Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, Bioware, or anything like that. If I did, everyone would've liked the game even more.

A/N: Despite the copious amounts of bullshit I put up with, I'm still alive and still writing. Yay? Yay. If anyone has advice for me in terms of story, dialogue, or combat improvement, feel free to share. I'm going to try my best to make this story at least somewhat decent.

Citadel

February 8th, 2183. 12 P.M.

Armor and weapons in transit to the Normandy, Liara and I make our way to Flux, where Shepard wanted to speak to everyone in a more relaxed environment.

Arriving there, we find Garrus, Tali, and the man himself in attendance, the first looking anywhere but Tali, and the second looking nowhere but Garrus. If looks could kill... I catch Shepard's attention, who only motions for me to sit. I do so, back towards the wall and watching for the others.

They file in, one by one, and as Ashley sits down last, Shepard begins to speak. "I've been considering something over the past day; we are chasing down one of the most dangerous men in the Galaxy, with one of the most diverse crews I have ever seen." He looks at all of us before continuing. " And we need to establish now, that everyone here is here because they can do it. Now, I just spoke to the Council," He grimaces slightly at this. "And then I heard something in the elevator down here that should never come from the mouth of an officer, let alone a representative of his race."

I watch on as Garrus tries even harder to sink into his seat. Not easy for someone of his size. "Now, I want to make one thing very clear, both to everyone here, and the Council: there are no suit-rats," Tali visibly flinches at this, but relaxes as Shepard continues. "No split-jaws, no lizards, no dumb-as-shit apes on my ship." He looks for argument in anyone's eyes. "We are here to take down a rogue Spectre, and if we can prove that we work well together as a team, we will change how people consider things."

"We can do this," He concludes. "And anyone who can't because of somebody's race, you can walk away now." He waits a moment, but nobody even moves a muscle. "Good. Now, let's get back to the ship." We begin our march to the Mass Transit station, and wait for our cars.

I look to Tali, who's waiting for the second car alongside me, Wrex, and Liara. "Well, you're pissed." I say. She looks ready to snap at me as well, but deflates as she sees the look of concern, rather than amusement on my face.

"I'm not, at least not at Garrus directly," She starts, "But.. I'm tired of the stares, the people checking if I stole something after I walk past them. The feeling that everyone hates me for something that happened hundreds of years ago."

"I doubt Garrus hates you, Tali." I begin. " But he was raised believing your people did something unthinkable, and his father, and his grandfather, was raised the same way. Garrus is not racist," I continue. "And it is up to you to prove your people are just as good, if not better than, the Council races."

"Better?" She asks, and I can start to hear less miserable tone creeping into her voice.

"Well, I've never of Quarians actually committing any of the crimes they are accused of," I start to act thoughtful as I speak. "And now that I consider it, you might be better candidates for the Council anyways."

"Oh, shut up." she says, though she seems to be lightening considerably.

"It might go to your head though," I warn. " I could see it now: 'Councillor Zorah, my people need to use those planets to feed our population!' And you'd just be like 'I'm sorry Tevos, but those are my summer homes."

She punches me in the shoulder. "Bosh'tet." She says, trying hard not to laugh.

"Hey!" Wrex yells, and he points to the waiting car. "You two lovebirds ready to leave, or what?" Tali immediately clams up, but my face becomes a mask of horror.

"Wrex!? I thought we had something special!" I cry, and he looks completely confused, before just walking to the car without another word. However, I'm not ready to let up yet, opening up a link to the other car as I type out a quick text to Shepard. I start to sing as we get underway. "Wrexie I love you, Wrexie I doooo. When my heart beats it beats only for youuuuu." And as horror crosses Wrex's face, the other car opens up in spectacular fashion.

"Wrexie I love you, Wrexie I doooo. When my heart beats it beats only for youuuuu!" Liara and Tali are busting up laughing, and I hear the same from my connection to the other car. Wrex looks like the angriest man I've ever seen.

"Not. Another. Word. About this day. Ever." Wrex's tone drips with rage, but I only smile blandly.

"I love you too, Wrexie."

"Very clever." I look up to find the Krogan I had just pissed off holding a shotgun. As we're the only two people currently in the cargo bay, I'm a little concerned.

"Umm.."

"Taking focus off of you and the Quarian, clever. She looked pretty embarrassed, but soon she was cheerful."

"It was nothing."

"To you, maybe." I look at him questioningly, but he merely lays his shotgun on my table, and takes a seat in my other chair. " I need something with this power, but compact. Something I can get to in a moment's notice. I've asked a few people over the years, but none of them have been able to design something that would work. It was either too bulky, or not enough power. So I'm asking you, the man with so many designs," He gestures to my blueprints. "To make something."

"Hmm.." I consider this as I look at the shotgun. "When do you need this?"

"As soon as you can get it." He answers.

"Well, I'll need some things. A Flash-Forger, for one. Only weapon-smiths have them, and I doubt we'll end up back near the Citadel for a while-" As I spoke, Wrex got up and moved towards one of the crates. He interrupts my thoughts, by opening the side of the one on the bottom. Inside is a full Flash-Forger, readily-able to take scrap parts and convert them into a new design.

"Wrex..."

"Yes?"

"How in the hell did you get your hands on that?"

"Kid, I've been around since before your people knew your planet was round. I know how to get my hands on things, and where to do it."

"Okay then. Well, we'll need the raw materials, which we already have, and will be able to get more of, so really I just need time to work on a design."

"How long do you think it will take?" His eyes gleam slightly at the thought of having something good to work with again. Or maybe he's just hungry.

"Well, I already have a concept in mind, so let me look to see if I can make it reality. If all goes well, you should have it in a couple of days." He nods, and starts to drag out the machine as I set up the corresponding program on an interface on my workbench.

(Shepard POV)

The man with many mysteries is seated at his workbench, wearing a more casual hooded black jacket and some black cargo pants, seemingly working hard on something. "Cory." He looks up from his sketching of what appears to be a fancy rectangle with a grip.

"It's not done." He gestures to the holo image. "What's up?"

"A couple of things," I answer. "First, I heard you ran up my bill a bit on T'Soni's gear?" He tenses a bit, but notices my smile.

"It'll be well worth it, Shepard. The armor is top-quality, and below top-quality prices, thanks to me."

"If it works, then it'll be fine." I reply. "But the weapon you picked up, you're gonna have to instruct her on the use, I'd think."

"Figured so." He answers. "Won't be an issue."

"Good, because you also get to teach her other things." He raises an eyebrow. "She's willing to help, but she doesn't know much about being a combatant. Neither does Tali, beyond some basic training in survival." He nods. "So, You, along with Ashley and Garrus, are going to be giving those two instruction. Weapon use, close-quarters combat, and knowing what to do when the bullets fly. Wrex will too, if he wants to actually help. Kaiden will be instructing Liara more on Biotic use in the field and not burning out."

"And you?" He asks.

"I'll be helping here and there, but I've found that learning from those on your level is easier than worrying about impressing a commanding officer."

"Good point." He remarks. "But I think you just want to get out of doing work."

"I deny everything." I say with a grin.

"I'll get it done, Shep."

"Good. There's something else, though." He looks confused.

"Yeah?"

"Well, Dr. Chakwas gave me the results of your scans, and I wanted to talk about them." He tenses up at these words, but nods.

"What did you want to know?" He asks.

"Well... What has happened to you? By the looks of it, you're part robot at this point." He chuckles humorlessly at these words.

"Feels like it, sometimes." He looks down at his hands. " Six years ago-" He freezes up at these words.

"What?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"Nothing, it's just.. It's been six years now, almost to the day, since I started down this path. Six years ago," He continues. "I was bound for the Citadel with a friend, but the transport ship was assaulted." He seems lost in memory now, as if reliving the past. " The men that boarded the ship... They came straight for me, nobody else. At first, I thought I was under arrest, but it quickly proved far more sinister than that."

"And why would you be under arrest?" I ask, my lips quirking.

"I.. Was involved with a pretty rough crowd back on Earth," He admits. " Had to be, to survive where I grew up. Couldn't rely on my mom, and Dad was nowhere to be found."

"I never knew mine," I say, and He raises his head. "But I'm probably luckier, in that aspect. Nobody had the chance to fail me." He shrugs.

"I guess we both grew up despite it." I nod. "Anyways, for whatever reason, these people used me, along with a few others, as guinea pigs. All Human-centric." My eyes slowly widen as he continues. "Pain tolerance, bone density, how much somebody could take before breaking. Then how well those pieces could go back together."

"There were five of us," He continues, eyes unfocused." Me, Alpha, Delta, Gamma, and Sigma."

"So those are the people you work with now?" I interrupt. He shakes his head.

"Were. Alpha was taken away one day for more testing, and never came back. It was fairly common," He says as he sees my face. "People would eventually be unable to get back up. And once they outlived their usefulness," He pulls out his pistol and mimics firing. "Would've happened to all of us, had we not escaped. in the process, Gamma died holding back the onslaught of guards so Sigma could reach the control room. Sigma died sending everyone he could straight to hell, and ensuring our escape."

" Here," He pulls a necklace off from under his undershirt. Attached are Three tags, one a holo-tag with several names on it. "I carry those I've lost with me, both as penance, and a reminder. I'm getting off-topic though." He says suddenly, and shifts off his jacket. He then points out a surgical line on his collarbone, extending downward under his shirt. "We all had implants put in us, things that are experimental at best."

"Mine were fairly tame, compared to Gamma and Alpha. With their Biotic talent, they were near-cyborgs for the amount of tech shoved into them. Sigma never talked about his own, though. As for myself, I was fitted with gear that would increase my reaction times, muscle development, ability to heal on my own, ability to withstand pain and stay on my feet. In short, a hard man to bring down. Delta got more of the power and resistance side, While I got more of the attacking before attacked and tech training. You see these, Shepard?" He gestures to the Omni-Tools on both wrists, and I nod. "These aren't even the ones I use. The actual combat ones are implanted in both arms." I gape at this, but he merely nods.

"Delta and I are the only survivors of that nightmare factory."

"I've only one lead," His voice takes a hard edge now. " A name: Dr. Albert Decker, Head Scientist of the Titan project, and the source of my nightmares. I almost had him three years ago in Chicago, back on earth, but he slipped away. I will find him though, Shepard. Somehow."

"If I can help, I'll let you know." I affirm.

"Thanks."

"There's something else.." I begin. He looks up. "Dr. Chakwas said there's some sort of damage.. Something from your implants..."

"I already know about it. It won't affect my work." He says, and the case appears closed from the look on his face. As I stand up, I set the tags back down on the bench.

"Those names on the end, Alex and Ana. Something you wanna talk about?"

"No." The answer came out before I was even done speaking.

"Okay, sorry. I'm gonna check up on the others."

"See ya later, Shep." As I walk towards Engineering, A splash of gray and purple catches my eye. But when I turn the corner, the doors are already closing.

'Just how much of that did she hear?'

A/N: A couple days early! Undead, You dog! I know, I know, but The next one might take longer as a result. When the mood to write hits me, I am but a slave to it. Questions? Comments? Let me know what you guys think. Till then, see ya later.

Quick Edit: Most of you read from the U.S., and that's all good, but for those of you from outside of the U.S., thanks for reading! I've gotten tags from Europe, Eastern Asia, Israel, Australia, and many others. I hope you're enjoying the story!