Chapter Text
There was a crash, and a thump, and when the elevator doors opened, her mouth acted without even consulting her brain.
"Freeze!"
With her combat awareness engaged, it took only a fraction of a second to take in the whole room: Ashley at her station, a half assembled shotgun in hand. Tali beside the workstation of the currently absent requisitions officer, arms crossed and head cocked. And in the center of the floor, Wrex pushing Garrus to the ground in a hold that looked both secure and painful.
"Stand down. Release him."
The krogan stepped back, and she watched Garrus pick himself up with mandibles drawn tightly to his jaw.
"Anyone care to explain what the hell is going on here?"
With an amused rumble in his voice, Wrex answered, "Just a little sparring, Shepard."
"Sparring. Is that true?"
She turned to Garrus who was standing at attention with the uneasy tension of a man who knew he had done something wrong, but wasn't sure what.
"Yes, Commander."
"Really?"
"Relax, Shepard. I was just showing the kid some moves his fancy C-Sec training didn't prepare him for."
Garrus nodded, though she could see him bristling at Wrex' choice of words.
"Is that so."
She crossed her arms and gave them her best Deciding Fate of Subordinates glare while she scoured her brain on whether that was a turian or krogan cultural thing, and how she'd best handle the situation.
When in doubt, put the question to someone else.
"Now what do you expect me to do about this?"
"Well," came Tali's thoughtful voice from the side, "you could order them to take off their shirts."
There was a suppressed snort and she turned to Ashley, who was busily polishing the shotgun, with the rigid expression if someone trying hard not to smile.
"Any thoughts, Chief?"
"Sorry, ma'am. Just trying to be respectful of other cultures and customs. Didn't want to cause offense."
Now it was Shepard's turn to bite back a smile. Nice to see that Ashley had gotten so comfortable around the aliens that she'd even let her snark show a little.
She turned back to the would-be combatants.
"Are you aware that on human vessels, we do not condone crewmen beating each other up?"
Garrus obviously hadn't, judging from the surprised flicker in his eyes, but Wrex merely shrugged.
"Bloody stupid idea, if you ask me. How are they going to learn? Look at that one." He waved his hand in Garrus' direction. "There's finally some sense leaking into that tiny plated skull. Would be a shame if he got killed the next time a real fighter gets in close."
Shepard stepped forward until she could grin in his face.
"Aw, Wrex, that is so sweet. I didn't know you cared."
He grinned back.
"Maybe I just enjoy slapping turians around."
"Maybe."
But she would have bet serious credits that that wasn't the whole reason.
"Commander, I have received extensive training in hand-to-hand combat, and I'm definitely able to hold my own in any fight!"
Garrus sounded so pissed that almost wanted to pat his head.
Might actually be good for him if he can learn something from Wrex.
"Really." She moved over to the row of lockers and leaned against the wall. "Then impress me."
After a second's hesitation, they both assumed their combat stance. Garrus attacked first, as she'd expected, and she watched them move back and forth.
He hadn't been exaggerating about his training. Every move he made looked polished and confident, and she was certain that he was used to having the upper hand in most fights.
Wrex on the other hand had several centuries of experience on his side. He moved with an economic precision that appeared almost lumbering, only to turn into lethal quickness at the right moment.
He was also holding back.
Garrus, though, had apparently taken her "impress me" at face value and seemed to be giving it his best. Occasionally, after a particularly smooth attack, his eyes flickered in her direction as though to gauge her approval. It was during one of those split-second lapses of attention that Wrex finally advanced. With a move that seemed both effortless and inevitable, he half-flipped the turian in the air, then pinned him to the floor in the same hold she'd seen on her arrival.
"Dammit!"
Garrus struggled for several seconds, but the krogan didn't move an inch. Eventually he relaxed.
"All right. Now how do I get out of this?"
"You don't. You avoid getting into it. Get up."
Wrex stood up, and Garrus followed suit.
"Try that last attack again."
As she watched them move through the sequence several times, Shepard had to admit that Wrex was a surprisingly good teacher. He needled and mocked and taunted, but in between, his feedback and instructions were clear and to the point. Garrus, for his part, appeared quick to take the suggestions and adapt them to his own fighting style, though more than once she saw him pause and take a deep breath as though struggling to keep his temper in check.
At one point, she caught Wrex' eye and was suddenly sure that he knew exactly what he was doing. And was enjoying every minute of it.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Tali shifting her stance and turned to her. Noticing her attention, Tali tugged on a fold of her suit and cocked her head in askance. Shepard smiled and shook her head softly, which made the quarian give an exaggerated disappointed slump.
After a few more repetitions, as Wrex attempted the flip again, Garrus finally managed to twist away in a move that looked like it should have dislocated both his hips, but didn't seem to faze him.
"Yes!"
His triumph lasted all of two seconds before Wrex swept his legs out and knocked him on his back.
"Not bad. But can you do it again?"
As Garrus scrambled to his feet, Shepard pushed away from the wall. She'd have liked to stay and watch, but the ship didn't run itself and she still had people to check in on.
"All right, boys, I'll leave you to it. But Wrex? Try to leave my ship in one piece, will you?"
"Hah. I'll try. What about your turian?"
She gave Garrus an appraising look, then grinned.
"Guess he'll have to fend for himself."