"Saere!" I howled, bursting out of the elevator on the 5th floor. Corin and Xervus followed behind, hauling Val between them with grit teeth. Their faces contorted from the effort to hold him. Only 15 minutes had passed, if that, since rescuing Val but Val hadn't stopped screaming or thrashing, it drilled into the back of my mind like a parasite. My hand slammed on the door for the med bay, the two turians tossing me aside as they lugged Val in. My feet stuck fast in the door, eyes pinned to Val as the boys lowered him to a bed.
"What happened?" Saere asked, drowning her surprise as she yanked on her surgical gloves and zoning in on the problem. It wasn't hard to miss with the pale smoke fluttering off his face and amour. Well, not smoke, just melting ski- Oh Dell, shut up! My hands smashed into my face.
"Acid attack, his old man threw it on him," Corin grunted.
My hands ran through my hair, heart in my mouth as Saere grabbed a hose from the headboard. Water or saline solution or something, poured out. She instructing Corin to rinse Val's face as she took a sample with a cotton wool bud, rushing to get to an analyser. Val's screams stab me like tasers, Nyryntha purring in my head went unnoticed. My feet freed long enough to pace what space available by the door. Oh Saere, hurry! Throw lime on his face for God sake! Saere's mandibles pinned her cheeks, silent for a time, mandibles. They snapped.
"Oh Spirits, how did he get his hands on this…" Saere whispered. My pacing halted, the room spinning as my breath stalled. "Ok, if we keep rinsing his face, the actual acid should leave superficial damage, the metallic structure of turian skin is resistant to acid but these spores…"
"Spores?" I said, gagging on the words. Saere's eyes swivelled, quiet before she straightened.
"Lymphas spores. Not the most pleasant of things to find. They originate from a flesh disintegrating fungus, eating as deep as the bone. Without treatment, it can cause loss of touch and sensitivity, neurological damage, severe damage to platelet production and loss of limbs and lead to many medical problems such as strokes and heart disease. They on one of our experimental colonies but they have medication to deal with it. And with acid, the spores can…" Saere glanced to Val, the screaming dying down to a sobbing whimper. "Lymphas spores alone cannot function within the body such as in the lungs or stomach, they need to be external and in open wounds. The acid is giving these spores the open wounds they need to get in. The skin under the plates is delicate, the acid has already attacked it," she finished. My brain staggered, struggling to process anything.
"T-There's medication, yes?" I asked, my throat unable to swallow. The panic consumed me.
"There is but we don't carry it, it isn't standard equipment. There'll be some on Omega, Lymphas infections are uncommon here and someone will sell some. But I would get some soon. With acid burns, a few hours can leaving horrendous damage," Saere explained, digging through her cupboards.
"C-Can it kill him?" I asked, my voice tight as the words forced out. Saere looked at me, mandibles locked to her cheeks. My panic rocketed.
"Corin, Xervus, stay here with him!" I ordered as my toes swung me around, bursting out into the mess hall. They skidded to a stop when a large congregation waited for me, curious people wondering what the screaming it about, some were still in their sleeping clothes. Darkness settled in on the edges of my vision, lungs fighting to keep pace. "I need people who know Omega to suit up now!" I ordered, borderline screaming. "We need medication for Lymphas spores and I need it now!" An unease silence spread as my words sunk in.
"I-I might know of a seller," Deolls Anoin said, the white speckled, grey salarian shuffled under the stares of the crew. "If not, then s-she might point us to someone else-"
"Suit up, now!" I snapped. "Anyone else be at the airlock in 5 else you're left behind!" My eyes swung to the elevator, tunnel vision settling in as my legs powered me on. His dad tried to kill him. What would possess any father to want to kill their own son?!
My teeth nipped my thumb while my mad pace continued at the airlock, shifting my weight between my feet during short checks the clock. Every second counted, treating the acid burns was easy, I hoped, without too much scarring but… what lay beneath those copper plates isn't as durable. A small congregation of people gathered. Deolls shuffled in the armour, although judging by how he glanced at the others, he kept him mouth shut against any complaints. The others who appeared included Phylla'Quines, Eshells Relola, Shaul and… Lanster? Why was Lanster suited up? My head shook hard. No, don't question it, just accept it. My jaw set.
"Move out! Deolls, you're on point with me. Move it people!" I ordered. They sprinted to catch up with me as the Starquake vanished behind me.
Omega had fascinated me when walking Val to meet his father. The grungy, dank, rust coloured atmosphere put every dodgy area in every movie ever to mind. It screamed 'lawless' and that's before including the people strutting around with guns visible for all to see. In my current state, the loose gun laws worked in my favour. There was no stopping my trigger finger, not now. Deolls gasped for air while keeping pace with me, following maps on his omni-tool.
We dived through alleys and drove people out of our paths. Never get between a woman and her mission, my grit teeth and furious frown alone ploughed people out our way. We broke out into a sparse pocket of open air without the claustrophobic towers compacting us. A group of people paused as we burst in, turians, halted mid debate as they discussed where to go next. Upon scanning our faces and uniforms, grins spread across their faces. They raised their guns, one turian in front smirking like a damn Cheshire cat.
"Freeze, Shaik!" he demanded, the sandy coloured turian pointing a pistol at me. My brain didn't want to name the model. The anchors slammed my mad dash to a stop because of the sound of skidding feet and the clatter of guns behind me rather than in response to the turians before us. My hand grabbed my Carnifex, snarl brandishing my current mood.
"Move, turian, I am in no fucking mood!" I snapped. The team behind me gathered close, weapons drawn. Lanster sucked a breath in, muttering a curse in turian under his breathe. My senses ignored him, focusing on the jagged white marked face of this blasted intruder in my warpath.
"And here we were struggling to locate you. Thank you for coming to us," the turian said. "Spectre Marruns Bellium, if you wish to know who is detaining you," My expression refused to change, his words passing right over my head.
"You are in my way, turian!" I snarled. "Move!" Marruns frowned, mandibles snapping to his cheeks.
"But of course, Shaik. Once you turn yourself and your ship over," he answered. "The Council has put quite a high reward for the data on your ship, although they refused to say what had gotten their interest. The physical ship is going on the scrapyard but they'll preserve the data for whatever use the Council wishes. And you will spend a long, long time in prison," his smug grin turned my vision red, words forgotten. "Oh I love catching little criminals who think they are above the law-"
"My. Way," I hissed. He paused. "You're. In. It," My jaw locked, words fighting free. My gun shook from my taut grip. Find that medicine, have to get it, have to get back, Val would-
"Are you even listening?!" he demanded. My fragile leash snapped.
"I said move!" I thundered.
My anger snapped to a stop when one of the turians beside him collapsed to the ground, a resounding splat as his head exploded. My eyes swung to my crew as a storm of bullets rained down on Marruns and his crew. The crew frowned, turning and shrugging, their own guns silent. My eyes returned to the scene, watching Marruns and his remaining crew dropped like flies. They bolted for the nearest cover, crying a hasty set of commands.
"Damn you, Shaik! When I get my hands on you, I will wring your neck!" he barked. "Fall back! Fall back to the alley! We'll bunker down there!" He sprinted down an alley, his team returning fire on our mysterious intervention. The hail of bullets followed them down the alley, but we haven't located our helpers' exact location when an explosion closed off access to the alley from the square we were in. Well, Marruns wouldn't be getting back to us that way. The echoes of the fight continued in the distance, but my attention flew to a new turian emerging from a building, a sniper of some form resting on his shoulder. I rumbled, agitated beyond reasoning. Val, had to help Val, had to get that medicine!
"Having a bad day?" the new turian asked, amused. A snort erupted as the Carnifex snapped back on its holster.
"I don't have time to deal with you, turian, I have precious little as it is!" I snapped. Got to get it. Had to get it! The turian paused, a short chuckle emerging.
"And where did this little thresher maw come from, hmm? The last time I saw you, you were shaking in the Normandy's airlock," the male turian said. My mouth opened to respond, enraged by the delay, when his words sunk into my tunnelled mind. My rage eased, side-tracked as my head returned to a functioning state. The turian reached for his helmet before pulling it free. My jaw dropped at the silver coloured turian, the winter blue eyes bright and the blue markings on his face darkened in the rustic light.
"…Garrus?" I asked. The turian grinned.
"Long time no see, Dell. Been a while, hasn't it," he grinned, putting up his sniper. Words failed me, voice frozen. First Liara and now Garrus? Why hadn't he been on the Normandy when it got attacked? My throat forced me to swallow, my knees shaking.
"A-About 8 months?" I asked. A cough cleared the emotion clogging my throat, controlling the roller-coaster of emotions. Aside from Liara, none of the Normandy made any attempt to contact me since Noveria. I… didn't expected to run into any of them now. Someone cleared their throat beside me. My eyes snapped over my shoulder, facing Lanster.
"Captain…" he reminded. My eyes widened, dumbfounded. Why was he…? Running, we had been running. Rage had blinded me, there had been fighting, screaming, Val- Val!
"Fuck! Garrus, I'm sorry I can't talk I have to go!" I said, my panic rising once more. How could I forget?! Val needed medicine! Those spores would eat his face! Someone snatched my flailing arms to still them, hyperventilation dragging sanity from me before Garrus' voice broke though.
"Calm down, Dell. You always forget to breathe," he said. My body quivered like a wild animal, the crew around me clicking their guns, unsure of how to respond. "Now, tell uncle Garrus what has gotten you so upset," he pressed. My throat tightened, my words gagged.
"M-Medication. I-I need medication for Val. I need it now before it eats his face!" I wheezed. Garrus grip refused to loosen, the only person willing to cross me while in such a mess.
"Medication for what?" Garrus asked.
"L-Lymphas spores," I said. Garrus clicked his mandibles before he straightened, releasing my wrists. My hands buried themselves in my hair, pulling clumps out.
"Well, lucky for you, Archangel knows where you can get some. And if you ask, may even get you a discount," Garrus drawled. My jaw floundered, flabbergasted. Archangel? Who was Archangel? He knew where the medication was? "Right this way, little lady," He strutted away down the plaza, aiming for a side street. With my mind reeling, my body took over, kicking my legs into action to chase after the turian. Garrus grinned before he matched my pace, leading us through Omega.
Garrus had to work to keep ahead of me, the cold panic returning as it drowned every sane thoughtMy mind had memorised the back of Garrus' armour during the time we meandered down the streets and walkways, time all too clear like the ragged breath tearing past my aching throat. As we twisted down alleys and shortcuts, we arrived at a small shop in some rundown part of town. At least this store had four walls around it, unlike the surrounding buildings. A batarian ran it, the greenish skin taut, despite the folds that decorated his head, his four eyes glanced up as we tore inside. His eyes lit up upon seeing Garrus though.
"Archangel! Long-time no see. How may I be of service?" he asked. Garrus was this Archangel? "I still need to repay you for saving my shop from those thugs,"
"Happy to help, Wreson. My old friend here is in some need of some specialist medicine for a friend," Garrus answered, patting my quivering frame as if to settle me. The batarian stared before turning. He shuffled his weight for a time.
"Well, I don't serve humans but… ah fuck it. For you, Archangel, I'll make an exception. What do you need, human?" he asked, although his tone turned cold when addressing me. My throat freed enough to speak.
"I-I need medication for Lymphas spores, f-for a turian," I said. Val's screaming echoed down the chambers of my mind, my heart leaping at the sound.
"Internal or external use?" the batarian asked, rummaging around on some shelves stacked behind him.
"External," I said, shaking my shoulders to pull myself together. It failed. The batarian hmmed before piling vials into a small box, about the length of my lower arm. He secured the lid.
"Alright, this is concentrated stuff so you shouldn't need any more than this for the treatment, don't get it on your skin, human, it will put a hole in it," he said. It took every restraint in me to hold back from throwing the credit chit at him, one hand already on the box. Wreson gave Garrus a quick look before he rang it up on his till. The chit vanished into back into my pocket.
"Much appreciated, Wreson. Any further problems, you let me know," Garrus said. Wreson smiled.
"Sure, no worries, Archangel," he said.
"Thank you, thank you so much!" I wheezed, bundling up the box, holding it to my chest. "Thank you, thank you!" My toes swung me around to sprint out the door, poor Deolls jumping out the way. "Let's go people! Back to the Starquake! Hustle, hustle, hustle!"
Time vanished after that. My heart wanted to burst out of my chest, my legs ready to kick my face in as my lungs begged for air. Garrus led us back part of the way to the Starquake, weaving between the towering structures and brilliant lights as we bulldozed everything that came into our paths. Aliens of all species screeched as they dived for safety, my face a murderous concentration of desperation and fury. My teeth grit, my grip tightening on the box as Deolls panted out directions, taking over from Garrus. The tall turian followed. That didn't matter, none of that mattered. Had the medicine, Val needed it, must get back to ship. Now!
My legs stumbled as my knees struggled to hold me, the docking bay doors parting just in time to stop me crashing headlong into them. The Starquake lay before me, the engineers crawling over the hull breech and engines. Everything was together. They looked up as we sprinted down towards the airlock, Deolls, Phylla, Eshells gasped, giving up the right to keep up with me. Only Lanster, Garrus and Shaul ran with me into the Starquake.
My pounding feet echoed in the corridor leading towards the CIC, Indira pacing on the walkway by the elevator, browsing on her datapad with Gideon bouncing by her feet. My knees stumbled around the corner of the door, eyes fixated to the elevator. Gideon noticed me first. Bless his little heart, he slammed a fist on the elevator button. The doors opened when we reached it. Garrus followed me in as Gideon slipped in too. Lanster and Shaul hung over the banister, catching their breath.
"Is that the medicine?" Gideon asked as the doors closed, my stomach dropping as we moved up. Arid throated, my head nodded as my lungs worked overtime for air. His eyebrows curled up, dancing beside me while casting wary looks to Garrus. Garrus blinked at Gideon, flapping his mandibles.
When the elevator's opened, a muffled sound sent my stomach to my toes. A high-pitched screeching sound and swearing. A shambled step out of the elevator, my stubbornness kept my legs from collapsing as they aimed for the med bay. Corin and Xervus pinned Val down, now striped of his armour. And Val… his screams, the screams drained the blood from my system. The full force of the sound punched me once over the threshold. My appreciation for the sound blocking ability of the med bay grew. The screeches deafened one. My throat refused to work, words unable to fly. Saere spotted me as she pulled away from giving Val some painkillers. She took one look at the box before rushing for me. She pried the box out my hand running to the. Corin swore as Val convulsed, twisting his body into shapes no spine should allow. My heart leapt. How long had we been?! My hand reached for Val, for anything, anyone! Hands grabbed my shoulders from behind, dragging me backwards. My weakened knees yielded and the hands became arms under my shoulders to support my weight. The med bay closed, cutting off the sound and the sights from me. My ass landed in a chair, back bumping into the table behind me. Ragged, dry breaths gushed in and out my throat, adding sandpaper to the problem. When my eyes focused, the sound smears of colours, but nothing sharp. My sight couldn't discern anything before it other than black, white and navy. My eyes fluttered, my brain wriggling back onto the rails.
"Gideon, water," the voice said, my brain ticking over the tone. Who sat before me? Who… the voice rang bells but my mind couldn't…
"S-Sure, Sassy," Gideon said, running past my vision. Sassy? Who was…? Mat'al. Gideon called Mat'al Sassy. The blur of colours cleared, revealing his face. A slow breath released, allowing tension to ease out of my quivering frame. Mat'al pinned me with a cold stare, unrelenting as if holding me from unconsciousness. Maybe his threatening stare was all that stood between me and the darkness.
"Breathe, Dell. We don't need you collapsing," he said, his tone dropping into an authoritative, mocking tone. My eyes squeezed shut, gulping down a few breaths. A cold glass pressed into my trembling hands. The water vanished in seconds. "Were you followed?" Mat'al asked, turning away from me.
"N-No sir," Eshells gasp. "D-Didn't pick up anything," Something clicked.
"My boys may have drove them back to their ships. You don't have to worry about anything for a while yet," Garrus said with a shrug. Mat'al straightened, eyes narrowing as they studied Garrus. The air felt like a tomb.
"Vakarian, now there is a face I was not expecting," Mat'al said, tone light if cold. Garrus frowned, mandibles wagging as he tried to place the salarian. My arms propped themselves on the table behind me, taking pressure off my back.
"You've not met," I said. Garrus glanced at me. "This is Mat'al Delern, my combat teacher from Feros. I think Liara, Shepard and Wrex ran into him on Noveria," Gideon hovered like a bug-eyed chick beside me. Garrus clicked his mandibles together.
"Ah, the STG team they met. Well, good to meet the man who helped Dell stiffen her back," Garrus said, keeping his tone light. Mat'al made a sound in his throat, eyes drifting to the elevator. The heavy footfalls announced her arrival before her deep voice sounded.
"Endellion is well?" Raisha asked, alarmed as she glanced at Garrus. She knelt down before me, firm hands on my trembling shoulders. My breathing eased.
"As far as we can tell without an examination," Mat'al answered.
"I dread to think what this commotion has done to her regarding her Reaper," Raisha rumbled. She spied the empty glass by my elbow. "Gideon, collect another glass of water, please," Gideon trembled before taking the glass and scurrying away. Raisha turned, sky blue eyes gentle as she studied me. "Endellion, you cannot push yourself this hard. You left the medical bay but a week ago, I do not wish to see you inside again so soon," My eyes danced towards the med bay, to the muffled screams. They send shudders down my back, shying away from it.
"Val has his medicine… he'll live. No more dying…" I said, scrubbing my face with my hand. Raisha fell silent.
"Mat'al, escort Endellion to her quarters. I do not think staying this close to the med bay is ideal. All night shift crew, return to your beds. I shall go inform Indira she is in charge of the deck for the time being," Raisha towered to her full height as she sounded her orders. Several salutes flew as Gideon shuffled beside me once more.
"I'll take her up, if you want," Garrus added. Raisha turned, studying him. "We need to catch up anyway, I haven't see Dell in months," Raisha glanced to Mat'al, her expression vacant.
"Garrus Vakarian, old Normandy crew member, ex-C-Sec," Mat'al shrugged. Raisha shoulders relaxed.
"Very well, Mr Vakarian, thank you. Gideon, would you help escort them?" she asked. Gideon's eyes bulged as he stared up at her, glass of water held in both hands. He cast a suspicious look to Garrus, shifting his gaze to me as if looking for assurance. She nodded. My hand patted Gideon's shoulder before finding my feet again, to get away from the horrible sounds escaping the med bay. Only Raisha and her steady hands stopped me from landing face first into the floor. She passed me to Garrus, who kept an arm under my shoulder for support. He helped me limp into the elevator.
Garrus held my weakened body while the elevator took us up. Once on the top floor, my legs staggered onwards. Even propped up on Garrus like a drunk, my room soothed me. Gideon shuffled to the side, his frame sinking into the floor as he shied away from the strange new turian. My feet fought to lift themselves, mounting the stairs, aiming for the sofa. Gideon's duvet strew across the sofa. My knees collapsed, not bothering to move it. My head flopped back. Garrus chuckled as he picked up some of the duvet to make space, perching beside me. Gideon walked wide around him to shuffle beside me, still clutching the glass of water in two hands.
"This is a nice ship, although it looks like you had trouble," Garrus said as he gazed out one window. A hmm sounded in agreement as my hand took the glass from Gideon's grip. The boy hugged his knees, keeping as much of myself between him and Garrus as possible.
"Salarian Spectre took a nice chuck out of us," I said. "The Starquake's a good but dammit she is hard to maintain. Bloody STG and their cheap materials…" Half the glass vanished in a few seconds. Garrus waved his mandibles, waiting for me to breathe.
"I take it there is a story behind this. Didn't that krogan say something about… your Reaper?" Garrus asked, concern in his tone. The thought released a groan.
"Get comfy Garrus, it's a long one," I said with a smile. I yanked the duvet free from under me before tossing it in a corner, giving Garrus some extra room. No one liked a numb ass halfway through a long story.
And thus Garrus listened to my tale, asking Gideon to get me more water halfway through, of howthe Reaper in me first made herself known. My time inside Sovereign and my escape from Virmire, the Citadel attack clear memories with hazy details. Keplar's murder never materialised, Nyryntha saw the end to that, the only memory remaining of time was walking into the church. The capture memories surfaced, coated in a muted brown colour, monotone in every way, a coping mechanism? My head shook before we moved on. My escape from the prison ship once again appeared as a muted brown shade, the fire brown before my eyes as the heat burned my skin even now. We blitzed through Sur'Kesh, nothing of real interest there aside from gathering everyone and getting the ship. My tale finished with a roundup of my time as captain. Garrus listened, taking in the details with small comments here and there.
After a time, Garrus told me his story; re-joining C-Sec only to become agitated with how it was ran, blocked by red tape. He mulled over becoming a Spectre for a time until he had heard reports about Omega. Spying an opportunity, he packed up his sniper and moved to Omega to do some actual good. And then he attracted people to him who wanted the same goal. He spoke volumes of his crew, all in an affectionate tone despite the scowl on his face. We both snorted at the end, able to take in each other's words.
"You've been through hell, Dell," Garrus said. "A Reaper sleeper agent, I'm surprised they are still trying to bring you under control," My eyes diverted.
"I know, although I'll give them brownie points for persistence. But with the Council on my ass, we can't do much work until the back off," I said, my hands running through my hair. My eyes drifted to Gideon, teeth chewing my lip before my eyes drifted to the door. "Gid, can you do me a favour?" The boy jumped.
"S-Sure. What do you need?" he asked, his eyes drifting to Garrus.
"I need you to ask the engineers for an update on the repairs. Indira will know who is in charge. Also, ask Indira if she has an update on Val for me," I asked. Gideon nodded, shuffling away from me before bolting past Garrus for the door. When the door shut, my shoulders slumped. "Everything is going to shit. The Council on my ass, Val getting hurt… nothing is going right!"
"This is a nasty position, Dell," Garrus agreed. "You'll get through this. You survived Noveria, Virmire… well, you don't need me repeating every hole you've scrambled out of,"
"I don't see how this will work, Garrus. We can't run forever and as soon as I get caught, they'll never let me see daylight again!" My hands tugged at my hair. "And who knows what they'll do to me. They know I'm not 100% human…"
"What about the little guy?" Garrus asked. A smile refused to form.
"I don't know. I should hand him over to some human officials to take care of but I'm struggling to let him go. He gets on so well with everyone here, despite being a pain in the ass," I grumbled. Garrus grinned.
"Not like the rest of your crew then?" he asked, amused. My frown deepened.
"You raise a valid point… everyone is a pain in the ass!" I cried, head flopping back, hands still in my hair. "Everyone expects me to know what to do but I don't. What if I fail?" Garrus clicked his mandibles, considering. I turned to him when his omni-tool clicked. Mine flared to life soon after.
"I don't know how much help I'll be, but I'll try to see if I can pick up anything from around here for you. Many people come through Omega, these Saboteurs must too. It's not much but should anything happen, maybe Liara and I can try to pull something together," he offered.
"Thank you, Garrus. I appreciate it," I said, my arms flopping to my side. The turian grinned.
"I had best get back to my team, who knows what they'll do without me to keep them in check," he chuckled. My weak knees quivered when they took my weight, flailing my arms until my balance settled. "I hope everything works out for you and your own team. It seems we've both been busy," A small smile surfaced as we trudged towards the door.
"Not by choice on my part. I blame my commanders and XO," I said as we reached the elevator. Garrus chuckled. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself, Garrus. I know we didn't have a long time to chat…"
"Dell, you have far more important things to worry about than little old me," Garrus scolded as the elevator opened onto the 3rd floor. He chuckled at my snort as we pushed towards the airlock.
"Lanster, I need to Starquake moving ASAP. Are all the requisitions in?" I asked.
"Affirmative, Captain. I'll call the engineers in. I think we sorted out most of the engine trouble, the breech has a temporary cover over it," Lanster said.
"Thanks, Lanster," I answered. My back pressed against a wall by the airlock. "Don't be a stranger, Garrus," I said. Garrus grinned.
"Wouldn't dream of it. Take care, Dell. Try not to worry too much. It'll work out," he said. After checking his sniper was on his back and ready to go, he darted out the Starquake, eager to reunite with his team. My eyes watched him go until he vanished from sight. My back pushed me off the wall and back into the CIC. Gideon poked his head out from one of the engineer tunnels, scurrying over. His eyes brightened now Garrus left the ship.
"Saere says Cops will be fine, he just needs to rest and let his wounds heal. She says it could be a month or two though," he said, his tone dropping a touch at the end. He perked up, a determined crease on his forehead. "Arthan says everything should be ok, the number 3 engine looks a little shaky so they'll go easy on it. The hull breech is secure but it is only temporary and exit or re-entry could take it off again but the shields will keep us safe," he looked smug when he finished, puffing his chest out like a gorilla. My smile made him puff his chest out even me as my arms I leaned on the banister.
"Thanks, Gideon. Much appreciated," I said, ruffling his hair. He wailed, fighting free of me. He scurried away and swotted the air before him, laughing. My smile held until he disappeared, then my torso slumped over the railing.
Anxiety holding my muscles taut eased once we soared from Omega, limping our way back into space. Indira frowned when I wished to return to my duties, that the run on Omega didn't compromise me. Albeit sitting in my chair, but sound. Her attempt to be subtle failed, if she was trying to be subtle. Her 'act natural' didn't work on me. She didn't realise she didn't hover over my shoulder. Every tiny sound I made had her rushing to my side, every movement would have a query after it. My frown followed the drell as she danced around the Control Ring. Lanster steered us to a quiet part of space to complete the repairs to the Starquake in peace. A sad smile spread, knowing a 'quiet space' didn't exist in space. We would not find peace. 6 hours we journeyed, 6 hours until we ran into our first foe. My eyes squeezed shut, a cold blanket shuddering over me. The sirens blared. My shoulders rolled, awaiting the surge that was Lanster launching us forward.
"Uh… Captain? Incoming transmission. Should I patch it though?" Lanster's voice cracked over the intercom. My heart crashed against my ribs, startled. We weren't running… they were not shooting? A transmission? My sluggish mind came to its senses.
"Patch it through." I said, stumbling over the words. As the call connected, my breathing settled, although when the holographic screen appeared, my breath caught in my throat. A pissed off, sandy coloured turian with a battered crew behind him appeared.
"I should have realised you had friends and resources, Shaik," the turian said, tone venomous. A frown formed, my sluggish mind churning like tar to figure out who this was… he looked familiar. He shook his shoulders out, folding his arms as he straightened. "Surrender, Shaik, and I won't have to pelt bullets in your hull," finished, his mandibles snapping. My mouth opened.
"Who are you?" I asked, not yet recovering. The turian gaped, arms flopping at his sides as his shoulders dropped. His mandibles were slack. A faint snigger cracked the quiet air in one corner behind me.
"Who am…? Commander Marruns Bellium, Spectre and your worst nightmare!" he thundered. My eyes narrowed.
"Sorry, not ringing any bells," I said. He looked familiar… he squeaked, insulted that my sluggish mind didn't recognise him.
"He's the turian you wanted to shoot in the face before your friend appeared, Captain," Lanster said, laughter repressed. My face scrunched up, mouth ajar. The turian before… oh!
"The guy who ran away! Oh, I remember you now!" I said. My brain recorded things from that maddened haze! The turian formed words before my words sunk in. His hands slammed to his side, a furious pout on his face. My eyes lit up. "How may I be of service, Lieutenant?"
"Commander!" he snapped, a fist waving in my direction. "And you can help by turning yourself and your ship over to be put on trial for murder!" My breath sucked in, mimicking a wince.
"Ah, I see. I'm afraid there is a slight problem with that, Corporal-" I said.
"COMMANDER!" he screeched. Someone sniggered behind him, making him whip around in fury.
"-In that we still have a lot of work to do. You know, saving the galaxy and such like. Another time perhaps, Chief," My grin spread as pure vehemence smothered the turian. My head nodded towards a camera. The Starquake's engines warmed.
"I am a Commander, human! What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Marruns demanded. My shoulders shrugged.
"What is wrong with me? Sergeant, what is wrong with you? I'm not in the way of a ship about the FTL," I said with a smirk.
"Sergeant?! That isn't even a rank in the na-… wait, what?" he gawked, side-tracked. The Starquake surged forward, towards the turian ship. Marruns screeched before the communication cut. My fingers tightened their grip the arms of the chair, teeth grit to hold back the squeal wishing to bounce free. The blood squeezed out of my fingers as both ships swerved to avoid each other. Lanster straightened out, before the hum of the FTL deafened me. My stomach lurched as we jumped. Safe within FTL, the sniggering broke free. A pained smile spread.
"At least I know how to piss him off…" I said. Indira giggled behind me.
"Someone's got a boyfriend!" she sang. Something jammed in my throat, a mad cough choking me. My glare would've melted a sun.
"How does that equate to a boyfriend!?" I snapped, my face brightening at the sheer thought of it. Indira's smirk grew, a slow, steady smirk.
"Fighting like a married couple," she sang before my first made a swing for her. She danced away, laughing. With a sour taste in the back of my throat, my scowl followed her. Gideon stared up at me, bugged eyed.
"No," I said, pointing a stern finger at him. "Get that thought out of your head!" Gideon blinked.
"I was thinking he's like Sir Squidy Anus, a bosh'tet," he shrugged. Tension released, agreeing, before a cold realisation sunk over me.
"How did you learn that word, Gid?" I asked, my tone deadpan. Gideon paled a touch.
"Uh… a-around?" he said, pulling a bad poker face. My jaw popped. Gideon squeaked and winced as if a screw had popped free on a pressure cooker, eyes wide as he braced against the floor. "W-Well, y-you know what it's like in the engineer tunnels! E-Everyone swears when t-they're working!"
"And what are you doing in the engineering tunnels to begin with?" I asked, tapping a finger on the arm of my chair. Gideon stood, a frozen statue, realising he dug himself into a deeper hole. He bit his tongue. Hard. "Gideon," I warned. His eyes shifted to the side before focusing on me again.
"I gotta go bye help Indira!" Gideon begged before tearing out of the CIC, aiming for the engineering tunnels. My pressure valve caved.
"Get back here, you little ba-ugger!" I snapped, correcting mid-word. My feet got 2 steps out the chair before Indira crashed into my path. "Goddam it, Ind-Indra, let me go!" My arms pushed against her, fighting to free myself girl.
"Delly, Delly, Delly-" Indira said, flailing to free herself as well… although she didn't help the situation by any stretch of the imagination!
"And no bloody Delly! How many times do I have to tell you?!" I snarled as my upper body freed itself and my arms pulled my free, using the corrugated floor as a climbing frame.
"But I got something important to tell you!" Indira whined, bouncing on my back. My ribs whined as my body flopped, hands still stretched above me. Why did I even bother fighting this girl?
"What?" I asked. Indira grinned as she bounced off me, doing two laps around the Control Ring while my legs secured themselves under me.
"Well, as the head of Intel, I've been doing a little digging and I learned a little something about the Council's reward for your capture," Indira said, strutting around me like a preening peacock. My lips sank.
"There's a reward for my capture?" I asked, my gut twisting. Indira snapped her heels together as she faced me.
"20'000 Credits alive, 4000 Credits dead," Indira said. "Although, it has been… changed. I think sparing that Spectre may cause it," her face turned still, all laughter gone. My shoulders quivered.
"And the reward now?" I asked. Indira blinked once.
"1000 Credits dead, 3 million alive," she said, her voice flat. My mouth opened to speak but whatever words sat on my tongue refused to budge. Every muscle locked, frozen as the reality of her words sank in. 3 million for my capture? Alive? Why the hell would they put such a huge bounty on anyone, let alone me!? No way, my worthless hide couldn't be worth 3 million! My jaw flailed as it tried to function, for words to form. "And the dead reward drops by 100 credits a week. The alive reward increases by 5000 a week,"
"…the enemy ships will triple, aren't they?" I said. Indira cast her eyes towards the cockpit as another warning blared out.
"Tenfold wound be more accurate," Indira told me. "Most of the merc groups classed you has a low to medium priority. Leaping up to 3 million has punted you up the list. You are a high priority, if not the highest, for the Blue Suns, Blood Pack, Exodus, Pulsar Blades and Al'kerca merc groups. The Starquake is… well, it's only a matter of time now," A matter of time… until the Council had their hands on me. My shoulders slumped as Lanster swerved. Indira snatched me as my body tumbled backwards, sparing me a severe head injury.