For the longest time, I've wanted to write the traditional "Night Before Omega 4" Shakarian fanfic. At first, I thought about writing it on my own, then I thought perhaps it might be fun to do a collab story/role play. But after searching for writers without success, I went back thinking I would write it myself. Just get it over with! Scratch the itch! Then, as I sat down to begin typing, I had a better idea…a wicked idea…
Why would I write the story that's already been worn out, when I have the power to put myself in the leading role? I'm such a dirty fangirl! Prepare yourselves, people, what you're about to read is basically my sick xenophilic fantasy about Garrus Vakarian and yours truly. Never written in the first person, much less about my actual self. We'll see how it goes, who knows, I might enjoy it! [Insert evil laugh here].
Note: Obviously, this is going to be written in my own universe, so the storyline will be a bit askew from the games, but all the traditional elements are there.
"Welcome aboard, First Lieutenant, I know you'll be a valuable asset to the team."
Shepard outstretched her hand, and I took it graciously.
"Thank you, Commander. I'll sure do my best."
[Commander, you're needed on deck], the male voice buzzed through the intercom above, eliciting a deep sigh from my new Captain.
"Alright, Joker, I'll be right there." She looked back to me with a polite smile, "I'll leave you to make your acquaintance with the rest of the crew. The pilot goes by Joker, let him know if you need me. He'll know where to find me." She turned on her heels to make her way to the elevator, "He always does."
My heart was jumping in my chest. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and I couldn't believe it had actually been handed to me. I hadn't been this excited since I was recommended for N-school. Well, maybe achieving N7 status was a little more exciting, but that was a selfish excitement. This was a chance to do something worthwhile for the galaxy!
Cracking my knuckles with anticipation, my pep-happy step took me from my current position in the Medical Ward to the private quarters. A bag with everything I owned was slung over my shoulder, and something that felt like husks trying to claw out of my body gripped my stomach.
Deep breaths, Jay, everything will be fine.
I found the only empty bunk in the room and flung my unopened back onto the bounce-less mattress. Good. I always slept better on the floor anyway. A firm mattress would do wonders for me. The quarters were quiet and empty, so I decided to do as the Commander instructed and make myself known to the rest of the crew. If I could find any of them. The mess hall was vacant, and there was no answer to my knocking at the office door to the left where the name 'Dr. Liara T'Soni' was scribed into the metal plating.
With a sigh, I decided to try the CIC, making my way back toward the elevators. The husks in my stomach were clawing furiously now. Damnit, why was I so nervous? I pressed the button, waiting as patiently as one could wait with husks in their stomach, bouncing on my heels and praying for the cool confidence to not make an idiot of a first impression.
The doors binged and slid open. I took my queue to step inside just as a bulky, blue-armored turian stepped out. His jagged, metallic shoulder slammed into my unprotected one, making me yelp. I wanted to tell him to watch where the hell he was going, but as first impressions went, 'bitch with an attitude' was not the reputation I wanted to facilitate.
"Excuse me, Sir, I – " My thought was cut short when he turned to face me.
"Vu?"
"Vakarian?"
The husks were immediately executed.
"You got recruited to the Normandy, too?" I asked with surprise.
He reached out a hand and pulled me into a rather brotherly, slap-on-the-back kind of hug, punching me in the shoulder playfully with his retort, "Are you kidding? This is my ship, Vu!" His blue eyes ventured down to the N7 label on my zip-up, and he thumped at it with an impressed expression, "Well, well! Look at you!"
I'd be lying if I said I hadn't had an unhealthy crush on Officer Vakarian during my time as a lowly C-Sec apprentice. He had been my Security Director years ago, right before I was pulled away for N7 training. I had been ecstatic to leave the academy and begin my training, but I never did forget those blue eyes. Damn, he was still just as gorgeous as I remembered him being five years ago.
"Made it all the way through, eh?"
I crossed my arms in my chest, "Is that surprise I hear in your flanged voice, Sir?"
He chuckled, "Not at all! I always knew you had it in you, kid."
He punched my shoulder again. Okay, maybe one husk had survived.
Kid?
Damnit, I didn't still want to be 'kid'. The turian was seven years my senior, which would have been an equal distance in human years given that our life-spans are the same. But still, kid? A groan of disappointment threatened to leap out with the husk, but I held them both at bay.
"Well, welcome aboard, Vu. I know you'll fit right in here", he mused.
I nodded respectfully, "Thank you, Sir. Glad to be here."
He turned to leave, and I pressed the button to recall the elevator that had escape during our conversation.
"Oh, and Vu!", I heard him call from around the corner.
"Sir?"
"Don't tell anyone at the academy this, but you were always my favorite." My heart leapt into my chest. Was he...could he be flirting with me? "Good apprentices are hard to come by."
Nope.
The euphoria crashed. It took every ounce of theatrics in me to make the next statement sound grateful rather than disappointed, "Thank you, Sir."
I spent the rest of the morning introducing myself to the various crew members, and hopefully, building a good first impression for myself. Dr. T'Soni was pleasant enough, kind of nerdy, but nice. The pilot, Joker, was a riot. We hit it right off. The ship's AI, EDI, was an interesting persona. I'd never met a real AI before. I guess I expected them to be a bit more…frigid? Jack was callous, but fun, I liked her. And Alenko, well, he gave off a bit of a pussy-whipped, lost puppy vibe, but he was alright. Not really my kind of man.
No, my kind of man was walking toward me on those long, turian thighs. Thin waist bending and swaying over his broad, strong shoulders. God, I loved to watch him walk. His mandibles were flicking with annoyance, a state much different than I had last seen him in. I also couldn't help but take notice of the deep scars running across his right mandible and down his neck. What the hell happened? Not that it mattered. He was still beautiful to me.
OUCH!
"Excuse me! I'm sorry, I did not see you", the quarian blurted, fumbling with her tech equipment.
I was glad to see I wasn't the only one who was a nervous mess on this vessel, "No worries! Name's Vu."
I extended a human gesture, which she took without hesitation into a polite shake, "Vu?"
"Or Jay, it's whatever", I shrugged.
"Nice to meet you, Jay. I'm Tali." I nodded with a smile. "I hate to run away like this, but I really have to get down to engineering. It was nice to meet you. Welcome aboard."
"Thank you. Please, don't let me keep you, I'm sure I'll see you around."
I stepped aside, allowing her to pass just as Vakarian passed us both in the opposite direction. My throat was suddenly dry. I wanted to talk to him, about what I had no idea. After all, he was the only person I actually knew beyond a polite introduction on this entire vessel.
"Ah-hey, Vakarian!" I called after him, voice an octave higher than I would have liked.
He stopped abruptly and turned to glare at me, "Not now, Jay, I have – some calibrations to do."
It was the first time he had addressed me so informally. I wasn't even aware that he knew my first name, or at least my nickname for my first name. The name's Jadzia, but everyone calls me Jay when it's not Vu. The proud part of me battled with the part that was slightly hurt by being blown off so abruptly, but then, he did seem pretty perturbed about something.
Once I got over the initial trauma of getting to know everyone aboard, things sort of fell into place the way they always had. I was good at what I did, and glad to be of some use on board. I may have been the next ranking officer behind Commander Shepard, but my place on the ship was behind the scenes, getting my hands dirty. That's how I liked it. The layout of the Normandy SR-2 wasn't all that different from the Freedom where I had served before. I found my way easily around to the important areas, beginning with engineering and making my way to the Main Battery. The room was an impressive size, equipped with everything my heart could ever desire and more. I poked around the station, familiarizing myself with the equipment and calibrating units. The hum of the engines and machinery always brought me some peace, it was no different here.
The sound of the doors sliding apart caught my attention, and I glanced over my shoulder to find my brooding ex-Security Director making his way into the room. He hadn't noticed me. Slamming his rifle onto the table to his right, he sealed the doors and instructed EDI to, "Lock them and don't let anyone in."
Oops. I figured I should probably make myself known. He clearly wanted to be alone, but I wasn't one for gawking in a corner, too afraid to speak up. "Vakarian, Sir. I'm in here."
His head shot around, squinting in my direction, "Jay? What are you doing in here?"
"Getting acquainted. This is, ah, kind of my area of expertise."
He looked slightly impressed beneath the dripping hostility and annoyance in his growling voice.
Damnit if it wasn't actually turning me on.
"Is that so?", he asked, "And what exactly do you know about calibrating weapons systems, kid?" The question was challenging, slightly condescending, and I felt my spine stack as I approached him. His eyes were on the glowing console in front of him, which irritated me. You passively insult me, the ignore me? I don't think so, Vakarian!
"Just as much as any other expert in the field, with the added benefit of having been raised by the very engineer who designed three quarters of the ones used on human/turian vessels, Sir. And I'm not twenty-two or your apprentice anymore, Vakarian. I'm your superior officer. I'll gladly share the duties of this battery with you, but if you object, I'm sure you can find another job to occupy your time on this ship."
It was harsher than I had intended to be, but shit, he pissed me off!
His blue eyes blinked at me over the console as I walked slowly to his side, standing as tall as my mere human, female frame would allow against his towering turian height. For a moment I thought he might throw a fit, then his expression relaxed into one I was familiar with. I had become quite adept at reading turian expressions during my time working under him in C-Sec. A byproduct of my inability to keep from staring at him every chance I got. His mandibles relaxed into a turian smile and he nodded respectfully at me.
"Yes, Ma'am, I believe you're right. Please, forgive my insubordination."
I felt relieved, returning his smile, "Apology accepted, Sir."
He laughed, "You give me that lecture, then call me 'Sir'?"
I shrugged, "Old habits."
He returned his focus to the console, "I'm glad you're here actually." Really? "I could use a second opinion on this systems control outlet. I think I messed up somewhere."
I stepped up beside him, so close I could feel the heat of his body radiating out of his armor, and checked the console "Garrus Vakarian? Make a goof? Get out of town!"
He looked confused, "Is that one of those human expressions or do you want me to leave?"
"Relax, Vakarian. I may be your next ranking officer, but I can't make you leave town." I looked up at him with a wink, "Yet."
He chuckled, rumbling deep in his chest while I looked over the glowing points he had marked. He placed a heavy arm next to me so he could stare over my shoulder. If it had been anyone else, I would have ordered them to back off a few feet, but for him, I made the exception.
"Here it is", I said finally, pointing at the screen, "watch here." I tapped at the paneling with a few expert moves and the diagram transformed.
The words: 'Optimum Functional Capacity' flashed on the screen.
"Hah", I heard him grunt, "You gotta teach me how to do that! It could save me hours!"
"Oh, I'm sure there's a lot I could teach you." I squished my face together with embarrassment. The comment came out much more suggestive than I had intended. Luckily for me, the turian hadn't noticed.
His arm retracted to scratch the back of his neck. He seemed much more relaxed now. "Well that takes care of that. Guess I should go pack." He walked to the table where his abused rifle still lay.
"Pack?"
"Didn't anyone tell you? We're headed for the Citadel. Shore leave for 24 hours upon arrival. We only stopped to pick up you and…", his voice trailed off.
"His name's Alenko."
"I know his name", he snapped. "He's a former member of the Normandy crew. So happy he's back." His tone dripped with sarcasm and distain.
Normally, I wasn't one to butt around in other people's affairs. Gossip and girl talk weren't my thing, and a shoulder-to-cry-on certainly wasn't. But this was Vakarian. He'd nurtured me through two years of my rising career. Surely, I owed him something for that.
"Vakarian, Sir?"
He snickered, "Garrus is fine, Jay. You aren't my twenty-two year old apprentice anymore, remember?"
I grinned, "Right. So, Garrus, you seem less than cheery about Alenko's grand return. Care to share or should I butt the hell out?"
His blue eyes flicked over to me for a moment, appraisingly considering. "You really have grown up, haven't you, Vu? Man, I'm getting old."
I rolled own blue eyes, "Yeah okay, Garrus. You're treating me like a kid again, ya know."
"Hey!", his arms were outstretch in surrender, "It's weird for me! Sorry, I'm sorry."
That's just great. Weird is exactly what I was going for.
"So how about it, Jay? Shore leave in T-minus two hours. Are we getting drinks or what?"
My ears perked.
"Sure", I answered in my very best 'nonchalant' tone. "First round's on me."