Chapter 14 – Against the Clock
It had been a while since Kaidan had been on Ilium. Compared to the rapid redevelopment of Earth and other worlds, the asari planet was slow in returning to the beautiful world of elegant architecture it had once been, the asari taking their time to re-build with unhurried forethought. Yet it seemed the same businesses were able to re-establish themselves faster than any others, wherever you were in the galaxy; the casinos, and other high-profit establishments wasted no time in getting back to business as usual. The district Kaidan walked through now was brimming with them, and had officially become the 'go to' place for gamblers.
Kaidan, however, wasn't interested in throwing away his credits on roulette wheels and quasar machines. He was here for only one reason: Kasumi Goto.
The Council had finally agreed that the issue on Rannoch was unlikely to cause problems for anyone other than the two quarian admirals responsible for it, and so Kaidan had been headed home and looking forward to surprising Rorie when Terra had called with her findings from the facility. The last thing he'd expected to hear was that the Leviathans were involved.
His wife had stunned him further with her plan to recover the research data from Linron herself. That was why he had requested the Alliance vessel transporting him to drop him here. He hadn't been able to rest over the risky situation Terra was placing herself in, and a certain thief had come to mind. After speaking with Liara, she'd called him back within a half hour stating she had good intelligence that Kasumi was on Ilium. So here he was, searching out a thief who just might improve the chances of Terra successfully infiltrating a prominent government building belonging to a race whom many considered the most intelligent species in the cosmos.
Looking around at the hundreds of casinos, it now appeared an impossible task to locate one person among the heaving masses, the streets thrumming with the cacophony of people talking and laughing amongst the muddle of music and advertisements from establishments competing for clientele. Though it was well into the evening here, on the Citadel it was approaching mid-morning, and he'd slept little in the night cycle. He stifled a yawn, the bright lights and noise doing nothing to chase away Kaidan's fatigue. Standing in the middle of the central plaza, he wondered just where to start.
"Spectre Alenko?"
Kaidan turned to the asari who had addressed him. "Can I help you?"
"Actually, I believe it's I who can help you. The Shadow Broker requested I pinpoint someone of interest to you."
Surprise delayed his response. It couldn't be that easy... "Any luck with that?"
"Yes. I believe she's within the Cerulean Casino. It's a small distance from here. If you'll follow me, I have a sky-car waiting to take you there."
Gesturing for the asari to take the lead, Kaidan thanked the heavens for Liara T'Soni.
oOo
Shepard sat at her desk, having just finished a call with Rorie. Her daughter was a breath of fresh air amid the gravity that weighed her down. Listening to her daughter's carefree chatter was wonderful – Grandpa had been there when she woke up and had watched Baby Blasto with her until he had to leave, Uncle James had made waffles, Aunt Jack had been practising biotics with her, and she was very excited about going out for lunch with Uncle 'Gus' later on. All Shepard wanted was to go home and hug her baby. Instead they were docking at Ilium. The silver lining in that scenario was that she'd be seeing her husband sooner rather than later. Shepard gave him a call.
"Hey," she smiled when he answered, the sound of a sky-car engine accompanying his image. From the way he had his attention fully on her, he wasn't driving. "Now docking. Need some help?"
"Thanks to Liara, it's in hand, so hold tight. I left Clay at the docks to wait for you, though."
"Then I'll go welcome him aboard. Were you completely honest about what he's letting himself in for?" she teased.
"Madness and mayhem. He's been warned," he joked back. Then whoever was driving spoke to him, and the sky-car was winding down. "Gotta go, but I'll call when I'm on my way to you. Wish me luck."
"Luck."
With the call ended, Shepard left the cabin, leaning back against the wall of the elevator feeling leaden. Like Kaidan, she had some serious misgivings about pulling off this particular infiltration. A vacant, isolated facility was one thing, a staffed government office situated in the heart of Sur'Kesh's biggest city was another. With the security measures that would be in place there, she wasn't sure it was possible… without getting caught, and this wasn't a situation she could shoot her way out of. If the worst happened, she would surely be stripped of her Spectre status and locked up, in the Council's bid to appease the salarian leader. Yet she had no choice; she couldn't risk taking this to the Council without definitive proof, and they needed to know what the Leviathans had. What they'd extracted from the surviving hard-drive had only contained the info on the kakliosaurs - of little value to anyone but the krogan - and the distrust between the two species meant that the breeding program was on Tuchanka anyway. It was what had been taken that would reveal the most.
If working with a master thief at the top of her game was what it took to get out the other end, she was all for that. Only they were on a time limit. This had to be done tonight, before Linron's STG agents got released from quarantine and alerted their boss. Thanks to Liara, that pressure was lessened.
Shepard worried about her friend. There was clearly something Liara was holding back, but when Shepard had asked if she'd had a successful trip, Liara had side-stepped it with a hushed comment that she'd rather speak to her face to face. What Shepard had heard in Liara's voice was desolation. Whatever this was, it was bad.
Her thoughts and concerns were shut away as the elevator doors opened, and Shepard went to welcome her new engineer.
oOo
Walking beside James, Jack was wondering what the hell she thought she was doing. With Garrus taking Rorie out, Vega had decided to take the opportunity to get the few bits and pieces he owned from his ex's apartment. When he'd asked if she wanted to come, instead of scowling and asking why the fuck he'd think she'd want to go with him, she'd got suckered in by the kicked puppy look he had going on and simply sighed an impatient, "Whatever. Got nothing better to do." She should just leave him to it…
"You really think I'm stupid, Bella?"
His unexpected question had her momentarily confused. She didn't think that. "Don't take it personally. It's just your look."
A single brow rose at her dubious response.
"And it's just my way," she explained, grudgingly. "That's as close to an answer as you're going to get, so shut up or fuck off."
"Huh. Then I'll take it. Perhaps I'll wear glasses next time and blow your mind with my intelligence, Bella," he teased at her stereotyping.
Ignoring that dig, she chewed on whether to ask something she'd been wondering for a while. It didn't take long to give in to her curiosity. "Okay, I'm gonna bite – why the hell do you keep calling me that? And I'm perfectly prepared to decorate that far wall with you if it's after some family pet or a fucking prostitute or something."
"Never had pets or prostitutes. Thanks for that last bit – ain't stupid enough not to be a little offended you think I need to pay for it. Just means beautiful, that's all," he shrugged, then gave her a side-long look with that rogue smile.
Jack stared at him, then shoved him, his weight meaning all she succeeded in doing was make him take the slightest side step. "Shut up, Vega," Jack said lightly. "Before you get yourself in more trouble."
James laughed quietly as he entered the apartment complex and headed towards a ground-floor door.
"Someone who treats you like that isn't worth pining for," Jack blurted out.
Slowing to a stand-still outside the door, James looked at her thoughtfully. When he spoke, his voice was low, like someone might hear. "I know it, and I'm getting over it. That pain was the shock of it all. I realised that it's been more than three years and we never made any plans for a future together. It's kinda weird. It's not like we even had anything in common." He announced his arrival, the door finally unlocking just before he resorted to using his own access key.
"Jay. I was hoping you'd…" The asari faltered at the sight of Jack, her eyes raking judgementally over the woman standing beside James. "What's this? Gone down to the lower levels already?"
Before Jack could punch the smart-mouthed bitch, James blocked her with his mass.
"You'll show my friend some respect. She knows the meaning of loyalty. That places her far above you."
Jack was rather impressed by his calm, firm tone that managed to quell her own fire, but she refused to acknowledge the effect his words had on her.
"Now, all I want is to get my stuff and I'll be outta here."
The asari came back into view as the muscled back moved from in front of Jack's face. Whilst Vega entered the apartment, Jack remained in the corridor trading the promise of death with the asari who instantly buckled and retreated back into the apartment. Lightweight. Jack didn't know what the jarhead saw in the bitch. She phased out, occupying her time by following a cockroach's journey towards her. Got to respect a creature that can make it through the stringent decontamination procedures. Then she remembered that the Leviathans had gotten through too, and she stomped the roach flat. The asari's raised voice broke through Jack's distracted mind and she strode inside to see the asari trying to stop Vega from leaving.
"Niree, I'm not interested. You can't win back trust when it's been lost."
"Come on, Jay. You know we were good together."
The pet name grated on Jack. "It's James, and it turns out he's got a lot more sense than I thought, so back off."
The asari didn't appreciate the interruption, and sent Jack a mocking look. "Fancy your chances? He's got more taste, too."
"That's enough, Niree," growled James. "You don't know her."
"You've only got to look at her to see she has issues."
"We all have our demons. They define us as we strive to overcome them. Hopefully, that journey makes us better people in the process. But I guess you wouldn't know about that." James grabbed up a small bag he'd placed his possessions into and followed Jack out.
"Here. You can take this back," shouted Niree.
James turned in time to see the book of asari poetry he'd bought for her, flying towards him. It would have smacked him right in the face but Jack used her biotics to fling it at greater speed back at Niree who yelped as it hit her forehead with enough force to stagger her. The blue aura sparked around Jack with a fierceness that matched the woman herself.
"She's not worth it, Bella."
Jack blinked as James' name for her resonated its gentle tone. With one final sneer at the now-cowering asari, Jack turned on her heel and left, the sound of Vega's footsteps behind her.
"Bella."
Jack kept going, daring him to lay a hand on her. Anyone who touched her right now would regret it. But he didn't.
"Jack, please."
This time his voice was further away and she realised he'd stopped. Without thinking, she slowed and looked over her shoulder. Vega closed the distance but still respected her personal space.
"I'm sorry for those things she said. But thank you for coming with me."
But that wasn't what had Jack tetchy. It was Vega… She liked him. And she didn't know why. He wasn't her usual type: the kind in it for a no-strings good time. He probably was once, but not anymore. He'd - what would Shepard call it? – matured. Was she maturing, too? Fuck! She wanted to tell him to piss off and leave her alone. "I need to vent. I'm going to the Armax Arena. Coming?"
That stupid grin spread across his battered face.
"I'm with you, Bella."
She inwardly cursed the pleasant squirm that travelled through her, and made sure she threw him a glare before heading off. The dumb-ass just chuckled behind her.
oOo
Garrus was relieved to take time out. He'd been pouring over resolutions to the Citadel's security shortfalls all morning with his father, who had arrived from Palaven the evening before.
Their relationship was better than it used to be, particularly now that he was Executor – a position his own father had once coveted before injury had forced him to retire. That said, they weren't close; they were simply civil. When Garrus spoke, Teryck Vakarian actually heard him out before giving his opinion, instead of dismissing him mid-sentence and sparking Garrus' irritation, ultimately leading to verbal combat.
Garrus had requested his father's help because he acknowledged the veteran officer's experience, and he needed fresh perspective. That didn't dispel the rather tense atmosphere as Garrus waited for his father's judgement on how well he was performing as Executor. Some of that was probably due to Garrus' own feeling of failure after the Leviathans attack.
But what better way to forget about that awkwardness with his father than by fleeing to lunch with someone he had no need to prove anything to?
Only it hadn't worked out quite the way he'd hoped. Instead of insisting on collecting Rorie, he'd agreed with James and Jack that they drop her off on their way somewhere. In true Rorie style she'd run into his office, full of excitement and smiles, halted at the sight of his father in a seat beside him, and immediately launched into questions. As soon as she'd ascertained this new turian was Garrus' father she had decided she instantly loved him, closed the distance and hugged him. Garrus would never forget that look of surprise. Teryck Vakarian wasn't used to displays of affection, and he floundered under this tiny human's embrace.
When Garrus had announced they should go, Rorie had tugged at Teryck's hand, bouncing as she asked him to come too. His father had looked at him at a loss, and so Garrus had felt duty-bound to save him. With the prevailing inability to disappoint Rorie, he invited his father to join them.
Now they sat at a table in the corner of the restaurant, Garrus' back to the wall so he could see anything approaching, his father adopting the same defensive position at the adjacent wall, and Rorie choosing to squeeze right in between them. Her toy varren had its own seat on his father's other side, a glass of water placed carefully on the seat (as per her orders) in case Puppy was thirsty.
Despite the previously undesired presence of his father, Garrus was rather enjoying this, thanks to Rorie. Seeing his father inexpertly dealing with the curious human and self-consciously performing the occasional task she gave him of checking on Puppy, amused Garrus no end.
His father was now looking strangely at the little girl beside him who had broken out into an impromptu performance of a human rhyme, loud enough to attract the attention of several other diners. When she finished she even got some applause by one table of smiling asari, much to Rorie's glee.
"So…who is this Humpty Dumpty?" Vakarian Sr directed at Rorie.
Garrus sighed at the question he'd also once asked, with the expectation of it being some altered tale of a real person watered down for a child, but with some deep moral behind it.
"An egg," Rorie answered.
"An egg?" Teryck frowned. "An egg sat on a wall?"
"Uh huh. That's why he fell. He was the wrong shape." She then added sadly, "and he got broken on the floor."
Teryck looked at Garrus, who could almost see the silent perturbed question: 'What the hell's wrong with these humans?' Garrus held back the urge to laugh. Turian culture had no such senseless rhymes as humanity did.
"Uncle James breaks eggs," Rorie informed Teryck.
"I see."
"He makes them yummy. Would you like him to make you one?"
"No … thank you."
The waiter brought their food order and in her inquisitiveness Rorie reached out for something on Garrus' plate.
"Whoa! Don't eat that!" Garrus rushed out in alarm.
Her hand froze, and she fixed him with wide eyes. "Why?"
"Because it's turian and it can make you very ill," he warned.
She looked at the food on each of the plates either side of hers, and frowned. "Why?"
"Because… it does." Garrus winced at his own ignorance. "Ask Chakwas about it."
"Oh. Okay." Rorie withdrew her hand.
Satisfied he'd handled that reasonably well, Garrus went to take a bite, the fork almost at his mouth before a little hand clamped on his arm, restraining him.
"Uncle Gus! Don't eat it!" Rorie's eyes were even wider and very concerned for him.
Garrus looked down at his food, suspiciously. "Why?"
"It's turin! It makes you ill!" she explained, earnestly.
"Huh! Uh, Rorie? I am turian."
She squinted back, looking at him oddly. "You make me ill, too?"
"No!" Garrus exclaimed in surprise. "Well, not unless you're planning on eating me. You're not, are you?" he teased.
"No!" The look on her face was horrified. "Rorie would never eat Uncle Gus! I love you!"
She looked so serious and sincere that Garrus had to clear his throat, trying not to see the look on his father's face as he silently watched the exchange. "Well, thank you. I love you, too. But what I meant was: I'm a turian so I can eat turian food. You're human so you have to eat human food."
Rorie looked at their plates, considering that, then picked up her fork. "Okay."
Garrus took a breath. Solved that one. He couldn't help the self-satisfied look in his father's direction. Then he noticed that Rorie only picked at her food and didn't eat it. "Something wrong with your meal?"
"It's human?" she peered up at him.
"That's right. Perfectly safe for you."
She frowned up at him in consternation. "But I don't want to eat a human."
A bark of laughter came from Teryck, much to Garrus' amazement.
"No- It's not actually a human!" Garrus spluttered at her statement. "It's food that's- Oh, I give up." He deflated under the astoundingly tough task of talking to a child. "Want some fruit?"
Pushing her plate away, she simply replied, "Uh huh."
oOo
Antella swore as he heard the incoming call. It had better not be Massani griping at him over the delay again... But it was Lawson. Settling in the pilot's seat of the rented ship he was getting sick of, he answered it with a swat of his hand.
"Miss Lawson. What can I do for you?" The grin he'd forced on his face was wasted as it proved to be a voice-call only.
"What the hell is the hold-up, Antella?"
The unusually harsh sound of her words were slightly slurred, like she had partaken of a drink or two.
"Alenko didn't return to the Citadel with the ship he left on."
"So your sources were wrong. Tell me, are you as equally incompetent as the people you use for intelligence?"
Taken aback by the aggression from a woman who he'd figured was only acting at being the assertive instigator in her quest for justice, Antella fish-mouthed while he tried to adjust to this new side of her.
"I can assure you-"
"I don't want your assurances. I want this done. I want you to do what you were hired for, or do I have to find someone else who can?"
"I have this in hand, we just need to wait for Alenko to-"
"Wait? He's a Spectre. He can go off at a seconds notice and for as long as he wants. Damn it, you're supposed to be hunting, so hunt. Do whatever you need to do to get him where you want him. I will not wait another twenty-four hours. Do you understand?"
Bristling at the way she was speaking to him, Antella knew it was just as well she couldn't see the sneer contorting his face. Who the hell did she think she was talking to him like that? He wasn't some shitty merc.
"Expedite the operation," was all he replied. "I'll re-plan." Antella ended the call. He wasn't grovelling at her feet. He was here to get himself set up in a life of luxury and get a little vengeance in the process. He didn't like not getting what he wanted, and he certainly didn't like being made to look a fool. Hackett, Anderson, Alenko and Shepard… They must have been laughing their heads off as they worked together to get him kicked out of the Alliance. The trial that had followed had been an insult. Thankfully, he had the old Admiral to call in a favour with. Dishonourable discharge… all because Shepard didn't like a bit of attention. Well, he deserved everything he was getting, and so did Shepard and her wretched family.
That's when the answer to his problem presented itself.
oOo
Kaidan strolled through the casino, not expecting to see any sign of Kasumi. He simply made himself as visible as possible, then bought a drink from the bar and made his way to a private table out of view. He'd barely settled in the seat when Kasumi materialised in the seat opposite him.
"Okay. What are you doing here?" She relaxed back in the chair with that familiar enigmatic shadow of a smile.
"Can't a guy just have a drink? Need I ask what you are doing here?"
"Can't a girl just do some casual thieving?"
"Casual?" He gave her a look that told her he knew better. "You've just taken the whole casino, haven't you?"
The smile hinted at, was now fully-formed. "I left a little to tide them over for the next few minutes. Speaking of which, I should probably leave before they notice. Meet you outside?"
With Kasumi gone in the blink of an eye, Kaidan swigged back his drink and headed for the exit. An alarm went off behind him and he shook his head at how easy it was for the thief. Once outside, he didn't stop, instead making his way to a sky-car, Liara's agent long gone. By the time he was closing the driver door, Kasumi was sitting beside him.
"So?"
"We need your expertise." Kaidan started the vehicle and pulled into the main stream of traffic.
"Who's we?"
"This is big, Kasumi. What I'm about to tell you can't go any further."
"Heavy. You can trust me."
Despite her occupation, Kaidan did trust her. By the time he landed the sky-car at the docking bay, Kasumi had been filled in and was gaping at him.
"I'll understand if you don't want to do this. It's one hell of a risk."
"Are you kidding? I just can't believe I never considered doing it myself. I've never liked that Dalatrass. Way too stuck up. I'm in."
Kaidan was momentarily dumbstruck by the nonchalant reply. "Uh... Even though there's no pay-out at the end of it?"
She shrugged. "Sometimes the reward comes from simply beating the system. Thankfully, not a philosophy I adopt often, but for this I'll make an exception."
"Thank you, Kasumi."
"Thank me if we get that data," she added.
Exiting the vehicle, they walked towards the airlock. The side profile of the Normandy could be seen through the windows, and Kaidan adored the sight of it due solely to the woman who commanded it.
"Can't believe I get to ride in the Normandy," said a rather star-struck Kasumi. "Is it true it has an AI watching over everything?"
"Edi's a part of the ship, yes. She sees everything that goes on," Kaidan intentionally included, in case their new guest was considering plying her trade here, too.
"Really? Hm… Interesting."
Not enquiring further as to whether she'd just seen that as him issuing her a challenge, Kaidan stepped into the ship's airlock, waiting as the decontamination program ran over them with only one thing in his thoughts: on the other side of this door, Terra would be waiting for him.
oOo
When the medbay doors opened and Joker saw who it was, he groaned.
"What? Come to rub it in? Yes, I know you're flying my ship. Don't get used to it. I'm going to be back at the helm really soon."
Feeling every bit of contrite, Altair approached the bed, needing to make things right. "That's good to hear, Sir."
"Sure it is," Joker's voice dripped with scepticism at her seemingly heartfelt words.
"Commander, I'm so sorry. For what I said. I hit out at you, undeservedly, because… of my own… issue." Altair winced at her awkwardness. She suddenly felt extremely nervous as she broached a subject she was uncomfortable with. "The truth is, I look up to you. Immeasurably. You're the reason I joined the Alliance." The face that looked back at her had lost some its scowl as she got his attention. "I'd spent so long being told by m- … everyone, that I'd never be anything useful, and then I saw you on the vids. You're the greatest pilot ever despite your disability. I know what people can be like; how they must have decided your worth just by what they saw, jumping to conclusions about you. Your courage and determination in the face of all that was inspiring to me. I ignored all the horrible words and followed your path. And I love it, Sir – flying. It's liberating."
Surprised by Altair's declaration, Joker saw the same look most people sent Shepard's way when they saw her: reverence. Remembering Shepard's request to establish a rapport, Joker decided that maybe he didn't mind so much.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. For me it was a case of 'who needs strong bones when I can have a ship at my disposal?' In here, none of that matters." It was as open-hearted as he'd ever been with someone he barely knew, and he was overly-conscious of Chakwas at her desk. Joker then became uncomfortably aware that he had no idea how to act his rank; it was never an issue when you sat by yourself the majority of the time. But Altair had been placed under him, directly, and he couldn't hide from it. He looked back at the young pilot. "Why were you getting hassled?"
"Something that happened a long time ago," she shrugged, eyes dropping briefly. "Did you have someone who inspired you to fly?"
Subject change noted, Joker backed off– figuring that's what Shepard would do. "Not exactly. It wasn't the same for me. I mean sure, I got a lot of stick, but I learned to deal with that. None of them mattered. At home, I had great parents who always supported me. When I said I wanted to fly, they said go ahead. That was all the encouragement I needed. Everyone else could eat my dust. And they did." Now for the 'encouraging superior' bit that Shepard did so easily. "And from what I've seen so far, you're doing the same." Joker hoped the words that tumbled from his mouth with ineptitude had at least sounded genuine. The change in her as she straightened, the proud smile emerging, told him he'd succeeded.
"Really?" Her eyes pinned his, needing his approval.
"What, now you doubt yourself? What happened to that young fresh pilot who sailed through the sims?" Joker's light-hearted comment made without thought caused her smile to falter, and he cursed himself - and then Shepard for thinking he could do this.
"She exaggerated," Altair admitted. "I can do the easy-" remembering their past conversation, she quickly corrected that, "I mean the routine stuff, but when I was out in combat scenarios…." She exhaled a breath of frustration. "To be honest, I have no idea why I was even chosen to train on the Normandy. I panic. It's like my brain stops functioning."
"Okay. Well…" Shit, what would Shepard say now? … "We'll work through it. You and me. Together." A little too much. Damn inner Shepard – nowhere near as good as the real thing. Altair was staring back at him.
"You'd do that? After the awful thing I said to you?"
"Look, I... over-reacted. And don't think you'll ever hear me say that again, so enjoy it." Uh oh. Was she about to cry?
Altair blinked rapidly, so as not to make a fool of herself. "Thank you, Sir."
"Okay, first rule: yes, I'm in charge but none of that Sir or title crap. It's Joker."
"Got it," she smiled. "You could call me Robbie."
"Let's not get carried away, Altair."
"Altair." Shepard's voice filled the room. "General Alenko and guest are aboard. Is re-fuelling complete?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Then we're ready to return to Sur'Kesh."
"Aye, aye, Admiral."
Joker started to shoo her away. "Now go fly my ship – carefully." Altair left the room much happier than she'd entered, so Joker supposed he'd done alright.
"That was very kind of you, Jeff."
He looked over at Chakwas who had spun in her chair to face him. "Yeah, well… you know, Shepard asked me to help her, so… Stop grinning at me," he glowered back. "Don't you have something to probe?"
Chakwas quirked a brow. "You do realise you're my only patient?"
Joker sank back into his pillow with a moan. "I've seriously got to learn to think before I speak."
oOo
The Tuchanka sun felt hotter than normal, but Wrex knew it was merely the combination of the immense anger that threatened to send him into a blood rage, and his exhausted body feeling the effects more than usual. He hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours, and still he couldn't afford to rest. He and Bakara had been trying to calm the other clan chiefs.
They'd spent hours going over the mess borne from the information sent to all clans except Urdnot. It had left him on the back-foot. The clans had united in rage, and he'd been left to play catch-up, a lone clan-head against a mass of leaders who would like nothing more than to wage war over what they'd learned. Not that he blamed them - Wrex wanted the same thing, but Bakara tempered him, and above all, everything Shepard had done to give them a future; one that would be in serious jeopardy if they gave in to their impulse for vengeance.
If he couldn't control this situation, things were going to get ugly very soon. Problem was, he had no idea how to get his hard-headed brethren to back off and think logically. It just wasn't the krogan way. And that could finish them, once and for all.
oOo