Nash was awoken by a pounding headache, somewhere beneath her forehead. She suspected a crew of miniature Krogan were head-butting the inside of her cranium. Then she noticed that she was not in her bed. Creaking one of her eyes open, narrowly as to avoid contact with light, she assessed her surroundings.
She was in a hammock in the crew quarters/med bay of the Safe Harbor. She snapped her eye shut. That brief assessment had confirmed what she suspected- Spectre Kaidan Alenko sat in the hammock across from her, watching and waiting. So their meeting yesterday hadn't been a whiskey-fueled vision.
"Shepard?" She groaned. The light had intensified her migraine. Or maybe that was just Alenko's voice.
She swallowed. Her throat was dry and tasted like whiskey. "Why is there an intruder on my ship?"
The ship's VI came out of a speaker by her ear, emotionless as always. "At approximately 2300 Nos Astra time last night, Spectre Alenko carried you onto the ship. You gave a voice command allowing him aboard."
"Rescind that command. Spectre Alenko, will you please leave my ship before I toss you out of an airlock?" She needed a hangover cure, stat. "I need Tinea down here."
Kaidan smiled at her. He had to know the impact his smile still had on her! Bastard. "You do realize that you are grounded on Illium until I give the word? If you ever want to leave I need you to work with me. Where did you stash that man you captured? He's my only lead now. I'm looking into a series of disappearances on Alliance colonies."
"If we are working together, we do it my way. My ship, my rules. I am Captain Nash. I will be treated with respect. This is not a council ship, so I don't have to defer to you, Spectre."
His eyes narrowed. She glared back. What had she said last night? Had she mentioned Allers?
The contest was broken when Tinea climbed up the ladder from the crew lounge. "Captain?"
"Hangover cure. You know the drill." The Asari busied herself, filling an IV bag and prepping a syringe full of strong painkillers. It was already mid-afternoon, and Nash hated wasting time.
"Wow Nash, do you make a habit of drinking to excess?" Alenko looked bitter as he spat her name.
"Its Captain Nash, Spectre. And I don't, only when forced to by extreme circumstances." She decided not to mention her hip flask at this moment. "Where is our prisoner?"
Tinea blushed. Asari blush purple, so this was spectacularly obvious to the two humans. "Umm your quarters are the only ones that lock, so…"
"If he got into my underwear drawer I will personally dismember him."
"We have locked him out of everything, Captain." The Asari halted. She looked very pathetic all of a sudden.
"What is it?"
"Well Sidonis and I haven't had shore leave in a month and since we are still on Illium I was hoping you would let us leave the ship for the evening and maybe get a drink and more or something… Captain. Please."
"Does Sidonis want time off?"
"I just need to convince him…"
"All right. Fine. Be back by 0700 tomorrow. Alenko and I will interrogate the prisoner. And Murphy stays on the ship."
"Yes Ma'am!" The Asari looked so happy, it would have taken a heart of stone for Nash to refuse.
Of course, Nash was infamous for her heart of stone. Damn it, she was getting soft.
Kaidan was eager to begin questioning the prisoner, but Nash first insisted on slipping down to the cargo hold to inspect her new vending machine.
He couldn't tell why she was so excited about it. There were versions of this vending machine on every busy corner in Citadel space.
"You never used to drink Tupari," he said.
"I didn't, its sort of a new development."
"I still have a lot of questions that need answers."
"Not now, and definitely not here." She gestured to the walls. "You never know who is listening."
Nash's quarters were more office than living space. There were no built in-fish tanks, space hamsters, or model ships to indicate the underlying humanity of the woman. The walls were bare metal and the desk was cleared of everything but an extranet interface console. Only the narrow bed, and a wall hook for her rather ridiculous coat, indicated that a person lived in this room.
Kaidan also noted there was not a picture of him on her desk this time around.
The prisoner gave the appearance of lounging on the bed. The man was nondescript. He had brown hair and eyes, the beginning of a beard, and a curiously blank expression. Kaidan doubted it would be possible to pick the man out in a criminal lineup.
Nash spoke first. "I'm going to start by saying none of the three of us are stupid. So you can stop pretending you aren't about to piss yourself. I assume you know who we are and exactly what we are capable of."
"Captain Nash, Terminus Ranger, infamous among those on the wrong side of the law. A glorified vigilante. And Spectre Alenko, a war hero past his prime." The prisoner smiled. "Yes, I would be an idiot not to be afraid right now."
"And are you an idiot?"
"No, Ranger. But you two have no idea what you are tangling with. It would be better for your health if you let it go."
"This is Kaidan Alenko. He fought Reapers. You think he can't handle anything?"
"That was 25 years ago."
Kaidan was sick of them talking like he wasn't present. "Prisoner…" He began.
"Its Craig Henderson."
"Mr. Henderson, I am investigating disappearances on council worlds. About 200 people have gone missing. My contact on Illium decided to run before I could ask any questions. He's the one you so helpfully shot when he decided to cooperate."
"That's what I do."
"Cute." Said Nash. She took a long sip of her Tupari. "I know your type. Fixers. You tie up loose ends before the law even reaches to investigate. People like me hate people like you. Why'd you shoot all those scientists in that lab? What are you covering up?"
"I'm afraid that's all you will get out of me, Captain."
Shepard always had a terrible poker face. She was the sort of woman who felt strong emotions and imposed them on her surroundings. Apparently Nash was no different. Her grip began to tighten on the empty Tupari can in her hand. Her eyes spat fire. Her voice was like ice. "I would rethink that, Henderson."