I imagine turians as space Romans. Couldn't resist naming Garrus' daddy Aurelius. :/ Also, thank you very much to my reviewers and those that put the story on alert. I figured I'd put in another update quickly since the prologue got a few thoughts.
Chapter 1 The Normandy
The turians he conversed with over the galactic map had been with him since Palaven. He'd gone at the first chance he could to aid in evacuation efforts, and they were among the few left who were trying to get off world. He found the girl with a broken leg, Solana was her name. The C-Sec officer he had known in the distant past was her father and he recalled that his name was Aurelius Vakarian, a grand sounding Turian by all means. They were glad to see the vessel the Good Doctor had brought with him, as there were no more turian vessels leaving the surfaces of their home world for evacuations. They had lied to the gunnery chief on the SSV Normandy to quiet his worry, the doctor later learned, and the two were eager to volunteer when the doctor announced his plan to help in reconstruction efforts and took care of Solana's leg. It just so happened that they were not on the vessel that made it through to the Sol system, and they would be able to do what they came to do.
They were mostly there to find someone they likely hadn't seen much in the last three years. The Doctor knew the desire to hang onto what you had left, and the old turian had only his children left. He had heard them chatter about the passing of the Elder Vakarian's mate, and in the midst of everything, a natural death for her must have felt peculiar. War claimed many turian lives, but not hers. Some would have considered her lucky to die to disease, and not to Reapers.
They joined him on the elevator to prepare for the trip down to visit the Normandy, and the doctor's thoughts drifted to what awaited them in the shuttle deck. The shuttle pilot waiting for them was Quarian. He called himself Tan'Keyell. He never named his original ship, but the Doctor knew the man had been on pilgrimage when he volunteered to come along. He seemed to distrust the purpose of the vessels, especially after Cerberus' involvement with the Migrant Fleet, but his choice reflected he was willing to try. His hesitance was surely rooted in the Good Doctor's chosen appearance. There must have been some kind of taboo against outsiders making use of their helmets.
"What is your stake in this, doctor? what do you stand to gain?" Aurelius asked as the elevator stopped at the shuttle bay.
"Peace of mind. I choose to do what I can to help because I have never done much worth while, and I owe it to many people.." The doctor adjusted his mask as he stepped out, the two turians following behind him.
"What did you do before organizing all of this?" their curiosity was unending. He smiled behind his mask as the female now questioned him.
"I've always been a doctor. The only thing that's changed is my focus. Before you ask, I started purchasing ships for this endeavor after the first attack on the Citadel by Saren."
"So you believed her from the beginning?" Solana inquired again.
A slight humming sort of noise came through the omni-tool, trying to translate the sub vocal sound the Elder Vakarian made, and the Doctor assumed he was putting his support behind the question. He hated how Turians could get away with such chatter between one another that no tool could interpret.
"I did. I saw Sovereign when it attacked the Citadel. I was there in the middle of all of it. I could not believe it was an isolated incident. I'm no damn good in a fire fight, so I holed myself up at Huerta Memorial and helped out with the wounded that were evacuated from the fights."
"I see." She hummed.
"I haven't used my real name in a long time. Can't imagine they liked a nameless, faceless doctor working on their people but I saved lives."
Their conversation fell short as they were greeted by the volunteers who wanted to help repair the Normandy. Only one smiling face that waited was not human, an Asari whose face the Good Doctor didn't recognize.
"I see a wiring specialist and a drive core specialist I remember picking up on Illium before things went to hell out there. Can I have a name and specialty, Asari?" The doctor asked.
"Remila is my name. I can help repair the hull. My hands are steady and I am prepared."
Her pale purple skin shone with a peculiar blush. She was a nervous one, a young one. He briefly recalled her name, one of the few volunteers that came without direct ties to anyone mentioned. Remila looked eager to please with her work, and he knew people like her would be invaluable in the days to come. Anyone eager to do the kind of repair work that would be needed to get the galaxy running business as usual would be sorely needed.
"Good enough for me. Let's get everyone on board and head planet side. I'll lend an extra pair of hands to Doctor Chakwas, and the three of you can help with the repairs. These two Turians are here for family, but I'm sure they will have something they can do when the air is cleared."
The volunteers just nodded and took his words to heart. They didn't have to see his face to believe him, or to feel his insistence and belief in what they were setting out to do. The Doctor knew they wouldn't be there if they didn't want to do this work, to take care of the people that would need aid. He went to the safe worlds and stations asking for them. They answered. They continued to listen.
As one, the group moved aboard the shuttle Tan'Keyell had already prepared to leave the ship. There was more space in there than those around The Good Doctor seemed to expect. He smiled knowingly under his mask, and he was glad for the assets he had managed to procure. So long as no one ever asked him where he got them.
The ride down into the atmosphere of the planet was not smooth. The shuttle hit turbulence as it. Passed through, clouds parting all around them once they broke the first layer. When the wreckage of the Normandy came into view from the front windows of the shuttle, a collective sigh of relief echoed through the shuttle. Even broken, the ship was a sign of hope. There were some sparks coming from the hull, a sign people were already turning their attention to the wires and the Good Doctor wondered how much of the hope attached to the vessel came from previously knowing that Commander Shepard was aboard. She was no longer there, and yet, they all felt the old relief. The Normandy had been made into a symbol.
"Looks like they've already started on repairs down there," the Doctor called out over the sounds of the engines," We'll need to be ready to move right away. Keyell, if there's anything you can do when we land, give them your help. We want to get that ship in the air as soon as possible."
"Of course, sir." the Quarian answered.
"She's a fine ship. I do not doubt you'll have plenty of knowledge to take to your home world."
'I cannot wait, sir." "Don't sir me, Keyell."
The Quarian started to protest, but he held back his typical quip of 'no, sir.' They shared a laugh as he landed the shuttle. The Good Doctor tried to be easy going during the dreadful times of war, and now that they had moved into a time of repair, he could not let that falter. He found it was infectious for those around him, and it made it easier for him to live.
The airlock door to the Normandy was left wide open, likely so those working on the repairs for the hull could pass in and out of the ship easily. The Doctor saw two humans outside, both men, tall and muscled sorts. They were likely Alliance Marines, the only ones who chose to put their hands to the work.
Keyell opened the shuttle door and the Good Doctor let himself out ahead on the volunteers. He earned looks from the two soldiers that halted their work. Casual looks at first, until they realized they weren't looking at a Quarian.
"Good afternoon. We're here to aid in your repairs and answer your distress call. I have two trained engineers and an eager Asari to help with the engineering trouble. How are your supplies holding up?"
The largest soldier, dressed down to his Alliance standard casuals spoke to him with a heavy accent he had not heard in years," I'd think you should talk to Scars. He's been burying himself in checking on what survived the crash. He needs the relief."
"Scars? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the nickname." The Doctor chuckled softly as the others stepped out of the shuttle behind him.
The other male human took a deep breath, and the voice he spoke with was recognizable to the Good Doctor. Kaidan Alenko. He had heard interviews with the second human spectre, but never watched the footage attached to them.
"Vega gives everyone nicknames. He meant Garrus Vakarian. He's the senior member of the crew in most respects... and he needed the distraction."
"Very well. We'll head inside, if you don't mind. Remila and Jason will aid you out here."
The Doctor looked back to Aurelius and Solana and made note of the relief obvious in the way their mandibles had shifted. They would find out when they got inside if there had been any deaths on impact, what supplies had survived, if anyone needed medical attention. He would have his chance to speak with the crew of the Normandy about their feelings following what had happened. They'd know better than anyone, and the Doctor wanted answers.
He lifted himself into the airlock of the Normandy and onto the main deck of the ship. He cast his gaze up and down the hall, staring at a moment to the empty terminals. Likely, everyone was busy trying to get themselves off the ground. There was no one there to greet them. The Good Doctor hadn't expected anything different, given all of the work that surely needed to be done. Able hands must have put themselves to good use. He let out a soft sigh as he moved toward the center of the ship, the bright light of the galactic map drawing him deeper.
A female voice called out in surprise upon seeing him, a light accent he recognized from humans born in the United Kingdom on Earth," Oh! You must be the Doctor who's ships answered our distress signal. I'm so glad the ship didn't go down in an uncharted part of the galaxy. I'm Specialist Traynor, with the Alliance. I've been heading communications since I came aboard."
The woman was so friendly, and when he finally caught sight of her, he found such an attitude was present in her entire demeanor. She smiled widely despite his covered face, and she seemed to be doing alright, all things considered.
"You can just keep calling me Doctor. These two are Aurelius and Solana Vakarian. Can you point me to the Turian aboard the ship?"
"He's down on the engineering deck checking through cargo. He needs the distraction."
"You're the second person to tell us that. Is there something else bothering him?" The Good Doctor sighed.
"Yes, well... He's not taking being separated from the Commander very well. We don't even know if she's alive, and that is a troublesome thought for all of us," Traynor's tone took on sadness.
He assumed everyone on board was feeling like that. They had all served a terrible period of time together. The Reaper Invasion had been kind to no one, and on a ship like the Normandy, he thought close companionship was inevitable. How close, he didn't care to think about just yet. Making sure everyone was taken care of and on the road to recovery as all that mattered to him.
"They've been through a lot since they started serving together, or so I've gathered. Thank you for letting us know, Specialist."
"Of course, sir. Thank you for stopping for us."
"it's what I do."
He doubted the specialist trusted him entirely. Most did not believe him when he came with offers of help, even when the Reapers were knocking down people's doors. The mask bothered them, but he wore it for his own safety now. The Good Doctor found out the hard way that you can only get away with so much good before you have to disappear. For all intensive purposes, he had disappeared. This was just round two. Baring no identity with him as he traveled from system to system preparing for the Reapers made it all easier. He took no prisoners. He took all that he believed would aid his endeavors, and he didn't give a damn who he took it from.
"We'll go to the cargo bay to speak with Garrus. It can't be too hard to find. Do what you must, Doctor," Aurelius Vakarian stated as the group moved toward the Normandy's elevator.
"Very well. The sight of family will do him good. Best to hide the faceless one until he's calmed down."
"Do you think he isn't calm?" Solana asked.
"I have no doubt. Three people said he needed the distraction. You don't need a tedious distraction like checking on supplies unless something is very wrong, especially if you're a turian."
She looked older, like the years everyone else had passed latched onto her in the time since Kaidan Alenko had set eyes on Alice Shepard on Horizon. She was settled down next to him on one of the hospital's chairs, an awkward silence falling in after they spoke about Udina. He paused on the words he wanted to say, making note of her short red hair, and the blue eyes that stared back at him. She could sense the tension, no doubt.
"Was there.. something else, Kaidan?"
"Yeah, maybe," He paused again and looked away from her," Was there.. something between you and Garrus?"
She stood up straight in her seat, caught at attention. Her brow perked and her voice became almost defensive. He didn't like it.
"Where the hell did you hear that?"
"Everyone knows. I heard... talk about it from some of the old crew when you were relieved of duty. Joker.. may have mentioned it right to my face."
"Goddamit, Joker." She cursed aloud, tilting her head to the right, "We shouldn't be having this talk now. Not with you like this."
"Look, if its because of what happened on Horizon.. I'll own that. I wasn't fair to you," Kaidan tried to reason. He wasn't sure what he had to say, but he turned his gaze back to her now.
Was she faltering about it? He couldn''t tell just by looking at her. Shepard always held a particular expression when she was in a serious talk with someone, practically immovable. Her eyes betrayed some anger to him, and he wondered why.
"Its not just about Horizon. Horizon was just the icing on the cake."
"Were we having problems before... before you died? Were there things you weren't telling me, Shepard?" He sat up in the hospital bed, the conversation evolving into more than he thought it would.
"I don't know what I was thinking jumping into that with you. I mean, going to Ilos could have been the end. I didn't even take you with when we left. Garrus was always with me. There's not been a single mission I've gone on where he wasn't right next to me. I was going to break it off next time we were at the Citadel, see if I could find you another ship... There's no one I trusted more than him and.. After Horizon, I realized how fucking stupid I was." She held her hands up in the air at that, leaning back in her seat and looking to the window," There you go. Happy?"
"For a bit there, I thought you were just... curious about turians. Joker didn't make it sound like-"
"Did he make it sound like it was just about the sex? I swear to god if that's what he said I'll pinch him so hard his wrist fractures."
"No, no. It was more in passing.. Like he thought you told me about it."
"Jesus, look. All I want to get out there is that there is absolutely, I repeat, absolutely, no way we are getting back together-"
"That serious, Alice?"
"Goddamit don't call me that. Two people in the galaxy can call me by my first name, and never in public."
"One in the shower and.. The other when they video call you?" Kaidan tried to joke.
She seemed to get it right of the bat that he was talking about Garrus and her mother, but the tension coming from Shepard was getting a little high. She was indeed on the defensive, setting the record as straight as she could. These were the times where she was a bit forceful. She pressed her back firm to the seat, right hand grabbing her knee. He thought she was clenching her jaw at this point.
"Well, it used to be three... My dad and all, but cute, Alenko. When you're better we'll... air this out a bit more. I don't want to stress you when you're like this."
Kaidan blinked out of his day dream, casting his gaze to the two who had volunteered to help him and Vega with the ship's hull. They worked without speaking, and Vega was starting to hum an unfamiliar tune in the silence all around them. Kaidan couldn't help but think about Shepard, and he was a little surprised he thought of that exact moment. She never said a word more about it even when he was on the ship, but there were plenty of experiences that served to remind him where he stood after that.
Jack, some Biotic from Shepard's Cerberus days, had taken advantage of her shore leave to invite the crew to drinks. She made a damn mess of things, got Shepard so drunk she openly talked about sex with Garrus... And Jack constantly pointed fingers at the second human spectre, declaring how it sucked to be him. She enjoyed teasing him, and for the first time in his life, he had considered violence against a friendly woman.
Vega never said a word about it. Most people didn't care to with the war against the Reapers going on all around them, and when they talked about it, most agreed it was the most natural relationship on the ship. Garrus and Shepard had been through hell and back, that was certain. Now, she had dove into hell alone.. And no one knew if she would, or had, come out alive. The entire ship was silently grieving. Even this circuits of the Normandy seemed to be shedding their tears, sparks of unrest coming from the cables.
He felt worse for Joker. He was right next to him when that red blast moved through the ship and KO'd EDI right beside the pilot. Kaidan had never seen someone's humor go so dry so fast, and he had no doubt it would be staying that way. Then again, stopping the Reapers might have been worth an AI death and the total destruction of the geth, no matter how the later had helped in the war effort and helped the Quarians begin settling on Rannoch.
"Ship's mighty boring and quiet without Lola." Vega said softly. One could hardly hear him over the sound of his blow torch as he repaired the hull.
"When we get through the relay, we'll find her. Its going to take more than one explosion to kill her," Kaidan sighed. He was trying to reassure himself.
"Tell that to Scars. I don't think he's really in the cargo bay."
"Where would he be?"
"Lola's cabin. I'd huddle myself in my woman's blankets and lay there for a bit if I thought she was dead. Probably told us that so we wouldn't bother him."
Kaidan paused as he leaned away from his work, inspecting the seams," Good point."
A hum of static came from their omni-tools as an unfamiliar, but clearly turian voice patched in to the crew's communications. [My son is not in the cargo bay. Garrus, where are you?]
No answer. The turian's voice grew a little firmer. [Garrus.]
The voice of the doctor chimed in at that, a sympathetic tone ringing in. [Let it go for a moment, Aurelius. He's not going anywhere. The ship is stranded. Give him time.]
Kaidan closed his eyes, and he felt a little thankful for that doctor's presence on the ship. He calmed the other turian right down and the communications fell into silence. Wherever Garrus was, he had the opportunity to grieve in peace and silence, that is if that's what he was doing in the first place. Kaidan did not believe it was like him to give up hope that quickly.