The moment they stepped onboard the ship Ivea felt just how foreign this place was than the home he had been so used to. For one thing it was so clean! And the fact the deck seemed to be empty. Ivea knew that no other species but the Quarians had so many people in such a small space though.
They walked forward a couple of steps then turned left. Through the door before them was the bridge of the ship. There were Humans working on computers all over the walls. In the center however there was a chair that was undoubtedly meant for the Captain. Sure enough he was seated right there.
"Sir!" Sam announced as she snapped a stiff salute with Kaitlyn and Lucy doing the same. Ivea simply straightened his stance.
"Johnson." The Captain replied with a nod which was the sign for them to be at ease. "We're about to leave the Citadel now. Take our…guest to his quarters." He hesitantly added looking to Ivea. But Ivea did nothing except stand in place and stare straight ahead. He wouldn't let this Human get the better of him again. He knew he was running a fever from the punctures suffered from previously and he needed to repair his suit. The Doctor was good for a Human but if Ivea did not fully repair it…it wouldn't end well for him.
Sam saluted once more before turning and leading Ivea back through the door they first came in. The other two remained in the bridge however as the door closed behind the two.
"What about the others?" Ivea asked as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder to where they were. Sam shook her head.
"They're receiving orders right now then they'll get some rest I'd imagine. And thanks to your wonderful display earlier I've been assigned to 'guard your quarters at all times'. So in other words the Captain's pissed." She said with a sigh. Ivea opened his mouth but said nothing. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and anger her any further.
The majority of the walk was down a long cylindrical corridor until they reached an elevator which they promptly entered. When Sam pushed the button and the doors slid shut she looked back at Ivea.
"You know I was just giving you shit right? I'm not mad about earlier." Ivea frowned as he was confused again.
"You Humans have such strange expressions. But I assume you were joking before right?" He couldn't help but inform her of how strange Humans were and their expressions too.
"Yeah pretty much, and we're not that strange. After all I'm the first Human you've met…that didn't try to shoot you or give you a hard time at least. I hope I'm not too bad of a paragon for humanity." Sam replied with a chuckle as she faced the door again. Before he could stop himself his eyes wandered up and down her curvy figure.
"No, I'd say you're not a bad paragon at all." He replied just loud enough for his vocal unit to pick it up. Through sheer luck Ivea's eyes were looking at the back of her head once she turned with a corner of her mouth twisted just like it was at the clinic.
"Well I hope you keep thinking that once you get to know me." Before her face could change to some other baffling expression these Humans appeared to have Ivea asked her, "What is that expression?" But sure enough it changed. It was scrunched up in confusion.
"What do you mean?" She asked as he quietly sighed.
"It…It's when you have one corner of your mouth up, what is it? What does it mean?" She blinked a couple of times before replying.
"I keep forgetting about the Quarian thing, it's a smirk. It means I'm happy. Don't you guys have as many expressions?" Ivea's eyes dropped to the floor in embarrassment as his body heat rose.
"I…erm I don't know. I've only seen my face a couple of times and that was during suit maintenance so I didn't really have time to really look at it." Sam fully faced him now as her eyes narrowed, as though she'd see through his visor and see him. For a moment he almost felt as though she could!
"Wow…to not see your own face…I couldn't imagine. Well what kind of skin-" Before she could finish the door opened.
Immediately Sam was off with Ivea following her a step behind. This area must have been where the crew ate due to the tables filling the massive area. There were a few men sitting at one of the tables playing some game with cards, Ivea had no idea what it was.
But they paid no notice, too absorbed within their game to spare him a glance.
Sam led Ivea out of the massive room the straight ahead through a door across the hall.
The room was at least four times bigger than his own was on the Lavenya! Yet all it contained was a bed straight ahead which could fit at least twelve of his people and it was to be only his! Against the wall to his right was a desk accompanied by a single desk lamp then a door beside it which led to the bathroom.
"Welcome home." She said with a small chuckle. Ivea could only stand there and stare into this giant room, giant to him at least. He finally turned to Sam in disbelief.
"This…This is all mine?" He whispered in disbelief as he looked back within the gigantic space. Sam looked gazed into the side of his visor in confusion.
"Ah, yeah. I know it's a little cramped in here but it's the best we've got." Ivea's head snapped over to her and though he knew she couldn't see it his mouth wise hanging open right now.
"Cramped? It's huge! You could fit so many of my people in here and there'd still be room for more! And the bed itself!" He shook his head as he took a step inside and continued to look around the room.
He didn't see Sam who stared down at his legs which was considered "backwards" to Humans.
"Your legs are so…different." She heard her say and immediately stiffened up. He swallowed and looked behind him.
"I…Yes compared to Humans. In fact I'm so…different." He quietly added at the end as he looked down at the floor. The only species that looked anything like Quarians at all were Turians and if anything they were complete opposites. Salarians were also very different both physically and how they are in general.
"No I didn't mean it like it was a bad thing it's just…I'm sorry this is the first time I've been away from Mindoir. Before I was assigned here I was stationed on Mindoir where I was born." Ivea had heard about Mindoir and what had happened during the Batarian slaver attack there. He took a seat on the bed and looked over at Sam.
"Were you there during the...raid?" He almost whispered. He knew it was rude to ask such a thing but he simply couldn't help but ask. She looked down as she leaned against the doorway.
"No I was away on a school field trip. We were studying the sun in that system and didn't even notice anything until our shuttle picked up the emergency broadcast. It was transmitted for all of five seconds before the Batarians cut off all communications. My parents though…they weren't so lucky." She replied in a quiet, sad tone as she stared at the floor so hard Ivea wouldn't have been surprised if it cried mercy.
"What did you do? During the attack?" Ivea pushed against everything he knew about social interaction.
"The only thing we could. We sent out a distress call for an Alliance ship…anyone to help us. When help did come they took care of the Batarians and took us with them to go to a nearby colony that was "safer" than Mindoir. So I stayed there until I was eighteen and joined up with the Alliance. They stationed me back on Mindoir and there I stayed until I was transferred here. We went through mainly patrols and we were even there fighting that Geth ship Sovereign." Ivea couldn't help but sit there in awe. This woman had been through so much and yet she was still here to tell the tale.
"…It's not your fault Sam." Ivea finally said which caused Sam's eyes to shoot up and stare at his own. He held her gaze.
"I know." She tried to say but Ivea still stared at her, he knew she was lying to herself.
"Fuck Ivea, there had to have been something I could've done!" She finally hissed and slammed her fist into the door frame.
He didn't know what to do, how could he help her? She had seen things he was certain he couldn't imagine.
"Sam, you were how old?" He asked as he stood up.
"Sixteen." She quietly replied as tears of anger and feelings that had been repressed for so long were now being released.
"Exactly, I'm not sure how long you Humans live but to Quarians that's the age of a child, even if you were there what would you've done? You couldn't have done anything. Besides if you all didn't call the Alliance the Batarians would've butchered or enslaved everyone." Sam sniffled as she wiped her eyes. After a moment her hand uncurled from the fist it was in and fell by her side as she nodded.
"You're…right. Thanks Ivea, you're better at reading Humans than I am." She said with a light laugh as she wiped away her last tear. Ivea shifted his weight and rubbed the top of his helmet in embarrassment.
"Well being in this suit I have to be good at reading people. I've got some of your Human tendencies down but your faces are so…full of expressions. You confuse me." Sam laughed as she stepped toward him.
"Gotta keep up some mystery now don't I?" She asked with a wink which for some unexplainable reason made Ivea's body heat skyrocket. That expression means something doesn't it? Oh Keelah this woman will be the death of me.
In return he chuckled awkwardly as he scratched the side of his helmet and looked to the side of her toward the wall, anywhere but at her.
"Make yourself comfortable, I'll be right out in the hallway "standing guard" or in other words standing around as punishment. Give me a holler if you need anything." When she saw his look of utter confusion she sighed and explained, "That means let me know if you need anything." With that she turned and went into the hall, closing the door behind her.
Then for the first time in as long as he could remember he was…alone. He looked around as his ears were ringing from the silence of the ship. It's too quiet…How do they know if life support goes out? Except for the no air ofcourse… Ivea took a seat at the desk and activated his omni-tool and saw he got a message. It read:
Ivea, it's Rana. How is everything so far? Hope you didn't encounter too much trouble on the Citadel. The one replacing you back here is…he requires some time to adjust and…Keelah Liva and I miss you already. Hope you finish that damn pilgrimage soon so you can belong to a ship and we know you're here and safe. Hoping to hear back, Rana.
Ivea couldn't help but smile. While reading he couldn't help but hear her voice saying the words and it made him very home sick just thinking about it.
He took a deep breath before he opened up a new screen and began typing his long reply informing her of just how much had occurred.
"Sir we have a detailed list of water, food, and troop shipments and movements. We are prepared to move on your mark."
The Illusive man took a long drag of his cigarette as he let the smoke fill his chest and consider all variables. He narrowed his eyes as he rechecked all his mental calculations before he sat up in his chair and exhaled the smoke he built up.
"I want you to wait 48 hours, they'll be having a solar eclipse. You and your men will transport the weapon coming in from the sun. You know the drill, don't disappoint me."
This time he awaited the reply from his man in charge of this operation. This could not fail.
"Rodger sir, I wouldn't dream of it."
The Illusive man smiled as he gave a nod and terminated the call.
"That's what I like to hear." He said to the empty room he was in as he took a final drag from the cigarette.