studiobondurri [Book Two] Chapter 17: Kids gloves are off
[Book Two] Chapter 17: Kids gloves are off
[Book Two] Chapter 17: Kids gloves are offChapter 17: Kids gloves are off
“How long do we stay on the Citadel?” Rick asked Shepard as he sat down on the couch in her quarters.
“A few days. Long enough for the ship’s new shield to be installed and properly tested.”
“Is it R&R or...”
“Yes and no. Thane and Garrus have some important things to do and have asked for my help. Tali, you and I, have a meeting with the higher up of the Alliance for your AR system.”
“Who will be there?”
“People you’re already familiar with.”
“The usual then, Anderson, Hackett, Müller from N7, all the others whose names I can’t bother to remember and the butcher.”
Shepard flinched insidely at her mother’s moniker. She knew it was well deserved but she didn’t like it being used. That was something she had noticed when talking with Rick the rare times he mentioned her. He never referred to her as “mother” or “mom” but by her infamous nickname and she wondered why.
“The others as you call them, won’t be there. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know.”
“So except for half a day at best I’m free. Good.”
“Actually your free time is a bit less than that.” she said.
“Oh?”
“Team building at the nightclub.”
“Well team build all you want but that’d be without me. I don’t have a gunnery chief to watch over, so I’m not going.”
“You do have a cute quarian to take her place though.”
“... That’s low.”
“But effective. I guess I’m spending too much time in your company.” she replied with a smirk.
“Seems to me like you don’t need me anymore as you’re all grown up then. I’ll pack my bags when I go down and leave for Omega.” he said as he stood up and made his way out of the room.
“Wait! No! I need you!” she said before closing her mouth, realizing how her words have sounded.
“Eh!” He said turning around looking at her with, she was sure, a smug smile under his helmet.
“You know what I’m talking about!”
“Oh I know, believe me, I know.” he said while rearranging his pants around the crotch area and exited the room leaving her with a few last words. “ A thousand years too early fire crotch!”
Her scream of frustration was heard back two decks below, so was Rick’s cackling.
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Instead of going straight to his quarters in the engineering deck he made a stop at the crew deck. Or rather a stop at Miranda’s quarters. Passing the door he saw the allegedly, but with lots of credits, perfect woman working on her terminal.
“Hey!” he greeted.
“What can I do for you, Rick?” the brunette asked, not looking up from her work, recognizing the man by his synthetic voice.
“Was checking with you if you were free.”
“Does it look like I am?”
“I meant on the citadel. For friends with benefits, we don’t really behave like friends nor do we see any benefits.”
That caught her attention and stopped what she was doing. Raising her head to look at him she was silent for a moment.
“That’s true. What are you proposing?”
“Dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“What, do you really think I’d just bring you to an hotel room and fuck you senseless just like that?”
“Yes. It’s a transaction after all, there is no need for anything else. That would be a date.”
“Oh there is a need, okay. Because I want to see you in a very sexy black cocktail dress, covering very daring black lingerie that would make me wish to take you right there in front of everyone. It’s to build anticipation after all, foreplay is important.”
Taking a minute to think about it, Miranda nodded. If a highly horny Rick was on the menu, there was no way she was saying no to it. The last time had been magical and she wanted a repeat. She didn’t dare do anything on the ship as it was her place of work making it off limits and she was nothing but professional. The citadel on the other hand was free game.
“I’d have to do some shopping.”
“Fine with me. I know a store that has exactly what you need. I’ll gladly take you there. You’ll see, they make real dresses, not the filth you can see everywhere today.”
“You intend to shop with me?!” she asked, clearly shocked as the one time they went shopping he hated every second of it.
“Well, you’re the one trying outfits this time. You’ll need feedback.”
Looking at him with an unimpressed face, she didn’t say anything in retort and let it go, returning to her work and ignoring his existence.
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“Everything’s ready?” he asked Tali.
“We’re just missing some cases to store the weapons in.”
“Then we’ll buy some after shopping.”
“Shopping?” She asked, dubious at the notion to go shopping with Rick.
“We already had two successful deals with them. You’re rich now you have to look the part, to show that you’re a serious business woman. Can’t really build your empire while looking like the run of the mill quarian to them. In other words you need to show that you’re climbing the social ladder.”
“That’s going too far for a joke!”
“What joke?”
“My quarian empire!” she exclaimed, making him laugh.
“I know. And I know that you would prefer working inside a ship’s engine room...”
“But?”
“Is it wrong to want more for you? You can do so much more than being a tech expert working on a random ship, Tali. You’re in a unique position, to spearhead a change for the quarians, to put your people back on the galactic stage as an important species and not just the pariah they currently are despite having the biggest fleet. And no c-sec asshole will ever look down on you or any other quarian pilgrim again. No one from the fleet will take what belongs to you because you’re too young or too inexperienced or I dare say it, because you’re a woman. They wouldn’t dare. On the other hand you’ll be at the top, free to do whatever you want, like creating a company specialized in ships and heading the R&D department without any one to report to. Is it wrong to wish all that for you?”
Tali didn’t say anything, she couldn’t in truth, too moved by what he had said. Even her own father didn’t wish that much for her. True he wished to take back Ranok, the quarian’s homeworld, from the geths for her but that endeavor had for consequences to make him distant from her, ever since her mother died when she was just a child. Having a world to live was great, but what after that? What about the future? Having a homeworld will not magically help her people raised from their social situation or solve all their problems. All quarians are raised to put the fleet, the needs of the many, before their own. That didn’t mean they didn’t have their own dreams but they were secondary to the fleet and never really thought about them.
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That night was movie night. Tali, Rick and EDI were watching Monthy Python and the Holy Grail (after Tali received a bit of lore, so she could understand what was going on) when the AI passed on a call from Shepard.
“What do you need?”
“We need information on a guy named... Bailey, what was his ... Elias Kelham. How quick can you...”
“Just reminds him of the first rule of Omega and that Omega is not happy with him.”
“How will that...”
“Bye.”
“Wait...”
He cut the communication off and went back to bed with Tali.
“Go ahead, EDI.” he said as the quarian was pleased that her cuddle time was back in session.
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“What did he say?” the Drell asked.
“He just said to remind Elias of the first rule of Omega and that Omega wasn’t happy with him.” the redhead replied dumbfounded by Rick’s action.
“Is that all?”
“Yes.”
“I guess we’ll have to do it the old fashion way then.”
“It’s still worth a shot.”
Shepard nodded and they entered the room where Elias was tied to a chair.
“Who the hell are you two ?”
“You broke the first rule of Omega Elias and Omega is not happy with you.” tried Shepard.
“Oh shit! I have the money! I have the money, I swear! I swear I have it! I just had a delay because of the new restrictions put in place by the council! In fact, the transfer is ready to be made by the end of the week! She doesn’t have to send him! I- I’ll pay double, no triple the price we agreed on! Please tell her that it’s just a misunderstanding, please!”
Thane and her shared a look of surprise. They didn’t expect Rick’s advice to be actually useful. Not wasting the opportunity they rolled with it.
“You see Elias... She’s ready to forgo any punishment concerning you.” the redhead began.
“R-really?!”
“As long as you pay what you owe and do her a little favor.”
“A-anything! I’ll do anything!”
“Good.”
“What she needs from you is the name of the Drell’s target.” Thane followed up.
“Joram Talid! His name is Joram Talid!”
“Perfect!” She said in a joyful tone and clapped her hands in front of her.
“A-am I g-good now?”
“Your favor is paid, now you just have to send the money.” she said and as she left the room she added a few words. “Better not be a next time Elias because HE will be the one coming.”
“There won’t be! I swear I’ll never be late again with my payment!”
Exciting the room they quickly went to find Bailey who was surprised to see them back so soon.
“Already?!”
“It was perhaps the shortest interrogation ever.” commented Thane.
“What did you do to him?” asked a worried Bailey.
“Nothing, we just told him that he broke the first rule of Omega.” said Shepard.
“His mind did the rest and he was ready to sell his own mother to get out of his situation.” explained the Drell.
“Jesus Christ, I probably would too if I had Aria T’Loak’s cleaner on my back.”
“You know about him?”
“Heard the rumors here and there from some of the guys who’ve been in the Terminus recently. I dread the day he actually comes here.”
Shepard wanted nothing more to say that he was already here but he noticed the fear in the captain’s voice so she kept her mouth shut.
What exactly did he do to have this reputation?
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Thane had stopped his son for committing murder and thanks to Shepard he only got community service time. A lot of it but considering it could have been a lot worse it was alright. Rick has been ready to offer him a ticket to Omega and find him an honest and proper job, but it hasn’t been necessary.
Rick was practicing his biotics in the cargo bay waiting from the appropriate time for him to go to sleep. He didn’t like it, in fact he hated every second of what he was going to do, but he needed it for his own peace of mind.
“Her body’s data shows that she’s deeply asleep.”
“Thank you, EDI.”
“You seem to dislike doing it.”
“I do...”
“Why do it instead of looking for professional help?”
“Because I don’t trust any of them. Because I’m ashamed.”
“This is not healthy, Rick.”
“No, it is not but it’s the only thing I have that works. God knows I wish I didn’t.”
“I understand. I think.”
“Thank you for not saying anything.”
“Only because she never asked. If she does...”
“I know, EDI. Don’t worry I’ll take the blame, spin a reason and twist words to leave you clear.”
He took the elevator and entered Shepard’s quarter. Ever since his first night here he kept coming back but made sure to leave before the commander woke up. The first time, he had been so exhausted that he didn’t time it well. However since he was rested, he could sleep on a five hours schedule no problem. The plan was simple, cuddling up to Shepard once she was asleep, waking before she did and going back to his quarters before Tali awakened.
EDI was the only one aware of his doings and had been assisting him of her own volition, seeing as he wasn’t hurting anyone. She didn’t understand why only Shepard could help him. She knew that she was missing important data to understand it but she knew Rick needed it so she helped. Her first friend. The one who looked at her with wonder and not worry, who considered her as a full fledged living sentient being and not just a tool. She liked the difference between the way he was interacting with her and the other’s interactions. Those interactions had dropped in quality since he began to have bad dreams and she didn’t like it so she helped and will keep doing so as long as she could.