Sorry for the delay of update, I have been working on my other stories. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2:

March 25, 2437

Belarus Delta Sector

Beta Eridani System

Elysium

Elysium is an Eden-type planet with lush five separate continents which are called as Pangea, Atlantica, Pacifica, Evergreen and Utopia. Seas and oceans cover the rest of the surface of the planet.

Elysium is the where the seat of government of the United Star Nations is located and transferred from Earth. The capital building is built at Pangea, the largest of the continents, where the capital city, Olympia, is located.

Olympus Prime

Olympus Prime is a large arch-like glass structure with a circular archology occupying the center of the arch. The arch facets on both sides are angled with the center vertical by over 30 degrees.

Olympus Prime is the seat of the government for the United Star Nations. It is where most of the USN government offices and headquarters are located.

President's Office

Within thesmall and secured chamber, meetings between the three of the highest officials in the USN government, among them are the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense, and President of the United Star Nations.

"You're telling me that our first contact with extraterrestrials goes down to a shootout." Pres. Narville expressed in disbelief. "And now Shanxi is in great danger of being invaded."

President Jeffrey K. Narville, at the age of 43, has black bushy hair, slightly-built body, brown eyes, lightly thick eyebrows and tall.

To say that he is surprised by the report of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is an understatement. He is shocked beyond words, to think that your first contact with aliens is a shootout.

His position as the president of over billions of souls all over the forty-seven worlds within the United Star Nations now weighs over his shoulder more greatly.

"Yes, Mr. President. Shanxi is now under the threat of an alien invasion." Chairman Ronald Douglas, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replied.

Pres. Whitmore lowered his head as he digested the information.

He is currently feeling what his grandfather, Gen. Jason Narville who is a survivor of the Helghan invasion, feel during the Second Extrasolar War and the Reformation War which forms the USN out of the UCN.

"Are there measures being taken to defend Shanxi and the other worlds?" He asked the two.

"Nearby battle groups are now being relocated to Shanxi but not yet enough to indicate serious activity." Chairman Douglas answered.

"We are transferring the 208th, 209th and 210th Marine Battalions to Shanxi along with the 141st and 142nd Armored Division to strengthen their ground forces." He continued. "We are also sending in additional AA Quad Railgun and pulse lasers to bolster the ground defenses. We also set up early warning systems and Wolf Spiders."

Wolf Spiders are cloaked space mines shaped like a bell that use passive sensors to detect unidentified ships. It has the ability to discern between a ship and natural asteroids, and to detect friendly ships.

Once it detects an unidentified ship, it deploys it flaps from the side of the bell hull which contains control thrusters and the main thruster ignited. It then uses its active sensors to home on the signature of the detected ship and chase it until impact.

They are equipped with different varieties of explosive for its warhead. It ranges from more powerful explosives similar to the Hellfire missiles to the rare fusion device.

"I'm glad to hear that." He said with a sigh of relief. "Do we have any plans on how to bring the fight to those bastards?"

Sec. Varnz takes over the discussion as he passes folder to Pres. Narville. The folder contains the document that provides the details of the offensive. Pres. Narville then opens the folder as Sec. Varnz speaks.

"We are planning to send the 13th fleet which consists of three carriers, fifteen Heavy cruisers, twenty-three medium cruisers and thirty-two light cruisers thus totaling of seventy-three ships. All are given full complements of falcons, strike fighters, marines, and armor. They will also have 3 months' worth of supplies." Sec. Varnz said before he continued. "The 13th fleet will be our first offensive and set us a base-of-operations. This will then be followed by other fleets to strengthen the offensive."

Pres. Narville is quite surprised on the amount of ships that the 13th fleet and its composition. Even the fleets that the former UCA Navy sent during the First and Second Extrasolar War didn't reached this amount even today. Now that we are at war with an alien civilization it is best to prepare for the worst.

"How long will it take to get the fleet ready?" Pres. Narville placed his hands over the table.

"It will take three weeks to get the 13th fleet ready, Mr. President." Chairman Douglas answered.

"Won't that be too late? What about Shanxi?"

"They will have to hold out during those times. We can't transfer more ships and forces without getting attention." He replied apologetically.

Pres. Narville grunted at that but kept it to himself.

"Good soldiers always make do with what he has, right." He thought to himself.

"Very well, Chairman Douglas, I understand the situation. But get as much support as you can to Shanxi. We're going to hold our line." He told Chairman Douglas.

"It will be done, Mr. President."

Pres. Narville then faces Sec. Varnz and orders him.

"Sec. Varnz, get find some way to communicate with those aliens. We need to contact them before this battle turns into a full-blown interstellar war. Understand?"

"Understood, Mr. President." Sec. Varnz nodded.

"Now that we have them covered, you're all dismissed." He waved them away.

The two high-ranking officials stand up from their seats and salute. Pres. Narville returns the salute and the two officials leave the office. Pres. Narville then slouches into his seat and tries to relax.

He can't believe what just happened, things where working perfectly but now. He sighed before he continued his thoughts.

"I will be the first president to declare war against aliens." He said to himself with humor. "May God forbid that this event mark the end of humanity."

March 27, 2437

Hyperion Xi Sector

Sigma Indi System

It is a fully industrialized star system where the gas giants, asteroid fields and barren moons are littered with mining colonies, factories and orbital stations.

Surface and space defenses are placed around the colonies though light and only enough to defend against pirate groups.

At the heart of the system is a planet with one large moon. Solomon, headquarters of the Hyperion Xi sector command. The planet has one large singular landmass and surrounded by one ocean where collections of islands and archipelagoes are located.

In orbit are a number of orbital clusters which consist of Command SD Platforms and satellite defenses that forms a planetary network of defenses. Together with the defense fleet, Solomon is a mighty fortress as testament for being the holder of a large military in defense of its sector.

At the main land, the factories and manufacturing facilities are producing weapons, vehicles and ammunitions while both the ground and orbital shipyards are refitting or building the ships of the 13th fleet.

Passing-by civilian ships take notice of the fleet being assembled in orbit. Few questions are being asked but for most of the time, they shrug and mind their own business.

Sector Command HQ – Hyperion Xi

The headquarters is located inside a large military base where many of the assets of the Rapid Reaction forces are based. Defense systems consisting of Quad railguns, pulse lasers, missile launchers and anti-armor cannons are scattered around the base.

Within a closely guarded chamber, the first batch of chosen naval and ground commanders is being briefed about their mission.

The chamber is designed with terrace seats and long desks with the speaker's table at the bottom before the desks.

The commanders are known to be best in their own fields and respected. When they enter the chamber earlier, they are quite surprised to the amount of security and the secrecy.

There are talks between them as they speculate the nature of the meeting. They all receive their orders through couriers that belong to the Interstellar Intelligence Agency.

Their speculations include another interplanetary insurgency, secession, and other possible events. But most of them are not close to attain the level of secrecy that the meeting is about.

Later, Admiral Antonio Kane from the Joint Chiefs of Staff enters through a doorway at the bottom floor. He is wearing a navy blue service dress uniform decorated with chevrons and a few medals, and polished black boots.

Admiral Kane then takes the speaker's table below as the commanders straighten themselves in their seats. He then faces them as the aids distribute sealed data pads to their tables. After distributing the data pads, they then leave the chamber and the guards outside seal the passages.

White noise generators and minute-EMP emitters then activate to disrupt any possible recorders and remote signals within the chamber rendering any form of communication useless. The soundproof paddings also allows for any outside listeners to be deprived of any information.

After everything is secured, Admiral Kane proceeds on briefing the commanders.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you are here today as you are all chosen because of the great service you have done and being the best in your own fields." Admiral Kane started. "Within this chamber, everything you will learn will not go out through any means."

He looked at them with a hard look in order to convey his message. The chamber stayed quiet as the commanders remain stoic and listen.

"Within three weeks' time, you all will be sent into unknown territory to face an unknown enemy." He tapped the screen of the flat glass screen over the speaker's table which is hidden from view. The logo of the USN Navy is then projected at the wall behind him.

"What you're about to see... will the greatest history of mankind." He tapped the small screen again then the detailed clip of the battle between the security detail of the USN science teams and the unknown alien ships.

Turian Hierarchy Space

Palaven – Turian Home World

Surrounding the turian home world are over a hundred of warships are orbiting the planet as testament to their status as the galaxy's peacekeepers.

Hierarch Military HQ

Inside one of the numerous chambers of the headquarters, one is specially secured to the importance of the turians inside.

"Interesting an energy weapon employed as an offensive weapon, even our pulse lasers aren't capable of reaching such power levels." The 'admiral' of the turian navy commented.

Before them over the conference table, the edited video of the battle between the turian scouting party and the unknown ships is being played in 3D hologram.

The unknowns' ships which have same size as their cruisers seem to be designed to be vertical rather than horizontal. They are pretty much in awe with the ships' weaponries such as the missiles and the powerful beam cannon.

"These beings are a dangerous race like Diliens but their weaponries will make them a worthy adversary." The 'admiral' continued.

"Agreed, their weapons and possible technology will serve the hierarchy much better." The 'general' of the turian army said. "It will advance our technology by the centuries."

"Do you think we can subdue them like our other 'client' races?" a civilian official asked. "They clearly have better technology and firepower."

"We can subdue like the rest of them." The 'admiral' confidently replied. "What can few planets do against a fraction of our military might?"

"And from the looks of their guns, they are clearly using solid projectiles that we have abandoned over centuries ago." The 'army' added. "Our troops can take care of them."

The conversation continues for a few minutes discussing about some details about their enemy. The Prime Hierarch then joins their conversation.

"How long will it take until we muster our invasion force?" The Prime Hierarch asked. He is wearing a decorative suit and robe that indicates his position over the Hierarchy.

The officials especially the 'admiral' and the 'general' thought for some time before they gave their answer.

"Due to their technological advancement, we will be increasing the standard number of ships required for the invasion." The 'admiral' answered. "It will take at least 'weeks' to get the fleet ready."

"We will be increasing the number of troops for the planetary operations in case these beings have other tricks hidden at their planet." The 'general' asked.

"That's good to hear. This race is going to be a great addition to the Hierarchy." The Prime Hierarch stood up. "I'll be taking my leave as I have other matters to attend to."

"Of course, Prime Hierarch." The civilian official said as he bowed. The others bowed as well as their leader left the chamber.

April 11, 2437

1131 Lambda System

Artifact Site / Mass Relay

Turian ships start jumping in through the relay numbering in tens at each jump. As the ships of the turian invasion fleet continue to amass before the relay, scouting parties start to scatter through the system searching for the race's planet.

Some of the scouting parties jump into mass effect FTL in order to scout the other portions of the star system.

Over 1 million kilometers from Shanxi

One of the turian scouting parties drops out of FTL. As soon as the ships drop out of FTL, they begin to scan their surroundings.

Scouting Group – 13

Turian Frigate

CIC

"Sir, I'm detecting large amount of radio transmission from the garden-class planet." The turian sensors operator reported. "I'm also detecting large objects orbiting the planet."

"This must be it. Gather as much information as you can." The frigate captain replied. "Engineering, get the core ready as soon as you can."

After staying a few minutes, the scouting party quickly turns around and jumps into FTL inbound to the main invasion fleet.

During their stay, the long-range probe far from Shanxi had detected their presence and recorded all of their actions. The probe had established a direct communication line with the Command SD Platform and had alerted their presence.

Command SD Platform

Gen. Forge is checking over the platforms system diagnosis when his communications officer reports about the detection by the probe.

"Sir, probe-A10 has detected a small number of ships." The communications officer checked his screen for other details. "It matches the alien ships' profile."

Gen. Forge quickly moved to his station to read the details. He read that the ships are smaller in numbers indicating them to be a scouting party.

"Alert HQ and tell them that the aliens are here." He then looked at the other stations. "Prep the stations laser cannons. Get all of the satellites into operational levels."

He walks towards one of the tempered glass windows looking into deep space.

"We're about to go to war."

I know this is short but it is the best I can get into this story. As you had read, the USN is about to go to war with the turians.

Be ready for some surprises I'm going to have for this story so stay tune.