A/N
Before I begin, I just want to say that this is not the next chapter. The next chapter of the story will arrive as per usual next week.
Interlude 2
The Citadel Codex
Asari Republics
The Asari Republics are a loose collection of mostly independent democratic Asari states. There is no overarching superstructure that links these states in any form of cohesive unit. A few influential Matriarchs decide the political direction of the species.
Functioning as a direct democracy, made possible by dedicated communications infrastructure. Every adult citizen (including naturalized non-asari citizens) is able to access virtual legislative chambers - akin to chat rooms in basic function - where opinions are shared and their merits debated, and ultimately political policy is set by the direct consensus of the citizens themselves. There are no political officials or representatives, nor any individuals or groups with special authority or right of veto.
In truth, however, Matriarchs are hugely influential in decision-making and are shown a great level of deference by the masses. Most of the time decisions are taken between the choices of one Matriarch over the other. Such is their influence that High-ranking Matriarchs can dictate the policies of the entire species if they were to collectively decide to do so.
Due to the lack of a hierarchical government structure over the individual republics, the Representative to the Citadel Council usually serves as the de facto leader in decisions that affect the entire species.
Due to interference by the Protheans in their evolution, they have many gifts like long lifespans, natural biotics, and their vaunted mind-meld abilities. Alongside these gifts, the Prothean beacon in their temple has vastly boosted their technological growth, but they have not made proper use of the beacon and are happy with being barely above the rest. This can be attributed to a fault of their long lives, which makes them take things slow, and easy, as they have way too much time. These long lives have also made them arrogant and they often treat professionals from other species like one would treat a child.
These things have led to massive stagnation and a complete lack of self-inovation. Their primary objective is holding up the status quo, and lord their superiority over everyone else.
Batarian Hegemony
The Batarian Hegemony is the largest and only Interstellar government of the Batarians. A hereditary monarchy, with the Hegemon at the top, with his council of Advisors. Their society is strictly divided by caste and slavery makes up for most of their workforce. This practice is one of the major reasons why most other species dislike them. But this hatred is most felt in the case of the Turians and much recently, The Humans.
They have of their home world Khar'shan, a carcass of a dead reaper, called the Leviathan of Dis, in a secret facility. They have spent a lot of resources on deciphering its secrets.
Drell
The Drell are a pre-space flight species that were rescued from their overpopulated dying world (Rakhana Prime) by the Hanar illuminated Primacy. Now they work as agents, soldiers, and assassins for the Hanar. Due to the meteorological conditions of the Hanar homeworld, A large number of Drell suffer from Kerpal's Syndrome.
Emirate of Dekuuna
Elcor are quadrupeds from a high gravity world, who give a lot of focus on art and culture. Their territories are limited to only a few systems. Their Government is a constitutional diarchy. Where they have two Emirs that change every 10 years and a democratically elected Parliament. Alongside this is the Council of Elders which acts as an advisory board to all parts of the government.
Hanar illuminated Primacy
The Hanar illuminated Primacy, is a theocracy based around the worship of the Protheans. Their homeworld Kahje is an ocean world with small archipelagos and is 90% water.
The Hanar themselves are genderless jellyfish-like organisms that can only survive in normal gravity due to special mass effect fields. As a society, they are extremely polite, almost excessively so. Due to this, they use the Drell to carry out more strenuous tasks which they themselves are incapable of.
Krogan
The Krogan have no Unified government and exist in the form of disjointed tribes and warbands.
Once a prospering civilization, internal strife caused them to nuke themselves back to the stone age. They were then found by the Salarians during the Rachni Wars and uplifted to function as frontline soldiers in the war due to their tough and robust physiology. The Salarians may or may not have also allegedly tweaked their DNA to give them faster birthrates and a more aggressive nature. This is not confirmed because the Krogan were from a hell-world in which accelerated birth rates would make sense. But then, how did they sustain their civilization for centuries without overpopulating themselves. After being uplifted they fought and defeated the Rachni and were given a Citadel Membership and a new home world in return. Which, due to their massive birthrates, they quickly overpopulated (presumably within a few decades) and then began colonizing other systems at a feverish pace. This alarmed the council, and both sides broke into war.
The Krogan were eventually defeated when the Turians joined the Citadel and the Salarians used the Genophage, a biological weapon that makes most Krogan children be born stillborn. The Krogan suffer from this atrocity to this day.
Quarian Migrant Fleet
They have 2 major governmental factions, The Conclave and The Admiralty Board. The Conclave is the democratically elected civilian government of the Quarians and is in charge of the legislative and day-to-day running of their society. While The Admiralty Board is made up of the highest-ranking Admirals of their fleet and is in charge of military and naval matters. They also have the ability to veto decisions of the conclave if they deem the decision as harmful. After which the entire board resigns, to prevent misuse of power.
The Quarians exist as a Nomadic migratory fleet because they lost their homeworld to an AI rebellion when their VI servant network gained Sapience. Still, they continue to be the best engineers within Citadel space. They have a very weak immune system due to living in the sterile conditions of their fleet and require specialized sealed suits to interact with other species and to live outside the fleet.
Salarian Union
The Salarian Union government is run by the most powerful daltrasses and is constantly in flux due to political intrigue, internal competition, and assassinations. The Salarians are vastly intelligent due to their rapid metabolisms and are experts in research and development. This fast metabolism comes at the cost of having a short lifespan. Their entire society is overspecialized in espionage, assassinations, and black ops. As such while they do possess the ability to far outclass the other species of the Citadel in technology, they are more invested in spying on everyone and everything. They are prepared to go to any lengths to achieve their goals. A prime example is the Genophage Bioweapon they used on the Krogan.
Turian Hierarchy
The Turian Hierarchy is a completely militarist society where social status is determined by military rank. While other professionals do exist, most Turians work in military or security jobs. Due to this The Primarch, is basically the highest-ranking Military commander, with all others below him being part of the military hierarchy. There is no distinction between civilian and military within them, hence their siege methods are extremely brutal to other species.
They however are very honor-bound and hold a deep respect for the law and for strength. However, some Turians are rather arrogant and consider themselves the strongest military in the galaxy, alongside having a desire to see all other species conform to Turian ideals and beliefs. Their arrogance also comes from a place of pride as they were the ones who defeated the Krogan and were awarded a council seat for it.
Vol Protectorate
The Vol Protectorate is the Government of the Volus. A Methane breathing, ammonia-based species from Irune, they are rather short and stout. They have expertise in business-related matters and are the ones who designed the Citadel galactic economy. Though even after this major achievement and being the third species to join the Citadel, they have not been afforded a seat on the council. Their Government is a standard representative democratic system. They do not have complete sovereignty as they are a Client Species of the Turians. They also have to share their embassy with the Elcor.
Vorcha
Vorcha are a feral but sapient species found in the Terminus systems. They are violent and are usually hired by pirates, slavers, and mercenaries as frontline cannon fodder. They have no government and exist as small tribes and clans which are constantly at war with each other. Their home world is Heshtok.
Yahg
Not much is known about their Government. As they literally ate the diplomat the Citadel sent to make contact. Their system is under quarantine and a turian fleet maintains vigil outside the relay leading to it.
Keepers
Keepers are a non-sapient species on the citadel itself that carry out maintenance on the station. Presumed to be engineered by the Protheans, they are mostly ignored by everyone.