Margin of Error

[USSExplorer]

I've always been of the mind that a Humans/Citadel cold war, with an arms race on top, would have actually been better for the galaxy, at least compared to canon.
If you balance it carefully, and keep diplomatic channel open, you might get a « Well, we're ennemies, but if something real bad happen let's put it aside for a moment and hold hands » mentality too.

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Honestly, up until Shep becomes a Spectre, and even after, depending on choices, that's sort of simmering there under the surface of the games, imo.
Never a major thing, as there's an existential threat (once the Council realise it), but it's there. Humanity looked at the Dreadnought treaty and goes... "Hey look, it's the Washington Naval Treaty but in space. We know how to get around that. Someone go get 'Danger Zone' ready."

Here... well, depending on Marcus' moves, public and private, before and after Shanxi, the Citadel might be wondering if the Alliance is another Rachi/Korgan threat waiting to happen.

 

[USSExplorer]

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Always been more of a human-first sort of person.

Imagine what a child of hers and Marcus would be capable of!

 

[Skirata567]

Always been more of a human-first sort of person.

Imagine what a child of hers and Marcus would be capable of!

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Same here, 'butt' I'm more help first humanity and make others think that we help everyone...with galaxy track record it could be difficult, 'butt' manageble.......it's not our fault that most galaxy have imagination of hamster.......

 

[USSExplorer]

Same here, 'butt' I'm more help first humanity and make others think that we help everyone...with galaxy track record it could be difficult, 'butt' manageble.......it's not our fault that most galaxy have imagination of hamster.......

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Well, not everyone.

Got worlds full of four-eyed bastards to exterminate for thinking the Alliance is weak.
Batarians are in for a nightmare if Mindoir happens in this reality

 

[al103]

Or. Humanity focuses on advancing and creating an entire military of heavy hitters. Advanced enough ships to kill any Citadel fleet commanded by a moron who opens fire on human ships unprovoked. Be the new Rachni they fear. I'm tired of rehashing through the FCW then stations of canon. I hate canon

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Humanity would never be able to do anything to Citadel on war footing. Thing is - Citadel never managed to go on war footing, even Turians. And Humanity are NOT Reapers to rush Citadel flat before they are ready.

So Humanity need special solutions. Shepards are one such solution.

 

[Arlos]

Honestly, up until Shep becomes a Spectre, and even after, depending on choices, that's sort of simmering there under the surface of the games, imo.
Never a major thing, as there's an existential threat (once the Council realise it), but it's there. Humanity looked at the Dreadnought treaty and goes... "Hey look, it's the Washington Naval Treaty but in space. We know how to get around that. Someone go get 'Danger Zone' ready."

Here... well, depending on Marcus' moves, public and private, before and after Shanxi, the Citadel might be wondering if the Alliance is another Rachi/Korgan threat waiting to happen.

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Well, even if it happened in canon, it clearly didn't have enough effect on military buildup, I am hoping this Humanity will at least force the Asari to take out some lf the stuff they keep at the bottom of the box (Prothean VI).

I don't think I ever quite forgave them for having all the pieces to try and solve the problem for millenias…And just doing nothing about it.

Always been more of a human-first sort of person.

Imagine what a child of hers and Marcus would be capable of!

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…She's gonna dream about it, isn't she?

 

[Skirata567]

…She's gonna dream about it, isn't she?

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She always had perfection fetish and Marcus is closest thing humanity will have to perfection. Hell I wouldn't be suprised if her Father send her to seduce/marry him for what he has in his head....

 

[USSExplorer]

Humanity would never be able to do anything to Citadel on war footing. Thing is - Citadel never managed to go on war footing, even Turians. And Humanity are NOT Reapers to rush Citadel flat before they are ready.

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Only the Asari could probalby match the Turians at full war footing. THey'd be lacking in numbers, but the odds their forces are far superior because that VI are good, I'd say.

So Humanity need special solutions.

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Oh, don't worry. I have something planned there beyond Marcus being one of those special solutions.

Well, even if it happened in canon, it clearly didn't have enough effect on military buildup, I am hoping this Humanity will at least force the Asari to take out some lf the stuff they keep at the bottom of the box (Prothean VI).

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I've got a few ideas on how to do that. From simply getting Javik early to... The Asari Job

I don't think I ever quite forgave them for having all the pieces to try and solve the problem for millenias…And just doing nothing about it.

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Yeah, learning that in ME3 was infuriating. Until the Cruicible/Catalyst crap, at any rate.
Thousands of years with all that tech nd knowing the Reapers were a thing, and the Asari Matriarchs did... jack shit.

TIM was right about not trusting aliens

…She's gonna dream about it, isn't she?

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She always had perfection fetish and Marcus is closest thing humanity will have to perfection. Hell I wouldn't be suprised if her Father send her to seduce/marry him for what he has in his head....

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Well, let's ignore that Marcus is old enough to be her father (2130 vs 2150). And that no one knows just how advanced his genome is (Hint: Further beyond Miranda than she is humanity, even before they get any boosters)

But, yeah, if she ever learnt about his 'advancements', and with her Daddy issues...
Sounds like a '-dere' incoming.

 

[Arlos]

Well, let's ignore that Marcus is old enough to be her father (2130 vs 2150). And that no one knows just how advanced his genome is (Hint: Further beyond Miranda than she is humanity, even before they get any boosters)

But, yeah, if she ever learnt about his 'advancements', and with her Daddy issues...
Sounds like a '-dere' incoming.

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Would Marcus even get old? I'd say if they both look in their 30s by then, it's all good!

TIM was right about not trusting aliens

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Shame the he was compromised from the get to go, it's actually hard to tell where TIM end and where the Reapers pawn begin.
After all, he did create a project to resurrect the Reapers greatest enemy whole and untouched, so he's definitely not fully gone by then.

 

[USSExplorer]

Would Marcus even get old? I'd say if they both look in their 30s by then, it's all good!

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That.... is a fair point. I haven't considered how he'll age in truth, as nothing past FCW is planned/written.
Though there'd be complications for getting with Miranda or anyone else from the canon cast given current plans.

Shame the he was compromised from the Get to go, it's actually hard to tell where TIM end and where the Reapers pawn begin.

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So, should Marcus 'save' Harper from touching the Reaper artefact, or simply take over Cerberus himself from the get-go?

 

[Arlos]

That.... is a fair point. I haven't considered how he'll age in truth, as nothing past FCW is planned/written.
Though there'd be complications for getting with Miranda or anyone else from the canon cast given current plans.

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It's your story, so you do you, I'd have personally liked a romance with a cast members, but I am not to hang up about it.

So, should Marcus 'save' Harper from touching the Reaper artefact, or simply take over Cerberus himself from the get-go?

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Both is good? All others thing aside Jack is pretty talented guy, tough nothing like Marcus of course, would be a shame to have him wasted on the Reapers.
I think Marcus could use him as a right hand? Maybe?

 

[USSExplorer]

It's your story, so you do you, I'd have personally liked a romance with a cast members, but I am not to hang up about it.

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The only one that works age-wise, from ME1, is Liara. Unless we start looking at other Asari.
Even ignoring age issues, how to approach it isn't something I've given thought to, since the others are all kids before the war.

Both is good? All others thing aside Jack is pretty talented guy, tough nothing like Marcus of course, would be a shame to have him wasted on the Reapers.
I think Marcus could use him as a right hand? Maybe?

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Certainly options. All depends on how Shanxi goes, if it even happens, and where Marcus stands on Cerberus and its purpose/role going forward.
Just wonder if Harper would be the same 'intense' person he was in canon without events on Shanxi happening as they did. (The deaths of two of his friends also mattered, iirc.)

 

[Arimai]

Same here, 'butt' I'm more help first humanity and make others think that we help everyone...with galaxy track record it could be difficult, 'butt' manageble.......it's not our fault that most galaxy have imagination of hamster.......

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You're doing a skit right? There is no way you're using that word so wrongly unironically.

 

[Reynard69]

Or, far more enjoyable/readable, simply skim over trying to make eezo obey anything close to hard science.

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THAT would be #3. Space whale bullshit exotica.

Also, the most boring to read or write.

Though I'll admit, it is much easier.

Always been more of a human-first sort of person.

Imagine what a child of hers and Marcus would be capable of!

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eh, problem is, ever finding out. Can you actually imagine Miranda having a kid, letalone more than one, without changing her character? At a minimum, you'd have to catch her before she gets to TIM, and becomes a femme-fatale.

 

[USSExplorer]

eh, problem is, ever finding out. Can you actually imagine Miranda having a kid, letalone more than one, without changing her character? At a minimum, you'd have to catch her before she gets to TIM, and becomes a femme-fatale.

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Well, depending on where this goes, Cerberus might find a new master. One not twisted by Reaper tech from the get-go.
As for getting her before TIM, assuming canon follows, then Marcus already knows to track Henry Lawson (I literally had to write down everything I could remember from the Games after 10+ years of playing them before I started to sort out what I remembered and what I didn't. That name was easy for some reason), he might be able to work to monitor for any sign that Miranda's around. Then, as Henry becomes a bastard, work to extract her towards his service, not TIMs.

THAT would be #3. Space whale bullshit exotica.

Also, the most boring to read or write.

Though I'll admit, it is much easier.

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If I stuck to Marcus being a scientist only, then I'd likely have to craft rules/logic for the 'space magic'. Thankfully, I'm not doing that as it'd be less enjoyable to write as well as read.


And after dealing with 'systems' for ANP, I've developed a distaste for number-heavy stories.

 

[Reynard69]

Thankfully, I'm not doing that as it'd be less enjoyable to write as well as read.


And after dealing with 'systems' for ANP, I've developed a distaste for number-heavy stories.

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I'm hardly asking you to go into numbers and math. Even I can only barely grasp that stuff.

If I stuck to Marcus being a scientist only, then I'd likely have to craft rules/logic for the 'space magic'.

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The mechanics though, aren't all that hard, though they are fascinating.

So, All matter and energy, dark and normal, are quantum vibrations in space-time.
The speed of energy/light is what it is, because that's the maximum speed at which space can distort.
Subatomic particles happen, when a spike of space gets high enough or deep enough so that the distortion causes energy to start curving around the distortion. (the theory of Gluons)
Dark matter and Virtual matter happen because most of these particles only manage to exist for sub-nano-second periods of time. They're dark because you can't see them, you can't see them, because they don't exist long enough to record. But they are constantly being formed, and so in a bit of shrodinger madness, exist enough to produce a gravitic halo.

Up and Down quarks though, do last. Or at least reform often enough to give the illusion of being stable.
And when you get two up and one down to clump together in a wave, more energy orbits around the wave than did the quarks. (the theory of the strong nuclear force)
Weak force binds protons/neutrons together, gravity binds atoms together; Gluons, strong, weak and gravity seem to be scales of the same field behavior.

So of all matter is energy, which the collider math says should be able to move at the speed of light, why doesn't it?
The Higgs-Boson field. Never been observed outside of the math, but in 2012 the math coming out of the collider experiments said it should exist and behave close enough to this.
The Bosons act as a resistance to distorted space, and the level to which matter interacts with that resistance is what gives matter mass.
If you want to mess with mass without destroying matter, then you need some way to alter the Higgs-Boson Field.
Increase the strength of the field, you increase the mass.
Decrease the strength of the field, you decrease the mass.

Theoretically, at least. Messing with it could, and probably would, just cause the entire region to explode.

Eezo, which forms in the explosion that turns a star going supernova or into a black hole, does something space-whaley, that allows electricity to affect the Boson field. Call it the Right and left quark, if you like. Or the spin and charm. All four, like the Boson, are still theoretical.

Looping back to the speed of light, Eezo allows you to surpass it, by temporarily suppressing the higgs field, you reduce the mass, allowing the distortion to move faster before they hit the same "mass", and allowing your fusion or antimatter rocket to push you further faster for the same amount of energy. As you go faster though, your apparent mass continues climbing climbing requiring a higher electric charge through the Eezo to further the suppression.

Now, I'm certain, smarter people reading this probably wanna strangle me about now, for being close enough, but for a dozen very mathy details, very wrong, and I'm sorry, but as I said, I barely grasp the math.

 

[Anren]

I love it when everyone is convinced that this is canon rather than an AU. Maybe there's a Krogan Empire beyond the relay? Or perhaps the Quarians will become the fourth member of the Council? It's a bit disheartening when everyone assumes—and writes—that events unfold exactly as they did in the original story.

 

[USSExplorer]

The mechanics though, aren't all that hard, though they are fascinating.

So, All matter and energy, dark and normal, are quantum vibrations in space-time.
The speed of energy/light is what it is, because that's the maximum speed at which space can distort.
Subatomic particles happen, when a spike of space gets high enough or deep enough so that the distortion causes energy to start curving around the distortion. (the theory of Gluons)
Dark matter and Virtual matter happen because most of these particles only manage to exist for sub-nano-second periods of time. They're dark because you can't see them, you can't see them, because they don't exist long enough to record. But they are constantly being formed, and so in a bit of shrodinger madness, exist enough to produce a gravitic halo.

Up and Down quarks though, do last. Or at least reform often enough to give the illusion of being stable.
And when you get two up and one down to clump together in a wave, more energy orbits around the wave than did the quarks. (the theory of the strong nuclear force)
Weak force binds protons/neutrons together, gravity binds atoms together; Gluons, strong, weak and gravity seem to be scales of the same field behavior.

So of all matter is energy, which the collider math says should be able to move at the speed of light, why doesn't it?
The Higgs-Boson field. Never been observed outside of the math, but in 2012 the math coming out of the collider experiments said it should exist and behave close enough to this.
The Bosons act as a resistance to distorted space, and the level to which matter interacts with that resistance is what gives matter mass.
If you want to mess with mass without destroying matter, then you need some way to alter the Higgs-Boson Field.
Increase the strength of the field, you increase the mass.
Decrease the strength of the field, you decrease the mass.

Theoretically, at least. Messing with it could, and probably would, just cause the entire region to explode.

Eezo, which forms in the explosion that turns a star going supernova or into a black hole, does something space-whaley, that allows electricity to affect the Boson field. Call it the Right and left quark, if you like. Or the spin and charm. All four, like the Boson, are still theoretical.

Looping back to the speed of light, Eezo allows you to surpass it, by temporarily suppressing the higgs field, you reduce the mass, allowing the distortion to move faster before they hit the same "mass", and allowing your fusion or antimatter rocket to push you further faster for the same amount of energy. As you go faster though, your apparent mass continues climbing climbing requiring a higher electric charge through the Eezo to further the suppression.

Now, I'm certain, smarter people reading this probably wanna strangle me about now, for being close enough, but for a dozen very mathy details, very wrong, and I'm sorry, but as I said, I barely grasp the math.

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And now I'm having flashbacks to uni, and why I changed from Astrophysics to General Science, lol.

I love it when everyone is convinced that this is canon rather than an AU. Maybe there's a Krogan Empire beyond the relay? Or perhaps the Quarians will become the fourth member of the Council? It's a bit disheartening when everyone assumes—and writes—that events unfold exactly as they did in the original story.

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Well, so far, there's nothing to suggest there's anything untoward about the timeline beyond Earth. Ripples happen to canon because of actions taken, and nothing Msarcus has done affects anything beyond the Solar System. So far.

 

[USSExplorer]

0017: Coping
…​

As November began, I found a balance between focusing on my work and letting my mind freely draw forth memories of the games, flooding my thoughts with interactions among the team members across the trilogy. It wasn't ideal, but it was enough that I could focus without being distracted each time I recalled something about events that were yet to come.

I'd worked on compartmentalising my thoughts, ensuring that while the knowledge of the trilogy wouldn't distract me, I could retain it for review and recording later. That my mind allowed me to do such a thing was a relief, though I wondered what else it was capable of, since the separation felt near-perfect unless I chose to end it.

When I reviewed the knowledge of the trilogy, I made sure to add the details to an encrypted datapad that I now took everywhere. It sat behind a password that ran to over thirty characters and allowed only a single attempt, with no hint of the length of code needed, before the data was wiped automatically. It wasn't a perfect system, but it was close enough for my purposes, as no one would think I was storing memories of the future, or a possible one at any rate, on the datapad.

They'd expect theories and research, work that I wasn't prepared to store on the Institute's systems, and for the other secure pads I had, that'd be true. Those had similar levels of protection, though those codes went only to twenty-five characters, and they had to be entered within thirty seconds before the attempt failed.

The system I'd developed wasn't perfect. There'd still be moments when, in the middle of detailed calculations or analysing data from one of the dozen space agencies involved in the Element Zero and Mars conundrums, I'd be distracted by thoughts about Shepard or their team and missions. Those I could deal with, for the most part, but the ones that came at night, when I wanted to relax or sleep, were worse.

Even though I needed only around four hours a night, I was barely getting enough rest, with my mind often forcing me to wake with information that had to be recorded. Sovereign descending into the Citadel, its arms closing, or his declaration on Virmire that "You exist because we allow it. You will end because we demand it" had been stuck in my thoughts for an hour, as had Harbinger's voice echoing out that infuriating phrase about assuming direct control. At other times, it was minor details.

The colour of the star behind the Illusive Man as he spoke to Miranda or Shepard. The twin black holes that lay beyond the Omega 4 Relay. Liara complaining about her work being interrupted, or Mordin singing. That last one was amusing, though I was starting to get looks for humming that tune at the Institute while lost in my work.

My position among those helping guide theories on Element Zero and the preparation for a manned mission to Promethei Planum meant that I was more prominent than I'd ever been before. Enough that the regular warnings from Dr Okonkwo about the dangers of visibility at a young age offered momentary amusement whenever I pondered the matter.

Any questions that came from the other Fellows were answered as best I could. I hid behind the security of the project to avoid letting something slip that shouldn't. The odds that I would make such a mistake were slim, but I wasn't going to risk it. It was unlikely anyone would remember a single stray word of mine in a decade's time, but it was better not to chance it.

My chosen isolation earned me more looks than I'd drawn before the announcement, but I'd take that over revealing something that I shouldn't any day. Besides, as a teenage genius, I was almost expected to be a little quirky, so I might as well use that to my advantage.

***
​

I called home, as planned, on the first weekend in November. It'd be the first call since my birthday and the announcement, and I was both looking forward to it and dreading how they might react.

Mum's face carried that familiar worry she always held for me, though this time I suspected the concern about me growing up too fast was mingled with unease at how my work was being swept up in the news as part of the mission planning. Dad was worried as well, though he mostly hid it behind pride that I was so important to the work, while Callum was a barely contained ball of energy with questions that I'd already prepared answers for.

"Marcus, are you sleeping? You look exhausted. Are you eating properly?"

The questions from Mum came through before I could even say hello, and I didn't bother hiding my relief at her worries spilling out as they had. At least for a few moments, I could feel entirely normal and not someone bearing the weight of future certainty.

"I'm fine, Mum. I've just been busy with my work and processing all the data from Mars." The truth, at least as far as they needed to hear.

"We've been seeing and hearing your name in the news," Dad commented, the pride swelling in his voice even as Mum looked as if she didn't believe I was fine. "They're calling you one of the key figures in understanding this new element."

I smiled, happy to let him enjoy the moment, which I was sure he was savouring with his friends. "It's a collaborative effort, Dad. I just got lucky that one of my papers offered potential hints at understanding what Element Zero is."

"Marcus! They're saying the Mars mission will launch in January!" Callum, no longer able to contain his excitement, cut in before our parents could ask more. "And they'll be in Promethei Planum in March! Can you imagine it? We're going to meet aliens!" He paused even as my smile grew. "Well, not living aliens. At least, no one expects us to. But we're going to have proof, and you're part of it!"

"I'm consulting," I explained, trying to dampen some of his enthusiasm before he asked something I couldn't answer for security reasons. "ESA and the other agencies have their teams taking the lead."

"That's so brilliant! My brother is helping discover aliens!" I shook my head, hardly surprised that he'd not heard what I'd said. "I have to tell them!"

He bounced off, no doubt to talk with his friends, before I could add anything. With a chuckle, I watched him disappear from the range of the camera. "I see he's not changed."

"If anything, he's gotten worse," Dad replied, only for the comment to earn him a gentle elbow to the ribs.

I nodded, pushing aside the thought that Callum would be in his forties in the 2180s. I didn't need to worry about that, or, more accurately, let any hint of it show before my parents.

"Are you coming home for Christmas?" Mum asked, helping me refocus. "We'd love to have you back. You and Keira."

"I'll try," I replied honestly. "Work is… intense right now."

They smiled, aware of how much of an understatement that was. Dad slid an arm around Mum, pulling her close.

"Okay, but promise me you'll take care of yourself," Mum said after a few moments of silence. "I don't want to see my son on the news looking like he's sick."

"I promise."

I'd try, but work wasn't going to get any easier. I just had to hope that the memories of the trilogy, and the times they surged into my thoughts, grew less prominent. Otherwise, I'd be struggling for longer than I wanted.

Mum offered a nod, and I wondered if she believed me or not.

"Okay then, we'll let you go. Go back to helping the world, but never forget you're our son first."

I smiled, and then the call ended. Leaning back into my sofa, I sighed. I'd expected that to be worse, for them to dig and prod for more details than they had. Instead, they'd just made sure I was okay and accepted my words. Well, Callum had run off in excitement, which probably saved me from answering more questions about aliens and what they'd look like.

I already knew those answers, but it was better that I wouldn't have to lie to him about it. I'd done so enough times already when he'd asked about what might be out there, in the depths of space. Back then, I'd felt there was danger there; now I knew what it was. I could name it, and I understood just how formidable it was.

And somehow I had to find a method to stop them, one that, perhaps, didn't make merging with the Reapers the preferable choice.

***
​

By the middle of the month, I'd compiled what felt like a solid overview of the trilogy. The events started on Eden Prime and moved through Feros, Virmire, and then to the Citadel for the first game, on through the Omega 4 Relay in the second, and through Cerberus being corrupted by the Reapers before ending on Earth with the Crucible and that three-colour choice at the end of the third. I had the names of the races and homeworlds, along with every team member from all three games. The plot was clear, but it wasn't perfect.

Smaller details, such as the names of minor figures, side quests, and, in some cases, teammates' loyalty missions, remained vague.

Of the characters I could recall, three were more important now than the others: Hackett, Anderson, and the future Illusive Man, Jack Harper. All had some role to play on Shanxi, with Harper the most important. That was where his path to becoming the Illusive Man began, though I couldn't yet recall the specifics, and perhaps I never would. All of them would be children now, but finding them on a planet of billions would be nearly impossible, and searching for them openly would likely draw someone's attention.

The surveillance that I'd been under since my arrival in The Hague had only increased with my involvement in the Element Zero Project. Most of the enlarged focus would be designed to protect me, but some of the interest wouldn't be. The more central I became, the more factions and entities would desire control over my knowledge, seeking to gain greater power and influence from what I was researching.

I'd have to adapt to that attention and develop countermeasures to prevent myself from becoming such a target. Perversely, the more central I became to everything, and the more those elements sought my knowledge, the more ESA, and then the Alliance once it was born, would seek to protect me. That wouldn't be enough. I had some plans to keep myself free and safe, though those remained in their infancy; until they were ready, I'd keep my focus primarily on my work.

How the Relays fully worked remained unclear in my mind, yet I understood the principles without ever having examined eezo, and that knowledge went deeper than the games offered. Another mystery to add to the pile surrounding why I was here, though that mystery was less important than ensuring that my position at the heart of the project couldn't be challenged.

For nearly my first fifteen years, I'd worked to hide just how intelligent I was, in retrospect going too far in that regard. Since getting my degree, I'd pulled off some of my limiters, and now that I understood what was coming, it was time to remove more. Not all of them, not yet, but enough that my position would become unchallenged.

What had become clearer was that, beyond my memories of the games and my ability to grasp the concepts of the technology, there was more knowledge buried in my mind. Many of my papers until now had nothing to do with eezo, yet the understanding I reached for had come from somewhere.

This "Other Knowledge" remained a riddle, but one I felt was as important as knowing the future, perhaps more so. Maybe even the key to defeating the Reapers without merging with them or sending the galaxy back to the nuclear age, though that might just be youthful hope.

***
​

My head snapped up, and my eyes flared open as, for the first time since the run-up to the announcement, my nightmares returned. These, however, were different: they were stronger, more vivid and violent, covering things the games had never shown.

I'd seen cities burning on dozens of worlds, and even now, as my breathing slowed to normal, I could smell and hear the devastation as if I'd been there, and I had. The nightmares had placed me in each location, fighting back waves of husks, banshees, and other altered Reaper creations.

I'd been in London, watching as a Reaper destroyed Big Ben. I'd stood in Washington as the Pentagon was reduced to molten slag. I'd watched as Thessia had burned. I'd seen Palaven turned into a crater-covered hellhole.

And I'd seen something more personal.

This hurts you.

Even now, with the nightmare over and my mind certain I was back in my bed, Harbinger's voice echoed in my head as if he were towering over me. I could smell the ozone from where he'd sliced through Edinburgh Castle, as if it had offended him in some way. I'd watched the street where my family lived, where I'd grown up, become nothing more than ash.

I'd even experienced, the mere thought of it sending shivers down my spine, the moment my family turned: when they became husks under the Reapers' command, and I'd then gunned them down to save myself.

That wasn't from the games; this was my mind tormenting me over what might happen if I failed. I understood that logically, yet as I reached unsteadily for the mug of water on my bedside table, I couldn't let go of the existential dread that swelled in me at the idea that it might happen.

I am the Harbinger of your perfection. I am the Harbinger of your ascendance.

That voice again echoed through my head, adding to the torment I was enduring. There was nothing about that nightmare that made sense, yet because it felt real, because I'd seen the people who mattered most to me indoctrinated, and then killed by my own hand, it hurt worse than any realisation that the Reapers were out there, waiting to wipe the galaxy clean.

A morbid chuckle slipped from my lips. A personal reason to fight mattered more than a vague concept of saving humanity. The nightmare hadn't been real, but it gave me a real reason to ensure that the future never came to pass.

How I would manage that, however, remained as unclear as it had been since I'd first realised what was coming. The only true upside was that I had decades to prepare.

---***---
​

I'd hoped that the nightmare would only last a single night. It hadn't, choosing to assault my sleep each night until, by the end of the month, I was coming into the Institute at odd hours simply to work myself to the point of exhaustion so that not even those nightmares could keep me awake.

Seeking physical tiredness, I'd tried simply wandering the streets, exercising as much as I was able without drawing attention, and other activities. None had worked, so now it was on to mental exhaustion.

"I thought I was the only insomniac in this building."

I turned, just barely mindful of controlling my reactions, to see Dr Maren Schulz standing in the doorway, cup in hand. Even at a distance, the scent of the coffee tempted me with another way to keep the nightmares away, one that had already failed me.

Neither of us was dressed as professionally as normal hours demanded, with both of us in more relaxed clothing, and the slightly unfocused look in her eyes suggested she'd also given up on sleep, though likely for a project that she felt compelled to finish.

"Couldn't sleep," I replied without explaining why.

She entered the workshop, her gaze more on me than on the formulae that covered the displays in front of me. "You're not okay," she said gently. "You haven't been since the announcement." She didn't know the half of it. "Everyone's seen it, even those who doubted you deserved to be here. It's like you're trying to solve the riddle of Element Zero all by yourself."

I'd already done that, mostly. Enough that I could ensure my importance to the project.

"I'm managing."

"Are you?" she asked as she leaned against my workstation, her expression one of concern rather than pity. "Because from here, it looks like you're barely holding on. I've seen brilliant minds burn out like this before, Marcus. I've watched colleagues destroy themselves chasing problems they couldn't solve until there was nothing left of them. You're exhibiting all the signs: insomnia, weight loss, social withdrawal, obsessive work patterns."

She was right about the signs, just not about the cause. Not entirely, at least.

"I'm aware of my limitations," I said carefully. "And I'm taking precautions."

"Really?" She set the cup down and made sure my gaze found hers. "The world's not going to end if you can't decipher the mystery of this new element, Marcus. Element Zero will still be there tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. So will Mars and your work."

"Thank you," I replied, offering what I knew was a weak smile. "For the concern. I'll… try to do better."

She kept looking at me, as if searching for something I wasn't willing to voice. "Okay," she said eventually, even as she reached for her cup. "I'm not going to even try to understand all this." She gestured vaguely at the screens. "But if you ever want to talk about anything, my door is always open."

I nodded my thanks and then watched her leave. The scent of her coffee lingered, offering a brief distraction from my thoughts and nightmares, and in that distraction, I realised that she was right. The nightmares would eventually stop, and I didn't have to understand everything right now. I had years to work out what it all meant, and to plan ways of exploiting that knowledge so I'd be ready when first Sovereign and then Harbinger and the rest emerged.

For now, the burden would be mine alone, but in time, I hoped I could share it. Not just with Shepard and their team once they gathered, but with others whom I could trust to work alongside me, in the shadows or the open. How remained an unknown variable, but again, time was on my side.

The Reapers were coming; nothing could change that. But I'd be ready, and so would others.

---***---
​

 

[Reynard69]

I couldn't yet recall the specifics, and perhaps I never would.

Click to shrink...

never read the book or the comic?

How the Relays fully worked remained unclear in my mind,

Click to shrink...

They're railguns with a galactic range. Simple as. Literal megatons of the purest eezo harvested by an entire civilization, hooked up to an anti-matter power-plant, create a corridor where the Higgs field means absolutely jack shit, and a you move so fast you basically wormhole teleport across the galaxy. But because exiting means encountering the Higgs field again, rather than tearing apart or becoming a nuclear bloom, you just slow down to the speed you were going when you entered the mass-less corridor.

Think of it as a programmable hyperspace lane, if that helps.

 

[SChase]

Yes, yes, they are coming, but we need moar SCIENCE!!!

 

[USSExplorer]

never read the book or the comic?

Click to shrink...

Nope, not fully. I knew enough when I crafted what "Marcus" knew to understand that was where TIM was born, but only learnt the details after reading the relevant comic (and all the others).
I think I might've read it before ME3 came out, but so long ago I can't be certain, so better to keep it hazy/absent for Marcus.
Still, with a bit of thought, it's easy enough to deduce certain events, and work from there, which will come in time.

They're railguns with a galactic range. Simple as. Literal megatons of the purest eezo harvested by an entire civilization, hooked up to an anti-matter power-plant, create a corridor where the Higgs field means absolutely jack shit, and a you move so fast you basically wormhole teleport across the galaxy. But because exiting means encountering the Higgs field again, rather than tearing apart or becoming a nuclear bloom, you just slow down to the speed you were going when you entered the mass-less corridor.

Think of it as a programmable hyperspace lane, if that helps.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, but for Marcus, rn, he's not certain of anything beyond that overhead concept. He'll get there in the end, though.
Just takes time to work through and understand the physics of the setting with only an overview of how it works and a genius-level intellect.
Not that I'm going to focus too hard in the underlying science of the setting in-story, as you're already aware

 

[Bashaar Ali]

So very well written but in my humble opinion there is a tad too much focus on his feelings and insecurities, especially since this has already been established. His worries have been established earlier in the story so it would be better to focus on other aspects of the story (progression, science etc) and sprinkle his mental state in as a response to stuff as the story goes on. No need for chapters heavy on his mental state.

 

[Tanaxanth]

I love Mass Effect and this story is unique in how and when it takes place.

My only request would be putting a timestamp each chapter so we thr humble reader can remember how long Marcus has until canon

 

[USSExplorer]

So very well written but in my humble opinion there is a tad too much focus on his feelings and insecurities, especially since this has already been established. His worries have been established earlier in the story so it would be better to focus on other aspects of the story (progression, science etc) and sprinkle his mental state in as a response to stuff as the story goes on. No need for chapters heavy on his mental state.

Click to shrink...

Those will decrease as the story progresses from here, don't worry.
These chapters have merely been the direct response to learning he's in ME, and adapting in the days after.

I love Mass Effect and this story is unique in how and when it takes place.

My only request would be putting a timestamp each chapter so we thr humble reader can remember how long Marcus has until canon

Click to shrink...

The eezo reveal was on Marcus' 17th birthday, in 2147.
That's ~10 years until the FCW, and ~25 until ME1.
Dates will come and go in the story as it progresses, but there'll only be a few direct moments where one is mentioned Singapore, First Contact, Marcus' birthdays, etc

 

[hacks]

There's no war in space. You can't prove otherwise. Also I'm looking for your SW story here on QQ but I'm having trouble finding it and since your profile is private and you don't have in your signature im having difficulty's finding it. Ik it got deleted off ao3 but I'm unsure if you still have it on here?

 

[USSExplorer]

Ik it got deleted off ao3 but I'm unsure if you still have it on here?

Click to shrink...

ANP is here: https://forum.questionablequesting.com/threads/a-new-player-in-the-force-sw-lite-gamer.11902

As for AO3, it was pulled for something my co-author did, but the admin didn't tell me. Then they deleted it because of another issue that they never mentioned was an issue, but had been fine for ~3 years previously.

 

[Red_Faux]

Roll up your sleeve," she said. "This won't take long."

Click to shrink...

For what? A literal paragraph before this it says needles haven't been used in a hundred years. Imma head out.

 

[USSExplorer]

0018: Equilibrium
…​

By the end of November, I'd learned to live and move through the nightmares. They were still there, tormenting me, but the struggle to endure them had lessened with each passing night.

I'd also become certain that the extra information in my head, the "Other Knowledge" as I termed it, didn't align with anything centred on eezo. The pathways it had hinted at before the announcement weren't just away from eezo; they diverged massively from it.

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.

The "Other Knowledge" offered insights that had nothing to do with the trap. It suggested methodologies that had led to my work on recursive field geometries and the power distribution frameworks. Paths that current science might have moved towards if not for the discovery of Element Zero and the structure on Mars. Yet that knowledge felt as right and natural as what I comprehended about Element Zero and the Reapers' web. Enough that, with the month ending, I'd come to a hopeful realisation.

This knowledge might well be the key to defeating the Reapers. To breaking the trap once and for all, without the need to endure a choice that came down to, in my opinion, little more than three different colours.

It would take me years, if not decades, to unlock everything that was stored somewhere deep in my mind, hidden from obvious sight but still present. Decades that I thankfully had. The only doubt, faint as it was, lay in the fact that I didn't know if these new concepts would offer hope to defeat the Reapers without relying on the Crucible.

Of course, I had questions. How had I gained this knowledge and my understanding of eezo? Who or what had decided that Marcus Sinclair should know the truth of the future, and also carry the potential key to survival?

I didn't linger on them much. I'd done enough of that during my early years, and repeating the process, even with new information, would only lead me back to the same inability to find answers. Other, far more important things demanded my attention.

---***---
​

The beginning of December brought another meeting, the sixth I'd been summoned to since the announcement, though there'd been others I'd not been required to attend. This time it took place in Paris, at ESA Mission Headquarters. As before, I was the youngest and, apparently, the least qualified to be there.

Directors and department heads from ESA, along with their equivalents from NASA, CNSA, ISRO, and other agencies, were either physically present or attending via hologram and video calls. Most seemed to watch me as I entered, though none questioned my presence. It was tangible proof, however minor, that I was moving towards the core of everything that mattered.

Director General Lindqvist stood, opening the meeting as he had done at the previous three I'd attended. "We have new data from orbital platforms," he said, activating a holographic display that sprang into existence above the centre of the table, projecting Mars with Promethei Planum highlighted in pulsing amber.

"The structures beneath the surface are showing faint signs of enhanced reactions. Nothing major, just low-level energy readings that weren't present in previous scans. We cannot ignore the fact that the increases seem to be in direct response to the concentrated focus of our satellites on the area, though confirmation will only come through direct investigation."

As he spoke, I studied the readings, aligning them alongside the understanding I had of eezo and how it worked in concert with other systems. I hid my amazement that systems over fifty thousand years old were slowly waking, though if anything did slip out, it would be lost in the looks of surprise that filled the room at the Director General's statement.

"On that point, the advanced team at Promethei Planum is moving faster than we predicted," Lindqvist continued, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "They expect to break through to whatever lies beneath by the beginning of March next year, if not earlier."

I nodded along with the others, the timeline advancing faster than they'd all expected. It wasn't anything drastic, just a sign of how committed the world was to this, something I'd anticipated as effort was concentrated, political will and economic interest all aligning in the pursuit of power while most researchers focused on the new knowledge that lay just beyond our fingertips.

As Director Lindqvist continued, detailing the changes this advancement meant for the mission, I only partially listened. Nothing about it was critical, but all of it was classified at levels that had already mandated an increased ESA security clearance for me.

Any mention of my name, connected to my work in field dynamic variances through mass manipulation, had many glance my way. The sceptical looks remained, though they were less common and softer. It had only been a month, but I was already shifting from "promising young mind" to "useful consultant". Before the Archives were uncovered, I wanted to be "essential", if not more.

***
​

As the meeting ended, I stood, moving to leave along with everyone else.

"Mr Sinclair." I turned at my name, finding Dr Patricia Chen, NASA's Director General, moving towards me with her entourage. "I'd like to congratulate you on your recent theories. The frameworks on dynamic mass manipulation are easily the best fit of anything currently on the table."

"Thank you."

She smiled, looking me over as if weighing up some sort of interesting experiment. "I'm sure you've heard the name some have started calling you. The Element Zero Theorist."

I grimaced, making clear my dislike of that title. Callum had been the one to bring it to my attention a week ago, and I detested it as much now as I did then. Yes, having a title like that would ensure my name was linked to eezo, but I had so much more to offer than theories. It would take time to turn what I knew into actionable papers and research, but I was already mapping out how I'd advance humanity's understanding of Element Zero and everything that came with it faster than in the trilogy.

"I've been lucky," I replied, my face softening. "I'm not the only one offering theories."

"No, but as I said, you've been the closest to our working models. It's helping us gain insight into the laws of this wonderful new element." She moved closer, displaying a small device in her hand that I knew was a digital card. "NASA would like to formally request your cooperation as a consultant. We're not asking you to leave the Federation or ESA, but we'd like your insight into our projects."

"Of course," I answered, tapping my public datapad against the device, allowing the sharing of contact details. I had to expand my connections beyond ESA, and NASA was the logical first step in that process.

"There's also the matter of the security clearance." The comment came from one of the figures behind Dr Chen. Based on their suit and the statement, I guessed they were from the American intelligence services. "Getting access to our secured servers and data will require you to undergo enhanced vetting."

"I'd be happy to cooperate with any necessary procedures," I replied calmly. "Though I've recently undergone such vetting with ESA, alongside an updated medical examination."

Those checks hadn't probed deeply enough to be a problem, so if NASA accepted them, I'd save myself pointless worry over another medical.

The man nodded, allowing me to banish the concern fully. "Noted. We'll be in touch about the specifics."

The group moved off, and I turned, intending to leave, only to stop as Dr Larsson caught my attention. At her gesture, I moved over, noting how her eyes tracked Dr Chen and her team as they moved away.

"I see NASA's making their pitch."

I smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not leaving for America."

She nodded, though I sensed she'd never expected I would.

"I just wanted to check in on you. Director Bakker reached out, saying you were initially struggling with the Element Zero research."

"Not so much the research but everything connected to it," I answered honestly. "Though I'm doing far better now."

"Yes, I can see that." She placed a hand on my shoulder in an almost parental manner. "I know you don't need the reminder, but you're easily the youngest one here, and I can only imagine how daunting all this must feel. You're important, but your health comes first, and no matter what happens going forward, history will remember your role in this."

"I know."

"I hope you do."

---***---
​

A few days after the latest meeting, I reached out to David.

On AI research, the "Other Knowledge" hinted at parallel avenues alongside what eezo would allow, if not outright solutions. Because of the nature of that work, I contacted him via the encrypted comms device.

Element Zero changes everything, but I bet you've already figured that out. What you and others likely aren't seeing is how much it's going to change. The implications, as I'm seeing them, go far further than anyone is prepared to discuss. Far enough that there are restrictions in place that need to be circumvented.
I can't explain to you now why I think this, but I want you to consider what I'm about to ask before replying. We need to ensure that humanity is ready for what the future is about to unveil.
The encryption system we created for these devices was a start, but we have to go further. We need tools that others deny and restrict.
You said that you're still thinking of working on AI safety for your postgrad, right? If that's still true, then it's going to help because I think we're going to need that knowledge.
I know that AI research, outside of secured facilities, is illegal. I know it's dangerous. But I think we need to at least have the designs ready.
I'm not asking you to build one now; I'm asking that, when I'm in Edinburgh this Christmas, we meet and talk about potentially building one that isn't confined by the styles and concepts that everyone expects.
Yes, I know that saying we'd need AI for a danger that doesn't exist sounds paranoid. But I'd rather be ready to build such a thing and not need it than need it and be woefully ill-equipped for the danger that required such a response.
If you want to meet and talk about this, great. If not, we can still catch up and forget this was ever mentioned. Just think it over before you reply.

***
​

That evening, the device drew my attention, and I opened it, hoping he'd at least listen.

Yeah, you sound paranoid, Marcus, but at least you see that.
I'm not sure if even considering making an AI is a good idea, but we're friends, so I'll listen to your pitch. Just promise me that, whatever is making you think we need this, you'll explain it to me as best you can when we meet.
Reach out through standard channels, and we'll set a time and place.

I smiled as I closed the device. David wasn't on board, but he wasn't rejecting me outright. That was what I'd hoped for, and I felt a small wave of relief at having him agree to meet.

In my mind, I saw two pathways towards AI. The first was EDI. I'd loved her character arc in the games, moving from an AI bound to the SR2 to something unique. If David ever met something, someone, like her, or had a hand in birthing her, he'd be ecstatic and terrified.

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.

Either way, the problem was the AI Safety Accords. The law was clear on who could develop AI, and how. Even if I became the most important mind on the planet, approval to begin such research might never come, or, worse, be delayed so long as to be killed off with the Citadel's laws on AIs coming into effect.

I needed to at least consider how to start the process now: lay the groundwork with David, and set down secured notes on how EDI was created and what the "Other Knowledge" might suggest.

Leaning back on my sofa, I closed my eyes. For the last few years, I'd been certain that my path was that of the scientist: someone who guided humanity without standing on the frontlines. That might remain true, but it seemed I was already preparing to step not just away from the frontlines, but, at least in part, out of the light entirely.

What I was planning to do with David amounted to, if one looked at it coldly, moving pieces on a chessboard in a game that only I knew the rules for. As I lay there, I silently wondered if this was how Jack Harper had looked at the galaxy: a giant board where pieces had to be moved to protect humanity from alien threats. He'd only focused on those of the other races, Citadel-bound or not, but I was looking beyond that.

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.

---***---
​

Mid-December brought another meeting with ESA and others, and I was already growing tired of the need to attend so many when they offered little in the way of worthwhile updates and took me away from my research.

The conference room was again packed, though, as with each previous meeting, my presence was drawing fewer questioning looks and more acceptance of my importance, which at least meant I gained something from such briefings. My work, a half-dozen theoretical papers written solo and in conjunction with others, had removed most of the concerns over my age and qualifications. Dozens more waited to be submitted, all laid out so as not to draw attention faster than seemed normal.

As the meeting began, I was struck by the amusing thought that this group of scientists, in shaping the future that was about to be unlocked, held more influence than the World Council, the body that had replaced the ineffectual United Nations last century. That the World Council seemed as hamstrung as its forebears was another of those little points that suggested more was happening in the world than first appeared. Such thoughts, however, weren't things I could focus on currently.

"The advanced team now expects to reach the structure before the end of February." The news, delivered by Director Lindqvist, set off a chain of murmurs around the room, though I wondered why he simply couldn't have informed everyone via secured messages. "As such, the entrance team will move to position after adjusting to Mars instead of waiting in Lowell City."

That was the only true city on Mars, and the planetary capital.

"Mr Sinclair will be our primary theoretical consultant throughout the mission," Lindqvist continued, gesturing towards me. "His frameworks for understanding Element Zero field dynamics have proven invaluable. He'll be on call to assist with analysis of any technology we encounter."

I nodded, accepting the praise and ignoring the looks of disappointment and annoyance from others. My work had ensured my position; now I just had to continue to build on it to fully cement my influence.

The meeting continued from there, covering familiar ground, and I barely paid attention, my mind returning to my work instead of listening to old men and women who seemingly enjoyed the sound of their own voices.

"The World Council Security Board is watching this closely." My head popped up at that statement from a UNAS representative. "First contact protocols are being drafted in the event this structure isn't as abandoned as it appears."

"What form would these protocols take?" I asked, genuinely curious despite knowing they'd ultimately not be needed on Mars. If I could help shape those, then perhaps the war could be lessened, or, more likely, we could prove our innocence to the Citadel Council once it was over. "Assuming we find evidence of the technology's creators, how do we prepare for the possibility that they might still exist? Or what if we encounter other species using the same technology to explore the galaxy?"

The American's face tightened even as my questions set off several quiet conversations around the room. I heard them all, but my focus was on the government official.

"Such conversations are taking place at the highest levels of government under strict security measures," the man replied. "All I can tell you is that multiple scenarios are being considered. We're aware of the possibilities: a dormant civilisation, one that's actively monitoring us, one that's hostile, one that's friendly, and even one that's some sort of AI."

I nodded, pleased by the answer even if I knew that, when those protocols were needed, they'd fail. Still, at least they weren't going in guided by blind optimism.

---***---
​

 

[Pax Humana]

Very nice update! TFTC

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