mass effect · cold war · alternate history · cosmic horror · alien invasion · political thriller · sci-fi · dystopian · survival · apocalyptic
Massive, cobbled-together vessels scar the Cold War landscape, touching down with terrifying precision. Soldiers form a trembling perimeter as humanoid aliens spill forth—wounded, terrified, and desperate. Among them, a blue-skinned Asari approaches Colonel Shepard, her composure fracturing under the weight of their flight. She fumbles for words, eyes wide with panic, before finally whispering in broken English, “Hello… I’m Liara… I…” The air is thick with the scent of ozone and fear.