Chief Engineer Adams knew what was coming. He knew it from the moment Shepard caught his gaze as she gave the crew the much-needed pep talk.
He didn't dread the conversation, but he didn't expect it to be comfortable. Not because Shepard was prone to rages, but because she was more likely to take things philosophically. He would have preferred a little grudging in the acceptance, a dash of resentment in permitting him to remain as her chief engineer.
Because she would; he was good at what he did, and had previous experience on the Normandy…though, granted, that was the SR-1 and not this gorgeous second generation.
He felt that the SR-2 was like the daughter in an adversity story: pretty mom, deadbeat dad, but entirely her own person, gifted and beautiful.
And smart, since EDI was there to turn her cogs.
The doors hissed, admitting Shepard. "How's the engine running?"
"Like the well-oiled machine it is," Adams answered promptly.
Shepard walked over, leaned on the console, gazing at the drive core. Her face had more angles than he remembered, but the eyes were still that vivid shade, neither blue nor green, and she retained that sense of readiness he associated with her.
"You're being twitchy, Adams. What's up?"
"I'd love to know how you know that," Adams declared, shaking his head.
"I'll let you in on a secret: you're a finger drummer. Tali once asked me how humans coped with having all those fingers. I told her we managed, asked her what brought that up. She said you did this thing with all your fingers. That you sounded like a regular drummers' corps." Shepard smirked wryly at the memory.
Adams opened his mouth, then shut it again, his expression curving into a rueful smile. "And here was me thinking you had perfect recall."
"Nope. I know a guy who does, though. I don't know how he lives with it. But maybe it's an 'all those fingers' thing."
Adams shook his head, certain that Shepard was referring to a real person and not cracking a joke.
"What's bothering you, Adams?"
"I guess it's because I owe you an apology. I know I do, it's just—"
"Awkward bringing it up," Shepard finished benignly.
Adams nodded. Part of him was relieved that she was making this conversation easy. "When you were still working with Cerberus—when you got this ship," Adams corrected himself, "Dr. Chakwas contacted me. Asked me to help with your mission."
"Did she?" Shepard asked, surprised.
"She did. I didn't have your back…and I'm sorry for that." There. It was out.
"Why'd you sit out?" Shepard asked, her voice lightly neutral.
"I didn't trust Cerberus—I didn't trust that it was really you. And, as an Alliance officer, I don't just up and leave my post."
Shepard jostled his elbow with her own. "I appreciate that, Adams. Being Alliance first, I mean. Don't beat yourself up over this. Alenko didn't come along, either."
Adams nodded to show he heard her.
"Hey, it was a crap assignment. And the food sucked."
Adams chuckled at that. "Still."
Shepard twitched her shoulders. "You're here, now. So, what do you think about our SR-2?"
"If there's one good thing I can say about Cerberus, they know how to build a ship. A couple minor safety concerns, but nothing I can't work with."
Shepard chuckled. "You sound like my old engineers. Eek and Meek—they were quite the double act. I kinda worried about Donnelly from time to time, but Daniels was solid as a rock." Shepard shook her head. "They're two I would love to have back. Former Alliance, good kids."
"Well, if you can find any talented engineers, send them my way. Not that I can't handle this myself," he added.
"But you've got to sleep sometime. Don't worry, EDI can handle it. Right, EDI?"
"Of course, Shepard," EDI answered promptly.
"EDI's quite the asset. It was a little strange at first, talking shop with an AI, but Joker seemed to trust her, and eventually I saw her uses. Even came to like her."
"AI?" Shepard asked with convincing innocuousness.
Adams snorted, enjoying Shepard's attempt to cover for the AI. If he hadn't known the truth, her response would have derailed all suspicions, leaving him sure he was crazy. "Didn't take long for me to catch on. Mostly it was those problems that kept fixing themselves. Besides, have you seen her hardware? Way too much processing power for a lowly VI." It was a compliment, and he hoped EDI would take it that way.
EDI waited for a moment, as if debating whether to admit the truth. Then, apparently deciding her cover was sufficiently blown, "You never exhibited any skepticism, Lt. Adams." There was a tone of sardonic disbelief in her voice.
Adams found himself grinning; he'd been leery of the Cerberus AI at first, but between Joker's ease around her and what he eventually recognized as efforts to protect her, he'd left his concerns private and unvoiced. "What? And give myself away? I tried disconnecting her from some of the major processes—discreetly, of course—but no luck."
"She's got to be careful. Keep the likes of you from unplugging her. You ready to go public, EDI? As far as the crew goes?" Shepard asked.
"They will come to the correct conclusion eventually. I would prefer to let them figure it out for themselves."
"No problem," Shepard nodded.
Silence descended, a comfortable one, as Shepard and Adams regarded the drive core. "If you've got safety concerns, keep me apprised."
"I'll do that, Commander. But I wouldn't let it worry you; the Normandy's not going to go out on you in the middle of a fight," Adams answered.
"Good to know." She pushed herself off the console. "Carry on, Adams."
"Aye-aye, ma'am." A feeling of nostalgia washed over Adams as he turned back to his console. In a galaxy gone wrong, it was nice when something brought a sense of normalcy.
