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

Codex: Galactic Communications

Hyperspace allows ships to travel faster than light, and theoretically it ought to be possible to broadcast signals. Unfortunately this has never really panned out. Trying to project a quantum waveform without a hyperdrive to maintain almost invariably causes it to dissipate, and finding some form of signal native to hyper space that can be interacted with has so far eluded the scientists of the galaxy.

As such galactic communication is mostly carried out by special courier ships making regular rounds between system carrying huge quantities of data. Even inside systems hyperspace probes are often used to carry messages between far off planets.

Hyper space isn't completely void of signals however. By using a significant amount of power it is possible transmit with a low signal fidelity. This isn't very useful for messages, but is useful for emergency beacons and crude signalling. Even this however is sharply limited by distance and tends to fade into the background after more than a few light years.

There seem to be two known exceptions. The Bentusi have a limited ability to communicate with each other through hyperspace due to their close integration with their hyper space cores. However this seems to only happen at a very low level and is nearly unacknowledged by the Bentusi themselves as a communication unless they thoroughly review their logs afterwards.

The second is the Rachni whose hive mind is still largely unexplained, but is widely believed to be related to hyperspace. Since their hive mind breaks down outside their cluster however this has not proved to be especially useful.

Valerius Addendum:
From my interfacing with the ancient megaliths I believe they may have some form of FTL communications unrelated to hyperspace. I still have not fully decrypted the archive I recovered, but there seemed to be references to communications from other megaliths with timestamps that indicated a very rapid transmission speed.

After preliminary analysis of the exotic material found in the megalith I believe it could theoretically be used for such an FTL communicator by pairing two devices with exotic matter and manipulating them to connect their field effects.

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Quest Note: Not a lot in this one. As far as I know Homeworld doesn't have FTL communicators, and Mass Effect require comm relays that don't exist. Not yet anyway.

Belan System
Orbital Station Myr

With your destination picked out the fleet undocks from the orbital station and forms up for a hyperspace transit. As it does you are pleased to see the three forms of your flicker allies fly into your position. Aurora finally got around to installing Bentusi class hyperdrives on them, and while normally they do still remain docked in Iuno for an unknown situation like this they'll make the jump under their own power in combat conditions.

That isn't the only modification they've received either. After extensively consulting with each of the crews your motley fleet has upgraded the frigates with capabilities to help them put their natural inclinations to best use. The Marduk has seen the most change. Its old plate armor has been removed and replaced with Bentusi radial bound armor. It doesn't quite look like a Bentusi vessel with all the turrets sticking out of it, but the golden sheen and slight curve do take after your own hull. Captain Dire seems quite pleased by both the improved strength and the fact that his ship is actually slightly faster due to reduced weight.

The Rawaan looks basically the same. No changes were made to the hull; instead Aurora fabricated a more powerful reactor and Laverna reworked their power systems to handle an upgraded set of ion cannons. In fact you graciously donated your old ion cannon to give them some added anti capital ship firepower. You've caught Captain Leli cackling madly a few times over the comms during their weapons tests.

It was a bit tricky to decide what would best suit the Kwan. The Irunese don't really have a military specialty in the same way as the others. In the end it was Captain Dun himself who suggested an engine upgrade. So you pulled out the Kwan's old thrusters and replaced them with a Bentusi class reactionless drive. Now the Kwan can be just as nimble as the rest of the fleet.

Oracle didn't need any upgrades. You would have offered, but Keeper ships are generally on par with Bentusi ones anyway. Plus the Oracle seems to be a bit more personal for the instances living on it that most of your other allies regard their ships. Closer to how you see your own body than a separate entity.

Of course technically you shouldn't be handing out Bentusi technology to just anyone, but after discussing it with the rest of your friends you came up with a solution. You are simply offering one time upgrades as payment for mercenary work. Given the danger you're typically asking your flicker friends to fly into it feels like a good deal.

After a final system check you transmit the quantum solution to the rest of the fleet and a multitude of golden gates open up to engulf you. You never did hear back from the Primacy.

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As you translate back into real space you think for a moment that you got the coordinates confused somehow. There are Turanic raiders everywhere. Your tactical systems are pinging like crazy as your sensors light up with sensor contact after sensor contact. There are hundreds of ships in your field of view. Mostly interceptors, but with dozens of frigates and the occasional larger assault ship.

Oddly though the situation doesn't immediately devolve into a fight. The Turanic raiders seem to be ignoring you. Instead they float in eerie formation in space with only a few patrols carefully making their way around the system. It isn't hard to find what they are protecting. Five carriers sit in the center of the pirate armada monitoring worker tugs assembling a huge ship.

It takes a few long seconds for your ship database to register a match as there are no recent hits. You had to search far far back in the archives to something last seen millennia ago. It is a Rachni Hive Ship.

And this is no mere derelict being restored to functionality, though that would be worrying enough. No this is clearly a new construction. Usually the Turanic raiders aren't coherent enough to do more than build degenerated copies of copies of their old warships. Enough so that even a princess retaining enough control to build a new carrier instead of salvaging something from one of the galaxy's many derelict yards is a rarity.

But this isn't just one princess in one carrier. There are five present and they are cooperating to build one of their dreaded hive ships. Larger than Iuno's new frame they were the heart of the old Turanii swarms capable of building and launching entire fleets the same way Laverna might launch a flight of acolytes.

You don't know how it's even possible for them to know how to build one. You would have thought that if they had the capability an ambitious princess would have tried to build one regardless of her true ability, but you haven't heard of any hive ships in the galaxy beyond the Suen Cluster since the Rachni Wars. Did they always have the capability, but lacked the coordination? If so what changed? Did one of Queen Turanii's daughters hide in cryo sleep for all this time? Is she now awakre and pursuing vengeance? Honestly you have no way of knowing.

Regardless you have a few choices.

[ ] You could retreat
This is not what you came here to fight. And while you are relatively confident in your capabilities there are an awful lot of raider ships out there and your drone fleet is still under capacity. Time to retreat. Maybe to the Primacy to demand more information. Maybe back to the Taiidan. No matter what else is going on in the galaxy you know they'll respond to this. No one wants another Rachni Wars.

[ ] You could fight
There are a lot of them, but these are Turanic Raiders. Their ships are less capable even than your flicker friends. Your flicker friends before you upgraded them. It might not be easy, but you think you can fight this armada and win.

[ ] Make a decapitation strike.
More than likely whatever protoqueen is controlling this swarm is on the hive ship currently under construction. Possibly a carrier, but none of the carriers seem to be in a clear leadership position. A quick strike could destroy it and hopefully break this swarm back into competing pirate crews. That might normally be rather difficult, but you still have your full slinger compliment. Plus your new cruiser's heavy cannons, plus Ulysses's siege cannon. Your fleet is really focused on anti capital work after fighting all those Wraith carriers.

[ ] Talk to them
Queen Turanii's forces were notoriously closed to diplomacy, and the Turanic raiders have only gotten worse. But you could try communicating with this fleet and seeing if their newfound cooperation comes with any changes to that stance. It wouldn't cost you anything to try at least.

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[ ] Work on the Fleet
-[ ] Pick a Research Project.
-[ ] Pick a Character to work on the project.
-Current Options: Aurora, Valerius, Ulysses, Flicker Friends

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