Jane

Jane lets her mate guide her away from the two older soldiers and after Sidonis as he leads deeper into the crowds in search of Doctor Chakwas. With hope, Jane's plea to Arcanus to let the wounds of time and circumstance begin to heal and the once thin thread between the two has had a chance to double over and build strength.

Something about the way Arcanus holds himself in Ellie's presence and her returned ease as Jane glances their way in parting tells her that perhaps she has been able to instill some knowledge on the older turian. She knows he's imparted enough of his own over the time knowing him, but even with all his experience, Jane knows Arcanus is shit at relationships that don't involve credits and their relation to his work. Of course, the hint of pride in being the voice of wisdom for once has it's own appeal.

"Alright," she cuts off her own thoughts as she looks to Sidonis a step in front of her and her mate. "Do you know where she wants to meet?" Lantar nods and glances down at his Omni-Tool as a very familiar and comforting voice from the past calls out.

"Shepard!"

Jane grins and looks to Garrus, knowing he has the highest vantage point of the three of them to be able to find Chakwas in the crowd. He rumbles and she watches his mandibles relax as he catches sight of them before looking down. "Found them. Come on."

Taking his hand, Jane waves her other to Lantar in 'follow me' as Garrus shoulders through the crowd. Many grunt or bark out in annoyed agitation at the rough force, but glances in the direction of the trio pushing against the flow of foot traffic leads to recognition. That recognition then leads to either looks of stunned awe, which Jane hates more than the looks of fear or anger.

Being seen as the only ones able to defeat the monsters by, in turn, becoming ones themselves, Jane can understand. It is easy to fear the scarred victors of a bloody war by knowing the types of horrors they had to commit to overcome the unimaginable or to hate them for making decisions that saved some while damning others, but awe? Acceptance? Jane doesn't want, nor feel they deserve to be seen as heroes. Not when their 'win' came at the cost of one life over another and the planets people called home now lying in ruins.

Gone or not, in her eyes, the Reapers have still won and the galaxy just doesn't want to admit it.

"Shepard!" Chakwas' voice is closer as Garrus begins to slow, the crowd finally parting on its own will.

Coming to stand beside her mate, Jane smiles as the silver-haired woman nudges her way towards them, her features relaxed and happy in a way that Shepard hasn't seen in a very long time. If ever.

"Karin," She calls as she releases Garrus' hand, steps forward, and offers it to the doctor. It isn't a moment before the woman is before her, taking the offered hand in both of hers and just holding it tightly as her eyes narrow and smile widens.

"Oh, Shepard," Karin says, barely above a whisper. "It's so good to see you." Her eyes flutter a bit as she sniffles and turns to Garrus. "And you, Garrus. I knew you'd take care of her."

"It's good to see you again," He agrees with a soothing purr and offers his only hand, which causes a frown to crease over Chakwas' once elated features.

"Good Lord, Garrus. Please tell me you aren't going out into the field like that." She shakes her head in amused exasperation. "Unless you're here to surprise me with your retirement."

"Oh course he isn't," another voice from the past- though not one Jane expected- says as it makes it's way to join them. Zaeed steps through the crowd at Chakwas' back with a slight limp and smirks at the appearance of Garrus. "You look like fucking hell, Vakarian."

"And you look like something out of a varren pit, but I figured you already knew that," the turian retorts and Massani barks a laugh.

"I feel enough like shit." Shaking his head, he takes first Garrus' then Jane's offered hand. "What the bloody hell are you doing? You're supposed to be on a goddamn vacation."

"We actually came to see if Karin here would like to join," Jane says as she chuckles. "Although, with you here, I gotta ask you now, too. Can't miss out on the chance to have our crotchety old merc back."

Zaeed barks an unamused laugh and Jane begins to notice Chakwas' expression change. Her joy at finding them once again after the end of the war is still present, but now a look of concern paints her features as she frowns. Sidonis is the first to vocalize Jane's thoughts.

He trills low and worried as he steps closer to her and asks, "Doctor? Are you alright?"

"Yes. Yes," she starts with a reassuring smile. "I just…" Karin looks to Zaeed in a look that Jane can read all too well. Huh… Guess there's more than just the outward appearance of patient and doctor here. No wonder the old bastard is anywhere near politics…

"I take it you aren't here just to jump back on board." When the doctor nods with a frown, Jane puffs air past her lips in thought. "Damn…"

"I'm sorry, Shepard. But I just can't go back to that." Chakwas crosses her arms and looks to the floor. "I've been serving long enough to see the First Contact War and by right there on the Normandy for the entire Reaper War. I still have nightmares of that Collector ship. And now the Alliance is planning another…"

"It's about damn time for retirement," Zaeed explains and Chakwas nods. He lays an arm around Karin's shoulders.

"I know," Jane agrees as she frowns, looking at her hands at the reminder that Doctor Chakwas was right there in that Collector Base just as Jane was. Where Jane was dragged from the Normandy will only the thoughts of revenge fueling her will, others - like Karin - were left with nothing but fear of the torture and death that would come if Garrus couldn't bring the team to rescue them fast enough. "I think we all deserve it."

Garrus rumbles at her side and lays his hand on her shoulder, the action pulling her from her thoughts. Looking up to the older pair, Jane sees guilt and apology in the woman's eyes. Even with the desire to finally rest, Chakwas regrets not being there for the people cared for and still sees as family. It's that reason that Jane forces herself to relax and nod, trusting that the woman will see no sign of accusation or anger in her eyes.

"Well," Jane says as she reaches up to take her mate's hand in hers. "I think we can all wrestle Joker into taking his meds. What kind of soldiers would we be if we couldn't figure out some way?"

Chakwas relaxes and smiles, nodding in wordless thanks as Garrus rumbles, catching on. "I don't know. Something tells me he'd just get us all back by sending feedback through the intercoms at all hours."

Even Lantar understands the cues and his vocals yip in mock shock. "Spirits, please don't tell me he can actually do that."

Karin chuckles and shakes her head, smiling as she steps forward and offers a hand to Sidonis. "Here, let me see that chart and I'll write down everything you need to know."

Mandibles flapping as he nods his head with a eager hum, Sidonis watches over the edge of the pad as she types. As she works, Chakwas will occasionally glance up and speak. "This data is very well kept up to date." Sidonis practically beams at that. "Garrus? Did you really fracture your spine? You had better be taking it easy," she scolds with a glare over the pad and Garrus simply flicks his mandible in innocence, getting him a snort of amusement. "Shepard. I see the others are doing well." The emphasis makes Jane realize it's not all the others Chakwas speaks of, but two very special 'others'. She's proven correct when the doctor adds, "And they're ready for their first immunization."

"Uh, that's one of the problems, ma'am." Sidonis takes the datapad back when offered and his mandibles flicker anxiously. Jane knows it's half his inexperience with anything not dressing a battle wound and the presence of both parents - one of which is more likely to strangle him than not - but Chakwas' encouraging smile obviously help as he continues. "I'm just a field medic. I already know quite a bit about field wounds and I can learn more, but I have no clue how to tend to," he leans closer and whispers the rest to her to keep away stray listeners.

Karin nods and lays a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry…"

"Lantar," Jane supplies, not sure how the poor man would react to having to give a name that the entire Normandy crew is sure to know as the one that nearly caused Garrus' death. He gives her a surprised look, perhaps because she didn't say it with any ire or expect him to carry the revelation alone, and she nods in 'keep going' to the doctor.

"Don't worry, Lantar." Chakwas looks to Garrus and Jane. "I actually wasn't planning on letting you leave without a doctor."

"Oh?" Jane lifts a brow and the woman nods, looking to Zaeed.

"Would you mind going to get him?" With a nod, he leaves and the doctor chuckles, apparently amused by something about this mysterious stranger. When Jane jerks her chin in his direction in obvious question, Chakwas either ignores it and changes subject or starts to lead up to an introduction. Which, Jane isn't quite sure just yet.

"Directly after the war, I was working on Earth trying to assist refugees within Alliance camps so that they could begin the process of returning home-"

"That was where you met Zaeed, I figure?"

"Yes," Karin answers, not at all bothered by the interruption. "I treated his injuries and, despite my insistence against it, he refused to leave my small tent. Said it was better if I had someone there in case desperation became too much for the refugees surrounding my station. I felt no danger, but, well, you know how he can be."

"Paranoid?" Jane says with a smirk and nudges her mate. "I pretty much got that when he and this one tried to boobytrap the apartment on the Citadel. While drunk, I might add."

"It's still a legitimate defense strategy," her husband simply retorts with a shrug and she shakes her head with an eye roll, motioning Karin to continue.

"Then you understand how impossible it was to convince him I was alright. Still, I'll admit the company was well appreciated and I was more than happy to have him accompany me here when I had realized how much worse the refugee situation was." Shaking her head softly, she crosses her arms and looks around the Docking Hold. "But it seems I arrived too late. By the time we got here, the refugees were just… gone."

"Yeah," Jane says with a scowl at the thought, looking to Sidonis. "Lantar says that they were just ditching people at every stop. Kicking them off to make room so the fucking politicians weren't confused into believing there was an actual war."

Karin frowns and is silent for a time before voices begin to approach and urge her to continue her story. "We did manage to meet someone that can help you, Shepard. He's a doctor that, in the short time knowing him, trust completely with yours and the Normandy crew's health."

"Who is he?" Garrus asks as Zaeed leads in a salarian that, upon first glance, almost makes Jane think she's seeing a ghost.

"Garrus, Shepard, Lantar," Chakwas says as she turns to the man, smiling. "Meet Doctor Elihu Solus."

Her mate trills in surprise as Jane's own eyes widen slightly. If space magic ever existed, Jane would have imagined they'd been sent back in time to be thrown face-to-face with a much younger, less hornless Mordin Solus. From red crested forehead to the way the man walked, all she sees is the bastard that refused to let her save him so that he could fix what he saw as his greatest mistake and sin.

"Spectres Shepard and Vakarian." Fuck, he almost sounds the exact same if not for the slight change in pitch. "Very nice to meet you." He offers a hand that Garrus shakes first, overcoming his shock quicker than Jane who is left giving one of the most pitiful handshakes she's ever given. "Lantar," Solus adds as he shakes the only sane one of the trio's hand. "Heard many great things."

"You wouldn't happened to be related to a Professor Mordin Solus, would you?" Garrus hums as he asks the question, no doubt examining the salarian head to two.

Grinning, the doctor nods once. "Yes. Mordin Solus was my uncle."

"Holy shit… That makes you, what? Seventeen?" When he nods, Jane throws up her hand. "Fuck… I still can't get my head around that. You're a doctor. At seventeen."

A slight chuckle comes from Doctor Chakwas as she leans closer to Zaeed to watch. Elihu simply nods and explains, "Decided to change direction of study when found out about war. My uncle tried to keep it secret, but I understood it was something very big if he left Omega to pursue. I assumed it involved his work on large scale if he had to leave behind the work he loved by helping people." Tapping his chin in a way that makes Jane's heart clench, he hums and nods. "Yes. Thought following medical studies before genetics more beneficial should suspicious galactic activity prove more than politics."

"So you…." Stopping, Jane shakes her head to regain composure. She lost so many during the war, but has not yet seen the embodiment of their ghost. Did you find your beach full of seashells, Mordin? "Sorry-"

"Understand. I have been told I look like my uncle." He frowns and offers to lay a hand on her shoulder, hesitating before touching her lightly. "He spoke highly of you. Cared about cause and was grateful to have been part of something more."

Garrus rumbles softly and nods, taking her hand and squeezing as he says, "He was a good friend."

"Shepard," Chakwas calls, breaking the tension. "I know he is young, but I've seen his work. Elihu is the only doctor I trust to the Normandy."

Jane nods in understanding. It's not the man's trustworthiness she's struggling with, it's her past and her demons. Looking to Solus, she motions the Ascension. "What about your work here? Helping refugees."

"Unfortunately, I face the same challenges as Doctor Chakwas. Refugees have been removed and any inquiry leads to no success." He tsks and shakes his head once. "Despicable way to treat any species, but demand for answers leads only to more questions. Cannot help those that I cannot find."

Tapping her fingers on her thigh, Jane looks up to her mate for any additional opinions. Having a doctor aboard will definitely be better than having to expect Sidonis to know all treatments and with Chakwas' word as an added bonus, there isn't much in the way of her agreeing. The fact that he's apparently the same nephew that Mordin spoke so highly of is just an added mark on the 'pros list.

"There's only one thing, Elihu," Garrus says with a hum, his tone serious. "There may be things you see on the Normandy that cannot, under any circumstances, find their way off the ship. There are secrets that you will die with before you ever speak them."

Without hesitation, Solus nods once. "Understand. Would never break patient-doctor confidentiality."

"And what about what you see outside of the MedBay?"

"Location on ship doesn't matter," Elihu protests, moving his hands in the same sharp gestures his uncle once did. "All manner of information pertains to patient health. If information deemed secretive, then release creates risk to health." Stopping, he crosses his hands behind his back and lifts his chin. "I do not need to be a soldier to know when it is safer to protect and withhold than release."

Her mate rumbles in satisfaction with a nod in her direction, a sign that Elihu has passed inspection. Chuckling herself, Jane nods and steps forward, offering a hand. "Welcome aboard."