Today will be a damn good day… Shepard mused, stepping out of the cramped shower onto the bath mat. It was only 0600, but all it had taken to brighten her mood tremendously was a single message on her terminal. 'Reporting for duty at 0700'…how formal, Heather. As if you're not going to crush me into a hug the second you see me. She took her time drying off, feeling a little happier knowing that for the first time in a while, she felt a little freer than before. At least I know that I'm not going to spontaneously combust if Liara touches me, or whatever, although…I totally screwed up last night and went all creeper-like, staring at how her white freckles are practically a crown on those scalp thingies she has. 'Oh hey, Shepard, I just want you to make sure you have enough sheets to sleep with.' 'Herpa derpa derp, too busy staring at your head to notice you're getting freaked out because I forgot to let go of your arm.' Ugh, I'm such a weirdo…why did I even do that in the first place? She was so nice to me yesterday and I probably just freaked her out a bunch or annoyed her. Hopefully, aside from having to deal with me, she had a good day yesterday…
Shepard smelled her arm, enjoying the pleasant scent her shower gel had bestowed upon her. Hell, if I'm going to be stuck eating paste for the next few weeks, I may as well smell like something tasty, to motivate me…she thought to herself, grabbing her deodorant. And if I can have real food that's even a quarter as tasty as the stuff from last night when I get back to the Citadel, or wherever, then it'll be worth it!
She finished her routine quickly, put her hair back up in a bun, and tossed on her casual Alliance blues. No CO's going to be there to rake me over the coals for greeting a new crew member in these…it's kind of good to be at the top right now…
It wasn't a long trek through the ship, and the weather was always fine on the docks, so Shepard decided to sit out by the airlock and wait for her old friend, keeping a datapad on hand. She wasn't exactly sure what to study or learn; it was difficult to focus after the madness of the previous day, and with the anticipation of seeing her dear friend for the first time in nearly a year. Their birthdays were close enough together to create a single celebration, and her tiny circle of friends often got together at one of their homes annually, alternating between the two year after year. It'll be my turn this time…but maybe I should give it to Heather again, since last year was…well, it was just the two of us. Everyone else was busy…everyone's always busy…
She sighed and set her focus back to the datapad, continuing where she had left off the previous night in her attempt to learn more about asari social customs. Some of the material was easy to digest; usage of titles based on age or social status was relatively easy, and she felt it would aid her in whatever future encounters she would have with asari. Other aspects of asari culture, such as if, when and how one is to approach another, simply flew over her head. There was a staggering complexity to it, especially in the 'how' department; watching videos of some of the forms made many of them out to be precise, intricate and ritualistic forms of dance more than anything. Intimidating, to say the least…intriguing, but hellishly intimidating. Though I'll admit, some of these are really beautiful…even ones that are just specific body language while walking. It's just so…fluid. I wonder if…if Liara is trained in these? I…maybe I should try working on some simple ones, so I can maybe be better with diplomacy? First impressions and all that…
"Amber?" a voice called out nearby, drawing her attention to a tall, short-haired brunette lugging a large, wheeled foot locker. "Or should I say, Commander Shepard, first human Spectre?" the woman finished with a large grin plastered on her face.
Shepard practically hopped off the railing she'd been sitting on and jogged over to her. "Heather!" The woman set her luggage in place and opened her arms, gesturing for a hug. Shepard rolled eyes and let out a laugh as her old friend wrapped her arms around her and lifted her off the ground an inch or two.
She squeezed back and smiled as her friend set her back on her feet. "So much for protocol, I guess." Shepard joked, feeling more at ease now that Heather was safe in her care.
"You were never a stickler for it anyway. Hell, look at what you're wearing." Heather noted playfully. "I can't imagine how you're able to run your ship without it spiraling into complete and utter chaos."
"Hey, I do alright." She said with mock seriousness. "Honestly, though, it's been an experience, and I'm still learning. But it's gone better than expected so far. Anderson filled the ship with people who know what the hell they're doing, so I don't really have to do much other than tell them to keep doing what they do."
"And…morale? How is it? I heard about Eden Prime, it sounded like hell opened up down there." The taller woman stated sadly.
"It was bad… we lost a soldier, and in the end, Anderson was kicked off the ship, replaced by lil' ol' me. Not that I wanted it to go down that way, and…well, others didn't either. We lost a lot of crew over that debacle, and we're running short-staffed." Shepard explained. "But the people who stayed are good. There have been some issues I've needed to get ironed out, and ones I'm working on, but in the end, it's not a catastrophe in there."
"Well, I suppose that's better than nothing." Heather said, grabbing the handle of her footlocker and slowly wheeling it toward the airlock. "So where do I fit in?"
"Well, we lost half of the crew working in the battery, two comms specialists, and one technician. We also lost two engineers, but we picked up a quarian to fill one of those spots." Shepard noted, stepping into the decontamination chamber. "Honestly, we just need bodies. We have a turian helping fill the gap in the battery, so maybe that's not as much of a priority. It's your call, I'm just happy you're here."
Heather thought for a few moments as the room was slowly scanned. "Well working comms could be fun. I did some specialization in that field, so I'd say I'd probably be most useful there, although I wouldn't mind getting my hands on the Normandy's GARDIAN lasers…"
"Fine, I'll set you up in one of the empty terminals in the CIC, and you can help out in the battery when you feel like it." Shepard said, as the scan completed and they were let into the ship. As they passed through the airlock, Shepard glanced over at the cockpit. "Though you'll probably have to deal with our majestic pilot's sarcastic quips here and there, either way."
"You giving me sass, Commander?" Joker called out, leaning across his armrest to get a better look at his accusers. Shepard slowed to a stop and grinned.
"No, Joker, just pointing out the facts." Shepard chuckled as she gestured to her friend. "Flight Lieutenant Moreau, this is Lieutenant Laurent. She'll be working in comms and with the Normandy's weapon systems, so be nice to her."
Joker gave a nod of his head to Heather and then waggled his eyebrows at his commander. "The pilot's seat isn't the only place I weave my magic, Shepard." He called out as the two turned toward the CIC.
"I'm sure your successes in 'Vaenia: The Erotic Relationship Simulator' are breathtaking, Joker." Shepard quipped, pulling Heather further from the cockpit. She could hear the pilot grumbling behind her and couldn't help but grin. She had caught him playing it the day before they had hit Knossos, and had been waiting for an excuse to use it ever since.
"So…things are really that casual here?" Heather asked, stopping at the lip of the CIC.
"Not exactly. Joker's apparently the best pilot in the fleet, and he's already saved our asses once. He's earned some leeway. Fortunately, I'm pretty laid back when it comes to protocol and all that. And we like joking with each other. He spies on me, I embarrass him. It's a bit weird, but it's fun." Shepard noted, gesturing over to Pressly. "My XO, who tends to supervise the CIC, is much more 'by-the-book' than I am."
Heather looked around the large, round room. "There don't seem to be any other comms officers here…"
"They're on shore leave until the ship gets all the supply orders in. We're out of here tomorrow morning, I figure. No point sticking around the Citadel when Saren's somewhere out there." Shepard explained, walking toward the doors to the stairwell.
"Any new leads?" her friend asked; a simple question, without a simple answer. "I figure you have something if you practically demanded my old CO trade me over to you."
"Yes and no. Nothing concrete right now in regards to Saren, but…" Shepard started, opening the elevator doors. "Something did some up, and more or less, that's why I fast tracked your transfer. I'm really sorry if you liked that place…"
"Nah, New Birmingham was a shit hole." Heather spat, closing the doors. The elevator began its slow descent as the two stood in silence. "Well, what'd you stumble on?"
"You remember that trouble me and Faridah were involved in way back?" Shepard began, cracking her knuckles and joints on her hands to relieve her stress. "Well, they're back. We ran into some of their stuff a few days ago, and yesterday I ran into one of the old gang bangers from my childhood. Too much of a coincidence."
"Okaaay…" her friend said, looking at her with a sidelong glance. "And exactly why did that prompt you to practically abduct me from my last position? Not that I'm complaining, but…that was over a decade ago."
She had figured Heather would be tough to convince; the woman was a skeptic through and through, and she would often ignore most wilder theories or predictions until there was observable evidence to assess. Shepard knew, however, that her friend's protective streak ran about as deep as her own, and would hopefully come to the conclusion that it would be better to err on the side of caution. Or at least, I hope that's what conclusion she comes to…
"I got evidence that they might be entrenched within the SA. Hell, I'm pretty sure they did Akuze, because we ran into a copycat on Edolus. One of my crew could have died, it was…it was really bad." Shepard explained.
"And the importance of that is…if these people are in the Alliance, then what the hell can you do about it?" Heather asked nonchalantly.
"I can make sure you're safe aboard this ship." Shepard said, earning a look of annoyed disbelief from her friend. "Look, Anderson was never able to get info on that Fiske guy's superiors, and we knew the guy had been sending out reports about at least me. Doesn't take Cerberus much to put two and two together, not when humanity's first Spectre is someone who matches their old test subject to a tee. Faridah's not in the Alliance, so I can't do anything but warn her and hope nothing happens, but I can at least bring you on board. Besides, like I said, the ship needs a larger crew. It's a win-win."
Heather rubbed her face and shook her head slightly. "Well, for what it's worth, I figure I'll enjoy this position a bit more than the last. And…thanks for looking out for me Amber. I appreciate it, even if I think you're paranoid as all hell."
"Well, we can't all be as rational and logical as you, Heather." Shepard said with mock snarkiness, though she knew Heather had a point. Just because Cerberus reared their head, didn't mean they were after her. It IS a big galaxy, afterall… "Anyway, we should be in the cargo bay soon. I'll show you where to keep your locker, introduce you to some of the crew, and all that…and I guess you should call me Shepard unless we're alone. Don't want people to get the impression I play favourites, even if I kinda do in your case."
"What's the going rate for me sneaking your first name out to the crew, anyway? What should I be charging?" Heather asked playfully, earning a light punch to the shoulder.
"A punch in the teeth. Seriously, don't. Only place I'm Amber on this ship is when I'm alone with you. Otherwise, when we're on Amaterasu or whatever, then yeah. It's just…I don't know if I'd be comfortable with so many people calling me that after so long. I'm used to Shepard now." She reasoned, earning a nod from Heather.
"Alright, alright. But you have to make me something special for my birthday this year." Her firmly stated as the elevator doors opened.
"I always make you something special for your birthday!" Shepard deadpanned, slowly strolling over to where the crew had lined up their respective lockers. "What, was four pounds of fudge not enough last year?"
"Well, the way you smell makes me want to ask you for cinnamon buns, but I don't think I could trust you to make them and not have them all devoured by the time the gift-giving began." Heather joked, pulling her locker to a stop against the wall.
"That only happened one year, and I only made one and a half dozen! You need to just let go of that…besides, didn't I make up for it with all that chocolate I gave you instead?" Shepard asked, exasperated.
"Of course you did…which is why I'm so happy we're going to your place this spring. I can trap you in your kitchen and you can be my personal baker." Heather noted, opening the door to her locker.
"Well, if we catch Saren in time…" Shepard started before her friend's finger pressed up against her lips.
"Don't jinx it! You'll catch him. I have faith." Heather said simply, reaching into her locker for something.
"Well, that makes two of us." Shepard answered, about to ramble on about what the crew thought before all words lost meaning, witnessing Heather pull a number of shrink-wrapped slabs from her storage.
"I figured these would get your attention. I may have faith, but I also want goodies." Her friend said, with a sly grin. She handed Shepard three of the five smallish slabs. "You get three, I get two. Call it a ship-warming gift, and an incentive to catch this asshole turian guy."
She couldn't help but blink back the swell of happiness she felt, holding onto the gifts. "It's a Christmas miracle…" Shepard whispered, in awe. "Honestly, how did you know I needed chocolate bark?"
"You always need chocolate bark." Heather said as if she had just been asked the most obvious question in all existence.
"Well, that's beside the point. It gets so horrible, just eating paste for days on end, or weeks on end. This…this will help me out a lot." Shepard smiled, drawing her friend into a light hug. As they separated, she noticed Heather's body tense up. "What's wrong?"
"Shepard, there is a krogan on your ship." Heather whispered frantically.
"Oh, yeah. Wrex. He grumbles a lot and generally doesn't like to talk to people unless you come bearing ryncol or something." She explained, before gesturing over to Garrus, who was half-hidden as he worked under the Mako. "And that's Garrus Vakarian. Former C-Sec, all around decent guy, though unless you're up for some stories, don't get him talking about his old job. Pretty gruesome stuff."
"So you have a krogan, a turian and a quarian onboard?" Heather asked, surprised.
"I've also got an asari on the ship. No salarians, volus or elcor, though." Shepard said, taking a moment to wonder where the hell an elcor would fit on the ship were one to be brought onboard.
"An asari? I thought you avoided everything that's blue." Heather asked, seemingly skeptical of her intentions. I used to, it's just…
"She's nice. She's actually pretty important to chasing Saren down, so it's a no-brainer keeping her aboard." Shepard stated. "Besides, I can't really get choosy at this point. She's really smart, though. Means well."
Shepard started to cross the cargo bay, Heather in tow, but Joker's voice came over the comms before they neared the engine room.
"Commander?" she heard the pilot ask, sounding more formal than usual.
"Yes, Joker?" Shepard responded, rolling her eyes. How does he always know where I am?
"I've got a transmission coming from the Citadel in the comms room. Probably Udina, though I'm not sure." Joker said calmly.
"I'll…I'll go up and see what it's about. Thanks Joker." She said, feeling the wind die in her sails. I wanted to show her the engine room…
"I guess you should probably see to it. Official duties and all." Heather noted. "It's alright, I can explore by myself."
"Alright. Tali, our resident quarian, will probably be in the engine room. Adams, the chief engineer, might be as well, but I think he's probably away with the crew right now. Just ask Tali to show you around or answer any questions… she's a really nice kid." Shepard said, backing up toward the elevator. "And try not to do that whole intense stare thing you do…"
"Shepard…" Heather called out as a warning, drawing a laugh from her commander.
"I'm just saying, you can be really intimidating! Try not to scare her witless! Anyway, let me know if there's anything you need when I get back. I'll be down in a bit." Shepard yelled through the promptly shutting doors.
Oh well, I'm sure she'll be fine… she mused, her only hope that Heather wouldn't terrify Tali accidentally. I wonder why Udina would call me this early?
Shepard stood in the comm. room as two holograms flickered into existence, one of Ambassador Udina and the other of Captain Anderson. She wasn't tremendously surprised at the former, but the latter's attendance was a bit of a shock. It was the first time since she'd seen him since he'd handed the Normandy over to her, and she wasn't entirely sure what to say to him, still.
"Shepard, it is good of you to show up. I was wondering when you would remember your duty to the Systems Alliance." Udina sneered, his annoyance visible from the dull representation of his body language in the hologram.
"I've been a little busy lately, sorry. But I haven't forgotten my duty to the Alliance…I just returned from a mission in Artemis Tau, in fact." Shepard noted calmly. If he wants to try to rabidly tear me a new one, I'm going to play with him for a bit. He could have approached this the right way, but…alas…
"Yes, your unplanned and unmentioned exploits in Therum were a catastrophe, Shepard! Therum was not a location we had recommended you scout, it…it had no relevance at all. You singlehandedly caused more damage to humanity than I could have fathomed, destroying a newly uncovered prothean ruin which we could have drawn royalties from for centuries!" Udina raged, pointing at her. "Give me the mission reports."
Shepard started to pace around the small room. It was theatrical, as she already knew what she wanted to say, but she didn't feel like being tremendously crass and looking like she was actively distancing herself from the Alliance. "Afraid I can't do that, Ambassador. I'm sure you fully understand the importance of keeping some matters classified during times like these." She said calmly, stopping to face Udina.
"You may be a Spectre, Shepard, but you are still bound by some laws and authority. This is not a request." Udina spoke, his voice steely. She could imagine his eyes slightly bulging, but the holo wasn't defined enough for such detail.
"I don't listen to demands that put my crew at risk, Udina. The only reason I have the authority of a Spectre is because of the help I was provided in bringing Tali'Zorah nar Rayya to safety. Without that, she would have died, the evidence against Saren would have been destroyed, and we would be completely without options." Shepard responded, her words taking on a little steel themselves. "This information was given to me, despite tremendous risk on their behalf. I'm not about to throw a powerful contact to the dogs just because you had to deal with a little fallout. I did what I had to do, Saren lost a precious asset, and we're better prepared for him going forward."
"It was more than just a little fallout Shepard. You truly expect me to take your word on this?" Udina asked, letting out a snide laugh.
"Well, I was the author of the mission reports anyways, so yes…I expect that. I expect you to trust that I'm doing what's best for humanity and the galaxy. Therum was a goddamned victory." She said, exasperated. "Look, I understand your frustration. I've had dozens of missions where I've been left without critical information that I needed to do a good job, due to some bullshit need-to-know basis that was actually just a cover-up or someone having fun using their authority to prove their power over others. Kept me from doing the job the way it needed to be done, so I understand. I don't like this any more than you do, but I can't tell you what happened down there. It could really hurt our chances at catching Saren. Just do your best, and trust that I won't lead you into ruin. I've had to do that hundreds of times for the Alliance, and I'm still here, aren't I?"
Udina stood silent for a number of moments, visibly seething. "I will not pursue this then, on the condition that you inform me of what the hell you're doing going forward." The Ambassador growled. "Anderson, you deal with her. I have more cleaning up to attend to."
Udina's holo promptly vanished, leaving Shepard and Anderson standing in silence.
"You really dealt a blow to him, Shepard?" Anderson asked, sounding hopeful.
"Yeah, he's going to have a damn difficult time learning about the protheans from here on out. That gives us an edge." Shepard said enthusiastically, choosing her words carefully.
"It would if we knew better on how to learn about protheans…unless…" Anderson said, pausing as Shepard's smile widened. Anderson nodded his head and grinned. "Good work, kid. I won't ask how you did it, but I'm glad you did. Udina's just got a lot of human businesses on his back thinking the Council sent you as a way to subvert their and humanity's success. I didn't figure you for the type."
"Hah, no. Not exactly. But I wasn't lying about doing a mission for the Alliance in Artemis Tau. You ever hear of Admiral Kahoku?" Shepard asked, curious as to whether or not they had any history.
"Yes, I served under him earlier in my career. Good man, but stern. What about him?" Anderson asked, his expression hardening as Shepard's darkened.
"He sent me into Knossos after a recon squad of his vanished. They were looking for some Armistan Banes guy that was serving under Kahoku at the time." Shepard began, glad it was Anderson she was telling the story to rather than Udina.
"Banes? I'd be glad to never hear than man's name again in my life. What happened?" the Captain queried, as Shepard began to pace.
"It was a clusterfuck, Anderson. We found what turned out to be a turian distress signal on Edolus, and took the Mako down to investigate it. Anderson…it was a second trial of Akuze. Recon team got lured to the surface, found the distress signal, and a damned thresher maw wiped them out. Almost took me and my ground team out too, and we didn't escape unwounded." Shepard ranted, a flood of emotions coursing through her veins.
"Shepard, I'm…wait, what do you mean a second 'trial' of Akuze? You're suggesting it's linked to…what exactly?" Anderson asked, shaking his head.
"Anderson, we recovered the transponder. I had the comms team give it a thorough analysis and…they found Cerberus' sigil on some of the equipment. I think they not only re-enacted Akuze…they DID Akuze. It's their MO and you know it." Shepard spoke, her body vibrating from the fury that the shady organization fueled her with.
"It makes some sense, but Shepard…they looked into it and didn't find anything out. This may have been Cerberus, but Akuze? I…" Anderson began before Shepard felt her mouth move and her words cut him off.
"Kahoku came to me in desperation, Anderson. A goddamn rear admiral who was buried in red tape, trying to find out what happened to his recon team. That's all he wanted to know, and he couldn't get any resources. Someone…some people maybe, higher up than him, decided it was out of bounds." Shepard blurted out, her words coming fast and furious. "Atwood never got any answers on Akuze. She fought goddamn hard and look at where that got her…a shit placement out on Horizon with the local militia kids. We both can see the signs there, Captain. I sent a report back to Kahoku, but he hasn't gotten back to me. Is there anything…anything at all that you know about Cerberus that could remotely help?"
Anderson paused and let out a sigh. "When we brought Fiske in for questioning, I was put on the periphery. Alliance brought in their big guns to talk to him. Didn't get much out of him before he up and died."
"Yeah, I knew about that. A goddamn waste of time…how could they not get something?" Shepard asked, feeling those old emotions boil back up again.
"I…Shepard, I'm going to come clean with you. What I'm about to tell you will not leave this room, or…or you could make some very powerful enemies, and not even your title of Spectre would help you." Anderson noted, to which Shepard immediately nodded. "Back after the First Contact War, the Alliance began studying other species and how they operated in the galaxy. It didn't take long to notice a similar trend…Salarian STG, Turian Blackwatch, Asari Justicars…each species had its own wing of dealing with the dirty problems that prevented them from progressing and holding power. The Alliance followed suit and decided to create their own black ops."
Shepard paled as Anderson's words spilled out, finding it difficult to comprehend the reality he was spinning, yet feeling dumbfounded over having not considered it in the past. Mother of Christ…Alliance test geth weapons on corpses…Cerberus would do it on live people and develop bio-weapons…Christ, yeah, why didn't I see that before?
"Cerberus was founded to promote humanity at any cost, and it didn't take long for the program to spiral out of the Alliance's hands and into the hands of businesses and politicians. No one really knew who lead Cerberus…it was rumoured to be three people, but our last solid intel on those leaders shows all of them are deceased…have been for over two decades." Anderson continued, grimacing. "They're as rogue as Saren is now, and I'm certain they have a number of people within the Alliance as well…especially within the old guard."
"So…so what the hell am I supposed to do now, knowing that? Fuck…that's why they were able to get to me and other kids so easily…goddamnit!" Shepard yelled, feeling the urge to slam her fist into something. She felt like she was sixteen again, and it was infuriating.
"Armistan Banes, the man you mentioned earlier who was working under Kahoku. He disappeared for a while when Cerberus went dark, he'd been one of the operatives under that branch, and came back about a year later. He was…changed. He's something of a…cleaner, for the Alliance. They figured, after Cerberus went dark, they'd just use a series of single agents to do the trick but…I've always had a nagging feeling he was a sleeper agent." Anderson explained. "If he went missing, then Kahoku would investigate. If you hand me the names of the recon team, I'll look into their history, their family ties, and see if I can dig anything up. The last thing we need is Cerberus getting in the way of our hunt for Saren."
Shepard nodded slowly, exhaling. "Yeah. Anderson…thanks. I really appreciate this."
"Well, I'm an old man now. It's the least I can do to help." The Captain answered, smiling.
"No really…this means a lot to me. I'm fucking infuriated, but…knowing I have someone on my side in this is a huge relief." Shepard continued, still surprised that Anderson was both being helpful, and that she felt comfortable with him helping. "Get in touch with Kahoku if you can, and I'll send you the data on the transponder frequency. Pull a favour if you can and try to find out if it matches the one from Akuze. We get that, and I figure you and the rear admiral can pull Atwood in and get her to help out. Chances are they already know Kahoku's digging around but internally…I doubt they'll do anything, even with a transfer like that. And I don't think many will really suspect you, but I'm not really sure of your rep or anything."
"That sounds like a sound plan. I'll check around, keep my head low. In the meantime, Udina and I came across a potential lead for you." Anderson noted, drawing Shepard's full attention away from thoughts of Cerberus.
"I'm all ears, Anderson." She said quickly, earning a brisk nod.
"One of our colonies on Feros has gone offline. No transmissions for a day now, and…the only intel we have is that there was a Geth dreadnought sighted entering the system." Anderson explained, shooting her a knowing look. "Normally I wouldn't feel a little excited over this, but all other reported attacks on colonies have just stated minor geth presence. An actual dreadnought…that places Feros as a high priority for Saren, for some reason."
"So do we know anything outside of the dreadnought? I mean, I'm going to check it out as soon as possible, but I need to know more than the planet's name." Shepard reasoned.
"Well, the colony is Zhu's Hope. At least, that's the one that was referenced. It's not an official Alliance colony, it's overseen by a private corporation that the Alliance funds, Exogeni." Anderson said, practically spitting the company's name. "They've refused to say anything about why a dreadnought would attack their colony, but it must be something major."
"Alright, so we'll be walking in blind…but that only means I'll tear the whole fucking place apart." Shepard noted quietly.
"Udina doesn't want you to do that. He doesn't want another Therum, and Feros…is a planet that was once populated by protheans." Anderson explained cautiously. "We need you to be a little graceful here. Human investments and all."
"Alright, but if everything goes to hell down there then…then I'm going to do what I have to. You know that. Besides, if it's a known place that the protheans lived on, they've had millennia to study it. The Council can screw themselves if they get mad at me for causing a little collateral damage, when geth fucking dreadnoughts are probably bombarding the planet from space." Shepard ranted, clenching and unclenching her fingers, her knuckles cracking with each repetition.
"I know you will, and I trust you." Anderson stated firmly. "You're doing a great job, Shepard. Now go get ready, I've talked to you for long enough."
"Thank you Captain. Good luck." She called out as the man cut his transmission. Fuck…Feros…well, a lead is a lead, and if there's geth, then Saren wants something…in this case, he wants it bad…
She turned and practically bolted out of the comm. room toward the CIC.
"Pressly! We need to set a course for Feros." She exclaimed as he came into view. The man was startled by the volume of her speech, but nodded and opened up his terminal. "And I need reports to go out to everyone on shore leave right now, that they have five hours to get back to the ship. We leave in five. I'll personally get on fast tracking any supply orders that haven't come in yet."
"Aye aye, ma'am." The aging man called out as she passed him on her way to the stairwell. The elevator ride to the basement would be a long wait, but it would give her time to plan, to weigh her options. What fucking ground crew do I take into a blind hellhole?
The turian was right where he'd seemingly been most of the day, kneeling inside of the Mako, putting final touches on his calibrations of its weapon systems. She walked up the back ramp and plopped down on one of the surprisingly comfortable seats.
"So, you wanted to talk?" She asked simply. Garrus had sent her a message a half hour ago, saying he had a small favour to ask.
"Oh hey, Shepard." Garrus noted, his focus not trailing from his work. "You know, I'm kind of starting to love this strange beast. Still could use more firepower, but…well, I can't complain. I knew working with a Spectre would be better than at C-Sec. I get to calibrate weapons as much as I like, and I don't have to deal with a week of paperwork after every little thing."
Shepard laughed at the remark and gave a gentle pat against the Mako's frame. "Yeah, well, I guess I could pass some your way, if you missed it. Spectres aren't exactly free of that stuff."
"Well, at least you get to make your own rules, bypass red tape." Garrus said calmly, closing the secondary cannon's terminal and opening the main one's.
Shepard quirked her head to the side, wondering where Garrus was going with his statements. "Well, usually the rules are there for a reason. I mean, I'm not the biggest proponent of doing things by the book all the time, but it's important to pay attention to protocols."
"Maybe, but sometimes it feels like they keep me from doing my job. If I have to catch a suspect, it shouldn't matter how I do it, so long as I catch them. It's a big reason why I left the force." Garrus explained, his mandibles wavering slightly.
"I'm not going to say they make everything perfect or great, Garrus. Rules, to me, are like tactics. I follow all of the standard ones until something comes up that I need to adapt to, and forces me to change my approach. I never operate without rules, and when I strip parts of them away, I make sure I know why I'm doing that, and not to make a habit of it." She reasoned, stretching her legs and propping them up on another nearby seat. "I just hope you know what you've gotten yourself into."
"It's not that I wanted to leave…I hated it. My father's a proud former C-sec officer, and working in the force was a great honour. It's just that as I rose in ranks, I got saddled with more red tape, and my ability to catch criminals…it got to the point where it was baffling. I blame a lot on Executor Pallin, who 'enhanced' protocols and regulations when he was appointed." Garrus said, leaning away from the terminal, turning his focus to Shepard. "On a street with three civilians walking by, I couldn't take a clear shot at a mob leader running away. Not even a shot at his leg…not even with stun rounds…if there are civilians nearby and you can't physically catch and tackle the suspect, you're basically out of luck." He finished, his head sagging.
"And your turian honour prevents you from breaking the rules while on the job, I imagine?" Shepard asked, earning a reluctant nod. "Well I'll admit, that seems really restrictive. I can't promise there won't be similar cases on this hunt of ours, but so long as you follow my lead, I think we'll be able to work something out."
"Thanks, Shepard. And…look, when we were back on the Citadel, I stopped by to see a friend." Garrus noted, his darkened tone drawing Shepard's full attention. "She runs a clinic in the wards…was a great help in tracking Tali down."
"Doctor Michel, right?" She asked for confirmation, absolutely butchering the woman's last name.
"Yeah. She's run into a bit of trouble. Williams and I did a bit of investigative work." Garrus continued, earning a smirk from Shepard. So Ash did take my advice…I'll have to talk to her later, see how she handled it. "And we came across a name of someone who's blackmailing her and threatening to put her out of business."
She shrugged and gave him an apologetic look. "Garrus, I'm sorry, we…well, we've got Feros coming up, and I don't like to plan that far ahead. If I can help, I'll help, but it'll probably have to be the next time we hit the Citadel."
"I know you're busy Shepard, that's why I'm asking if you'll talk to Wrex for me. I know he's the Shadow Broker's agent here…he might be able to pull some information on the bastard." Garrus said, his determination to help winning her over bit by bit. I really shouldn't fall into debt over something this potentially minor…
"Give me the name, and I'll see if I can't work something out." Shepard said, sighing quietly, hoping she wouldn't regret her decision.
"Armistan Banes. I don't…" the turian began, before Shepard practically exploded off her seat.
"What?!" She yelled out, one hand on her head in shock, the other slowly clenching. Slowly, she crossed over and knelt beside him. "Tell me everything." He finished, through grit teeth.
"Well, um…Doctor Michel knew this guy from a ways back, and he's using a…judgment call of hers in the past to blackmail her. He's been having her send medical supplies down to Morlan's in exchange for his silence." Garrus stated cautiously, curiously eyeing Shepard over. "I take it you know who he is."
"He's most likely part of Cerberus, a human extremist group. Banes was one of their sleeper agents in the Alliance, except he went missing. That shit on Edolus? That was probably him baiting the recon team." Shepard explained, trying to tone down her anger. "I'm going to tell Anderson about this, he's a Captain in the Alliance, and he's trying to dig up more on Banes and Cerberus right now. Having a paper trail from Morlan's might help figure out where the hell this guy's hiding, and why he'd need those medical supplies. Can you get her to send you a list of what she's sent out?"
"I can. Thanks for helping Shepard." Garrus said with relief, turning back to his console.
"Thanks yourself. Anything helps. In the mean time, I'm going to find something to punch." She grumbled, leaving the confines of the Mako.
Banes being involved in Edolus is one thing, but…damn it, if he's involved in something else like this, he must be pretty well connected. If we find him, maybe we can find out more about the Cerberus leaders…why the hell is this happening now?
Liara waited patiently in the elevator, wishing it would go faster, but also wishing it would only reach their destination when she was fully prepared. Word had spread around the Normandy that the ship was en route for Feros, an old prothean-colonized planet that was more of a ruin than anything. After sitting out the mission on Edolus, she felt a distinct need to be of some help to the crew if she were to remain on the ship. Shepard had already asked if she had biotic ability, and the fact that she did seemed to please the commander. Still, she wanted to be included on the ground mission, and wondered if it was too big of a leap of faith for Shepard to take. I am sure she would be reasonable at the very least…
She looked down at her gloved hands and wondered whether her biotics would carry her far enough, as she hadn't been incredibly proficient with pistols in the past. I…I am certain I could be of some use…in some position…
She swallowed back her apprehension as the elevator finished its sluggish trip to the cargo bay. Her hand lightly touched the button to open the doors, and she stepped out to the sight of Shepard circling around a tall red leather bag over near the lockers, hanging from a stubby steel outcropping from the wall. I suppose with space so limited, it would be difficult to designate specific exercise areas…
Her steps slowed eventually to a stop as her eyes traced the human's movements around the bag, Shepard's arms snapping forth intermittently, her legs following the odd punch with thunderous strikes that echoed through the cavernous bay. Her body would launch herself at the bag occasionally, her knees colliding with the object viciously.
Liara's gaze shifted down the woman's legs; short, clingy material cut off mid-thigh and offered her a good look at Shepard's muscular tone, her pale skin glistening in sweat from the activity. She was practically dancing around in a half circle, on the balls of her feet; the human's form was unfamiliar to her, and she wondered if there was a particular martial style she was practicing. It is not so dissimilar to the Jhoe'lyae form Shiala would practice each morning, but this is more… chaotic, and Shiala would strike at a greater distance… Her eyes slowly worked their way back up, resting for a few seconds on Shepard's wide, amply cushioned hips, taking all of her will to pry them further upward. Shepard wasn't quite as public with her torso, although a black skintight workout tee left little to the imagination in terms of her figure. Her eyes hugged the commander's upper reaches intently as she made note that there was surprisingly little movement on their behalf. Perhaps humans are different in that area. I should do some…research later… Liara's eyes traced a path further upward, appreciating the woman's slender neck, blushing as Shepard gave a light grunt, sending a kick roaring into the bag. It is no wonder she was able to carry me out of Therum…she is magnif…she is in magnificent shape. Her legs look so…Goddess, they are like…
"Shepard, you have a visitor." She heard grumbled from off to the side, blushing as she noticed Wrex staring nonchalantly at her. The woman halted her exercise, but continued to bounce in place off one foot, then the other.
"Oh hey! What's up, Liara?" Shepard asked, following it with a bright smile. Her breathing was slightly labored, her face slightly flushed, and her hands rested casually against her hips. Liara marveled at how the human's hair had come somewhat loose, with a number of thick, curly strands plastered across her forehead, one large one trailing down her left cheek.
"I do not mean to interrupt, Shepard. I apologize." Liara stated, feeling a familiar blush heat her cheeks. Stop being so crude, Liara…you were just staring at her…you came here for a reason, not to ogle the commander's strong, dripping wet legs…it is not taboo to compliment other asari on their physique, but…I feel Shepard would take offense…she is not a dancer up for display! Although with those legs…and those hips…
"It's alright, I was finishing up, anyway. What's on your mind?" the woman openly wondered, gesturing Liara to join her over near the lockers, where Shepard grabbed a towel and began patting herself dry.
"I…know that we will be arriving at Feros soon. I was wondering if you had plans to take me along with you." Liara said nervously, her eyes darting away to the nearby table.
Shepard leaned back against a locker and rubbed her chin lightly. "You know, I kind of forgot to run you through the basics. I mean, you've told me you have years of using your biotics, and you've probably handled some sort of firearm before, right?" Shepard asked thoughtfully, her gaze softening as Liara shrunk at the mention of firearms.
"I…have not fired a gun in nearly a decade, Shepard. My biotics have never put me in a position where a pistol would be more sufficient." She explained, earning a slow nod from the commander.
"Well, are you busy right now? Can we do a little training to see exactly what you can do? I'll need to see if you'll be able to handle yourself down there." Shepard said, grabbing the nearby water bottle and squirting a generous amount of the fluid into her mouth. Liara mustered a nod, all she felt she could will herself to as the pain in her chest returned. "Good. I'll grab Ash to kit you up in armor. I'll be back in ten."
Liara watched Shepard cross the cargo bay over to the Mako, where Williams and Garrus were conversing, and blushed as she locked onto the woman's slight, but noticeable, sway. She remained with the duo for a few moments before departing for the elevator, leaving Liara to watch the gunnery chief practically tromp over to the table.
"You sure you want to do this, Doctor?" Williams asked, sounding skeptical. "I mean, you're not exactly a soldier."
Liara shook her head and gave a firm look to the woman. She knew Williams did not care for her, and did not want to give the marine any opportunity to think less of her. "I am not a soldier, but I am a Matriarch's daughter. I was trained in combat by asari commandos, and I still perform my daily rituals each morning. I may not be well trained in firearms, but I will devote myself to it if my biotics are not satisfactory."
Williams shrugged, letting out a sigh as she opened up a large container. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you, doc. I'm not sure what Shepard's cooking up for you, but it probably won't be easy. She's got some high standards."
Liara merely nodded and eyed up the armor Ashley was pulling from the bin and piling on the table. The fitting did not take long; Williams had provided her with a light bodysuit made of a light weave that had some stabilizers built in to absorb biotic attacks. Shepard had apparently picked it out for her when they had been shopping but she hadn't recalled being questioned over measurements. Not that it truly matters, this is more form fitting than anything, and it fits me like a glove…would Shepard wear something like this?
The elevator opened with a light creak, Shepard happily trotting out of it, carrying a small box and a blasto plushie. She heard Williams laugh under her breath beside her, and personally found it difficult to keep from grinning at the silly contents the woman was carrying. Shepard stopped a few metres short of them and pulled out a thick white rock from the box, kneeling to the floor. Liara watched, puzzled as the human traced a rough looking circle on the metal flooring and placed the plushie carefully in the middle of it. She then hopped back to her feet and approached the two of them, appearing more serious than when she had emerged from the elevator. Shepard gave Liara a quick look over and shrugged her shoulders.
"Alright, Liara, I want you to stand anywhere in that circle." She stated, gesturing toward the small space. Liara obediently followed and stood there awkwardly, shifting her weight as apprehension filled her. Shepard, for her part pulled a pair of slightly padded gloves out of the box and slipped them on.
"Is…is there a reason for the hanar stuffed toy?" Liara asked sheepishly earning a quick nod from the woman.
"We'll be heading down to a colony. No idea if there's adults there, kids, or whatever. That hanar represents a small child for this exercise." Shepard stated firmly. "I need to know that you can protect those that are vulnerable down there. There will be geth all over the place if my guesses are correct, and that puts a lot of people in danger. You don't have strong gun training, so I'll be checking your biotics first."
Liara nodded in understanding. It made sense for her to have to prove her defensive abilities first and foremost if she were to be placed in a supportive role. "What do you need me to do, Shepard?"
Shepard turned and yelled after Wrex, who, after a number of attempts, finally lumbered over to them. "Wrex, you're more familiar with asari in combat than I am. I want you to make note of whatever forms or posture she's using, and whether or not there may be some improvements she could make." She noted, earning a nonsensical grumble from the krogan. "I know you're eating the goddamn MREs, so can it. You owe me, and you have more experience. You do this, and I promise you a sparring match sometime in the future, alright?"
The big red krogan smiled at the offer and let out a low chuckle. "Alright, Shepard. But it'll have to be off this damned ship."
"Whatever. It'll be planetside, whenever we find the time. For now, I need you to watch Liara and see how she's doing." Shepard explained, earning an affirming grunt from Wrex. She then turned to Liara, her eyes lit up in amusement. "As for you, I want you to erect a barrier when I say 'go'."
Liara's brow furrowed in confusion, not quite understanding the purpose. "Shepard, you must be aware that barriers look alike…the only difference is how they flicker in and out when they're failing." Liara stated, looking sidelong at the commander.
"Right you are. I want you to put up a damn strong barrier when I say go, because I'm going to be doing my damnedest to break it. We'll do a few trials, each growing more intense as we go, and I'll see how I feel afterward." Shepard said casually, a small smirk tugging at the edge of her lips. Liara couldn't help but pale at the thought of a Spectre assaulting her defenses, and suddenly felt immense regret. Shepard must have sensed her concern, as she leaned her head down slightly to meet Liara's gaze. "I'm not going to try and kill you or anything…I've been using my biotics for a long time, I know how to control them, and I'm not going to let you get hurt. Trust me." The woman said, her words soft and reassuring. She ignored Wrex's grunt of displeasure and gave the commander a smile in acknowledgement.
Liara watched the woman slowly circle away from her, putting some distance between them. Liara pivoted herself in place, matching the human's movements as she counted down slowly from five. She focused on her meditation techniques, focusing and calming herself as her stance widened slowly, as her breaths grew longer and steadier. She barely heard the key word escape Shepard's lips, but the impact of the woman's knee against her swiftly erected barrier sent an audible crack through the room and skidded Liara backward an inch or three, sending a short gasp from her lips in shock. She was metres away just a moment ago… She watched as Shepard's body quickly recovered and spun around, her foot wreathed in blue, landing a potent kick against her barriers that momentarily caused her focus to waver, her barrier to flicker. Shepard stopped her concise assault and nodded as she paced around Liara once again.
"Good, that was the first thing I was curious of, whether you'd be able to get a barrier up quickly enough, on reflex basically, and have it be sturdy enough to hold against a short concentrated attack." Shepard explained, a bead of sweat dripping from her chin and onto the floor. She turned her head and gave Liara a proud smile. "Good work, doc. Now, let's continue."
Shepard's assaults were frantic and relentless, each strike powerful enough to leave her short of breath. After a while, the woman would get crafty, charging alongside her barrier to a new striking point, causing her to immediately alter her bearings, and focus more on Shepard's movements than constructing a static barrier for defense. Each attack came in on a different level, from a different angle, with varying timing, keeping her on her toes and bringing back memories of her intense training sessions with Shiala. Shepard was nowhere near as fluid, nor was she using warps or throws, but the relentless barrage was eerily similar, as was her footwork. With each movement Shepard took, she tried to think in advance in order to keep her feet and barrier planted where they needed to be to protect her plushie. It was the commander's after all, and she didn't want it to be ruined. Thank Athame for all those years of combat training…
Her head felt ablaze, her body weakened from exertion, and she was drenched in sweat after the apparent six minute mark. Liara couldn't imagine how Shepard was able to dole out so much punishment after having exercised heavily prior to the session, unable to keep from marveling at the woman's conditioning. Goddess, will she ever stop? She wondered as she repositioned her barrier to block a kick, aware of how the woman had slowly been whittling her away from the plushie, slowly but surely. She'd had to shrink the field of her barrier to save energy, and at times extend it spatially to defend other sections due to how out of position she was. Shepard was taking full advantage of it, darting around her with a constant playful look on her face; she occasionally broke through her barriers momentarily, or whiffed through the air where she'd opted not to raise one strategically, but only made minor positioning gains, if any at all.
Liara shifted her barrier to block another kick, and panicked as Shepard instead feinted, charging off to the left instead. She spun around as quickly as she could, putting up a barrier behind her but it was too late. The audible crack of her barriers collapsing echoed through the room as her body went flying unceremoniously through the air toward a shocked looking gunnery chief. Oh Goddess! Just as she was about to collide with the hard metal floor, she felt a strange shift in momentum, her body instead slowly floating and twisting aimlessly a foot or two from the ground. What…
Before she could focus her biotics to recover, a pair of hands gently took hold of her shoulders and lower back, slowly guiding her closer to a standing position as the biotic lift wore off. She looked over her shoulder and gave Shepard a relieved smile, having appreciated the gesture. She hadn't felt so spent since her final exam with Shiala over two decades prior.
Shepard, for her part, looked exhausted, but entirely amused. The woman let out bursts of light laughter and she helped keep Liara stable, waiting for her to get her balance back. Is it truly so funny that I failed the trial? She thought, unable to suppress a frown as her cheeks blushed in shame. I wish she wouldn't laugh at me…
"Wrex…can you confirm what just happened, because I feel like I'm on crazy pills right now." Shepard said between laughs.
The krogan shot Liara a savage looking grin and pulled a grenade from his waist. "Should we give her a booster so we can test out grenades on her? Or maybe we should hop in the Mako and see what happens?"
Liara paled at the statement. I…they wouldn't!...Would they? I mean, truly, if they meant to execute me, they would surely use more efficient means, and…oh, Goddess…
"I'm sorry, Shepard. I…I tried really hard." Liara spoke, her voice breaking as the weight of her defeat and her exhaustion bore down upon her. "Please forgive me."
Liara wasn't prepared to be spun so quickly around, and her vision blurred from dizziness and fatigue from the action, her eyes taking a number of seconds to see the excited look on Shepard's face. "Liara…I don't know how you could possibly think you failed. I…fuck, where in the hell did you get that kind of juice from? I mean…every time I saw an opening, it was like you hadn't even tired out. I've never seen anyone lure my positioning with a barrier before…that's new. Never seen anyone make barriers just big enough for my attacks either." Shepard rambled, shaking her head slightly, offering out another laugh in disbelief. "You're a damn strong biotic."
Liara cast her eyes down to the floor, trying to make sense of all the confusing banter. But…what about the Mako? It…I don't understand, if they would… she tried to organize her storm of thoughts but her head was pounding and she was too tired to think properly. A hand caught her chin and lifted it until her eyes met the commander's. Goddess, those eyes are so…radiant…
"Liara, I'm proud of you. You were great." Shepard whispered, her voice soothing her fears. "Let's get you a booster, your head must be pounding, and I don't want you to feel any worse for wear after that fantastic defense." The woman gently wrapped an arm across Liara's back, her hand taking residence under Liara's armpit for support as the two sluggishly made their way over to the bench on the far side of the bay. Despite Shepard's obvious exhaustion, Liara still felt a comforting strength in her arms as she was held close against the human's sweat soaked body. We are about the same height, I think…depending on if her hair fur is solid, she may be slightly shorter, but…certainly not diminutive…she realized as she was led across the cargo bay.
Shepard gently eased her down onto the bench and rummaged in a nearby crate, grabbing out two tubes, one green and one red. "I know you don't like nutrient pastes, but these are actually pretty good." The woman said, still grinning ear to ear. "I made sure to splurge on these, because after a good session, or a mission, it's nice to have something that doesn't taste heinous. Lemon-lime, or Cherry?"
Liara fought against the urge to just lay down and sleep on the cold, hard bench and reached for the red tube due to it being closer. She unscrewed the top lazily and squeezed a generous amount into her mouth, immediately noticing the pleasant, tangy flavor. Mere moments later the urge to sleep was gone and she felt slightly more energetic, her head no longer throbbing in pain.
She took a moment to find the words to her confusion and turned to Shepard, who was happily slurping back the paste. "So…Wrex was joking?" she asked, her eyes momentarily glancing at the krogan who had returned to his regular standing area. "I mean…about the Mako and grenades."
Shepard merely cocked her head to the side and swallowed what was in her mouth, suppressing another laugh. "No, no, I'm pretty sure he was curious. Although I'm pretty sure he also likes using big guns and causing explosions."
"I…I see." It was all she could manage, her focus torn between the loose bun of hair on the woman's head, and the post-trial realizations flooding her head. Eventually, the latter won, but not without much deliberation. "Shepard, I would be…cautious to place such confidence in my biotic ability, as you were unarmored, and my armor helped reduce the effect of your attacks, and you were already tired, and…"
"I would have been slower with armor on. No way I would have gotten you so close to the edge of the bubble otherwise. It was hard enough maneuvering against you without restrictions. I think it's safe to say you're fit for at least a support role." Shepard explained before finishing off her tube. "Honestly…I've never seen someone be able to keep their focus so steady for so long, you were pretty incredible."
Liara blushed at the compliment and found words spilling out of her throat faster than she could screen them. "You have the prowess of an Asari huntress, Shepard, and I do not say that lightly." Liara blurted out, forcing her blush to deepen. She cleared her thoughts and gave herself a moment before continuing, turning her focus from the Spectre. "I…was trained by House T'Soni's greatest for years. They taught me all that I know, and I am fortunate that it may be enough to help you in your mission."
Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Shepard's arm go to her neck, enacting her nervous tic as the woman blushed fiercely. Goddess, I just had to go and say something to embarrass her…Oh, I wish I were better at this…
"Any secret tips or techniques you could pass my way? From one biotic to another?" Shepard asked, a hint of shyness in her body language as she stifled a yawn.
"I…well, there is always meditation. It…helps me with my control. I perform the rituals each morning, you could join me, if you like." Liara replied uncertainly; feeling her warm cot calling out to her, she screwed the cap back on the tube, handing it back to the Commander, who dumped it back into the crate. She couldn't help but notice that despite devouring the entire tube of her stim, the woman still appeared to be exhausted. She looks as if she's not sleeping well…perhaps I shall show her some other rituals to help? Or…perhaps I can approach her about using a meld to help her understand the visions? Or would it be too soon for that? I do not want to hurt her…
"I would…really like that. I look forward to it." Shepard noted quietly, a smile spreading across her face again, causing Liara's chest pressure to return.
She got to her feet, waving off Shepard as politely as she could manage, signaling she could walk on her own. "I will get some well needed rest then, Shepard. I wake at 0600 if that is acceptable."
Shepard shot her an easy smile and nodded, leaving Liara to turn and return to the elevator, feeling a swell of pride and satisfaction in herself after the day's events, though she did worry about the sensations in her chest. They are lasting longer than they were before…perhaps I really should ask Doctor Chakwas to give me a checkup, just in case…I do not wish to put the mission at risk just as I am being included.
She pressed the button to ascend and eagerly awaited a nice, peaceful rest in her cot. She momentarily worried about Shepard again, wondering if her sleep was also pleasant, but she quieted her concerns, recalling Shepard's promise the night before. Despite the wonderful sleep ahead, she found it was the morning she could not wait for. I am merely excited for the mission to start, to show what I can contribute to the rest of the crew…it will be nice to know that Shepard and Wrex at least believe in me…
She smiled at the thought and closed her eyes, waiting patiently to get to her destination.
A/N: Would have ended this chapter a bit earlier, but instead of leaving Liara's 'assessment' said instead of shown, a certain Tayg convinced me to do a little showing. ;) I figured "Why not add a bit more fluff, as they're not at Feros yet!" So I did. Feros may spread across two chapters. Not quite sure yet, but it probably will.
Only a paper and 2 exams left for the semester! Yay! I can't wait for free time :) More writing, most likely. Or more sleeping. Mayhaps both.
Super glad to have your support, and I hope my stories are giving you some enjoyable entertainment. Endless thanks to all those who read, write, review and/or follow, you're all such a wonderful motivating force :DAnd with this chapter, I pass Flotsam's word count. Really hard to believe, considering I'm still so early in this fic...kind of scary in a way...
For the first time in a while, I have no finished chapter after this, so expect a longer wait while I work on my projects. I hopefully won't have too large of a delay, but…I can only do what I can.
Anywho, hope the rest of your week is fantastic!