Disclaimer: I don't own the Mass Effect universe or Bioware.

«Extra: The Citadel: C-Sec Academy: Medical Wing»

«or A Matter of Pride»

Ashley sat on one of the chairs lining the hallway, staring at her hands. There was nothing on them: no blood, no gunpowder residue, nothing. All of it was wiped clean. But still, when she looked at her palms once more, she could still see nothing.

She could do nothing in the last fight. The proof was on her hands.

When she went to fight that crazed turian biotic, she was flung away like a grain of dust, leaving the others to fight for her. Wiping her hands, she tried to remove the evidence, even though there was none.

Perhaps that was what she was trying to wipe away.

Hearing a loud thud beside her, she glanced over. The krogan had sat himself next to her. Not to close, but in the same proximity. Ashley glared at the krogan and continued to look at her hands. She needed to be by herself and the krogan was not helping. Not one bit.

"Never really worked with a female before," Wrex's gruff voice broke her concentration. "All krogan women have to stay home and focus on breeding."

Ashley's face showed a soft sign of contempt. She didn't want to hear this right now.

"Sorry to disappoint you," she said harshly. Wrex looked over at her.

"Didn't say I was disappointed," Wrex told her. "I could get used to it. It gives the fight…a different flavor." Ashley continued to glare at her hands.

"Well, I've never fought with a krogan before," Ashley retorted. She glared at the krogan. "And I've never seen one get tossed around so easily." To her complete surprise, the krogan started laughing. Confused, Ashley looked on incredulously at the sight.

"You're going to have to try a lot harder than that to hurt my pride, Williams," Wrex told her after he was done. "That is what you're trying to do, right? Hurt my pride because yours is hurt?" He looked over at Ashley and she saw something that she didn't think she'd ever see.

Understanding.

It disgusted her.

Scoffing, Ashley got up and walked away, trying to keep her head up high.

"I thought you would have learned how to live with your faults, Williams. You are a soldier after all," Wrex said after her. Ashley stopped in her tracks but didn't turn around. Wrex leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. He continued.

"Today, we fought against one of the most powerful biotics I or anyone have ever seen before," Wrex said. "He could tear the plating off of the walls like it was paper, fling a 500 pound krogan into a wall as if it was a stick. And you're beating yourself up because you got knocked around by it?"

Ashley didn't turn around, trying not to listen.

"It's always a shock to some warriors when they first meet someone they can't beat," Wrex continued. "Especially to the young ones. It's hard to be shown exactly where on the food chain they really are, and not just where they think they are. And it upsets them greatly. I saw a young krogan sulk for nearly a month when he was shown his place. In my culture, we say something to those who are like that."

Wrex than cleared his throat, opened his mouth and a strange noise came out. Ashley couldn't make out what it was and turned her head to look at the strange krogan.

"What was that?" she asked. Wrex looked at her.

"That was a mix between a cough and a hack," Wrex explained. "In my culture, when used among good friends, it's a playful jab. Like when you humans call each other "gay" or "pussys" or whatever weird words you call each other. It's merely a nice way to poke fun at each other. But among warriors on the battlefield, it has a different meaning."

Wrex stood up and looked into Ashley's eyes.

"Among warriors, when someone makes that noise, it means they think the other is being incredibly stupid," Wrex said simply. Ashley mouth opened a little bit.

"So I make this noise to you now," Wrex's voice was grave and commanding. "Because you are being incredibly stupid. Welcome to the universe, Williams. There will always be someone stronger than you, but if you spend so long focusing on your faults and defects, you will get no closer to defeating your enemies. You will degrade until even a child can defeat you. And where will that lead you? Instead of focusing on your flaws, turn them into your strengths."

Ashley slowly began to see the wisdom in his words.

"Every warrior has something they wish to work on," Wrex concluded. "Even Shepard, who you seem to admire so much. What makes the good warriors different from the other ones, is their will and strive to fix themselves."

Ashley and Wrex stared at each other for a moment longer. After awhile, they broke eye contact and Wrex went his own way, leaving Ashley to her thoughts. She stood there until Kaidan found her.

"Ashley," Kaidan said. She turned to greet him.

"Kaidan," Ashley said. She didn't know they were on a first name basis, but she went with it. "How's the headache?" Kaidan rubbed his temple.

"It's going away now," Kaidan said. "You?"

"Not a scratch on me," Ashley said sheepishly. Kaidan looked at her for a moment.

"This doesn't make you a bad soldier, Chief," Kaidan whispered. Ashley looked at him. "It just shows you-" Ashley stopped him.

"Lieutenant, I appreciate what you're doing but I already got this speech from the krogan," Ashley told him. "I know that I was stupid to just sulk about not being perfect in every single way. I just need to make sure I am perfect later."

Kaidan looked a bit longer at Ashley, then smiled.

"Then I guess I don't need to say anything, do I?" Kaidan asked, chuckling. Ashley joined him, and they sat down. They didn't say anything, but they didn't need to. Everything that needed to be said had been said. Except for one thing.

"Any idea when Shepard is going to wake up?" Ashley asked. There was a loud crash and a thud. And then loud yells from down the hall.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE MY PANTS?" A loud exclamation came from a voice that sounded just like Shepard's.

"I think he's awake now," Kaidan commented. Ashley nodded as she heard Wrex laugh from his end of the hall and saw Garrus and Tali poke their heads out of the room.

A good friend of mine commented on my last chapter, asking me a question: if Saren hates humans so much, why does he have a human subordinate with him?

Short answer: no idea.

Long answer: I was not thinking when I created this particular villain, as I was extremely excited with the process of writing and all that jazz, so if there are discrepancies, I apologize tremendously.

That said, I'm going to keep him. I still have plans for him, though I'll have to address the relationship between Saren and the good old major at some point or other. Remind me if I don't cause 7/10 is the chance that I will forget.

Writing a new story for FanFiction. It'll be about Fable and Fable 2. Ideas are still pending so leave me alone about it.

Till next time, cheers.