Subsider34: Yeah, a lot of things could happen. I kind of hope it's nothing too bad or I'd have to write a sad scene. I'm not the best with emotions. And thank you for the vote of confidence; it makes me want to update faster.
BAMS: Well you know how I love those.
Jeremy Pine: It's alright, I like hearing (or seeing in this case) your thoughts on the matters at hand. Sometimes I update just for the reviews because I like getting feedback and all. And interesting thoughts they are. I hope Calista isn't going to be too affected by what's happening though: so much more is going to happen, and yet it seems so much has happened already. Seeing your friends dying like that is never something one can just shrug off.
Kitcat1228: Thank you! I'll make sure to keep things interesting as best I can.
Arael Tenebris: Yes. I can't imagine Calista could really use them soon to help out, considering. I don't know if Calista would try to shoot Saren. Maybe, maybe not, I'm not sure until I write the part out.
Hopelessly Blue: I knew you were the one responsible. But yeah, it seems Cali can't catch a break. She's really self-destructive when she gets going on her inner thoughts. As for Ashley being super important, I'm honestly not sure. I write best when I have a general idea of what I want to do, and then let the story write itself to fill in the holes I left behind. It takes a lot of energy to do but I like my method. It gives me something to look forward to too. Hah! I love how you just did the 'oh, and then there's Kaidan' thing. I don't think many people like him. I know I don't.
Reko-Luna: Yeah, Shepard doesn't seem the type to want 'innocent' children be 'tainted' by the happenings of the military. Or something like that.
Kaiya Smith: Man, everybody just wants Tanin to die! Here I am innocently going about my day and y'all are just bombarding me with all these 'Tanin gets killed' ideas! But to be honest it really does seem like that's what's going to happen, huh?
Scorpio-666: Thank you. I can't wait for the next one either. XP
OnyxTemplar: You love me but I'm a jerk too? Um… thank you? Okay, I'm sorry! I just can't help myself sometimes! A cliffhanger comes up and I just gotta stop there! But due to your threatening begging I have been convinced to update as soon as I could. So be proud.
"Out of all the places I thought I would find you, it's here." Saren sneered as he gestured to the place we stood upon. "Really, father. What are you doing in a backwater human planet like this?"
Tanin kept a firm hold on me as he forced me behind him slowly. "I have no son to call me father." He almost snapped. It startled me to hear Tanin worked up like this. "He died many years ago."
Saren looked like he smiled, but there was no humor in his eyes, "Ah, that's right. I had almost forgotten. I 'changed' after what happened, and ended up losing your confidence, just like Desolas. It really is too bad. I had wanted that training you promised me." He glanced at me and lingered for a moment, but was forced to look back at Tanin when the old turian pushed me behind him to cover Saren's view.
"But I see you have a new naïve child to feed lies to. You even gave her your beloved cloth." He glared, raising his pistol to point right at Tanin. "A human no less. For all the things I thought you were, I never believed you would betray the turian race. Even you aren't a traitor."
"To ally oneself with others is not betrayal." Tanin shot back.
Saren almost chuckled, "Right. But another one of your preachings about race equality and trust is never going to make me forget what you did." He pressed his finger a little harder on the trigger.
"And now, I have the chance to doll out the punishment you deserve."
A shot rang out.
Time slowed, and I watched Tanin fall to his knees as if falling through water. I couldn't blink, or breathe. My eyes were wide, staring in terror as my grandfatherly caretaker hit the ground.
Something grabbed the collar of my shirt and the front of the sash around my neck as if an instant later and time fast forwarded again. My pale face turned from the still Tanin and my gaze stared back into grey eyes so like Tanin's and yet so different.
"He may have chosen you, child, but if given enough time he would have thrown you out to fend for yourself." He growled. "Consider this your lucky day. In a few minutes you won't have anything to worry about anymore. Not even your next meal."
My mind had halted completely at this point. I had no clue what to think. I had no chance of speaking. I only stared into Saren's enraged eyes, mute and desolate. The tears that had sprung forth from my eyes only made themselves known to me when I felt a drop slink down my neck. So many things had happened that I couldn't decipher what it was exactly that finally broke the dam.
Saren released me after an intense moment, and I dropped like a rock. A second later he was gone and I found myself staring at Tanin as he lay on the floor.
…
"Change of plans Shepard; there's a small spaceport up ahead." Nihlus' voice rang through the Commander's comm. "I want to check it out."
The comm clicked off and Shepard frowned slightly. She hadn't known the turian for more than a week and already it was apparent he liked to go about his own way of things. At least he wasn't breathing down her neck anymore. It had gotten to be a little much after she'd run into him on the Normandy for the seventy-fifth time.
As they came to the campsite Shepard's eyes widened. She hadn't realized there would be so much carnage in one place. It had been bad enough on the way here, but now that they made it to the place the attack began…
"There are so many!" Kaidan breathed, his face pale.
Ashley nodded sadly. "We had just been eating breakfast…"
Shepard subtly regarded her for a moment before looking toward the shacks against the small cliff wall at the back of camp. One of them was locked. "Maybe someone managed to survive." She said as she moved forward.
Kaidan was the one to hack the lock on the door. He only took a few seconds and soon the doors were sliding open to reveal figures within. Shepard led the way, much too cautious and protective of those who served under her to have it any other way, and Kaidan came after her with Ashley following closely.
"Close the door!" the man inside hissed. Kaidan complied if only to pacify his creepy voice as Ashley stepped forward.
Slight relief was in her eyes as she smiled, "Dr. Warren! You're alright?"
Shepard noted how she ignored the strange man lurking behind the newly identified woman.
"Chief Williams!" the doctor breathed, relaxing in knowing Ashley was there. "We're alright, thanks to you. I'm relieved you are safe."
"At least some of us made it." Ashley nodded with a sigh. Her eyes flashed when she seemed to remember something and looked at Dr. Warren with some hope, "You haven't seen Grinchy have you? Did she find you too?"
Shepard saw the woman hesitate before speaking uncertainly, "We didn't see her after she ran to the spaceport, but-"
"The spaceport?" Ashley interrupted incredulously. "But that's exactly where that ship touched down!"
The nervous doctor nodded, "She took the other route up on the cliffs, and since there were so many Geth outside I couldn't go after her."
Shepard narrowed her eyes upon seeing the woman pause, wringing her hands nervously. "What happened, Doctor?" she prompted.
"Well…" Dr. Warren looked off the side as she refused to look Ashley in the eye. "A little while after the poor girl ran by, we heard a gunshot ring out from the direction of the spaceport."
Ashley's eyes widened and she said nothing before opening the door and rushing out. Kaidan went after her and Shepard stepped after them but halted in the doorway, "Do you know where the beacon is?"
Dr. Warren nodded, "It was moved to the spaceport this morning."
Shepard didn't take the time to ponder on these coincidences and nodded before stepping out of the shack. The door closed behind her and she spotted Kaidan trying to calm Ashley down.
"We need to get to the spaceport, Commander." Ashley immediately stated upon seeing her.
Before Shepard could reply however, Nihlus' voice rang through the comm once more, "We've got an emergency Shepard. I've found a young human girl and a turian in pretty bad shape."
Shepard nodded and looked back up to see Ashley about ready to sprint skid marks, "Let's go."
…
"Calm down little girl. He's going to be okay." Nihlus stated as he maneuvered the medi-gel pack in such a way that it poured its contents out onto Tanin's wound. I still didn't understand.
Saren had had a perfect shot. He seemed to hate Tanin, his father I now had to admit. But he hadn't killed him. He'd missed in the last moment, and ended up taking out Tanin's shoulder, thus impairing his arm. Other than the blood loss and a useless arm he was okay.
It was something I was immensely relieved over. But after my encounter with Saren I was left with only more questions. What was it that Saren referred to that had Tanin evidently telling him he'd changed? And what had it been between them, personally? The things Saren did and said were hard to believe and even harder to ignore. I had a feeling I would be having nightmares about this, surely.
"I-it's okay Tanin." I muttered as I stared down at his face. He was unconscious but alive, and right now it was enough. "I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'm not going to leave you all alone."
"Hold down his shoulder." Nihlus told me. "I need to apply this correctly so it will hold until he gets proper treatment."
I sniffed and wiped my eyes with the backs of my hands but nodded. Carefully, I reached down and pressed his shoulder down just enough to keep it still. The soft, worn material of his robes soothed me with their familiarity and I sniffed once more. Tanin was good. He couldn't have done anything wrong. No matter what Saren was saying, it had to be from the indoctrination.
I absently watched as Nihlus applied the medi-gel to Tanin's wound, trying to ignore Tanin's blood soaking his shoulder and running over my fingers. I hadn't seen a wound bleed so much in so long I had almost forgotten what it looked like. The dark blue substance felt the same as the red blood I was used to but it smelled a little different. I didn't want to see it anymore. It has only been a little over an hour or two and yet I feel like I've been covered in blood and dirt all day.
Arms suddenly came around my body and pulled me into a rather hard, uncomfortable embrace. I flinched at the pain in my shoulder, and the discomfort brought me back to reality.
I glanced to the side although I didn't need to, and saw Ashley's Phoenix armor. Nihlus was still knelt in front of me on the other side of Tanin, looking at me with an unreadable expression.
I gazed down at Tanin's shoulder to see it was no longer bleeding. My hands came away covered in blue and I stared at them.
When armored hands appeared under my hands my gaze shifted to them. They rose until they cupped my own hands and their fingers curled around my hands softly. They weren't covered in blood anymore but a dark armor. My brows furrowed, focusing on those hands.
When I turned my gaze upward I saw the gentle expression on the face of a woman I could recognize anywhere, whether or not I had met her. Commander Shepard, in all her blonde-haired, emerald-eyed glory. I would have smiled if I could have.
Shepard was here. Everything was going to be okay. It had to be.
A/N: Again, sorry for another late night update. My dad really likes to work. Me? Well, I would be totally okay if I never had to light wood with kerosene again. You wouldn't believe how bad that stuff burns your eyes when it blows in your face.
