She sat alone in the mess hall, the bright orange glare of a datapad cast across her tired face. Night one on the Normandy and Shepard couldn't sleep. The ship was so sleek and empty, the crew was minuscule compared to what she was used to. The sound or the lack thereof lingered in the back of her mind like a bad song stuck in her head. The hum from the drive core was almost too faint to hear at all. It was almost nonexistent in the crews quarters. After quietly preparing for bed the Commander quickly found that the Navigator snored quite loudly. As XO she might have shared quarters with far fewer people than the rest of the crew, but it didn't help when one of those few snored like a freight train.
So there she sat alone in the mess, where the ship's core gentle purr lulled in the background as a comforting white noise while she scrolled through reports.
"Busy first day?" A familiar voice asked. Shepard looked up from her report on Eden Prime to find Captain Anderson smiling down at her as he stood on the other side of the table.
"If you call reading through about a million reports busy, then yeah, real busy day." She said tossing datapad aside while she ran a hand through her hair.
"I wasn't aware there were that many reports that needed reading." The Captian said while curiously looking at the reports she had put aside.
"There aren't, but I wanted to make sure I knew everything I could about the ship, her crew and our mission. Although no one really knows what that is. Except you…" Shepard said looking at her superior with suspicion. He just smiled and shook his head.
"All in due time Commander, now," He said clapping a hand on her shoulder.
"It's long past the end of your shift. Why don't you come have a drink with me as my goddaughter and not my subordinate? Tell me how your mom's been doing." Shepard chuckled, "Sounds great, thank you, sir." She said sluggishly pulling herself out of the chair. Knowing damn well she had to view the Captain with the utmost respect and a certain degree of coldness around the crew in order for her personal relationship with the man not to be considered a problem. But they way Anderson beamed when he had his opportunity to introduce her to the crew today no doubt showcased his utmost fondness for her.
"So have you spoken to your mother recently? I managed to get a hold of her while I was on leave but not for very long." Shepard smiled,
"We spoke this morning. She's very excited that I get to work with you on the Normandy, all these prototypes, and secrets. Though I'm not convinced I got this role from pure rank alone." She said crossing her arms over her chest, leaning against the wall beside Anderson's desk while he poured them both a glass of scotch.
"I'm not going to lie to you Jane," He said handing her a glass. "I wanted you for this position, but I didn't say a word about that to anyone. You're here because you earned it, not because you're my family. You've worked harder than anyone I know and you've survived the impossible and everyone knows it. So don't think you got this job because you're my goddaughter because as much as I love you if I didn't think you were fit for this position you wouldn't be here. Besides, there's more to this than you know."
"Care to enlighten me on that then Captain?" He chuckled as he moved to sit down at the table in his quarters, glass in one hand, bottle in the other.
"I'm not your captain right now, Little Shepard." He said, electing a chuckle from the woman who moved to take the seat opposite of him.
"Alright, care to enlighten me on that then, Anderson?" This time he only smiled and took a sip of his drink.
"No. It's all very hush-hush, but once we reach Eden Prime I'll brief you."
"Does it have anything to do with that turian spectre on board?"
She asked inquisitively, her glass held to her lips while she eyed Anderson for answers.
"Are you worried about him being here?"
"No," She said slouching in the chair as she took another drink. "I just, I've never been a fan of the council, having one of their secret agents here makes me unease. Like he's spying on us."
"Don't start with any of the anti-alien crap your father was always on about. I know your mother taught you better."
"I'm not anti-alien. You know that. I am just a little partial when it comes to the council. I'm anti-politician. They always argue about doing stuff but at the end of the day they never do anything."
"Well, Nihlus is a spectre, not a counselor. You shouldn't have any problem with him."
"Did he serve?"
"Yes, he did."
"Than I respect him. The turian's have a damn fine military, he's probably one of the best to have joined the spectre."
"I'm told he is."
"To bad he's on the council's leash." She muttered behind her glass, but in the quiet room, Anderson caught it without fault.
"Jane, it's thinking like that that holds humanity back, thinking lesser of the council because we're not a part of it."
"I just, I don't understand. Humanity has more than done its part. I mean looked at this ship," She said waving her arms around her. "Human and Turian engineering. The finest ship I've ever served on. Were capable of great things, so why can't we get our own people in there. If not in the council then at least in the spectre, as a sign of good faith at least."
"You're an idealist, Shepard, must run in the family." She chuckled and leaned back in her chair, her argument made.
"Yeah, maybe mom manage to drill something through my thick skull after all."
"You're not bullheaded, not really. Not like your father," He chuckled. "Once Greyson had his mind set on something there was no changing it. Hell, I once saw the man go toe to toe with a krogan merc he met at a bar cause he wanted to prove something."
"And what was he trying to prove?"
"That he was tough as nails, even when blackout drunk. Thanks to too much cheap beer and a dumb bet among colleagues." Jane broke out laughing, remembering her father that sounded about right.
"So what happened? Did he win?" Anderson started laughing before be answered her question.
"He and I went out into an alley with that krogan and not three minutes later your father was flat on his back with three broken ribs and a broken nose to boot. But the dare was that he could fight a krogan, not that he'd win. Your old man managed to work a whole fifty credits out of Hackett."
"Admiral Hackett dared my father to fight a krogan?" Shepard asked in disbelief. Again Anderson started chuckling draining his glass of all content before he picked up with his story again.
"He did. But we were all lot younger back then. Your father and I were both still Lieutenants and Hackett had just made commander. It wasn't a public scandal when we pulled dumb shit at a bar like it would be today."
"Good thing I'm busy then, given my streak I might just feel obligated to beat my father's record for stupidest bet ever taken."
"That wasn't the dumbest bet he ever took. But I don't think he'd appreciate me telling you about the others." WIth an almost frustrated laughed Shepard thought better than to try and drag the stories from the old Captain.
"But you have to promise me you'll pull all your dumb bets on shore leave. I'm already worried about the ship given her crew." Jane's eyebrows meet as she looked at her godfather not catching his meaning.
"I'm a little confused Anderson, clear that up?" She said handing her drink back to the Captain to get a refill.
"You're all dumb and young. Joker, Alenko and Jenkins and a few others. You all so damn young. It's hard to keep up."
"Sir, I'm twenty-eight, I'm not all that young. I don't know about the others but just because we're not forty doesn't make us young and dumb."
"I once saw Alenko biotically throw Jenkins clear across a room into a pile of crates while sparing. Everyone in the room damn near thought he had broken the kid. But no what does Jenkins do but, jump up and declare 'it was awesome' then asked to try again." Shepard choked on her drink as she laughed. The burning alcohol flying up her nose as she tried to swallow it before laughing.
"He's resilient, I'll give him that." Anderson shook his head with a smile.
"If we're all so dumb and young, why you'd pick us?"
"Cause you're the best the alliance has to offer. Although I hold you in higher regard to the others." He said tipping his glass to the woman across from him. Shepard laughed and looked down into the golden depths of her drink.
"You sure that's not just cause I have a bigger title?"
"Might be." He said and Shepard just shook her head at him with a wide smile.
Hey everyone, thanks so much for reading. As always comments and reviews are greatly appreciated, I'd love to hear what you think of this newest chapter.