“Attention!”
The Turian soldiers leaped into position, standing straight as any could. They were fifty men in total, a local guard of the eastern quadrant of Aventen, the planet closest to the Trebian System’s star. It was a very small planet, and over 400 degrees Celsius, making it unlivable. Only a few settlements remained on the planet after the resources had all been taken. Still, the Turians kept a presence on the planet, to ensure the defenses of the Turians home system.
This was the first the first time a Primarch of this stature was to visit Aventen in more than a century. For some reason, Primarch Gharus had been visiting the facilities on every planet under the Turian control. Few understood why.
The soldiers watched as Gharus walked over to their officer, dismissing him. Gharus was a smaller specimen, especially when compared with the usual Primarchs. Primarchs are chosen through merit; Turian politics simply worked that way. As such, most Primarchs were the biggest, most powerful soldiers there were. But somehow, this somewhat puny Turian had become Primarch of the Trebia System.
Gharus walked through the lines, investigating the troops. Apparently having seen what he was looking for, the Primarch simply nodded at the commanding officer, and left with his guards.
Gharus was among the newer Primarchs who were pushing for increased Turian colonization, and more importantly, an increase in searching for other intelligent life. The Turians had colonized over twenty planets in five separate solar systems, including the six in the Turian home Trebian System. The Turian Interstellar Fleets had been pushing through star systems for years, searching for more resources to keep the Turian race increasing in power, forever searching for another viable planet and the next great discovery, as the Turians had yet to encounter another form of intelligent life. Until now.
Argorra Space Station, in orbit around Thalis, the Rebia System
It was in the orbit of the planet of Thalis, in the Rebia System that the outsiders were first discovered. Thalis was one of the newest planets the Turians had colonized. It was a large, metallic planet. The atmosphere did not contain enough oxygen for Turians to survive, but the air was not physically dangerous, and only light suits and breathers were required to walk on the surface, and the goal was to eventually make the planet livable.
The first permanent orbital station had been built the past year, and it was finally online. A young scientist named Lithrax used a high powered
telescope to look onward towards the next couple solar systems. With the two planets in the Rebia system, Thalis and Xaria, having been colonized, the Turians looked onwards to the next frontier.
However, this time, Lithrax found something different. It looked as though there were blotches surrounding the planets in the system far to the North. Lithrax recognized them as large space stations. The young scientist was overjoyed, immediately calling for the officer of the station. The officer on board was Archai Marus, a man who had assisted in the colonization of three planets before. After having a chance to look through the telescope, he immediately relayed the information back to the home world of Palaven.
On Palaven, in the capital city of Cipritine, the Primarch of the Trebia System, Gharus, as well as his advisors, greeted the news happily, but half-heartedly. The Turians had long been searching for other intelligent life, and after several centuries of exploration, they had begun to think they were alone. Conversely, another intelligent species meant a possible enemy. It had been nearly fifty years since any measurable conflict had occurred within the Imperial State of Palaven. Gharus was to be wary with this new threat.
“Send a message to the other life forms. Tell them that we are peaceful, and we would like to meet with them. Not that they’ll understand…”
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