The Interview
The person in alliance dress uniform sat in the chair unwavering, their expression was neutral and unflinching and yet amicable. This particular officer represented all that the restored Systems Alliance stood for, even though this person was technically part of the 'old guard'.
"Admiral," the interviewer began, her graying hair was tied back in a professional manner as she sat behind her desk, looking over at the seasoned officer. "You have served the Alliance faithfully for nearly fifty years, the ninth fleet has received more decorations from both our government and that of other races than even the legendary fifth. Would you credit that accomplishment to your leadership style?"
The admiral chuckled after a brief headshake, "no I wouldn't. My people followed me because they believed what we were doing was the right thing. I have had the privilege of working with some of the best damn officers who have called me on the carpet more time than I care to admit."
"I see," the interviewer said, a little rattled by the abrupt language. "Many have cited that your command style is very similar to the war hero, Commander Shepard. I understand his ship, the Normandy was your first major assignment. Would you care to talk about that?"
"Commander Shepard was one of those few officers that brought loyalty by force of will alone. He could get almost anyone to work together, I remember one time he went on mission with Urdnot Wrex and Garrus Vakarian back in the early days."
"That's surprising, from what I hear the krogan chieftain was a mercenary and the turian general was a C-Sec officer at the time. How often did they fight on the ship?"
"Fight? Never. Garrus may have been a bit of a hothead but Wrex was far too disciplined and respected the commander to start something."
"Are you saying it was the krogan who exercised restraint?" The reporter's voice cracked a little at this.
"We found out that there was more to the krogan than many thought or still believe. Just look at the scrapes his heavy infantry have pulled us out of in the past, the colony insurrection being the latest. They're honorable people, they just forgot it."
"Well back to the original question, how would you characterise the commander, besides an exceptional if not unorthodox leadership style?"
The admiral shifted in the chair for a moment, looking down at the officer's cap. "He wasn't your typical officer, and while he could play politician with the best of them he was just Shepard to his crew."
"Our researchers noticed that, why is it that no one ever called him by his first name. Even his friends called him Shepard."
The admiral laughed at that, "I really cannot give you an answer, some of us tried his first name out in private but to us he always looked like a Shepard, you know? Shepard was the epitome of the Alliance, he was raised on one ship or another. Have you seen the memorial that the quarians have put of him on their homeworld? The plaque reads John'Shepard nar Arcturus vas Normandy. That tells you it all, he was a spacer kid through and through. I have a feeling the destruction of the station hit him especially hard. We stopped there once during the war."
"Wait, you stopped at Arcturus Stream despite the danger and the order to stay away?"
"We figured they could court-martial us after the war, besides we were not too concerned being on the Normandy." The admiral then looked directly at the cameras, "oh and Sam, if you're hearing this I don't know exactly what the statute of limitations are so we might need some pardons."
"That's right, Prime Minister Traynor was in the Alliance. Wait, you knew her on a first name basis?"
"Again, you have to thank Shepard for that. He liked to get to know all his crew, although what I hear from Sam he was a terrible chess player, almost as bad as his engineering jokes. Not that I ever understood them, but the groaning sound and hand to the face coming from Sam made it clear they were just as bad as the rest of his jokes. Or his dancing."
The reporter began laughing with the admiral at this point, "The commander told bad jokes and can't dance?"
After both theirs and the audience's laughter died down, the admiral continued. "So many people seem to forget that behind the legend that there was just a person like anyone else. He always tried to help his crew settle in no matter who they were, sometimes it was bad jokes, a board game, pranks or even engine recordings."
"Engine recordings?"
"Yeah, Tali had a hard time getting used to the quiet on a stealth ship, something about quiet was bad on a ship. She told me afterwards that she told Shepard and he gave her a copy of audio recordings he played until he got used to the quiet. They were engine recordings from the Halifax."
"That brings us into the next question, all the honorary titles he has scattered around the galaxy. He's an honorary warlord in the Terminus, honorary fleet captain with the quarians, honorary krogan, honorary salarian scientist, even the asari have half a dozen honorary titles for him."
"Yeah, and the Alliance kept him at the rank of commander the entire time," the admiral responded sarcastically.
"Well um, could you explain that?"
"Very simple, Shepard was blind."
"What?"
"Well I swear he must have been blind. He had this uncanny ability to just walk up to any non-human and just strike up conversation like he was shooting some bull with his mates at the bar. Almost anyone picked up on it, he never looked down on anyone or put anyone on a pedestal, they were all equal in his eyes. I've tried it, but I can still see races, I try not to let it affect my judgement but Shepard never seemed to ever have that thought enter his mind. I think that's why he was able to lead the entire galaxy to victory and why everyone followed him, they didn't see him as an Alliance commander, but their commander."
"One final question, now that you are retiring what are your plans, Admiral Williams?"
"Well, I'm going to go home and play with my grandkids, and be the best damn grandma that I can be. John rested from war to give us victory, I think that I can now finally do the same thing."
"Sorry, but we do have one last question. You mentioned John Shepard's first name, our researchers found that your grown up twins are named Alan and Hannah. Any reason for that?"
"Sure is, named my son after his grandfather and my daughter after her grandmother. I'm sure he would have liked it, they were John Shepard's post-dated gift for me." With that being said, the cameras began to flash at the announcement that she had kept silent for so long. The Shepard line had not died on the Citadel, but lived on in two previously unremarkable citizens of the Alliance.