Here it is finally my dears. The next part to my story Close your Eyes, Open Your Mind. I tried to write it in a fashion that if you have not read the previous story you would not be 100% lost. I hope you all enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Mass Effect world, sadly.
You know those places that just always rub you the wrong way? The ones that you dread going to no matter what, because something terrible always seems to happen? For Garrus that was the Citadel. For the rest of the galaxy it was a wonderful place where all races could live in harmony. Where their needs were met and you could find shelter from whatever you were running from. For Garrus the whole structure was just a reminder of terrible things that had happened in his life.
This was where he had slaved away as a C-Sec officer. Seeing first hand the dark and twisted secrets the galaxy hid in its beloved haven. Where slavers smuggled living beings in crates and drugs a plenty where hidden in every little corner. And the worst of it was, the little power he had to do anything about it.
This is also where he had lost her. The first woman he had ever truly been in love with. The woman that caused him to really open his eyes to the galaxy around him and see life anew. The one woman that caused him to doubt everything he had been. And Spirits be damned if she wasn't a human.
His musings were halted, as the small shuttle he was on halted at the platform. The ride had been long and uncomfortable but what could he expect traveling all the way across the galaxy from some backwash end planet that he didn't think even had a name, to the glorious Citadel. And once again this gleaming city only brought him more reminders of pain.
Stepping out onto the platform, Garrus's icy blue orbs landed on a news screen to his right. Like most of the news lately, it was playing the same story over and over. The reason he was back at this place. He tried to not listen, tried to not be reminded but at the same time the investigator inside of him wanted to know if there were anymore leads. So with great reluctance he turned his attention to the voice of the woman, as images moved across the screen.
"-nly a week has passed since the galaxy lost its brave hero. Spectre Nihlus Kryik was found dead on a planet that is being developed to become a human colony. It appears that the Spectre had been shot dead from a great distance. It is still unsure, whether or not the murder was human related, with Kryik being one of the leading supporters of human relations with other species. The-"
Garrus had to fight back a half hearted chuckle as he heard that last bit. If only the news reporter and even the whole galaxy knew why Nihlus was all about humans. It might have had something to do with Luna. That thought brought a small clinch to his heart. It had been six years since he had walked off the citadel and disappeared after her death but he could still see it so clearly. Hear her last words to him like she whispered them in his ear. The sad words that caused him to be truly happy for a fleeting moment. She had whispered of her love for him. And she had died thinking he didn't feel the same way. And now there was no way he could go back and tell her now.
And now his mind was on her once more. The human alliance tech officer turned Cerberus experiment, that had escaped with Nihlus and became his traveling companion. When Garrus became Nihlus's student, he had had no idea about the human. He had thought her to be an AI. And after he had discovered what she truly was, they had begun a relationship that had been the oddest yet happiest one he had ever been in to date. But that was over now. She was gone and now Nihlus was a well. Turning back to the news report, he caught the information he had been interested in in the first place.
"-orried that it may start a galactic uproar, the council has placed a Spectre in charge of the investigation but sources says he is not going at it alone. If reports are true, the investigating Spectre is receiving help from a human C-Sec officer. Executor Pallin neither confirmed or denied the accusation, simply saying that C-Sec was doing what it could, to prevent hostility between races and get to the bottom of this incident."
So Pallin was still in charge of C-Sec and they had a hand in the investigation. That was where he would start. He doubted the council would tell a Spectre drop out which Spectre was actually on the case. But with some luck and maybe his history with Pallin, he may be able to find out some information from the C-Sec officer that would help him find out what happened to his mentor and friend.
Lifting his bag over his shoulder and picking up his rifle case, the turian made his way towards the C-Sec office. Or at least where he thought it was. Six years had come and gone since his last time on the Citadel. And even then, it had been quite some time since he had been on the Citadel and knew where everything was. It seemed since then, the entirety of the structure had been somewhat rearranged. But thanks to arrows and simple directions it was easy to find the C-Sec head office.
Stepping in, he found Pallin like he had expected him, pouring over stacks of datapads that were piled on his desk. The older turian didn't look a day older than when Garrus had last seen him. Setting down his case, he cleared his throat so that the Executor would notice him. Looking up from the data pad in front of him Garrus admitted, he was amused to see the shock on the senior turian's face. As if he had seen a ghost. It took him a moment to regain himself before he spoke, letting his eyes move back down to the datapad.
"You know, when I heard you dropped out of Spectre training, I could have sworn you would have come back. I know your father would have preferred it." His somewhat hard, trained eyes found Garrus once more and for a split second he was a fresh C-Sec officer just recently finished with his training and being scolded by his senior officer. But only for that second. "Is your father aware, that you are back?"
A small amount of guilt built in his chest. Of course he hadn't told his family that he was back. He hadn't told anyone. The only two people he would have told were not around to tell. He gave the other turian a shake of his head. Pallin replied with a deep sigh which Garrus felt was disappointment.
"Let me guess. You're here to investigate that Spectre death?" Garrus could only offer him a nod, knowing how Pallin felt about Spectres. The turian in front of him studied him from head to toe. It was true, he looked a little worse for the wear, his hard travels taking a toll on him. After what felt like an hour but was just a few minutes, Pallin rose and began to make his way towards him, all the time speaking to him sternly.
"It's far from my place to begin lecturing you on how to live your life. You know very well it is against C-Sec policy to give out information on an open case. And I know very well that, if I don't tell you anything, you will work the system and get the information yourself. Then I will have to deal with all the paperwork that comes from a breached system. So I propose a trade. You contact your father, for Spirits sake let him know you are alive. And I will give you the name of my officer on the case. And if you fail to hold up your end of the deal, I will personally contact your father. And it will not be pretty."
Garrus's eyes met Pallin's. The man was an old friend of his father, so Garrus knew he was honest to his threat. It would not be hard to contact his father. Far less so than breaking into the system and searching for the information himself. After a minute of waging all his options and trying to see any downsides to the arrangement, Garrus gave Pallin a firm nod.
"It's a deal, sir. I will contact my father as soon as I have the means to." That received an odd look from Pallin but no further questions. Garrus had gotten rid of his omni-tool shortly after his disappearance. He really didn't want to read any messages about Luna, nor did he want anyone being able to find him. But if he was back on the map, it seemed like a good idea to get one again. After hearing about Nihlus, he had for a moment beat himself up over getting rid of it. What if his mentor had called out for help and had simply been left in the dark?
Pallin now moved back to his desk where he sat and returned to the datapad he had been reading. "Head back towards the wards. Before you reach it, you will run into a C-Sec station. I shall call ahead and have one of my men lead you to my officer in charge of the case. I would send her to meet you but she's kinda like how you were, once she gets her teeth into an important case, nothing short of a mob of angry, charging krogans can get her to budge."
Garrus was a little surprised to hear that it was a woman on the case. Granted, Pallin disliked Spectres but this was still a very large case. He would only put the best of the best on it. And when he was last in C-Sec, the men to women ratio was high in the mens favor. So much so, that women were almost a rare sight, and never put on an important case. Most were asari in charge of paperwork and lab work. But it seemed a lot had changed since he had disappeared into the corners if the galaxy.
He offered the older turian a nod but he had already gone back to his work. Picking his things back up, Garrus turned and made his way out of the Executor's office. He knew the route that Pallin had told him but first, he stopped by a small hotel on his way. It was cheap and fast, exactly what he needed. Nothing fancy or frilly for the ruff and battered turian. After arriving in his room and putting things away, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. It was a wonder why Pallin didn't make mention of his appearance.
Sure, when he was last on the Citadel he had not been some young innocent trainee. He had seen combat in the field and looked into so many twisted cases, it was a surprise he didn't have nightmares. But looking back now, the man he once was, was a child compared to the man he was now.
When he started the odd and end jobs that had been getting him through the years, he didn't expect he would turn out looking the way he did now. A large gash over his right eye left the plates there forever scarred. On his left side, one of the tips of his fringe had been broken off. His left mandible and the left side of his neck were scarred from a too close explosion. And although it didn't show, he knew of all the gashes and cuts that were permanently etched into his plates and hide. He looked a mess, to say the least.
With one final glance at himself, Garrus turned and made his way out to the main walkway once more. It was so odd for him to see so many humans in this place. The war had been over for over six years now but he had been in non council space since then. And before, he had mainly been on the ship with Nihlus and Luna. Humans were still a sight he was not quite used to. Luckily for him, it seemed everyone was taking measures to avoid him, which was fine with him.
It was easy to find the C-Sec station Pallin had spoken about, easy to find for those on the street of the Citadel that needed help. Moving towards the front desk area, he paused and waited for the salarian to give him his attention. When he finally did, he seemed a little taken aback by Garrus but recovered quickly.
"Can I help you with something?" The way he asked, the salarian most likely saw a few guys like him before, most likely coming in to try and bail out a buddy from jail.
"Executor Pallin sent me down here. I am to meet with the person in charge of the Nihlus investigation." The salarian looked him over as if he did not quite believe Garrus for a moment. After a few seconds he turned and called to the human sitting near by. "Please escort this gentleman," the way he said it seemed as though he did not quite believe Garrus to be a gentle anything, "to the captains office. Pallin's orders. No matter what she says."
The human paled slightly, as if he was not too pleased with the idea. Whether it was the thought of escorting Garrus or interrupting his captain, Garrus was not sure. He received a nod and a 'Follow me' from the human male as he turned and moved down the hallway with Garrus on his heels.
The halls of C-Sec were different in some places while others held the same feeling he remembered. Every other 'office' was open with no door, free for anyone to wander in and speak with the officers inside. But between each one was an office with doors, shutting them off from the common public. It was at a door room at the end of the hall that the human paused.
Looking back at him, he held up a hand in effort to halt Garrus. "The Captain gets a little moody when she is interrupted. Stay here for a moment while I talk to her." Garrus gave the human a nod of understanding. As he slipped into the room quickly and the doors shut, Garrus stood thinking about the situation. Normally he would have been angry, if it weren't for the fact that he used to be the same way. Back when he was on big cases, he would try to devote every ounce of attention to it. When people would interrupt him for simple things, or anything for that matter, he would come close to losing it. And a case like the death of a Spectre, well, that could make or break your career.
He quickly found a flaw in the rooms design, as he could clearly hear what was being said on the other side of the door.
"Jane- er, I mean captain. There is a turian here to see you about your investigation." It was not the first time that name caused his heart to race. And no matter how many times he tried to tell himself that it couldn't be the same one, his heart continued to beat like a war drum.
He heard a small growl that was very feminine. "What did I tell you, Tony? The only people allowed in here are Saren, the Executor, and Taluke. If it's none of them, then I don't want to see them." Once more his heart sped up. It was just his mind, right? Just because her name was Jane his mind was twisting it so that she sounded like Luna. Slowly he began to breathe, trying to regain control over his pounding heart.
"But Captain, it comes straight from the Executor himself. This guy is here to meet with you, to learn what you know. He must be some kind of top dog. You know Pallin don't let just anyone on the big cases, especially an outsider. Maybe he is family?"
He had to hand it to the human. He sure was trying to convince this captain. And it seemed that it worked. "Send him in. I'll give him a quick briefing and send him one his way."
With that, the door slid open and the human male held out a hand. "Captain Shepard will see you now." His friendly smile was lost on Garrus, who had just regained a hold on his heartbeat, only to lose it again. Heart pounding so hard, he could hear it in his ears. He rounded the doorframe somewhat timidly, as if, if he moved too quickly, it would all vanish. There was no way all of this was lining up so perfectly, it would be wrong. The name, the sound, and, as he entered the room, the smell all belonged to Luna.
And there she was, like a Spirit from his dreams. Something about her was different, which only proved that she was not just another figment of his imagination. This had to be real.
She was dressed in the C-Sec issued pants and boots. The jacket had been removed, to leave only a black tank top, showing off her tanned arms. The long red hair, that Garrus remembered, still held it's color but was cut so that it was to the nape of her neck in the back and slipped to her shoulders in the front. Perched on her nose was a pair of thin framed glasses and behind them, Spirits help him. Behind them were those eyes. Those moonlit silver eyes that clouded his mind and watched him every night.
As those luminous eyes landed on him, he watched the shock cover her face. The data pad that was in her hand clattered to the ground. And Garrus, whose heart had been uncontrollable up until this point, stopped dead as his name slipped from her lips.
"Garrus..."