I had an idea; wrote it down and it's the best piece of writing I've done for a while. I know this is for a game that isn't out yet, but, I wanted my Ryder's to have their own personal backstories. I'm planning to play Sara but I still want Scott to be fleshed out, and for me this is how I envision the twins to be. Hope everyone enjoys!

There is femslash in this fic!

2185
Milky Way Galaxy

Sara Ryder

She couldn't quite believe that she would never be coming back here.

Sara Ryder strolled through the Zakera ward of the Citadel; glancing up at shop signs, her eyes flickering to different people from varying different species. Two krogan trying to dispel the rumour of whether fish lived in the presidium (spoiler: they didn't, but she wasn't about to tell an angry krogan that); a couple of salarians mulling over their latest game; along with humans, turians, asari, hanar, elcor, volus and the occasional quarian or drell. She had seen a turquoise coloured drell pass her this morning, the young man looking awfully concerned about something.

Yet, she would see none of this again. The Citadel was her home, for lack of a better word. She, and her twin brother Scott, were born and raised here. Albeit, they moved around a lot due to their father's work but somehow the both of them always seemed to end up back on the Citadel.

Everything she had learnt, everything was going to be put to the test when they left for Andromeda. Granted, she didn't even know if she was going to make it. Cryostasis was largely untested; but Sara remained hopeful she, her brother, her father and the other 20,000 humans would wake up alive and well. Alive and well in a galaxy very, very far away 600 years from now. The thought frightened her; 600 years.

How many people would be alive in 600 years' time? The salarians still adamantly bickering about their game surely wouldn't be; they'd be gone within 30 years tops. The krogan? Depending on how old they were there was a possibility they would be. But, other than the krogan or asari, no one here would be alive in 600 years' time. When she awoke to live the rest of her days, these people would all be gone.

Would there be ancient civilisations to study? She was sure there would be; but that had been her passion. She had been accepted to study prothean ruins to divulge more secrets about the mysterious race. Sara gritted her teeth; it all seemed like a waste now. She had plethora of useless knowledge about a dead race that wasn't relevant where she was going.

She approached the skycars, gripping the railing to contain her emotion. To prepare for this she had seen numerous psychiatrists whom had deemed her in excellent mental health for this journey. And yes, she knew she was excited. While her father was gallivanting around looking for a place to live, she wanted to set off and make her own investigations about what the galaxy held. Those mysterious would be discoveries for her species.

As the days drew closer to departure, she was becoming more reluctant. It took a very brave soul to venture into the complete unknown; and she didn't know if she was going to be able to do this. But backing out now would create too many problems, especially for her father and brother who were both going along. But she knew she had someone to tell; someone's heart to break.

Speaking of her brother, out of the corner of her eye she saw a familiar brown-haired man approach her, a grin on his face, "Whaddya know, it's my favourite sister!" he play punched her on the arm, "flight went well?"

"I'm your only sister you dork," Sara rolled her eyes, a grin coming to her face, "and yeah, quite well. It upset me to leave the team though, they've looked after me."

"Actually you're the dork," Scott teased, but regained his composure, "but I know what you mean. Sort of," he grimaced.

"Do you reckon this is the right thing?" the anxiety perking in her voice.

Scott took his time in answering, "I think so. I've always watched people coming and going on their own adventures; I want one of my own. We'll go down in history sis!"

"I guess," Sara shrugged, looking around once more.

"Why exactly are you hanging in Zakera anyway?" Scott pressed.

"Oh, I'm meeting….y'know."

"Ah," Scott nodded in recognition, "well, I'll leave you to it I guess? Afterward we can get shitfaced?"

"Sounds good," she gave her a brother a quick hug before he set off again. She watched him go, and saw him wink at a gaggle of young turian females. Sara rolled her eyes before leaning on the railing. She had to meet Goya; she needed to explain everything to her.

Goya. Even as she thought about Goya, she couldn't help but feel a sense of bliss even amongst the sadness. Sara was sixteen when she had met Goya; Sara was a fresh faced, carefree teenager who had developed a rebellious streak. Making out with women in dark corners of the Citadel, underage drinking of ryncol with young krogans, that kind of trash. She had rebelled against her father's tight regime, but after a long chat he eventually loosened the reins and she stopped acting like a moron.

And that's when she had met Goya.

Goya D'Szale; a 184 year old asari maiden, at the time, had crossed her path as she was attempting to get her life back in order. The gentleness of the asari had her in awe; from her aqua skin, to her soft facial markings that accentuated her violet eyes; Sara was star struck from day dot.

Goya herself was experimenting in a galaxy that offered a wealth of opportunities for a young asari. She had come to the citadel to have a fresh start, away from her controlling mother and conservative turian father.

And they had grown attached; attached to the point that the only person she made out with in the dark corners of the citadel was Goya; and Goya had been the one to take her virginity. The two of them had entered a relationship without either of them exactly wanting it – it just happened. When Sara had been appointed to travel with a group studying prothean ruins within the Alliance, in which it had been Goya to spike her interest in that particular field (although Goya wanted to study history of current living races); it had strained their relationship.

Yet despite the long distance; the two of them could always make it work. Sara loved Goya with all of her heart; and today she was going to do the unthinkable. She was kicking herself for leaving it this late, but she wanted to do it in person, and she was trying to delay this for as long as possible. Sara wondered if she would ever find love again. She doubted there was a race of attractive blue babes in Andromeda, but alas, they would not be Goya.

She spotted Goya before Goya saw her; and even now the sight of her stole Sara's breath. She was dressed in a traditional asari formal outfit, the colours going nicely with the colour of her skin. She was every bit as beautiful as before, perhaps even more so. Sara looked down at herself; back cargo pants and an Andromeda Initiative hoodie; yeah, she was the real ambassador for style.

Goya's violet eyes met Sara's blue ones, and Goya smiled as she floated over; "My darling," she chimed as she pulled Sara into an embrace, which Sara reciprocated. Goya's lips met hers, but she kept herself rigid, not wanting to make this any harder than what it already was.

"How have you been?" Sara asked as the two of them strolled down toward the food court, Goya grabbing Sara's hand. Sara bit her lip to suppress her emotion, knowing that it would be one of the last times they would ever do this.

"Quite well aside from missing your arse," Sara grinned despite herself as Goya continued, "I've been working while trying to figure out exactly what I'm doing. But, I'm saving and planning a trip to Earth at somepoint."

"Anywhere in particular?" Sara asked, pretending she knew more of Earth's geography than she really did.

"Australia. It has the oldest culture of humans on earth that I can find, dating back 60,000 years or so. Not, especially old for others but for humans, that's pretty old."

"Prothean times old," Sara agreed, not wanting to admit she didn't quite know where Australia was. Earth geography was something she neither cared about nor needed.

"So, what about you? Alliance business or finally having a well-deserved break?" Goya asked; Sara made a noise in the back of the throat as she decided what she wanted to eat trying to avoid the question. However, her anxiety climbed once more so she simply walked over to the coffee place.

"It's…complicated, and it's why I've asked to talk to you today," Sara admitted as she stepped up to the counter. Goya drifted off to order food of her own; and the two of them met back with their respective orders. Sara was grasping a large iced mocha, despite her dairy intolerance, and Goya with a rather appetising blue-green milky drink. The two of them found a secluded table.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Goya asked noncommittally as she stirred her drink before taking a delicate sip.

"It's…" the words caught in Sara's throat and she took a sip of her drink to try and wash them down before starting again, "have I actually told you why I'm here instead of on some backwater planet knee-deep in mud?"

"Well, no," Goya replied, arching her 'eyebrow'; for a lack of a better word, but in reality, it was a light marking that connected with the ones on her cheeks that ran along where an eyebrow would be.

"So, basically; my father was asked to be a – leader, of sorts, for this ambitious exploration project. Scott and I are going with him."

"That sounds interesting," Goya pressed her fingers against her lips, apparently deep in thought, "I kind of want to slot into this now!"

"The thing about it is-," Sara gulped, here it comes, "you're never going to see me again."

Goya almost choked on her drink, "What? That's a laughable concept. The galaxy is huge, but it's not that huge!"

"No, it's-" Sara took a deep breath, "we're going to Andromeda."

"Andromeda?"

"The galaxy that's closest to ours; it's about 2.5 million light years away."

"You're going to a galaxy that's 2.5 million light years away?" Goya repeated the words, as if trying to make sense of them.

"Yes," Sara felt the emotion tearing at her insides, and wanting to evacuate via her tear ducts, "it's a 600 year journey."

"You're never coming back?"

Goya caught on quickly.

"No."

For the first time since Sara had known her; Goya was lost for words, so Sara ploughed on, fearing the uncomfortable silence, "you will be alive when I reach Andromeda."

"I'll be a matriarch," Goya whispered.

Sara merely nodded, the contents of her stomach churning. Goya pushed her own drink away from her; "I never thought, never dreamed you would ever be alive when I was a matriarch. Yet, you will be and I can't even contact you?"

"I'm so sorry," Sara couldn't help it, the tears began to fall and she desperately wiped them from her face.

"So we don't get our 'happily ever after'?" Goya asked; Sara could see the tears swimming behind her eyes, "why?"

"It was my idea; but it wasn't? I always thought the project would never go ahead. Dad seemed passionate about it, but it never really moved. And then in the last few years everything fell into place. Scott and I had always been listed to go from birth; and we both wanted to go. I just never thought-"

"-it would actually happen," Goya finished her sentence, "why didn't you tell me? I could've listed to go with you."

At this Sara scoffed, "firstly; I wanted this to be in person. It didn't feel right to say this sort of stuff over message. But secondly, Goya, I know you. This is not something you'd want to do. This is a one way trip."

"But-,"

"The only reason you would've come would be for me. And then, I'd be dead after what? 120 years? Then what?"

Goya opened her mouth, but closed it again, "I just wish you had told me sooner."

"I do too," Sara agreed, "that mistake is on me."

"When do you leave?"

"In two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Goya's voice raised an octave.

"We leave for Earth in a week; and then we hang around at Armstrong base on Luna until it's time for us to go."

"We asari, we are used to the idea of only living perhaps a 10th, or a 20th of our lifespan with a partner. But, this is nothing like that. We only had seven years; most asari get longer than that with a vorcha."

"I know," Sara couldn't meet her eyes, and stirred her half-melted drink with her straw.

"And even those seven years, for five of them you've been gone most of the time. Once you go," Goya's voice trembled, "you're gone. It's going to be like you died."

Sara couldn't think of anything to say, so Goya pressed on, "I don't even know what I'm feeling. But, I do know I need to spend as much time with you as I can before you leave."

"I think I'm okay with that," Sara admitted, "I thought you'd be angrier."

"I can't stop you and to be honest I think I'm still in shock. But, I don't want my last memories with you to be angry or bitter."

"Same with me," Sara agreed. Goya held Sara's hand, and Sara didn't reject; they simply sat, not speaking yet communicating all of the feelings they had non-verbally. Eventually Sara realised she had to get moving.

"I was planning to get blind drunk with Scott, if you'd like to join us?" Sara offered.

"I'll pass," Goya gave a small smile, "I need to go and think for a while; but I'll be over in the morning to comfort you when you've got your massive hangover. Just make sure Scott is wearing pants this time."

Sara chuckled, "I'll make sure. See you soon," Sara replied, standing and abandoning her half-full coffee. Goya rose as well, and the two of them embraced once more before parting ways. Her heart ached for the asari, and the tears fell as she watched Goya disappear into the crowd.

xXx

Despite mellowing out in her twenties and developing a disinterest in nightlife; Sara had the most action packed fun week of her life. She and Goya were practically inseparable. They hit up the club, Ryder dancing so much her legs began to hurt; they tried to go to a different restaurant each time they needed food and by night time they would pass out side-by-side yet wake up arm-in-arm.

But the day was drawing ever closer; and Sara startled awake on the day she had to leave. She sat up, Goya's arm still around her waist. She reached for her clothing, and tried not to wake Goya. They had a few hours; but the minute she climbed out of bed Goya was already awake.

"It's today," Goya mumbled, rubbing at her eyes. Sara turned away and pulled into her slacks.

"I know," Sara muttered. The morning was rather uneventful; Scott having his usual large breakfast while Sara's stomach churned too much to digest anything. Goya had not let go of her hand, and still refused to when the three of them walked through the citadel to the docking bay where the ship that was headed to Earth was leaving from.

People were boarding; average everyday looking humans alongside several other alien races. Scott and Sara had requested to not have special transport made, as they would rather make their way with as little fuss as possible. Once they landed on Earth however, a shuttle would be waiting to take them to Luna, which is where they will stay until it was time to leave.

"Our ship leaves in five minutes," Scott said, turning toward Sara and then glancing at Goya, "I'll meet you on the ship sis."

"Okay," Sara replied. Goya's bottom lip was trembling and her eyes swam with tears.

"What am I supposed to say?" Goya whispered, taking Sara's hands and holding them tight in her own.

"You don't have to say anything," Sara replied, the tears swimming in her eyes too, "just, hold me."

They held each other for several seconds; Sara trying to take in as much as she possibly could. Goya cupped her face and their lips met for several longer seconds before she stepped back, and Sara's hands slid from her grasp. She felt cold once she wasn't in Goya's grasp, and took gentle steps toward the ship. She handed the officer her identification, and looked back one last time to see Goya standing stoically, tears sliding down her face.

Sara swallowed, before turning her back on her love and entering the ship. Scott stood waiting at the door, and his face fell when he saw Sara, and she desperately wiped her face, trying to rid the evidence. Scott threw a comforting arm over Sara's shoulders as they walked deeper into the ship.

Times were hard; but hopefully 600 years would give Goya ample time to move on and enjoy her life. For Sara, she would still be in the same stage of grief in that time as unlike Goya, she would not grow and change. She would be exactly the same; same look, same mindset, same everything.

Hopefully the adventure in Andromeda would make this pain worth it.

xXx

Fully dressed and wanting to run for the nearest airlock, Sara sat anxiously in the room she shared with Scott, her tapping leg out of her control. For some reason, everyone had their own rooms except for them. Even fraternal twins of differing genders were considered the same person.

"I feel as nervous as you look," Scott called out as he pulled his shirt on. Sara nodded, knowing that despite his usual relaxed demeanour, her brother was having doubts too. Once in that airlock and cryostasis started there was no going back.

Sara went through her bag again; while every recruit had clothing and toiletries prepared for them, each person was allowed a small bag of personal items to take. Sara rummaged through hers, finding her large collection of music, vids, and e-books. Her vid collection was mainly family memories and famous speeches and moments in history, including Commander Shepard's spectre induction. Her hand brushed again her datapads containing eons of prothean research; useless really but Sara couldn't bear to part with her hard work. Her most prized possession she pulled out, a hardcopy of a photo. She saw her own smiling face staring back at her, arm around Goya who looked infinitely happier then she had a week ago.

A gentle hand found her shoulder, and she looked up to see Scott giving her a sad smile, "you ready?"

"Ready as I'm ever going to be."

Sara got to her feet, and followed Scott out of the room and through the facility. They weren't far from the shuttle; and along with several other people including their father, they were in the shuttle on the way to the Hyperion.

Once they had landed; they began the crawl towards the pod room. It felt like a death march to Sara as her feet carried her though the sterile hallways. They were instructed to give their personal items to staff to place in lockers, in which they would retrieve them when they arrived. Sara reluctantly handed hers over, feeling like she was giving everything she ever was. What they didn't know was she had hidden the picture of her and Goya up her sleeve.

They reached a checkpoint where Alec stood with the staff, "my children; pods 4 and 5," and the staff let them through. Alec grabbed Sara and Scott by the shoulders and held them steadfast for a few moments, "I'll see you in Andromeda; I love you both."

The two of them entered the pod room; where there were thousands of pods lining the walls. Right down the very end were their respective pods. Right next to each other; Sara smiled when she realised she had been given number four.

"Why do I get five?" Scott asked incredulously.

"Because I'm your elder," Sara teased back, trying to use humour to quell her anxiety – her knees were beginning to knock together. They sat on the edge of their pods for a while, merely chatting as more people filed into the room.

However, as people were climbing into the pods; Sara realised that their time in the Milky Way galaxy was up, "well, Scott, this is it."

"It sure is," Scott agreed. The two of them grabbed each other's hand and did the 'bro-fist-handshake' which as Sara thought about it, realised it was really lame. But they had done it since childhood.

Sara climbed into her pod and looked over at Scott who had done the same; they linked eyes, "See you in Andromeda," Sara said.

Scott merely nodded, and Sara lay in her pod, the door going over her, blocking out the sounds. Through the little window she took in as much as possible. Once her eyes closed for more than several seconds, the cryostasis would activate and she would not wake up for 600 years.

She pulled the photo of her and Goya up and held it in front of her eyes; and dorkily gave it a kiss, because no one was going to see or care, before shoving it back up her sleeve. Sara finally relented; and resting her hands on her stomach, closed her eyes; one final thought swimming around her skull:

Until Andromeda…

I was thinking of writing Scott's version next; same story just differing chapters for the both of them. I'm already in love with both characters, and for the first time I'm considering using the default characters rather than trying to customise. Tiny 'author inserts' include Sara not knowing where Australia is (my home country), and Goya being 190 in 2185. This makes her birth year 1995, which is also my own. Because, I do stuff like that :P