Poker Night
"I win again," Ariel smirked as she laid her cards on the table. She and some of the other Archangel officers were playing poker together.
"No fair!" Kira exclaimed. "You can read our emotions!"
"I don't really see how that's relevant," Ariel replied, gathering up her chips.
Tali sighed. "I never was very good at card games, even back on the flotilla."
"Come on, guys, cut Mom some slack," Melody put in. "I mean, this is her first time playing."
"Whatever," Kira groused. "Still think poker should have a 'no empaths' rule."
Elsa then entered the room.
Kira stood up. "C-captain, what are you doing here?"
"At ease, Kira," Elsa said with a smile. "We're all off-duty, remember?"
"Well we're just here, playing poker," Kira remarked.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Sure," Melody replied. "But good luck beating my mom. She's been queen of the game so far."
"Really now?" Elsa smirked. "We'll see about that."
Kira smiled. "You know what? Don't even deal me in on this one. I just wanna watch Ariel and the captain go at it."
Several hands later, Elsa had creamed pretty much everyone. "Read 'em and weep," she remarked, pulling the poker chips close to herself.
"How the fuck is she that good?!" Melody exclaimed.
"I'm over 100 years old," Elsa answered. "I've picked up a few tricks over my long life."
Kira looked at Elsa and Ariel. "I swear, one of you has to be cheating."
"Not at all," Ariel said. "I played fair and square."
"Same here," Elsa added. "I'm just that good."
"Whatever," Kira grumbled.
As the others left the room, Ariel smirked at Elsa. "Should we have told them that I let you win?"
"Of course not. After all, we need to keep up morale here."
Just then, Elsa's commbadge beeped. "Bridge to Captain Frost," Kristoff's voice said. "We've arrived at Zeta Prime."
"I'll be right there, Kristoff," Elsa replied.
"Looks like duty calls," Ariel remarked.
Small Talk
The Archangel dropped out of warp over the ORB Union homeworld. They were returning there on a diplomatic mission, to broker a new trade deal between Arendelle and ORB. Elsa was representing Arendelle, and Cagali Yula Athha, who was new to the ship, represented ORB. As their shuttle headed out of the hangar, Elsa smiled at Cagali. In a way, the young princess reminded her of herself.
Cagali looked a bit nervous. "I hope this goes well."
"It'll be fine, Cagali," Elsa said reassuringly. "For a woman of your age, you've become quite the diplomat; even better than myself, arguably."
Cagali sighed. "I know, Captain. It's just that this is the first time I've been back home since joining your crew."
"I can understand that. I remember when I first went back to Arendelle after I married Anna. I felt the same way you did."
"I just hope things haven't fallen apart while I've been gone," Cagali said with a sigh.
"Things won't have. Trust me."
They both were silent for several seconds, neither one sure what to say to continue the conversation. Finally, Cagali asked, "Captain, may I ask a personal question?"
Elsa nodded. "You may."
"What's it like to…have a relationship with another woman?"
Elsa shrugged. "Well, I guess it's no different from being with a man. Many people think there's a difference between having a male or female partner, but in truth, as long as the two people love each other, then they should be fine."
Cagali smiled. "Well, that much I know is true."
Elsa looked ahead. "You're asking about Lacus, aren't you?"
Cagali nodded. "Yes. Kira's been setting up a little date for us on the Citadel next month."
"Well, I'm sure things will go well for you two."
"It is a bit unusual, if you think about it," Cagali mused. "So many people being in a relationship with each other."
"Not as much as you might think," Elsa remarked. "It's a big galaxy; there are plenty of polyamorous relationships out there."
"True, but it's strange to say out loud. Athrun is in love with me and Kira, Kira's in love with him and Lacus, and Lacus is in love with him and me."
"Nothing is ever strange, Cagali," Elsa assured her.
"Considering what I've seen in my time on your ship, I have to disagree."
Elsa chuckled. "Then you haven't been on our ship long."
Cagali giggled. "I suppose you're correct, Elsa."
Elsa smiled. "Alright, enough chit-chat for now. We should be focusing on our mission."
"Agreed," Cagali accepted. "And Captain?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for your advice."
"My pleasure, Cagali," Elsa told her.
Mothers And Daughters
Morinth sat alone in her bedroom. It was late at night, but she couldn't sleep. Every night for the past several days, she had been plagued with nightmares. Nightmares of all of the people that she had killed. She was in her mother's house on Thessia, in exile. She had been getting therapy for her condition, being an Ardat Yakshi, but the urge to kill was still strong inside of her. No, her mother wanted her to atone, and after all these years, her mother was right.
The door to her room opened and her mother, Samara walked in. She was wearing a more casual Asari clothing, rather than her usual armour.
She sighed. "Hello, Mother."
"You cannot sleep, Morinth?" Samara wondered/
She shook her head. "I haven't slept well at all lately."
Samara sat opposite her bed, legs crossed. "I can understand. Perhaps some warm earth milk will soothe you."
"I doubt it."
Samara put her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I am proud of you, you know."
"For what? Being a murderer?"
"No, for choosing the right path. All these years I thought you had gone too far to be turn back to the light, but when we saw each other on the Archangel, you finally saw the error of your ways."
She sighed. "I guess."
Samara smiled and hugged her daughter. "I love you, Mirala."
She smiled a little. "I love you too, Mother."
Samara kissed her cheek. "You rest well, my daughter. You will get through this. Ardat-Yakshi or not, you are my child."
"You hunted me for years," Morinth admitted. "I'm the reason you left my mother, to become a justicar. I broke our family apart."
"No, that is not true. Everything is right now, and you are better."
"But what if I don't get better? What if I get sent to that colony with my sisters?"
"Your sisters weren't sent there. They chose to live their life in exile."
"I know... I'm sorry, I'm just scared."
"You've been doing good these past few months. A few restless nights will not undo what has been done."
"Mother... can I ask something?"
"What is that?"
"Would all Ardat-Yakshi that were like me... would they be able to turn to the light, like I've done?"
Samara looked down. "No... most of them were overcome by their addiction to killing, to mating with others and ending their lives without mercy. It is not always their mothers who are coming after them."
"Then... I will do my best. Mother, will you train me? To become a Justicar like you?"
Samara's eyes widened. "Morinth... what you ask is a very difficult choice. Justicars distance themselves from everything in their lives. Family, friends, loved ones, jobs, duties, all for the code of honour we follow."
"I know, but I don't exactly have much to lose, do I?"
"You do have a point, Morinth," Samara agreed. "But it is still a difficult choice."
"I know, I know, but if I can't make those like me to see the errors of their ways, then I have no choice to but to end their lives, for the sake of the rest of the galaxy."
Samara smiled. "You have grown, Mirala. If this is what you truly want… then, I will train you in the code of the Justicar."
Morinth hugged her mother. "Thank you, mother."
Samara hugged her daughter back, still unsure if her daughter would be safe as a Justicar, but this was what she wanted, to give something back to the galaxy, and what she wanted to give, was justice for what she had done.
xXx
Author's note: Now these shorts were supposed to come out sometime after I had started season 2 of LK, but I figured I might as well put them in now, as a nice little intermediary for you all while LK 3 is coming out. Speaking of which, after the next chapter, the Chapters will be coming out every single day of the week, not at weekends.
See ya next time!
