Arashu's Gift

Chapter 12

"If I remember right, the only time I've seen a similar feat was from Kasumi on Bekenstein," Shepard said, bringing her fork to her mouth.

"Wandering among enemies while cloaked doesn't count as a feat," Vakarian said, stirring the contents of his bowl.

"What the hell did Kasumi do, Shepard?" Jack asked, taking a bite of a red fruit.

"She jumped on a gunship hovering in the air, and deactivated its shield with her bare hands. Oh! And then she did a hero landing."

"It doesn't compare to snapping the neck of a krogan, Shep," Miss Goto said, looking at Thane sitting at her left.

"A true warrior needs no more than their hands to take down enemies," Samara said, taking a sip of her steaming tea while she stood by the kitchen cupboard.

"You're stronger than you look, drell. It's not easy to take down a Krogan Battlemaster without extra help or bullets," Grunt said, taking a seat next to Shepard with a plate of food.

"Strength irrelevant. Technique, however, critical for such a feat," Doctor Solus, who was standing next to Samara in the kitchen, suddenly said. "Despite Thane's diagnosis, flawless performance and lethal result. Impressive."

"I've never met a professional assassin," Tali'Zorah said, sitting next to Vakarian across from Thane. "Nor a drell!"

"Benefits of joining Shepard's team, Tali," Vakarian said. "We're a floating circus. No offense, Krios."

"None taken."

"Krios is an ace in the art of killing, that's why we recruited him," Officer Lawson intervened, heading out of her office located behind the kitchen. "Judging by his dossier, what Shepard tells us is but the tip of the iceberg."

"Alright, let's see, Krios," Vakarian interrupted, flaring his mandibles. "How would you kill each of us?"

"You? Side kick to the knee, an armlock to cause your legs to lock so I can break them. I'd finger-stab you under the jaw or in your eyes, and I'd grab you by your head fringe to snap your neck."

"Goddamn it, drell! As quiet as he always is, you wouldn't tell," Zaeed Massani said, rummaging in the fridge non-stop.

"Now you know, Garrus," Pilot Moreau interrupted through the loudspeakers, "gotta be nice to Thane."

Vakarian flared his mandibles.

"What does the armlock have to do with the leg-lock, Garrus?" Tali'Zorah asked.

"A lot. Don't ask, Tali," Vakarian said.

"A goddamn cruel and brilliant strategy. Turian legs lock in response to pain," Massani explained. "In my days with the Blue Suns I had to deal with a couple of turians with my bare hands."

"As I said, it doesn't compare," Miss Goto said, disappearing behind the sparkling effect of her cloaking shield.

"And how do you handle the whole embracing eternity issue, Thane?" Jack asked.

Front approach, throat-punch to collapse airway, arm control lock to neutralize biotics, advanced hip throw, grip chin and scalp to neck-snap.

"Not looking into their eyes," he said.

Everyone in the mess laughed out loud.

"Your advice is two years too late, Krios," said Vakarian. "Right, Shepard?"

"Fuck you, Garrus," Shepard shot back, still focused on her plate.

Thane looked at his. After leaving Life Support, Shepard had suggested a classic example of human cuisine: spaghetti and tomato sauce. Sargent Gardner prepared the portions in record time. To go with it, Shepard had spread grated cheese on top. Apparently, it was a favorite of humans, for Operative Taylor had also ordered one and taken his plate back to the Armory.