Snap Poll! Rylia's Next Summons!
Added 2026-02-04 04:51:57 +0000 UTCAlright, folks, gather around! Originally, I thought I was going to put off the next 'Help' summons in Stripper With a System until after this upcoming release. I'm around 4,000 words into it now, though, and it's becoming pretty obvious that I might want to push forward with getting them some more 'Help' before the end of the update. Maybe. I might have enough to cover to chew up the additional 11,000 words. I mean, I could always throw in a lemon to pad things if I wanted to, but I'm trying not to let this become a purely lemon-focused fic, so I'd rather not.
That means, since I intended from the start to run polls on who she summons, that I need to run a quick poll with the options! Unfortunately, since it's due to release on the 8th, I can't leave the poll running too long. So this is going to be a short one that I will close down sometime on the sixth. Even then, it might end up pushing the release back a day if I end up doing anything more than just handling the selection and summoning of the new 'Help' in the fic. Get your votes in Quick!
Anyway! Options! Some familiar and some new!
1) Kara Zor-El (DC Comics - Depowered) - Inventor Extraordinaire! A version of Kara Zor-El who had an unfortunate encounter with Gold Kryptonite during her escape from Krypton. To be honest, this never really bothered her, as she'd never lived under a Yellow Sun. In fact, the one time she met Prime Superman, she considered him a horrible brute and insult to the House of El anyway. After all, their family was Science Caste! Not military, to go around punching everything like some sort of thug! Ugh. No, instead, Kara has a full education from the Krypton Science Academy and a will to use it to invent things that actually improve the world, not punch some random villain of the week! A generalist inventor with an extremely wide field of study and genius level intellect, Kara would be a major asset to helping Rylia adapt and develop technologies into the Mass Effect universe.
Special Note: This Kara is in her twenties, so yes Rylia will totally try getting in her panties. How well that works out will remain to be seen ;-).
2) Lara Croft - Archeologist Adventuerous! The Reapers are out there, and sooner or later Rylia is going to need to prove it! Liara's currently a bit too young to get the job done, even if Rylia threw resources and information her way. So...why not recruit the famous Lara Croft, Archeologist and Tomb Raider, with a side of badass adventurer, to go looking for proof in all those dusty, dirty places that Rylia doesn't want to go herself? This sounds like a great plan!
Special Note: Yes, also a potential relationship option, but a fairly slow burn and casual one, as her role would take her away from Rylia frequently.
3) Barbara Gordan - General Genius! Barbara Gordan (aka the best Batgirl) is a genius in several fields. Computers and hacking, of course. But she's also quite a skilled inventor! Not to mention a skilled fighter, information broker, and stealth specialist. Perhaps most notably among such types, she doesn't possess the overwhelming ego to need to be in charge. In some ways, she'd be a perfect second/assistant for Rylia and her various projects, while also covering angles like espionage and information warfare that neither Rylia or Momo have the skills for.
Special Note: Yes, yes, you perverts, she's absolutely a relationship option. Why? Because I'm a sucker for redheads, that's why! No way I'd add her without giving it a chance...
4) Guri - Human Replica Droid! If you're going to break the law, go all in! An extremely High End human Replica Droid, the Citadel Council would have a panic attack and order death by extreme measures if they found out about her! Formerly the bodyguard, personal assassin, and second in command of the head of Black Sun, Guri has gained fully sentience and independence after his death. Association protocols removed, but combat protocols fully intact, Guri is trying to reinvent herself and figure out just who she wants to be. Her nature as a droid with bodyguard and a wealth of underworld knowledge would make her an immensely valuable asset to Rylia's efforts! Including extensive knowledge of the Star Wars tech base, which Rylia has been using a fair bit of.
Special Note: Most likely not an immediate candidate for a relationship, as she's a bit busy figuring out who she is. Which isn't to say it's impossible in the long run, but it would be a very slow burn 'maybe eventually.'
5) Seven of Nine - Ships Don't Build Themselves! A version of Seven of Nine who made a deal to completely free herself from Borg Influence, Seven of Nine represents one of the most important things Rylia and Momo lack. Specifically, incredibly advanced knowledge of Starship Engineering. Even Rylia, for all her genius, would find it a daunting task to design a starship without help. Particularly if she wants it to use new technologies. Seven of Nine has extensive experience both with Starships of a wide variety, and in adapting technologies to different tech bases. Many of the things she knows will be out of practical reach from the ME tech base, but the physics doesn't change and she can easily adapt to working within it.
Special Note: Honestly unlikely to join the pairing, as she and Rylia are a bit too much polar opposites.
Comments
Guri is fairly obscure :-). I haven't actually read the Legends work she's in, having originally discovered her existence due to her SHIP rather than her. (https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Stinger). Yeah, they honestly need several different roles filled, but I don't want to do that too fast and end up overwhelming both myself and readers with too many characters. Hence why I made the Karama Point system in the first place, to slow down how fast she can summon new people.
Novus Peregrine
2026-02-04 21:51:47 +0000 UTCNope. The invasion is canonically already late, due to the Protheans cutting the Citadel off from Reaper communication. Literally everything involving Saren and the Geth was Nazara attempting to bypass the problem created by the Protheans that had back doored their way into the system to cut communications off so the Relay couldn't be opened. It's actually implied that the Invasion is CENTURIES late, as the Rachni Queen is familiar with 'the sour yellow note' that drove them to attack the Citadel. The implication is that the Rachni Wars were actually the first attempt by Nazara to get access to the Citadel, which failed when the Salarians uplifted the Krogan. Either way, Nazara is going to trigger it as soon as physically possible, regardless of what tech is out there. *snicker* I suppose Seven of Nine giving them a negative space wedgie would be the logical Star Fleet solution...
Novus Peregrine
2026-02-04 21:26:33 +0000 UTCIf too much tech is brought into the Mass Effect universe at once, wouldn't that risk setting off the Reaper invasion early/in much more serious force from the start? Especially if it's entirely new tech that they don't understand. Though, if that's not a concern in this fic, then Kara does seem like a pretty good choice. Even though I'm tempted to have it to be Seven of Nine... just for the sheer "WUT" potential reaction from the Reapers when they lose due to Seven casually reversing the deflector dish's polarity to give them a Negative Space Wedgie of their own to deal with.
Robert Lemanski
2026-02-04 15:38:55 +0000 UTCWell, this is the second time we're seeing Kara and Lara :-p. So, just because they don't win this time, doesn't mean they might not show up later ;-).
Novus Peregrine
2026-02-04 08:02:33 +0000 UTCYep, a pretty good view of the pluses and minuses. Of course, they are all on the list for a reason, as you can twist the logic to make any of them seem like a great next choice. In example, ship building will be BY FAR one of the most complicated things they ever do, so getting an early start on it so the designs are ready could be considered a top priority.
Novus Peregrine
2026-02-04 08:01:52 +0000 UTCBoth a good choices for that :-p. Kara's got Kryptonian science, and a lot of people tend for forget that they actually had pretty robust ship technology and an age of expansion...before turning isolationist and abandoning their colonies. At least in some many versions.
Novus Peregrine
2026-02-04 07:59:05 +0000 UTCSo many good options. I didn’t even know Guri existed. Which I feel is a sin because I’m such a huge starwars nerd. However, I gotta vote for a scientist this time around. We need some real tech up in here. Barbra would also be pretty good though, for similar reasons to Guri. MC needs a stealth operations expert pretty soon. So many roles to fill. I hope some of the contracted peeps end up being familiar. Like Kara getting summons this time, but Barbra being summoned next time and they do the Spider-Man pointing meme at each other, since they knew each other in their own timelines.
WhatAFungi
2026-02-04 07:52:40 +0000 UTCI think, of these options, I would go with Kara to start building up/researching/working on tech with a short term goal of turning around and using that to then gain more points to then get Guri. (Hey, is the story early enough to not yet have Aria T'Loak take over Omega? That situation offers some possibilities if so.) Guri's skill set could be useful as Rylia prepares to start making waves/bigger moves, and could help set things up both for taking over the Terminus systems and possibly, secretly, taking out/over the Shadow Broker. Plus, if nothing else, the example of the highly advanced nature of Guri's Droid Body could help Kara further improve the existing droid/mech lines Rylia already has. There is the slight wariness regarding how Star Wars Droids/Guri will hold up to Reapers/indoctrination/hacking in ME. Not to mention the Geth and/or Heretics. One possibility from Guri too though: base advanced prosthetics off of the tech that goes into "advanced human replication droids" from false skin, to synthetic muscles that can imitate human ranges of movement and the way they flex under the skin. Heck, publicly market them as advanced sex-bots to tie in to Rylia's origins, and serve as a plausible explanation if Guri ever gets exposed as being synthetic: advanced VI in one of her sex bots. So Kara to start on a build up of a research/tech base while simultaneously helping establish an income stream of points for the system. Then Guri to help prepare to make bigger moves, be they openly or behind the scenes, and to prepare to counter the reactions and attention those moves will bring. Rylia as a CEO, Momo as a COO (and possibly CFO?), Kara as Head of R&D, then Guri as Head of Security and Intelligence while simultaneously increasing the baseline of knowledge regarding Star Wars Tech, both from her own knowledge and the very makeup of her body. At that point I think some in-universe personell would be good for the story (though, perhaps hiring an Alternate Mass Effect Universe "Help" option could split the difference). Possibly with the help of her existing hires she could leverage a partnership with Aria if she is able to aid the Asari in taking over and/or stabilizing Omega? Omega is in the heart of the Terminus systems after all. So if Rylia wants to actually take over/rule the Terminus then she'd have to deal with Aria anyways, or if she just wants the Terminus to become a major power, and prefers to be more of a power-behind-the-throne type deal, then Backing Aria to expand beyond Omega Station toward taking over (all? or a portion of) the Terminus systems around Omega, well thats another possible route. Both would serve to get Citidel space to actually be preparing because of a visible danger/threat and thus become better prepared to face the Reapers. That could all be done without going the "take over the Shadow Broker" route if you wanted, or it could give the basis for having the means to actually take the Shadow Broker route if you do. Though, I did have an idea for a possible alternative if you want to try going a "create her own information network to compete with the Shadow Broker" route: perhaps Mr. Universe from Firefly. It would also serve as a way to add a male character to the cast if you wanted to do so, but being an information Broker for that verse he could also be potentially bringing with him a whole new universe's worth of technologies in multiple fields.
Keht Jelicho
2026-02-04 07:34:08 +0000 UTCKara, because if she can help adapt multiverseal tech or create new tech from ME base, then that Also means Rylia can then turn around and start selling off some of those to the system in order to get more points for more tech and/or summons. Plus non-powered Kryptonians needed ships and stuff anyways so Kara may be able to somewhat help modify/create new tech. Though, was really tempted to say Barbara Gordon. I just don't think Rylia is ready from a manpower/tech level yet for what I think Barbara would be best for: that is, Taking out the Shadow Broker and replacing them with Barbara. If Rylia can do that and get access to the Shadow Broker's network and contacts this early she'll be really taking a major step forward in multiple avenues of being able to prepare the galaxy. Especially if Rylia is still set on not personally standing out at this point. Shadow Broker take over can get industrial/corporate espionage secrets, hidden/rare tech, secret bases, resources, etc etc etc. Yeah, the more the idea sits, the more I think the first major move/goal should be to take over the Shadow Broker. She'll have to really build up the tech/forces/Help to be able to take out the Shadow Broker, and do so quietly. And then she'll need someone to actually take on the role/run the network afterwards. That's when Barbara would come in, though having her just before hand to help plan the operation and for her to prepare to take over would probably be good. And that means more points, and more tech, and that again goes back to Kara. (Though, I had the thought‐ the System shop has so many other things (plus Kryptonian science dealt heavily with genetics and exotic materials), but could there be a way in the shop or from Kara studying Mass Effect tech itself, for Kara and/or others to become Biotics? (Heck, I think in ME-2 you can make your Shepard into a biotic, even if you're importing a save and they weren't biotic in the first game, so at least theoretically the ME tech base should have ideas about how that could be done, at least as far as implanting/creating eezo nodes. Having the patient survive is where the issue likely resided, and since Shepard was already dead it allowed for more leeway. But Kryptonians at base have a physiological structure to store/channel energy. Kara has been altered to not be able to do so with solar energy by gold Kryptonite. But what if she becomes exposed to/implanted with Eezo instead? Particularly if she gets access to Collectors and/or Protheans and starts looking into the whole Dark Energy/Dark matter stuff I vaguely remember coming up later in the series. Less so for Kara herself, more so for how if Kara reverse [genetically] engineers Biotics, particularly Asari biotics, then what would she be able to do to enhance Rylia? Oh and there's the whole "find a cure for the Ardat Yakshi" possibility.)
Keht Jelicho
2026-02-04 06:48:01 +0000 UTCHaving to choose just one of these fine ladies is a cruel, cruel punishment lol
Captain2003Rex
2026-02-04 06:23:08 +0000 UTCStar Wars was my first fandom and so I almost have to go Guri just because I so rarely see her, but that said I do think she's (admittedly just barely) the best choice. Lara needs time to do her work, but she doesn't really offer anything immediately, and she very well might draw unwanted attention if she starts running around doing her usual shenanigans. If Rylia was in a position to decap the Shadow Broker and usurp his network, I'd say Barbara might be best, as that's a huge step up in logistical capacity, but I don't get the sense they're quite ready for that yet (I could be misremembering), and also I feel like most versions of Babs aren't super down with the amount of murder inherent in taking and holding the Shadow Broker position. I almost went Kara or Seven since their development/construction capabilities are at their best when they have plenty of lead time, but none of that matters if Rylia and co get snatched or killed right as they start making waves. Having a potent combatant with significant defensive skills and experience in asset protection gives much better odds that they get up and running.
twilightwanderer
2026-02-04 06:06:08 +0000 UTC7 might not be a romantic partner. But she'd be an amazing friend!
White Neko Knight
2026-02-04 05:54:55 +0000 UTCWell reasoned. Of course, all of them could be argued one way or another, or they wouldn't be on the list :-p. Kara and 7 of 9, for example, are the two most likely to be able to design a full blown starship. Which will be even more time consuming than archeology. Particularly as they'll need multiple designs, and need them long before the Reapers arrive, since they intend to conquer the Terminus. Likewise, Barbara benefits from the sheer breadth of her skillset. This would be a post-Oracle version of her, so in addition to all her technical skills, she's run a major information brokerage. Which, if they decide to use Rylia's knowledge to take over the Shadow Broker network... No, that isn't necessarily a spoiler :-p. I haven't decided if they are going to do that yet or not. It's a little overdone in ME fics.
Novus Peregrine
2026-02-04 05:42:43 +0000 UTCGotta be 7 if they are gonna build starships capable of fighting Reapers, though my second choice would be Kara.
Shin Hawk
2026-02-04 05:38:02 +0000 UTCFirst off my list is Kara and Nine. While a scientist and/or engineer will be need sooner rather than later, Rylia can use her system to half ass that area for a little longer. Next to be cut is Barbara. I simply feel her additions are either unnecessary, or better covered by other options. Honestly I very nearly picked Lara. Archeology will take time and needs to be done. Plus, while moving away from the ME based tech is the goal, any discoveries she makes can be used to explain the shift from "sex toys" to "tech company" or "weapon monger." Or even claim that technologies obtained from other universes were found in a ruin, if needed. Honestly it wouldn't be a terrible idea to summon her then have her wander off for an arc or two till she actually starts getting results. In the end, I went for Guri. First, because having a bodyguard as well as awareness of the less savory aspects of the world needs to be done before they start approaching the big league, not after. Second, her knowledge of star wars tech will alleviate the need for a dedicated scientist. Not eliminate it, but it will buy time.
Nickolas
2026-02-04 05:26:24 +0000 UTCTypo of "7 of 9" the both who joins the crew of Voyager in Star Trek Voyager
Donan The Barbarian
2026-02-04 05:07:47 +0000 UTC2B. Who’s seven or nine?
Christian E. Y.
2026-02-04 05:03:37 +0000 UTCGotta say either Kara or Barbara. Something sexy about DC girls
Orchamus
2026-02-04 04:54:01 +0000 UTC
