Hey everybody. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm not very good on my word, so I won't promise that this is going to be a successful story that I continue until I reach a good stopping place, but I can always say I'll try my best. I just can't wait until the spring break, because I'll definitely be able to write a lot.

Anyway, this is pretty much going to be "Mass Effect" my previous, unoriginal story but with a few twists and turns that might or might not veer from the game. Anyway, glad to be back.

"Well…what about Shepard? Earth born, but…no record of his family."

"Doesn't have one. He was raised on the streets, learned to look out for himself."

"He saw his whole unit die on Akuze. He could have some serious emotional scars."

"Ever soldier has scars. Shepard's a survivor."

"Is that the kind of person we want protecting the galaxy?"

"That's the only kind of person who can protect the galaxy."

"I'll make the call."

In the year 2148, explorers on Mars discovered remains of an ancient spacefaring civilization. In the decades that followed, these mysterious artifacts revealed startling new technologies, enabling travel to the furthest stars. The basis for this incredible technology was a force that controlled the very fabric of space and time.

They called it the greatest discovery in human history.

The civilizations of the galaxy called it…

Mass Effect

Three Days Later

Ambassador Udina was an impatient man. Prone to yelling, being the only ambassador not afraid to get on the Council's bad side (especially that goddamned turian councilor), and the ultimate decisions behind every one of humanity's decisions. He loved power.

But today was going to be awkward. He had so much to do today. First, he needed to tell the Council that he was nominating Commander Shepard for the Spectres, an elite group of soldiers who were above the law and only answered to the Council. Then, he needed to give Captain Anderson the prototype ship, the SSV Normandy. It was made by the Systems Alliance and the Turian Hierarchy as a dual project, with both species' designs implemented.

Then he needed to assemble a crew for Anderson. Why that task had fallen to him and not Admiral Hackett, or even Anderson himself, he wasn't sure. The message from Arcturus Station had said that Udina had the best judgment. Well, Udina had been flattered, but he highly doubted that was true. He wasn't the most level-headed man.

As he leaned over his terminal, the door on the other side of his office opened. In walked a human and a turian, side by side but both seeming as if they weren't. Once they were past the door, the turian walked over to the small holographic projectors that Udina used to communicate with the Council. The human sat on the opposite side of Udina's desk. "Hello, Ambassador."

"Hello, Captain Anderson," said Udina, powering off his terminal and standing, shaking his hand. His attention shifted over to the turian by the holographic projectors. "You must be Nihlus Kryik, who will be assessing Commander Shepard." He extended his hand again when he reached the Spectre.

"Hm. Ambassador Udina…I've heard lots about you, and not all good," replied Nihlus without accepting Udina's polite gesture. "But yes," he continued with a sly grin and a twitch of his mandibles at Udina's angered expression, "I will be accompanying Commander Shepard on the next few missions of his."

"Let's just speak with the Council," Anderson said before things got out of hand. Udina activated the holographs and contacted the Council through a small keypad. Soon enough, the three Council members appeared in front of them: An asari in the middle, a salarian on her left, and a turian on her right.

"Ambassador," said the turian, "have you made your decision yet?"

"Yes, with close consideration, as well," Udina replied. "I nominate Commander John Shepard to be the first human Spectre."

-\/-

The shuttle carried Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko away from Earth, just exiting the atmosphere. Though Kaidan had developed another one of his headaches, so it had felt like an hour-long trip already. When he checked the real time, it was only two minutes after the shuttle had departed.

Corporal Richard Jenkins laughed all the way down the aisle of seats as a flight attendant urged him towards his seat. He regained himself when he plopped down next to Kaidan. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I'm just so excited I'm getting transferred!"

Richard had been Kaidan's best friend since he'd joined the navy. They'd been at the same training camp, lived in the same quarters, were recruited into the same station, and usually assigned to the same missions together. Their personalities were so different, though. Jenkins was hot-headed and was incapable of patience, even when he was asleep. He usually couldn't shut up and always wanted to fight, while Kaidan himself was calm and collected, usually staying quiet unless asked a question and readily accepting the calm of shore leave or sleeping.

"I was talking with this guy over there, Adams," said Richard, still chuckling. "He's getting transferred to the Normandy as well! He's a great guy, really funny, and he seems to know what he's doing. Wow, I can't wait, can you, Kaidan? This'll be great! Hey, did you get the mission briefing? We aren't even there yet and we've got a mission!"

Kaidan nodded. "That's great, Richy," he said with a weak smile. He leaned his head against the window, feeling the low, soft rumble as the shuttle entered deep space. Soon, they'd be at the Arcturus Station. He just wished he could catch some sleep.

"Another flare-up?" Jenkins asked with sudden concern. That was one topic he always truly stopped to care about. "Hey, you want, I give you some aspirin, I probably brought some with me."

"No, I'm fine," Kaidan replied. "I'll just try to get some sleep, that usually helps."

"Well, just tell me if you need anything," Richard replied. "Getting some sleep sounds good right about now." He stood up and walked back down the aisle as Kaidan slowly chuckled and shut his eyes, listening to the sound of crew men and soldiers talking on the way to Arcturus.

-\/-

Joker limped down the runway, leaning on his two canes. A salarian dock worker had agreed to carry his bags to the Normandy, the ship Joker was set to pilot. Eventually, the two came upon the giant shuttle. Joker stopped abruptly with a gasp. "Hot damn," he muttered as he turned and set his canes in one of his bags. "Thanks a lot, I've got it from here." The salarian bowed and walked away as Joker carried his luggage onto the ship.

He arrived at the loading bay and knocked on the closed door. His legs began to ache without his canes and he groaned when the doors didn't open, stroking his knees. "Come on," he said, knocking again and adjusting his ball cap with the insignia "SR-1" on it, the model type of the SSV Normandy.

The door opened suddenly which gave Joker a scare. He immediately worried he had broken one of his legs, but he was still standing, so he assumed he hadn't. A man stood there with a smile written across his face. He was bald and wore an Alliance issue casual wear. His beard was going gray, which faint tints of brown peppered across it. "Ah, Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau, I believe? Pleasure to meet you. I'm Navigator Pressly, acting XO of the SSV Normandy."

"Yeah, call me Joker," replied the pilot as he walked past the navigator. He hated being called by his real name, and rarely ever responded to it. As he stepped on the ship's body, he saw a bridge to his right with many people working in lowered seats. To his left, he saw his work station: The cockpit.

"Hey, Chief, wanna take my bags to my room? I wanna get acquainted with this beauty," Joker said, handing him all his bags. He sat down in the pilot's seat and sighed with relief. Pressly stood there astonished but eventually carried his bags away, opening and closing his mouth as if he wanted to say something but wouldn't. "Dammit," Joker said once the XO was gone, "the seats aren't even leather."

-\/-

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams walked towards the dig site where the scientists were unearthing what was thought to be a Prothan Beacon, the race of aliens that left behind technology that jumped humanity's two hundred years ahead. She took her helmet off as she reached Jacob Taylor and Nirali Bhatia talking heatedly.

"I just get a bad feeling from all this," Jacob said, looking around warily. "I mean, come on, you've been thinking it too, Chief's been thinking it!"

"Thinking what?" Ashley asked as she put her weight on one leg and crossed her arms.

"Jacob thinks that we're in for a fight," Nirali replied, rolling her eyes with a smirk. "I don't understand what's so suspicious about this mission. We're on Eden Prime, a tourist vacation area, not some high military base."

"Bhatia's right, Taylor," Ashley said patting the operative on the shoulder. "Let's protect these eggheads-er, scientists, and then we can get off this planet."

"Protect them?" Jacob replied as Ashley began to walk away. "See, I knew it, there's something big going down here soon, I just know it."

-\/-

John Shepard stared at the beautiful shuttle called the Normandy. He was no shuttle expert, but he could tell that his was a beauty among ships. No, more than a beauty, a god. Yes, a god would be more accurate.

The door to the shuttle opened and out came a bald man with an Alliance issue casual wear walked out. He had a beard that was graying with brown specks peppered in. "Hello, Commander Shepard, such a pleasure to meet you. I'm Navigator Pressly, acting XO of the ship, but now that you're here, I guess that duty passes to you. Let me just say, it's such an honor to meet you."

"Hi, Pressly, nice to meet you, too," John said. He let the navigator show him inside. As John walked in, he looked to his left, where the cockpit was. Only a single man was in, there but John couldn't see enough, just his hands flying across the dashboard. On his left were many men and women in lowered chairs working away at terminals. He could also see a large, holographic galaxy map with a few crew members gathered around it, talking or working at computers. He also saw two doors on opposite sides of the galaxy map.

"Right this way, your room is downstairs," said Pressly as they began to walk down the stairs.

"I get a whole room? I thought that right was reserved to the CO," replied John with surprise. Suddenly, a woman with dark gray hair bumped into him. Her papers scattered across the floor, sliding down the steps. "I'm sorry, ma'am, please forgive me."

"No worries, Commander," said the woman with a hint of an English accent. "It was my fault. Doctor Chakwas, by the way, residing medic." She extended her free hand once all her papers were collected.

"Nice to meet you, Doctor Chakwas," John replied. "I guess you already know me. I'm sure it will be a pleasure to work alongside you."

"If we could continue?" Pressly said impatiently. "Good day, Doctor." He continued down the stairs and John followed, feeling a small annoyance towards Pressly.