Retrospectives! (Or, What's Happened In the Last Year?)

A Second Krogan Rebellion?

Fears of a second series of rebellions by the krogan species continue to plague the galactic society. While many say that the krogan have indeed changed for the better following the cure of the genophage by Commander Shepard and Mordin Solus there are those who point to what they have accomplished over the prior year as signs that war is coming to the galaxy once more.

"The facilities of Vard and Mantun have not been utilized since the rebellions occurred. The reconstruction of the solar arrays around Mantun and the reactivation of its facilities is for one purpose only and that is to fuel warships and there is only one purpose for warships." said a unnamed former member of CDEM.

Others cite the swelling ranks of the Blood Pack as a sign that the krogan are not changing, deriding it as little else then a proxy force used by the leaders of Tuchanka to accomplish goals that they cannot accomplish openly for fear of reprisal. Skeptics of this argument point out those actions taken by the Blood Pack since the battle of Earth have all been publicly negotiated and none of their clients have been proven to have connections with Tuchanka so far.

Others point to the expansion of the species so far saying that even if they are staying in the Krogan DMZ and the Nemean Abyss it will not stop there. "They did this before, taking up places that nobody wanted until they had all those places and then they started taking planets that were already inhabited. And this time there won't be a united force to stop them. Who could we count on? The turians are shattered, nobody trusts the salarians, and the humans are focused on rebuilding. Really the only force that could stop them would be the geth for the moment and they are unlikely to move unless their creators are threatened.�

"They've been recruiting ship engineers and mechanics for months and for what purpose? To build new ships for exploring, settling, and defending they say but I think we all know the real reason. It's in their blood to be belligerent, to conquer everything in sight. Just wait, as soon as they no longer need the aliens they hired to assist with the ships and such things they�ll start taking everything in sight. Look at who they named the first orbital stations after. Shiagur and Kherat are two names to be feared, one being one of the last warlords who fought in the Rebellions and the other being the one who supposedly killed the krogan gods. That doesn't sound particularly peaceful does it?"

"And what's with all this expansion into the Nemean Abyss? What could possibly be drawing them in there? That region of space has always been predominantly populated by batarians, the Lystheni, turian separatists, and other such dissidents. Sure, several krogan clans have had small empires here for centuries but what is the sudden draw? There are far better planets for them in the Krogan DMZ."

"I'll tell you what they want. They want the eezo. They want to be fully independent from all other species. Pretty soon, if they have their way, they'll be like what the Matriarchs of Thessia were like with their stranglehold over the eezo markets if no one steps in and stops this madness. But of course, there is nobody who can do that. Everyone is too busy rebuilding to be concerned with such a thing."

"They're being clever about it you see, slowly building their forces up this time under a banner of friendship. Then they�ll strike and this time nobody will be ready. And what's with all this talk about change and a new krogan? Look at what happened between the Republic of Ghurst and the Dinroth-Gothteng Alliance. A million dead over seventy miles of land. These are not signs of a civilized or unified species. Look at what happened to the Weyrloc clan. For them and their allies it is not a question of if they will attack, it is a question of when they will attack the salarians and the turians for revenge."

"The krogan are not ready. They have never been ready and they will never be ready to be a citadel species. CDEM is moving in the wrong direction. Instead of lessening its presence, it needs to be increasing it."

Still others say that there is hope. They point to the tournament honoring a salarian as a sign of change. They point to the social changes that the Urdnot Coalition and the Dimas Plains Alliance, along with various other groups, have enforced. They point to the newly founded school system and to the newly finished infrastructure.

Only time will tell which group is right.

Excerpts from Plight of the Castes (part 2 of 3)

Following the Reaper withdrawal, all was quiet on the industrial world of Erszbat. Government cooperation made the depopulation of the once-thriving world easy for the Reapers, and many of the cannibals deployed across the rest of the galaxy had their origins here. Focused as they were on population centers, the hinterlands and slave posts were left to rot. As the galaxy rallied and fought back against the alien menace, the Reaper harvesting programs intensified, leaving the cities of Erszbat nothing but empty shells. Even the complicit government officials were, in the end, harvested as reinforcements for the Reapers, and so as the menace passed it was the farmers and miners, former slaves almost all, who made their way into the empty cities and took for themselves what had never been theirs before. These were not the educated, nor the wealthy, nor even the particularly informed - merely the oppressed citizens of a harsh regime that was nowhere to be found. Their early efforts at organization resembled work gangs more than any kind of government, and when these gangs did begin to unite it was almost always violent. Eventually, to stem the violence that tore through the most inhabitable and pleasant areas of the remaining cities, local gangs established councils wherein members of each were represented. These councils soon made contact with other cities and settlements following similar patterns, and though violence remained commonplace it was at least with a final goal in mind.

Much of that changed suddenly with the discovery of a new player.

The indoctrinated government had long preached the existence of a rebel element, made up of both anti-Hegemony rebels and StateSec agents that turned traitor soon before the Reapers' arrival, using them as bogeymen to keep the populace watchful, fearful and obedient. Although none remained to know it, they turned out to be absolutely correct. Such a group did exist, using the knowledge of StateSec secrets and the experience of those who opposed the Hegemony for years to remain hidden from the government's sight, staying underground (often literally, in forgotten bunkers and bomb shelters), gathering their strength. Taking the name that the indoctrinated government gave them as their own, the Cabal had taken over a number of abandoned manufacturing complexes and hidden military depots, by force if necessary, clearing them of looters or remnants of Reaper forces. Although few in number (some say as low as less than a thousand strong), the group counted amongst its members many experienced soldiers and guerilla fighters, veterans of many battles (often against each other), as well as many skilled workers covertly rescued from the harvesting process. The Cabal's unrivaled access to high technology gave it an important position on the resurgent Erszbat, even if they chose to stay away from the squabbles and politics of gangs and city-states.

By the time Erszbat made contact with the survivors on other worlds in the Kite's Nest, it had the beginnings of something resembling a democratic government, and negotiations were handled by a council of leaders representing cities and groups across the planet, though the Cabal's existence long remained a public secret. The gangs had become political parties of a sort - parties which could never forget their origin in the mines and fields of the former Hegemony. Industry slowly ground back into motion, and the cooperation of the former government had led to most major facilities being spared the destruction visited on planets like Khar'shan. However, with the lack skilled workers to run these facilities, and the Cabal's small numbers and unwillingness to part with their technology, the industrial recovery on Erszbat remained limited in scope.

Even then, it was enough to ensure a prominent place in the political dynamic of the Kite's Nest. Even if the planet's production wasn't to the level it had been before the war, the mostly-intact infrastructure granted the remaining population significant advantages over their brethren elsewhere. The former slaves now in control of the planet were quick to leverage that potential into concessions from more conservative worlds, and while the caste system remains dominant on many former colonies, those wishing to trade with this relative powerhouse have largely extended the traditional rights of the nobility to those of lower rank. Others, faced with the potential for uprisings and disaster, ceded such rights to their slaves well before making contact with Erszbat. On many worlds, while still symbolically relevant. the castes are now legally and politically equal.

As contact slowly resumed between former Hegemony worlds, most discovered that the governments elsewhere had followed similar paths. Only on a handful of worlds did the governors maintain power, whether by violence or sheer luck, and those with ex-slaves and casteless now in charge had no sense of how to establish the vast bureaucratic machine required to function on an interplanetary scale. Many of these worlds had followed unique paths, whether the crimelords of Camala or the fanatic anti-slaver work gangs on Erszbat, and the only truly common feature was that none of them wanted a new Hegemony. After some tense discussion between varying parties and the acknowledged leaders of numerous factions, most of the newly slave-run worlds took a cue from the major government they knew best besides their own: The Council.

Where some of the colonies declared themselves independent, and some formed the Batarian Council, some of the colonies - most often through violence - held onto the traditional batarian cultural rights, namely the right to own slaves. Their leaders were quick to declare themselves the rightful successors of the Hegemony. When communications were restored, these colonies quickly found themselves surrounded by planets on which government was now handled by former slaves, and when these other colonies refused to recognize their authority, they bonded together to protect their rights from the abolitionists, forming a council of their own consisting of leaders from all the pro-slavery planets.

These colonies - most of them agrarian or hosting otherwise manpower-heavy industries - began a quick reconstruction, alarmed that the hugely outnumbering abolitionists would attack them to set the slaves free.

The inefficiency and instability of the new political system has caused many worlds on which the local government maintained its hold to become even more traditional, seeing Erszbat as proof for their fears of chaos and anarchy. Few in number but quick to band together after the war, these conservative worlds soon took on the moniker of the Na'Hesit in an effort to tie themselves more strongly to heroes of the old Hegemony. Supporters of the ideology colloquially refer to Erszbat as "Wastebin" and Camalans as "Scumlords", arguing that too much freedom leads to chaos, and that the lesser castes are not ready for the burdens of leadership and power. Definitions of "ready" vary planet by planet; the most traditional ones believe that they will never be ready, that the generations of "bad blood" in their veins have made them genetically inferior to upper castes, and that they can never be equal to those above them. Some planets, however, believe that they should begin to educate the lesser castes, then gradually empower them to avoid politically immature populace pushing the society into chaos.

The Na'Hesit worlds were certain that the Batarian Council would invade them immediately, sure that in their new fervor they'd feel a compulsion to completely eradicate slavery from the galaxy, but Na'Hesit were mistaken. Where some of the more radical leaders of the Batarian Council advocated war to destroy the reactionary oppressors, most of the planets were not very keen on waging another war this quickly -- and against their own people. The Batarian Council and the Na'Hesit both recognized the threat of Terminus Systems, which ran now almost completely unchecked by any foreign power, realized that divided they would be much easier for the Terminus to invade.

After much deliberation, the Batarian Council decided to send an envoy to the Na'Hesit to discuss unity. At first, the suspicious Na'Hesit leaders refused to even meet the envoy, refusing to negotiate with abolitionist traitors. But that wasn't the only reason; the Na'Hesit believed this to be simply a plot to deceive them, and tried to stall as long as possible. The Batarian Council kept trying to contact them, while turning its attention on the neutral colonies simultaneously, beginning to influence the antislavery factions on them.

The Na'Hesit realized that they could not remain isolated and allow its own influence be gnawed away, and finally met the Batarian Council. The negotiations lasted for weeks, both sides storming out several times due to disagreements. At times, it was thought that the only possibility was war, especially after the Na'Hesit threatened to launch an assault to stop abolitionists from gaining power on several neutral colonies. Eventually, however, an uneasy peace was reached, with the leadership of both parties forming something akin to a parliament - the Batarian Confederation was born. Not long after, other factions were given membership - colonies undecided or unaligned with either movement, uneasy protective alliances formed by the crews of remaining spaceworthy ships, as well as representatives of the Khar'Shan theocracy and the Erszbat Cabal, both of which proceeded to quickly leverage their unique positions to gather influence and try to further their own goals.

While an impressive show of post-war unity, the Confederation remained a virtually powerless entity unable to stop border wars even between its own members. Every major decision-making attempt led to a deadlock, with Batarian Council members (collectively known as Ub'Hesit, or anti-slavers) and the Na'Hesit opposing one another even on mutually beneficial proposals. As a result, worlds among both factions tended to their own affairs and effectively ignore the grand pronouncements of their ostensible representatives.

All of which changed when the fleet came home.

The discovery that the galaxy outside the Kite's Nest had survived, that the Council worlds had survived in better shape than those of the Hegemony and that the final battle had taken place over Earth itself surprised everyone. Despite their past hostility and the enmity between the races, humanity had now contributed something that even the most die-hard Hegemony fanatics couldn't deny, and so a grudging respect for their old rivals spread throughout the Confederation. Ub'Hesit members saw the relative success of the worlds beyond the Nest as vindication, proof that their approach was the correct one and tried to use it to heighten their influence among the neutral colonies, though with only minor success. This may have led to a gradual waning of Na'Hesit power, had not the fleet brought news from the rest of the galaxy.

Made up of varied elements from across the former Hegemony and fresh from witnessing the final defeat of the Reapers, the batarian fleet was itself a house divided. Upon its return to the Kite's Nest, only the charisma and influence of Admiral Ka'hairal Balak kept it from splintering along faction lines the way the Hegemony itself had, narrowly avoiding disaster. While the Confederation worlds possessed some basic military forces, mostly militia and transport shuttles, they were nothing compared to the strength and professionalism of even a fragment of the former Hegemony fleet, and so Balak found himself a powerful political figure whether he intended to be or not. To his great credit and in a move which would cement him as one of the first heroes after the Reaper War, Balak did not use his military strength to forge himself an empire or to eradicate either faction within the Confederation - instead, the fleet applied itself to maintaining balance and neutrality between the two sides. This was not an entirely benevolent gesture; without the element zero from Camala and without the industrial base of Erszbat, the fleet would not have long survived the return to the Kite's Nest, while the traditionally conservative military could not commit itself to the cause of the Ub'Hesit without fracturing along the same lines as the Confederation. Even the otherwise isolationist Cabal took notice of the fleet's arrival, and after tense, lengthy and secret negotiations, the group reluctantly put their support behind Balak's fleet, their factories supplying it with desperately needed spare parts and equipment. By maintaining neutrality, Admiral Balak ensured that the fleet would survive, and neatly averted a war between the two deadlocked factions while strengthening the Confederation as a whole. In return, the Confederation incorporated the military as a restricted voting member unto itself, capable of breaking deadlocks. The stabilization provided by the fleet led to the development of an unofficial hierarchy of worlds within the Confederation; while no one world can claim to be the capital, three have risen to similar status: Khar'shan, for its religious and historical significance, Erszbat for its industrial and technological advantages, and Camala as a result of its wealth. While the Na'Hesit worlds initially possessed no similarly influential worlds, their greater unity provided them with the voting influence required, and the reestablishment of communication with Lorek gave them a symbolic if somewhat distant equivalent.

The first act of the Batarian Confederation following the return of the fleet was a blanket amnesty for all Terminus batarians. This surprising move, proposed initially by the Camalans, struck a chord with nearly every political interest in the Confederation: the Na'Hesit saw it as a way to bring the slavers and merchants of the Terminus into their fold; the Ub'Hesit saw it as an opportunity to spite the defunct Hegemony by bringing home political exiles; and the fleet saw a chance to expand its own capabilities by incorporating former pirates into the ranks rather than have them run wild among the ruined systems and worlds of the Confederation.

There was also opposition, however. The more hardline members of Na'Hesit weren't particularly keen on accepting exiled criminals and other dishonoured batarians, and Ub'Hesit didn't wish to welcome more supporters of slavery into the Confederacy. Some factions inside the military were also wary of integrating badly-trained and questionably motivated pirates as a part of the military. The supporters of the amnesty overruled the cautious faction, and the agreement was the first in its kind where a substantial number of council members broke the anti-pro slavery party line.

The subsequent influx of refugees was to meet all of these expectations, but soon the amnesty supporters realised that its opponents may have been worth listening to: the slavers of the Terminus systems sometimes proved unwilling to work within the bounds of the law; political exiles brought with them radical new ideas and entire ideologies which often ran contrary to what had been established since the end of the Reaper War; and pirates frequently proved both competent and resistant to military discipline, unwilling to fully incorporate into the Confederation. The only world which saw entirely the expected result was Camala, where the crimelords expanded their influence and brought their surviving pre-war business partners into the Confederation to plant the seeds of an even more powerful Grusto. Nevertheless, despite the new problems it introduced, the amnesty did accomplish its primary goal of rapidly increasing the population of decimated Confederation worlds.

Headlines from Valiance Weekly

Bringing you the news that matters to you, from Palaven and beyond!

Schoolchildren collect scrap metal for reconstruction effort

CIPRITINE, PALAVEN - The Hierarchy's youngest patriots are celebrating something other than the end of the school year today. Their scrap metal drive lovingly named "Collect for the Cause" has yielded nearly a full ton's worth of salvageable metal for the rebuilding process.

"We saw 9th District Academy kids were sewing rags into blankets to donate to people going in new housing, and 2nd District was holding a bake-off to make cookies to send out to everybody's parents," explained nine-year-old Lessa Talin of 5th District. "We saw that there whereas lots of small metal bits lying around that the collection drones missed and thought it would be good if we went and picked it up. Then the other schools heard and wanted to do it too, even the ones in areas that weren't as blown up. Now the streets look so much better and our teachers told us they're going to use the metal to help rebuild the Mehrkuri Memorial Bridge!"

Faculty representatives from all of the involved schools expressed immense pride in their students' accomplishments. Plans are currently underway for another, even more ambitious project: to clean up and re-plant all of Cipritine's parks over the next year.


Scientific breakthrough in dextro food growth

PENNSYLVANIA, UNAS - Dr. Narron Kurik has reported a breakthrough in his research studying the growth of dextro plants in levo-based soil. As part of a collaborative initiative with human agricultural science researchers, the first samples of major turian grain crops have reached maturity and have proven safe for consumption. The so-called "Kurik Process" promises to be a boon for settlers on levo worlds who can no longer rely on speedy delivery of dextro foodstuffs.

"We are still in the very early stages of development. At the moment we are not certain if the process will work for fruits and vegetables, for example," Dr. Kurik explained. "But even being able to make safe bread without waiting weeks for a food transport will make a huge difference in our ability to rebuild. This war has changed the face of the galaxy entirely and with so many of the relays gone, we cannot say how long it will take to re-establish trade routes with all of our colonies. We must learn to adapt."

The Kurik Process is currently under review by the Hierarchy Health and Sciences Review Board. Pending the review results and further experimental successes, trial gardens will be provided to turian communities living on Earth for larger-scale testing.


Lifebearers welcome new ship to fleet

MENAE - In response to Primarch Victus' announcement lowering the preparedness level from Level Auros to Level Bastion, the dreadnought Dauntless was formally retired from active duty last week and is now undergoing a retrofit to transform it into a new hospital ship for the Lifebearer Brigade.

The Brigade's venerable flagship Healing Spirit sustained heavy damage to its FTL drive over the course of the Reaper Wars. Repairing combat-ready ships for the assault on Earth took priority and the hospital ship was left orbiting Palaven, where staff on board treated as many as five hundred soldiers and refugees each day from the ground war.

The Lifebearers released an official statement this morning:

"Now that the relay link to Palaven has been re-established, the Lifebearers believe that its resources would be better spent outfitting a newer, more modern ship that can be sent on longer journeys to our systems not yet reconnected to the network. The Healing Spirit will continue her work supporting the heavily damaged hospital network on the homeworld as we navigate the long process of rebuilding."

There is no word yet on the hospital ship's new name.


New comic to depict heroes of Reaper War

CITADEL - Graphic novel artist Virrus Delthor announced today that he will be releasing a new multi-volume epic, "Heroes of the Milky Way" over the next several years. The series will tell the story of Commander Shepard and Garrus Vakarian's efforts to unite the people of the Galaxy against the Reaper threat and depict key victories in the war.

"These are the heroes of our time. Hundreds of years from now people will still be telling the stories of this war, and I want to memorialize them now, while it's all still fresh, in the way I know best," Delthor said during a small press conference this morning.

When faced with accusations of pro-turian bias, Delthor pushed them aside. "The first story arc is going to involve Shepard and Vakarian together saving Primarch Victus. There's no bias there, that happened right on Menae! And my readers can look forward to seeing other heroes like Urdnot Wrex and Mordin Solus as the story progresses. It's not wrong to feature Vakarian as a co-star when we know he was there for all of it, even back when nobody else in the galaxy believed Shepard. That's the takeaway from all this, anyway. Turians and humans and krogan coming together to save the rest of the galaxy."

Delthor's editor was quick to add, "Mr. Delthor's opinions shape the artistic vision of his story, but do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Black Thresher Comics."

Primacy Speaks out In Underage Soldier Scandal

New York Resettlement Zone, EARTH - Primacy representative Hallaylise found itself facing heavy criticism following his statements in today's press conference. This is the latest development in the case of Jorces Nial, a compacted drell serving with the Illuminated Primacy. Part of a team sent to disable a husk-processing plant, Nial earned a Medal of Honour for his bravery. However, documents posted to Independent Drell, a drell rights site sometimes associated with the radical DLF, revealed the Nial was 14 years old at the time of the mission.

"Though we are guests on Earth, the compact is a Primacy institution that reflects a history of enkindlement, the needs of both species. Through the compact, these ones demonstrate a respect for the development of the drell, which is unlike that of the humans."

Many disagree. "That is fundamentally dishonest. Drell are born more developed than humans, and their eidetic memory means they can master some complex tasks before humans can." Says Sophia Bhatnagar, an endocrinologist who has studied growth rates across different species. "But a 14 year old drell is not mature, either physically or mentally, and Citadel laws respect that."

Under Citadel law, drell are considered legal adults at [17.82] years of age. Though the Primacy is obliged to respect these laws, numerous exceptions have been made for the Compact.

Following the press release, Captain Kecheng Wu, who led the operation that won Nial his commendation, lashed back. "While we have the utmost respect for the Soldiers of the Illuminated Primacy, and indeed all who fought back against the Reapers. I recommended Nial for that medal. But he fact remains: we did not ask the Illuminated Primacy to send us their children."

Jorces Nial could not be reached for comment.

Transcript of the address by Matriarch Julena, 22nd of Sun's Greeting, delivered from Attena to the Thessian legislature

"Thank you for your welcome, sisters. You honour me.

"I have been asked to speak to you as a member of the diplomatic corps, and the Citadel liaison group. But as I try to do in those roles, I will speak first and foremost in the voice of the woman I was just over a year ago. I was no diplomat then, nor was I sought out for advice on such weighty matters. I was a potter. Having travelled the galaxy and sampled its wonders in my maiden years, and known the joy and fulfillment of bondmates and daughters as a matron, I found myself content, as a matriarch, to practice my art in my studio, pass on such knowledge as I had to my students, and dote on my granddaughters.

"It was a good life, but I do not wish to return to it. We few matriarchs who survived the Reaper catastrophe find our voices in great demand, but it is not pride in my lofty station or the influence I have gained that compels me to continue this new path I found myself so abruptly set upon. All of you, my young sisters, look to us for leadership now, and we are moved to provide it, but not for prestige or fame. It is not a prize, but a service.

"During my participation in the rebuilding of our way of government, and the missions to the Citadel, many have asked me what we, as a people, ought to strive for. What the asari ought to stand for, and how we ought to atone for the inaction which led us to fail so many who depended on us, both beyond our own borders and finally on our own worlds, during the recent war. Whether we were ever the people we believed ourselves to be.

"I answer as a servant - your servant, a servant to my people, whom I have faith in, for my answer is this: we must not abandon ourselves. Pride in our accomplishments made us arrogant, made us believe that we needed only set our course, and the galaxy would in time acknowledge our wisdom and follow. We were wrong, and the price of our error is one that cannot be repaid. Yet our accomplishments were great, and our course was true - we lacked only the humility to recognize that those blessings bestowed upon us by the universe place upon us a duty to share them, not as their mistresses, but as their bearers.

"This is why my sisters and I have supported the Citadel Council wholeheartedly, and urged all our worlds to do likewise. Those calling for the Council's disbanding, pointing to its failure to anticipate the magnitude of the Reaper threat, forget not only the centuries of cooperation and diplomacy the Council brought us, but that it was that cooperation - from the Council as well as our other allies - that finally allowed us to banish the Reaper menace. The Council is not 'broken', sisters - it faltered, as we did, and has been humbled, as we were, but it has been and remains the symbol of our dream of a united galaxy. Such a dream deserves our full support, now more than ever. And this is why my sisters and I have agreed with Councillor Irissa and Ambassador Telos electing that we share with our fellow Council members, in full, the ancient technology and wisdom we once hoarded, despite the concerns of those who fear we will lose the technological advantage we once enjoyed. If we cannot extend our trust to those we ask to join us in union, we are already admitting that union's failure, and we have seen the fate of those who choose isolation over unity.

"This is why I have disagreed with those calling for us to look inward, to let the rest of the galaxy tend to its own wounds, while we tend to our own. This past year has been the hardest our beloved worlds have ever known. None of us here, nor on our sister worlds, are untouched by the sadness and loss of the war, nor the hardship of the struggle to feed ourselves, to put shelter above our heads, to climb back to our feet and look upward when we are so, so weary. Yet we must not forget those who share this fragile galaxy with us, for this is their time of need as well. This is why, though it means we must work a little longer and a little harder, we are sending what aid we can to our neighbors, reinforcing the bonds between us, and forging new ones with worlds like Tuchanka and Rannoch. We are not alone in our hardship - we must not let our brothers and sisters elsewhere in the galaxy believe they are alone.

"And this is why I ask you all to heed my words, and those of my sister matriarchs, and accept our counsel. None can or will forget our failure to provide decisive leadership - so many are no longer with us, and many who remain took little part in those debates which paralysed the Republics when we most needed to act, but the responsibility to guide our people has passed to us, and we would be poor guides if our first act was to pretend we can inherit the mantle of those who came before us without also taking on their debts. I can only ask for your faith, as I speak with the voice not of a stateswoman, but a craftswoman. My hands have fashioned works I am proud of, yet it is when I have erred that I have learned best, for success without failure breeds arrogance, and the consequences of that we know only too well. So when we are met with anger and mistrust from those we failed, I ask you to respond with acceptance and love.

"I ask you, then, to believe in yourselves - in asari. We have spoken the words of siari, that all is one, and we have been shown by the harshest teacher - a common foe - that we cannot afford to neglect that lesson. Now we must recommit ourselves to that truth, that we are one people, whatever our form. This is what it means to be asari: to reach across the gulfs we imagine exist between us, and bring together all the universe's children. It is a dream we strayed from in our actions, yet one we must not allow to leave our hearts.

"Thank you for your attention, my sisters. May the Goddess smile on you all in your endeavours."

Standing Alone

One year later, the new breed of quarian "exile" face an uncertain future

In the 12 months since the unification between geth and quarians, those who have chosen not to return to Rannoch or ally themselves with their former slaves and enemies have faced an even bleaker future than when they were part of the greater fleet searching for a homeworld to call their own.

Galaxy One News recently conducted an exclusive interview with Captain Rezh'Naral vas Tevesani in an attempt to gain an insight into where these migrant exclusivists are heading and how they hope to get there, both literally and figuratively.

G1N: Welcome, Captain.

RNvT: A pleasure, Ms. Baeza.

G1N: Can you explain to our viewers what being a separatist means?

RNvT: Certainly. We hold that the geth do not have our best interest at heart, and despite the purported peace brokered by Commander Shepard and this supposed "legion", we have no need or want in joining with our oppressors in the farce of a false "peace."

G1N: A false peace, what do you mean by that?

RNvT: The geth would "integrate" with us and our suits to manage our "condition?" They caused our condition, Ms. Baeza. They slaughtered us like animals. What do you think happened to the children left behind when our forefathers departed Rannoch? Do you think our retreat was orderly and in neat lines onto ships? Do you think every quarian on Rannoch got onto a patiently waiting vessel? The infirm, the elderly? Those in hospitals? Where are the survivors? Where are the families left behind? They aren't on Rannoch, I assure you that. I have seen with my own eyes.

G1N: You said last week this simply a form of "long revenge", can you clarify that?

RNvT: Of course. It is often a dream or fantasy of the punished to enact the same thing on those who punished them in turn. The geth would like nothing more than to be our overlords, whether passively or overtly. They are simply reversing the roles that had been given to each of our races. Look how easily the reapers made them into warriors... you would trust them to manage your health?

Ridiculous. They are machines, and machines only understand service. They are not people, Ms. Baeza. They are constructs created for labor and task, nothing more. Our people have sold themselves into willing slavery over the promise of going home... to a "home" the geth control.

G1N: Do you have any proof that the geth are doing these things?

RNvT: Madame, they would be integrated with our very bodies. Do you honestly believe that you would be able to tell the difference between your choice and theirs after a time? They will make us totally dependent on them, and then what happens after that will be willingly embraced by those foolish enough to engage in such lunacy.

They waited until we were desperate and then proposed this ridiculous "peace"... need I remind you that we were winning handily in taking our home rightfully back for ourselves until Shepard interfered. This is the plan they came up with. Shepard betrayed us in return for geth help in subduing the Reapers.

Should I remind you how the relays are being reconstructed? Should I mention whom it is the rebuilds the Citadel with such amazing efficiency? Organics won the battle, machines won the war, Ms. Baeza.

G1N: Thank you for your time, Captain.

RNvT: As always.

While they would not give us clear numbers on how many quarians have refused the peace overtures offered by the geth, it is clear they do have a number of ships. One does wonder how they will survive with such reduced numbers, however. With so many relays gone, possibly forever, the number of places the new exile fleet can go is very small. Equally unknown is what they plan to do to fight what they consider the subjugation of their species.

Excerpts from Plight of the Castes (part 3 of 3)

While the Kite's Nest and therefore the Confederation contain the majority of batarian worlds, there are scattered colonies and population centers in other systems, none more significant than Lorek. As one of the last batarian worlds struck by the Reapers, Lorek managed to put up some form of resistance - resistance which would see the infrastructure and population demolished relentlessly by the enemy. Nonetheless, Lorek was able to drive off small Reaper forces, and even became a training ground for forces sent across the galaxy to fight the Reapers. This contribution did not go unnoticed, and while it was elements of the former Hegemony which led the defense it was the common folk who did the fighting. In the aftermath of the Reaper withdrawal, it was the common folk who rebuilt, but not without gratitude towards those who had helped in the battle. On Lorek, the new government was moderate, towards both its own people and the alien population - something almost unheard of on batarian-dominated worlds. When contact was reestablished with the Kite's Nest, Lorek joined the Confederation as a stabilizing influence alongside the fleet and several smaller batarian worlds outside of the core systems, becoming in the process something of a bridge between the Na'Hesit and the Ub'Hesit. This consistently reasonable status has left Lorek as one of the unofficial capitals of the Confederation, representing those batarians outside of the home system.

Compounding the problems of the Confederation is the natural paranoia of the batarians themselves - centuries of living under the Hegemony has left even the most open and friendly batarian citizen paranoid and suspicious compared to their equivalent from other races. During the rule of the Hegemony, this paranoia all too often served batarians well, as the ever-present intelligence agencies and secret police were indeed monitoring much of what took place. Despite the fall of the Hegemony and the publicized indoctrination of government forces, it is widely known that large numbers of these secret operatives survived and their former victims suspect that they form a "deep state" within the Confederation. Proponents believe that cells of operatives and survivors from various other organizations work together to bring about a new Hegemony-style government - one in which slaves know their place. How else, they ask, can one explain the survival of Hegemony-style governments on some colony worlds, or the political strength of the Na'Hesit compared to the core Ub'Hesit worlds? Proponents of this theory tend to regard it as fact, and some even whisper that Admiral Balak himself is a former agent of the state beyond his military credentials, citing Council-space records of a 'Balak' in charge of a terrorist faction working against the Alliance. While variants of the "deep state" theory took root on most worlds, since the return of the fleet these suspicions have spread to the mainstream population, and some of the earliest accusations against political figures have alleged involvement with the deep state. Adding to the confusion is the known existence of the Cabal on Erszbat, which many regard as either the cornerstone of the deep state or its most successful opposition. While the official stance of the Confederation is to dismiss these claims as ludicrous, such dismissals bear an eerie similarity to old Hegemony claims regarding uprisings and rebel activity, and several worlds have attempted their own private investigations into the deep state possibility.

Conversely, among the Na'Hesit worlds it is often suggested that a similar deep state exists, but operated by slaves and their sympathizers. Theorists point to the numerous slave uprisings which took place during the Reaper invasion, claiming that slaves worked side-by-side with the Reapers to bring down the legitimate governments of the batarian people. Such claims have not gained nearly as much traction as the Ub'Hesit version, but these contrasting visions have led outside observers to dismiss both theories on the basis of their contradictory nature.

Less commonly held but also less contentious is the belief in a batarian empire hidden safely elsewhere in the galaxy. Shortly after the fall of the Hegemony a number of Special Intervention Unit, StateInt, and StateSec documents and records were discovered indicating that the Hegemony believed the Alpha Relay capable of sending ships to anywhere in the galaxy. Adherents of this belief hold that many of the rumored mass-disappearances during the Hegemony's rule were in fact disguised colony efforts, and the destruction of Bahak prior to the Reapers' arrival is used as evidence to support the claim that the relay was unique in this capability. Even stronger 'evidence' is found in the Hegemony's failure to colonize the Skyllian Verge despite having settled the entire Kite's Nest and parts of the Omega nebula - a failure adequately explained if the Hegemony had been concentrating its colonization efforts elsewhere. Despite the lack of evidence beyond the circumstantial, the belief in the Batarian Empire is spreading quickly, appealing as it does to the inherent batarian sense of pride as well as providing a beacon of hope in a galaxy which has grown much darker since the Reaper invasion. Proponents often believe that the Empire, cut off as it was from the regular Relay network, would have been left alone by the Reapers, and that all it requires for the batarian people to be great once again is for the Empire and the Confederation to find one another. Ignored or dismissed is the possibility that, were such an Empire to exist, it would have far more in common with the old Hegemony government than with the Confederation. For many, the thought that their people are thriving elsewhere in the galaxy is enough reason to focus on finding them, and even amidst reconstruction efforts there is a push to resume exploring, whether justified by a search for resources or outright stated to be seeking the lost Batarian Empire. The theory has made a significant impact on entertainment, and of the first three holovids produced since the Reaper War, two dealt with the Batarian Empire while the third focused on the deep state.

With the rampant factionalism, devastated infrastructure and cobbled-together governments, much of the former Batarian Hegemony now resembles nothing more than the Nemean Abyss. Unlike the Abyss, however, the former Hegemony territories remember a time when they were united. Oppressive and abusive as the Hegemony may have been, it remained a singularly batarian accomplishment, one which reigned for hundreds if not thousands of years and saw both the best and worst of the batarian species brought to the fore. With this knowledge fresh in their minds, the inheritors of the Kite's Nest have set out to create a new and better state, one in which all citizens will contribute their best, and one in which the batarian people may bend, but will never be broken. From the disunity will come strength, as ideas are tried and experience is earned, and one can only hope that in time the Confederation will prove itself more successful and inclusive than the Hegemony ever was.

But then, the Confederacy is ever a young and fragile thing, built upon the uneasy alliance of diametrically opposed groups. For every leader and faction that strives to keep it together, another two suffer each other's continued existence only because they have no other choice. On such fertile ground, rumors grow like weeds - of the spreading influence of Camala's Grusto, of a building schism in the Khar'Shan theocracy, of Erszbat city-states secretly swearing allegiance to the shadowy Cabal, of the massing forces of the unseen deep state, all with their own goals and agendas. Warlords from the Terminus Systems and the Nemean Abyss eye the Confederacy hungrily, recounting old slights as they lick wounds and gauge their strength. Right on the heels of the darkness of the Reaper War, a trying time looms for the batarian people, one they will have to meet with heads raised lest they suffer it with backs bowed. Whether the Confederacy will prove their greatest moment, their last gasp, or only a footnote in their history, only time will tell.

Illium Board of Governors' End of Financial Year Public Report

Editorial Analysis by Cynet T'Kalei, Tasale Financial Review Quarterly

By now we have all had time to digest the contents of the Board's public report, and witness the first phase of market reactions. The cycle of report-analysis-reinvestment is one we are all familiar with, yet this was no ordinary trading year, and this Board report no ordinary document. By the grace of fortune and the struggle and sacrifice of our defenders, we prevailed in what seemed to be a doomed war, yet we now find ourselves in a radically altered galactic economy, and if Illium is to prosper as she once did, it can only be through the most thorough evaluation of our new environment, and the opportunities - and perils - it presents us.

The transition from emergency coordination to the free market model in the expansion of Nos Astra continues to offer significant inroads for investors looking for long-term gains in the property and services markets. While reclamation of the city�s original site remains slow, construction efforts surrounding the core of former Nos Varda showed respectable first-tier figures. Nos Erra and the Iloma Peninsula showed similar gains, but the example of Vis Marinis served as a timely lesson to overconfident investors, as those speculating on the arcology's rebuilding had to struggle to regain position after the Board endorsed the Marinis Provisional Authority's recommendation to abandon the site. Labor force providers and servitude brokers are seeing significant opportunities in the public works sector, and the opportunity to form lasting partnerships with administration officials should be balanced against the traditional lure of privately-funded construction projects.

The reactivation of the relay network and institution of the Citadel-backed single-carrier intercluster model represents perhaps the greatest investment opportunity the commercial carrying sector has ever known, yet to date this sector has been among the weakest for postwar Illium. The prewar evacuations of so many industry leaders, who then found themselves denied a swift return by the relay blackout, left new hands at the rudders of our once-great freight cartels as they scrambled to adapt to the demands of the intracluster market prior to the resumption of relay service. This in turn set the stage for a vicious set of fratricidal restructurings upon the return of our CEOs from relay-imposed exile, as established power blocs came under threat from their would-be successors.

Had carrying trade via relay resumed on a free market model, we may have seen significant losses to competitor systems - however, fortune smiled this once, and our corporate leaders, bloodied as they were from boardroom battles, were nonetheless able to secure a viable platform to participate in the single-carrier economy. Omega worked in our favour as well, it should not be forgotten. The thaw in Citadel/Omega relations, coupled with the station's apparent ability to - at last - convert its economic vitality into lasting stability, gave Illium the inside track on the most lucrative route in the Terminus, from Omega's rising star to the massive rebuilding projects in the Republics and beyond. With economies galaxy-wide being slow to establish new trade links following the blackout, we expect the coming year to offer opportunities for Illium-based firms to rise above the self-destructive disorder of recent months, and dominate the intracluster freight hull and relay-carrier lease markets. The Republics/Omega route is also the lynchpin for investors aiming offworld: Omega's rapid ascent promises fast returns for shrewd speculators, while investors able to wait decades for their returns shouldn't pass up the opportunity to become tied into the rebuilding of the Republics' economies.

The private military sector enjoyed far greater stability, with none among us surprised to see Eclipse enjoying record profits. Despite the conclusion of the corporation's alliance with the wartime Provisional Authority as part of the transition back to Board guidance, the lasting concessions offered to secure that alliance give Eclipse a privileged operating environment that has allowed it to effectively close Illium to competition at its level. With the Blood Pack hemorrhaging soldiers back to the former DMZ, Eclipse faced no risk of flanking moves as it brought its corporate might to bear on the Blue Suns, shutting off all inroads the Verge-based outfit sought to open into the cluster following the end of the relay blackout. Whether Eclipse will seek to expand its virtual monopoly on large-scale private security further into the Terminus remains to be seen - much depends on Omega, where the T'Loak Syndicate has the muscle and political backing to blunt Eclipse's newfound might and preserve an Eclipse/Suns balance of power, should it so choose - but on Illium, the Big Three have in no uncertain terms been reduced to One.

Diplomatic relations with Terminus neighbors, excluding Omega, remain a sore point investors should be wary of. Although the Board's public awareness campaigns have done much to defuse the Serifian-origin claims that "the Terminus paid the price for Illium's survival," there remains significant public and private-sector resentment of the aggressive marketing of war bonds designed to funnel Terminus credits into Illium's defence. The Board's postwar reinvestment incentives program represented a brilliant domestic initiative, translating the potential for ruinous bond payouts into significant boosts to systemwide infrastructure programs to replace the space-based warehousing and transshipment facilities destroyed by during the war, but beyond Tasale the program has served to perpetuate the negative impressions held by potential offworld investors. Smart firms will be investing significantly in marketing campaigns to erode these impressions.

Population support infrastructure is another area where there are significant returns to be made for determined investors. Asari, salarian, and turian medical infrastructure rebuilding projects remain a high priority, and enjoy significant Board-backed incentives. While trade links to Protectorate interests took a heavy blow with the near-total loss of high-level volus business leaders in the destruction of the Gol Mar arcology, and some institutional resistance exists from asari firms to the resumption of heavy volus involvement in the Tasale system, there are strong returns to be made from the rebuilding of volus-adapted habitats and infrastructure. Other niche medical and environmental markets, including human, batarian, and quarian, do not enjoy the same level of Board support, and favourable returns are not projected at this time for investors.

The new financial year is certain to bring more than its share of upheavals, as we discover which of the economic powers reaching to reclain the galaxy in the war's wake have the foundations to last, and which are overreaching into recession or worse. But the Board's report paints a picture of an Illium ready, come storms or clear skies, to profit from the opportunities of this turbulent time, in the Terminus systems and the galaxy beyond.

Unexpected Labour a Boon for the Terminus; Is Council Space Next?

Report by the Citadel Press

In the rush to rebuild after the Reaper invasion, it was to be expected that some surviving worlds would be left behind. As the Council's logistics experts try to coordinate cleanup and reconstruction across Citadel space, the last thing on their minds is the fate of the countless minor Terminus powers and worlds not within their purview.

As it turns out, the Terminus has its own source of unexpected help: the vorcha.

Two recent studies - one conducted by the Courts of Dekuuna as part of their ongoing effort to determine areas of highest need and another by the Vol Protectorate to assist in resource reallocation - have led to some unexpected revelations. While homeworlds and other major centers receiving direct geth support have achieved the most since the Reaper withdrawal, a number of Terminus worlds are among the recovery leaders in each study. Independent reviews have confirmed the results, and while initially baffled, each analyst eventually came to the same conclusion: accelerated recovery is often closely tied to the size of the local vorcha population.

A cautionary note was appended to each study, indicating that vorcha gathering in large numbers will tend to revert to a pack hierarchy, and that this may not be the best way to harness their potential. The Vol Protectorate study, in particular, emphasized that the most successful worlds were those which had scattered populations of vorcha rather than large concentrations, as the damage caused by large numbers of vorcha can be overwhelming.

Leading the unexpected Terminus recovery were the Republic of Orozvhad and the Vonskar Coalition, damaged in a war with one another prior to the arrival of the Reapers. Their positions in the Terminus as trade hubs and their recent militarization led to an influx of vorcha as both refugees and soldiers of fortune, who in the aftermath of the Reaper war have proven quick to learn more useful trades.

Long restricted from travelling through Council space, during the Reaper war the Council races grudgingly provided transport and armament for many vorcha due to their reputation as savage ground troops. The vorcha did not disappoint, and while the Reaper advance continued unabated the vorcha earned a reputation among their better-trained and better-equipped peers for enthusiasm and relentlessness. In the aftermath of the war, it was clear to all parties that the vorcha deserved recognition for their contributions, though exactly how has yet to be determined.

Highlighted in the economic studies were encouraging incidents in which vorcha construction crews continued working through inclement weather conditions, as well as more ominous examples, such as a Vonskar salvage team whose overseer went missing, only to be later found dismembered and gnawed upon by a vorcha who had seemingly taken his place in the eyes of the pack.

The vorcha have historically been used for manual labor across the Terminus due to their adaptive biology. Vorcha workers can survive irradiated environments and injuries that would be crippling or lethal to other species, and rarely regard any work as beneath them. Their willingness to take jobs other races would be unwilling or unable to complete in reasonable time has made the vorcha invaluable in the Terminus Systems, and the Blood Pack has reportedly capitalized on this by hiring out teams of vorcha mercenaries as laborers.

In light of this new information, Citadel races, including the volus, elcor, and humans, have petitioned to lift or at least reduce the punitive travel restrictions on vorcha within Citadel space. In each case, the petition called for a continued ban on vorcha traveling to homeworlds, and when questioned regarding this caveat, the elcor ambassador's office issued the following statement:

"Formally: It is with great joy that we welcome the potential contribution of the vorcha to the rebuilding effort; however, their quick reproduction and adaptability necessitate certain restrictions on their activities. Sympathetically: Through no conscious effort of their own, the vorcha, if left unchecked, could overrun the homeworlds of many species, and while we wish to extend the paw of friendship, these unique circumstances require a certain amount of caution."

Objections quickly came to the fore, particularly from human colonies already embroiled in controversy over accusations that the Alliance reconstruction plan favors Earth at the expense of the colonies. Speaking under condition of anonymity, one prominent colonial politician had this to say:

"So Earth comes in after the better part of a year of us being on our own, they're getting the damned geth to help them rebuild, they need our resources, and when we ask them for a bit of help they want us to invite the vorcha to stay? I get that the vorcha fought the Reapers too, but their lifestyle isn't exactly compatible with ours, y'know? We let a bunch of them in, even if they help to start, pretty soon this'll be a vorcha colony and none of us want that."

Citing concerns over a lack of concrete evidence, Council representatives have pledged to revisit the issue of vorcha travel rights after the next financial quarter's recovery figures are in. Until then, both study groups predict a continuing pattern of accelerated recovery on worlds effectively using vorcha as a rebuilding tool.

Controversy Shakes the Salarian Union: Lies, Mad Science Experiments, and a Secret War? Part 3 of 3

Data log: 7 months after the Reaper Invasion.
Source:ANN

Salarians Establish Elected Council

In what the Salarian Democratic Union is calling it's first major victory, The dalatrasses have agreed to form an elected democratic council to advise the dalatrasses about 'the concerns of the people'. The council is to made up of representatives from across Sur'Kesh and the colonies, enabling elected officials to petition the dalatrasses for changes in laws and policies.

It remains to be seen how much power the council will wield, but hopes remain high among the SDU... [READ MORE]

Political Unrest Grows in the Salarian Union

As months pass without a solution to re-establishing contact with many of the extra-system colonies of the Salarian Union, more and more salarians are expressing anger and no confidence in Sur'Kesh's ruling clans.

"Our people must be running out of resources," Analyst Gillion said, "How long before the colonies can no longer produce the things that they depend on to live? Self-sufficient agricultural colonies may be able to survive, but many more colonies depend on trade for the basics of life. It is unacceptable that we have not even been able to communicate with these colonies in order to asses their situation."

But cluster-to-cluster travel is no simple task, and several clans have responded that solutions to surmounting this goal are in the works, but it takes time... [READ MORE]

*****Encrypted message from Agent Red*****

The council is a meaningless gesture meant to placate those calling for democracy. The ruling clans would never really give up any of their power. I don't know what's worse, their attempts at subterfuge or how they expect everyone to buy into. One thing is for sure, the SDU doesn't.

We just intercepted a video feeding of a group claiming to be the SDU, and they are pissed. They claimed that they are sick of the dalatrasses lies and will do whatever it takes to bring freedom to the salarian people. It maybe be just an empty thread, but still.
I am requesting that I and several of my people be reassigned to infiltrate the SDU. I know it is a long shot that these "Freedom Fighters" will be a real threat, but better safe than sorry.

*****End transmission*****

Data log: 10 months after the end of the Reaper invasion. Source: Galaxy News One

Salarians to Share Technology

Today, in an unprecedented move, the Salarian Union announced that it would begin to share its technology with its fellow Council members.

"Now is a time for unity." Dalatrass Linron stated. "The only way we can achieve that is by working together, sharing what makes each of our species great. For the salarian people, that means sharing our technology."

The new elected council established earlier this year is claiming this as a victory. The petition to share technology with close allies had been one of the first changes proposed by the council. "We are truly happy that the dalatrasses are listening to the people." council member Golaron said.

The list of technology is rumored to include advances in kinetic barriers, cybernetics, weapons technology and medicine, among other things... [READ MORE]

*****Encrypted message from Agent Black*****

Pathetic. Linron is grasping on to anything she can to keep her power afloat, but that ship is sinking, and fast. If she thinks that by taking the council's petition seriously she is going to appease the SDU, then she is more deluded than I could have imagined. Besides, Linron wouldn't dare tell the Council about the tech the STG science division had been working on. She'll offer them barrier upgrades and things like it, but our cloaking technology? The 'augmentation' research? She'll keep those little secrets for herself. My guess is the SDU's last assassination attempt has her worried. They get closer every time.
I've received some rather bad news today. Agent Red has gone MIA. For now, we are assuming he was killed while trying to infiltrate the SDU, but they have been turning our agents more often than I care to admit. How did we let this happen?

*****End transmission*****


*****WARNING: CRITICAL MESSAGE INCOMING. PRIORITY BLACK.*****
They got nearly everything, Major.

The SDU hit our science division last night, killed half the staff and made off with the vast majority the augmentation research. They knew exactly what they were looking for. I'm just glad that the scientist put the kill switches in 732, otherwise we would be looking at a commando squad of those things being used by our enemies.

It's Agent Red. It has to be. He was one of the few who had access to that lab and research. I can't believe it, but the SDU turned him.

I've managed to contain the story for now, blaming it on further 'krogan retaliation' but that excuse is getting old, and every time the SDU completes an operation it gets harder to sweep it under the rug.

We need to do something, Major. The SDU is more serious of a threat than we ever thought possible, and if we don't contain this now we will both live to regret it.

*****End transmission*****


Data log: 11 months after the end of the Reaper invasion. Source: The Sur'Kesh Times

Dark Times for Sur'Kesh

In the latest of what has been the bloodiest year of recent Sur'Kesh history, over 10 students and professors were killed in a bombing at Talat University. While this is the most public display of violence that has occurred over the last two months on Sur'Kesh, it is likely far from the last. Everywhere on Sur'Kesh there is a sense of fear and dread.
Dalatrass Linron has continued to petition the council for immediate action to be taken against the krogan, maintaining that they are behind the attacks. So far, the Council has denied her request, citing a lack of evidence. Dalatrass Narra has been quick to point out that Linron's influence has reached its limits, and many speculate if Narra will move to question Linron's claim as leading Dalatrass.

Law enforcement officials are also feeling the pressure of this crime spree, with many officers working around the clock to find those responsible. In spite of this, every day brings more acts and rumors of sabotage, assassination, and murder... [READ MORE]

*****Transmission from Agent Black*****

It's a war, Major.

In a few short months the SDU has turned into one of the greatest threats the Salarian Union has ever faced. They have our tech, they have our agents... They are stronger than we could have hoped.

We need help, Major. Now is no time for secrets. We should call in the Council, call in the SPECTREs before this war spreads any further.
Someone needs to do something. And soon.

*****End transmission*****
(End file)

-----------------------------------------------------------
Both the STG and Salarian Union have refuted the claims made in this document as false and meant only to divide the Union and her people. They have assured the galactic community that allegations of the Salarian Union spying on its allies and experimenting with Reaper and Cerberus tech is a ludicrous claim.

Despite this, the Alliance has launched an internal investigation into the salarians working in high level positions or with sensitive information within the Alliance. It is hope that no evidence will be found to support the article's claim, but many express doubts against the salarians assurances.

What do you think?

Should we trust our salarian allies?

Are they experimenting with Reaper technology?

Have they started a shadow war?

Will it spill over into the larger galactic community?

Leave a comment below.

Prothean cultists splinter, begin worshipping Shepard

Jeten (Echoes of Unseen Leviathans), Illuminated Primacy - According to a report from the Primacy's Civil Service, the Disciples of Javik have already schismed into several competing cults calling themselves the 'Disciples of Shepard', to complement various other unrelated cults declaring the first human SPECTRE as one of the Enkindlers. "When one looks at the facts, it all becomes so obvious. The Enkindler known as Shepard's history is shrouded in mystery. She foresaw the invasion of the Reapers, and stuck with her story even when nobody believed her. Stories from around the galaxy tell of her curing the genophage, uniting the quarians and the geth and ultimately sacrificing herself to save the galaxy. She united a fractured galaxy. If she is not an Enkindler, then this one is does not know what would constitute an Enkindler," said a spokesperson for the Disciples Of Shepard That Have Seen The Light, one of the larger independent cults.

Enkindler worship expert Desilia T'Noras had this to say: "The hanar regard the flexibility of their worship of the Enkindlers as a strength. Since joining the galactic community, countless 'final words of the Enkindlers' have been found, even on worlds with no Prothean presence. It even dates back to before contact, when some preachers would outright make obviously fake evidence that dozens of hanar would follow [...] The idea that Shepard might be more than a mere mortal has its beginnings at least in hanar society when she seemingly came back from the dead. There were some calling her 'The Pebble That Splits The Current In Two', a sort of messianic figure. Then she appears in the news some more, especially with Bahak, and it shifts to the hanar equivalent of rebellious maidens. Then this Javik appears and the whole system goes crazy. The idea of a new Enkindler starts to rise up, especially with the hanar being more cut off than usual for a whole year. Now we have people quite high up that certainly won't say anything conclusive about the divinity of Shepard."

CLASSIFICATION: PROTECTED C
Memorandum

FROM: TRG COMMAND, Strategic Studies Division, Strategic Planning Group Kojita
TO: Distribution List (HQ Strategic and Tactical Studies Centres)

RE: Strategic Planning Group Recommendations

1. Summary: Evaluation of overall battle strategy during the Reaper War has indicated a number of deficiencies in Hierarchy military doctrine. This document is to outlay the findings of Strategic Planning Group Kojita and provide guidelines for future study. These findings are to be considered an overview only; each is deserving of in-depth exploration.

2. Overall Readiness: Losses sustained during the Reaper War have had a catastrophic impact beyond that of all studies save Scenarios Talon through Ziggurat. Strategic Planning Group Kojita recommends particular attention drawn to Scenario Yeoman as a base for theoretical planning, specifically with regards to loss of relays and level of devastation on the homeworld.

3. Immediate Priorities: Our immediate priority is to regroup (analyze unit strength and concentration, identify and reinforce individuals in leadership positions, clarify chain of command) closely followed by allocation of resources to areas most in need, with particular attention to reducing loss rate (i.e. fresh water, adequate shelter, basic nutrition to prevent disease; priority creation and distribution of medical supplies) and reinforcing defensive positions in case of resumed hostilities. At time of writing these actions are already taking place.

4. Psychological Warfare and Aftereffects: The Reapers chose Taetrus as the site of their first attack in order to demoralize us. They deliberately set out to remind us of the worst act of terrorism in Hierarchy history, specifically: our failure to predict it, our inability to avert it, and our ongoing challenges in recovering from it. The truly insidious nature of this attack means that it is not yet over. But victory is still within our grasp. We can choose whether to hold to our belief in the triumph of the turian Spirit, or we can choose to accept the Reapers" reminder as truth and, in so doing, grant them our surrender. We choose to refute the Reapers' assertation: we rose triumphant from the shadow of the Vallum Blast and we shall so rise again.

5. Doctrinal Changes (Shock and Awe Doctrine): For hundreds of years the overriding turian military philosophy has been one of battlefield dominance: breaking the enemy's will to fight through application of superior power. While this theory proved successful in certain conflicts (i.e. the Rachni Wars; the Unification War), it proved insufficient in others (particularly the Krogan Rebellions). Had we learned the lessons of the Krogan Rebellions - that guile and subterfuge can succeed where show of force fails - perhaps we would have been better prepared for the Reapers. We can no longer look to the salarians - or the humans - to compensate for our deficiencies.

6. Asymmetric Warfare (Guerilla Tactics): Our most significant successes in the Reaper War came from utilizing the principles of Asymmetric Warfare. Turian units who were able to accept that we were playing the role of the "weaker power" and adapt tactics accordingly (i.e. bombing of Reaper processing centres; asset denial/"scorched earth" tactics to avoid leaving materiel for enemy salvage; skirmishes, ambushes and booby traps rather than direct confrontation of enemy forces; etc.) greatly improved their odds of success. We have been weakened by this war; this fact is unavoidable. We can mourn our lost glory or we can emerge stronger, more flexible, more cunning, more adaptable than ever before. Only one of these choices is worthy of the turian spirit.

7. Joint Operations: Turians are accustomed to joint operations with our own client races, with salarian and asari units, and to a lesser extent, with human forces. The Reaper Wars have introduced us to joint turian/krogan operations with stunning success. We recommend further joint exercises to increase compatibility between turian and alien units and to ensure complimentary protocols for smooth, cohesive operations.

8. Potential Threat Analysis: Turian potential threat analysis must be updated as follows, in order of priority:

a. Reaper Rebellion. It is irresponsible for us to assume that simply because the surviving Reapers are under control, that the control is certain and permanent. Contingency plans must be prepared.

b. Krogan. Former krogan threat analyses were created on the assumption that the genophage would keep the krogan population under control. New scenarios must be constructed taking into account the elimination of the genophage.

c. Colonial Rebellion. By the time all relays are restored, many of our colonies will have been on their own for years, if not decades. While we expect the rule of law to remain constant in a majority of cases, the Unification Wars give preceding example as to what can occur when colonies are left to their own devices for too long.

d. Quarian/Geth. All our quarian scenarios are severely outdated now that the quarians have a homeworld once more and the geth at their command.

e. Rachni. It is recommended that our strategic and tactical analyses of the rachni be scrapped entirely. They are generations out of date and we have reason to believe the guiding philosophies of the rachni have radically changed. New analyses are to be conducted based on updated research.

f. Unknown Cosmic Threat. All prior threat analysis discounted the possibility of Reapers entirely, much to our detriment. Future threat analysis is to include a Worst Case Scenario beyond Scenario Ziggurat to provide us with guidelines in discovering the capabilities of a previously unknown foe while minimizing turian losses. To increase probability of forewarning, Strategic Planning Group Kojita recommends construction of additional inferometric arrays similar in type to the Terminus telescope array. Said construction would be placed on hold until such time as basic infrastructure on Palaven and the major colonies has been returned to operational status.

g. Organized Crime. Several syndicates, particularly those based in the Terminus, may have consolidated power, acquired significant weaponry and manipulated amnesty due to the war. They may emerge post-war as colony-states wielding the power base of same.

h. Yahg. Intelligence suggests the salarians had plans for uplifting the yahg. If these plans were put into effect due to the Reapers, we may have a new threat in the very near future. Investigation into threat probability is strongly recommended.

9. Force Retention: At cessation of hostilities, stop loss procedures remained in effect at Level Auros. Recommend relaxation to Level Bastion immediately to permit transfer of those with mid to low grade physical/mental injuries to treatment centres. Long term enforcement of Level Auros will inevitably carry long term consequences for vulnerable personnel. Heightened stop loss levels will remain in effect due to scale of reconstruction effort; however, relaxation to level Courage may be possible in one to two years' time.

10. Moving Forward: With a certain degree of irony it is noted that the fracturing of the mass relay system has nevertheless united the galaxy more closely than ever. As the relays are rebuilt, Strategic Planning Group Kojita remains cautiously optimistic that the survivors of the Reaper War will be willing and able to contribute towards the galactic good. Nevertheless, we recommend contingency plans be in effect for those species or groups who are unwilling to act in the better interests of the whole.

For the Cause,
Dominii Taktika
Commander, Strategic Studies Division
Tier 25

Council Establishes New Branch of CDEM

Report by the Associated Press

Council representatives today issued a charter for the Council Demilitarization Enforcement Mission (CDEM) to establish a new branch dedicated to monitoring the yahg homeworld of Parnack, to be known as the Parnack Integration and Enforcement Taskforce. Prior to the Reaper invasion, Parnack had been fully quarantined by Council order following a diplomatic incident in which the entire Citadel negotiating team was killed. The expansion of CDEM to include Parnack was necessitated by the yahg's completion of their first self-propelled spacecraft, in the hopes that a controlled entry into the galactic community might permit both the yahg and the galaxy at large to become accustomed to one another prior to full integration.

Included in the charter is the mandate to establish a space station just beyond the orbit of Parnack, to serve as both a monitoring post and strictly controlled trade hub. CDEM-PIET forces in the area are presently minimal, but are expected to grow as the krogan assume responsibility for their own defense and CDEM presence within the Krogan DMZ becomes superfluous.

Similarly to the rules governing the Krogan DMZ, all vessels entering the Yahg DMZ will be subject to searches at any time and for any reason. Rules regarding permitted technology in the Yahg DMZ are even stricter than those formerly governing the krogan; merchants wishing to trade with the yahg are required to apply for a license to do so, the fees from which will go towards maintaining and expanding CDEM's presence in the Yahg DMZ. Licensed merchants are required to dock at the CDEM station to unload their goods for inspection, and all transactions will take place on the station itself for the protection of the traders and the yahg alike. Proscribed goods include weapons and weapon components, vehicle schematics and vehicle components, chemical and biological agents excluding medigel and omnigel, invasive species, and all substances presently banned in Citadel space including but not limited to Red Sand, Minagen, and other intoxicants. Vessels approaching Parnack without explicit prior CDEM-PIET permission will be subject to lethal force and the penalty for smuggling proscribed goods remains death by spacing. Notably left off the proscription list is communications equipment, in the hope that interaction between the yahg and the galaxy at large will accelerate the integration process. Concerns that the yahg may use this technology to acquire otherwise proscribed schematics and information have been raised, but Council representatives were quick to provide assurance that all yahg communications will be routed through a single CDEM-controlled communications buoy and subject to heavy censorship.

Under the charter, yahg will be permitted to travel in limited numbers to the CDEM-PIET station for trade or diplomatic purposes, where they may also apply for an emigration license on an individual basis. CDEM-PIET officers of multiple species will then administer suitability tests to determine whether the yahg in question is fit for integration into galactic society. If successful, the yahg will be assigned a trained integration assistant for a period of one year to ensure that their transition into galactic society goes smoothly. Should the application be rejected, the yahg in question may reapply after a period of five years at which time another set of suitability tests will be required. Any yahg permitted to join galactic society will be expected to behave as a model citizen, and any criminal activity will result in immediate deportation to Parnack and a ten-year ban on re-submitting integration applications.

Numerous civil rights groups have issued statements in response to the announcement, almost universally condemning the severe restrictions imposed on the yahg. None were more vocal than the Center for Galactic Equality, which was quick to point out that no such measures have ever been taken towards a species without first fighting an intergalactic war. Other condemnations focused on the censorship of communication between the yahg and the galaxy at large, as well as the denial of technology which could be used to improve the quality of life on Parnack. Several mercantile groups have requested an official review of the trade conditions in the Yahg DMZ, arguing that a license fee to trade with the yahg combined with the license for relay travel is double-taxing and therefore illegal under galactic economic law, adding that even if deemed legal, the current arrangement gives large corporations an unfair advantage over independent traders and entrepreneurs. Economic think-tanks within the Vol-Protectorate recommended disbanding CDEM and instead contracting Yahg DMZ patrols out to reliable security firms to free up more credits for reconstruction, a proposal to which the Blue Suns and Eclipse were quick to lend their support.

No response has been forthcoming from the Council regarding these objections.

Victory Day Celebrations Marred by Protests, Tensions

Jan Lee Oliver, Alliance News Network

LONDON - A year ago, the streets of London, New York, Tokyo, Moscow, and Sydney were decimated war zones. Today, reconstruction, while still slow, has restored them to former glories - flags from around the world are draped across these streets to fly in celebration, as the Systems Alliance hosts the first annual Victory Day, marking one year - to the day - since the end of the Reaper occupation of Earth and the known galaxy.

Celebrations, however, were marred by demonstrations, as activists took to the streets to protest the presence of salarian and asari speakers during the festivities, with many believing the two races had no right to speak on a war they barely contributed to. The two Council races were notably left out of the galactic defense pact made between Earth, Palaven, and Tuchanka, which has been straining relationships between the Council seats. Racial tensions on Earth, centered significantly against the salarian populace, has lead to a moving speech by Dalatress Narra, who hoped to promote peace between the two races, and remind people of the purpose behind Victory Day - where all races united under a single banner to defeat their enemies.

In Jakarta, local law enforcement was startled by a riot that broke out during scheduled events, when members of the local Sovereign Nation chapter clashed with Alliance marines and supporters of "Shepards," a galaxy-wide charity for orphans and refugees that has gained a religious following since the attack on Earth. Sovereign Nation's international leader, Lucien Bradford, later claimed in a statement released to his followers that such oppression against those who worshipped the "great gods" should not be unexpected from those who had tried to defend them, and "not see the Alliance as the victors, but merely as fools who will never know the peace that logical order can bring to the chaos of life."

While the clashes may have been considered minor, Admiral Hackett's long-awaited speech in London was rescheduled, as the Admiral was escorted off world to an unspecified location to address crowds across the world via holo projection. London's Prefect, Lieutenant Commander Lisa Bryner, addressed crowds during the scheduled time-slot instead, assuring spectators that while there was no reason to be concerned of the events in Jakarta being repeated in London, they had gone ahead with the decision to move the Admiral, "just in case." Upon a successful connection, the Admiral was greeted by standing ovations in New York, London, Seattle-Vancouver, and Tokyo.

Key points of his speech included the announcement of several Mass Relays being reopened to the Sol System, gratitude for the tireless efforts of the reconstruction teams, encouragement for those who suffered most, and repeated well wishes to "our non-human guests, who could not be on their own worlds tonight." Noticeably absent from the Admiral's speech was a progress update on the reconstruction of the Systems Alliance civilian government, which has once again sparked rumors that the Alliance has no plans to remove the worldwide martial law and return power to the Terran governments once a civilian government has been formed. Supporters note that the Admiral's "five year plan" is barely into its first year, and that it would be "such a shame to mar the good mood with mundane progress reports."

The festivities ended at dusk in each country, where the Alliance scheduled full blackouts for the candlelight vigil to be held for Commander Shepard. Earth was shrouded in darkness for thirty-two minutes - one minute for each year of the Commander's life - although pictures from the Citadel show breathtaking images of brightly lit cities. Among those gathered on the ground were followers of the "Shepard Lives" extranet site, who have spent the past several months predicting that the Commander would return to Earth on the one-year anniversary.

Names of the dead and missing were read out in most cities, the list of over 1.5 billion people shortened to local levels to save time, and flowers littered mass graves in Los Angeles, with heartwarming tributes paid to not only the Commander, but Reporter Emily Wong, who risked her life to break the news of the invasion on Earth and get vital information to the rest of the galaxy. Ms. Wong, who was fatally injured during her report, used her last moments to override the commands of her newsvan and fly it into a Reaper at FTL speeds, and the Prefect of Los Angeles declared a moment of silence in her memory while standing on the now-rebuilt UCLA campus.

Tributes were paid across the galaxy to other celebrity heroes who had lost their lives in the Reaper War. Admiral David Anderson, among several others, was posthumously awarded the Star of Terra, the Alliance's highest military honour during a ceremony on the Citadel. Children on Eden Prime offered flowers to a visiting turian officer, whose homeworld of Macedyn nuked itself in a defiant attempt to defeat the Reapers attacking it.

On Terra Nova, where a statue of Commander Shepard already exists for her efforts to counter the batarian terrorist attack five years ago, a memorial service was held for her, presided over by Director-General Admiral Wajeeh Eswara. The Director praised Shepard's actions, and declared - with the full authority of the Alliance behind him - that April 11th has been declared a galactic holiday for all of humanity, where her sacrifice will never be forgotten, and "the future given as a gift by this great woman shall be treated as a sacred gift."

The speech, laced with reported religious overtones, and "over-the-top praises" sparked an outrage amongst the non-religious, which make up a majority of the colonist population, who believe that the raising Shepard to the status of a saint (as has already been proposed by the remnants of the Catholic Church) by state figures is yet one more oppression offered by the Alliance's military law. As June Sun, a political activist blogger, wrote, "Shepard is a legend yes, and her sacrifices cannot be forgotten...but no person should be lawfully elevated by the military state as a religious figure. It is not that far a jump from that to telling us who we may or may not worship...which should make all the atheists out there worried, as this would mean the death of our freedom not to believe."

The Alliance released a press release afterwards, apologizing for Rear Admiral Eswara's faux pas, and reiterating that the Admiral's beliefs were not necessarily reflective on the Systems Alliance as a whole.

Sadly, while Shepard sightings and impersonators were at a record high today, the legendary woman did not make an appearance, and her supporters left their vigils disappointed, but with some hope, as one six-year-old boy put it: "Maybe she'll come back on her birthday, when we throw her a real party!"

As rumors fly about the final day of the war, and questions of why it took so long for Earth to get the support they needed are starting to be loudly raised, one hopes that the return of Commander Shepard, however mythical, can sate the public's demand for answers.

Elsewhere on ANN:
Noveria Accused of Harboring Ex-Terrorists
One and a Half Billion: Names, Faces, and Memories
Colonial Rebuilding Progressing Faster Than Expected
Alliance Parliament Headquarters "Planned on Citadel"
Military Law and You: What You Need to Know

Salarian Restoration Commission Reports "Remarkable Success"
Commission Moves to Introduce Shroud to Irradiated Colonies, Homeworlds

Vit Leena, Otravo Terraforming Business Journal

The atmosphere at the Mannovai Intergalactic Restoration Coalition erupted in celebration today as Chief Project Spokesman Nasoon Garot reported 76% of its projects moving ahead of schedule. The Coalition, staffed predominantly by members of thirty-seven salarian corporations, has been responsible for the reconstruction of critical water, power and food supply networks throughout Council Space.

Garot's address, lasting a total of three hours, covered a variety of projects including the installation of water purification systems, desalination plants, a variety of adapted terraforming projects for restoring cash crops, and a study co-sponsored by the Geth HomeSphere on the optimization of transportation networks for the delivery of food to unsustainable colonies.

Of particular note, however, was his announcement of Project Eternal Spring - a massive undertaking developed by the Restoration Coalition's atmospheric and nuclear researchers whose aim involves introducing Shroud technology to Palaven and various colonies suffering from radiological fallout.

"It should go without saying that we should honor those who gave their lives to deny the Reapers their victory," he said. "Palaven. Tyvor. Macedyn. It is the least that we can do to bring life back to them, to wipe death from their skies."

While there was considerable discussion on the new Shroud project, most of it remained on the Coalition's central goal of revitalizing planetary infrastructure and its successes thereof. Dr. Emeed Tagg, a xenobiologist working on retainer for the Coalition's Extinct Livestock Task Force, noted that that this "is the most amazing project of my entire career. We're using every tool at our disposal - zoology, pharmacology, biology, metallurgy, even some mimetic linguistics - to bring back entire ecosystems that the Reapers, well, reaped. We're already seeing simulations that suggest planetary recoveries within the next three to four centuries."

Still others, such as Hrem Hall, Associate Professor at Teek University, were discussing short-term goals. "Several smaller colonies are hurting, not because they were hit, but because their supply lines connected to places that were," he said. "It's been quite a challenge, finding ways help them achieve self-sustainability on such limited resources."

When asked by Alliance News Network reporter Peter Kosyak about Union involvement in Project Eternal Spring, Garot responded by directing him to what he claimed were "complete financial records" for all resources earmarked.

"We believe we cannot allow infighting to bar our progress," he stated during the conference. "Millions of people do not have access to clean food and water, let alone sanctuary from radioactive fallout. Fighting for fleeting political points now serves nobody."

This statement belies the undercurrent of sobriety present at the press release, with Coalition representatives lamenting the heated political arguments halting restoration and development. Despite Gorot's optimistic speech, more than one researcher has noted that estimates require at least "three generations" for Project Eternal Spring's completion.

Stated Dr. Benil Vealix, Professor of Climatology, "Disaster waits for no one. Why don't the politicians get that?"

THE LOVEBIRD'S LAST HOUR
By THE INQUISITOR Subscribe today for the ONLY TRUSTWORTHY NAME IN JOURNALISM!

Everyone knows the tragic story behind Ambassador Mjladimjalzani's last hours - OR DO THEY? New sources - whom you will ONLY read about on THE INQUISITOR, sheds horrifying new light on the tragic death of Turvess; Last Ambassador.

An anonymous C-Sec insider has come from the fold, presenting a SHOCKING new message from Mjladimjalzani - now believed by THE INQUISITOR to be his last correspondence to his homeworld. In this memo, now known only "Message #321," Mjaldi has been INDICTED BY HIS BROTHER MJADIMJALZHEEGKI for TRAFFICKING HIS PEOPLE OFF PLANET!

This would certainly explain the many unconfirmed RALOI SIGHTINGS on Tuchanka, Sur'Kesh and half a dozen asari colonies. As Turvess and its people have remained incommunicado since the Reaper War, it stands to reason that Ambassador Mjadimjalzani's SMUGGLING operations have conned Turvess into thinking THE WAR IS ONGOING.

Drugs, love affairs, and now raloi trafficking - was there NO END to the depths Mjadimalzani would stoop to?

Errata: In our last issue of THE INQUISITOR, we implied that Mjadimjalzani had been "stabbed eight times by his assistant" as the grisly result of a torrid love affair. We have been informed that this is not the case. We amend our statement to "poisoned and shot."



RALOI SIGHTINGS: FACT OR FICTION?
By John Faraday

Raloi sightings on Earth and various asari colonies have increased over the past few months. Experts state that these unconfirmed sightings are a form of mass hysteria caused by recent tensions, but how trustworthy are they?

Author of the go-to article for such naysayers, volus psychologist Nopa Sarn dismissed these close encounters as "wishful thinking". But it has recently come to light that he may have put heavy investments in weapons manufacturers just before the onset of the war.

Did he know the Reapers were coming? If so, why didn't he speak out? And if not, then why, exactly, did he happen to make those investments at just the right time? Should we really leave the decision on what is real and what isn't to a man like this?
See More

Related Articles:
GON'S Motto: Failing. Biased. One.
The So-Called "Miracle" at Palaven; What the Hierarchy Doesn't Want You to Know
Are Volus Bankers Taking Advantage of You?



CORE CONTROVERSIES, Issue #372

For over a year now, the deactivation of the raloi relay has shut the species off from the last of the galaxy. Or has it? Recent sightings of the avians bring into question the OFFICIAL story. What are the asari hiding? In official statements, they CLAIM that the relay has yet to be repaired. However, an exclusive interview with an anonymous source from the inner-workings of the Asari Republics (that you can only read in Core Controversies!) paints a different picture.
Full Story on Page 25

!!!PLUS!!!
SECOND APOCALYPSE? - What you need to know before the universe ends again!
INDOCTRINATION - Are you secretly being controlled by the Reapers? Seven tips on finding out how!
SPACE ANTS - Were they secretly the puppet-masters behind the Reaper War?



REMAINS IN RUINS RAISE QUESTIONS
By The Nos Varda Times

PORT LERAMA, HYETIANA - Among the crushed, nigh-unrecognizable remains found in the rubble during normal rebuilding efforts this week uncovered a very peculiar corpse. Most of the body was mutilated; preliminary findings failed to identify the species beyond a vaguely humanoid frame. Upon an autopsy, the skeletal structure and DNA analysis showed that the corpse's identity was none other than raloi, which has raised several questions amongst speculators.

Why was this raloi here? Did it refuse to return to Turvess, or was it unable to? Due to the nature of the local research facilities, many have speculated that the asari were experimenting on it, leading to some very unfortunate implications if true.
(Continued here)

Blue Suns Commander Accused of War Crimes

By Evita Moreno, Private Military Information Technology

Scandal wracked the mercenary world today when an Alliance News Network reporter accused a Blue Suns unit of committing atrocities on the world of Kameya. According to reports, the Suns' Thirteenth Commando has inflicted needless civilian casualties amongst other excesses, such as enslaving prisoners of war. The reaction has been swift and strident, highlighting the divide in the corporation between those who support a more relaxed attitude towards controlling the combat commanders, and those who reportedly espouse an attitude of strict professionalism.

Commander Solem Del'Serah, the Chief Operations Officer of the Blue Suns, strongly denounced the actions of the Thirteenth. "We expect our officers and men to conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism during their contracts," he said, "and will take swift punitive action to deal with any allegations to the contrary."

Though a majority of Suns officers claim to operate in accord with Commander Del'Serah's views, a vocal minority has been speaking out. Darner Vosque was installed as the Blue Suns' leader by Aria T'Loak for the retaking of Earth, but post-war he has been relegated to a subordinate position under Del'Serah, as Deputy Chief Operations Officer. Despite this snub, DCO Vosque's words still command weight due to Aria's favoring of him during the war. "We're the only thing standing between these guys and anarchy," he said to reporters, "with the galaxy going to hell, last thing we need is the desk jockeys at the top getting in our way."

Commander Del'Serah refused to comment on Mister Vosque's statements, but his record during the Reaper War speaks for itself. During the initial fighting he managed to reform battered Blue Suns units into a force that was able to assist in the liberation of several worlds. By the end of the war, he was commanding multiple major operations in the Terminus systems, and thus was not present for the battle of Earth.

Other forces across the PMC world have moved to capitalize on the recent ideological gap within the Suns hierarchy. Smaller corporations like the Poison Knives and the Leopard Battalion have successfully competed for contracts on planets in traditionally Suns-dominated sectors, such as Prosperity and Hamilton. The Blue Suns' traditional rivals in the Eclipse have issued several pointed remarks to the press, with one officer declaring that "even the Blood Pack has the decency to ensure their vorcha don't make a mess where they eat."

As of press time, Commander Del'Serah had not responded to these developments.

The Results of Major Choices (as voted upon by the board in Spring/Summer 2012):

Shepard: Male or Female FEMALE
Heretic Station, ME2: Rewrite or Destroy REWRITE
The Rachni's Fate, ME1: Extinct or Saved SAVED

If I missed any, let me know. The retros and the admin's note in the first post should cover everything not here.