Author's Note :
I'm back beee'atches.
In addition to this new chapter, and others in the works, I revised this story. Marking all the altered chapters as "REWRITE UP" in the titles.
Hope you guys enjoy!!!
• 4 Months Since the Moon left Earth :
It had taken much too long. Months of sailing "the Black". After they reached the closest Star Cluster, it took a couple months more, to reach the nearest area with frequent ship travel. The Goblins guessed it was a shipping lane, based on their scans of the ships travelling through it. Most appeared to be transport vessels, hauling cargo or passengers.
Unfortunately, it took them even greater time, given the Goblins had been constantly making course corrections. In order to mine the larger asteroids, and explore nebulas. However, at last, they had reached the shipping lane they detected.
The Goblin King, a being that stood above even the 42 Overseers, above the Elders themselves, gave a predatory sneer... which he meant to be friendly. As a blue-ish grey Alien appeared on the Main View screen.
The reptile was dressed in a skin tight blue military uniform. Which held a mix of black and gold trim... and gold shoulder pads. While he looked much like the lizard folk, his jaw was an odder design. With mandibles at the sides.
The Goblin could tell, even from the monitor, it was real gold.
"You're Lucky," Growled the Reptile. "If we hadn't done a routine scan for life, we would have blast your asteroid into space dust. We normally don't tolerate such things, so close to the shipping lanes."
The Goblin King waved off, "I doubt your weapons could have penetrated our shields."
The lizard scowled, and so the Goblin King found himself already liking him. This was a being who took his duty seriously.
"Identify yourself!" The Lizard demanded.
"You first," The Goblin King sneer was playful, but seemed to turn vicious. Either way the Lizard was unaffected.
"Admiral Tiblinus, commander over the security fleet, over this sector of space!" He practically snapped. As if any of that should mean something.
"Blood'Bath, King of the Goblins, Chairman of the Magical Union." Thanks to Captain Reynolds, handing Dumbledore's old position, to the Highest Ranking Goblin. He was definitely worthy of being their Ally.
The Admiral almost wished he had hair, so he could pull it out. Muttering, "Mages, had to be mages!"
Blood'Bath grinned, "You should know, this is only our second contact with an advanced space fairing society... the first resulted in our subjugation for near 2000 years. So forgive the weapons locked on your ship." He wanted to give a dark laugh, but managed to resist.
The Lizard sighed, looking off screen. "Get the Ambassador up here." Before returning his attention to the comm. "A representative of the Council will be here shortly. To welcome you to the Greater Galaxy. Please remain where you are. We'll contact you when she gets here."
Turning off the monitor, the Turian Commander wanted to scream, as hundreds of ships flew from the moon, and started contacting the merchant ships in the area. For being paranoid little trolls, they were over eager to trade.
"We're getting reports of a wide variety of lifeforms," informed a comms operative. Who was listening to the local chatter, between ships. "This Union appears to be made up of thousands of magical races."
A Science officer offered, "based on our scans, the layout of the ship suggest it's mostly a Domestic vessel. I wouldn't be surprised if they found a way to make their world mobile, and just started wandering."
"Detecting magical Terraforming," their resident enchanter reported, from his own screen. "Thousands of different environments beneath the surface.
"This probably wasn't their original world, as they would have killed themselves while the enchantments were being laid down... I'm detecting millions of pocket dimensions as well. So no telling how big their population actually is... yeah, I got to agree, this is likely all of them. We fire on these guys. We'll likely be committing genocide."
Admiral Tiblinus, groaned. So even if these guys proved as hostile as they talked, He'd likely be court martialed for defending the ship. Their best option would be to set up a barrier... but they couldn't make a barrier big enough to encompass a planet. Even a dwarf planet, like this.
"Let's hope the Ambassador can calm them down," Growled the Turian. "Of all the times for her to be off duty." The ambassador usually spent hours on the Bridge... doing nothing.
"As a magical union," Ambassador Bearv Vee explained to the Goblin King. "There are a number of Interplanetary governments. That be interested in Trading with you. One may even allow you to join their union."
Blood'Bath rolled his eyes, "We magicals already have our own union. We aren't interested in joining another. But we WOULD be interested in setting up trade treaties
"You have humanoids on your world?" The Ambassador frown. Staring at the humanoid Senator. Then back at the little, blood thirsty, ugly creature.
The blue woman, an Asari, was trying to obey all first contact procedures... but she was a little thrown at just how many species were present... it now made sense, why the "Magicals" insisted the ambassador come to them. The Space Forces' vessel could never hope to accommodate the numbers here.
There were hundreds of species, each with their dozens of city state leaders, and their Senators, and their Magical Congress members. This room was designed so that all the world leaders, of every branch of government, could convene.
They might not have the populations of the Citadel races, but they certainly had the variety.
She listened to the story, of humanoid conquerors coming to the Goblin planet, and the goblins only recently regaining the right to govern themselves.
The Goblins informed they owed a great debt to "Wizards". And while they have had many disagreements with them, some of them admittedly bloody, they never forgot those that sacrificed themselves, to save them.
Regardless, humanoids living on the planet definitely complicated matters. The Asari would have to contact the Terran Empire. They would want to personally insure these "Wizards" weren't being miss treated, nor attempting to subjugate the other races of their world. As per treaties with the Citadel...
But how to phrase it without offending the political leaders of this "Magical World", as they called their mobile moon.
• A Few Hours into the Discussions :
"You want to purchase black rocks?" The Asari Ambassador looked thoughtful, as the Goblin King explained his plans.
They wanted worlds that could, normally, never be terraformed. Meaning worlds without an atmosphere or molton core. That way they could build more vessels like their moon.
Then gift a planet to each of the hundreds of races. As Goblins had the same concept of "Gifts" as most races. Believing it should be passed down, through the Generations of the family or civilization, it was given to.
From there, the Wizards would reconnect their Floo networks. So the various species, could visit each other's worlds, no matter how far they got. As well as create teleportation ports, for every ship in the magical fleet, on all their worlds. So the ships could easily get to any magical planet.
This way the Magicals would have greater defenses, and quicker trade routes.
The Current moon would remain the center of trade, and as such, would park itself around the Citadel. Given what the Ambassador told them about it.
The Argonians, or "Lizard-Folk", planned to "Brew" magical clones of requested beast, for every world... they even offered to create adult clones of beings, for added diversity and larger populations, to compete with the space fairing worlds. Nearly all agreed... outside the Wizards, who found the idea immoral.
The worlds may go their separate ways, but the Races would still be together. This way their species could still assist each other, but have more room to grow.
"We can direct you to a few unclaimed black rocks," The Asari informed. "And help you fill out the paperwork to settle them. It won't even be difficult. Will you be needing more moons? or will larger planets do?"
The Goblin King informed, as he was doing most of the talking. With most of the leaders just their to bare witness. "We'd like larger worlds. So long as they aren't gas giants, or stars, we can terraform them. And artificially regress their gravity to Earth norm."
The Asari nodded. It wasn't an uncommon practice, in Terraforming. After all, mass effect fields were a thing.
CODEX: Galactic Powers .
Now that the Magicals have hit the scene, there are 42 Interplanetary governments, in known space. Meaning unions involving multiple worlds / species. With the Citadel acting as a neutral third party, and trade union, most races listen to.
• The Terran Empire.
• The Ctarl-Ctarl Empire.
• The Federation of Allied Planets.
• The Shadow Proclamation.
• The Borg.
• The Cybermen.
• The Synthetics Democratic Union.
• The Dominion.
• The Jedi Council.
• The Sith Empire
• The Planet Trade Organization.
• The Mobius Federation.
• Terran Empire :
Given humans are largely seen as the pest of the Galaxy, and an invasive species at that, the Terran Empire is a union of humanoid species. Designed to protect the rights of humanoids, and defend them against persecution.
The Empire is made up of thousands of space fairing species, descended of Earth. These governments remain largely independent, but must obey the same doctrine.
Creating new laws is very difficult, as they must get a 90% majority vote to be added to the doctrine. While new laws have been added since the Doctrine was written, it is very rare.
The Emperor is largely a figure head, save for his control of the Systems Alliance Fleet. A union of the humanoids' militaries, like NATO.
The Empire enforces their laws for all humanoids, even if they have never officially been read into the Empire. The Empire claims jurisdiction over all forms of Mankind.
This includes protecting non-space fairing humanoid worlds, while secretly observing them for anthropology studies. As well as protecting all humanoids, from alien races to extinction level events.
In recent centuries, the Terran Empire has become a more respectable government, since they were vital in the defeat of the Reapers. If aliens have a dispute with any humanoid civilizations, to individual people, they contact the Empire.
The Empire is largely a benevolent government, but they do claim jurisdiction over all humanoid races, and enforce their laws on them. However, their laws are few, and they largely let the human worlds govern themselves, while giving them better resources and defense.
Most new Humanoid governments are resentful that the Empire just claims jurisdiction over them... but all inevitably come to appreciate the benefits.
Author's Note :
( The following was taken from the Mass Effect Wiki. And Tweeked to fit into my own lore. )
• Citadel :
The Citadel is an ancient deep-space station, the size of a Star Cluster. Designed as a massive Ring, and 5 arms called "Wards".
Embassies are held within the Presidium, the Citadel's inner ring. With the outer shell being where ships park, with the crew having to go through Citadel Security, or "C-Sec", to legally progress into the station itself.
The Citadel Tower, in the center of the Presidium, holds the Citadel Council chambers. Council affairs often have far-reaching effects on the rest of the galactic community. Their various decks, have been built into cities, populated by near a trillion inhabitants, from races across the galaxy.
The Citadel is virtually indestructible. If attacked, the station can close its arms to form a solid, impregnable shell. For as long as the station has existed, an enigmatic race called the keepers has maintained it.
The Citadel was formerly believed to be constructed by an ancient race called the Protheans. But now known to have been constructed by a race of Sapient spaceships, called "The Reapers". Which were defeated more then 1000 years ago. And are now being lead by a former Spectre, by the name "John Shepard", whom digitized himself, and took command of the Reapers.
Numerous species now call the Citadel home. With it serving as the political, cultural, and financial capital of the largest galactic community, the Citadel. Other governments have settled their capital on stations, in orbit around the Citadel.
With most species, having an embassy on the Citadel, in addition to being part of another intergalactic Government.
This is only possible, as The Citadel has pledged to stay neutral, between Interplanetary conflicts. With their military only stepping in for Galactic threats, and as domestic police. While the Citadel Council often acts as a neutral third party, during diplomatic discussions or disputes, to promote peace.
• Citadel Council :
The Council is an executive committee composed of representatives from the 42 most influential species of the Galaxy.
Though they have no official power over the independent governments of other species, the Council's decisions carry great weight throughout the galaxy. No single Council race is strong enough to defy the others, and all have a vested interest in compromise and cooperation.
Any species granted an embassy on the Citadel is considered an associate member, bound by the accords of the Citadel Conventions. Associate members may bring issues to the attention of the Council, though they have no input on the decision.
• Prime Directive :
As part of an intergalactic treatie, for all Citadel races. Only planets capable of traveling faster then light, have colonized other worlds, or are capable of sending a real time transmission outside their solar system, are permitted to be contacting.
There is to be no trading or interaction with these civilizations, outside global disasters. With no interference in how their world develops.
Even with space fairing races, their culture must be respected, so long as it doesn't directly contradict Citadel Law.
• Citadel Space:
Citadel Space is an unofficial term referring to any region of space controlled by a species that acknowledges the authority of the Citadel Council. At first glance, it appears this territory encompasses most of the galaxy. In reality, approximately 42% of the stars have been explored.
With the help of "Reaper" tech. Each Ship is outfitted with it's own personal "Mass Warp Drive", which allows them decrease their mass, while bending space, allowing them to travel several million times faster then light.
With this, it's possible to get from one side of the Galaxy, to the other, in 42 years. Which is what allowed them to explore nearly half of the Galaxy.
• Spectres :
Spectres are agents from the Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance and answer only to the Citadel Council. They are elite military operatives, granted the authority to deal with threats to peace and stability in whatever way they deem necessary.
They operate independently or in groups of two or three. Some are empathetic peacekeepers, resolving disputes through diplomacy. Others are cold-blooded assassins, ruthlessly dispatching problem individuals. All get the job done, one way or another, often operating outside the bounds of galactic law.
The Spectres were founded after the salarians joined the Council. For many years, they operated in secrecy as back-room "problem solvers." Only after the Krogan Rebellions did their activities become publicized. Assignment of a Spectre is less contentious than a military deployment, but makes it clear that the Council is concerned about a situation.
• Battle of the Citadel :
In 2183, a rogue Spectre named Saren Arterius attacked the Citadel through a functioning mass relay hidden inside a statue in the Presidium. Saren brought a combined force of krogan and geth infantry. Timing the attack so that he would be at the Citadel's controls when the geth fleet and his flagship, Sovereign, arrived. In the battle that followed, the Destiny Ascension dreadnought evacuated the Citadel Council, but ordered the wards' arms closed, sealing them and the geth inside an impregnable shell, cutting off any reinforcements or escape. This combative tactic would have wholly destroyed the Council fleet were it not for the actions of Commander Shepard, who had followed Saren through the relay from Ilos.
Led by Shepard's ship Normandy, the Systems Alliance's Fifth Fleet assembled under the command of Admiral Hackett and waited just outside the Citadel's closed arms. Meanwhile, Shepard fought Saren's forces inside the Citadel and eventually forced the ward arms open again.
The Normandy defended the Destiny Ascension as it fled, saving the lives of the Citadel Council. Taking its cue from the Normandy, the Fifth Fleet supported the withdrawal, and took heavy losses from Sovereign's advanced firepower.
At about the same time Shepard killed Saren, Sovereign's once-impervious kinetic barrier overloaded and the Fifth Fleet focused its military might to shatter the flagship. The geth fleet was soon decimated without its leader.
In gratitude for this, the Citadel Council granted the Terran Empire a Seat on their Council.
As well as granting them jurisdiction over all Humanoid races. Officially recognizing humanoids as more then pest, but another intergalactic government, in it's own right.
Most notably, they agreed to stop humans being used as slave labor, throughout Citadel Space.
Since then, Humanoids have nominated most of the new seats on the Council. Including the Volus.