Citadel
"Okay" she said, giving me a quick shot, "You're free to go"
"Don't feel too bad doc, something tells me I'll be back tomorrow" I said with a smile
"Yes, well, nine a.m. tomorrow" she said, and I walked out the med bay, a free man.
"Hey Chase" Tali surprised me, just the person I wanted to see
"You got it?" I asked, and she handed me my cigar and lighter. "Thank you" I said, lighting up right outside the door of the med bay, there's a special place in hell for people like me. Looking over I could see that breakfast is over, damn it! I'm really hungry.
"Could all members of the ground team report to the briefing room in ten minutes" Joker announced over the coms
"What's that for, I thought we were going to the Citadel, we didn't get roped into something else, did we?" I asked towards Tali
"No, I think that's the debrief for Therum" she claimed
"That was three days ago, why is this just starting?"
"Because the….. co-captain?" she asked, "was unconscious and Shepard said we were going to wait till you could participate"
"I think mission co-leader would be more accurate as I have no duties on the ship" I said as we started up the stairs, "So, have you met the Asari?" I asked
"Once or twice, but rumor is Shepard has become quite familiar" she claimed, looking around to ensure she didn't get caught
"Explain"
"Okay, ever since after the mission on Therum, she has been seen spending nearly all her free time in the med bay" she led on, "And Liara has taken the supply room behind said med bay"
"Interesting" I said, walking into the briefing room and noticing the rooms empty, "I would corroborate your rumors, but I was unconscious at said time"
"Wow, I'm just informing my mission co-leader of rumors" she said, hands up. "Shepard's business is none of mine", and on that note, Garrus walked in.
"Chase, how're you feeling?"
"Meh" I responded, "Although I need to ask the doc what she knocked me out with for those two days, slept great."
"Yeah, good luck with that" he said as he sat down
"You okay?" I asked, he seems a little down
"We" he stopped for a second, "We left the other Mako on Therum"
"I'm, I'm sorry for your loss" I said, holding in my laughter. "How's about the other one, you and Williams making progress?"
"It's pretty much done, but we need some specialized parts that we don't have on hand" he claimed, and the rest of the ground team filtered in, and eventually Shepard as well.
"Too close, Commander. Ten more seconds and we would've been swimming in molten sulphur. The Normandy isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull. Just for future references" Joker stated, starting out little meeting
"We almost died, and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara asked
"Yeah" I said from my spot on the wall, "Three days later and it's still funny"
"Joker saved our asses, I think he deserves one bad joke" Shepard claimed
"I see." Liara started, "It must be a human thing, I don't have a lot of experience dealing with your species, commander"
"Humans usually don't make much sense" Tali butted in, and all the Aliens just nodded. Should I be offended?
"Nonetheless, I'm grateful, you saved my life back there, from the volcano, and the Geth" she said
"What did Saren want with you, do you know anything about the conduit?" Kaiden asked
"Only that it was involved with the prothean extinction, which is my area of expertise. I've spent the last 50 years studying what happened to them"
"Just how old are you exactly?" Shepard asked
"Shepard, never ask a woman her age, you trying to get yourself killed?" I said out loud, earning a few nods
"It's not a problem, but I hate to admit that I'm only 106" Liara responded
"Damn, I hope I look that good when I'm your age" Ashley butted in
"A centu-"
"That's young for an Asari" I interrupted her, "She's basically a high school senior. I take it that's why most of your research goes without the attention it deserves"
"Yes! thank you!"
"What did you turn up in your research?" Shepard asked
"It's what I can't find that's interesting, there's little evidence that Protheans existed. Even less on what happened to them" she claimed "But here's the incredible part, it's like the evidence was wiped cleaned, and my findings suggest this isn't the first time. According to it, this isn't the first galactic civilization to vanish, this cycle began long before them"
"If there's no evidence, how'd you come up with this theory?" Shepard asked
"Sometimes the lack of evidence, is evidence" I muttered
"I've worked on this for fifty years. I have tracked down every scrap and shred of evidence. Eventually, subtle patterns start to emerge. Patterns that hint at the truth. I can't prove it, it's a feeling from working on this for five decades, and this wasn't the first cycle"
"A gut feeling?" I asked, and she nodded
"The galaxy is built on a cycle of extinction, each time a great civilization rises up, it is suddenly and violently cast down. Only ruins survive, the Protheans came from a single world, expanded to the entire galaxy, and now they're gone. And all their greatest achievements, mass relays and the citadel, based on the tech of those who came before, and they disappeared, almost no traces, and I need to know why."
"They were wiped out by a race of sentient machines. The Reapers." Shepard deadpanned
"Reapers, I've never heard of, how do you know this, what evidence do you have?" she exclaimed, barely able to get it out
"A damaged prothean beacon on Eden Prime, burned a vision into Chase's and my brain. I'm still trying to figure it all out" she claimed
"Visions, of course. Beacons were designed to transmit information directly to the brain, that makes sense. Finding a working one is extremely rare, I'm not surprised the Geth attacked Eden Prime"
"Plus, I got a picture of one" I claimed, getting everyone's attention. "What?"
"What are you talking about?" Shepard asked me, and I immediately pulled up helmet cam footage of the Reaper leaving Eden Prime.
"Now, we know the Geth don't have the abilities to create a dreadnaught capable of landing in atmosphere like it's no big deal, not to mention the aesthetics of it. That means it comes from alien origins. That, coupled with Tali's recording, leaves me to believe that the giant red ship, is a reaper" I claimed, and everyone just went slack jawed. "No one else made the connection? Anyways, we were talking about the beacon"
"Yes, I am amazed you were able to make any sense of it at all" she said, turning back to the commander, "A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed by the process. You must be remarkably strong willed, commander."
"Me too" I muttered
"This doesn't help with Saren, or the conduit" Kaiden stated
"I'm sorry, I got sidetracked. I'm afraid that I have no information on either subject" she claimed
"I don't know why Saren was after you, but I think we'll be a lot better off if we bring you along"
"Thank you, Commander, I cannot think of a safer place to be at, I'll be happy to help however I can" Liara thanked her, I feel like she's ignoring me over here
"And having her biotics will come in handy" Wrex said smiling
"Welcome aboard, everyone dismissed" she claimed, everyone filtering out except the two of us "How're you feeling?"
"Not bad, need to ask the doc for what she used to knock me out those two days, slept like a baby"
"Good luck with that"
"Huh" I said, "Garrus said the same thing. Was it me or was it like she thanked you for everything, I feel like I did at least half the work, if not more"
"Jealous?"
"I don't know, you tell me, I'm not the one in the rumors" I said, grinning ear to ear
"What are you babbling about?"
"You didn't hear?" I asked, getting a quick stare, "Rumor mill says that you've spent a lot of your free time after Therum in the Med bay, and people are saying-"
"That you and I are a thing" she sighed, rubbing her head. "I'm not even sure how to react"
"No" I said, "Don't interrupt me and I'll finish. And people are saying that only happened when Liara set up shop in the back"
"Oh"
"So, is it true?" I asked
"What? No! You should know, I was sitting in that damn uncomfortable chair waiting you to wake up, so I could yell at you"
"Well, I was unconscious for all but the five minutes we talked, then you stormed out" I said, crossing my arms
"Well I'm not, I can't be" she said, and I waved for her to continue, "Well, I'm not into women"
"You do know-"
"Oh, don't give me that crap that they're not really females" she exclaimed, "But to speak the truth, when I was talking to her after the mission, she expressed an interest in me" and I just fell to the floor laughing, I knew it was coming, but being here is hilarious.
"So, who's next for you to turn down, Garrus or Tali? Or is Wrex more your speed?" I giggled out while on the floor
"Get up" she said, lifting me. "We're arriving on the Citadel tomorrow, any plans?"
"Well, I need to get another sword" I muttered on, "and restock on some explosives, how long are we going to be there?"
"Two days, perfect amount of time to get some shore leave for everyone"
"Don't let Wrex know, he might get a little bored"
"I wonder why?" she asked sarcastically, "And when were you going to inform me that you think we had seen a reaper?"
"I thought of it during my incarceration" I claimed, getting a look, "When I was stuck in the Med bay"
"And you didn't bother to inform me?"
"You never came back in the med bay, and I wasn't one hundred percent. Plus, I figured that the debrief already happened. Why didn't you bother to inform me?"
"You're in a mood" she started, ignoring my question. "What?"
"I missed breakfast"
"Is that it?" she asked
"I got to go make some calls, I see you later" I said, walking out and finding a spot to take a nap. I settle on hiding in a maintenance tube, where it's nice and warm, perfect temperature. Who wouldn't be mad about missing breakfast?
"Ding, ding, ding. Ding, ding, ding. Ding, ding, ding" I wake up in a small cold sweat, I think I'm going to start passing on naps if I just wake up in a cold sweat. At least I won't miss lunch with my well-placed alarm. I start crawling through the maintenance hatches, going down a level to one that opens right next to the kitchen. I kick it open, it making a rather loud metal clank, and crawl out. I put the metal crate back, dust myself off and notice a bunch of people staring at me.
"What?!" I asked, and everyone just went back to doing their own thing.
"Why did you crawl out of a maintenance shaft?" Ashley asked me as I was seeing what food was available
"Why don't you?" I rebutted
"Because we have an elevator"
"Yeah, an elevator that moves 1 mile an hour. Plus, I'm hard to find when I'm down there" I claimed, picking up a tray of food and making my way to a table with Joker and Garrus. I don't think that I've talked with Joker yet.
"Well, I'm just glad I'm not being bogged down in red tape anymore" Garrus said to Joker
"What about you Chase?" Joker asked
"Well," I started, not knowing the question, "I've always been partial to snipers, explosives, swords, and assault rifles"
"What are you talking about?" Joker questioned
"I don't know, what was the question?"
"You didn't know" he sighed and started laughing. "Okay, do you miss your old life?"
"Well" I thought, "I guess I still have to get use to working in a team. But being an assassin isn't really fun, so I don't really miss my old life that much" I said, shoveling the rest of my food in their silence. It's not exactly public knowledge that I worked as an assassin while I was a contractor.
"I never heard of you" Garrus said in a low grumble
"Yeah" I said, taking a sip from my drink. "There's two reasons for that. One, I'm just that good. Two, I did mostly jobs for the Alliance, so it was all official. I would also take jobs from loved ones that lost people to gangs and mercs, so I also have a lot of enemies because of that. Mainly bad people who had it coming. Cop's don't really care about them, so I'm not surprised you didn't hear me"
"You know how to lift a mood, eh?" Joker deadpanned, I don't think any of them have touched their food since I got here.
"Yup" I said, getting up, "I'll talk to you later, need to get a workout in today, and maybe a snack for the road."
"Do you mind turning that down?" I glance to my side and see Shepard, in her workout gear, drenched in sweat. I quickly pause the game I was playing and turn down my music. "That's really offensive music"
"It's rap from the 21st century, I'm not surprised you find it offensive"
"You don't?" she questioned
"Words can hurt you only if you let them" I said, getting a confused look from her, "Jane, you're fat" and she just looked at me with skepticism. "See, words can only hurt if you let them" I said, returning to my music, much lower than before. I continue back to my game, "What brings you down here?"
"Work out, what are you playing?"
"No idea, Garrus was playing earlier, and I just picked it up after him. Some zombie game taking place on the citadel, it's pretty good"
"And what time was that?" she asked
"Around 7 I think"
"It's 3 in the morning" she claimed, and I looked at my omnitool, and it corroborated her story.
"So, I pulled an all nighter, wanna play?" I asked, handing her a second controller, she grabbed it and sat on the couch with me. "Damn" I said, rubbing my nose.
"Maybe I'll take a shower first" She said, jumping up and making a run for the elevator. "Yeah, maybe."
"You forgetting something?" I jumped up next to the airlock, looking around and seeing Joker at the cockpit.
"No?" I asked
"I'm pretty sure Shepard said that if you're alone to go out in armor" he said
"And why aren't you out?"
"I'm going out for drinks later tonight with a couple people from the ground team later, you're welcome to come" he claimed
"If I'm not busy, I'll swing by" I said walking into the airlock, "And what Shepard doesn't know, doesn't hurt her"
"And if you run into her?"
"Then it's my problem" I said, hitting the button, closing the airlock. I quickly leave the docks, hitching a ride on an air car. I make my way down to a sketchy looking part of Zakera ward. I ring the door of the building I want to enter.
"Who is it?" the voice asked
"Who do you think, Vaelorn?" I asked, knowing I'm the only person who comes here
"Ah, one of my best customers, come on in" and the door opened, revealing an elevator that goes to the top floor. This is Ubirn Vaelorn, he's a private engineer that does high quality, custom made, next level stuff. He's very expensive, and I'm his busiest customer, if not one of his only.
"Vaelorn" I said, walking into his workshop. "I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who comes here, when are you just going to give me a key?"
"And if you interrupt me when I'm entertaining a lady?"
"Let's be serious" I said, and he just smiled, "Is my sword ready?"
"Yes, it's right next to the door. I'll also have a crate of those explosives you love so much sent to the Normandy, along with a spare sword"
"Great, how about the-"
"Chase" he interrupted me, turning to face me, "That device you want me to make will take time, and it's not a matter of funds either. While I'm making progress, I'm still two years away from a prototype, at least."
"Fine" I muttered, "But I need it by then, even if it's the prototype"
"Understood, now leave please. I have lots of work to do" he said, turning to something on his work bench, I go to leave, grabbing my sword on the way out. I make for the sky car, punching in the spot for my favorite store on the Citadel.
"Gerry!" I yelled, walking in.
"Chase, didn't think I'd be seeing you so soon, and Congratulations! I can't believe I have one of the first spectre's as a client"
"Thankyou" I said, looking at the whiskeys, "I'll need one bottle, same ship"
"Of course," he said, grabbing one, "Would you like one for the road?" he asked, waving towards the cigars. I quickly nod, take the cigar, and make my way down to the presidium, to enjoy the views. I wanted to light this thing in the skycar, but if the things even detect smoke, they will pull over and eject you, and I'm speaking from experience. Once I get to the presidium, I take up a bench at the edge of a park, facing a bunch of restaurants, perfect for people watching.
"You can't smoke that here" I heard a voice, and it's some redheaded chick walking towards me.
"Yes, I can"
"No, there's no smoking on the presidium"
"I have a special license" I claimed
"And what's that?"
"Listen" I started, "What's your name?"
"None of your business, and you know that those will kill you"
"Okay kid, first, I'm a spectre, so I can do whatever I want. Secondly, I will die from combat long before lung cancer, or anything like it. Third, you're really starting to piss me off, so please leave me alone."
"Kid?"
"That's what you got from that?" I asked, and she just nodded. "You're not very bright, and I probably got a decade on you, so yes, you're a kid to me."
"What's it like to be a spectre?" she asked, twisting her hair. Oh god, is this going to be my Conrad Verner?
"Pretty much the same, just can't be arrested now" I claimed, taking a quick drag.
"You mind if I quote that?" she asked, pulling out her omnitool
"Are you a reporter?"
"Yes, so, does one of Humanity's first spectre have a special someone?" she asked, "This is Aliance News Network by the way"
"No, and that's all"
"What about the rumors?" she asked, which actually piqued my interest
"Rumors?"
"Rumors of a relation between you and humanity's first spectre, Commander Shepard" she claimed, and I just busted out laughing. It actually took me a minute to calm down before I could talk clearly without giggling.
"Me and Jane?" I asked, "that's rich" I claimed, getting a look from her. "Well, I can assure you she's not into me, she can do better"
"So, does that mean you're into her?" she asked, fuck, trapped in a corner.
"Well, I'm a straight guy, so obviously I find her attractive. Other than that, it's none of your damn business" I said, taking another long draw.
"What do you mean by 'she can do better'?" she asked
"I'm not exactly a saint with a spotless history, and that's all for this impromptu interview, goodbye" I said, shooing her away with my hand
"Eden, our table's ready" I heard from behind her, I lean over and see Shepard
"Shepard?"
"Chase? What are you doing over here?" she asked
"I was people watching, until I started to get harassed by this reporter"
"Eden's not a reporter" she claimed, and I could just see a large grin on her sister's face
"This whole family is just whack" I muttered, and Eden just busted out for laughing, "So you just wanted info out of me?" I asked, getting a quick nod
"Want to join us?" she asked
"No. I'll pass, I'm not hungry. And I don't trust you right now" I said to Eden, "You going to drinks tonight? I heard most of the ground crew is going?" I asked Shepard
"Yeah, I'll swing by" she said, and I get up and put out the bud of my cigar
"I'll see you then, Eden, nice to meet you" I claimed walking away, and once she thought I was out of ear shot I could hear her questioning Eden on what just happened. Her sister's a little prying ninja is what just happened.