The SOVEREIGNTY In MASS EFFECT'S UNIVERSE

BLENDING UNIVERSES
In MASS EFFECT, the vast majority of the action happens within a given section of the Galaxy, and upon looking at the Galactic Map, there's at least a full quarter of the Galaxy that is left 'Open'. EFFECT Galaxy Map

It's also pointed out, by the ReaperSovereign, that they have always controlled the technological progression of civilizations who find the Citadel, guiding and influencing such to be of use to the Reapers post-Harvest and to prevent technological progression outside those lines which could give a civilization different technologies and possible advantages over the Reapers.

This is what occured regarding The Sovereignty and Selinianity.

Unlike species that ape previous civilization's technology, or discover 'The Path' of desired technological progression the Reapers influence the Citadel region with--Selinians had to discover their own breakthroughs, and climb the technological ladder the hard way, albeit they had some assistance from Lyllith, the Prime Mother during the first two Millenia of their civilization. As a result, they discovered other ways of doing things. The Vector-Warp and Hyper-Dimensional engines vs. a Mass Effect FtL system based on an Element-Zero core. They discovered non Element-Zero ways to generate, manipulate and utilize Gravity, as well as Nuclear Forces, Quantum Forces and Exotic Matter-Exotic Energy as well as highly-advanced quantum physics aspects, matter manipulation, power generation and utilization.

In MASS EFFECT's Universe, they became aware of the Citadel Region and it's races by way of Deep-Range probes that had been tasked with exploration beyond the Galactic Core. Once the probes discovered signs of not merely Intelligent Life, but Life using technologies quite a bit different than Selinianity's own, curiosity began to build--as well as caution once it was determined that the Citadel region was far from peaceful, although quite civilized.

Sociologists and Sapientologists meticulously analyzed the data sent from the probes, and some probes were sent into areas for closer study. Some were detected by Citadel Region vessels but were usually put down to being sensor ghosts or probes belonging to other Citadel Region species. The probes managed to insinuate themselves into some positions where they could stealthily tag-along with groups of ships belonging to various interstellar powers and witnessed some interstellar conflicts first-hand.

One probe attached itself inconspicuously to a passenger liner that was headed to the Citadel, and upon arrival sent back data that convinced the Sovereignty to pursue Contact, dispatching the BattleCarrier Valystnir to do so, with a full Ambassadorial Envoy aboard.

The Citadel Region, especially Post-ME3 (and with the likely destruction of the Mass Relay network) would find itself in dire times as interstellar travel would become far more problematic with the sudden loss of the Mass Relays. The Jump engine technology of the Sovereignty would go a very long ways towards filling that gap, and considering the economic crisis that would be ongoing as interstellar travel was re-thought around the loss of the Mass Relays, such technology would be seen as quite an attractive prize. However, the Sovereignty isn't about to merely hand over such technology to a cluster of species they don't know very well...which might well lead to desperate actions being attempted against Valystnir in hopes of gaining that critical technology.

Overshadowing this is news the Sovereignty brings the Citadel Races of other threats in the Galaxy. Ones every bit as bad, or possibly worse, than the Reapers.

Ones that are spreading across the stars, hungrily reaching for the worlds and populations of the Citadel Region.

In the interim, Valystnir would have to contend with any number of political and military issues from those who would attempt to buy, steal, confiscate, appropriate or otherwise acquire Jump engine technology as well as other prizes of advanced Selinian technology by various means while advanced forward Military Colonization is occuring under the BattleCarrier's protection in an unclaimed star system inconveniently distant from the Citadel Regions for it's inhabitants and out of their sight.

In short, this is an ongoing situation that could flare up into 'incidents' or even all-out war depending upon who does what and how far the Selinians are provoked, and while BattleCarriers are terrifyingly powerful, Valystnir is the only one on this side of the Galaxy, so there's a balance of power.

Selinian History In MASS EFFECT
With just over 150 Millenia of history, Selinianity is one of the most powerful, ancient, and accomplished species in the Galaxy. However, unlike other species that 'act' ancient and such, Selinianity still very much retains a youthful outlook and sense of wonder regarding the Universe.

If Humanity are toddlers, then Selinians are the equivalent of being in their 'early-teens' speaking metaphorically.

Selinianity had some history with the Protheans, and none of it was genial. The Protheans sought to hold dominion over Selinianity as they did over all other species they'd encountered and Selinianity was not about to submit to them or any other species fancying itself to be the masters of the galaxy.

After several Incidents that involved exchanges of fire, and demonstrated that Selinian technology was easily rivalling that of their own while bringing the two civilizations uncomfortably close to Open War, the Protheans decided to not provoke Selinianity further when it became crystal-clear that Selinians considered interstellar warfare against non-Selinians to be a purely pragmatic issue--and one they approached with wholly Genocidal intent, seeing it as a straight matter of species survival.

When the Reapers came for the Protheans, they encountered Selinianity and refered to them as 'The Anomaly' because of the Hybrid Culture found between Selinians and the Machine Intelligences. Unique, the Reapers were staggered that both forms of life lived very genuinely in true Symbiotic fashion. Once this became known, the Reapers opted instead to Observe The Anomaly and brought little real trouble to Selinianity. The Protheans however were not so fortunate and all requests for aid in their hopeless fight against the Reapers were flatly refused. Selinianity figured that given the Protheans habitual conquest and subjugation of other species, it was inevitable they'd draw the ire of one they'd tried to dominate and provoked into striking back. While this was truly not the case, the truth was unknown in the galaxy at that time.

While Selinianity wasn't specifically targetted, the were some assaults against Selinian worlds and stations by Reaper forces and Reapers themselves. Unknown to the Selinians, such were tests, to observe how the Organic-Machine symbiotic culture fared under such pressure. What the Reapers learned was that the Intuition and Instinct of the Selinians, combined with the sheer power of the Machine Intelligences made for an unthinkably formidable combination the Reapers couldn't stand against.

It also showed clearly that the Organics and Machine Intelligences worked with and supported each other, in even the most desperate times, as Selinians and Machine Intelligences risked themselves and sacrificed themselves for each other in the assaults against their civilization.

SOVEREIGNTY TECHNOLOGY and SCIENCES
Selinian technology is not based on Element Zero, as Element Zero was discovered by them long after they'd developed other avenues of technology. However, E-0 is used by them now for a variety of applications, and often in conjunction with their own distinct technologies.

Sovereignty FTL is not based on E-0 Mass Effect systems, but on a wholly seperate and far more advanced technology called Vector-Warp or Delta-Warp which has none of the limitations of conventional Mass Effect FtL systems and is much faster although the engines are far more complex.

Additionally, there is also the Hyperdimensional FtL Drive or 'Jump' drive that the Sovereignty uses instead of Mass Relays. However, unlike a Mass Relay, the drive must be installed aboard a ship to function.

Selinian technology is very different in many ways from Citadel-Race technology, and in many cases is vastly more powerful and sophisticated. The advantages of their technology are offset by corresponding disadvantages, to be sure. Vector-Warp engines are much more complex than a conventional ME FtL system, thus are more expensive to manufacture and maintenance is more involved as well. Also, the fuel/reactants involved in powering a Vector-Warp engine are somewhat hazardous as well.

MEGA CONSTRUCTS and ENGINEERING
With well over 100 Millenia of history and progress, Selinianity has accomplished feats of engineering rivalling that of the Leviathans and Reapers.

Selinianity is very accomplished at Seliniforming worlds, taking lifeless rocks and making them garden worlds, and also have the ability to restructure solar systems to an extent. However, not all of the population lives on worlds, be they natural or Seliniformed.

Installations, similar to the ones popularized in the HALO franchise, are scattered around Sovereignty space, and outside the galaxy as well. These serve vital, if largely unspoken-of purposes regarding the safekeeping of population reserves and survival of their species and civilization.





Primary Habitats are immense structures and vary quite a bit in design for varying reasons. Secondary Habitats, produced by the Primary Habitats are universally ring shaped and vary in diameter from 10,000 Km to 50,000 Km.

All Habitats are Jump-capable and capable of re-positioning themselves at-need, although such is not undertaken lightly or without genuine need. Minimum size for a Primary Habitat is 127,530 kilometers (79,244 miles) and minimum for a Secondary (Ring-type) is 10,000 Km.

Habitats have Resident Machine Intelligences administrating them and fully automated self-repair and auto-maintenance systems that operate semi-autonomously of the MI, a safeguard in the event the MI is incapacitated and requires such independent aid and care.

Defenses are appropriate to an installation of this nature and type, capable of holding at bay any of the known forces in the Galaxy with ease. Defenses consist of a variety of semi-autonomous Drone types, as well as various weapon emplacements, shielding and barrier emitter systems, all with multiple redundancies. In addition, there's whatever additional forces that might be stationed.

Each and every Habitat is absolutely self-sufficient, and houses Constructor Fleets of specialized drones equipped to self-replicate and build an industrial infrastructure from scratch in resource-rich systems that are discovered by Deep-Range Exploration drones and Astronomy. Aboard the Installations, recycling is 100%, or as close to as possible.

Additionally, Selinianity sends out a fleet, once a century, composed of ships and everything needed by those aboard them to travel, find, Seliniform and settle a new system while retaining 100% of their culture and technological base up to the point of departure. The 'Ark Fleets' head out on a one way trip, and the Course they travel is heavily randomized in the first year of travel and to eliminate back-tracking should hostile forces acquire the ships, the navigation systems erase, irrecoverably, the data that would allow backtracking.