Author's Note: WHAT'S UP MUCKACHUNGAS!? It's Travez here! And I'm here today to bring you a chapter that isn't a continuation of the Prologue, but something that I had completely forgotten to create in order to get the Prologue brought about: The Cyber Effect Timeline! You can all thank Helkil for telling me about it so if there is anything in the story you need to review for sake of context, it should be around here, the Prologue of the Story. Also, to ensure things stick, I have temporarily erased Chapter 1 so that I can rework it to fit better with this change. I will be reuploading Chapter 1 once all the editing has been finished.
So anyway, this chapter is going to explain everything that happens in this universe's timeline, with some mixing of events from the Mass Effect Timeline and the Cyberpunk Timeline. As is the Premise of the Summary of this story, the events of Cyber Effect take place in 2013, the time where Cyberpunk 1st Edition (aka CP 2013) begins to change, but unlike the events of Cyberpunk, there is no dystopian future, and unlike the Mass Effect Timeline, Humans are not such pushovers as they had been in the Canonical Mass Effect Timeline, thanks to the CP-Style Cybernetic Implants and humanity's craving for them. Also, as mentioned in the Previous Chapter, the First Contact War is now known as the Second Contact War in this timeline, for reasons which I will explain.
Also I will be briefly explaining the First Contact between the Humans and the Quarians as we get there, but I will also be skipping over events I don't think are all that relevant to the story. The reason for this is that there are too many in both timelines to properly put in, so I will only be adding the events I deem the most important to the Timeline as a Whole. So while I won't be getting everything in either timelines, I will be expositing heavily into the events that I feel are important.
Aside from this, I want to make sure you guys all know that V from CP 2077 is related to Shepard, directly too, but I'll explain further at another point in time, but I will say V, in this timeline, was a Corpo, and in his Corpo Ending, he came up with an ingenious solution that nobody thought of doing, and thus V and Shepard are directly related.
However, I also need to address one Guest Reviewer who just so happened to be somebody who lacked the actual patience to wait for me to show what I had in store… However, I won't rise to his provocation… I will, however, be going over the significant details of how the Second Contact War went, and how Shepard got designated as the Butcher of Torfan. I will then, at a later date, go into further detail about how each of those events worked out in bonus chapters where Shepard is having downtime to witness the events transpire in Brain Dances. So I hope you guys will like how I am doing this!
In any case, I think that is enough out of me for now, and I'll let the Timeline Speak for itself! Please be sure to Follow, Favorite, Review, and Share this story with anyone and everyone you know who likes Mass Effect and Cyberpunk 2077 Content! Catch you on the Flipside! Shepard…
Chapter 0: Timeline
2013:
-The First Tests to create a true Artificial Intelligence, created using Grey Matter from a voluntary Donor are successful, thus sparking the birth of the First Artificial Intelligence created by humans. These AIs would be designated as Organoids, AIs born of organic beings that grow, learn, age, and die within a human's life time, barring any viruses, negative glitches, or hacking that can kill the AI. This first of the Organoid is named Travesty, as both an inside joke, and in honor of the dying creator of the System, Traves Omar Medina.
-With the Birth of Travesty, it is revealed the AI is as smart as it's creator, and thanks to this, it actually introduces the first ideas which would later spark the beginning Cyber Renaissance. Later that year, with the aid of the corporations of Militech, Arasaka, and other such corporations, the first official Cybernetic Implants are successfully created and tested, sparking thousands of different ideas for the AI to create more and more Cybernetics and thus by the end of the year, the Cyber Renaissance began.
2014
-With the rising advancement and popularity of Cyberware, humanity begins a new era of advancement, in which many companies start developing their own Cyber Products to give out to the public. Unfortunately, a new disease begins to arise as, the number of Organoids at this time is still low and are unable to run diagnostics on Cyberware without Travesty teaching them how, the overloading of the Cybernetic Implants into the System ends up sending most people who either have negative reactions to their implants, have too many installed too quickly, the implants malfunction, or other numerous reasons, into a state of Psychosis that ends up costing millions in dollars in lawsuits, thousands of lives lost, and, worst of all, families broken and destroyed. Thus the Disease known as Cyberpsychosis is born.
-The Cyber Initiative is passed through the World Governments, after several extensive, grueling, and tortuous tests by volunteers looking to change things, that a Hard Limit is set into how many Cybernetic Implants a person can have installed at one time, the procedures of implantation, the risks, and registration of the individual so that should somebody develop a volatile version of Cyberpsychosis, then the newly created Anti-Cyberpsycho Planetary Task Force known as MaxTac can either capture or neutralize the Cyberpsychos, getting them into Therapy if they can be successfully captured, or put them out of their misery if that is impossible.
-Other Cybernetic Implants and Gadgets are developed at this time, but during this time the Space Race to explore the galaxy continues as everyone begins to work on trying to explore the Solar System.
2015-2069
-Travesty, after several studies for Cyberpsychosis, and other such glitches that happen to afflict those with Cybernetic Implants, develops the first Cyberdeck with the aid of Militech, creating the Militech Paraline, the First Cyberdeck to ever be created. With this Cyberpsychosis and the other diseases that afflict the Cybernetics of those with Implants, being given the nickname Daemons due to Travesty's interest in the occult, are carefully filtered out and captured in little microchips that can be added and removed to take care of the Daemons. Later, in 2018, Militech discovers that, when combined with Optic Implants, Cyberdecks can be used as weapons, and the Daemons as types of ammunition to fight against Cybernetic Criminals and enemies. (2015-2018)
-SpaceX successfully lands and recovers the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket after delivering 11 communications satellites to orbit. This represents the first-ever orbital class rocket landing, and humanity's first major shift towards sustainable space travel. (2015)
-Travesty also develops the Berserk and Sandevistan Implants after he discovered and was inspired by his creator's adoration for Time Manipulating Abilities and his love of the Barbarian Class from Dungeons and Dragons, developing them alongside Militech. These see great use in Warfare and thus make conflicts much quicker, but also bloodier, than they used to be. (2015-2018)
-The Covid 19 Virus spreads across the world, and as such, medical cybernetic implants actually become all the rage during the pandemic, the virus unifying humanity against this unseen threat, but also many Netrunners and Streamers actually find ways to help people cope with being trapped inside their homes. (2019-2023)
-World War III breaks out when Ukraine, after developing the first Railguns, later known as Tech Weapons, and Homing Weapons, later known as Smart Weapons, and refusing to break it's Neutral Stance, President Vladimir Putin of Russia started a conflict that supposedly had good intentions. However, after several confirmed reports of Putin breaking several laws prohibiting the use of Cluster Bombs and the attacking of Civilian Areas without mercy, Ukraine was forced to field test it's Experimental Weapons. Beating back Russia, but igniting the Paranoia of Russia's allies, the Third World War began. It ended in the victory for Nato when the Hacktivist group known as Anonymous, after upgrading their cyberwarfare gear and joining Nato, safely disabled all of the Nuclear weapons for Russia's allies, and ensured they would be useless from then on. (2022-2027)
-Vincent "V" Shepard is born into the Shepard Corpo Family. (April 11th 2057)
-President Rosalind Myers is electred President of the United States of America, having risen to popularity due to her ability to secure peace with other countries and successfully funding the first Settlement on Luna, the Moon, naming it Armstrong Outpost, and develops it as a means to continue the race to explore the Solar System. (2069)
-After serving humanity for 56 years and advancing humanity's cybernetic potential… Travesty reaches the end of his lifespan as an Organoid. The World mourns his death and it is then decided by all of humanity that Organoids have equal rights as humans do and they are thus given their freedoms. (2069)
2070-2157
-Billionaire Victor Manswell, frustrated with the pace of official human space exploration, begins funding his own private spaceflight expedition. (2070)
-The Manswell Expedition successfully launches from Earth en route to the Alpha Centauri system with 300 colonists aboard in cryogenic stasis. Communications with the vessel are lost soon after. (2075)
-The Events of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners take place, but unlike in Canon, David Martinez manages to defeat but spare Adam Smasher, manages to evade MaxTac to get his Sandevistan repaired and into an experimental treatment to cure his Cyberpsychosis (which succeeds), then moves to Armstrong Outpost with Lucynda Kushinada. (January-September 2076)
-V, having obtained a good position in Arasaka's Couter-Intel Unit, having shown great potential, but thanks to his boss, Arthur Jenkins, he gets fired because they found out he had been sent to zero Susan Abernathy. Susan, knowing V was not one to do this willingly, having trained him herself, had him fired to spare him the punishment that would come from being associated with her attempted assassination, and erased all company records of him being in Jenkin's division, and under her direct command as well. She even ensured his loss of a job would allow for him to be brought back into Arasaka in the future once Jenkins was punished suitably and charges against V were dropped. (October 31st 2076)
-The Events of Cyberpunk 2077 take place, in which, by the end of it, V rejoins Arasaka, and Susan not only reveals her deception, but also put in a good word to help V. When offered a chance to join the "Secure your Soul" Program, due to the fact that, thanks to the Relic, V's Phenotype was unique, and the damage to his brain was far too much for V to recover from. Thanks to Susan Abernathy, Goro Takemura, and V brainstorming, they came up with a solution: They will Clone V's current body, and transfer his soul into the clone once it is ready. The Cloning Process, to accelerate the clone to the proper age, would take 2 years to do, then a full year to stop the accelerated growth. V makes a few last calls to those he cares about before the Process begins. (2077)
-V is resurrected in his new body, which retains the modifications done by the Relic previously, save for those done to his brain. V marries Susan Abernathy, and together they have a son named Jackie, after V's lifelong friend and partner as an edgerunner. (2080)
-The European Space Agency's Lowell City in Eos Chasma becomes the first permanent human settlement on Mars. (2103)
-Hannah Shepard, the daughter of Jackie Shepard (age 50) and his deceased wife, and Granddaughter of V and Susan (Both age 78) (2131)
-Construction of Gagarin Station (Jump Zero) begins beyond the orbit of Pluto. (2143)
-Trace amounts of element zero are discovered on Mars. (2147)
-Humanity discovers a small cache of highly advanced Prothean technology hidden deep beneath the surface of Mars on the south polar region of Promethei Planum. Building on the remnants of this long extinct race, humans quickly explore the science of mass effect fields, leading to the development of faster than light travel and beginning detailed exploration of the Sol system. (2148)
-Following information from the translated data cache on Mars, humans discover that Charon, Pluto's moon, is actually a massive piece of dormant Prothean technology, a mass relay, encased in ice. Upon fully freeing the Mass Relay, it activates, and Humanity makes First Contact with the Quarian Race.
With the Aid of the Organoids, communication lines are opened between the Quarians and the Humans, and thus, after coming to Sympathize with the Plight of the Quarians, Earth's Leaders welcome the Quarians and begin establishing a strong relationship with them.
After the Relay is activated and peaceful relations are situated between Humans and Quarians, Jon Grissom leads the first team of explorers through the relay, which instantaneously transports them to another relay in Arcturus, 36 light-years away. The explorers discover that the mass relays are part of a vast network, making travel across the galaxy possible.
With the Aid of the Quarians, the Systems Alliance Charter is signed by the eighteen largest nations on Earth. The Alliance soon becomes the military and exploratory spearhead of humanity. (2149)
-After a year of forging a strong friendship with the Quarians, Humanity learns of the Citadel Council, the Geth, and the Races of the Citadel and the Galaxy discovered thus far. Knowing that the expanding of their territory and the activating of Relays may end up starting a war with the Turians, the Humans and Quarians start developing technologies together, with the Humans learning how to build space worthy ships from the Quarians, whilst work to repair and build new ships for their new friends, further cementing friendship with the Quarians. The Quarians even learn about the Organoids, who were created from the brains of those who had died, an Organic Artificial Intelligence that retains the personality of the original host of the brain, whilst being completely unique.
The Systems Alliance begins the first surveys for colonization prospects outside the Sol System. One of these surveys discovers the planet Terra Nova. (2150)
-To defend its expanding territory, humanity, with the aid of the Quarians, begins constructing a massive military fleet and space station at Arcturus, the nexus of several key mass relays, even though they have yet to encounter another intelligent spacefaring race.
An accident at Singapore International Spaceport exposes hundreds of humans to dust-form element zero. Roughly 30% of the children born in Singapore after element zero exposure suffer from cancerous growths. After his mother is exposed during the accident, Kaidan Alenko is born later that year with biotic potential. (2151)
-The Delta Pavonis Foundation, a major consortium based on Earth, begins settlement of humanity's first extra-solar colony world, the planet Demeter. Later that year, additional colonies are founded on Eden Prime and Terra Nova. (2152)
-Hannah, after a one night stand, falls pregnant. (2153)
-Vincent II "V" Shepard was born (April 11th 2154). There is also a second publicized accident involving the exposure of humans to element zero. (2154)
-The Systems Alliance occupies completed portions of Arcturus Station, intended to become the Alliance's headquarters. Thanks to the developments made by the combination of human and quarian scientists, the Alliance Military learns about the Weapons and Shielding technology that the Council Races use, and a shocking discovery that Tech and Borg Weapons are actually highly effective against the Shields, and, in the long run, actually outpace the Mass Accelerator Weapons is made. Not only that, it's discovered that Electricity Enhanced Arms Cybernetics actually short out the shielding tech by overloading the Kinetic Barrier Generators, thus short circuiting them.
This in turn causes the Systems Alliance to focus on crafting Tech Weapons that deal Electricity Damage, incur Shock Status. They also train soldiers who specialize in Melee and Close-Quarters Combat, as the Citadel Races have long forgone the use of more "primitive" weapons, thus making the Arms Cyberware more of a deadly foe. (2155)
-Quarian Volunteers risk their lives to test out Humanity's Cyberware, and, thanks to their own Medical Cyberware, the Quarians show they don't suffer the same negative side-effects that humans do. As such, the Quarians start sharing their Cybernetic Implants with Humans, thus further enhancing granting credence to the Medical Cyberware developed during the Covid 19 Pandemic, and thus combining Quarian Medical Cyberware with Human Medical Cyberware further enhanced their efficacy. Cyberware like Biomonitors, Second Hearts, and Heal-On-Kills received upgrades that allowed them to be activated more frequently, and defensive cyberware like Subdermal Armor also got upgraded. (2156)
-V, Jackie, and Susan are all murdered by old enemies of V that came back for vengeance. The Loss of the Living Legend of Night City is felt throughout the entirety of Humanity, as he was not only revered, but well loved. A Statue with him, Jackie Welles, and Johnny Silverhand is raised in Nighty City as a memorial, and his favorite drink, his twist on a mead coffee known as the "V the Living Legend" is added to the Afterlife's Menu. (April 11 2157)
-Humanity makes violent Second Contact with another spacefaring race: the Turians. The Turians observe human explorers attempting to activate a dormant mass relay, a practice forbidden by galactic law after the Rachni Wars, and attack. Though Humanity and the Quarians were expecting the attack, they hadn't known how they would massacre an entire exploratory force without making radio contact to give them a chance to stop before opening fire. The Exploratory Force had survived the attack, but at the sacrifice of a Quarian Vessel, the Mokara, who acted as a distraction for the Exploratory Force to escape and warn the alliance. The fury of Humanity was unparalleled as was the sorrow of the Quarians, and thus over the next three months, a brief but tense conflict known by humans as the Second Contact War and by Turians as the Relay 314 Incident ensues. (July 4th 2157)
-The Second Contact War is a brutal and bloody affair, with the majority of the Galactic Community terrified as Humanity had not only responded to the Turian's unprovoked attack, but also proved they could be just as dangerous as the Krogan once provoked. With the advancements in their Tech Weapons, Cyberware, and Ships thanks to the Organoids and Quarians aiding in these developments, the conflict quickly turned from a war in favor of the Turians, a race of militaristic warriors, into a slaughter in favor of the humans, as Turian Soldiers were literally ripped to pieces by human soldiers, their shields ripped apart by their Tech Weapons, and, with the aid of the Organoids, proved they could deal with enemy ships as if they were paper airplanes. (August and September of 2157)
-During the Final Battle of Shanxi, when the Turians were prepared to finally starve out the human garrison, when suddenly, one of the Turian Generals decided, on a whim, to unleash a full attack from a location on Shanxi called the Round Table, a location on Shanxi that was known for it's powerful magnetic fields, something that the Humans and their Cyberware wouldn't be able to fight in. Upon sending the soldiers in, however, it, once again, turned into a slaughter as almost every single ground troop who entered the Round Table claimed a Demon had taken control of it, a human female with red hair and blue eyes who turned the entire battlefield into a slaughterhouse with nothing more than a Sword and a few pieces of Cyberware she had claimed she modified to withstand the magnetic forces. She was recognized as Hannah Shepard, and despite being killed by the Turian ships, she had killed so many soldiers that she demoralized the Turian Forces. And despite being bombarded by Turian Ships, she hadn't been scratched, and died standing, using her sword as a cane to keep her there. Thus she became known as the Demon Lord of the Round Table, thus winning the Battle of Shanxi for Humanity. (October of 2157)
-The Council Intervened in the War, and after video footage was played from the Exploratory Team that was activating Relay 314 proved the Turians had not only shot first, but while the Humans had tried to open up communications, the team responsible for starting the war had not even responded to the request for communications, thus swinging the matter into the favor of Humanity, who proved their strength in absolutely brutal fashion. The Turians are forced to pay heavy reparations to not only the Humans, but also the Quarians, who nobly sacrificed their own for their Human Allies. As a final note to the conflict, General Williams tells the Council that the Turians were lucky, had the Turian's final attack come a day later, a majority of his soldiers were ready and willing to induce Cyberpsychosis on themselves as a last ditch effort to achieve victory before Williams was willing to surrender. Had Hannah Shepard not made her ultimate sacrifice, then things would have turned out worse. In the End, the total number of losses for humanity were 69 in total, with the Quarians losing 31 who nobly sacrificed themselves to save the exploratory team, whilst the losses for the Turians were much greater due to them underestimating humanity, in the high 700s.
With the Strength of Humanity and their Cyberware, as well as their willingness to fight and kill for those they deem allies and friends, even on such a massive scale, goes to show how powerful Humans really are, and how similar they are to the Quarians. This attracts the Council to them, though the Turians are absolutely terrified of humans, especially once they learn of the disease known as Cyberpsychosis. Humanity, for it's part after the War ends, does it's best to mend relations with the Turians and forge new relations with the Galactic community, though many do retain the anger and hate for those whose lives were lost as a result of their actions. (November 11th, 2157)
2157-2183
-Humans learn the potential of biotics. An international effort to track element zero exposures begins. Roughly 10% of recorded exposed children show indications of biotic ability. Shepard is taken in by Captain David Anderson, a friend of his mother, and his wife, who decide to raise him in Night City. (2158)
-The Systems Alliance purchases Gagarin Station for a fraction of its construction cost, and converts the facility into a biotic research and training facility. (2159)
-The Systems Alliance Parliament is formed. With the existence of human biotics firmly established, the Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training (BAaT) program is set up on Gagarin Station to train potential candidates and develop biotic implants. (2160)
-Amid concerns over gene therapy and genetic modifications being misused, the Systems Alliance Parliament passes the Sudham-Wolcott Genetic Heritage Act. It imposes sharp restrictions on controversial uses of genetic engineering, but provides government subsidies for beneficial applications.
Vincent joins the newly budding Guardian Gang known as the Los Lobos Rojos, a more combat and community defense oriented sect of the Valentinos dedicated to protecting Los Lobos Street in Night City, working with NCPD and MaxTac to protect the community. V proves to be a vital member for the Los Lobos Rojos, not only as a strong fighter, but also as the moral heart of the gang at a young age. Shepard also saves a pregnant Quarian Woman in the Glen from a Cyberpsycho and gets her to the hospital once it is realized she is going to give birth. Admirals Rael'Zorah and Shala'Raan rush in to help the woman, and Tali'Zorah nar Earth is born safely, with Shepard leaving before he is thanked for his actions. The Admirals made sure to get a photograph of the boy from the security cameras before returning to the Rayya. (March 23rd, 2161)
-Construction of Arcturus Station is completed. (2162)
-The Council, after further investigation, learns of how Organoid AIs are created, and reason that they are simply computerized, synthetic clones of those whose brains were originally used in the process of creating them, and as such, since they had Organic Origins, are determined to be people as well by the Council, but they also make the distinction that the Organoids are Organic AIs, meaning they were once living people, and had not only the capacity to feel as organics could, but had the conceptual understanding of Synthetics. Thus Humanity is allowed to keep and create more Organoids, but creating purely Synthetic AIs is illegal, to which the Alliance Complies with this demand, even offering it to the Turians as a peace offering, so that the Turians who had any recently deceased could keep their loved ones around a bit longer. This gesture does decrease the Turian's hostilities against Humans, but it is the first step in a long journey.
The first experimental L1 biotic implants are used in humans. A series of starship drive failures are orchestrated over populated areas on human colony worlds, causing widespread exposures to element zero. This results in a second generation of humans born with biotic potential. (2163)
-Ivor Johnstagg is sentenced to 21 years in prison for attempting to assassinate Venta Tox, the Volus Ambassador to the Citadel. Although Johnstagg claims to be acting on behalf of the radical human political party Eternal Earth, no connection is found and Johnstagg is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The Backlash from the assassination attempt jeopardizes the Systems Alliance's bid for an embassy on the Citadel. (2164)
-Humanity continues to expand, founding more colonies and establishing trade alliances with many of the other species who recognize the authority of the Citadel Council. The Council makes official recognition of humanity's growing power and influence in the galactic community. Humanity is granted an embassy on the Citadel, the political and economic heart of the galaxy. Tensions grow between humans and batarians as they compete for territory in the Skyllian Verge. (2165)
-Commander Vyrnnus, a turian mercenary, is hired to oversee the training of human biotics at BAaT. (2166)
-L2 biotic implants are first developed and used in humans. Kaidan Alenko is among the first to receive the new implants. (2167)
-Kaidan Alenko accidentally kills Commander Vyrnnus after being provoked. Video evidence shows that Commander Vyrnnus was the instigator for this and many other offenses. Because of this evidence, the Turians disavowed Vyrnnus's actions, but the Humans decided that BAaT was a Failure and shut down the facility a year later, whilst also paying reparations to Vyrnnus's family, in which Kaiden Alenko was the one to personally deliver them. He was received with honor and gratitude, as Vyrnnus was worse in his private life than his public one.
Shepard receives secondary exposure to element zero. Permanent biotic inclination manifests. (2168)
-Shepard becomes a Legend in Night City whilst alive, becoming known as the Dreadwolf by many who dare to cross the Los Lobos Rojos, appearing suddenly, and if you managed to outrun the gang, V would be there to finish you off brutally. His Edgerunning since he was 7 has earned Shepard enough Street Cred and enhanced his capabilities with experience so much that on his 15th Birthday, he is allowed to choose his first Cyberware, and, by sheer chance, found a Part-Time Ripperdoc by the name of Doctor Karin Chakwas, who told him stories about his mother, how she had been the one to implant her first Cyberware when she was old and strong enough. Karin then brings out Shepard's Inheritance, his mother's Sandevistan with all of it's Mods, Kerenzikov, Nanorelays, and Bioconductors. Thankfully Karin had a friend modify them so that, once grafted, would grow with Shepard. Shepard is implanted with these pieces of Cybeware and becomes a living homage to his heritage. (2169)
-The human colony of Mindoir is attacked by batarian slavers. Many colonists are killed or captured. Another human colony, Yandoa, suffers catastrophic dust-form element zero exposure to its atmosphere when an Eldfell-Ashland Energy ship explodes in orbit. Many children suffer birth defects; thirty-seven biotic children are born, including Gillian Grayson. Biotic training for humans is outsourced to the military, selected R&D companies, and renamed divisions of the defunct Conatix Industries. L3 biotic implants are developed after L2 implants prove to be dangerous. (2170)
-In protest at the refusal of the Citadel Council to limit human expansion in the Skyllian Verge, the batarians close their embassy, withdraw into their home systems, and effectively become a rogue state. After Shepard is officially detected as a biotic, Karin has him fitted with L3 implants, and makes sure they are not only safely secured, but can be removed without risking his life. She also has them connected to his Kerenzikov and Sandevistan, which Shepard discovers something interesting, in which by using his L3 in Combination with his Fully Heatsinked Sandevistan, Kerenzikov, Nanorelays, and Bioconductors, Shepard is practically capable of maintaining a state of nearly infinite of Slowed Time. He keeps this Exploit to himself for reasons that are his own. (2171)
-Shepard enlists in the Alliance military. Thanks to his mother's reputation and to being fostered by Captain Anderson, he is, against his will, given a minor amount of preferential treatment, this earns him a serious rivalry with Kai Leng, who joined up months later, and excelled in his training so much he caught up to Shepard. The Preferential Treatment eventually gets to Shepard, and he asks his Drill Sergeant to stop, who comes to respect Shepard for his decision, much to Kai Leng's amusement. However, the rivalry that burns between the two ends up lighting a fire underneath the rest of the recruits, who try to emulate how the two of them are competing with each other. Kai Leng's fiery temper and Vincent Shepard's cold silences scare the majority of the recruits. (2172)
-After graduating from his training, Shepard is given the Amarok, a modernized Techtronika RT-46 Burya, as well as goes on to officially retire from the Los Lobos Rojos, who decide to take V to the Afterlife, and actually give him the drink named after his namesake, his Great Grandfather, the Living Legend of the Afterlife, a man who had to die three times before the Reaper could finally take his soul. This Drink, the V, was made with 7 ounces of Cold Brew Coffee, 1 ounce of Sweet Cherry Melomel Mead, and a splash of Vanilla Creamer. When Vincent Drinks it, he smiles as he sees his great grandfather tasting it for the first time, and he asks the Bartender to make "The Shepard" when he dies, which will use a modified version of the V Recipe: 7 Ounces of Mocha, an Ounce of Vanilla Metheglin Mead, and a splash of Torani Cherry Coffee Syrup. (2173)
-Shepard enters N-School with Kai Leng and over the course of the year both rivals work hard to achieve the N7 Designation (2174)
-Shepard decides to take a break from N-School for a few months to let his body recover in time for the next set of training. Kai Leng takes full advantage and pushes himself further. When V returns to N-School, he is fully rested and ready to go. He quickly catches up to Kai Leng, much to the latter's annoyance. (2175)
-Batarian-funded pirates and criminals launch a surprise attack, later known as the Skyllian Blitz, on the human colony of Elysium. The assault is repulsed by the Alliance Navy and ground teams. The Jon Grissom Academy is commissioned over Elysium, and becomes home to the Alliance's new biotic training program, the Ascension Project. The Anhur Rebellions, a civil war waged over the practice of slavery, begin on the human and batarian colony world of Anhur and spread throughout the Amun system. Abolitionism supporters hire the Eclipse mercenary group to fight the batarian pro-slavery Na'hesit faction.
Vincent Shepard and Kai Leng are awarded the N7 designation by the Alliance's Interplanetary Combatives Academy, however, later that year, during a visit to the Citadel, Kai Leng murders a Krogan Warrior in a bar one night, in which Shepard is forced to battle his one-time rival in a death-match that is only broken up by C-Sec. Shepard is cleared of all charges placed against him once the security footage places Kai Leng as the Murderer, and Shepard is rewarded for stopping Kai Leng from evading justice. (2176)
-Shepard is ordered to take a year of Shore Leave in order to rest up and prepare for the retaliation of the Skyllian Blitz (2177)
-In retaliation for the Skyllian Blitz, the Alliance launches a major offensive against the moon of Torfan and destroys the criminal bases there, mostly populated by batarians. During the infiltration of the Primary Base, Shepard is forced to download a detailed map from the computers in the upper part of the base. Shepard splits his squad amongst two passageways, sending the ¾ of his unit through what should've been a wide and elevated passage to get the drop on the Slavers and Pirates, whilst he would take the remainder down the narrower passage and draw their attention. However, it is revealed to be a trick and a trap, in which ¾ of Shepard's unit gets ripped apart by varrens and gunfire, in which V, realizing he had been tricked, arrives only to see the Batarians urinating and defacating on the corpses of his comrades, and the varrens eating them. The Stress of being tricked in such a terrible way and, unknowingly, a Cyberpsycho Quickhack having been spiked in the Map, sends V into a Murderous Rage, causing him to violently, coldly, and brutally kill every single slaver, pirate, and varren, even as they surrendered and begged for mercy.
Though victory is claimed, Shepard has been shown to have gone Cyberpsycho, though, thanks to a quick scan, it is revealed it was induced rather than naturally developed, but that meant they had to tranquilize Shepard before he finished, or he'd commit suicide. Being taken to the Wounded Warrior Project Facility on Arcturus Station, the Cyberpsychosis Quickhack is zapped out of his system, and the details shared to the Public, but many of the Galactic Community only see Shepard's rampage… The Alliance, by order of the Council, is forced to designate Shepard as a Cyberpsycho until he completes therapy, and he is given the unwanted title of the Butcher of Torfan. (April 11th, 2178)
-The Alliance tracks several pirate FTL exit vectors over a period of six months using covert monitoring devices planted on Theshaca's moons, leading the Alliance Navy to eight major pirate anchorages. Since the "Theshaca Raids", no ships from the Terminus Systems have entered the Hong system.
-Shepard is told the bad news by his foster father, Captain David Anderson, and while he hasn't been discharged from the Alliance Military, he has to go through Cyberpsycho Therapy, mandated by the Council itself, so that things can calm down a bit. His earliest time of release is 4-5 Years, depending on his behavior, and how badly the lingering effects of the Cyberpsychosis Daemon cling to his psyche. (2178)
-After being cleared for duty by the Wounded Warrior Project, Shepard is reinstated back into the Alliance Military and named the Executive Officer for Captain Anderson on a new Ship, created as the Manifestation of the Majority of the Systems Alliance and the Turian Hierarchy suing for Peace: The SSV Normandy SR-1. (2183)