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This is Citadel News Net. In breaking news, the Alliance colony of Eden Prime has been attacked by Geth forces today. Exact casualties are unknown at this moment but are speculated to be in the hundreds. This is the first sighting of Geth outside of Geth Space since the First Morning War three centuries ago that led to the exiling of the Quarian race from their homeworld of Rannoch, and their removal...

“Holy shit," exclaimed Archer, looking over his Turian co-worker's shoulder at his Omni-tool's projection of the news broadcast.

“Didn't you say your mother works at a spacedock there?" asked the Turian whose Omni-tool Archer was watching the broadcast on.

“No, she works on Elysium," Archer told her. “But I grew up on Terra Nova, and that isn't too far away. Just a single system jump from Eden Prime."

“You still have any family there?"

“No, Mum and Dad are both on Elysium," clarified Archer.

“Hey, stop gawking at your omni-tools and get back to work!" yelled a salarian, their supervisor, “We have a freighter full of foodstuff and it needs it offloaded immediately."

Archer quickly got back to work, darting past the supervisor. Archer was thankful it was just another shipment of foodstuff rather than Eezo. He hated putting on the uncomfortable protection equipment whenever a shipment of the element came through the spacedock he worked at. He met up with the rest of his co-workers at the freighter and started offloading the crates, taking stock of he manifest and where it's headed.

Archer raised his eyebrows when he saw that the ship was from Thessia. No wonder his supervisor was insistent on getting everything off loaded as soon as possible. It was all luxury Asari foodstuff, the kind that would take a month of saving for a small bite of. Not that he'd be able to get a reservation at any of the restaurants the foods are served at in any reasonable amount of time.

He was tempted to take a little for himself, and would have if it were a smaller spacedock he worked at, he did so back every now and again when he still lived on Elysium but the Citadel's security would more than likely notice if he were to skim anything off the top. If he knew the right person to pay off he could do it but that kind of corruption was not something Archer felt comfortable participating in, especially just to steal the occasional bit of fancy food which was all he ever did back in Elysium.

He was in the middle of helping move a crate of honey from some Asari monastery when it slipped slightly from his grip and bumped onto the right of his neck, slightly digging into a scar he had since he was born. An intense, burning pain raced through his neck, his skull and into his brain. He let out a choked gasp, dropping to the ground along with the crate.

“Watch it!" chastised his supervisor, “That honey's worth more than your entire week's pay."

Archer picked himself back up from the ground, gingerly rubbing his neck, the burning still lingering and likely would until the end of his shift. After unloading the Thessian foodstuff the rest of his shift was uneventful. Just basic foodstuffs, electronics, and raw materials that would go to stores, less fancy restaurants and food vendors, and factories.

Archer was signing out when others from his shift called out, “Hey, Archer! We're heading off to Chora's Den. Wanna come?"

Archer shook his head, “The food and drink there's crap, and they only have female and Asari strippers."

“Your loss."

Archer waved them off and headed off to catch a taxi back to his apartment. It was starting to get later in the evening, or whatever counted as evening on a giant deep space station, and the walkways were thick with people of various alien races, all trying to get home or do something interesting for the night. As he got to the Citadel Rapid Transport terminal he remembered the shipment of Thessian food and got a craving for something a bit fancier for dinner, but within his budget and didn't require committing a crime that could get him fired. He remembered there being a Salarian dumpling vendor on the other side of the ward from where he was, he just needed to cut through a couple alley ways in order to get there in time before it closed.

He headed off towards the vendor, through an empty alley, past a pair of shifty looking Volus, and was just about to turn into the final alley way before stopping himself, hearing a hushed conversation just around the corner.

“You got the mod?" asked a deep, gruff voice.

“You got the credits?" replied a filtered, raspy voice.

“Show me the mod first, or I'll bust a hole in your suit for wasting my time," shot back the first voice, annoyed.

Archer froze up, he almost walked in on a very clearly illegal deal and no idea what to do. There weren't any other way to dumpling vendor besides heading back the way he came and going the long way around, but it would be closed by the time he reached it. He decided to get the dumplings another time and started backing off making sure to keep his hands free and ready, when a large Krogan with a large crack on the right side of his green headplate turned around the corner and stopped when he saw him.

“It's not smart to take shortcuts through alleys, human," sneered the krogan, looking down at Archer.

Archer looked back up at him, looking him straight in his eyes before looking at the thick scar over his right eye. “I can handle myself"

It was only half true, he could deal with the volus around the corner easily enough, but a fully grown krogan Archer very much doubted he could hold off for more than a second. Which was being generous. But he tried not to have that doubt show in his voice.

The krogan kept looking down at him for a few more tense moments before looking down at Archer's waist and smirked, walking past him. Purposefully bumping into Archer's left side.

Archer waited a few more moments before peering around the corner into the alleyway, and seeing it clear and not wanting to run into the Krogan again quickly made his way through, and out into the main walkway. A rumbling in his stomach reminded him why he cut through the alleys to begin with and ran over to the dumpling vendor just in time before it started packing up, much to the Salarian vendor's annoyance.

With the dumplings in tow he made his way to the closest Citadel Rapid Transit terminal and set in his apartment's address, helping himself to the cheap sweet and spicy dumplings as he waited.

Getting into the automatic taxi when it arrived and turned on his omni-tool to record a message as the taxi lifted off and flew off towards his apartment.

“Hey, Mum. It's been a while. I just heard about the attack on Eden Prime and wanted to know how you and Dad are faring back on Elysium. Everything's fine here, job's steady despite my supervisor constantly yelling my ear off. Oh, and the scar keeps acting up, despite the stretches and ointments the doctors keep prescribing. Like always. Not much they could do about it with how it happened. And I know you're gonna ask and no, I haven't met anyone yet. There aren't very many humans in the part of the Citadel I live in so it'll be a while before I find someone. I'll tell you when I find someone, so stop asking. Anyways, I'm almost home. Chat again soon. Bye and stay safe."

Archer cut off the recording and e-mailed it, turning off his omni-tool just as the taxi landed at his apartment complex, a small and slightly cramped building in the lower wards. He made his way in, locking the sliding door behind him.

He turned on the news, eating a bland bar of hardened nutrient paste.

This is Citadel News Net with an update on the attack on the Alliance colony of Eden Prime. A civilian death toll of 208 has been confirmed and speculated to rise. Alongside civilian deaths, it has been confirmed that almost the entirety of the 212th Planetary Defense Group was lost with only one confirmed survivor whose identity is remaining confidential until the next of kin the rest of the 212 are notified of their loss.

In recent controversy, Alliance officer Commander Shepard has accused a member of Council Spectres of going rogue and instigating the attack on the colony and will appear in front of the Council later in the next few days to plead their case.

Archer changed the channel, knowing that anymore news on Eden Prime was going to be a political shitshow from that point onwards with a massive accusation like that and wanted to hear none of it. Preferring to wait until the dust settled to learn anymore of it. He spent the rest of the night watching a sub-par Turian military drama before turning the TV off and heading to bed, remembering to apply the ointment and do the stretches the doctors told him to do before so.

***

Archer woke up craving more of the dumplings he had the night prior and had the taxi take a detour to stop by the vendor and he would walk to work from there, cutting through the alleys to make it in time.

He was too busy eating the dumplings, having gotten some cheese and meat ones that he highly preferred over the ones from the night prior, that he didn't hear the heated conversation in the alleyway as he turned into it.

“I told you. All sales are final," said the filtered voice of a volus.

“No, you didn't, you lying suit-rat," said the gruff voice of a krogan. “You sold me a broken mod. And you knew it too, or wouldn't have these over grown birds protecting you."

“You know how these things work in this market," said the volus, “You can never be assured of the quality of goods from these- who's this?"

Archer froze, looking up at the group in front of him. A volus hiding behind three turian bodyguards with their hands on their guns, and an upset krogan. The same Krogan that Archer ran into the previous night who also recognised Archer.

“What are you doing here?" he asked, “I told you not to take the alleys."

One of the turian bodyguards, looking from the Krogan to Archer, pointed his gun at Archer.

“It's a C-Sec sting!"

Archer's stomach dropped like a stone, and without thinking and running on instinct dropped his food and threw an arm forward. Feeling the familiar tingling rush as he channelled dark energy, enveloping the turian in a mass effect field and threw him into the wall behind him, knocking him out.

Archer ran, throwing a barrier around him as he tried to run past the group but stumbled as the remaining two guards gun fire tore through it. With the barrier being enough to only give him painful scratches. Picking himself up he put another mass effect field around a guard that tried to cut him off, lifting him above him and leaving him to float as he ran under him before dropping the field and letting the turian crash to the ground.

A shotgun blast sounded through the alley, making Archer run harder before another shot rung out and something hit Archer's side and drove the breath from his body. He stumbled to the ground, clutching his side.

He looked down at his side, blood already staining his fingers. He didn't get anytime to process when someone kicked him onto his back and pinned him with their foot, digging into his neck.

Archer choked, winded from the gunshot and now unable to get any breath from his neck getting crushed by the Turian leering above him with his rifle pointed at his head. The turian dug his foot deeper, digging into the scar making Archer thrash as burning pain shot from his scar straight into his brain. His mouth opening to scream with nothing coming out but choked gasps until an ear-piercing shriek came out.

Suddenly his vision went blue and the pressure from the foot was removed. Like a wounded animal Archer rapidly tried crawling away. But the gun shot and pain from his scar was too much and he was only able to go few feet before passing out.

***

Archer woke with a groan. His head was throbbing, his mouth painfully dry, the right side of his gut was numb, and everywhere else had a dull ache. He sat up and looked around, seeing he was in a bed in a small medical clinic. With only two other beds which were both empty. He didn't recognise it so he guessed it wasn't one near where he lived or worked, so it was likely a clinic something better suited for human clients than the ones close to work or home.

He clutched his throbbing head. It only ever hurt this much back at Grissom Academy when they did biotic drills. He tried to remember what happened as everything slowly started coming back to him. The volus, the turian bodyguards, the shootout, and the krogan.

“Oh shit." Archer realised that he was late for work, he clutched his side which was now wrapped in bandages, with the gun shot and what felt like bad dehydration from over taxing his biotics (though he didn't remember doing anything too insane during the shootout), he was in no state check in for the day. Looking around he found the call assistance button on the wall. He pressed the holographic display and not a moment later a human doctor came into the room.

“Ah, Mister Roberts. Good to see you awake." Said the doctor, making her way towards him, “How are you feeling?"

“Like my head's been used for drumming practice."

“Yes, that will be from the dehydration from over using your biotics," noted the doctor, “You need to get plenty of rest and electrolytes, and avoid using your biotics for the next couple of days and then it'll all be fine. You were very lucky to have that Krogan friend of yours. He got you here just in time. Do you remember anything from the mugging?"

“Not really," Archer thought quickly, playing along with what he assumed the Krogan told the doctor, “The volus and turians threatened us and my friend started blasting. I threw a couple of the turians. I got shot. Then I woke up here."

“You don't remember blowing out the windows?" asked the doctor as she removed the bandages from his side.

“I did what?" Archer asked, quickly looking down and immediately grabbing his head as the throbbing spiked.

“When one the thugs caught up to you, you blew out a couple nearby shop windows. I'm sorry, it must've been a very stressful thing if you can't remember. Sorry for bringing it back up." The doctor stood up, “Anyways, the medi-gel helped with the worst of the gunshot."

Archer looked down felt where he was shot, only a small faded scar remaining. The doctor continued talking, “I'm going to need you to abstain from any strenuous exercise for the week, especially any twisting motions to keep the wound from re-opening. But other than that, I'll just get you something to drink with plenty of electrolytes and I can get you signed out."

“Guess that means I'm not getting paid this week," Archer said as the doctor gave him the drink. He sipped it as he turned on his omni-tool checking the time, it was already night time, and started writing up a message to his supervisor filling him in on what happened and why he wouldn't be coming back to work for a while. Or at least what happened according to the story he told the doctor. He wanted to have his story consistent for when C-Sec came for his side of the story.

After he signed out of the clinic he made his way out, almost bumping into someone as they stood in front of him.

“I wondered why you talked about handling yourself despite not having a gun," said the large green Krogan from the alleyway.

“I don't need one"

“You could've used one for that last Turian," said the krogan before adding, “And don't worry about C-Sec. You already gave your statement."

“No, I didn't."

The krogan bent down till he was eye to eye with Archer, “Yes. You did. You almost got shot for your credit chit and I saved you. You didn't say anything different to the doctor, did you?"

“Aw, my knight in shining armour saved me," Archer mockingly cooed, making the krogan growl and back off, “And no, I said as little as possible and played along with what the doctor said with it being a mugging. That okay with you?"

The krogan snorted, “Good, you're not completely stupid."

“Excuse me?"

“A normal person would've just run the other way after blasting the first Turian but you had enough of a quad to charge the other two," jeered the Krogan, “Even if you were just trying to run away. Though you humans seem to like picking fights. Gave the Turians a run for their money a few decades ago, so there's SOME hope for your species."

“And any normal thug doing back-alley deals would've just left me for dead," jabbed back Archer, poking the krogan's chest, “Asides, I should've been dead. That turian was pointing his shotgun at me."

“It was a rifle," interrupted the krogan, “An Armax Arsenal Crossfire II assault rifle to be precise."

“Don't care. Anyways, so I assume that story you told C-Sec about you saving me wasn't complete bullshit. Me blowing out a bunch of shop windows? A bit too dramatic."

"Oh no, that part actually happened," laughed the krogan, Archer stammered but the krogan kept talking, “Blew the turian off his feet. Though not before I could blow off half his face with my shotgun."

“You killed him?"

“No, he'll live. With only half his face though," the Krogan boasted before adding, “I killed the other three though."

“Other three?" Archer asked, “There were only three turians."

“The volus." The krogan explained, “He ripped me off and wouldn't give my money back. Last time I buy anything from a volus."

“Okay," Archer said, uncomfortable with how comfortable the Krogan was talking about casually killing people, “Thanks for saving me…?"

“Weyrloc Vask"

“Thanks, Weyrloc," Archer said, turning to walk away, “I need to-“

“Vask," replied the Krogan, “I wouldn't call you Roberts."

Archer spun back to face Vask. “How do you know my name?"

“Your omni-tool's security is weaker than pyjak shit. "Vask stated matter-of-factly. “Just a bit of omni-gel and I got right through."

“You hacked my omni-tool?" Archer clenched his fist, a mass effect field enveloping his fist before sputtering out as he grabbed his head with a groan. The throbbing headache returning.

Vask grabbed Archer's arm and guided him over to a Citadel Rapid Transport terminal and input Archer's address. “You're in no state to go home by yourself."

“What did you do to my omni-tool?" Archer asked before he was slowly pushed into the taxi, confused on how gentle the large krogan was being with him.

“Nothing. I just went through it to get enough info to convince the doctor I knew you." Vask muttered as he climbed into the taxi, squeezing next to the much smaller human.

As the taxi took off Archer thought on how he didn't need to be escorted home. The CRT was self-driving, and his apartment was only a few dozen feet from the closest CRT terminal. But he thought better of mentioning it to the Krogan next to him, thinking on how seemingly unusually gentle he was being and even going so far as to take him to a doctor while unconscious. He had suspicions but didn't want to risk saying the wrong thing and piss off a full grown krogan while trapped in a car several dozen feet in the air.

“So why the screaming?" asked Vask.

“What do you mean?" Archer asked, shuffling around as best he could in the cramped taxi to look at the Krogan.

“The turian had his foot on your neck, it probably would've been painful for a weaker species like yours," Archer frowned and Vask continued, “But it shouldn't have made you kick and scream like you did."

Archer pulled down at the collar of his shirt and showed off the large, ropey scar at the very base of his neck, and trailing onto his right shoulder. Vask gave an approving grumble before asking, “How'd you get that? Your omni-tool said that you came from the same planet that Batarians invaded several years back. You get it there?"

Archer pulled his collar back up, “No, I was in orbit during the Blitz. The entire station got locked down and had what seemed like a whole fleet of ships surrounding the station my school was on to protect it."

“Humans have their schools in space?"

“No, just Grissom Academy. It's a school for the Alliance's 'Best and Brightest' and- oh, shut up." Archer was explaining before the Krogan started laughing at his 'Best and Brightest' remark. Archer continued after Vask settled down, “It's where pretty much every human biotic goes. It's usually rather expensive if you try and join it normally but biotics get a full ride by the military under the presumption that you sign up afterwards."

“But you didn't?"

“Nope," said Archer, “But I was constantly getting hassled by recruiters. So I moved here, outside of Alliance Space, where I only get hassled every several months instead of every month."

“Why not Omega?" Vask asked, “You wouldn't get hassled at all there."

Archer laughed, “Oh yeah, move to a place where a bunch of batarians are just a few years after the Skyllian Blitz. Sounds like a smart idea."

“Fair enough," Vask shrugged, “But you still haven't told me how you got the scar."

“You asked if I got it in the Blitz."

“I also asked HOW you go it."

Archer rolled his eyes, “Fine, it was from a cancer I got in utero. Some twit didn't properly seal some eezo at the spacedock my mum worked at back on Terra Nova and she got exposed to it. She didn't know she was pregnant at the time, otherwise she wouldn't have been there. Terra Nova is the colony I grew up on before the Alliance found out about my biotics. Though I assume you already knew that from rooting around in my omni-tool."

“Yep," Vask said, “But why would that make you scream like a pyjak over a spit?"

“Because not every person exposed to eezo in utero becomes a biotic. Most others just get cancerous tumours. I was one of them, but was lucky enough to at least get the biotics as well," Archer rubbed his scar, “But because the eezo nodules form on the nervous system, the tumour was pretty much a giant, tangled ball of frayed and exposed nerves. The doctors cut off as much as they could without killing me but couldn't get it all because it was wrapped around and IN my neck bones and collar bone. They didn't want to risk fucking up my bone development."

“And your military keeps hassling you despite that?"

Archer laughed, “It really shows you how desperate the Alliance are for biotic soldiers."

“You have no interest in joining? In the slightest?" Vask asked, “Even as a merc? Merc bands would pay top dollar for a biotic."

The taxi started slowing down, decreasing altitude as it approached Archer's apartment. Archer remembered an incident back in Grissom and felt a horrible stab of guilt. He shook his head, “I have no interest in any of that."

Archer slowly got out from the car from the other side he got in, the krogan blocking the way he came in. He went to close the door before bending down, “Thanks, for saving me. And for sticking around as well to chat. You could've just tossed me in the taxi and called it a day."

“Don't mention it," Vask mumbled. Archer gave him a nod and started lowering the door before something got in its way, stopping it from closing. It was Vask's hand, “Seriously, don't mention it. I don't need the other mercs hearing about me helping random people for free."

“Awww, the big bad merc is afraid people think he's gone soft," Archer cooed, making Vask growl and withdraw his hand. With a laugh Archer closed the door and waved the taxi off as it flew off.