8/8/15 Author's Note: I wanted to drop this note here just over a year and a half after posting this chapter on the site. When I started writing this, it had been over ten years since I had written anything, and I was understandably rusty. I want to give a general disclaimer that when I started writing this, my intention was not to tell the story to people who had already played the games. My sister, Tara, reads everything I write, and I kept that in mind as I started this. I go into a lot of detail, really early on, about things that we, as fans of the games and the universe Bioware created, already know. If you've played all three games, you weren't the audience I had in mind when I started. I hope you still enjoy the story, and can overlook the fact that I'm telling you things you already know. Fair warning, the first seven or eight chapters are a bit info heavy and greatly need a rewrite. However, if I go back now, I know I'll never finish. I will take no offense to you skimming over the paragraphs with information that is standard knowledge for ME fans.

Sharing this story has been a pleasure, and an extremely positive experience. I have met some fantastic people within this community and seen some amazing talent. I would love to hear what you think, and invite you to comment or PM me with any questions or concerns.

Thank you, and ... Enjoy! - TLC

Chapter One

Kaidan Alenko couldn't have been more surprised the week before when he'd received his classified assignment to the Systems Alliance Space Vessel Normandy Stealth Reconnaissance-1. The brand new ship was co-designed by Turians and Humans and there was some speculation on motives. Whether or not it was just a symbol from the Alliance to show they could move passed the events of the First Contact War didn't matter. The SSV Normandy SR-1 was a marvel of engineering and if the classified shakedown run to which he'd been assigned was a success it would prove to be the new standard for space frigates.

He had to admit he felt a sense of pride at being assigned to the SSV Normandy. The full crew list was still classified and according to his assignment would remain that way until they boarded. However, between the faces being seen around the station and the names being tossed around it seemed like the most skilled soldiers in the Alliance had been ordered to the ship. The most exciting rumor circulating the station was that Commander Shepard would be on board as the Executive Officer. She had an impressive record and her reputation demanded respect. If the rumor was true, and she had been assigned as second in command it would say a lot about the Brass's opinion of the Commander. The fact that they thought he would fit among this crew was humbling; he just hoped he could live up to it.

He was leaning against the rails at the docks where the Normandy sat, resting and gleaming in Alliance blue and grey, when he heard a soft ping and a light at his wrist caught his attention. He lifted it and activated his omni-tool. The orange glow of the holographic computer system lit his face as it came to life wrapping around his left hand and forearm as his right hand danced over the keys and he pulled up his inbox. The message indicated the Biotic Amps he had ordered immediately after receiving his assignment had arrived and were ready to be picked up. "Thank god," He muttered as he powered down the omni-tool and pushed away from the railing. He gave one last look towards the Normandy, and felt a rush of excitement for the next day. He was eager to find out which of the rumors were true.

He wondered absently, as he made his way towards the market to pick up and pay for his order, if there would be another Biotic on board. He hadn't worked with another person with biotic ability since training, and that hadn't ended well. Human, and alien, biotics had the ability to manipulate mass effect fields using dozens of element zero nodules within their nervous system. The eezo nodules react to electric stimuli from the brain allowing the Biotic to manipulate the dark energy. Human biotics had only been around for about twenty-five years, and there are some theories on how humans gained the ability. Some extremists felt humans were intentionally exposed to element zero, others stood by the official statement that it was all incidental. The more Kaidan thought about it, the more assured he was that it was a mix of both, though no one would admit to intentional exposures.

Kaidan's mother had been exposed to the volatile element while pregnant with Kaidan. He was in the first wave of human biotics to survive the exposure. Most children who had been exposed and born around the same time as him developed brain tumors and didn't survive long after birth. Others had bad reactions to the implants needed in order to allow them to harness the biotic abilities. Kaidan himself had one of the controversial L2 implants, which caused severe neurological damage to some users. Kaidan was lucky, in that he only suffered from intense migraines. Those that had served with him had been surprised to learn that he had never been retrofitted for the upgraded L3 implant that would allow him to live without the headaches. His concern was that it would change his abilities, as L3's tended to spike lower in power. Also, it was brain surgery and while medicine was advanced, the procedure would still require a doctor to cut into his brain.

It didn't take him long to get to the market and he walked up to the counter to pick up his order. He had ordered the upgraded amp and a few replacements just in case he would need them while on the mission and had feared they wouldn't arrive before he shipped out. He was greeted by the human shopkeeper. "Order for Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko," He asked and was handed a box with his order slip attached. He thanked the man and moved over to the register interface to make his purchase. A slender brunette moved up to the counter from behind him as he stepped away, he offered her a small smile which went unnoticed before he looked down to the order form. He scanned the box with his omni-tool and synced it to the register, his jaw dropping when he saw the price that came up. It was nearly three times what he expected.

He turned to go back to the shopkeeper to check the order when he heard a violent, "Fuck!" come from the brunette. The man tried in vain to calm her down, "No you don't fucking understand, I am leaving the station at 0600 and I need the goddamn amps before then. The amps I ordered cost three times this piece of shit you're trying to give me. I was told they were in, you need to find them," She demanded slamming her fist on the counter. A light blue energy field danced around her as her anger flared. The shopkeeper held up his hands palm out, as if he was facing a rabid animal and slowly backed away mumbling about checking the back.

As Kaidan checked the item in his hand he realized their boxes must have been switched and felt a soft embarrassment as he realized the "piece of shit" amps were his; they had cost a full months pay. He swallowed and moved towards her. "Ma'am?" He asked as he reached her. She turned towards him, eyes glowing blue like a gas flame as she glared at him. "I believe they may have mislabeled our boxes. I think I have yours and you have mine," He answered handing her the box after removing his order slip.

"What?" She snapped as she took the box from him and looked at the name of the amp inside. Immediately, her anger seemed to slide away and she bit her lip. He had handed her a box with the Savant VII amp and he reached for the box on the counter. Sure enough, it held his Prodigy V. The shopkeeper returned and started apologizing immediately, offering to have the amps shipped to her after she left free of charge. Kaidan watched as she looked to him and offered him a gentle smile. "No, that won't be necessary," She said and the shopkeepers face screwed up in confusion, he looked disoriented and Kaidan wasn't surprised. Her demeanor was a complete change from before, as if she were a new person. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. This gentleman figured out that the order slips had been switched and it's been settled now," The man nodded his thanks to Kaidan and the woman wished him a nice day as they moved away from the counter.

Kaidan was surprised at how quickly this woman went from flaring in anger to cool, calm and collected and offering a sincere apology. Her actions betrayed an extraordinary level of control over her abilities, and he wondered if she had flared intentionally for dramatics. Kaidan and the woman made their way over to the register to complete their orders. Ever the gentleman, he stepped aside to allow her to complete her transaction first. Maybe not so gentlemanly, it gave him a minute to appraise this woman. She was obviously military as she referenced a 24 hour clock instead of a 12 hour and truthfully, most biotics ended up enlisting. There wasn't much work for a Biotic in the private sector, unless they worked for one of the mercenary groups. He didn't recognize her from training which meant she was younger than him, and most likely an L3. She had long dark brown hair that fell with a gentle curl to the middle of her back, effectively hiding the implant at the base of her skull. She was a few inches shorter than him, and slender, but he wasn't misled by her frame. He could tell it hid a significant physical strength. He couldn't help but appreciate the way she filled out her jeans and the length of her legs. She turned and looked up at him nearly catching him in his appraisal, and that was when he recognized her. "Thank you, Soldier, I appreciate you stepping in."

She was dressed in civilian clothes, and her hair was down instead of pulled back in the regulation bun. Yet, he'd seen enough photos and news vids of her to know her when he saw her up close. The scar running from her left eyebrow, across the bridge of her nose and onto her right cheek was tell-tale enough. He was surprised he'd missed it before, but was sure it was because he'd been distracted at the way her eyes were glowing that intense cerulean blue. The photos and vids, however, did her no favors. She was much more attractive in person, scars and all. Her eyes sparkled a bright blue even without the flaring biotics. A soft smile graced her features, softening the lines of her face and he couldn't resist smiling back. "Not a problem at all," He answered, "Can I ask what gave it away?"

"You called me ma'am," She made a face mocking the formality and continued, "And your amp is about what I would expect an Alliance Marine to afford." Kaidan winced.

"Right, my 'piece of shit' amp," He spoke while looking down at his box, a self-conscious grimace on his features.

"Oh shit, you heard me," He noticed her cheeks flush in embarrassment and she quickly continued, "No! The Prodigy is a great amp, and truthfully it's what I have now. I just upgraded," She answered and Kaidan nodded. "Sorry, I'm Sloan Shepard," She said extending her hand. He reached out and accepted her hand with a firm shake, it was cool to his touch and he could feel the rifle hardened skin of her palm.

"Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko," He answered. He wondered absently if this meant the rumors were true and that she would be assigned to the Normandy as well. "It's an honor to meet you, Commander." Her face fell for a fraction of a second but she hid it behind a polite smile.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Again, I apologize for the offense. I tend to shoot off at the mouth when I am angry," She answered as they dropped hands and he moved to complete his purchase.

"There was no offense, really. The Prodigy is a huge improvement on the Solaris I've been using so I'm anxious to try it out," He said and they made to leave the store falling into step next to each other.

"I'm surprised you're sacrificing the power bonus for the duration and cooldown boost," She admitted curiously and he noticed her glance at him out of the corner of his eye.

Now the door was open, and he would see if she held the same bias as others towards those with the L2 implant. He found himself hoping her own biotic ability would ease the prejudice. "Well, I'm an L2 so I tend to spike higher anyway and need the cooldown more than the boost to the power," He admitted with a sense of humility coloring his tone. She was silent for a few steps and they reached the console that would call the station transit.

"I've never worked with an L2 before," She admitted thoughtfully. "This may be a personal question and feel free to tell me if I'm overstepping but were you evaluated to be retrofitted for the L3?" She asked and turned to face him as she leaned against the railing supporting the console. "I've heard the side effects of the L2 can be severe."

"It is a personal question, but I don't mind," he explained his reservations and she nodded, understanding evident on her features. "I understand my abilities and know my limits. I'm comfortable with the L2."

"If it works for you, why change it?" She paused for a heartbeat. "You said you currently have the Solaris right?" She asked and he nodded. "You should consider hitting up the range here on the station to work out with the new amp. I remember being caught off guard at the difference. Hell, that's where I would be heading if I didn't still have work to do before the morning," She admitted as her omni-tool pinged, drawing her gaze from his face.

"That's not a bad idea," He agreed, grateful she'd already told him she wouldn't be able to go so he didn't have to try to work up the nerve to ask her.

"Excuse me," She offered making eye contact briefly before pulling up the interface, her face lit orange with the glow of the 'tool and Kaidan had to force himself to look away. He was tempted to ask her straight out if she was assigned to the Normandy, but thought better of it. It was classified for a reason, and if she was assigned it wouldn't make him look very good to be asking for information she wouldn't be able to give. "I have to be going," She said looking up to him and he could almost sense regret in her tone. "Good luck with the Prodigy," She offered with a gentle smile.

He returned the smile and held his hand out, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Commander." He noticed a flash of something – disappointment? – in her eyes for just a second.

"The pleasure was mine," She said shaking his hand and smiling up at him. "Godspeed, Lieutenant."

"Commander," He said with a slight nod as she dropped his hand and turned away from him. He watched her and his hand flexed open and squeezed closed. He hailed the transit cab to take him to the practice range on the station. As the cab pulled up, he wondered if he would see Commander Shepard sooner than she expected.

Kaidan's orders dictated his arrival time to the Normandy at 0500. He had been assigned as the head of Marine detail, so he would have to meet Captain and the XO before the rest of the crew arrived. He woke early and dressed in his Battle Dress Uniform before hooking up his new amp. Before leaving the barracks, he checked his appearance. His dark hair was combed back and appeared to fit the Alliance standard for the length of men's hair. He had to keep it a tad longer than allowed due to his hair standing higher than average in reaction to the biotic electricity constantly running through him. He had managed to sleep away the bags he'd had under his whiskey colored eyes since his last deployment and was not looking forward to seeing them again. He sighed and scratched at the freshly shaved skin of his square chin. With one last look over his uniform to ensure it was as it should be, he headed to the docking bay to officially check in and meet his Commanding Officers. He reached the airlock and was greeted by the ships Virtual Intelligence requesting his name and rank, "Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko requesting permission to come aboard," He stated firmly and awaited the ship's response.

A deep masculine voice he recognized as Captain David Anderson answered, "Permission granted, Lieutenant," The airlock opened and he entered. The ships scanning and decontamination systems ran over him and he waited patiently. The fact that this mission was simply to test out the new ship meant that it was considered low risk, a way to make sure the new technology worked as it should before it was used in anything more significant. He wasn't one to risk jinxing himself, but he felt comfortable believing this would be a short mission and he would be back at Arcturus Station within the month.

The scans finished and the ships door opened. He entered the bridge and was greeted by Captain Anderson. Kaidan saluted the Captain and waited for the return salute before standing at attention. "Relax, Lieutenant," Anderson ordered and Kaidan fell into a more comfortable stance, hands at his sides his bag still in his left. "Welcome to the Normandy," He offered.

"Thank you, Sir. It is an honor," Kaidan answered, keeping his eyes on the Captain.

"I'd like to introduce you to our XO, Commander Sloan Shepard," Anderson said stepping aside and Shepard stepped forward. If not for years of training and control, Kaidan may have grinned at the introduction. The rumors were true, and Kaidan found himself feeling excited for the opportunity to work with her. Kaidan moved back to attention and saluted his commanding officer.

After Shepard returned the salute, Kaidan fell back into his relaxed stance. "Did you get a chance to work out with the Prodigy last night?" She asked him, reaching out to shake his hand. He gripped hers firmly and felt the warm tingle of her biotics meeting his skin. He locked eyes with her for just a moment, her bottom lip pinched between her teeth, before releasing her hand. She must have been surprised by his appearance; her biotics hadn't reacted to his the night before.

"I did, thank you for recommending it. You were right, it is a great piece of equipment," He answered. "I'm glad they came in before we shipped out." He finished and she nodded in agreement. She was dressed in her BDU's and her hair was pulled up into a regulation bun. He noticed a gentle layer of make-up accentuating her delicate features and was drawn in again as he made eye contact with her. There were some female soldiers who didn't take pride in their femininity; they kept their hair short and wore nothing to soften their features. He always appreciated when a woman took the time to care about their appearance. He believed it showed a sense of confidence; that they didn't feel like they had to hide their girlishness in order to prove their abilities. It wasn't until the pink on her cheeks started to darken that he realized he'd been staring and had probably made her quite uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and looked away.

"I see you've met?" Anderson asked, a distracted tone to his voice. Shepard confirmed they had and Anderson seemed relieved. "Good. We'll start with a tour, then we'll review the rest of the staff coming aboard before the first briefing." Kaidan would be the ranking officer among the Marines assigned, which is why it was necessary for him to be aware of the crew and their training and histories so he could set their responsibilities. Anderson led them around the ship and as he hit the more important posts, he announced the name of the Soldier assigned.

Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau would be the Normandy's pilot. He was widely regarded as the best pilot in the Alliance, and he would be the first to tell you. "When you meet him, ask him how he got the position. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't been there," Anderson said as the tour moved away from the bridge. They walked briskly through the command deck, which housed the Bridge, the Combat Information Center, and the Communication Room. They took the stairs down a flight to the Crew Deck. This floor held the mess in the center. The crew sleeper pods were near the main battery. The Captain's private cabin and office were behind a door on the port side of the ship, near the escape hatches. Kaidan's station was just outside the Captain's quarters and directly across from the medical room where Doctor Karin Chakwas would be found.

"Alenko, Dr. Chakwas has been previously briefed on your condition and assured me she will be well equipped to handle any complications that may arise from your implant," Anderson spoke as they moved towards the elevator. Kaidan stifled a sigh. Being an L2 was hardly a "condition," but Kaidan was aware the Captain meant no disrespect. It came from a lack of experience. Still, he felt his face flush when he noticed the sympathetic look he received from Shepard. He felt an unfamiliar need to prove himself to her – to them, to his superior officers.

"Thank you, Sir," Was his only response. He had been able to drop his bag off at his assigned sleeper pod before they completed their tour. They took the elevator down one level to the cargo bay and engineering which were located on the same level and were the last stops on the tour. Kaidan was in awe of the drive core they'd managed to fit on this ship. It was huge, and he could understand some of the politicians concern over spending the money on just one ship. This shakedown run would tell if the money had been well spent.