Author's Note: I don't own any of the characters, Bioware does.
This story is pretty much AU. I don't have anyone proofreading it for me, so go easy on me with mistakes. Also, if there are any Mass Effect universe errors (misspelling, incorrect lore, etc). I am going to be trying to also base this story on songs, so the chapter titles will be song titles (that may not always be true).
Robyn Shepard will have a lot of choices to make. Femslash. There will be multiple relationships (Shepard/Miranda, Shepard/ Ashley, and Shepard/ Liara). Not sure yet where they will go or who will come out on top so to speak. : )
Read and Review! Let me know what you think.
Chapter 1 - Hang Me Out to Dry
"You can kiss my ass Williams! You couldn't hit the broadside of a dreadnought ." The tall young redheaded woman jumped out of range as the dark haired woman swung at her.
"Take it back Shepard, or I'll really will tell Dr. T'soni what you think of her."
The brunette chased the other woman around a bench outside in the courtyard, but the redhead was too fast. She darted in between a set of bushes and leaped over the small fence that surrounded a tiny garden.
"You can't even catch me Williams."
"Fuck you Shepard." Ashley had finally chased Shepard into a corner, where two of the schools buildings met. Ashley was fuming, she just wanted to get one hit in before the teachers...
"Williams, Shepard!" Just as Ashley's fist was moving towards Robyn's face, she was frozen in a bright blue stasis field. A tall slender Asari walked up to the two women.
"Shepard, move out of the way." The tall lanky redhead snuck around Ashley, moving herself to a safer location as the Asari released the stasis.
"What were you two thinking. This is the second fight this week. It's as if you two are young Krogan." Both women looked ashamed. They were in this position way too often.
"I'm sorry, Dr. T'soni." They both said in unison.
"I feel as though you do not even act your age. You're Alliance soldiers, not children. Act like it. You will both be speaking with Admiral Anderson after training today." The women glanced at each other. Anderson had warmed both of them if they were caught fighting again there would be serious consequences.
"Get to tech training with Dr. Solus. Now!" The girls didn't even meet Dr. T'soni's eyes. They just ran in the opposite directions.
Dr T'soni shook her head. She wasn't made for teaching. By Asari's standards she was still more their peer than their elder, even if she had 80 years on them. She had taken this job at the Citadel Academy for the Gifted at the behest of her mother, Matriarch Benezia. Her mother had thought it would be a good opportunity to force Liara into more social situations. The Matriarch loved that her daughter was so focused and intelligent, but she worried that she isolated herself too much.
This academy was still in it's early stages. The Council had decided that they essentially wanted a training school for their Spectres. They had found that the pool of prospects looking rather dim. Either they were joining Mercenary bands, where there was more money to be made, or hiding somewhere outside the Terminus system. This Academy would pull them out of the woodwork and hopefully help the different races learn to work together at an early age.
They had pulled the best of the best for teachers and trainers. Asari specialists in Biotics, Salarian scientists, Krogan battle masters, Turian generals, Human Commanders and teachers from all the different races, specializing in history and other useful information about the different races. The next step they took was to recruit young up and comings from each race that were willing to participate. The humans seemed the most willing, sending in promising Alliance soldiers. The Turians and Salarians were willing to send a good number of prospects, but the Krogan and Asari did not see a reason to let other people train their youth. A few young ones from each race joined on their own, hearing about the school through the extranet.
It had only been up for two years, but so far, it was having amazing results. The biotics were becoming more powerful, the soldiers were returning from special operations with a much greater success rate, and the engineers were creating amazing weapon prototypes and ship upgrades. The Council couldn't be happier. It was reasons like those that reminded Liara why she hadn't left. The school was doing some good, even if it wasn't because of her lectures on the Protheans.
"Dr. T'soni, what was wrong with those two?" Admiral Anderson, one of the heads of school, approached the professor as she was about to enter the biotics building.
"Williams and Shepard fighting again, sir. I really think these two need to be separated. They do not seem to have the ability to maintain peace between one another."
"I would have to agree Dr. T'soni. However, when they are in the field together, no one can touch them. It's incredible to watch how Shepard manipulates her biotics to compliment William's weaponry usage. We have yet to have anyone beat them in a trial run. That makes the idea of separation hard to deal with. We could be shooting ourselves in the foot." Dr. T'soni sighed and rubbed the back of her neck.
"That is a complication."
"May I interject." A small Salarian walked up to the two professors.
"Of course Dr. Solus."
"This may seem like an odd suggestion, yes very odd indeed, but some of the research I have done have on human behavior suggests that putting them in close quarters together may help them fix the issue. It is a suggestion."
"Like having them room together?" Anderson looked at Mordin, unsure if that was really the best measure.
"It may seem stranger Admiral, but it will force them to confront whatever they are at odds about. Thus resulting in a more amicable relationship."
"Mordin may be right, Admiral. Although it could end with them killing each other as well." Anderson laughed at the Asari.
"That would be an unsatisfactory outcome, but highly unlikely they would actually kill one another. Chances of injury or damage to living quarters seems more likely."
"All of the above is possible with those two. I shall discuss it with the other Admirals and see what they think. Thank you both of you."
"You're welcome."
"Of course, Admiral." Each teacher went their separate ways. Dr. T'soni really hoped it didn't result in the death of a human.
- In Admiral Anderson's office-
Robyn played with the model ship paper weight the admiral had on his desk. She had known the admiral since she was five, when he had served with her mother, Hannah Shepard. Robyn's mother, Hannah, was the real reason Shepard was in this academy in the first place. Around the same time she had gotten the invitation to the school, her letter accepting her into the N7 training program had come. Hannah had immediately pushed the school. The N7 program was prestigious, but Hannah felt her daughters talents were much more suited for a school that could really hone her biotics. She was so powerful that most human biotic trainers in the Alliance didn't know what to do with her. When Anderson had suggested this school, Hannah jumped at the idea of having an Asari training Robyn. There was no one better for it. Secretly, Robyn was glad that her mother had pushed the school over N7. Her interests were not so much in learning how to become a killing machine, but she really wanted to master her biotics, a power she didn't feel in control of.
Robyn was startled when the door whooshed open. She quickly put the ship in it's place on the desk and turned around to see Ashley WIlliams walking in with Admiral Anderson right behind her.
Ashley wasn't hard on the eyes. Shepard had noticed that on the first day. She was lean and muscular in all the right places from her training as a solider. Williams was definitely not someone you wanted to see on the firing end of a gun barrel. In all honesty, Robin wasn't even sure why she was always fighting with Ashley. It was just sort of how their relationship had worked out. They were both competing for the top position in their class, which means they were always paired up or against one another in trial runs and on missions. Shepard wasn't even sure if she knew how to be civil towards Williams. It hadn't been a problem until last week. Normally they would throw around insults and talk big games, but the previous week it came to blows.
One of their shouting matches in the mess hall took a turn in the wrong direction. Ever since Williams learned that Shepard was scheduling biotics lessons with Dr. T'soni, she began to accuse her of crushing on their professor. At first, Robyn tried to shake it off, but during one of their heated discussions Ashley yelled loud enough for the whole mess hall to hear.
"Why don't you just mind meld with Dr. T'soni already, maybe it will help you get the stick out of your ass!" Normally, Shepard would have come back with a witty remark, but the minute the words left Ashley's mouth, Robyn locked eyes with Dr. T'soni from across the room. Dr. T'soni looked embarrassed and Shepard couldn't blame her. Before she knew what she was doing her fist was making contact with Ashley's face. Since then most of their fights have at least ended in attempted violence.
"Have a seat Williams."
"Yes sir." Ashley shot a death stare at Robyn and returned her focus to the Admiral.
"I think you both know why I called you into my office. I would like you to enlighten me as to why you were fighting, yet again?"
"Shepard started it sir."
"Started it? You took the first swing" Robyn turned quickly in her chair.
"You called me a xenophobe and then told me I would never make it in the Alliance because I shot like shit!"
"Yeah it's because you told me you were going to tell Dr. T'soni I wanted to sleep with her." The only thing keeping the women from tearing into each other was the fact that Anderson was in the room.
"Enough!" Both women jumped at the sound of Anderson's booming voice. They turned immediately in their chairs and looked directly at their commanding officer.
"How old are you both?"
"19, sir"
"Me too, sir."
"Then stop acting like you're 12. There will be no more fighting or you'll both be kicked out of the academy. Your skill will only get you so far. You'll also be switching room assignments. Williams, you'll be moving in with Shepard. I expect you to be packed and ready at 1900 hours. No discussion." Both girls look at each other and then back at Anderson. Before they could even open their mouths Anderson spoke.
"Dismissed!" They stood up and walked out, not wanting to anger the Admiral any more.
As soon as they were out of Anderson's office and the door closed behind them they stopped and turned towards each other. Each one saying everything that needed to be said with just their eyes. This was going to be a disaster.