Mass Effect - A Hero Rises Ch. 22

Book 2, Chapter 3 -- Danger Zone

*****

Garrus wasn't awake the next morning when I headed down to the mess. I guess it was no surprise. Chakwas explained that surgery had been successful, but she was going to keep him sedated for a little longer to help his wounds as he was going to be in some pain whenever he woke up. Letting me know that she'd call as soon as he either woke up, or she helped wake him up, I headed back into the mess, grabbed a quick bite to eat, before heading upstairs to the CIC.

There were far more messages waiting for me than I expected, from Miranda, from the Illusive Man, from Kelly... I was reading over everything when Kelly appeared next to me, holding a mug in her hands. "Coffee, Commander. Just how you like it."

"Oh, and how do I like it, Kelly?"

"Two sugars, dash of milk. Nice and dark otherwise."

"Cerberus knows a lot about me, it seems."

"I've read your file back to front before my arrival on the Normandy, Shepard."

I tapped my temple. "Getting to know me in here is more important."

"Oh, I'd like that as well, but reading your file gave me an understanding of who I would be working alongside, at least."

"Your thoughts so far?"

"The mission will be a success. And I think we're going to have a lot of fun too." If there was one thing I knew about Kelly already is that she wasn't subtle. I glanced at her over the rim of the mug as I took a sip. "Just how you like it?"

"Definitely, Kelly. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Shepard." And, with a smile, she turned and headed back to her terminal. I focused on my terminal, but glanced her way every so often. In profile, she was definitely shorter than me, slimmer, quite pale, which was usual for redheads, the word petite is what I would have used to describe her. And, of course, I imagined what she looked like without clothes on.

Miranda arrived mid-morning, wondering when we would head back onto Omega to collect Mordin Solus. "When Garrus is awake."

"That could be a number of days."

"Garrus is a tough cookie. He'll be awake soon enough."

"Very well. You're in charge, Commander. Did you enjoy your time off the ship last night?"

Should have known she'd be aware. Probably knew exactly what I'd done as well. I returned a casual shrug. "Yes, I did, Miss Lawson. Got exactly what I needed. I was feeling rather relaxed afterwards and in a much better frame of mind."

I met her eyes and there was definitely more than one retort forming, but she seemed to flick through various replies before she simply went with, "Glad to hear, Commander. Hopefully that will mean you won't be distracted when we're next on Omega." There was a subtle jab at the fact I'd enjoyed myself in Afterlife, but I guess she wasn't going to judge me completely.

"I know what I'm doing, Miss Lawson."

Having not heard from Chakwas by midday, I did head into the armoury to change into armour and grab a weapon, letting Kelly know I was heading onto Omega to do some shopping. When asking what I wanted, I made her laugh when the first thing I said was fish. "What do you want fish for?"

"The fish tank."

"Oh, I didn't think you would bother..."

"Well, my desk is nearby, and I guess it would give the cabin some life. It's rather dull and grey at the moment. Might give it some colour."

"Do they even have fish on Omega?"

"If not, I'll buy them somewhere else. Wouldn't mind one or two others things as well. I think it's obvious I won't wear the uniform, Kelly. I'm here for the job only."

"I understand, Shepard, though I hope you won't judge us all."

"Something we can talk about later, Kelly. Your reasons for joining and your opinions on the organisation."

Another smile, I guess appreciating I wasn't just going to make a sweeping judgement of them all. "Maybe over that dinner I suggested?"

"Definitely. Perhaps we can organise a night after we've left Omega?"

"I'll put it in your diary. All you need do is confirm it."

Heading back out in the chaos that was Omega, you didn't have to look far to see the abject poverty, the desperation, the cruelty on display. Most were doing their best to scratch a living, put food in their stomachs for another day. There appeared to be a section for everything. One area sold food. Another sold clothes. Another sold weapon. And sex was also for sale too. I looked over the weapons and armour, but nothing was appealing, most of it second rate junk. I didn't miss the fact a couple of quarians were trading, but most shops were run by batarians. And as I was human, I definitely gained their attention.

I did find a place selling fish, so I bought a few there. I also found a place selling ship models. For a laugh, I thought I'd buy a few of them, as I figured it might keep me amused during those nights on the ship I wasn't getting laid. Which, to be honest, might end up being quite a few. I also purchased some more clothing, jeans, a few shirts, another jacket, and also a pair of comfortable shoes, particularly for when I was back on the Citadel and wanted to wander the Wards in comfort. No idea if or when that would happen, but I wanted to be prepared.

Back on the Normandy, Kelly was certainly amused as I returned with a few bags worth of things, heading straight upstairs to dump the fish in the tank, and I threw everything else onto the desk to sort out later. Having not had lunch, I headed back down to the mess to grab a feed. I'd taken all of three bites when I simply had to place my fork down. "Gardner, are you a chef?"

"If you mean have I been trained, no, Commander. But I can only make meals with what I've got. And I've barely got the basics here."

"So Cerberus has enough money for this, that, and the other, but won't put some tasty food in our mouths and stomachs?"

"That's exactly right, Commander."

"Well, that's something I'll see rectified immediately. Soldiers already have to put up with enough shit. The one thing they deserve is good food. Chow time is always something the serving man looks forward to."

"If you can get me quality ingredients, I'm sure I can whip up something much better than the slop I'm currently serving."

I pushed the tray forward, as I wasn't going to eat another bite. I headed straight back out into Omega and headed towards the food court. There was a place run by a couple of humans, selling things like hamburgers. The meat looked real enough, probably frozen and shipped from a colony world. But it was meat, and I ordered some fries on the side. I devoured it all in probably five minutes, drinking down the accompanying beer quickly. I then asked if they had a spare box of meat patties and fries I could buy. They led me to a massive freezer room nearby and said I could take my pick. I soon had boxes of all sorts heading to the Normandy, letting Gardner know that it wasn't quality but it would certainly keep everyone happy for now.

Checking in with Chakwas again, there was no change with Garrus, suggesting that she would slowly wake him up the next morning, so to check in with her then. Letting Miranda know the details, I told her we would go whenever Garrus was capable of heading out, unlikely the day he was woken up but if he had no ill effects, it would be the day after.

"Why not just go in without him, Commander?" she asked.

It was a fair question. "Because that man saved my arse more times than I count. And if we're heading into a plague zone, I just know it's going to be overrun with idiots looking to fight. So having a fourth member would be helpful."

"Okay, another day or two won't hurt, though just being this close to Omega makes my skin crawl."

"I'm sure it's the sort of place you need to warm to."

She snorted in disbelief, which then made her look away, no doubt surprised at the sound. I laughed to myself as I headed back to my cabin, but after an hour there, I was bored so treated myself to shore leave again. Heading downstairs, I did ask Kelly if the crew was getting time off the ship. "Yes, Shepard. Small groups only, and they are going armed. Cerberus isn't popular in these parts."

I held back any sarcastic response, just letting her know I was heading out again. "Want some company this time?"

Looking at me those emerald green eyes of hers, there was only ever going to be one answer, so I said sure, why not. She asked me to wait as she disappeared downstairs, returning ten minutes later in jeans and a tight shirt that showed off her bust, at least. Heading out together, the only place I knew of was Afterlife. She didn't mind, though we headed to a booth this time instead of sitting at the bar. Ordering our drinks from a scantily clad waitress, the music was pumping and I had a feeling the party never stopped. It was difficult to have a conversation in such an atmosphere but we managed to chat a little bit. Nothing too personal as it simply wasn't the place.

After a couple of drinks, we were ready to leave as I wanted to be awake the next morning for when Garrus was woken up. Kelly certainly proved to be good company, a natural listener, though her personality was what I would call bubbly. She was gorgeous, of course, and her interest in me was immediate and obvious. I suggested a drink in the lounge, and we sat back together as we stared out the window. If we were not in dock, we would have been staring out into space, at least.

"Shepard, can I ask just one personal question."

"Sure."

"Your file did include a list of... partners. You had a few while on the old Normandy. Have you been in contact with any of them?"

"Apart from Tali on Freedom's Progress, no. None of them probably even know I'm alive."

"Are you wanting to meet up with them?"

"Sure, though I'm sure most have now moved on with their lives. It's unlikely we'll just pick up where we left off."

"Would you like to?"

"With one or two of them, sure." I paused before meeting her eyes. "Why are you asking?"

"Mere curiosity, Shepard. You were not exactly subtle when it came to your sexual escapades."

Shrugging, I retorted, "I had nothing to hide. I like and enjoy sex and variety is the spice of life. And some women like to have sex with me. I'm a serving member of the Alliance. Permanent relationships are difficult at best. So I meet a woman I like, we enjoy a brief romance, I move on."

"But you did sleep with Alliance personnel?"

"You mean Ashley? Well, yeah, but that was always going to happen. The attraction was immediate, and by the end, we cared little about the rules regarding fraternisation. Liara, Shiala and Benezia weren't. Nor was Tali."

"Emily Wong?"

"Oh, I really liked Emily. One of the few women I've ever gone back to visit again. We had a lot of fun together."

"Gianna Parasini?"

I... didn't have any easy answer for Gianna. Probably the first woman I'd even had close to really deep feelings for since Annie. "She was special," I finally replied quietly, knowing I couldn't say too much without it sounding like it had been love.

"Sounds like you really liked her."

"Ever have someone you just clicked with immediately?" She didn't nod or shake her head, so I just continued. "Our attraction was instant, but for once, I didn't just want to know what she looked like naked underneath me. Actually wanted to get to know what made her tick. Met her on Noveria, as you likely know, but when she came to visit me on the Citadel... before I died... Well, we clicked on a whole other level. But she knew I wasn't going to commit permanently. I think she resigned herself to that fact, at least she did then."

"You'd like to see her again?"

"I'd like to see all of them again, just to let them know I'm alive." I finished my glass as I asked, "What about you?"

"A few boyfriends and girlfriends here and there. Nothing that lasted. Work always took me away from where I was living."

"Single?"

"I'm single, Shepard. Have been for a while now."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well, I don't date where I work, and as I'm usually on a Cerberus space station, my options are limited to non-existent at best."

"So it's been a while then?"

That's when she met my eyes. "Too long, Shepard."

I was getting every signal I needed that I could have just picked her up, carried her to my cabin, and we could have fucked until the next morning. But she was a sweet girl, and part of me didn't want to rush it. But that didn't mean I wasn't going to kiss her, which is exactly what I did. Soft at first, but she definitely liked it, and when I introduced my tongue, her glass ended up on the floor as her hands ended up running up and down my back and neck.

Breaking the kiss, her cheeks had definitely turned a colour of red I hadn't seen before. "Well, that answers that question," I said softly.

"But..."

"Not tonight, Kelly. No need to rush it, right?"

Exactly the right thing to say as the smile that lit up her face was just beautiful. "No, Shepard. No rush at all."

Cleaning up the slight mess we made, we headed back out into the mess, where she would go bunk down. We didn't make a scene by kissing again, simply wishing each other goodnight, before she disappeared to the crew quarters and I headed straight upstairs. I knew there would be cameras and monitors all over the ship, so what just happened would have been watched by someone. I definitely whistled to myself as I wandered back into my cabin, slightly wishing I'd brought her back for company, but I'd made the right choice. After a shower, to cool myself off for various reasons, I laid back on the bed with a pile of datapads, reading over more news, before finally drifting off to sleep.

*****

Chakwas was busy waking up Garrus. Having kept him under, she needed to wake him up as, though he might do it naturally eventually, it was better just getting him up and about. His face still looked terrible as I leaned forward, assessing the damage. Whatever the case, Garrus was a tough bastard. Had proven so on the old Normandy and the fact he'd even survived what happened was a testament to his strength.

"He'll be awake in a few seconds, Commander."

It didn't take long for his eyes to slowly open up, no doubt quickly assessing where he was, what had happened, glancing towards Chakwas, who he would have remembered at least, before he turned to look at me, and that's when he groaned.

"Shepard, you're not going to lean over and try and kiss me now, are you?"

I couldn't help chuckle at the comment. "This isn't a fairy tale. I'm not a prince. You certainly are not a princess. And you're just not the sort of dextro I find attractive. Not unless you want me to kiss you, Garrus. But I'm not sure we share that sort of friendship."

Garrus chuckled slightly before he coughed. "Don't make me laugh, Shepard."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I took a rocket to the face."

"Garrus."

"Yes, Shepard?"

"You did take a rocket to the face."

"You see, that's the sort of shit that happens to me when I'm around you. Rockets to the face. Shot at constantly. Sentient machines that want to bring doom to the galaxy."

"Can't say it wasn't fun."

"Yeah, I guess it was most of the time."

I stood back as he sat up, Chakwas taking one last check of his vitals before he swung his legs around, only then realising he wasn't in his armour. "Fuck, I feel naked without my armour on. And now you see how bony we are, Shepard."

"Glad Chakwas at least gave you a gown so we don't have to see your bony arse, Garrus."

He laughed again before cursing about making him laugh. "Your armour is in the front batteries," Chakwas explained, "I had someone put it there."

"Batteries? You mean this ship has cannons?"

"Proper cannons," I replied, "No Mako though. Figuring you liked tinkering with things, I thought you might like working on those instead."

"So this isn't like the old Normandy then?"

"Far from it. So what you should do is head there, which is just out through the mess, get into your armour, then meet me back in the mess. Hungry? Can he eat anything, Doc?"

"Eating would certainly help," Chakwas replied, Garrus adding he was starving.

Thanking the doctor again, we headed out together, Garrus half-limping his way up the stairs towards the batteries. While he was gone, I asked Gardner if there was any dextro food, surprised that they were fully stocked. He told me that Cerberus had planned for any eventuality regarding the recruits we would gather, and there was a chance we'd end up with a turian or quarian, depending on circumstances. So when Garrus returned, at least he had something he could eat so we didn't require a trip back onto Omega.

Heading to the lounge, I grabbed us a few beers and we headed up to my cabin for a private chat. Sitting back, he looked around in amazement, making one or two jokes about it turning into a sex palace. I guess some things are simply not forgotten, no matter how long it's been.

"So we're both messed up then," he finally stated, gesturing at my face.

"Yeah, I wasn't quite finished. Most of my body is okay, but must have been working on my face still. Don't worry, you don't look much better at the moment."

"Hurts like hell, to be honest."

"Want anything for it?"

"No. If I feel the pain, I know it's healing. Been through a hell of a lot worse."

"Garrus, I'm going to ask this plainly. What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Long story or short?"

"Well, the basics, but I didn't have you picked as some sort of vigilante."

Garrus leaned back on his chair, sipping at his beer. "After you died, the Council just wanted everything about the Reapers buried, and that included everyone on your ship. No idea what happened to Ashley, no doubt reassigned. The rest of the Alliance crew likely reassigned. As for the non-alliance, we were told thank you but your services are no longer required.

Headed back to C-Sec, but that was just boring. Far too much red tape. Thought about the Spectre route, but you need to be selected, you don't apply. Eventually I just got tired of the bullshit on the Citadel, so I told Chloe that I was going to go looking for a new job. Was thinking mercenary work. Take out the trash."

"Are you still with Chloe?"

"Yes. I send her a message every so often. She knows I'm busy, as is she. A message from her was sometimes the only thing that kept me going when things got touch. Had a small group of us on Omega, taking on the mercenary gangs, trying to keep the people safe. That's how I ended up with the name Archangel. Guess it was the humans who gave me that.

Anyway, things were going okay. I knew not to take on Aria, but she didn't care about any war with mercenary gangs. Eliminate one, it just tightened her grip on power. We were making good inroads, taking out operations, making some cash, killing those who deserved it. Then we were betrayed..."

"By who?"

"I have a good idea who, but I still need to investigate, make sure I'm right. Because, if I am, I am going to kill the son of a bitch." He took another sip of beer. "What about you, Shepard? Whatever is going on here, it can't be easy."

"Early days yet, to be honest. Barely been awake a few days. All I can do is make the best of it. After we're done here, I'm thinking of the Citadel, simply to see what the score is. If I'm proven right, the Council won't budge and the Alliance won't co-operate, I'll simply have to stay with Cerberus to get the job done."

"You haven't joined them, have you?"

"Fuck no, but I can understand the question."

We polished off the beers before heading downstairs again to the mess, as it was probably wise to eat. As Garrus and I hoovered down the food, Miranda wandered out with a datapad, handing it to me. "You may as well go recruit this one if you want to wait to collect Doctor Solus?"

I glanced over the datapad. Well, another visit to Afterlife is on the cards then. Veteran mercenary? No doubt lots of credits, long as he does the job though. "Sure, let me finish this and we'll head in."