Chapter Three

Shepard was definitely conflicted about the shuttle. Though born in Norway, she'd moved at a young age with her parents to Australia and, having grown up there, she had little appreciation for cold weather, and the shuttle did promise warmth. However, this was an older model with obvious patchwork repairs, and some components that looked like they'd been forced into place with a sledgehammer, which probably meant for a bumpy ride. In this case the warmth of the shuttle won out.

"Welcome aboard the Churchill, Commander Shepard," the young pilot said and offered her a hand into the shuttle. He merely nodded politely at Wrex. "Specialist Wrex. I'm Lt. Cunningham," he said as he closed the hatch.

Wrex shook his head and shook his fist in annoyance. "How many times I gotta say this? Wrex. Just Wrex." The Alliance had tried to make Wrex's posting somewhat official, hiring him on contract as a "mission specialist," which he considered a big damned waste of time. He didn't need a contract to fight with Shepard.

"Thank you, Lt. Cunningham. Just ignore him," she said, jerking a thumb at Wrex. "Churchill, good name."

"Yes, M'am. It's an old ship that's taken an absolute beating, but it keeps charging forward," Cunningham said, his face beaming with pride.

"As do we all," Shepard replied.

"Indeed. Now, Commander, there has been a change of plans. Our original orders were to take you to the SSV Ardennes, which would then transport you to the Fifth Fleet."

"Right, I'm supposed to be briefed by Admiral Hackett."

"New orders just dropped a few minutes ago. We've been given a rendezvous point in this system. We're to proceed there and await further instructions."

Shepard frowned. Last minute orders weren't out of the ordinary given they were embroiled in a galactic war, but they still caused concern. "Any ideas on the change?"

"I'm afraid that's way above my rank, Commander. They tell me where to fly you and that's about all I get. Could be they changed the orders last minute as a ruse? Perhaps the original orders were intentionally leaked to throw off any Reaper forces in the area."

"True, wouldn't be the first time. Well, thank you, Lt. Let's get underway."

Cunningham saluted and headed back to the front.

Shepard and Wrex grabbed seats opposite each other. She removed her helmet and set it beside her, taking a moment to strap it in with a seatbelt, though she didn't bother to strap herself in. After her tussle with the terad, her armor had been nearly shot. Command had just requistioned her a brand new set of black N7 armor, and she took better care of it than she did herself. Wrex removed his helmet and tossed it on the floor and proceeded to prop his feet up on it. Shepard shook her head with a sigh.

"It's not my firstborn, Shepard," he said, nodding towards her helmet.

"I know. I know. Some of just take pride in the way we look, Wrex."

"Yep, you're called girls," Wrex replied and kicked his helmet toward her playfully.

The shuttle creaked and groaned as it took off, the floor plates vibrating fiercely as they began to pass through the atmosphere.

"What do you think is going on?" Wrex asked, trying to feign interest. Alliance orders didn't matter to him so much, just getting into the thick of it with Shepard at his side.

She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees and merely shrugged.

Wrex groaned and slammed his fist into the seat, leaving a dent behind. "If they tell me I don't get to go kill Reapers now, they might as well shoot me in the quad."

"Pretty picture, Wrex," she said, and glanced up as a loud metallic clang reverberated through the ceiling. "And try not to hit the shuttle, it might come apart."

"Death by decompression. That's one way to go."

The shuttle had a sudden and particularly large jolt and she quickly grabbed the seat arm beside her in a white-knuckle grip as as her face went deathly white.

"Are you going to pass out on me, Shepard? You're pale as a quarian anyway, but you don't look so good."

"Not funny, Wrex! I think I might put my helmet on and just take my chances in the vacuum of space."

"How the hell can you fight Reapers and still be afraid to fly?"

She shot him an icy glare and forced herself to let go of the seat arm. "I am not afraid to fly! The thought of burning up in the atmosphere just doesn't excite me."

"I wouldn't worry, Commander," Cunningham yelled. "If anything gets us it'll be an engine explosion."

"There, you see? Engine explosion. Relax, Shepard," Wrex said reassuringly.

Thirty minutes later the shuttle was in position near one of the moons of the fifth planet in the system.

"Now, we wait, Commander," Cunningham shouted back to them. "They didn't give me an eta."

"Understood," Shepard said, then looked to Wrex. "Did you bring any cards?"

He huffed. "Don't play with you, Shepard." He then pointed an accusatory finger at her. "You cheat."

She feigned a hurt look. "Just because you're terrible at gambling doesn't mean I cheat."

Wrex grunted. "Are you saying you never used your optical implants to see through my cards?"

The mirth in her blue eyes betrayed her. "Wrex, come on. Would I do that?"

"That was my best pistol you took," he grumbled.

"I gave it back didn't I?"

He pulled the pistol from his side and held it up for her to see. "Yeah, with the sights all messed up."

"That's why I had to make sure I won that game. It was the only way I could get my hands on it and fix the damn thing for you. Perhaps you haven't noticed all of the sniper medals in my room? Those sights are straight as an arrow now. You just like to shoot crooked."

"Keep it up, Shepard. Just keep it up," he said and holstered his pistol.

Shepard clucked her tongue. "Poor poor, Wrex. You're so mistreated." She pulled her Incisor sniper rifle from her back, the mico-gears in it purring as it extended to its full length. She began adjusting the scope.

Wrex slid his hands behind his head and leaned back against the bulkhead with a yawn. "So, you're into quarians now?"

Whatever blood had drained from her cheeks earlier instantly returned, and her eyes shot up at Wrex, who had a massive grin, and then quickly back to the rifle in her hands. She reached up to push her hair back behind her right ear, as she often did when she was embarrassed, only to remember that it was gone and quickly dropped her hand. They'd had to cut most of it off after it'd been singed on Palaven.

He raised his hands defensively. "Not that I blame you. Lia'vael's biosuit certainly leaves little to the imagination. She does have a nice ass… for a non-krogan anyway. Too small for me though, nothing to really grab onto."

She rolled her eyes. "Really, Wrex?"

"Why do you think I never hit on you? Just not enough meat on you."

"Eww, Wrex."

"Don't be sad, Shepard. From what I hear from the rookies in the mess hall, your ass certainly doesn't go unnoticed." Wrex gave a devilish smile. "Warned you."

"You did. I didn't realize you were so sensitive about being bad at cards," she replied as she pulled the scope off the rifle and glanced through it. Then a grin tugged the corners of her mouth. "Wait, what do they say about me in the mess hall?"

Wrex winked at her. "Don't worry, if it ever gets too disrespectful I give them my 'I'm going to rip you in half with biotics and stomp on your heart look.'"

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Wrex, that's the look you always have."

"Heh heh, but I kid, Shepard. I'm actually a little excited. Nope, that's wrong. I'm happier than a vorcha on a garbage scow."

Her eyebrow arched; she was afraid to ask but couldn't resist. "Explain?"

"Well… you haven't shown interest in anyone since…," he averted his eyes, "… you know."

"Oh, yeah," she mumbled and cleared her throat. "Yeah, I know. Kaidan was… yeah."

"You still don't blame me?" Three years earlier Wrex had found her and another marine, Kaidan Alenko, both badly injured, taking cover in a bomb crater on Elysium. Alenko was unconscious and nearly dead, and Shepard was in so much pain she had started to hallucinate. When he drug her out of the crater she'd yelled at him so loud to leave her and take Kaidan instead, yelled until her lungs gave out. Once she was safe he lead a team back to get the other marine, but it was too late. It was only later he learned the two had been more than squad mates.

She looked at him straight on and shook her head. "Never. You couldn't save us both. I know that now. But remember, Wrex, we agreed. We don't talk about this. Ever."

"Sure, Shepard, but it's been three years."

"Wrex," she said, her voice rising slightly.

"I'm just saying I think you're due some fun. Though maybe you should've tried to pick someone who doesn't run a 50% chance of dying from an infection after sex. Kind've kills the mood."

Shepard gave him a half-smile. "Thanks for the advice, old friend."

Wrex flashed her a thumbs up. "Got your back!"

Shepard nodded and went back to her rifle.

"Lia'vael can get your front," he added with a hearty chuckle.

She fumbled and the scope slipped out of her hand. She let out a deep breath. "Alright, we've got to get you out there killing some reapers. I think you're starting to lose it. Sheesh, maybe it's you. When's the last time you got any 'fun?'"

"You might want to look out the window, Commander," Cunningham said.

Terribly thankful for the interruption, Shepard laid her rifle aside, stood and walked over to the window. She could see a ship coming alongside them. It was beautiful, long and sleek. Unlike a lot of Alliance ships, it didn't show signs of battle, but it was different from any design she'd ever seen.

"What is it?" Wrex asked.

"Alliance frigate." She turned to Wrex, smiling, though she wasn't sure why. "Normandy."