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Shepard was being chased. It wasn’t an unfamiliar event, being who she was. Mercs, C-Sec, collectors, they all spent a lot of time trying to kill her and her crew. Those she could handle, but this…. The vampires chasing her hissed, flashing sharp, needle-like fangs. Their monstrous faces almost too hideous to look at, an abomination of human and bat. And they were fast, so fast, Shepard could already feel the exhaustion burning through her body. She wasn’t going to make it. All her training and determination meant nothing if she was alone, unarmed and exposed, against a pack of blood sucking fiends. The gap between her and the vampires was closing fast, and there was no cover, and no backup. One of the vampires lunged, raking her arm with clawed fingers. She stumbled, and they were on her, frenzied. All she could do was scream as the first one went to rip out her throat….
Shepard bolted upright with a small shout. Wildly, she looked around, waiting for something to attack her. The cabin was dark and still. No sound could be heard but her ragged breathing. Just a nightmare, though an altogether too real one. Her heart was still pounding. She contemplated going back to sleep, but the thought of the nightmare reoccurring or starting back where it left off made her shudder. Shepard slid out of bed and turned all the lights in the cabin on. She went to splash water on her face, to shock herself out of the last temptations of sleep. She put on her uniform. The weight of the imbedded armor was comforting, and it helped her compose herself a little more. Well, if she was going to be up, she might as well go get coffee or practice or something. Anything to avoid going back to sleep.
Shepard wandered around the ship. Everything was dark and quiet. All but the most necessary staff were asleep, and those who were awake didn’t make a fuss. Shepard went on. She found herself outside the medbay, wondering when she had walked there, and turned to leave when she heard Mordin singing quietly to himself. The door opened, and Shepard went through. The customary smell of chemicals greeted her. Mordin looked up from his work.
It was interesting to see the commander like this. Though she wore her armor, (unusual on board) her usually kept hair was mussed. The dark rings around her eyes were deeper. Her skin seemed paler. All signs of exhaustion and or interrupted sleep. Hypothesis: nightmares.
“Shepard. Up so late? Humans require 8 to 9 hours of sleep to maintain optimum health.” Mordin frowned. “Problem?”
“No no, I’m fine. Just a little trouble going back to sleep.” Shepard reassured him.
“Will want insomnia medication. Dr. Chakwas keeps it in lower right drawer.”
“It’s all right, I don’t WANT to go back to sleep.” She looked down at her boots, awkwardly. “Mordin, do salarians have nightmares?”
That gave the salarian pause. “Salarian dreams brief, only require one hour of sleep. Nightmares do occur, however.” Mordin peered at her. “Shepard, want to talk about it?”
Shepard shifted uncomfortably. Mordin was giving her an opening, but it was embarrassing. She was a grown ass woman! She had fought rachni, krogans, and husks. She should be able to deal with a little bad dream. The doctor was still looking at her expectantly. “It’s silly…” Shepard began, before trailing off into silence. Shaking her head, she started over. “I had a dream that I was attacked by vampires…” She mumbled the name of the monster, embarrassed.
“I was chased, and I was caught. Didn’t have time to defend myself.” She looked down at her feet, waiting for a laugh or a sarcastic jibe. Military life didn’t exactly encourage “sharing”. It never came. Mordin patted her arm.
“Do not worry.” He assured her. “Vampires not possible. Blood not a sufficient nutrient source for large creatures. Undead or reanimated,” he glanced at Shepard, “would not be compatible with vampiric programming.”
”Well, as long as Science says they’re impossible.” Shepard said, as she went to sit on one of the medbay beds across from him. She did feel a little relieved though. And amused. Of course Mordin had thought about the likelihood of vampires.
Mordin smiled. “Happy to help.”
They fell into a companionable silence. Mordin went back to his work, something with plants, as far as Shepard could tell. Shepard rolled to lie on her stomach, settling in.
Mordin could tell Shepard was slowly relaxing. Every time he glanced over , some tension left her muscles. He remembered that certain low level vibrations or slower sound sequences were considered soothing to humans. With that in mind, he started to hum “Amazing Grace”, slowing the melody until it hopefully matched the sound of an Earth lullaby. From her position on Medbay Bed 4, Shepard yawned. With that accomplished, he turned back to studying the effects of eunidae plabus extract on non-biological material. It wasn’t until an hour later, when he was sure she was asleep, that he draped a blanket over his commander— no, his friend— no, his, his, to be analyzed at a later time, because humans require a higher temperature than the medbay to sleep comfortably.