Hi guys, once again I'm sorry for the long pause! Things have been extremely hectic recently, and I really appreciate your patience. Here's the long overdue chapter, and hopefully there will be a much much shorter wait for the next one!
Garrus practically carried Casey back to the Normandy, she was very unsteady on her feet. "We'll make sure we're somewhere with a bed the next time we do that," Garrus whispered as they walked.
"Next time?" Casey asked wickedly.
"There's no way I'm living my life without ever doing that again," Garrus replied, placing his arm protectively around her as a rowdy group of Turians passed.
They somehow managed to get to the ship, but Casey wasn't much closer to sobering up. Garrus helped her to her room and tucked her into bed.
When she woke up a few hours later, Garrus was gone. There was a note on her bedside table, it said "Something went wrong with one of the guns, so I've gone back to the battery to fix it. Didn't want to wake you. Sleep well, I'll see you at the briefing tomorrow. G." There was a strange symbol next to the G that Casey didn't recognise. She'd have to ask Garrus about it tomorrow.
Casey grinned and looked at the clock. A couple of hours more sleep, and then she'd be suiting up with the rest of the squad. She hugged a pillow to her chest and rolled over.
The group assembled at the usual time the next morning, and Shepard kept the briefing short. They were looking for an assassin called Thane Krios, and they knew he was somewhere on Illium. Unfortunately, that was all they knew, so they were splitting up and trying to find out as much as they could. Shepard had received an email from an old friend who worked in the information business, so his group were to start there. "I'll take Mordin, Tali, and Casey with me," Shepard said, nodding towards the two of them. Casey's heart started to hammer, working with Shepard? She'd been on missions with him before, but being chosen to work in his small squad, surely that was a big deal?
When the briefing ended, Casey casually made her way to Garrus. "Which group are you in?" She asked.
"None," Garrus replied, and she thought she could sense a note of disappointment in his voice. "That problem with the gun I mentioned? Far worse than I thought, needs a complete recalibration, and unfortunately no one else here knows how."
"That sucks," Casey sighed, the only answer she could think of.
"But at least you get to work with Shepard, he'll keep you safe."
"What's there to worry about?" Casey asked. "We're only looking for information."
"On one of Shepard's missions, there's always something to worry about...hmm...maybe it's not so great you were picked to be in his group..."
"Why do you think he picked me?" Casey interrupted.
"Not sure, maybe he wants to get to know you better. Remember, by signing up you've agreed to march into Hell with us. Shepard likes to know a person before he risks their life." Garrus grinned, and, now that everyone else had left, planted a delicate kiss on Casey's cheek. "You'll do great, just try not to wrestle any husks."
"I'll try," she smiled, turning and heading for the shuttle bay.
There was no doubt about it, Illium was a beautiful place, even the Citadel didn't quite seem to have the extravagance and splendour. But it was busy, and it seemed like Casey was constantly bumping into somebody important looking. Usually an Asari or Volus. Casey tried to keep up with Shepard, who walked incredibly quickly for someone who'd spent two years dead. Tali and Mordin lagged behind.
"And so the whole discount thing seemed like a really good idea at the time," Shepard was saying.
"Uhuh," Casey replied, sidestepping a Volus carrying a large box of paperwork.
"I just never thought everyone would get so touchy about it..."
"Of course not."
"I mean, "my favourite store"...since when was a person only allowed to have one favourite place?"
"Sure, I get that."
"But anyway, tell me more about yourself Casey, I feel like we barely know each other."
Casey suddenly felt very pressured to say something impressive about herself. Unfortunately, before meeting Shepard and joining the Normandy crew, nothing very exciting had ever happened to her. "Umm...well...I was born on Earth, but left as soon as I had the credits. My parents were killed when I was young, so I never really felt like I fit anywhere..." Casey trailed off, good start, mention the lowest point in your whole life history.
Shepard looked thoughtful, "My parents were killed when I was sixteen, Batarian slavers raided our colony."
Oh and remind your boss of the horrific death of his parents, fantastic.
"Sorry," Casey murmured.
"It's ok," Shepard replied, without slowing his pace at all. "We take strength from the bad things in our lives, it's what makes us who we are. But I'm sorry too, for what happened to yours."
Casey nodded.
"See, people think we're two dimensional characters," Shepard continued. "'The Great Commander Shepard'...I mean, I'd be the first person to say I'm nothing special. I'm just a normal guy...I'm lactose intolerant for crying out loud! Does that sound like the kind of guy who's destined to save the world?"
Mordin's voice drifted over from somewhere behind them, "Unless Collectors carrying blocks of cheese, think it will make little difference to your efforts."
Casey tried not to laugh, but Shepard chuckled. "Fair point Doc. Anyway, what I mean is, we're all just normal people, who make choices. Sometimes those choices mean we get to save the world, and if that can be done without fighting, even better. People seem to think there are battles wherever I go, but really that's not the case at all-"
At that moment Shepard turned to look at Casey, and accidentally walked straight into a Batarian carrying a stack of papers. The papers fluttered out of his hands and all over the floor. "Oh, I'm sorry," Shepard said, bending down to help pick up the papers.
"It's fine," the Batarian replied, then froze. He was staring at Shepard with a look of pure shock on his face. "Shepard?!" He asked questioningly.
"Do I know you?" Shepard asked.
"You're supposed to be dead!" The Batarian cried. "This is for my brother!" At that he pulled a pistol out of his pocket and aimed at Shepard. He missed, hitting a nearby stall. There were screams as the people in the market scattered, and Shepard and the others ran for cover. Other Batarians, presumably friends of the first, appeared within moments, and they were also armed. Gunshots rang out, and Shepard and Casey sought cover behind a stall. Mordin and Tali had overturned a table, and were firing from behind that. "What were you saying about living a peaceful life?" Casey asked, firing a shot into the leg of the nearest gunman.
"It's not usually this bad," Shepard argued.
"Ha!" Tali cried from behind the table. "Usually we don't even get a chance to hide first!"
It didn't take long for Shepard's group to take down the gang, and soon Illium's police force was there to apprehend those who'd survived, which was most of them. Casey noticed that Shepard and Tali had mostly taken non lethal shots. Apparently Mordin hadn't got the memo about that. Once the police had been informed that a Spectre was involved, and that there was therefore nothing they could really do, the group was allowed to continue on.
They arrived at a small building overlooking another market. A smug looking Asari secretary showed them into a fancy office, where another Asari was waiting. Casey immediately recognised her as the one from the photo on Shepard's desk, the one with the gentle eyes. She threw her arms around Shepard's neck, and began to frantically whisper into his ear words that Casey couldn't catch. Either way, Casey felt like she was intruding on something, and she wasn't the only one, Tali seemed to be positively squirming, though she greeted the Asari (named Liara) cheerfully when her time came. Liara seemed friendly enough, and was all too happy to provide information on the assassin. She told them that he was there to kill another Asari called Nassana Dantius, and that this would probably happen tonight.
"The Dantius towers are not far from here," Liara continued. "If you hurry, you should get there in time. I doubt your assassin would attempt anything until the building empties of workers at the end of the day."
Shepard nodded. "Thanks for the help Liara. Are you sure you can't come with us?"
Liara looked down at her desk. "I can't Shepard, I'm sorry. There are things I need to do here."
Shepard looked hurt, but recovered quickly. Casey wondered how often he used that mask of his. He nodded, and touched Liara's hand, "I'll see you soon." He said.
Liara put her hand on his face, "Try not to get into a fire-fight in the markets next time...I wouldn't want you to get hurt."
"You know me," Shepard replied with a grin, "Indestructible." And with that he turned for the door, unfortunately banging his head slightly on the frame. Casey saw him clench his fists angrily as he headed out.
Casey, Shepard, Tali, and Mordin were the first to arrive outside the Dantius Towers. They were soon joined by Kasumi, Grunt, Miranda, and to Casey's surprise (and secret delight), Garrus. Shepard gathered the crew together. "Ok, Garrus, Miranda and I will head for Nassana. We know that's where the Assassin is heading, and it's our best bet of finding him. Mordin and Tali, I want you looking for workers and getting them somewhere safe. Liara said they usually clock out at the end of the day, but I've seen no one leave since we got here, and if Nassana is as unhinged as they say, those people could be in danger. Kasumi, Grunt and Casey, I want you cutting power and communications. We want to make it as difficult as possible for Nassana's guards to keep in contact, any questions?"
Kasumi, Casey and Grunt took a service elevator up to a room filled with more buttons and switches than Casey would've known what to do with. Luckily for her, Kasumi was a pro, and gave clear and simple instructions for Casey to follow. Grunt, however, was less keen on following orders, and had soon given up the delicate process of cutting wires. Instead he was pacing backwards and forwards, spinning around, and aiming his shotgun in a number of different ways. "Ready for anything," he muttered to himself, spinning around quickly and aiming over his own shoulder.
Kasumi rolled her eyes, and then whispered to Casey, "How was your date last night?"
Casey blushed in response. "That good?" Kasumi asked. She nodded towards Casey's new necklace, hanging slightly out of her light armour. "Bought you that?" Casey nodded. "Romantic," Kasumi replied. "Keji used to steal me stuff, won me over every time." She sighed, and then looked over at Grunt. "Hey, what's the most romantic thing you've ever done for a woman?"
Grunt turned around, "What?" He asked.
"Romantic, what's the most romantic thing you've ever done?"
Grunt shrugged, "I dunno, let a woman beat me in a fight?"
Kasumi sighed, "Krogan," she muttered.
Casey laughed. "Can you get the other tool kit?" Kasumi asked, "It's just outside the door." Casey jumped up and headed over. The hallway was still under construction in parts, and she stepped carefully around a small hole in the floor. She reached the toolkit and picked it up. Turning around she avoided the small hole this time by walking across a tarpaulin someone had left on the floor. Suddenly the world slipped out from under her, and Casey fell. She felt herself banging against something, like the walls were closing in on her as she dropped, and she closed her eyes. She only opened them again when she'd stopped. Darkness. She turned on her flashlight and looked around. It took her a few moments, but she eventually realised she was in a vent. There must've been an open cover in the floor, and they'd covered it with that tarp. It was roomier in here than she would've expected, though she had slid down a steep slope, and there was no way she could climb back up.
"Casey?!" Kasumi's voice echoed out of her radio.
"I'm ok," Casey coughed, "fell down a vent."
"I'll come get you," Grunt was speaking now.
"No," Casey replied, "You won't fit, and anyway, there's no way back up the way I came down. I'll just follow the vent till I find an exit. I'll be fine, just keep going with the power and communications."
"You sure?" Kasumi asked, sounding worried.
"Yeah I'm fine, I'll see you soon." Casey checked her limbs, all apparently in working order, if a little sore. She glanced at the passage ahead of her, and continued on her knees.
"I'll just walk over this big tarp lying across the floor, in a room with a floor full of holes. Yeah, nice work Casey", Casey muttered to herself in a silly voice as she followed the vents. It seemed like she'd been walking for an eternity when she rounded a corner and was met with a pistol pointed at her face. She stopped in her tracks, and looked past the pistol at its owner. He had light green skin and big, black, glassy eyes. She'd never met a Drell before, but she knew that's what he was. "Thane Krios?" She asked, not sure what else to do.
The Drell looked at her questioningly, but did not lower his weapon. His eyes flicked down, and Casey realised she was holding out her hand, as if to shake his! She kicked herself mentally, and slowly retracted her hand. Perhaps now was not the best time for handshakes. "My name is Casey," she continued. "I'm working with Commander Shepard, and we would like to request your assistance on a mission." Krios lowered his gun, only slightly.
"You are not one of Nassana's soldiers?"
Casey let out a little laugh, "Do I look like a soldier?" She gestured to her hair, which had broken free of its band at some point during her descent and was now hanging in tangled curls. Her armour was scuffed, and her hands were filthy from crawling through the vent. Krios lowered his gun completely, and put it in his pocket. "I would've killed you immediately, however I heard someone talking to themselves, and was curious."
"Oh, well, good to know..." Casey replied, not really sure where this is going.
"I may consider your Commander's deal, however I am currently occupied with something important." He turned to leave.
"I'll come with you," Casey suggested, "Then I can tell you what we're asking."
Krios didn't reply, so Casey took this as a yes, and followed him through the vent. Along the way she filled him in on everything she knew about the mission. He didn't speak at all, and this made her nervous. Unfortunately, when Casey was nervous, she tended to talk even more, and so once she had finished filling him in on their mission, began to talk about herself, her interests, the weather, and what she imagined it must be like to be an assassin.
"I mean it must be exciting, you know, travelling the world, seeing new places, new people...killing some of the people. See that's where I have trouble. I'm not really a killer. Like, I'll kill someone to save myself, I'm sure most people would, but killing for a job? Not sure about that, you must have some real conscience conflicts at times, and then the pressure, I bet your job is stressful! I mean if your boss wants someone killed and then you don't do it, I imagine it's not much of a stretch to say your life might be at risk, and then there's-"
Krios held up his hand. He had stopped at a vent in the floor, and was peering through it. Casey came closer and looked down. There was an Asari and some guards, and now she could hear Shepard talking too. Krios opened the vent and dropped down. Casey watched with wonder as he took out countless guards in the room before the others had even realised anything was happening. He moved like a dancer, and if you ignored the fact that he was killing people, it was almost beautiful. Within moments Nassana was dead, and Shepard was approaching. He spoke to Thane, who did not say anything for a while. Casey saw Garrus at the back. She felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach at the sight of him. He moved out of sight, and she leaned further to get a better look. Unfortunately for her, that resulted in Casey falling out of the vent and onto the floor.
"Casey?" Shepard asked.
Casey got to her feet in the most dignified way she thought possible. Shepard was smiling, but turned back to Thane. "I see you met one of our squad already?"
"Oh yes," Thane replied. "We...talked at length. She makes a convincing case, for the most part. I will join you. No charge."
Casey showed Thane to his new quarters, and then returned back to her room. Garrus had disappeared into the Gun Battery to check whether his adjustments had taken. Casey thought she should probably go to bed, however that was the last thing on her mind. She was keyed up, and seeing Garrus, if only briefly, standing there in his armour, was enough to put one thing on her mind. She grinned, an idea forming. She ran to her wardrobe.
The door to the Gun Battery opened quietly, and Casey entered. Garrus turned around and smiled when he saw her. "Everything's working perfectly. Your boyfriend is officially a genius."
"Lucky me," Casey replied, locking the door.
"I tell you, these hands can fix anything." Garrus grinned, then looked slightly puzzled, eyeing her up and down. "Are you going out?" He asked, gesturing to the long coat Casey wore. "No," she replied, unbuttoning the coat slowly. She let it drop at her feet, standing now in only her underwear. Garrus' jaw dropped.
"So tell me," Casey began. "What else can you do with those hands?"