(HK)
We'd been on the shuttle for a while, and it had been nothing but tense. The ride had taken a little longer than I had expected. Joker had encountered a few more Cerberus fighters than what we saw in the game, and he'd been working a huge bag of tricks to evade them. So, therefore, that delayed our arrival at Grissom Academy.
While he was doing that, sitting with Shepard, James, and EDI had been...interesting. Shepard was the calming and controlling presence in all of this, as she usually was, but I still felt slightly alienated from her. James still wasn't happy about me being here, so yeah, we really didn't say anything to each other. EDI was the main one talking. She was noting things about her new body, how interested she was to test it out.
In fact, I don't believe I said one word. I just sat there silently. That wasn't unusual for me, especially not in uncomfortable situations like this.
I simply stared out the window on the wall, observing Grissom Academy in the distance. Soon, I'd be back in the action, fighting once again. Could I handle that? Could I take that all over again? I was stunned I did it once. Who said that I didn't get killed again, just like Sarah?
And Jack was there. Jack.
Saying a silent prayer for everything to go well, I swallowed. I just had to have some faith.
"HK," EDI interrupted, suddenly. "I had a question about human behavior specifically for you."
I looked at her, a little taken aback. "Specifically for me?" I asked, glancing at Shepard. "Usually you'd ask Shepard about these things..."
"Did your magic tell you that, too?" James asked gruffly.
"James," Shepard said gently, but warningly.
"Veeeery funny," I said, almost rolling my eyes. I liked James overall, but his attitude made me a little sad... and almost irritated. "Anyways, yes, EDI?"
"Well, you and Jack have been estranged from each other for quite some time, in human terms; from my research, a relationship that has no communication for six months generally means that it is not in good standings for humans," EDI said. "Considering the special circumstances that surround your re-appearance, I was wondering about your opinion on this matter."
I blinked. If only I knew. "Um...well...to be quite frank, I am probably as clueless as you," I told EDI. "I mean...Jack is unique, I'm unique, it is a unique situation, and right now, we need to be focused on saving those students."
"My new body has begun to give me a vastly different... perspective on things," EDI explained, as I already knew. This seemed a little fast, though. "It is true that you and Jack do not have a stereotypical relationship, so any probabilities cannot be speculated upon. I do not have any predictions on how it will turn out due to the variety of information, so I was curious on the feelings of one of the humans involved."
"I don't even know if it can be called a relationship at this point," I muttered. "She thinks I'm dead."
"Whoa, whoa, wait, hold up here," James said, looking at EDI and I with peeked curiosity. "Who is this guy, and what does he have to do with any of this?"
"Girl," I corrected. "She's going to be on Grissom Academy. She is a teacher there...she used to serve with the Commander, and myself, on the Normandy during our mission to stop the Collectors. She and I were...involved towards the end of all of that, sorta, I...guess."
"Their relationship did not blossom as normal human relationships do, according to my studies," EDI began. I cringed. "It defied all expectations set on relationships in popular culture. Jack often insisted that HK have sexual relations with her, and he continuously resisted. She kissed him several times, and was even nude once, and was met with stern resistance from HK."
"We really don't need to go into this right now..." I groaned.
James just stared for a moment. "...ah," he finally said.
"The Normandy has all Cerberus fighters safely away from Grissom Academy at the moment," EDI suddenly announced. "I suggest we dock now."
Shepard nodded. I had to notice that she didn't say anything during the conversation about Jack. Probably for the best. "Cortez, take us in," she said to our pilot.
"Yes, ma'am."
Minutes passed, and we were docked with Grissom Academy. Soon, the four of us were inside the academy, stepping in from the airlock. We all had our weapons in hand; I could feel my nerves creeping up. I was about to fight again. It... was not a pretty thought.
"Kahlee Sanders will be contacting us momentarily," EDI said, mainly to Shepard, as we began to walk.
Almost as if on cue, while we began through the halls, Kahlee's familiar voice came in.
"Commander, I'm locked in a server room around the corner," she told us. "Cerberus troops are trying to get in."
We approached the door into the next room, but Shepard stopped when we heard the Cerberus troops begin to talk. "Get ready! I've almost got the door," one warned, just as in the game. I almost forgot about that.
Shepard opened the door and we all charged in, firing relentlessly at the Cerberus troops. I fired a few times, and managed to hit a few soldiers; in a way, it seemed like it hadn't been long since I had done this...at the same time, I still felt so rusty and inexperienced. The others got into it fairly easily, though. EDI didn't waste any time, that was for sure.
We'd surprised them. I'd forgotten this - how easy it was to seize the advantage and close in for the kill. Or maybe I'd pressed the memory down. The ease in which it resurfaced was disturbing.
It didn't take long to kill the few that were there. This was the first time that I had actually seen the troops face-to-face, or face-to-helmet, and it wasn't any more pleasant in reality. They still yelled annoyingly while we fought them and all that. I was probably being petty, as I really had tried to adapt an attitude lately of loving everybody, but Cerberus still got under my skin. That, and I knew that if they were allowed enough time to warn the rest of the troop, worse things would happen.
It was all over in an instant, and we slowly proceeded through the hall. Shepard glanced at the door ahead of us, but mainly looked at the one to our right. She approached it, and began to try to open it. "Sanders, we're clear," she said in her firm, tough, yet calm, voice. "It's Commander Shepard."
Shepard opened the door, and we all walked inside. Next thing I knew, Kahlee was pointing a gun at us: I tensed, even though that was supposed to happen. She paused, making sure it was us, and quickly lowered the weapon. Her short blonde hair was plastered with sweat haphazardly over her forehead; her face, which had seemed so generic during the game, shone with much more life and vitality than I'd pictured in my mind.
"Commander, thank you," she said earnestly. "Admiral Anderson always said you were the best, and with Cerberus coming for my students, I'll need it." Her eyes appraised the rest of us curiously, but it was clear that Commander Shepard was in charge. There was no room for introductions now, I knew. She looked exhausted.
"How many of you are there?" Shepard asked, glancing around the room, before looking back at Kahlee. It was very nice to be able to meet her in person; a blessing, almost, despite the circumstances. After reading a novel or two about her, I was glad when she was included in the game...but that probably shouldn't be something I should be focused on at the moment.
"Fewer than twenty," Kahlee answered, walking up to a console nearest to the window. "Most were sent home when word of the Reaper invasion spread. But a few volunteered to stay..." She bit her lip.
While she spoke, Shepard motioned for us to go...and I assumed that meant all of us, from how she looked. She probably wanted us to keep watch outside, and that wasn't a bad idea. I followed the other two out, and we all stood near the door that led into the next hallway.
My nerves were still a mess, even if I covered it well...sort of.
"Uh, nice job out there, both of you," I said to both of them, trying to make some sort of conversation, and maybe trying to encourage James a little.
However, he didn't say anything.
"This body is performing considerably well," EDI agreed. "However, a further analysis of its capabilities cannot be made until my tests continue."
"It'll go fine," I assured her, although I wasn't sure if I could say the same for myself. It was kind of ironic...both of our bodies, EDI and my own, could get destroyed here, yet we really wouldn't die. I would go home, hopefully, and EDI would still be on the Normandy. Yet that didn't make me feel any better.
James nudged one of the bodies with his shoe. The rounds had gone clean through the armored man's shields to rip a devastating hole through the layers of protective gear. "Yellow wasn't his color, eh, compadre?"
Silence continued while Shepard spoke to Kahlee. Oh yes, this would be an... interesting first mission for me.
(Sarah)
So yeah, it... had been a very, very crazy day. I think my body was still in shock or something, because I was having trouble remembering everything.
I vaguely recalled Thane and Kasumi visiting me, and receiving checkups from one or two doctors, being questioned by Bailey yet again, and being told that Irren had regained consciousness.
Someone gave me some meds for depression and anxiety at one point; I can't remember if I actually freaked out and threatened self-harm or not... everything was a blur, plus I kept having strange dreams. Maybe they gave me the meds for the strange dreams and stress levels. I really was having emotional problems right now; there was no denying it.
And I just couldn't get... certain images, or voices, or faces out of my head...
I knew that Kasumi and Thane each visited me again after I took my meds, only briefly.
They seemed to know that I was out of it and that I needed my rest. I remembered that each of them told me something interesting, though...
Thane was the one who told me about that poor asari girl, the one who tried to shoot herself. He wasn't going to tell me anything at all, but I insisted on knowing. He instantly regretted telling me though, because I felt guilty afterwards. Seriously, how was I supposed to know that that poor girl was going to try and kill herself? Once I found out the reason for it, I realized that it was completely stupid to let her anywhere near a gun. I had never encountered her in Mass Effect 3 during any of my play-throughs, and I didn't know she suffered from post traumatic stress involving an incident with human husks. Honestly? I thought that she simply wanted the gun for comfort, or for piece of mind... like, how some people might cling to a teddy bear for comfort, (okay, that was a silly example) or maybe she just wanted to feel in control. She could have just wanted to guard her room for all I knew.
And yet, I'd let the crazy asari have a gun anyway.
Still... obviously I hadn't been thinking clearly in that case. Typical, right? Sarah not thinking ahead... and this time nearly letting an asari off herself, and of course losing my own leg. I think one of the nurses upped my depression medication after Thane left.
I felt a little better when Kasumi came to visit me. She sat down beside me for a few minutes-I couldn't see her, but I knew she was there-and she actually held my hand. In an apparent attempt to cheer me up, she told me that it was a very good thing that Jona Sederis was gone. She said that, apparently, Sayn and his goons had pretty much taken over that section of the refugee sector and threatened a lot of them to steer clear of them. That was why nobody bothered to step in and help; they were scared shitless that the same would happen to them that had happened to me.
I took in this news... neutrally. It didn't make my mood worse, but it didn't really cheer me up either. I was still missing a leg, after all. And well... I still couldn't get certain images out of my head.
When I stopped responding to Kasumi and started staring up at the ceiling, she seemed to take that as her cue to go. She gave my hand a little squeeze and slipped out the next time somebody entered my room. I think I might have dozed off for a short time after that.
Eventually I ended up in the same room with Irren, probably at my request. Or maybe he wanted to see me. Or maybe we both wanted to see each other. I couldn't remember. I couldn't even remember anything we'd said to each other; just that he seemed disturbed by my loss of limbs, and he said he was sorry. We held hands for a while, and I drifted off once or twice... and each time, I woke up screaming.
I tried to focus on Irren and his pain, just to give me something else to think about. He was recovering, but he wasn't in the greatest shape either. Though at least he had all of his limbs. I tried not to dwell on that fact.
Somehow though, eventually, I ended up watching a movie with Irren on a small viewer screen. I couldn't remember who brought it. But apparently somebody knew that I liked to watch movies when I felt depressed. Yeah, I remember watching Toy Story 3 with Kasumi, and then Bruno with Garrus... yeah, Kasumi probably brought the movie. And now I could watch it with Irren.
It was a movie called Blasto 6: Partners in Crime. I kind of drifted off once or twice, but I shook myself awake and paid closer attention when it began to get really interesting.
"Blasto!" an indignant, chubby volus snapped. He was standing in what appeared to be an office of some kind, with the tall, slender hanar towering over him on those long legs of his. "I told you to bring in those vorcha alive for questioning!"
Even though Blasto's face was as expressionless as any hanar, somehow he appeared mildly... aloof. "This one didn't have anything to ask them," he stated simply.
The volus official inhaled a deep, agitated breath through his respirator. "You blew a hole in Zakara Ward!"
"It was an aesthetically displeasing habitat anyway," Blasto said dismissively. "You may engage in courtship rituals with my gastro-dermal lining."
Abby would have loved that line.
Another angry breath was sucked in through the volus' respirator. "You don't get it, Kahje-clan!" he snapped. Another breath. "Ever since they found eezo on the vorcha homeworld," another breath, "the Council has been trying to make nice." Inhale. "Bottom line," another inhale, "you can't touch vorcha." Deep breath. "They've got diplomatic immunity."
Blasto seemed to consider that for a moment. "Then," he finally said, "this one will not attempt diplomacy."
This time the volus seemed slightly calmer when he took in a breath. At least, he was breathing more normally now. "You're also getting a new partner," he stated. Again, his voice was calmer.
If a hanar could tilt its head-or body, or whatever-to one side in a confused or cocky way, Blasto did so now. "Are you engaging in reproductive behavior with this one?" he asked.
Again, Abby would have giggled. I hadn't seen her in a long time, but I could hear her laugh in my head.
The volus official ignored that comment. "Unless you want your Spectre status revoked," he warned, "you're working in a joint operation with Bubin from C-sec."
"An elcor?" Blasto sounded surprised. "You know this one works alone," he added.
"Look," the volus said, what little patience he'd had wearing thin now, "I've had to talk them down from suspending you. I've gotten a pulmonary ulcer from dealing with this mess! I can't even eat solid food."
"You would benefit from shedding excess body mass, Chief," Blasto opined. Apparently this hanar enjoyed getting a verbal barb in whenever he could.
(HK)
A little bit of time had passed, and we were heading for Orion Hall, as usual. We had just rescued Riley, the kid with the biotic barrier around him that the Cerberus troops were trying to capture, and now we were in the midst of another fight in one of the more office-like rooms. Earlier, I had watched a kid get dragged away by Cerberus troops...a sight not unfamiliar to me, but it was even creepier in person. It made me feel so horrible for these kids, and we could hear Cerberus talking over the loud speaker. It wasn't pleasant.
What was even weirder was to remember that these were kids my age. Sometimes, I thought of them like they were younger, but they were teenagers, just like me, and they were in this situation. It didn't really help things set in easier on me.
I was taking cover behind a desk and bullets were flying all around me. This had brought back a lot of nervous memories of me in battle before; I was handling myself well enough, and it was mostly my other three companions firing, but I was trying to pitch in, too. It wasn't easy, but I had to at least try to do something.
Getting out of cover, I fired several times at a Cerberus soldier. Only two bullets seemed to actually hit him; it was thanks to an Overload from EDI that he died. I fired another few times at another soldier, managing to penetrate his armor.
I can do this, I told myself. I can do this.
I felt like I didn't believe that.
Shepard took out the last soldier, and we all brushed ourselves on, while we moved into the next room. I walked beside Shepard, still concerned about my fighting, or lack thereof.
"Commander," I said softly. "I...don't know if I can do this."
She didn't look at me. "Do what?"
"This. Fighting and killing again...I mean, it's been so long since I've done it, I was never properly trained for this..." I stuttered. I wasn't sure why I was so freaked out about it again, after doing it before, but maybe it was because it had been a while and this war was more brutal, in a way.
She glanced at me. "If you can't handle it, then get back to the shuttle," she said simply. "...but you wanted to be here. I'm taking a leap of faith here - and not because I want you dead."
Obviously, this was no time for a pep talk. "Yes, Commander, you're right. I apologize," I told her.
"And if you don't man up, you'll die," Shepard stated. I simply nodded; it was time to leave this be for now, and just do my best and pray that that was enough. I could do this...I've done it before.
"There's a girl around the corner that needs our help; that boy's, Riley, sister. She'll die quickly otherwise," I said. That was a detail that we hadn't mentioned to EDI, simply because we just gave her a large over view. "Let's get to her."
Shepard nodded, and the four of us headed to rescue her.
(Sarah)
The movie continued.
"Greetings, Bubin. This one understands that you are the second-best law enforcement agent on the Citadel," Blasto was saying, as he introduced himself to his new elcor partner.
"Badassfully: Funny, I heard the same thing about you," I heard the elcor's deep, monotone voice say. Little did I know that I was about to hear the term "Badassfully" so many times that it would end up stuck in my head for the rest of the night. Seriously... the way he said it, it was almost hypnotic.
"Just avoid interfering with this one's projected maneuvering path," Blasto stated, aloof.
"Badassfully: Hold it, Spectre," the elcor droned, "we do this by the book."
"You may carry the book," Blasto said, "while this one opens another excretion vent on the vorcha ambassor."
"Badassfully: Damnit, you bit stupid jellyfish."
I burst into a fit of giggles. Either it was the meds, or that just tickled my funny bone. Maybe it was the monotone. I thought I heard Irren chuckle a bit, too. For the most part, both of us were being very quiet and watching the show.
"...I'm just three solar days from retirement," Bubin the elcor finished, stating those words with great care as if they were significant. Perhaps they were important to the elcor himself.
"Obtain a firm grip on your reproductive anatomy," whatever Blasto said was drowned out by the sound of a revving engine. Apparently this hanar like to make dirty jokes in his own delicate fashion. "The vorcha ambassador's vehicle just turned down that skyway."
"Badassfully: What the hell are you doing? This is my mate's car. We just paid it off."
"Hopefully you are insured," was all that Blasto said.
Thus a fast-paced chase-scene ensued, with some impressive trying and stung maneuvers around swift-moving vehicles and a couple of trucks. Blasto ended up stopping the vorcha's vehicle by matter-of-factly crashing into it and pinning the front of it against a building, much to Bubin's displeasure.
Once they'd come to a complete stop, and the smoke had died down, Blasto opened up the vehicle door and exited. Bubin made a mournful noise as he examined the car, but Blasto ignored him. The hanar had business to attend to; the vorcha they had just pinned.
The vorcha stepped out of his own crashed vehicle, but halted at the sight of the hanar pointing a weapon directly between his eyes. "Greetings, vorcha citizen. Please explain the reason for your haste," the Spectre stated.
"Raaaah! You no touch me!" the vorcha exclaimed. "Diplomatic immunity-ACH!" He was cut off when Blasto wrapped two tentacles around his upper body and slammed his head against Bubin's broken car.
"Please exercise caution, criminal scum," Blasto said when he stopped, "your face may cause damage to my partner's vehicle."
"Badassfully: Hey, you're hurting him," Bubin stated emotionlessly, yet his concern was conveyed all the same.
"His unique genetic structure will enable him to regenerate," Blasto pointed out calmly, never taking his eyes-or whatever-off of his captive. "Unless this one uses fire."
The vorcha's mouth opened wide, spitting salavia between his pointed, needle-like teeth. "RAAAAH! No talk! NO TALK!"
"This one has forgotten whether or not its pistol is currently equipped with incendiary ammunition," Blasto said. The weapon cocked. "Does the criminal scum consider itself fortunate?"
"Badassfully: You'd better talk. I can't... hold him back."
The vorcha panicked. "Consort!" he cried out. "Guarding boss at Consort!"
Blasto was satisfied. "Have a pleasant day," he said, and then he slammed the vorcha's head firmly against the side of the vehicle, and allowed the poor creature to fall to the ground in a heap.
"Badassfully: Damnit, what the hell was that?" The way the elcor said emotional things in an emotionless tone kept making me crack up; I had to press a hand over my mouth to suppress my giggles. "You're out of control."
"You may wish to monitor your stress levels," Blasto stated, making the scene seem even more funny. Who would have imagined that the elcor was stressed, considering his monotone voice? "High blood pressure is unhealthy for a species that is adapted to a high-gravity environment."
"Badassfully: Come on. I know someone at the consort's office."
"This one suspected you had deviant mating fetishes."
"Badassfully: You're paying for the car."
(HK)
After helping the girl, Serene, we continued towards Orion Hall. I knew that Jack wasn't far; we'd be coming upon her any minute. I gulped, my nerves rising again. I wasn't sure what made me more nervous: Jack or the possibility of dying in a firefight. I was about to confront something that I never thought I would end up confronting again. It wasn't Jack personally, I really liked her, it was just...the situation.
We'd just blown up a generator that had given Kahlee access to the loud speaker again, and we could hear her voice as we walked through the next hallway. "Students, if you can hear me, this is Kahlee Sanders," she announced. "I am still alive, and help is on the way."
"Jack is in the next room," EDI chimed in as we approached the door. James was still mostly silent, probably because I was here.
Shepard didn't say anything, either, and once again, I simply swallowed hard. Shepard opened the door to the next room, and we walked in to see a large fight going on in there. It didn't take long to see the new and improved Jack fighting off Cerberus soldiers, with a few of her students behind her.
Here we go.
Jack was literally glowing, as brightly as I'd ever seen her. "Eat this!" she challenged, slamming two Cerberus soldiers with her biotics. They were sent flying, and they went down. Her back was turned toward us; she didn't see me yet.
"Jack!" Shepard called out, getting the woman's attention. Jack turned to look toward us, as did her students.
"Shepard!" Jack exclaimed, looking with surprise. Her eyes glanced at the four of us-and then she zeroed in on me. Her eyelids flickered and her mouth dropped open, but she quickly regained her composure.
"What the f-frack, that looks just like HK!" she exclaimed, pointing at me as I stood there behind Shepard.
"I don't have time to explain right now, Jack," Shepard said. "But it is HK; he's alive."
Jack stared at me, her expression completely blank and disbelieving, as her two students looked around. They seemed confused. "Kids, get upstairs," Jack ordered them. Once they complied, Jack looked as us again and seemed to include both myself and Shepard in a sweep of her gaze.
"What the fuck is going on here? What is this goddamned bullshit?" Somehow she seemed to express all of her anger, frustration, confusion and grief into those two short sentences. Apparently, that was why she wanted the kids to go upstairs; she couldn't contain herself and her foul mouth.
And she seemed like she had more to say on the matter, but a loud noise distracted all of us. An enormous mech was coming in through the door. Jack scowled and darted into action, diving into cover and sending a blast of biotics toward it. It didn't even hesitate.
"Kids," Jack yelled, already starting to retreat up the stairs, "this one is way out of your league! Stay back and let Shepard handle this!" I swear I saw her shoot one last look in my direction before she ran up the stairs to be with her students. That was definitely where her priorities were right now, plus... she probably needed time to accept that I was really back.
She had definitely moved on. I didn't have time to think about that though; the fighting had begun once again.
(Sarah)
For the first time ever, I got see a female elcor. She was a bit smaller and had a more lithe form compared to the larger, more muscular Bubin. Her face didn't look much different from that of a male elcor, but she definitely had a more... feminine look about her body, and she was a lighter shade of gray. The biggest difference of all, of course, was her voice as she spoke to Bubin and Blasto; it was as deep as a krogan female's, and while it held the same monotone voice as a male elcor's, it was most definitely feminine.
"Coquettishly: Welcome to the Consort's suites," she greeted them. "Oh, Bubin. It's great to see you."
Somehow she sounded even more like a robot than the male elcors did... heck, she sounded more like a robot or a computer than even EDI did.
Somehow, Blasto's voice became slightly... warmer, as he spoke to her. "As a Prothean descended from Heaven, because this one would enjoy Enkindling that."
Now Bubin spoke up. "Badassfully: Hey, man, that's my sister!"
"Your progenitor's genetic capacity for attractiveness was passed only to her," Blasto said. Obviously, he was as fond of using big words as he was of getting his partner's goat.
"Coquettishly: Who is the big, handsome jellyfish, Bubin?" Obviously, the hanar was also quite the ladies man... ladies squid... ladies fish? I don't know; alien girls apparently liked him.
"Blasto," he introduced himself. "This one is training Bubin in proper legal procedure."
Once again, Bubin spoke up. "Badassfully: Listen, Honey," he said to his sister in what seemed like a condescending manner, "we need to get inside."
"Coquettishly: You're a pain, Bubin," his sister opined. "But I can't resist your good-looking partner."
"Thank you, Polyp," Blasto told her graciously. "This one will attempt to determine a way to repay you."
"Badassfully: Seriously, don't be like that with my sister."
(HK)
The fight was what seemed like a long and brutal one. I held up well enough, although my armor did take a few bullets, but it was definitely one battle that made me wake up and try to get back into the game...so to speak. There was so much going on; Jack was here, this was my first time fighting again, but I had to put all of that aside and focus on defeating the Cerberus forces.
Soon, Shepard had managed to take out the mech, and then we finished off the remaining soldiers. There was simply one Centurion left; I was giving cover fire, and EDI had used Overload to take out his shields, and James then used Carnage to finish him off. Shepard had just finished taking out the others.
Taking a deep breath, I was a little relieved. Still alive...but maybe not for long, depending on what Jack thought of all of this.
We all approached the area where, above us, Jack and her students were. I hesitantly waited to see what she'd say and do.
Jack and her students stopped glowing, letting down their protective biotic barriers. Jack then leaned over the edge of the platform, her eyes narrowing into slits. Obviously, this was already going to be different from it was in the game, just because I was here.
"Kahlee said she sent out an SOS," Jack said, staring down at us. "I didn't know that the queen of the girlscouts would show up..." Her eyes zeroed in on me, found mine, and somehow managed to lock onto them like the aiming scope of an assault rifle. I flinched involuntarily.
Jack sharply turned away from us, facing her students. "All right!" she barked at her students, more firmly than I'd ever heard her speak to them in the game-apparently she was angry. "Amp check! Prangley, those fields were weak!" She got right into the kid's face and glared at him. "You think Cerberus is going to stand by nicely while we pick them off one by one? Keep your shit together! Everyone, grab a juice and an energy bar-we move in five!"
The students seemed stunned, taken aback by their teacher's sudden harshness. It wasn't so much what she said, it was the tone she said it in. And it wasn't like Jack was ever gentle with them, not from what I saw in the game at least, but it seemed like she was unleashing her temper on them.
"Whoa," I thought I heard one of them say as Jack sharply turned away from them and practically threw herself off of the upper level, her landing softened only by her biotics.
She stalked toward us like an angry panther. Shepard met her part-way, but Jack shook her head. "I'll deal with you in a sec, Commander," Jack hissed, and brushed past her with a light shove to Shepard's arm. I tensed as she headed straight for me.
"Jack," I heard Shepard's voice say in a light warning tone.
Jack was now merely a couple of feet away from me, scowling into my face. She seemed to look me over up and down, as if trying to make certain it was really me. Time almost seemed to slow down for a few seconds, and I could hear some of the students making puzzled comments above:
"What's the matter with her? Why's she so mad?"
"I don't know, I thought everybody respected Commander Shepard."
"No, she seems to be mad at that guy."
"Could it be the guy she told us about?"
"No way man, he's dead."
"You sure?"
"Whoever he is, he really pissed her off."
I tried not to flinch, as fast as my heart was beating right now. Oh boy...and I thought fighting Cerberus troops was bad. I listened to their comments while staring at Jack; she told them about me? I would've felt touched if I wasn't so nervous and scared.
No, I needed to be strong. It was time to man up and face this head on.
"Hi, Jack," I said with a small smile, trying to be as gentle as possible.
Her face appeared to be carved out of stone. "It's really you, isn't it?" she said, her voice cracking a little with emotion. "How're you here? I held you while..." She trailed off.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Shepard checking her rifle and inserting a new thermal clip; she seemed to be keeping herself occupied for the moment, while she, James and EDI kept an eye out. The Commander did look a little impatient, but she was giving us our moment, so to speak.
In the meantime, the students above us were becoming more animated. They were whispering amongst themselves now, and it seemed like they were putting something together... some kind of betting pool? Whatever was going on, Jack completely ignored them. Her eyes were on me.
I decided it was probably best to ignore them, as well, at least for now. They'd probably be oohing and ahhing even more later, depending on what Jack did to me. I took a deep breath; I had to just be as honest as I could, just like I was with everyone on the Normandy. "To be quite frank, Jack, I don't know how all of this happened," I said. "I mean...I thought I died. I thought my life here was over...then suddenly, as this war came about, I was back on the Citadel. I ran into Shepard there, and she was shocked, too, but she let me rejoin the Normandy...Abby is alive, and Sarah was. None of us know how to explain it...I'm sorry I don't have anything better than that, and I'm sorry that this is all happening now."
I was explaining it fairly quickly, probably half due to my nerves, but it was the truth. I didn't know what more to say, not really, about our unexpected return.
"So," she said darkly, "you're telling me that you just happened to show up somewhere on the Citadel? Just like that?"
"His body did disappear from the Normandy," EDI chimed in. "I have no explanation for the matter."
Jack's eyes darted briefly in the AI's direction, and then back to my face. "I don't exactly have time to play twenty questions or figure all of this out right now," she said. "I just... have to accept that you're back, apparently." Something in her face changed. "I had moved on, but..."
She took a couple of steps back from me. The students were watching closely now, in anticipation. Jack seemed conflicted by her emotions, almost as if even she wasn't sure how she wanted to react.
To my complete surprise, (and, if the exclamations above us were any indication, to the surprise of the students as well) Jack did nothing to me. She said nothing to me. She didn't even look at me again; she simply turned away.
Then I realized that apparently, she decided to take all of her frustrations and whatever else she was feeling out on another target. She practically stomped toward the Commander, and punched her squarely in the cheek bone with enough force to stagger her balance.
"THAT was for trusting Cerberus, and for reopening a closed wound and dumping this crap on my lap without warning!" Jack hissed at Shepard.
Above us, the students stared in stunned silence for a moment. Then they seemed to cancel their little betting pool; whatever they thought Jack might do to me during our reunion, she apparently did it to Shepard instead, something that none of them had anticipated.
Shepard straightened and rubbed the sore spot on her cheek briefly; apparently she had been taken off-guard by that. She then looked at Jack, and the anger and disapproval were evident on her expression. For a moment I saw her fingers tighten and I tensed-was she going to hit Jack back?
Instead, the Commander simply spoke with a firm tone. "Jack," she said, "I didn't exactly have a chance to call you and tell you that I had HK with me. As for Cerberus; you aren't telling me anything I didn't tell myself already."
All of us watched as Jack confronted Shepard. I stood there, not really sure what to say. EDI and James were also watching, seemingly interested. James looked at me, and actually spoke to me in something other than an accusing tone. "How did you manage to bag that?" he asked.
"Um," I replied, not really ready for that question. "Long story. We're...unique people."
James crossed his arms, looking at her. "I don't know," he remarked. "I kinda like her."
"Much to my surprise, so do I," I said with a sigh. This was a very... deep moment for both Jack and myself.
"Jack's personality appears largely unchanged," EDI commented, looking towards both Shepard and Jack as she also crossed her arms. She was already adapting a few human mannerisms, I couldn't help but notice in the midst of all of this.
"I see you got a new body, EDI," Jack retorted. "Now you look like a sex-bot instead of a sex toy."
She shot another glance in my direction, and then she returned to business. "Alright," she said, "right now, all I care about is getting my guys out of here."
"Your guys?" Shepard raised an eyebrow slightly.
Some of Jack's aggravation over the entire situation seemed to melt away as she glanced... affectionately up toward her students. "Yeah, I guess so," she said in a thoughtful voice.
"I can't think of anyone who could care more about them," Shepard commented.
"Yeah, well, I had some free time while you were off playing hero," Jack said. And then some of the anger returned. "And picking up HK from whatever the f... from where-ever you got him from."
Shepard nodded. "You've done well here, Jack. And the students seem to respond to you."
"They like my teaching style," Jack boasted with affection.
"The psychotic biotic!" Prangley called out.
"I will destroy you!" Rodriguez enthused, clenching her fist.
"Drink your juice, Rodriguez," Jack called out to them. "You couldn't destroy wet tissue paper." She sounded almost playful now, as if this was a verbal exchange that they had often. Some of the students exchanged smiles, apparently pleased that they had their teacher back instead of the angry woman who was yelling at them before. They were used to Jack being firm, even snarky, but not flipping out at them.
Shepard touched her radio, listening to something. She exchanged a few words with Cortez, and then she called Sanders. "The students are safe, but the shuttle is a no-go," she said. And I knew that meant we were stranded her for the moment. She listened again, as Jack looked at her expectantly.
Shepard, in turn, shot a glance at me and at EDI expectantly. "We need to get Sanders access to the station cameras," she said.
"Right over there," I said, pointing to the corner that was to our left and facing opposite of us. "The Cerberus laptop is right there. Just take care of that and then Kahlee will have the cameras."
"Then, Cerberus will have the doors sealed. We will have to find the manual override in order to open it," EDI interjected. It almost felt awkward that she was saying these things now, too.
"That'll be up there, where the kids are. There's a console near the back of the room," I said, pointing upwards. We hadn't given EDI exact directions, so there were still a few things that we needed to chime in on. "But first, you have to take care of the cameras."
Shepard nodded. "Then let's move," she said.
(Sarah)
"Greetings, vorcha scum," Blasto was telling his latest target-or whatever you wanted to call him. "This one mistook you for krogan defecation."
"RAH!" the vorcha growled indignantly. "You no talk! I got your BADGE!"
"Badassfully: That badge is the only thing keeping him from killing you right now."
"RAH! YOU BE SORRY!"
"This one is already sorry," Blasto commented once he had his badge back in place. "It will take hours to remove your olfactory residue from my oxygen diffusion membrane. Let us depart, Bubin."
The vorcha let out a shrill hiss, and then stormed off.
"Badassfully: what the hell did that accomplish?" Bubin wanted to know.
"Two things," Blasto answered, "First, the vorcha knows we are following it."
"Badassfully: And second?"
"You have demonstrated that you still possess a supportive endoskeleton."
The scene continued as Blasto and Bubin parted ways, where Bubin agreed to keep a general eye on the vorcha, and Blasto said he had other things to tend to... though he didn't specify what.
What happened next was... both fascinating and disturbing. Blasto returned to the Consort Suites and effectively hooked up with the female elcor. Both of them ended up going to his apartment, where I got a graphic, visual example of how a hanar could... shall we say, pleasure all of the sensitive areas on an elcor's body at once, with all twelve tentacles.
I found myself looking at Irren as the intimate scene proceeded. Maybe it was the drugs I was on, or the simple fact that I was looking for any kind of diversion that I could get, but... I ended up saying something to Irren I never thought I'd say out loud.
"Wouldn't it be great if we tried that?" I asked almost playfully. And somehow... again, maybe it was the meds, I didn't even feel embarrassed. If it weren't for those drugs, I would have probably wanted to shoot myself-or I probably wouldn't have said that at all.
Irren actually laughed. "Not sure how well that would work, Sarah," he told me. "I mean...we're not elcor and hanar."
I began to giggle uncontrollably. Again, maybe it was the meds. "Well," I said, leaning over the side of my wheelchair as best I could toward his bed, where he sat propped up against some pillows, "we could always see how a human and a turian would do it instead."
...What the hell was I saying?
He didn't seem as insane or hyper as me, but he laughed again. Maybe the medicine was getting to him, too? "Sarah, neither of us are in the condition to do any of that," he told me.
"But maybe we could... stop the movie, and cuddle?" I tried to stand, and I actually half-rose from the wheelchair, but then I sat down hard again. I'd actually forgotten for a moment that I only had one leg.
Irren froze for a moment...though he really wasn't moving much any day in his condition. He was better off than me, but not by much. "Uh...are you sure that is the best idea?" he asked hesitantly.
Before I could say anything at all, Dr. Michel came into the room. "Excuse me," she said to both of us, "Sarah, I have just received two prosthetics for you, both an arm and a leg. We are preparing to operate right now."
I looked at Irren. "Sleep tight, man," was all I could think to say.
"You too. I really hope that the prosthetics go on okay," Irren said. "They'll really get you back on your feet. Well, literally, I suppose, too."
"Yup. Good night, Irren," was the last thing I said before Dr. Michel wheeled me out of the room.
(HK)
Shepard and her squad, including me, had gone over to the Cerberus laptop to try to give Kahlee control of the cameras. It took Shepard a few minutes, but with EDI's help, she managed to get Kahlee the control that she needed. After that, we prepared to head upstairs. Shepard and EDI were leading the way, with James and I right behind them. However, as we began to ascend the staircase, Shepard turned and looked at us.
"You two stay here and watch out for any reinforcements. EDI and I will take care of everything upstairs," she ordered.
The idea of being down here with Jack alone, except for James, kind of made me nervous. "I don't believe there will be any more-" I started, but Shepard simply cut me off with a look that said she didn't want any arguments. I imagined she still trusted our visions, but maybe she didn't want to drag all four of us up there...or maybe all of the incidents that we didn't expect had began to make her take more "just in case" measures, you never know.
"Don't worry, Commander, I've got it," James said. He looked at me as he turned away and gave me a slight motion to come on, though he wasn't being too friendly, still. I nodded at Shepard and turned and followed the Lieutenant.
For a minute or two, all was silent, but I couldn't help but see Jack simply standing over there, out of the corner of my eye. I felt really, really jerky for not saying something...I mean, I knew that in the game, Shepard could talk to her during this time.
I often did this: There was someone I kind of wanted to talk to but was too nervous to, even if they were just a friend or an acquaintance. It happened often at things like Church or even family events. Eventually, though, I decided to speak to them.
Despite it being Jack, this time ended up no different.
I walked over to her, and she seemed to give me a wary glance; I wasn't sure of her feelings on me at the moment. Her words upon seeing me left me feeling...not positive but not negative. I was a little less nervous, yet not, if that made sense.
"So, Jack," I said, upon clearing my throat. I was still very nervous, and it probably showed. "How're...you doing? How have things been for you here?"
"Look," she said, narrowing her eyes, "you can't just walk up to me after everything I went through and act like nothing happened. I..." She sighed, shaking her head and brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Just leave me alone." With that she turned and began to march up the stairs, her heels clacking firmly against the steps as she walked.
I saw James looking in my direction from a few feet away. He eyed Jack, and then looked back at me. "Well," I thought I heard him mutter as he checked his rifle, "maybe this gives me a shot at the punk princess."
I gritted my teeth. "No it most certainly does not!" I exclaimed, a little more firmly than I would've preferred. I mean, I never said things like that...and I was not the jealous type at all, especially since it was only a joke. Yet strangely, I felt a tinge of jealousy when he said that.
Dang it, this was too complicated for me. Then again, wasn't everything?
Perhaps a little spurred on now, I decided to follow Jack up the stairs, though I was still somewhat calm. "Jack, I apologize...I know you want me to leave you alone, and I know we're in the middle of a situation, but I...I just don't know what else to say, that's all, and I feel I need to say something."
Jack sighed, but she kept her back to me as she reached the top of the stairs and walked into the midst of her students. "Help yourselves to another energy bar, everyone," she said to them, ignoring me. She was back to her usual self around them now, speaking to them in her military tone instead of her enraged tone. "You guys have burned up a lot of calories and I don't want anybody passing out due to low blood sugar."
Then I saw something I never expected to see; she actually turned a bit... motherly, almost. "Ensign Hannah, you've got juice and crumbs all over your mouth. Where do you think you are, Tuchanka?"
Hannah, a smaller, black-haired girl, looked sheepish. "Sorry, Ma'am," she said.
Jack then shrugged. "Just wipe it off with the bottom of your shirt; you can change later."
Okay, so maybe she wasn't acting like a perfect mother after all.
Shepard cast me a glance. "I thought I told you to stay downstairs with James," she said firmly. I wondered if she was going to slip into her own mother routine...though I hadn't seen a lot of that lately.
"I...got a little distracted, I'm sorry," I said with a sigh. I probably wasn't operating like a normal soldier would right now.
"Got it," Shepard said, though not to me as she fixed the console. She approached me, and I could barely hear Kahlee's voice over the comm. After Kahlee was done speaking, Shepard sighed. "I know it's not easy, but don't let it distract you. I need you to stay with her and the students and give us support from above. It'll be safer up there for you anyway."
Jack's eyes widened with something that seemed like outrage as her head snapped in our direction. "Shepard," she protested, "I don't want him around me right now."
"Jack," Shepard said, "I know that this is hard for you-a lot harder than it is for him. But I need both of you to stay focused. You'll survive an hour of awkwardness."
Jack's lips pursed, forming what almost looked like a pout. However, she quickly seemed to remember where she was, and she pulled herself back together. "Alright. Kids," she said, "finish your juice and get ready."
"HK," Shepard said, "stay focused. EDI, come on."
Just then, as they began to move, all of the students' omni tools lit up. This was happening a bit differently, but it was probably because we all spent more time up here. "Students of Grissom Academy, the station is sealed," a man's voice, no doubt a Cerberus commander's, came through on everyone's omni tools. At least the students'. "The Alliance soldiers cannot save you. All they can do is get you killed. Surrender peacefully, and you won't be harmed."
Jack scoffed, looking half annoyed, and half like she didn't take it seriously. "Asshole," she remarked.
Suddenly, Jack and Shepard both put their hands to their ears, and Kahlee's voice came in over the omni tools. "Damn it, they're messaging everyone. Students, switch your omni tools to privacy mode so they can't track you."
As they began to do so, Rodriguez began to look uncertain. "What if...what if they're not lying?" she asked, mainly looking at her classmates. They also looked at each other, the negativity and insecurity spreading like wildfire.
"You've already held your own against Cerberus," Shepard interrupted almost instantly. She didn't seem to want any delays, and she was definitely leading all of us...probably even Jack to a lesser degree. "You've been trained for this by one of the best."
Jack pitched in, following along with Shepard's tactics...but in her own, Jack manner. "Come on, Rodriguez. They're only asking nicely 'cause you scared 'em in that last fight, so take your balls outta your purse and kick some ass!"
Rodriguez looked as if she did not want to argue with that...and neither did I. "Yes, ma'am," she said obediently.
Shepard turned and began to walk out of the room. "Let's go," she said, almost sounding slightly enthusiastic. I doubted it, but maybe she was a little more positive about how this would turn out.
I looked at Jack. I guess she was like my commander for the time being? "I'm ready when you are," I told her with a submissive nod, keeping my rifle in front of me. I still wasn't sure how I'd continue to handle myself in fights, and maybe that was why Shepard sent me off with them, but I was going to try my best. I just had to pray that it all worked out as it should, as hard as that was.
Jack only grunted in reply to me. She was still pretty much acting like I wasn't present. "Alright guys," she said, "snack time is over. Let's move out."