II. Target Practice

After loitering outside the mess for longer than she cared to admit, Williams finally walked into the medical bay, only to discover Dr. Chakwas alone at her desk in the dimly lit space. "You must be looking for our guest," she said and motioned towards a door in the far corner, "I've set her up in the on-call room there in the back."

Ashley nodded her thanks and headed towards the back room, only to stop herself and ask, almost as an afterthought, "How is she doing?"

"She was dehydrated. I've given her some fluids. Now what she needs is rest."

"The commander wanted me to check in on her. But I could come back later?"

"Now should be fine, I believe. Just don't stay too long."

You don't have to tell me twice, thought Williams.

At the slight hissing sound of the automatic doors sliding open, the asari turned around from the terminal she'd been working at and stood as Ashley entered the room and the door shut behind her. "Chief, are you coming to check up on me?" she asked.

'Commander Shepard asked me to see how you were."

"Oh, I see." A look crossed her features that seemed, if only for an instant, like disappointment. Feeling like she'd just put her foot in her mouth, Williams carried on and pretended not to have noticed.

"Uh, you look better," At least, I think so. What's a healthy shade of blue on these people? She'd scarcely seen one outside the dim lighting and pulsing neon of some dive bar or strip club."How are you feeling?"

"I am well. Or, as well as can be expected, in any case. And your Dr. Chakwas has assured me that I am going to be fine."

Williams wished she could vouch for the doctor, but she had only been on the Normandy for a short while, herself. And although she had in that amount of time frequented the medical bay fairly often, thanks to the many times her brains were getting scrambled on this mission, she had very limited knowledge in the ship's doctor's abilities in other, more mundane tasks — not to mention any clue as to how well versed she may or may not have been in alien physiology.

"I think you're in good hands, here," was the best she could manage. The asari nodded.

What followed was an awkward silence, and Williams cursed herself as she shuffled her weight from one foot to the other. This must be punishment for the comment I made earlier about not being sure we could trust the aliens Shepard was bringing on board. The commander had seemed good-natured enough about the whole thing at the time, even humoring her and asking why she felt the way she did. And, though Ashley hated to admit it, she'd made some valid counterpoints about the benefits to an outside perspective, even calling on Ashley's religious faith and the infinite diversity in the universe as further proof of some great, unknowable plan and the importance of mutually-beneficial alliances. And now, standing there, alone, with Dr. T'Soni, who seemed to be subtly shaking, Williams couldn't help but feel a little bad about her misgivings. Even if that didn't completely relieve herself of them.

"I never had the chance to properly thank you — all of you — for saving me from the geth," Liara said after a moment, fingering at the gloves of her jumpsuit, nervously, "If you hadn't shown up…"

Williams cleared her throat, "All part of the job, ma'am. 'Semper fi,' and all that." When the scientist only blinked back at her, she sighed and shook her head, "Never mind. Anyway, we had to save you. You might be able to help the commander stop Saren." Again, the asari's brow furrowed slightly, and Ashley felt that foot in her mouth slide in another few inches. Shit. "And, hey, you got in a good shot, yourself. I thought that geth shock trooper was about to knock my block off."

"It was the least I could do," T'Soni answered, leaning tentatively against the work desk and rubbing a hand along her upper arm. "I felt so foolish, cowering like a frightened child back there." Her voice was small, even quieter than it had been before, and her eyes flicked around the room in obvious embarrassment.

Now that just wasn't playing fair, thought the gunnery chief as she felt her stomach flip at the kicked-puppy expression Liara was making. "You were exhausted and dehydrated." She said, "Ducking down and letting the professionals handle things was the smart thing to do."

"Perhaps," said the scientist, who, despite the non-committal reply, did seem somewhat comforted by the sentiment. Without shifting her head, she turned her gaze up to the chief, who was again caught off-guard and left somewhat uncomfortable by just how crisply blue the irises were that bore into her. "But I am sure you did not come here just to hear me bemoan our introduction. Please, is there something that you need from me?"

"Uhh, yeah, actually. Shepard was hoping we could spend some time together. She thought maybe between the two of us we could work out some more details from my visions."

"There is little I saw that you did not already know. As I mentioned, there was a great deal of data missing. It is likely the beacon was damaged or decaying from so many years left inert. But it appeared to be some sort of distress call. A message sent out across the Prothean Empire. A warning, but one that came too late."

"Yeah, sure, right." Williams turned and paced the room. There wasn't much to the space. Just the terminal Liara had been sitting by against one wall, a couple of shelves with medical supplies, a bag they must've gotten from the doctor's campsite on Therum, a bunch of crates haphazardly stacked in the far corner and assembled nearby an old cot. Ashley leaned against the far wall by the door and crossed her arms. She looked the doctor over, trying to get a read on her. Viscerally aware of the fact she was being eyed, T'Soni ducked her head down low again and continued to fiddle with a loose string about her palm.

"I am aware of the way you look at me, Miss Williams," she says after she can endure the silence no longer.

"Oh?" says Ashley. This'll be good.

"Yes." To her credit, Liara looked up and met the marine's gaze as she nodded. "You and several other members of the crew do not trust me. This is not unfounded. Your commander took a chance when she brought me aboard this ship. But I am not Benezia. And I will make the same promise to you as I made to your commander: I will do everything in my power to help you stop Saren."

They shared a brief pause before Ashley let out a breath, "Huh," and actually smiled a bit. Dr. T'Soni seemed immeasurably relieved by this, and relaxed slightly, as well.

"You said you haven't talked to your mom for awhile?"

"Not for several years, now."

"Any particular reason for that?"

The scientist laughed without humor. "Several. But none that would interest you, I'd imagine."

Ashley knew a thing or two about falling out with family members. She and Sarah had been on rocky terrain for awhile. It still hurt a bit to think about, and the chief wasn't cruel enough to make somebody, even someone she wasn't entirely sure she trusted yet, have to relive that just for her benefit.

"Do you have any idea why she would have joined up with Saren."

Sighing, Liara shakes her head, "It does not make sense," she tells her, "I know her, and she is not like this! Benezia had always been outspoken about seeking peace with other worlds as well as the importance for my people to become more involved in the shaping of galactic events. That she would ally herself with Saren? I… I can only imagine it was done out of some misguided belief that it would be for the greater good in the long run. Or, at least, I hope so."

This hurts her, Ashley thinks, and again feels a pang of guilt that chips away at another small part of her suspicion. She tries to imagine if the commander had picked her up from that dig site on Eden Prime and told her that her mother had started working for a rogue spectre looking to bring about the end of all life as they knew it. She thinks she'd probably not be handling that knowledge with even half as much grace as the tomb raider over here was.

"Well, maybe we could— whoa, hey!" Ashley jumped up when she sees the doctor begin to lose her footing and her eyes roll back into her head slightly. "What the hell was that?" she asked, catching T'Soni up in her arms and forcing the maiden back upright and onto her feet.

Liara, for her part, tried to right herself and wriggle out of the marine's hold, grasping for the edge of the table to lean against. "I am alright," she said, "Just… exhausted."

"I'll get Dr. Chakwas."

"That won't be necessary," she reassures, and Ashley feels a very light tug on the sleeve of her uniform to stop her forward motion towards the door. Once the chief stops and looks back at her she elaborates, "It's just from the joining. I am sorry. I just need a moment."

"You should lie down."

"No, I—" But Ashley is already pulling her, quite easily, across the room and then down onto the cot, "Perhaps you are right. Just for a moment." She tips back onto the old folding bed and Ashley scans the room, finding a spare pillow on one of the higher shelves and retrieving it for her. She taps it against the asari's knee, who opens her eyes before taking it. Somebody could probably find her an extra blanket, too, she thinks and makes a mental note to hunt around the barracks for one later.

"Are you sure it's the joining?" Williams says, some of her earlier skepticism returning, "I've had two of those now and I feel fine."

The asari makes a face that almost looks like a pout, and Williams fights the urge to laugh. From her spot lying down against the gurney she props herself up on one elbow and says, "Your role in our communion is passive—"

Call it a 'communion' again and see how quickly I knock you onto your skinny, blue behind, honey, Ashley thinks, feeling defensive and prickly as the archeologist goes on, who happens to sound a fair bit defensive, herself.

"—I am the one who must submerge myself in your mind. Drown in your thoughts. It is far more difficult than it looks."

It must be, thinks the marine, Cause it looked like you were having a pleasant nap. She clenches her fists.

"The human subconscious instinctively resists the joining, Chief Williams. And a strong personality like yours makes it even harder."

"Right. Well…" Ashley stands, seeing red, "I think we're done here."

As she heads for the door, she's vaguely aware of the asari sitting up in the bed as if about to protest, but she's already gone.

She's sitting at her bunk a few days later when the L.T. seeks her out. He leans against the bed over top of hers and casts a shadow over what she's reading. The chief marks her place before looking up in jovial accusation.

"Shepard says we're stopping back on the Citadel. There are some contacts Vakarian has in C-Sec she wants to speak with."

"We suiting up?"

He shakes his head. "Negative. Different shore party this time. Though she did want to talk to you. She's up in the captain's cabin now."

"Were you up in the captain's cabin when she told you this?"

Alenko rolls his eyes and walks away.

"How's our newest team member?" Shepard asks when she steps aside and invites Williams into her room. The lights are low, and Ashley wonders briefly if her commander suffers from the same or similar headaches to those Lieutenant Alenko has mentioned.

"Who, T'Soni?" Williams asks, shrugging, "She seems alright. Still beat from Therum, and maybe whatever asari brain thing she did to me."

"Dr. Chakwas said you left her room in something of a tizzy the other day."

She scoffs. "Hardly."

The commander only hums her reply as she reaches down to put on her boots. They were due into the Citadel any minute now. "Go easy on her," Shepard says, "She's not used to people. And she's been through a lot."

Like I haven't? Ashley wants to fire back, but can think of no way to say it without sounding like a petulant child. And from the look her commander gives her, she suspects she did a poor job of hiding the thought, just the same. Great, she thinks, a whole crew of mind-readers. Just what she needs.

"I'll… try, ma'am," she offers.

"Good."

"Do you need me for the shore party?"

"Nah, I'll be taking Tali and Garrus. They've been on the Citadel longest, and I'm hoping they might help me track down a couple leads about this Banes character." Williams tries to hide her disappointment about being passed up in favor of some untrained aliens. At least Vakarian was C-Sec, and she'd seen Tali hold her own in a fight. "There's something I want you to do for me, though, Chief."

"Yeah, skipper?"

"Take T'Soni to the gun range down in C-Sec Academy."

"Ma'am?"

"I asked Chellick for a favor. He'll be waiting to let you two in." She stood and grabbed her dog tags off the table before closing down her computer terminal. "We might have to take her groundside on a couple of upcoming missions and I don't want her to be a liability. Get her familiar with a pistol and make sure she doesn't shoot her own foot off with it." She looks up and sees the grimace on her subordinate's face. She chuckles and offers a kind smile. "Remember what I said about my open-door policy, Williams? Come on, out with it."

"Ma'am. It's just… Shouldn't you or the L.T. be working with her on this? I'm not even a biotic."

"She doesn't need any work on her biotics," the commander counters as they head for the elevator. "She's quite capable on that front. What she needs to do is learn is her way around a gun and how to hold her own in a firefight. To start thinking like a soldier. And I can't think of somebody better equipped to teach her that than you."

"Ma'am."

"And," Shepard gave her a grin that she was starting to despise, "It'll give you the chance to apologize for nearly biting her head off, earlier."

The five of them get into the elevator leading up to C-Sec.

"That was some smooth talking you did back there, Shepard," says Vakarian. The whole group had just witnessed the commander wipe the floor with Rear Admiral Makhailovich, who'd ambushed them at the docking bay. To her credit, the commander just gives a nod and sardonically thanks the team for their support. Shepard had argued many of the same points to the admiral in defense of her ship and chosen crew as she had made to Williams in private; stating the importance of intergalactic collaboration and the necessity for humanity to come off as a team player to its allies. Seeing even the admiral come around slightly to her way of thinking had been eye opening for Williams. It meant not only did the spectre talk the talk, but that she believed in it. If you could put your money where your mouth was, give your arguments to a superior, not just your underlings, without backing down or stepping out of line, that, to Ashley Williams, was just about the most impressive thing she'd seen the commander do yet.

They exited the lift at C-Sec and Shepard turned a somewhat cautious eye to Liara, who was fiddling slightly with the light armor she'd just been issued. "You two going to be alright?" she asked, her gaze falling back to Williams.

"We'll be fine, Commander," Ashley assured, "No better R&R than a little target practice."

Garrus nodded in agreement, and Liara skeptically eyed the pistol at her side as though it might jump up and bite her.

"You've got to stop looking away when you fire, doc," Ashley said, arms crossed as she watched the asari flinch and wrench back her head just at the moment she pulled the trigger, and once again the shot veered wildly off coarse. She eyed the clock on the wall and noticed their window of allotted time was closing rapidly.

"Here," she says, and steps up behind her, "Stand like I showed you earlier." And when the asari does, Williams crowds in and mirrors the position, pressing her body up against the other woman's and taking her by the wrist where she was holding her gun. She hears T'Soni squeak quietly as the chief readjusts her posture slightly. Here. There. Here again.

"I do not need you to—"

"Yeah, you do." Ashley places her other hand on Liara's shoulder and clenches it tightly. She keeps her voice low and calm. "Now don't look away this time. Take a deep breath in," she hears her do as she's told, "Let it out," again, she does, "and… fire."

Liara squeezes the trigger. They stand still for a moment.

"Now we're talking." Ashley breathes, smiling as she steps back. She presses the button beside them and the practice sheet slides up to them. It's not a perfect shot by any means, but at least this time its within the painted silhouette. Liara reaches out and takes the paper between her fingers. Her expression is momentarily unreadable.

"Would this have killed him, Chief?" she asks, before looking over to the officer when she receives no reply, "If- if he were real, of course?"

Ashley cranes her head to see again just where the bullet landed. "Probably not. Just the shoulder. Slap some medi-gel on it once he surrenders and he'd be fine."

"Good," she hears Liara say, softly, "I've always hated…"

Ashley looks at her, strangely, "You've had to–?"

"Once," Liara says, setting the gun down and taking a tentative step away from the spot where they'd been training. "A group of pirates on a dig site. Usually I can shake them off. Throw them around a little with my biotics, and they lose interest. Rather go off and find easier, unguarded prizes. But these…" she shakes her head. "I think they were slavers. Or maybe wanted to be. I'm not sure."

"Oh," the gunnery chief says, suddenly feeling her mouth go dry.

"I reported their ship once they were– once I'd–… once I was back above ground. I think an Alliance patrol came and picked it up. I never found out what was on board."

"Nothing good," Ashley assured her. The doctor nodded, though continued to look away.

"That probably sounds rather mundane to someone like you."

Briefly, the chief didn't know how to respond.

"Come on," she says, and takes the paper and folds it several times before handing it to Liara, who smiles softly, "We can show that to the Commander when we get back on the ship. You're no Annie Oakley, but its better than nothing."

"I'm no… what?"

Ashley sighs. Right. "Never mind."

They sign out of the gun range and head back towards the Normandy's docking bay. As they ride the elevator, Liara asks her, "Is it common for human women to be front-rank fighters, Chief Williams? I know that salarian women do not serve in the military."

"It's becoming more common," she tells her, "but it took a long time to prove that us 'ladies' could handle an assault rifle or a shot gun."

"Such enforced roles are common in duel-sexed societies," replies the archaeologist, sounding very much like an archaeologist as she does so, "I was fortunate not to have to deal with that particular burden, I suppose."

"Hmh," the chief answers, "Yeah, I guess not." She looks over at Liara and studies her a bit.

"Yes, Chief?" the scientist asks after a moment.

"You people really are, what, mono-gendered, huh?"

"We are, yes. Though many species prescribe us to female roles."

"Does that bother you?"

"Not really," she answers, "Though I suppose some might feel differently. I do not claim to be an archetype of my kind. Quite the opposite, in fact."

"Oh?"

"Mh," she hums, and looks down as they step out of the elevator and wait by the Normandy. The commander and her half of the shore party had yet to return, it seemed. "Indeed. I have never much liked large, packed-in place. And I am not used to these kinds of environments," she motions around them, "There are just… too many people."

"You don't like crowds?"

She shakes her head. "Too much time working by myself, I suppose."

"I bet your mom loved that."

Liara trilled a rueful laugh, and Williams found herself smiling just a little.

There's a long, silent stretch. They each watch a ship not far from them depart the Citadel and fly off.

"Tell me about yourself, doc," Ashley says, leaning against one of the hip high pillars along the docking port.

"Me?" she replies, sounding somewhat surprised. When the chief just shrugs and folds her arms, she looks off. Back to wringing her hands this way and that. "I'm afraid you'll find I'm not very interesting. As I've said, I spend most of my time alone, on remote digs, unearthing mundane items buried in long-forgotten places."

She sounds almost wistful. Ashley scoffs, though not without some humor, "You're right: that does sound pretty boring."

The archeologist smiles demurely, "I guess seeking out the secrets of history holds a special appeal for me. And I would like to hope that reason exists beyond simply spiting my mother." Briefly, she looks somewhat abashed. Before meeting Liara, Williams had not realized there were quite so many subtly different ways to look embarrassed. The archeologist goes on, softly: "I would give a century of my life to have gotten to study a beacon such as the one you found on Eden Prime."

Williams snorts a laugh and says ruefully, "Believe me, if I had it to do over again, it would be all yours."

The doctor shakes her head and looks bewildered. "I suppose I can see where you are coming from, but still… To think, you were touched by actual working prothean technology! It is remarkable." Ashley looks over at her and is unsurprised to again find that reverent look in the other woman's eyes. It sends a strange chill down her spine. Forgetting herself, briefly, T'Soni goes on, "It's why I find you fascinating."

She felt herself go stiff and clench her jaw. "I'm not some artifact you can take back to your lab and dissect, Doctor."

"What?" She watched the asari's already doe-like eyes grow large with horror as she realizes what she's said. The scientist tries to backpedal, "No, I didn't — I'm sorry, Chief Williams, I didn't mean it like that. I never meant to offend you, I just… am not very good at dealing with people." She averts her eyes and absently fingers the folded-up target sheet from the shooting range. "I let my professional curiosity get the better of me."

That's twice now, Williams wants to say, Third strike and you're out.

"It's… fine," Ashley mumbles, swallowing her pride as she realizes she's taking out her frustrations on the poor doctor. She kicks at a non-existent something on the ground, "I'm not exactly used to this, either."

After a pause, T'Soni adds, "Now you see why I prefer spending my time in the field, alone with data disks and computers. I always seem to say something embarrassing around other people. Please, forgive me."

Williams opens her mouth to respond but stops short as the elevator doors hiss open and out walks her commander and the remainder of the shore party.

"You two playing nice?" the spectre asks, instantly catching on to the tension in the air.

"Yes, Commander," Liara says, surprising Ashley, who fixes her with a suspicious look, unsure if she's being toyed with. "Your Chief Williams is an excellent teacher."

"Good," says the commander, who then swings around to address the gunnery chief, herself, "How's her aim?"

"Not totally beyond saving."

Liara pouts slightly and Shepard laughs, "Good, then at least this trip wasn't a complete waste."

"No luck on any of the leads on Banes?" the chief asks as they head towards the Normandy and begin the standard decontamination process.

"One," says Vakarian, "but it's a long shot."

"What's our next move?"

"We're heading to the Sparta System in the Artemis Tau cluster. There are some missing marines I said I'd look into for Admiral Kahoku."

"Is that really the best use of our time, Shepard?" Garrus asks, the long, thin mandibles in the front of his face flexing. Williams still didn't love how involved all these non-military (and non-human) personnel were in her commander's decision-making process, but she didn't entirely disagree with the sentiment.

"We don't leave marines behind," she says, and Williams visibly winces as she remembers her commanding officer's own brush with death that propelled her into military stardom and ultimately set her on the path she was now on. "If there's a chance these men are alive, we have to make sure."

"Understood, Commander."

Her headaches start getting worse. When she finally can't take it anymore, lying awake in her bunk as her temples throb and it feels like there's an ice pick sticking out of her eye socket, Williams gets up to go to medical. She doubts Dr. Chakwas will be up at this hour, but maybe whatever scrub is on duty can give her a sedative or a stronger painkiller than the over the counter stuff she's allowed to keep in her things.

She walks past the mess hall and finds Shepard and Alenko trying to teach Tali how to play Spades.

"Hey, Chief," says the L.T., "Welcome to the insomniacs' club."

"I didn't realize I was missing out on a party," she says, and lingers a moment. Nearest her, Tali is shaking her head and cursing softly in Quarian as she flips through her cards.

"Can't sleep?" Shepard asks her, a look of concern crossing her superior's expression.

"Just a headache, Commander."

"Well, we know all about those," she answers, sharing a nod with Alenko, "They been worse for you since the Cipher?"

"Yeah," Williams answers, though she's never been fond of complaining, "Since Eden Prime, actually. I never used to have them before that damn beacon."

"When this is over, you should take some time," Alenko says, "Talk to somebody about everything that's happened."

"At this point I don't think there's anyone I haven't talked to about that damned beacon."

"That's… not what he meant, Chief," Shepard said, her voice soft. When Williams just blinks at her in reply, she continues, "You saw your whole unit get wiped out. That's a lot of baggage to unpack. Insomnia, headaches, nightmares — I know we've all been chalking that up to the beacon and the Cipher, but the truth is I dealt with a lot of that same shit after Akuze. Going through what you did… it takes a toll."

"I'm fine, Commander."

Shepard's mouth forms a thin line. "I wish I could believe that. Under any other circumstance, you'd be sitting pretty on a beach somewhere with some mandatory leave and a daily meeting with a head shrink, but…"

"Saren."

They all nod.

After a tense pause Tali throws down her cards. "Go fish," she says.

Alenko laughs, "That's 'Go Fish,' Tali. We're playing Spades."

"Oh, well… King me."

The group chuckle and shake their heads, and Ashley takes the opportunity to duck into the sickbay. She's surprised to find Dr. Chakwas still awake, who insists on running some tests and giving her a full physical before she's willing to prescribe any stronger medications. About an hour later, she leaves to find Tali having retired to her bed, and Shepard and Alenko sitting closely, talking quietly, knees touching. They pull apart when the door opens, but the telltale blush of each of their cheeks and their inability to make eye contact with either her or each other gives them away far more than the half-seen posturing from a second prior.

"Chief," the commander says with a curt nod.

"Skipper," she answers, unable to keep the smile out of her voice. She winks at Kaidan as she walks by.

AN: Every time I sit down to write this fic I get the song "Don't Get Any Closer" by Bebe Rexha stuck in my head. I guess it's my own fault for the name, but the title's growing on me, so I think I'm going to keep it. As last time, comments & kindness always appreciated.