Chapter 9: All Hands
The first thing Meghan Shepard became aware of was pain. Every muscle in her body hurt. Her head was throbbing. The second was that her mouth tasted like a locker room floor and old gym socks. The third was Lieutenant Alenko's delicious baritone. "Doctor! Doctor Chakwas, I think they're waking up!"
At the sound of her Lieutenant's voice, Meghan groggily opened her eyes and pushed herself up on her elbows. Pain stabbed through her head and she was immediately glad the medbay was dimly lit. She glanced over and saw both Ella and Alexis sitting up with similar groggy expressions.
Doctor Chakwas crossed in front of Meghan's field of vision, "The three of you had us worried there. How are you all feeling?"
As Meghan said, "Like I've been ridden hard and put away wet." Ella said, at the same time, "Like the morning after shore leave." And Alexis, stoic as ever, said, "Minor throbbing. Nothing serious. How long were we out?" Kaidan stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed. Meghan wasn't sure, but he seemed to be trying to keep his face carefully blank.
Doctor Chakwas answered Alexis' question, "About fifteen hours. Something happened down there with the beacon, I think."
The lieutenant spoke up before any of them could reply, "It's my fault. I must've triggered some sort of security field when I scanned it. The disc started transmitting, and then ..." He looked then, at Alexis, "You had to push me out of the way."
Alexis shook her head, "You had no way to know what would happen." Was it Meghan's imagination, or did the LT just smile shyly at his XO? A small surge of envy raced through Meghan before she could squash it and she missed most of the rest of the conversation. Alexis deserved to be happy, especially after that jackass she'd been engaged to back at the Academy.
"How's Fredricks?" Ella's sharp question interrupted Meghan's wandering thoughts.
"Stable," the doctor's calm voice replied. "His surgery was successful, and he's resting in the medical pod, now." Chakwas gestured slightly to the back of the med-bay. "He should be fine, Commander, though he'll be on medical leave for awhile."
"That's good to hear. We don't need to lose any more soldiers." Meghan's voice sounded hollow to her own ears. She couldn't think of what she should have done differently, but McKean's and Tremaine's deaths were on her hands anyway.
The Old Man stalked in, dismissing the lieutenant and the doctor before turning to the commanders of the ground teams. "Sounds like the beacon hit the three of you pretty hard. Are you sure you're all right?"
Meghan heard the echo of her own murmured assurances coming from Alexis and Ella. Anderson continued, "I won't lie to you, Commanders. Things look bad. Nihlus is dead. The beacon was destroyed and geth are invading. The Council's going to want answers."
Ella protested, "The geth would've wiped out the whole damn colony if we hadn't stopped them! We lost four soldiers on this clusterfuck of a mission!" Belatedly, she added, "Sir."
The captain looked at each of them in turn, "I'll stand behind you and your teams, Commanders. All three of you are damned heroes in my book. That's not why I'm here. It's Saren, the other turian." Meghan listened with half an ear to the rest of the debrief, Ella's "clusterfuck" comment ringing in her ears. Had there been better ways to do what they'd had to get done? Could they have avoided the deaths of their marines? Been more careful?
Meghan slumped on her examination table when they were finally all three alone. Akuze. McKean, Tremaine. When would every mission stop reminding her? Why had her brain tried to use Akuze to make sense of the visions? The Lieutenant had given her a kind smile as he left, but he'd given her Shepards a similar smile, too. Though maybe it had been a degree or three warmer for Lex.
"You know, Meg," Alexis started, absently rubbing at her left temple as she sat on her exam table still. "I really do need to thank you."
Startled, Meghan raised her eyes to Alexis, "What for?"
"For sending the lieutenant with me. I must say that man is exceptionally talented."
Meghan blinked, Alexis' pretty face was utterly blank, though Ella's sudden coughing fit from her perch across the room sounded suspiciously like muffled laughter. "Uh, you're welcome?"
Ignoring Meg's half question, Alexis continued, "It's not just his combat prowess I'm speaking about. Let's just say that it'd be hard pressed to find something his hands weren't good with."
Meghan stared at Alexis, momentarily at a loss for words as the memories of Akuze and the disastrous mission were suddenly chased out of her mind by thoughts of her lieutenant's long fingers. She grinned at Lex as her composure reasserted itself. "Have a lot of opportunities to test those hands, did you?"
Alexis cracked a grin in Meg's direction. "Maybe. I mean, I did need to ensure he could perform well under pressure." She paused a moment. "I bet his biotics make things much more interesting. Imagine the energy, dancing across his fingers..."
Again, the image of those long, strong fingers flashed through Meghan's imagination, an idle part of her wondering about the contrast of his dark hands against her much paler skin. She grinned at Lex to hide how much the other woman's words were playing through her mind. "Get a nice long chance to test that, Shepard?"
Alexis half shrugged, careful to not move her right shoulder much. "I think it merits further testing."
Meghan's laugh was short and brittle, "I'm glad you'll have that chance."
"No wallowing allowed, or I'll start doing it too." Ella interrupted. "You're just hungry." Her stomach rumbled, as if to emphasize her point. "As am I. We'll feel better after food. Hopefully."
"Damn, and here I was just going to tell her what she was missing out with how her lieutenant smells. All sweat and ozone," Alexis paused again as if contemplating it herself. "But, sure, let's talk about food instead."
Meghan stared at Lex, "Exactly how close did you get to my lieutenant out there, Commander?"
Alexis gave Meghan a flat, serious look as she hopped down from the exam table. "Sorry, Commander, I'm not in the business of kissing and telling."
"Yes, you are." Ella managed to sound indignant. "To us, anyway."
"Oh, no you don't. You don't get to drop that bombshell on me and take off. Spill it, Shepard." Meghan demanded, grabbing Lex's arm.
Grimacing slightly, Alexis attempted to wrest her injured arm gently from the other woman's grasp. "What's the matter, Meg? Jealous that I may have beat you to the punch?"
Meghan yanked her hands away in apology, "Oops, sorry, Lex, forgot for a minute." Meghan hopped down off her own table and struck a pose: one hand on her hip, the other raised dramatically and one leg cocked. She dropped her hand as if showing off her body, "Like you could compete with this." She held the serious expression until she met Lex's eyes and they both burst out laughing. They were all still stuck in the form fitting, leave-absolutely-nothing-to-the-imagination body-stocking that went under their armor. Meghan froze as a thought struck her. "Oh, God."
"What?"
"It's cold in here."
Lex gave Meghan a questioning look for a moment before she began cursing. "Is Murphy trying to destroy any shred of respect we have left?"
"Well, I've got to hand it to Alenko. If he looked, I didn't catch him. But damn, I feel like I've got a fucking sign on my chest, now." Meghan crossed her arms over her breasts for an uncomfortable moment before letting them flop back down to her sides. "Fuck it. I'm hungry. If anyone so much as blinks at them, I'll show them how I kicked our hand-to-hand instructors' asses in N school."
"What if it's your lieutenant?" Lex asked with a smirk.
"Hey, don't I get a crack at him too?" Ella interrupted. "Maybe he doesn't like blondes, either of you ever think of that?"
Meghan snorted, then grinned at Ella. "He may not even like women. Hell of a waste in that case." To Alexis she said, "I'll let him win. He can even pin me." They all laughed. Her brooding having been joked out of her, she walked to the door and waved them toward her, "Allow me to introduce you to our autochef, Julia. Since we only have ten minutes to grab food and get dressed before have to haul ass to the bridge, that is."
"Julia, really?" Ella hopped off her bunk. "As in Child? Someone named the 'chef after Julia Child? Please let that mean it makes boeuf bourguignon. I may never leave the mess again."
"It wasn't named that way out of affection, Ella... it's ironic." Meghan finished to the closing door, Ella having bounced out without hearing her. The commander grinned and shrugged; she'd find out soon enough.
"Comman … " Joker glanced up from the mug in front of him, his voice trailing off as his eyes opened wide, his scowl transforming into a smirk at the sight of the trio exiting the med-bay.
"Eyes up and mouth shut, Moreau, or I'm going to stomp on your toes," Ella snarled, barely glancing at the man as she marched toward the autochef.
"Glad you're all up and about, Commanders," Joker suggested, his eyes pointed all the way up towards the ceiling, though his grin hadn't faded in the slightest. "And my toes thank you for your restraint, ma'am."
"You're not so good at the mouth shut part, are you?" Williams said, frowning at the pilot.
"Not usually worth the effort, Chief."
"Someday you'll piss the wrong person off, Joker," Alenko suggested quietly.
"Already did that, Lieutenant," Ella's voice drifted over from the 'chef. "Why do you think Naismith got to fly us into the Citadel?" She turned around and glanced at the soldiers sitting at the table. "Though, I'm impressed you told the Captain, Moreau, as I didn't have a chance to before we shipped out."
"I would like to get my ship back sooner rather than later, ma'am. Pissing you off again? Not likely to help. Unless you like being bitchy. I can oblige, if that's really what you want." Joker's eyes had abandoned the ceiling, though he avoided any more overt gawking.
Meghan snorted, "Charming as usual, Ella?"
"Who me?" Ella turned around and grabbed a bowl of brown, stew-like food before heading over to the table. "I'm never charming. You're the only people who put up with me without my having to resort to threats and guns." She shot a grin at Lex and Meg before she sat down.
"They're going to need to blow off some steam," Alexis whispered in Meghan's ear, careful to avoid the spot which would make Meghan jump like a scalded cat. "Which might be tricky with their XO standing over them. I'm going to go check on our ETA. Grab me a power bar?"
Grabbing several protein bars, Meghan tossed two over to Lex before sitting down next to Ella, "That's because we're saints, you know."
"I was going to go with lunatics, myself, but whatever helps you sleep at night." Ella nodded farewell to the departing Shepard with a grin. Turning back to the table, Meg noticed the Lieutenant's eyes following Alexis all the way to the turn to the elevator before returning to the noodle-filled bowl in front of him; the 'chef apparently made a decent ramen. Hmm... checking her out? Or professional paranoia?
Ella had been unwrapping her plastic utensils as Alexis left, and audibly sighed when she finally got her spoon free, plunging it into her bowl and taking a giant bite. She immediately dropped her spoon and clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide as she made a smothered gagging sound.
Meghan leaned back in her chair and laughed until tears ran down her cheeks. She whooped for air and could not stop laughing. "I - I told you, I fucking told you!" She managed to gasp out.
"Are you alright ma'am?" Williams leaned forward, her tone serious, but her lips twitching as she tried not to respond to Meghan's laughter.
"We've all had to throw something out, Commander," Alenko offered sympathetically.
"This is what you get when you don't listen to me, Shepard," Meghan told Ella as she crumpled one of her wrappers.
The brunette held up a hand, and visibly winced as she finally swallowed her food. "When?" She glared at Meghan and back to her bowl. "When did you fucking warn me that some sadist named the damned 'chef after my favorite cook ever?"
Meghan crossed her arms, a grin still playing about her lips. She met Ella's brown eyes, "About five minutes ago when you waved me off. And it wasn't just any sadist," she jerked her thumb in Joker's direction. "It was your pilot."
Ella turned her glare towards Joker. "What the hell is wrong with you, Moreau? Naming that... thing after Julia Child?" Meghan glanced at Williams who just looked confused at the by-play. She was the new kid on the block, after all. Alenko, however, seemed to have gotten the joke and met Meghan's eyes, a grin playing about his lips. Meghan felt her grin widen in response.
"By the way, I don't recommend the nachos," Meghan suggested slyly. Alenko coughed a laugh into his hand. Ella snorted before turning her attention back to the pilot.
"Have you seen her attempt to bone a duck? Or the time she completely failed to flip some fancy egg dish? It's hysterical." Joker defended himself. "Besides, most people don't actually try and eat the really bad ones. I can't believe you didn't just spit it back into the bowl."
"Fucking hell, I'm a good soldier, I always swallow!" Ella stated indignantly.
Meghan choked on the bite of protein bar in her mouth as she tried to laugh and chew at the same time. "Holy shit, Shepard, you're priceless," she gasped out.
Ella ignored Meghan's sputtering, Alenko's blush, and Williams' quiet snicker in favor of glaring at Joker instead. "You are not allowed to think about what I just said. Not one, single, solitary comment. Consider that your punishment for inflicting Julia on an unsuspecting command staff."
"Aye, Commander," Joker grinned. "Though, now that we've got such an informal relationship, I've got a question for you."
"Yes?" Ella asked suspiciously, eyebrows raised as she pushed her bowl away from her.
"Step five." He shrugged. "I'm dying of curiosity."
"Me, too," Meghan said, her eyebrows raised.
Ella snorted. "You didn't hear steps one through four, Shepard. You're just nosey." Meghan chuckled. Ella turned back to Joker. "Your cobbler."
He blinked at her. "My what?"
"Your boots. Obviously not standard Alliance issue. Look like custom work. Great stitching across the heels. Where do you get them?"
"You want to know where I get my boots?" Joker repeated slowly.
"What? I'm a girl, I like shoes." Ella shrugged.
"Is that a requirement for getting my wings back ma'am?" He asked.
"No." Ella shook her head slightly. "I'm just nosey too."
Meghan laughed again and stood up, popping the last of her bar in her mouth. "Try not to kill him, Shepard. Alenko? Williams? With me."
The two other marines stood and followed their CO. When they got into the elevator, Meghan took the opportunity to ask, "Ever been to the Citadel?"
Alenko rubbed his chin and Meghan found herself avidly watching his long fingers, Alexis' words playing through her mind. "I've never had the opportunity, ma'am." Meghan shivered and yanked her eyes back to the front. Alexis was going to pay.
"I've always been posted groundside, ma'am. I haven't been there either," Williams offered.
Meghan smirked, "Good, we can all look like gawking tourists together." She cleared her throat, "I suggest we suit up and get ready for our grand appearance then."
The elevator finally stopped and the three marines headed for their respective locker rooms. Williams would get the enviable pleasure of having the Enlisted room to herself, though there would be no assistance to get into her armor. Meghan glanced at Alenko out of the corner of her eye and wondered exactly how awkward it would be to undress next to a man you'd been involuntarily fantasising about five minutes ago.
He stood to one side, bowed his head and swept on arm across his front, indicating she should precede him into the locker room. She hoped he was on a different row, but when he turned to follow her down the same aisle, Meghan's felt her face turn bright red. "You know, I really hate these body suits," she offered, opening her locker.
"They are not easy to get into, that's for certain," he replied and she heard the metallic sound of his locker opening. I have to strip down to my skin in front of him? Oh, god. Do it quickly, like ripping off a bandage. And DO NOT look. Shit. What a day to not have shaved.
She gathered up the leggings in her hands and shoved her foot into the taut, stretchy fabric. She got the other foot done and had to stand for the rest. She glanced over and saw that Alenko hadn't gotten much further than she and Meghan was treated to a very thorough view of a very stunning ass flexing as he tried to pull up the recalcitrant undergarment. She quickly spun back around, her face even redder than it had been. It's the effort at pulling this crap on, that's all it is. Holy hell, that's a sweet ass. Marines. We are marines, not a man and woman, bareassed in a locker room by ourselves.
"Do you really have a 'Semper Fi' tattoo?" From the tone of his voice, he was shocked. Oh, shit. He turned around.
Meghan glanced at him over her shoulder, he'd gotten the suit up to his waist. She wrenched her eyes forward when she caught herself checking out the fine dusting of hair across his firm pecs and trailing down his chiseled abs. Marines. We are marines! Wait, did he check me out? She stood to pull her suit up over her hips and her tattoo. "Uh, yeah. It was a drunken dare from an old friend. He uh, died on Akuze, so I never got it removed. He got a matching one, sorta. The British Royal marines. It was kinda our little joke."
No. Change the subject. Fast. "You managed to scan your section of the beacon didn't you? You found that round thing, right? I vaguely remember you saying something about it transmitting?" At least the arms were easier than the legs. OK, I'm completely covered. Shit. I can't reach the zipper. Meghan twisted to try to zip up the suit, but she couldn't get hold of the small metal tab.
"Yeah, I don't know what it was transmitting. Or even if was responsible for what hit the three of you. Here, let me get that. You can get mine, next." Calloused fingers pushed Meghan's hands away and Lex's earlier description flashed through her memory. I am going to kill that woman. It didn't help that she had to help him hold the suit together to make the zipper meet, which made certain her hands touched his often. She held a tight reign on her biotics, not wanting to spark. She'd learned, since Akuze, that that was often a misconstrued signal of attraction among biotics of any species.
Grunting as the suit tightened across her breasts, an entirely unsexy feeling that brought her back down to earth quickly, Meghan asked, "You did manage to record what you could, right? I'm pretty sure my 'tool got everything. Even while I was writhing around on the ground." Bad choice of words, dammit.
The zipper finally at the top, she turned to see him nod, "I did. Should we set a time for a meeting to go over it?"
She motioned for him to turn around. The open suit gave her a wonderful view of his very muscular back. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, Dear Lord, remove me from temptation. It's been a damned long dry spell. She cleared her throat and focused on the zipper, trying to also ignore the fact that Lex was right, he did smell good. The burnt ozone and musk of his aftershave mingled with a little bit of sweat from the exertions of getting the ridiculous under armor on combined to make her head spin just a little. She almost reconsidered sparking. She got the zipper halfway up, his hands pushing the fabric together as she'd had to do, when he startled her. "Commander? Would you like to meet later to go over what our 'tools recorded?"
Finally getting the zipper past his shoulder blades, she pulled it the rest of the way up, "Sorry, LT. I was focusing on not catching you." Actually, I was focused on not throwing you down on the bench and getting myself brought up on sexual harassment charges while I rode you till your legs stopped working. No man has any right to smell that good. Or to have an ass that, unf. Meg, not helping. "You'd think they'd finally invent a better way to fasten these things, wouldn't you?"
He turned and shrugged, reaching into his locker for the rest of the armor, "Why fix what isn't broken?"
She laughed, reaching for her own armor, "That is the truth. Let's meet as soon as we're done on the Citadel. Who knows how long this crap will take with the Council?"
He raised his eyebrows at her, "You expecting trouble, ma'am?"
"Bureaucratic wrangling and concession wrenching always takes a while, LT. They'll find a way to screw us with as little lube as possible."
"Poetic, ma'am."
"I try, LT."
"Let's hope they don't do it sideways, then."
"Touche, LT."
