Chapter 5
Consequences
Well, that had all gone to hell quickly. As she stood pacing the waiting area at Huerta Memorial, Johanna couldn't quite decide who she was angrier at - at Cerberus for one again sticking their noses where they weren't wanted or at Kaidan for not calling for assistance sooner. If he'd just stuck to helping Liara back toward the ship, they might not even be in this position now and maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have found herself pacing around a hospital like a worried loved one. Maybe she had been a loved one once upon a time but that time was long gone, the sun had long set on them. One good thing had come of her time spent pacing like a madwoman, she had been able to catch up with old friends, one of whom was now making herself at home in the Normandy's medbay. Thane, on the other hand, had promised to keep her up to date on Kaidan's progress, all she needed now was confirmation that he was stable and then she could leave, her duty fulfilled. Thankfully, that confirmation came in the form of another familiar face.
"Doctor Michel," Shepard shook the woman's hand and listened as she delivered her news. Head trauma, fractured skull, an L2 amp given more than a little jostling. In the long run, she supposed he would be fine but for the moment, he was unconscious and he would remain so until they were sure everything was alright. "Glad to hear it," Shepard acknowledged the woman's update with a nod, "I'm afraid I can't stay, I have to get to Udina's office for a meeting with the Council. Maybe now that they're here in force, attacking our home worlds, the Reapers won't be able to be ignored this time." It was a very convenient excuse, sure, but she had no qualms about using it. Kaidan had doubted her once too often, she didn't want to see him, especially not when she couldn't chew him out about Mars. Telling someone off while they couldn't attempt to respond was absolutely no fun at all. Besides, if things went sideways at the meeting, she'd need all of her wits about her when she chewed the Council out over their inaction. Again. When it came to them, it was all she ever seemed to do.
The meeting didn't go well. Once again, the Council was turning its back on what was right in front of it. The Reapers had arrived, Earth and Palaven were already burning and still they had no interest in teamwork. Even someone like Shepard could appreciate the need for teamwork at a time like this. No one race on its own could repel a force like that, they needed the full might of the galaxy to even stand the tiniest of chances. She had her Spectre status back, though, so that was one thing. As she wandered out of Udina's office, a Turian request swimming through her thoughts, she spotted James taking in the view at a window near the Hanar office. "Penny for your thoughts," she grinned at him as she nudged him in the ribs, breaking him out of whatever trance he was in.
"Oh hey, Shepard," Vega sighed, "I was just wondering if things could be any more normal here. It's like the war doesn't even exist." He was right. Even if the politicians were aware of the war at hand, nothing had really changed on the Citadel. Outwardly, at least. The sheer volume of refugees told another story entirely. "They just go on with their business as though nothing happened but Earth is burning but I think I get it now." Johanna quirked an eyebrow at him, wondering what it was he now understood. "We can't do this on our own," he shrugged, "And yeah, it sucks ass that we had to leave but on our own we'd be useless. We need these pendejos to wake up and throw down with us."
"There it is," Shepard laughed, lightly punching her fellow marine on the arm, "The penny finally dropped, huh?" For once, her teasing was good natured. She actually liked James - he was good people, even if he could be a little slow on the uptake. "You're right," she nodded and turned her gaze out of the window, "People here haven't had to smell the coffee yet but the war will be everywhere soon enough. They won't be able to ignore it for long and when they finally do wake up, you and I are gonna be here with a huge fucking cup of I-told-you-so, deal?"
"Deal," Vega turned from the window to examine Johanna, now that he was along for the ride, he wondered where they'd be heading off to next. "So what's next on the agenda? From the look on your face, I'm guessing it doesn't involve kicking Reaper ass and taking names?"
"No, it doesn't." She sighed. "They gave me my Spectre rank back, decided not to help just now but, y'know, maybe later." With a shake of her head, she balled her fists at her side. "The Turian councillor wants me to rescue their Primarch, Fedorian or something, for a war summit. Apparently it can't proceed without him. He's not on Palaven, it's been overrun, so he's on Menae, one of its moons. Apparently they can't rescue him themselves, maybe they've forgotten how to shove someone's ass onto a transport and fly it outta there but whatever. I'll be their genie, grant them a wish, and then maybe I get Turian support for the war."
James recognised the look in her eyes, she was struggling to hold on to her anger. She was a soldier, she wanted to be in the fight, not running around rescuing diplomats. "Nothing's ever easy, huh?" James smiled, "I've never been to Palaven before, shame the first time had to be to help pull their asses out of the fire."
"By the end of this mission, you still won't have been to Palaven," Shepard turned to walk toward the elevator, "We're going to Menae, remember, the moon? Were you not listening to me?" She heard the thudding of his boots as he followed her.
"Yeah, Menae, right." James corrected himself, "Shit. Close enough." Smooth.
"We'll be heading out as soon as possible," she stepped into the elevator and stepped to the side so James could join her. "Sooner we get there and pick up Fedorian, sooner we're outta there and the sooner I find out exactly what these alliances are gonna cost me. I'm no fucking diplomat," she sighed heavily and jabbed at the button for the Normandy's docking bay, "It'll take a damn miracle for me to pull this one off, Vega."
"Oh, I don't know, Jo," there he went again, using the nickname Kaidan had used back on Mars - she hadn't torn him a new one yet. "You have a reputation for pulling off the impossible," it was true, after all, "And for being bat-shit crazy." It was his turn to nudge her this time, hoping he'd manage to lift her mood at least a little.
"Watch it, Jimmy," she threw back at him, still making no attempt to tell him off over his use of the shortened version of her name. He'd once told her that he'd find a nickname for her, she just supposed that he hadn't quite gotten around to finding one that suited her yet. "If you keep calling me Jo, I might need to do something about it," she joked, trying to keep her face as stern as possible.
"Knock yourself out, Jo," he laughed and chanced his luck one more time, seeing right through the mask she tried to wear, "Your place or mine?"
Shepard couldn't keep a straight face any longer. "Mine," she replied as she stepped off the elevator, she could almost hear the sound of his jaw dropping. "And stop staring at my ass, this uniform does it no justice."
A/N :: Sorry for the delay in this chapter - the good news is that I already have the next chapter planned and the better news is that it includes drunk Vega AND drunk Shepard. Funny stuff!
Also, thanks again "Katschaba" for taking the time to review all of the chapters so far, and to "eboncat" for the review on the last chapter! The reviews are definitely appreciated.