Summary - "She was different, Liara could sense it, and she could see it in the way she moved. Not like most humans and Liara could also tell that this human was keeping something from them. Something from not just Liara, but the whole crew; she had seen into the mind of this human and knew not all was as it seemed…"

Rating - Older Teen to Mature

By: WDG and Lesbostar

The Age of Legends - Chapter 1 - Distrust


Shepard stood alongside Captain Anderson in front of the council while ambassador Undina tried to defend their case. She watched as the last of the meeting took place, feeling let down by the councilors dismissal of their claim about Saren. When she looked up her gaze met piercing blue eyes looking at her. Turning her head away she saw Anderson giving her a look of sympathy. She gave him a small smile in thanks.

Once the council had cleared out Shepard was left with Anderson and Udina talking about ways to prove that Saren truly was guilty of the attack on Eden Prime and that he wouldn't stop there.

It was after Udina and Anderson left that Shepard was about to set off to look for the two different persons suggested to her, one from Udina, and the other by Anderson. Walking down a few steps she began to think 'hmmmm, who should I go after first, met Harkin or Barla Von' she only made it a few steps before she was stopped by someone calling out her name.

Blue filled her vision as an Asari blocked her path. "Excuse me Commander Shepard." Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko and Gunnery Sargent Ashley Williams looked at her for orders. They were ready to defend their superior should the Asari prove hostile. She gave them a small sign to go ahead without her and that she would catch up later on. She mouthed 'Barla Von' to tell them where to start their investigation. She would take care of Harkin.

Then the Asari walked a little closer before she touched her fingertips to her forehead and brought them slowly down palm side up and gave a very slight bow. Shepard looked around before stepping forward and grabbing the Asari's hand.

"You don't have to do that…." the Asari blushed at the warm contact on her hand before pulling it from the human's grip. Holding the hand to her chest she nodded.

"Forgive me, it's just that everyone working under the Councilor knows to show you respect, you are after all her daughter. It's only right I show you the respect someone of your stature deserves." She blushed a little more before Shepard sighed and nodded.

"While I am sure you have all been told this, I do not deserve that kind of greeting. I am only her adopted child and am nowhere near the status of a Matriarch or a Justicar." Shepard smiled after her speech and then said "Now then, with that out of the way could you please tell me what you want….oh, but where are my manners forgive me, you seem to know my name yet I haven't yet asked you yours, please forgive me."

"Oh, you did nothing wrong I should have already told you myself. My name is Dahlia, Dahlia Excella," Dahlia grinned. "But you are forgiven, nonetheless." She moved in closer and spoke in hushed tones. "Your Sire has sent me to inform you that she wishes to speak with you, if you would so kindly follow me I will take you to her." Shepard cringed at the news; it was not that she didn't love her Sire. It was just that having a Councilor as a parent right now after having seen the look on her Sire's face at the meeting was a bit intimidating. 'This is going to be fun'. Artemis followed the Asari quietly. She felt like she had disappointed her father/mother figure, something that she never wanted to do.


Councilor Lei'cree Tevos stood in her office looking out the window waiting on her daughter. The news that she had reported were very disturbing and while it may seem as if she wasn't on her side right now, it was all really in the best interests. You simply can't convict someone of something without all the right evidence; there was also the history between Captain Anderson and Saren Arterius. She couldn't afford to show favoritism. No matter how much she wished to do so. She knows her daughter wasn't lying. She knew for years that Saren was a problem waiting to happen. For her he was too radical, he doesn't know how to compromise.

Thinking of her adopted child she smiled, she remembered when first adopting the little girl how such wonder had filled those sparkling pools of blue when Artemis had finally found out that the cool blue alien chick that had been hanging around was going to marry her mother and become bondmates and adopt Artemis herself. She remembered going through the ritual of a true Asari adoption with the girl as well, the feel of the blade cutting her hand followed, by Artemis' own hand stretching to receive the same cut, blood pooling in both of their cupped palms.

Then the grasping of each others hands and praying to the goddess Athame to bless the union between Sire and child. She remembered very well that day too the spark that flew from Artemis' hand that flowed right through into hers and back out into her child's. Ever since then it was like Artemis was a true Asari daughter sharing the link all Asari child children shared with their parents. They even discovered that she was able to initiate a meld. Lei'cree had taught her how, she had taught her biotics. Those were good times.

Lei'cree opened her own bright sea blue eyes and thought of her child some more, Artemis was definitely the strangest human child she had ever seen. She equaled the intelligence and wisdom of some Asari that were just reaching the middle of their Maiden years. That was something that most humans didn't seem to reach until their early forties, she had noticed, yet her child was there at only the age of twenty. Not to mention some other strange things she had noticed about her child. She knew that physically she was an anomaly, not that it was a bad thing for her.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she heard a soft chime from her door announcing the arrival of her secretary and hopefully her daughter. She turned and went to sit in her chair, calling out a soft "Enter." She wished that her bondmate was here.


Shepard followed Dahlia to her mother's office, chatting with the sweet secretary that worked for her mother before they finally reached their destination. When Dahlia knocked on the door and quietly left, Shepard schooled her features before letting herself into the room when she heard a voice calling for her to do so.

Lei'cree stood from her chair when the door closed behind Artemis and moved to hug her only child. Pulling the tall girl into her motherly embrace she felt the stiff posture slowly melt from her child's shoulders and her arms weave themselves around her own in response to the hug. "Artemis, it has been far too long my child. Your Mother and I worry ever so much for our only child".

Shepard paused in her embrace of her Sire; it was so rare for anyone to call her by her first name. Since she became an Alliance Marines she was mostly called by her last name. To many she was Shepard or Commander Shepard. She missed her family all the more at that moment. Wishing she could see them more often than once every few months. Feeling the love and warmth behind the name she hugged her Sire a little tighter, being careful with her bulky armor and attached weapons. Nuzzling her nose into her Sire's neck she breathed in the familiar scent of her 'Father' with a soft hint of her mothers perfume mixing in.

Pulling back she smiled at her Sire and said "It's been a while since someone has called me by that name Sire. Since I last saw you and mother a few months ago in fact." Lei'cree gently cupped her daughter's face and used her other hand to run her fingers through the short silvery blond locks of hair. Lei'cree still to this day marveled at its silky texture, she had never felt anything quite like it. Not even Artemis own mother had hair like this.

Shepard sighed and leaned into the touch "I have missed you and mother. How are you doing?" she asked before pulling back completely and taking in the somewhat tired form of her Sire. Tevos smiled and moved to her chair before pointing out one for Artemis to sit in. Once both were seated, she said "Your Mother and I are doing fairly well, although we both would fell eons better if we heard from you more. Now then, what is this I hear about you being knocked out and in a comatose state for most of your return to the Citadel?" The look on the Councilor face was full of concern although a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She knew that her daughter hated looking weak in front of anyone.

Shepard flinched 'Here comes the start of what's going to be a long conversation,' she thought.

"Well it's like I said in the report; after having disabled the bombs Saren and the Geth had left behind, we secured the Prothean Beacon. Then for some reason when Chief Williams got near the Beacon it triggered something that started pulling her in. I made what I thought was the right choice by pulling her out and taking the blast myself."

Lei'cree arched a delicate eyebrow and spoke. "What I mean is, why didn't you mention how severe it was, Diana? It wasn't necessary to come at the Council meeting. You should have rested more."

Shepard smiled a little at Tevos and rubbed the back of her head "Sire, I'm fine! The beacon just gave me the vision and I had a small headache when I woke up but I was fine when the Normandy docked at the Citadel. You don't have to worry."

Her reassurance didn't work too well because Lei'cree frowned and spoke more seriously, "That is not true you are my child, Artemis and your mother and I'll always worry about your health and safety." She got up and moved to lean into her daughter as she sat in the chair, to hug her once more. "My only child. I love you so much and so does your mother. We care a great deal about you. You know that don't you." Pulling back, she kissed Artemis' forehead and sighed, she saw her daughter nod and they both smiled. "Please, from now on, no matter what you may think, tell me up front about those kinds of things. I would rather hear it from you than of your ships Doctor."

Shepard nodded and gave a soft sigh of her own, "I will, it's just that I try so hard to prove myself to you and mother. I know you love me, I just want you to be proud of me as well."

Lei'cree smiled and pulled her daughters head into her bosom and ran her fingers through her daughters silky hair once more as she whispered, "You have always made me proud to call you my daughter, Little Huntress."

Her childhood nickname made Shepard wrapped her arms around her Sire's waist and listened to the soothing sound of the heart that was just below her head's resting place; like she used to do years ago. After a few more minutes of just holding each other, Shepard stood once more near the entrance of the room, telling her Sire she would call more often and send emails when she could.

Lei'cree Tevos watched her daughter walk out of the office and let her smile drop a little, looking to the picture on her desk of a smiling child, a human woman in a commander uniform, and herself she wondered, where had her little girl gone? The girl who used to constantly asked her to tell stories about her time as a huntress a couple of hundred years ago.

Now she was replaced with this hero, this solider who wished to honor her fallen human father, and bring pride to her Sire and mother. She was proud, so proud she didn't know if she could keep watching her child walk into harm's way like it was nothing to her. She wanted her daughter to take leave and live with them before something irreversible happened and her daughter could no longer return home at all. But she knew that doing that would be impossible; Artemis was a free spirit and a protector. She would always try to protect those close to her. She caught herself wishing that her daughter at least had someone at her side to face the hardships ahead of her. Like she had Hannah to face theirs.

She shook her head, she needed to stop thinking like this, yet something in her soul screamed that something was about to happen, something she and her bondmate were not going to like. Not at all.


Shepard sat in her cabin aboard the Normandy, looking at her new personal space upon the ship. It used to be Captain Anderson's quarters, now it was hers, along with the Normandy and its crew. Not to mention some of the new crew members she had acquired from her ventures to find proof of Saren's deceit on Eden Prime, along with his partner, Matriarch Benezia. The fact that such an influential Asari Matriarch and one who was more peaceful than some agreed to join was worrying. Tali, a young quarian had managed to find a recording that was far to incriminating to save the matriarch place and honor in the Asari's republic intact. That would put a strain in the relationship between the System Alliance and both Turian and Asari governments.

Thinking back, she thought that Wrex, Tali, and Garrus all would make great additions to the team and if for some reason they couldn't get along she would help show them how. She was a firm believer that all of the races could get along with each other, even though she was called The Butcher of Torfan, she still held this belief above all else.

She knew that if she was going to accomplish this, she would need to help Chief Williams get over the hate left by her family's history first, then slowly help Wrex become friendlier with the other humans and aliens. She didn't see Tali being a real problem, or Garrus for that matter the ex-cop having worked before with other species in an extensive fashion when he was still with C-Sec.

After all she was a Spectre and she would be damned if she would let anything happen to any one of her crew members, human or alien. She would keep them all safe on this journey to bring a traitor to justice.

She had just laid back on her bed when Joker's voice came over her intercom, "Commander….oh, I – wait, is it Captain now or still Commander …" Joker's voice paused only for a moment before he went on, "Anyway, Commander Shepard we are closing in on our destination to Therum in the Artemis Tau system. Fifteen minutes to arrival, Commander Shepard."

Shepard sat up and said "Thank you, Joker. Now call a meeting in the briefing room so I can have a word with the ground team before we get there."

Joker's voice came over the intercom once more, "Aye, aye, Ma'am," before a clicking sound told Shepard he had disconnected and was doing as he was told.

Sighing, she got up and rolled her shoulders and thought to herself, 'Hope you're ready to meet me Dr. T'Soni, because I have loads of questions that need to be answered.' With those last few thoughts she walked out of her quarters and headed for the briefing room.


End Chapter One

Hope you guys enjoy the new layout of the chapters thanks to the new help i got. Make sure you give them props too.