Chapter 2
Harry's heart swelled with pride as he watched the Normandy detach from its docking clamps and maneuver away from the Citadel, disappearing in a flash of light as it made its way for the mass relay. It never ceased to fill him with a combined sense of joy and loss to watch one of "his Weasleys" mature and leave the nest. He would miss her terribly, and worry for her, but not too much. David Anderson was a man whom Harry had come to trust implicitly. He had impressed Harry to no end when he refused to help Saren murder innocent people just to catch one of the citadel's enemies, even though it had cost him dearly.
He walked away from the docking bay and whistled an old tune to himself as he traveled towards where he'd parked his sky car. He had no set destination in mind. While he was an Alliance admiral, he tended to exist in a state of 'active reserve' so he frequently found himself idle for months at a time. This time he'd decided to occupy his time by taking contracts from C-Sec, and he had a meeting with Venari Pallin, the liaison between C-sec and the Council. Before that though, he had an hour to kill so he decided to check out a bar he'd passed while exploring the citadel a week before.
Unlike most establishments on the citadel, the inside of the bar was clean and sparsely decorated, and that suited him just fine. He took a seat at the bar next to a Krogan and was immediately approached by a beautiful Asari matriarch with a gruff voice.
"What'll it be, Human?" The Asari asked. Harry suddenly felt mischievous.
"Oh I don't know, do you have any recommendations?" Harry asked, trying to sound naive.
"I hear the ryncol here is good." The Krogan next to him muttered.
"Ooh, ok I'll try some of that!" Harry said. The bartender looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Ryncol is pretty hardcore stuff, Human. You sure about that?" the bartender said. Harry nodded
"I'm always excited about trying new things." Harry said with a grin. The Krogan started chuckling. The bartender shrugged and poured him a shot, which he downed immediately after passing his credit chit to the bartender. The Krogan turned and watched him in anticipation.
"Huh... It's a bit stronger than I expected." Harry said. The Krogan's smile became predatory as Harry leaned forward and rested his elbows on the bar.
"Not bad though. Can I get another?" Harry asked. The Asari and Krogan gaped at him.
"That's incredible! How are you still conscious?" The Krogan asked. Harry bellowed out laughter.
"I've been waging chemical warfare against my liver for almost two centuries, A little bit of Krogan rot-gut isn't going to knock me down." Harry said. The Krogan laughed and slapped his back.
"You've got a quad, Human. Are you that famous Alliance admiral?" The Krogan asked. Harry smiled and then stood, bowing theatrically.
"Admiral Harry Potter at your service." Harry said. The bartender's eyes widened as she heard his name.
"You're the immortal human?" The bartender asked. Harry shrugged.
"I don't like to take it for granted, but I do seem to have trouble dying." Harry said.
"If you've got a minute, can we speak in private?" The bartender asked, pouring him another shot of ryncol.
"Sure, I've got a meeting with Pallin at C-sec in an hour but until then I'm free." Harry said. The Krogan laughed loudly again.
"You're going to meet with that stuck-up bastard after a shot of ryncol? I'm starting to like you." the Krogan asked.
"Nope." Harry said, before downing the second shot.
"I'm going to see him after two shots of ryncol." Harry said, grinning. The Asari asked the laughing Krogan to watch the bar while she took Harry back into the supply room. He'd agreed readily, and turned with his back was facing the bar so he could watch the customers.
"Admiral Potter.." The Asari said
"Harry, please. I don't pull rank with anyone not wearing this uniform." Harry said, gesturing at his attire.
"Harry, then. I've heard you have some unique talents, and I was hoping to see if I could get your help on an important problem." the Asari said, her expression bordered on desperate.
"If I can, what's the issue?" Harry asked. She sighed and leaned against a rack.
"My daughter is out in the Artemis Tau cluster on a planet called Therum on an archaeological dig. My sources lost contact days ago, and I can't get a hold of her mother. I'm worried." The Asari said. She was startled when Harry's expression changed.
"I'll head out immediately after I meet with Pallin. Send me everything you know about where she was going and what she was doing." Harry said, waving his omnitool, sending his contact information to the Asari's omnitool.
"Seriously? That easily?" The Asari asked.
"I don't have any children of my own, but I've helped raise, and have worried about dozens of them. I'm acutely aware of what you're feeling, and I want to help." Harry said. The Asari sighed in relief.
"Thank you, Harry." She said. Harry nodded
"I didn't catch your name, by the way." Harry said.
"Aethyta." She replied.
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"Wow David wasn't kidding, you're a real charmer aren't you?" Harry said, staring at the Turian standing in front of him. Said Turian folded his arms and sighed, exasperated at the petulant ape that was wasting his time.
"Take it or leave it Human, and stop wasting my time, I have far more important people to meet with than you." Pallin said.
"You know what? Fine. Never mind. I'll stop wasting your time. Goodbye." Harry said, turning to walk away but stopping at the clawed talon grasping his shoulder.
"Wait!" Pallin said. Harry smirked at having successfully called the Turian's bluff.
"There are a few tasks that would benefit from your specific skill set..." Pallin admitted reluctantly.
"I'm listening." Harry said.
"I'm still getting the details together, but if you're interested, I will send you the contracts when they're ready." Pallin said.
"Pleasure to be of service." Harry said, with a short bow, which Pallin reflexively returned. Harry left without further discussion, and hailed a public transport. He'd left his sky car at Aethyta's bar, even he would not consider driving under the influence of two shots of ryncol. He got out of the vehicle, and after letting David know where he was going, he returned to the docking bay, boarded his private shuttle and plotted a course to the Artemis Tau cluster. Autopilot would get him to Therum's system and he'd be sober by the time that he arrived.
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"Sir, he's unprofessional, that attitude is a danger to morale." Charles Pressley, former XO Candidate for the Normandy said.
"He's by no small margin the best pilot in the Alliance, and while unorthodox he's never been insubordinate, Charles. Leave him be and concentrate on navigation, that's an order" Anderson said to his malcontent officer.
"Yes sir..." Pressley said before saluting, then storming out of the room, glaring at Shepard who had been waiting to enter.
"Come on in, Lieutenant Commander." Anderson said. She stepped through the door and saluted, and he gestured for her to close the door.
"Have a seat Jane." David said, and she did.
"Is he going to be a problem, sir?" Jane asked.
"Probably. Especially with Nihlus aboard. The rest of the crew is wary, but Pressley is the only one who has displayed any outright hostility towards him. He fought in the first contact war, he's hated Turians for years. We need to keep a close eye on him, Jane. This mission is a big opportunity for Humanity, there are many important eyes on us." David said.
"Chief Adams and Sargent Gardner are already keeping tabs for me. I'll let you know if they report anything." Jane said. Anderson nodded.
"So, what do you think of her?" David said, gesturing to the ship.
"It's cramped, noisy, the drive core throws off so much heat the ambient temperature is way too high, Gardner's cooking leaves much to be desired and the showers get cold way too fast." Jane said with a smile.
"You love it don't you." David said
"Oh God yes!" Jane said, getting a grin from Anderson. He figured he'd be long dead before he heard a sincere gripe out of his XO. A chime sounded, indicating someone was at the door.
"Come in!" Anderson said. He and Jane stood, when Nihlus walked in, looking curiously at Jane as she stood at attention, saluting. He awkwardly returned the salute.
"I'll get going sir, I have some duty rosters to finish up." Shepard said.
"Of course, Shepard. Dismissed." Anderson said. She saluted again and left.
"Did she find out?" Nihlus asked David who shook his head.
"No, that's just how she is." Anderson said.
"She's the only one except you that doesn't look at me like I'm going to slit your throats when you're sleeping." Nihlus said
"That would be Admiral Potter's influence. He's had a great respect for your people since the war." Anderson said. Nihlus nodded
"I half expected him to join us." Nihlus said.
"As did I, however he didn't want there to be any doubt about Jane's accomplishment, should she make the cut." Anderson said
"He must have a lot of faith in her." Nihlus observed.
"You have no idea." Anderson said with a grin.
"There have been quite a few voices amongst my colleagues protesting her evaluation." Nihlus said.
"If you don't mind my asking, why did you volunteer to evaluate her?" Anderson asked. Nihlus looked at him.
"The Turians working directly for the council tow the line that humanity is too young, too new to the galactic community. That is not the consensus amongst the Hierarchy however, they remember how valiantly and honorably you fought during the Relay 314 incident. Studies of Admiral Potter's actions are required reading in Palaven's military academies. Also, there's the fact that the Council's military power is disproportionately Turian in origin. Have you ever wondered why the Turians leapt at the chance to collaborate on the design of the Normandy?" Nihlus asked. Anderson was shocked.
"I did, and that actually explains quite a bit. That also explains why the Primarch insisted on an exchange of embassies independent of the citadel." Anderson said.
"We see a lot of ourselves in your species, we expect to see great things from you." Nihlus said.