Chapter One: Backseat Drivers

The door of the Mako flew open barely seconds after the vehicle had shuddered to a halt and Wrex stumbled out with a relieved groan, looking decidedly worse for wear. He was shortly followed by Garrus, who looked dazed and was swaying slightly on his feet.

Shepard climbed out after them with a spring in her step. "Come on, it wasn't that bad."

Garrus and Wrex turned to face her with matching expressions that clearly displayed their disagreement.

"Are you licensed to drive that thing?" Wrex grumbled, leaning heavily on the Mako for support.

Garrus shook his head in an attempt to clear it and mentioned, for the fourth time in as many minutes, "The propulsion jets weren't designed to cope with –"

"The propulsion jets are fine, I knew what I was doing!"

"We nearly went over a cliff. You nearly rammed into an animal!"

"I was aware of the edge, and I was miles away from the space cow. Besides, maybe I'd be able to focus properly if you two weren't so critical."

Wrex pushed himself upright. "Critical?" For a krogan, his voice was oddly shrill. "You tried to take us up a vertical incline. I only reminded you about gravity."

Shepard crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "I got us here quickly, and we're all in one piece. Let's just search the wreckage and head back."

Wrex's spluttered, "With you driving?"

Shepard huffed out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, fine! Garrus, you can drive us back to the Normandy. Can we get on with this now?"

Placated, Garrus and Wrex set off down the grassy hill to examine the towering, twisted and scorched remains of an old ship. Shepard lagged behind and patted the scratched and dented side of the fighting vehicle fondly. "You think my driving's fine, don't you Rusty?" The Mako suddenly released a noise like shuddering sigh. Shepard glared at it as if it had betrayed her and marched off down the hill.

Ten minutes later the trio had returned to the Mako, drenched by an unexpected shower. The weather on the planet was highly volatile and although it had been perfectly sunny when they arrived, a storm had quickly set in and thick drops of rain were now hammering the Mako's armour. Garrus adjusted the driver's seat for the third time and checked over the controls to familiarise himself them. "Are we going to get moving sometime today?" Shepard grumbled from behind him, shifting uncomfortably as drops of cold water slipped inside her armour.

Garrus resisted the urge to glare at her, instead settling in and starting the vehicle up; the Mako rattled to life and began to roll forwards. Shepard drummed her fingers impatiently on the door. Garrus' mandibles fluttered in irritation, but he urged the Mako into a slightly faster speed in response to her silent complaint. "Better?"

"Much – at this speed we might get back before I turn a hundred."

Garrus gripped the steering wheel tightly and launched into a heated debate with the Commander. Neither heard Wrex's protests until it was too late.

Distracted, Garrus hadn't noticed the small incline up ahead. The Mako jerked to a stop and tilted helplessly back and forward at the top of a V-shaped hill, with all its wheels off the ground and spinning in the air. "You have got to be kidding." Wrex muttered.

Garrus, Wrex and Shepard stepped out onto the engineering deck of the Normandy over an hour later, thoroughly soaked, disgruntled and stiff. They stood in silence for a while as a large puddle formed at their feet. Everyone present on the deck knew better than to ask what had happened. Eventually Wrex rumbled, "Next time, I drive," and without another word the trio went their separate ways, leaving trails of water behind them.