Commander's log, star date 06/12/2183
We've made it to the Citadel in the Serpent Nebula. It was my first time, visiting the Citadel. The city is beautiful. I spent hours touring and running errands. The Presidium has a park on a lake adorned with towering statues and fountains. A mass relay is among them. It was so calming. I'd like to sit on a bench in the shade and watch all of the interesting people go by. It'd be a romantic spot for a date.
I got to meet so many different sentients. The Volus are little guys in suits. Their best insight seems to be information and financial management. I saw a couple of these guys running their own businesses. I can see why the Asari are so popular. They are beautiful with their blue skin and unique patterns. They're all very distinct from one another. The Salarians are pretty diverse as well. I met a sketchy fellow who was spotted. They're very curious, our species has that in common. The Elcor remind me of elephants if elephants were sentient. I like the way they talk. I heard there's an all Elcor cast performing Hamlet. I think I'd like to see that. The Hanar speak with bio-luminescent lights. They're like pretty pink, jellyfish people. I wonder what hugging one would feel like.
I recruited three new members of my crew. A Quarian named Tali'Zorah nor Rayya. The Quarians are a race of generational nomads. It's nice to have another girl to talk to. Urdnot Wrex is Krogan which is this gargantuan monster creature. He likes to joke about wanting to kill me, but he makes a great body guard. I feel like no one will fuck with me whenever he's around. Then there's Garrus Vakarian, a rogue C-Sec officer. He's the second Turian I've had the pleasure of meeting. I look forward to getting to know them. I intend to make my rounds after making this log. I'm hoping my crew takes well to the new arrivals. I'm worried about Pressly. He served during the First Contact War and might be set in his ways. I expect him to adapt regardless.
I shut down my recording software and stood up from my desk. I walked out of my room, and into the mess hall. Kaiden was right around the corner. "Hey Commander," he caught me when I came out.
"Alenko, hi," I greeted him.
"Commander, I was wondering if the next time we touch down at the Citadel we could visit Chora's Den?"
"Can't say I blame you. Those Asari dancers are pretty hot," I retorted without really committing to an answer.
"I uh. That's not what I meant, exactly," he stressed.
"Anyway, do you know where Garrus got off to?"
"That's the Turian? He said something about wanting to check out the Mako down in the Cargo Bay," he hinted towards the elevator.
"Thanks Alenko. I'll see to it that you get your visit to Chora's Den," I said dismissively as I already started walking away.
"Yeah, later," he crossed his arms.
When I made it to the Cargo Bay Garrus had been examining it from the outside. He didn't notice me approaching. "Pretty nice," I broke the silence.
"Oh, Commander. I didn't see you there. This is amazing. I've read about the M35, but this is my first time seeing one in person," he said with great interest.
"155mm accelerator turret with a coaxial-mounted machine gun," I fed into his curiosity.
"Can withstand extreme temperatures and climb almost vertically inclined terrain. It's every bit as impressive as I imagined it would be," he enthused.
"You should see it from the inside," I attempted to coax him into an enclosed space with me away from curious eyes.
"Could you show it to me?" he took my bait willingly.
"Gladly," I opened the door and climbed inside of the Mako. He climbed in behind me.
"This is fascinating," Garrus looked over the consoles in the cabin of the Mako.
"You like offensive tech?"
"Oh, yeah. Collaborating weapon systems is a specialty of mine. With me on your ship, your weapons will run smoothly. I guarantee it," he boasted with confidence.
"You're pretty snazzy with that sniper rifle of yours. I love the sound it makes. Pow," I imitated as I boldly brushed up against him. "Followed by a sudden thud as the guy I take in my sights falls before I can line up my shot," I wrapped around his arm, resting my head on his shoulder.
"Commander?" he sounded confused by my sudden advancement.
"You can call me, Belial," I looked up at him as I stroke the points on his chin.
"Belial, you didn't climb in this tank with me just to show off the weapon specs," he accused me of alter motives.
"You're right. This is a diplomacy mission."
"Diplomacy," he laughed.
"I thought we could take the opportunity to get to know each other. You can learn more about Human females and how we work. I'm dying to learn more about Turian physiology," I trickled my hand down his jaw to his neck. "I've been wondering what you feel like." Stroking his neck, his skin was very sturdy and taught. He felt my fingertips with an overload of textures. I reached up to stroke his fringe. He leaned into my touch willingly. I imagined it gave him a pleasant sensation.
He took off his gauntlets so he could participate. He cradled my face in his large hand, adorned with razor sharp claws. "Your skin is so soft. I've never felt anything like it," he was starting to sound intrigued.
"You have claws," I pointed out.
"Yeah, and they're razor sharp," he demonstrated how sharp they were by snapping my hair tie. Long locks of straight black hair fell around my face. He smoothed it down the back of my head and ran his fingers through. "It's so soft and wispy. When I let it down you released a smell," he inhaled.
"My shampoo, a surfactant that cleans hair and adds an aroma," I explained.
"It's very nice," he pressed the strands to his lips.
"I want to see more of you. Can you get your chest plate off," I traced my fingers down his chest.
"Give me a second. There's not a lot of room in here," he deactivated the systems keeping his armor in place. I helped him out of his plating. My eyes savored his stark differences. His neck and shoulders seemed to be tucked into a a collared vest of protective skin, meeting at the front in a sort of crest that went down his pectorals. I touched the crest. It felt like a hard, serrated bone. "We're pretty different, huh?" he sounded self conscious. I ran my hands along his muscles. He had muscles like a human man would have with knots of extra support. His biceps came to jagged points. Armor-like plating outlined the outside of his arms. I brought my hands up to jaw. I stared into his bright, silver eyes and pulled him into a kiss.
"You know, on Earth we kiss with our tongues," I rested my thumb at his bottom mandible.
"If you stick your tongue in my mouth I might accidentally bite it off," he showed his alligator like teeth to me. "I think you maybe in over your head. My tongue is also longer than yours. Sure you can handle it?" he challenged me.
"All you're doing is making this more exciting for me," I pressed my lips against his, ready to receive him. His large tongue slithered into my mouth. I worked mine, together with his. The warmth and closeness of it all made me dizzy. He pulled away.
"I wouldn't mind, seeing more of you," he brushed my shoulder.
"You want to see your commander topless?" I teased him as I bit my lip, looking at him with devious eyes.
"You're damn right, I do," he said proudly. Just the sort of thing I wanted to hear before offering myself up to him. I slid out of my shirt, leaving just my bra. I'd give him what he wanted, but I wanted to see the anticipation in his eyes. "May I?" he stepped in.
"Of course," I relaxed. He took control of my jaw. He used his claws to guide my face upward less they cause harm. He nuzzled my neck.
"You have such a delicate shape," he traced two sets of claws from my neck to my shoulders, and down my arms. His dangerous features just made me want it even more. He moved behind me to get my bra off. It didn't take him a second to figure it out. He gently brushed the straps aside with his fingertips. He delicately plucked it off of me the rest of the way.
He pulled my hips toward him. From there, he ran his hands along my waist. He seemed to linger there, teasing pressure from his claws as though he wanted to sink them into me instinctively. He traced his claws up my breasts to my nipples. "I like the pink," he gently twisted and pinched my nipples between his thumbs. I hummed, pleasurably as I reached up to touch his face. "You like that? Is that one of your spots?" he inquired curiously.
"One of them," I said as I mused over the idea of him finding the rest of my sensitive areas.
"Don't tell me where the rest are. I want to find them," he turned it into a fun little game. As he got a little more firm with his rubbing I got louder. He seemed to lean into it, fascinated by my reaction. "I like the sounds you're making. I'd love to hear more. I think I'm ready to see more of you now," he surprised me by unbuttoning my pants. I had been misled into thinking we were operating in a turn based system. His hand went against my sex as he pulled my zipper down. He pulled my pants down, leaving me in my underwear. "You want to have a seat, Commander?" he coaxed me into one of the front passenger seats. He pulled me forward so that my ass was hanging off. He lost control, digging his claws into the sides of my ass as he pulled down my underwear. "You have great hips," he looked up at me.
"Hope I continue to maintain your curiosity. Humans don't have spines or ridges," I gazed back at him.
"Don't think that's a bad thing. You have great skin. It feels amazing," he ran his hands up my legs. He squeezed my thighs. His claws grew more prominent as his anticipation grew. My heart raced as he parted my legs and his glance shifted on me. "Look at all of these little, pretty pink folds," he carefully pulled back my majora with the tip of his thumb. "I have to be careful here. I'll have to settle with just my tongue. Is that alright with you?"
"Only if you put it in as far as it will go," I gave him a lewd look.
"There's a little knot right here. Does that do anything?" He pressed his tongue against my clit. I squirmed, panting small moans. The blood rushed to my face as I weighed the reality of his eyes on my most secret of places. "You must really like that," he continued to massage my clit with his tongue.
"Mm, Garrus; that feels so good," I held on to the top of his head. He applied a good amount of pressure to just the tip of his tongue. More and more I started getting wilder, holding on to him for dear life as he made me spill out.
"I think we can get you more wet than that. Honestly, this place is so small. I have no idea how I'll ever fit," he examined me, pulling back my folds so he could get a better look.
"You have to," I refused to believe anything contrary. He just laughed. I got to see just how long his tongue was as I watched it slither down from my clit to my entrance. "Ah!" I couldn't contain my moans as his tongue reached inside. "Ah! Oh, Garrus! Oh, my god," I bucked and writhed as he rubbed all the right places. All of my muscles tensed as my body prepared for my next release. Everything relaxed as I came hard for him. I shook as he rose from me.
"I got it in there pretty far, but I couldn't reach the end. I think that's more than what any human guy can say," he proudly mentioned. I pulled him into a kiss. Having a part of him inside of me got me craving more. I wanted the whole damn thing. "You wanted to taste yourself, didn't you?"
"It's a fitting flavor for you," I kissed him again.
"I knew humans were devious."
"I'm especially devious," I placed a hand on his face, captivated by his glowing eyes.
"That would explain your little Turian curiosity. Are you ready to see this through? I might not be all I'm crapped up to be," he tested my resolve.
"How different can you really be?" were my famous last words.
"If you're certain. I'd hate to get the rest of my armor off for you to laugh at me," he was greeted by a contradictory stare. "Far be it for me to question what woman wants," he started fussing with his hip and leg armor. He sat in the seat next to me, sliding out of his armor the rest of the way.
I surprised him by kneeling between his legs. His cock was already hard. He probably expected me to go on and sit on it. I had something else in mind. I wanted to get acquainted with him before I let him inside of me. It was big, but not too much for me to handle. It was wider than anyone I had seen before and textured throughout. Everything about it just seemed to add to my experience rather than subtract. I ran my fingers along the length, wondering if it operated in a similar fashion. "Mm, those long slender fingers sure do feel nice," he hummed in approval. I gently squeezed and worked my hand up his shaft like I normally would. He seemed to fidget. I could hear his claws digging into the interior. I wondered if it was more intense for him or about the same. I could feel the cartilage through tightly outstretched skin as I gripped him more firmly. The skin was less pliable than a human's and could probably endure more. I couldn't account for his nerve endings and whether or not they had anything to do with the textures. His tip was a little more pronounced. I ran my tongue along his edge before placing him in my mouth. I focused on just his tip, running my lips and tongue over it over and over again.
He gasped. "This is different. I didn't realize how hungry you are. Are you going to put the whole thing in there?" he ran his claws through my hair. I worked him in as far as I could comfortably take. "Oh yeah," he moaned, further tearing up the arm rests. I popped him out and teased him by smacking him against my tongue.
"I can't wait to have you inside of me," I ran my mouth along the side of his cock.
"Sit on my lap," he commanded. His cock towered over as it left my grasp. I straddled him in the front seat of the Mako. I held his stiff member at my entrance and teased myself with him. The pressure made me come. I soaked his cock, making him slide right in.
"Uh!" I moaned as he filled me entirely. My flesh stretched tightly around him. I could feel our pelvises grind. The harder and closer I was to him the better I felt. I aggressively worked my hips, chasing that sweet feeling. I began to lose myself in euphoria. "Uh! Uh! Uh! Oh, Vakarian!" I screamed out his name shamelessly. His edge pressed hard against my cervix, making me desperate for more.
"You like that?" he egged me on.
"Oh, yeah! More! Give me more!" I begged.
"Damn, your insides feel amazing. It feels like there's some sort of bone in there. You like how I'm rubbing against it?" he grabbed my hips and held me down.
"Ah!" I screamed as my muscles contracted around him.
"So tight," his eyes rolled as he dug his claws into my hips. I didn't notice the blood he drew. My chest chilled as I leaned back into his motions. The friction brought me over the edge.
"Uh!" I held on to his shoulders as I came.
"Oh, you feel so good. You like having me inside of you?" he panted.
"I want to stay like this forever," I kissed him.
"I'll hold on to you until you're begging me to stop," he threatened me with a good time. I took his face into my hands, giving him a hungry look through fallen hair. I kissed him, running my hands along his jaw.
"Show me your teeth," I commanded.
"Grr!" he bared his crocodile teeth at me.
"Ooh! How intimidating. You're so dangerous. You could eat me up if you wanted to," I teased him flirtatiously.
"Don't tempt me," he took control of my wrist and began to kiss down my arm.
"Ah! Ah! Ah!" I bounced on his cock. I clung to him tightly as my body prepared for my next release.
"You keep squeezing it like that and I'll start losing control," he gripped my wrist tightly. I pulsed my hips against his in defiance. "Your skin is so tender," he ran a claw down my throat. He stretched his hand around it and squeezed.
"Uh! Garrus! I'm going to come," I cried low from his grip.
"You better. I won't be happy until I'm swimming in it," he grabbed the hair on my nape and kissed me. My head was spinning. It really hit me, who I was with, and what he was. I ran my hands along the back of his head and down the back of his neck. He dug his claws into my waist, slamming me down on him. I kissed him hard as I let go of everything.
I lost track of time and how many times I came. I forgot to count some time after thirty. The more wet I got him, the better it felt. I could feel him getting closer. His cock swelled inside of me. He grabbed my ass, anchoring me down as he fucked me more viciously. He wasn't going to come by himself. My muscles contracted, telling me how close I was and egging him on further. "I won't be able to control myself much longer," he warned me, but I had already made my decision.
"Keep going," I insisted. It felt far too good to stop at that point. He hesitated. "I want you to come inside of me," I kissed him. As he got closer he brought me closer. I squeezed him tightly as I came, just what he needed to finish.
"Uh! Oh, god!" he filled me up. I hummed as I laid against his chest. "How did your diplomacy mission go, Commander?" he rubbed the back of my head.
"That depends. Do you feel like you're closer with humans now?"
"Yeah, you could say that," he stroked my hair lovingly. I pressed my ear to his chest, listening for a heart beat. I didn't know what rate would be normal for a Turian, but I imagined it was racing. "Did you enjoy learning about Turians?"
"I think I like you more than humans," I walked my fingers along his chest.
"Divide and conquer. All a part of the plan," he teased.
I laughed, "You're pretty funny. I'll enjoy having you around. See anything to clean up with?" I looked around the cabin of the Mako.
"Here's a little microfiber towel. It might have grease on it," he handed it to me. I dabbed myself with the cleanest corner and handed it back to him. "We've ruined this seat. We can't let anyone else sit here," he cleaned himself up. I was already getting back into my clothes.
"That's your seat now. See the claw marks," I teased him.
"Damn, that's pretty bad," he felt of the ridges he put in the arm rest. I don't suppose humans get this violent when they're excited."
"Not typically."
"I must have scratched you up pretty bad. I'm not used to handling someone so delicate," he started to feel bad about it.
"I don't mind. I was too busy enjoying you to notice," I reassured him.
"Are all humans as curious as you?" he finished, getting his armor back on.
"You'll never meet another woman like me," I jumped out of the Mako. Fortunately, I had an extra hair band on my wrist. I waited outside for him, putting my hair back up to safely navigate my ship without suspicion. "So the Mako is pretty nice? Does it live up to Turian standards?" I tried to keep the facade going.
"Oh, yeah. I like the guns and the interior is very nice."
I shook my head. It seemed our secret was doomed to fail. I'd be hearing rumors before the week was over.
That night I had the craziest dream. I was at the site on Akuze where my unit had been attack, but it was different. The grass was pink and the sky was a dark violet. Thresher maws were dancing like inflatable tube men. All of my unit was there, alive and well. Everyone made it to the tea party. I felt like I was seventeen again, tripping on acid. I squinted up at the thresher maws. "This ain't right," I told them.
"Enjoy your party, Lieutenant," they cheered in a surprisingly childlike voice.
"Hey Lieutenant, come sit with us," my guys invited me to their table. I felt compelled to oblige them. When I sat down I was wearing a ball gown.
"Happy birthday, princess. You'd look a lot cuter if you let your hair down," a human man said to me in Garrus' voice. As he willed it so, my hair was down on my face in darling spirals.
"You can't say that to me. You're not him," I protested. His faceless human head melted and turned into a rose. "Ha, ha. Cool," I laughed like an idiot. Everything around me began to melt into sensual warm colors. The sky turned into blue and black sequence. The hardest bass guitar I have ever heard played over the horizon. Strange salty smells swept over me in splashes of sweet water.
I never tripped so hard in my life. When I woke up my hair had fallen out of my ponytail. I checked it for curls, but it was as straight as it had been when I fell asleep. I laid still for about thirty minutes, waiting for the blurry vision to subside. I had broken into a sweat although I felt cold. It wasn't a good start to setting out for rogue spectres.
Garrus made his way to the kitchen. "Hey, Garrus. There's grits on the stove if you want some," Kaiden went passed him with a plate.
"Thanks, but I'm good. I can't actually eat the same things humans eat. I'll just use the replicator."
"Really? I had no idea," Kaiden took a seat at the dining table. After Garrus sat down he started to experience a visual overload. The lamps seemed to be getting brighter and more saturated. The overload began to give him a terrible headache. He reacted by resting his head where it hurt the worst. "You alright?" Kaiden asked.
"Just a headache," he played it off.
"You should get checked out in Sick Bay. Dr. Chakwas might be able to give you something for it," Kaiden recommended.
"Yeah. I'll go after I finish eating," Garrus agreed.
I took a shower after I finally got out of bed. After the shower I felt fine. Figured I might've been a little late to the bridge, but I'd at least feel better. I made it to navigation. "Everything alright, Commander? Shift started thirty minutes ago," Pressly asked.
"I'm sorry, Pressly," I made my way to the star map.
"It's so unlike you. Are you sure you're feeling well?"
"I swear it won't happen again," I looked around at the spinning room before collapsing on the floor.
"Commander!" Pressly called after me.
"Is she alright? What happened?" I heard Garrus ask.
"I asked her if she was feeling alright and she just fainted. She showed up to her shift late," Pressly carried me into Sick Bay.
"Sit her down over here," Dr. Chakwas directed him to an empty bed.
"Pressly?" I called to him with a weak voice.
"Try to get some rest, Commander," he discouraged me.
"Where am I?" I asked.
"You're in Sick Bay. You passed out, but I carried you here. You're going to be alright," Pressly reassured me.
"Garrus is here?" I looked around for him.
"Yes, Commander. I was being treated for a headache," he tried acting coy around Pressly.
"You'll let me know once you find something?" Pressly asked the doctor.
"You'll be the first to know, Pressly," she reassured him.
"I'm returning to my station, Commander. Let me know if you need anything," Pressly obliged.
"Thank you, Pressly," I expressed my gratitude. He stared Garrus in the eyes as he left Sick Bay.
"I'll be with you shortly, Garrus," Dr. Chakwas began examining me.
"I'll be alright. Just make sure she's safe," he watched over me.
"What symptoms were you having before you went down, Commander?" she asked me.
"I had this really weird dream. Then when I woke up I felt so weak I couldn't hardly move. I was sweating, but it felt like I was freezing. My vision was all blurry. That went away, but just before I went down it came back," I explained the best I could.
"I'm going to run a few tests and we'll see what comes up," she started scanning me. "That's strange," she stopped to draw up the privacy curtain.
"Did you find something?" I asked.
"I'm reading abrasions like claw marks all over your body. Can you remove your shirt so I can get a better look?" she asked to my great horror. Garrus listened along painfully, feeling as though he was at fault.
"Yeah," I removed my shirt reluctantly.
"You have scratches all over. Any idea how they got there?" she started with the really tough questions.
"No idea, Doctor. Honestly, I'm always in and out of fights," I tried my best to avoid the subject. Garrus listened along on baited breath.
"These look rather fresh. I'd think you would remember them. They go further down. Can you remove just your pants?" She pried further. Garrus bared his teeth. He knew it was all over the moment she saw the marks he left when he took my panties off the night before. I obeyed and removed my pants. "Look at that. Three perfect claw marks on both sides of your hips. Now that is a strange place to be attacked. Are you sure you're telling me everything, Commander?" She gave me an accusing stare. I hesitated on saying anything. I simply gave her a nervous look, sorry I had been caught. "That's alright. You don't have to say anything. I'm close enough to figuring it out on my own. These marks look like a gripping motion from disposable thumbs," she examined me closer. "Consistent with how Turian hands work," she peaked out from the curtain to include Garrus in on the conversation.
"Oh shit!" Garrus exclaimed, hiding his face in his hand.
"Oh shit is right," Chakwas teased him.
"No, I can't believe I didn't think about it sooner," Garrus prattled on.
"The source of your headache and the Commander's fatigue. Contamination through breaks in the skin and an exchange of fluids, I presume. Although your case seems far less severe," she put two and two together.
"We aren't chemically compatible," Garrus sounded hopeless.
"Surely you must know someone who has attempted this before?" she pressed him.
"I don't. I wasn't even sure if it'd be possible," he admitted.
"You didn't think to warn her ahead of time?"
"I was just told not to eat the food. Nobody said anything about copulation. Common sense would have- I should have known," he started beating himself up over it.
"I find it hard to believe that neither of you had a conversation before hand. To think you would be so reckless," she drilled.
"It's not his fault. It was my idea," I came to his defense.
"I should have known better. I could have stopped the whole thing from happening."
"Garrus," I called to him.
"Yes ma'am," he answered.
"I wouldn't change a thing," I reassured him.
"I can take care of the symptoms, but you're going to have to give this up," she gave me a shot to boost my metabolism.
"I can't do that," I protested.
"You don't have a choice, Commander," she argued.
"But I don't like human men anymore. I only like Turians," I stood my ground.
"It'll be the death of you," she warned me.
"I'll take it," I imagined dying feeling as good as I did with Garrus.
"There might be another way. I'll make some calls. We'll figure something out," Garrus tried thinking of a contingency plan.
"I'll keep her here until she's strong enough. I'll do what I can to boost her immunity and give her a sedative so her body can fight off the infection. She's very weak," Chakwas injected me with the sedative. "As far as your headache goes, this should deal with the pain. Get some rest and the vivid vision should subside," she gave Garrus a shot for the pain.
"I can't rest with her like this. Not when I had a hand in it," he walked over to me.
"It's not your fault," I fought the sedative to talk to him.
"It is. There was no way for you to have known," he brushed my hair back.
"Don't let them keep me away from you," I reached out for his hand.
"I won't. I promise," he held my hand.
"You'll figure something out. You just have to," I continued to delude myself into thinking he was made for me.
He laughed, "Of course."
"Garrus, I'm so tired," I lost the strength to continue holding his hand.
"Get some sleep. I'll come back to check on you," he set my hand down on my chest. I looked so peaceful to him. He couldn't bare the thought of letting me down. He kissed me on the forehead. "You won't tell anyone about this?" he asked Chakwas.
"I won't, but you won't be able to keep a secret this big on a ship this small," she warned him.
"Take good care of her, Doctor. I'm going to make a few calls," Garrus left Sick Bay and entered the Mess hall.
"Garrus. I saw Pressly bring the Commander to Sick Bay. What happened? Is she going to be alright?" Kaiden stopped him right outside the door.
"She's resting right now. She's going to be just fine," Garrus reassured him.
"How is your headache doing?" Kaiden checked in on him.
"I'll be alright. Dr. Chakwas gave me a pain reliever."
"That's good. I'm glad you're feeling better. I have work to do, so I'll leave you to it," Kaiden stepped aside.
"See ya," Garrus nodded. He made his way to Navigation when Pressly stopped him.
"You're that C-Sec officer the Commander brought aboard. Garrus, Vakarian, was it? You were in Sick Bay when I dropped off the Commander. What, might I ask; brought you down there?" Pressly asked.
"I was experiencing a headache, but they aren't uncommon for me," Garrus attempted to throw him off of his trail.
"This one must have been pretty bad to compel you to seek medical attention," he pressed.
"Turians have a more keen eye sight. When a headache is visually induced it can be a bit overwhelming," Garrus explained.
"I take it you got it all sorted out," Pressly assumed.
"Oh, yeah. The lights aren't bothering me anymore," Garrus glaced up at the lighting.
"Any word on how the Commander is doing?
Garrus calculated his words very carefully, "The doctor has her resting at the moment. I was just about to pull a few of my own resources to see if we could get closer to understanding the nature of her condition."
"You have any idea what could be wrong with her?"
"I'm unfamiliar with the science behind it, but I might have a clue on someone who does," Garrus skirted around the truth.
"I get that. I'm a military man myself. Did you need to make a call?" Pressly asked.
"I do, actually," Garrus hoped he might give him some direction on the matter.
"The Com room is right behind us," Pressly hinted to the room behind Navigation.
"Thank you. Getting the Commander back on her feet again is my main priority," Garrus reassured him.
"See to it," Pressly dismissed him.
Garrus entered the Com room. It was so quiet. It left him alone with his thoughts. He hadn't spoke to his dad since he started pursuing Saren. He wasn't looking forward to the conversation he was going to have after parting on such horrible terms. He ran his hands down the spines on top of his head and took a deep breath. The guilt he felt for making me sick trumped any feeling of shame he felt in speaking with his father.
"Let's get this over with," he entered his dad's number into the com link. The two recognized each other immediately for the Vakarian crests they wore on their face. "Hey Dad," Garrus tried buttering him up ahead of time.
"Garrus. It's been a while. I heard you quit C-Sec and are serving on a human crew with a Spectre. Taking the law into your own hands. How is that going for you?" His dad expressed his displeasure with his most recent choices.
"Yeah, it's great to see you too," Garrus endured his underhanded insults.
"You didn't call me to discuss your moral ambiguity. What does my darling son need this time?"
"There's a friend of mine who is in a bit of a bind," Garrus started.
"Cut that, 'my friend' crap. You were always the worst liar. I was in C-Sec decades before you were born. What have you gone and gotten yourself into this time?" His dad saw through his charade.
"My friend has a fatal attraction to humans and he got a member of our crew very sick," Garrus stuck with his original story despite his dad picking it apart.
"You have been fucking around with that human crew. Now that's not something I'd expect. You're just full of new innovative ways to disappoint me and shame our family. I should let her die. It's nature's way of telling you you're in the wrong," he scoffed at his son's request.
"No, I know you better. That's not the sort of man you are," Garrus challenged him.
"You're right. But don't go thinking you can just abuse my morality however you see fit. I'm appalled by your audacity. You call me after three months of silence. Then you lie to my face about what you need from me. A better man would just accept the recourse for his actions. I thought I taught you better than that. I can't think of a bigger xenophile than General Oraka. When he served during the Relay 314 Incident he kept a harem of human women," he decided to help him despite his better judgment.
"Not that guy again," Garrus cringed.
"You've met?"
"That guy is pathetic. When we met he was trying to drink himself to death."
"He lost most of his harem to the sickness. I don't guess that discourages you at all?" his dad pointed out.
"I was told by the party involved to find a solution to the problem," he tried not to laugh at my ungodly persistence.
"He did manage to save one human girl. He left her behind on the Earth colony because he was married."
"How did he do it? How did he save her?" Garrus lost himself in his desperation."
"My you're invested. I didn't exactly read the reports. I didn't want to know. If I had to guess, I'd say he was able to bypass her body's negative reaction some how. I'd call Oraka, himself about it. It's been a long time since he left that girl behind. He might not even remember it. I'll send you his contact ID. The Normandy, is that the Earth vessel you're calling from?"
"That's right," Garrus answered.
"I'm sending it now. I'm giving you this, Garrus. I don't want you to think I support it in any way."
"Of course not. Why would you?," Garrus started to get frustrated.
"At least hear my advice. Don't pursue this further if it becomes more costly than it's worth."
"You can't just help me without some sort of narrative," Garrus snapped back.
"You have no idea how let down I feel. You're so quick to throw your prohibitions out the window. Sleeping around with human women. Just spare me the shame and don't call home anymore," his dad hung up.
"Yeah, well fuck you too," Garrus paced nervously. "I hate that man. I'll fuck whoever the hell I want. He can kiss my ass," he paced back to the com. "I don't want to call Oraka," he complained as he selected the text sent to him by his father.
"Hello? Who is this?" General Oraka answered the com.
"General, hi. How are you? It's Garrus Vakarian. We met at Chora's Den," Garrus pulled the fake enthusiasm.
"Ah, Garrus. As I recall you thought I was pretty pathetic that time. What made you change your mind and decide to call me?"
"I heard you had developed an affection for human women back in the day."
"Such a bold accusation would have gotten you killed. Fortunately for you my wife has been dead for three years. So what interest do you have in human women? Weren't you traveling with a human woman? Ah, yes. Miss Commander Sheppard," Oraka managed to do a better job of getting under Garrus' skin.
"I heard you were able to overcome the sickness somehow," Garrus pried.
"Human and Asari women have a softness to them that I find intoxicating. Human women aren't used to how rough we tend to get. They either find it thrilling or terrifying. I didn't care either way. They were so soft and easy to tear apart. It really messed up the colonist. They had a number of unflattering names for me. Most of them perished from what you call the sickness. They all died of some sort of fever. It took several bodies until my scientists were able to uncover that our bodies weren't chemically compatible. There was this one girl named Hazel who volunteered for testing. She didn't care what my scientists did to her. She said I was all she wanted, that she would turn on her own race for me. I was incredibly flattered. I put all of my resources into uncovering a daily steroid that her and I could take to overcome our biological differences. When we pulled out of the war I just left her there. Without my resources she wouldn't be able to be with a Turian man again."
"You changed the way she saw her own kind and then abandoned her," Garrus' blood began to boil. "Where is the cure now?"
"The Turain outpost was on Mars. It's been overtaken by a xenophobic branch of the Alliance called Cerberus. They might've deleted the information. If you're lucky they'll be keeping a sample in the lab somewhere."
"Thanks. I think that's all I needed," Garrus dismissed him.
"Glad to help," Oraka hung up.
"Phew! I'm glad that's over," it seemed the most difficult part for him was out of the way. He then made his way back to navigation. "There is a Cerberus lab on Mars with a cure for the Commander," he brought to Pressly's attention.
"Excellent. I'll set a course for Mars. We'll be there by the time you get a team together," Pressly announced.
"Why put me on this?" Garrus asked.
"You said it yourself, the Commander's health is your first priority. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have lead this mission. Unless you would rather I hand it off to someone else," Pressly baited him.
"No, that's alright. I'll personally see to it," he fell into Pressly's trap. Pressly watched him carefully with a skeptical eye. When he returned to the Mess Hall Kaiden and Ashley were there.
"Hey, Garrus. Did you find anything out?" Kaiden asked.
"We're setting a course for a Cerberus science station on Mars. I'm thinking we'll be able to find a cure there."
"Cerberus? Can I come?" Ashley asked.
"Who is leading a team down?" Kaiden asked.
"I am. I have been tasked with organizing a party."
"Then look no further. Ash and I would like to tag along if that's alright," Kaiden volunteered.
"I owe the Commander for saving my ass on Eden Prime and I hate Cerberus," Ashley added.
"That suits me fine. Just get your things together and let me know when you're ready and we'll head out," Garrus accepted Kaiden and Ashley as his landing party. They all loaded up in the Mako to be dropped off. "I'll take tactical if that's alright with you guys," he picked the passenger seat up front where he tore up the interior.
"Sure, just have the guns ready when we need them. If I know Cerberus, they'll have turrets," Ashley took the driver's seat. Kaiden climbed in the back.
"Landing party, are you ready for drop off?" Joker asked over the com.
"Go ahead Joker," Ashley confirmed. "You been air dropped before?" she asked Garrus.
"I have in Turian tanks. I've had extensive military training since I was fifteenth," he carried on.
"That's three more years than we get," Ashley sounded impressed.
"Dropping you off now," Joker said.
"Alright. Seat belts everyone. Here we go," she took the Mako out of park and released the fail-safe. She drove out of the Cargo Bay and they were airborne. Ashley turned on the jets so that they glided down more gently. The shocks bounced as they hit the ground. "I have the coordinates for the base, locked, and we have our destination. So this is your first time in the Mako, Garrus?" she asked as she started for the Cerberus base.
"It is."
"Are you excited?" she continued.
"I just wish it was under better circumstances," he couldn't shake the guilt he felt towards me.
"You're sure that the cure for the Commander is there?" Kaiden asked.
"If it is I won't rest until I find it," Garrus said with gumption.
"Any idea what's wrong with her?" Ashley asked. "She seemed just fine. Then everything went sideways all of a sudden."
"I don't know. I just know she's incredibly weak and she won't get better until we find that cure," Garrus skirted around the truth like he did when he was talking with his dad.
"You don't think it's fatal?" Ashley asked with concern in her voice.
"I sure hope not," Garrus dread the thought. He already wasn't handling the guilt well. He couldn't imagine losing me now.
"The base is on my radar. Have the guns ready to go on my mark," Ashley prompted him.
"Right. Guns are online. Ready to be fired on your mark," Garrus made sure all of the proper switches were turned on.
"Let's see what we have," she checked her radar. "Looks like I was right about the turrets. Weapons are online at four points around the base. We'll strike the first one at the front east side and take them out side to side. That way it'll make getting a hit on us a little more difficult. You got the first missile ready?" she asked Garrus.
"Ready."
"Acquire target," Ashley said.
"Target acquired," Garrus locked on to the south east turret.
"Fire," Ashley gave him the signal. Garrus launched the first missile at the turret. He followed the assault up with a few rounds from the machine gun until the turret was taken down.
"Great work. Moving on to the next target. Whenever you're ready," she directed Garrus. He shot off another missile at the south west turret, followed by a heavy barrage of gunfire. They swept back to the right to take out the north east gun before the north west one could target them. Garrus took it out and Ashley moved on to the last one.
"Perimeter secured," he took out the last gun.
"Alright, they know we're here. Expect resistance at the door," Ashley brought the Mako down to the front entrance. The three of them left the Mako and took cover at the door. Ashley opened the door and tossed in a smoke bomb. Garrus took point, relying on the heat sensors in his sniper rifle to see where the Cerberus agents were. He lined up and took the first man out. Ashley and Kaiden offered suppressive fire with their auto rifles. Garrus took out anyone stupid enough to stick their head out.
"You two flush them out and I'll provide back up," Garrus coordinated. He fell back, letting Ashley and Kaiden take point. They overwhelmed any sound they heard and Garrus picked off anyone without cover.
"It looks like the lab is over here," Ashley took cover by a door to the right side of the hall. The room seemed promising. Glass windows offered a view of the lab. Garrus made out a shelf with beacons containing samples, consoles, and notes to go through.
"Spread out. Look for anything labeled during the occupation or with the name Oraka on it. I'm going to hack the console and see if I find anything," Garrus got to work on the console. Ashley searched the shelf for any useful samples. Kaiden searched the desks for PDA logs and written notes. Garrus kept scrolling back several years in the archives.
"I found something," Ashley fetched a beacon from the shelf. "This is the only sample dated during the Turian occupation."
"Good work. I'm already in here, so I might as well see if I can find anything useful." Once Garrus found the archives on Oraka during his occupation of the human colony he downloaded all of it to his omni tool.
"These are details on Cerberus prison camps. I hate to think what they're getting up to out there," Kaiden collected a binder with maps and details.
"Time to get out of here," Garrus led them back out of the Cerberus lab. Ashley drove them out of ear shot of the lab before calling for Joker to pick them up.
"That was pretty fun. What did you think of the Mako?" Ashley asked Garrus as they climbed out of the Mako in the Cargo Bay.
"I can't believe how flexible it is for a tank. It could take out a thresher maw, no problem," he enthused.
"You think the sample we found will help the Commander?" Kaiden asked.
"I hope so. If it doesn't I'll be back where I started," Garrus dread the thought. They boarded the elevator to the Mess Hall. Dr. Chakawas was working on her console when they entered Sick Bay.
"How did it go?" she asked them.
"We found, what we think might be the cure," Ashley provided her with the beacon.
"Good work. I'll synthesize a cure right away," Chakwas took the beacon and walked over to her chemistry set.
"How is she doing?" Kaiden asked.
"She's resting. If the cure works, we'll know tomorrow," she dismissed them.
"We'll come back tomorrow to check on her. Good luck Dr," Ashley poised to leave. Her and Kaiden left Sick Bay. Garrus hung back.
"A cure, huh?" Dr. Chakwas was amused.
"It was easier to say than Turian proofing steroid," he explained.
"A steroid? Of course. That makes sense. I'll need to run blood work on you," she readied a needle for blood extraction.
"Sure, anything," he volunteered.
"I'm proud of you. You made her a promise and you saw it through to the end," Chakwas tied a band around his arm to stop the blood from flowing.
"It wasn't easy. I had to pull a favor from my dad," he tried to distract himself from the needle extracting his blood.
"You don't get along?" she asked as she removed the needle and the vile. She disinfected the area and patched him up.
He shook his head. "He saw right through me. Then he threatened to withhold the information. He thought it'd be a lesson to me to let her die. He didn't care how I felt about it."
"He didn't withhold the information. That has to count for something," the doctor played Devil's advocate.
"I haven't known the Commander long. She was the one who approached me. I've been wondering if I should have resisted her advances. I just had to be as curious as she was. I didn't mean for her to get sick. He doesn't care about that though. He thinks I'm up here ravaging anything that moves. He told me I was exiled essentially. He can't bare the shame. Sucks to be him," he shrugged it off.
"Bless your soul. He really said that?" she couldn't believe it.
"I can't make him happy. I just wish I had learned that sooner. I'm to the point where I'll do anything to spite him. If he hates humans they're alright with me."
"How do you feel about humans? You've secluded yourself here," she asked.
"I feel like the more I get to know your people the more charming you all become. I think that's the way she feels about Turians. She told me she wanted to understand us better and I believe her."
"What do you think about the Commander?" she blind sighted him. He didn't know how to answer. He looked away awkwardly for a moment to think about it.
"When I met her I learned quickly that she is a woman who gets things done. I knew if anyone could take down Saren it'd be her. I wanted to be there with her when it happened. Getting to know her, I've learned that she's full of surprises," his heart began to race. He walked over to my still, sleeping body. He took my hand into his, examining my fingers. "I'll be right out here. Will you come get me when she wakes up?" he requested.
"Of course."
He set my hand down on my chest and left Sick Bay. When he got out into the Mess Hall he fixed himself something to eat. A steamed bun with some sort of meat inside. He set his tray on the bar and poured himself a glass of juice. He sat down with his glass and tray.
"Garrus? I heard you made it back. You didn't report in, so I came looking for you. Mind if I join you?" Pressly approached the table with a data pad in his hand.
"Go ahead," Garrus nodded.
"How familiar are you with Alliance protocol?" Pressly sat across from him.
"Very little. You're going to help me with that?" Garrus tore into his bun with his monster teeth.
"Here at the Alliance, we like to file our reports after our missions, and get it out of the way. My criteria is very simple. I have records of everything brought aboard. Everything of course, except the data you found. What is the nature of it?" Pressly asked.
"I downloaded everything on General Septimus Oraka, during his occupation on the Earth colonies.
"Interesting. What does a Turian General have to do with the Commander and her condition?" Pressly backed him into a corner. Garrus swallowed his bite nervously and chased it with his juice.
"Septimus funded the research. The information is under a Turian encryption. I'm going to dedicate my efforts to breaking through the encryption. I'll be looking for anything that can help the doctor. I have my own morbid curiosity about Septimus' occupation," his eyes flickered nervously as he took another bite of his steamed bun.
"That's good. I have questions on his personal interest in the project. I'm sure the doctor's report will answer those questions for me," Pressly cocked an eyebrow. Garrus nervously swallowed. "What's that, you're drinking?" Pressly asked.
"Gena juice. It probably wouldn't hurt to smell," Garrus passed his glass to Pressly. He held the glass at a close enough distance to catch the smell.
"It's sweet. Reminds me of apple juice," Pressly passed it back to Garrus.
"I used to drink it when I was a kid. It reminds me of simpler times," he smiled at the thought.
"Turians can't eat the same things as humans?" Pressly asked.
"There are a few subtle similarities, but the chemistry is different," Garrus scowled at how inconvenient those differences are.
"Our chemistry is different," Pressly stated ambiguously. Garrus couldn't tell if he was stating it as a fact or asking for confirmation.
"Very different," he was forced to admit. He felt like he had told on himself without really saying much.
"That's all of my questions for now. Good luck, breaking those encryptions," Pressly left the table and headed back to navigation. Garrus finished eating and cleaned everything up. He paced for a moment in the quiet Mess Hall. He hesitated on sitting down with the data. A part of him wanted to know how bad it could get. He was terrified to learn how dangerous he could be. He sat back down in his chair. He set for a moment, holding his head, and taking his time opening the archives. Cerberus had everything, pictures, names, and descriptions of the girls who died. The changes were gradual and ultimately fatal. Just like me, most of them participated in sexual acts willingly. The ones who didn't were raped and placed in camps without any sort of treatment. Their bodies were covered in claw marks, left to scar, and fester. He shut down his omni tool. He couldn't stomach anymore. He thought about what his dad said about it being nature's way. It felt his head with doubts.
Dr. Chakwas studied Garrus' blood sample under a microscope, wearing a surgical mask to protect her from potential pathogens. "Look at these cells. They're so complex. So hard to even wrap my head around," she was intrigued by the chance to study Turian biology. She added a blood sample from me and observed. The Turian blood seemed to dissolve my blood cells. She looked back at my bed, "Close call there Commander. Lets see what the synthesized steroid does," she added a few drops to start with. The rate of deterioration dropped. She added a little more continuously until the cells completely stabilized. "Excellent. Just what I wanted to see. I could have stayed on Earth and never had a hand in human, Turian relations," she patted herself on the back.
"Doctor?" I sat up in my bed. "Were you able to come up with something?" I massaged my temple. My hair tie had disappeared. "Garrus found something?"
"He went through a lot of trouble though I doubt he'd admit it to you."
"I'd like to see him," I requested.
"I'll let him know that you're awake," she dropped her mask to her chin. When she entered the Mess Hall she found Garrus, sleeping with his head down on the table. She felt bad about waking him. She shook his shoulder, "Garrus. Commander Shepard is awake."
"She is? I was waiting. How is she?" he set up.
"Her symptoms should be gone now. I was able to finish synthesizing a steroid you can both use.
"That's good news," He wiped his eyes.
"Are you alright?" she asked him.
"Fine. I'm fine. I'd like to see her," he followed her back to Sick Bay.
"Garrus! You're back!" I finally felt one hundred percent.
"I'm so glad you're feeling better," he smiled at me. "I was worried about you," he set down beside me. "I'm sorry I hurt you," he looked down. I took his hand.
"I told you, I didn't even notice. I was having too much fun. Thanks to you, I don't have to worry about getting sick anymore," I smiled back at him. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble," I remembered what the doctor had said about him not admitting how difficult it was. Troubling him was the last thing on my mind.
My words reminded him of what his dad said about persisting when there wasn't a payoff. He thought about me saying I'd do it all over again without changing a thing. "If I could do it all over again, for you; I'd do it," he swore to me. His devotion made me blush.
"Think you could show me the Citadel next time we dock? I think I'd like to learn more about Turians," I tucked my hair behind my ear.
"I'd love to if it means I can learn more about humans," he imitated what I did with my hair on the other side. "Now that I know you're doing better I should be able to get some sleep," he stood up from his seat and yawned. "Hey, Doctor. Pressly kept asking me questions. I'm sure he knows something, but don't you give him anything," he mentioned to Chakwas on his way out the door.
"I'll be sure to include a bunch of scientific mumbo jumbo that will bore him to tears," she agreed to help him out.
"I appreciate it. Take good care of her."
"I will. You can count on it."