Author's Note: We've made it to Noveria. As you read this chapter, keep in mind I am telling the main story with the romance aspect. I removed a lot of the side missions that simply add game play to the game, but are not really necessary to move plot forward. Please be gentle with my adjustments. That being said, please, I am desperate to know what you think - good or bad - of Sloan's story. I have to thank those who consistently leave reviews, I've already sent private messages to you - you know who you are. Thank you again for your support. Please, enjoy. - TLC
Chapter Seventeen
When morning came on the Normandy, they were less than an hour away from Noveria. Kaidan ate a quick meal in the mess before heading down to the cargo bay to get ready for the day's mission. He faltered momentarily when he stepped off the elevator and his eyes fell on Shepard at her locker. She was dressed in just her under armor. The tight black fabric clung to her curves and Kaidan chewed the inside of his cheek as he forced himself to move passed her to his own locker. She paused fleetingly and watched him over her shoulder, her eyes met his briefly and a grin pulled at her lips before she turned back to her armor.
Kaidan let himself smile as he bypassed his locker and went over to Ashley and Tali at the weapon station. He noticed Ashley smirk at Tali with a mischievous glint in her eye as the Quarian left the counter. Kaidan watched her go, and then turned to Ashley, "What did I miss?" He asked as he reached the station and reviewed the modifications made to his pistol and rifle. He had to admit, Ashley had a real talent with weapons and he knew Tali's tech knowledge only made the modifications stronger.
"Just some new scuttlebutt," Ashley said dismissively, as she turned her smirk down towards the weapon in her hand. "I know how you feel about hearsay and rumors, so I won't bother you with it," She said, and her tone was enough to tell him that it was about him. "Your mission today should be… interesting," She chuckled softly and looked up to Kaidan's unamused face. He set the gun down and crossed his arms over his chest giving her a sarcastic glare. Ashley sighed and looked over his shoulder at Shepard who was talking to Garrus. She dropped her voice to just over a whisper and leaned in, "Apparently, Liara and the Commander had a conversation a while ago, from what I understand it was just after Feros," She looked up at him, and he was clearly unamused. She sighed, and rolled her eyes with mock exasperation, "Liara told Shepard, she had feelings for her, and the Commander turned her down," Ashley explained. Kaidan resisted the urge to smile and he had a feeling Ashley could tell. He uncrossed his arms and lifted the pistol again.
"The Commander is more than capable of keeping personal issues off the field. I don't see why you think this would affect the mission today," Kaidan answered simply as he busied his hands with the gun.
"You're right, and normally I would agree with you. It's just that apparently Liara questioned Shepard's feelings about a certain Lieutenant, and she confirmed that he 'meant a lot' to her," Kaidan met Ashley's eyes, and she was grinning. Kaidan knew he should have felt excited by the revelation, but he had to remember it was a rumor, and with that thought he instantly felt guilty for encouraging the gossip. If the conversation had happened, it was none of anyone's business aside from Shepard and Liara. If the conversation had happened, and the Alliance crew on board got wind of it, there could be consequences; especially if someone on the crew thought she was treating Kaidan differently because of her rumored feelings. Ashley's face softened, the grin slid from her lips and she added, "Of course, it's just a rumor, and not worth repeating to anyone." It was, once again, like Ashley could read his mind, and he found he was grateful for it as he nodded and finally moved to his locker.
He dressed as quickly and efficiently as one would expect an Alliance soldier to dress and after arming with the modified weapons from Ashley, he made his way towards the elevator to meet Shepard and Liara at the airlock. He thought back on the conversations he had with Shepard since Feros, and he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from turning up. He didn't need to hear the rumor to know there was definitely something between them, he just needed to keep it under the radar until the mission was over. There was no way they could allow the flirtation to interfere with the mission, or either of their careers. Ashley had been right about one thing, however, today's mission would be interesting.
He met Shepard and Liara in the cockpit and they watched as Joker pulled the ship towards the docks. "Approach Control, this is the SSV Normandy, requesting a vector and a berth," Joker reached out to the station.
"Normandy," Noveria Approach Control responded, "your arrival was not scheduled. Our defense grid is armed and tracking you. State your business," the voice on the comm demanded, and Joker looked over his shoulder at Shepard. She gave him a curt nod.
"Citadel business. We've got a Council Spectre aboard," He answered and Kaidan looked to Liara who shifted, nervously, from one foot to the other. He could feel the annoyance coming from Shepard, and he clenched his fists at his sides as they waited for a response.
When the voice answered, it was irritated, "Landing access granted, Normandy. Be advised, we will be confirming identification on arrival. If confirmation cannot be established, your vessel will be impounded," Control warned and Shepard sighed as she stretched her neck from side to side. The joints popped with a release of tension.
"What a fun bunch," Joker commented dryly, "I think I'll take my next leave here," Shepard snorted a laugh and Kaidan found himself grinning as the trio moved towards the airlock.
As they waited for the air to pressurize, Shepard was standing in front of Kaidan. Before the door chimed, he took a small step forward so he was standing just behind her. He could feel Liara staring at him, but he didn't care. Shepard jumped, startled, when his hands moved to the seals of the armor at her waist. She said nothing, just slightly lifted her arms to allow him access to the rest of the seams. His hands moved quickly and efficiently over the closures, and he allowed himself a smirk as he sensed her breathing increase with the barely-there contact. Her helmet was already secured and was blocking his fingers from the soft skin of the back of her neck, but he double checked the closures. After finding them secure, he tapped her shoulder guard just as the doors hissed open. Liara stepped off the ship, and Kaidan moved passed Shepard who grabbed his forearm and stopped him in front of her. He grinned when she stepped up behind him, and performed her own check of his armor. He had to admit, he liked this routine; if only for the quiet moment it allowed them before a mission. She tapped his shoulder guard all too soon, and then spoke, "Let's move out." He couldn't help but think her voice was a little rougher than usual, and he was grateful for the helmet blocking his grin as they made their way off the ship.
Shepard took a few quick steps to move ahead of Liara and Kaidan, and they made their way to the entrance of the complex. Kaidan could feel the tension coming from Liara but chose to ignore it. She may not be able to keep it to herself, but he could. He kept his eyes forward as they reached the doors. Once inside they removed their helmets and hung them off their hips. A few steps into the complex, they were stopped by three armed guards. Kaidan felt Shepard's irritation flare as the Asian woman at the point of their group held up her hand, "That's far enough." Her voice was curt, and nasally. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Her brown eyes were dark with annoyance at the Normandy's intrusion. Shepard listened, and glanced over her shoulder at Kaidan and Liara who halted when she did.
"We're not here to cause problems," Shepard defended, her hands out palm first. Though, she failed to keep the aggravation out of her tone.
"This is an unscheduled arrival. I need your credentials," The officer demanded harshly, her eyes moved from Shepard to Kaidan and Liara and narrowed. Shepard sighed, her patience growing thin, and gave her name and Alliance rank. The officer spoke again, "The next Navy patrol isn't due for another two weeks."
The blonde officer to the left of the first spoke, her tone dry, "You're a long way from home, Commander."
"Aren't we all?" Kaidan muttered in response to the snide comment, and Shepard glanced at him over her shoulder momentarily.
The Asian officer's eyes snapped to Kaidan when he spoke, and slowly moved back to Shepard when she added, "Also, I must advise you that firearms are not permitted on Noveria. Sergeant Stirling, secure their weapons." When the blonde, Sergeant Stirling, moved towards them, Shepard and Kaidan pulled their pistols and Liara flared her biotics and was sheathed in a nearly purple haze. Kaidan was momentarily surprised by the power he felt from the Asari, but he didn't let it show. The three officers pulled their weapons in response. So much for avoiding an incident.
Kaidan let his voice take on a teasing tone as he instigated, "We going to let them do this, Commander?"
She turned her head slightly, so Kaidan could see her smirk without removing her eyes from the Officers. "No, we're not. Nobody takes my weapon," She announced and they removed the safeties from their pistols. Sergeant Stirling gave the order to charge and lock.
The first officer spoke, her voice wavering slightly, "We are authorized to use lethal force. You have until the count of three to surrender your weapons," Shepard planted her feet firmly, and steadied her weapon. Kaidan copied, and Liara readied a biotic attack. "One … Two … Thr…"
Before the Officer could finish, and just in time to stop Shepard from pulling the trigger, a disembodied voice rang out overhead, "Captain Matsuo stand down!" At the order the Asian officer looked immediately defeated, and Kaidan almost felt sorry for her. "We confirmed their identity. Spectres are authorized to carry weapons here, Captain." Noveria's officers holstered their weapons, and Kaidan and Shepard did the same.
Captain Matsuo spoke again, her tone dejected, "You may proceed Spectre. I hope the rest of your visit will be less confrontational. Parasini-san will meet you upstairs." Shepard nodded her thanks as she passed, somehow able to do it without looking smug. The trio made their way into the complex. They had expected resistance, but this was not a positive way to start the mission. Noveria is a small planet and is privately chartered by the Noveria Development Corporation, who lease out labs to perform research too dangerous or controversial to be executed elsewhere. Due to Noveria's location outside of Citadel space, they are exempt from council law which allows them the freedom for their projects. The NDC is funded by investment capital from numerous tech development firms and is administrated by an Executive Board which represents their interests. Hopefully, the Board will remain committed to their promise of extraterritorial privileges extended to Spectres.
They passed quite a few more security guards as they made their way up the stairs. As they passed the threshold at the top of the stairs, an alarm sounded and the three of them froze. "Weapon scanners, they'll turn off momentarily," They heard a pleasant, feminine voice to their left. Shepard led them over to the counter she was standing behind. She was dressed in a form fitting red dress with her hair also pulled back. She was attractive enough, but not memorable. "I am Gianna Parasini, I work for the Executive Board. I apologize for the incident upon your arrival. I hope you understand, our Security Chief was just doing her job," Ms. Parasini offered and Shepard nodded her acceptance. "Part of my responsibilities here is orientation of new arrivals. Are there any questions I could answer for you?" She asked, her voice sickly sweet.
"Has anyone unusual passed through here recently?" Shepard asked, hoping to confirm the Council's suspicions on Benezia. Parasini's eyes narrowed momentarily.
"Unusual?" She paused, as if in thought. "Well, an Asari Matriarch passed through a few days ago, Lady Benezia, I believe was her name."
"Goddess, she is here," Liara muttered, and Kaidan felt an unexpected rush of sympathy for her. Shepard didn't miss a beat, however.
"I need to speak with her, as soon as possible," Shepard demanded, her tone hard and anxious. She was within their grasp.
"Benezia left for the Peak 15 research complex days ago. To the best of my knowledge, she's still there," Parasini answered as she pulled up her omni-tool. She seemed distracted and was definitely not eager to help. Shepard sighed loudly and placed her hands on the counter, and asked how to get to the complex. When Parasini looked to her, Shepard flared. The cerulean energy coating her momentarily. Suddenly, Parasini seemed more than helpful, "Normally, you would have to go through Administrator Anoleis, however, he was arrested recently. It's a long story. The Executive Board has asked me to cover some of his duties while they prepare to appoint a new Administrator. That being said, due to your Spectre status, I am authorized to allow you the garage pass. Be warned, though, there is a blizzard out there and travel will be difficult. You are going out at your own risk. I have to recommend you wait the storm out here." She handed Shepard the pass and Shepard passed it back to Kaidan.
"I appreciate the exception and I will heed your warning. Unfortunately, time is a luxury I cannot afford right now," Shepard answered her and took a step back from the counter. Parasini wished them luck, and offered to answer any other questions they may have while they were here. With a quick thank you, Shepard moved towards the stairs down to the lobby. Once they were out of earshot of Parasini, Shepard turned towards Kaidan and Liara.
"I cannot believe she is really here," Liara spoke softly, "I imagine you want to talk to me Shepard, about my mother." Liara was clearly nervous, wringing her hands in front of her. Her eyes were wide with stress.
"No," Shepard responded, knowing Liara needed the reassurance more than anything else, "I don't. I've already decided to trust you, Liara. You may not be military, but you are part of my crew." Shepard said, reaching out and touching Liara's forearm in a show of support.
"Thank you, Shepard. That means… a great deal to me," Liara said, and offered a timid smile. Shepard smiled back, and Kaidan couldn't help but still doubt the Asari. He wanted to trust her, as Shepard clearly did, but Benezia is her mother and Kaidan could not help the doubt that surrounded the situation.
"Alright," Shepard said, "Let's go," and they made their way into the complex and down towards the garage. Kaidan was still surprised by the number of security stationed throughout the lobby of the building. He glanced to his left at Liara, she was watching her feet as she walked, clearly lost in her thoughts. His eyes moved up to Shepard and he watched as she scanned the area as they walked. A quick look towards the large windows showed the blowing snow outside. Parasini wasn't bluffing when she said there was a blizzard. He had always hated the cold.
They went down a flight of stairs towards the garage and were met by yet another security officer. She asked for the pass and Kaidan supplied it. Shepard asked about Benezia and the guard reiterated what Parasini had said, that she had been through days ago but had left some of her packages behind. Shepard asked if they knew what was in the packages, and due to the strict secrecy allowed with clients, they didn't. Shepard let out a sigh and turned to Liara and Kaidan as the guard opened the door for them. "I'm willing to bet the packages were filled with geth. Stay sharp," She ordered and they nodded and moved into the garage.
Shepard gave the signal for them to halt and they did, remaining silent as they listened for any sign of life inside the garage. The garage was dim and they could hear the howling of the wind outside. After a moment, they heard something else, slightly to their left; a soft clicking sound. They each pulled out their pistols. Shepard gave them the signal to hold their positions as she moved further into the garage. She lined up the sight on the pistol with her eyes, which shone with determination, as she scanned the area while moving silently across the floor. Her full lips pulled into a thin line as she concentrated. Her breathing was smooth and steady, and Kaidan could feel how calm she was keeping her biotics. He realized the closer he got to her off the field, the harder it was to ignore his attraction on the field. She looked positively radiant.
Suddenly, the geth moved into the opening. Shepard's first shot to the geth's headpiece killed it instantly but the fight had started. Thankfully, once the bullets started flying Kaidan was able to focus on the battle and not his growing attraction to Shepard. It was over before security joined them. Liara's biotics were formidable, though inexperienced in battle. With training, she would be a force to be reckoned with. Luckily, there were only a few geth left here in the garage. Shepard stood over one of them as it twitched, struggling to remain alive. She pointed her pistol right to its center and pulled the trigger, silencing it. "What did you do here, Commander?" Captain Matsuo shouted from the door as she looked around the garage at the damage from the stray bullets.
Shepard turned sharply towards the Captain, and was sheathed in blue as she stalked over to the woman. Matsuo took an unconscious step backwards at the sight of the approaching Commander, and Kaidan bit back a chuckle. When he'd first met Shepard, on Arcturus, he'd had the suspicion that she flared intentionally at the shopkeeper, for dramatics. He'd become so attuned to her energy after weeks at her side, that there was now no question. People still held their bias towards human biotics, and she used it to her advantage. Liara and he followed behind her. "Me?!" She shouted at the Captain. "I'm the victim here! The geth attacked us!"
Matsuo raised an eyebrow at the mention of the geth, and to her credit did not give any more ground, "Geth? You expect me to…" She glanced over Shepard's shoulder and spotted the remains of a few machines on the ground, her voice lost its disbelief and gained a tone of shock, "Where did they come from?"
"If we were to guess, Benezia packed them in the shipping containers she arrived with," Kaidan couldn't keep the accusation out of his voice as he responded.
Matsuo turned her eyes to Kaidan, and he stared defiantly back. There was something empowering about being with Shepard, like somehow she allowed her authority to extend to him. "I do not believe that. We did thorough scans of those. There were no power sources, no element zero masses…" She paused, and sighed. Her eyes fell to her feet for a moment, there was surrender in her stance. Almost as if she knew someone somewhere had screwed up, and she was going to take the fall for it, "If Benezia-sama's containers were packed with these things, there are many more out there." Her words were an admission and a warning.
Shepard's tone was harsh when she spoke, "I need numbers, Captain. A dozen? A hundred?"
Matsuo's voice was resigned, "Dozens at least. They are machines. You could pack them tightly," She sighed, "I must report this to the Executive Board. If word gets out about loose geth, there may be an investor panic," She turned to leave the garage to go back to the lobby. She gave them a backwards glance, "Godspeed, Commander."
Shepard nodded to the Captain and turned towards Kaidan and Liara, "Let's go."