Ad Astra :: Star Trek Fanfiction Archive ^{Beam me up, Scotty.}

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Here's a link to the Mass Effect Wiki for those curious: https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/Mass_Effect_Wiki

Commander Jane Shepard  Jane Shepard was born in space on April 11, 2154, is a graduate of the Systems Alliance N7 special forces program (service no. 5923-AC-2826), a veteran of the Skyllian Blitz where she earned the Star of Terra, and is initially assigned to the SSV Normandy in 2183 as Executive Officer, with a Systems Alliance rank of Lieutenant Commander. Shepard later becomes the first human to join the Spectres, an elite special task force for the Citadel Council.

Ashley Madeline Williams

Born on April 14th, 2158^[1] on the colony world Sirona in the 61 Ursae Majoris system, Ashley comes from a large family that includes a long line of Alliance soldiers: her great-grandmother, her grandfather, and her father all swore the Oath of Service.

Following her family's tradition, Ashley enlisted in the Alliance Navy as a marine after high school and was assigned to the Recruit Training Depot in Macapá, Brazil. During training, Chief Williams was certified proficient with the standard-issue M7 Lancer assault rifle and light to standard-weight combat hardsuits. She also completed certification in zero-gravity combat aboard the Rakesh Sharma Orbital Platform in Earth geosynchronous orbit. For Hostile Environment Assault Training, she was assigned to Fort Charles Upham on Titan, one of Saturn's moons, where she was awarded a commendation for her bold assault technique in a field exercise simulating an attack on turian point defense emplacements.

Drill Instructor Gunnery Chief Ellison noted her steadfast endurance and aggressive instincts, and promoted her to squad leader. Subsequently Ashley is promoted again to platoon guide after her effective tutelage of the less skilled members of her training unit. Her platoon had logged unanimous positive feedback on her leadership in a recent fitness review cycle, and fellow soldier Private Nirali Bhatia praised her focus on team-building exercises and "tough but fair" discipline.

Despite glowing performance reviews, Ashley was denied further opportunities for advancement. Having served on numerous groundside garrisons she has repeatedly requested a transfer to a shipboard posting, but each request had been denied, without explicit reasons.

Ashley's Military Vocational Code is B4 and her blood type is B-Positive. She had received genetic enhancements including in-utero vision correction (maternal predisposition for nearsightedness) and the Class-B Alliance Infantry Upgrade Package.

Garrus Vakarian is a turian, formerly part of C-Sec's Investigation Division. Like most turians, Garrus had his military training at fifteen, but later followed in his father's footsteps to become a C-Sec officer. He was responsible for the investigation of Saren Arterius, the Council's top Spectre, after the Alliance claimed Saren had gone rogue. Although Garrus was told that the investigation was over, he decided to defy the Executor's order and pursue another lead on his own. Eventually, Garrus attempts to join Commander Shepard's team to help defeat Saren and the geth.

Kaidan Alenko 

Kaidan was born in 2151 into a family already familiar with space: his father served in the Alliance military. After his mother was downwind of a transport crash in Singapore, Kaidan was exposed in utero to element zero and beat the odds, gaining biotic potential instead of terminal brain cancer. At the time little was known about human biotics, but when the possibilities became better understood, a company called Conatix Industries was set up to track accidental eezo exposures. Children who showed enough potential to be worth augmenting with implants were 'encouraged' to attend BAaT (Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training) which was conducted at Gagarin Station and nicknamed 'Brain Camp' by its attendees. As Kaidan tells Shepard, "[b]unch of guys in suits show up at your door after school. Next thing you know, you're out on Jump Zero."

At BAaT, Kaidan developed a close relationship with a girl named Rahna, though they never consummated it. Along with several other teenagers, Kaidan began his training, but things went bad almost from the start. Conatix wanted to speed the work along and brought in an ex-military turian, Commander Vyrnnus, who was an expert in biotics but also a veteran of the First Contact War who disliked humans. Vyrnnus introduced himself by saying "I was at the helm of the dreadnought that killed your father", and Kaidan retorted that his father hadn't even been in the war. Vyrnnus had it in for Kaidan after that, and began pushing the teenagers very hard. Kaidan recalls: "You either came out a superman or a wreck. A lot of kids snapped. A few died."

Finally, the inevitable happened and Vyrnnus went too far. Rahna reached for a glass of water instead of moving it biotically. Vyrnnus punished Rahna by breaking her arm and Kaidan tried to defend her, only to receive a beating from Vyrnnus. When the turian pulled a knife, Kaidan lost control and hit him with a full biotic kick, breaking Vyrnnus' neck. After Vyrnnus' death, BAaT was shut down and the records were sealed to hide the Alliance's mistakes. Though Rahna was safe from Vyrnnus, she was afraid of Kaidan after that and the two parted ways.

Kaidan dropped off the radar for a while to figure things out, feeling lost and paralyzed after Jump Zero, but eventually came back to the Alliance in 2173 — on his terms this time — because he wanted to serve. Refusing further biotic training or an implant retrofit, he enlisted in the Alliance Navy and worked his way up to Lieutenant, gaining several special commendations in the process despite the health problems he suffered with his L2 implants; these manifested as intense migraines that left him sensitive to bright lights and noise. Finally Kaidan was transferred to the SSV Normandy under Captain Anderson, where he later worked alongside Commander Shepard.

Dr. Liara T'Soni

The only child of Matriarch Benezia, Liara was raised by her mother alone. She knew little of who her father was, only that it was another asari. Liara is a pureblood, a fact she speculates to be a reason why her "father" seemingly did not wish to be identified.

From an early age Liara became fascinated with the Protheans, seeing them as wondrous, mysterious figures. Growing up, she did not relish her role as Benezia's daughter and has shied away from her mother's life as an important figure in galactic affairs. Benezia's position meant Liara faced high expectations from everyone. Liara chose a career in archaeology to indulge her interests and to escape the pressures of being the daughter of such a prominent figure. Because of her work, Liara spent most of her time in contented solitude.

Her work eventually took her to Knossos in the Artemis Tau cluster, to the site of a Prothean ruin on the mining planet Therum. When geth forces showed up on the world in 2183, Liara hid in the old catacombs and activated its barrier curtains. However, she accidentally suspended herself in an energy field, unable to move unless someone else came and freed her.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya is a quarian and a member of Commander Shepard's squad. She is the daughter of Rael'Zorah, a member of the Admiralty Board. Though young, Tali is a mechanical genius.

Urdnot Wrex

A famed krogan mercenary and bounty hunter, Urdnot Wrex is also one of the last Krogan Battlemasters: rare individuals who combine powerful biotic abilities with the devastating firepower of advanced weaponry. A long-lived krogan who has had many adventures, Wrex has heard of Commander Shepard during his travels, and respects the Commander as a fellow warrior.

Despite his chosen path of violence and killing for credits, Wrex is deeply concerned with the fate of his people after the genophage, and is one of the few planning for a new krogan future.

David Edward Anderson is a human war hero and the original captain of the SSV Normandy. Anderson was born on June 8, 2137 to Ursula and Paul Anderson, a nurse and flight mechanic respectively, in the city of London on Earth, and was the last of three children by his parents' second marriage. Anderson is one of the Alliance's most decorated special forces operatives, and the first to graduate from the N7 Special Forces program at Arcturus Station, serving with honor in the First Contact War.

Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau is the pilot of the SSV Normandy. Joker is an excellent pilot and confident to the point of arrogance, wasting no time in pointing out his prowess to others. He's quick to ensure everyone knows his many accomplishments and commendations were all earned, and not due to charity for his medical problems.

Ambassador Donnel Udina is a human diplomat stationed at the Citadel. He is humanity's most recent ambassador to the Council races (the first was Anita Goyle) and is determined to advance human interests wherever possible. Udina is mistrustful or at least apprehensive of Commander Shepard, particularly after the Commander's induction into the Spectres. Udina often requires solid, irrefutable proof of anything before acting, a trait which often conflicts with Shepard's goals. Udina plays the political game, refusing to rock the boat if it might endanger his standing—and therefore humanity's—with the Citadel Council

Saren Arterius, born 2139, is the longest serving turian member of the Spectres, the elite operatives answering directly to the Citadel Council. For 24 years, he has been an agent of the Council's will, a zealous defender of galactic stability in the unsettled border region of the Skyllian Verge.

Jacob Taylor is a human biotic and a former Alliance Marine under the command of Major Derek Izunami. He resigned after surviving the geth attack on Eden Prime. He is also part of Commander Shepard's squad during the suicide mission. Jacob is a highly experienced fighter, and is skilled in the use of weapons and biotics. He works professionally alongside Miranda Lawson, who functions as his informant and later as his superior officer.

asumi Goto is the galaxy's most enigmatic thief and has enemies everywhere, but only a few could put a name to her face. She is a master of stealth and infiltration.

Miranda Lawson is a human Cerberus Officer. Miranda is very well traveled and has many contacts, extending from Citadel space and the Terminus Systems, to as far as the hostile Nemean Abyss. Her vast network of contacts may be explained by the fact Miranda is a known Cerberus operative, one who still has friends — or at least friends of friends — in the Alliance military. She has served at various times as a contact for Jacob Taylor and a member of Commander Shepard's crew.

Mordin Solus is a salarian geneticist, professor, and a former operative of the Special Tasks Group, where he performed reconnaissance and participated in the modification of the genophage. In 2185, he is recruited by Commander Shepard to assist in a high-risk mission against the Collectors. Mordin has a moral character best described as consequentialist, believing the ends justify the means, though he dislikes taking life without good cause. His actions are often guided by an impersonal logic, refusing to let his conscience, personal, and emotional connections cloud his judgment of what he believes is truly best in the big picture. Though he is affable, quick-talking and friendly, Mordin bears physical scars of his time in the STG and is still handling the consequences of his past.

Samara is a nearly thousand-year-old asari justicar, a member of an ancient monastic order following a strict honor code. Though she is skilled with weapons, Samara usually relies on her powerful biotic abilities. Justicars rarely leave asari space, but Samara's pursuit of justice has brought her to Illium.

Thane Krios is a drell assassin, rumored to be the most skilled in the galaxy. Unlike most assassins, who prefer to snipe their targets from a distance, Thane prefers to get up close and kill his target personally, utilizing a mixture of stealth, firearms, hand-to-hand combat and biotic abilities. Despite his profession, Thane is a deeply spiritual man who prays for success in his missions. Thane asks for forgiveness after each kill, even going as far as to ignore those in his immediate vicinity until he is finished doing so.

Zaeed Massani is a feared, respected bounty hunter and mercenary soldier. Cerberus has contracted Zaeed to assist Commander Shepard in the mission to save mankind. In exchange, Zaeed requires help to complete another mission he had accepted beforehand, which is to liberate an Eldfell-Ashland Energy refinery from Blue Suns control.

Aria T'Loak is the de facto ruler of Omega, the nominal capital of the Terminus Systems. Also known as the "Pirate Queen" of Omega, Aria is fiercely possessive of the space station and will do anything to protect it and maintain her dominance.

The Enhanced Defense Intelligence, or EDI (pronounced 'Ee-Dee' [ˈiːdiː]), is an AI created by Cerberus and installed aboard the Normandy SR-2. She is represented visually by a holographic blue sphere and aurally with a feminine voice at various terminals throughout the ship where she can provide basic information about the Normandy and Cerberus.

The Illusive Man is the elusive, secretive, and well-informed leader of Cerberus. He has close-cropped silver-grey hair with "steely blue" eyes which appear to be prosthetic. The Illusive Man's real name and his life before Cerberus are both long forgotten by most. For years, the Illusive Man has been using Cerberus and his immense network of contacts to achieve his goal - that of making humanity ascendant above all other races. He is described as having the best and worst traits of humanity rolled into one man.

Dr. Karin Chakwas is the human doctor of the SSV Normandy. She enlisted in the Alliance soon after she graduated from medical school, originally seeking "exotic adventure". Even after the realities of service sobered her outlook, she stayed with the Alliance out of a sense of duty to humanity, eventually earning the rank of major. Though she sometimes considers starting her own private practice, or going to work at a medical center on one of the colonies, she feels that "there is something special about working on soldiers", and believes she would be abandoning them if she did not stay. Like most Alliance doctors, she has taken courses in alien biology, enabling her to treat any non-human crew members.

Kelly Chambers is Commander Shepard's yeoman on the Normandy SR-2 in 2185. In addition to her duties as yeoman, she is also a psychologist and will offer insight into each new addition to the squad.

The Shadow Broker is an enigmatic figure at the head of an expansive organization which trades in information, always selling to the highest bidder. The Shadow Broker appears to be highly competent at its trade: all secrets that are bought and sold never allow one customer of the Broker to gain a significant advantage, forcing the customers to continue trading information to avoid becoming disadvantaged, allowing the Broker to remain in business.

Lieutenant James Vega is a human Systems Alliance Marine and a member of Commander Shepard's squad in 2186. While Vega is an experienced soldier, he is unfamiliar with the seedy underbelly and political workings of the galaxy.

Lieutenant Gregory Adams is a human Earth Systems Alliance engineer in the 22nd century. He was hand-picked by Captain David Anderson to serve as the Chief Engineer of the SSV Normandy. Engineer Adams has served on every class of Alliance starships. Prior to being assigned to the Normandy, Adams served on the SSV Tokyo, which he describes as a "good ship" but added that the SSV Tokyo "couldn't hold a candle to the Normandy". Adams becomes very enthusiastic while discussing the Normandy, claiming she is the best ship he has ever served on. 

Lieutenant Steve Cortez is an Alliance pilot aboard the Normandy SR-2 in 2186, where he pilots the UT-47A Kodiak that transports Commander Shepard and squad to mission locations

Admiral Steven Hackett is a top-ranking official of the Alliance Navy and commanding officer of the Fifth Fleet. He is based at Arcturus Station.

Specialist Samantha Traynor Her parents were originally from London, but they preferred the freedom of colony life. Samantha spent some time in England when she attended Oxford University. Her parents didn't have money for sending her to a university, but she was able to pursue her studies as the Alliance offered her full scholarship after seeing her aptitude scores. She has a strong British RP (Received Pronunciation) accent. 

Kai Leng is an assassin working for the human-survivalist organization Cerberus. Leng was formerly a lieutenant and N7 marine in the Systems Alliance known for having anti-alien attitudes. He is described as being Earth-born with Chinese and Russian/Slavic heritage, with the Chinese being the dominant of the two.

Henry Lawson is a powerful businessman who was obsessed with securing a way to make his mark on history - namely, by creating a "genetic dynasty". Rather than have a normal family, Henry took his own DNA and doubled his X chromosome to create a daughter, Miranda, whom he ensured would have "desirable traits." Miranda was not the first offspring engineered in such a way, but she was the first one Henry kept. Henry spoiled Miranda growing up, giving her everything she wanted, but there was always a hook, an angle designed to fit his long term plan for her. Eventually, Henry grew dissatisfied with Miranda and used her DNA to create a more ideal heiress, Oriana

These are the principle characters you'll encounter, although there are many others. If you want to know more about a character, please let me know through the comments.

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Information drawn from Mass Effect Wiki: https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/Mass_Effect_Wiki

Principal Mass Effect Races: Like Star Trek, there are many races in the Mass Effect universe. Only, in the ME verse, humans are relative newcomers to the scene. Here are a few of the more important ones:

The asari, native to the planet Thessia, are often considered the most influential and respected sentient species in the galaxy, and are known for their elegance, diplomacy, and biotic aptitude. This is partly due to the fact that the asari were among the earliest races to achieve interstellar flight after the Protheans, and the first to discover and settle the Citadel.

A mono-gender race, the asari are distinctly feminine in appearance and possess maternal instincts. Their unique physiology, expressed in a millennium-long lifespan and the ability to reproduce with a partner of any gender or species, gives them a conservative yet convivial attitude toward other races. Favoring compromise and cooperation over conflict, the asari were instrumental in proposing and founding the Citadel Council and have been at the heart of galactic society ever since.

Asari resemble humans in terms of basic skeletal structure with five digits on each hand and feet that are relatively straight (certainly in comparison to species like quarians and turians). This similarity allows asari to wear human armor. A typical asari has a blue to purple complexion, though a teal complexion is possible albeit seemingly rare. Some asari, such as Matriarch Lidanya, Matriarch Benezia, Liara T'Soni, and Tela Vasir have facial markings, which are unique colored patterns that vary for every asari. Some of these facial markings resemble the eyebrows that humans have, but the asari do not think of the markings as such themselves. In the place of head hair, asari possess semi-flexible, cartilage-based scalp-crests that grow into shape. These structures are rigid, and do not "flop around" as some believe. Asari have navels as well as breasts that continue to grow with age. Asari also have a robust cellular regenerative system; while they do not heal faster than other species, they are known to reach over 1000 years of age. This long lifespan is rivaled only by the krogan. Asari can see ultraviolet at the short-wavelength end of the spectrum. Asari blood is purple.

There is some conflicting information regarding the gender of the asari. Asari are a mono-gendered species with no concept of gender differences. According to Liara, "male and female have no real meaning for us," and, if asked, says that she is "not precisely a woman." At the same time, asari are often viewed as an all-female race. To humans at least, asari appear female with feminine physical characteristics and voices. Even among the asari, many individual asari are referred to as “she” and “her“ but some asari prefer male pronouns, while others gravitate toward gender-neutral where language allows. Asari also bear feminine titles like “huntress” and “matriarch” and asari offspring are referred to as “daughters“, however the asari may have chosen feminine pronouns to simplify language translations.

However asari gender is defined, they are innately different from humans, for asari can mate and successfully reproduce with any other gender or species through a form of parthenogenesis. Although they have one gender, they are not asexual and do in fact require a partner to reproduce. However, asari reproduction is very different from other forms of sexual reproduction. An asari provides two copies of her own genes to her offspring, one of which is passed on unaltered. The second set of genes is altered in a unique process called melding, also known as the joining or the union. During melding, the eyes of the asari initiating the meld dilate as she consciously attunes her nervous system to her partner's, sending and receiving electrical impulses directly through the skin, however physical contact is not strictly necessary. A common phrase used before melding is "embrace eternity," presumably to help focus the partner's mind. Effectively, the asari and her partner briefly become one unified nervous system, sharing memories, thoughts, and feelings. The offspring is always an asari, regardless of the species or sex of the "father" and in the case that the offspring is of two asari, the father is the one who does not give birth.

Uniquely, the asari are known to be perceived as attractive to many other species. This may be because of shared physical characteristics (e.g., body shape for humans, skin color for salarians, head fringe for turians). Mordin Solus postulates that the mechanism behind the asari's cross-species attraction may be neurochemical in nature. The offspring resulting from such interspecies pairings are always asari as no DNA is taken from the partner. Instead, the asari uses the meld to explore her partner's genetic heritage and pass desirable traits on to any offspring and as a "map" to randomize the genes of the offspring. Additionally, pairings with krogan are not affected by the Genophage. As such, pairings with asari are sometimes seen as a way for a krogan to circumvent the Genophage and have children of their own.

The drawback to the asari means of reproduction are the Ardat-Yakshi. These individuals possess a rare genetic defect that causes an asari to overwhelm and destroy her partner’s nervous system when joining. The condition seems to appear only amongst pureblood asari, those whose parents are both asari.

It is also possible for an asari to meld with another for the sole purpose of transferring thoughts, without reproduction. The asari initiating the meld can both send and receive information. Liara melds with Commander Shepard several times for the purpose of viewing and helping understand the visions Shepard received from the Prothean beacon. Shiala later melds minds with Shepard for the purpose of “uploading” the Cipher into Shepard’s mind in order to help the Commander understand the visions. Liara also states that the melding of minds is a sign of a deep connection between two individuals, something often reserved for friends and family members; it is also a way to say “farewell.”

It is not clear whether ability to meld minds is present from birth or whether asari undergo some sort of puberty to gain it and, if so, when this occurs. When she first melds minds with Shepard, Liara is 106, quite young for an asari. By the time she is 42, Falere’s Ardat-Yakshi condition had already come to light indicating she had attempted to meld at least once. Morinth’s condition was also discovered by the time she was in her 40s.

Asari pass through three climacteric life stages, marked by biochemical and physiological changes:

• The Maiden stage begins at puberty and is marked by the drive to explore and experience. Most young asari are curious and restless, and it is not uncommon for many to try their hand at dancing in bars or working as mercenaries during this time.

• The Matron stage of life begins around the age of 350, though it can be triggered earlier if the individual melds frequently. This period is marked by a desire to settle in one area and raise children.

• The Matriarch stage begins around 700 years of age, or earlier if the individual melds rarely. Matriarchs become active in their community as sages and councilors, dispensing wisdom from centuries of experience. Their knowledge and guidance may be one reason why Matriarchs are rarely seen outside asari space.

However, it should be noted that each stage can be started whenever an asari feels that she has reached the correct level of maturity. While each stage of life is marked by strong biological tendencies, individuals do make unexpected life choices. For example, there are Maidens who stay close to home rather than explore, Matrons who would rather work than build a family, and Matriarchs who have no interest in community affairs.

The drell are a reptile-like race that were rescued from their dying homeworld by the hanar following first contact between the two. Since then, the drell have remained loyal to the hanar for their camaraderie and have fit comfortably into galactic civilization.

Drell are omnivorous reptile-like humanoids with an average lifespan of 85 galactic standard years. Drell appearance is very similar to asari and humans, but their muscle tissue is slightly denser, giving them a wiry strength. They appear to have five fingers on each hand, albeit the ring and middle fingers are fused. Their skin is apparently infused with a venom mild enough to be served in drinks, and may cause mild hallucinations on "oral contact". They also have two sets of eyelids, akin to the nictitating membrane possessed by certain animals such as reptiles. The inner lid is milky-white and closes from the left and right, while the outer lid is black and closes from top and bottom. Much like humans or asari, drell possess the ability to shed tears.

Sexual dimorphism among drell appears to be roughly analogous to humans. Females have breastlike protrusions, and their head "frills" are more pronounced than males'. The drell possess eidetic memory, an adaptation to a world where they must remember the location of every necessary resource (vegetation, drinkable water and prey migration paths) across vast distances. The memories are so strong that an external stimulus can trigger a powerful memory recall. These recalls are so vivid and detailed that some drell may mistake it for reality. Thane Krios, for example, remembers every assassination he has ever performed and can describe them in flawless detail, and says he prefers to spend a lonely night with the perfect memory of another. This process can be involuntary.

The elcor are a Citadel species native to the high-gravity world Dekuuna. They are massive creatures, standing on four muscular legs for increased stability. Elcor move slowly, an evolved response to an environment where a fall can be lethal. This has colored their psychology, making them deliberate and conservative.

Elcor evolved on a high-gravity world, making them slow, but incredibly strong. Their large, heavy bodies are incapable of moving quickly, but they possess a rather imposing stature and immense strength, as well as thick, tough skin. They move using all four limbs to support and balance their massive bodies. Given their method of communication, they have highly-attuned olfactory senses. They also have at least three stomachs.

Elcor "lips" are multiple vertical slats situated in what is normally the location of the mouth in other races. Despite the peculiar arrangement, these "lips" are capable of holding on to protruding objects like cigars with no effort.

Elcor speech is heard by most species as a flat, ponderous monotone. Among themselves, scent, extremely slight body movements, and subvocalized infrasound convey shades of meaning that make a human smile seem as subtle as a fireworks display. Since their subtlety can lead to misunderstandings with other species, the elcor prefix all their dialog with non-elcor with an emotive statement to clarify their tone.

The elephantine creatures can live for centuries although not to the same extent as asari or krogan. A hundred or so years is considered young by elcor standards while four hundred years give or take is considered old and grandfatherly.

The hanar are a species resembling Earth's jellyfish and are one of the few non-bipedal Citadel races. Hanar are known for their intense politeness when speaking, and their strong religious beliefs regarding the Protheans, whom they refer to as "the Enkindlers".

The hanar "stand" slightly taller than a human, although most of their height is in their long tentacles. The invertebrate, water-native hanar cannot support their own weight in normal gravity. When interacting with mainstream galactic society, they rely on contra-gravitic levitation packs that use mass effect fields. Their limbs can grip tightly, but are not strong enough to lift more than a few hundred grams each. Hanar also possess the ability to secrete natural toxins.

Hanar are biologically genderless, though others may assign arbitrary gender values to them for convenience. Despite evolving in water, hanar also appear able to breathe air, or use technological means to enable this. Also, despite appearances to the contrary, the hanar do have skulls.

Humans, from the planet Earth, are the newest sentient species of notable size to enter the galactic stage and are the most rapidly expanding and developing. They independently discovered a Prothean data cache on Mars in 2148, and the mass relay networks shortly thereafter.

Humans have a fairly robust physiology. Their internal makeup and reproductive processes are typical of most bipedal mammals, and their size and proportions give the appearance of being strong, fast and agile. In comparison to the Council races, humans are roughly physically on par with turians (as a human in or around peak physical condition can overwhelm a similarly fit turian, making them near equals in a hand-to-hand combat situation), and less agile than asari (whom they closely resemble). Humans would appear on average to be stronger than salarians but not as fast, due to the extremely elevated metabolisms of the latter.

Like most organic races, humans are also capable of producing biotic individuals. All cases of natural biotics in humans are the result of pre-natal exposure to element zero, which carries a high risk of medical complications.

Humans can live to about 150 years, and recent medical advances have eradicated almost all known diseases that afflict them. Humans reach physical maturity at approximately eighteen years of age, at which point they have usually finished their academic education and either directly enter the workforce or begin training for a profession.

It has been noted that humans are unusual in the galactic community because they have far greater genetic diversity compared to other species with more peaks and valleys. This makes human genetic material useful in biological experiments, as a control group.

Despite the substantial genetic diversity of humans, certain physical traits have been becoming rarer ever since the 19th and 20th centuries, when the mixing of different Earth ethnicities, due to social progression and acceptance, became more commonplace. To this end, with the merging of genetics, certain traits have declined in frequency. Recessive physical traits like blonde and red hair, as well as blue and green eyes, are even less common in the 22nd century.

The second species to join the Citadel, the salarians are warm-blooded amphibians native to the planet Sur'Kesh. Salarians possess a hyperactive metabolism; they think fast, talk fast, and move fast. To salarians, other species seem sluggish and dull-witted, especially the elcor. Unfortunately, their metabolic speed leaves them with a relatively short lifespan; salarians over the age of 40 are a rarity.

Salarians are known for their observational capability and non-linear thinking. This manifests as an aptitude for research and espionage. They are constantly experimenting and inventing, and it is generally accepted that they always know more than they are letting on.

The salarians are a bipedal race of amphibians, with tall, elongated bodies well-suited for their high metabolism, and skeletons composed of more cartilage than those of other races such as humans. Salarian heads are long and thin, and have a pair of horns protruding from the top of their skulls. Skin varies in color, from bright reds and greens to the more common shades of blue or grey. Their blood is a greenish color. Salarians are androgynous, and exhibit no major facial differences between males and females.

Salarian eyes are large and oval and have thin membranes in place of eyelids. The pupils are a wide slit, oriented horizontally, and the irises can be dark green, purple, red, blue, or brown. Salarians can see ultraviolet at the short-wavelength end of the spectrum. Salarians blink upwards, rather than downwards as humans do. When salarians roll their eyes, it is not a sign of disdain as with humans, but rather a response to situations where the thin protective membranes require extra help in defending against dryness or irritants.

Salarians are noted for their high-speed metabolism, which allows them to function on just one hour of sleep a day. Their minds and bodies work faster than most sapient races, making them seem restless or hyperactive. The drawback of this active metabolism is a short lifespan of around 40 human years.

Known for their militaristic and disciplined culture, the turians were the third race to join the Citadel Council. They gained their Council seat after defeating the hostile krogan for the Council during the Krogan Rebellions. The turians deployed a salarian-created biological weapon called the genophage, which virtually sterilised the krogan and sent them into a decline. The turians then filled the peacekeeping niche left by the once-cooperative krogan, and eventually gained a Council seat in recognition of their efforts.

Originally from the planet Palaven, turians are best known for their military role, particularly their contributions of soldiers and starships to the Citadel Fleet. They are respected for their public service ethic—it was the turians who first proposed creating C-Sec—but are sometimes seen as imperialist or rigid by other races. There is some animosity between turians and humans, largely due to the turian role in the First Contact War. This bitterness is slowly beginning to heal—as shown by the cooperation of the two races on the construction of the SSV Normandy—but many turians still resent humans, and vice versa.

The volus are an associate race on the Citadel with their own embassy, but are also a client race of the turians. They hail from Irune, which possesses a high-pressure greenhouse atmosphere able to support an ammonia-based biochemistry. As a result, the volus must wear pressure suits and breathers when dealing with other species.

Because they are not physically adept compared to most species, volus mostly make their influence felt through trade and commerce, and they have a long history on the Citadel. However, they have never been invited to join the Council, which is a sore point for many volus individuals.

A race of four-eyed bipeds native to the world of Khar'shan, the batarians are a disreputable species that chose to isolate itself from the rest of the galaxy. The Terminus Systems are infested with batarian pirate gangs and slaving rings, fueling the stereotype of the batarian thug. It should be noted that these criminals do not represent average citizens, who are forbidden to leave batarian space by their ubiquitous and paranoid government.

Despite several disagreements with the Citadel and simmering hostility toward humans, most batarians prefer profitable pursuits such as drug running and slave grabs to out-and-out warfare. They have a reputation for being shrewd businessmen and merchants, though in more lawless regions of the galaxy like Omega, negotiations with a batarian are likely to be conducted at gunpoint.

The geth ("Servant of the People" in Khelish) are a race of networked artificial intelligences that reside beyond the Perseus Veil. The geth were created by the quarians as laborers and tools of war. When the geth became sentient and began to question their masters, the quarians attempted to exterminate them. The geth won the resulting war, and reduced the quarians to a race of nomads.

The history of the geth's creation and evolution serves as a warning to the rest of the galaxy of the potential dangers of artificial intelligence and to the legally enforced, systematic repression of artificial intelligences throughout galactic society.

The krogan are a species of large reptilian bipeds native to the planet Tuchanka, a world known for its harsh environments, scarce resources, and overabundance of vicious predators. The krogan managed to not only survive on their unforgiving homeworld, but actually thrived in the extreme conditions. Unfortunately, as krogan society became more technologically advanced, so did their weaponry. The end result is that they destroyed their homeworld in a nuclear war that reduced their race into primitive warring tribes.

With the help of the salarians, the krogan were "uplifted" into galactic society, and lent their numbers and military prowess to bring an end to the Rachni Wars. Ironically, after the rachni were eradicated, the rapidly-expanding krogan became a threat to the galaxy in turn, starting the Krogan Rebellions and forcing the turians to unleash the genophage. This genetic "infection" dramatically reduced fertility in krogan females, causing a severe drop in births secondary to prenatal and postnatal death and, ultimately eliminating the krogan's numerical advantage.

The quarians are a nomadic species of humanoid aliens known for their skills with technology and synthetic intelligence. Since their homeworld Rannoch was conquered, the quarians live aboard the Migrant Fleet, a huge collection of starships that travels as a single fleet.

Approximately three hundred years before the events of 2183, the quarians created the geth, a species of rudimentary artificial intelligences, to serve as an efficient source of manual labor. However, when the geth gradually became sentient, the quarians became terrified of possible consequences and tried to destroy their creations. The geth won the resulting war and forced their creators into exile. Now the quarians wander the galaxy in a flotilla of salvaged ships, secondhand vessels, and recycled technology.

The Reapers are a highly-advanced machine race of synthetic-organic starships. The Reapers reside in dark space: the vast, mostly starless space between galaxies. They hibernate there, dormant for fifty thousand years at a time, before returning to the galaxy.

These giant machines are ancient; their true name is unknown. "Reapers" was a name bestowed by the Protheans, the previous galactic power fifty thousand years before, and the geth refer to them as the Old Machines. In the end, the Reapers spare little concern for whatever labels other races choose to call them, and merely claim that they have neither beginning nor end.

The Reapers are the original creators of the Citadel and the mass relay network. These massive constructs exist so that any intelligent life in the galaxy would eventually discover them and base their technology upon them – all part of a scheme to harvest the galaxy’s sentient life in a repeating cycle of purges that has continued relentlessly over countless millennia.

Known for their unique biology and aggressive behavior, the vorcha of Heshtok are a primitive race that live among the galaxy's darker and more dangerous locations, such as Omega. Many vorcha are trained by the krogan Blood Pack as mercenaries due to their savage nature and adaptability to different environments. The rest of galactic civilization regards them as pests and scavengers, and their presence is generally seen as a blight.

The Protheans are an ancient alien race which mysteriously vanished over 50,000 years ago. The Protheans arose from a single planet and developed an immense galaxy-wide empire encompassing many other spacefaring species. Not much is known about them, but many of their artifacts, ruins and technology have apparently survived the ages.

The Protheans have been credited with creating the Citadel and the mass relays, feats of engineering that have never been equaled and whose core mass effect field technology forms the basis of contemporary civilization. Prothean artifacts, therefore, have immense scientific value and are seen as belonging to the entire galactic community.

The rachni are an extinct insect-like species from the planet Suen that threatened Citadel space roughly two thousand years ago during the Rachni Wars. Intelligent and highly aggressive, the spacefaring rachni were driven to expand and defend their territory. They were eventually defeated and completely eradicated by the krogan, who had been uplifted by the salarians for their combat prowess and physical resilience to directly confront the rachni in the harsh environments of the rachni worlds. The accidental discovery of the rachni led to the Citadel races curbing their rapid expansion, in fear of being plunged into another galactic war.

Chapter Text

Timeline: https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline

This is the timeline of the Mass Effect universe. All dates are in BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era).

Note: Numerous events are backdated during conversation, via Codex entries, or some other means from the time the stories are set: 2183 to 2186 CE for the Shepard trilogy, 2819 CE for Mass Effect: Andromeda, and the like. These aren't often given exact dates. Unless an exact date is given for an event, the following outlines how to handle approximate dates.

Huge timescales should not be taken literally; "nearly a billion years ago" from Mass Effect does not exactly mean "this event happened in 999,997,817 BCE". Same goes for millennia up to four significant digits: "300,000 years ago" from Mass Effect 2 (set 2185 CE) is approximately 298,000 BCE. "15,000 years" of turian civilization equates to about 13,000 BCE, and so forth.

Decades or centuries before/after the "present day" can be dated to the nearest units or tens, depending on source context.

Prehistoric Times (Unknown BCE-approx. 1 billion BCE)

The Leviathans dominate the Milky Way, enthralling every new sapient race they encounter and protecting them in return for tribute. The Leviathans consider themselves the galaxy's first and only apex race.

After observing that their subservient races create synthetic races who consistently and violently rebel, the Leviathans create an Intelligence to seek a way to permanently preserve organic life. The Intelligence constructs an army of "pawns" to gather genetic information throughout the galaxy.

The Intelligence betrays the Leviathans, using its pawns to slaughter them for their genetic material to create Harbinger, the first Reaper. Thus begins the cyclical harvest of the galaxy's intelligent organic life by the Reapers, part of a vast experiment conducted by the Intelligence to fulfill its mandate.

The Intelligence builds the mass relay network to increase the efficiency of the cycles, allowing galactic civilizations to develop faster and more consistently between harvests.

Pre-Prothean Times (c. 1 billion BCE to c. 68,000 BCE)

c. 1,000,000,000 BCE

The Leviathan of Dis, a Reaper, is killed by the Leviathans. Its corpse comes to rest on the planet Jartar and remains undisturbed for nearly one billion years.

c. 37,000,000 BCE

An unknown spacefaring race fires a mass accelerator round at a Reaper near the planet Mnemosyne. The round penetrates the Reaper, disabling it, and continues moving through space, eventually striking the planet Klendagon and creating the geological feature there known as the Great Rift Valley.

c. 298,000 BCE

The ancient arthenn race flourish in the Zelene system, living on the planet Helyme until being destroyed in an unknown event that wiped out all complex life on the planet. They also maintained a presence on other planets in the system including Epho, which bears the scars of an ancient orbital bombardment, and Gaelon, which may have been mined for helium-3.

c. 125,000 BCE

Ancient spacefaring races called the thoi'han and inusannon fight over the planet Eingana, littering the planet with the debris of hundreds of starships. Refined element zero scattered by broken drive cores contaminates the environment, causing many native species to go extinct and those that survive to show a tendency to develop biotic powers.

Pre-Council Times (c. 68,000 BCE to c. 500 BCE)

c. 68,000 BCE

The Protheans achieve spaceflight and discover mass effect technology from the ruins of the extinct inusannon. They go on to establish a galaxy-wide civilization linked by the mass relay network with the Citadel as their capital.

At some point, the Protheans encounter a hostile race of machine intelligences that endanger their existence. To combat this threat, the Protheans aggressively assimilate many other spacefaring organic races into their empire. The Prothean Empire is able to fend off the machines in a conflict known as the "Metacon War".

c. 48,000 BCE: Fall of the Protheans

The Prothean Empire collapses with the arrival of the Reapers through the Citadel. Although the Protheans had learned of the Reapers' existence from studying the ruins of previous civilizations and had begun to prepare, they were nonetheless caught off-guard. Over the next several centuries, the Protheans fight the Reapers system by system, world by world, and city by city. In the end, it is not enough. The Reapers methodically wipe out the remaining Protheans, as well as other contemporary races, and depart the galaxy to await the next cycle.

c. 13,000 BCE

The turians of Palaven begin to develop civilization around this time.

c. 6000 BCE

Seeking to escape the imminent explosion of their sun, an alien race constructs an AI-managed starship equipped with supercomputers containing a virtual world, into which some one billion of the aliens transfer their consciousnesses. The starship begins a journey throughout the galaxy which lasts for the next 8,000 years.

c. 1900 BCE

Tuchanka, the krogan homeworld, enters the nuclear age. In a global conflict, weapons of mass destruction are released, triggering a nuclear winter. In the resulting devastation, krogan society devolves into a collection of warring clans.

c. 1800 BCE

A supernova propels the Mu Relay, the only point of access to the remote Pangaea Expanse, out of position. Concealed somewhere in the dense nebula formed by the supernova, the relay's position is effectively lost for centuries. Later, the rachni rediscover the relay.

c. 1600 BCE

In the Andromeda galaxy, the angara are created and seeded across multiple worlds in the Heleus Cluster by the Jardaan.

580 BCE

After developing faster-than-light spacefaring capabilities based upon Prothean technology, the asari begin to explore the mass relay network, and eventually discover the huge Citadel space station at a hub of many mass relays.

520 BCE

The salarians discover the Citadel and open diplomatic relations with the asari.

Council Era (500 BCE to 1 CE)

The Citadel Council is formed. The asari and salarians together colonize the Citadel and establish it as a center of the galactic community, led by the Council. This year is also known as 0 GS, the beginning of the Galactic Standard (GS) timeline.

As a gesture of openness with their new asari allies, the Salarian Union opens the records of the League of One. Under threat, the League responds by assassinating every member of the Union's inner cabinet; Special Tasks Group operatives then hunt down and eliminate the League.

c. 300 BCE

The volus begin exploring and colonizing the stars shortly after discovering FTL.

First contact is made with the volus. Eventually, the Citadel Council commissions the volus to draw up the Unified Banking Act, which establishes a standard galactic currency known as the credit and links all galactic economies.

The turian Unification War occurs. The increasingly isolated and xenophobic colonies on the frontiers of turian space go to war with each other. After years of fighting, the Turian Hierarchy sweeps in and pacifies the remaining factions. Animosity between turian colonies continues for decades.

The Council grants the volus the honor of being the first non-Council species with an embassy at the Citadel, rather than a Council seat.

First contact is made with the batarians. They are granted an embassy a century later.

The asari discover the elcor home system and help the elcor locate and activate their nearest mass relay. "Within one elcor lifetime" they establish a regular trade route to the Citadel and are granted an embassy.

First contact is made with the hanar and the quarians. Both races are later granted embassies.

Council Era--War and Rebellion (1 CE to 900 CE)

1 CE: The Rachni Wars

The rachni, a species of highly intelligent hive-minded insects, are discovered when a Citadel expedition opens a dormant mass relay leading to their star systems. The rachni prove to be hostile and begin a war with the rest of the galaxy. Negotiation with the rachni queens is impossible because they cannot be contacted in their underground nests on the toxic rachni worlds.

80 CE

The Rachni Wars continue. The salarians make first contact with and uplift the primitive krogan, manipulating them into acting as soldiers for the Citadel Council. The krogan prove able to survive the harsh environments of the rachni worlds and pursue the rachni into their nests, systematically eradicating queens and eggs.

300 CE

The rachni are declared extinct. In gratitude for their aid during the Rachni Wars, the Council rewards the krogan a new homeworld. Free of the harsh environment of Tuchanka, the krogan population explodes.

300 - 700 CE

The krogan begin to expand exponentially, colonizing many new worlds. Growing concerns about their expansion lead to the founding of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel.

693 CE

Beelo Gurji, a salarian operative, is appointed the first Spectre by the Citadel Council.

700 CE: The Krogan Rebellions

Nakmor Drack is born.

Krogan warlords leverage veterans of the Rachni Wars to annex territory from other races in Citadel space. Eventually the Council demands withdrawal from the asari colony of Lusia, but the krogan refuse. A preemptive strike is made on krogan infrastructures by the Spectres. The Krogan Rebellions begin.

The Citadel Council makes first contact with the turians around this time and persuades them to aid in the war. After the krogan respond to the initial turian offensive by devastating turian colonies with weapons of mass destruction, the turians vow to stop the krogan from ever becoming a threat again.

Sometime after the turians join the galactic community, the volus are accepted as a client race of the Turian Hierarchy.

710 CE

Realizing that the krogan will never give in as long as they can replenish their fighters, the turians unleash a salarian-engineered bio-weapon known as the genophage on the krogan. The krogan population starts its decline.

800 CE

The Krogan Rebellions end, though scattered krogan insurgent actions continue for decades. The turians fill the military and peacekeeping niche left by the decimated krogan.

The Citadel Conventions are drawn up in the wake of the conflict.

Council Era--Expansion (900 CE to 2157 CE)

900 CE

The turians are granted a seat on the Citadel Council in recognition for their service in the Krogan Rebellions.

1380s CE

Extensive and unchecked industrial expansion on the drell homeworld Rakhana begins taking a significant toll on the planet's environment.

1600 CE

The first sightings of the Collectors are reported in the Terminus Systems. In Citadel space, the claims are dismissed as unsubstantiated rumors and tall tales.

(Estimated date) In the Andromeda galaxy, the Jardaan begin deploying Remnant machines to the Heleus Cluster to terraform barren planets into life-supporting worlds.

1755 CE

Samara's three daughters are diagnosed as Ardat-Yakshi. Rila and Falere accept exile, but Morinth flees. Samara takes the oaths of the asari justicars and pursues her errant daughter for the next 430 years.

c. 1858 CE

The oldest geth log is time-stamped around this time, on quarian creator year 2463, third day of Fal'tash, Waxing Moon.

c. 1873 CE

The oldest geth audio-visual log dates from approximately this time, 15 years after their oldest log.

On quarian creator year 2485, 18th day of Lun'shal, New Moon, the geth record the first instance of their creators growing frightened when a unit inquires if geth have souls.

1880s CE

Aria T'Loak arrives on Omega, a space station in the Terminus Systems regarded as the region's nominal capital. Aria is hired by the station's warlord as an enforcer and quickly becomes one of his most trusted lieutenants.

1895 CE: The Geth War

The geth, machines created by the quarians as a source of cheap labor, become self-aware. Fearing a geth uprising, the quarians begin dismantling them. The geth revolt against their quarian masters. In the resulting conflict--known to the geth as the Morning War--the geth systematically drive the quarians from their own worlds. The surviving quarians are reduced to living as spacefaring nomads aboard the Migrant Fleet. Contrary to expectations, the geth do not venture outside the former quarian systems into wider Citadel space, instead isolating themselves from the rest of the galaxy behind the Perseus Veil. As punishment for creating the geth, the Citadel Council closes the quarian embassy on the Citadel.

1921 CE

The geth begin construction of a megastructure designed to house and simultaneously run every geth program in existence. Completion of the megastructure, which would allow the geth to maximize their collective processing capacity, is the long-term goal of geth civilization.

1961 CE

April 12: Yuri Gagarin aboard the Vostok 1 becomes the first human to travel in space. Humanity becomes a spacefaring race.

1969 CE

July 20: Apollo 11 lands on Luna. Neil Armstrong becomes the first human to walk on Luna, and the first human to walk on an astronomical object other than Earth.

1980s CE

The drell make first contact with the hanar around this time. With their homeworld Rakhana severely depleted and no spaceflight capability, the drell were poised for a massive population crash by 2025 CE. Agreeing to help, the hanar mount a large-scale rescue operation and evacuate approximately 375,000 drell to their own homeworld, Kahje, over the following decade. The remaining 11 billion drell on Rakhana gradually perish, warring over the last reserves of food and water.

Aria T'Loak assumes control of Omega after defeating the space station's previous warlord in single combat. She mockingly bestows the title "Patriarch" on the broken krogan, and uses him as a reminder to her enemies of her power.

1985-1992 CE

Giotto — First ESA deep space mission; first ESA mission to intercept an asteroid (Halley & Grigg-Skjellerup)

1990 CE

Launch of the Hubble Space Telescope

1992 CE

Ulysses — First ESA mission to Sol; first polar orbit around Sol

1997 CE

Sojourner touches down at Ares Vallis becoming the first rover to explore Mars. During its three months of operation, the rover captures more than 550 images of the Red Planet.

Huygens — First ESA mission to Titan; a Saturn moon

2003 CE

Mars Express — First ESA mission to Mars

SMART-1 — First ESA mission to Luna

2004 CE

Rosetta — First ESA mission to orbit an asteroid (67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko)

2006 CE

Venus Express — First ESA mission to Venus

Huygens — First successful landing on an outer Solar System world (Titan)

2014 CE

Rosetta — First artificial probe to make a soft landing on an asteroid (67P)

2015 CE

SpaceX successfully lands and recovers the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket after delivering 11 communications satellites to orbit. This represents the first-ever orbital class rocket landing, and humanity’s first major shift towards sustainable space travel.

2016 CE

ExoMars - First ESA probe landing on Mars (contact lost)

2018 CE

BepiColombo — First ESA mission to Mercury

2022 CE

Juice — First ESA mission to the Jupiter system

2069 CE

July 20: Armstrong Outpost at Shackleton Crater is formally founded as the first human settlement on Luna, on the 100th anniversary of the first lunar landing.

2070 CE

Billionaire Victor Manswell, frustrated with the pace of official human space exploration, begins funding his own private spaceflight expedition.

2075 CE

The Manswell Expedition successfully launches from Earth en route to the Alpha Centauri system with 300 colonists aboard in cryogenic stasis. Communications with the vessel are lost soon after.

2077 CE

Liara T'Soni is born.

2103 CE

The European Space Agency's Lowell City in Eos Chasma becomes the first permanent human settlement on Mars.

2125 CE

The yahg, an intelligent pre-spaceflight race, are discovered on the planet Parnack. Ambassadors representing the Citadel Council arrive on the planet and attempt to open diplomatic contact. After the ambassadors are killed by the predatory yahg, the Council ceases all contact with the yahg and declares Parnack off-limits.

Not long after the yahg are discovered, one yahg is captured for the Shadow Broker to study. With the Broker's assistance, the yahg rapidly ascends within the Broker's organization as "Operative Kechlu". Eventually, the Broker becomes wary of "Operative Kechlu" and attempts to have him terminated, but the order is sent too late. The yahg assumes the mantle of the Shadow Broker and directs the organization for the next sixty years.

2129 CE

Alec Ryder is born.

2134 CE

Steven Hackett is born.

2137 CE

David Anderson is born.

The Eldfell-Ashland Energy Corporation demonstrates helium-3 fuel extraction from the atmosphere of Saturn.

2139 CE

Saren Arterius is born.

Kahlee Sanders is born.

2143 CE

Construction of Gagarin Station (Jump Zero) begins beyond the orbit of Pluto.

2146 CE

Thane Krios is born.

2147 CE

Trace amounts of element zero are discovered on Mars.

2148 CE: Humanity Discovers Mass Effect Physics

Humanity discovers a small cache of highly advanced Prothean technology hidden deep beneath the surface of Mars on the south polar region of Promethei Planum. Building on the remnants of this long extinct race, humans quickly explore the science of mass effect fields, leading to the development of faster than light travel and beginning detailed exploration of the Sol system.

2149 CE

Following information from the translated data cache on Mars, humans discover that Charon, Pluto's moon, is actually a massive piece of dormant Prothean technology, a mass relay, encased in ice. Once activated, Jon Grissom leads the first team of explorers through the relay, which instantaneously transports them to another relay in Arcturus, 36 light-years away. The explorers discover that the mass relays are part of a vast network, making travel across the galaxy possible.

The Systems Alliance charter is signed by the eighteen largest nations on Earth. The Alliance soon becomes the military and exploratory spearhead of humanity.

2150 CE

Miranda Lawson is born.

The Systems Alliance begins the first surveys for colonization prospects outside the Sol System. One of these surveys discovers the planet Terra Nova.

2151 CE

To defend its expanding territory, humanity begins constructing a massive military fleet and space station at Arcturus, the nexus of several key mass relays, even though they have yet to encounter another intelligent spacefaring race.

An accident at Singapore International Spaceport exposes hundreds of humans to dust-form element zero. Roughly 30% of the children born in Singapore after element zero exposure suffer from cancerous growths. After his mother is exposed during the accident, Kaidan Alenko is born later that year with biotic potential.

2152 CE

The Delta Pavonis Foundation, a major consortium based on Earth, begins settlement of humanity's first extra-solar colony world, the planet Demeter. Later that year, additional colonies are founded on Eden Prime and Terra Nova.

Thane Krios is submitted for training as an assassin under the hanar.

2154 CE

April 11: Jane Shepard is born.

There is a second publicized accident involving the exposure of humans to element zero.

2155 CE

Saren Arterius is promoted to active service in the turian military at the age of 16.

The Systems Alliance occupies completed portions of Arcturus Station, intended to become the Alliance's headquarters.

Jeff "Joker" Moreau is born.

2156 CE

Arcturus Station is formally inaugurated.

A small number of human children exposed to element zero exhibit minor telekinetic abilities.

Kai Leng is born.

2157 CE

Pluto's orbit becomes circularized as a result of mass relay operations.

Jacob Taylor is born.

David Anderson graduates from Officer Candidate School with the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Council Era--Advent of Humanity ( 2157 CE to 2183 CE)

2157 CE: The First Contact War

Humanity makes violent first contact with another spacefaring race: the turians. The turians observe human explorers attempting to activate a dormant mass relay, a practice forbidden by galactic law after the Rachni Wars, and attack. Over the next three months, a brief but tense conflict known by humans as the First Contact War and by turians as the Relay 314 Incident ensues.

Admiral Jon Grissom travels to Arcturus Station to congratulate graduates of the Systems Alliance's N7 training program and meets David Anderson. Grissom announces that an unknown alien force has attacked an Alliance post at the colony of Shanxi.

The First Contact War culminates in the turian siege and occupation of Shanxi, the first human world to fall to an alien race. Admiral Kastanie Drescher leads the Second Fleet in battle against Shanxi's occupiers one month later, catching the turians by surprise and evicting them from the planet.

The turians prepare for a full-scale war against humanity, but this draws the attention of the Citadel Council. The Council intervenes before hostilities escalate further, revealing the existence of the greater galactic community to humanity and brokering a peace between them and the turians.

While aiding the human resistance effort on turian-occupied Shanxi, mercenary Jack Harper becomes embroiled in a plot by turian general Desolas Arterius to use an ancient alien artifact, the Arca Monolith, to convert the turian race into an army of invincible "meta-turians". Harper convinces Desolas' brother Saren of the dangers of the Monolith, which is "devolving" the turians into mindless beings under the Monolith's control. To protect his people, Saren orders the destruction of the building holding the Monolith, Temple Palaven, with Desolas and the meta-turians inside. Later, having realized that humanity and the galaxy face dark times ahead, Harper founds the human-survivalist organization Cerberus, publishes its manifesto, and assumes the identity of the Illusive Man.

An anonymous extranet manifesto is published following the end of the First Contact War. The manifesto calls for an army, a "Cerberus", to be established to defend humanity against inevitable alien attacks. Derided as "survivalist rhetoric written by an illusive man", the manifesto is quickly forgotten by the media.

2158 CE

Humans learn the potential of biotics. An international effort to track element zero exposures begins. Roughly 10% of recorded exposed children show indications of biotic ability.

April 14: Ashley Williams is born.

2159 CE

Saren Arterius becomes the youngest turian to be inducted into the Spectres.

The Systems Alliance purchases Gagarin Station for a fraction of its construction cost, and converts the facility into a biotic research and training facility.

2160 CE

The Systems Alliance Parliament is formed.

With the existence of human biotics firmly established, the Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training (BAaT) program is set up on Gagarin Station to train potential candidates and develop biotic implants.

The biotic drug red sand is first used.

The Blue Suns mercenary group is founded by Zaeed Massani and Vido Santiago in the Skyllian Verge.

Kasumi Goto is born.

2161 CE

Amid concerns over gene therapy and genetic modifications being misused, the Systems Alliance Parliament passes the Sudham-Wolcott Genetic Heritage Act. It imposes sharp restrictions on controversial uses of genetic engineering, but provides government subsidies for beneficial applications.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya is born.

2162 CE

Construction of Arcturus Station is completed.

A survey team working for batarian entrepreneur Edan Had'dah discovers a mysterious artifact orbiting an unnamed planet near the Perseus Veil.

2163 CE

The Alliance secretly begins illegal AI research at a base on Sidon with Dr. Shu Qian as project leader. Lt. Kahlee Sanders is assigned as a tech analyst.

The first experimental L1 biotic implants are used in humans.

A series of starship drive failures are orchestrated over populated areas on human colony worlds, causing widespread exposures to element zero. This results in a second generation of humans born with biotic potential.

The Leviathan of Dis, a genetically-engineered living starship believed to be nearly a billion years old, is discovered by a batarian survey team on the planet Jartar. The Leviathan disappears under dubious circumstances after a batarian dreadnought passes through the Dis system.

Alec Ryder's twin children are born.

2164 CE

Ivor Johnstagg is sentenced to 21 years in prison for attempting to assassinate Venta Tox, the volus ambassador to the Citadel. Although Johnstagg claims to be acting on behalf of the radical human political party Eternal Earth, no connection is found and Johnstagg is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Backlash from the assassination attempt jeopardizes the Systems Alliance's bid for an embassy on the Citadel.

2165 CE

Humanity continues to expand, founding more colonies and establishing trade alliances with many of the other species who recognize the authority of the Citadel Council. In 2165 CE, the Council makes official recognition of humanity's growing power and influence in the galactic community. Humanity is granted an embassy on the Citadel, the political and economic heart of the galaxy. Tensions grow between humans and batarians as they compete for territory in the Skyllian Verge.

TAfter an Alliance research station at Sidon is attacked, David Anderson searches for those responsible alongside Kahlee Sanders, and discovers an Alliance scientist, Dr. Shu Qian, was conducting illegal AI research to unlock the secrets behind a mysterious artifact discovered near the Perseus Veil. Eventually, Anderson is assigned to work with Saren Arterius to track down Dr. Qian and his batarian supporter, Edan Had'dah. However, Saren instead kills both Dr. Qian and Had'dah, blames Anderson for the mission's failure, and uses Dr. Qian's research to search for the artifact himself.

Terrorists steal antimatter from the Alliance cruiser SSV Geneva. The sole figure arrested names his sponsor "Cerberus". This is the first such incident of sabotage connected to the Cerberus organization.

After a disagreement between Vido Santiago and Zaeed Massani over hiring batarians into the Blue Suns, Vido betrays Zaeed and leaves him for dead. All records of Zaeed's involvement in the Blue Suns are erased.

Jack, an infant at the time, is abducted by Cerberus agents on Eden Prime. They fake her death and take her to the Teltin Facility on Pragia as part of a project intended to improve biotic potential in humans.

2166 CE

Commander Vyrnnus, a turian mercenary, is hired to oversee the training of human biotics at BAaT.

2167 CE

L2 biotic implants are first developed and used in humans. Kaidan Alenko is among the first to receive the new implants.

The magazine Fornax is launched.

2168 CE

Kaidan Alenko accidentally kills Commander Vyrnnus after being provoked. The diplomatic fallout with the turians results in BAaT being shut down a year later.

2170 CE

The human colony of Mindoir is attacked by batarian slavers. Many colonists are killed or captured.

Another human colony, Yandoa, suffers catastrophic dust-form element zero exposure to its atmosphere when an Eldfell-Ashland Energy ship explodes in orbit. Many children suffer birth defects; thirty-seven biotic children are born, including Gillian Grayson.

Biotic training for humans is outsourced to the military, selected R&D companies, and renamed divisions of the defunct Conatix Industries.

L3 biotic implants are developed after L2 implants prove to be dangerous.

The first A-61 Mantis Gunships are produced.

2171 CE

In protest at the refusal of the Citadel Council to limit human expansion in the Skyllian Verge, the batarians close their embassy, withdraw into their home systems, and effectively become a rogue state.

Cerberus assassinates Pope Clement XVI on Earth via rosary beads coated with toxic substances; his death is attributed to age and heart failure. His successor, Pope Leo XIV, espouses beliefs more in-line with Cerberus' ideals.

2172 CE

April 11: Shepard enlists in the Alliance military.

November 14: Kai Leng enlists in the Alliance military.

On Gagarin Station, "Eliza" becomes the first sapient AI created in the Systems Alliance.

2173 CE

A fly-by over the world of Armeni discovers odd surface protrusions. Upon closer inspection, they are identified as elaborate crypts made by the zeioph, an extinct spacefaring race. Various human universities seek to perform excavation, but Council laws that hold burial sites as sacrosanct prevent this. An ongoing debate over the issue ensues.

Terra Firma is involved in a Nashan Stellar Dynamics kickbacks scandal, forcing Inez Simmons, the current party leader, to resign. Charles Saracino becomes the new party leader after his opponent, Claude Menneau, is assassinated by Cerberus operatives while en route to Shanxi. Publicly, Menneau's disappearance is never explained.

Kaidan Alenko enlists in the Alliance military.

2174 CE

Ashley Williams enlists in the Alliance military.

2175 CE

On a survey mission to 2175 Aeia, an important colonization prospect for the Systems Alliance, the MSV Hugo Gernsback disappears and is presumed destroyed.

Cerberus covertly contacts Michael Moser Lang, a political dissident on Earth, and provides him with funding to purchase weapons. Cerberus continues to monitor him after contact ends. One year later, Lang assassinates United North American States president Enrique Aguilar and Chinese People's Federation premier Ying Xiong. The resulting political shuffle benefits Cerberus' shell companies and plans for the Systems Alliance Parliament.

2176 CE

Batarian-funded pirates and criminals launch a surprise attack, later known as the Skyllian Blitz, on the human colony of Elysium. The assault is repulsed by the Alliance Navy and ground teams. Lieutenant Jane Shepard is awarded the Star of Terra for her heroic actions during the Blitz.

The Jon Grissom Academy is commissioned over Elysium, and becomes home to the Alliance's new biotic training program, the Ascension Project.

The Anhur Rebellions, a civil war waged over the practice of slavery, begin on the human and batarian colony world of Anhur and spread throughout the Amun system. Abolitionism supporters hire the Eclipse mercenary group to fight the batarian pro-slavery Na'hesit faction.

James Vega enlists in the Alliance military.

Kai Leng is awarded the N7 designation by the Alliance's Interplanetary Combatives Academy, but later that year he is dishonorably discharged and imprisoned for first-degree murder.

Miners at the T-GES Mineral Works facility on Mahavid uncover a Leviathan artifact. The miners are enthralled by the Leviathans for the next ten years and are used to carry out numerous experiments.

The Andromeda Initiative, a privately-funded multi-species endeavor created to explore and colonize the Andromeda Galaxy, is founded.

2177 CE

During a recon mission to find a missing colonial pioneer team on Akuze, a unit of fifty Alliance marines is wiped out by thresher maws.

2178 CE

In retaliation for the Skyllian Blitz, the Alliance launches a major offensive against the moon of Torfan and destroys the criminal bases there, mostly populated by batarians. The threat against human colonies from batarian extremists is curtailed.

The Alliance tracks several pirate FTL exit vectors over a period of six months using covert monitoring devices planted on Theshaca's moons, leading the Alliance Navy to eight major pirate anchorages. Since the "Theshaca Raids", no ships from the Terminus Systems have entered the Hong system.

A lethal airborne virus sweeps through the quarian Migrant Fleet. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya's mother is among the casualties.

The Anhur Rebellions end with the abolitionist forces in power, and the reconstruction of Anhur commences.

2182 CE

Admiral Kahoku of the Systems Alliance begins investigating suspected Cerberus activities.

2183 CE

Humans and turians collaborate on an engineering project co-sponsored by the Citadel Council: an experimental frigate with a prototype stealth system, the SSV Normandy. David Anderson is given command of the ship, and Commander Shepard is assigned as executive officer.

 Jeff "Joker" Moreau is assigned as the pilot of the SSV Normandy.

Mass Effect ( 2183 to 2185 CE)

2183 CE: The Eden Prime War

The human colony of Eden Prime is attacked by the geth, initiating a wider conflict between humans and geth known as the Eden Prime War. After exposing the involvement of rogue Spectre Saren Arterius in the attack, Commander Shepard and the crew of the SSV Normandy pursue Saren in his search for the Conduit, later revealed to be part of a larger plan orchestrated by the Reaper Sovereign to return its kind to the galaxy. While Shepard follows Saren through the legendary Mu Relay to the Conduit, Sovereign and a geth fleet assault the Citadel. Shepard defeats Saren and the Alliance Navy destroys Sovereign, preventing the release of the Reapers. The Citadel Council is irrevocably changed by Shepard's decisions as she supports David Anderson as the first human member of the Council. Humanity officially joins the Council, becoming its fifth member'

During the Eden Prime War on the planet Virmire, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams and Rana Thanoptis pass through a portal into a different universe. Both Gunnery Chief Williams and Dr. Thanoptis were listed as killed, with Williams  listed killed in action and posthumously awarded the Star of Terra for her gallantry on the recommendation of Commander Jane Shepard, Captain David Anderson, and Admiral Stephen Hackett.

circa 2510 CE (Stardate I have no idea) Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams and Dr. Rana Thanoptis meet Nelia Terre, Shelana, and Twesata Glex and joining forces, they escape from the Tal'Shiar on Quadra Sigma IV in the Vorn Sector. Immediately afterwards, they join the crew of the Spoiled Princess in their missions.

Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson prevent an assassination attempt on the Citadel Council by batarian terrorists.

Aria T'Loak interrupts a meeting between Blue Suns mercenaries and the Collectors on Omega, and learns that the Collectors have a dangerous interest in humanity.

 The SSV Normandy is attacked and destroyed by an unidentified assailant, resulting in the death of Commander Shepard. Later, the Systems Alliance officially declares Shepard "killed in action".

The Raptor-verse begins (2185 CE to present)

RRW Gallena, under the command of Subcommander V'lana Avesti, while engaged in combat with Hirogen raiders and an Elachi cruiser in the Beta Thoridor System, pass through the subspace portal opened by the Elachi and arrive in a separate universe.