Nicholas D. Wolfwood (wolfwood) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-08-10 00:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, commander tyra shepard, nicholas d. wolfwood |
Who: Wolfwood & Shepard
When: 8/8
Where: A bar to begin with
What: Discussing current events
Rating/Warnings: PG, discussion of violence & language
Status: Complete
Shepard plopped down into a chair and poured a thick, dark liquid into a glass. She shuffled it over to Wolfwood, then poured herself a glass. She gave him a little smirk. “I think we have a mutual friend we ought to talk about.”
Wolfwood had spent a while the other night worrying if he’d made an idiot of himself, so meeting up with Shepard for a drink had sounded good. “Yeah?” He asked, curious as he took the glass. “Who’re you talking about?”
“Blonde, tits almost as good as mine. Has a bit of a certain kind of charm, and fantastic in the sack.” She toasted Wolfwood and gave him a wider smirk.
“With all due respect, ma’am, I have never looked at your tits.” Not in that way, anyway. Shepard had always been sort of Not For Him, even before he’d known she was a lesbian. “But I do think I know who you’re talking about. Have you had the pleasure of Ms. Boudreaux’s company?” Even if Belle hadn’t told him she was bisexual, he’d have thought of her. She was the kind of woman he could see Shepard liking.
“Belladonna and I have indeed fraternized, Wolfwood.” She took a long swig. “I got really good at knowing when interest was genuine. You steal those moments when you can, because they’re the only moments you’re allowed.”
Made sense to him. Still, he was curious. “Fraternized. Was she a soldier? Or did you know her in some other capacity? Because she told me she did some work in that area, but wasn’t ever an actual grunt.”
“For the life of me I don’t remember what she was. I don’t think she was actually army, but an attache. I’d have to ask her again. Not the thing I remember the most.” Her eyes gleamed.
“I bet not.” Wolfwood felt allowed to smirk, so he did. “Even aside from being really attractive, she’s fun to be around. Good pool player.” He wasn’t actually a big enough asshole to talk about Belle’s prowess in the sack with someone else, even another woman.
“I’ll bet. The girl talks like someone who can kick your ass at just about anything.” She winked at him.
“Do you know her well?” God, this was so high school, and yet he was kind of curious. “You work with her or something? Or did you meet Mr. Frost?” He didn’t know that much about Shepard when she wasn’t in the corps.
“Don’t know her as well as I’d like. Met her while I was in the corps and didn’t see her again until recently.” Shepard smiled, still a bit lost in the memory.
This was going to be weird no matter what, so he just spat it out. “Did you see her again before you met your wife?” He didn’t care what either of them did once upon a time, but if he’d had Shepard’s seconds, he didn’t really want to discuss it. The woman was a friend, and an ex-CO. You just didn’t talk about sex with an ex-CO. Usually. Unless you were truly shitfaced.
She shook her head. “I only saw her again a month or two ago? Give or take. I’ve been married since the end of November. And seeing her for even longer.” She winked. “You don’t have to worry, she’s all yours as long as she wants you.”
“Had to ask.” Wolfwood risked a little crudity. “You’re supposed to share things with your COs, but women isn’t one of them.” He chuckled a little. “She’s just good company. Sexy and fun. Last I saw her, she was a guy, though. Well. In a guy’s body.”
“I can honestly say I haven’t had the opportunity to share that sort of thing with any of my COs.” Shepard laughed. “Really? Didn’t know she was affected by that. Damn. Did you tap it?”
“Nah. I did kiss her, but I just can’t with guys. My failing, I guess.” Wolfwood looked a little awkward, but he had to laugh. “Honestly, I have no idea what to do with the extra cock.”
Shepard replied without missing a beat, “Neither to I. I figure you just stick it in something or rub at it or something. Really, I could do without any cock whatsoever!”
Wolfwood laughed delightedly, though really, he needed more alcohol for this. “That’s why yours is detachable, ma’am.” He said, grinning as he poured himself another.
“I’d tell you more but then I’d have to kill you. It’s a state secret.” She flashed a grin, and held out her glass.
He helped her out, pouring more. “So, how’s everything been on your end? Nobody swapping bodies? Mr. Frost is apparently a girl - not a woman, a girl - so I’m dreading going to work; I’m scared I’ll crack up.”
“Just one friend as far as I’m aware, they swapped with each other. Not that they needed to, they’re both walking sexpots.” Shepard smirked.
“Well, that works out.” Wolfwood had never actually wished harder to be into guys before; if Belle didn’t change back, he’d need to call up Mary Eunice or something. He’d gotten used to a regular thing.
She gave him a smile, and said, “I had the biggest crush on both of them, for a long time. But I was pretty much lost to Liara even then.”
Wolfwood chuckled. “It’s kinda sweet, you know. I’m sure you guys are the kind of couple who keep it quiet, though.” He couldn’t imagine this woman being sappy in public with anyone, even a woman she loved like crazy. She was probably the proverbial freak in the sheets, though. He drank more. “I have really needed the drink. Thanks, by the way.”
“I’m a bit grabby in public,” Shepard admitted. “We’ll hold hands, but I keep the best stuff private. Except when I walked into her office wearing only a trench coat.” You know, because he needed to know that.
Wolfwood laughed, despite his instinct of not needing to know. “I had a girlfriend do that to me once.” He sighed happily, recollecting the memory. “It seems like you guys have a good marriage.”
Shepard smiled fondly. They didn’t really talk as much as she’d like, but they’d work that out. “I love her very much.”
“Good. I’m glad.” He really was. Shepard was so ... mercurial. She needed somebody at all times to tell her that some of her ideas were insane.
Most of her ideas were insane, and too few people told her that. Maybe because most of them worked. “Maybe you’ll babysit sometime.” Smirk.
“God fucking forbid.” Wolfwood said fervently, figuring she’d laugh. “So you want little ones?”
“Yes. We’ll adopt. And there’s another way, to have our own little ones.” Shepard didn’t go into detail. He could assume some medical procedure, if he wanted.
Not his business. “I actually think you’ll be a great mom. And no, I’m not blowing smoke up your ass. You’d be the kind of mom who lets her kids absorb a decent amount of dirt.” Hopefully that made sense. It was a good thing, in Wolfwood’s book.
“Really? I’m half afraid I’ll walk into the living room one day and getting a dirty look from Liara because the kid is poking at the laser gun in the display case.” She laughed.
“Kids have to be able to get dirty.” Wolfwood shrugged. “I had too many friends as a kid whose parents kept them in a freaking bubble, and they turned out neurotic.”
Shepard smiled. There might be a bubble or two she’d keep her daughters in, but she agreed. Kids were supposed to get dirty and go off on adventures in the back yard. She looked forward to hearing the stories. “Any kid of mine better like dirt.”
“You wouldn’t have a wimp for a kid.” Wolfwood teased. “My parents both used to give me crap about giving them grandkids, but at least you don’t have that to deal with.” Not so much now that they realized he was basically career military.
“She’d know how to shoot before she could walk, and clean and secure the gun before she was five,” Shepard promised. “No plans on kids ever, Wolfwood? You’d make a good dad, I think. Stern, maybe.”
“Oh, God, I don’t think so. First, that would require a woman. Second, no woman wants a guy who’s overseas nine months out of the year.” Wolfwood drank more. “Honestly, I’d like a wife someday, but probably not kids. Unless I marry somebody a lot younger!”
“Some woman wouldn’t mind that. Three months is long enough before you want your man out of your hair, isn’t it?” She was joking. Mostly. “Suppose you have a point with that one.”
“Smartass.” Wolfwood laughed. “My company isn’t that bad, is it?” She could answer. He wouldn’t get offended.
“Nah, it’s pretty good. It’s good to talk to another sandpounder.” Tyra reached over and poked him in the arm. “You’ve been there. you know what it’s like.”
“Yeah. And everybody’s all like, why do you want to go back, but seriously, it’s what I know.” Wolfwood shrugged, drinking a little more. He wasn’t drunk, but he was starting to feel a nice buzz. “I mean, I’m a straight guy, so I didn’t have the same bullshit issues you had, but still.”
“I miss some of it. The camaraderie.” Shepard poured another glass, and then drank about half of it. “Don’t really miss the constant threat of dying.”
“Well, yeah, obviously. But I mean, nobody enlists because they have a death wish. At least, nobody who lasts too long.” Wolfwood shrugged one shoulder again. “I just wanted to get the fuck out of San Diego, and the Navy was not the option for me. Spending a year on a floating metal tube?”
“Hey. Floating metal tubes aren’t so bad.” Shepard was a Marine, and had spent a lot of time in destroyers waiting for deployment. And that didn’t even come close to the Normandy. “I should show you the best damn metal tube there is...”
“Oh yeah?” Wolfwood raised an eyebrow. “You suddenly get command of a destroyer?”
“Kind of. She’s more of a frigate.” Shepard’s grin became lopsided and fond. “Fast, stealthy, and out of this world.”
“What are you not telling me?” Wolfwood could just tell she was talking in riddles.
“Got time?” She tapped her watch.
“Yes, actually, but we may not have enough alcohol.” Wolfwood craned his neck to look at the bottle on the counter.
“We’ll grab another bottle and go for a ride, Wolfwood.” Shepard got to her feet. What was the point of having a spaceship if you couldn’t show it up.”
“You can’t drink anymore if we do.” Wolfwood smirked. “But okay. Show me what you’ve got.” A beat. “Not in that way. Your wife would kill me.”
“You’ve already seen the ladies,” She replied, laughing. She paid for another bottle, and then led him outside.
Wolfwood took the bottle from her, following outside, not sure what to expect. In this world, between Vegas, Shepard’s markings and who knew what, it could be anything. “So, where is it?”
“Get into my truck, I’ll drive you out to it.” Sort of. She opened the door to her hummer and crawled in.
Wolfwood followed suit, content for the time being to be along for the ride. He watched the scenery for a while, but he had to ask the question in his head. “You think Belle might like me enough to go out again?” Okay, so maybe he was a little bit drunk.
She raised her eyebrows. “Belle’s kind of married to her work, but she might. I’d certainly be happy to see her try to do something with someone that wasn’t just sex. She deserves to be happy.”
“Well, I won’t be asking her to marry me anytime soon, but I don’t know. I like her.” And he thought she liked him. “I am a little drunk, in the interest of honesty. Maybe I need to be a little drunk when I ask her.”
“I’d recommend it. Not too drunk or she won’t think you’re serious,” she replied, pulling off road. About. It would be another twenty minutes, but when they got there, the Normandy would be hovering along the edge of a cliff, waiting.
“Buzzed.” Which for him, was like half a bottle of Jack. Wolfwood did hold his liquor well.
Though when they did pull up to the side of the cliff, he wondered if he’d drunk something bad. Because there was a fucking spaceship floating there.
“This is the SSV Normandy, and I’m her commander,” Shepard said, as the gangplank lowered. “Come on, we should get her back into orbit anyway.”
“Orbit?” Wolfwood echoed, eyes going wide. “Shepard, are you insane?” First, he was more than a bit drunk. Second, he wasn’t exactly rated for this shit.
She grabbed his hand. “Come on or she’s going to leave without us.”
Wolfwood let himself be pulled, but he still didn’t know what the hell was going on, frankly. All he could take in was steel grey walls and a long tunnel. “Where the hell did this come from? What’s SSV?”
“Systems Alliance Space Vehicle,” Shepard replied. “It’s from my dreams. I was XO on her first voyage, and became her CO shortly after that. Systems Alliance is a bit like a cross between the marines and Navy.”
“Oh, is that what you were telling me about when we first met up?” Wolfwood looked around, trying to take it all in. “Just ... it’s crazy, Shepard, you know that, right? Nothing like this exists on earth.” Well. Normally.
“I know. And there’s even more and it’s so crazy I like to pretend it doesn’t exist.” The hatch closed behind them and the ship rocked gently as it shot up towards space, moving like nothing really should that was this big and didn’t have wings.
Wolfwood couldn’t help but be a little freaked out, and he grabbed onto the nearest thing, expecting a lurch or something, anything to feel like they were moving. But nothing came. “How is this flying itself?” He really didn’t want to die today.
“It’s called the Mass Effect. The engine basically alters the mass of the ship.” She led Wolfwood past a shuttle. “That’s the Kodiak, it’ll take us back to Earth when we’re done here.” The big elevator loomed.
“Is it safe?” Stupid question, maybe, but he had to ask it. “Christ, Shepard. You weren’t kidding when you said you had secrets.”
“It’s safe. Safer than nuclear, anyway. Cleaner too.” It wasn’t perfect but nothing was.
“That’s amazing.” Wolfwood shook his head, looking around. “Does the federal government know about this shit?” He would bet not, but he had to ask. The idea was mind-blowing; almost too much. It would revolutionize ... well, everything.
“I have some contacts,” she replied, nodding her head. “The ones who make sure the general populace have no idea what’s going on. If people started becoming aware....that way lies madness.”
“Probably good ... but imagine the clean energy benefits.” Wolfwood sighed. “I ... don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
“Thanks. I knew I could trust you. But I wanted you to know.” The elevator was pretty quick. “Want to see CIC or my quarters first? I have this huge fish tank...”
“CIC.” Business oriented, maybe, but how many chances would he get to look around something like this?
She nodded her head. When the elevator opened, the ship was fairly quiet. There wasn’t the bustle of activity that should have been there. A huge hologram of the ship took up much of the central part of the room - until Shepard stepped up to it and the galaxy appeared.
Wolfwood almost felt humbled, seeing the enormous cavern hollowed out in the middle of this spaceship. “Fuck,” he murmured. Not much else to say, really. “I’m ... humbled.”
“The blinking red dot is where we are. The blue one is where the Citadel is supposed to be.” She pointed at another part of the galaxy. “We haven’t found any Mass Relays, so the only way between systems is using FTL, and that still takes months and years.”
“FTL?” Wolfwood echoed, still looking at the map. “Is the Citadel the HQ, then?” It would make sense.
“Faster than Light. And kind of. Home of galactic politics and civilization. The first three races to discover it comprised the council until we upstarts got a seat on it.” Shepard shook her head. “Not like Star Trek, or something. Humans are pretty much the newcomers with chips on their shoulders.”
“Wow.” Wolfwood had to laugh softly. “Definitely not how we think of ourselves.” He needed that alcohol now, come to think of it, and opened the bottle he’d been carrying.
“No, not really. Was a nice big slap in the face when we made first contact.” Shepard smirked. “I was three when that happened. We got a seat on the council by the time I was thirty. I was the first human SPECTRE. Think a sort of special forces. Virtually unlimited power and reports only to the council.”
“So basically, in this world, whatever, you’re hot shit.” Even hotter than the Marines. And Shepard had been the fair-haired girl when he’d met her. Wolfwood felt a headache coming on. “This is all just nuts,” he said quietly. “You said Vegas had to do with your dreams. Is that true?” Was it actually aliens? Something from her dreams made real?
She pulled a device onto her wrist and started to manipulate the display. It was the same device she’d showed him before. She showed him the reaper, and then scaled the Normandy next to it. Then she brought up a city filled with dozens of them. The display zoomed out to the planet, and then the galaxy. Red dots blinked by the thousands. Tens of thousands of stars. “We won, but the cost was astronomical.”
“Jesus,” Wolfwood whispered. He suddenly felt more sober than he ever had. He needed to sit down, and quietly sank to a squatting position, closing his eyes. This was ten times worse than anything he’d seen in the sandbox, and he had no idea how he hadn’t come away with PTSD from that.
“I’m not trying to...” Shepard sighed, and folded her arms. “I just need you to understand this is my fight now. The rest of my life, to prevent that from ever happening here. To keep Vegas as an..exception. And I might need your help at some point.”
“What?” He didn’t like that sigh, somehow. “Are you mad that I’m shocked?” Not only shocked, but somewhat sickened. And frankly afraid. This was too big for him.
“I’m not mad. I just feel like I pissed on your cheerios.”
“I wasn’t going to react like it was no big deal.” Wolfwood looked up. “I mean, I’m not going to be tortured forever by it, but it’s ... I mean, you averted a goddamn apocalypse, Shepard.”
“Mostly.” She shut down the imagery. “Projections had them wiping out the last of us in about a hundred years, by the time we stopped it. I don’t think they were expecting it to take that long. We managed to unite against them, which apparently was a new thing.”
“But you don’t know if that’s going to happen here or if this was a one time thing?” Wolfwood nodded. No wonder she was on edge. “Is there anyone else here who dreams what you do?” He’d actually feel better if she had someone who understood.
She nodded. “My wife, my best friend and his wife. A few others. We’re not alone, any of us. But sometimes there are things I can’t share with any of them.” Shepard smiled wryly. “They’re the pillars I stood on to win.”
Wolfwood didn’t entirely like her choice of words, but just shook his head. “What can’t you share with them? I mean, if they know about all of this already?”
“Doubts. Fears.” She shook her head. “All the things that might bring morale down.”
“I think some doubts are healthy to share.” Wolfwood shrugged. “Not all, but some. If my CO looked invincible, I’d wonder what was wrong.”
Shepard grinned. “Yeah, but we are invincible, didn’t boot camp teach you anything?”
“That you all are full of shit?” Wolfwood managed, smirking a little.
“Exactly!” She clapped Wolfwood on the arm. “Come on, I want to show you the fish tank. I had to have my yeoman keep feeding them until I got an auto-feeder system, otherwise I ...kept forgetting.”
“Sure.” Why not. Wolfwood did his best to not focus on what he’d learned. He had to ignore it - he didn’t want to be telling Belle secrets when he was drunk one night.
Nodding, she led the way to the elevator, and hit the button for the cabin. “This is actually the second Normandy. Twice as big and twice as fast. It was rebuilt by a private organization then taken by the military. It’s a lot more luxurious than the first one.”
Wolfwood didn’t want to know what happened to the first one. He just nodded, trying to take it all in. “It was taken by the military?” he echoed. “Requisitioned?” Bastards.
“Long story.” The door opened to the luxurious cabin, and she walked to her desk and pulled out another bottle. She took a swig. “First ship was destroyed, and I was...ah.. killed. A group called Cerberus located my body and somehow brought me back. I had to work with them because they were the only ones even remotely interested in believing me about the Reapers. After we took out a major objective, I surrendered back to the Alliance, since I’d never really intended to work with Cerberus any more than I had to.”
“Jesus, that’s nuts.” Wolfwood shook his head. “So did they actually let you fight for them again? I mean, technically you were an enemy combatant at that point.” This whole thing was just insane. Anyone but Shepard, and he’d be telling them to get mental help.
“Oh, they kept me locked up for a bit pending trial for something I did near the end of all that.” She rubbed her shoulder, then took another drink. Three-hundred thousand dead, and for what? To buy some more time for Hackett and Anderson to prepare? It had to be worth it. It had to be. “One of those things you tell yourself it was worth doing to help you sleep at night. Then the Reapers hit Earth before they could court martial me, and I was reinstated.”
“Christ.” Wolfwood shook his head. “And you thought that this was a different place - but one of those was what took out Vegas?” He’d have been fucking terrified. Thankfully, they headed into a room that looked like Shepard’s quarters; he saw a huge fish tank in the middle. “Wow.”
Shepard didn’t respond, and let him just assume things. She put the Bahak system out of her mind. “Pretty cool right?” She gestured at a charred looking helmet. “That was recovered from the planet the Normandy crashed on. I was wearing that.” There were other awards, and a strange alien orb. There were also display cases full of dozens of ships, most of which were alien as well.
There was also a cage, where a hamster peered out, and then hid back in. “Space hamster,” she explained. “I have another hamster but he’s at my house. Mean little bastard. That hamster would cut you. Space hamster is friendly though.”
“So wait, the space hamster is nice and the normal earth hamster is a bastard?” Wolfwood raised an eyebrow, laughing. “This keeps getting weirder, Shepard.”
“No one would bring the poor regular hamster home,” Shepard explained. “I dreamed about the space one and felt a bit lonely. He’s okay if you distract him with a treat, that’s the only way to get pets.”
“Kinda think maybe I have the right idea debating a dog.” Wolfwood was amused. “Dogs aren’t nasty if you don’t train them to be.”
She laughed. “I kind of want one, but I think children will be enough of a hassle to deal with.” She winked.
“Yeah, and those are a no go for me.” Wolfwood shook his head. “You have a lot on your plate, Shepard.” He looked out the nearest window, unable to tear his eyes off the silent, black view.
She put her hand on his back and squeezed lightly. “I wouldn’t be who I was if I didn’t overload the plate.”
“Just don’t start dropping stuff.” Wolfwood looked over at her.
“How can I?” She replied, tilting her head. “I’ve got a lot of help holding it.”
“Just remember that, okay?” Her dream-mates, her wife, hell, him. “Please don’t do anything stupid alone.”
“I promise, I won’t do anything really stupid alone.” Just the really dangerous things. Shepard never could order someone to do something she wouldn’t do herself....