Rank is a funny thing, sometimes. With multiple governments and organization, it can be hard to determine who outranks who. Wrex is a chieftain, with most of the Krogan answering to him. Mordin could get away with using a shock probe on high level STG goons. Garrus has the leader of the entire Turian people asking him for advice. And then you have people like Liara. She doesn't officially have anything resembling a rank, but you'd have to be braindead to ignore what she tells you. And we all follow Shepard. Without hesitation.
Sometimes its easy. The Normandy is Shepard's ship. Sure, EDI enjoys pranking Shepard just as much as she does the rest of us, but she does what she's told during missions. Even when she doesn't like it. It's more than that, though. Shepard is the one she goes to for advice on becoming a person. Her role model, you could say.
When there are guns blazing, or reapers around, then it just makes sense to follow Shepard. Those who haven't figured that out by now generally turn out to be indoctrinated. Or worse, stupid.
Even Javik follows Shepard. Still not sure what to make of that guy.
Right now, though, we aren't on the Normandy. And for once, nobody is actively trying to kill us. We're both SPECTREs, sure, only human SPECTREs in the entire galaxy.
I'm watching him rummage around for another bottle, and for the first time, it occurs to me. I actually outrank him.
It's a scary thought. I. Outrank. Shepard.
Some of it is because he was dead for two years. More of it is because he didn't shut up like certain people wanted him to. I wonder what them giving me the rank he earned says about me. Shepard's never commented on it.
It's hard to even say what our ranks even mean anymore. Parts are breaking down. Shepard is following the orders of Anderson and Hackett, but they are only ordering him to do what he'd be doing anyway. Beyond that, we are breaking a lot of rules. Seems like it mattered more to me a couple years ago. The rules kept my mouth shut.
Would Cerberus have gotten to him, if I'd spoken up then? Stopped worrying about regs and rank and just… stopped wasting time.
I'm wasting time again. And we may not have much of it left.
We aren't on the Normandy. Nobody is shooting at us. And I… Outrank him.
The look on his face when I take the bottle out of his hand and pin him to the wall is perfect.