Chapter 13: The Citadel
Serpent Nebula, Widow System, Citadel
Yang
Having been informed that they were actually going to be docking somewhere that she could get some clothes and other items, Yang was called to the cockpit where she found Shepard and Joker.
"What's going on Shepard?"
"We're about to reach the Citadel, I thought you'd want to see it from here first." Shepard had been in awe herself the first time she'd laid eyes on the central hub of the citadel species, a melting pot for all who allied with them.
Must be impressive. Yang thought, having no real idea on how impressive the station was until it started peeking out from the gas and dust clouds surrounding and hiding the station. Yang's eyes bulged as she stepped forwards, putting her hands on the back of Joker's seat as her mouth hung ajar.
Five gargantuan limbs extended like they were reaching out to grab something. Yang couldn't help but think about a claw machine game that she rarely won at, only she knew this was anything but a game. Lights in patterns like a maze crisscrossed the interior of the five arms as they got closer, indicating that there was life, a lot of life upon the station.
Then there were the small dots that got bigger and bigger as Joker guided them slowly in, speaking to Citadel Control about coming in to land. They're… ships. She realised, moving closer to the glass on the side. They dwarfed the airships she'd been on in Atlas, they even made the Normandy look like a child's toy in comparison. There were a few different makes, though the one that really stood out was this sleek, almost cross-like shaped ship with a glowing centre, it was bigger than any other ship around them,
"What in the gods is that thing?"
"The Destiny Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel fleet." Joker answered.
"I want one." Yang breathed, getting a laugh from both Shepard and Joker.
"Good luck with that. Construction alone would take years, even then you'd have to accumulate an absurd amount of money to even start construction." Joker informed her, but Yang was just awestruck by it.
Although excited by the majesty of what she was seeing in terms of the ships and the station itself, Yang couldn't help but feel even smaller, weak and powerless. Imagine if we had something half that size helping us against Salem. The power alone, the threat it posed, surely even the evil queen wouldn't continue a pointless fight.
Coming up to a ring that had a lot of smaller ships coming and going, Joker guided the Normandy into a designated dock. It was a lot for Yang to take in, who felt a sense of pressure coming over her, the magnitude of everything she had seen over the relatively quick flight to inside the five massie arms had her overwhelmed.
"Yang, I'm going to give you a few thousand credits. Spend them how you like, clothes, armour, weapons, food. Just don't get lost on there and be prepared to return to the Normandy if contacted. That means no getting intoxicated as I don't know how long we'll even be here for." Shepard told her, transferring her the funds and getting ready to leave herself.
Yang would wait by Joker as slowly, the crew of the Normandy would make their way out. She knew she couldn't go exploring on her own, that would just be stupid and she would get lost. She knew nothing about where to go, what was what or any stores that might interest her in the slightest.
"Yang, would you like to come with us?" Came Liara's gentle voice. Seeing her biotics mentor there, along with Ingersoll and Tali, she smiled.
"Please, I don't know which way is up."
"That would depend where you're standing as the station tends to be mostly circular." Tali informed her which didn't help in the slightest.
"What are you after anyway?" Ingersoll questioned, walking alongside Yang while the other two led the way.
"Clothing for one, though that locker is painfully small. Maybe try out some food from… other planets." It sounded so weird, but when she realised she could be the first person from Remnant to experience such things, her mood turned to further excitement. "Yep, food should be our first stop."
Her declaration had Liara and Ingersoll laughing, with the Asari leading them to one of the wards where they would find a small restaurant that provided meals quickly. Yang looked over the menu once they were all seated and couldn't make out much other than cow and fish, though there were several fish names that she didn't recognise.
"Umm, suggestions?" She asked.
"Hmmm, I'd go with Lagenaria lunarium." Ingersoll suggested, but the words just made Yang's mind blur. "It's pretty tasty, good nutrition and can even be eaten raw, which looks to be how they serve it here." Noticing the look of hesitancy on Yang's face, Ingersoll suggested they share some.
"She wants to experience tasty food, Sergeant." Liara leaned over and put her finger under a name, Sargania fructanis. "Don't spill or you might need to extensively brush your teeth or scrub your armour. It would probably ruin clothing."
"That doesn't sound good." Yang commented, questioning Liara's suggestion.
"Some call it the candy plant. I figured you might want to try some of that too." Liara looking a little rejected by her idea, had Yang feeling guilty and quickly agreeing to order that as well.
"What about you Tali, anything you want to try and share?" She was wondering how Tali would eat though, considering he had to keep her headgear and suit on.
Tali would remain quiet for a moment with Ingersoll looking her way too. "I can't share, Quarians cannot share their meals and we cannot eat what you humans or Asari do."
"Oh, is that another thing to do with your enviro-suits?" Yang asked, feeling stupid that she had forgotten again. "How will you eat with us now then?"
"Yes and no. Taking the visor off to eat would allow external bacteria to land on my skin, or enter my lungs just by breathing. There are many more examples, but all of them lead to illness, sometimes infections, and in the worst case, death." Yang wasn't smiling after that, Tali had told her before all about why she was wearing that suit. "As for the food, we're like the Turians, we're both dextro-protein species. If we were to ingest your types of food it would be like ingesting poison or triggering a major allergic reaction."
"I'm sorry. Maybe we should eat elsewhere or at another time." Yang suggested with the other two women agreeing before Tali spoke up.
"No, please eat. You haven't tasted what Liara and the Sergeant mentioned. I can just watch your reaction to see if you like them or not."
Thinking about it for a moment, Yang would then smile as she had an idea. "Alright then, if you're going to sit here and watch for my reaction, then you can pick something for me to try too." Tali straightened up a bit and slowly searched the menu on her omni-tool.
She started listing off everything they had and some of them sounded horrible to Yang, or she simply didn't know those words or what planets grew what. Eventually Tali settled on an option and added it to the order.
"Cloaca margarine? I've never eaten varren before." Liara commented.
"They were hunting them on Feros right? Can't be too bad if they were eating them." Yang figured.
"They were eating them because their food supplies were running low. Tali, you're so mean." Ingersoll teased.
"We… I can change then-" She made to get up when Yang interrupted.
"Nope, we're having some varren. I was curious about how they tasted anyway." She couldn't help but think that they kind of resemble dogs, big dogs with more dangerous paws and teeth.
Once their meals had arrived, the three that could eat went through sharing what they had ordered. Finding the varren meat a little tough but actually quite nice, she wouldn't even know they were free-range and organic varrens, or so the restaurant claimed. The Lagenaria lunarium was the least tasteful of what the sampled with its taste being quite bland despite its apparent richness. For Yang, a lover of sweet things by nature, it was the Sargania fructanis that saved her after the second option. It lived up to its name as the candy plant, though they couldn't enjoy it for long because of the teeth staining it could do.
After listing out the order of winner to loser, with Ingersoll looking a little defeated, she questioned Tali. "So what do you eat normally? It can't be easy getting food on the Normandy, or while you're away from the fleet." This question caught Ingersoll's attention too as she was curious about other species.
"It isn't very tasteful, it would be like the Lagenaria I imagine. I have a supply of refined edible pastes. They sell them here on the Citadel so I'm going to pick up some more while we're docked." The look she got from Yang forced her to continue. "They're made to be highly nutritious for my kind, Turians can eat them too, but a paste is easier and safer for us to eat when outside of a sterile environment."
"Sounds like a pain." Ingersoll said as she reclined in her seat patting her tummy.
"It's normal for us now. It is something we have to do often. Like… like eating with a knife and fork." Tali said trying to give a similarity to what their species did normally.
"Depends on what you're eating." Ingersoll said. "I like to get my hands dirty sometimes and lick the sauces off."
"Or who you're eating." Yang said bluntly, "With. Who you're eating with." The blush on her cheeks indicated something else though and Ingersoll had clicked to her meaning immediately.
"Well I think we should carry on. Yang, anywhere else you want to see?" Liara asked, changing that subject quickly as she too felt a little awkward about such things.
"Like, everywhere. But back to my earlier list… which leaves clothing. What could I buy for a few thousand credits in terms of armour?" She looked to Ingersoll since she seemed to be the expert in that area based on what she'd seen between her three companions.
"Nothing good, certainly no better than what Shepard has already given you." Ingersoll's answer didn't dissuade Yang much who just opted for general clothing. She needed something other than armour she'd been given and her single set of clothing she had been wearing when she fell during her final scuffle with Cinder.
Keeping to herself and letting Liara lead the way, Yang just looked around taking in everything they passed. She would often be told to stop gawking by Ingersoll, or encouraged to keep moving by Liara. Eventually they would come to Presidium, the place of the elite.
Yang found herself looking out over the curving walls and floor of the ring which continued on in each direction before hiding what lay beyond. Then there were bridges, or skyways linking the two sides on various angles. Not to mention all of the flying cars that were passing overhead and seemed to be flying very close to what had to be an image of some kind.
"You know, most places on the Citadel just jut out into space if they build too high. But the features of that sky are just projections." Tali informed the awestruck blonde.
"What's it projected on?"
"It could be some kind of metal, but I believe mother mentioned it being a layer of gas that seals the atmosphere in. And that the gas itself is held there by mass effect fields." Liara added.
Weiss… this place beats Atlas. She knew her friend would love to see such a place. "Sounds a bit too technical for me. But it looks amazing. Does it always stay bright?"
"There are night and day cycles, though most of the time is spent in the sunshine." Liara answered while still leading them to a store.
There were so many different species on the Presidium, but she noted that a couple were rarely seen. The first was the Krogan, despite there being large statues of them. She had read about the council constructing them after the rachni wars, but she had seen more statues than real Krogan. Then there were the looks being cast in their direction, not at her she noted, but at Tali. Knowing a little of their history and being stripped of their political standing within the council races, she found it strange that they were looked at in such a manner.
Eventually they arrived at their destination and were happily greeted once inside. "Welcome to Nasmeo's Wondrous Wardrobe. Are we all shopping today?" The lively Asari asked as she looked the group over.
"Na, just blondie here. She's in need of something more…" Ingersoll looked at Yang.
"Casual." Yang finished with a smile.
"Casual is fine, this way young miss." Yang looked back at the other three before following, Liara and Tali going off to look at clothing themselves while Ingersoll kept an eye on Yang.
At first the Asari tried to get Yang to look at dresses, complimenting her appearance and telling her she would look lovely in one. Though Yang agreed, dresses weren't ever her style, unless she was going to a dance or some special event. With dresses being ruled out, the attendant helped Yang look through and pick out a few different designs. Trying several different combinations out in the changing rooms, with Ingersoll, Tali, and Liara giving their feedback at different times, Yang finally made her choice.
The jacket wrapped perfectly around her body. Solid maroon in colour without any pattern which radiates finesse, and a vertical zipper that she kept a third unzipped showing off the purple shirt beneath. The pants have a different style than the jacket, but they complement each other perfectly and they make an ideal combination with her choice of footwear. She always picked out boots, but these were a simple brown with zippers along the sides. To top it all off she wore an elegant belt with a bronze buckle.
She did a turn for her friends to get a good look since had done so with the mirrors. Yang liked it, though it wasn't completely her style it had a couple of aspects. "Looks a bit manly." Ingersoll commented.
"At least I don't mind wearing the pants." Yang countered with a smile.
"I didn't know you didn't like wearing pants." Tali said to Ingersoll who just laughed.
"Human humour. Meaning in a relationship Yang would be the boss, so to speak." Ingersoll educated the Quarian who just nodded.
"Tomboy for a reason. I'm loud, love to party, and settle things with my fists." Yang beamed. "How much will this cost?"
"Given everything you have on, one thousand credits should cover everything." The Asari answered.
Yang would quickly agree and make the payment using her omni-tool, though Tali would help once more as she was still getting used to it. Ingersoll said to have it delivered to Dock 422 so they wouldn't have to cart around anything.
"Do you do custom orders?" Yang would ask once she was back in her Alliance fatigues.
"We certainly do, those will obviously cost extra. Did you have something in mind?" The attendant asked.
Yang would nod and pull out her scroll. Flicking through some of her own pictures she would find some of herself and what she'd worn prior to arriving in Atlas. The attendant would come over and look as Yang showed her the images of her clothing, eventually agreeing to send them to the Asari for better reference.
"Any particular material you want certain parts made from, that differ to what you have labelled?"
It would take Yang a moment, but then she'd look over to Tali and smile. "Fitted pants, gloves, and even the crop top. Can I get those made in the material Tali is wearing. The darker stuff, the hexagonal pattern looks cool." The attendant looked Tali over and smiled.
"That can be arranged, but from what I understand that is more of a environmental type material, you're ok with that?" Yang just nodded and a price and time was estimated. "That'll take around a week, and you'll have to come allow me to take your measurements."
Once Ingersoll had given the okay, Yang would make the payment and return to the changing area where she had her measurements taken. It was almost all of the credits Shepard had given her in order to get this made, so when she came back out and told the group she was finished there they split off.
Ingersoll went with Tali who wanted to look at more electronic aspects while Liara went with Yang to continue showing her more of the Presidium.
"Is there a place where we can train biotics while we're here?" Yang ended up asking as they passed a couple of Volus. Suites too… they're like the Quarians? She wondered.
"There is," Liara said, "but we've already spent time eating and clothes shopping. I'm not sure how much longer Shepard intends to remain."
"Well maybe next time then. Hey, is there a treats place we can stop by?"
"Treats… you mean like sweets, candy?" Liara asked with Yang nodding. Smirking while shaking her head, Liara then pulled up her own omni-tool and searched for a store. Thankfully there was one on their current trajectory so she led Yang there.
Once inside the shop, there were things Yang somewhat recognised and then others that were completely new and inedible to her. Chocolates and cookies, nuts coated in various flavours, chips with names she'd never heard of as well as attempts to have healthy candy alternatives.
The first thing she picked to buy was a group of gingerbread cookies. Some were the usual ginger, but there were others flavours too. Nutmeg, cloves, even cinamin. Guess they misspelt it during production. She grabbed them anyway along with some scout cookies and a Galaxy Swirl to try on once they were finished in the candy store.
She then came across some dextro-amino treats and looked them over closely. There weren't many options, though one looked like popcorn that was called Graxen and the other was simply candy flavoured paste with warnings that only Turians and Quarians should ingest. Perfect. She thought, putting a could of different ones into her small basket.
"You can't eat those Yang, they could make you very ill." Liara pointed out as she noticed the human grabbing them.
"I know, they're for Tali. Figured I can share all these cookies with everyone and didn't want her to feel left out." And thankfully Ruby isn't here so she can't steal them all and run off. There was a warm smile on her face as she went ahead and paid, though noticed her supply of credits was now in the double digits.
Again they were told to deliver the contents to Dock 422 within an hour. Once more they set off to explore the Presidium, Yang eating her Galaxy Swirl as Liara further educated her on the Citadel itself and the species that retained embassies, and the ones that had been removed or left. Of those were the Krogan, Quarians, and the Batarians, the latter being the only one to withdraw from their embassy.
Yang was in the middle of a conversation with the station's VI, Avina, when the call came from Shepard for all of her crew to return to the Normandy. "Well, I guess that means no more exploring. And my new clothes will be waiting for us on our next arrival?" She asked Liara.
"They should be stored somewhere with our dock number on it and delivered with anything else that might be ordered or prepared upon our next arrival." Liara informed her. "Now let's get back to the ship. I'm sure Shepard will want to inform us on where we're going next."
It had been a very short stop for Yang who would have liked to stay on the Citadel for days, weeks even and explore the many other kilometres of stores and found other things she might enjoy. But she obeyed, not wanting to be left behind with aliens and even other humans she didn't know. She knew it was best to keep working with the Normandy crew and hopefully make some more connections during and after hunting down this Saren.
Upon boarding the ship, she was informed that a couple of things had been dropped off and stuffed in her footlocker in the crew quarters. These pricks better not have broken the cookies. Was her main concern as she went to check on her new clothing and snacks.