Garrus

As soon as they arrived at the Alliance dock in Vancouver, the Normandy was swarmed by vultures, all crowing and vying for attention. Their demands and questions were audible over the comm as Joker was busy requesting permission to dock and Garrus had to wonder just how much of a grip these Alliance soldiers supposedly had over the situation.

All the more reason that he and his wife turn from the cockpit and head down towards the CIC to find someone ready to hold back on the ship and willing to guard their children while they ensured everything was in order. This was probably the last time they would be within the Sol system so long as the Alliance was intent on war and they still had some loved ones and allies that they wanted to ensure weren't going to play martyrs after they all they've already done.

He knew the former crew couldn't really defy orders without backlash, but at least he and his wife could convince them not to volunteer to go through hell all over again. Fighting one war - and definitely the worst - was enough for the galaxy and politicians. At least some of them should earn their freedom so they could live vicariously through their friends while stuck aboard the ship that has become their prison.

Rym steps out of the lift with heavy thumps of her armor painted in greens, browns, and black to match the shifts of color in her own plates. One look from the krogan's orange eyes look over the two of them, landing on the twins. "You can't take them out in that mess," she says stiffly as she motions the cockpit where Aelia has closed the shutters so they don't have to look at the throng of reporters and questioning citizens.

"Are you volunteering?" His mate lifts a red brow with a smirk on her lips and untangles Damocles' hands from her chestplate despite his soft, trilling growl in protest, holding him out at arms' length at the krogan. "You know you want to."

The face Rym makes nearly breaks his mask of reluctant and choosy parents, a laugh almost rumbling out at the look of the female. Eyes widen slightly as her lips frown as body leans just subtly away, the epitome of an utterly lost individual that thinks a baby would suddenly turn into a giant yahg at the slightest breath. True, Damocles can be a little monster all his own, but Garrus wouldn't go that far.

"It smells," the female says in confusion as she holds up a finger just before the babbling baby that Damocles reaches for with his tiny, five fingered hands. "And too small."

Garrus chuckles at that, knowing their children are actually big for their age compared to a full blooded turian, and shifts Cassia on his hip. "They're not as sturdy as krogan babies, that's for sure, but Damocles won't bite."

"At least not hard enough that your redundant nervous system can't take care of it," Jane adds with a chuckle, their son wiggling impatiently in her hands.

Convinced that he won't hurt her, at least, Rym steps closer and pokes their son in the belly softly before snatching her hand away. "He's too soft. What if I break him?"

"Soft?" Jane snorts and urges the girl to take hold of the baby. "Here, I'll show you how to hold him."

An uneasy rumble comes from the girl, but she accepts the child in her much larger hands. Garrus watches as Jane shows her how to wrap an arm around his hips to cradle his rear in the crook that it forms. Next, Jane shows her how to hold him close with her free hand and Garrus gives a rumble and smile as he sees the surprised excitement light up the girl's face.

Now that he thinks of it, Rym's reluctance and timid nature towards the children isn't all that surprising or out of place. She may be of an age for krogan to have attempted to have children of her own, but when she failed, she moved towards her work. It would make sense if she never handled a child in her life, too busy trying to better her people, and, when finally given the chance, it isn't as she expected.

Yet, she relaxes quickly and smiles warmly at the baby pawing at her much rougher hide, even going to far as to try and grab her bottom lip. She playfully snaps at his fingers and giggles, grabbing Cassia's attention and matches giggles. Garrus chuckles at that, the two of them with a connection he never would have imagined though Jane says is quite common in twins of species capable of producing them.

"I like him," Rym says with a rumbling laugh as he tries again to grab her lip, growling in anticipation for the returning snap. "He is stubborn. Like a krogan."

"Please, don't say that or Jane will be taking him to Tuchanka for a Rite," he deadpans as his mate smirks.

"He'd kick some Thresher ass. Maybe have Grunt as his Battlemaster." She nudges him with an elbow as the lift opens once again to Traynor blowing over a mug of something herbal he can smell from where he stands. "Oh, Traynor. You heading off ship?"

"No, ma'am," she answers with a smile, like that should be obvious. "Have you even heard what's going on outside?" She shakes her head exaggeratedly. "No way." Setting her mug down to finally look at them, she gasps with wide eyes and a huge grin. "Rym! You're holding Damocles!"

Rym simply hums as she gets used to the feeling of the baby in her arms enough to wiggle a finger before his nose, causing him to grip it and bite onto the glove with a chirping growl. She wiggles it with an imitation of his growl as she lets him teeth on the heavy weave of her glove. Just the thought of her digging in the AI Core with her hands has Garrus thanking the fact that she does it without gloves because he doesn't even want to imagine what could be on those gloves if not. I know I wouldn't want them chewing on my own gloves after I've maintained the guns because they get absolutely filthy with who knows what.

He watches Samantha tap at her terminal before taking a sip and turning to them once again. Without a word, she holds out her arms to him with an impatient wave of her hands. "Alright, come to aunty Sam."

"Quite demanding, are we?" Jane says with a lifted brow as she cocks her hip, but Garrus hands over their daughter anyways, trusting the woman in caring for their children. She's proven herself many times over when they needed someone in a pinch when work pulled them away. "Don't you have work, Specialist?"

He knows the teasing question for what it is, as does the woman who rolls her eyes and turns all attentions to the baby now in her arms. "I just checked. Nothing but media static," she says quickly before making babbling noises at the infant on her hip. "Can you say Sam? Can you say Sam?"

"Sam?" Garrus snorts as he heads to follow Jane to the lift, his armor making his footsteps heavier. "She'll be saying 'dada' before she says anything else."

"No way in hell she says 'dada' before 'mama', Garrus," his mate corrects them all, reaching over and hovering above the command for the Cargo Bay where they will exit the ship from the ramp along with whatever few crew have decided to stand by the Alliance. It will also be easier to slip back and forth once cargo starts to be loaded. They'll just have to suffer the initial disembark. "And, Traynor? If you get them to say 'mama', then I'll requisition you something nice. Maybe find some nice Earth chocolate."

He has no idea what's so special about chocolate and why it seems like every woman he's ever come into contact with loves it so much, but he knows he's beat when the woman grins and salutes. "Aye, aye, ma'am. 'Mama' it is."

Jane chuckles and taps as he makes an exaggerated pout, rumbling sadly with quivering mandibles. "Oh, don't be such a sore loser," she replies, unmoved by his sadness as she smirks and pretends to ignore his pleading looks. "It's not my fault that I know how to bribe."

"Bribery," he agrees as he wraps an arm around her shoulders to pull her close to his body, purring. "I should have known. Unlike you, I will not stoop to such a level."

All he gets in response to that is an unbelieving snort as her own arm relaxes around his hips, her weight leaning against his side. He knows this moment is going to be the calmest for quite a while once they step into the threshold of the Cargo Bay doors and try to cut through the throng of annoyances that have nothing better to do than harass the only person responsible for saving all off their sorry hides.

When the doors open, they are stopped in their tracks by the Normandy's Requisition Officer and only resident Elcor. "Eagerly. Greetings Shepard and Vakarian. With confusion. Or is it just Vakarian?"

"Shepard and Vakarian is good," the redhead replies with a curious tilt to her head. "Can we help you, Harrot?"

"With pride. I have acquired the supplies for your Cabin's remodelling. I can have the items delivered while docked on Earth and members of nonessential crew can assemble and install said modifications to the Captain's Quarters. Cautiously. I would not trust outside assistance given the sensitive nature of the occupants' existence this new addition pertains to."

Under other circumstances, he wouldn't trust the money-hungry Elcor, but fear is a good trust building emotion. Should he betray them, Harrot would be hunted by both the Normandy and her current and former crew as well as Aria because, if there's one thing Garrus knows about the woman, it's that she can't stand someone defying her orders. Whatever Harrot owes Aria for serving on the Normandy, Garrus knows that the Elcor's presence here is him paying a debt to Aria while she pays a debt to Garrus and his mate for practically leading the reclamation of Omega.

So, it is with that confidence in the man's common sense and self-preservation that Garrus allows him to deal with matters pertaining to their children. Does he know the exacts of their existence? No way would they give him that chance and he hasn't physically seen them since boarding thanks to his long hours here in the Cargo Bay, so he doesn't know much more than anyone who turns on the vidscreen or visits the extranet.

"What about the bathroom? Can you manage moving the door?"

"Reassuringly. Yes. I have already planned the location of the alteration according to the blueprints of the Captain's Quarters provided," Harrot says in that typical monotone as he turns and lumbers towards his station here in the Bay. "Inquisitive. Would you like to see?"

Jane shrugs in what Garrus knows is a 'why not' as she leads the way to the station where the large terminal designed for an Elcor's large hands - probably something he requisitioned from Omega for himself - projects an image across the flat surface of the workbench. "With confidence in success. As you can see, there is a section of wall that does not contain vital systems."

He motions the wall directly to the right of the entrance where they had initially expected to be able to gain access to the small bathroom. That would put the entrance directly beside the shower, but outside of its spray or drainage. Beside that is where the new wall will be, not weight bearing by any means, but the merely need it as a divider between themselves as their growing infants. It is, at least, supported internally to sport a basic door to admit them into the 'nursery' without having to keep the current bathroom door open to use as a roundabout way to the babies. He can only imagine the troubles that would give them in the future.

Humming, Garrus runs his talon over the perimeter of the small nursery, asking, "How long will it all take? We aren't planning on being on Earth for much longer than a few hours."

"With optimism. The supplies are planned to arrive within the hour."

"And to build it?" Jane then asks when Garrus steps away. "Say on a good day with the most crew you'll need?"

"Tentatively. A day?"

Her brow shoots up as she crosses her arms. "A day? How many hours? And what's the longest step?"

"Thoughtful calculation. The most tedious task will be the removal and replacement of the lavatory entrance. If I can get a crew to begin work immediately, the task should be completed tomorrow before 'lights out', as you humans call the time of evening when you proceed to sleep."

"So all day and part of today?" When she receives an affirmative, Jane sighs and runs a hand over her pulled back hair. "Damn. Okay. Let us know if anything slows down the process… and I expect to be able to sleep in our own bed tonight, so when I call it a night, I want the crew out for the night."

"With understanding. Yes, Shepard. Of course."

They leave the Elcor to his planning, there nothing left to be said and the clock ticking against everything they have to do before having to leave the planet. Walking to the opening ramp, they meet up with Alenko and the two refugees he had spent Normandy credits to 'save'. A fact that still makes Garrus' mandibles twitch in irritation at both the blatant disregard of orders and embezzling the money he was supposed to be allocating and safeguarding.

"Kaidan," Jane says, motioning him to part from the mother and child when he turns to look. He frowns in confusion, but comes to the summons, crossing his arms behind his back in parade rest. So he and Jane hadn't reached an agreement on the issue. "We need to talk."

Alenko sighs and drops his stance, rubbing at the crown of that dark hair that seems weightless - biotics, he had said. Self-pampering I say - as he tries to explain once again. "Look, Shepard. I know that you and Garrus have-"

"You're off the ship," she interrupts, her tone brokering no protest.

Doesn't stop the man's eyes from widening in shock as his mouth falls open. "What? Are you… You're kicking me off the Normandy?"

"Tell me, what was her occupation before the war?" She motions the young woman and he sighs.

"Florist."

Garrus has to hold back his exasperated growl rife with frustration and disbelief at the entire situation. His mate seems to unconsciously know his thoughts as she practically says what he's thinking. Granted, in her own special way.

"Oh. Wonderful," she says with a tone drowning in sarcasm as she smiles. "Next time I go into battle, I can wear flowers in my fucking hair." Her expression drops. "My guns don't run off rainbows and tulips, Alenko. You didn't even buy a refugee that can repay the debt. What am I supposed to do? Have her daughter scrubbing toilets while she makes a flower garden down here in the Bay?"

Irritated by her tone and condensation, Kaidan glares at her, crossing his arms. "At least I care enough about people to see them home. You'd just let them all suffer."

"So you decided to steal the Normandy's credits to sate your own need for a big pat on the back. Well, congratulations, you did it. You saved two people from slavery and for what cost? Well, you used up the credits we could use for food or fuel. I'll be sure to tell the crew." Shaking her head, she takes a heavy breath to calm herself down and try to be civil, which is more than Garrus would be doing. He'll let her take the lead, though, as she obviously is already heading in a direction he would have taken himself. "No. I can't have that. You were the fucking XO, for Jesus' sake. It was your job to make sure the ship runs. Fuck man, that was your only job! You weren't even going to ground!"

"Shepard… I can repay it-"

"With what, Kaidan," Garrus has to say, unable to stay quiet when the man spouts some of the worst ideas he's ever heard. "Just how much are you making as a Major that you can repay the Normandy, but couldn't buy them yourself?"

He frowns. "I meant-"

"It doesn't matter, Kaidan," she cuts him off, sighing with - could it be - understanding in her eyes? Sure, many years ago Garrus would have felt the same sense of loss at not being able to do anything, to stand back and let it all play out before his eyes, but the war has taken so much from them all. Fighting for nearly four years straight does that to a person. "I can't trust you not to put your feelings before common sense. I know that you want to save everyone, but that's just not how shit works."

"I…" Kaidan frowns and drops his head, nodding. "I understand. I don't think I will ever be able to look away like you can, but, for what it's worth, I am truly sorry for putting the crew in this predicament." Looking up to them, his lips curl in a sad smile as his eyes search her. "I hope maybe one day you can forgive me and we can move past this."

She nods and looks up to Garrus and, he knows, she is asking to reach an agreement. They have far too few friends to let a lapse in judgment get the better of them. It's not really how he'd like it, to just forgive, but he can do it for her. He just won't repeat the same mistake.

So, with that plea in her eyes, he nods and rumbles. His wife smiles in thanks as she turns to the man and nods again. "Yeah. Maybe one day-"

"Come on, mister Major!" The young girl calls, her hand in her mother's as she bounces in the light from a sky not as dark and ashen as the one over London.

Jane jerks her head towards the two silhouetted over the Cargo Bay ramp and he nods in understanding. "I'll send for my things as soon as I get them into Alliance care."

They agree just before he paints on a smile and rushes to meet up with the two females. As he passes from hearing, Garrus looks to his mate with a raised brow that she curtly nods to as she looks out to him disappearing into the crowd. "I can't trust him not to pull shit like that again. I won't lose credits we are using to try and keep this ship afloat."

"I didn't say anything," he merely says as he jerks his head towards the crowd with a rumble of question. "Ready to shoulder our way through the vultures."

Smirking, she nods and starts to walk to the voices growing louder with proximity and attention to their appearance. Shouts of demands and questions rise up from the flood of people all clambering over the other with shoves. He can't help think of a herd of Xemna all crowded into a too small pin trying to climb over the others and trampling them in the process.

"...Shepard! Shepard! Is it true that you've abandoned your own species for turians?..."

"...Do you plan on adopting more species?..."

"... Why not humans?..."

"...have to say to the threats…"

"... What do you have to say about the allegations that the Hierarchy and Alliance were working alongside the krogan against the other species?..."

"...Did you really leave Thessia to burn?..."

"...do you have to say about the 'abomination' that is your marriage with a species your very own was in conflict with not too long ago?..."

"...Why have you refused to participate in the war against the batarians?..."

"... Why have you given up on your species?..."

It all washes over them as they shove, none too gently, through the crowds. Let them say what they will, it doesn't matter. There are none that would be stupid enough to take away the children of Archangel and a woman who defied death itself who brought the machines thought immortal crashing down in their actual mortality.

Just when he begins to wonder when the ocean of people would never end, he feels a body slide up along his, keeping in pace with his own. A quick glance aside reveals a set of robes and long fringe that only belongs to one man that would think it smart to walk alongside them.

"I believe I may be able to assist," Arcanus says as his body is alight with blue, expanding around the three of them and shoving aside human onlookers. "I had not expected the two of you, but I must admit that it has its benefits."

"We thought you might be dead." Garrus sees the flick of mandible that portrays the actual truth in that statement. "Vosque had his own Suns turned against you."

"Yes, I know. Judging by your knowledge, I take it you took care of him?" He looks to them as his barrier aids their movement through the crowds, speeding up their ascent towards the Alliance past up the docks. "He will not be the last."

"What are your plans?" Jane asks as they come to an Alliance cordoned area - where were these soldiers to assist? It's like the Alliance doesn't even care anymore. Makes three of us - and the two of them turn to the older turian. "You plan on squashing any traitors?"

"How is my family," Garrus can't help but ask, worried that they might be in danger if the Blue Suns know they are, in any way, connected to the two of them.

"Your family, as I have heard, are already on a Hierarchy ship and heading back to the Apien Crest. I believe they were waiting until they had stable communications before contacting you." He hums as he crosses his arms behind his back, dropping the barrier. "Unfortunately, I do not see an easy solution to the other problem. I had always suspected my command would not last long as many have not before me and I know that my alliance with the two of you had angered many. However, I still have men loyal to me that have assisted me in disembarking from the Blue Suns." Jane lifts a brow as Garrus rumbles in subharmonic question, so the man explains, "The Blue Suns believe I have fallen to one of my competitor's men."

"So… what? You're leading a new merc company? That's fast."

Yet, Arcanus does not give the affirmative. Instead, he shakes his head with a rumble. "I do not yet have the necessary components to form an entirely new company. Thus, my men are free to take freelance work until I call on them to join us."

"Us?" Garrus asks with a raised brow, looking to his mate before the man again. "Who's 'us'?"

Reguix chuckles and motions them with a hand. "I was not expecting you to take my offer to join me to lightly, but know it still stands. Perhaps, when we are strong, we can run the company jointly."

A look to his wife actually reveals a considering look. True, they have wanted to get away from fighting, but if they could finally fight for themselves? That beats growing old and bored with retirement or being overworked fighting for politics that just rolls over them like they are merely puppets.

"Of course, that is not the sole purpose of our meeting," Arcanus says with a slight heaviness to his neck breath as he rumbles in honest question. "I have come to ask if I may join you once again. It would be a pleasant change to return to combat and shed the cloak of command, if even for a short time."

Chuckling, Jane shrugs. "Well, we were actually looking for an XO as our last one… well, we had a disagreement. I know it's still a type of command, but it's less work than commanding the entire Blue Suns in the middle of a war. And you get your own quarters," she adds with an encouraging ring to her voice and coaxing smile and Garrus' chuckle and nod of agreement.

They receive a mandible flick of interest before he nods with a soft, gravelly rumble. "I would gladly assist you."