A/N: Growing up amidst marine soldiers, my otherwise oh-so-well behaving Shepard has a very potty mouth. Hence the overall M-rating as the f-bombs will fly low here) Also this story is un-betad, so excuse any (grammar) mistakes made or overlooked.
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Coincidences
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Kaidan awoke to the incessant beeping sound of his Omni-tool, the room around him still dark. Groaning and one hand protectively held on his head, he pressed the button for audio-play, if only to make the beeping stop.
Hey man,
The Normandy is one hell of a ship. I can't believe I'll be flying this baby. Oh, and also: Where the hell are you?
Fuck.
He was awake and up in an instant, ignoring the protesting pulsing of his head at the motion.
Kaidan Alenko was a man who liked to be prepared and in control, no matter the situation. The scattered data pads around his private terminal with information about his new assignment spoke volumes about this fact. What he didn't expected was the bitch of a migraine hitting him in the middle of the night all the sudden and the meds letting him pass out beyond oblivion and any alarm clock.
Way to make impression as a stable L2, Alenko.
He allowed himself a self-depriving snort while roaming through his meticulously prepared package to get dressed as quickly as humanly possible. He was terrible late and hated it, but he still could make it.
ETA of the Normandy 3000. Current time: 3015.
Either way, Captain Anderson is going to kill me...-
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Alison Shepard was a woman who had made perfection to the most basic rule of her life.
'Coincidence' was ripped out of her usage of words, stomped on and shot dead. It simply wasn't there, as she always had a plan. For everything. And if the plan one to three should ever fail she could always revert to number four and blow shit up. Especially the latter helped her astonishingly good in the time of the Skyllian Blitz on Elysium. And her ability to wrap people around her finger with mere words was certainly helpful while growing up as the navy brat that she was. She was a tad manipulative, perhaps, but it held the bunch of adolescent marines in a comfortable distance, if her gun failed to do the job. The Alliance and the rules were her life, ever since her mother decided to pop her out on a starship.
She was home in space, never knew anything but the Alliance and to salute to everything not edible, never wanted to. It was comfortable, within the realms of familiarity she had established for herself. Controlled and save. Having a plan, being prepared for everything had saved her ass more than once.
Being a shiny poster example of the best the Alliance has to offer? Check. Disassemble and rearrange a weapon under one minute? Check. Cower in a hole and hold off thousands of Batarian until reinforcements arrives? Check. Being late on the first day of your assignment as XO on the Normandy? Fuck, fuck, fuck.
With one single day of oversleeping all her carefully laid out plans for this assignment, all the preparation went downhill and it wouldn't even help to blow stuff up now. Racing through the tiny broom closet the Alliance so flowery praised as 'temporally living accommodation', Shepard claimed her gear and got ready in a time her first instructor would have been proud of. One last glance to her Omni-tool before leaving caused a stream of curses all the marines she ever had met so far would let blushing like little boys.
ETA of the Normandy 3000. Current time: 3015.
Shit. Captain Anderson is going to kill me.
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Well, if things screw up, at least there was always a silver lining.
In a battle surrounded by enemies when the weapon overheated, it was reverting back to underdeveloped biotics. Here it was the relatively short way to Normandy's dock. If Shepard had a choice, she would take surrounded by enemies every day over being late.
It certainly didn't help that she ran more than once into and over someone and something in her urgent need to get her late ass where it belonged. If she'd have a spare second, she probably would take her pistol out and fire it into the air to clear the way. Alas, she hadn't the luxury of time to even try, so running as if hundreds of Batarian's were behind her it was.
The Normandy was almost in sight as she bumped into a particular sturdy...someone, who sent her reeling. Auburn hair mussed and glowering, Shepard got up in record time and reclaimed her sea bag from the ground to keep running without looking back.
"Hey madam," Alenko blinked after the quickly running and vanishing ball of energy. "You have lost your...dog-tag?" Looking down at his hands, he took a second, closer check at the tag and froze.
N7. Shepard. The hero of Elysium. His new XO.
Shit.
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After what felt like millions of "No Sir, it will never happen again, Sir" and saluting the hell out of himself, Kaidan was allowed to stay and dismissed.
At least until the executive officer were to meet the crew, according to the protocol. While left and right of him, the younger marines were giddy with glee of meeting THE Commander Shepard, he wasn't exactly looking forward to this event. In fact, he could list one million and a half places where he now rather would be after bumping harshly into his new XO. He had a flawless service record and countless recommendations and still couldn't shake off the feeling of being utterly screwed. But since Kaidan was a good, obedient soldier, he stayed put in place and took the impending doom like a man.
The woman who stepped into sight had no resemblance with the wild ball of energy earlier this day. Calm and nearly emotionless, she nodded at every name Anderson told her and shook hands whenever the moment afforded it. She was now dressed in her N7 armor and within an aura of authority which literally screamed don't-fuck-with me-or-I'll make your life-into-a-living-hell-in-no-time. Kaidan had absolutely no doubt of her ability in this department, which made his first and earlier, well, meeting with her only worse.
She were only two giddy marines away from him, causing his heart to race and his hands to go sweaty. While her achievements were without a doubt more than impressive, he wasn't particular the type for hero worshiping like his fellow marines. He was more worried of getting the right words out after the hell of a day. Or any words that were NOT 'Ma'am, an honor to bump into you earlier, ma'am,' for that matter.
Shepard stopped in front of him and nodded at the time his name fell, blue eyes bright and observing. Maybe he was imagining it, but the cool poise in her expression cracked for the moment of an arched eyebrow and a faint quirk of lips before she turned away.
Yep, he was doomed. No doubt about it.
And then there was still the matter of her dog-tag he still had. Alenko sighed.
Brilliant.
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Shepard liked to get to know the crew, to know with whom she would work with an undefined amount of time.
She just couldn't stand the formal...circus it involved. She knew it was a needed evil, a rule and standard procedure demanded of her as an XO, so she smiled and got over with it despite personal dislike. The job and mission came always first and if someone asked her to jump she would only demand to know how high.
Nevertheless, she would lie if she wasn't glad to have at least the time to stuff her gear into the locker until further usage. The Normandy was impressive, larger than any frigate she ever served on. The hall behind her was nearly vacant, the light dimmed and she allowed herself to breathe out, to let the tension float away.
This is why you don't fuck with the rules, Lis. Because then they come and bite you back in the ass.
Though all things considering, her assignment had progressed smoothly. She had seen and experienced worse.
"Ma'am?" In an instant she had corrected her stance into a regal one, even before the shadow of the person was fully visible.
Always in control.
And still to see the Lieutenant from moments earlier saluting to her, to feel a distinctive hum of biotics was...unexpected. "Yes, Lieutenant?"
He was standing in front of her, calmly, the perfect poise of a soldier. "Permission to speak freely?"
She stiffened at the wish, wasn't in the particular mood to hear another worship of her deeds on Elysium like she had heard it floating around. In spite she heard herself say,"Granted. What is it?"
He made one small step forward, just enough to hand her something and withdrew again. "I think you have lost this here, ma'am."
"I.."Shepard looked down and recognized her dog tag. Her mind raced with the question when she had lost it and why. "Oh," she only said as she finally remembered. "Been late too today, huh, Lieutenant?"
He seemed too taken aback by her sudden casual tone, if the blinking was any indication. "Ma'am?"
"I mean, thank you, Lieutenant..." Stopping, she racked her brain for the name and astonishingly found it in a corner of it. "...Alenko."
He gave the slightest acknowledging nod, saluted and went his way, almost stoic in its calmness.
Huh, Shepard heard herself thinking, looking down at the dog tag in her hands, maybe sometimes coincidences aren't so bad after all.
