So... two reviews have pointed to/asked about the fact that Athena and Joker have the same last names. Well, all shall be explained in chapter 4. I am aware that they are both Moreaus. :)
"I stitched up the wound but she's lost a lot of blood, Shepard. All we can do now is wait for her to wake up", Dr. Chakwas turned around and walked back to her desk.
Commander Jane Shepard looked down at the soldier they had rescued. She was rather small, about 5'2". Her long auburn hair was tangled and covered in dust, dirt and blood. She looked young too, she couldn't be any older than 25.
"Have you been able to find out anything about her?" Shepard asked without looking up.
"Not much. Her dog tags say she's Lieutenant Athena Moreau. I looked her up in the Alliance database but a lot of her information is classified." Chakwas looked thoughtful, "She looks a bit too young to be a Lieutenant."
Shepard nodded, "I was thinking the same thing. Also, why is so much of her data secret?"
Dr. Chakwas shook her head. "Your guess is as good as mine."
"I suppose we'll just have to ask her ourselves. Tell me when she wakes up", Shepard sighed and exited the med bay.
Athena's head throbbed, she could barely breath. Her left side felt like it was on fire. She tried opening her eyes. Everything around her was white, sterile. She was in the med bay of a ship that much was obvious to her. But how had she gotten there? Suddenly her memory came flooding back. The Reaper attack, the panic and chaos, her last stand and the shuttle. 'They must have brought me here', she thought. But who were 'they'. She tried to sit up but every time she moved it felt like someone was stabbing her.
There was a woman sitting at a desk on the other side of the room. She had grey hair and was wearing a standard medical uniform.
While Athena was looking at her, she turned and smiled, "Welcome back to the land of the living. I'm Dr. Karin Chakwas."
"Where am I?" Athena croaked. Only then did she realize how dry her throat was.
"On the SSV Normandy. Do you feel up to answering a few questions? Commander Shepard would like to have a word with you."
"Only if I can have some water first."
Athena had heard of the Normandy and the famous Commander Jane Shepard. She was the galaxy's biggest hero but Athena didn't trust her. She always had a hard time believing that public figures could be genuine or honest. And she had heard that Shepard had worked with Cerberus to destroy the Collectors. Athena hated Cerberus and all their so called 'pro-human' ideals. Even if Shepard had re-joined the Alliance, the fact remained that she had worked with a terrorist group.
After the doctor had helped Athena sit up and had given her a glass of water and some kind of protein bar, she walked over to the comm and informed Shepard that she could come to the med bay.
The door opened and the Commander came in. She was tall and slender, yet obviously very well trained. A few strands of her red, chin length hair fell into her emerald green eyes. She stepped forward, grabbed a chair and sat down next to the bed Athena was laying on.
"I'm guessing by now you already know that I'm Commander Jane Shepard and I already know that you're Lieutenant Athena Moreau. But names don't say very much about the person they belong to, do they." Athena blinked. That was not what she had expected to hear. She didn't know what to say, so she just nodded.
"Once the doctor says you can get up, I'll give you a tour of the ship but for now I'd just like a few answers." Athena stared at the Commander. She didn't really want to answer any questions, all she wanted was to sleep until the pain in her side stopped.
"So, Lieutenant, how old are you? You seem a bit young to be an officer."
"I'm 20", Athena had decided to simply keep her answers as short as possible.
"Wow", Shepard's eyes widened, "How'd you manage to become a Lieutenant in only two years?"
Athena looked up at the ceiling, "I enlisted a little earlier than most and I didn't start at zero."
The Commander was being friendly enough but Athena tried to keep her face as blank as possible. Shepard shifted around a little.
"You got any family Lieutenant?" Athena narrowed her eyes. She didn't like talking about her family, especially to people she didn't know. But what choice did she have? Commander Shepard was her superior and Athena was on her ship. She looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap.
"My father died when I was a kid. My mom remarried to an asari and they have a daughter. They lived on Enigma. I..."
Athena stopped abruptly. She could feel a lump forming in her throat. She swallowed hard, "I don't know if they got away, or if they're..."
"...dead?" Shepard finished her sentence. She felt sorry for the young woman. "I can try to find out for you. But I'd need their names", Shepard pulled out her datapad and gave Athena a reassuring look. She swallowed again. She was finding it hard to breath. Could she trust Shepard? But she needed to know if her family had escaped, if they were alive.
"Elanor Moreau is my mother. Her wife's name is Tenna, I'm not sure about her last name. My sister's name is Persephone." Athena let out a small laugh but instantly regretted it as sharp pain shot through her side, "My mom had a thing for ancient Greek mythology."
Shepard smiled and nodded.
After she had typed the names Shepard put down the datapad and looked at Athena. The Commander seemed to understand that she didn't want to talk. "Well, I guess I should let you get some rest. We'll talk again later." Shepard gave Athena's shoulder a light squeeze. She didn't know what to make of the small, friendly gesture. Was Shepard trying to manipulate her or really just being nice? She decided to simply stare down at her hands until the doors had closed behind the Commander.
Athena lied back and rested her head on the pillow. She thought about the conversation she had just had. Shepard would want to know more from her. Things that wouldn't be as easy to answer. But she decided not to think about it, instead she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.