class, the Center for Organized Crime Studies is a project devoted to the critical appraisement and recommendation of organized crime. They write papers on the structure, organization, and effectiveness of various criminal organizations, noting successes and shortfalls.
As useful as this is for rival groups, its arguably more greater purpose is turning this critical eye inwards. Upon the request of a Circle member, this Center can conduct an inspection or audit of existing processes and methods, and render a verdict. Most Circle members have done this at least once, and their effectiveness increased as a result.
Several organizations within the Circle conduct regular reviews to optimize themselves as best as they can, something which the Center takes great pleasure in facilitating.
CENTER FOR CULTURE AND ACADEMIC STUDIES: A more niche focus of this Circle, the Center for Culture and Academic Studies is an example of academia branching out into something only tangibly related to what they are known for. This group studies and reports on the cultural and societal developments, movements, and evolutions within the Terminus.
I do not know how a group affiliated with the Circle of the Fallen managed to become the most accurate source on the myriad of subcultures within the region, but they did it, and ironically their work was what got Citadel academics to start noticing what they were doing. From what I can determine, their work is sound, and the information largely accurate as an overview.
The sheer size of the Terminus makes such a task very difficult to do thoroughly, but the Center has continued expanding, and their output is only increasing. It isn't exactly clear what the purpose of this is for beyond situational intelligence, but Omega is apparently very interested in it, which appears to be sufficient justification to continue their work.
CENTER FOR CITADEL AFFAIRS: The two newest Centers are only beginning their work, but their purpose should be fairly clear. The first is the Center for Citadel Affairs, which is primarily focused on Citadel space, and the political developments, trends, and events happening there. While anyone can turn on the news and read the headlines, it's not a real substitute for actual political analysis.
The Greater Circles in particular want a better idea of the moves being made by the Council species, so for now this Center is primarily focused on them – which are the Asari Republics, Salarian Union, Turian Hierarchy, the Systems Alliance, and the Migrant Fleet. Associated major elites and corporations are also included in this analysis, and they produce biweekly reports to the Circle on major developments.
Given the extensive expansion of this Center, its scope is likely to increase in the near-future, likely to include focus on bodies like the Citadel Council, Vol Protectorate, or bordering regions of the Terminus.
CENTER FOR MAJOR TERMINUS AFFAIRS: In a similar vein to its sister Center, the Center for Major Terminus Affairs focuses on major non-Circle powers. Since there are fewer of these, the size of the Center is smaller, but it is arguably just as important. The Terminus Clan is the primary focus, but the United Terminus Federation, as well as several warlords have received attention.
Also notably, there has been a quiet expansion to tracking and analyzing other more nebulous groups, which include the Broker Network, but also the Collectors, and strange and unidentified forces, many of which have been spotted near the Hangman's Relay, which leads to the Deep Terminus.
This may signal a broader interest in the Deep Terminus by the Circle, but this was not able to be confirmed.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: The Institute is primarily interested in expanding their own operations to increase their position in the Terminus, and to further develop their own academic libraries. They are less interested in promotion to a Greater Circle, but they do believe that some members of the Greater Circles are unappreciative of their efforts to support the Circle.
As primarily an academic body, they are not especially ambitious in the traditional sense, but they take pride in their work, have elitist mindsets, and do not take well to the idea of being marginalized or ignored. Something that should be kept in mind when considering what might push them to any decisive action.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: About as prevalent as you'd expect, but more debated than you'd think. The benefit and curse for the Perfect Circle is that within academia, everything is up for debate and argument, and while a majority of members believe that the Perfect Circle is an agreeable, if not outright preferable idea, it's so fragmented it's borderline useless to the wider movement.
Right now the Perfect Circle is seen as a genesis of an idea, and there are no fewer than a dozen different hotly debated branches of what is the best one – and none of the advocates are even married to the one they are advocating for. It's not seen as actually serious yet, and more of an exercise of political thought.
With all that said, if the Circle of Political Strategy starts to get serious and actively develop their choice of Perfect Circle into something tangible, this is likely to change very quickly.
THE CIRCLE OF DELTA OPERATIONS
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Seras'Jorr jas DELTA [Quarian Male]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: DELTA Force
DEFINED ROLE: Anomalous Operations
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: The existence of so-called anomalous activity is not something that is disputed, and I expect that anyone with access to this document is aware of the general situation concerning anomalous activity in the galaxy. The Terminus Systems are no exception to this, and in fact it is very likely more common due to the size alone.
There are few things where there is unreserved cooperation within the Circle of the Fallen. This is one of them. There was a period where some members 'handled' anomalous activity internally, or with their own operations. All we can determine is that this went badly enough that there was joint agreement to treat anomalous activity as a Circle concern.
Enter the DELTA Force, a low-profile organization which specialized in the containment and response to anomalous activity for clients across the Terminus. Easily the most mysterious member of the Circle, they have nonetheless been trusted with one of its most important missions that no one else in the Circle wants to handle.
The Circle goes to some lengths to obscure the true nature of DELTA Operations from the rank and file. Most believe DELTA Operations refers to some kind of special operations or special forces. The fact that DELTA handles anomalous activities is far from common knowledge, and the Circle intends to keep it that way.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: The size of DELTA is unknown, but likely among the smallest Circles, made up for in the fact that they are composed entirely of experts and veterans. No one enters DELTA Operations unless they are exceptional in some way, and this Circle is one of the few that can and will recruit talented individuals from other Circles – and the other Circles greatly approve.
Given the baseline expertise needed for dealing with anything related to anomalous activity, DELTA can be said to be extremely sophisticated, employing technologies and tools that I am unable to find equivalents for. Finding any details on their exact operations is almost impossible as the Circle keeps that extremely guarded, but fortunately we have some idea of what they take part in.
While not nearly as extensive as the Celestial Council, they do seem comparable in size and maturity to the Systems Alliance's Omega Response – which we understand has been recently renamed to Aurora. As far as we are aware, DELTA has had no contact with Aurora, though they have worked with the Terminus Precursor Authorities, and it is almost certain that there has been some contact with the Celestial Council.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: DELTA Operations is organized into highly specialized Units where many details are obscured or secret, but enough information was acquired to provide a general overview of what each one is responsible for.
DELTA UNIT ONE: DELTA Unit One is not a traditional combat, recovery, or research unit at all, but instead is the team responsible for the containment of anomalous artifacts they have been able to recover. We were unable to gather details on what Unit One keeps in containment, but there is strong circumstantial evidence that the number of artifacts in containment is a small number.
Exactly what kinds of artifacts qualify for containment is unknown, nor what the policy is for those that don't meet their criteria. For the maturity and size of DELTA Operations, that their containment remains limited appears strange, but it is admittedly possible that our information may be incomplete.
One reason for the likely low amount of collection is that standard DELTA policy is to contain, mitigate, or destroy. It implies that DELTA is not confident in their ability to harness or employ anomalous artifacts, and view it safer to destroy them. It is uncertain how likely that is, as the amount of experience DELTA has implies this is knowledge they should possess.
With that said, due to what has been collected, circumstantial evidence, and known operational policy, it is almost certain that Unit One is NOT containing artifacts that are equivalent to ones the Celestial Council or Aurora possesses.
DELTA UNIT TWO: Unit Two is an equally small unit, which is responsible for controlled research into anomalous activity and artifacts. They work closely with Unit One to research artifacts in containment, but also have dedicated field units that will conduct research and investigate detected anomalous activity.
What makes Unit Two interesting is that they are primarily composed of credentialed scientists with niche specializations, many of whom are from Citadel space. It is not clear what methods they are being recruited by, but clearly DELTA has networks in academia, and are able to pick individuals that best suit their operations.
DELTA UNIT THREE: When anomalous activity is detected or encountered, DELTA Unit Three is deployed to first scout and assess the possible danger, and the risk involved. They are equipped with highly specialized equipment almost certainly suited for anomalous activity, and light weapons.
It is notable that most of them are augmented to some degree, which if the reports are to be believed, are equipped with lesser artifacts that protect against psionic influence or resistance against mental illusions or attacks. Stuff that sounds like science fiction, but which are legitimate concerns when it comes to anomalous activities.
Upon conclusion of assessment, they will report back to DELTA Operations, who will then send in another Unit depending on the level of complexity or threat. There are some rare cases where Unit Three will recommend no intervention, which will result in either the Circle arranging for the area to be annihilated from orbit, or quarantined through other means.
DELTA UNIT FOUR: Every anomalous organization has a recovery unit, and DELTA Unit Four is that unit. While they are not inherently a military unit, they are trained in combat operations, but they are primarily intended to contain, recover, or destroy the source or cause of anomalous activity.
A mixture of scientists and soldiers, they have gained extensive experience operating throughout the Terminus, and should be considered one of the most experienced forces when it comes to dealing with anomalous activity and executing operations.
There are rumors that they have collaborated with the Celestial Council's Team Astalos, but again, this is nearly impossible to verify.
DELTA UNIT FIVE: While Unit Four is capable of conducting combat operations, DELTA Unit Five is explicitly created to fight and destroy hostile anomalous entities or artifacts. There was so little that could be verified on this group that only a few details could be gleaned.
The first is that DELTA Unit Five is extremely small. Estimates put them at only one or two dozen. All names and backgrounds are obfuscated. They refer to each other by code names, and speak some kind of dead language that can't be verified, supposedly to verify that members aren't compromised.
The second is that Unit Five employs significant amounts of anomalous artifacts that have been deemed safe to use. Unfortunately, what this actually means can't be confirmed, but considering that they are intended to fight hostile anomalous forces, it appears to be sufficient for their needs. While their casualties are also hidden, there has been no indication they've struggled to meet the demand or danger.
The third is that they are never seen at all. Even within DELTA, Unit Five is almost a legend more than something that really exists. Those who are promoted into Unit Five are never seen again, even though everyone knows they exist. They are almost certainly the most elite and dangerous force roaming the Terminus currently, and one can only imagine what they have seen in the process.
I am hesitant to include anecdotes, but given there is so little on them, and anomalous activity means the spectrum of possibility is expanded, there is a final note to this. There are a few eyewitness accounts and communications from other DELTA personnel who appear to have interacted with, or worked with Unit Five.
While they never saw them in battle, they all claim that they heard music coming from the area of operation which they complained of lingering in their minds for weeks afterwards. I am unclear what this means, but it is possible that whatever Unit Five uses, it exudes some anomalous effect that produces a music-like sound.
Something to perhaps look into.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: The Circle of DELTA Operations is as neutral as a Circle can be. This Circle, like most of its anomalous brethren spanning the galaxy, makes it a strict policy to be above political concerns or leanings, which shockingly the rest of the greater Circle respects.
While the leader of DELTA Operations is known friends with Eiron, this does not appear to have resulted in any sympathies or favoritism. Ultimately, DELTA Operations should not be considered affiliated with any side or movement within the Circle.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: While it is possible that some in DELTA Operations are sympathetic to the ideas of the Perfect Circle, it is extremely unlikely that it will nudge them in any direction. So long as the Circle of the Fallen remains in operation, they will carry out their mission. The Perfect Circle is, to them, an internal political matter that will be resolved by someone besides them, and this view is unlikely to change.
THE GREATER CIRCLES
THE CIRCLE OF ECONOMICS
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Plex Iris [Volus Male]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: The Profane Gate
DEFINED ROLE: Economics
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: It is perhaps a predictable thing to see a Volus behind an economic-oriented Circle, but until another species produces economists with the same inherent financial skill, this is going to be a common occurrence.
Kaltoth, leader of the infamous Profane Gate, the most influential Depthwalker organization in the galaxy, has been involved with the Circle of the Fallen since its foundation. She was quite taken in with Venethix's vision for the organization, and has since made herself among the most entrenched financial power now just in the Circle, but the Terminus itself.
She and her Depthwalkers have their fingers in nearly every serious financial endeavor managed by Circle members, and while she is making an absurd amount of profit, the financials of the members are far better than they would have been otherwise. They have been instrumental in making the Circle the wealthiest organization in the Terminus Systems.
Even if you stripped away the individual wealth of the members and just stuck to the money invested in Circle institutions proper, you will find a sustainable and profitable place of employment that has enough perks and pay that anyone of even moderate skill would kill to work for.
For Kaltoth, the Circle is an extremely long-term investment which she has carefully and covertly guided – through to what ends is something she keeps to herself. Few doubt she has ambitions, but she is one who prefers to keep out of the spotlight, and only a few can accurately predict what she really wants.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: It's a Volus operation. Is there really more to say?
In the interest in providing additional context, this operation is almost certainly the most well-run and efficient of all the Circles. It's also the largest Circle in terms of employment, as this Circle provides regular and ongoing financial support to Circle members, which requires a significant number of personnel.
As the Circle has been in operation since its founding, it's one of the most mature ongoing operations, and continually optimized and improved on a regular basis.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Economics is divided into five Departments, each of which executes a specific financial mission, detailed below.
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC HEALTH: Insolvency was one of the first concerns identified by Kaltoth's economists. There is little more dangerous than an inability to pay personnel or support mission capabilities, especially when it comes to criminal organizations. Thus, the Department of Economic Health was established to monitor this concern.
It is responsible for the continual observation of the financial health of the Circle as a whole, and the various members that make it up. If certain warning signs emerge, or fiscal thresholds are met, this Department will present a report on the current situation, and immediate efforts to remediate it to return to health.
No one is stupid enough to ignore the financial advice from Volus, and this extends to the Circle. Their work has ensured that no one has experienced financial difficulties – which is a laudable accomplishment.
DEPARTMENT OF FISCAL DISTRIBUTION: There is only one group that is trusted to directly manage the money within the Circle of the Fallen, and that is the Department of Fiscal Distribution. They are responsible for paying the salaries of personnel directly attached to the Circles, allocating funding to Circles depending on need, and field requests for additional capital investment.
Their mandate is strictly to manage the books as they relate to Circle finances – and only Circle finances. They are extremely strict when it comes to distributing funds, and while their management sometimes rubs Circles the wrong way, few are willing to challenge Volus on what sound financial investments are.
The fact that they ensure that all Circles receive the necessary funding is sufficient for the vast majority of members, and has ensured that the Circle has never missed a payday to its people, likely a key reason why most employees find it a stable job.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT: By far the largest of the Departments, the Department of Financial Support exists to support the various members of the Circle to improve, expand, or balance their finances.
As you can imagine, having access to premier Volus services is something everyone takes advantage of. No one can say that the support from the Circle of Economics hasn't improved their finances in tangible ways, but it is interesting how little people seem to care how much Kaltoth has integrated herself so thoroughly with everyone.
Only a few have taken some precautions to prevent the Circle of Economics from holding significant influence, which are Aria and the Shifter. The rest seem not to know or care that Kaltoth might have ulterior motives. Nonetheless, if there are doubts, they seem to be quickly dispelled once the latest financial reports arrive.
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC CONTINGENCY: While the idea that the Circle will face economic hardship is unlikely in the near future, the Circle of Economics considers it important that even they are prepared for a rainy day.
The Department of Economic Contingency is responsible for managing a fiscal crisis, and given authority to act in a way as to maintain the solvency of the Circle, and its members. While they have significant power over making financial decisions for the Circle itself, this does not extend to the members.
They have developed contingencies in conjunction with each member, but if the worst happens, it will ultimately be up to the members to execute them. The Volus can be ruthless with their cuts and decisions, which may be fiscally smart, but it can be understood why some might be hesitant to follow the Depthwalkers to the letter.
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPERATIONS: While the Circle of the Fallen conducts what can be called economic operations, this is a surprisingly small department for the Circle of Economics. It is suspected that the reason for this is that there is already so much of the Terminus economy that is dominated by Circle members, and large-scale tampering might negatively affect existing revenue streams and business endeavors.
Operations against the Terminus Clan for example have been largely unsuccessful, and the Volus struggle to effectively deal with non or less capital-based systems and governments. Operating in Citadel space puts them against the Vol Protectorate, the Unseen Cloud, and other financial powers that can more than match what Kaltoth can produce.
She is good, but she knows her limits, and in true Volus fashion, has focused her resources where they are most effective – and the Department of Economic Operations is simply a lower priority. One day this may change, but that is not today.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: It is almost certain that Kaltoth has achieved her goal of entrenching herself and the Profane Gate in every aspect of power in the Terminus Systems. The next question is to what extent it spreads. When it comes to the future of the Circle of the Fallen, Kaltoth is curiously silent on it.
However, there are some suspicions that she sees the Circle as a ripe opportunity for further expansion and centralization. She has entertained more than once the idea of a centrally-managed Terminus Stock market to attract domestic and foreign investment to further develop the region, but nothing has come of it since Aria has no intention of risking her power like that. Most Circle members also believe such a development would be provocative to the Citadel.
Has this deterred Kaltoth? Unlikely, but she seems content to maintain things as they are, though if there are major changes that happen to the Circle, it is almost certain that she would not remain silent. With the degree of economic entrenchment, any future Circle would require the consent of Kaltoth, otherwise things may go very bad, very quickly.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: There is very strong evidence that several strains of the Perfect Circle originate from the Circle of Economics, and if nothing else the idea of making the Circle more prominent within the Terminus Systems is endorsed by Kaltoth herself.
It's less a question of if the Circle of Economics is sympathetic to the Perfect Circle, and more what strain they will support – and what, if anything, they will do to promote it. Right now they seem to be letting it play out, but it's very likely they would take a side if pressed.
THE CIRCLE OF LOGISTICS
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Mira Zor [Volus Female]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: Omega
DEFINED ROLE: Logistics
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: The unsung and unsexy backbone of the galaxy, logistics is what keeps everything in the age of spaceflight functioning. Without logistics, nothing can be done, and the Circle of the Fallen is no exception. Spread across the Terminus, the sheer size makes it a daunting prospect to manage and support.
Unless you happen to be Aria T'Loak.
Omega is the central hub of the Terminus Systems, and the primary node of both official and unofficial logistics networks that span the Terminus. There is no other Terminus power that has the resources, scale, and experience to manage the Circle of Logistics than Omega.
Granted, it isn't quite the same as managing logistics through Omega, as like the other Circles, services are provided upon request. However, they leave a lasting impact where slowly but surely, the Terminus Systems are being connected and supplied more than ever before. The Circle and its members owe much of their expansion to the support from Aria and the Circle of Logistics, and they won't be afraid to admit it.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: Omega has had decades upon decades of successfully managing Omega Station, and when Aria joined the Circle of the Fallen, she brought with her a number of her own experts and specialists to support the Circle's logistical needs.
Today the Circle maintains a robust and mature operation, one which is extremely flexible and dynamic to a degree that doesn't actually exist on Omega. The mission is not exactly the same, but their work has enabled the Circle to regularly conduct operations that would otherwise take weeks or months to prepare for.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Logistics is divided into Divisions, all of which answer to a central command – an organizational model that only the Circle of War has also implemented.
LOGISTIC CENTRAL COMMAND: Managing the Divisions of the Circle of Logistics, Central Command is responsible for ensuring that each Division is properly staffed, supplied, and executing their missions within expectations. They are the primary interface between their Circle and Circle members, or other Circles.
There isn't much to really say about this one. They do exactly what they claim to.
LOGISTIC NODE CREATION DIVISION: A key driver in the expansion of Circle members can come down to the Logistic Node Creation Division. While simple in mission and purpose, logistical nodes are critical especially for operations with little infrastructure or reliable delivery schedules.
This Division would accompany Circle members on forward operations, build these nodes, and after a period of ensuring that they were sufficient, would depart as a successful mission. Each node built allowed operations to be more complex, sustained, and successful. Maintaining these nodes comes down to the members, but knowing their worth, it is something that most make sure to keep maintained.
LOGISTIC NETWORK CREATION DIVISION: Sometimes when a logistics node is insufficient for a mission, a network is required instead. While networks are superior to independent nodes in every way, providing for a more robust system that will endure long into the future, they are a major endeavor to undertake.
However, it can be done.
Logistics networks take months to create under the best of circumstances, as connections between suppliers need to be made, schedules created and enforced, and distribution standardized and tailored to the region. It requires taking advantage of, or creating, local infrastructure with the possibility of later expansion.
It is not simple, it is not easy, but it is invaluable for any kind of long-term mission or operation. Logistic Network Creation is rightly viewed as one of the most useful divisions within the Circle, and has allowed many more permanent bases, locations, and operations to be established by Circle members.
NETWORK MAINTENANCE UNIT: A complement to the above Division, the Network Maintenance Unit is a much smaller group of specialists who are called in when logistics networks start experiencing problems. Networks will decay and lose efficiency overtime, and sometimes need a jolt to the system to fix things.
This Unit will usually be able to quickly identify the issue and recommend fixes. A few Circle members have them come by at regularly scheduled intervals to inspect or stress their existing networks to ensure they remain up to standard.
EMERGENCY SURGE SUPPORT DIVISION: Sometimes existing networks or nodes are insufficient, or they are destroyed or disrupted during a critical operation. Emergencies happen, and the Circle of Logistics has the ability to quickly respond to almost any logistical emergency where supplies or resources are needed in hours.
They act as an emergency fleet, a moving hub, and ad-hoc network which can be set up anywhere, and supply a moderately sized military force for up to seventy-two hours before requiring additional help. By then it is expected that the emergency will be resolved and a more permanent plan can be enacted.
It is rare that Emergency Surge Support is needed often, but when it has, it has almost certainly prevented catastrophes and total losses for Circle members.
LOGISTICS DISRUPTION DIVISION: Not all of the Circle of Logistics is focused on providing services – there is one Division responsible for providing strategy for military operations to cripple the logistics of the enemies of the Circle.
Using their own expertise and experience, they will recommend courses of action that will cripple or degrade the logistical capabilities of their enemies to ensure victory. Note that this Division does not directly execute these missions, they just provide suggestions based on the information provided to them.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: Aria is seen as the de-facto leader of the Circle of the Fallen, and she intends to keep it that way. There is little in the way of ambition for her, especially as she has become more focused on Omega of late, and leaves the affairs of the Circle to her appointed Commander, Mira Zor.
As a result Aria has become more disconnected from the Circle, and has not considered it something that is or should be more important to the Terminus. To her, it is a useful asset, if one that could become a problem. All the same, she is not concerned about the potential of usurpation.
She judges that even if the Circle were to, by some miracle, align against her, she would be able to bring them in line, like she has done to the region before. Given recent developments, it is plausible she has reconsidered this stance. If she has, it certainly hasn't been reflected in her policy.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: Surprisingly, yes.
Not in the way you might expect.
Mira Zor has been paying a notable amount of attention to the ideas surrounding the Perfect Circle, and agrees with many of them – while also thinking this is an excellent opportunity for Aria. She believes that the Circle should take this next evolutionary step, and that it should be Aria who uses it to solidify her power within the Terminus Systems.
It is such an unorthodox view of the Perfect Circle that no one else is really sure what to make of it. Most consider it a joke once they hear it, but those sympathetic to Aria believe that she is actually the only one who could really pull it off, and transform the Terminus into a true state that can stand on its own.
Most do not believe Aria would want to do this, as it would almost certainly threaten the stability of Omega, nor it is certain the rest of the Circle would support it. Few also believe Aria would want to take a risk of this degree, though admittedly, many of them are aware of how the status quo is slowly becoming untenable, and Omega remains in decline.
Mira is acutely aware of all of this, and has been preparing a presentation for Aria to take the reins, and embrace the Perfect Circle before another does, and weakens her position further. It is a major risk, yes, but Mira is convinced that the Perfect Circle is the future, but without Aria, it will fail.
THE CIRCLE OF INNOVATION
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Eire'Molls jas HIVE [Quarian Female]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: The HIVE Corporation
DEFINED ROLE: Research and Development
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: There is almost certainly no Circle, Greater or Lesser, that has been embroiled in much controversy and turnover as the Circle of Innovation – which is not even getting into what exactly the Circle does.
Formerly managed by P., the Circle has since been taken over by Golo'Mekk, and his HIVE Corporation, which has come with as much tension and drama as you would expect. The function of the Circle is a very understandable and important one – domestic research and development available to all members of the Circle.
It's one of the core pitches of the Circle of the Fallen, and is a sprawling operation – one of the largest of all Circles, and also one which is known as one of the most heinous places of the entire organization. P. was hardly a saint when it came to conducting experiments and research, but Golo has somehow managed to turn the Circle into what can be charitably called a nightmare.
Commanded and led by people from the HIVE Corporation, who consist of the most deranged, unstable, and unethical individuals of the galaxy, the Circle of Innovation has expanded into experiments and developments that make the Inverted Triangle seem positively restrained in comparison – all with the full backing of the greater Circle.
This is not to say that the Circle does not produce results, but when even other Circles look with wariness at what Golo has unleashed, it should cause some self-reflection.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: P. laid the foundations for the modern Circle of Innovation, and had turned it into a respectably sized effort which covered most of the basic fields of study, but P. considered the Circle a side effort to his real work, and had a hands-off approach until it accidentally produced something useful – which he then left over.
In contrast, Golo has turned the Circle of Innovation into HIVE unleashed. He's significantly expanded the size of the Circle and the specialties it focuses on. While he's maintained most of the previous staff, he's brought on many of the scientists, engineers, and experts from HIVE who have not wasted time in pursuing truly ambitious projects.
For all of Golo's faults – he knows how to appropriately leverage an organization like the Circle, and it is producing far more results than ever before. However, much of it isn't exactly useful to most of the Circle, especially since it has shifted focus from producing standardized equipment, to much more highly experimental, complex, and ambitious projects.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Innovation was reorganized by Golo into different Development Centers, each of which has a specific nexus of effort.
DEVELOPMENT CENTER ONE – TECHNOLOGY [NON-EXOTIC]: It says something that one of the most 'normal' of the Development Centers focuses on conventional weapons. However, this can only be considered 'conventional' by the most technical of definitions. This DC is pursuing experiments in arms technology that are on par with programs being run in the Hierarchy and Systems Alliance.
New mass effect rifles, experimental drone platforms and missiles, mechs and explosives. The number of simultaneous projects is staggering, all of which are tested on live subjects, or when a larger demonstration is called for, unimportant worlds in the Terminus are used as sites for field tests.
This DC has produced a few actual products since Golo's takeover, particularly in the explosives category, but many of their projects are running into similar roadblocks state ones are. If this has deterred Golo and the DC, there is no indication of it.
DEVELOPMENT CENTER TWO – TECHNOLOGY [EXOTIC]: Precursor technology has been an interest of Golo's, and HIVE has dedicated wings to precursor technology. For the Circle of Innovation, much of this work has been transferred to Development Center Two, which is responsible for the repair, testing, and reproduction of precursor technology.
As much of it has unexpected effects or properties, test subjects are regularly employed, with often fatal results. Currently, this DC has yet to actually reproduce something usable for the rest of the Circle, though there are suspicions that Golo has ordered that this DC only collect data and results, while active work takes place within HIVE.
For what it is worth, Golo has denied this accusation. As of now, no one considers it worthwhile to force the issue.
DEVELOPMENT CENTER THREE – BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY: This particular Development Center is…disturbing.
If there is one DC where the mad scientists run amok, it is Development Center Three. Experiments with genetic engineering, modification, chemical warfare, and disease weaponization happen regularly, and it is just as messy, expansive, and disturbing as you would think.
Golo seems to intend for Development Center Three to function as a pure testing lab, where subjects are subjected to whatever deranged question that enters his mind, where genetic material is forcibly integrated into subjects to create insane freaks, or questions like "What is the minimum level of oxygen a Human needs to survive?" are asked and answered with many wasted lives.
This is not a scientific institution. None of what happens here can be reasonably called 'science.' None of it is useful, and all of it exists to satisfy the curiosities of sadists who only want to inflict harm under the guise of academic language. No one appears to think Development Center Three produces anything useful, and is at best seen as a place to send enemies to experience a horrific execution.
DEVELOPMENT CENTER FOUR – MATERIAL SCIENCES: A small, and largely overlooked Development Center, it is one of the most banal in that it mostly exists to conduct actual science – at least to a greater degree. A holdover from P.'s days, Golo mostly seems to have kept it around because it occasionally produced something useful, but otherwise does not seem to find it interesting.
Material Sciences has produced some advancements in armor and artificial metals, which have been adopted throughout the Circle, but otherwise it's one of the most unremarkable. They obviously use test subjects for various experiments, but it is at a noticeably fewer number than other DCs.
DEVELOPMENT CENTER FIVE – QUANTUM SCIENCES: Another holdover from P.'s efforts, Golo has taken more of an interest in the work of the Quantum Sciences, but has faced a slight problem in that he's finding it more difficult to staff, mostly because no one wants to work for him.
As a result, Development Center Five is mostly staffed with the few scientists who stayed on-board from P.'s leadership, and a few specially-trained slaves who have education in quantum theory. Golo keeps a closer eye on experiments conducted here because of these limitations, but this DC has produced very little of worth.
Golo is almost certainly suspicious that scientists working in it are sabotaging him in some way, but he doesn't seem inclined to pursue it, nor further alienate personnel he cannot afford to lose.
DEVELOPMENT CENTER SIX – REVERSE-ENGINEERING: Focusing on recovered technologies from Citadel Space, Development Center Six is considered the most practical of the DCs managed by the Circle of Innovation. While not all technology is able to be reliably reproduced, it has produced the most successes of Golo's tenure and successfully reverse-engineered multiple weapons and technologies from Citadel space.
This does not translate to actual production, but DC6 is able to produce accurate schematics of reverse-engineered products, which are available for Circle members to employ at their own discretion. Golo has made sure to invest in this DC heavily, rightly seeing it as perhaps the one element that is keeping the Greater Circles happy with him.
DEVELOPMENT CENTER SEVEN – CYBER AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: If there is a Development Center that Golo is most interested in, it's for Cyber and Artificial Intelligence, and it's as risky as you think it would be with Golo and HIVE at the helm.
The first aspect of DC7 is extensive research into invasive cybernetics. The most experimental and untested ideas are employed with regularity, and like other ones with extensive HIVE integration, the results are usually machine abominations that burn through test subjects at accelerated paces. This has produced some results in the field, but many of them are so invasive that many are unwilling to accept the cost.
The developments in Artificial Intelligence are more concerning, and there is a belief that DC7 is cultivating three separate AIs at once. Supposedly, all of them are heavily isolated and monitored, but that DC7 does not seem to be following any kind of standardized best practices is concerning to even the rest of the Circle.
There has even been talk of holding a Grand Circle to stop these efforts, which would be an unprecedented level of interference in a Circle's management. It's for this reason that it hasn't happened, but there may come a point where even the Greater Circles will present an ultimatum.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: Golo is aware of the controversy around the Circle, and his debated legitimacy within the Circle of the Fallen. He is unconcerned with both, and views the Circle as a mechanism to develop HIVE and gain and conduct experiments and data that would be difficult to do on his own.
He is reliant on Aria to warn him of any dangerous developments that would jeopardize his position, and is fully inclined to vote or support her influence on the Circle. He seems to enjoy how irritated he makes the Lesser Circles, and possesses a disdain towards any who take it more seriously than he views it.
For Golo, the Circle is a means to an end, and anyone who thinks the Circle of the Fallen could or should be anything more is delusional, and he has little consideration for them.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: Golo, and the HIVE personnel who have become part of the Circle of Innovation, obviously have no sympathies for the Perfect Circle, if they've bothered to consider it at all. However, the same cannot be said for those who were holdovers from P.'s leadership.
It cannot be understated how much the Circle personnel despise the HIVE lunatics who have taken over, and whom they have to answer now. Under P., who mostly didn't care too much, they did think they were contributing something important. Now they see what they believe is incredible waste, unfocused direction, incoherent leadership, and degrees of unethical conduct that make even them step back and think.
Do you understand how fucked up you have to be to have people that worked for P. think that some level of ethics is appropriate?
Almost all of these people believe in some implementation of the Perfect Circle, but are primarily driven by a desire to see Golo removed from his position. Anyone who can promise them that would almost certainly gain their support.
THE CIRCLE OF RETRIBUTION
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Varys [Drell Male]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: Remembrance
DEFINED ROLES: Assassination | Contingency Planning
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: Threats to the Circle of the Fallen and its members come in various forms, some of which have complicated solutions, but more have simple ones. The Circle of the Fallen has remained largely unchallenged as an institution not merely because it comprises the major powers of the Terminus.
It's also because those who actively oppose them tend to die.
The Circle of Retribution is the reason for this.
There has always been a need for the Circle to have a certain reach and capability to pre-emptively respond to threats, or send a message. Remembrance has been the tool to achieve this since the beginning. While its mission is, and continues to be, assassination, it has since assumed a degree of contingency planning for the greater Circle.
The smallest of the Greater Circles, they nonetheless arguably have the greatest impact, and are a major reason why the Circle enjoys relative impunity.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: As mentioned, the Circle of Retribution is small, but comprised of assassins, many of whom are former or full Remembrance Dancers, as well as a small group of strategists who operate as contingency planners.
It is highly decentralized compared to other Circles, as the small number of assassins means that more freedom and responsibility is given to each to plan and execute their tasks. They are almost certainly the best assassination group in the galaxy, or at minimum they are the most active.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Retribution is divided into different Remembrances, each of which have a different purpose and conduct associated with them. Unlike most Circles, there is only a small core within each one, while the assassins move between them as the mission demands. Circle assassins are rarely confined to just one Remembrance, but flow between them as desired.
THE AQUA REMEMBRANCE: The Remembrance with the largest core group, the mission of Aqua is restrained compared to its sister groups. It is responsible for information gathering and preliminary research into targets or institutions. It is the first step taken before ordering a termination, usually to assess the plausibility, cost, and ramifications.
Aqua will be responsible for producing a report detailing the feasibility of an operation, the resources required, and the recommended method of termination. Once this is completed, the client will be required to make a decision on if to go forward with the operation, or cancel it.
If approved, it will be turned over to one of the below organizations.
THE CRIMSON REMEMBRANCE: When the Circle, or one of its members, wishes to send a message to the Terminus Systems, or the galaxy at large, the Crimson Remembrance is employed. These assassinations are less elaborate affairs, and more targeted hits done in very public ways.
Crimson assassins are very straightforward with their methods, and it is abundantly clear that they were murdered, and that whoever did it wanted everyone to know they murdered them. Calling cards are intentionally left – literal cards in this case. A sealed envelope with a blank card, with the emblem of the Circle of the Fallen stamped inside is left.
The Circle tends to only use these on more upstart groups to put them in their place, or known enemies whom they want removed. Rarely are the Crimson assassins sent against anyone truly important – and most expect this trend to continue.
THE SOLAR REMEMBRANCE: For those who cannot exactly be assassinated in such public ways, but nonetheless the Circle and its members want removed, the Solar Remembrance is employed.
Instead of overt assassination, Solar assassins specialize in covert operations and obfuscation. They won't kill targets in conventional ways, but instead engineer elaborate accidents or assume guises to throw off potential investigators. They engineer false flags, hire unwitting actors to play parts, and if they did their work correctly, no one can trace it back to Remembrance, let alone the Circle of the Fallen.
The more complicated nature of this work requires more experienced assassins, and more time to prepare. The Circle only uses them in cases where it would cause problems if the death was tied to them, and has been mostly used as a way to remove troublesome warlords, uncooperative leaders in the Terminus, and others who are not clear enemies of the Circle, nor necessarily antagonistic, but otherwise stand in the way of their plans.
THE INDIGO REMEMBRANCE: More of a contingency unit than an assassination arm, the Indigo Remembrance focuses solely on planning operations to execute in the event of a major conflict between the Circle and an enemy that could realistically threaten them. This includes the Citadel species, the Terminus Clan, United Terminus Federation, and others who pose a larger threat.
Plans are drawn up to remove certain figures, leaders, and military officials, ranging from people that most people would not know, to Citadel Councilors. Indigo spends all of their time researching, refining, and preparing for the worst-case scenario where they will be activated, and expected to put their plans into motion.
It is questionable how many of these plans will succeed, but this should be a clear warning to anyone who thinks the Circle is not at least aware of the possibility of war. They are prepared, and if it happens, they will be ready to strike.
THE LAST REMEMBRANCE: Simply put, the Last Remembrance is the elite of the Circle of Retribution. Only those personally approved by Fen himself are able to undertake missions intended for the Last Remembrance, a name which is speculated to have a double meaning.
Most believe that it relates to the targets themselves, ones that are so difficult to kill that only the best can be sent, and it will be the last attempt on their lives. However one does wonder if this is intended for suicide missions, where the one carrying out the operation is expected to die. Hence their 'last' Remembrance dance.
This would not be completely out of step with what we have seen from Remembrance Dancers. The Hanar continue to send Dancers to attack the Mars Archives despite repeated failures, and it wouldn't be surprising if Fen had a similar group for such situations. It's also possible the Last Remembrance could facilitate both mission sets.
However, they are used so infrequently, if at all, that it's impossible to say for certain.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: The Circle of Retribution considers itself largely divorced from the more political affairs of the greater Circle, and does not hold any major ambitions which relate to their place within it. They are fully satisfied with their position, and intend to maintain their place.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: Non-existent. Fen and Remembrance appear to have no desire to even entertain the ideas of the Perfect Circle, and their small numbers make such ideas spreading nearly impossible.
At the same time, they have not expressed any explicit opposition to the Perfect Circle, despite definitely being aware of it. It is very likely that they do not consider it a benefit or threat to them, and will accept whatever the outcome is.
THE CIRCLE OF INTELLIGENCE
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Yemar Bzuayehu [Human Female]
PATRON: The Shifter
DEFINED ROLE: Intelligence
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: No organization like the Circle of the Fallen would be complete without some kind of intelligence apparatus, and of all the Circle, there is really only one member that has the experience and capability to execute it. This is, of course, the Shifter.
The Shifter's organization is one of the more nebulous ones, and the Circle of Intelligence is a small, tight, and restrained incarnation of an intelligence operation, oriented more towards collection and infiltration more than active operations. Some of this is because some missions are handled better by other Circles, but also because the Shifter appears hesitant to empower his Circle more than they already are.
There are some possible reasons for this, most of which are unfortunately speculation, and relate to how the Shifter perceives his own role within the Circle, and how much he wishes to invest in it. He has intentionally made his plans and motives nebulous, but despite this, he has developed the Circle of Intelligence into something useful.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: The Shifter knows a thing or two about running an intelligence operation, as well as good tradecraft. It's unsurprising that the Circle of Intelligence is well-organized, well-run, and competent in what it is responsible for.
However it should be noted that this is not comparable in any serious way to established intelligence agencies. It isn't the STG, it isn't CINT, it isn't the AIS, and arguably isn't comparable to some of the Terminus intel arms run by Aria or the Terminus Clan – but it isn't trying to be.
Some people have inflated expectations of the Circle of Intelligence, but at the end of the day, the Shifter has organized it to be a support element of the greater Circles, and within that mission space, it is successful.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of Intelligence is organized into five specialized Cells, all of which are small, but each mission is given an equivalent amount of attention, making it a more well-balanced Circle than many others.
RECONNAISSANCE AND INTELLIGENCE GATHERING CELL: Managed by a corps of intelligence agents, the Reconnaissance and Intelligence Gathering Cell is intended to primarily precipitate military action against a specific region or target. The Cell works to gather relevant information on numbers, terrain, defenses, and other strategic information to support operations.
Their limited numbers mean that they are not always available, but they are effective and useful enough that Circle members are usually willing to wait for availability when it comes to their major operations.
INFILTRATION CELL: One of the more interesting Cells, the Infiltration Cell supports the long-term infiltration and compromise of various entities. The Circle of Intelligence tends not to execute operations against high-profile or established powers, such as the Terminus Clan or Citadel – but they will focus on lesser groups that they feel they can successfully infiltrate.
Once embedded, these agents make regular reports back to the Circle and provide them with insight into the ongoing operations. They are mandated to not interfere, but simply observe and report.
They may rise naturally in the ranks, but are ordered to maintain a low profile. Over time the Infiltration Cell has become so pervasive due to this strategy that most moderately-sized organizations and corporations have at least one agent from the Infiltration Cell embedded, giving the Circle significant insight into a large portion of Terminus interests.
COVERT OPERATIONS CELL: Within the Circle of Intelligence, covert operations has a much more limited scope than what is normally ascribed to intelligence entities. Covert operations within this Cell falls into one of two camps – sabotage operations, or exfiltration operations.
Sabotage operations are straightforward; the operatives are deployed to conduct sabotage against a specific target, either as a prelude to a military operation, or in retaliation for some previous act. Exfiltration operations may be better defined as rescue operations, as they are exclusively deployed as a response to help extract personnel who are in dangerous situations.
It is with some amusement that the latter is the most common operation undertaken, and many a soldier and agents owe their lives to the Covert Operations Cell who gets sent to bail them out.
PRODUCT PRODUCTION CELL: Unlike other Cells, Product Production is a purely analytical unit responsible for the creation and distribution of intelligence products, which include analysis, reports, organizational overviews, and dossiers. They will take commissions from Circle members on a particular subject, and within a predetermined period of time, return with said product.
Most of their work tends to focus less on analysis as it relates to trends, but instead overviews of various Terminus organizations and powers, dossiers on important figures, and capabilities reports on Citadel operations. All of which is useful information when plotting the future of the Circle, or operations that might benefit from a knowledge edge.
The library they have built up is impressive for their limited size, and the quality is equivalent to what you'd find in most intel agencies, which is probably the highest praise that could be given.
CIRCLE SUPPORT CELL: On occasion Circle members will request field support for their operations, and what is where the Circle Support Cell comes in. These are combat field agents, outfitted for support and focused roles, such as infowar, marksmanship, medical, or engineering.
While they aren't a dangerous combat force on their own, they are a significant augment to any military operation, and thus are considered indispensable by multiple Circle members.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: More opaque than expected, but there are some clues for where they lean. The Shifter is the boss, and what happens ultimately depends on him and what he decides to do – which right appears to be waiting and seeing.
He takes more of a direct interest in his Circle, even if he leaves the day-to-day management with the appointed Circle Commander Bzuayehu. Both of them converse on a regular basis, so we can assume that both of them are largely aligned, and Bzuayehu is less capable of hiding her views than her boss.
Right now, she seems to be of the opinion that it is better to wait and see what happens, while in the meantime continuing to support ongoing operations. It is unclear if she is aware of any additional plans, or if she is in the dark like everyone else.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: There is some cautious interest in the Perfect Circle among the Circle of Intelligence. The agents and operatives employed find the ideas feasible, and potentially worth exploring, but there are ultimately no strong feelings one way or another yet.
The Shifter is almost certainly aware of the Perfect Circle, but has not made any statement one way or the other on it, which can be taken as a view in and of itself. It is unclear if this is because he doesn't care, doesn't see it as a threat, or has yet to determine how he will handle it. Right now, it remains a curiosity, but one we are not sure if he will oppose should it grow.
THE CIRCLE OF WAR
CIRCLE COMMANDER: Eiron [Drell Male]
PATRON ORGANIZATION: Facinus
DEFINED ROLE: Military Operations
PRIMARY OPERATIONS: Something that I've taken note of in compiling research for the Circle of the Fallen is how the public perception of the Circle of the Fallen is surprisingly blind to critical elements of it. There are shockingly few people who believe that the Circle of the Fallen is a military power.
They are.
Not a small one either.
They are not at the level of the larger mercenary outfits like the Blue Suns or Eclipse, let alone actual developed militaries you would find on Omega or the Terminus Clan. However, they are numerous and skilled enough to give a militarized minor state like the United Terminus Federation a good fight, if not emerge victorious.
Military affairs make up an important part of the Circle of the Fallen, and all of this is coordinated within the Circle of War, managed by Facinus. Both Venethix and Eiron take an active role in the affairs of the Circle of War, though Eiron formally holds the role of Circle Commanders, and is her voice in the times of her absence.
Venethix is good at war, and Facinus would not have functioned well in any role outside of combat operations. The Circle of War is especially interesting when you compare it to the nominal Facinus structure. One thing which will become extremely apparent is that the Circle of War has a very distinct organizational structure – one that is reminiscent of state professional militaries.
Venethix may not have designed the Circle of the Fallen to be a traditional state, but it is very likely that the Circle of War is her own attempt to develop a professional military – though if this is an indication of anything more than an idle interest remains to be seen.
SIZE, MATURITY, AND SOPHISTICATION OF OPERATIONS: Before the Circle of the Fallen had been founded, Venethix had been already moving people to staff and filling what would become the Circle of War. Many of her best soldiers were transferred from Facinus proper, and into this new Circle, under this new structure.
It is one of the largest Circles within the greater organization, and as one might expect, the most well-armed. While combat may be something many Circles have some method of handling, the Circle of War is focused exclusively on exactly that – war, strategy, and combat. The decades since their founding have turned the Circle of War into a professional military that is strangely overlooked in and outside the Terminus.
It is almost certainly because the Circle of War limits their deployments, and have never really deployed at full strength, but instead to augment and complement existing Circle member operations. Should the Circle of War ever fully mobilize, I believe that many in the galaxy would be in for a surprise if they see what they can do.
This is not Facinus. This is something more dangerous.
INTERNAL ORGANIZATION: The Circle of War is organized into Legions, and has a notable number of unique divisions compared to most Circles. Venethix treats the Circle as a professional military, and with that comes a lot of different units, divisions, and complexities.
LEGION CENTRAL COMMAND: The authority which holds the Circle together is the Legion Central Command. Equivalent to the highest command organ in conventional militaries, this is the ultimate authority within the Circle of War, and directly commanded by Venethix or the respective Circle Commander.
It is comprised of Legion Commanders from each respective Legion, as well as a handpicked number of Field Marshals, Generals, and Admirals which form a senior command staff. If all of this is sounding weirdly professional for a criminal organization, it's because Venethix does not treat this as a criminal military.
This is not to say that these senior soldiers are not criminals – they absolutely are, but Venethix made a deliberate choice to shed as much criminal association as possible, to the point where anyone with familiarity with the Circle is often surprised to hear that the infamous Six Sins is in charge of the military forces.
LEGION OF GRAND STRATEGY: A small Legion, but one that Venethix considers essential, is that of grand strategy. Grand strategy concerning what? Large-scale operations, wargames, and a lot of internal debate and discussion.
Venethix has been seriously preparing for a large-scale conflict in the Terminus for over a decade now, and created the Legion of Grand Strategy to better support this preparation. Wargames and simulations are regularly run, bringing in everything from a Citadel invasion, to Human and Batarian incursions, or even an unexpected thrust by the Geth or Hanar.
Venethix has used this Legion to inform her decisions when it comes to Facinus, and the direction of the Circle as a whole. She is working off a larger strategy, and if you review the operations of Facinus over the past decade you can see that she is employing them more strategically, or working with other Circle members to secure key mass effect relays, resource-rich worlds, or establish critical infrastructure or logistics networks at important junctures.
It's subtle, inconsistent, and spanning years – but it is very clear that she is working with some plan in mind, something that no one appears to have really noticed. Too many forget that Venethix is not some random Turian soldier who lost her mind – she was intended to rise high in the ranks of the Hierarchy if not for political meddling and falling in love with the wrong person.
Venethix is cruel, ruthless, and violent – but she is not stupid.
LEGION OF MILITARY DISTRIBUTION: Arms, military equipment, ships, ammunition, the war machine is something that Venethix is very familiar with, and she knows acutely well what is needed to maintain a standing army. In contrast? A bunch of mercenaries and small military units is trivial to supply.
The Legion of Military Distribution is responsible for making sure that all Circle members are capable of maintaining a basic standard of defense, if applicable to their respective organizations. Not everyone needs to take advantage of what this Legion offers, but it has allowed military-oriented members to rapidly expand and maintain a high degree of lethality.
It has also ensured that there exists strong networks of weaponry to supply Circle members in the event they need to quickly replenish their equipment. This has rarely been needed, but there have been instances where this Legion had to step in and augment a combat force that was previously non-functional.
LEGION OF CIRCLE SECURITY: The Circle of War is responsible for the security of the Circle of the Fallen – no one else. The armored, helmeted, and armed soldiers of black and blue are a common sight at any Circle facility, always remaining in the background, and ready to step in and protect their charges should danger arise.
Functioning as site security, or bodyguards if requested, the Legion of Circle Security takes responsibility for the well-being of any who are within Circle territory. Upon request, they will also garrison Circle member locations, which a number of Lesser Circles have taken advantage of.
Functionally, they adhere to the same structures and outfit as those in Principal Combat operations, and are just as capable as their deployed brethren.
LEGION OF STANDARDS AND INSPECTION: Perhaps the most interesting and unique of the Legions is the one for Standards and Inspection. Venethix is famously harsh on her people, brooks no insubordination or failure, and is as generous with praise as she is ruthless in reprimanding for failure – but this is not institutionalized.
Within the Circle of War, it is.
Venethix holds the Legions to certain standards in skill, conduct, and professionalism within the Circle. These standards are not dependent on success or failure, but stand independent from external factors. Failure to adhere to these standards results in expulsion from the Circle of War – but notably not Facinus.
Venethix has slowly built up the idea that the Circle of War is an elite force, and a promotion within Facinus. None of this is an accident, and has resulted in the soldiers of the Circle of War adopting far less of a terrorist demeanor and attitude that is common in Facinus. Standards and Inspection spans all of the Circle of War – and no one is spared its harsh gaze.
LEGION OF PRINCIPAL COMBAT OPERATIONS: The main unit of the Circle of War is the Legion of Principal Combat Operations. A mouthful and sterilized name for what is effectively the army of the Circle of the Fallen. Organized along squad-based operations with a complete unique ranking structure, it is straddling the line between a professional conventional military, and a more asymmetrical force.
What is absent? The completely asymmetrical nature of the Facinus terrorist units.
Principal Combat Operations units are intended to wage conventional war, with a generous degree of flexibility afforded to field officers to adapt to battlefield circumstances. They are trained and meant to capture and hold territory and key installations. They are trained to follow plans and battle tactics.
They are trained to fight a war. That's what it comes down to. Venethix has taken many of the lessons of the Hierarchy and applied them to some degree to the Circle of War. It is interesting to see Turian military principles be displayed with a military force which is not comprised of Turians.
As one might expect, it is largely comprised of Turians, Humans, Asari, and a small smattering of other species that join the Circle of War. Something else notable is that this is one of the few Circles which receives regular requests from other Circles to join. There is something appealing about what the Circle of War offers; perhaps an illusion, or perhaps something real – but this Legion seems to represent something more people want.
Perhaps a lesson can be taken from it.
This Legion is usually employed to augment combat operations if requested by a Circle member. As a result they have only rarely deployed as the main force, instead of auxiliaries, though they are organized in such a way that missions are spread out throughout the Legion.
The entire Legion is gaining experience with each deployment, and while it's not a substitute for actual field operations, they train with enough regularly with each other that they would almost certainly perform well in a true operation.
LEGION OF NAVAL OPERATIONS: Standardized navies are not really a thing in the Terminus. The only ones who break this convention are Aria, and the Terminus Clan, both of whom can afford to standardize their fleets and not just work with whatever they have. Venethix intended the Circle of the Fallen to be another such force that possessed a standardized navy.
It has proceeded very slowly, as it turns out, without dedicated shipyards, it takes quite a long time to build a standardized fleet. For a long time, the Legion of Naval Operations was more a concept than reality. Only within the past decade has it been large enough to justify the Legion, and even then the fleet is small.
However, it is quite effective.
Venethix eventually wants to create a dreadnought to complete the fleet, but she realizes this is highly aspirational, and Eiron has convinced her that having a fleet oriented around mobility and medium-sized fleets is the ideal approach, which she has reservedly agreed to.
The Legion of Naval Operations, fielding the dedicated Circle Fleet, has a small navy force of several thousand fighters, and around four dozen ships ranging from corvettes to heavy frigates. The most notable detail of all of this? Each design is domestically designed and produced. There are, quite literally, no other fleets like it.
The most recent investment has been an expansion of the shipyards, where Naval Operations is working to build larger ships. Time will tell if capital ships soon join this fleet. It won't defeat any Citadel fleet, but it is arguably among the most powerful navies in the Terminus Systems.
LEGION OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS: It wouldn't be a proper military without special forces to go along with it – but Venethix has taken a unique approach to designing her special forces. Instead of the heavily armored soldiers that you would see in the Blackwatch or Deathwatch, the Legion of Special Operations is intended to fulfill a much different role besides "Soldiers, but elite."
They are intended to foment insurgencies.
Their composition is less elite soldiers, and instead a mixture of strategists, survivalists, instructors, and officers whose mission is to infiltrate the planets controlled by hostile powers, make contact with local terror or opposition groups, and develop them into an irregular force to conduct native revolts.
This is a very devious approach which I am certain came from Eiron, because no Turian would ever consider such a tactic that even the STG would approve of. Nonetheless, Venethix appeared to approve of the idea enough to orient this Legion around the concept.
Because of this mission set, the Legion keeps a running list of known organizations on critical planets that they will make contact with in the event of a conflict with certain powers. It's almost a pity that the wars on the scale Venethix dreams of are so unlikely to happen, as I would be personally interested to see the success of such an initiative.
CIRCLE AMBITIONS AND LEANINGS: The Circle of War perhaps best reveals Venethix's vision, which is that of a power that embodies the power of the Terminus, and is legitimized in the eyes of the galaxy. In a certain sense, Venethix has been successful in her mission, as the Circle of the Fallen is an entrenched power that few would deny.
But if the Circle of War is any indication, it can't help but seem she feels constrained. She has a professional military, but one that at best is sent to augment other members. It's a glorified mercenary outfit, being used as much as clients want. It could be viewed as a mockery, but it's also painfully clear that she didn't design it to be at all.
Regret, disappointment, and disillusionment are not words that properly, or may ever, describe Venethix – but given recent developments in the Circle, what she has built through the Circle of War, and the original vision for the organization, it is clear that she is becoming dissatisfied with the current state of affairs.
Is she willing to jeopardize all of that to rectify this? That is unknown, but she is no fool. She pays attention, she sees the fissures, and knows that something has to happen or the Circle she has built may be threatened by those with their own ideas.
DEGREE OF SUBSUMATION BY THE PERFECT CIRCLE: It is here where we get to a very important revelation uncovered during the investigation of the Circle of the Fallen. The Circle of War is not just infested with a strong sympathy for the Perfect Circle – it is where the ideas originally originated from.
Directly from Eiron, no less.
There is a pervasive, and rarely spoken sentiment, that the soldiers of the Circle of War represent the Terminus Systems better than any other criminal or mercenary power. There is a warped sense of actual pride that has been encouraged, and a culture developed by Eiron, that has further reinforced these sentiments.
When he introduced the first iterations of the Perfect Circle, the Circle of War was primed to fall directly into it, and among the ranks there are hushed whispers of dissatisfaction with the conduct of certain members who are viewed as not committed to the Circle, or who directly undermine it.
Is Venethix facing a mass insubordination or mutiny? No. Ironically, the Circle of War has an almost deified view of Venethix, and views disconnected individuals like Aria and Golo as standing in the way of accomplishing her established vision. These are very recent sentiments, and we know that Eiron has begun to heavily push the Perfect Circle onto Venethix – and she is at a point where it is very tempting.
If Eiron is successful in his efforts, and it seems very likely he will be, it is extremely likely that if the Perfect Circle is to ignite into something real, it will be the Circle of War which facilitates the next evolution of the organization.
THE GRAND CIRCLE
OVERVIEW: The Grand Circle holds a strange place within the overarching institutions of the Circle of the Fallen. Imbalanced by design, limited in scope and power, it is nonetheless the only organ which can pass for an 'executive' branch of sorts, capable of making decisions that affect the entire organization.
Every member of the Circle of the Fallen holds a seat on the Grand Circle and possesses the right to vote on decisions. However, the Grand Circle can only be called to order in specific circumstances, even if the actual powers and authorities it has is capable of reshaping the entire organization.
However, so long as the Greater Circles hold power over how often, and in what circumstances a Grand Circle can be called, it will remain a shadow of what it could be. It is still important to highlight what it is capable of, the existing mechanisms, and some additional nuances about the institution.
MEMBER RIGHTS AND AUTHORITIES: The powers each member has are largely determined by which Circle they belong to. Lesser Circles have the ability to petition for a Call to Order, which will summon a Grand Circle. However, this must receive approval (defined as a simple majority or deadlock) from the Greater Circles.
In contrast, a member of a Greater Circle has the authority to call a Grand Circle to order whenever they want. One major limitation of the Grand Circle mechanisms is that it is impossible to only call a partial Grand Circle, or only enable certain members to take part. A Grand Circle is total. Everyone must be part of it, or no one can be.
Upon the Grand Circle being called to order, the topic of discussion is raised – and only the decided topic. The Grand Circle is unable to hold discussions or decisions which have not been decided beforehand. During a Grand Circle, members can present petitions to expand the scope of discussion, which require a two-thirds majority support.
It should be highlighted that while the Greater Circles have immense power over if a Grand Circle can even take place, once the Grand Circle begins, their power is severely reduced. They cannot block or veto decisions or proposals, nor are they given greater voting powers or exceptions.
It is for this reason that Grand Circles are only allowed to be called in very specific circumstances, and the Greater Circles are sure that the outcome is effectively pre-determined. There are a number of internal dynamics and politics that drive these decisions, which Lesser Circles have attempted unsuccessfully to change.
A final critical point is that all Circles of Authority must abide by the final decision, even if they voted against it. It is rare when a decision affects the direct operations of a Circle, but it has happened, and members are expected to respect the decision. These decisions tend not to be on the policy level, but more on the direction of the Circle of the Fallen, such as approval to recruit for a Circle, or a declaration of war, or something that similarly would affect the entire organization no matter their role.
POLICY ENACTMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION: As a general rule, explicit policy is left to the Circles to determine what is best for them. There are no universal regulations or standards that have to be adhered to on the organizational level. Yet even within the Circle there are some internal rules and bureaucracy that have to be codified.
Most of the time, these are policies or rules which are brought forward by the most relevant Circle, formalizing processes or procedures that already exist, but they want to standardize to improve efficiency. The degree of detail and argument during one of these sessions is…shockingly extensive.
It is closer to a legal proceeding than a traditional policy debate. The respective Circle has to present internal studies, data, and then undergo a thorough interrogation from the rest of the Grand Circle on the finer details. It is important to remember that these are criminal organizations, and an attractive part of the Circle is the promise to operate as you see fit. Thus, any regulations or rules must have extensively good arguments and justifications.
The current rate for policy proposals and rule implementation stands at approximately fifty-two percent – which sounds low, but for an organization like the Circle is rather impressive. It has almost always resulted in a clear improvement to whatever was being optimized, which over time has made the Circles more open to larger and more sweeping rule changes, especially within the Circle itself.
VOTING PROCEDURES: Voting during a Grand Circle is an extremely simple affair. After a minimum period of debate or discussion, the matter being discussed (if applicable) is put to a vote, from whence members cast their vote.
With few exceptions, all votes must pass with a two-thirds majority unless modified prior to the final vote. There are a few explicit circumstances which require unanimous approval, such as the creation of a Circle, a member expulsion, or a declaration of war. There are no accepted justifications for lowering the minimum passing threshold, everything is passed with a two-thirds majority or higher.
Each member vote is worth exactly the same, regardless of if they are from a Greater or Lesser Circle. The size or mission of a Circle plays no part, and is the only instance within the Circle of the Fallen where the Lesser Circles have more potential power than the Greater Circles.
Abstentions are not permitted to be cast. All votes are in approval or opposition. The logic appears to be that members cannot and should not be neutral on matters which affect the entire organization, which the Grand Circle is supposed to exclusively deal with. There have been some attempts to allow for limited abstentions, but all such votes have failed to garner the necessary support.
Votes are an open ballot. One of the earliest rules adopted was that secret ballots are banned, done in the interest of transparency and trust. Notably, there has not been any opposition to this measure, as members are used to the idea that they are expected to stand and defend their decisions to their own people and the Circle itself.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER POWER: There is some debate as to how to best approximate how much each member holds within a Grand Circle. On paper, all members are equal in vote and authority. In practice there are always political considerations and interorganizational dynamics that play a part in votes and power.
The main blocs of influence always come from the Greater Circles, which usually tend to be around Facinus and Omega, with the Shifter and Kaltoth sometimes working the Grand Circle for their own interests. It would be inaccurate to say these are proper factions or parties, but each of those are seen as the principle decision makers driving the Greater Circles.
It isn't uncommon for Lesser Circles to use their votes strategically, and align themselves closer to one or the other in votes, if not in rhetoric. The rest of the time, Lesser Circles vote how they wish to, and are notably unconcerned with expressing their views without fear of repercussion. They traditionally haven't seen themselves as a bloc, nor do they see themselves as aligned to a certain power, even if they have their own sympathies.
It makes it all the more fascinating that ever since Golo's elevation to the Circle, the Lesser Circles this tradition has been broken, and they now resemble a more conventional voting bloc. As a result of this shift, it has made recent Grand Circles a grand waste of time. Anything proposed by a Greater Circle was opposed on principle, while there was notable solidarity among the Lesser Circles when one of their own made proposals.
The fact that the Circle can function perfectly well with a weak Grand Circle is aside from the fact that what little the Grand Circle can do has been effectively stymied, and it doesn't seem like the Lesser Circles intend to let this go anytime soon. There are only a few ways to express opposition effectively, and doing so in the Grand Circle is one of them.
MEMBER APPROVAL, ELEVATION AND REMOVAL: One of the most important functions of the Grand Circle is managing the members of the Circle of the Fallen. Only a Grand Circle can approve the creation of a Circle, the admittance of a new member to manage a Circle, the elevation of a Lesser Circle to a Greater Circle, and the expulsion of a member of the Circle of the Fallen.
Each of these must have unanimous approval from the Grand Circle. This is undertaken with the understanding that members will not act in bad faith to block or delay measures that are seen as common sense or important. It is for this reason that anytime these votes are taken, they are either unanimous, or extremely lopsided in the other direction.
This will usually not happen until the outcome is effectively known beforehand. Discussions on and off the record have happened, and by the time a Grand Circle is held, everyone knows how it is going to go. Very rarely is there legitimate debate and uncertainty over the outcome, but it has happened a couple of times.
This role is taken very seriously, especially by the Lesser Circles, who see it as one of the most direct ways they can impact the organization. It is also why the elevation of Golo is widely seen as illegitimate among the Lesser Circles because there was never a Grand Circle called to approve him to the position – and everyone knows it's because it would have failed.
Instead, the Greater Circles utilized a technicality that allowed them to maintain P.'s Circle of Innovation as an already-entity, and directly appoint Golo as a contractor of sorts. It is dubiously legal, even among the limited rules of the Circle, and is also disliked because it gives the Greater Circles significant power over Golo's conduct.
If, for example, Golo did something not approved of by most in the Greater Circle, they could remove him themselves with little fanfare or recourse because he is a member on an appointment basis. The consensus among the Greater Circles is that they want to formally appoint Golo in the role, but the stalwart opposition by the Lesser Circles makes this impossible.
The extent of this fissure has started to make some within the Greater Circles question the benefit of Golo. There are some communications collected from Venethix implying she regrets the choice, and would remove him if possible. Kaltoth has also implied that the Lesser Circles will continue to be a problem until the situation with Golo is resolved to their satisfaction. The Shifter has also implied that Golo's appointment undermined a core part of the Circle's philosophy, and the only way to remedy it and restore trust is to do things properly.
However, so long as Aria supports Golo's position, it is extremely unlikely the Greater Circles will move to act, no matter how much division and resentment it causes.
THE SPEAKER OF THE FALLEN: The Circle of the Fallen has no formal leader. The Circle is supposed to speak as one voice when needed, though unofficially most view Venethix or Aria as the de facto leaders of the Circle (despite arguably being less involved than many subordinates).
The role of Speaker of the Fallen is meant to be this one voice, one that reflects the "equal" nature of the Circle of the Fallen. By the rules set forward, the role of Speaker must switch between a Lesser and Greater Circle biannually at a predetermined session of the Grand Circle.
Members may nominate themselves or others for consideration, and will be followed by as many rounds of votes as are necessary to achieve the two-thirds majority needed, with the lowest candidate removed each round. Candidates who fail to achieve a single vote are automatically eliminated.
The role of Speaker does not come with any extra powers or privileges. It merely means that the respective Circle acts as the chair for all Grand Circles for the half-year they hold the position. They bring Grand Circles to order, count votes, and conduct the administrative tasks associated with such a position.
When necessary, they are also permitted to provide statements on behalf of the Circle of the Fallen, and be a public "face" to the wider galaxy. This effectively never happens because the Circle of the Fallen as a unified organization often has no need to interface with foreign powers, and unofficially because it might be seen, intentionally or otherwise, as a challenge to Aria's authority.
Upon the completion of their term, the respective Circle will be unable to be nominated, or put themselves forward for candidacy for at least one year, unless no other candidates are available. The current Speaker of the Fallen is the Circle of Political Strategy. It is expected that because Omega will be up for nomination, the Circle of Logistics will assume this role in the next election.