A/N: Ok so playing through ME3 again i was talking to joker and he told me about his little sister and dad on tiptree and i did some digging and found how sad it really is that his sister died and dad died in the game but he didnt know what happened to them. So i did a major rewrite here hope you like. It does divert from Shenko love for a bit sorry.
Aela had another sleepless night so she decided to sit at the table in the mess instead of keeping Kaidan up. She was going over datapads, when EDI approached her so quietly she almost didn't hear the AI.
"Jesus, EDI. You scared me." Aela gasped when EDI came into view next to her.
"I am sorry Commander." The AI reassured.
"Did you need something?" Aela asked when EDI stood silently watching her.
"Not exactly, I have a request to make on Jeff's behalf."
"Joker sent you down here to ask me something?" Aela asked in confusion putting down the datapad and turning her attention to EDI.
"No, he is sleeping. He is not aware that I am approaching you about this."
"Ok. What did you want to ask?"
" Jeff has been searching the extranet for news about Tiptree. When I asked him why, he told me his father and sister are there. I have been monitoring any news updates I can about the small colony. I just received an update that reaper forces have arrived on Tiptree. We are not far from the colony; would we be able to render assistance? I have also located a few of Major Alenko's recruits there as well." EDI asked.
"How far is it from us?" Aela asked rubbing her eyes. She was so exhausted but just couldn't sleep.
"A few hours." Aela thought for a moment, face in hands. Joker never complains or asks for anything, why not.
"Set a course." Aela said quietly rubbing her temples.
"Thank you Shepard." EDI said and Aela could hear the gratitude in her voice.
"Don't mention it. Literally." She said sitting back feeling a wave of dizziness and nausea sweep over her.
"Are you feeling alright?" the AI asked.
"I'm fine." She sighed and picked up her datapad with her right hand, while her left held her head up.
"Might I suggest you attempt to get some sleep? I could wake Major Alenko up to assist you." EDI said attempting to implicate an innuendo.
"Don't wake him and what do you mean assist me?" Aela asked the second half looking up at the AI suspiciously.
"Nothing." EDI said with a playful tone and trotted off.
"Ok EDI, Vega you're with me. Garrus, Javik you go with Kaidan. Radio us if you need anything." Aela ordered as the shuttle dropped them off. Kaidan's team headed south.
"EDI what can you tell me about the area we are headed to?" Aela asked as they started their way west.
"It is comprised mostly of farm land. An Asari commando unit was sent here a few days ago to evacuate but none have reported in since."
"Fantastic. Ok stay sharp people." Just once I'd like to not run into a shit storm. She thought.
They made decent time getting to the main farm were EDI said Joker's dad and sister were last he knew about. Aela wasn't liking the odds of finding anyone alive. All they had come across so far were marauders and husks. Any colonist they found were mostly corpses, and the occasional newly orphaned child here and there. They cautiously entered the main store house being greeted by reaper bodies left and right.
"Hello?" Shepard called after hearing a soft sound near the back. The team ventured in slowly and she signaled for Vega to take the right perimeter while she took the left.
"I'm Commander Shepard of the Alliance Navy." She heard a faint whimpering and then sounds of someone definitely trying to stifle another person.
"I'm here to help." She tried to reassure as she heard harsh whispering of threats to from one person to another just up ahead of her behind some crates. Aela quietly approached and peered around the crates corner and saw an Asari and a young girl about fifteen years old. They were seated on the floor the girl clutched at her ankle in pain.
"If you don't shut up, you'll give our position away." The asari hissed harshly to a girl, clutching her right hand over the girl's mouth. The asari was shaking clearly afraid, with a pistol in her left hand. Aela did not like this. She would have normally tried to talk the asari down without making any sudden movement but that was thrown out when the asari raised her pistol to the young girls head.
"I'm sorry." The asari whispered shakily and Aela had no choice but to act. She came round the corner quickly placing her own pistol to the Asari's head.
"Drop you're weapon now." Aela commanded. The asari froze in terror and the young girl looked up at Aela. Her dark green eyes had a mixture of relief and fear. "Let go of the girl." She ordered as Vega came around the other side of the crates and raised his assault rifle to the asari.
"She's going to get us all killed." The asari squealed nervously and gripped the girl tighter, her finger shakily on the trigger. Aela cocked her pistol and once again demanded she let the girl go.
"I can't do that. I don't want them to find me!" The deranged asari shouted about to pull the trigger on the girl but Aela beat her to it. The asari slumped forward and the girl was too shocked to say anything, she just watched the asari's body flop lifelessly to the ground.
"I'm Commander Shepard, are you alight?" Aela asked holstering her pistol and kneeling next to the girl. The girl looked over at Aela stunned and shook her head to snap out of it.
"Yes, I'm, I'm ok. I hurt my ankle trying to get away from those things. I can't walk on it." The girl stammered out gabbing at her left ankle. Aela wasn't a doctor but she could see it was broken.
"We're going to get you out of here don't worry. Do you know if anyone else made it out?" Aela asked examining the girl's ankle. The girl shook her head.
"No. I'm all that's left. They got my dad and everyone else." She managed to say through her tears.
"James, grab her and let's get back to the ship." Aela ordered standing and looking around.
"Don't worry, I got you." Vega said trying to calm her as he scooped her up off the ground.
"You wouldn't happen to know a girl about your age named Hilary Moreau would you?" Aela asked feeling doubtful.
"I'm Hilary." The girl choked out. "Wait you said you're Commander Shepard? Does that mean my brother's-?"
"Here yes." Aela said finishing her sentence as they walked back out of the store house. "EDI tell Joker we got her and we're headed back now."
"Vega, take her up to the med-bay." Aela said getting off the shuttle, starting to undo her armor. It felt tighter than usual. Kaidan's two students were the only ones who had survived the attack. They had gone in with the Commandos and had headed south to help another colony when the reapers arrived.
"Never thought we'd see you again Major." The blonde guy said as they got off the shuttle looking back at Kaidan.
"Like wise. Luckily Commander Shepard felt the need to assist." Kaidan said gesturing to her.
"That's Commander Shepard?" the shorter brunette guy asked looking her over. "She's hot." He said barely above a whisper leaning into Kaidan.
"Watch it, Corporal." Kaidan growled walking past them to Aela. Aela smirked to herself hearing the jealousy in Kaidan's voice. She had been eavesdropping while she hung up her outer armor in her locker. She started to unzip her under suit when she lost her balance momentarily feeling light headed. She caught herself on the locker and Kaidan got her by the waist.
"You ok?" He asked holding her close.
"Yea just got little light headed for a moment." She said softly leaning against him.
"You've been feeling like this for a little over a month now, shouldn't you go talk to Dr. Chakwas about it?" He asked with concern.
"No, it's fine. Just stress." She said shaking her head and regaining her balance, with his arm still around her.
"Woo Major!" The two boys jeered from the middle of the shuttle by. Kaidan rolled his eyes at them.
"Jensen, O'Brian get up to the Med-bay on deck 3 and get checked out." He ordered over his shoulder at the two.
"Yes Sir." The boys saluted and walked past them to the elevator. Aela looked over Kaidan turned on by the display. Kaidan watch the two until the doors shut then looked back down at Aela.
"What?" He asked looking over her curious expression. Nothing she chirped and pulled her jumpsuit off. Kaidan re-positioned himself behind her as she changed.
"We need to get a dressing room or something down here." He said unclipping his black armor.
"Why?" she asked pulling her white tank over her head and buttoning up her jeans, and tossing a look over to him as he placed his armor in his own locker leaving him in his under suit.
"So you can stop putting on a show before every mission." He said in annoyance unzipping his suit and pulling it off. She stopped and watched him strip to his underwear and then pull on his fatigues.
"I'm putting on a show?" She asked watching him and chewing on her lower lip. He looked over to her and rolled his eyes as he buttoned up his top and walked over to her.
"The point of wearing underwear was so that people don't see the goodies." Aela teased giving his backside a playful squeeze. He gave her a smirk and places a loving kiss on her lips.
"Nayeli." He said. He used her native language mostly when he didn't want others around them to understand their conversation. Not that he always understood the conversation himself since he wasn't very fluent in it. She smiled and said.
"Nayeli pi. Now I better go check on Hilary." She said and retreated to the elevator.
Aela stood arms folded, out of habit not anger, as she watched Dr. Michele finish wrapping Hilary's ankle.
"Gunny!" Joker said with joy as he hobbled into the med-bay and over to the girl. Aela looked up at him.
"Jeff" the girl reciprocated the happiness upon seeing him and threw her arms around him when he came close enough.
"Ugh, Gunny, my pancreas." He hissed under her hug, which couldn't have been that tight but knowing his disease it much have been a lot.
"Sorry." She said retracting her arms.
"It's ok I'm glad you're alright." He looked around uncomfortably and slowly asked. "Did…Dad…" Hilary shook her head, lowing her eyes to floor as tears pooled in her eyes. He patted her gently on the back.
"Don't worry. We still have each other." He said reassuringly.
"What's the damage?" Aela asked trying to leave the two be.
"The break was clean. It should have no trouble healing but she will need to be on crutches and have at least 3 accelerated healing sessions." Dr. Michele informed.
"Do we have the equipment for that?"
"We most definitely do." Chloe said heading over to the desk to file a report.
"Thanks again, Commander." Joker said with sincerity. "I had EDI set a course for the citadel so we can drop everyone off."
"What, no! I want to stay with you Jeff." Gunny protested with anxiety building.
"Well I want you to stay too but this ship isn't the place for a kid, I'm sorry." He said in defeat. Aela looked over the teenager for a moment. She reminded her of Elise, all alone, parents gone all she had left was her older brother. Much like how Elise only had Aela and Ciara.
"We have a skeleton crew Joker; there is more than enough room for her." Aela said dryly.
"What? Are you sure Commander?" Joker asked stunned.
"Make yourself useful and don't get in my way." Aela said coldly to the girl and made her way out of the med-bay.
"Thank you, Commander Shepard." Gunny said softly to Aela's back.