A/N

An attempt at a Cerberus focus POV. Attempt being the key word. I want this to go in another direction, the one I envisioned at the start. Many issues will be addressed. Read if you will, but bear in mind that the story will definitely change somewhere.

Subject to rewriting.


"I believe humanity thrives off conflict, it is one of our defining traits."

Local Cluster, Earth, UK, Catterick, AITC

21.4.2171 1300 EST

"Move it, ladies!" Bellowed the sergeant.

As I hit the dirt and started to crawl beneath the barbed wire, I've realized how difficult this is going to be, tired from a week of preparation, for the Alliance Graduation Course, a test of fitness both physical and psychological.

After 5 months of boot camp, I can't wait to get out of here.

Getting to the other side was tiring, the mud gets stuck to your clothes and everywhere else, weighing you down the more you swim in it. Crawling to the end, I quickly got up, or at least what could be considered quick and grabbed the rope provided for a 4-meter wall climb.

Easily overcoming the wall and jumping down as I move onto the next obstacle, a balancing rope. But after a while of struggle, I start to move smoothly across to the next one.

Jump, swim, climb, crawl, balance, repeat. It's as not easy as it sounds, it tests your endurance in ways you don't want to dream about, but it's a necessary requirement for every Alliance soldier, slackers won't get anywhere. Without gene mods, a half-kilometre obstacle course is quite exhausting very fast, can't wait to get them.

Finally seeing the end, I break into a sprint so fast that I nearly loose balance like a fool.

Getting over the finishing line I collapse to the ground feeling like I just sprinted a marathon or two. Shutting my eyes for a minute as I try to collect my breath, I heard footsteps approaching.

"Rise and shine Mr Reid." Someone said in a gravely, sing-song voice.

Opening my eyes staring into the ones above me, the face of my drill sergeant, giving me a funny look. Lewis Cely. The older man standing over me with his shit-eating grin, satisfied with giving me fit." Guess what Reid?", that short sentence telling me all I needed to know.

Giving me a hand, I gladly accepted it and try to dust myself off. "An impressive time Reid one of the best actually I've ever seen." He declared.

"What time?" I ask.

"Take a look." Showing me the time board on his Omni-Tool.

"3 minutes 42 seconds, the 6th best, not bad at all." Patting me on the back. I've always got along good with the sarge. Honest, charming, down to the earth kind of guy, but disobey him during training and all hell will break loose.

"Take a breather and report to the next phase in 5' dismissed." He ordered.

Well then better get going don't want to fail now, that would be embarrassing,

I ready myself for to the next AGC stage.

Local Cluster, Earth, UK, Catterick, AITC

21.4.21711954 EST

"Finally, it's over I'm a soldier." Almost not believing my own words. Looking at my dog tags with the name Allen Reid printed on it and it feels good.

The course ended at least an hour ago with the climax being that 98 out of our 112 people will be going to the 29th Infantry Division for more specialized training, an exciting notion to go of earth and into the rest of the galaxy. I wonder where will we be since we've yet to get any other details surrounding our post. The only thing that's certain is that we're off to the colonies, just don't know which one yet.

The galaxy awaits if only my family shared the same sentiment. Not that I care anymore, what's done is done I shouldn't dwell on family matters now. Better get some sleep.

Deep space, SSV Cologne

24.4.2171 1519 EST

The ship ride was like nothing I've ever experienced, sure I've been in a shuttle for interplanetary travel, but that dingy little thing can't compare to a mighty Alliance cruiser.

Our 4th Infantry Company is headed to Terra Nova, one of the biggest human colonies, where we will be finishing our training and choosing specializations and such.

This is where it begins, I suppose, I'm not naive enough to think this will be easy but I'd be lying if I didn't say that was excited.

Exodus System, Asgard System, Terra Nova, Scott, Local Garrison Base, 44th Infantry Battalion

10.11.2171 0810 EST

"Cpl. Reid your ass in this office, now." Ordered my CO.

Lt Col. Ward was more of a politician than a soldier, he got to his positioning thanks to bribes, intimidation and all sorts of lovely activities. Unfortunately, nobody could get any significant dirt on him. Which means he can do as he pleases. Asshole swaggers around the base as if he owns it. Luckily, he does not speak to the personnel too much, otherwise, people would just start throwing punches at him whenever he opens his pie hole.

"Sir." Throwing him a salute as I sprang in attention.

"There is a report about an unknown hideout filled with, what I can only assume is illegal contraband. I want your squad to go in at the request of the SPD after yesterday's bombing they are low on manpower and spread thin throughout the city, we have to help out where we can. Dismissed."

"Understood sir, it will be done." Saluting, as I step out of his office, going down the grey hallway with an occasional Alliance marine symbol or door, but otherwise just another dull uninteresting hallway.

Walking to the end of the corridor and taking a turn left I finally got to the elevator. I stepped into the depressing coffin, pressing Barracks 1st floor. Luckily these ones are quicker than the infamous Citadel elevators, or so I heard.

Getting off and taking a right turn, ending up at door NO.7, that's where my squad spends their days, when they are not sleeping, shitting, marching, patrolling, training or getting shit faced.

Walking in as silently possible I take a look around me, everyone is napping and snorting away happily after yesterday's chaos.

"Guys wake up, we got work to do."

All I got was groans and moans of tired soldiers, pathetic.

So it's going to be like this. Very well.

"INSPECTION IN 30 SECONDS!"

Suddenly everyone started to scramble about jumping out of their bunks throwing on their clothes and cleaning up the room. What a sight. Letting out a small chuckle and a sigh I quickly defuse the situation. "Guys calm down it's just me."

At that everyone stopped what they were doing, giving me glares, relieved sighs and frowns. "Ah Jesus Christ Reid you just had to give everyone a heart attack, didn't you?" he said in an irritated voice. "Can't you just wake us up normally?"

"No, you wouldn't wake up otherwise, besides it's urgent Oz I need you to get ready quickly. All of you report to the armoury, you've got 10 minutes."

Lazy bastards the lot of them, they've had their 4-hour nap. It was more than generous of our CO to give us that much time.

Off to the armoury then.

Finally arriving at the armoury is my marine squad, made up of 7 people.

CPL. Oscar Bates, my second in command and probably my best friend also a very loud and stubborn SOB, we stuck through boot camp all the way here and plan on going even further, besides that he's also the squad paramedic.

SPC. Cai Ju, our sniper, and reconnaissance specialist, I've known her since arriving at Terra Nova, she's more reserved than the others.

SPC. Nils "Adis" Amundisson, demolition specialist and heavy weapons if needed, a stern man that one, a soldier to the core.

SPC. Michael Molander, the combat engineer with an unhealthy happy-go-lucky attitude, lost his squad in the bombing and has been transferred to us.

SPC. Avilov Yegorovich, an IT specialist, a dedicated and dutiful soldier with a good sense of humour, occasionally does skits for us with Carter the silly bugger.

PFC. Aubri Smith, rifleman don't know much about her, got transferred to us just today after the bombing just like Mike.

PFC Ben Carter, also a rifleman near completing his training as an anti-vehicle specialist.

Quite the colourful party we have here.

They loaded up their M7 Lancers and C93 Comets, Ju taking her favourite toy the Black Widow an Alliance version of the M-98 Widow. It also has scram rails, with incendiary and if needed tungsten rounds, making it a canon more than a sniper rifle. Where she got that custom piece, I don't even want to know but, maybe her rich family provided her with it.

0910 EST

Sitting on a bench outside the base waiting for them to get fully stocked and ready for action I light myself a smoke, not a lot of troops around here since everyone is on high alert for potential terrorists. I took in my surroundings, blue sky without a single white cloud, just the boiling hot sun raining down at least 30° C at us. Sweat forming on my brow as I wipe it away, just thinking about the hot weather makes me roast. North England was never like that, just endless rain and wind, now I have traded one extreme for another. And this one is severely more annoying than the former.

Taking in the last puff from my cigar, wishfully sighting that I could transfer to the Alliance navy branch. After all, this isn't how I imagined my career starting, I hoped to be placed somewhere closer to batarian borders, somewhere I could make a change. Of course, I was naive at the time it's been a year in the military and it had chiselled me out of that line of thought. I won't go easy on you boy, the galaxy won't either, it's cruel and unforgiving out there and the Council couldn't give a rat's ass about us. It's just you and your squad out there. Those words stuck to my mind always whenever I think about going into the fringes of Alliance space. Cely was right about the so "esteemed" Council not caring about human expansion and would gladly throw us to the batarians so they have something to chew on. I wonder where my old sarge is right now, last I heard he is in some classified naval operation training some sort of militia. Don't know how on earth he got there but the man has a talent for the impossible. One time -

"Ahem." Someone behind me cleared his throat. "Hey, boss man we're ready and waiting."

Interrupting my line of thought was Bates signalling with his profound statement that the squad is ready.

"Alright marines, friends and weirdos, from up on me here is a quick summary." Showing them a map from my omni-tool.

"We are to go and meet a police investigator near warehouse #027 in the Brisbane District he will have a more detailed mission summary. But apparently there are some unsavoury folk hiding in the warehouse and we are to confirm that, if they do preside within there, we are to smoke them out, shoot back only if shot at first."

"Oorah!"

"Oorah. Now everyone into the shuttle, I'm flying. "

The shuttle flying course wasn't hard as I had anticipated, just had to practice from time to time, here's hoping I don't bust a thruster like last time.

1021 EST

It was a total fucking disaster, they knew we were coming. Once arriving at the rendezvous point, we expected a least a police squad guarding the place or someone waiting for us, after all, that had been the mission brief. Instead just two empty police cruisers and bad feeling.

I sent a message back to HQ, but apparently, our orders still stood. Go in, search & capture/destroy, go out. Sounded simple, but it couldn't be further from the truth.

We split into 2 fireteams North and South. Bates took, Smith, Yegorovich and Molander. I took Ju, Amundisson and Carter. Now we could cover the exits and more ground in case there is someone inside. The lights were out and with the warehouse's walls not having any sort of windows it was nearly impossible to see anything, without flashlights I mean. Immediately after going in, South team spotted 5 dead cops all shot from behind multiple rounds in the back of their bodies, after getting their identities they reported that the investigator is a no show, this must have been the perimeter team. 2 things came to mind, the investigator sold out his colleagues and went rogue, for whatever reason or whoever is in here captured him.

After 4 minutes of searching shipping containers, lockers, storage rooms and finding nothing, I was about to call off the operation and call for reinforcement along with someone from the police department to pick up their dead. We were soldiers, not cops, snooping around a crime scene in an eerie warehouse wasn't in our job description.

That was when suddenly gunfire started coming from South team, short and long-range comms were jammed so my team started rushing towards the roaring Lancer rifles.

When we got there only Bates was still breathing and badly wounded. On the far side of the warehouse, I caught in the corner of my eye, were 3 shadowy figures trying to line up for another barrage of shots. Only this time we acted faster than our assailants. Ju managed to get a quick shot off at the closest and tallest figure. Its kinetic barriers shuddered a bit, and then the figure slowly dropped to the ground shortly after the thundering sound of a Widow blasting away.

The other two reacted quickly the furthest took cover and the one closer clawed its way up on the container. A stream of mass accelerator rounds struck our cover.

I decided that the best way to end this is with a fast flanking maneuverer. Ordering Adis to get ready for a frag grenade and Carter to flank around the containers. I took my M7 and laid down suppressive fire on the tango closer to me. Adis threw his grenade, taking out the cover of whoever was on the big blue box, the figure jumped down in an ungraceful fashion and as it landed got mercilessly slain by Carter. Ju meanwhile switched positions getting up top, crouching on a catwalk and scanning for the last one. But it would appear that our mystery person ran off.

The jamming field finally dispersing, I sent a message to command. We got the order to retreat and that police forces are on the way to secure the area.

But before we went anywhere, we had to help Bates, the poor fucker got shot in the pelvis and also straight through the abdomen, causing internal bleeding. The pain must have been immense. He took it surprisingly well, only hissing in pain, when moving around. He shortly passed out from blood loss but got stabilised shortly after. Thank god for Medi-Gel, if it wasn't for this technological marvel, he'd be in a body bag by now.

Just before we left, I went over to the now deceased scumbags that killed almost half my squad. Instantly noticing that both of them were aliens. A batarian and an asari. Both in marked dark grey/teal armour of unknown kind.

What were you doing here?

I would have probably found out more from their omni-tools if it wasn't for the grey and black suits appearing on the scene flashing their ABS badges at me and telling me to clear the area immediately.

Goddamn spooks nothing good comes out of them. Was this their op? Were we some sort of bait? Why did no one investigate non-responsive police officers? I just lost 3 soldiers because of their antics, god fucking dammit.

Better get out of here while I can, or I'll end up on the naughty list.

1158 EST

"What the fuck do you mean we are being relocated!?" I yelled out of frustration.

"Simmer down corporal or I'll have you filed away for insubordination." He replied in a cold monotone voice, keeping his cool as always.

After getting back to base my squad's morale was annihilated so to speak. Losing friends is never easy, and they say it doesn't get any easier. Yegorovich hit me hardest, I didn't get to know Smith or Molander long enough but it still hurt me as leader of men and women. Brothers and sisters in arms.

1 or 2 hours later we got a call that Bates would be moved to some godforsaken hole in the ground, apparently, ABS got their hand on him. He allegedly saw his attackers and ABS was all over it. Command tried to get him back to their "best abilities". More likely they sold him to those suited wankers for favours.

That got me furious, but they were just getting started. Out of the blue, I got a call that we, our team and I are about to be relocated to the Navy branch. Normally I would consider this a small victory. Spaceships and space itself remained a hobby of mine but right now all I could think about is my fist smashing Wards face for doing the ABS bidding, they wanted us out of the picture in case we got any ideas as to investigate why our friends died, that's the only thing I can think of. The ABS also decided that promotion should be suspended for 5 months and our squad dispersed to different army units. Adis would go for combat engineer re-evaluation in some border response force for whatever reason. Ju would go for Hunter training. Some veteran recon unit, quite an achievement to get a chance at joining them so young. But I wasn't thinking about that. Lastly, Carter would be dragged off to Eden Prime for the 8th Mechanized Division.

Simmer down my ass you crotchety old bastard. I'll shove this boot so far up -

"You should be glad that you haven't been demoted back to private and sent to sanitation". Giving me his accusing glare, we hate each other so much.

"But someone decided that you'll be useful somewhere else."

"May I ask who?" Entering a staring contest with the old man.

After a few seconds, he broke off.

"No. Get out of here before I change my mind. We always need more janitors."

Sighing, I storm out of the office red with fury at this sudden development of my career.

This is a disaster, how could I let this happen.

After reaching my squad's bunks, I simply fall on my bed. Exhausted from what just happened. Half my squad is dead and now the rest is being torn apart by the Alliance like vultures coming for a deceased corpse.

"At least they aren't sending some sort of clean-up crews after us." Said Cai in slightly Chinese accent, translator programs in omni-tools are all loaded with the most common of earth's languages, but people are required to learn English as it is the most second used language on Earth. That and because aliens can't be bothered to load a few gigabytes of human languages, pompous gits.

"Don't you dare jinx us, ABS might just make an exception for us and send their goons." Replied Nils

"You really think they would do that?" Said Ben, slight fear behind his words.

"After today I wouldn't be surprised about anything. We did, after all, stumble into a black op or whatever that was, albeit under orders of our CO, which seems to be getting off scot-free." Nils said frowning.

Sighing, burrowing my head into a pillow. I wished I didn't have to deal with this shit. This is not what I signed up for.

"Are you holding up Reid?" Asked Cai.

"Mnhomht mhremlamhy" Mumbling an incoherent sentence into the pillow, my head felt like it was out of solid iron, getting up would be a bit irritating.

"Sorry?"

Dammit.

"Not really no." replying, with a small hint of annoyance.

"We lost Bates, Smith, Molander and Yegorovich. And now we are losing each other. Despite the fact we've been a squad for 6 months, we had a good thing going here. And now this shit head will throw us about willy nilly, and no one will stop him."

"It's not all bad. I can finally join the Hunters, I didn't expect him to send me there, I've always dreamed about joining them and after less than 2 years I get the opportunity to do so. Seems too good to be true." That it does. Cai seemed ecstatic at this new development, a dream come true. At least someone will benefit from this mess, not sure about the rest though as I slowly began to doze off.

Petra Nebula, Vetus System, Gilead, Lincoln Station

20.12.2172 1618 EST

Stargazing.

Something that I'll never get bored off, or at least not any time soon.

There is something peaceful and tranquil about watching stars, comets, and meteors, whatever you can spot. It makes me think, to contemplate the big questions of our universe, about our galaxy, about life. I do not believe in god or any other made up supernatural being, I believe in science, everything has a rational explanation, but until we come up with an answer for the unknown, it might as well be space magic. 100 years ago, a man, human standing on a space installation might have seemed like a pipe dream. But here we are, in space, with technology and possibilities our people only dreamt of in science fiction, FTL travel, colonies, spaceships, long lives, eezo. What a time to be alive.

"Corporal Allen is requested to report to the office of Major Klavan in 1625" droned the stations VI.

I guess my 'peace and tranquillity' can wait for now.

Attican Beta, Athens System, Orbit of Circe, 79th Patrol Flotilla, SSV Ancre

3.2.2173 2338 EST

I might be navy now, but Cmdr. Weber placed me in charge of the Marine Officers position, which is baffling to me, to entrust an entire 2 platoons worth of soldiers to a newly promoted sergeant, such as myself, I might look like I know what to do, but the reality is that I'm not. No pressure.

I thought about protesting, but that would be like banging your head against a steel wall with kinetic barriers and an attitude. The German commander takes shit from no one that's for sure.

Luckily commanding the soldiers was not as hard after a while as I thought. Maybe I should go in for officer training.

We've been patrolling around the Athens System for a day now, pirates have been spotted around here calling themselves Godwin's Group, they attack merchant vessels mostly and try to disable anything that does not have an escort of ships.

Last day they attacked a research vessel, RV Visage which was searching for more extra-terrestrial life. As if we don't have enough. Normally this would be ignored or postponed for investigation. However, the Visage had a military escort of two frigates, meaning these pirates have gotten bolder, and stronger. That got the Alliance rummaging through the system they have been last spotted in.

So far nothing has happened, we can be stationed here for another day or a week. I hope we find them soon, my shore leave is coming up, and I cannot wait for a much-needed break.

Acturus Stream, Acturus Station, SSV Ancre

13.7.2173 1528 EST

Looks like with a bit of luck and skill one can do almost anything in the Alliance, after several gruelling months aboard the SSV Ancre and Lincoln Station, I've been approved for officer training, Cmdr. Weber might have something to do with that, he's been quite happy with me lately so he gave me the go ahead next time the 79th passes by Acturus, but I also got an anonymous cryptic note from someone within the 8th fleet saying "the walls have ears and the ceiling has eyes". Whoever it was I'll have to be careful, as they might be referencing to the ABS.

Ever since the warehouse #027 incident the Alliance Bureau of Security has been on my heels, they really don't like people knowing about their activities no matter how small amount of knowledge I possess about it. I try not to provoke the ABS too much, keeping my head low will be the best course of action. Nevertheless, maybe one day once my rank will be high enough, I can view what was that almost screwed up my career.

Acturus Stream, Acturus Station, NOCP

7.8.2173 0906 EST

The Naval Officer Candidate Program isn't too demanding, 2 and a half year of service gets you a sliver of respect, especially when you are ambitious enough.

I am currently half-way through my 3-month training regime. Mostly re-learning basic ground operations, but with fleet coordination and ship command being added now. The rest will mostly be ship to ship tactics, crew management, and communication protocols.

If you're good enough you can be selected for the Enhanced Officer Project, it was made for people who could potentially be accepted into N-class or other alliance special forces.

Then there are optional courses, basic fighter and light class vessel piloting (frigates, corvettes), basic and advanced engineering, even some martial arts. It does add at least another 2-4 months per course of training.

I've selected the piloting course and martial arts, specifically Systema, a Russian hybrid martial art, perfected over the years and mostly used by Spetsnaz.

Better get comfortable, since I've got 5-6 more months of god knows what.

Acturus Stream, Acturus Station, Arrival-Departure Zone

15.3.2174 1301 EST

Actually, it was 7 months, because surprise, surprise, ABS launched an investigation on me for compromising Alliance secrets and operational integrity. What possessed these people all of the sudden I have absolutely no fucking clue, their evidence was grasping at straws, apparently, some overzealous pencil pusher jumped the gun. They also tried to file me for conduct unbecoming with none other the Lt Col. Ward, filling the form. Slimy bastard. If he would have pressed charges a lot sooner, I might have gotten disciplinary action at best, a court-martial at worst. Looking back, I really am lucky to get away with all the insults I spewed at him, quite a small miracle.

Anyway, their evidence was not substantiation and Col. Vince, my training superior, defend my position from the famed Alliance Military Justice Committee (AMJC). Vince was not a bad officer, she had her moments but I never felt anything towards her, just another alliance uniform for me.

Therefore, after this little unnecessary drama between an intelligence agency, and me, I finally got my rank of Second Lieutenant and after my 7-day holiday. I'll be going back to the 79th Patrol Flotilla on a new light frigate the SSV Adwa. Serving as an XO to a Cmdr. Simon Woods.

Don't know much about him and I honestly couldn't care right now. I was deciding between Earth and the Citadel. At first, the Citadel was quite an intriguing and exotic idea, being the capital of the galaxy. However, after some thought, I decided to head for a more familiar place, aliens make me uneasy, and when they view humans as second-class citizens it's better to stay away from all their bullshit, also I don't want to cause any diplomatic incident or some other awkward situation.

Local Cluster, Earth, UK, York, Staycity Aparthotels

21.3.2174 1008 EST

It felt nice being back in the rainy paradise of England it felt right, I belonged here.

The last time I was here was 3 years ago, how time flies by. I revisited my old infantry training school, trying to look for my old sarge, but was nowhere to be found, if he is still on that alliance project or whatever no one would tell me, they didn't even know about him departing on some grand voyage through space.

I visited some pubs and restaurants with my old childhood friends, even went to a dance club. Never again.

I tried to search up my old squadmates but only managed to contact Ju; she was on the Citadel currently with her Special Forces unit. She has been apparently accepted and is doing well. She heard from Carter, he managed to successfully become a staff sergeant on Eden Prime's 2nd Frontier Division after the 8th Mechanized Departed to greener pastures.

Adis had gone missing on some anti-slavery action out in the Attican Traverse, poor bugger I hope he is all right. And Bates was a complete no show. As if he never existed, those ABS bastards must have gotten him or changed his identity, I will probably never know.

After a short conversation, we exchanged goodbyes and I disconnected the call.

I took on my best jacket and jeans as I set off to the countryside for a nice road trip.

Yeah, I could get used to this.

Acturus Stream, Acturus Station, 79th Patrol Flotilla, SSV Adwa

27.3.2174 1138 EST

I swear that Woods looks like Cely, even acts like him sometimes, I've been around the 50-year-old enough to tell him apart from all the other Officers, maybe it's his evil twin, I don't know, something bugs me about him.

My new responsibilities as XO are mostly day-to-day activities so the CO can focus on strategy and our next move. In the case that our CO is incapacitated than I'm second-in-command, I'm not sure how to feel about it, outwards I'm confident enough and professional not to express my doubts, as it can be demoralizing to those under your command, inwards? I usually double-check that my decisions have not made an irreparable mistake, maybe I just need to focus on the job at hand, besides self-doubt is not going to help anyone. In time I will be probably commanding my own ship, and that is a day I'm absolutely giddy about like a little school girl, I should grow up some more.

Hades Gamma, Antaeus System, Ageko, 79th Patrol Flotilla, SSV Adwa

14.6.2174 0251 EST

It's been, what 3 months since Acturus, we've raided several asteroid pirate stations, they belonged to a moderately sized group. Calling themselves Cutlasses, mostly humans some turians and salarians. Almost all have been killed or captured. These guys traded with red sand and Plurrucreite, some new chemical, also known as "Ozone" a hallucinogenic drug which is addictive and dangerous capable of causing fatal blood clots.

Drugs aside, they also produced illegal weaponry, explosives the usual pirate stuff.

It has been an exhausting few weeks of hunting down these critters; I have been promoted to Lt 1st class so that's something.

Well, I guess I shouldn't sell myself short we have been stranded for nearly a month on this world with our frigate damaged and Cmdr. Woods unconscious, I had to take over which, was easy, but as time went on, I ran out of ideas on survival.

7 people died during my time as acting commander, that was the worst part. People dying under your command, it is something that I have experienced, something you don't want to, experience. But you must in order to protect those that still breathe.

Our supplies were about to run low, then in true movie fashion, the 79th found us, that was a relief like never before. Seeing those shuttles decent with the needed spare parts for repairs was beautiful, I could finally be proud of not failing those who depended on me.

Now we are headed back for maintenance, and I'm headed off to bed.

Local Cluster, Earth, UK, Stornoway, My Apartment

7.2.2175 1143 EST

Having my own apartment has been on my to-do list awhile, I must say having one is an accomplishment for me.

I picked Scotland as the location, more precisely on the island of Lewis and Harris, in Stornoway, where I found some cheaper places to live, although having a smaller house somewhere on the coast might not be bad.

I picked this place because technology has improved lives with architectural style remaining the same; Stornoway has not experienced a large change when Mass Effect technology was discovered. Life sort of got better for the locals and that's it, still a quite peaceful small town.

It's quiet, which means its perfect, this will definitely be the place for me when I retire, nothing fancy just some cottage on the coast, perfect. Living on an alien planet has its benefits but its just not the same. I can always feel safe on Earth no matter what.

I return to the Adwa in 5 days, time to take in the local sights.