"Guys, why aren't the breaks working?!"
"Because I cut the breaks! Wildcard, bitches! Yeeeehaaaa!"
- Charlie Kelly in Season 4 Episode 2 of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, seconds before jumping out of a van filled to the brim with gasoline which breaks he just cut. Don't ask. I didn't.
Intermezzo (Bonus Chapter): The Wildcard
Some time after the NORMANDY had left Therum...
+++Systems Alliance Marine Corps+++
+++Semper Fidelis+++
+++Personnel Database; Active Deployment+++
/Processing access request..
Jane Shepard
ID XXX-XXXXX-XXXX
Rank: Lieutenant Commander, SPECTRE
Proficiency: Special Operations, N7
/Access granted.
/Searching Files for…
Jess Raven
ID XXX-XXXXX-XXXX
Rank: Private Second Class
Proficiency: Designated Marksman, K1
/Search complete.
/Downloading files...
/Download complete.
PSC Jess Raven, K1 /
Status: ACTIVE (aboard SSV NORMANDY SR-1, Commanding officer: LCDR. Jane Shepard, SPECTRE); Direct superior officer: LT. Kaidan Alenko, B6 /
Name: Jess Raven (Note: known Alias; real name unknown) /
Callsign(s): Raven, Red /
Date of birth: November 11th, 2161 (Age: 21) (Note: Age medically confirmed by MAJ Dr. Karin Chakwas, E7, exact date of birth unconfirmed) /
Place of birth: Hamburg, Germany (Note: No official records) /
Nationality: European Union, Germany (Note: Claimed, legal status: Systems Alliance) /
Race: Human /
Gender: Male /
Civil status: Single /
Religious Affilation: None /
Height: 188 cm (ca. 6ft 2in) /
Weight: ca. 110 kg (221 lb) /
Skin Tone: European (Earth-born) /
Hair Colour: Dark blond /
Eye Colour: Greyish blue /
Significant Features: None /
Genetic Enhancements: None /
Military Enhancements: Class-B Alliance Infantry Upgrade Package /
Rank: Private Second Class, PSC /
ID: XXXXX-XXX-XXXX
Proficiency: Squad Designated Marksman, K1 /
Time of Service: 1 month, 3 days (AERA§) /
Paygrade: Enlisted-2 (AERA§) /
Medical Record: No significant injuries (confirmed by MAJ Dr. Karin Chakwas, E7; no record available), surgical eye correction following enlistment (nearsightedness)
Criminal Record: No
Psychological Profile: None submitted
Record of Service:
Enlisted - March 24th, 2183, Wartime Volunteer (WV) (§AERA) /
Passed Basic Recruit Training (BRT) - April 29th, 2183 /
In-progress training for K-proficiency aboard NORMANDY under GC Ashley Williams, B4/
Combat Deployments: 3/
Personal note:
(written by LCDR Jane Shepard, N7, personally addressed to CPT David Anderson, N7) - (CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL by Jane Shepard, N7, access granted) /
Subj: AW: Raven - The Wildcard (?)
(Skipping 15%...) /
(Loading…) /
(Loading complete.) /
Most of Raven's biography is incomplete, with a severe lack of official records and mostly based on his claims. According to them, he grew up in an Isolationist movement cell in northern Germany. He then escaped and has spent the following three years - basically all of his adulthoold on the streets, being part of a few minor street gangs. According to GC Williams, he has claimed to have not been involved in major gang violence due to him having rare skills and being too valuable to put at risk. /
My knowledge of gangs on Earth is, as you know, limited, but it seems not unlikely. He does speak multiple languages and seems to have a good understanding of old pre-space era computer systems - from what you told me, these are rare traits among gang members. Also, there are no records of him ever getting in trouble with the authorities, even under other aliases - and as your information says, there are multiple probable, but no confirmed sightings. That could either mean that he stayed outside the spotlight, or that his claims are false. /
He has confessed to Dr. Chakwas that he took part in criminal activities, but has not clarified of what nature, only that they were non-violent. Then again, he appears wary of government officials of any kind, so it's likely that he would not disclose such information - or, as you suggested, he doesn't make any claims so that we don't catch him making false ones. /
The lack of advanced medical treatment (Dr. Chakwas had to treat his nearsightedness, which she says he has a maternal disposition to) and my observations of his general behavior, especially around state-of-the-art technology suggest that he is telling the truth; on the other hand, his field of interests (e.g. he displayed a very good knowledge of pre-space era history), the fact that he is fluently speaking English and German, in addition to the way he expresses himself on the other hand suggest a higher level of education than common in a gang members, especially considering that he cannot have attended any school. He rarely talks about his past, though, and often dodges questions - even when talking to me. But he acknowledged his unwillingness to reveal information about himself, even saying that 'his past is behind him' and that the name 'Jess Raven' is an alias - but seemingly one he likes a lot. /
His record of service is so far spotless; unofficially I had to call him out for making rookie mistakes, which is not that notable considering that I'm more or less forced to throw him into the fire instead of waiting until he has completed the usual routines. The only thing that I noted as negative is that he has disregarded his order to protect the VIP Liara T'Soni during our last mission; but he did so to save Williams from certain heavy injury. Aside from this, he looks and act like he's used to working in a team and following orders. That speaks for a history in a militia, gang or other paramilitary group; but that doesn't fit with the obvious lack of experience. /
I don't think I know him well enough yet to be able to judge his character without any doubt. He appears mostly calm, sarcastic, at times cynic and introverted when on the ship; and certainly likes to spend some time alone or uses his headphones to listen to loud music, I assume to drown out every other noise.
But on the other hand, he socializes and maintains friendly, neutral and/or respectful relationships with all the crewmembers he regularly works with. He's mostly subordinating himself, especially to Williams and Alenko, although I can tell that he's holding back his thoughts for the sake of keeping the peace. From what I hear, that's also true for the members of the marine detail. In other words: He accepts his role as the 'freaking new guy' and as such follows the lead, but I don't expect him to do it wholeheartedly like Jenkins did. And when distressed or in tense environments, especially in combat situations, Raven seems to mostly react hot-headed or emotional, on a few occasions disregarding orders to achieve what he thinks is best for the team. As you know, that can sometimes help, sometimes do harm. I'm just not sure yet if what I'm spectating are traces of 'youthful enthusiasm' that is common among greens, or traces of hot-headed rage that he tries to hold at bay. /
It's interesting to watch him interact with my non-human squad members. I often see Garrus and Raven together, they are not so different in temper. Interestingly, Raven seems to regard Garrus as his senior. Tali and him seem to go along well too, although our quarian looks like the junior one - maybe she's just too shy. Wrex however apparently makes him nervous, maybe even afraid, although he tries his best to hide it behind his cynicism - in a way, like Joker. Therum has changed that however. My guess is that Wrex needed to see Raven showing capable under fire, but whatever is the case, they now look like they're sharing a mutual level of respect. Much like Raven and Alenko or Williams. He seems respectful towards Kaidan, although not necessarily friendly. And Williams and Raven seemingly have forgotten their rough start and work together in a professional and respectful atmosphere. But I can see their personalities clashing again, if there should be any tension, and I am not sure that her senior rank will cause Raven to back down. /
Since you were asking me what my take on his personality is, I will try and give an assessment - but take it with more than just one grain of salt.
I'd say he fits what my drill officers back in the Villa (like you) have called a 'wolfpack' mentality - he's willing to submit to a leader, but only if they share a mutual understanding, they have roughly idea of what needs to be done, and/or the leader has earned his respect, and he thinks that the 'pack' can succeed under their leadership. /
Raven apparently respects me quite a lot, and to me, it looks like he considers our goals to mutual. He follows the other officers as well, but is far more lax about the chain of command or the proper protocol. He doesn't hesitate to make suggestions (or sarcastic remarks) if the situation allows or he is interested. His training is far from complete, but Williams is a competent drill officer and Raven wants to get better - they are making good progress. /
I cannot tell yet if Raven will be an asset, or a liability during the upcoming campaign. But I can safely say one thing, Captain, and I hope that I'm not disrespectful: Raven is not a professional, coldly calculating agent posing as rookie gunman. The things I am seeing and all the small details I have put together point towards someone with an honest intent, but a shady past. And while our lack of knowledge is less than ideal, there is no reason for me to distrust him more than the Shadow Broker's hired hitman, Wrex - or Liara, Beneziah's daughter. /
I will keep an eye on him, Sir. Although I am fairly sure that he won't sabotage the mission, I do agree with you on one thing… /
Raven surely is a wildcard. /
(...)
Talents (Mass Effect 1)
CLASS: Human Wildcard
„A wildcard is an improbable disruption, a rare and surprising event with massive consequences."
As the 'rookie' of the squad, Raven undergoes a more intense training than most other squad members. Routinely working on his rifle improves his accuracy, daily workouts slightly his health and slightly increase melee damage.
SKILLS:
Pistols
Having a trusty sidearm is always a good thing – constant training allows for the most efficient usage of pistols.
Increases damage and accuracy with a pistol.
Unlocks "Marksman" on Rank 3. Upgrades increase the effectiveness of the skill.
Squad Designated Marksman (unlocks at Pistols 7)
Modifications to his rifle, a high amount of well-guided training and a lot of live combat experience increases Raven's effectiveness as a marksman. Increases accuracy and damage with the Mattock DMR, unlocks "Precise Fire" on Rank 3.
Upgrades increase the skills effectiveness.
Fitness
Regular physical exams focused on strengthening the heart and under professional guidance increase general fitness and pain tolerance.
Increases maximum health.
Assault Training (unlocks at Fitness 9)
Raven modifies his omniblade and spends hours improving his slashing and slicing skills on practice targets. This training also greatly increases his reflexes, improving Raven's overall combat effectiveness.
Minimal improvements to weapon damage, great improvements to melee damage; grants access to "Adrenaline Burst" on rank 3.
Upgrades increase the skills effectiveness.
Incendiary Grenade
The Molotov cocktail gained fame in the 1940's Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union and has since earned its place in the arsenals of insurgents and street fighters all over the world. It is as easy to produce as it is effective in coating an enemy or a whole area in a massive field of fire. Raven prefers his makeshift-weapons, but gradually upgrades the simple improvised bottles with more sophisticated alternatives.
Raven starts with this ability on level 1 and has "Incendiary Grenade" unlocked.
Upgrades increase damage on impact, damage over time and area affected. Every three levels, the grenade type evolves from the original Level-1-'Molotov Cocktail' to, at Level 12, the 'Loki Incendiary Grenade'.
Flashbang (unlocks at Incendiary Grenade 5)
Flashbangs have been provided to the NORMANDY-squad. While one of the older human warfare inventions, and not harming enemies directly, its potential effect especially in enclosed locations can only be described as deadly.
Unlocks "Flashbang" on Rank 1.
Upgrades increase blinding duration and reduce cooldowns.
First Aid
Time dedicated to study both human and alien anatomy increases the effectiveness of first aid provided in the field.
Raven slowly heals himself over time and increases the health restored to teammates by Shepard's "Unity".
Upgrades further increase the bonus.
Medicine (unlocks at First Aid 7)
By carrying additional loads of medigel (and being able to apply them), Raven reduces the overall cooldown of Shepard's "Unity" , increases the amount of medigel the team can carry and is able to revive downed squadmembers on his own.
Upgrades further decrease the cooldown of Shepard's "Unity" and increase the effectiveness of Raven's "Revive".
ABILITIES:
MARKSMAN
Experience firing your sidearm improves the weapon's rate of fire and accuracy, as well as decreasing the generated heat, allowing for more shots to be fired before the weapon overheats.
PRECISE FIRE
Raven controls his breath and fires in short-controlled bursts while aiming at the targets vitals. Temporarily reduces rate of fire, but greatly increases damage and accuracy.
IMMUNITY
A combination of combat drugs and/or overclocked shields temporarily increases the pain tolerance. Reduces the amount of incoming damage by a certain percentage.
ADRENALINE BURST
Injecting a dose of adrenaline combats fatigue – for a short amount of time and at the cost of slightly shaking hands. Reduces cooldowns with a temporary accuracy penalty.
INCENDIARY GRENADE
Raven throws an explosive, incendiary grenade at the targeted location. Enemies hit directly or getting in contact with the flames suffer initial explosive damage and strong fire damage over time. This stops health regeneration, and can cause unprotected sentient organic enemies to panic. Non-sentient organic enemies, such as husks, and synthetic enemies are immune to panic. Damage against synthetic enemies is halved. (Penalty is gradually removed as the grenades receive upgrades.)
FLASHBANG GRENADE
Raven throws a flashbang at the targeted location – and then gets his head down. The explosion of light and sound causes enemies to become temporarily disoriented.
FIRST AID (passive)
Raven carries additional doses of medigel. That increases the team's maximal amount of medigel for "Revive", "Unity" and "First Aid". Also increases the health restored to teammates and allows Raven to slowly heal himself over time.
REVIVE
Using medigel (the modern medicine's duct tape) and/or combat drugs Raven revives a single ally to a percentage of his maximum live. Consumes one Medigel.
A/N, July 2017: Reworked, and increased in size! I hope you like Shepard's view on my SI-OC, it may tell you just what kind of OC you're witnessing here.
I've tried my best to remain as objective and true in what is essentially a psyche-analysis of myself - but as all humans, I'm likely having a different view on myself than people around me. To stay absolutely neutral, I'd have to switch off my consciousness - and that isn't possible. I hope it turned out alright, though. Let me know what you think!
Original A/N: Hello folks, and sorry in case you've expected another full-length chapter. The writing of CH5 is going quite nicely, actually. I think I can release it by the middle of October (since I'm too busy to write it all in one go, but we'll see about that).
But this stupid little idea of writing myself an own skillset or talent tree was in my brain since I started planning this whole fiction, and, yeah. Thought all of this might be a good way to give you guys a picture of my OC (*cough* me *cough*). Also, Shepard's message to Anderson might give you some ideas... and since the "Introduction part" to get everything going is now over (after 50k words and 5 months, wth)... yeah.
Well, I'm out. :D Leave me your thoughts on everything as a comment if you feel like it. And, thank you all for following/favoring/commenting! Really hope you guys will stay around, we have just started our journey :)