Chapter Two: Jamais Vu
C-Sec Academy, Citadel
August 8, 2180, 3:14 PM
Seven weeks. Seven weeks on the station, at least how time was measured on Earth. On the Citadel, a day lasted about twenty hours. An hour lasted 100 minutes, and a minute lasted 50 seconds each. A day lasted 16 percent longer than on Earth.
Since his arrival to this universe, Eric applied for identification at C-Sec. During that time, he filled out the paperwork, making sure he got all the details down. After that, he volunteered at the hospital and lived at one of the Citadel's hostels. As he got used to here, Eric's search for getting back home became futile. Nothing came to fruition except for that article he'd read about a scientist's theory that this universe collided with another in the distant past. His theory had some merit, but his data analysis wasn't thorough enough to prove it. Even with element zero, nobody could confirm the multiverse's existence or prove how he got there. He wasn't sure if they believed his version of the events surrounding his sudden appearance. There wasn't much for Eric except resign himself to his fate and to do his best.
Finally, Eric received his identification documents. But before decided what to do next, he was brought to the C-Sec academy for questioning. Eric wondered what the reason was. Aside from appearing in their universe with no reasonable scientific explanation, he couldn't imagine what information they wanted from him. It wasn't like he'd done anything wrong.
On the bright side, Eric got his belongings back, along with new clothes to help him fit in. From his new wardrobe, he picked a green, collared shirt and a pair of black pants. Among his belongings, he found his cell phone, broken from his swim in the Presidium. He wasn't sure if it mattered since he had no way of fixing it.
Eric was escorted by a C-Sec officer, a female turian with black tattoos on her face. Her blue and black uniform fit her like a combat armor. Together, they walked down a high-gray hallway in the academy, which was the same thing as C-Sec. He stopped when he overheard a conversation coming from an office nearby; one of them sounded familiar. Eric took a quick look inside.
"…so you're saying that I won't question him?" It was a young turian, his face covered with distinctive blue tattoos. His question had been directed to a navy blue-skinned asari. Eric couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he was sure he had heard the turian's voice before. He was under a lot of stress, which didn't help his recall, but at least his translator earpiece worked.
"Yeah, Garrus." The asari sat behind her desk. "Your partner… what was his name again? Ian? Yeah, Ian Shaw. He was assigned to question that human. He's a unique case, so we need to provide him with a sense of familiarity. Don't ask. I'm just as confused as you are."
Then he remembered: the voice belonged to a turian named Garrus Vakarian. In the Mass Effect games, Garrus had been one of Commander Shepard's squadmates, appearing in all three games. Eric remembered that Garrus was a cop, an investigator, willing to help others but tended to be impatient when dealing with the law and bureaucracy.
As for Shepard, he researched her background on the Extranet. Gifted with biotics, Madison Shepard had been the only child of military parents, spending her childhood on spaceships. Her father had disappeared on a patrol mission when she was a child. At age 18, she followed in her parents' footsteps and signed up for the Alliance, becoming an N7 years later. Three years ago on the planet Akuze, her squad investigated the disappearance of the colonists there. But they were wiped out by a thresher maw, leaving her as the only survivor of the group.
"Besides," the asari continued, "don't you have another case to do?"
Before Eric could eavesdrop any further, he felt an impatient tap on his shoulder. He turned and looked at his turian escort.
"Let's go," she said, more than a little impatient.
Eric followed her to a brightly-lit room with plain white walls and a large, two-way mirror, the kind he'd seen on cop shows. He knew that while an officer conducted the interview with the suspect, at least two others would observe, unseen, on the other side of the mirror. Seeing the setup of the room, Eric knew what was coming.
A blonde man, around Eric's age, sat at the table in the middle of the room. He looked up and smiled at Eric.
"Ah, you're Eric Grimes, right?" The man offered his hand. He had a slight English accent in his voice.
Eric took his hand and shook it. There wasn't any harm in being polite, especially if it would help move his case forward. "Yeah. And you are…?"
"I'm Ian Shaw with C-Sec," the young man said. "First year here, in fact."
"Ian Shaw…" Eric repeated. "I think I just saw your partner just down the hallway. Er, Garrus, right?"
"Vakarian? Yeah, he's a good bloke." Ian shook his head. "Right then. Why don't you have a seat over here?" He gestured to an empty seat on the other side of the table.
"Okay." Eric nodded and sat down. Nervous, he broke out in cold sweat. All right, Eric. Just stay calm and act natural. This is reality, not a game. No dialogue wheel and decisions to pick, no save points, nothing like that.
Eric took a deep breath. Like Natalie, he had to leave out some details to make his story believable. He didn't want to lie about his predicament. But he knew he had to bend the truth to keep the cops from deciding he was nuts and lock him up. His stomach churned, leaving behind a bitter taste in his mouth.
Ian noticed his discomfort. "You all right?" he asked. Eric nodded. The officer sighed, looked down at the datapad he held in his hands, then back up at Eric. "I know your situation is difficult, Eric. From a law-enforcement standpoint, I see nothing wrong with you, though I can understand why the higher-ups have taken a special interest in your case. It's not every day that someone just literally drops out of the blue into the Presidium." Ian chuckled at the thought. "Anyway, I'll try to make this quick, for your sake."
"Thanks," Eric sighed, relieved.
"Don't mention it. It's part of the job. You know: protect the people, maintain law and order, ensure justice... all that good stuff we cops are supposed to do." Ian smiled and looked back down at his datapad again. "Okay…" He tapped on the screen a few times. "I'll be asking you some questions, short and sweet. It'll be recorded. You okay with that?"
"Sure," Eric answered, going along. "Wouldn't hurt, I guess."
"Right. Is the information you told Natalie and what you wrote in the documents correct?" Ian asked. It seemed like he was reading the datapad out loud like it was part of the procedure or was new to this.
"Yes," Eric answered.
"Good to hear. And…" Ian's brows narrowed and squinted at his datapad, making sure he was reading this right. His expression turned sour. "Is this a joke?"
"Is there something wrong?"
Ian placed the datapad on the table. "Nothing. Sorry 'bout that." He sighed as he closed his eyes and opened them again a few seconds later. "Now, about that… orb. Is that true? That it brought you here?" he asked, seeking a different approach.
"Yes sir." Eric hoped Ian wouldn't think of him as insane. "I know it's crazy, but that's what happened to me."
"Alright…" Ian muttered, at a loss for words. After a moment, he sat up and went for the door after a few commands on the datapad. The door opened of its own accord and Ian left the room, leaving Eric alone in the room. The silence alone was uneasy enough for him. As he moved his thumbs together, he waited and hoped that C-Sec would let him go with no complications.
The door slid open and Ian entered the room, with a smile on his face. Eric hoped that this was good news.
"Well?" Eric asked, eager to get out of this room.
"You're clean. Free to go," Ian said.
Eric smiled as he got up from the chair and went for the door. He stopped to shake Ian's hand. "Thank you! You're the best!"
"No problem. Like I said, I'm just doing my job."
Eric set out for the exit, ignoring a bald, brown man that observed the conversation and took some notes of the interrogation. He traced the path the female turian took as she brought him to the interrogation room. But he realized he never got to ask her name or even get to know her or Ian. He wasn't the social type, having few friends before arriving here. Now he wanted to know someone so he wouldn't feel lonely. It wasn't like he could wait a few years and join Shepard's crew, he didn't have any military training.
The academy was vastly populated with the denizens of the Citadel taking their issues out on the C-Sec officers. Through a white corridor, which gave out a clean and calm atmosphere, Eric made it to one of the wards on the Citadel. As he walked up the stairs to his right, he saw the five arms of the stations stretching out into space.
The crowded marketplace was brimming with activities of all sorts. It was vibrant with high-tech gadgetry, exotic yet now familiar to Eric. And the sheer amount of noise was distracting. He approached the railing and leaned on it, mentally blocking the noise out. He looked at the scenery. Buildings filled the Citadel's arms, teeming with life. The white sun shone behind the wards. It was beautiful, he noticed. It was easy for him to forget about his worries. He smiled as he watched the ships flew by, all too used to the site of it. He couldn't tell what it looked like. The humming sound it made brought him comfort somehow.
"Eric, is that you?"
Eric snapped out of his thoughts and turned around. He found a woman carrying three bags. Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail while she wore a green shirt and a pair of tan pants. "Natalie? You're shopping? Here?"
Natalie chuckled. "For groceries," she replied. "So what are you doing here?"
Eric sighed as he leaned his back on the railing, his hands as support. "To be honest, I don't know. Just got questioned by C-Sec after I got my ID and I get to walk free when they're done."
"Weird. It might be because of how you got here," Natalie commented.
"Maybe, but the guy who asked me, Ian Shaw, went through it pretty fast," said Eric.
"He's the new kid, right?" Natalie asked, understanding what happened.
"Yeah, I think so. Said he has been working at C-Sec for a year."
"I see," Natalie muttered. "It looks like you need a place to stay. Would you like stay at my place? My husband wouldn't mind if you stick around for a while."
"You're married?" Natalie showed Eric a plain, golden ring on her right finger. "Oh. What's his name?"
"Luke. Some of his friends call him 'Jolly Rogers'. Don't ask," she answered. "It was something embarrassing." Natalie turned to her left and began walking through the marketplace. "C'mon, we'll have to take the transit. Good thing traffic's pretty light right now."
"Wait, what about my case?" Eric asked. "I thought you were trained to be emotionally distant from it."
"You're a person, Eric. That's different from a case and I'm sure I can differentiate between the two," Natalie answered. "So are you coming?"
"Okay, yeah. Thanks!" Eric nodded and began following her behind. "Mind if I carry those bags for you?"
"I'm fine, but thanks for asking."
When Natalie tapped in a command on the terminal near the med clinic, nothing happened for a moment. As they waited for the shuttle to arrive, Eric turned. He wondered if Michel had owned that small clinic at that point. A green light appeared on the door, telling him that the clinic was open.
He heard the soft hum of an engine just behind him. He turned back and saw a small, white shuttle with a windshield encasing half of the roof, like a car. The windshield opened of its own accord, like a lid. Inside, there were four seats, two in each row.
"Mind if I carry these bags for you?" Eric repeated his question from earlier.
"Sure, thanks. My arms are getting sore," Natalie answered. She gave him the three bags, filled with groceries, and hopped onto the driver's seat. Eric hopped after her, taking a seat next to her. He placed the bags on his lap as they took their seatbelts on. The windshield closed. The car levitated as Natalie placed her hands on a holographic feedback. He still couldn't help but compare the mass effect fields to something like gravitons.
The skycar took off from the ward and onto the open wide space of the Citadel's arms. Although they blocked the view, Eric saw tons of stars in the distance. Through the purple mist, it had a sense of magnificence, making him feel small in comparison. The pictures of space, of the stars, he saw when he took a course in astrophysics were nothing compared to what he was seeing right now.
"That's quite a view. So where are you living at?" Eric asked.
"Over at one of the apartments at the Bachjret Ward," Natalie answered.
"Bachjret Ward? What's it like over there?" Eric asked again.
"Peaceful, quiet. Probably a good place to retire or even start a family," said Natalie. "There are residential areas all over the Citadel, but that ward has the most housing in the station. Anyway, I'm sure you'll like Luke. He's a nice guy. Good cook and runs a restaurant."
"How'd you two meet up, then?"
"Few years ago, we first met on Earth at San Francisco when he was on shore leave. We talked, hanged out, and we fell in love. I'm sure you can fill out the rest."
"I take it he's part of the Alliance? What's his MOS?"
"Special Forces, 103rd Division. They're one of the largest divisions in the Alliance Navy." A small grin appeared on Natalie's face as she looked at Eric for a moment. "I'm surprised you know a thing or two about military structure. Got any relatives who served?"
Eric shrugged. Then after he realized he had forgotten his father, he nodded. "My dad was in the military. Served for five years in Afghanistan. It was back in my time."
"Ah. What's his MOS?"
Eric bit his lower lip, trying to recall what branch his dad served under. "The Marine Corps, I think. He was an analyst. I don't know what his unit was."
"You two get along?"
Eric's heart skipped a beat when Natalie asked that question. He knew his dad loved him but he spent more time at work ever since he got back from service. Because of that, a rift was made between them.
"Oh, not well, I take it? I'm sorry I asked," said Natalie.
"It's okay. You didn't know," Eric responded. "My dad's often busy with his work, that's all."
As they got closer to their destination, they passed by many of the apartment complexes. All were grey and tall, like skyscrapers. Soon, the skycar came to a stop and parked in front of a studio-style house. From the front, the roof slanted to the left. To the right of the door, windows, all square and even, covered the entire wall. It showed what appeared to be a living room.
After Natalie and Eric got out of the skycar, with their bags in hand, it took off from the ward on its own. Knowing how this universe works, a VI controlled the car, responding to the user's command. As they approached the front door, Eric saw a thumbprint scanner next to it.
Natalie pressed her right thumb on the touchscreen. For a moment, a white line scrawled to the bottom, scanning her fingerprint. The speaker beeped. "Fingerprint match and biometric scans confirmed. Welcome home, Natalie," a female, robotic voice spoke from a small speaker.
They stepped inside the living room and the door closed behind them. Eric could see the layout of the living room. The two couches, fit for three people each, lay out from each other at a 90 degree angle while the television was attached to the wall over the holographic fireplace.
"Luke, I'm home!" Natalie closed the door. "I brought Eric along, the guy from the hospital. I hope you don't mind."
"The time traveler? Nah, I don't mind." The man's voice came from another room, down the hallway next to the front room. "Hope you brought groceries. I was just about to make dinner."
"Yeah, I bought a few bags." Natalie turned to Eric, who carried the bags of groceries. "The kitchen's this way." She gestured toward the short hallway. Eric felt relieved, as his arms were getting tired. He followed her into a moderately-sized kitchen to his right. It was filled with appliances that anyone would expect in a kitchen. The countertops were black and smooth; the tiles on the floor black and white.
A Brazilian man of medium height and athletic build had opened the refrigerator. His hair was black and short, like Eric's. He wore a pair of black jeans and an orange shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He closed it and turned to see Natalie, smiling.
"Hey, honey." He and Natalie kissed and embraced each other, at least for a moment. They parted as Eric placed the bags on the counter and his arms felt a lot better. "So that's Eric Grimes? Thought he'd be taller for a time traveler." He chuckled, passing it off as a joke.
"Nice to meet you," Eric chuckled. "So you're Luke?"
"Yep." Luke shook Eric's hand over the counter. "Natalie, told me a lot about you."
"I'm sure she does." Eric found it surprising that Luke took it rather well. But he was getting hungry. "So what are you making for dinner?" His question brought to mind of the grocery bags on the counter. "Oh, yeah. Mind if I help you guys put the groceries away?"
"Sure thing," Luke answered. "As soon as we put away the groceries, I'll be making some pizza."
Natalie showed Eric where the groceries would go. Then she, Eric and Luke put them away in an organized manner. After sorting that out, Luke began making dinner. The smell of food cooking whiffed about as Eric and Natalie waited in the dining area, right next to the kitchen. It had an oak table, fitted for eight people. A huge window covered an entire side of the room, which was the back of the house. The window showed much of the ward.
Eric sat by the window. "That's quite a view out there. Seems like you and Luke picked a good spot."
"You could say that." Natalie sat in front of Eric. "So aside from C-Sec, what have you been doing the past several weeks?"
"I did some voluntary work at the Huerta hospital." Eric rested his elbows on the table. "I tried looking for a way back home, but it didn't go anywhere." He missed the loving smiles from his mother, who cared for him and helped him whenever he fell to depression. He missed his sister, who was enthusiastic about her friends and her desire to learn something new each day, his brother, and his grandparents. Despite his father being distant, Eric remembered him saying of small things that mattered in the long run.
Natalie gave him a look of pity. "I don't know if I said it weeks ago, Eric, but I'm sorry for your loss. I really do."
Eric shook his head. "It's not your fault but thanks."
The oven at the kitchen let out an electronic ding. "That was quick." Luke opened the oven and got the pizza out. "Dinner's ready!"
Natalie and Eric stood up and went to kitchen to grab some homemade supreme pizza. Luke got out the plates, cups, and a large bottle of fruit punch. He, Eric, and Natalie got their meals and drinks and went back to the dining area.
Luke took a bite out of his pizza. "So Eric, you came from Boston, right?"
"Yep. Studied quantum mechanics at MIT before I got here. I was studying how particles work and taking them apart." Eric rolled his eyes as he realized the reference he made. "I wanted to get a doctorate with a minor in computer engineering. But this happened." He took a sip from his drink.
"Good stuff, science and all. Like making transistors," Luke replied. "During one of my tours, I got word they're working on a quantum entanglement communicator. It's where a pair of particles interacts with each other, transferring information in an instant. It can't be intercepted as easy as a comm buoy, that's for sure. Damn useful for the Alliance." He sighed as he shook his head. "Everyone goes for the damn comm buoys."
"It's more complicated than that, Luke." Eric pointed up after taking a few bites of his pizza. "It's not unlimited, for one. Law of Conversion. You can't make something from nothing. It'll likely have a limited bandwidth. Plus, we don't know the exact momentum of the particles and it's fragile—"
"The Alliance is working on a durable model," Luke replied. "Last time I checked, anyway."
"Okay, good," said Eric. "Still, it'll take years to realize its full potential."
"No arguments from me." Luke took another bite. "Damn, you know a lot. How long were you at MIT?"
"About four years," Eric replied. "What about you? How long were you in the Alliance?"
"Five years. Three tours," Luke said.
"So like my dad, huh?" Eric asked. "Natalie told me about your… nickname. Jolly Rogers. Where did you get that nickname?"
"It's from a tattoo," Luke smirked. "I'll show you." He rolled up his right sleeve, showing a tattoo of a pirate, Jolly Rogers, on his shoulder. "I don't want talk about it. Another time, maybe."
"Okay," Eric replied as he slumped down in his seat. "So what did you do in the Alliance?"
Natalie interrupted her meal after finishing her drink. "You talked a lot about your dad. What about the rest of your family? Friends, maybe even loved ones?"
"Yeah, a younger brother and an older sister. I'm the middle child here." Eric stroked his chin, trying to remember what his sister's and mother's jobs are. And just like that, it clicked with him. "Oh yeah! My sister worked at a local channel as a meteorologist. Can't remember what station she was on, though. My mom was an electrical engineer."
He ate the rest of his pizza. The huge slice made him feel nourished for the night. After cleaning his mouth with a napkin, he continued. "On my mom's side, both of my grandparents retired at Puerto Rico. On my dad's side, they live in Ireland. If I talk about my cousins, aunts, and uncles, we'll be here all night. And no, I don't have a boyfriend yet."
"Quite a family you got there," Luke commented.
"Yeah," Eric sighed.
"So what do you want?" Natalie asked. "I'm just curious, that's all."
Eric closed his eyes for a moment. "To be honest, I want to have my own LHC to work on, test the foundation of particle physics." He opened his eyes, looking wistful. "Now? I don't think I have a lot of options."
"I got an idea," Luke leaned forward on his chair. "You can join the Alliance."
"What? Why would I do that?" Eric asked as he shook his head, having a confused look on his face. "I'm not cut out for it!"
Luke curled his mouth as Natalie looked on with concern on her face. "Maybe not," he said. "But it wouldn't hurt to try. The Alliance can put you in basic training for 16 weeks. For specialized training, it can take to a few years."
"What about C-Sec?"
"I don't think things would work out for you at C-Sec," Luke replied. "A lot of people already filled up the positions there, most of them not human. Because we don't have a strong position on the Council since they looked down at us."
"But how would the Alliance help me?" Eric asked. "Give me a scholarship?"
"Yeah, but it'll be more than that," Natalie butted in. "You'll earn respect with anyone if you go through with specialized training. The Alliance would want someone like you. It's your choice, Eric."
Eric closed his eyes for a moment. But Luke and Natalie were right. He doesn't have a college degree to get a good job and no money to support him. "So where do I sign up?"
The Presidium, Citadel
August 16, 2180, 12:03 PM
More than a week had passed and Eric built up the courage to decide. He decided to head out and sign up for the Alliance. He assumed what awaited him: weeks or even months of training and taking orders to kill his target. He hoped he wouldn't have to kill anyone, but he knew that wouldn't be possible, with war being a certain part of his life. At least it would ensure that he can be covered for college if he had survived the Reaper onslaught.
He said goodbye to Natalie and Luke and set out to the Presidium of the Citadel, where an Alliance recruitment center took place.
He saw a white building with the Alliance's seal. Two fin-like objects shaped over Earth. Over the small seal was a large poster of a soldier in blue armor, saluting. It shimmered from a distance as white, bold words flashed out, "Make a difference! Join the Alliance!"
Eric tapped a command on the interface. His skycar parted from traffic and landed a short walking distance away from the recruitment facility. Entering the building, he was in a small white room. There was a long line. It filled with young men and women of all shapes and colors. All of them were waiting for their chance to join the Alliance.
Like many others before him, Eric waited in the line, tapping on his legs. He trembled with anxiety and wondered whether he would be fit enough to be a Marine. He was healthy but he wasn't the most athletic person in the world. Several minutes later, he got to the desk and filled out any forms before taking a physical examination in another room. When it felt like it took forever, it was over. He can join the Alliance. They provided Eric with a duffle bag, which had his uniform in it, and an omni-tool. Eric was told to go to the docks, where a passenger liner would take him to Fort Lincoln on Earth.
Earth. It felt strange to him he'll be going back to his planet in his universe. Changing into his new uniform, he set out for the port. There, at the port, he saw dozens of ships parked there, the airlocks holding them down. Looking for the ship that would take him to Earth, Eric found an airplane-shaped one. Dozens of humans flocked to the ship. All of them wore blue uniforms. A woman in navy-blue armor stood by the ship. She must've been an Alliance soldier.
Eric approached the female soldier. "Excuse me, ma'am. Does it take me to Fort Lincoln on Earth?"
"Yep," the soldier answered. "You one of the recruits?"
"Yeah."
"Then get in. The ship will take off soon."
Eric did so. Inside, dozens of people filled the airlock. There are mutterings, mostly about how crowded it was. He agreed with that sentiment. A beam of light swept over the airlock.
"Equalizing exterior atmosphere with interior atmosphere." Eric jolted a little when he heard the robotic, emotionless voice of the virtual intelligence.
By him was a man with short, auburn hair, the curtains falling to his cheekbones. He stood several inches taller than Eric and he looked to be around Eric's age.
"Man, this is taking forever," he complained.
"Yeah…" Eric nodded, distracted by the young man's wonderful voice. He wondered if the guy in front of him would look attractive without that shirt on.
"Huh?" the guy turned his head at Eric. "Oh, I didn't see you here. Here for Earth?"
"Yep," Eric smiled, looking at the man. He got distracted by his good looks. A square jaw, blue eyes, tan skin. Eric looked away. "S-sorry," he said. He wasn't certain if this stranger would get uncomfortable by him.
The man rolled his eyes. "Relax. I get that from the other guys," he said. "So what's your name?"
"Eric Grimes."
"What?" The mad had trouble hearing what Eric said.
"I said my name's Eric Grimes!" Eric answered, this time louder. Several people stared at him.
"Garrett Pitt," said the man. "Nice to meetcha."
Eric shook his hand with Garrett. "So uh… nice to meet you too." He cleared his throat, trying to act normal.
"Why join up?" Garrett asked.
He took a deep breath. "To be honest, I needed something to do to cover up for college.".
"Me, just followin' up with the family tradition. I came from a long line of my family, from my dad's side, serving in the military," Garrett replied. "Out of respect for my grandfather. He was a hell of a soldier. I wanted to live up to that."
"So where do you come from?" Eric asked.
"Benning. It's an agricultural planet in the Euler System in the Arcturus System," Garrett answered. "You?"
Eric bit his bottom lip, trying to think of an answer. "Uh, I came from Boston on Earth. I got here on the Citadel back several months ago."
"So that explains that accent." Garrett trailed off. "It's light, but still."
"Logged," said the voice as the beam of light disappeared. "Welcome aboard."
Eric, Garrett, and the other recruits went in the ship. He wasn't surprised the layout was like as he thought. The recruits were strapped in their seats while Garrett sat to Eric's left.
The locks released the ship, and the engines whirled to life. It took off from the Citadel. Eric opened the cover for the window he sat next to and looked out. He saw the station getting smaller as they went farther away. They passed by a huge, star-shaped ship. Eric felt his jaw drop. He applauded the sheer magnificence of the ship. It was the asari flagship Destiny Ascension.
The flagship and the Citadel became tiny dots in the pink aurora. Outside, everything turned blue, trailing off into red at the end. Eric realized the ship jumped through a mass relay. He would have the time of his life.