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"Enough." Alenko says simply, but the word holds so much weight it even gives Shepard pause. Her look to him is incredulous, but she stops nonetheless, although not before shrugging his hand off. Alenko seems to have a power over Shepard. Garrus wonders if either of them know that yet.
Chapter Three: Moonwalking [Garrus]
2183 - Normandy SR-1 [En Route to Century System]
i. waiting between worlds
It's been about three weeks since Garrus joins Shepard's crusade. His observations of the human soldiers on the ship make no sense to him. They don't seem to trust him either. Eyes follow him wherever he walks; some even duck away into alcoves when they see him approaching. Chief Williams has taken to following him in what he supposes she thinks of as a discreet manner.
Garrus has never been a man of great patience, so the subtle disrespect is starting to grate on him. But he doesn't want to be the source of any disturbances on Shepard's ship. He'd been following Saren for too long to piss away the best lead he's had in almost a year. For now he is content enough to keep his mouth shut. There was a small part of himself that had implored him to give up the obsession, and he'd almost given in to it. Then, Shepard approached him with claiming that she could catch Saren. Then they made her a SPECTRE, and Garrus knew then there was more to the commander than met the eye.
The only one on the starship who doesn't treat him any differently - well, besides Shepard herself, and he attributes that up to her running around this ship like there is a fire lit under her backside at all times - is Lieutenant Alenko. There is professional distance, of course, but also a willingness to learn from him. A kind of respect he didn't even receive from the human C-Sec officers he'd once called co workers. He can finally explore this deep camaraderie he heard was prevalent in the human military. Turians are a lot less open with comrades. Or at least that's how Garrus rationalizes his father's emotional distance.
Currently, Alenko, the krogan mercenary Wrex, and Garrus' shadow also known as Williams are settled around the mess table. Alenko has long finished his meal but stays put, claiming he has finished the work for his shift early, tired of staring into orange panels all cycle. Wrex has a piece of something red and thick hanging out of his mouth. Williams just keeps staring at the turian over her steaming bowl, loud slurping sounds making it impossible to ignore her presence.
"Okay." Wrex slams his fist, locked around the object Garrus identifies as some sort of meat, on the table. Williams jumps up a bit, but Alenko doesn't move, he just turns his gaze away from her. "Who would win in a fight between you and Shepard?" Wrex is addressing Alenko, or so Garrus assumes from the way Wrex is flinging the meat in Alenko's direction.
"Shepard is my superior officer," Alenko says, with a flat tone to his voice and a slow blink, "I would never think about seriously fighting her."
Wrex bellows out a laugh that shakes the table with its mirth. "And that's exactly why she would win!"
Williams snickers behind her spoon, making Alenko snap his head towards her. Williams brings the bowl back up to her face with slightly widened eyes, and shrinking into herself trying to look away from Alenko's glower in her direction.
"Sorry," she mutters.
Garrus looks between the two confused, he must have missed something. Maybe he should let Liara tell him about that study she did on human body language. He doesn't care much for being left in the dark by their constant silent interactions. Alenko and Williams in particular. Shepard and Alenko have them as well. But those are much easier to decipher. Full of aggression and distaste. Or he assumes so by the barred teeth and sarcastic quips.
Shepard - speak of the menae spirits and they shall show themselves - walks straight past them from the bright lights of the CIC deck. Her footsteps are light, sweeping her through the mess, and she throws a narrow eyed glance at them without lingering long enough to put real meaning into it. She keys into the med-bay and the door shuts behind her, disappearing just as quickly as she entered.
"So, what are her credentials?" Wrex asks.
"Well, she's a SPECTRE," Garrus offers. Wrex eyes him with a sidelong glance and Garrus' lame attempt at humor passes. He gets the feeling Wrex doesn't like him very much. Probably due to general turian - krogan distaste. Mortal enemies and such.
"So?" Wrex asks again.
Williams looks at Alenko, who raises his hands in a surrender motion. "What? I've known her only about a day longer than you have." When Williams doesn't look away, he sighs. "The only thing I could find on the extranet about her was that she ran a unit in that attack on Torfan two years ago."
"Wait, wait." Williams sits up, bowl forgotten on the tabletop. "Why didn't I make this connection before? She's 'that' Shepard?"
"Are there many others?" Garrus asks.
"There are three worth noting," Alenko says, "but I'm sure that's not the context Williams meant it in."
The lieutenant doesn't say anything else. What is it with humans and abandoning their thought processes before they finish? Maybe it was an individualistic thing, because Alenko seems more prone to it than Williams or Moreau, who doesn't think about anything at all when he talks. Maybe it was an act of self-preservation. He could understand that. Or maybe...
"So, is anyone gonna say what happened or is it some deep dark human secret like everything else on this ship?" Wrex's voice cuts through Garrus' thoughts.
"Maybe," Williams mutters, looking down. Alenko gives her a sharp look again. Wrex doesn't look in her direction. If he heard her, which Garrus is pretty sure he did because in his experience at C-Sec, krogan have excellent hearing, he probably ignored it.
"She was sent in with a small unit to infiltrate a batarian base," Alenko explained. "She killed all of the batarians. Half of them had surrendered, but she killed them as well. Her unit was slaughtered in the attacks. If it was sheer ruthlessness on the batarians part or piss poor leadership, no one knows for sure. But, it must of counted for something because she got promoted for it."
"Isn't her father Alliance brass?" Williams asks. Alenko nods, leaning back in his chair and crosses him arms. "Heh." she smiles. "Now this posting makes so much more sense."
"That's enough, Williams." Alenko takes the stern tone of a proper officer and Williams knows the line between camaraderie and professionalism has been crossed because she pulls her lips in quickly. She lets silence consume her and places an elbow on the table, dropping her chin into her palm. "Captain Anderson chose the officers for this mission," Alenko continues. "Besides, from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure Commander Shepard would much prefer to work alone."
"My kind of warrior," Wrex says.
A silence hangs in the air precariously and he suddenly feels the need to fill the space with humor but restrains himself. Instead, he uses the reprieve to reflect. Garrus was supposed to use this as insight into his new commanding officer - but just ended up with more questions.
"If story time is over." Her voice carries through the mess from the med bay, putting the table on edge. "We have a mission. Staff Lieutenant Alenko and-" Shepard hesitates only for a moment before nodding in his direction. "Officer Vakarian, suit up."
"Commander?" Williams stands up. Alenko slides a palm down his face with a heave under his breath.
"Is there a problem Chief Williams?" Shepard crosses her arms, raises an eyebrow and leans back.
'It's a trap.' Garrus thinks. She's daring Williams to question her orders. To defy her. It's a tactic he's seen used in the turian military before. Lure your prey in and break them down completely when they question you. Garrus makes attempts to mask his glee, he didn't want to seem petty.
"No, ma'am." Williams clenches her jaw and plops back down into her seat with a small sigh of defeat. Clever girl.
Shepard nods. "Alenko, Vakarian. Follow my orders." She disappears back into the med bay.
Williams curls into herself. Garrus sees Alenko saying something to her but Williams waves him off. Wrex seems gleeful, letting out a loud guaf. Garrus looks back to the med bay. Maybe humans weren't as hard to figure out as he thought.
ii. ringleader man
On the ground Shepard doesn't give him any direction. No preferential treatment as the new recruit. Just expects him to follow. And he does because he has no doubt lagging behind will see this frigid moon as a residence - she would leave him without a second thought. Shepard doesn't seem like the type to broker failure.
The compound is simple and bare but isolated - the perfect place to run your own private cult. Tucked away from society. Shepard walks toward a communication console. It lights up before she has a chance to touch it.
"You are not welcome here. Leave at once." A disembodied voice quivers with anxiousness or fear or maybe he's just sand tripping like most human biotics do.
He's caught enough of them to consider himself some sort of aficionado on the subject. Red rimmed eyes surrounded by crusting, hands gripping him desperately, a plea not to take their salvation away. Garrus turns towards Alenko, who has an across his torso, palm holding up his elbow, he's staring down at it splayed it, curing his fingers in and out of a fist. He turns to Garrus - Garrus looks away before he's discovered.
"Fucking hell." Shepard mutters before she presses the call button. "I'm here to see Major Kyle. My name is Lieutenant Commander Meera Shepard. We served together at Torfan."
Alenko's head shoots up, surprise coiling around his face. Garrus remembers the name - it comes up approximately seventy six times in an extranet search of Shepard's service history - suddenly it is clear to him why this lone mission had taken priority over their quest. There is a pause that hovers over them with a tangible thickness he can push through. Garrus coughs.
"Father Kyle says you may enter. He is located in the building on the right."
Shepard turns without another word, walking between them, long strides powered by impatience. Alenko looks to him, lifting his index finger from his face plate, then dropping his arm as he follows after her.
The walk to the building is short, only a few strides lead them to the entrance. A door opens before Shepard lifts a hand, she crosses her arms, sighs then enters, slowly striding into the dim lights. Her steps seem tentative. Maybe apprehensive would be the more apt comparison. Alenko starts to look frantically between her and the main door as they enter. He places a hand to her elbow, drawing her to the side. Garrus takes off his helmet once they're keyed into the small building. Observation has told him that Shepard leads into battle headstrong and self-assured, that Alenko is calm at all points in time a steady constant. Garrus scratches his neck. He is never going to figure them out.
Furious whispers escape from the alcove Alenko pulls Shepard into. Garrus can hardly make them out without straining. Alenko is holding his helmet to his waist and Shepard pulls hers off with a small shake of her head, patting down the wiry strands on edge. Alenko maneuvers himself into her sightline, an effort to capture attention from the top of her head. Shepard scowls.
"They're innocent people, Commander." Alenko's voice is steady, only the rapid rise and fall of his chest betraying his uneasiness.
"That's not my problem," Shepard says, crossing her arms, her helmet hanging by the faceplate on her index finger. "If they attack I'm going to order the assault and you're going to follow."
Alenko drops his head, whispering to her something that Garrus' translator can't decipher quickly enough. Air around them stills and Alenko is holding his breath, with shoulders hunched and chest full of oxygen.
"We'll see." Shepard walks past him and Alenko blows out through his mouth in frustration, glaring at her back.
Alenko nods to Garrus to follow her through the door. Humans greet them when they enter, several armed humans. They hold heavy pistols, none military grade, would never win a match against the shotgun perched atop Shepard's waist. Garrus suspects none of them have ever fired a shot in his life, but one of them must have killed those marines. Alenko is curling his fingers in and out of fists again, he doesn't look anywhere but past Shepard's shoulder. Alenko finally resides himself to clasping his hands behind his back, head up in the air, seeming reluctant to carry judgment on these biotics. Maybe there would be a mutiny, these people were Alenko's kind weren't they? No. Garrus has no doubt, if or when Shepard issues the order he will act as accorded.
"It's disgusting." Alenko starts next to him, as they walk along with nothing but the sounds of their boots to surround them. The space is small and Alenko's voice is hushed, but Garrus is sure than Shepard can hear him. But, if she does she makes no motion of acknowledgement. "To use vulnerable biotics like this to further your own personal army. As if we don't have enough problems."
Garrus is sure Alenko must be talking to himself until he turns amber eyes towards him. "Kinghood is hollow when your subjects are brainwashed by pretty words and societal pressures. Don't you agree?" Alenko raises and eyebrow as he regards Garrus. Garrus takes a moment to ponder it while Kaidan clicks his tongue to the roof of his mouth as he walks off.
Garrus had never considered it that way. Brainwashed. Manipulated. Biotics didn't have very much else to fall back on. No wonder they were willing to die for this man who claimed he understood them.
Garrus comes to notice his surroundings when they are led to a back room. It, akin to the entirety of the compound, is minimalistic and bare. Decorations sprinkled about, tables tucked into corners and a man placed in the middle in what Garrus thinks is metaphoric for a throne. Arrogance at it's finest.
"Shepard," The man speaks, calmly spreading out his arms in a welcoming gesture, "It's been awhile."
"Cut the bullshit, Kyle." Shepard inches her right foot forward, the biotics around her linger their hands on various weapons, some even coming around to a bright blue, Garrus feels the shift in the air as mass manipulates around him. It's unsettling. He wondered if Kyle is a biotic. And it's then that he remembers once more, Shepard and Alenko are biotics as well. His gut was telling him that this could end badly.
"You never have been one for respect. Didn't expect that to change now."
"You gave up your title when you decided to go AWOL and herd yourself a cult." Shepard spits out, her eyes are a fury, "You sicken me."
"I sicken you?" Kyle laughs. "The marines you murdered at Torfan would beg to differ."
"Those marines are dead because of you. Because you were too afraid to jump into the fray. Because you just saw them as boots on the ground to save your ass. So, yeah, they followed my orders. Yes, I took command and I made those deaths count. You were a coward then and you're a coward now. How many lives are you going to sacrifice for your self preservation," She points a finger at him. "Don't put those deaths on my head so you can sleep better at night."
"Do you really believe that Shepard? Is that what you tell yourself?" Kyle echoes back to her. "That you didn't order the charge to enemy lines against my command. You knew those men would die. I know you did. I saw the report before it was heavily redacted by your father. You thought their deaths would give you the opportunity to stalk in and save the day."
Shepard leans back, lifts her neck, staring down her nose with disgust. "We are here to collect you and take you into Alliance custody to await sentencing." Her voice is flat. "Will you come willingly? Or do I have to kill you?"
"I'm surprised you're giving me an option."
"It's not for you it's for them." Shepard snaps abruptly, she looks behind her at the door, and then turns to Alenko. They stare at each other between the spaces. There are strings there between the two and some unspoken language that Garrus can't decipher. Tangibility eases along the frays amongst them, as if one would breathe and in a moment the same breath would be matched in the other. Alenko looks like he's trying to hide a small smile. "I won't shed anymore blood for you," she finishes.
Shepard turns back to Kyle and coughs - clasping her hands behind her back. "Alliance marines will be here to collect you in two hours. But, know that if you don't stay true to your word - I will find you. And kill you."
Kyle nods. "Mercy from a Shepard. I never thought I'd see the say."
Shepard turns, walks past Garrus and Alenko to the exit. The biotics stare at her with curiosity in their eyes. Tension is pulled taut and strung high over the room. One wrong move can cause a chain reaction they don't want to deal with.
They exit the compound and walk to the MAKO. Garrus groans a bit thinking for the rough journey back to the ship - Shepard chuckles with a wicked kink under her breath. Alenko walks ahead of him to stand next to Shepard, puts a hand on her shoulder and mutters what Garrus assumes is something close to 'thank you.' Garrus expects Shepard to shrug him off - she doesn't seem a fan of casual physical contact. Or to bark on about just doing her job.
Shepard doesn't do any of that. She just nods at Alenko and uses his outstretched hand help herself into the MAKO.
iii. dark side of the moon
"So, what you're telling me is that we're lost?" Shepard takes her foot off the acceleration.
"No, we're not lost." Alenko says, staring into his console. "Just slightly awry from our original course."
"Fucking great."
The space in the MAKO closes in after the first few hours, Garrus puts his head between his knees, taking slow inhales through the nose. Shepard and Alenko don't take notice of him, too engrossed by clawing at each other's throats with passive aggressive retorts and hushed insults. Three deep breaths, long and slow, calm him and stop the surroundings from spiraling around him. It doesn't stop the unremitting quivering of the vehicle, that isn't under his control.
"What happened to your top marks in navigation?" Shepard mutters.
"I'll have yo -," Alenko starts.
In a moment, the MAKO feels as if it's toppling over. Loud noises, white light and stars blinking at the end of his peripheral. Shaking returns with a force, but this time instead of his vision blurring, Garrus feels his body hit the top of the tank. Alenko falls against him, groaning and Garrus is surprised how light the human is. It wouldn't take much to snap Alenko between his hands if he chose too. Humans were fragile, most with an entitled sense of purpose. It was ironic really.
When the MAKO stops moving, Shepard, her head lifting from where it had fallen on Alenko's thigh.
"Is everyone alright?" Shepard asks, placing a hand to her forehead. Garrus and Alenko respond with illegible grunts, Garrus knows his is one of pain and not reassurance. She's breathing heavy and when she sits up she grabs the frame of the opening with both hands, kicks the latch open after it doesn't give way when she pushes, leaping out without her helmet on.
Before he can catch his breath, gunshots break the serenity with a sharp precision, Garrus climbs out after Alenko, who falls over himself trying to jump out the opening, pulling his rifle off of his back. Smoke teems into sky around them. There is a small base camp, a modest branch fire burns and Shepard has her gun drawn. Mercenaries in non descript blue and white armor are circled around her assault rifles, most likely procured from lucrative black market arms dealings. He despised them and the destruction he's seen people like these cause all over the lower wards. They were most likely here to collect minerals. Prestop was teeming with them. But it was much too dangerous for safe continuous travel. That meant these mercenaries, if they can survive here, are dangerous. His talons tighten over the trigger.
The puppeteers' string is drawn once again and Alenko falls into form behind her - mirroring her ruthlessness. If Garrus hadn't been a witness to their animosity he could have concluded their work relationship was a stable, even friendly, one. The two work well together.
"I knew this was too easy," Shepard mutters. Garrus notices Shepard has a tendency to talk under her breath, even when issuing orders she barely raises an octave over her normal speech patterns. It's strange. Shepard, when you see her, commands a strong presence, authority in her eyes snapping form to attention before she even opens her mouth. But, her voice reminds him of a small bird his grandmother used to keep. She always said the spirits ran with the animals. Perhaps they ran with Shepard, no one this reckless should still be breathing.
One of the mercenaries fires off a shot, hitting Shepard's shields. That's when the gunfight starts.
The sky rings with slaughter and screams from the bloodlust in her eyes. She's brutal in a way Garrus doesn't think he's ever seen before. Definitely not with a human likeness. He can't look away from this meticulous form of high art as she burns bright blue and bleeds madness. Shepard almost seems to float - the barrier hovering around her - it's power sliding over him like warm summer rain. She grabs one mercenary by the neck, lifting him off of his feet.
"Please-. Have mercy." He squirms in her grip.
Shepard blinks. "Why should I?" She cocks her head to the side her fingers digging deeper into the flesh. The mercenary coughs out his desperation - frantically grasping at her fingers inching into his air supply. "Did you have mercy when you attacked my squad."
No response. The mercenary just squeaks out some feeble attempt at breathing. Garrus looks over at Alenko. His position hasn't changed - he still holds his pistol sure and at the ready - and his eyes are inquisitive. Garrus expects him to speak up against this brutality - like he did in the compound. There is nothing of the sort. Alenko doesn't look away from her brutishness; instead he studies it as a textbook. Humans are confusing.
"Exactly." Shepard throws the body down, a discarded rag doll she's ceased to find amusement in. He's still breathing - shallow but alive. "You should have thought twice before you attacked me." She seems like she's about to drive her foot into his chest plate when Alenko finally acts. Moving up to her with that same arm on her shoulder.
"Enough." He says simply, but the word holds so much weight it even gives Shepard pause. Her look to him is incredulous, but she stops nonetheless, although not before shrugging his hand off. Alenko seems to have a power over Shepard. Garrus wonders if either of them know that yet. He isn't sure.
Shepard turns back to the sole living mercenary and crouches to meet him. "Let this be a warning to who ever your boss is. Stay in the terminus where you belong. Now go." The mercenary doesn't move and only lets out a pathetic whimper. Shepard smiles, and it has points and torn edges stronger than any gun she holds in her hands. "Hurry up. Or you can end up like your colleagues. Or would you prefer I throw you into one of the shock canyons."
The mercenary scrambles up, tripping more than a few times. Red dirt kicking up in the haste to escape. Shepard stands and watches until the mercenary is out of sight, then turns to the MAKO, letting out an audible growl realizing they would have to flip the thing back over. Shepard slides a small glance at Alenko before she moves ahead to the task at hand.
"I've never seen a human biotic spike that high." Alenko says absent-mindedly - as if his commanding officer didn't almost just bludgeon someone to death with her bare hands. His voice is soft, calm and inquisitorial. He tilts his head and lowers his gun. Garrus snaps his head to the right and there's awe in that stare. "Especially one that's not an L2."
Garrus lowers his rifle as Shepard summons a blue aura around her, "Maybe she is."
"No. She's too young." Alenko hasn't looked away yet. "And L3's can't spike that high."
Garrus ponders. "You mentioned her parents are military right?" Alenko nods. Garrus continues, "Maybe it's all the special gear she has on."
Alenko turns to Garrus, then to Shepard. "That would make the most sense, wouldn't it?" Alenko doesn't sound convinced, but accepts his hypothesis for the moment.
"Am I going to have to do this on my own?" Shepard calls over, hands cocked on her hip.
"C'mon, let's get back." Alenko heads to the MAKO after Shepard attempts once again to move it.
Garrus still does not understand how this small human female made of squishy skin and soft edges came into command of her very own flagship. How she turns the weakness of her physical architecture into a weapon. He has seen men underestimate her angular face, her smooth skin and lithe rounded body - apparently attractive traits among humans. Those thugs in Dr. Michel's clinic never stood a chance against her. A tidal wave of destruction and the brutal calculus of battle. He does not understand why their species' supposed stronger gender would bow to the weaker one. Like Alenko following dutifully behind her taking in her every step, studying her when her attention is not on him, trying to drink in her details. Garrus does not understand Commander Shepard. But, he is starting to.