Chapter 1

The Planet Nevos- 2170

She watched in silence as the Justicar stalked her. Weapon drawn and biotics flaring, the ancient asari warrior moved like the deadly predator that she was.

"I know you are here Felina. Shall we end this once and for all?" The Justicar called out into the darkness. Her voice was soft but commanding. This was the closest she'd been in twenty years. Felina knew she couldn't keep this up, not by herself. "The code demands I bring you down. One way or the other this will end. Why not make it today?"

Felina held her breath in as the Justicar moved past her hiding spot. The shipping crates were stacked high and even a Justicar would have trouble finding her in here. But she couldn't live in this old warehouse forever. She needed to leave Nevos. Slowly Felina began to move towards the exit. As she moved closer and closer to the exit the sound of rain pounding on the pavement outside grew. Then a shot rang out from behind her, striking the shipping crate beside her.

Felina raised her hands over her head and turned to face her pursuer. In all the years she been pursued by the woman she had never seen her face so clearly. The Justicar was beautiful and she had kindness in her eyes as she raised her gun at Felina. "I take no pleasure in this Felina. But the code decides my actions here, not me. I must admit, your will to survive is admirable. As is your strength."

"The c-code decides your actions? Are you s-sure about that? What did she tell you about me?"

"She told me enough." She aimed her weapon. "Find peace in the embrace of the Goddess."

"I'm sorry Raila." Felina said. Her voice slightly muffled by the damp bandages covering her face. Felina throw the strongest biotic pulse she could at the Justicar and a hot burning pain stung throughout her whole body as she did. Raila dodged the attack easily but Felina followed by sending the highly stacked shipping crates crashing down around them with another biotic pulse that burned twice as hard. As the falling crates disrupted Raila's line of sight on her, Felina launched into an all out sprint to the docking bays.

She slipped on the wet ground outside but scrambled back to her feet as she continued running to her destination. Her heart beat ringing in her ears. Behind her she heard Raila shouting her name and a few shots being fired that thankfully missed. Her legs were burning with pain as she made her way to the docking bay. The passenger ship was filling up and the turian guard at the boarding gate moved to stop her when he saw her barreling towards the entrance to the vessel. She knocked him down with a bitoic strike that sent the turian on his back. "I'm sorry!" She said as she passed the dazed turian and made her way inside the ship.

Raila was too slow. The doors were sealed by the time she had caught up and it had begun take off. Her leg stung from where it was struck by a falling crate. The girl was fast and smart the justicar had to admit. But this defeat did not weigh heavily on her. She was getting closer every day and her victory was inevitable. She limped over to the guard and extended her hand to the fallen turian and pulled him to his feet. "That ship. Where is it heading?"

"The Citadel. Do you want me to call it back?"

"Don't bother." The justicar was in no shape to pursue her target further today. But soon this decades long chase would reach it's end.

The Citadel

"Why did you join C-Sec?"

"Why did I join? I don't know. After I was done with the Alliance it just seemed like the next step. Sarah wanted to try and settle down in one place. Find somewhere secure to raise a child." She blew smoke out through her nose as she took another drag from her cigarette. "Look how well that turned out."

"You must not blame yourself, Marion."

"Bullshit. Nobodies fault but mine. And don't call me Marion. We're not friends. I don't have time for friends." Marion said.

"And what about your down time? Are you keeping busy?" The shrink asked.

"If by busy you mean drunk then yeah I'm keeping really busy."

The doctor sighed. "Detective Corvus, I really think you should try and engage in more positive activities. It's been over a year. You should try to move on."

Corvus chuckled. "Move on? To what?"

"Make some friends, go on a date. Find something to live for."

"I already did." Corvus hung her head and killed her cigarette in the ash tray.

The doctor got to his feet. "Well that's the last of your mandated sessions. But it pains me to say that I don't think you've made much progress detective."

"No shit."

"I implore you to consider continuing our sessions. I will be submitting your psyche report to C-Sec tonight. In the meantime try and work on that positive outlook."

Corvus rolled her eyes. "Yeah I'll try that doc." she said sarcastically. "See ya around."

The detective made her way into the C-Sec offices to meet her partner. A fresh smoke hung from her soft lips. She stepped into Valerk's office and glared at the turian.

"You're back." He said.

"Yeah. So get off your ass we have a crime scene." Corvus said.

Valerk chuckled. "Clearly the therapy has done wonders for you."

"Shut up turian and get your stuff."

The turian sighed as he got to his feet. "I was hoping perhaps we could start fresh."

"Keep dreaming. Now am I going alone?"

"No." Valerk holstered his gun and locked up his office as he left with his human partner. She was always like this for as long as he had known her. He had been partnered with her right out of the academy which he had found strange at the time. Detective Corvus was one of the first humans to join Citadel Security. He had assumed that she would be one of the most respected officers for having served so long. But nobody wished to work with the detective. Despite the woman not exactly treating him with charity he felt bad for her.

"You're driving." Corvus said as she twirled her cigarette between her index finger and thumb.

Valerk eyed the cigarette. "Marion, you're not supposed to smoke in here. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"How many times do I have to tell you I don't give a shit? And it's Detective Corvus."

Zakera Ward

"Spirits."

"Not exactly a pretty picture." Corvus said as she looked upon the crime scene.

The asari's head was resting on the ground in a pool of purple blood. The rest of the body was nowhere to be seen.

"Who do you think she was?" Valerk asked.

"A nobody. This reeks of a gang kill. The head was placed here on display. Probably as a warning to a rival gang or maybe C-Sec." Corvus sighed in disappointment. "Gang kills are so boring."

"Boring? You have a morbid sense of entertainment detective."

Marion shrugged. "Been out of the game for 5 weeks. I was hoping for something with a little meat to it. Maybe a nice juicy political hit on the presidium. Not this child's play." She bent down next to the severed head. Out of the corners of the asari's cold lips she saw a small shred of paper peeking out. She pried it from the head's stiff jaw. Part of the message was obstructed by dried purple blood but it was still clear enough to be read. "Fist."

"Huh?"

"This is warning to that nigh club owner, Fist. You know the one that runs Chora's Den?"

"Yeah I know him."

"Like I said. Boring gang hit. Must have been a dancer." Corvus stood back up.

"Shame. She was pretty."

"If you say so. All these blues look the same to me." She walked over to one of the junior officers guarding the crime scene. "Get a clean up crew down here." She said and the young human nodded and brought up his omni-tool.

"You don't wanna look around anymore?"

"Why? This is cut and dry." Corvus put her face in her hands and ran her thumb along the L shaped scar on her left cheek.

"Well shouldn't we try and solve this? We are homicide detectives."

"Forget it, it's Zakera ward. I can't even think of one gang being successfully taken down by C-Sec in the wards. This won't be different. So i'm not wasting my time."

"Well how about I buy you dinner then? You know to welcome you back."

Corvus pulled her head from her hands and shot a confused look at her partner. She didn't like turians. Hell, she didn't like pretty much anyone. Especially non-humans. And she'd seen enough of her partner's kind on Shanxi to justify that hatred. But she was hungry. And Valerk wasn't as bad as the rest of them. "Fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah let's go."

Back at the offices many officers sat behind their desks on their terminals. Corvus twisted her face. She hated desk work but it was a part of the job. She made the old trek to her office and groaned when she saw Harkin leaning against the wall outside her office.

"Hey sweetheart. Heard you were back on duty. Had to see it to believe it myself. " Harkin said.

"Go away Harkin. The answer was no the first 50 times, it will be a no the next 50." Corvus spat.

Harkin chuckled. "Hey now I wasn't suggesting anything. But now that you mention it..."

"Finishing that sentence would be a very big mistake."

"Loosen up Corvus. I'm here cause the Executor wants to see you."

"Pallin?"

"Yep. He seemed pissed. But maybe he just needs some alone time with you. Wouldn't surprise me, you two are perfect for each other. You're both stuck up assholes." Harkin said.

"Screw you Harkin."

A wicked smile spread across the man's face. "Your place or mine?" he laughed at his own joke. "I gotta say detective. After that meltdown of yours. I'm surprised they're keeping you around."

Shame hit Corvus hard at the mention of the incident. She diverted her gaze to the ground. "Where's the Executor?"

"In his office. Have fun."

Corvus calmed her nerves before she stepped into the Executor's office. "You wanted to see me Executor Pallin?"

"Yes. Please take a seat Detective Corvus." Pallin said without taking his eyes off a datapad. The detective did as asked and took a seat across from her boss. "This is your Physiological evaluation." He said as he gestured to the datapad in his hand. "Doctor Reed sent it over just now. He says you're not fit for duty."

Corvus shot out of her seat. "What?! that's bullshit!"

"Calm down!" Pallin shouted. "The council says we need to have humans on the force. They don't say we need unstable ones. But in light of...what you went through last year. I deemed it necessary for you to plead your case."

"Sir, I'm fit for duty."

"Saying it doesn't make it true detective." Pallin tossed the datapad aside and leaned back in his chair. "Listen Corvus, despite my misgivings about humanity you're not a bad detective. Not my best mind you. So this is nothing personal, but given what happened to your family and the incident six weeks ago and now this psyche report. I'm afraid you're not demonstrating to me that you are able to continue working at a satisfactory level after what happened."

"Please sir... I don't have anything else." Corvus pleaded.

"I think that's part of the problem. Here's what I propose, take some more time off. Continue to see Doctor Reed. And in two months time we can try again."

"Two months! What the hell am I gonna do for two months?!"

"That isn't my problem detective. My job is ensuring that C-Sec is operating at peak performance at all times. And it can't do that if I have officers who are not mentally sound enough to protect the citizens of this station. I'm suspending you for two months. Take that time to work out your issues. This will be your last chance."

Corvus wanted to scream. She wanted to leap over the desk and strangle the turian. She wanted Sarah. Instead she hung her head in defeat. "Understood sir."

Pallin leaned forward. "I'm sorry."

She made her way back down to her office ignoring every fellow officer that passed her by on her way there. Marion entered her office and slumped down in her chair. She dipped her chin down and let her dark brown hair fall down in front of her face. Corvus looked up to the small desk lamp Sarah had given her as a gift when she joined C-Sec. She reached a hand out and ran her fingers through the dust that had collected on it. Marion sighed and packed it up along with the small amount of other belongings she had and made her way back out into the offices.

Harkin had returned to his position outside her office now sporting a smug grin. "Well well. Looks like maybe they're not keeping you around after all. Well good luck out there detective. You know you could always stay with me if times get tough. I'm sure Sarah wouldn't mind." The mentioning of her name was enough to make Corvus snap. She dropped the box containing her belongings and lunged at Harkin. The detective wrapped her hands around his throat and kicked down at his leg bending it outwards and breaking it. "Get off me you crazy bitch!" Harkin managed to rasp out.

Suddenly Corvus was pulled away from the man. She fought desperately to free herself as she howled and kicked at Harkin as the man laid crumpled on the ground cradling his broken leg. She turned to see Valerk holding her back with concern in his eyes. "Corvus, calm down! Please!" her partner shouted.

The fight left her and the turian let her free. Marion bent over to her fallen belongings and found Sarah's lamp had been rendered broken from the fall. tears came to her eyes as she franticly scrambled to pick up the pieces. She placed the shattered remains of the lamp back in the box and ran as fast as she could out of the office and away from the eyes of her frightened co-workers.

The Goldsmith Jazz Club- Zakera Ward

Marion Corvus sat in a darkened corner table. The cherry of her cigarette the only form of dim illumination escaping her table as she cradled a glass of whiskey. Silently she watched the band play. She used to come here with Sarah. She used to enjoy the music they played, the slow pianos and saxophones. Now all it was was another reminder of what she'd lost. The detective didn't know why she came here every night. Or why nobody had ever come to talk with her in her corner table. Part of her was thankful for that fact, but deep down it hurt.

Corvus took a long drag from her cigarette and followed it with a sip of whiskey. She wanted to stop coming back here. To stop seeing Daniel's face in every child she passed and hearing Sarah's voice everywhere she went. She thought she knew what pain was back on Shanxi, what a fool she had been. She finished her glass and rose to leave. Outside of the club she watched the skycars soar by. Corvus called a cab through the transit console and traveled to her apartment.

She removed her leather jacket as she stepped in the door and began unbuttoning her shirt. Marion began pouring herself another glass of whiskey as she made her way to Daniel's bedroom. She didn't dare step inside past the doorframe. She just observed the child's abandoned room. Dust had begun to cover everything inside but she couldn't bring herself to disturb anything from where he left it.

Marion finished getting undressed and didn't bother with a shower before she flopped on to her bed. She stayed on the left side of the queen sized bed just like every night. Just when she closed her eyes to fall asleep she was awoken by the sound of someone buzzing her apartment. She decided to ignore it but then another buzz sounded, longer this time. She groaned and got out of bed. The detective pulled her pants up her legs and threw her leather jacket on over her bare torso before opening her door.

Before her stood a frightened looking asari. Her face hid behind bandages that wrapped around the blue woman's head and made identifying her impossible. "D-Detective Marion Corvus?" The veiled asari said shakily.

"What do you need?" Corvus asked.

"I need your help." Felina answered.

Notes- Okay, so begins my very first OC Mass Effect story. This will be a long running series that will be running alongside "Shepard and Liara Versus the High School Reunion". Don't worry, I'm still finishing "Miranda and Jack's First Christmas" I just wanted to have the first chapter of this out before the final chapter of Miri and Jack's Holiday story is finished. Thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to review. And don't worry, this story is very much connected with the rest of my universe and with a very big story coming in the future starring Shepard and Liara. EDIT- I discovered an actress who looks exactly like what Marion Corvus is supposed to look like. Check my profile for links to pictures of the actress Christina Cox! Oh and enjoy this story! Please feel free to read and review.