Chapter 4
Jack decided to leave the Normandy, not so much because Shepard offered the invite but being stuck on Purgatory in statis and spending all this time on the Normandy. Jack felt like she may as well have traded one prison for another. She actually had a proposition for Shepard and maybe the Commander would actually think about it. She had to ask where Commander Shepard could be found and most pointed toward the bar. So, jack walked into the bar and found Shepard sitting at the table drinking and staring at a picture of some Asari chick. She walked up to Shepard. "Who's the Asari chick?"
Shepard grabbed the picture off the table and put it away. "None of your damn business."
Touchy. Okay, so The Commander had a few barbs. "So, I can't question you, like you do me? '
Shepard glared in anger. "Maybe. If I feel like it and you'd actually let me know more about you."
Jack sat down at the table and poured herself a glass of the green liquor, into what was more than likely the Commander's glass and drunk it. Jack watched as the commander's fist seemed to clench hard. Her knuckles getting white and an angry snarl seemed to be on Shepard's lips. However, the Commander's lips seemed to be counting slowly. Jack watched as the Commander's mouth move nonverbally from one…. two…. three…and saw Shepard's fist unclench and deep breaths issue from her. Finally, reaching to ten. The commander finally seemed to cool down.
"Don't you ever touch my glass again! If you wanted a drink, all you had to do was ask."
Jack grinned; it didn't take much to wind Shepard up. Yet, it was clear that with all that military training, Shepard's temper could be reined in…. assuming the Commander wanted to control it.
"Fine, question for question. I answer one of your questions. You answer one of mine. So…your ship. It's a powerhouse. You know you could go pirate live like a Queen. I could help."
"And you'd be my first mate?"
"I'd lead the boarding party. And handle the executions."
Shepard took back her glass, looked at it for a moment and then a look of disgust came on her face, as if Jack had ruined the desire to drink from that glass. She got up went to the bartender and got another bottle of liquor and another glass. Shepard was quiet and poured another glass for herself and then took a sip. "What is it about killing that fascinates you so much?"
"I figure every time someone dies and it's not me. My chances of survival go up. Simple."
Shepard nodded, seeming to contemplate Jack's answer. "I see." She took another quick pull of the drink. Jack then said. "Now answer me, Shepard. The Asari."
"A friend. No idea where she is. I died and she didn't exactly leave a forwarding address. Not even sure she knows I am alive. Anyway, about your proposal about going pirate. Tempting, but no thanks."
"Why not?"
"Lived that sort of life back when I was a kid on Earth. Might be fun for awhile but it always catches up with you. And the ones I ended up living that life with ended up dead."
"You're no fun, Shepard."
Shepard laughed. "Sure I am. Just my priorities changed. I have the life I want. Plenty of dangerous missions where I can rack up kills. There is also the fact that I am a specter with the authority to do anything I want in Council Space and finally I am a Commander with my own ship and my own crew who listen to my orders and carry them out."
She picked up her glass and downed it and let out a good belch afterwards. "In the broad scheme of things, I am already a queen." She chuckled at those last words and then said. "Queen Shepard. Hmmm…that actually, has a nice ring to it."
Jack could tell the Commander was drunk at this point to refer to herself as a queen. But she did sort of have a point, the Commander had a relatively secure life with a lot of power and authority.
"And this queen, orders you to dance with her…"
"Screw you, Shepard. You're drunk."
"Oh, come on…you said you wanted some fun. Now get up and dance with me."
"I said, NO." Jack suddenly raised a biotic wave and sent Shepard flying, right into a wall.
Of course, this brought a response from the Turian bartender. "Hey, no fights in my bar!"
With any normal sort of person, Jack would have figured that they would have blacked out. But shit, Shepard wasn't normal. Then again, maybe it was all those damn cybernetics that Cerberus had rebuilt her with. She watched as Shepard managed to pick herself up and dust herself off with a certain confident swagger. "Wrong answer. Now come over and dance with me. Before I get pissed off and I do something you regret."
"You want a fight, Shepard. Then you got it!"
Jack watched as Shepard took on a very precise combat stance. "You said I wasn't any fun. I think it's time to show you otherwise."
Seriously, the commander wanted to fight her. Not that Jack wasn't eager for a fight but The Commander was either very pissed off drunk or maybe she wanted to blow off some steam. Jack couldn't honestly tell.
"Show me what you got, Jack. I want to see you in action."
