After the ceasefire of 18th April 2156, humanity learned that they weren't alone in the galaxy. Surprisingly, they took the news quite well, despite some riots and protests for allowing aliens inside terran territory. The directors tried to calm them down, stating that the aliens were friendly and they only wanted to trade and learn from the human civilization. Also, they added that it also worked the other way around. Merchants and businessmen lined up to work in the Citadel, Noveria and Illium, some matching or even surpassing the volus in finance knowledge and economy. Others applied to work in C-sec. Many humans were accepted, due to the fact that a human fleet was added to the defence fleet and the lingering fear that was instilled to the Citadel species for humanity's combat prowess. Still, the integration was smooth more or less besides some complaints about excessive force by some human officers. Others wanted to travel to the Citadel space and other planets for cultural exchange and talk with actual aliens. However, there were also people who wanted to go to the terminus systems to work as mercenaries,
killers for hire, drug dealers and other illicit activities. Zaeed Massani, who was discharged on 'psychological grounds' after liquifying admiral Arterius, went to the terminus systems, along with an requisitions officer, Vido Santiago, to create the Blue Suns, a mercenary outfit that would probably gain significant power in the future. All in all, the future looked bright, despite the setbacks brought because of humanity's liberal use of AI, the existence and recognition of sentient AI's as human beings, the destruction in Shanxi and the advanced technology that humanity wasn't willing to share. To alleviate the concerns, civilian grade technology was allowed to be exchanged, including medicinal, cybernetics, construction nanomachines and terraforming spires, but the watchful eyes of the CISP made sure that nothing would escape unnoticed. Also, there was the matter of the spectres. Unlike the hunter division, whose members were trained from a young age to uphold the laws despite their right to overrule them if necessary, spectre candidate screening processes weren't as careful and thorough. Proof was the 2157 Benning incident. A trio of asari spectres were gunning for a notorious batarian drug lord who operated in the terminus systems. Said criminal escaped into terran territory using fake identification, granting him access to the colony of Benning as a trader. However, the spectres found him and instead of asking the authorities to bring him in, they attacked him on sight. While they did eliminate the target, the resulting pursuit led to a rampage that killed 4 humans, injured 7 and caused a lot of collateral damage. The 3 spectres were later apprehended by a lone hunter who was called to resolve the situation and bring them in. While the coalition discovered that the batarian truly was a criminal, the 3 spectres were imprisoned for their reckless conduct and murder of unarmed civilians. They were to be imprisoned for 25 years if it wasn't for the intervention of the council. They paid heavy reparations for the damages and a revised law passed towards allowing spectres to kill or capture criminals of any council species in terran territory. The new law dictates that each and every spectre entering terran territory must be at all times be escorted by a hunter unit, also the opposite if the roles were reversed. while many, especially the turians, thought the council's approach was too weak kneed and appeasing to the humans, just a few months later, in 2159, the teaming up of an asari spectre and young hunter David Anderson brought down a rogue human scientist who tried to sell military hardware to a batarian extremist group. The batarian Hegemony was splintered in 2 factions, the Free Batarian Worlds, who decided to abolish slavery and become less xenophobic, led by Grothan Pazness with help from the terran coalition, and the True Batarian Hegemony, who wanted to keep slavery as part of their culture and resumed funding pirates, slavers and terrorists against anyone they considered enemies. They held Khar'Shan and the batarian colonies in the closest proximity, but where far more isolated and had no support except the funded criminals and terrorists. The results led to the closing of the official batarian embassy, as the council didn't want to get involved in this civil war. The news of a human hunter working with a spectre however soothed some tensions, but the lingering animosity was still there. The council species considered humanity too individualistic to really join the galactic community, despite the tries from both sides to make things easier.
5th August 2159
London, Earth
Sebastian Shepard, dressed in civilian clothing, was in a hotel room, waiting for his contact. In the meantime, he was fiddling with a tool, writing words on the arm of a little 3 year old boy, his son.
"That's right, hold still and be quiet. Just in case something happens to me, you will still be recognisable." he said quietly.
The words written when he was finished were:
'Douglas Shepard, 1st January 2157'
With his work done, he said to the quiet boy:
"Look at you. 3 years old and you didn't even flinch. I know grown men who would piss their pants to the sight of that needle. Heh, I don't really know if you will become the hero your mother claims, but I'll stake my life that whoever's going to mess with you will pay dearly." Shepard said.
A few minutes later, after Shepard put his son to the bedroom, someone knocked the door of the hotel room. 3 quick knocks, 2 slow and 2 quick. Shepard knew who it was before opening the door:
"Why so late Jack? Stuck in the traffic again? Or a sweet girl kept you preoccupied?" Shepard teased, while the face he greeted became a death glare. One embarrassing story of the figure in front of Shepard, Jack Harper, was one time they went to a strip club, Jack was left behind, and claimed to his superiors that he was stuck in traffic as an excuse to avoid the latrine duty, back to their salad days before becoming CISP operators.
"No. I just had some business to attend to before I came here. It is about the new role of cell Cerberus." Jack answered.
"You mean about this whole 'watch them were they live' situation?" Shepard asked.
"No. Director Espinoza authorized the Cerberus Initiative. Our objective is to protect humanity against every enemy and at any cost. As you are well aware, many from our cell, other cells and even from the other branches volunteer for this. I just want to learn if you are interested." Harper offered.
Shepard was quiet for a bit. He wasn't persuaded at the slightest:
"Why exactly do we need something like that? We already have every advantage we need. Technological, military, the psychic corps, what else we need?" he asked.
"This is the reach of our official power Shepard. But what about the unofficial? As you know, the aliens are trying to make under the table deals with some of our own, corrupting humanity from the inside out. The role of Cerberus is to ensure they fail. We catch whatever falls through the cracks of the official coalition's power and all is well." Harper explained.
"So this is it? We devolve the Cerberus cell into a criminal organisation? A terrorist group? Are you insane Harper? We don't even have a sliver of the funding needed for something like this." Shepard said in disbelief.
Harper, to his credit, kept his voice stern and his face neutral as he tried to explain further:
"We don't devolve. We adapt. This matter is no more about squabbles between humanity. The aliens don't trust us and probably never will. They want us as subordinates, they don't watch us as equals. They will use any method to get their claws to our resources, our people and our technology. We must discourage them from taking any real action. Also, the director provided us with a substantial amount of credits." Harper showed Shepard a check. It had many zeroes written on it.
Shepard looked the check wide eyed. And the part about the alien species being distrustful and wanting to get their hands on human technology was true. Proof was the earlier incident. If one human could be tempted to betray for credits, why not another? The danger was real and Shepard knew it, so he gave his answer to Harper:
"I understand Jack. I really do. But as you see, I have a son now. I can't really fight in this cold war. I have to settle down. Who knows, one day he may be of use to the armed forces or Cerberus." Shepard refused the offer.
Harper wasn't pleased at the answer. He huffed in disappointment and turned away towards the door:
"I'm sorry to hear that Shepard. It would be like the good old times. If this is your decision, I will respect it..."
Suddenly, an electrified dart struck Shepard to the torso, knocking him unconscious, causing his body to tremble from the shock. The last words he heard before slipping in unconsciousness were:
"...but the orders dictate that anyone who is aware about Cerberus, in exception to director Espinoza and all Cerberus personnel, is to be eliminated. Believe me Shepard, I don't want to do this, but orders are orders. For humanity." Harper finished.
With the body taken away by the now decloaked CISP operator, the same AI who was in Shepard's squad in the Citadel, named Grant, Harper searched the place for the child, only to find the bedroom empty and a window open. It was already dark outside and it looked like the boy escaped from the window. Harper gave up the idea of hunting him and left the apartment. In the meantime, little Douglas was trying to run away. His psychic powers caught the danger of the situation and pushed his body to move. So, he fell from the second floor of the hotel, thankfully his abilities let him fall relatively softly and without injuries and he went as far away as he could, afraid of the one who was hunting him, away from the one who hurt his father. However, his body was still too weak to properly work and he collapsed, just one kilometer away from the hotel, in the east london slums. He collapsed in a dreamless sleep, the chill of the night making him shiver. A little later, a male voice was heard:
"JESUS CHRIST! Come out here woman! There's a little lad here!... do something, he is shivering..." then, a female voice started:
"He has a fever Keith!... where did you find the boy Keith, did somebody leave him here?" the voices were clearer now, but Shepard could also feel their distress and willingness to help. He was too weak to wake up, but he felt relieved. Then he heard the male voice again:
"I found him near the dumpster, on me way to the pub. I was about to go drink with the boyos, then saw the poor tyke lying there among the trash."
"God almighty, did you see anyone or anything else?" the woman asked.
"Nay, I looked around and saw nothing. Whatever motherless bastard left the boy there is long gone." he said as he picked Shepard up and carried him back to their run down apartment.
Keith Mandrel was very angry at whoever left a child like this. Sure, he wasn't the best person in the world, he was a football fanatic, Liverpool all the way, a bit of a drinker and pretty violent if agitated. But he was a caring husband and would never lay a finger on his wife Nancy, his 7 year old son Bryce or his 10 year old daughter Janet. His wife was also kind. While hard to trust others and having a limited income made her work hard, she did her best at growing the kids and educating them using second hand books and whatever else needed.
"Hey, the lad has a tattoo on his left forearm. It looks fresh." Keith said as he raised said arm.
"Let's me open the light." Nancy said as she flipped the switch, illuminating said tattoo.
"Douglas Shepard, 1st January 2157, is that your name and birthdate boy?" Keith asked at the still unconscious boy.
"For fuck's sake, don't wake up the lad. Put him somewhere close to the heater so he can sleep." Nancy ordered.
Keith obliged and did so, also covering Shepard with a blanket to keep him warm. The commotion however attracted the attention of Bryce, who immediately asked:
"Hey pops, who is that little guy here?"
"He is Douglas Shepard and we have to help him recuperate son." Keith said.
"Is he a Liverpool fan?" Bryce asked.
"All the way Bryce." Keith lied.
"Then let me help him. We gotta stand together to win." Bryce said.
"Alright then, just keep yer eyes on him and tell me when he wakes up. I gotta go and ask the child providence if any children were declared lost around here." Keith said as he left.
About two hours later, Keith returned bearing news. His wife asked him what he learned:
"Well, the boy isn't in their system. No kids lost under that name, no runaways, no kidnappings, nothing. They say that if we keep it, we are entitled to a money bonus."
Keith said, more happily to the last part.
"Wait, you really think of keeping him?" Nancy asked.
"Why the bloody hell not? We would do a better job than the rotten piece of shit who abandoned the lad. Let alone we're getting a hefty amount of cash." Keith explained.
Nancy thought for a bit. She didn't really want to have a third child. But leaving it alone just wasn't right on her mind. So, she made her decision:
"Alright then, we have to sign adoption papers and..." Nancy didn't have time to finish talking when a scream from next room interrupted her:
"MOM, DAD, COME HERE NOW! THIS SHIT IS INSANE!" the distressed voice of Bryce said. Worried, the two parents bolted to the room were Bryce was watching Shepard, only to stay slack jawed and wide eyed at what they saw. Little Douglas was levitating in the air, awake, aware and seemingly happy, while Bryce was in the corner, not believing what he was seeing. Also, Janet was there, her eyes more interested than afraid.
"He is a psychic. No other logical explanation." Janet said. The three others nodded and when the shock settled in, Nancy asked Keith:
"Maybe that's why the boy's name is in the system. It's a military asset, they want it as a living weapon or something."
"No way I'm letting the little lad become a tool for war. We will help him grow into a proper boy, not some twisted soldier. I don't care about the discovery of them aliens, the boy will become a proper man, not a weapon." Keith decided.
"Is it settled then? We adopt the boy?" Nancy asked.
"Come on pops, I want a brother to play football with, maybe even watch the matches. Janet is too uptight and..." Bryce stopped talking when he saw the glare of his older sister.
"Aside of what my dimwitted brother said, I always wanted to see a psychic. Having one as a brother will be the best for my research." Janet said.
"What 'research' o mighty big sister?" Bryce teased.
"I want to be a scientist. Researching how a psychic works will benefit the world." Janet answered.
"All right, all right kiddos, we will take little Douglas in." Keith said. The kids hooted in delight, even Nancy smiled. Keith thought that it would be better for the kid to grow with normal, albeit poor family, than in some military facility. He knew from his past in the SMACC troopers that war only brings pain and misery in the end. He fought hard in the 3 warlords rebellion and when he returned, all he got was a medal because of his leg injury, a pat in the back and a miserable pension. He saw Shepard and he was almost sure that the boy nodded at understanding to him. Heh, perks of being a psychic.
AN
Sorry for the late update. I got sick for a week and I'm lucky my hearing is still good. Anyway, as you see, Douglas Shepard's youth years won't be without their hardships. This is my modified Earthborn path, were I connect the official mass effect lore with my own ideas. Enjoy.
