I do not own Mass Effect or any of the associated contact. Jagher Shepard is my Shepard and Fayelle Shepard is my friend's Shepard. This is a collection of moments set throughout the games. They're rated for language and violence mostly.
Mass Effect: Moments.
A Moment About Responsibility.
"How the hell are you going to stop Saren? How are you supposed to save humanity? How are you supposed to stop the Reapers, whatever they are, and save the galaxy?"
Jagher stared at her reflection in the mirror of her bathroom and found that she looked the same—bright green eyes, dark brown hair pulled back in a neat bun—but the knowledge of the responsibilities that were now hers had made her feel different. She narrowed her eyes at herself, and then sighed.
"How the hell are you going to do anything, Jagher?" she asked her reflection.
She didn't get an answer, which was good, because if she had she would have taken herself across the deck to Doctor Chakwas and demanded she be taken out of command. The Spectre stared at herself for a moment longer and then stepped out of the bathroom, promptly falling on the bed and staring up at the barren ceiling. There were no answers there either and the blank landscape left her mind free to remain focused on the weight on her shoulders.
"How are we going to do this?"
One step at a time, a small voice in the back of her head said.
First, to Therum to find Liara, in hopes she would be able to lead them to her mother. Or tell them something that would help them against the asari matriarch. Or something about the Prothean technology they were looking for.
Second, to Noveria, to investigate reports of an asari Matriarch on the planet. Possibly Liara's mother.
Then, to Feros, to find out why the areas around ExoGeni and the colony of Zhu's Hope were crawling with geth.
"Oh? Is that all?"
And that wouldn't be the end.
They would have to find the Conduit—whatever and wherever that was—and they would actually have to find Saren himself and find a way to stop him and his army of geth.
Jagher let out a small groan of frustration and pulled her pillow over her face. Nowhere in her mind did the word "impossible" actually come into use, but that didn't mean it wasn't implied. Her task—her crew's task—was a daunting one and one that, likely, no one else would have taken on. But she had. Shepard sat up in bed, the pillow now in her lap, and blinked at the wall across from her, and suppressed the urge to smack herself on the head. She hadn't just accepted the mission, she'd fought for it, for her appointment as a Spectre, for the right and the means to fly across the galaxy looking for Saren.
"So, clearly somewhere in your mind you thought you could do it," she whispered.
You have to do it, that small voice said, a little louder this time. There's no choice.
Shepard scoffed. "So no pressure." The chime at her door sounded and she hastily returned the pillow to its proper position and climbed off the bed. "Come in," she called.
Thankfully, it was Kaidan who stepped through the door. "We are arriving at Therum in a few minutes," he said.
She nodded, glad it wasn't Joker alerting her to the ship's position after all. "Thanks." Sucking in a deep breath, Jagher straightened her back and crossed the room.
"Commander?"
Without him having to voice the words, Shepard knew what he was going to ask. "I'll be fine, Kaidan," she replied quietly.
He nodded and followed her up to the command deck.
Author's Note.
Yeah, Jagher Shepard is a little weirder than you'd think seeing Commander Shepard in the game. She talks to herself.
Next Moment: A Moment Where it's Cold.