Fire ravaged the colony of Mindoir, and John Shepard, a 16-year old boy (Man, if you asked him), and all-around nice guy, was looking up at it. Just ten minutes ago, he had witnessed the death of his family, friends, and neighbors. Seven minutes ago, he was loaded onto a Batarian slavers ship. Three minutes ago, he had found the strength to look down on his colony. Looking around the cargo bay, Shepard realized that he was the only one in it.
'Must have put everyone else on different ships,' he thought, refusing to even think that the aliens had simply destroyed his home for the hell of it, taking no prisoners.
The young man looked down at his hands. Bound, of course. It was times like these he wished his father, a soldier, hadn't run out on the family. He began to struggle with his bonds when a door opened. An armored Batarian walked out, holding a pistol by his side.
"Come with me human. Captain wants to speak with you."
John sighed, seeing no point in resisting. He walked towards the slaver, and let his take him to the Captain's quarters.
"Is your captain going to kill me?"
"Shut up."
John obliged, but only for a second.
"Is he going to-"
"I said shut up human!"
The rest of the elevator trip was spent in silence.
The alien shoved Shepard out of the elevator, causing him to land on his face. He was pulled up by the back of his collar, and brought to the captain, who was facing away from the two of them.
"Thank you Cratok. Leave us."
The Batarian nodded, moving back towards the elevator. The Captain turned to face Shepard. He looked him over, before reaching out his hand.
"It's good to have a real introduction. I'm Captain-"
"Fuck off."
Shepard stared the Batarian in the eye. Or two of the four.
"As I was saying, I am Captain Grarak. And-"
The Captain backhanded Shepard, who fell to the ground.
"-You will learn not to disrespect me. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but you attempted to shoot me, didn't you?"
Shepard only nodded. He had seen the captain, and tried to shoot him in the back of the head, with his brother's pistol, no less. A pistol which, if he wasn't mistaken, had been holstered by Grarak.
"Now you're the first human I've come across that tried to fight after they'd been beaten. You're brave kid, but you're stupid. I think there's a word for that…"
"Defiant," Shepard forced out.
"Defiant," echoed the Captain. "You'd be useless as a slave. You wouldn't comply and would get yourself killed. But you can handle a weapon, you're intelligent enough to show the crew you hate them without getting yourself killed over it, and you don't look to bad either."
"Get to the point Slaver."
"Captain. Grarak, if you live long enough for me to start liking you."
"What does that mean?"
"What that means, is that I'm offering you a place as my protege."
The captain pulled out the pistol of Shepard's late father, and put the barrel against the boy's head.
"Either that, or die."