Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/10840050.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Major_Character_Death, Underage
  Category:
      Gen
  Fandom:
      Mass_Effect_Trilogy, Mass_Effect_-_All_Media_Types
  Relationship:
      Female_Shepard/Liara_T'Soni
  Character:
      Female_Shepard_(Mass_Effect), Shepard_(Mass_Effect), Liara_T'Soni, Ashley
      Williams, James_Vega, Javik_(Mass_Effect), Samara_(Mass_Effect), Garrus
      Vakarian, Jeff_"Joker"_Moreau, Miranda_Lawson, EDI_(Mass_Effect), Zaeed
      Massani, Kasumi_Goto, Mordin_Solus, Samantha_Traynor, Grunt_(Mass
      Effect), Legion_(Mass_Effect), Kelly_Chambers, Normandy_Crew, Illusive
      Man, Mass_Effect_Ensemble, Jack_|_Subject_Zero, Jacob_Taylor, Original
      Mass_Effect_Character(s)
  Additional Tags:
      Original_Character(s), Hurt, Origin_Story, Love, Pain, Drugs, Drug_Use,
      Recreational_Drug_Use, References_to_Drugs, Violence, Origins,
      Relationship(s)
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-05-06 Updated: 2017-05-08 Chapters: 2/? Words: 4413
****** Commander Shepard: Invictus ******
by AR_Torquil
Summary
     Commander Shepard is a legend, but where do legends come from? From
     the dirt of Earth, to the sands of Akuze, to the Normandy and beyond.
     The origin story and further of my Commander Shepard. From her start
     as riff raff on Earth to the hardened Commander to the retired legend
     carrying a life of consequences on her shoulders.
     [Different warnings apply to different chapters and I'll be sure to
     mark them properly. I won't lie, this story spares no details in my
     Shepard's life. It is not for the faint of heart. This is also going
     to be a big project but it's definitely NOT going to just be a rehash
     of what happens in the trilogy. Some things are also slightly off
     canon for the sake of better story telling.]
Notes
     And so it begins. This is the first chapter of my Commander Shepard's
     story. The story begins using the first name I gave her and then
     shifts to only her last name later on. The reason for the change will
     be revealed through reading. I don't know how long it will take me to
     get through her story but my aim is to AVOID making this a simple
     rehash of the games with some added thoughts and actions. This is the
     story of my Shepard and what it means to come from rags to rising to
     a legend and the consequences that come with it. It will not be
     pretty, as is life. So be prepared, and enjoy.
***** And So It Begins *****
Case File: Lukas Shepard – Childhood (Age 8)
Location: New London, Earth
Day 174 into the Earth’s Revolution
Year 2162: 23 Years Prior to Eden Prime
Lukas Shepard and her best friend Sam sat on the hardwood floors of Lukas’ room
with their feet stretched out before them. It was just getting to sunset, their
favorite time of day to do one of their favorite activities.
“Hurry, hurry! The sun’s about to set!” Sam squirmed in excitement.
“I’m trying!” Lukas pulled out a necklace from her pocket and dangled the
pendant in front of the incoming rays of sun.
Once the pendant was hit by the sun’s rays the room dimmed and beautiful colors
of cosmic purples and blues filled the room surrounding them. Slowly little
white flecks filled in the empty spaces and the milky way galaxy formed in the
center of the room. The children’s faces lit up with wonder as their galaxy
surrounded them. They made a game of pointing out constellations and which of
the stars made up their solar system.
“That one over there has to be Earth!” Lukas shouted and jutted her finger to a
bright star in the galaxy.
“No it’s not! Earth is over here!” Sam frowned and pointed to a different star
on the opposite side.
“How do you know?” Lukas frowned in protest.
“Because my Dad said so! He showed me on his ship’s map once!” Sam stuck his
tongue out at Lukas and they both started to laugh.

Sam was Lukas’ childhood friend. They had both grown up in the same town in New
London, a location of a major space ship landing station. The town was a major
tourist area because of this often bringing in travelers from all over the
galaxy. Nearby was also a major Alliance Station and most of the town’s
residents were those who worked for the Alliance including Sam’s father. His
father was a pilot for the Alliance Cruiser SSV London part of the Fourth Fleet
protecting Earth. His mother was a co-pilot for the same ship but retired when
Sam was born to take care of him.

Lukas’ parents on the other hand were contract workers for the Alliance,
indirectly working for the Alliance in Communications and Technology. Their
jobs often allowed them to work from home meaning Lukas rarely ever had to be
alone. Their family wasn’t perfect but they all shared an incredible bond.
“Lukas! Sam! It’s time for dinner.” Lukas’ mother, Victoria, called from
downstairs.
Lukas and Sam frowned not wanting to leave their personal galaxy.
“Come on, kids! It’s getting cold!”
Groaning Lukas put the necklace in her pocket and the galaxy instantly
vanished. The two of them begrudgingly made their way downstairs to the dinner
table. Lukas’ mom passed out the dinner plates and Sam’s mother, Anna, gathered
the food onto the table. Sam and his mom often joined Lukas’ family for dinner
while his father was deployed.
“Don’t forget to wash your hands before dinner.” Lukas’ dad, Jared, gave them a
playful but stern look.
“Okay, Dad.”
“Okay, Mr. Shepard.”
Tonight was Lukas’ favorite night. Her mother always made the best baked varren
and Sam’s mom made the best desserts. Lukas and Sam eagerly dove into their
plates.
“Won’t you two slow down? You’re going to give yourselves a stomach ache.”
Lukas’ mother shook her head.
“Don’t you know, honey? Fighting batarians and vorcha really gives you an
appetite.” Lukas’ father, Jared, said with a wink to the children.
“Yeah, Mom! We almost lost Sam during that last fight.” Lukas winked back at
her father.
The laughter echoing in the dining room was interrupted by a piercing noise and
the house violently shaking. Plates on the table fell to the floor shattering
and Lukas and Sam flew off their chairs onto the floor. Sam’s mother grabbed
the both of them and dragged them down the hallway to the closet under the
stairs.
“Get in here and stay quiet! We’ll be right back!” With that she slammed the
door and ran off down the hallway.
“Mom!” Sam slammed his fists against the wall repeatedly.
Lukas yanked him back and slapped her hand over his mouth, “Shh! Your mom said
we have to be quiet.”
Another violent tremor threw them to the back wall. Lukas’ vision blurred for a
moment and she felt a wetness on the back of her head. She only noticed the
ringing in her ears when she saw Sam’s mouth moving but couldn’t hear anything.
“Lukas, are you okay? Lukas!” Sam spoke quietly.
Muffled voices came through the door to Lukas’ ears. They were gruff and deep.
Lukas’ and Sam’s parents were yelling back at them. “Please, no! We have
children! Please, we will give you everything we’ve got!” Sam’s mom cried.
“Sorry, sweetheart, but this ain’t a robbery.” The gruff voice spoke. It
sounded batarian. A gunshot sounded followed by the screams of presumably
Lukas’ parents.
“M-!” Sam started to cry out but Lukas’ covered his mouth once again with her
hand. She could feel his tears drip down onto her fingers. Two more gunshots
sounded and the house grew eerily quiet except for the dull rumble outside.
Lukas tried to keep her tears quiet as her and Sam slowly fell to the floor.
Mom… Dad… Lukas whimpered quietly.
Lukas put her mouth to Sam’s ear and whispered, “Sam…” her voice shook, “we
have to get out of here.” Sam gave a shaky nod. “Let’s wait until they walk
away and then run for the back door okay?” He gave another shaky nod. Lukas
quietly moved to the door and listened for footsteps. At first the footsteps
grew closer to the door and stopped. Lukas grabbed her chest as if the batarian
on the other side could hear her heart pounding. After what felt like an
eternity she heard the footsteps go off in another direction. She released her
breath and turned to Sam nodding. Slowly she opened the cabinet door checking
the path to the door. Clear.
“Go!” She grabbed Sam by the forearm and took off for the backdoor.
Behind her she heard someone shout, “The children! They’re getting away!”
A batarian replied, “Ah, let them go. We aren’t here for them. Besides they’ll
probably be eaten by a wild varren anyways.”
Lukas didn’t bother to stop running after the backdoor slammed shut behind
them. The sound of bullets and bombs in the background kept her adrenaline
pumping. We have to find Sam’s dad. Lukas kept them running behind houses and
through dark alleyways to keep them out of sight.
“My dad…” Sam huffed, “he’ll know…what to do.” Lukas could tell he was crying
by the sound of his voice. She squeezed his hand tightly for comfort.
The route they were on led them straight to the Alliance Station. The front
entrance was surrounded by local police and military officers. Two guards were
standing on either side of the path leading up to the building blocking any
entry.
Sam ran up to one of the guards huffing and puffing, “Have you seen my dad? I
need to find my dad!” He proceeded to rattle on about the attack and his mom,
his voice shaking.
“Woah, kid, slow down. I’m sorry but no one can enter the building right now.
It isn’t safe.” The soldier knelt down to Sam’s level. “Now, tell me one more
time. What happened?”
Sam sniffled and wiped his nose. “We were eating and…and then there was a loud
boom. My mom told us to hide under the stairs but… But then there were these
big men talking and then they…they shot my mom… And Lukas’s parents too.” Sam
looked back at Lukas and back at the soldier.
“You got away? You’re both so brave!” The soldier tried his best to give a
comforting smile and an affectionate rub of Sam’s shoulders.
“We need to find my dad,” Sam continued, “he’s a soldier. I need to tell him
what happened to mom.”
The soldier nodded and opened his Omni-tool, “Okay what’s his name?”
“Jack.”
“I need a last name, son.”
“Hanchester… And I’m Sam.”
The soldier nodded and smiled, “Alright just give me a second.” He stood and
walked a few feet away. He dialed his commanding officer on his omni-tool,
“Sir, this is Chief Trent, I have two young children here who escaped from the
attack. One of them is a young boy named Sam looking for his father Jack
Hanchester.” He paused for a moment neither Sam nor Lukas could hear what the
other person was replying. They waited a long while before seeing him close his
omni-tool and slowly approach them. His face was dismal and he knelt before Sam
once again. “Son, I’m so sorry but… Your father is gone. He was killed in the
attack.”
Lukas could see Sam’s shoulders start to shake violently and we wailed clinging
to the soldier. Her own vision blurred and she fell to her knees. She felt a
hand touch her shoulder and looked up. The other officer was kneeling in front
of her. She tried to hold back but the pain was simply too much for her young
heart. She crashed into him and buried her face into his uniform. “It’ll be
okay, kid,” he whispered.
***** Vagabonds *****
Chapter Notes
     WARNINGS: Graphic Depictions of Violence. Graphic Depictions of
     Violence Against Children.
     No holding back.
Case File: Lukas Shepard – (Age 10)
Location: New London, Earth – The Slums
Day 236 into the Earth’s Revolution
Year 2164: 21 Years Prior to Eden Prime
The door opened to a creaky, rundown house in the slums near New London. Sam
walked in dragging a dead animal carcass, “Lukas, I caught another varren!”
Lukas finished stoking the fire and setting up the spit. She ran over to Sam
and helped him move the body to the fire. She pulled her combat knife out of
her pocket and began skinning the varren. It will be nice to have a full
stomach again. It had been weeks since their last decent meal.
“This one’s nice and fat,” Sam gloated his eyes gleaming with pride.
Lukas’s stomach growled as she skillfully slid her blade under the layers of
skin. “If we leave the leftovers by the door the cold should keep it fresh for
tomorrow.” Winters in New London were exceptionally cold and tonight was no
different.
Sam agreed, “We need to hide it to keep the mercenaries from stealing our meat
again.” He collected a bucket catching water under a leak in the roof to wash
the meat. “Covering it with a blanket and covering it in those dead squirrel
carcasses from last night should be enough.”
"Good idea." Lukas hacked off a couple of chunks of meat and stuck them on the
spit. “So where did you find this one?”
“You know that alley by the Butcher’s shop on Grand Street? I found him eating
scraps from the dumpster. I hit in the head with a rock and then stabbed it
with my knife.” Lukas laughed at how much pride was in Sam’s voice.
Lukas took the cooked meat off the spit and split it amongst the two of them.
She tore into the meat ravenous and ill-mannered. The warmth of the meat
radiated through her and she sighed. “That was great.”
“Yeah it was.” Sam stood and dragged the carcass to the door covering it and
masking the smell like they planned.
While Sam cloaked their leftovers Lukas snuffed the fire out. Already she
missed the heat and her body tensed in anticipation of the cold. Her stomach
ached from its fullness and she felt her eyelids grow heavy. It had been
another cold, hard day and she wanted nothing more than to sleep it off. She
climbed up the creaky staircase to the second floor and made her way to the
bedroom. The old bed groaned even under her light weight. It wasn’t comfortable
but it was certainly better than the floor and had a thick comforter that she
snuggled under. Sam joined her soon after and they cuddled for more warmth. It
was Sam's steady breathing that lulled her to sleep that night.
Dreams of death and destruction haunted Lukas in her sleep. The town of her
childhood lay engulfed in flame before her. She was looking through the window
of her old house and watching as raiders of all species decimated buildings and
captured prisoners. Lukas could do nothing but watch in horror and scream. She
saw Sam outside and tried to call to him but couldn’t utter a sound. He was
just standing there staring at her. Why wouldn't he come inside? Couldn’t he
see what was happening? Why wasn’t he running? Why...
A dull, incoherent voice crept through to her. Slowly it grew louder and she
began to recognize it. The voice belonged to Sam and it was out of place,
almost surrounding her. Lukas opened her eyes to find Sam staring down at her.
“Lukas! Lukas, wake up!” he shook her shoulders, a look of worry on his face.
“I was screaming again, wasn’t I?” her voice was hardly more than a whisper.
Sam nodded, “You were having another nightmare.”
Not wanting to dwell on her nightmare Lukas stretched out and stood. “What do
you want to do today?”
Sam’s face was sympathetic, just the face she didn’t want to see. “Uhm, I don’t
know. You wanna go snag some fruit from that turian shopkeeper?” He tried his
best to smile at her.
“Sure,” she shrugged and threw her red locks up into a ponytail.
Lukas headed downstairs first and prepared the fire pit to cook their
breakfast. She grabbed her flint and a rock to spark the fire up. A handy trick
Sam’s father had taught them. He had been a firm believer in tradition and
being able to rely on one’s self rather than technology. She missed him just as
much as she missed her own parents.
Sam joined her at the fire hacking off more chunks of varren meat for their
breakfast. He huddled close to her trying to bring her some comfort. The nights
weren’t easy for him either Lukas could tell but she appreciated him for his
efforts. Lukas smiled and leaned against his shoulder. The two of them consumed
their breakfast in comfortable silence.
                                      ***
Sam and Lukas peeked through the slits in the makeshift fence separating the
slums from the grand metropolis of New London. Technically it was against the
law to discriminate against the poor by building a fence but that didn't stop
the city residents from doing it anyways. Through the slits they could see the
turian shopkeeper selling his wares to another customer.
"How do you wanna do this?" Lukas whispered.
"I'll try to distract him-maybe throw some rocks at him-and you can come from
behind and snatch something." Sam smiled at his little plan.
"Good idea."
Sam climbed the fence first waiting until no one was watching to slip into the
crowd unnoticed. Lukas watched him carefully waiting until the right moment. At
first Sam clung to a nearby group standing near the turian's shop pretending to
look uninterested. When the turian was occupied with another customer Lukas
watched him gather a few rocks scattered across the road.
“Hey!” Sam chucked the rocks at the turian's shop.
“You again?” the turian was furious, “How many times have I told you to knock
that shit off?” He directed his attention to Sam and Lukas leapt over the
fence.
She sprinted to the shop while the turian's back was turned and snatched as
much fruit as she could fit in her pockets of her jacket and jeans.
“Hey, kid, that’s stealing!” A nearby police officer caught her in the act and
she bolted for the fence. If she could make it back to the slums chances are
the authorities wouldn’t even bother chasing her.
Lukas snuck a glance over her shoulder and saw Sam running for the back alleys.
The officer was trying to close the gap between them and the turian was
shouting curses she couldn’t comprehend. Her adrenaline pounded in her chest.
Almost there. She sprung for the top of the fence line losing a few pieces of
fruit in the process. This was it. The final stretch. She tumbled to the ground
with a thud, but quickly regained her feet. She darted in between the old,
decrepit houses avoiding the exact way home just in case she was being
followed.
She slowed to a halt and looked over her shoulder. Clear. Lukas used the
opportunity to catch her breath and leaned against a nearby wall. Her heart
hammered in her chest and the air she sucked into her lungs stung from the
cold. Even through her gloves the cold nipped painfully at her fingertips and
she stuffed her hands in her pockets. With one last look behind her for good
measure she changed her course for the abandoned house her and Sam had deemed
‘home’ for the past two years. Her pace was quick and quiet, the slums were
known for its gangs and she didn’t want to stumble into any thugs lurking in
the shadows.
The route home was so familiar to her now that it was muscle memory. A left
here, a right there, then three more blocks to a side street and another left
turn. This place was so different from the town she lived in with her parents.
Before… Lukas rubbed the sting in her eyes on her sleeve and looked down at her
feet marking tracks in the snow. She missed her parents so much. She could
still hear the ringing in her ears as the bomb went off by their house. The
grating voice of the intruders as they shouted on the other side of the cabinet
door. The gunshots echoing through the small space and the blood creeping under
the crack of the door. It was a memory that she very rarely found refuge from.
Only when Sam was with her to talk to her and keep her company. Sam was the
only family she had left in this godforsaken place.
Lukas wasn’t at all surprised when Sam was already waiting for her in the
house. The boy rarely ever walked to his destination. She went straight to the
fire her friend had already started and held her hands by the flame.
“Team Awesome strikes again,” Sam cheered and struck a dorky pose.
Lukas giggled, “Team Awesome? That’s lame.”
Sam gave her a sidelong glance before snatching one of the fruits from her
jacket. “You come up with something better then!”
Lukas chose to ignore him and rubbed her stiff hands together for more warmth.
When she regained feeling in her fingers she pulled a fruit from her pocket and
munched on it hungrily. The sweet juice dripped down her chin and wet the tips
of her gloves. It wasn’t very often they ran the risk of stealing in such a
large amount. Normally it was a piece of bread or candy but it was nice to
bring home something in bulk sometimes. And they still had the varren leftover
from the night before.
“Hey, Lukas, it’s almost sunset.” Sam licked his fingers and smiled at her from
across the fire. He looked kind of cute with his hair disheveled and bangs in
his face and Lukas blushed.
She knew what Sam meant by the sunset and excitement washed over her. She
touched the pendant beneath her jacket and shirt. “Let’s go upstairs!”
The two of them raced up the stairs to the bedroom and hopped on the bed. Lukas
pulled the pendant off her neck and held it in front of the sun’s rays entering
through the window. Like so many times before the room began to shift and swirl
around them. Before long the entire Milky Way galaxy swallowed the room. Lukas
smiled and leaned on Sam's shoulder.
“Just like from before,” Sam’s voice was whisper and he leaned back onto her.
It was a while before he spoke again, “Hey, Lukas… Maybe we can leave here some
day. We could find some nice people to take us out there and really see space
for ourselves.”
“Yeah,” she mumbled.
Sam’s face brightened, “Oh, I know! We could join the Alliance like my Dad!”
Lukas enjoyed that idea. She imagined being aboard one of the giant ships she’d
seen leaving port so many times and travelling to the far reaches of the
galaxy. “We could fight space pirates!”
“Yes, and-!” A loud thud from below cut Sam off. Both of them looked at each
other unsure of what to feel. Maybe they had just imagined it?
They heard footsteps and their eyes widened with fear. Lukas tucked the pendant
into her jean pocket and scrambled under the bed with Sam. Neither of them
uttered a sound, even holding their breath as they waited and listened. Loud,
heavy footsteps thundered up the staircase and stopped outside the door.
“This is the place, right?” a female voice sounded from the hall.
“That’s what the homeless guy down the street said,” a thick, gruff voice
replied and Lukas recognized it as krogan.
Lukas gave a hard swallow. She could feel Sam shaking beside her. There was
shuffling and two sets of armored feet entered her view. Her teeth clenched and
she held her breath as the figures moved about the room.
Please no. Please just leave!
“Here, here, kiddies!” It was the female again, her tone was high and mocking,
“We’ve got a score to settle. You two pissed off the wrong turian.”
Suddenly Lukas detested the still fresh taste of fruit in her mouth. Her gut
sank and she wished for the power to rewind time.
Lukas and Sam shrieked as the bed was tossed to the other side of the room. The
krogan chuckled and an asari smirked down at them still glowing in her biotic
power. The two of them tried to run but the krogan clutched Sam by the neck and
pinned him against the wall.
“Not so fast, brats.” The asari whirred with biotic static again and slammed
Lukas against the wall.
Lukas gasped as the air was knocked from her lungs. She sobbed uncontrollably
trying to fight her stasis field. “We’re sorry! We didn’t mean it! We won’t
ever do it again!”
The krogan chuckled, “Too late for that.”
Sam struggled against the krogan's grip flailing and screaming. “Please! Please
let us go!”
“Shut up!” the krogan growled and squeezed him tighter.
But Sam wouldn’t listen. He screamed and cried and kicked. Lukas could see the
fury in the krogan's eyes. Sam! She wanted to scream but she could only muster
a choked sob. This wasn’t real. It wasn’t happening.
“I said shut up, kid!” and all at once Sam was quiet. Lukas's stomach lurched
at the sound of snapping bones. Her friend's body fell limp with a look of pure
terror cemented on his face.
“Well, fuck, Tarkin, we weren’t supposed to kill ‘em!” the asari dropped Lukas
in her annoyance.
Lukas crumpled to the floor emptying her stomach contents in the process. Her
vision blurred with a flood of tears and her head pounded. This wasn’t real. It
wasn’t happening…
“Oops,” the krogan shrugged with apathy and dropped Sam's body to the floor.
“Aw shit. I just paid for these boots! Fucking, kid!”
A blue boot entered Lukas's vision and all at once the world flashed to black.
                                      ***
A young street thug watched from a few blocks back as a krogan and an asari
wearing Blue Suns armor exited some abandoned house. The asari seemed irritated
by the way she slid her boot across the ground and the expression on her face.
He waited for the two mercenaries to leave before keying in his boss on his
omni-tool. “Hey, boss, it’s Finch. Just saw a couple of Blue Suns leaving a
place up here. Looked like Isazia's people.”
“Zia? What the fuck are her people doing out here?”
“Probably storing Red Sand or something. Want me to check it out?”
His boss pondered for a second before responding, “Yeah, go ahead. If it’s
anything good I’ll send some of the boys to help you collect it. Bitch owes me
for that last shipment anyways.” With that his boss ended the call.
Finch strode over to the house and casually kicked the door open with his foot.
There wasn’t a damn thing in the place aside from a fire pit and a heap of
something covered by the door. He pulled off the blanket covering the heap only
to find the rotting corpse of a dead varren.
“The fuck?”
He chucked the blanket inside and headed up the stairs. Maybe whatever they
were hiding was up a floor. Finch turned to the first room he came to and the
sight honestly threw him off his game. The bodies of two young kids were lying
on the floor and furniture was strewn across the room.
“Well shit.”
Finch walked into the room and checked out the bodies on the floor. The kids
looked young, no more than ten he guessed. He didn’t even need to get a close
look to know that one of them was dead. It was a boy and his neck was visibly
crushed with his eyes bulging from his skull. The other belonged to some red
haired girl but he honestly couldn’t tell if she was dead or not.
Curiosity got the better of him and he approached the girl's body. He didn’t
notice the vomit splayed across the floor until he nearly stepped in it. Gross.
He bent down and rolled the girl onto her back. She was definitely breathing
but she was out cold and her nose was broken.
He stood up and keyed in his boss again. “It's just a couple of kids. Looks
like they pissed off the wrong merc leader. One's dead and the other is out
cold. What do you want me to do?”
His boss didn’t reply for some time and Finch started to wonder if the
connection was bad. “Leave the dead one. Bring the other one to me.”
Finch furrowed his brow, “Really, boss? What are you going to do?”
“I don’t fuckin' pay you to question me. Just bring the kid here.” His boss
abruptly ended the call.
“You hardly fuckin' pay me at all, boss,” Finch grumbled as he hoisted the
girl's body over his shoulder and left.
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