Sovereign Nation connection to Alliance shooting on Terra Nova

Adele Cattaneo - Exodus Sentinel

SCOTT - An Alliance naval engineer was arrested yesterday after opening fire on a peaceful demonstration in the capital city of Terra Nova. Serviceman Second Class Eileen Niota, 23, killed at least 4 people and wounded 15 others before Alliance marines arrived at the scene to subdue her. Niota was part of the 2nd Construction Battalion, charged with the reconstruction of Class-1 colonies in the Exodus Cluster.

Exact identities of the casualties are still tied up in Alliance bureaucracy, though witnesses claim a toddler and his mother among the deceased. Nine of the victims are in critical condition at Robert Scott Memorial. The attack comes less than three months after the Alliance has officially instituted martial law over the cluster.

The attack has only served to strengthen colonial secessionist groups despite an official Alliance condemnation of the massacre. According to Alliance press, Niota - a Milan, EU native - had several documents on her omnitool relating to the “Sovereign Nation” terrorist cult, including instructions on how to spot “dangerous” individuals, and the locations of several safe-houses and caches on the planet itself.

The intragalactic, interspecies group, lead by Lucien Bradford, is inspired by the philosophies of the Reapers, most importantly that the “chaos of organic life” must become ordered at any cost.

Colonial groups, however, are claiming that the orders to fire came from the Alliance themselves, and that the alleged ties to the cult are fabricated.

Colonial Director-General Rear Admiral Eswara has expressed outrage over the attack, and the Director of Exodus Cluster, Admiral Yang Sheng-ji, is expected to put extra measures in place for civilian protection during protests, though many are skeptical of how much ‘protection’ an Alliance marine can offer against their own.

Whatever Swagman, don't mean shit to me.

You are astoundingly unimaginative.

I'm sorry Swagman, wait.. I'm not. I don't give two tugs of a dead dog's cock about what you think.

*

That's all I got out of that. A dwick level simplicity attempt at illiciting a reaction. Please go away.

... Okay, I'm going to let you folks in on a little something.

Where I was on Earth... Saying something like that would have gotten you shot. Immediate execution. Didn't matter if you were civilian, national, or Alliance, and it sure as hell didn't matter if you were the fucking ranking officer of your unit, or goddamn Huerta himself. If you said the Reapers were salvation, or penance, or a rebirth, or whatever the fuck the preaching was, you were dead and gone, as far as everyone else was concerned. You were a threat that had to be dealt with, before you compromised the entire fucking operation.

Talking about surrender was enough to get you quarantined. Suggesting bargaining with the Reapers? Quarantine or getting abandoned some wasteland.

I watched marines who fought in the cities kill old friends for shit like this. Because you couldn't save an indoc, and if you didn't end them, the Resistance would pay in blood. And when you were in urban combat, Reaper presence was guaranteed. And you couldn't take any chances. You spent every day wondering if your squaddies were indoc'ed, if your commander were indoc'ed, if the nationals your were coordinating with were indoc'ed, if the goddamn civvies you were trying to help were indoc'ed, if


If your were indoc'ed




need a fucking dri

In case you hadn't noticed, conditions have changed.

I see reading isn't the Australian national pastime. Those were declassified a while back, by the way, when the stacks pertaining to Cerberus were made public thanks to the agitation of that annoying drell girl's organization. But all this was already known for some time, not long after the fact, by those in the clandestine services whose job it was to keep an eye on such developments. I don't expect a chest-thumping shazza to understand exactly how bitter the proposition was to accept that we had been so thoroughly compromised as to require the intervention of a foreign power to solve an internal problem.

No doubt you imagined I was referring to your participation in that skirmish at Veratix station- I'm afraid to report that not everyone accords the same inflated sense of importance to what was ultimately a peripheral action as yourself. The galaxy, sadly, does not revolve around Natalie King. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my place with the rest of them over here:




What is humanity but an agglomeration of many nations, nearly all of which (the only ones of consequence, in any case) reside on Earth? The Alliance, on the other hand, is nothing more than a glorified space agency that has grown too big for its boots, and then let the idea that it could be something more go to its head. It was entirely dependent on the budgetary and manpower contributions of its member states before the war; it needs this base rebuilt in order to perpetuate any claim it has on galactic importance. Earth was what gave it this power, and China was the foremost among the nations of Earth. There is nothing altruistic about this occupation.


All very well and reasonable- now tell me, what has been done since then to rectify the situation, now that the danger has passed and the crisis receded? Has even the smallest exertion been made to bring any of them to task? No: they still walk around free men, whatever the magnitude of the crime, simply because they were 'pardoned' in a period of emergency.

Your excuse of necessity has run its course with the war. We will no longer continue to countenance this abrogation of justice.


Perhaps that's because you come from Australia, which of course is pretty much a non-country. Having their independence revoked and being subsumed into a larger artificial construct is an experience typical among Western states, first in Europe and then North America, one which they are accustomed to tamely accepting. And why shouldn't you? You have no culture or sense of national identity worth preserving. The same, regrettably is not the case here, where memories go back longer. SATAE will have to do more than empty threats and appeals to the idea of a greater 'Humanity' (a nebulous concept constantly shifting to suit whichever definition is politically convenient for them at the time) to convince the Chinese people to accept their own annulment.


And here we have no better example of SATAE's hubris and megalomania. I don't recall social renovation ever being an item in the System Alliance's charter when the nations of the world signed it into existence. It has overstepped its bounds, and will soon find the foundations upon which these grandiose dreams are built shakier than it imagined. It can barely even find legitimacy among the people of those extraterrestrial colonies for which it was founded to administer.

So, Mr. Wen, what should SATAE do to try and rectify the charges you bring up? Or do you truly believe the Alliance as a whole has lost the mandate to represent humanity's governing interests in the galaxy?

The Alliance has personnel of all nationalities, of all religions, of all races. these nations vested the power for the Systems Alliance to represent it on the galactic stage-and that is all that really matters. Who interacts with the other species? Who co-ordinated the construction of the Citadel? Who helped expand our species beyond the confines of our homeworld? Sure humanity is made up of parts, but there has to be someone who stands for humanity, now there are other species who effect humans, and not just whatever nation you were born in. Earth was chaos after the war. Billions were starving and without shelter; people turned to their base instincts. So the Alliance stood in and things are a helluva lot better down there now.



You do know what a pardon is, right?


You must have really no idea about my nation or my people then. But you're probably too busy being CHINESE to pay attention to any other nations.


Let me get this straight. You think it's arrogant that SATAE has brought peace and food and water and better living conditions to people who have never had those things while rebuilding civilisation at the same time. Because it means China has to have someone above them.

SATAE is doing what thousands have tried to do for centuries and you're too busy waving China's dick around to see what that means. That 'world peace' which has been derided by so many as stupid, naive idealism is fucking possible.

the fuck?

Miss King, I believe you're misunderstanding Mr. Wen's arguments. It appears to me that he believes, as we Colonists do, that SATAE's contributions to the well-being of humanity as a whole are being overtaken by their demands in return. Although in the case of Earth's residents this is somewhat less applicable. In any case, the SA was never under any circumstances intended to function as a governing body at the time of its founding. No military should ever serve that purpose. Even the great Admiral Hackett claimed at the point of the founding of SATAE that it was only intended to function temporarily until a proper civil government was formed. The fact that it has and continues to annex human sovereignties, whether by force or coercion, is a clear indication that this is no longer the case.

In short, humanity could probably stand to benefit from a unified government. SATAE should not be that government. We are not turians. A human Unification War will never end, so it is best that measures are taken to prevent one from ever starting.

Regarding the criminal pardons: many criminals are habitual offenders, so it is more than likely they will end up imprisoned again for newer instances of the same crimes. Those that don't continue doing things that would rightly land them in jail, I believe, have earned the pardons they've been given.

I can see why you might think that Dairo, but the simple fact is that Earth cannot rebuild without supplies from the colonies. So the SAN took away democracy-but freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion-all of these still function. And what does it matter, to be able to vote, if civilisation collapsed? You might call me a cynic, but take a look at what happens when you take away authority in human societies.

As for a military stepping in-well, who else was going to do it? Were we supposed to step aside and watch Earth descend into a chaotic hellhole?

I mean-fuck, london was a ruin. And how many cities were leveled? How many people were starving or dying of injury or disease? It's not about power. The majority of Alliance personnel were born on Earth-we're not blank slates without our own loyalties.

And I don't want a war or for SATAE to be a permanent thing. I want the Five Year Plan to be effected and then civil authority as promised. I won't fight my own people-fighting the Reapers was worse enough.

"That annoying drell girl's organization"?

I am apparently responsible for the entire Accountability movement. That is really flattering.

Miss King, that argument would have more solid ground to stand on were it not for the fact that SA and Earth have always been taking more from the colonies than they'd been providing. Hence the string of entire colonies disappearing with nothing done about them. And even in its present state, Earth does not need to drain the colonies' resources for its own benefit. Modern technology makes recycling a gloriously efficient process, and agriculture has been restored over the past year. I can see where if Earth had done as other homeworlds have and irradiated itself to stave off the invasion, but according to reports they were denied the opportunity. I believe that one of the critical factors determining the probability of full secession by the colonies will be SATAE's willingness to acknowledge which direction the dependency really lies.

Hells to the yeah, my chino bambino.

Listen up, space crab groupies: we are not wanting you, we are not needing you, and the sooner you are pasteurized, the better.

^ Man needs a new show.


Status quo ante bellum as the minimum precondition: restoration of sovereignty to nation states and self-governing colonies in territories now occupied; reinstatement of discretionary powers of veto over matters of Alliance policy to those charter signatories which enjoyed them; return to the previous Status of forces agreements governing the terms under which the Alliance is permitted to operate on Earth; and reinstatement of charter limitations on Alliance activities and powers in areas over which it retains jurisdiction, to name just a few. The system of checks and balances which SATAE has thrown aside was implemented for a reason: to preclude precisely the formation of the sort of hydra into which the Alliance has morphed. It has its own clearly delineated mission: mediator in disputes among member states, interlocutor in foreign relations with alien species, implementation of a common economic and defense policy, scientific exploration and colonial administration. This was the mandate it was appointed to, which it never lost. Anything beyond it is in direct contravention of the articles of the Systems Alliance Charter.

While we're at it- the immediate arrest and retrial of all Cerberus defectors from the last thirty six months, to restore some badly-needed moral legitimacy. Prosecution to the fullest extent of the law for those found guilty; clemency only to be considered on the basis of contribution to the war effort and severity of crimes or misdemeanors.

These are basic things which I have no expectation of SATAE implementing now or ever. Its leaders have tasted power and found it to their liking; they will be loathe, like so many others who have come into positions of power, to relinquish it. Look at how they conduct themselves now, while they are still operating under the fiction that they will restore all these to us at some unspecified juncture; imagine how much worse it is going to be when they drop all pretense. Fortunately I fully expect this will all blow up in their faces, one way or the other, long before we reach that unhappy stage.


Did you crib that from the header of your SATAE corporate brochure?


I know these pardons are being issued by an authority widely viewed as illegitimate, that has not the integrity to do what is decent and right, nor the political acumen to recognize this inaction as incredibly damaging to its reputation, nor the foresight or cunning to have engineered loopholes and clauses in the terms of amnesty that would have allowed future prosecution.

Hence I know at least that SATAE is either spineless, maladroit or incompetent (or all three). You learn something new everyday.


One of the perks of being Chinese, I'll readily admit. You don't have to bother with the little people.


Much like that blurb full of apocryphal, triumphalist, self-congratulatory claptrap further up, this has the benefit of being complete and utter bollocks. The worst parts of Earth were stuck in the 20th Century, not the Dark Ages. People knew what food and water was; major conflict was for most part abolished. I know it suits the purposes of SATAE to pretend otherwise, but you people brought nothing that Earth didn't already have. SATAE did not suddenly appear and build this miraculous utopia where none previously existed. No, I think that presumption incredibly arrogant.

And material living standards are still worse for the average inhabitant of Earth than even the most wretched slum dweller before the war. But don't let that stop you from giving yourselves a big pat on the back!


Perhaps you believe in the tooth fairy as well- or maybe Santa Claus?

Also: claiming as an achievement something that was already a state of every day affairs.


And with that we have exhausted one-third of the Australian vocabulary. Expect the appearance of 'mate' and 'shitcunt' to follow in short order.

I see, so what you're saying Mr. Wen, is that you favor a return to the Alliance resuming its pre-war function as a representative body for humanity on the galactic stage rather than a direct governing institution for Earth and the colonies.

Then I suppose this raises another question. Since you are convinced that Hackett will not relinquish power as promised...do you believe a civil war or general strike against SATAE is inevitable? And if so, what would be the consequences?

WEN TALK TOO MUCH!

IRRITATE FLAK EYES!

SAY TOO MUCH WHEN SHORT SENTENCE WORK!

MAKE ANGRY!! NO UNDERSTAND WORDS!!

You're Chinese, Mr. Wen. You are little people. But we don't hold that against you.

Regarding Mrs. Cymru's question... I don't believe the human separatist and anti-SATAE movements are ever going to be unified enough for a full-scale revolution. Mostly because the two are not, incidentally, entirely mutually inclusive. As such, if and when the disagreements turn to violence, SATAE will be dealing with individual 'terrorist cells' as they'll no doubt be dubbed rather than a complete opposing army, and humanity will tear itself apart trying to force everyone together. Then again, absolute certainty on the state of SATAE's position won't be determined until after the end of this 5-year plan, four years from now, at which point they might well have firmly cemented themselves into the position they have.

However, I believe for now we should deal with the more immediate problem of these Reaper cultists before they evolve into a full-blown crisis. In this regard, the invasive, overbearing nature of SATAE will stand to provide a greater benefit than most civilian governments. That is to say, their thinly-veiled disregard for such insignificant things as an individual's privacy should streamline the process of tracking down said cultists. Of course, that's only assuming they would use the opportunity provided by the populace's weak resistance to actually do that, as opposed to locking up 'traitors to the state' or whatever they call people they don't like but are otherwise generally harmless. But who am I kidding? SATAE was originally the SA military, so obviously lethal threats to civilian life and their own PR would be attacked first, right?

...It occurs to me that there hasn't yet been a presented alternative to SATAE that either is not or will not quickly devolve into a large amount of anarchy. Perhaps if representatives from the threatened and annexed sovereignties could form some sort of charter declaring an intent of union for the mutual benefit of most members of the species as opposed to violent nationalism, SATAE might be convinced that they're not the only thing holding humanity together. I really don't like the SA. However, a complete fracturing into individual states is not going to do anybody any good. At best, it would vividly illustrate to the rest of galactic society that we really are incapable of governing ourselves.

What I find the hardest to believe is the amount of people hit, dead or otherwise. I remember one of the riots on Taetrus, when ten people got shot, three of them died. And that was our infantry lads shooting.

Begs the question whether or not this was a group effort, and the girl they caught is in custody voluntarily. Another thing to worry about is future copycats, this Reaper stuff will probably have followers among the turians as well, considering the amount we got stomped.

One thing's for sure, Alliance trains pros.

Hopefully there won't be a retribution.