Author's Notes: It's been a while since I've posted anything on this site. Truth is, I've been playing around with various ideas but felt none of them were good enough to post. Then I had an idea to 'do' a Mass Effect 2 inspired fic written from Kelly Chambers' point of view. You know Kelly, bright, outgoing and usually relegated to token airhead status most of the time. I wanted to flesh her out some and see what I could do with her. So, here it is. As always, reviews are welcome.

1. Before the Beginning

If asked where I was the day the Citadel Council conferred the rank of Spectre upon one of our own, I'll be able to tell them, I was right there, in the Council chambers.

I stood among a crowd drawn from all the races in Council Space - hip to hip with asari and salarians, side by side with turians and volus. A pair of hanar floated a few feet away, jellyfish-like bodies flickering with bioluminescence as they silently communicated with one another.

We stood in one of the tiers encicling the large, echoey space, looking down at the three Council members and those summoned before them - a turian in the blue armour of C-Sec, a tall, intense-looking man with dark hair and eyes, a female marine in white armour, a man in the uniform of an Alliance Navy officer - the famed Captain David Anderson and finally, the person who would go on to make such an impact on the galactic landscape, Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy.

The asari Councillor spoke, her words carried to us via concealed speakers, "Commander Shepard, step forward."

Shepard did so, a single step that seemed to say, Here we are, worthy of your respect at last. The Commander carried herself well, given the almost-palpable tension in the room, back straight, head high, chin thrust slightly forward, issuing a silent challenge.

Beside me, a turian muttered to his companion, "This is a travesty. Humans are too brash and impulsive to be trusted with such an honour."

A volus wheezed out a laugh through his respirator, "Compared to Saren, how bad can she be?"

I did my best to ignore the aliens and instead concentrated on the asari. "You are the first human," I detected a slight accent on the word, "Spectre, Commander. Congratulations."

I heard somebody begin a round of applause and wasn't aware it was me until I glanced down to see my hands clapping together so hard, the palms of my hands stung. I felt a large, impossibly happy smile form on my lips as, beside me, an asari joined the ovation, then a salarian.

I was witness to a singular moment in the history of our people. I am part of an organisation charged with advancing the interests of humanity throughout the galaxy. No matter the cost. Some call us terrorists. We call ourselves 'Cerberus.'

My name is Kelly Chambers.

This is my story.