Adult

It wasn't what he expected. Not at all.

Jak eyed the cryo pod as it sealed around Christie and then shook his head. The asari who was overseeing the operation looked at him and he sighed.

"Not at all like the cryo pods I am used to, doctor T'Perin." Jak said with a shrug."In the military it was all clinical, impersonal." Instead of the drab and dour military cryogenic facilities that Jak had seen on every Alliance ship he had served aboard, this bay was bright and almost cheerful while maintaining its sterile cleanliness.

She thought about that and then nodded, but did not speak as two other pods started closing. Christie's pod was sealed now and a set of arms swung down to grab it and move it into the massive racks of similar pods. They extended as far back as Jak could see. A gray mist hazed the distance as Ryder appeared at the entrance to the bay and waved to Jak.

"Thanks, doc. I know it disrupted your schedules, but thanks. She deserves a chance at a new life." Jak smiled at the doc who returned it before focusing on the many humans who lay ready to begin the long trip to Andromeda. He strode to Ryder without a backward glance. "The doc is good." He said to the former N7.

"We only take the best." Ryder said with a small smile of pride. "But this was an easy sell. Your friend was a shoe-in for security work and highly tech skilled as well. We had no problem finding her a place." He eyed Jak. "Korri is a different story."

"I didn't know she was a biotic." Jak said quietly as they walked.

"We don't have a problem with biotics, Jak." Ryder shrugged. "I am one myself. She needs an amp and some specialized training but we could manage that. The problem is that in the eyes of the rest of the quarians, she is a child." Jak bristled and Ryder held up a hand. "I know what you are going to say and I agree. She has passed every psyche test with flying colors. Whatever your...other friends did to her helped her immeasurably."

"It helps that she is not alone now." Jak replied. He reached out for Korri's mind and she sent him back a sense of thanks and reassurance mixed with some apprehension. Lara was still asleep. She had been more than a bit angered by what had happened and it had taken Jak and Korri several hours to calm her down. "So… what?"

"Quarians go on pilgrimage to show that they are adults." Ryder said quietly. "I don't know all of the cultural context. But essentially, they go looking for something to benefit the quarian people. The quarians we have coming with us are different but they are still quarian."

"You mean they are nuts like us." Jak said with a smile. Ryder shook his head, but he was apparently amused as well. "All they likely know about Korri is that she was crazy. They cannot know she was forced into that mold or why." He paused. "Any sign of the other quarian? The one that was hunting Korri?"

"No and that worries me too." Ryder growled halfheartedly. "I dealt with military intelligence types a lot when I was in the service. Some were reasonably decent. Others?" He grunted.

"Yeah." Jak made the same kind of grunt. "Seen it myself. So...what? Korri cannot go gallivanting off across the cosmos. For one thing, we are ramping up to leave. For another, she wouldn't be safe."

"Well, the whole point of a pilgrimage to is to show that a quarian can provide a benefit to the quarian people. From what little I know, biotics are incredibly rare in quarian society." Ryder said with a nod of agreement. "They don't have enough eezo to intentionally waste it on trying to get someone the ability. Not to mention how dangerous that is to he subject. Add to that, anything that could expose a crew member to such would likely threaten a whole ship. Not a good thing when you live your whole lives on one."

"We know they poisoned her." Jak said slowly. "What if… whoever did that did it too?"

"If they did that to her and the rest of the quarians find out, it could tear their society apart." Ryder warned. Jak felt Korri's horror as his own and nodded. "What does she want?"

I want to stay with you and Lara. Korri sent. You are my family.

"She wants to stay with us." Jak said with a small frown. "We consider her an adult."

"Jak..." Ryder actually groaned. "We may and yes, I include myself in that since I have met her. But the quarians do not. You do know how most humans feel about taking and holding an underage person?" Jak glared at the former N7 but his heart wasn't really in it. "Yeah. The courts do not like things like that."

"She is not a child!" Jak protested.

"You and I may know that, Jak." Ryder replied. "But according to her people's customs, she is. So she needs to prove to them that she is an adult."

I can do that. Korri's soft words had Jak freezing in mid-stride. Ryder paused as well and waited while Jak fought with his emotions. Jak, I can.

Korri… Jak wasn't sure what he was trying to say. He sent worry, exasperation, love and affection across the link to her and she reciprocated.

Tell him I can. I need to show a group of my people. They all need to see and me. Korri sent. Jak sighed and repeated her words to Ryder who frowned.

"The quarians in the Initiative are sending a delegation to talk to you, Jak." Ryder said with a slow nod. "And to me. Some of them want you charged with endangering a minor after what happened on Earth." Korri's instant rage had Jak reeling.

Oh, no they don't! What I did was my choice! Korri snapped in Jak's head. Jak! Set up meeting. I will be there.

"Korri is a more than a little upset by that." Jak said softly. "Ryder…"

"We need the quarians." Ryder said with a shrug. "They know more about ship working that any navy I know of. It is literally their life. If anyone can get the other races' representatives to Andromeda, they can."

He looked at Jak and Jak nodded. Even here, even now, no one wanted to broadcast the truth of the Reapers for fear of causing a mass panic. One not publicized purpose of the Initiative was to provide lifeboats for a number of species in the Milky Way.

We can. Korri's instant reply was completely sincere. Jak. I can do this.

I have already put you in danger, Korri. Jak protested as he started off, Ryder following. You could have been killed.

I wasn't. Korri replied and steel sounded in her tone. Just like on Earth, this is my choice, Jak. Not yours. I will meet with them.

I still consider myself your protector. Jak said quietly. No disrespect is intended, Korri. But I do. I will be there.

I know. Thank you. Korri sent grateful thanks to his mind and Jak relaxed. But this fight is mine.

"Would it help for me to say 'I have a really bad feeling about this'?" Jak asked sourly. Ryder snickered and shook his head.

"Figured."


An hour later

Jak stood in the conference room. It was set up for a meeting, with a large table and comfortable chairs scattered about it. He was waiting for Ryder to bring the delegation. Korri sat in one of the chairs, working on something that Jak couldn't see clearly. He still wasn't happy, but both Korri and Lara, who had finally woken, were adamant that Korri had to do this. Lara was still in the doc's clutches and would be for a few more hours, but she was fine except for a persistent headache from the residual energy from the scans. According to every professional including the rachni, it was simply an aftereffect and would fade in time, but the docs did not want to take any chances with her now. They felt responsible for not being able to help her voice and sending her to Earth where she had been abducted.

Jak still didn't feel quite right in the uniform of the Initiative. The white and blue didn't feel real to him, yet. Someday, probably it would. But not yet. He had dispensation to wear a sidearm since he was still Korri's protector and he knew when now to use it aboard ship. He stood by one wall as the door opened and four quarians stepped in, followed by Ryder. Jak's arms were crossed over his chest, but his hand was less than a second away from his pistol.

"Why is that human armed?" A female quarian snapped to Ryder who shrugged.

"Because he takes his responsibility to his family very seriously, Kala'Sintal." Korri said calmly from where she sat. Everyone froze as she stood up. "And he is my family." Don't react. She sent to Jak. She is trying to provoke you.

"Korri'Lamat nar Rayya." The female quarian looked her over. "You have come a long way."

"Step by step." Korri replied in a neutral voice. "You demanded this meeting." She shook her head. "You will not take me from my family as the fleet did my father."

At that, everything suddenly stopped in the room. The other three quarians had been fidgeting. Now, none of them seemed to be breathing. Korri laid a hand on Jak's arm and nodded to the others.

"I don't know what you have heard about me. I am sure much of it is fanciful or exaggerated." Korri said quietly. "The truth is, I was unbalanced when I lived on the Rayya. The fact is, I was made to be that way. It was not by my choice. I lashed out because I knew no better. Because I was hurting and the only one who dared try to help me was Elan'Shiya."

"Child..." One of the male quarians said slowly. "You are not going."

"That is not your choice, Kal'Sheger." Korri said with a snarl. Jak looked at her and shook his head slightly. She visibly forced herself to relax. "No. You will not provoke me. I will not let you provoke me into rash actions. You cannot separate me from my family or it will kill all three of us. Not that I expect quarians to care about such things."

"Korri." Jak kept his voice low and calm with effort as Korri sounded a step from sobbing.

"I know, Jak." Korri said sadly. "I know. I am still angry. I probably always will be. But I know the root cause of the anger now and no, I refuse to let some moronic boshtets in the quarians military dictate to me what I am."

"What do you mean?" The female who had spoken before sounded shaken.

"Did you know my suit had a bomb built into it?" Korri asked quietly. All of the other quarians hissed in shock as the female one shook her head. "And a toxin dispenser. Whoever put that in, really did not want me leaving."

"Korri'Lamant you are a danger to everyone around you." The female said slowly. "A bomb is extreme. Poison is extreme, but you nearly set fire to the Rayya!"

"And do you know why?" Korri asked. No one dared move. "I didn't understand why myself. Not until a very good friend pulled the brainwashing out of my head and let me look at it clinically."

"Brainwashing?" Either the other female quarian was an incredible actress or she was truly shocked by that.

"Delusions." The male quarian snapped. "More insanity. The Fleet offered you a place and care. And this is how you thank them?"

"The fleet did." Korri admitted. "But there were those among the fleet who continued to hurt me. And now, thanks to good friends and good people, I know why." She looked at Jak who paled as realization dawned. "Yes, Jak. That is probably what they wanted. A controllable pawn. A super soldier. The geth have no counter for such. My own wishes are immaterial after all. A crazy woman's wishes matter to no one."

"They matter to me and Lara." Jak muttered in a tone that carried. "You are not crazy."

"But I was." Korri said sadly. "For so long, lost in haze of fear and pain. Only moments of lucidity. Elan'Shiya was the first to show me true kindness and what was her reward? I was to hurt her. I was to program the oxygen manifold to blow while she was close to it. I tried to blow myself up instead and, yes." She sobbed. "I nearly killed everyone on the Rayya because I had no idea what I was doing when I tried to keep from following the orders I had been given. I never denied that."

"No, you never did." Kala'Sintal said quietly. "And you never spoke of this..."

"The brainwashing wouldn't let me until it was removed." Korri looked at Jak and fondness sang in her tone. "My new family took me in, despite everything. Despite my struggles, my rants. They took me in and helped me cope me no matter how much I fought, no matter how hard I screamed and cried. They gave me a life that I have never dreamed of and I love them for it!" The others stared at her and Korri shook her head. "Your concerns are noted. But I do have a gift for the quarian people. Not the fleet whose ancestors killed my father's family and some of whose present members drove me mad, but the quarians of the Initiative. You."

She looked at Jak and he smiled and nodded as he activated his omni-tool.

Everyone but Jak and Ryder took a step back as Korri was sudden wreathed in blue-black energy. She raised her arms and took hold of her helmet.

"What? NO!" Kala'Sintal shouted as Korri undid her helmet visor and it came down in her hand. She smiled at Kala'Sintal and opened her mouth. Everyone had frozen as Korri shook her head. Blue energy flowed around Korri's bare face as she started singing to the music that was coming from Jak's omni-tool. Her pure soprano voice sounded out and everyone simply stared as heaven itself seemed to come to rest among them.

'Here we are
Riding the sky
Painting the night with sun
You and I, Mirrors of light
Twin flames of fire
Lit in another time and place

I knew your name
I knew your face
Your love and grace
Past and present now embrace
Worlds collide in inner space
Unstoppable, the song we play'

As she started the next verse, Jak started to sing along softly as Korri's form was bouyed up into the air by her power and she was suddenly dancing in midair! Ryder was smiling widely, a first in Jak's experience as Korri sang and danced to the ancient tune 'Star Sky' by Two Steps From Hell, a favorite of the Alliance Military. Jak knew it by heart. Most Special Forces did. Music was always a good thing to pass the time on long interstellar jaunts and Two Steps From Hell had always been a good choice. Also appropriate for military forces..

By the third verse, everyone was humming or singing with Korri as she sang. Her dance was simple, but her voice… An angel was singing. Jak felt this eyes burn as Korri began the last verse. Now, he was singing strongly, his rough baritone a counterpoint to her glory. Ryder was singing softly as well.

'Burn the page for me
I cannot erase the time of sleep
I cannot be loved so set me free
I cannot deliver your love
Or caress your soul so
turn that page for me
I cannot embrace the touch that you give
I cannot find solace in your words
I cannot deliver you your love
or caress your soul'

The music ended and Korri stepped down from midair to stand by Jak. Her head was held high and she smiled at Jak who returned it.

"How?" Kala'Sintal begged as Korri replaced her visor. "I mean, obviously you are a biotic."

"Yes. I generated a field that kept me safe while I sang and let me dance in mid-air. My field would keep me safe in open space. I didn't know until Jak brought me to safety." Korri said quietly. "One of his allies is a biotic and she sensed the potential in me. I am not very powerful as biotics go. We did not understand how it happened, but on deliberation, it makes sense. The ones who poisoned me. They did this to me. They exposed me to element zero. Either they gain a powerful tool or they lose a problem. Win-win."

"That is evil." One of the other quarians said with a gulp.

"Our people are no better or worse than any other." Korri said with a sigh. "Jak didn't know I was a biotic until Earth. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Oh, rest assured it was." Jak smiled at Korri to take the sting from his words and she nodded to him. "We cannot send Korri back to the fleet. If she separates from me and Lara, she dies."

"But… Stasis. Six hundred years of stasis?" Kala'Sintal turned to Ryder who sighed. "Can they survive that?"

"Honestly, we don't know." Ryder admitted. "Every test that has been run says it will be safe. The three of them will enter cryo at the same time. I am leaving sealed orders that they be woken at the same time in case something happens to me."

"We cannot stay here." Korri said sadly. "The Alliance, Cerberus and others… They want to know how Jak and Lara are linked. I am not a soldier. I want to be a singer and medic. They will do horrible things to my family. Please." She begged. "Please understand, these are my family. They gave me a place when they didn't have to!"

"Yes, we did." Jak said quietly. "You were hurting and we could help. We had to. Not everyone would agree, but when I can help? I want to." He laid a hand on her shoulder and she was trembling slightly. "Are you sure you are okay? You nearly gave me a heart attack when you took off your visor. You told me you were going to dance, but not with death."

"I am okay, Jak." Korri said in a long suffering tone. "Dark energy tends to destroy anything it touches. Bacteria, viruses and such have no chance against it." She snorted. "That is one one reason asari make such good doctors. They are essentially immune to most illnesses." Jak crossed his arms and glared at her. She sighed. "Okay, okay. I will let the docs check me."

"You better." Jak said flatly. "Or I will sic Lara on you."

"You would." Korri said so sourly that everyone else laughed. Even Ryder's normal stern visage cracked for a moment. She took a deep breath and turned to the four quarians. "This was recorded. I fully intend to perform for the Initiative. To serve as a morale booster in addition to medic. Is that enough of a gift?"

"I don't know about anyone else." Kala'Sintal said quietly. "You have my vote." All the others nodded. "Even if I also nearly had heart attack when you took off your visor. Can you do that… anytime?" Jak cleared his throat loudly and the female quarian laughed. "We will talk, Korri'Lamant vas Hyperion."

All of the other quarians nodded their acceptance and Jak finally relaxed.

"Have your people call my people." Korri laughed.

"We will do lunch."


'Star Sky' by Two Steps from Hell is NOT my work but it is totally epic.

watch?v=Xk-Sauafa6Y