The Shadow of Old Transgressions (Homeworld/Mass Effect Crossover Quest)

Codex: Progenitors

Long long ago in the distance past the Progenitors came to the galaxy. In their massive ships they spread and explored. There are traces of others before them, but whether they were already long gone or whether the progenitors fought them is unknown. What is known is that the Progenitors ruled the galaxy for untold millenia. Though that is slightly incorrect. There were no other challengers to the progenitors. No one that they ruled over. Rather they tended the galaxy as a garden. They built massive ring stations around stars, terraformed worlds, and built great monuments.

And then their great civilization crumbled. Were they destroyed by the T-Mat? Did they die to a plague? Did they just finish their work and leave? No one knows, but in their wake they left a galaxy forever changed. Their relics dotted the galaxy, and hundreds of species told tales of ancient gods. For if there is one thing that is clear it is that the Progenitors meddled greatly in the worlds of the galaxy fostering life and intelligence wherever they went. It is not coincidence that they are called the Progenitors for they had a direct hand in the development of most of the races in the galaxy.

Even after they were long gone they continued to influence the younger races. For while their great works were relatively rare almost every system has some progenitor relics. Whether it's a scrap of bulkhead or a drifting comm buoy the sheer technological advancement of the progenitors meant that every race has learned greatly from studying their artifacts. Entire wars have been fought for partially intact shuttles, and for good reason. The single greatest change in galactic history was directly caused by Bentus finding the Progenitor Far Jump core and even now the Bentusi still don't entirely understand its secrets. And the discovery of the second Far Jump core shifted the galaxy again into its present configuration.

Despite all of this no one has ever found the holy grail of progenitor artifacts, a fully functional progenitor ship. Such a find would be a massive boon for research into the disappeared race, and likely thrust the finder into galactic prominence. As such progenitor ruins are zealously hunted by all the civilizations of the galaxy. Though of course it is the Keepers who control most known sites. The Bentusi are a distant second, and most other races having to make do with whatever scraps the Keepers don't bother with.

There are several famous Progenitor sites in the galaxy, the Rings of Makon, Sajuuk's Temple, and the wastes of Abbasid. All of which are fully controlled by the Keepers. But for the Bentusi nothing can come close to the Foundry. This drifting hulk is the very location where Bentus first discovered the Far Jump Core, and the Bentusi regard it as both the closest thing they have to a holy site and an active archeological project. While Bentusi will eventually relinquish other progenitor sites to the Keepers they refuse to give up the Foundry. Indeed because of the constant threat of Keeper attacks it has become most heavily defended Bentusi system in the galaxy.

Aethon Cluster

System Aru
Irune Orbital Ring

A few weeks later the Ark is finally complete, and Aurora delicately transfers Iuno's core from her old liner into the control linkage of the massive ship. You all wait patiently as she connects herself fully into the systems and acquaints herself with her new body.

Eventually she comes back into the flotilla network. "This is amazing. I've never felt anything like it. I can see so far and do so much."

You can't help but be a little envious. Getting a bigger vessel to house yourself is always exciting. You still remember your transition from a chrysalis to a pilgrim, and then again to a shepherd. You can't help but wish you had had more time to enjoy your move to a gatekeeper. It's a bit childish, and most Bentusi eventually outgrow it, but you are still fairly young after all.

"Open up. Let me check everything is okay. This is a new design after all." Aurora starts fussing over Iuno's data and making sure that nothing has gone awry, but Iuno has already opened her new hangars and is pulling in her old vessel along with the Rawaan and Marduk.

Soon another ship arrives. It's a small stubby frigate that is the result of a crash Vol Clan program into military warships and the first of their new fleet now that they have decided that the Taiidan can no longer be trusted to protect them. It's a fairly unexceptional frigate by most standards with some light cannons and a cluster ion array for dealing with fighters. If you hacked their designs to enhance the array's output, well no one can prove anything.

They've named it the Kwan and it is crewed by your old contact Barsa Dun and his mercenary crew. They've volunteered to accompany you on your mission to fight the Wraiths, and the Kwan easily slips into one of Iuno's hangar bays. Which makes sense of course. They were designed at the same time. And you're pretty sure the Irunese gleaned a few things from the construction process that they are using to building a stripped down version of the Ark as a mothership for their fleet.

Once everyone is docked and secure Iuno maneuvers out of the construction yard and your fleet synchronizes your hyperspace cores over the flotilla network.

"Sensors ready and weapons primed," intones Ulysses

Aurora checks everyone's system status one last time. "Everything is Gold."

"Let's do this." Iuno sounds more determined than before. Perhaps the new body gave her more confidence.

"Initiate Hyperspace Jump." On your signal the quantum gates flick open and your fleet eases out of real space.

Your destination is the region of space known as the Kiln Stacks, where progenitor ruins are more common than in most of the galaxy, but not so common that the Keepers maintain a heavy presence there. Your aim is to find a progenitor hulk with only a few of the higher level Keepers guarding it. But it will still take a few weeks to get to the Kiln Stacks. In the meantime all of you take turns trying to crack the encryption on Memnon's data stacks. Ulysses runs it against old military codes. Iuno runs the key algorithm against the histories of past Elders. While you personally check various ship schematics against the key algorithm. But it is Aurora who manages to find the first key. By telling the encryption module the story of Enlil and the Two Mountains, an old Bentusi children's tale that teaches the value of both duty and freedom.

It's something to think about as the fleet finally reaches the Kiln Stacks. Unfortunately you aren't sure where to go from here. There are a number of known wreck sites in the Stacks, but they aren't always guarded by a Keeper. It isn't entirely known why the Keepers guard some sites all the time, and others barely at all. That irregularity is why you came here, but it does present a dilemma when it comes to actually finding them.

You have a few choices in what to do now.

[ ] Send out the Drones
You have a number of drone frigates still, which are all hyperspace capable. You could send them out to check the various sites quickly. They probably wouldn't survive if there was an actual Keeper presence, but you wouldn't be risking anyone. And if they don't come back at least you know that is likely where the Keepers are.

[ ] Split up
Instead of single drones you could move in larger groups. Each of the Bentusi could take a few drones and search out the wreck sites. It would take longer, but you could probably survive a Keeper ambush. And it has the benefit of not really provoking them with a large intruding force.

[ ] Stick Together
The mission is important, but not urgent enough to warrant a risk. Your whole fleet could search the relic sites one by one. This would take longer, and having such a large presence would likely draw the Keeper's ire. But on the plus side that does mean they might come find you instead of the other way around.

---

[ ] Work on the Fleet
-[ ] Pick a Research Project.
-[ ] Pick a Character to work on the project.
-Current Options: Iuno, Valerius, Ulysses, Kadeshi/Kushan.

[ ] Pick a Codex/Interlude
-[ ] Write In
Pick something you'd like to know more about.

Codex: Hyperspace and Quantum Gates

Hyperspace is a separate dimension that has certain interesting physical properties that allow for faster than light travel. Namely it seems to be condensed so that travel through hyperspace results in much larger distances being crossed in real space. This relatively simple concept is actually quite difficult in practice for a variety of reasons.

First actually getting into hyperspace is a challenge. To do so a hyperspace core is used to envelop a ship in a quantum waveform. This waveform is then pushed into hyperspace with a specific vector that sends it traveling through the dimension towards its destination. Once the destination is reached the hyperspace core is turned off and the quantum waveform naturally dissipates ejecting the ship back into real space.

From the perspective of real space forming and dissipating the quantum waveform appears to create a rectangular gate that ships enter and exit. Thus the colloquial name of quantum gates.

Second the dimensions do interact in more ways than just spatial coordinates. Gravity from real space can act on objects in hyperspace. The stronger the gravity the more the effect. As such black holes, stars, and even large planets can all cause turbulence in hyper space. This can interfere with the quantum waveform and pull ships back into real space. Which can have devastating results if for instance they are pulled out by a black hole. Thus most ships include various safety systems to deactivate their hyperspace cores and dissipate the quantum wavefront manually when a gravitational anomaly is detected.

The third and final hazard of hyperspace is that it does not correspond in a one to one manner with real space. It is mostly similar, but there are discrepancies that make actually traveling through hyperspace somewhat inaccurate. In addition it is impossible to see into real space from hyperspace. So when a ship in hyperspace detects a gravity well it can only make an estimate on what that gravity well actually is.

There are two methods to get around these issues. The first is using a stronger hyperspace core. More powerful cores can stabilize their quantum waveform and push through gravitational anomalies that would strand lesser cores. This is most easily seen in the Far Jump cores made by the ancient progenitors which are able to pass through all but the most extreme gravitational events. Though to a lesser extent most Bentusi cores are also more stable than the ones they sell to other races.

The other method is actively mapping hyperspace. At least for a certain value of map. Sensors don't really work in hyperspace so maps are simply crude correlations of where a ship started, how long it was in hyperspace, what gravitational anomalies it detected, and where it came out. By correlating all these values for thousands or millions of jumps it is possible for a hyperspace navigator to work out a more accurate course when making a jump.

Given that the Bentusi have been making regular hyperspace jumps for thousands of years their hyperspace maps are the best in the known galaxy. However even the other races tend to chart out hyperspace fairly well along regular trade routes between their systems. Because of all this most hyperspace travel is done in short jumps so that navigators can regularly check their position in real space, avoid known hazards, and keep to charted routes.

Effects of Hyperspace Travel
Physical travel through hyperspace is strange. Time does pass, but sapient beings have a hard time grasping it. Even hour long transits seem to happen nearly instantly. As such automatic safeguards are built into all hyperspace cores to handle the actual exit from hyperspace. When these fail ships usually continue in hyperspace until they run out of power are are dragged out, and are thus lost.

The Bentusi have an interesting relationship with hyperspace. Being so integrated into their ships and yet still organic at their core they are both aware and not at the same time. They are also thoroughly integrated into the hyperspace cores themselves, which gives them a rudimentary ability to actually sense into hyperspace that has never been adequately explained, even by the Bentusi themselves. As such they enter a strange state known as the Dreaming when transiting hyperspace in which they can sense what is happening over great distances in both real and hyper space, but without being able to adequately translate this into conscious information.

This has very little real effect for the Bentusi except that it sometimes gives them inspiration for difficult problems they were working on. The most common explanation for this is that they continued to work on the problem while in hyperspace, and while they don't remember the results the process left lingering impressions on them. The other effect is that Bentusi have an uncanny knack for realizing when other Bentusi are in distress. Though given their rather sparse population density and lack of actual coordinates to go along with these feelings this isn't always very helpful as they can't get to the distressed Bentusi in time.

Other Forms of Hyperspace Travel
It is theoretically possible for a quantum waveform to be generated around a ship from an external source, and send it into hyperspace. There are two known examples of this. One artificial, and the other natural. The artificial quantum waveforms have been demonstrated by Bentus using the Far Jump core. With this Bentus was able to translate entire fleets into and out of hyperspace during the Pax Bentusi.

The other instance of external quantum waveforms are slip gates. These appear to somehow be naturally occurring stable quantum waveforms. Ships entering them are transported through hyperspace and out the other end of the slip gate nearly instantly. Despite very extensive studying no one has figured out how this works or what slip gates are. The best theory put forward is that they are combination of hyperspace somehow intruding onto real space and it mapping onto both points in real space simultaneously.

Slip gates are very useful for moving ships around, but given their random distribution more often than not don't neatly line up with the preferred trade routes. Though sometimes trade routes with make detours into slip gates because of their sheer usefulness. This has led many merchant companies to extensively fund more hyperspace research in the hopes of somehow making an artificial slip gate.

The Kiln Stacks

System Gamma Five
Outer System


After some consideration you decide to split up the fleet to investigate the cluster. It's a compromise between danger, speed, and diplomatic posture. The fleets will split into three parts. Ulysses will take two of the slingers and one of the shepherds. You will take the remaining four slingers and the other shepherd. You will leave the protection of Aurora and Iuno to the Raawan, Marduk, and Kawn. Plus of courses their own formidable drone compliments.

You've selected a system with no known progenitor ruins as your base of operations. After carefully verifying this by jumping into the outer system Aurora has released her resource drones and has begun preparing a construction scaffold. You managed to crack open Memnon's vault and the plans you found there were so impressive that after sharing them with the others you've all decided that making a stop to actually build it should be a priority.
So that's just what Aurora is going to do while you and Ulysses lead your drone squadrons to scout the rest of the cluster. You're taking more of the slingers for the simple reason that your only personal armament is the missile pods. With a last cheerful goodbye you compute the waveform for the first jump and slide into hyperspace.

---

The following two weeks are fairly tedious. It's just a matter of jumping into a system. Checking for keepers, and then checking for progenitor ruins. Even in an area where they are as relatively common as the Kiln they still aren't exactly abundant. So you spend a lot of time examining the sensor data of wholly unremarkable moons, gas giants, and planets.

Not everything is mundane though. You find one world teeming with life that you log for potential exploration by Bentusi who like that sort of thing. On a barren moonlet you find a small mothballed base belonging to a pirate gang that hasn't operated for at least three decades. Since there doesn't seem to be any harm in leaving it intact you make a note of it as well in case you need a fall back at some point.

In the fifth system you check though you do actually find a progenitor derelict. It seems to be a small space station, by progenitor standards at least, orbiting a massive red giant. Drifting bulkheads protect you from the blazing star's heat as you get closer to investigate. Unfortunately it appears someone has been here before you. Large holes have been hacked in the station's exterior and it appears entire modules have been removed. Though even more drift nearby too damaged to have been worth looting.

You poke around anyway and deploy a resource drone to explore the interior. To your surprise you are actually able to detect a power signature. It seems some of the systems are still intact. A valuable find indeed, though not one you were really looking for. The resource drone also finds hole leading to what looks like a vault deep in the station. There are scorch marks there as if whoever was here before you attempted to open it, but apparently they failed.

You would need to spend some time here, but you could try to salvage what's left.

[ ] Interface with the Systems
Knowledge is power. Especially when it comes to the progenitors. See if any databanks are still functional and attempt to find some worthwhile information. If nothing else a map of the surrounding systems might have other progenitor points of interest.

[ ] Crack it Open
Your sensors are picking up a shielded segment deep in the station. There's something still powered in there. You'd have to carve your way into it, but if there's any actual technology still functioning it would be in there.

[ ] Do Both
There's no reason you couldn't first search for anything useful in the systems and then try to open the vault. It would just take a rather significant amount of time. Who know what is happening with Ulysses and the others while you're investigating here.

[ ] Just mark it's location
You don't really have time for a full salvage operation, and you aren't really equipped for it either. Just continue with your survey of the cluster.

---

Whatever your choice you eventually make your jump to the next system, and the next, and the next. All fairly mundane, right up until your next jump is interrupted by a scream of warning. You jolt out of your hyperspace dreams and initiate a hyperspace core shutdown on reflex. No matter the alarm that sounds, that's the only real reaction. Mostly because it's the only thing you can do in hyperspace.

Your transition to real space is far harsher than normal as you scan for nearby gravitational anomalies that might have triggered your alarm. It doesn't take you long to find the cause though it turns out not to be gravitational at all. A hyperspace inhibitor is built into a nearby asteroid. It has the blocky somewhat angular form of Keeper technology and your databanks soon match it against a known Keeper design. It seems you've finally found them.

Though unfortunately it isn't quite in the circumstances you were hoping for. Not only are you separated from your comrades, but even your drone escorts have exited hyperspace out of formation and will need some time to reach your position. You've transmitted a greeting to the inhibitor, but you don't expect a response. It likely only has a low automated controller with no real ability to think and react.

Still even that is enough for it to send out a call for reinforcements when it detects intruders, which it almost certainly has by now. Nothing is immediately swarming you so you still have some time to react, but you don't know exactly what those reinforcements might be. It could be anything from some graspers to a full Keeper fleet.

[ ] Wait for the Keepers
Whatever is coming they should be along shortly. You could wait for them and attempt to negotiate. That was your intention after all. Though Keepers are notoriously hostile in what they consider to be their space.

[ ] Disable the Inhibitor
You know the keepers are invested in this system now. They'll still be here if you go retrieve the rest of the fleet first. Still dealing with the inhibitor might cause some issues with the keepers.
-[ ] Hack It
You are a fairly good hacker, and this isn't an ancient megalith. You're fairly sure you can connect with the inhibitor and switch it off. Your drones will just need to protect you while you do.
-[ ] Destroy It
You can destroy this inhibitor without greatly damaging your relation with the Keepers and it will be faster than hacking. Keepers like this aren't sapient so the Keepers won't really mind you destroying it. It's more the fact that you've displayed aggressive intent that will impact your future diplomacy.

---

[ ] Work on the Fleet
-[ ] Pick a Research Project.
-[ ] Pick a Character to work on the project.
-Current Options: Iuno, Ulysses, Kadeshi/Kushan.

[ ] Pick a Codex/Interlude
-[ ] Write In
Pick something you'd like to know more about.

---

Quest Note: It occurs to me that I could have a nice interlude describing how Valerius actually hacked the database with various voting options detailing his steps. As if it was a mini adventure. However it might break the pacing of this mission. So do you all want to do that now, or after this is resolved?