"Another Reaper has died," Javik announced, studying Shepard as she frowned at the game board. It had been reassuring to discover that, even if the games differed, certain layouts existed and could easily be repurposed. "You are proving that humans are capable soldiers." Capable but wearing thin, which was not good for a leader. She had to know that, even if her crew did not.
"I love you, too," she answered blandly, making her opening move before looking up at him expectantly.
It was something of a relief to Javik that Shepard could communicate reasonably—even if she was often foolish. "This peace you have brokered, however," he announced as he made his own move. "It is beyond foolish, even by the standard I use to judge your actions."
"I warrant my own scale? Now I know you really do care."
He frowned at her, watched a smirk creep across her mouth for the first time in days. "Your crew has expressed this view before, but that is not the point. Peace cannot exist between machines and organics. Witness the Reapers. Witness the original geth rebellion. I can cite many examples from my own Cycle."
"We also know that the Reapers lean on the Cycles," Shepard pointed out, "which means that synthetics might just be shackled to it the way organics are. Who's to say that the pattern of synthetics vs organics isn't something the Reapers arrange? Think about it," she added when he scowled at her—more at her move than her argument. It was a good move. For a primitive. "The geth pushed the quarians out, sure—after the quarians tried to kill them—"
"You cannot 'kill' a machine, Shepard. And this naiveté is unbecoming."
"That last move was unbecoming," she retorted without heat before resuming where he'd interrupted. "After the quarians tried to kill them, the geth remained quietly behind the Perseus Veil until Saren and his Reaper friend seduced some of them away from the whole. That sounds a lot like organic behavior to me."
"That is because you are ignoring an important fact," he answered, smirking as she winced. Not such an unbecoming move, was it? "Where did organic life begin?"
Shepard considered. "It depends on who you ask. Some say it was divine influence. Some say we're an accident. Some people think how things end is more important than how things begin. And others don't waste their time on philosophical discussions."
"And where did synthetic life begin?"
She caught the point like a sucker punch. "They know we created them."
"Exactly. They know we created them and they know why we created them. In their minds, organics have no right to exist. We are chaos personified. They are order."
"And yet the 'order' of the Reapers destroys synthetics alongside organics—can you even do that?" she demanded, her voice spiking.
"Apparently so."
"Ugh." She sighed, falling silent until she morosely made another move. "Consider Legion, he—"
"It, Shepard. It," Javik cut in. "Apart from lacking the necessary qualities to make it male, it was still a machine."
"A machine capable of self-sacrifice, of selflessness, of regret. I know humans who haven't got a trace of any of those things. By that token, Legion was a better person than a lot of organic people."
Javik merely gave her an arch look.
"Define people," Shepard shrugged. "I don't expect you to admit it; you've learned that you have to be infallible in order to lead. But I know you'll see the overlap."
"Speaking of infallible."
Shepard swallowed, her face becoming hard. "I know I lost it."
"Yes, you did. I am glad you see reason even if your quarian—"
"Will you stop talking about them like they're my pets?" Shepard asked snappishly. "Or should I start referring to you as 'my Prothean'?"
"—refuses to."
"It won't happen again."
She couldn't guarantee that; she had to be aware of the fact. "If it does, someone will be killed."
Shepard closed her eyes, indicating without words he was saying nothing that she hadn't said to herself. "I do appreciate what you're trying to do, Javik. I'm also glad to tell you, you're a sucker."
She made a move that ended the game.
His mouth actually dropped oven as he watched one of her slender fingers move the piece into position.
That was…sneaky. Her play had much improved, correlating with her ability to articulate the rules. "Beginner's luck. And that is not the worst I have been called." Not by a long shot. Of course, his rebuttal usually prevented any such further detractions.
"What, with your charming personality? How could anyone fail to notice what a big, soft teddy bear you are?" She grinned at him, her eyes glittering with mischief.
"I am not a teddy bear…whatever that is." He had the impression he would be truly annoyed if he understood the concept, so it was better to remain in blissful ignorance. Not that he would ever admit it.
She shrugged in a way to suggest 'we'll agree to disagree.' "Another game or have you had enough?"
"Don't be cocky. It is a poor trait in a leader." But he cleared the board and began setting up the pieces again.
Shepard nodded once to show she accepted the sentiment as not unwise and followed his example. "What would I do without you to remind me of these things?" she asked lightly.
"Die horribly in a fire, I expect."
Shepard actually laughed at this, settling more comfortably as she studied the board. "You're such an optimist."
"I try." Javik opened the game, studying Shepard's face as he did so. The lines etching it had eased somewhat since they started to play. He found himself unexpectedly pleased by the fact. She could not afford to lapse again as she had on the dreadnought.
He didn't prod the practical sentiment to see if there was more to it than simply pragmatism. That, in itself, spoke loudly to him.