A Subtler War: Mass Effect / Eclipse Phase by HandleWithCare
Words: 220k+
Link:
https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/a-subtler-war-mass-effect-eclipse-phase.548723/
Brief History
This is my first time attempting something larger and posting to SB.
Beta reader volunteers are welcome.
2130:
At the edge of the solar system a small group of people call attention to themselves for the first time with the development and open source distribution of the "Charmer" morph.
These biomorphs are specialised for social interaction, with increased empathy, patience, extreme stress resistance and generally a "sunny, happy, optimistic" disposition. They are explicitly designed to foster and strengthen social relationships.
In the coming month and years reaction is split. In the outer habitats the morph is immensely popular and observers note it has lead to a marked increase in social stability and average happiness.
In the inner system however the echo is not so positive. On the one hand, the morph does stabilize communities. On the other, wearer of the original, unaltered morph genuinely care about other persons. This leads to several corporate managers to side with the people they were supposed to keep in check, causing problems on Mars and elsewhere.
The creators of this morph are an eccentric group, even in the outer systems. Calling themselves the "Gardeners of the Void" they are openly ruled by a hyperintelligent AGI called "Samaritan" and operate as a "Think Tank" of sorts, offering their problem solving skills to other groups. They enjoy a rather high reputation ranking.
2130 onward: In the following years, the small group is noted for it's humanitarian efforts. It takes in infugees free of charge, however, each infugee must undergo a mental scan by Samaritan to reveal hidden agendas, mental instabilities or hidden psychoprogramming. All applicants can be refused by Samaritan without explanation.
Furthermore, the group is known to buy indentured People and especially Flats of traders and offers them citizenship and better lives.
For this purpose, it buys or produces morphs in small bulks.
2149: Charon unexpectedly explodes and reveals a massive alien artifact inside.
The entire solar system reacts in shock and nearly every faction prepares an expeditionary force to secure the artifact for themselves.
The Gardeners of the Void reveal they have mined the artifact and are prepared to detonate it should the other factions not stop their attempted take over. The other powers have no choice but to withdraw.
Firewall is extremely alarmed by these events, but internal debates about the best way to proceed hinder the group.
Even more worrisome: after the artefacts revelation, all remaining TITAN activity seemingly stops. Even several recovered artifacts stop working. Some claim to find evidence of hidden clocks counting down. Others report the measurement of mysterious energy signals shortly before shut down. Whatever the mechanism, those in the know are deeply concerned by these events.
2149:In the following months experiments reveal what the artifact is for: it allows instantaneous travel with an identical partner artifact over interstellar distances.
A strange (as in physically impossible) material is needed to achieve this. Thankfully, enough deposits of it exist in Charon's remains to build a few prototypes.
The first explorer is a Gardener Ego called Jon Grissom who sleeves directly into the probe that will explore the other side.
The Arcturus System is discovered.
March 2150: After further tests, a bigger ship is constructed that takes several well know independent reporters to the other side in an openly transmitted, real time publicity stunt.
At least two Firewall agents are hidden in this group, without knowing of each other though.
The team confirms the discovery of another star system and the functionality of the alien device. The solar system reacts with shock, excitement as well as uncertainty. The current status quo was fragile at best anyway, the discovery of an entire new system (and possibly more), the confirmation of alien live (with advanced technology to boot) and the fact that one AGI has effectively control of it raises both hopes and fears.
Many groups begin to plan.
March 2150:The Arcturus System now belongs to the Gardeners of the Void, both by unofficial custom as well as most accepted laws regarding found, non inhabited bodies in space.
This makes the Gardeners effectively one of the most powerful polities in the system quasi over night.
Despite the fact that the small group only comprises a few ten thousand individuals, the problem of manpower is solved easily: apparently alpha forks are a perfectly acceptable part of the groups society, meaning they can just instantiate all the workers they need. Additionally, Samaritan itself takes direct control of all worker morphs needed for construction or otherwise dangerous or unpleasant projects.
Additional Relays in the Arcturus system are discovered and immediately mined by the Gardeners.
Construction of Arcturus Station begins, the central hub for all building activity in the Arcturus system.
May 2150: Long negotiations for settlement rights begin.
It turns out the Gardeners had a vast array of contracts, pacts and political alliances in the outer system. These "trusted partners" receive preferred treatment. Using specially constructed scaffolds, entire habitats can be transported via Relay.
Similarly, individuals who wish to emigrate only have to pay very reasonably fees, based on their personal belongings and trust ratings.
However, the prices for corporations and other entities are exponentially higher. Individual members of corporations who wish to leave the solar system (and passed Samaritan's psych probe) are free to leave, but corporate ventures cost exorbitant amounts.
No negotiations happen with the Jovian republic. They are publically declared "undesirables". Individual members who wish to emigrate an renounce their Jovian citizenship are welcome.
2150 onward: The relay network is further explored while remaining under tight control of the Gardeners and Samaritan. The discovery of the first "M-class" planet with an ecosphere compatible to human baselines sends additional shockwaves through the Sol system.
Biomorphs capable of reproduction soar in popularity and many Flats (at least those who hear about it) gain new hope.
The Hypercorps and the Republic are deeply troubled by these events. The mere existence of other star systems, reachable by ordinary citizens no less, erodes their power base.
A mass exodus of humans would render them for all intents and purposes irrelevant.
Several radical subgroups reason that the distraction of the relay, now that the other side is settled wouldn't endanger humanity.
Multiple plans to sabotage or destroy the Relay are made, all are stopped by Firewall.
2151: The Gardeners of the Void, having grown exponentially the last few years declare a new ruling body: the Systems Alliance is founded and retains full control of all systems but especially the relay network. It is the sole entity deciding which ships and people may pass occupied Relays.
The Alliance is effectively governed by multiple AGI, one for each system. The AGI communicate with their citizens in a form of e-democracy where they explain their reasoning behind decisions and ask for opinions and ideas.
Many at home decry this as an effective form of AI tyranny.
Which the Alliance doesn't deny.
They merely point out it works.
Although most of the AGI take a different name than Samaritan, it is unclear if they are truly new or different systems or merely renamed forks.
2152: Demeter, humanities first M-Class settlement, is opened for habitation after lengthy toxicology and disease tests.
2154: Shanxi is founded. The first Prothean ruins are found.
After the alien ruins are identified, similar remains are identified on other, previously inhabited planets. They were destroyed so much that they didn't register in scans until people knew what they had to look for. After a hyperbright explorer named Jones manages to find a way to access several alien data storages, all findings are quickly classified however.
The Protheans made it clear that their civilisation was being destroyed by a "galaxy wide threat". Someone destroyed their galactic empire millennia ago. And whoever it was, they might still be out there.
As a reaction, the Systems Alliance Navy is founded. This is the first time in decades that a dedicated transhuman military (as opposed to a "security force" etc.) exists
2154 CE April 11: Shepard is decanted as an Exalt morph in an alliance habitat in Arcturus.
2155: Humanities numbers have increased drastically in the last few years and has now reached 1 billion people.
Most of which are Alpha forks. A surprisingly high amount of this "Star generation" as it is called, however, are "naturally born" babies with only "moderate" genetic and cybernetic enhancements.
The population still lives primarily in space based habitats, only about a third settles on planets.
The scum have notably decreased in numbers, many of them integrating with other polities or even the SA directly, making the rest protective and fearful for their cultural heritage.
The Hypercorps have fallen into meaninglessness. The Jovian Republic still holds out, but has become increasingly isolationist and unstable.
No further TITAN sightings occur. They seem to have vanished.
2157: A Turian patrol fleet notices Alliance ships about to open another Relay.