FFic: Unedited Feros Chap
Mass Effect fic: Redundant
This is the original Chapter 11. The one on FF dot net is the rehashed version.
Mass Effect belongs to Bioware and other larger companies.
“Creepers,” Williams said evenly as Betty Bitchbox announced their arrival on the Normandy, and they went through D-Con. She gritted her teeth and looked ready to throttle him. This argument had been going on for a day and a half now. Her new armor was covered in green goop and spattered with gore from one of the colonists that Kaidan had been forced to shoot as they were going for the damned Thorian. Even though he had aimed for a non-vital part, he couldn’t remember feeling so guilty. He had been forced to shoot a civilian. Being hit with a slug going relativistic speeds was enough to splatter any thing-no matter that it was only the man’s arm. At the time, they had no idea that the Thorian had taken control of colonists’ minds as Shepard had yet to return from the sky way.
As D-Con continued around the six teammates, Kaidan felt prickly all over, even under his armor. As always when they went through the process, he felt the need to strip and scratch. When in doubt, burn the fuckers out, he thought morbidly even as he argued with Williams. “But they don’t creep.” The Lieutenant was of the mind that it took more than two legs to “creep”. And he was just tired and irritated enough with the situation to argue his point. Williams was of the mind that they were "creepy". It didn't justify their name.
“Creepers,” she insisted as Betty told everyone that XO Pressly stood relieved and another itching sensation came over him as the UV light passed over him yet again. He hated D-Con almost as much as turnips.
Hell, he hated everything right now.
Turnips. The words "creep", "creeping", "creeper", and "creepy". Williams. Guns. Varren. Blood. Green. Childbirth. Vegetables. Wrex. D-Con. Gas Bags. Bio-amps. Omni-tools. Joker.
Turnips.
Hated everything.
He frowned down at her. “What the hell is wrong with ‘zombies’?” he finally asked, exasperated. The Thorian’s thralls looked like something out of a zombie vid. They smelled like rotten vegetables ruminating in pickle juice. Yeah. It would be a while before Kaidan ate anything green. The thought of food made him want to puke. And he really wanted to blow his nose hoping that it would get the smell out. He was certain that the Thorian’s juice-or whatever the fuck that was-and the exploding thralls’ goop had gotten stuck in his nose hairs. Even D-Con wasn't burning that out.
“Creepers,” Shepard intoned apparently fed up with her subordinates. Her tone brooked no argument.
He bit the inside of his cheek as she saucily grinned at him over her shoulder where she stood in between Wrex and Garrus.
“Yes, ma’am,” he relinquished. He needed to blow his nose, a hot shower and at least twelve hours sleep. Both women were getting on his nerves, and snapping at his commanding officer would probably land him in the brig right now. She was just as irritable as he was. Snapping at Williams would probably land a knee to his groin and that was just as bad as getting sent to the brig, armor or no. The idea itself made him nauseous.
So he allowed the conversation to lapse as he absently stared at the hump on Wrex’s back and thought back on the last three days. They had split into two teams to cover more ground. Wrex and Tali had gone with the Commander to the main geth site, while he, Garrus and Williams had been in charge of seeing to the colonists’ needs.
“What’s wrong with your people, Fai Dan?” Williams had questioned at one point. They had just gotten done taking out geth in the sewer and turning on the water, the sun was setting on the first day. “They’re acting really fucking weird.”
Fai Dan had only looked at her. “We have been through much, Chief Williams.”
Kaidan had put a stop to the conversation, but not before his security chief had her piece. “Where were you anyway?”
“We had no idea-“
“Chief, it’s late,” Kaidan had interrupted. He looked at Fai Dan. “We weren’t able to find the Alpha Varren today; we’ll try again tomorrow. We have enough rations for your people for tonight, Fai Dan. Will that do?”
“Check with Davin Reynolds,” was all Fai Dan said. Kaidan had all but dragged Chief away, latching on to her arm like she were a child under his care instead of the capable marine he knew her to be. This mission was taking its toll on all of them. Even Garrus had been pissy with him that day.
“I can’t believe she blames us!” Williams had blurted.
He looked down at her, finally releasing her arm. “Let’s try to be a little more diplomatic, Williams.”
“But-“
“Wasn’t a request. Take Garrus and get back to the ship. Tell Pressly to assemble the quartermaster and Burns. I’ll be there shortly.” He had turned and stalked off, leaving Williams to carry out his orders. When he had arrived back at the ship Pressly, Quartermaster Livens and Req. Officer Burns were waiting for him in the comm. room. Together they had gathered the necessary rations and water and had gone out to deliver them to Reynolds.
“Are we going to check out Nodacrux, Shepard?” Tali asked as the Normandy’s airlock opened and Kaidan snapped back to the present. “I don’t think any kind of samples from this place would be necessarily a ‘good’ thing. Saren takes priority, but…” She trailed off. “What happened to these people, I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”
Shepard shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt.” Gaining the Cipher was taking its toll on her. Dark circles rimmed her eyes. Kaidan was certain that she hadn’t gotten much sleep while they had been separated for three days. Her next few sentences proved it. “We’ll see what’s next after the debriefing. I just want some sleep right now. Debrief in forty-five minutes, ladies, gentlemen, krogan. Williams, Alenko, mission reports in thirty.” She turned towards the bridge. “Joker, get us the hell out of here. Geo-sync until we figure out where we’re headed.”
Joker responded with a whole-hearted, “You got it.”