Next morning…
"ALICE!" a voice echoed, as a light shone through the darkness. "Wake up, Alice! WAKE UP!"
Someone was shaking me, attempting to drag out of the prison I was trapped inside. Out of fear, I struggled to fight off whoever this stranger was. I just want this nightmare to end now.
"Emily!" I screamed.
I woke up gasping for air as I shot up from my bed. Sweat rained from my forehead. As predicted, it was the same nightmare about the car accident I went through four years ago. It was hard enough to sleep at home.
When I look to my left, it was my best friend Emily. It couldn't be. She died a long time ago. I must still be dreaming. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!
"ARRRGH!" I screamed, backing away into the wall.
"Alice, it's me!" the Emily impersonator told me firmly. "It's Commander Shepard. You just had a nightmare. It can't hurt you. Open your eyes and look at me."
Blinking my eyes, my hazy vision made sense when I realized it was Commander Shepard kneeling down next to me. I wasn't at home in my bed. I was still onboard the spaceship Normandy that's crewed with humans and aliens.
"Oh," I sigh with relief. "It's just you, Commander."
Commander Shepard looked very worried about me. "You were moaning and lashing out in your sleep." she said. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"
Sadly, I shook my head.
Rubbing my eyes awake, I stood up from my bed and walked to the elevator. I slept enough. I was ready for an early morning shower.
I saw Ashley staring at me with great concern. She didn't say a word. But in her eyes, she pitied me. "Excuse me." I said to her.
The shower was warm and relaxing. I had to make sure that I don't waste any water. After cleaning and drying myself, I slipped on my navy-blue uniform and secured my boots. They fit perfectly.
When I looked at the bathroom mirror, I was completely different. I feel different. I saw the shadows under my eyes. My red hair was shoulder-length until I tied it into a ponytail. My green-amber eyes are linked to an Irish ancestry. I have fair skin that could easily burn from standing underneath the sun for too long. I don't really care much for fashion. I always get impatient in clothes shops. Mum was always frustrated.
Stepping out of the ladies' room, I walked down a narrow corridor that leads to the mess hall. For breakfast, I had a cup of coffee and a protein pack. I had an empty space at the table by myself. I ate silently from my dinner tray. I grimace as I chew my food. The coffee is bitter, but it helped since I was absolutely shattered.
I noticed the crewmembers were staring at me. I didn't like it. I was the outsider who didn't belong in the Alliance Navy. This made me feel shy and nervous. I kept my head down. My heart was heavy with burden, making me feel melancholy.
Then, Commander Shepard came to sit down next me. I was surprised to see her. I studied her short blonde hair, kind smile and those sky-blue eyes. She does resemble my best friend Emily Robbins. It's funny how looks can sometimes skip a generation. This made me feel sad. I slump my shoulders and kept my head down again.
"How's the food?" Commander Shepard asked.
"Terrible." I admit.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Just fine, Commander." I said, chewing my breakfast.
"Alice." she said with a grin. "You don't have to call me 'Commander'. I get that from the troops and the salutes too. You can call me Shepard."
I turned my eyes and politely looked at her. "Alright, Shepard."
"That's more like it." Commander Shepard said, smiling.
Suddenly, it was like we were already friends than acquaintances. I'm not ready for friendship yet…
"So whereabouts were you born on Earth?" Commander Shepard asked.
"London." I reply. "It's not too bad. I used to live in Warwickshire four years ago."
"Any friends?" Commander Shepard asked. "Boyfriend?"
I was a bit red from embarrassment. "No. Nothing like that. There's really no one else. I just concentrate on my work."
There was a frown look on Commander Shepard's face. It was like she expected me to reveal more about my life. I can't help being cagey. I'm hopeless at communicating.
The crewmembers were engaged in each other's conversations, muttering their disapprovals about me being onboard. Then Commander Shepard leaned over so only I could hear. "Who's Emily, Alice?" she asked gently.
My heart nearly stopped. I wasn't prepared for that question. I thought it ended a long time ago. My knife and fork slipped out of my hands and clattered against the table.
"No one." I said uncomfortably. "Just someone I once knew."
Commander Shepard refused to give up. "You called her name in your sleep. It's also no coincidence that Emily is my name too."
I stayed silent.
"Did something happen to her?" Commander Shepard asked.
I feel myself grow hot and dropped my head, unable to continue looking her in the eye.
I glanced nervously at Shepard and the table and back again. "It doesn't matter." I said, trembling in anger. I wish she would shut up now.
"Alice." she said, slight accusation in her voice.
I flinched at this. I squeezed my fists tightly as I fought to keep my tears back. "I told you. It doesn't matter." I insist, with a quivering lip.
Before I realized it, I began experiencing a flashback that came at me like video clips with the details edited out. Everything I see or hear from reality has been blocked out.
Emily and I were playing on the swings at Bedworth Park. We were laughing. We were running. Then I heard the sound of metal being grinded and crushed.
The heavy rain pelting down on my head… The warmth of blood soaked into my clothes… I was trapped inside the wrecked taxi… I couldn't breathe… My body was burning with pain….
I snapped out of it. I feel sick to my stomach and couldn't catch my breath. I was back in reality again. The crewmembers have stopped talking and were staring at me.
"Alice? Are you okay?" Commander Shepard asked with empathy.
Without a second thought, I got up and walked out.
In the Cargo Bay…
As I escaped out of the elevator, I bumped into a familiar grumpy krogan. "Watch it, human!" Wrex shouted, roughly pushing me back.
The sound of his gruff voice puts me off like how a cat suddenly scratches you. My nightmare must have woken Wrex up, hence the bedside manner I must have given him. I was in a panic and was unable to reply.
"Well? Have you got anything to say?" Wrex asked, crossing his arms.
I wanted to apologize, but I couldn't utter a single word. Embarrassed, I shook my head and walked away.
I heard the krogan grumbled. "That was a waste of time."
Diving behind the crates, I landed on my mattress bed. I picked up my diary from under the pillow and began writing down today's events.
It's been 24 hours since my arrival. The food on the Normandy was protein packs. It was bland, but ok. I've been trying to adjust. This was becoming too much for me. I don't know how long I'm going to be here in this freaky video game. I just wish I could go home and apologize to Mum and Dad. The last thing I said to them was that I hate them. It wasn't true, not at all. I always say stupid things that I never meant when I'm angry.
And then, there's my little brother Darren. He would be devastated when he finds out I'm missing. I can imagine him looking very upset, crying his eyes out. My family could be talking to the police by now, reporting my disappearance.
I wouldn't make a good friend to the crew of the Normandy anyway. I would only let them down. As I was writing down my latest entry, I noticed a shadow hovering over me.
It was that turian in the blue armor. I forgot his name. He was looking curiously at what I was writing about. I slammed the diary shut, which surprised him.
"So, what's with the diary?" he asked.
At first, I wasn't sure I should tell him. But I was tired of being the fleeing butterfly and decided to risk it anyway.
"I've been keeping diaries since I was ten." I admitted shyly. "It was my therapist's idea. Because I don't talk so much, I had to write out my thoughts from experience on the empty pages."
"I see." the turian said. "What kind of experiences?"
"The usual everyday life," I stutter. "There's school, parties, visiting relatives, playing in the park… same old rubbish."
"Are you ok?" the turian asked.
"Yeah, fine." I lied. "It's just that there's so much happening to me. I'm not ready to talk about my past yet."
The turian has a polite, friendly charm in his voice which is making me feel comfortable. "It's fine." he said. "There's no harm in speaking up for yourself. Try when you believe you're ready, like what you're doing now."
I smiled at this. "Okay. Thanks for the talk."
The turian nodded. "No problem." he said. "Oh, what's your name by the way? This is my first time on an Alliance vessel and I want to get to know the crew before going into battle."
It seems like he's forgot my name too. That's one problem taken care of.
"My name's Alice. Alice Turner." I said politely, offering to shake his talon hand.
"Garrus Vakarian." he said, taking my hand. "If you need any help, just let me know."
The handshake was awkward and clumsy, but good. At least I didn't forget my manners.
Then the turian walked away toward the tank-like vehicle sitting in the middle of the cargo bay. I was left sitting on my bed.
"Thanks, Garrus." I smiled.
For the first time in four years, I finally feel like trusting someone.
Later…
Completely bored, I began exploring the insides of the Normandy. I couldn't stand Wrex staring at me for hours to no end. I went to the pilot's cockpit for the scenery, because there are no other windows. Then I encountered Joker. I didn't expect him to still be there.
"Hey," Joker acknowledged me. "You're Alice, right?"
I nodded shyly.
Then Joker pointed at a seat next to him. "Come and take a seat. I don't bite." he said.
I took a few nervous steps toward the chair. As soon as I sat down, I looked out of the front view windows and was completely amazed to see the stars up close. Every night, I would look at the stars and sometimes wonder what the universe has to offer.
"Great view, isn't it?" Joker asked.
"How does this whole ship work?" I asked with curiosity.
Joker seemed very reluctant. "I'm not sure if I should tell you, Alice. Pretty much everything in the Alliance is classified."
"You can trust me." I told him kindly. "I won't tell a soul, I promise."
With a professional smile, Joker began telling me about the mechanics of the ship. I could barely remember his technobabble as I write it all down in my diary.
"The Normandy is the best ship in the fleet, if you got the best pilot who can handle her." He explains. "The balance isn't what you expect. It takes a while to get used to that oversized drive core we struck to the back and her power can sneak up on you if you're not careful."
I shrug. "Sure, it's an awesome ship. But it's missing something."
"What's that? Guns? Missiles?" Joker asked.
"Windows." I reply.
Joker raised his eyebrows with interest. I can tell from his face that he wasn't expecting my answer. "Very interesting, Alice. However, if we were under attack, then the whole crew could be spaced before we reach the escape pods. How come you want windows?"
"I don't know." I said honestly. "I thought I could enjoy starry scenery from my 'room'."
When I received no answer from Joker's train of thought, I decided to change the subject.
"Are you capable of flying this ship?" I asked. "Can I trust you?"
"I'll tell you what I told the Captain and Shepard." Joker explained with a cocky smile.
"You want me as your pilot." he bragged. "I'm not good. I'm not even great. I'm the best damn helmsmen in the Alliance fleet. Top of my class in flight school? I earned that. All those commendations in my file? I earned every single one. Those weren't given to me as charity for my disease."
My curiosity kicked in. "What disease? Are you ill?" I asked.
"Aw, crap." Joker groaned. "You mean Shepard didn't tell you? Okay. I've got Vrolik syndrome, brittle bone disease? The bones in my legs never developed properly. They're basically hollow. Too much force and they'll shatter. Even with crutches and my leg braces, it's hard to get around. One wrong step and CRACK! It's very dramatic, but I've learn to manage my condition, Alice."
"I've never heard of this Vrolik syndrome." I admit. "What can you tell me about it?"
"It's an extremely rare condition," Joker explained. "Nobody knows exactly what causes it. Genetic, maybe. It's treatable, but there's no cure. They classify my case as modern to severe. I was born with over a dozen fractures; hips, thighs, ankles. My bones were already breaking in the womb. A hundred years ago, I wouldn't survive past my first year. Lucky for me, modern medical science has turned me into a productive member of society."
Wow. Joker must have had a tough life to become the professional pilot he is now. Still, it made me curious about how well he can handle the Normandy with his condition.
"How do you fly this ship without breaking a bone?" I asked.
Joker seemed impatient with my questions, but nonetheless he told me in an awkward tone. "Uh, I don't fly with my feet, Alice. I'm fine as long I'm in this chair. I gotta be real careful when I get up to take a piss though. Don't worry though, you're in good hands."
I laugh at his last comment. At least his sense of humor never ceases to dampen his or anyone's spirit. Speaking of humor, I asked: "Why does everyone call you Joker?"
"It's a lot short than saying Alliance Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau." Joker said sarcastically. "Plus, I like to make little children laugh."
"Tell me straight, wise guy." I demanded gently. From the sound of his voice, I knew he was hiding something.
Joker sighed in defeat. "Look, I didn't pick the name. One of the instructors in flight school used to bug me about never smiling. She started calling me 'Joker' and it stuck."
This sounded familiar. I always feel depressed when I'm stuck at school. Some of the teachers were boring and the kids were just horrible. I hate that place so much I wanted time to skip by until graduation.
"Why didn't you ever smile?" I asked.
Joker was defensive about it. "Hey, I worked my ass off in flight school, Alice." he argued. "The world's not going to hand you anything if you go around grinning like an idiot. By the end of the year, I was the best pilot in the Academy, even better than the instructors and everybody knew it. They all got their asses kicked by the sickly kid with the creaky little legs. One guess who was smiling at graduation."
That was different. I can't remember the last time I really feel like smiling. My parents sometimes nagged me for daydreaming and tell me to work harder on my education. I remembered that I still have my six unfinished G.C.S.E homework in my backpack. If I don't finish them, I won't get into college.
"What about you? What's your story, Alice?" Joker asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I was silent for a few moments before saying. "Sorry. I'm not… very good at socializing."
"Come on." Joker begged. "Give me something."
"Let's just say I'm tired of being treated like a kid." I said, as I observe the stars. "And that life on Earth couldn't be any more boring."
Joker stared at me, giving me the frustrated 'Oh, My God' face.
I sighed as I shrug my shoulders. "I like books, not the classic literacy kind. Drawing is my favorite hobby because it makes me feel better. I like coming up with characters and scenes related to Sci-Fi."
The orange console started beeping and flashing from where Joker is working away. "It looks like we're on approach to the Mass Relay."
"What's a Mass Relay?" I asked, looking out of the window.
"You're kidding me, right?"
"No." I said.
Joker looked at me dumbfounded when he heard what I said.
"I've lived on Earth my whole life." I lied.
Joker began his lecture about this fascinating device. "Mass Relays are these massive devices with gyroscopic rings and are part of a network that allows interstellar travel across the whole galaxy. There is the primary and secondary Mass Relay that can propel a ship into FTL, that's 'Faster than Light' travel. It was created by the Protheans."
The Protheans? They must be some kind of ancient civilization who marvels at making useful technology and knowledge. As I observe the Mass Relay coming closer toward us, I realize that its design is similar to the Relay Monument that I saw at the Citadel Presidium.
I looked behind as I leaned over my seat, seeing a three-dimensional star chart projected above the consoles. The officers were making rapid calculations, plotting a route to the nearest Mass Relay.
"Our destination is the Artemis cluster," Joker explained to me. "Then we're heading for the planet Therum within the Knossos system. That's where we'll find Dr. T'Soni."
Then Joker told me to strap up my seatbelt. I did what I was told and prepared myself for the ride ahead. I didn't expect space travel to be this fast.
"The Normandy is surrounded by a self-generated mass effect field that allows it to travel nearly fifty times faster than the speed of light." Joker said.
"How fast are we travelling?" I ask, feeling my nervous gut acting up.
"At this speed? About nearly fifteen million kilometers per second."
My eyes widen at this. I'm terrible at mathematics, but I could guess that's really fast.
Joker altered the ship's flight path as he made a quick course correction that sent the Normandy hurtling toward the Mass Relay.
The Mass Relay's rings began to spin faster, accelerating until they become a whirling blur. Bursting energy was emanating from its core, growing into a pulsing glow. A discharge of dark energy swept out, engulfing the ship.
The readings from the eszo core of the Normandy roared to life and we jump to FTL, vanishing instantly into space with a burst. The stars were pulled for an instant then set back up. The trip was instantaneous. I was pushed back as the Normandy arrived at its destination through this 'corridor'.
"Oh yeah!" Joker hollered enthusiastically. He punched the air. "Another successful FTL jump!"
I was frozen stiff. My fingers were digging into the arms of the chair. My stomach was churning from the jump through the Mass Relay. It reminds me of the seasickness I had during a boat trip with my Uncle Roy in the Caribbean Islands. He loved fishing too.
"You ok, Alice?" Joker asked, expecting me to throw up.
Slowly, I turned my head to look at Joker and said. "That was…amazing!"
I laughed at my experience. I unbuckle my seatbelt and sat up unsteadily from my seat. I guess I forgot my spacelegs during the space jump.
"Is that why you wanted to be a pilot, Joker?" I asked curiously. "To see and travel around the galaxy?"
"Don't know. Maybe." Joker said. I don't think he even thought about it.
Joker is a really cool pilot. He may be overconfident and make wisecracks, but he takes his job very seriously.
I left Joker to his business as I leave the cockpit. On the way down to the elevator, I happen to encounter Wrex again. He still had grumpy look written all over his face. It was like fate was teasing me on purpose. Oh well, I might as well apologize for being a pain in the backside.
"About before…" I said sheepishly. "I'm sorry about that."
"You sure ruined my beauty sleep." Wrex grumbled, crossing his arms.
I know that Wrex has no respect for me, because I'm not a warrior and have no value. His tough and blunt personality scares me so I've tried to avoid talking to him. I didn't mind his krogan presence though. There's no point in trying to make enemies so I should be making friends.
"Let's start over and try getting to know each other first." I began. "What are you?"
"I'm a krogan." Wrex said sarcastically.
Oh, shoot. That was a stupid question. "No." I said nervously. "I mean what's your job? What's your role in the galaxy?"
Wrex paused for a moment. "Since I left my homeworld 300 years ago," he explains. "I've been a mercenary for hire and I kill for credits."
With pure wonder, I couldn't help keep my curiosity down. "300 years?" I gasp. "How long do you live?"
"1000 years." Wrex replied curtly. "If I'm not killed first."
Urdnot Wrex was disappointed to discover that I know nothing of krogan history. I couldn't tell him why. "You'd think I'm crazy." I said, with a sad look.
"Sometimes crazy is the best way to go." Wrex said.
Finally, Wrex and I got tired of each other's company and decided to call it a night. So for, it's been a very interesting day…
