Nate POV
2189 Citadel January 11th 5:30a.m
It's a quiet morning in The Shepard's apartment, which is pretty rare given the fact that it is on the Silversun Strip, where there are always drunkards roaming the streets, shouting at the Avina VI asking stupid assed questions like where they live as well as how to get there or venting off their frustrations at the monotonous VI (which I get because that thing really gets on my nerves) in the early morning looking for somewhere warm to sleep off their hangovers or throw up. Or you are woken up by the lovely sound of some whore plying her trade in some grimy back alley, barking commands screaming out of pleasure as she reached her limits.
That would have actually been more preferable because I would just have to adjust the audio amplifier in the room to block sound out, but no this sound was 10X as annoying but it was also right next to my ear.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP
"It's that time again" I sighed. I looked to my left and watched my alarm clock ring. I just stared at it for a few minutes completely unaware as to anything else going on around me.
I got into the habit of waking up at 5:30 when I was 11 after my dad took me on a Kid Commando course; I loved it so much that I enrolled for that summer and every summer since and even on some weekends. It was the only time he was around and wasn't called to do shit. We did things I never thought I could, I did weapons training, gravity and pressure simulations, extreme conditioning and more than I can remember this instance, but that's where I met my best friend Garrus Vakarian, he is the best damned sniper I have ever seen, I have never seen him miss a target.
If you are still enrolled in the program at 16 years old, that means you are committed and is basically like enrolling in the military, as a consequence you are automatically made a student at the Citadel Military Institute but to enrol you need to have either a brilliant tactical mind, off the charts physical stats or extreme intelligence, I'm strong on the physical conditioning and slightly weaker on the other. I'm not stupid or anything, in fact I'm quite intelligent but that's not enough when it comes to this school, in battle I'm perfectly sound but on exams, I don't do as well.
To give us an edge all humans have some gene modification, minor things like controlling hormone production and release, I can release adrenaline into my system at will so I can fight and run faster and longer than most humans. My biotics also gave me an edge over others but it also made me a freak. The only people who didn't think that I was a freak were Garrus, Jacob and James and that's why they are some of my closest friends.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP
"Okay that's it" I focused and fired a small biotic burst and shattered the alarm clock and a smile crept on to my face only to be replaced by a scowl as I realised that I would be going to school today.
I love my school but getting out of bed has become a struggle over the past couple of years. Seeing some of the stuff I have and experiencing some of the things that I have leaves scars psychological, physical and spiritual. Nightmares plague my sleep more and more as years go by.
It took every ounce of willpower I possessed just to get out of bed and drag myself the shower only to see HER leaving her room. Hair messy, face irritated but eyes determined.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Rylee POV
"Why can't that moron ever just respond to his alarm?" I groaned as I stretched my arms.
He probably soundproofed his room so nothing can get through, Jackass. I don't get why he doesn't just soundproof the whole room instead of the area around the window
I get why he blocks sound out, I cannot count the amount of times some Asari whore has woken me up with their damn screaming, they always scream "Embrace Eternity" when their climaxing, I can't hear either word without feeling disgusted.
It's my first day at the Citadel Military Institute. It was the top military academy in the galaxy, getting into it either means you have connections or your abilities are above average. I know a few people there since a couple come over with Nate but it's normally the same suspects. Garrus, James, Miranda, Jacob and some others I don't really know. To be honest the ones I don't know are girls. I don't really care about them, they'll be out of here after one time anyway so why should I get to know them
As I left my room I looked out to see my older brother looking at me then to the shower door. We stared each other down, waiting for each other to blink. We both ran as quickly as we could and reached the handle at the same time. What genius decides to build an apartment this large with only one shower?
"Let go I need to get ready for school, it's my first day and I'd rather not be late" I hissed
"Yeah me too, I need to meet Garrus at his place and I don't want him to wait" he countered
"Then ask him to come over here next time"
"Oh you'd like that wouldn't you then I could watch you fail at making a move on him" at that a faint blush stained my cheek.
"Why are you such an ass?"
"Why are you such a priss"
"WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP SO THAT I CAN CATCH SOME SLEEP" a loud female voiced boomed through the house and we turned to see our Mom, her eyes had big, black, bags underneath them and her usually long straightened black hair was now pointing out at every direction, her nostrils flared ,eyes widened, brows narrowed and we both realised we were staring pure anger in the eye and promptly shut up.
"Nathan go in first and you better be finished in 10 minutes" she ordered
"Why does he get to go in first" I argued
"Because you take your sweet time in the shower and anymore arguments for the rest of the morning will result in you both getting keelhauled" and that was the last word, since she stormed into her room.
Even he wasn't dumb enough to cross our mom. As he walked into the shower I could see a hint of sadness in my mums eyes, almost pity. Does she know something I don't?
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Nate POV
After my shower I ate breakfast, I didn't really feel like cooking anything so I just had a bowl of cornflakes and a store bought chicken mayo sandwich, man even after all this time McDonalds is still open and that Chicken Mayo sandwich us still the best on the menu.
I turned on my TV to see the news. Apparently Exo-Geni is being investigated for performing experiments that have been deemed dangerous and hazardous to personnel, so nothing new there. They've also discovered that some zombie, plant people called creepers were roaming this colony called Typhus and they killed almost every scientist there before an Alliance rescue team swooped in.
I put on my uniform which was different for each race because we each represent out species military, so for humans it is standard alliance attire and in winter we are allowed to wear jackets and hoodies. There are two main sponsors for humans, the Alliance and Cerberus but my mum, dad and Anderson told me it was a very bad idea for me to get involved with them. It was never an issue, I'm Alliance through and through. Opening my omni-tool I called Garrus
"Nate, you ready to go yet"
"Yeah Garrus, I'll meet you just in front of the Combat Arena"
"Hey Rylee, I'm going, you ready yet"
"I'm coming, just give me a second"
She ran down the stairs dressed the same as me but with an N7 Hoodie, her hair put into a pony tail with some loose strands covering her face she flashed me a crooked grin and said "Let's Go"
My sister wasn't originally meant to be part of the school before the summer even though she's smarter than me but it turns out she is a damn good Infiltrator.
Towards the end of my last spell at Commando Training, someone high up in the ladder decided to put me in one of the chalets for the summer (It was a reward for excellence) I started getting the feeling that I was being watched, but one of my roommates thought I was crazy, since he was an Infiltrator and the best one at the base he believed that no one could possibly plant a bug that he couldn't spot, but that arrogance cost him.
On the last day when my Mom and sister came to collect me, I told them about how I felt someone was watching me Rylee decided to take a look around. She found 10 audio transmitters hidden strategically around the chalet and 4 live stream visual feeds disguised as furniture. If you were an Infiltrator you were meant to find bugs like them and hand them in otherwise you fail and have to retake the course. So impressed was the Head of the facility Steven Hackett that he personally called the Institute and asked for her to be enrolled and she was ecstatic, but she's 15 turning 16 so she would be one of the youngest there.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Me and Rylee got off the lift and walked through the Silversun Strip. If you stripped off all the neon lights, and noise you could tell this place was actually a dump. Not as bad as Omega but at least when you go there what you see is what you get (In this Omega is part of the Citadel). Here all the grime and dirt is shined up or disguised by double talking conmen, artificial fresh air or you are bombarded/blinded by the bright lights to look down and see the homeless and duct-rats. Since the strip is on the border of Omega a lot of shady business goes on.
The more I think of it the more it reminds me of Lowtown in Dragon Age 2, this ancient game that came out almost 200 years ago. You see people begging for food and money, children starving, a cheap bar at the end serving swill in an attempt to pass it off as beer.
"Nate over here" the scar faced Turian hollered, I turned to his direction and strolled over towards him
"Hey you ready for another year of hell" I joked
"Yeah and I have to drag your ass through the fire like always" it was then that Garrus had noticed Rylee, who was fidgeting and playing with her fingers.
"Rylee you ready to enter hell on the Citadel"
At this a shy smile cracked her face and she muttered something that sounded like "Yeah" at this the Turian blinked, bewildered at what he had said wrong
"Did I piss her off? I know some people find my sarcasm annoying" Garrus asked
"If you haven't figured it out by now you never will" Nate answered. This guy is freaking clueless. My sister flirts with him all of the time but he never seems to get it. She gets real shy sometimes and fidgets but he once again never seems to get it
"Can we go, I don't want to be late on my first day" Rylee interrupted.
"Get the fuck out of my way" I didn't even have time to react as a slim, lithe figure barged its way, when I took a good look at it I saw what appeared to be a bald man in a black body warmer with what would appear to be a Cerberus logo on it and I immediately knew he went to my school.
"Hey, apologize you can't just barge through people", I was pissed off and I'll be the first one to admit it I don't control my anger particularly well.
The bald man turned around. I was dumbstruck because in front of my wasn't a short bald man, but a petit bald woman, with pouty red lips that would drive any guy crazy. I actually checked her out and noticed she was covered in tattoos from head to toe, her body language like her eyebrows screamed fuck off, and her eyes were heavily lined with mascara and eyeliner, which I think was an attempt to hide just how tired this girl was. The entire time I stared at her I realised one thing. This girl is Fucking Gorgeous.
"I don't apologise jackass and if that upsets your royal ass then too bad you can just fuck off" she cursed getting on the Hyper Train
"She seems great, but her tattoos give me a headache" The sarcasm dripping from Garrus' voice earned him a scowl from Nate
"Let's forget it and get to school" Nate said in a dismissive tone, trying to get her out of his head.
On the train I saw the bald bitch standing in the corner facing the passengers like an animal being wary of predators. This girl struck me as very feral. She caught me looking at her and offered me a snarl in return. Very feral indeed. This year is going to be interesting.