Chapter Text
The knock at his door comes sooner rather than later, and, though it could be one of several people – Williams, coming to check up on him, Sara wanting to talk about what happens next, Dr. Chakwas to check on how he’s feeling – pure instinct tells Rhys it isn’t any of them. Nevertheless, it’s expected.
“C’mon in.”
With Kaidan’s advancement to Captain of the Normandy and all the benefits that come with it, Rhys inherits the XO quarters. It’s only now as he’s putting away his few belongings and searching for a good place to hang his hat when he discovers just how tight a fit the room is. Just a few paces across either direction, enough room for a bunk, a desk, and a small table with two chairs. Tucked snug against the bulkhead is a storage compartment for the rest of his clothing and carved out low near the floor, space for his boots.
The door opens as he drops his shaving kit into a drawer and closes it, making a mental note of a few items he should pick up the next time they’re in port. Only then does he turn around.
“Settling in okay?”
Rhys chuckles, a wry sound but relaxed enough, as he eyes the man before him. They’d always been of a similar height, but thanks to a biotic metabolism and, no doubt, an Alliance training regimen, Kaidan’s topped out just an inch or so taller.
Kaidan smirks as his eyes darting quickly back to Rhys’.
Grinning and unable to stop a flash of heat from rising to his cheeks, Rhys removes his hat and tosses it – barely two arms’ lengths away – onto the desk. Sparing Kaidan a glance, he replies to the original question, “I haven’t had quarters this small since grad school, you know.”
One dark brow arches – in question or amusement, Rhys isn’t sure – as Kaidan steps inside the room, but it’s impossible to miss the twitch of the corners of his lips. “Alliance regulations and all that. At least it isn’t one of the sleeper pods and a locker.”
The fall into their easy camaraderie and banter from the old days happens without thought, but a flash of something – a gentle ache, an awkward reminder of things that might have been – tightens in Rhys’ chest. He’d forgotten how appealing that twitch could be.
Covering any hesitation with a soft snort, he allows an exaggerated sigh to slip past his lips. “There is that I suppose.” Glancing around the room, he adds, “These rooms always seemed so much bigger when I was a child.” Never mind that those had been family quarters on a cruiser and likely ten times the size of this room.
Twitching lips give way to a full-fledged grin as Kaidan folds his arms across his chest. “Guess it’s a good thing you’re single then, isn’t it?”
Another snort rips free of Rhys’ chest before he can stop it, but right on its heels is something less amusing; doubt. The last time they’d seen one another is a less than fond memory for Rhys, and with all that’s happened over the past few days, he isn’t sure where they stand with each other just yet. Before, it was easy enough. Life and death situations have a tendency to get people to work together for a common cause.
But now? Sure, there’s something of a ‘common cause’ still out there, but it’s more vague, hazy, and not even really Rhys’ concern, if he’s honest. But he’s promised to help, so here he is.
Clearing his throat and hoping he doesn’t come across as too rude, Rhys asks, “Did you need something?”
Kaidan’s wide grin softens into a more relaxed smile. He looks at ease – far more so than Rhys feels in that moment, if he’s honest – and he leans a shoulder casually against the wall. “Not need, exactly. I just wanted to check in with you. It can a while to get used to quarters this small.”
Rhys grabs his desk chair and flips it around backwards, straddling it like he would Thunder back home. Resting his arms on the back, the wry twist from earlier returns to his lips. He gestures at one of the other chairs, inviting Kaidan to stay. “Wouldn’t exactly say I’ve had time to get ‘used’ to anything just yet. Not with how fast everything’s turned around.”
It’s as Kaidan reaches for the chair – the slightest hiccup in his movement, a tic at the corner of his amber gaze, the way he sucks in a quick, sharp breath – that Rhys realizes Kaidan isn’t as unaffected as he had thought. Kaidan drops onto the chair with a soft thud, honest and somewhat contrite words tumbling from his. “Rhys, I’m sorry. I know I promised you could walk away after meeting with the Council, but –”
Rhys sighs and lifts his hand, effectively silencing him. Wow, that’s a first, isn’t it? Have I ever had that effect on you before? Taking a slow breath, he lets that thought pass. “But you still need me. Yeah, I get it.” He pauses a second before admitting, “And, hell, if I was in your place, I’d probably have done the same thing.”
One of Kaidan’s brows arches in disbelief, but it’s the only sign of argument he shares.
Ignoring it, Rhys continues, “Point is, I’m here now, and though I’m not quite sure how, I I’m here to help.”
Tension that Rhys hasn’t noticed bleeds off Kaidan as he straightens in his chair. Leaning forward, the commander folds his hands together in front of him, and when he speaks, his voice is low with a hint of urgency to it. “I don’t know what the hell we’ve gotten ourselves into, Cowboy, but I’m hoping since we both got visions from that beacon, we’ll do better together than on our own trying to figure it out. Something tells me it’s the key to all of this.”
Shock at the use of the old nickname is chased off just as quickly at mention of the beacon and their visions. A ripple of unease chases down Rhys’ spine. Kaidan might think two heads are better than one in this; Rhys isn’t so certain.
Silence fills the room after Kaidan’s words fade, but he keeps his full attention on Rhys. Rhys fights against running a finger between his neck and collar to loosen it. Clearly, Kaidan wants a response. But what? How?
Inhaling deeply, he fights for time to think. Kaidan isn’t that patient. “Has any of it started to make sense to you?”
Of course, Kaidan has to ask. And Rhys just promised to help if he can, so he needs to come up with an answer.
Closing his eyes, Rhys turns his head slowly, stretching out the muscles in his neck. He hasn’t tried revisiting the visions since waking up in the medbay. It’s the last thing he wants to do, reliving it all over again. If he’s honest, the memory alone is powerful enough to leave him more than rattled.
But Kaidan’s right; they need to know more about the beacon, about their visions, what they did when they activated it.
Closing his eyes, Rhys draws in a slow breath and cautiously prokes at the memory...
...and is met by a pulsing ache that bursts inside his head.
“Rhys!”
He isn’t aware he’s fallen until he opens his eyes. When did they close? The room isn’t bright, but what limited light there is sends a wave of pain through Rhys’ head similar to when his migraines kick in. He swallows convulsively...and realizes Kaidan’s kneeling on the floor beside him, over him, eyes and jaw tight with concern. Blinking slowly, Rhys finds his voice, asking roughly, “What...”
Kaidan lifts Rhys – how did his arm get around his shoulders? – and something soft slides beneath Rhys’ head. A pillow? “Wait here, I’ll go get Dr. Chakwas.”
The mere thought of having to face the doctor again for reasons tying to the last time prompt Rhys to groan. “No, Kaid-”
Kaidan is out the door before Rhys finishes saying his name. Faster than he’s ever seen Kaidan move before, and that includes fighting the geth on Eden Prime...
In that instant, the full extent of how worried Kaidan is dawns on. What the hell?
Absently, Rhys wipes his upper lip. He’s surprised to feel a cool dampness, and even more shocked when he glances down to find traces of red on his fingers. He’s still staring at it in confusion when the door to his quarters slides open once more. Kaidan enters, this time with the doctor in tow.
As before, Chakwas is the epitome of professionalism. She kneels beside him while pulling up her omni-tool to run a preliminary scan. “Look at me, doctor,” she instructs, her voice just sharp enough to catch his attention while she moves a finger from her other hand back and forth in front of his eyes.
Rhys winces but does as she asks. Iron hand in velvet glove, professionalism, he amends silently. It’s annoying, sure, but he does as she asks while sending out a silent prayer of thanks that she doesn’t have one of those awful penlights ready and waiting.
Assured of his attention, she firmly grasps his chin, no doubt to keep him from looking away. Once she lowers her omni-tool, she brushes a finger across his upper lip. As had his, hers comes away with the slightest tinge of red on the tip. “Do you often get nosebleeds with your migraines?”
Rhys thinks about shaking his head – his voice doesn’t want to cooperate – but he’s afraid it will trigger another wave of pain. “No,” he manages to croak. “Only the worst ones.”
Crouched just behind the doctor and off to one side so he can watch, Kaidan asks, “How many since Jump Zero?”
Rhys’ breath hitches and for just a moment, he meets Kaidan’s eyes. In them, he finds the old horrors reflected back. Rhys shivers. “Since then? Once.”
Kaidan’s eyes widen just a fraction; it’s an admission Rhys doesn’t want to make, not when Kaidan will know exactly when that one time had been.
Chakwas starts rolling up Rhys’ sleeve. He’s in no state to protest – verbally or physically – and even if he can, it only takes a moment to realize that she’s treating this incident like a migraine, complete with a dose of meds to soothe the pain.
The thought is enough to get him to relax.
As she’s rolling his sleeve back down his arm a moment later, she says, “You are a most cooperative patient, doctor.” Either these are the fastest working meds he’s ever had or there’s magic in her smile, because Rhys is already drifting away on a wave of relief. “Just give that a few minutes to kick in and the pain should ease.”
So much for the magic. “Th-thanks, doc.”
With that out of the way, she pulls up her medical scanner once more. “So, in your own words, please tell me what happened.”
Rhys blinks, partly at her words and partly at how it keeps Kaidan silent. “Not sure exactly. Tried to...” Tried to...what? Frowning, he looks beyond her at Kaidan. “Something about the...the visions?”
Kaidan nods. “I’d asked if he remembered anything about the vision he received from the beacon. Next thing I know, he’s falling on the floor and has a bloody nose.”
“Unconscious?”
Kaidan nods. “Before he hit the floor, I think,” he adds. “He was only out for a couple of seconds. That’s when I got you, doc.”
“Hmm.”
Chakwas rises to her feet and Kaidan follows before both offer Rhys a hand. Rhys accepts their assistance without question. There’s really no other way to get up...unless Kaidan uses his biotics, but that’s just a waste of time and energy. And besides, Rhys can’t imagine the doctor allowing it after Rhys’ bloody nose. So, they do things the old-fashioned way. It takes a couple of tries but eventually he gets his feet beneath him. Kaidan ducks under Rhys’ arm in support. It’s awkward in more ways than one, but it keeps Rhys on his feet.
“I’m going to go add this to your medical notes,” the doctor explains to Rhys as she types on her omni-tool. “Perhaps, let’s not try it again, hmm?”
Rhys manages a small smile – at least, he thinks it’s a smile, though the amusement that flickers in the doctor’s eyes leaves him wondering. “Sure, doc.”
She leaves the two of them, and after the door closes behind her, silence fills the room again.
The continued awkwardness of it eats away at Rhys. Finally, unable to bear it, he begins, “Kaid –”
As if suddenly realizing it himself, Kaidan shifts his position and guides Rhys the couple of steps it takes to get to his bunk. “Hush. Just lie down for now and get some rest. We can talk again later.”
It’s difficult to argue with the idea – Rhys is practically half asleep already – and, before he knows it, he’s covered by blankets and fighting to keep his eyes open. His last thought as sleep takes over is that he’s exhausted in a way he’s never quite experienced before. That idea sets off all sorts of mental alarms, but he can’t really do anything to stop it.
In the last moment as he drifts off, Rhys swears he hears a soft whisper from across the room as the door whooshes shut.
“I’m sorry...”
~
Momentary confusion greets Rhys when consciousness finds him again. Though the room is dark, the sensation of being enclosed in a too small space is very real. But in the half second when claustrophobia starts rearing its ugly head and Rhys bolts up in bed, memory returns to chase it away.
Slowly, Rhys eases himself onto his feet. The pain in his head is tolerable now; just an echo left behind, no worse than the aftertaste of Milo’s coffee back on the ranch and just as distasteful. Glancing around the room, he notices the two chairs have been set back to their proper places. With an abundance of caution, he retrieves his hat, tugs on his boots, and makes his way to the door. So far, so good.
The lighting is brighter outside of his quarters, but surprisingly not painful. It takes him just a minute of squinting to adjust. After that, it’s simply a matter of remembering the layout of the Normandy.
He finds the mess without too much difficulty, recalling that the doctor’s office is off to one side and the captain’s quarters – now Kaidan’s – are to the other. The mess is nearly full. Apparently, he’s arrived just in time for a meal.
“Hey, Doc!”
Sara’s bright voice reaches Rhys from the galley. A few of the others – Chief Williams, Tali’zorah, Urdnot Wrex, and Doctor Chakwas – sit at the table. All four glance over at Rhys and offer welcoming smiles. He’s still trying to sort himself out, but Rhys manages a brief smile in return before heading over towards Sara. “What’s cookin’?” he murmurs when he arrives.
Sara’s laughter – somewhere halfway between a giggle and a full-blown belly rumbler – is as heartening as it is worrying. “’What’s cookin’,’ Doc?” she echoes, but gives him a playful wink at the same time. Rhys just sighs. Her sense of humor has always been odd. Something must show on his face, however, because the smirk softens into something more understanding as she adds, “It’s tame, I promise. Just some scrambled eggs. Thought it might help.”
Thought it might help...
Rhys frowns. He has no doubt she can read his current state – he’s not even trying to hide it after what happened earlier – but how did she know he would be up and ready for food? “Did you bug my quarters?”
The laughter returns, quick and effusive, as she shakes her head. “Nope. Doctor Chakwas said you might be wandering in here soon,” Sara explains. “Said you’d had a rough go of it earlier and something simple would be best. I offered to cook.” Shrugging, she scoops the eggs onto a plate before handing it over to him. “Go sit down and dig in. I’ll get you some tea.”
Rhys just stands there, staring at the plate in his hands. “Sara, you don’t have to –”
She nudges his shoulder, ostensibly to get around him to start the tea, but in actuality pushing him in the direction of the tables. “Go on, Doc. They’ll get cold if you don’t eat them now!”
He wanders across the room and drops into the empty seat besides Williams and across from Chakwas. He’s about to greet them when he realizes he has no idea what time of day it is out here, so instead says, “Howdy.”
Williams snorts and there’s a suspicious twitch at the corner of Chakwas’ lips, though the doctor is too polite to laugh aloud at him. Wrex just looks confused and Tali...well, hidden behind her mask as she is, Rhys has no idea what she’s thinking.
“’Howdy?’” Williams chortles. “Seriously, Doc?”
If he felt better, he might join in on the joking, but the smell of the eggs triggers his belly to rumble, so he focuses on food instead. The first bite is like ambrosia, and it’s all he can do to not inhale the rest.
“How are you feeling, Dr. Shepard?” Chakwas asks. Her smile behind the rim of her cup is twitching again.
“Better,” he assures her in between bites. After swallowing, he asks, “What’s going on? Do we have a destination yet?” He recalls there had been some hesitancy on where they would go after leaving the Citadel.
“The commander is up in the CIC sorting that out as we speak,” Williams replies. She lifts her own mug, and the scent of strong coffee reaches Rhys’ nose. “You sure you’re up for this?”
It’s a question he’s been asking himself ever since Kaidan started pushing for him to join the crew, if he’s honest. Still, he agreed, so no sense in sharing those doubts now. “Are any of us?” he asks in return. After another mouthful of eggs – he makes a mental note to have to have Sara show him how to make them like this – he asks the group, “Anyone know if there’s somewhere I could set up a lab, of sorts? If I’m going to be helping with the prothean stuff, I need some place I can spread out a bit.”
Williams grins but it’s the doctor who smiles back as she replies, “We’re way ahead of you there, Doctor. Commander Alenko has arranged a room for you to use.” Her head dips in the direction of the medbay. “When you are ready, come see me and I’ll show you.”
The soft thunking clunk of a mug at his elbow alerts Rhys to the promised mug of tea and Sara takes a seat beside him. Rhys inhales deeply and catches the light floral scent of the tea. Across from him, Dr. Chakwas’ smile widens in approval. Rhys takes a wild guess. “Your personal stash?”
The doctor chuckles. “Indeed. You’ll have to let me know what you think of it.”
He takes a cautious sip. Something akin to... Earl Grey but lighter. “It’s nice,” he replies.
It only takes a few more bites to finish off the eggs. With nothing else to do to occupy his time, he says, “Doctor, can we go look at it now?”
“I’m sorry?”
“The lab,” he clarifies. Rising, he returns his plate to the galley, setting it aside with the others waiting to be cleaned. “The sooner I get a start organizing, the better I’ll feel about this misson.” Which is the truth, more or less. The other side of it was that if nothing else, it gives him a purpose aboard the frigate, albeit a temporary one.
Dr. Chakwas must understand, because without another word, she leads the way to the medbay. With a pat of Sara’s shoulder in thanks for the meal, Rhys collects his mug and follows.
In the far back of the room, he discovers a doorway he never noticed before. Dr. Chakwas leads the way inside, crossing the small room to move a few boxes off the desk and against the bulkhead. He sets his tea aside and grabs the last box before she can, setting it with the others. Turning back, he takes a good look at the space. Needs more light, and fitting in a couple of computer terminals and other equipment might be a challenge. He glances over at Chakwas. "It's a bit...understated, don't you think?"
The lip twitching returns. Still, her manners are impeccable, and the bright glint in her eyes are a subtle sign of that wicked sense of humor. "I think you will find there is plenty of working space, Dr. Shepard."
He bites back a sigh and nods, properly chastised. It’s the nature of a frigate to be small and compact. He’s probably lucky that this room can be converted.
Collecting his mug, he downs the tea in three or four gulps now that’s it cooled off. Taking another look around the room, he makes some mental notes, then reaches to touch the brim of his hat with his fingers, lifting it slightly and nodding at the same time. "Thanks, doctor. This is going to require some thought.” He glances down at his now empty mug. “And another drink."
A soft, almost elegant snort echoes through the room. "Don’t tell me I am driving you to drink already?"
Grinning and affecting his best western drawl, he counters, "Depends on your particular poison, Doc."
"Well, you aren't likely to find anything much stronger than coffee out there." She gestures towards the galley on the other side of the bulkhead.
Rhys actually winces at that. Not that he expected anything else, but...he’s experienced the Alliance version of coffee over the years. To say that he prefers Milo’s home brew back at the ranch over it is really saying something.
"On the other hand..." A secret smile crosses her face as opens a desk drawer.
The tin she pulls out is nondescript, but the moment the lid comes off and he inhales, Rhys recognizes the aroma from earlier. Closing the distance between them, he lowers his voice conspiratorially. "Doctor...don't tell me you have a hidden stash of the Earl on board?"
Her lips press into a thin line as she gives him a look that under other circumstances, might be chilling. It’s the flicker that quickly returns to her green gaze that warms it up into something more teasing. "That depends, Doctor. Are you willing to chip in when it's time for a supply run?"
Rhys tips the brim of his hat once more. "Absolutely," he promises. "And should you wish it, any other...companions?" He winks. “Can’t let the Earl be lonesome, now, can we?”
Her laughter is bright, bubbly, and it lightens up the room considerably. "Why thank you, Doctor." She extends one hand and Rhys takes it in his. "That will be delightful."
Rhys accepts another teabag for now while Chakwas assures him he is welcome to access it anytime he wishes. With that knowledge tucked away and whistling a light, jaunty tune, he heads back to the galley for more hot water.
Feeling almost normal now, he's met by the quiet hum of the ship on the other side of the doors...and the commander now sitting with the others. They all seem in deep conversation, though Williams waves him over. "Hey, Doc. Remember that question you asked? We have an answer for you now."
“Be right there.” Rhys makes quick work of the water and soon joins them, this time sliding into the open seat between Kaidan and Sara. "What's going on?"
Rhys hasn't met many krogan in the past. Big, bulky, lumbering, usually hot-tempered, they remind him far too much of some of the people from his past. Still, from what he’s seen so far, Wrex has a pretty good sense of humor, and his laughter is the kind that invites others to join him, no matter the reason. "Just talking about our first destination."
Rhys tilts his glance towards Kaidan, one brow arching upward while fighting against a sudden sense of dread at the krogan’s comment. Wrex also has a heavy sense of sarcasm. "And where might that be?"
"The Knossos system in the Artemis Tau cluster." Kaidan takes a sip of his – Rhys wrinkles his nose in distaste – coffee. "We got a potential lead from Udina.”
Snorting around the edge of his mug, Rhys mutters, “That’s a first.”
Kaidan grins but says nothing in response. Instead, he continues, “He’s found us another prothean expert to consult.”
Williams shifts uneasily in her seat. “Are you sure we’re supposed to consult with her, sir?”
“I did say ‘potential,’” he replied. Turning his attention back to Rhys, he continued, “Remember those voices Tali shared with us?"
Rhys nods, searching for the name. “Benezia and Saren?”
"Right. Turns out, Benezia’s daughter is a prothean expert and she’s on Therum at the moment."
Mug halfway to his lips, Rhys stiffens. Benezia’s daughter... He’s never heard of Benezia before today, so what he knows about her is what they all know, but he does know the prothean expert currently digging on Therum... "I see." His mug hits the surface of the table with a thud and ignores the couple of drops of tea that splash out onto the back of his hand. "Her name – the daughter, I mean – it doesn't happen to be Liara T'Soni, does it?"
Everyone around the table grows silent and turns to face him. "You know her?"
There's a strange resonance as all five of them ask the question together and it sends an odd chill down Rhys' spine. "Yeah, I do." Rhys gives Kaidan a sheepish look. "She's the friend I sent the message to for you while we were on the Citadel."
Kaidan’s eyes widen. "You never said she was on Therum!"
Rhys shrugs. "You never asked,” he counters. “Anyway, there’s a prothean dig site there, one that we've been trying to get access to for years, and she finally succeeded where we all have failed in the past." Gotta love the asari and their ability to keep trying over centuries. "She even asked if I'd be interested in going, but I’d already left for Eden Prime by then."
“How long until we reach Therum?” Sara asks.
Kaidan glances at his omni-tool. “Joker says he’ll have us there in three hours, tops.” Rising, he adds, “Everyone be ready. We likely aren’t the only ones looking for her.”
~
The time flies by, too fast for Rhys’ liking in some ways, but just as Joker’s bringing them into orbit around the planet, Rhys makes it down to the cargo bay...to find the others all kitted out and boarding the Mako without him.
A sense of betrayal nearly overwhelms him.
Stalking out of the lift, Rhys glares at Kaidan who, to his credit, is waiting for him unflinchingly. "Oh no, you did not just cut me out of this mission!"
Williams, Sara, and Wrex are the last to finish suiting up and walk over to join the commander while Tali and Garrus continue ducking into the vehicle.
Rhys ignores all of them, his eyes solely on Kaidan. After all the pressure and fuss about bringing Rhys along, if Kaidan thinks Rhys isn’t going to go with them, he needs to think again.
There’s a strange sense of satisfaction in discovering he can still find new ways to leave Kaidan speechless. In that moment, Rhys turns towards the lockers and starts suiting up. It’s that movement that snaps the commander back to reality. "What did you just say?"
"You heard me." Rhys yanks open his locker, the one Williams assigned him shortly after boarding, letting the door bang loudly into the one next to it; Sara’s. Inside, he grabs the light armor Williams supplied him with upon boarding the Normandy and starts changing.
"Rhys, you're a civilian!"
Without looking over at his friend, Rhys continues changing. "And you’re the one who recruited me for this mission."
He can feel Kaidan's glare on his back. "As a prothean specialist, not as a combatant!"
Carefully, Rhys removes his Stetson and hangs it on the hook in the back of the locker. Won’t do to lose it again. "Too bad, Alenko. You wanted me here; you've got to deal with the consequences." Shutting the locker, he fumbles with the straps and clips until Sara comes to his assistance. With her back to the others, she smiles up at Rhys widely; it takes all of his willpower not to smile back. "Besides, you need me. Do you really think Liara is going to come with you just because you ask?"
She probably would, but that isn't Rhys’ point right now. There will be the inevitable long discussion detailing reasons, perhaps an exchange of information about the protheans and why her expertise is needed, maybe even a hypothetical posits or two, and then she would agree – probably – but they don't have that kind of time. And besides, Rhys really wants to get a look at this site, as fleeting as it might be.
Ryder pats his shoulder and turns him towards the armory where Williams is pulling out a shotgun and a pistol for Rhys. "You're good to go, Doc."
This time, he does smile at her as he closes his locker. "Thanks, Ryder."
Williams hands over the weapons and Rhys nods his thanks before turning towards the Mako. Wrex is halfway inside the vehicle now and Ryder is hot on his heels. Williams scampers around Rhys and Kaidan, unable to hide a smirk as she passes them. When Kaidan says nothing else, Rhys moves around him. Kaidan, however, slides between Rhys and the hatch sighing heavily. “As much experience as you have with a shotgun, you aren’t a trained soldier, Rhys. I can’t in good conscience let you be a part of the ground team.”
Irritation flutters beneath Rhys’ skin. Lifting his hand, he draws a bit of dark energy around it while facing Kaidan. Patting the shotgun locked to the weapons brace, he growls, “You know I can take care of myself well enough.” He gives Kaidan a lopsided grin, though there is a bit of a feral edge to it. He isn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer. “Just ask those flashlight heads on Eden Prime.”
They stare at one another in silence for a short time until Wrex's laughter fills the Mako, bleeding out into the cargo bay just enough to include them. "Let the kid come along, Alenko," the krogan barks out in the heaviest handed suggestion Rhys has ever heard.
Kaidan sighs again and runs his hand through his hair before taking one step to the side to let Rhys pass. “You are still a civilian. I need people with me who are going to follow the orders I give, not debate me over every little thing they don't like about them.”
Rhys pauses before replying back in a low voice, “I know how to follow orders, Kaidan. I was at BAaT, too, remember?”
Their eyes meet again, and this time, Rhys is the first to waver. Clearing his throat, he says, “Let me put it this way: I've been on several prothean digs, and you're going to need me to help you find Liara. I'm not going to do anything stupid, but if something happens that I can't handle, I trust you with my life to make sure I get out of it alive. Just like on Eden Prime. Is that good enough for you?”
A pained expression flashes behind Kaidan’s eyes, and for just a moment, Rhys thinks he’s not going to be allowed after all. Finally, though, Kaidan nods. “Fine. But just so you know, I’m considering this a trial run. This is in no way a guarantee you will get to go out on other ground missions.”
Rhys grins wildly and claps a hand on Kaidan’s shoulder before turning back to the Mako. Despite Kaidan's protests, Rhys is pretty sure he'll be able to prove he's an asset to the team and someone to be included in future. "You bet, commander.”