Chapter Text
The Catalyst
I stare at the two bodies in front of me. Lifeless is what they are. Terror engraved on their faces. Eyes wide and mouth open. Behind a man in a lab coat stands. His shoulder is turning a bright crimson. Exactly like the liquid on the floor. I try to speak, but only partial words escape and tears come from my eyes. Some land in my mouth and make me taste the bitterness. The lab coat man simply gives me a tight hug before pushing me into a large canister. He hands me a backpack full of random bits and pieces of junk. A smile appears on his face. I still see it as the front closes. A small window allows me to see out.
I just wish I wasn’t so stupid. More people dressed like the dead bodies appear. One man stands in front of them and aim right at us. His mouth moves, but I can’t hear anything. The guy in the lab coat quickly moves, but is shot. Blood splatters on the window and I back up in fear. The canister moves and starts throwing me around like a rag doll. Something collides with the back of my skull. The tossing and turning stops. There is a hissing sound and my body floats around I wonder if I'm dead, but can feel the air growing cold. Through the red on the window I see an explosion in the distance. After that it just becomes dark and cold. So cold… so dark…
~/~
Ship Sweet Ship
Commander Shepard, XO of the SSV Normandy, sits calmly in the mess hall. He is simply doing usual business for the Alliance as always. Flipping back and forth from data pad to data pad with no breaks in between. His somewhat short dark hair is somehow neatly flat despite the fact he has neglected it. Blue eyes scan the data pads and across the table. The crew often jokes about him needing an actual area on the ship just to do his work. Mainly due to the fact they have to sit and eat while Shepard works. This causes an awkward tension to arise in the social environment, but it can be defused easily. Shepard does his part to the crew, but only talks to a selected few.
“Shepard, you have to take a break.” The Lieutenant biotic approaches with two cups of coffee in hand. He has to manually remove the current data pad from Shepard’s hands to get him to stop. The Commander's hand continues moving for a few seconds before he exits his little trance.
“Listen, Alenko, I appreciate you looking out for my health, but I need to work.”
“Dr. Chakwas and I both agreed you’ve been under a massive amount of stress. I am generally free so I have to look out for you.” The Commander opens his mouth to speak, but admits defeat. He simply takes the coffee and drinks it. Slightly surprised by an added feature to it.
“Cinnamon?”
“I’ve had to get you coffee before. Don’t think I wouldn’t remember.”
“No whip cream?”
“Don’t push it, Commander.” Shepard merely chuckles and continues with his break. Though occasionally flipping through the device in front of him. Kaidan ends up snatching it and moving it to the side. Once again Shepard admits defeat.
“You know you could just call me Shepard.”
“Hm?”
“Call me Shepard. Commander sounds too formal.”
“Ok, Commander.” Kaidan realizes his mistake and Shepard simply raises an eyebrow.
“Shepard, Alenko.”
“Right. Sorry, Commander.” Kaidan’s face turns slightly red as he messes up once again. Shepard just smiles. “He’ll get it… eventually” Shepard simply keeps the thought to himself.
“You’re not the best at this are you?” Shepard smiles as he stands up and moves towards the small kitchen area. Quickly putting his mug to wash and then quickly walking away.
“I should go.” Alenko blurts out as he rushes up to the CIC of the Normandy. Shepard smiles once more. “That’s my line, Kaidan.”
~/~
“Oh, ho ho! Someone is in a Sheppy mood!” The helmsman turns in his seat as Alenko makes his way to the co-pilot spot. He simply ignores the remark and continues his duties. Though the sudden shift in color on his face says otherwise. “So what was it this time? A book gift? A massage? Cinnamon coffee?” A loud bang can be heard as soon as he finishes. Kaidan didn’t mean to hit anything. He just simply jolted at the fact he was watching the whole thing.
“Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“Oh sure! Let me just turn off auto pilot and fly circles around Earth! No wait. I’ll just go dancing.” The helmsman shifts in his chair and thinks for a second. “On second thought. No dancing. I’d probably break every bone from my heel to pelvis.”
“Thanks for the idea, Joker.”
“I’ll play possum if I have to! You ain’t getting this cripples to giggle and wiggle.”
“Uh-huh.” Alenko simply smiles as he imagines ways to black mail Joker into dancing. Top three ways are getting him drunk, finding a female robot, or planning a party. “I don’t think he’ll be easy to get drunk. I don’t even want to know how I’ll manage with the robot or party.”
“Huh? What? Did you say something, K?”
“No.” Ideas pour into his mind and he does his best to conceal his smile. However, the Lieutenant simply brushes it off and saves black mailing Joker for another time.
~/~
“Shepard, you here?” A man dressed in navy blues comes down to the mess hall. With an obvious intention to find Shepard.
“Ughhh...” A loud grown comes from the table. The man in blues finds Shepard face flat against a data pad.
“How long have you been down here, son?”
“Eight hours?” Shepard gives his answer, but it’s obvious he doesn’t know and it has been longer than that.
“Shepard, get some rest. We have a new assignment and we’re to receive the information in a few hours.”
“I’ve got work to do, Anderson.” Shepard groans while Anderson motions towards his wrist. A holographic item appears and he scrolls through it with ease.
“You’re nine days ahead of work, Shepard.”
“I… wait what?”
“You have free time! Now go to your bed and get some sleep. That’s an order!” Shepard clenches his head as Anderson yells. The lack of sleep seem to make Shepard's head throb.
“Go to Dr.Chakwas first and get something to help you sleep first. You’ll need it.” The Commander slowly moves towards the med bay while the Captain takes care of the mess left behind. Turning off each data pad to recharge and placing the objects back to the original shelves. As the last device is about to turn off something catches Anderson’s eye.
Reports of a S.O.S appear to be signaled throughout Citadel space. However all attempts to find the source have failed. Estimated guess is the signal is back tracking onto other channels and reappearing in a different location. However, similar reports to an unknown escape capsule have been reported along with a large meteor field heading towards the Citadel. All attempts to retrieve the capsule have failed. These two reports may or may not be connected. Estimated time until collision is 5 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes, 18 second in counting.
Anderson scrolls through the report some more, but finds more failed attempts and how a turian cruiser nearly collided with a planetoid while attempting to retrieve the capsule. “If the Turians had difficulty than it really must be harder than it seems just to rescue this person.”
~/~
Everyone was asleep by now. Shifts changes and Alenko was able to go to sleep now. When it was nice and quiet he left the bunk room and went to the bathroom. This time would be considered the night shift. A few people stayed up, like Anderson and Joker, while most of the crew was asleep.
Kaidan whistles in the shower and it was a powerful whistle. This could possibly be heard from a few blocks away on a busy city street. Good thing he was good at it too. Also he was shy and didn’t like being in the bathroom while people are awake. Fear of someone walking in. However, the second fear would come true. Kaidan had forgotten a change of clothes.
Shepard went to sleep early so he was somewhat awake, despite the medicine Dr. Chakwas gave him. He shifted a few times as he searched for a comfortable position. He fiddled with his dark black hair in boredom until he finally got up to get a drink.
At the same time Kaidan was slowly stepping out of the shower, drenched and only having a small towel that covered his waist, but only just above his knees. He was cursing about how small standard Alliance towels are. His freshly washed feet made a slapping sound as it touched the freezing metal floor. How he really wished he hadn’t forgotten his clothes.
Now the two were right in the middle of the hall way. Both trying to stay silent as possible and unable to see correctly in the dimmed lighting. Then all that is heard is a loud thud, smack, and another thud. Shepard tries to get up, but slips on the now wet flooring and back onto Alenko. The two still don’t know who is who. Slowly the lights brighten and the reveal is surprised to the two.
“SH-Shepard?”
“Alenko?” Shepard jolts up, but falls again. His knee pulled at Kaidan’s towel, but Alenko reacts and pulls it back up before it can get any lower. Slowly the two back away from each other.
“What are you doing out here?” The two of them try to yell, but remain quiet as to the fact their comrades are in the other room. Kaidan gets up and securely tucks his towel. Shepard stands and tries to act natural. However he’s only wearing Alliance issue boxer briefs and his N7 hoodie, unzipped.
“I was going to get a drink!”
“I was going to get clothes!” The two speak at the same time. Kaidan’s cheeks flush different shades of red. Shepard’s neck starts to heat up and itch. The two ignore it. They both go to different sides of the hall way and pass each other. No words are given.
However, Kaidan turns and examines the Commander in the unique attire. Shepard was resisting looking anywhere below the waist on Alenko. He failed when he tried to look only at his face.
Now Shepard was drinking cup after cup of cold water and was trying to defeat this burning sensation. Nothing was working so he went into the med bay. Dr. Chakwas was sleeping, but he knows where the sleeping pills are.
Kaidan changed quickly into long pajama pants and a tight t-shirt. His face turned brighter as he held up his issue of Alliance boxer briefs. Now he simply lies on his bed and tries to sleep. Joker suddenly calls him and Kaidan puts the call to private. This prevents someone from waking up.
“Shower towel collision? Really, K?”
“Shut. Up. Moreau.”
“It’s just… really? I replayed it and saw it was an accident, but really?”
“I will kill you, Joker.”
“Ya-ya. Get some sleep lover boy.” Kaidan simply stared off into space after that call. Knowing Joker wasn’t making fun of him or anything. He just knew what Kaidan missed out. Though he still wasn’t entirely sure on what the Commander prefers. Alenko just grabbed his pillow and hugged it to death.
The door opened a few minutes later and a bounce came from under Kaidan’s bunk. Shepard was back. Nothing was said. Though a tap came suddenly and he felt two roundish pills fall into his hand. By the feel of it the pills were what Shepard takes to sleep. Kaidan suppressed a smile and took the pills. Didn’t take long until he fell asleep.