Chapter 3: A Stranger Onboard

Kaidan sat by the Med Bay's door in shock as he stared at the wall. For hours, he had waited for Dr. Chakwas to come out, trying to organize his thoughts. He practically jumped when the door finally slid open and the doctor approached him with a grim expression. And before he opened his mouth to ask her questions, she said "It's her, major. I don't know how, but it's the commander."

His heart skipped a beat as he started for the door. But the doctor firmly pressed her hand on his chest to stop him. He looked at her blankly, almost filled with frustration that he was being denied to at least see her, to hold her again. "Major…she does not remember who she is…she is nothing that you remember."

"What?!" that made him stop trying to push her aside.

"She has no memory of her life, the crew, the Reapers, and not even you. She has even taken on a new name…and a personality that I don't even recognize. I had to strap her down to the table— she tried to attack me." She explains.

He couldn't believe it for a minute, he could not even picture the woman he knew so well wish harm on one of her crew. "Let me see her." He said, almost assertively as he pushed the doctor aside and entered.

He felt frozen as he saw those green-blue eyes immediately fix on him with rage as she fought the restraints. "…Shepard? Gen? Is that you?" he hoarsely asked.

"God dammit— Would you people stop calling me that?!" she impatiently yelled. "Didn't you see the vids?! The chick is dead— vaporized even! Get over it!"

It was her voice, but it was set to a growl that almost scared him. But, still struck by the sight of her, he cross the room and sat down beside her as she muttered curses under her breath. "Genesis, it's me, Kaidan. Don't you…don't you recognize me?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, I recognize you. You're that military, specter asshole that did something way back when." She said, filled with spite. "Look hero, your girlfriend's gone, sorry! And my name is Kat! Alright?! Katherine Smith!"

He had recognized that name…'Kat' Smith has become a big name in the underground. Nobody knows who she was, but her group of hired mercs has even been giving Kaidan problems by stealing guns and supplies. He even knows of a bounty on her head.

But this whole thing just becomes more and more unbelievable…and every time she spoke, it stung him deeply and he felt almost immobilized. And, he had to push. "Genesis Shepard, your parents were killed by slavers on Mindoir, but you were saved by the Alliance and enlisted when you were eighteen—"

"Alright crazy, let me just stop you there." She quickly interrupted. "I've never been to Mindoir, my mom died a long time ago and I've never met my father. And as for the Alliance part of all of this, it would never happen! I hate them, and would never work in any kind of military. The greatest thing about turning eighteen that I remember is buying my own pack of smokes."

"What about the Reapers?! When you saved the Citadel?! When you worked for Cerberus and took down the Collectors?! The battle at London?!"

"Yeah, I didn't do any of those things." She growled, tightening her fists. "Shep sounds like a great person and all, but I am nothing like her. In fact, this was the only day I did my own dirty work because I thought the whole memorial thing would make things easier."

"…Why did you try to steal her armor?"

"You're kidding me right? Do you know how much that crap is worth? I could finally get my own ship and expand my business off this damn rock!" she then looked around for a bit, studying where she is. "Or, this one might do. Always wanted my own Normandy."

He wanted to just stop talking and walk out of there to save himself from any more pain. He had wanted to march up to Chakwas and yell at her for being wrong. This greedy, disrespectful, and partly immature woman wasn't Shepard at all. She might have looked exactly like her, sounded like her…but in no way was she the woman he mourned for.

"You're right…" he began lowly, lifting himself off the chair. "You're nothing like her."

The woman, still held in rage, smiled devilishly "Now you're getting the picture…"

He broke away from her and marched out of the room while clinching his teeth. As the door slid shut behind him, he collapsed against the door, holding his head. He gave himself a moment, feeling so lost and wanting to go back in and start screaming at her until the Shepard he knew came back.

"Major!" Chakwas quickly approached him with alarm.

"What?" he stood straight up. "What is it?"

"I tried to explain to him but…"

"Who is 'him'?"

At that moment, Joker's voice chimed in on the intercom. "Major, there is a turian detective demanding to come aboard. I've tried to send Chakwas to explain or asked him to wait but…"

"I'll deal with it." Kaidan answered.

Right when exiting the Normandy, a turian in an officer's suit gruffly inserted his badge into Kaidan's face. "Major Alenko, I'm Detective Salas."

"What is this about?" he demanded as the turian folded away his badge.

"I have reason to believe that Kat Smith is aboard."

"How is that? We just brought her in!" he began to argue.

"I have been tracking Kat down for quite some time and just had a feeling that she would be here. Using big events to her advantage is sort of her style. So, I was watching all the security cameras along that part of the city and successfully caught a glimpse of her face as she was running from you." He explains.

"I'm sure Dr. Chakwas explained—"

"She did." He said gruffly. "But I won't believe any of that until I do a scan for myself. And, Shepard or not, that woman is a dangerous criminal that I will see brought to justice."

"I'm sorry detective, but I for obvious reasons, I cannot allow that." Kaidan tried to voice that statement as calmly as he could, but his tone still rang with warning.

"I thought as much." Salas replied, folding his hands behind his back. "And at the moment, I have no warrant to force the issue. But when I do I will be back for her, major. Be sure of that." Kaidan glared threateningly at him, combating the turian's lion like eyes until they finally broke away from each other, with him walking away from the ship and Kaidan entering it.

Vega stood by the door, leaning against the wall as Kaidan passed "So I guess you're coming back to the Normandy right?" Kaidan didn't reply or even acknowledge him with more than a glance. "I got your back, Elvis. We'll make sure no one is gonna come in here and take the person that saved the galaxy's ass." He shouted after him.

But the major didn't know what to think of that…what has she been doing all this time…what has she done? Would it forever ruin the memory of Shepard if anyone were to know? He can't help but wish he never found her and maybe let her take off with the armor…and he can't help but wonder if it would be better for the woman he loved, and probably for him, if she was still dead.

I just sat and wrote this chapter without pause…and my figures hurt.

Anyway, I hope to post more soon but that will probably be awhile. For now, I just want to thank you for your support! It's been years since I've done a legitimate fanfic, and I fought how much it helps you relax and refine your writing…

Update (3-13-13): So, I feel embarrassed, I just read through all my chapters and realized my dyslexia kicked in in some places like "Kaidan" and "Kaiden". I even forgot "Specter" is actually spelled "Spectre". All fixed now! (I think, I may have missed some spots...if I did, please inform me in a P.M.) Anyway, I apologize for how long chapter 4 is taking me, usually my writing time is focused on my book...and then there's college...I do hope I have another time, when I feel like getting away from said book that seems to take over my inspiration (and life), to continue this story because I do have a good feeling about it!

-SeraphimVanguard