Mass Effect Cosmos
Chapter 1
Author's Note: Aaron Kanter and Monika Belle belong to me. This story begins before Mass Effect and goes to Mass Effect 3. Suggestions and critiques for improvements are always welcome.
Monika gazed up at the night sky. As she sat in the backyard of her parents' home, she took note of the stars and moon. A smile spread across her brown face. Excitement flickered in eyes. So much out there, she thought. I want to go out there and explore the star systems.
Outer space had intrigued since the first time she had looked up at the night sky. She remembered her mother and father showing it to her when she was 4 years old. At first it was frightening. She knew little about it at the time. Her mother and father told her that humans lived on the planet Earth in the Milky Way in the Sol System.
Venus, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto, Jupiter, and the Sun were familiar names to her. Her father showed her the planets in a book from the library. Monika committed them to memory and continued to read about them, even now, at 8 years old.
Maybe one day…I can go up there, she thought. She lowered her eyes to the backyard. It was a large lawn with weeds popping up every 4 inches. A green garbage bin and a blue recycling bin stood side by side on the left. A metal fence surrounded the backyard. Several houses with backyards bordered her own.
"Can I …. go into outer space?" Monika said aloud, more to herself. "Is it possible?"
"It's possible."
She jumped when she heard the voice. She turned around. Standing in the doorway was one of her older brothers. He wore a white tee shirt with a rocket ship graphic on it and blue jeans. Under the graphic were the words STARWARD. He often wore that shirt. His hair was cropped short in a buzz cut.
"You think so, Fred?" Monika asked.
"I believe it is. There's so much out there. Not just the planets, stars, and heavenly bodies in our galaxy, but many."
"Yeah… I hope to go into space one day."
"You and me both." Fred nodded. "I want to go into space and meet aliens."
"Meet aliens? You're crazy!"
Fred laughed. He shrugged his shoulders. "And what about you? What do you want to do?"
Monika considered her older brother's question for several minutes. Fred stepped over the threshold and sat on the grass beside her.
"Well," Monika began. "I always like to travel. Learn places, landmarks, and locations. I also enjoy flying. It's exciting and scary, but I can't get enough of it!"
"True, true. I remember how excited you were the first time we flew in an airplane to visit our cousins in South Carolina. You stared out the window and grinned like a gremlin."
"I know. And I want to be able to fly a spaceship and a plane one day."
Monika then frowned. "You think Mom and Dad would be happy with our dreams? To go out in outer space."
Fred hesitated. "I don't know. But we shouldn't give up on our dreams."
I won't give up. Monika nodded.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Aaron grinned as he sat down at the dinner table with his family. His mouth watered. His stomach rumbled. He was eager to tuck into the food before him. The silverware and dinnerware were already set. Each plate was filled with grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots, cherry pie, and peas. He picked up his fork and knife, ready to eat.
"Not yet," his mother said. She looked at him with sharp green eyes. Her long dark red curtained her face. "We always pray before we eat."
Embarrassed, Aaron put his utensils down. "Sorry Mom."
She nodded slowly before telling everyone to bow their heads. She was always the glue and heart of the Kanter Family. She worked tirelessly to keep everyone together with love, firmness, and tenderness. She often cooked the meals, did the laundry, cleaned the house, and maintained the budget with his father.
Once she had finished praying, she nodded, and every one began to eat. Aaron picked up his fork and knife and started on his chicken. It was delicious and well-seasoned. As he chewed, he looked up to his father.
His dad was a solid man. Broad-shouldered, blue-eyed, and brown-haired, he was a hardworking and industrious man. He cut into his chicken and ate each bite with gusto. He wore a grease-stained gray work skirt, khaki trousers, steel-toed boots, and durable wristwatch. He always looked he was hard at work whether he was eating, driving, cleaning, and repairing something. That nature was one thing he loved about his dad.
"Good food, Katherine," his father said, glancing to his mother and nodding. "After this, I'd have to eat you up."
"Henrich!" His mother blushed. "Don't say such things in front of the kids."
His father swallowed his food. He chuckled and winked at her and looked at the children. "Forgive me children."
"It's okay, Dad," Aaron said.
"We know you love, Mom," his older sister Mary said. "A lot."
"Just keep it to yourself," his older brother John said. "We don't want to hack up this good food."
Every one laughed. Aaron shook his head. Even though his dad could be serious and intimidating, he still had a light-hearted and funny side. He knew his dad had to crack jokes and smile because of how hard life could be, and his dad worked as a maintenance technician at a beverage bottling plant.
Aaron continued to eat. While he ate, he noticed the television set in the living room. It displayed a news report. The news reporter was a man with tanned skin, sharp features, and slicked back hair.
"The Systems Alliance continues to grow and expand after signed the official charter," the reported announced. "The organization seeks to colonize worlds for humanity and explore the depths of outer space."
"The Systems Alliance?" Aaron's mother frowned. "We still have problems here on Earth, and they're seeking to colonize worlds. It's ridiculous!"
"It's interesting," Heinrich said. "Our race is making leaps and bounds in technology, space travel, and science."
"But why? Why do all this?"
"Overpopulation, limited resources, and curiosity I'd imagine. My people in Germany would be interested in this."
Aaron stared at the TV. He heard about the Systems Alliance on the news multiple times. They were an organization that wanted to expand into outer space and advance humanity beyond Earth. It was made up of leaders, thinkers, dreamers, inventors, engineers, scientists, doctors, innovators, soldiers, technicians, and doers. Though he didn't completely understand their goals and intentions, Aaron couldn't help but be drawn to it.
He wondered what it would be like to be apart of such an organization. He found adventure, heroics, fighting, and weaponry intriguing. He would read stories about heroes and adventurers, and he found them inspiring and encouraging.
He remembered seeing an advertisement on TV of the Systems Alliance. Their neat uniforms, their high-tech vehicles, their dedication, their boldness, their weaponry, and their unity made him wish he was a member. But he still had to grow up. Now, he was only 8 years old.
"Still…is it right? Are we moving to fast as a race?" Katherine asked.
"I don't think so," Heinrich replied. "We're a stubborn and idealistic race. We always want to grow and stretch ourselves. We were bound to go to space. We just have to adapt."
We just have to adapt, Aaron repeated to himself in his head. One day, I'd like to be in the Systems Alliance and be a soldier.