VIP With Confidence

Shepard, after achieving the status of the first human Spectre to ever exist, felt her pride grow by the minute. She was called to the Normandy by no other than Anderson, no doubt wanting to congratulate her. 'Though first, I have to get through this fucking elevator,' Shepard thought grumpily.

The moment the elevator doors opened, Anderson, apparently so happy that he had forgotten about handshakes at all, walked straight to Shepard and hugged her.

„You have made humanity proud today, Shepard!"

Her entire ground team was waiting right behind Anderson, most grinning from ear-to-ear and waiting to congratulate her personally.

After Anderson gave her a strong pat on the shoulder, Kaidan walked over for a handshake.

„Damn, Shepard! You really know the best ways to leave us speechless!"

„She ain't called the Hero of Elysium, and Commander Goddamn Shepard for nothing!" Ashley yelled over the small crowd.

Tali, too, was unusually happy over the fact that humans just got their first Spectre. „If it had happened to me, I would be a hero among my people. Even my father would probably be jumping up and down in joy."

After everyone had said their things, done their handshakes, even Joker managed to waddle to Shepard and give the strongest handshake he could. „Nicely done, Shepard. Doesn't mean you don't need the best pilot anymore, though."

„Oh, I made Spectre... I could probably learn it."

„Yeah, and crash into the elevator right behind you. On purpose, too, probably."

Joker was almost into the airlock, when Shepard called after him. „Wait, what did you mean, by I will still need the best pilot?"

„You'll see!" Joker said with a mysterious voice.

That's when Anderson decided to cut in from behind. „Yes, about that, Shepard... I'm stepping down from the command post aboard the Normandy. She's all yours, now."

If the elevator earlier wasn't enough to ruin Shepard's day, those news certainly did it.

„Sir. What the hell do you mean, you're stepping down? The Normandy's your ship."

Anderson sighs quietly. „You're a Spectre, now. You need a fast, quiet ship. And she has an experienced crew. You know them all."

That's when Shepard noticed Udina standing near the elevator, looking at them expectantly.

„Oh, goddammit. Don't tell me you got dragged down by politics, sir."

„Off the records? That... Certainly helped the process along."

Shepard could only swear in anger.

Anderson puts up his hands up in a peaceful gesture. „Hold it in a little longer, Shepard. There's more."

Shepard raised an eyebrow. „Oh, you have my curiosity fucking piqued, now... Sir."

„We need you to pick up a VIP from the C-Sec Headquarters down in Zakera ward. He's extremely important. More so than most. You have to get him to the Normandy."

Shepard narrowed her eyes at Anderson. „Babysitting duty, sir?"

„Yes, but this is important. He... knows... Things. Things that no one should be able to know. We've triple checked everything he's said, and it all checks out. He knows what's going to happen down the road. Down to the tiniest of details."

Shepard almost snorted. „Is this some kind of a joke, Anderson?"

„No, Shepard. This most definitely is not a joke. He will be invaluable to you aboard the Normandy. Just get him to the Normandy, and you should be fine. He's said multiple times that he's a biotic, and is more than willing to go through combat training."

The Spectre was now rubbing her forehead in order to alleviate the coming headache.

„Alright, sir..." Shepard activated her Omni-Tool, and calls her ground team.

„Garrus. Tali. Suit up, and get to the airlock. We're on babysitting duty today."

She could see Anderson's relieved sigh. „Thank you, Shepard. Simply get the man to the ship, and everything should be fine."

Then, when Anderson was about to go, he suddenly seemed to remember something.

„Oh, Shepard. Be careful. The VIP seems to... Worship you. Can't stop talking about you."

Then he left.

Garrus and Tali stepped out the airlock.

„You called?" Tali asked, still a small amount of joy twinkling in her eyes.

Garrus simply seemed to be grumpy. „Babysitting duty, Commander? I guess I can understand your reasoning, with me being in C-Sec."

Shepard smirked slightly. „Oh come on, Garrus. It can't be that bad."

Garrus managed a groan. „Oh, you don't know anything until you've been through it yourself. The VIP-s themselves... And spirits, the paperwork if the VIP has even the most trivial of complaints!"

Now Shepard seemed to be slightly fearful of the task ahead, but her N7 training told her to suck it up and get it over with.

„Well then. Move out, team!"

15 minutes later, the team arrived at C-Sec Headquarters. They were waiting for a turian desk jockey to put the necessary papers in order and let the mystery VIP into their custody.

After what seemed a while of tapping foots and making other impatient gestures, the turian finally looked up.

„Well, Commander Shepard. The papers all check out. He's yours. I'll have someone escort him in here. Be careful though... We think he might a bit... Um... Unstable." The officer seemed uncomfortable while saying that last part.

Shepard seemed to know what he's talking about. But decided to humor him anyways. „Oh? What do you mean by „unstable"?"

„The VIP seems to... For the lack of a better word... Worship you. Completely. Half the C-Sec officers posted to guard him told me they were surprised that he hadn't built a shrine for you yet."

Garrus woke up from his trance. „That is... Highly disconcerting. We should be careful when we meet him."

That's when an officer walked the VIP in.

Shepard sized him up, and informed her team. „'Far as I can tell, he's a teenager, maybe early adult. And seems to be wearing 21-st century human clothes."

The man seemed to beam with happiness when he saw Shepard and waved at her.

„Shepard! I can't believe it's actually you!"

Then he noticed her team members.

„Garrus Vakarian?! You're the best turian ever!" Garrus started fidgeting visibly.

„How the hell does he know who I am?" Garrus quietly asked Shepard. She simply shrugged.

The VIP squeals very loudly „And TALI'ZORAH NAR RAYYA?! This is the simply the best day of my entire life!" Now even Shepard could see that Tali was creeped out behind her visor.

„Oh Keelah... This is not going to be good for me..."

They were all walking together back to the Presidium, due to all the sky cars being occupied in rush hour.

Shepard decided to alleviate boredom with small talk and occasional useful questions.

„So, what's your name? Never caught it, even though you obviously know all of us."

The VIP seems embarrassed.

„Oh... I never told you my name? Well, I'm very sorry, but it's John. Pleased to meet you!." He managed a crooked smile.

Garrus decided to cut in. „But how do you know about us?"

„Oh, I can't talk about it here, too many eyes, you know? And there are certain..." he coughs for a moment. „...Organizations who's attention I don't want to get."

And for a while the trip is in total silence.

Until John was looking down the barrel of a gun, that is.

Shepard had her weapon drawn in an instant, Garrus was looking for good sniping positions, and Tali prepared the Incinerate program on her omni-tool.

The threat was a lone, fidgeting batarian, obviously high on something.

Shepard wasn't very impressed when she saw John simply freezing in place, trembling in fear.

Everything was silent for a moment, and then the batarian opened his mouth.

„Look, I don't want anything to happen here! Just... Just gimme' your credits, and you can go!"

Garrus started to flank the batarian, and suddenly he was the hostage instead of John. The sudden movement however, seemed to break John out of his trance, and with a biotic Throw fueled by his fear, he sent the batarian flying over the railings to a lower part of the ward.

Now Shepard was slightly impressed.

„That was a pretty impressive display of biotics there, John. He went flying across the walkway!"

But John wasn't done yet.

„Stay right here, I'm going to make sure the fucker is dead."

Shepard only frowned, and Tali was the one who had to ask: „Wait, why? He's obviously incapacitated, if not dead, now. Shouldn't we get back to the ship now?" She asks, looking expectantly at Shepard.

But it was too late to argue, because their resident VIP jumped straight over the railing in what must have seemed an awesome, cinematic-like move to him at the time.

A passing sky-car going well over the Citadel's speed limit slammed into John's side in mid-air, and completely crushed his bones and organs. Soon after a C-Sec skycar flied past, blaring it's horns.

„Oh Keelah..."

„I'm going to get an earful from Anderson... and Udina."

Garrus was visibly whimpering, and looked ready to faint.

„Oh, spirits... The paperwork..."

The second chapter in Arrivals In Effect, done :D When I looked at the statistics, and noticed my story has 3 followers and was put into The Mass Effect Original Insertion Community, I simply had to write another chapter. Out of celebration, or simple happiness/joy, I haven't decided yet.

But I'd like to know something. Should there be more action in the story/stories, or is it fine as it is?