'It's ready.'
Damn, even on a ball of dirt, light years from anywhere...Cortez is still the man who knows how to get things. This was Garrus's first thought when Lt. Steve Cortez handed over the item Garrus had asked him for. The guy looked terrible, tired, like everyone else aboard the Normandy. Work was never ending and everyone was pulling double and even triple-shifts to see to repairs. Even Garrus himself had not been idle.
Although his expertise were more in calibration huge guns, that wasn't to say he was completely useless in restoring the Normandy to operational status. Plus, being turian meant that he was the first port of call on a number of specifics when it came to the ship. This was ironic really as, unlike the original which had been designed AND made by both turian and human experts, the SR2 had been built solely by human hands based on the designs of the SR1 and then adapted to fit other criteria that Cerberus deemed necessary. Then the Normandy had gone through a second refit when the ship had been given back to the Alliance. So, in truth, he had little knowledge of the internal workings of the ship...but since there was something of turian design in there somewhere, he did what he could.
Garrus looked down at the item in his hand, giving it the once over before nodding. Definitely what he had asked for, not that he had ever doubted that Steve wouldn't come through on his end of the bargain.
'You sure you can do this? I mean, you sure it's the right time.' Steve ventured, hesitantly.
Garrus looked up and nodded.
'Yeah, now would be a good time for this. Thanks Steve.'
Cortez nodded in returned and went back to what he was doing. Garrus hesitated for a second, wondering if he should say something to Cortez, maybe about getting some sleep, but decided against it. He was meddling enough with forces beyond his control already without telling the humans that they needed to sleep before they fell down. They were so odd.
Without a word, Garrus turned and left the cargo bay via the outside hatch. It was easier to get around the Normandy from the outside than it was to climb through the ducts. The elevator still was out. Or at least it hadn't been fixed all the way down the shaft. Enough power had been initially restored between the CIC and the crew quarters, but that was more so Dr. Michel could get to the cockpit and help those who'd been injured in the crash.
Garrus couldn't help but turn his face to the sun for a moment once he was outside. It almost reminded him of the Citadel. The sun always shone of the Presidium and he's secretly enjoyed basking in it when he could...although not openly. Things had been simpler back then, and a lot more frustrating too. It had caused the rift between his father and himself to grow...but it had also ultimately lead him to his place the galaxy too. At Shepard's side.
'There's no Shepard without Vakarian.'
He smiled at the memory of his friend. She had looked him in the eye and said that to him in the ruins of her homeworld and she had meant every word of it. He'd been touched by the sentiment and had never valued her friendship more than he had at that moment. He had returned it in the only way he knew how...he'd told her to do what she did best. He had told her to fight. To go out there and kick the Reapers right back into Dark Space and make sure they knew never to come back. But it also brought a question swimming to the forefront of his mind.
Was there Vakarian without Shepard?
He knew the answer. He had been through Shepard's death once before and lived to tell the tale. Hell, it had made him stronger, more determined to follow the example she had set and actually do some good in the galaxy. And although he felt he would never quite manage what she had done, he would damn well give it his all anyway.
'Hey Scars, you want a suntan, maybe you should take Estaban's next shift on the hull plates.'
Garrus snorted at James's comment. He liked the human, he couldn't deny that to himself, but he would never speak a word of that to James himself. They were alike in many ways. Warriors to the very marrow. All they were good at was fighting and it suited them well.
'You know Vega...I might just do that. I've always wondered how long human's can hold their breath.' He mused with a grin.
'Longer than you could!' James shot back before he returned to his work.
Garrus shook his head. This was a battle that would probably never get won, he thought to himself. The good natured boasting and jibes between comrades. It was a habit human marines seemed to have in abundance. Turian's not as much as their commanders kept them focused at all times when on mission. Afterwards, well you had something to shout about, you had to be ready to prove it on the training floor or you'd lose the respect of your comrades and that could mean death in battle.
The CIC was quiet in comparison to how it had been a few days ago. The Engineers had obviously redistributed their resources elsewhere to deal with another problem or refit. It felt odd to Garrus to be standing there in the main hub of the ship and for it to be almost empty. Even during the night shifts, it had always been buzzing with activity. He had often come up to talk with Shepard when she was on duty. It was probably against regulations, but nothing ever happened on the night shift and he was sure she was always glad of the company.
He strolled around to the Galaxy Map and stood on its little podium. Shepard would often stand there and ponder over the galaxy. What her thoughts were, Garrus had never asked, but sometimes she would ask him things about parts she had never travelled to, especially in turian space and in the Attican Traverse, laughing as they remember his time as Archangel and how Shepard and saved him from the gangs. But the Map was dark, it's screen cracked. It seemed symbolic. He'd never been overly religious, but Garrus felt like it was a portent as to the state the galaxy was in right now. He just hoped it could be fixed as easily as replacing the screen on the Map.
The full when he called it up, the crew disgorging from below with fresh tasks to do. A few nodded to him as they passed and he shared a smile with Tali. He's hardly seen her since they crashed, they had caught some time together over meals in the mess where they talked about what was going on and laughed when they spoke of their time with the Commander. He had also held her while she had grieved for Shepard and he grieved with her in his own way. He hadn't wept like she had but bore his loss stoically and without complaint. Tali's need was greater than his own and he stood firm for her. In time, she would no doubt repay the favour, although he was sure she'd never realise it. But in their brief moment together, Tali saw what Garrus was carrying.
'He's in the mess.' She whispered to him before the press of people carried her away.
His mind was rolling on the short trip down one deck. He had convinced himself that he didn't do this, no one would and it would, in the long run, be bad for everyone. But what gave him the right to decide this? Why should he dictate this to others?
In truth, he had no right, other than that, despite all outward appearances, he actually cared. He cared for the crew and wanted to do what he could to help them, but sometimes helping them meant facing up to reality. Sometimes cold, turian logic was exactly what was needed...and cold, turian logic was something he could manage.
Joker was exactly where Tali said he was, sat in the mess, moping. Garrus had no real opinion on the relationship the pilot had struck with EDI, it wasn't really his business. Plus, he'd seen all sorts in this crazy galaxy that a human falling for an AI didn't seem all that odd really. With the whole galaxy going to hell in a packing crate, why not find a bit of happiness wherever it could be found, even in unlikely places. After all, had he been told he'd have a fling with a quarian when he was younger, he was sure he'd have laughed at them. But he found Tali pleasing, as she did with him and they had enjoyed each other's company. But was it more than just a fling? Garrus didn't know, but if nothing else, he'd treasure the time they had spent together anyway...even if it wasn't going or meant to last.
Joker's demenour had changed dramatically since the crash. And again when the female Engineer had failed in all her attempts to restore EDI. He'd become even more sullen and moody and his temper had flared on a regular basis. Now...now he seemed a little more settled. Word had it that a brief conversation with Liara over moving EDI's platform out of the med-bay and into the AI core had calmed him somewhat. Or at least shown him that he had to accept what was happening and try to move on.
Now was definitely the right time for this, he thought and approached Joker.
'For when the time is right.' was all he said and he slipped a wrapped item across the table towards Joker and said no more.
The item Steve had given him was actually two, and it had felt like a knife in Garrus's heart to ask Cortez for it. The other was just as important but didn't have such an impact on him.
Joker reached forward, grabbing the per-offered item and removing the wrapping from the long, thin package. He didn't say anything at what he saw revealed and looked at Garrus, complex emotions playing on his face that Garrus couldn't read.
'When the time is right.' he replied and left Joker to his thoughts. It seemed a little harsh, but then again, the galaxy was just that.
Now he would have to find Kaidan.
