My meeting with Cortana was something I never expected to happen at all in the Mass Effect universe. I'm uncertain why The Librarian felt that she needed to add certain elements from the Halo universe to be placed here. Perhaps she believes that they would be essential for the coming threat of the Reapers. In Mass Effect 3, Shepard needed to amass an army from various planets to try to stop the Reapers from getting the citadel and performing their omnicidal cycle of the universe. Depending on the ending choices, the amount of people that was recruited held an influence. With all of this in mind, I am not too sure if Cortana, the Spartan Armor and the energy swords are the only things she added when placing me here.
While it would be cool to see some of the aliens that were seen within the games, like the Sanghelli, I'm terrified if threats like the Didact or the Flood were included here. Another thing could be the Halo ring arrays. Weapons of mass destruction to wipe out all sentient life if ever activated. I havent heard about anybody coming across anything that fit their description so far. I hope that they are not here in this universe otherwise everyone could die if I don't do something to stop them. Now I could be worrying over nothing since there is no evidence of those things being here but despite this I need to prepare myself if they ever do make an appearance.
Currently, I'm hanging out with Jenny at her home while my parents are busy doing their jobs as Alliance instructors. I got a message that they would be back home in a couple of days. I didn't mind really, they have an important task to train the next generation of soldiers. They will be needed for the incoming calamity. Meanwhile, Jenny's mom is working in her home office, discussing something really important I imagine because she shut the door of her office to make sure that no one hears her. Must be serious.
Anyway, I'm enjoying my time with Jenny. She's smart, funny and an idealist. I can just tell that she would be the paragon Shepard by the time we become a part of the Alliances military.
"So Jenny. What do you want to be when we grow up?" I ask her. She looks at me and then smiles.
"I want to be a hero like mommy. Fighting bad guys across the galaxy" she told me. I smile at that since I had figured that was the case.
"I can imagine their terror now. 'Watch out for Jenny Shepard: The Scourge of the Galaxy'" I say playfully which makes us laugh.
"Yea that would be an awesome title. But what about you V? What do you want to be?" She asked me.
It's a ridiculous question since I am fated to help her succeed in what could be the greatest battle of all time but obviously she doesn't know that. So I tell her what I want to do.
"I want to be a soldier. Have the skills to protect the people I care about." I said to her.
"That's cool. Maybe we can be N7s like our parents" she said to me excitingly. I smile at this.
"That would be cool. I hear that they get the best equipment and awesome ships" I said to her.
"I would love to Captain a ship of my own." Jenny said as she makes a face of hopeful contemplation.
"Something tells me that someday you will" I said to her with a smile to which she smiles back
"Hey V, can you make me a promise?" She asks me.
"Yea sure" I said with curiousity on what she is going to say.
"Promise that when we become soldiers of the Alliance, that no matter what happens, we will always have each other's back" Jenny said to me. I was a bit shocked by this.
I wasn't expecting her to make me promise this but then again we are best friends so this is to be expected.
"I promise" I say to her with a smile.
"Pinky swear?" She asks me as she raises her pinky. I chuckle at this.
"Pinky swear" I said as our pinky's unite to solidify a promise that I can not break.
Jenny smiles at me and then hugs me to which I reciprocate. We soon end the hug and play a game called 'Soldiers and Fugitives'. It's basically cops and robbers but with minor differences. I'll admit it's a fun a game regardless.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to us, Jenny's mother is watching us through a slightly open door of her office. She has a saddened look on her face as she looks at us.
"Are you still there Katherine?" A voice from her home office communicator asked. Katherine is then driven out of her musings, closed the door and sits back down on her desk.
"I am here" she said to the voice.
"I hope you understand that this program could very well be the future of the Alliance" the voice said to her.
"I'll admit that it has potential but what concerns me is the results that it could produce. This is an uncertainty that I am not sure I can accept so easily" Katherine responded.
"Believe me Katherine. Once we implement this program then I will personally guarantee its success." The voice said to reasssure her.
"Lets just say that I would agree to convince the Military board and the Council to allow this program to exist. Who would be the first to experience it" she asks the voice.
"The first applicants would be small number of maybe five or six individuals before adding more into it over time. These applicants would those who begin the early stages of adolescence between thirteen to fourteen years old. They will be sent to a military facility in one of our allied planets. They will be trained to their limits and possibly more to ensure combat effectiveness. They would also be given a standard education to help them better understand other cultures and terrain infrastructures. They will be in this facility for a few years to complete their training and then be sent to perform missions for the Alliance once they have been evaluated to by the Review Board." The voice explained to Katherine.
"And what about social interaction? Are you going to deprive these children of talking to family and friends?" Katherine asked with concern in her voice.
"I would've suggested that doing so would limit the success rate for the program but from what I've seen from the N7s who have had success of integrating back into civilian life like yourself, I have made it a necessity that these applicants keep in contact with their families every once in a while so as to maintain social awareness and prevent any negative psychological issues" the voice explained to Katherine. This seemed to calm her a bit.
"That is good then. So tell me Dr. Jacobs, what would this program be called?" Katherine asked the good doctor through the communicator.
"I've come to call it the N8 program as the official title but the applicants who graduate from this program won't be called N8s like their predecessors. There is another name in which I feel it is more acceptable to what they will become once out in the field" Dr. Jacobs said.
"And what is this name?" Katherine asked her.
"Spartans" Dr. Jacobs said with pride in her voice.
Little did Katherine know that what she would do next would change everything for a good amount of people. Especially a young boy that has become good friends with her daughter.
Three years later
Time moves so fast when one doesn't notice. In the three years that have passed, Jenny and I have excelled in our academics within our elementary school. While we are not literal geniuses, like the Salarians or the Asari, we were certainly not stupid. We graduated together several months back and were accepted into the Alliance Academy. The one place where we would become trained to be the soldiers that we were always meant to be.
My parents were so proud of my accomplishments. It was good to see them smile. I can still remember our deaths in our old world. Sometimes I think that they are just mere ghosts, haunting me as a constant reminder that we all died. Sometimes I feel like this is all a dream that I don't want to wake up from. But I keep myself centered everytime by reminding myself that everything that I have seen, touched or felt are indeed real. This is my reality now and what happened in my old life will stay buried in the past.
Now, we are in the Citadel heading towards the central academy to learn how to be a soldier with bags of our bare essentials, like clothes and toothpaste. It's a big place within the Citadel. You can see the obstacle courses and the classrooms from clear view windows. However, this place is only accessible by those who have military authorization or are students here. It's incredible really. I then look to Jenny who has a smile on her face as we just stop and admire the surroundings.
"Ready Jenny?" I ask her.
"Always" She tells me as we continue to walk towards the entrance of the Academy.
As we walk towards the entrance, we meet a man wearing an Alliance military uniform sitting on a desk.
"Welcome to the Alliance Military Academy, my name is Petty Officer Kyle Olson. May you give me your paperwork and sign in so that you may proceed down to the main hall where the other students are located." He requested of us.
We gave him our paperwork for him to look over as we signed our names on a piece of paper that was right next to him. As soon as we do, we notice that Petty Officer Olson had a stunned look on his face. He then looks at us.
"I'm sorry but you wouldn't happen to be related to Daniel and Samantha Brooks are you?" He asked me.
"Their son actually" I said which made him look at me with awe. He then offers me his hand.
"I-I had no idea. It's a pleasure to meet you sir" he said somewhat nervously. I just smile and shake his hand.
"The pleasure is mine, Petty Officer." I said and then he looks at Jenny.
"And you must be Katherine Shepard's daughter." He said while offering his hand to her. She shakes his hand too.
"I am. A pleasure to meet you" she said. To say that Petty Officer Olson was amazed would be an understatement.
"I never thought I would actually meet the children of the Alliances well known individuals. I have no doubt that you would become something great in the future. Have a good day and good luck" Petty Officer Olson said to us with a smile. We reciprocated and told him thanks as well as wishing him luck on his endeavors.
We then continue on to the main hall. We soon see at least a good number of students, or rather cadets, here numbering to a thousand. Maybe more, standing around. It's a mix group of Humans, Turians, Quarians, Salarians and Asari. I was slightly surprised to see the Asari to be roughly our age in appearance. I don't think there was any explanation on how they grow up. I know that when they reached to what we humans consider early adulthood that they maintain their vitality for centuries. So it's unknown if they ever had a teenage appearance before reaching that stage.
Who knows I might learn more about them as we move forward. They are extremely attractive just like in the games. I can see several people from the other species taking some lustful glances at them. Some less subtle than others. I've never denied that I love the Asari race. Powerful and beautiful creatures with impressive abilities. I mean what's not to love. It's even better when you see them in person. It's an amazing sight. I truly am a lucky guy.
"Wow this is a lot of people" Jenny said to me with awe. I nod my head in agreement.
"Indeed." I said to her.
"You think we are all waiting for something?" She asked me.
"Someone I imagine. In a situation like this, someone of great importance is going to make an appearance and make a speech" I said to her.
On cue, a military man with dark skin and brown eyes wearing his uniform makes a stand at the podium and turns on the microphone that was in place.
"May I have your attention please" the man said to all of us as he gathers everyone's attention.
"Called it" I told Jenny with a smile which makes her punch me in the arm. She does it playfully and with a smile on her face.
"My name is Sergeant Theodore Rosland and welcome to the Alliance Military Academy. This is the central academy in which you will learn basic training for several months until you are assigned to a program that would be further your training until deemed ready for deployment. The selection of these programs are based on how well you perform in basic training. Our instructors will keep an eye on your performance and see if there is some skill or trait that would be a good fit for the program they recommend. Each one of you will learn how a real soldier fights. Throw out any misguided ideas or preconceptions that you may have about being an Alliance soldier. This will not be easy. You will be trained by some of the best that the Alliance has to offer. Trained to be the best. If you succeed, then it would be my honor to call you brothers and sisters in arms. In a few moments, you will be escorted to the dormitories within this facility where you will be spending your time here until you are assigned to your appropriate program. You will set up things and relax for the remainder of the day until tomorrow which is when training will begin. On a personal note I would like to say this, you are the future of the Alliance. You will face many challenges along the way. Some more difficult than others. You will struggle and wonder if you can get through it. But I don't doubt that you will find away to solve it. As you move forward in life, I want you all to remember that our hopes and dreams live on with you. Godspeed and good luck" He said ending his speech to us and leaving the podium. I then look to Jenny.
"Nice speech" I told her. She nods her head in agreement.
"Yeah it was. Not many high ranking officers would speak compassionately towards the cadets " she tells me.
"Indeed. It's nice to know that they care what happens to us at least" I said to her as rows of cadets start lining up in preparation to get escorted to the dorms.
"You think it matters who we dorm with?" Jenny asks me.
"I don't know. I doubt it" I said.
"Well I hope we are dorm mates. Its better than rooming with someone that you don't know" Jenny reasoned. I smirk at this.
"That is true. I hope we dorm together as well." I said to her which makes her smile.
We get into a nearby row of cadets and walk towards the dormitories. It was a short walk. The dorms were at least a good ten, maybe fifteen, minutes away from the main hall. The dormitories themselves were inside a conjoining building that was twenty stories tall. Our respective guides would take us to certain floors and tell count the first four members of the group they led and have them enter their respective dorm. The guide did this until all dorms would be filled.
We were on the 12th floor. The guide picked me and Jenny along with two others to go into our dorm. Inside was a decent size living room with a couch, two chairs and a big window with a good view of a section of the Citadel. On the right of the room was the entrance of a bed room. It had two separate beds, two closets, two desks and a smaller window. On the left was the same set up. Jenny and I picked the left while the others picked the right.
As we enter our rooms, we see that there is Alliance uniforms for cadets folded on top of our beds. Jenny and I put down our bags and unpack our stuff.
"This is nicer than I imagined" I said to her. She nods her head in agreement
"Yeah it is. Even have a good view too." She said to me.
"Yes we do" I responded with a smile "Let's introduce ourselves to our dorm mates. We didn't introduce ourselves when we came in"
"Ok" Jenny said as we go to the other room to meet them.
We see that they are finishing up unpacking their stuff. one of them was an Asari. Very beautiful creature and seemed to have facial markings that looked like she had stars on her head. The other was a Quarian. Male I believe based off of appearance. He is wearing is containment suit just like the rest of his kind to protect them from foreign contaminants. I always wondered what they look like behind the helmets. We knock on the door to get their attention.
"Hello. I apologize if we are interrupting, we wanted to properly introduce ourselves if your not to busy" I said to them.
"Sure, my name is Agatha" the Asari said to me and Jenny as we shake her hand.
"Pleasure to meet you. Question though. Are you comfortable with us referring to you as a female?" I ask as Jenny and the Quarian were confused by that question while Agatha seemed surprised by that.
"That's a weird question to ask isn't it V?" Jenny asks me.
"Not really. From what I can recall the Asari are mono gender. While they may appear to us as beautiful females. Most prefer to be called by male pronouns. That's why I ask if she is comfortable being referred as a female or if she wants us to be called by masculine titles" I explained to her which made her produce a face of realization as she remembered that in class some time ago.
"Fascinating" the Quarian said as he writes this information down on his Omni tool.
"I'm impressed that you are familiar with my people's culture. I appreciate the consideration but I have no problem being identified by female terms." Agatha said with a smile on her face. I smile in return.
"And how about you?" Jenny asks the Quarian
"Oh my apologies" he said as he stops what he is doing so that he can introduce himself "my name is Kal'Shoul vas Nirvana. Pleasure to make your acquaintance"
"Pleasure is ours" Jenny responded for us.
"Are you on your pilgrimage?" I ask him.
"Yes I am. I along with several of my people were tasked to go out and learn as much as we can so as to better our way of life within the Migrant Fleet. With such knowledge we can, hopefully, find a way to create a home somewhere" Kal'Shoul explains with a hint of pride in his voice.
"I have no doubt that one day, you and your people will succeed in doing so" I said confidently. Since it was Tali, Shepard and Legion that helped ensure it in Mass Effect 3.
"Thank you" he responded to me. I nod in response
"Now that you know our names. May we know yours?" Agatha asked us.
"Oh yes, my apologies. My name is Vincent Brooks and this is Jennifer Shepard." I greeted them with our names.
"Jenny for my friends." She added.
Both of them looked at me with a sense of awe. This confused me a bit.
"Your the son of the Sword and Shield of the Alliance" Kal said in clarification.
"I am." I confirm to him.
"I have immense respect for your mother. Not many human females are capable of gaining the respect of the Asari Commandos as well as the admiration of my people. It is an honor to meet her son" Agatha said to me with pride.
"Yes, I too have heard too about your family. I read about your fathers exploits during his time within the military. Truly an incredible man. To be in the presence of his son is something that I never thought could happen in my lifetime." Kal said with enthusiasm in his voice.
"Thank you, I appreciate the compliments. I hope that I can live up to the expectations that people have of me because of my families reputation" I said to them.
"I have no doubt that you will" Jenny said reassuringly. I smile at her for that.
"Well since we have been properly introduced, I hope that we become good friends during our time here. At least until we are put into our respective programs." I said to them.
"Indeed/Absolutely" Kal and Agatha said simultaneously with happiness in their voice. Jenny and I smile at this.
"We'll leave you be to finish unpacking." Jenny said as we both go back to our respective room.
"This is going to be interesting" I said out loud as I look at the view from our window.
"You think?" Jenny asks me which makes me turn around to look at her.
"I do. We've worked so hard to get to this point in our lives. This is where our journey begins. I'm a bit excited aren't you?" I ask her.
"I am. Though I am a bit nervous" Jenny admitted.
"I'm sure you will be fine. Besides I made a promise when we were younger that I would have your back didn't I? I ask her as I give her my pinky on my right hand. She realizes what I want her to do which makes her smile.
"Yes you did. I also promised the same to you. As long as we remember this then I doubt anything can stop us" she says as we do our pinky swear. We both smile as we do.
Once we finish, we continue setting up our stuff to ready ourselves for training the next day. I can only imagine the hell we would probably have to endure before going deeper into its depths as we go to our respective programs. My parents told me that basic training is simple but not as easy as people think it to be. They couldn't tell me more about it due to their jobs since they don't want to be viewed as abusers of their power to inform their son ahead of time of what to expect.
They have to maintain their integrity which is understandable. No doubt some would tell their children what to expect just to get them ahead of most. My parents value success through hard work and so do I. I'll be able to handle what's coming, no matter how difficult the obstacle. Only time will tell how successful I become during the few months here.
Soon enough, Jenny and I went to go get some food at with Agatha and Kal. We talked more about ourselves to each other and what we hope to gain from this experience. Once we did that, we all went back to our rooms, set up our beds and clothes and decided to sleep early so as to have more energy in the morning.
Unbeknownst to any of us, we were being watched through the use of a mini camera that was implemented in the rooms. The camera in question had a blue glow to it. If one were to look deep within the cyberspace, there was a blue female sitting down in an environment of binary code. In front of her was several screens of images.
These images were live recordings of every cadet that arrived in the academy. But there was one recording that she was paying more attention to. She was watching the boy she met three years ago sleeping peacefully. She smiled at his form. Happy to see him again. She was soon interrupted by a voice.
"Cortana, hows the search coming along?"a female voice said to her.
"The search is still ongoing but I have some potentials."Cortana said to the voice.
"Good. Mr. Brooks and those potential candidates are vital to what we have planned. Inform me more about these potentials once you have a good viewing of their skills and traits" the female voice said.
"Yes Dr. Jacobs, I will do so" Cortana said as she continues to watch everyone from the shadows.
The people that she selects will become a part something bigger. Something that will be needed if the Alliance is to survive. The question that may be too dreadful to answer is: Will it be enough?
Only time will tell. For now, Cortana and Dr. Jacobs believe that it is and will ensure that what they have planned succeeds.
Whew. Finally got this chapter done. I hope it was good for you guys.
I'm trying to do some world building. Adding OC characters and events to make the journey for Vincent to be unique. Since he is aware of the main events from the three games, he will experience new events that was never mentioned in the Mass Effect universe.
Soon enough, he and a few others will be selected to become Spartans. I'm still deciding on who else to add with Vincent to do so. If you guys want to make some suggestions of people whether from Mass Effect or Halo let me know. This is me signing out