Ash was still getting used to life on the SSV Normandy. It was hectic and it was dangerous, and she had yet to really settle in. Every single day two people would be picked for a ground team, to accompany the Commander on either the next stage of her hunt for Saren, or else some mission for the Alliance. So far, every day everyone had returned. The shore party pool was strange, consisting of Vakarian, Wrex, Nar Rayya, the asari and only two human officers. Because of this, she was always pleased to be picked, but lately Ash had been left back in the garage more than usual.
The reason was clear to her and every crewman on board, so it never bothered her. Though the matter was rarely spoken of out loud, enough was communicated by the smirks that shot across the mess hall whenever Lieutenant Alenko sat down.
Being a Gunnery Chief, Ashley had taken it upon herself to inventory and maintain the weapons, armour and mods that the Commander found, used and bought every day. Somebody had to do the work, and as a Williams she knew she didn't have the option to sit on her ass and relax between missions. So from morning to night, unless she was called to a mission, Ash would stand in a quiet corner of the garage and maintain the weapons inventory to a very high standard. She had forged a little space for herself and had even procured a desk, though its space was always taken up with rifles.
This being a Sunday, according to the ship's trackers anyway, she was cleaning those rifles. She had been letting the easy jobs pile up all week while focusing on the important stuff, so that she could enjoy some measure of relaxation on the Sabbath.
A cough disturbed her thoughts. Looking up, she slowed her hands, rubbing a dry rag against a scuffed, red sniper rifle. Ahead of her, Garrus Vakarian was stood, silent as always, typing away at his little screen. She lowered her head and noticed Wrex blinking his huge, red eye a few feet away. Huh. Who knew krogans could cough? As the silence returned to the room, she returned to her work. Part of the reason she had set-up shop down here in engineering was so that she could keep an eye on the aliens. Although Ash respected and obeyed the Commander's judgements, she couldn't help feeling uneasy about the presence of three non-human nationals, right where the rover, the engines and the weapons were kept. Whether it was necessary or not, Ash liked knowing that those three were being watched by a marine.
As always, when they heard the cargo lift come to life with its dull hum, all of the silent occupants of the lower deck glanced across, wondering who was visiting and hoping it was the Commander. When the doors slid open, they were all pleased. Shepard strolled out, almost jogging as she was wont to do, and nodded to Ashley before opening a conversation with the smiling requisitions officer.
It was hard to tell what Commander Shepard was discussing with him, but Ash heard him yammering away about licences, like he always did. The guy was usually her only human company in the room, but she probably talked to Vakarian more than to him. He was talkative, false and unnecessarily upbeat - a real salesman.
After a while the Commander had finished her business with Requisitions and she moved on to Wrex. It was a habit of the Commander's – after a long mission she liked to talk to her shore party members one by one. Despite the heavy workload, her paperwork and the massive responsibility of the hunt for Saren, Shepard always found time for brief, in-depth and personal discussions with her crew. Pressley had been subject to her friendly interrogations, too. Even Joker had been quizzed about his leg disease, if the rumour was true. Ashley admired and respected the Commander's insistence on knowing her crew, but sometimes the questions made her feel a little smothered.
The chat with Wrex was quick and direct, as always, and as always it ended with the now traditional 'So long Wrex' followed by a curt nod and a growled 'Shepard'. As the Commander moved away, her arms now dangling calmly by her side, she approached Ashley.
At first the Commander's attention was fixed on the crew lockers beside her, but when she came close enough to talk, she turned her blank, professional stare to the Chief.
"Commander?" she blurted out, a little put-off by Shepard's gaze. More than that, the CO looked tired. Dried sweat made her brow shine in the dark room and her head was held a little lower than usual. Just a little.
"Do you have a few minutes to talk, one on one?" the Commander asked, and again Ash was surprised. Normally after a mission, Shepard would start by asking her opinions on the day's work. Today she just cut to the personal part.
It was obvious that Shepard had something on her mind. She probably hadn't taken a moment for herself since returning from the big ground mission that had nearly killed her and taken all day. Alenko had been with her, of course.
Ash had a lot more guns to polish before she allowed herself to eat. And a long, awkward conversation about the Lieutenant didn't sound like fun. Whatever was bothering Shepard, it probably had to do with the strange, unofficial relationship developing between the two of them. Ash liked to stay out of it, and she really wasn't in the mood. Besides, the Commander clearly needed to get some rest.
"I… I'm sorry Commander," she said, trying to sound caring. "I need to get my duties squared away." The look on the Commander's face made her feel terrible, so she added, "I wouldn't mind talking… later though?"
This seemed to cheer Shepard up. Finding a little more energy, she smiled. The Commander dismissed her and headed back to the elevator. Ash watched and hoped that she would take some rest rather than worrying about Alenko.
In a way it was kind of cute. Of course, fraternising with one's subordinates was against regulations, but Ash liked both of them too much to have a problem with that. And besides, she was a Spectre now, so surely that gave her a few extra privileges?
It would do the Galaxy no good if their one hope, the first human Spectre, spent all of her free time trying to figure out if her crush liked her back. Ash knew they would make a hell of a sweet couple, but the flirting was getting too much. Perhaps one of them ought to make a stand. Go in for the first kiss. Get it over with so that it wouldn't be bothering them. Alenko was too shy, so it would have to be Shepard, but no crewman was bold enough to tell her that to her face.
With a sigh, Ash finished work on the sniper rifle and laid it down, admiring her handiwork. There was more of this monotony to be ploughed through, but it beat waiting around and making small-talk with the others.
As she absorbed herself in the cleaning of a big pistol with a shining, silver gash in its barrel, she continued to wonder about Shepard and Alenko. She hoped that when this mission was over, whenever that would be, they could establish some sort of relationship. Because of their commitments, ship commanders were notorious for failing to hold on to relationships. But these two had a great chemistry, on and off the battlefield. Their spark showed signs of being the real thing, so maybe it would work. Ash smiled a little to herself as she imagined the LT stumbling through the early stages of dating. He had already embarrassed himself once, back on the Citadel, and the memory still made Ash chuckle. Alenko was a sweetheart, but kind of a goof. Maybe that was Shepard's type. Must have been.
"Hey, Chief, what's up?" said a voice about a half-metre away from Ash.
"H… whuh?" she replied, sharply tilting her head to meet the eyes of Requisitions. The salesman stepped back a little, grinning.
"Hey!" he repeated.
"Hey. I didn't hear you coming over."
Requisitions nodded happily. "She was asking me about Lieutenant Alenko," he said. "Wanted to know if I've served with him before!"
"Requisitions, it's none of my business what she asked you about."
"Ah come on, don't be like that. I'm just saying it's funny, that's all. The guys in the mess'll love this."
"I'll bet," Ash replied, looking at the gun in an effort to make him go away. It didn't work.
"She must really be sweet on him. You heard the new nickname they got for those two?"
She shook her head.
"Callin' them Shenko," he enthused. "Get it? Shepard… Alenko. Because you never see them apart. Like those movie stars who were always togeth…"
"I get it," Ash said loudly. She had to admit, the little nickname was kinda cute. "I got a lot of work to do here, buddy."
Finally the baseball-capped man took offence. "Okay, new girl, I gotcha. Just thought I'd share."
"Okay. See ya."
When he returned to his own corner of the room, Ashley shook her head to push the thoughts from her mind. When she finished she blinked rapidly and saw Wrex glance at her in the corner of her eye. She returned the look and found the barest trace of a smirk on the krogan's enormous, leathery lips.
She shook her head again and got to wondering about Sarah's latest voicemail.