I can't believe how many times I cut and added bits in this chapter. Hopefully it flows smoothly enough. Enjoy and let me know what you think, pretty please! :)
Saren had been waiting for what seemed like hours in the ship's cockpit. Shepard should have returned long ago from her meeting with the Councilor. He was concerned that something may have gone awry. He knew Udina and had never trusted him. He'd always been the type of person Saren strived to keep out of Citadel politics. But then, the man had just been an Ambassador with no real pull in the workings of the Citadel. Now, he held the seat of Human Councilor, which was much more than Saren could stomach. If any human should have that much power, it certainly wasn't that one. Deep in thought, he nearly jumped when he'd heard the outer door of the Normandy shift open.
"Finally," Joker sighed out of relief, mostly because it meant that the turian would no longer be shifting impatiently behind him. The only looming presence the pilot enjoyed was EDI's. Any other, especially that of Saren, was wholly unwanted.
Saren was obviously relieved as well, his posture relaxing significantly as he leaned against the bulkhead. However, his respite instantly turned to outrage when, the moment she entered in from the airlock, he found she wasn't alone. A male drell, well built and graceful in his movements, followed in closely behind her. A bit too closely…
"You were gone quite a long time," Saren muttered, shooting an angry glare at the drell who seemed unphased by his attitude.
"We were attacked," she replied in a tone that matched his. "Besides, I had to do some shopping."
He gave the other male a long hard look. "I didn't know the Citadel sold drell." He couldn't help but take notice of Shepard's failure to respond with one of her usual sarcastic remarks. Her lack of comment was typically a good indicator of a foul mood. The drell, however, chuckled lightly in response. Not the result he was looking for.
"My services come at no cost to the Commander," the reptilian alien said, with a smile and sideways glance at the woman. It was playful enough to make Saren bristle. "I should introduce myself. I am Thane Krios." He gave Saren a respectful nod following his introduction.
"Thane! I thought that was you," Joker called out from the cockpit. "Great to have you back!"
"Thank you, Joker," Thane replied genuinely.
Saren considered him for a moment. "Krios…" he muttered lowly. "I know that name. The assassin?"
"The very same," he replied. "I'm afraid I hadn't yet caught your name." His large shadowy eyes blinked at Saren expectantly.
"I am Saren. Arterius." The pause before reciting his surname wasn't due to uncertainty by any means. He only wanted to be positive the assassin had heard it clearly.
"I see," Thane said, his eyes shifting briefly towards the commander once again. "I'm quite surprised to find you and Shepard working together, given your past."
Saren puffed out his chest. "That's not the only thing we do together-"
"It's a long story," Shepard quickly interrupted before Thane could begin to ponder the meaning of his statement. "Saren was the main reason I was able to escape Earth in one piece." Her gaze shifted to the turian briefly. "But, I can tell you all about that later."
Thane smiled warmly. "I look forward to your visit, Siha. It is the one thing I'd missed most these past few months."
The blush that rose in Shepard's cheeks made Saren want to shove the drell right back out the airlock… but not without tearing off a few pieces of green flesh first. Though, since he had to remain civil, he'd hoped his warning growl would get the message across well enough. And apparently it did.
After considering the turian's incessant, nearly inaudible growl, Thane decided to excuse himself, for the time being, and made for his new quarters.
Once the assassin was out of sight, Shepard's attention snapped up at Saren. "Couldn't you have been a bit friendlier?" she asked bitingly.
He gawked at her. "I was friendly!"
Shepard shook her head and promptly began making her way to the CIC, indicating she was in no mood to argue about it.
Saren, having no intention of letting her get away without explanation, was right on her heels. "What happened down there, Shepard? Who attacked you?" There was not much he hated more than showing concern for another. He'd always considered it a weakness; something that could be easily used against him. But he worried about her, and he was finding it increasingly more difficult to hide it.
"It was a Cerberus assassin. Thane snapped his neck," she answered, quickly and unemotionally as she ascended upon the elevator at the end of the CIC.
"Thane did…?" He nearly stopped, shaken by the idea that someone, aside from herself, had to ensure her own safety. He never thought Shepard incapable of defending herself in any situation. It was one of the reasons he'd, for the most part, avoided fighting her directly during the Sovereign incident. She'd proven nearly invincible and had a determination stronger than any he'd seen. That anyone even had the chance to harm her was unthinkable.
"Commander, you have unread messages on your private terminal," Traynor told Shepard before she could escape too quickly into the elevator.
"Thanks," the commander replied absently as she dipped through the waiting opening in the back wall.
Saren slipped in close behind before the door could slide shut. Once inside, and with the door finally closed he stood firmly in front of her, forcing himself within her field of vision. "Are you hurt?"
She stared straight at him, her eyes like steel plating. "I'm fine."
Her resolve was sturdy and Saren knew she wouldn't reveal anything she didn't want to. Though, if she was unhurt, he couldn't think of what else would be bothering her. A part of him wondered if the drell's presence was reason for her sudden distance from him. The idea sparked something territorial within him. He felt a sudden desire to claim her for his own and he wanted to make sure everyone on the ship knew it, especially the drell. When he pressed his body against her, even through her armor, he could feel her resolve falter. He could hear her sigh when his tongue raked against the naked skin of her jaw. When he breathed in her scent, her need for him was evident. He could feel her body lean into him, seeking closeness. It wasn't until he began to fumble with the straps of her armor that she recoiled, backing away from him. Though the gap was only decimeters in length, if felt like light-years.
"Shepard…" he started.
She bowed her head, seemingly unable to look him in the eyes. "It's been a rough day…." Her attention shot towards the door when the elevator stopped and opened at the top floor.
"Wait," he growled, grabbing her arm before she could exit. "Can't we talk about it?"
She shook her head, forcing herself to avoid his gaze. "I don't want to. Not right now." Slipping from his grasp she disappeared into her quarters. All he could do was stare at the inside of the elevator door in stunned silence.
Thane found Garrus hard at work at his usual location; the main battery. It was nice to see another familiar face. As soon as he'd entered the turian looked up from his work and gave him a big, toothy grin.
"Krios!" Garrus exclaimed, mandibles flaring pleasantly. "When did you come aboard?"
"Just a few moments ago. Shepard reluctantly accepted my offer to rejoin the team."
Garrus chuckled. "I'm surprised she didn't talk you out of it. She was pretty worried about your health when she found out she'd be stuck on Earth for a while."
"Oh?" Thane inquired curiously.
Garrus nodded briefly. "But hey! It's great to have you on board. Now I can have some real shooting competition!"
Thane laughed, remembering the times he'd spent on the battlefield with the ex-C-Sec officer. Each time, they had bets on who could take down the most enemies with the least number of shots. Between the two of them, it had always been close. Garrus was quite the skilled marksman. But everyone on the Normandy had their own skills, to which there was little to no match. Those few months he'd spent with them had been the fondest memories he'd acquired in ten years.
"How have things been?" Thane asked.
Garrus shrugged. "Fighting Reapers. Building armies. The usual… You know how it goes when Shepard's in charge."
"Of course," Thane replied with a reminiscent chuckle. Then his smile faded. "I recently met the other turian…. Saren Arterius."
Garrus's expression turned unreadable at the mention of Saren's name. "Ah, yes. Apparently he was the one who got Shepard off of Earth alive. He seems genuine enough about defeating the Reapers. But I still don't trust him."
"And Shepard?"
Garrus attempted to hide his scowl, but failed miserably. "Though I don't understand why, she trusts him more than anyone else does."
"I see." Thane paused a moment, considering the possessive way in which the turian had acted towards the commander. "Are they…?"
Garrus grunted irritably. "So it seems."
"What do you think about it?" Everyone knew that Garrus cared deeply for Shepard, though he'd never admit that there was possibly more than friendship behind it. Thane knew better, however. He was certainly no stranger to the concept of love.
"I don't," Garrus muttered. "And I suggest you don't either."
"Suggestion noted." Unlike Garrus, Thane's feelings for the woman had always been much more obvious, so Garrus's suggestion came of no surprise. However, he wasn't the type who could easily force a bothersome thought from his mind when not in a meditative state or indulging in a bit of solipsism. "I suppose I shall leave you to your duties. It will be an honor to fight by your side again, Garrus."
"The honor is all mine, my friend!" Garrus said with a grin. "See you on the battlefield."
Shepard woke with a start, sweat beads tickling her brow. Wiping the back of her hand across it she glanced to her left to find the other half of her bed empty, and somehow that alone made her feel much worse than the haunting dream she'd just had. It was the same dream she'd been having for years, except lately it had been occurring much more often. She'd tried to put the deaths of her platoon behind her. Eventually, she'd even succeeded in accepting each of them… all but one that is. That one loss continued to return in her dreams; haunting her like a cursed phantom of an unresolved past.
"Commander? " Joker's voice pierced through the silence of her room, causing her to wince.
"What is it Joker?" she muttered, rubbing her face wearily.
"Commander… I've got some bad news. Palaven is under attack."
"What?" she demanded, hopping out of bed and grabbing for the nearest scraps of clothing. "I'll be right there!"
Everything from her quarters to the cockpit was a blur as she frantically sprinted through the Normandy. She arrived to find Garrus already there, his expression shrouded with worry.
"Is it the Reapers?" she inquired desperately.
Garrus nodded solemnly. "It's bad."
"Have you heard from your family?" When he bowed his head, indicating that he'd received no word, she placed a sympathetic hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Garrus."
"So what's the plan?" Joker asked her, even though he already knew how she'd respond.
"The plan's not changing. It just got a bit harder." Standing beside joker now, she peered out the Normandy's front window. Even from here, it was easy to see much of the devastation that was currently plaguing the planet.
Pressing her finger on the ship's intercom button, she was already prepared with what she would say to her team. "Everyone. We have a crisis on our hands. Palaven… is under attack. And we're going down there to help kick some Reaper ass. I want everyone to suit up and meet in the shuttle bay immediately." She took her finger off the intercom before continuing. "Joker, contact what forces we have available. We'll need their help to take back Palaven."
"Will do, Commander," he replied.
Just before she could leave the cockpit, Garrus caught her attention. His blue eyes were filled with sorrow, but there was a twinkle of hope hidden deep within them. "Thank you, Shepard."
She gave him a light, reassuring pat. "Let's go suit up."
Barely an hour later Cortez was shuttling most of Shepard's team, excluding Miranda – a result of Jacob's concerned nagging for a pregnant woman – into Palaven's main military base. The entire time, Garrus had been fidgeting nervously, obviously worried about his family who still resided on his homeworld. There were unfortunately no reassurances Shepard could give to ease his mind, so she simply rested a hand on his shoulder and remained silent.
They managed to land without much opposition, the Reapers seemingly preoccupied with the less defended areas beyond the base. As the team readied their gear, Shepard's gaze caught the lingering stare of Saren's bright eyes.
"You sure you're going to be okay here?" she asked, her lack of tone masking the concern she actually felt.
"It's been many years since I've been to Palaven. It's unlikely I'll be recognized," he said with a shrug. "Besides, I'm dead, remember?"
"Yeah well, so was I. But that didn't stop people from trying to blow my ass to hell."
"That's because you left too many of your enemies alive."
"Hey, if I wasn't so damned benevolent, your ass wouldn't be here to give me grief about keeping my enemies alive," she declared with a grin.
Her sarcasm was more than welcome compared to the silent reclusiveness she'd demonstrated a few hours ago. "I'm not worried. However, it may not be wise to take on my brother's name. So… if anyone asks, just make up something that isn't Desolas."
"I could think of a few…" she replied, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Lugging her bag of supplies onto her shoulders, she banged her fist on the shuttle door to notify Cortez they were ready. "Let's move out!" she shouted.
When they'd filed out of the shuttle they were promptly greeted by a single turian soldier. "Commander Shepard of the Alliance Marines?" The voice was surprisingly feminine and it took Shepard off guard for a moment.
"That's me," she replied with a respectful salute.
"Sergeant Iro," the turian introduced herself, returning the salute in Alliance military fashion. Shepard had met very few turian women in her lifetime. The differences between male and female seemed very subtle to her, so it was always a surprise when they spoke. The female fringe was much shorter than a male's and the body shape slightly more petite. Also, they had a less narrow waist than males, which was quite the opposite of humans. "Commander, General Victus would like to speak with you. If you would please follow me."
Before she could follow after the Sergeant, Garrus grabbed her arm. "I'll go with you. I know the general. He was friends with my father."
"You're thinking he might know about your family?"
He shrugged. "It's worth a shot."
"I won't argue with that," she replied with a hopeful smile.
After speaking with General Victus, they found that the news was not so great. There had been no word of the Vakarian family since the attack this morning, which was of course a devastating blow to Garrus. And that wasn't even the worst of it. The turians had lost much in the last few hours. What little civilians they were able to rescue were slowly being shuttled off-world, but not without mishap. There were still many more trapped in the devastation. Many soldiers and a good amount of equipment had been lost during rescue attempts. They were running only on the food and water stored within the base as no other outside stores were accessible. Ammunition was sustaining for the time being, but that too was limited. All-in-all, their current defensive would last barely a week, and that was being optimistic. They needed help, and they needed it hours ago.
When Shepard and Garrus returned to the rest of the team, many eyes were staring at them questionably. Williams was the first to speak up. "So what's the plan?"
"Plan is to hunker down here until help arrives," she replied matter-of-factly. Raking a hand over her forehead she could already feel the effects of Palaven's radiation on her skin. At this rate, she wouldn't last more than an hour in this environment without her helmet.
"Who knows how long that will be," Jacob muttered irritably. "What's the deal, Shepard?"
"They need all the help they can get right now," Shepard told him, slipping her helmet on.
"Yeah well so does Earth!" Ashley chimed in.
"This isn't just about Earth anymore. The whole galaxy is at stake and I'm not going to abandon our allies when they need our help."
"The commander is right," Javik put in. "My people may have had a better chance if we'd allied with the other races in my cycle. Instead, the machines' forces only grew stronger, while ours grew weaker."
"Fine," Ashley grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. Shepard understood that Ashley's concern was more focused on her family still on Earth, but she couldn't turn her back on these people. Besides, if they could liberate Palaven, they could likely add another ally to their forces.
Shepard paused a moment to address any other possible objections. When there was no other opposition she continued her orders. "Report to Captain Ontaus for post assignments. We'll provide help wherever it is needed most. I have confidence that each of you can handle whatever is thrown at you."
"Let's kill some Reapers!" James exclaimed, grinning broadly as he prepped his gun. Everyone else silently followed the commander to receive their next orders. They all knew this was going to be a grueling fight and it wouldn't be long before the Lieutenant's enthusiasm was squashed.