M-Angel: Enjoying the nice cool afternoon today, so I decided to whip out another chapter while I have a day off from work.
Knight: And I'm marinating in guilt. Sorry for the wait, guys! My bad.
M-Angel: Let's get on with the story.
Chapter 19: Confusion
After leaving Garrus and Wrex in the cargo hold, I decided that I needed a moment to myself. Who sent that message to me? How did they know who I was? How did they even get my com message number? I sighed as I sat down in a chair in the CIC. I heard a laugh and saw the back of a woman in the cockpit with Joker, who was also laughing.
It was at that moment that she turned around, and I saw that it was Angie. I shook my head. Angie and Joker? I looked again just in time to see her kiss his cheek. Never would've seen that coming. I laughed internally at them. They were very cute together. He suddenly grabbed her by her hips and she fell over his seat. Okay, private moment. I though and quickly left the two alone, heading down to the medbay, to see if Carolyn needed my help. Because I seriously needed to get my mind off of some things.
Ann looked at the galactic map as they neared Ilos. She was still trying to decipher the message that Vigil had sent. Yes it looked like an S.O.S., but it seemed...different. She sighed as she leaned back at the console. She couldn't figure out what was going on. Vigil had been dormant for years since Saren, why would he reactivate now? Could it be a distraction from the Reapers? She silently wondered. She suddenly felt a taloned hand on her hip and smiled as she turned to see Garrus standing there.
"Everything alright, Ann?" He asked.
Her smiled broadened. Only he called her by her first name, nobody else had. Not since..."Yeah, I'm fine," She spoke as she leaned into his arms. "Just thinking,"
"Hmm," He hummed. "That's not always a good thing," He chided. She went to gut him with her elbow, but he caught her arm and chuckled as he began nibbling her neck; causing her to groan.
"Not fair," She half sighed and half moaned as she felt his talons go up and down her sides.
"Really Commander?" came Jokers voice. "I mean, I know you two are newlyweds, but do ya have to do that on the CIC?"
"My ship, Moreau," She said with a glare.
"Oh!" He exclaimed as he threw his hands into the air. "It's your ship? Who flys it? Who makes sure that no Reaper energy beam slices the hull in half?"
"Mr. Moreau, I believe the Commander is just having some fun." came EDI's mothering tone.
"Ah, whatever," He mumbled as he made his way down the CIC to his, or what was Serena's, room.
"Is it me," Garrus began. "Or was he more pleasant with Lavargus around?"
Ann sighed. "He's finally letting his true emotions show." She commented. "Give him time."
"Ten minutes until we are at Ilos, Commander," EDI said.
"Okay." she moved down the CIC to the Port Observation. "Open the shutters when we get there."
"Yes Commander,"
Ian looked down at his dragon armor. Totally ruined, he thought as he looked down at the acid-like spit from the rachni that he'd killed. They'd freed the scientists, killed the assassin, and Liara had ended her mother's life. The young asari was currently praying over her mother's dead body. Asking the Goddess to guide her mother's spirit to the other side. He shook his head. Meaningless death. She could've come back to our side, couldn't she of? He saw one of the dead Asari Commandos walk over to the glass window sluggishly. The rachni queen.
I sighed as I spotted Kaiden lying down with an arm thrown over his face. Another migraine. I sighed as I walked over to him. "Need anything?" I asked quietly.
"Another one of those head massages would be nice," He mumbled.
I chuckled. "Sure." I hopped onto the bed and placed his head on my lap. I began gently rubbing the back of his neck, near his L2 implant, which caused him to shiver. I then made my way up to his scalp, massaging it with my finger-nails. I heard him sigh and melt into my lap.
"Better?" I asked quietly.
"Yes," He sighed.
He sat up. "Thank-you." He looked at me. "I don't know why they're getting worse."
"Why don't you get your L2 replaced with an L3 implant?" I inquired.
"It's worth the pain. The L3s are easier, but they aren't as powerful. Plus, they're expensive as all hell," He said as he rubbed his neck. "Again, thanks."
I smiled. "You're welcome." I got off the bed and walked over to where Carolyn was resting her head on her desk.
"I think I'll leave her by herself." I said with a smirk. He chuckled and left just as Ian walked into the room. I covered my mouth to stop from laughing. His entire body was covered in green slime and there were plenty of dents in his armor. I snorted as laughter bubbled up.
"Laugh it up," He growled. "I need help out of this thing and some medi-gel, because I think I have a fractured rib or two."
"What did you do, bathe in guts?" I asked.
"Oh you know, I walked up to a rachni and asked him not to puke on me," He said sarcastically. "Then Liara had to shoot him with a shotgun," By then I was clutching myside laughing. At that moment I saw Tali walk in.
"Keelah Ian, what happened?" She asked with concern.
"He had a date with a rabid rachni." I said with mirth in my voice.
"A rachni?" She questioned and then looked at him. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine" He sighed. "But my armor is ruined."
"I'm sure ashley can fix it." She then paused. "I may even be able to help fix it."
"Really?" he asked. "Maybe you could make the Kenetic barriers stronger, maybe help my stealth generator last longer too?"
I used a device that reminded me of a can opener to get his helmet to pop off. He had a smirk on his face. "What'd you do, wrestle with it, too?" I asked with a frown, he laughed.
"It couldn't resist my good looks, I guess." I heard a turian laugh.
"More like it couldn't get away fast enough from your ugly face." Garrus said walking in. I then saw blue blood on the wrapping on his hand.
"What'd you do, kiss the Mako?" I asked.
"Yeah, she didn't like the way I was touching her," he retorted.
"Funny," I muttered as I unfastened Ian's side snaps. Ah, another day at the office. I thought with a smirk. Reminds me of my first day on the Cerberus Normandy. I was halfway through bandaging Ian's rib fracture when I froze. The message and why it felt oddly familiar. "Shit," I cursed.
"What?" Ian demanded. "Did ya cut me?"
"No." I whispered. I looked at Garrus. "I know who sent me that message."
He went still and his eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"Cerberus." I said, causing everybody to freeze. Just when I thought I'd had enough complications thrown at me, they came back into my life.
I sat there in the debriefing room as Garrus explained to John and the ground team about the message I recieved from Cerberus. Or more importantly, the Illusive Man. I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder and saw Tali looking at me. Ash was behind me. "Why do they want her?" She asked.
"Because they think I know something." I explained. "And they're right." Everybody looked at me. "Because of Ann, I know everything that's gonna happen. The Illusive Man wants that information for his own. Anybody that I know will be in trouble,"
"He said he'd protect whoever you loved." Aberdeen said. "Who do you love?"
"I love my Joker in Ann's reality." I said. I froze. "Crap, Ya'lara and her bondmate Ya'isha are gonna be in danger,"
John looked up. "I'll contact Nihlus." he said. "Everybody dismissed."
I sighed as I stood up and made my way out of the room and down the hall towards the crew rooms. As I sat down on one of the bunk I felt the bed dip. I looked over and saw Ian sitting there. "What do you want?" I groaned.
"You need help." He stated.
"No, I know how to protect myself," I sighed. "I just need to collect myself and get a good night of sleep."
"Not sleeping well?" He asked.
"Just my usual strange dreams," I said.
"Yes, I'm sure you can, but-" He began.
"I'll be fine Ian," I said softly. "You're a good guy. Thanks for caring,"
I heard him sigh. "Okay, but I have your back," He stated as he then stood up and left. I need a strong drink. I sighed as I laid back down. I wish Ann was here. She always knew what to do in these situations.
In a darkened room a tall cylinder began glowing blue, a soft hum emitted from it. "Your wish is my command," Can a low, soothing voice from the object. The room began to brighten as a beam of light shot through the roof of the building and into the sky. Energy swirled together and exploded as a portal open. The image of a ship appeared inside the portal, and inhabitants began to fear what was happening. The writing on the hull of the ship lit up from the energies surrounding it, revealing it to be the Normandy SR-3.
M-Angel: Yay! Now we really have a story going on!
Knight: Gah! What the hell just happened?
M-Angel: I don't know...it just...kinds...happened.
Knight: How?
M-Angel: I don't know.
Knight: Okay...*looks at Angel weirdly*
M-Angel: Hehe...well, review!