Chapter 1 – Miss Fin Fiona Blank Anders

Fiona followed behind Anders into the SSV Normandy SR-1. Nihlus and him were talking in detail as she held her notebook to her chest, the pencil behind her ear. Many of the crewmen looked confused at the "old" writing device, but she simply let her silky black hair fall in front of her face so she couldn't see them. He gave the spectre a tour of the Turian-Human vessel, ending it below deck next to the Mako. "Fiona I am heading up to my cabin in a moment to prepare for the meeting will you escort our friend Nihlus to the bridge?"

"Yes sir." She bowed her head and started to turn away before Anderson's hand rested on her shoulder.

"I told you not to call me that Fin." He smiled and patted her arm. "Now go we all have work to do!"

She blushed lightly, "Ok Dave." She turned around to the spectre after setting down her notebook and pencil. "This way Nihlus." She headed to the elevator and held it open for their esteemed guest. She preferred the other crewmen didn't know about her relationship with the Captain. He had found her after she had ran away from her captors at fifteen, but that was another story. She lived with him and occasionally Kahlee Sanders, learning how to function in the real world. Her days were filled with sitting around watching vids on anything and everything at their Citadel apartment on the Silversun Strip. She had her own bedroom but she spent most of her time in the living room watching vids and playing the piano which she mastered surprisingly fast and…

"Miss Anders?" Nihlus chimed into her thoughts. "Which floor?"

"Upper Deck" She smiled to herself "Anders" was a last name given to her by Kahlee and David.

"Miss Ande.."

"Fiona please." the only name I ever knew. Her hair shown streaks of blue, Nihlus took notice looking her up and down, her body language shown twinges of nervousness but her voice was calm, almost robotic if he hadn't known better he would think nothing was wrong, but over 40 years of service told him otherwise.

"Very well Fiona.." He took pause choosing his words carefully. "So how do you know Anderson and the esteemed commander Shepard?"

"Anderson I've known since I was young, and the commander… well I know she and David get along, I've been off the ship, more than on it managing things for the captain so I haven't gotten the opportunity to talk much to her."

"Who is David?" Nihlus asked cocking his head slightly

"Captain Anderson's first name." she smiled relaxing. I guess Aliens are "only human" too. She thought to herself.

"I thought you called him Dave."

"Dave is a nickname, David is his first name, and Anderson in his last name."

"You humans have so many strange customs, almost as many as how many names you carry."

"We also have a middle name, but no one cares about those." They both laughed lightly as the elevator doors opened.

"So what is your middle name?" he asked lightly as they traveled up the stairs.

"I actually don't have one at the moment…" Her eyes fogged over for a second. "But if I did I'd want it to be something meaningful, something different."

"Hitting the Mass Relay in 3… 2… 1…" The pilot's voice sounded from bridge.

"Well Miss Fin Fiona Blank Anders, as you humans say, time to get this thing on the road" Nihlus smiled then stepped up behind… what was his name? Jeff Moreau?

"1500 is good your captain will be pleased." Nihlus walked away totally professional slipping Fin a quick bow of his head before he left the room. Fiona had just noticed the commander come up behind them.

"I hate that guy." Mr. Moreau said heavily. Fiona listened to him and the Staff Lieutenant go back and forth until Commander Ren Shepard joined in their squabble kindly yet sternly ending it after Jeff's "fly" joke. Anderson came out on the com irritably and Ren left to talk to the other crew members. "I'm the best damn helmsman in the Alliance fleet Kaiden, I'm aloud to make people angry." Jeff argued at the Lieutenant.

"You say that a lot." Kaiden laughed and got up to stretch. Fiona stepped back to the shadows trying not to be seen. "Oh hi, you're the captain's assistant yes?" Kaiden smiled warmly approaching her with his hand outstretched. She nodded and stepped towards him shaking his hand. "I don't believe we've met I'm Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko."

"Fiona Anders." She blushed letting go of his hand. Kaiden elbowed Jeff.

"Fine." The helmsman struggled out of his seat grabbing a crutch. "Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau" He stoutly held his hand out. He noticed how soft her hand was and how lightly she gripped his hand, not like the usual pity handshakes he received, it was more like she was trying to hide something. The light was dark but her silky hair was parted to the right yet lumped over the left side like there was a giant scar. This intrigued Joker if only for a second. "What's it like to be the assistant of a grumpy old black dude?"

"Joker.." Kaiden almost growled

"Oh hush Alenko I'm only kidding, go cry to your superiors if you have a complaint." Fiona laughed out loud but quickly covered her mouth.

"Well at least someone thinks you're funny. I'll be downstairs; you two should take a break." Kaiden headed off the bridge leaving the two awkward and alone together.

"Would you like to go eat?" Fin asked shyly

"I'm not big on people.."

"I have a place we can go below deck." Joker's mind immediately went somewhere dirty before he shook the thought from his mind.

"S-sure" he coughed out grabbing his other crutch. "Where to?"