A.N/ I was wondering if it would be easier to follow if I gave some sort of break between time lines instead of switching P.O.V's. R & R please and as ever enjoy...
Kaiden watched Commander Shepard smile brightly and talk to the Quarian with ease. He found talking with Garrus about war tactics interesting while Wrex's comments made an impact. A buzzing in the comms broke the conversations to a small buzz, "Commander E.T.A to Therum 2 hours." she nodded for the benefit of herself, "Thanks Joker." Kaiden fumbled with his hands, "So who is going with you?" he asked looking at the Commander. She looked up, "I want to test our newest members talents." she grinned and Tali returned it. Wrex thumped his big fingers on the table, "So, Wrex, Tali suit up and meet me on deck in an hour."
"An hour?" Tali asked and Shepard nodded, "I like my teams tight and well informed." both aliens nodded and left. Garrus muttered about calibrations and left as well. Kaiden sat next to the Commander who sat still, "Do you dream about him too?" Kaiden dared to ask and Jazz looked up from her place. Her glasses had slid down her nose to fully expose her eyes. Flecks of natural silver danced in them. She nodded and closed her eyes, "Every night." she muttered and Kaiden let his arm slide around her shoulders. She sat stiff. It was unnatural to be touched like that by a lesser rank, "Excuse me." she muttered and rushed to her Cabin.
Kaiden watched the woman rush from the room and wondered if she would say a word to him again. Before he could brood anymore Ashley rounded the corner, "Thank goodness those creatures are gone." she sighed in exasperation while flinging herself onto the dirty table. Kaiden gave a smirk, "They are pretty cool, especially Garrus, you should talk to them." Ashley sighed and rolled her eyes, "They are ALIEN, Kaiden. Just 'cos it walks and talks like a human means nothing." Kaiden raised an eyebrow, "They speak common tongue same as you and me. We both speak English and even on our world it isn't the main language. They all speak the same tongue for their respected races." Ashley rolled her eyes and picked the plates that Kaiden and the Commander ate off of, "Language." she said. The word was harsh and cut compared to the language they had used before. Kaiden kept his eyebrow raised, "Why speak English here?" his harsh words were tinged with an accent lost to the common tongue, "The alien is walking back here."
Kaiden looked up to see Garrus taking a step back with his hands up, "If you need a private moment you can just forget I am here and continue speaking in that tough language. Makes my tongue hurt thinking about it." Garrus turned to walk away, "Well your language makes my throat sore hearing it." Kaiden countered as Garrus turned back around, "Yeah?" he asked and Kaiden nodded. Garrus opened his mandibled and spoke a few words neither human understood. It was fluid with the sub harmonics louder than normal. Ashley's throat felt tight as she tried to imagine how to speak that way and agreed with Kaiden silently, "I ought to go, better not frighten the mouse away." Garrus teased and left. Ashley rubbed her bottom lip, "Puta." she hissed and Kaiden brought the alien dishes over, "More than one human language I'm impressed but if you speak turian by tonight I'd be blown away." Ashley crossed her arms and refused to even look at the dishes, "How can you touch those." she grumbled wrinkling her nose, "Like this.."
Commander Shepard felt the Mako drop and pulled the landing engines on. Both Wrex and Tali were buckled in tightly weary of the 'Commander Shepard is a horrible driver' warning from Kaiden and the conformation nods from Ashley. After their hour long discussion on how to run things both Wrex and Tali understood the woman better and she them. They came upon their first obstacle, "I think I see a smaller path there." Tali pointed out as both Wrex and the Commander eyed the metal wall, "Hold on!" Jazz yelled as she mashed her foot on the old school accelerator. Wrex couldn't help but let a roar fill the cabin as they jumped through the open area. Red shots filled the air where the mesa was. One hit the nose of the vehicle before they hit cover. The shot shook everyone but Jazz grit her teeth, "Ready?" she asked eying the few guards in the back way, "Hit it, Commander." Wrex chimed and Tali gave her own unhappy yell.
Kaiden sat next to Joker flying silently with all cloaks in place, "What do you think of the Commander?" Kaiden asked and Joker pressed a few buttons, "She's sweet but haunted. Ever look into her eyes when she thinks you're not looking?" he asked and Kaiden sat back, "Yeah, Jenkins was..." Joker shook his head and brought up the Commander's file, "Look at all of that death, from both bad and good. Tell me that won't haunt someone." Ashley walked up behind the guys, "The betrayals as well. So many people putting guns to her back." Joker sat back into his chair, "And still she trusts us." the three humans looked at eachother before Joker continued to fly the ship.
"Joker?" Commander Shepard's voice came through the ground comm, "Right here." he replied as he readied to fly the ship to location, "Nothing just wanted to check in." she said before cutting the link. Joker eyed the other two humans, "Trusts us?" Kaiden shrugged and a voice came from behind the three, "She just wanted to take comfort in knowing you were there. It's normal." Ashley wrinkled her nose but turned to give the turian a smile, "Garrus." Kaiden chimed, "Came out from your pit I see." the turian nodded, "Just wanted to check in myself."
"Dig site. Why is it always a dig site?" Shepard asked and Tali shrugged. Wrex threw the last Geth to the ground and stomped on it with a roar. The two women looked up the steps as Wrex fell into formation behind the Commander, "Let's move." she commanded and walked forward. The trio walked into the dig site quietly and quickly. As they descended the elevator the first Geth clicks came, "Here we go." Commander Shepard said jumping from the Elevator. Wrex laughed and Tali screamed.. again.
Liara awoke to see three people gunning the Geth down, "Where would the Asari Scientist be?" It was a human and a Krogan shrugged. A tiny quarin gave cover fire as the unlikely pair sprinted to the front lines. The human lifted a geth with biotics as the Krogan smashed it to bits. An unlikely yet successful partnership. Liara waited for the gunfire to subside, "I'm over here." she watched the human take point and the other two flanking her, "I'm Commander Shepard you must be Liara T'Soni." Liara nodded as the human came closer, "When the Geth attacked I tried to shield myself. I have done well except.."
The quarian gave a soft giggle, "You are stuck." Liara smiled gently, "Yes, if you can find a way in you may be able to help me out." The Commander nodded and turned to her team, "Move out. Find anything..." The quarian waved her hand, "There is a drill right there." Liara caught the smile on the humans face, "Alright guys stand back."
Jazz pressed the button and watched the drill shoot a tunnel right through to the other side, "Move out." she ordered and her team fell into place. The trio moved through the tunnel and found themselves on the other side facing Liara, "Tali could you take this out?" Jazz asked and the Quarian nodded, "I think so." she said before working on the controls as the ground shook around them, "What was that?" Wrex asked and Liara answered from behind them, "The drill weakened the already weak structure of the dig site. It is going to cave in... agh." Tali hit her last button and the shield around Liara faded into nothing.
"We need to get to the surface as fast as possible." Shepard commanded. Wrex turned to give a comeback but was hushed by the hard look in her eyes, "Yes, Commander." he answered and the two female aliens followed Wrex and Shepard. Jazz's fingers hit the appropriate buttons as the elevator flew up. The rumbling threw both Tali and Liara on the ground while Shepard held onto the controls and Wrex stood like stone.
Jazz looked up to see a Krogan and a few Geth jump onto the Elevator, "All hands on deck!" Commander Shepard screamed orders and Tali picked her gun up. Wrex already tore two geth apart. Shepard threw a hard biotic push that seemed to roll from the might Krogan like a fly. She pulled her assault gun up and fired at the heavy Krogan who fired back. She rolled out of the way and felt a fiery pain on her right leg. The stronger Krogan gun tore through her skin easily. Red blood gushed out onto the ground. With a heavy push of energy Jazz watched as her body buzzed with the blue of her biotics and lifted the Krogan. She felt a warm stream of something flow from her nose as her head pounded from a headache.
She blinked a few times as a bright light filled her vision, "Take that KROGAN OUT!" The Commander ordered and everyone lifted their guns and shot at the floating Battlemaster. Blood ran down as Wrex roared out. He would tell everyone it was because it was a mighty warriors kill but in truth he killed one of his own. Something hard even for a Krogan. Shepard smirked at their victory when a ripping sound came by her left ear and a fiery pain engulfed her left arm. She turned and sunk her omni blade oil deep into the Geth creature and watched the life spark away.
As the elevator reached the top all four ran. Wrex took the Commander's arm and helped her run, "Reds a nice color on you, Shepard." Wrex commented and Jazz gave a weak chuckle. Tali pulled Medi-Gel from her supplies and rushed it to her leg once they reached a safe distance. As the hum of Medi-Gel reached the Commander she Radioed Joker in, "On the way, Commander." he said as the hum started on her left shoulder. She looked at Tali and watched the Quarian work on helping the gel stitch the skin together, "You think I look good in red?" she asked and Tali chuckled, "Yes I do." The smile was clearly heard in the words.
Ashley sat besides the Commander and Kaiden to the other side. Were the four Aliens. Jazz was still caked in red from the attack yet stood with her hands behind her back looking stronger than before, "We could try joining." Liara offered and Jazz nodded watching as the Asari walked forward with her fingers extended. Jazz relaxed as Liara built a bridge, "." Shepard felt everything around her blur as the vision from her mind was pulled into view. For some reason she knew that Liara could see it as well. As soon as it started, the vision suddenly ended, "I am sorry. I cannot offer you any explanation. I am tired. I will go lie down." Shepard nodded, "Tali would you please show her to the crew's quarters." Tali stood and nodded taking the new Asari from the room.
"Are you going to stand there like you don't need to go get medical attention?" Ashley asked as Kaiden stood, "Yeah, Commander Medi-Gel is great but you need a full scan and the scars." Jazz looked back at the two humans, "Scars are.. in a human term... beautiful." Jazz raised an eyebrow but gave Wrex a nod, "Alright guys, let's go see the Doctor."