Just Need Someone: Just Remember Chapter 11
AN: For those asking about Aura/Samara, yes they will both be returning at some point, and yes to some degree they will have some influence on the story. For those suggesting I kill off one or the other for hooking the remaining one up with someone else as a pairing, no its not going to happen :P
AN2 (8/17/13): Minor update and retconning on the ages as I note in later acts and chapters...
==1 ½ days Later – Lessus==
Sunra finished strapping on Aura's old N7 armor, despite checking for anything better she found that the old suit was still the best out there for the most part in the public access these days, granted with newer hardware and VI upgrades it was still a potent armor suit compared to more common pieces. As such she had decided not to change anything beyond the further reinforced plating and shield upgrades she had been able to get. Sunra strapped down the M-19 pistol, and M-21 Assault Rifle as well to her back and hip, she then slid in a small combat knife to her right side.
Next to her Milra, was wearing a newer suit of armor she had got from Omega, it was a modified Alliance design from 15 years ago still well suited for mercenary work. She had various upgrades put in place to provide targeting and damage output modifications for her own combat. On her back was an M-21 Assault Rifle and on her hip an M-20 SMG.
Nearby, EDI was gearing up her own self with an M-20 SMG and M-19 pistol, her platform with the installed upgrades was back in action by what the AI said.
"..Sunra we are emerging from the relay in 5 minutes.." EDI reported as the three returned to the cockpit. As the Normandy slowed and the stealth system was engaged EDI further spoke, "..Sunra, Milra there appears to be several small alien crafts in low orbit of Lessus, they seem to be similar to those that attacked the Citadel a week ago." The AI said.
"..Guess we know why the colony went quiet, wonder why their here?" Milra mused glancing at her sister.
"..EDI can you contact the colony at all without giving us away?" Sunra asked.
"..Standby attempting remote access.." EDI stated. "..I have gained access to several camera feeds.."
On a side monitor shifting cameras showed several asari care takers dead, several others of younger ages likely the Ardat-Yakshi present there were also seeming dead, the insect like aliens were running scanning like devices over them. "..Damn, seems we're too late.." Sunra sighed.
"..Wait back up EDI, third camera on the left there, by about ten seconds, freeze and zoom in the upper left field arc." Milra said squinting.
EDI did so as the feed zoomed in and cleared, it showed an older asari in the garb of the Ardat-Yakshi moving away into some deeper shadows. "..Falere if my image records are still accurate.." EDI said.
Sunra pursed her lips in thought, Milra though spoke, "..EDI can you get us down to somewhere those aliens aren't? Maybe we can get Falere aboard safe. Find out what's going on." Milra said with an eager tone that indicated she more was just spoiling for a fight rather then really wanting to rescue Falere or any others alive still.
"..There is a secondary landing port on the southern side of the facility, scans show none of the aliens present there. While on Omega Javik had the Kodiak retro-fitted for use once more, we could hide the Normandy on the far side of the moon here, then insert with the shuttle.." The AI suggested.
Milra looked to Sunra, "..Coming sis?" she said with her usual grin that showed she wanted action.
"..Yeah, we need to do what we can to rescue any survivors and if we can then find out what those aliens are doing here." Sunra said with a nod, clearly nervous in her idea of a possible fight.
EDI's platform moved with the two asari Shepards to the hanger bay and after securing the ship left out the bay with the Kodiak, within 10 minutes they had landed at the southern pad. All three jumped out sealing up the Kodiak.
"..I would suggest I take point Sunra and Milra. My enhanced detection senses will provide us an earlier warning to any dangers." EDI said.
Both Milra and Sunra drew their rifles with a nod. "..Alright, sounds good EDI." Sunra replied.
The three came to an access door which was sealed; a moment of hacking by EDI however got them access. Keeping as quiet as possible the three moved into the complex, noting that the lighting was still present in places, and in others shot out by fire fights. "..Seems the caretakers did not go down without a fight.." Milra said examining one elder asari in her late 600th year, finding her chest had been shot open by some sort of energy weapon.
The three kept to cover, when EDI signaled a halt, both asari crouched down soon also hearing movement ahead. As the three watched one of the alien insects came around with its weapon drawn, looking into the dark shadows where the three were present. Sunra hoped that it would pass on by but Milra caught up in the chance for combat opened fire, her three shots pinging off the things head, causing it to stagger back a moment.
Sunra swore but readied her own rifle, EDI launched a combat drone. As the injured alien tried to run back away from them the other two came up and engaged their own weapon's fire into its back. The alien staggered with an odd squeak sound then collapsed. As the three watched it melted before their eyes into a pile of crystal look goo or ooze. Sunra glared at her sister, who just shrugged in reply, each dumping the weapon's stored heat.
EDI scanned the remains, finding the rifle the alien carried also melted soon after its death. "..Curious the remains decay upon death, this does not appear to be a natural form of evolution, and likely these aliens we fight are artificially created." EDI said.
"..They still die either way.." Milra said with a shrug.
"..True, Milra however, given we are vastly out numbered here I would strongly suggest we use more stealth then out right engagement." EDI replied.
Mirla said nothing, the three then moved on, checking rooms, gathering a few spare credit chits, and coming across more asari of both types slain, as they entered one storage room they halted hearing something moving in the corner EDI turned but suddenly was grabbed by a biotic lift, then roughly turned and thrown aside into Milra, the more wild asari Shepard hit her head hard on the wall temporarily knocked out.
Sunra turned crouched ready for combat as this all happened and found herself roughly grabbed, her rifle knocked aside onto the ground in this same moment. "..You won't take me like the others!" Came a threatening voice. Sunra found she was pinned to the wall, the scared and bloodied features of her half-sister Falere gazing into her own eyes, a dangerous predatory look to them.
Sunra fought back with her own strength, "..Damnit, get off me, Falere!" Sunra growled, "..We're not those aliens!" she said reversing the amateur hold that her half-sister had on her then pinned her to the storage box nearby. This all happened in a split second as EDI began to rise. Falere tried to struggle, but found Sunra too strong and her hold too well brought.
"..Falere, surely you recall me?" EDI asked kneeling to check on Milra who was still knocked out.
Falere paused in her struggle to free herself, as EDI's familiar voice came to her senses, "..E..EDI?" She said looking over then back at Sunra, before back to EDI. "..What are you doing here? Mother said the Normandy had become a museum many long years ago, where is Mother? She has not visited for many years? What are these aliens?" She said firing off several questions lightening quick.
EDI used some medi-gel on Milra who slowly started to come around with a mutter and groan. "..We are here at the behest of the Council to investigate why Lessus went silent three days ago, Samara and Aura were both kidnapped and are presumed now dead over 96 years ago, we are unclear why these aliens are here or who they are, but given my scans they seem to be the same who kidnapped Samara and Aura.." EDI reported.
Sunra spoke, "..That's Milra, and I'm Sunra, we're your half-sisters.." Sunra said easing up her hold on Falere, "..Is anyone else alive in here? Do you got any clue why these aliens are attacking?" she asked.
Falere stood up blinking a bit at the news that her mother was likely dead, "..I…I no, no I don't three days ago they just showed up, there was a brief report of an attack on the cargo ship in orbit by an unknown force, then they appeared out of thin air! The caretakers were quickly slain, my sisters tried to fight or hide, but they were all found and killed. The…they are doing some sort of scan on the bodies as if they are comparing the remains of the caretakers to my sisters!" She said.
Milra rubbed her shoulder as she got back to her feet, tossing Sunra her dropped rifle. "..So how did you avoid capture or death?" She asked point blank.
"..I helped rebuild the monastery after the Reapers were here long years ago, there are holes and niches in spots if you know where to look. I tried to help fight but when it quickly became clear they were too strong I ran and hid." Falere said.
"..We can't remain here, there are several of these alien ships in orbit and I'm not sure how many in the monastery, we need to leave, come with us Falere we will get you to safety." Sunra said trying to reassure her clearly frightened half-sister.
"..I…but..my condition.." she said.
"..Look you got a choice, you can remain here till you starve, get caught and killed by those aliens, or you can leave with us and we'll see what we can do to keep you from getting the old 'Find Peace' speech. Long as you aint gonna be trying to make any moves on my sis and I that is." Milra said glancing up and down the halls then to Falere.
Falere scowled, "..I'm not like some of my sisters!" She growled.
Sunra sighed holding her hands up, "..Ok ok fine! Look argues this when we're back on the Normandy let's just leave here before those things show up ok?" Sunra said looking between both.
Milra just grunted, Falere just nodded, Sunra could already tell there was a tension between the pair which if left to fester could grow dangerous. "..Alright let's go." Sunra said leading the way back
The now four got back without any threats, they were boarding the Kodiak Falere growing more nervous as the doors slid shut as she looked back at the once more ruined monastery. EDI soon guided the Kodiak off the pad and back into orbit, surprisingly they got back to the Normandy without even being picked up. As they got off the shuttle Milra mused. "..Seems despite their more advanced tech they rely on similar scanning means like us, our stealth systems worked without problems and their over 80 some years out of date to newer designs. Good thing to note there." She said.
Falere just looked around the hanger bay, "..Where is everyone?" She asked, clearly unnerved by the emptiness.
"..Just us and EDI, we were sent here to do a favor for the human councilor, these aliens attacked all around Citadel space killing the Council, and many of the other races government leaders and major figure heads." Sunra said as they entered the elevator and she filled her half-sister in on recent events up to this point.
"..I…I see.." she said looking at the floor.
Milra got off on the crew deck heading for her/Liara's cabin, Sunra rubbed her neck a bit as Falere followed, EDI returned to the cockpit to guide them on a course out of the system and back to the Citadel. "..So uh, Falere are you hungry at all?" Sunra offered gesturing idly to the kitchen area which was now again stocked with food stuffs.
Falere nodded a bit, evidently unused to making her own meals and having them given to her, Sunra realized this and moved to get a quick heat meal readied. "..Mother is….gone then." Falere said softly looking at the table top.
Sunra turned, "..Yeah, she and my father Aura were taken when Milra and I were about five years old, shortly after dropping us off at school for our first day. Ashley Williams raised us from there till she passed away about 15 or so years ago." She explained brining over the quick meal now heated, made up of an asari poultry dish with vegetables and a cream sauce.
Falere bowed her head a moment murmuring something as Sunra returned and got a small snack pack and then sat across from her half-sister. "..Prayers for the lost?" She asked.
Falere nodded, "..For mother, for Aura, and my sisters and our caretakers." She replied.
Each got quiet then lost to their private thoughts and meal or snack. After about 20 or so minutes of quiet Sunra spoke again, "..So um, it will be about a day or two till we return to the Citadel, I'm sleeping in the starboard observation lounge left of the elevator there, Milra is in the room behind you, um, so if um, you want to rest there's some crew quarters the lounge here." Sunra offered.
"..I am not ready for rest yet, given all that has happened, unless you're busy would you mind if we just talked?" Falere asked.
Sunra tilted her head, looking at her half-sister's deep blue eyes, so much like her their shared Mother's. "..No no, I got nothing to do, EDI does all the piloting and what not, face your lucky we had those quick heat meals. I'm a terrible cook, I once burned water." Sunra said with a chuckle.
Falere got a deeply confused look, her sadness washed away for a moment, "..You….burned water? How?" She asked.
"..No clue really, even now no one knows, it's a mystery of the universe." She said with a half smile.
Falere pursed her lips, "..Uh..huh." She said clearly not believing Sunra's words. "..Anyhow, are you a Commando?" She asked.
Sunra chuckled, shaking her head. "..No, Milra and I have had some training by a few tutors but to be honest that combat below was all we have seen, did better then I thought I suppose. As we said down below, we're just doing this to offer our aide to help against these aliens. Right, now these aliens haven't made any attacks since the one on the Citadel and elsewhere a week or so ago, and I guess here too that we know of. Mostly everyone is just trying to get lines of ruling back in order." She explained.
"..I see, I wonder what will become of me now. Given from what my Mother said she was the last surviving Justicar when she last visited and now that she's….." Falere rubbed her neck, "..Well gone, from what the care takers said any like me that leave the Monastery are killed on sight. Not much changes I guess.." she said with a sigh.
"..EDI?" Sunra asked outloud.
"..Yes Sunra?" Came the AI's reply over the speakers.
"..Did you report finding Falere to the Council yet that she is on board with us?" Sunra inquired.
"..Not as of yet Sunra, duh to troubles with the relay comm buoys I had not been able to forward the report.." EDI replied.
Sunra rubbed her hands together a moment, "..Um, could you maybe omit that Falere is on board?" she asked.
"..Such a falsifying of an official mission report by Alliance and Council laws are severe with punishments. I would imagine such a falsifying would be worse given it concerns Falere." EDI stated.
Sunra sighed a bit, looking to Falere apologetically. "..Sorry.." she said.
Falere gave a half smile, "..You tried at least, it's ok. I will accept what comes. Maybe if I asked to be relocated to another monastery or confined somewhere I could avoid death." She offered.
"..I guess it's the only choice, if um.." Sunra said hesitating again.
As if reading her mind Falere gave a more relaxed wry smile, "..You are curious what life was like in the Monastery and living with my condition?" She asked. The look of surprise on Sunra's face must have given her answer away, "..Do not worry that you wanted to know, anyone that came there always asked it at some point." She said trailing off.
After an awkward moment of silence Sunra pushed on, "..So…." She said hoping the word would continue the line of thought.
"..Things were strictly regimented; we were awoken at a certain time every day, each hour or series of hours given to some form of education, exercise, eating, chores, or meditations. From dawn till late evening, before the Reaper Wars it was arguably worse, given Justicars and Matriarchs kept an even tighter reign on us. Though sometimes we got chances to visit Thessia under strict guidelines and observation, I never got to though before the War, and after well. The allowance to go off world was rescinded given how our condition was used by the Reapers." She explained.
"..And living with the condition?" Sunra asked.
Falere got a distant look for a moment, "..It is odd sometimes, knowing that I could never have a daughter of my own, knowing that a simple friendly bond just for a moment could at the least severely injure someone or kill them. There are times I admit the more wild urges pull at me, for some that had their conditions manifest later in life adjusting to the Monastery was far harder and in some cases impossible so they were…..dealt with for our safety and others outside." Falere said going quiet.
Sunra bit her lip a moment, "..It sounds, forgive me for saying but, quite lonely." She said.
"..It can be, after Aura and my Mother came to Lessus during the Reaper War it was difficult to rebuild alone, in a place so corrupted, and…..with the painful memories there of what happened and what almost happened." Falere said.
Sunra tilted her head a slight bit of confusion crossing her face, "..What do you mean?" She asked.
"..Mother or Aura did not tell you? No, I suppose they wouldn't have." Falere said, "..My sister Rila was captured by Reaper forces when they attacked, she was beginning to be indoctrinated by the time Mother and Aura showed up. She….broke free of the hold however long enough to use a bomb some earlier asari commandoes had setup to destroy the lower areas at the time of the Monastery. She sacrificed herself to save me, Mother she…" Falere halted pursing her lips.
"..Please? Go on?" Sunra asked curious yet nervous to hear about this bit of information, she had never knew about her other half-sisters, Ashley had made brief mention of Morinth in how her parents had met and bonded so close, as well as giving hints of Falere but never had she mentioned of a third half-sister.
"..Mother she, she was quite stricken by what happened, to see the death and destruction of the Monastery, to see what the Reapers had done to us, and to see Rila die like that.." Falere said shaking her head rubbing at her eyes, and taking a deep shaking breath. "..Mother she was torn, by the Code with the Monastary destroyed she was directed to kill me, she was readying to….to shoot herself when Aura stepped in quickly wrenching her pistol from her hands. Even then I could see how much Aura loved Mother, it was….heart warming. I knew I couldn't leave, if I tried then I knew what Mother would be forced to do, so I said I would stay and rebuild, live by my own Code. Mother accepted, and….and we hugged for the first time in so many hundreds of years." Falere said. "..We talked for a few hours after Aura had left, I knew Aura wanted Mother to go with but, she wouldn't go not when the Code bid her to help more important places. I tried arguing to her that even I someone who didn't even know Aura saw she needed someone close to her, to give her a purpose to fight on against the Reapers, in either had Aura not done what she did well, you two would not be here I guess, and I would likely be still down there likely dead by now." She said with a half quirked smile.
Sunra smiled back, after a moment of thought putting a friendly hand on Falere's own resting left one. "..Yeah I guess not, thank you for telling me that, I hadn't know about Rila. Mother or Aura never said about it, and Aunt Ashley she said about Morinth and hinted at you but not Rila. I guess they didn't want us to know about that little scene." She shrugged withdrawing her hand then.
"..Guess so.." Falere said then sighed leaning back and stretching her hands up into the air. "..I guess I should get some rest, the crew quarters you said are to the left of the lounge?" she asked rising.
Sunra nodded, "..Yeah bathroom and shower are just next to it, feel free to wash up if you want." She said, watching then as Falere headed that way soon out of sight.
Sunra rubbed her brow a bit, and then her head crest. A deep part of her wishing her Mother or Father were about to hold her and stroking her crest like they had when she was still so young, tell her how proud they were of her, that any troubles she had would be fine. She longed to hear one or both of them right now, stretching again Sunra headed for the Starboard Lounge, hearing the sounds of Falere getting a shower in the crew bathroom, entering the Lounge then she was about to lay down on her make shift bed when EDI's voice spoke over the speakers. "..Sunra, you have received a message through the comm buoys it is from Turicheck it is marked urgent and for your eyes only."
"..Send it to my omni-tool please EDI.." She said waiting for the information to be displayed. As it came up Sunra scowled, then frowned. Taking in the information she knew things just had got far more complicated.
AN2: And I'll leave it there, before anyone asks, no Falere will not be remaining on board for long.