Title: Commander Shepard, You've Got Mail
Summary: Every day, starting when Garrus rejoins C-Sec up until the destruction of the Normandy, Shepard and Garrus exchange emails. After all, good friends stay in touch.
Rating: K+
Pairing: Garrus/Shepard friendship, flirting
Spoilers: All of ME1
Timeline: post-ME1, pre-ME2
A/N: Read the chapter, then my other author's note down at the bottom. It explains what will be happening with this story after this chapter.
Commander Shepard, You've Got Mail
Part Twenty-Seven
Received: 10:49 p.m. 12/24/83
So, do you work tomorrow?
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 10:53 p.m. 12/24/83
Yes. Not certain what my hours are.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 10:58 p.m. 12/24/83
The Normandy is scheduled to dock mid-afternoon. I'll be the last off the ship.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 11:06 p.m. 12/24/83
I'll meet you if I can.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 11:12 p.m. 12/24/83
If I find out you've been skipping work...
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 11:17 p.m. 12/24/83
Don't worry, Shepard. I can be a good turian when I want to.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 11:23 p.m. 12/24/83
I don't doubt it. You probably work harder than half the officers in C-Sec, if Harkin was any standard to go by.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 11:29 p.m. 12/24/83
He wasn't. But C-Sec does have its fair share of corrupt and lazy officers. Not that I would ever speak ill of a colleague.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 11:34 p.m. 12/24/83
There are good cops and bad cops. Just make sure you stay one of the good ones.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 11:45 p.m. 12/24/83
Understood, Commander.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 11:52 p.m. 12/24/83
Don't be so stiff, Garrus. It's Christmas Eve.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 11:55 p.m. 12/24/83
Ah. Is there... anything special that I should say?
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 12:01 a.m. 12/25/83
Nah, not really. Oh! Merry Christmas!
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 12:05 a.m. 12/25/83
Merry Christmas, Shepard.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 12:08 a.m. 12/25/83
And a happy New Year!
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 12:13 a.m. 12/25/83
I don't know that one.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 12:17 a.m. 12/25/83
It's more widespread than Christmas but not as commercialised. Lots of drinking and fireworks. Watching the ball drop in any major city back on the homeworld, or NYC if you're really traditional. Kissing somebody when the clock strikes twelve.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 12:24 a.m. 12/25/83
Humans have the strangest traditions.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 12:28 a.m. 12/25/83
I guess we do. I don't even know where most of them come from. I guess the kissing thing is supposed to be good luck for the new year.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 12:33 a.m. 12/25/83
Interesting. All humans participate in this custom?
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 12:37 a.m. 12/25/83
Well... I don't know. People who want to. If you don't have anyone to kiss, you're supposed to find someone. A total stranger, sometimes, but I've never done that.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 12:45 a.m. 12/25/83
That seems unhygienic.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 12:49 a.m. 12/25/83
We've been through this before, Garrus. Humans aren't the most logical species in the galaxy.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 12:54 a.m. 12/25/83
Compared to the rumours I've heard of asari holiday celebrations, you aren't the only ones.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 1:07 a.m. 12/25/83
Oh God. I don't even want to think about it.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 1:10 a.m. 12/25/83
These sleeping pills are about to kick in. I should probably get off my terminal.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 1:15 a.m. 12/25/83
Sleep well, Commander.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 1:19 a.m. 12/25/83
You too. No staying up all night. We've got a busy day tomorrow.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 1:23 a.m. 12/25/83
Aye aye, Commander.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 9:14 a.m. 12/25/83
Ow, my head. Chakwas must have amped up my medication dosage. I only just got out of bed.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 9:17 a.m. 12/25/83
The doctor doesn't do things without a reason. You probably needed it.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 9:24 a.m. 12/25/83
I know, but still. She doesn't know how much a soldier panics when they roll over, check the clock, and see that it's past nine in the morning. I almost had a heart attack.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 9:28 a.m. 12/25/83
Can't say I've ever had that problem. Internal clock. All turians have it. Our biology tells us to wake up whenever we need to.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 9:35 a.m. 12/25/83
Really? That's handy.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 9:39 a.m. 12/25/83
A necessary evolutionary fail-safe. With the radiation levels on Palaven during the day, our ancestors needed to know exactly how much time they'd spent under the sun each day. With modern timekeeping, it's no longer necessary, but genetics die hard.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 9:44 a.m. 12/25/83
That's still really handy. Wish I had one.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 9:48 a.m. 12/25/83
Hmm. There's probably implants available somewhere, legal or otherwise. It wouldn't be difficult to sync up human brainwaves to an externally controlled timekeeping device, although it might increase the risk of sabotage.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 9:55 a.m. 12/25/83
Thanks, but I'll pass. Chakwas wants me down in the med bay to run tests on my amp. I might not be back for a while.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 10:03 a.m. 12/25/83
I'll finish these reports in the meantime.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 3:55 p.m. 12/25/83
Joker says ETA forty minutes. Meet you at the docking bay? Or are you too swamped in paperwork to leave the office.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 3:58 p.m. 12/25/83
Can't make it. We'll meet later.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 4:04 p.m. 12/25/83
Kaidan says hi.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 4:07 p.m. 12/25/83
Good to hear from him. Will he be joining us for dinner later?
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 4:09 p.m. 12/25/83
I don't think so. He's visiting family.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 4:12 p.m. 12/25/83
Right. Well, tell him I said hello.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 4:14 p.m. 12/25/83
So what's first on our schedule?
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 4:17 p.m. 12/25/83
I thought we'd drop off your things first. Then if you're hungry, we could go out for dinner. Catch up over drinks.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 4:21 p.m. 12/25/83
Sounds perfect. I haven't had a decent drink since we left the Citadel last time.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 4:24 p.m. 12/25/83
Well, we can't have that. I'll get the bartender to mix up something special for you.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 4:32 p.m. 12/25/83
You spoil me. Catch you later?
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
Received: 4:36 p.m. 12/25/83
In the middle of some very important reconnaissance. I'll message you when I have a time and place.
(Sent from private terminal of Officer Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security)
Received: 4:39 p.m. 12/25/83
I'll be waiting.
(Sent from private terminal of Commander Artemis Shepard, Alliance Navy)
A/N: So, can I get a drumroll please? Announcing...
...
CHRISTMAS SHORE LEAVE MULTICHAPTER!
You heard right! I've had this in the works since about ten chapters ago. Starting tomorrow, Commander Shepard, You've Got Mail will be on official hiatus, and The Heart Asks for Pleasure First will officially begin. Standard uploading schedule, one chapter per day at optimal output speeds, with longer chapters to boot. I've already written 55 pages and 25k+ words with no end in sight, so expect a long one, folks: in the spirit of CSYGM, of course, with banter, movie dates, confectionery, and the best video game friendship in the galaxy.
If you have me on Author Alert, fantastic, you'll get an email tomorrow about the new story. If you don't, check back tomorrow, and I'll have the link posted to the end of this chapter (here: http: / / www . fanfiction . net / s / 8013854 / 1 /). Failing that, keep an eye on the Mass Effect archives.
Thanks for coming along for the ride, guys, and I hope you enjoy the new story!
~Chi Kyoku