The sky bus hissed to a gradual stop just outside the communal landing pad. The door creaked open, allowing a fresh breath of air to permeate the stale interior. Thane waited his turn, then got out. Practiced mannerisms kept his face pointed away from potential camera emplacements, making small talk with his neighbors.
Gregarious behavior did not sit well with his normal taciturn nature. Practice makes perfect, however, and Irikah deserves my best efforts.
"So, off on business?" a neighboring turian inquired genially. His clothing indicated a middle-class laborer, callouses and powerfully built arms showed a strong work ethic. Or an elaborate disguise. Dropping a – no. That is not my occupation any more.
"Just returning, actually." Thane kept his voice soft. Many species had negative reactions with the dual-tones drell possessed. A reminder from his wife surfaced in his memory, prompting him to volunteer information, "I was a guest instructor at the Armali University."
"Ah, the asari homeworld? That must have been an eye-opener," the turians' mandibles shifted into a grin, "What did you teach?"
Thane kept any suspicion from his face. Not all who interrogate need information. Social activity requires interaction. "I teach a variety of mental disciplines, but was unfortunately unable to fulfill my contract. Another instructor took exception to having a drell assume what was formerly an asari Matriarch position."
"Oh, and here I thought the asari were more open minded about that kind of thing." Surprise colored the turians' reaction.
Despite himself, Thane took a mild interest. "The position has been held by a Matriarch for the last three thousand years. I understand the strength tradition holds amongst the asari; it is one of their greatest attributes." Weakness as well. Logic from another view has never been regretted.
The turian waved a friendly dismissal as Thane took a different route. The sky bus stop had given an excellent vantage point, allowing the drell to see his home from nearly half a kilometer away.
Thane enjoyed the walk. Enjoyment … that is yet another gift Irikah has given me. I enjoy the play of light on leaves, how the sound of the wind changes through the day.
Habits from a lifetime of training forced themselves to prominence. Thane spent a fraction of a second reviewing his memories, double checking his perceptions for error. None. Proceed.
Sky cars soared overhead, whispers against the windy gusts. A storm is coming. Speed would be best.
Thane was surprised by the presence of a strange sky car near the back door. Caution slowed his steps. Irikah knows to not entertain strangers. That had been a small strain on their relationship, but one they had been able to work through together. She knew his former occupation had created enemies, and had accepted him despite that fact. In return, he had learned to accept people within his home without the background checks he'd been accustomed to performing.
His eyes swept the ground-level of the dwelling. He'd designed part of it himself, with an eye to security. Most of it appeared normal, but normal dwellings did not have walls reinforced with heavy armor, nor windows outfitted with plate-shielding. The windows were open, yet unlit, showing nothing in the darkening sky.
Thane let the wind curl the edges of his greatcoat in little furls, flapping against his legs.. She knows I am coming home early, why are the lights not on?
Memories, filtered by decades of training, flashed through his mind. Lights, bright like the sun … eyes tremble … "I miss the sun, its heat." .… He returned to himself less than a second later. The world had changed.
Irikah would not leave the lights off as a storm approached. It's a warning.
He dropped the briefcase he'd been carrying, popping it open. He tore into its lining, fingers meeting the cool touch of the ceramic blades. He'd hidden them there weeks ago. Denser than flesh, lighter than metal, with just enough mass in the briefcase to deter sensors … fragile but sharper than a salarian{apostrophie}s wit.
Thane wished for his rifle, or the pistol he'd used to carry at all times. Useless longings. Rearm once inside. Until then, use your training. Focus. He took a breath, calming his mind.
Blowing air, friendly scents. Mate in danger. Hurry.
The covering trees beckoned to him, swaying like a mothers' arms. He darted forward, covering the distance in an eye-blink.
He could hear better from this point. Faint echoes carried messages to his soul … scuffling. Fighting. Irikah … Siha! No!
The intellectual half of his being noted multiple entrance points. An escape path could easily be repurposed for an entrance … given the right talents. It also calculated the probability of being detected.
The less refined, primal half ignored logic and charged for the hatch. Blue fire, powered by desperation flew, punching into the armored exterior.
Balancing between the two mindsets was not a gift, but a practice. Drell had a natural advantage, given their eidetic memories, permitting Thane to fluidly change his plans mid-action.
Mother of Oceans, protect my Siha, he prayed. Give me strength to reach her in time! His steps turned to a leap, a faint glow aiding his questing fingertips to reach the roof.
Strong scent, sand from the desert. The odor guided him to Kolyat's open bedroom window. Careful … the air currents warned, movement inside.
Below, another explosion jarred the senses. A two-legged threat stepped into view below the stairwell.
Little movement, hand-to-eye. The primal nature took over, sending the ceramic dart spinning past the two-legged menace. It nicked an artery, sedatives in the blades' edge dulling any pain.
Thane dropped through the gap, sticking to the wall just above the ceiling of the next floor down. A voice screamed … a drell voice.
In perfect harmony, the primal and intellectual halves joined in one goal. He moved with the predatory grace few could match, faster than an asari in full Biotic Charge. The door … the Safe Door was broken. He stopped for one moment, a fractioned splinter of time at the entrance.
Men. Six. Weapons drawn, two bodies on the floor. Broken blade in one, Irikah's work.
Sunset yellow-haze filled the room making each desecrator stand out like a beacon. He couldn't help it. A full-voiced roar broke from his lungs, not the helpless scream of victims. True predators could paralyze their prey with the mere sound of their bloodlust, and when a drell's dual-tones dipped into the infrasonic range, it triggered the most basic fears.
Closest first, head twist. Left-dodge, knife slash.
Thane twirled around a clumsy strike, extending the batarians knife-arm into a comrade.
Biotic-pull, throat-chop. A body flew over Thane, ignored in its death throes.
A rising scream, similar to Thanes own cry caught his attention. Irikah, now held by one of the captors, seized the restraining arm, breaking it in two places, then executed the offending batarian with an upward elbow-strike.
Silence, broken by their heavy breathing, filled the room.
Thane shook his head, releasing the last vestiges of the conflict from his mind. "Kolyat, is he all right?" he asked.
Irikah, raised her chin, "He's with my brother. Someone was asking after him at school, so he took precautions."
"Good." Thane nodded approval. "You?"
"I'm alive, and they are not. I will be fine. Are they …?"
Thane sighed, "Former employees of a past target. We will need to take precautions."
"No." Thane's head snapped up at her tone. Irikah glared at him, burning intensity in her gaze. "They tried to kill our son. To hurt you by hurting me. We will find who did this. And end them."
A/N: Thanks for reading, hope this revised edition meets with satisfaction!