I do not own any of these themes. All themes, characters, locations, etc are owned by Bioware. Purely fan fiction, and stuff I wish happened alongside the original tale one ME1. Hoping to make this a long series through the end of ME3.

THANKS! 3

CH 1

Modest Doubt is Called the Beacon to the Wise

Shepard wasn't like most military officials. For one, she wasn't interested in politics. She really did not like them. Some would go as far to say she even hated them. So when Shepard revived news that she would have to meet with the Council upon her arrival to the Citadel last week, she felt an annoying itch. Shepard didn't let this show on her face however. Just because she disliked politics, didn't mean she wasn't used to dealing with politicians. Her first meeting with the Council was pretty straight forward, she was to assist a turian names Nihlus on a mission down on Eden Prime. Easy. Oh, but Nihlus is a spectre and he's watching you because you are now a spectre candidate- no pressure or anything.

Just a few days ago she was XO to Captain David Anderson… She was meeting the Council for the first time… Now she was in the Normandy Med Bay, head filled with messages she couldn't read, and the worst headache of the century. To top it off she now had two spectres on her hands; both of which offered their own flavor of disappointment. Shepard was pinned firmly in the middle. She didn't want to think about any of that though, because she didn't even understand most of what was going on. The message she received had been fractured and she could only make out bits and pieces. Making sense of anything grew increasingly harder with the pounding at her temples growing. How would she explain how Nihlus had ended up dead and that one of their spectres had been the one to pull the trigger.

"How long was I out?" She asked, a slight rasp to her voice she sure was confused.

"About 15 hours. You had us worried there, Commander. Are you alright?" replied Dr. Chakwas with light concern in her voice as she stepped closer to her.

With a nod from Shepard the doctor proceeded to inspect her newly alert patient. After Chakwas was satisfied she allowed Kaiden to enter the room.

Oh yeah, Kaidan. Maybe I shouldn't have pushed him out of the way… Shepard toyed with the idea, but both versions of herself knew there was one thing Jane Shepard always did; save the civilian. Not so much civilian in this particular case, but all in all it meant the same to her. Her main goal at all times was to ensure the safety of those involved. If that meant she would take the full force of some unknown Prothean beacon to the face, so be it.

If her actions would mean the safety of her team, you damn well believe she'd do whatever it took. Nobility aside, that didn't mean she couldn't joke about it from time to time though. She immediately saw the regret in her crew members face. Of course he felt responsible for the beacon, how couldn't he? After all he was the one who got too close and forced Shepard's hand. They had been working together for a few weeks, and Kaidan admired her immensely. Shepard was a good soldier and an excellent leader. Following her orders was easy.

"Don't blame yourself, Kaidan. You did your best and theres no way we could have known that would happened." She said with a slightly too sweet smile in attempts to reassure him.

Shepard caught the smile he had given her in return… She should know better than to let that sweet smile slip to someone she worked with, especially someone like Kaidan. She could tell from their time together that he was the sensitive type. Shepard had been there and done that. Even having been marked for "fraternizing" early in her career- before Elysium… A few times was enough. She wasn't about to do it again. Probably.

It was time to go back to the Citadel to fill everyone in on the mess of Eden Prime. During the trip Shepard's mind trailed. She wasn't oblivious to the effects she had on those around her, but she didn't let that get between her and her duty. Actually she never let romance get between her and the greater good.

Shepard had always been well liked, and enjoyed the company of men and women the same. But Shepard never really had what you'd call a real relationship. Yeah, she dated people, but nothing lasted longer than a year and that was if she was lucky. Shepard never let anyone get close enough to get inside her heart. She couldn't bring herself to give herself to anyone… Not with her restlessness.

Not with her past…Usually she really did like whoever she was trying to be with. Eventually they'd all leave her though. Trying to be with someone who never opened up wasn't easy and she knew that. But what was the point of it? They'd learn about her past and realize the great Commander Shepard had just too much baggage for any one person to deal with… and they'd leave. So instead of focusing on love, she focused on work. That she was good at. That she could do. Eventually her job just came first. She never put anyone in front of her duty- not even herself.

Shepard returned to the present when they finally reached the Citadel Tower after what seemed like an eternity in the elevator. Two council visits in one week was just too much for her, she had a feeling it wouldn't be her last. Not after what she had seen… What little she could make out from the beacon didn't look good. Shepard stood lost in thought with Kaidan and the woman she picked up back on Eden Prime. Her name was Ashley Williams and she was a gunnery Chief in the Alliance Military. Shepard and Kaidan had found her defending herself in a last stitch effort to survive. Her squad had been wiped out in the monstrous act that took place on the normally peacefully colony.

Thinking back to what they had seen on Eden Prime… How the geth were taking the colonists and impaling them onto these… spikes… When their screams died down what followed couldn't have been real. Except it was. The colonists were mutilated… turned into organic synthetic hybrids. Mechanical puppets that relentlessly attacked. Shepard remembered the emptiness of that colony before their discovery. The colonists bodies were abused and their lives were stolen, turned into husks.

Jane didn't know much about Ashley, but the short amount of time she spent with the soldier let her know she was strong willed, opinionated and could follow orders. Shepard could do without Ashley's snide comments about aliens, but felt that that was a discussion for another time. Not with the day she had ahead of her and the headache that pounded at her temples.

During the final stretch to the Council meeting she overheard a deep flanging from a voice ahead of her. Shepard found herself compelled to speak to the turian that stood between her and her meeting. Jane was tall for a human female considering; she stood 5'8 without shoes and armor and had a lean athletic, but still curvy figure. It took a lot to make her feel intimidated, but she did in this instance. A perk to being Jane Shepard though was that she was incredibly skilled at hiding it. Maybe it was something in the intensity of his gaze, the way he loomed over her like a predator or perhaps it was visor he wore on his left eye. She wasn't sure how she ended up there but there she was, standing there speaking to this turian instead of attending her meeting. One she was already late to.

"Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian…" The turian extended a hand with confidence and ease.

For a split second she wondered how he knew her name, but with a stern face and a light smile she returned the human gesture to the C-Sec officer. After a handshake that lasted a second too long; surely due to the cultural differences- she sunk into her hip and crossed her arms examining the turian from top to bottom. She found herself looking closely again at the tech he wore on his face, watching the little lines moving along the edge. She wondered what they said and noted the dark blue pattern of his facial tattoos… Garrus had a stipe across his nose, the blue stretched under his eyes with a small break it continued down the side of his mandibles. She remembered learning that those markings had to do with their colony of origin, but she didn't know much more than that.

Garrus immediately felt her examination, and being used to this sort of thing he remained perfectly in control allowing the eyeing to continue. Jane had met many turians before in her time serving for the Alliance, but there was something different about this turian. Something that grabbed her attention.

What is it… She kept asking herself during their brief encounter.

Garrus filled Shepard in on his intentions. Garrus knew he was dirty, but he was unable to prove it. He had been shut down by his boss, but that didn't stop him from gathering evidence. She found herself studying the way he moved when he spoke, the way his voice would change octaves on certain words. He was quite fascinating…Shepard felt for him, she knew what it was like to be so close to cracking a case only to have it ripped away from you.

"Commander… The council is waiting for us we better get going." Lieutenant Alenko said loudly from behind her, interrupting Garrus mid sentence.

The Commanding Officer didn't acknowledge the intrusion, she really hated to be interrupted. Shepard merely continued looking into those intense blue eyes. She wondered again what kind of information that visor gave him… She could only assume that both Ashley and Kaidan were annoyed by her obvious lateness and unwillingness to break away even when being reminded. Shepard wasn't concerned with that though, she still felt that almost numbing throb and she had a feeling collecting allies would benefit her in the long run.

"It's been a pleasure talking to you, Officer Vakarian." With a light yet firm pat on the shoulder as she passed the turian he let a "Good luck." part his lips as he watched the human walk away.

He couldn't help but feel defeated after being told that his investigation was going no where, but a glimmer of hope sprung inside him after speaking to the Commander. Something told him she wasn't going to let this bastard slip by her, and knowing that made the sting of failure hurt a little less.

Shepard's meeting with the Council ended just about as fast as it started, with a swift dismissal of Shepard's allegations against Saren. The council couldn't see how she was drawing these connections, and therefor the allegations were were just that. It was a shame that Nihlus was killed in action, but to suggest that Saren had been involved was just ludicrous.

Unsurprisingly, Saren was granted immunity by the Council and Shepard's claims were dismissed. She had no proof. Without proof, her words were just words and her 'visions' were just dreams. Maybe she should have left the part out about the beacons giving her a memory, or maybe premonition of what was to come.

Yeah, probably should have left that part out… Seeing that she couldn't reason with them further Shepard opted out of an argument and decided sometimes it was best to keep her mouth shut.

'An argument for another day' her father said in the back of her mind, hidden between the thumping in her skull.

Even with a headache she was a force to be reckoned with. Anderson was one of the few people who knew that, and he wasn't about to let a little council business get in the way of their discovery.

"I met a turian on my way here, he's a C-Sec officer… Garrus Vakarian. I bet he could be of some use here, he seems to have quite a history with Saren." Shepard didn't fail to notice the sign from her crew as she spoke his name, but like usual she paid no attention.

Shepard was instructed by Anderson to meet with a washed up C-Sec officer named Harkin. Her chat with him in Chora's Den felt a lot like a game, one she didn't have the patience to play. Ultimately, she got the information she needed. The shuttle to the Medical Center was awkward, and silent. Shepard didn't really need them to be all buddy-buddy, after all she was in charge here and the lines between friend and commanding officer can blur pretty easily. But would it really hurt if they could just joke around a bit or I don't know… talked about the view?

In the silence of the skycar she found herself thinking back to life before the Alliance. Jane remembered life with her family back on Mindoir. It was a human colony, not unlike Eden Prime—actually Eden Prime reminded her a lot of home, but she didn't like thinking about that. When she was 16, Batarian slavers attacked her colony and murdered everyone she ever knew. This was another thing she didn't like thinking about. After Mindoir Shepard lived on the streets until she was old enough to enlist. During those two years she learned a lot…

Shepard never realized how sheltered she had been with her family. She had no idea how to be a person, and the area she wound up in was terrible. Shepard made money by running odd jobs, mostly small deliveries or pickups and sometimes the occasional thieving job if she was really desperate. She only did what she had to do to survive, and maybe that's why she tried so hard now… Shepard thought back to how different her life was then. She could still remember the smell of her family home the distant memories of her long lost family. The slums of the city she wound up in. The smell of factories and smog she didn't remember so fondly, came back to her as if she was still there. Somehow all of her good memories with her parents were always overshadowed by the bad ones after the attack.

Shepard's focus returned to the cab when it landed and announced their arrival in the Wards. One by one they piled out of the skycar and immediately heard loud voices and banging from what seemed to be the Medical Clinic.

"Of course." A heavy breath released from her dark pink lips and a quick jog to the doors confirmed her suspicions.

Inside was a small woman being held from behind around the neck by an armed man. Shepard scanned the location and saw there were 3 other men in the area. A flicker of blue teased her peripheral; It was Garrus. He was ducked down behind cover and it was clear that no one knew of his presence. This struck her as rather odd considering he was well over 6'5" and turians weren't exactly known for being sneaky.

The attackers did however notice Shepard and her team entering the clinic and reacted to the change in scenery. Before Jane could even pull her gun out, Garrus had taken his shot. A single bullet flew into the assailants head- the perfect headshot zoomed merely inches from the doctor. The rest of the fight played out as you'd imagine. The men were no match for Shepard or her two Alliance officials and were eliminated with ease. The turian however didn't bother to help deal with the rest of the mob. He was busy tending to the doctor who sat on the ground in a weak ball of tears, gasping and trying to figure out what had happened. Shepard approached the two of them and Garrus stood up with what seemed like excitement in his face.

She wasn't a stranger to turians but she sure didn't know how to read their emotions very well. Garrus proceeded to thank her for the distraction that allowed him his perfect shot. In an instant she didn't know what came ever her, she closed the formal gap between them and stood up as tall as she could, gazing deep into his piercing blue eyes. She gave him the intimidating gaze she had perfected and pointed up at him before speaking.

"Never EVER do that again. You not only jeopardize my mission but you endanger the lives of innocents around you." The weight of her words hit him hard in the chest.

Garrus was pretty proud of the shot he'd made; the only casualties were those on the wrong side of the fight. The criminal was defeated and thats all that mattered to him. He could see and hear that she didn't feel the same. That and she really wasn't impressed.

"I… Yes, ma'am. You're right, I… Dr. Michel, are you alright?" He replied quick and determined.

After a moment she leaned down a bit, smiled a light smile and hit him in the side of the arm. She couldn't help but find his awkwardness endearing.

"Hey, no harm no foul, Vakarian." With a twist of her hip she turned towards the doctor and with immediate control and began asking her what had happened.

Dr. Michel told them about a wounded Quarian she had seen recently. Apparently this quarian had evidence against Saren. This was information they just couldn't pass up and in a fluid motion she turned to her team and dismissed Kaidan.

"Uhm, Commander. Excuse me saying so, but we still have to go find this Quarian, and take down this Fist guy and who knows what that is going to stir up. I think it would be best if I were to remain with you as long as you're on the Citadel." Kaidan let out " … Ma'am"

The look Shepard gave him was one of pure amusement and annoyance. Garrus was a little better at reading human emotions than Shepard had been at reading turians. His days at C-Sec had taught him a thing or two about humans facial expressions. Garrus was by no means an expert, but he considered himself pretty good at reading them. Ashley looked at her feet and Kaidan's mouth tightened. He stood a little straighter and it even seemed like he was holding his breath.

"Your complaint has been noted, Lieutenant Alenko. I will see you on board the Normandy in a few hours, we have some loose ends to tie up." Shepard said to him sternly.

Humans and their idioms.

Garrus had been familiar with some human sayings, he noticed Executor Pallin, and other turians in his section using them from time to time. Shepard turned to face Garrus and gestured her arm towards herself in a motion to follow. A look of surprise sprung on their faces at the invitation of their new friend.

"Welcome to the team, Garrus. Lets get this son of a bitch." Her voice was somehow soft and also strong, as a light smile parted her lips.

Along their walk back to the cab Garrus noticed Kaidan walk off in a pace that was just above appropriate. Garrus had read Kaidan's body temperature change in the Med Clinic. He saw the rise in his pulse as the information trickled across his visor. The urgency of his walk was something that they all must have picked up on, and it hung a heaviness while they waited in silence.

If Shepard had noticed though, she didn't react. Garrus thought about how Kaidan's arguing would have been considered inappropriate in the turian military but he couldn't help but laugh to himself at the biotic's expense. It was kind of funny to see him get shot down.

"Chora's Den. I've had my fair share of run in's with the types of individuals that … socialize there, Commander." Garrus offered with a smooth purr while they waited for a cab.

Garrus noticed that the dark haired woman- Ashlyn… no Ashley… that accompanied them didn't speak much and merely stared at him with a look of distrust in her eyes. Garrus knew that look all too well. Being in C-Sec had its highs, yes. But it also had its fair share of lows. One was the look humans gave him. The look Ashley was giving him. Or was that look something else entirely? He didn't want to think about it right then he already was feeling a little overwhelmed. Things weren't exactly perfect between the humans and the turians. There was still a lot of animosity between the two races since the First Contact War. Garrus finally had a break in his thoughts when that soft but strong voice spoke.

"Yeah, well. I've heard the dancers are pretty great at least." She said with a quick laugh nudging Ashley as the Skycar landed in front of them.

The ride was just as quiet as their wait and Garrus found himself sitting in the back next to the brunette chief, Ashley. He could feel her discomfort and her inching further away from him in hopes of not touching her new temporary crew member. If Jane was uncomfortable he couldn't tell. She held herself well and he couldn't help but find himself studying her. Finding himself wanting to ask immediately why he was there. Why did she send the human Lieutenant away and opt to bring some alien she just met instead? Here he was sitting with two humans and a Volus in a slow moving skycar heading to their next destination.

"You know, we probably should have just walked there." Shepard let out after a minute and both Ashley and Garrus let out a small chuckle realizing the distance they covered was so small they really should have walked.

It surprised Garrus at how she could be so clever and relaxed- yet still have that air about her that demanded respect. How could such a small human woman radiate such confidence and dominance… and also be so… likable. His thoughts were interrupted again as they exited the cab and approached the shady gentleman's club. Right as Ashley was about to speak to Garrus, their light hearted chuckle from a few moments ago was replaced with loud burst of gunshots echoing around them. In a panic the three of them ducked down to find cover and began shouting to each other over the commotion.

"4 men. Could this have to do with Saren, ma'am? Or is this about Fist?" Ashley noted while looking over the ledge of the walk way and peering into enemy territory.

Garrus found himself second guessing her first assessment and lifted his head to recount. Ashley was right, there were 4 men and they were't letting up. It was pretty pathetic actually, they had been wasting all their bullets shooting at absolutely nothing.

"Vakarian, I want you on my 6. Williams, you flank them on the right. Go, go, go."

Just as fast as her orders were barked out she stood and threw herself over the ledge popping out a few rounds into the first thug. He dropped. Ducking again she took a peak over at her crew members and noticed the hawk like gaze Garrus had as he peered through the scope of his sniper rifle from a distance. The remaining three thugs were on the far side of the clubs entrance out of site. The gunshots stopped, no doubt they ran out of bullets. Shepard gave a hand gesture that signified her moving forward and further trusting her new ally with the task of watching her back. The immediate trust she had given him was a little jarring and he honestly couldn't tell if all humans were like this or just this one. Something about the way that Williams looked at him told him it was the latter.

During Shepard's trek to the clubs entrance Garrus held his face to the scope watching that red hair in perfect view, simultaneously Chief Williams snuck to the right as instructed. Just as Shepard reached the remaining three men a close combat fight broke out. Ashley was behind them ready to flank when one of the men elbowed her in the nose. She turned, but not fast enough and the thug grabbed her- throwing her face first into one of the cement slabs encasing the walkway. Williams was out.

POP.

Garrus shot the man attempting to finish off Williams. The 2 men left standing turned their attention fully to Shepard the first man attempted to shoot her, but with a swift kick the gun went flying out of his hand and down into the traffic hole below. The side of her hand jabbed his throat and he heaved over gasping. With both hands she grabbed the second mans head and with force kneed him in the face. Using the gasping thug as leverage she kicked off him knocking him onto the ground. Garrus was trying his best to line up a shot but with all the movement he didn't want to risk hurting Shepard. For a moment he found himself getting lost while watching her effortless fighting. Her timed blocks and counter attacks were more like a dance than brawling.

Shepard jabbed the second man in the gut and then upper cut him in the nose with her palm. As Garrus watched her, he didn't imagine she really needed his help for some reason. He had the distinct feeling that she knew exactly what she was doing. The dance he watched seemed to be one she had been practicing since she was a child. She was flawless. Shepard spun swinging her elbow into one of their faces, dipping down, snapping her leg out below she tripped the second one. With a fluid motion her omni-bade retracted and she impaled the man on the floor. His blood spilled as she retracted it, the orange haze fading to black.

Shepard leaned up breathing heavily, chest rising and falling she placed her fallen gun on her back. In that instant she felt the breeze and snap of a bullet zoom past her, right into the second and final thug behind her. With a quick glance over her shoulder then back to him, she smiled and nodded.

After helping Ashley recover with some medi-gel they inspected the dead bodies around them- Fist's men. Her initial thought was to call Captain Anderson or even C-Sec to inform them of the attack on their position. This was the Citadel, and not some back alley of Omega or the streets she lived on. Shepard already was under the watchful eye of the Council and given the circumstances she felt it was best to at least wait on the call until she had something solid to go on. Proof. Plus, someone else was bound to report the gunshots so they had to move quick.

Shepard had no idea what waited for them on the other side of the clubs entrance. A few silent hand gestures later and the team entered the club putting down assailant after assailant making their way towards the back office; heading deeper into the bowels of Chora's Den. The place looked different and it wasn't just because of the blood that spattered the walls or tiny bullet holes decorating every surface.

Without its customers or asari dancers strung around the club, Chora's Den somehow managed to look even more gaudy and run-down. It reminded her again of her time on the streets. The flashing lights, the booming of the techno… The females subjecting themselves to gropes and profanity. Everything that happened to her on Mindoir… The life she made after. It gave her a certain edge.

Seeing these things at such a influential age had taught her something about human nature. Watching idly, frozen in fear as your family was murdered in front of you- did something to you. Seeing people vulnerable and desperate, or being desperate yourself taught lessons that were otherwise impossible to learn.

Finally they were met with the man himself. Fist. He was short and not by any means intimidating. It was still known however that he had some sort of power regardless of what his physical appearance might suggest. Before Shepard even had time to think about whether she would have to charm or beat her way into getting information, he was already dead. The 3 of them turned around faster than Fist's body fell, seeing a krogan with large scars running down the right side of his face.

"What the hell was that about!" Shepard spat as she lunged towards him, throwing another finger out angrily.

This action surprised both of her crew members and Garrus wondered if Shepard had ever actually met a krogan before.

"I needed him alive. I am getting really damn tired of everyone getting between me and my job." Shepard was nearly yelling at the krogan, standing as near to eye to eye as possible given the size differences. It still surprised Garrus that she showed such courage and not a hint of fear. The krogan let out a grunt and then began to laugh.

Oh this aught to be good….