Taylor McClellan

"I've got ambitions of beating the odds"

- One of Taylor's favorite sayings.

Taylor Hand McClellan was a mercenary and Biotic during the Great Galactic Revival. He is the primary protagonist of Mass Effect: Chronicles of a Silent Galaxy.

He was born in Tampa, Florida, UNAS, on Earth, the son of marine James Van McClellan. At the age of six, his father was killed and he was abducted by Cerberus, and placed into the PSI Program, a shadow operation that was designed to make super soldiers out of biotic children. As he grew older, the program slowly manipulated and brainwashed the children into becoming Cerberus fanatics. In 2264 CE, scientist Dianna Yeldon, kidnapped Taylor and several other of the teenagers from Cerberus. She wiped their memories of all that Cerberus had put them through, then left them on separate planets, hidden from the organization. Taylor awoke on, and was diagnosed with retrograde amnesia. He spent the next several months attempting to find out about his past, but was ultimately absorbed into the.

Early Life
Taylor Hand McClellan was born on Earth, in Tampa, Florida of the U.N.A.S., the child of Alliance Officer James Van McClellan, and Wendy Kinnel. He grew up living with his parents and two older brothers, Jordan Kinnel, and Justin Kinnel. On a routine medical examination, it was discovered Taylor was a biotic child as well, and his father had him enrolled in biotic control classes at the age of five. However, Taylor was one of many children being shadowed by the Cerberus Remnant, and possible subject for the PSI Program. A year later, while Taylor and his father were at their home, Cerberus operatives broke in. James attempted to escape the house, however he was killed by the operatives, and Taylor was pulled away from his father's body, and carried away by Cerberus, his father's N7 jacket still in his hand.

PSI Program
Following the kidnapping, Taylor was taken to Ares Station in the on, along with thirty other children. He was assigned the I.D. Conscript-17 upon arrival, and for the first several months was subjugated to a cold single bed room, as were the rest of the kids. The psychological torture left the subjects bending to the will of the Cerberus Scientist, handing the researchers the leverage they needed to begin brainwashing the children.

They began learning military strategy, mathematics, science, reading, writing, biology, physics, xeno studies and military strategy over the next four years. The PSI kids began learning combat skills, along with other basic and advanced military training. Their biotics were being rigorously trained daily as well, with cerberus's goal of creating "perfect" biotics. Taylor grew close with Giovanni Vasquez, Rachel Weathers, and their teacher Dianna Yeldon, one of the few Cerberus scientist who genuinely cared for the kids. At the age of eight, the scientist began to brainwash the candidates, attempting to instill a sense of pro-Cerberus ideals, to produce xenophobic, human-supremacist soldiers.

"He is, incredible, to say the least. I admit, it's a tragedy, what Cerberus is doing to him... the potential for this child, to say the least he could make a difference. He's not the strongest, he's not the smartest, but he is the bravest, and the most resilient."

- Dr. Yeldon's journal entry in regards to Taylor.

Taylor proved himself to be one of the most capable children during his education and training. Unfortunately for the Cerberus, Taylor continued to resist the attempts at brainwashing, maintaining a sense of right and wrong. Most of the others had forgotten their past lives already, however Taylor held on to his father's N7 jacket, a constant reminder of his past. Cerberus identified him and Josiah Court as the two leaders of the PSI Candidates. The two also began to develop a rivalry over their training. In the end, Josiah was awarded the role of leader, due to Taylor's resistance to Cerberus's mental conditioning.

Two years later, Dr. Charlie Murdoch selected the top ten of the conscripts, who where ideal physical and mental candidates for the L9 implants and skeletal and muscle augmentations. Taylor was one of the first selected for the operation. The procedure killed four of the children, Taylor survived the process unscathed, but for the next few months he was forced to bed rest recovering from the surgery. After his recovery, Taylor and the other augmented biotics returned to training, their skills now exceeding the other candidates. He continued to clash with Josiah as well. Over the next six years, the psychological indoctrination began to take it's effect on Taylor, and the few other children who still showed resilience. Doctor Yeldon began recognize this, and the guilt and regret for her part in the project slowly started to weigh on her conscious. On the night November 15th 2164 CE, Yeldon deceived the security at Ares Station, and kidnapped several of the children, Taylor included and fled the system. She sedated the kids, and headed for to Doctor Jenea T'Sauria, where they each underwent a memory procedure, successfully erasing the Cerberus indoctrination from their minds. Yeldon then went from colony to colony leaving the children in separate locations, hoping to hide them from Cerberus. Taylor, was left on.

Waking Up On Omega
"There's got to be some answers on this station, people can't just appear with out leaving a trail"

- Taylor to Sykes

"You obviously haven't gotten acquainted with Omega, people come here not be found, to get lost my friend, someone didn't want you found."

- Syke's response

When the sedatives wore off, Taylor awoke inside the Gozu Clinic, with no memory of his past life, the doctor, Quell Kyt informed him that he had retrograde amnesia, and that he had been found unconscious in an alley way. Kyt gave Taylor all the information he had on him, which was next to nothing, however, Taylor vowed to find more details on his past and where he came from. Taylor began to search break into the security stations and clinics across the station, instinctively he knew how to bypass security measures and how to survive in the slums of the station by stealing food with out getting caught.

One night, he broke into the Doru district security center, he quickly found out he was being followed, and deceived the Turian tracking him, rendering him unconscious and transporting him to an abandoned elevator shaft that Taylor had turned into his home. When the Turian regained conscious, Taylor began to question him, and he revealed he was Sykes Wiam, a member of the who was investigating the robberies across the station. Sykes inquired why Taylor was living in an abandoned elevator, and why he was stealing security information. Taylor responded bluntly and openly, two years before he woke up on Omega with no memory, he was searching for data or security footage on his arrival, to no avail. He released Sykes, who realized Taylor wasn't a criminal, nor Dark Space mercenary, returned to the Talons and covered up for Taylor, informing his commanders that locals were behind the thefts.

The Talons
Months later, Sykes and Taylor met again, this time Sykes arranged for the two to contact at the bar,. There the Turian gave Taylor a new option to his search for answers. The Talons were at war with the Dark Space Mercenary Company, and needed help, Sykes who had seen Taylor's survival and combat abilities first hand, realized the asset Taylor could provide. He explained if he were to help in the turf war, Sykes, and the Talons would do what ever it takes to help Taylor. He mulled over the offer over the next few days and then returned to Sykes, ready to join the Talons. Taylor quickly proved to be much more than a survivor to Talon commander Jaxon Moizeus, he was extremely smart and talented with a gun, he and Sykes began working together most of the time, and the other Talons referred to the two as the "Dynamic Duo".

Physical Description
Taylor has a very bantam build, standing at only 175.26 Cm, (5.9 Ft), and 72 kg (160 Lbs). He is very fit, and his body is fitted with long limbs, and a shorter torso. He has a gaunt face, a slightly larger forehead than most, a thick strong jaw, small ears, and an arched nose. His eyes are a dark blue-green, and most of the time a thin beard is stretched across his jaw. Across his chest is a tattoo, three X's and "In Good Faith We Will Remain" scripted above the x's.

Abilities
Taylor is well known for his preeminent speed and agility, and his exceptional instincts, intuition and tactical dexterity. His endurance is held in high regard as well, his engine never stops, and he can operate efficiently off minimal sleep. Many also speak of his sufferance towards extreme weather conditions.

Taylor is an excellent biotic as well, able to create biotic shields, blast, an assortment of biotic kicks and punchers, and the infamous annihilation wave, capable of eviscerating multiple enemies. He is an excellent shot with a rifle, and pistol, typically favoring long range combat in a gun battle. However, he is excellent in hand to hand combat, and knows a combination of martial arts, operating off a kickboxing base combined with a mix of Judo, Wrestling, and Jiu Jitsu. He also is talented with blades, and carries a pair of mono-molecular blades on his armor.

Personality
"Believe in yourself, because in the end, that's all you got."

- Taylor speaking to Sykes.

Pure, stoic, fierce, temperamental, loyal, compassionate, fiery, and larger than life, are just a few of the impressions Taylor has left across the galaxy, as well as dry, sarcastic, typically kind, and sometimes sadistic sense of humor.

However, he is much more complex than just words can describe. Taylor, is a self-acclaimed narcissist, often talking about himself, or his own interest. His self confidence in his abilities and second to none, at least on the surface. Though few have seen it, under his presumptuous shell, Taylor's mind is incredibly burdened at times, doubting his own abilities, wishing for things to be different when they're rough, wanting to be home, and even going so far as to just, wanting to give up. Around his crew, and friends, he hides his fears, believing that his confidence is key to their success. A fallout of his narcissism is his "shallowness" as referred to as some, when it comes to the opposite sex. He has very high standards, and can be judgmental.

Taylor has a very short temper when it comes to certain things, specifically, sports, and attitudes. His inability to deal with incivility, and other's cockiness has led to many altercations, occasionally even clashing heads with others. He often refers to these offenders as "poons". However, all temper issues aside, Taylor will help anyone, friends, acquaintances, and anyone he feels deserves a second chance. With that being said, his uttermost inhuman quality, his kindness, forgiveness, and purity. His everlasting commitment to making morally right choices, to always lend a hand, and go above and beyond the call of duty to save lives.

Friends, and his loyalty to his allies are another aspect of the human's nature. All the same, he makes time for his friends constantly, often helping them with their own issues. Taylor was sometimes called a "grown-ass teenager" by Jaxon Moizeus, in regards to his fun loving, but occasionally juvenile and risky nature.

Taylor is also also an "iron man", often exercising and working out in his spare time, and always attempting to coerce his fellow squad mates into joining him. In his youth he claimed the label, Straight Edge, still symbolized by his chest piece. Even though he no longer uses that stamp, he still completely refrains from the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.

Equipment
Taylor is outfitted heavily, compared to most mercenaries. Taylor's load out is centered around accuracy, and power over rate of fire. His primary weapon of choice is the M-96 Mattock, featuring an extended magazine, a precision scope, and a stability damper. He also carries an N7 armament, consisting Valiant Sniper Rifle, Piranha shotgun, and the Eagle heavy pistol, all modified for improved accuracy and power.

Appearances

 * Mass Effect: Chronicles of a Silent Galaxy
 * Mass Effect: Lost Souls, Broken Minds

Trivia

 * Taylor's personality represents pure positivity and realism. As well as the undying confidence he has in himself, and the ability to overcome. This is also combined with his many obvious flaws, occasional anger issues, denial, and his narcissism.
 * He is based off the author.