Yay fun stuff. Becca gets that tat she always wanted and gets to spend time with her two favorite krogan. Bit of a plot twist up next, hold onto your hats!
"What do you mean you took her to get a tattoo?!" Joker exclaimed. He, Grunt, and Wrex were standing in the mess hall, Becca in the Med Bay for her usual check.
"I mean we took her to the tattoo parlor and paid to get her an N7 tattoo on her calf over an old scar she has," Wrex said.
"Why the hell would you do that?!"
"Calm down, its her birthday present from us," Grunt said.
"And how did that go?"
"Besides being terrified, she was fine," Wrex assured. Joker waved him off and limped into the Med Bay where Dr. Chakwas was strapping Becca's braces on.
"Hold up doc. Becca let me see," Joker demanded, crossing his arms.
Becca didn't hesitate, she rolled her pants leg up and stood with her crutches supporting her. She turned her back to Joker and his jaw dropped at the sight of the new tat. It was still fresh so the skin was irritated and red, but the work done on her leg was a lot like the work done a century ago.
"Not my idea, Joker. I just like to check out the work, not get my own," Becca said. Joker shook his head with a smile on his face.
"Its fine, kid, least it shows something special about your life," Joker said and he helped her sit back on the table before sitting next to her. "Next time, I'm taking you to get one." Becca smiled before wincing as Dr. Chakwas tightened the straps on her braces.
"Alrighty then, I'm going to sleep, its been a long day," Becca yawned before standing.
"You know where I am if you need me," Joker teased before poking her side.
"Yeah yeah, in my ear," Becca responded before laughing and heading out of the Med Bay.
"She's not a child anymore, Jeff," Chakwas reminded him.
"I know doc, but its the matter of her being my little girl, I worry about her," Joker sighed.
"I believe you worry so much about her is because she not only was raised by you, but she has a similarity that prevented her from being a kid, and prevents her from walking like you do."
"That would be Cerberus' doing and I refuse to take her to get her bones improved by them. Morons."
"I understand. Her new braces come in tomorrow, her birthday is in two days, focus on that. She will need to be occupied on her birthday so we can set up for the party."
"She and Tali need bonding time, I'll talk to her and see if she can come up with something." Joker and Chakwas exchanged smiles before he walked out and headed for the engineering floor where Tali was messing with stuff.
"Hello, Joker," Tali greeted, knowing he was there.
"I need a favor, day after tomorrow, Becca needs to be off the ship so we can set up for her party, do you mind?" Joker asked. Tali turned around and smiled.
"Not at all!" she beamed. Since the Quarians reclaimed their planet from the Reapers and made allies with the Geth, they had managed to strengthen their immune system, allowing them to be free of their environmental suits for the most part. There would be times they would need them, but they have improved over time.
"Thanks, Tali," Joker smiled before shaking hands with her and heading back to the bridge. He sat down and pressed a few buttons before Shepard walked in.
"Joker, set a course for Tuchanka, Wrex and Grunt need to head back for something," Shepard commanded and Joker saluted him.
"Aye aye, Commander." After a few moments of messing with the controls, the Normandy left the docking bay and headed for Tuchanka. Joker kept an eye on things before looking over at EDI.
He was grateful for what Shepard did to stop the Reapers, whatever it he did. Joker knew Shepard had sacrificed himself to either destroy the Reapers, control them, or make peace. They had talked about it, but it was a blur to the Commander. Shepard had taken control of the Reapers and sent them far into space where they would never return.
Out of nowhere, alarms went off and lights started flashing. Joker started furiously pressing buttons.
"What the hell is the problem? EDI?"
"I...I don't know, Jeff!" EDI panicked.
"Shit shit shit shit!" Joker muttered through clenched teeth. The ship vibrated before stopping altogether. "Oh you have got to be shitting me!" He looked over at EDI who had shut down, the Normandy was offline. "Communications are down, systems are down, everything...dammit, gotta figure out what-" Joker's chair was turned manually and before him stood a Batarian.
"Well well, looks like I found Daddy," the slaver chuckled. What he didn't notice was Joker reaching behind him before pulling a pistol, upgraded by Becca, from the small of his back and shot the Batarian in the head.
"Holy shit..." Joker breathed before standing and limping towards the War room where an evacuation hatch was. He crawled through the vents and came to the Crew Decks. He stood up with difficulty before freezing. A familiar scream echoing through the deck. "Shit, BECCA!" Almost running, Joker stopped before the female crew quarters and saw who was most likely the leader of the slavers standing over Becca with his foot on her leg.
"Come any closer and she's dead," the Batarian warned, a gun trained on Becca's head. What the Batarian didn't know was Joker had his pistol on him, hidden in the usual spot.
"What the hell do you even want with her? What do you want with her whole colony that you killed?" Joker demanded, keeping his hands in sight.
"Its her father I was after and anyone linked to him, thus the whole colony. She's part of it," the Batarian answered.
"She was a BABY when you killed the colony."
"I don't even remember anything my dad said, all I remember is stuff from here!" Becca pleaded, but was cut off when the Batarian shoved the muzzle of the gun at her head.
"Doesn't matter, you have links, they can get in contact with you about things," he growled. Joker took his chance and pulled the pistol from his back before shooting the Batarian's hand. "You little!" The Batarian rushed at Joker who lowered his gun before Shepard and Garrus appeared out of nowhere and took the shots to the Batarian who dropped dead.
"Damn, just in time Shepard. What took you so long?" Joker teased.
"Went to the heart of the problem, they got in through the shuttle bay. Making our way back up, how's the CIC?" Shepard asked.
"Clear besides the one I shot in the head." Shepard and Garrus laughed before turning their attention to Becca who managed to pull herself to sit.
"Damn that hurt..." she muttered. The three men rushed to her side, Garrus and Shepard pulling her up and onto the bed.
"You ok, kid?" Joker asked.
"Could be better, but I'll live for now. To think they managed to find me, I have no idea h-. Crap they probably saw me on the Citadel!"
"That explains a lot," Garrus noted. He turned when he heard Serlus calling him.
"Dad, thank the spirits you're alright. Commander? We good? Joker?"
"Just a few bruises," Shepard answered.
"Little freaked out right now," Joker exhaled.
"Becca?" Serlus' voice seemed to shake as he looked at her on the bed.
"Moron batarian broke my leg, probably shattered it," Becca groaned. He looked between Shepard, Garrus, and Joker.
"I'll stay and keep her safe," Serlus volunteered. "She's in no state to fight if that's the case right now."
"Oh no you don't, I'm not going anywhere. I can handle a pistol just as well as Becca can. Go with the Commander and your dad and get rid of these sons of bitches," Joker jabbed a finger into Serlus' chest before holding up his pistol.
"Whoa, that is really decked out, Becca's work?" Serlus asked.
"Yup," Becca beamed. "You guys go, we'll be fine." Shepard, Garrus and Serlus nodded before heading out, sealing the door behind them. Joker exhaled before sitting down next to Becca.
"Where's it hurt kid?" Joker asked.
"Whole leg, mostly just above my knee," Becca groaned. Joker laid a few fingers gently on her knee, only to have her flinch away. "Ah..." Joker pulled his hand away before undoing her brace and pulling it off. Carefully doing that and rolling up her pants leg, he could see the giant bruise forming.
"Damn, that's gotta hurt, and I thought breaking a bone from a bad step was bad. You've done that, you know how much it hurts."
"Yeah, that mean more surgery?"
"Sorry kiddo, there's no other option." Becca sighed.
"Ah well, it happens. So how's that pistol treating you?"
"Its great, would've been awesome if you had upgraded the M-8 Avenger that I used to cover Shepard during the Suicide Mission."
"On my list, but you know, the N7 Eagle is easier to use than the Avenger when it comes to emergencies."
"Yeah, yeah you're right." They looked up when the door unlocked. Becca and Joker trained their pistols on the door when it opened, seeing Shepard standing there.
"Its clear, the leader sent his lackeys to take Becca alive, clearly they failed because we're here," Shepard advised and Joker nodded, holstering his pistol along with Becca.
"Is Dr. Chakwas alright?" Joker asked. Said doctor came around the corner.
"I can handle myself just fine, Joker. Commander, help me out with Becca, if you would," Dr. Chakwas requested. She and Shepard went to either side of Becca and helped her stand before walking her to the Med Bay. Joker followed, assuring Becca that she would be just fine before leaving with Shepard.
"Joker? You ok?" Shepard asked.
"No, Commander, I'm really not. Surgery on Becca is super risky, even if it's Dr. Chakwas, I worry," Joker sighed. He shook his head and headed to where the AI core was and rebooted the ship, EDI coming back online.
"Hello Jeff, I apologise for my shut down, the batarians who boarded had cut the power to the core," EDI said.
"You're fine EDI," Joker sighed before limping back to the elevator and to the bridge, seeing EDI at work in the co-pilot seat. He sat in his chair, turning it to the controls and pulling up the security footage and watching it closely from every angle.
It was when he saw the Batarians had hacked the door to the shuttle bay from the outside that things had gone badly. They had taken Cortez out, James had been in the Mess Hall. They overpowered everyone from there until Joker came across the footage in the female crew quarters.
From the angle, the Batarian had entered and kicked Becca off the cot before pointing the gun to her head. He attempted to get her to talk, refusing, he smashed her leg. That was when Joker had entered and he knew what happened afterwards.
"What links could Becca have that could expose these Batarians?" Joker asked himself. He exhaled before heading for the Citadel, Dr. Chakwas would need extra help if need be, until then, she would be working on stabilizing Becca's bones.
Soon as the ship docked, doctors from the hospitable ward boarded and wheeled Becca out. Joker watched for a moment before exhaling and heading for the Conference Room. He sat on the table, putting his elbows on his knees and his hands together, deep in thought. So many things could go wrong during Becca's surgery.
"Why did that son of a bitch have to hurt her? And so close to her birthday," Joker mumbled. He put his face in his hands and exhaled, fighting the urge to tear up.
EDI and the Normandy meant a lot to him, but they both could be repaired if they were damaged big time. Becca however, wasn't a machine or an AI, she was a living, breathing, human being.
Becca was the world to him, and she was irreplaceable.
Oooo, major twist huh? Alright, I'll be working on Chapter 5 now. See you guys next time.