In Another Time

Chapter 2

March 21st
1:15 PM
SSV Normandy SR1 / Enroute to the Citadel

oOo

Rolling over, I yawn a bit, before stiffening. This... wasn't my bed... I slowly and hesitantly open my eyes, looking around blearily. Metal plates and dimmed lights slowly come into focus.

"Commander, She's awake." I hear a very familiar voice call from the edge of my 'bed'.

I slowly sit up and take in my surroundings once more. I was in the medbay, on the Normandy.

'Crap... why me...?' I whine internally.

Shepard stands from where she was sitting on a vacant bed close to the door, and makes her way over to me. Her back was stiff, and her eyes watched me closely, as if waiting and anticipating an attack.

"Thank you Chakwas." She nods at the Doctor, who's stationed herself at the foot of the bed where I lay, trying to look busy on her computer.

I stare in an awkward silence as Shepard makes her way over to me and leans against the bed across from mine, crossing her arms. She returns the stare, as if trying to study me.

After a very long and awkward silence, (at least on my part) Shepard speaks.

"So?"

"So.... what?" I ask slowly, and hesitantly.

"You've quite a lot of explaining to do." She doesn't take her eyes off me.

"Um...Well..." Stuttering, I rub the back of my neck. Where do I even start?

I can't tell her where I'm really from. She'd label me insane. I suppose I have enough in-game knowledge... she could always believe I'm indoctrinated and working for Saren, and that's how I know so much... And If I don't say anything, it's just as bad... Amnesia wouldn't work... Chakwas would be able to see right through that... maybe...? I wouldn't want to risk it... If she can, then Shepard would have all the more reason to suspect me... And if she does believe me, that risks her not giving a crap as it's not real... but... She's also Commander Shepard. She would give a crap. Too much of a crap because this is her world, Her home. If I try to lie, then she could always see right through it and again, be very much suspicious... not to mention I'm a horrible liar... I suppose... there's only one way to do this... Well... farewell, life... it was nice living you...

My mental tirade is interrupted by Shepard clearing her throat, her brow raised and her fingers tapping her arm.

"S-sorry... Um... I'm not even sure where to start..." I stutter in reply, wringing my hands as they lay in my lap.

"Let's start with what happened to your clothes." She gestures to my pajama pants and t-shirt.

'Crap...' I wince.

"Um... okay well... First, I'd... ask you to just... hear me out, and believe me when I tell you I'm not insane..."

She just stares back in silence, looking very unimpressed. Her jaw ticks and it looks like the vein in her forehead is about to pop.

"Okay... Well... So, I'm... Not from around here..." I trail off.

"Where's here?" She asks in a monotone voice.

"Uhm... This... Universe? Timeline? I'm not sure what to call it... I'm from Earth, yes, but... I'm

actually from the year Twenty Fifteen."

Shepard's face goes from expressionless to annoyed. "Cut the shit. I'm not in the mood to be toyed with." She growled.

"Seriously! I... I can prove it, but... you're going to be even more... confused, suspicious, and, or, upset..."