I cannot rest from travel ⋙ Ashley Williams Appreciation

a sideblog for Ashley Williams from Mass Effect we also have a community! humanity is the dog, aliens are humans, and Saren is the bear in her metaphor about the bear and the aliens/animals line was supposed to only play around keepers affiliates: gamingladies

[cannot-rest]

🙃

[linka-from-captain-planet]

I have a Vision. Welcome to The L Word: Noveria (aka the Ashley Williams Disaster Bi Cinematic Universe) and the series of messy situationships-turned-love triangle-turned-throuple the galaxy deserves

walk with me

first, we got Ashley still reeling from Eden Prime and starting to feel insecure about her ability to actually help fight the kind of shit they're up against. And also floundering in denial about being jealous of Liara and Femshep. It comes to a head on Noveria, watching how Shepard comforts Liara...

The party bunks down at the hotel rather than go straight back to the Normandy, because they all need a rest after that. And Ashley winds up at the bar being chatted up by the secretary-spy-whatever lady they had to run errands for earlier. Ashley catches the vibe, considers it... but chickens out. (No skin off professional hit-n-quitter Gianna's back. Plenty of fish in the sea!)

Damn it, she just wants Shepard. She pines all the way through the end of ME1. But by then, it's clear that Shepard and Liara are the real deal, and she has no choice but to move on... until Shepard tragically dies in action, and grieving her best friend reopens all the old wounds.

Meanwhile! We got serial monogamist Samantha "I play for keeps" Traynor deployed to Port Hanshan to establish a rachni study lab. She's homesick, lonely, and anxious (and also Noveria is cold as shit and she needs someone to keep her anemic ass warm) so obviously, the answer is to work her uhaul witchcraft on local fuckgirl Gianna Parasini. Things are rocky; they're basically 2 years deep and Samantha still can't figure out if Gianna really sees a future together, or is just passing time. It's almost a relief when she's reassigned to Vancouver for the retrofit project, and they have an excuse to finally cut things off. Which they both, but particularly Gianna, promptly regret.

Before reporting to Vancouver, Samantha takes leave to visit the fam on Horizon... where Ashley happens to be stationed. It's a convenient rebound for Samantha and a convenient outlet for Ashley who's spiraling over Shepard again... but we all know what happens next. Logically, Samantha and Ashley both know that Ashley isn't to blame, but trauma tends not to follow logic. So that whole situation ends terribly, with Samantha projecting her grief and anxiety onto Ashley and Ashley reeling having the first real connection to another person she's had in a hot minute implode like that.

Meanwhile! Gianna's out getting that paper, getting mixed up in all kinds of shit, getting sent on longer and farther and more dangerous assignments for the Executive Board. Dark matter and such, etc. She hears about what happened on Horizon and it takes her far too long to gather the courage to reach out to Samantha to find out if she's even alive. But she does, even if it's inadequate, and in doing so reignites unresolved feelings for them both, which neither of them is willing to fess up to, so that gets left to fester for months.

after Horizon, Ashley probably should be put on psych leave but she's Anderson's second favorite child, so he puts her on light duty far away from Collector activity instead. Where? Port Hanshan of course, where a lab has been commissioned to work on improving the seeker swarm anti-venom or something like that. An operation for the Operations Chief to oversee. Which needless to say drives Ashley up the wall and straight into...

Uhaul #2, Gianna and Ashley edition. They remember each other from before, cash the rain check, and Ashley just kind of doesn't leave Gianna's apartment (just like a marine to shack up for a place to stay lol). It's easy because they're basically the same person, but also hard because they're basically the same person. Ashley feels unmoored and useless and also it's her first actual relationship with a woman after exploring her bisexual feelings blew up in her face, and Gianna is technically not on the rebound but is also definitely on the rebound, and also feels weird about the general lack of direction in her life. But! They do settle into a rhythm, and Ashley even gathers the balls to tell her family about her girlfriend...

which also blows up in her face (realistically? no surprises there) when she's summoned to Vancouver for Shepard's tribunal, and the Reapers invade Earth, and then she winds up back on the Normandy................. with Shepard and Samantha.

On Samantha's end? She's terrified, distraught. She's felt guilty about how things ended with Ashley for months, but she has a bit of a tendency to seek a particular kind of comfort when faced with uncertainty. Everything happens so fast that it's not like she creates a plan or anything, she just feels drawn to the strong women aboard... especially the one she's already intimately familiar with.

Fortunately (?) there's not much time for Ashley to be emotionally terrorized by being stuck in a tin can with the two women who opened the closet doors for her who also were right there to witness her greatest failures and/or regrets, during the greatest crisis ever faced by any living creature, irrespective of the fact that she has a little wifey out there who probably thinks she's dead, because she's promptly maimed on Mars.

Ashley's mom reaches out to Gianna, who hauls ass straight to Huerta, and is forced to come to terms with just how much she really does love Ashley,

much like how Samantha is also forced to confront her regrets and lingering feelings-slash-developing-feelings for Ashley, which drives her also to pay a visit...

and thus Gianna and Samantha are both completely gobsmacked to be unexpectedly reunited over Ashley's comatose body. Which brings all their unresolved feelings crashing down.

And then Ashley wakes up and adds her shit to the shitstorm.

Gianna loves Ashley, but never stopped loving Samantha; Samantha never stopped loving Gianna, but then her feelings for Ashley morph from a yearning for someone strong to protect her to a yearning to protect Ashley, too; and Ashley loves Gianna, but the connection she felt to Samantha back on Horizon comes rushing right back.

What they all say is different from what they all feel... and they all know it. But there are too many moving parts to get a handle on things quickly: Samantha has her duty on the Normandy, and Gianna's job takes her all over the place inbetween helping take care of Ashley's family on the Citadel, and Ashley has her recovery and then her Specter duties. Gianna and Ashley are still together, but with each of them individually orbiting and being orbited by Samantha. It only really makes sense when they're together, the three of them in the same place at the same time. They try to be friends. They fail.

The turning point is Ashley's reinstatement on the Normandy. She and Samantha can barely look at each other; the tension's so thick that it might as well be a fourth in the mix, but Ashley's no cheater, and Samantha's no other woman. Ashley still feels guilty as hell when she talks to Gianna, though.

And Gianna's no cheater, and Samantha's still no other woman, but... they talk. Probably more than they should, especially since they don't tell Ashley. They talk about anything but Ashley, themselves. Gianna still feels guilty as hell when she talks to Ashley, though.

And Samantha feels guilty as hell pretty much always. Not to mention lonely, which breaks both Ashley and Gianna's hearts. Whenever they talk, or get together, it feels like something's amiss even though their feelings are stronger than ever.

Then Gianna has intel. Cerberus has gotten its claws all over Noveria, but if the Normandy crew were to take out a particular fighter base...

Intel, leaked to Samantha. Cerberus asses, whooped by Shepard, Liara, and Ashley.

There's a lot of deja vu for Ashley: being on Noveria with a disgustingly in love Shepard and Liara, being on Noveria with Gianna. And for Gianna too: the love of her life boarded an Alliance vessel and left her standing on the dock with a heart full of regrets once before and she never got over it. And now there's two of them.

She's the one to crack. Samantha and Ashley are being too fucking awkward. Shit is getting super real in the galaxy and she can't stand watching the three of them piss away what may be their last chance to be together - all three of them, together. The Normandy's docked for a few hours to refuel and such; it's now or never.

The ensuing conversation in the Starboard Obs Deck is excruciating. None of them say the right things (Gianna definitely kicks things off on the wrong foot lol), but what they feel is right. Everything isn't completely resolved, but they're finally on the same page.

They do get around to fucking though. Good for them!

[linka-from-captain-planet]

filed under "For Further Review" and "I Would Like to See it" btw

[linka-from-captain-planet]

must be nice where lovers go (AO3 link)

My Ashley/Traynor brain worms aren't done yet, but my fic is now complete 😌

Rating: M, no Archive Warnings Ship: Samantha Traynor/Ashley Williams Tags: Self-Reflection, Mental Health Issues, Drama & Romance, Developing Relationship, Mild Sexual Content, Flirting, Hook-Up, ambiguous past mshepley situation, Angst with a Hopeful Ending Words: 12.8k | Chapters: 3/3 Summary:

It feels silly in the context of all that shit she doesn’t want to think about now, because she isn’t sure how much she has left for it to eat up from her. But then she thinks of a piece, and softly recites to herself, “Somewhere along the banks of this liquid world / let all of us hold close to the lost and the unclear / and, in our own little way, find some refuge here.” Or: Lonely, anxious, and angry while stationed on Horizon, definitely with nothing horrible about to happen, Ashley figures she might as well dig into those latent bisexual feelings.

[welcometothejianghu]

Small Fandom Summer 2026!

For the fourth year in a row now, it's time for Small Fandom Summer! Join me for Small Fandom Summer! It's real easy to play:

Make a fanwork for something that has fewer than 1000 English-language works on AO3

Post it to AO3

And then you've done it! You've made a thing and you've diversified the fandom ecosystem! You're basically a hero.

Q: The fandom I want to create for has more than 1000 English-language works on AO3, but the specific pairing I want to write for has fewer than that. Does that count? A: Yes! Q: What if it has more than 1000 English-language works on AO3, but, like, just barely? A: Okay! Q: What if it actually has a lot more than 1000 English-language works on AO3, but it still feels small? A: Sure! Q: What if I don't want to post it to AO3? What if I don't even have an AO3 account? Can I post it somewhere else? A: Wherever! Q: What if-- A: Just do a thing, friend. Make a thing. Share the thing. This is not meant to be restrictive; this is meant to be inspirational. Create the fanworks you want to see in the world. Make a stranger happy by appealing to their niche interests. Bring joy.

And if you want to give yourself some silly little Steam-like achievement badges to commemorate your accomplishments, well, you're in luck! I've made a bunch of them right here! You can grab the ones that apply to your work and paste them wherever you like and feel good about what you've done. Here's a few of my favorites:

So you see? This is meant to be silly and fun.

There's nowhere to sign up. There's nothing to commit to. There's zero pressure. You just do it if you do it, and don't if you don't. But if you do want to play (yay!), tag your stuff with #small fandom summer so we can all swoop in and appreciate everyone else's efforts.

Here's to creativity!

[welcometothejianghu]

Since some people have asked: There's now a Small Fandom Summer 2026 AO3 Collection! You can post your stuff right here! It's completely open and unmoderated, so if you think something goes there, well, go on and add it! Hopefully by the end of the summer, we'll have a nice little collection of stuff there.

And since some other people have asked: There's no start date for this, nor is this an end date. "Summer" in this context is an extremely arbitrary unit of measurement. I'm starting now because my personal summer runs from about mid-May to mid-August. Yours may vary.

I'm thrilled so many people have seemed excited about this! I hope it inspires the creation of a whole bunch of good stuff!

[sewer-rat-number-7]

More Crusty Mass Effect Screenshots

+ the Femshepley breakup from ME2 :(

Rip Kaidan Alenko

Pretty Little Mako

lol

Folks I got through ME1 way too fast and forgot to take nice pictures. ME2 is my favorite tho so more later on. Also I love Ash but there's no mod for Femshepley in LE3 so Chris is hopelessly devoted to Miranda :)

[cannot-rest]

🐈

[medialogue]

ME3 Citadel Archives (First Archive Chamber)

Citadel Archives Masterpost

Shepard and the crew defeat the last of the mercenaries in the atrium and make their way deeper into the archives. Shepard's crew is split into two teams, Team Mako and Team Hammerhead, who help Shepard search for their clone.

Squadmate:

James: We're clear! Now where'd the other you go? EDI: We're clear! Where did the other Shepard go? Tali: Clear! Now where'd the other you go? Kaidan: That's all of them! Now where'd the other you go? Ashley: We're clear! Now where'd the other you go? Javik: Clear! Where did the other you go? Liara: We're clear! Now where'd the other you go? Garrus: We're clear! Now where'd the other you go? Wrex: Clear! Now where'd the other you go?

Shepard: He's/She's pushing into the archives. Stay in your groups! Team Mako, you're on point!

Brooks: Right! What's a Mako?

Liara: Something we could use right about now.

Shepard: Team Hammerhead, cover the flank!

Cortez: Got it! And the Mako's got nothing on the Hammerhead.

Shepard and the crew arrive at the first large archive chamber, in awe of how large it is.

Squadmate:

Wrex: Huh, big place. Ashley: Wow. Big place. Kaidan: Man. Big place. EDI: An impressive space. Garrus: Wow. Big place. James: Man. Big place. Javik: An impressive space. Tali: This place is enormous. Liara: An impressive place.

Team Mako Member:

EDI: I'm curious what your... clone is looking for in here. Shepard? Wrex: I wonder what your, uh, clone is looking for in here. Shepard? Tali: Shepard, what do you think your clone is looking for in here? Garrus: What do you suppose your, uh, clone is looking for in here? Liara: I wonder what your, uh, clone is looking for in here. Shepard? James: What do you think your, uh, clone is looking for in here, Commander? Brooks: Do you have any idea what your, um, clone is looking for, Commander?

Shepard: At this point, anything's possible.

Team Hammerhead Member:

Ashley: Like waking up and finding out you have a clone? Kaidan: You mean like strolling along and bumping into your clone? Garrus: Like, say, finding out you have a clone? Liara: You mean like finding out you have a clone? Javik: Such as discovering you have a clone? EDI: Such as discovering you have a clone? James: You mean like coming face to face with your clone? Cortez: Like finding out you have a clone?

Shepard: I don't want to talk about it.

Squadmate:

Liara: Of course. At least not till we've all had a drink. Tali: Right. At least not until we've all had a drink. Javik: At least not until everyone has ingested alcohol. James: Right. At least not till we've all had a round of drinks. Garrus: Right. At least not till we've all had a stiff drink. EDI: Very well. Perhaps we will resume discussions when everyone has consumed alcohol. Kaidan: At least not till we've all had a stiff drink. Ashley: Right. At least not until we have a couple of drinks in us. Wrex: Sure, sure. At least not till everyone's drunk.

The three teams move deeper into the first chamber, looking for traces of Shepard's clone.

Squadmate:

Wrex: How are we going to find anything in this place? Ashley: How will we find anything in this place? Kaidan: Look at this place! How are we going to find anything? EDI: How will we find anything in a structure this size? Garrus: So how will we find anything in here? James: How are we gonna find our way around this place? Javik: How will we find anything in this place? Tali: How will we find anything in here? Liara: I wonder how we'll find anything in this place.

Shepard: Glyph?

Glyph: Yes, Commander?

Shepard: Track the target. Give me updates on its location.

Glyph: What is the nature of this target?

Shepard: He/She looks like me.

Glyph: Then I have found the target.

Shepard: No, Glyph. It's another me. Now get going!

Glyph: At once, Commander!

Shepard's squad arrives at a platform filled with mercs.

Merc Captain: There they are! The other Shepard's still alive!

Clone: Take him/her down! I need more time to find the vault!

Once Shepard defeats the mercenaries on the platform, a member of Team Mako will help them advance.

Team Mako Member:

Tali: Shepard, step onto that platform, and we can lower you from here. EDI: Shepard, step onto that platform, and we can lower you from here. Liara: Shepard, step onto that platform, and we can lower you from here. Wrex: Shepard, step onto that platform. We can lower you from here. Garrus: Shepard, step onto that platform. We'll lower you from here. James: Shepard, if you step onto that platform, we can lower you from here. Brooks: Commander, if you step onto that platform, we can lower you from here.

Shepard and their squad will reach the bottom of the platform and step into a vault to head towards the next section of the archives.

Brooks: Now if you get into the vault, we can move you across.

Shepard's squad enter the vault and examine the various artifacts within it.

Computer: Accessing vault T91.

Squadmate:

Kaidan: Check it out. Says this gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157. EDI: Intriguing. It says this gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157. Javik: Interesting. It says this gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157. Liara: Look at this. It says this gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157. Wrex: Check this out. Intriguing. Says this gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157. Tali: Look. This gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157. James: Check it out. Intriguing. Says this gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157. Garrus: Interesting. It says this gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157. Ashley: Check it out. Intriguing. Says this gun was part of the First Contact War. Year 2157.

Squadmate:

Ashley: Humans fighting turians. My grandfather was part of the war. Garrus: First time my people met yours, Shepard. Naturally, bullets were involved. James: Right. Back when humans and turians were shooting at each other. Tali: Right. Back when humans and turians didn't get along so well. Wrex: Yeah, back when humans and turians were at each other's throats. Liara: Right. Back when humans and turians didn't get along so well. Javik: Humans fighting turians. I would have liked to see that. EDI: Yes. At a time when humans and turians were in conflict.

Computer: Relevant data uploaded to research alcoves.

After the trip in the vault tube, Shepard and their squad make it to the other side of the archive chamber.

Glyph: Commander, the other you is searching for something 200 meters ahead.

Shepard: Got it.

Squadmate:

Tali: Fighting your own clone is crazy, even for us. Ashley: Fighting your own clone is pretty crazy, even by our standards. Kaidan: Fighting your own clone! Won't find that in the Spectre handbook. Garrus: Fighting your own clone. Pretty crazy, even by our standards. James: So fighting your own clone, huh? Crazy by any standard. Wrex: Fighting your own clone. Who would've thought? Javik: As strange as this cycle is, facing your own clone is still unexpected. EDI: Being challenged by your own clone is unexpected, even by our standards. Liara: Fighting your own clone is unusual, even by our standards.

Team Hammerhead Member:

Garrus: Useful, though. Anything you don't want to do, Shepard, let them handle it. Ashley: Useful, though. Anything you don't want to do, Shepard, let them handle it. Javik: But useful. If there is a task you don't wish to do, Commander, let them handle it. James: Could be useful. I mean, somebody's gotta do the shit jobs. Kaidan: Still, good to have. Don't want to do something, you get them to. Hey, Shepard? EDI: It may prove useful. Once the clone is physically dominated, it could be assigned to perform unpleasant tasks. Cortez: Useful, though. Anything you don't want to do, Shepard, let them handle it.

Brooks: So like a personal butler?

Shepard: I don't wanna talk about it.

Squadmate:

Liara: Yes. So let your clone do it. EDI: Then allow your clone to do it. Javik: Precisely. So let your clone do it. Wrex: Right. So let your clone do it. James: Right. So let your clone do it. Garrus: Right. So let your clone do it. Kaidan: Exactly. So let your clone do it. Ashley: Sure. So let your clone do it. Tali: Exactly. So let your clone do it.

As they head deeper into the archives, the teams encounter more mercs.

Merc: Contact!

Clone: Dagger Squad! I need more time to reach the vault. Keep Shepard off my back or I'll have your head!

Cortez: The other Shepard sounds like a real asshole!

Brooks: I'd quit if he/she was my commander!

After defeating the first group of mercenaries:

Team Mako Member:

EDI: We're over here, Commander! We'll attack from this side! Liara: We're over here, Shepard! We'll hit them from this side! Tali: We're over here, Shepard! We'll hit them from this side! Garrus: We're over here, Shepard! We'll hit 'em from this side! Wrex: Need a hand, Shepard? Got some ammo here itching to get out! Brooks: We're over here, Commander! We'll try to hit them from this side!

Squadmate:

Ashley: Maybe we can skirt around them on the tubes? Kaidan: Maybe we can get around them on the tubes? Tali: Maybe we can get around them on the tubes? Javik: It appears we can get around them on the tubes! Wrex: Maybe we can circle around them on the tubes? Garrus: Looks like we can circle around them on the tubes! James: I think we can circle around them on the tubes! Liara: Maybe we can skirt around them on the tubes?

Merc Captain: They're trying to get around us!

Team Mako Member:

Garrus: Team Mako moving ahead! Catch you on the other side! Liara: Team Mako moving ahead! We'll see you on the other side! Wrex: Team Mako moving ahead! See you on the other side! Tali: Team Mako moving ahead! See you on the other side! Brooks: Team Mako moving ahead! See you on the other side!

Shepard's squad defeats the last of the mercenaries on the tube and is ready to continue pursuing the clone, but Team Mako runs into trouble.

Team Mako Member:

Tali: Shepard! They've got us pinned down! We could use some help! Liara: Shepard! We're under fire, and we need help! Garrus: Shepard! They've got us pinned down! Need your help! James: Shepard! The bastards have us pinned down! Need some backup! Wrex: Shepard! These pyjaks have pinned us down. Need backup! Brooks: Commander! They've got us pinned down!

Shepard: On our way!

Merc Captain: We've got Shepard's squad surrounded!

Clone: Eliminate them! I need more time!

If Shepard takes too long to get to Team Mako:

Brooks: Commander! We can't hold them off much longer!

Merc Trooper: Where's your commander now?

Brooks: Commander, please! We could really use some help!

Shepard drops down onto the platform where Team Mako is surrounded, and covers their escape.

Shepard: Go! I'll cover you!

The rest of Shepard's squadmates climb up a ladder onto a platform while the mercs keep shooting at Shepard and the ladder.

Shepard: Move!

Squadmate:

Ashley: Hey! We're on a ladder here, jerks! Kaidan: Never a crate to hide behind when you need one! EDI: Their timing is impeccable! Tali: Hey, that's cheating! We're on a ladder! Liara: That's cheating! We're on a ladder! Javik: I did not survive this long to die on a ladder! Garrus: Now they're just fighting dirty! James: Now they decide to play hardball, huh? Wrex: They wait till we're on a ladder? Cowards!

Shepard: This is Shepard! We need--

As Shepard holds off the mercs, all the other squadmates gather on the platform above Shepard and open fire, killing all the mercs below.

Squadmate:

Wrex: That's why I love hanging out with you guys! Why shoot something once when you can shoot it 46 more times? James (if Shepard is female): That's right! Mess with Shepard, and you mess with her friends! Unless we happen to be climbing a ladder! James (if Shepard is male): That's right! You mess with Shepard, and you mess with his friends! Unless we happen to be climbing a ladder! Garrus: And that's the moment the universe ran out of ammunition. Javik: I find what primitives lack in aim, they make up for in ammunition. Liara: I don't know. Are you sure you got them all? Tali: Right. That ought to do it. EDI: In retrospect, I should have employed my decoy, but this allowed the rest of you a significant catharsis. Kaidan: Not sure you got them all. Might be a few left somewhere back on, oh... Mars. Ashley: No fair showing off while we're stuck on a ladder. I want a do-over.

Shepard climbs up the ladder, meeting with all their squad.

Shepard: The... other me can't be far. Keep up the pressure, and we'll try to surround him/her. Let's move.

Previous: Citadel Archives (Atrium)

Next: Citadel Archives (Archive Halls)

[omegastation]

Mass Effect Trilogy Appreciation Week

When: June 15 to 21 (2026)

Tag: #metrilogyweek2026

What the week is about: It's a special week to celebrate the trilogy, our Shepard, the characters, the universe, the lore!!! Make it your week as much as you want, by posting, liking and reblogging what you really enjoy as a fandom participant. Have fun! :)

How is it different from any other week? Appreciation weeks can get people excited about a specific fandom and be more active. It can bring more fandom content. The fact that there's one tag that fandom can check every day of that week is very nice for everyone who wants to share their thoughts and fanworks. It's also a good week to find friends in fandom! So if you're new, enjoy!!!

What can be posted in the tag: Fan fics, fanart, gifs, picspams, meta, memes, fanvids, etc.

What can't be posted in the tag: Avoid bashing ships and characters, respect other people, don't be a bigot, etc. Apply the usual fandom rules that mean we can all share a nice space together. Be mindful that other people think differently than you and that's okay.

Prompts

They can help to inspire and motivate you. You don't have to follow them but here they are below.

@gravitonspike suggested those prompts (thank you!):

Day 1- Background / "I like the person it's made of you" Day 2- Choice / "This ends now" Day 3- Alien / "The food of my people" Day 4- Ship/AI or After the war Day 5- Citadel / "Big place!" Day 6- Love / Laugh / "I'll protect you" Day 7- N7 / Free Space

And here are mine:

Day 1- Shepard (Background/Identity/Picture) Day 2- Shepard's relationships (Friends/Li/Lovers/Family) Day 3- Characters (Traits/Quirks/Meaning) Day 4- Non-Shepard Relationships (Romance/Friendship/Family/Care) Day 5- Ships/Universe (Normandy/Miky Way) Day 6- Lore (Leviathans/Reapers/Citadel/Protheans/...) Day 7- End/Future - "Thank you Mass Effect for..."

Enjoy!!!!!! :) And if you're interested, you can also participate this summer in a Mass Effect Andromeda Appreciation Week!

[linka-from-captain-planet]

how about a little Traynor/Ashley fraternization

[ezrisdax]

mass effect squadmates au

was talking with @rannoch and @camalyng about what if you got different squadmates at different games so my line up ended up being:

ME1:

Jacob - Alliance officer with you from the start, when Shepard dies that's when he goes over to Cerberus in an attempt to get his friend back from the dead, he's very way about Cerberus though given what they went through with them in ME1 sidequests

Miranda - Cerberus spy sent by TIM to find out what's going on, she steals the information from the geth about Saren and Benezia and joins Shepard at the Citadel, her ties to Cerberus are unknown in this game

Jack - Recruited during the Cerberus sidequests, she's gone on to destroy there stuff having not been imprisoned. Shepard and co find her and are impressed enough with her biotics they ask her to help them. She's the one angry about you joining up with Cerberus in ME2 on Horizon.

Legion - Joins midway through and brings a whole different perspective about the geth and what's going on with them and Sovereign, a lot of outcry is made about Legion joining but Shepard chooses to trust them

Kasumi - I'm ngl I mostly just wanted her in ME1 as a joke so when she meets the Thorian she can just be "it's a plant" in that deadpanned disbelieving way again but let's say stole some data from Saren and now needs Shepard's help to avoid him.

Thane - Hired by Saren to kill Shepard but turns that around a la Zev in Dragon Age style, introducing us to the Drell and Kepral Syndrome a lot sooner.

(also Virmire? what Virmire, I don't know her)

ME2:

Miranda - Still brings Shepard back, at first you think it's just her bringing her friend back and then the twist comes she was with Cerberus all along. Of course at the end of the game she defects having been with Shepard this long.

Jacob - Joins Cerberus to help bring Shepard back and is pissed at Mirada for lying to them, holds the grudge through most of the game, rework his loyalty mission to be about confronting old Alliance friends who now see him as the traitor for joining Cerberus.

Legion - The one investigating the Collectors on the Geth side, rejoins Shepard Commander. Still stole their armor.

EDI - After Legion joins they help EDI get a new body which allows her to go on missions with the team, becomes the unshackled AI a lot sooner but the ME1 squad is chiller about it having been with Legion too

Ashley - Alliance soldier assigned to you by Hackett to keep an eye on Shepard after the news of Shepard being alive and with Cerberus breaks out, absolutely doesn't trust Shepard or anyone on the ship for a while

James - Followed Shepard as a hero worship type deal and unofficially shadowing Ashley to watch Shepard as an Alliance soldier, technically not supposed to be there at all which you learn on his loyalty mission but he wants to help

Tali - Rescued on Haelstorm still, totally rearranges again how you see the Geth with the Quarian side of the story now. She mostly joins up because she doesn't trust that this team can do anything and she thinks she can get enough data to send back to the Quarian fleet but comes around to the crew

Javik - The last unmodified Prothean found at the end of the Collector's base mission about to be modified but rescued. It's at this point you learn the Collectors were Protheans and what happened to them.

Zaeed - ngl, I got nothing for him, recruit the same way I guess

Garrus - Same sort of setup where if you never recruit him in ME1 he becomes Archangel anyway, never even ran into Shepard in ME1 in the Citadel but was inspired by them to take up the fight and fought in the battle of the Citadel on the ground where he saw Sovereign up close

Grunt - again I got nothing but def shapes part of how to view the Krogan having him as a squadmate first before Wrex

Jack - Was on Horizon to help, ("look what you did to me Shepard, pathetic.") Actually doesn't join up on Horizon though because she's too mad about the Cerberus thing. Gets stuck in the prison though and after rescuing her will rejoin Shepard with the promise to burn Cerberus from the inside out.

ME3

Legion (and EDI) - Re-re-joining to help Shepard Commander because I'm weak for the Geth. Not always available however because they're helping EDI so sometimes EDI will take their place on the missions as an option.

Wrex - Since he wasn't inspired/pushed on by Shepard in ME1 he's not the leader of the Krogan now, that would be his brother Wreav, but heard rumour of the Salarians keeping female Krogan with the cure. Hates having to ask for Shepard or the Councils help for this but promises his support and the Krogans if it's done. Lowkey plans to do this by killing Wreav though.

Mordin - Recruited during the Genophage cure period as well, can see how the galaxy needs the Krogan during this time but not sure he agrees about the after effects that may occur.

Samara - Assigned to you by the Asari council in their attempt to show they do support you but like, can't support earth yet you see? All three of her daughters appear in the Ardat-Yashi monastery (Morinth having gone to save her sisters) and there's still the choice to replace her with Morinth which may have consequences down the line

Kaidan - Since he wasn't assigned to Shepard he was assigned by Anderson to help Kahlee Sanders at Grissom Academy which is attacked in ME3 as usual, he's there helping the students along with Jack and opts to join Shepard so Jack knows someone has Shepard's back but can stay with her students

Liara - After finding out everything her mother did in ME1 she threw herself into figuring out everything that was going on with the Reapers, this made her cross paths with the Shadowbroker and take over the organization. Turns out she was the one Shadowbroker agent you talk to briefly in ME2 while she was infiltrating the place.

[vigilskept]

aaliyah and ash is like: what if you were having the worst day of your life and your entire squad was wiped out and you were sure it was the end for you too. and then i ripped a geth sniper in half like it was nothing and offered you a hand and a way out.

what if the nightmares from the beacon reminded me of the worst day of my life when i had to hold the line surrounded by the corpses of my friends. but when i woke up, there you were, reminding me i was able to get someone out of there this time.

what if we were both girls

[milkywayes]

The senior crew of Starfleet's most controversial starship, the USS Normandy SR-1.

blurb and crew list under the cut!

I came up with a whole backstory for this AU, but I’ll just leave you with this blurb:

After the media circus around the Cerberus trials dies down and the rogue Section 31 cell has been thoroughly dealt with, no one expects to see key witness Shepard, ex-special forces commander, ever again. Not after she publicly disavowed Starfleet, and not with half the quadrant still questioning her involvement. They especially don’t expect to see her captaining her own starship. And to hire a turian first officer only months after the Hierarchy’s sudden and inexplicable move to join the Federation? It’s like she’s begging for negative attention. The galaxy wants to know: what leverage does she hold against Starfleet brass to make them cater to her every whim? And how long until the crew cannibalizes itself under her rogue leadership?

SENIOR CREW LIST

CMDR. Shepard, Commanding Officer LT. Moreau, Helmsman

LT. CMDR.* VAKARIAN, XO, Chief Tactical Officer LT. ALENKO, Second Officer SPECIALIST TRAYNOR, Communications Officer

*approximate rank based on Hierarchy tier

CPTN. CHAKWAS, Chief Medical Officer CPO WILLIAMS, Chief of Security N/A [INVALID NAME], Acting Chief Engineer ENSIGN T'SONI, Science Officer

[linka-from-captain-planet]

shepard shut the hell up my pet crackship is theoretically making eye contact

[medialogue]

ME3 Citadel: Silver Coast Casino (Ashley's Distractions)

Distraction Masterpost

Ashley: I think… I ate a steak meant for the turians. Am I going to die?

Guard: Just stay calm, ma'am. We can take care of it.

Ashley: So I don't know what the protocol is here, but… when do you get off work?

Guard: Uh… I'm flattered, ma'am. Also married.

Ashley: Hi. Ashley Williams, office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. I'm looking for the best. Are you the best?

Guard: Did I hear you right? You want me to join the Spectres?

Ashley: Go ahead, feel my muscle. No, it's okay! Go ahead. Solid steel.

Guard: I'm… not sure I should feel your muscle, ma'am. It looks very nice, though.

Ashley: Hey, can someone tell a girl where she can get a drink around here? I mean, really.

Guard: Wow. Uh, ma'am? Ma'am, I'm on duty. All right? The bar is over there. No, no, it's that way. That way. Do you-- do you see it?

Ashley: So he said he just wanted to be friends, and I said, "Are you breaking up with me?"

Guard: I'm, uh… they don't pay me enough for this. I'm sorry to hear that, ma'am. Is there something I can help you with? I'm kind of at a loss.

[medialogue]

ME3 Citadel Archives (Atrium)

Citadel Archives Masterpost

For this post, when a squadmate talks, the game will play the line that is first in order and based on who is in Shepard's main party.

After defeating the first wave of mercs, a mysterious figure grabs Brooks and holds her at gunpoint.

Mysterious Figure: That's enough! Drop your weapons, or this won't end well for her.

Brooks (if Shepard is male): You bastard.

Brooks (if Shepard is female): You bitch.

Groups of mercs surround the squadmates of the rafters and Shepard's group, ready to attack. Shepard's group lower their weapons and put their hands in the air as a sign of surrender.

Shepard: All right...

The mysterious figure drops Brooks, and she walks over to Shepard.

Shepard: Whatever you think you're getting away with...there's nowhere you can run, nowhere you can hide where we can't find you.

Mysterious Figure: Hide? Why?

The mysterious figure walks out of the shadows, and it's revealed they're Shepard's clone.

Mysterious Figure: I'm Commander Shepard. I never hide.

Squadmate:

Wrex: Uh-huh. So that's how it's going to be. Javik: Is this cycle always so strange? Garrus: Not exactly how I saw this playing out. James: Damn, this gig just gets weirder all the time. Liara: That's... unexpected. Ashley: Something new and weird everyday. Kaidan: Something new and weird everyday. EDI: This is a most unexpected scenario. Tali: Really? Really.

Shepard looks up in surprise, and the clone jumps down to confront Shepard's group on the main floor.

Shepard: Who are you?

Mysterious Figure: You weren't the only Shepard that Cerberus brought back to life, but at least one of us will finally do something with it.

Dialogue choices:

How is this possible? [to 1]

We don't have to fight. + 2 [to 4]

There's only one Shepard. + 2 [to 5]

[1]

Shepard: Where did you come from?

Mysterious Figure: The same DNA as you.

Wrex/Javik/Garrus/James/Liara/Ashley/Kaidan/EDI/Tali: A clone.

Mysterious Figure: Cerberus spared no expense resurrecting you. With me... I was created for spare parts in case you needed another arm, or a heart, or a lung.

Shepard: Where have you been this whole time?

Mysterious Figure: In a coma... until I woke up six months ago. While you were in a jail cell on Earth, I was learning to be human. Amazing what a person can do with enough neural implants.

Dialogue choices:

We don't have to fight. + 2 [to 2]

There's only one Shepard. + 2 [to 3]

[2]

Shepard: If you're really me, then we're on the same team.

Mysterious Figure: We're not even in the same league. [to 6]

[3]

Shepard: I don't care who you claim to be. The role of Commander Shepard's already filled.

Mysterious Figure: By the wrong man/woman. It's time the understudy had his/her day. [to 6]

[4]

Shepard: If you're really me, then we're on the same team.

Mysterious Figure: Hardly. I was created for spare parts in case you needed another arm, or a heart, or a lung.

Wrex/Javik/Garrus/James/Liara/Ashley/Kaidan/EDI/Tali: A clone. [to 6]

[5]

Shepard: I don't care who you claim to be. You're not me.

Mysterious Figure: I'm exactly you. I was made for spare parts in case you needed another lung or heart.

Wrex/Javik/Garrus/James/Liara/Ashley/Kaidan/EDI/Tali: A clone. [to 6]

[6]

Shepard: Did the Illusive Man send you?

Mysterious Figure: No. He abandoned me when he had what he wanted. You.

Squadmate:

Tali: Then why have you been trying to kill us? EDI: Then why have you been attempting to kill us? Kaidan: So what's your point in trying to kill us? Ashley: Then why are you trying to kill us? Liara: Then why are you trying to kill us? James: Then why do you want to kill us? Garrus: Then why try to kill us? Javik: Then why do you want to kill us? Wrex: Then why do you want to kill us?

Mysterious Figure: Because I don't have his/her memories. I'd never fool my supposed friends... The ones who abandoned their duty to join the cult of Shepard.

The mysterious figure will comment about the squadmate that is first in order and in Shepard's main party.

(if Tali is in Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. I'm not sure whether to kill you with a bullet or just take off your helmet and cough.

Tali: You're just a cheap imitation of the real thing! [to 7]

(if EDI is in the Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, EDI. You're nothing more than electrons pretending to be alive.

EDI: And you are just a pale imitation of the real thing! [to 7]

(if Kaidan is in the Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, Major Alenko. I would've picked the other one on Virmire. Ashley-something?

Kaidan: You're just a pale imitation of the real thing! [to 7]

(if Ashley is in the Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, Lieutenant-Commander Williams. I would've picked the other one on Virmire. Kaidan-something?

Ashley: You're just a pale imitation of the real thing! [to 7]

(if Liara is in the Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, Doctor T'Soni. You're nothing more than a college cheerleader pretending to be a soldier.

Liara: And you're just a pale imitation of the real thing! [to 7]

(if James is in the Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, "Jimmy". You're just a farm boy who lost his pitchfork.

James: You're just a pale imitation of the real thing! [to 7]

(if Garrus is in the Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, Garrus Vakarian. You're nothing more than a burnt-out cop past his prime.

Garrus: And you're just a pale imitation of the real thing! [to 7]

(if Javik is in the Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, Prothean. How many of your own men did you crawl over to make sure you survived?

Javik: You are just a pale imitation of the real thing. [to 7]

(if Wrex is in the Squad)

Mysterious Figure: Like you, Urdnot Wrex. You're the poster child for why they invented the genophage.

Wrex: And you're just a pale imitation of the real thing! [to 7]

[7]

Mysterious Figure: I'm the real thing perfected. I'm you without the wear and tear, Shepard. The doubts, the failures. I'm the lone wolf you were always meant to be... without the emotional baggage holding me back.

The clone looks towards the rafters, where Shepard's squad is being held at gunpoint.

Squadmate:

Wrex: No one will ever believe you're Shepard. Javik: No one would ever believe you're the Commander. Garrus: No one will ever believe you're Shepard. James: No one will ever believe you're the Commander. Liara: No one will ever believe you're Shepard. Ashley: No one will ever believe you're Shepard. Kaidan: No one will ever believe you're Shepard. EDI: No one will ever believe you're Shepard. Tali: No one will ever believe you're Shepard.

Mysterious Figure: They will when I'm flying his/her ship.

Shepard: This is Shepard! Initiate Normandy lockdown! Transmitting command codes now!

Shepard tries to contact the Normandy, but the clone waves their omni-tool to block the transmission, then sends one of their own.

Mysterious Figure: Good idea. Too bad the signal was blocked. Traynor, this is Shepard. Prep the Normandy for emergency departure. We're leaving. I'm sending the command codes now.

Traynor: Acknowledged. We'll get underway.

Dialogue choices:

Nobody takes my ship. + 2 [to 8]

You're going to die. + 2 [to 9]

[8]

Shepard: It'll be a cold day in hell before someone steals my ship.

Mysterious Figure: It's not stealing if I'm you. [to 10]

[9]

Shepard: Never thought I'd say it, but I'm looking forward to killing myself.

Mysterious Figure: I guess ominous threats of violence run in our DNA, but mine is more than a threat. [to 10]

[10]

Mysterious Figure: Execute them. The cult of Shepard ends today.

The clone starts to walk away, leaving Shepard's squad to deal with the mercs.

{Renegade Interrupt}

Shepard picks up a pistol at their feet and shoots down the chandelier above them, crushing a group of the mercs.

{Interrupt ignored}

Liara grabs her gun and shoots down the chandelier above Shepard's group, killing the mercs near Shepard.

The squad now has to deal with the mercs to catch up to and stop Shepard's clone.

Previous: Citadel Archives (Intro)

Next: Citadel Archives (Hall 1)

[sanguinemoonglitch]

😂 I like her, tbh.