Mass Effect:

No Relation

Illium,

2493:

While not hit as hard during the Reaper war as many other worlds, the Illium of today pales in comparison to the once glorious colony. The world's cities were crowded with the rich being able to live in the high rises. While the less fortunate scurry below, scrounging for whatever money they can get and more often than not were forced into crime. The asari military's presence is felt all over the colony; constantly watching and monitoring its citizens.

Illium is also a place many young asari flee to avoid the draft. Being as close as it gets to Omega it is often overlooked, but purges by asari officials who need to reach their quota is common enough for these young asari to stay on their toes.

"What?" A young asari exclaimed to another asari in her commando uniform.

"Illium's Defense Force is running a purge this week for conscripts." The commando was calm and respectful to the obviously distressed asari. "During that time officials may need this residence for additional housing for recruits. Sorry for the inconvenience, Miss…"

The younger asari's eyes grew wide with surprise; she had forgotten to introduce herself. "Dara! Dara Clegane."

"Dara." The soldier said. Her face was hard and her eyes narrowed on Dara as if she could see right through her. "You will also need to show proof of service if you were born after 2186."

A light sweat began to build on her brow and she couldn't help but grind her foot to the ground. "Okay… I'll jus—"

"That will be all, Miss Clegane." The soldier grunted as she walked off to the next apartment.

Dara slouched against the door way and sighed. Dara peaked her head out to watch the asari commando walk to the apartment next door. The other asari turned her head and noticed her and returned a glare at Dara. Dara smiled and took one big step back into her apartment. Dara didn't even wait for her door to slide shut.

She bolted for her single room in the back of her apartment. Her floors were concrete and made a loud clapping noise as she ran. She had a single hard mattress that had been there when she moved in. She snatched her duffel bag that sat in the corner and dropped to her knees and yanked her dresser drawers open, not even bothering to sort her belongings as she stuffed cloths in her bag. "Why does this have to happen now? I'm here for five years! Five whole years! No problem until now! Goddess why!"

She zipped up her duffel bag and went to her bed. She flipped the mattress and knelt to pick up her pistol. She held it in her hand. She bowed her head and closed her eyes. "I've ran for fifty years. Mars, Thessia, Klencory and now Illium. Fuck!" She thought. She holstered her gun to her hip.

She went to the front of her small concrete box of an apartment and plucked her jacket that hung in the corner, slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and proceeded to walk out the door. Getting up and leaving had become easy for the young asari. She had enough money to hop a freighter off world and start someplace new. Wherever that was. She couldn't find another place on Illium. The name Dara Clegane was on Illium's registry so tomorrow once the asari soldier comes back and reports her missing, her name and face will be posted on every security network on the planet.

She took a taxi to the Nos Astra space port. It was crowded as always with people arriving and departing. Ships from all over the galaxy came to Illium. It still had a stable economy and businesses weren't as constrained by the law as on other worlds. It was also swimming with Illium Defense Force personnel. Dara kept her head down and actively avoided being spotted.

Dara couldn't help but looking at the commandos strolling about the crowd. All of them carrying big guns and seemed to be wearing a permanent scowl on their faces. She was so fixated on the soldiers that would soon arrest her if she were caught she didn't notice the female human she was bound to crash into. "Hey!" The woman shouted as both of them feel to the ground.

"What the hell were you thinking you jackass?" She yelled. The human woman had long brown hair, green eyes and a light scar that cut across her right ear and settled at her jaw.

Dara looked around the human woman's yelling was causing a scene and attracted attention from the asari commandos around them. "I'm so sorry miss, but I—"

"Dumb?" She cut her off. Dara really wished this human would shut up; the commandos were starting to stare and talk into their communicators. "I would think so. Where the hell is your head at?" She said as they both got up.

"Look I'm sorry!" Dara finally snapped. "But if you aren't hurt I need to—"

"It there some problem?" Dara heard from behind her as a hand was placed on her shoulder. Dara's face grew hot. Everything was fine, she was invisible and no one cared who she was. She bumps into one loud mouthed human and everything turns into shit.

Dara's hand hovered over her gun. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest and her mouth sealed shut. "I'll say we do!" The human said as she gave Dara a wink as she walked passed and cut in front of the commando behind her. "I waited three hours to park my ship! Three hours in fucking orbit and then it took another hour for you IDF to inspect my ship!"

Dara didn't turn around. She was frozen in place. "Is this human really talking to an asari commando that way?" The human must have been insane."Take it up with port authority and please do not cause any more trouble." An annoyed voice belonging to the commando said.

The woman turned around to face the young asari and scanned her from head to toe. The stared at Dara for a while longer and then pointed to the asari's holstered gun. "What were you going to do? Shoot the whole IDF? Are you crazy? What's your name, girl?"

"Girl!" Dara mentally screamed. Dara was ninety-five years old. Cosmetic science might have jumped in the last three hundred years, but Dara was sure she was at least twice the age of this human. But she did get that commando off her case so she was grateful for that. "I just need to get off the planet. Like yesterday."

"You're in a rush I take it then?" The human said, pointing at the young asari's feet.

Dara looked down and noticed nothing wrong with her feet. Other than she wasn't wearing shoes. "Oh Goddess!" Dara moaned. She looked up and palmed her forehead. "I'm having a really rough day. I need to somehow buy my way on a ship and find out where I'm going."

The human raised an eyebrow in interest. "I've got a ship. I was gonna head that way now. You interested?" She said as if she didn't care one way or the other.

Dara thought about it. She was walking around Nos Astra without shoes, barely enough credits to hop a freighter and no plan as to where she was going if she did get one. She looked at the human that had yelled at her a few minutes ago. When she wasn't yelling, her face was kind and warm looking. Something about her made Dara want to trust her. "Okay." She answered.

The human woman shrugged and turned around, "Cool this way, blue."

"Dara." Dara corrected, quickening her pace to meet the human woman.

"Jane Shepard." The human answered. "No relation to any big fucking heroes."

Author Note: So what do you think? My first attempt at fan fiction in two or so years, lots of school, then college and work on my own original writing got in the way and my interest in fan fiction kind of died. This was in my head for a while and now it is out of my system. To update or not to update? Thank you for reading!

Edited to get ride of some ridiculous sub-plot.