Disclaimer: I do not own ME.
It didn't take her that long to find him. EDI was able to track down his omnitool and so Maya found herself in the elevator rushing up the length of the Council tower. She watched the Presidium getting smaller as it spread out further and further.
People turned into moving dots, milling about like ants haphazardly. Speeders created long, thin lines, stretching into all directions as far as eye could see. Buildings and towers paled and shrunk in comparison with the central spire. Here and there, there were traces of the failed coup, scattered randomly. And up above, the artificial blue sky encompassing it all.
Could this be the last place in the entire galaxy where you could pretend everything was fine? Maybe if she tried enough, Maya could imagine the world was this peaceful and calm once again. Maybe for a brief moment, she could allow herself to forget.
Or was this just an epitome of how insignificant everything was no matter how grandiose or magnificent? No matter how powerful and strong. All is small and inconsequential when looked at from a certain point of view.
Yes. This was how the Reapers saw them. Small and inconsequential.
Her ascension stopped eventually and she turned her back to the view only very reluctantly. Her legs felt heavy and sluggish as she made her way into the tower, looking around. She let her hand caress the cool surface of the fountain in the entrance hall as she circled it. She walked up the stairs, the beautiful cherry trees standing at attention as she passed through their middle.
She tried to remember her very first time here; back when all this was nothing but a bad dream. Quite literally so. The whole Reaper threat had been just a dream from the prothean beacon. Everything else had been a rogue spectre. And she had known how to deal with something like that.
But that wasn't why she was reminiscing. She wanted to remember how the tower had made her feel. Seeing it for the first time, just how intimidating or magnificent or boring or whatever it had been.
Had it felt the same for Javik? Had the beauty of this place sent chills down his spine? Had its obvious show of force made his knees go weak? Had he felt the warning, intimidation and power of those who ruled this world?
The cynical part of her was certain to find Javik highly unimpressed. And yet when she finally caught sight of him, he stood rigid and motionless above the view opening beneath them with awe rather than disdain adorning his face. Did the highest point of the Presidium, the Council chamber and its floor-to-ceiling windows, finally quench his defiant and cheek spirit?
She softened her expression into a small smile and approached him, joining his side. The prothean gave her a sideways look and she took the invitation to speak. "The first time I set foot in this room, I'd just come back from a run where I'd been hurt and forced to watch one of my men die on me. There was also this human colony almost blown to pieces. I had a name of the guy responsible and I had come here to demand justice for his crimes. Back then I was, well...too noble, I guess, to call it revenge. I was a naive idiot who fought for the uncertain future, instead of for what she had lost."
Turning away from the view, Javik moved to face her. For a moment she thought he was about to interrupt her. He never did. The patience with which he listened to her was not like him.
Somehow keeping her eyes on the Presidium outside and below them felt merciful. "And that naive idiot I used to be...was overwhelmed by this place. It was marvellous and exquisite. It was intimidating, even though there were fewer armed guards than today, and so much bigger than all of us could ever be. It took me a long time to realize it was just a glamour hiding an ugly centre. Alien and strange. That's what it is."
Finally meeting his eyes, Maya sighed. "I guess I'm trying to say...Javik, do not let it fool you."
"You don't understand," Javik protested softly. Too softly. Meek was quite unbecoming of him.
"Most likely, yeah," she bobbed her head. "I remember that your species had lost the Citadel long before you were born. I cannot even pretend to understand what being here must be like for you."
"You said you had visited Ilium," Javik replied.
"Years ago, yes. Saren had led us there in his effort to unleash the Reapers upon our galaxy," Maya nodded. "We followed him, and travelled through a miniature mass relay straight to the Presidium." Leaning a little closer to the prothean, she pointed her arm. "Down there, the water reservoirs. See the empty platform over there. Billions of people had walked past it and none even suspected it could be something more than a mere statue. Even I had barely paid it a second glance."
There was a moment of silence. Maya focused on her memories from that day, hoping the prothean by her side would pick up on those. She wouldn't be able to describe it for him in many great details, but she did remember all those emotions. Excitement. Fear. Hope. Resolution. And weariness, too. Somehow, the uniqueness of seeing the prothean homeworld had been buried under all that had happened.
"Where is it now?" Javik asked at last.
Maya shrugged. "No idea. They wanted to figure that thing out, see where else it could lead save for Ilium. From what I know, they couldn't even activate it."
Taking a step back from the window, and from Maya, Javik shook his head. "Impossible worlds. The Citadel. Illium. And you've been there. You."
Giving him a sympathetic smile, Maya let him back away. "If you want, once this madness is over, I can take you there. It's probably not what you imagine, but it's something."
Javik paid her a sharp look. "What makes you believe we'll have that chance?"
Smirking, she folded her arms. "True. So why not ditch the war and go there right now? Let's wrap things up here, take the Normandy, whomever volunteers from the crew and hit the road? The world's not inhabited so there's a chance the Reapers might skip it."
"You'd run away?"
Maya laughed merrily. "I have a hard time telling apart your moods, but the disbelief right now was plain enough even for me," she chuckled and then looked outside again just to escape all the glances they were receiving. "I'm not that naive idiot any longer, Javik. I don't believe in fighting for our future. I want my revenge, but no longer at the cost of my own life," she started saying, the coldness behind the meaning surprising even her. She had thought she'd either defeat the Reapers or die. "Or those I hold dear to me. When things turn from bad to worse, I'll take what's left and run. And if I ever look back it will be only to make sure we're not being followed."
And she knew she would. She had probably known it ever since almost dying on the Collector base. Running and running and thinking she'd never make it. Running and running and realizing this was not worth it. She had risked her life, over and over, and lost it once, too. And the thanks she had been given? A prison cell. She'd still be locked up if it weren't for the Reapers, all of her service and sacrifice forgotten and meaningless.
"I guess...I guess I'm only staying for those few around me," she whispered, reaching to touch the glass. She felt its cold surface even through the gloves. "Take them away from me and I'll have no reason to continue this foolishness."
And then she let out a small sigh as she turned to face Javik when the realization hit her. She locked eyes with his. "Javik," she whispered. "I guess of the two of us, you're the better person. You've lost them all and here you are. Fighting a war you've lost once already."
Javik held her gaze for a moment, his face unreadable as always. "If you go to Illium, I'll go with you," the prothean replied, generously avoiding the expression run. "But as long as you fight, I'll fight by your side."
"You don't have to do this. Why not ask for the coordinates instead?" Maya asked.
"You said it yourself. There is something about you that is...familiar. You're a primiti-"
"I'm more partial to a human. Thank you very much."
"A primitive," Javik repeated, shooting her an irritated look. "You're a primitive, but there is something almost..." and he trailed off. "When I close my eyes it almost feels as if you were one of us."
"Well..." Maya drawled, narrowing her eyes. "There's a reason for that. My genetic code is part human and part prothean. A prothean beacon has mutated me after I...well...encountered it. It enabled me to understand your culture in this strange, subconscious way. There still are differences between us, but if that is how you feel..." she broke off briefly, offering the alien a small smile. "Then just close your eyes. And you will never be alone again."
They lapsed into another period of silence, but this time there was something softer about it, almost amicable, as they both turned to look outside the tower.
"We're not friends," Javik said eventually, his reflection in the glass glowering at her.
She shook her head, smiling. "Nope. You're way too irritable for that."
"You are annoying."
"But I'll always have your back."
"People are watching us."
"You've only noticed them now?" she chuckled. "You're ugly, Javik. Get used to it. That or it's because they've never seen your species before." She shrugged. "Take your pick."
Some of them were furtive about it, some ostentatious, but the fact stood; most of the people in the council chamber now focused on the two of them.
"So, you wanna bolt? Or now that we're here, I can introduce you to three out of the four most powerful people in the galaxy?" she asked, jerking her head towards where the councillors also paid them very intensive attention.
Javik tilted his head. "Where is the fourth one?"
Maya gently cuffed his arm. "The fourth one is me, Javik."
"Humble."
"I know. Come on, time to meet more primitives. Oh and please, if the chance arises, do tell them what a delicacy salarian liver is."
...
By the time she and Javik made it back to the flat, it seemed all of Normandy shore team was there as well. And a few extra people, too.
"Zaeed?" Maya blinked at the mercenary as he and Garrus seemed to scheme near the small waterfall right behind the door. "How did you...?" she trailed off.
"Long time no see, Shepard," the mercenary greeted her with a grin.
"Hey, you're finally back," Garrus turned to her as well.
"First Miranda, then you? What is going on?" Maya asked and then raised her voice when she called her brother's name, going deeper into the place to find him.
Javik remained standing by the door, as did Zaeed and Garrus.
"It's her vacation and she still can't stop making herself busy," Garrus said simply, shaking his head disapprovingly. "So...where were we? The security here."
...
"John?" Maya called and his voice called back from the dining room. She rounded the corner and stopped after a few steps. John sat there, as did Kaidan, Joker and Chris. And someone else. "Ashley?" she asked, taken aback.
"Hey, Skipper," Ashley beamed, leaning back in the chair. "Looking good for a zombie."
"A zombie?" Maya echoed.
John rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Well, zombies rise from their graves, right?" Ashley continued.
"Tactless," Kaidan mumbled.
"Almost three years and that's all you came up with? I'm disappointed," Maya sighed. "John, what's going on? Miranda? Zaeed? Ashley? Not that I don't like to see you. And the hair...way better than the bun..."
"Right back at you," Ashley laughed, pointing at May's long hair. "You look hot."
"She always did. It's not the length of her hair, it's the colour," Chris said matter-of-factly.
Ashley narrowed her eyes at him. "You never change."
"And the funny thing about it is," Maya smirked, "he's watching not for my reaction, but for Kaidan's. Some boys never grow up, do they, Chris?"
Imitating a hurt grimace, Chris laid a hand over his heart. And Kaidan...Kaidan dared a small smile as his eyes met May's.
She held his gaze for a second more, before sighing. "Okay, you've bought him some extra time, but now's the time to spill the beans." She levelled her brother with a glare. "John."
"Well, you're supposed to be resting. And look at you," he started saying, gesturing at her with his hand, "all armed to teeth and ready to destroy people. I am unable to keep you here and resting so I thought to call in reinforcements."
She grinned. "How did calling Miranda in work for you?"
John shook his head. "Don't remind me."
"So...who else is coming?" Maya asked next, folding her arms.
"Well, Wrex and Grunt are on their way. Jack has asked if she could bring a plus one..." John started listing, but Maya cut him of when she burst out laughing.
"What?" she cackled. "A plus one? Jack? Are we talking about the same person here?"
"It's not what you think," Joker chuckled, and then grinned as he looked away. His eye fell on the couch across from the kitchen where Bug was resting. "And I actually believe you're going to be delighted."
That gave her a pause. "Delighted? Me?"
"Let's bet," Ashley proposed. "Fifty credits each, the winner takes it all. What do you think your reaction upon seeing this mysterious plus one is going to be?"
"Well, I'm going to be happy to see Jack. And I'll be or at least pretend to be charmed by whomever she brings," Maya mused and then, to add to the competitive spirit, she fished for a credit chip. "A hundred," she smirked and let it fall on the table.
"You, guys?" Ashley looked at John and Joker.
"She'll squeal," John grinned at his sister, throwing his own bet on the table.
And she immediately countered. "I don't squeal." And sounded a little bit more defensive, too.
"You do," Kaidan murmured.
"Excuse me?" she threw him a nasty look.
Maybe it was the fact she had taken his side previously, but Kaidan felt encouraged enough to hold her scowl. "You do squeal. And even though I have no idea who's coming with Jack, if John says you'll squeal, you will."
"You're ganging up on me? Seriously? You do know you're in enough trouble as it is, right?"
"Yeah, so what's a little bit more," Kaidan shrugged, offering her an insolent grin.
And for the first time in a very, very long time, she felt herself respond to that grin, mirroring it inadvertently. There was something...something about the impudent expression on his face.
Ashley chuckled, leaning closer to Kaidan as she reached to pull the money to her to keep it until the bet was resolved. "Oooh, you're in trouble, heh."
"Ashley," Christopher tapped her shoulder. "Not in that kind of trouble. Knock it off, okay?"
She blinked at Christopher, than aimed her confusion at Kaidan and finally Maya. "Something wrong between you two?"
Maya and Kaidan looked at each other, neither of them willing to open the can of worms just yet. At least not before they had a chance to talk it out in peace. The room drowned in uncomfortable silence all at once.
"Wow," the woman exhaled softly. She took a breath to ask something else, but Joker interrupted her.
"I say she'll forget about Jack and go greet her plus one first," he said quickly, tossing his own credit chip to the pile in front of Ashley.
Taking the offered topic, Maya turned to the pilot. "So who's coming with Jack?"
"Don't tell her," John quickly stepped in as well. "Also Samara is going to show up. And Tali."
"Tali?" Maya smiled. "Does Garrus know she's coming?"
"Eh...I think so? Why?"
"Why, because...!" she closed the distance between them and crouched down by the table, lowering her voice, "because I think they were into each other."
"What?" Ashley blinked. "Garrus and Tali? Garrus Vakarian and Tali Zorah nar Rayya?"
"Vas Neema," Maya corrected her.
"Isn't it vas Normandy?" Joker wondered.
"They didn't exile her so why change the name?" Maya shrugged. "Either way. Yes, our Tali. You see, I had this obstacle course built in the hangar and when they were talking to each other they kind of...flirted."
"Are you certain this is what it was?" Joker grinned. "You weren't exactly...heh...sober, you know." And he grinned even more when she sent him a grimace that said shut up louder than words could.
"What?" Christopher sat up straight. "You saw her drunk?!" he gaped at Joker.
"You didn't?" Kaidan asked.
Ignoring the dig, Christopher shook his head. "I saw her drink, but never drunk. She's a biotic. Is that even possible? I could never keep up with her and I can hold my liquor."
"It is," the pilot smirked. "I have seen it with my own eyes," he continued, meeting May's glowering gaze. "She was totally wasted. And so cute at it."
"Come on, Joker. First – I'm not cute. I'm fierce and dedicated. Second. I admit I had had a few drinks, but I was not wasted. I wouldn't be able to complete the course if I was wasted," Maya growled at him.
"Yeah, we know. You were only tipsy," John smiled softly. "You told us so. And kept telling us. And kept telling us. And kept telling us."
Maya sighed, rolling her eyes. "Is this what I get for providing you with some fun?"
"And are we talking about fun obstacle course, or fun you being tipsy?" Joker asked with an innocent smile.
"Come on, guys," Ashley groaned, "that's low. A girl needs to unwind from time to time."
"Yes, thank you," Maya said a little too loudly, betraying the rising frustration from their teasing. It wasn't that she couldn't laugh at jokes at her own expense, but not about time she had felt the most vulnerable.
And something of those thoughts must have leaked to her face, because everyone's smiles suddenly froze on their lips.
Great, Maya thought as she took a deep breath and did her best to relax her face. "Now if you excuse me, I need to...do things." She spun on her heel and headed away from them.
The silence around the table last until they couldn't hear her steps anymore. Then John cleared his throat. "Well, she seems in a good mood."
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Ashley asked.
"For a talk," John added and looked at Kaidan. "Don't you want to...you know...clear the air a little?"
"You think now is a good time to talk about it?"
"You know what they say. There's no time like the present. At worst she'll send you to away."
"Knowing her it's more likely she'll send me to hell," Kaidan sighed, but he did push his chair away from the table. "What? No funny quips from you?" he glared at Christopher.
Who grinned, leaning back. "You're lucky you're not my subordinate any more, son. But just for the record...I have always shipped you two."
"Seriously," John wondered.
"She'd never looked happier than when she invited me to your wedding. A shame it never happened," Chris added solemnly. But then grinned again. "Yet."
To be continued...