A fic with Ashley. Fancy That! Anything in italics are thoughts.

Gunning For It

Chapter 1:

Staring

Ashley put down the latest pistol she was cleaning, and sighed. What's the point of keeping these things so clean? Commander dives into so much crap, it's a wonder we don't all smell like shit. Don't even get me started on that Thorian thing.

"A credit for your thoughts Chief?" came the voice of Shepard.

"Just wondering when you'll take my advice and stop running into the middle of a battle. Haven't you ever heard of finding cover and staying back Shepard?" came the Chief's reply s she turned to face her CO.

"Sorry Ash, I love my pistol and shotgun," the commander countered. "Especially if I just lifted my target fifty feet into the air."

Williams laughed, "Yes well, that does make it easier for everybody groundside."

Shepard smirked, "I could never figure out why the geth can't fire back. Zero-gee combat didn't seem that hard aboard the Rakesh."

"You trained at the Rakesh Platform?" queried Ashley. "So did I!"

"Right after Macapá?"

"Exactly! Right after high school, " replied Ashley. "You mean I had the same training as 'the first human Spectre'?"

"Well, I did complete the special forces program," Shepard answered.

"Right, the N7 code," the Chief said, nodding her head. "Highest level of proficiency right?"

"Yep."

"Damn that's cool," Ashley said, flashing a smile. Why am I so excited about something so trivial as training in the same place?

"There's no reason why you can't do the same thing Ash. I've seen your dossier: squad leader, high marks, dedicated, but all I see is a list of crap assignments," Shepard noted.

"I have no dreams of going to an Academy when I just got onboard the best tin can that the Alliance can come up with," Ashley said before taking a deep breath. "And there's a reason for the crap assignments skipper."

"Oh?"

The Chief sighed, "Does the name General Williams mean anything to you?"

Shepard's eyes rolled, "Don't tell me…"

"Yep, I'm the granddaughter of the first human to ever surrender to alien forces," Ashley said ruefully.

"As I recall, he saved the lives of his people from starvation."

"Damn right he did," Ashley said proudly. "Those turian's would level and entire city block just to kill a three man squad looking for supplies," Ashley finished, shooting a nasty glare towards the Mako where Garrus was hard at work.

"That explains your mistrust or turian's, but you can trust Garrus," Shepard said, seeing the direction in which the Chief was looking.

"Whatever your policy is on aliens is Shepard, I'll fall in line."

"Thanks Chief, I have enough issues with our navigator."

"You know, my father enrolled in the Alliance as well, and he never made it past serviceman third class," Ashley continued.

"Yet here you are," Shepard said with sweeping arms for emphasis.

"Yeah, it takes a special kind of thick-headed to march right into a job where your entire family is blacklisted," Ashley said, shaking her head at the floor. Why can't I shut up?

The Spectre patted Ash's shoulder, "Well I for one couldn't be happier."

"Thanks Shepard." Why am I so warm right now?

"We'll talk later Williams."

"Looking forward to it skipper," Ashley said as Shepard turned to leave.

Ash went to turn back to her work when she knocked over an assault rifle that clattered to the ground. As the Gunnery Chief picked up the fallen weapon, she spied Shepard bent over trying to talk to Garrus who was underneath the Mako. Wow, from this angle, the Commander has a nice ass.

Why am I thinking these thoughts?

Wrex came lumbering over to the crouched Williams. "See anything interesting there Chief," the krogan half whispered half rumbled.

"I…uh…no," the Chief stammered, turning red.

The krogan rumbled out a laugh, "Yeah okay. I'm just wondering if you like Shepard's style or her ass."

Christ.

Please tell me nobody was expecting that!