Welcome to the Normandy

7 months later 2LT Shepard, in her pressed dress blues, was sitting in a theatre on Arcturus Station.

"Staff Lieutenant Shepard, please step forward." Admiral Rochester ordered. "I am pleased to present you with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and all the responsibilities therein. On behalf of the Alliance, I present to you the Legion Of Merit, for your exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services, by provided lifesaving intelligence for all active Alliance Marines, and ground units. For your act of gallantry in action against an enemy of the Systems Alliance, I present to you the Palladium star. For being wounded in action against an enemy of the Systems Alliance, I present to you a Purple heart. In addition to these medals, you have been given a choice for your first posting. There are several available locations, although I believe that the SSV Normandy SR1 deep penetration frigate would be the best fit given your skill set."

"With such large shoes to fill it's no wonder she acted as she did. Joined the Alliance and was accepted into the N7 program. She proved herself during the Blitz. Lead a small squad into battle and wiped out the enemy attack until reinforcements arrived," Udina added.

"She's the only reason Elysium is still standing," Hackett replied, "and she shows a will to get the job done regardless of the cost as we saw on Torfan, and she saved the lives of many more Alliance soldiers for the intelligence she gathered on Torfan. Imagine the cost, if she hadn't got that intel. It's almost fate. If her armor hadn't gotten so heavily damaged during Elysium, she wouldn't have had to purchase new armor, and would not have made it out of the base, and thanks to her, there hasn't been any slaver activity for over 5 years."

"Humanity needs a hero," Anderson tried to drive that point in. "And Shepard's the best we've got."

"Is this the kind of person we want protecting the galaxy?" Udina asked without looking up.

"It's the only person who can protect the galaxy," Anderson answered. Udina nodded and sighed.

"I'll send the message."

Cali's Omni-tool buzzed, alerting her that she had a visitor. Shepard was puzzled but hit the button to remotely open the door turning off the lights in the process.

"Lieutenant Commander Shepard?" the man in Alliance dress asked while peering into the darkness.

"Can I help you Lieutenant?" A voice came from the shadows.

"Alenko Ma'am"

"You're really early," Came the voice.

"Yes, Ma'am, I wanted to get to know my XO" Kaidan commented, still peering into the dark apartment, trying to pinpoint the voice.

"Come on in," the voice answered.

"How do I know whose voice this is?" asked the Lieutenant rather hesitantly.

"You're just going to have to trust me," replied the voice.

Kaidan, being slightly unnerved, dropped the suitcase he was carrying and flared his biotics.

"I see you are a biotic Lieutenant," the voice commented, "and judging by the increase in your heart rate, and breathing, you are scared. Although for being frightened your biotics are remarkably strong, I'd say an L2, am I far off Lieutenant?"

Kaidan thought to himself "either the commander is as good as her legend, or she has read my file."

"You are never going to find me," the voice stated.

"Is that so, well challenge accepted," Kaidan replied.

"You have guts, I like that in a man," the voice answered.

"Well try this on for size," Kaidan said as he activated his omnitool, and hacked into the apartments VI and turning on all of the lights.

"Very nice, it seems that you are not just a biotic, but a sentinel. Even with all of the lights on in this apartment, you're still not going to find me," the voice replied before the lights extinguished.

"So you have tech skills as well. Its unfortunate that you can't see me either," Kaidan baited.

"What do you mean, I can see you perfectly clear. You have beautiful hazel eyes, and some Mediterranean influence for you slightly olive skin, your hair is black and would have a nice natural wave if you stopped slicking your hair back. Oh and your teeth are unnaturally white." The voice retorted.

"Ok so you either are repeating information from my file, which you've most likely read already, or you can see in the dark." Kaidan replied testing the water.

"I haven't read your file, but you have memorized mine. I think you are attracted to me Lieutenant. Is that why you are seven hours early? You know, I once met another Lieutenant like you, his name was Michals. He was brave, and had guts like you, he had a promising career. But the batarians…"

"On Torfan cut that short. Yes you're correct; I have read your file several times, and yes I am attracted to you. Who wouldn't be, with your history, and skill set you are more than just another marine, to every soldier I've met you are an icon. Everyone looks up to the great Commander Shepard." Kaidan praised.

"Hmph, that is some speech, you practice it much?" retorted the voice, 'I guess your right, although I have one more question, does playing hide and seek, turn you on?"

"…" Kaidan just grinned.

The lights came back on and a small woman was standing directly in front of him wearing nothing but a way too tight N7 t-shirt.

"Not normally, but extremely hot half-naked women do. Even if they are my Commanding Officer," Kaidan answered, trying to hide the bulge in his pants.

"How do you know I'm your CO, Lieutenant?" asked Shepard.

"Because you match the picture in your file." Answered the blushing Lieutenant.

"Even so I'm not your CO for another 6 + hours. How about we fix your growth problem?" asked Shepard with a devious smile.

The Lieutenant couldn't get his uniform off fast enough, fortunately for him Shepard was almost completely naked, and assisted him in his extraction.

Several hours later Shepard rose from the bed, and trudged toward her shower. She turned it as hot as it would go. She entered the steamy shower and two and half minutes later, the door to the shower opened. Shepard exited and strode purposefully, completely nude, to her wardrobe. Sliding on a pair of panties, she sat down on a chair and activated her omnitool. It alerted her of one new message.

Commander Shepard

I have completed repairs to your badly damaged Onyx Hardsuit. It is ready to be picked up, or you can leave it here so that I can complete the cosmetic work.

Corporal Donahue

Alliance Requisitions, Arcturus Station

Corporal Donahue

You may keep it as long as you like, in fact you can give it to a deserving soldier. I recently purchased an upgraded Armax Arsenal Hardsuit that has better specifications.

Thank you.

Commander Shepard

SSV Normandy SR1

Kaidan got up from the bed, and took a look around at the residence of Calista Shepard. He looked around the apartment noting the stack of 'Badass Weekly', and the pictures of various weapons. His eyes rested upon an M-96 Mattock encased in ballistic plastic.

"Do you like it?" asked Shepard.

"Oh, shit, I didn't know that you were standing there," stammered the Lieutenant.

"I am a small female infiltrator," Shepard responded.

"Yeah it's a nice wall piece." Kaidan replied.

"Do you know where it is from?" Asked Shepard.

"No ma'am." Kaidan replied.

"Its from Elysium, the internals were badly damaged. The rag-tag band of marines I united on Elysium got it mounted for me." Shepard commented. "Although I like you without your clothes, I'm fairly certain that boarding an alliance vessel without proper dress is against regulations, Lieutenant.

"Give me five," Kaidan said while walking to the shower.

"We have just over an hour before launch, do you want to get some food?" asked Shepard.

"Sure, I know this great place on one of the lower levels." Yelled Kaidan from the shower.

The Commander picked up her hardcase, containing her armor and weapons, as well her small pack with her personal effects. Hoisting it onto her shoulder, she looked at Kaidan again.

"Shall we?" Shepard asked, while locking the door.

19:07 GST

Glancing out the window, Lieutenant Commander Calista Shepard saw the gas giant Themis rotating below.

Soon enough, the SSV Normandy backed out of the berth, and Themis pulled away from view. She got back to putting on her Armax Hardsuit. She zipped up her undersuit and climbed into the powered armor. She walked up to the second level of the Normandy, and approached the bridge. As she neared the cockpit, she heard the pilot's voice, it sounded vaguely familiar."

"Relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector."

Shepard knew they were getting closer to the relay. She could see it in the window above her. She always admired the Mass Relays. They were enormous stations that glowed bright blue light from the element zero Core.

Shepard walked up to the cockpit and stopped next to Nihlus, who took note of her then concentrated on the relay.

"Well I'll be damned, Jeff, is that you?" Asked Shepard.

"Shepard? Oh my god, I saw your name on the crew list, but I didn't it was the same Shepard as Torfan. How are you doing, I haven't seen you for five years. I have to get back to flying, talk to you later."

"Here we go," Shepard muttered to herself. Nihlus barely glanced at her.

The SSV Normandy accelerated through the mass-free corridor setup by the relay. The bluish glow of FTL travel enveloped the Normandy.

"So Jeff, what have you been up to since Torfan?" asked Shepard.

"This and that, you know the drill. Oh I bumped into your mother the other day, she asked me to say hi the next time we ran into each other," Jeff replied.

"See you around, I'm going to explore a bit."

Shepard walked into the communications room and was not surprised to find Nihlus gazing over a report on Eden Prime. The turian always seemed to be somewhere close by wherever she went. Shepard didn't let this faze her and she walked up to him.

"We need to talk," Shepard stated.

"And why is that Commander?" Nihlus asked.

"Because you're always near me, I find it unnerving, and I would appreciate it if you stopped," Retorted Shepard.

"Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity cannot only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them." Nihlus avoided the question by switching topics. He turned away from Shepard and gazed at the planet shown on the view screen.

"But how safe is it really?"

"Is that a threat Spectre?" Shepard was really annoyed now. Whatever Nihlus was doing, he was dodging the real issue. And the point she was trying to get at.

"Your people are still newcomers, Shepard," Nihlus shot back. "The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this? Are you ready for this?"

Shepard stared into Nihlus's eyes. Hard. Angry.

She heard the door open behind her and looked over to see Captain Anderson stroll in.

"I think it's time we told the Commander what's really going on," Anderson told Nihlus.

"I knew you were holding something back. You know my record. You know my training. Did you really think I would believe this was a simple shakedown run? Do I look stupid?" Shepard ranted.

"We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime," Anderson continued. "That's why we needed the stealth systems operational."

"I don't like being kept out in the dark, Captain," Shepard stated angrily. "That's exactly when things go straight to hell."

"I know, Commander," Anderson said. "I don't like it either. But this came straight from the top. Information strictly on a need to know basis."

"And the ground team leader is not high enough up the food chain to receive this information, let alone the second in command of this ship!" She argued.

"A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of…beacon," Anderson paused. "It was Prothean."

"Wait, Prothean? I thought the Prothean's vanished 50,000 years ago," Shepard whispered, the shock still there.

"Their legacy still remains," Nihlus explained. "The Mass Relays, the Citadel, our ship drives. It's all based on Prothean technology."

"I told you before, I'm not stupid, and I know that Mass Effect technology is based off Prothean tech."

"This is big, Shepard," Anderson continued. "The last time Humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward 200 years. But Eden Prime doesn't have the facility to handle something like this. We need to bring the Beacon back to the Citadel for proper study."

"Obviously this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander," Nihlus said. "This could affect every species in Council Space."

"There's more Shepard," Anderson continued. "Nihlus isn't just here for the Beacon. He's also here to evaluate you."

"I knew it, there is no conceivable reason for a Spectre to 'bump' into me on a ship of this size. Every time I looked up he was standing near me," Shepard said.

"You're smart enough to know how things work, Commander," Anderson stated. "The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres' represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come."

"I've read your review during the Blitz," Nihlus said. "Very impressive, for someone just graduated from the Special Forces. You showed a very strong willingness to take command and protect those who you only just met. You also showed a strong will to do whatever was necessary to get the job done on Torfan. Leadership, strength and survival techniques. All of these are particularly useful talents. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres'."

"Why would a Turian place my name forward?" Shepard asked, suddenly curious.

"Not all turians resent humanity, Shepard," Nihlus told him. "Some of us see the potential of your species. And while some believe that you are too ambitious for your own good, some believe that you can be a valuable asset to Citadel Space. I don't care that you're human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job."

"You do know that it was a Turian biotic that almost killed my father during the first contact war, right. So I automatically resent you," Shepard argued.

"Earth needs this, Shepard," the Captain told her. "If they accept a human into their ranks, it'll show how far we've come. We're counting on you."

"I'll have to see your skills for myself," Nihlus chimed in. "Eden Prime will be the first of many missions together."

"For now, you must see that beacon gets onto the Normandy ASAP," Anderson continued.

~end of chapter 5~