Event Horizon || Garrus Vakarian x FemShep

Chapter Two: Meteorite

While the station may be out of sorts and half-destroyed, C-Sec's love of red tape and documents hadn't changed at all. Garrus fought the urge to smack the datapad in his hands against his forehead, instead leaning forward in his chair and closing his eyes. While he had learned to curb his temper for many things during his time with Commander Shepard, he still struggled with these bouts of impatience: "Easy there, big guy. I know it's bullshit, but you've gotta walk the track if you want to finish the course; you can kick everyone's asses once you're at the end."

The turian smiled to himself. It had been a week since he had departed the Normandy, but Shepard's platitudes were still fresh in his mind.

"So, Vakarian; are you settling back into your old haunt?"

The voice of Commander Bailey broke through his internalized pep-talk, and he rolled his shoulders, spinning in his chair to face his new supervisor.

"In a way. I've got to say that not much has changed with internal security, considering the - I don't know - giant Reaper-robot that parked its ass here a month ago."

Garrus's words had bite, despite the remembered warnings of his former companion, and Bailey simply glowered, "Easy, soldier. Normalcy is necessary, at least according to the Council; our job is to carry on as closely to pre-Saren times as normal."

Garrus clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, gesturing to the computer on his desk, "I get wanting to pacify the masses, but how could anyone go back to 'normalcy' after that? After what Shepard dragged our asses out of? It's hard to wrap my mind around it. There was so much more to it than Saren."

The human leaned forward, placing a hand flat on the desk and regarding the turian with a severe expression: "I know that you saw a lot more action out there than any of us did; it's why I put in a request to have you back, and why the Council so readily granted it. Still, the fact is that they can't make claims on things that they have no direct proof of: If you don't think you can live like that, why did you come back? Do you even want to be here?"

Garrus's bitter attitude was dampened immediately, and his mandibles clenched tight against his jaw.

"Yes, sir. I want to be here. I want to make things right."

Commander Bailey nodded slowly, then stood, content with his response, "I know, Vakarian. That's why you're perfect for the job. Changes are going to happen."

With a sigh, he waved his hands to dismiss the tension, "At any rate, I just got word from the embassies; Councillor Anderson wants to see you. He said to come at your 'earliest convenience'."

Seeing Bailey's exaggerated air quotes, Garrus smirked, tossing his datapad onto his desk with a distinct lack of grace: "In other words, get over there before someone somewhere is fired?"

The commander mirrored his smile.

"Something like that."

***

"The Councillor is waiting for you in his office, Officer Vakarian. Best get in there quick."

Garrus didn't miss the hate seething in Ambassador Udina's voice as he greeted him, obviously still bitter about Shepard's recommendation for Anderson over him for the Council.

"I never liked Udina. Sure, he can navigate politics like no one else, but he's still too much of a snake for my liking."

He found himself nodding along in agreement with Shepard's running commentary in his head, waving off Udina as he passed through the human embassy's doors and into its office proper. Across the room, standing at the edge of its balcony and staring over the Presidium, Councillor Anderson did not turn to acknowledge him; he tilted his head slightly at the sound of Garrus's footsteps, then seemed to sigh, gesturing with one hand to an empty space on his right.