Back Ground: Johnny Shepard (Up to 2168)
Born John Vanderloo Shepard to Hannah Shepard, on April 11th, 2134 at 04:36 hours aboard Arcturus Station. Johnny's biological father is unknown, though this has never really troubled the young boy. His mother has never discussed his genetic ancestry in any great deal with Johnny, and she is the only biological family Johnny has ever known.
That isn't to say Hannah is the only family Johnny has, far from it. From an early age, Johnny lived aboard ships, from the time he was an infant until he took up residency on Jump Zero to attend the Biotic Training program. Johnny is a spacer born and bred though, and has never spent more than a few weeks at a time "dirt side." He feels far more at home in the confines of a ship or space station than on any planet, though he has spent a great deal of time in Vancouver, visiting his adoptive cousins, aunts and uncles. He is very close to the joint Sheridan-Zorah family, especially to Tali'Zorah. He's also been mentored by many of the most decorated marines in the entire League, including the original recipient of the League Cross of Brotherhood and Honor Under Fire, Zaeed Massani, and its most decorated and experienced combat officer, David Anderson.
Johnny is a biotic, showing his potential early on and transferring to the school at Jump Zero. There, Johnny has shown shades of just what kind of man he will become. He is nearly universally liked and admired, and while someone as popular and successful as Johnny is sure to develop a few enemies, most get along well with the growing boy. He is kind, friendly, respectful and trustworthy, always willing to help others and rarely exhibiting the selfishness and obstinacy many of his peers do. That's not to say that Johnny is perfect, however. When roused to anger, Johnny is brutal, and has gone on report several times even before coming to Jump Zero for mercilessly beating those he felt threatened his friends or family, or violated Johnny's sense of honor.
One such incident left a young krogan in the hospital, with Johnny battered and bruised so badly he was put on extended bed rest. This incident was provoked when the krogan antagonized on of Johnny's padawaans. The krogan was physically and emotionally abusing the young quarian girl over a period of many weeks, one Gola'Zorah. Johnny first attempted diplomacy, though he did neglect to report the bullying to the higher authority of the teaching staff. When the bully persisted, Johnny set a careful ambush with several of his friends, including the famous Jak of Urdnot and his close companion Kaidan Alenko. The three ring leaders trapped the bully, then forced him into a near death match with Johnny. Both youths were powerful biotics, and they nearly killed each other. If Kaidan hadn't intervened personally, Johnny would have likely killed the young krogan.
To quite a few of the staffs astonishment, but none of the krogans', young Lehroi Jehkans became one of Shepard's best friends, and even took Gola under his wing. The reformed youth went from being ostracized due to his treatment of a quarian, a definite krogan taboo, to one of the most popular and well liked krogan on the station. As Urdnot Charr, arms master and guardian of Jak of Urdnot put it, "The best way to make friends with a krogan is to beat the snot out of him."