Idle Chit-Chat (Part 1)

To Garrus, it was a tireless day of calibrating a Mako, a human light armored personnel carrier. Since the Human Systems Alliance experience in the Relay 314 incident, their military quickly adopted many facets of Alien military tech, namely the Mass Accelerator charged firearms. The Turians collaborated with the Alliance in an effort to show good faith and thus built a Stealth-Reconnaissance Frigate while incorporating many elements of Turian hull and wing design. The Gun of a Mako was not too different from the Auxiliary gun of a Turian Main Line Battle Tank.

So, when a famed human commander decided to bring him onto his crew in a joint Alliance-Council effort to assassinate Saren Arterius, he was pleasantly surprised by this scene. He was former Reconnaissance, so being on a Stealth-Recon frigate of Turian inspiration fit him like a light Infantry Phantom armor suit.

What didn't fit so well were the…others.

There was the human in the corner…the "Gunnery Sergeant" Williams; strangest rank to have if there ever was one. From what he could gather, she is a member of the Human Alliance's 'Marine Force Recon'. Quite a rowdy one, especially alongside the Second Lieutenant Alenko, who was consequentially a Marine Raider. They got along a little too well that made Garrus rather jealous he doesn't have a friend like that…

He would catch Williams sneaking a peak from the corner of her eye in what he could only conclude was suspicion. Thankfully, she never bothered him too severely. What DID bother him was the Krogan Merc, Wrex across the room from him that would, for uncomfortably elongated time periods, continuously glare at him almost as if he's trying to laser a hole in him. Garrus had to actively try to ignore him. The Genophage causing political conflict between their people, something that he didn't choose, is now something he is feeling as an uncomfortable atmosphere.

Then in the engineering room just down behind him was…the Quarian.

He had already made his reasons for being on his guard around her clear to both her and to the Commander, something that of course SHE would object to, but apparently so did the Commander. He had already been punished by cleaning the bathroom floors with a toothbrush. If that was a Turian commander, at least there would be no punishment since it involves a Quarian, but should there be a punishment it would just involve getting beaten to near death. Though, he must appreciate human ideas of punishment; it was a grueling task that is slow and agonizing, but something productive happens: smart.

Garrus' mind then wandered to the Commander. He heard about him before, but never saw his face. Apparently he was a legend in the human special forces community, so much to be called the 'Lion of Elysium' for his actions in the Skyllian War. Such a reputation also merited respect in Turian warrior culture. But the incident with the Quarian on the elevator put Garrus in an awkward and uncertain predicament about where the Commander would stand with him on board.

Oh, speaking of which, here comes the Commander now out of the ping of the elevator from behind. This caught the Turian's attention, and Garrus out of the corner of his eye could see just how briskly the Commander walked, like he was someone who didn't like to waste time on logistics.

But he noticed that the Commander stopped not too far from him, eyeing up the Mako, but not saying anything in particular. Garrus, in the back of his mind knew that as long as the Commander presented himself, it was the only opportunity to mend any bridges. After all, Garrus couldn't just come up to him, at least he didn't feel like he could. A conversation was at the discretion of the Commander, he thought, but now is as good of a time as any.

"Commander," Garrus greeted, while still not turning his attention away from the panel. He was still hesitant. What would happen? How would the Commander respond? Is the Commander still holding a grudge? Was it even a grudge to begin with?

"Vakarian," the Commander acknowledged. There was a short pause, as the Commander continued to inspect the Mako. "Is the APC working well?"

"Um…yeah…" Garrus let out, then turning fully toward him. He would want full attention after all, he's a Commander, it's only out of respect. But when he turned, he found that the Commander wasn't fully gazing upon him when speaking, not in the mannerisms of a Turian commander addressing an underling. Instead, Shepard was merely speaking to Garrus, while looking upon the Mako, slowly walking back and forth through it, laying his hand at certain places, even checking for dust and wiping. "Um…the Heads Up Display has been recalibrated, should not give you any issues, and the mass accelerator mechanism for the cannon is working properly…" he clears his throat, "everything is working properly."

"Good. We'll be taking it out soon, I'll be bringing you along, so we have good reference in the field test. In case there's anything wrong, you could address it."

"Oh…of course, Commander." Garrus, looked back behind him to the monitor, but what gnawed at him was not to waste this opportunity. He wanted to retreat back into his work, but he knew that an opportunity like this to get on the Commander's good side isn't every moment. Maybe he should try that 'Idle chit-chat' that the Pilot Moreau mentions to him.

"So…Shepard," Garrus let out awkwardly. "What's your story?" The Commander, kneeling-down by the wheel and wiped his fingers between the rims while looking upon said fingers and twiddling the oil with his thumb.

"Do you want the cliffnotes or the whole novel?" Shepard said. Garrus withdrew, overthinking it. Did he already piss him off?

"Oh, I'm sorry Commander, I…"

"It's a joke," Shepard replied. Garrus could've been mistaken; the commander talks too monotone to pick up any light heartedness. "People usually don't know when I say one. All the journalists who asked me the same question don't get it either."

"Should I not pry, Commander?" Garrus asked.

"Well… that depends; are you trying to write my biography too?"

"No, of course not, Commander."

"Then pry all you'd like. I give you permission, in fact," Shepard stood up from his squat and leaned his hand against the hull of the APC, but was still not gazing upon Garrus, rather was dipping his head to gaze upon his own boots instead.

"Okay then. If you say so…Where are you from?" Upon hearing this, Shepard looked back up toward the ceiling, extending his back in a stretch while loudly inhaling through his nostrils. Upon an exhale from his mouth, coupled with a sigh, he pushed himself off the Mako, and started slowly and lazily pacing back and forth with a duck-like hobble.

"Kansas."

"…Is that a human colonial planet or something?" He heard Shepard lightheartedly scoff.

"Might as well be, for all I care." He said. What exactly does he mean by that? Garrus wondered. Where was this Planet Kansas?

"Um…okay. You got any family there?"

"Sort of yes, sort of no." Shepard began rocking back and forth on his feet between his heels and toes.

"Uh…I'm afraid I don't understand…" I still have my father and sister. Does he or does he not have a family?

"Of course not," Shepard then hobbled lazily back in the direction of the Mako. "Long story short, my father, someone I barely knew to begin with, died in the secret Batarian wars. My mother was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and depression, so the state took her out of my life. Lived with an alcoholic uncle on his failing corn farm. So my little sister was pretty much all I had."

"Oh, I'm sorry…I shouldn't have asked."

"Heh…no worries," Shepard said. "You see? You could already write a whole book about it." Garrus just stared at Shepard, while there was a short pause. Was that another joke? "And honestly, everything after that is a sad, pathetic tale of broken dreams and promises that can't be kept anymore."

"Well…I'm…sorry to hear that, Shepard," Garrus let out awkwardly. Perhaps Garrus was expecting a heroic Turian monologue about proud military exploits.

"So am I," Shepard came back to the Mako and laid a flat hand up on it. Even with his monotone, he seems awfully chalant about how sad his home life was. "What about you? Same questions apply." Garrus was taken aback; he wasn't expecting idle chit chat to…go well, even for how sad it was.

"Oh, um…well…I'm from Palaven. I'm sure that's no surprise to you. I have a father and a sister. Turian military. Reconnaissance forces. Then I went to C-Sec. Both my family are still on Palaven doing Hierarchical things. The story of a Turian's life."

"Hm," went Shepard.

"You said you have a sister," Garrus continued. "Where is she now?" But he suddenly saw the flat hand on the Mako clench into a fist, with the commander squeezing his eyes shut, letting out a frustrated sigh. Spirits, I must've actually hit a nerve this time.

"Like I said, a pathetic tale," Shepard turned to make his way back toward the elevator. "I have other duties. Be ready when the call comes."

"Uh, of course Commander, understood."

Shepard suddenly stopped, but half turned back toward him.

"By the way," he said before fully locking his attention with both eyes. "There'll be no more problems between you and Engineer Zorah, right?" And there it is. I knew I couldn't get on his good side. I'm too damn awkward to be charismatic.

"Of course, Commander…" Shit, does he really trust a Quarian that willingly?

"Good." He began to stride away, with some final words echoing, "Or next time it will be the whole crew deck."

Garrus just watched him disappear, blinking several times.

Spirits…