Welp, here we go with the next chapter, sorry it took me so long, I only get two days off where I can get the chance to update and I avoided doing it two weeks ago, so I decided I needed to get it done now, so hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect!
Chapter four: Personal Talks
Normandy:
Nihlus looked just about as tired as Shepard did, which considering the difference in race and thus facial expressions, was really saying something.
" Since you're alive, I assume mission accomplished and you found out what the Geth and Saren were after on Feros?" Shepard asked trying to avoid his need to rub the back of his neck, it was covered in dust from the cave in and sweat from the extreme heat. He felt sticky and gross all over, he needed a bath and would like nothing more then to grab a shower and sleep for the next few hours, that probably wasn't going to happen, but hey, a man could hope.
The only thing he and Garrus had gotten off was their armor which they briefly cleaned, Shepard also handed his weapons off to Ashley to clean. Garrus sat in one of the many seats in the conference room, listening into the conversation, mostly just to hear what Nihlus wasn't outright saying with Sub-harmonics.
Garrus could hear uncertainty from Nihlus and that he had unpleasant news, that set Garrus sitting straighter with a quick look to Shepard who seemed to understand what Garrus meant and he tensed up as well.
" I assume your mission went well too? Did you find Benezia's daughter on Therum?" Nihlus asked in return. Shepard nodded in confirmation.
" We did, and a whole crap ton of Geth and a Krogan who were trying to take her out. She seems remotely trustworthy." Shepard said and shrugged.
" I'll keep an eye on her just in case. So what did you find on Feros?" Shepard repeated. Nihlus sighed and rotated his shoulders slightly as if he was tense and trying to ease himself. That made Shepard nervous.
" More Geth of course, ExoGeni was using a creature named ' The Thorian' to mind control the entire colony of Zhu's Hope. A few suspicious files also linked us to a few planets we should check out while we have the chance." Nihlus paused and Garrus could hear a faint change in his sub-harmonics, he was amused and pleased at the same time.
" Jane destroyed a Geth ship too." Shepard choked at that. Nihlus mandibles flickered in a slight grin at his reaction, even Garrus was surprised.
" How's she do that?" Shepard asked puzzled. Nihlus chuckled.
" She's clever." Garrus could heard affection in Nihlus' voice that surprised him. Maybe Garrus was just curious how quickly the Spectre could be won over by a pirate, that should concern anyone right? The effectiveness of a pirate in swaying a Spectre to their side?
Maybe Garrus was just thinking about where that affection would lead the Spectre with Jane Shepard, and what he knew about her in general, especially concerning his race. He had looked up more on Human physiology, he really had no idea that was what humans looked like with no clothes, all flesh with no plating at all. Soft looking and just...with it all hanging out.
Garrus shuttered. He wasn't even sure how female humans and males of his race could... be intimate together, he hadn't looked that far into it, maybe he would, just to limit his mind wondering on it at awkward times, like now. He forced himself to focus on the conversation that had progressed without him.
" Where is Jane anyway?" Shepard asked concern in his voice, it was easy to see Shepard's worry, hear it in his voice and see it in his posture. Garrus must have missed Nihlus entire rundown of the mission on Feros and Shepard's return report on Therum.
Garrus perked up at the sub-harmonics from Nihlus, there was uncertainty and nervousness like he wasn't sure he should tell Shepard or not. Garrus didn't have to even mention it, Shepard seemed to read his body language well enough, or maybe he was getting use to Nihlus' expressions.
" We found an Asari, her name is Shiala. She's one of Matriarch Benezia's. She had a lot to say about Saren and Benezia, Shepard." Nihlus said instead. Garrus frowned. Didn't he realize that avoiding the topic of Shepard's sister wasn't going to make the Commander forget his question? Though news about finding a clue to more about Saren was a decent lure, Garrus could see Shepard wasn't biting. His back was tense, and that was all Garrus needed to see to know Shepard was annoyed.
" Where is my sister Nihlus." It wasn't really a question, it was a demand. There was a difference in her having run off when she was sixteen and having her join a war, a war Shepard was part of as well. They may not have spoken for a long time, but he clearly still cared about her. Garrus tried to imagine Solona in Jane's place, off with a notorious Spectre like Kryik. Garrus winced, yeah that didn't sit well with his protective instincts either.
" I'm right here John, Makers ass, keep it down." Jane slid into the hologram. Nihlus wrapped a supportive arm around her waist and she sort of just collapsed against his chest, very worn out. She looked like she was in pain. Garrus had seen enough drunk humans to read that hangover like expression.
" Don't you look rough, what happened? Were you injured?" Shepard didn't need sub-vocals to show how concerned he was about her.
" Na, just a little mind raped." Shepard went rigid.
" What!" He hissed out of clenched teeth, his fist clenching at his side.
" The Asari Shiala had a Cipher, it's why Saren wanted the Thorian, well that and to understand the mind control I assume, the Thorian was apparently around long before the Prothean's." Jane said and put a hand to her forehead and groaned. Nihlus put his hand to her head gently with a frown, his mandibles pulling down.
Garrus kept looking at the intimate position, Nihlus had his talon curled around Jane's hip the other he slid off her head to her shoulder and rested it there as she leaned back against him. Garrus found it strange, though fascinating, at the same time.
Both had time to clean up at least, they were back in casual clothes, and Jane's...what was in called again..hair? It was wet and down around her instead of half pulled back out of the way.
" And what's this cipher and how did the Asari get it from the Thorian?" Shepard asked.
" We can share stories later, the Asari knows the Cipher, which is the key to understanding that messed up vision John. It can help." Jane said her violet eyes pleading slightly. Garrus could tell she was just as concerned for her brother as he was her. It was nice to know that even if they hadn't seen each other in several years, siblings always cared for one another.
" Perfect, Noveria?" Shepard asked in suggestion on where to meet next.
" The Citadel, we can't just bring Shiala along." Nihlus corrected.
" We'll meet you there, now what's wrong Jane?" Shepard asked with narrowed eyes, Garrus could tell this because he had come closer so he could see Shepard as well as Nihlus and Jane, he could only read so much from Shepard's back. Garrus eyes Jane's hologram so close to Nihlus, she pressed her red lips close together, she didn't plan on saying anything to him about why she had that pained expression. Nihlus reading her intent squeezed her hip with his talons. She tilted her head back to eye Nihlus upside down and wrinkled her nose at him, it was kind of...cute. Garrus shook his head.
" Fine Kryik." She said on a heavy sigh.
" But don't think I'll forget it." Nihlus didn't seem too bothered with what she said, which meant she probably didn't mean anything by it.
" I didn't trust her to not fry your head while in there John, or you know try some mind control herself." Shepard sighed.
" What did you do Jane?" He asked warily.
" She asked for the cipher and received it." Nihlus finished.
" What!?" Shepard roared, it started Garrus, Nihlus too since he jerked against Jane, who didn't seem bothered at his roar other then to wince and put her hands over her ears in pain.
" Damn it John, I've got the worst headache, keep it down." She hissed shutting her eyes in pain.
" What were you thinking?! She could have killed you! The Cipher could have killed you! I'll kill you!" John finished frustrated and angry, mostly because he was shaking so much from the fear of losing her. Garrus knew that well, if it was his own sister putting herself in harms way for him, he'd feel the same way.
She scowled at her brother, her expression displeased.
" What did you want me to do John? Wait and see if she was still Saren's puppet and use those freaky ass Asari mind rape powers to fry your brain? I'm expendable John you're not. The galaxy needs you to stop Saren and the Reapers." Despite Shepard's displeasure at her lack of self worth, he was sort of pleased, Garrus could tell, of her caring about his safety like that, knowing she cared too.
" You are not expendable Jane," and because he could see the refusal on her lips, he added, " Neither of you are, and none of my crew is. I need all of you to help me. One man can't stop sentient machines from wiping out the entire galaxy, despite my charming personality and devilishly good looks." Jane laughed at his words, relaxing slightly. Garrus hadn't noticed she had tensed, probably because she was stiff in pain anyway.
" Hey don't hate on me sister." She rolled those violet eyes.
" What did the cipher show you?" Garrus asked curiously speaking up for the first time. Her eyes looked around, but he knew she only could see Shepard, so he stepped up so his hologram would appear with Shepard's on Nihlus' ship.
She brightened when she saw him, with a flash of white teeth from behind red painted lips. Garrus didn't understand why she was so happy to see him, they barely knew each other after all.
" C-Sec good to see you're alive! How is Tali girl?" Shepard smiled at that, as he stood next to Garrus.
" She's fine, Jane." Shepard said slightly amused. Jane nodded looking relieved.
" Good. Good." Then she nodded to herself, wincing slightly and putting a hand to her head to stop the pain that seemed to come at the movement.
" Honestly C-Sec, I've got no clue. I felt it, and it hurt like a Krogan headbutt, but I don't feel different and I don't magically know all things Prothean." Jane said shrugging.
" When we meet up, Liara can see what she can do. Perhaps it's locked up? Maybe it doesn't work that way since you didn't have the beacon zap you too?" Jane chuckled.
" What an elegant way of saying that John." She teased. He shrugged.
" I do what I can." He joked back.
" What like a cipher for a cipher?" Garrus questioned glancing at Shepard.
" Heck if I know how this thing works." Shepard said and shrugged again.
" Whose Liara? Not the Matriarchs daughter?" Shepard nodded at his sister and she groaned.
" Damn Asari." She cursed.
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Citadel:
" Tali!" Were Jane Shepard's first words upon greeting her brother and his two companions. He wisely brought Garrus and Tali to fetch his sister and Nihlus. The Quarian made a surprised sound as Jane embraced her.
Garrus heard something from Nihlus that they didn't because Garrus seemed surprised all of a sudden. Shepard looked at Nihlus to see what it was, but he couldn't hear anything, and Nihlus didn't look different, though those Turian expressions were hard enough to read.
" Oh Tali'Zorah it's good to see you." Jane said pulling back but keeping her hands on Tali's hips. The stance was casual, but the grip on the Quarian's hips was clear in intent. Shepard's brows rose in surprise. He'd not known Jane liked Quarians that way, nor did he realize Jane didn't care about gender, though it shouldn't surprise him. Nothing like social rules, would stop Jane.
Tali for her part, didn't seem to mind Jane's touch, or she just allowed it. Shepard wasn't sure.
" Jane, good to see you too. I volunteered to come greet you." Garrus huffed at the Quarian's words and all eyes went to him.
" Every one except Williams volunteered, we simply won out from preference." Garrus said amused. Shepard chuckled at him.
" Jane's preference lady killer, you kill my charm when we go out. Since we're only meeting my sister and Nihlus I thought she'd might come more willingly with you and Tali, whom she obsessively asks about over every com call." Jane didn't even bother looking embarrassed about it, just turned her violet eyes to Tali and her red lips turned into a wicked smirk.
" What can I say John? I enjoy Tali'Zorah nar Rayya's company, very much." She didn't need sub-vocals to show her intent, even Garrus could read it in her voice, but Tali apparently didn't get the underlining words, or didn't mind, because a laugh bubbled out of the small Quarian.
" I enjoy your company too Jane." Tali said brightly.
" I hope we can spend more time together this time, it was cut short before you could tell me more about yourself." Tali said excited, she apparently enjoyed Jane's company, but who wouldn't? His sister had a strange allure despite her rough words and personality, something else lured you closer to want to know more. It was strange but that was why Shepard always thought she'd be a good political leader or official. A leader of something, she had that type of aura that made you want to follow her to hell, even if you know it'd likely get you killed.
People said he had the same allure, that people followed him to hell, and his crew was doing just that, but that was loyalty, not raw talent on his part. Shepard had seen it when she was younger, once on the Citadel he'd seen her lure people to do things for her without really wanting to. She would make a very persuasive politician but she had no patience for it apparently.
" I'd like that." Jane said, and there Garrus was looking at Nihlus again as if he heard something. Was Nihlus upset with Jane's flirting with someone else? He had to get over that, if Nihlus didn't understand Jane at this point it was never going to work between them.
For as long as he'd known Jane, he knew she wasn't the type to let anyone tell her what she could and couldn't do, and she wasn't one to be tied down. Whatever she was doing with Nihlus he had to realize it was a fling. Jane would never join Nihlus in his Spectre work, once they dealt with Saren she'd go back to pirating, and they'd be on opposite sides again. What did Nihlus expect would happen with Jane?
Shepard startled when he realized Jane wasn't with Tali anymore, and look around for her, to see Nihlus mandibles turn down then he tightened them close to his face, Shepard didn't need to hear his sub-vocals to know he was displeased, and Shepard already knew why, as he turned to glance back at Jane who was standing seriously close to Garrus. Shepard almost felt bad for Garrus, the poor guy looked like he didn't know what to do with Jane suddenly in his arms, or close enough to be.
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Garrus sucked in a startled gasp as her nimble fingers brushed the sides of his waist, he could feel her touch so much more then he should through his armor. That armor shouldn't let him feel any touch like that at all, maybe it was more a mental thing, he knew she was touching him, and his mind told him he could feel it. Yeah, Garrus you think of logical things instead of mind the intimate touch of the red haired woman close enough to smell her soft scent.
His mandibles fluttered at her in surprise and slight shock that she'd suddenly gotten so close without him realizing it.
" Good to see you C-Sec, John says you steal all the ladies, I see why." She teased. He floundered for a moment at that. What was proper etiquette for humans anyway? Her hands were more firm against his waist now, making him hesitate at where to put his own hands, she was so close he had to put them somewhere. While he fumbled for where to put his hands, she turned her attention to her brother.
" Where do you find time to have a competition to flirt with woman anyway, John?" She joked with her brother. Shepard chuckled.
" Any place we can find Sister, I mean you find the time, why can't we?" He teased back. Jane chuckled and since she was so close he felt it against his chest. Before he could find a place to put his hands she moved away, her hands sliding against his waist as she left, he shuttered, and was slightly disappointed at the loss of contact and her scent under his nose, so he blamed that split second of weakness on his words.
" You don't want to spend more time getting to know me Shepard?" He spoke up as she moved back. She tensed up surprised and turned surprised violet eyes to him. Garrus heard the displeasure from Nihlus, who knew he could hear, he didn't look up to the other Turian, he knew he shouldn't have said it. She chuckled though.
" Are you propositioning me, C-Sec, or John?" She joked easing the tension that had filled the air. Garrus choked. He blamed those damn vids he found that he'd blurted that out.
Shepard came over and slapped Garrus on the back.
" We're friends Vakarian, but our friendship ends there. Besides I think I've had enough of Nihlus' spikes up my ass to last a lifetime." Nihlus snorted at that, but seemed amused. Garrus looked between Nihlus and Shepard in confusion.
Was Shepard and Nihlus...How's that work with Jane too?
Seeing his confusion Shepard saved him and laughed, slapping his shoulder as it turned into a grasp as he shook Garrus slightly.
" Hey hey, whose watching too much porn besides Joker on the ship Vakarian? Too much looking for explanations for what I tease you about?" Shepard teased, Garrus' mandibles fluttered in embarrassment and nervousness.
" He wasn't serious about Kryik's spikes C-Sec, he was joking since Kryik stalked John all over the Normandy when he was on-board." Jane blissfully explained, Garrus relaxed slightly. Jane had come closer again, she put a hand on the opposite shoulder that her brother had just let go of, and peered up at him with those ridiculously colored eyes.
" Don't sound so nervous C-Sec, a Lady-kill such as yourself, flirting must come naturally." She teased, he startled.
" Sound?" Shepard asked confused. She reached up and touched Garrus' throat, and felt the vibrations, he went stiff in surprise. He had been protesting how nervous she made him with his sub-harmonics. She couldn't hear them let alone understand them, could she?
Nihlus look puzzled as well, so he hadn't known, but he believed that was clearly where she was leading the conversation.
" You can hear?" Garrus asked mandibles fluttering in confusion. She grinned and took her hand away, but still stood uncomfortably close.
" You can hear those Sub-vocal things?" Shepard demanded with raised brows.
" How?" He added narrowing his eyes. Garrus wanted to know that as well.
" Shortly after I left home I was in an explosion between gangs on Omega, took my hearing with it. A Doctor named Mordin patched me up and gave me back my hearing with cybernetics, well he gave me better hearing that is to say, I can hear things I never could, footsteps, heartbeats if I listen close enough, and Sub-harmonics." She explained. Shepard had tensed when he heard about the accident.
" How do you understand the meaning?" Nihlus asked clearly curious as well. She eyed him behind her, then smirked.
" I had Turian friends believe it or not, not all of them were lovers. When they realized I could hear your Sub-vocals they taught me to understand them. Makes it so much easier when dealing with you lot." She joked with a wink back at him.
" Which is how I know propositions don't usually sound nervously concerned." Garrus hummed at her, she was right. He hadn't meant that to come out. It made him relax, at least he didn't have to explain himself.
She smiled up at Garrus and patted his chest with her small gloved hands.
" Maybe when you're not so nervous eh C-Sec?" She winked at him then moved away letting him relax. Nihlus snorted under his breath, which wasn't wasted on anyone since they could all hear it.
" Back to the Normandy?" Shepard asked. Jane smirked.
" Sure, Kryik can fill you in on the mission details, and I'll fetch the Asari." Nihlus shot her a look and his sub-harmonic said clearly he didn't think that was a good idea.
" Don't chastise me Kryik, if she ends up with an extra hole, it won't be like the Asari don't know what to do with it." Nihlus sighed at her in a long suffering kind of way. Garrus was surprised, was that a sexual or racial comment? Or both?
" Garrus go with her, I'd hate for her to kill someone on the Citadel in plain sight, and ruin our chance at getting this cipher." Shepard said shaking his head. Garrus glanced at Nihlus but then turned to follow after Jane who was already walking off alone. Tali looked up a Shepard curiously.
" Does Jane not like Asari?" She questioned, Garrus heard her comment but not Shepard's answer as he caught up with Jane.
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" Gezz ask your questions and stop the obvious sub-vocals C-Sec." Garrus looked a tad embarrassed, or was it sheepish, but the hum from his sub-vocals stopped.
" Well...I was just...curious." He commented awkwardly. She glanced over as they walked the docks to Nihlus' ship.
" About?" She questioned with a raised brow. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.
" I watched a few vids for research, but didn't find any with um...Turian and human...relationships." Jane cast him a slow look.
" C-Sec did you really look up human porn?" She asked with an amazed face. Garrus' mandibles practically did the salsa and his sub-harmonics went crazy in panic. She laughed and slapped him on the back calming him slightly.
" I was just...I couldn't ask...Hum, I did this wrong." He said after a embarrassing fumble for words. He glanced over and found her violet eyes on him and her red lips turned up in amusement. She wasn't offended so he relaxed.
" Relax C-Sec, I was just teasing you. Ask your questions freely, I'll answer them. I've had a lot of Turian associates, and Krogan, Drell, occasionally curious humans and Salarians, who asked the same questions of me." He relaxed slowly.
" You must have realized there are others...closer to home, why Turians? How does that even work?" Garrus questioned.
" How does sex usually work C-Sec?" She joked then shook her head.
" We aren't much different, you've got the same relative parts human men do, though Turians are plated and their sexual organs are inside until the time arrives when they part the plating and come forth." Jane explained, he felt embarrassed she was talking about this, so casually, but also fascinated by it as well. She knew so much about his kind and was so easy to talk about it. From what he knew of humans they were awkward with this, talking about it anyway.
"We could get into the actual details if you'd like." She said seriously. He blinked. She'd actually explain if he wanted? He half did want to know. She gave him a wicked grin that he blinked at.
" Or it'd be easier to show you, but it'd take too long and John would be pissed. I can send you a few vids if you'd like. Mordin found them for me when he realized I was more interested in Turians then human men. He gave me a lot of information about it actually." She said with a smile. He relaxed again, he never could seem to relax fully before she said something that had him tensing up again. Perhaps it was best to treat her like he did Shepard, that everything she said was just joking.
" I'd like that." Garrus agreed, and she smiled and opened her Omni-tool tapping a few buttons then he got a ping on his own and he opened it curiously. She wasn't kidding, there was a lot of details about Human and Turian physiology and compatibility, and a few vids as well. He wondered if he should tell Shepard his sister sent him Human-Turian porn or not.
" Thanks." He said off hand as he closed his Omni-tool. She grinned at him.
" I'm happy to help C-Sec, and yes I do carry that casually around. I'm asked more then you'd think. Besides Mordin supplied positions too, and they're fun to try." She joked.
" With Kryik?" He asked. She was surprised and blinked over at him as they continued walking. She eyed him for a moment then relaxed and smiled.
" Strange right? I didn't think I'd be shagging a Spectre either to tell the truth. He's like a universal cop." She laughed to herself.
" That doesn't mesh well with wanted criminal and pirate does it? I think he just amused me. Sparatus seems to be pissed that I'm traveling with his little errand runners too." She grinned like it made her happy to anger the Turian Councilor.
" What is your problem with the Turian Councilor, you like Turians don't you?" Garrus asked with a confused look. She chuckled.
" Sparatus has been on my ass for years C-Sec, he shouldn't concern himself with little ol' me and my pirate ring, but ever since I messed with a few of his Spectres and his ' secret' plans and sabotaged some of his deliveries to his mistress..." She listed off on her multiple fingers then shrugged.
" It's fun this way, to have that hard ass chasing me down with his cute little toys." She grinned.
" So are you sleeping with Kryik just to piss of Sparatus?" Garrus asked with a frown. She blinked then laughed.
" Like I need a reason to be with Kryik? No, though that fact it will, kind of makes it better don't you think?" She joked then shrugged.
" Why are you with Kryik anyway? I mean...it can't end well." She smiled at him slightly.
" I know that C-Sec. Criminals don't get happy endings you know. This thing with Kryik has been fun, but it's just like every other person I've been with, it'd end and we'll see each other occasionally and hook up over the years, it's always that way. It's not the first time I've been with someone in the law either." She said which reminded him of Chellick, but he was already invading way too deep into her life, he wasn't sure he should ask...hell with it.
" Chellick?" He asked. She seemed surprised, then confused.
" What about-" She paused then blinked.
" No!" She said a little too quickly, which started Garrus.
" I didn't mean Chellick, I mean law in general. Not just C-Sec. But no, never Chellick, we kind of flirt, but it's not a serious kind. I'm not stupid C-Sec. Chellick would probably get me arrested and under Sparatus talons." She shook her head.
" So you know you and Kryik can't work out but you tried anyway?" Garrus asked puzzled.
" Why not? I know how Turians relieve stress before missions, think of it like that." Garrus frowned, his mandibles flicking out then down.
" You don't trust that?" She asked eyeing him. He shook his head slightly.
" If it was really like that, you'd stay friends, companions, teammates, you two are clearly lovers. It's not the same. When you relieve stress it's not a continuous thing, it's like...I was with a teammate once before a mission, we spared in the ring and then took the bonus round to her chambers, the next day we were back to being teammates and that was it, we didn't treat it any different then...scratching an itch." He tried to explain. She frowned.
" It's because it's just us on the ship C-Sec." He shook his head.
" I see how Kryik looks at you, I don't think it's the same as you're trying to make it out to be, not for him." Jane stiffened then looked away, watching the places she walked as if the ground were more interesting then what was going on around her. She stayed silent like that for a long while then looked up.
" That's a problem." Was all she said, but he glanced sharply at her.
" Why? I mean other then the fact he's a Spectre and you're a pirate?" Garrus asked. Jane shook her head and crossed her arms looking up at the ceiling of the docking port.
" I've only once had a lover like that C-Sec and he gave me these scars." She touched the one at the top of her lip and over her brow, it was almost the exact same on Shepard, the eye brow scar anyway. There were fainter scars down her throat. They seemed like talon marks. He frowned.
" What happened?" He was sure at this point he was past worrying he'd offend her with as many thing as he'd asked crossing lines he never had before.
" He was sent to kill me, he almost did. I killed him." She said in turn. Garrus eyed her face, it was trying very hard to stay blank, but there was a flash of pain in her strange colored eyes.
" You loved him." She flinched.
" He was my first lover." She said simply. Garrus startled. Her first lover was a Turian?
" After that there were many others who tried the same thing, sleeping with me to kill me, or get closer in just to betray me, I got better at seeing through them as time passed, but the first time was a lesson, I don't let anyone that close anymore. That's why it's always casual and that's why Kryik is a problem if you're right." Garrus frowned.
" I'm just saying what I've seen, don't take my word Jane." He said holding up his hands. He didn't want Nihlus mad at him if he was wrong, though Garrus knew what he heard and saw after all. She nodded.
" Let's talk about something else." Garrus said instead, though he was the one who brought it up. She nodded at his attempt to change the conversation.
" What do you want to talk about C-Sec?" She questioned.
" Let's talk about why you don't like Asari." He pointed out. She snorted.
" Do I need a valid reason that needs to be said?" She seriously wondered. Garrus hummed.
" Have you only ever been with Turians? You were hitting on Tali weren't you?" He asked since she didn't seem to want to talk about Asari, he didn't blame her, one had just entered her mind. That couldn't be comfortable.
" No, I've been with more then just Turians, I was with Quarian, and a Krogan once, but I haven't branched past those just yet." She joked.
" You've been with a Krogan?" He asked incredulously. She laughed.
" You gave me the same look Kryik did when I mentioned it." She said laughing. Garrus blinked. Was it any wonder? He hadn't heard of Krogan ever being with humans before. What was the point? Krogan wanted children, the only other race that could give them any were Asari.
" He was a friend of mine, I don't have many friends I can trust, so he's special." She said and shook her head as she recalled something that made her smile. It was a smile Garrus wasn't sure he'd seen before. Soft and pleasing.
" We needed to blow off stream before a run, having a Krogan on a ship for as long as that job took us, was making him extremely restless, I offered to help him relax." She explained. He nodded, He understood that, though Garrus was surprised why a Krogan would bother.
" I'm still hazy about the whole thing actually." She confessed amused. He didn't doubt it.
" I think I blacked out after, I mean it don't remember much of it, I do remember four of something humans only have two of." She joked. Garrus snorted, he knew what she meant.
" So I tend to stick with Turian and Quarian, I mean why stop a good thing you know?" She asked. He didn't, not really, but he nodded anyway.
" Which do you prefer then?" He questioned, he figured it was Turians, but he shouldn't assume anything with her, besides it wasn't like there were many Quarians on the Citadel anyway, let alone willing to sleep with a human and possibly die. She made a hand motion that meant ' either or', he recalled Shepard doing it on occasion.
" It's actually harder to persuade a Turian sometimes then a Quarian, most of the ones I met, Quarian that is, are on their pilgrimage, and young, that means they're up for adventure, and whats more adventurous then me right?" She joked. He fluttered his mandibles trying not to smile.
" If you're so adventurous why not try other races? Drell? Batarian? Vorcha?" He joked. She laughed at that.
" I said Quarians are adventitious, but yeah I see what you mean. Like I told Kryik, Batarian creep me out, and most of them are douches to humans. Vorcha tend to bite, and can't form great sentences, ruins the moment, Salarian are nice, having low sex drives tends to take them out of the running." She paused and shook her head.
" Mordin's a sweetheart thought." She said and shrugged.
" Drell have some venom in their skin that causes hallucinations and I like remembering what I do, besides that would be dangerous not being in full control with my history with partners." She said and shook her head, putting a hand to her chin in thought.
" As for Volus, Elcor, Hanar, and Varren, I tend to stay away from. I have a Varren as a pet though, named him Falon." She said then stopped walking entirely and put a hand to her face, seeming shocked she'd just said that. He stopped as well concerned.
" Something wrong?" He asked puzzled. She shook her head and glanced at him warily.
" No, I suppose not. I usually don't talk to people about myself, and never things that could be used against me." She said honestly. He blinked. He supposed that was expected she had been very forthcoming to all his questions.
" Shepard said I'm easy to talk to." He said as if that'd help. She smiled slightly.
" I suppose if you ever tried to use it against me, you know what'd happen better then most now." Had she just threatened him? It sounded like it.
" I doubt I'd ever have the need to." He said honestly. He didn't plan on ever being on the opposite side of her gun.
" Well as long as you keep it to yourself C-Sec I won't tell John I just gave you a shit ton of Turian-Human porn." She said with a devious grin. He flinched.
" You drive a hard bargain." He joked. She laughed.
End chapter:
Well there's that chapter out and done. I wrote a lot more then usual, thirteen pages, so hopefully that'll be good for now until the next can come out. Hope you're enjoying the fic so far.
A lot of people are asking about who John Shepard is going to be with, I honestly don't know, and there is going to be very little romance for him in this fic, wait until the next, which I'm still writing, for the second game, there maybe Tali, Liara, and Ashley hinting now, but nothing really solid.
This is mostly a Jane fic, if you hadn't notice, not that John isn't playing his part, but as for romance it's mostly for her, Shepard will have a romance more in the second fic, I'll post when this one is finished. As for who you'd like with him, you can tell me.
As for Garrus, it should be obvious by now, that he's not going to end up with John. I know a lot of you asked for that, but it's not going to happen, maybe in another fic I write, but not this one. Sorry. The usual banter between Shepard and Garrus will be there though, so at least you'll get that.
As for any other things you guys are concerned about, or like to mention, send me a review or PM, I'll do my best to answer anything you'd like to know. I hope you are enjoying the fic thus far.
Until next time.
Kyo