Elias Fisher

History
Elias was born to Linda and John Fisher in 2108, a working-class couple in the Richmond Megalopolis. It wasn't easy living, not by any means, but the two did their best to raise their son well, to unfortunately little success. The teen had an excess of energy, and in the middle of one of the worst economic downturns in recent memory, he had no way to channel it, except by making trouble. He became the dictionary definition of a juvenile delinquent, bouncing from gang to gang without commitment, while getting caught in a slew of misdemeanors along the way. He dropped out of high school and was eventually arrested, his family being fined for an act of vandalism. Finally done with his delinquency, his parents kicked him out of the house at the age of 17, left with nothing but a little bit of cash, a few words of advice, and a signed waiver for him to join the forces of the United North American States. Not seeing anywhere to turn, and with no real friends to help him, he did as they said, and enlisted.

Fisher had intended the UNAS army to be little more than a stepping stone, something to give him time to plan for his future, whatever that might be. Instead, he found something much different. From the very first day of boot, he was challenged by his instructor, forced to work himself to the bone in order to prove himself, and for the first time in his life, Elias actually found himself wanting to comply with the orders of his authority figure. It was a way to channel his energy, something that he could put effort into that actually fulfilled him, more than school, or the various little gangs. It was real, meaningful work, and he threw himself into it with spirited abandon. During his training he came to know his platoon’s Drill Instructor, Sergeant Haytham, well, seeing him more as a mentor then an army drill-sergeant. He came to admire the man greatly, appreciating him for not only his teaching ability, but for the philosophy he drilled into his students’ head about their duty as a soldier. It wasn't just a philosophical belief: it was a lifestyle, a work ethic that Elias strived to live by.

Following basic training, he was placed in the 10th UNAS Infantry and Armor division, awarded the rank of Private First Class for his exemplary training record, and of course his trainer’s good word. The Year was 2144, and he had just turned 35. He had served admirably for 15 years, and used his G.I bill to obtain a degree in military history, which he then used to apply for officers training. Fisher was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant just a few months prior to the Indonesian Civil war.

Due to the environmental destruction caused by human activities on planet Earth, many of islands of the Oceanian territories were devastated by flooding. This led to a skyrocketing in political and economic tensions in the area, with many of the refugees from the flooded isles escaping to the territory of Indonesia. The nation's resources, already taxed by their own environmental problems, reached their limit with the population influx. Their economy collapsed, with widescale conflicts breaking out as numerous armed factions rose up to challenge the weakened government. Numerous international forces were sent to help restore peace, and lessen the loss of life in what was soon dragged out into a long and brutal affair. As an unintended positive, many of the veterans of this conflict were transferred to the budding Alliance after the fact. Elias was one of these. He had served with an exemplary record for the entirety of the conflict, leading almost 50 combat missions and notably being awarded the Star of Unification for his efforts in the 3 month-long battle of Jakarta. Following the war’s end, the UNAS army transferred him into the newly formed Systems Alliance, assigning him to the MSV Heartbreak Ridge as an ensign. It was a great honor, and it would become even greater after the ship was selected by John Grissom to be used as the vessel of the first maiden voyage through the Charon Relay in the year 2149.

The Heartbreak was primarily chosen for it's perfect inspection record: the ship itself was nothing more than a standard frigate. However, the honor of partaking in the journey was immense, and even though he never spoke to Grissom directly, Elias took inspiration from the man’s skill as a leader. The Admiral held a similar set of beliefs to Sgt. Haytham, and he soon came to hold a similar status in Elias' mind.

There was one other good thing that came out of his time aboard the Heartbreak. Although he never interacted with Grissom directly, he came to befriend one of his chief aides, Daniella Rieger. The woman was unused to military life, serving more of an administrative role than anything else, so she “conscripted” Elias to show her the ropes and help her get used to life aboard the ship. By the end of the 8-month voyage, the two were close friends and confidantes. He respected her for her sharp wit and impressive intellect, and she in turn respected him for his will and strength. Little did Elias know, he wasn't only making a friend: he was changing his future.

Soon after the Heartbreak arrived back in the Sol system, its crew receiving a hero’s welcome, Elias received an e-mail from Alliance Command, ordering him to report to the nearest port and travel to Vancouver, Alliance HQ, ASAP. The reasons for this summons would soon become all too clear: he had been selected to take part in a new project, spearheaded by none other than Jon Grissom himself. It's premise was simple, and ambitious: take soldiers with potential, train them to the highest standard, hone them to a razor edge, and assign them to the places that needed them the most. The first three selected, with Fisher among them, would be the trainers for the first group. Elias, by all outward appearance, had been selected for his Star of Unification, his excellent record, and the degree of limelight he’d received for his service aboard the Heartbreak. Another possible reason, one which the soldier preferred to ignore, was that Daniella had slipped his name to Grissom. This was less preferable to him, for obvious reasons, but nevertheless his doubt about his own selection would linger for years.

The two other recruits that were chosen to take part in the program were named Miguèl Lima and Yu Cāi, members of the Brazilian “Mejores” and Chinese People’s Federation liberation forces, respectively. Together, they travelled the globe, spectating and participating in special forces training from dozens of nations, from the Indian MARCOS and Russian Spetnatz, to the UNAS Navy Seals and German KSK. All the while, they were ordered to take notes: marking down effective training tactics, and relaying these writings to their assigned handler.

Elias’ handler, of course, was Daniella. She was with them every step of the way, helping them formulate the base of what would eventually be called ICT training. As the months of travel turned into years, their little group became inseparable, brothers and sisters in arms. Elias and Daniella grew even closer than that. They married on December 30th 2155, only 2 months before the first ICT class was scheduled to begin.

2156 was a busy year for Fisher. The first ICT class was trained in a different manner than it would be in the future: instead of recruits progressing through increasingly difficult levels of training, they were subjected to the full brunt of the routine within a year. Many members of their already small number washed out within the first 4 months. Elias, Miguel, Yu, and their students were honored by Jon Grissom himself, being awarded the famous rank and insignia of the N7, recognized as the very best humanity had to offer.

Humanity was soon to need them: just as Grissom was congratulating a young man named David Anderson, news rang out through Vancouver HQ: a human patrol fleet on the fringes of known space had been attacked by an unknown alien force. Their race wasn't alone in the Galaxy afterall. No, instead it was exactly the opposite: their chunk of the Galaxy was surrounded on all sides by aliens of every kind. They had suddenly become a very small fish in an extremely large pond, and unfortunately for them, there was a Barracuda-sized predator called the Turian Hierarchy eying them up like an afternoon meal.

The newly formed N7s were sent to do exactly what Grissom had formed them to do: go to the places that needed them the most, and do their damndest to get what needed to be done, done. Unfortunately for them, their training hadn't at all prepared them for the foe they faced. Up against the might of the turians, the un-reinforced humans were slowly but steadily pushed back, until they reached the farthest-outlying colony in Alliance-Space: Shanxi. The N7 operatives found themselves fighting a ground war against a force superior in almost all ways, save for skill, and pure determination. They continued fighting guerilla battles long past Admiral William’s surrender, all the way up to their eventual reinforcement by the Alliance Fleet. This fighting did not go without casualties: the turians were ruthless when hunting down members of the quickly-formed human resistance, and many of the first N7s were cut down by the aliens on Shanxi. Notably, near the end of the Occupation, Elias and Miguel set out to pilfer weapons from a turian supply depot. Unfortunately, while on their return trip, the pair and their men were sighted by a turian gunship. Shortly afterward, their position was hit by an orbital strike, annihilating an entire city block, and killing most of the squad. Elias survived by the skin of his teeth, pulling himself, bleeding heavily, from out of the crater.

Miguel Líma was not so fortunate. While Elias made it out with nothing more than scarring, Miguel was ripped almost in half, killing him nigh-instantly. He was the first member of the little knot of soldiers and handlers to die, the first worthy soldier to sacrifice himself for his cause. Soon after his death, the First Contact War ended. Despite having every reason to resent the turians and their brutal style of warfare, Elias had come to respect them. They knew what was necessary to win their battles, and valued honor and duty above all else.

Following their excellent service, Yu was promoted to Commander and assigned to the SSV Beijing, while Elias was promoted to Colonel, and assigned as the commanding officer and lead-instructor and the newly constructed Villa Militar in Rio De Janeiro. There, he acted as both the commander of the sizeable Alliance Base installed within the city, and as one of the instructors for soldiers who progressed to the N6 level of training. In this next-to-final course, he did his best to push them past their limits, in the most creative ways he could find. It became an annual tradition for the graduated N7s to see exactly what kind of cruel, inventive strategies he would use to bludgeon that year’s batch of N5s. In addition to his work as the N6 trainer, he also occasionally accompanied soldiers on their “hotzone” mission, the final part of their training, and the rite of passage to become an N7. These were essentially short, risky operations within hostile territory, ranging anywhere from attacks on pirate compounds to assisting colonies against slavers. If the trainee performed admirably, they would graduate and finally be assigned to the hallowed ranks of the N7. A great many notable soldiers passed through his training in that time, heroes of alliance and council space. While he was working at the Villa, Daniella retired from her position, opening up a small flower shop near their home. Before long, she became pregnant, and gave birth to the couple's first son, Johnathan, whom Elias named after his own father.

Years passed. The reputation of the N7 grew, sprouting in conjunction with the rising power of the System’s Alliance. Elias was proud, and content in his work, although he often found himself wishing to see his son more frequently. The lad was almost 9 now, with the strength of his father and the wits of his mother. He couldn’t have been more proud. Daniella, meanwhile, was several terms into her second pregnancy. Things seemed beyond perfect. But, as usual, life had a way of ruining happy moments.

Then, on July 1st, 2176, the human colony of Elysium was suddenly and violently struck by a massive raid of pirates, mercenaries, and batarian spacers. Thousands of civilians were caught in the crossfire as a once happy, prosperous planet was plunged into immense violence and bloodshed. Yū Cai, Elias’ friend from the first days of ICT, was killed in the fighting, captured and murdered by an Eclipse pirate by the name of Roessen Kargyre. The Sarge, and all his students, prepared for war.

But, just as suddenly as the conflict had began, Elias was plucked out of it, forced to stand at the sidelines while he was made to live through his own personal tragedy.

His wife was dying. His beloved Daniella. For unknown reasons, her labor was going as wrong as it could possibly go, and no matter who he contacted, all they could give was theory. After interminable agony, they were forced to make a decision, and began an emergency operation to save the baby.

Daniella died not long after. A candle had gone out in Elias’ heart but a new one had taken its place. Amy Fisher was small, with weak lungs, and a weaker heart, but she would live. He never made it to Elysium, instead watching the reports about it being saved by one of his former students.

Unfortunately for Amy, and her brother, without the presence of Daniella to mellow his actions, Elias wouldn’t make for a very good father. He didn’t lack in affection, not in the slightest. He just had no way to communicate with his children effectively. What was he supposed to do, curse at them? Drill them into shape? Never.

Sick with grief, he withdrew from his family, only seeing them late at nights, after school had already ended. He hated it, but it was the only way he knew to keep himself sane, away from grief and frustration with himself. His son was not a fan of this action. He deeply resented his father’s attempts to run away, to hide from his feelings. This frustration was doubled when Amy’s incredible biotic potential was discovered, making her a prime target for bullying. Johnathan found that, more often than not, he was the one helping to raise his sister. In his anger, he failed to see that the gap between him and his father was only being made deeper by his own unwillingness to confront the older man.

Years passed. Elias served honorably in the battle of Torfan, although he pulled his men out before the infamous lunge and massacre in enemy territory. His son grew more and more distant from him, a blow which was thankfully made better by the adoration of his young daughter. Life was comfortable for them, slightly difficult of course because of the familial tension, but comfortable nonetheless.

That changed when Amy’s health suddenly deteriorated. They had known very early that she was biotic, much earlier than most families ever found out. What they hadn’t expected were the...further complications of her condition. Almost overnight, her immune system deteriorated into almost non-existence, as eezo began coalescing in her bone marrow, thymus, and  lymph nodes. To save her life, her doctors were forced to place her into medical stasis, to wait until a solution could be found. Both Elias, and his son, fell into joint despair.

Elias, as always, found comfort in his work, and his son in his studies, and his constant defiance. Instead of growing together in their shared tragedy, the rift between them widened. Jonathan went as far as to blame Elias for Amy’s condition, shouting, tearfully, that if he hadn’t been playing soldier, he would have seen it before it was too late. From there, he went even farther; he accused his father of never loving Amy, of blaming her for Daniella’s death. Even that, he pinned on Elias, though the old soldier had spent the entire arduous-labor by his wife’s side, bleak day by restless night.

Elias, for his part, bore his son’s remonstrations quietly, and returned to work. With time, he was sure, things would grow better between them, and the alliance had need of him; following the Eden Prime attack of 2183, the N7 found themselves once again called to war, against a cryptic, difficult foe. The Geth could not be negotiated with, nor scared into submission, and neither could their leader, Saren, once his part in the business was revealed. But, as Elias was sure to point out to his recruits, and the Admiralty of the Alliance, they could be destroyed just as easily as any piece of hardware, a point that he set out to proving immediately.

The ‘Sarge, given command of the extensive marine detachment aboard the carrier SSV Delano Roosevelt in the fifth fleet,  officially logged over 106 separate engagements in the short duration of the Eden Prime War, personally engaging in no fewer than 32 fireteam missions. It was japed that Elias kept the limbless torso of a geth prime in his quarters for a punching bag; a joke, of course. As all geth corpses usually self destructed some time after falling in combat, he would have turned any geth-tech remnant immediately over to the Alliance Intelligence Service. Captain Fisher was present at the Battle of the Citadel, witnessed the saving of the Council, and saw humanity’s power and reach extend vastly, with relatively low cost. He was even offered his first admiral’s star, and a transfer into the higher echelons of the “A-elite”; the high command of the alliance navy, designated by the vocational-letter A.

It was not to be. Elias preferred to stay in command of his precious N7 at The Villa, where he could visit his daughter as much as he needed, and oversee his son’s studies. There, also, he could supervise his son, who was already beginning to turn his eye to his own future. The boy was bright, witty, and extremely diligent, but given to brooding and periods of rebellion. When he was 16, his father returned home to find that he had skipped school, and shaved his head. When he was 17, Elias returned home late, only to barge in upon Jonathan cavorting with an asari some eight decades his senior. He was full of endless mischief, and endless frustration, anger, and resentment against Elias, whereas the older man felt he would soon have whiplash from the constant switching between glowing pride and furious discontent.

By 2186, Elias was just beginning to consider retirement, so that he might spend more time with his daughter, and Jonathan was reviewing his college letters. Really, he wasn’t under any pressure; with his smarts, and his ambitions, he could have been whatever he chose, the opposite of his father at the same age. By September of that year, he was beginning to look into a possibility career in medicine, so that he could spend his future making his sister, and others like her, well. But, as the saying goes, men make plans, and God laughs. Neither of the Fishers’ plans would ever come to fruition; in fact, by the time September was through, any plans for their future looked realistic. College was impossible, and retirement laughable.

For, in September of 2186, the Reapers came to Earth.

By the time the first fiery-amber blips appeared, smoking in the sky over Rio, Elias, and the Villa, had warning. Already, Vancouver, London, New York, Shanghai, and just about every other Alliance command center on earth, was reporting attackers. As a further warning, communications signals started to go dark thirty minutes past noon. By the time airspace intrusions were detected, the city had begun to prepare itself. Emergency services were scrambling, civilians returning to their homes, and Alliance marines, mixed with Brazilian army forces, were beginning to set up positions. Alice and Jonathan were at home, in the process of being evacuated, along with the families of other officers. The captain would not be going with them.

Leaving them ripped Elias’ heart out, more than either of them could know, but he was determined. No matter how badly the fight went -and it was one-sided from the very beginning- he was set on defending Rio, defending Earth, to the best of his abilities. Unfortunately that didn’t amount to much. Within 20 minutes of Reaper groundfall, their titanic Dreadnoughts shattered skyscrapers and rended block-sized holes into concrete and barrio-mud alike; positions in the city were collapsing, buried under seething hordes of shock troops. Elias himself, left with a meager handful of his most trusted operatives and training officers (the rest had left in the evacuation, to be deployed elsewhere), spent the first two days defending a hydroelectric-powerflow in the water, watching Rio burn.

As it became increasingly clear that their mission was hopeless, Elias and his remaining compatriots were called back, regrouping at the statue of Christ the Redeemer. From there, they boarded shuttles, makos, and nomads, departing to bolster resistance cells across the globe. The fighting during this period reminded the old soldier of his time on Shanxi, taken and multiplied by a factor of ten. Turians bombed blocks, and set brutal martial law, sure… but they didn’t burn continents, melt cities, and brainwash populations with indoctrination, nor did they kidnap millions, sending them through ghastly charnel-house harvesting stations. Fighting against an enemy that held every advantage clutched in their grip, with no fear, no mercy, and seemingly no weakness, the fight was often just a matter of survival. Organized resistance was all but impossible, save for in remarkable instances of heroism; a lone rebel, infiltrating a concentration camp and detonating a suicide bomb at its heart, the British prime minister overcoming indoctrination long enough to order his a

rmed forces to ignore his future-commands and assist the resistance, the nuclear submarine Marshall annihilating a Reaper destroyer in a flash of white, before ruining its warheads and consigning itself to the deep to prevent Reaper forces from claiming its armaments.

These demonstrations were uplifting, but ultimately, they were useless. Trapped, Elias only felt like they were delaying, stalling Reaper forces while the Crucible was constructed, helplessly watching as many of his fellow officers, subordinates, and former students fell, one by one. All he could hope was that his children, safely aboard his former vessel in the fifth fleet, were safe, or as much as one could be in these times. He thought of their faces, of holding them in his arms again, drove the soldier onward; when it seemed as if his fireteam would be overwhelmed, retrieving important research from a lab in Vancouver, he thought of them, and held on. When he found himself holding off a horde of husks, defending an evacuating transport in Panama, he thought of them, and held on. And when the time came for the final battle, to travel to London and activate the Crucible, he thought of them, strapped on his armor, and held on. When the battle came, he gave it his all; every ounce of his courage, every scrap of his strength, every last trace of his considerable skill and experience was thrown into the fight.

And yet, they lost. It was one of the bloodiest, most bitter defeats that Elias had ever seen, one that he wasn’t even conscious to witness: towards the end of the battle he was knocked senseless by a concussive blast, only to wake up aboard a retreating alliance corvette hours later, on its way to regroup with the bare remnants of the fleet past Saturn, where he rejoined the crew of the MSV Delano Roosevelt. The majority of his colleagues from the Villa were dead, and much of the resistance in Earth was crushed. Everything seemed lost, shrouded in darkness… and things only got worse from there.

Both of Elias’ children survived the battle, as luck would have it; most other parents couldn’t say the same. But, all wasn’t well; the sudden crushing need for manpower the Alliance felt during the conflict drove many to join up, among them Elias’ eldest, without his father’s consent. Jonathan had enlisted in the marines as a combat medic, and shipped out; by the time the battle rolled around, and the Captain found himself back with his daughter aboard the Roosevelt, contact with Jonathan, his squad, and the ship he had been assigned to had been lost somewhere in the Skyllian Verge. Jonathan was presumed missing, and his father was left heartbroken once more: MIA, in this war, almost certainly meant death… or worse, the Harvest.