.

Loyalty and Limerence

Part 3

Chapter 6

The Citadel

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Doctor." Garrus said as he pushed his chair back and stood. "I know you don't have much to spare these days, but these medical supplies will make a big difference in the refugee camps. I really appreciate it."

"Of course, Garrus." Dr. Michele replied warmly as she also stood, coming around her desk. "I'm glad that I'm able to do something to help you- and your people, of course." She finished quickly as she glanced away, fiddling with her hands absently. Garrus nodded, unsure what else to say, fairly positive the meeting was essentially over.

"Well, I appreciate that you were able to make time to meet with me." With that, he turned toward the door, but stopped as she reached a hand out to grab his arm.

"It's the least I can do for you. Do you need to go already?" He looked back at Dr. Michele in confusion to see her face slightly pinkened.

"Yeah, the Normandy will only be docked for a little while longer, and I have a few more I need to finish up before we leave. Sorry I can't stay longer to catch up." Garrus murmured, and at his words, her face seemed to fall.

"Oh, I thought- I didn't realize-" She cut herself off, then suddenly pulled back as she realized her hand was still resting on his arm. "I'm sorry to hear you're leaving so soon. I was under the impression that you were taking over the coordination of the refugee camps." Her tone was slightly more distant, but the disappointment was clear in her voice. He blinked in bewilderment.

"When we're docked on the Citadel, I'll probably continue to do what I can. But I've left you the primary contact who will be taking over when I leave, and he's the one you should contact regarding the medical supplies going forward."

"I see." Dr. Michele' eyes fell as she replied quietly, causing Garrus to sigh. He was fairly positive he'd been clear about it during their meeting, but he was starting to suspect he didn't always understand humans as well as he thought he did. Clearly he'd said something wrong, but spirits help him, he had no idea what.

They stood there for a moment in stagnant silence, and Garrus shuffled his feet awkwardly as he wondered if it was polite to just leave. Their meeting was over, and he was utterly confused as to what sort of human ritual he was messing up this time, but clearly he'd missed some sort of social que. There was something he was supposed to be doing right now, but he had no idea what it could be. Suddenly, Dr. Michele's eyes popped in realization and she smiled widely.

"I almost forgot! I got you something." In a rush, she hurried back around the desk and reached into a drawer. Garrus waited, becoming more perplexed by the minute as she lifted up a small box tied with a blue ribbon.

Did professional meetings typically include an act of gift giving amongst humans? Why hadn't Jane warned him of that when he'd told her about this meeting the night before? She'd stared at him with the strangest look before bursting into laughter, then waved him off when he'd asked what was so funny. She'd then wished him well and told him to watch himself, all the while grinning like an idiot. He was going to have to have a word with her about this when he got back to the ship.

"I got these for you as a little 'thank you'." Dr. Michele murmured quietly as she came back around the desk, holding the box out to him. Garrus hesitated, unsure of himself as the meeting continued taking unexpected turns. "They're dextro chocolates, I hope you like them."

"Er, I think I'm the one who should be saying thank you, what with the medical supplies for the refugees and what not…" He trailed off, his mandibles flicking as he looked down at the box being extended toward him. Dr. Michele looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

"No, I meant to thank you for coming to save me back during everything with Saren and the Shadow Broker. Back when you were with C-Sec." Garrus blinked, his mouth falling open.

"Oh. Uh, that's not-" He cut off, unsure how to reply. He hadn't really done much, Jane had been the one to take the shot that had actually freed the woman. And it had been years ago, for that matter. "Um, you're welcome?" He finally stated haltingly, deciding not to question the situation. It had to be a cross species misunderstanding of some sort, it probably wasn't worth thinking too hard about. He extended a hand, and she handed over the box with a pleased smile.

"I owe you my life." Dr. Michele stated as her cheeks flushed and she looked away, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. He almost pointed out that it had, in fact, been Jane who had saved her life, but his desire to leave and get on with his day took precedence over his desire to be right.

"It was my pleasure." Garrus stated as he forced a quick smile. They stood there for another minute before he took a small step toward the door. "Well, it was nice to see you again. But I really need to-" He trailed off as he pointed toward the office door, "-get going."

"Oh! Yes, of course." She jumped as though suddenly realizing where she was, quickly checking the time. He hesitantly made his way toward the door, but paused as she spoke up again. "I hope you'll let me know the next time you're on the Citadel again. Maybe we can get a drink or something and catch up? I know this really great sushi restaurant."

"Sure, sounds good." He replied absently as he reached for the door, his mind already turning toward his next meeting, "I'll see you around, Dr. Michele."

Their short few days on the Citadel felt shorter still by the illusion of peace that it afforded. While strolling the shopping districts hand in hand with Jane, all the people bustling around them, the lights flashing, the smells of delicious food sizzling in nearby restaurants… Everything felt so normal, it was nearly impossible to think about the war.

Nearly.

When he managed to drag his mind away from the packed and stinking refugee camps, it was still difficult to miss the other signs that not all was right. Closed up shops, fearful whispering, grim news reports, and skyrocketing prices, just to name a few.

So, Garrus did what he could during the day, and in the evening, he found distraction in reacquainting himself with the love of his life. He and Jane spent every spare moment they could together, whether out and about or tucked away in the privacy of the nicest room they could afford. He was determined to submerged himself in the sound of her voice, remap every freckle on her body, and drink in the sound of her laughter.

But it was over before he could blink. Despite dragging his feet, Garrus managed to make it back to the Normandy on time, the final preparations for departure nearly underway. As he walked through the CIC, it seemed as though Shepard had picked up one or two new faces to flush out their patchwork crew. But it was hard to say as he hadn't had much time to get to know the new crew, and he still wasn't perfect at differentiating human faces.

The first surprise was running into Jane ushering a very bemused Gabriella Daniels, Ken Donnelly, and Richard Jenkins aboard after springing them from Alliance custody. Apparently, they'd been transferred off Earth at some point before the invasion, and were awaiting trial for their time with Cerberus on the Citadel. Jane had decided that was rubbish and used her Spectre authorization to clear and reinstate them aboard the Normandy. Garrus wasn't entirely sure how any of that worked, legally speaking, but there was a goddamn war on and it seemed like everyone probably had bigger things to worry about. He certainly did.

The second surprise came when he got down to the barracks and saw Kaidan Alenko unpacking his bag. He was no longer dressed in the red uniform of the Grissom Academy instructors, but was now wearing the blue of the Alliance again.

"Coming with us, Kaidan?" Garrus asked as he put his bag down on his own bunk and began putting things away. Kaidan looked up and nodded with a half smile.

"Yeah. Shepard offered both me and Jack a position on his ground team, and after discussing it, we agreed that she should stay with the students, and I should do what I can to assist Shepard." He chuckled softly as he looked back down at his half unpacked bag. "I think she was really torn though, I can tell she really enjoyed her time serving on the Normandy."

"I think that Jack… hmmm." Garrus paused to consider, his head tilting to the side slightly as he failed to stop a smile from crossing his face, "I think that she enjoyed her time on the Normandy, for lack of a better word. As much as she enjoys anything that doesn't include mass destruction. Though, I suppose she did get to do some of that with us." They shared a laugh, but as Garrus turned toward the door, Kaidan called out.

"Garrus, wait." Turning, he saw Kaidan looking up at him, his face suddenly serious. "I… wanted to make sure we're good. You know, after everything on Horizon." The word hung heavy between them, but after a pause, Garrus shrugged.

"Yeah, we're good, Kaidan. I spoke with Ashley about it not long ago, and honestly, it's fine. We made different choices, and as long as you and Shepard are good, then we're good." Kaidan seemed relieved as he nodded his head slowly, a weight seeming to drop off his shoulders.

"Great. Thanks, I'm happy to hear you say that." Kaidan sighed before looking back down at his half unpacked bag. "I know you guys were only working with Cerberus to take down the Collectors. I'm sorry I suspected you were still with them when you helped us at the Academy, even after everythin. I shouldn't have-"

Garrus cut in, "Kaidan, it's fine. You were under attack and trying to protect your students. I don't blame you for not taking any chances with their lives. Seriously, I understand."

He took his leave after a few more moments of discussion. It wasn't that he felt uncomfortable around Kaidan, but it would take some time before he truly felt like a friend and teammate again. It was one thing to not be at odds anymore, but it was something else altogether to truly trust him again.

But fighting alongside Ashley for a few missions had done wonders so far, so he was sure it would just take a matter of time. With her, Kaidan, Liara, Jane, and Shepard, they were just a few people away from having the old squad back together. And one of them, Garrus mused with a chuckle, would be joining them very soon.

The Normandy began its journey to the Pranas System, home system of the salarians and the location chosen for the war summit. They were due to arrive a day or so before the summit was to begin, leaving everyone with plenty of time to prepare. As much as you could prepare for something like that, Garrus supposed.

It was late, and though he should probably head to bed, lately sleep hadn't been coming as easily as it once had. So, instead he made his way toward the main battery. There was always more work to be done, and there was no rest for the wicked.

The elevator pinged, the door opened, and Garrus strode out and around the corner. He drew up, his feet slowing to a stop as he heard the voices emanating from the mess hall just ahead.

"-trying not to worry, but it's hard." Shepard sighed wearily, pain evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry, that can't be easy." Jane replied softly, and Garrus took another step closer, noticing the two sitting alone, side by side at the mess table, their backs to him as they both nursed cups of coffee.

"I'm trying to stay positive, but we haven't heard anything about the Migrant Fleet one way or the other. I want to believe we'd hear something, anything if they were attacked by the Reapers." Shepard continued, his voice full of forced confidence.

"Yeah, maybe." Jane sounded less convinced. "Why hasn't she responded, though?"

"I don't know." He sighed again, leaning further forward to stare down into the cup clutched in his hands. Garrus knew he was eavesdropping, but he couldn't bring himself to interrupt the two of them. Shepard hadn't been able to make much time for casual conversation lately, and seeing the two of them with their heads together sent both stabs of relief and longing through him. Spirits, he hoped Sol was okay.

"Maybe they're struggling with communications as much as the rest of us are. Getting communication from Earth any way other than through the quantum communicators is virtually impossible these days. Maybe she either isn't getting our messages, or we aren't getting hers." Jane's voice seemed hopeful, but there was a hesitancy that suggested she, herself, felt unsure. Garrus felt bad, he hadn't had much time lately to spare more than a passing concern for Tali and her people. But it seemed like he had plenty of his own fish to fry these days.

"Yeah, maybe." Shepard murmured. They lapsed into silence, and Garrus was about to continue into the room when Jane spoke up again.

"So, let's say we beat the Reapers by some miracle… Then what? Gonna grab your girl and ride off into the sunset?" They shared a laugh before Shepard replied.

"Yeah, I guess. I dunno, I suppose it depends. There will be plenty to do to rebuild the galaxy after everything is said and done."

"Yeah," Jane scoffed, "But you're going to be a fucking hero. You could fuck off to a beach somewhere and no one would balk. You'll deserve a little peace." There was a moment of silence, before she continued softly, "I'm not asking about what The Commander is going to do. I'm asking about you. What does John Shepard want in a perfect future?"

Shepard was quiet, taking a sip of his coffee as he considered the question. "You know, it sounds funny, but I really wish I could just… settle down, you know? Be normal for once, lead a normal life. Build a house somewhere quiet, have a couple of kids, maybe a dog or something. Maybe start a garden, make something grow for once instead of just killing. We never got any of that as children, but I think it would be nice. A little peace." Jane turned to look at her brother, a soft smile on her face.

"You deserve it. I bet Tali would like that, too."

"I hope so."

"So long as you have plenty of tinkering for her to do. I don't think she'd know what to do with herself if she didn't have something broken to fix." Jane paused before grinning. "She'll have to handle taking care of the dog, though. I've seen how you treat your fish, and you're fucking hopeless. Without me, you'd have nothing but a tank full of skeletons." They both laughed and Shepard shoved her lightly. It seemed like a good point to interrupt, but Garrus froze as he heard his own name.

"Okay, so what about you? What are you and Garrus going to do after the war, assuming we win?" Shepard asked, and Jane leaned back in her chair as she tucked her hands behind her head. Garrus leaned in, instantly curious as to what she would answer. He'd tried getting her to talk about her hopes for the future before, and it was generally difficult to get her to be serious about the topic. Perhaps she would open up more with her brother?

"Oh, I dunno. Guess we'll retire somewhere warm and sunny, spend our days lounging on the beach or something." She replied flippantly with a vague wave of her hand, and Shepard raised an eyebrow at her.

"Seriously? Something tells me you'd get a little bored living the retired lifestyle. I really can't imagine you not getting into trouble somehow or other."

"Ha. Yeah, you're probably right. But if we make it through all this, I think I'll have had my fill with this 'saving the world' thing. Maybe I'll pick up a dangerous new hobby to get my thrill seeking kicks instead. Cliff diving, perhaps? Oh! Maybe a professional sport!" Garrus couldn't help but smile and roll his eyes. She'd shine in the spotlight as a professional athlete, that would be just like her.

"I could see that!" Shepard agreed with a chuckle, but Jane seemed to sober as she sat forward to take a sip of her drink, continuing.

"Honestly, I haven't let myself think about the future too much lately. I find it easier to focus on the here and now, one day at a time. I get a little depressed if I let myself dwell on what I would like to someday have. Castles in the sky, and all that…"

Shepard didn't seem to have a reply to that, perhaps the words struck a little too close to home. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and leaned into her.

"So what, are you guys going to adopt some war orphans or something?" Jane asked, changing the topic abruptly.

"I guess so? I think it would depend on what Tali wants. I'm not picky. If she's happy, then I'm happy. I guess a lot depends on what the quarians decide to do about Rannoch."

"Good point. I have so many questions about how quarians handle births and babies." Jane mused, and Shepard chuckled.

"Tali explained some of it to me, but I'm not sure I really understood it all. Like I said, if she's happy, then I'm happy. What about you? You going to make me an uncle someday?" Jane snorted in reply and shrugged.

"John, I'm trying to figure out how we're going to survive another week. I don't have time to daydream about dirty diapers."

"Fine, fine. Point taken." Shepard seemed to leave it, but Jane spoke up again a moment later.

"I dunno. Maybe someday. Guess it depends on Garrus. Hard to think about it with a war going on, though."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Shepard murmured, and they fell into a comfortable silence as Garrus felt his heart clench. He gave them a moment before stepping forward into the room.

"Hey guys, burning the midnight oil?" He approached as they both turned to greet him, then leaned down to give Jane a quick nuzzle as she smiled at him.

"Speak of the devil. What are you doing up at this hour, Garrus?" Shepard asked with a smile as he raised his cup in greeting. Garrus looked up and shrugged, giving Jane's hand a quick squeeze before letting go.

"The same as you, I'd venture to guess. Room for one more?" Time spent with Shepard while not being shot at was rare enough these days, he wasn't about to pass up an opportunity. Work could wait, but who knew how much time they'd all have left together?

"Of course, please!" Shepard gestured to the rest of the open seats, and Garrus quickly made himself up a cup of something warm before sitting across the table from them both.

The conversation remained light and positive as they joked and teased each other, for which Garrus was somewhat thankful. In that moment, all he truly wanted was to spend time basking in the presence and comradery of two of his most important people.

They arrived a day ahead of the beginning of the war summit, just as planned, and immediately began preparations. From the looks of it, the other ships that had arrived before them had kept a healthy distance from one another, and according to Shepard, they'd requested that the Normandy be the neutral ground to meet upon. Apparently, they'd done nothing but argue as they'd attempted to negotiate a suitable ship for the purpose, and to Garrus that didn't bode well for the talks.

As he stepped into the cockpit, he could hear the tail end of a conversation with one of the krogan ships.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just tell Shepard I'm coming aboard, and tell his pyjack of a sister to get a few bottles ready. We've got a slog of political bullshit ahead of us, so we'll need to fortify ourselves beforehand! Hah!" The voice of Urdnot Wrex boomed through the comm as Joker rolled his eyes and leveled a half amused glance in Garrus' direction.

"Sure thing, Clan Chief. Any other demands while I'm at it?" Joker relied dryly as he leaned his weight onto one elbow, inspecting his nails with affected boredom.

"Yeah, why don't you tell those uptight turians I'm generous and more than willing to share my booze. It'll be hilarious to watch those stuck up dextro bastards throw up everything they've ever eaten." With that, he burst into rumbles of laughter, and Joker cut the connection with a snort.

"Well, good to see Wrex hasn't changed…" He muttered as he input a few commands into the control display.

It wasn't long until they found Wrex stepping out of a shuttle, eager and interested in a tour of the new Normandy. He offered Shepard and Garrus bone crushing hand shakes, as well as a one armed hug for Jane that seemed to squeeze the air out of her.

"Boy is it good to see you. Feared the worst when I heard about Earth, but I shoulda known those Reapers couldn't keep up with you, Shepard." Wrex stated gruffly as he looked around the cargo bay. "Looks like you got yourself a fancy new ship to boot."

"It's good to see you, too, Wrex. Not that I'm complaining, but you're a bit early for the war summit." Shepard pointed out, and Wrex chuckled as he ducked back into the shuttle and pulled out two bottles of bright green liquid. He gave them a little shake.

"Figured I'd make myself comfy." He said with a toothy grin. But as Shepard chuckled and directed him toward the elevator, Garrus could have sworn he saw the old krogan shoot Jane a serious look loaded with meaning. It was gone in a flash, to the point that Garrus almost believed he'd imagined it. But Jane nodded at Wrex almost imperceptibly as he passed, her smile gone, and he couldn't help but wonder what that could have meant.

"-and then he ripped the damn thing's leg off and ate damn near the entire thing!" Wrex guffawed as he slapped his knee, his drink slothing over the rim of his cup. Others in the room burst into laughter, though some seemed more confused than anything. Krogan humor didn't always translate.

Wrex had gotten his quick tour of the Normandy, which had ended in the port observation deck's bar, as expected. Most of the original squad, including Kaidan, Ashley, Liara, Jane, and himself, had joined him in order to catch up, and even Shepard had poked his head in for a moment. James had immediately hit it off with the krogan, and many of the other crew members had popped in for a little while to meet the clan chief.

If only Tali were there, too, then he supposed it would have felt a bit more like old times. She'd grown up quite a bit since their days on the SR1, and though he supposed that could be said about each of them, it seemed most pronounced in her. And perhaps Liara, which was interesting given her actual age in relation to most of them.

Besides just having his old friend and fellow dextro amino based squad member around, having Tali back would probably go a long way toward helping Shepard. The man was running himself ragged, and the wear and tear was beginning to show. Besides the rare occasion, he almost never saw him in the mess these days, and Jane reported his sleep issues were only getting worse. But Tali was good at forcing Shepard to take a little time for himself every now and then. It was a pity they hadn't heard from her yet. Concerning, too.

The door to the observation deck flew open, and Garrus' musings stopped as he and others turned in their seats to greet the newcomer. The welcome died in their throats as they recognized the person standing stiffly in the doorway. The chatter around the room died, and the silence stretched on.

"Javik." Jane stated in greeting, lifting her glass in a salute from behind the bar. "Come to join the party?"

"You could say that." The Prothean replied dryly as his many eyes swept the room, taking in the array of intoxicated faces. Like usual, Garrus got the distinct impression that he was less than impressed by what he saw.

"Well, come on in! Grab a drink and take a seat!" She gestured to a nearby couch. There was a little space on the couch, Garrus supposed, but you'd have to be pretty friendly with the other occupants, and he doubted Javik was feeling very friendly toward anyone at the moment.

"I'll stand." was Javik's curt reply, and Jane shrugged. She ducked around the bar and approached to offer him a glass of ryncol.

"Well, then have a drink." The glass remained in her hand as he stared down at it, his lip curling in a sneer. He took a single sniff before appearing to wince ever so slightly.

"I'll be fine. In my cycle, we did not ingest degreasing agents for sport." Jane grinned before shrugging again.

"Suit yourself. Ryncol's never been my particular favorite either." She passed the glass off to Wrex, who happily tossed it back, before returning to her glass of whisky sitting on the bar top. The room was quiet after that, everyone either nervously looking at anything other than Javik or staring at him unabashedly.

Wrex broke the silence. "Who's that?" He gestured to Javik as he looked to where Garrus sat nearby.

"He's… a Prothean."

"I invited him," Liara explains quickly from where she stood, "I thought he should get to know the crew."

Wrex's face remained impassive, staring at Garrus as if to see if he was pulling his leg. He then turned to raise a brow at Javik, who returned his stare with added indifference. Wrex let go of a single huffed laugh.

"Sometimes I'm not sure if the Normandy is a warship or a traveling freak show."

Garrus heard a sharp intake of breath from one of the human crew, and the room's remaining eyes fell on the krogan and the Prothean.

"In my cycle, krogan were considered animals at best. Sometimes we hunted you for sport, and collected the plates off your foreheads like trophies."

The anxiety in the room made Garrus' plates itch as people shuffled and inched away from the two aliens staring each other down. After another moment, Wrex barked a laugh and grinned at Javik with a toothy smile as he eased back into the couch.

"Maybe when this war is over, you can come live on Tuchanka. You'd fit right in." The tension in the room began to unwind, and slowly conversation began to pick back up again. Liara hurried over to Javik in an attempt to help him find a comfortable place as she did her best not to pepper him with questions.

Wrex downed his own glass of ryncol and Garrus winced. "I don't know how you can drink that shit. It smells awful and I've seen what it can do to someone."

"I've seen what you turians consider quality cocktails, and I'll pass." Wrex grunted as he rolled his eyes, and Garrus grinned back at him.

"Well, and you know, the whole dextro amino thing. Do krogan have issues with allergies, or are you all too 'rough and tough' for bodily functions?"

"I just had to make friends with the one turian in the galaxy who thinks he's funny, didn't I." Wrex stated dryly despite his smile, and Garrus chuckled.

"Imagine how I feel. I'm supposed to hate krogan, but you came along and warmed my heart with your winning personality." He retorted with playful sarcasm, and they shared a laugh.

"Now, don't get all soppy and sentimental on me now, Garrus. Going to need you in tip top fighting shape tomorrow. Got a feeling the salarians aren't going to play nice." Garrus felt himself perk up at that.

"What's that supposed to mean? Isn't this just a diplomatic meeting regarding the war with the Reapers?"

"Don't mean anything by it." Wrex shifted, stretching slightly as he repositioned. "But salarians are salarians, and they don't like to play fair with the krogan. We learned that long ago." He stated grimly, his smile disappearing.

"If they will not cooperate against the Reapers, then we shall slaughter them all." Javik stated nonchalantly as though he was stating that outer space was big.

"I wouldn't argue. Salarians are really only good for their livers, anyway. They're not bad served raw." If Wrex was expecting his statement to be received with disgust from his new Prothean friend, he was sadly mistaken. While he got crinkled noses from some of the nearby humans, Javik simply blinked at him before nodding.

"You are correct. It was a… delicacy in my cycle." More disgusted faces turned toward the pair, disbelief warring with revulsion. Liara deadpanned as she gave up trying to get Javik's attention back. Her unamused sigh only served to spur Garrus on.

"I hear Vorcha prefer it grilled." He added casually, and Wrex roared with laughter as one of the privates gagged nearby. Once everything settled a bit, Garrus raised his nearly empty glass to the krogan in a salute. "Figured you'd gone soft sitting on your throne. Good to see I was wrong. Though I'm interested to see if you still remember how to hold a gun."

Wrex's answering chuckle was low and almost ominous. "Maybe you'll have a chance to find out."

"Wrex…" Garrus stated in a warning tone. "You do realize that diplomatic war summits don't typically include any actual warring, right? The word is just in the title."

"Don't worry," Wrex waved a huge hand as if to dismiss Garrus' concern, "We've got it all planned out." After a moment, he shrugged. "For the most part." With that, he put his glass on the small side table nearby along with all the others, placed his hands on his knees, and began to stand up. "Don't mind me, carry on." He grunted as he made his way toward where Jane stood mixing someone's drink behind the bar.

Garrus watched, his eyes narrowing as Wrex came to stand beside her, his back against the bar as he leaned into in, crossing his arms. He ducked down to mutter something to her quietly, her face impassive as she appeared to concentrate on the bottles in her hand. The only sign that she was listening was a single flick of her eyes toward the clan chief before returning to her work, betraying her true focus.

What were those two up to? Garrus would have to pull her aside later and ask. Or he supposed he could just wait till the meeting and find out for himself. He trusted her, after all, and she would tell him when she was ready.

Instead, Garrus shifted his attention. He wasn't sure why it popped into his head – perhaps it was the alcohol – but he thought back to a video clip and a conversation he'd had quite a long time ago with a different krogan.

"So, Liara," Garrus turned to the nearby asari, "Ever dug up… what do humans call it? A dinosaur?" He fought to keep his face straight as he looked up at where she stood.

"No." She replied curtly, her voice shifting to that of Doctor T'Soni, "Dinosaurs and other fossils would be paleontology. I am an archeologist. I study artifacts left by sapient species." She began to look disgruntled as she continued, as though this was the sort of question she received more often than she'd like, "The two fields are completely different, and…" He could no longer hide his grin, and realization started to dawn on her face as she trailed off. "Ah. You were joking."

"A bit." Garrus conceded, "But at least you're catching on these days." He teased and she rolled her eyes at him.

"By the time I was born, the Reapers had destroyed the need for studying anything but war. We did not have time for such extravagances." Javik stated as he stood before the large observation window nearby.

"Wait, so you guys didn't have like… universities or anything?" One of the nearby crew asked in surprise. Javik shook his head. "No museums, no shops?" Javik shook his head again, and more than one person stared in shock. "No restaurants?"

"Not during my lifetime, no." Javik glared through the window at the passing stars.

"Your cycle sounds like crap." Wrex grunted as he returned to his seat, falling onto the couch and sloshing some of his new drink over the rim of his glass. Garrus snorted, and Liara sighed as she brought her hand up to rub her brow in frustration.

"I'm not sure what I expected." She whispered tiredly.