Chapter 25

Something about the enormous metal mushroom worried Fredrick. Omega. He'd heard about it many times, but never seen it in person, the rumours certainly paved the way for a very ominous reputation.

It was surprisingly big, a bulbous head consisting of an asteroid, and a long spire that resembled a tower or a spike.

Ril had told him he was up side down as he approached, but he didn't correct his course.

Slowly, automatically, his shuttle spun on its own, rotated as it aligned orbits and speed, the tower became an enormous pier, then a long tail. And finally, a massive bolted together metal stalactite that glimmered in the sky with menacing spikes and antennae jutting out.

He was pretty sure he'd have shivered if not for the quarian resting her head on his shoulder. She'd been awfully affectionate after their romp in the shower, even now she was making little noises as her helmet leaned on his shoulder as one of her hands rested on his belly under his shirt.

Unintelligible mumbling, almost like a bird warbling, but tender and soft somehow. Meant just for him.

He didn't smile, for he was already grinning wide.

His little quarian.

But once more he was forced to accept the reality of the situation, he had time later to look at the quarian. Because they were going to have to board Omega.

He'd called Control a few hours ago. But the alliance had no jurisdiction in the terminus. He'd have to find the loot himself, then call for backup from the security forces that did have jurisdiction.

There was still a small semblance of law and order, even on Omega. You just had to do the hard work yourself.

He had considered returning home, briefly. But he could never afford his own ship, at least not for a long time. Years.

And he didn't want to wait that long for a chance to have his dream come true.

The orange screen covering the dashboard suddenly displayed a notification, a grizzled male voice crackled in the internal speakers. "Unidentified shuttle. State your intentions!"

The loud voice woke Ril from her nap and the comforting weight of her head was removed from his shoulder.

Fredrick responded. "We are look-" he stopped. Maybe it'd be better to keep the reasons for his visit to himself? "We'd like to trade, I've got spare parts I've been meaning to sell."

It was true. He had spare parts, still tightly fastened to the bed of his ship. And he supposed the recovered hardware, would far outweigh the losses incurred by lost spares, if he was forced to sell that is, to prove he didn't lie. Which he was.

"Affirmative. You are cleared to dock at Cradle 63."

His HUD lit up, displaying circles and symbols that directed him to the chosen docking site.

He found it curious, the rules were lax here. There were no security scans or even questions.

Omega had no need for them he supposed, lawless as it was.

"Alright. Proceeding to Cradle 63."

His ship vibrated slightly as he throttled up, thrusters engaging, spewing fire into the void as the metallic hulk approached.

He watched with tense anticipation as the asteroid fused with a metallic spike just kept growing, and growing. A shiver ran down his back.

He could see the traffic now, beat up ships, old vessels from long gone eras. Tugs passed, towing starship carcasses and debris.

As an ancient asari missile cruiser that had been skewed by an accelerator round, through and through, passed, towed by salvage tugs. Fredrick saw his destination.

A small square, a pixel of white light at the rim of the spire, immeasurable small, impossibly puny compared to the bulk of the station.

It wasn't really white. His HUD lit it up for him to see.

He coasted on inertia, in silence towards the opening. The auto-pilot folowed the trail that had been set for him without fault, Fredrick just had to lean back and wait.

Into the belly of the beast.

Ril'vanni had been listening in on the conversation, lazily. She had been awfully tired after the 'shower' but now she had rested sufficiently, A good thing too. She heard Fredrick messing around with his armour, outside the window she saw an empty hangar, the one they were docked in apparently. They had already arrived?

Old and worn, rusty panels, beaten up star ships laid beside their own.

The light was dim, yellow and flickering in the hangar. A few panels of lamps struggled to keep illuminating the hollow.

The walls consisted of heavy dull grey panels, intersected by brown rock formations peeking out between the metal sheets.

This was apparently a hangar away from the spire itself.

"Hi Ril, sleep well?" Fredrick's voice called from behind her, she nodded to herself and smiled. She had slept well.

"Where are we going?"

"Well, I figure there's got to be a way to get in contact with the authorities, or we can try and find the ship and speak to the pilot."

"Is that why you brought your gun?"

"This thing?" He gestured to it, folded up on his hip it was a diminutive little square that wasn't threatening in the slightest.

"Nah, I just bring it in case I need it, I've heard stories of this place and, Well I don't want to take any risks."

Ril nodded, Omega wasn't a pleasant place, far from it.

After a brief breakfast consisting of a nutripaste tube and a dry sandwich, Ril and Fredrick left their ship.

They found their way out of the hangar easy enough, but beyond it lay what could only be called a maze.

A labyrinth of jerry rigged housing, built with no rules, no coordination. Rusted sheets of metal were welded to high grade starship plating, clean turians in ceremonial robes walked among the filthy and ragged forms of the vorcha.

There was a certain peacefulness in the air though, a harmony.

This wasn't the hectic and chaotic environment she had expected, it reminded her a little of the fleet.

But as they drew closer to the actual spire, the central parts of Omega all similarities ceased.

They walked a little quicker, Ril was happy they had been holding hands because she doubted she would have dared to enter the station without the strange sense of security and comfort his presence carried with it.

Judging by how firm his grip was, Ril knew she had the same effect on him.

The people they passed were diverse to say the least, among the many flickering lights and damp corridors many creatures walked. But the harmony was gone, harsh batarians pushed their way through the crowd. Asari yelled obscenities and there was a palpable sense of discomfort and uneasiness here.

Unlike the outlying settlements, it was clear the people around the very center of omega didn't particularly enjoy being where they were.

Her human suddenly yanked on her hand and she was pulled into an alleyway.

She was a about to ask why he had pulled on her, when she noticed he wasn't the one who had pulled on her.

Instead, an aged alien in matte brown robes attempted to shove a ring onto her finger.

Quarians were no fan of strangers touching them, Ril was no different and she pulled away quickly from the being, snarling both in anger and disgust.

She nearly toppled a small cart covered in jewelry, but only managed to cause the strangely green candles to wingle

Luckily, Fredrick seemed to have been similarly pulled in and was busy trying to untangle himself from an intricate dress that a very enthusiastic Hanar claimed was the best and most attractive in human fashion.

He didn't snarl, though he did attempt to convince the pink tentacled alien that he wasn't interested.

Ril swatted away a tentacle seeking to clothe him in another robe, before the pair turned to leave, hastily.

But before the couple could continue their search, Ril's shoulder was grabbed and the alien continued to bark his bargains at her. Desperate for a sale.

This time, Fredrick swatted away the hand and the two left, after some glaring at the haggard salesman.

"Keelah..." She muttered, after moving a fair distance away from the alley. They found themselves on a bridge that provided an entry into the central districts. The view was respectable, but haunting. And most of the people seemed to have vanished.

She decided to take a breather and led her pink mate to a convenient bench.

"What's the matter?" he asked and once more Ril felt that sense of warmth and comfort. The feeling intensified as he touched her shoulder.

He was allowed to touch her, one of few. Ril sighed. He squeezed her shoulder and she sighed again.

I'm ending this chapter here. I'll think about where to take it next.

Besides that...

I'm not sure if I want to keep writing Courier to be honest.

I feel as if I've written myself into a corner, it's not that fun anymore, I feel as if I've made many mistakes with this story, things that I'd like to do Right in a new story.

But I'm not sure.

Here's a pair of stories about the possible new quar/hum fic. Or at least a revised Courier. I just wanted to write something fluffy and away from the primary couple.

It's based on an old pre-Courier draft, hence the reason Fredrick retains his name.

Fredrick was smiling. He couldn't wait to get back home after work. It had been a hard day with lots of customer sand plenty of things to do. The wind felt good on his face as he rolled down the hill on his bike.

His bicycle, a curious relic that made many of the city's inhabitants glance. It didn't even have Field dampeners to keep him safe in case of an accident.
it was currently rolling down a long slope. far from the commotion of the central parts of the city, it was tourist season and many aliens wanted to visit the new planet that belonged to the humans.
Freddy didn't particularly care, he didn't mind the aliens. aside from the hanar who tended to get in the way a lot.

They had a curious way of dealing with stress. Flaring their tentacles and flashing blue and red.

apparently his bike was very frightening by Hanar standards.

His ears suddenly picked up, he heard a long drawn out sound while passing an industrial area. At first he thought it was a bird, but it was far odder than a bird's song, Long and, sad almost mournful? a long keening cry.

There, it came from the little alley between two sections of parking lot and landing pad. from a bunch of cardboard boxes.

His brakes squeaked loudly as he pulled over, Fredrick wondered what could have possible made that noise.

Was this one of those 'Pyjaks'? His curiosity drove him forward, maybe one or two of those odd monkey-things had hitchhiked on a starship? It wasn't entirely unheard of.
Again. The sound, it definitely came from the boxes, he was sure of it.

On steady legs he advanced, the boxes were stained and tattered, they rustled slightly from whatever was hiding beneath.

"Hello? Is anyone in there?" The only response was more rustling and a muffled mechanical click, then the sound stopped and all was quiet except for the wibd rustling and the boxes shifting.

A mech? was there a broken mech in there? the click sure sounded like it.

He carefully touches one of the boxes and lifts it, taking a peek.
Underneath is not a mech, but something else. An alien curled up into a ball.
A female by the looks of it.

She's filthy, and covered in a suit. it's is dirtied and her mask has several stains on the inside, vomit. The thought makes him feel nauseous.
Her stomach sounds very agitated and she looks starved, far too skinny, her legs are oddly bent and both her hands and feet are equipped with just three digits, the suit is tight in some places but slacking in others..
Her entire frame is covered in a jet black suit, the suit itself has dark blue cloth attached, that like its wearer, is stained and worn.

"Are you alright?" he asks dumbly at the curled up bundle of alien limbs and enviro-suit.
She's shivering, hiding from him while her bright white eyes stare from behind the glass.
There's the click again, she's not silent, he hears how her breath is choked, holding back coughs, the alien speaks as she rotates to face him.

"don't hurt me." Her voice is thick, there's mucus in her throat and lots of it, he can hear it. "I'm not bothering anyone! Don't take another step! I just want to go home." she says, squirming on the ground from her resting position.

"Woah! Calm down." the man backs away slightly, the alien's glare is both very sad and incredibly hostile, Like an abused animal.
He looks over her body, it's mangy and he notices her hands are shaking, trembling.
"I think you need to go to a hospital." There's a noticeable twitch in her hidden face. As if she's surprised by something.
He briefly glances behind him, seeing nothing he adds. "I can take you there. I'm sure they've got things for... "

"Quarian." she deadpans, but there is a note of surprise and shock in her stance, her eyes are glued onto him, staring at the man with ferocious intensity. "They refused me, every time, I'm not wanted there."

He is momentarily shocked, why would they refuse someone that needs help? then he remembers she's an alien. they probably couldn't treat her anyway.
But how could he possibly help?

"Ok, You said you lived somewhere? Where is it? Are you lost?

The quarian sighs, for once her intriguing glowing eyes dislodge their gaze from him, instead they fall to the ground.
She remains silent for a long time.
"I lived on the fleet... "
What follows is a long winded rant, one the human listens to in awe.
The quarian has been on several planets, but had decided to visit earth before returning to her fleet, with her gift.
Then she had lost her gift. A ship; a rusted hulk, the engines had broken down one by one.
She had grown poor, her accumulated wealth slowly disappearing.
Until she had to resort to hiding under cardboard boxes during the day, and eating poorly sealed nutrient paste that was out of date, stolen from garbage bins and tourists, one reason she didn't want to go to a hospital.

She was sobbing now, her chest and shoulders heaving as she cried into her mask. Managing to mutter odd alien words between sniffles and those sad sounds that had first attracted him.
He did what felt right, reaching out he touched her shoulder.
"Hey.."
Fredrick felt her tense at first, but she didn't push him back, rather she leaned into his hand after awhile and her sobbing seemed to at least try to abate, he squeezed the suit under his hands, she sighed as he felt her thick skin beneath.

"It'll be okay..." He hadn't really prepared for comforting alien females, it was all he could think of saying.
The alien laughed, the notion was ridiculous to her.
"How? I don't even have a pace to sleep! I haven't eaten in three days! I've had to steal Ancestors damned Novelty Turian ice cream just to stay alive!"

The woman was panting now, glaring at him and pleading for something, some way of help.
"How?"

looking back at the homeless alien as he thought, his mouth opened on its own accord
"I've got a sofa you can sleep on.." it blurted out.

Her eyes lit up, even more so since they were already glowing with an eerie white light. He could see how her odd reflective retinas scanned his face, dancing across his features, cautious yet curious.
"uh.." he managed, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.

"Really?"
Her voice, breathless but clear, not a stutter, not a sob or a choke in it.
He could almost see the hope radiating from her, but her voice also gave away another quality. Bitterness.
"Sure." He smiled. "Yeah, I've got room." the man added, to his surprise he was a little excited. It had been a long time since there had been a guest in his home.
"I can't just leave you here now can I?" if she accepted that is.

"Thank you... human." the light on her mask flickered as she cleared her throat.

She did, with that tired subdued voice of hers. But it was clear there was a small hint of happiness somewhere inside her.
He reached for her hand and pulled her up in one fell swoop.
"Can you stand?" those odd bent legs were awfully wobbly. he noticed, she didn't let go of his hand. Holding it tight, or rather holding two of his fingers tight, it was awkward locking five fingers with three.
Freddy squeezed her hand, she squeezed back then let go, hesitantly.

After telling him she had no qualms about kicking his chest in, if he tried to kidnap her or anything of the like. She had settled on the back of his bike, there was nothing for her to bring with herself from her small hovel.
It hadn't taken long before he had felt her arms close around his waist, mask pressed against his back as her small hands grabbed onto his shirt.
And as he went down the roads, he heard her make that sound again, like chirping almost. But slower, lazier somehow, calmer. Between some muttered thanks, it sounded a little happier as it vibrated against his back, he smiled.

She did that all the way to the door, holding him tight and making that odd noise.
When he reached his home. A dinky well worn Pre-fab settled between a power generator and another modular house, Fredrick was rather happy
It had been a long time since he had a roommate, ever since he got a well paid job there had been no need. But the result had been loneliness and while he did have a fair few friends, his house was rarely occupied by anyone other than himself. He came to the realization that the alien so tightly holding onto him was probably hungry, Heck she was starving.
She was starving. She was a starving alien.

What the heck do aliens eat?

That's it. I've added a bit to it might add to it maybe a scene with Fredrick taking care of her. she recovers (add in a few remarks about how her suit is nicely filled out with quarian after she has eaten.)

She stays with him for awhile, saves up enough for a ticket offworld but realizes to her combined horror and happiness that she loves him.
Disgusted at herself, for loving an outsider, and for her feelings that she thinks stems from him saving her. and not his smiling, his dry jokes and warm soft body and hands that she wants to cling to, his personality and his oddly pink face.

She leaves for the ship, tears behind her mask because a small part of her doesn't want to do the right thing. to bond with a another quarian like a proper daughter of the noble clans.
But then she can see that he too has moist eyes, but he is good at hiding them. too good as she's already boarding the shuttle that will take her off world.

Then she changes her mind, some primal part of her wants to be with him and has no intention of going back to the rusting dead ships of the fleet. the part that held his hand while he was asleep, when she Thought he was asleep.

She uses her magnificent legs and thighs to speed over the runway, sprinting far away from the security mechs and officers.
Fredrick has turned away, and the sound of heavy lift boosters overpowers her cries for him.

Then she tackle hugs him, and he nearly topples but manages to stay upright, barely.

Just before the both of them are surrounded by a bombproof Kinetic field bubble, and surrounded by security.

There are a few interrogations, a small fine for running like a maniac over restricted areas. but ultimately she and him goes free.

They leave the police station holding hands, smiling that silly smile people in love smile, with a spring in their steps. After they come home things are a little awkward. they decide to talk a little, watch a movie and enjoy each others company.
soon enough she's in his lap, feeling his warmth through her suit and being happier than ever.

This next one is based on a prompt from the Kmeme. Keep in mind both these stories are rather unpolished. My interest in Mass Effect as a whole is and has been in decline since I decided to create my own Sci-fi universe, with lots of spacecraft, adventure and of course. Space babes.

The sand felt so very good under her feet, even if they were encased in formfitting suit and rubber.

Yet she smiled, her lips parted and she sighed under her yellow faceplate.
Nuri'faal was as happy as ever. This was a great idea, the sun shone, her hand was held by her beloved and she had eaten her fill of delicious meat-paste.
"This looks like a good spot." Her beloved commented, he was a human and his voice was clear and Undistorted by filters and cleaners.

She nodded. but all was not well. Aside from herself and the other patrons of the beach, Nuri and her human was accompanied by his family.
Things were a little awkward between her and the older humans.

She saw her beloved spread a blanket on the sand, and she smiled again.
He had made things better at least.

After a night of vigorous training for her immune system, and his stamina. She had finished by screaming, as was quarian custom. Unfortunately his parents had apparently picked up on the noise and.

Well, breakfast had been awkward.
They still couldn't look her in the eyes.

Silly humans, they should have been proud to have birthed such a virile male, and appreciated her praise of the gift he had left deep inside her.

She was staring at him again, as he spread the blanket on the sand and impaled the sunshade into the soft sand.
Keelah, he had such sturdy legs.

"Really warm out today!" He observed. and began to remove his shirt. still wearing a T-shirt underneath.

Nuri got a little excited, she liked seeing more of her human's skin.
"It's a good day." His mother observed and settled down next to her own burly mate.

"I'm going for a swim." The quarian's man said. "Just to cool off before dinner. You wanna come too Nuri?"

She nodded eagerly and walked over to join him, relishing in the warm sun.
Then he hooked his fingers under his T-shirt and pulled it upwards. exposing his belly.
Keelah. He was bold! and none of the others seemed to have noticed.
But he didn't stop, or pull it back down, she appreciated the erotic display, but now it was getting a little too much.
Instead he lifted the garment over his head and exposed his entire upper body.
And his nipples.

She was stunned for a moment, the whole beach was watching. except for the few sunbathing human females.
Silent and aghast.

"What?" He asked, rolling up his garment and putting it on the blanket. Before he could react Nuri had cupped both his nipples and grabbed his rolled up shirt with her dexterous toes and picked it up, still covering his chest with her arm.

There we go., A story dump of short snippets.

I hope you liked them all.

Ok, I want to know how many people read this story anymore. Just write a review, I hate to beg like this.

Write a review if you've read this, it doesn't take long, not long at all. If you've enjoyed the story. It's the least you can do. I could use some input.