Normandy was approaching to the Citadel and there was only one purpose – to chill out. Shepard and others needed a bit of rest from the adventurous return of Shepard. Because there was time before Normandy entered the orbit of the Citadel, Daniel used the opportunity and went to Shepard's cabin to have a talk.
"Did you want to see me, commander?"
"Daniel, you can call me Shepard. Yes, I wanted to talk to you in private… without Garrus listening."
"Oh… did I do something wrong?"
"No, I was only thinking for a while. Before you volunteered to be cryogenically frozen, what was your life like?"
"My life? I don't remember much though… I only know I taught on few high schools and universities. I never had partner, friends, I escaped to a solitude and hid myself from society because I was getting anxious from all the stress that I could have from contact with others. Why?"
"As much as I see, you get along well here on Normandy. I am asking you because I don't get one thing…" Shepard stood up from his bed, "Why did Anderson put me in charge of you. Anderson knows that I am one of their most reliable soldiers. Why did he want me to take you in my crew?"
"Do you regret having me on board?"
"I won't lie… that mission when you got hurt, I almost lost all hope and I thought I cannot afford risking life of an untrained civil…"
"Understood, commander."
"Daniel, listen. There must be a reason why you're here, why Cerberus is becoming to be more aggressive. Isn't there something… something from past that can be important for us? For the Alliance?" Shepard asked and Daniel tried to remember, though only he shook his head.
"I remember that I used to be part of some scientific researches but I don't remember which ones and I think that after such a long time, they have to be lost…"
"I see… maybe we will find a way for you how to remember. Now, is there something you want to ask?"
"Uh… yes. When I woke up in that medical bay, I saw some robot on the other bed. I remember seeing it but… what was it?"
"That's… Legion. He belongs to the Geth species, however, when we were on a mission to take Garrus, he was badly hurt so he is deactivated now and we should find a way how to get him back. He was strange last few days…"
"Strange? How?"
"You don't know Geth, but they are synthetic race. They cannot feel, they cannot need. Nevertheless, Legion was behaving strangely, showing signs of interest in terms like love, feelings, emotions, sex…" Shepard explained and Daniel tried to process through what he said.
"Maybe it's evolution. Even machines can evolve, if his species are capable of regular behavior, there can be sign of some personality. Machine wouldn't ask those things… at least that's what I think."
"We will find out once Legion is back online. Anything else?"
"No… only, well I think I shouldn't tell you since you are commander."
"Come on, we will get drunk soon. You will tell me either way."
"Ok then… when I was asleep, I was feeling in my dreams that somebody was holding my hand… I know it may sound stupid but I felt like sharing this information. I never had the option to hold somebody's hand but even it was only a dream, it seemed so real, so warm… it was my left hand. It was just great." Daniel said and Shepard smiled.
"Daniel, you're in 22. Century. Universe is full of species and there are no problems with biological differences. You might find your partner between some of them, a man or a woman, nobody cares. It's up to you."
"I guess you are right."
"Sure. So, shall we join the party?"
"Yes, Shepard." Daniel said. Shepard and Daniel left the cabin together. Joker docked Normandy to the Citadel docking bay and every member of the crew left towards the elevator. Shepard, Joker, Dr. Chakwas, Daniel, Cortez, James, Liara and Garrus left the ship and took the elevator to a Purgatory. Once they got there, they separated into groups. Joker, doctor Chakwas and Cortez sat to the table, drinking something together. Shepard, James, Garrus and Daniel were sitting by the bar and Liara was dancing behind them.
The party was wild soon and Daniel's group got drunk very soon, including Daniel.
"Joker couldn't say a word to the joke about brittle bone disease! You should have seen his face!" Garrus laughed while he slowly got the sentence off himself. Others joined him. Shepard poked Daniel a little to the shoulder.
"And what 'bout you? Remember somethin' funny from prehistoric 21. century?" Shepard laughed and Daniel tried to get his face off the table.
"Yeah… yeah! I think I know 'bout something! Y-Yeah! Let me think!" Daniel slapped his head.
"Give up! Can't even handle few more bottles, amigo!" James tackled him.
"Hey, shut up, V-Vega!" Daniel started, "Oh… yeah! That thing… project S… So… S… nah can't even say it!"
"Give up! Give up!" James and Garrus were making fun of him.
"Soma!" Daniel finally said it and others cheered.
"Hooray! And wha-what was th-that 'bout?" Shepard asked slowly because of his drunkenness.
"Well… j-just imagine… scanning somebody's brain… and then, then just put it into machine! Voila! You have… immortality!" Daniel gestured and then snapped fingers while saying 'voila'.
"Bad news for… for Vega! No brain there!" Garrus tackled him.
"Shut up, Vakarian!" he tackled back. Shepard got tapped on shoulder by Liara.
"Come, my prince. I need companion in dance!"
"No, Liara… please… I'm ho-horrible da-AAH!" And Shepard got pulled to the dance floor to Liara. James watched it and Garrus placed both hands on James' shoulders, talking to his ear.
"Come, Vega. Let's show them some hot dancing!"
"No way, Vakarian! That's too gay!" James said but Garrus pulled him off the chair still. Daniel was alone, well, not actually entirely alone. Three seats to his left, there was a turian sitting by the bar, drinking as well, alone too. Daniel couldn't help then just look at him. The turian noticed it and looked back at him with corner of his eye, his faceplates went in something reminding smile. Turian's face turned to him, supporting himself using elbow.
"Hey, how're ya doin'?" The turian asked.
"Hey…" Daniel answered casually. His cheeks red and he tried to ignore him. However, the turian alternated all three seats until he was in tight proximity to Daniel.
"You don't seem to be local."
"Imma new here."
"Hmm, can see that… what's your name, bud?"
"Dan, yours?"
"Renok. Saw your friends, saw Vakarian and Shepard."
"You know them?" Dan looked at the turian.
"Who doesn't? They're heroes! But to be honest, the only thing worth seeing here is you." Renok told him and took another sip of a drink.
"What you're trying to do? I thought turians don't like humans…"
"Well, I don't like humans… but I made an exception here." Renok said and his talon gently explored curvature of Daniel's thigh, "For some reason I can't help it but I want to have you all for myself." The human didn't know how to react.
"I, uh… hey, bartender. Give me the strongest thing you have here." Daniel said quickly and a turian bartender poured him strange blue liquor. Daniel looked at it strangely for a while and drank it all at one go.
"Looks like you can handle a lot, Dan." Renok said and Daniel looked at him, his vision becoming blurry and eyes closing, "Dan, you alright?" Renok asked and Daniel's head fell heavily on the table. Everything went black for him. Nobody noticed anything because of the noise in club. Suddenly, Daniel's eyes opened and he saw a ceiling of some apartment.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"You can choose. You're in hell, in heaven… or maybe in an apartment of some turian named Renok." Daniel moved his gaze to the turian standing in the doorway who said the sentence. Daniel raised himself on elbows.
"You, how did you- ow my head. I feel like vomiting…" Daniel said and realized he was covered with blanket. Renok came to him and sat on the bed next to him, holding a glass of water.
"Here, this might help you." Renok handed him the glass and Daniel stared at it, not sure what it was, "Don't worry, it's just water. Not like the poison you drank back in the bar." Daniel took it and drank, "Yeah, maybe some urine could be in it." Renok said and Daniel spit the water like a fountain all over the bed, Renok was laughing, "That was just a joke. Keep calm, it's clear water." Renok finished and Daniel could drink before talking again.
"That was a poison what I drank?"
"Yeah, for humans. Some drinks are not suitable for your species. You asked for the strongest stuff so you could expect a poison. You're lucky that you made it out alive. When I brought you here… let's say I never saw that violent vomiting of human!" Renok chuckled.
"Wait, do my friends know about what happened?"
"I don't know… they didn't even notice that I pulled you out."
"Renok, how is that possible that you don't feel headache and that other stuff?"
"Because I didn't drink as much as you and your friends."
"If you didn't drink that much… then everything you said was-"
"True?" Renok asked, "Yeah." He completed and Daniel knew that this turian was actually serious about what he was saying and Daniel realized that Renok had strong affection towards him.
"Then you really love me, don't you?" Daniel asked and Renok nodded, smiling. Daniel smiled back. He almost forgot about everybody from Normandy. He just concentrated on the smile given to him from Renok who was sitting on the bed. Renok grabbed Daniel's hand, examining every part of his palm and Daniel intertwined his fingers with Renok's. They stared at each other for a long while.