Shepard saluted as the commanding officer approached. "Captain Anderson."

Anderson had a stern, proudly carved face that had the years upon years of service written on every line. The man was a living legend, though she had never personally worked with him before. He gave a perfunctory, "At ease," and looked her over. His eyes were dark and observant, not missing a thing.

"It's a pleasure to serve under you, Captain," Shepard said, clasping her hands behind her back as she and Anderson turned to watch the crew stream onto the ship.

He nodded. "Finally getting to meet the illustrious Shepard." He turned her attention around to the CIC of the warship. "The opportunity to test a prototype warship. Even if it is only a shake-down run, I can't say it'll be a complete waste. What do you think of her?"

She let her eyes rove over the sleek lines of the ship, bursting with cutting-edge, highly expensive technology and equipment. "The Normandy certainly is a beautiful ship. I hope she flies as well as she looks."

"She will," Anderson responded confidently. "The pilot is uppity, but he's the best there is."

"Commander Shepard."

The poly-symphonic voice alone told her it was a turian standing behind her. She turned and found herself looking up into a russet and white painted face. She greeted him cordially.

"You know my name, but I don't have the pleasure of knowing yours," she said.

"Commander, this is Nihlus Kryik, a Council Spectre. He'll be observing the mission," Anderson said.

"The Normandy is a spearhead in human-turian cooperation. A lot rides on its success," Nihlus added, his sharp eyes staring at Shepard hard.

She didn't take any offence at the direct gaze, she had dealt with turians before. They were a straight-forward, decisive race that was highly militarized. They tended to keep a lot close to the chest and were incredible strategistists. Shepard understood the turian interest in the project, seeing as it the ship was co-designed, but they could have sent a plethora of other turian soldiers. Commanders, captains, even generals. There was something that struck her as odd that they sent a Spectre.

The crew had all boarded and the supplies being loaded were being strapped down. Around her the CIC was bustling with soldiers and recruits getting to their duties as the take-off preparations were starting. Anderson left her and Nihlus to see to the bridge as their maiden flight was about to begin. Shepard took her leave of the turian and went to complete her own duties, keenly aware of his eyes following her as she went.

...

"How long do you think the mission on Eden Prime is going to take?"

Kaidan shook his head with a little laugh. This was the fifth time today that Jenkins had asked that very question. He sighed, "It's just a shake-down run. It depends on what the Captain decides."

"Yeah, well, hopefully we won't stay long," Jenkins said, leaning back against some crates. He hadn't given the same attention to detail while packing his equipment into his locker that Kaidan did. "I want real action and the sooner we get this whole maiden voyage shit over with the sooner I'll get it."

"Action isn't all it's cracked up to be," Kaidan said. He was meticulously going over all of his weaponry and packing it away carefully. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes against the migraine he could feel beginning to pound at the back of his head.

"Look, I grew up on Eden Prime. It's boring as shit. There's nothing there but peaceful little farms and simple, peaceful little people who don't want anything but their crops and some quiet. Boring. You got a cigarette?"

Kaidan shook his head and shut his locker. "I'm going to get some shut eye before I'm on duty."

"Later."

Kaidan headed up the elevator to the crew quarters and pushed past bustling soldiers until he found the room he and three other marines shared. He crawled onto his bunk and snapped the lights off. He didn't even bother pulling off anything but his boots. He wished it were colder, the cold always helped some, but the room was on the warmer side. Kaidan draped an arm over his eyes as his head pulsed heavily. He should take some painkillers, but they were in his duffle near the door and he didn't want to get up.

He didn't understand why he was here. Him, Jenkins, the other marines. Why did they need a squad of marines on a do-nothing mission? Especially an L2 Sentinel. He pushed the thought away and rolled onto his side, into the wall, and tried to shut his brain down. What did it matter to him? He didn't need to question it, he was a soldier and he would follow his orders.

Darkness took him.

...

Joker subtly looked over his shoulder as he heard Nihlus pad away. He pursed his lips before turning back to his control pad and shaking his head.

"I hate that guy," he murmured.

"Nihlus gave you a compliment," Kaidan said. "So you hate him."

Even as he explained his point, Joker internally scoffed. These soldiers didn't understand the craft in what he did. How could they? They ran around with big guns shooting other people with big guns. They idolized raw power and strength, not precision and subtlety. His entire life had been one huge lesson on how physical strength doesn't always make you the best. Joker appreciated speed and accuracy. He loved sitting in the Normandy's pilot seat. Loved it because it meant that he'd earned the chance to fly her, this untested, ultra-expensive warship. It was placed in his hands. His fragile, aching hands, because despite his lack of strength he was the best there was.

Kaidan was defending the Council's right to protect their interests with a Spectre, but Joker scoffed aloud this time.

"Yeah, that is the 'official' story. Only an idiot believes the official story."

From behind him, he heard the husky voice of Commander Shepard. "They don't send Spectre's on shake-down runs."

At the sight of her, he absently thought there was an addendum to the "lunkhead" soldier persona. The more specialized they were, the less caveman-esque they became. Sure, you had your rank-climbers who got the titles and the pay-raises because Mommy or Daddy or Uncle Joe pulled some strings, but the elite soldiers with actual talent were something different. Their general philosophy in life didn't differ too much, but at least they had a certain amount of brains. Shepard did at least. She seemed to take a certain interest in gleaning information out of people and storing it away. For what purpose, Joker wasn't sure, but she was sharp as a tack, didn't miss a beat, and, most importantly, knew when to speak up and when to shut her mouth.

Captain Anderson's voice snapped at him over the intercom and he responded, his fingers flying over the touchpad smoothly.

"He sounds angry," Shepard said, turning to head off the bridge. "Something must've gone wrong with the mission."

"Captain always sounds like that when he's talking to me," Joker stated matter-of-factly.

"Can't possibly imagine why," Kaidan said sarcastically.

Joker turned to look at him. "I think I like you, Alenko. You're kind of a dick." Kaidan just grinned and turned back to his screen. Joker looked back at the retreating shape of the commander. He nodded towards her general direction. "She's intimidating, huh?"

Kaidan took in a deep breath and raised his brows. "I guess. I haven't actually spoken to her."

"Yeah, but, come on. The woman is a walking, talking legend. Hero of Elysium, ridiculously effective Vanguard, decorated soldier. The hero worship they've built around her alone is daunting."

"Commander Shepard!" Jenkins' voice boomed faintly from somewhere near the back of the CIC.

"Then again some people are dauntless," Kaidan said with a smile.

"Or stupid. Whichever comes first," Joker responded.

"Jenkins is a good kid. Sometimes, he can just get… over-eager."

"Does over-eager mean loud, happy, and dumb as shit in your dictionary?"

"I haven't really had a chance to look it up."

...

Shepard mentally noted that she owed Joker a drink when they got back. He had been more right than even she had thought. Not only was it not a simple shake-down run, but a retrieval of a Prothean beacon, and it was completely fucked before they even touched ground. She finished adjusting the snap on her boot and looked up at her two teammates. Alenko was double-checking his pistol and she saw him flex his hand and clench, a thin, wavering field of blue surrounding the fist for a split second before it faded. Jenkins was bouncing on the balls of his feet. He caught her eyes and grinned wildly. He was a goofy kid, but sweet. She needed to clamp down his enthusiasm before it did any damage though. Captain Anderson addressed them over the rush of air coming in through the open bay door, briefing them on their objective. The sound of an assault rifle being cocked caught the three marines' attention.

"Nihlus, you're coming with us?" Jenkins asked, his bouncing stilled momentarily.

"I move faster on my own," the turian Spectre responded before trotting out of the ship, weapon at the ready.

Anderson had commanded radio silence and a hasty completion of the mission and Shepard intended to comply. She motioned her team forward and watched the Normandy pull up and away, out of immediate danger.

"I want a clean operation," she said to the two marines under her. "We need to get the beacon off this colony asap."

"Aye, aye, sir," came the twin responses; one overly excited, the other sharp and ready.

Nihlus was already buzzing bad news into her ear. Some of Jenkins' energy had faded at the sight of his home colony in ruins. He seemed dazed now, Shepard had to snap him into focus several times. Alenko was tight, ready and coiled and highly uncomfortable. He had good, sharp instinct. He knew, as she did, that they had walked into something big and bad.

"Oh God. What happened here?" Jenkins muttered, awestruck, under his breath.

"Focus, Private. We need to move quickly," Shepard snapped as she led the way cautiously up a slight slope of land.

Jenkins quieted down, but his eyes kept flicking to the smoke rising in the distance to their left. Shepard raised a fist to halt them behind a tall outcropping of rock, her eyes sweeping over the area. Once she was positive it was clear, she signalled her team forward. Alenko ran out first, low to the ground and sticking to cover. Jenkins followed, straying to the middle of the path.

"Private, hold to cover!" Shepard hissed.

But before the words were halfway out of her mouth, two enemy recon drones zipped around the corner and targeted the private. He yelled out as the shots tore through his armor, jerking twice before slumping to the ground in a heap.

"Fuck!" she heard Alenko growl before aiming a devastating sabotage attack at one of the drones.

It whined and spiraled to the ground with an explosion. Shepard peeked out from behind her cover and took point. She and Alenko mopped up the other two drones quickly. The second she gave the "all clear", he broke cover and ran to the private's still form. She heard him curse again as she walked up to them. He shook his head and looked up at her.

"I know some first aid," Kaidan said. He leaned forward and drew his fingers over Jenkins' eyes, closing them. "But not enough. Ripped right through his shields. Never had a chance."

Shepard felt the ache of disappointment in her gut. She knew he had been letting the demolishment of his home colony get to him. He had been getting sloppy and she had tried to fight against that, but she should've been more adamant. She looked down at him.

He had been so young.