***Author's Note***
Hi :) This is my first chapter with my helper gamer072196! So a big thank you to them!
It's shorter than usual but I think I ended it at a good point. Hope you like :)
Chapter 3 - Of new crew and Haircuts
Shepard strolled into Nassana Dantius' penthouse, flaked closely by Garrus and Samara the Justicar. Testing her skills he reasoned and so far he was not disappointed. Her skills with biotics rivaled Jack's and Miranda's. They're probably even better. When the group had crossed the bridge that was beaten with wind ; she used her initiative and threw their enemies into it, watching them fly away on the breeze.
Shepard was pulled out of his thoughts. "Shepard, but...you're dead." God, this bitch is annoying.
"I got better." Samara cocked her assault rifle as Garrus did the same, the clicks they made bolstered Shepard's resolve.
"And now you're here to kill me." I wish. Nassana's guards aimed their guns at his squad.
"You're really paranoid aren't you?"
"Don't patronise me Shepard." She waved her hand dismissively and turned to watch the glorious sunset. Shepard fought to roll his eyes as he heard Garrus' faint chuckle beside him.
"Wow. Charming as ever, aren't you?"
"I'm sure you find this all very ironic. First, you take care of my sister, and now you're here for me." She turned back to them. "Well you made it this far. Now what?"
"You really think I'm here to kill you?"
"Do you have another reason for destroying my tower, decimating my security?"
"Meh, I'm just looking for someone." He shook his head so his ponytail fell over his shoulder. Maybe I should get it cut?
"You expect me to believe that!?" She made a small circuit of the area behind her desk. Shepard's visor noted a spike in her heart rate. "Is it credits? Is that what you want? Just tell me your price, we can make this problem go away." A muffled bang above them announced the presence of the man he had been waiting for. Fucking finally.
Leaning back on a leg and crossing his arms, he shot his best cocky smile at the Asari. "All the credits in the world will make this problem go away, Nassana."
"Who the hell gave you the right to play God?" She walked to the front of her guards, giving them a show of power. "I may not be perfect, but look at you. We both kill people for money, what's the difference?"
"Ha! You kill people because you think they're beneath you, they're in your way. I kill people because they leave me no choice." Another bang, louder this time. Nassana however, caught up in her own arrogance didn't hear it. Her guards became twitchy, aiming their guns at the roof. Shepard smiled again.
"You've got a choice. You don't have to do this. I can tell you...what?" She sneered at her Asari guard who was fidgeting beside her.
"I heard something."
"Dammit. Check the other entrances." The guard scuttled away. Nassana turned her finger onto Shepard. "You stay put. When I'm finished-" A figured dropped from the roof in complete silence. Snapping the neck of the first guard he quickly turned and punched another in the throat, crushing his windpipe. "-who-" He took a pistol and shot the Asari guard clean through the head. Shepard refused to blink, he was moving so fast. The Drell had Nassana bent over the pistol pulling the trigger before she could beg for her life. He shut his eyes and held her, laying her gently onto her desk as she breathed her last. He clasped her hands onto her stomach.
Without even acknowledging Shepard and his crew, he brought his hands together and bowed his head in prayer. Huh? Shepard heard Garrus shift behind him awkwardly and nudge him with his rifle. "Umm, I was hoping to talk to you..." He scratched the back of his head.
A deep rasping voice emanated from the Drell. "I apologise. But prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken."
"Do you really think she deserves it?"
Thane furrowed his brow at him, confused for a second. "Not for her. For me." He looked up at the group, dark obsidian eyes glistening in the dying light. "The nature of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone. Take you for instance: all this destruction, chaos." He walked around the desk to stand before them. "I was curious to see how far you would go to find me. Well, here I am."
"How'd you know I was coming at all?" He walked pat him and got a good look at Garrus and Samara. Garrus bristled slightly at the Drell whilst Samara merely stared him down. Ooh, I like her.
"I didn't, not until you marched through the front door and started shooting." He clasped his hands behind his back. "Nassana had become paranoid. You saw the strength of her guard force, she believe one of her sisters would kill her. You were a valuable distraction."
What a bastard! Shepard threaded his hair through his finger tips. "You used me so you could kill her!"
"I needed a diversion. You needed to speak with me." Shepard bobbed his head to signal his team to lower their weapons. "You certainly fulfilled your end of the bargain." He faced him. "What would you like to discuss?"
"Someone's been abducting entire human colonies." Thane walked over to the window as he listened. "We're going to stop them. We already know the culprits, a race called the Collectors."
"I have heard of them. Attacking the Collectors would require passing through the Omega 4 relay. No ship has ever returned from doing so."
"They told me it was impossible to get to Ilos too." Another chuckle from Garrus.
"A fair point. you've built a career on performing the impossible." A pause. "This was to be my last job. I'm dying." What!? "Low survival odds don't concern me. The abductions of your colonists does."
Shepard racked his brain for something to say. "I hadn't heard that." He mentally slapped himself upside of the head. Really? "Is there anything I can do?"
"Giving me this opportunity is enough. The universe is a dark place, I'm trying to make it brighter before I die. Many innocents died today. I wasn't fast enough and they suffered. I must atone for that. I will work for you Shepard. No charge." He held his hand out and Shepard took it.
Placing a finger to his comm he signaled Joker. "Send us a pick up, would ya buddy?"
"Aye aye. ETA 5 minutes. And what's with the buddy? You want something?"
"Shut up Joker."
"Obviously he is, too. He's doing this mission gratis. What's your concern?" Having his new commander back him up was oddly comforting. He hadn't worked with people in a very long time and he understood the looks many of the crew had given him. The dark human, Jacob, seemed to dislike him more on principle though.
"I don't like mercenaries. An assassin is just a precise mercenary." Thane also did not like the way this human looked at Shepard. A glare with a hint of contempt. What had Shepard done to earn this mans ire?
"An assassin is a weapon. A weapon doesn't chose to kill. The one who wields it does." He looked to Shepard. "Where shall I put my things? I'd prefer something dry, if anything is available." Shepard bit his lip and put a strand of his long hair into his hands. A trait he noticed in Nassana's penthouse.
A blue orb appeared from the table. "The area near the Life Support plant on the crew deck tends to be slightly more arid than the rest of the ship."
"Ah. An A.I? My thanks." He bowed to leave but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
"We have a guest in the Life Support. She can't leave yet, under Chakwas' orders. She's the medical professional."
"Should I bunk elsewhere?"
"Only if you mind sharing for the time being."
"I have no problems with it."
"Ah! Good I'll show the way then." Shepard smiled warmly at him. A show of welcome. "See ya , Jacob!"
"Get your hair cut Shepard!"
"Fuck you Jacob!" Still smiling.
The Life Support was currently busy with Dr. Chakwas and Miranda. Tests were being done on Marie as Thane and Shepard entered the room.
"Any changes Chakwas?" He stood at the head of the cot, blocking Thanes view. He went and sat on the cot he presumed was meant for him.
"Her general well-being has improved. The nutrients we've put into her are doing their trick and we've also injected some nanites to repair the muscle wastage." Intrigued Thane stood and walked to Shepard's side. Waxy skin was tight over her face, a white hospital standard gown failed to hide the protrusion of ribs and hips. Pale bone thin legs and skeletal feet. "She should be awake in the next few days. Hopefully then we can get answers and she can get food."
Shepard was playing with a strand of long, long brown hair. "Should we cut her hair and nails for her? Give her a bit less to freak about when she wakes up."
Miranda looked at the sleeping girl. "Couldn't hurt. Maybe give her a bed bath aswell?" They both looked to Chakwas for permission.
"I will do it, not at the moment however." Shepard nodded his head in agreement.
"Excuse me, but how long has she gone without food or water?" He had never seen anyone so thin and alive.
Shepard looked at Miranda who looked at the Drell. "We found her drifting in a pod from Earth. We ran tests and found the pod to be 170 years old, as far as we know she's been in it since then."
Thanes eyes widened. 170 years? Impossible! "How old is she? She is human?"
Chakwas spoke up. "She's 193, if her I.D checks out right. And yes she's human. She doesn't know what a Drell is, so if she awakens then you must come and find me. Don't speak to her, the shock could send her back into coma. I assume you're staying in here?"
"Yes. I prefer a drier climate. It helps with-"
"Keprals syndrome. Yes, yes." A new voice entered the room. "Helps with the lungs ability to transfer oxygen." A Salarian.
"Ah, Mordin. You wish for the tissue samples I assume?" The Salarian nodded and simply cut a small amount of hair from the girl and left.
Shepard coughed to break the silence. "Are you contagious?"
Thane shook his head still looking at the place where the Salarian had cut the hair away. "My condition is non-communicable, even among Drell."
"Cool. Well I'm off to do the rounds. See ya." He nodded to everyone and left. Then the good Dr. and Miranda left. and Thane was left alone with this sleeping question mark of a human.