A Date with a Spectre's Daughter

Jerry didn't know what to expect when he drove up to the extravagant looking house, seated deep in a back corner of the New Citadel. He parked his car right in front, and took a moment to take in the whole scene before him. The white and glass house did not look like it belonged on the Citadel. It looked like a weird cross between turian, human, and asari architecture – it had elegant curves, contrasted with sharp corners, and homely windows that reminded him of the houses he once saw on Earth.

He swallowed.

He knew who resided in that house – the first human Spectre, Jane Shepard, and her bond-mate, Officer Garrus Vakarian. But more importantly, his date was there too, and those were her parents.

He swallowed again.

He was an actor, or well, in school studying to be one. He relied heavily on his training to keep his face as calm as possible as he strode up the steps, and bused the console outside the door.

The six-foot-something turian took him completely by surprise, he was much larger than he expected.

He swallowed hard.

"H-hello, I'm Jerry. Karin's date." He quickly shot out a hand, "Pleased to meat you, Mr. Vakarian, sir."

Garrus just eyed his hand questioningly. His mandibles flickered, and Jerry cursed himself for not being able to recognize turian expressions. He couldn't tell if his expression was amused, or disgusted, but he took Jerry's hand anyways, and a bit roughly too.

He stepped aside, and motioned for him to enter the doorway.

Jerry could feel the hot breath bearing down his back as the turian said, "Relax." He placed a hand on his shoulder, he could most definitely not relax now, "I'm not the one you have to worry about."

He roughly pated him once on the shoulder, and added, "Follow me."

Jerry swallowed even harder. What had he gotten himself into?

…...

As Jerry followed the turian, he had calmed. Officer Vakarian didn't seem as intimidating as he did in the vids. Or maybe he just wanted Jerry to think that, and he was leading him to his doom?

He shook the thoughts from his head, and decided to look around as the went down the hall.

All of the doors were closed along the corridor, and there was very little art on the walls. It also, strangely seemed too white; the home wasn't very inviting.

Finally they reached the family room, and Jerry wobbly sat in the couch Garrus had motioned to.

Garrus called out down the adjacent hall, "Jane, the boy is here." It sounded a little bitter.

The most famous woman in the galaxy, Admiral Jane Shepard, stepped down the corridor.

Jerry felt himself sink into the cushion. It had been over two decades since she defeated the Reapers, but she still looked like she just came off the field.

She wore civilian clothes, that oddly resembled Alliance blues, and was holding something metal in between her hands. As she got closer, Jerry could make out faintly what it was.

Holy crap! It's a hand-cannon!

His heart jumped into his throat, and he swallowed again, trying to get a handle on his nerves. C'mon acting training, don't show your fear.

As Jane entered the room she holstered the N7 pistol on her hip, and nodded to Garrus, who left the room.

"So..." She sat in a chair across from him, looked him dead in the eye, "Jeremiah Green."

"Y-yes, ma'am." He couldn't advert his eyes from her gaze, although he really, really wanted to. "But, everyone calls me Jerry."

She snorted, "Senior at Citadel Youth's Acting Academy. Enrolled to attend the New Citadel University next school season. Single child. Mother Heather Green. Actress. Birth father Lieutenant Walter Green. Deceased. Mother's bond-mate Idalia T'Rin. Matron. Traditional asari dance instructor." She leaned back, "Am I missing anything?"

He was most certainly not used to hearing his entire life, practically, drawn out in such a military, matter-of-fact, and cold, manner. He didn't have to question how she knew all that. He forced his lips apart, "No, ma'am."

Jane crossed her arms and smiled, "Care to ask me any questions before I drill you?"

His mind went blank, "No, ma'am. I've, uh, seen the vids."

She smiled again, but her smiles were not supposed to ease the tension, "Good. How do you like having an asari step-mom?"

He blinked, well that was an odd question. He stammered, "It's good, I guess. I'm expecting a little sister soon too." He forced a weak smile.

She nodded, "Good, good." she continued, "I'd ask you how your father died, but I already know. He passed five years ago, correct?"

He swallowed again, what's with these questions? He simply nodded in reply.

She abruptly stood up, her eyes were staring harder now, "What do you and Karin have planned for today?"

He swore he saw a tinge of blue on her right index finger, he swallowed again, "We're, we're going to my – my cousin's birthday party, at the dance club, Galaxy's Light."

"Penelope Fredholm. Twenty-two."

She glared down at him, "You're driving?"

"Y-yes."

"I've seen your record. You've been caught speeding four times," she leaned down, "do that with my daughter in the car, and I will make you regret it."

She sat back down, "Miss Fredholm's record is clean. But, some of the companions she keeps aren't." She glared again, "You know which ones. Keep Karin away from them," she ordered.

He shook his head; he knew who she was talking about.

She relaxed her hands, just a fraction, "You've passed the test Jeremiah, you can take Karin out. Don't make me regret it." She pushed something on her omni-tool.

…...

Karin Shepard-Vakarian stepped out of the hall just seconds after, with her father following from behind. Jerry didn't dare linger his gaze too long on her. She was wearing a knee-length blue dress, a style mixed of human and asari, and it was the same shade as her father's clan markings. Her short sandy-colored hair was pinned on one side, behind her ear. She was wearing a necklace, one she wore nearly everyday, it was her father's clan markings embodied in silver; her mother wore one just like it.

"Hey," she said just before she shot her mother a threatening look, "Wanna head out now?"

He didn't answer, but looked at her mother. She replied to their gazes, "Go on. Get out of here. You know your curfew."

Karin had warned Jerry that the more formal he was, the less likely he was to be shot, so he offered her his arm; even though it was not a formal event, and the gesture was years old. She took it, and waved goodbye to her parents. They quickly left the house.

He opened the skycar's door for her, before he took his own seat. Once they were off she turned to him, "So, that wasn't too bad, huh?" She smirked.

He replied, "No, no. But, um, it was weird. I was expecting lots and lots of threats and stuff. And your mom just asked about my family, well, she didn't really ask much. She just pretty much listed my entire life."

He looked over and she nodded, "Why'd she ask me what I thought about my step-mom? That was her first question..."

She sighed, "She wanted to make sure you had no problems with aliens."

He raised a brow, she continued, "Look. If they didn't like you, then they wouldn't have even let you in the front door... Or park in front of the house. I told you they're friends with the Shadow Broker," he nodded his head, recalling that bit of information, "So they already pretty much know everything about you... And your family. They've had agents tracking you since I mentioned you."

His mouth opened, he was shocked, "They can do that?"

She laughed melodically, "Yeah. My mom's a Spectre, remember?" She stopped laughing, "Um... My brother is probably going to be sneaking around the club. He's on shore leave for the next few weeks. Do you know who he is? He was with me when we met, at the game."

He thought back, he remembered her talking to a brown-haired guy, with a tanned complexion. He knew she was adopted, an orphan from Earth, so it was likely her brother didn't look like her. "Was he the tall guy with the arm tats?"

Both her brows shot up, and she laughed again, "No! That was my cousin, Nick Vega. He took his mom out, my Aunt Jack."

He had to ask, "Why'd he take his mom out to a krogan hockey game?"

She looked over at him again, "Seriously? Did you not see the lady with all the tats being escorted out by security, for entering the ring with a biotic jump?"

His face fell again, "Wow," was all he could say. Her family was certainly something.

Since he obviously wasn't guessing who her brother was, she added, "My brother's turian."

"Oh! He was the turian you left with?" He mentally face-palmed himself.

"Yeah. He has the same clan markings as my dad, but he's lighter, more silver-ish. Remember now?"

"Yeah. I do... Why do you think he's going to be hanging around the club?"

She chuckled once, "Because he can. Mordin follows me around like a lost puppy every time he's home. Been like this since he's joined the turian military, at fifteen." She sighed again, "He's three years older than me, but acts like a second father." She playfully nudged him, "Don't worry. I won't let him hurt you."

…...

Finally they arrived at Galaxy's Light. It wasn't too late in the day, so less people were there.

"Jer-rry!" His cousin shrieked when she saw him, "You came!"

"Of course, Pen." He plucked a small box out of his pocket, "Here's your present. Don't open it yet."

She hugged him, and noticed the girl standing beside him as she pulled away, "Who's this, Jerry? Your girlfriend?" She had a mocking grin on her face.

"This is, uh, my date, Karin."

Karin extended her hand, she had already decided that she didn't like 'Pen', "Karin Shepard-Vakarian."

Penelope's eyes widened, "Oh my! You're the Admiral's daughter!" She pushed away her hand, and embraced her, "Thanks for coming." She quickly drew away. Karin could smell the alcohol on her breath. Pen scurried away to greet her other guests as they arrived.

…...

Jerry and Karin found some peace away from the crowd, in a little booth long the wall between the row of tables for the party, and the bar.

After a few failed attempts at conversation, they kept getting interrupted by Pen introducing them to various people, Karin stood up and stammered, "I don't care if it's like 5pm. Your eighteen, right? Wanna drink?" She didn't even answer him, just turned and left for the bar. He considered following her, and paying, but he saw her whisper something into the asari bartender's ear, and was quickly given two identical drinks, without a swipe of her credit chit.

She plopped a green drink in front of him, he decided to ask, "You know the bartender?"

She took a swig, and smirked, "She's my Aunt Liara's father; technically a Great-Uncle. But, I call her my Aunty-Uncle Aethyta."

He took a drink, it burned his throat and made him choke a little. She continued, "I have lots of aunts and uncles, and they've all worked with my parents – helped defeat the Reapers. I only have one aunt, my Aunt Solana, who's actually a real aunt. She's my dad's sister." She took another drink, it didn't look like it burned her throat, "She's bonded, has a son. My cousin, Demus. They live on Palavan."

She turned to face him, "What about you? Your family?"

He just held his glass as she took another sip, "Uh. Well Pen is my dad's sister's kid. She's an only child, and so am I... Well I won't be for long, my step-mom, Idalia, is pregnant. So I'll have an asari little sister soon. They want to name her Shenna."

She smiled, "Aw. Congrats. Baby asari are so cute." She took another longer drink, "Wanna dance?" She asked as she grabbed his arm, and dragged him up.

…...

They were in the middle of the dance floor, and he wasn't moving. He asked, "Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, you said your brother..."

She interrupted him by placing his hands on her waist, which was more of a turian gesture, then she began to dance. He was still unsure, and wasn't moving an inch. She turned around in his hands, her back facing him, and kept to the rhythm.

Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

A deep, flanging voice sounded over his head, "Are you sure this is a good idea, Karin?"

Jerry dropped his hands, she jumped and spun around, fire in her eyes, "Mordin! Get out of here!"

He scoffed, "No way in hell, sis."

One of her fists started to glow blue, he noticed, she said, "Who ratted me out?"

"Dad." His hand was still firmly on Jerry's shoulder. She noticed.

Her biotics died down, "Mordin, mom approved."

He rolled his eyes, "I highly doubt that."

"She did. Had Liara check him out and everything. He's clean. Just some traffic violations."

He removed his hand, and pointed at an asari sitting next to Penelope, "Then why's his cousin hanging out with an asari prostitute?"

Jerry turned a little and stuttered, "Vura is actually a nice person. She's just, ah, a little messed when it comes to her, um, profession. She's been friends with Penelope for years." His voice had died to a barely audible whisper by the end.

Karin crossed her arms, "Can't judge a book by it's cover. Isn't that what mom says anyways?"

Mordin returned his gaze to the asari, "I don't care how nice of a person she is, she has 'friends' that deal in Red Sand."

Karin snorted, "How do you know that, exactly?"

"Our dearest Aunty-Uncle Aethyta."

Their odd little conversation in the middle of the dance floor, was interrupted by a loud, shrill, yell that originated from the spot where Penelope and Vura were sitting.

…...

Once the three of them shouldered through the crowd of people that instantly gathered, they saw the two women fixated in the gaze of a mercenary group of two krogan, and an asari.

The asari merc snarled, "That's the bitch that stole my Red Sand!"

Vura put her hands up and pleated, "No! No! I never did! I swear!" Penelope clung to Vura's raised arm.

Crap.

Aethyta made a move to get out from behind the bar, fists charged in a biotic glow. Karin noticed her movements, the mercs hadn't yet, so she too charged her biotics, ready to help her Aunty-Uncle in any way she could.

Mordin cursed under his breath. He was in civvies, and didn't have his firearm.

Jerry, oddly, felt himself inching in front of Karin, intending to protect her from the messed-up, and very dangerous, situation his cousin and her friend had gotten them into.

People started backing out of the club, slowly at first, and then it turned into rushed hysterics, and the mercs charged towards Vura and Penelope.

Aethyta broke out into a run, and biotically punched a krogan merc in the head. He tumbled to the floor, and Mordin dashed after him, restraining him as Aethyta continued to punch him, until the merc blacked out.

At the same time, Karin went after the other krogan merc as he passed her. She tried to use warp on his armor, but he regenerated quickly, and soon his gaze was fixated upon her.

She tried a biotic slam, and it just pushed him back some, slowing him a little.

All in an instant, Jerry sprung into action. He pushed Karin behind him, as he dropped down to the floor, and side kicked one of the krogan's legs out.

The krogan fell.

Jerry jumped upon him, and punched as hard as he could at the merc's exposed windpipe.

"Fuck!" He exclaimed, as he gripped his hand in pain.

He had damaged it, the merc was struggling to breath, but he was regenerating quickly.

Before he knew what he'd done, he punched hard at the windpipe again and again, with the same hand. The pipe crunched, and the merc was gurgling blood beneath him.

Mordin and Aethyta were finished with their krogan.

Penelope shrieked, and Jerry looked up – the asari merc had her by the hair in one hand, and the other hand around Vura's neck. She was making a break for the door.

Aethyta saw, and used stasis on the group – they froze. The four rushed over, freed the two women, and immobilized the asari merc.

A nearby waitress had finally got the courage to call C-sec.

…...

Garrus and Jane were at Galaxy's Light the instant they received the vid-call from Aethyta.

Aethyta was debriefing them as their two children, and Jerry, were standing off to the side. Jerry was wrapping his hand up.

"Damn! You should have seen it when the boy sprung into action, Shepard! He pushed Karin behind him when her biotics didn't do shit, and practically drop-kicked a full-grown krogan merc!" She bellowed a laugh, "In armor! Then he punched the shit out of his neck! The merc was bleeding all over the damn place! I had a perfect view as I was punching mine out. Oh, that boy has quite the pair, I'm sure!" She laughed again. They pulled up the security footage on their omni-tools.

Jerry felt his face flush as he heard the graphic recap. His eyes drifted over to Karin, she was staring at him intently. But, of course, Mordin was between them. Jerry was about to ask if she was ok, when Garrus and Jane walked over.

They nodded curtly at their children, and then Jane said to the boy, "Jeremiah, a word in private?"

He nodded, and followed. They led him back to the corner where they had just had the chat with Aethyta, although Aethyta was now preoccupied with C-sec.

Jane cleared her throat, "Despite the fact that it was your cousin's fault that our children were even put into the situation, we wanted to thank you for protecting Karin."

Garrus spoke next, "Yeah, thanks." he put a hand on Jerry's shoulder, although now not in a threatening way, "How'd you know how to fight like that? You have to know what you're doing to take on a krogan hand-to-hand."

He felt his face flush, all his acting lessons out the window, "Well, my – my dad was N6. And before he was killed by batarian extremists, he was a N7 candidate... Ever since I was real little, he had taught me how to fight. My mom didn't like it at all. But, um, he was always gone, but whenever he was there – he would teach me. I, um, guess I, um, remembered what he'd taught me."

Jane grinned wide, and so did Garrus in his turian way, and he had to comment, "So he practically taught a kid N6 combat skills... Sounds like my kind of man."

Jane cleared her throat again, "Have you ever thought about joining the Alliance, instead to attending the University, and going into acting?"

Jerry stammered again, "Well, yeah. But I'm, uh, good at acting too. And my mom worries, you know? And acting is safer, and I can't really, you know, die from it... Well maybe I could, um..."

Jane interrupted his blabbering, "Hey, how about you stop by after school, and you can join me and Karin in our lessons? Every day after school, I teach her how to use her biotics, and give her combat training."

Garrus snorted and interrupted, "Hey, I help with hand-to-hand too."

Jane turned towards him, "Only when you're not painting."

Jerry had a hard time holding back his laugh, "I'd love too, Mrs. Shepard-Vakarian, uh, ma'am."

Garrus tilted his head at him, "And maybe, if you're any good, I'm sure two war heroes can convince your mother, alright?"

Jerry smiled. Guess just a single date with a Spectre's daughter can change your entire life.