For N7 Day 2020, I dug out an old scrap from what was essentially a pilot episode to the N7 Rejects storyline. You remember one of those side quest planets from the first game, right? Imagine being stationed there.

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Planet: Ontarom
Newton / Kepler Verge / Milky Way
Day: 12

Another electrical storm ravaged the mine entrances in the distant hills.

To the south, half protected by a mountain range, stood an Alliance outpost. The large satellite dish on top caused a horrid creaking moan as it started to rotate, struggling to reposition for a moment against the large 'foreign object' that should not have been up there.

Keshi rapidly tapped away at the communication array, talking out loud to anyone that would listen; "Turning dish to compensate."

Like most salarians, he spoke as if he was in an urgent rush; "Would be easier if someone hadn't parked the mako on the roof."

Scott was focused on looking out of the control room window, his back to Keshi and his voice distant as if he was concentrating on something else; "It was a good idea at the time."

Keshi blinked a few times, tapped a couple more buttons, and then stepped away from the console; "Done. Going to check on our guest, be back later."

Rebecca turned around from her station; "Stay on comms, kay?"

The salarian nodded and left, leaving the female engineer to turn back and glance at Scott's rear for a few seconds before she continued to aim for the high score on the omni-tool game 'Volus Volleyball'.

"It moved again, it's getting closer" called out Scott placing his gloved hands on the window.

"Ignore it, it's not exactly a danger," mumbled Rebecca.

"Ignore it? And threaten the safety of this station? Are you mad? You haven't seen this thing."

There was silence for a moment.

Scott pressed his face against the glass, straining to look directly down; "It's out of my field of vision. It's hiding from me!"

"Uh-huh," murmured Rebecca, not paying any particular attention.

Scott rushed a few steps back and pulled up the local radar for the base from the bank of consoles; "It's trying to infiltrate this watch tower."

"Outpost," corrected Rebecca as she reached the next level on her game.

The flickering orange screen on the main console displayed a small white circle moving from just inside the inner ring to directly on top of the center dot.

Scott quickly looked to Rebecca and then back at the screen; "Holy crap it's on us, it must be hiding directly beneath us, it could be breaking in to kill us and steal our secrets as we speak."

"As 'you' speak… a lot."

There was a loud clanking sound that finally caused Rebecca to pause her game and look up.

Scott already had his helmet on and was rummaging through the weapon locker. After attaching a belt of sticky grenades to his waist, he grabbed an Avenger assault rifle and ran towards the west door.

Rebecca had half left her seat just as Scott bolted out of the room, but then she sighed and simply sat back down to continue her game; "Right then, back to biotic elcor smashing volus over a net."

The lower level lift doors opened and Scott ran out down the corridor, heading towards a familiar face; "Remus! We're under attack!"

"What?!" blinked the turian.

"Follow me!" the human called as he dashed by.

"Is it the geth?"

"No! Worse!" replied Scott as they both reached the west exit door.

Remus readied his pistol as the human keyed in a code on the wall panel.

The shutter door slid quickly upwards with a screech and both soldiers aimed their weapons out into the cool evening air.

"Freeze beast!" called out Scott to the large shadow in front of them.

Remus was poised to attack but then lowered his pistol as his eyes adjusted to the figure; "Scott, stand down, it's just a cow…"

Scott's line of sight did not leave the animal; "A shifty looking cow, it's been hanging around the base a bit too much for my liking."

Remus secured his pistol and shook his head; "It isn't hostile, it's probably just curious."

"So you think it's a spy? Yeah, yeah, makes sense, put us into a false sense of security. Think it's just an innocent wild animal, but I'm onto your game cow!" Scott stated, waving his rifle towards it.

"Are all you humans like this?" sighed Remus.

"I'm just saying I don't trust any four-legged mammal that also has the additional limbs to milk itself, no sir, it ain't right."

Remus walked forward and gently petted the cow's head before turning back towards his teammate; "I suggest we go back inside, maybe you should lay off the coffee and get some sleep. Come on."

The turian started ushering the human backwards, only giving Scott time to point two of his own fingers towards his own eyes and then towards the cow in a 'I'll be watching you' gesture.

The cow simply stood there.

As the main doors closed, Remus and Scott began their walk back to the elevator.

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[STATION LOG UPDATED BY BECKY-BEC-BEC-BECKINTON THE BORED]

- No Geth activity.

- High score on Volus Volleyball reached, found easter egg hinting at sequel.

- The station crew continued to be bored to death.

- During a poker game, Remus discovered that he's mysteriously missing a few hundred credits. Remus suspects Scott, Scott suspects the local fauna.

[LOG END]

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The shifty looking cow remained unmoving at the main entrance… waiting…