The commander took a deep breath once she was in her own cabin. She quickly stripped off her armor and put on some casual clothes. She was glad to find that except for 20 pairs of Cerberus clothing, there was also an N7 hoodie. She paired it with a basic white shirt and some pants.
Once clothed she went to the sink and washed her face without even looking into the mirror. She frowned as her hands touched her face. She could feel deep dents that definitely weren't there before. The same frown was still present as she finally, for the first time from the time she woke on the table at the lab, looked at her face in the mirror. The frown was immediately exchanged for a look of horror. Her hands kept touching the red glowing scars that were all over her face. The worst part tho was her eyes. They lost all of their natural green colors and were replaced by the same red glow as the artificial scars. Her mind filled with thoughts. 'Is it because they didn't finish? Is it forever? Will it get worse? Is my body covered with those?' When suddenly all of those thoughts disappeared and dread settled in her stomach. Her hands moved down to grab the sink tightly. 'Is that why Sam didn't want to talk to me? because Im…a monster?' With one last disgusted look into the mirror, she looked down at the sink before quickly shutting her eyes. Without knowing she even deformed the sink that's how tightly she was gripping it.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even notice someone walking into her room, nor EDI announcing them, nor them calling for her. When suddenly there were arms wrapped around her from behind and a head pushed between her shoulder blades.
She was about to attack whoever was behind her but quiet words stopped her. "I'm sorry…"
"Sam?" Chloe asked surprised with a quick look over her shoulder, not that she could see anything though.
There was a little nod that she could feel between her shoulder blades before Traynor talked again. "The whole ship is bugged. I couldn't…I didn't want them to know…" Shepard frowned and immediately tensed but before she could voice her question Sam actually answered it. "Not even the Illusive man is such a perv to make us bug bathrooms…"
Her words made the commander relax and finally release the sink from her death grip. But then the words evoked a question in her mind. "Us?"
Sam sighed. "Yeah, most of the bugs here were planted by me…" Her shoulders slumped with her words. She hated her work for Cerberus, yeah, they paid well, but the things they were doing? It obviously caused some trauma for Samantha. She didn't want to think about it now so instead she concentrated on the presence. "I meant what I said. I missed you a lot…" Once again she spoke quietly, quite afraid that Chloe wouldn't believe her.
Shepard hummed the affirmation that she heard Samantha's words and finally relaxed completely. "Soooo…that means I should invite you to my bathroom often…" She slowly turned in Sam's arms while having a little smirk on. "...one of the weirdest sentences I've ever said…"
Samantha's arms fell to her sides and she took a step back to not make this any more awkward. "Yeah…" She still chuckled before her eyes went to the commander's face. She couldn't help her curious gaze.
Of course, Chloe got sad at the loss of the contact and she understood the gaze wrong which made her look away. "The scars are creepy I know…"
Traynor surprisingly blushed at her words, embarrassed by being caught. "N-no!" She looked nervous for a second before she blurted: "They're quite hot…" Her face reddened even more, almost matching the shade of Shephard's scars.
Chloe's head snapped to Sam and she opened her mouth to speak but the specialist beat her to it. "I-I-I should go before this all gets suspicious to someone!" She didn't even wait for a reaction and almost ran from the bathroom and the captain's cabin.
Shepard watched after her while a little grin spread on her face.
Of course, the mission wasn't easy 'pick the prisoner Cerberus paid for and be on your merry way'. Honestly, at this point, the commander would be more surprised if no fighting happened when she showed up somewhere.
What was interesting though was that when Warden Kuril was pissing her off for full two minutes, seriously the arrogant bastard didn't know when to shut up and not piss people around him, she got so angry that she used her charge on him only so he went flying over the whole room and splashed on the opposite wall which led to Miranda behind her calmly explaining that they enhanced her biotic power same as the pure strength as well as her healing abilities.
The commander let out an agreeable hum as those things actually sounded handy. They finally made their way to the crew member they were here for - Jack.
Jack asked for some files on Cerberus which the commander gladly agreed to provide as long as Jack let her know if she found something interesting. And then finally, finally they made their way into Normandy again, leaving the now almost empty Purgatory behind.
Once finally back on the ship, after Jack found her own little place to live, the commander put on the course on Omega as someone with the name 'Archangel' sounded like a fun person to have on the team and they also could pick Mordin while they'll be there.
As their flight to Omega will take some time Shepard decided to use it to meet her new crew. She started with Jack who seemed to be settling down and also really disliking Cerberus, which let's be honest, Chloe felt the same, but after the talk, it at least seemed she wouldn't be blowing up the Normandy, or at least not right away.
Next, she met two new engineers: Gabby and Ken. The two asked for some T6-FBA couplings so she promised to bring the items to them if she found them anywhere by any chance. All in all, they seemed like a funny bunch so for the second time she was quite sure they wouldn't be blown up by an accident or sabotage from her crew side.
Next up was catching up with doctor Chakwas which also meant catching up on all the latest gossip around the ship. Shepard should really talk to the doctor more often if she wants to stay up to speed with her crew. Just like the engineers, the doctor wanted her to bring something as well even though this time it would be much easier to find: the finest Serrice Ice Brandy. Well, of course, Shepard was down with this request and agreed to bring some to her. While promising herself that she will buy one for herself as well and drink it with Sam.
Next up was Miranda but on her way she was stopped by the local cook who asked her to bring some finer ingredients. The request seemed weird to the commander. One thing is to help her old friend get drunk, even though she has to make sure Chakwas won't be drinking right after missions as someone could actually get hurt on those and need her help, but asking the commander to bring fancy food was really weird. She agreed she would try to look around if she would have time but it was a promise mostly based on the fact she wanted him to leave her alone.
So once he was settled, at least for now, she finally got to Miranda's office. Her second in command was actually quite arrogant and sure of her own perfection, or at least it seemed. But Shepard had to admit that her biotics were quite impressive for a human. Plus no matter their differences the Cerberus operative always listened to her orders in the battle and respected the commander so she could respect her back at least. Plus on the bright side for the THIRD time that day, she was sure her crew really wouldn't break her new ship on purpose.
Finally, it was time for the crew on the command deck. She smiled a bit at the back of Sam's neck and then went to talk to Jacob.
The first red flag was how Jacob's eyes checked her out from down to top after his salute and then a big smile settled on his face. "Commander." There was a slight dip of his head in a quiet way of saying 'hello'.
Shepard raised a brow and for once she left out her usual 'just call me Chloe' as this man really made her feel weird. "How is it going, Taylor?" She looked around. "All the guns are in top shape?"
She would swear she saw him flex his muscles as he answered with the same unsettling smile. "Just the best for you commander."
The commander slowly nodded. "Riiiiiiiight…" She looked at the door as she really wanted to be anywhere else than here. "I should go. Bye, Taylor…" She didn't even wait for his answer and rushed away. She got to the commander center with a disgusted look and she could even feel goosebumps all over her body from the interaction.
Sam noticed and no matter how much she wanted to avoid 'fraternizing' with the commander in front of Cerberus and their bugs and cameras she went to Chloe. "Hey…are you okay?"
Shepard looked at her and gave her a tiny smile. "Yeah…now better." It was weird how Sam's presence just always seemed to calm her down.
Sam gave a tiny smile back and her hand automatically went to Chloe's arm and softly caressed it but just for a moment. "I'm glad…"
The touch was gone way too fast for commanders' liking. She looked at the elevator as she wanted some time alone with Sam, especially after the interaction with Jacob.
Sam followed her sight and thought before slowly nodding as she seemed to be reading the commander's mind. "In ten minutes? I need to finish a report about Jack…" One look from the commander and she was sure that she knew what she wanted to ask. "The Illusive man wants to know about her psychological profile…"
Commander's look didn't change and she folded her arms. "I don't think she is a threat unless we force her to kiss the Illusive man's ass…"
Sam sighed and a pained look crossed her face as she looked at Chloe. "I'm not writing those reports because I want to, Chloe…" She said very quietly, doing everything in her power that the bugs wouldn't hopefully hear.
Shepard's stance loosened with a sigh and she changed the topic. "In ten minutes, okay?" And once Samantha nodded she went to finish her rounds with Joker.
The pilot mostly complained about EDI while the commander tried to convince him it was not all bad, well, except for the fact that she could possibly watch them nonstop.
Fortunately for Chloe, it was a quick conversation and she went to her cabin only to see Sam already waiting in front of her door. "You know you can always walk in right?" Chloe said with a soft smile
Surprisingly it was EDI's voice who answered. "My apology commander, but I couldn't let specialist Traynor in your cabin without your permission."
Shepard straightened her shoulders. "You can let her in whenever she wants, EDI."
"Of course, commander." With that, the door to the commander's cabin opened.
The commander held her hand to the door, letting Sam walk in first. Once the door closed behind them she let out a little sigh.
Samantha walked and looked around the room before sitting down on the couch. "So…what happened in the armory?"
Shepard plopped on the couch next to her, way closer than she probably should, before she groaned. "I swear that Jacob was trying to flirt with me…"
Traynor raised a brow, really not looking pleased with her words. "Oh? He always seemed very soldier-like to me. I mean following orders and formalities and stuff…" She didn't mind the closeness at all in fact she used her pinkie to lightly brush the side of Chloe's leg, just testing the waters.
"Are you sure?" The commander watched her for a moment before shrugging. She enjoyed the soft touch a lot, to be honest. She thought about her words for a few moments. The interaction wasn't that long and she trusted Samantha's judgment. Plus she really wanted to believe he was not a creep. "Maybe I was judging him too fast."
A soft smile grazed Chloe's lips at her next words. She no longer cared about bugs in her room. She just wanted to feel at ease for once. "You better not write a report about what I just told you though…it was a personal conversation specialist, got it?" The smile turned into a little teasing smirk as she shoved the other woman lightly with her elbow.
Samantha couldn't help herself and chuckle. "I will think about it, commander…" She emphasized the word 'commander' as she knew Chloe doesn't like to be called that when they're alone plus she just called her specialist so it was a little payback. The banter made her relax a bit. It was nice to be able to talk to a friendly face after almost two years. Still, deep down in her mind, there was the fact this place was filled with bugs. "You know I was wondering…"
Shepard raised her brow at her words but nodded for her to continue, quite curious.
"...if I could use your shower once you guys are back from the next mission? The showers on the crew deck are terrible. There is rarely any hot water…"
Shephard's eyebrow shot even higher at her words before a little teasing smile showed up on her face. "Oh? Personal hygiene is important especially when your commander is standing next to you every time she picks the next destination…" She pretended to be thinking about her answer as the smirk was replaced by a soft smile on her face, that proved she won't mind at all, and a spark of something in her eyes that could be described as a desire. "Of course, as long as it makes you finally relax Traynor…" Something in her tone changed in her last sentence as well and Samantha seemed to pick up on that.
"Oh?" A soft, almost invisible blush colored her cheeks as she quickly looked away. "I will remember that commander…" She bit her lip to not smile too brightly.
As usual on Normandy, before the two could continue Joker's voice interrupted them. "We will be docking at Omega in 10 minutes, commander."
Don't tell me I'm the only one who doesn't like Jacob :D