After narrowly avoiding a few close calls with shattered shins, Joker was able to follow the crowds out of the coliseum and make his way back slowly to the Rotunda to get his class schedule. Hilary and his mother said their quick goodbyes and left before exiting traffic could get too bad. Finally, Joker was free. He was excited to begin learning more in depth of the necessary pilot courses, and to begin flight Sims and piloting practice. However, as a new recruit, he would have to take general Training courses to learn the fundamentals of the Intergalactic Alliances as well. This meant overlooking history, literature, communications, and all unnecessary wastes of Joker's time. 'all I want to do is fly, why do I need to know all this stuff' Luckily, because of Joker's condition, the recruiting reps. from CITA had promised his family and him that no hand-to-hand courses were necessary for his graduation, nor were ground combat courses- although an overlook of them were recommended for him to read over. Joker found all the classes he was to go to and decided to try and find a place to sit down and rest his sore legs.
Now that the formal ceremonies were over, students and new recruits alike were socializing in a large grassy square area between the Rotunda and the Coliseum.
The ground crews, still in their battle armors, were talking to the recruits that seemed like potential talent. As he passed by them, he couldn't help but notice the glares or looks of pity he was being given from them if he lingered too long. It was nothing new to Joker- they were the same looks that he had been getting his whole life. People assume that he is a charity case and not actually worth anything on their teams. Yet he couldn't help but feel disappointed as he sat at an empty bench to eat the food he packed before leaving the apartment on the Citadel. Was being here going to be the same as everywhere else? Nobody approaches the untouchable cripple with the crutches-
"Hey! Hey Joker!"
As he heard his name he jumped, and looked around for Hilary or his mother who he thought had left. 'Maybe I forgot something in the shuttle' Realizing who it was calling his name, sitting in the grass underneath a tree, brought a smile to his face. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but not uncomfortable.
"Blondie!" Leaning over waving at him, with the sun shining through the leaves to light up long blond hair that Joker had barely denied the desire to run his fingers through earlier that same day, was Nora. She waved him over and very slowly he stood up from a bench balancing on his crutches and awkwardly moved down to lean on the tree next to her. He internally grimaced at the obvious effort it took for him to even get to her. 'I must look like a useless invalid to her' But she didn't seem to notice, she just kept smiling that huge glowing smile that lit up her whole face.
"How do you like campus? Have you gotten your classes? Did you like the opening ceremonies? Do you need anything" she battered him with questions. It sort of reminded him of Hilary, but coming from Nora it was endearing instead of annoying. She was the first person who had talked and looked at him like he was normal guy- not even glancing at the crutches he relied on so much.
"Uh, it's great… and yeah I got my classes..and-"
"Calm down, Nora- the guy's only been here for a few hours. And one can only answer so many questions at once." A flanging voice mixed with subharmonics chucked from her right. Joker only then realized that beside Nora sat a large armored Turian, the same Turian that almost ripped out someone's throat earlier, and was presented as the second in command for the greatest battle crew CITA's ever seen. At the moment he was holding his visor in one taloned hand, with a sharp tool in the other doing some kind of fiddling with the wires.
"Garrus! Don't you have something better to do than boss me around? Maybe some Titan recruiting, or some responsibilities or something?"
"Nope, my Captain gave me no responsibilities until the weekend's scrimmages." He grinned and flicked his mandibles. "So I have as long as I want today to calibrate my visor screen, and to bother you." With this he mussed he hair with the side of the hand that held the tool and she punched him in the arm. Their actions reminded him of his sister and himself, and he wondered what circumstances lead to a Turian and a Human having this kind of relationship. 'How does a girl like Nora know a huge fighter Turian like Garrus Archangel Vakarian?'
"Jerk! I should talk to this Captain of yours… maybe convince her to give you extra cleaning duties. Maybe she needs her armor polished." She joked. Joker was surprised that the same Turian who held so much loyalty for Captain Shepard would let Nora joke about her. The Turian let out a breathy noise that Joker could only assume was the equivalent of a scoff and returned to his visor. "Anyway Joker, this big guy here is Garrus Vakarian. Garrus, Joker" At this the Turian gave him a nod, and Joker returned it, but didn't look away from his calibrations. "You were saying?" She looked at him expectantly.
"Um…I have all my advanced piloting courses set up along with the general recruiting crap- I mean classes- and I just came from getting my Sim time booked each week."
"You are a pilot?" she asked, her eyes shining with interest. For some reason Garrus straightened and looked up at this waiting for his reply.
"Yep." He replied swelling with passion. "Flying is all I have. It is all I care about and I am the best. This Academy is my chance to do what I love. I have worked harder than everyone else just to get here I was specially recruited for advanced training. I can make any ship dance better than the Asari on Omega" she arched a thin perfect eyebrow at this "not that I know anything about that, of course" 'open mouth, insert foot' Nora and Garrus shared a long look at this, and they seemed to have an entire conversation in their expressions. After a slightly uncomfortable silence, Garrus sighed in what could only be submission and started to speak.
"Joker, the White Titans are at the moment lacking-"
"Archangel!" Three heads turned to where a large Krogan stomped across the grass towards them. Seeing who it was, Garrus and Nora quickly stood up and widened their forms- preparing for a fight.
"Garm… Great to see you back for another semester." The armored Turian's tone dripped with sarcasm. "Back to try and weasel your way into a better Crew that the 'Blood Bringers'?"
"We demand that you tell Prodigy that we are stronger than the pathetic squad she has put together this year. You do not look too busy, surrounded by this little pale thing and the cripple" He gestured to the pair of them.
Joker heard the unmistakable sound of growling coming from both of them. If they got in a true fight, he could easily be collateral damage. Looking over, he saw Nora standing close to Garrus with a hand wrapped around his upper armor plate. 'What if Nora gets hurt!?' Why did he feel so uneasy about her being so close to the monstrous Krogan? He barely knew the girl for heaven's sake, but he had a desperate need to protect her.
"The White Titans don't take auditions. If the Captain saw any worth from you, you would have received a personal invitation two years ago."
"Weak-fisted pyjack! Prodigy won't get very good scores battle scores when her right-hand is in the Med bay!" He lounged towards the Turian and Nora, and Joker looked around for something he could use to fight the Krogan off. Maybe his crutch… but before he could act on any foolish impulses, Nora took action. Joker watched in awe. She reached into her boot, and side stepped him while Garrus leaped back. The Krogan seemed to have forgotten about the tiny female and kept his eyes on the Turian who dared call him 'worthless'. Nora kicked the back of his leg which brought him to his knees, and jumped on his back, wrenching on his natural plating back curling her lithe frame around his huge neck. It had happened so fast. One second she was standing next to Garrus and the next, quicker than Joker's eyes could follow, she was hanging over the Krogan, a fierceness Joker could never imagine crossing her face, blue eyes blazing. Her ankles were wrapped around his chest pressing hard into his chest plate with a palm length blade with a white handle held to his throat. She was a vision.
"Ba okroed uk omud rakvact tra White Titans, Pyjack. Ur viuh ora'tra uma qru qerr maad tra kadec!"
"Sat ukk'ke, viuh rettra-"
"Nora! Enough!" Again, a sharp voice broke through a crowd that had surrounded to watch the White Titan and the human girl take on an almost grown Krogan. This time four heads turned and watched as a man crossed through the circle and stopped right in front of the four of them. 'Crap. Caught in the middle of a fight on my first day? Mom is going to freak out!' Joker realized that he had taken one crutch into both his hands like a baseball bat. He dropped it back to the ground as the man approached. He was a man of obvious authority, with wrinkles and a countenance that showed he had seen much in his life. Joker watched as Nora hesitated and then hopped off of the Krogan and snapped into a straight backed at ease position. Her hands clasped around her back. The man first looked around at the gathering of people watching.
"Don't you all have STUDYING TO DO?" The crowd immediately dispersed, a few brave souls walking slower trying to catch a few words of the scolding.
"Professor Anderson, sir, I can explain-"
"Hold your tongue, Vakarian." He looked around at the four of them, one at a time hovering on Nora last. He turned first to the Krogan, "Urdnot Garm. There is no evidence for me to keep you here, as my arrival showed Nora and Mr. Vakarian beginning and assault. Let us all be grateful" he emphasized at the scoff that came from Nora, "that it did not get that far. You may go- but be cautious of your actions in the future."
"Suud reddom'ca, qaodkekt." He threw over his shoulder as he stomped away.
"Trek ek'mut uitah!" She sneered back.
"Silence Nora!" Professor Anderson next turned to Joker. "Recruit, what on earth are you doing in the middle of this?" Joker glanced at Nora, whose head sharply snapped up when he was brought into it. 'No! I can't be expelled, this is my dream'
"I was just-"
"Wait, they have nothing to do with this! Garm-"
"NORA-"
"But-"
"NORA PLEASE!"
"DAD LISTEN TO ME!" These words caused Professor Anderson to stop the yell that was about to sound from him. Joker's jaw fell open. Dad? Nora was the daughter of a professor? 'Crap' When Joker found enough sense to close his mouth and refocus on the pair Nora was looking at the professor with desperation written all over her face. He sighed and nodded once at her.
"Sir" she stood up straight, and quietly breathed in, "Recruit Moreau approached Garrus Vakarian of the White Titans with an interest in asking to audition in front of the Prodigy. Vakarian politely declined his request as the crew does not take auditions. Recruit Moreau accepted this answer and went to take his leave when Urdnot Garm of the Blood Bringers began to heckle Mr. Vakarian. I am well acquainted with Mr. Vakarian, as you know sir, and interrupted Mr. Vakarian from peacefully dissolving the situation. I took offense and THAT is what you saw happening on the grass. Just my actions alone. Sir."
Joker was in awe. This girl just took three punishments on herself so that her friend did not have to. And neither did he. He could understand her wanting to help her friend but she did not have any reason to help him. She did not know anything about him and she was protecting him! 'Who is this girl?'
Professor Anderson let out a sigh and lifted a hand to rub his eyes. He looked to be trying to determine what course to take, and it was a hard choice. If Nora really is his daughter, it is choosing to punish two strangers or someone he loved. Joker looked over at Nora, and was surprised to see her looking at him. He met her eyes and was amazed what he saw. In her countenance was self-assurance and pride. She thought that she was doing the right thing. As if it was her pleasure to take all the responsibility. Joker had never met someone who would take a bullet from him, and it amazed him that this beautiful creature was proud and willing to. She offered him a quick smile, and in that moment he was convinced him that he was prepared to do anything to keep it there. The moment they shared was cut short by the decision finally being made by the professor, by her father.
"Okay fine. Because I have no evidence to the contrary, Nora is banned from the rest of the semester's opening activities, along with one week's detentions." He turned his hard gaze towards Joker and Garrus who had remained silent. "You may both go, and remember that you two are VERY lucky"
"E'siv Nora."
"Later Garrus"
Joker started to leave as well but turned around.
"Goodnight Nora." He smiled as he caught her eye. Thank you
When he finally got back to his room after dinner, which he went out for because he had not bought groceries, he still couldn't stop thinking about the triumphant look in her eyes when Anderson let them go with a slap on the wrist. What was it about her that was so intoxicating? Blue eyes as bright as galaxies? Pale hair like the wheat fields on Tiptree? 'Pull yourself together Moreau, you just watched her go ninja crazy on some unlucky guy. Imagine what she would do to you! Besides, we are here to fly right?' As he stepped through the door into the dark, his foot slid on something that was definitely not carpet. Scrambling around in the dark for the light switch, he flicked it on and looked on the floor for the offensive object.
On his floor sat a thick white envelope with his name, Recruit Jeffrey "Joker" Moreau scrawled across the top with authorized by: Captain Prodigy Shepard.
Recruit Moreau
With the authorization of Captain Shepard, you are cordially invited to the private quarters of the White Titans, to discuss a position of head pilot and helmsman of the travel based battle rounds this season at CITA.
Your files have been reviewed and we would like to offer you the chance to fly for the best. We will be watching your class proceedings. If at the end of two weeks from this date you are Proficient in flight combat courses and excelling with Flight Simulations, we will contact you with more details.
Understand that this is a non-contracted trial based offer, and by no means affiliates you with or groups you as the responsibility of the White Titans or any of the members specifically.
Beneath it in black pen was hand written neatly Good Luck, Recruit Moreau. I am sure you will impress us.
Joker re-read the letter for the third time and sat still for a long time on the corner of his bed. How did the Titans, the best team in CITA, even hear about him? Maybe Garrus Vakarian was listening to him when he was talking to Nora about the advances courses. Strangely enough, he was sure before that the Turian wasn't that impressed by him. Yet he looked down in his hands and the Letter was still there.
'Oh yeah... We are here to fly'
Ba okroed uk omud rakvact tra White Titans, Pyjack. Ur viuh ora'tra uma qru qerr maad tra kadec! =
Be afraid of and respect the White Titans, pyjack. Or you are the one who will need the medic!
Sat ukk'ke, viuh rettra-= Get off me, you little-
Suud reddom'ca, qaodkekt= Good riddance, weak fist.
Trek ek'mut uitah!= This is not over!
E'siv= Later