Shepard Family Reunion

Commander Jane Shepard had been surprised when her mother called her up to get coffee. It was the first opportunity they had gotten to see each other in years. Maybe she'd finally get the opportunity to introduce Liara to her, but for now, she was just glad to see her. There was a cafe frequented by and friendly to Alliance personnel. Ashley had raved about the place to her, about how it was going to completely change her life. So Shepard decided to meet with her mother there.

Hannah Shepard was already waiting when her daughter walked in, dressed in her officer's uniform and sipping coffee. For a woman pushing 70, she didn't appear a day older than 40, in fact the only hint to her true age was that her hair was darkened crimson rather than the vibrant scarlet that was traditional of the Shepard women and she was slightly taller than her daughter. It was easy to mistake her for her older sister.

"Captain," Jane saluted at attention. Her mother stood up and returned the salute.

"At ease Commander," she said, before Jane hugged her.

"It's good to see you, mom."

"It's good to see you too, Jane," she said, returning the hug before gesturing to their seats. "I already ordered for you," she said as they sat down.

"You know what I get?"

"Of course. Coffee, black, extra hot so you can let it cool and drink it slowly otherwise you get the jitters, then a full English breakfast." Jane could only stare in surprise. "A mother always knows my dear. You'll understand some day."

"What about you? What are you getting?" Jane asked, trying to move quickly onwards and not think about how much her mother knew about her personal life or how she knew it.

"Tea. Earl Grey. Hot," Hannah replied.

"Traditional captain's drink," Jane said.

"Naturally. Plus, a sandwich. Now then, how have things been?"

They chatted for awhile, Jane's coffee arriving at temperatures which would give most Krogan pause, and then the food came out. It looked delicious, no arguing that, and it lived up to the taste too. Scrumptious. Jane had to restrain herself from inhaling the eggs, and the sausage...

"That looks good," Hannah said, as Jane chewed on the sweet and savory sausage. "Although, I hear it's not sausage you've been snacking on these days..." She said, gently sipping her tea.

"Mom!" Jane suddenly choked, jolting upright in her seat with an audible thud. Thankfully the cafe was empty for now and no one else heard that. She wound up reaching for her coffee to wash down the sausage, completing uncaring about the heat, as she was still too in shock to notice. Her mother simply smiled wickedly.

"I'm sorry," she chuckled. "I couldn't resist." She let out a soft sigh. "This Asari girl... Liara... Is she nice?" Shepard looked at her, looking for any sign of another devilish trick, then relaxed again.

"Yeah. Yeah she is," Shepard smiled.

"Affectionate? Personable?"

"Yeah."

"Assertive? She can handle herself?"

"Yeah, definitely. It's funny. She used to be this timid little thing and now she could own the galaxy," Shepard smiled wistfully. "She's great. She's just great. Hell, I wouldn't even be here if not for her..."

"It sounds like you love her a lot then."

"I do. I really do."

"Good, but just remember. She can own the galaxy, but she can never own you."

"I know, I know. We belong to the uniform right?" Shepard held up her dog tags to demonstrate.

"So you do remember..." Hannah said, contemplatively.

"Always." There was a pause, during which time the smile faded from Shepard's face.

"Mom?"

"Do you really mean that Jane?" Hannah asked, suddenly sounding very... odd.

"Really mean what mom?"

"Do you really mean it when you say you belong to the uniform? Do you understand what that means?"

"Of course mom, why?" Shepard suddenly felt uneasy, and a little strange. She looked down to see her hand trembling a bit. She had finished her coffee, but it had been slowly. She should've been steady.

"If you had to choose between this girl, and the Alliance... Which would it be Jane?" Hannah stared, her face growing increasingly stoic and expressionless.

"I... Agh... I don't... I don't know... Mom... Something's not... right... I feel..."

"You feel wrong. Because you gave the wrong answer. Don't worry though. We'll make you right again. Soon, we'll make sure that you obey your superior officers, and if one of them told you to shoot this girl you like so much, you wouldn't even hesitate."

Shepard collapsed in her seat, ****. Soon, two staff members walked out of the back room and dragged her away. Hannah did not so much as change her posture. Her mission was successful. Her superiors would be pleased. She did not fathom what she had just done to her daughter, what fate she had just consigned her to, because all that mattered was the Alliance. She had been shown that when Admiral Lindholm approached her with this assignment. She had resisted, of course, but that was before Admiral Lindholm reminded her of her loyalties, quite thoroughly. Lindholm had flushed her mind and rejuvenated her body, then she remembered her place. She knew that woman being dragged away was her daughter, but it meant nothing to her. Nothing she knew mattered to her that wasn't the good of the Alliance, because she was nothing without the Alliance. She was a tool, to be used and disposed of at their leisure. She would return to the SSV Orizaba and remember nothing of this encounter. Her crew, likewise, would not remember this stop. They had all been shown the light, though less invasively as her or Ashley. A few subliminal messages beamed into their brains from their omni-tools and terminals and soon they were all singing the same tune, although unlike Ashley or Hannah, they did not know they had been changed. The SSV Orizaba would soon be the pride of the First Fleet, with a model captain and crew doing their duties loyally and diligently for the Alliance.

As would Commander Jane Shepard soon enough...