Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect or any of their stuff. *sniff* But don't I wish.
Chapter 1: Another Day, Another Mission.
Commander Elana Shepard's first thoughts upon waking were *Shit! I'm late!*
She rolled out of her bunk in the XO's office of the Normandy, trying desperately to find her pants, not able to believe that her omni-tool hadn't woken her. After finally finding her cargo's and lacing up her boots, she made her way to the bridge at a brisk walk, not bothering to stop for any breakfast. She walks straight to the front of the ship, leans in the archway, and says "So Joker. Did the captain notice that I was late? Good news only please..."
Jeff 'Joker' Moreau turns around with a smile on his face. "You're in luck this time, Commander. You're gonna be late to you're own burial someday."
Shepard twitches her eyebrow. "At least I have my pride. And who knows? I might be early someday to compensate." She walks up to behind the pilots chair and looks over the display. "Smooth sailing so far?"
Joker snorts. "As if I wouldn't be sailing anything but smoothly."
Elana peers around the pilot's chair warily. "Someday I'll see you prove this claim that you're the best pilot there ever was."
Joker quickly swivels in indignation. "Look, Shepard, I AM the best pilot ever. It's a fact. I don't need to prove anything!"
Elana rapidly steps back, hands up in the air. "OK, I give, Joker. I was just messing with you. Best damn pilot I've ever seen, anyway."
Joker nods decisvely. "Damn right, I am..." and then swivels around in time for Captain Anderson to ping in with a cry of "Joker!", which causes him to hang his head. "Yessir."
"Send Shepard to the briefing room. Tell her this is important and that I'll meet her there."
"Aye-aye, Captain." Joker looks around at Shepard. "Better get moving, Commander. He sounds annoyed, so being late is a no-no."
Shepard looks at Joker blankly. "Hell, Joker. He always sounds like that when he talks to you." She then turns and starts to move to the briefing room. When she gets there, instead of Captain Anderson, the Turian Spectre Nihlus is waiting.
He looks around when she enters the room. "Ah, Commander Shepard. Anderson speaks highly of you." and he reaches out a hand to shake.
Elana takes it and shakes. "Hope I'm worthy of it someday. I just get lucky."
Nihlus thinks to himself *Hmmm.. This human isn't afraid to shake my hand. Good. Prejudice against aliens has always been a human limitation.* He then asks, "Just lucky? Is that how you explain some of the things on your record of service?"
Elana looks past Nihlus for a second, and then looks down at the floor. Finally her gaze settles back on the Turian, saying "You mean A...Akuze?"
Nihlus looks taken aback at the slight hitch in Shepards voice. "Does it still bother you, Commander?"
Shepard tightens her lips for a second. "Sometimes. But then I usually get over it. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Just as she says that, Captain Anderson walks into the room. "Shepard. Good to see you're finally awake."
She sighs. "Yeah, I figured you noticed that. But sir, what is it you wanted to talk about?"
Anderson looks grim. "You know that this isn't a simple test run of the Normandy's systems, right?" Elana nods. "Well I called you here to discuss what the real purpose of this is." He walks up to the console and rests his hands on it. "The real purpose of this mission is that we found a... call it a beacon. On Eden Prime." Elena laughs. "Another breakthrough, huh? This should be good..."
As it turns out, it wasn't good. It was nothing but bad in the end.
-End Chapter One-
A.N.: I decided that I was going to skip past finding Ashley and skip straight to the Citadel stuff. Please forgive me, but I GET BORED trying to write that combat sequence. And remember, I solemnly swear to not update on a regular schedule. Please review what's been written so far.