Chapter Text
F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “Show me a hero, and I’ll write you a tragedy.” Is a hero's tale only ever a tragic one? Are there not moments of happiness, pockets of light? Why does history only seem to remember the darkest of times and forget the brightest? These are moments that would never become history.
Urdnot Wrex - a krogan, a species known for looking down on the weak - teaching Tali’Zorah nar Rayya - a quarian, a species that were known for their weakened immune system - the best and fastest way to reload a shotgun.
The drone was damaged during the ride, but the picture it took survived. Shepard was in the driver’s seat and Wrex right beside her in the passenger seat. His mouth was frozen open and people would have believed that he was unleashing some krogan battlecry, if it was not for how he seemed to be pushing himself back in his seat. Behind him was Liara pressed up against the door to be seen over Wrex’s hump, teeth clenched and one hand with a deathgrip on the handlebar bolted to the ceiling. Tali was right beside her, but she was clutching Wrex’s shoulder with both hands, and even through her mask, it was obvious that her eyes were wide with fear. Garrus was seated behind Shepard, his talons tangled in his seat belt, mandibles flaring in fright. In the very back of the Mako, Ashley and Kaiden clung to each other for dear life, mouths dropped in terrified screaming.
Samara tried to teach Shepard how to do the biotic floating thing that all asari seem to know how to do. For all her skill as a biotic, Shepard just could not get the hang of it. The longest she lasted was three seconds and that attempt ended in a minor outward explosion as she lost control of her biotics, which knocked over Samara, who had been floating a couple inches above the ground as an example, causing them both to crash to the floor and those watching the display to explode in laughter. “By the Goddess,” exclaimed Samara, looking at Shepard incredulously from where she had landed, though she was obviously amused more than anything, “how were you ever called a biotic prodigy, Shepard?” Shepard did not answer, just remained on the floor, giggling.
Mordin and Shepard sing “The Krogan Queen” to an audience of two, Dr. Karin Chakwas and Urdnot Bakara, known as Eve at the time. Dr. Chakwas is cheering and applauding, and, though much of her face is covered, the mirth is obvious in Bakara’s eyes.
It was not a moment of dignity or grace. Shepard and Liara were seated on one end of the couch, Shepard holding Liara’s datapad out of reach. There were two reasons that Liara did not just get up and snatch it back: one, a very drunk Tali was using her lap as a pillow and, two, Liara was focused on keeping a bottle of turian brandy away from Tali’s grasping fingertips with her biotics. From her place on Liara’s lap, Tali said with utter wonder and awe, “Liara, are you seeing this? I’m floating stuff like you.” Liara’s will to get her datapad back and her focus on keeping the bottle airborne dissolved in a fit of helpless giggles that she smothered in the crook of Shepard’s neck. Shepard, also shaking with laughter, barely caught the bottle in her free hand before it fell onto Tali’s mask, which prompted Tali to say, “Give me back my thermal clips, Shepard Bosh’tet von Normandy!”
Steve and James asked Shepard, Garrus and Tali which was the better ride, the Mako or the Hammerhead, since the three of them were the only ones who had ridden both. Shepard sighed whimsically. "I miss the Mako."
As for Garrus and Tali, if either of them had been human, James would have said that they went pale, judging by how stiff and rigid their postures became. The two of them looked at each other over Shepard's head before Garrus began, "Either," and Tali finished, "As long as Shepard isn't driving."