Chapter 6: Friend or Foe? (Part 1)
Shepard was standing in front of her desk in the captain's quarters, looking down at the picture in front of her. Everything about the picture made her feel warm-and-fuzzy inside. Uneasy too, with an added queasiness, but that would and SHOULD pass with time.
Their first family picture. Even though Eden probably wouldn't understand for a long time, that's what it was. What it is.
Parenting wasn't exactly first on her immediate check-list for the year, but it will have to be. Even if Shepard herself would rather not. Liara seems more than ready for the commitment, but she's noticed the strain of it all.
If Eden is like anything who she herself was as a child, they were up for one hell of a ride.
Then there was that thing about Eden purposefully refusing to say "Liara" or "Allison," when referring to her two new parents in particular. It was odd, considering she calls everyone else by their first names. Did they catch Eden in her rebellious faze, she wondered. That would more than likely explain Eden's incredible need to leave the ship as well.
Or, perhaps is it just a way of expressing her mistrust in them personally?
Shepard herself had been running through the possibilities of her own mistrust in the younger human. Mostly, it was because everything about Eden screamed "Cerberus" and alarms went off at the first sign of a genetic modification in Karin's detailed reports of Eden's physical exams. But, there was something off. Something so left-field that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Eden wasn't just human, she's also asari. What would Cerberus want with her? Power was too obvious a motive. Even for Cerberus.
No, it had to be something else.
Something they had only just scratched the surface of was finding out about the synthetic pieces in Eden's body. They were barely detected in the body scans Karin ran while Eden was unconscious, but they were there. And they made hardly any sense.
Similar to Shepard's own cybernetic implants, Eden's implants are capable of aiding the regeneration of muscle and skin tissue of, not only ligaments, but organ tissue as well. A biotic implant was present, however it seemed redundant, considering a genetic mutation of being cross-species with asari had created some kind of natural biotic implant at the base of her spine. Just like an asari, Eden could have been a natural biotic. The synthetic parts of Eden's body were closely integrated into her nervous system and seemed to be connected to some neural pathways as well.
Whoever altered Eden's body obviously had an agenda. But, why would someone need to do all of this in the first place? It just makes no sense. There's no war, politics seem tame, and most of the threats the galaxy has seen dealt with the mercenary bands spreading out. Aria T'Loak, the "Queen of Omega" even has seen their threat too miniscule to mess with. Of course, that left the Alliance and Council to take care of it.
And somehow there's a new threat. To make it worse, it's an unknown.
In other words, they still know next to nothing about what these "mercenaries" are searching the galaxy high-and-low for, or why. All they do know is that these mercenaries didn't start coming out of the woodwork until after the Normandy rescued Eden. So, is there a connection, or is it all just a coincidence?
For now Shepard and Liara assume that Eden is innocent, but they can't deny their suspicions. With what little evidence they have, everything is still up in the air. What if Eden really is responsible? What if they're missing something so crucial that's right in front of their eyes? Eden doesn't seem hostile, but could she still turn on them at some point?
With the picture, now neatly placed into a frame and sitting on the desk in front of her, she holds the doctor's reports in-hand. Liara had already read through them at her own terminal and was the one responsible for placing the picture on the desk.
She sighs as she remembers the day before. They were on the ground for three hours in the Mako, all while Eden slept like a rock. Apparently, it was the energy bar she ate that had put her to sleep. Karin confirmed it as some kind of a weird chemical reaction when they had arrived at the safe house on Terra Nova. The pyjacks were a last minute diversion to give Eden the experience of meeting a species outside of the Normandy, but it all worked out. Even that random encrypted OSD Eden rescued from the little blue space monkies was an advantage over the currently anonymous threat they were chasing.
Speaking of pyjacks, it was also heartwarming to find out that Eden actually reads her childrens' books.
Hannah had given them to her as a reminder that it was time to start a family, an incentive given with a warning, "At the rate you're going, I'll be long gone before your first child is born."
Honestly, Shepard couldn't bear the thought of Hannah finding out about Eden. She would more than likely want to throw a big party to celebrate and several pictures would be taken as she smothered her. And she definitely wasn't looking forward to the Shepard family get-together.
She inwardly groans at the thought. Even to Allison, family get-togethers took far too much energy out of her and left her being more thankful watching her family leave her the hell alone. Having a kid in the mix would mean she would actually have to do the one thing she's never felt comfortable with doing: mingling with her father's family. If they heard that her daughter was only half human, they would no doubt talk her ear off about their specism-racism bullshit.
Unfortunately, they had done the same thing at the wedding ceremony.
It was a good thing Hannah was there to shut them the hell up. Luckily, the specism-racism thing was only concentrated on Shepard's father's side of the family.
Joining the Alliance was probably in part of a way for herself away from her family. She supposed her younger brother John would have thought the same…if he were still around today. Which, he would be had she been with him on Torfan to save the day like she had promised.
All right, Ally, back on topic…
She could hear John's voice chiding her about going off on a tangent. "I bet you'd just love this, Johnny." She smiles at the picture. "Pray that I don't turn out to be another Hannah, little brother, and watch over her like I know you will."
Truthfully, she was even surprised that the house on Terra Nova was in such good condition still. Having been vacant for nearly two years already, she expected the house to be covered in dust and grime by now. The paint on the outside of the house wasn't peeling and the grass surrounding the house seemed as green as it always had been when she first saw it.
Looking closer at the picture, she could tell that Eden was very much happy and the day had been a success for what it was. Though, unfortunately, most of it was spent in the new Mako.
Even if it turns out that Eden is some kind of high-tech weapon of mass destruction, this picture will stand as a reminder of what Eden was like as a non-hostile.
It would have all been perfect too, if not for the absolutely STUPID face Allison was making.
Damnit, Ally…
Eden and Liara look pleased with themselves. As if they had planned it, too. All because Eden FINALLY left out her rank out of her name.
Hopefully it sticks.
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In Liara's cabin, Eden is still sleeping. Even as Shepard and Liara finally make their way inside, Eden stays fast asleep. "Well, that's new." Shepard comments as she walks towards the bed. Eden was lying on her back, seeming to be calm as her hands rest across her chest. "What time did she go to bed?"
"Miss Eden retired at 22:45." Glyph informs from across the room.
"Thanks, Glyph." Shepard says to the VI, getting it to beep happily. She turns her gaze to her wife. "Li, I don't think I've ever seen her sleep this long. She's usually awake before us."
Liara gives her a coy smile. "Aw, I don't think I have ever seen you express this much concern over her since she boarded the Normandy. Are you worried?"
Shepard lets out a soft chuckle, consciously trying not to wake Eden. "No. It's just odd to me."
Eden stirs in her sleep, causing the bedsheets to crumple as she grips them tightly into a fist. The two parents watch as Eden's facial muscles contort into what looks like anger. Then, the anger turns to fear as her eyebrows furrow and the corners of her mouth threaten to drop into a frown—but, curiously don't. Eden's hands open as she moves them to her sides. Her chest starts rising and falling as her breath quickens.
As if on instinct, Shepard reaches out and grabs a pale hand to feel a slight tremble come from it. "Eden…" Shepard softly says as she notices the hand squeeze her own. Eden stirs again, this time moving her head—turning to face Shepard and Liara. Shepard sees panic start to contort Eden's features again and gently starts shaking Eden's shoulder to get her to wake up—figuring that waking her up from a nightmare was better than leaving her to go through it. "Eden, wake up."
Suddenly, Eden's body glows a bright blue before she grips her hand tightly around Shepard's. Then, her other hand flies to wrap around Shepard's forearm in a near death-grip. When her eyes open wide, Eden locks eyes with Shepard for a long moment as she catches her breath.
Through the slight bruising on her arm, Shepard maintains eye contact with the fearful kid. When she feels both hands loosen their grip, she almost hisses at the confirmation of the skin damage to her arm. There was, most definitely, a handprint on her forearm.
"Oh, it's you." Eden mumbles as she calmly sits up as if she wasn't just having a nightmare.
Shepard almost laughs at that. "'Morning, sleepyhead."
Eden stares at her in slight confusion before settling with the thought that Shepard just said something that was plainly meaningless nonsense. "Have I overslept, Commander?"
Shepard bites back a groan as she clenches her jaw. Why is this so fucking hard for you to just say my name? She stands as Eden moves to throw her legs off the bed. "A bit, but that's okay." Judging by the glare from the blue eyes of her wife, she said that with slightly more bite than intended. She forces herself to drop the attitude and crosses her arms over her chest as if to put up an invisible wall to keep in the anger radiating off of herself. "We're docking on Tuchanka."
"The krogan home world?" Eden asks and Shepard nods with a smile. Liara confirms with a smile of her own. Eden wanted to ask why, but stays her tongue as she concludes that it must be another job for the Commander.
"We'll be away for at least a few hours. You are to stay on the Normandy until we return." Liara says as she stares into Eden's eyes.
"Of course." Eden says and stands up. The near robotic tone her voice took on shook her parents with an eerie chill. It was clear that Eden hadn't liked the idea of being kept on the ship, when there was a whole world to see.
A world she was clearly interested in seeing.
With a careful eye to her wife, Shepard maintains her stance on the matter. Eden couldn't go out into Tuchanka. Not just to keep her a secret, but to keep her safe. Krogan aren't exactly the friendliest people in the galaxy, and definitely not the most tolerant of people like Eden—new and inexperienced. Not to mention that their keen sense of smell could give her away as a cross-species.
"I know you want to see the world down there, but I promise you will someday." Shepard explains as gently as she can. "Just not today."
"I understand." Eden says with a slight nod of her head as she maintains eye contact with Shepard.
Somehow, that sounded glib rather than understanding.
This was going to be a long day.
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After making sure that Eden was being looked after (to keep her from trying to escape the ship), Shepard, Liara, Garrus, and Tali set out onto the streets of Tuchanka.
Since the war, the krogan have been cultivating and expanding their people. Especially Clan Urdnot.
As the group navigates the cities of Tuchanka, passing metal and stone structures along their way through the bustling city, what is immediately noticeable is the obvious—children.
Lots of krogan children.
They were cute baby turtle-like people after the war, but what they hadn't realized at that time was how rambunctious these little shits could be.
Most of the children around were older and acted similar to a ten year old human child with at least some wits about them, but the little ones…
They flocked.
Slowly trying to climb up stone and metal walls was the first sign of what these kids wanted. A group of five stacked on top of each other's shoulders as they continue to try tearing down barriers that kept them from running into the streets. Krogan mothers shout at their youngsters to behave, while the fathers egg them on to continue.
There are some older krogan children running amok in the streets, antagonizing varren pets, challenging older krogan to duels, and some that just wanted to find a free punching bag to beat up.
Of course, there were some older krogan that actually enjoy seeing this kind of behavior while others silently watch with disapproval. There was even an older krogan allowing a group of children to headbutt him, though they were only tall enough to reach his stomach.
Garrus couldn't help but to let out a snicker as he notices Shepard's obvious itch to get as far away from these kids as she could. He knew she was probably going through her own mantra of prayer that Eden and her future children wouldn't act the same way as these little balls of fury.
Luckily, in Shepard's case, they were fast approaching the turn-off to the Chieftain's Den—Wrex.
-XXXXXXXXXX-
Eden's first tasks of the day—study and research, as Dr. T'Soni had instructed—had apparently been completed for nearly an hour. Shepard, Liara, Garrus, and Tali had only been on Tuchanka for nearly two hours.
Now it was up to the resident Alliance Marine, Major Kaiden Alenko, to do the honors of babysitting the supposed daughter of his respected colleagues and friends—Commander Allison Shepard and Doctor Liara T'Soni.
As he watches the younger 'human', he can't help but wonder just how much of the genetics are truly his friends' DNA. Even Doctor Chakwas confirmed some kind of mechanical influence inside of Eden's body. They seem to be cybernetics, but more intrinsic. They're dialed in to her nervous system somehow.
Just how could that be possible? He wondered.
While lost in his thoughts, Kaiden had unfortunately tuned out the disappearance of the person he was supposed to be watching. He sighs in frustration before raising a hand up to his personal com. "Joker, this is Kaiden. Check the feeds for Eden, I think I've lost her."
"What was that? Did I hear you just say you've lost?" Joker teases.
"The bet wasn't on until Shepard had a kid, and you know it."
"So, what's Eden, huh? Chopped liver?" Kaiden rolls his eyes as Joker continues to tease him. "Hey, you heard her, the whole 'even if she's not blue, she's my daughter' thing. That's one thousand creds, by the way."
"Just tell me where she is."
"Alright…party pooper." Joker grumbles as Kaiden is quickly losing his patience. "Uh…okay, promise you won't string me up a flag pole?...Not that you could find one out here…"
"Where is she?"
Joker says with hesitation, "Not on the ship."
"Damnit…" Kaiden pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Well, I guess that means I'm going groundside." He says as he enters the elevator. He knew every second lost was throwing him off the ship for way longer than he wanted.
As he passes the CIC, Kaiden gives Traynor his orders to add the Normandy's crew to her watch list and heads to the cockpit. "Joker, I'm going out. If I'm not back within an hour, com Shepard. This shouldn't take that long, but I imagine Eden wants to see everything she can before getting caught. If so, this could take a while."
"Yes, sir." Joker says with a salute as Kaiden leaves through the airlock onto the docking station.
-XXXXXXXXXX-
The Krogan home world, Tuchanka, was the most intriguing place Eden could recall seeing. She had to admit, after about thirty minutes of walking around the krogan people, there were a great many people that were a mixture of intimidating and endearing towards her.
Some older male krogan were a bit surly to her, but she seemed to fit in well with the women. Even now, as she stands next to an older krogan and his sister. The female krogan seemed to enjoy her company, saying how surprised she was that a human would visit the krogan home world unattended.
The male krogan, however, was keen on discussing Eden's smell.
Eden hadn't had a personal opinion about her smell, but she was sure that she had bathed. So, she was at least clean. Considering that, she couldn't understand what he meant by his comment of how she 'stinks'.
"Come on, Harl, she's probably just interested in our culture. Why do you have to be such an ass?" The female krogan asks her brother.
"I've never smelled a human with her scent before." Harl defends his opinion. "You can't seriously sit there and tell me you don't smell it too, Rokka."
"You're overreacting." Rokka says, waving him off. "What was your name again, kid?" She asks Eden as sweetly as a krogan could.
"Eden." Eden responds.
"Well, Eden, since you seem so interested…" Harl says and huffs when Rokka elbows into him. "What?"
"You will not be getting this kid into trouble, Harl."
"Who says I can't have some fun?"
"Fun to you usually means varren fighting or pyjack chasing."
"Eden might find that to be just as much fun as I do."
"I highly doubt that, Harl."
The older krogan grumbles unhappily, before stomping off towards a pen. "Baron!" He barks and Eden notices the slightly familiar growl. She almost flinches when the pen's door shakes in its hinges.
"Don't worry. Baron is our family pet." Rokka says in amusement.
Eden just quietly nods in her cautiousness. The nightmare of a varren attacking her had been repeating every night since she had it the first time and the thought of confronting a real varren was frightening.
Harl steps away as the beast is let out of its pen.
Baron, a large varren with white and blue coloring on his neck and down his back, rushes up to Eden.
Eden's body instantly lights up in a dim blue glow. The varren almost decides to make her a target, but Harl stops it with a holographic leash tied around the varren's throat.
"Stop it, you mangy mutt." He restrains the creature before looking up at Eden. "I noticed you have a nasty scar from a varren bite. Don't worry about this guy. He's trained to only attack when being attacked."
"I'm sorry." Eden stutters her apology.
"Nah, it's fine, kid."
Braving a step towards the beast, Eden looks down at it with a small nervous smile. "He's your 'pet'?" She asks the krogan.
"Yup."
"I hadn't known they could be domesticated."
"Yeah, he's the demusti—whatever you just said." Harl huffs in annoyance. "Damn humans and their big words."
"Harl." Roka scolds. "Just think if Khalia were here."
Harl grumbles. "Yeah, sure, whatever." He chuckles. "Big words are her business."
"And she's asari, not human."
"I'm—" Eden tries to start telling them she's half human and half asari, but she stops at the sight of a very stern looking Kaiden Alenko standing a ways away. He crosses his arms with a disapproving scowl. "Sorry."
"Eden." Kaiden says to her. "If you don't come back with me to the Normandy, you're…" His words slow at the krogan starting to tower over him in intimidation.
"And you are?" Rokka asks.
"I'm Eden's ba—" He almost says 'babysitter', but quickly corrects himself. "I'm Eden's chaperone."
"Is this another one of your humans', uh, what'cha'ma'call'it, field trips?" Kahl asks in a more curious, less serious way.
"Commander Shepard is here to speak to Wrex." Kaiden explains. "Eden wasn't supposed to leave the ship in her absence."
"You can't just go keeping a young thing like Eden on a ship and expect her to just obey." Kahl nonchalantly pats Eden's back—causing her to lurch forwards in surprise. "Whatever she is, she's still a kid. Give her some time to stretch her legs or she'll run off again."
"She might run off anyways. Kids do." Rokka says and Harl nods his head in agreement. She backs away from Kaiden, letting him breathe slightly easier. "Whatever the reason, no matter what she is, she needs time away from solitude on a warship. Unless…" She throws a glare Kaiden's way, causing him to grimace. "…there's a damn good reason for her to be hold away on a ship."
Kaiden looks over the group. Kahl still has his hand on Eden's back, the varren is being held by some type of leash, and Rokka is standing just feet away—all giving him expectant looks, except Eden's seems more innocent and confused.
It takes him a moment to assess the damage already done. Eden had already been off the Normandy for over a half hour, spoke to the locals, and got two of such locals to care enough about her to want her off the ship for even longer. She wasn't even given permission, but these krogan…
Not to mention his growing migraine at having to face the wrath of an angry Allison Shepard.
He sighs. "Fine. She can stay out here to…play." He concedes. Eden smiles happily at him as Harl and Rokka step away slightly with krogan grins across their faces. "What did you have in mind?"
The older krogan just laughs before releasing his hold on Eden and using the available hand to whistle. "Come here, pups!"
Kaiden and Eden are immediately awe-stricken at the sight of a small group of young krogan stampeding their way over to them.
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A/N: I apologize for the short chapter, but I figured it was about time to post something. I hope this will satisfy at least a little bit of curiosity as to where I'm taking this story.
Anyway, let me know what you think! I always love hearing from you! ^_^
-Eddy