In which Garrus has peace at last, and Javik is already in peril.
"Early reports suggest that the attempt to sabotage the alliance failed." the Illusive Man kept himself very well composed, very well, indeed, given the subject he was discussing. "Garrus Vakarian is confirmed to be alive, alive and still alive, thanks to Urdnot Wrex."
"Need I remind you," the quiet, lavish, Scotland accent said slowly, warning, "That the last thing we need, is a Krogan sympathizer in the form of Mr. Vakarian. He, is the last problem we need! He's only been on the radar for what? Two days? And look at the trouble he's stirring up! He has Anderson wrapped around his finger, and he's cozying up to Tuchanka! How did he go from being MIA to being our greatest threat in the space of thirty-six hours, pray do tell, Harper. I want answers."
"I assure you, Mr. Fittzgerald, I can only handle so many problems at once." Garrus being Archangel was something they hadn't anticipated. Let alone had they though he would charge their front door with an army of Krogan, kill his best operative... and somehow steal every last piece of bubble gum off of the station before blowing it up.
"Hmm. Cherry, or Watermelon?" The Cerberus analyst shook her head, wondering if she was hearing and seeing things as she reviewed footage from the attack. A young Drell had confiscated the gum off some of the officers, and was indecisive about what to chew.
"Dude, just take it all back on the Tin can." The young Human woman with auburn hair reasoned. Another person moved in the background, helping the Krogan loot supplies.
"Good idea." the Drell nodded, and collected all the packs of gum, gathering them in his hands greedily, eye glittering.
"Man, you've got what we call a 'fixation'." A young black Human he recognized as Jacob Taylor shook his head at the alien.
"Haters gonna hate; I love bubble gum." The Drell countered. He spoke next into his earpiece. "Hey, Wrex; do you think you could get your guys to... you know, gather up any gum they find for me?"
The Illusive man didn't hear the reply, but let out a 'kh' sound of exasperation, unable to believe what he was watching.
"Because, gum is blazing. You really should try it; after the Humans introduced it, they even adapted a dextro version for Turians!" he narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth in frustration. This footage was useless!
He froze as someone in the background became visible.
"Freeze image!" he barked. He stood up, walking closer to get a better look. He pinched the area, zooming in on the face. Was that... He grinned. Yes; it was unmistakable. After all these years, he'd found Scott's long-lost investment...
"Yes. I hear that Operative Lawson was killed, like I said." the other man said, completely unaware of what the leader of Cerberus had found in that seemingly mundane footage.
"Indeed. I'm calling you because she recommended the continuation of several operation before she died. I value her input greatly; they should be our top priority, next to Vakarian. I want you to contact our moles in the Andromeda Initiative; have them transmit the data they've gathered, I want everything, regardless of what securities they trip." he told him. Fitzgerald nodded. "And we need to start gathering the assets I had listed for Shepard. We still need them to fight the Collectors. Whether they want to... or not. Keep it slow, quiet. Start with Massani, work your way up from there. Sunject Zero should be secure within the week as well."
"Consider it done." he made a note on his data pad. "What else."
"For now? We are to resume monitoring and excavation of the dig site on Eden Prime with extreme prejudice." he lit a cigarette. "If we're correct, those fading signals belong to a Prothean VI, possibly another cryostasis vault like on Illos. It could prove invaluable."
"Again, consider it done." another note. "Extreme prejudice, you say? Well, if we go with speed and brute force rather than preservation, in theory we could get it done in a month or two. But the damage it could do-"
"Do it." the Illusive Man stood up, eyes burning. "The Reapers could be here any day. We need that information, or we won't survive."
The Scotsman nodded slowly, looking slightly hesitant. They were talking about destroying most of what had been ancient ground; possibly a battlefield for the last people the Reapers had fought. "Very well. we'll get it done."
The call was terminated. The Illusive Man tapped his ash tray, looking out at the star; his star, all his. Just as all was intended to be.
Meanwhile, deep beneath ancient ground, the second to last cryo pod was shut down to conserve the ever-dwindling power supply.
"Garrus?" he squeezed his eyes shut tighter. He didn't want to wake up! There was a horrid beeping right in his ear... "Garrus?"
"Whaaaaaat?" he groaned, rolling over onto his side, and throwing one hand over his eyes. He sucked in a breath at the pain this caused, but he didn't care.
"Wake up! It's time to eat." it was another Turian. Syrus?
Reluctantly, though too curious to not to, he opened his eyes, blinking at the harsh light. He was in a hospital.
Again.
And it was, indeed, Syrus who sat next to him, a Turian frown on his face. He looked like he'd cleaned up nice, and Garrus wondered if the rest of the Rogues had taken the same opportunity. His eyes swept the room he was in, window overlooking the presidium and all. Wrex and Anderson were nowhere to be seen.
"Syrus? Where are the others?" he grunted, trying to push himself into a sitting position. His brethren pushed him back down by the shoulder gently.
"Anderson is fine, under Specter protection while authorities investigate." Syrus explained. "Wrex had to go back to Tuchanka, though Anderson had to vouch for him on account of the bomb's origin. Shoved C-Sec's own boots down their throats, should've heard him. Oh, and he told me to tell you 'not to die, because you own him a ryncol'. Or something around that line."
"Huh. Sounds like Wrex alright." he huffed. Honestly it felt a little lonely, though he wouldn't admit it, that the familiar face was now gone. Even if that familiar face had about as much tact and sympathy as an angry Thresher Maw.
"You're the only one who sustained heavy injuries. You've been out for almost a day now." Syrus continued.
"Where's my food." Garrus deadpanned. He was starving.
"I lied."
"You're mean. Now go get me some dextro waffles."
"Do those even exist?"
"Yup. Now, any leads on the bomb yet?"
"No." the other Turian shook his head, sighing and leaning back in his chair. "Nothing at all. But Rogue guesses Cerberus."
"Seems likely." Garrus nodded in agreement, shutting his eyes. Everything hurt a lot less, now that he was in a proper hospital. "Who's paying the bills?"
"Anderson. Quietly. 'No biggy', he says." Syrus waved the question off. "Mordin's been checking in on you, aside from me. Captain Shepard was here initially, five minutes into your surgery before she had to rush off on the Orizaba. You know, I don't think I've met anyone with worse luck than you before."
"Yeah. I keep getting reminded about that." he grumbled. Couldn't he win something for once? Suddenly, Syrus looked skittish, and a little guilty.
"Alright, look. I was Rogue's idea, and Fitz and Mordin supported it. I told them we might not be able to afford it, but they countered me with the creds we got from the Cerberus base." he said a little too quickly. Garrus narrowed his eyes, dread piling inside of him.
"Syrus... what did you do?" he asked slowly.
"It wasn't me; it was Rogue, Mordin, and Fitz; they overruled me, and Sal wasn't around!" he bent down to pick something up off the floor. With a tragic face, Syrus hauled the half-grown cat into view with both hands. "It's a Maine Coon."
Garrus stared, dumbfounded at that animal presented before him. It had wide, silted, amber eyes, and a silvery-grey, whisp-like pelt. It blinked at him silently, and seemed almost predatory, but resigned to it's fate.
Now, after the Relay 314 Incident, Humans brought to the Citadel a species from their planet called 'dogs'. The aliens had been shown the creatures trained as police and military force, with keen senses and loyal dispositions. Naturally C-Sec had started training dogs soon afterwards. And if there was one thing Garrus Vakarian would never be ashamed to admit... was that he was a sucker for animals.
He liked dogs. Really liked them. He'd kept a bag of treats in his desk back at C-Sec. Shepard had often mourned the fact she wasn't allowed a pet hamster aboard the Normandy. She had asked if he liked hamsters. He'd replied that his pet snake Spades liked hamsters. Spades was a ball python had been passed on to Solana(who had a reptile disposition), and was hopefully still alive; he'd been a companion during his youth and into his C-Sec days, and would no doubt be getting very old.
He liked animals. But his experience with cats was... limited.
"You got me a pet?" his mandibles parted in disbelief.
"Hey, they were going to euthanize him for being unclaimed for too long! And Mordin said that having an animal would be good for you. Then he looked at me funny, and..." Syrus' mandibles flickered. "Look, okay fine, it wasn't a good idea, but maybe I kind of wanted him, too."
Garrus stretched out his hands, and Syrus transferred to the animal to him. It blinked at him dolefully, and it's fur was soft in his hands. It leaned it's head down to sniff at his wrist, but didn't lick him. Maybe it can sense I'm a dextro? He had always been very careful with Spades, and Solana had teased him in his youth about getting a dextro animal instead. But he loved his snake, levo or no.
"So... why would a pet be good for me?" he asked, hesitant. This really was kind of a bad idea.
"Mordin said it would help you emotionally, and that having a pet helped some people with stress." Garrus lowered the kitten onto his chest, though still held on to it. "Then he pointed out it might help Fitz as well, and they both gave me this look, and then Rogue pulled on my fringe and started poking me until I caved..."
"Okay, okay, I get it." Garrus insisted. He let go of the kitten, and watched as it examined it's surroundings, before crawling up his chest. "Boy or girl?"
"A boy, I'm sure. No name that they told me of." the other Turian shrugged. "I-if you're going to keep it, that is."
The kitten stretched his neck out to sniff Garrus' face, and his mandible flicked in response. He lifted one hand, and rubbed the kitten's head, the small animal responding by rubbing his head against the Turian's hand. The fur was soft and warm, and the pleasant, vibrating purr he could feel and hear coming from the creature were almost Turian-like in nature. Maybe he isn't... half bad.
"Well, maybe we can give... Dexirius, a chance." he relented, Syrus' fringe pricking up in surprise. "For the time being, at least. If worse comes to worst, we can always give him to some Humans. No get me food, slave."
"Of course, your majesty." the other Turian snorted, rising to his feet. He cast one last glance at Garrus and Dexirius before leaving. Alone, he continued to pet his new companion. It was strange but simple, the fact he now had a cat. Temporarily, perhaps, but still. The warm fur beneath his hands, the aliveness... he supposed it did help somewhat.
He let out a sigh, and settled back further against his pillow, letting his hand rest on his chest. A pet. Now, this is unexpected. Dexirius let out a soft, questioning mew, sliding off of his chest to sniff at the bandages covering the side of his face, the soft kitten fuzz tickling his chin. He slid down completely, and Garrus was reminded of Spades with a pang as the kitten curled up next to his neck. Executor Pallin and numerous members of C-Sec would stare at and tease him, as he'd frequently walked around with his snake curled up in his cowl. He'd taken Spades with him to the Citadel because he was beginning to reach an advanced age, and could find the heart to leave him on Palaven when he was getting so old. In fact, by the time he'd joined up with Sahara, Spades had actually lived past the average life expectancy for his kind.
Sadly, it was unlikely he was still around. If he his still alive... I'm going to get him a nice, juicy, fat rat. Then again, he'd heard cats liked rats as well. Maybe, they could share one, if Spades had lost too many teeth.
I just really wanted a cat in here. You see all these fics where the character get cats. I mean, he's not Socks; he can't hold a candle to Legion's little tabby, but Dexirius will still play a part in the family. That, and I needed to do something nice to Garrus.
And yes, there is a high probability of an early Javik, be he'll be quite changed from his personality in-game, with what I've got planned if and when that happens. It'll also be strange writing him in peacetime... he'll still live his airlocks, though.
The watermelon bubble gum needs to be thrown out an airlock. I just had to do that with Sal; he needs something to live for other than finding 'the one'.
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