Tentative journeys are where it began,
Finally free of the solar system, were man.
Prothean secrets, found under Mars' surface,
It unified Earth, gave everyone purpose.

Within the secrets that were found,
Discoveries, which were sound,
Detailing the galaxy, and all its stars,
So that they might themselves now travel that far.

Charon, a mass relay, was found around Pluto,
A device which allowed space craft to go,
Just about anywhere you like in space,
Merely point your ship, and go any place!

But out there in space, the galaxy has already started,
Turians, an alien species, quickly regarded,
The wanton activation by man of a relay long dimmed,
As an act of war, their territories now skimmed.

By 'The First Contact War' it became known,
The less dramatic 'Relay-314 Incident' in turian tomes,
A short but bloody initial encounter,
But the humans fought hard and did not flounder.

Resolution was sought by the Citadel Council,
A galactic body with which meaningful exchange was possible.
And peace did follow, as did the inevitable backlash,
As the brutality of the conflict at times, some could not let pass.

So into the abyss, Earth did throw itself,
Each new species they found as fascinating as an elf.
And in new territories they did begin to dwell,
But some soon found out, they may have just found hell.

A young girl, last name Shepard, no more than sixteen,
Lived a peaceful life on Mindoir, for her parents an idyllic dream,
'til the day that they came, batarian slavers, another new race,
Who slaughtered her mother and father, then kidnapped her from this place.

The newly formed space fleet of the Earth Systems Alliance,
Did their best to defeat this newly formed defiance,
Shepard was saved, though not all were so lucky,
It was mentioned, however, she remained bright and plucky.

Under the Alliance's wing Shepard did find herself,
It suggested that she take her biotic potential off the shelf,
And to help with the colonies, like hers, to assist others,
She jumped at the chance to help her colonial sisters and brothers.

The military life suited her well,
She would go far, it was easy for all to tell.
Biotic output, off the charts,
Always consistent, never fits and starts.

Marksmanship, hacking, systems, comms,
The list of her outstanding skills went on.
Up the ranks Shepard flew, until finally her own command,
Of which she would have been proud, were it not for Akuze's harsh sands.

On that planet's surface, her squad were pinned,
While a massive Thresher Maw creature did smash and spin.
Her entire squad killed, or at least so she thought,
She honoured that to the last man they so valiantly fought.

Difficult circumstances bring out the greatest in some,
This was recognised in Shepard and it was not long,
Before the Alliance knew that she would not rest,
'til she reached N7 status, the best of the best.

So it came to pass that the status was given,
And a position offered, something about which she could be driven,
A prototype stealth craft, the Normandy, XO her position,
The maiden voyage under Captain Anderson; just another routine mission.