A/N: So I have to admit, Sara taking up Peebee on her offer of zero G fun strikes me as something she'd do. They both need to blow off steam in a stressful environment. And then it occurred to me that they're pretty close to the bridge… Suvi and Kallo can probably hear the entire thing . whoops! So that inspired this. At first I wasn't sure if it worked considering how chill Suvi is, but then I figured everyone feels emotions, just some are better than others at hiding them. Surely even Suvi feels jealousy? So, here we are… :P
Peebee. P. B. Suvi knew the name the asari gave was a nickname, based on her initials, but didn't know what the initials might stand for. It was short and fast and easy, and that suited the asari just fine; she didn't like to hang around too long and while she spoke a lot she preferred to take shortcuts with words and phrases, her name being one of them. Peebee hadn't been with the crew long. Sara had found her on Eos, or Peebee had found them, Suvi wasn't sure which way round it was. Either way, Peebee had invited herself on board the Tempest and Sara had gone along with it.
Peebee was like no other asari Suvi had had the pleasure, or displeasure, of meeting. She was intelligent, yes, a scientist of sorts, enthusiastic about all things Remnant. But also, hyperactive and blunt, with commitment issues anyone could spot a mile off. And as if all that didn't mark her as different enough, she had that bizarre black stripe across her eyes like some kind of bandit mask.
Though, apparently, she was doing something right, because Suvi had been listening to Peebee and Sara getting off in the bridge escape pod for the last ten minutes. Sure, the Tempest engines mostly drowned it out, and the sealed doors muffled it, but Peebee's 'room' and the escape pod were only a couple of meters away from her across the bridge and she knew exactly what was going on in there.
Kallo was projecting an air of professional obliviousness, though Suvi had seen him, from the corner of her eye, casting worried glances her way. He knew how she felt about Sara and knew that the current goings on was probably incredibly upsetting, even for the ever-calm Suvi Anwar. She cleared her throat on hearing a dull thud from the escape pod and a muffled 'ow' from Sara as she presumably crashed off a wall, and pushed herself out of her chair, tugging her mug from the top of the console in front of her and lifting her data pad. The mug had a magnetic base to keep it from tipping over if their flight hit turbulence which meant often Suvi left it stuck to walls and all sorts of surfaces and forgot about it. It had briefly travelled around Podromos stuck to the rear of the Nomad at one point, much to the amusement of Sara, who had brought it back to her with that infuriatingly attractive sloped grin and a mischievous gleam in her eyes, announcing it had survived a kett attack and advising Suvi take better care of it.
"I'm going to get myself some tea, want anything?" She asked Kallo, pausing just before the door of Peebee's room. She could hear them both laughing now.
"No, thank you." Kallo turned in his seat and smiled at her. She gave him a weak one in return and left the bridge, heading straight down the ladder outside for the galley.
She knew she shouldn't feel jealous. Sara had barely spoken to her socially since first meeting her, hadn't even sought Suvi out save to return the mug. Any conversation they did have was, regrettably, work related and usually only to fill the time as one of them made tea or coffee or waited for the microwave to finish nuking a meal. It didn't help that Suvi had no idea how to initiate a conversation with her and often sat in silence casting furtive glances the Pathfinder's way, admiring from afar. She thought she was subtle, but Kallo had figured her out ridiculously fast. Damn salarians and their STG training… He could probably read an asari commando like an open book, an awkward human scientist was no trouble.
The galley was, mercifully, empty. Suvi breathed a sigh of relief as she checked the water level in the kettle before flicking the switch on the side. As the water boiled she opened one of the cupboards and rummaged amongst the boxes and packets stuffed inside by the other crew members until she found the tin containing her tea leaves, pushed to the back. It was a treat she tried not to have too often. The tea was from Earth, from home, and couldn't be replaced once it was gone. She pulled off the lid and lifted the tin to her nose, breathing deep and closing her eyes, savouring the earthy scent. It had the usual calming effect on her, teasing out the faintest smile as she opened her eyes and put the tin down on the side. She spooned leaves into her tea strainer, then put the tin back into the cupboard, moving it to the back again behind everyone else's snacks and treats.
Tea made, she lifted her mug and carried it to the table, dropping herself into one of the chairs with a sigh. She would stay here with her tea and data pad until it was safe to return to the bridge. However long that might be. She shook her head and woke the data pad with a swipe of one finger. She was being utterly ridiculous and she knew it, which served only to irritate her more. But she was only human, a slave to the chemical reactions in her brain, illogical as they were. She had once been quite adept at masking her emotions. The things she had done, the decisions she'd had to make shortly after being brought out of cryo on the Nexus, had taught her how to numb herself until she no longer felt the guilt and crushing anxiety brought on by deciding who counted as essential staff, who deserved to return to consciousness, who stayed asleep, figuring out how long their resources would last if they couldn't find a world to settle, and who received those resources. She hoped to never be forced into such a situation ever again. It had felt like playing God…
Perhaps she could take lessons in compartmentalising her feelings from Cora, eternally in control of her emotions, as far as Suvi knew, thanks to her training with the asari huntresses. Or possibly Lexi could give her some- no. She shut down that thought with another shake of her head. Lexi would want to know why, would probe until she pinpointed the issue. And besides, it was just a thread of thought Suvi was following, not something she would seriously consider. A distraction to keep her from thinking about Sara and Peebee 'getting to know each other' in the escape pod.
"A terrible distraction," Suvi muttered to herself, dunking her tea strainer and watching the liquid in her mug grow darker. She took the strainer with its now soggy leaves over to the sink, cleaned out the mesh ball and left it on the draining board to dry. She returned to her chair and found her fingers had opened her document on soil samples as her mind wandered. With nothing else planned, she settled down to fill her mind with her previous discoveries, mug cradled between both hands, warming her skin through her uniform gloves.
All too soon (or so it felt…in reality she had been sat reading for a while, her tea was only just warm now) her quiet space was invaded. On board the Tempest, especially when in motion, it was almost impossible to find a place to bunker down for some alone time. The galley was never the place to hide out in, being the place most frequented by the crew. As the door panel slid open, Suvi lifted her eyes to see who had wandered in, and only just managed to stop herself pulling a dismayed face.
"Hey, what's up, doc?" Peebee shot her a grin as she swaggered over to the sink looking way too pleased with herself. Suvi felt a flicker of annoyance that, out of every space on the ship, Peebee had decided to bring her smug butt to the galley first to celebrate her conquest.
"The sky?" She replied drily and Peebee snorted, setting about making herself coffee.
"Good one," she said, though it really wasn't. Her tone, however, suggested she had honestly enjoyed the remark, leaving Suvi confused. "Tea again, doc?" Suvi glanced over at the question and saw Peebee flick her tea strainer with one finger.
"Yes," Suvi replied curtly. She never knew how to take Peebee. It might have been an honest question, but the asari sounded like she was teasing Suvi, and calling her 'doc' sounded like a taunt. Then again, everything Peebee said was a joke or a taunt. She seemed to project an air of utter idiocy but was, at times, very intelligent. She was the strangest asari Suvi had ever met.
Said asari glanced her way, one brow lifted, and Suvi realized Peebee had probably picked up on her irritation. Senseless irritation. She was supposed to be a scientist, cool and collected and rational, and she was currently acting anything but. "Earth tea," she added with a faint smile, and lifted the mug to sip at it. Warm steam caressed her face, leaving her skin feeling faintly damp. She rubbed her sleeve against her cheeks to rid herself of the feeling.
"Earth tea?" Peebee repeated slowly, tipping her head curiously to one side.
"Yes, I... Brought it with me from home, one of my luxury items," Suvi explained, wondering just how much Peebee would ridicule her for that. It seemed silly now, to have chosen tea when she could have brought something else more useful but tea had always calmed her and she supposed that somewhere in the back of her mind it had occurred to her that the trip to Andromeda might not be all sunshine and daisies. So, Earth tea, proper tea, unlike that bland synthetic rubbish the Initiative had stocked them with, made the list in place of other mementos.
She saw Peebee lift one eyebrow in amusement as the asari turned back to her Initiative brand instant coffee.
"You brought it all this way?" Peebee asked, a hint of bemusement in her voice.
"I did," Suvi replied. It sounded crazy now, but she was glad she had made the decision.
"You really like your tea, huh?" Peebee looked over her shoulder to grin at the redhead, and Suvi couldn't help but flash a faint smile in return, lifting her mug to sip again.
"I really do," she replied as Peebee turned from the counter, mug in hand, and crossed the short distance to the table. She hooked her ankle around the leg of the chair opposite Suvi, dragging it out and dropping down into it with all the grace of a drunk krogan. Somehow, she managed not to spill her coffee, placing the mug on the table in front of her as she brought up both legs onto the chair to sit cross-legged with her elbows leaning on her thighs.
"I prefer coffee," Peebee told her conversationally.
"You're like Ryder then," Suvi replied. "She's a big coffee drinker."
"Or, maybe she's like me!" Peebee said with a wide grin.
Suvi had a mouthful of tea to avoid answering that. Really, Peebee and Sara were nothing alike other than sharing a love of caffeine. Not that Peebee needed the caffeine. Ever.
Peebee's eyes flicked to Suvi's mug thoughtfully. "The angara are big tea drinkers, you know?"
"They are?" Suvi asked, setting her mug down on the table and watching Peebee almost suspiciously, wondering where this was going.
"Yes! Jaal told me," Peebee said eagerly, gesturing excitedly. "They boil these leaves to make it and he said it tastes sweet. You should ask him about it."
"I will, thanks," Suvi said and gave her a genuine smile. "So... what did you bring with you from home?"
"Oh, this and that," Peebee answered vaguely. Suvi wasn't entirely sure what she had been expecting. She knew Peebee wasn't one for disclosing information about herself, even something as potentially harmless as what luggage she had brought to Andromeda. "So, doc," Peebeen lifted her mug and slurped coffee loudly, "watcha working on for us now?"
"Hm?" Peebee nodded to the data pad on the table in front of Suvi. "Oh, I'm just going over a document I wrote on Heleus soil samples." She couldn't believe she had sent it to Sara... The memory made her cheeks feel warm with embarrassment. Of course the Pathfinder wasn't interested in soil. What had she been thinking?!
Peebee, however, seemed curious. "Oh?"
"None of it's field work," Suvi explained hastily. "It's all second hand scans and sample sources sent back to the Nexus labs from Eos before... Things went wrong. It's my findings so far. I'll be doing a side by side analysis soon using new samples after the vault activation to look at the changes."
"Could you send it to me?" Peebee asked.
Suvi hesitated, frowning faintly. She had always assumed that, out of everyone on board, Cora would be most likely to discuss the science officer's work with her, considering Cora's love for plants, and yet her fellow human had never once raised the question. Now here was this crazy asari watching her hopefully. "Really?"
Peebee smiled brightly at her. "Sure! I'm always eager to learn a little more about our new home. Your field is different to my field. It'd be interesting!"
Suvi stared at her for several long seconds, trying to find the joke. But Peebee seemed genuinely curious. "Okay then," she smiled, happy to have found someone on the crew other than Kallo to talk to about her investigations and studies. "I'll send it later."
"I'll keep an eye out," Peebee winked at her. Suvi paused, unsure if it was a flirt or if Peebee just threw out winks the way regular people nodded affirmation, so just smiled and glanced down at her data pad. "Anyway!" Peebee rapped a beat on the table top with her fingers and dropped her feet to the floor. "I gotta go! There are discoveries to be made. I have a tonne of remtech scans to go through." She snatched up her mug and sauntered towards the door.
"Okay, see you later," Suvi replied vaguely, having already been reclaimed by her reading.
"Later, 'gator."
Suvi blinked and looked up at the Earth saying, and was met with a wide grin and another playful wink from Peebee. The asari paused on the threshold, then looked back at Suvi, propping one hand on her hip and cocking her head to one side. "You're not in here escaping 'cause me and Ryder were too loud, right?" Usually Peebee wouldn't care, but this time it mattered, sort of. Not much, but enough to ask. She wasn't sure why. Maybe the Tempest crew were growing on her. Goddess, she had to do something about that STAT.
Suvi flushed "N-no!" She said quickly. "I just... Needed a break. From all the numbers." If Peebee saw through the lie, she gave no sign of it. Then, to keep up the charade, Suvi asked casually, "too loud doing what?"
Peebee smirked at her and answered bluntly, "each other."
Suvi felt herself blush. "Um. Right."
Peebee turned away again and the galley doors parted for her. "Uh, Peebee?" Suvi called and saw Peebee halt once more in the doorway. She looked back at the redhead curiously. "Maybe you could send me some of your write ups on the remtech?"
Peebees face broke out into a wide grin, looking childishly enthusiastic. "Sure!" She said, nodding once and then disappearing. The door slid shut behind her and Suvi was alone once more.
Perhaps Peebee wasn't so bad after all, despite everything about her and now this…relationship or whatever it was she had with Sara. Lord, if they started dating Suvi didn't think she could cope, she would have to seal herself up on the bridge away from everyone… She was still mulling that thought over when Drack stomped through the door, heading straight for the cupboards that contained their rations.
He grunted, "kid." It was something Suvi had recently realized was actually his polite greeting, though it usually sounded contemptuous whenever he said it.
The krogan, as a race, had always left Suvi slightly on edge. Too unpredictable, too volatile. Plus, she felt it was always sensible to be somewhat wary of a being that could disembowel her without breaking a sweat. Drack had made her feel anxious on first meeting him. He had the usual krogan qualities but underneath it all he was... Well, kind wasn't usually a word she would associate with a krogan but there it was. He looked out for the crew with an almost grandfatherly affection, albeit a harsh and rather gruff one.
Suvi murmured a greeting and he swung his great head round to face her, immediately knowing she was out of sorts. She was usually so chirpy. "Hey, what's wrong, kid?"
Suvi looked up at him, at the heavy bone plating, the deep scars, the weathered face and impossibly ancient eyes. At the way he had gone still to watch her, to give her his undivided attention while holding several energy bars in his claws. She had known him only a short time, and he was krogan, and yet she knew she could confide in him. At least partly anyway.
She pulled a face and shook her head. "My brain..." She replied, tapping a finger against her temple. She felt jealous of the connection Peebee and Sara had found, despite knowing how stupid and irrational that was. There was nothing to be jealous of. Except for Peebee having something out of Suvi's reach. Feelings were ridiculous.
Drack laughed, a deep gravelly sound that usually made her smile but had no such effect on her now. "Nothing wrong with your brain!"
"My heart then," Suvi replied gloomily. I have a crush on my boss. She fought back a cringe.
Drack cocked his head to one side, looking her over. "You should see Lexi about that." She didn't look unwell, but you never could tell with the squishies. They were so fragile...
Suvi shook her head, frowning. "No, nothing like that, more like…" She gestured with one hand in front of herself, searching for the word. "Feelings…" She pulled a face. She sounded like a lovesick teenager. This was so incredibly embarrassing. She had degrees in astrophysics and molecular biology, for Chrissakes!
Drack snorted; an explosive sound coming from a krogan. "Hope you don't expect relationship advice from me."
This time Suvi did smile. "Thank you, but no."
Drack grunted and glanced at the closed door, thinking it through. Peebee had just left and now Suvi was moping. "You like Peebee?" He asked her bluntly, turning his gaze back to the scot.
Before she could stop herself, Suvi had scrunched up her nose and blurted, "gosh, no!"
Drack burst out laughing, tossed back his head and just cackled. Suvi was horrified. "I- I didn't mean-!" She stammered. Drack waved her off and gave her a toothy grin.
"I didn't think she was your type," he admitted.
Suvi hesitated before asking warily, "how do you know what my type is?"
"I don't," Drack shrugged his shoulders. "I guessed." He jerked his chin her way, "you're too quiet to go for someone like Peebee."
Suvi smiled faintly. She wasn't too quiet to fall for Sara, who could be just as wild and unpredictable as Peebee when the mood took her. "I might surprise you," she told him playfully, attempting to look and sound rebellious. She wasn't entirely sure she pulled it off.
Drack chuckled while tearing the foil from one of his energy bars in one smooth motion. "Live as long as I have, and nothing is surprising anymore."
"That just means I'll have to try really hard," Suvi said.
"You do that," Drack grinned at her and started crunching happily at his snack.
Suvi smiled back at him, then lifted her mug and data pad. "I need to get back to the bridge," she said, sounding regretful as she climbed to her feet. Drack grunted and moved out of the way so she could pass him, starting on a second energy bar. "Thanks for talking," she said over her shoulder, stepping out into the corridor and crashing straight into the very solid form of someone else.
"Ow, hi," Sara grabbed both of the redhead's upper arms to steady her. The galley door slid shut behind Suvi, leaving her alone in the corridor with Sara.
"OhLordsorry!" Suvi gasped, checking her tea to make sure none had spilled. Thankfully the mug was half empty anyway. Sara smiled and stepped back, hands dropping to her sides as Suvi looked back up at her. Her arms felt warm where Sara had touched her and already she missed the contact. She carefully ignored the part of her brain insisting she was acting like a lovesick teenager.
"No problem," Sara replied. She had a towel thrown over one shoulder, apparently heading for the showers after her…exertions. Suvi cleared her throat awkwardly and swiftly averted her gaze. She was pretty sure Sara had no clue that she and Kallo knew what had gone on inside Peebee's room and Suvi wasn't about to let on that she knew, but she was sure it was obvious in the heat in her cheeks and the sudden inability to maintain eye contact. Catching people having sex, even if it was just hearing it, was so damn embarrassing. For her, anyway. And what didn't help was that Suvi maybekindasorta wanted to be the one doing that with Sara.
"So, I'm just going to…" Suvi motioned to the ladder outside the Patherfinder quarters and shuffled past Sara.
"Sure," Sara said, turning with Suvi. "Need a hand?"
"Nuh-uh," Suvi said, holding her data pad in her teeth and awkwardly climbing the ladder while trying to keep her tea from spilling with one hand. "'ank'."
"You're welcome," Sara chuckled and headed into the bathroom.
Kallo tore his gaze from his console and looked back as he heard the door open. He hopped anxiously to his feet as he saw Suvi coming back, sipping at her tea and looking flustered.
"Better?" He asked worriedly.
"I don't think I'll ever unhear what I heard coming from Peebee's room," she announced, dropping into her chair and carefully placing her mug and data pad on top of her console.
"Oh, um…" Kallo nodded, not sure how to respond to that. He returned to his own chair but kept his gaze on Suvi. He found humans hard to read, but he had been friends with Suvi a while. She seemed more awkward than anything now. "I can sympathise with that."
Suvi glanced over at him to find him looking at her, his large black eyes watching her for any hint of distress. She gave him a small grin. Of course, he could sympathise, his salarian mind would unfortunately store the memory of Sara and Peebee having happyfuntimes for instant playback, and it would never wear down or be forgotten. Kallo smiled back at her and Suvi started to laugh, leaning her head back against her chair. The whole thing was utterly ridiculous. "How could they not realize we would hear?!"
"I know," Kallo sighed, shaking his head in dismay. "Armour plating isn't always sound proof. They'd know that if they paid any attention to the ship specs."
"And they're both so loud!" Suvi added. She knew all about being caught up in the moment, but really? That had just been obnoxious.
"Please stop talking about it," Kallo moaned, but she could hear the humour in his voice.
"Sorry, Kallo," Suvi said, reaching for her tea and giggling into her mug. "I'll change the subject. Um…" She cast about for something to say.
Kallo nodded vigorously, "yes, tell me more about those rock scans you have."
Suvi looked sideways at him and grinned, "gladly…"