The Making of a Commander (Prequel to "At Long Last") Mass Effect Fan Fiction

Sisters Forever

 Jane headed to the dorm to find Tara. "Tara, hey girl where are you!" Jane shouted as she ran through the dorm. "She's in Medical!" One of the recruits shouted at her from across the room. "Okay, thanks." Jane headed back out the door, and down the hall into the Med ward. "Tara!? Jane shouted. "She's here." A young turian recruit waved her over. Jane felt her heart sink as she saw her best friend...no, her sister laying in the bed with the left side of her face covered with bandages, her right arm in a cast, and multiple cuts, and bruises over every visible part of her body. "OH MY GOD!!!!. What the hell happened to her?!" "It was my fault." As the young turian lowered his head, Jane grabbed him by the neck. "What the hell do you mean this is your fault?" She hissed as she threw him against the wall. "We were just talking, I asked if I could touch her hair, she said yes so I did. I told her it was so soft and beautiful just like her. Then she kissed the side of my face." He stopped and lowered his head. "You better keep talking Tanis, or I'm going to put your head through this fucking wall!" He took a deep breath, and started again "On my way to the mess hall last night, I heard a noise by the trash can, and that's where I found her. I picked her up as easy as I could, and brought her here. When I asked her what happened, she said Bower saw us together. Then she made me promise not to say anything. You're the only one I have told." "Bobby that bastard! Where is Bower now?!" Jane hissed through her clinched theeth. "The mess hall." Jane let him go, and ran out the door. Tanis sat back down in the chair next to Tara's bed, and held her hand. "Tanis." Tara weakly whispered through a fat lip. "Get Kandros, hurry!" Tanis stood, and ran to find his Drill Sargent.  

Grave had just stepped into his office when a young turin ran up to him. "Sargent, Sir" Tanis shouted a bit out of breath. Grave turned to face him. "What is it recruit, and Shouldn't you be on the field?" "Sir yes Sir." "So why aren't you?" Grave questioned. Tanis proceeded to fill his Drill Sargent in on the events that led him there. "Shit!, where is recruit Shepard now?"  He knew the answer even before he asked the question. "Heading to the mess hall for recruit Bower Sir". Grave felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. "Stupid girl, if she is planing what I think she is, she could ruin her career. Tanis, run to security, and have them meet me in the mess hall hurry, and beg the Spirits we make it on time." Grave slapped Tanis on his shoulder. "Now go!" "Yes Sir!" Tania turned and ran towards the security office as Grave ran to the mess hall.

Yelling and screaming could be heard long before he reached his destination. As Grave  rushed through the doors, the smell of sweat, vanilla, and blood filled his nostrils. A large crowd had formed a circle blocking him from reaching whatever they were hiding. "OUT OF MY WAY!!!" grave shouted over the noise, as he lifted both turian and humans tossing them from his path. He could hear security fighting their way through the crowd from the other side. They reached her before him, he hear her screaming. "Don't touch me, let me go!" He heard the sound of flesh on flesh as she was beating Bowers with all her strength. "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch, I'm going to kill you you fucking bastard for what you did to her." Grave could hear Bower screaming. "You're both sick turian loving freaks!" Bower spat blood in her face. Jane growled, and wrapped her hands around his throat. Bower chocked. "She's crazy, someone get her off me!!" Grave reached Jane just as security tried again to grab her. He roared so loud, and deep the sound echoed through the room. Everything went quiet. "Don't touch her!!!!!" He growled. The two men stepped back along with the crowed. Grave reached down, and put his arm around her waist pulling her back so her fists could no longer reach the bloodied mass of Bowers face. He pressed his mouth against her cheek close to her ear, and whispered "You can stop now my little Varren. I'm here, I got you." Jane's body went limp as Grave helped her stand. She kicked her wounded prey in his side one last time, then turned, burying her face into her lovers chest, and sobbed. Grave held her in a possessive hug as he looked over at the two security guards. "Take that piece of shit to security." Grave nodded towards Bower laying on the ground in a fetal position. "Tanis, find the chief medical officer, and send her to security, then stay with Tara, don't let anyone near her, keep her safe till I get there." "Yes Sir" Tanis turned and left the area.

 Grave lifted Jane into his arms, and carried her through the crowd, and into his quarters. He sat her on the chair next to his bed. "Okay now, let's have a look at you". Jane had multiple cuts across her face, a fat lip, and her right eye was so swelled it would need to be lanced to release the pressure. "First thing's first. I'm going to get some water, and wipe the blood off your face and hands so I can assess the damage okay?" Grave knelt down to look into her face. Jane nodded  yes, never lifting her head. Grave stood, went into the bathroom, and came out with a bowl of warm water, a soft cloth, and disinfectant. Several minutes later, he had her eye lanced, the scrapes and cuts cleaned, and her hands wrapped. "Here, take these." Grave handed her a couple of pain pills. "This will help when the adrenaline wears off all the way, and you start feeling the discomfort from your injuries. Stay here, I need to speak to Tara." He kissed her on her cheek, and started to walk away. "I'll go with you." Jane tried to stand, Grave pushed on her shoulder forcing her to remain in her chair. "I said stay here! Do you have any idea what you may have done? You beat another recruit out of anger." "He hurt Tara, He needed to be punished." She whispered. "That may be, but it was not up to you to be his judge, jury, and exacutioner, I'm the one responsible for all of you. It is up to me to find out what has happened, and make a rational judgment. You have put us both in a compromised possition my little Varren. So please, stay here, and let me try and fix this Okay?" Jane took a deep breath, and exhaled. "Alright. Tell Tara I'm sorry, and I'll be there as soon as I can." "I will." Grave kissed the top of her head then walked out of his quarteres, leaving her alone with her thoughts.