Shep's upbringing is a mix of Earthborn and Spacer. Her parents were Alliance but she wasn't a ship kid. Renegade, Ruthless, etc. This story will have a chapter following this one and perhaps a third if I can't get the ending I want in the second chapter. Stay tuned for another A/N after the chapter!
"A lot of cities have stopped checking in."
Anderson's word cut through her like a blade but she kept her front up.
Never let them see you sweat.
As they spoke she tried to think back to the last city she'd heard that her point of interest was in, but for the life of her she couldn't seem to remember. It wasn't Vancouver, she knew that would've been settled in the six months she spent awaiting her trial.
Could she have gone home? It was always a possibility; after all. Jane had been enlisted for fifteen plus years now, the dust must've settled by now. If it hadn't, well...it'd be hard enough to make contact with her if she /knew/ where she was.
As soon as Anderson signed out, Shepard made her way to her bedroom. Locking the door behind her she slipped into the seat in front of her private terminal and went to work. It was easy enough to set up a private search feed, Miranda had taught her a thing or two while they were wiggling out of the Illusive Man's grasp. Typing in a few of the possible names she knew would get hits, she finally found the one thing she was looking for.
"Matilda Reid. Kindergarten teacher, P.S 186, New York City." She read aloud, chuckling softly at the choice of profession. If only those students knew who they were being taught by. If only their parents knew.
Throwing the contact info into a folder to upload to her omni tool she sighed and tried to establish a call.
"Hey. Shep! Who're you tryna call? Last minute addition problems you need help solving?" Joker asked over the comm as he went about establishing the link, the grin prominent in his voice.
Letting her head rest in her hand, Jane shook her head. "Privacy, Joker. You've heard of it right?" She called back to the speaker before being met with a laugh.
"Yeah, yeah. Bo-ring. Call's getting patched through. Bridge over and out." As the overhead speaker went silent, the Commander focused on the smaller speaker in front of her; her heart leaping to her throat when she heard it connect.
"Hello?" The voice was the same as she remembered it, bringing a tear to her eye as she heaved a sigh. Of course their call was masked. Probably the name of a telemarketer firm or something outlandish.
"Momma. It's me." Jane finally spoke, hearing a chokes sob on the other end of the line. "I wanted to check in...make sure you're okay." Her tone was nowhere near what everyone else heard when speaking to Shepard but then again that was to be expected.
Her mother gathered her emotions after a moment and spoke. "Janey. Thank the Gods you're alright. My people still inside the brass told me the Normandy was on the front line again. Do you have David with you?" Of course the first person Hannah Shepard asked about after her daughter was Anderson, that was just a given.
Jane sat back with a long breath, shaking her head as if she could be seen. "He's on Earth. Got me out of dry dock when the attack on Vancouver went down. You been keeping safe?" She asked, toying with the edges of her hoodie nervously.
There was a pause before her mother spoke again, knowing she was worried for Anderson. The two were close, they were friends. Jane didn't blame her. "Oh I'm fine. The Alliance managed to track me down somehow, they offered me a spot on the Tokyo. Advising, my rank wouldn't be returned but I'd be the one everyone answered to. Turned them down. I lost my space legs years ago."
A quiet growl rumbled in Jane's chest. Her mother had been a damn hero. Someone to make the Shepard name proud who didn't have to lay waste to an entire battalion of Batarians with her pistol and some biotics. She did things by the book and wore her title proud...til those bastards at Cerberus lured her ship into a trap and her whole team was killed.
Back in those days, you didn't get a second chance. If you screwed up you were tarnished and that's what happened to Hannah Shepard. Blacklisted, unable to find work anywhere; she left the city and took a fake name...right around the time Jane turned eighteen. The vivacious red head had no intention of enlisting but when she saw how hurt her mother was by her dishonorable discharge, she swore that she would bring pride back into the Shepard name.
It's why she worked as hard as she did, while still playing fast and loose with Alliance rules. Usually she was within her parameters and when she wasn't? It was their fault she was on missions as big as she was and they knew no one else could handle what they threw at her.
"Did they tell you about the Crucible? You're an engineer for Christ sakes. You'd be much better off on that project than on a warship." Jane's cogs were already turning, trying to work this out and plan it right so she could present it to Hackett. He'd go with it, he knew having Shepard Sr on board would be exactly the mind they needed to further this. "You wouldn't be fighting, and they aren't in harms way. Plus, it's not brass. It's scientists and engineers and people who can actually help." She went silent, allowing her mother to think it through.
After a moment, Hannah spoke up. "You say they need engineers?" A small sound was made as agreement. "Think you can get Hackett to sign off?" Another sound. This time she was quiet a bit longer, weighing the pros and cons. She was going crazy still trying to be a civilian and this would give her a chance to help. Most of the Alliance knew what had happened to her wasn't right, which was why Jane hadn't been used and abused in her early years for having the Shepard name attached to her file. "See what you can do, darling. And keep me updated. I expect to see you at least once before all of this takes place though."
Jane felt herself smile, a large smile that ached as she sat up and went to typing the request for a vidcall with Hackett. "Once they bring you in they'll probably debrief you at the Citadel. I have to meet with quite a few people there already; so I'll gladly meet you when everything goes through. I missed you."
"I missed you as well, sweetheart. The vids on the news don't do much justice. I do like the new haircut though. You always liked it short." Hannah smiled with a soft laugh, thinking back to the first time she caught a glimpse of her daughter on the news again. It was her worst nightmare, yet the inevitable. She knew that Jane would be on the frontlines, behind enemy lines, making pacts, all things a great leader does in the time of war. That's what her daughter was. A great leader. She was terrified that someone horrible would happen, and yet she knew that the galaxy's best hope rested on the young woman's shoulders.
As she hit send on the request form, Jane sat back and watched as a response was almost instant. It felt good to have the brass wrapped around her finger. "You'll see it soon enough. Now, if you'll excuse me. I've got a meeting with Hackett. Gonna put on my blues. He doesn't like when I answer wearing a hoodie." She grinned, laughing loudly at her mother's reaction.
"Jane! You don't!...who am I kidding of course you do. Go, change. I'll forward you my arrival information when I receive it. Be good. I love you." Hannah's voice was soft, a welcome relief from the daily hecticness Jane out up with.
"I love you too, Ma. I'll see you on the Citadel." Allowing the call to disconnect, the Shepard women both stood and went about their tasks to prepare for the re-arrival of Hannah Shepard.
So, I hope you enjoyed this, more to come soon. I was wondering though, for those who've read my stuff in the past. How would you feel about a story set in the Call to Arms universe? I started the second leg of that but I've since had a change of heart as to where I want it to go. Please let me know if you'd be interested in seeing where that would go...I do know that I'd love to write it if you'd like to read it.