Subsider34: I love to please.
Rassun: I don't want Tela to die either, but I'm not sure whether or not it will come to that. Hopefully not. Thank you for your concern as well, Rassun, I appreciate it.
Kaiya Smith: Right, hopefully they won't think Cali is just losing her mind.
A Fan: I like that stuff too. Maybe that's part of why I'm writing it.
Michae1ange1o: I completely agree with you. I have read so many SI's that I've gotten tired of reading fan fiction in general. They all seem to go along the same lines. It's why when I write these stories I try not to go along with things I've already read.
Arael Tenebris: Not too much of course.
Hopelessly Blue: I think you meant Shepard in what you were talking about, Marcy. But I do think she might have space magic. You never know, right? She is a biotic in the canon, default selection. I always liked the name Jack more than John. Wonder why. -_- Anyway, I'm not sure if the woman can sew. Maybe, maybe not. … You don't like ghosts do you? Little Calista seems to creep you out a little. *sly grin* Don't worry about it though; I love you for who you are.
Jeremy Pine: I did try the voice-to-text thing actually. Problem is, I'm not used to talking so much and it just doesn't understand me when I speak. My accent really isn't thick enough to be hard to understand by any means but after a few hours of setting it up and taking the tutorials and them not listening to me I just gave up. As for your predictions I'll only say that Cali's visions are important.
Tatsu-ZZmage: I did try it out but it didn't work out. I appreciate you taking the time to mention it though, thank you.
Lomskis: I think 'everything' would take a more than a few hours to explain, so probably not. XD
A/N: UlyssesFossil, Areal Tenebris, I am SO SORRY! My email never got your reviews and by the time I checked on the review page for the story I had already uploaded! I'm so sorry I didn't catch your guys in the last chapter! You know I love you right?
Once we were on Deck 2 I led Ashley toward the med-bay but hesitated in front of the doors. I turned my gaze to Ash behind me, "Can you go get Amelia?" in reaction she jerked slightly backward.
Brow furrowed quizzically, she asked, "If you want to get your… um… checked out before we do this…"
I shook my head, once again trying out a smile. My lip barely quirked upward when another small tide of pain and fire assailed the wounded side of my face. I chose instead to shake my head and hope she saw the reassurance in my eyes, "Chakwas is taking her nap in one of the pods right now." The older woman always went by the same schedule. You could set your Omni-tool to it.
Ash still looked guilty. She wasn't doing much to hide it. Even her slight smile seemed more anguished than indulgent. "Don't take too long, okay? I want to get you checked out as soon as we can." As she turned and went about her search for the Commander I wondered briefly if she was always like this. I didn't recall her being so caring before. Prideful, opinionated, extremely protective of her sisters, a little xenophobic yes, but…
With all that's happened I shouldn't even be pondering over it. Eden Prime, Tela, the Council, even reactions have been different from the series. I would be a fool if I ever assumed the people within this reality would be exactly the same. That is, if the game series ever really covered the whole of a person. Undoubtedly things, places, and people were at least deeper. There were no longer general NPCs or clichéd villains. Everyone had names here. Everyone was real. I couldn't look at things like they were fabricated from a limited basis of control and choice. This 'game' was as real as STDs.
Strange… I mused inwardly, turning toward the med-bay doors so the sensors would know I intended to pass through, I'm thinking differently now… Almost like my old self again, but…
Maybe Ash's unforgiving backhand did in fact slap some sense into me. Quite literally. I don't feel… bogged down anymore. The encroaching darkness still permeates my being, just as those whispers in the back of my mind continue to mutter and scream incoherently. But my body feels slightly less heavy. My head is a little clearer. Despite my quiet relief upon this realization I began to worry over the state of my genetics.
The shock of the backhand itself rather than the impact or pain could have something to do with it. I could simply be taking on more altered characteristics Black Frontier bound into my very DNA. It was mentioned that they were 'activating'. I could remember the Councilors clearly stating my mind could possibly be developing at a strange rate compared to average human children.
Considering I wasn't even human anymore I wondered if I should be held to the same standards. But what standard would cover a thing like myself? For only one such as I could truly be called a 'thing' accurately. The only trait I still have is my gender. That, by itself, was not amusing nor was it comforting.
The doors to the back lab in the med-bay slid open quietly, revealing Liara's favorite hideout within the Normandy, pulling me from my thoughts. Said asari jumped at the sound of someone entering and promptly dropped the datapad she had been holding.
"You need to stop doing that." I stated in an informative tone as I stepped toward her. "Being easy to startle and quick to scream makes you a target even more than you being an asari does you know."
Liara, long used to my abnormal bluntness of speech (when feeling casual or caustic), nodded though it was clear she was still frazzled. I regarded her with a worried expression as if to say 'what am I going to do with you?' for a moment before bending and reaching for the pad she'd dropped. Unfortunately Liara reached for it in unison with me and our heads quickly collided while simultaneously taking hold of two ends of the pad.
I recoiled in pain at the unwelcome impact, gripping the pad's edge harder just as Liara released it. An unusual yelp jumped from my throat on reflex and I quickly stepped back, bringing up my left hand to hold my pounding temple. "Ow…" I whined quietly, more to myself than anyone else, internally cursing this day of mine. Argument, got lost, tore sash, creepy vision, armored backhand… Such a long, arduous day…
"Oh goddess, are you alright?" Liara's voice pulled my attention back to her and though my eyes were shut I could still feel her begin to fuss over me. She did so often. She would, after all, considering how clumsy she tended to be when nervous. Amazingly her clumsiness almost always got me injured instead of her. Such as the time she tripped over the last couple of stairs leading from the CIC due to her worrisome anxiety over eating in the Mess with the rest of the crew. In consequence I was the one to break her cataclysmic fall. Imagine how Bluebell injured me fifteen minutes later when struggling to explain why I had a busted chin. It involved her trying to help fix my chin.
Needless to say I was on the track to becoming as sturdy as I used to be, in my old life. I had to be if I was to subject myself to standing exile with Liara in a ship that was so obviously not clumsy-asari-proof.
Taking this horrible pain in stride I mentally focused on it and willed the currents to spread out from the center and dissipate. I normally used this method to both help me focus my mind and to train my body to tolerate pain enough to disregard it and control it enough so it wouldn't become a nuisance. It worked well for my frequent bouts of headaches or small injuries sustained when in Liara's company. Obviously this ability could only go so far. Intense pain was something I just had to deal with. It was usually much too strong for me to channel it and suppress it.
My newest injury was still dully throbbing and I needed constant focus for the upkeep of the suppression but it was enough. I waved Liara's intent hands away, causing my face to be exposed to her shocked and horrified gaze. "C-Calista, what happened?" and once she recognized the signs of how I was injured (strong metal, angle, things like that) a spark of indignant anger rose in her eyes, "Who did this to you?" she asked, once again insisting on examining me.
I refrained from rolling my eyes and instead voted upon sighing and grabbing her hands that still made their way to my face and pulling them down. "Liara." I whined, drawing her eyes to mine almost effortlessly with my pleading eyes. "We need to go!" I stressed.
She paused in a new attack of shock, question and worry before questioning, "Go?" an endearing line appeared between her brows, "Where? Dr. Chakwas is sleeping right now…" surprise and terror then flitted through her deep sky blue eyes, "You're not thinking… No! No, Calista, I can't! I promised Dr. Chakwas I wouldn't try to heal you anymore after the CIC accident!"
This time I did roll my eyes, theatrically, "And to think that came right after the Cargo Bay Apocalypse!" I muttered.
For classified reasons I cannot tell you what transpired on those two days. The CIC accident had become almost taboo to speak of. I can only say it involved a groggy Amelia, two upstart crewmembers a wet t-shirt, a rake and me getting wounded. The Cargo Bay Apocalypse is off-limits even to speak of. The security footage has been erased and all reports were half blacked out. I was once again injured but not in the physical sense. I will not name names but because of this someone thought it a good idea to fight for my honor. One thing led to another and… Well. Nevermind. It's best not to say.
Pushing away my irritation at the young woman's habit of assuming the worst I huffed, "I mean we need to go to the comm room!"
That stopped her. At least enough for her to cease panicking anyway. "The comm room? What for? Are you going to call your aunt?" the small flicker of fear in her expression at the very idea of her speaking to my aunt. I could understand why. Ever since Tela found out about the lone asari on the Normandy (about two days after Therum) she's been rather… hostile. Either because she was worried Bluebell would try and steal me away or because she thought Liara needed a sterner spine and a confident stride to better ward away possible kidnappers while she herself was unable to hold the mantle of my protector. It was an asari thing.
I crushed the small amusement that wanted to show in form of a smirk and shook my head. "Remember the pad I gave you about the stuff I've been having problems with?"
The excitable young asari maiden once again furrowed her brow in worry, mixed with trepidation, "Yes…"
"Well I've decided to take Serrkil's indirect advice." I announced. "I'm going to get you, Amelia and Ashley in the comm room and explain the details of what the beacon has done to me. I'm also going to talk a little bit about the next mission on Feros and answer all the questions you three have."
She stared at me in surprise but it was overlaid with confusion, "Serrkil? Who is Serrkil?" she asked, lost.
I heaved a sigh and grabbed her wrist in order to drag her behind me.
A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long! I don't want to give you guys and excuse or complain but in all honesty I've promised myself I would not lie to you. In effect I don't want to bother you either. Gah! I've just been in some intensive care is all! I'm alive and my fingers can still move so I've been working on this chapter.
I would have gotten to the Talk in this one but I want to update- I don't like to keep you waiting. I have started the next one though so hopefully I can finish it in the next day or two.