A/N: This story is an ongoing challenge to myself to write a well thought out and well written story of novel length. It is also shameless indulgence in my need to give Saren a chance at happiness. Seeing him at the end of the game with Paragon choices always breaks my heart. This is my dedication to him and what he could have been.
~Trinity Ward. District 43.~
Anastasia sighed as she passed another customer their coffee. She had only lived on the citadel for a few months now, but she had quickly grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the busy space station. When you were deep in the wards, living day to day, it really felt no different from living on any other crowded city planetside. She herself spent most days at the Stardust Cafe, working full-time hours to help supplement her modest income as a novelist.
It was one of the busiest hours of the day and they were low on help. Two of their employees had called in sick and most of the workload had been left to her. It was a good thing she had making coffee down to a science, and her body had pretty much committed the actions down to memory, or Ana had no doubt that she would have tripped and spilt most of the cups hours ago.
The bell that signaled more customers coming in rang and she quickly finished up an Asari's frappuccino before moving back over to the counter. The sight of two intimidating turian's standing in front of her, fully armed no less, made her nervous. She recognized the darker one briefly as a frequent customer and decided not to dwell on it.
"Hello, what can I get for you today?"
The turian with the dark red plates and white clan markings gave her a brief version of a turian smile as a leaned on the counter. His green eyes were mischievous as they stared into her own.
"I'll have one Kava, hot, slightly sweetened, and with two shots of minta cream."
He glanced back briefly at his stoic, more intimidating white plated companion, and motioned with his two taloned hand for her to lean closer. His movements were exaggerated as he whispered into her ear, no doubt meant to annoy his already scowling friend.
"I don't know if you've heard of Saren, but he's been a little uptight lately." Here the one called Saren rolled his eyes and made a weird rumbling sound from his chest. The subharmonics she supposed. "I thought I'd bring him here as your kava never fails to help me unwind. And he could use a good unwinding. Give him the strongest thing you have."
Her attention was now on the, admittedly, very tall turian. He was scary, yes, but she knew first appearances were rarely ever right. Anastasia had always been very...empathetic when it came to people (to put it simply), and she sensed an intense commitment from him. Not malevolent, but wary, worried, and maybe even a little scared. But there was something else, something deeper, something trying to stay hidden, and it made her brows furrow in concentration.
"Did anyone ever tell you not to stare, human?"
She came out of her trance quickly and with a flush adorning her cheeks. She was quick to put in their orders, one light and sugar kava, and one afagato style avano. The kava being the human equivalent to coffee and the avano being the equivalent to an espresso.
Her eyes discreetly followed them as they found a seat in two recliners, the dark one laughing and the other staring off into the distance.
Every species and race had their religions. Asari, Turians, Humans, they all had their own belief of the afterlife. Maybe they were all wrong, maybe they were all right. She didn't really care. All she knew was what she remembered, and what she could do. Dreams of lifes gone by, people she used to be. But one thing always prevailed in those dreams, and that was the hint of magic.
She was sure if someone looked it up on the extranet, they would find details of wicca and how it was a sect of human religion, how it had been mostly forgotten and laughed at since their journey to the stars. What most people didn't know was that a small group of humans all throughout the galaxy still practiced witchcraft, communicating through gestures and secret code. Hints at knowing more and yet not ever really letting on that they knew anything.
There were even a few stores on the citadel that sold wiccan essentials. Not that it was presented that way to the rest of the races. To the asari it was a cute, silly human religion. The turian's barely paid it attention as they believed only in the spirits of their own. And she really didn't know if the Salarian's had much of a religion at all.
But what they didn't understand was that it wasn't a religion, not really. It had transformed over the years, becoming more of a science and a way of life. The best way she could describe wicca as it was now was similar to the old 20th century films, the Star Wars classics, old and forgotten as they were. They existed in a grey area, neither light or dark, but with rules and warnings. They didn't really have laws, as they didn't have a governing body, but everyone in the know generally understood that you didn't harm others unless you wished harm upon yourself.
She was a semi-practicing witch, focused more on earning a living and supporting her family back on Earth. She didn't dabble all that much in rituals, but she was pretty good at using the energy around her and manipulating it. It actually wasn't much different from biotics. Except it wasn't readily visible to the naked eye, and you had to be able to sense biotics to know she was using it. It was also quite more...expansive than simply manipulating gravitational fields.
She was careful with her powers on the citadel, as were any other wiccans. Aliens didn't seem to realize human's had their own sect of biotics yet, natural biotics, and they were content to leave it that way. Human history had a bad reputation of treating witches poorly. What was to say alien's would treat them any different? She, and many others, were content with not finding out.
Yet, that turian, she sensed something from him. A sense of foreboding. His body was stiff, eyes unmoving from the drink sitting in front of him, and although he would acknowledge his companion every now and then, he seemed trapped in his own thoughts.
As she looked deeper, briefly letting her coworker know she was taking a five minute break, she sensed something else. Something dark and sinister. The way his talons twitched on his cup, the way his gaze would focus unnaturally. The simply malevolent air that hung around him, almost separate from him.
It was when she watched him finally take a sip from the avano that she realised exactly what was wrong. Surprise jumped across his features before his whole frame seemed to relax in on itself, his gaze softening briefly in sadness and grief before something seemed to take over him again, something dark and disgusting that only she could see. It was black and like tar as it writhed to life over his body, writhing with anger before it seeped back into his plates. She saw Saren struggle as it happened, talons clenching and clawing at his armor beneath the table before he slowly calmed, losing the battle to whatever dark entity that was holding him captive.
Something was possessing him. Something powerful that she had never encountered before.
Oh she had dealt with her fair share of dark entities, spirits that refused to believe they had died, ones unwilling to pass on. She had even dealt with her share of demons, though they were few and far between when off planet. This though...it was as if all the hate in the universe had manifested into one being and settled over the turian.
She couldn't just let it go.
With a plan quickly forming in her head, caution thrown to the wind (as she was want to do when she felt like she needed to save someone), Anastasia quickly got up from her chair and walked over to the counter.
"Salara, I'll take those orders for you, I need to stretch my legs."
The female Salaraian gave her a grateful look as she passed the tray of drinks over, quickly turning back to take more orders. She didn't really know who these drinks went to, but that mattered little to her right now. Slowly making her way over to the table the two turians were at, she purposefully tripped over a chair near the pair, righting herself at the last minute, making the crowd around her give a collective sigh of relief, before she tripped over her own feet as she lost her balance and fell backwards right onto Saren's lap. The drinks went flying everywhere, and as everyone's attention was on the brief chaos, she gripped onto Saren's armor as she tried to right herself. It was then everything started to go wrong.
As she sent her energy into Saren to try and sever the connection the dark being had on him, to purify its hold on the turian, like she had done so many times before, Saren reacted violently. Or rather, the being reacted violently through him. She felt his body freeze up beneath her as she continued to pump her energy into him, becoming lost in the battle for control, a scream ripping from his throat as his biotics flared up and dark ooze started to seep from the cracks in his armor.
"SAREN!"
Ana was feeling like she had underestimated the power this being had, but she wouldn't give up, not when she could feel its hold starting to lose it's grip. She felt wetness leak from her nose but she paid no attention to it.
"N-NIHLUS-NGH-DON'T!"
She was barely paying attention to her surroundings now. Her only focus was on surrounding Saren's soul with her light, the force of her power, the opposite to the dark beings own. She felt it screech in rage in her mind, felt it claw at her brain, but she paid it no mind as she disconnected it's tendrils one by one, layering her energy over Saren like a protective film, one the tendrils could find no purchase on.
YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED! EVEN WITHOUT THE PAWN THE CYCLE WILL CONTINUE!
She ignored the voice, even as it continued to rage and scream in her head. She could barely feel the grip of claws on her shoulders, holding her still as she continued to work. She was starting to lose consciousness, but she was almost done. Just one last burst!
The screech rang throughout her head even as she felt it finally rip apart from the turian.
WE ARE THE HARBINGER OF YOUR DESTRUCTION. YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE!
With that, it was as if an energy explosion went off with them at the center. The dark energy tore through her as it left, ripping the air from her lungs and she felt her vision darken at the edges. She would have fallen to the floor if not from the talons holding her against a sturdy frame. She glanced up into astonished blue eyes before her head lolled back and she passed out.
~Twenty minutes ago~
Normally Saren wouldn't have allowed Nihlus to drag him around the wards like this, but considering what was soon going to happen...he was willing to be a little nostalgic. Doubts plagued at him, but a voice always whispered in the back of his mind that there was no other choice. There simply was no other way for his race to survive the coming disaster. It was hopeless to fight.
As he followed behind Nihlus and listened to his inane chatter, he felt a deep sadness try to claw it's way up to the forefront, that last bit of hope buried somewhere deep that maybe no, there has to be another way…
Only for a deep coldness to settle over him whenever those thoughts came up. Reminding him that no, there was no other way. It was hopeless, this was the. Only. Way.
In a brief second of insecurity, Saron's talon rose to settle against his head plates, torn and confused about the two different ways his thoughts seemed to go.
"You okay, Saren?"
Nihlus' voice drew him from his inner battle and that cold heaviness settled over him again.
"I'm fine. Let's hurry up and get this over with."
And that little voice that tried to speak up was buried deep once more. There just was no way to stop it. Nothing could stop the cycle. He would simply have to force his people to understand.
And short of that, kill anyone who got in his way.
~Present time. District 43. Three blocks from Stardust Cafe.~
"Saren, what the living spirits is going on?!"
Saren was unsteady on his feet, feeling both weaker and stronger than he had in a long while. His arms shook briefly as he stopped to grab a breather in an alleyway. The human woman was still unconscious, red blood dripping from her nose as her head rolled against his shoulder. He didn't know how, but she had somehow been able to rid him of Nazara's influence. To finally be free of that damnable machines control and allow him to think clearly for once.
"Saren!"
Nihlus was understandably angry at his silence, no doubt wanting to know what was going on, but Saren didn't have time to explain. They needed to get somewhere safe before Nazara's agent's came to track them down.
"I don't have time to explain right now Nihlus. But we need to get somewhere secure, we will have hostiles on us soon if we don't get out of the open."
Nihlus was still angry and his green eyes absolutely breathed fire, but he was willing to listen to Saren, noting the serious tone. He crouched down next to his mentor and turned his gaze to scan their surroundings.
"Fine, but you better explain to me what the hell is going on."
Saren nodded before his attention was drawn to a krogan that appeared down the way, followed by vorcha as it pushed people around and scented the air.
"Five o'clock. Blood pack mercenary. We need another route."
Nihlus' eyes were sharp as he slipped his pistol from it's grip, eagle like eyes tracking the krogan like prey. It hadn't noticed them yet.
"I'll create a distraction and draw them off, you get the payload to C-Sec. I'll call in reinforcements to meet you halfway."
Saren nodded his affirmation and shifted his hold on the human female. She was surprisingly light in his arms, causing a strange feeling to build up in his chest as his talons tightened their hold on her. It would be a little more difficult to get around with the human in his arms, but he wasn't one of the best council spectres for nothing.
"Affirmative. Contact me as soon as you dispatch the hostiles."
With that, Saren turned in the opposite direction and slowly made his way through the shadowed corridors. He couldn't afford getting into a firefight without running the risk of the human getting shot. She was his only lead at the moment and losing her could only spell doom for the galaxy. She had hurt the reaper.
He distantly heard the shout of the krogan in the distance as gunfire rang out from behind him. Nihlus had begun the chase. He had full faith in his partner. After all, Saren was the one who trained him.
As he slowly made his way to the closest C-Sec docking bay, his attention was once again drawn to the human in his arms. At first glance she was as normal as any other human woman he glanced across the citadel, around five and a half feet, fur atop her head, and an annoying curiosity prevalent in all her species. It was only as he took a closer look that he realized her fur was a light auburn, tinting gold in the light, reminding him of a slow burning fire. The strands were down to the middle of her back, and were annoying as they occasionally blew into his faceplates. But each strand moved fluidly like water, soft to the touch like silk.
She was also much softer than a female turian, the glands on her chest pressing into his chestplate, his talons occasionally brushing them as he held her form to his. He had never been attracted to human females, but he had to admit the softness of her flesh under his fingertips was...intriguing.
Her waist and hips as well were quite pronounced. His race prized a small waist in comparison to the hips and most human females he had seen were generally very streamlined. Yet this human seemed to break that mold, her own waist quite petite with her hips flaring out attractively.
Attractively? What are you thinking? She's a human. Get a hold of yourself. You've simply been away from a proper turian female for too long.
Saren ripped his attention away from the cargo in his arms and slowed down as he came across a few turians in C-Sec uniform. They had set up a perimeter around the C-Sec docking bay, no doubt according to Nihlus' warning, and were beginning to set up a checkpoint. Using a sharp subharmonic whistle heard only by turians, he caught the officer's attention and gestured that he needed to remain hidden until safely inside the perimeter.
The officer quickly alerted his squadron to secure the area and to make sure there were no threats as he made his way over to Saren.
"Spectre Nihlus informed us of your arrival. We've had no indication of hostile threat within the area. We will hold our position here and make sure nothing makes it past the line."
"Good. But do so discretely. We don't want to paint a target on our location."
"Sir!"
The turian officer saluted him before making his way back to his people to give new orders. Saren made his way into the small c-sec outpost and chose a room devoid of windows to set his cargo down in. He knew they were relatively safe for now, but he didn't want to let his guard down too much. Choosing a chair with a view of the door and close to the human, Saren sat down as he set his elbows on his knees and brought his talons to rest just against his mandibles.
With a brief respite to collect himself, Saren reflected on the last hour. To think he was being controlled so fully and yet had no idea it was happening. Nazara had slipped into his thoughts like a slow moving virus, twisting and turning just beneath the surface. He was a fool to think he wasn't being controlled. When had it truly begun? The first time he set foot on that monstrosity? Or even before that? When his brother Desolas had first introduced him to that monolith, a crazed glint in his eye as he guided him towards it?
As he thought back, that was when his dark thoughts had first began. Just before the Relay 314 incident happened. Had his brother been as indoctrinated as he? Had he died still under that things control? His talons clenched in anger as he glared at the wall across from him. No matter what it took, he would insure the reapers were destroyed. He would never let them control his thoughts again.
A groan drew him back to the present and he shifted his attention to the human that was slowly waking up. He watched as she sat up from where he had laid her, a hand raising to rest on her head as her green eyes drifted around the room.
"So you're awake."
Immediately her gaze flew to his, startled. He was just about to open his mandibles to begin questioning her when she beat him to the punch.
"Are you okay?" She asked in rushed worry. She stood from her seat and made to rush over to him, only to realize her equilibrium was quite off. Saren reacted as she tilted to the side, standing quickly and grabbing her by the upper arms before she could acquaint herself with the tile flooring.
He felt her lean into him as she tried to get a sense of the world around her. Her brows furrowed and he watched her alien lips pull down in what he assumed was a frown. "I-I'm sorry." Her five fingered hand rubbed circles on the side of her forehead. "That took more out of me than I thought."
Surprisingly, humans were not quite as squishy as Saren's first impression. While initially soft to the touch, the human's arm was firm and solid just beneath the outside layer. Muscle he presumed. His talons flexed as she moved, finding her skin silky like-
Stop.
His grip tightened as a means to grab her attention. He saw her wince before looking up at him. So, still easily damaged then.
"What did you do back there?" His intense blue eyes glared into her own "How did you sense it?"
Saren saw her eyes widen as if suddenly realizing she had an angry turian standing over her, fear and anxiety quickly taking over her scent. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape route, but Saren was quick to back her up into a wall, wrists trapped beside her head as he caged her body with his.
"I don't have time for your theatrics, woman!" Her scent was stronger now, with his face so close to hers. It was sweet. "That thing you drove off? It was in my head! Used me! Made me do horrible things!" His breathing grew heavier. Shadowed memories started coming back. His talons clenched on her wrists. "And now it knows you exist. I don't know what you did, but you freed me from it's control. It will come for you, it won't stop until-"
Saren would have continued ranting if the human had not laid her forehead against his brow plates. He hadn't realized it, but he had steadily been working himself up, getting more and more emotional as the memories from the years under that things control came crawling back, clawing at his mind.
Her surprising move broke him from the downward spiral though, the touch of their foreheads halting his thoughts and sending pleasant sparks down his spine. Did she even know the significance of such a thing for turians?
"It's okay." Her voice was steady and her breath smelt sweet. "You're not there anymore. Just breathe."
Saren had never been easily swayed, but he had been running so tightly since the cafe. His nerves on high alert. A great breath left him, the next coming in shaky and uncertain, small tremors starting to form in his talons. He didn't like to admit it, but he was afraid. Afraid of the monster that had been in his mind for the last few years. Afraid of being so easily brought under something's control like that. Afraid of the absolute promise of destruction if something wasn't done to stop it. Afraid because he felt so used and useless!
So he gave in? What sane man would blame him? She was soft and warm and his breath hitched as he encased her in his hold. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist as he buried his faceplates in the crook of her neck, giving in to the primal need to seek comfort from his fears. Her scent was overpowering now as he took in even more shaky breaths, the aroma washing over him as he took a few moments to center himself.
It was warm, and sweet, and Saren felt a stirring he had not felt in years, since before he had come under the reapers control. His talons itched to touch and his plates desperately wanted to shift apart. So strong was the urge that he had to fight off the impulse to taste the skin just beneath his mandibles. There would be time for this later, he chided himself.
Saren forced himself to pull away from the warm embrace, his breathing considerably more steady and his heartbeat slowed to a more sedate pace. His talons slid down to her hips as he stared down at her, digits flexing slightly. He was surprised by the short intake of breath the touch invoked and would have investigated it further if Nihlus hadn't chosen that moment to clear his throat.
The human jumped away from him in surprise and he felt the loss of contact sharply. His mandibles pulled down in a frown before turning to glare at his partner, Nihlus. The twitch in the red turian's mandibles that represented a smirk rankled at Saren.
"I have the ship ready in the hangar. The VI has it on standby, so I suggest we board up."
Saren nodded in agreement before reaching over and grabbing the humans bicep once more.
"Come. We don't have time to waste."
Saren felt her struggle briefly in his hold as he pulled her along. It seemed like she was finally realizing the situation she was in. He felt her grip at his talons and try to remove them, but his strength was simply too much for her.
"Wait! Where are we going?!"
He smelt her fear hitch once more, this time more dramatically and he frowned in distaste. Any other time he would enjoy the smell of fear coming from a human, but this one, he decided, he disliked the taste of.
He growled and turned to stare at her as they boarded the ships decontamination chamber. Her struggles increased, even going so far as to try and kick him in the shin. He heard Nihlus' subharmonic laughter behind him at his situation. His brow plate twitched in irritation.
"Woman!" He shook her arm roughly, making her focus her attention on him once more. "I am not going to hurt you!" His growls dropped to a low timber as she stilled and stared up at him, breathing fast but slowing down as she started to calm. "Next to me is the safest place for you right now. Do not make it difficult for me to try and protect you."
The outer airlock had closed behind them already and the decontamination process had begun. The atmosphere around them started to change as the VI droned on around them, becoming still and charged as the blue beam slowly scoured the room. Her eyes glowed as the beam passed over them.
"P-Protect me?"
Saren had to resist the strange urge to pull the human into an embrace. Her wide eyes and open mouth were quite tempting to his preditorial instincts, resembling that of a deer caught in the headlights. His mandibles tightened against his face as his jaw clenched in restraint. He did not need to give Nihlus any more reason to laugh behind his back. He resumed his glare.
"Did you think Nazara would simply go crawl into a dark corner after what you did? He is very, very real and will stop at nothing until you are destroyed."
"B-But...y-you mean that thing is corporeal?"
Her choice of wording confused him. Did she think it was some dark shadow she had ridden from his mind?
"Yes it is corporeal. And currently building an armada to attack the citadel."
The beam finished it's last sweep just as the VI droned on that they were well and clean. The inner door opened and Saren followed Nihlus up to the cockpit, the human woman's arm still firmly in his grasp.
"B-But a being of that much power! The flashes I got of it's image-you mean that thing is real?!"
Nihlus took the pilot's chair and quickly began the process of removing the docking clamps and running a systems check. Saren guided the human to a side chair meant for extra passengers.
"Sit." She didn't. She was still staring up at him with wide, scared eyes waiting on his answer. Something old twinged beneath his chestplates. He repeated his command, this time a bit more gently. "Sit. You're safe here. Just...trust me, please."
Her eyes wavered before she lowered them to stare at the ground, no doubt trying to go over everything in her mind. He heard her let out a large sigh before her hand rose to lay over the taloned one on her arm, a weak smile on her face as she stared back up at him.
"Alright. I'll trust you. Just...just please don't break it."
The warmth of her five fingered hand on his taloned one made that old stone beneath his chestplates beat again, sending pain up his throat that made his mandibles twitch. This was a complete change from the woman that had so confidently comforted him just a few minutes ago.
"I won't. Now sit."
He released his hold on her arm and watched as she sat herself down and buckled in before turning to slide into the co-pilots seat.
An awkward air formed between Saren and Nihlus as they finally pulled out of the C-Sec docking bay and made the slow drift towards the citadel tower. Obviously Nihlus wanted to ask a question and the extended silence he was getting instead was starting to grate on him. It wasn't long before he snapped.
"What?"
Nihlus cleared his throat and hummed in hesitation before glancing at his mentor out of the corner of his eye. "So...new girlfriend?"
Saren's whole body tensed up in disbelief. He shot a disbelieving stare at Nihlus, mandibles slack in shock, before shooting a quick glance at the human woman behind them. Her tense frame, heated cheeks, and intense stare at the hands on her lap told him that yes, she had heard. He shot an intense glare back at Nihlus.
"No! Why would you-! Just pilot the damn ship!" It came out as a harsh whisper and Saren burned in angry embarrassment.
Nihlus just let out a chuckle and proceeded to do just that. Saren turned back to monitoring the traffic around them, content to ignore what Nihlus had just implied. A silence fell over them once again before Nihlus decided to break it. "You know...it's nice to see you back to your old self."
Saren's mandibles twitched at the sentence, quickly becoming somber as he kept his eyes on the readouts.
"For a while I thought I had lost you."
Saren's talons twitched at their places on the console, memories of the last few decades flashing through his mind. After being indoctrinated, nothing had mattered but the mission. Everything else, friends, family, feelings, fell to the wayside. They just simply weren't important. A nuisance in the way of the ultimate goal. When he looked back on it now, it felt like looking in on a dream. His body was making the motions, but he had been so far removed…
"That wasn't me."
When had he last been himself? Truly? He had spent so long indoctrinated. Perhaps it had been subtle at first, only his goals changing while his personality stayed relatively the same, but over the years he had become more ruthless, uncaring of any innocent lives lost in the mission. It was just collateral damage. In the end all that was left of him was the singular drive. That was when he felt Nazara had fully taken him over. His throat tightened as guilt built up as he remembered all the lives ended at his hand.
"I'll brief you on the details later, but essentially I was under mind-control; indoctrinated." He remembered the next mission Nazara had wanted him to pursue, the one to Eden Prime. Nihlus had told him of his next mission that would bring him there. What he had been prepared to do… "Nihlus, I-"
"Corvette Spiritus, we have you on our radar. Please follow these docking coordinates. The council has been informed and will meet you in their private chambers."
Saren sighed at being interrupted, but knew his problems could be dealt with later. Informing the council of the current situation was more important. Nihlus responded to the hail.
"Spiritus confirming and en route. Over and out." Nihlus reclined back in his chair and stretched his legs briefly, a sigh escaping him as well. He scratched behind his fringe before turning to look at Saren. "I don't quite understand exactly, but I think I get the gist of it. If you say your not under...whoever's control anymore, than I trust you."
Saren fluttered his mandibles briefly in a smile before they clamped down as he remembered the elephant in the room. "That's where she comes in." He turned in his seat to look back at the human. "Somehow she managed to sever its connection and free me."
The human, and he realized belatedly that he never got her name, was nervously scratching her arm as she avoided their gaze.
Nihlus had already input the ship's flight plan and had set the VI to autopilot, so he eagerly turned in his seat to address her. "In all the chaos, we never got your name, did we? I'm Spectre Nihlus Kryik. Thank you for doing whatever you did to free Saren, miss…?"
She gave a small nervous smile as she played with a strand of her fur, no doubt still unsure about what was going to happen to her. "Anastasia Moreau. But uh...you can just call me Ana. All my friends do."
"Glad to meet you then, Ana." He glanced at Saren briefly with a curious tilt of his head. "You did introduce yourself right?"
Saren glanced briefly at Nihlus as he was finishing up his written report to the councilors. Now that he thought about it, he didn't remember ever telling the human who he was, though he was sure Nihlus had said something along those lines for him.
"Um...Saren right? That's all I got before all this...happened." She was playing with the edge of her shirt as she offered her input. Her five fingered hands were still strange to Saren, but he remembered how warm they were as well.
"Saren Arterius. Council Spectre. And soon to be your new mentor."
"What?" Nihlus and Anastasia voiced their concerns at the same time. However, the ship had just docked and Saren was eager to brief the council on what had been happening in the recent years. He ignored their questions as he stood and made his way over to Ana.
"Come. The sooner we get this over with the sooner we can start training you."
Saren was tempted to grab her by the arm again to make sure she didn't run, but he did not want her to think she was a prisoner. No matter how much such a term seemed to ring true. He simply could not let her run; she would be essential to beating the reapers. He needed her to believe this was her choice.
He watched her share a skeptical look with Nihlus before she rose from her seat and stood unsurely in front of him.
"Train me? I don't...I've never fought a day in my life."
Saren gave in to the need to grab on to her in some way as he put a talon at the small of her back and guided her out of the ship. She jumped slightly at the contact and stared up at him briefly but didn't argue with it.
"Inconsequential. You already have impressive biotic potential even without an amp; I am eager to find out what you will be capable of once we get one implanted."
A detachment of C-Sec officers met them at the ramp and formed up around the three as they made their way down twisting hallways. Normal meetings with the council were usually conducted in the main atrium, but this needed discretion. So they had agreed to meet up in a private meeting chamber well away from public eyes and ears. As they neared the meeting point Saren pulled Ana aside briefly and bent down to whisper in her ear.
"Let me handle the talking and speak only when spoken to. Councillor Sparatus is very outspoken on his opinions of humanity, so do not take any of what he says personally."
With a reassuring smile, Anastasia laid her hand over his taloned one. Saren did not like how he was becoming used to the contact.
"Contrary to what most people think of my species Saren, I do in fact have some tact. I've learned long ago that although I can't control how others will react to me, I can control how I react to them. You don't need to worry about me 'mouthing off' in front of the councillors."
Saren laid his other talon over the human's and marveled for a second at the contrast their hands made. He glanced back into her eyes before letting out a short chuckle as he removed his talons from hers.
"Perhaps you will set an example for your species then. Spirits knows they need to be shown how to act."
She let out a small laugh of her own, not offended in the slightest at his jab it seemed. "If anyone knows how stupid and impulsive humans can be, trust me, it's me. You forget that we are not all drafted into the military as soon as we reach adulthood. For us, service is optional; hence you can find quite a lot of humans who are spoiled, entitled, and quite sheltered in my opinion. A product of not being trained like the turian's. In fact, most humans are not much different from maiden Asari; they really just want to have fun."
"A well thought out opinion."
Anastasia was once again startled as she turned to look at the newly arrived Councillor Tevos. From what Saren knew, she was almost in her Matriarch stages, but, like all Asari seemed to, she looked no older than a human in their twenties. He saw Ana blush as she nodded in greeting as they were led into the chambers.
"One that's in the minority, unfortunately. A lot of human's can be...very prideful."
Tevos laughed quietly as she guided them to seats set up at a large round table. Anastasia sat nervously in the chair offered as she looked to Saren for guidance as he sat beside her. Nihlus talked briefly with the guard stationed at the entrance to the room before he too took a seat besides Saren.
Sparatus and Valern were already in their seats, reading over datapads with frowns on their faces. Tevos walked over to a pot of tea in a delicate china set before bringing the tray over to their guests.
"Would you like some tea?"
Saren waved it off but Anastasia agreed wholeheartedly. She was tired and stressed and tea sounded wonderful at the moment. Tevos poured her the sweet smelling, green colored tea and set the cup in front of her. Anastasia took the cup gently between her hands and brought it up just before her mouth, breathing in the calming scent before taking a slow sip. Saren watched her whole body relax as she sunk into her chair, content to sit and simply sip at her tea. Looking at her now, Saren was reminded of that fact that she was indeed a civilian and not a soldier.
"This cannot be right." Ah, Sparatus. Ever the skeptic of the three. "You say the geth are amassing an armada for an attack on the citadel in the name of the 'Reapers'. You then go on to state that the Reapers are sentient AI construct's that wiped out the Prothean's fifty thousand years ago. Yet we have no evidence of this. None of the Prothean archives we have access to state this. Even more ludicrous," here he sets the datapad down and turns his scrutinizing stare on Ana "-is that you state this human somehow used unknown biotic powers to sever the Reaper's mind control over you. Which in itself is quite hilarious. Mind control, Saren? You really expect us to believe this?"
Saren did not react to Sparatus words in the slightest and simply remained silent as he waited on the rest of the councillors opinions. Valern did not disappoint.
"Regardless of belief, Spectre Saren provides clear evidence of geth amassing major fleets in the verge. Whether these reapers exist or not, the geth are quite a threat on their own, and believe the key to their resurrection lies on the Citadel. Though I admit I am quite curious of this human; 'unknown biotic potential' you state, do you have proof of this?"
Saren glanced at the human to the right of him. She was clinging on to the cup of tea as if it would shield her from the stares now directed at her. Tevos smiled gently at her, no doubt trying to ease her nervousness.
"Please, if your biotics are as essential as Saren says they are…"
He watched Anastasia set the cup down and drag a finger around the rim of the cup as swallowed her nerves.
"You have to understand...my powers...my biotics I guess...are still not really understood. My race has a long history of fearing what they dub 'witchcraft'. If they could not find proof of it with science, it did not exist. Wiccans are still looked upon as superstitious loonies who think they have magic power. We haven't even been part of the galactic stage for a hundred years yet. Those old beliefs are still there."
Valern nodded as he read over something on his omni-tool. "Wiccan, also referred to as 'witch'. Yes, references in human history to witch trials and burnings. Understandable why you would be wary of exposing yourself as one."
Sparatus' mandibles widened in shock. "You mean your own people burned those with biotics?"
Anastasia's hands clenched on her tea cup. "The most prevalent religion in human society preached that anyone practicing witchcraft was evil and a supporter of the devil. Many humans today still believe that. The only reason those who were born with obvious biotics now aren't crucified is because it can be explained with science."
Tevos frowned in confusion here. "Born with obvious biotics? What do you mean?"
"My powers," Anastasia began "aren't based on the ability to manipulate dark matter. It is more like...being able to create nuclear fusion with my hands."
"What?!" Sparatus was openly showing his shock now, mandibles wide open and low. Valern was leaning forward in interest. Tevos too, but she showed more restraint.
"I...everything that exists has energy right? E = mc 2?" Ana seemed to flounder for a bit before gathering her thoughts again. "I'm not much of a mathematician, but witches operate on the same kind of theory, there is energy in everything, and with the right knowledge and practice, can be manipulated in multiple different ways."
"But then how did your people develop ways to control this energy, as you put it? There are no records of your genetic makeup allowing such." Valern was ever the scientist.
"My people...are in fact very small, and not very well connected. I doubt you could really call us a people. Just...individuals who share ancient knowledge. My own race, as I said, declares my own abilities as impossible."
Tevos nodded. "Don't mind Valern. Please, continue."
"As I said, we believe everything has energy, including our own bodies. We also believe in the spirit. A soul that lives on long after our mortal bodies die. Souls, which after a rest, are reincarnated into a new body."
Sparatus was frowning now, talons tapping on the tabletop. Clearly he did not particularly like religious talk. "What does your religious beliefs have to do with your own powers? Which, I would like to remind everyone, she has not demonstrated."
Saren himself was getting a little lost in the religious aspects of her explanation, but still sent a glare in the other turian's direction regardless. Sparatus jumped a bit at the unexpected enmity.
"I...I guess I should show you something to prove I'm not just crazy, huh?"
Her fingers were clenched in her lap as she seemed to war with herself. Saren frowned before setting a clawed talon on her shoulder in reassurance. "You will not come to harm here. We are not so primitive as to label things we don't understand as witchcraft."
He saw her eyes widen as she stared up at him, no doubt surprised that he could sense her insecurities. He rubbed the pad of his thumb against her shoulder without thinking, simply wanting to offer comfort. The action caused her to smile up at him briefly. It was then Sparatus cleared his throat to grab their attention, which caused Anastasia to pull away from him. He sent another glare the councillor's way, as did Tevos, surprisingly.
"O-Okay. Okay. Um...watch closely."
She brought her hands together, palms up, in front of her body. She seemed to focus intensely on the spot for a bit before the energy in the room changed. It was felt by nearly everyone in the room, as if the ions in the air had suddenly become charged. Like just before a thunderstorm.
Wind started to form and was drawn into her cupped hands, gaining intensity just before a spark came to life in the center, heat and light twisting furiously between her palms. And suddenly it was as if a miniature sun had formed between her hands, heat and light radiating from the twisting mass of energy hovering innocently in her grip.
A wide smile was on her face as she looked up to gauge the council's reactions, only to hesitate as Valern shot up from his seat and rushed over to her.
"Amazing! The implications of being able to create fusion on such a level astounding! Hold still, I must get scans of this!"
Tevos had come over as well, quite fascinated by the miniature sun. "And everyone with your abilities can do this?"
Saren was watching for Ana's reactions as she was crowded by the councilors. He would step in if they bothered her too much. "Oh, um, no. Much of our abilities are self-taught. We do not...much of this knowledge is inherited or kept within families. It is generally kept secret from the general public for fear of backlash."
Valern was still prattling on as he took readings and generally made a fool of himself. Saren didn't care much for his cluttering of Anastasia's personal space. He was debating whether he should step in when the sun suddenly sputtered out. Saren reached out and steadied her when Ana suddenly started to sway in her seat. He growled at Valern when he wouldn't give her room to breath. Tevos took note of this and gently guided the Salarian back to his chair despite his protests.
"I'm sorry, that must have taken much energy to keep sustained."
Anastasia smiled weakly up at Tevos as she leaned into Saren's hold on her shoulder. "Yes, it takes a lot of concentration and energy to produce that. It...just seemed like the most convenient way of convincing you of my powers. It was actually quite experimental. I have been working extensively on the theory and have done it a few times before, but never for that long."
Sparatus looked a lot more convinced now, with his talons clenched together on the table, staring her down as he studied her. "But how is such a thing possible? The idea of even being able to manipulate the energy around you in such a way…"
"It plays into what I told you about reincarnation. Normally I would never be able to do that if I only had the knowledge of a few decades of study. I...I have the memories of previous incarnations that I've lived. In all of them I have practiced witchcraft."
Valern was typing furiously away at his omni-tool. "Genetic memory, perhaps? Human DNA very diverse and malleable, not impossible to think it could be accessed eventually. But without scientific intervention? Implications astounding!"
Tevos ignored the salarian councillor as he continued to talk to himself, but his input was insightful. "Knowledge of previous lives? I can understand the want to believe such from the standpoint of a short-lived species, but you say you actually remember them?"
"Witches...no, perhaps it would be better to say that I, myself, believe the source of our being, our conscious mind, the soul, is in reality energy itself. It's been theorized by some of our scientists that the peak of evolution in a race is to eventually reach a state where we do not need our physical forms and can exist as just energy.
Our bodies contain electrical currents, but when we die, so do those synapses. Where does that energy go? On our planet, I believe it doesn't just dissipate, it settles into the earth, rejoining what I consider the mother of our species, the planet itself.
When people are born, the energy that makes up their soul is pulled from the earth, some new creations, and some old remnants that have lived many lives before. Each life a step in the road to gaining perfect sentience as pure energy."
Here she took a breath and a sip of her now cooling tea. She frowned down at it briefly. Valern was still typing away at his omni-tool furiously.
"Because I remember living past lives, and using this energy, I am more closely attuned to it. It is easier for me to connect to the energy inside my own body and in turn connect to the energy around me through it. I guess you can say I spread my consciousness out through my energy to the energy surrounding me, manipulating it as I draw it into me."
This is where she drew to a close, the explanation tiring her out as she stared back down at her cold cup of tea. "Would you like a fresh cup?"
Anastasia smiled gratefully up at the asari councillor. "Yes, please."
While Tevos went to pour her a fresh cup of hot tea, Sparatus was ready to field more questions at her. "Regardless of your spiritual beliefs behind this ability, would it be possible to teach others how to use these techniques?"
Here Ana's eyes opened widely in disbelief. "I...I suppose if they were willing to meditate for hours on end to connect to the energy around them. It is a power that requires a personal understanding of the energy in all things. How it feels on your fingertips, the background charge all electronics give off and the impression it leaves in your mind."
"Yes, initial scans show no mass effect nodes in the body when she was using her abilities. Instead nervous system lit up immensely with fusion energy, how it did not incinerate her from the inside out baffling. Would like to request a sample of nervous tissue for study. With right applications of science might be able to develop amp to increase abilities and further understand this unique phenomenon."
Sparatus nodded in agreement. "And possibly replicate it."
While all this was interesting, it was diverting from the true purpose of this meeting. Saren spoke up to bring them back on track. "What I want to point out, is that it was that unique energy that freed me from the mind control. She was able to use it to battle the reaper's indoctrination."
Sparatus sighed and rolled his eyes. "Again with these reapers."
Saren's talon pounded the table in a bust of anger at his councillors blase attitude. "Do not attempt to belittle the years of torture I went through! It is because she freed me of it that I am here now informing you of the oncoming threat. Otherwise I would still be out there attempting the murder every living thing on this Citadel."
"Saren…" Nihlus' subharmonics attempted to offer him comfort and it did manage to settle him a little, but it was the human's hand on his arm that drew him from his dark thoughts. Her gaze was aflame as she stared resolutely up at him.
"And you'll never be under it's control again. Not if I can help it."
His mandibles twitched at the declaration. He had honestly not expected such a thing as protection from her. The thought that such a tiny human would try to protect him…
As silly as it was, the reassurance did manage to settle the some of the ingrained fear that he would fall to the indoctrination again. Not that he would let anyone else know he had ever been afraid.
Nihlus turned towards to councillors to address them himself. "Surely you've heard about the incident at the coffee shop in Trinity Ward by now? Not only have there been witnesses, but many security cameras captured footage of the incident. A dark energy could clearly be seen seeping from Saren's body as the human glowed brightly with her own, both energies seeming to battle with each other before she glowed brightly and the dark energy dissipated in a shockwave."
Sparatus glanced at his omni-tool to pull up that exact media clip. He frowned as he watched the incident in question. "Yes, I suppose it does lend credence to a foreign energy residing in Spectre Saren's body, though I am still quite skeptical."
Saren growled in response and Sparatus huffed in irritation. "Oh come now, it is my job to be skeptical. I did not get this seat by simply believing everything I was told. Do not think ill of me because I do not form fact off simple speculation."
Saren's glare was absolutely deadly. "When have you ever known me to fabricate facts, Councillor?" Sparatus growled in response.
Tevos decided to step in before the two turians had a brawl in the middle of the meeting chambers. "Come now. Saren has been one of our most trusted and reliable spectre's for many a decade. I believe we can trust his word, Sparatus."
The turian councillor let out a mighty sigh as he rose a talon to rub at his brow plates. "Very well, Tevos. I'll defer to your judgment on this. It shall simply take time for me to accept the fact that 'Reapers' have any basis in reality."
Tevos sighed in turn before turning back to Saren. "And? Surely you are going somewhere with this?"
"With her unique abilities I would like to put her up for nomination as a council spectre, to be trained and eventually partnered with me. Her abilities represent a combat potential we simply cannot afford to waste."
Valern frowned at this. "There has already been a human put up for nomination, one more suited to the harsh requirements needed in a spectre. Besides, she is an asset that would be better suited to study."
He smelt the fear radiate off of Ana at that sentence and his hackles raised as he stared the salarian councillor down. He had risen from his chair and his claws dug into the table as he growled at Valern. "Do not presume for a second that I would let you treat her like a specimen to be dissected. She is under my protection and if you even step within a five meter radius of her with such intentions I will rip your spinal column out through your cloaca."
Valerns eyes had gone comically wide at Saren's threat. Luckily both Tevos and Sparatus agreed with Saren's sentiment.
"We do not subject sentient species to such treatment, Valern." Tevos looked aghast at the salarian councilor.
Sparatus nodded his head in agreement. "Agreed. Any such research gained from her shall be done as humanely as possible and with her express permission."
Valern tried to reassure his fellow councilors. "I did not mean to say she would be treated unfairly or without rights. I simply let me excitement get away from me." He turned his gaze towards Ana to attempt to ease her fear. "I am sorry if I scared you in any way."
She nodded her acceptance of the apology but Saren could tell she was still wary of the salarian councilor. It would be a cold day in hell before Saren let Valern be in a room alone with her. Tevos attempted to draw their attentions away from the altercation by bringing the conversation back on track.
"You bring up a good point Saren. Perhaps we considered her for Spectre status, how long do you think it would take for her to reach the required level of skill?"
Saren considered it before answering. "A year. Under an intense training regiment and my supervision, she will be ready in a year."
Anastasia gaped at him at the no doubt nightmarish regiment he had planned for her, but he ignored her as he stared the councilors down and dared them to deny his request.
Sparatus was staring straight back at the white plated turian, considering the request as his talons tapped against the metal of the table. "She is a civilian though, Saren. All spectre's have come from a military background. She will need to be schooled in intense military doctrine. I suggest running her through turian studies all cadets are required to understand."
Valern was quick to offer in his two cents. "I will agree to this if I am allowed to take periodic samples, with permission and supervision of course. Biotic amp required if you want to apply new abilities in a combat aspect."
Tevos nodded in agreement. "I approve as well. It would be foolish not to explore the limits to these abilities. You have my vote."
Sparatus sighed, but even a turian as stubborn as he could see the benefits of this. "You have our permission. She will be tested in a year for Spectre status. If she passes you will have your Spectre." His mandibles fluttered briefly in a turian frown. "We will be keeping this under wraps until such a time however, many are still against having humans in the Spectre ranks."
Nihlus chose that moment to speak up. "We are still considering the other human for spectre status as well, correct? The mission I'm to leave for soon is still a go?"
Tevos sighed her opinion on the topic but nodded the positive. "It has become more a political move than a serious consideration of the human to the spectres. To deny it now would place great strain on the relationship between our species. Besides, regardless if the human passes or not, the mission to Eden Prime is of too much importance to ignore."
The mention of the mission reminded Saren of the imminent need to halt the geth's advance towards the conduit. "Tevos, I should also remind you that Matriarch Benezia is still under the reaper's control. You will need to put out word that she has turned traitor to limit her access to secured systems."
A pained expression crossed the asari's face at this. But she nodded her head in agreement. "As much as it pains me to admit it, if she truly is under this 'indoctrination' as you call it, then we cannot allow her to advance towards her goal. If you encounter her…" her gaze turned to Anastasia "...please do all you can to release her as you did Saren. She is a valuable asset to our people."
Anastasia looked unsure of her ability to do so again, but gave an optimistic smile in return. "I can't make any concrete promises, but I do promise to try my hardest."
Tevos sighed but accepted it with a small smile. "That is all I can expect, I suppose." She then turned to Saren and her face was quickly schooled into practiced calm. "Prepare yourself and your spectre candidate for imminent deployment. In a week's time the Normandy will be docking with the citadel. You will be joining Nihlus aboard the craft to secure the prothean beacon. We will be in contact. This meeting is adjourned."
Saren and Nihlus both stood and gave a turian salute as the councilors left the office. Anastasia floundered as she attempted to copy her turian companions, but it ended up looking more comical than serious coming from her. They were left in silence when the door finally closed behind the councilors. Nihlus was the first to let out a great sigh.
"Well, that went better than expected, I suppose."
Saren nodded in agreement even though his mandibles clamped shut in a frown. "It is not the action I would prefer they take, but it is to be expected. They are so focused on peace they do not realize the threat the reapers pose. Asking them to mobilize their armadas and prepare for full scale war would have been too much to ask for at this point in time."
Nihlus chuckled. "You never do things half way, do you?"
Saren chuffed at his long time friend. "No. To do so would simply not be turian."
Anastasia chose that moment to speak up. "So…" she pulled at the collar of her shirt in a nervous tic "...was Valern really serious about those samples?"
A/N: And that is where I shall end the first chapter. This could have been a lot longer, but I didn't want it to go on forever. While I enjoy world building, this story is supposed to be mainly romance. So you can expect Saren's and Ana's budding romance to take precedence over most of the other plot.