Crimsonswordblue: Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Just because I locked myself in my room while my older brother is at work and my little brother is watching anime in the basement doesn't mean I'm sneaking. … Nevermind what I just said.
Subsider34: Wow. That was exciting. I think my heart rate went up. And I could see some of those things happening but it may not be as drastic. But you never know.
OnyxTemplar: Heh, don't worry too much now. I like this story myself and I would see to its completion even if I got shot.
Hopelessly Blue: I missed you too Marcy. To be honest with you I really have little idea of what you were talking about with Javik. I played ME3 only once- you can guess why- so I don't remember everything I should. I need to get on that… *sighs* The torture I'm willing to go through… Well anyway, yeah, it is like that. Shards of memories that had been stored in the beacon are leaking through and affecting her. I'll explain more in the story. And did you know I just got a message from one of my other stories? It said that apparently we have 'a better love story than Twilight'. Problem is, I can't decide whether it's a backhanded compliment or a sneaky insult. I thought you might want to know though.
Derp: I'm happy you like it.
Now And Later: I could understand why he thought the implications were bad but I don't think something that bad would happen. And don't worry, I don't make a habit of reviewing stories I read either.
Arael Tenebris: Yeah, I agree. The strange part for me however is how I'm starting to feel like Calista. All confused and full of dread and all. Granted it's normal since she's kind of part of me but this story just seems more and more real the more I write about it. Please tell me I'm not going crazy…
Panthour: I'm partial to giving names and such to my characters. In my opinion everyone has a story and a name. The shallowness of stories and games is that they make it to where you feel no sympathy for the 'bad guys'. Most of them don't even get names. If you recall the assassin scene a few chapters ago, it's obvious that I don't feel as if all people who are out to get the main character is really just a 'bad guy'. Life is a gray area. (Sorry about my rant. I didn't mean to go off on a tangent.)
Kaiya Smith: You have a good point. Surely more people would like to see this Cipher and the knowledge it holds. It could have helped the war effort. Like building the Crucible or something.
A/N: If you guys weren't completely sure, then yes. That was the real Calista that Calista saw. You think that's what she looked like when she died?
I glanced around once more and saw that Liara wasn't present. Maybe she was in the med-bay getting some rest or some food and water. Assuming she'd gotten out of the mountain of death too. I wouldn't know for sure since I'd been sulking/ hiding in the crew's quarters for three hours.
"…ree hours ago… I tried to contact my ship but transmissions have broken down…" Lorun struggled to breathe in the confined space she was trapped in. Growls sounded just outside the wreckage. Blood marred almost every surface in sight.
"-lista." I blinked and broke from my empty stare to look at Shepard. "Is something wrong…?"
Did I space out for a long time? It's hard to tell when those flashes are triggered.
"Why did you call me for the debriefing?" I asked, trying to ignore the intelligible whispers in the back of my head. "I wasn't groundside."
Shepard looked down for a moment, brows raised, "No, but you somehow knew what would happen." I felt a shock of worry travel up my body and glanced around the room to see the various expressions of either distrust or calculation. Even Ashley was looking at me like I betrayed her. It wasn't as if I had much choice about telling her!
"I guess…" I muttered, my gaze drifting to the floor.
Shepard crossed her arms and leaned against the comm terminal, "So how does that work? Is it because of the beacon or… something else?" by the way she said that it was obvious she meant my genetic condition.
I peered back up. Pressly wasn't around. … Could I tell these guys? They wouldn't gossip would they? Would it matter if they did?
"Calista?" Shepard asked.
I sniffed and shifted in my seat as I made up my mind. "It's because I'm different." I began after a shaky breath.
"Different? Different how?" Wrex questioned in his regular forceful voice.
"I was kidnapped by Black Frontier when I was little." I said. "My DNA was compatible with some of the samples they had so they kept me, and experimented on me."
There was a general silence to the atmosphere that often came with bad news. I refused to look at anyone for fear I would see the truth of their eyes. I didn't care about their opinions. I could do without. I didn't need them.
"Why did you do that?!" Ikon shouted at his stupid apprentice. "You killed more than a hundred people with that explosion!"
"We don't need them they're just civilians." His apprentice, Garin, muttered bitterly. Smoke descended all around them. It would choke them if they weren't wearing helmets.
Ikon would have left the stupid boy behind if he could. Those civilians had been researchers.
I clenched my hands into fists and squeezed my eyes shut to try to concentrate. "They altered my genetic structure so much that I'm not really human anymore. I still look the same but my insides are different. That's why I can use biotics when I need to. After I was rescued by my aunt I actually died."
A small hand pressed against my shoulder and I peeked to my side. I tensed unconsciously. Calista. She was smiling at me. "I'm still here. You saved me." I just stared at her. A moment passed and she began to look sad once more. "Don't you remember?"
I blinked in confusion and she disappeared. I blinked a few more times to try to adjust to this. Was I going crazy? Or was I already crazy? Did the beacon make me insane? Why was this happening to me?
"Um… anyway, I came back. Obviously." I looked away from Ashley's pale face and looked off to the side. "I know things that I probably shouldn't. I have dreams and nightmares about things that have or will happen."
I looked up and stared into Shepard's eyes. "But some things are different. I once saw Eden Prime from Shepard's eyes. Only I didn't exist, and Tanin wasn't there. Shepard got the visions too. That was originally why I kept Kaidan from getting taken in by the beacon." Shepard broke our lock and uncomfortably looked away.
"But it was different in real life. In this reality anyway. I was there and instead of Shepard I accidentally got myself sucked into the beacon's event horizon. That's also part of the reason I see things. Not the future or anything, but I see Protheans. Their war with the Reapers."
Garrus brought his hand up in a halting motion. It was unnecessary since I had just finished anyway. "What did you mean by saying they altered your genetic structure?" I guess he would have an interest in that given his history with Saleon.
"I'm not sure…" I shrugged awkwardly. "Tela's really protective so I only know about stuff I've noticed myself. I have biotics when I need them and I'm really smart but that's all I know. Only some of the changes are even active…"
"What do you mean?" Shepard asked.
"I, uh…" my eyes traveled restlessly along the room. "The alterations like biotics only partially activated after the stress I went through on Eden Prime. A lot of them are still developing or something."
"So you're a lab rat that got a bunch of screwed up procedures that ended up messing with your DNA?" Wrex questioned. "What the hell kind of doctor does that?"
"It's horrible…" Tali muttered, sounding a little disturbed.
"Not to mention it's illegal." Garrus added indignantly as he crossed his arms. "Whoever did this deserves a rocket to the face."
"Pfft!" I held back a laugh at the way he said that. If only he knew that he would be the one getting a rocket to the face in the future.
"So do you think these changes are what cause your dreams?" Kaidan wondered. Oh, so he was talking to me now? Asshole.
But I shrugged as I inwardly wondered why Shepard was being so quiet. "Maybe. It's just hard-"
"-to explain…" Kant uttered uncomfortably. "I do not like being in this place."
"… It's hard to explain…" I finished lamely. My hand came up and pressed against the side of my head as if to hold in these flashes.
"Well then that's settled." Shepard announced after a long moment of hanging silence. "Get some food or rest everyone. We'll meet back here tomorrow morning. Calista, stay with me for a minute would you?"
Everyone stood from their seats and filed out of the room save for Shepard. I stared at Ashley's back until she was out of sight and the doors closed behind her. Why did I get the feeling she didn't want to look at me? Did she not like me anymore? Why had she kept so quiet? Why did Shepard want to talk to me alone?
Shepard stared at the ground with an intensely thoughtful expression for a while before she looked back up. Her arms were crossed and she was leaning against the terminal still but I could see the unrest coming from her in waves. She was anything but relaxed.
When she finally did speak I found myself feeling vulnerable to attack. "We need to talk."
A/N: This had to be one of the most boring chapters I've ever written. I apologize for that. But since I update every day (generally) I hope you can forgive me.