========A/N: thanks to those who followed and favorited. It's good to know that people do like the story.
I didn't do this last chapter - Bioware owns Mass Effect, I do not.========
CHAPTER TWO: START PLAYING AN 80'S POWER BALLAD
Leaving the officers mess with Shepard, McDougal takes a better look at her. She's a few inches taller than him, around 5'10, dark brown hair that's near the edge of what regs allow worn lose, brown eyes. Athletic body; looks as though she runs marathons.
She speaks, saying "Great presence on the battlefield? What made you say that about me?"
"You held yourself in cool control. Everyone in that room looked to see what you were doing before they started listening to the Sergeant. You weren't shaken whatsoever by the news that you were being considered for the N program, while the other students - me especially - were at least a little surprised. If I had to guess, you were some sort of leader among your group where you grew up."
"What else can you 'read' off me, as the Sergeant put it?"
"Given, your tan - or rather, lack of one - you probably grew up on a space station, away from natural sunlight. You're well educated, which leaves Gagarin, Arcturus, or Grissom. You wouldn't be at this camp if you were a biotic, so Gagarin is out. The people coming from Grissom go into engineering or biotics if they join the military at all, which leaves Arcturus.
"From there, it's easy to guess that you were the daughter of at least one member of the military, and since Arcturus is mostly home to ranking officers, probably career and officer. This means that you either grew up with only one parent around most of the time or had very little parental supervision at all once you started school.
"How'd I do, and what's your read on me?"
Shepard stops, utterly flabbergasted. "You figured all that out because I didn't have a tan and was well educated?"
Also stopping with a bemused smile, McDougal responds "A little bit of logic can go a long way to deconstructing a situation or someone's past. There were a few other clues as well; your body type is that of a long distance runner, which isn't common on Earth but is common in those who have spent a long time on space stations. Also, given the slight nod you gave, I'm now pretty sure that you never really knew one of your parents.
"But it's time for your read on me."
...
"... But it's time for your read on me."
Shepard is still a little shocked. The man had just read her like an open book, with hardly any other information to work with. She quickly snaps out of it, and begins her read on the man in front of her.
"You grew up on the streets of Earth. Since you only have the one name, it's probably a safe bet that you didn't know either of your parents. From your speech, you were probably a part of one of the gangs, and probably a smaller one - a larger one wouldn't have taken in a smaller kid since they could afford to be a bit choosey.
"Given that, I expect that you probably proved your worth and eventually took a leadership position within the gang. As for why you left, I'd guess that it was a way to get away from Earth. How'd I do?"
"You would be right - I never knew my parents, and I joined a smaller gang. But you would be wrong about taking a leadership role; only strength is respected in the gangs. The way I survived was simply not being noticed."
"Then how-"
"Did I get the ability to read stuff? It helps to know what people's pasts are like, and identify likely possibilities. My gang went through four major leadership changes - most bloody. I always faded into the shadows a few months before they occurred, and nobody was the wiser. Picking a side in an intra-gang fight is tantamount to suicide if you're a grunt."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Truthfully, I don't know. It's something that I just do without thinking."
"What'd you join up to be?"
"A biotic."
"Be serious now."
"I'll probably end up as a sniper of some sort - I'm small enough that if anyone got into melee with me, I'd be at a severe disadvantage, but I don't have enough tech knowledge to be an Engineer. Probably an Infiltrator, but more focused on the sniping aspect of that. If I had to guess, you're going to be a Soldier."
"Yeah, I suppose you'd be right. I would much rather face my enemies up close. Unlike a certain someone who just expressed a desire to be back from the front lines..." Shepard trails off, a grin spreading across her face.
McDougal grins back. "I'm willing to bet that I can still beat you in any contest you name."
"To the ring?"
"To the ring."
...
3 months later, training on the firing range. One week until end of boot.
"That's 23 of 25 possible points with the pistol, 10 of 25 with the sniper, 19 of 25 with the shotgun, and 25 out of 25 with the AR, for a total of 79 out of 100 points. That sniper portion really dragged you down, Shepard."
"I'm sure McDougal will be willing to work with me on the snipers. Speaking of him, how'd he do?"
"I don't know how you two mange to keep this rivalry friendly. You compete on everything. But I'll tell you what I've told you every time before - you'll have to ask him. I can't reveal it until everyone has finished the test. Regardless, you passed. Dismissed."
"Yes, sir."
Clara steps out of the firing range to see a very smug looking McDougal. She forestalls his question by saying "79. And you?"
Mcdougal starts grinning like a madman. "83. The shotgun section really threw me off, but I got a perfect 25 in sniping and pistols, and a 20 with the AR. Let me guess, the sniper did you in?"
"Spot on. Don't have the breath control to do those long distance shots. I'm fine untll you get 200 meters out, then I can't hit anything."
"Eh. We're still the best shots in the group. I swear that 2/3 of them can't hit a target at five meters with a sniper, let alone 50."
"So, I beat you in the house clearing test -"
"You beat most of the INSTRUCTORS in that test. That just leaves the half marathon in full armor tomorrow."
"Wanna give up now?"
"Hell nah. I might not beat you, but I can damn well try."
...
Eight months later, N3 training, Luna Station
McDougal's voice crackles in her ear. "Two hostiles, 2 o'clock high, 55 meters. They have clear line of sight along the planned entry route. I do not have a clear shot. Almost certainly in constant contact with the base. Go."
Shepard immediately calls out "Go to approach point Beta. McDougal, come down and join us; you'll do no good up there as we head through Beta." There's no response. There doesn't need to be one.
5 minutes pass, and they meet up with McDougal, who's breathing a bit hard from having just run a mile to meet with them in time. As they approach the target building, McDougal puts his sniper on his back and pulls out his M39 "Claw" burst fire carbine. He gives a grunt of annoyance; he doesn't like using anything other than snipers or pistols, but in the close quarters of a building, using either is a bad idea. Shepard just smiles; they're entering her element soon enough.
"Prepare for breach. Volunteer for first through?" she asks the squad behind her. A hand goes up. "Perfect. Get out your shotgun and prepare to super your shields."
The breach goes off without a hitch; the volunteer lost his shields, but his simulated wounds are responding well to the medigel. Of course, they're now bottlenecked at the bottom of the stairs, engaged in a shootout and unable to make any forward progress.
Suddenly, a grenade goes off up the stairs and the unmistakeable sound of a burst fire rifle being shot heralds the entrance of McDougal to the fight. He'd turned on his tac cloak, climbed up the wall to the end of the balcony, gotten into cover, then flipped out a grenade and opened fire. Shepard immediately orders the team to storm the stairs, and they proceed to clean house without incident.
As Clara exits her simulation sphere, she looks over at McDougal and shakes her head a bit. He's got that look on his face that says he's got bad news. "Should we talk about it back in the dorms?"
"Probably. On the other hand, it's not exactly secret. Your call."
"Lay it on me."
"Firstly, I beat you in the sim today, but secondly, they just got out to Mindoir. Only two survivors, and one of them isn't expected to make it. The other one... I do not want to be in that poor kid's shoes. Scuttlebutt says she's so traumatazied that she can't remember anything. At all. Her mind is basically gone. She can't walk, talk, has no bladder control... The Alliance says that they've devoted as many resources as possible to finding the slavers, and they damn well should. That's the third successful attack in two months, all within that single sector.
"Also, they're apparently graduating us early. Apparently, they can't teach us any more here. But for whatever reason, we've been ordered to Pinnacle Station. We leave tomorrow. I'd bet money that these are connected."
Shepard snorts. "Yeah, they're sending us to Pinnacle for N4 training."
"No they aren't. We haven't seen live fire yet. You need at least one live fire mission under their belt before you can start training as an N4."
"So, you say that they want to train us for the upcoming assault on the slaver base?"
"Took you long enough. They're moving us up through the ranks fast; I overheard one of our instructors saying that we're a lock for N6 and possibly even N7."
Shepard shakes her head. "At least we're striking back soon."
"Amen to that, sister" exclaims McDougal, clapping Shepard on her shoulder. "C'mon, let's go get some food."
========A/N: Thanks for reading. I was originally going to include their first action in this, but it's stretched long enough as is. Plus, the 'Amen to that' line was just too nice of a way to close a chapter.
Before anyone asks, yes, I am taking some minor liberties with the event timelines.
Please review and tell me how I can improve.========