So I decided to give this one another shot, I know I'm not keeping to the plotline the old author notes set but whatever, nearly eight months between attempts to get this off the ground I really don't care. Anywho, this takes place six years after the last chapter, Shepard is a workaholic badass special forces soldier who is being forced to go on leave, and she is not amused by this in the slightest.
Plus side, it causes her to meet a life long friend a bit early, enjoy and review!
The bar he found himself in was nothing special, middle class, quiet background music, and other than the low level C-Sec presence keeping the riffraff out there was really nothing to distinguish it from any other watering hole in the Wards. A perfect place to lose yourself for a few hours without risking the worry of getting stabbed in the back, which made it perfect for his purposes.
Garrus Vakarian was a Turian with a lot on his mind, namely, what was he going to do with his life now that his mandatory three years in the military were up? Sipping his drink he sighed while scratching one of his brow plates, who knew having so many choices would be so damn...stifling?
One of his former CO's, finding out about his discharge had sent Garrus a friendly invitation to join his 'Security Firm', which was spook speak for high end mercenaries with a loose set of morals. Not something he was really interested in but it was an option to take into consideration regardless, since the yearly salary and signing bonus looked to be on par with what his sister made in fives years and he got the satisfaction of blowing things up and getting paid for it.
The more mind blowing option had been thanks to of all things a Council Spectre seeing promise in him and offering to sponsor Garrus's application into the elite program which, he would admit, was flattering as hell. He was only eighteen and being hand picked to be one of the personal agents of the ruling body of most of the known galaxy was just surreal, though, he had his misgivings. His father had never approved of the Spectre's, too much freedom to do as they will, practically no oversight, and a license to do, well, whatever they wished in so long as they kept a low profile.
His father, yeah, the last option, falling into his footsteps and joining C-Sec, which really he was leaning towards and for once it wasn't out of duty or loyalty to his family. Garrus liked helping people, and unlike many of his species he lumped the rest of the Council species in with his own when it came to that. He wanted to see justice served to those that preyed on the weak, and he really didn't see that happening if he decided to become a merc or a spook.
Maybe in the grander scheme, in an abstract manner, he would be able to satisfy himself that a particular job had saved 'X' amount innocents 'X' amount of turmoil but it was just that. Abstract. He wanted to know he was making a difference, but...he wasn't sure if he ever really would.
Garrus's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a presence take the chair to his left and he quickly glanced over to the human female who almost immediately face planted into her folded arms as she let out a frustrated groan into the bar top. Garrus felt his mandibles twitch in amusement at the woman's obvious frustration as she raised a hand and extended a single finger gaining the bartender's attention.
"Barkeep, what is the strongest drink you have on tap that a biotic won't burn through in five minutes and won't cause liver failure?"
It was muffled, but the bartender, a fellow Turian seemed more amused than not by the woman, pulled out a cylinder of glowing green fluid that Garrus dubiously thought resembled reactor coolant.
"Here, ryncol, Krogan drink, I cut it with citrus juice to prevent it burning through the bottle, I sincerely wish I was joking."
The woman sat up and looked at the glass in front of her contemplatively before shrugging, a gesture he'd gathered meant 'whatever' from humans, and downed it in one gulp. Garrus and the bartender stared at the woman for a few moments before she made coughing gagging noises earning a laugh from the barkeep who placed a beer on the counter before her while popping the cap.
The woman nodded thankfully as she chugged half the bottle before shaking her head blinking rapidly in the process, "Ok...careful what you wish for."
Garrus couldn't help but chuckle earning the woman's attention, without even really thinking about it he tilted his glass towards her and she barely hesitated to clink her bottle against it in a toast.
"You're still standing, more than I can say for others I've seen down that swill. Word of advice, don't be in the same room as a Volus who decides to indulge, it isn't pretty."
The woman shuddered slightly at the implications while taking another sip of her beer, shooting Garrus another look she nodded once, "Noted. Lieutenant Joanna Shepard, Systems Alliance Navy, pleasure to meet you."
Garrus's mandible clacked in amusement as he nodded in return, "Garrus Vakarian, formally of the Turian Hierarchy Military, now trying to figure out what the hell to do with my life. A pleasure."
Shepard nodded and turned back to the counter, running her finger through the water ring left by her beer before replying a moment later, "You lot get conscripted at what, fifteen? Three year mandatory tour and they basically just cut you loose after that?"
Garrus cocked his head to the side before nodding slowly, "More or less, it's sometimes more complicated than that but I have a special case that's causing me some issues."
Shepard cocked an eyebrow at that, an oddly Turian gesture, before spinning her bar stool to face him directly while crossing her left leg across her opposite thigh, "Oh?"
Garrus mulled over opening up to this woman a moment but inwardly shrugged figuring why not in the end. He had come to this bar to clear his head after all, so why not vent to someone showing open interest?
"Well, I was just discharged, no real desire to stay in the service you see, yet one of my old CO's wanted to recruit me for his merc company. I have the chance to become a Spectre, which I know my father would disapprove of, and then I have the option of following in said father's footsteps and joining C-Sec."
Shepard stared at him a few moments before smirking, it was an expression humans shared with Asari so it wasn't hard to distinguish which didn't make it any more comforting, thanks.
"Garrus, may I call you Garrus? How old are you?"
He shifted a bit before nearly stammering his reply, spirits damn it all why? "Uh, e-eighteen, how old are you?"
Shit.
You never asked a female her age, no matter the species, thankfully though he was dealing with an exception to the rule.
"Eighteen...heh... I'm twenty-two, if it matters that much to you. Look, Garrus, you're young still, just out of the military with the galaxy wide open for you to explore. So lemme ask you this mate, what exactly would you lose if you did what daddy dearest would wish and you spent a few years in C-Sec?"
He blinked at that, "What do you mean?"
Shepard laughed as she flagged the bartender for another beer while also indicating she'd cover Garrus's next as well before continuing on where she left off.
"You seem like a good sort, if a little..."
"Naive... My sister has pointed that out more than once," he finished for her sulkily, Shepard only nodded at that as she sipped her beer.
"Right, so get a couple years of people skills in C-Sec, and if you like it, stick at it, if you don't, well if you're skilled enough to garner that kind of attention I'm sure they'll still be interested in a couple years. Just my two creds keep in mind."
Garrus remained silent for a time before finally speaking up again, "Hey, umm...Shepard, you've given me a lot to think about so, thanks, I appreciate it."
She smiled in return while gently patting his shoulder, "Not a problem mate, kept me mind off my own problems for a bit so I'm not complaining. Oh, and feel free to call me Joanna or Jo, I don't mind a bit of familiarity between friends."
Friends, they'd just met! Well, never mind, she was probably the most forward and straight talking person he'd met since...ugh, best not to think about her right now.
"Not a problem Sh-Joanna, it was nice to get that off my chest, having a sounding board is something a lot of people take for granted and I appreciate you listening to me, err...whine."
Joanna let out a barking laugh at that and after she calmed down she began tapping at her Omni-Tool, a moment later he was sent a friend request on SpaceBook.
"If you ever need to rant to a friendly face again feel free Garrus, the galaxy is a cold place and it'd be nice to have someone who isn't afraid to be honest to rant to every now and then."
Garrus only mulled it over for a second before accepting the request, clacking their glasses together one last time they finished their drinks and soon Joanna pushed away from the bar looking highly annoyed all the sudden.
"Leaving already?" Garrus asked sounding a bit glum, the strange human's plain and open manner was refreshing and he was disappointed to see her ready for departure so soon after meeting her.
"Yeah," she began sounding disgusted as she snatched her jacket off the back of the stool, "Was only waiting for my flight to arrive. Mandatory leave, can you believe it? My da' set me up at a nice resort on Elysium, much against my own wishes mind, so off I got to spend a week wasting time by a pool surrounded by tourists. I am absolutely dreading the paperwork buildup my CO will let happen in my absence, ugh."
Garrus actually laughed at her scowling visage, that was a very Turian way of looking at leave and he told her as much earning a grin in turn, eventually she pulled her jacket on and gently slapped Garrus's armored shoulder.
"Don't be shocked if I end up texting you while I'm 'Relaxing', this has been the most entertaining conversation I've had in weeks."
Garrus nodded in return, "I look forward to it."
With a flippant wave Shepard walked out of the bar, and as it would turn out in a few days time, into the books of history.