The morning after (Zakera medical clinic)

Gestran Toresen is no stranger to hangovers after parties but the current throbbing in his head and the swolleness of his throat is an altogether unfamiliar sensation.

He is laying in a hospital bed on zakera ward, stable but still under observation untill the staff is certain that all traces of the turian cupcakes he ingested have left his system.

He looks to his hospital door as a tall scarred man enters. Gestran is guessing that he's not to happy, something that he doesn't exactly blame the man for.

"And I figured my cat allergy was bad. Shows what I know, Eh boss?"

Vohkaidin Knox said nothing for a moment, content to frown severally at the bedridden man for a long moment, eyes grim.

Finally, he eased further into the room, and pulled into a chair.

"I don't know Gestran. What do you know?"

Vohk questioned, his voice low.

Gestran takes a deep breath, slowly letting it out while looking blankly into the air.

"Well, jack shit apparently." "Well that's not true, I do know about the whole chirality thing. Girlfriend is a molecular biologist for christ sake, any lecture you give me about this will be nothing compared to what she will dish out." "It just sort of... I dunno... Didn't occur to me to be quite honest. You know I'm sure you're used to the whole color label thing but for me it was a first and I came in grossly unprepared."

He sighs again.

"You gotta remember that I've never had much to do with aliens before the war. The few times that I did was in a professional military way where the matter never really arose so to speak and they were asari in any case, so yeah. During the war it was busy most of the time as I'm sure you know."

He lets out a sort of sad half laugh while shaking his head.

"To be honest I was giddy like a baby at the sheer idea that I was attending a mixed species dinner party." "Always wanted to get to know some aliens." "Never studied them in detail." "sorta wanted to get to know some for myself first if you know what I mean." Well, at least I gave good practical lecture about the color of the contents of human intestines to a quarian with OCD."

Vohk let him go on for a minute before speaking.

"I certainly hope she gives you all the crap you deserve and more over this. Last night I had to explain to her, how, after living on the Citadel for nearly half a year, the most cosmopolitan place in the galaxy, you somehow overlooked basic food safety requirements."

Vohk pinched the gap on his nose, looking upward for a moment, before speaking again.


"I need you to get your shit together Gestran. We're going to be embarking on our first effort outside of the Sol system, and that means working with alien cultures and people. If I can't trust you to not know what to eat, how can I trust you to even be aware of basic cultural courtesy?"

Vohk asked, his scars particularly noteworthy in the harsh hospital light, as he frowned at Gestran.

"Also, concerning the quarian you spewed all over, I'm deducting from your pay compensation for his suit, along with additional credits for mental trauma. When you've been released, I'm going to have you deliver those funds to him, and then personally apologize for making a complete ass of yourself. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear boss. I also feel bad about vig... I mean Sarah. Gonna have to apologize to her as well for messing up her little soire. If you see her before I get out, tell her any damage I may have caused is on me."

"As for the cultural knowledge part, I'm signing up for a course as soon as they let me out." "I may not look it but I am a man who belives in education."

"Believe in it all you want. Learning and knowing how to use it is what I want to see."

Vohk informed gutturally, before softening slightly.

"How are you feeling right now? Have the doctors said when they'll let you out?"

"Aside from lingering guilt?" Just a slightly swollen throat." "Doctors told me I'm free to leave tomorrow if everything goes as planned."

He takes a pause closing his eyes, listening to his body as if to check for anything wrong.


"I'll be fine boss." "Just got a few things I need to think over." "You'll have me back in action fixing those trucks in no time."

"Good to hear."

Vohk said, before frowning once again.

"Now, suck on your meds until they release you, and when you get out, do you damnedest not be anywhere that you can't help but screw up with."

Vohk started to make his way to the door.

"Meanwhile, I have to assure a turian chieftain that we don't think she tried to poison you with pastry. Something I never, ever, expected to do."

And with that the door closed, leaving behind Vohk's bemused exasperation like a palpable cloud.

Gestran leans back, closes his eyes and sighs.

"Well that could have gone a lot worse"

After relaxing for a bit, he hears a familiar voice down the hallway.

"This one will be worse"

Seeing her distressed face didn't make it better. He hadn't seen her like that since he found her again.

"Considerably worse" he thought as they embraced.