Dhals Folly, Digeris, 16:50 Digerian Local Time April 19th 2186
Juan sat at the small desk in his "room" with his rifle partially disassembled in front of him. He scrubbed vigorously at the feeding mechanism in his hands trying to remove the slag that formed from the slivers of metal that were shaved from the ammunition block. The small brush in his hands was on its last legs and was doing a poor job of loosening the bits of metal stuck to the lower receiver of his weapon.
A fucking Turian! He's taking a fucking Turian to qual with the Exo's.
*scrub scrub scrub*
And what do I get for my troubles?! A non-recommendation for promotion!
*Scrub scrub scrub*
Just because he's fucking one it doesn't mean they rate to wear our gear!
Ruhe shifted behind him in her bunk. Juan could feel the question come before she even said anything.
"Give me five minutes." He spat as he redoubled his efforts. He could sense her nod. He threw the brush at the wall and dropped the receiver, spinning angrily in his chair to face her.
"Just what the hell is your deal! Fucking. Taaaalk. Use your words."
She reeled at the sudden outburst and brought her hands up defensively.
"I'm not going to touch you. Like, ever." He continued.
"Can I help with your weapon?" She whispered.
"NO. Did you not hear me? What is wrong with you?" He snarled.
She dropped her hands and folded them in her lap once again. The rhythmic hiss of her breathing was the only sound in the tiny enclosure.
"I'm different"
"Well no shit. Different how, different why?"
Another hefty pause as she blinked through the dark blue tint of her visor.
"I remember things"
Juan rolled his eyes as his frustration mounted.
"I remember everything. All the time. It hurts."
"So you're not some sort of idiot savant."
A shake of the head.
"Why the hell would the Migrant fleet send someone like you here?"
"Because I remember things."
"AAARGH!" Juan stood and stormed out of their cubicle. Ruhe sat in silence and flinched as the squad bay door slammed shut. She crept up to the desk and passed her omni over the disassembled rifle. She projected an atoms thick blade and carefully scraped the slag from the troublesome receiver. She quickly reassembled the weapon and function checked it. She had never touched this type of weapon before.
"Hey Rhubarb"
She jumped at the voice and turned quickly to see the smiling familiar blue face of Aeian T'Goni, her new "life partner." She was a young Asari Commando still in her Maiden stage.
To say that Juans belligerency netted him some well deserved TLC via the iron fist of his chain of command would be an understatement. He had turned in the half assed essay and had promptly been crushed administratively. He took this as being singled out because he was human and requested to speak with the Gunnery Chief. By now everyone had heard of the death of his mother and had given the human a wide berth. Juan had hoped that this would work out in his favor but was sadly mistaken. He had affirmed the recommendations of his squad leader and platoon commander. He asked why he was being so unfairly punished.
"Because you're a jackass." Was all the Gunnery Chief said.
Juan still hadn't made contact with his new partner who was a middle aged Salarian. The Salarian had made this known which resulted in the disqualification to begin Exo training. Sighra had jumped on opportunity and developed replacement sections of armor for another Council species. He had drafted the parts and had sent the blueprints to the Mech bay for their manufactories to produce.
The real challenge was modifying the Exo frame to accommodate the different gait of Turian physiology. Sighra had admonished himself for not coming up with the solution himself. After staring at a side by side walk animation of a Turian and a human for 30 minutes Max had turned to the STG liaison and suggested a type of stilt to be mounted into the frame so that the raised ankle of a turian was in line with the frames. The attachment shackles could be removed and replaced with custom made ones as well.
Presently Aeian hovered in the doorway of Ruhe's cubicle.
"Can I come in?" Ruhe nodded and stood.
The asari's lithe frame slid into the small space and she looked over her shoulder in the direction of Juans egress.
"Trouble in paradise?"
Ruhe nodded and fidgeted with her hands.
"Well my bunk mate disappeared as well so I guess now is as good a time as any to work on our essays." She smiled good naturedly.
Ruhe nodded again and gestured for her to sit down. Exactly 1 hour 23 minutes ago Ruhe recalled seeing Aeian's Turian bunkmate slip out of the squad bay in full armor. A few others had left as well.
"Okay so, seeing anyone?"
Ruhe jumped at the question and looked down at the smiling asari. She couldn't help but relive 2 years 3 months 22 days 6 hours 16 minutes ago when a fellow Quarian attempted to force himself on her. She had sat mutely in the clean room as he made his advances. Completely oblivious to what was going on. She had known him since childhood and eagerly drank in the new sensation of being touched on her bare skin. Then his movements became more intrusive. She had no idea what to do. She understood sex from a conceptual standpoint but felt no need or urge for it. She had resisted and he had become angry.
She shuddered and shook her head no vigorously.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
Ruhe sighed and dipped her head.
"I'm having issues with my partner. My… friend, Neaira.. She has a condition that keeps us from becoming intimate." The young asari bowed her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry for gushing, probably too much information."
Ruhe looked longingly out through the privacy of the small room.
"I need a partner to go to the mess hall."
Aeian smiled and nodded as she stood.
"Of course. I could use a bite to eat as well."
They joined hands and left the barracks together. Ruhe heard the shuffle of feet and turned to see a few Turians jogging towards the trailers along the west wall of the base.
Jaa smiled as she watched Max trudge towards his prefab laden with grocery bags from the exchange. He was being tailed but seemed to be oblivious to the turian hovering by the Mech bay with all insignia removed from his armor. Jaa read the message on her omni one last time before deleting it.
Centurion Narn had appealed to her again to report what had happened in the rec center the week prior but had told him that she was fearful of repercussions if it came to light. He had scowled and left muttering that the sanctity of her duty would not be tarnished and go unpunished. Ree had sent an invitation to both of them to meet up in their prefab and talk things out.
It was close to dusk, the sky already looked like it was being set ablaze by the sun as clouds begin to shade bright pink with the waning rays of light. It would be dark within the next 2 hours. Perfect.
She walked back to her desk and opened a drawer. A lone silver case the size of a matchbook was it's only contents.
"Well whatcha got there skull-face? More importantly can you dance like your buddy over there?" Jaa smiled as she recalled seeing the bodies of the Cerberus troopers come apart at the seams as she levelled Krysae rifle at them and fired. Her grimace intensified as she remembered seeing Ree creep around the corner, her eyes wide with surprise that she was still alive.
Let's see how you like being helpless.
She pocketed the case and left her office, humming the main riff of Die for the Cause as her bladed toes snicked down the tiled hall of the Hq building.
She had already set out drinks and food. But her anxiety kept her moving around the prefab, adjusting a plate here, moving an incense candle there. The blinds were drawn over all the windows allowing only a crimson glow to just barely seep into the hazy darkness of the prefab as the sun continued to set outside. Everything had to be perfect. This had to go just right or it could prove to be awkward for all those involved. She sat down and surveyed her surroundings but jumped up almost immediately as a thought crossed her mind.
Ree dashed into Max's side of the trailer and grabbed his dog tag chain hanging on the corner if his headboard. The flattened gold wedding band jingled against the anodized tags that bore his name, service number, and blood type. She had spied the curious trinket before but avoided asking him about it after reading about human Bonding. That would all change today. Hopefully.
She laid the chain and ring on her dresser below a small printed photo of his mother, Viola. The official photo struck Ree as a bit formal but it was the only one she could find of the late woman. She ran a finger down the cheek of the older human womans picture. Her hazel eyes stared at her with determination while the corners of her mouth fought to suppress an easy smile. Her heart shaped face was framed with shoulder length brunette hair, it was just barely showing signs of graying. The stiff collar of her Alliance Navy uniform and perfectly pressed flags behind her contrasted with her appealing demeanor. Ree wished she could have met the woman.
Ree froze as she heard the front door open on his side of the trailer. She listened intently as he moved about opening and closing cupboards as he stowed his haul of goods. She sat down on her folded up bed and waited. Max eventually emerged from the connected bathroom and stopped in the doorway. His eyes widened fractionally as he looked around the smoky room. He squinted as he passed the threshold and turned to see some of his personal effects laid out on Ree's dresser. Three tea lights flickered in the draft he had created. She chewed on a talon as he put his hands on his hips and looked around as if something was missing.
"So wheres the table I'm supposed to be strapped to for the sacrifice?" He grunted eventually as he turned to her.
"We are going to honor those we have lost. Sadly there will be no sacrifices today."
"Hmm" He rubbed at his ring finger as he spotted his dog tag chain and visibly paled.
"Please, have a seat. We are missing a person." She said as she patted the empty cushion next to her. Max scooted around the dining room chairs that were arranged facing the dresser and sank into the plush cushions. Ree turned to him and clasped his hands in hers. His gaze flickered about the room as he took in the candles and incense burning about the place. The floral scent of the incense was overpowering and making him feel lightheaded.
He sighed heavily as a feeling of dread overcame him. The questioning look in his eyes made Ree squeeze his hands reassuringly.
"I promise no harm will come to you. This will just be the three of us supporting one another through our mutual pain of loss."
He nodded and glanced around the room nervously. Ree pecked him on the forehead wither her snout as she stood and entered her closet. She emerged with a small silk bag and stood at the dresser as she removed it's contents and gently placed them on the dresser beside the photo and chain. She returned to his side and opened a small printed book. Its pages were yellowed with age and most were dog eared through what looked like decades of use. She read the Turian script intently, her mandibles and mouth moving silently as she rehearsed something to herself. They both started as a sharp knock came from the front door. Ree stroked his cheek and smiled bravely as she stood and moved to open the door.
Jaa had much the same reaction as Max but recognized the setup instantly. She was greatly amused by the audacity of Ree and smiled as they hugged briefly in the doorway. Ree stepped aside and motioned her in.
"So I know things have been, stressful, these last couple of days. And we all haven't been able to get together in a while so I figured we could use this opportunity to clear the air and do something that provides a venue for such a thing to happen." Ree said nervously as she gently closed the front door and moved to stand in front of Max and Jaa, who had occupied Ree's spot on the couch.
"Why yes Denae, I think it's a great idea!" Jaa beamed as she gave Max a sidelong glance. Jaa settled into the couch further and crossed her synthetic legs, her bladed toes gleamed in the candle light.
"Uh ok, so, Max. This is what's known as a Life of the Dead gathering. Think of it as a type of Oserun but instead of promoting someone to a new Citizenship Tier we celebrate them ascending to the highest tier, that of the Spirit of what it is they meant to those gathered to honor them." She stared at Max as she spoke.
"We will speak of deeds, both good and bad, memories, and acts of courage. -There may also be a degree of inebriation involved as well, are you ok with this?" Max's feeling of dread abated slightly as Ree's jet black face and vivid blue eyes exuded an intangible encouragement. He sighed and nodded weakly.
"Jaa'Quan, my first love, this is for us as well. I feel we were cheated from conducting one for Kantose and the rest of the Cabal." Jaa's face became unreadable as her amber eyes glowed in the candlelight.
Ree offered both of them a hand.
Jaa smiled graciously as she accepted her hand and stood, Max not far behind her. Ree looked at Jaa expectantly and she reached out to clasp Max's other hand. Ree took a deep breath and bowed her head. Max saw Jaa do the same and followed suit as they stood in a small circle holding hands.
"We stand here now in remembrance of those fallen. May their ascension to the temporal fold be remembered not in bitterness, but in joy. For those we have lost now stand silent vigil over us. Their memories cemented in the lives of those they were apart of. Their contributions gave the greater good new meaning."
Jaa cleared her throat as she shifted uncomfortably, her mandibles flaring as she looked up at Ree. The three of them released each other and were led to the three chairs facing the small shrine set up on her dresser by Ree.
"I will begin." Ree declared as Jaa and Max looked on nervously.
"Kantose Prathama was dear to me, as he was to others. He was eager, fair, and stoic in the discharge of his duties. On a personal level he was patient and tender to us." Ree began to tear up as she spoke, Jaa stared at her feet as she crossed her arms.
"He was the first to show me true kindness when I joined the Cabal and welcomed me unconditionally." She reached down and produced flutes of an amber liquid which she passed around. Max accepted his, which was of a different color than the other two.
"We drink now in celebration as his service transcends service to the Hierarchy." Ree drained half of her glass and stood. She blew out one of three candles set in front of the shrine causing a thick tendril of smoke to curl up into the ceiling. She sat back down with an object wrapped in a soiled gray cloth cradled tenderly in her hands. Jaa recognized the cloth as a traditional foot wrap. There was a very familiar scent which accompanied it. Max looked on with interest as a small blade emerged from the folds of the cloth.
"This is all that remains in the physical world of him to me; his Mexta and one of his wraps."
She passed the items around and Max held the bladed weapon as if it was made of glass. It was very old and tarnished. Turian script dotted its handle and blade, stamped into the steel with gold inlays and flourishes. Max passed the weapon to Jaa handle first, which she tenderly excepted. Her expression was unreadable but she breathed heavily as she stared down at the weapon clutched in her hand as if to wield it. Next came the cloth which reminded Max of an elastic bandage. It felt like a heavy cotton analog as he let it slip through his fingers. Once again he passed it to Jaa who had handed the bladed weapon back to Ree. She clutched the cloth tightly, her mandibles quivering as her amber eyes watered.
"I never knew you had these." She said in a tiny voice. Ree nodded and dipped her chin.
"I could never figure out the right time to tell you. I know you blame me for his death. But when I left, I left to get him to help me retrieve you. I was was so scared and uncertain, but he was already wounded-" Ree choked up as the memories hit her. "-He was dragging his legs as he tried to get to cover. He tried so hard, to the very end. They shot him again and again. Prior to that I felt I didn't have the resolve or strength to help you. Seeing him die like that awoke something in me."
She turned to Max as Jaa brought the cloth up to her snout and breathed in it's scent.
"It also made me close myself off to the rest of the world. It made me feel that I wasn't worthy of trust, of love."
Max felt himself color and cowed in embarrassment.
"Jaa, would you like to say anything in his memory?"
Jaa pulled the cloth away from her nose as a single tear raced down her forrest green snout and leapt onto her gray service uniform. She reluctantly handed the cloth back to Ree who wrapped the blade in it once again and placed the bundle at their feet.
Jaa cleared her throat again as she crossed her arms and shivered.
"Kantose was a lover and a mentor. His compassion was without equal and took the time to make me feel wanted. A lot of people make fun of me because of my voice, or compare me to my brother Jorvan. But not Kan, it is as you say Jorst, he accepted me unconditionally." She shakily lifted her flute.
"To Kantose Prathama."
They all partook in another toast, the sickly sweet liquor of some sort left a honey like aftertaste that tingled with carbonation. Max wanted to call it champagne but it was thicker than that. Ree moved to refill everyones flutes but Jaa jumped up and offered to do so instead. She disappeared into the kitchenette as Max numbly looked up at the small photo of his mother and his crushed wedding band. Ree reached out and patted him on the knee.
"Just tell us about Viola's life, what you remember best about her." She encouraged as Jaa returned with the flutes. Max noticed a small silver case peeking out of her tunics' waist pocket as she settled back into her seat.
Max thought back to the Captain of the SSV Hong Kong patting him on the back as he offered his condolences for his loss after the burial had concluded. He remembered the empty seat reserved for his absent father next to him as he listened to a eulogy cut and pasted from her service record. It had all felt so superficial. So arbitrary.
A numbing tingle buzzed behind his eyes as he shifted in his seat and looked up at the photo. She had hated that picture. Max had been standing behind the cameraman as she took her promotion photo and was doing everything in his power to make her lose her bearing.
"Thats not conduct becoming of a newly selected Gunnery Chief." She had said archly as he made a face behind the camera. His father stood at his side and smiled tolerantly as she straightened for the picture.
"Oh I'm just repaying the favor for when I was trying to take my picture for Service Chief and you kept calling me to attention." She had managed to keep a straight face up until the split second after the camera flashed.
Max nursed the flute of bubbling liquid in his hands as he searched for the words.
"Viola Barrett, she was my mother, a major confidant, and a close friend. We could make each other laugh at the drop of the hat. I shared with her everything that was happening in my life and in return she showed nothing but love and understanding. No, we may have not kept in touch as often as most families do, but she understood."
Max wiped at the corner of his eye as he stared at the photo.
"I'll never forget how she would often start a new hobby only to grow bored of it and move on to something else. Dad-" His fists clenched as he thought about how much of an ass he had been to Ree on the citadel.
"-Dad would complain about the clutter often. More often than not I adopted what ever hobby it was that was recently abandoned only to annoy him. Then it got to the point where we hardly saw each other. The distance became emotional as well as physical, at least between my father and mother.
Viola though, it didn't matter when I called her, she would be there in a heart beat. When I lost one of my closest friends, Sandoval, she sat patiently as I broke down. And when I had reached rock bottom she lifted me up." His vision blurred as the tears came unbidden.
"When I lost Aubry she was there again. My mother was the last link of stability I thought I had, until now." He looked up at Ree who dipped her chin somberly.
"To Viola Barrett." Ree said as she lifted her glass. They drained their glasses halfway again and Ree stood and blew out another candle. She sat and passed around the photo of his mother as Jaa stared at the bundle of gray cloth at their feet. She began to feel a tingle spread throughout her body and discretely sent a preset message out via her omni. She looked up at Ree who gently sat the photo at their feet and looked up uncertainly.
"I wish I could have met her Max."
"I think she would have liked you." Max murmured as he met her gaze.
"Is there anything you would like to say about your lost mate?" Ree said as her eyes widened. She looked down at herself and flexed her toes slowly as if seeing them for the first time. Jaa smiled as her Omni vibrated an incoming call, having been set to silent. The tingle began to turn into a sensation of coldness as her extremities started to ignore her commands.
Max looked between the two as worry began to spread on his face. Ree lurched forward in her seat to an alarming degree. He jumped up and caught her, her eyes were fearful as her movements became palsied.
"Hey! Whats happening? Are you ok?"
He heard glass shattering and turned to see Jaa struggle to stand, her glass shattered against the wall.
"Can't breathe" She gasped as she tore at her blouse. Max did his best to prop Ree up and caught Jaa as she began to fall over. Her brown skin turned blue as if she were suffocating. Max panicked and laid her down on the floor and tore her blouse the rest of the way open, she felt hot to the touch. He spun and did the same to Ree as her eyes darted about in a panic.
Max was just about to call the emergency medical center but stopped as an ear piercing shriek came from Jaa. Max kneeled at her side, eyes wide in fear as the unknown ailment overcame the two turian women.
"I dont know what to do!"
"Bed…" Jaa croaked
"Ok, ok, I'll get medical help right after. "
Max feverishly jumped up and yanked out the couch into it's bed form. He turned and scooped up Ree who was totally unresponsive aside from her wild eyes. He laid her down gently and moved to retrieve Jaa as well. He lifted the green and brown Turian up and placed her next to Ree. Jaa weakly reached up to him and pulled him close by his collar. There was a calm in her eyes that belied her present condition. She moaned lightly as the rest of her strength left her and released him.
Just then the door was kicked open; Max froze as he hovered over Jaa. Four armored figures flowed into the room like oil from a punctured drum. Their armor bore no rank or insignia. Jaa's head lolled towards the door.
"Please help" She whispered.
The first armored figure strode around the small parapet wall separating the door from the bed and roughly pulled him away from the stricken aliens. All was still for a split second as the helmeted Turian looked down at their torn uniforms.
Max fidgeted nervously and spoke up. "Thank god, I have no-"
A fist connected firmly into his sternum. The first helmeted figure gently kneeled by Jaa's side and ran his Omni over her. He stood and turned on Max as the other three armored figures restrained him.
Ree wept as she lay frozen and watched the four men descend upon the human. The last candle on her dresser burned itself out long before they finished.
Epilog:
Sighra frowned as his DNA scan blipped with a match. He checked the allele charts line by line to make sure there was no mistake. He sat behind his console stroking his chin as he thought about what to do next. The humans records were already questionably altered and now he had proof that he had entered his lab. If this was an Alliance intelligence operation it was sloppy at best. Sighra closed out of his work and drafted a program to start data mining every move the human made. If he could get another piece of evidence he could confirm his suspicions and report to the STG.
He finished up and stood, his mind was racing with possibilities. What was baffling to Bau was the fact that all of his research was relatively unclassified. There was no need to snoop his files, especially since the Alliance were the ones who had gathered the Collector data. -Albeit it in a roundabout way. He absently observed two pairs of turians racing to the hospital wing with a limp figure in their arms. He frowned as he watched their hurried movements from his window. A chime distracted him from the odd occurrence and he turned to see his data mining program was encountering an error. Sighra slid back behind his console and looked at the message in disbelief.
ERROR, SUBJECT NULL. NO CURRENT VITALS DETECTED.
End Act 1, I will resume writing in April
