Chapter 36: Four Years Into Chaos
"Hey, Shepard!" a young C-Sec officer called as Will prepared to board an elevator from Citadel Security HQ to the Wards with his partner.
"What's up, Richards?" Will replied.
"What's up? Are you kidding me? Everyone's talking about it! I mean they're your brother and sister!" Richards remarked incredulously.
"We're aware of that, Richards." Eli replied with a slight note of agitation.
"Okay, maybe this is just another day in the Shepard household, but for us ordinary people, this is kind of a big deal. Two N7s who have candidacies for the SPECTRES and they're siblings, I mean come on!" Richards excitedly explained.
"So I guess that means their ships have arrived." Will replied casually.
"Yeah, twenty minutes ago actually. This is too amazing, I mean your brother and sister are legends. Your brother broke that siege on Mindoir and saved nearly every colonist on the planet and your sister took out that yahg commander, Belnak. I heard he was a real monster not to mention a butcher." Richards remarked in awe.
"Do you want me to get you their autographs or what?" Ethan asked humorously.
"Could you? I mean no, that's okay, really." Richards replied hesitantly. "I should get going, I can't wait to see if they get in!" he added enthusiastically before running off.
"It's only going to get worse you know. My sister told me that Allie is basically the second in command now when it comes to The Valkyries. I've heard about some of the stuff that she pulled off that didn't get media attention and all I can say is...damn." Eli commented appreciatively as he and Ethan boarded their elevator.
"Yeah, I know. It's just as bad with Ethan. He's become Hackett's go to guy, just like my dad was back when he first became a SPECTRE and got control of the Normandy." Will replied wearily. "Well at least I'm not a soldier, poor David is bound to have it worse than me." he added sympathetically.
"He finally got a ship posting, right? Seemed a waste to have him rotting away on Eden Prime." Eli mused.
"They saw some pretty serious fighting down there though. They were lucky to have David, there's no doubt in my mind that he's the reason the civilian casualties were so low. That damn modesty of his won't help his chances for a promotion. He's been busting his ass for two years and still hasn't made it above private." Will replied irritably.
"He's definitely worth more, we all know that." Eli agreed.
"I worry about him, Eli. He's always on the frontlines fighting yahg, ZEN monstrosities and Equinox troopers. The Alliance doesn't give a damn about him because they don't consider him a hot commodity like Ethan and Allie. I've heard plenty of nameless assholes badmouth him during my walks through the Wards and it pisses me off. Where the hell do they get off? David's worth ten of these cocky, half-trained amateurs that pass through the Citadel on leave. Damn it!" Will remarked angrily.
"You're right, but in the end that's what'll make David stand out. They can't keep ignoring him Will, not if they want to win this war. Soldiers like David are scarce and there are plenty of higher-ups who know that." Eli calmly explained. "And don't forget that Sophie is with him. She'll make sure that he doesn't take too many risks." he added reassuringly.
"You're right, I need to let it go. Anyway, I guess I should get ready to greet 'the legends' before they leave." Will sighed as their elevator came to a stop. "Wish me luck." he added while grinning.
"Lieutenant Shepard, it's been interesting watching you work." a heavily armed asari remarked politely as she and Ethan departed his ship. He had spent the last several months being observed by the SPECTRE and also lending his assistance in her missions whenever she requested it. He was sure that Allie had likely gone through a similar ordeal but he didn't know the details. Their recent work had prevented them from communicating with each other during the past few weeks.
"Likewise, Dima. Maybe we'll get the opportunity to work together again someday." Ethan replied cordially.
"As colleagues you mean, we'll see." she replied mysteriously before leaving the hangar bay. She hadn't betrayed a single thought and Ethan found himself wondering what the ultimate call would be. Councilor Castlebrook would definitely give his approval, but he had no idea how the others would vote. He decided not to obsess over it, he'd made it this far, the rest would be up to fate. After giving the situation another moment of consternation he decided to head for the wards where he was due to meet this brother and sister. It would be good seeing them again, reuniting with his siblings was one of the few pleasures that he'd allowed himself during the past four years. He'd devoted the rest of his time and energy into advancing his career and honing his skills. Climbing the ladder to achieve his N7 designation had proven to be the most grueling challenge of his life and had no doubt been the same for Allie. He could still recall his shock when they'd encountered each other during a combat simulation back when they were both struggling to become N1s. Round the clock training, sleep deprivation and half starvation had all culminated into a hostile encounter with a rival combat team that had been led by his sister. The ensuing struggle and resulting stalemate did succeed in impressing their superiors who had been more than happy to offer them both invitations to return for the N2 courses. Still, he always found it slightly irritating that he hadn't managed to beat her. After stopping at a conveniently placed Avina terminal in order to locate the restaurant where Will wanted to meet up, Ethan couldn't help but overhear a rather spirited conversation between a pair of human businessmen.
"...and after that mess on Elysium, you can imagine my relief that I had the good sense to transfer all of my operations to Terra Nova four years ago. The Alliance is hopeless." one of them complained.
"I completely agree, hell if it weren't for The Terminus Wolves, Bekenstein wouldn't still be standing either." the other man replied appreciatively.
"I've heard about them, I mean who hasn't at this point? Their leader is that Terminus Hunter fellow, right? Wasn't he a fugitive a few years back?" the first man inquired curiously.
"Yes, briefly until he was quietly acquitted by the Council. Rumor has it he was framed, quite frankly I don't care what the truth is. That man and his people are the only ones keeping the Trio of Evil in check. Three years ago, Bekenstein was considered a lost cause when the yahg arrived. Hiring the Terminus Hunter and his wolves was considered by many to be a final act of desperation. But they accepted the job and spent a year fulfilling their contract, by the time they were finished the yahg and ZEN had been completely driven from the Boltzmann System. They aren't just mercenaries, they're miracle workers." the other man explained.
"Trust me, I'm a believer, especially after how they just saved Terra Nova. I find myself wondering how the hell the locals managed to afford them, though. They say the Terminus Wolves are the best of the best, well trained, well armed and actually rival SPECTRES. Despite the fact that there's barely more than a dozen of them, they've managed to deal some of the most devastating defeats to the Trio since the war started. They're the biggest reason why the Terminus Systems are still yahg and ZEN free." the first man remarked in admiration.
"Which means that pirates and criminals have better protection than respectable Alliance citizens." the other man replied cynically. "It's no wonder they're starting to get offers from the other races, the Council can pretend otherwise, but we all know how desperate the situation is getting. Mark my words, a few local millionaires likely pooled their resources in order to save their own assets and Terra Nova as a whole ended up benefiting from it. The Wolves are damned good at what they do, but they don't accept charity work, I'm certain of that." he confidently added.
The men continued their discussion as they walked past and Ethan found himself wondering how Mal was doing. It hadn't been the first time that he'd heard about him or his mercenary group. Zaeed had been the first to inform him of Mal's activities shortly after collaborating with him and his new friends during a job. Not long afterwards, Alliance Intel began picking up on their movements and before long the galaxy at large started to hear about them. Their exploits had gotten a huge amount of media attention, especially after they saved Bekenstein. Mal had even been interviewed shortly after a celebration on the colony. The local government had apparently considered making a statue of him as a tribute to his accomplishments but Mal simply declined. When he was asked by reporters about why he turned down the gesture he simply said, "Statues are for heroes and assholes. They're usually one in the same and I'm neither. I'm just a merc who did his job." It was a sign of just how much he still hated John Shepard. More than anything, Ethan wanted his friend back but he knew it wasn't likely to be. During the last four years Mal had only maintained consistent contact with Zaeed, who was not only his mentor but also a second father figure, and Wrex with whom he shared a mutual respect. He also stayed in contact with Grunt who had a genuine affection for him and enjoyed hanging out with his group and working together on missions. The Terminus Wolves and Aralakh Company had killed many a yahg together and were always on amiable terms. Mal and his people were recognized and respected all across Tuchanka and the Terminus Systems, many areas in Citadel Space even welcomed them. But they kept their activities in both Citadel and Alliance Space to a minimum. Mal wasn't one to forget a grudge and his animosity towards both parties was more than obvious.
After releasing a sigh, Ethan proceeded towards a cab terminal and called a ride. Sometime later he found himself inside of a quaint, unassuming diner where two of the most important people in his life were already waiting for him. "It's about time you showed up, we were about to order without you." Will joked before hugging his brother.
"Half a decade in the military and you still can't manage to be on time." Allie added humorously before also hugging him.
"It wasn't my fault this time, I got distracted on my way here after I heard about-" Ethan immediately caught himself before he could finish the statement. Mal was still a touchy subject for Allie. She had come a long way during the last four years compared to the sulky mess she was after their split, but they all knew that she still had feelings for him.
"About what?" Allie asked curiously.
"The fleet losses." Ethan quickly replied.
"Can't say I blame you. We're getting hammered." Will remarked sympathetically. "The First Fleet is the only one that's still going strong. That means the Sol System is safe, for now anyway." he added grimly.
"Yes, we should all give thanks for Admiral Dad and his flawless decision making skills." Ethan replied sarcastically.
"Ethan, don't. Isn't it about time that you-"
"No." Ethan cut in bitterly. "And I don't see you running off to make up with mom, so don't lecture me." he added sternly.
Will simply shook his head in quiet resignation. The tension between his older siblings and their parents was still an issue in the Shepard family. The cold and falsely courteous exchanges that they shared during the holidays was almost painful to watch. Family gatherings inevitably devolved into sibling only affairs after awhile but it was better than witnessing another shouting match between Allie and their mother or helping David break up a stare-down between Ethan and their father. "So, have either of you heard from Hannah? I was wondering how her new job and classes were going." Will finally inquired, eager to break the silence.
"She's fine, at least there's one person in this family we don't have to worry about. Working as an intern for the Sirta Foundation while attending college, she really is the only normal one out of all of us." Allie replied cheerfully.
"It is a relief to know that she's safe back at home on Earth with Miranda." Ethan sighed. "Meanwhile, David's getting his hands dirty almost daily. What the hell were the higher-ups thinking putting him on the frontlines? The yahg have been trying to take Eden Prime for over a year now and our side can't hold out much longer." he angrily stated.
"Why didn't grandma intervene like she did with you?" Allie asked anxiously.
"Grandma already cashed in all her favors when she got me stationed on her ship and when she tore off after you when that mess with the pirates was going on. She's a rear admiral now and she can't show favoritism. And of course our parents saw fit to swear the same vow that that they made with us and promised not to get involved in David's career." Ethan explained bitterly.
"Well, it's not all bad news. He finally got assigned to a ship, so we won't have to worry about him too much anymore." Will replied casually. He quickly grew confused by the looks of horror that had appeared on his brother and sister's faces. "What?" he asked in bewilderment.
"Which ship?" Ethan quickly asked.
"Which fleet?" Allie added anxiously.
"I'm not sure, why-"
"Oh God, Ethan what if it's a transport for a marine division?! They'll ship him somewhere even worse!" Allie said in a panic.
"Well, we know it can't be the 103rd Division, otherwise one of us would've heard about it and David isn't in the special forces yet." Ethan replied.
"What if they put him in the tenth?" Allie asked desperately.
"Frontier Division? I doubt it, whether we like it or not they won't waste David on some dust bowl listening post. He's got too much combat experience, it'll definitely be a frontline assignment. Probably on a ship that's part of one of the more bloodied up fleets, my guess is it's the Seventh." Ethan speculated.
"No! I don't care if I have to abuse whatever authority I have, I will NOT let them send my little brother to that graveyard." Allie said defiantly.
"Allie, that's a little harsh. There are still people fighting there, you know. It's got a bad reputation but-"
"It has the highest mortality rate of all Eight Fleets! Despite the fact that it wasn't the smallest, suffered the fewest losses during the Reaper War and required the least amount of resources to rebuild afterwards, they've still managed to lose people by the thousands! I won't let them send David there, damn it!" Allie stubbornly interjected.
"Allie, I need you to calm down and listen. You're a staff lieutenant, your unit may be famous but you don't have the pull necessary to change this and neither do I. It's barely been six months since I got my promotion to first lieutenant, so I damn sure don't have the power to do anything. David's tough and we all know that he's the smartest one out of all of us. He's not just a warrior, he's a sage and the best man in this family. Hopefully, he'll still have Sophie with him too." Ethan calmly explained.
"He will, she got the same reassignment." Will quietly added. "Damn, I had no idea how rough it was. I feel like an idiot. When I heard he finally got a posting on a ship..." he trailed off.
"Don't beat yourself up, Will. That's just how it is for people who aren't in the military. I'll have some friends look into it later and see if I can find out for sure if he's headed to the Seventh Fleet and what ship he'll be assigned to." Ethan said consolingly. "I know he's probably had a tough enough time thanks to all of us." he added guiltily.
"We didn't ask for the fame Ethan, we just did what we had to do." Allie replied reassuringly.
"Dad prevented an all out invasion of the Sol System with minimal losses. Mom wiped out an Equinox breeding facility. Grandma destroyed a ZEN relay network that was hidden in the Newton System. And then there's us, I can't even imagine what poor David is enduring right now." Ethan explained sadly.
"They're calling him the runt of the family." Will bitterly added. "The jackasses on leave like to whisper to themselves about how there's actually a Shepard in the Alliance who isn't famous or amazing. No biotics and no skills. I'd dare the bastards to say it to his face, they don't even have the balls to repeat themselves when I call them out on it." he elaborated angrily while cracking his knuckles.
"Don't worry about it, Will. Soon enough, David will be turning a few heads and when he does there are going to be a lot of apologists lining up to kiss his ass." Ethan remarked confidently.
"I can't believe they actually say things like that, the nerve!" Allie shouted irritably.
"Well, it's not like anyone is honestly going to say anything when we're around. We've made more than a few people look bad over the years Allie and so have mom and dad. David's an easy target for them to abuse right now, but that won't last." Ethan replied.
"And you know what the worst part is? David's too damned mellow about the whole thing. He just brushes off all of their bullshit and suffers in silence." Will furiously added.
"That's just the way he is, Will. It's been that way since we were kids." Allie replied softly.
"Like I said, he's our sage." Ethan remarked while smiling faintly.
"Yeah, well I intend to get pissed off enough for the both of us from now on." Will said irritably. "Anyway, let's order already. I won't be off duty for long and you two will probably be leaving as soon as you get confirmed as SPECTRES." he eagerly added.
"You're awfully confident about our chances, aren't you little brother? I guess you admire your big sister more than you let on." Allie teased.
"I just have common sense, that's all. The Council may be trying to keep it under wraps, but they've lost more than a few SPECTRES over the years thanks to the Zodiac Commanders. Mal and his wolves may actually be the only ones who-" Will instantly realized his mistake and after exchanging an anxious glance with Ethan, he quickly looked at his sister who had grown quiet.
"I think I'll have one of the cheeseburgers, they're supposed to be really good right?" she cheerfully stated after spending an excessive length of time perusing her menu.
"Uh, yeah, the best on the Citadel." Will quickly replied, eager to change topics. "The fries are amazing too..." he continued.
While his brother launched into an extended spiel about food, Ethan chanced a glimpse of his sister. She may have been able to fool everyone else, but not him. Some scars simply never healed, no matter how many years managed to pass. Several hours later, the entire Citadel became a hotbed of media attention after the Council's two newest SPECTRES made their departure from the station.
"So have you heard? We're getting a Shepard!" an energetic corporal remarked excitedly while her friend performed maintenance on his Avenger. They were currently inside the shuttle bay of the SSV Tokyo, one of the few remaining cruisers of the Seventh Fleet. The fleet itself had been assigned to safeguard the Utopia System, but speculation among the troops was that this order would soon be rescinded due to the staggering losses that they'd suffered. The groundside forces that had been deployed to Eden Prime had been all but obliterated and the few soldiers who remained were already being evacuated and assigned to what few ships remained in the fleet. Fortunately, most of the colonists had been evacuated thanks to the efforts of a few dedicated survivors, one of whom happened to have a very famous last name...
"Why the hell would our superiors waste an N7 on the likes of us. You know they call this fleet the graveyard, right? As far as everyone else is concerned, we're already dead." her friend replied gruffly.
"He's not an N7, Matthews. He's the youngest one." the corporal replied.
"Aw, hell no! They gave us the runt? Well that figures." a deep voice suddenly interjected in annoyance. Her fellow Corporal had just jumped into the conversation from across the hangar.
"That's rude, Jackson." the corporal replied sternly.
"It's also true, Simmons." Jackson replied casually. "Let's go point by point, shall we? He's the youngest, not a biotic, no technical skills and he's still a private from what I heard. The Graveyard Fleet gets fucked again." he added sardonically.
"You'd figure they'd actually give a damn about where they were sending him, he is a Shepard after all." Matthews pondered.
"He's the fucking extra, man. Think about it, they've already got two, that's right TWO hotshot, badass, super soldiers handling shit. We're talking Shepards 2.0 here. One is a damn genius at everything and seriously sexy from what I hear and her brother is a one man wrecking crew. Oh and they're both ridiculously powerful biotics...who saved the whole goddamn Citadel when they were teenagers. Yeah, I think that about covers it." Jackson replied wryly.
"I heard he's the reason those poor bastards on Eden Prime aren't all dead." another voice added. It belonged to a charming young private who was working on her own Avenger at another workbench. "He's not a runt either, not from what I saw. I caught a glimpse of him when I went with Gonzalez on a supply drop. He looked pretty tough to me. Cute too." she added while cleaning her rifle.
"Really?" Simmons asked.
"He's got his father's eyes, they look a lot alike, there are a few differences though." she replied in a blase manner.
"Shameless as usual, Evans." Matthews replied casually.
"Alright, I'm taking bets right now. Who else thinks he'll be dead in a week?" Jackson asked the shuttle bay at large. As the soldiers around the hangar began making wagers, Matthews and Simmons simply ignored them.
"Poor bastard, someone high up must really hate him." Matthews finally remarked as he finished the maintenance on his gun.
"Flight Lieutenant Murphy, contact me as soon as we receive our new orders from Command. We've sent enough men to die in this godforsaken quagmire." a rather crotchety old man shouted before exiting the ship's bridge. Captain Theodore Neilon had seen more than his fair share of wars over the years and they never got any easier to face. He'd been certain that he'd seen the worst during the reaper campaigns, but he now found himself having to stomach the horrors that the Triumvirate of Evil had unleashed. He hated using such a grand sounding title to describe such despicable forces but it was the official name that was used to detail their enemies. Fortunately it was quickly giving way to the more common term of Trio of Evil that most civilians used to describe the bastards. "Tea, tea is what I need right now." the old man muttered as he made his way towards the elevator.
"Captain, a word?" a stern looking woman in uniform asked.
"What is it Commander?" Captain Neilon asked impatiently, he wanted his tea damn it. Staff Commander Linda Abrams was a superb executive officer, but she also had a reputation for being rigid and plenty of the crew rejoiced whenever she wasn't around to ruin their fun. Neilon himself had to admit that the woman could be unnecessarily irksome, especially whenever she caught sight of him playing backgammon with Chief Engineer Peters.
"Have you seen the list of our new personnel?" she asked seriously.
"Is this about the Shepard boy? I had no say in the matter Abrams and contrary to what you may believe, he's an earnest young man. Hardworking, determined, not a flashy pain in the ass like that brother of his." Neilon replied. Neilon had the unpleasant experience of meeting Ethan Shepard a year earlier and wasn't fond of the encounter. The boy had saved the lives of several men under his command, but he'd also made a complete spectacle in the process. Slaughtering half a dozen yahg with a flick of the finger may have been good for morale, but it was also quite uncouth in Neilon's opinion.
"I have it on good authority that Private Shepard is a superb soldier and remarkable young man. He's also one of the biggest reasons why we were able to successfully evacuate Eden Prime." Abrams replied factually.
"Then what exactly is your complaint?" Neilon asked with a mild note of agitation.
"Sir, with all due respect he's a Shepard. The rest of his family are icons, they've achieved a level of success that he can't ever hope to compete with. He's already become a source of...ridicule among his peers, even if it is quiet. His presence onboard the ship will only prove to be disruptive." she explained.
Neilon took a moment to stare back at his talented, but sometimes shortsighted executive officer. "Our colleagues call this the 'Graveyard Fleet' and they also do it quietly. Commander, if that young man wanted to escape his family's legacy, his best bet would have been to simply ignore it altogether by avoiding a career in the military. Instead, he joined the Alliance during a time of war knowing full well that he already had an older brother and sister who'd not only lived up to the expectations that everyone had of them but completely surpassed them. They're damned celebrities, we both know that and highly decorated ones too. Even so, I'll throw my lot in with the 'runt' and be proud to do it. I won't pawn him off on another ship just because of a few restless buffoons. Am I making myself clear, Commander?" Neilon said sternly.
"I...yes, sir." Abrams reluctantly replied.
"Good, now if there's nothing else, I can finally head to the mess and have my tea." Neilon remarked brightly. The old man was a capable leader and an experienced captain, but wasn't without his quirks.
While David sat alone in the mess hall of his new ship, he couldn't help but wonder how the rest of his family was doing. The fighting on Eden Prime had been brutal and he'd found himself unable to check his messages or place any calls. He'd barely been able to send word to Will about his new posting. He had to admit it was nice to finally be able to have a hot meal after weeks of field rations and despite the mediocrity of his salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and peas, he was more than happy to dig into the food. As he began eating, nearly every eye in the area began to watch him and of course the whispers started. He had grown used to it at this point as well as being alone, or almost alone.
"Hey David." Sophie said pleasantly while taking a seat next to him.
"Sophie, we talked about this. Now that we've gotten a new assignment you should take the opportunity to distance yourself from me, otherwise you'll end up an outcast too." David implored.
"Then so be it. I'm not leaving you, ever. These fools can gossip all they want." Sophie replied defiantly.
David sighed but also smiled, having Sophie with him did make his situation infinitely more bearable. After a few minutes of chatting together and laughing, they were abruptly interrupted by a trio of arrogant looking interlopers.
"You're one of the new recruits we picked up from Eden Prime, right?" one of the soldiers inquired while eyeing Sophie. "You're pretty cute you know, cute enough that my friends and I wouldn't mind having you sit with us. It's a way better deal than hanging with this guy." he added while leering at David.
"I'm perfectly happy where I am, so do me a favor and please leave." Sophie replied irritably.
"I suggest you heed the lady's wishes." David calmly added.
"Excuse me? The Shepard runt is actually trying to order us around!" the stranger loudly laughed drawing the attention of the entire mess hall.
"Well, it's on now. Your boyfriend just picked a fight with Horace and his crew of idiots." Corporal Jackson remarked casually to his companions as they watched the situation unfold from across the room.
"Funny, it looks to me like they picked a fight with him." Private Evans replied dully.
"She's right, Horace is always pulling this bullshit with the new blood." Private Matthews added.
"I hope he doesn't get hurt." Corporal Simmons said anxiously.
"Time for me to make a few bets." Jackson commented eagerly before immediately making wagers with everyone at arm's length.
"Listen kid, you're a long way from home and out here your family's name doesn't mean shit or more specifically YOUR name doesn't mean shit." Horace said derisively before slamming his hand onto the table next to David.
"Leave him alone and get lost, right now!" Sophie shouted angrily.
"It's a pretty sad day for the Shepard family when one of their precious sons has to hide behind his b-" the man called Horace never got to finish his insult as he was promptly knocked unconscious by a punch that appeared to be a blur to every spectator in the mess hall. David wasted no time in dealing with the man's cohorts, and quickly dislocated the shoulder of one as he took a swing at him before laying him out with another explosive punch that instantly shattered his opponent's jaw. His final attacker hesitated after witnessing David's skills and immediately paid for it after David buried his fist into his stomach. With all three men knocked out, he calmly returned to his meal as a stunned hush filled the room.
"David, you shouldn't have done that." Sophie whispered.
"I'll never let anyone disrespect you, Sophie. No matter what." David replied sternly.
She couldn't help but smile, anyone who said that chivalry was dead had obviously never met David Shepard. Moments later Captain Neilon entered the mess hall and immediately took notice of the silence and the stares that David was attracting at his empty table. It didn't take him long to spot the unconscious forms of three of his ship's most notorious troublemakers. The old man immediately realized what had likely occurred but as an authority figure, he was bound by his duty to confront David about the incident and punish him if necessary.
"Private Shepard, would you care to explain this?" Neilon asked sternly after approaching David's table.
"Sir-"
"They fell." Corporal Jackson quickly cut in after practically sprinting across the room. "Apparently they slipped on some mashed potatoes, might've broken their asses, tragic really." he quickly added in a falsely solemn manner.
"They fell, all three?" Neilon asked, careful to conceal his amusement.
"It's true, I saw it too Captain." Private Evans added after gracefully approaching the scene. "One minute they were walking past Private Shepard and the next, Splat!" she commented in an animated fashion.
"Am I to believe that all three of these gentlemen simultaneously met with an unfortunate bout of lethargy due to a chance encounter with a puddle of potatoes." Neilon asked sternly but secretly suppressing the urge to laugh.
"That's how it went down captain. I warned the req guys to go with the scalloped, but they just didn't listen and now look at the price. Damn those bastards!" Corporal Jackson shouted in a surprisingly convincing attempt at outrage. "But you don't have to take our word for it, just ask anybody in here." he added before motioning to the room at large. Within moments, murmurs of agreement began springing up until the entire mess was unanimous in its recollection that Private Horace and his companions were the unfortunate victims of a potato related mishap.
"Alright, that's enough. I believe I understand what transpired. Privates O'Donnell, Stevens, and Bridges, would you kindly transport our three potato bruised patients to the infirmary." Neilon ordered before giving David a knowing look and a barely visible grin. The three random privates instantly obeyed and as they began dragging away the KO'd troublemakers, Commander Abrams walked past them while making her own entry into the mess hall.
"What on earth-"
"My dear Commander, before you no doubt worry yourself to an early grave about the circumstances that led to the current plight of those unfortunate youngsters, allow me to enlighten you about the dangers of potatoes, particularly those of the mashed variety." Captain Neilon quickly interjected while leading his executive officer to an empty table across the hall.
After a few minutes, David and Sophie noticed that their mystery saviors were already taking seats at their table and they were quickly joined by two others who'd made their way over. "Um, thanks I guess." David finally managed.
"No Shepard, thank you for making me a little richer." Jackson replied appreciatively.
"You actually bet on him? What happened to that whole 'won't survive the week garbage' that you had going?" Matthews asked.
"What can I say, I like a long shot." Jackson replied.
"Those moves were incredible, I didn't think anyone outside of special forces could be that good at hand-to-hand." Simmons commented brightly.
"It was quite the show." Evans added while gazing at David.
Sophie took notice and quickly grew agitated. "Not to be rude, but who are you?" she asked impatiently.
"You're new best friends." Simmons replied pleasantly while Matthews simply shook his head in pity.
"Poor bastard." he quietly muttered. In the many months to come, David would get to know each of his new acquaintances quite well, whether he wanted to or not.