My first ME fic. So I have to take a lot of liberties and some headcanon to make this story work. This fic assumes that the whole galactic community was wrecked after the Reaper War. Consider it as a "slightly low" EMS ending where "not everything" was destroyed. This was inspired by Rondanchan's art in tumblr.
Warning: potential massive spoilers for The Last Of Us. While this story is set in the context of Mass Effect, it heavily borrows from TLOU's plot.
The Last Effect
"Hey dad, mom… Did you see that turian over there? The guy who does those immigration records and stuff. Wait, gotta adjust the cam - see this? I look giant this close but he's actually very tall guy. He's been really nice to me ever since I got here. He um… lend me some credits. Saved me from starving to death mom! Okay that was extreme but you get the point. Hope you get here soon so we can pay him back."
"Aunt Annie, this is Erin. Have you heard from mom and dad? They said they'll meet me up at the Citadel. They boarded a shuttle in Denver around two days I after I left. I'll send you the flight details. I dunno, maybe they got delayed or communications are down? If you can contact them please tell me I'm okay. I'm waiting for them at the docking area. Sent you the location. There's this turian officer who was helping me- oh shit. I have to ask his name…"
"Charlie is this Erin. I don't know if you can still get this. I can't contact mom and dad, and Aunt Annie, Uncle Marco… and everyone. I tried to call everyone…. I hope you and Aunt Clara are okay. Something happened to the Citadel, they said we're being attacked... I don't know what's happening anymore. Please, please answer this."
Day 1
She's almost out of breath now. How much more running? The alley seemed to be a never ending maze without a living soul, far away from the chaos in the docking area. "We're not going to the shelters?"
"Easy target for the reapers," the turian answered. They stopped near a large pile of rubbish and allowing her to catch her breath. She thought that some discarded furniture and old machines made it look that it was some hobo's hideout. There - a large rusty pipe, beneath some of the objects. He cleared his path and with one kick and the plating came off revealing a hollow space inside.
Oh. "You have a weapon stash?" He didn't answer as he opened the box he just pulled out. Was it normal or unusual that an docking officer had these? There were so many guns of all shapes and sizes, whatever they were. Another smaller box had some ammo, some explosives - he knew enough from the movies.
Was he some kind of doomsday enthusiast? A secret agent deployed by the government? She was making assumptions from watching zombie films. One box of canned food had a date stamped before she was born. Old rations for combat? "Did you use to be a soldier?" she asked again.
The turian didn't look back at her, continuing to calibrate some of his odd equipment. "Sort of," he finally answered. He counted their remaining thermal clips laid out on the ground. They had twelve per set- easy for her to count with his three fingers in his hand.
"We turians enter military training when we're able to. Got in when I was fifteen and I was there for a couple of years."
"Wow," she blinked. Must have missed that in class. That explained it. Were all turians supposed to be like this? "I'm fifteen and I haven't held anything except a kitchen knife."
"Equally deadly at close range," he replied. "But use blades only as last resort."
She was too willing to carry some of their supplies as they ran. No way she's be a burden while he protected her. What will happen from now on? Would they evacuate? Go to the soldiers? The turian raised his hand, signaling her to stop. He pulled her down to hide behind a wrecked skycar.
"Have you killed anyone," he asked. She shook her head vigorously. "My bad, I meant anything before?"
"I-I…" She swallowed. Yes, a catfish with a baseball bat. The officer pointed ahead of them and she covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming. One. Two... Four husks wandered a few meters away from their cover. Her heart raced and she shivered but a warm, heavy hand steadied her. "I'll show you how to take them down." The officer whispered. "We'll do it quietly."
She can barely understand him as he gave the instructions. Guns were like this and that, and that she should learn how to use one because she could die. He adjusted her grip and her position, made sure her knees were at the right angle. Directly in front of them was husk separated from the others, slower than the rest. "Now aim, and shoot."
"O-Okay, " she was screwed and she'll mess up. Her last act on the galaxy would be an epic failure. Erin breathed to relax herself and pulled the trigger. The ball of light hit the target near the legs, causing the target to convulse on the ground. The other husks took notice and ran at her direction. She cursed under her breath and aimed her gun towards the husks. Now, or never! She fire again and one husk hit the ground beneath. They were so close. Too close. She needed to-
Bright flashes caused her to close her eyes. As soon as she opened them she saw the four husks lying on the ground with charred torsos. She turned her head to see her companion with a smoking pistol in his hands. If laser had a smell this would be this; like a smell of a gaming console abused for three days straight. "Been too long, need to make adjustments," the turian said.
He looked at her, seemingly expecting a reaction. She couldn't find the right words. The turian offered his hand, "give it to me." Ah yes. She's still holding the gun, thankfully pointed at the ground in front of her. Erin knew enough accidents from the vids; she gently placed the gun to the ground and pushed it towards the officer. "Good.," he gave her a light pat on her shoulder. "Congratulations kid. You just completed a crash course on the stun gun. And fifty percent accuracy? Not bad. Now you're ready for a rocket launcher. What do you say?"
"I- I don't know… " He just chuckled.
"Relax, kid. You'll do fine. I was just kidding about the rock launcher. You okay?"
"Y-Yeah, her heart was still racing; whether it was because of fear, excitement or both she didn't know. "Thanks… and that was awesome,"she breathed. There was something that has been nagging her for a while. She needed to ask before they move on to anything. "Hey… I'm Erin by the way. What's your name mister?"
"Mister? Just call me Jairus."
4 Days
"Where are we going?"
"I got a few old colleagues down at Sector 4. They managed to salvage an empty C-Sec lab. Lots of ammo and tech, some good supplies and only a few people to use them. Most importantly; comms."
"Is it far from here?"
"Long trip. We'll be there by skycar in just an hour, but with all of this.. perhaps a few days. Depends on what we find on the way."
She's never been beyond the docking area of the Citadel, but she knew how it looked like based on the vids. Used to look like would be the appropriate phrase. The two of them avoided roads and used none of the transportation. Skycars would be impossible to use without proper lighting, and they've seen a few shot down by the reapers. While Jairus speculated that emergency systems were online, too many survivors, especially all the refugees that flocked to the Citadel, would be competing for access. Not to mention the reapers were smart; they'd use the same things too.
From the higher vantage points Erin would peek at the destruction below; monsters of all shapes and sizes roam the open areas. There were police officers and civilians fighting back. Before Erin would learn who the victor was, she and Jairus would have already moved on. She dreaded to see the dead but to her surprise the streets were empty. Almost. The discovery was nothing less than bizarre, involving scratching noises behind the debris, her shriek, and some cursing as a keeper dragged an asari corpse into the darkness. Those cute, docile giant bugs were full of surprises. "Where are they taking them?"
"I seriously have no idea," the turian shrugged.
After a few days of scavenging, Erin wanted nothing more than to soak herself in a tub. With running water unavailable at most of the buildings they checked she had to make due with scrubbing. Unlike earth cities, the citadel's water supply was entirely controlled by the government for maximum efficiency in recycling and rationing. Jairus explained that with the Citadel destroyed, the remaining power from the emergency generators was diverted to more essential systems like oxygen supply and gravity controls. Likely, they were also concentrated on the assigned shelters.
She shook off her desire for a warm, bubble bath. Too selfish after everything that had happened. She had to be strong and resilient - accept the situation "woman up." At least, the clean clothes she picked on her way gave her comfort, but she couldn't help but think of the people that used to own them. Were they alright? What if she met them and they saw her with her clothes? She would have wanted to meet the occupants rather than their pictures, better than to continue through an endless row of empty houses street after street.
Jairus mentioned he would have wanted a Quarian suit. "Filters bacteria, hazardous gases, keeps you clean and do you know it's also a portable toilet?" Funny how she gained new perspective on so many things she took for granted. Living in an actual zombie apocalypse wasn't as easy as the movies show- poor hygiene, terrible food, no entertainment, little sleep and constant fear of death wasn't cool at all, especially if you're a load. Jairus could survive well on his own but he had to look for her levo food (after a dozen 'thank yous' he said 'enough.')
The kitchen they holed up in looked too much like her own; down to the oven, the wooden table and little American flag magnet on the refrigerator. Too much like home. Sometimes, when they eat in silence she wondered about her family. Were they eating like her? Savoring canned, artificial beef chops like they were authentic, freshly grilled and spiced? Somehow she'd imagine that she would rather share these blessings with them. How could she have these comforts when they were out there suffering? Her cheeks and nose felt hot. She bit her lip to stop herself from quivering.
She tried to hide her face the rest of the evening, and she was thankful Jairus was occupied with the firearms. Or likely he was watching the street from the window. Good. He can't see her cry. She hugged herself as she lay on the couch, her tears soaking the cotton cover.
It was too late before she noticed Jairus standing beside her. "Hey," instead of responding to him she buried her face in the couch. "Are you okay, Erin?" She hugged her knees. Something gentle touched the back of her head, and then she felt Jairus' hand on her back as she curled herself tighter and sobbed.
She wanted him to leave her alone, ashamed of her weakness, but he sat by her foot and stayed with her in silence. After a few moment she calmed down and looked at her protector. Reading turian expressions was still new to her, but she can feel the kindness in his eyes. "I'm sorry..."
"Don't apologize for nothing kid."
"Okay…" She sniffed. "I just think about mom and dad. I wish they're okay."
"I think they wouldn't want anything more than for you to be safe. Wherever they are." He looked at her significantly. "I wouldn't lie to you Erin; we have no way to find out if they survived. This is the reason you should live no matter what."
"I just wish I could do more for them."
"You are the most important thing in the world to them." Jairus looked down, his expression unreadable. "From the moment a parent held his child in his arms, it becomes a lifelong commitment to give her a better life than he ever had. If you die, that would be all for nothing."
"Yeah… you're right. I don't know if I'll ever see them again, but someone needs to remember them."
The turian looked back at her and tapped her shoulder. "That's right, that's the spirit."
She gave him a weak smile. A sudden thought crossed her mind, "hey Jairus…"
"Hmm?"
"Do you have a family?"
His mandibles moved and he looked away again. Did she ask the wrong question? "Was married once. Had a daughter." After some silence he continued, "we can talk about them some other time. Get some rest." He walked away to the balcony before Erin could ask more.
7 Days
Most of the survivors Erin saw were from a good distance, running while flashes of lights and fire rained down. There were few holed up inside buildings (if the places were intact.) The barricaded doors were obvious markers that Jairus described as a possible death sentence. More than once, Erin thought she saw eyes peeking from the windows they passed through. Perhaps beyond these walls were people listening to them? Perhaps they were hoping and waiting for rescue, but none had come?
Jairus had a rule: Take down docile husks if and only if he made sure the risk of attracting a horde was low enough, then avoid everything else. His omni-tool was highly advanced with some thermal sensors and scanners to allow them to detect hostiles. He installed a transmitter in her omni-tool that would allow him to find her and vice-versa.
Everything was careful, stealthy and terrifying when they cross areas with Reapers. He showed her the different types and the probability of encountering them. There was something odd though; there were also reaper corpses, most notably the stronger ones. They didn't die from gunshots but for some reason, their synthetic parts were fried and heavily damaged. Possibly, it a type of WMD but still insufficient for a full Reaper genocide. Husks still wandered around and each encounter with them was a lot less scary than the first ones. One out of fifty shots was just probably her, leaving the rest of the forty-nine to him.
"Erin, I think you're ready to hold a real weapon. But I gotta ask; do you want to?"
She nodded, "yes, I want to fight the Reapers."
"Good, because you don't have a choice anyway."
She couldn't believe it - guns actually have parental controls. Jairus switched them on and off and adjusted their firing rate and power. Jairus preferred it to be called "kiddie mode." He gave her a visor to help with her aim, with some metrics indicating if her posture, grip and angle were okay. A green circle meant shoot and a red one meant do not fire.
After making sure they're alone inside a derelict warehouse (or a movie studio based on the props) , he made her practice on some Blasto posters. The larger elcor Bubin was easier to hit, while the head (or was it the body?) of the hanar was tougher. Later, they shot smaller targets in varying distances.
"When do I get to shoot husks?"
"Don't wish for it."
The closest and longest encounter with fellow scavengers was out of benefit. A salarian and hanar pair approached them and proposed a trade.
"Medi-gel for thermal clips? What do you say?" the salarian said.
Erin felt a knot in her stomach. She's seen too many vids where one group betrays the other and loots their supplies. But Jairus wasn't like that at all; he's unselfish and kind, especially after all that has happened the past days.
Jairus examined the medi-gel offered. "Fair deal." The two bartered and the conversation shifted to the situation in the Citadel.
"You two heading for the shelters? Sector 15 and 16 are gone. You won't find anything there," the salarian warned.
"These ones were fortunate. These ones sought refuge in an inconspicuous facility and survived," the hanar added.
"We have our own place, but thanks for the tip. How about you two?"
"Sector Two. We're need to find our son, he's waiting for us there."
"Never been to Sector Two. Good luck." Jairus handed her some of the new supplies they acquired. There were some packs of medi-gel, some vitamins, medicine and disinfectants.
Before they two groups separated, the hanar offered her goodbyes,"These ones sincerely wish for your safety and well-being."
The salarian smiled at her and at her companion."Your daughter?" he asked Jairus.
"I can see the resemblance," Erin replied. She looked at Jairus to see his reaction and waiting.
"We just stick together since everything happened," he didn't look back at her. Erin pouted.
The salarian shrugged, "well, you'll never really know. Our son is krogan and we couldn't have asked for more. Right honey?"
"This one concurs."
After the pair left, Erin remarked, "you know I was afraid there's going to be some sort of Mexican stand-off."
Jairus' mandibles flared, "Mexicans? Are you talking about humans?" Erin stopped herself from laughing. Everything seemed funnier afterwards as Jairus would ask about logic behind such stand offs and talk about alternate scenarios "with more sense and efficiency."
"I just watched all these vids where people need to survive so they kill and loot. But… I guess we're advanced now so nobody's doing that anymore. Or not?"
Jairus hummed. "You're pretty smart, and it never hurt to be careful. But that pair has been in my radar for hours, they were observing us then approached with medi-gels in their hands and tentacles." He sighed, "it wasn't a fair trade earlier. We got something more valuable than them. The two were desperate for ammo because they are going to launch an attack. Sadly, this isn't like a game where you find guns and thermal clips lying everywhere."
Erin felt a pang in her chest for the couple, but at least she knew it wasn't as grim as it's supposed to be. The Reapers were their enemy and "people" wouldn't turn on each other. She just hoped she could see the two again, safe and happy with their son.
Their next destination wasn't too far but the route was complicated. Jairus looked at his map and sensors; the walkways were damaged by fire and lost their structural integrity. Their only route now was the top of the building.
Erin crinkled her nose. This was something familiar. "Smells like… oh shit." Something exploded inside the building, a section in the second floor. Thankfully, it was too far from where they were standing on but the vibrations lingered under her feet. "Gas leak-"
She screamed as the ground underneath them collapsed. "Erin!" she heard him call. Her hands tried to grab onto something but everything she touched fell with her. Her backside hit something hard and she yelped. Smoke or ash filled her nose for a few seconds and she coughed. It was total darkness except the pocket of light at her left and the dim Citadel sky a few meters above them. "Jairus," she whispered in the dark. Nobody answered, "hey Jairus?" Someone groaned and there was labored breathing. "No," she breathed. Her omni-tool had a little flashlight, just enough light from her body heat.
Jairus was flat on his on the ground, he was bleeding from his side and a metal rod protruded from the wound. The metallic smell of blood filled Erin's nose. "Jairus," she crawled towards him. "Tell me what to do." He moaned and muttered something. "Okay, medi-gel right." She took off her backpack and dug her hands into the contents. There; she poured an entire pack to the wound. Basic first aid training taught her that she should not pull the rod out of his body at this stage. Not sure when.
There was an odd sound. She was pretty sure that wasn't the package of the medi-gel. Footsteps? Very light ones. No it can't be.
She heard the dreaded moaning sound of the "space zombies." Erin, pulled out her pistol, her heart pounding against her chest. She needed to get Jairus out but how? Think Erin; of course, why didn't she thought of it earlier? "I need heat vision," her visor activated she can see some red spots. "I need to see. Give me infrared. Scan the area." To her delight, the visor was advanced and allowed her to grasp the surroundings.
They were definitely inside a home section of a department store, the ground floor of a three-storey mall. There were two husks walking near the cabinets, bumping at the tall furniture. They were blind in the dark as well and attracted at the noise. Another one were near the shower booths, stuck among the other furniture strewn at the floor.
Erin checked Jairus, his breathing had calmed but he's moaning in pain. "You're gonna be alright, I promise." She can do this. Now or never. She's not going to be helpless, and she wouldn't let Jairus die.
She turned to her left; to the two husks by the cabinets around fifteen meters away. If they break free there she cannot drag Jairus out. She had to take them down and the metal cabinets might shield the two husks from her shot. They needed to be led to an open space -there was a small gap between two lockers a few meters to the left, her chance. Erin threw a flare stick and it landed a t the gap. She sighed in relief and steadied her breath as the two husks noticed the light quickly. She aimed at the gap, the visor measuring the distances. The signal turned green and she fired at the as soon as the husks were positioned directly in front of her aim. They screeched as the shots hit their body. They tried to squeeze through the gap, but Erin had taken them down.
No time for celebration. The third husk angrily charged through the smaller furniture towards Erin. She aimed at the attacker. The visor showed a red circle. "Do not fire" it said in bold english letters, and Erin began to panic as the husk grew closer. "Dammit," the visor was still red and Erin fired.
12 Days
There were seven bottles of omni-juice left. According to the instructions, one bottle would be sufficient for a turian's daily nutritional needs, "however this is not a substitute for a healthy diet. Please limit use to no more than thrice a week-"
"Ughh you're not feeding me that stuff again." Her companion groaned as he stretched his body.
"Jairus!" She scooted near him. Erin's heart raced in relief. "Are you okay? How do you feel?"
"'Been in worse but need something else to eat - and how am I still alive?"
"I'm not really sure. I just poured all the medigel," she pointed at the massive scar at his side, "there."
"Too much." He coughed as he examined the empty medi-gel packs beside him. "But better than too little. You dragged me all the way here?" She nodded. Jairus scanned the surroundings. He seemed to have noticed the same things she did; this was definitely an elcor's place. The doors were wide, no chairs or beds, and the tables and screens were higher than her head. "Good place. Thanks kid. I owe you this time."
"No problem." She relayed to him the story on what happened after he fell. Dragging him like a sack of potatoes (he weighted at least five sacks and she's just pretty strong) was no fun, and it was pure luck she managed to find the secure location nearby. How he was half conscious for days and she had nothing to give to him but the omni-juice. How it took her two hours of cursing to pull out the metal rod from his body. "You know I took down a three brutes while you're out. With my bare hands."
He chuckled,"oh I'm sure you did. Saving my life- that was pretty badass." Erin felt heat on her cheeks, "while you were out there going full krogan battlemaster I must have looked like a turian kebab."
She giggled at the image. "You know kebabs?"
"Yeah, favorite earth food. Of course, I eat it dextro style. You happen to have kebabs where you live?"
"We do, but it's not the 'true' kebab. Trust me, all kebabs are," she used to her fingers to make a parenthesis sign, "are 'not true,' until you go to Lebanon. It's the country with the tree as their flag."
"Noted. Tree huh? That makes more sense than stars and stripes."
"I think our flag is cooler, but you gotta admit they are more original."
"Is Lebanon far from your homeland?"
"Far away, but it isn't really hard to go there. Me and my friends would hang out there a few times a year. We have a shuttle with a direct route at my city. I'm actually from Shawnee. It's in Kansas, United States. Didn't live there all the time but it's real home."
"Seems familiar, tell me about it."
"It's this big landmass between two oceans…" How she wished she could use the omni-tool to show him, but preserving its battery until they get proper solar power was vital. This was exercise; just in in english class where she had to describe a place without the use of an auto-dictionary: the smell of freshly harvested corn and her teeth sinking into the soft, sweet pancakes grandma made that morning. In her pocket was the American flag magnet she stole for the earlier home and showed it to Jairus, "and this is the symbol of my home."
We dont really have a lot of tourist spots, we can go to other places
Palaven planet description
Kansas kansa Jairus examined the object. "Ah. I knew it! It's where your hero Superman lived. "
"No way! Superman?" he nodded. "You are seriously the coolest turian I've ever met." A random thought; boys coming over to her house to ask her out, only to be greeted by her turian uncle with shotgun and giant dogs. Everyone in class will ask about him and she'd tell a crazy story how he fought in the First Contact War. Then if he's the one to drive her to prom…
"My daughter liked reading about Superman. She was fascinated by human fiction. Would be nice if we have a real kryptonian to fight the Reapers." Jairus said.
"Is she close to my age? If she likes comics I'm pretty sure we'll get along.
"She would have been 37 this year. "
"Would have been…" Erin stopped herself. She should have realized it sooner when he mentioned that he "had a daughter." Jairus must be annoyed with her endless apologies and this was the part she should shut up.
"You want to know what happened to her." She was genuinely curious, but this story was up to him. "Only fair since you've told me a great deal about you. "You know every turian has this rite of passage when we finish our military training. Before you get wasted away in the bar with a bunch of asari strippers normally you have to pass it." Jairus continued before she could press him. The girl held her breath at the continuation.
"She was seventeen with good grades. Saw her scores - way better than mine even if she was a slacker, at least by turian standards. The academy found an assignment suited for her - back-up firepower for C-Sec operation. Nothing special. It was supposed to be easy - just some smugglers of counterfeit medi-gel."
"Turned out intelligence fucked up." There was anger in his voice, but there was a sense of resignation at the next words, "it wasn't medi-gel -only red sand. You get a few good cops and a bunch of kids when you do a simple buy-bust operation. You don't get them to fight the Blue Suns and expect one to survive."
"I know them… Heard about them on the news a lot…"
"Damn proud of her. At least… I got to tell her that before she died." Jairus' arms crossed over his stomach, his hands seemed that they were trying to grasp something. "It was a long time ago, don't worry about it."
If there was only something she could say to Jairus to make him feel better.. Did turians need hugs? Or was it something that she, as a human, wanted to do for her own sake and not for him?
No matter what; she wanted to show that she cared. Helping him get back to his health was the least she could do; like massaging turian feet after days of bed rest was at least something. How she wished she could go back, even just one day, to see her dad warming his feet by the bonfire, her mom playing the guitar while she roasted marshmallows. Her mind wandered at all these little things she once took for granted. Her family was gone now, but she still had one friend at least.
Erin lay on her back and looked at the expanse beyond the damaged ceiling. One arm of the Citadel drifted slowly towards the edges of a grey planet. So many was lost but she would keep on living. There were beautiful things she can keep and nothing can take them away.
22 Days
"This is Commander Shepard... on the Citadel." Jairus adjusted his hearing aid. No, it couldn't be. A radio broadcast?
"Did you hear that?"
Erin turned around to look for the source. "There!" The girl ran towards a collapsed structure with flicking lights. Perhaps, if this was really what they're waiting for...
"This is Commander Shepard and this is my favorite store on the Citadel."
Oh shit. Not again.
"Commander Shepard?" Erin's face lit with excitement. "The Alliance-"
"It's just an advertisement, kid," Jairus sighed. He pointed the console lying on the floor, dying with a red blinking light. The recording played again. This is Commander Shepard and this is my favorite store on the Citadel. Erin's shoulders slumped. False hope was more painful than none sometimes.
Such was the innocence of children. Erin always found ways to be happy. Somehow everything she had was lost, but everything she couldn't have was also abundantly lying around. There was a music store still intact, complete with all music of her favorite bands. Fancy clothes, real books made of paper, trinkets, jewelry, simple gadgets and artworks were left behind like artifacts of a civilization. The destruction was beautiful in a certain perspective; the chaos, the lack of order and the finality of death. However, such conditions were the reasons there were new beginnings.
Erin rushed forward, easily squeezing through the wreckage. "Hey Jarius, look at this!"
"Hey, watch your step." What did the kid see? Following her was a chore with his larger body and his equipment. After a few days of scavenging, he concluded that an adult turian male was inferior to a lighter, juvenile human female in such a terrain. The army should take note that small, squishy humans were resilient. Maybe until they run out of luck. The gravity of their pathway was still working- but one tiny malfunction could send either of them flying.
"Whoah, this is so trippy…"
Jairus paused at the sight. It should have been horrifying; gravity and environmental controls messed up. It's like they were only minutes away from disaster. If the barrier was meant to fail at this instant, the last thing they would see before they got sucked out of space are those goddamn fishes. What used to be the lake floated like giant bubbles, slowly drifting across the open space. The fake blue sky made by artificial atmosphere was gone; in its place was the Milky Way. Home.
No way he'd know if they are about to collide with Earth's satellite any moment though. "Some trippy shit indeed," he muttered as the fish, who survived the apocalypse, swam into the stars.
"Hey Jairus," Erin scooted beside him and activated her omni-tool. It was too fast - no time for proper lighting or a dignified expression. Must have depleted the power supply by now of the tool. "That pic was crap I know, but at least we got a one shot together in case we don't get another chance." True, anything can happen. "Maybe someday when we're all extinct, the fish will evolve to be galaxy's new overlords."
"I can see that happening already. I guess I have to train you to shoot fish now."
She… laughed. At least what it appeared to the turian. Erin reached out her hand to touch the water and took some orbs into her hands. Her face formed a human expression he had not seen with her before: teeth shown, lips curved upwards and eyes shining. "What do you think? Erin asked, still beaming with happiness as she stared at the view. More than that; there was hope and peace. Ah yes. It was a wide smile. Better than anything she showed in the past weeks.
"Beautiful," he told her.
"I agree," she faced him. "Hey… thanks, for everything, I just want you to know that."
"For...?"
"For everything. You really helped me a lot… if it weren't for you I-" Erin looked up, her eyes glistening. She used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. "This place just makes me sentimental I… But before I got separated from my parents, I wasn't able to say anything good to them. I think we should always let people know how much they mean to us whenever we have a chance."
29 Days
The comm was getting clearer. "Do you see us?" Jairus zoomed in his visor a hundred meters; a light blinked from a window, signaling him.
"Copy that," Jairus replied. The voice was familiar but Jairus wasn't sure.
"Are we close to your friends?"
"I wouldn't say we're close friends, but I've worked with those people before-"
A piercing scream broke through the silence. Jairus looked around frantically, where was it coming from? Shit. "Erin, stay close!"
"What's that-"
"Keep moving forward!" They sprinted towards the higher ground, only to find a dead-end at the top. He grabbed Erin's arm and led her to a different path. Never get cornered by a banshee. He had only heard of them from reports and this was the first time he'll face one. Erin might panic if he tells her the facts, but they were probably dead anyway. "Erin listen to me. I'll distract it and you run away as fast as you can. Go to the Section 4 station, I'll follow you there." Another scream rang in the air.
She shook her head. "No, not without you!"
He could feel the static energy, the chill against his plates. He checked his shotgun one last time before aiming it to the direction of the hunter. "Son of a-" The banshee vanished in sight and reappeared in a second a few meters away from them. "Run!" He ordered Erin, but she held her ground. "Go to the station, call back-up!" He fired two rounds at the banshee and it screamed in pain. Or was it pissed off? "Call for help now!"
Erin hesitated before she ran off- good. Jairus rolled as the banshee fired a biotic wave. The force hit a few meters at his left but the blast caught his left foot. He whimpered in pain. It's as if every cell of his foot were burning. Move dammit! The sensation meant he was alive, and he had to keep fighting. He dashed in the opposite direction, hoping the debris would slow down the creature. Three shots fired and the creature's right arm fell off. "Take that-"
Another blast and Jairus froze in spot. Stasis? He wasn't sure and it didn't matter. The wave didn't hit him but the force was enough to render him helpless. He blinked and the reaper closed in and grabbed his neck. Maybe this was to be his end. He should join his daughter now. He thought of Juno - her beautiful face and soulful eyes.
"Get away from him you bitch!"
"No…" He turned his head as much as he could and saw Erin fire her rifle at maximum power, missing most of her shots. He fell to the ground and quickly ducked to save himself from the onslaught of the angry girl. The reaper retaliated with another wave, distracted at the new opponent. "Eat this," Jarius got and shot it point blank in the face. Three more shots fired at the bitch's noisy mouth and its charred jaw fell to ground along with its body.
A wave of relief rushed through him. When was the last time he took down something so powerful? The rush of satisfaction died down as soon as he thought of Erin. He looked back and saw the girl lying on the ground. It can't be.
He bolted towards her. "Hey Erin, I got you." He scooped her into his arms -her entire body was convulsing from the biotics, glowing with blue light. "It's okay, I'm here now." She whimpered in pain and tears spilled from her face. Her whole nervous system was attacked and there was nothing he can do but hold her tight. It was over, no one could… "You are so brave and strong. I'm…" Proud of her. Just like Juno. They deserved better than this. Deserved better than someone who can't protect them. "Please, don't leave me now," he begged. Her heartbeat slowed down, his omni-tool warning critical levels. "Don't die on me dammit! Please-"
Then she stilled, her breathing slowed down and her eyelids dropped. Can she still see him? She had to know he's here. "Erin...?" Jairus touched her face, gently wiping away the tears that had stopped flowing. He brushed her hair away to reveal her eyes… If only he could look at her eyes a bit longer before she falls asleep.
Another scream. When will they let them rest? Jairus laid Erin gently to the ground picked up his gun.
30 Days
"Father… I'm sorry. I'm… " Juno struggled to say more words. She spluttered and coughed, her blood spilling down from her mouth. All the strength left in her was fading away each breath.
"Shhh. You've fought well Juno." He touched her forehead with his own and cradled her body close to his. Just like when she was born. " I-I'm proud of you."
He awoke with a throbbing pain on his temple. Where? What happened? He was in bed without his guns, in a dimly lit room. Erin? He activated his omni-tool to find a reading of steady vital signs- not his. "Erin?" She survived… After everything she's alive. But where-
There were footsteps- sounded like turian feet. The figure arrived at the foot of his bed. "Marcus," he called as his vision cleared. This could only mean that they were retrieved and brought to the hideout.
"Sleeping beauty is finally awake." The other turian greeted. "And seriously? I know you're some kind of a legend among the retirees but did you just take down two banshees alone? That is insane even by turian standards. Or are you hiding more reaper corpses under the rubble you were in? "
Jarius stood up, ignoring the pain in his body, and activated his omni-tool; her vital signs were normal, and she's somewhere within a fifty meter radius. He breathed in relief. "
Where is she? The human girl?" Marcus' eyes showed he knew the question would be raised- the turian was easy to read. "She has golden hair, pale skin and about five feet tall. I told you about her over the comm. Where is she?" Why was it taking long for to answer?
Marcus rubbed his neck, "calm down, Jairus. It's… a bit complicated."
He's hiding something. "Where is she," he hissed.
"F-Freya will explain, just calm down." Marcus approached him, whatever he's holding behind him was unclear. Marcus tried to feign concern but Jairus caught his arm - a syringe in his grip. He crashed his head onto the other turian and slammed him to the wall. Marcus looked at him with fear and pulled out his pistol. Too slow. Marcus screamed in pain as Jairus grabbed his fingers and broke them all in one twist.
With another blow to his stomach, the other turian collapsed to the ground moaning in pain. An alarm blared inside the building proving that they were being watched. Jairus quickly spotted the the security camera at the ceiling and glared at whoever the bastard that was behind it. "You better have a good reason for this. Think about your lives."
The transmitter she placed on Erin's omni-tool allowed him to pinpoint her location - the medical wards were at the other end of the corridor. There were others based on the signals his tool indicated.
"I told you he's already attached to her, we should have get rid of him when we got the chance." A human male voice beyond the door said.
With a few more adjustments to his hearing aid, Jairus could make out a hushed voice of a turian female. "No, he's reasonable. I know him."
With his omni-tool he forced the door open and rolled to the side as quickly as he could. A few gunshots were fired to his direction. The readings of his visor indicate the model of the firearm. There would be a one second window for him to fire back after three, two one...
Jairus fired back at the human, hitting his heart and killing him instantly. He quickly pointed his gun to the other turian in the room, She was calmly looking at him.
"You haven't lost your skills, Jairus. I should have known better." Freya lowered her gun at the table and raised her hands. "I'm sorry, my fault."
"Freya," His acquaintance had aged since their last meeting. Her scars had faded away, only a faint reminder of the life they left behind. "Answer me: Did you set us up so you could rob us or are we a part of some sick prank? You should know better."
"No, Jairus. Please listen to me." Her posture was relaxed and non-threatening, confident and patient. "That's our fault right there, I swear I would have done everything I can to warn you about the banshees, but we were too late. When we arrived at your location we didn't think you'd survive, both of you I mean, he least we can do is to treat your injuries. By the spirits, you'd never believe the next part Jairus."
"Better worth his life," Jairus pointed his gun momentarily to the dead human, but Freya was unfazed.
"This human child survived a direct attack from a damn bashee without any kind of protection and prior exposure to biotics. We scanned her and the results are... one in a trillion. It's her nervous system Jairus! She has some natural immunity against biotic attacks. I was able to contact some old acquaintances in the turian military and they want to examine her."
Jairus kept his gun pointed at Freya, all the words sinking in and making him grip his weapon tighter. "So what? You're going to test biotic scalpels on her now?"
"I didn't say anything about scalpels-"
"Don't try," he warned. "We both know they're going to dissect her like a lab varren."
Freya ran her hand through her fringes. "Look Jairus, maybe years ago we would have sold her to the highest bidder, or harvest her organs to make our own anti-biotic armor then monopolized the sales in Omega. Just imagine the profit and the look on Zaeed and Vido if we kick their asses out of the Blue Suns. "
His chest constricted. Breathe. It's been years since he felt this, but it was as raw and infuriating as it was yesterday. "Don't mention those names again."
"Face it now or never Jairus. I know this is painful for you, but after all these years you have to accept the facts: C-Sec screwed up in that operation. Maybe we screwed up too, but it wasn't you or anyone who shot Juno. She was downed by defense turrets. It's not your fault."
"Don't bring Juno into this," he growled at her.
"Because isn't it too obvious? That you're using this human child as a replacement?" Freya's voice was sincere was filled with sympathy, not the cold mercenary she was many years ago."She is not your daughter."
"That is irrelevant." He ignored Freya's protests and pulled all the tubes and wires attached to Erin and lifted her onto his shoulder. The girl was so small against his body. Why would anyone want to hurt someone like her?
"Jairus, please!"No matter what you do, the past is the past Jairus. You've done enough punishment for yourself. Let her go."
"That is not for you to decide."
Freya snorted, "you know what? She agreed to this." Jairus was silent. "Just imagine no pain or suffering for her anymore."
"Don't pretend you care about her Freya. Move."
"Spirits," Freya was exasperated and picked up her gun. "It's too late: I've contacted General Farrah, sent her all the information we have. She's going to retrieve the human girl. If I can't stop you, she would not stop until she finds the human. " The other turian blocked the exit. "Can't you see? This is for the turian race- no, the entire galaxy. Think of the lives she'll save if we develop technology based on what we learn from her."
"Move, don't make me kill you," he warned.
"No. This is far more than you, or me and or that girl. This is not about what we want. Think of all the people who had suffered, all the children like her who lost their families. We have a chance to make a difference and you know it. I believe deep down-"
He fired a few shots, more than enough to bring down someone like her, but may not be enough for an instant death. One last shot served as precaution before he moved on picked up all the available weapons in the room. His omni-tool picked up four more hostiles in the area.
Time's running out, they needed to escape quickly.
31 Days
"Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?"
Erin groaned and massaged her temple. Her face crumpled, whether it was pain or confusion he wasn't sure. "What happened?" Her eyes moved to scan her surroundings.
"A lot happened, but to keep it short - a group of marauders were searching the area. I decided to move out as quickly as possible. Shame about the place." He pointed to the direction of the lab. The fire and smoke were visible despite the distance. Erin sat up to stare at the view.
"But… the others?"
"They wanted to keep the place so they kept on fighting."
"Will… we go back to them?
"Probably not. If they don't know when to back down they're not worth your life." Erin looked at her arm and touched the needle marks. She looked around before her eyes locked on the Widow in his arms. It was the first time she saw the model. "After everything we went through, what as waste," he said to fill the silence. She looked at him with an unreadable expression, her eyebrows knitted. "Something's bothering you?"
"There's something…"
"Something?"
"Please don't be angry with me."
"Why would I be? It has to be something important. Let me hear it."
"When you were still unconscious they talked to me. " she fiddled with her fingers. "They said that… I'm special and that they wanted to examine my brain. They said the turian military would need it to fight the Reapers. They put me on sedatives so they can find out more." Erin looked apprehensive, "I didn't wait for you to wake up."
"So what did you tell them?"
"That... I'm actually okay with it."
"You are indeed a very brave girl. The turian military isn't exactly like a hospital though. Did they tell you that you might die if you get 'examined?'"
She looked at him with wide eyes. "They didn't but…" She gazed back at the flickering flames at the distance. "I'm not really sure. I'm scared to die but we'll all die... But I'd rather die the way I want to, you know? Did that make sense? "
"I know how you feel: missing this chance to become a hero. But don't feel guilty about leaving them and don't think too much about what they said earlier. When I work up they told me about you but informed me that the military called back and cancelled the visit."
Her head tilted slightly "...you knew?"
"Yes. They found others like you, a whole bunch of them in Palaven actually. They don't really need you anymore."
"... Really?"
"Yes, that's what happened. I doubt anyone's gonna die too. Turians know turian anatomy."
She nodded hesitantly and muttered "okay." Her eyes locked into his. "If.. I can go through it... would you be okay with that?"
Jairus paused before shifting his attention to the rifle he was cleaning. "Does my opinion matter?" He returned her gaze.
Her lips curved slightly to one side. It was stiff and resembled nothing like a smile. Erin's brows relaxed, "of course it does" she sighed. "I don't have anyone else I can trust."
Epilogue
They have been in the cargo hold for three days now. It was more comfortable than the seven other ships they boarded prior. The others were chaotic, noisy and cramped. Like a calm before the storm, the peace allowed the luxury of talking and sleeping in repeated cycles. Jairus remembered what Erin had said before; take the opportunity to let people know what you feel. One could never know if there was to be another chance.
"You know you and Juno would have been good friends. I think she'll really like you. She liked those video games; the long ones where you roleplay and make decisions." The turian stretched his arms, he's thinking of finding a smaller crate he could lead on, somewhere he could rest his head. Lying down would be more comfortable, but it's easier to stand up from his current position in case anything happened.
Erin smiled at him from the floor,, "I'm really liking Juno now. You're right, we would have gotten along fine. I don't know about you and my parents though. You are too different."
"Oh? It is my species, my profession or my looks?"
She smiled weakly and wrapped her blanket tighter around her body and curled to her sides, facing him. "Hey, Jairus, I got to ask."
"Yes?"
"How do you separate a dream from a memory?" Erin's eyes were staring blankly at her toes.
"I'm not entirely sure how to do that. Wouldn't you know?"
The girl was silent for a while, "I wasn't entirely unconscious when you carried me out of C-Sec lab."
Oh. Erin's face was unreadable."What do you remember?" he asked.
"That… What you told me about the marauders… You saved me from them. That's what happened right?"
"Yeah."
Erin nodded slowly, "yeah, that's what happened." She yawned and closed her eyes. "Good night Jairus. when I wake up I hope we're already in Omega."
c
c
c
c
Notes and acknowledgment
Thanks to Rondanchan who created inspiring fanarts
Thanks to redditors who asked for a fanfic and made my hand slip
Thanks to Tbone511 for providing some knowledge on firearms. The accurate ones were his, the rest I made up or googled
I've never been to Kansas or the US mainland, or Lebanon or the Citadel actually
In my headcanon, civilian omni tool are solar powered or minimally powered by body heat