Chapter 1: A New Reason To Live

A Few Hours After Mysterious Boy's Appearance

Hannah sighed. The situation had become even more complicated than she had expected.

The boy's prints had no match. Nothing could be found about him in either the Alliance Database or C-Sec Database. He also had nothing in his pockets to prove any identity besides a few cards and bits of paper that looked like currency.

To make matters even more complicated, the boy needed augmentation as well, as his eye and arm were too mangled for even the medigel to heal. Augmentation, while it had made significant strides in the past few centuries, was far from being cheap, and he'd likely not be able to afford it if he was an orphan.

Maybe she could foot the bill for the operation. She didn't want a child to be disabled on the streets of the Citadel.

The boy next to her started to wake up. He looked around, shocked at his surroundings.

Hannah found herself getting off her chair and heading towards him.

"Hey, you're awake! How're you feeling?" she asked.

The boy looked at her with his ice blue eye, confused (most likely from the pain medication the doctors had given him.)

"I feel….strange." he replied, looking at his arm stump. "That wasn't there before."

Hannah sighed. "What's your name, kiddo."

The boy looked up to the ceiling, as if trying to piece together something.

"Whitley." he replied.

"Whitley what?"

At that, Whitley turned to her.

"I don't remember."

A Few Minutes Later

The Asari doctor came out of the room, coming to Hannah.

"Your suspicions were correct. The boy is suffering from severe amnesia."

"How severe?"

"Severe enough that I'm afraid that he will never be able to recover his memories. He remembers how to communicate, speak, and write. He remembers his name. I even caught him trying to dismantle a few pieces of our medical equipment. However, when it comes to his family, his life, or his last name, he can't remember."

"And his eye and arm? Is it possible for you to be able to do something about those?"

"We are a small clinic, Mrs. Shepard. All we can offer is directions to a man in the Citadel who can take care of the boy's augmentation needs."

"Thank you for your time. How much do I owe you?"

"50 credits, Mrs. Shepard."

After she paid the Asari, she found herself in front of Whitley again. The medication was wearing off now.

"Who are you? Why are you helping me?" he asked, cagily.

Hannah sighed again. She had seen it before. Children who had been abused by others, who had been abandoned by society for so long that they couldn't help but be wary of everyone around them.

"My name is Hannah Shepard. Captain of the Alliance Navy. I saw you bleeding on the sidewalk and rushed to get you into this clinic."

The boy scoffed. "And what did you hope to gain out of it?"

Hannah sat next to the boy, smiling.

"Nothing. I did it because it was the right thing to do."

The boy turned to her, confused.

"Really?" he asked.

"Really."

The boy didn't say anything for the next few minutes. Hannah took that moment to get up from her seat. She took Whitley's hand. "Come with me." she said.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you out there in the Wards with a missing arm and eye."

Hannah decided to use a Taxi to get to the clinic's recommended cybernetics expert, as it was located in the Presidium. As the duo walked across the Presidium, she caught Whitley looking around, in awe at the stunning beauty that surrounded them.

"Never seen anything like this before, kid?"

Whitley shook his head. "I don't believe I have, ma'am."

Hannah chuckled. "Oh please, ma'am makes me feel old. Just call me Hannah."

"If you insist, ma-Hannah." he replied.

"Ok, we're here." Hannah stated, as she saw the sign that declared this place as "Azon's Cyberware"

Walking into the shop, Hannah was greeted by the sight of a Salarian using a welding torch on an cybernetic arm that resembled that of a Krogan.

"Just a minute, please. Almost done." After a few more moments, the Salarian deactivated the torch. He turned to the two new customers.

"Greetings! I am Ekol Azon! Owner of this fine establishment in cybernetics! Am I to presume you are here for the boy?" he asked.

Hannah nodded. "I need a replacement for both his right arm and his right eye. Nothing fancy. How long would it take"

The Salarian nodded, rubbing his chin. "Shouldn't take more than two days. One to get all the measurements, the next to assemble everything. Will that be all?"

Hannah nodded. She turned to Whitley. "Well, looks like you'll have to-" Hannah cut off, as she noticed Whitley had disappeared.

They heard a loud crash, and then the activation of a blowtorch.

Ekol and Hannah turned around to the sound, and were greeted by the sight of Whitley welding metal pieces together.

Hannah made the motion to stop Whitley, before Ekol grabbed her shoulder. "Let's see what he does. I have a feeling the boy knows what he is doing."

Hannah and Ekol watched, mesmerized, as Whitley began assembling a metal appendage from the scrap metal that the Ekol had lying around with only one functional arm. For the next few hours, Whitley constantly broke down and reassembled his creation, frowning as if dissatisfied every time.

Whitley turned off the blowtorch. His fist clenched, before suddenly hitting the desk.

"I don't understand! What am I doing wrong!" he shouted.

Ekol chuckled. "Nothing that you should blame yourself for, my friend. Whitley, is that right?"

Whitley scowled. "How'd you know?"

"Your mother told me. A rather peculiar name, but it seems to fit."

Whitley shook his head. "She isn't my mother. At least...I don't think so."

"Hmm." Ekol said, unconvinced. He walked up to the child's creation, lifting it up. "A fine piece of work, for something assembled in the scraps of my workshop." It was a beautiful piece, if a little run down. Gleaming silver and chrome, tacked together with bolts and rivets. Ekol then turned to Whitley. "But I can't help but wonder, why come to my shop if you didn't want my help?"

"I don't need anyone's help. I can handle these issues on my own."

"Even though you used my own materials?" Ekon asked, amused.

Whitley didn't respond to that little barb.

Ekol pointed towards a small joint in the elbow, one that was a tiny bit crooked.

"This here is the culprit, but not in the way you're thinking, judging by the look on your face." He set the arm down.

"I noticed it in your work, Whitley. You are far too...harsh, I suppose, on yourself. You strove to achieve perfection in this small project of yours, even when you are blinded in one eye and unable to use both your hands. When you realized that it didn't meet your standards, you destroyed it and started again, even though it was perfectly serviceable."

"I must strive for perfection." he replied, automatically.

"And who told you that?" Ekol asked.

"I...I don't remember." Whitley said.

"Hmm. Well, it's been quite interesting, watching you work, but I think it's time you get what you originally came for. Hold out your left arm for me, please."

Whiley did that, as a drone came and scanned the arm. The drone then displayed a holographic screen.

"Hmm. Ok. Would you mind taking off the bandage over your right eye, please?"

Whitley made the effort to grab the bandage, before two hands met his face and started undoing the bandage.

Hannah Shepard took off the bandage, and Whitley stared at the drone. The drone stared back for a few moments, before turning away. Ekol turned to his desk, before grabbing Whitley's project.

"Seeing as you've done most of the heavy lifting for me, I'll fix this for you and send you on your way. Tomorrow you can come in for your eye replacement."

For 10 minutes, the Salarian worked away on the arm. Welding a few pieces and disassembling a few parts that were unnecessary, Ekol finished the project and waved at Hannah and Whitley to come over.

"Whitley's arm is finished. Like I said, you can come by tomorrow for his eye replacement."

Hannah nodded. "How much do I owe you?"

Ekol chuckled. "For the entertainment you have given me today, I'll waive the price for the arm. It was fashioned by metal that I was most likely going to dispose of later, anyways. The eye, on the other hand, will cost around 5,000 credits. I'll bill you for it when it is finished."

Hannah nodded. Whitley came over to Ekol's table.

"Alright, be warned. This will feel a tiny bit unpleasant. Perfectly normal. Cybernetics are not natural, it is our body's natural response to not accept them.."

A few wires snaked into the stump of Whitley's arm. Whitley hissed at the foreign feeling. A small surge of electricity pulsed between the stump and the cybernetic.

Ekol smiled. He sat back on his chair. "Try moving it." he said.

Whitley nodded, before deciding to move a few fingers. To his surprise, the digits on his new arm twisted and moved in response to his movement.

"It..it works."

"Of course it works. Did you doubt my capabilities?" Ekol said, chuckling. He got up from the chair, before looking at the time.

"Oh dear, I'm afraid it's getting quite late. Come back tomorrow at noon and I should be finished with his eye."

Hannah thanked the Salarian, before she and Whitley exited the shop.

Hannah chuckled, ruffling the boy's hair. "You cheeky little brat! I almost had a heart attack when I saw you messing around with that blowtorch!"

Whitley scowled. "I knew what I was doing!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" Hannah replied. As they sat down on the Taxi, Whitley turned to Hannah. "What are we doing now?" he asked, timedly.

Hannah sighed. "It's been a long day, kid. I'm gonna go home, take a shower, and bask in the time I have when I'm not onboard a ship for as long as I can."

Whitley couldn't help but feel guilty. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, Hannah." he said.

Hannah shook her head. "Don't even think that. I did this because I wanted to, not because I was forced to."

Whitley looked out the windows, glancing at the amazing view of the skyscrapers in this gigantic space station.

"Been a long time since I've ever had a guest. Might be a little rusty on my housekeeping skills." Hannah said.

Whitley choked. "Excuse me?" he asked, unsure of what he heard.

Hannah smirked to him. "What, did you really think I was gonna leave a child out on the Wards after today? Nope. You're coming with me, buster, and nothing you say is gonna change my mind."

Whitley sputtered. "But I'm a complete stranger!"

Hannah laughed. "So what? My old man always said 'Hannah, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.'"

Whitley scowled. "That sounds like a terribly shortsighted piece of advice."