To: Everyone

[earthborn]

This is Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy SR-2, Systems Alliance.

I know by now that that won't mean a lot to most of you; this world, this planet at least, is a bit farther down the tech curve than my normal. I'm given to understand that for a certain portioned of my fellow summoned, this is not the case. So I'll ask:

How many spacers are here, aside from myself?

Sound off. I'm willing to bet we have a hell of a lot more in common than anything else, no matter who says we ought to be at whoever's throats, or why.

Comments

[techmaturgy]

Do you want my resume? A declaration of intent, to not use this information for nefarious purposes? You yourself admitted you don't know much about the tech.

[He's like....pretty sure he's not going to be able to build a spaceship. Maybe 80% sure. Also he has other things to worry about.]

I'm unfamiliar.

[earthborn]

Just because I don't know how to balance a tantalus drive core, it doesn't mean I'm an idiot. I couldn't give a damn about nefarious purposes, I just want intel.

[If one of you jerks builds a superweapon, or a way offworld, she doesn't want to be left out of the loop. It's much harder to deal with, and usually involves hurting people.]

It's a rare element, you see it in asteroid belts and sometimes rarely on terrestrial planets. If you refine it, and run a current through it, it alters the effects of gravity on whatever's inside the resulting mass effect field. It's the basis for the drive core of any ship capable of interstellar travel.

[techmaturgy]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't know how to do that either.

[Because he doesn't know what that is. What he does not say is that, with a little bit of time and elbow grease, he could probably figure it out.]

A power source. Understood. How fast are we talking?

[earthborn]

Superluminal?

[There is a significant pause]

Stars are very far away. Even if you went as fast as the speed of light, it'd still take years to get anywhere. To get somewhere you'd actually want to go it'd take thousands or tens of thousands of years. Sometimes more.

Also the time-dilation would kick your ass.

But the mass effect kind of changes the game on normal physics. With the aid of a sufficiently massive amount of eezo, you can cross the whole galaxy in a matter of weeks.

[techmaturgy]

I suspected. Incredible. I've helped to develop magically-aided travel over land, but I couldn't possibly conceive of something that could surpass the speed of light.

[earthborn]

Normal FTL is pretty impressive, but ultimately it's still too slow. You need mass relays to really get galactic commerce moving.

But that has it's own consequences.

[techmaturgy]

And those are...?

[earthborn]

Interstellar war is a completely different level of nasty to the normal kind.

That, and, we don't actually know how to build them. All the relays that exist are the product of a species that's called "Reapers". I'll give you a guess as to why we call them that, and it's not because they're great with farm equipment.

[techmaturgy]

That much seems obvious.

[What does not make sense is continuing to use devices, but he's just going to chalk it up to "capitalism" or maybe just "the economy".]

And using the preexisting technology of a hostile alien race is the only option.

[earthborn]

People had been using them for thousands of years, even before humans left the Sol system. It was safe for a long time before anybody knew it wasn't. Generations grew up, raised families, and died, with no side effects that they knew of.

But the whole time, everything about the relays; their placement, the ease of use, the way they worked as a network, was shaping the way the galaxy grew. Making it predictable, for the enemy we didn't know existed.

And, now it's too late. But nobody listens to me, and I sound like a crackpot when I bring it up in the Council chambers. I've fought a Reaper; we're not even a little bit ready for what's coming.

[techmaturgy]

Understood. The context is helpful.

[Also. Hahah. Man. That sucks--at least his teleportation relays were built from the ground up, no aliens involved. Maybe. He supposes it's not out of the question that some kind of elder god might bust its way through some other realm via the arcane channels they've opened in developing Hextech, but it's not like it matters, now that he's stuck here.]

I can see why you'd be wary of others attempting to re-create the technology.

[earthborn]

What about you? Science guy, what you workin' on?

[techmaturgy]

[Oh, you know. Stuff and things.]

Much of my work back home involved the technological applications of arcane forces--not unlike the "new" magic practiced in the Free Cities.

[earthborn]

So you build tech. Stuff that might be compatible with what this planet operates on?

[techmaturgy]

It would be a step backward, for me--the technology here is comparatively behind that of my world, but yes. That's the idea.

[earthborn]

But you could build me something that would work, if I asked real nice?

I don't have a lot of money, but I take good care of my people. And it's not as if we're going to be much use to anyone just sitting around staring at our own hands. It doesn't sound like you're a nefarious purposes kind of person, am I right?

[techmaturgy]

Probably. Money is not an object--I'm happy to engage in mutually-beneficial arrangements with fellow Summoned. What I'm able to build depends on what you're interested in.

[earthborn]

I need a weapon. Specifically, a firearm— a rifle, longer-range the better. I can keep myself safe on my own, but I have a friend who came in with me and I'm not interested in watching him die because the local fauna got excited about trying a new flavor.

The local options function, barely, but they're so archaic that I don't even know where to begin. If you're as advanced as you're implying, I'd be interested in seeing what you could do.

[techmaturgy]

[why do you people always want guns]

Oh. Apologies. I don't build weapons.

[earthborn]

Is there are particular reason why not?

[It is a genuine mystery to Shepard.]

[techmaturgy]

There are plenty of engineers who will build weapons. I prefer to use my talents to less destructive ends.

[earthborn]

And you don't think there's been a material shift in circumstances?

[Respect levels... dropping....]

Fine. It's not like I can force you. I'll keep you mind if I have anything... less destructive than a hunting rifle in mind.

[techmaturgy]

[convictions, baybe]

Given the military here? Even more reason to be cautious.