Yes, yes, I know I already have several other series that need working on, but this one really piqued my interest. Especially since I've been killing time with Mass Effect 2 recently and I've grown to love it. Anyways, the standard stuff applies here. I don't own Mass Effect nor any other things that may appear here. Now, without further ado, Mass Euphony.
A/N: This isn'ta new chapter. I just fixed the height of Kai.
Step One: Prologue
Silence. Well, near silence. That's all the surrounds me as I jot my notes and ideas onto paper. A space opera. Betrayal. Love. War. Then finally, acceptance and death. It isn't exactly your greatest idea of a story, but it holds a certain charm that I can't quite place. It's not a happy ending, I can tell you that much. There will be loss, and sorrow, and pain. But in the end, the good prevails and the evil falls. Though not without consequences. My idea of the perfect story. Realistic, but hopeful. Gritty, but full of snark and humor. A tragic end, but one that denotes the possibility of a grand future.
I set down my pen beside me, humming as I gaze over my work. I've been a writer for all of thirteen years, since I was about ten. While my works have never hit the desk of any publisher or official editor, I like to think that I'm more than just an amateur in my field. That is to say, when I'm not working. Today is my only day off, and it's only my planning period for this work. I'm terrible when it comes to finishing projects; something that I attribute to my ADHD. I find it hard to just sit down in one place and focus, or to finish projects I've already started. In fact, most of my work goes unfinished, left to the imaginations of both my readers, and myself. I call it artistic. My friends call it a pain in the ass. My "editor" calls it lazy. Maybe it's all three.
Regardless, I take the time to stand up from my rolling chair and stretch. It's only noon, and I find myself a bit hungry. I live in an apartment in southwest Florida, shared with my unofficial editor and his boyfriend. We split the cost into three ways, and we make do. It isn't a luxurious life, but neither is it particularly bad. We each work full time jobs; two in my case, and we enjoy the benefits of life as they come. My roommates are nice people, as well. They don't go out of their way to shove their relationship in my face, since I am but a humble single sack. In fact, we all get along quite well. They're also my business partners in a card game I created to help children learn multiplication. It hasn't quite taken off, yet, but it's doing well.
After stretching, I sit down once more over my notebook. I should finish this. At least get the prologue done. After all, I need to start somewhere, right? I grab my smartphone from beside me and turn on some smooth jazz. This type of music always helps me think. The rhythms of the drums and the sweet caresses of the saxophone fill my ears, taking me away to the world I've created. I grumble, feeling a bit lightheaded. I should have gotten some food; or at least a drink. Still, I want to write these last few paragraphs. A man trapped in a dream, never to return home. Yeah, that sounds like a good place to start. In fact, just writing this is making me sleepy. I've never been a morning person. Maybe… a few winks wouldn't hurt. Not at all… I feel my head press against the cool, marble table underneath me. The sound of jazz fills my ears, and I feel myself relax.
I find myself thinking about… myself, for some reason. It's a strange sensation; I just feel compelled to think about myself. Still, I give in and do so. I'm not particularly strong, is the first thing that comes to mind. I've always been better in the mental battlefield than actual fighting. A tactician with few equals among my peers, and a man who can improvise in nearly any situation. I attack from the shadows, and get in and out before anybody notices I'm there. I guess I'd be best suited as a spy, or an infiltrator in the military. I feel myself frown. Why would I think about that? That's just odd. The feeling of self-reflection continues, however. While I'm a bit more hesitant to let it keep going, I allow myself to go on.
I've always wondered in what situation I'd find myself in the military. Would I be the brutally honest, no nonsense type of soldier? Would I be the kind of survivor who relies on nobody but himself? Or maybe the kind of soldier who follows orders to the letter, ensuring that the mission is completed with the least amount of casualties? That's… a very odd train of thought to have. It's been several years since I was last interested in the military; so why now? Why ask these questions when I'm already content with my living style? I feel the urge to just answer the questions, but I refuse. Something is going on, and I refuse to answer any more of these reflections until I know exactly what.
The urge becomes stronger, but I won't give in. Now I know something is going on. In fact, why did I fall asleep in the first place? What on Earth convinced me that I need to fall asleep right then, when I was perfectly fine not ten minutes earlier? I refuse to give in! Whatever is going on, you won't have your way with me! I'm not just some pawn to be controlled! I'm ********* "Kai" ********, and I'm nobody's toy! The urge disappears. Instead, I can feel a vague sense of… disappointment? Awe? Maybe a little bit of surprise? Either way, I feel like I can breathe again. Whatever pressure was there before has been lifted. I feel a sense of warmth, despite the chill around me. A sense of warning. Something is about to happen. Something is going to go wrong. Am I being warned? Then finally… alertness. My eyes fly open, and I realize that the sound of jazz from my phone has disappeared. I'm in a cold, empty, grey corridor. I'm alone. I grumble and slowly stand up, having been laying on my face. I take a moment to look around. There are a few neon red signs that I assume would be exits to this corridor, but nothing else. I pause a moment.
"Where the fuck am I!?" I shout out loud.
The corridors go on for what seems to be forever. Every so often there's a glass wall, and I can see other people on the opposite side of them. When I knock on the glass, I can tell that they can hear me; they even look at me, but then they give me a strange look and move on from their business. This has to be a dream. I fell asleep at my table, so I must be dreaming. But there's one thing that makes me stop and disagree with that theory. I don't dream. I haven't dreamt since I was in middle school, and even those were blurry and unclear. It was nothing like this, where I can feel everything around me. Not a dream? No, that can't be. A vision, perhaps? No, no, not possible. Visions don't take place for hours on end, and I have no history with them. A delusion? I'm crazy, but more like the adorably charming type of crazy, not mentally loco crazy. Dimensional travel? I pause, but then shake my head. That… is science fiction. Not at all possible under normal rules. Then again, since when have I ever followed normal procedures? I shake my head once more as I walk down a light blue hall. No, it's simply impossible.
It isn't long until I open a door at the end of the hall, and find a room of people. My eyes widen. Finally, human contact! And yet… I feel weary around these people. Apprehensive. Something about them doesn't sit right with me. They're dressed in strange clothes, and not all of them look human. In fact, I'm fairly certain that a few of them aren't human. I seem to be facing a bar of some sort, and the woman behind the counter is blue. Instead of hair, she has some sort of tentacles amassing behind her head. They're short, though, and have a sort of elegant curvature to them. I move slowly, looking around with no doubt a curious expression as I wander the hall. I make out a sign that looks like a twisty, bendy, orange thing. It looks almost like a holograph; all flickery and not quite solid. Underneath the sign are writings in what look like different languages, if the vastly different characters are anything to go by. Finally, I find one in English. "To Lower Wards". Lower Wards? That… sounds familiar, actually. But from where? I've decided that this place is too massive to be some elaborate prank, and that blue lass doesn't look like a costume of some sort. No amount of makeup can make someone that… elegant looking.
As I make my way to the sign through the crowd of people, I'm met by three elevators. There's a small group of people waiting for the next elevator to the Lower Wards, it seems. I run through my options as I look up at a tall creature. It seems to have rough skin, and mandibles beside its mouth. I keep my gazes quick and short, avoiding it identifying my speculations of it. As the next elevator comes up, I step inside with the rest of the crowd. It's a bit of a squeeze, but I manage. It almost seems like the elevator doesn't move as I stand in the middle, even as the doors close. I can, however, feel a slight humming and rumble as the device moves. The creatures around me are speaking, but in all sorts of different languages. It's almost like working at Disney again, hearing all these different languages in the same room. I can pick out a few phrases in English, though.
"-hear about what happened with Shepard?" I manage to glean. There's a response in another language, but the woman picks it up somehow and responds again. "It's a shame, too. She's a human war hero, but to be shut down so hard by the Council? I guess even she can't win them all." Shepard, huh? Sounds like an interesting person, if the war hero bit is anything to go by. I could use another human that could help me out here.
I've since determined that I'm no longer in Kansas, so to speak. Any attempt to make calls on my phone is shut down since I have absolutely zero bars, and I can't even connect to the internet. Apparently, there are no Wi-Fi spots. I've also determined that something happened to shove me into this predicament. While it could still be a dream, I'm holding off all judgements until I know just what is going on. As soon as the elevator doors open, I move to the side; avoiding the incoming wave of people. I hum and hear a door open behind me. Automatic? Quickly taking my chance, I slip inside.
The halls here are cloaked in darkness, and only lit slightly with long, red lights near the ceiling as well as a few pockets of white light in small indents on the walls. I hum as I walk through this area. A back route, perhaps? An alleyway, in relation to the rest of this massive structure. Maybe even a shipping dock? Either way, it gets me out of the crowds and I can make my observations in secret. As I walk, I find myself crossing paths with a quadrupedal creature with a stocky body, skinny arms, and a long neck like a snake. It regards me with blank, black eyes before moving on. I blink, watching it pass by me before I continue my walk. It's quiet back here, and I can feel my paranoia kicking in. Something could happen back here. Something bad. I close my eyes before taking a few deep breaths. Breath, Kai. You're alone back here.
"-the Shadow Broker? Where's Fist?" I hear what sounds like a synthesized voice ask from ahead. It sounds female, and slightly desperate at that. I blink and creep my way forward, looking over a darkened edge where there's a staircase. There's a woman in a burka in front of me, facing away from my position. She seems tense. The creature in front of her is like the one on the elevator, but has what looks like skull war paint on his face. His armor is too dark to make out in this light, and he actually looks pretty intimidating. At only a measly one hundred and sixty-two centimeters in height, I'm pretty small. I don't have the strength most taller people have, and this guy is tall as fuck. Probably around seventy-two centimeters. Still, he's making some really intimate moves towards this woman, and she doesn't seem happy about it. This isn't good.
My eyes dart around, looking for other details. "He'll be here. Where's the evidence?" The creature speaks in English, surprising me. It doesn't quite match up to his mouth's movements. A translator, perhaps? I see two creatures behind the man in light armor, both holding weapons. The creature himself looks like he's packing some firearms as well. I only have some small experience with firearms, but it looks like I'm going to be expanding on that pretty soon. There are several crates in the indent on the wall. Perfect cover. This hall is also dark enough for me to move around freely. I always wear dark clothing, and the stuff I wore when I fell asleep is no exception. More details, more details. Mandibles, possible weak point. Rip them off, add pressure? Small firearm on the woman. Experienced. Knows how to defend herself, though may require cover. Two creatures seem cocky; set their weapons down on the crate. Can grab both. Plan.
"No way. The deal's off," the woman smacks the creature's hand away. After that, hell breaks loose. I grin. It's been a long time, violence, my old friend. Excitement. Blood pumping. Instinctive tendencies. Let's go.
Tali's POV
I can feel my heart pumping as two Salarians come from around the corner, fully armored and holding pistols. I move quickly, grabbing a proximity mine from my belt and throwing it at them. I make a break for cover as the shock appears on the Turian's face. He wasn't expecting me to try and fight him? That will be his mistake. I breathe heavily as I slam myself behind one of the crates lining the alley, pulling out my own Striker I pistol and activating it. I take a deep breath, momentarily closing my eyes. I lightly curse under my breath before I force myself to stay calm. Alright, all I have to do is survive this encounter and I-
"Yo!" I hear a voice echo through the alley. I blink and look towards the source, surprised. I hear two shots. "Pick on someone your own size, eh?" I allow myself to peer over my cover, where a human wearing strange clothing has the two Salarians' pistols. He… he's just shot them? The Turian, my supposed contact, seems just as surprised as myself. He soon growls and gets behind cover in the cove in the wall. The human glances at me and nods as he rushes the Turian. I raise my hand, as if trying to reach him.
"Wait!" I try to warn him. Oh no, I just dragged a random human into my problem! He doesn't look like he knows how to fight. He's just running right in! It doesn't even look like he has shields! One shot and he'll die! I decide to try and help him however I can. He may be a stranger, but he's risking his life to help me. I can only return the favor. I quickly aim for the Turian's cover, firing my pistol in order to keep him from popping his head out. At the very least, I can give the human time to get in close. Surely, he has a plan, right?
I find myself in the wrong as the human rolls past the cove, quickly spinning to take potshots at the Turian. His armor negates a lot of the damage from the mass accelerators, but he's using both of his weapons to fire off slugs at the large target. The Turian is too shocked at this to react quickly, and I notice a shot finally rip through his skull. Keelah… My 'contact' falls to the floor, dead. The human slowly gets up from the floor and walks towards me. He has a massive grin on his face, and is… surprisingly shorter than me. Most humans I've met have either been around my height, or taller than me. He's almost a head shorter than me. He has what humans call a mustache, and his head is covered in messy black hair that looks like it's been rubbed around a lot. Just below his chin, he has a small patch of hair. On his face are a pair of lenses that seem to be made of glass.
"You alright, ma'am?" he asks me, shaking me from my thoughts. He seems to have a kind tone to his voice, and seems genuinely concerned about me. Still, I keep my pistol raised to his face. If he's nervous, he doesn't show it. "You seemed to be in a pretty sticky situation, there."
"Who are you?" I ask immediately. He just took out two Salarians and a Turian. He's dangerous, whoever he is. "What is it that you want from me?" His gaze shifts to confusion.
"What, I can't just help a lass for the hell of it?" he asks me. "What's with the mask, by the way? You a gypsy?" He… doesn't know what my suit is for? Does he think I'm a human? But I have anatomical differences that are clear as day!
"I am a Quarian," I tell him, bracing myself for the abuse he'll throw my way. Instead, I see his face shift into slight confusion, then panic, then into… acceptance?
"I see," is all he says in response. "I see, I see… I see, said the blind man, as he picked up his saw…" I can't help but be caught off guard at this. What is he…?
"A Quarian, huh?" he asks me. "Can't say I've ever met one of your kind. Still, that explains the suit," he hums in thought before offering me his hand. "********* ********, though everyone calls me Kai." I slowly lower my weapon, holstering it before I take his hand in mine, giving it a light shake.
"Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," I reply with my name. "But you may call me Tali." I can see something shift behind his eyes, though I'm not sure exactly what. His smile doesn't leave his face, however.
"Nice to meet ya, Tali!" he takes his hands and rests them on his hips. "So, mind explaining why these guys were out to kill you?" I feel my pulse quicken a bit, even though I know it probably shouldn't. He just saved me, after all. I can trust him, right?
"Well…" Keelah, I'm rubbing my hands together! I always do that when I get nervous! I immediately set my hands down to my sides, hoping he didn't notice. "I… have information about the Geth and how they're working for Saren. Or at least with him," I tell Kai. "I was going to hand it to the Shadow Broker for protection, but it looks like that didn't work…" I sigh and look away slightly, feeling like an idiot.
"Hey now," Kai speaks in a soft voice as he rests his hand on my arm. I can't help but flinch at the contact. I guess I'm still nervous after all… "Look at me, Tali," he insists. It sounds more like he's asking me than telling me. Slowly, I let my head turn back to look at him. He has a soft smile on his face, and a relaxed posture. Keelah, why does it feel so hot in this suit!? "You did what anybody else would have done. You just got stuck with a bad deal." My heart is pounding. Stop looking at me like that! "Now, let's go find someone who can-" Before Kai can finish his sentence, I hear the sound of a gunshot. Kai lets out a yelp and falls to the ground.
"Kai!" I hear myself scream.
Shepard's POV
I can't help but hold my breath as the human goes down. Garrus took a good shot, but I doubt it'll take him down for long. My eyes widen, though, when the Quarian lets out a shout of surprise and worry. She quickly kneels beside the human, Kai is what she called him. Shit, did we take out the wrong guy? No, Fist told us that she'd be meeting with a contact here and would be set up for an ambush. It's more likely that this "Kai" was just about to attack her. Still, if there's anything that I've learned from being part of the Alliance, it's to never dismiss any option available. Even while that's true, I keep my shotgun raised in a ready position, able to take the guy out until I know exactly what's going on.
"No, no," the Quarian seems to be pleading the young man as he struggles to get up. He's chuckling though, so he can't be too injured. In this light it's hard to tell, but he obviously has facial hair and seems to have olive skin. He's shorter than me by a good foot. His clothing is strange, but it doesn't look like he has armor, or even shielding. All in all, he doesn't look threatening. Shit, did I just order the firing upon a civilian? "Please, get up, Kai!"
"Hey, no issue," Kai chuckles and grunts, getting up slowly. I can tell it's hurting him, though. Despite this, he stands strong with a huge smile on his face. I see him turn to face us. "Not a bad shot, ya know? But you got the wrong person." I curse under my breath as I lower my shotgun. I motion for Garrus, Kaidan, Ashley, and Wrex to do the same. The Quarian offers Kai her shoulder to lean upon. Not once has his grin disappeared. It's actually getting a little creepy to look at. As if reading my mind, his smile becomes more subdued. "So, who are you merry bunch of misfits?" He seems much too relaxed to have just been shot. Despite this, I take the more official approach.
"I'm Commander Shepard," I introduce myself, latching my shotgun to the back of my waist once more. I shoot the man an apologetic look, visible since I don't have my helmet equipped at the moment. "I apologize, we'd gotten word that this Quarian was going to be ambushed, so we went for the option of shoot first, ask questions later."
"Really, it would have been ask questions never," Garrus chimes in from beside me. I hear him grunt as someone punches his shoulder. Probably Ash. Kai, however, doesn't seem fazed by this.
"No problem," replies the man that was shot. "I'm just glad you didn't keep shooting. That wouldn't have been good." I can't help but hesitate. This man is unreal! He takes a nearly crippling shot and acts like it isn't an issue! Ashley seems to agree with my thoughts.
"How are you so calm?" she asks, stepping forward. The Quarian takes a step back, but Kai stands firm. "You just got shot to the floor, how can you just brush that off so easily?" The young man shrugs, but I can tell he just hid a grimace.
"I'm used to pain," he says simply. "That, and I know that the pain will go away eventually. No use getting upset over a mistake."
"This kid either has a quad on him," Wrex rumbles from behind me, "or he's just stupid." The red crested Krogan has a point. Kai, once more, shrugs at this.
"Maybe a little of both," he chuckles. "Anyways, Miss Tali'Zorah nar Rayya here has some evidence backing up that some guy named Saren is working with the Geth. I assume that's pretty bad, and that's why you're here, right?" Just like that, he brushes aside his own injury. What is this guy made of, and where can we supply it for the Alliance!?
"It is," I respond, trying to process everything that this man is. He's an enigma; I can't get a read on him. While his face seems to express his naivete and utter disregard for his own health, I can see something behind his eyes. He's not as stupid as he lets on. Just how intelligent he is, however, eludes me. "We need to take this evidence to the Council. Do you mind coming with us, Tali'Zorah?" I turn to the Quarian, who recoils slightly in shock to be called out so suddenly. I give her a moment to respond.
"Y-Yes," Tali'Zorah replies, hesitation laced in her voice. It's only natural, since she just saw the human who's leaning against her get shot. I'm still not sure what happened here, but it seems obvious that Kai isn't a threat to anyone. "But only if you please not shoot my friend again."
"Hey, hey," Kai laughs good heartedly. "I'm a tough one. I can take another shot!" Tali'Zorah shakes her head, and I can almost feel her glare on the man. I can't help but cross my arms as well before I step forward. I pull up my omni-tool and apply some medigel to Kai's wounded shoulder. It was not a grazing shot. It went in one side and out the other. How can he endure that kind of pain? "Ahhh, thanks, Commander," he sighs, and I can see him visibly relax. At least I know he could feel the pain, and it wasn't just nothing to him.
"I would like if you came with us as well," I tell the young man. His eyes widen at that. I try and hide a smirk at knowing I've finally caught him off guard. "You witnessed everything that happened here, and you seem like you can take some punches. With some training, you'd make a good addition to my squad." His grin turns lopsided at this, but I can see the gears turning in his head in that brief moment. He takes his weight off of the Quarian and gives me a sloppy salute.
"Aye aye, Commander!" I nod to him and begin to walk past the pair.
"We need to head up to the Human Embassy to report our findings," I tell them. "If you'd follow me." Despite my calm words, I also know that I need to report the incident with the civilian named Kai. We shot an unarmed civilian. I could be given a dishonorable discharge for this! Hell, maybe even worse if Kai decided to press charges. I shake my head. No, Kai seems like a well-meaning young man. I doubt he'd just pull a fast one over me like that. I'm so deep into my thoughts that I hardly notice Lt. Alenko walk up beside me.
"Commander?" he speaks softly to grab my attention. I turn slightly to face him. "Are you sure we should be bringing this guy with us? He seems a bit… unhinged." Kaidan Alenko is actually a pretty handsome man, despite his very to-the-book attitude. I've stated several times that I don't mind a relaxed posture when we're among friends, but he seems to disagree with that notion. Kaidan motions behind us with a slight nod, where Kai is taking far too much enjoyment as he speaks animatedly to Wrex and Garrus. Garrus even has given up his Lancer I assault rifle for the young man to look at; though he seems disgruntled at the fact. All the while, Ashley is watching with mild interest with a hint of distrust, and Tali'Zorah seems a bit more relaxed than before. Her eyes are lingering on Kai whenever she turns to look at the trio.
"As far as I can tell, he's just fine," I reply to Kaidan. "Besides, we did him wrong by shooting him. As much as I hate to admit it, we can't just sweep this under the rug. I have to own up to my orders to shoot him." Kaidan merely shakes his head and sighs.
"It's not like he has any proof," the man insists. "Nobody's going to believe this Quarian and you really don't-"
"That's enough," my voice is firm, indicating that the topic is finished. I really don't want to admit to this, but I know that I will. I know that I don't have to; it's my word against his after all. Even still, I'd feel the guilt anyway. "Kaidan, why don't you help by making Tali'Zorah more comfortable? She could use someone to talk to, it looks like." Kaidan seems hesitant, but concedes. He gives me a "Yes ma'am" before trailing back to speak with our Quarian. We all file onto the elevator to head towards the Upper Wards, and I notice that Kai is standing beside me, sans Garrus' rifle. He seems to be looking up at me, a soft smile on his face. It's as if he's looking at an old friend. Despite that, I can still see thoughts flashing by in his head, as if sizing me up. "Is there something you want to talk about?" I finally ask him. Kai hesitates a moment, something that surprises me. He's truly an enigma.
"Yeah," he mumbles before seemingly finding his voice. "Just… you're interesting. You're different from the rest." I cock an eyebrow at that. Well, during basic I was considered beautiful by my mates. Red hair and green eyes were hard to come by, these days, it seemed. Was he developing a crush on me?
"Different how?" I decide to humor him just a bit. At least he didn't have much of a grudge against me. I suppose he was a bit interesting as well, in some strange way.
"You're strong," he replies. I scoff. That sounded like something a Krogan would say. His smile becomes more sly at my short laugh. The elevator reaches its destination, and we begin travelling down the hall towards the next elevator to take us up to the Presidium. "You misunderstand me. You're strong-willed and have a good shoulder on your head." That takes me by surprise. I've been told those things before, but not by someone who I'd only met less than an hour ago.
"Oh?" I reply, trying to keep my calm. "How can you tell?"
"The way you walk," Kai replies. My eyes sharpen. "It's the walk of a soldier. Not some chump who came out of basic and can hold a gun, but of someone who's experienced and knows just what to do when the time comes." My brain races as he speaks. He's no ordinary young man, that's for sure. In fact, he might even be a threat if he were against me. Just how much of one, I don't know. But he's hiding something. Then, his goofy smile reappears as quickly as it had gone. "Ah, but I'm just some punk who doesn't know shit, right?" His innocent smile isn't fooling me. He's more than I've been giving him credit for. That makes me a bit uneasy. Maybe Kaidan was right… Kai smiles once more before trailing behind me; leaving me to my thoughts. I can't help but be a little paranoid about him, now.
Kai's POV
Hahaha, I'm an idiot! You're interesting? Different from the rest? What the hell, me!? Am I trying to get caught or worse, shot again!? I inwardly grunt. Jesus, that thing hurt like a bitch! It was hard enough to keep up that smile for Tali's sake, but even worse that then I had to keep up the strong act for Shepard! Speaking of which, Commander fucking Shepard! I'm in the fucking Mass Effect universe! How the flying Christ monkeys!? I swear to God if this is some sort of drug trip, I'm gonna fuck up whoever slipped me some bad shit. Calm down. Focus. Think. I was alone when I first passed out. Nobody slipped me anything. Dimensional travel; seeming like a more viable option. I take a deep breath as I slip in beside Tali, keeping the light smile on my face. Don't let them in. Don't act even more out of place than I already have. They already think I'm a weirdo; let's just let them keep thinking that. I can prove myself later.
Speaking of which, I'm now part of Shepard's ground team? Really? I know there's more going on here, you red headed woman. I just have to figure out what. Wait, does this mean I'm now part of the Normandy crew? Holy balls, really!? Oh man, this is awesome! Finally, some adventure and thrill that I don't just have to imagine! This is all actually happening! Well, I think it is, actually. Gonna have to get a rain check on this. Still, if I'm actually here… That's fucking amazing! Whooo!
"Are you feeling alright, Kai?" Garrus the Turian asks me from my right. I look up at the tall creature and nod, smiling.
"Just dandy," I respond. "Thanks for letting me see your gun; it's really cool!" Garrus seems to roll his eyes, but there's hints of a smile on his face.
"Well, it's not every day a civilian like you gets to see the firearms a C-Sec officer like me uses," he tells me. "I imagine it's quite the thrill." He has no idea. "Since you'll be with us for a while, maybe I'll give you a chance to fire this thing at something." He pats the weapon strapped to his right shoulder for good measure.
"Heh, maybe," I grin widely as I respond. I hear Wrex snort.
"The little pyjak probably couldn't hit a target right in front of him," the Krogan taunts me. Tali looks like she's about to speak up, but I give her a subtle look. She remains quiet, though she seems confused. "I could probably throw him across the Citadel if I wanted to."
"Probably!" I grin and give the Krogan a noncommittal shrug; complete with the cock of my head. He growls, but doesn't say anything more. Garrus, on the other hand, lets out a soft chuckle at my disregard of Wrex's opinion.
"So where are you from?" Ashley asks as she walks up beside the rest of us. Kaidan seems more attentive to me as this question is asked, but once more moves up to walk beside Shepard. Still, I'll bet he's listening closely for my answer. "Not a lot of people come to the Citadel alone; and even less would just help an alien on a whim." Tali also seems interested in my answer, now. I give them a cheeky smile.
"Well, see, when a mommy and a daddy love each other a whole lot-" I begin. I hear Shepard bust a short laugh in front of us. Garrus seems a tad embarrassed and Wrex hides a small smirk of amusement. Ashley, however, seems a bit shocked at my completely off the wall answer.
"That isn't what I meant," she tells me with a small frown, but she seems to get the point that I'm not going to answer the question. Shit, I just made them even more suspicious of me, didn't I? I'm going zero for two, here. Shit. Oh well, it seems like we're arriving at the Human Embassy. I can see Udina inside, and he seems pissed. We all approach the man with the receding hairline, and he shakes his head.
"You're not making my life easy, Shepard," he complains as Shepard stands with her arms behind her back, in a relaxed posture. Her face is almost stone like; unmoving and unwilling to break against this guy. "Firefights in the wards; an all-out assault on Chora's Den," he turns to face us. Yeah, he's definitely pissed off. "Do you know how many-" he cuts himself off, finally noticing Tali and I. He motions towards us. "Who're these? A Quarian and a civilian?" He speaks with a barely hidden disgust, and I can almost feel Tali tense up beside me. Right, she's a Quarian. Her people aren't exactly welcome in places like these, are they? I feel my temper rise, though. Nobody fucks with my friends. "What are you up to, Shepard?"
"Hello there, Ambassador Udina," I step forward before Shepard has a chance to talk. She seems shocked, but I ignore that. Instead, I offer the man my hand. He looks surprised at this gesture, giving Shepard a pointed look before shaking my hand. "Pleasure to finally meet you. We're the two people about to give you information on how Saren is a dirty traitor." I smirk at his furthering shock. "But please, go on, do keep making assumptions about us as those in political power tend to do." I can see the fury behind his eyes, but he manages to keep a calm expression. Damn, I was hoping to piss him off openly.
"My apologies," he attempts to backtrack, once more turning to Shepard. He's not apologizing to Tali or I, is what his body language is telling us. No, we don't get that right. My teeth grit a bit, but I reign in my temper. He isn't worth making a racket over right now. "It's been a very stressful time, so forgive me if I'm a bit high strung." I'll string your ass right up, old man. "Maybe you should start at the beginning, miss…?" He looks so mechanical and stiff. He really needs to get laid.
"My name is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," Tali introduces herself. Despite the underlying nervousness in her voice, she's doing well in front of the human Ambassador. I can see the question that Udina is about to ask, and I inwardly groan. These conversations are boring as all hell, and I really don't feel like listening. Instead, I decide to ponder the people around me. Garrus seems ok with me, as of yet. He doesn't like me, but he doesn't dislike me. Wrex really doesn't seem to care for my presence; nor does Kaidan. He's really suspicious of me, it looks like. Ashley doesn't seem to care either way. She seems like she's just pissed that I dodged her questions. Shepard? Well, she seems to be the one most interested in me. Like I'm a mystery to her, but still a source of slight amusement. That is, if the gleam in her eyes from when I spoke up earlier is to say anything. I blink, though, as Kaidan nudges me.
"Huh? What?" I mumble, looking around. Everyone is staring at me.
"If you're done daydreaming, Mr…" Udina speaks up. My eyes narrow at him.
"********* ********," I reply to him. "But everyone calls me Kai."
"Mr. ********," he continues. Dick. "I was asking you how you'd like to go about the charges of Commander Shepard ordering that you be shot." I blink and look at the woman in question. Despite the firm expression on her face, she seems tense. Wait, that was an issue? "You can press charges for being assaulted and injured as an unarmed civilian." I notice the look in Udina's eye. It's predatory.
"I was shot?" I ask in the most confused and perplexed tone I can muster. I can't help but notice the subtle glance of shock from Shepard. Did she really think I'd sell her out so easily? "I mean, I was fired upon for a warning shot, but nothing actually hit. See? Not a scratch on me." I give Udina a shit eating grin. No doubt he can see the hole on my shirt, but I can claim that was just a tear that already existed. I'm bullshitting him, and he knows it. But unless he has substantial proof from me, he can't order anything to be done with Shepard. Is that an impressed look he's giving me? Eww, it's like if Hitler told me I was a saint.
"I see," he sighs and shakes his head. "Then I will present this evidence to the Council. Hopefully it will be enough to make an impression on them and end this business with Saren once and for all." With that, Udina leaves us. All attention is now on me as Shepard steps forward.
"Why did you defend me?" she asks me, thoroughly perplexed. I chuckle and give her a knowing look, one that she catches. "You had every right to have me punished for my actions, so why?"
"Why not?" is what I reply with, giving her a smile. "What you did was something you believed the right thing to do. You had no malicious intent, and were only following what you believed your mission parameters along with the information given to you. I don't blame you in the slightest, Commander." I give her a mocking salute as she shakes her head, giving me a coy smile. If that isn't enough to earn a bit of trust from her, then I don't know what will.
Shepard's POV
The next few hours fly by for me. During all of them, I can't help but think about the strange man that is ********* ********, or Kai as he prefers to be called. He's been like this all day, bouncing between something of a lovable idiot to a steel cold strategist and politician. If you gave the mind of a tactician to a complete child, you'd find out that you'd just created Kai. It's almost awe inspiring how clever he can be. Just an hour earlier when we'd been arguing with the Council about hunting down Saren, or lack of, Kai simply stepped up and told them, "So you're telling me that the Citadel Council, the most powerful political force in Citadel Space, if not the entire galaxy, is refraining from hunting down one of the most powerful and influential Spectres to exist as of this day and age? Not one ship is going out to find and arrest a Turian accused and found guilty of treason upon the highest order? Tell me, dear Councilors, why this seems to be the case." Of course, this was announced in front of plenty of witnesses. He'd momentarily shocked everyone in the room by underhandedly suggesting the Council was supporting Saren behind the scenes by doing nothing about him aside from stripping him of his title and authority. Thus, it was decided I would be the first human Spectre, and I would hunt down Saren under the Council's orders. Of course, we all knew it was them merely trying to save face, but it would be enough for any normal civilian to not even give the accusation a second look.
It all came even further around as we discovered that Captain Anderson would be stepping down from the Normandy, reassigning me in his place to command the experimental vessel. Again, backroom politics came into play here, something Kai once more made evident. "So, this man who's done more on the field in one day than you have in your entire career," he growled at Udina, "is stepping down just for the hell of it?" He laughed obnoxiously at that point. "You're funny, dear Ambassador. Very funny." Udina was furious, and I had to be extra polite to him just to keep him from throwing Kai off of the mission. It was entertaining to watch the young man in action, but damn it if he wasn't destructive along the way! At this rate, there might not be a galaxy to save if it meant unleashing this little hellspawn upon it. He had no sense of temperament or holding back. It seemed like "Ready, Fire, Aim" was his mantra.
I'd have to knock that out of him. After giving a short speech to the crew about our mission, I had Joker set a course for the Artemis Tau systems. Arrival would be approximately four days to the planet a Dr. Liara T'Soni would be found, so I decided to call Kai down to the hangar bay to discuss his role on the team; as well as keeping that mouth of his shut when needed. If I was going to have him working with me, I needed to know that he wouldn't cause any other issues while we worked on the problem involving Saren. Before he arrived, I asked Ashley, Wrex, and Garrus to head up to the Crew Quarters Deck while I prepared for his lesson. I wanted to know just how competent Kai was. To do that, I needed to first test just how intelligent he was.
Kai's POV
I yawn as the elevator came to a stop to the Hangar Bay Deck, stretching as I slowly step off. It seemed like everyone was off to eat in the mess, even though Shepard had called me down. She was probably having them clear the area for some sort of training. Well, I couldn't expect anything less, really. She was the commander, so she wanted to see just what I was capable of. In fact, if she wanted that, where was she? Shouldn't she be here? I blink, chuckling softly. So, it was an active battlefield course, then? Seeing how I perform under real-life conditions? Interesting. I allowed myself to hug the wall and hum to myself. If I were a sneaky Shepard, where would I hide? Ah, there. Right in the shadows above the lockers, right where Ashley's things are. You may think you're well hidden, ma'am, but the tip of your shotgun is poking out just enough for me to see the small protrusion. You're aiming at… the crate in the center of the room with a pistol, sniper rifle, shotgun, and assault rifle on it. Do you take me for an idiot, my dear?
I glance around the room, slowly edging my way around. I smirk, approaching one of the lockers near the doors to the Engineering Deck. I hide behind them, knowing I've probably confused her. I hum once more to myself as I decide my course of action. Four weapons, all guarded. Fair distance away from target. Shotgun and assault rifle nonviable. Pistol, perhaps. Sniper rifle most viable weapon. Potentially heavy, so nab pistol first and return later for sniper rifle. Note, no armor. One shot can deal serious damage. Be careful. Target is cornered and cannot move. Cover fire immediately after grabbing pistol. Backup plan; disappear if failing to create cover fire. Disappear on the opposite edge, under the Mako. Time passed, two seconds. Plan. Let's go.
I burst from my cover, sprinting across the deck towards the pistol. I grasp it and immediately take cover behind the crate. It proves more sturdy than I gave it credit for, as Shepard begins hailing it with mass accelerator rounds as soon as I'm down. Count the shots. One, two, three. She has to stop or risk overheating her weapon. Cover fire, now. I pop up after activating my pistol and aim for the location I know she was just at. Pop! Pop! Pop! I continue this barrage of rounds as I grab the sniper rifle, making my way to the Mako. I disappear behind it just as my weapon begins to overheat. I stop firing just short so the alarms from the weapon won't trigger.
I sigh and crawl underneath the vehicle, hearing Shepard once more firing. She's not aiming for the Mako, though. She doesn't know I'm here! I grin, setting myself up as soon as she starts to fire. I only have one shot until she becomes suspicious. I smirk and ready the rifle, peering down the scope as her last shot goes off. Jesus, this thing is heavy! No wonder it wobbles to and fro in the game! I grunt softly and take aim at the Commander from under the Mako. Her head peers up over her cover in confusion. I don't want to take her head off, so… BAM! A round slams into her shoulder, knocking out her shields as she stumbles back in surprise. I see the shimmer of blue, letting me know that her shields have been knocked out for a while. Shepard visibly sighs and stands, holding up her arms in surrender. She walks out to the center of the room as I crawl out from under the Mako.
"Not bad for a newbie, eh?" I grin, approaching her. She looks at me with surprise, though that isn't much of a surprise to me. Her expression relaxes after a second, though. "I gotta tell you, that was an interesting setup. I saw right through it, though."
"So I can tell," Shepard replies. She sounds mildly impressed. "I didn't expect you to move so quickly from cover, though. Most newbies would stick with the safe area." She once more holsters her shotgun to her lower back, then crosses her arms. "I definitely wouldn't have thought to look under the Mako until a second later, either. You reacted quickly, moved quietly, and managed to catch me off guard. Not a lot of people can do that."
"I got lucky," I wave her off. "Seriously, that sniper shot was luck. How can you stand the weight of that thing!?" Shepard smiles slightly in response to that.
"The weight is made to reduce recoil," she explains to me. "It has quite the punch, so the extra weight prevents it from sending the weapon, and you, from flying back after every shot. You get acclimated to it after a while." She moves over some of the weapons on the metal crate, then sits down on it. "You're not bad, but you still move like a civilian. I can also tell that you aren't used to handling firearms that are military grade." She pauses for me to think over that for a moment. "While your tactical thinking isn't bad, most firefights won't allow you to move around unseen. Not to mention that we need to get you into some armor, as well as issue you an omni-tool." She pauses once more. "I'll call you down here once every day, and we can train you."
"Sounds good!" I smile at her. While she smiles back at me, it's uneasy. "I'll enjoy being led by a lovely lass such as yourself!" Shepard rolls her eyes at my light teasing, though she can't hide the smile.
"Speaking of training you," she sighs. "I need you to not be so… aggressive when you speak." I blink at that. "You have a tendency to speak your mind, and that isn't always a good thing. If you hadn't noticed, you could have created some real messes with Udina and the Council."
"But they deserved it," I reply simply. I don't respect assholes just because they have power. They have to earn it from me. Shepard shakes her head, though.
"That isn't how things work, Kai," she addresses me. "You have to learn to bite your tongue. It can get you into a lot more trouble than what it's worth." I frown at that and grumble. "Kai, you're now a serviceman under my command. You're to follow my orders to the letter and do as I instruct. You do understand that, don't you?" I stay silent, going over her words in my head. I have to obey someone? But that isn't fair! I just wanted to join in on her adventures! Shepard sighs. "If you really don't want to, I can drop you off at the next station we dock at. You won't have to be part of this crew, and can go on to do… whatever it is you do." I hesitate. I don't like taking orders. People are idiots, and they don't deserve to tell me what to do. Still… This is Commander Shepard. If anyone has the right to lead me into battle… To take me on such a grand adventure…
"I guess…" I mumble, with the Commander leaning forward in interest as I speak. "I guess I can try," I tell her. I give her a slight smile, which she returns. She's actually really pretty when she's smiling. Take her out of that heavy armor, and I'd bet she'd just be like any other woman. "I'll do what I can for you, Commander."
"That's all I ask," Shepard tells me in response. She stands up, resting her hands on her hips. "Now then, how about we go up to the mess and grab some food? I'm sure you're pretty hungry after today. I know that I am." I nod, chuckling as we head to the elevators. "So, tell me about yourself, Kai. I like to know my team. What do you do during your down time?"
"Well," I smile as the elevator doors close. "There's a lot I can tell you, actually."
Shepard's POV
I allow myself to think as I sit at my desk, looking over the files of each of my crew members. While I do like to take the time to know them each personally, I'd also like to know where they come from to avoid any uncomfortable topics. So far, I've found that I have a very colorful crew. I set the file on Garrus down, staring up at the blank wall in front of me. I'd talked to everyone around the ship today, just to get a feel for my crew. First there's Joker, a lovable asshole if I've ever met one. Cocky and arrogant, I have faith he can get the job done if he's as good as he says he is. I might have to help him tone down his jokes, though.
Then there's Ashley, the Gunnery Chief from Eden Prime. She seems to mean well, but I'm concerned she won't work well with the non-human crew. She seemed pretty worried about them, after all.
After Ashley, there's Kaidan. He's the most professional out of everybody. Honestly, it's probably his best trait. He's predictable, and means well. Still, he seems at edge with Kai. From what I gather, he doesn't trust our resident civilian turned serviceman. I don't exactly disagree with him, but Kaidan seems to think Kai is up to something nefarious.
Next is Wrex. The big, angry Krogan just looking to help his race. At least, that's what I gathered from talking to him. He acts like he doesn't care, but I know that deep down, he probably wants the best for his race. I'd be the same way, if humanity was anything like the Krogan. I hope I can help him out, someday.
Then there's Garrus, the former C-Sec Turian. He doesn't seem to like rules very much, but I can work with that. As long as I don't have to worry about him causing more damage than we solve, we'll be fine. I just hope his ideals don't get the better of him.
Next on my list is Tali. As I look over her files, I notice she doesn't have much. Just another Quarian on her Pilgrimage, looking for a greater than decent gift to bring back to the Migrant Fleet. She seems to get along with mostly everybody on the team. The Normandy crew? Not so much. Still, Chief Engineer Adams seems to appreciate her help. Since she rarely travels outside of the Engineering deck anyway, I figure she's in good hands.
I sigh, then it's the man of the hour; ********* "Kai" ********. Honestly, I'm not sure it was a great idea to bring him. Still, I can see where he'd be invaluable. He has a knack for strategy and patterns. Also, from what I learned, he has the ability to quickly learn whatever is placed in front of him. Remembering it, however, is a completely different beast. He's hyperactive and has trouble focusing, jumping from one thing to another. While it could be a liability later on, it absolutely thrives in his adaptability. He easily learned how to move in the test armor we gave him, and he was able to recall most facts about the galaxy well after an hour of learning them. He was able to jump from subject to subject as needed. What concerns me, though, is how much Dr. Chakwas and I actually had to teach him. Some things that would be common knowledge simply eluded him; like pulling up the extranet on his omni-tool. In fact, actually using the omni-tool was something we had to teach him.
Kai is an enigma. One that I'm just a little bit worried about. He's unhinged; a loose cannon that can be just as destructive as he is helpful. It doesn't help that he appears to have something of a crush on me, if his incessant flirting is anything to go by. Seriously, calling me his Rosy Fire Flower in front of the entire crew present in the mess was uncalled for. Punching him in the gut would have almost been worth it if he hadn't been laughing the entire time; even after I have him an uppercut that sent his feet off of the floor! As entertaining as he is, he's equally infuriating. Still, he has a lot of potential. If only he wasn't so hard to deal with.
