Garrus
Leaving Earth leaves them in a kind of still water between demands from the Council. It also gives them the opportunity to focus more on the situation they are in. Namely, how they are going to not just live on the Normandy, but make it fit to be home for themselves and their crew for the extended period they will be forced to endure Council demands until they find a way to disappear. If there is one thing living on a ship has taught them, it is that people could go stir crazy fast without any sort of luxuries.
Better to have the crew happy than at each other's throats.
During the war, the crew had the Lounge to play poker with and the open bar to have the occasional drink, the workout facility - even small as it was - to work off energy, or actual food in the Mess that raised spirits and provided the ground crew a place to pull together and share at least a meal a day. True, it was under Jane's orders at first and they still tried to continue the habit, but it just wasn't the same telling stories around a packet of rations or barely edible MREs.
However, finding such indulgences isn't as easy as just wanting them. Homeworlds are more focused on rebuilding their infrastructure, governments, and food supplies than offering what, to most - who had never been stuck on a spacefaring vessel for months at a time - were believed to be mere frivolities. Any request for rations of real food beyond the dehydrated MREs was denied before ever making it past the first responder, so they are forced to look to other means of finding that which would seem unnecessary to anyone but the entirety of the Normandy crew.
Their biggest problem is the fact that the war didn't leave too many options still standing and functioning at a high enough efficiency to find aid. Understanding that no species would willingly help, they have settled to having to buy their way into a life aboard the Normandy that would actually feel less like imprisonment and more like the lives of Spectres and their crew.
Question is, where, exactly, would have what they need?
Omega, as great as it was for weapons, armor, and ship supplies at a great price thanks to their connections with the Black Market through Harrot, doesn't have much beyond alcohol. Good food is one of the last things that the station has been known for, so they knew better than to even try.
Most colonies were either destroyed, abandoned, or at a point of rebuilding where their people were more focused on feeding their own than outsiders. Even if they find one willing to offer food, it is their guess that the prices would be so high that they'd barely be able to purchase more than a few meals divided among the crew.
There were far too many established colonies that could boast the claim of being as sustained economically and structurally as a homeplanet and open to commerce. Except, that is, for Illium.
Turns out that, during the war, Illium was able to hold its own quite well against the Reaper forces and had been able to quickly recover and rebuild what little was affected. Most of its success went to the fact that they relied on no governing system beyond the power of money, leading them to acquiring a fleet and high powered fission weapons all their own to hold back the opposition. Where the war left homeplanets and colonies to rebuild, Illium was open and thriving off the commerce of a war torn galaxy and it was where the Normandy was heading, what few credits it had in hand.
Right now, there is the inevitable wait that came from traversing the distance between the Sol system and their destination. Even at FTL and using the Relays, travel takes time. Time that they are using to spend time with their children, forgetting the responsibilities thrown onto their shoulders in lieu of the comparably simple tasks of teaching their twins to speak or walk.
"Come on. That's it," Jane says sweetly and she walks slowly, bent over to hold their daughter's hands as she guides the infant along. "You're doing it!" Just as if she jinxed it, Cassia plops back down with a grunt and Garrus hears his wife playfully shout, "Uh oh!," to make their daughter laugh and grab at her larger hands.
He chuckles from where he sits on the couch and bounces Damocles on his lap. "She almost made it without losing balance," he says as he watches Jane help their daughter back up and the few steps to the bed.
She sits and picks up their daughter to sit down, infant in her lap as she smiles first at him, then Cassia. "Now it's time for your brother. Ready?" A tiny hand reaches for her hair and tangles in it as if in answer and her chuckle is soft and soothing. "Alright, let's watch."
"Alright, big guy," Garrus says as he stands up, setting their son on his feet and bending down to take his hand from behind. "Let's show them how it's done."
Jane snorts, but smiles as she watches their son take a few unsteady steps. Garrus rumbles and purrs in encouragement as he takes even slower steps, hands supporting their son. He knows his back will ache from this later, bending over so far not good for a back that has always given his trouble since his teenage years, but he doesn't care. This moment is just too valuable to stand aside and let his wife have all to herself. It is one thing to see their children reach this milestone and an entirely other to actually be there for it, directly influencing it.
"Hey. Sorry to interrupt." He ignores Joker's voice, he and Damocles barely a few steps from the couches, but hears it distantly anyways. "But we found something you might want to hear."
"What is it, Joker?" his wife asks from her seat on the couch, still smiling at their son's advancing across the smooth floor.
It is Aelia that answers, humming in concern over the intercom. "We found a distress signal coming from the Lusarn System. A vessel named Helia's Glory has been attacked."
At that, Garrus stops with a sigh and picks their son up, rumbling in apology to him with a forehead press. Damocles grips his scarred mandible, but he can still speak - if with a bit of a lisp - as he asks, "Is there not anyone else in the area to see to this?"
"Not likely. So far, we haven't picked up on any responders' signals."
"What species ship is this? Could it be another batarian ambush?" Jane stands to rock Cassia on her hip, her expression changing to the one she always wears when private life gives way to that of the Commander, to a task she has to tackle immediately.
"Asari, ma'am." The turian female rumbles as she pauses, most likely looking into something on her terminal. "It was on a diplomatic mission according to the reports from the Ascension when I checked with them to see if anyone has already been dispatched. Someone is still days out."
"Fucking wonderful," she says, eyes closing and head shaking softly. He knows her frustration well, shares it, but knows they won't just turn away. Selfish in their wish to just get away from everything involving running around for others, they are also aware that angering the ones that already are making their lives hell would get them nowhere. Besides, maybe assisting diplomats would lead to them 'owing' the two Spectres, but he wouldn't hold his breath of that happening.
"Sounds like a change of plans," he says with disappointment, wishing they could just say no. As much as it wishes it, they just haven't become that heartless, though they are rapidly growing closer. "Should I alert a ground team?"
His wife nods with a heavy sigh of irritation and defeat, rubbing their daughter's back when she hears the confused trill. Not even one yet and they can already read their parent's so well. He only wonders how many more surprises the two have for their parents as they grow - hopefully somewhere that isn't a ship in constant battle.
"Aelia. Joker. Go in silent and get us a read on that ship. I don't want this going tits up before we even know what hit us." Turning to him when the intercom goes silent with affirmatives, she frowns slightly. "Guess we call this walking lesson short."
He understands her disappointment completely. If not for their luck of always having to pull others out of their own personal fires, they would be able to spend the time they've earned with their most precious gifts. The universe just doesn't seem to be able to hold itself together without them, however.
"Should I head down to get together a team? Odds are never in our favor," he adds, sure that they will either be forced to board this ship or land on a nearby planet to assist in some way.
She nods and kisses their daughter's forehead. "Tell Rym to suit up with us and Arcanus. She's been wanting on a drop and this is her chance." Sighing, she heads to a nursery half built and talks softly to Cassia in her arms. "Shh shh. Mommy and daddy will just be gone for a short while. Then we can try again."
Garrus soon follows up the steps to place Damocles to bed, or at least put him in the crib safely before they find someone on the crew ready and willing to watch the twins for them. Purring to the little being in his hands, he gently nibbles the soft plate at Damocles' forehead. "Time to go, little one, but don't worry. We'll be back before you know it."
It's painful to set the babies into their cribs, their arms hesitant to release the tiny forms when small hands cling and vocals whimper in want. His heart aches and vocals keen softly in sadness when his son and daughter look to them with wide, pleading eyes and using the crib to support themselves as they trill and keen for attention.
"Sorry, babies," Jane says with a deep sadness in her voice, caressing each of their heads with her hands before kissing each forehead. "Mommy and daddy love you."
Garrus rumbles in agreement as he lays a hand on his wife's back. "It's okay, Jane." He knows he isn't fooling her in being strong, knows that she hears his own pain at having to part - even if just for a short time - but she doesn't speak of it.
Leaning towards them, he gently eases them to sit in their cribs because he worries for their safety standing on wobbly legs. They chirp at the touch and grab onto his hand, but he pulls it from their grasp, rubbing a knuckle under each chin before stepping away. He has to fight his eyes from turning back as he and Jane step around the support structure of the wall not yet installed and out of the door, ignoring the heartbreaking cries of their children to not go.
"Fuck," his wife breathes when the lift doors close on them, closing her eyes as she lays her head back against the cold wall. "I hate that sound. It hurts so bad."
He hums sadly and nods, frowning at the memory of the sobs that they hate to hear each time they must leave them alone if just for a moment. He's read that it isn't detrimental - and even beneficial - to let babies cry, to work things out on their own, but damn if it isn't traumatic for the parents like Jane and himself.
"Yeah," he agrees as he looks to her to see her emerald eyes open and frown soften as she tries to push it aside, tell herself it's not forever. "I know what you mean. Even after hearing it and knowing they will be okay, I still hate to hear them cry."
She merely nods in agreement as she stands straight and opens her Tool, tapping into the commands to pull up a comm link. It takes a moment before the other side of the call is answered, the image of James appearing with a huge grin. "Hey, Lola. I hear we are heading to another side mission. You think we'd catch a break, yeah?"
That actually makes the two of them chuckle as she shrugs. "You know us, bad luck coming out our asses. Look, I'm calling to ask if you're okay watching the kids."
"A chance to play with the little gemelos? Why would I ever say no?" There is a shuffle and clink on the other side as he stops whatever he was doing, looking aside before back to the comm. "I'll head up right now," he says with a bit too much enthusiasm for Garrus not to suspect that Vega has way more fun playing with two children than going to ground with the squad.
Snorting as she closes the call, Jane looks to him. "I'm starting to think he's going to turn in his N designation for a full-time babysitter title."
"Well, he did raise a Harvester from an egg."
She laughs as she taps the Cargo Bay level, skipping the Crew Deck to collect their team immediately for a swap with James and suit up. Besides, they can always comm Rym and Arcanus to suit up.
"I swear, this ship runs on bullshit," she says as starts to mess with her hair, pulling it back and twisting it up to get it out of her way from the mission. "There isn't one person on this ship that doesn't talk out their ass."
He merely chuckles and bumps his head to her shoulder as she works up until the lift stops and doors slide open to the sight of an excited Lieutenant James Vega. "James," Garrus greets the man as they swap places and the man's broad hand hovers over the command. "Feel free to take them out of the Cabin, but let Harrot know. We want to get the alterations done as soon as possible."
Vega mock salutes before punching the console. "Can do! You guys have fun down there," he teases, getting a snort from the redhead in response as she flips a hand gesture over her shoulder that makes the man bark a laugh just as the doors shut.
"You seemed to have picked that up from Jack." He follows her to the armory, pulling his suit from its storage crate and stripping to pull on his undersuit.
"Want to know what else I've learned?" That smirk of hers speaks of no good as he raises a brow in intrigue, though he knows it can't be good. "Fuck off or kiss my ass. Your choice."
He snorts as he tugs at her shirt she's pulling over her head to make her stumble a bit. "Maybe later," he purrs in tease, chuckling when she tosses her shirt at him. Jokes aside, he still stops to stare at her when her pants come off in that quick moment before she grabs and tugs on her undersuit, growling because he knows she likes it.
"Oh, knock it off," she says with little threat, smirking over her shoulder while she zips up her suit and grabs his boot to shove at his chest. "And get suited up. I'll comm the others."
"Shepard," Joker calls over the comm. "We have news on the situation."
"Let's hear it." Her Omni-Tool comes out as she quickly taps in her orders.
Aelia is the one to explain, as she must be the one controlling the readouts of the Helia's Glory and the surrounding space for hostiles. "There are no signs of an ambush awaiting us, but the Glory shows no signs of life and has sustained major hull damage. Their escape pods have been deployed."
He hums as he pulls on his armor one piece at a time, his wife beginning to do the same with a jerk of her head to the Lift in silent 'they're coming'. "Do you know where they must have landed?"
"Pod distress signals are garbled, but they are all coming from a planet named Tarith. Best bets would be to take the shuttle to the large cluster of signals." Her tone says that there is more she is soon discovering from the ship's readings. "There's more."
"Spit it out, Aelia," Jane orders gruffly as she tugs at a strap of her leg guard, trying to get it tight enough to close the clasps. Garrus sees her struggle and bends down to help her, rumbling when he gets the bunch out of it and snaps it closed. When he sees her nod of thanks and smile, he returns it with a gentle touch of his head as he stands up.
"Get suited up with helmets and plenty of oxygen. Tarith's atmosphere has high levels of chlorine gas."
"Shit… Any other environmental hazards?"
"No. I think the gas is enough," she points out with a rumbling chuckle. "But if you'd like something more challenging, I can find you a chlorine swamp to trudge through."
"No, thanks. The gas is bad enough." Rolling her shoulders, she shifts on her feet in something he's found his wife does before going into a possibly hostile situation ever since her legs were replaced with prosthetics. Perhaps, he figures, she has to work out the slight numbing effect of the cybernetic connection like he has to do with his own arm when he flexes his fingers or wrist.
The intercom goes silent as the pilots begin to prepare for a decent and drop, but their attention is drawn to their own squad when the elevator arrives to the Bay. Rym seems ready for battle, not speaking or wasting time as she heads directly to her set up to get suited. Garrus has to wonder if it's a krogan thing because she acts much like Grunt did aboard the ship or if it's really more a sign of their youth. Wrex seemed more cautious, calculating, when they would drop, but, then again, even he had that energy about him that spoke of his readiness for battle.
Arcanus heads to his own locker and opens it, a suit that he had purchased during the war that he had taken when he disembarked within. He removes his robes and neatly folds them up to place them aside to return to later before unhooking the rings in his mandibles and laying them atop the folded cloth. Next is his undersuit that he pulls on with the same amount of care and efficiency, one that makes Garrus reconsider the fact that it's just krogan that seem eager when he and Jane has thrown on their own armor - and always have - in record time.
"Alright," Jane starts as she grabs everyone's weapons, sorting them out for when they are ready. "Here's the basics. A ship transporting some politicians or some such shit has been attacked. They deployed their escape pods and have landed on nearby Tarith. We need you all to wear masks and seal your suits because we're going to be around chlorine gas."
"What attacked the ship?" Rym asks as she grabs her helmet, hooking it to her suit for later.
"We don't know," Garrus answers, holstering his sniper rifle and handing Arcanus his weapon. He motions the shuttle pilot over from his station where he prepares for a drop out of basic observation of the squad suiting up. When the man arrives, Garrus explains. "Cortez. You will take us in the shuttle to the highest concentration of pod beacons first so we can check for signs of life."
Steve nods. "She's up and ready to go. I just need to get suited up."
"Do it," Jane agrees before looking to the others, her Claymore on her back as she grabs her helmet. "We don't know what's down there, so be alert and ready for anything. There's no clue if whatever attacked the ship is down there or even who it is and what they have against the Glory, but we're going to find out real quick when we drop. Questions?"