The Price Of Solitary
Chapter 3
Hey guys! Here is when Samara sees him, enjoy!
I'm uploading the next chapter for every story. I'm going to let some steam out for today. I hope these will satisfy your reading needs!
Steven sat on his bed, using his Biotics on a picture of his dear Sarah.
He really wished he died on that day, but Fate says otherwise.
He wished he could end it, right there and then. Take the pistol, point it to the head, and pull the trigger. He knew he could do it, but not while the Galaxy's in Hell.
He heard a soft knock at the door, he wondered who it was.
"Come in," he said.
The door opened to reveal Samara, she walked in, foot in front of foot, as she took a quick look around, then her gaze fixed on him.
"Samara, something I can help you with?" Steven asked, putting the picture back on the tabletop next to his bed without looking.
"Actually, I was wanting to talk to you," she said to him.
Steven stood up from the bed, and motioned for Samara to sit at the couch. She politely accepted while Steve made his way to the other portion of the couch.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees,
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Steve asked.
Samara took a moment to see how she was going to ask.
"You are worrying me," she told him.
"I'm worrying you? How so?" He asked, surprised of the statement.
"I've...noticed your patterns. When you retreat to your quarters for a period of time, and you come out...I've sensed your...sorrow," she said to him.
Steve knew what she was talking about. He would go back to his quarters to keep others from...experiencing...what he was like whenever the memories hit him...
He sighed, "EDI wouldn't tell you?"
She shook her head, "She wanted to respect your privacy."
He nodded, "Thanks, EDI, My...hauntings, shouldn't exactly be public."
"No Problem, Commander," came the synthetic voice.
Samara gave him a curious look, "Hauntings?"
"Well, it's what I call them," Steve said to her.
Samara looked over at the picture Steven was holding earlier, he followed her gaze.
"Sarah..." Steven muttered, tears coming to his eyes.
"Who is she? If you do not mind me asking?" Samara said.
"She...was my everything, before she died..." Steve said, tears were free falling at this point, wincing at the pain it brought him.
Samara changed her gaze to the table, her eyes had a soft, pained look to them. Steve only saw that hard, yet gentleness in them whenever he went to talk to her.
"I see no use for keeping my past a secret from you," Steve said to her.
"I will not tell a single soul," she said to him, not looking away from the table.
"Are you ok?" He asked, noticing her unwavering gaze on the table.
"Yes," was her response.
"I see the pain in your eyes, this is about Morinth, isn't it?" He asked.
She nodded, a single tear came to her eye, rolling down her cheek. She wiped it away.
"I will never forget...the lesson you taught me...that night," Samara replied.
"All of us has to learn, right?" Steve told her.
"Very true," she replied.
"So, do you want me to tell you?" Steve said.
"Please, it's killing me to find out, perhaps even help you," she said as she looked up at him in the eyes.
"How could you help me?" He asked.
"I do not know, but it could help you if you told someone," she said to him.
He shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not, let's see, shall we?"
"I am ready," she told him, also telling herself.
She hoped she could prepare whatever words that exit his mouth and into her ears.
"This is the very first time I've told my life story to anyone, ok?" He said.
She nodded, her mind was racing with thoughts.
"EDI, make sure that door is locked and turn off the the speakers in this room," Steven said.
"Very well, Shepard," came the response.
Steve took a deep breath,
"You ready?"
Samara nodded.
"I lost my parents on the attack of Mindoir, as you probably heard," Steven said.
She nodded, "I've heard, you are the only survivor..."
"I'll tell you what happened from my perspective..."
Flashback
A teenage boy, Steven, was working in the fields, helping his family with the desperate money they need. His father was at home, sick. So Steve volunteered to take over for him. His father, Eugene Shepard, didn't want him to, but the teen insisted. He skipped school, He cared for his parents. His mother, Jana Shepard, has decided to take a day off to care for Eugene. Again, Eugene protested, but she said to him that she cared more about him than money.
Steven stuck his hoe into the ground with a 'Whew'. He took out a piece of cloth to wipe the sweat away from his forehead. He took a minute break, looking around. The only weird thing was, Steve was the only worker. The fields weren't huge, but it'd help if he had some assistance...
He jumped at a sudden explosion from the Colony. He looked to see several modified shuttles swooping down upon the town. Landing in various locations.
He was confused, Who would attack a small colony like us? He didn't have time to stand and debate as he heard gunfire, followed by screaming. He grabbed the hoe and ran towards the colony.
"You were working for your parents when your father was not well?" Samara asked.
Steven nodded.
She nodded back.
Steven slid behind a wall. He peeked out to see an alien, a Batarian! Batarian pirates! As he read in school!
If they're here...
He waited until the Batarian moved on. He went around the corner. He saw several dead folks of the colony, and he knew some of these people. The Batarians were here for slaves. Any resistance, and they'll put the resistance down...
He hid behind a crate as he saw some more of the Pirates. He took another look at the dead. What if Mom and Dad...No. He shook his head as he tried to clear his head, but it stayed there in the back of his mind as he moved on.
The Teen still had the hoe, and he was closing in on his house.
He stopped behind a corner of another house, and peeked around the corner. He sees the Batarians kick down the door to his house! Followed by a scream, his mother!
He ran over by the door, the area was clear other than the ones inside.
"Get the fuck out of my house!" Yelled a masculine voice, his father!
He heard a shot...followed by another scream, "Eugene!"
Steven couldn't believe his ears...
He heard another shot. He didn't hear his mother...Tears came to his eyes...
The Teen heard the Batarians walking towards the door. He moved out of sight, and waited...until the pirates moved away.
He went back to the door and walked in to see, indeed, what his ears heard.
Lay slumped over one another, his dead parents. Eugene was shot square in the forehead with his mother, shot to the heart.
Steven dropped the hoe as he hit his knees. The already shed tears, was overtaken by more. He knew there was nothing he could have done...nothing...it felt as if his own heart was shot, and torn to pieces...
Steve sniffed, "And...that's what happened..." He said as he wiped a tear away from the still-vivid memory, "The Alliance came rolling in afterwards, and the Batarians fled with whoever they managed to capture..."
He looked up to see Samara with sorrow in her eyes.
"I had no idea...it would be like that..." She told him.
"That's why I never told anyone, besides a dear friend," Steven said to her.
"Who was your friend?" She asked.
"Kaidan," he said.
He and Kaidan met at Jump Zero. Steve was there when Kaidan defended a girl from the master of the place. Steven understood though. It's also where he met Sarah. Oh, the memories...
Samara nodded, she heard of how the Commander met Kaidan on Horizon.
"I guess I could tell you about Akuze..." He said.
She looked at him, she's heard of that as well.
"Is that where you lost your loved one?" She asked.
He nodded.
"Can you tell me about her?"
"She's like me, A biotic. She had the L3 implants while I had the L4s. She had long, blonde hair she let fly when she's not wearing a helmet, wonderful blue eyes that shined like suns, beautiful slim, yet built body. She was quiet, like I was, but we'd talk each other's ears off. The very night before Akuze, we...confessed our feelings, chosen the path of our future...and the next day...she's gone. Just like that..." He said the final part with emotions crashing around him. He had his tears falling, his face red, and he buried his head in his hands in despair.
"She's all I had left! Now, I'm left with fucking nothing!" He said, his fists were clenched, steam was ready to blow out of his ears, "Have you ever experienced the pain I have felt and endured?!" He asked Samara, blind to his rage.
She simply looked at him, still had that soft, pained look in her eyes.
He calmed down as he fell back down into the abyss, throwing his head into his hands again.
"I...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. My pain is nothing compared to losing your oldest daughter," Steve said to her, looking down at the table in front of him.
She got up, went over, and sat down next to him, putting a hand on his.
"No, I do understand, we all have our losses..." She said to him.
"But losing a son, or a daughter at that, is unbearable..." He said to her, looking at her in the eyes.
"Perhaps, but you helped me get through it," she said to him.
"I couldn't stand there and let you fall, or let anyone fall," He replied.
"Steven, You've helped me overcome the toughest night of my 700 years. I could never possibly repay you," she said to him.
"I'm not looking for payment. I'm looking to get this war over with..." He replied.
"For what purpose?" She asked.
"So, I can end it all," was his response.
Samara stared at him, something you don't see everyday for a soon-to-be matriarch.
"So, I can join Sarah. Wherever she is...in heaven, or hell." He finished.
Samara was speechless at what he said.
"If you need anyone to talk to, I'm here," Samara said to him.
He nodded, 'Thank you."
She stood up, and made her way through the door, and to the elevator.
He had a reason to end himself, though. The Man she spoke with lost valuables worth fighting for. His loved one, his parents, everything... The events he's been through in the short life compared to hers was nothing, could Steven be her equal? But her code...well, it doesn't forbid romantic involvements.
She shook her head, she had wars going on inside. She thought she knew her desires, and she's going to have to make her move. Either shut it off, or got further than friends...
And there you go!
I'll get into Akuze soon, I was throwing things back and forth, and therefore, forgot to describe what happened at Akuze.
I apologize if I've thrown you off. I was getting on and off the chapter, disrupting my thought processes for the section.
Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!
~Dark