Chapter 15: The Day After
The morning after her date Shepard woke up from her bed on the Normandy. She stretched before getting up and doing a variety of exercises before heading for her shower. She took a shower then got changed in her standard Alliance issued clothes. She left the Normandy and headed for the cafeteria for Alliance personnel to grab some breakfast. She got some eggs, toast, and a caron of 'orange' juice. She walked over and saw the officers of the Normandy at one table and headed over there.
"Commander glad to see you." Pressley greeted.
"Pressley good to see you to, how was your night last night?"
Shepard smiled which caused most of the people at the table to laugh. "So, who's the lucky man?"
"I wouldn't say it was a man, more of a blue alien." Williams answered for the commander.
Shepard gave Ashley a look of surprise. "Alenko and I saw you and your date enter the movie theater."
Shepard blushed at that. "Oh."
"So, who's the lucky lady?" Adams asked.
"You remember Liara? The Asari archeologist we rescued from the Blood Pack."
"Oh, I did not expect that from you commander." Pressley said surprised.
"Why?" Shepard asked slightly offended.
Pressley suddenly became nervous. "I mean no offense commander I just never thought that you would date an alien." He stammered only to realize that he dug a deeper hole.
"This won't e a problem, will it Pressley?" She asked narrowing her eyes.
"No mam, sorry for my assumptions."
Shepard nodded dismissively continuing to eat her breakfast. Kaidan wanting to lower the temperature decided to ask, "What are you planning to do today?"
"After breakfast I am heading for Liara's to help her upack and then I will get drinks with everyone."
"Yeah!" A soldier yelled only to squirm when the officers looked at him.
"I'm heading for Liara's message me where we are going for drinks." She told them taking her empty tray with her.
She put her tray away, then headed out. Shepard took a taxi to Liara's apartment on the Presidium. After a short taxi ride and a short walk she found herself in front of Liara's apartment. She knocked on the door waiting for Liara to open it.
The door opened, Liara wearing her usual white outfit. "Oh, Shepard welcome."
Liara moves in allowing Shepard to follow. Shepard noticed that the upacking started. "Sorry if I am late."
"Oh no, I woke up early and figured I should get started." Liara said nervously.
"Relax, sooner we get it done the sooner I can take you to lunch."
"That sounds wonderful."
The two went onto unpack Liara's belongings. After 2 hours everything was unpacked and organized. The two were now sitting on the couch watching a sappy rom com about a love between an elcor and a hannar.
"This one wishes for you to come with me." The hanar said.
"Regretful, I can not follow you for my clan relies on me to continue stable leadership." The Elcor told the hanar blandly.
"So why does the Citadel produce so many unusual cross-species romances?" Shepard asked.
"Truth be told I have no idea." Liara answered bewildered.
"I find this entertaining in a way."
The doorbell rang and Shepard walked over to the door. The door slide opened revealing a volus in a white suited with a Chines dragon on the front. "Delivery…for a Shepard."
"That would be me."
"Alright… have…a nice day." The volus said handing her the food before leaving.
"Hey Liara food is here." She announced.
"Okay, what did you order?" Liara asked.
"Ordered Chinese." Shepard answered. "Orange Chicken, General Tso's chicken, egg rolls, fried rice, and white rice."
"Um sounds good." Liara said unsure.
"Don't worry it's delicious, not authentic but delicious." Shepard said with a reassuring smile.
"I will take your word for it." Liara said still unsure getting plates.
Shepard brought the food to the kitchen counter and started opening the containers. Shepard put a little bit of everything on Liara's plate while Shepard put orange chicken, egg rolls, and white rice on hers. The two made their way back to the living room and continued watching the epic romance between a hanar and an elcor.
"This one wishes for you to come with." The hanar said.
"Heartbroken, I can not come with you my duty is to my tribe traveling through the prairies of Dekuuna."
The two were eating their food watching the end as the hanar's ship was flying away the hanar looking back on its last love, before the credits roll. "Well, that was interesting?" Shepard said.
"To be honest my species can bond with any other sapient species, to me it's weird that all the other races can't bond with other races."
"Do you think it was an Asari production company that produced this?" Shepard asked.
"It usually is." Liara said.
Shepard then received a message on her omni-tool. "Hey Liara, I got a message from Alenko, how would you like to come have a few drinks with me and the crew?"
Liara looked shocked at what Shepard. "Your crew wants me there?" She asked.
"I think that they are curious about you after Williams caught us at the movie theater."
"Oh, sure."
"Okay let's finish our food then we can get ready, we don't have to be at the club until a few hours." Shepard said. "Do you want to watch another movie?"
In a meeting room the council, Udina, Anderson, and Nihlus were sitting or standing in Anderson and Nihlus' case. "I have read the mission report and from what I read it is quite impressive." Tevos said.
Sparatus scoffed. "I don't know how letting a dangerous entity loose would be impressive."
"Regardless of that, how she maneuvered through corporate bureaucracy and then took down an army to find possible illegal experimentation is what impresses me the most." Valern stated.
Spartatus sighed then looked at Nihlus. "How would you evaluate her performance Spectre Nihlus?"
"I think she is ready." Nihlus answered. "She recognized the need for contacts to get anything done, she also gains the respect of those that will fight with her, and she can do more than hold her own."
Spartus sighed in frustration again. "I think one more mission of supervision as needed before she is ready to take on the mantle of Spectre."
Tevos and Valern nodded in agreement. "Anything come up with Exogeni?" Tevos inquired.
"STG, still looking, files under high level of encryption."
Anderson then spoke. "The Alliance received a tip from an Exogeni facility on Feros."
"Any details?" Udina asked.
"A scientist claiming that Exogeni were performing illegal experiments but it cut off after that, Alliance sent a few frigates and carriers, and encountered a fleet of Blue Suns, most have been taken care of but the Exogeni building has been taken and the occupants are now hostages."
"Then we have a mission then." Sparatus said. "Retrieve the data and the scientist for testimony."
Udina glared at Sparatus but kept quiet. Anderson sighed. Tevos and Valern nodded to the turian in agreement.
Took me a while to update but thank you for reading please leave a review.