Chapter 37: Home sweet home
-Normandy, Sickbay
Commander Jane Shepard stepped out of the small shuttle they had stolen from the Pitony III, and helped Williams carry the unconscious Danger into the medbay. The miserable human was burned from head to toe, and her face was a battered and bloody mess. Jane couldn't believe the mercenary was even still breathing. She looked like a victim in a horror vid. Jane hoped that her friend would be able to recover.
"Doc, we need some help here. Hurry!" the commander said as they laid her friend out on a table.
The Normandy's medical officer rushed over, and started scanning the human with some sort of hand tool Jane didn't recognize.
"What happened to her, Commander? I've never seen burns this bad before." Dr. Chakwas reached across the table to retrieve a small surgical scissor and started cutting away the mercenary's clothing.
Jane stared at the bloody and burned mess that used to be Danger and said, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, and I am still not even sure that I believe it." She thought back to Tali's account of events and shook her head. There was just no way. It wasn't possible. Things like asari gods visiting humans and channeling powers through them was the sort of thing that only happened in fairy tales. Tali was surely just suffering the after effects of some sort of post-traumatic stress and mistook what she saw. It was probably just some kind of weapon backfire and explosion that caused everything.
"What caused these burns? Why didn't it touch her clothing? Was anyone else affected?" The doctor finished cutting away at the mercenary's casualwear, and all the crewmembers present aside from Jane turned their heads away respectfully. "It's all over her, but her clothes are untouched. Shepard, I have never seen anything like this. This should be burned into her skin…"
"Some sort of biotic field caused it, I think." Jane scratched the back of her head and shrugged. "She took a pretty hard beating. We're not really sure what happened, Doc. Can you patch her up?"
"All of you are going to have to get out of here. This is going to take some time, and I'm not even sure what I can do for her. Commander, I will let you know when I know more."
"Thanks, Doc. Is there anything you need? Can I get anything that will help?"
"Yes, Commander… actually there is." Dr. Chakwas went to her console and picked up a datapad. She punched some things onto it and handed it to the Jane. "Get this datapad to my colleague Jack North on the Citadel. Do not send it electronically. He usually visits the Med Clinic in the evenings. This is something he will want to see."
Jane took the datapad, but looked intently at the doctor. "What is this? Why can't it just be sent electronically?"
"I am not completely sure… yet. I need him to look at this data and confirm. He may want to come aboard to examine your friend."
Jane nodded. "That's fine. Anything that will get Danger back on her feet. If your friend can help, I'll make sure he has the access he needs." Jane went over to the doctor's console, and punched some security clearances into it. "There. No one should give him a hard time now."
"Commander, I don't mean to rush you, but we might want to get back to the Citadel. Pressly is ashore and thinks we are still docked…"
Jane turned to Williams and grinned. "Ash, you stole the Normandy? That's terrific!" Jane looked at the gunnery chief with new respect. "Don't worry about Pressly. If he squawks we can always say I came back aboard and had an errand to run. Besides, I don't think he's half as bad as everyone thinks he is. He might appear by the book, but I think there's a rebel in him, just waiting to get out." She grasped Ashley's shoulder and smiled. "Doc, take care of Danger. I'll stop by later to check on her."
Jane turned to salute the human healer, but Chakwas had already returned to the table to work on Danger's broken body. She connected the charred human to some monitoring equipment and injected her with some sort of liquid. Jane didn't want to speculate what it might be, and decided to leave the doctor to her work. Dr. Chakwas was the best, and if anyone could bring the mercenary back from the brink, it was her.
"Come on, there's nothing left to do in here." Commander Shepard led the team out of the medbay, and closed the door. She cocked her head to the side reaching up to her ear, and then remembered her earbud had been removed when she and Danger had been kidnapped. They had also taken the service pistol she always carried. "Damn. Ash, I need another pistol. Can you set me up with one?"
"You bet, Commander. I think I'm going to overhaul all the weapons before we go out into the field again. I don't want a situation like what we had up on that ship to ever happen again. I'll have all new equipment ready for your inspection by oh five hundred tomorrow."
"Ash, I admire your dedication to your craft, but there is no way in hell I'm going to be up that early." She rubbed her temple, and tried to ignore the low throb that was beginning in the back of her head. "Dismissed. Get our weapons back up to grade and take some time to relax. We'll be getting back to the mission soon enough, but we're going to stay at the Citadel at least until we know what's going on with Danger."
Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams saluted her superior officer. "Yes ma'am. Permission to go ashore? I told Kaidan I would save him from Pressly, and I'll need to get new rounds and some other supplies."
Jane looked at the gunnery chief suspiciously, but decided against asking her to clarify. "All right, Chief. I'm not sure I really want to know what the two of you are up to or how you managed all this. I swear, sometimes I think that bringing Danger here was a mistake. She's rubbing off on all of you. You have permission to do whatever you need to do. I'll talk to you later. Dismissed."
Ashley saluted again, then turned on her heel and departed.
Jane watched her walk away thoughtfully.
Gosh, she's a great officer. I'm putting that report in tomorrow. We're doing the entire Navy a disservice by holding her back like this.
The commander walked to a console on the wall and pressed a button. "Joker, take us back to the Citadel."
"Commander! It's great to hear your voice. What happened?"
"I'll stop up and tell you all about it later. For now, get us back to the Citadel and fast."
"You got it, Commander. Joker out."
Jane turned to Tali, and tried to gauge the quarian's state of mind. The woman was clearly shaken, but whether it was because of what she thought she had witnessed in the prisoner cell, or the sight of Danger's broken and bloody body, was anybody's guess. Either way, the commander was worried about the young engineer.
"Tali, do you need anything? Is everything ok?"
"No, I will be all right. I think I am going to go do some work on the engines. I need to do some work, right now…"
"All right Tali. Don't push yourself too hard though. Get some rest. It's been a long day for everyone. Don't worry about Danger. She's a stubborn ass. It will take a lot more to bring that idiot down than some asari god burning her alive with biotics." Jane tried to give the young woman her most reassuring smile, but it was impossible to tell whether it had the intended effect. Tali seemed to have darkened the environment in her suit, and Jane could barely see even the outline of the woman's face.
"Thank you, Commander. I will be in engineering if you need me." Tali stood there a moment more, and then did something uncharacteristic. She flung her arms around the commander's neck and nearly choked the human. Jane looked at Liara for support as she tentatively put her arms around the quarian, but the asari just considered Tali for a moment, and then shot Jane an accusing look.
Shit, I know what she's thinking... Good job yet again, Jane, on not doing a damn thing she asks you to. It's no wonder you can't advance this relationship…gosh…
After a few moments, the quarian loosened her grip on the commander. "Thank you, Shepard. I'm sorry. You're right; it has been a long day. I'm going to go rest now." Tali turned and strode away, and Jane scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
Finally, she turned to Liara. "Well, that was a hell of a day. I know what you are thinking with Tali, but it's just not what you think. Really. They are just good pals. That's it." She looked at her Omni-tool. "Good, it hasn't been as long as I thought. We only lost a day. I thought they had us drugged up for a lot longer in there. Sure as hell felt like it. I'm beat. You want to come relax with me a bit? You can tell me all about how you all managed this."
Liara looked at the commander and smiled, her brief anger at Jane for not speaking with the quarian forgotten. The human did look truly looked exhausted and Liara knew she should probably just let her sleep, but the truth was she had really missed Jane and didn't want to be away from her just yet.
I guess being kidnapped, drugged, and dragged halfway across the universe can tire out even the mighty Jane Shepard. It is good to know she is still only a woman. She needs me, and I am going to be there for her through all of this.
"Of course I do, Jane." Liara took the hand extended to her, and walked with the commander back to her quarters.
Of course I do. I do not ever want you out of my sight again…
-Normandy, Commander Jane Shepard's quarters
Commander Jane Shepard led the way to her cabin, trying to keep her steps steady. She hadn't been hurt during the event, but she still felt a little wobbly. Everything that had happened unnerved her. She could handle herself around things she could see and touch, or rather, see and shoot, but all of this craziness about gods and demons was making her seriously question her sanity.
I'm just a soldier. I'm supposed to just point and fire, not try to understand theology or mythology. That's the job of the scholars. This just keeps getting stranger and stranger. I guess I should have expected it. I mean, the asari have to be the most mysterious race in the galaxy. It makes sense that nothing about them would make sense… I guess.
They arrived at her door, and Jane punched in her access code. Her eyes widened as she looked around what used to be her neat and orderly room.
"Whoa, what the hell happened in here? Did Ash and Joker crash the ship into something before you guys got here?"
"Whoops… I had forgotten about this." Liara couldn't help but smile. Tables were upside down, chair seats were removed and hanging from the ceiling, and the bed coverings were draped across the room, segmenting it as if it were some sort of child's fortress. Jane's trunk was upended and all the contents were strewn across the room. "Danger and I um…"
"I should have known Danger was involved." Jane stepped inside and pulled a bed sheet out of the ceiling. "It looks like you two had quite a good time."
"Well… Yes… I am sorry Jane. Danger was so sad and I missed you so much, I just wanted to be close to you. It seemed like a really good idea at the time…"
Jane waved a hand dismissively and threw the bed sheet on the floor. She walked over and embraced Liara, whispering, "Don't worry about it. I'm just so glad to be out of there and back here with you."
"Jane," Liara said as she wrapped her arms around the human's torso. "Do not ever do that to me again. I was so scared when I could not find you." She buried her face in Jane's shoulder, and closed her eyes.
"I won't, Liara. I could never leave your side. They'll have to drag me away from you. Nothing short of getting spaced could rip me from your arms ever again."
She held the asari for a few more moments, and then pulled away, running her fingers through her hair.
"Listen, I really need to get cleaned up. I have no idea what this… this grease was that Danger put on me, but it's disgusting and it's making my skin crawl." She walked over to a dresser and opened the drawer, revealing half a pizza crust and various crumbs placed throughout. "Wow, this is almost as bad as the time she raided my apartment on Earth. I'm glad we are in space where she can't get hold of any insects or worms. That cleanup was a nightmare. I was finding caterpillars in my clothing for a solid week…" Jane picked up one of her ship casualwear suits and shook the crumbs out of it. "Good old Darla. You can always count on her to do the most immature thing possible when dealing with a crisis." Her voice cracked at the end of her statement, and she leaned forward, with her hands on the bureau.
I'm not going to cry yet, Darla. I'm sure you are fine. It's just a beating, and you've had worse, right? You said so yourself. All this about demons and gods is just nonsense. Tali probably just had some fog on her helmet or something, and Sha'ira just enjoys intrigue. The doctor will patch you up with some medigel, and that will be that. Everything will be just fine. Maybe I will have the ambassador pull some strings and get you assigned here as a mechanic. Maybe I don't even really have to. I'm a Spectre now, and can do what I want, right? Damn it, Darla. I wish you had never met that asari. She's caused nothing but trouble.
Liara saw the internal struggle Jane was going through, and slipped up behind her, snaking her arms around the woman's belly and resting her head on Jane's shoulders. "It's ok, Jane. She's going to be fine. She's going to be just fine."
Jane let her chin drop to her chest, and just enjoyed the sensation of Liara's arms around her. It was so good to be back on the ship, comfortable and safe, and close to her asari. They stood there like that for a few moments, before she turned around and leaned her forehead against the shorter woman's head. "I need to go get cleaned up, Liara. Let's go back to the safe house tonight. I don't feel like straightening this place up."
Liara sighed and said, "It is no longer safe. Danger was followed to it. She is going to have to find a new place, I think."
"Damn. She has gotten sloppy. That matriarch has really destroyed her. Back in the old days, they called her the Phantom. You never saw Danger unless Danger wanted to be seen. Of course, I knew all her tricks. She couldn't get past me." Jane rested her chin on Liara's head, and the asari leaned into her, sighing softly and burying her face in the human's neck. "All right well, let me get cleaned up and we can figure out what to do later. Make sure you tell Danger her safe house has been compromised, in case I forget. I've been doing a lot of that lately…" Jane grinned and gave the asari a squeeze.
"Ok, Jane. I can take that datapad to the Med Clinic and pick up some food while you wash."
"That's a really good idea, Liara." Jane took the datapad out of her pocket and handed it over. "That Jack North character should be getting there shortly. I'll see you in a little bit." She kissed the asari's forehead, and then entered her washroom and closed the door.
Liara stood there looking at it for a few minutes, more than a little disappointed that Jane had walked away with such limited physical contact.
Well, you did bring all of this upon yourself, you know. You've had ample opportunity to advance this, and quite a bit of help along the way as well.
Who are you?
That's for me to know, and you to... not know. Surprise!
Why are you in my head?
Where else would I be?
You know what I mean.
My, aren't we getting bold? Perhaps you will grow bold enough to finally take what is yours. Perhaps.
I do not have to listen to this. I am not going mad. I've had enough of these insane whisperings.
Ha, I am just getting started...
Liara stowed the datapad in a pocket and looked around at the mess of a room.
I'll help Jane clean this up later. Right now, I should just go deliver the doctor's note. Today really has been exhausting, and I just want it to be over with already so I can relax in her arms.
She glanced once more at the closed washroom door. She wanted so badly to just walk in that room and lose herself in the human's embrace, but…
You are right… I am not so bold. I am a coward.
Pity. She wouldn't refuse you, you know…
Liara sighed and placed her hands on either side of her head, as if she could hold her thoughts in.
I must be going mad. Maybe… maybe the stress of all of this really is too much for me to handle. Maybe I should just go back to Thessia, see to mother's estate, and just walk away from all of this. Then Jane would not be distracted anymore, I would not be going through this mental madness anymore, and the galaxy would go on just as it did before.
You can't walk away from this, Liara. We are well past the point of anyone just… walking away now.
"I need to get some air… and you need to get out of my head."
No, thank you. It's actually rather cozy in here. I can see why she kept you company for so long.
Liara straightened herself up, made her way back out to the hallway, and headed for the Citadel.
-Normandy, Jane's washroom
Commander Jane Shepard undressed, and threw her clothing straight into the garbage chute. It was a sweaty and greasy mess, and she wasn't sure that even the advanced laundering systems the Normandy had could possibly clean all the oil out of it. She raked her fingers through her hair a couple times, and then turned on the water, as hot as it would go. She stepped into the shower and leaned against the wall as the liquid poured down her back.
I hope you're ok, Danger. You aren't the only one who should have been more alert. I've been just as distracted by Liara, and I didn't notice anything amiss, either. Both of us should have been paying more attention. We're highly trained specialists, and a two bit nothing like Red should have never even gotten close to us, especially together. This is still a dangerous place, and the world hasn't been put on hold just because we decided to get involved with the two most complicated asari in the galaxy.
Jane leaned back and picked up her small bar of soap. It felt good to clean off the grease, and she was surprised at how easily it washed away. She had been fully expecting to have to get some of Danger's 'Hand Sand' as she called it, to get the stain out of her skin. As it was, the dirt and grime flowed off her body and swirled down the drain, the warm water washing away the memory of the day.
Well, I guess it doesn't matter now. Hindsight is 20/20, as Tali would say. And, this gave Ash an opportunity to prove herself. What a rescue, and what coordination. I can't wait to see what she does next.
Jane took great care in washing her black hair, ensuring that all the grease was rinsed clean. She wasn't very fussy about her hair in general, having never taken to styling it like some other women did, but she did like it clean. She finished washing the rest of her body quickly, and stepped back out of the shower.
That's so much better now. I think it's even gotten rid of my headache.
Jane dried herself off, and pulled on the casualwear she had laid on the counter. Picking up a brush, she combed out her hair, and then brushed her teeth. It was a pretty standard ritual, one that she'd had since she was a kid. She remembered the very first day she had spent on the Vance block, where she had been taught her little sequence and given the tools she would need to perform her daily grooming procedure.
Darla had picked her up out of the crevasse she'd gotten her ankle caught in, and brought the girl to her offices. Jane was a scrawny mess, with torn clothes, a dirty face, and matted hair. The head of the Vance division of the Reds stripped the girl down and dumped her in a tub, throwing the scraps of clothing out the window. She gave Jane a small bar of soap, and then left the room to find something that would fit the child. Once Jane had cleaned herself up and was dressed in some clothing one of Darla's mercenaries had loaned her, the older human put the child in front of the mirror, combed her hair, and showed her how to use a toothbrush. Jane closed her eyes and let Darla's words fill her mind…
Take care of yourself, kiddo. You're worth it, and don't let anyone tell you any different. You're a Vance now, and the Vance family is a beautiful one.
Jane had never heard anything as majestic as those words that day. The older human seemed like some sort of angel, sent down from heaven just to take care of her and keep her safe. The next few years of her life were spent as close to Darla Vance as possible. As Jane got older, their relationship morphed into a genuine friendship, and now she couldn't imagine what it would be like to not have access to talk to the older woman when she needed to.
Jane opened her eyes and looked in the mirror for a long time.
I've aged. I'm not that scrawny kid anymore, and I'm dealing with realities that no one should have to face. You have to pull though, Danger. You were the only friend I had back then, and it's not fair that you sacrificed so much to take care of me and the other kids, and now you get nothing for yourself.
She pushed herself back from the sink, and threw her towel over the shower door to dry. She stepped out of the small washroom, and looked around at her destroyed cabin once more.
It's amazing how when I was a kid, I thought you were the most grown up and together person ever, and now that I'm an adult, I think you are the most immature and impish person ever.
She walked through the mess smiling, and pulled some of the chair cushions out of the ceiling. She replaced them on the chairs, and pushed her way through a hanging comforter to the bed. Jane sat on the edge and picked up the sheet that she had thrown on the floor.
I'm really tired. I'm just going to lie down for a few seconds. I'm sure I will hear Liara come back in, and I'll get up then. I'll just close my eyes for a few seconds and rest…
Jane laid down on the bed, pulled the sheet over her, and told herself one last time she would get up as soon as she heard the door open before closing her eyes and succumbing to the night mother's caress.
-Normandy, Commander Jane Shepard's quarters, later
Liara stood in the doorway, just staring at the slumbering human. Jane looked so peaceful and vulnerable lying there, partially covered with the sheet she had pulled out of the ceiling. It was a beautiful sight.
Liara had delivered the datapad to Dr. Chakwas' colleague on the Citadel, whose eyes had widened at the message in surprise. The man nearly knocked Liara over as he ran out of the Med Clinic, presumably on his way to meet with Chakwas on the Normandy. Liara had then left, and made her way to a human pizza shop Danger had told her about. She wasn't particularly fond of human food, but the dish they called pizza actually wasn't half bad. She ordered Jane's favorite toppings: sausage and peppers, again courtesy of Danger's intel, and sat down at a booth near the window to wait. It was a pretty peaceful evening on the Citadel, with people bustling about on their business and nothing really noteworthy happening. Well, nothing noteworthy other than the off key singing that suddenly seemed to be filling the streets...
Her gaze was drawn to a side alley, where there was a bit of a commotion. She saw what looked like Chief Williams, Lt. Alenko, and Navigator Pressly, dancing in the street with two unknown asari, three turians, and at least one hanar, singing some sort of human drinking chant. Liara shook her head in wonder.
Well, looks like they are having fun. I hope they do not get too out of hand. I am sure that Jane will not want to have to bail them out of jail tomorrow.
Liara watched them for a little while longer, and then turned her gaze away as it seemed Chief Williams was taking the situation in hand. She put one arm around Alenko and the other around Pressly, and led the two men out of the side street and into a nearby restaurant. The two asari they had been dancing with threw their arms around each other and disappeared back into the bar, while the turians picked up the hanar and started dancing down the street, cheering about the enkindlers. Liara smiled. It was a comical sight. She wasn't worried about the Normandy officers. Williams would take care of Alenko and Pressly. She was probably bringing them into the restaurant to get some food in them before they went back to the Normandy.
Liara resumed watching the bustling people, just walking back and forth along the streets. They all seemed so busy. She wondered what important things they could be up to, but didn't have a lot of time to ponder and make up stories for each of them, like she used to do when in boring classes on Thessia. She had loved being at school and learning about history, but there were times that she got bored and would instead imagine what sorts of lives her classmates led. Of course, she was probably just romanticizing their existences and likely none of the situations she came up with were anywhere near reality, but it was a fun way to pass the time.
She looked over at the counter and saw that the human merchant was impatiently signaling for her to pick up her order. She collected her packages and then made her way back to the Normandy. She dropped off a few slices to Joker, and returned to the commander's cabin.
Now she stood there, just looking at the human woman she fell in love with so many months ago.
I love you Jane. I love you so much, and I want to show you so badly. Why does it seem like we never get the chance? Is it ever going to happen? We get so close, and something always gets in the way.
She put the pizza in a small climate control box, and slipped out of her shoes. She pulled the rest of the blankets out of the ceiling, and situated them across the sleeping human. Jane didn't stir at all.
She is so exhausted. I do not blame her. They went through a lot up there. I should contact that Tattoo Jack and thank him. We would not have gotten there in time if it was not for him. We might not have found them at all if he had not approached me.
Liara didn't want to think about that, though. Jane was safe, and it didn't matter what could have been if Tattoo Jack hadn't been around. He was around, and he helped her. Liara began to think that it might not be a bad idea to keep in touch with the information broker. He could come in handy, if they needed intel. She took out the holostick he had given her, and tucked it safely in her shoe.
I will just hang onto that for a while, and I will send him a message tomorrow thanking him.
That decided, she slipped under the covers behind Jane and draped her arm across the human's torso, cuddling close to the woman's strong back. Jane still didn't stir, so Liara watched her intently to make sure she was even still breathing. After a few seconds, she did see the commander's chest rise and fall, so she closed her eyes and relaxed next to her love. Subconsciously she reached out with her mind, and was surprised to feel Jane link up with her. It was a strange feeling… not like when she was a child and would link up with her mother. She had, of course, felt love when her mother's mind comforted her as she slept, but this was completely different. Liara wasn't sure how it was even possible with a human.
She is asleep, and I did not say the focusing words. How did she link up with me?
It was a warm feeling, not quite like joining, but she felt Jane's love for her and it washed over her like a soft wave. She decided not to question it, and just let it be. She pulled the covers over them, and allowed herself to sink into slumber as she sent messages of comfort and love through the link to the mysterious human.