Just to Vent
"Ah, Pathfinder, thank you for coming so quickly. I'm afraid it's urgent business." Director Tann was already at the stairs in his office to block her path. Sara cringed a little internally seeing the smile on his face. It was a charade. It seemed the more times she entered his office, the more petty work he had for her. His tone softened darkly, "I assume you saw the group of protestors in hydroponics." The implication was clear. He didn't wait to let her reply. "This is the second time they have gathered. We cannot be productive when we are dealing with this." Tann threw his hands up in disgust as he walked back to his desk.
Narrowing her brow, Celeste held in the sensation to sigh in exasperation. She wanted to throw out a retort, "You mean I have been dealing with." But she figured starting an argument here with him would not really solve anything. After talking with Drack and Kesh, it seemed like a lot of the true problems of the Nexus were pawned off to others. Tann only came around when something right happened so he could take the glory. "I did speak with them again. Yes." Her voice smothered in exhaustion. So far they established two outposts. One on Eos and the other on Voeld, but both worlds were still harsh despite the activation of the vaults. The alien devices only changed the atmosphere that had been altered. It didn't rid them of the other worldly pestilence such as the kett or raiders. She thought by getting a foothold, it would gain the trust of those on the Nexus and give her more breathing room to continue her exploration and investigation of the remnant and the Archon. Instead, it was Pandora's Box. More requests poured into her inbox from colonists, crew members and Foster Addison. It got so bad that she had to filter which ones were more of a priority besides her main mission. "They have concerns about their families that are still cryo. Applications for deployment to the outposts are being ignored."
"That is part of the Colonial Affairs department," Tann interjected quickly.
"Then why contact me? Contact Addison." Sara was beginning to lose all patience. Nexus originally was going to be some type of haven for her off world and away from the Tempest. Instead it was becoming more of headache despite the familiar faces she interacted with each visit. Some were more positive than others. The latter she rather just avoid. Like being currently in Tann's office.
The salarian remained calm as he sat back down at his desk and clasped his hands. "With the outposts established, Director Addison is busy solidifying our alliances with the angaran and maintaining activity. We are all being strained here, Ryder. Sometimes, one must pick up another's burden for the good of the cause."
That was the last straw. Sara was unable to remain tight lip and she felt her chest become tight. "With all due respect, director," She emphasized the title in a belittling manner. After all, many questioned the succession from Jien Garson to the salarian since day one. "I haven't been sitting on my ass these past few months. I have been out there fighting the kett, dealing with the remnant vaults and nearly getting killed at every turn! Not only that, but I have my crew depending on me not to get them killed in the process!" The words squeezed through her clenched teeth. Her tone was on a dangerous level. If she was a biotic like Cora, she figured she would have probably dropped this guy with dark energy. If she was a krogan…well Drack could pretty much predict the gruesome details.
The outburst led her to the late hours on the Nexus sitting at the bar in Vortex. She couldn't remember what happened after her words with Tann. She didn't even remember leaving his office. All she could see was the red hue in her eyes from the anger that boiled savagely inside her. She was shaking and she needed to calm down. Luckily for her, the Vortex never really closed and many patrons had already left for the night. The blue Asari bartender tentatively moved over to refill her glass with the Thessian Rose wine that they brought along with them. The Asari was very punctual because Sara was pretty much her only customer she had left. Some that lingered were sitting at tables conversing and one poor human male found a nice corner to take a snooze. "You want to talk about it?" She asked Sara softly with a genuine worrisome expression.
"Normally, I run to Kandros and ask him what the hell to do…" Sara admitted as her mind lingered on the image of him. The militia leader for the strike teams. A turian who was there for her since her arrival on the Nexus. She always made a beeline to his post at each shore leave to seek his advice whether it was on Tann or military strategy. She just felt at peace with him by her side. Lately, the feelings started to confuse Sara. She almost felt like she longed for him more than just for advice. Feeling silly, she tucked these emotions away. The idea of being with an alien never crossed her mind on the Citadel. Sure, it wasn't taboo like it had been after the First Contact War, but she figured some humans just wanted to stay to themselves. Sara was not a xenophobe by any account; she just wasn't sure if she could love or for even that matter, be attracted to an alien race. Blushing that she was divulging to a stranger what was jumbling in her head, she laughed softly. "Sorry."
"It's alright. The name is Tessa. I normally work the late shift here."
"So what's your story? Why did you come to the Andromeda?" The million dollar question that was part of Sara's routine conversation starter when she met new folks on her journeys.
"I was a dancer at Chora's Den on the Citadel starting off then after the Geth attack, I moved to Dark Star and became a bartender. It was easier, but I missed the tips I got as a dancer," Tessa moved around the counter to clear off a table after a group left. The club now just contained the two of them and the sleeper.
"I remember Dark Star. I think Scott and I snuck over there for a drink one time. A turian was working there," Sara spun around in her chair to watch Tessa work.
"Balen. He was such a sweetheart. Showed me the ropes." The asari hesitated with a sly smile. "So you into Kandros? Nice guy. He hardly comes by…at least in the late shift. All military. I guess you need a clear head to deal with what he has to."
Sara felt her face becoming hot as the obvious spilled out. Anybody who tailed her would have put two and two together. Did Tyran think the same? If he did, why didn't he say anything? Maybe he wasn't into humans…or worse, maybe he already had a special someone. Reaching to her glass, she took another gulp to ease her nervous body. She thanked the feel of her heart slowing down. "You really think…" The words were becoming hard to grasp.
The smile on Tessa's face didn't leave her. "Back when I was a dancer at Chora's Den, there was a worker that was about your age. Nice girl. Didn't really fit on the Citadel. Ironically her name was Andromeda. Heard she had a thing for Garrus Vakarian. Such a hardcore C-Sec officer." She moved back to the counter and placed the empty glasses down. "What is it with you humans and the snub nose turians? Me…I'd take a krogan." Tessa smirked big as there seemed to be some type of private joke to herself.
"A krogan?" Sara busted out laughing. "You think you could handle one?"
Tessa gave a carefree shrug. "I'd try it. Just have to find the right one. I'm not into the whole pureblood thing. Mom wasn't. So why should I?"
"What about your dad? Who was he? Her?" Sara felt her body relaxing as the conversation moved from her crush over Tyran Kandros to family.
"A batarian." Tessa giggled. "I know. I know. What was mom thinking?"
"Not all batarians can be bad. I'm sure there are some good ones out there."
"He was. At least mom talked like it. They lived on Thessia. I don't think the city life played into him. A few years back the hegemony called him on some secret project. Mom said it had something to do with a discovery they found in Dis." Tessa's voice grew quiet as recurring pain struck her. "I think dad just wasn't happy anymore."
Feeling guilty, Sara straightened back in her chair and tried to get her body to move. She knew that trying to walk right away after throwing multiple glasses of asari wine was probably not the best idea at the moment. Chewing on her lip, she searched for some way to redirect the conversation back to a more lighthearted topic. "Did Garrus and Andromeda work out?"
Tessa bent down to put the glasses up. "Not sure. She left the Citadel about a year after I started at Dark Star. I never saw her. One of my old friends said that she was in C-Sec but my other friend, Jenna, said that she disappeared. She was pretty freaked out about it. Last thing I heard from Jenna was that she was taken to Omega and sold as a slave. Rough way to go. She's probably still there or dead."
Sara frowned. Another dead end, literally. Why did their conversations become so morbid? That was the last thing she needed after spending a rough day with Tann. Defeated. She decided to continue to let the conversation unravel itself. "What's Omega like? I've never been there."
Tessa poured some type of green liquid into a glass and downed it fast. "It's a shit hole. Ran by Aria T'Loak. One mean asari bitch that's for sure."
"It's best not to go there." Kandros chimed in as he walked into the club. Sara spun around in her chair quickly to see his approach. The same militaristic stride. His fringe lighted by the club's colored strobe lights. His mandible clutched tightly as his avian eyes fell upon her.
"Kandros?" Sara's mouth felt dry.
"You didn't stop by today." He pointedly replied as he stopped about a foot from where she sat. "Radioed your ship since I noticed it was still at port and Kallo said you were here." Moving over, he slid into the chair next to her. "Want to talk about it?" He smiled wryly.
"I guess you heard from Tann." Sara admitted somberly.
"No." Kandros paused as he watched Tessa pour him a drink. "Kesh heard Tann's tirade after you left his office. It's been a long time since I heard her laugh."
Still feeling guilty, Sara shifted a bit in her seat and found herself becoming closer to him. "You been to Omega?"
"Once or twice. Not for pleasure. Unfortunately, I have a cousin there. Nyreen."
"Security?" Sara guessed as she fervently thought back to the turian's lifestyle. All of them had to pledge service when they were of age to obtain citizenship. After that, they mostly stuck with the same type of outfits: security or police work.
"Pirate." Kandros' face went dark as he stared across from him. His talons tapping end to end as they wrapped around his glass. "Let me know if you need help with those protestors. This time, they are not trying to sabotage any of the equipment. They are being peaceful which is why I told my men to stand down."
"Tann having you do more political tasks as well?" The question was sharp and she felt the disdain for the acting Director of the Initiative souring her mouth. The alcohol apparently really didn't calm her down.
"Not the first time. I'm just trying to keep everyone alive. Most don't see it that way. They see me as a barrier to what they want." Kandros took a sip of his drink and then turned his head to look directly at her. His eyes met hers and she felt herself melting into a pile of goo. A warm sensation tingled every nerve in her body. Why was she feeling this way? "They want to be with their families. Luckily for me, mine stood back in the Milky Way. I hope they had a good run."
"I'm sure they did." Sara smiled at him. She enjoyed knowing that he was opening up to her as well.
"Heard Voeld was rough. Kett imprisoning the angaran. Heard you got most of the prisoners out. No easy feat." Tyran returned to his drink. Back to business it seemed. Ryder felt herself deflating. Maybe he was deflecting from any more personal talk.
"You entangled with them before I heard. They are mean bastards." Sara finished off her drink and wiped the bangs that were falling into her eyes.
"A few of us were exploring a moon. We were caught off-guard. I lost nearly all of my men. Some dead. Some were captured. Who knows? I came back to the Nexus to only find out about the uprising with many gone. Spirits, I hope they didn't go to that moon."
Glancing down at her omni tool, Sara realized that it was almost morning even though there was no real sunrise on the station. The artificial lighting was adjusted to the custom night and day patterns, but it wasn't the same. "I should get back to my ship now. I'm surprised they didn't send a search party after me." She slid out of her seat and took a minute to get her bearings. Her head felt dizzy as the multiple drinks kicked in. Stumbling, Sara felt herself losing her balance. Kandros swiftly moved out of his chair and caught her in his arms.
He grunted as the weight of her body felt against him and he gingerly stood her back up. His hands remained on her back until he was certain that she wouldn't fall again. "Easy."
"I didn't know it was that much," Sara's face grew bright red from embarrassment. What would the station think if they saw their Pathfinder falling around outside Vortex? She hoped this wouldn't go back to her crewmates. What a field day they would have with this.
"Want me to escort you back to the Tempest?" The turian's hand finally left her as he circled around to the front.
"Tyran…" Her mind was still swirling as her speech became slurred.
"What is it, Ryder?" He moved in closer.
Leaning out, she placed her lips on his face and kissed his cheek. "I needed this."
Clearing his throat, Kandros moved quickly away. "Come on. Let's get you back."
The walk back was a little better. The station felt so still as no one was around. Their footsteps echoed from the floor as they neared the dock. Once, they reached the Tempest, Kandros opened the hatch and stepped aside to let her enter. "Here we are. Go get some sleep. I think you need it." He paused. Sara wondered if he was conflicted on what to do next.
"You better too." She winced at the response. That wasn't what she wanted to say but she found it hard to invite him back to her quarters. She felt like she wanted to spend the whole day with him. Even it wasn't sex. Just talk. She wanted him to open up to him. To know his darkest secrets and desires. To know his true feelings towards her.
"Remember to stop by anytime. Even if it's just to vent." Kandros cleared his throat again.
Sara took a few seconds to watch him leave before she sought refuge back inside the Tempest. Her heart was racing about what transpired. Her eyes were wide as she stopped on the deck of the ship. "Did I just kiss him?" She asked herself out loud as she searched her memory.
"Kiss who?" Peebee's voice could be heard with excitement as the rogue asari made a dash to where she was. "I want details!"