Hello everybody and welcome to this new story, Eezo and Chrome :D

I had this in mind for some time and had to write at least an intro for it :)

There will be more info about what I'm planning with this in the end.

Dig in, hope you'll enjoy :)

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A few years had zipped past since Nyxie Myrala decided that Thessia's life was just too snug for someone destined to be the galaxy's most kickass and glamorous maiden. Now here she was, sitting in a dimly lit merc bar on Illium, named 'Rakmor's Den' after its old gruff Krogan bartender. This early in the day, the bar was mostly empty, with just a quiet hum of a few low conversations and an occasional clink of glass providing a soothing backdrop as Nyxie mulled over her journey so far.

She sipped her drink slowly, thinking back to those simpler days on Thessia, arguing with her big sister Lysena about what to watch next, her sister's dull documentaries or some epic holo-film with tons of cool guns and explosions. She even vividly recalled the last episode of "Maelder and T'scali" they'd watched together on the family couch, the paranoid Salarian investigator was neck-deep in a conspiracy about the Citadel and evil Keepers, much to the usual skepticism of his Asari partner.

"Turns out, adventurous spiritedness isn't as marketable as I hoped," Nyxie mused, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her drink. Leaving home after years of training with the girls of her town's militia, she turned into a pretty good biotic and even built up a decent reputation as a commando. Well, as decent as you could get without joining a formal school and having to lick some matriarch's boots.

She had hoped to carve out a name for herself in the galaxy's mercenary circuits, but unfortunately the reputable and high-end groups wanted pedigrees plastered with diplomas and recommendations, not exactly the credentials of a fresh-faced maiden from Thessia, no matter her talent or enthusiasm. It was a bitter pill to swallow, realizing that prestigious mercenary groups like Eclipse and Vanguard were out of reach, their doors closed to those without a famous school or renowned matron's endorsement.

Nevertheless, she didn't give up and managed to snag sporadic gigs, mostly serving as backup for local outfits where her role mostly boiled down to standing guard and looking tough, far from the high stakes adventures and thrilling escapades she had envisioned. Although she managed during the two shootouts she was a part of, to make herself a good record at keeping her head down and shooting in the right direction, these were qualities that, frustratingly, didn't translate into lucrative contracts.

Still, it had paid some bills and delayed the point where her credits would run out, especially considering gear was not cheap. Since her beginning as a merc, she managed to buy a nice light-armor made by Serrice and added to her Acolyte pistol, the only gift from home's militia besides her bio-amp, a Bishop submachine gun. That was a start but not really what she had in mind.

Still, she was holding out hope for a decent contract within the next three months to steer clear of resorting to dancing in clubs or dabbling in unsavory missions. Until now, she'd managed to dodge offers from the shadier, less scrupulous groups, steering clear of gigs involving kidnapping, murder, or sentient trafficking, all the jobs that would make a better backstory for the villain than the hero. Yet, as her savings dwindled, she knew her selectiveness might soon be a luxury she could no longer afford.

Breaking her train of thoughts, Nyxie's omnitool buzzed with an alert that immediately lifted her spirits. The subject? Humans. Since their dramatic entrance into the galactic community, she couldn't help being fascinated and keeping an eye on them.

The omnitool's orange display flickered to life with new codex entries, but as she scrolled looking for new material, her thoughts drifted to what she'd learned about humans so far. It has been a little over two years since the Turians had been caught trying to discreetly acquire another client race using the Citadel laws on Mass Relays opening as an excuse. But their operation derailed at some point and they had to disclose what happened to the rest of the galaxy, from then the revelations just kept piling up.

It started with the admission that the almighty Hierarchy fleets had been damaged enough that they ultimately had to retreat from the Human's colony they were occupying, Shanxi. These Humans, or rather, the Systems Alliance, despite having only two dreadnoughts, had been determined enough to launch attacks after attacks. With seemingly primitive but effective technologies and impressive numbers of small crafts, they overwhelmed their enemies and had the Turians running from what they thought was an easy grab.

Then came the real juicy stuff, ground battles. Using their reports and stories, the Hierarchy was trying to paint the whole species as monsters; according to them, combats from against the original garrison to the final disembarkment, had all been the stuff of nightmares. The humans were heavily cybernetized, ruthless and carried lots of guns. They used masses of combat mechs of all shapes and sizes and didn't think twice about using emp, chemical, or even nuclear artillery. There were even rumors of mysterious special forces, the kind of shadowy legends you'd expect to find in a spy thriller. Slipping through enemy lines with cold precision and outright audacity, sabotaging installations, blowing up Turians and in the end capturing or killing all the leaders of the Hierarchy Legions on their world.

Even if the Hierarchy declared them a bunch of monstrous savages, Nyxie couldn't hold a chuckle, admiring the sheer guts of it all. Humans might not have any biotics, but they sure knew how to shake things up. This was not just a species that came to play, they came to redefine the game, with brute force, some slick tech and style.

And that style, that undeniable flair, was definitely what sealed her obsession with them. Not even a year ago, Nyxie had gotten her first real peek at humans and it had been nothing short of a cinematic debut on the Citadel's grand stage. Leading the spectacle was Ambassador Anita Goyle, who had strode with the grace of a dancer and the intensity of a commando. Her long, silvery "hair", as humans called their head fur, flowing like liquid metal, so different from anything Nyxie had seen and complemented her crisp, white and black leather outfit that screamed authority and elegance. The thin silver lines across her light beige skin, catching the light with every step, subtly highlighted her striking appearance.

But it wasn't just Anita, with the Ambassador had been six other humans and her crew was also styled for impact, each one more eye-catching that the next.

First off, their skin tones were like a palette from some wild artist's imagination, ranging from the darkest brown that glistened under the station lights to pale yellowish hues that nearly blended into the glow of their cybernetics. Even their hairs were contrasted, black, yellow, red or gray, each with its own shade and form. The variety was staggering and very exotic to Nyxie's eyes, used to the more uniform appearances of each Citadel Space species.

Even their heights and builds were impressively varied, the two security males carrying guns were large, towering figures that loomed over the crowd like a pair of Krogans, while the other males, still taller than females, were much leaner. Even amongst females they were very different from one another, while the Ambassador was almost as small as a Quarian, another one was slightly taller than herself.

Human clothes were also unmistakably another part of their arsenal, they weren't just wearing clothes, they were making statements. From sharply tailored suits and colorful skirts that looked like they jumped right off a fashion vid, to dark blue and black military uniforms ready for a parade, every piece seemed to shout, "Look at me, I'm from Earth and I'm fabulous!".

And the cybernetics were a spectacle on their own. All of them had intricate patterns and glowing lines adorning their skin and faces, especially around the eyes, creating an almost mystical aura around each individual. But, unlike the subtle or hidden enhancements Nyxie was used to among Asari, where the goal was to blend seamlessly, the humans embraced their tech as if it was all about showing off or displaying some kind of badge of honor. The two security guards especially were anything but subtle, their hands, arms, necks and part of their faces sheathed in dark metallic plates looked more like battle armor than anything. Meanwhile, the diplomats' cybernetics were more like pieces of jewelry. Ambassador Goyle had silvery hands that moved with such a fluid grace that they seemed natural and another female, lad in a sleek shining black skirt, had legs entirely golden and red, making her look like she stepped out of a high-end sculpture gallery.

Nyxie couldn't help but marvel at the boldness of it all, they didn't just use their tech, they wore it with pride, making it part of who they are and the results were beautiful. Their flashy arrival in Citadel space and the drama of their military escapades didn't just turn heads, it spun them. Even the old matriarchs were left scratching their heads, torn between seeing humans as ruthless warriors or sophisticated survivors and considering how biologically close they were from their species, possibly even leftovers of some ancient Prothean experiments on prehistoric Asari.

Reminiscing with a smirk, Nyxie was jolted back to the present when she finally found on her omnitool the new materials she was looking for. The first unread update was marked as 'Translation Language Packs Added: Mandarin, Spanish', which considering these were already the fourth and fifth languages added to the codex for these newcomers, was kind of surprising. All the others in Citadel Space had just one language completed with a few dialects for old and remote colonies.

Scrolling further, she came down to the second part of the update and it looked much juicier, the history of the Systems Alliance's founding; To her surprise the Human's unification and the creation of the Alliance was only eleven years ago, in 2088 by human reckoning, when she had already been working her biotics for several years. It apparently started when one of their factions, the European Economic Community, was busted hiding a Prothean Beacon over at a colony called Mars. The revelation apparently threatened to spiral into full-blown conflict, with their whole species teetering on the brink of a total nuclear throwdown Tuchanka style.

The entry detailed how, in a desperate bid to dodge that whole end-of-the-world scenario, Earth's major powers and corporations came together to form the Systems Alliance. Some sort of federal super-government with an official mandate to be humanity's military, exploratory and economic spearhead across the stars. An organization made to clamp down and assume authority over every human government and asset, thus preventing their destruction by their own hands. It was clear that although it almost destroyed them, finding the Beacon and the Mass Effect allowed them to suddenly play nice and get all organized, transforming chaotic rivalries into a unified front that could have made a Turian proud.

However it also included some info about the exception, while the System Alliance brought together human factions under a unified government, there was one group that wasn't just about to fall in line. Already one of the last city-states on their homeworld before that, Night City, emerged as the mediator. It became the playground where Human's mega-corporations and governmental factions hammered out the terms that would shape their new policies and many System Alliance institutions were based in the city. As much as Nyxie was understanding, since she wasn't too clear on the legal mumbo-jumbo from the Codex, this was a place where slick leaders and fierce independentists carved themselves a status somewhere along the line of Illium or Terminus.

The Codex hinted that besides corporate giants, many powerful groups and persons, artists, politicians and scientists, played a huge role in keeping the city autonomous, leveraging their might to create a space where System Alliance rules were more like suggestions. Even if there wasn't much more in the Codex about this city, to her, it sounded like the real wild, untamed part of humanity. She imagined it as a place where freedom was the currency and every dream had a price tag, where the future was crafted by a young species and cutting-edge technology, unchecked by governments and matriarchal oversight. She imagined it as a place buzzing with energy and filled with the kind of daring adventures she craved. Even the name was amazing, Night City, 'The City of Dreams'.

As the door to the bar swung open, letting exterior light, sound and air sweep in, the 'Rakmor's Den' atmosphere shifted palpably and Nyxie's attention snapped from her omnitool to the newcomers. The murmuring low-key chatter fell eerily silent, everyone's attention shifting toward the two figures that entered. Real life humans. She knew that a few were on Illium, but she didn't see any and as far as she was aware, it was only a few corporate persons negotiating agreements and establishing trade routes, people that were hoarded by the old hags playing politics.

The first guy looked young and tough, with a rugged face and a neatly trimmed fur all around his face that gave him a kind of disciplined, military vibe. His skin was a lightly dark shade and his thin lips had a smirk while he scanned the room behind thick black goggles with a bright red visor. The other male looked older, with a face lined with scars and a hardened expression, contrasting sharply against his lighter skin. Short, black hair with a few gray streaks framed striking blue eyes, radiating a resolve and was a little intimidating.

Wrapped in bulky dark coats that barely hid their armored suits and the unmistakable bulges of guns, the duo slowly went to the bar and started to talk quietly with the old Krogan. After a brief, hushed conversation, Rakmor grunted something and his massive finger directed them in her direction, turning both of their gaze straight on her.

Slightly panicking, Nyxie fumbled to shut down her omnitool, but her jittery fingers made it hard. Unsure of what to do, she gave them a goofy wave, her smile too wide as they walked over and her cheeks flamed up, realizing how silly she must look. As they approached and she could see them better, she noticed the younger guy's armor that peeked out from under his coat, sleek and black with blue edges and a few red lights matching his visor, making him look like some kind of tech warrior. His companion, the older, scarred one, looked more machine than man, with limbs that were clearly cybernetic on the verge of being mechanical, his legs especially were massive, with hydraulics visible beneath the metallic armor.

When they stopped in front of her table, Nyxie blurted out, "Hey!" before she paused, flipping between her default cheerfulness and an attempt at acting tough "Um, looking for something?"

The older male's mouth twitched into a small, knowing smile as his piercing eyes detailed her. "Hello girlie," he said, his voice deep and a bit gravelly. "Looking for a job ?"

"I'm Nyxie Myrala." She recoiled slightly at 'girlie'. Really? Maidens always had it rough, but she snapped back quickly, her own eyes narrowing playfully. "Only if it's interesting and I'm getting paid. And by the looks of you two, it's either something juicy or you guys just really dig the whole mysterious tough-guy look."

Zaeed, as the older man introduced himself without much fanfare, sat and leaned, his mechanical limbs whirring softly, while his friend stood beside him. "Name's Zaeed and this here's Vido. We're here for a gig and we find ourselves in sort of a tight spot. We could use a third at this point, we need a more creative approach."

Vido, the younger one sporting high-tech eye gear, nodded in agreement, a smirk playing on his lips as he evaluated Nyxie's reaction.

Nyxie couldn't help the thrill that zipped through her, this was what she always dreamed. "Tight spots hm? That's my specialty. So what's this about?" she said, relaxing in her chair and throwing her arms behind her head, playing it super cool despite the Krogan snorting a laugh from behind his bar.

Vido, while casually leaning against a nearby pillar, chimed in with an amused tone, "We've been tracking a high-value target across a few Relays. Corpo-rat with too much money and too many secrets, he's holed up on Illium now, trying to dodge some... complications."

Nyxie's curiosity spiked, although she wasn't sure of the meaning and its translation "Corpo-rats on the run, huh. So you guys are bounty hunters? What's the catch though? You guys look like you can handle just about anything."

"Bounty hunters might be stretching it," Vido replied with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Think of us as freelance problem solvers. We were hired to deliver some well-earned Justice."

"And the catch?" Nyxie leaned forward, her interest piqued.

Zaeed gave a short chuckle that sounded gravelly and dry. "Here's the twist, kid. We don't just want him scared and unfortunately not everything can be solved with a good shootout. We need someone a little more inconspicuous, a decoy, to blend in and lure him out. We'll handle the heavy lifting."

Nyxie raised an eyebrow, the excitement mingling with a dash of reality. "Decoy sounds a bit less glamorous than what I had in mind. What kind of mission are we talking about here?"

" If we plan it right, you won't even be in the same room when things go down. Just need you to be a pretty face he doesn't fear." Zaeed reassured, his tone firm.

As the words 'decoy' and 'pretty face ' hung in the air, it finally clicked in her mind. "Wait, you mean you need bait," she realized aloud, not sure whether to be offended or excited as her eyes darted between the two.

Vido's smirk didn't waver, "Think of it more like... strategic positioning, you would be the star of the show. We just need that extra edge, someone who doesn't scream 'I'm a mercenary from Earth hunting you'."

The thought of diving into such a dicey plot sent a thrill through Nyxie, tinged with the unmistakable buzz of danger. She smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Alright, you've got yourself a star. When do we start and who's our unlucky target?" She answered, her spirit ignited by the challenge.

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Hey :)
Hope you enjoyed it.

I've made the choice that instead of focusing the story on the First Contact war or ME1, this will be about the few years in between. A cyberpunk universe that just discovered Eezo and Mass Effect on one side and Citadel Space and species that are interacting with a humanity that is much different from the original.

For those that don't know, this is a secondary story for me, my current main being The Galactic Dance Episode II: Rhythms of Nazarick, a Star Wars x Overlord crossover, therefore updates on this new one are not planned in the immediate future, especially since although cyberpunk's lore is fresh in my mind, it has been many years since I played ME. So I'm still working on a roadmap and the lore for the moment, there is even a big possibility that the next update will include modifications to this intro.

I have a discord FszvzGTgVu, where I'll shortly create an Eezo and Chrome part dedicated to this story if there is interest in it and where I would love to have people more versed than me in ME to ask questions and check things :)

Here are some lore elements that I have in mind for this story :
_ The chosen end of the game in 2077 is "Don't fear the Reaper" therefore a 46 years old is still very much alive in the year 2099.
_ I try to follow the timeline from Mass Effect's humanity starting with the first Mars colony, 2023 in cyberpunk's lore for 2103 for ME and a slight difference in the discovery of element zero, 2147 in ME and 2087 in cyberpunk.
_ Many ME characters will be part of this story but younger, especially on humanity's side, than in the game, for example Zaeed and Vido have not created Blue Sun yet.

Hope to see you again soon and please leave a review :D