The Renegade Adored

Garrus: "And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." (Shakespeare)

Garrus seemed nervous.
Hayden looked at him curiously. "Is something wrong?"
Garrus sighed and looked around. "My old ship is docked at the Citadel. I'm expecting to get some flak for walking around with Humans. Try not to be offended."
"Right," said Hayden drily. "I'll do my best."
"And that's why I'm nervous."
Kaidan chuckled. "We'll try to avoid any unpleasant incidents."
Hayden glanced over at Garrus and tried not to smile.
Nothing happened until they hit the Lower Markets.
"Vakarian?" The Turian's voice was disbelieving. "Is that really you?"
"Hannes. Been a long time." Garrus greeted his former crewmate coldly but politely.
"I thought you were with C-Sec these days." Hannes looked over Garrus' companions, unable to keep a touch of scorn from his voice.
"Things change." Garrus turned back to Morlan to finish their transaction. For a Turian, that wasn't rudeness but rather a simple dismissal; an indication that the conversation would be continued at the instigator's own peril.
One of the other Turians, wearing the same armor and face markings as Hannes moved up to Garrus.
Hayden stepped forward before the newcomer could speak. "Keep your hands off my crewmember." She knew enough about Turian etiquette to know what was expected of her position.
"You're his captain?" sneered the newcomer while Hannes backed away. Either he had noticed something about Hayden, or he was leaving the brash Turian to handle the situation.
Hayden glared at the newcomer, and waited for him to move.
He drew his ceremonial battle blade, and Hayden exploded.
Garrus wasn't sure about letting Hayden take on the challenge, as a Captain was supposed to do. After all, resorting to biotics would be a serious breach of protocol, and Hayden never sparred on the Normandy.
She moved like lightning. Blocked the knife, struck his wrist. A bone shifted under the plates of his arm, choking the nerves that controlled his fingers, and the blade fell. Another blow from Hayden, and he doubled over in pain. He backed away, tried a different attack. A swift blow with his good hand, aimed at her head.
She seemed to flow to one side, she moved so fast. A double strike with her hands, deadly and precise, at his hip and shoulder. He stumbled backwards, completely off balance. With a little bounce, she threw a series of punches to his midsection that depended more on speed and accuracy than raw strength. He fell heavily, lay still for a moment.
Hayden waited, to see if he would accept defeat.
With an angry roar, he sprang up, charged her. She blocked his blows almost contemptuously, slapping them aside and returning unerring blows of her own. The Turian finally collapsed to his knees, fell over at her feet. Hayden stepped back slowly, watched the others. Still tense, shaking a little from the adrenalin.
No one spoke, and Hayden finally just walked away, leaving Garrus and Kaidan to follow.
"That was pretty awesome, Commander."
She didn't look at Garrus. "Anytime."
Kaidan looked back. The Turians were turning their comrade over, calling for a medic. "I hope he's okay."
Hayden didn't answer.
"It's his own fault," said Garrus airily. "He shouldn't have gotten back up."
And Hayden realized that Garrus knew. He knew what she had done, and he didn't care. More than that, he approved. She looked at him curiously. He smiled at her. Hayden glanced over at Kaidan. His dark face was worried, but they were too far away now to see or hear what was going on. He wasn't looking at her.
Hayden looked at Garrus again, grinned back. "It was a good fight."