Title: Ilos - Prologue
Author: DinkyMew
Game: Mass Effect (One)
Disclaimer: Bioware own all characters and content related to the Mass Effect Franchise. Abigail Shepard is my own creation inspired by the character Jane Shepard created by Bioware. Any original characters contained herein are my own creations and are not necessarily affiliated with Bioware.
Characters Featured: Abigail Shepard; Kaidan Alenko; Argyle Hobbins 'Hobbs'; Donnell Udina

When Shepard woke it was to sunlight pouring through a bedroom window she didn't recognise.

Freezing, she forced her eyes to open against the glare, and for a moment she was nothing but a survivor in unknown terrain – a situation that crept up on her more often than she liked. For one heartbeat she thought she was back on that island – but her hands were not bound, and as her senses came back to sharp reality she saw the familiar desk across from the bed she lay on, the stacks of books and comics, her skirt had been lifted from the floor and folded neatly beside them.

At last allowing herself to breathe she remembered she was in Kaidan's house. They had crawled into bed early morning and fell asleep crushed together – her in his old football jersey and him in nothing but a tank top and grey jogging bottoms. Quite the gentleman.

As her heart began to slow to a regular pace she pushed herself onto her elbow, still expecting to find him curled protectively behind her, but the other half of the bed was empty. Frowning she swung her legs out onto the plush blue carpet and unsteadily got to her feet.

There was noise downstairs, the sound of clattering and banging that had her hands rummaging her person looking for her weapon long before she remembered she hadn't been carrying one. Scrambling low to the ground she searched Kaidan's dress trousers form yesterday, still abandoned on the floor – but they had nothing.

Crouching low she opened the door a sliver to peer outside into the hallway. Why hadn't he woken her? She had known all along it was a bad idea to stay put for the night – she had learned long ago you had to keep moving. The minute you stayed still was the minute the enemy would swoop down upon you.

Quietly she crept to the stairs, the sound of clattering getting louder with each step she took, crouched against the bannister she rounded the post, unlocking the front door to allow an escape route as she moved stealthily onward.

Gently she lifted the metal frame from the small table at the foot of the stairs, glancing over a family photo of Kaidan in his Alliance uniform with an older man and woman she could only assume were his mother and father. It was a crude weapon, but it was sturdy.

The clattering ahead came from the kitchen, and amidst the noise she heard a cry – Kaidan – and the sudden signal of life had her feet running before she knew what she was really doing. Skidding to a halt at the kitchen door, her bare feet squeaking on the green linoleum, she rounded the corner prepared to face off whoever held him captive – prepared to finish whoever had disturbed their time together.

At the stove, a pan in one hand suspended over the hob plate, Kaidan blinked stupidly at her, his eyes moving from her face to the picture frame held above her head ready to strike or throw and back to her face once more.

"Uh…" He smiled "Morning?" His eyes stayed on her face a moment longer before running down the length of her pausing at her legs and lingering a moment before he cleared his throat, suddenly a little flustered as he tried to look everywhere else but at her legs again. She followed his gaze, pulling at the bottom of the jersey shyly as she realised it came to just below the line of her briefs leaving copious amounts of leg exposed.

Feeling heat explode on her face Abigail flustered into the kitchen "Oh… I…" She cleared her throat "I was just… I mean." She sighed "I forgot where I was." She admitted at last.

"Occupational hazard, I suppose." Kaidan teased, turning from her with the pan still in his hand.

As her heart began to slow its pace once more she took in the surroundings. The smell of bacon permeated the kitchen and made her stomach growl angrily. Wedging herself onto one of the bar stools at the island counter she sat the frame aside, turning her attention to Kaidan. From where she sat she could see his Alliance tattoo just stretch beyond the line of his white tank top as she moved.

Tipping the pan into the sink he turned with two plates, setting one in front of her and the other at the other side of the small counter. Without breaking stride he moved to the fridge collecting a large glass jug of fruit juice and two glasses before he took a seat himself across from her.

She glanced down at her plate: hashbrowns, scrambled egg, sausages, bacon and a slice of toast staring back at her invitingly.

"Did you sleep well?" Kaidan asked, tucking into his meat with knife and fork.

Abigail smiled "I did." She said, piling scrambled egg onto the slice of toast eagerly "Surprisingly so." She added after a beat "I half expected you to wake me in the middle of the night."

Kaidan looked at her questionably, his face in motion as he chewed "Why?" He asked, his brow creasing in thought.

Shepard reached for the orange juice pouring them both a glass before tucking into her slice of toast.

"I just thought you would." She said absently, smiling at him as he watched her. Finally he got the message and colour began to spread over his face as he cleared his throat, dropping his eyes back to his breakfast.

"Oh." He said awkwardly "I… well…" He moved his shoulders "Chivalry and all that I guess."

She chuckled, enjoying watching him squirm as he tried to focus on his breakfast suddenly "Can I ask you something?" She said at last, tucking a rasher of bacon into her mouth "And you have to be honest."

He looked at her carefully, but there was a firm confidence in his eyes as he nodded, holding her gaze "Of course." He said "I'll always be honest with you Abigail."

"Are you a virgin Kaidan?"

His eyes went wide as he choked on his breakfast, hammering a closed fist into his chest as he spluttered "What?" He shook his head "Why?"

Shepard smiled "I'm sorry," She said sweetly "But I have never spent the night in a guy's bed and have him not try something…" She pushed egg around her plate as she moved her shoulders "I was thinking about it, and it's either that you are too scared to try something – or you don't want to." She looked at him carefully "Have you ever had sex Kaidan?"

He made a noise, almost a squeak of disbelief "Yes." He said stabbing egg with his fork "I've had sex."

When he didn't elaborate she kept her face carefully expressionless as she asked "With someone or…?"

He looked at her then, dark eyes lingering somewhere between amusement and embarrassment as he moved his shoulders "Well…" He sighed "Is that really important anyway?"

"No!" She insisted "I think it would explain a lot about you." She added after a moment to which he gave her a pained expression.

"That fills me with confidence." He muttered sarcastically "Did I do something… wrong?"

She laughed, eating some more as she shook her head "No. But how does a guy like you get to 32 without having taken someone to his bed?"

He avoided her gaze as he polished off his breakfast, standing to put his dish in the sink "Well," He wiped his mouth idly "You know what it's like." He said carefully "Biotics are... well, we're not the top of the pick list, let's just say that." He said gently "we're still considered freaks… by a lot of people. And I was never good at – uh – at talking. To people. Especially women." He sighed "And plus work never really let time for – you know, I'm not the kind of guy who can just let loose over a weekend." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, turning and giving her a hard look and a small smile "Why? What's your number at? You some kind of expert Shepard?" He prodded, raising his chin a little.

Abigail blanched, it was her turn to blush as she shook her head "Not at all." She said carefully.

"Well, you hardly get to ask me those kinds of questions without answering them yourself." He huffed "Come on, what's your number."

Shepard moved her shoulders "It's one, Alenko."

"One?" He asked, genuine surprise creeping into his voice "Well, that's not that much better than me." He smiled.

"Yeah," She pushed her plate away "Feel better?"

"I feel curious." He countered smoothly, collecting her plate for her and depositing it in the sink "Was he alliance?"

Abigail raked her fingers through her hair "He is."

"He is." Kaidan smiled, it was a game now, one he was obviously enjoying "Well thank god it's not Hobbs." He joked, grinning at her. When her expression didn't change his face dropped "Is it?" Before she could answer he swallowed "Oh god, it is isn't it?"

"It was." She said at last, moving to the sink and turning on the taps "a long time ago."

"Well, that is the biggest regret of my life to date." Kaidan said gently, coming to her side as she began to wash the dishes.

"What?" She asked, looking up at him "Why?"

He watched her wash the plates, and for a moment she thought he wasn't going to say anything but then he took a breath, taking a plate from her as he dried it briskly with a tea-towel.

"Because… could you get two more diametrically opposing people? I'm… nothing like him – not even close Abigail. Why would you…" He swallowed, turning to put the plate away "Why would you even be with me when you could be with someone like him."

It wasn't a question, more a broken statement as he turned back to her with a small smile.

"Kaidan…" She sighed "I was young, and he was… if it makes you feel any better Hobbs has been with a lot of women."

"Oh." Kaidan said in a small voice "Yeah that just fills me with confidence Shepard."

She laughed, nudging him with her elbow "No! What I mean is, I hardly think I was special to him." She sighed, dropping the dish back into the sink as she turned to him "It wasn't like what you and I have Kaidan – who cares if you are like Hobbs? You and me, we're the same. Both biotics, both with baggage – both unbelievably stubborn. I love you Kaidan. I don't care if you're a lothario or a varren in the sack." She smiled "As long as when that time comes it's you, that's all that matters."

He watched her a long moment before he dipped his head, kissing her gently.

"I hope so." He said quietly, his expression still tinged with embarrassment as he lifted another dish to dry.

-xx—O—xx-

"Welcome aboard Commander." The soft chirp of the CIC officer broke Hobbs' concentration as he raised his eyes from the console he was working at to see Shepard make her way through the gangway toward the cockpit. He stilled himself, resisting the urge to rush over and check on her.

The truth was that while she had been absent from the Normandy for the better part of two days he knew she would be fine. She always was. So he had to acknowledge to himself that it wasn't worry fuelling his desire to act – it was plain old jealousy.

Before he dropped his gaze Staff Lieutenant Alenko entered, looking as smart as always in his Alliance downs. The same CIC officer saluted him quietly and he returned it before glancing left and right moving carefully along the gangway toward the main heart of the ship. He caught sight of Hobbs, dark eyes looking him over once as he paused, his brow creasing a little.

"I thought you would be long gone." He said, his voice was deeper than Hobbs' and he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his combats.

"I've been given orders to join the Normandy Crew." Hobbs' said, swivelling in the chair to turn and face the Lieutenant "If Commander Shepard wants me here." He added pointedly.

It wasn't lost on Kaidan who visibly bristled at the remark, narrowing his eyes as he weighed the man's words carefully "Has she made a decision?" He asked lightly, almost genuinely curious – but Hobbs knew there was nothing favourable in the tone.

"I thought she would have told you." He said, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth "I guess she's not as close to you as I thought."

It achieved the desired effect, the Lieutenant straightening slightly as he frowned openly at him. Hobbs allowed himself an internal smile at his good work – but also instantly regretted the action. Despite his flaring jealousy he was happy for Abigail to have found someone; there was just something about Kaidan that made those feelings translate into behaviours seamlessly and it was almost like he couldn't stop it.

To his credit the Lieutenant didn't respond and instead stalked away from Hobbs toward the bow of the ship. He watched him go feeling mildly guilty but put it aside as he swung back around to the busy screen.

"Hobbs." The voice was Shepard's and he stopped, raising his eyes to see her coming from the cockpit. She was dressed in her Alliance blues, the suit jacket slung over her arm was creased as was the blouse she wore and the blue pencil skirt. As she drew closer he noticed that her hair was pinned back loosely, strands hanging down at the back where it was slightly mussed. Her face looked tired and refreshed at once, and when she smiled at him there was a carefree light in her eyes that he had only seen once before.

And this time it wasn't for him.

"So, you ready to come with us?" She asked, stopping beside him and folding her arms under her breasts. He noticed that the top button of her blouse was missing, exposing a little more cleavage than was professional but she was clearly on her way to get changed. He ran his eyes over the length of her – she smelled of the Lieutenant and it made his heart sink a little as he nodded slowly.

"Is that an acceptance?" He asked, raising his eyebrows lightly.

"You sure you can take orders?" She asked sceptically "The Hobbs I remember was pretty much a one-man band." She smiled, her eyes wandering to the bow of the ship where Navigator Pressly held a datapad ready for her. As she turned her neck caught the light off the console revealing a red hue to her skin there, a rash from rough, unshaven skin against her own.

He closed his eyes "I can take orders Shepard." He said cooly and she turned back to him briefly.

"Alright Hobbs, I'm in too good a mood to argue." She said looking at him carefully "Welcome aboard Operative Hobbins." She smiled offering her hand; the static shock he got from accepting it caught him off guard and he flinched inwardly. It wasn't uncommon to gain a static shock from a biotic when they were in the process of charging down.

"I need to go and get changed." She said glancing down at her clothes "Can you round up the crew for a debriefing in the Comm room – then we get back to this mission." With that she was gone as quickly as she had appeared, taking the pad from Pressly as she hurried down the grate walkway toward her quarters.

Ilos

Kaidan was feeling incredibly nervous.

As he glanced around the Citadel Council chamber he was reminded by how small humanity was in the universe, how new and vulnerable they were as a species. Above on the balcony a Turian watched them unwavering, dressed in formal attire he considered how strange it was to see a Turian out of armour.

"Good job Shepard." Udina's voice drew his attention back to the meeting, and he glanced from the Ambassador to the Commander as she shifted uncomfortably "Thanks to you the Council are finally taking some action against Saren."

He didn't look thankful; or happy. Donnell Udina always looked pissed off regardless of circumstance. Dressed in a crisp white suit that made his dark hair stand out in contrast he made an attempt at a smile, but it came over more as a crooked leer that had even Kaidan's lip curling. He didn't much like politicians, but understood more about the game than he let on sometimes.

Across the glass floor on their pedestal the Citadel Council murmured and shifted almost as though they were one being and not three separate representatives of three very different species. The Asari councillor smiled cooly, inclining her head before Shepard could respond.

"The Ambassador is correct is Saren is foolish enough to attack the Citadel - as you believe – we will be ready for him." She said stiffly, beside her the Turian councillor nodded his agreement, clearing his throat gruffly.

"Patrols are stationed at every mass relay linking citadel space to the Terminus Systems."

Kaidan opened his mouth to object, then remembered where he was and closed it again tightly, instead swivelling his gaze to Shepard, but she was already prepping to talk – and he could tell by her expression she was thinking the same thing as he was.

"What about Ilos?" She asked, her face dark and ominous.

The Salarian councillor made a click noise in annoyance, as though they were irritating him and shook his head tiredly at her "Illos is only accessible through the Mu Relay, deep inside the terminus systems, Commander. If we send a fleet in there, the only possible outcome is full scale war."

Shepard took a step forward on the walkway, shaking her head as she caught her breath "No, we have to get to Ilos." She said firmly "Saren is already on his way there, and if he gets the Conduit then we are all screwed. I needed reinforcements to attack Ilos,, not guard mass relays."

This time Udina clears his throat, giving her a cautionary glare as he turns to her "Now is the time for discretion Commander." He said calmly "Saren's greatest weapon was secrecy. Exposed he is no longer a threat." He smiled "This is over."

"It will be over!" Shepard cried, ignoring Udina as she turned back to the council "If Saren gets his hands on that Conduit then we are all screwed. The Reapers wi-"

"Ah yes." The Turian councillor interrupted scathingly "Reapers." He sighed "We have dismissed that claim Commander."

"Then you've doomed us all!" She shouted, pointing a finger at him.

Kaidan swallowed, looking across to where Hobbs stood, his lip pinched between thumb and forefinger as he watched the exchange silently. If he was concerned it didn't show, his face a careful void of expression.

"Ambassador, I get the sense the Commander is not willing to let this go."

Kaidan felt his hands curl to fists at his sides as he fought the urge to move closer to Shepard, to pull her back – the way he always had – as her temper threatened to get the better of her.

Udina turned to her, dropping his voice as he barked "There are serious political implications here, Shepard. Humanity's made great gains thanks to you, but now you are becoming more trouble than you are worth."

"You bastard!" Kaidan blurted, feeling the twinge of his biotics flare as he glared cold fury at the man "You're selling us out!" After everything, after all they had achieved – all they had sacrificed, to come so close and then have it snatched away.

Udina sighed, shaking his head as he turned to face all three quietly "It's just politics Commander you have done your job, now let me do mine. We've locked out all the Normandy's primary systems. Until further notice you are grounded."

Shepard blanched from the sentencing, her face growing darker as she took a menacing step toward him "Nobody stabs me in the back Udina." She breathed "Nobody."

"I think it's time for you and your team to leave Commander, this no longer concerns you. The council can handle this, with my help of course." He smiled coldly, turning his attention back to the Council members.

Ignored Shepard turned from him hotly, her eyes meeting Kaidan's and he expected to see the same despair he felt – but it was absent. Her blue eyes were filled with a hot fury, the likes he had never seen before.

With a cold, calculated pace she stalked from the Citadel chambers.