"I don't know, but if James is right, maybe they know something. Maybe they have some sort of technology we don't know about," Garrus hoped.

"This planet does not look familiar but it is possible that my people have been here. If there is intelligent life, we should be able to speed up their development. You may have found yourself a new ally, Garrus."

Garrus smiled at the thought of something being there to help them. Even though Javik meant in a decade, just a little bit of hope felt good for a change.

Garrus stayed silent for the rest of the walk while Liara asked Javik questions about his people. About 10 klicks from the crew's new home, there was a native species, apparently the dominant form of life on this planet.

"Unbelievable...how have we never discovered these? Looks like I owe Vega a drink." Garrus was crouching in the undergrowth only a few meters from a community of these natives.

Liara was intrugued. "Look at that. They actually carved houses in tree trunks. The center of the village has those huge... bowls, with food
and water in them. They actually share their resources." Liara rapidly made observations on just about everything this species had to offer. The creature James had described seemed to be below average in size with many specimens being. The smallest, probably children, were hairless with purple skin. Some adults were covered in thick fur across their bodies and faces, others had no fur on their heads, only their limbs were bare.

The trees towered over even a species this tall, and were wide enough for the Normandy to pass through. None of their housing trees were fruit baring though, the larger trees and the fruit trees seemed to be spaced out, possibly meaning they require different growing conditions, which explains why bowls full of food were shared, less trips across the forest.

"You know what I find nice? Their fur. It's gonna get pretty cold and a little silver blanket doesn't sound so bad," Garrus said with a smirk.

"You treat them like cattle," Javik defended the primitive species. Your
species was once like this. In fact, in my cycle, your people used to-"

"Alright, Javik!" Garrus interrupted. "I get your point. But you know we might need to. We have to watch out for our people."

Javik glared at Garrus. "I have no problem with that if it becomes necessary."

"Javik is right, Garrus." Liara also seemed to take his joke too seriously. "We can't interfere with their evolution like that. Look, they are almost like one of us. They have
housing, and it seems like social rules if one of them got food for all to share. Maybe in a few hundred years they will join the council. We have no more right to kill them
than to kill one of our own."

At that, Garrus did get serious. "Liara, if we don't then we might kill all of our own. Not right now, but eventually it could get cold here. That could be why their fur is so
thick. If we can't leave by then, we could all die."

"Fine, Mr. Vakarian. I will cooperate. If you get me a closer look. When they all go to sleep, I want to go into their village," Liara bargained, and Garrus nodded.

"Why would Garrus decide to rush in their with no guns?" Ashley criticized him.

"Because, Ash, he doesn't believe they're real. He thinks I just got into your head." James sighed. "But right now we know they're out there. We have to make sure they don't do anything to the crew."

Joked chimed in from behind. "Yeah, sounds great Vega. How do I help?"

"You don't." James never had anything against Joker, but with his brittle bone disease he wasn't exactly fit to be a soldier.

"Joker, if you're up for it, keeping the crew calm would be nice. And if you could see if we can eat any of these fruits, a constant food supply would be nice." Ashly cast a look at James as if to say she deserved command. "Look, I know it doesn't sound like much, but it'd be a great help."

"No, no. I get it. Thanks." Joker sighed and turned away. When he was piloting the Normandy he was a hero. On this island, though, he was the one everybody pitied and tried to protect. The Normandy really was the only place he belonged. It was a sick thing to say, but Joker almost missed the Reapers; when Shepard asked for his opinions, and when he flew around saving lives left and right. When he had EDI at his side every step of the way. Joker went back to his mattress and told the crew a story about his time with Commander Shepard. It wasn't anything that nobody knew. In fact, many of the crew had been there with him. But it was always good to hear about Shepard.

EXTRA

The aliens mentioned in the chapter

art/Primitive-Aliens-342596107

art/Primitive-Aliens-male-version-342596392