~Jane~
Last night was the first night that Jane actually slept through to the morning and woke to find that Garrus had already gone to work. The nightmares were still there, but they were vague and fuzzy so she took it as a win for sleep.
She now found herself walking along Tayseri Ward with no real direction, just the intention to explore and see where her feet take her. Garrus had shown her some of the more key locations of the Ward a couple of days ago, but they were limited to what they could see due to his uneven shifts. Today she had already found a group of Salarian street performers who had let her sketch them as they wowed a crowd outside the concert hall with a small musical optics show as a teaser for what those who bought tickets to tonight's show were in for.
Now, she was strolling along the dining section of the Ward to see the numerous eateries of the various peoples of the galaxy. From human to Asari, Turian to Krogan, she even saw some Volus, Elcor, and one small Quarian, the storefronts were like a quick glance at the galaxy. She scanned over the various signs in various languages when her eyes landed on one in particular.
Boosting 'authentic Palaven cuisine' was a fine, but small, restaurant named Macendonyia's. The exterior didn't reveal much but with a claim like the one it had, she had to check it out. Maybe it could be better than the place Garrus took her last leave that he said was the closest he came to replicating a meal from home. If it was, then she could get him a plate as a thank you for letting her freeload at his apartment.
She walks into the door and into the small establishment. The dining area itself is no bigger than Garrus' whole apartment and only one table has customers seated at it, three males - a copper-tan with white markings across his face, sweeping back from his cheek plates, and down his fringe, a dark brown with curving, white markings on his face and fringe, and a silver one whose markings she can't see because his back is to her. They notice her and from their reactions, they don't like her. Typical Turian superiority bull. The things I do…she rolls her eyes.
From a door at the back she assumes is the kitchen approaches a female Turian, her plates cracked and colony paint faded with age, and Jane quickly focuses on her, hoping that she doesn't share whatever opinions the males have. "I'm sorry," she begins, bowing her head in greeting, "but I'm afraid I can't offer you anything off the menu. I only know how to cook dextro…"
"No ma'am" Jane bows her own head in respect. She showed me respect, best I can do is return it. Thank God for my curiosity about Turian culture and asking Garrus questions until I was afraid his ears would bleed. "I was here for a friend." If she was surprised at Jane's gesture, she doesn't show it and instead nods for Jane to continue. "He is from Palaven, but since he works here, it's been a long time since he's been home. I know he misses the food of his home and that it isn't easy to find a place that can provide it without great cost or lower quality."
"That's correct," she agrees while motioning Jane towards one of the tables so the two can sit. "I can assure you that here is the best place to find what you're looking for. I can guarantee your mate will enjoy it."
Jane holds in her protest at the 'mate,' not wanting to insult the woman by explaining that it was nothing like that, but decides to just continue with the conversation and ignore that comment. "He has off in two more days. I don't really know the best way to do this, is there a way I can get the food to take to go? Or would it be better if he were brought here to enjoy it?"
The older woman shakes her head and looks out across her restaurant, "Turian cuisine gains its touch in the way it is treated. The spices imbued, the tenderness of the meat, the grain and crop the animal was raised on. I can prepare you something and you can take it home as you please."
Sighing in relief, Jane looks to the woman, knowing in Turian culture that, when sitting, respect is shown by the lower tiered member waiting for the higher tiered to stand unless given the assurance otherwise. The woman watches her, seeming to evaluate Jane, and Jane nods yes, she is showing respect.
At Jane's passing of some unnamed test, the older woman stands and Jane follows suit. She leads Jane towards the door and before Jane can leave the woman turns. "You show great respect for someone not of our kind. I know you don't think of yourself as a mate, but you may want to reconsider if you are so at home with our ways." She holds out her hand in a very human gesture for a hand shake and Jane takes it giving it one firm shake. "I will have something made up in time for what you're planning. Come for it then." At that Jane gives the woman one final nod, in affirmative and in thanks and heads back out into the Ward.