Chapter 1

I woke up violently. I sighed in relief.

It was a dream.

But for some reason, my weight shifted uncomfortably below me. This was not the mattress I was used to. I looked around me and noticed that I was on a lake, and had woken up from a nap on a raft. I quickly realized that this was no ordinary lake. Guard rails lined the perimeter, and bridges criss-crossed above me. Along the horizon, white towers jutted up into a black sky, although it was clearly day. I looked around and noticed something white on my black shirt. A piece of paper with scribbled writing on it. I took it in both hands as fear raced up my spine.

My good friend Jack,

I hope you enjoyed your trip! I'm sure you don't even remember it. You were so peaceful as I laid you down on that float. Which, by the way, is illegal in this part of the Citadel. So expect the C-Sec to arrive soon. Alas, there is some information that you should know. Because you are the center-piece to this exhilarating story I decided to place you in the heart of it before the story begins. So you have a little time before the Normandy arrives at Eden Prime. Of course, you'll have trouble getting C-Sec to believe that you're not a smuggling terrorist since you have zero proof of your existence, but you're a bright lad and I think you'll get by just fine. I'm having goosebumps just thinking about it! I really think you'll do well, but this is a dangerous story, so don't die. I would be the laughing stock of the universe if my character died an untimely death. But I wouldn't have selected you if I didn't think you weren't capable of it. You do have a unique weapon in this world: the knowledge of what is to come. It's quite hilarious to think about: you're from the past but you know the future. How ironic! But the rest, I fear, is up to you and your own skill. By the time you're reading this exact sentence someone will have spotted you and will be calling C-Sec. I suppose they think you're a drunk. Start thinking of a logical story ahead of time so you don't get tripped up and incarcerated for life! Wouldn't that be a hapless ending? Also, just realized something. You won't get far without a translator and a biotic implant: I added these to insert some spice to the story. Yes, yes, you're welcome. Do well, friend, I'll be watching. Make me proud!

Sincerely, your best pal in the universe right now,

Angor.

P.S. You'll surely be thought insane if they find this letter on you. Throw it in the Presidium Pond and it will disappear from this reality.

P.P.S How can you read and write in this language? It's so primitive!

I read over the entire letter quickly, feeling a sinking feeling flush through me. It wasn't a dream. It's all real, and I'm here now. I looked at my hands: they were shaking violently.

I looked around, searching for an approaching C-Sec boat; I stopped when I remembered this was the 22nd century and they didn't need boats. I guessed they'd be here soon in their cars. I quickly crumpled up the letter into a ball, but hesitated before dropping it in the water. This was the only connection I had to my reality. Or, rather, the reality I thought was mine. I thought about saving it but ultimately figured C-Sec would surely find it and think myself insane. I dropped it into the water. Like a seltzer tab, it dissolved in the water and faded from this reality. Watching it do so made my stomach turn; it was extremely unnatural.

Surely enough, C-Sec ships (the air kind, not the naval kind) soon hovered above me. They picked me up surprisingly carefully out of my raft before grabbing that too. I wasn't put in handcuffs so I assumed that they didn't know I had appeared out of nowhere quite yet. That was soon to come. In the meantime they looked at their omni-tools in confusion. My chest tightened in anticipation. I still had yet to think of an excuse.

"Your facial scan showed no matches." they told me calmly but in a confused tone. "You were smuggled here?" My throat tightened. I knew that admitting to being a smuggler would certainly earn me jail time, and that was the last place I needed to be right now. Instead, I ushered in a confused silence. The man questioning me was human, and the driver of the car was a Turian. It boggled my mind to see one, and my eyes couldn't turn away from him.

"What, you racist or something? A racist smuggler...with a biotic implant? What's your name?" he asked. This time the words had an edge to them. Whether he was angry with me or angry that he had no idea what was going on was beyond me.

"J-Jack." I told him. He gave me a condescending look and questioned me further. I attempted to swallow, and failed.

"Jack..who? That's it? You don't-" That's when I noticed it. He had violet eyes. My heart skipped a beat as words rushed from my throat.

"Angor? Is that you? Or are you part of the Pantheon? I need help!" I shouted, peering into his face. I noticed the Turian turn around and look at me. I couldn't read his expression but the human's I could: that expression you make when you realize you've been talking to someone not in their right mind. I realized suddenly that I had made a grievous error: one that might cost me my freedom. Wherever this Angor was, I had disappointed him pretty early. I sat back in my seat slowly, realizing I had just ended my story here.

"Jack..." the human said. The edge of his voice was gone, but now it was like he was speaking to a child. Which, in all fairness, I sort of was. I was only eighteen at the time. "We're going to take you to a safe place, alright? Can you tell me your last name?" he asked. He gave me the look that reminded me of primary school teachers. I looked away from those violet eyes and from the alien driving. I looked out the window, looking at the pristine buildings and unreal architecture. If I didn't have a crippling weight in my chest, I might have enjoyed this ride. It was all so unreal; it was all so unfair. I didn't even have a fighting chance.

"Salazar. My name is Jack Salazar." I told him. He answered by typing in 'Jack Salazar' into his omni-tool. I looked at it with a sinking but knowing feeling and the words escaped my mouth before I could stop them.

"You won't find me there." I said, still looking at the omni-tool. The car was stopped, we were at the station. The turian was staring back at me with an unreadable face. The human looked up suddenly, confusion ringing across his own as the words on his omni-tool read 'No matches'. I was quickly put into cuffs.

The interrogation room reminded me eerily of the one I shared with Angor. The one that was 'disconnected from all universes. From space and time.' The desk was brown, though, and I found it insurmountably refreshing. I was alone and in cuffs; there was a mirror-window and a door. A light illuminated overhead. Those things, too, were good. That door-less, window-less, light-less room sent chills up my spine. When I recalled it, I couldn't remember if I had spent a few seconds there, or a couple of lifetimes. It felt like both. I was jerked from my thoughts as the door hissed open and a mean-looking Asari came in. When I had played through the games, I had always thought Asari were beautiful creatures. This one, however, seemed beautiful and intimidating at the same time. I shrunk back into my chair as she sat into her own.

"Jack Salazar. The man that doesn't exist. How are you, Jack?" she said while filing through papers that she had brought in. The fact that she made conversation calmed me a little. I breathed deeply and answered the question honestly.

"I've been better." I told her dispiritingly. She actually chuckled at that, and it gave me a ray of hope. "Haven't we all." she replied.

"But first things first, we are very interested to know how you not only were smuggled onto the Citadel but how you gained access to the Presidium. Any chance you might be able to shed some light on that, Jack?" she said simply. I drew blanks. I didn't have any time to make up a story, and this whole situation was clouding my mind. Even if I had this room to myself a year before this asari had walked in, I felt like I still wouldn't have a good excuse. But suddenly something came to mind.

"I was hoping you would be able to, ma'am." I told her respectfully. To my surprise, she didn't seem surprised.

"Jenkings was saying something like that. Saying that you-" A light pinged on her omni-tool and she stopped mid-sentence to look at it. Her mouth was agape. Suddenly she groaned, almost silently, and muttered Already? The door hissed and a short Salarian, about my height, walked in. The asari, who had yet to make eye contact with me, stood up and relinquished her chair with a look that I couldn't read. Something inside me told me there was tension in it.

"Good day Mr. Salazar," started the Salarian. He had a reddish face much like Mordin (Oh how I loved Mordin's Character!) and talked quickly in the way that Salarians do. I felt more at ease talking to a Salarian anyways.

"Human. Signs of Amnesia. Possible hallucinations, some connection to 'Angor' or 'The Pantheon'. No record of either of these. No record for the human, in fact. An odd coincidence." he spoke all of this quickly, and to himself. I looked at him as he read over these notes on his own omni-tool. I had almost forgot that everyone had these. I wondered when they'd question where mine was.

"Is that your real name?" he asked me suddenly, "Quite possible you could have forgotten your real name, and that is why you fail to show up on the records. Even without a facial recognition scan. Those things can be so unreliable." he paused and realized he was waiting for me to answer his question. I opened my mouth but hesitated. Could I really buy out of this with amnesia? I suppressed a smile; maybe I could get out of this.

"I-I'm pretty sure." I said, and feigned a introspective look. I mouthed the words 'Jack Salazar'. I had acted all throughout middle school and while I wasn't world-class, I knew what I was doing. "I mean, it sounds right." The Salarian looked at me, stood up, and began pacing about the table. The asari looked at me closely. Why was she watching me now?

"Possible side-effect of the implant. Removing it would do more harm than good. I suggest taking a fingerprint scan. Old but more reliable than facial recognition." he said, talking to the Asari. She looked at me even more intently.

"Yes...our scanners show a biotic implant...but it's nothing we can recognize." the Asari told the Salarian. I was beginning to wonder who exactly this Salarian was and why he was here.

"Indeed," the Salarian responded. "leave us." He told the Asari. The Asari gave him a look that I knew I could read. It was one of utter disgust.

"He was picked up by us, we should have a chance to-" the Asari began loudly, clear hostility in her voice.

"No, you shall not. Leave, now." he said calmly. For a second I thought the Asari was going to attack the Salarian. Then she muttered something that send an intense chill down my spine. "Fucking Spectres."