Chapter 33

"So, where are we headed, Commander?" James asked as he sidled up to the table she was sitting at. She glanced up at him briefly, before turning her gaze back to the datapad she'd been reading.

"Citadel for resupply, then we have more work to do elsewhere."

"Like…? Scuttlebutt says we're going to take a crack at curing the genophage."

"You know what they say about scuttlebutt," she said with a snort.

"Ah. Right." He seemed crestfallen.

"Don't get me wrong, it's correct, this time, but you really shouldn't pay too much mind to the weird gossip mill that is the military. I swear, some adults are basically fourteen year old girls when it comes to rumors."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Yeah, you haven't noticed? Some people blab about everything."

"We're curing the genophage?" he pressed eagerly.

"Yes, lieutenant. I thought that was kind of a given," she replied wryly.

"You...think that's a good idea?"

"Yep."

"You aren't going to elaborate," he said, clearly fishing for more.

"I can. I promised Wrex years ago that if I came across an opportunity to help cure his people, I would. I have the Council's approval, more or less, and Wrex is in charge of the strongest, largest clan on Tuchanka. I trust him to lead the krogan well. He's what they need, and I'm not going to waste this chance. Besides, we need krogan support to get turian support to help Earth. Even if I thought it was a bad idea, which I don't, I don't have other options."

"Oh. Fair enough, then. When do you need me to be ready?" he asked hopefully.

"Not for a little while."

"Ma'am, I can help, you can't just leave me on the Normandy."

"I'm not," she interrupted, glancing back up.

"But...you said…"

"To clarify, I will not need your assistance on the Citadel, or while we're on Sur'kesh. I want you to rest up for Tuchanka."

"Oh. I...can definitely do that," he seemed pleased, and she felt the need to warn him.

"Make sure your weapons and armor are up to the task. Someone always shoots at us on Tuchanka. I'm starting to think that outside of the Urdnot clan, that's how they say hello."

"Definitely sounds idiotic enough to be a Weyrloc tradition," chimed in a flanging voice, and Anya couldn't help smiling. "We both know it doesn't matter, though, you can out-headbutt a krogan."

"C'mon, Garrus, even Lola isn't that hard-headed."

"I've watched her do it. Are you Lola, Shep?" Garrus asked, sounding perturbed.

"Yeah, James thinks I seem like more of a Lola than an Anya, apparently."

"It's a compliment," the lieutenant responded defensively, and she snorted.

"I do not care what anybody calls me, as long as it's clear that I'm who they're talking to."

"I'm not so sure about that, Commander," Garrus murmured, and she shot him a questioning look.

"What?"

"I can think of a few instances off the top of my head where you'd be livid if I called you by your rank," he replied, feigning nonchalance, and she felt her ears heat.

"You're just being difficult," she muttered, and she saw one of his mandibles twitch.

"Sometimes. Teasing aside, the way you put Uvenk in his place was just...perfect."

"Who was Uvenk?" James asked.

"The krogan Shep headbutted, in front of a shaman."

"I'm sorry, that really happened?"

"He was being very mean to Grunt," Anya said, by way of explanation, "and it's not like I knocked him out. Just...dazed him and pissed him off a little."

"Oh, God, I'm taking orders from a crazy lady."

"You didn't warn him?" Garrus asked, no longer trying to keep a straight face, and she snorted.

"The best ice-breaker I could come up with was us beating each other up, I really don't think I've misrepresented what I'm all about," she replied with a shrug.

"I assumed you were just...hands on and shit. This is a whole 'nother ball game, Lola."

"I mean, if you don't think you can hang with the crazies, I'm not going to force you to stay…"

"Oh, hell no. The Normandy has the best seats in the galaxy. I ain't going nowhere."

"Good to know, lieutenant."

"Say, what happened to Clan Gatatog after that, anyway?" Garrus asked thoughtfully.

"They probably either got a new leader who was willing to fall in line with what Wrex wanted, or got absorbed into Clan Urdnot outright. I'll ask Wrex about it, if I remember the next time I see him."

"Wait, was Uvenk in charge of Gatatog?" James asked.

"He...was," Anya said with a small nod.

"I thought you didn't headbutt him that hard?" Garrus chuckled at the question.

"He came after us after I'd headbutted him. He wanted Grunt to join his clan as a trophy after he saw us take down a maw on foot. Grunt basically told him to pound sand, and Uvenk escalated things."

"You took down a thresher maw...on foot?" James was skeptical.

"We've done it before, it's not that impressive."

"Now, hold on there, Shepard. That was the first time we started off on foot and finished the maw, still on foot. Every time before that, we used the gun on the Mako to soften it up first."

"How many maws have you guys taken down?"

"Ah...nine? I think?" Anya tried to remember.

"Mmm, no, you always forget about that one planet having two," Garrus corrected.

"That's right, the one in the Plutus system. Ugh, what was its name?" Anya muttered.

"Now that, I don't recall. Non...something," Garrus murmured, now lost in thought. "It had a lot of volcanoes."

"Nonuel!" Anya declared triumphantly.

"Nonuel," Garrus agreed, clearly relieved that they'd figured it out. "That was gonna bug me later if we hadn't remembered."

"Right there with you. So, then, ten maws, altogether?"

"Ten maws, eight of which were at least partially on foot. The more of them you fight, the bolder you get," Garrus teased, and she snorted.

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm not planning on fooling with any maws while we've got the war to focus on. Maybe after we've kicked some Reaper ass," she said, feigning wistfulness.

"You just can't stop picking fights with things that are bigger than you," Garrus couldn't seem to help the mirth in his voice.

"Nothing my size is a challenge anymore," Anya replied primly, adjusting in her seat, and Garrus laughed.

"Is that why I keep getting dragged across the galaxy to help you? Because you aren't being challenged enough?"

"Well, I do enjoy your one-liners. Besides, you're my favorite sniper, and you're almost as good with guns as I am. You're the only person I know that's almost on my level."

"Oh, shit," James muttered, barely restraining laughter.

"Notice how you didn't even get an honorable mention, there, lieutenant?" the turian pointed out, and James pretended to be hurt for a beat, hand on his chest, before he devolved back into snickering. "And as for you, commander…"

"Yes?" she answered, her voice still a little smug.

"I'm still planning on us having it out over who has better aim. When it happens, you better be ready."

"Ready whenever you are, Vakarian." Her heart sped up at the way his expression shifted to something predatory, and the little extra rumble when he spoke made her ears heat.

"Promises, promises."