The Unlikely and Dubious Origin of Froghat

"Karin I was wondering....are you knitting?"
Shepard had meant to ask Chakwas for some ointment for some bruises, but stopped short.
Her medical officer, was indeed, knitting.

Chakwas looked up with a grin. "Yes I am Commander, although it's technically crochet."
She held fabric up for inspection. "What do you think?"
Shepard folded her arms, cocking her head to the side as she looked at the bundle.
"It's…it's…hm…it's…"
Words failed her. "Green." she finally finished.
Chakwa nodded happily. "Yes it is, a green frog hat." She continued knitting, crocheting....whichever.

"So what brought this about?"

"Well Commander," said Chakwas as she deftly slipped the needles under and through the material. "I felt the need to create. It's been a bit quiet in the medical bay lately, and it's important for a doctor to take care of her hands. This keeps my mind busy and my hands steady."

Shepard hmmmed. "I prefer making models myself. You can't put crochet on display."

"It's funny you should say that, because that's just what I was planning."

Shepard had a sense of impeding doom. "Oh?" she said cautiously.

"Yes. You see, I'm making this for you."

"Me?" Shepards eyes widened. "Why me?"

"Because I think you would look darling in a little knitted hat. And just think, if you wore it, everyone would see my work."

Shepard shook her head. "Karin, it's very kind of you, but-"

"There! All done." said Chakwas cheerfully. She wove a loose bit of yarn in, then stood up. Before she knew what was happening, the doctor had plopped it on her head.

Shepard froze.
She had faced down a Reaper (two Reapers actually, but who's counting?), fought a Yahg with her bare hands, battled Batarians and Banshees without batting an eye.
But accepting presents? That...wasn't something she was good at.
Especially green ones.

"Ah….thank you?" she said finally. It came out as a sort of squeak.
Chakwas beamed. "You're welcome Commander."

Shepard walked out of the med bay not quite knowing what to do. Catching sight of herself in a newly polished wall panel, she winced. A frog. She had a frog hat. Oh the puns! 'I'll hop to it Commander' or maybe 'Those Reapers make me hopping mad!'

"Hey Lola, nice hat." said Vega walking by.
"What? What did you mean by that?" Shepard snapped, glowering. Vega froze, then turned back towards her.

"Uh…..I meant that…it's a nice hat?" he said slowly, his hands raised in the air as if warding off an attack. Shepard continued to glare at him, then stalked away.

She was tempted to take it off, but when she looked over her shoulder, she saw Chakwas waving cheerfully at her through the med bay window.
Sighing, she waved back and stepped into the elevator.


"A hat." Shepard said, waving the offending article in the air. "A hat! I'm not a hat person, and I'm," she pointed a finger at her audience. "Definitely not a 'frog hat' person."
Little Dude blinked at her, then went back to snuffling amongst his shavings.
Then he sneezed.
Shepard sighed, then walked into the bathroom. She looked at herself full on in the mirror. Then grimly, with deliberation, put the hat on.

She turned her head to the left, then the right. Then down. She tentatively touched the little froggy eyes, also knitted (crocheted) on the top.

"Hmm….."
Actually…it really complimented her hair colour….
"And it keeps my head warm too…." she mused, scratching her chin.
She walked out of the bathroom and tapped on the glass of the hamster cage. Little Dude looked up at her with his bright little eyes.
"Do you think I should give it a chance?" She opened the top and scooped him up, taking off the hat. Little Dude, whiskers trembling as he sniffed the air furiously, leaned towards the hat. Shepard put both the hat and hamster down on the desk.
He tentatively sniffed it all over, cautiously making his way from one end of the hat to the other. Then, with the tip of his nose, he nuzzled his way inside, turned three times around, and then sat down in it, closing his eyes. Within moments, he was asleep.

Shepard looked at him, and a slow smile spread across her face.



Samantha was on her way to CIC that evening when the elevator opened. Commander Shepard walked in wearing….
"Is that a frog? Ma'am." she added hastily.
Shepard gave her a slow smile. "Why yes Specialist, it  is indeed. Do you like it?"
Samantha put a hand to her chin, frowning in thought. "It's….it's……hm….well it's very green ma'am."
She didn't understand why Shepard burst out laughing.

END