Ivea jumped as he felt himself being kicked in the side of the leg. As he blinked his brain began to process what was going on.
Standing above him was Sam who looked down at him and her rubbed her head. Her eyes were hardly open and she looked as though she would topple over with a blow of the wind.
"Sam? How long-" She winced and motioned for him to quiet down. I was actually whispering. He thought to himself in confusion.
"Erm, what time is it?" He asked as quietly as he could.
"0600. Captain wants us at the ship." She replied with a quiet growl at having to be up and about. Kaitlyn walked over and handed her some kind of tablet which Sam took gratefully. The moment she took it she seemed to be healed of whatever ailment she had suffered.
"Ah I see. Well thank you again for saving my life Sam." Ivea said as he arose and gave her a nod of thanks. She laughed and held out an arm which blocked the way he was about to walk. He looked to her in confusion and noticed her stance once more was that of one who radiated with power, and the will to use it if necessary.
"Whoa there, I'm not letting you go out there and get shot up again. The Captain's just giving us a debriefing technically speaking I still have shore leave. The other two are already at the ship and waiting for us let's go." She did not request but ordered him to follow as she started to walk toward the door. There was something about this Human that compelled Ivea to follow her, as though she was a natural leader and inadvertently demanded the respect she wanted.
"I…don't have much choice I see." Ivea said with a small sigh even though he was more than happy to follow her. Without this Human he would be wandering around the streets wondering just where he was supposed to go. But with her, he felt as though he had a purpose.
"Atten-SHUN!" Sam yelled and snapped a firm crisp salute along with Lucy and Kaitlyn beside her. They were currently before the elevator that led to the dock. They were on their way to the ship but their Captain had been standing before the elevator waiting for them.
The Captain was an older man. His hair was white and his face lined with wrinkles and scars, it was difficult to tell which was which anymore. He wore the standard Captain's attire of the Alliance along with the hat that went with it. He was a by the books man and would make well sure everybody did it just that way.
He gave a single small nod to them then looked to their left and saw a white suited Quarian beside them with a red cloth over it's helmet. He frowned as the Quarian stood at parade rest.
"Gunnery Chief Johnson!" He snapped locking onto Sam Johnson who was in the middle of this freak show squad. She stood stiffer as the group held their salutes.
"Why in the name of all that's holy is there a Quarian with you?" He demanded as the Quarian stiffened. He could not possibly fathom as to why Johnson would bring one of those suit dwellers was here. The Captain was no racist against Quarians but you could never see their faces, and that's something the Captain could not tolerate.
"Sir! I found him being attacked by two armored thugs in an alley and rescued him. Sir!" Johnson replied firmly staring straight ahead. The Captain's frown only deepened.
"Yes we need to discuss how you feel you are above the laws here Johnson! Discharging your weapon in the Wards? You're damn lucky C-Sec doesn't see fit to detain you!" He scolded. He took a breath to continue when suddenly the Quarian stepped forward.
"With all due respect, if not for Sam shooting the thug I would've been dead. If anything she deserves praise." His eyes snapped onto the Quarian as rage filled within him. This Quarian had the audacity to not only speak without being spoken to but to even say that the Captain was wrong. That wouldn't do.
"I don't know how you were raised Quarian but here we heed the chain of command! And as far as the chain goes you're worse than the dirt beneath my boot!" He yelled in his drill sergeant tone as he scolded the Quarian. He needed to be made an example of. Insubordination would not be tolerated. But yet still the Quarian did the unthinkable, he persisted!
"I am aware of the chain of command and was speaking in a respectful manner but you can not scold Sam because she did the right thing!" He began to raise his voice as those damn eyes behind the damn cloudy white visor narrowed.
The Captain opened his mouth but could not bring any words out. This Quarian simply baffled him. He shook the very foundations that were drilled into him in Basic.
"Sir! I'm sorry for the words Ivea has spoken and will take full accountability for his actions. Sir!" Johnson suddenly announced still holding the salute. The Captain's eyes went to her and his mind was back on track.
"We'll discuss this later Johnson. At ease." He finally announced as they went into parade rest, the Quarian however stood in place and showed zero respect. So the Captain ignored him.
"The reason I called you all here is there've been reports of Turian and Salarian colonies disappearing from within the Traverse. These colonies are not widely known however due to the chaotic nature of the Traverse and this mission is hence forth classified. We are being sent to investigate the next colony rumored to be hit. Your shore leave is revoked and you will report to the Hastings. Dismissed." But when he finished nobody moved.
"Questions?" He asked staring at Johnson. He knew she'd find something to argue about she always did.
"Sir, I request that Ivea'Liak nar Lavenya come along. He's one of the best techie's I've ever seen and he already has combat training." The Captain stared at her and she stared right back at him. At last he gave a small nod.
"Very well, he'll be brought aboard as a guest, that means he'll be under constant watch Johnson. Clear?" After she gave a stiff nod he turned and got into the elevator.
Ivea watched the elevator ascend as everyone had relaxed.
"What the fuck Sam? That Quarian's gonna get us all detained!" Lucy yelled and continued to fume as Kaitlyn began to calm her. Sam stared at where her Captain had stood for a long while before finally turning to face Ivea. She did not have a happy look on her face, that much Ivea had learned by Human expressions.
She punched him in the chest so hard that Ivea was surprised his heart didn't split. As Ivea blinked and coughed violently she explained, "That was for whatever the hell you call that stunt you just pulled." Then before Ivea could respond and as he got his coughing fit under control she hugged him tightly.
"That was for you know, sticking up for me and…stuff." She explained weakly then immediately backed up.
"Listen Ivea I'm not good at mushy stuff so let's go to that colony and shoot something." She said with a chuckle and got into the elevator which just arrived, leaving behind a dumbfounded Ivea. His mouth was open as he tried to say something….anything but nothing came.
Humans are used to such contact? I will never understand these creatures. Ivea thought to himself as he stepped in with Sam, Kaitlyn, and the now calm Lucy.
As the elevator door closed and it began to ascend, Ivea looked around him. He stood up front beside Sam while Kaitlyn and Lucy were behind them. Ivea quietly cleared his throat but was deafeningly loud in the silence of the elevator.
Sam looked over with an arched eyebrow.
"Erm…you pronounced my name right. G…Good job." He said with a stiff nod as he stared straight ahead. A smirk spread across her lips.
"Really? I was just winging it. Lucky me." Ivea frowned and looked over.
"Humans have…wings?" He asked completely baffled by what she had said. She couldn't contain the laugh that escaped her. As she laughed Ivea sighed with his face burning and looked down at the floor. I wish Humans weren't so damned confusing!
"Sorry I just keep forgetting you're an alien." Ivea's head shot over as for some unknown reason that had made him…angry.
"Alien? If anything you're the alien here!" He suddenly lashed out and jabbed her shoulder with his finger. Her face twisted with confusion as she stepped back a step.
"Whoa Ivea I was just joking." She said holding her hands up. He sighed and shook his head.
"Keelah I'm sorry…I don't know what's gotten into me lately. First I argue with an officer and now I'm just over reacting about things. I think I may be getting sick from the suit breaches from…earlier." He still shivered at the memory from that alley.
"So when you get a hole in that suit you get sick?" Sam asked him. Before he could answer the door opened and they began to walk out into the docking bay.
The ship that was docked was if anything else your standard Systems Alliance frigate. At least that's what Sam thought about it. It's name was painted across the center hull 'HASTINGS'. As Ivea marveled at the ship Sam chuckled and the other two proceeded across the umbilical which connected the ship to the dock and waited by the airlock.
"She's an ugly hunk a metal but she's home." Sam chuckled. Ivea looked over to her with a shocked look which he knew she sadly couldn't see.
"You think this is ugly? You've clearly never been to the Flotilla. This ship is beautiful I just wish I could see it's drive core I'm sure it's huge! And the eezo management must be…sorry I'm babbling Quarian speak." Ivea apologized seeing her bewildered face with light chuckle.
"Nah don't worry about it, it's cute." Sam replied with a chuckle of her own. She waved Ivea to follow her as she led him toward the airlock.