[He thinks about not picking up. The last thing he wants to risk is Joker hearing when it hits. But if he keeps it short...]
CALLING: Vakarian, Garrus
I. Don't. Know.
[There's anger in his voice, frustration too, both of them making up most of what's in his subharmonics, but there's a faint under-rumble there. He's lost. He doesn't understand this, and he doesn't want the agony but there's nothing for it.]
Can't relay what I'm about to say to Shepard. She's Grey. Telling her will probably land you with this too. But we don't have a general gag order.
Our orders were recon. Do you really think Tali and I fucked up recon? Get intel about a neraki village. We got it. I have nothing else to give you, Moreau.
So, what, they're just punishing you arbitrarily? And who the fuck tortures their personnel when a mission doesn't go down right?
[It's mostly a rhetorical question-- clearly the CDC does-- but still. What the fuck.]
I know you two aren't idiots, you can run a recon mission in your freakin' sleep, but-- shit. There's nothing you can do to stop it, is there?
[He wants to talk to Shepard, because the default response when shit goes down is to make it Shepard's problem too, but landing himself in hot water for nothing doesn't help anybody. Which means all he can do is sit there and wait until it happens and hope that no one dies or anything.]
What, you think I could stop it and I'm sitting on my hands because I want this? Because I want this for me, Tali, the kids that landed on the list, Noh, any of them?
[His voice is clearly asking if Joker is stupid.]
What do you want me to say? And tell me fast, because I'm about to switch back to text.
[He knows the answer to the question, that's not why he asked it-- it's because he hates this stupid helpless feeling when something's wrong and he doesn't know how to fix it. He could play up being a grumpy smartass all he wants, but this is his crew. He cares, even when he doesn't show it.]
I want something to do that isn't sitting on my ass, Vakarian. What were you expecting, for me to just be cool with this shit?
[He wants to help, even if there isn't any way that he actually can.]
There's nothing else to do. Really wish I had anything else to tell you. Last time the punishment happened, Krios broke a gag order. I didn't realize he was doing it at the time. Then the announcement goes up and he's showing me why.
It'll be thirty seconds. It won't kill me or Tali. And as far as what to take from this... Just the fact that they're doing it, really. Gonna go back to text for anything else, Joker.
[It's one thing to not trust the CDC and think that they'll go back on all their promises to keep their homeworlds safe, but it's a whole different can of bullshit to actually torture your own personnel, even if it's only for thirty seconds. The former, Joker expected; the latter, not so much.]
insert a good 2 minute delay here
[You better fuckin' pick up, Vakarian, or else he will spam call your ass, do not test him.]
[And when he does:]
What in the actual fuck?
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CALLING: Vakarian, Garrus
I. Don't. Know.
[There's anger in his voice, frustration too, both of them making up most of what's in his subharmonics, but there's a faint under-rumble there. He's lost. He doesn't understand this, and he doesn't want the agony but there's nothing for it.]
Can't relay what I'm about to say to Shepard. She's Grey. Telling her will probably land you with this too. But we don't have a general gag order.
Our orders were recon. Do you really think Tali and I fucked up recon? Get intel about a neraki village. We got it. I have nothing else to give you, Moreau.
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[It's mostly a rhetorical question-- clearly the CDC does-- but still. What the fuck.]
I know you two aren't idiots, you can run a recon mission in your freakin' sleep, but-- shit. There's nothing you can do to stop it, is there?
[He wants to talk to Shepard, because the default response when shit goes down is to make it Shepard's problem too, but landing himself in hot water for nothing doesn't help anybody. Which means all he can do is sit there and wait until it happens and hope that no one dies or anything.]
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[His voice is clearly asking if Joker is stupid.]
What do you want me to say? And tell me fast, because I'm about to switch back to text.
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I want something to do that isn't sitting on my ass, Vakarian. What were you expecting, for me to just be cool with this shit?
[He wants to help, even if there isn't any way that he actually can.]
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There's nothing else to do. Really wish I had anything else to tell you. Last time the punishment happened, Krios broke a gag order. I didn't realize he was doing it at the time. Then the announcement goes up and he's showing me why.
It'll be thirty seconds. It won't kill me or Tali. And as far as what to take from this... Just the fact that they're doing it, really. Gonna go back to text for anything else, Joker.
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[It's one thing to not trust the CDC and think that they'll go back on all their promises to keep their homeworlds safe, but it's a whole different can of bullshit to actually torture your own personnel, even if it's only for thirty seconds. The former, Joker expected; the latter, not so much.]
Just... ping me later or something, okay?
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I will. I'll make sure you know I'm not dead.
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and let me know if you need anything
painkillers. nanites. a kick in the ass. y'know, whatever.
A few hours later
Maybe I need you to kick your own ass. Do you actually have any sort of painkillers?
Re: A few hours later
not right at this exact second
FROM: moreau.jeffrey@cdc.org
but we have medics and i am a professional at harassing doctors, so give me like fifteen minutes and i should be able to scrounge something up
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I'll nominate you for something. Sainthood. Do they do nominations for that?
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how the fuck would i know
FROM: moreau.jeffrey@cdc.org
brb, going to harass a doctor
or whatever this anders guy is anyway
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Mage. Healer. He actually does magic. I can't really explain it. But I've seen enough that I'll call it that now.
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okay, cool, i really don't care what kind of bullshit sparklemotion he can do so long as he can pull a bottle of morphine out of a hat
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I don't know what all Medical has at the moment. Don't push too hard, yeah?
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don't worry, vakarian, i'll be professional and discreet
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Somehow I'm not comforted by that.
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i'm sure i have no idea what you mean
as an alliance officer i always conduct myself as befits my rank and station
something something dignity and respect etc etc
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How many times have you stolen the Normandy now?
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does the time i stole it from cerberus count
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Half-points, since you weren't exactly acting as an alliance officer while working with them.
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so then it's only 1.5 times that i stole the ship
that's practically respectable
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You keep telling yourself that.
FROM: vakarian.garrus@cdc.org
Gonna rest my eyes. Let me know if anything pans out. Or if Anders sets you on fire. Either way.
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like i haven't been threatened with that before.
FROM: moreau.jeffrey@cdc.org
rest up, lazyass. i'll ping you when i'm heading your way.
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later than expected, because he stopped at Tali's first
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