*The Last City: 6:50 AM*
…
A flat tray covered with multiple foods sat before him atop the table of his cell. It was nothing special. Just two fried eggs, a loaf of bread, and a glass of water. At the sides of the tray were a knife and fork made from flimsy plastic and a thin napkin. It looked like a breakfast tray you would give a prison inmate.
That's exactly what it was.
Garrus looked down at his breakfast plainly, the fork he clearly held in his three fingered hand poking at the yokes of the eggs. He was totally uninterested in his food whatsoever. It wasn't that Garrus didn't like it. The problem was that he couldn't eat human food, or else he would suffer an allergic reaction from the levo proteins inside them, and judging by the fact that the server had no knowledge of that when they handed him the tray, it was obvious that there were no dextros in The Last City. Garrus was at least able to drink the water.
Being served this platter brought back the memory of when Garrus had eaten a levo food by mistake. It was back on the Normandy SR1, they had stopped by Earth after dealing with the rogue AI on the Moon, Toronto to be more accurate. Kaiden and Joker had stopped to get everyone poutines. (Wrex getting twelve) Unfortunately, Joker made a mistake and ordered only one dextro instead of two. Tali got the only dextro, and Garrus… Well, you get the idea.
What made matters worse aside from not being able to eat, Garrus did not get even one second of sleep the previous night. The nightmare just kept coming. They were either of The Witness speaking to him, or of him being taunted by his new 'allies', mainly Eramis. He was hungry as he was exhausted.
"Not a fan of eggs, birdie?"
Garrus looked to the cell across from him. Aria was sitting atop her bed with her legs crossed and a playful smirk. She looked right at the tired turian who played with his food with glee.
"I mean, it's not a turian baby. It's not technically cannibalism." She joked darkly.
Garrus was not in the mood for her crap, especially not now. If there was one extra finger on his hand, and in the middle of it, he would show it to her.
"Bite me, T'Loak." He spat.
Aria giggled. "What? I thought you liked a good joke."
"Let's just say our tastes in humor aren't exactly compatible." Garrus responded in an icy tone. He pulled his chair away from the table so it could face the barrier of the cell, then sat back down. "Though, I did come up with some pretty good ones about you when I heard you'd vanished last month. You wanna hear them?"
The asari gave the turian a fake smile. "She found herself a real catch, didn't she? No wonder she killed herself."
"Funny…" Garrus let out a dark laugh. "Although, are you talking about Shepard…" He leaned in close with a glare laced with venom.
"Or Nyreen?"
Aria's smile vanished, replaced by an angered scowl. Her posture changed from relaxed to tense. Legs broke apart from their crossed pose to normal and her back straightened. Garrus seemed to have struck a nerve.
"My my… This little angel has some darkness in him. Doesn't he?"
Those turian mandibles of his curled into a smirk of his own. "I lived on Omega for two years. Even angels can get a little nasty if they stay there long enough. You should know."
She ground her teeth.
"Varen fucker.."
"Pot. Kettle."
They both sat in silence after that. Their gazes not breaking for even a moment. The hatred between them was strong. Very strong.
Aria T'Loak, the infamous Pirate Queen of Omega. For the past three hundred years, that ice-blooded asari ruled over that scrap heap station with an iron fist. She was the worst of the worst the Terminus Systems had to offer. No crime would occur on that station without her say in it. She owned everything, and only wanted more. Aria was manipulative, crafty, possessive, and straight up brutal. No one dared challenge her, as they would not live to tell the tale.
When Garrus was still Archangel back on Omega, he would cause a stir among the station's crime networks with his mercenary team. Aria remembers all the complaints she would get concerning him, but decided not to bother with any of them, as Archangel wasn't causing any disruptions for her directly. They had a mutual understanding and nothing more, but that didn't mean they had to like one another.
"How are you even here, Aria?" Garrus questioned, breaking the silence.
"If by 'here', you mean this fucked up version of Earth full of immortal demigods on the other end of that interdimensional anus?"
Classy.
"At the time, I was with an excursion team. We wanted to see what was on the other end of that hole in space and if we could find anything to mine… That's when we met her."
Garrus looked at her curiously. "Shepard?" He assumed.
"No, but I was surprised to see her still breathing and the size of a krogan now." Aria admitted before she continued. "This other woman, with glowing blue eyes and skin, spiky white hair, and a big fucking sword that looked like a crow. She ripped through my entire team, butchered them, and then set her sights on me."
T'Loak stood from her bed and began to pace around her cell with angst.
"She was one tough skank. None of my biotic abilities seemed to affect her at all. In the end, she had managed to beat me on a fluke and I wound up here. I swear, the next time I see that witch…"
"Watch it. That "witch" is my sister."
Aira stopped pacing. She turned to the barrier of her cell . Someone was standing in front of it. Someone with a familiar looking bird cloak that Vakarian immediately recognized.
Crow.
He was staring straight at Aria with his bitter luminous eyes, hand firmly gripping Hawkmoon at his side. Aria snorted.
"The frog prince, or 'bird' in this case." She mocked the Hunter. "Come to gawk at your sister's catch?"
"I'm not here for you." He turned to Garrus. "It's time." Crow simply said.
"Good morning, Garrus!" Chirped Glint from behind his Guardian.
Immediately, Garrus knew what Crow was referring to. The time to meet with the Vanguard. He had been waiting hours for this all night.
Walking over to the panel next to the cell, Crow input a command code. The barrier to the cell was deactivated. Garrus stood up from his chair in response while Crow walked inside.
"So you're my escort, I take it? Didn't you get benched?" Asked Garrus.
"One of the Coalition leaders personally requested that I be there. That, and I also convinced them that I should be there as a representative for the Hunters. They agreed."
Representative? Why would they need a representative? From what Ikora told him, the Vanguard was composed of three leaders, one for each Guardian Class. Titan. Warlock. Hunter. Where was the Hunter Vanguard?
"Let's not keep them waiting, Garrus."
He would have to come back to that topic later, as he agreed with Crow. Garrus was about to step outside his cell, but he was stopped by the Hunter's hand.
"What's wrong?"
Then, Garrus looked down at what was in Crow's hand. Energy handcuffs. He couldn't leave without putting them on. Garrus let out a whine of annoyance and glared at his warden. Restraints? What was this, the First Contact War?
"It's protocol. C'mon, you know this. You said you used to be a cop."
He wasn't wrong. It was standard protocol to restrain a prisoner before transporting them, even if they weren't violent. Garrus eventually caved and held out his hands. This allowed Crow to place the handcuffs on him. They lit up with a binding energy field and held his arms together, leaving him unable to move them.
"Now we can go."
They finally stepped out of the cell. Aria was seen leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
"Hold on." She called out and gave Garrus a look. "Garrus, old pal. You mind giving a good word for your friend, Aria?"
The two stopped. Crow and Harrus both staring at the captured asari.
"Come on, for old times sake."
"She a friend of yours?"
Garrus knew what Aria was trying to do. Weasel her way out of trouble, like she always does. The turian already figured that no one here knew who she was, and Aria can use that to her advantage. Not only that, but judging by the fact that she was locked up in here, even after a month. It was obvious that the Vanguard deemed her hostile and could not be released.
In that case, Garrus would do them a favor…
"Aria T'Loak is a notorious pirate who runs a come ring on a space station called Omega. She works in drugs, weapons trading, sex trafficking, and various other unpleasantries."
And with that said, Aria dropped her jaw to the floor in shock. Crow only snickered.
"So she's basically Spider, but with boobs. Got it. Let's move."
They then turned away from the cell and started walking. Garrus, before he got moving, gave the asari crime boss a cocky smirk and a look that practically said, "Buh-bye!", and took off.
Aria couldn't believe it. She had never been more beside herself, even when Cerberus took over Omega. "Wha- You..! Are you kidding?! Oh, I respect you as much as I hate you right now!" She shouted furiously. T'Loak bashed her fists against the barrier in a fit of anger, all directed towards the turian who just left her to rot. It seems the queen had finally been dethroned.
"God damnit! ARCHANGEL!!!"
Time passes by as the two travers the corridors of the Tower. From the prison in the lower levels, to the more populated areas like the bazar. Garrus looked around at his surroundings. It was a quaint little area. Some lounge sections and a small noodle shack. There were people of all kinds. Humans, Exos, those Awoken like Crow himself, as well as insectoid creatures and some hulking, brutish aliens clad head to toe in armor. Many of them seemed friendly enough. Some shot Garrus some looks, but it wasn't without reason. They had never seen a Turian before. That much was obvious.
He also noticed that Crow was receiving some glares as well. Garrus wondered why.
As he lost in thought, Vakarian was suddenly assaulted by an unknown force. One covered in feathers and had razor sharp talons. Garrus screamed and tried to fight off whatever was clawing at his face, and rather valiantly. He did NOT want anymore scars than he already has.
Crow: "Oh shit! Garrus!"
Garrus: "Agh! Gah! Ow! Stop it! No!"
Glint: "Nonono! Down! Sit! Bad falcon!"
The mysterious attacker was none other than a falcon! Its razor-like talons and beak digging into the plates that made up Garrus's face. It seriously hurt, and the constant flapping of its wings was disorienting. If he weren't cuffed, Garrus could swat the bird of prey away easily. Luckily for him, his Awoken savior came to the rescue! Crow grabbed hold of the falcon effortlessly by its body and, oddly enough, it quickly settled down. Garrus finally stopped struggling. He wiped away the blood that trickled down the scratches across his face.
"You okay?" Asked Glint as he flew up to poor Garrus.
"Do I look okay?!" Garrus replied angrily.
"Sorry about that." Said Crow, still holding the falcon firmly in his hands. "Allow me to apologize on behalf of Louis."
"Who the hell is Louis?!"
Crow presented the falcon. It cried. This was Louis. "You have a pet falcon?" Garrus questioned? He expected Crow to have… Well, a crow, or some other kind of corvid.
"Louis!"
"No, she does."
In the corner of his vision, Garrus noticed somebody running towards them. A human woman. She had brown skin with dark brown hair and eyes, as well as nine dot markings encircled around her face. She had a thick, makeshift poncho draped over her shoulders, and a sniper rifle strapped to her back.
Crow turned around. The woman noticed the falcon in his arms and the eviscerated alien next to him. She groaned exhaustedly.
"Craaaaap. I'm sorry. He's not a fan of new faces. Hope he didn't give your friend too much trouble, Crow."
The Hunter handed the woman back the bird; it quickly hopped up onto her shoulder and sat there comfortably.
"We're okay. Just a few scratches." He responded with a smile before turning back to the turian. "Garrus, this is Suraya Hawthorne. She's the Tower's Clan Stetward."
"Hey there." She greeted him.
Garrus gave Hawthorne a nod and waved his bound hands. Talking probably wouldn't do any good, seeing as she most definitely lacked a translator. He learned that the hard way from Zavala, and his fist.
"Not a talker? That's alright." She said, then looked over at Crow. "So what did he do to get in trouble? Hide a poisonous snake in Zavala's knitting hamper?"
Zavala's whatnow?
"Just New Species Protocol. I'm bringing him to the Vanguard to see if he bites, which he doesn't."
Hawthorne gave the two a happy smirk. "Well, best of luck then, Jurassic Park. Take care!" She said as she turned to leave. "Come on, you crazy ball of feathers…"
Crow smiled as Suraya walked away. He and Garrus followed suit soon after. Continuing their way through the Bazar, Garrus turned to his right. He saw a group of children playing. Three humans, and one of those insect people. They held wooden guns and swords in their hands and we're all dressed like Guardians. It made Garrus smile wholesomely. The sight reminded him of the kids on Palaven playing soldier, like he himself used to. His heart gave off a warmth.
They had reached a large holographic screen displayed in the middle of the marketplace. Many people were gathered around it, cheering excitedly from what was being broadcast on it. Garrus and Crow stopped to take a look. On the screen were six Guardians, divided into two teams of three, and they appeared to be engaged in brutal combat. There was what looked like a scoreboard at the top of the display. It read, 'bravo team' and 'alpha team', with the tagline, 'Clash'.
The Guardians on display were armed to the teeth and ruthlessly killing one another in rather gruesome ways. It ranged from blowing off heads, explosives, even full vaporization. However, they would end up rising again, thanks to the power of their Ghosts and resuming the fight.
Garrus was a bit disturbed by this and the fact that a crowd was cheering it on. It reminded him of krogan gladiator matches that ended in brutal victory. Crow however, seemed fine with it.
"What exactly is this?" Whispered Vakarian.
"Oh, this? It's a Crucible match. Clash, to be more exact." Crow explained. "It's a live-fire training exercise and competitive arena for Guardians. It was created to handle disputes between Guardians, but now it helps shape New Lights into the Guardians they are now."
One of the scoreboards at the top has just changed its number. It now reads '100-97. Bravo team wins!' Some people cheered, others groaned in defeat. Clearly there were some unhappy betters among the viewers. The Guardians on screen all holstered their weapons and approached one another. Each of them shaking hands admirably with one another. Just a moment ago, those guys were butchering one another, now they were shaking hands and making up.
"The Crucible has all kinds of events. Mayhem, Crimson Days, Iron Banner, Trials of Osiris. Some Guardians also make names for themselves here through competitions." The Hunter pointed out. "In fact… See that leaderboard, right at the top, the one that reads 'most precision kills in one match'?"
Garrus looked up at where Crow pointed. He spotted the Hunter's name with a crown beside it. The score was seventy nine precision shots out of one hundred kills. The turian chuckled and looked over at the smug Awoken.
"What, couldn't make it an even hundred?" Garrus joked.
"Okay, it was six on one…" Crow walked off, Garrus followed close behind. That was when Uldren finally finished his sentence. "…and I won."
"…That's… slightly impressive… Also, what's this about your commander having a knitting hamper?"
The door to the office opened to the side with a quiet hiss. Jane walked into the room with her hands full of what looked like takeaway coffee and a large bucket full of the same liquid. She clumsily maneuvered her way into the office and set the beverages onto a nearby table, letting out a huff as she finally dropped off her load.
Jane turned to the left. The office was filled with multiple occupants. Commander Zavala, Ikora, Caiatl, Mithrax, as well as an Awoken woman lurking in the background. Her skin and eyes were a bright blue, hair spiked and white as snow. She wore an outfit that was cascaded with white and different shades of purple, a fur lined cloak with a golden crown emblem on its front. The woman's beauty was striking, and her demeanor was like that of a queen, ready to take everything and everyone in the room and make it all hers.
"Morning everyone!" Jane greeted with a chipper smile. "Fresh brews all around. Come and get it."
Zavala looks at Jane with his arms crossed. "Coffee? Jane, this isn't a board meeting." He stated sternly.
"You're gonna turn it down, Commander?"
"…No."
That said, everyone approached the female Titan, who handed them each their preferred beverage. Getting coffee for everyone was the least Jane could do for them after going out of their ways to meet with Garrus. She also hoped it would put them in a better mood so that they may hear him out.
"Okay. Straight black for Zavala, cappuccino for Ikora, got tea for Mara, Caiatl's… bucket of espresso, and for Mithrax, a rocky road caramel-drizzle frappe with Traveler Donut Hole bites and cinnamon infused whipped cream."
Mithrax giggled like a little kid upon receiving his frozen caffeine treat. The mouthpiece of his mask split open so that he could drink/eat it. Not just Jane, but everyone in the room, even Caiatl, couldn't help but gag in disgust at how the Kell could eat something so ridiculous sugary this early in the morning. Eliksni do love their sweets.
"Mithrax, that is not coffee. That is desert." Ikora pointed out.
"With all due respect, Ikorakel. I assisted in the recovery of the fragments of Nezarec, awakened Osiris from his slumber, and tolerated Drifter and his ridiculous star-shanties for the entire duration of Operation: Plunder. I do believe I deserve some compensation. Ooh! Chocolate chips!" Mithrax chittered, popping a donut hole into his drooling mouth.
"Enjoy it, Mithrax. We all owe you for helping us fight off Eramis and her crews, especially Saint and Osiris." Jane said with gratitude. "So it's worth the wait, and trying to memorize it."
Appearing out of hiding, Edith flew to her Guardian. "It's no harder than what you order." She said.
"Extra large skinny no-foam vanilla latte, two sugars. What's so hard about that?!"
The doors of the office slid open once more. The group turned over to them to see Crow walking in with Garrus in tow.
"I hope I'm not late." He said.
The Awoken, Mara, stepped forward from the group with a small, yet welcoming smile as Crow approached.
"Not in the slightest."
Crow let a smile curl onto his lips as well. Garrus walked up beside the Hunter. That caught Jane's attention. She set down her drink and went up to him.
"Garrus." She said, then noticed that his face was covered with deep scratches and bite marks. "Whoa! What happened to you?"
"Long story short, he met Louis." Glint explained.
Jane sighed and rubbed her eyes. She would have a word with Hawthorne after this was said and done. She looked back at Garrus and noticed something else as well. Dark circles under each of his eyelids, and glossy looking eyes. That was enough to make her worry.
"You look exhausted."
One hand gently cupped the scarred side of Garrus' face. Her palm against his mandible felt warm to the touch. Garrus gently placed his hand over Jane's and gazed into her emerald eyes.
"I'm fine, Shepard." He whispered.
"*ahem*" Their focus broke and the two directed it towards Zavala, who was waiting as patiently as he could. "Let's stop wasting time and get down to business. Shall we?"
Jane rolled her eyes out of annoyance, but she fell in line. She stepped away so Zavala could approach her turian friend.
"Commander Vakarian. I'm Commander Zavala, head of the Vanguard and leader of the Titans. You could say I'm Ms. Doe's boss." Zavala introduced himself. Garrus looked the Awoken over. He only got a brief look at the man before the lights went out for him back on Crow's ship. Seeing the commander up close now, Garrus took note of his qualities. Zavala seemed like a typical by the book commanding officer, his posture straight as could be, and his voice carried a strong sense of authority. There was something else that Garrus noticed about Zavala. Something almost familiar… "I also hope that there are feelings between us over… how we first met."
If "how they first met" means how Zavala knocked out Garrus, locked him up next to Aria bloody T'Loak, and unintentionally starved him, then yeah. No hard feelings, big guy.
"You already know Ikora Rey, leader of the Warlocks,"He directed his attention to Ikora next to him. She greeted Garrus in a friendly manner. "as well as Crow, who is here as acting representative for the Hunters."
Looking over at the table with the coffee trays, Crow was taking a sip of his drink. He tasted the black liquid on his tongue before swallowing, then looked at Jane questioningly. "This is decaf, right?" He asked.
"With me are fellow Coalition leaders. Mithrax, Kell of the Eliksni House of Light. Empress Caiatl, of the Imperial Cabal,"
The two aliens came closer, Caiatl was absolutely massive, even more so than Wrex. Looking at Mithrax, Garrus realized he was of the same species as that Eramis woman. He seemed friendly enough, more so since he was holding a very colorful dessert in his hands.
"Commander Vakarian, I welcome you." Caiatl greeted with her fist to her heart.
"I greet you in the Light." Mithrax bowed politely.
Garrus' translator detected that Mithrax and Caiatl were both speaking English. That helped with some communication.
"…and lastly, Mara Sov of the Reef, Queen of the Awoken."
The final leader slowly strutted out from the background. Her expression was plain, but also complex. The Awoken's body language appeared sensual, almost seductive. Garrus found himself lost in thought. Her name. 'Sov'. That was Crow's real name. This must have been his sister, the one who had defeated Aria and had her locked up.
Crow's sister was a queen? Explains why Aria called him "Frog Prince."
A pair of glowing blue eyes meeting his own ice blue. Garrus was unable to look away from her, not because he couldn't, but because he didn't want to. Mara had to have been the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She looked so ethereal, as if she was a spirit. This woman would put the entire asari race to shame in terms of beauty. But Garrus also remembered what Aria told him. How Mara took out her entire team alone. Such beauty also comes with an equal amount of ferocity.
Finally, Mara stopped her approach. She was mere inches from Garrus. Slowly, her left hand reached up to Garrus' face, soft fingers caressing his scar as gently as possible. Her touch was like silk. It was enough to send a shiver up his spine. Mara leaned in closer to him, her eyes staring deep into his. Garrus thought for a second that she was going to kiss him, but she pulled away at the last second. Thank the Spirits. He thought his fringe would stand up again.
"I cannot recall how long it has been since I've seen one of your people." Mara said. Her voice was English, and as rich as honey.
"Mara, you know what species he is?" Questioned Ikora.
The Awoken queen's hand finally left Garrus' mandible, but her gaze did not break. Mara's eyes were laser focused on him.
"He is a turian. That is the name of his race." She spoke softly. "They hail from Palaven, a planet far beyond the reaches of Sol, in the Trebia System."
Mara explained to the Vanguard the story of how she learned of Garrus' people. It was after she and her army were defeated by Oryx years earlier. Mara found herself adrift in the Ascendant Realm, exploring its near infinite reaches. After some time wandering without a destination, she had arrived on Palaven once she finally opened a portal back to the material world. Though her appearance on the planet was accidental, she chose to explore and know its inhabitants and their ways.
"Turians are a disciplined race who value honor in battle, and are regarded for their militaristic power… Similar to that of the Cabal..." She said, turning her head to Caiatl. "The only difference being that they do not go around conquering other races and blowing up planets just for getting in their way."
Garrus went wide eyed. Caiatl's people do what?
"However, they are still unable to travel outside of their own system, except through specialized exodus ships… At least, the turian's of our world cannot."
Mara finally broke away from Garrus and back towards the Coalition leaders. Garrus was blushing like a madman from her touch still. He hoped that Jane didn't notice, but she instead whispered a reassurance into his ear. "Don't worry. I think she's hot too."
Mara directed her vision to Jane; a hand on her hip. "Jane, you say this turian is from beyond The Anomaly, in a world opposed to our own?" She asked the Titan.
"Yes, Queen Mara. He works for the Systems Alliance, an organization similar to the Coalition, only galaxy wide."
The three alien leaders all looked at the human with great shock. Mara looked to Crow. He gave her a confirming nod, proving that Jane really was truthful. Caiatl in particular was the most taken back.
"An empire spanning the whole of the known galaxy? That is exactly what the Cabal strive to achieve. How can this be possible?" Questioned the empress.
"That would be obvious, Empress."
Suddenly, a new voice entered the conversation. Walking through the door was an older human wearing a rather preppy outfit with a tan dress coat and brown flat cap. He had a smug look plastered all across his face.
"Osiris?" Ikora said in surprise.
"My apologies for the intrusion, everyone. After all I've heard about Commander Vakarian, I could not resist the opportunity to meet him in person." The old Warlock spoke, dipping his hat to the group. "And please excuse my wardrobe, however it is my day off."
Though his appearance was unannounced in advance, Ikora smiled brightly at seeing him. She walked up to Osiris and shook his hand in greeting.
"There's no need for apologies. You're always a welcome face in the Tower."
She moved aside to allow him entrance. Jane smiled as well. Garrus noticed this and looked at her curiously.
"Commander Vakarian, this is Osiris. The Warlock Vanguard before me, and my mentor." Explained Ikora.
Osiris went up to Garrus and shook one of his bound hands. "Hello. It is a true pleasure to finally meet you."
Garrus nodded for his response. He could feel that Osiris had a sort of aura of wisdom around him, like a wise old owl. It reminded Garrus of Councilor Sparatus in a way. Although, he also picked up on something else about this man. His eyes carried a great sadness to them. Garrus knew that look. He used to see it in himself, over the past five years of losing Shepard.
Garrus let out a soft chirp and trill. it wasn't the slightest bit understandable to anyone in the room aside from Jane and Crow, who still had their translators in. "He says it's nice to meet you." Jane said for him.
"You can make sense of his words?" Asked Mithrax.
Crow nodded, tapping the small gadget in his ear in front of the eliksni Kell. Mithrax looked closely. He instantly identified what the device was and understood.
"How did you even hear of this, Osiris?" Zavala questioned. He did not recall alerting Osiris of the meeting.
The old Warlock explained to the leaders how Jane came to him the night before and informed him and Saint of her situation. Osiris admitted that he was very curious about Garrus, regarding his species and the events that occurred on the other side of The Anomaly. So he decided to tag along and meet him.
Zavala looked over at Jane with a disapproving gaze. It was clear that he was not pleased that she went under his nose again and spoke with the previous Vanguard Commander before him. Jane shot a glare right back at him to tell him that she didn't care. Then, a thought popped into the blue Titan's head, regarding Osiris.
"Hold on. If your here, does that also mean-"
"HE IS A BIRD! HA! HA! HA! HA!"
The obnoxiously loud and cracking voice of Saint-14 echoed down the halls before he excitedly rushed into Zavala's office. His attention glued to Garrus like a child seeing a puppy. Garrus himself jumped in fright from the booming shout that hit his ears.
Saint was in the same outfit he wore the previous night, but his sweater had been swapped for a casual white t-shirt with a large picture of a pigeon. There was a speech bubble next to it that read, "Pello!". Unlike Osiris, Saint's outfit was anything but work standard. Jane struggled to hold back a humored snort. The large and giddy Exo ran up to Garrus. He was on the verge of jumping up and down for joy.
"So YOU are the famous Garrus Vakarian, dah? You are even more astounding in person! Geppetto! Geppetto, where are you? Take picture of us! HAHAHAHAHA!"
'Uh, okay… Who the hell is this guy?'
Everyone just stared at Saint in his unbelievably flamboyant state. It was especially unexpected by Mithrax. He and Saint fought alongside one another not two years ago. The man was as ferocious as the stories told of him by his people, before the eliksni came to The Last City. Seeing Saint get so cheery and out of character was… honestly humanizing. He was like Mithrax himself was when he got his coffee treat, which he took a sip of.
Osiris sighed and pitched his forehead, but also laughed under his breath. Such a silly man. "This is Saint-14, Commander." He introduced the new Titan. "Saint was the previous Titan Vanguard before Zavala, is the overseer for the Trials of Osiris program for the Crucible, as well as my husband."
"He's also my teacher. This big oaf taught me everything I know. My moves, my tactics, everything." Jane added.
Saint laughed again, but more boastfully this time. He stood next to Jane and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him. "Yes! I turned this Red Robin into a REAL Titan!" Saint stated proudly.
Ohh, so it was this guy who Garrus had to thank for transforming his girlfriend into the She-Hulk. Good to know.
"What's with the shirt?" Asked Crow.
"All my shirts are in laundry and I spill coffee on sweater. This was all I had."
"Can we please resume this meeting?!" Yelled Zavala as he was losing his patience.''
Saint and Jane broke away at the sound of the commander's shouting. Saint composed himself.
"Yes, Commander. Apologies. But first, there is thing I must do."
"What is this… 'thing'?" Asked Mithrax.
"Yeah, Shepard. What's the 'thing'?"
"HUG!"
Before he could react in any sort of way, Garrus was pulled towards Saint and the massive Titan's large mechanical arms wrapped around his waist. Everyone aside from Caiatl seemed frantic. They all urged against Saint's act of affection, but it was too late. Saint lifted Garrus up into the air effortlessly, thanks to his immense strength. Except that strength turned out to be the danger everyone was so worried about. Garrus felt an increase in pressure against his back, one that was rapidly growing stronger. It was starting to hurt, and eventually…
*CRUNCH*
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAH! MY SPINE!"
A loud cracking sound was heard from within Garrus' body. His spine. A wave of agonizing pain shot throughout his back and an ear piercing scream erupted from deep in his throat. Everyone flinched in horror at seeing Garrus having his spine snapped in half by Saint's crushing embrace.
"GARRUS! Master, put him down!" Jane pleaded.
"By the Traveler! I am so sorry!"
Mithrax gulped. If he recalled, that crushing embrace was a detail he stated in that old eliksni children's story that depicted Saint as an unstoppable monster. At least he didn't take Garrus by the neck.
Gently, Jane and Crow set poor Garrus down on the floor on his back. His arms were twitching from the pain and he was whining like a dog.
"Garrus, you okay, buddy?" Crow asked.
"I can't move my legs..!"
…
The start of the meeting took… a bit longer than expected. Once all the commotion had simmered down, and Garrus had gotten his back treated by Ikora, they finally began. Garrus still couldn't believe that Saint could do that much damage to him from just a hug. Had it not been for his metallic exoskeleton and bones, Saint probably would have killed him. Thank the Spirits it was just a pop.
Garrus was sitting down in a chair with his arms tied around the backrest, across from Zavala's desk; the said Titan Vanguard sitting behind it with his elbows resting on its surface and fingers interlaced. The other Coalition Leaders were gathered around the desk. Jane and Crow were standing beside Garrus by his opposing sides. Osiris and Saint stood back and watched from the side.
"Alright. Now we can finally get underway with this meeting." Stated Zavala with a heavy sigh.
The captive turian couldn't agree more. The faster this interrogation would go, the better. He needed to prove he wasn't a threat, so he could truly find out what happened to Shepard. Maybe even bring her home. Garrus gave Zavala a compliant nod to show he understood.
"Commander Vakarian, you sit here before the leaders of the Coalition so that we may decide for ourselves if you are a threat to the safety of the people of The Last City or not. Do you understand?"
Garrus nodded.
"Good." Said Zavala. "Normally, our First Contact Protocol involves first understanding your race itself to get a better understanding of what exactly we're dealing with. However, thanks to Queen Mara's knowledge of your people, we now must take a different approach. Because if your people are similar to that of the Cabal, we cannot afford to overlook any minor details."
His blue eyes darted towards Caiatl. The empress was glaring down at Garrus from her towering height. Her gaze was extremely intimidating, but it was nothing he hadn't seen before from Wrex or Jack. He looked back towards Zavala.
"Jane and Crow informed me that you work for an organization called the Systems Alliance, and that you're a Commanding officer of sorts. Is that correct?"
He nodded his head yes.
Caiatl raised her brow. Did Zavala just say Systems Alliance? That is what she heard from the prisoners that Saladin captured aboard her ship. Garrus was affiliated with them. With the prothean. Should she say something? Warn him? Garrus may try something sneaky, like Javik. That was when Caiatl looked down at Jane. She was standing right next to him. In her eyes, a fiery determination. Despite only just meeting Garrus, Jane looked as though she would do anything for him, as she did for Zomon, and the empress herself back then. So Caiatl remained silent for now, not because she trusted the turian, but Jane.
"Is your 'Alliance' hostile?" Zavala questioned again.
Garrus shook his head no.
"Commander, with all due respect, I don't think we'll get anywhere with yes or no questions." Ikora commented.
"Well, it's not like he can respond vocally, Ikora." Zavala pointed out.
He was right. Jane and Crow were the only ones with translators that were programmed to understand turian speech after acquiring them on the Citadel.
"Sir, Crow and I can speak for him." Jane suggested. Garrus liked that idea and nodded in agreement.
"I may have another alternative."
Everyone in the room looked over at Caiatl. Her hands behind her back. Then, they heard a knock on the door.
"Enter." She said aloud.
The door opened, a Psion came walking into the office. It was dawned in gold and blue colors with Caiatl's crest engraved into its chest plate. The Psion stopped before the desk and knelt before Caiatl.
"My Optus can bridge our consciousnesses together with the turian's in the MindScape. We will be able to communicate with him within, and he will have no way of hiding any secrets he may withhold."
Garrus tilted his head to the side. MindScape? What was she talking about?
"Empress. You're suggesting that we all just dive into this man's private thoughts? We're trying to get him to trust us as well." Questioned the commander.
"It is an effective tactic, Zavala. We will communicate with him more easily." Caiatl pointed out. "Also, we need to exploit anything without this one's consent."
The empress' idea was not ethical, but it was valid. It would absolve the problems with the language barrier. That was true.
"We would only talk. Nothing more."
Zavala thought hard on the idea. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind. It was a good idea, but it would be a breach of trust if they pried too deep. Decisions…
"Uh, Sir. Are you really considering this? I can translate." Said Jane in objection.
He looked over at her. "There are advantages to it, Doe. The commander here could lie to you while you're speaking on his behalf."
"Sir, he won't lie!"
Their words were an enigma to Garrus. He was so in the dark about this "MindScape" it may as well have been the dead of night. "Crow, what are they talking about?"
"It's a long story, one I hoped I'd never have to undergo again."
The Vanguard commander turned to each of his allies. Each one nodded in agreement with him, even Ikora, though she was reluctant. The majority was in agreement with the idea.
"Very well then, Caiatl. We all agree."
Caiatl nodded before turning to her Psion. She gave them a look to give them the go ahead. They stepped forward in between Garrus and Zavala's desk. The Psion took a deep breath, closed its single eye, and concentrated.
"And Crow…" The Awoken Hunter looked up at Caiatl. She appeared to be smirking behind the mask of her headdress. "Do try to refrain from killing this Psion as well."
Crow glared at the empress angrily, as did everyone else. They clearly found the remark to be in poor taste. Caiatl however, seemed slightly humored. "What? The one named Drifter told me that expressing one's sense of humor can be beneficial towards building morale."
"Perhaps stick to some lighter jokes, Empress." Osiris suggested.
In seconds, the Psion became surrounded by a purple aura of Void energy. Garrus was beginning to get nervous. He was unaware of what was to come.
"Hey, w-what's going on?! Shepard?!"
"Relax, Commander Vakarian." Hushed Caiatl. "Take a deep breath. Clear your mind."
That was when a bright flash engulfed the entire office. Garrus shut his eyes and jerked away from light. He began to feel a pressure in his head that gradually intensified. Soon, the world around him began to fade. All of it replaced by a void of white.
Oof. Poor Garrus getting his back snapped. All Saint wanted to do was give tbe big alien bird man a big hug. It's not his fault he has the strength of a god...
And fun fact: For thise unfamiliar with either one if the games in this story, did you know that Suraya Hawthorne from Destiny and Nyreen Kandros from ME are both played by Sumalee Montano? I actually never realized that. Like how I didn't Mithrax was plaued by Raymond Chase, the voice of Sukuna from JJK.
Seriously, how cool is that? Mr. Kell of Curses. Lmao.
And do t be afraid to check out my other stories, includi g my newest work in progress featuring the universes is Helluva Boss and Black Clover! Till next time!