Margin of Error

[Reynard69]

A fleeting memory covering how biotics were first discovered and created on Earth. Accidents that, considering the matter more closely, likely weren't accidents at all. Those would happen here. Could I stop them? Should I? Could I adapt my body to accept eezo?

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SPEAKING OF THAT....

Useful to have a friend like Lars, no?

Anyway, we've had cloning for 40+ years, human clones for almost as long though, hoo, the ethical issues, and this story has noted Mass Effect's advanced genetic engineering as a public service. Best way to go about it, would be to have someone use mass tissue cloning and expose each to small amounts of eezo dust. You should find out pretty quickly which cultures are the 5/8 who suffer horrible cancer, 2/8 who have no reaction, and, if the cloned cultires have nerves, which are the 1/8 who have a biotic reaction.

When you know those 3(1?)/8, you can start more focused testing for clone cultures which have the best biotic reactions, and start looking for volunteers.

 

[eien]

SPEAKING OF THAT....

Useful to have a friend like Lars, no?

Anyway, we've had cloning for 40+ years, human clones for almost as long though, hoo, the ethical issues, and this story has noted Mass Effect's advanced genetic engineering as a public service. Best way to go about it, would be to have someone use mass tissue cloning and expose each to small amounts of eezo dust. You should find out pretty quickly which cultures are the 5/8 who suffer horrible cancer, 2/8 who have no reaction, and, if the cloned cultires have nerves, which are the 1/8 who have a biotic reaction.

When you know those 3(1?)/8, you can start more focused testing for clone cultures which have the best biotic reactions, and start looking for volunteers.

Click to shrink...

...Clone Wars is an option.

Optimize the templet and print that mf'er to counter the reapers.

Call them, I dont know, Helldivers.

 

[Reynard69]

...Clone Wars is an option.

Optimize the templet and print that mf'er to counter the reapers.

Call them, I dont know, Helldivers.

Click to shrink...

while fun, nah. The point of the clone testing would be to find which genetics work best with eezo. Once you have that figured out, you move onto medical nanites. None of that nonsense Jack had to deal with. Build the eezo nodes thoroughout the body deliberately. And maybe add a bit of electric eel genetics so that your biotics don't have to deal with painful feedback from the nodes discharging after use, same way a ships drive core needs to discharge. Kaiden played it for a joke, but the books about biotic training say it's NASTY.

 

[Abba is the best]

I've heard of that, but never watched it. When it first came out, I preferred live-action sci-fi, and when they remade it (based on wiki details), I never watched. Never was an anime/manga person, tbh.

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I would suggest trying the music at the very least, some of it can be hit or miss, but its far more on the hit side than the miss, great for just leaving in the background.

 

[eien]

while fun, nah. The point of the clone testing would be to find which genetics work best with eezo. Once you have that figured out, you move onto medical nanites. None of that nonsense Jack had to deal with. Build the eezo nodes thoroughout the body deliberately. And maybe add a bit of electric eel genetics so that your biotics don't have to deal with painful feedback from the nodes discharging after use, same way a ships drive core needs to discharge. Kaiden played it for a joke, but the books about biotic training say it's NASTY.

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oh i meant more along the lines of the Guard from 40k. Enough gunk in the treads can stop a tank kinda of mentality.

Essentially disposable cannon fodder for the husks and other Reaper ground troops.

 

[Reynard69]

oh i meant more along the lines of the Guard from 40k. Enough gunk in the treads can stop a tank kinda of mentality.

Essentially disposable cannon fodder for the husks and other Reaper ground troops.

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eeeh, but even the guard was less than a % of the imperium's total population. The problem of "drown them in numbers" is even under growth acceleration, clones take years to produce, years more to train, and you have to pay for them until they're needed for the meat-grinder.

Offering the entire population a gene-mod and equippable bio-chips will get you a larger population of users, who're probably better skilled, which, neat thing, you make money FROM rather than having to pay FOR.

Even for people who don't want it, it'd work like IPhone adoption. It starts small, the users become celebrities, it gets popular, and soon companies are asking why you don't have it and offering it as part of advancement/promotion packages.

 

[Arimai]

oh i meant more along the lines of the Guard from 40k. Enough gunk in the treads can stop a tank kinda of mentality.

Essentially disposable cannon fodder for the husks and other Reaper ground troops.

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Disposable humanoid troops will shatter humanity's morale

 

[eien]

eeeh, but even the guard was less than a % of the imperium's total population. The problem of "drown them in numbers" is even under growth acceleration, clones take years to produce, years more to train, and you have to pay for them until they're needed for the meat-grinder.

Offering the entire population a gene-mod and equippable bio-chips will get you a larger population of users, who're probably better skilled, which, neat thing, you make money FROM rather than having to pay FOR.

Even for people who don't want it, it'd work like IPhone adoption. It starts small, the users become celebrities, it gets popular, and soon companies are asking why you don't have it and offering it as part of advancement/promotion packages.

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Its a legitimate long term issue. The MC doesnt have enough bodies for the future war. Lets assume the Managed Democracy going on right now has stabilized the planetary population at 10 billion people, assuming equal age distributions, gender, ect. even if the War in Heaven doesn't start for 40 years and every available person was having kids non stop wed cap out at about 60 billion people (assuming no one dies leading up to the WiH).

So if the MC is going to participate in the WiH, then he either needs to grow, manufacture, or convince the soldiers of that future war. And thats only taking into account the ground front. The ME universe always felt under populated even in the lore/codex/books.

 

[Reynard69]

Its a legitimate long term issue. The MC doesnt have enough bodies for the future war. Lets assume the Managed Democracy going on right now has stabilized the planetary population at 10 billion people, assuming equal age distributions, gender, ect. even if the War in Heaven doesn't start for 40 years and every available person was having kids non stop wed cap out at about 60 billion people (assuming no one dies leading up to the WiH).

So if the MC is going to participate in the WiH, then he either needs to grow, manufacture, or convince the soldiers of that future war. And thats only taking into account the ground front. The ME universe always felt under populated even in the lore/codex/books.

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Only 60? I mean, in practical terms the actual buildup of humanities planetary colonies will slow shit alot, but if people are having kids as fast as possible, we have medieval china and the US frontier to go off of. 12 kids in a family isn't entirely possible, and a generation at 18 years rather than 25-36 isn't unreasonable. 180 or more, assuming expansion of infrastructure and transportation aren't issues, (which they will be).

Getting enough Eezo for either clone troopers or gen pop bio-mods would be the real problem.

Personally, I'd sidestep the entire problem harvest relays and turn the entire sector into massive O'Neil ships. If anyone at all is saved from this reaping, it'd be the Krogan, Drell, Elcor and Quarians. Even then, the quarians and Krogan would be screened.

 

[USSExplorer]

while fun, nah. The point of the clone testing would be to find which genetics work best with eezo. Once you have that figured out, you move onto medical nanites. None of that nonsense Jack had to deal with. Build the eezo nodes thoroughout the body deliberately. And maybe add a bit of electric eel genetics so that your biotics don't have to deal with painful feedback from the nodes discharging after use, same way a ships drive core needs to discharge. Kaiden played it for a joke, but the books about biotic training say it's NASTY.

Click to shrink...

On the point of eezo and biotics, go and examine the timeline for ME.
Miranda was born before the Singapore incident, and it wasn't until much later that humanity discovered the concept of biotics.
So, either those making the timeline weren't paying attention (most likely), or they're suggesting that it's possible to graft biotics onto a suitably enhanced frame (doubtful, but Marcus might be able ot use that).

 

[USSExplorer]

Its a legitimate long term issue. The MC doesnt have enough bodies for the future war. Lets assume the Managed Democracy going on right now has stabilized the planetary population at 10 billion people, assuming equal age distributions, gender, ect. even if the War in Heaven doesn't start for 40 years and every available person was having kids non stop wed cap out at about 60 billion people (assuming no one dies leading up to the WiH).

Click to shrink...

On those points, there's a literal codex index of how the Council races consider humanity a sleeping giant. We only have 3% of our population serving, which is far lower than the other races. And, well, we invented the ideas of carriers and other shit to get around the Treaty on dreadnoughts.
So there's room for Marcus to exploit there, with the right comment/push to the right person/Admiral in these early days.

The ME universe always felt under populated even in the lore/codex/books.

Click to shrink...

Sort of hand-waved away with the Citadel law on no opening Relays when you don't know what's on the other side. There are still ways to correct that, but it's implied for "reasons" that the Council races never did so.

massive O'Neil ships

Click to shrink...

I will avoid the usual gif at the mention of O'Neil stations/ships and go with this:

(Thank you, Netflix, for giving me all 10 seasons of SG-1 to watch. Shame it isn't scaled up for modern TVs)

Getting enough Eezo for either clone troopers or gen pop bio-mods would be the real problem.

Click to shrink...

Which means going other routes for supersoliders.
(and why so many old stories loved dropping the Master Chief in ME and watching him go to town on missions. Not much use against Reapers in space, though)

 

[eien]

On those points, there's a literal codex index of how the Council races consider humanity a sleeping giant. We only have 3% of our population serving, which is far lower than the other races. And, well, we invented the ideas of carriers and other shit to get around the Treaty on dreadnoughts.
So there's room for Marcus to exploit there, with the right comment/push to the right person/Admiral in these early days.


Sort of hand-waved away with the Citadel law on no opening Relays when you don't know what's on the other side. There are still ways to correct that, but it's implied for "reasons" that the Council races never did so.


I will avoid the usual gif at the mention of O'Neil stations/ships and go with this:

(Thank you, Netflix, for giving me all 10 seasons of SG-1 to watch. Shame it isn't scaled up for modern TVs)

Which means going other routes for supersoliders.
(and why so many old stories loved dropping the Master Chief in ME and watching him go to town on missions. Not much use against Reapers in space, though)

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Ahh, the quality v. quantity debate. MC cant produce the theoretical quantity of the Reapers (ignore that theyve had at least 1,000,000,000 years to develop their tech) so he's got to hard focus on building tall and with quality. Honestly if thats the case he needs to find a planet off the network, like reach from halo, and build into a wunderkind world with the sole focus of development.

 

[Reynard69]

On the point of eezo and biotics, go and examine the timeline for ME.
Miranda was born before the Singapore incident, and it wasn't until much later that humanity discovered the concept of biotics.
So, either those making the timeline weren't paying attention (most likely), or they're suggesting that it's possible to graft biotics onto a suitably enhanced frame (doubtful, but Marcus might be able ot use that).

Click to shrink...

Yeah, heard that a few times. I always figured that the Singapore incident was no more an accident than the others were, and daddy Lawson already knew about biotics from data in the mars archive. He's supposed to be the primary sugar-daddy for Cerberus, and you don't get there without being "my company has a bigger GDP than most countries" and political influence to match.

 

[USSExplorer]

Honestly if thats the case he needs to find a planet off the network, like reach from halo, and build into a wunderkind world with the sole focus of development.

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Aye, but that only really works after FCW, when the Council 'gives' the Alliance the Attican Traverse (?), though that was also done to fuck with those four-eyed bugs known as Batarians.
(Such a nice move by the Citadel, giving the Alliance live-fire targets. What could possibly go wrong with Marcus likely pushing/building a stronger more dangerous Alliance navy?)

He's supposed to be the primary sugar-daddy for Cerberus, and you don't get there without being "my company has a bigger GDP than most countries" and political influence to match.

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It was him and Cord-Hislop who are implied to back Cerberus, and Lawson only did so, I believe, because of Miranda. Or to spite her. I'd have to read the lore and see what's not said as much as what is.

I always figured that the Singapore incident was no more an accident than the others were, and daddy Lawson already knew about biotics from data in the Mars archive.

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I think Singapore was an accident. Everything after? Yeah, too many too often when people knew what happened for it to be anything other than deliberate.
By whom, however, is another matter, but Lawson would've benefited from it for certain.

 

[Reynard69]

Aye, but that only really works after FCW, when the Council 'gives' the Alliance the Attican Traverse (?),

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it works easier BEFORE. Humanity was already expanding into the traverse moving in all directions at breakneck speed, when they should have been focusing on building up planets. There's no need to spread out as far/fast as possible unless you're trying to give a planet/continent to every ethnic group. Having "colonies" of 50 people in a trailor on an entire planet is absolutely retarded.

 

[USSExplorer]

it works easier BEFORE.

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Except that all eezo and exploration is controlled by the Alliance (or that's how I interpret the reason for the Alliance existing back then). After FCW, there's more eezo to buy, and it's outside the Alliance's control in most cases.
After, yeah, they race out but are the nbound by Citadel laws about open Relays, so the focus would be on what they already discovered, and what the Council revealed to them in the Traverse.

Shouldn't be too hard to find a useful system off the beaten track, in the backend of nowhere, at that point.


The lack of lore in this timeframe leaves a lot of movement to exploit/expand/adjust if you're willing to dive into it.
Which I've done, though have to rework how I wrote a lot of it after early critques and opinions.

 

[eien]

Except that all eezo and exploration is controlled by the Alliance (or that's how I interpret the reason for the Alliance existing back then). After FCW, there's more eezo to buy, and it's outside the Alliance's control in most cases.
After, yeah, they race out but are the nbound by Citadel laws about open Relays, so the focus would be on what they already discovered, and what the Council revealed to them in the Traverse.

Shouldn't be too hard to find a useful system off the beaten track, in the backend of nowhere, at that point.


The lack of lore in this timeframe leaves a lot of movement to exploit/expand/adjust if you're willing to dive into it.
Which I've done, though have to rework how I wrote a lot of it after early critques and opinions.

Click to shrink...

guess it really depends on how the MC paths this. If he decides to solo shadow council this then yea after FCW would make the most sense with any contacts he has to fund it. If he's willing to attach himself to upper level govt officials then he could probably pull a star trek section 31 and be working in the background before the FCW.

 

[USSExplorer]

guess it really depends on how the MC paths this. If he decides to solo shadow council this then yea after FCW would make the most sense with any contacts he has to fund it. If he's willing to attach himself to upper level govt officials then he could probably pull a star trek section 31 and be working in the background before the FCW.

Click to shrink...

 

[eien]

Click to shrink...

...MC about to pull a Harry Seldon and have two foundations without either one knowing about the other.

 

[Arimai]

supersoliders

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Supersoldiers

Solider is the comparative for more solid

reach from halo

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Is in Epsilon Eridani 10 light years from Sol

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: So, I'm back to publishing this story.
In the time spent sorting out the chapters going forward, I've also gone back and rewritten everything from 0000 through to 0011. They should be less problematic than before.
Also, the redrafts (as I'm calling everything from 0016 forward), have seen ~7 chapters removed from the current overall count (which is in mid-2152).
It's still a low-burn story, designed to handle a lot of worldbuilding, but it should run a little smoother now. Or so I hope

---

0016: Fragments
…​

The Monday after the reveal of Element Zero marked my first day back at the Institute, and everything felt different. For years I'd wondered why I sensed a threat up there, among the stars, and now I knew. It added weight to everything I saw, heard, or did, and it would take time for me to fully adjust.

Ideally, I'd have taken a few more days to do so, but if I remained silent during these early moments, I risked being excluded from discussions that were only beginning but would shape everything going forward. If I was to have any chance at changing the future, I had to be there from day one.

As I looked at myself in my mirror, I realised how bad I looked. I was paler and thinner than I'd been last week, far more than a mere migraine could be responsible for. I'd have to recraft my explanation, but it would grant me some leeway to explain my silence over the weekend.

***
​

The morning passed with me alone in my office. I heard other Fellows passing by, their voices carrying to me even though the door was closed. All of them were talking about the announcement, though obviously none understood the full implications of what it meant; hell, few were even close in their speculations.

Hoping to avoid the crowd, I headed to the common room near my office early and managed to reach it without running into anyone. My heightened senses allowed me to avoid such unwanted interactions.

As my meal was heating, I turned on the wall-embedded screen. As I'd expected, even if I'd hoped otherwise, almost every station was talking about Element Zero. Discussions continued over what it all meant for humanity and our future. Such talk was only natural, but part of me wanted it to stop.

"Marcus?" Dr Cardoso's voice reached me before I could be drawn into a doom spiral over the future. I turned to face her as she entered, and the sight of me caused her expression to shift. "Are you alright? You look terrible."

"A migraine that turned into something worse," I replied, using the truth instead of a lie for once. "Still getting over it, but I couldn't exactly stay away…" I trailed off, and she offered a small, understanding smile.

"Yes. The announcement affected everyone, though it looks like you had it worse." She moved closer, her eyes examining me further. "Should you really be here?"

"I have to be," I replied quickly. She'd think it was because the announcement mattered, and it did, but I couldn't spend another day at home with little to distract my thoughts.

Before she could continue, Dr Volkov walked into the common room. His expression was virtually unreadable, save for the tight jaw and narrowed, darkened eyes that spoke of someone deep in thought, or in need of sleep. He didn't speak to Dr Cardoso or me, moving instead to get a coffee, but I knew what was on his mind. It was on Dr Cardoso's mind as well, as it was with everyone else.

My theoretical paper from a few months ago now looked almost prophetic. Others would be thinking the same, but they'd not understand why or how.

***
​

Back in my office, I tried to work. On Friday, I had left two theses ready to finalise and submit, but as I looked them over now, everything there had my mind wandering to the unlocked memories.

Figures about power distribution had me thinking about Tali, and the times she had talked about Quarian immune systems, her voice filtered through her enviro-suit's speakers. Acceleration simulations had me thinking of Mordin Solus as his mind wandered off on a dozen different tangents that were both amusing and infuriating.

The idea that I might one day meet them and everyone else I knew from the trilogy offered a sliver of sunshine in the otherwise gloomy depths of my mind.

***
​

Mid-afternoon had me called into Director Bakker's office. As I entered, I saw Deputy Director Katarina Engström there, both of them looking me over.

"How are you feeling, Marcus?" Director Bakker asked as he gestured for me to sit in one of the chairs around a small coffee table. "Truly."

"Better," I replied as I eased into the chair. "The migraine decided to bring a few friends, but they've left now." There was no humour in my tone, though the fact I was making light of my condition seemed to reassure the pair.

"Good, good. ESA has been calling, and rather insistently at that. NASA has also reached out through formal channels, as have others like CNSA."

"They want consultations," Deputy Director Engström said as she took over for the moment. "Your work on recursive fields and acceleration geometries placed you on their radar. That paper on mass manipulation is the closest thing we have to a guide for understanding Element Zero. Our inboxes and lines have been inundated with calls asking for comment and assistance."

"Yeah, I had to filter my mail," I added, offering a small smile of exasperation. "Personal and professional." My personal details shouldn't have been public knowledge, but they'd become so.

"We'll look into that."

"Are you ready for all of this?" Engström asked, leaning forward to place a comforting hand on my arm.

"I am."

Bakker made a sound that suggested he didn't believe me. "I'm impressed that you're willing to get started right away, but do you need another few days to recover? We don't want your health suffering because of the sudden upswing in interest in you and your work."

"I can manage," I replied. "When do they want me?"

***
​

A meeting was arranged with ESA for Wednesday, as the Directors were insistent that I take another few days to recover. That meant I was free to do what I wanted, but staying home didn't appeal. By Tuesday, I found myself at De Blauwe Reiger for an early lunch, managing to avoid the rush of students from Leiden University.

Even here, my mind was working, and I had a datapad that was slowly filling with theories and ideas. I could clearly recall the major codex entries on eezo and how it worked, and remembered most of the in-game discussions on the subject, and yet I knew more than that. I understood the principles that governed Element Zero in ways that went beyond codex entries. How I knew what I did was a mystery, one in a very long line of them, but it would help me realise my intention of being central to everything that was to come.

A faint beep, one I knew was from the secured comms device, shifted my focus. I smiled as I saw David was reaching out again, asking if I was okay. I'd already told him via normal channels that I was fine, as I'd done with my family and others like Elena. That he was reaching out this way suggested he didn't fully believe me.

I looked up as footsteps approached and saw the owner. He set a fresh cup of coffee down on my table and then looked down at me.

"You look like you haven't slept in days. Guess the news has you as excited as everyone else, huh?"

I nodded even as I grasped the new cup. "Who isn't?"

"The world's changing fast. Just remember to focus on the ground under your feet, and not just the stars above, okay?"

I smiled just before taking a sip, savouring the warm coffee.

"I'll try."

---***---
​

Wednesday had me arrive at ESTEC, the European Space Research and Technology Centre, alongside Deputy Director Engström. The complex was sprawled along the Noordwijk coastline, and while I'd been here before to consult for ESA, it was busier now than during any previous visit. The clearest sign of that was the extra deployment of military guards alongside the standard armed police.

It took five security checks to reach the main building. At first I'd found their need to scrutinise me amusing. Deputy Director Engström was clearly expected, but a teenager had the soldiers on edge. Seeing their faces shift from cautious and uncertain to confused as the system logged me as a critical visitor was more enjoyable than I'd expected. After five such checks, the humour had long since worn off.

As we cleared the final check, a familiar face greeted us.

"Professor Engström, Mr Sinclair, thank you for coming," Dr Klaus Vetter said as we shook hands. "The Director General is already inside, along with representatives from NASA and CNSA."

I nodded and, after straightening my jacket, followed the two adults into the building. As one would expect, the place was buzzing with energy, though I kept my mind focused on the meeting to come.

The conference room contained a multitude of holographic projectors and monitors on the walls. Those would allow others from further afield, such as North America and Asia, to attend this meeting. Even so, the room was already mostly full as we entered.

Dr Larsson was already seated near the head of the table, datapads cluttering her space, though she wasn't alone in that. Director General Lindqvist was also seated next to her, the man looking a decade older than when I'd last seen him. The representative from CNSA, Dr Qiang, according to the nameplate, was seated to their left, with others to the right and NASA representatives present via already-active holograms.

As I followed Deputy Director Engström towards our assigned seats, I noted that it wasn't just scientific and administrative figures that were present. Military officials, along with politicians, their assistants, and even corporate representatives, were all here, the presence of that last group showing how much influence corporations held in other circles of life.

Each of them watched me as I entered and moved to my seat. Some were clearly wondering why a teenager was present; others, who had likely attached my face to the paper, watched carefully, trying to judge me.

"This is your expert?" The question came from a man near the window. His accent marked him as from UNAS, and the suit suggested he was someone of importance. "He's a child."

"Mr Sinclair is seventeen," Dr Larsson replied, her tone sharper than it perhaps needed to be as I sat. "He's also the one who published the paper on mass manipulation and has more papers published in the last year than several people in this room have done in the last decade."

I bit back a chuckle at the retort, wondering which of those present were coasting on reputation.

"Published work is one thing." This speaker was British and female. "Practical application to an entirely novel element is another. How can we be certain his theories apply to Element Zero at all?"

"The boy hasn't even finished university," a third voice, this one German, added sceptically. "Theoretical papers are all very well, but this is the most significant discovery in human history. We need experienced researchers, not prodigies playing at science."

"I graduated last summer," I replied to the German in his native tongue. "As for my paper, I can't be certain, not until we have Element Zero and can test it," I continued, looking at the British woman. "However, the theory was implied by spectroscopic data ESA and NASA released to the public, and it aligns with my earlier theories on field manipulation. That the paper on mass manipulation agrees with the recent data on Element Zero suggests it might have value."

"An alignment that's almost perfectly timed," the American countered. "As if you already had access to data that you shouldn't."

The accusation hung in the air, and it was a fair one to make. I had access to some ESA data, but it wasn't improbable that I'd gained access to more, or that ideas had been given to me so that ESA could take the lead. The suspicions were valid, but none of them would believe the truth.

"Mr Sinclair has consulted for us on the matter, but his security clearance never covered the classified materials," Director General Lindqvist answered. "We've ensured our networks are as secure as NASA's or anyone else's and that neither he nor anyone else has gained access to anything beyond their clearance."

"The idea came to me because the mathematics of what was happening on Mars interested me," I added honestly. "I never expected it to align with what has been termed Element Zero, and have spent the time since the announcement trying to accept how serendipitous the timing of my paper was."

"That is certainly one word for it," the German muttered while the British woman, who I suspected was government or intelligence, watched me with sharper interest.

"The mathematics may have interested you," she said slowly, "but the specific frameworks you developed? Those aren't standard theoretical physics. What made you think that way?"

"Pattern recognition," I replied, fighting back a smirk at using that reasoning again. "As those at the Hague Institute and Dr Okonkwo at Edinburgh University have likely already told you, I've got a gift for seeing connections that others don't. So far it's not led me wrong, and I'm sure we all hope that will hold true with whatever Element Zero is and why it's on Mars."

Director General Lindqvist coughed gently, using the offered redirect to take back control of the meeting. "Everyone here is present because their credentials and work matter." Somehow, I doubted that. "Shall we begin the briefing?"

***
​

For two hours we discussed and debated everything that had been discovered, realised, and suspected about Element Zero and Mars. The longer the meeting went, and the more it focused on science that was cutting-edge or theoretical, the more agitated most of the room grew as they failed to follow.

For the most part, I simply listened and offered answers when invited to. A few odd questions were asked, but overall I played the role of a slightly overwhelmed young man, exactly the performance they'd all suspect. None of my answers carried any certainty, even when what I remembered told me I was right; they were only hints that would lead others in those directions. Enough to suggest I had some inkling of Element Zero's properties without making it seem that I knew everything.

The fact I did was still something I was coming to terms with. It wasn't anything that came from the trilogy, so either an understanding of the element had been imparted into my mind, or that mind simply worked at levels that even I didn't fully understand. Neither answer rested comfortably with me, but I couldn't let myself drown in the concerns and fears they brought up.

***
​

As the meeting neared the third hour, the topic shifted from theoretical discussion about eezo to Mars and what else might be there beyond Element Zero.

Dr Chen took the lead, displaying the timeline of finished, current, and planned missions from every agency so that we could all see it. "The main mission will reach Mars in March next year. Our joint team expects to reach the primary structure by the middle of the month." Her gaze turned my way. "If your theories hold, we should be able to establish containment protocols for Element Zero extraction."

I nodded, though my mind was playing over what the Prothean Archives might hold: enough knowledge that the Alliance was able to at least irritate the Turians during the war, and perhaps more. Knowledge of the Prothean war with the Reapers would be great, though it would take years to translate and most would doubt it. Details on the Crucible were possible, though I couldn't recall clearly if Mars was where those plans had been found. Liara had been working there in the third game, but I couldn't quite remember why.

That uncertainty suggested someone, or something, didn't wish me to know the truth about the Crucible's location, or to use it. It was annoying, but I'd never enjoyed the three-colour choice the last game had initially offered, and, ever since adapting to the memories, had begun wondering if another pathway, one that might lead to victory, could be found.

"Mr Sinclair?"

I blinked, realising my thoughts had drifted. "Sorry." Even without trying, I recalled everything that had been said over the last few minutes. "Using my paper as a base, the containment protocols that were discussed earlier should work, but until we can actually test Element Zero and confirm how it's able to interfere with mass, nothing is certain."

It was certain, but no one would believe me if I said that, and once it was proven, everyone would question how I knew. I had to balance how much attention I drew with each step towards unlocking the galaxy, and failing at the first hurdle simply wasn't an option.

***
​

"That was shorter than I expected."

I turned to Deputy Director Engström, looking at her incredulously. My reaction drew light laughter from the woman. "I recall many debates that lasted twelve hours or longer."

"God, I hope that's not going to become the norm," I muttered as we took our seats. Outside of ourselves and the Federation guards who secured each end, the carriage was deserted. An intentional act that ESA had arranged for security.

While Engström had offered little to the meeting, save when it shifted at moments to systems management, which was her field of expertise, we were both regarded as important to ESA's operations, enough that the armed escort was warranted. I suspected they were more for me than her, but their presence was comforting in an odd way.

"More than likely they will be," Engström replied. "You handled yourself well for your first time, but in future, try to be more assertive. If you're too reactive, then others will seek to claim the credit that should be yours and sideline you."

I nodded, taking the advice on board. "I'll try, but being in a room with people like that was… unsettling."

"Says the young man whose theories might well hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of Mars and Element Zero." She looked out of the window as the maglev accelerated out of the station. "No one knows if your work will be the truth, but for now, you're the best expert the planet has, Marcus. Be proud of that, but don't let it guide you down the wrong paths."

I nodded again, which seemed to assure her. In truth, I knew the path I was suggesting was the right one, but she was right about how I'd have to manage it. For now, the Institute offered protection via its reputation, its lawyers, and the contract we had regarding patents and copyright, but there would be many who sought to ignore that so they could take the lead or gain power.

I'd have to manage those issues while further rooting myself at the centre of everything that was going to happen. Not just on Mars, but for the foundation of the Alliance, expansion into the galaxy, war with the Turians, and all that came after.

Stopping that war was beyond me. How could we be expected to obey laws we knew nothing about when, from what little I could recall of the details, we had been attacked without warning? Beyond the Turian inflexibility over regulations, the war might well be what galvanised the Alliance into the force it needed to be. The loss of thousands on Shanxi might well save millions in the future.

I sighed, hating that I was thinking in such terms. It was logical and practical, yet it felt wrong. Perhaps there was a way to limit human casualties and increase the damage the Turians would suffer, at least so long as it didn't escalate the war before the Citadel could step in.

It was only a theory, but I felt certain that was how the war would end. The Asari and Salarians, likely through the STG or Spectres, had discovered the Turians were fighting a minor conflict against some unknown race and, before the Hierarchy could deploy dreadnoughts, had intervened.

That had to happen in this reality; otherwise, humanity would be destroyed before we could make our mark on the galaxy. Doing anything that prevented Shepard from becoming the first Human Spectre would mean disrupting the timeline, and I wasn't considering that currently. I lacked the knowledge and preparation to do so.

---***---
​

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A/N: The plan remains to handle 3 chapters per month, aiming for each chapter to come out ~every 10 days.
I hope you enjoy the story and...

Until all are one.

 

[desu]

At this point, you are in danger of butterflying away Shepard's entire birth, much less their career. Of course, right now it is unlikely, but the more waves you make in the world, the more in danger Shepard is. Then again, it's not something you can plan against unless you choose to be a complete non-factor for the next decade, which is stupid.

 

[Arlos]

Thanks for the chapter.

The fact I did was still something I was coming to terms with. It wasn't anything that came from the trilogy, so either an understanding of the element had been imparted into my mind, or that mind simply worked at levels that even I didn't fully understand.

Click to shrink...

Both? Both is good.

 

[al103]

Given that there are three distinct people that could become Shepard in canon - as Earthling, Spacer and Colonist are VERY different backgrounds... eh, whatever.

 

[Reynard69]

Acceleration simulations had me thinking of Mordin Solus as his mind wandered off on a dozen different tangents that were both amusing and infuriating.

Click to shrink...

Well, he will be born soon? 2150, and will be graduating college within a few years of the First Contact War. So you can meet him soon. Though I suppose it won't be the same, as he won't have re-phage'd the Krogan yet. The one trying to reverse the phage called him the honored teacher, so it'd have to at least be a few years after the FCW.

Figures about power distribution had me thinking about Tali, and the times she had talked about Quarian immune systems, her voice filtered through her enviro-suit's speakers.

Click to shrink...

Tali's a bit harder. Born in 61, matures like a human. You can pal around with her dad though!

Enough to suggest I had some inkling of Element Zero's properties without making it seem that I knew everything.

The fact I did was still something I was coming to terms with. It wasn't anything that came from the trilogy, so either an understanding of the element had been imparted into my mind, or that mind simply worked at levels that even I didn't fully understand.

Click to shrink...

What're you going with. Boson Matter? Nutronium? Or Space-whale bullshit exotica that only exists in the physics of that reality?

I personally favor Boson Matter.

 

[al103]

To think about it - three canonical choices of a shitshow to go through are quite deadly, deadly enough that I personally presume that all 3 Sheps are canon. Just 2 didn't survived their ordeals. But Sheppard also need to be forged by something like that if you want canonical badass.