A/N: I have always wanted to see more of Samantha Traynor because I think she's just such a funny and interesting character in the game, plus the romance with Shepard is very nice. However, I feel that more attention could've been given to Traynor in a romanceable role. So basically this story is about the Fem!Shep x Traynor romance, I'm taking stuff from the actual game but I'm also changing things around and I don't intend to follow the exact storyline. This is my very first attempt at writing a story so this is a short introductory chapter and reviews are VERY MUCH appreciated! I would love to continue this story but I don't want to be proverbially flogging a dead horse... Also, my native language is not English, so any helpful comments/redactions on that part would also be appreciated.
[Normandy SR-2 - CIC]
Specialist Traynor nervously looked about the CIC as she prepared her latest report on possible Cerberus activities at the Grissom Academy for the Commander. Was it stupid to want the deck to look clean for the Commander? She really did want it to look clean. But why? In the years she worked in the labs she had never wanted them to look clean for her superiors. Why now? Surely, she's grown up enough to have stopped mooning over someone like some 12-year old over basically nothing. Shepard was just being friendly when they first met. So no mooning then. Right?
Wrong.
When she noticed the Commander walking brusquely into the CIC, the Specialist almost deleted her report by accident. She really needed to start looking at the screen more often instead of...somewhere else.
"Specialist Traynor," Shepard said, acknowledging Samantha's presence with a curt nod. Traynor found herself struggling to remember why she had asked for Shepard. The Commander's piercing green eyes seemed to look right through Traynor, possibly even far beyond her. The scar running through her left eyebrow made the Commander look oddly cute when she arched it.
Why is she arching her eyebrow? Oh, right, I should say something, the Specialist thought. "Uh...mh...Commander," Traynor stammered, already feeling stupid and insignificant.
"Are you alright, Specialist?" Shepard continued to look straight at her. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Am I that scary?" Shepard's vague smile was not touching her eyes.
A beautiful ghost. One that makes you want to walk towards it instead of running from it. One that makes you want to reach for it, touch it. One that - shit, focus. Need to focus!
"Um...yes. No! I haven't, Commander. Seen a ghost." Really? Are you serious, Samantha? That is the best you can say? "It's just that, well, I'm worried about something." Ok, good save. This gives an opening to talk about the Grissom Academy.
"What is it you're worried about, Specialist Traynor?" Shepard asked, maybe a tad worryingly, but that might have just been Samantha's imagination.
"I have received disturbing information concerning the Grissom Academy, Commander." She brought up the school's file on screen. "They have sent a distress signal and a turian vessel seems to have responded to it. Only...I'm not sure whether it is genuine. EDI and I have connected it to a previous signal and I think Cerberus is behind it. I think the school is under Cerberus attack." As Traynor finished, she felt proud of herself that this report at least had gone more smoothly than the first time.
Shepard appeared to consider the information for what felt like minutes. Traynor grew increasingly uncertain of her delivery, had she been unclear after all? Did she say anything stupid?
"Thank you, Specialist," Shepard finally said, voice flat. With that, she walked away, auburn hair swaying magnificently from left to right and back as she glides toward the elevator. Get a grip! She's just walking, not gliding. But her hair looks - GROW UP!
When Shepard was gone, Samantha couldn't help but feel just a little proud of herself. She had just relayed information to the Commander that could potentially save lives. And endanger the Commander's...damn, I shouldn't think about it that way. I Can't. Besides, the Commander probably isn't into women anyway. What if she likes that Vega-hulk? Which doesn't mean she can just go off and die, of course. Not without me getting to know her better first. And preferably not after that, either.
[Normandy SR-2 - Mess hall]
The Commander had not come to see her after the mission. She had been right about Cerberus being involved and it stung that Shepard had not bothered to come thank her for the info. Of course Shepard had already thanked her before the mission, but that didn't count. Not really, anyway.
As Samantha was mulling over what she considered to be a painful reminder of her own insignificance on-board the Normandy, she accidentally bumped into Dr. Chakwas who was in the midst of a fierce battle with the coffee machine.
"Ow! Watch it, Specialist, or I will stop looking for that toothbrush you told me about. Do you know how this damned thing works?" Chakwas asked, frowning and pointing at the coffee machine.
"I do, as a matter of fact, but I will only tell you if you promise to find me a replacement toothbrush. Please? And sorry I bumped into you, I was lost in thought," Traynor answered. See? I can be funny and witty. Why do I suddenly turn into a blubbering fool when I'm talking to the Commander while I'm doing well with everyone else? It's not fair.
Chakwas laughed at that and nodded. "Fine, though you will have to tell me what you were thinking about. I'm a Doctor, I can help you, you know."
Samantha hit the coffee machine on its right lower side and suddenly the coffee started pouring out. "Ha! There you go. And no, don't think you can fool me. You're a physical doctor, not a psychologist. And I don't need help, I'm fine." Chakwas' eyes narrowed, and her thin smile made her look mischievous. Traynor smelled the fire burning and quickly tried to change the subject. "Besides, shouldn't you be drinking Serrice Ice Brandy? Why are you drinking coffee, anyway?" Chakwas shook her head and walked away, silently laughing to herself.
As Dr. Chakwas entered the med bay, she opened a connection to Shepard's omni-tool. "Commander, can you come see me for a second? I need to tell you something," she said, just loud enough for Traynor to hear before the door swooshed shut.
Shit.