I'll guide you through the deep and keep you close to me…
It was just after 0100 Alliance Standard Time, and the majority of the Normandy's crew was catching up on some much needed sleep. They were en route to Thessia, following a lead from the asari councilor pertaining to a top secret prothean artifact. In the meantime, Garrus had taken to busying himself in the Main Battery by toying with the Thannix, again. Several hours into his calibrations, he decided to step away for a few moments.
Walking from the Battery to the mess hall and wiping his hands of grease, oil and resin, he spotted Shepard at one of the dining tables. Glancing around, Garrus found no one else in the hall, and the lights were off in the medbay. All was quiet and the only sound was the slight hum from the Normandy's drive core.
Shepard had her booted feet crossed and resting on the table, while she leaned casually in her chair, her back facing Garrus. A number of datapads lay scattered in front of her, as she held another in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She sat unmoving as she looked over the files, one strap of her black tank top falling over her bare, freckled shoulder.
An idea suddenly sparked in Garrus' head. Shepard was not easily scared or startled, and he had the advantage here. She didn't have a clue he had entered the room. So with all the stealth of an assassin, he crept as quietly as he could toward her turned back. One silent step after another, he inched toward her, preparing how he would strike when he reached her.
Just as he was about to make contact and jump from his crouched position to frighten her, Shepard muttered, without turning around, "Don't even think about it Vakarian."
He hung his head, slouching in defeat as he pulled a chair around to face her.
"How'd you know it was me?" he asked. She set the datapad she was reading on the table and tapped the side of her head, "Darling, you're forgetting I have upgrades. I heard the Main Battery door open not 30 steps away."
"I thought I was quiet enough,"
She chuckled, "Garrus, you're not an assassin."
"No, I suppose not," he said, glancing at the datapads. "What are you doing up this late anyways?"
"Trying to sort out who I want in the squad on Thessia," she said.
"How do you do it? Pick squad members, I mean," Garrus asked, turning over a couple of the datapads. Shepard sighed, "I usually select them based on what sort of skills each person has and what could be most beneficial to what the mission requires."
"And what if you're going in blind?"
"I choose who I can trust the most, plus I prefer a balance between biotics and weaponry because you never know what sort of shit you may run into," she said running a hand through her hair. "Nine times out of ten, I usually end up taking you and Liara. Not only do I trust the two of you the most, but also you can pick off enemies at long range, while Liara can utilize her biotics if they get too close. And I-"
"You charge head first with that geth assault rifle of yours," Garrus said, laughter in his subharmonics.
"Because I know the two of you are covering my ass,"
"Liara better not be watching your ass, that's my job," he snickered. Shepard laughed uncomfortably, something else apparently on her mind. She wasn't quite meeting his eyes and shifting uneasily in her chair. Garrus had become attuned to Shepard's mannerisms over the years and knew he wasn't going to like what he heard next.
"I'm not taking you on this one…," she said slowly. It wasn't what he wanted to hear, but Shepard was his commanding officer and he respected her choices, even though, as her boyfriend, he may not approve of them.
"So who are the lucky two?" he asked, leaning toward her.
"Wait. You're not mad at me?" she asked, shooting him an incredulous look. He took both her hands in his, grasping them firmly in a reassuring way.
"While I prefer to go with you, it is your ship. I may not be the best, but I'm still turian… I'm still able to follow some orders," he said, his mandibles flicking into a slight, lopsided smile.
There was the briefest pause as she regarded him, making sure he was serious, before flinging her arms around his neck and breathing a sigh of relief.
"Thank God," she said, kissing his scarred plates. "I've been struggling for the last hour with how I was going to tell you I'm taking Liara and Javik."
"Liara and Javik?" he asked skeptically.
"Well, yes," she said. "Liara is the obvious choice… and Javik, I think, will have some keen insight into this artifact. He definitely knows more than he lets on… Besides, I get the feeling he's getting restless, cooped up in his room. I want to give him the chance to stretch his legs a little."
"But Javik?"
"I thought you said you were okay with this Garrus…"
"I am… But Javik?" he said again. Shepard's lips curled up; a playful glint in her eyes as she whispered to him, "I can't always play favorites. People may get suspicious."
Garrus laughed and leaned over her chair to nuzzle her neck, "Here's a news flash for you Shepard: people already know I'm the favorite."
"Well, the whole galaxy doesn't need to know," she said, caressing the skin under his fringe
"I'm still syncing my omni-tool to your suit,"
"Of course, you always have my six," she giggled as he nipped her collarbone. Garrus took great pride in being the only person to ever get Shepard to giggle and squeal like a young school girl.
"C'mon, let's go upstairs. Maybe you can get me to fall asleep," she said, standing up and collecting the datapads from the table. Garrus wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they headed toward the elevator, saying, "Challenge accepted."
"Bray! Get me some fucking medi-gel," Aria T'Loak barked to a batarian standing off to the side. She continued to look over the datapad Garrus had handed her, frowning as she went. "What do you mean you 'don't think the Cerberus influence is quite gone from Omega'? You know damn well Shepard helped me eradicate them," she said, shoving the datapad back into Garrus' hands.
Liara threw Garrus a sideways glance and said, "We have information that says otherwise. We know that they've been on Omega sometime within the last six months."
"Ah- the esteemed Dr. T'Soni," Aria sneered. "I'm surprised to see you've come out of hiding."
"Reports indicate you still have power outages in several districts, including the Kima and Gozu districts, and-," started Liara, ignoring the other asari.
Aria interrupted her, "Wait, how do you know this? Those areas have been off limits for months…"
"The Shadow Broker," Garrus said, impatience in his subvocals.
"Of course. You know… the Broker and I go way back. He-," Aria began, seizing the medi-gel pack from Bray as he returned.
Liara rolled her eyes, "Save it Aria. You and the Broker do not have any history. I know all your secrets, and I won't hesitate to expel them publicly if you decide not to help us."
"Well that's one way to shut her up," Tali chuckled, cradling her shotgun.
Aria tossed the used medi-gel aside and stood up carefully. Realizing she could balance her weight on both legs again, she rose to full height. Biotic sparks jumped at her fingertips as she moved closer to Liara. Garrus unholstered his pistol again, ready to shoot if Aria tried to pull something.
"Somehow, I'm not surprised that you're the Shadow Broker… Alright I'll help you… but on one condition… When you find what it is you're looking for, I don't want to see Shepard, or any of you or her other friends… anywhere near Omega, EVER again. And if I do, I promise I will shoot whatever ship she's on out of the damn sky," she said.
"Believe me, if it wasn't for Shepard, I wouldn't be back in this shit hole, so consider it done," Garrus snorted.
Twenty minutes later, Garrus found himself crammed into a skycar next to Wrex and Javik, with Aria and Bray in the front seats. Another skycar followed behind them, containing Liara, Tali, Hannah Shepard and Tychus. He had told the rest of the crew to return to the Normandy. His small team was heading to the Gozu District upon his insistence. There were still power outages throughout this district, and Garrus' cop instincts told him this was the place to start, in Mordin's old medical facility.
Quickly scanning several of Shepard's old mission reports detailing her time on Omega, Garrus leaned forward in the car to speak with Aria.
"First things first. Before we go storming down a dark hole, blind, I need to know: are the adjutants gone?" he asked, tapping his pistol on the side of her seat.
Javik slouched in his chair, crossing his arms and muttering, "Adjutants… I have never seen anything like them. They are an abomination and should not be allowed to exist."
Aria swiveled her head around and glowered at the both of them, snapping, "The Reapers are finished aren't they?" Javik glared at her, unblinking.
Garrus shot the prothean a look, telling him to cool it. Javik slumped further into the seat, and turned his gaze out the window, and settled instead on mumbling curses under his breath about the conditions of the asteroid.
Garrus rolled his eyes at the prothean, and said slowly to Aria, "Yes…,"
Aria shook her blue head in contempt, "Then there's your answer. No more adjutants."
"So this section of the district is completely empty?"
"Yes," the asari answered curtly.
Bray parked the car as close to the medical clinic as possible, though it was still a ten minute walk into complete darkness.
The two parties clamored from their respective cars, armor and weapons clinking against one another.
Standing before the set of doors that would lead them through the Gozu District, Garrus unholstered his Widow and flipped on the small flashlight.
"Aria, I think we can take it from here," he said, dismissing the asari. She let out a low sigh and said, "Thank the goddess. Let's go Bray." Without turning back, she stomped off toward her skycar.
"Shepard's a damn hero. I hope you can find her," Bray said quietly before speeding off to catch up with Aria.
Tali snorted, the purple light on her face mask in sync with her laughter, "That's something you don't see too often: a batarian in favor of a human… even after destroying most of their species with an asteroid. Hmm."
"Who would have thought the genophage would be cured too," added Wrex. "Or the krogan, salarians, and turians actually getting along."
Garrus filtered out their conversation to focus on the task at hand. He scanned the pathways beyond the doors with his omni-tool and visor.
"Or a prothean being awakened after 50,000 years of cryo," Liara said turning to Javik.
"Or a human having so many alien friends," said Javik.
Garrus' mandibles clicked together irritably. Everything was dark, silent in the corridors before them. Something didn't feel right, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The others' laughter was drowned out as he searched for a heat or energy signature of any kind.
Tychus Vakarian saw the distress upon his son's face and moved toward him.
"Enough with the chit chat," Archangel growled. All present, ceased speaking.
"Son, what is it?" he asked, placing a hand on Garrus' shoulder. Hannah Shepard shifted forward as well, noticing the atmosphere had changed dramatically.
"There's nothing down there. No heat, no light. Nothing," he started.
"Aria did say there wasn't any power in this sector…," Tali offered.
Garrus shook his head, looking at his omni-tool, "This is different. I- I can't explain it. It's like this section is… dead…"
Glancing up, he noticed six pairs of eyes, staring at him.
"Normally, when there's a power outage of this magnitude, there are surges of energy and heat and electricity, just with nowhere to go," he continued. "But, spirits… there's nothing."
"What does that mean for us?" Tychus asked.
"I don't want us down there any longer than we have to be. So, we split up, cover more ground," Garrus said. "Liara. Admiral. You're with me. Dad, I want you to go with Wrex, Javik, and Tali. Search every room, every closed door, and every nook and cranny for anything that may lead the Shepard's whereabouts."
"If you find anything, radio us your coordinates immediately," added Admiral Shepard, unfolding her Avenger.
"I'm sending everyone a layout of the area, Mordin's clinic is highlighted in green. That's where we'll meet up. Is everyone clear on that?" he finished, looking around at their faces. They were uneasy, unsure, and undoubtedly terrified of what they may find.
"Alright. Move out!" he ordered as Tali hacked the doors. Wrex and his team took the corridor the right, as Garrus, the Admiral, and Liara went straight. In mere seconds, the blackness overwhelmed them, and they were engulfed in complete darkness, with only their tiny flashlights, and the infrared on Garrus' visor to aid them.
Updated 6/7/14