Chapter Six

Oh, and this one thing

The Normandy, elevator from CiC

Being called down to engineering to take care of 'the prothean' problem Shepard stepped into the same elevator Garrus was already waiting in.

"So... living prothean? Honestly I thought people were pulling my leg there for a moment." He waved a hand to empathise his point as he stood leaned towards the back with crossed arms.

"You can't have been more surprised than me. I had Liara to break the news, she can't joke about stuff like that." She was going to press the button for engineer deck but realised he was going the same way. "Going to see the prothean?" She flashed him a wry smile placing her hands on her hips, letting her right leg carry the most of her weight. Doors closed and the elevator started moving.

"Can't say I'm not curious. But actually I'm going to see Allers. She wanted an interview for the show."

"Allers huh, expected her to be a catastrophe when I cleared her. Turned out to be an ok reporter. Didn't know they existed."

"Heard you treated Al-Jalani with a little more kindness than the last time around."

She made a sneer.

"Man, manipulating that bitch was a lot easier than I thought."

Garrus chuckled and the door opened, before walking separate ways though Shepard apparently felt that she just had to tease him.

"Oh and Archangel." She waited for him to turn. "You're running out of time." With a wink she turned and walked away, again taking the last word.

There was a change in air and he recognized the voice that followed. It belonged to someone that wasn't just used to her orders being obeyed; she demanded it. A leader to this crew, perhaps she was a leader to more than that. Javik blinked slowly and looked up only to verify what he already knew. This was commander Shepard. She had confirmed his past and dismissed it as passed history, all in the same breath.

He realized they had something in common, the both of them. Looking into her eyes bright as stars he knew she had recognized it aswell. They were leaders to their people. Someone who wouldn't back down to a threat. Even the asari in the room, a race further developed than humans, had to ask for her assistance in this matter. Javik rose as she called off the soldiers and stepped closer to him.

"I don't think our guest will be a problem... Will he?"

Her voice low, calm. Her posture communicating her confidence and utter fearlessness.

"That depends on you."

He took a quick step forward, grabbed her by the arms and locked his eyes to hers. As expected she didn't flinch, didn't back down. There was no shred of fear telling her to back away. The soldiers raised their weapons, he didn't see it but guessed it. He closed his eyes and lowered his head, concentrating of what this touch could tell him. While she had mastered the art of indifference on the outside, her inside was an utter turmoil of emotions.

"I sense fear in you. Anxiety and distress." He opened his eyes to her again. "The reapers are winning."

She was less than happy about his words. Releasing her she took a step back and remained calm. But there was discord in her eyes.

"What do you mean, you sense?"

These people surrounding him. Primitives, all of them. He had been a ruler of his time, now only a lost voice in a cycle running towards its end.

"All life provides clues for those who can read them. It's in your cells, your DNA. Experience is a biological marker." He turned and walked over to one of the two tables with water surfaces. Reaching down he washed his hands of her cells. Such a strong imprint, her presence was left lingering on him. The trip she had made to get here... It had been impossible to see all of it, but she had already defeated a reaper once. So much he understood.

"Then what exactly did I experience back on Eden Prime? That was one hell of a flashback."

"The battle left its own mark on me, I communicated this to you. It can work both ways."

"Like your beacons?" The asari had stepped up next to the human woman.

"Yes..." He said, pondering... there had been this feeling... "Which..." He turned and took hold of the commander again, closing his eyes. Opening them again he was presented the same vision that had haunted Shepard's dreams for many nights through the past years. "You..found one. You saw it all-our destruction, our warnings!" He almost stumbled backwards realising the implication. "Why weren't they heeded? Why didn't you prepare for the reapers human?" The anger rose in him. They had had the chance to stop what the protheans had taken far too lightly. To make sure the war was won before it even begun!

"It's Commander." She said, stepping up after him with glaring eyes. "And nobody could understand your warnings. The beacon nearly killed me."

"Then communication is still primitive in this cycle." He dismissed while heading to the other water-surfaced table to wash his hands.

"Considering we had to find a wild mind-controlling plant left from your cycle to make some sense of the message... I'd say we did a pretty good job of piecing it together. I damn well stopped the reaper invasion three years ago."

He had turned to look at her with a strange look by the mention of the plant, but pushed it aside to the later part of her words.

"The extinction was delayed?"

"Yes." Shepard crossed her arms. "Sadly it seems one persons visions from a strange beacon along with a crashed reaper ship still isn't enough to convince the leaders of this galaxy that we're fucked."

"But now we have your plans for the device." Liara cut in, trying to steer the conversation in the right direction. "We're going to build it."

"Device?" He asked, confused.

"The... weapon your people were working on. I'd hoped you could tell us how to finish it." Her voice held some concern due to his confusion. She'd walked up to the panel and brought up some blueprints on a screen.

Javik walked up to the screen, eyes moving over the different parts of the weapon. He recognized it, closed his eyes in regret.

"We never finished it. It was too late."

"Then I guess you don't know anything about the Catalyst either?" Shepard asked.

Javik rested his hands against the table. Pondering the situation, how much hope was there really left for this cycle?

"No. I am a soldier, not a scientist. Skilled in one art: killing."

"What was your mission?" The asari asked, still curious about him.

"Among my people, there were.. avatars of many traits; bravery, strength, cunning. A single exemplar for each."

"Which are you?" Shepard let down her arms.

"The embodiment of vengeance. I am the anger of a dead people, demanding blood be spilled for the blood we lost." He glanced back at the two. "Only when the last reaper has been destroyed will my purpose be fulfilled. I have no other reason to exist." There was a long silence. He heard the soldiers left, probably on a sign from this 'Commander'. By now he had realised something. If he were to stay true to the last statement he had given Victor, the VI, before his long sleep... this human might be his best means to that end. "Those who share my purpose become allies. Those who do not become casualties."

"Then you've found an ally. My purpose is to wipe the reapers from existence."

"But how far are you willing to go to achieve that goal?"

Again, she stood her ground, inviting him to sense whatever he needed for her to gain his trust. Without touching her this time he searched the truth in her words.

"Lies are easy to detect... But you seems to be telling the truth, Commander. For now." There had been sacrifices made in her past. He sensed decisions she wasn't proud of, burdens heavy to bear.

"We found this at the dig site." The asari again cut into the conversation. "I assume it belongs to you."

"It is a memory shard." He explained, looking at the item hanging in the air.

"Could it help us with the device?" Sliver of hope in her voice.

"No, it contains only pain." Not having the will to discuss his past just yet he turned towards the human female again. "But I will help you fight. And the last thing the reapers hear before they die will be the last voice of the protheans sending them to their grave."

"If you don't mind." Again with complete ignorance of the situation the asari took over. "I have a few more questions I'd like to ask."

"Here it comes." The Commander smiled with a shake of her head, crossing her arms and leaning back against one of the tables.

"I've written over a dozen studies on your species. I've published in several journals-"
"Amusing, the asari has finally mastered writing."

"I'm sorry?"

"Never mind. What do you wish to know?"

Then followed several minutes of questions varying from the war with the reapers to the sensor ability to their own culture. Obviously the asari was more interested in these facts than the human.

"This has been... amusing."
"Really?" The Commander raised her eyebrows.

"To discover the most primitive races of my time now rule the galaxy. The asari, the humans, the turians..."

"There is also the salarians."

He looked over at the asari, surprised.

"The lizard people evolved?"

"I believe they're amphibian." The asari crossed her arms, Javik shifted his weight.

"They used to eat flies." To which she finally turned to leave the room. "Commander." He said, more acknowledging. Amusing for this one to carry the same title he once had. "You may count on me. I am known as Javik."

"Then welcome aboard the Normandy, Javik."

The both of them shared a nod before she turned to head out the room. He followed her steps with his eyes until she reached the door. He started to turn around but apparently she stopped before heading out.

"Oh, and this one thing, Javik." She said, snapping her fingers and turning back to him. Meeting his eyes Javik again saw the discord in her. "If you ever voice my doubts, flaws or the like in front of my crew again..." She allowed the silence speak for her. "Just don't do it." With that she turned, walked away and the doors closed.

A leader, to be sure.

On the Citadel in Huerta Memorial

"Shepard." The politician noted, as he turned to walk out of the hospital bedroom. Sprinkled with a little too much of disgust.

"Udina." She sure as hell could repay him with the same coin. She couldn't remember ever telling anyone that it was a good idea to put him on the council, representing humans. Anderson had been the obvious choice. But she couldn't blame him from resigning. Politics wasn't any soldiers forte. "What was that all about?"

"You never read your emails, do you?"

Shepard shrugged and grabbed a chair to sit down.

"Been kind of busy lately. Haven't even managed to sneak off to the bar."

Ashley Williams smiled slightly at her statement. In honesty she was surprised the Commander even had taken time to come by. When the nurse told her she had already been on a visit when Ash was still unconscious she couldn't believe her. Maybe all trust between them hadn't dimished to nothing after all.

"Udina offered me a position as spectre."

"Spectre? Really?" Any form of surprise or reaction was hidden behind a neutral face. "Did you accept?"

"Not yet. It's an honour and all but it's also a big decision. I need to think about it some more."

"Smart move. Never had time to think about it myself. Here." She continued, dropping the subject. Shepard pulled out a book and handed it over. "Figured you'd have some downtime so I picked something up."

"Thanks, that's sweet. Laying here not allowed to even get out of bed... I've been climbing the walls."

"How are you doing?"

"Good, considering." Ashley shrugged and put down the book to her left. Noting it was actually poetry. She seemed to recall a night out where the commander very distinctively had said 'If you quote poetry for me one more time I might have to disable you'. "The.. nurse said you checked in on me earlier. Didn't really believe her until now."

"Why?"

"Well... Wasn't all that sure if you wanted to talk with me... considering. You were pretty clear on Mars about where things stood."

Now she took interest, leaning back with arms crossed. Ashley knew the commander knew full well what she was talking about. She also knew full well how pissed off she was about how Ashley had acted.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not a part or Cerberus anymore. Case closed, full stop."

"You have a reason to doubt it, Lieutenant Commander?"

"No I... You cut all ties, I accept that. It's just that if you're giving the orders, I need to be able to count on you."

"That's a two way street, Ashley."

"I know, I know... Look. I'm a bit messed up right now. I... I have family back on earth. It's driving me crazy... but I know you're busy. I shouldn't bother you with it. I know you have more important things to do."

"Yeah, I should get back to it. Take care of yourself. And think hard about this Spectre business. The council is far from the galaxy's best employer." She rose from the chair, ready too leave.

"Look Shepard... When you died... I lost all hope... But you came back I was ready to believe anything. I don't know how you manage to keep it all together but... You give us all hope Shepard."

"Right, no pressure." She smiled and shook her head. "I'll stop by the next time we dock to the Citadel. Be up on your feet until then LC." With that she turned to walk out the door.

"Aye aye, Commander."

The doors sighed closed after her. This talk had left Ashley none the wiser. The commander was obviously a master at keeping all her thoughts and reactions to herself. She wondered if there was any chance for her to get back on the Normandy. If there were then the decision about this Spectre business had been a lot easier...

Authors Notes: I had a shitload of fun writing Javik. I had a shitload of trouble writing Ashley. I really don't get her character. She and Kaidan are both fscked up. And then there's the problem that I never really liked Ash personally. Kitten has no problem with her personality, she has problems with Ash NEVER WANTING TO TRUST HER.

So yes the Williams part suck. I'm sorry.

I'm not even sure what's supposed to happen after this. Meeting up with Thane, and then party, convo with Aria? I'm not sure. Might take a while to get written. I do not have enough free time. /cry
(also only read through this once since I really wanted to publish something. Hurr-de-hurr)

Random rant:
side-note; Allers is actually a famous weekly magazine for 'middle-aged women' in Sweden X3
Tables with water surfases? Is there ANY good point to even have these here? No, no there isn't.