𝙳𝙾𝙶 𝙾𝙵 𝚆𝙰𝚁. — KIRA SHEPARD.         choseparagon‌ she  hadn’t ...

KIRA SHEPARD.         ^{choseparagon‌}

she  hadn’t  expected  williams  to  be  on  edge,  had  anticipated  something  akin  to  relief,  if anything.  shepard’s  flipped  through  her  file,  of  course,  just  as  any  commanding  officer should  and  would.  there’s  little  of  interest  there,  mostly  backwater  assignments  and deployments  for  short  periods  of  time.  they’re  wasting  her,  shepard  had  thought, squandering  talent  and  courage  on  the  sort  of  minuscule  assignments  you  toss  out  as afterthoughts. 

“not  really,”  shepard  says  easily  and  offers  a  smile in  return, “it’s  just  me,  but  it’s  been that  way  for  a  while,  so  it’s  fine.” a  while  means  always,  but  how  do  you  mourn  the loss  of  what  you’ve  never  known  in  the  first  place?  it’s  always  been  her,  and  just  her, and  thus  far? she’s  survived.  that’s  more  than  enough.  “since  the  start?  wow,  it  is  a williams  tradition  then,”  shepard  nods  and  folds  her  arms  over  her  chest,  though  her spine  straightens  as  ashley’s  voice  becomes  laced  with something new. “the alliance,” shepard  continues  carefully  after  a  long  moment, “would  be  fortunate  to  have  anyone  else  from  your  family,  if  they’re  anything  like  you,  williams.” 

she  moves  to  tuck  a  loose  strand  of  hair  behind  an  ear,  shoulders  tensing slightly.  “whatever  reservations  you  may  have,  i  appreciate  that  you  haven’t  let  them  get  in  the way.  you’ve  been  nothing  but  respectful,  williams.  others  on  board  have  not.  i’m  more  than  happy  to  hear  your  concerns,  whatever  they  may  be.”  

IN THE LOW LIGHT ,           ^{everything looks different ,   humming with the heartbeat of the ship .     she’s never been aboard a warship this long    —      long enough to know the way alenko leaves his left unguarded sometimes ,     and how joker calls his sister gunny ,    when her name is hilary and she’s as desperate for the stars as her brother .     she’s been apart of units ,    professional and trained ,    but not teams .     definitely not teams with a leader who stops to learn the names of her sisters .    it’s     …     new ,    and comes with a kind of comforting ease that she doesn’t know what to do with .    throws her off guard ,    this kind of easy back - and - forth ,    but she leans into it all the same .}

^{❝          just you ?        ❞           for a moment ,    she wants to offer her condolences :     living without her family is impossible to imagine .    where would she be without the steady foundation of her mother ,   the warm tone of her sisters over vidcalls ,    the memories of her father wreathed in heart ?    a childhood surrounded by family leaves her unsure of what ,   exactly ,    to say ,     and all she can do is nod in understanding .    but the careful poker face she’s maintained thus far stutters and slips ,    shepard’s declaration leaving her silent in the face of such a commendation .    what is she without her name ,   without general williams’ snapping at her heels ?     shepard doesn’t know ,    then .      straightening up ,     ashley’s momentary lapse shutters back into professionalism ,     tinged with a hint of appreciation ,    maybe even a little pride .     her father was a damn good soldier ,     and so was her grandfather ,    and she can do nothing but try to live up to their examples ,    even if the alliance can’t see that .        ❝          uh ,    thank you ,    ma’am .   that means a lot      —     but you don’t know my sisters .          ❞           levity ,     a laugh shaped like an exhale ,          ❝          you’d have a field day with them ,    i bet .    abby likes to swordfight .           ❞}  

^{they’d never really been interested in keeping to the family tradition ,    and who can blame them ?     all four williams’ sisters have a stubborn streak a mile wide ,     but she’s the only one bull - headed enough to try and overcome the williams curse .     and here she is now ,     risking the easy rapport shepard’s offered .    she inhales till her lungs ache ,     turning the wording over in her head .          ❝          i’ve got some    …   concerns ,   about the alien crew members .          ❞          it wasn’t that their non - alliance crewmates weren’t talented .    they were damn good at their jobs .    vakarian worked a rifle well enough to make her jealous ,    not that she’d ever tell him so .    they’d need a bomb to take out wrex .    their qualifications weren’t in question ,    only their loyalty .     saren played the council like a drum ,    with enough reach to make anyone nervous :     who’s to say he hadn’t played them the same ?    they had his second - in - commander’s daughter on board .      a sigh slumps through her ribs ,    and she bites the bullet .          ❝         i know we need all the help we can get ,     and i appreciate that they say they want to help     —     have been helping     —     but they’re not alliance .    i just    …    should we be giving them full access to the normandy’s vital systems ?    it’s the most advanced ship in the fleet    –          ❞            she shifts ,    dragging her palm across the back of her neck .          ❝           –      can we really be sure they’re on our side ?    the council sure isn’t .            ❞}