Hi all! This is my very first ME fic, so please, please let me know what you think! I would love comments and suggestions! This deals with the first story line in ME, I plan to carry this plot line over to a second story focusing on events in ME2. Enjoy!

So this is a little backdrop of Shepard, I always liked the Mindoir background so that is where she is coming from. All other aspects I try to keep open for the readers, some physical traits may come into play, but I will keep it light.

I don't own Bioware or the characters, unfortunately.

Strangers Passing Through

Ch 1: Loss of Innocence

Her body ached, sweat dripped down her temple as she felt the slight trickle of blood running down along her side. Just keep running, she told herself, just keep moving. Around her she could her the shouts, cries of terror and of the dying. Smoke filled her lungs, making them burn as she pushed herself, trying in earnest to find someplace safe. Fires from the nearby houses, the once small community she had called home, now lit ablaze as they came. Batarians.

One minute she had been in the field, carefree, enjoying the bright warm sun kiss her face, the soft breeze tickle her hair, the next moment was a haze. She could remember her mother screaming her name, and then a blast as one of the nearby farms blew up into a crimson ball of flames rising into the air. She started to run towards her home, her father already running out to her with his pistol loaded, "Get in the house! Now!" he yelled at her. There was the sound of gunfire above her head as she raced into the front door. Her mother grabbed her and hugged her tightly, moving both of them to crouch behind their couch. The shots echoed into her skull, she could hear screams outside as her mother feverishly stroked her hair, whispering to her that everything would be all right.

She pulled from her mother's grasp to peek outside the window, men were running everywhere, shouting and pointing at something she couldn't see. Suddenly, another explosion erupted as the gunfire got louder. She could see her father running back towards their home, rising from her position she ran to the door, as it opened she shouts, "Dad! What's happening?"

Her answer is met by her father suddenly halting in pace, his face contorts as he drops to the ground, beyond him she gets her first glimpse of a batarian pirate reloading his assault rifle.

"Dad!" she screamed, darting out from her home towards her father, her mother's screams filling her ears. Somehow her mother gets there before she does, tugging at his chest, screaming, tears streaking down her face. Kneeling by her father, she sees his eyes become glassy, his hand twitching for the dropped pistol nearby, sputtering blood from his mouth.

"Dad! Please, no! Stay with us!" she hurriedly presses her hand to the crimson pool that had soaked through her father's shirt, hoping, praying that it would do some good.

"NO! No, no, no, no! You can't do this! Don't leave me!" her mother shouts, pulling her father's face toward her, blood soaking into her clothes. Out of the corner of her eye there is movement, the batarian pirate coming towards them. "Mom!" she yells, tears in her eyes, trying to push past the lump in her throat about the reality of the situation, "We need to go!"

Her mother remains crumpled over her father, sobbing, the girl stands up, attempting pull her mother up, "Mom, he's gone!" she cries, "we have to get out of here!"

There is a loud bang, her mother cries out as a bullet hits her shoulder.

"Mom!"

Her mother screams, another shot, this one hitting the girl in the side. She cries out, clenching her teeth forcing her mother to rise, grasping her hand, they run back towards their home. Shots fill the air, smoke begins to cloud the streets from the fires, her heart races but she knows she has to keep it together for her mother, for both of them.

Almost there, she thinks, just-

An explosion goes off to her right, throwing her and her mother hard into the air, landing with a hard thud onto the ground. She opens her eyes, unfocused at first, hearing screams and feeling intense heat of the flames. Her eyes finally focus on her mother's unconscious body lying a few feet away from her. Rising up onto her forearms she winces, noticing the glass shards that lay around her, some embedded into her arm.

"Mom," she says hoarsely, crawling towards her mother's body. Once up close she can see the damage from the blast. Her mother laying face down on the ground, her right side red and bleeding from the open burns on her arm, neck and shoulder. Face covered with soot and scratches from flying debris, her mother remains unmoving as a pool of blood slowly forms around her body.

"'Mom," she says again, reaching out to shake her mother's body. A low groan emits from her mother's voice as her eyes flutter open. Her mother coughs, breathing in the dust and soot around them, "Sweetie," she says, eyes meeting her daughter's.

"Mom," her voice begins to shake, "come on, we need to go. You can do this." Off in the distance she hears shouting seeing shadows of the pirates advance closer through the clouds of dust.

"No," her mother whispers, "it's too hard."

"It's not, you can get up. Please Mom, get up!" tears threaten to fall on the soot covered face of the sixteen year old girl. Her hands and clothes becoming wet with the crimson liquid.

"Your father," her mother says, eyes becoming glossy, "you can go. Run."

"No Mom. Please, don't make me do this." Her hands reach out to her mother's, taking it in her own. Her heart quickens hearing the shouts coming closer and closer.

"You're a brave girl. Remember that my starbright. Go."

A sob escapes the young girls throat, "Mom."

She can see the clear forms of the pirates, guns loaded and pointed in her direction.

"I love you," she cries, looking at her mother, knowing this would be their last moments.

"Love you my starbright." Her mother cringes as she takes in a deep breathe, "Now go. Run"

The girl rises unsteadily to her feet, body numb, ears ringing; she looks at the broken images around her. Fire, smoke, sounds of gunshots, screams of children, and her mother, succumbing to her end. Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she turns toward the open field, leading towards the higher hills, and begins to run.

She can hear the shouts of the batarians, seeing her flee, chasing her which only makes her run harder. A loud pop echoes and she knows now that she alone, no friends, no family, and no hope.

Thanks for reading! The next chapter fast-forwards to Shepard's place on the Normandy with Anderson. I just always wanted to explore what it would have been like for Shepard on Mindoir. Please let me know what you thought! Reviews are greatly appreciated!