Way of the Sheppard
Short Story by James Putnam
An asari sat at the table, staring out at the beauty of the reflected sunlight off of the rings of Saturn and the surface of Titan. Littered across the viewscape was a vast amount of wreckage that had been pulled, towed, and dumped here to Valhalla Station, a fitting resting place – so it was called.
"So many years ago…", she sat pondering. "All of the destruction the Reapers caused, so much loss of life." She turned from the window and looked down at her untouched drink.
Elysium on Valhalla Station was known for its soothing and reflective environment. It was not like the other bars and nightclubs, the music here was serene, yet occasionally haunting, as it could open corridors of thought and remembrance – regardless of the race. Turians, Volus, Salarians, Elcor, Humans, Quarians, Batarians, and even Krogan were touched by the ambient tones. Asari, Drell, and especially Hanar were known to be able to tune into the subtlety of the vibrations and find deeper understanding.
It was fitting for this station, Valhalla, being built as a memorial to all that was lost in the war against the Reapers. All of the races came here now seeking solace; understanding; or just to view what was left of the great final battle that took place in the near-orbit of Earth.
After several moments, she turned her head to the window. "So many lost…", her thoughts began to drift along with the help of the current atmosphere. A faint glistening appeared at the corner of her eyes.
The hanar waiter drifted back and forth taking care of the patrons, being carried along with the dulcet vibrations. It was immune to those effects, now, but that was from working here and waiting. When it had almost finished its rounds and noticed the asari had not touched the drink, the hanar sensed that there was something more to this asari. It slowly glided towards the table and paused, assessing the state of the patron and carefully attuning itself to the current rhythm - a transition was coming and just before it began, the hanar gently vibrated in the air. The trance was broken, the asari head turned slightly from the window.
"This one must apologize for its disturbing the asari patron," spoke the hanar waiter. "This one did not mean to intrude upon your thoughts."
The asari turned, now fully aware of hanar. She recognized it as the waiter whom had brought her the drink she ordered. It was odd that a hanar would be a waiter, especially here. "My thoughts were on dark times and the losses we suffered."
"This one understands. This one found meaning here. Many come to find but deeper truth is fleeting."
The asari quickly deciphered the hanar's meaning and linked it to the "Enkindlers" and muttered under her breath, "Enkindlers, little good they did."
The hanar drew back with a sudden start, for it clearly heard and felt the muttered asari words. "Kashan-ver", it thought, "this could be the one we have been waiting for! Careful must this one be."
"This one no more follows the Enkindlers."
It was the asari's turn to be slightly shocked, in her dealings she had never met a hanar who was not a follower of the Enkindlers – to some degree. Her curiosity piqued, but before she could pose a question, the hanar continued.
"This one met an Enkindler."
The asari's eyes widened at this statement, there was only one Enkindler that this hanar could be talking about – Javik the lone surviving Prothean! Hanar called the Protheans, Enkindlers. Staring at the hanar, all she could ask was, "How?"
The hanar could sense the asari's mood, and could also sense more. "This one must ask question of asari, before this one can answer."
"What question?"
"This one must know…" The hanar paused before asking, "Are you Dr. Liara T'Soni?"
The asari paused, "Coincidence?" flashed through her mind. The sharp mental blade of her thoughts became focused. "There was something to be learned here." Liara answered "Yes, I am her."
Joy spread through the entire being of the hanar, "This one…" it stuttered. "This one has waited for you, Dr. T'Soni. This one must explain."
Liara composed herself, hiding further surprise that a hanar would be waiting for her. "This should be interesting," she thought as the hanar began to spin its tale.
"This one many, many years ago was a firm believer in the Enkindlers. This one was committed spreading their beliefs to all that would listen. This one travelled far to share the Enkindlers. This one thought the best place to share was the place known as 'The Citadel.' This one only found ridicule."
A memory began to form in Liara's mind, something she could not grab a firm grasp of. The hanar continued.
"This one encountered Sheppard. This one remembers the kindness of the Sheppard."
The memory flared in Liara's mind, this was the hanar that was proselytizing about the Enkindlers at the Citadel! Sheppard had intervened with a Turian C-Sec Guard who was concerned about the hanar not having a proper license to proselytize.
"This one spent much time on the Citadel but eventually left," regret seeping in. "This one could find no followers for the Enkindlers. This one travelled to many worlds. This one nearly died when the Reapers came and destroyed all that they could."
"This one heard of the living Enkindler," some tones of discord occurred when the hanar spoke. "This one found the Enkindler." The discord turned anger, "This one was laid bare by the Enkindler." Then with disgrace, "This one's faith failed."
"This one returned to home world. This one questioned beliefs. This one sought understanding of pilgrimage. This one visited quarians for understanding of pilgrimage. This one sought faith."
Liara responded, "A pilgrimage of faith can be a long and trying one indeed."
"This one agrees. This one travelled on pilgrimage and met many. This one listened to all those nearby. This one heard many mentions of the Sheppard. This one remembered again the kindness of the Sheppard. This one heard the name of Dr. T'Soni. This one remembered final words of Enkindler which were lost in this one's pain. This one remembered, 'Elysium is truth.'"
"This one heard of Valhalla Station and Elysium. This one came here. This one heard many tales of the Sheppard here. This one heard tales of Dr. T'Soni and the Sheppard. This one seeks a boon from Dr. T'Soni."
Liara had been listening very intently and putting things together in her mind. There were many questions she had, those stopped when the hanar asked for 'a boon.' "What do you seek?"
"This one seeks eternity."
Liara drew back, she had no reason to kill the hanar and why would it even ask such a thing. "I cannot kill you…" she started to respond.
"This one makes error. This one has heard of asari eternity or asari mind joining. This one is known as Paathas-enhir. This one seeks more of the Sheppard." Paathas-enhir extended a tentacle towards Liara. Liara now understood the nature of the boon being asked, a joining of the minds - limited it appears to Commander Sheppard. Liara composed herself, and stated, "I have never joined minds with a hanar."
"This one understands. Paathas-enhir will share all. Dr Liara T'Soni must guard herself - Hanar biotics are subtle but penetrating. Paathas-enhir only seeks Sheppard."
Liara with slight trepidation, says "We shall do this. Give me several moments to prepare my thoughts." After a minute, she reaches out and takes the tentacle in both of her hands. Sensing a biotic affinity there, she reaches into herself and opens a channel between herself and the hanar.
The hanar quivers and mutters, "eternity."
Liara sees in graphic detail the hanar's life and the expounding of the story it has told. The hanar remains quiet and reversed absorbing all that it can about the Sheppard.
The joining lasts for several seconds. Liara shows signs of being slightly fatigued by the process, dropping the tentacle – carefully. She then manages to say, "You have spoken truth."
The hanar is silent, absorbed in its own thoughts and recognition. Clarity filled its being and that which it had thought was a lack of faith, blossomed.
"Paathas-enhir has found truth; Dr. Liara T'Soni must hear our truth."
Liara began to wonder what truth this hanar could tell her…
"Yueasa-paath-saashir," (hanar soul name) "knows the Sheppard. Has touched the Sheppard. All that Sheppard was, still is. We have touched souls and the truth is that the way of the Sheppard lives. Dr Liara T'Soni look inside yourself and see the truth of it."
Liara could not believe what she was hearing. She sensed that the hanar had left her with something that she could not clearly discern, something that felt so much like Commander Sheppard. Thessia held some answers and she would have to return home and investigate it further. But not before returning to the Shadowbroker's home base and instituting some new search parameters towards the hanar, and possibly hiring some drell to guard (aka follow) the hanar.
"This one must leave and spread the news of the 'Way of the Sheppard.'" And with that the hanar waiter began to drift off, no longer concerned about the Elysium patrons, for it now had a higher mission – it must spread the good news.
ELSEWHERE:
Deep within the planet Baelenshok, a forgotten enemy stirred from its slumber and started to put into motion it's devious plan.
- The above story is inspired from the Blue "Control" ending of Mass Effect 3.
July 11, 2012