Disclaimer: Bioware owns the rights to Mass Effect and it's characters. Only the OC's and changes to the plot are mine.

POV: Garvel (2176 CE)

I stepped off the shuttle and looked around with wonder. This station is huge...

I looked back into the shuttle as the last of the kids stumbled off. There had been a dozen students in the shuttle to Gagarin Station, most of them around eleven to thirteen years old. I recall there was someone around fifteen or so as well. The kids all knew who I was as soon as my name was mentioned. They, in their childish ways, outcasted me on the spot and gave me strange looks the whole ride. The shuttle was a civilian class, with terminals installed for casual use. I browsed the vids for most of the time, but occasionally I had thought at what I was leaving behind. It was easy enough deciding to leave for the military, but it didn't hit me what I was leaving behind until I was already leaving.

I turned back towards the entrance to the landing bay. The same scientist I met on Earth, whom I had learned was named Dr. Miles, moved in front of us and opened his arms, facing the view in front of us.

"Welcome, students, to Gagarin Station." He waved for us to follow him and started walking towards the landing bay doors. The kids behind me were still whispering at each other. I caught Garvil included at least once.

Dr. Miles led us through the corridors and varied rooms of the station. As we passed them, people working at the station would either glance at us or openly stare at the new biotic recruits, including the adult. I ignored all of them, sure that I would be a significant source of gossip regardless. We were eventually led to the apartment complexes for the biotic recruits. Each room housed six recruits. I looked around the room. The three bunkbeds dominating the far wall, the three tables on the wall next to it, and a large bookcase filled with knowledge. A door between the bunkbeds and the bookcase obviously housed the bathroom. I dropped my bag on one of the top bunks, then retired to the bathroom for a night time shower.

The next day, I woke up groggily to our new instructor barging into the room. I had a feeling he was our instructor by the way his confident walk and the way he was dressed. He was wearing a blue vest with the station's logo on the breast and matching blue shorts. I peeked around and saw the other kids on the top bunks with scared looks on their faces. They had obviously been sleeping soundly as well. I looked at the clock above the door. We're being waken up at 4:00 AM Galactic Space Time? What could possibly be this important this early?

I dropped down from my bed and stretched, my joints cracking audibly. I rubbed my eyes and walked up to where the rest of the kids were already waiting. No one had had a good night's sleep.

The man at the door inspected each of us in turn, then turned around and stated at us in a booming voice, "Time for your first lesson, students. Follow me." He walked briskly out of the classroom, obviously expecting the rest of us to follow at the same speed. I was the first to react, walking just as briskly as the instructor. I still made sure to keep enough distance, just in case.

We walked for several minutes in silence, except for the occasional whispering by staff as they saw me. This constant gossip about an adult biotic student was getting tiresome. I was trying my best to remember the path we took, but a lot of the corridors looked the same. I found myself wondering how this man knew his way around this place.

We stopped in front of a door labelled "BIOTIC TRAINING". He turned to us to make sure we were following, then opened the door and motioned us in. I entered the room and looked around. The room wasn't very big, just a bunch of chairs next to a wall and two doors on the other side. I sat in one of the middle chairs and waited. I noticed in passing that the other kids left a chair between me and them.

The instructor walked in front of us and turned with his hands on his hips. "Welcome to biotics training, students. This will be your first day of learning how to use this gift you have been given. Before you can begin your training, we must evaluate your natural abilities and decide upon which biotic implant will work best for you. I must warn you, there are risks regarding this training. An upward of 70% of recruits had either severe side effects or had to be relieved before training was complete when this program first started. Although this percentage has fallen every year, there is still a possibility that they can happen to you."

I shifted in my chair. All I could imagine at the time was my father's expression when given the news that his only son had some sort of severe side effect from biotic training. I bit my lip nervously at the thought.

The instructor glanced at all of us in turn again. Then he pointed at me. "You, Mr. Garvil. You are twenty years old, correct?" I nodded. "It's exceedingly rare that someone develops their biotics later than fifteen years old. From what I heard, the only way is pre-birth exposure, then another dose when you're a teenager. I've only seen one other case, myself." He motioned with his head towards the two doors on the other wall. I stood up awkwardly and started walking towards them. "Go through the left door. Follow the man's instructions and you'll be fine. The rest of you get to wait."

I pushed the door to the left in and saw a man behind a desk. He looked up at me expectantly and motioned towards a machine in the middle of the room. It reminded me of one of those chairs at the dentist's office, but more restrictive. I carefully sat down and leaned back against the fabric. The man stood up from behind the desk and walked slowly to my side. He buckled the many straps holding me in place, then altered various things including the height, angle of the back, and the armrests. I felt helpless during this process, and I began to feel panic when the man slipped sunglasses over my eyes. My view was severely obstructed, only being able to make out the outline of the man as he turned the machine on.

I immediately felt a shock in my body, and I groaned audibly. I began to smell burned leather, but I imagined it was a hallucination. I was shocked again, and I felt my hands grow warm for a moment. The burned leather smell became stronger. A third shock, but this time my hands stayed warm longer. My heart had skipped a beat this time, making me nauseous.

"Holy..."

My sunglasses suddenly came off, and suddenly I was looking into the man's surprised eyes. He adjusted the back so I could see the rest of my body. I felt an even stronger shock than before, but this time I saw my hands emit a blue energy field, burning the leather beneath it even more than before. The familiar wave of burned leather hit my nose, and I involuntarily wrinkled it in disgust. The man pressed several things inside his hologram on his arm. I remember that from my studies, it's called an omnitool. I remember wishing I had one of those...

Eventually the man turned the machine off and unstrapped me from the chair. I wrung my wrists and inspected my hands. They were already their normal temperature, so I was confused as to how I could have burned that leather.

The man opened the door and motioned someone to enter the room. The instructor walked in and to my side, helping me stay standing. The shocks had numbed my limbs, making it hard to walk. The instructor wrinkled his nose as well at the leather and stared at me for a few seconds. Then he turned towards the technician.

"Biotics only alter mass of objects, how can they burn leather?"

The technician scratched his head and thought about that question for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure, actually. There might be a possible connection between light and biotics we haven't seen before, making the current we send burn the seat. We'll have to research that."

The instructor nodded and folded his arms. "So what do you think?"

The technician stared at me in wonder for a few moments, then turned back towards the other man. "He's strong enough to not need an implant. I still suggest getting one to further the effects, but he has the potential to be one of the most powerful biotics we have ever trained." I started at this, looking at the technician in disbelief. Me? One of the oldest humans ever to begin biotics training? Most powerful? This can't be true.

The instructor put his hand on his chin, obviously in thought. "There is a new level of implants available sometime later this year. The only drawback is that only one station is going to be getting them, due to how expensive they are. I'm going to file for a transfer for Mr. Garvil here." He turned and opened the door. "His talents would be a waste here."

It was several weeks later that I spent my first night at Jon Grissom Academy. I had my own room this time, and I was relaxing. Since I had the best education money could buy already, the general classes available at the station were not liable for me. Until the implants arrived, I was there only to relax.

I was at Jon Grissom Academy for a month when I heard about the Skyllian Blitz. It was broadcasted across the whole station for most of the day, considering how close Elysium was to the academy. I turned on my terminal before bed to check on what was happening in the Blitz, and what I saw made me lean forward in interest.

The Skyllian Blitz ended only two hours ago with the retreat of the batarian slavers sent to enslave the majority of the planet's inhabitants. We have recieved word from various people, colonists and Alliance soldiers alike, that they owe their lives to one man. Private John Shepard was awarded the Star of Terra only minutes ago for his courageous actions upon the surface. According to witness accounts, he selflessly risked himself for several families, risked his life to save fellow soldiers, and rallied other soldiers to this stunning victory. A senior member of the Interplanetary Combatives Training regiment, he is expected to gain the coveted N7 ranking after his stunning display here. He will be remembered as the man who saved Elysium. On Galactic News, this is Emily Wong.

I slowly turned the vid off and layed down in my bed. Staring up at the metal ceiling, I thought to myself, I would kill to fight under the command of a man like that. With resolve, I vowed I would work my hardest to live up to my potential is one of the most powerful biotics in the Alliance. Turning over to my side, I drifted off to sleep.

My L-4 implant was successfully placed into my brain with no side effects. I was immediately feeling the effects. While before I could feel small tingles every now and again out of randomness, I now could feel the power beneath my skin almost constantly. I worked to control my biotics for years, and learned faster than any other student in the academy. I was eventually accepted by the other students out of respect for my abilities, and I eventually grew close to them as a result. I was sad for days after any of them graduated, but that only helped my resolve to learn.

I graduated from the biotics program after four years. Normally biotics graduates would go into the field immediately or enlist in the Alliance infantry to gain combat skills. I had been keeping up my fitness throughout my training, and it paid off, and did the latter to gain my competence in various weapons. I had just been processed into boot camp when I noticed a high ranking officer walking professionally to my cabin. I leaned against the log wall next to the door and followed his approach with my eyes.

He stopped in front of me and I saluted briskly. He saluted back in kind and I dropped my hand. Noticing the N7 logo on his chest, I told him, "I wasn't expecting someone of your stature to want anything to do with a biotic, sir."

He clasped his hands behind his back and stood up straight in front of me. I immediately wondered if I had made a mistake. He replied with a gruff voice, "You've been watched for six years, Private. I'm here to give you an offer to join the N7 program." He stared at me expectantly.

Just like when I was told I was a biotic, I was dumbfounded. The N7 program put out the best soldiers the Alliance had ever seen. It was also, by reputation, by far the most stressful and demanding. I thought about the offer for a second. The N7 program also was known for turning away recruits due to having biotics. I was curious as to why they would ask me to join the program.

"I'm afraid I'm confused, sir. Don't you guys reject people based on their having biotics?"

He unclasped his hands and turned to the side, slowly pacing while he talked to me. "You are correct. Usually people give the impression that they are not willing to put in the effort because of their unique skills, but biotics are in increasing demand in the military, meaning we don't have the luxury of time to train them." He stopped and turned back towards me. "You're different. The academy you came from is currently low key, and the military is not aware of your biotic skill yet. If they did, you would be forced on to the front lines in an instant." He began to pace again. "You have been keeping yourself fit, but we can hone that to be almost as great of a weapon as your biotics."

He stopped in front of me and clasped his hands behind him again. "The N7 program is only for the most extreme and dedicated of soldiers. If you can't handle it, let me know now. Your life will be difficult if you accept. I cannot guarantee you will even gain N1 status. You do not have to give me an answer now, but the offer will not last forever. The longer you wait, the more time the Alliance has to find out your biotic abilities."

I thought for a second, then looked up into his expectant face. With a slight grin, I held my hand out for him. "I'll accept, sir."

He grasped my hand and shook it, then led me to his personal shuttle.

I learned very fast why the N7 program was infamous for how strenuous it was. I trained close to 24/7 for the first several weeks. I was given a small group of soldiers to command through various environments, living off very little sleep. I was given only a single meal's worth of rations a day, and given the choice to decide when to eat it. I tried my hardest to spread out my food as far as possible, but I heard my stomach grumble loudly every several minutes throughout the day. It wasn't all bad, however. I had been given an omni-tool before the first mission, and my soldiers were very skilled.

The last day of the initial training couldn't happen fast enough. After I led my three soldiers through the N7 Cabin to gain my debriefing, I slumped into one of the chairs and laid my head on the smooth, cold wall. My head pulsed as the heat tumbled out of my body through my sweat. I forced myself to stand up awkwardly, although I didn't have the energy to stand up straight. I was not expected to, as a man entered the room and walked up to me. Through my waves of exhaustion, I was able to make out his face long enough to recognize him as the man heading the program. I raised my hand in a salute, but I dropped it immediately after due to the exertion. I leaned forward and laid my arms on my legs as I slowly registered someone talking.

I was lifted up by the arms and led out of the cabin. I drifted in and out of consciousness, unaware I was ever asleep, but I found myself being set down in a chair and something being placed in my mouth. As soon as I registered that I was being given food, I swallowed and opened my mouth for more. I ate ravenously and drank thirstily until I felt sick, then I resigned myself to being dragged away.

My next memory was waking up thirteen hours later in my own bed. I sat up groggily, still dead tired but unwilling to go back to sleep. I stood up uneasily and looked towards my suit. I noticed a note attached to the door and walked slowly up to the door.

Marcus Garvil, you have passed the first section of N7 training. You have two weeks to rest and regain your strength. Take this time to think about your training. If you wish to recieve the next section of your training, then meet the head of the program at 0700 in two weeks time. Enjoy your vacation.

I wiped the message off the door with my omni-tool and opened the door to the grassy field. I walked across to the cafeteria and walked up to the counter. The man behind the counter smiled knowingly and handed me a tray already filled with an average meal. I sat down at a table in the opposite corner and ate. I wasn't as ravenous as the day before, but I still ate faster than I would normally. One of the other recruits walked in and motioned the man for a meal. Noticing me in the corner, he sat down across from me and stared at me arrogantly. I unconsciously grabbed hold of my biotics below the table

"So you're the biotic, eh? Don't look so tough to me."

I crossed my arms and leaned back, giving him an ugly stare. "And who are you?"

He simply laughed and popped a meatball in his mouth. His eye twinkled mischevously as he replied. "Name's Harrot. George Harrot. I'm leaving for N2 training tomorrow. I hear you finished just yesterday. I can see that as fact; you look ugly as a varren." He swallowed and put another meatball in his mouth.

I sighed and leaned forward, continuing to stare into his amused eyes. I responded with, "I see. Good luck in your training," and stood up. Returning the tray to the man giving the food, I returned to my cabin and opened my terminal. I sent my father a quick e-mail detailing my progress, then layed down in my bed to think, staring at the ceiling blankly. Even here, where only the most exceptional soldiers were, I was known and outcasted. I turned over to my side and sighed. Before drifting off to sleep, I thought to myself, I hope the result is worth this. I'm sick of being an outcast.

Two weeks after I recieved the message, I confidently walked into the head instructor's office and stated I wished to continue my training. The man simply smiled and paged a soldier to lead me to a private shuttle to another facility. I spent the next six months moving from Alliance facility to facility, learning various skills I might need throughout my military career. I rose the ranks quickly, as a result of my ability to learn new concepts competently with only a few attempts. I was released to the Alliance Military with exceptional marks, skilled even for N6 standards.

I was finally done with training, learning new combat skills for future use. I was finally able to begin my career furthering the Alliance's goals. As I stood in front of my first ship assignment, I smiled to myself. I'm ready to make my mark on the galaxy.

A/N: This is the second of three parts of the prologue. Hang tight, the actual story begins soon.