Author's Note: This Shepard is not Gail Shepard, and this story is not a part of the Taking the Step continuity. As a result, feel free to think of this as fitting into any appropriate continuity you like.
The moment she leaves the lift, Shepard knows something is up.
There's an unmistakeable tension in the air, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out its source. Garrus and Wrex are both bristling, and even from opposite sides of the room they're radiating intense dislike.
She crosses the floor to the armory, where Ashley looks up at her from the rifle she's been cleaning. "How long have they been like this?"
"All day. Every day." Ashley shakes her head. She pauses, as if she has something more to say.
"Something on your mind, Ash? Speak freely."
Ashley nods. "All right. It's..." She glances at the two, who are studiously not looking at each other. "This could be a problem. Honestly, I don't know how you're going to get them to work together. Really trust each other, I mean."
Shepard frowns. She hadn't actually thought that this might be an issue. Sure, turians and krogan don't really get along, generally speaking, but she had figured that they would be more interested in taking down Saren than in getting on each other's case. Clearly, though they are both well aware of the situation, it isn't going to be enough.
And it isn't just the two of them, she muses. Racial tensions are high throughout the entire crew—Ashley and Liara, Tali and Wrex, Liara and Wrex... Sure, they can function well enough on the ground, but they'll stand a much better chance at stopping Saren—with everyone in one piece—if they all stand together willingly.
Obviously, something needs to be done. Hopefully, she can avoid doing anything extreme, but she just isn't sure what she can—
Her gaze falls on the Mako.
"Uh-oh," Ashley murmurs. "Skipper? I've seen that look before..."
"Thanks for the heads-up, Chief," Shepard tells her. "I'll check in with you later."
"Ma'am." Ashley nods respectfully, but there's still a question on her face. Shepard ignores it, however, and strides back towards the lift. An idea is forming in her mind, and it might just work. A little crazy, sure...but it should be fun, too. She smiles.
"Shepard!"
Krogan and quarian voices mingle in shared alarm as they go airborne. For a moment, the valley is laid out before them. Then the Mako plunges downward at a speed that even Shepard finds a little chilling. The inertial dampeners keep them all in one piece as the vehicle lands, but the impact is still enough to jar them. She jerks them to the right, and the entire structure shudders as it rumbles across incredibly uneven ground.
"Come on, you two; it's hardly that bad," she responds cheerily. There's a groan behind her as they make another drop—this one smaller than the last—and not-quite-tumble down the slope to relatively flat land.
"This baby," she continues, patting the interior of the Mako, "is built to withstand a whole lot worse. It can handle a few little mountains."
"Little?!" Wrex sounds offended.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Tali murmurs.
Shepard glances at the scanner; there's more rocky terrain between them and their target, but if they go to the left the ground will even out and provide them with a relatively smooth ride. She smirks, and increases their speed—going straight. Tali squeaks.
She can almost hear the glare as Wrex grumbles, "Here we go again..."
"Sorry, guys," Shepard says. "I don't think the Mako likes me." The vehicle shudders as they collide with another outcropping.
She can hear the tension in Garrus' voice as he responds, "It's hardly the Mako's fault you're a terrible driver."
Liara doesn't even comment on the statement, being far more interested in what is happening outside. "Cliff!"
Shepard winces. That was in her ear. "I see it."
"Cliff!"
"Still see it!"
She's tempted to take them airborne, but instead opts for skirting the edge. They go so close that she can hear a distinct yelp—huh. She didn't know that turian voices could go that high.
"Look, all I'm saying is—Ow!" Ashely breaks off her sentence with what Shepard is sure is a glare.
Wrex chuckles, but then responds with a grunt of his own as the Mako endures yet another collision.
"Brace yourselves!" Shepard isn't entirely sure she kept the glee out of her voice. A moment later, the ground disappears out from under them and they're enduring a veritable roller coaster at speeds that would put NASCAR to shame.
There's a ravine up ahead. Shepard waits a bit longer than she normally would before hitting the rocket jets, and the Mako sails over it. Ashley actually screams.
They land with a jolt that shakes them all, and then it's downhill again, for another two minutes. Shepard swings the Mako around and pulls it to a swift stop—three feet from a cliff soaring overhead.
There's silence for a moment, and then Wrex speaks. "Shepard, you are many things. You are a strong soldier, a wise tactitian, and an effective leader." He pauses for effect. "You are also a terrible driver."
Ashley's voice is faint. "Seconded."
Kaidan pauses in checking his equipment as they tumble out of the Mako. Shepard sees his eyes sweep the vehicle, taking in the scrapes, burns, and...huh. She hadn't expected that to dent so deeply.
She watches the others leave, Garrus supporting a shaky Tali. The quarian has taken to shutting off her helmet's voice system unless she has something specific to say while they're in the Mako. Shepard is pretty sure she's still screaming behind the silence, though.
Kaidan joins her beside the Mako, a quizzical eyebrow raised. "Commander, what happened? Was it another geth platoon?"
She manages to keep a straight face, though only just. "Just a few pirates."
He looks incredulous. "A few pirates did that?" His gesture takes in the entire Mako, which, now that she looks at it more closely, could probably use some repair.
She is not going to smile. "What, that? That was just driving around. No big deal."
As she approaches the lift, she hears him muttering, "I'm sure she wasn't that bad on Therum..."
A sound like a cross between a squeal and a roar penetrates the Mako, and the entire vehicle shakes. For a moment, Shepard freezes. She's never actually seen one of these things before.
"By the Goddess," Liara breathes.
"Commander?" Ashley's voice wavers slightly.
She sees the acid spit coming for them, and she jerks them to the side. "Shit!" She was not expecting this!
Liara shrieks as they continue to dodge, circling around the monster that erupted behind them mere seconds ago.
"Oh my God!" Ashley's words echo Shepard's sentiments as the beast scores a glancing blow with its acid. The shield indicator flashes a warning. "Commander, I'm pretty sure that when dealing with thresher maws, any sane person would consider it a perfectly acceptable tactic to run like hell!"
She jerks them aside again, the acid splashing against the ground. The thresher maw descends back underground, and Shepard feels a chill as she remembers reading about their habit of coming up directly underneath the intruder. She finds the accelerator and floors it.
The ground shakes again and Shepard jerks the Mako to the right on pure instinct, but she remains focused on getting them the hell out of range. The hills are so close...
It feels like an eternity, but then the Mako surges up the slope and down the other side. There is one last screech, and then the rumbling stops. She pulls the Mako to a halt and turns to look at the others. "You two all right?"
Ashley and Liara are quite literally clinging to each other, eyes wide in mirrored expressions of fear. Their gazes meet hers, and there is a long moment. Then, they tentatively release each other and Shepard leans against the back of her seat. Three relieved sighs echo in the confined space.
"We're fine, Shepard," Liara says, her voice still shaky.
"Right as rain," Ashley agrees, then adds, "Let's not do this again soon."
"You got it." Shepard looks over the vehicle status, and grimaces; the Mako is going to need some heavy repair this time. She sends a signal to the Normandy for pickup, then glances back at the others. They still look as shaken as she feels, but there's something else...
Well, what do you know. Not quite what she had been been planning for, but it seems to have worked out well enough, Shepard thinks as she sees the relieved smile shared between Ashley and Liara. Still, she hopes that she can work out everyone else's problem with something a little less deadly.
"That's it!" Wrex's bellow nearly deafens Shepard. "Pull over!"
She slows the Mako and brings them to stop before twisting around to look at Wrex. "Something wrong, Wrex?"
"There sure is," he grumbles. "I can't handle any more of this. Garrus, you drive."
"It can't be that bad," Shepard protests, and looks to Garrus.
He shakes his head. "Sorry, Shepard; it's not that you're a bad driver..." He pauses, and seems to reconsider. "Well, actually, it is." He glances at Wrex. "You're sure you want me to drive?"
"Nothing could be worse than this," Wrex responds. "Hell, yes."
Shepard grumbles about being kicked out of the driver's seat as she and Garrus switch places, and she makes a great show of being put out and mildly offended.
Inside, she's cheering.
Shepard emerges from the lift to see Garrus and Wrex standing together, looking like they're deep in conversation. Tali is nearby, her posture indicating that she is listening carefully. They look up and pause as she passes them, and resume their discussion as she nears Ashley.
Behind her, she hears Wrex's low voice, "So that's Garrus with priority, and Kaidan as second choice."
"And if neither of us is present, then you or Ashley fill in," Garrus adds.
Ashley straightens and turns to face her. "Commander."
"Chief." Shepard jerks her head towards the small group. "How long have they been like that?"
"A few hours, off and on. Alenko and Liara were down here earlier, too." She looks a little abashed. "I, uh, agreed to help."
Shepard nods. "Well. That's all I needed to know, then. Carry on, Chief."
Surprise flickers across Ashley's face. "Ma'am."
Shepard returns to the lift; she'll wait until later before she pulls Garrus aside to tell him of their success at locating Dr. Saleon's ship. For now...
She centers herself in the lift, and the door slides shut. So she won't be driving as much anymore, but her crew is working together. Of their own volition. Alone in the lift, Shepard smiles.