Guess who's back from a week long trip to Florida! I got a little sun and a LOT of work done on StB so please, enjoy the new chapter. Also, thanks go out to 19baby94 for favoring and following the story and me. I know I shouldn't be thanking someone for following me or whatever, but it means a lot to me. Alright I'll let you get to it
Becca stared out the window as Garrus drove the car through the Citadel, only to stop and land it on a beam that was pretty secluded. Becca could see another Turian standing on the beam with two sniper guns in his hand.
"Took you long enough old man," The turian joked and Garrus waved him off as he got out and went around to help Becca.
"I can catch up with my girl if I want to," Garrus retaliated. Serlus shook his head at his father and Becca.
"You brought the cripple to shoot?" he asked.
"Yeah to shoot you, Serlus," Becca teased and the three of them laughed.
"Damn, it's been way too long, Becca," Serlus said and he walked to Becca as she and Garrus headed for him. Becca hugged the younger Turian with one arm, keeping her crutch supported by her other hand.
"It has been, so, let's do this," Becca challenged and she pulled her pistol from her hip.
"Not the best thing for long range shooting but it works. Serlus, set me up," Garrus commanded.
"On it, Dad," Serlus pulled away and ran over to the bucket of empty cans and tossed Garrus one of the snipers.
Becca sat sideways in the driver's seat of the car while she watched the turian father and son throw and shoot cans. In the back of her mind she wondered what it would have been like if she and her own parents had done things like that. She sighed as she watched, wishing she could join in on the fun. Becca looked down at her legs, lifting one up slightly and turning it to look at it from different angles before letting it fall back to place, ignoring the sting of pain on the bottom of her foot. Becca looked up and turian legs came into her view. She looked up at Garrus and smiled.
"Wanna give it a try? You've got your support right here," Garrus patted his arm and smirked. Becca shook her head with a smile on her face before standing up. Using Garrus for support, she limped over to where Serlus stood with one of the snipers and handed it to her.
"You've shot one of these right?" Serlus asked and Becca shrugged.
"A few times, that's for sure," she said and shouldered the weapon. Serlus grabbed one of the cans and prepared to throw it. "Go!" Serlus launching it and Becca eyed it as it came into the scope before shooting and only grazing it. "Damn."
"Good try," Garrus said and Serlus shrugged.
"Lemme try again," she pleaded and nodded to Serlus. She aimed again and nodded. Serlus threw the can and Becca stared for a moment before dropping the sniper in her left hand, pulled her pistol with her right and shot the can right out of the air. "Pistols, who would've guessed?" Garrus and Serlus laughed.
"Any other great ideas, Dad? We're almost out of cans," Serlus pointed out and Garrus put a claw to his chin, thinking.
"I'm not entirely sure, I do wanna head back to the ship. Becca you still have no clue what you're good at right? How about we try what I'm pretty good at," Garrus said and Becca held back a laugh.
"Calibrations?" she asked and she and Serlus busted out laughing.
"Ha ha very funny. Let's head back," Garrus chuckled and he helped Becca into the car before they headed back. "So you've tried the different guns, but the recoil breaks bone. You don't have potential to be a biotic so that's out of the question. But you haven't tried tech stuff."
"That's right I haven't. I never thought about that. I mean, if Joker could actually walk around the right way, he'd probably be a techy. But how will I know if that's the thing for me?" Becca asked.
"There'll be that click in your brain and you'll know what to do. It was the same thing for me, like father like son," Serlus grinned.
"Only you figured it out on a pathetic pistol, I've been working on the Normandy stuff since I met Shepard. Those wires can be a hell of a problem if you're not careful," Garrus chuckled.
"Hey that only happened once, wires and mandibles don't mix." Becca laughed, thinking about a bunch of the wires from the Normandy wrapped around Serlus' mandibles. Garrus landed the car and Serlus helped Becca out before the headed for the ship. Making sure to avoid the crew deck, they headed down to the armory.
"Ok, Becca, I know I called Serlus pathetic for getting the tech click on a pistol, but its a good starter," Garrus said. He rolled a chair over to the upgrade table and set a scorpion pistol down in front of Becca. Becca sat down and stared at the pistol.
"I have no clue what to do," she sighed.
"Just wait a moment, it took me forever to figure out what to do," Serlus said and he patted her shoulder. Garrus put a few tools down in front of her and she stared puzzled for a moment. She picked up one of the tools and began to fiddle with the pistol for a moment. Garrus and Serlus watched as she managed to mess around for a moment.
"Wait I think I have something. Garrus get me some of those upgrades," Becca requested and Garrus dropped different objects that could upgrade the pistol. "Let's see, blast radius, scope, larger magazine, hmmm." Becca got to work attaching the few upgrades before admiring her work.
"Wow, what's on it?" Garrus asked and he took the pistol from her hands.
"Has a higher blast radius, there's a scope, the magazine is larger, and there's more power in the shots," Becca said and she smiled, crossing her arms.
"We need to try this out," Serlus exclaimed and Becca shrugged.
"Shepard could get someone into the Spector shooting range, that's about it," Becca noted.
"How about you take this to Shepard and have him test it out? He's had more than just a pistol explode in his face, I'm sure he can handle it," Garrus suggested and Becca nodded. She stood up, holstered Scorpion on her hip, and headed up to Shepard's quarters. Becca knocked on the door before it opened and Shepard stood there.
"Hey kiddo, whatcha got there?" Shepard asked. He pointed to the pistol.
"Upgraded Scorpion, I did it myself, can you be the first one to test it?" Becca asked and she held it out to him.
"Yeah sure, we'll go down to the shooting range, though its not a normal pistol, so you'll need armor."
"I have no idea how that'll work with my leg braces."
"Not a problem, Dr. Chakwas helped design armor with built in leg braces, they should help support you better while on the field."
Becca and Shepard headed out of the ship and to the shooting range. After helping Becca into her white armor with black accents and sky blue detail, they headed in. Shepard turned when he stood at the counter and looked at Becca who was attempting to support herself with the wall.
"Becca, you're fine, just step carefully and you'll be ok," Shepard said.
"Not that easy Shepard, I've relied on my crutches for so long, I'm afraid," Becca whimpered.
"You're ok kid, c'mere." Becca managed to limp over and she waited for Shepard. He checked the clip before looking through the scope. "Scope works." Becca nodded. Shepard aimed before shooting. The orb hit the middle target before exploding and hitting the other two targets on either side of the middle one. "Woah! Becca, this it a great pistol, good work kid." Becca smirked before taking Scorpion and aiming at the targets. She emptied the clip and smirked at Shepard.
"Barely any recoil, that's great," she smiled.
"First upgrades and its a success, good job kid." Shepard patted her back before they headed out and removed armor.
"I think I'll keep this pistol, with some training maybe I could go on the field with you?" Becca begged, giving Shepard her signature puppy eyes that nobody on the ship could resist. Shepard shook his head with a smile on his face.
"Maybe, Joker might disapprove though."
"Damn, I forgot about him. Crap what am I gonna tell him?"
"I'll do it if it makes you feel any better."
"No, he raised me, he's pretty much my father, I have to tell him myself."
"Joker's pretty laid back, you should be ok, he'll worry about you the whole time on your first few missions, but nothing too bad, if he lets you anyway." They came to the docking bay where the Normandy was. Becca exhaled and Shepard wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You got this kid." They boarded and Becca headed to where Joker sat in his chair.
"Joker? Can we talk?" Becca asked. Joker turned his chair around and smiled at Becca.
"Yeah kid, what's up?" Joker asked.
"I mentioned it to Shepard earlier, he's thinking, with your knowing, that I go out on the field soon." Becca prepared for the worst. Joker was surprised. So many things were going through his head, his little girl wanted to go into the danger with Shepard.
"I don't know how I feel about that kid," Joker grimaced.
"Jeff, I believe with the right training and equipment, Becca would be a fine addition to the field team," EDI piped up from her spot next to him. "With the correct support for her legs and enhanced armor, there would be minimum damage adding on her shields. I believe Becca is a technology expert, her shields would be enhanced with her knowledge."
"EDI I only just started with tech stuff, I have no clue how shields would work for me."
"I am aware of this." Becca narrowed her eyes at the AI before looking at Joker.
"So?"
"Its a bit of a stretch, but I'm here to support your choices. You're an adult now, you do what you wish," Joker said.
"You're making it sound like you don't care," Becca sighed.
"What? No, Becca, believe me I'm scared out of my pants right now. For the record I would prefer to keep you safe, have you do something else, but its what you want since you've grown up in a military environment, I should've expected this. How do you feel about this though?"
"Honestly? I'm terrified. One wrong step, one wrong hit, and it could go bad."
"Don't worry too much about it, Becca. You still have plenty of time before you should start."
"Thanks. Hey Joker?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for being the father I lost eighteen years ago." Joker smiled and nodded before turning his chair around. He waited for Becca to limp off before he let the single tear fall from his eye.
"Jeff? Is something wrong?" EDI asked.
"No," Joker sniffled. "No, everything is, just perfect. Becca is...by far the best kid I could ever have raised. She is such a fighter, she doesn't let anything stop her from being who she wants to be. And that's exactly what I wanted from her, a strong woman who doesn't let something like hollow bones stop her from being snarky and strong and just, so much more than a weak little girl who relies on everyone to do things for her."
"I do not understand why you are crying, Jeff. I thought tears were associated with sadness and particles that irritate the eye."
"Its happy tears, EDI. Happiness basically overflows and it can't be contained." Joker wiped the tears away and cleared his throat. "I'm proud to have been the one to raise Becca. If her parents never got a hold of Shepard, she probably would've been lost to the slavers. Growing up around the Normandy, its made her tough."
"That is a metaphor, correct?"
"Yes, EDI, its a metaphor." Joker rolled his eyes playfully and smiled at EDI. She smiled back before returning to her duties. Joker prepared to leave the docking bay and the Citadel in general, time for a scouting mission, they still had a group of slavers to find. Slavers that threatened his little girl's life.
Yup, Becca's an expert with upgrades now. Got to spend a little time with Garrus and his son, Serlus.
Please review! See you guys next time!