Chapter 9: To Noveria

On the Normandy, Shepard was walking through the ship just checking the different areas. She was in the cargo hold when she heard a groan near the Mako. She walked over to the Mako and saw Ashley laying on the ground with her eyes closed and looking like someone was operating a jackhammer in her head. She continued groaning rubbing her head with her hand. Shepard smirked at this.

"So I see that you and Lt. Alenko had fun last night." She teased.

Williams peaked one eye open and saw her commander smirking down at her. She groaned. "Give me an hour commander."

"I don't know I think Joker would like to practice his karaoke skills over the intercom."

"Please I would very much like to avoid that even when I am not hungover."

"Alright Chief just make sure that you are ready when we get to Noveria."

"Yes mam."

Shepard walked away to allow Williams to rest. She decided to head to engineering to see how those in Engineering were doing. She saw the large engine vibrating. She looked around and saw everyone hard a work. She looked at her chief engineer looking over everything going on. The chief engineer looked over and saw the commander. "Commander Shepard, what brings you down to the Engineering deck?" He asked.

"Just exploring the ship and checking on the crew everything going well here?"

"Good commander I have been on nearly every type of Alliance ship and none can compare to the engine on the Normandy." He explained.

"Good to hear, I will let you get back to work, any concerns feel free to let me know."

Shepard exited the engineering deck and entered the elevator and went upto the common area. She looked around and saw Kaden at a table with a cup of coffee and his left hand rubbing his forehead. She walked over to his table. "Hey lieutenant may I take this seat?"

Kaden looked up and saw the commander. "Oh commander what may I do for you?"

"Just going around checking on my crew, you and Williams have a good time last night?"

"Yeah, it's just after a few drinks my implants start to act up."

"Implants?"

"For my biotics, a side affect for me are my headaches though I guess I got lucky."

"Lucky?"

"L2 implants have had serious side effects some lost limbs and others went to the psych ward."

"Anything I can get you to help with them?"

"Thank you, commander, but I have lived with it for a good chunk of my life."

"So before being assigned to the Normandy where have you been stationed?"

"Different ships and bases in the Alliance then assigned to the Normandy."

"So, were you trained in Grissom Academy?"

"No, I was trained at 'Brain Camp' by an old turian general."

"Really?"

"Yeah we were one of the first generation human biotics and the first biotic training program BAaT."

"BAaT?"

"Biotic Acclimatization and Temperance Training." He elaborated. "It ended badly."

He looked down looking at his coffee with a withdrawn look on his face. Shepard reading her lieutenants expression got up from her seat. "When your ready to talk about it I will listen." She told him before heading to the infirmary.

She walked into the infirmary and saw Dr. chakwas checking her inventory. Chakwas turned toward the door and saw Shepard. "Commander, what brings you to the infirmary not inured I hope."

"No, just going around and checking on the crew."

"Well go to hear that you're not here because you got injured before your mission it would be quite embarrassing, I would imagine."

"Yeah, that would be quite embarrassing call to the council." Shepard agreed. "So, what brought you to the Normandy."

"Adventure the idea of serving on a ship sounded romantic of course reality does not always reflect the romantic, but I could never leave the Alliance something just stuck."

"Do you ever wish to leave?"

"Sometimes I think about going to Earth or one of our colonies and opening a clinic, but I would miss living on a ship."

"Well, it's good to have you on the Normandy Doctor."

"Much appreciated commander, is their anything else that you need?"

"No, I will let you get back to work thank you for taking your time to talk to me."

"Anytime commander."

Shepard then went up the stairs to navigation to the holographic map of the galaxy being displayed. She looked and saw Pressley and Nihlus discussing something. She walked over to where they were and heard the end of the conversation. "We should be there in two days." Pressly told the Specter.

"That's good." Nihlus said before walking away.

Nihlus passed Sheppard and said Shepard in greeting while passing her. "Commander." Pressley greeted.

"Pressley what was going on with our guest?"

"Specter Nihlus and I were just discussing our path to Noveria." He answered with a barely hidden disdain.

"Anything you wish to say, you have permission to speak freely."

The chief navigator sighed. "It's the Specter, I understand that the council helped commission it, but do we have to deal with one of them?"

"As a Spectre, he has the ear of the council and if more ships like the Normandy are to be commissioned then the council are going to need a good report from someone they trust."

"I guess." Pressly relented. "But if you become a Specter this ship will be answering directly to the Council and the Alliance brass are not going to like it."

Shepard grunted in agreement. "I imagine the politicians will negotiate an increase in dreadnaught or the parliament will pass a budget increase to replace older ships."

"I guess better to have peace with the council than have a long term First Contact War."

"Anything else that I should know?" Shepard asked.

"Smooth sailing so far, like I told the Specter we should be at Noveria in 2 days."

"What about you Pressley, I wan to know about my crew."

"Not really much joined the Alliance out of high school, my grandfather served during the First Contact War, before I was assigned on the Normandy I was stationed on a Frigate and with your help we were able to repeal the Blitz."

"I will let you get back to work."

"Commander."

She then walked to the cockpit. She saw Joker piloting the ship with a smile on his face. "Hey Joker, how is everything going?"

Joker turned his head and saw her approach him. "Ah Commander everything is going smooth."

"Good to hear, how is the ship?"

"Great, I flew numerous ships but here is nothing like the Normandy." He gloated.

"I want to know about you."

"Oh I see where this is going and I can do my job despite my condition."

"Condition? Are you sick?"

"Wait did you not know, oh crap?"

"Hey it's okay."

Joker took a breath. "I have a condition called Vrolic syndrome, my bones are brittle."

"I seen you fly your good."

"I'm not just good I'm there best I will tell you what I told Captain Anderson." Joker recounted. "You want behind the wheel, you need me behind the wheel, why because I am the best pilot in the Alliance, no the galaxy."

"Humble I see." She joked.

"When your condition is on your record you have to have a large ego." He chuckled.

Shepard smirked a that. "One more question, why do they call you Joker?"

"My flight instructor told me that I should smile more and called me Joker and it just stuck." Joker told her. "In the end though I was the one smiling in the end at the graduation?"

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