Face It

Can't

"If you say that word again, I will make you regret it."

Shepard looked up from her spot on the floor. It was hard trying not to speak out.

"Now, do it." The instructor said.

She could hear whimpering, feel the faint discharge of biotics. The figure didn't so much as sway. Keeping her head down had never been so difficult. She didn't want trouble, but the poor girl was doing the best she could after being out all day.

"That's the best you can do? Do better!"

The sniffling was almost unbearable.

"I..I-I.."

"Now!" She yelled again.

Another weak biotic flare. Shepard watched the girl fall to the ground, exhausted.

The instructor moved to strike the girl, and Shepard pulled the poor woman towards herself. The instructor's eyes were on her instantly.

"She's tired. You can push your body only so far." Shepard said.

"Are you trying to school me? Let's see just how far we can push your body."

A few hours later, when the sun began to rise, Shepard could feel how tired her body was. She'd been pulling and throwing singularities since she spoke out. Her teeth were grinding together, her body was tired but her mind was livid. She wasn't going to quit and give the instructor the satisfaction.

"Tired yet, Shepard?"

"Getting bored, Sir?" she asked through her lips.

The woman above her scoffed.

Shepard wasn't really used to being able to mouth off to superiors. But, she guessed, being an N4 already and already going through punishment was reason enough. At least she wasn't really arguing.

"So, what've we learned, maggot?"

"Rubbing dirt on cuts actually does help." Shepard said thoughtfully.

"Ach, you're stubborn." There was a bit of admiration.

"So I've been told, Sir." she kept pulling the objects as they moved back to their places.

"Well, that can't be possible!" The woman said with fake shock.

"If you say that word again, I'll make you regret it." Shepard quoted.

The instructor kicked her over with a smile.

"Take can't out of your vocabulary. You'll do better." The woman said. She seemed like she meant it.

Shepard made a note to give it a try.