"...and I am afraid there is no one by that name aboard this ship, sir."
The male Quarian in the captain's seat did not acknowledge the two females when they entered the bridge. He wore a full envirosuit, like many Quarians. Many had not adapted to life outside the suits even when their bodies could. All of his attention was on the holo screen in front of him and the fiery faced human who dominated it. The human's dark hair and face proclaimed his relation to Anya. They looked at the plot where a small ship, a yacht of some kind -barely the size of a frigate with less than half a frigate's power or shields- was closing with the Merciful Flight.
"Don't try to lie to me, suit rat!" The man snapped. "I know my daughter is aboard that ship. I want her. Now." Raan'ita made a growling noise under her breathe. She subsided when Williams shook her head.
"Did you just insult the Executive Officer of this ship, Mr. Wilson-Fuentes?" Williams asked mildly as she stepped into range of the camera pickup. "I suggest you apologize."
"You." The man on the screen's glowing eyes narrowed as he looked at Williams. "Where is my daughter, you alien loving...?" He broke off as Williams shook her head.
"If you finish that sentence, I can and will have you in a cell by the end of the day. You may not stay there long, but I will put you in one." Williams said in the same mild tone. "Insulting people may get you what you want in your world, Mr Wilson-Fuentes. But in mine? It gets you in trouble."
"You wouldn't dare." Pedro Wilson Fuentes said with a cold laugh. "You know who I am."
"And you know who I am." Ashley Williams said quietly. "What makes you think I care who you are?" She asked calmly. "I know you have more money than I am ever likely to see in my life. And you know what? I don't give a Vorcha's behind." She treasured his pole-axed expression for a moment and then nodded to Joruz. "Who is this...person...demanding we turn over to him anyway?" She asked Joruz who nodded to her.
"Someone named Anya Wilson-Fuentes." Joruz said clearly. "We have no patients by that name aboard." He said with a shrug. Williams nodded. Anya was listed in all the files under her married name or just as Anya. Everyone aboard knew how she felt about her family.
"You are lying!" The patriarch of the Wilson Fuentes family snapped. "Give me my daughter!"
"None of your children are aboard." Williams said calmly. "And since that is the case, I suggest -respectfully of course-..." There was precious little respect in her tone. "...that you back your ship away from this one. This is a hospital ship and therefore- by Council decree- is sacrosanct. That decree has been acknowledged by every remaining space faring community. It is unarmed. Not that your 'supposedly' unarmed yacht is going to be able to do anything but muss the paint if you hit it with the two mass drivers you have hidden aboard that junket of yours. This was an Alliance cruiser and still has the armor plating."
"Best be careful, Spectre." The man on the screen said snidely. "Accidents can happen way out here."
"That they can." Williams said calmly. "Which is why my ship is trailing yours. You activate anything that even looks like a weapon and the Normandy will blow you out of space. Regretfully, of course. But like you say, accidents can happen." Raan'ita looked at her but Williams did not take her eyes off the man on the screen.
"You are bluffing." But the man looked uncomfortable.
"Am I?" Williams asked him, her voice about as warm as an ice cube. "Well, then. Feel free to do something dumb. Please." Her tone changed to barely suppressed contempt now. "You are an idiot. Your insults are as asinine as your agenda. You came all the way out here to get someone who does not exist. Go away, Mr. Wilson-Fuentes. Some of us have real work to do." With that, she cut the transmission before he could utter a word.
"Was that wise?" Raan'ita asked slowly. "I mean, if his ship is armed...? We have armor but we don't have the crew of a warship and very few of my people are trained for combat."
"I know Joker." Williams replied with a small smile. "He and EDI will have been monitoring. He is not going to let that idiot do anything too stupid. Won't even have to kill anyone. EDI can handle that moron's ship better than any of his people can in all likelihood." She smiled widely as the plot changed. "And speak of the devil..."
She watched with no small amusement as the small yacht seemed to jump. Having a fully armed Alliance frigate simply appear within cosmic knife fighting range would do that to any reasonably sane pilot. Additionally, the Normandy had her main gun deployed, but it obviously was not charged. Not that she expected any civilians to know that. The yacht backed away from the hospital ship swiftly, the Alliance ship matching it's every move, seemingly without effort.
"We are being hailed by the Normandy. Voice only. In clear..." Joruz said in astonishment. "Respond?" He asked Raan'ita who looked at Williams who shrugged.
"He wants Wilson-Fuentes to hear it. On speaker." Raan'ita said. Jorus tapped a control and a familiar male voice sounded from the speakers.
"Merciful Flight, this is SSV Normandy." Joker's tone was a little too cool, Williams realized. Had he ever met Anya? Known about her history with her family? That might be a problem. "Is everything all right over there?"
"Yes." Raan'ita replied evenly. "A misunderstanding. The owner of the yacht thought we had one of his family aboard. We have checked our records and we do not."
"For a moment, we thought they were going to attack you." Joker's voice turned serious. "As that would be a breach of seventeen Council statutes, we thought it best to be ready to assist." Raan'ita turned to Williams and mouthed 'Seventeen'? Williams shrugged. "Is Spectre Williams there? You need any help?"
"Stand down, Joker." Williams said calmly. "The main gun is overkill anyway. It killed that Collector cruiser and more than a few Reapers. The barriers on that overgrown teakettle wouldn't stand up to the Normandy's GARDIAN system, let alone anything heavier."
"Yes, Ma'am." Joker replied. "We will be around." With that, the ship seemed to vanish as it activated it's stealth systems again. The com clicked off and Raan'ita turned to Williams, an inquiring expression on her face.
"Seventeen?" The Quarian asked incredulously.
"More or less." Williams said with a smirk. "Joker has been known to exaggerate a bit on occasion."
"I see his reputation, and yours..." Joruz said from his seat. "...are well earned." He chortled a bit.
"Eh..." Williams shrugged. "That guy irritated me with his demands over the com. Did he really think that coming out here in person was going to change my responses? The girl who was his daughter no longer exists. Her choice. Nothing he says is going to change that."
"I think Anya put it best." Raan'ita said sadly. "'His own little world'."
"Yeah." Williams said with a sigh. "He obviously has little grasp of the real one. There are some things money just can't buy. Not that he will ever figure that out." She paused as the plot changed again. "What the-?" She said as she saw a ship decelerate from faster than light travel and approach. This one however...
"Asari shuttle." Joruz said after checking his instruments. "Broadcasting an Alliance code. It's the one we were told to expect." He looked at Williams who nodded.
"I guess we should let her land." Ashley said after taking a deep breath. "I will meet her. Raan'ita?"
"I will go check on Anya, see how the scans are coming." Raan'ita said with a sigh. "Where is Garrus?"
"I let him use the range." Joruz said quietly. "He wanted some target practice. Vega was with him."
"I better check." Williams said as she started for the door, then paused. "With your permission, captain?"
"Go." Raan'ita said with a grimace. "The last thing I want is for those two to run into each other by surprise." She watched as the shuttle moved into a landing pattern. "I will head down in a minute."
"Right." Williams said as she exited the bridge. She keyed her com. "Vega?"
"What's up, Poet?" The laconic rely came. Williams grimaced. His nomiker for her was fitting, she had to admit. But it did bother her sometimes.
"Our expected guest is landing." Williams said as she keyed the elevator panel. "Where is Garrus?"
"Scars is knocking out the eyes of holo targets." Vega replied. "I will keep him here. Lots of guns that need calibration." Williams had to smile at that. Garrus had always been neck deep in calibrations every time she had seen him. The Mako on the SR-1, the Thanix cannon on the SR-2, various and sundry firearms everywhere else.
"If we get anywhere near there, I will let you know." Williams replied. "Let me know when he leaves and stay with him."
"ROE?" Vega asked formally. Rules of Engagement.
"Keep it non-lethal and quiet if you absolutely have to. We don't want to disturb the patients aboard." Williams said softly. "Oh and Vega?"
"Yeah?" Vega asked.
"Don't underestimate him or his anger." Williams warned. "He loved Shepard. And he did shoot the doc once already."
"I know." For once the Lieutenant Commander's voice was totally serious. "I won't. But you watch your back, chica. That blue witch is dangerous too."
"I know." Williams said as she hit the button to take her to the hangar bays. "I know..." She repeated, checking her rifle, her sidearm and her armor's systems. She hoped she wouldn't need any of it, but if she did, she wanted to be ready. For anything.
