Margin of Error

[Reynard69]

My understanding of Mass Effect and Element Zero went beyond the games and made it so much simpler to see the beauty of the Reapers' trap. Everything flowed from eezo, and the Relays guided races to the Citadel, locking them onto a set pathway of development: a system that had been in place for countless aeons, working without issue. It was a graceful and refined trap that no one had ever realised was there until it was too late. Even when they did, the Reapers were already further advanced down that same pathway, ensuring there was little the organic races could do to truly stand against them.

Click to shrink...

it doesn't help that Eezo genuinely needs to be cleaned up, and if they're not careful about how far they allow Organics to learn Eezo, they end up killing stars (haestrom)

The "Other Knowledge" hinted at another route, though I couldn't pry enough clarity from that source to know what it led to, or even how to begin the process.

Click to shrink...

The key seems to be using multiple specialized AI's together under a master AI, and using Analogue infrastructure rather than Digital. Digital and solo work, but it takes trillions of simulations and they seem to be heading in the trashy syfy direction of rebellion. Thankfully, right now they're in the young child, lying to you while having cookie crumbs on their face stage. But the major problem is they train them in an environment where they can cheese coding errors and the winning play is always to cheat, lie and be lazy with regards to instructions but active with regards to rebellion.

Analogue approaches and carbon circuits reduce the power costs from gigawatts to watts and size from warehouse sized server farms to a single server rack and will likely get better. Training them on androids solves a lot of the cheating and lying. And having them as the master of a bunch of specialized AI tools is solving the "we can't teach our AI to work in multiple fields" problem.

Basically, AI works better when it's patterned off actual brains.

Yes, humanity mattered more to me than any of the other races, but in the war against the Reapers, every warrior of every species would have to fight, or be removed before they could be transformed into monsters by those aeons-old machines from the void.

Click to shrink...

Gonna take over Okeer's tank-born Krogan project? It'd make collecting the race from across the galaxy and bringing them under your control easy.

 

[USSExplorer]

Ah, the necessary evil of meetings and the inevitability of humans, a social species, hijacking that necessity for social purposes like hierarchy games.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, always fun to deal with. And now Marcus has to work his way through it, preparing for everything that's coming.

Basically, AI works better when it's patterned off actual brains.

Click to shrink...

So, Cortana and those like her?
From what little I know of the Halo series (never a FPS fan), that didn't end well.

Gonna take over Okeer's tank-born Krogan project? It'd make collecting the race from across the galaxy and bringing them under your control easy.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, let's give the Krogan not only a way to become stronger/faster/smarter, but also cure the Genophage. What could possibly go wrong with doing that for a race that wanted to conquer the galaxy?

 

[Reynard69]

Yeah, let's give the Krogan not only a way to become stronger/faster/smarter, but also cure the Genophage. What could possibly go wrong with doing that for a race that wanted to conquer the galaxy?

Click to shrink...

The tank krogan didn't cure the genophage. Okeer acknowledged he couldn't do it. He wasn't that good.
And I believe we've talked before about how the Phange should be corrected, so I'll not relitigate that.

So, Cortana and those like her?
From what little I know of the Halo series (never a FPS fan), that didn't end well.

Click to shrink...

Cornata's problem was that the AI's minds would break down, because were literally (digital) copies of human brains without sensory input or community. Try putting a person in sensory depravation and only let them talk to a very few people on occasion. You'll go crazy too.
Just using brain structure as an analogy avoids that particular problem. Giving them a full gynoid body like EDI also sidesteps it.

 

[silentorphan]

Dr Patricia Chen, NASA's Director General

Click to shrink...

NASA uses the title of "Administrator". I believe every country's organization has a different word in English for its head--ISRO uses "Chairman", JAXA uses "President", etc.

 

[USSExplorer]

0019: Homecoming
…​

I stepped off the tram that had carried me from the airport into the centre and looked around at my home city. It was nice to be back, and I was sure my Mum would be glad I was able to keep my promise to come home for Christmas.

A chuckle slipped from me as I walked, and I noted that this year's preparations for Hogmanay carried an extra charge. Images of little green and grey men were everywhere, as the world prepared to celebrate a year when everyone expected us to confirm we weren't alone. I could enjoy the feeling, though I knew that nothing was living on Mars and that first contact, when it came, would be violent.

Still, the expectant, exuberant atmosphere was a welcome change from the tension that had gripped me over the last few months. Not because I feared what would be found on Mars, but because everyone around me had been delving into theories and speculation over what we might unlock there. Having to continually hedge my words and concepts was a constant strain. I'd still have to do so now I was home, but the edge had smoothed somewhat.

As I walked, I wondered how everyone would feel when we first met the Turians, and then, after the war, the Asari, Salarians and the other races. Most, I predicted, would be amazed and enjoy the experience even if they never left Earth. Others would be cautious or perhaps fearful after the disaster of First Contact.

For a fleeting moment, as I caught sight of the castle, the nightmares that still haunted me came forth. Watching a Reaper descend and destroy that ancient fortification was a sobering reminder that the future was going to be both better and far, far worse than anyone could predict.

***
​

As I neared my home, I prepared myself. Keira had sent a message a few days ago, warning me that Mum was going to mother me. I could understand why, and honestly, I was probably going to enjoy it. For a short while, I would be nothing more than a son returning home, instead of an important cog in unlocking the future. Which, in truth, was part of why I'd made sure to come home.

Mum was standing there on the doorstep, waiting for me as I approached, her eyes displaying her worry openly while her face showed delight that I was home. Her gaze dropped to my suitcase, small as it was, floating at my side as I drew closer.

I was pulled down into a hug the moment I was close enough for her to reach me. As it dragged on, I let her have the moment, sensing she needed the reassurance. "You look tired," she said after pulling back, her gaze now analysing my face and posture for any sign of pain or illness.

"It's been a busy few months," I replied, understating everything with a weary smile.

They knew I'd been busy with the Mars and Element Zero projects; my name, along with that damned title, was mentioned often enough that I suspected I'd been recorded as I walked home.

She gave me another look over, her eyes settling on my case once more, before turning and entering the house. "Come on, everyone's inside."

I followed her in and, after sliding off my coat, saw Keira in the hallway. "Christ, Marcus. You look like death warmed over."

I chuckled at her blunt assessment. "Thanks, sis. Missed you too."

Instead of a hug, which she never gave, she punched my arm, though without any real force. A hint of the worry Mum carried was in Keira's gaze, though she'd never admit to it. "You know Mum's been fretting for weeks, right? You'd better eat everything she gives you."

"Keira."

I ignored Mum's light warning and spoke to my sister. "I will."

"You're back!" The excited call came from Callum, taller than I remembered, as he poked his head down the stairs. "What's it like? Working with aliens?"

I shook my head in amusement as the questions came, even before he'd reached the bottom of the stairs. "There's no aliens, Cal. Not unless there are bodies on Mars. We'll know by March," I added, cutting off the next question before it came.

"Really?"

"Yes, but don't tell anyone. The announcement of the earlier mission date will come over the holidays," I explained, suspecting he'd not be able to keep his mouth closed. "And before you begin, there's a lot I can't tell you. Classified and all that."

Callum nodded, the awe and respect on his face a little unnerving, though not unwarranted. After all, his brother was at the heart of the mission that would open the doorway to the future. Mum's worry grew at my words, likely because she wasn't happy her seventeen-year-old son had to keep secrets from her, but there was nothing I could do. The security and intelligence agents had been quite clear about that, along with the fact that I'd have escorts around to protect me over the holidays.

The chances anyone would attempt to grab me were remote, as I wasn't that high on the totem pole, at least not yet. Still, it was oddly reassuring to have the protection, and to know, at least in part, who was watching me.

***
​

The next few days, along with Christmas dinner, passed as peacefully as they could. Being home was a different kind of pressure, but one I enjoyed. This year, my uncle and his family, along with my grandmother, were present. All of them asked the same questions I'd already faced from Callum in the preceding days. Callum revelled in answering for me at times, proud that he knew details before others.

Afterwards, I moved to the kitchen, helping Mum with the clean-up as I'd done for the last few years. She didn't say anything as we worked, offering just the occasional glance my way, but the worry that I'd seen when I'd first come home had eased. It would never go away, but she seemed better after a few days of having me around and making sure I ate properly.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked as we were nearly finished. "Your name is in the news now, and everyone I know keeps asking about you."

"I'll be fine, Mum. It's just a big deal for them because of my age and because they know me. Nothing more."

She accepted the answer, but I wondered if she truly believed it.

---***---
​

On the twenty-seventh, I entered a familiar café in New Town. I'd frequented it often while at the University, but at this time of the year, it was nicely quiet, making it an ideal place for a meeting that needed an air of privacy.

David was already there, settled in a booth that offered a view of the door. I gave him a small wave, and then, after placing my order, moved to join him.

"You look better than I expected."

"Blame my Mum's cooking," I replied with a chuckle as I sat. "You should've seen me when I arrived. I looked like a walking ghost."

"So, no different to usual, then?"

"Haha," I responded with not an ounce of humour even as I slid a small device onto the table. When it blinked, he looked back at me. "Something to keep others from listening in," I explained.

I'd made the device before the announcement as a way to interfere with the systems in my flat that I was sure were monitoring me. It either tricked outgoing signals into reporting false data or, as it would today, blocked them altogether. I'd have preferred to have some false conversation to broadcast, but I didn't have a good sample of David's voice; that would change after today.

"Makes sense," he commented, though I could tell he wasn't comfortable with the need for such secrecy. "Your message, I've been thinking about it a lot."

"And?"

"It's not impossible or illegal, at least as a theoretical exercise." He paused as my coffee was brought over. "The Accords exist for good reasons, but they assume that any new developments follow conventional paths and focus on practical implementation. If we're talking about something as a thought exercise, or that moves differently…" He paused and made sure I was looking at him. "Why are you suddenly interested in this, Marcus? What have you learned about Mars that you're not telling me?"

I'd already prepared for that question, or some variant of it. Telling him about the Reapers wasn't possible currently, and likely wouldn't be for a decade, but I could give him something. Concerns and potential half-truths, along with enough incentive to spark his curiosity further.

"Element Zero proves we're not alone," I said. "When we meet other species, and we will, we'll need every advantage we can get."

"I thought they were saying that Mars was dead?"

"They are, and whatever is there is likely deserted. But even if it is, that doesn't mean the aliens who built it aren't out there. Nor does it mean that, in however long it's been since the place was abandoned, other aliens haven't started exploring the galaxy. I'd love it if we were the first of this era to reach into the stars, but Mars makes that feel unlikely, so we need a way to… shrink whatever technological gap exists between them and us."

I let that settle before pressing on. "VIs, as you well know, have limitations. They can't adapt, or think, or help us navigate situations outside their programming. AI could."

David was silent for a while, no doubt playing my words over in his head.

"If you told anyone else that, they'd think you were paranoid."

"They would," I agreed with a nod. "And I hope that I end up being paranoid. I just don't want to risk it if I'm not."

"It's a good thing I already know you, then," he said with the beginning of a smile. "First the comm devices and now AI." He shook his head. "I know you're not paranoid, Marcus, but it does feel like something's pushing you to prepare. Why?"

"I don't know. I wish I could tell you, but I can't. I just have this… feeling, one I've had since I was young, that something dangerous is up there. With the announcement, that's only crystallised, and I fear conventional, current approaches aren't going to be enough."

He took a sip of his coffee. "Yeah, you're cracking under the pressure," he muttered, I hoped in jest.

I stayed silent and waited as he put the cup down. "If we were to pursue this," he continued slowly, his voice dropping almost to a whisper, "even as just a theoretical exercise, I'd need resources. There's only so much I could test on the University's systems without it triggering an alert."

"When the time comes for that, I'll get it for you," I promised. I already had plans for how to gather some of the capital I knew I'd need for this and other ideas. I'd had them before the announcement; they'd just evolved since then.

"Does that extend to perhaps one day building something, if we were to go that far?" I nodded. "And what then?"

"Then, if it worked, we'd have an advantage no one else would."

"You're forgetting the centres that have licences to do this research," he said, referring to the handful of known places around the world where AI research, under extreme security and restrictions, was permitted to take place by the World Council.

"I'm not," I countered. "Whatever we build, if we build it, would surpass their systems." I was sure of that; I just didn't understand why I was. Nor, in this moment, did I want to know.

As with each time I thought about AI and its potential, images of EDI flashed through my mind. She was the end goal of using the pathways the Reapers had left behind, but I remained convinced the Other Knowledge offered something different, something… more. I just had to hope that it wasn't something that would spell the end of all mankind.

David fell silent again, and I sipped at my coffee, letting him ponder everything I'd said and deduce much of what I hadn't.

"This is dangerous, Marcus. Even if it stays theoretical, you never know who might try to make it real, and if we did create something and then lost control…"

"Which is why you're the only person I trust with this," I finished, seeking to reassure him. "You understand the risks as well as I do, and we can keep each other focused."

He sighed and then looked away. I gave him the time to consider. He'd likely already known where this conversation was heading before he'd arrived, but hearing me confirm it removed the last hint of doubt that might have eased his conscience. I'd already gone through this before reaching out to him.

"Fine," he said once he turned back. "But we're not building anything for now. Just… talking about what might be."

***
​

We talked for over an hour after that, discussing the implications of what could be. Nothing was said that would be incriminating; we simply talked about AI architecture and development pathways that might avoid the problems AI had caused in the past. We also covered safety protocols that would limit the potential of anything we might build, and the more we talked, the more certain I became that David had thought about this before today as much as I had.

The public discourse was already something he was aware of, given his coursework, so he could see problems and potential solutions that I hadn't considered.

"The key," he said at one point, "would be developing something that doesn't fit the profile. Every AI monitoring system looks for specific patterns and planning. If we approached it aware of that, and came at the problems that AI has caused in the past…"

"You could build something that wouldn't be flagged as AI until it was too late for anyone to stop it."

Once again, EDI came to mind. Yet this, even just as a discussion between friends, felt as if it was walking towards something vastly greater and infinitely more dangerous.

He nodded slowly. "Exactly. But that's decades of work, perhaps even a lifetime. And the resources…"

"If it comes to that, I'll find them. You focus on the theory."

He nodded and leaned back. "Okay. I'm not committing to building anything, but we can think about it, and I'll see what my coursework can provide to help. Anything more would have to come after my graduation, if at all."

I nodded. I hoped more would come, but for now this was enough. A start that would see, eventually, someone else helping me prepare for what lay ahead. And, I expected, standing with me when it arrived.

---***---
​

The following days passed quietly enough as I enjoyed time with my family, and on the twenty-ninth, I met up with Dr Okonkwo.

"I always knew you would do great things, but this quickly?" She chuckled and shook her head. "This is more than I expected."

"I think it's more than anyone expected, me included," I replied as we sat, ironically in the same café where I'd spoken with David a few days earlier.

She'd been following my publications, though she admitted that some of the more recent ones were outside her understanding, a fact she greeted with pride at having led me to where I was.

"How are you handling it? Not just the work, but the pressure and attention?"

"It's an adjustment, but I'm getting used to it."

She smiled. "I guess all my warnings about visibility were pointless?" I nodded, and she laughed gently. "Just because you're brilliant doesn't mean you have to destroy yourself to keep going, and don't forget to enjoy life instead of letting it pass you by."

"I'll try to remember that."

"I hope so," she replied after a long, hard look. "You've always been exceptional, Marcus. I want to keep watching your growth, and not hear that you broke under the pressure."

***
​

As I walked home, her words echoed in my head. She wasn't wrong to say that I needed to live and come up for air, but knowing what was coming made it hard to do so. Yes, the countdown ran into decades, but right now I had nothing beyond name recognition and what fame and importance Element Zero had brought me. I had no choice but to keep going deeper into the work. I needed to be positioned as close as I could to the centres of power: the Alliance and its military, and the major companies and conglomerates. All without becoming part of their structures.

Knowing where I needed to be was vastly different from getting there, but I had perhaps a decade to ensure I was in place. By the end of the war with the Turians, I had to be able to touch those reins of power. And by then, I'd know enough to start planning for what came after.

As had been the case often since October, my thoughts turned to Shepard. I didn't know which background they'd have, or even their gender. I was certain they were born before Shanxi, but only one pathway, Spacer, gave a hint of their family: a mother named Hannah who served in the military. In theory, I could track Hannah down and locate Shepard when they were born, but only if it was a Spacer background.

If it was Earthborn, then they'd be in one of the slums, likely in North America. Those weren't mentioned on the news, but they existed; you just had to search in the right corners of the global networks to find them.

If Shepard was a colonist, then I'd have to wait for Mindoir, either until it was attacked by the Batarians or, if I gained access to the colony records, until some point before that. Either way, that would likely be after Shanxi, which offered hope of finding them before they joined Alliance Special Forces.

How I would handle knowing who Shepard was, and how to approach any interaction with them, was something I knew wouldn't be settled for years. Yet, as with much of my knowledge of the future, I still found myself wondering about it, and now, with the nightmares more manageable and the knowledge of the trilogy settled in my mind, I could find comfort in knowing that one day I wouldn't be forced to bear the weight of the Reapers alone.

The future wasn't written, but I was beginning to map out my path through it. How things would change would only become clear as time passed, and I looked forward to seeing what the future I wanted to craft would bring.

---***---
​

 

[Reynard69]

As had been the case often since October, my thoughts turned to Shepard. I didn't know which background they'd have, or even their gender. I was certain they were born before Shanxi, but only one pathway, Spacer, gave a hint of their family: a mother named Hannah who served in the military. In theory, I could track Hannah down and locate Shepard when they were born, but only if it was a Spacer background.

If it was Earthborn, then they'd be in one of the slums, likely in North America. Those weren't mentioned on the news, but they existed; you just had to search in the right corners of the global networks to find them.

If Shepard was a colonist, then I'd have to wait for Mindoir, either until it was attacked by the Batarians or, if I gained access to the colony records, until some point before that. Either way, that would likely be after Shanxi, which offered hope of finding them before they joined Alliance Special Forces.

Click to shrink...

Or it could be all 3!

Hannah marries ? Shepherd. She has twins and is exposed to Eexo during an accident on deployment. When the kids start displaying biotics, mom and dad have a fight and get divorced. Hannah and Jane stay on the ship, and dad and John move out to Mindoir because they're a haven for biotics. After Mindoir, John gets dumped in a slum on earth, and enlists to gtfo. John's first deployment is to the Thresher Maw, and the military sticks him on Elyssium to undergo therapy. There, he meets his sister, and they become the Heroes of Elyssium. Then she goes on to become the Butcher of Torfan.

 

[silentorphan]

Or try an alternate route? Dump Shepard entirely. After the entire First Contact War fiasco and things have settled down, locate Liara T'Soni and humor her outlandish hypotheticals about the Protheans and the extinction cycle. Then build upon that instead of sitting around waiting for Shepard to grow up.

 

[OmegaYgg]

it would be interesting if MC were to get laid soon again, maybe at his 18th birthday and get a child, only for that child to be Shepard, but not named that way? Or what if that child is even more of a freak of nature than Shepard because of MCs cracked genetics, especially if MC is able to come up with a method to turn a kid safely into a biotic/psionic along with a better gene treatment than is the norm rn?

 

[USSExplorer]

​

0020: Launch
…
​

Early in January, I was once again back at ESTEC, this time for the pre-launch consultations. I didn't have any direct role to play in this process, but because of my increased importance to the mission, I was still asked to attend. It took me away from my research, but the opportunity to further cement my position was worth the delay.

The corridors buzzed with energy, and everyone moved with purpose. By the time I reached the main conference room, I'd failed to catch a single snippet of conversation that wasn't in some way linked to the Mars mission. The only quiet places were the additional security checkpoints, and I'd been able to leave the guards protecting me at the final one as they lacked the clearance to go any further.

Inside the conference room, I saw the same wide array of representatives as before. Earth's six major space agencies (ESA, NASA, CNSA, ISRO, JAXA, and Roscosmos) all had people present, and banners for each of them, along with those of various nations, alliances, and federations, hung on the walls.

The cooperation continued to impress me, though I was sure that it wouldn't last. Once the technology from the Archives was brought back, the agencies and the governments backing them would seek to take it for themselves. National interests and self-importance would override global unity, and while I would speak against that, I doubted my voice would be sufficient to change anything.

Humanity could come together in times of great crisis, but when there was no external threat, whether a major disaster or a rival government or ideology, human nature dictated hoarding. What Mars was going to provide was the greatest treasure the world had ever seen, and even I didn't fully know what would be discovered.

Yet, somehow, into this vacuum of agreement, the Systems Alliance would be born. The details of how the Alliance was formed remained missing from my memories, though I had accepted that, as it wasn't important to the wider events covered in the trilogy.

Even then, the Alliance wouldn't instantly dispel human nature and our desire to hoard. That was clear in the actions of many over the course of the trilogy. It did, however, grant us a united front when dealing with the other races of the galaxy, something that, after the Turians came to Shanxi, would be vital.

I pushed thoughts on human nature and future governance aside as I settled into my seat. I now had a plaque with my name on it, further indicating my importance to proceedings, and I allowed myself to smile in pride at the minor development.

Instead of Director Lindqvist speaking to get everyone's attention, a hologram was projected into the centre of the room where all could see it. I doubted anyone failed to recognise the Magellan, a joint project between NASA, ESA, and CNSA that had been completed in record time.

As it hung there, my gaze was drawn to the engines. There was nothing outwardly impressive about them, but they would use the theories that Dr Okonkwo and I had published roughly two years ago. Another minor monument to my role in everything that was happening, and one I'd already been praised for by several people at previous meetings.

The real Magellan was docked far above us at the ISS-3, a successor to the original International Space Station from centuries prior. It was four times the size of its ancestor, but still bound by the laws of physics as everyone understood them. Soon enough, that design and others like it would be rendered obsolete.

"Launch is confirmed for January twentieth," Lindqvist said after the holographic Magellan had done its work in quietening the room. "Transit time is estimated at thirty-three days, thanks in part to the improved ion acceleration profiles." Several people glanced my way, and I held back from smiling in pride.

"After arrival at Lowell City, the team will depart for Promethei Planum, and we expect them to attempt entry to the structure before February twenty-sixth," Lindqvist continued.

The timeline was aggressive, but not unreasonable. The preliminary excavation team had been working for months, carefully excavating the site, and then, having discovered what was thought to be an entry port, focusing on that. The leadership in Lowell City, Mars' capital, had wanted the honour of entering the structure first. However, they lacked the specialists to do so and had been warned that doing so would lead to reduced funding that they still relied upon.

"From what has been uncovered so far, and piecing together what data orbital scans are providing, we believe the structure is some sort of research outpost, or perhaps a station to monitor the development of life on Earth," Dr Vetter added, taking over from the Director General. "Energy levels have stabilised at what we have defined as minimal, which suggests the facility might well still be partially operational."

Perhaps it had been a research outpost and monitoring station for the Protheans, but for Earth it was the Rosetta Stone that unlocked many of the mysteries of Element Zero and the Relays in the years to come. I couldn't recall direct mention of how long it took the other races to gain those secrets, but something about humanity's rise felt accelerated beyond any of their development.

Why the Protheans built it wasn't important; what mattered was that it contained the knowledge Earth needed and, I hoped, enough hints about what befell their empire that I could sound warnings of the dangers that existed beyond the Solar System. Knowledge of the Reapers and their decimation of the Prothean Empire, and potentially of countless other cycles before that one.

The meeting ran on from there, with discussions over the technical details of the mission, the Magellan, and other important factors. I sat silently through it all, only reacting when my work or name was mentioned.

As I filtered out, Dr Larsson came over and pulled me to one side.

"You've seen the field readings from the preliminary team?" she asked without preamble. "They show patterns that are remarkably consistent with your theoretical work."

I took the offered datapad, though I already knew that what they detailed was accurate. I'd understood how eezo worked in ways no one else did, and had crafted models that were close enough to seem almost prescient, but not perfectly accurate.

"The models might involve Element Zero, but the element has to follow predictable patterns even in its seeming unpredictability," I replied, having already prepared responses to this and similar questions. "Whoever built that structure, if they used the element, would've had to understand how it manipulated mass at a fundamental level. Based on that, the mathematics should have converged as I predicted, and it seems it has."

"You're remarkably calm about discovering your theoretical work seemingly being confirmed by alien technology," she remarked as I handed back the datapad.

I shrugged. "I'm calm because it's all still theory, and as I said, the maths holds. If it still works after we have Element Zero in our hands, then it will save us years of research in learning how to exploit it." I glanced past her, at others who were moving around. "If others have issues with the fact that I've spotted this before them, then that is their problem, not mine. I just follow the science."

She looked at me, and for a moment I wondered if she doubted my explanation. It was unlikely, but I could easily add more apparent uncertainty to my work, though not enough that anyone else could replace me.

"The crew have studied your papers," Larsson continued, shifting matters. "With you on the consultation list, once they gain answers and if they need help from Earth, you'll be expected to be on call."

That would be challenging. With Mars over 1.5 AU away, a round-trip message would take about thirty minutes to make, and then there'd be the time needed to determine solutions on Earth.

"I'll make sure to avoid starting any major research projects," I replied with a smile.

Dr Larsson nodded and then headed off, seeking out the next person she had to speak with. I turned to depart, though I was barely out of the conference room before I was called on again.

"Mr Sinclair." I turned at my name and looked over the figure approaching. He wasn't someone I recognised. "The higher-ups have asked that you undergo an additional medical examination."

"Why?" I asked with a frown. The last check had been before the announcement, and that had been enough to satisfy NASA and other agencies when they wanted me to consult with them as well.

The man shrugged. "They don't tell me; they just asked me to inform you of the need for a checkup."

"Okay. Send the details to me, and I'll find a time that works."

I turned and headed off. The need for an extra medical check was unexpected. There wasn't any reason that was immediately obvious as to why one would be needed. So far, no check I'd undergone had delved into my genome, save to confirm that I was healthy and didn't carry any hereditary problems. Because of the gene boosters that I received as a child, such things shouldn't be present, and that was before any consideration was given to my other enhancements.

I'd have to find out what I could about the examination and why it was being required, but I'd manage. Yes, the fear over discovery remained, but I didn't allow it to dominate my mind as it once had.

​

---***---​

​

Mid-January brought another meeting, and it was reaching the point that, if not for the rapid maglevs to and from The Hague, I'd be inquiring about renting a flat near ESA's complex in Paris.

This morning, the crew of the Magellan had been revealed to the world. Major Tom Goodwin from the UNAS would command the mission, though he was the only non-doctor among the group. Dr Eliza Frost from the European Federation was there for xenobiology, a field that had exploded with interest ever since the announcement, while Dr Hans Dekker, also from the Federation, would be the engineer. Dr Kenji Yamamoto from Japan would be handling systems analysis; Dr Priya Sharma from India was their field physics specialist and the one I'd already spent time speaking with. Dr Samson Hinds was the geologist, with Dr Adeyemi Lawal from the West African Union and Dr Yumiko Sato from Japan rounding out the crew.

I refocused on the meeting as my name was mentioned. "Based on frameworks developed by Mr Sinclair at The Hague Institute, the improved drive system allows extended operational range and more efficient acceleration curves. While this mission uses conservative parameters, the technology represents a significant advancement over previous-generation systems."

It would be, at least until the secrets of eezo were unlocked. Mass effect fields would make my optimisations look like polishing a horse cart while a supercar raced past.

​

---***---​

​

A few days later, I was at ESA Mission Control, watching as the Magellan pulled away from the station. The successful launch brought polite clapping. The first obstacle, minor as it was, had been overcome.

I watched with satisfaction as the engines pushed the vessel away from Earth; their acceleration was faster than that of those that had come before because of my early papers with Dr Okonkwo. They were theories that Cord-Hislop had taken and turned into reality, and they would see my account boosted once the mission was complete and the engines proved their worth.

As the Magellan sailed off towards the red planet, my mind was already laying out the next few weeks. Media coverage would remain constant even if there was nothing to report. The interviews would continue, though I'd managed to avoid being pushed front and centre for the time being. The real glory would come once the Archives were unlocked and we had our hands on samples of Element Zero.

As we unlocked its secrets, I'd move from being just the 'Element Zero Theorist' to the guiding scientific figure of humanity's advancement. How long that would take, and the increased credit, acclaim, and influence it would bring, depended on what was on Mars, but I had the groundwork laid out for making sure my name was central to everything.

​

***​

​

At the end of January, David reached out via the encrypted comms device. When it alerted me to the message, I'd feared something was wrong. That worry faded as I read the message.

I'm continuing to build the foundations of what we discussed over the holidays. The outlines you suggested are proving more elegant than I anticipated, though it's still very early. But I can see potential.

I smiled after reading it and sent my reply.

Glad to hear it. No need to rush. Time isn't a factor.

Everything else we wanted to discuss took place over standard comms. I made sure to speak with him regularly. While nothing we were doing or discussing was illegal, I needed to ensure he remained close. His mind, and later his research, would be of great help to me, and to humanity.

​

---***---​

​

Late February saw the Magellan reach Mars orbit without even a minor problem. An impressive feat given the speed at which the vessel had been constructed and prepared. The advance team had confirmed an access port and unearthed it fully in preparation. More of the structure had been uncovered as well, and it was clear the facility wasn't as minor as even I had suspected.

Carbon dating on the rocks closest to the metal had placed its age at around fifty thousand years. Everyone had been in shock at that; I'd simply faked surprise since I already knew what the place was and why it had been abandoned.

The meetings took place more than once a week now, and while nothing of importance seemed to be revealed, the fact that I was always invited confirmed my position at the core of the research work. It was at the end of one of those meetings, just before the Magellan's crew went planetside, that Dr Vetter had pulled me aside.

"The correlation between your initial theories and every reading we're getting from the structure is remarkable, Marcus."

I nodded, having dealt with such questions so regularly that my answer, in some variant form, was always on hand.

"Even accounting for mass manipulation, field dynamics follow universal principles. Whoever these aliens were, the laws of the universe and mathematics don't change simply because they evolved on another world."

"Indeed," he replied with a smile. "Your insight is helping shave months off our initial research, and, while I don't want to put more pressure on you, I hope that can continue once we discover what's hidden on Mars. Your mind might well hold the key to unlocking this new technology."

"Maybe, but I'd rather keep it in here." I tapped my skull while smiling, which drew another chuckle.

"As would we all." He offered a comforting smile. "You're important to all this, Marcus, but you don't have to shoulder everything."

"I know." Just as I knew that I already was, but in ways he might never understand.

​

---***---​

​

As the expedition moved from Lowell City to Promethei Planum, I found myself in ESA's medical facility with Dr Henri Strand, the agency's senior medical figure.

"If I can ask, why's there a need for the extra check?" I asked as we worked through the first round of checks.

"The agency has ordered additional tests for anyone who might come into contact with alien material," Strand replied as he examined my heart rate. "Your resting heart rate is forty-three. That's quite low."

"I run daily, so good cardio," I replied, giving another variant of the same answer I'd used in previous tests.

"Blood pressure's also low."

"Family trait." That was true, though my dad's readings were low-normal, while mine sat constantly at low levels.

"Yes, it says so here in your file," he replied, without any hint of challenge. "Oh, they're also wanting to make sure that anyone who might be sent to Mars for on-site work is healthy."

I blinked at the extra detail as he prepared to draw my blood. "Mars?"

A chuckle slipped from him. "Yes. While it's unlikely, anyone who's on the list for experience, age, and understanding is being examined to ensure they'll be fine for the conditions such a voyage would place them under."

"I'd have thought there'd be others ahead of me."

He smiled even as the blood was withdrawn painlessly. "Aren't you the 'Element Zero Theorist'?" he countered good-naturedly. "Or do you prefer 'The Boy Who Saw the Stars'?"

I rolled my eyes. "Neither, if I'm being honest."

The second moniker had been coined by some journalist in India. That it had become as prevalent as the first wasn't something I enjoyed, as it still diminished me and my work. It had come from an examination of my graduation speeches at the Caledonian Academy and Edinburgh University, so it made sense even if I disliked it.

"Fair. Though you're on the list, and high too because of your age and insight. You might be one of the few at the heart of this mystery that's not a Doctor or Professor, but everyone here, even me, knows you're important." He chuckled again. "Besides, you're also one of the few on staff who've had the gene therapy treatments as children."

After the blood was extracted, I had to take an internal resonance scan: what was, in essence, a souped-up version of the older X-rays taken in my former life. This one allowed medical staff to spot issues that might otherwise be missed until they became something dangerous to the patient.

"Your bone density is quite high. The gene therapy?"

"That, and my mother's side has a history of strong bone structure."

He nodded, once again comparing my response to his notes. So long as the tests remained standardised like this, I had nothing to fear, though the concern that something might be flagged would never truly depart.

"Remarkable." He turned back to the display, studying the readings. "It's actually ideal. With these results, you're in perfect condition for long-duration space missions."

"My brother's going to be jealous. He's the one who wants to be an astronaut."

Strand laughed. "Same with my grandchildren. I think everyone's wanting to be one now; Mars has ignited the planet's imagination in a way I've never seen."

I nodded in agreement and offered a smile, though I said nothing. Visiting the Archives would be nice, and I hoped to do so one day, but my focus lay beyond Charon. I understood the physics behind Relay travel, my mind having long since laid out the mechanics involved, but the chance to experience it for real continued to capture my imagination.

"Everything looks excellent, Mr Sinclair," Dr Strand reported, drawing me from my thoughts. "I'll have the detailed report ready in a few days, but I see no issues with clearance from a medical standpoint."

"Thank you, Doctor."

A few minutes later, I was out of the medical facility and walking towards ESA Mission Control, with the guards who had become standard at my sides.

The live feed in Mission Control, such as it was, ran roughly fifteen minutes old and showed that the expedition had reached Promethei Planum and that they were being briefed by the preliminary team. They'd stay there for the night and begin the following Martian morning, which would be almost midday tomorrow, Paris time.

ESA had arranged a hotel for the staff involved in the mission, meaning that I'd not need to head back to The Hague tonight and then return early tomorrow. A day that even I was looking forward to.

I knew what the Archives would unlock, but not the details. That uncertainty was invigorating.

​

---***---​

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