"We're not going to make it are we…Shepard?" The kid who she grew up with, John Marshall, was now tall and also a soldier for the Alliance. Against her wishes John had joined the Alliance, ditching the Tenth Street Reds and followed her. They were both in the N7 program and since joining John's smile was no longer there.

She kinda missed it.

"…no." Shepard said honestly, grim reality staring at her in the face. This whole mess on Akuze was turning into her worst nightmare.

"I knew it." John sighed, the screams and cries of good men and good marines behind them, and lifted his rifle to fire at the thresher maw.

"…this fight is useless. We HAVE to escape. Now." Shepard rested a forceful hand on his shoulder and nodded. John looked at her disbelievingly but nodded, knowing that this was the only way they were going to survive and escape this planet known as Akuze.

John and Shepard both stood up and hand in hand started sprinting away from the battle scene. Some marines saw and followed suit, knowing that they had to run away from the thresher maws and somehow contact the Alliance.

Shepard's head was pounding, her aches and bruises of falling down frequently and scrambling for cover gaining her attention but she still held on tightly to the hand of John Marshall. John's sprint was turning into a light pace, his limp bothering him even more so.

"Come on! We have to keep going!" Shepard yelled, noticing John's slight change in pace.

"I can't…I-" John's reply was garbled up by grunts of pain, the thresher maw's acidic spit catching him in the leg.

"No!" Shepard's eyes widened visibly, dropping to the ground along with John. She held on tight to his hand, watching the life fade away from her dying friend. "…don't leave me alone."

John only replied with something she's been missing. A smile.

Shepard slowly let go of his hand, a lone marine tugging on her shoulder, begging for her to keep on running. "Come on! …leave him."

She complied, if only to much reluctance, and ran alongside the marine. "Name?" Even though they were running for their lives, Shepard felt the need to know this person.

"Corporal Casey ma'am." Shepard almost stopped short in her tracks at that name. It was almost as if the name was following her around. But no…that couldn't be.

Shepard could only manage a nod in acknowledgement and clapped her hand over the marine's shoulder. She felt compelled to protect this woman, only because her name was the same as her's, the same as her friends', and the same as her sister's.

Little did she know, Shepard was going to be the sole survivor of Akuze, Corporal Casey and John Marshall both dead.


Commander Shepard saluted, having being brought out of her memories, and Captain Anderson saluted back. "Nice to have you aboard Commander."

Shepard nodded, a small smile working its way up on her lips. It was nice to see her old friend, even though the two never did share the same thoughts of pro-human and anti-alien views. Captain Anderson was indifferent, knowing that you had to work with them at some point in time. Shepard was anti-alien, her beliefs and views corrupted by the Tenth Street Reds and slowly strengthened by her losses.

"Its good to be here Captain."

Commander Casey Shepard sighed, knowing that this new assignment would have to bring the best of her out, making another silent vow to herself to be more upbeat and less about the past. Maybe in time she could be indifferent like Captain Anderson, but then again, it seemed like an impossible task. Just like not remembering the name Casey…


"So you're Joker, the pilot that everyone's been talking about?" Commander Shepard stood behind the man in the cap who was sitting in the pilot seat, changing from screen to screen on his console.

"So you're Shepard, the commander everyone's been talking about?" The pilot fired back, giving her his answer by that line alone.

Shepard only grinned back, knowing she was going to like this new pilot of hers. She walked over and sat down in the co-pilot seat, kicking her feet up onto the console. "So Whataya think of Captain Anderson?"

"I just think he doesn't like me." Joker shrugs, fingers typing away on his console furiously.

"And why's that?" Shepard brought up the console screen on her end, randomly shifting through the crew catalog.

"Hell should I know? Besides I don't really wanna say more. I heard you guys are like 'this'." Joker wrapped two of his fingers together to symbolize how close Shepard and Anderson were.

"Yeah. He's like a father figure of some sorts to me. But anyways, you got any family?" This whole conversation was going rather smoothly it seemed to her. Joker was just thinking on how awkward it seemed that his commanding officer was questioning his personal life. But couldn't help but feel slightly important, like as if he mattered more then just some kick ass pilot.

"Pfft, don't we all?" Joker noticed how Shepard vaguely flinched at that. He cleared his throat and tried hard to focus on his work then on how Shepard kept messing around with the crew roster. She had better not be looking up his profile. Then she'd know about his disability. Then she'd doubt him and his piloting skills. All the other commanders did, he expected her to do the same.

At that moment the LT walked in and gave Joker a nod, then noticed his commanding officer sitting in his seat. He wasn't sure if he should awkwardly cough or just stand there like an idiot. Finally to his relief Shepard looked over at him and just stared at him for the smallest of moments.

His black hair and toned body caught her eye but she just shrugged and took a long shot and guessed on who this man was. "You Lieutenant Alenko?"

The man straightened up when he noticed who she was and quickly whipped out a sharp salute, stuttering slightly. "Y-yes ma'am."

"Relax Alenko." Shepard reassured him she wasn't going to berate him or anything of the sort. Kaidan just glanced over at her confusingly, and back down at his feet. Though the lighting was bad, she could've sworn the man was blushing. Whether it was out of embarrassment or not she'll never know but then took another guess. "Your post is here I'm assuming?"

The man just nodded, barely looking up at her as she walked by and quickly took his seat back. "What a strange person…" Shepard mumbled to herself as she walked out, going down to her locker to armor up. She felt safer with her N7 armor on, more protected. Another few days of maintenance checkups and more testing's and they were off for their shakedown run.

And she had already met both her LT and pilot. Rather awkwardly she must say but at least she had done it. Check and check.


"You have a thing for the Commander don't you?" Joker said out of the blue to his newly acquired 'friend' Kaidan Alenko. Its been a good week since Shepard had been promoted to being a spectre and now they were off to unofficially stop Saren. Everything seemed to be happening so quickly. "Got the hots for her huh?" Joker's smirk grew wide at Kaidan's initial reaction.

"N-no I don't. She's my commanding officer and it's against the regs anyways. Besides I highly doubt it would even wo-" Joker could sense a rant coming up and stopped himself from laughing.

"Relax Kaidan. I'll protect the bro code." Joker interrupted his friend's stuttering. Its been awhile since he actually liked a girl, then again its been awhile since a girl liked him. He wondered how Kaidan was feeling. Joker mentally face palmed himself for thinking that way.

"The bro code?" Kaidan chuckled out, shaking his head lightly.

"Yeah dude! Too much female energy on this ship. There's Ashley, oh by the way, she likes you and-"

"I'm sorry what?" Kaidan cut in, staring wide eyed at Joker.

"Yeah. You can just tell. I actually overheard a conversation between Shepard and Ash. Ashley was listening to some of her emails and there was one between her and her sister talking about," Joker put on his girly voice impersonation, "oh how cute Kaidan Alenko looked."

Kaidan's face turned red, slouching lower in his seat. Joker's laughter afterwards only made him slouch even more. "But anyways, what was I talking about? Oh right the female energy. There's Ash, that one weird asari…what was her name? Oh right Liara. You know. I'm not surprised that the blue chick likes Shepard. Its like everyone is attracted to her or something."

Kaidan decided to ignore the sinking feeling about Liara liking Shepard and instead focused on how to get Joker back. This was it. "Oh yeah? Are you attracted to Shepard Joker?"

That caught Joker off guard if only for a second. Joker sputtered for a moment then was right back on track. "Oh shit no! I mean, she has like half the crew gunning for her attention. I'd rather not be in the middle of all that."

It was Kaidan's turn to smirk. "You ever wondered why though? Why does everyone like Shepard?"

"I dunno. You should ask yourself that. Me on the other hand, she just seems like a nice lady." Joker shrugged, giving Kaidan a small glance that they both shared. And it wasn't a friendly glance either.


"Commander." Kaidan nodded at her, watching her closely as Shepard slowly approached him, the orange glow of his console reflecting on her face.

"Alenko. Something on your mind?" Shepard knew that Kaidan faced worries and sometimes doubt about his personal life and his past. And it sometimes annoyed her that she of all people had to hear all about it. But then again, she almost felt honored that she was the only one that he could confide in. Its not like as if she was sharing her own past with him. That would take forever.

As Joker was watching the conversation between the two on his surveillance cam he just sighed, noticing the empty spot where the co-pilot seat was at. Shepard hadn't come up in awhile for their every after mission conversations. He never realized how much he actually enjoyed her company.

You like her don't you?

The hell are you?

Your conscious you idiot. The one who's smarter then you?

Shut up. I can be smart.

Yeah at flying and making the Normandy dance. Make a move now or else she'll just go along with Kaidan's poor attempts at flirting.

Pfft, who said I liked Shepard. Maybe as a possible friend but hey, I'd rather not get in a catfight with Kaidan.

A catfight huh? You just totally called yourself a girl. And your one friend too.

Ugh. Leave me alone.

No. Not until you bite the bullet and go for her. Come on, you know you like her.

And I don't even know why.

Ha! You just admitted you did.

Jeez…

Like Kaidan said a long while back. Ever wondered why everyone likes Shepard?

Yeah what about it?

She listens to them.

So what? Physiatrists can do that to.

That's different. Physiatrists are paid to listen to you. Shepard actually wants to help.

Are you saying I need help? If so, I need to get a new conscious.

Dumbass.

That's it! I'm not taking this crap from my mind again!

"Joker?" Shepard was right beside him, staring at him like he was a complete loon.

Did he just say that last part out loud? "Uh…hey Shepard."

"You okay?" Shepard was trying hard to contain her laughter he could tell, and he wanted to drown in bathwater instead of being in this situation.

"Oh yeah totally. Just…" Joker was scrabbling to make up an excuse but for once in his life he couldn't think up of one and simply sat there like an idiot. If he could walk safely without worry of breaking his legs, he would say he needs to use the bathroom and stalk off. But nope. He had to be cursed with breakable limbs.

"…well anyways." Shepard decided to fill in the silence that was preventing their conversation and for that, Joker was thankful. "I realized that I haven't been up here in awhile. So what's new with you Joker? Besides complaining on how numb your ass is for sitting in that seat the whole day?" Shepard grinned down at him, walking over to her usual seat in the co-pilot chair.

Joker kinda liked that.