Okay, maybe I have to explain this one...this comes out of the mass effect kink meme, the original prompt was

Saren/F!Shep non-reapers AU Yes, there already are some brilliant Saren/F!Shep fics on this meme, but I find myself carving for something slightly different - I really want to read about a human Spectre candidate and human hating Turian relationships developing from hate (mostly from Saren's side, though I imagine his attitude will quickly make Shepard hate him as well) to respect and then something more:)

No non-con, though slight dubi-con is OK, because I can't imagine relationships between them being fluffy. And I'd prefer porn-with -plot.

and I was trying for something different from the usual hate!sex this pairing usually gets. Probably an epic fail, since I fail at writing in general, but I had at least to make the attempt. Ah well.

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This, Alliance N7 and spectre-candidate-in-training Commander Shepard thought, was shaping up to be a real disaster.
She was standing at attention, watching her new instructor closely, all the while hating politics with a rare passion. The Citadel council had, finally, admitted her as the first human for Spectre training, against considerable resistance from representatives of the other races, some of them rather outspoken.
It was as much an honour for her as an acknowledgement of the status of her species in the general galactic community, but Shepard was more and more convinced that it was a setup, really, that she was intended to fail. She was a pawn in a complicated game of politics, and something that should have been simply about a judgement of her own ability and training had become a complicated mess with too many variables unknown to her. Only the outcome was fixed, and it was to be failure.

And to accomplish this, she had been paired up with the one Spectre who could be counted upon to do his damned best to make sure she'd never make it through training. Of course he also happened to be the best, which made a perfect reasonable excuse, but the fact remained that Saren Arterius hated humans and everything to do with them. He'd never even bothered to hide that fact.
Shepard wasn't sure what exactly had triggered his extreme prejudice, but even without that context it was clear enough that he wouldn't even give her a chance.
As for her, the fact that her instructor was to be an alien of a species they technically had been at war with some years back didn't bother her. She'd always been able to keep at least a professional working relationship with anyone she'd needed to in the course of her own career, and she prided herself on that. Too bad the Spectre likely wouldn't be extending her the same courtesy.

Shepard regarded Saren critically; Even discounting the fact that all turians could look quite int imitating at first glance, especially if one wasn't used to them, this one was definitely creepy, with that strangely pale face, cybernetic blue eyes and the general stance and impression of a permanently irritated velociraptor. Turians were hard to read as it were with their immovable plated faces, but this one was even worse due to the fact that his mandibles were fixed to his jaw with metal rods, giving them very limited mobility, and therefore expression, and adding to his image of something one thought twice to cross. It was very effective, she had to admit.

Right now, his mood was rather easy to determine, however, given that he was regarding her with about as much enthusiasm as he would have displayed when faced with something slimy stuck to his boot that clung despite repeated scraping.
"Just to make this clear from the beginning", he hissed, "this assignment was given to me despite of my objections. Rather outspoken objections, I might add." His voice turned even colder. "Your species is new to the galactic community, and pushing for too much far too soon."
Shepard was careful to show no reaction at this, because she couldn't completely fault him for this view. In all fairness, the human ambassador had been pushing, and pushing hard. "Humanity needs to learn its place before your sort can hope to be accepted as a responsible member of the community." He stepped closer, examining her without giving anything away.
"If you have any kind of sense or respect, you will resign and end this charade right now."

She gritted her teeth but remained silent, not for fear of antagonise him - she frankly doubted she even could antagonise him any further if she tried - but she had to remain professional.

Saren snorted. "No sense, then. As if that were any sort of surprise. Very well, then." He turned from her, then suddenly snapped back, bending slightly to meet her eyes levelly. "Maybe you need to learn your place too, and if so, you can rest assured that I will be prepared to do the teaching."
Shepard didn't flinch back, although it was something of an effort. After all, she would be damned before she'd let herself be scared off by a spiky alien with a bad temper.
Saren studied her for a second longer, then, seemingly having lost interest, he stepped back."I will depart the Citadel tomorrow at 0700. Until then, keep out of my sight."

With that, he simply turned away and stalked off, leaving her to contemplate his receding back. Shepard cursed under her breath, sourly noting that he hadn't even told her which ship he was travelling on or where they would be going.

Yes, we're off to a really good start here, she thought bitterly.
Then again, she'd had made it through N7 training. Whatever he could come up with and throw at her, she probably had lived through it before, and would do so again. She might be set up for failure, but she sure as hell wasn't going to go down without fighting. From what she had read between the lines at her own mission briefing, they didn't have much hope for her success either, which meant that basically she was on her own.
So be it. She'd show them all. Straightening her shoulders in resolve, she set out to first locate a terminal to try and figure out their means of travel. Then, she'd need to pack.