UPDATED: JULY 18, 2010

This is a Garrus/Fem-Shepherd story. I personally find this relationship more interesting that the 'safe' ones the game offered...

Liara/FemShep is pretty tame. She's a mono-gendered alien, the normal gender rules don't really apply to her. Mass Effect is a great game, but it doesn't actually have any 'shock value'. If the creators had wanted to be really shocking- then they would have given the player the option of having Female Shepard be able to get together with Ashley, or have Male Shepard be able to get together with Kaiden. At least then, idiots like Jack Thompson would have some ground to complain.

I noticed that a lot of people expressed interest in Tali. I can sort of understand the appeal, but the main problem is that she could die from a minor cold... and the fact that she's underage. I'm a big fan of Garrus, so I understand why the fan girls like him. I can see why people would like Joker- he's a cool guy. Hell, I can even see why why some players have a thing for Wrex- he's a total badass with a sense of honor of a bit of dark humor.

Shepard is a "War Hero", from a Military family (a "Spacer", if you like). She's also 'mostly nice'. I'm a hopeless idealist at heart- so I played about 95% of the game as a Paragon.


MASS EFFECT:
THE ART OF DIPLOMACY

Chapter I: "The Normandy"

.o.o.o.

It was quiet on board the S.S.V. Normandy. At the moment, the system's very first human Spectre was one of the only people on board. The captain sat quietly in her office in the aft section of the crew deck, reviewing the reports on the recent battle for the Citadel.

At the moment, the ship was currently undergoing repairs in the hangar and its crew was also enjoying some extended leave time as a result. For a change, Tali had actually decided to leave the engineering section, and Joker was out with the others- so the ship was totally empty for once. So Captain Jane Shepard now found herself alone on the ship with just her reports to keep her company...

Shepard recalled the harrowing fight for the Citadel. It was terrible... The very worst case scenario had seemingly come true! A massive fleet of Geth warships had suddenly spilled out into the Widow System. The monstrous living machine- known as "Sovereign"- acted as the fleet's flagship. Worse yet, the traitorous former Spectre, Saren, had just waltzed into the Citadel and was on the verge of seizing control of the entire complex.

Had he been successful in taking control of the Citidel's systems, he could then have activated the giant Mass Relay Gate in the nerve center of the station... effectively instigating the biggest mass extinction that the Milky Way had seen in 50,000 years!

There was nothing to compare it to… While a brutal space battle played out- War overran every sector of the Citadel! Thousands of Geth Shook Troops and Krogan Clones flooded every section and creating total bedlam. For Shepard, her small unit faced an uphill battle as they fought wave after wave of enemy forces. Shepard was a soldier, trained for battle- yet even she found herself taken back by the chaos around her. What could it be compared to? After a bit of thought, she realized that it was (somewhat fittingly) akin to taking the Beaches of Normandy.

Still, even for herself and her trained crew, it wasn't a battle... No, battles were easy. What they went through was nothing short anarchy in its purest form. All reason and logic gave way to a symphony of gunfire and explosions... all set against the backdrop of a multi-colored nebula. Truly, this was chaos! Shepard and her squad fought their way through a relentless swarm of enemies. It was like a war in an upset anthill.

No amount of training could ever truly prepare someone for something like this. Enemies came from all sides, and laser fire and missiles came from every direction. The captain recalled in vivid detail as they fought through choked corridors, up sloping inclines, and across open areas- all the while, fighting an endless stream of hostiles. In was hellish... Liara was doing her best, but without Kaiden... she was carrying the bulk of the squad's biotic work.

Things were exploding and shattered all around them as they struggled against the overwhelming opposition. Missiles and energy beams flew over their heads as they traded gunfire with countless Geth and Krogans- it was like an old gangland shootout from the 1920s! Through it all, Wrex just kept on fighting- it was in his nature, both as a warrior and as a Krogan.

They struggled to rewire formerly hostile turrets to shoot down a Geth battleship less than a hundred meters from their position. At one point, Shepard was briefly knocked senseless by a powerful blast from the Geth attack ship. Thankfully, Ashley (a career soldier, much like Shepard) was covering Tali as the young Quarian at last manged to turn the giant turrets against them.

Garrus had quickly rushed to her side and helped her back onto her feet. For a moment, Shepard thought she heard bells ringing. She soon recovered and the two of them rejoined the others to continue this all out push through the enemy's lines. The female human could have sworn that Garrus seemed almost nervous- but then again, who wouldn't find the whole ordeal unsettling?

The squad watched as the Geth ships started to explode and crashed down... the whole time, gunfire was audible in the background. The experience was almost operatic in a way. If she were to put it to music, then perhaps a combination of Night on Bald Mountain and Gustov Holst's Mars- Bringer of War. Even the triumphant arrival of the Arcturus Fleet deserved a back drop... say, Wagner's Flight of the Valkyries, perhaps?

Shepard didn't like the violence and death that seemed to come along with the missions, but she realized that it was unavoidable- this was, after all, war. Still, as much as she detested the senselessness of it all- she found herself able to take some comfort in the final end of Saren.

As far as she was concerned- he was unforgivable, just like that seedy little Ethan Jeong on Feros. She remembered the moment, making a sour face as if a sudden bitter taste had graced her palette. He had just run his mouth for the last time... Shepard had looked him dead in the face:

"Something tells me no one's going to miss you either!" After that, the little weasel had preposterously tried to pull a gun on her. She effortlessly beat him to the draw and shot him down. She had killed him... and truthfully, she could live with it.

Wrex would laugh at the idea loosing sleep over killing bastards like Saren. But it wasn't so much killing him that bothered her; it was that she was learning to live with the killing and the destruction. She had joined the Alliance Forces to help humanity, yet she now found herself thrown into constant conflict. "I guess this is what it really means to be captain?" She mused, setting down the data pad on her desk.

Life and death were in her hands. It wasn't fair, but that was pretty much the idea of being a Spectre in a nutshell. She realized now that she had two options- the first, give and walk away; the second, do the best she could and keep fighting. Of course, she knew she'd keep fighting. As long as the Geth and the rest of the Reapers were still looming over them beyond the Veil, the threat remained.

She had also taken to heart the various bits of advice and insight that others had offered... That as a Spectre, she stood for the very ideals and beliefs that the Council was founded upon... And as the first human Spectre, she was now tasked with reflecting the best virtues of her own kind- to show what Humanity was capable of... "Yeah, so no big deal- no pressure Jane." She muttered to herself, rolling her eyes.

.o.o.o.

The mechanical chimes alerted her that someone was at the door of her room. She turned around in the swivel chair and called for the visitor to enter. She smiled slightly when the familiar figure of Garrus Vakarian stepped into the room. The door slid shut behind him as he stood there- perfect posture and his arms tucked behind his back.

Garrus quickly adopted a more relaxed tone once the door closed. He knew Shepard well by now and was more at ease around her. The Taurian paused and noted her striking red hair and her pale blue eyes picked up the dull light in the room. He could also see the slight scar over her right eye- it left a hair thin breach in her eyebrow. "Shepard, I'm glad I found you here. I was hoping to speak to you… that is, if I'm not disturbing you?" He finished in his usual cordial tone.

Garrus was a typical Turian in many ways, but there were certain things about him that set him apart. His simple but unique complexion- with his grayish face and dark blue markings (as well as his dark, compelling alien eyes) always grabbed her attention so easily. She sank back into the chair and pivoted to the side. "Not at all- honestly, I'm glad you're here." She began. "I needed an excuse to put these reports away for a while." She admitted with a slight smile. "And… call me Jane." She added, flashing him a pretty smile.

Garrus noted the glint in her blue eyes as she looked over her shoulder at him. She was fair-skinned, with very faint hints of freckles on her pale flesh. He also noted her angular features and cheekbones. "Alright, thank you… Jane." He replied with a faint smile and a certain measure of bashfulness in his tone. "I just noticed that you've seemed rather distant recently…" He began. "And well... you have a tendency to take on the weight of others."

The female Alliance soldier rotated around in her chair and closed her eyes. "So I've heard." She mused while silence briefly fell between them. She soon felt the comforting presence of the Turian's hands resting on her shoulders. Shepard exhaled and rose out of the chair. She promptly turned to face Garrus and stepped towards him "...It makes it easier to know that you're at my side." She remarked with a smile, resting her hand against his cheek, the smooth pink flesh of her hand brushing against his rough darker hide.

It was strange when she thought about it. Shepard wasn't really sure just how this relationship of theirs had begun… or how the two of them had become so close. There was an undeniable connection between them and the intimacy they seemed to share was like second nature. She guessed at some point, she'd just grown to enjoy the reassuringly calm aura that the Turian provided. It seemed the genesis of their relationship had been so subtle that she hadn't even become aware of it until it had happened...

She looked at him with a smile. The human placed her hands on his shoulder and leaned in towards him. She felt her cheeks flush as she narrowed her eyes and hesitantly brushed her lips across his mouth. Thankfully, the Turian didn't pull back from her. Garrus relaxed, enjoying the sensation of the human woman's soft lips against his rough mouth. He reached down and placed his hands on her hips as he leaned down into the kiss.

The Spectre smiled to herself and leaned her head a little to the side to deepen the kiss- moaning slightly into his mouth. Garrus eventually broke the kiss, leaving the redhead with a confused (and not to mention flustered) look on her face. He smiled at her and pulled Shepherd's slender figure against him- a slight yelp escaped her lips.

As a human, Shepard's whole body was soft and warm. While this was common for other humans and most humanoids, it was far more enticing to Garrus... His kind had adapted to survive exposure to solar radiation- gaining a rough, almost metal-like hide in the process. Turian's were tall and imposing, with clawed hands and a beak-like mouth. By contrast, Shepard slender body was soft with supple curves. He looked at her, noting her bright eyes and her small mouth, along with her collar-length red hair. Like the rest of her kind, she was far more delicate than his own kind. But that was part of the strange appeal she had about her.

She looked up at him and smiled. Shepard snaked her arms around his neck and tilted her head. The Turian understood her actions, and leaned back down to kiss her again. Despite his harsh exterior, he could feel the warmth of her body against him, as well as how she seemed to meld into him as they embraced.

Shepard eventually pulled back a bit to smile at him while stilling leaning against him, flashing an impish smile. "You know Garrus," She began a low tone, "I'm not sure if this proper protocol for a Captain..." She added. "But I have to say that I'm already feeling much better now that you're here." She offered with an attractive smile.

He looked at her and smiled, giving a quick nod in response. "Glad I could help." He replied, causing her to blush faintly. There was something about his voice and mannerisms that appealed to Shepard- it was like there an almost 'boyish' quality about him... but he could also be moody and deep at time as well... It was the complexity that appealed to her.

The human released him and slipped free from his grip, giving a smile as she made her way towards her bed. She sat down on the foot of the bed and crossed one leg over the other. She leaned back slightly on her palms and made an inviting gesture. Garrus was quick to join her, taking a seat beside her. He watched as she chuckled slightly to herself.

She reached up and brushed her reddish locks aside. "It's funny... But I never expected that I'd learn so much by becoming a Specter..." She began. "Things like history, protocol, diplomacy..." She offered with a smile. "...And I've learned a lot about all the different races." She added in wistful tone. "Perhaps, in a sense, that's part of what it means to be a Spectre- to expand you're horizons?"

She turned to him, an odd smile on her face."For example, most people think that Taurians are so straight-laced and serious," She began, wagging her finger cutely. "But I've learned first hand that your kind can be just as complex and varied as any. For example, you're very charming and boyish in your own way." She finished.

Garrus looked at her for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I have to say Jane, I'm not sure how to respond to that..." He replied.

She shook her head and leaned toward him, planting a quick kiss on his mouth. "Don't worry, Garrus, it's those aspects of you that I like." She offered with a smile. She then thrust both of her arms upwards and stretched for a moment, before allowing herself to fall back onto the bed with a soft 'thud'.

The Turian chuckled at her antics. In truth, he found them refreshing. Garrus turned and leaned down on his side next to her. "Still, there's not all that much you can do is you just stay cooped up here in the Normandy." He reasoned calmly.

Captain Jane Shepard was silent for a moment, before a coy smile slowly played across her face. "You know..." She began, accentuating the words as she tilted her head so that she was looking up at him. "Joker's not here, so there's no one monitoring the ship... plus, everyone else is on leave in the Citadel." She added. She reached up and traced a finger along the rough contours of his face. "And I can think of a few fun things we can do with the Normandy all to ourselves." She finished in a devious tone.

The Turian understood and nodded, giving her a smile. Garrus reached up and caught her wondering hand in his and looked down at her for a moment. He had to admit that she looked particularly inviting at the moment (laying across the blue bed sheets), and he didn't have anything planned. "Well, when you put it like that... I suppose you're right." He replied. Shepard smiled at the Turian's response and propped herself up just enough to kiss him.

As the two shared a kiss, it seemed that Captain Jane Shepard finally had something other then paperwork and reports to keep her busy on board the S.S.V. Normandy...

(- End of Chapter 1 -)

.o.o.o.

I enjoyed writing this, and I hope you guys liked it as well. The storyline is pretty relaxed, so I'm not really sure where it's going at the moment. I'll try and have another chapter up soon. I'm also considering some other potential couples as well. So please let me know what you guys think.

Even though I'm a guy, I prefer playing as female characters... I'm not totally sure why. The main reason I can think of is that I grew up in the 80s and 90s, back when virtually all the games stared nothing but muscular guys fighting with giant swords or shooting huge guns. And on top of that, they were always over the top and 'extreme'. I guess I just sort of burned out on male characters for the most part. In Mass Effect, I always play as female Shepard, so I always go after Liara.

I have nothing against Kaiden (as a character), but he just didn't appeal to me... plus, he didn't fit with my view of Shepard. If I was going to hook my female Shepard up with a guy, Garrus would be best suited... oh well.

-Bojack727