Codex Entry: Personal History...

Shepard was born on Earth, but she never knew her parents. A child of the streets, she learned to live by her wits and guts, surviving in the hidden underbelly of the megatropolis of humanity's home world...

She moved with such grace it was a wonder to those who were lucky enough to spot her among the shadows. Mire wanted this job done quickly, he wanted it done well. That's why he'd asked her.

She was to take the data file from the target's home; a pad on the lower east side of the city's underbelly but the catch was...he had to be left alive. It irked her somewhat; she rarely left those who got in her way alive. Perhaps he'd be lucky enough to still be breathing, couldn't promise anything about not breaking every bone in his body though. Learning to kill without hesitation or remorse was only part of the job. Deep inside her something screamed in protest at the kills she made but she just convinced herself that she wouldn't do it if they didn't deserve it. They were mainly alien gang members, come to Earth to rough up the weak.

She was only seventeen and already doing more than most criminal lords in a lifetime. She herself was a prize to Mire, he protected her with every contact he possessed. She crept along the shadows and when she spotted a vent leading along the apartments towards her target she biotically ripped the grating off and tossed it away. Her tank top clung to her body as she slid into the shaft, pleased that she wore it, anything looser would risk catching.

According to Mire, the data file could turn much in his favour; with that information he'd be able to move himself and his top mercenaries, thieves and agents to a higher part of the underbelly of the city, perhaps into the city itself. She grinned at the thought of moving somewhere better, having endured eating few and far between meals on the loose credits some of her previous targets left lying around, for long enough.

She owed much to Mire. He'd found her at the approximate age of three in a cardboard box behind some rotting garbage cans. Most would have left her to die as her parents had but there was something he'd seen in her. She had glowed with violet-blue aura as she bawled under the driving rain. In the vent she clenched her fists as she made her way closer to the target's home, his description of her powers had scared her a little back then but she was determined to prove that she could control herself. In the alley she, a toddler, had thrown metal lids haphazardly around, catching Mire by surprise and giving him his prized scar across his forehead.

It was a mystery to them both, he had told no one of her abilities. Over the years her secret was kept as he trained her how to control her powers as he too was a biotic, an L1. The gang had managed to get hold of some of the prototypes but only a few from the Gagarin Station or 'Jump Zero' as it was more commonly called. He rarely used his powers as the physical pain it brought him was too much to bear for long. Even though he had taught her limited control, she still used her strong will and natural skills to strengthen her powers and bend it to her will. There was a flaw however, she'd lessened it over the years but still it caused her no end of trouble when she lost control of herself.

She shook the thoughts and memories out of her head when she reached her target's pad. She stared through the grating in the wall, opening out into a small storeroom with nothing but many crates, an old wooden desk and a lamp that flickered occasionally. Her target was there, flicking through his data files and sighing to himself. She muffled her movements with weak barriers on her hands and feet and dimmed the glow of her powers as much as she could, readying herself to take him by surprise.

She launched herself out of the vent, butting the grating with the force of a krogan charge. It flew away from her as she biotically lowered herself down onto her target. One strike across the head and he was out cold before he hit the opposite wall. A few seconds passed in silence when she sensed something wrong. Ignoring the data files she rushed to the man's side and rolled him over to look at his face. She cursed and was about to flee when a concussive round struck her in the right shoulder. Her kinetic barrier was barely enough to deflect the clip itself. She felt the bone beneath it shatter and she cried out as she struck her head against the nearest wall.

Her vision blurred in pain, there was a buzz in her ears but as she grit her teeth her senses flooded back. She felt the presence of at least six or seven guards surround her as well as her true target. The pain in her shoulder was hard to ignore but through her natural self defense she released a biotic pulse from her body that shook the entire room, knocking them off their feet. Though she stood she barely resisted vomiting what little there was in her stomach onto the floor. She ignored her useless arm as best she could and concentrated on forming a dark energy ball, just as everyone was about to get up she threw the small singularity into the centre of the room.

It was one of her weaker abilities but this time it saved her life, lifting crates to deflect further fire. Her fighting skills were nowhere near good enough to deal with so many armed men and women. A few raised their pistols intending to take her down. Shots rung through the air as she threw herself through the small storeroom window. Looking back almost in slow motion she glimpsed her target, Rael, knock the weapons away from the mercenaries he could reach. "Don't, I want her alive!"

The glass had cut through her skin in several places but none were as bad as the cut across her face. It was not deep but it bled enough to almost blind her as she ran for her life. She held her broken arm to stop it jiggling about as she fled at top speed, barely reducing the pain. The cut on her face started just above her right eyebrow and ran down across her nose to her left cheek. The cold air stung every open wound.

She raced for the darkest alley in the deepest part of the street. She caught her breath behind some old boxes and a twenty first century wreck of a car. Leaning against the wall she drank in as much toxic oxygen as she could find. She could hear the shouts and small short screams as Rael's men charged down the street, tailing her. It was only then she spotted the blood trail she had left.

"Fuck" she snarled to herself. She lifted herself to her feet again and continued her long hard flight until she bumped into one of her fellow gang members. Rose looked shocked as her friend wiped away the blood on her face, clearing her vision slightly.

"What the?"

"Trap" she answered simply letting Rose put her arm around her shoulder. "They were prepared, they knew where I'd come in and what I'd do. We have a mole."

"Damn it" Rose snapped pulling her friend into a house that was supposed to be abandoned. She slammed the half damaged panel to shut the door behind them. Sitting her injured gang sister down on the reasonably comfortable sofa, she rushed off to get wet a cloth.

After a few minutes of ordinary sounds from outside, the biotic relaxed. "I'm too old to be crawling through vents like a duct rat."

"You're still too young to be doing half the shit Mire makes you do, sister. He should be more careful with your assignments."

"I'm his top agent" she replied as Rose came back into the room and held a damp cloth for her. She took it and wiped her face clean of blood before dabbing the wound on her face. It would leave a nasty scar but she was grateful that she hadn't been blinded. Thorn thought back and once again wondered that had she not been exposed to Element Zero when she was fourteen during that mining scam would she be as powerful a biotic as she was now? Perhaps, she had always had amazing control over her nervous system; however the exposure seemed to make her life harder when trying to control herself.

Rose slumped into the chair opposite her making dust explode into the air around them. "You mean everything to him, Thorn and yet he makes you do things like this."

"He doesn't make me do anything Rose." Thorn opened her left eye to stare at her whilst the other was covered with the cloth. "I choose to do them".

"Well, you need to go easy on the choosing then, at least for a while" said Rose staring at her shoulder. Thorn was only just beginning to feel the ache again when she took the cloth off to study the area of the shot. The skin had started to darken, even if she managed to have someone look at and fix the bones, the bruise would no doubt spread across her collar bone and down her arm. Rose knelt next to her and gently touched it; the reaction should have been expected.

As soon as Rose's fingers brushed the wound, pain spiked through Thorn making her propel Rose away violently with a biotic push sending her flying over the chair. She felt wetness run down her cheeks and pressed the cloth back to her face as she breathed properly again. Her aura had not died down. She took in as many deep breaths as she could when Rose stood up again. "Sorry sister; reflexes" Thorn panted leaning her head back to slow the blood flow and dabbing around her face where the wound had started to bleed again.

Rose hesitantly knelt in front of Thorn. The action was odd enough to make her remove the cloth and look at her. "You need to have someone look at that" she nodded at her arm. Thorn sighed and slowly nodded.

"Call Mire, tell him I failed and that I don't expect him to want me back."

Rose smiled, laughed and batted her knee as she got up, "stop being so dramatic." The room was only filled with Rose's voice as she called Mire.

Though she could not hear what he was saying in response to Rose's explanation, she could imagine his dark brown eyes frowning disappointedly at her, his thick brows knitting together as he shook his head. But he would look up again and she would see the disappointment change to relief, the relief that she was safe.

Suddenly she heard his voice in her ear and was almost startled awake. She had no idea she'd passed out from exhaustion. The blood loss along with hunger and mental strain had taken its toll. She came to in Mire's arms and looked up at him. "There's a mole in the gang" Thorn panted desperately grasping onto him. With a single look from him, she released his shirt and looked guilty at her fingers.

"I'm more concerned about you" he whispered when they were out of earshot of the others. Her surroundings made sense to her now instead of being a colourless blur. She was in his room. He placed her on the bed and made sure to be gentle around her arm. He turned to Rose who stood just outside the doorway. "Bring John here." She nodded and left.

"What happened?"

"Didn't Rose tell you?

"Rose told me everything you said, I figured I'd get more out of you" his dark smile always made her feel better. Thorn sighed and relived everything as she would for no one else. When she'd finished Mire sighed and sat on the bed beside her.

"He wanted me alive, Mire" Thorn shuddered.

He nodded covering his face with his hands before pulling them away to look at her. "It isn't that surprising." Thorn gave him such a confused expression it made him smirk. "Rose was right, the bloody look is a good look for you, it matches your hair." She stroked her hair with her only functional arm. It was a dark red-brown and long enough to reach her shoulder blades. He looked over at the door to check it was shut before pulling it out from behind her. She lifted her head to oblige. "However, I prefer it tied up like this" with his deft manipulative hands he tied a knot with her hair so she had a ponytail hanging down instead of her loose hair. It was a wonder how he had never found a girlfriend.

"Thanks" Thorn said lying back down. "You never did elaborate on the not-so-surprising interest in me". He frowned, thinking of his rival Rael. He'd once been a member or the Reds until his idiocy and selfishness got several of their members caught or shot.

"You know Rael, he's always been interested in you." Thorn frowned then winced in sudden pain. "we were going to kick him out that day, you remember, when you were twelve?" the grimace on her face told a story she would never repeat. After that days she had felt dirty. Mire's tone changed, "You are one of the best, no, the best pickpocket, cutthroat, assassin, subjugator and informant we have. A desirable ally and a fearsome enemy". She blushed under his faith in her.

Thorn sighed mournfully looking at her arm. "It may be the end of my career I'm afraid". Mire shook his head and was about to take her hand when there was a knock at the door.

"Not if I have anything to say about it" he turned to face the door and gave her some much required space. "Enter." A man wearing white walked in and nodded respectfully at Mire.

"You requested my presence?" Mire nodded and motioned to Thorn trying to hold in her biotic powers. It was crawling up her spine, the pain in her arm making her restraint all the more difficult. She managed however as the doctor moved his omnitool over her injured arm, studying it intently. "I can see why you called me Mire, she is your best." The doctor looked over at him. "Best take care of her." Thorn had been half listening when she realised this doctor was British. His accent standing out against those around him. Nationality mattered very little these days, it was alien against human days.

"Enough." Mire's patience was running thin. "What's the damage?"

"The scapula has been fractured into several pieces. The upper arm has been dislocated due to the fracture. The clavicle's cracked but it's not too serious" he looked at Mire and frowned in frustration. "We're in a difficult position. Cybernetics would be the best option but they usually require skilled doctor." He winked jokingly at Mire then moved to study the arm again occasionally glancing up at Mire as if knowing his thoughts. "If the shoulder is not healed and the arm not relocated fast, internal problems could occur". Thorn swore violently before squirming at the resulting pain from moving her shoulder.

"Thank you for your sarcastic opinion John." Mire gave the Brit such a glower the teasing smile on the man's face was hastily removed it before it caused him more trouble. "Now shut up and go get the necessary equipment from Barns down in the cellar." He nodded and just as he was about to walk away Mire called him back. Using his own omnitool he gave him the necessary pass to collect all he needed. Thievery was good for something, Thorn thought wryly.

A week passed and Thorn was comatose for most of it with Mire feeding her whenever she was awake and generally keeping her company. When his business called him away on one of the days he left her with a book he knew she favoured. Other than that one day he was constantly by her side.

Her shoulder took more time than it should have, given that they were not in a hospital environment. Mire took every precaution, making sure nothing would cause any permanent damage. The cybernetics helped pull the fractured pieces of Thorn's shoulder back together and once they were sure it was strong enough, around the end of the fourth day, they waited for her to wake, needing her to be cooperative when they relocated her arm.

Mire was more worried about her biotics exploding out of her and inadvertently hurting herself than anything else. She awoke and felt woozy at best but aware enough that they could try the arm. She tensed when the doctor grasped hold of her arm. He felt around the shoulder for the right spot before looking at his patient and nodding. "On three" she nodded and counted.

"One".

Without warning the Brit slammed it into her shoulder. She screamed in both agony and alarm but before Mire could stop her she released a biotic pulse at least twice as strong as before. He stood no chance of resistance as he flew against the wall. "Son of a bitch" she cursed moving her arm and wincing.

Mire shook his head and pulled the Doctor to his feet. "You're lucky, any more advice before you're dismissed?"

John looked around slightly concussed, barely able to focus. "Be gentle but keep the arm moving or you could risk it ceasing up at times. Regular stretches should help with the ache." He nodded at Thorn before he stumbled around and left.

Mire called Rose to him, "we are not to be disturbed for the next half an hour, I have business to discuss." He nodded to Thorn who was still working out the kinks and cramps in her arm. Rose nodded. "However if you hear of anything, don't hesitate."

"Sure, I'll sniff around the lower town, they've been grabbing at leads for a while now." He nodded and closed the door. It was still a proud moment when he thought how far he had come in such a short amount of time.

Mire had been the lowest pickpocket when he'd joined the Tenth Street Reds. It had been led by another much older criminal who'd apparently fought in the First Contact War. Mire had lost his family to batarian pirates and had escaped by drifting alone in a shuttle until he was found by a citadel turian patrol. They brought him back to the citadel only to relocate him on Earth with a foster family. They had only cared for their image however. The Reds had a couple of agents break into his home. Instead of sounding the alarm, he opened the door for their escape. They had taken him in and treated him as an equal.

He'd been only sixteen when he'd found Thorn as a child. Over time he had taught her to read, write, count, speak and walk even though her biotic training took precedence over anything else more often than not. He cared for her and both of them had grown more and more successful over the years as well as bonding like brother and sister. It was hard for him to see Thorn as a woman. He looked over at her as she tied her hair back into the knotted fashion he'd taught her. Well, it had been hard, now he saw a woman he respected. A woman he loved and would protect as long as he lived.

"How are you holding up?" he asked as she turned round. Her eyes glittered violet, her unusual biotic powers tinting her light blue irises.

She smiled, the scar across her face crinkled. She bit her lip as it crinkled, it hurt but she wasn't about to let Mire see her squirm. She had to be strong, for him. "Ready for action" she grinned, this time being careful. She touched the scar and grimaced, not in pain but in worry. How would he see her? Surely this scar cannot look attractive? It had split her right eyebrow in half.

He walked closer to her. He was only a foot from her. She looked up into his warm brown eyes and felt his fingers brush the scar. She did not wince as she thought she might at his touch. Instead she relaxed. He was the only one who could make her feel this way. "How bad is it?" she asked trying to stop herself touching the mark on her skin.

"It looks good on you" she smiled slightly embarrassed as he looked at her in a way that made her stomach do back flips.

She shoved his shoulder, "yeah right, I might eventually nab a turian or krogan looking like this". She turned around facing away from him, hoping he wouldn't see her blush.

"I find it attractive" he whispered. She froze before looking round at him curiously, unsure how to continue.

"On all women?" he shook his head feeling more confident this time. He slowly turned her around.

"Just you". She found herself putting her arms around him, sliding up his shoulders to his neck. He pressed her into him, one hand on the small of her back and the other at the back of her neck. He tilted her head slightly, encouragingly. She moved the rest of the way. Both closed their eyes and let their lips embrace. The sweetness of her breath filled him. His strength moved her heart, increased its beat. Her biotics did not run wild as they usually did but instead enveloped them both in violet fire.

Together they ignored the power emanating from her and now him. He was careful not to overdo it; his biotics were more fragile than hers. They moved together like air and water, form and volume, motion and sound.

They found themselves not too much later on the bed in each other's arms. Beneath the covers he held her, kissing her neck. Thorn felt at peace.

Mire dressed himself and left Thorn to sleep in his bed. He smiled as she dreamed, she twitched slightly. She needed the rest after the stressful past week. He watched her for a moment before sighing and leaving. He left Rose outside the door to 'keep an ear out' for her. Rose nodded and smirked as he turned his back to her continuing down the hall until he disappeared. She pressed the communicator by her ear, hidden in her mess of blonde hair. "Clear. Initiate and move fast".