Bioware owns all. Welcome back, that is if you did come back... okay if you're reading this I will assume you came back. This one is full of dialog, so if you don't like that sort of thing, well I am sorry, but with Walls, that is kind of how it goes. This one goes out to the members of the KAAS and the KAST who I spend most of my waking moments with. That is when I am not dealing with life's emergencies at work.
This chapter is all touchy feely, I know you don't believe that can come out of someone like me... it's my muse really... she refuses to drink.
All In A Working Day
~Present Day~
"God Shepard your a grown woman, this has got to stop!" She told herself as the sat up in bed.
Her heart racing and she was very aroused due to the fact she had been dreaming about Kaidan, again. The night before Ilos this time. Why couldn't she just let him go. He was just a man to be sure. Oh but what a man! Yeah that is not helping. Kaidan is gone. By now Anderson has let him know your alive and he has not contacted you. It's over, and there is nothing you can do about it. Some things you just can't fix. Like Ashley. At least he isn't dead, and if he's happy... Well I can't say I would be happy, but content, I can do content. Damn, I can't even kid myself. Throwing back the covers and choosing to ignore the discomfort the dream has wrought, Shepard gets up.
Walking towards the bathroom, she ends up at the desk instead looking at his picture again. Not like I didn't just see him in my head a few minutes ago, and a lot less formally attired I might add. She smiles to herself and heads to the bathroom to start her day.
After her workout and shower Shepard heads to the mess for her daily oatmeal. Garrus is there at the table having one of his meals. Rupert hands her the oatmeal and milk that he already has prepared for her and she heads for Garrus.
"More hammerhead runs for that Firewalker thing?" he asks.
"Yes, that last one added the location of the Prothean site, I guess we should go there first as the geth are going to be after it. "
"How are you feeling today?"
"You don't really want to talk about this Garrus do you?"
"Shepard, I meant what I said, I am here for you."
"I am fine, I was able to finish my mother's letter with no more tears. I keep forgetting for me it has only been weeks, but for you it has been years." She smiles sadly. "It seems they kept in touch with Kaidan. My dad would call and talk to him giving him pep talks. My dad has a high position in the Alliance so he doesn't do well with writing and has no trouble getting comm time. Mom says she wrote him often and he would write back. I am glad I told them that I wasn't doing any special ops when I talked to her last, or else she would have gone after him for not having told her I was alive. Dad's ears are still burning from having to convince her that he didn't know. They are not happy that I was 'near death' for two years and no one notified them."
"Near death Shepard?"
"Yeah, I didn't want to go into that whole resurrected thing, it's a bit too biblical for my tastes. Clinically dead helps and it explains why they didn't hear from me for two years. Besides, clinically dead is really what it was if you get technical, since you really can't bring the dead back to life. Maybe I am not even really alive, maybe this is all a dream, someone's made up fantasy."
"I am afraid that you are indeed alive Shepard and this is not some made up fantasy. The Collectors are taking whole colonies. You do have to conquer the enemy and you are outgunned. Walk in the park for you."
"Yes I hope so. Well I afraid I can't explain away Cerberus to her as easily I'm afraid. When I told her that I was still a Spectre I think she was satisfied. I don't think dad will be as easy on me there, but since I told her that communication to the ship was monitored by Cerberus, dad won't call, so I should be okay for a while. Dad follows me very closely and is copied on all my reports so knows all about Cerberus, he is not happy with me. He did tell my mother he trusted me and he was waiting for me to report to him when all this is finished."
"Report to him, like in formal report?" Garrus asks.
"No, just report to him as in his daughter better fucking tell him what is going on." Shepard smiles.
"There now that's better you're smiling, that is a smile, right?"
Shepard laughs. "Yes that is a smile Garrus."
"Well it's nice to see it again, you should do it more often."
"I'm trying Garrus, I am trying." Shepard tells him.
"I still hate this thing Garrus." Shepard snaps at him as she fires at a rocket drone.
"Yeah, I'm not loving it at the moment either." He says as he struggles with the controls, trying to avoid being hit.
"Think maybe we can send a memo saying if you're going to take the hammerhead into combat and you made it so that we could shoot, maybe some shields would be a good idea?" Jacob said.
"Damn rocket drones, they're all over!" Shepard curses.
"I hope you don't get sick easily Jacob." Garrus says as he causes the hammerhead to rise and fall to avoid the rockets. "I know Shepard doesn't. You should see how she used to drive the mako."
"Yeah that is the only reason I brought you or Alenko with me all the time, this way I didn't have to drive." She laughed.
"Yeah I remember the time you went out with the 'girls', you got Liara sick, and gave the mako a flat as I recall." Garrus tells her.
"Oh yes!" Shepard gets excited. "Then we had to come and get you to take us to the pirate stronghold. Ash and I got to kill a thresher maw on foot. Okay it was almost dead, but that was great. I really loved that, so did Ash."
"A thresher maw on foot, Shepard, that is dangerous." Jacob says as he enjoys the flush the excitement is giving her.
"Yeah, like I said it was almost dead." she tells him.
"Yeah, she really loves to kill thresher maws. She will make you travel way out of the way if she thinks there is one in the area. You cannot imagine the disappointment when she has pinpointed a site as a good bet for one and then been disappointed because... come on Shepard, you missed that one! Yeah she gets all 'pouty' I think was the word Alenko would use, when there isn't one." Garrus says.
"I am the god damn Savior of the Citadel, I do not get pouty!" Shepard tells them.
"Jacob, when a woman turns down her mouth and protrudes her bottom lip and creases her brow, what would you call that expression?" Garrus asks him.
"Sorry Shepard but that sounds like pouting to me." Jacob tells her, hoping he might get to see that expression at some point.
"Well, I will not admit to pouting and unless you guys have pictures you can't prove it." She tells them.
"I think Alenko has a couple, I will have to check with him." Garrus says.
The laughter goes out of her. "I don't think he does, anyway that would be a bad idea Garrus." She says quietly.
"You're right, can't depend on anyone else I will have to get a picture myself!" Garrus tries to restore the situation before she travels down that dark road again. "Maybe you should pull out some survey maps for the Terminus systems and see if we can find any thresher maws to go after Shepard."
"I don't think these planets have been as thoroughly surveyed." Shepard says.
"Well Commander, I think you would be surprised how much they were surveyed. I think that a lot of mining companies sent drones into the Terminus systems to survey the planets, we certainly could try to find those maps." Jacob tells her. Alenko, she must have something for him. Damn, he's a lucky guy. "I really wouldn't mind seeing you go up against a thresher maw. How do you find one?"
"Simple really" she shakes herself. "They like flat plains and if there are chambers or tunnels shallow under the surface you can almost guarantee that there will be a maw living there. After that you just have to find the optimum range. Maws are creatures of habit, if you move they do, so if you have a vehicle that can jump, like a mako, it is best to use that. Then once you get it to surface, don't move your location just jump when they spit. If you time it right the acid never hits you and you can take it out. On foot of course you just have to keep moving." The excitement is coming back to her eyes. "Yeah as long as you keep moving and firing you can take them down."
"Why do you go after thresher maws, what makes you hate them so?" Jacob asks.
"Because they are sneaky, they can come up with no warning. They can take out a whole squad in a matter of seconds. They can take out armored vehicles with no problem. I have studied them extensively and I know them. Guess that makes me a maw expert." She smiles.
"Best maw expert in the Terminus Systems that is for sure." Garrus tells her.
"Yeah well I am sure there are scientists that have better knowledge of their inner workings, but I know them as the predators that they are and respect them as such. Damn there are more rocket drones, we have to get to those generators." Shepard says.
"Take them down one at a time that is the best way I guess." Garrus tells her.
"Follow the power cables, and then we should be able to find the generators faster." Shepard tells him.
"Right" Garrus acknowledges.
"Well we are going to have to find a way around to that one it's too high, I will follow the next cable. Damn rocket drones." Garrus says.
"As protecting the site goes they are efficient. Damn the sight on this piece of shit is off, it needs to be calibrated. It's off, south of center, by a good bit too." Shepard tells them.
"I'll take care of it when we get back to the Normandy, Commander." Jacob tells her
"I would appreciate it Jacob." Shepard says. "There's one generator down."
"How many generators are there?" Jacob asks.
"I think I counted four. Here is a shelf that's low enough for me to get up." Garrus says.
"Damn there are more rocket drones up here, what did they get them for half price?" Shepard complains.
"Well Commander Cerberus is not cheap when it comes to defense." Jacob says.
"Yes, I remember. There that's two, hey look Garrus, you think we can make that ledge?" Shepard asks.
"Yes Shepard I don't think that's a problem, hold on." Garrus tells them.
"Of course more drones, why wouldn't there be." Shepard says. "Okay that is three, hey Garrus try to go back over to the other shelf. I think I saw a side track up to the last one."
"Okay Shepard." Garrus answers.
"There to the left." Shepard says.
"I see it, and more drones." Garrus tells her.
"Fun, Fun, Fun." Shepard laughs.
"Only the best for you Shepard." Garrus laughs.
"Okay that should be the last one. Yep the field is down, lets go." Shepard says.
They get out of the Hammerhead and enter the facility guns drawn.
"This doesn't really resemble the other Prothean sites we have seen." Shepard says.
"How many Prothean sites have you been to?" Jacob asks.
"A few, maybe we can avoid destroying this one, what do you think Garrus?" Shepard asked.
"It kind of resembles Feros a bit. I think that there would be a happy archeologist that would appreciate it if we didn't destroy it this time." Garrus says.
"This time?" Jacob asks.
"Yeah, well we lost the last one to lava and it seems I caused the one on Therum to be over run by lava when I used a miner beam to rescue Liara T'soni." Shepard said.
"I don't see how they can blame us when both the planets were unstable to begin with." Garrus says.
"Well it seems everything is always my fault. They blame me for Vimire when it was Captain Kirrahe's idea. 'Things blow up when you're around Shepard' or something like that, they tell me." Shepard tells him.
Jacob can see the stress come to her face when she talks about Vimire. He remembers when Miranda asked her about leaving Ashley Williams behind she had a very sad look on her face for a moment and then schooled her expression. They must have been close.
They continue down ramps several levels way underground. They found a data pad from Dr. Cayce that said the Geth showed up right after they arrived. They then find a pad from Dr. O'Loy where he admits to making a deal with the collectors to give them the Prothean site in exchange for the safety of a colony where his loved one was. Dr. Cayce killed Dr. O'Loy thinking he was indoctrinated. Then Dr. Cayce seems to have been hearing voices. Finally Shepard finds the Prothean artifact by Dr. Cayce's dead body. When she touches it there is a burst of some kind and it shrinks small and lands like a bowling ball. They bring it back to the ship, mission completed.
"Anything special happen today?" Shepard asks, taking a bite of her dinner.
Joker and Dr. Chakwas sit across from her and Garrus is sitting next to her in the mess.
"Well, Mordin and I had a discussion on why it would not be good to use the crew as guinea pigs to test out his theory about pheromones and how they effect the sex drive." Dr. Chakwas says.
"What was he planning to do with the pheromones." Shepard asks.
"Well I am not sure if he was going to ask for volunteers or if he was just going to release some in the air and see what develops." Dr. Chakwas says.
"Doc, tell me he wouldn't do that please." Shepard says.
"Better yet tell me when he is going to do it, there are some fine looking women on this ship." Joker quips.
"Joker that is not funny!" Shepard tells him.
"Well just because you don't want any, maybe I do." Joker tells her.
"Yeah well if your over run by women it might kill you." Shepard says.
"Yeah, but what a way to go." Joker smiles.
"I am so lost in this conversation." Garrus says.
"The theory is that attraction is caused by pheromones, and if you release them in the air system it will make the person nearest you attractive and you will want to have sex with them. It's an old theory and no one has been able to prove it's effectiveness." Dr. Chakwas explains.
"Yet. But Mordin is a pretty smart scientist, I'll bet he can do it." Joker says getting excited.
"No Joker, just no." Shepard says. As if my dreams aren't sexually charged enough.
"Awh, come on commander, you don't let me have any fun." Joker complains.
"It would not be fun. Doc tell me Mordin wouldn't do that please." Shepard says.
"Well I do think he would have asked for volunteers first, if that is any consolation." Dr. Chakwas tells her.
"Cool, I will go sign up." Joker says.
"Great, now I need to talk to Mordin." Shepard groans.
"No I think I have gotten it taken care of, I was able to supply new data for him to go through that proves that the pheromone theory can't be tested on the average human, as, according to this salarian report we are 'abnormally attracted to each other' without the addition to pheromones. There is no way to test if it works."
"Abnormally attracted, what did they mean by that?' Joker asks.
"Well according to the report, the test proved, on a human male that it didn't take much to arouse the male and that they would be aroused easily for no reason. Then when they tested a human female they found that although she might show interest in a subject she didn't get aroused easily and was very slow to react when she was really interested. They said they couldn't get a valid base test under those conditions. You need a valid base test to start from to gauge the test results on."
"That is so not true, it isn't that easy to turn a man on." Joker argues.
Both human females burst into laughter and Joker turns red. "Well it isn't, there needs to be something." Joker says.
"No there doesn't, inference is all that is needed." the doctor says and she leans over and whispers in Jokers ear and he gets a look of shock on his face.
"See, I rest my case." Dr. Chakwas says as Joker glows with embarrassment and Shepard laughs.
"What happened Joker?" Garrus asks.
"Nevermind Garrus, I think I am going to have to give Doc the win on this one." Joker says.
"So it is easy to turn a male human on. Hmm that would explain why the assari are so fond of them. It doesn't explain their preference for the human female though, although I think the fact that they have similar features may have something to do with that." Garrus says.
"Okay if you guys are finished embarrassing me I think it's time we changed the subject to anything but me." Joker says.
"Oh come on Joker, we weren't only picking on you, we were picking on all human males." Shepard says.
"Yeah, but I am the only one that is present." Joker says.
"That is not true there are human males all over this room." Shepard says.
"Yeah, but I noticed they aren't part of the conversation." Joker says.
"Okay, I will give you that one Joker, only since I don't want to expand our dinner group beyond those present right now." Shepard says looking a tad bit morose.
"Hey, come on Shepard, I didn't mean anything by it. I like the group just the way it is. Don't worry we will find more people we can trust soon. You'll see." Joker tells her taking her hand.
"I hope so Joker. Garrus can you come to my cabin after dinner, I think I need another scan for bugs, it's been a while." Shepard says squeezing Joker's hand gently before releasing it.
"Yes the med bay is due for one also Garrus." Dr. Chakwas adds.
"Sure I will take care of that this evening." Garrus tells them.
"Yeah I did the cockpit earlier and found ten more. Of course I have no idea what they need them for, since EDI is always right there." Joker says.
"Oh how are you and EDI getting along lately?" Shepard asks.
"She is always there! I can't get any privacy. Are you sure she doesn't have an off switch." Joker says.
"No, no off switch, nothing to make them more suspicious than they already are. Destroying the bugs they expect, disabling EDI, yeah not a good idea. We do want them to think that they have our full cooperation, until they don't. Everyone okay with that." Shepard asks and gets murmurs of affirmation.
"Well I want to finish writing up what happened today, so I will see you guys tomorrow. Garrus do you need to get your equipment?" Shepard says getting up.
"Yes I do. Shepard are you writing reports?" Garrus says.
"It's a habit, and besides, when we are clear of this I will have something to had over to the Council that will document my movements through this period with Cerberus. They won't believe it isn't doctored, but I don't care. They will either believe I am loyal or they won't. Either way I am going to get the Collectors."
"Yes Shepard, that you are." Dr. Chakwas agreed.
Garrus enters Shepard's cabin and sees her at the desk, she is staring at Kaidan's picture again but gets up as he enters.
"So finished your reports?" He asks.
"Yes I have, I still have the restriction locks on the cabin but I don't trust anyone but the four of us right now." Shepard tells him.
"Yes that is a good idea. We will do the same as last time okay?"
"Sure that is fine, scan away."
Garrus starts at the door and works his way around the room. Shepard stands at the top of the stairs and observes him.
"So are you still feeling okay?" he asks her as he does his scan.
"Yes I am feeling fine, no problems to report, no bouts of tears."
"I don't mean to intrude." Garrus tells her.
"Garrus, your a friend, that's what friends do. Look it's like this, I never had a real... relationship like I had with Kaidan before, so I have never had one end. I just don't know how I am supposed to feel about any of it, let alone being gone for two years and it felt like one day. It's a lot of things to have to handle and I was never that in touch with my feelings anyway. I can close them off, or I used to be able to. But the sadness is hard, I learned that when Ashley died. Which for me was only a few months ago remember. All this, on top of that, is throwing me off kilter."
"Well you know when you put it that way, it does kind of put it all in perspective. I really miss Ashley, but I have had a much longer time to come to grips with it then you have. It makes sense when you explain it that way."
"Yeah, I guess it does. So find anything?"
"Just one." he walks over to the emergency duct exit and opens it. He removes the bug from the duct and overloads it and then seals the duct again. "That should do it."
"How many did you find in med bay?" Shepard asked.
"Seventeen. Six with camera feeds and three with infrared."
"They just don't give up do they."
"No, they don't." Garrus tells her
"Well thanks for the scan, and the ear. I appreciate it."
"Shepard, you need only ask."
"Well we have to check out the geth weather stations tomorrow."
"Yes so you should try and get some sleep, you have been looking a little run down lately, I think I could take you." Garrus tells her.
Shepard laughs "well you could try, but sad or not, I think I will still be able to take you down."
"You know Shepard, maybe you still can. I am not willing to get my ass kicked to find out. See you tomorrow, good night."
"Good Night Garrus."
"Well that was a bloody waste of a good day." Shepard tells them as she sits down at the table. "No geth and just a bunch of data for them to study. A bit of resources, and we almost lost the hammerhead to freezing, not that I would lament the beast, but it's all we have."
"Yeah it was a bit close there, but I think the vehicle will be fine." Garrus tells her.
"Okay well one more mission, tomorrow and we should be finish with these Firewalker Project people." Shepard says.
"Yeah I bet you'll feel better when this is out of your way." Joker says.
"Well yeah, it isn't bringing us any closer to the Collectors. Mordin hasn't found a way to stop the swarms yet. I don't know it feels like we have stalled." Shepard says.
"Well you haven't finished building the team yet anyway, my dear." Dr. Chakwas says.
"Yes, I guess we will head for the krogan next, not in a rush to get the convict. You all read the dossiers I copied you on right?" She waited for their acknowledgments before going on. "Okay well I think that is the way to go unless something else comes up."
"The dossier says he may have had contact with the Collectors. I would be curious if he has any more information about their ship defenses." Joker says.
"Yeah it would be good to know what we can expect so we can find a way to counter act their attacks." Garrus says.
"Yeah, we wouldn't want to lose another Normandy to them." Dr. Chakwas tells them. Then says to Shepard "please finish all your dinner dear."
"I am not that hungry Doc." Shepard tells her.
"Shepard, you have a barrier now, it speeds up your metabolism, and the implants also take more for you system to run, you have to start eating more." The doctor explains.
"I am working on it, I just always stop eating when I am full." she takes another bite.
"Are you taking the vitamins I gave you?" Dr. Chakwas asks.
"Uh, I forget at times." Shepard says.
The doctor gets up and goes to med bay.
"Uh oh Shepard, you're in trouble now." Joker tells her.
She looks at Joker. "I am not, I just forget that's all"
"Yeah well I don't think Doc is too happy with you. Like I said last night Shepard I don't think that you are taking very good care of yourself. You need to, because we need you." Garrus tells her.
"Well I am just not used to eating so much. I'm trying. I just forgot to take the vitamins, okay for a few days. That doesn't mean... Ouch!" Shepard turns on the doctor who has just administered a shot into her arm.
"There, now please remember to take your vitamins from now on, or I can give you one of those a day if you prefer." Dr. Chakwas told her sweetly as she sat back down.
"Okay, okay and I am eating. Sheesh." Shepard says taking another bite as Joker laughs.
"Thank you gentleman for keeping her occupied." Dr. Chakwas says.
"Gawd Doc, what did you have to go and tell her for, now she is going to have to get back at us." Joker tells her.
"Hey, in my defense Shepard, I didn't know what she had planned." Garrus says.
"Well have you ever really known me as the get even type." Shepard tells them with a sweet smile on her face.
"Shit!" Joker says. "We're toast."
Shepard is sitting at her desk reading through the report she has just written under the watchful eyes of Kaidan's holo. She hears the door and looks over.
"Hi I just thought I would stop by and have a chat, since we know there are no bugs here." Dr. Chakwas says.
"Well they could have put that one back, but I think we have a few days reprieve. What do you want to talk about." Shepard says.
"Well you don't talk to Kelly" Shepard makes a face at her. "And you have been pretty much to yourself lately so I just want to touch base to see how you're healing, mentally as it were."
"Actually I think I have my good days, and my bad days, Doc."
"Well that is to be expected. How are you sleeping?"
"I have dreams. Some bad about the Reapers. They wake me up in the middle of the night in cold sweats. I don't like them."
"Well I wouldn't expect you too. Some of that might stem from the Beacon data. Some might stem from the Collector information that we have gathered."
"I am sure that is it."
"Any other dreams."
"Well..."
"Shepard, you can tell me, we are friends after all, even though I am your doctor. At least I would like to believe we are friends." Dr. Chakwas says.
"We are friends, yes. It is something I would have talked over with Ashley so I guess I can talk to you... as long as you don't go all psych on me that is."
"I wouldn't do that to you really Shepard."
"Okay I have been having a lot of dreams about... Kaidan."
"Well that is perfectly normal. Why does that bother you?"
"Because, if it's over, shouldn't I be moving on. I'll be honest Doc, I never broke up with anyone before, I don't know how it's done."
"You have never broke up with anyone before. You mean you have never been in a relationship before?"
"Yeah I know, nobody ever believes me, but look at my record. I am never really in any place very long. I get assigned, do something outstanding and then get moved again. That has been my career. Once the Blitz happen, well mostly people don't approach me much, until Kaidan and Ashley on the Normandy that is. I would talk to the others, but I didn't go out or hang out with them so they tended to stay away. I still don't even know why Ashley and Kaidan were different."
"Because they looked beyond the hero and saw the woman. Then they showed that woman to the rest of us. You were very good at keeping people at a distance but making them feel like they belonged. But Kaidan, he wanted more. Ashley wanted more. They snuck in under your defenses and showed you what real friendship is."
"Yes, pain and heartache." Shepard says.
"That and more, but would you, knowing that Ash was going to die, have not made friends with her?"
"No, I loved Ash. My memories of her are what make me happy."
"Then that is your answer. The friendship was worth it. Our friendship is worth it. Now with Kaidan, well that is a bit harder. You could say you wanted his friendship, but you wish it hadn't gone further."
"Yeah, but … well I still don't think I would have been able to stop myself from falling for him. I did try, but it... well...it was impossible. It was like he was a magnet that pulled me in."
"Yes, I know, I watched it happen and I watched you fight it. Shepard, love is a strange thing and we never know when it will find us. I don't know if it is really over for the two of you, and neither do you. Well obviously for you it isn't."
"No it is, honest I know he has moved on, I just don't understand what is supposed to happen now."
"What do you mean 'happen now'?"
"I mean how do I stop loving him. How do I make that go away?"
"Oh, sweetheart, it doesn't go away. Eventually it will change, but it never really goes away. In some people it changes to hate, and in some to indifference, and still in others fondness and memories. But in doesn't just go away."
"So what do you suggest I do?"
"Give it time, Shepard. Just give it time."
"EDI's scan's have found a geth presence on the planet, so it's gonna be a shoot fest. I really wish this thing had shields." Shepard says as they wait to be dropped from the Normandy.
"Well we could try to keep our distance and hit them, geth aren't know for their early tracking capabilities." Garrus says.
"Why don't you attack them like you do a thresher maw?" Jacob suggests.
"What do you mean?" Shepard turns to look at Jacob and definitely looks interested in what he has to say.
"Well like you said, you get into a position and you use the thrusters to move up and out of the way of any fire you might attract." Jacob says nervously. "It's like Garrus says, if you stay just in the zone, they won't come at you and they will shoot at where you have been so they will miss us and it won't matter that we don't have shields."
"You know Jacob, that just might work." She awards him one of her rare real smiles, then turns to Garrus. "What do you think?"
"Well I think that if we don't have cover, that might work. Unless we have a very long fire fight ahead of us, the geth won't adjust for our fighting style and the no shield thing won't matter. I think Jacob has something there." Garrus says.
"Well It is only because you told me about the thresher maws, otherwise I wouldn't have thought of it." Jacob says as Shepard turns to him again.
"Jacob it is an excellent idea, and I have fought the geth many times and never made the correlation. Be proud of your idea. It's a good one." she smiled at him again.
"Y-yes Commander, thank you." Jacob says. I can't believe she finally smiled at me.
Shepard turns around as Joker says over the comm "Dropping you now, ready Garrus?"
"I got it Joker, let us go." Gurras answers.
"Hurry back, we will keep dinner warm for you." Joker quips.
Shepard laughs "Yeah, you do that, Joker." she says.
There are three geth troopers and Shepard takes them out as Garrus keeps the hammerhead moving avoiding all return fire. As the troopers are destroyed a geth drop ship appears and drops off a bunch of troopers and a colossus.
"Damn it, I missed the ship, it's too fast." Shepard says.
"Colossus with maybe three troopers." Garrus tells her.
"Well they are on the platform so we are going to have to jump and shoot for them." Shepard says.
They are all quiet as the geth are destroyed.
"Well that worked out okay, they didn't even get us once. Looks like your idea works Jacob. Now lets get that artifact." Shepard says.
"How many of these things are there?" Garrus asks.
"Got it, Jacob what does the scanner say?" Shepard says.
"That there are five artifacts we need to collect." Jacob tells her.
"Well there is a corner here, I am going to skirt around, see if you can find any troopers up ahead." Garrus tells her.''
Jacob watching with her says "I see two geth, they look like troopers."
"Yep, I see them, that's one... there is two." Shepard says.
"Hey that yellow stuff doesn't look like water." Jacob says working on a scanner. "It's not, it's acid of some type, really corrosive qualities, you have to stay out of that Garrus."
"Will do, it looks like there are some islands and other debris I can hop across on." Garrus says.
"Hop across, quick like a bunny." Shepard asks with a smirk on her face.
"Hey I have some very cool bunny moves... bunnies, those are the furry little things with long ears right?" Garrus asks.
Shepard laughs "you got it on the first try Garrus, yes those are bunnies."
"Wait, I am reading a platinum deposit here Commander, you what me to pick it up with the scanner." Jacob asks.
"Sure we can always use more resources." She tells him.
"Just be glad you're not in the mako, she would make you get out and survey it. I am glad they came up with probes and scanners that do the work for you." Garrus says.
"Yes, I like shooting off the probes, they shake the ship and make a nice loud barr-room." Shepard tells him.
"Yes, it does seem to have all the elements of something you would enjoy." Garrus says.
"Scans complete." Jacob tells them.
"Let's try to stay here but turn to face the artifact. I think I see a colossus and a destroyer over there." Shepard tells Garrus.
"Okay let me turn us around." Garrus answers.
"That's it, yes I can get them targeted from here. Okay, yes it's working, they aren't even firing. This is great. Okay there goes the colossus... there goes the destroyer, looks like two troopers. One... two, piece of cake. We should have no problem getting though this now." Shepard says.
"That's providing we don't land in the acid." Garrus says.
"Yes, that would be bad." Shepard tells him.
The rest of the collecting of the artifacts goes pretty quickly and they get some more platinum as well.
"Joker, come and pick us up." Shepard says over the comm.
"Well that was made a lot easier by you Jacob, thanks." Garrus tells him.
"Hey glad I could help. I had no way of knowing it would work though."
"Well that's the way to do it, try it and you never know, you might have something. And in this case, You did." Shepard advises him.
"Yeah well you could have laughed at me and not tried it Commander." Jacob says.
"Jacob, while I may not agree with something, I wouldn't laugh at it out of turn. Every idea deserves to be heard on it's merits alone. Some will work, some won't, but you just never know. That is what makes everyone worth listening to." Shepard told him.
It gave Jacob something to think about.