Sorry for the long wait, I recently started a new job and I got sick. But I hope this long chapter makes up for that. Thank you so much to everyone who favorited and followed this story so far.

Official warning: Explicit language, violence, mentions of rape, and graphic sex will appear in this story. If that triggers or offends you, please read no further.

Shepard awoke with a loud gasp, her brow wet with sweat and her cheeks soaked with tears. She trembled and held her head, gripping her wet, red locks. If it had been just a bad dream, she could've gotten over it. But it hadn't had been. It was an old memory, and the worst memory she held.

She was just a child and it was late at night, and she was fast asleep in the shelter alongside her mother. Suddenly, there was a loud boom, and she awoke with a start. Her innocent, green eyes widened as she watched as a group of turian men entered. Everyone was awake now, and stared on in fear and surprise at the outburst. The largest turian stepped forward, a big, toothy grin plastered on his face.

"It's all over. We know what you've all been up to. How long did you really think you could keep this up?"

Boldly, Shepard's mother rushed from her own bed and gathered her child in her arms.

"Please, stop. You're frightening her." Shepard trembled in her arms. She continued.

"We don't know what you're talking about."

The turian's smug expression left as quickly as it had come and was replaced with anger.

"Don't play coy, you bitch. We know you're all a part of a resistance. You thought you were all being clever, but you weren't clever enough. Did you really think a bunch of farmers and ex-military families could stop us? All of us? Why don't you stupid humans ever learn your lesson?"

Hannah glared up at him, quaking in anger and fear for herself and her daughter. He chuckled.

"I guess we'll just have to teach humanity a lesson again. Not that I'm complaining."

He slowly peeled off his gloves, revealing his sharp claws, grinning down at them sadistically as the others readied their guns.

"Jane. Get down!"

Shepard gasped fearfully, but immediately doing what her mother said, she jumped from her bed and landed hard on the metal floor. Suddenly, a barrage of beams flew above her, the gun blasts and screams deafening her. She held her hands over her head, screaming too and crying as she just willed it to be over, to gain her senses to the world again. As soon as it had come, it was over, an eerie silence filling the room. Breathing shakily, she looked behind her, still lying flat on the floor, and she gasped in horror, innocence now long gone like the lives that were just taken. Blood soaked the floor from the twenty others that resided in the shelter, as well as her mothers. As she looked on, she saw her mother bleeding out from multiple bullet wounds that were peppered across her abdomen, a look of excruciating pain etched on her face.

Shepard cried out in misery, crawling over to her mother with blood soaked hands as she clambered over bodies.

"Mommy? M-mommy, wake up! Mommy, please!"

Shepard gasped as Hannah twitched and slowly opened her eyes, breathing out heavy, strained gasps as she feebly rolled over slightly to look at her only child, somehow still smiling.

"O-oh… My baby. Thank God you're unharmed."

Tears streamed down Shepard's cheeks as Hannah gently stroked her child's face, her blood mingling with her tears.

"M-mommy, are you ok?! T-there's…b-blood, everywhere, and I… and I -!"

As Shepard began to convulse in confusion and terror as she sobbed, misery and pain flashed across Hannah's face, as tears began to trickle down her own cheeks to see her child so terrified. Before she could say anything to somehow comfort her daughter, the large turian pulled Hannah up by her hair, Hannah crying out in pain. The turian smirked down at her, obviously relishing in the blood shed he had caused.

"They're all dead, little girl. Consider this a good lesson in death and what happens to those who rebel. Remember this all your life, and remember to always stay in line. Or you'll end up like her."

Like her? She didn't understand! What did he –

"Jane…"

Her mother croaked out, Shepard's big eyes staring up at her.

"I love you, so much. Be str-"

With a last look of love, a fear of death, and regret of not being able to take back Earth, the turian slit her mother's throat and ripped out her jugular right before her eyes. And it was in that moment that Shepard truly understood what her mother's murderer had told her. She understood death now. She understood this cruel reality. She understood loss. But from now on, she would never understand submission regardless of what had just happened, what he had said, and she would never bend. And she would always stay strong, and follow true to her mother's last words.

"No!"

Shepard fought the urge to pound her fist into the nearby wall in grief and anger, her body quaking. She remembered how that bastard had just thrown down her mother's lifeless, gruesome body to the floor before her, chuckling as him and his men left, more screams beginning to echo throughout the complex as more of the followers of the resistance were murdered as well, as she could do nothing but wail and cling onto her mother's corpse.

That turian had left her alive, thinking that would've been enough to squander any future resistance in her, but it wasn't. It just made her stronger, and even more likely to avenge her mother's death and try to succeed where she had failed.

After the incident, she was taken care of by her mother's friend and now, ultimately a father figure, David Anderson. He was kind to her, and he was the one that introduced her to The Resistance deep underground, sympathizing with her losses and the loss of a friend, teaching her that true vengeance could be achieved by joining them, regardless that it was the very thing that got her mother killed. He taught her that no matter the cost, deep in their hearts, the men and women that fought in secret knew the ultimate price should they fail, and would do it all over again if it meant winning. And that's why it was imperative they keep The Resistance alive to the best of their ability, so their deaths wouldn't be in vain. And that's what kept her going. And that's what continued to keep her strong.

She got up slowly, bones creaking. She looked around at the steel walls and the empty beds. She had slept far too long. Wiping the tears from her cheeks and smoothing back her red locks, she got up and exited.

She looked down the long hallway, watching as people came and went from various rooms. This was their sanctuary, arguably the only one they had, along with the others around the world that had been renovated and modified from 21st century bunkers that were created for different groups of people and reasons – the populace, important country officials and politicians, when it came to the threat of nuclear annihilation, for example. Now, these shelters protected them from an annihilation nobody could have anticipated.

The ones who fortified, modified, protected, and helped guard a well-kept secret was The Alliance. Once Earth fell and the thousands that were lucky enough to escape deep underground were secured, the leaders of eighteen of the largest nations were able to establish secure comm links, quickly uniting in secret. And that's when they drafted and ratified the Systems Alliance charter. It took years of secrecy and careful planning, but each nation gathered their own resources, communicating and pooling it all together.

It was incredible and impressive. But when the world crumbled, it just strengthened humanity's resolve to come together to face a common enemy. Even though nothing real had been enacted since their first failure. Although aggravating that the fight hadn't been brought to the turians once more, it was probably for the best. This was most likely their last shot, and if they failed yet again, there would never be another chance. When they emerged and attacked, it had to be with all they had.

Shepard walked through the hallways until she reached the cafeteria, immediately looking around for her friends. It didn't take long until she found them – Kaidan, Ashley, Kasumi and James waving her over. Smiling slightly, she walked over and sat down.

"Here, Shepard, we saved you a plate."

Kaidan said, smiling softly, handing the tray to her. He was always especially kind to her, and it was nice to have friends like him in a time like this one.

"Thanks."

She accepted the tray, sitting down next to Ashley.

"Get enough beauty sleep, Lola?"

James grinned over at her, biting a chunk off his roll. Shepard raised an eyebrow.

"If you consider the fact that it's only 0400 hours right now, then yeah, I did." James shrugged.

"Minutes count down here, you know that."

"It doesn't look like it, judging by those dark circles under your eyes."

Kasumi said, smiling that coy smile of hers. Shepard sighed. Perceptive as always.

"Just… some old memories popped back up last night. Nothing I can't handle."

Shepard steeled her gaze down at her tray, taking a bite of her own bread. She could feel Kaidan's worried gaze bearing into her skull.

Ashley, sensing Shepard's repression, gave her a hard and knowing look. It was a knowing they all felt. What other reason did they have to sleep restlessly?

"Don't worry, Skipper. We'll beat those turian bastards. Anderson just told me he wanted to speak with you after you ate. Might be some good news."

Shepard's gaze shot up.

"Really?" Shepard said rhetorically.

"Alright. Then I'll head there straight away."

She bit off a few more chunks of bread, then stood up abruptly. She smiled down at her friends.

"Sorry. I'll talk to you later."

She began to walk away, her friend's waving her off as they returned to their meals. Except for Kaidan. He got up unexpectedly and trailed after her.

"Hey, Shepard, wait up."

She stopped in her tracks, turning to look back at him, curious.

"Kaidan? What is it?"

Kaidan looked away while scratching the back of his head, obviously nervous.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to hold you up, and I know you're busy, but maybe we could spent some time together soon, just, uh, us?" He backtracked.

"I apologize for being so forward. And I know you have a lot on your plate, but everyone needs a break, you know?"

It wasn't like Kaidan to be so flustered, but she had come to realize from their time together that these emotions seemed to be reserved for only her. She smiled up at him gently.

"That sounds nice. But you're right. I am busy, and so are you. If I find the time, I'll let you know."

Kaidan smiled shyly and nodded. She clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly.

"I'll see you later."

With that, she turned and continued on her way.

Shepard wasn't ignorant. It was apparent that Kaidan had feelings for her. No doubt he was strong, determined, intelligent, a valuable asset to The Resistance, plus he was easy on the eyes. But despite all of this, she was sure she just didn't feel the same way. She wasn't cruel. And she wouldn't lead him on. Perhaps her feelings would change in time. But she was also just as sure that agreeing to spend time with him wasn't giving the impression that she was interested. She hoped.

Pushing these thoughts aside for now, she headed to the control room. She had more pressing issues to deal with for now. The control panel flashed green and she entered. Anderson was facing the comm link, Udina's irritated mug flickering on the screen. She had found him to be extremely annoying, from the way he always scowled, talked down to everyone, his smugness, his impatience, and his unruly temper.

"And what do you have to show for all your supposed hard work? Do you expect us to sit idly by forever?!" Udina rasped out angrily. Some things never changed.

"What we have is remaining secrecy, and the ability to keep adding to our resources, more than we've ever had before. It's that sort of impatience that cost us in the first place."

Anderson said calmly, thought his irritation was evident to her. He disliked the man as much as she did, and that made her like Anderson even more. Udina's eyes narrowed.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Keep gathering people. Train them, keep them safe, and swear them to secrecy as we've always done. Gather supplies for your ships and weapons to have them fully operational ASAP."

Udina's lips pursed in irritation, but he said nothing further in retaliation. He simply said.

"As you wish."

And with that, the comm link went dead. Anderson let out a small sigh and turned to Shepard. She nodded to him respectfully.

"Sir."

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Shepard."

"I'm not. It only further proves what kind of man he is. Are you sure he can be counted on?"

"Yes. Udina's many things, but I believe he's trustworthy. For now."

Shepard nodded, suspicion lacing her thoughts. She may not like nor trust Udina, but she did trust him. He had never led her astray, and she wouldn't doubt his judgement now.

"You called for me, sir?" Anderson paused.

"Yes." He said carefully.

Anderson began to pace back and forth, a solemn look of contemplation written all over his face.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news. News I wouldn't be eager to tell the others, but news I believe I can trust with you."

Shepard's eyebrows furrowed as she waited with bated breath.

"Four hundred of our people have just turned up dead. Their attempts at collecting more intel above ground has yet again proved fruitless. Their failures have not been able to be traced back to us, luckily, but I understand how you could see how history is repeating itself?"

Shepard's hands clenched in anger, mourning and loss etched in her green eyes. She could, if her nightmare of the past last night was anything to go by. But she simply nodded.

"My report to Udina wasn't a lie. It's still the best we can do with what we have. But it isn't enough."

Anderson looked down at her, his eyes filled with worry and anger, and her eyes mirrored his.

"I'm sorry."

And she was, especially to see her trusted friend so obviously forlorn.

"We'll win. I have faith in you, and in us. We've survived too long to be ended now." Anderson smiled at her tiredly.

"I'd like to believe that. But unless something drastic happens to change the cards that have been stacked against us, progress will continue to be barely existent." He continued.

"I don't want you to lose hope, even through what we've just discussed. But I wanted to be open with you. There's few people I can truly confide in."

Shepard smiled up at him sadly. Despite his words, it did put a damper on her resilience and her hope. If it had come to this and had affected him so, what hope was there? And it wasn't like him to be like this, without a mission, an objective, or a pep talk to be given.

"I appreciate it, sir. And I'll continue to do the best I can, as I've always done."

"I know you will." He gripped her shoulder briefly in comradery.

"Now go. It won't be long until the turians wake everyone up, and you need to be back before they realize you're gone."

Shepard gave a respectful salute.

"Understood."

Anderson nodded and turned back to his console.

She stared at his back for a moment, contemplating what had just happened before she exited.

Quickly, she strode through the winding corridors, her and Anderson's conversation beginning to fester in her mind – a familiar, sickly sweet feeling of sadness and anger brewing inside of her. Sadness to know that more of their people died, and anger at the ones responsible. Just when there seemed to be enough kindling to fuel her fire, more was added, until that fire continued to blaze out of control. Sighing a calming breath, she looked up and began to climb the ladder that led to the surface. Luckily, their resources were still good enough to allow them to cloak the entrance and exits of their underground facilities. And enough so that the turians had been oblivious to it, despite their technological advances. If nothing else, at least they had this one thing going for them.

Quietly, she snuck out through the hidden exit. Through the darkness she crept, unlatching the panel in the shelter where the other human residents resided undetected, from her careful knowledge of the guards schedules, and she climbed into her bed with no one being the wiser.

She had snuck into the beds below in the dead of night, finding comfort in being with like-minded individuals after her late night hours of work previously. Not having the wish of reliving her nightmare nor the luxury of going back to bed, she stared up at the ceiling, remaining unflinching as a turian guard rapped on the door heavily, signaling it was time to go to work.

Being nauseatingly obedient, the others got up and she followed. They quickly formed a line outside, and they counted them as they always did to ensure there were no deaths in the night, for example. Perhaps from a harsh beating the day before that was left untreated. This, like many other things, made her feel like they were like cattle, which never ceased to disgust and infuriate her. Common feelings, to be sure.

The turian soldiers pointed and ordered them towards their various tasks for the day in terms of what they were capable of, even barely from how hard they worked them. But as they trailed behind one another, Shepard's gaze snapped over to a little boy that was pulled away from the crowd.

"Please, I didn't do it!"

The boy said, trembling in fear as he gazed up at the intimidating turians before him.

"Don't lie to us. It'll just get you into more trouble. Stealing extra food doesn't help your fellow humans, and it certainly doesn't help you now."

A large turian with a golden face said, glowering down at the boy with a malice that should never be directed at a child.

"I-I'm sorry… I was just so –"

The boy's eyes teared up. She saw who she guessed was his mother rush over to him, clinging onto her child protectively.

"Please. It won't again. Punish me, just don't hurt him!"

The mother bravely said, though it was apparent she was just as afraid. The turian bared his sharp teeth menacingly.

"Gladly."

In one swift motion, he pulled out his pistol and shot her cleanly through the head. With a lasting look of horror forever etched on her face, a trickle of blood trailing down her forehead, she crumpled to the ground. The boy's eyes widened as he collapsed with her, shaking her lifeless body.

"Mommy…? Mommy!"

The soldier put a hand on the boy's shoulder reassuringly as the boy quaked.

"It's ok. It'll all be over soon."

With an ease that was sickening, he snapped the boy's neck and he fell to join his mother.

The turian wiped his hands on his armor in disgust, scoffing as he turned to leave with the others, except one.

"Put the bodies with the others. I'm sick of looking at them."

By now, Shepard had strayed from the crowd and was standing before them, eyes burning with rage, fists clenched. She had seen so many die by their hands, yet this was the first time she had seen it be a child. Usually, just like her, they left them alive, for human children's lives were too precious to be wasted in their eyes. Not for any moral reasons, but for the reason that they needed young bodies to do their labor. But as every day passed in this life, she kept learning that there was nothing they wouldn't do, that they continuously stooped even lower.

She wanted to kill them. And she would, one day. She would remember their faces as she had done with countless others. But she couldn't, not now. She couldn't cause trouble. Anderson was counting on her. The Resistance was counting on everyone. She couldn't repeat past and recent events. Nevertheless, she instinctually took a step forward. The turian responsible for the mother and boy's deaths turned to look at her sharply.

"What are you looking at? Get back in line!"

Her body quivered in unbridled fury, and she went to take another step before a strong hand took her shoulder. Her gaze snapped to the man holding her back, and she found it was Kaidan. The soldiers approached them and Kaidan smiled up at them apologetically.

"Sorry about my friend. It won't happen again."

They glared down at them before the perpetrator said.

"See that it doesn't. You've obviously seen what will happen if it does."

Shepard kept her clenched fists hidden and nodded, struggling to hold herself back. Kaidan pulled her back until they merged into the line once more. He trailed behind her as he hissed out.

"Are you out of your mind, Shepard?"

She remained quiet for a moment, before whispering back.

"Maybe. But can you blame me?" He paused.

"No. And yes. We can't risk detection, even for something like… We can't afford to lose you, I can't afford to –"

Kaidan became quiet again, a sort of affectionate confession almost slipping through. She said nothing. In her heart, she knew he was right. They would repay all their lives, including that mother and little boys when they took back Earth. But the boy whose life was stolen so prematurely along with his mother ate away at her, reminding her painfully of what she had so similarly lost. With each passing day, it became harder to resist the temptation to intervene. On top of what was just revealed to her today. She was smart – intelligent, but in these moments, it didn't appear as if that were true. And although such feelings kept her going, she still hated them. Hated feeling like she was out of control in her actions, her emotions and what she could accomplish, or lack thereof. And then the day began.

Hours of hard labor dragged on that pushed others to the breaking point. Luckily for her, her physical training that caused her to be fit and able to work longer hours aided her. But others weren't as lucky. Especially the middle-aged and the old, whose miserable years told their stories on their faces and in their bones. And she watched on helplessly as some collapsed from exhaustion and untreated illnesses. And they would beat them, force them to keep going, or drag some away that were no longer deemed useful, to a fate that was both tragic and in this life, perhaps a mercy. Mercy to someone who could no longer go on, to a never ending sleep that would perhaps be kinder to them in death that they were not treated to in life. And Shepard watched. And she waited. And burned alive inside.

Her fury and mental exhaustion were beginning to take its toll, and it was only lunch time. Despite the further injustices she had witnessed today, Kaidan had remained close, but not close enough to even hint at their affiliation with each other. In the end, she appreciated his distant company and his watchful eye. Even if she didn't ask for it, and hadn't had expected to see him again so soon. It would've been perceived as paranoia for him to watch her so closely in a normal circumstance, but not in this one, and not today. Not when today, it seemed like they had fallen so far.

She exhaled a steady breath and trudged along in line like sheep, clenching her tray of meager beans and bread. Her ears honed in as the man behind her began to yell in frustration, a lifetime of disappointments and hardships boiling over to something so seemingly trivial.

"Fucks sake, hurry up!"

He yelled, letting out his anger irrationally as he pushed Shepard hard in the back. Mental exhaustion and brewing thoughts catching her off guard, she gasped as her freshly filled tray launched forward to the woman in front of her, the momentum of Shepard's body causing the woman and a few others to fall in a brown, soppy pile to the floor. At the last moment she caught herself on the railing, then hoisted herself up as the beans soaked the bottom of her boots. She shot a glare to the man who caused this mess, but his eyes were directed to the heavy footsteps in front of her.

"And what's this?"

She closed her eyes, chanting a string of profanities in her mind, turning to face the turian inquiring. This day was never going to end. But that wasn't going to stop her from, perhaps a bit irrationally, cutting back at him purely for her own satisfaction. She had had enough, and this was the tipping point.

"Just what it looks like. An accident, sir."

She said bitterly, a sarcastic infliction in her voice.

The blue-faced officer glared at her, the type of stare that always seemed to make a turian that much taller and threatening, but not to her, and not today.

"What it looks like is that you've caused a mess, and put us behind schedule."

Oh yes, turians loved order. They could fuck their lists, literally for all she cared.

"It was an accident."

She didn't know why she was letting herself take all the blame, why she was defending the cowering man behind her. It was his fault after all. Perhaps it was her natural instinct to protect the weak. She was sure the man was just tired of the life they were forced to live and acted accordingly, even if such an action was a foolish thing to do. Or perhaps she was sick and tired of these poor, weak people being murdered and punished for things so trivial. She didn't know him, and she never would, but if today had taught her anything, is that she refused to sit by idly any longer. Consequences be damned. Thinking this, that just made her even angrier.

"What are you going to do? Beat me in front of all these people to set an example? Or worse? You've done enough. So be a good boy and just get it over with. I'm ready."

He clenched his fists, clearly fighting himself and his anger. This in itself was actually a surprise, considering most of the soldiers and officers here, new or old wouldn't even flinch to smack her across the face for her insolence.

"You're in no place to tell me how to do my job."

"Your job? Now that's rich. What exactly is your job description? Let me guess, like every other turian inhabiting this planet - subjugate a sentient race for no good, moral reason except for selfish gain. Rape, murder, plunder, extort to your hearts content and throw in a few good beatings along with it to set an example and further fulfill your own sick brand of sadism!"

At such a harsh, but very real truth of what they've done, blue-face flinched, and for a moment, she could have sworn a look of regret, sadness, and pity flashed across his features. But as soon as it appeared, it was gone and replaced with that no-nonsense type anger that so represented a turian.

Quickly, he strode to her and grasped her wrist firmly, blue, burning eyes bearing down on her.

"I said, that's enough!"

Her own anger started to boil over as quickly as it had started, and now in her outrage, the foolish man behind her didn't seem so foolish anymore. Instilled in her instincts were to defend herself in every way. At that, she pushed hard against his chest with her free hand, knee ready to hit him hard in the groin, green eyes flashing with a rage that would make even a battle-hardened Commander flinch. She cried out.

"Get off of me!"

She went to slam her knee up, but he quickly deflected it, grabbing her other wrist and pinning his legs against hers, so his body was pressed into hers defensively – her slim, quaking body flush against the railing.

"You don't know a damn thing about me! I asked you a simple question, and you gave me lip! You could have just given me a straight answer and left it at that. This was no one's fault but your own!" He spat out.

"My fault?! No answer would be good enough for you and your race! I do know you, and I do know your kind! I have all my life! It's like I said before... You'd use any excuse to fulfill your sadistic desires! All of you!"

Hurt and insulted anger distorted his features, their hot, angry breaths mingling, and he began to open his mouth to speak again, before a booming, raspy voice echoed throughout the hall.

"Enough."

They both turned to look at the source of the interruption to find a black platted, white-faced turian walking towards the two of them. The entire room remained in complete silence. In this escalation, the other officers had waited to test how the rookie would handle the situation, and the humans had waited in fear and anticipation. Now, all of its inhabitants were the same and filled with one thing: awe.

Blue-face's grip loosened, and he took a large step back, silently daring her to make another move in the presence of a man that everyone knew of – a man who was known of high stature, a skilled marksmen, hand-to-hand specialist, along with other deadly titles. A man who had killed hundreds in various battles, and would undoubtedly continue to kill hundreds more.

"Nihlus, sir. I didn't know we were expecting you."

It was probably the truth, but it made him look even more foolish.

Nihlus looked upon them both with a cold, calculating gaze.

"Is your lack of expectance preventing you from doing your job, Vakarian? Or is my presence truly necessary in order to subdue one human female?"

"Vakarian's" face became stoic with hints of subdued embarrassment.

"No, sir."

"It sure looks like it."

If it was one thing Nihlus hated, it was incompetence that led to wasted time. Without turning, he called out.

"Arruius, Caetus, take care of this mess."

Arruius and Caetus strode over, and as quickly as they had come, one of them smacked her hard against the face as the other kicked her swiftly in the stomach. Shepard hissed in pain, collapsing to the floor, now soaked in the sop as she glared up at the three perpetrators. The one named Caetus spun around and addressed the room.

"If anyone else starts a scene like this ever again, I'll make sure that person goes without rations for four days with a week in the containment unit! Now get moving!"

At that, the other humans scurried to their usual positions, as Shepard was dragged off to a containment unit of her own, Kaidan looking on in shock, anger and worry.

Arruius and Caetus pulled him over to the side, grinning at him in unison.

"Well, that could've gone better."

Arruius said, eyeing Garrus up and down, as he leaned against the wall and observed the room, a restrained look on his face.

"Way to fuck up your first day on the job. Nihlus clearly wasn't pleased."

Garrus's blue eyes narrowed, and he gave a small nod. It wasn't like him to be so stoic, but her words were beginning to haunt him. And if he was honest with himself, these two men were not his favorite sort of people. Caetus sighed.

"C'mon Garrus, lighten up. It could've been worse. You weren't terribly reprimanded and that bitch got what was coming to her. A day in there should teach her not to talk back to a superior."

"Maybe something else would too. A good hard pounding should do the trick."

They both laughed, but Garrus said nothing, holding his tongue.

"And it would do you some good too. When was the last time you got laid, Garrus?"

Garrus's eyes flickered in deep thought, thinking it over.

"Its... definitely been awhile."

Arruius and Caetus smirked at each other knowingly.

"Well, if you need to relieve some tension, which you clearly have because of that large stick up your ass, why don't you take your fill from the red-headed cunt?"

Garrus's eyes couldn't help but widen at that, and he tried to hold back his traitorous fury at such a filthy statement. Taking someone by force didn't sound like fun at all. But he simply looked at them incredulously, unable to help himself.

"What?"

"C'mon, don't pretend like you're better than everyone else here." Caetus's eyes flashed in disappointment and anger.

"It's not like they don't deserve it. Wait." Caetus looked at him in shock, then amusement.

"Don't tell me you've never fucked a human before?"

The notion embarrassed and disgusted him. Of course if he had, it would be rape. It wasn't like interspecies rape was uncommon here, like the red-head had so boldly stated. But deep down, he felt like he was better than them to refuse to stoop so low, no matter the circumstance. That's why he got so upset, that she had grouped him together with the rest, suggesting they were just a mindless collective. He wasn't like that. He refused to ever be like that. But he simply said.

"No. I haven't."

Regardless of their previous words, they were surprised. It had become so disgustingly common.

"What? Oh man, you're missing out. Granted, they're a little squishy for my liking, but their pussies make up for it and their screams. Makes you want to go on forever."

Garrus resisted the urge to clench his fists and punch them in their smug faces, so he simply said nothing and kept observing the crowd.

"Trust me, Garrus, you should try it one day. You might be pleasantly surprised."

Caetus slapped him on the back, and with that, they walked away. Garrus let out an exhale that he'd been unknowingly holding in, his eyes glaring bullets to no one in particular. This day never seemed to end. He just wanted to pretend like it never happened, and burn away the look and words that that human woman had left embedded in his mind.

Shepard sat on the hard floor, the cell being too hot for comfort, sweat rolling down her temple, the smell of it and beans flooding her nostrils. She was in deep shit. What would Anderson say to such an outrageous burst? And poor Kaidan. He must so worried right now. She couldn't afford to give any hints to a brewing uprising that had been kept secret for so many years. They'd come too far to fail again. Shepard buried her head in her hands, regret, self-hatred, sadness and anger overwhelming her.

But it was that look on that turian's face, Vakarian, Nihlus had called him. That confusing blend of sadness and pity. She had never been looked at like that by a turian. It made her feel conflicted. On one hand, she welcomed such a kind expression, but on the other, she didn't need this stranger's pity. Especially coming from a turian. She didn't want to feel like he was different. How could he be?

No. He was the same, she knew he was. His expressions meant nothing, and when they won, he would just be another mindless pawn strewn amongst the thousands of turian corpses, their blue blood watering the land anew, to begin once more. Despite everything, she promised herself this.

Trying to use her hope and fury productively, she got up and began to work out. She wouldn't fall into weakness, mentally or physically. Everything would be fine. It had to be.

She began a set of pushups, disregarding her labored breathing and aching muscles from her brief beating before and the suffocating air of this cell. She did more sets of pushups, sit ups, burpees, and then pull ups from a low hanging bar. After a while, she jumped down, crouching on the floor with strained breathing.

Suddenly, she heard the heavy, reinforced door swing open and she quickly snapped her eyes to the two turians before her. She glared at the pair. It was the same bastards that had knocked her down in the commissary. She wanted to spit snidely at the time, but remembering her previous thoughts, decided to hold her tongue.

The pair smirked smugly down at her, noting her labored breathing and sweaty body.

"Uncomfortable? Good."

The one on the left stated. She clenched her fists, slowly standing up, trying to hold herself back.

"Am I free to go, officers?"

"Not quite. We've got more in store for you tonight."

The hungry, lecherous look in their eyes as they stepped forward suggested only one thing. It wouldn't be the first time she was a raped by a turian and apparently, wouldn't be the last. Keeping a brave face on, she snidely said.

"Not even a glass of wine first? I'm insulted. That's no way to treat a lady." They sneered at her.

"Don't flatter yourself. You humans don't deserve that sort of treatment." The one on the right said.

"But luckily for you, we won't be the ones taking you tonight. Although I definitely wouldn't mind tapping that ass at least once." They chuckled. Shepard pursed her lips angrily.

"Then what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You are free to go, but only from here. No, we still have plans for you. But first, we'll need you cleaned up. Can't have you filthy for your big night."

She was a bit confused, but still highly cautious, and rightfully so.

"And what would that entail?" The turian on the left grinned.

"You're going to fuck a turian, and not just any turian. A virgin. Well, a virgin when it comes to fucking humans. But don't worry, you'll have all your life, or at least until he grows tired of you, to figure out how best to please him." Her eyes widened.

She knew what this meant. A courtesan – a fancy name for a sex slave. She had known those who had been forced into such a thing, and they were raped repeatedly until they either died from anaphylactic shock, suicide, or they were disposed of when the turian grew bored.

No... Fuck no. It was bad and traumatizing enough to be raped by a turian on occasion, but personally belonging to one for the rest of her life? Being used and abused until her miserable life was ended? What about all her plans? All her dreams? All her training with Hackett and Anderson and the rest of her friends to take back Earth? She couldn't allow this. She wouldn't. Her body shook in fury.

"How?! Under whose authority?!"

The turian on the right glared at her.

"None of your fuckin' business. Now come on."

She instinctively flinched as the turian reached for her wrist, quickly decking him across the jaw. She would've breathed fire if she could, but the other turian merely growled, smacking her across her still sore cheek as they gained up on her, kicking her legs out from under her. They began to beat her without mercy, Shepard throwing in a few good punches and kicks, but it wasn't long until she was handcuffed. As they hoisted her up and dragged her out, she screamed for justice, for vengeance, as she watched the pitiful and frightened looks of her fellow humans in their own cells look at her as she was dragged away to her fate – away from her friends, away from her dreams, and to her untimely demise.

I hope you're all enjoying this so far, and that the characters aren't too OOC, preferably not at all. I haven't written anything serious in a very long time, so I'm a little apprehensive. Thanks for reading! More on the way soon.