Dragon's Teeth: Mass Effect 1 (Shenko)

Chapter 32

Milky Way/Omega Nebula/Amada System

"Something you need Joker?" Kaidan asked, joining him on the bridge.

"Yeah." Joker said, turning his chair to face him. "What's up with you and the Commander?"

Kaidan blanched. "Garrus said this was urgent." He said, saying the first thing that came to mind to avoid answering Joker's question.

"It is important." Joker insisted, a smile on his lips. "Inquiring minds want to know."

"Joker..."

"What? Oh come on Lieutenant. I'm stuck in this chair and on this bridge most of the time we're out here." He said, pouting. "I need some entertainment you know."

"Really Joker?" Kaidan sighed.

"Yes really. Being the pilot of the best damn ship in the fleet is great, but without geth or Mako drops, my boredom metre is off the charts. Come on Lieutenant... please? Give me something."

"Shepard and I are... friends." Kaidan hedged.

"Pfft. Yeah, I think I know that." Joker scoffed. "But are you like friends, friends or what?"

Rolling his eyes, Kaidan sighed heavily. It wasn't as though they were trying to keep their relationship secret, but Shepard had promised Anderson they'd be discreet. But he also knew Joker wasn't going to let him off easy- he was like a dog with a bone when he wanted to know something.

"Okay Joker. But only if you promise to keep it quiet." Even as he said it, Kaidan knew he was wasting his breath.

"Me?" Joker sounded insulted. "I'm the most discreet person you know. Scout's honour. Cross my heart and all that."

"We're more than just friends."

"I knew it!" Joker exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face as he turned back to his console. "I'm going to tell Adams I was right."

"Joker."

"What? The entire crew knows Lieutenant. I just wanted facts."

"Right. Of course." Kaidan said, his irritation dissolving. "Just don't let it leave the ship. Anderson's orders."

"What? Don't you trust me? Wait... on second thought, don't answer that."

Shaking his head, Kaidan headed back to the elevator. He wasn't surprised the crew knew about him and Shepard, but he found it unsettling to hear they were talking about them. He was about to step inside the elevator, looking forward to a hot shower when he caught the look of a crew member whose expression looked frightened. Concerned, he reversed direction and went to ask what was wrong.

"Board is green. Emission sinks activated. We are running silent." Joker announced from his place on the bridge.

"We're wasting our time." Pressly said, irritated as he made notes on his datapad. "Four days searching this sector and we haven't found any signs of geth activity."

"Three ships went missing here in the past month." Joker replied. "Something happened to them."

"My money's on slavers." Pressly asserted. "The Terminus system is crawling with them."

"Picking up something on the long-range scanner." Ensign Rosalie interrupted. "Unidentified vessel. Hmm. Looks like a cruiser."

"Doesn't match any known signatures." Joker said.

"Cruiser is changing course." Rosalie continued. "Now on intercept trajectory."

"Can't be!" Pressly argued. "Stealth systems are engaged. There's no way a geth ship could..."