"Well, What about Shepard? She's a spacer, lived aboard starships most of her life."
"Military service runs in the family, both her parents were in the Navy."
"She saw her whole unit wiped out on Akuze, she could have some serious emotional scars."
"Every soldier has scars. Shepard's a survivor."
"Is that the kind of person we want protecting the galaxy?"
"That's the only kind of person who can protect the galaxy."
"I'll make the call."
In the decades of reconstruction that followed The War, many stories were told about the First Human Spectre, and her fight to warn and unite the galaxy against the Reapers. And if you believed everything said about her, she was 10 meters tall and could tear a capital ship apart with her bare hands. She could stun enemies into stillness with a glare and unite her allies into an unstoppable force with a few spoken words. Some people called her a selfless hero; others called her a ruthless killer. But all of us agree on one thing:
She had no idea what was coming.
Citadel Space
Normandy
One: Welcome Aboard
Name: Dana Karolina Shepard
Service Number: 0047-727-4947-DS
Rank: Staff Lieutenant
Current Assignment: CO, Marine Company detachment, SSV London
DOB: April 11, 2154 (Sol Calendar)
DOE: April 13, 2172 (Sol calendar)
Service History:
Basic Training Class 2172-417
OCS Graduate Class 2174, Commissioned, Lieutenant 2nd Class, 2174
XO, Marine platoon detachment, SSV Shasta 2174-2175
Promoted, Lieutenant 1st Class, 2175
Colony Communication Blackout Investigation, Akuze 2177
Accepted Interplanetary Combatives Training 2177
Achieved ICT N7 Rank, Combat Specialization 2182
CO, Marine platoon detachment, SSV Hyderabad 2182-2183
Admiral David Anderson made a mental note to track down who was responsible for Arcturus Station's comm buoy connection to Earth. The local database of Alliance personal files should've been re-downloaded hours ago. Thankfully all that was missing from the file he was currently reviewing was an updated picture. Not that he had needed it. The officer in question had been one of his projects for five years. His eyes left the file as the aide the Arcturus CO had assigned him opened the door to his office. "Send her in, Corporal," he ordered, straightening his uniform as he stood from his chair.
Dana hadn't changed in the year since he had last spoken to her in person. Anderson used the few moments it took her to walk from the door to his desk and salute to refresh her features in his mind. The eyes were the same, vivid and green, looking quickly around the small room for any clue as to why she was here. Anderson returned her salute and nodded to the chair opposite him as he dropped his arm. "Thanks for coming by, Lieutenant." He nodded to the chair opposite his desk after returning her crisp salute, inviting her to sit.
Dana took the offered chair, looking at Anderson directly.. "I have to admit I was surprised to get your message, Sir. I'm only on station for a few days while the London is docked for re-supply"
"And I know you have a lot to do, processing your marine transfers. Which is why I wanted to talk to you before you go too involved. How much do you know about Project OMAHA?"
Shepard's eyes narrowed curiously. "The Omaha Initiative is a cultural exchange program put together by Parliament, trying to strengthen the Alliance's reputation and integration with the galactic community. Some of my ICT sections were based on Turian and Asari methods."
Anderson nodded, impressed. "That would've been N4 and 5 for you? I was consulted when they were designing those sections. But Project OMAHA was a sub-operation of the public facing initiative, specific to the Navy and ONI, and most of it is classified. The Hierarchy agreed to a technology and personnel transfer, swapping observers between our fleets to share details on how another race operates in space. 10 months ago, construction was started on a prototype reconnaissance frigate." At a touch on his terminal lightly detailed schematics blinked onto the holographic smart-wall beside Anderson's desk.
The ship was breathtakingly unconventional in its construction and looked like no other Alliance vessell Dana had ever seen before. The elongated main fuselage was bracketed by 2 pairs of engine pylons that looked like they could change their shape. Dana snatched her attention away from the diagrams as Anderson spoke again.
"This is the prototype of the Alliance's new stealth and recon frigate We worked very closely with the Hierarchy on her design, but she's using the best technology the Alliance can bring to the table. FLEETCOM is hoping she can fill our needs for path-finding, surveillance, and first response, slipping into systems undetected, sniffing out trouble and handling what she can."
Dana nodded, taking in the hologram and studying it carefully, not looking back at Anderson. "Stealth and recon, huh? That should give us better options for intel and scouting. We haven't had something useful in that slot since we expanded the fleet after the First Contact War. What's her name?"
Anderson's smile got wider. "That'll teach Steve to bet against a Shepard. I knew you'd get it. We're calling her The Normandy. She's scheduled for her shakedown cruise leaving Jump Zero in 2 weeks. I've been selected to command, and I want you on her."
Dana looked back to Anderson, lips pursed slightly as she nods to the hologram. "With those size numbers, doesn't look like there's enough room for a company strength marine detachment."
Anderson nods in agreement. "Just platoon strength, and I've already got a Marine CO. Kaidan Alenko from the 203. He's level headed and I think he'll do well if he's got an attentive and exceptional officer to season him properly." His eyebrow raised as the frown on Dana's face grew a little deeper.
"If I'm leaving my company on the London and you don't need a marine commander, Sir..."
Anderson's face relaxes, brows raised reassuringly and his voice is warm with encouragement. "I need an XO, Dana. Captain Emberly and Commander Golden can't say enough good things about you. You're N7 graduate, an experienced leader and one hell of a tactician. There was a very short list for this slot and your name was at the top of it."
Dana blinked in surprise, leaning forward in her chair. "Sir, I'm not the Shepard you're looking for, I'm a ground-pounder. My mother is the ship driver in the family."
"Hannah still has a year to command the Kilimanjaro and what CO would take a lower position on a smaller boat? Being a ship's XO isn't much different from being a ship's Marine company commander. You're just managing a wider group of people and making sure they have what the need to get their jobs done. Just like you've been doing on the London. Your latest evaluation from Captain Emberly was so glowing we could use it for reaction mass.. I believe his closing remarks called you an asset to the entire Navy and a valuable crewmember to any ship you serve on"
Anderson watched as Shepard sat back in her chair, her eyes moving slowly around the room and repeatedly landing on the projected diagram on the smart-wall. Controlling himself to stillness while she thought, the Admiral could imagine the kinds of thoughts running through Shepard's mind. When the question came, though, it wasn't what he expected.
"Would you take it, Sir?"
Anderson smiled, leaning back into his chair as he tapped a control, shutting off the display. "The Alliance, and Humanity as a whole is still trying to be taken seriously and without prejudice. The races of the galaxy are still wary of us. Not surprising, since our debut on the galactic stage was picking a fight with the Turians. But showing the council and the other aliens that we can work with our former enemies for mutual benefit is a necessary first step."
Dana's features drew into a slight frown, the same one when Commander Anderson had told her he was sponsoring the young 2nd Lieutenant to N-School 5 years ago. It was the toughest, most challenging training she had experienced, but it had made her into a better soldier, officer, and leader. After only a moments of introspection, she looked back into the Admiral's eyes, her gaze steady and determined. "Sounds like a great opportunity, Sir. Sign me up for a bunk."
Anderson's face split into a wide grin, reaching under his desk and pulling out a bottle and 2 glasses and pouring a finger of the amber liquid into each. "Glad to have you aboard, Commander."
Dana jerked her eyes back up into Anderson's, away from the glass he was handing her. "Commander?" she asked, an eyebrow raised curiously..
"A frigate XO slot is for Lt. Commander's and up, Shepard. Congratulations, Dana." He lifted his glass in salute to her, and she returned the gesture.
"I won't let you down, Sir."
"I don't expect you will, Dana. Cheers."