[Tayseri Ward] The Beat (semi-open)

If one thing never changed, different police force, different system, war or not, it would be the paperwork. Reports and reports and reports. Maiha stared at her terminal, fingers tapping against the holo keyboard, trying to keep her expression from being anything other than 'bland disinterest'. Any other facial expression made the bruises patterning her jaw ache.

It turned out that subduing a turian could be painful, particularly if one was trying to keep his friend in stasis and a table was present.

The station was a low hum of voices as officers worked at their desks, pored of reports or came in and out. She was still very much the new girl, hence the paperwork, but she was starting to get to know some of the others. She'd had to try and study alien customs (don't call human hair 'fur' etc etc) but in all honesty, her co-workers were refreshing.

So far, the move to C-Sec had been the right one.

"Denalius!" The boss was ex-Hierarchy Navy and it showed in the way he spoke. His orders never left room for argument.

"Yes sir?" She turned to look at him.

"Patrol. You're with Sullivan. Get out there, get seen." Without waiting for her answer he turned on his heel and left.

"...uh, yes sir." She stood, picking up her holster and sidearm and fastening it, before going to look for Sullivan. He'd been showing the ropes so to speak.

"Hey, it it isn't my favorite Rookie." Michael smiled as Denalius approached him. "Boss man told me that you would be my partner again." He was currently checking his side-arm. "Luckily tonight there isn't too much going on that I've heard about." He strapped his side-arm up to his body. "So all we have is a regular patrol. You know, show our faces, that sort of thing." He started walking, not checking if Denalius was following him or not. His pace was a slow walk, making sure to take his time as he examines the occurances around him.

"So Rookie," He began, glancing back at Denalius, "Don't know much about you. All I know is what you've said and what's in your file. So you were an officer back in Serrice, that's on Thessia right?" He asked, his voice inqusitive, but not demanding. He's done enough interrogations to know when to push and when to hold back. He thought about it for a few moments. She's lived her whole life with Asari, she must be dying to know what humans were like. "How about we play a game? I ask you a question, and you ask me a question. We can refuse to answer any question, but then the other person can ask a different quesiton." He was genuinely curious. First off this was a practical matter. He's only served as a Human Law Officer and here on the Citadel, so he didn't really have much of an understanding of how law was dealt with by the Asari or the Quarians. Any information that could help him better enforce the law would be a huge help in the multi-cultural Citadel. Also as the leading officer in their patrols, he should know the sort of person he was working with.

Second was from a more curiorsity that came with being an officer of the law. One pursues every single angle. It was now a second nature to him.

Third was actually more of an order from his boss. Find anyway to make her feel comfortable working for C-Sec. They needed every single recruit they could get. Even if it meant sacrifcing a bit on Michael's free time. Especially if it meant sacrificing Michael's free time. He never did understand why the boss loved tormenting him during the job so much. Michael guessed it was just the bosses way of showing Michael that he did care about Michael. Well, they were old partners after all.

Maiha fell in beside him at that steady pace, carefully scanning her side of their surroundings for anything amiss. The normal weekend crowds filled the streets and corridors of the wards, 'cars racing above their heads. She enjoyed the life of the wards. For all its misfortunes, the Citadel continually got up, brushed itself off and continued to live.

"Yes, on Thessia. One of the major Republics. My department looked after the city itself," She replied, "I still miss Serrice of course, but the Citadel is growing on me." Maybe that wasn't completely true. She missed what Serrice had been, not what it was now. She fought a long enough battle for it, but there came a time when you had to accept defeat, regroup and look at your options. That time had come not four months ago.

At his proposal of a game she tilted her head, running her eyes over a group huddled together twenty metres away. After a moment, she determined they were looking at one man's omnitool with the newest version of Alliance Corsair playing and moved on, "Sure. What do you want to know?"

Michael thought for a minute before he asked his question. "How long have you been a cop, Rookie?" was his first blunt question. He could tell she was holding something back about Serrice.The slight inflection of the voice, the way she didn't truly sound like she was upset at being in the Citadel. He was too experienced for anyone (even a veteran cop) to pull one over him. But he wouldn't press. Everyone had things they didn't want to remember. Hell, he remembered on the news when Thessia was hit. It seemed like hell. Just like Earth. But they survived it, and was stronger for it. But some memories were better left forgotten. Especially when it came to losing your home.

He glanced over to the group playing the game. Innocent. But the war changed somethings. You became distrustful of crowds. Denalius had noticed them and obviously didn't think of them as a threat (rightly too). But one could never get over the fact that when before something in the corner of your eye was mostly trying to kill you, now it was mostly innocent. Maybe one day he could get past it all.

His thoughtful glaze ended as he suddenly turned back to his partner of the night for a mere second before his eyes wandered again. He awaited her answer, all the while taking note of his surroundings.

Maiha shrugged, "About forty years all up. Before the war happened, I was applying for detective."

Not that I probably would've gotten it.

She stretched slightly, nodding to a woman who smiled in passing. It was odd how people reacted to cops. Some smiled, some frowned, some tried to ignore your existence. Some looked like they'd love to introduce your face to their fist or talon. Yet others looked sick if you so much looked in their direction. "How about you?"

Not the most original question, but they were feeling each other out. They might well need to trust each other with their lives one day, after all.

Michael thought for a moment. "Technically two years, but I served ten years in a colony as an Alliance Marine, which really was the closest thing to law enforcement in the colony. So I'd probably say twelve years, Rookie. So less then you, but given our difference in ages, we've probably got about the same relative experience." He smirked at his answer. She should probably call him rookie. But he has been in the force longer, so that would not fly. He glared at two teenagers who seemed to have nothing better to do then block the patrol route.

"So, have any loved ones out there? Family? Bond mate? Friends? Whatever you want to call them?" Michael asked, deeming that the question would better let him understand the Rookie, but at the same time not be too personal. Family was often the most likely answer to why someone does something like join C-Sec. They wish to protect it at all costs. Hell, part of the reason he joined the Alliance Marines.

One of the teenagers brushed her shoulder as they passed and she immediately placed a hand over her holster to secure her weapon just in case, fixing the kid with a dark stare. The teenagers moved on and she removed her hand. Couldn't be too careful with your weapon, particularly with the duct rats in this area of Tayseri.

"No, no bondmate," She was only two hundred, far too young to be settling down, "My mother and a sister live on Thessia and I'm living with my closest friend. My other sister was in the Commandos." That was pretty self-explanatory and the loss had dulled to a soft throb at the memory of Aisha, "Whereabouts are you from?"

Michael smiled softly at Miha's words. Everyone lost someone in the war (or even before the war). Even though everyone else is also hurting, also feeling the pain of a loved ones death, it didn't change the fact you are also hurting. You are also in pain.

"New York." Michael finally answered. "It's a city on Earth. Apparently back about two hundred years ago, The city was an important icon for the country it resided in The United States. When I was born though, it was just a massive city. Hell most of the eastern seaboard, it's where New York was located, was just one massive city. No one actually knew how many people live there, but it is probably in the Billions. Or, at least was. My family left when I was thirteen. I never went back until after the Reaper War. Thought I could help rebuild. And there was this one place, a bakery I went to as as kid. Off of fourth street and seventh avenue. The whole street was destroyed. So few buildings standing, and even less in good condition. The bakery was no exception. But it reminded me of home. Of what I'm fighting for. You know? For kids to have memories from tiny bakeries that shouldn't survive, but it always does." Michael closed his mouth. He hadn't intended to say all of that, but when asked about where he was from, memories flooded back to him. Happy and sad times. But a reminder of what he was fighting for.

"Anyway Rookie, enough of my angst-riddled past, why did you join the prestigious field of law enforcement? The glory? The hunks, or babes, I don't discriminate? The fact you put yourself in a ridiculous amount of danger, or my personal favorite you get the handcuffs and gun. The first allows many, unfortunately human males though I'm sure you could find others who do the same, who ask if you want to arrest them, usually in some perverted manner. The second allows you to threaten them once that occurs."

Maiha could remember all too well how it sounded in a city cracking apart around you. The screams, the sound of masonry falling to the street as skyscraper toppled-shoved aside carelessly by a passing destroyer, the howls of husks. And then, when it was over, the back-breaking, heart-sapping work of trying to fit all the pieces back together.

She shook the memories off. There were many reasons she'd left Thessia, but she wasn't going to keep living in the past. She was here, she was alive and she was going to get that goddess-damned detective position at some point.

"That's the way it is everywhere," She said softly.

At his question she grinned widely, "Definitely the glory. You know, the glorious days you spend writing parking tickets or neck-deep in paperwork. I particularly love working on weekends like this." After a moment she shrugged, "Honestly? Originally for idealism," She rolled her eyes, "Protect the community and all that. I stayed because I'm good at it and it has its moments."

Micahel grinned at her response. "Idealism. It's so grand when you are young. But once you start to age," Micahel paused, trying to frame the next words just right to catch what he means by it, "You just wish that you hadn't wasted your years chasing some dream instead of actually doing something." He emphasized the doing with a long wistful undertone. He glanced around, and noticing nothing off, turned back to his partner for the night.

"So, where you aiming for in five years, Rookie? Executor? Captain? Detective?" Michael asked. A citizen passed by, whom he gave a quick nod. An attractive twenty something year old woman, whom he had no trouble with giving a linger glance when she passed by. He smiled back at Maiha, waiting for an answer, ignoring the fact that his mind was, with no doubt for the next few minutes, in some other fantasy world.

Maiha shrugged, "I do feel I've done some good over the years. Sometimes it feels like not enough, but..." She shrugged, "If I was naive going into it, what's that excuse? I was young and stupid." They wound through the street/corridor, their uniforms clearing a path.

"Heh," She smiled at his question, "I'd like to make detective eventually. Been wanting to for a while. I want to get settled into C-Sec first though. I'm still the new girl afterall. So, why'd you leave the military for Citadel Security?" He looked distracted, which she noted with a smirk but she didn't say anything.

Michael scratched the back of his neck, quiet for a moment once she asked her question. "After the war I was a bit lost. Spent a few months wandering around. I mean, you know how hard it is to leave your home knowing it'd be destroyed, or watching it be destroyed. I had nothing left. I'm a soldier in a universe without war, a universe needing to rebuild. I could build houses, or dig ditches, but what about after that? C-Sec presented an opportunity for me to make that jump from war into rebuilding."

He thought for an extra moment. "It's hard adjusting to a new life. But it's either this or stay behind in a war mindset. As much as I wanted to stay back on Earth I couldn't. So I came here, got sponsored for C-Sec and joined. And I've been doing it ever since." He shrugged. "It's not perfect, and lord knows I didn't think of this as being my future when I was young. But I can't imagine myself in any other position."

He let his answer sink in before asking his question. His eyes flashed mischievously, wanting to get past this topic. "Soooo..... In the time that you've been here, met anyone you wanted to take to bed?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and his eyes glinted with good natured teasing.

Maiha glanced at him during his answer, "That's rather...poetic in its own way. Honourable of you even. And goddess knows C-Sec needs rebuilding." Being hit three times in as many years hadn't done great things for the force's manpower, experience or morale. There were a few dreary vets from before '83 who drifted around looking a bit like a huntress with too many missions under her belt.

At his question, she laughed, grinning, "Been too busy to do much beyond the occasional aside glance, I'm afraid." Not to mention some aliens' belief that she would be up for anything just because she was a Maiden was a bit off-putting, "Anyone special in your life?"

Michael smirked at the question, trying his hardest to not laugh. "And make myself unavailable to the millions of people out there begging for just a singular night with me? How could I ever disappoint my fans?" He cried out, his voice overly dramatic. This did get some glares by passerby's but Michael ignored them.

"Maybe in five or ten years, but for now I'm happy in my bachelor life." Michael was surprised at how easy the lie came to his lips. The lie he had been repeating for two years now. He shook such thoughts from his head. The mask needed to be both internal and external. He reminded himself, Or else the internal will bleed to the external. His grin never once faltered from his lips, as he quietly mulled over what to say next. "You surprised that I can sometimes be poetic Rookie?" He asked, his grin turned into a scowl, though a humorous glint sprung up in his mind. "I'm surprised, such assumptions from a supposedly advanced race as your own." His scowl dropped, no longer could he contain his amusement. "I fancied myself a poet once, when I was put a young lad. Never really perfected the art, but I am admit that on the occasional rare moment I can produce something worthy of praise." His grin turned into a warm smile, "I'd be happy to show you more poetry, maybe over a beer after work? Though I can't promise it is all my own. Like a cultural exchange." He shrugged. "That is if you feel like it. No pressure Rookie."

Michael was quiet for a mere moment, contemplating what he would ask next. "I told you I'm wanted to be a poet when I was younger, what about you? When you were a young lass, what did you dream of becoming once you grew up. Perhaps a, what's the name of your super-cops, Templars? Or is it Justice Riders? Whatever they are called, you dream of being one of them? Or something more fancy like a diplomat?" He asked, his eyes scanning a particular area of the area they were in.

Maiha had to laugh at his exuberance, shaking her head slightly. "You keep telling yourself that O'Sullivan." At his next words she rolled her eyes, "Ah yes, we're so advanced and wise. Be in awe of my knowledge." She hadn't felt this at ease for some time, it was a good feeling, "Yes, sure, I'd like that. Though I'll pass on the beer. Not sure how you humans can stomach it."

At his question, she glanced around them once more, "Justiciars. They're not police, not really." Perhaps it was newer grievances and residual fear blending into old memories, but she could never remember wanting to be a Justiciar, "No, never wanted that. Too much isolation," A dry smile, "I wanted to be an artist actually. Ever heard of biotic painting?"