N7 Month, 2025 - Day 9: Fracture
A little pre-romance Mshenko
Another Cerberus lab, another ghoulish display of rampant, unethical science. Another day aboard the Normandy SR-1.
“Definitely don’t envy you having to explain this to the Council, Commander.” Kaidan Alenko had pulled up a stool beside where Shepard lie in a bio bed in the medbay. Shepard’s armor had had to be carefully removed around a severely fractured radius. Dr. Chakwas had already removed the medigel from the area, braced the arm, then left Shepard beneath a regen light which began to knit his bone back together.
“It’s just a broken arm,” Shepard said, trying not to look at his arm. “I imagine they don’t need to know every bump and bruise.”
Kaidan huffed a small laugh. “I meant: the Cerberus lab. Everything their doing is in violation of Citadel restrictions. Cerberus thinks they’re helping humanity, but all they’re doing is hurting humanity’s chances of ever getting a seat on the Council.”
“Somehow I don’t think they see getting a seat on the Council as being in humanity’s best interest.” Shepard shook his head, “Anyway, you don’t have to wait for this thing to finish, Lieutenant. You can be done showering by the time this is done.”
Garrus had been cleared of his post-mission physical and retreated to tweak the Mako, but Kaidan always waited for Shepard to finish with his post-mission check-up before retiring to the showers. It’d become something of their custom: Shepard waiting for Kaidan when he’d had a migraine, Kaidan waiting for Shepard to get patched up from whatever it was happened to him. They had never really acknowledged it though; this was a first.
Kaidan shrugged. “I can wait. Would rather shower with you.” Kaidan’s eyes got wide, “That is, I won’t feel comfortable cleaning up till I know you can, too.” Shepard felt his ears turn hot, but gave a little head nod that acknowledged Kaidan’s sentiment without noticing his faux pas. Kaidan rubbed the back of his neck, now finding it hard to meet Shepard’s eye. “I was in and out of hospitals all the time as a teen. It sucked, but having to sit there waiting, alone, was the worst part.”
“It’s not the I don’t appreciate the company.” Shepard sighed, looked back down at his arm under the light, “Not so keen on my officers seeing me laid low like this, is all. The Alliance recruitment posters never show the N7 getting operated on in the medbay after the heroic mission, huh?”
“I understand, Commander,” Kaidan smirked. “But I don’t think you’re weak just because of a broken arm. I don’t think anyone would.”
“I appreciate that, Kaidan.” The two sat in silence, avoiding each other’s eyes for a long moment before Kaidan cleared his throat.
“Anyway, damn Cerberus for all this. Not just the broken arm, everything. Could write horror stories about the things we’ve seen in those labs. I don’t understand how an organization can be so… evil.”
“I’m sure they don’t see themselves as evil,” Shepard shrugged. “To them, they’re doing what’s best for humanity’s future, and they’ll do anything if they think it will get them there.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Kaidan’s voice rose, his brow settling over his eyes. “Anyone who thinks the ends justify the means is not invested in humanity’s future. I don’t see how you could be.”
“I suppose I can see some times when the ends might justify the means…”
“I can’t,” Kaidan shook his head. “Not of this, certainly. And I can say that, for myself: I never want to argue that the ends justified my means if those means involve hurting people or working for an organization like Cerberus.”
“If the Alliance had you do something you thought was unethical, even if the end would be a benefit for almost everyone, what would you say, then?”
Kaidan thought a moment. “I haven’t been asked to do anything like that yet. Who knows what I’d do if something like that came up. But I certainly wouldn’t be part of an organization that routinely made that excuse, and also the enormity of the crimes they are excusing.”
Shepard smiled. “I admire that about you Lieutenant. I think you might just be the first truly incorruptible person I’ve ever met.”
“Well,” Kaidan rubbed the back of his neck again, “Everybody’s just trying to do their best…”
The two continued talking for another twenty minutes before they noticed Shepard’s arm had been healed for some time.
“Well, no reason we can’t continue the conversation over a drink later? Kaidan?”
Kaidan huffed again, “Sure thing, Shepard. Would love that.”
