Line #20 FanFic/AStarToSteerHerBy


1	-> ''Sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll! Also violence.''
2
3	[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/203669/chapters/302045 A Star to Steer Her By]] is a ''Franchise/MassEffect'' fanfic by Shades of Mauve that novelises the events of Mass Effect 2, keeping close to the plot of the game while adding the unique story of Rhiannon Shepard. It was completed in January 2013, spanning 41 chapters and just over 182,000 words.
4
5	The fic is told from the point of view of Shepard and Jeff Joker Moreau, and explores Shepard readjusting to life again from being recently dead, and Joker dealing with the guilt he feels over his role in the destruction of the original ''Normandy'', eventually leading to their hidden mutual attraction morphing into an ever-so-slowly budding relationship.
6
7	Far from strictly a romance, the fic features healthy helpings of humour, action, adventure, and explosions, demonstrating that although the protagonists may have personal issues, they are above all competent professionals.
8
9	It also gives glimpses into the lower decks workings of the Normandy, primarily from Joker's perspective, and several scenes featuring a sympathetic portrayal of Jack.
10
11	Has a sequel called [[http://archiveofourown.org/works/861737 Sunset and Evening Star]] as of June 2013.
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13	----
14	!!Tropes used in ''A Star to Steer Her By'' include:
15
16	* ADayInTheLimelight: Joker, a support character in the games, gets full protagonist status.
17	* AfraidOfTheirOwnStrength: Shepard, fearing both her new physical strength and her temper after she makes a dent in a bulkhead with her hand.
18	* AlcoholInducedIdiocy: Shepard tries to bring home a varren.
19	* AnchoredShip
20	* BattleCouple: Shepard and Joker, each a master of their own field. Never mind that one is ground-side and the other in orbit.
21	* BigEater: Shepard, on account of being a biotic. Luckily, she's [[ExtremeOmnivore not picky]].
22	* BrickJoke: Shepard's helmet, seemingly forgotten about after Joker orders Kelly to get the thing out of his sight and never to be seen again... until the epilogue.
23	* CombatPragmatist: Trex, who designs a trap that ensures he's nowhere near the fighting when it breaks out.
24	* DamselInDistress: Nessie.
25	* DidIJustSayThatOutLoud: Shepard swears, Joker babbles:
26	--> '''Shepard''': That's it. The fucking universe is fucking fucking me. Fuck it sideways.
27	--> '''Joker''': Everybody's dead. Everybody's dead, Dave.
28	* DisabledLoveInterest
29	* DoesNotKnowHowToSayThanks: Tali gives Shepard a gift, and is very amused by the floundered reaction.
30	* DrivesLikeCrazy: Rhi ''and'' Jack.
31	* EatingTheEyeCandy: Joker becomes prone to this when Shepard is wearing the black mission dress.
32	* ExtremeOmnivore: Shepard, due to her childhood on the streets, will eat anything that can be termed food.
33	* FacePalm: The reaction to EDI's logical reasoning that dysfunctional families in dire need of therapy make an acceptable template for behavior as Shepard has referred to ''Normandy'''s crew as a dysfunctional family on multiple occasions.
34	* FanFic: Is one.
35	* FireForgedFriends: Jack and Shepard.
36	* FixFic: Multiple tweaks to make in-game inconsistencies and [[IdiotBall Idiot Balls]] make sense. Among them moving the potentially hostile Geth away from the ''[=AI=] core'' and Jack wearing actual armor.
37	* FlashbackNightmare: Shepard remembers ''dying''.
38	* ForegoneConclusion: A side-effect of the fic following Mass Effect 2's plot.
39	* FriendshipTrinket: A lime green paper umbrella.
40	* GladToBeAliveSex: Deconstructed. Characters are glad to be alive: Yes. Happy to ignore multiple injuries for some nookie? No.
41	* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: And also, loud.
42	* HangoverSensitivity: Grunt's first hangover ends in the medbay with Zaeed holding a gun on him. Then again, hungover Zaeed points his gun at anything that makes noise.
43	* HugAndComment: On hearing a familiar crinkle:
44	--> '''Joker:''' You have ''ration bars'' in your ''pocket''?
45	--> '''Shepard:''' I ''always'' have ration bars in my pocket.
46	* IfIDoNotReturn: Joker invokes this both seriously and comically in the same conversation with Kaidan.
47	* InMediasRes: Puking on camera is a good place to start a fic.
48	* InsultToRocks: The biotic grape juice to grapes.
49	* ItBeganWithATwistOfFate: Rhi goes on vacation to Elysium after a bad break-up, that's how she was in the right place at the right time to repell the batarian invasion.
50	* JerkassRealization: Kaidan catches on once the word ''dead'' gets repeated to him enough times.
51	* LadyOfWar: Doctor Chakwas demonstrates her gun skills on the shooting range.
52	* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: Wrex and Rhi swear silence about Wrex ''swinging her around like a kid''.
53	* LikeBrotherAndSister: Wrex and Shepard.
54	* LiteraryAllusionTitle: ''Sea-Fever'' by John Masefield.
55	* MamaBear: Rhi, to any people she considers hers - including a childhood friend she hasn't seen or heard from in decades.
56	** EDI, to Joker. Hilarity ensues.
57	* MomentKiller: A major plot-point and source of significant annoyance to the protagonists, however well-intentioned by the interrupter.
58	* MundaneSolution: How do you make certain you're able to quickly and efficiently neutralise a potentially hostile Geth? You bring a gun.
59	* MundaneUtility: Biotic levitation, for pulling food off of high shelves.
60	* MyGreatestFailure: The source of Joker's side of AnchoredShip.
61	* NecessaryFail: Discussed, regarding ''Normandy'' going down.
62	* NoodleIncident: The burnt rat.
63	* NotAMorningPerson: Joker is neither verbal nor cognizant before coffee.
64	* OddFriendship: Rhi and Jack bond through drugs as stress-relief.
65	* OnlySaneMan: Joker has occasional flashes of this when dealing with the rest of the flight crew.
66	* OpenMouthInsertFoot: Happens when Joker doesn't stay away from the alcohol and Shepard is in the vicinity:
67	** First time when accidentally making an oral sex joke after Shepard says going down (stairs) is usually quick.
68	** Second time he sets himself up for a bet for a kiss, realising a moment later he's going to have to throw the game.
69	* ParentalAbandonment: Earthborn Shepard never knew her parents.
70	* PillowPistol: Garrus' sleeping habits.
71	* PoorCommunicationKills: Averted. Both Shepard and Joker keep open comms and provide running status updates to make certain everyone is on the same page of the same script at all times. ...while on duty, anyway.
72	* RealMenCook
73	* ShroudedInMyth: Shepard does this deliberately as part of her method for gaining loyalty among her subordinates. Even the ones who know what she's doing fall for it.
74	* SmoochOfVictory
75	* {{Songfic}} Multiple occurances in-fic:
76	** Chakwas and Mordin singing opera.
77	** Joker being trolled by loud music on the bridge
78	* SophisticatedAsHell: Rhi, normally perfectly eloquent, occasionally goes back to her native street slang for effect.
79	* SpaceX: Discussed:
80	--> '''Joker''': You bought a hamster. For a space ship.
81	--> '''Shepard''': So it's a space hamster.
82	--> '''Joker''': You going to start talking like one of those 20th century sci-fi vids where they stick the word 'space' onto everything?
83	--> '''Shepard''': You have a problem with that, space-pilot?
84	* StoryboardBody: Joker's airplane tattoo.
85	* TheAlcoholic: Shepard.
86	* ThePowerOfFriendship: Turns out, it's much nicer to have Jack on your side.
87	* TheShrink: Type 1, the harmful shrink, who twists Joker's survivor's guilt and conflation of ''Normandy'' and Shepard in order to have him removed from duty.
88	* [[ThroughHisStomach Through Her Stomach]]: [[RealMenCook Romance]] [[BigEater made]] [[ExtremeOmnivore simple]].
89	* UnequalPairing: Shepard's concern about this is the cause of AnchoredShip from her side.
90	* VitriolicBestBuds: Joker and Kaidan, though sometimes they put the insults away... for a few moments.
91	* WeaponOfChoice: Shotgun. Frigate.
92	* WillNotTellALie: Rhi, curiously enough given her background. She uses her body language and facial expression extensively to hide her thoughts and feelings to make people read her wrong, but she goes to great lengths to avoid spoken lies.
93	* WhatDidIDoLastNight: Specifically, ''Did I do anything last night I need to apologize for?''
94	* WhoIsDriving: Pointed out when both pilots are in the mess.
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96	!!Tropes used in ''Sunset and Evening Star'' include:
97	----
98	* DarkerAndEdgier: Things start out bad with our heroes in detention. And then it gets [[FromBadToWorse worse]].
99	* EnhancedInterrogationTechniques: Solitary confinement, for someone who defines herself by the people around her.
100	* MoodWhiplash: Alternating scenes of Shepard submitted to invasive medical procedures, while Joker reunites with EDI.
101	* LiteraryAllusionTitle: ''Crossing the Bar'' by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
102	* TheChooserOfTheOne: [[MentorArchetype Geltz]], who randomly picked up a feral biotic in a hospital and taught her some manners. She then went on to save the galaxy.
103	* TraumaticHaircut

Context FanFic / AStarToSteerHerBy