There came a knock on the door. It was Kelly.
"Sorry I couldn't come last night," Kelly smiled as she walked into the Starboard Observation. "It was a long day, so I thought a morning meditation would be best."
"Please join us, then," Melody stood from her couch and at on the floor next to Samara. Kelly hesitated a moment before joining the other ladies on the floor.
"Shall I lead?" Samara asked raising a brow at Mel.
"If you don't mind," Melody smiled softly as Kelly settled on Samara's opposite side. "I will assist when prompted."
"We will only whisper," Samara softly breathed out as she closed her eyes again. She started to hover as usual. "To calm our minds."
Melody nodded, so did Kelly, who kept quiet and attentive.
"Melody, if you may, can you use the biotic energy to hold Kelly?" she nodded to Kelly.
Melody took a deep breath and held her hands to her lap focusing her biotic energy flowing out from her body like Samara's did when she meditated. This power flowed outwards and touched Kelly, slowly enveloping her body. Kelly took a sharp breath of surprise and gently exhaled.
"Relax Kelly," Samara smiled. "Allow Mel to hold you up, and the weight on your mind and soul dissipate."
As Kelly relaxed Melody focused, keeping her breath steady, she could feel the stress from Kelly. She could almost hear her thoughts as the woman started to levitate.
Kelly was apparently interested in every gender and species but holding her energy and watching the woman melt into the biotic's comfort she saw how her life plagued how she interacted with everyone.
"Relax," Samara breathed, letting out a calming exhale. "The war within your soul is over, child. Whom you love is irrelevant. Love is an outstanding gift, and you have been blessed with the strength to love all no matter creed or gender. No soul aboard this ship judges you or how you live. You are not responsible for how the galaxy sees you."
Melody saw Kelly's brows clench together, and she felt the pain the woman felt. It was worrying sharing her mind like an asari would. Melody knew this was only possible due to Samara's biotic energy intermingling.
"We all know it," Samara smiled. "And there will be no pain in your eyes anymore while you stay aboard our ship. You do not carry the Normandy alone, we all are her keepers."
The woman's eyes started to leak silent tears, and she shuddered a bit.
"There," Samara breathed again, encouraging Kelly silently follow in the breath. "Open your heart to us. You are so precious and so brave, my dear. Allow us to take away your pain and send it out into the cosmos. You too Melody, open your soul to mine so we can remove these pesky pains in our soul."
Melody closed her eyes, as she relaxed she felt herself levitate and Samara's and Kelly's energies around her. She could feel a swirling sensation like Samara was moving invisible dry water through the room. She slowly exhaled and opened her eyes. The asari was flowing her hands through the biotic energy and plucking out wisps of it, throwing it across the room and it dissolved as it left their circle.
Kelly's eyes were streaming tears, but her expression was serene. She was open and relaxed as if she was in a calming bath.
Samara was whispering something under her breath, her hands aglow as she continued to pluck threads from the pool of energy. It was hypnotic. She slowed and then stopped.
Melody could feel like a weight had left her shoulders. One she didn't even know she felt.
"Breathe, Melody." Samara smiled. "Breathe your stress out. You listen to all and see all, but I can see your stress too."
Melody let out an exhale, feeling her neck go a little numb like it had been rubbed with a warm hand.
"Samara you need to release your negative energy too," Melody spoke softly back.
"Not yet," Samara sighed. "Allow me to care for you two today, and we will work on me another day, alright?"
Melody nodded as Samara took a deep breath and the biotic energy became warmer.
"Release your energy slowly, Melody," Samara spoke. "And the two of you can sit up whenever you feel like."
Melody slowly lets her energy dissipate again, she and Kelly slowly sat on the floor once again.
She watched Kelly open her eyes, they were pink around the edges, but there was a glossy type of adoration in them. She sighed shakingly.
"That was intense, Samara," Kelly spoke softly, her voice cracked. "I've never meditated with an asari before."
"I mix meditation with some sharing," Samara smiled widely. "We shared your emotions and some memories. Do not feel embarassed, this sharing makes us respect and love you as our Yomen more."
Kelly nodded and turned to Melody; "Thank you. I'll stop by to sit together each morning for now on."
"We look forward to it," Samara nodded and bowed her head.
The asari suddenly stood and stretched; "I need to shower the stress away if you'll excuse me."
Kelly waved and then slowly stood up, "I need to get to my post."
"Have a good morning ladies," Melody waved, feeling a wave of hope. The first since her proposal and one as strong as when she saw the twins only months ago.
Knock, Knock.
"You can come in," Melody was on her data-pad. She hadn't left Starboard Observation all day, and it was already afternoon. She tossed her garbage from her lunch into the trash.
"Hey," Tali waved as she came to sit down. "What's this about?"
"Personal crap," Melody nodded. "No audio or visual stuff is on in here, I had Miranda disable it so I could hold sessions with the crew."
"Oh, keelah," Tali fidgeted. "I didn't expect that I thought I'd done something..."
"Why would I call you for that?" she giggled a little. Tali still expected the worst. "I'd just take you aside and ask, this is more private. I wanna know how your settling in."
"Oh great," Tali lit up, getting visibly excited. "Engineer Donnelly and Daniels are perfect. I mean I miss Adams, but they have some new smart ideas for maintenance. Naive but new. They're terrible gossips though, always chatting. I keep joking that they should bunk up."
"They might," Melody shrugged.
"Oh," Tali tilted her head. "Know something I should?"
"They had a spat, I'm sure you heard." Melody waved it off. "And it seems like they got closer to it."
"Yea," Tali sighed. "They're cute."
"Agreed," Melody smiled. "How's John by the way?"
"Huh?" Tali started fidgeting again, looking at the floor. Melody wanted to giggle at the red thread that pulsed to him. "He and Jane are on Tachunka today, so I don't know."
"I mean how do you feel about him?" Melody toyed.
"Stop using that gift Mel, it's weird." she shuddered.
Melody was stunned, she never told Tali about it. She never remembered even talking about it.
"I-"
"Garrus told me..." Tali hung her head, visually embarrassed.
"That loudmouth," Melody grumbled. He couldn't just let her share when she felt comfortable. "Come on though, you can't lie about him to me. Do you wanna know?"
"I..." her voice perked and then trailed. She shook her head. "No. You can steer me the right way, but don't give me the map..."
Melody smiled, respecting her friend way more.
"Okay," she smiled. "In due time I will..." She got on to what was bugging her most. "How is the Flotilla taking your departure..."
"Not well," she groaned. "You pick up on that too?"
"No," Melody scowled a little. "I don't work like that..." she waved it off. "What happened? Can you share?"
"I need to return," Tali sighed, rubbing her hood nervously. "They're trying me for treason."
"What!?" Melody almost shrieked with a mix of shock and rage. "Why?"
Tali shuddered and took a deep breath. "They haven't said," she sighed. "I need to submit to a trail, or I'm exiled."
"What's the time limit?" Melody asked, pulling up her omni-tool. "I'll let the twins know."
"We have a galactic month.." Tali rubbed her hand, nervously. "Don't..."
"It's top priority now," Melody nodded. "Have you told John or Jane?"
"N-No...I couldn't!" she shouted, very anxious about the very idea.
"Tali," Melody took the shaking quarian's hand. "There are no secrets amongst us. Or among us to superiors...John and Jane will want to help. You need to tell them the moment they get back."
"I..." she sighed in defeat. "I'll consider it.."
She squeezed her friend's hand, and the quarian punched her arm with her free fist.
"Ouch, my weak human arms..." she teased. "Call that a punch?"
"You bosh'tet," she muttered with a soft laugh, and then her omni-tool chimed. "Ah, that's probably the two trouble-makers. I've gotta go."
"Have fun," Melody chuckled. "Later Tal's."
"Ta, Mel."
She waited for the time to have been met to scan the empty room for other life forms. It didn't go off, that little Asian woman didn't allow her omni-tool to pick up her life form.
"Kasumi did you program yourself off of my omni-tool?" she asked the empty room.
"Caught me," the thief responded on the far end of the room, glimmering her cloak off. "I snuck in when you left to the bathroom."
"Sneaky," Melody patted the couch. "Come and relax."
She snorted a little. "I doubt I will, but I'll sit."
She made her way over and sat cross-legged on the chair, her feet up.
"So, what's up?" she asked. "Did I fry something?"
"Why does everyone think me talking to them equals trouble?" Melody shook her head in disbelief.
"So I can go?" she asked.
"No," Melody shook her head. "We need to open up..."
"What about?" she asked. "There's nothing to share...I know all about you..."
"And I know nothing about what drives you.." Melody pointed out.
"Ah," she sighed, leaning into the seat. "Got me again. Fire away, Captain."
Melody chuckled and asked the first question in her mind.
"Any partners in crime?" she asked.
"My former boyfriend," she responded simply. "He passed away..."
"I'm sorry I didn't..." she felt stupid. She asked something without considering it to be a sensitve territory.
"Don't worry," she smiled softly. "Jane and I are going to get his things back."
"Do you..." Melody took a breath. "Feel like talking about it?"
"No," Kasumi responded, shaking her head. "I'm fine with where I am...I love being here. And as 'lone-wolf' as I come off. I just enjoy watching things happen. It's habit to be on the sidelines."
"Well," Melody sighed. "Feel free to join in whenever..."
"I will," Kasumi stood and headed to the door. "I'll try to involve myself more if it makes everyone more comfortable."
"I-" she started. But the small woman had disappeared once more, exiting the open doors.
"Dammit."
It wasn't a complete waste of time. Kasumi's distant, and it works for her. If she can't stay focused though, then this might be a problem. Hopefully, Jane will help.
There was again a knock on the door, a soft rap. So gentle and precise it could be confused with a ship sound.
"Enter," Melody placed her data-pad down, finishing her entry reflecting her brief conversation with Kasumi.
Thane swiftly entered. She always forgot how his presence felt robust and fluid all at once. His arms were behind his back. Stood by the entrance.
"Please sit," Melody smiled gently to the man.
"Thank you, Lieutenant-Commander," he nodded and sat purposefully and fluidly. It was a little hypnotic.
"Please, no formalities are expected here." she waved the title away.
"Alright, Melody," he relaxed into his seat, draping his arm over the back of the couch, leaned away from her to be inviting and open for conversation.
"How are you settling in?" she asked.
"Well," he responded. "I feel like I'm settling in good. Probably not as well as the younger ones; Jack, Miranda, Garrus and the like..."
"You aren't that up in years," she shook her head.
"I'm older in spirit," he chuckled warmly. "I feel closer to Samara...though she has hundreds of more years up on me. Maybe it's because she's a parent too.."
"Have you heard anything about your son?" she asked casually.
"We have a few clues," he sighed. "He's on the Citadel. We'll have to be careful approaching Koylat sadly."
"I know you'll find him safe and sound," Melody reassured him.
"I admire your positivity, Melody." he smiled a little, slowly blinking both sets of lids.
"Someone needs to see the glass half full," Melody brushed off his compliment. "Do the twins know when we're next visiting the Citadel?"
"Within the week or a couple of days," he shrugged casually, looking at the window displaying the space outside.
The silence stretched for a while in the room, as she joined in watching out the window. She saw the glimmer of distant stars and felt a deep peace as she gazed.
"Do you feel alone here Melody?" he asked softly, breaking the quiet. "On this ship or in the galaxy as a whole?"
She considered it, she hadn't really given it much thought. She took a moment.
"I hadn't really stopped to think of it," she admitted. "But, yeah."
He sighed in empathy, she continued.
"Sometimes I miss my old friends," she answered. "The ones from my academy days. We were so close. We promised to meet up often on the Citadel or Earth between tours. And then everyone slowly just stopped talking. The only friend I have left from before that is a C-Sec asari friend. I often joke with her that she's my only friend. We haven't hung out in a long time. Sometimes I tell myself that the crew aren't my friends, we're just workmates. But when you run into a firefight with someone, the get your back and you theirs, and after when you're cleaning up you can share a laugh or a cry. I think I have better friends here, where I can't envision my academy friends syncing perfectly with my shots or knowing how I'm going to handle a loss. Or how to comfort me."
"Did you experience a loss recently?" Thane asked.
"No," Melody smiled, thinking about it. "But when we can't save civilians..."
"Say no more," he raised his hand. "As a soldier, you've seen plenty, as an assassin I can agree that it's better left unsaid."
"Thank you," she sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Do you feel alone, Thane?"
"I did," he mused, leaning forward, so his arms rested on his lap. "I was working, reading. And rarely spoke to anyone outside of family...John and Jane have been the only ones I can consider friends I've made in about ten years."
"I..." she mused. "You can warm up to the others here. We all aren't as cold as the ship we ride."
He chuckled, "I will," he drummed his fingers together. "Perhaps we can put together a last party...and then a victory one afterwards."
Melody smiled; "I'll bring it up to John." she thought. "A few drinks for everyone and I'm sure everyone will warm up."
"That sounds splendid, perhaps in the mess area," he mused.
If he could read her mind, he would have heard cophany of fireworks as she realised how good this could be for most of the crew. She could get everyone she knew who had feelings bunk up or at least confess. Everyone who wasn't interested could just chat in a warm atmosphere.
"That's perfect Thane!" she smiled, thinking of plans. It had been a while since she'd hosted. "I'll start planning, if that's alright."
"It's all you, Melody," he chuckled. "Anything else you wish to discuss?"
"Not necessarily, if you want to add anything later on, just contact me," she beamed.
"Of course," he stood. "I think your next appointment is here.."
"Huh?" she asked.
There was an abrupt knock on the door.
He went to open the door, it was Mordin. The salarian was a little scraped up and a little clammy looking. A nutrition bar in one hand, his other behind his back like he was holding himself professionally.
"Afternoon Thane, it's good to see you out of battle," he spoke. "I didn't mean to interrupt-"
"Mordin. I was just leaving actually," Thane nodded and headed down the hall, parting with a wave. "Have a good afternoon."
"Talk to you again," Mordin waved with his nutrition bar and entered the room. "Greetings, Melody. We are past formalities correct?"
"Yes, Mordin," she laughed. "But not courtesy, please sit."
"Glad to," Mordin sunk into the chair that Thane had just been occupying. "Are you 'checking in' on everyone?"
"Yes," she smiled, closing her notes on Thane and opening up a document for Mordin. "Will you forgive me if I make notes?"
"Go ahead," he chuckled. "You are a psycatrist on the ship correct?"
"I don't have a doctorate, Mordin." she waved the remark off. "Just consider me everyone's big sister, even if I'm younger than everyone else."
"But you listen to everyone's problems and provide solutions not considered?" he mused, taking a bite of his snack.
"Yes," she stated, gathering that something was weighing on his mind.
"So it's no surprise that I'm a respected scientist, xenology and biology respectfully." he sighed and rubbed his forehead. "But I worry that I've been soft on my past pupils..."
"What happened on Tachunka?" she asked.
He took a deep breath; "As a younger scientist we were studying the Genophage," he started his story. "Was a part of a group of scientist working on analysing and developing a stronger strain if the krogans started to grow immune to the virus." he sighed. "Long story short it was fulfilling work and didn't regret it at the time, we did our duty, and we were successful scientifically and prospered in STG as a result. However, my pupil, Maelon, and he was on Tachunka willingly undoing our work." he let out a stressed sigh. "He looked up to me but knowing what was done he disagreed and was trying to undo it. He was being Jane, Jack and I took his data, but it's filled me with doubt."
"What kind of doubt?" she asked. "In your teachings? Your other pupils? Or your past work?"
"My old work," his brow seemed to furrow. "Did I make a mistake?"
"Do you feel like you did?" she asked.
"What I saw down there..." he rubbed his brow. "Clan Werloc enlisted his help. He wanted to, and the clan's females volunteered...and expired as a result. He made mistakes, and they died because of it."
"Because they wished to bear children?" she asked.
"Yes," he sighed. "We weren't allowed to make mistakes, and Maelon was careless with the limited volunteers. He had no room for mistakes, and he made many. His research..."
"You kept it," she sighed, rubbing her hand gently thinking. "Do you feel guilty? Looking at the smaller picture? You sound like you look at the bigger picture mostly..."
"I have seen the little pictures now," he sighed and finished his snack off. "It's making me think, feel guilt."
"I don't think I can answer if you made a mistake or not," she drummed her data-pad. "Maelon did, but you need to reflect on how you feel, consider the galaxy. Consider everything. Then look at the smaller scale. The women on Tachunka who can't interact peacefully with the men. They are fought over, with blood shed, they have stillbirth-"
"Don't" Mordin held up his hand. "I am aware, Melody." he looked at nothing in particular. "I will think on it, but after our fight with the collectors."
"I agree," she nodded. "How do you feel about joining in a small get-together?"
"I'd love to," Mordin grinned. "Additionally, Melody. Happy to have shared my experience."
"I don't know if it helps," she nodded to him. "But I am here to listen."
"Will keep it in mind," he stood. "Must play with some of the Collector techs, I've been itching to get a hand on more data on the swarms."
"Have fun," she chuckled as he left.
"Plan to," he smiled.
