Chapter Five: Poets & Promises
Ryder walked through the stone structures of Zhu's Hope. As he walked out onto the sky way, the Prothean skyline bloomed in the backdrop, the radiant sun bleeding through the gray clouds. All around, colonists went about their business; tending to their wounded after the Thorian's demise. The Normandy's arrival was timely but the colony had already taken as much as they could.
Ryder continued his work on the Mako, ensuring it didn't suffer too much damage after its last fight.
"You should just slap some omni-gel on it." Ashley told him as she scanned over the rails and into the horizon with her rifle.
"Omni-gel is just for the armor. Always have to make sure the insides aren't torn to shreds." He said from the undercarriage. "Wrex, can you lift my side; have to give it one last once over."
Wrex appeared from around the front of the Mako. "Just watch your head, Ryder." With one arm, the Krogan lifted the tank onto its side.
Ryder stood up, activating the flashlight on his omni-tool. He inspected the underbelly, the tire pressure, and kinetic surface of the shields while they were on. All in all, the Mako was clear for duty.
"Alright, you can let go. I got it from here." Ryder turned off his flashlight and channeled a small biotic field. As Wrex released the tank, Ryder allowed it to gently drop back to the ground. He clapped his hands, "Good as new."
"Back on Tuchanka, you'd be lucky if the wheels held together." Wrex told them as he leaned back on a stone pillar. "Feros almost reminds me of home, what with all the broken buildings."
"Is Tuchanka really that bad?" Ryder inquired.
Wrex shrugged, "It's nothing the Krogan didn't do to themselves. Take that for what it is."
"You have to hand it to these colonists, even after everything they're still sticking around." Ashley pointed out.
Ryder sat atop the repaired Mako as he addressed his teammates, "They made it through the Geth, the Thorian, even Jeong's corporate crazy. They're tougher than they look."
"Except Shepard helped them on all three counts. We'll see how they do once we're good and gone." Wrex remarked while polishing his shotgun.
"Wrex is right," Ashley said. "At this rate, if the Alliance doesn't get into gear, there won't be any colonies left to defend."
Ryder thought back to their initial arrival. Shepard has been insistent on getting Zhu's Hope up and running before tackling the Exo Geni building. Even dealing with Jeong, she could've shot him once he pulled a gun on her. Instead, she talked him down and convinced him to double down on the colony's future. Shepard went so far as equipping the whole squad with the nerve gas grenades and had them triple check their gear before getting back to deal with the Thorian.
"It might be a gamble to stay," Ryder said. "But for the colonists, this is home. They're not going to give it up easy."
Ashley smirked, "I didn't have you pegged for an optimist, Ryder."
"I'm just a realist from a different perspective is all." He replied.
"Normandy to Mako team," Joker piped in over their radio channel. "You guys good for a pick up or does the Mako need another shining? Personally, I don't think the colony needs a car wash but I guess it couldn't hurt to have."
Ryder stood up on the tank, flagging the Normandy to their position. "Car wash team is ready for pick up, Joker. I hope you left our business cards."
The Normandy drifted down to their position, lowering its ramp onto the sky way. The ground team headed into the frigate with Ryder behind the wheel of the Mako. Tucked away and secure, the Normandy lifted its ramp and headed for the horizon.
Over the cargo hold intercom, Joker continued his exchange with the specialist, "You know Ryder, if you do decide to leave the Alliance maybe they'll let you be their official vehicle washer. I'd skip on the swimwear though, just some free advice."
Ryder exited the Mako, heading for his locker with a shake of his head. "I'll keep a space reserved for the Normandy if I do Joker."
Ashley removed her armor, back in her fatigues and proceeded to inspect all their returned weapons. "Never thought I'd see someone keep up with Joker like you do, Scott."
Ryder went about removing his armor, slipping back into his usual hoodie, "It comes from years of practice. You don't last very long without a sense of humor when you're family's blacklisted."
"Tell me about it." She assured him. "Dad used to drill me on how to turn the other cheek or get even without getting reprimanded."
"Sounds like solid advice. Would you believe our mom was the one who talked us through how to get chewed out?"
Ashley stopped her inspection, turning to him with a furrow in her brow. "Not your father?"
"Dad wasn't big on us having advantages, he said it'd make people think we didn't earn things ourselves."
Wrex laughed from his usual place beside the lockers, "Your father sounds like a Krogan."
"Well, he did like to fight like one; always butting his head against whatever problem came his way." Ryder told them.
Ashley crossed her arms, "Besides Kaidan and myself, I'm starting to wonder if everybody aboard this frigate has parent issues."
A silence hung between the three of them for a moment, the low hum of the Normandy's engine going off throughout the ship.
"Not much of an issue left if you kill them." Wrex shrugged, breaking the silence.
Ryder chuckled, "I'm surprised you didn't just eat him. Isn't that what you always say?"
The Krogan smiled, "You eat someone small to get them out of the way. Killing is for sending a message."
The Commander stepped out of the lift and into the cargo hold. She made a straight shot to the trio by the lockers, "Everyone getting along okay?"
"Couldn't be better, skipper. How did your report to the Council go?"
"Same as ever; in one ear and out." Shepard confessed.
"We did good work on Feros, Commander." Ryder stated. "Getting the Cipher and repelling the Geth definitely puts Saren in our sight lines. Not too mention what we did for the colony. I didn't see the Alliance or Citadel coming to get them out of that jam."
Shepard smiled, "You certainly know how to boost a girl's ego, Ryder."
"Just stating facts, ma'am."
"Well, keep up the good work... that goes for all of you. I'll be back in a bit during my rounds."
Ryder watched her leave before securing his gear and closing his locker. Ashley, on the other hand, threw a knowing glance his direction once Shepard left. Noticing one last shake of the Krogan's head before he left as well, Ashley walked up to Ryder with suspicion.
"You know, scuttlebutt says Shepard's got a thing for you. I thought you might just be kissing ass but, I gotta say, he might not be off."
"Where did this come from?" Ryder replied.
"Come on," Ashley insisted. "It's no secret the Council and Alliance are giving Shepard a hard time. I'm sure she appreciates having someone in her corner."
"Shepard's in charge; it doesn't hurt to let her know she's doing a good job." Ryder said as he holstered the last of his weapons onto Ashley's table.
"Alright, fair enough." She said with her hands up, "But as the oldest of four girls, it's hard not to notice that the skipper usually finds time to talk to a certain specialist after every mission."
"Shepard always makes her rounds after a mission."
"Still, that's twice now that she's come to talk to you first after getting stone walled by the Council." Ashley leaned back against her station, "Relax Scott, I'm not looking to make a big deal out of this. I'm more just curious if you have any intentions."
He sighed. "Shepard's an easy person to be around. I'm not saying I wouldn't be interested but I'm not looking to complicate things either."
"Well, for what it's worth, I suppose it's not technically fraternization if she's a Spectre."
"I'll keep that in mind." He said as he rolled his eyes.
Ryder made his way to the lift, stepping inside on his way to the mess hall. As the door began to close, Samantha entered as well. The lift started to rise with the two of them as its occupants. She parted her crimson hair to the side, giving him a reassuring smile as the tension between them drifted away.
"Sorry if I interrupted your conversation with Chief Williams, Ryder. I imagine the two of you have a lot in common."
Scott shrugged, "Not as much as you might think... okay, well maybe we do. But, to be honest, she's more like an older sister."
"Isn't Sara already older than you?"
"Older than me by a few minutes which apparently entitles her to an opinion on what I should or shouldn't be doing at all times." He smirked. "It's nice to have a watchful eye that doesn't shove said opinions where they're not wanted."
Ryder's tone was loose and comfortable despite the sensitive topic. Something noticeable was how much he let himself be vulnerable with her while at the same time keeping the flow of the conversation amicable.
"Is there any family member you have that is worth getting to know?"
Scott palmed his eyes for a moment. "Sorry about that. I must sound like a complete jerk; the way I talk about my family."
"Scott, you really don't." She assured him. "You don't know how many times I've had to hear people talk about wonderful or supportive their family is."
"That's a bad thing?"
The elevator door opened as they arrived at the crew deck. Ryder stepped out onto the floor, stopping part of the way out when he didn't hear a second pair of steps follow him.
Shepard, however, was slow to exit, "It is when you can barely remember your own."
Ryder looked back at her, feeling like he had one foot in his mouth. "Hey, don't let people fool you. Every family has their drama, trust me. You're officially invited to a Ryder family Thanksgiving if you want to see for yourself."
She followed him out of the lift, "What, not good enough to bring around for Christmas?"
"Think of it as a warm-up." He answered back. "If you're not sick of us, I'll have a present with your name on it by December."
"I'll have to think of something to get you." Shepard teased.
"You being there will be enough of a present, trust me." He confessed.
Scott swore he had seen a blush under freckles at some point but Sam managed. "Well, now I have to get you something."
"It's a date then- or a promise! That should keep us out of trouble with Alliance brass." Ryder joked.
"What's life without a little trouble?" Shepard said as she began backing away to her office. "See you around, Scott."
