"So, tell us about yourself, Daniel."
"Ah, I was born in a test tube on Eden Prime thirty years ago and my name is Daniel Shepard -"
The Commander froze and locked her gaze on the eyes of the man in front of her. "Hold up. Wait a minute. Are you related to the Commander John Shepard?"
Daniel gave a nervous laugh. She was the only one to ever ask him about his last name.
"Er, no. It was actually the lab that gave me the name Daniel. I don't know my parents, Commander Williams."
Daniel wasn't sure if those semi-synthetic eyes were filled with sorrow for him having no family or because he was fully organic.
"Your test tube happened to contain eezo, and that would make you the first organic biotic in fifty years."
Daniel wasn't sure if he should be smiling or not. He remained passive.
"Well, being one of the few organics in the galaxy, you already know that there are some people who'd rather kill themselves for having been turned into synths, push for organic rights - even though there's probably only a dozen of you in the galaxy - or go on one of the fabulous embassy parties that we're about to stop."
Daniel suddenly felt like he had a lot more in common with organics of other races.
She took a deep breath. "I promise you that my crew may have reservations about having an organic aboard the ship but I also promise you that they will learn to ignore that fact... or else. "
"Thank you very much, Commander."
"Welcome aboard the Normandy SR-3, Second Lieutenant Sh - Shepard." He couldn't help but notice her stuttering. Fifty years ago, when John Shepard was still alive, they had been in love. This was probably going to be as awkward for her as it was going to be for him... "Do you have any other questions?"
"Just one. The Crucible -"
Commander Williams rolled her eyes. "Pretty much everyone who serves on the Normandy asks that question. The truth of the matter is that we don't know any more than we did fifty years ago about how it did what it did. Watching the Catalyst's first vid makes me forget about that question..."
"Ain't that the truth," Daniel muttered.
"Your service clothes are in your cabin. I expect you back aboard tomorrow at 0800. Those embassies are just waiting for us to kill them. I don't like to keep these batarian death squads waiting." Despite Ashley being a synth, Daniel still liked her bushy brown hair. "We're likely to run into some yahg so you better be careful. You're the first organic aboard a combat ship and if you die, you'll probably be the last."
Daniel wanted to avoid talking about the fact that he could much more easily be killed, put down his omni-tool and said, "Remind me again where the term 'embassies' came from, again?"
Daniel had never heard the word "embassies" before but now he smiled grimly about it every time.
"Because it sounds a lot better than 'hi, we've come from another galaxy and we're going to force you to submit to Synthesis or just turn you into goo for another reaper.' Personally, I prefer to call them assholes, but that's just me."
"Right."
"Dock 15."
"Can I get dressed now?"
She pulled the N1 pin off his chest, muttering something about only wearing an N7 pin, and walked out of the mess hall. Being an organic, the Systems Alliance wouldn't let him aboard a vessel unless he was prepared to face synths. To Admiral Steven Hackett, that did not mean much. To the Council, it meant a human must train in the Alliance special forces.
Daniel was only slightly upset to learn that he wasn't the first organic since Synthesis. It was a salarian born in a petri dish in a lab on Noveria three years before him. The next week, the Council declared it against the law to grow organics. As their reason resonated eerily with the Catalyst's - that growing organics would upset the balance from the chaos - that week, millions of synths across the galaxy killed themselves in protest. Later that month, the Council legalized it. Groups of organic sympathizers have declared that day, the thirty-first of July, Organic Day. Today was Organic Day. Most synths weren't sure if they should be wishing him a happy Organic Day or not. Most just avoided his eyes. Admiral Hackett shook his hand then hugged him, while patting him on the back.
By comparison, Daniel's eyes looked strange. He wondered when he was going to run into another organic, and rattled the count he'd been told in his head: three salarians, two yahg, two asari, two turians, one krogan and one human. Most were afraid to grow organics as most thought of them as a weak form of life. Admiral Hackett didn't seem to think so. He'd been told that the Commander of the Normandy used to have a grudge against other races and was thankful that it didn't seem to extend to organics.