The 'I' is Silent
Chapter 1 Far From the Begging"We are now out of the mass relay, engines are cooling down, and ETA five hours, Sir." Staff Lieutenant Airra (Are-ra) Sinta said to her caption.
Captain James Bradley nod in approval. "Good, let the space port know that we are on our way. I want to know when we are 20 minutes out, no later, understand Lieutenant? " Captain Bradley stood next to her and looked down. Watching her hands as they move over the ship's holo monitor, piloting the ship to their next designation. He couldn't help but feel bad for the Lieutenant in a way.
"Yes, Sir." She had answer.
"I also want to speak to you in my cabin in ten." He turns to leave the pilot and three copilots alone so he could think what exactly he was going to say to her. He made his way through the ship, deeply in thought. 'All I know from Airra is that she isn't a bad pilot just a misplaced one. Her last ship she was on the ground team AND a copilot. Not only that but she served with THE Commander Shepard.' Captain walked into his cabin and stood in the middle of the small room. 'That was till the Normandy was destroyed, Commander Shepard dead, crew split, Jeff Mareau disappeared, and now she's on my ship days later.' He shifted uneasy. 'Promoted to a pilot and with no emotional scares? Either this girl is good with hiding emotions or she's not human.'
Airra looked at the time and saw only four minutes passed since the captain left. 'What could the captain want form me? I haven't done anything to get his attention. Right?' Airra looked at the screen and watched the charts. 'When did the engine B get that high? Crap.' "Sam, did you change the energy level of engine B?"
The young black hair man looked over at her. "What? Oh, I might have. Why?" Answering a little too fast for Airra.
"It's running at 93%. All engines should only be at 75% or under after we get out of FTL. If it isn't then the element-zero drive core will heat up and fry all our engines. I haven't even touched the engine B yet." She pushed the dark brown hair out of her face. 'An easy mistake, if you were a rooky.' "And I gave you engines A threw C. Jill what's the build up on the drive core?"
The tall dark skin women sat up in her seat, "Just under 62%."
"Then lest keep it there. We don't want to be stuck in space just because the drive core over heats on us." 'damn morons, I shouldn't even be flying a ship this big and I know more about this curser.' She looked over to her left to see Sam trying to fix his mistake and Jill leaning over to help. Airra glance the other way to see James hard at work on the weapon systems. Looking back at her screen she sighs. The curser that she was piloting of had roughly about 2,000 crew members. And she was just made a pilot not even a days before assign to this ship. That was over four months ago.
"If your worry about making another mistake. Have a sucker." James said with a grin.
Sam and Jill looked across to James and raised an eye brow. "What?"
"You've have never heard about that? Really! God I'm old." James shook his head. "Airra, you know what I mean right?"
"Yes and you know that I'm older then you right?"
"Only by two years. Anyways, Sam, back when I was a kid if you had trouble on something you would have a sucker. That's how the saying 'sucker like a rookie' started up. At the beginning-"
'More like 'sucker for the rookie' in my world. But that did help me till Joker embarrassed the hell out of me in front of Shepard and Alenko. That's when I stop… or just didn't do it when people were around.'
Airra grabbed her tray and headed over to the three that were talking alone. She felt nervous being on an Alliance ship but what could she do if it wasn't for Shepard she wouldn't be here.
"Air-ra, have a seat." Commander Shepard nodded to the seat next to her. "We were going over the information you had for us."
Airra took a seat next to the Commander who sat across the Lieutenant who sat next to Joker. "I'm sorry to say but it's pronounced as Ara. You can't hear the 'I'. And I didn't think that the information was that much?"
Jokers laugh. "Hear that Commander? Two days on the ship and all ready she's telling you what to do. You should show her who is boss."
"What? No I didn't mean it like th-"
Kaidan looked over at Joker and her while saying, "Joker, just giving you a hard time so don't worry."
Shepard shook her head. "Joker, give her some room. She's had along week."
'Great now I'm a cripple who can't take care of herself. How could this get worse?'
Joker threw up his hands in defense. "Don't hate the cripple! I was just saying." He was grinning that made Airra look at him weird.
Shepard ignored this and moved the data pad over to her. "Tell me more about Cerberus. What you have here is different then what I've heard."
Airra grabbed the data pad. "Well," she started to say. "Everything I know is in here. Cerberus is run by The Illusive Man who really is just one man, a biotic to. He's goals in life is to see humanity rise to the top. He has been called cold hearted and believes that without him then there wouldn't be Cerberus. Cerberus has three different parts to it business, scientist, and army. The Illusive Man runs all three and keeps them in order. He wants what's best for humans and if killing a few humans to help him active his goals then he will. "
Joker grabbed his drink. "You sound like you know him well."
Airra looked at him strait in the eyes "I should. He made me who I am today."
"What?" Kaidan sat up and looked over at Shepard. "Commander?"
"No one has the real story about, Airra." Shepard looked over at Airra. "I hoped to keep it on need to know."
"Didn't know that my life was that bad to keep it locked up."
Shepard sat back in her seat and sigh. "The truth is that, Airra, worked with The Illusive man herself. We all know what Cerberus did to those soldiers did was wrong. If it wasn't for her-"
"She's working with Cerberus and you let her on the ship?" Kaidan hissed.
"Worked. I WORKED with them. I'm no longer part of Cerberus and you can trust me with that."
Kaidan glared at her. "Cerberus can't be trusted so neither can you."
"Enough!" Shepard looked at Kaidan. "Yes, she worked with them but she is on our side now. If you would let me finished I was saying that she gave us the information of 15 Cerberus space stanchions and 20 bases. A lot of those bases that we have destroyed were on that list and we would have never known them without her. Also help the Alliance stop an attack from Cerberus. What information she given us could get her killed."
Silence. No one said a word for nearly five minutes. Until, Joker couldn't take the silence anymore. "Did you ever serve the Alliance before?" He looked at Airra who had put a sucker in her mouth.
"I did for four years. Why?"
Joker smiled like he was a little kid winning a prize for fixing a puzzle. "I knew it! I thought I knew that name, Airra Lee Sinta. It's me Jeff Moreau, from the academy."
Airra looked at him for a minute then her eyes got big. "You have got to be kidding me." 'How the hell did he even remember me? That was almost seventeen years ago.' "Of all the pilots in the world." She hid her face in her hands.
Joker was laughing his ass off and then finally couldn't hold back anymore. "I can still see you still like to put things in your mouth when you're working hard on something." Joker was laughing so hard that both Shepard and Kaidan thought he was going to fall out of his seat.
"Wait what?" Kaidan asked looking at Joker who could barley breath.
Shepard sighed shaking her head with a smile. "Do I even want to know? I really hope it's not as bad as it sounds like."
Airra looked up from her hands and stared at him. Her face was bright red, as red as red could be. "I hate you."
Airra smiled at the memory. She so wanted to hit Joker so hard that day or push him down the stairs. The best part about that day was getting her revenge on him. 'Best revenge ever.'
"See even Airra is smiling, Jill. You just don't get it." James said breaking her thought.
Airra looked over at him.
James' smile turned to a frown. "You didn't even hear what I said did you? Never mind, you never do. Always in too deep of a though or day dreaming about who knows what."
"You have a red light you should fix."Airra pointed out the flashing light.
"What?" James looked back at his monitor. "Oh shit!"
Sam smiled. "Who's making rookies mistakes now?"
"Well if we're done the captain needs to talk to me so hopefully you all can take care of the ship till I get back. Try and NOT make rooky mistakes that will get us all killed." Turning her chair she got up and looked at the three.
"Yes ma'am", Sam said.
Jill turn and nod, "I'll make sure that everything is running well when you get back."
"Uh ah", James answered still looking at the screen, "good luck."
She nod and left the three to talk.
Jill turned to make sure she was out of ear shot. "God, what a bitch. I don't even know how the Captain deals with her."
"So it's just not me that she is a little mean?" Sam asked.
"Yea a little mean wouldn't even be the start of it." Jill looked at the two men. "It's like something crawled up there and bit her. Likes she is PMS-ing all the time."
"How about you get to know her better than just insult her," James said.
"Four months I've tried. Four months! She sits alone at dinner, takes breaks when people are sleeping or at the busiest time in the day, and never talks to anyone. How am I to 'know her better' if she doesn't want to!" Jill ran her hand threw her hair.
James laughs a little. "You must just fail at talking then. Sit with her at dinner like I do. I only do it twice a week but it helps you get to know her."
"Her head is always in that data pad how can you get her to talk?"
James smiled, "Easy just talk to her. If she answers them in one word it means she doesn't want to talk but longer you go her. It's like fishing."
Sam looked down at James. "Can I join?"
"Sure, why not? When we dock we all can."
"You mean in 5 hours we can go piss her off or get rejected?"
"Now when you say it like that, Jill, yea."
Airra walked into Captain Bradley's cabin to find him standing in the middle of it. When he turned to look at her she snapped into a sharp formal salute.
"At ease, Lieutenant." He said waving her over to his desk. "We have a few things to go over."
"Yes sir." She followed him to the desk and watches him take a sit.
"Please, sit." Airra nod and sat across from him. "It's hard to believe that you've been here for four months already." Captain Bradley started to look threw some papers and data pads, "and we haven't had time to talk." He found the data pad he was looking for and handed it to her. "About what happened that is."
She took it and glance at it. The data pad was a report about the Normandy, Shepard, and Jeff 'Joker' Moreau. But she didn't need to read it she knew what happened. The Normandy was destroyed with Commander Shepard aboard trying to save Joker. After Shepard was announced killed in action, KIA, and Joker was grounded. He left the Alliance without telling anyone, even her. Soon after he left the whole crew was split up. "What about it, sir?"
"You haven't said anything to me about what happened to the Normandy or any other crew member. I want you to try and branch out to people here. Get to know them."
"Is that an order?"
"If you don't make a friend soon then it will be." Captain Bradley stood up. "I'm only looking out for what's good for my crew and you. Even if you want to believe that no one is here help."
Airra nod and stood up to. "It's going to turn into an order soon. Are we done?"
Captain sigh, "for now, Sinta, But we aren't done." Just then something hit the ship sending the Captain and Airra stumbling to stay standing. Red lights started to go off with a high pitch wail. "What hit us!" He yelled in to the com.
James voice answered. "An unknown enemy, sir! They just came out of FTL and fired on us! Shields are at 43% and engines A and C are gone! Orders?"
"Fire missiles B threw G! Take all unused power to heighten the shields!"
There was silence that soon ended as the ship was hit again. Captain and Airra heard James gasps. "Sir, missiles did nothing to them, blocks Q threw T are gone! Shields are at 5%. One more hit they are gone. Orders?"
Airra turn to look at him. "We need to get off this ship, Captain!"
Captain Bradley looked at Airra. "James, order the crew to evacuate and send word to the Alliance. And get the hell out of there."
"We're stuck. The door is covered."
"Damn it." He turned to Airra, "get to the cock pit and help them out."
She ran to the door and looked back. "What about you, sir?"
"I'm going to make sure the rest of the crew gets off." And with that he ran out and down the burning hallway.
Without even a thought Airra headed for the cock pit at full speed. There was screaming and fire all around her. The ship was hit with another attack that threw her into a wall. She could hear her blood in her ears and teased it in her mouth. Was this the end of her? Airra looked up and pushed herself off the wall and started running again. Her muscles screamed for her to stop but Airra couldn't. She needed to get her friends out of the cock pit. 'Friends? Did you just call them friends?' Airra smiled. They are the closes things to friends that she has now. She stopped in front of the cock pit doors. "James, you still in there?" She screamed as hard as she could but it came out more as a whine then a call. Her throat was dry and stung.
"Airra?" Jill voice answered with a cough.
"Yea, it's me." She put her hand on the cold metal door. "What's wrong with the door!"
"We lost power here when they hit us, now the door won't open!"
Airra could hear that she was scared. "Ok, I need you to do me a favor though! Can you take a few steps away from the door!" She could feel the heat behind her rising. They were cutting this close.
"Yea it's done."
Airra could tell that she was confused. Hell, so would Airra if it was her. She took a few steps away from the door and took a deep breath. 'Behind this door is Joker and you're going in to save his dumb ass' Soon she was glowing blue and so was the door.
"You're a biotic!" Joker yelled so everyone in the cafeteria could hear him.
"Yes, Yes. Now SHHHH I don't want everyone in the academy to know." Airra said waving her hand to him to be quite. They been sitting together in the corner of the lunch room for the last six weeks and they were really good friends.
Joker looked at her with a questionable look to his face. "Then why don't you eat like one?"
"For some reason I just need to eat a lot of sugar and I'll be fine."
"So that explains the suckers 24-7." He smirked.
Airra rolled her eyes. "Yes. Ha ha ha." She moved closer to him and wrapped her arm around his waist. "You're so mean to me." She said looking up at him with puppy eyes.
"Yea, I'm the mean one." He leaned down and kissed her.
Tears were running down her eyes. 'And you just left me!' The door flew open and smoke poured out. Airra was knocked back on her ass from the force of the throw. Sam stumbled out and ran to her.
Sam helped her up. "I didn't know you were a biotic."
Airra nod and looked at the two, "where's James and Jill?" she was panting hard. She heard a small "here" and looked up.
James was leaning on Jill. His left leg was gone. "Told you she would come," he said in a weak voice.
Airra grabbed Sam's arm so she wouldn't fall over. "We need to get to the escape pod." letting go of Sam she walked over to James and Jill and grabbed James arm. "We don't have much time." Airra started to shack, was she scared? "I saw one a few steps back."
Sam nod and took front as they made their way back. James drugged his nails into her shoulder as they started to move again. Two more explosions happened around them. Sam called down to them that made Airra look up. He had the door to the pod open and waving them over. Airra smiled. They made it. Jill was the first one in the pod. She reached up a grabbed James arm and pulled him in. Just then Sam and Airra heard a cry for help behind them. They turned and saw Captain Bradley on the floor pinned down by ruble.
"I'll get the Captain you help James buckle up!" Airra pat Sam on the shoulder and headed towards their fallen Captain. She raced through the flames and bent down by him. Captain Bradley was coughing hard, coughing up blood. "Damn it," Airra said.
He looked up at her and tried to speak but nothing came out. The Captain had burns all over his face. Blood dipped from his lips. Airra moved fast to try and get the ruble off. The ship shook again from the enemy's attack. Fire started to grow around them blocking the way he came from; soon even the escape pod would be blocked with flames. Airra could feel the air slipping away and being replaced with smock. She was only part way done when she heard a gasps and more coughing. Airra looked down at her captain who was holding something out to her. Moving down she grabbed it and was shocked. He had given her his dog tags; he wanted her to leave him.
"No one gets left behind. You told me that."
He shook his head and cough, "I-it's an. Order."
"With all due respect,-" 'Ashley' "Sir. I'm not leaving you. I'm not leaving a friend to die." She got up and the ship was hit again. Airra was starting to fall when she grabbed the pipe that was next to her head on the left side of a wall. She pulled herself up and watched as more explosions happened down the hall. 'We have to leave, now!' She made half a step to the Captain when the pipe she grabbed exploded.