User:SPARTAN-309/Cal Shepard

Cal Shepard was a quarian-raised female human who served as an enlisted crewman in the Systems Alliance N7 special forces group and a Spectre for the Citadel Council before enlisting in the Migrant Fleet Marines under the command of Junior Captain Kal'Reegar. During her career she was instrumental in stopping the machinations of rogue Spectre Saren Arterius, averting the return of the rachni, and saving the Citadel Council during the Battle of the Citadel, ultimately electing David Anderson as humanity's representitive. Shepard's biological father, Jacen "Jax" Holland, died in an attack on the SSV Magellan while investigating reports of geth activity, leaving his pregnant wife Hannah to raise the child alone. Hannah later met and fell in love with quarian Lirae'Jeran vas Rayya. After a short romance the pair decided to marry and raise Hannah's daughter together.

Early Life and Military Service
Cal was born in 2162 CE and spent her first 4 years aboard the Migrant Fleet ship Virana before Hannah took her away from the fleet on the condition that she be allowed to return to her father every once-in-a-while. Cal's first experience of a Systems Alliance starship was the SSV Gettysburg, an Obama-class frigate that had been Jacen Holland's first posting. While on the Gettysburg she overheard mess hall chatter about Holland's actions during the geth attack on the Magellan and asked her mother who Jacen Holland was. After recieving no answer to her questions she began to wonder whether her mother had known Jacen Holland in some way, but knew that her mother wouldn't give her an answer. As she grew older and her mother went from one posting to another she heard more and more people talking about Jacen Holland and began to realize that this mystery man was something of a legend in Alliance Navy circles. Finally, when Cal was 14 years old her mother revealed that Jacen was infact Cal's biological father. Cal, who had been raised as a quarian knew in her heart that the geth were responsible for Holland's death and vowed to get revenge, both for Holland and for the many quarians who had died in the geth war. Two years later she enlisted in the Alliance Navy SpecOps division N7 under the name "Cal Shepard" (claiming at the time to be 18 years old), while in training she met and befriended fellow trainees Kaidan Alenko, Jeff "Joker" Moreau, and Richard L. Jenkins. She was made aware of Moraeu's fragility by Alliance Medical Corps Captain Chloe Michel and took pity on her fellow student. She was known for being cheeky and often used her biotic talents to cheer Joker up and wow her fellows while in the mess hall or recruit common room. As she progressed in her training she was encouraged to develop her biotics under the guidance of Lieutenant-Commander Taylor (who she would later encounter during her escape from hacked security mechs aboard Cerberus' Lazarus Research Station following her reconstruction, 2 years after Collector the attack on the SSV Normandy) and chose to specialise as an Adept, also learning how to handle an assault rifle and a sniper rifle, viewing shotguns as inelegant and unreliable wepons.

Skyllian Blitz
During a fieldcraft exercise on Elysium during the Skyllian Blitz, Shepard, along with Alenko and Jenkins heard screaming and gunfire coming from a settlement near their bivouac. The trainees investigated and stumbled into the middle of a batarian slave raid. Shepard threatened to shoot the batarian leader unless the batarians ceased their agressive actions against Alliance civillians. Jenkins was taken out of the ensuing fight when a slaver incapacitated him with a stun charge. Shepard unlocked her true biotic potential when she generated a mass efect field strong enough to stun several of the batarians and Alenko managed to kill 5 slavers with a single biotic charge. Shepard activated her communications transceiver and begged Captain Jalek Alenko to send reinforcements. The Captain, having a well known soft spot for Hannah Shepard, assured her that he would scramble his battle group to assist the beleaguered recruits.

Assignment to the Hope's Flame
Upon completion of her training Shepard was assigned to the MSV Hope's Flame. While on the Hope's Flame she met Lieutenant-Commander David Anderson. Anderson had known Jacen Holland and saw something familiar in his friend's daughter. During her time on the Hope's Flame she came to appreciate Joker as a capable pilot and a valuable friend. It was during her time on the Flame that she met Doctor Karin Chakwas. During her six-month-long tour of duty she quite bizarrely gained a rapid-fire string of promotions, eventually attaining the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.

Mission to Eden Prime
Ambassador Udina: "Well, what about Shepard? She's a spacer, lived aboard starships most of her life."

Captain Anderson: "Millitary service runs in the family, both her parents were in the navy."

Admiral Hackett: ''"She proved herself during the Blitz, held off enemy forces on the ground until reinforcements arrived." ''

Captain Anderson: "She's the only reason Elysium is still standing."

Ambassador Udina: "We can't question her courage."

Captain Anderson: "Humanity needs a hero, and Shepard's the best we've got."

Ambassador Udina: "I'll make the call."

In 2183 CE, Cal was assigned to the SSV Normandy with the rank of Commander (class 2) as Captain Anderson's Executive Officer. When she learned that there was a Spectre on board she was instantly suspicious that there was more to the Normandy's shakedown run than she had initially been informed of.

Following a jump through the Arcturus Prime Relay Shepard was summoned to the Comm room. There she yet again found Nhilus Kyrik.

Career Service Vitae
Born: 2162 CE, Migrant Fleet vessel Virana

Birth Name: Cal'Jeran nar Virana

Enlistment Name: Cal Shepard

Father: Jacen Holland

Adoptive Father: Lirae Jeran vas Rayya

Mother: Hannah Shepard

Enlistment Date: June 12, 2178 (age 16)