Chapter 143

"We are Krogan, and we will not let these foreigners stay on our world, we will kick them out and re-claim this world for the Krogan. I don't care if they cured the genophage!" roared a massive Krogan named Urgnot Thrak, who had gathered an angry mob of Krogan in one of the deserted ruins of Tuchunka.

Despite the furious proclamation, many of the onlooking Krogan had doubts. The Ascendency had cured the genophage, brought great change and prosperity to Tuchunka. The streets were cleaner, food was plenty, and they no longer lived under the constant fear of their own extinction.

They were concerned about their sovereignty, but they also saw the benefits that came with this new relationship. While the Ascendency didn't directly rule them and had left that up to the local clans, if one looked closer, they could see the heavy influence that the Ascendency had.

Alongside them were the Council Demilitarization Enforcement Mission, which still maintained a strong presence to ensure that the Krogan didn't remilitarize their population and start a second rebellion.

The Council provided the military presence, while the Ascendency extended its influence through reconstruction projects and the creation of the genophage cure. Krogan who were not on any world that the Ascendency had dispersed the cure on was also given another alternative which was put the Krogan into a chamber and dispersed the cure on their bodies which immediately started to spread to the rest of the body.

As they breathed in, the cure would then be implanted inside of their bodies which was the key part. By affecting the genophage both inside and outside of the body, it allowed their bodies to be quickly cured as long as the Krogan remained exposed to the cure for a few days.

The Krogan wasn't very smart when it came to things like altering their biology, so they never picked up on the subtle changes that the Ascendency had implemented.

"If we allow these foreigners to continue to plague our world, then we will never be free from their control" continued Urgnot Thrak.

His words echoed through the ruins, heightening the tension that ran through the crowd. The idea of true Krogan independence touched a sensitive nerve within their hearts.

ONI had been observing the gathering from afar and took note of the rising Krogan warlord Urgnot Thrak and marked him down as a potential troublemaker. They would not take action as of yet since the Krogan were not a major threat to the Ascendency.

If anything, they could just send in all of the Spartan-IIs, Spartan-IIIs, and Spartan IVs to conduct a 'planet-wide exercise' showcasing their strength and at the same time getting rid of the Krogan if they tried to cause any problems.

While the Ascendency didn't have to take responsibility for anything that the Krogan did, they still were the ones who cured the genophage and were bringing the Krogans back up to a proper civilization.

The mantle of responsibility extended as far as the Imperial Ascendency authority did making it their duty to cultivate the Krogan but also keep them in check.

Urgnot Thrak was listed as a Tier 2 warlord which meant that he had a massive following, but not enough to cause any damage. Tier 1 warlords were people who had a sizable force and were able to exert their Authority upon other Krogan clans and disrupt the political landscape on Tuchunka.

Nevertheless, the Ascendency would keep an eye on Tier 2 warlords such as Urgnot Thrak, whose charisma and influence were enough to potentially sway others to his cause.

For the next few months until the beginning of the next year, the situation on Tuchunka continued to rise as infighting between various warlords and clans had once again plagued the surface of the planet.

However, the Krogan didn't have WMDs or weapons of mass destruction, so the actual damage to the planet was minimal and sustainable.

———

Within the Halo Galaxy, Civilian technology was at an all-time high during this time. Space Highways had been created to facilitate faster travel between planets within the same system. Space Highways were a little different from a standard highway within a city, the Space Highway would allow ships no matter their size to travel at an increased speed, reaching their destination in a much shorter time.

This was achieved by the creation of a precisely calculated gravitational pulse which attracted ships at a controlled rate, essentially 'pulling' them along specified routes. The routes were created at safe distances from planetary bodies and other celestial objects to prevent any catastrophic accidents.

This technology was a leap in interplanetary travel and was being used extensively across the Ascendency. It drastically reduced the time taken to traverse between planets and decreased the amount of space traffic within a system.

The highways became popular among traders and merchants, serving as arterial links for commerce throughout the galaxy.

Next was the field of medicine which had seen staggering advancements. New age medicines capable of curing any disease were being developed. Medical pods capable of healing critical injuries and severe trauma were being deployed across all Ascendency-controlled planets, ensuring every citizen had access to world class medical care.

Education wasn't left behind either. New-age learning systems, powered by advanced AI technologies, were being integrated into classrooms across the Ascendency. These systems were capable of providing personalized learning solutions to each student based on their strengths and weaknesses. They could teach complex scientific theories or ancient history with equal efficiency.

This also helped with the increased number of people who went back to school to get a higher education.

Next came the advancements in manufacturing and industrial technologies. While the assemblers were much better than normal manufacturing and industrial technologies, it wasn't exactly accessible to independent corporations and such since one could literally field an entire army of machines and start a rebellion or their own army. It would be like the Insurrection era except even more deadly.

Instead, the Ascendency had taken the idea of automated labor to new heights. Sleek lines of industrial robots, all controlled by a central AI, managed the production of goods with an efficiency and precision that manual labor could never match. This ensured a consistent and high-quality output, while also significantly reducing costs.

Additionally, it reduced the pressure on the human populace, alleviating concerns about unemployment. With advanced retraining programs in place, many former factory workers found new jobs in fields they might never have imagined entering.

Moreover, augmented reality had become a part of daily life for Ascendency citizens. This technology was integrated into multiple aspects of daily living, from education to entertainment to services. For instance, people could now have virtual meetings right at home or interact with AI-driven characters for a more immersive gaming experience.

However, with this new age of virtual technology, the Senate had mandated an exercise routine which would keep people in shape and also enhance the augmentations that they received. Some people didn't like it, as they had to take time out of their day and exercise to maintain a healthy diet, but the majority of people understood that with their new enhancements they needed new diets and workout routines to maintain a healthy body.

All in all, life was good for those who enjoyed it. There were many things to do, places to see, and other cultures to understand.