Spectre Bk 01 Ch 01

A/N - I've grown a little tired of writing original stories for the time being. I still have quite a few ideas for single stories or longer series that I have written down to start writing later, but for the time being, I'm going to have a little fun turning back the clock and writing a little fan fiction. And this series is based on my favourite sci-fi series, Mass Effect.

It's not going to be a thoroughly in-depth overview of all three games but will cover the main plot and some assignments (ME), the main missions and selected recruitment and loyalty missions (ME2) and the major missions with occasional side quests (ME3). But this is largely a story dedicated to Shepard having a lot of fun with a myriad of lovers. Because of this, some characters might not appear and will be replaced by others.

Australian / British standard English. There is a good chance of reading the following: lots of profanity, characters drinking, typos, and bad grammar at times.

Proofreading and editing suggestions provided by OhDave1. Any mistakes are still mine.

Comments are appreciated as always.

Feedback by email is always welcome. Enjoy chatting with anyone who likes my work.

*****

How it all began...

*****

Beginnings...

*****

Sitting in the waiting room, I glanced around at all the well-dressed people sitting around me. I almost laughed to myself as I knew that my face didn't fit with any of these fellow officers. I hadn't shaved in a couple of days. I kept my hair close-cropped. And I knew that I had a certain look in my eyes. I met the eyes of many of the men and women. They quickly looked away. I knew what I looked like.

The meeting was taking place in secrecy. I'd been summoned by my superior and told to report to Arcturus. I packed my kit and caught the first available flight out. I didn't have many friends in the unit simply because many that I'd made relationships with were now dead. When I arrived on Arcturus, I was greeted by a couple of MPs who led me towards accommodation and told me to stay and wait until I was summoned. That had been a little over forty-eight hours ago.

A cute little blonde walked out of a nearby door and glanced around the room. "Lieutenant-Commander Shepard," she said.

I stood up and stretched my weary muscles before I approached her. She had to glance up at me which always made me chuckle. I wasn't obscenely tall, but I was six-two, rather broad and my short-sleeved shirt did nothing to hide my physique. She opened the door and gestured for me to enter. Three men were waiting for me, all of them standing behind the other side of the wide table. I recognised the three of them immediately.

Donnel Udina, the Alliance Systems Ambassador to the Citadel. Alliance Admiral Steven Hackett, Commander of the Fifth Fleet and a living legend amongst the Alliance servicemen and women. And Captain David Anderson, a man I knew well enough. Probably one of the closest people around that I'd consider a friend.

"Take a seat," Hackett told me after I saluted, a gesture Hackett and Anderson returned. "I'm sure you've been curious as to your reason being here, Lieutenant-Commander. We are currently looking for a candidate to be the new Executive Officer serving under Captain Anderson on board a new and somewhat experimental ship that has been designed and built. This position will include a promotion to Commander with the potential of a further promotion in the near future depending on the outcome of your service."

"But first we must get to know you first," Udina said, leaning forward and fixing me with a gaze, "We've got your service record here along with your life before joining the service. But we'd rather hear certain things from you."

"I've never hidden anything that I've done, sir," I replied.

"We know you didn't have the easiest time growing up. Care to answer a few questions about that?" Anderson asked.

"I can probably answer the questions without hearing them. Respectfully, sir. I was abandoned as a baby. Grew up in foster care, bouncing from home to home for my first twelve or so years. Got stuck with more than one creepy guy than I'd care to remember. Knew that adoption wasn't going to happen once I was a teenager, so I just upped and left one night. Packed my few belongings and hit the streets. I'd spent plenty of time on them already. I was considered a delinquent by the social worker in charge of my case."

"When did you commit your first crime?" Hackett wondered.

"Before I ended up on the streets? I was shoplifting from an early age. It didn't take long until I was running with a gang though. And by the time I was sixteen, I was running it. I've always been rather big and solid for my size. The streets are tough. It's dog-eat-dog. Turf wars and all that stupid shit. Cops did their best, but kids are quick and nimble. We also knew technology was where we could make credits. It's amazing what you can learn on the internet."

"Why did you kill him?" Anderson asked bluntly.

"I'm sure that you won't believe me if I said that it was an accident. But what happened is what led me to this very position right now. It was a pitched battle between two gangs. I was simply trying to get him off one of my boys. Things escalated from there and, well, two days later..."

"You fought off the cops but didn't kill anyone. That showed restraint," Hackett suggested, "Did you kill anyone else?"

"Not until you gave me a uniform and showed me how to kill efficiently. I'm not saying that I didn't spend a few years roughing people up. Caused broken bones and no end of bleeding. But the code was that we didn't kill our targets. We'd steal. We'd cause havoc. And we'd do anything we could to survive and get any credits that meant we could live. But murder? That was always a step too far, a line not to be crossed."

"We could discuss what happened on Elysium, Lieutenant, but I'm more interested in Torfan," Hackett stated, "In your mind, do the two events relate?"

"One hundred percent," I practically growled, "You've got my service record. You know what I've been sent to do ever since I graduated. The invasion of Elysium may have been led by a turian, but it was batarian boots on the ground causing destruction, killing indiscriminately."

"You earned numerous commendations for what you did on Elysium, Lieutenant," Udina said.

"I did though they were lessons learned with the men and women that I'd been serving with."

"The Roughnecks," Anderson informed, "Made up of some of the more interesting people to serve."

"You mean ex-criminals that had joined the Alliance instead of serving time in prison, sir," I retorted, "But I hide no ill will that I was given that choice. I was going to end up dead either way. Dead on the streets somewhere, or I might end up dead serving in this uniform."

"Anyway, back to Torfan... How would you describe the events, Lieutenant?" Hackett wondered.

"Can I put it bluntly, sir?" The two men in uniform shared a glance. Anderson even managed a smirk before they nodded in my direction. "It was an absolute clusterfuck from the moment we had boots on the ground, sir. But it was because it was a clusterfuck that allowed us to push home our advantage. But I'll never forget what I saw, sir. What they were doing to us humans. It wasn't just the slavery. It was the conditions. The obvious abuse and torture. And what they were doing to women..."

"Would you say that you committed murder, Lieutenant?" Udina wondered.

"No. I killed terrorists. If you wish, you may refer to them as enemy combatants. But the usual rules of war were not present. The Geneva Conventions once covered how war was conducted on Earth between nations. The Ilium Accords is an agreement between the Alliance and the Council regarding our conduct should a skirmish break out before the Council can get involved. And I'll tell you one thing. Everyone was an enemy combatant that day. There wasn't a single batarian I met that wasn't carrying a weapon."

"Did any of them attempt to surrender?" Udina asked pointedly.

I met his eyes and did my best not to smirk. "No."

That was a lie. I knew it. He knew it. Hackett and Anderson knew it. But there were no witnesses to the fact I shot more than one batarian without a second thought. After what happened on Elysium, anyone who landed on Torfan went in with a bloodlust for revenge. Because that's what the mission was. Humanity's revenge. The turian in charge escaped, and we knew trying to get him would be difficult. But the batarians?

Ripe for slaughter. And they sent in the worst of the worst to get the job done. Ever seen the movie 'The Dirty Dozen'? We made them look like schoolchildren in comparison.

"How have you found N7 training?" Anderson asked.

"Invigorating," I replied, almost managing a smile, "Probably the most rewarding thing I've done in my life so far. I'm stronger and fitter than I've ever been, and I know that I'm being pushed far beyond what limits I thought I had. And I'm aware of the washout rate. It's why I won't allow myself to fail."

The rest of the interview was a more question-and-answer session. Most of it was about my service, but also questions about my opinions about certain matters that could see me perhaps being involved. I answered honestly to every question as I had nothing to hide.

When it was done, I stood and saluted again before I strolled out into the waiting room. A receptionist told me that my presence was no longer required and that I would be told the outcome of the interview within seventy-two hours. I would remain on Arcturus until then though I would now be free to roam about should I wish.

Lying back on my bed in the quarters that I'd been given three days later, there was a ding telling me that someone was at the door. No surprise to see two MPs waiting for me again.

"Am I under arrest?" I joked. I was still waiting for the day the hammer would fall on me and that the Alliance would charge me for crimes from what I did on Torfan.

"You're to pack your gear and come with us, Lieutenant. Captain Anderson has asked for you."

Little did I know how my life was going to change in the next few days.

*****

I'd graduated top of my class from N7 training. Those in charge recognised that I was one hell of a bastard, but I was one hell of a

tough

bastard. I'd earned the respect of my superiors and subordinates. When I was told by Captain Anderson that I had been selected as his Executive Officer to serve on the

Normandy

, and with it came a promotion to Commander, I allowed myself a small smile of satisfaction.

The ship was an experimental ship designed by humans and turians in a new spirit of cooperation. I didn't like batarians but I had nothing against the turians. I'd read up about the First Contact War and what happened was always bound to occur once humans started to spread out of Sol. It could have gone a hell of a lot worse knowing how militarised turian society was.

I met most of the crew in the days before we were due to fly out. There was Flight Lieutenant Jeff 'Joker' Moreau. Chief Navigator Charles Pressly. Chief Medical Officer Karin Chakwas. Chief Engineer Lieutenant Greg Adams. Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. And then there was our Commanding Officer, Captain David Anderson.

We were close for one particular reason as he was the man to recruit me. For some reason, my arrest had captured the attention of the Alliance. I'd earned a bit of notoriety running my gang, and some of the brass in the Alliance recruited people just like me. Wrong sort of the tracks. A rough edge to them. We were perfect candidates to be moulded into soldiers. Maybe it was because they thought we had little to live for so would be willing to die for the cause?

Just under fifty thousand people called Arcturus home and there was a large entertainment area full of restaurants, bars and other amenities to keep people millions of miles from home happy to be living on a space station. I knew that I couldn't head out, get drunk, and cause trouble. Not with my recent promotion and the fact my ship would be departing soon.

I found a small pub to perhaps sink a couple of drinks in peace and quiet. Most of the time, I was out with the guys and girls from the Roughnecks. We drank to excess, sometimes enjoyed a fight with idiots who thought fighting serving men and women would prove something, and then I'd end up fucking someone that I served alongside, fraternisation rules be damned, or I'd find a girl either willing to fuck or was happy to be paid for the time.

Sipping at my third glass of whiskey, some cheap brand that needed ice and a touch of water to make it somewhat palatable, I glanced to my left to see a rather gorgeous woman had taken a stool next to the empty one to my right. She had shoulder-length mahogany hair, a rather pale complexion that suggested life spent on a space station or a ship.

She ordered a vodka and orange and took a sip before she glanced my way and smiled. I immediately guessed at her age being somewhat similar to mine. She wore civilian clothing though most people on Arcturus were either in the service or in politics, at least in one form or another. I think I returned a smile though it wasn't always the most genuine of gestures.

I learned her name was Jane Shepard. That caused my jaw to drop before I did chuckle. "What's so funny?" she asked.

I offered my hand and introduced myself. "Mark Shepard though most people just call me Shepard," I replied.

She took the offered hand and that same smile returned. "Long lost siblings?"

"No idea. I do wonder if we share the same background. Orphan back on Earth."

"Mother serves in the military. I grew up in space."

"Captain Shepard? I've heard about her as I've been asked a few times if we're related. I've never been told if my surname was the one I was born with or just given it at the orphanage."

"Never been asked about me?"

"What's your ranking?"

"Lieutenant-Commander."

"Commander though my promotion to this rank is recent. But no, I've only ever been asked about Captain Hannah Shepard. She's your mother?"

"The one and only. She was the inspiration for my service."

We shared a little conversation until the penny seemed to drop and she met my eyes. Hers were almost emerald, sparkling in the low light of the few lights atop the bar. She rested a softer hand than I expected on my forearm. "Are you

the

Shepard?" she asked softly.

"What Shepard are you talking about? My life hasn't been easy and I'm sure the media has more than one name for someone like me. If you read the biography of my life so far."

"Well, from everything that I've heard or read over the past couple of years, you got by a couple of names. Some would call you the Defender of Elysium for your heroic actions that saved thousands of people from being taken as slaves. Others... Well, no one human but I'm aware that the batarians hate your very existence and call you the Butcher of Torfan."

I drained my glass and cleared my throat. "Well, I can assure you that hate is returned tenfold after everything I discovered on Torfan."

"Every single Alliance soldier supported what you did."

I gestured for fresh drinks as I met her eyes. "You might not say that if you knew some of the things I did."

"Doesn't matter. Just like Elysium, you were protecting humanity. And we all know what the batarians are capable of. We know what they're up to. Their nose has been out of joint ever since the Council allowed us to start expanding near their space."

Fresh drinks were placed in front of us, clinking glasses and enjoying a sip of each. We continued to make small talk as we discussed our careers. She was impressed to hear that I was an N7 as every soldier was aware of how gruelling the program was. She admitted to being happy in her position though hoped to progress in the years to come. I asked about her family. She admitted her parents were divorced and she spent far more time in the company of her mother, despite the fact she was constantly serving on ships. No other siblings and she was single.

After a few more drinks, we ended up in a club that was playing a mixture of turns. All of it was human though clubs across various human worlds and space stations would play music from across the galaxy. Some of it was familiar. Others... were not...

The music grew slower as the night wore on. She didn't hesitate in stepping into my body, her eyes lifting towards mine as her hands rested on my back. I could feel the strength in her arms as I gave her a gentle squeeze in return, moving my hands down towards her arse.

"Are you taking liberties, Shepard?"

"You know it's really fucking weird that we have the same last name. The only relief is that we don't look the same... Your mother... You know..."

The almost-asked question made her chuckle. "No, Shepard. I'm definitely not your sister." I sighed with relief as she rested her head against my chest as we continued to sway with the music. "Saying that, I don't fuck on the first date." I laughed at the blunt remark. "What I would like to be is a confidant though, if you'd like one."

"Guess I am going to be spending a lot of time on a ship in the near future."

"I have an inkling what you might think of yourself because of certain things, but I'll say this. You've done what you needed to do. First to survive. And then to protect humanity, ordinary people and those who are serving."

We stayed until it was early the next morning, Jane leading me by hand to a residential complex. She explained that her mother had her own apartment on Arcturus but that she would make use of it when her mother wasn't around. She opened the front door and glanced back with another smile, asking if I wanted to come in for a drink.

Sitting back on the couch in the living room, she returned from the kitchen with a bottle of liquor and a pair of glasses. She kicked off her shoes and curled her legs once she was sat next to me. We continued to make small talk though as we consumed liquor, things did grow rather personal. I admitted that I simply wasn't someone for relationships.

"A string of broken hearts?" she half-joked.

"Nothing like that. Once I was in the service, I was all in. Completely committed. And to be honest, given my upbringing and then my service, I just didn't think that getting involved in anything long-term would be a good idea."

"You get involved with those in your squad?"

I couldn't help smirking. "Regularly, to be honest. No better way to blow off steam than to get naked with a fit young woman and have some fun. You?"

"I knew serving would make romance difficult. You know, having heard and read about you... I would have thought you to be a little more arrogant, Shepard. There is a confidence about you, but when I saw you in the bar, you were away with your thoughts. And I just thought you were handsome anyway."

That made me laugh before I shuffled closer to her. Silence descended before she practically leapt on me. Within seconds, she was straddling my lap and her face broke out in a grin as she would have felt something solid underneath her. My hands moved quickly to remove her jacket before I slid them underneath the shirt she was wearing.

"I thought you said..."

"We're just making out, Shepard."

We were down to our underwear rather quickly as we stood up and she walked backwards, leading me towards the bedroom. Low lighting came on as we tumbled onto the bed together, quickly removing her bra to reveal a pair of wonderfully perky breasts. Her body was tight and defined, soft moans as my mouth moved down to her breasts, taking a very pink and hard nipple into my mouth as I felt her back arch underneath me.