Margin of Error

[USSExplorer]

Not sure where you're going with this but at this point, tone it down. When you've got a one in a trillion child prodigy among prodigies, who also becomes a high profile individual that has a lotta eyes on him, the go to reaction is not being turned into a labrat. You could maybe get one mad scientist or zealot and his cult to clamor and scheme for it but the standard government reaction is to lock that shit down and keep the golden goose laying eggs.
Right now Id chalk it up to MC's heightened paranoia resulting from his highly unusual circumstances and how he feels isolated due to his knowledge. While Okafor's comment sounds more like a really jealous colleague grasping for something to throw at someone with whom he's in a one-sided rivalry.

Click to shrink...

The only thing I would say is frustrating is how he is constantly looping back to how he must hide his abilities and how it makes him so lonely. I get that it's a major plot point but it's frustrating to constantly have it brought back up in every conversation or inner monologue he has.

Click to shrink...

I've gone back through the early chapters carefully, and (I hope) toned down as much paranoia and melancholy as possible so as to not have it all be so glaring. It's still there, as it's part of his character (for now), but it shouldn't be so glaring.
Nor should other characters come out and state that he's not human/needs studying, or the like.

Probably not worth re-reading the early chapters, given how early on the story is, but it should be heavily toned down going forward.

MC could potentially be a driving force behind uniting the space agencies. If he's willing to be... generous with whom he shares his innovations and developments with. Im hoping he aims for that. The sooner and more cohesively he helps bind Earth's nations together, the better off they'll be should something like the First Contact War happens.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, that's a logical pathway to head down once he realises he's in Mass Effect.
And boy, was that an enjoyable chapter to write

 

[USSExplorer]

0009: Recognition and Confusion
…​

As expected, Lars had arranged another celebration, this one coming a few days after the publication, as everyone needed to refocus on the upcoming exams. Elena had come, though she'd again kept a slight distance between us. By now, others were beginning to pick up on the gap, but no one asked me about it directly, and the distance remained after the celebration was over and everyone returned to preparing for their finals.

By the third day, my inbox was filled with offers from around the world. Education centres, companies varying in size from local to international to conglomerates with interplanetary operations and aspirations came knocking. The same was true of think tanks, research institutions, and all manner of scientific foundations; many of them, like ESTEC, were backed by an agency or government.

All of them wanted to speak with me to discuss working with them, assisting my research, or offering considerable financial compensation to take control of my creativity. By the end of the first week after the publication, I'd finally been able to sort through the mountain of requests and whittle the massive initial list down to thirty that were worth at least speaking with. Another fifty received a comprehensive response making it clear I might be open to working with them in future, and another two hundred plus at least deserved some sort of reply.

The paper was the second to carry my name, and I hadn't yet graduated, something most now knew would happen this summer, inside of two years at Edinburgh. Together, they had my name shining like a comet. Everyone was chasing my tail, seeking to ride on the glory of my work and gain first rights to whatever I came up with next.

Edinburgh, having already expected this, had placed an offer in my lap at the beginning of April: a fully funded doctoral position with a private research allocation and the freedom to pursue what I wanted, and how I wanted. Other universities and colleges around the world had followed suit, with many able to offer better terms in some or all categories than Edinburgh could manage. The most prominent from outside the UK came from MIT, IIT, and Tsinghua, though almost every institution that was regarded as world-class had made an offer.

Others, mainly those in the UK and the European Federation, had tried to appeal to my loyalty to country and region alongside their offers. Cambridge, which reached out through Dr Richard Hartwell, their Head of Theoretical Physics, gave me what was almost a blank cheque; the same tactic was applied by Oxford, ICL, and universities in the Federation.

The offers from the private sector, which were far more numerous, mirrored those tactics as well, though outside of a handful, I didn't choose to directly engage with any of them. Only those like Cord-Hislop, where I'd already been approved, or those with a connection to Edinburgh, Dr Okonkwo, or ESA, were given a direct response.

Dr Thomas Ashford, the Chief Technology Officer of Cord-Hislop, knew Dr Larsson, a fact he confirmed by copying her in on his offer to me. Their offer wasn't merely to consult but to become the Chief Theoretical Advisor for propulsion. The terms, as one would expect from one of the largest conglomerates on Earth, carried with them access to top-of-the-line laboratories and manufacturing resources as well as compensation that, even if I failed to develop anything of use, would see me set for life before the contract had ended.

That offer and those like it were hard to reject outright. Beyond the financial advantages of such offers, keeping cordial connections with such companies would likely be useful in the coming years and decades. The ideas that were slowly forming in my mind, the full details still just out of reach, would need resources that only such companies could provide.

Alongside ESA's request for a more formal consultancy arrangement, other space agencies reached out. For now, only ESA's made sense, as I wasn't ready to move to another continent, but I made sure to at least keep the door open with NASA, CNSA, and others, as they carried the potential to be as useful as those like Cord-Hislop.

With the renewed focus on Mars, both my papers carried clear real-world implications, which explained why the agencies and conglomerates were so eager to get me on board. Access to my theories, and what I might craft in future, carried the potential to vault any of them to the lead on Mars and beyond.

Offers had come in from many institutes and foundations that focused purely on research. Those came with access to resources similar to a university's, but without the extra work that postgraduate courses brought, and without the restraints that corporate life insisted upon. Fellowships with minimal obligations and maximum autonomy.

In truth, none of the offers would be bad to take, as each carried benefits, yet as the week passed, I had slowly worked my way towards the most likely path forward. As I entered Dr Okonkwo's office, she offered me a smile that suggested she had some idea of the chaos I was trying to manage.

"How many remain after the second round?" she asked even as I sat.

"Fourteen revised formal offers, along with thirty that might allow me to work elsewhere while maintaining some ties to them."

She nodded and, after tapping a button on her desk that closed the door, responded. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that every offer wants to own a piece of me," I replied honestly. "Some want exclusive rights while others want commitment, but all of them want control."

"And you want to keep control for yourself."

I nodded at her insight, having expected it before I'd arrived. "Yes." I glanced out the window behind her. "The best option might be something like The Hague," I continued, referring to the Hague Institute for Advanced Study. "That'll give me the freedom I want while allowing me to maintain greater connections with ESA, ESTEC, and in the private sector."

"It also offers the least structure," she countered. "Are you prepared to handle that?"

I chuckled. "Given how my insight seems to work, I think that might be for the best. Besides, I'd still have structure from ESA, along with advisory roles for Cord-Hislop, Asgardia, and others. Not to mention assisting you remotely," I added, as I intended to keep working alongside her for the time being. My name didn't carry as much weight as hers did, and I'd need that presence for a while yet.

"It sounds like you've already made up your mind."

"Mostly," I confirmed. "I'm just… making sure my choice is the right one."

"Whatever you choose, I'll support," she said with a warm smile. "You're destined for something great, Marcus. Just don't lose sight of the world while grasping the stars."

I nodded and smiled back in thanks.

***
​

It took another few days to get through the next round, confirming to all but a handful that I wouldn't be accepting their offers, though for many I made sure to keep the door open to possible future collaborations. Most were disappointed by my choice but accepted my position. They likely felt that because I was still young, there would be other chances to gain my loyalty in the future. Cord-Hislop was different, and Dr Ashford reached out directly to speak with me via a holographic call.

"You're making a strategic choice," he said after we moved through the usual greetings. "I can respect that, as can the board. Just know that when you're ready to move your work to the appropriate scale, Cord-Hislop will be first in line to make an offer."

"I appreciate that," I replied with a nod.

He smiled. "I wish my kids had been as wise as you at this age," he commented. "Hell, I wish most of our newer employees were half as sharp as you at understanding how the world works."

"Thanks, I think."

He laughed at my response. "Still, we're more than willing to keep the consultancy agreement on the table, with terms for renegotiation every six to twelve months depending on your preference."

"I wasn't sure that would still be an option."

"Why not? We might not be bringing you into the family now, but we expect that to change eventually," he responded. "It's only wise to keep the lines of communication open with those who will benefit the company's growth."

"Or keep the fish on the line to see if it will fatten itself up," I suggested, drawing another bout of laughter from him.

"Your words, not mine. Still, we'll be doing work through your agreements at ESA and ESTEC, so there's no need to risk damaging the connection we've formed when it's already proving valuable."

My brow rose, wondering how that was the case. I assumed he meant the experiments based on my first co-authored paper were showing promise, but I'd not heard anything from ESTEC on that recently. Regardless, the way Dr Ashford and Cord-Hislop were approaching this was exactly how I'd anticipated major conglomerates to behave; they simply didn't realise the true value of what I could offer. When they came back to renegotiate, they'd find the terms shifting in my favour.

---***---
​

By the end of April, I'd made my choice. After the summer, I'd begin a two-year fellowship at the Hague Institute. It would allow me the freedom I wanted while positioning me closer to ESA and ESTEC operations as my theories were turned into practical applications. Before then, I had to finish my degree, help Dr Okonkwo with another paper on which I'd be her co-author, and, as was the case today, see about completing the project I'd begun with David Chen nearly eighteen months ago.

The laboratory we were in was a private one that the University had arranged for me this academic year, though they had no idea that David was sharing it with me for this project. It had taken us a considerable amount of time, drawing on insights that my mind offered and David's skill with coding and programming, but we'd crafted something beautiful.

The system carried no single point of failure, was air-gapped by design and networkable by choice, using only a small section of the code that would be wiped once the connection ended, and it carried the sort of security that intelligence agencies the world over would kill to gain, or be terrified to learn existed. If all went well, no one outside of us would ever realise this system existed.

"I want to run the penetration suite one more time," David said, his fingers hovering over the haptic interface. "If it holds against the latest VI attack patterns I crafted, then we're done."

I nodded my agreement, and he ran the final tests. Nothing the VIs attempted worked, and their attacks included several methods David had developed specifically for this project; the architecture was refined and unbreakable by any current method. It likely couldn't be broken by anything short of a full AI, and those only existed under the strictest security, with no access to external networks, having predated the laws that now forbade their creation.

"It's perfect," David commented quietly as he scanned those final results, his voice carrying a hint of awe at what we'd created. "I mean, it's genuinely perfect. This shouldn't exist outside classified military systems."

"I doubt even they have this," I said as I looked at the screen. "We've built something new."

Several of the insights for this programme came from deep in my mind, like those used in the two published papers with my name attached, drawing on knowledge others didn't have. Where that knowledge came from remained a mystery, but I was exploiting it fully since it had to be there for a reason.

"Can I ask you something? And will you give me an honest answer?" he asked while leaning back in his chair.

"You can ask," I replied with a teasing smirk.

"Why do you need this? I mean, really need it?"

I considered my response. I could give him a half-truth, as I'd done before with him and others, but David deserved better than that. He'd helped me build something that shouldn't exist and was a friend, one of a few I had, and with Elena's continued distance, the one who knew me best.

Beyond all that, I wanted to keep in contact with him after I left Edinburgh. His studies were in fields that I felt would be important to whatever danger lurked in the stars above, and I felt we'd be able to work together again on something far superior to what we'd just created.

"I need to be able to work without anyone accessing what I'm doing," I answered slowly. "To store data securely, and to communicate safely with others I can trust."

His eyes narrowed. "That's not an answer. That's a description."

"Maybe, but it's the truth."

He looked up at me, studying my face carefully. "I've known for a while that you're always braced for something," he said quietly. "I don't mean the prodigy thing; I mean how you carry yourself and move. It's like you're scared the world's going to turn on you at the drop of a hat." He was right, though I couldn't tell him why. "I'm not asking to know why you think that; I'm just saying that I see it." He gestured to the screen before us. "This is about keeping yourself safe, isn't it?"

"Yes," I admitted, seeing no point in denying what he'd realised.

"Okay."

I blinked in confusion. "That's it? Just 'okay'?"

"What do you want me to say? That I understand? I don't. That I'm not curious? I am." He shrugged, a small smile touching his lips. "But you're my friend, Marcus, and I trust you."

I smiled, pleased to hear him confirm that we were friends and that he trusted me.

"Besides," David continued, reaching into a bag at the side of his chair. "If you ever do need to disappear, I can help build the tools." He pulled out a device no larger than his thumb and set it down before me. "It's a custom encrypted comm unit that'll use the program we've just created. It should be untraceable and unhackable, and I only intend for there to be two units. Yours and mine."

I picked up the device and slowly turned it over in my hands. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," he replied. "Just promise you won't disappear without telling me beforehand, okay?"

I nodded, confirming I wouldn't. This device would ensure I didn't need to.

"Look, whatever happens, stay in touch, alright?" he said, gesturing at the comm unit in my hand. "Even if you can't tell me anything, even if you don't want me to help, just let me know you're alive."

"I will," I replied, closing my fist gently around the device.

---***---
​

As I prepared for my final exams as a student at Edinburgh, a visitor from ESA arrived. Dr Annelise Bergmann, one of their senior researchers, came to the city, bringing with her new intelligence from Mars. The data was too sensitive for transmission over standard channels, and ESA, along with other agencies, had begun sharing the data via courier.

Along with Dr Okonkwo, I looked over the data she'd brought. The gravitational distortions were growing more severe and less predictable, not that they had ever been predictable before. Nothing about the behaviour made sense, which was driving scientists the world over insane.

"Look at this," Dr Okonkwo said as she rotated the image, revealing geometric patterns beneath the Martian surface. "These aren't random formations. This is architecture."

"Yes, we believe that there's something buried there," Bergmann confirmed.

"How deep?" I asked, even as I felt as if I should already know part of the answer to this mystery, a feeling that had only started once I'd begun looking over the data Dr Bergmann had brought.

"At least fifty metres," Bergmann replied. "We can't be certain of anything further, as the readings are…" She gestured at the displays before us. "Like that."

I nodded, understanding the issue. "They're sending a team?"

"A combined mission with NASA and CNSA," Bergmann confirmed. "We're targeting an arrival in mid-2149 currently, though your work on improved propulsion at high velocities might accelerate the project."

The fact that it was going to take another two years, even with the infrastructure that already existed in the Solar System around Mars and Earth, made it clear that the hurdles I recalled agencies facing in my former life existed in this one. Even with something as attention-grabbing as this, bureaucracy moved more slowly than treacle.

"They're going to find something," I muttered. "Not just the structure, but something inside it that'll change everything."

The two women looked at me, both wondering where my certainty came from. I couldn't explain it; I simply knew that was what was going to happen. I just wished I understood why that was and what it all meant.

---***---
​

I woke with a start, my head pounding and my pulse racing.

It had been years, well over a decade, since I'd last had a nightmare, yet I'd endured one last night. What it had been about didn't linger, which drew a growl of annoyance from me. No, that wasn't quite true; one thing had.

"Prothean," I muttered, the word foreign and familiar on my tongue as I pulled that single scrap of insight from the depths of my mind.

I already knew I wouldn't find it in any language on Earth. It was as alien as Mars was, and yet connected to the red planet somehow. Another layer to the riddle of what I was and why I was here.

I was growing tired of the riddle and the lack of answers, but with a mission to Mars not scheduled for another two years, I knew I'd have to endure it for a while yet. I could only hope that any further insight didn't come in the form of nightmares that didn't remain for me to analyse.

---***---
​

​

 

[loki98065]

welp getting closer. am guessing Q/Rob sectioned of his memory's for a more fun reveal

 

[Gordian_Knot]

Zero-day exploits make no sense in this context.

A zero-day exploit refers to a vulnerability in the code that the initial designer did not recognize before release, and hence has had 'zero days' to patch out.


If there are supposedly no flaws in the code, then there would be no zero-day exploits for anyone to find.


That whole section reads like someone dumping buzz words without having any idea how network security actually works.

 

[USSExplorer]

Zero-day exploits make no sense in this context.

A zero-day exploit refers to a vulnerability in the code that the initial designer did not recognize before release, and hence has had 'zero days' to patch out.


If there are supposedly no flaws in the code, then there would be no zero-day exploits for anyone to find.


That whole section reads like someone dumping buzz words without having any idea how network security actually works.

Click to shrink...

Which I admit was the case. That stuff's outside my understanding, so I just went with what sounded good.
If you can suggest a fix/reworking of that paragraph, I'd be happy to take it and apply it.

 

[Gordian_Knot]

Which I admit was the case. That stuff's outside my understanding, so I just went with what sounded good.
If you can suggest a fix/reworking of that paragraph, I'd be happy to take it and apply it.

Click to shrink...

The thing about digital security is that it's always a trade off. The more secure a system is, the less usable it is.

An air gapped system with no network connections is effectively immune to hacking without physical access, but then you have to be physically present to add or remove files.

A system that wipes itself clean on a failed password is immune to brute force attacks, but one mistake in input, or one hostile agent who cares more about fucking you over than enriching himself, and you lose everything.

You can make it extra resilient by using a 6 million character password, which means brute force attacks take thousands of years even with quantum assistance, but then you have to memorize and input 6 million characters. Which your character could probably do, but that would take literal hours just to type.

You can do specific passwords at specific times, demand it be a different code depending on some biometric data, tie it to the random movements of a wall of lava lamps (real thing Cloudflare uses to generate its encryption keys). There are a hundred ways to keep people out, but the more of them you use the harder it is for you yourself to get back in for what you need.


Honestly? Your best bet? Make a special encryption program that changes its own password every twenty seconds using some sort of higher dimensional math thing that your protagonist can do but VI's can't. Then make a physical device that can automatically generate the password, put another code on top of that output, and keep it on his person at all times.

 

[abominable]

All of them wanted to meet to discuss terms and commitments, though by the end of that week, I'd whittled the list of those worth meeting down to thirty. There were another fifty or so that merited at least a comprehensive response, and more than two hundred more that deserved at least something in reply.

Click to shrink...

Other agencies were also advancing my work in preparation for joint and solo missions to Mars.

Click to shrink...

Might be interesting to just publish certain tech freely, "for all mankind" and build up that political and public good will.

No, I was something far larger, more intelligent, and in many ways, more dangerous.

Click to shrink...

Holy shit, calm down Free Willy. We dont need a cringy teenager phase from ya.

 

[Reynard69]

I had plans regarding AI, though I couldn't tell anyone about them, not even David. The laws and controls around AI, true AI, not mere VIs pushed to their current limits, meant the creation of one was outright prohibited. Warnings from various media over the centuries, along with instances where advanced VI had caused chaos during their initial wide-scale implementation a century ago, had made the world rightfully cautious.

Click to shrink...

they... didn't though? AU element? AI's were banned after learning about the citadels laws, and even then, there was the mission where you have to go in and kill the AI who took over the moon.

Unless you're meaning they're restricted to military, after, say, the someone like the modern corpos ruined the global economy with the VI (ai) bubble?

Oh, and the mass effect revelations book, with Sidon and it's AI.

A system that wipes itself clean on a failed password is immune to brute force attacks, but one mistake in input, or one hostile agent who cares more about fucking you over than enriching himself, and you lose everything.

Click to shrink...

Seems like a bad plan to start with. Why not one that air-gaps itself after bad login's? Then you only have to go reset the connection, when the attempt is over.

 

[Gordian_Knot]

Seems like a bad plan to start with. Why not one that air-gaps itself after bad login's? Then you only have to go reset the connection, when the attempt is over.

Click to shrink...

Still a risk if the intruder has physical access.

Physical access is the second biggest risk in computer security, below only social engineering the human element.

 

[eien]

Welp, if my guess holds true then two more chapters before the crash out.

 

[abominable]

Should expect orgs, corps and other entities to try getting further access into the Hague. If the institute is gonna give the MC a free hand at deciding his projects, then theyre gonna want regular updates.

 

[USSExplorer]

0010: Resolutions
…​

With my final examinations just around the corner, I was in the process of packing up my stuff in the flat the University had given me. It didn't amount to much; I'd already calculated that I'd only need two suitcases and a handful of boxes to get everything back home, and then even less when I moved to the Hague Institute after the summer.

The Institute was arranging accommodation for me, as they did for all their Fellows, and I had a range of options displayed on the screen before me. None of them was unappealing, but several interested me more than the rest. I wanted to be close to the main buildings of the Institute so that I could spend as much time as possible there once I became a Fellow.

A knock at my door interrupted my progress, and when I opened it, I was surprised to see who was standing there.

"We need to talk," Elena said as she moved past me and entered the flat for the first time since that night.

I bit back a retort, choosing instead to close the door and then turn to face her. By then, she'd already sat on the couch and was looking up at me expectantly.

Once I sat down opposite her, she spoke. "Look, this isn't about the sex. I mean, it was good, no, great." I didn't hide my pride at her words. "Better than I expected, in fact, but that's part of what makes you, you."

"It's just that during… everything, you seemed distant," she continued. "Like you were there, but you weren't there. Like your mind was elsewhere, working on equations or something, I don't know." She shrugged.

Sensing she had more to say, I stayed silent, letting her get everything off her chest.

"I thought it was just the same emotional distance you keep from almost everyone," she explained. "I mean, for all your brains, you're still younger than almost anyone here. Even now, when you're almost ready to graduate, you're still barely an adult." She sighed, and I wondered if that was part of what had caused the distance to form between us, or at least had helped add to it. "You know, I thought that, like any guy, you were scared of intimacy and commitment."

"Maybe I am."

The words drew a halting burst of laughter from her.

"Yeah, maybe." She leaned forward, looking me dead in the eye. "But I think it's more than that. Your issue isn't emotional; it's physical." Her eyes moved away for a moment, and when they returned to me, she continued. "You don't want to let anyone in, not even me. It's as if you think we'll get hurt or see something we shouldn't."

"Elena–"

"Let me finish," she cut in, her tone sharpening, though it remained devoid of anger. Even as she half-glared at me, I couldn't help but feel my attraction to her rise. It wasn't merely physical; her mind was what had first drawn me towards her.

"I've been thinking about this for… months," she said slowly. "At first, yeah, I was distant because, well…" She gestured vaguely at me. "The age thing."

"I was an adult."

"I know, but I was five-plus years older than you," she countered. "To anyone else, it would've looked like I was taking advantage of you."

It hadn't been. If anything, I'd taken advantage of her because I was not the inexperienced boy she'd expected. "Who cares what others think?"

"You do." She held my gaze. "You keep saying that you don't care about others, but you do. But it's not because you want to be part of some group. It's like you're watching everyone to keep them away because you have this great secret to hide. Or you're just not after anything serious. At the time, maybe, I'd have been okay with that, but the more I've thought about… us, the more I've come to realise that if this was to keep going, I'd want it to become something more than just an arrangement."

I didn't interrupt as there really wasn't much that I could say. She had come close to the truth, though she remained, thankfully, unaware of the reasons for my distance. I had to keep her and others at arm's length, even if I didn't want to.

"Either way, it makes it impossible for me to get close to you like I want to." Her shoulders slumped. "No, like I wanted to."

She paused there, staring at me as if trying to read my reaction. "I'm not angry, not now," she continued. "I just… I want closure and to know if I was wrong about why you seemed to hold back while we fucked, and afterwards."

"So what is it?" she asked. "Why won't you let me in?"

I was silent for a few moments as I considered my response. "I'm not ready for… what you want," I finally said. It was the truth, but I knew it wasn't the truth she wanted, a truth that I simply couldn't give her. Not now. She was grasping at straws over why I was holding back, and she'd discovered what I was doing, just not the why. Thus, it was better to give her the answer that felt most natural, one that would divert her from delving any deeper into the mystery I represented.

Her shoulders slumped further at my words. "I expected that," she said quietly, looking away for a moment. "I mean, why would you be hiding anything?" I chuckled, ready to deflect further.

"What would I have to hide?"

"Better skills in bed than are fair?" she shot back with a lopsided smile, though it fell a moment later. "But that doesn't mean we can't stay friends, right?"

"I'll take that," I said, and the words seemed to restore some of her vigour. "And maybe, once I'm ready, we can try again."

"Don't tease me, Marcus," she said sharply. "I don't need false hope. I need to move on with my life as you're doing with yours." She glanced towards where the suitcases and boxes, still empty and waiting to be filled, rested against the wall. "That's why I'll be transferring to Valencia this summer."

Her gaze came back to me. "I'm changing tracks: propulsion over astrophysics, and that's all because of you." I smiled slightly at the admission. "But if I stayed here and worked alongside Dr Okonkwo and others, I'd be reminded of you, of what I'd once hoped we'd have." She sighed. "I can't put myself through that, so I'll be going to Valencia to complete my PhD."

"They'll be lucky to have you," I commented honestly. "And if you want, I could give you… pointers."

She wasn't as smart as David, but few normal people were. However, she wasn't dumb; her mind was sharp, as proven by how she'd seen the truth of why I kept my distance without ever being told. With the right guidance, she could make something special of herself, and I was willing to help with that if she'd allow it.

"We'll see," she replied. "I don't know how long it'll take me to be comfortable speaking with you, but give me a few months at least, okay?" I nodded. "Anyway, your graduation will be the last time we see each other for a while."

"Okay."

She stood, and I did likewise, walking with her towards the door. Once there, she paused and placed her hand lightly on my forearm. "Whatever the reason is that you're keeping everyone at arm's length, I hope that it's worth it," she said softly, even as she looked at where she was touching me. "You can't go through life keeping everyone out, Marcus. Sooner or later, you'll have to let someone in to carry whatever it is that you think we're not ready for."

"I will."

She looked up, searched my eyes for something, and then nodded. "Good." She stood on her tiptoes and placed a soft, final kiss against my cheek. "Stay in touch, okay? And don't lose yourself in whatever it is that's keeping you distant."

I watched her walk away down the corridor, and in some ways, out of my life. I wasn't heartbroken, as I'd not been in love, but I understood that the potential for something special had been there. My need to keep my distance from everyone, to hide the truth of what I was and what I knew, had caused her months of hurt and damaged what we had. I hoped we could remain friends, but if she chose to break things off completely, then I'd have to accept it.

---***---
​

Near the end of May, I walked out of my final examination, confident that I'd aced it like I had the others. I chuckled at the thought, knowing that even if I failed every exam this month, I'd still graduate with honours, become a Fellow at The Hague, and have my foot in the door at ESA and elsewhere. Of course, I wouldn't be failing them; the exam was a trivial matter when compared to what I knew, but the idea that my next steps were already confirmed regardless of my performance this month was amusing.

As I walked, other students looked my way. That was hardly a surprise, as my name carried weight on the campus now, and when a group of girls pointed in my direction, giggled and smiled, I returned the smile. I didn't have any interest in taking things beyond that, but after the ending with Elena, the reminder that I was still appealing to others offered a sliver of comfort. My mind was already looking beyond Edinburgh, and there was no point in seeking anything from those here.

***
​

A week after the final exam, I found myself standing before a board composed of members of the faculty of Physics and Engineering. Dr Okonkwo had recused herself from the board, choosing to stand at my side since she couldn't be impartial while the board reviewed my thesis. Her place had been taken by an unexpected outsider: Professor Malcolm Reeves from Imperial College.

My thesis, "Unified Framework for Field-Based Propulsion: Recursive Geometries and Acceleration Dynamics", was beyond reproach, and everyone present knew that. Yet, even with the work being prepared for publication as a joint paper with Okonkwo, we still had to go through the formalities.

The questions the board asked were predictable, and I countered them with ease. Their faces made it clear they expected my counters and accepted them, and it only took the board ten minutes of deliberation before they were ready to pass judgment.

"Mr Sinclair, this is among the strongest theses this department has seen in decades," Dr Henderson, the Head of School for Physics, said. "The work is original, the validation rigorous, and everyone here is already aware of how significant the implications of it are." He paused and looked at the other members of the board. "The only concern is over the pace of your work, and, as is to be expected, your age. To produce this level of insight is something everyone seated here is jealous of. However, those concerns aren't relevant to your thesis. That is why it is our recommendation that you not only graduate, but also receive the Robertson Medal."

I smiled and nodded, while at my side, Dr Okonkwo allowed herself a moment of delight. The Robertson Medal was the highest recognition that could be given to someone studying a traditional science. Dr Okonkwo had already told me I was being considered for the Medal, but it was nice to have the confirmation that I was getting it. It was, however, minor in the grand scheme, another feather in my cap that added weight to my voice and opinions, which would be useful until my work was beyond reproach and others had no choice but to listen when I offered an opinion.

With the thesis accepted, I was free to leave the chamber and did so. Dr Okonkwo stayed behind, saying she needed to speak with the board about something. Each time I gained recognition, it helped her, as she'd forever be the figure who saw my genius and helped it blossom. That I'd intentionally chosen her seminar once I was able to attend was something neither she nor anyone else needed to know. She deserved the credit coming her way.

Once out of the chamber, I wandered aimlessly for a while before finding my way to a nearby café. Like most on the campus, it was staffed not by mobile VIs but by students who wanted to earn extra Credits. Every student's accommodation and tuition were fully funded, with only costs for day-to-day living needing to be handled by the student. A change from my former life, but one I agreed with.

"May I?"

I looked up from my datapad, and the latest reports of trouble on Mars, which now carried a word without meaning in my mind, to find Professor Reeves standing beside my table.

"Of course, Professor," I replied, letting the man, who looked to be in his sixties, sit down at my table.

When the barista came over, he waved her off, making it clear he wasn't there simply to enjoy a coffee. "Let me be blunt," he said once the barista had moved away. "I've been around long enough to have seen several geniuses: both those who didn't deserve the title and those who did. I've supervised future Nobel Laureates and even people who've been recognised as Ascendants. Frankly, from what I saw of your thesis today, and your published papers, I can say that you're different from any of them."

I nodded, but otherwise didn't give any indication that his words were registering. An ego boost from someone I didn't know, even someone with his reputation and position, wasn't something I sought.

"Each of those geniuses was brilliant, but we could comprehend what guided them. You… I think you might be something more: the genius of our age, perhaps." He paused, his eyes studying me intently. "Perhaps I'm overstepping, but from what I've seen so far, I think you have the chance to mark your name in history in a way few others could ever imagine, and I want to see what you accomplish in life, and what wonders you'll unlock for mankind."

"I hope I can live up to your expectations, Professor," I replied calmly, continuing not to give any indication that his words were affecting me.

"As do I." He shifted, and his eyes narrowed. "But know this: you've caught the attention of people far beyond Edinburgh. It's the sort of attention that sees your genius, recognises that you're special, and wants to harness it for their own goals instead of the benefit of all." He paused for a moment as if hoping his words would sink in. "You need to be careful with every decision you make going forward, Mr Sinclair. The world might act like it is unaware of who you are, but those who hold the reins of power, in academia, government, and elsewhere, won't allow someone with your potential to remain anonymous. Particularly with your seeming involvement with whatever is happening on Mars. Eventually, those predators will come forth seeking to claim you for themselves, or destroy you if they can't."

"I appreciate the warning," I said, having already suspected as much, though it was interesting that it had come from a professor at Imperial College.

"It's not a warning. It's a fact."

---***---
​

June saw me back home, moved out of my University flat entirely. Graduation was due to take place in a week, and as I was receiving the Robertson Medal, I was expected to give another speech. I already had that laid out, deciding to enhance what I'd said when I'd graduated from Caledonian Academy two years ago.

Once Mum learnt that I was getting the Medal, she'd begun calling around to our extended family. Most would be coming in for my graduation, but she wanted to invite all of them to dinners to celebrate beforehand. That was why Uncle Robert and his family, and my grandmother from my Mum's side, were present that day.

Robert was my dad's older brother and a lecturer and medical researcher at Glasgow University, while my grandmother was retired and, in her eighties, the matriarch of my mother's side of the family.

"The Hague Institute," Uncle Robert said once I told him and the others where I was heading after the summer. "It's highly prestigious and allows research in almost any field."

They didn't allow AI research, but almost nowhere did. With the Accords restricting the existence and development of AIs, any such research was illegal, though it was claimed that AIs built before the Accords that hadn't been destroyed during the chaos they had unleashed still existed somewhere, secured off any grid.

"It offers what I need, and it comes with the freedom to research without institutional constraints."

"Yeah. I doubt many students would be willing to listen to someone younger than them as their lecturer," Robert commented before chuckling. "Getting them to listen to me can sometimes be a pain."

"But it also means you'll be without connections or support," Mum countered, returning to an argument we'd had before. "You're going to be in a foreign country at sixteen."

"It's only a short flight from here," I replied, ignoring that the flight home would leave from Amsterdam, though the Netherlands' rail network made the journey between the two cities a quick one. "And I'm ready for it."

"Are you?" Her voice tightened. "Because from where I'm sitting, you act like you're always ready for everything except being our son."

The table tensed at her words, though Callum and my cousins at the other table seemed unaware of what was happening. "Fiona–" Dad started.

"No. Someone needs to say it." Mum's eyes didn't leave mine. "I'm proud of you for graduating so young and so quickly, and for making a name for yourself. But you're my son, and you'll be moving out at sixteen, working alongside people twice your age."

They'd likely be close to three times my age in most cases, but I didn't correct her. That would only magnify her concerns.

Dad reached over, placing a comforting hand over Mum's. "We're not trying to hold you back, son," he said gently. "We just want to make sure that you're ready for what's coming. And don't forget to enjoy your life."

Callum, entirely unaware of the reason for the tension and easily distracted by talk of my work, cut in. "Will you really work on spacecraft? Like, actual ships that go to Mars?"

I turned and smiled at him. "Theoretically, yes. The propulsion systems I'm developing could make missions faster and more efficient." I didn't need to say they would be used for Mars missions; he and the rest of my family already knew that. There was little he didn't know since he never seemed to run out of questions about space and my work.

"That's brilliant! Can I visit you at The Hague?"

"Absolutely. Anytime you want." I looked at Mum, smiling. "All of you can," I added, hoping to further ease her worries about me, where I was heading, and what I would do.

I didn't know if it would work, but I wanted them to be happy. I was moving on with my life, even if Mum wanted to hold on to me for a while longer. That didn't mean I would cut them out of my life. It was just that my path was taking me away from them.

I could only hope that it wasn't forever.

---***---
[/CENTER​

​

 

[Axios_Kaier22]

I'm loving the pacing of this story. At first it feels rushed but as we go on it slows down a bit to a more natural pacing and I love it.

I can't wait till the Prothean Archives are unearthed and he gets access to all that knowledge to do with as he pleases.

 

[USSExplorer]

0011: Graduation
…​

I shifted, once more feeling unsettled. Not because I was due to speak before the assembled masses, but because the academic robes I was wearing weren't a comfortable fit. They'd been altered to account for my smaller frame, but they still felt off.

Alongside me on my right, and in the next few rows behind, were the other students who were graduating today, all gaining a Master of Science degree, though where they had taken four to six years, I'd taken two. Some still carried animosity over my accelerated pace, which amused me as I felt I could've finished my degree faster.

The rows after my fellow masters were filled with those gaining their Bachelor's degrees. The faculty, including Dr Okonkwo, were seated in the rows to the left, with a large pathway and staircase between the positions to allow those getting their degrees easy access to the stage where they'd be presented with their qualifications.

The packed hall grew quiet as the University's Chancellor, Sir Ewan Calvin, KBE, moved towards the lectern. That he shared the same given name as my father was slightly amusing, with the name uncommon enough that he was only the third other Ewan I'd ever met.

"Today we gather to celebrate the graduates of Edinburgh's School of Science of 2147," Sir Ewan began. "Every graduate has earned their certification through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Along with the other members of the University's board and the faculty within the School of Science, I offer my congratulations to you all and look forward to seeing what wonderful and amazing things you do in the coming decades."

There was polite clapping at his words, along with a few excited cheers. Somehow, I suspected that Callum was part of the latter group, and that Mum was already working to silence him. I waited my turn, knowing that the presentation of my Medal and the speech I was to give wouldn't come until everyone had gained their degrees.

***
​

It took nearly two hours to reach the point where the last degree was handed out, and many in the chamber were growing antsy. A few with young children had already departed as quietly as they could. Some had returned, but many hadn't, which made sense since expecting children and toddlers to sit quietly for so long was akin to trying to stop the sun rising each morning.

"Now, before we officially commemorate the class of 2147, it is my honour to present this year's Robertson Medal to the most outstanding student among our new Masters of Science."

At Sir Ewan's words, I stood and once more made my way towards the lectern. I could feel the eyes of everyone present on me, with many in the audience no doubt still trying to understand how a man as young as I was could be not just graduating, but receiving such an award.

"The Robertson Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Physical Sciences is awarded each year to the graduate whose work demonstrates both excellence and original contribution to the field," Sir Ewan explained as I moved towards him. "And this year's recipient has achieved something unprecedented."

"Marcus Cormac Sinclair graduated from secondary school at fourteen, before completing his Master's in two years. That alone makes him the fastest to complete a Master's in the University's nearly six-hundred-year history. But it is his other work that has earned him the Robertson Medal."

"He has already published two papers, one as lead author, with a third due out in the autumn, I'm told by his advisor. His work is already creating excitement in the field of interplanetary propulsion and has garnered him international recognition from space agencies and industry leaders alike."

I didn't need to look to know that many watching were likely in shock at the brief synopsis of my time at Edinburgh. Even those who might've heard my name from their children likely didn't realise just how impressive my qualifications already were.

"But more than his youth or his pace," Sir Ewan continued as I reached his side, "what distinguishes Mr Sinclair is the quality of his thinking. His thesis committee described his work as 'paradigm-shifting', and many already expect his name to be one that will redefine his chosen field in the decades to come."

Sir Ewan turned then and moved to place the Medal around my neck. Once he had, the hall filled with polite cheering and clapping, though I clearly heard Callum boasting that I was his brother. Even as the applause continued, Sir Ewan stepped back and allowed me to stand at the lectern.

"Chancellor, faculty, graduates, families. Thank you for this honour," I began, my voice carrying easily to every area of the chamber. "Standing here with the Robertson Medal, I'm acutely aware that I don't fit the expected mould. I'm younger than my peers, and I finished faster. And I know that creates questions."

I paused there, letting the comment settle.

"Some people attribute my achievements to genius, others to the success of the genetic enhancement suite I received as a child." A smile came to my lips. "Some even, I believe, suspect fraud. I've heard all the theories, but the truth is harder for me to explain."

"I've said at times that I see patterns or get insights suddenly that come from nowhere I can explain. What I do know is that my gifts, if we want to call them that, wouldn't have become what they are without the guidance of those who've shaped me into the young man I am today, nor helped me understand the responsibility that all of us who are graduating today now carry."

With the introduction section over, it was time to move into the body of what I wanted to talk about.

"Right now, it feels as if we're living at a pivotal moment in human history. Mars has taken our attention over the last year in a way it hasn't in centuries, as seemingly impossible events are taking place there. In the coming years, we will uncover what mysteries lie within Promethei Planum, and I know that whatever is found, it will change how we understand our place in the universe."

"That's not speculation. That's inevitability."

I looked at the crowd, noting that many seemed almost dismissive of me. That made sense; why should they trust the confident words of a sixteen-year-old, even one who had published papers that mattered? Still, I knew why I was giving this speech: ever since that word, Prothean, had come forth from my nightmares, I knew it was linked to Mars. How long it would take for me to understand what it meant remained unclear, but at least now I had a thread of where the danger in space started.

"The question we'll face is what to do with this new knowledge," I continued. "How do we prepare for a future we can't predict? The answer is that we continue to learn, to question, and to build in preparation. Not because we know what's coming, but because something is coming."

"The work I've done and published isn't about clever mathematics. It's about giving humanity options so that when we encounter technologies we don't understand, we will hopefully have the frameworks to comprehend them. Failing that, that we will at least begin to see new horizons and opportunities that might unlock a future none of us could've imagined. We will need the tools to enter this future, and that is what education is for. It's not for exams and memorising facts. No, it is about pushing our understanding into the unknown. To brave new frontiers with conviction and belief."

Knowing I couldn't linger on the message I wanted to deliver, I shifted to my closing.

"To my fellow graduates: you've spent years becoming experts; now you need to forget that expertise. The next decade is going to present us all with problems that weren't in any textbook or examination. Our task will be to find answers when we might not fully understand the questions, even as they come at us without patience.

"To the faculty, I offer my thanks on behalf of every one of us who is graduating today, those who came before, and those who will come after. You taught us how to think rather than what to think, and that is a gift that we will pass on to those who follow us.

"And to our families, thank you for the support and dedication you've shown in helping all of us reach this point. Science doesn't pay as some other fields do, but the work we're going to start is going to matter."

"Lastly, to those who haven't yet entered university, or are toiling to move through the system, I say this: don't let anyone tell you that you're too young, too inexperienced, or too different. If you see something others don't, trust that vision. The world needs people who see what isn't there yet."

I took one final pause. "We graduate today into a world of uncertainty. I don't know what the future holds; none of us do. What I do know is that the next era of human civilisation is going to be extraordinary. Thank you."

I stepped back from the lectern as the audience clapped. It wasn't cheerful, excited applause, which had been my intent. Mars was the key; I could feel it in my bones, but I had to hedge how much I said to avoid sounding as if I knew what was coming. I didn't, even though it felt like I should. All I could hope for was that in the years to come, people would look back on this speech, and the one at Caledonian, and sense that I had some insight and belief about the future, and from that they would listen to me as my fame grew.

***
​

After the ceremony, there was a reception where parents and visitors could mingle with the graduating students. I moved through it carefully, seeking out my family, though several people, be they fellow students or others, came over to talk with me for a moment.

"You essentially told them to prepare for a paradigm shift." I turned at the familiar voice. "A bold claim to make for someone most would dismiss because of your age."

"Bold, but accurate, Professor," I replied to Professor Reeves. "And perhaps it will serve to make those who might be interested in me more wary of their next move."

"We can only hope so," he responded, hopefully recalling the warning he'd given me after my thesis defence. "And sooner rather than later if your thoughts on Mars hold true."

"Mr Sinclair." The call of my name cut in before I could respond. Turning, I saw someone I didn't recognise approaching; the drone above them made it clear they were a reporter since only the press had permission to use those damn things today. "Can I ask about your Mars comments?"

I offered a curt smile and then turned. I had no interest in dealing with him and those like him today; plus the faint buzzing the drone made irritated me. That others failed to hear it, or found it far less unsettling, was one of the few downsides of my enhanced frame.

"Media requests go through the University's press office." The statement came from Dr Okonkwo as she moved closer, her brow creased as she glared at the reporter. "This was made clear before the ceremony."

The reporter wisely chose to back off at her warning, and once he and his drone were gone, she turned to me with a warmer expression. "That speech might well be quoted. Was that on purpose?"

"Partially," I replied as Professor Reeves hovered nearby. "We both know that what's happening on Mars is going to shake humanity to its core. When it does, everyone's going to be curious about those who felt that way before and had some purpose in bringing the revelations to light."

Her eyes narrowed at my answer. "I don't know whether to call that clever or terrifying."

"Both," Professor Reeves offered. "And also wise. It will show everyone that you're able to play the games of academia and politics; I just suspect most will be surprised that you're starting so early."

I shrugged. "I have to start sometime."

---***---
​

I arrived home a few days later, the smell of Mum's cooking reaching me even before I opened the door. Most of my stuff had already been brought back, and the suitcase I carried held the last of my belongings. The Robertson Medal, along with my degree, was already at home; Mum was eager to frame them in the living room. The datapad I'd had as a child was with me too, its security upgraded with the program I'd crafted with David. It still held everything I remembered about my former life, what was different in this timeline, and the work I was preparing to publish over the next few years. Much of the work stored there would see me step out of my current field, but I had to ease into each new discipline carefully, which would take time and coordination.

The comms device David had made was in my pocket; it had never left my side since he'd given it to me, though outside of a few tests, it hadn't been used much. I was certain that would change in the coming years.

The Hague had already confirmed my new apartment, though I wouldn't be moving into it for a while. I'd chosen to spend the time at home, ensuring this last summer was spent with my family. I hoped to come home regularly in the coming years, but there was a chance that my work would keep me away from them, or that I'd be forced to maintain distance to keep them safe.

When I did head over, they'd come with me as it would help ease more of Mum's worry. Callum was excited to see where I'd be working, though I'd not be starting until after they left. Keira pretended to be uninterested in visiting the Netherlands, but I'd overheard her talking with friends about what to do there, and not all of their suggestions were things Mum would approve of. I wasn't telling on her as she should enjoy her time; once she graduated, the freedom of youth would be lost before she realised it.

"There you are," Dad said as I entered the living room, not moving from his seat as he watched football on the wall-mounted display. "Your stuff?"

"In the hall," I replied as I moved towards the couch.

"Go see your mother," he said before I could sit, his voice carrying his pride. "She's in the kitchen, as you can smell."

I nodded, already certain what she was making. Lasagne was my favourite dish across two lifetimes, and Mum's was the best version of it I'd come across.

"I'm home," I called out as I entered the room, noting that Keira was helping out for once.

"Marcus." Mum turned at the sound of my voice and moved to hug me, not caring that she was wearing oven mitts. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too."

She stepped back, moving to the oven to pull out dinner, which allowed Keira to come closer. "You were right, you know," she whispered. "I realised it when I left for uni," she explained with an understanding smile. "I thought I'd come home often, but as the months passed, I came back less."

I nodded, understanding why that was. University was where you stopped being a child and started becoming an adult. You'd never stop being the son or daughter of your parents, but it was time to step into the world under your own power. That, and in Keira's case, I suspected it was because she was often out with friends enjoying Aberdeen, if not taking a train down to Edinburgh to explore the capital's nightlife.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked, teasing her gently.

"I'm saying it's normal," she answered with a smile. "You're allowed to leave and not look back. Mum and Dad will survive." She paused. "Just don't forget us entirely, yeah? We're still your family, even after you become famous because of that mind of yours."

"Well, I remember Mum and Dad at least. Maybe even Callum."

She gave me a shoulder-shove. "Prat."

***
​

After dinner, as I helped Dad wash the dishes, he glanced at the door to the living room. "I've transferred funds to your account," he said quietly, as if not wanting Mum to hear. "I know they're giving you a stipend and whatnot, but…"

"Thanks," I replied with a smile. "I'll be careful."

I shouldn't need the money, as the Institute would fund almost everything, and I would be getting increased pay from ESA, Cord-Hislop, and others I had agreed to consult for. Still, it never hurt to have extra sources of finance.

"I know you will, son." He paused and grasped my shoulder. "You've always been mature for your age, and I'm proud of the man you're becoming. Just don't forget that you're not there yet. If you ever need to come home, if you ever need your parents, we'll be here."

"Thanks."

He chuckled. "Maybe find yourself a girl as well. I know you were young, but I can't believe that you went through uni without enjoying yourself." He sighed dramatically. "It makes me feel like I failed as your father."

I laughed, accepting the teasing. I'd not told anyone about Elena: first because I wasn't sure what we were after that night before New Year, and then, once she made clear she was leaving, because it was old news. Perhaps David, Lars, and others had realised something had happened between us, but none of them had prodded me about it, for which I was grateful.

"Still, if you can, do something without thinking it through for me, okay?" he continued. "I don't want to get a call saying you've been arrested, but if you can, try to act your age once in a while."

"I'll try, but you do know that everyone I'll be working with is closer to your age than mine?"

He pulled back, stumbling as if wounded. "The pain!" I laughed at his exaggerated reaction.

"I know your new colleagues are going to be older, but they're not the only people in the city," he continued. "There are universities in The Hague. I know none of them will be as smart as you, but try to make some friends there. Ones who are interested in you for you, and not for your work."

"I'll try."

He nodded, pleased with his little speech. I knew Mum would worry about me later, likely repeating her fears about me moving abroad all over again. She'd done so a few times already, and I didn't expect her to stop even if I was a decade older: it was her right as my mother to do so.

I'd also make time to come home as much as the work allowed.

---***---
​

 

[abominable]

Anyone how involved the world militaries currently are with the Mars mission? MC should consider opportunities to foster connections with them as early as is feasible. He'll need to collaborate with them eventually.

 

[Reynard69]

He smiled. "Maybe find a girl as well. The idea that you went through uni without having fun." He paused and shook his head. "I've failed as a father."

I laughed gently, enjoying the teasing. He didn't know about Elena; neither did Mum. I didn't want that pressure added to the situation, and now that we were just friends, there was little need to tell them.

Click to shrink...

why not though? it wouldn't put pressure on them, it'd relieve dad. And it wouldn't really put pressure on Elena either, as relationships in college being short is largely expected. Unless it's the part where she's 19 or 20, and you're 16?

 

[USSExplorer]

Anyone how involved the world militaries currently are with the Mars mission? MC should consider opportunities to foster connections with them as early as is feasible. He'll need to collaborate with them eventually.

Click to shrink...

Given how involved they are in real-life NASA/ESA/CSA? Probably a fair bit.
And he'll get those opportunities once the Mars issues advance near the end of this year (2147), along with one hell of a shock when the "announcement" of what's causing the issues on Mars is made. (Fair moment for him to freak out, I'd say.)

Unless it's the part where she's 19 or 20, and you're 16?

Click to shrink...

That (she's a postgrad, so try 22+), and well... who wants to tell their mum about their first time? (or deal with the questions of if she's a 'nice girl' and having her think about grandchildren)

 

[abominable]

what's causing the issues on Mars is made

Click to shrink...

Maybe they can find the Crucible plans right away.

 

[noblej7]

Given how involved they are in real-life NASA/ESA/CSA? Probably a fair bit.
And he'll get those opportunities once the Mars issues advance near the end of this year (2147), along with one hell of a shock when the "announcement" of what's causing the issues on Mars is made. (Fair moment for him to freak out, I'd say.)



That (she's a postgrad, so try 22+), and well... who wants to tell their mum about their first time? (or deal with the questions of if she's a 'nice girl' and having her think about grandchildren)

Click to shrink...

Considering how much harder genuine relationships are to create once you're older and you're either stuck with worries of gold digging if successful or treating you like you're worthless for not having the gold... The only half decent friendships that actually do social anything outside of a work Christmas dinner are a handful of school or college buddies.. and the opposite sex friends drift away from marriage and careers. It's honestly arguably his best chance for a ride or die relationship that's not going to leave him wondering if they are just his friend /girlfriend because money/prestige and leave him as soon as more convenient to do so then stay ..
And utterly regret every phone number of a friend lost because you couldn't remember and the phone died and were never been able to reconnect again... It sucks ..
Particularly when you're friends are introverts that won't feel comfortable contacting you after such a long period of no messages.
Good luck MC. May you cultivate at least some friends and maybe a girlfriend before fame and fortune nake that near impossible.

 

[USSExplorer]

Maybe they can find the Crucible plans right away.

Click to shrink...

God, did I hate the ending of ME3.
And, well, Marcus might not remember that the Crucible came from Mars. I honestly forgot that when I started, as it's been years (a decade?) since I last played any of the games.

 

[abominable]

God, did I hate the ending of ME3.
And, well, Marcus might not remember that the Crucible came from Mars. I honestly forgot that when I started, as it's been years (a decade?) since I last played any of the games.

Click to shrink...

More like if the crew on Mars has the tech, time and motivation to be properly thorough, they could find the crucible.

Theyd certainly have the motivation at least. Considering what's on Mars, Earth would want to scour every inch for whatever tech or knowledge is lying around or hidden within.

The knowledge, tech and credentials to access any stored data remains arguably the biggest hurdle, and which the MC is ideally the one with the greatest chances of solving.

 

[eien]

God, did I hate the ending of ME3.
And, well, Marcus might not remember that the Crucible came from Mars. I honestly forgot that when I started, as it's been years (a decade?) since I last played any of the games.

Click to shrink...

Or, and here me out, this is your chance to do the original ending for ME that the studio axed bc the fans guessed it early.

I.e. the Reapers are Lovecraftian machines culling races due to their use of Element Zero which is causing the heat death/entropy of the universe to accelerate quicker.

Their literal original purpose is the preservation of the universe for as long as possible and no single species is considered important enough to spare if they start using ME tech.

 

[USSExplorer]

More like if the crew on Mars has the tech, time and motivation to be properly thorough, they could find the crucible.

Click to shrink...

Part of why they didn't was, iirc, the Asari making a law (and ignoring it themselves because they hid Vigil), that Prothean relics weren't to be investigated too deeply.

the Reapers are Lovecraftian machines culling races due to their use of Element Zero which is causing the heat death/entropy of the universe to accelerate quicker.

Click to shrink...

If that's the case, then why leave the Relays around, or any traces of eezo? Both endings had flaws, and delving into the lore of why the Reapers did what they did only weakened them, imo.

 

[abominable]

Part of why they didn't was, iirc, the Asari making a law (and ignoring it themselves because they hid Vigil), that Prothean relics weren't to be investigated too deeply.

Click to shrink...

And MC can, ideally, hopefully, help them find all that data before the Citadel can lay down the law.

 

[Reynard69]

Part of why they didn't was, iirc, the Asari making a law (and ignoring it themselves because they hid Vigil), that Prothean relics weren't to be investigated too deeply.

Click to shrink...

eeeeh, the law is kinda the opposite. It's that anyone who finds a prothean beacon has to turn it over to the galactic community for study and dissemination. Which, is blatant hypocracy, as they apparently use the one on thessia to keep JUUUUUUUST ahead of the Salarians, but not any faster.

Dumb bitches coulda picked up where the Protheans left off within a generation of Athame dying. But noooooo.

Ah well, couldn't have had humanity in the picture if they'd done it properly.

 

[USSExplorer]

And MC can, ideally, hopefully, help them find all that data before the Citadel can lay down the law.

Click to shrink...

Or just find some way to get a copy before everything is handed over to the Citadel.

Which, is blatant hypocracy, as they apparently use the one on thessia to keep JUUUUUUUST ahead of the Salarians, but not any faster.
Dumb bitches coulda picked up where the Protheans left off within a generation of Athame dying. But noooooo.

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Yeah, learning that in ME3 half-made me want to let the Reapers take the planet. Save that it would've meant, in real terms, a shit-ton more Banshees, and those were a fucking pain to deal with.

Though I wonder how Marcus is going to use that knowledge to 'fuck' with the Asari.

eeeeh, the law is kinda the opposite. It's that anyone who finds a prothean beacon has to turn it over to the galactic community for study and dissemination.

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I'll have to look the law up on the wiki to check, but if that were so, then, in theory, the Asari had the Cruible designs for decades and did nothing. And it means the mission to Mars in ME3 would've been redundant if those blue bitches had simply told Shepard that.

 

[abominable]

I'll have to look the law up on the wiki to check, but if that were so, then, in theory, the Asari had the Cruible designs for decades and did nothing. And it means the mission to Mars in ME3 would've been redundant if those blue bitches had simply told Shepard that.

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It's been years since I did my last playthrough with all the ME3 DLCs and expansions, but iirc the Crucible design itself was only on mars. So if the mars beacon was already handed over, then that means the crucible plans themselves were in something else.

Otherwise, wouldnt Liara have been doing her search back in Asari space instead of Mars? She'd have enjoyed better access to the source and to other Prothean experts back home.

 

[loki98065]

eeeeh, the law is kinda the opposite. It's that anyone who finds a prothean beacon has to turn it over to the galactic community for study and dissemination. Which, is blatant hypocracy, as they apparently use the one on thessia to keep JUUUUUUUST ahead of the Salarians, but not any faster.

Dumb bitches coulda picked up where the Protheans left off within a generation of Athame dying. But noooooo.

Ah well, couldn't have had humanity in the picture if they'd done it properly.

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agreed very stupid. dangers of long lived races i guess.nwver understood how they could have it for so long and not even find a hint of why they were given it, but ill put that one on both the protiens and asrir stupidity.
buttttttt you know the reapers would have mind whamyed them if they started to look like a real threat.

 

[eien]

Part of why they didn't was, iirc, the Asari making a law (and ignoring it themselves because they hid Vigil), that Prothean relics weren't to be investigated too deeply.


If that's the case, then why leave the Relays around, or any traces of eezo? Both endings had flaws, and delving into the lore of why the Reapers did what they did only weakened them, imo.

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My thinking is that they still need to travel the galaxy, and it's used as a early warning system if anyone is using ME tech bc you have to use eezo to even operate a relay.

Kinda like leaving a tech trap bc you assume the aliens are going to go down that tech tree anyways so might as well speed that process along. And as soon as they use your dark energy highway it pings your system. Then you wait for most of the galaxy to be discovered so you can get the most aliens in one go.

 

[USSExplorer]

It's been years since I did my last playthrough with all the ME3 DLCs and expansions,

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I never got through all the DLC. The need to play online to get a 'good' ending, and then having to endure the 3-colour choice, made it hard to ever go back to the series. Yet here I am, a decade later, writing in the setting (again).

Otherwise, wouldnt Liara have been doing her search back in Asari space instead of Mars? She'd have enjoyed better access to the source and to other Prothean experts back home.

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You'd think so, but she was just a child by Asari standards, and her mother had sided with Saren. I suspect the Asari Matriarchs didn't look favourably on her, so even if the Asari had some knowledge, I doubt they'd share it with her.

buttttttt you know the reapers would have mind whamyed them if they started to look like a real threat.

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Might be why the Asari advanced so freaking slowly. A failed attempt to delay the inevitable until they were ready, but they never were.

My thinking is that they still need to travel the galaxy, and it's used as an early warning system if anyone is using ME tech bc you have to use eezo to even operate a relay.

Kinda like leaving a tech trap bc you assume the aliens are going to go down that tech tree anyways so might as well speed that process along. And as soon as they use your dark energy highway it pings your system. Then you wait for most of the galaxy to be discovered so you can get the most aliens in one go.

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So, eezo is leading to of the universe, but to stop new races using it, they left in place a network that relied on massive quantities of that very substance?
And potentially did the same in other galaxies?

It seems that regardless of what lore there was for the Reapers' reasons, it has logic holes. Hence why I'm not doing ot care about understanding their reasons. Just stopping them without maknig a 3-colour choice if possible.