Saren
When I abruptly left the lab, I headed to my office. Rummaging through the files. I eventually found the only one I was interested in seeing, Private Fiona McKay.
Reading over the data pad made my blood boil. How could I have missed it. It told me everything I wanted to know. The report of the landing didn't contradict her remarks. In a rush of anger I knocked the data pads off my desk and even punched a vid screen. All the pieces to the puzzle were there. I can't believe I missed it. My loose end constantly there to taunt me.
Or maybe she was protecting someone. She never really confessed to the crime. She only insinuated her involvement. Of course there isn't anyone left whom she could be protecting. I'll come up with a test to get to the truth from her.
I came to the lab the following day. I was quite proud of the test I had devised. The doors opened and three sets of eyes looked in my direction.
"I need the girl today, brother."
Solidus had no authority in the matter. He simply looked displeased and waved a hand in my direction as the girl acknowledged the gesture and approached.
I brought her to the training room. There were sparing matches going on and target practice on the far side where I lead her.
I had prepared a spot for us and carefully laid out weapons on a table beside us. She remained silent as we had walked here and I could tell she still had no interest in speaking.
"Choose your weapon and hit the targets."
She cocked her head upward in a defiant manner and looked at the table. She ran the tips of her fingers along the side of the table as she viewed her choices. It was a full range of guns turian and human. I saw her flinch ever so slightly when she made her way to the human sniper rifle. It seemed to be one of a kind in this planet. It was superior to many of the other weapons confiscated.
She may not have noticed if I picked up on her reaction to it, but she pretended it wasn't what she wanted as she continued to browse.
In the end her choice was as I expected. I watched as she picked up the sniper rife in question and began to look down the scope and make adjustments. Now I wanted to see her shoot.
I explained that there were three targets some 300 meters into the forest. The targets were pained on the trees so that turians could keep there skills sharp even when there was no combat and I wanted her to take them out.
She took position and looked down the sites. I watched her intently. I saw her breathing slow as she eyed her intended goal. Three shots later she had hit all three marks perfectly.
I was not impressed. In her file she had been marked highly for her accuracy and anyone can hit a still target.
I sent the order for my next test. I had procured pyjaks to stand in for moving targets. Notoriously used as test subjects the vermin were overpopulating other worlds.
"Now take out the pyjaks."
She spoke to me for the first time on our outing. "Pyjaks?"
"Yes, Pyjaks."
"What's a pyjak?"
"Look down your scope and find out."
She obliged by looking into the distance. Then retorted almost outraged, "I'm not shooting defenseless monkeys."
"But you would shoot my people without a moment's hesitation upon their first arrival."
"That's different; your people are far from defenseless."
The answer seemed justified in her eyes; however we both know that when you're trained to kill there is always a usable excuse for the violence. "These monkeys… as you call them are over populating certain planets were here is no natural predator. They breed faster than Vorcha."
"What's a v…?"
I cut her off short and bitterly explained, "I have no use for you nonsense. Save that dribble for my brother. Now take out the targets."
I had angered her into complying. I enjoyed my satisfaction as she once again raised her gun.
I watched her breath once more almost as if she was stalking her prey. Patiently waiting for the right shot. Her face seemed to light up as she pulled the trigger. A playful glint in her eyes could be seen as a satisfying shriek could be heard from the pyjak confirmed her success.
Three shots fired three dead pyjack. Her face said all it needed to when she turned to face me. I never realized that she might have thought this was a test, but it was apparent now that she knew she had confirmed my suspicions.
She had preformed brilliantly and her silence was just as enjoyable. It seemed as long as we weren't talking we weren't fighting. I was now done with her, yet I wasn't ready to return her to my brother.
I gave another order to release more pyjaks. Just for fun I wanted to know what an expert human sniper could do with a real weapon. I motioned for her to return her weapon and handed her a different one.
"M-90 Viper…Turian top of the line. Use this, this time."
She rose and eyebrow at my request but, didn't question it. Turning once more to the field that stretched just before the tree line she looked down the scope.
I couldn't help the cheerful mood I found myself in as I watch her take down the screaming pyjak once more, but at a quicker pace. Flawless as the first time.
Only this time she turned to me smiling and gingerly handed back the rifle. As I took it from her hands her cheeks turned a flush pink. I had seen this reaction one other time when my brother and I walked in on her. I didn't know what this reaction meant; I could only assume she was pleased with the gun. At least we could agree on one thing… weapons.
While walking her back to the laboratory I kept glancing over to her. Wondering what her take on today had been and trying to catch a glimpse of the warrior I had seen today.
I was curious if she was able to perceive my thoughts like Solidus has pointed out before. She was a lot like Solidus in manner and got along with him in a sisterly fashion. I wonder what my father would have to say about a female like her. Fits in with the family and military career with a sniper prowess. If only she was turian.
I almost jumped from my armor. How could I have reached such a startling thought? We were enemies not friends. My brother should monitor his time with her. If she could manipulate my thoughts in this manner than he was in serious danger.
