In Shepard's Shadow

Acceptable Losses

“In the battle today… we will hold the line!”

Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko watched silently as Captain Kirrahe’s speech reached its rousing conclusion. Kaidan had heard his fair share of morale boosting rhetoric, but the seemingly frail salarian spoke with such conviction that Kaidan couldn’t help but be moved. The gathered salarian covert troops visibly swelled with pride, their dark eyes shining with determination under the bright Virmire sun. Waves lapped against the sandy beach, seeming to applaud their coming sacrifice.

Captain Kirrahe turned to Commander Shepard, inclining his head respectfully as the troops began to gather their gear.

“Good luck, Commander.” Kirrahe’s high voice was full of confidence. Kaidan wondered grimly if it was justified. “I hope we see each other again.” The salarian turned to Kaidan. “We will commence our attack on Saren’s base in ninety minutes. Report to me then, Lieutenant Alenko. Gather whatever gear you need in the mean time.”

“Understood.” Kaidan nodded, trying to ignore the uneasiness he felt at taking an order from a non-Alliance officer, especially while Kaidan’s commanding officer, Commander Shepard, stood just a couple meters away. Captain Kirrahe turned and made his way to the rally point, and Commander Shepard strode down the beach toward Wrex. The uneasiness did not subside, however, and soon Kaidan realized it had nothing to do with the salarian captain or Commander Shepard.

“What are you thinking?” Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams spoke from behind him, her voice low and biting. “I’m not sure which is worse: You volunteering to go with the salarians on a suicide mission when we both know I stand a better chance of surviving, or the Commander letting you go even though he needs your technical expertise to set up the nuke way more than he needs my assault rifle.”

“It’s been decided, Ash.” Kaidan turned to her. Ashley’s heavy armor fit tightly along her body’s top-tier form, hugging every wonderful curve. Kaidan always thought that the form fitting Alliance armor was a little emasculating, but on a woman like Ashley, it took his breath away. She looked equal parts deadly and seductive. Kaidan wondered if there was much difference between the two anyway.

“If you did this out of some moronic sense of chivalry…” Ashley shook her head. “I swear, if this boils down to ‘I’m the man, you’re the woman’… I’ll…I’ll…oh, it won’t be pleasant, Alenko, trust me!”

“Ash, look.” Kaidan kept his voice low even though Commander Shepard was far out of earshot. “I’m doing this because I know it’s the right thing to do. You can arm that nuke just fine, and you can protect the Commander better than I can. We both know that’s more important. The galaxy needs Commander Shepard.”

“But what about…” Ashley’s voice dropped to a whisper. “What about what I need? What we need? What about us?”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen.” Kaidan swallowed past the unexpected lump in his throat as he gazed into Ashley’s dark eyes. “But if…when I get back…when we defeat Saren…I promise you…”

“Shhh…” Ashley cut him off, shaking her head. “We can’t talk this through now, we don’t have the time. We have things to do.”

“It’s fine, Ash.” Kaidan glanced at his chronometer. “I’ve got my gear already and there’s still more than an hour before I report to…”

Kaidan trailed off as Ashley’s sly grin finally registered. Kaidan smiled and rolled his eyes at himself. “Oh…yeah. I guess there isn’t time to do a lot of talking, then.”

“I think you might want to check out some of the pistols I left on the Mako.” Ashley turned and Kaidan followed her back up the beach to where the six-wheeled armored infantry vehicle was parked at the edge of the water.

“Crap.” Ashley said under her breath as the quarian mechanic Tali crawled out from underneath the Mako’s undercarriage.

“Greetings, Chief Williams! Lieutenant Alenko!” The enthusiasm in Tali’s heavily accented voice was obvious despite coming from a speaker installed in her cloaked helmet. Kaidan had never seen Tali’s face behind her dark visor. Her self-contained and hermetically sealed bodysuit made it obvious she was female, and very close to human. Close enough to find appealing in a physical sense, but perhaps the allure of the unseen and unknown was what Kaidan found so appealing about Tali.

“Hey, Tali.” Ashley spoke first. “The LT and I were just going to grab some gear and maybe do a few…uh…modifications to our weapons in the Mako.”

“That’s perfectly fine.” Tali nodded. “If you could rock the Mako back and forth a little while you’re in there, I’d appreciate it.”

“Excuse me?” Kaidan felt his stomach flip. How did Tali know about their plans?

“I have been making a few adjustments to the M35 Mako’s suspension, and I need to gather some data before I continue.” Tali activated her omnitool and placed a few sensors on the Mako’s struts. "I could use as much movement as you can give me.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem.” Ashley tried to suppress her grin but failed miserably. “After you, Lieutenant?”

Kaidan slid open the side hatch and clambered in with Ashley hoisting herself in after him. Kaidan slammed his head up against the Mako’s upper bulkhead like he did every time he entered. He never had gotten used to how cramped and the interior of the Mako was no matter how many lumps he managed to give himself. The gunnery chief closed the hatch behind her and hit the interior power, filling the cabin with the glow of several dozen displays.

“Take a seat, sir.” Ashley pushed Kaidan down into the gunner’s chair. The sudden shift in weight tilted the Mako slightly.

“That’s a good start,” Tali’s voice crackled to life from the communication console, nearly giving the two Alliance personnel a heart attack. “I’m getting a good reading.”

“Ash, let me turn that off.” Kaidan whispered. He reached for the communication control but Ashley slapped his hand away.

“Roger that, Tali!” Ashley spoke loud and clearly. “There’s more where that came from!”

Ashley leaned over and muted the Mako’s interior microphones but pointedly left the incoming channels open and the speakers on. Kaidan shook his head at her but felt a guilty wave of excitement wash over him as Ashley began shedding her armor. Despite being composed of a complex series of protective layers, the armor was designed to be easily and quickly donned or removed in case of emergencies. A few clasps were undone, the hard casing fell away and in a moment Ashley emerged from her armor like a butterfly from a chrysalis. Kaidan’s armor joined Ashley’s on the deck a moment later.

Kaidan shuddered slightly as his chair’s cool upholstery pressed against his bare back, butt and thighs. He tore his eyes from Ashley’s naked body to glance at his chronometer.

“Ok, Ash, we’ve got about…oh…Oh, uunnghh!” Kaidan’s breath left him as Ashley cupped his sac in her hand. She began gently rolling his testicles back and forth, causing Kaidan to sit up, his body becoming rigid in more than one way.

“Is everything all right?” Tali’s voice was slightly annoyed. “The sensors could use more stimuli.”

Still toying with Kaidan’s sac, Ashley reached over to the console with her free hand and keyed the microphone. “Just a sec, Tali. I’m inspecting the LT’s equipment.”

Kaidan bit down hard on his lip and tried not to moan as Ashley massaged his loins. Ashley’s eyes went wide as she watched his cock swell and rise up under her ministrations. She held Kaidan’s gaze as her fingers moved up his stiffening shaft.

“It looks like everything’s good to go, Tali.” Ashley licked her lips, grinning at Kaidan as he mouthed threats of retaliation. “I hope your sensors can handle this.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Tali sounded mildly insulted. “Give it everything you’ve got!”

“Roger that.” Ashley reactivated the mute and climbed onto Kaidan’s lap. Her long legs wrapped around either side of the chair, her smooth firm buttocks resting on Kaidan’s muscular thighs. “Tali’s sensors need more stimuli, Lieutenant. Can we be more stimulating?”

“We’ll see what we can do.” Kaidan’s gravely voice growled as he pulled Ashley into a deep kiss. The warm, soft flesh of Ashley’s breasts pressed against the solid muscle of Kaidan’s chest. Kaidan’s tongue wrestled eagerly with Ashley’s, tasting her sweetness. He moaned into the kiss as the gunnery chief began stroking him more earnestly. Kaidan broke their kiss, arching his back as Ashley wrapped both hands around the length of his rod, throttling his manhood furiously.

“Damn it, Ash!” Kaidan shook his head. “Take it easy…ahhh…Oh, yeah!”

Ashley’s beautiful laughter filled the cabin as Kaidan leaned back even further in his seat, tilting the Mako to one side. Ashley’s brow furrowed with effort as her hands pumped Kaidan’s shaft as fast as they could, her eyes bright with mischief. Kaidan’s hands flailed around for purchase, finally grabbing onto the control panels on either side of him. His knuckles turned white as he held on for dear life while Ashley continued her merciless onslaught.

“That’s better. I’m getting a reading now.” Tali’s called in. “Not great, but…”

“That’s good, Ash! Oh, yes! That’s…oh, I’m gonna…aaaghhh!” Kaidan felt his orgasm begin to approach, his heart was racing and Ashley’s hands were unrelenting, they just would not…

“Stop!” Ashley released his shaft, spreading her arms wide to either side and grinning with impish glee.

“Wha…what!?!?” Kaidan roared, teetering on the edge of release. His manhood twitched with expectation, his loins ready to explode with pleasure. “What do you mean ‘done’?”

“I mean I’m done warming you up.” Ashley leaned in and kissed him again, and Kaidan felt his momentary outrage melt away into a fit of muffled laughter. Ashley pulled away once more. “I just have to get more comfortable.”

Ashley turned around in the cramped cabin and Kaidan took the opportunity to run his hands over her amazingly well toned buttocks and whistled softly.

“That’s something else, Ash.” Kaidan worked his hands into the hard muscle, massaging Ashley’s glutes as she leaned over in front of him, resting her hands against a bulkhead.

“Damn straight. I’ve got some sublime musculature down there.” Ashley quipped over her shoulder, playfully wiggling her butt for his benefit. “Or so I’ve been told.”

“Who told you… oh, ok, let’s just…yeah…” Kaidan’s train of thought was obliterated as Ashley sat back, her firm butt sliding down Kaidan’s chiseled abs. Ashley reached down and guided him into her as she came to a rest on his lap. Kaidan breathed deeply as Ashley’s wet folds enveloped his shaft. “Here we go…oh yes…ahhh…nnnghhh…”

“We know how this…oh…how this works.” Ashley breathed deeply as she adjusted to Kaidan’s cock filling her. She could feel his pulse beating inside herself. “Let’s cut to the chase and not waste time.”

“Whenever you’re ready, Chief.” Kaidan nodded, running his hands over Ashley’s smooth back. “I’m good to go…oh GOD YES!!!”

Ashley’s thighs flexed as she suddenly began bouncing atop Kaidan’s shaft. Her hands gripped the armrests of the chair, supporting her as she set an aggressive rhythm. Kaidan wrapped his hands around Ashley’s hips, his muscular arms bulging as he helped lift Ashley up and then pull her back down again and again onto his hard member.

“Oh, that’s it!” Ashley arched her back, letting Kaidan’s hands support her upper body as she rode him wildly. “Nnnghhaa! Come on! Deeper, Alenko! Drive it up in me!”

Kaidan bucked his hips, thrusting his cock up into Ashley’s velvety folds and deep inside her hot depths. She felt amazing wrapped around his solid length, her inner muscles tugging and pulling on him while her hips pumped his rod. Ashley’s body bounced rowdily, her buttocks slapping loudly against Kaidan’s lap.

“That’s what I need!” Tali’s voice was ecstatic. The Mako rocked back and forth violently. “That’s just fantastic! Yes!”

“OH YES! Hhhmmm!” Ashley moaned as Kaidan reached around in front of her to grasp her breasts. She felt his rough, strong hands knead her soft olive flesh, his fingers teasing her nipples while his shaft drove up into her slit.

“Keep going like that for a while.” Tali instructed. “I know this is hard work, but the results will be worthwhile!”

“Let’s not disappoint her! Yeah! Aaaghh!” Ashley bit down on her lip, grinding her hips and churning Kaidan’s cock around insider her. Waves of pleasure rolled up through her body. Chills swept down her spine. “Damn…yes!...I hope this is all worth it!”

“No kidding…Ooh…nnnghh! The things I do for the Alliance!” Kaidan continued to massage Ashley’s breasts while her hips pounded his loins with desperate passion. Ashley sent her right hand down between her thighs to play with Kaidan’s testicles. “Uuuunnghhaa! YES! Hell, Ash…this…ooh…this should earn me hazard pay!” Kaidan retaliated by shifting his left hand from Ashley’s breast down past her flat tummy to tease the nub of her clitoris.

“All right, I just need a final burst of maximum effort!” Tali spoke excitedly.

“You heard her, Lieutenant!” Ashley looked over her shoulder and gave Kaidan a sweaty smirk, trying to resist the urge to scream from the pleasures he was giving her. “Stop screwing around and let’s do this right!”

Kaidan came out of his seat, pushing Ashley over into a horizontal position, her stomach resting against the main control board, her breasts pressed against a navigational display. Kaidan grabbed Ashley’s thighs and pulled them wide open. His hips drove forward and Ashley’s head whipped back in stunned ecstasy.

“Hell YEAH!” The gunnery chief’s voice cracked as the lieutenant’s hard length of flesh pounded into her with shocking ferocity. “Do it! Uh-huh! Yes, do it!”

“Nnnnnghaa! You feel so…oh, Aaaarghh!” Kaidan set his jaw, thrusting into Ashley with all of his might. His leg muscles rippled with power as he plowed his cock deep within Ashley’s tight, hot vessel as hard as he could. He watched as her firm buttocks shook with each impact of his loins.

“That is perfect!” Tali exclaimed as the Mako shook violently. “Really put your backs into it!”

“Alenko! Ahhh…ngh…oohh, do it! Harder! Come on! YES!” Ashley wailed as she felt Kaidan’s testicles slap up against her clitoris even as his cock plunged savagely into her intimate depths. Her arms flailed around while her body was rocked by his onslaught. “Holy…Ahhhh!... so BIG!”

“I’m close, Ash! Ooh! Quick, your arms!” Kaidan reached out and grabbed hold of Ashley’s forearms and felt her fingers wrap around his as well. He pulled firmly, arching his back and unleashed his primal urges.

“Give it to me, Alenko! That’s it!” Ashley’s back arched as Kaidan pulled her into his bulging cock, each thrust fiercer than the last. The hard length of his manhood was so deliciously deep inside her, filling her with irresistible heat. His hips pummeled her glutes with undeniable strength. She savored every moment. His lust was insatiable; he made each thrust a ballet, each grunt a sonnet. And Ashley could give as well as she received.

“Yes, Ash! Oh yeah! Nnnghhhaaa!” Kaidan groaned desperately as he felt Ashley’s inner muscles grip his cock like a vice. He watched as her gluteal muscles bulged and rippled with strength, fastening down on his manhood deep within her. Kaidan’s relentless thrusts forced a strangled cry from Ashley’s throat that sounded like the songs of angels. Ashley could not simply be a woman. As Kaidan’s loins danced with ecstasy, he was certain that he made love to a goddess.

“I’m coming, Alenko!” Ashley’s fingers dug into Kaidan’s forearms.

“Me too, Ash! Yes! I…AH!” Kaidan pulled hard, yanking Ashley back as his cock surged forward.

Their loins met with a poignant slap that gave way to a cacophony of screams.

“ALENKO! YES! OH YES!” Ashley wailed, convulsing madly. She could feel Kaidan’s seed surge into her even as her own orgasm crashed through her entire being.

“ASH! Uuuuuunnngh! AHHHH!!!” Kaidan roared as his entire body shook uncontrollably, his testicles clenching as his loins poured into Ashley.

Dark energy swirled around them as Kaidan’s implants overloaded. He felt his mind empty of everything. Pure, unfiltered pleasure filled their minds and bodies as they joined together. They screamed in one voice as their climax entangled their very souls even as their bodies entwined in a sweaty tangle of flesh.

“ALENKO! OH, KAIDAN!!!” Ashley’s voice was raw, her moist passage tugging and pulling on Kaidan’s pulsating cock, milking each successive blast of fluidic passion.

“ASHLEY!!!” Kaidan felt something like warm sunlight enter into his consciousness. A vision filled his mind: Ashley, wet and naked, coiled around a gorgeous asari, their voluptuous bodies undulating against each other with unbridled passion. As his loins shot the last volleys of seed into Ashley, another name came unbidden to his lips. “LIARA!!!”

“YES, LIARA!!!” Ashley echoed.

There was a low metallic groan and suddenly the Mako shifted steeply to the starboard and remained tilted at a steep angle. Kaidan and Ashley fell back into the gunner’s seat in a sweat soaked heap, gasping for breath and trying to gather their thoughts.

“What happened?” Ashley sat up slowly, reaching for her gear.

“I’m not sure.” Kaidan shook his head. “Tali can tell us…”

“I’m talking about Liara.” Ashley’s tone was serious as she began gathering her armor. “You called out her name in the middle of a mind-blowing orgasm. What’s that about?”

“I…uh…I don’t know. Subconscious attraction?” Kaidan stammered, fumbling with his own armor. Then he remembered. “Wait, you did too!”

“You’re telling me you didn’t know about us?” Ashley arched her eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“You mean…you and Liara?” Kaidan’s jaw dropped open as the veracity of his vision became apparent.

“She…uh…we…” Ashley fastened her boots. “We kind of…She did that asari melding thing. Just once.”

“Well that’s…” Kaidan shook his head in disbelief. “My L2 implants must have picked up some sort of residual energy from your melding. I saw you two together, really going at it.”

“That’s why you came so hard, huh?” Ashley smirked, adjusting her combat glove. “Not a bad show, was it?”

“You never said anything about being with Liara.” Kaidan finished gearing up and looked Ashley in the eye.

“What, are we married?” Ashley huffed reflexively and then looked away, ashamed of herself. “Look, I am sorry. I should have said something. You deserved that much, Alenko.”

“It’s not that.” Kaidan scratched his head. “I just had no idea you were…well…”

“I’m not.” Ashley grinned. “Technically speaking, asari are monogendered. They don’t have females and males. They’re just asari.”

“Yeah, sure.” Kaidan nodded slowly. “So then why is the image of you two making sweet love under a shower so arousing?”

“That’s because you’re a man.” Ashley moved to open the side hatch.

“I can’t help that.” Kaidan grinned. “So was it as good as it looked?”

“The melding?” Ashley paused with her hand on the door’s controls. “Absolutely amazing. Hell, it was a total paradigm shift.”

“Oh.” Kaidan nodded and looked away.

“But then again,” Ashley leaned over and kissed Kaidan lightly on the lips. “I can say the same thing about this lieutenant I know. He’s a real pain the neck sometimes, though.”

“Maybe next time you should stretch before intense exercise.” Kaidan chided as he glanced down at his chronometer. “I have to report to Kirrahe in ten minutes. We better go.”

“You be careful, Alenko.” Ashley’s tone was dead serious.

“You too, Ash.” Kaidan held her gaze for a long moment.

“Right, now let’s go kick Saren’s turian ass!” Ashley opened the hatch and they climbed out. The extreme angle of the cabin made their exit a bit trickier than normal, however.

Once out, Kaidan and Ashley turned and saw that the Mako’s chassis was listing to the starboard at what had to be a 30 degree tilt. Tali rounded the other side of the Mako, her hands on her hips.

“I knew this vehicle wasn’t in top condition!” Tali’s voice was grimly satisfied. “You two managed to damage the tuned mass dampers. It’s a good thing Commander Shepard isn’t using the Mako for the upcoming attack! The upgrades are going to take longer than I thought.”

“Well, we’ll get out of your hair.” Ashley winced at her own choice of words. “The LT and I have to get moving.”

“There is some good news, though!” Tali spoke as they turned to leave. “I was able to learn that the communications mute control is inoperative.”

Kaidan and Ashley froze in their tracks. They both turned back to the quarian engineer, feeling their stomachs flip.

“Yes. And the visual log recorders are still in top condition. All three of them. And their focus is impeccable, really.” Tali continued nonchalantly.

“Tali, look…” Kaidan’s explanation was cut short by Tali’s dismissive gesture.

“You have nothing to fear.” Tali sounded somehow wistful. “What I saw and heard…what you two have has given me a new perspective on our mission. My people regulate mating to the point of making it purely utilitarian. There is little passion beyond the desire to preserve our fleet’s meager resources. We struggle to maintain a life that sometimes seems devoid of true value. What you two were doing in there…that is worth fighting for. Good fortune to both of you in the battle today. May you both return safely to continue…doing what you have already done.”

“Thank you, Tali.” Ashley felt oddly moved.

“If I may ask a favor…” Tali spoke quietly.

“Quickly, Tali.” Kaidan could see Kirrahe’s strike team assembling down the beach. “We must go soon.”

“May I keep the recording?” Tali motioned toward her omnitool’s holographic display where miniature versions of Kaidan and Ashley were making love. Kaidan looked to Ashley, not knowing what to say.

“Of course, Tali.” Ashley nodded easily.

“Lieutenant Alenko!” Captain Kirrahe’s thin voice barely carried over the soft surf, but Kaidan knew he had to hurry.

“Ash, take care of yourself.” Kaidan leaned in and kissed her full on the lips. He didn’t think Commander Shepard was watching but, then again, he didn’t really care if he was.

“Come back to me, Alenko.” Ashley nodded firmly and watched as Kaidan hustled down the beach. When he was out of earshot, she turned back to their quarian crewmate. “So Tali… could you make a copy of that recording?”