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Hello, Garrus. I hope you have been well.

I apologize if this is an intrusion, but I recall that you have mentioned before that you served on a ship in your homeworld [ no wait ] home galaxy, excuse me. I was hoping I might be able to ask you more about that experience.

Hey, nice to hear from you.

[WHAT A COINCIDENCE. Kind of.]

No, it's all right. Caught me at a good time. What did you want to know?

Anything you would be willing to share, really, but I know that's awfully vague.

Well, to start with, what was your vessel's purpose? Or perhaps mission, whatever is the appropriate vernacular.

[ Or maybe "prime directive." ]

Well... it was a warship. Every time I served onboard, there was some huge crisis or other. Rogue agents, imminent threats of genocide, war to preserve all life in the galaxy - that kind of thing. There was one time we had to go pick up a data module from a planet populated by... I guess you'd say they were "monkeys". That was weird.

[THAT was the weirdest thing you did, sir??]

Mostly, I maintained the weaponry, and went planetside on missions with the Commander.

[ A warship, she expected. Garrus has mentioned a war in the past.

... A planet populated by monkeys, he did not.

(That sounds absolutely fascinating.)

But one thing in particular, Zelda hones in on. ]

The Commander of your ship? [ That's very relevant to the idea starting to take root in her mind. ] Tell me about them. What were they like? What sort of responsibilities did they have aboard your ship?

[ Zelda knows how to lead. That isn't a problem. But there's a big difference between leading a kingdom (especially one as self-sufficient as Hyrule currently is) and commanding a ship. ]

Edited 2024-09-07 19:12 (UTC)

[What were they like?]

[What a question. There's no way she would have known that, of course. But after that whole conversation with Darin, it... punches that raw nerve, just a little. Probably dead, says the bitterest part of him. It's not something he types in, of course, and is strangled before he thinks too much on the last time he saw that familiar armor retreating.]

I don't know if words can really do Shepard justice. And that's not exaggeration. [Maybe it is, a little.] I've never known someone that determined, that dedicated to everyone on their crew. To the whole galaxy - even the ones who didn't deserve it. The galaxy put Shepard through hell and all it did was piss the commander off. Made Shepard more determined to do the impossible. I can't think of a single other person who I'd follow without hesitation. And... I'm rambling, but. Shepard saw a lot of crap I'm not proud of. And still trusted my judgment. I owe Shepard... everything. Every damn sentient being in the galaxy does.

[And they might never acknowledge it.]

[ Oh wow, Zelda didn't expect to hear such open praise and admiration for his commander. Garrus doesn't strike her as the sort of person would extol praise lightly, so this Shepard must be just as incredible as he says.

This is helpful, too, because it gives her an image of what a good commander looks like. Someone dedicated to everyone on their crew, and everyone beyond it, regardless of whether they deserved it or not. Someone who didn't back down when things got tough, who was determined to do the impossible. Someone who inspired those who served under them. ]

They sound truly extraordinary. Any government would be lucky to have such a person in their service.

[ And it sounds like whoever Shepard served didn't appreciate them.

There's a brief pause before Zelda continues. ]

The reason I ask is because I am entertaining the idea of chartering my own ship and hiring a crew to helm it. I am just a researcher; I know nothing of commanding a ship. But the thought refuses to leave my mind and I am compelled to pursue it, if I can.

The whole galaxy was lucky to have the Commander. I

[He doesn't really know what to do with himself without that figurehead to fall in line behind. Without that central figure. He's making do. He has to. And that's no one's problem but his own.]Sorry. I already said that.

[So, in that case, he'll move on to what she's talking about, instead of dwelling.]

If ships here are anything like where I'm from [Except, you know, floating on water.] if you're not sure about overall operations, most of the time you can hire out. Pilots, mechanics, gunners, all of that. Leadership isn't something you can hire, though. It takes something special. But if you get a dedicated enough crew, they're usually willing to forgive a few slip ups here and there.

[ "Pilots, mechanics, gunners," Zelda writes them all down. ('Pilot' might not be the right vernacular, but it doesn't strike her as odd; the Champions were considered 'pilots' of their Divine Beasts.) ]

At present, I am considering taking command myself. It is my endeavor, after all; I hate to burden someone else with that responsibility.

[ Is it a little strange that a simple researcher doesn't seem to be intimidated by the process of commanding a ship? Maybe. ]

How do you find people you can trust to be part of your crew? I cannot say that I know many pilots, mechanics, or gunners in this world.

[That is a surprise. But maybe she led a research team or two back in her world. Or she really is like Liara, with a hidden streak of take-charge.]

Can't say I saw that coming. On the other hand... the researcher I knew back home took a ship for herself, too.

[The ship and the entire Shadow Broker network.]

Start with people you already know. See if they can fill in any of the roles you need. And if not, see if they can recommend someone who does. That's sort of how I got started with Shepard to begin with. One of the current crew suggested they recruit me.

[ Zelda has been a little worried that it might be suspicious for a researcher to suddenly decide to take command of her own ship, so Garrus's remark actually puts her at ease. (She'd honestly really like to meet this researcher he keeps talking about. She sounds very interesting!)

Start with the people she knows, huh? Well, that's what prompted her to contact Garrus in the first place. Seems like she's going in the right direction, at least. ]

What made you decide to join them?

[ Pay? Benefits? Ideology? Hyruleans are duty-bound to serve the Princess of Hyrule; a simple researcher will need other ways to incentivize people to serve with her. ]

[Now that they're actually talking about it, this is somehow easier than it was. Like the ball got rolling and now there's no stopping it.]

We shared a common goal. At the time, all I knew was Shepard was hunting someone I wasn't allowed to take down myself. And was willing to take on extra hands. I was willing to work with a human I barely knew, because I'd have the chance to accomplish my goal. Then... time went on, I saw more of how Shepard operated. Saw their command style. And I respected them for it all. By then, the Normandy was the only ship I wanted to serve on.

[And then it blew up. It blew up with Shepard on board, and his life went down the tubes.]

[ She writes down "common goal" and "command style," underlining them both. That makes sense. Serving on a ship is not the same as other jobs. Finding people who align well with Zelda's goals and ideology should probably be among the most important criteria to take into account when hiring her crew.

Perhaps this will be more like being a sovereign than she thought.

Garrus's response brings to mind several questions she wants to ask him about his role aboard the Normandy and his history before he joined it, but the chance to learn more about this commander he holds in such high regard is one Zelda can't pass up. ]

Can you tell me more about how they ran the Normandy? What made their style of command different from others you served with?

Up until Shepard, every commander I served under was by the book. Expected you to acknowledge their rank, experience, jump when they said, the whole package... Then again, most of my previous commanding officers were turian, and that's... Well. That's a whole other thing.

[That's a cultural thing. And a C-Sec thing. It was the worst.]

Shepard... wasn't like that. Listened when you had concerns, took time to just be with crew. Help where it was needed. Most of us used "Commander" to talk to Shepard, but they never jumped down your neck if you dropped it from time to time. There was nothing Shepard wouldn't do for the crew. Our security got breached, once, whole staff on board captured. And instead of writing them off, continuing on the mission as planned, Shepard made damn sure every one of them got back alive. Not a single one left behind. ... And there was nothing any of us wouldn't have done for Shepard, in return. If we were ever asked.

[ Zelda scribbles down a bunch of notes about Shepard's particular style of command and their treatment of their crew. They clearly earned their crew's loyalty and trust through their actions, rather than their rank. They sound like a rather... nontraditional commander. Or, perhaps, a commander not afraid to break with tradition when it conflicts with their own values.

It reminds Zelda a bit of her own style of leadership. The Hyrule she found after being freed from the seal was very different than the one she knew before the Calamity. Instead of reestablishing the monarchy as it once was, Zelda took her time to travel the kingdom and learn about it-- what kind of place Hyrule was now, what kind of people lived there, what those people needed in a sovereign. She has adapted her method of leadership to best serve her kingdom, rather than forcing her kingdom to adapt in order to serve her. ]

They sound truly exceptional. I have known few who would go to such lengths for their people.

[ Zelda pauses as she considers her words. Scrolling back through their conversation, she realizes she hasn't really told Garrus her idea. ]

I have an idea to establish an organization which would dispense relief and aid to the survivors of the various crises this world is prone to. To run a "relief ship," as I have been given to understand is the proper vernacular. Given the factionalism in this world, those who take no allegiance are prone to be overlooked by the paladins and corsairs when it comes to the dispensation of aid. I seek to address this disparity.

Yeah. Me too.

[He's never been happier to read a change of subject. Honestly, he's not sure how much more he could have said, so easily. It's closing in on something he doesn't want to broach. Not now, maybe not ever. Not to anyone.]

[Who the hell here would understand, anyway? Not that it would be any of their faults. Far from it.]

A neutral ship, huh? Doing aid and supply runs... I don't think it's a bad idea, in theory. The trouble is, with things like that, is you're always going to run into people who think first responders and aid suppliers are a good target. I'm not saying don't do it. We probably need it. I am saying, I think you'd need to be prepared for trouble, as important a mission as that is. Weapons and some kind of, I don't know, ship armor, if that exists. As defensive measures, or last resorts.

[ She frowns. ]

Weapons and defenses are far beyond my area of expertise.

[ Zelda taps her pen against the sheet of paper where she's been writing her notes and a few minutes pass before she responds. Unsurprisingly, Garrus's advice thus far has been incredibly helpful, and both his knowledge of weaponry and his past service experience would be invaluable assets to this undertaking. However, Zelda doesn't really have anything she can offer in compensation for his service; she hasn't even tried to secure a donor. All she can offer Garrus is her thanks, and gratitude doesn't exactly pay for food and rent.

... Well, there's no helping it. She'll just have to make a leap of faith. ]

I hope you will forgive my forwardness, as this idea is yet in its early stages and thus this invitation premature, but would you be willing to consider joining my yet-unnamed organization as head of defense and weaponry?

And you need not answer me now-- especially given I have yet no source of funding and cannot offer you payment for your service and, as you said yourself, such a vessel is an easy target. But your knowledge alone would give this undertaking a viable chance to succeed and it would be a great oversight on my part not to formally ask your continued aid.

Why, Zelda, are you asking me to calibrate your guns?

[ W A I T ]

[WAIT A FUCKIN SECOND HERE.]

... I mean. Literally. Literally calibrate and look after the weapons. Yes. I am more than happy to. Clearly.

[Please kill him. Where's the ocean, let him throw himself into it.]

It's something I like doing. I'm good at it, and it beats kicking around trying to keep myself busy with anything I can get my hands on. I don't mind doing it pro bono either, if you need time to get things put together. Like I said, I enjoy it.

[ Zelda

doesn't know what to make of that response.

He means that literally, right?

... Right?

Because that also kind of sounds like a euphemism-- which Zelda really hopes is just a result of her misinterpreting his words on account of the fact that she's still feeling rather keyed up after having Darin stay in her apartment for a few days last month-- ]

[ Fortunately, she gets another text from Garrus while she's still in the middle of frantically typing out a terrible reply and then hastily backspacing it. Oh thank Hylia, taking that and running with it. ]

You will? Really?

[ Sure, she's the one who asked him, but she didn't actually think he'd agree right off the bat! Especially for no pay. ]

Thank you, Garrus, I am truly grateful.

[ And then, a moment later. ]

You are certain you don't mind the lack of pay?

[May a black hole swallow him entirely.]

Yeah. It's no problem. Like I said, I enjoy that kind of work.

[It was his favorite thing to do on the Normandy.]

Besides, I've got savings here. More than enough to work off of until everything gets off the ground.

[ And that exchange will never be spoken of again. ]

That is good. I still live by rather limited means myself. One finds employment opportunities somewhat limited when one's skills are solely academic in nature.

[ Being poor is tough :( Zelda had no idea it was this hard to be a commoner. ]

And you will probably have ample time to take on other work for awhile. I've never taken on a project of this scope before, and even when I've lead research teams in the past, I have always had a benefactor to fund the expeditions. I hesitate to find out what an entire ship will cost.

Yeah, here, I can imagine how that'd be hard. I guess anywhere they'd probably always want proof of your record, huh? Schools, degrees, and that kind of thing.

[Hahaha says the guy with basic schooling and then basic training.]

Hah! I knew it! Soon as you were talking about leading your own ship. [Garrus what - no, stop. Don't give her a another fright.] You've led digs and expeditions. I knew it.

[... oh. It's how you think she's Liara. Okay.]

Maybe there's somewhere you can get a grant from. An aid grant or something like that. Because, come to think of it, you'll need to get funds from somewhere to keep the ship supplied.

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1/3.. probably...

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yeah 3/3

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