The meatloaf was cold. Disgusting. Anderson felt it slide down his throat on a trail of slime where it dropped into his stomach. He shivered, kicking his legs back and forth as he concentrating on holding it down, even as it tried to crawl back up his throat.
It was his mother's meatloaf. He could never forget that taste; the odd mix of spices and chopped asparagus. He hated it, but he couldn't stop eating. When he tried, his mother looked over with disapproval from her end of the table until he picked up his fork again. His father ate beside him, chewing quietly.
Across the table, Anderson noticed two empty chairs where his brother and sister usually sat. Beyond that was an empty plain that seemed to stretch on for infinity. Far away in the distance mountains rose into the sky, their snow capped peaks hidden by the darkness of space.
Suddenly, his father dropped his fork and stared at him, puzzled.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded, chewing.
Anderson fidgeted, pulling at the ratty football jersey he'd worn when he was nine years old. He wanted to answer, but his lips felt glued together.
A horn sounded, far off in the distance.
"What are you doing here?" his father repeated.
"I don't know," Anderson replied meekly, lips finally moving without his permission.
"You were fighting with that Turian boy again, weren't you?" his mother asked.
"Saren!" his father spat. "The Council needs to keep their dog on its leash!"
"No, I wasn't!" he protested, head bowed in shame as he handed over a crumpled report card. Wordlessly, his father looked it over.
"Unbelievable," he said, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry," Anderson whimpered. "I'll do better next time."
"Next time?" His father's voice rose, but not in anger. "Next time? David, there won't be a next time."
"But…"
"Second chances don't come easy," his mother interrupted. "And when they do, you should be careful what you wish for."
Anderson sniffed. "I'm sorry."
"It's not us you should be apologizing to."
They resumed eating as if nothing ever happened. Anderson managed another bite before realizing they were in their old apartment. Outside, London was burning. Flames leapt into the sky, turning the clouds red. From them, dark shadows began to descend.
The horn sounded again.
"Why aren't you out there?" his father asked, throwing a thumb towards the hellish landscape. "You could be doing some good instead of lazing about in here."
Anderson wanted to say that he couldn't, that he was only nine years old, until he looked down and found himself a grown man in his Alliance uniform.
"I'm on leave," he replied, continuing to eat, now appreciating the taste.
"Leave? But you've never been on leave before," his mother said, worried. "Is something wrong?"
"No, I just..." He trailed off as the horn sounded in the distance. "There's… just something I need to think about."
"Then whatever it is do it fast," his father said, returning to his dinner. "I didn't raise you as a coward, but I think you have more important things to worry about. Just ignore the ramblings of a dead man, they don't do you any good."
What did that have to do with anything? "Yeah, I know. I'll be back in an hour."
He felt his body move like a puppet on strings as he stood and found himself back in the endless field. Before him rose a magnificent temple of white marble, topped with spires and bell towers that reached higher than he could see.
Without hesitation Anderson pushed the gilded doors aside and marched up the central aisle. Skeletons filled the pews, their bones as white as snow. In their hands were weapons of all shapes and sizes; maces, swords, spears, rifles and pistols in endless combinations. They bowed, genuflecting towards the altar, weapons held high in a salute.
Each one possessed a star, a bright light that filled their chest cavities, glowing with a rainbow of colours. Their empty eye sockets followed him as he walked up and knelt before the altar. The mummified body of a baby lay on its polished surface.
"What are you doing here?" an ethereal voice whispered in his ear.
"I don't know," he answered. Light streamed in through the stained glass windows, blinding him. "Who... who are you?"
The light faded to reveal a figure behind the altar, shrouded in a white cloak and hood. Glowing silver eyes judged him coldly for a moment that seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Finally, she reached into the baby's open chest and pulled something out, hiding it in a closed fist.
Hesitantly, Anderson stepped forward and held out his hand.
"Are you sure?" The voice of the Director came from beneath the hood. "Once you start down this path there is no turning back."
"What choice do I have?"
"We all have a choice." The figure threw back its hood to reveal the pale face of a woman. Black tears like tar rolled down her cheeks. "We all had a choice. Some, but not all. She died long before her time. The choice is still hers to make."
"And it will cost her." Anderson spun around to see a skeleton made of black onyx walk up the center aisle. It's chest was empty, the star extinguished, and a pair of malevolent blue orbs glared from the hollow eye sockets. "You cannot escape this fate for which you were chosen. You failed her, my dear."
"I made them promise!" The woman cried.
"What are promises in the face of unconditional fealty?" The skeleton leaned forward on a cane. "You drove them away and they saw you for the monster you are. It's no surprise they became one with me."
"And in turn revealed what you are," she hissed. "A liar and a fraud for all eternity."
"When have I lied? When have I not fulfilled my oaths?" The onyx skeleton spread his arms. "Here we stand."
"In a pale half life."
"A glorious rebirth," the skeleton corrected her. "If only you could see it."
"Rebirth without end..."
"Eternity," the skeleton nodded in agreement.
"Then the eons of darkness have blinded you." The woman seized Anderson's wrist and pressed something into his palm. "We are a remnant of broken promises and shattered gods. We were abandoned and betrayed. Behold, the remnant of our shattered dreams."
The temple vanished, leaving Anderson alone in the field.
"We all had a choice," the woman's voice whispered as Anderson looked down. A glowing marble of crimson light sat on his palm, microscopic in size but infinite in depth. In it, he saw an entire life unfold before his very eyes.
"All but one," said the voice of the skeleton.
The horn sounded in the distance.
"The remnant of a distant age," the
two voices said, merging into one deep baritone that rattled in his bones. "A time long forgotten."
New sound intruded on the silence; the crackling of flames, the screams of men, and in the distance, the pounding beats of a galloping horse.
The temple appeared before him once more, consumed in flames. A shadow fell upon the earth and Anderson looked up to beheld a titan, shrouded in a cloak of grey steel, covering the stars themselves with its arms outstretched in a welcoming embrace.
At a single gesture the temple crumbled into ruin and inside was a war the likes of which Anderson could not imagine. Weapons clashed and souls burned. Half their number lashed out in anger, fighting to destroy the temple, offering up the stars of its inhabitants to the dark god above them. Their bones turned black and twisted, gaining new form and power as they fought for what felt like years.
The pounding hoof beats grew closer.
It was hell on earth. Friend turned against friend, son against father, father against mother until the battle turned and one side prevailed, their numbers growing with each kill until they no longer needed to fight. As one, they ensnared all who remained and flew up to meet their dark god and there they were all consumed.
When all was complete, the towering figure reached down and crushed the temple in its hand before rising into the sky. The stars burned like supernovas, covering the land with light until the scene imploded and collapsed into utter darkness.
And in that darkness, the galloping beats stopped.
Suddenly, Anderson was aware of a presence beside him. He turned in slow motion, an indescribable terror growing within him as he beheld the man at his side.
A pale man, hidden under a silver cloak, astride a pale horse.
Then Death stretched out his hand and plucked the glowing marble from his palm. Anderson was powerless as the immortal spectre cradled the soul like a newborn babe, before spurring his horse into a gallop and thundered away.
Again Anderson was alone in that void. So he waited... and waited... for how long didn't know.
"Anderson?"
He jumped in surprise and whirled around to see Ruby standing behind him. Her red cloak fluttered under an invisible breeze, silver eyes flickering like stars.
Anderson felt himself smile as he took her by the hand. Somewhere nearby, the horn sounded.
"Anderson?" Ruby repeated, fidgeting nervously. "Where am I? How did I get here?"
"I don't know," Anderson replied as he guided her forward. "But I can tell you where we're going."
"Where?"
The horn sounded. Closer.
"Anywhere you want." The field suddenly disappeared and Anderson found himself flying through space towards a Mass Relay. "I can take you anywhere. Do anything you desire."
"Anything?"
He smiled. "Anything."
Together, they stepped into the Mass Relay and were propelled through the endless reaches of space towards a door that opened as they approached. Then Anderson found himself standing at attention in a cramped office on Arcturus Station. Rear Admiral John Grissom glared across a desk in a beer stained bathrobe.
"So you wanna fight aliens, do you, Anderson?" the Admiral asked. "It's an honour—a privilege only the best receive. Do you believe you're up for the challenge?"
"I am, sir," Anderson replied.
"No... no you're not."
Grissom's gaze softened.
"You got a good head on your shoulders, Anderson, but I can't let you do this. Duty calls, but not for you. Not yet."
Anderson felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. "I can still fight!" He protested.
"War is won through strategy, not tactics, son. Save the best for last. Live to fight another day."
"But if the best don't lead the charge the spear will break," he reasoned, but for who or what he didn't know.
"Too many have given their lives needlessly already. The Hammer will fall, but not today. And the nail had better be ready when it is."
"I don't understand."
"Use your head, soldier!" Grissom shouted. He pointed to the Mass Relay hovering above them. "This is conspiracy 101! The aliens are a hoax! Protheans turned the Asari gay! You're a part of something greater now, so take common sense and shove it!"
Grissom suddenly froze and looked over his shoulder in fear. When he turned back, his skin was grey and rotting, black maggots crawled in his eye sockets, and his bathrobe was old and mouldy.
"I've seen things you wouldn't understand," said the walking corpse. "Things to terrify. Things to excite. So many wonderful things. I've seen the dead walk again. But not zombies. Oh no, not those shambling husks. But you will... oh yes, you will."
"It all begins with a spark," said Ruby, still holding his hand.
"Before it burns down to embers," said the same pale woman from the temple, appearing behind Grissom. "There are paths that must not be followed. Positions that must not be abandoned. Planets that must not be contested. Lives that must not be saved."
"You're a soldier, Anderson," said the corpse of Grissom. "You should know this better than anyone."
Anderson shook his head. "I don't understand."
The woman gave a shark-like grin and tapped Grissom on the head. Slowly, the corpse began to melt into a black tar that pooled on the floor.
"It's quite simple," she said as the tar rose past Anderson's waist. "To conquer death, you only have to die."
The tar submerged him, casting him into utter blackness. When he opened his eyes Cynthia stood before him in the apartment they once shared. She didn't seem angry, only resigned as she thrust his bag into his chest.
"It's time for you to leave," she snapped. "It's over."
"B-But I…" he stammered.
"We can't change the past, darling. And you can't change my mind either. We're both unhappy souls." She sighed wistfully, staring off into the distance. "You know, I always knew this would happen. We just weren't made for each other."
"I thought we would be happy together," Anderson protested. "Please, you have to believe me."
She scowled. "Now what kind of man would say that? What happened to the soldier I fell for? Is he lost? Dead? Are you that weak you can't live without me?"
"I wanted to make things better," he countered. "I wanted a life."
"And you wanted me to be a part of it." She smiled then, but shook her head. "You don't understand, Anderson. We could never be."
Even though he knew it was true, his heart sank. "Why?"
"You're a soldier, Anderson."
"But I can change!"
"Why though?!" She slapped him across the cheek. "Look at yourself! Who are you? Come on! Who?!"
"I am whatever you need me to be!"
She stared at him in disbelief. "This was never about me. It never was." She sniffed. "I want to be happy… but you've changed."
"Is that so bad?!" He shouted, losing his temper and throwing his arms in the air. "What do you want with me? I gave you everything!"
"Did you?" The question was little more than a whisper as Cynthia shook her head sadly. "You tried, Anderson. Tried. But it wasn't enough. We both wanted the same thing, but went our own separate ways. It doesn't work like that. I had to end it."
Anderson nodded slowly, his scowl falling from his face as he wordlessly accepted the explanation. "So what happens now?"
"Now? Now we go our separate ways." Cynthia looked up at him. "Start again. Just as we always have. Just because it failed once doesn't mean you stop. Keep trying, Anderson. It's what you've always done."
She smiled then. "Stay true to yourself, David. Duty can only carry you so far. Even faith will pass away. But love is eternal. Remember that."
As Cynthia's last words faded she stepped back and was swallowed by darkness.
The horn sounded.
"Fate draws us closer than you know, human."
Behind him was the pale man on a pale horse, holding the marble of crimson light close to his chest.
"Day by day it approaches and none of us are the wiser. Tell me, David Anderson, do you believe in destiny?"
Anderson could only shake his head in the negative, horror sealing his lips shut.
"Good." Death smiled. "But ultimately futile. This concept of destiny you hold so dear is only a tool wielded by those in power. Those who enforce their will upon this world. Summer understood this, and she gave her daughter a destiny to rival the stars themselves."
Death caressed the soul at his breast, sullen. "Unlike you, however, this fate she cannot escape. It will follow her no matter where she hides, no matter matter where she runs. She will stand alone, one way or another. What my child needs now is strength for the coming journey. She will be the greatest among my reapers. But until that day, she requires guidance."
He held out the glowing soul. "That task, I entrust to you, David Anderson. Bear it well."
With a flourish, he dropped the soul into Anderson's waiting hand. A change settled in the air. The darkness around him began to churn; whispers filling the air as black eyes stared at the glowing orb. Excited, hopeful, scared… anticipating. Though it weighed no more than a ball of glass, Anderson felt the weight of the entire galaxy settle on his shoulders, like he was the bearer of the Big Bang itself.
"Rejoice!" Death cried, wheeling his horse around to face an endless multitude of people, aliens and humans alike gathered behind him, too many for Anderson to comprehend. "I say again, rejoice! For the harbinger of your salvation has come!"
A wail rose from the crowd, growing until it seemed to fill his whole essence, filling his soul as the horn rang in his ears.
"You see this, David?" Death leering down at him, clear as a bell, eyes glowing in the darkness of his hood. "This was, shall be, and forever will be, your destiny!"
Then Ruby was pulling him by the hand towards a Mass Relay, laughing as they were shot away into the unknown. Suddenly they were running down a tunnel of swirling lights. People, places, things Anderson couldn't recognize flashed by in the blink of an eye. Only Ruby remained constant as she ran beside him.
Suddenly, she too began to change. Growing. Maturing into a young woman, face changing as she sprinted for the end. Then she was in uniform, and finally in armour, pitted and bloody, a familiar red stripe going down her right arm.
"We're almost there, Anderson!" she cried. "Don't stop now!"
Around them the final battle raged. Men, women and children throwing themselves against an endless horde of flashing teeth and glowing eyes. Ships soared past, their guns roaring in defiance. Above them, the sky was filled with ethereal faces, laughing down at their futility as they crushed vessels and lives one by one.
"She still has a choice," the voice of the woman echoed around him. Ahead of them, something was massing, charging back at them. "The time is now."
Anderson gasped, exhaustion suddenly wracking his body. He couldn't keep up, and Ruby began to pull ahead. Try though he might, his body was failing.
"Ruby… Ruby wait…"
But she didn't. A scream tore from her lips as she drew a massive mechanical scythe and charged into the amassing darkness. Black tar splattered the air as she swung, each blow raining death wherever she touched.
"Ruby wait!"
She was changing before his very eyes; blackness spreading across her skin. The more blood she spilled the faster it spread. The darkness laughed, goading her on as she charged deeper into its depths.
"Stop!" Anderson screamed, panic overtaking him as he forced his exhausted limbs to run. "Ruby stop this!"
"Hello, dearest sister," thundered the darkness, drowning him out completely. "I've missed you."
Ruby's scream of anguish could barely be defined as human. A wail of pain, agony, hatred, joy, lust, love, and anger. As it rose in pitch her flesh melted away, revealing the onyx skeleton beneath. In the hollow eye sockets silver stars blazed.
"Ruby!"
The darkness spread its arms in welcome, encompassing all in it's eternal embrace. "Welcome home, Ruby. Welcome home."
BANG!
The dream froze.
Ruby froze.
Anderson froze, pistol smoking in his hand.
Everything was silent. And then the darkness faded away until it was just the two of them, standing before a throne of onyx. Death watched them silently, face shrouded under his cloak.
Ruby swayed for a moment, then fell to her knees with a cry, clutching at the hole in her heart. Anderson stood resolute as her blood began to pool on the floor
"W-Why?" Ruby pleaded, eyes glowing like stars in her hollow skull. "Anderson why? We were so close… we could have won… why?"
"We all... have a choice," Anderson intoned, then choked on emotion. "I-I thought you were better than this."
Another change overtook her, silver eyes turning to malevolent blue as she smiled darkly. "I accepted what I am. My destiny. Have you, David Anderson?"
She shrieked and lunged, teeth aimed for his throat.
A hoarse cry tore from Anderson's lips as he tumbled off the couch, scrambling for the pistol at his hip. His hand found the grip and he tore it out, aimed squarely at nothing. The room was empty. Over the pounding of his heart, he could hear the humming rush of late night traffic outside his apartment window.
The pistol clattered to the floor as he panted breathlessly.
A dream. It was only a dream.
Anderson stumbled to the kitchen, grabbed some ice from the freezer and downed the coldest glass of water he could urge from the tap. It burned in his mouth, the pain giving him something else to focus on other than the madness playing out behind his eyes. The waking vision was so real he could still feel the marble in his hand… a life he'd been chosen to protect.
Talk about an earth shattering allegory. He breathlessly downed another glass.
It was all just a dream. A dream brought on by the stress of a new assignment. That's all it was.
"All just a dream," he repeated to himself as he brought his breathing back under control. "You've had nightmares before, nothing different about this one. All just stress. Keep it together."
Dream or not, he couldn't help but be disturbed. Something about it felt… different somehow. Something familiar he was certain he'd seen before. Deja Vu. More than that, was the question that dark spectre had asked: Destiny?
Anderson splashed water onto his face, gasping as the cold seared down his neck. He couldn't get it out of his head. It was only a dream, but that part, that one particular question was the most lucid of them all.
Do you believe in destiny?
He scoffed. Well, that was proof enough of his subconscious run wild. Destiny? It was nothing else but a fancy word.
Turning off the sink he shakily moved through his sparsely decorated apartment; more of a placeholder residence than an actual home. Living on a starship three weeks of every month negated the need for a residence entirely since he could have requested quarters at the Alliance Garrison for his off periods. But he believed it was important for humanity to show solidarity with the other Citadel species, hence the apartment. He'd come to appreciate it in time, however; a little separation from his career when things got stressful. Though he never imagined he'd be back so soon or in this state.
Anderson paused at the only bedroom, hand poised above the doorknob, then slowly eased the door open.
Ruby lay under the sheets, breathing softly as she slept, completely oblivious to the world. The girl he'd been assigned to protect. Anderson still didn't know how to feel about that. It was one thing to offer support, but a full on reassignment? Adoption at that?
Anderson took a shaky breath, then moved silently to his dresser with all the skill of an N7 infiltrator, grabbed the stack of datapads he'd left there the night before, and withdrew, closing the door behind him. Sitting at the kitchen table with a weary sigh, Anderson began the arduous task of sorting through the mountain of information, hoping to distract himself. Soon the dream was entirely forgotten.
Sure enough, his transfer orders had been waiting when he walked in the door. He was now officially the Ambassador's aid for the foreseeable future, to report in two weeks time at so and so… the rest of the document faded into fine script detailing his duties from that point onward. Nothing he hadn't encountered before. The only real surprise was the two week leave of absence to get his affairs in order before reporting to his new post.
Usually only a few days would be granted for such a reassignment, not that Anderson was complaining. They would need the extra time to help get Ruby settled in. Until he got her home, that was. The mixed feelings he got from that acknowledgement caused him to grimace and he picked up the next pad.
This one contained Ruby's doctored file and medical records. Officially Ruby was born from a colony world and only orphaned as of recently. Pirate attack, as it usually was. Following the event, she was adopted by the intrepid Lieutenant Anderson, who turned down a promotion to the Alliance Intelligence Branch for personal reasons. The only one of the Pearl's crew to do so.
But the colony's name… Anderson stared at it long and hard. A no-name planet he'd never heard of before. Whether or not the colony existed at all was up for debate, but it only deepened the mystery surrounded this girl.
Remnant. To not even mention the planet's name in her records meant they were going to great lengths to hide it, even if Ruby was the only person who really cared about its existence. And the arrangements, her adoption… none of it added up. The Director clearly knew who Ruby was, obviously knew Remnant's whereabouts, so why not just send her straight home?
He mulled over the conundrum as he sorted through the rest of the pads, but quickly grew frustrated as he found himself under attack by a mountain of marketing ploys. Coupons for well known shopping districts, clothes, food, furniture, things to be expected for taking care of teenager. However, at the bottom was a list of schools in the Zakura Ward, and even a few on the Presidium. There was even a confirmation notice from a Scholarship Aid Foundation back on Earth with Ruby's name stamped on it. With the right grades Ruby could get into any school she damn well pleased.
The implication was clear; they weren't expecting Ruby to go home anytime soon. Either Alliance Intelligence were purposefully keeping her under watch, or they knew something she didn't.
Remnant might very well have been wiped out in some freak accident or attack, but the timeline just didn't work. The Director had confirmed it was teleportation, so what could have possibly happened in the few minutes since Ruby was teleported from Remnant to EO-839? Virtually nothing.
And the NDA... there were some decisions Anderson could justify a merely being common sense, and being privy to some black operations himself he could understand, if not agree with measures taken for the sake of secrecy. This was not one of them. Aura, Semblances, names and places he couldn't identify were blacklisted; practically every oddity Ruby had mentioned about her homeworld and its workings up until this point. It read like a religious parent listing off grave warning about the temptations of Asari.
Remnant, the very name itself, was also forbidden.
Anderson's lip curled into a snarl. For all that crap the Director said about keeping her locked up aboard the Nevermore, how was this any better? What's more, the operational security didn't make a lick of sense either. If both Ruby and Remnant were meant to be classified, then the easiest solution would be to kill two birds with one stone; send Ruby home and the secrecy of Remnant was all you had to worry about. Instead the Director was implying that not only did the two have to be hidden from the rest of the galaxy, but from each other as well, with Remnant being the priority if the Director was willing to run the risks of exposing Ruby to the galaxy.
Evidently there was a secret about Remnant the Director desperately wanted to keep under wraps. That would have made sense, if not for his other choices. The Director said the Nevermore was the safest place for Ruby, but allowed Anderson to take her instead, simply on the basis of giving her hope.
Hope? After such lines as 'let the dead rest?'
How did that make any sense?
Unfortunately, they didn't have much time to talk it over. The shuttle transit back to the Citadel had drained them both. It wasn't his choice; the Director wanted their return to society to be as ambiguous as possible, so a ride on one of the Nevermore's unmarked shuttles to Elysium had been granted to them. From there they had boarded a transfer flight all the way to the Citadel. The ships were top of the line, but even advancements in technology couldn't overcome sheer distance that easily. It was a long trip, even by his standards.
Being Navy, Anderson was used to the utilitarian military shuttles with nothing but hard benches for comfort. Ruby was not, and the harrowing experience had left her exhausted beyond belief. Sleep didn't come easy, not with the rattling of the hull and the thrum of engines in the background. Ultimately she took the brunt of it. By the time they arrived at the Citadel the poor girl was out cold from pure exhaustion. Even so, it wasn't an unpleasant experience carrying her through customs, her doctored identity being entered into the system long before they even arrived.
After sorting through the last of the pads with the Alliance stamp on them, Anderson turned to the last Three items that had been left for him. A small ring box, another pad and a parcel of grey cloth wrapped in string with Ruby's name written on it. Just a fresh change of clothes in her size.
Setting the parcel aside, he picked up the pad first, his brow shooting up as he read the header. A deed from Alysas Real Estate, a well known Realtor corporation on the Citadel, naming him the proud owner of a new property, paid for in full and signed in his name. A three bedroom apartment in Tiberius Towers. The location was stellar; further down the arm of the Zakura Ward closer to the Presidium, well within walking distance of the Ambassador's office, perfect for his new duties. Further down was the address and the obligatory congratulations from the broker.
Even with the veil of secrecy, the Director clearly wasn't sparing any expense. But as far as trust went the man could jump out a window if he thought this was enough to buy himself back into their good graces.
Next Anderson picked up the box. Inside was a small, unmarked band of blue-grey metal with a small ruby embedded in the center, and a small piece of paper with a single word. 'Suppressor.'
A suppressor of what, exactly? He picked up the ring and examined it from all angles. It seemed to be ordinary metal, not trace of technology whatsoever, if for the odd way it seemed to soak up all light that touched it. As a final test he slipped the ring onto his finger. It was a tight fit, obviously made for Ruby, but nothing happened.
Perturbed, he returned the ring to its box. If it was some sort of device then it was unlike anything he'd ever seen.
But why give her a suppressor at all when she was 'forbidden' from revealing her Semblance in the first place? As far as redundancies went, wasn't it a little much? He'd walked through Citadel customs for crying out loud, some of the best security in the galaxy. If they hadn't picked up a trace of Ruby's Aura what chance did anything else?
And why go through all these lengths to hide her anyway? Again, the question burned in his mind. If The Director wanted Semblances to stay a secret sending her home was the easiest, safest option. It kept Ruby from causing a fuss and kept her out of the public eye.
Why wasn't he?
Was he protecting Ruby from something? But if so, then from what? The other species, perhaps? He'd certainly never heard of a Semblance before, and he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. Again, that idiot Maloney had a point; this was Biotics all over again, a new ability tantamount to magic. If Ruby was the only source, he could understand other governments jumping head over heels to get their hands on her.
But that begged his earlier question? Why wasn't he doing the obvious thing?
But that opened up another branch of thinking.
The Alliance knew. The Director spoke of Semblances like they were commonplace, yet he wanted Ruby hidden. Did that mean these Semblance users were known to the galaxy at large? But then why would everyone unanimously agree to keep these abilities secret? The Batarians especially would jump at the chance to throw a super soldier at the Alliance. Super speed was an invaluable tool on the battlefield.
He sighed. None of this was making any sense.
The bedroom door opened, jolting him from his thoughts as Ruby emerged, blinking tiredly in a set of grey fatigues generously donated by the crew of the Nevermore. Her first outfit had been destroyed along with the Pearl, and even Anderson didn't fancy living in a hardsuit for days on end. They would need to go shopping later, get her something that fit properly.
Looks like the coupons would come in useful after all.
"Good morning," he said, then glanced at the digital clock on the wall. "Or… good evening."
He tried to smile only for it to fall flat. He just wasn't used to smiling all that much, especially not in his own apartment. Ruby answered with a yawn. Her eyes drifted around the room and her tiredness only seemed to grow more profound as the reality of her situation set in.
"Hungry?" Anderson was floundering at this point, out of his depth with this sudden addition to his life. It was one thing to accept such a responsibility on paper, quite another to have a new daughter suddenly appear in his house. Quite the shock to his system.
Ruby nodded, downcast.
Feeling awkward in the silence, Anderson went to the fridge and found it empty. Right, he always emptied it out before he left on patrols. No point in coming back to rotten food. The cupboards were likewise empty, save for a number of spices and seasonings he favored. Geez, he didn't use this place at all, did he?
"Does.. uh, pizza sound good?" he asked, sheepishly.
Thankfully coffee was the sole non-perishable he kept regularly stocked. Military timetables had made it a necessity. Once the pizza was ordered, he prepared two steaming cups and located the small containers of whitener and sweetener he kept in reserve. He hadn't touched them in what felt like years; he preferred his brew blacker than his soul. He'd gotten them in anticipation for guests... which he was finally getting years after the fact.
Coffee in hand, he returned to the table, just in time to see Ruby drop the suppression ring with a look of fright.
"Is something wrong?" Anderson asked, setting a cup down before her.
"It shouldn't be able to do that," Ruby whispered, staring at the ring like it was something unholy.
"Do what?"
In response, Ruby stuck the ring on her finger. Nothing happened, though her face screwed up in concentration.
Anderson frowned. "I don't-"
The ring was whipped off and things happened so fast Anderson almost missed it. Ruby's skin glowed with a crimson light, rippling beneath her skin like waves on the ocean. The effect only lasted for a split second before Ruby suddenly coalesced into a shapeless red blur that launched out of the chair towards the ceiling, bleeding a trail of rose petals. At the height of her arc, Ruby reformed, back flipping through the air like an acrobat to land perfectly on her feet.
It happened so abruptly all Anderson had time to do was blink in astonishment. He reached out and caught one of the drifting petals. The warm, felty texture was in his hand for only a moment before it evaporated into nothingness.
"And this is your Semblance?" he asked.
"Uh-huh," Ruby nodded, taking her seat again and picking up the ring. "I never knew Aura could be stopped like that. It's freaky. I know the shield isn't working and that's freaky enough, but how did they even make something like this?" She perked up, mouth opening as if to ask a question, then stopped. "But… you don't know what Aura is either, do you?"
Anderson took a fortifying sip of his brew. "That's what we need to get to the bottom of. The world you mentioned, Remnant… I'll be honest with you, I haven't heard of it. Not even in passing. Then again, you don't seem to know anything about the galaxy at large either."
Ruby seemed to wilt at the news, the second half of his statement missing by a mile. "N-Nothing? B-But that's impossible! It's always been there."
"Always?" Anderson echoed. "Out of curiosity how far back does Remnant's history go? The first colonies only go back a few decades, at most."
"But Remnant's not a colony!" Ruby insisted. She floundered for a moment. "We… we've always been there… uh, us, Faunus, the Grimm, Vale, Atlas, this is ancient history! I go to school for this!"
Anderson held up a hand before she got more agitated. "So… let me see if I have this straight. You're saying that Remnant isn't a colony, and that humans have been there for decades, maybe even centuries."
Ruby brightened. "Yes. Yes! That's it!"
"And you're certain you don't mean Earth?"
Her head tilted in confusion. "Where's that? Is that a... another planet? Who names a planet after dirt?" she muttered the last part to herself.
Anderson sighed, rubbing his face at the sheer scale of the rabbit hole he'd just uncovered. "Okay… why don't we start at the beginning. Remnant, what kind of world is it?"
The world of Remnant, as Anderson quickly discovered, was kind of bonked. Not the planet itself; from Ruby's descriptions it was more of a paradise than Eden Prime, but… her story felt ripped right from the pages of a fairy tale. A mystical land of kingdoms, mountains, forests, deserts and massive cities, right on the verge of the information era where global communication was only then becoming a commodity.
And that was just the tip of the iceberg. The fact that Remnant could support not one, but three sentient species felt like a scientific impossibility. Humans were a given, but the Faunus? Animal hybrids that were nearly identical to humans save for their animal parts?
And then came the Grimm. Nightmarish monsters that apparently preyed on people's emotions, murdering entire colonies—or settlements, as Ruby called them—for no other reason than wanton death and destruction. And the only thing tying their civilization together was the miraculous crystal known as Dust.
That part, ironical enough, was the easiest to believe. It was the Element Zero of their world, but to say they harnessed the elements? Fire, wind and such? Gravity? Anderson was more than a little skeptical.
Then Ruby broke down the world into continents, Kingdoms and cities with a… admittedly lackluster overview, all the while bemoaning her own inability to pay attention in history class. Still, she did her best, haltingly describing the great war a hundred years prior and the circumstances that led up to it.
Personally, Anderson could see why the conflict began. Banning art, the very freedom of expression would only create a bleak and heartless world. Still, there was logic behind the edicts, even if he despised the tyrants who enacted them.
Finally, Ruby very passionately described one of the most famous occupations tying Remnant together; that of the auspicious Huntsmen. She babbled on and on about their exploits. Warriors against the Grimm, heroes to the people, warriors of untold renown, and that she was going to school to become just that. Her eyes practically sparkled at the prospect.
Only then did she broach the topic he was most interested in.
Semblances.
Or more specifically, Aura.
"The what?" He couldn't help how flat the question came out; Ruby's simple explanation was just too ludicrous to believe.
Ruby seemed to wilt under his scrutiny. "Yeah, um... it's the manifestation of our souls. A-All Huntsmen use their Aura, they... uh, that means, I use it beat Grimm, uh, kick bad guy butt, and, uh..." she trailed off at Anderson's incredulous stare.
"The power of the soul?" he repeated. "That's... not just a metaphor? You're sure it's not just a byproduct of... Dust exposure, perhaps?" Like Biotics? Something that made sense?
"Well, uh... I'm not, that good with history, as you probably guessed, but... we've been using Aura long before we discovered Dust."
But that didn't necessarily mean they weren't effected by it. Just look at the Asari.
"You don't believe me, do you?"
Anderson sighed, running a hand down his face. "Oh, I believe you, I've seen your Semblance with my own eyes. It's the soul part I'm not believing."
Ruby wilted even more. "And you've never heard of Aura before? Not even once?"
"Not in the way you're describing."
"Oh..." She sank into her chair, crestfallen. "I was hoping you could help me. My Aura isn't working properly, I'm... usually I'm able to project it, but its not coming out. I thought maybe you would, I don't know... and now, there... might not be anyone..." she trailed off helplessly.
Anderson silently cursed at his own lack of tact and quickly changed the subject.
"So you can just… train and become a Huntsman?" From the way she was describing it, becoming a huntsman, a role he interpreted as being akin to special forces, was as easy as going to primary school. "Sounds... sounds like an interesting life choice for such a young age."
Ruby nodded, brightening slightly. "Uh-huh. There are combat schools all over Remnant, but you can start training any time. Nothing can really stop you from trying. And if you're too old to go to a combat school, you can just take the Huntsmen test and get your licence that way. If you're good enough."
"And you wanted to be a Huntsman since the day you were born, it sounds like?"
Ruby blushed. "Well, uh, not quite that young. It's just, they're so cool! You hear about them all the time, and dad's a Huntsman too, and Uncle Qrow so they have all these amazing stories! They're all like 'Hyya!' 'Pow!' 'Whabam!'" She unexpectedly lept up onto the chair and struck a fighting pose with each different sound. "They have their own personal outfits—Ooh! And weapons! You can't be a Huntsman without a weapon! Lets see, uh, you got rifle maces, shotgun gauntlets, that's what my sister has! There's endless combinations, anything you can think of! Ooh, and then you've got to see my baby; Crescent-"
She reached behind her back as if going for a holster. Her expression faltered as she realized an important piece of her ensemble was missing. "I, uh… you wouldn't happen to have, uh, picked it up somewhere, would you?" she asked meekly.
Anderson shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't see… anything like you're describing."
Shotgun gauntlets? Good grief, what kind of people used that?
Ruby gloomily returned to her seat. "Well… that's just great. I mean, everything gone, but... Did I get… thrown into an alternate dimension or something?"
Anderson was wondering the same thing. The mental picture was churning around in his head like a cube puzzle, and good grief, wasn't that a complicated mess. Two different worlds, both called home by humans, but only one of which actually existed on record. Coming from an alternate dimension was the easiest explanation, ironically enough. And they couldn't be a long lost colony, either. According to Ruby Remnant's history went back long before Humanity on earth had even reached the moon.
And the circumstances themselves were almost scientifically impossible. Here they were, him and Ruby, two humans who apparently had evolved on entirely different worlds yet came out almost exactly the same. Aside from soul magic, if that's what it was, which was another beast of it's own.
If he hadn't known better, he would've called it the delusions of a lunatic. But he had proof; she was sitting right in front of him. Along with every single damn word the Director had implied.
"No, you're defiantly in the right dimension," he mused aloud. "I'll be level with you, Ruby, nothing about this makes much sense, but know that I will do my best to get you home, do you understand?"
She swallowed, then nodded.
"Alright then. So, Remnant. That's one can of worms dealt with." He held up a hand, forestalling her protests at abandoning the topic. "If we start speculating now we'll never get finished. Now, what do you know about our galaxy?"
Ruby blinked. "Uh..."
In retrospect, it would've been much easier to just hand her an Omni-tool and codex, but Anderson soon found himself enjoying the look of wonder on the girl's face as he described mankind's journey to the stars. Discovering the Prothean cache on Mars, uncovering the Mass Relays and Humanity's expansion into the galaxy.
Ruby was hooked. Her worry was wiped away as she hung on every word, eyes wide as saucers as Anderson described the advances in technology; space travel, mass accelerated weapons, artificial gravity and starships. Telling her about the more mundane uses of mass effect technology was no less amusing. Her eyes darted about the apartment, wondering what marvels hid behind the walls. And she openly squealed at the mention of aliens, prompting a long, excited exploration into the other species of the galaxy.
Then the pizza arrived shortly, in the hands of a normal human delivery boy. Ruby was disappointed at the normalcy, and Anderson couldn't help but agree.
Light years away from earth and pizza delivery was still the go-to job for underpaid high-school students.
"You have special pizza boxes too?" Ruby exclaimed the moment the door was closed.
"Special?" Anderson glanced down at the semi-climate controlled box of hard plastics and insulation, equipped with an air-tight seal to keep the pizza as fresh as possible. "They've always been like this."
Ruby's mouth simply dropped in disbelief.
"That's just the basics of everything that's happened this century," Anderson said as they sat down to eat. "And you're sure you don't recognize anything that's happened?"
Ruby went quiet, caught in the act of sliding a greasy slice of pizza from it's cheesy brethren. The question seemed to kill her good mood. "No. Nothing." She tried to chuckle, weakly. "I-I think I'd remember starships and aliens. So cool"
Anderson leaned back and munched on his own piece as he mulled over the issue. Suddenly his mind jumped back to an important fact he'd been left out of the equation. "It all has to do with the Glyph."
Ruby's head snapped up. "Wait, you know about Glyphs but you don't know about Aura?"
"Definitely not Glyphs as you probably know them," he admitted. "What do you know about Glyphs, or what do they mean on Remnant?"
"Well, its another Semblance. Weiss, that is my teammate, she can summon them out of thin air. It's kinda like a spell powered with Dust. She can make platforms or make ice spikes and a bunch of other stuff. It's super cool, and kinda complicated."
"So... magic." At this point Anderson was in too deep to be surprised anymore, but Ruby shook her head.
"It's not magic, its her Semblance. Magic doesn't exist, that's just crazy!"
The flat look she got in return made her fidget. After a second, Anderson shook his head. "Okay, setting that aside for now... well, I found you on a Glyph."
"You mean someone summoned me?"
It took a few minutes of back of forth where Ruby was convinced the Glyph was a projection of someone's Semblance and couldn't believe one was just carved into the rock. One that could work anyway.
"That's the part that doesn't make sense," was Ruby's protest when Anderson again explained that there hadn't been a single soul on the planet with her when she appeared. "The only way to use a Glyph is with a Semblance! You can't just carve one into the floor and have it work, it needs a working Aura. At least... I think so." She wilted. "I... I never thought to ask Weiss how it worked. It just... does."
Anderson was just as frustrated. He could forgive Ruby for not understanding Aura beyond that fact that it just worked, but even if you looked past the glaring idea of being the power of the soul, the mechanics of this energy made no sense.
Ruby could move super fast. A little odd, but that at least was understandable. Disintegrating into rose petals less so. But this Weiss being able to summon Glyphs out of thin air? And if Ruby was to be believed, Semblances could be just about anything. Shadow cloning, invisibility, absorbing lightning. And that wasn't even going into the Aura shield she claimed to be missing. There was no consistency and the whole concept was so poorly understood. Even Ruby sheepishly admitted they didn't know where Aura came from. And the soul part? According to her, all living things possessed an Aura to some degree, but the Grimm didn't, and since Grimm were widely regarded as soulless creatures the logic stuck.
"And I didn't know Glyphs could teleport either. Weiss never said anything about that." Ruby's face suddenly brightened. "But do you think it could send me back?" she asked, eagerly.
"I'm afraid that's not longer an option," Anderson sighed deeply, hating the way her face fell. "No doubt it's been blown it to smithereens by now. It was our mission to destroy it in the first place.
"Why would they do that?!"
"I don't know. I wasn't my place to ask," Anderson admitted. Aside from the Director's vague explanation of a deathtrap, but Ruby's testimony was demolishing that claim by the minute. Not that the news helped them much now. For how illogical the whole thing was, they sounded like an incredibly useful thing.
Dammit, but Maloney might have had a point.
Ruby slumped into her chair, the brave face she'd been keeping up this whole time was beginning to falter as she was stone walled no matter which way she turned. "So... that won't work then. That's fine. That's fine." She tried to smile, but it was a heartbreaking expression. "Heh, you know... this all sounds like an X-ray and Vav comic. Another Remnant... Earth, sorry. A bad one... b-but still...
"No! No, no, no, don't say that. Remnant is still out there. You haven't gone anywhere." The assurance felt awkward and clumsy, dropping from his mouth like a rock. Picking up the spirits of a flagging Marine was child's play, but he didn't have the faintest clue were to start for a teen-aged girl, other than to be as blunt as possible.
Either way, it worked. Ruby looked up, hopefully.
"We have to look at the facts. However it happened, Remnant is still out there, I'm sure of it."
Ruby looked up hopefully. "Really?"
Even though her sparkling eyes begged him to continue, Anderson hesitated. Was he going too far? His NDA was very clear on the matter. Though… technically that only applied to people outside the know. Though telling Ruby anything wouldn't be without risk. On the other hand he didn't trust the Director at all, especially with all the damn cryptic warnings.
Ah, screw it. He was committed.
"The Director of Alliance Intelligence knows you, Ruby. He recognized you by name, so he must know who you are and where you came from."
"So he knows where Remnant is!" Ruby shot excitedly from her seat. "Can I talk to him? Please?"
Anderson liked to think he hid his hesitation well.
Aside from the fact he left no return address, trying to contact the head of the Intelligence agency on a whim was simply impossible. It wasn't even a matter of going outside the chain of command, if he didn't want to talk to them there was nothing they could do about it.
There was, of course, the option of holding Remnant's secrecy hostage until they got answers, but that wouldn't end well for anyone involved.
"I'm... sorry, but I'm not sure that we can. He didn't leave anything for us to contact him with, and I haven't the faintest clue where to start. If he'd even want to talk to us at all."
"But if he knows me, why keep me from going home?" Ruby asked helplessly. "You said he was going to do that. Why stop me now?"
Because there might not be a Remnant to go home too. Anderson pushed the grizzly thought away; he wasn't trying to crush her spirit... however likely the truth was. The Director's damn ambiguity left far too much to speculation.
"And why doesn't he want me using my Semblance? I mean, it's nothing special."
"To you, maybe, but think about it. No one in this entire galaxy knows what Aura is. Hell, this is new for me as well. I hate to say it, but I can understand his reasoning. If someone found out about your Semblance, the one person in the entire galaxy who has one… well, I don't even know what would happen. But it won't be pretty, I can tell you that much."
And the cryptic intent of keeping Ruby safe from something was ever present.
"But this guy knows about Aura," Ruby pointed out. "This Intelligence guy. Why keep it a secret? It could help so many people."
"I don't know, Ruby, I honestly don't know."
Ruby swallowed, then nodded. Her brave face started to crumble. "I'm sorry… this sounds amazing and all, the galaxy, everything else, but... I just need to get home."
Getting up, Anderson walked around the table and hesitated awkwardly before pulling her into a loose one armed hug. He wasn't entirely comfortable with the act, but he was determined to give her all the support he could. "Your, uhm... your family. Why don't you tell me about them."
Soon Anderson knew all about the Xiao Long/Rose household; the pleasant log cabin in the forests of Patch that they called home. Of Yang, her fiery sister, with a heart of gold and the hair to match. Of her father, Tai Yang, a towering pillar of strength. Of her Uncle Qrow, a raging alcoholic who doubled as the coolest Huntsmen ever... and her late mother, who she only remembered in passing.
And then their… super powered Corgi? Apparently?
"He did what?" Anderson blinked, picturing the mutt being launched like a cannonball, bowling over a pack of faceless monsters and somehow emerging unscathed.
What?
"Huntsmen pets are no joke," Ruby said in all seriousness, clearly with a much different mental picture in mind. "I think he has a larger Aura than I do."
...Okay… for the sake of his sanity he wasn't going to touch that with a ten foot pole.
Then Ruby went on to her four man team at Beacon Academy. Her sister, obviously, and the uptight Heiress that was her partner. Hardly a good match up, but somehow they made it work, and Weiss slowly became her best friend. And then there was Yang's partner, the Faunus known as Blake.
Somehow they all came together. It brought a smile to Anderson's face as Ruby regaled him on the moments that drew all four of them together, though it was muted as she described the shenanigans of them hunting down the White Fang—a Faunus terrorist cell in Vale—at the request of Blake all on their own.
That was incredibly stupid of them; especially as it led up to their last outing together.
"Yang accidentally set the warehouse on fire," Ruby whispered, pressing herself deeper into Anderson's side. "And then the Dust started blowing up, everything was coming down. I was caught and couldn't get out… I thought I was going to die and then… suddenly I'm here."
Her voice began to tremble. "And Yang watched it happen, she doesn't even know I'm alive. She's probably hating herself right now. She promised she'd take care of me and I can't even tell her I'm still alive."
The worry about her sister was heartwarming, but Anderson had to put a stop to his line of thought before it got too much.
"Yet."
Ruby looked up at him past watering eyes. "Huh?"
"You can't tell her yet. But one day you will. We will find answers and then we are going to get you home." he gave her a wry smile. "I promised, didn't I?
He was going to have to get used to the hugs, wasn't he? Ruby was a lot stronger than she looked. Or was that just aura? He swore his bones creaked.
"But, until that day comes we got to look at the big picture," he gasped out. Ruby blushed and sheepishly released him. "It could take months, maybe even years before we have solid answers for you. You understand this?"
"What?!" Ruby reared back. "What? N-No! I need to get home now! Yang will...
"Be just fine," Anderson interrupted gently. "You said so yourself, she's strong."
Ruby shook her head. "Not as strong as you think she is. If she believes this is all her fault then... I don't know what she'll do. And dad..."
Again, Anderson found himself cursing himself. He just wasn't used to this, he hadn't interacted with kids in... he didn't know how long. Still, he couldn't just leave it like this.
"Chin up," he smiled. "If there's one thing I know for certain, it's that your imagination is often far, far worse than the reality. Yang will be fine, trust me."
Her silver eyes shone with the unshed tears of all the confusion and uncertain of her situation, searching his face for reassurance. Finally, she sniffed and wiped her eyes. "It would make me feel better if I could at least call her. Something."
"Then we'll be sure to look into that." He hesitated. "But until that day comes, we need to get you settled in according to Citadel law. You're an Alliance citizen now, subject to all it's rules, regulations and bureaucracy." He picked up a pad left by Intelligence detailing all the filed paperwork in Ruby's name. Everything seemed to be in order; birth certificate, citizenship, residency...
Anderson picked up the deed to his new place. Everything was signed in his name, right down to a signature he adamantly didn't remember making. The place was his, no strings attached, as far as he could tell. The supposed generosity didn't make him feel any better, however. To have a house he'd never laid eyes on before signed in his name bugged him.
Although, when the thought about it, considering the Director's devotion, Anderson doubted he would have consigned Ruby to some dump. At any rate, it didn't hurt to check the place out. Thing were going to get awkward really fast living in his current place. Though he was going to give Ruby his bed anyway, he wasn't too keen on sleeping on the couch for the rest of his life.
He might have been a marine, but even he had his limits.
"Alliance Intelligence was kind enough to buy us a new apartment. We should check that out before anything else."
"And what about Remnant?" Ruby asked. "When do we ask about that."
"We need to get our feet under us first before we go jumping off into that," Anderson reasoned, kindly. "Patience, we'll get to it, don't worry." He pushed the parcel towards her. "This should be enough for today, but... shopping is defiantly a priority."
He never thought he'd say something like that.
In spite of his assurances Ruby was crestfallen as she picked at the knotted string that held the parcel together. Finally having enough of the bleak atmosphere, Anderson cleaned off the table. "You feeling well enough for a walk?"
"A walk? To where?" Ruby asked.
Anderson shrugged. "This apartment. If you're feeling up to it, I'd like to see if we can get that done tonight."
"Tonight? But it's-" she looked at the clock and frowned. "Why does the clock only have twenty hours?"
"That's Citadel standard time," Anderson explained. "Every species homeworld runs on different cloak, and since the Citadel doesn't orbit anything the Council decided to create its own based on the times of the different homeworlds… so I'm told."
"That second hand is moving pretty fast…"
"Yeah. Compared to Earth time, each second is shorter, each minute is longer and there are more minutes in an hour."
Ruby blinked at him. "Wait, how long is an Earth day? Is it twenty four hours?"
"Twenty four hours, sixty minutes in an hour, sixty seconds in a minute." He paused at Ruby's boggled expression. "Let me guess, Remnant is the same?"
Ruby nodded slowly. "...that's so weird."
It was.
"But that reminds me, you haven't asked about the Citadel at all haven't you?" He couldn't help but grin as she shook her head. "Again, you feeling up for a walk?"
Ruby glanced at the clock, then seemed to take stock of herself. The knot finally came loose and the bundle fell apart, the drab clothing spilling out onto the table. As it did, a clump of red fabric detached from the mass, resting atop the pile like a cheery.
Ruby froze at the sight, then picked it up with trembling hands. The cloth unfurling to reveal the same red cloak she'd worn with her strange outfit. The same cloak lost with the Pearl. How the hell had they recovered that? Ruby's hands trailed over the fabric, eyes again beginning to water, but this time from something different. "I thought I lost it," she whispered.
"It belonged to someone important to you?" Anderson asked quietly.
Ruby nodded. "My mom gave it to me."
And wrapped inside the cloak was a brooch, carved with a silver rose that sparkled with reflected light.
"It's beautiful," Anderson said.
"It was the only thing they ever found of her," Ruby whispered. "One day she just left on a mission and… didn't come back."
Just like her.
Anderson moved to awkwardly comfort her before she could burst into tears. "Hey, don't worry. We'll get you back, don't you worry. But for now, get dressed. I have something incredible to show you."
-o0o-
It was with a great sense of anticipation that Anderson led Ruby outside and pointed to the distant horizon of the Ward over the sprawling city and the emptiness of the nebula beyond.
At first, Ruby didn't seem to understand what she was seeing. The city's horizon just seemed to drop off into nothingness. Then her eyes carried up, and up, and up. Her jaw went slack, eyes sparkling in wonder as she followed the curvature of the Citadel and the endless expanse surrounding it, unable to comprehend the sheer scale around her.
There was something truly magical about that moment. Amid the flashing advertisements and lights, the dull grey and white of the towers around them, Ruby stuck a splash of color in the grey monotony of life. Her crimson cloak danced around her heels as she spun in a circle, trying to take in everything at once.
Then she looked down.
The streets teamed with life; commuters bustling to and fro to businesses and errands. Shops peddled their wares on every side and a countless array of billboards proclaimed the newest fad or product. Most notable of all were the aliens.
Turians with their bony fringes and painted faces. Blue skinned Asari gliding around with an ethereal grace. Rotund Volus waddling between street venders. Towering Elcor that cut a path through the crowds as they lumbered away. Batarians arguing in their rough baritones. Only the occasional Human could be seen through the mass. The noise was incredible, almost overpowering.
To Anderson it was nothing special, just the life he lived on the civilian side.
But to Ruby it was something else. Her first exposure to the other races. To hear about them was one thing, but to see it for yourself was another. If the Citadel had left her awed, the sight of so many unfamiliar species milling around left her stunned speechless. She openly stared, slack jawed at a group of passing Turians, only to flinch away when they glared back.
Her eyes darted around, fear slowly overtaking her awe as the girl from the isolated world was thrust head first into the galaxy at large.
Anderson squeezed her shoulder, showing his support. "We can wait if you're not ready for this," he said over the din.
"N-No, it's fine." Ruby gulped, taking comfort in his presence. "I just…"
"It's a little much, isn't it?" Anderson admitted. "Sorry, I should have given you a little head's up."
"I-It's fine." Ruby nodded. "Can we go now?"
"Of course. We'll make this quick."
Taking her hand, Anderson led her through the throng, navigating the chaos with ease born of years aboard the massive station. No one paid them much mind, though Ruby's cloak drew more than a few curious glances.
They arrived at a skycar station and after a short wait they were taking off into the sky. Freed from the crushing weight of the crowds, Ruby gazed out at the passing city with undisguised awe and wonder, face glued to the window as she tried to take in everything all at once.
Anderson couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips.
The trip lasted in silence until they settled down on the Silversun Strip, prompting Anderson to check the address of the new apartment again.
Tiberius Towers was here?
Armax Arsenal Arena towered over them, pulse pounding music flooding from the doors as a steady stream of people waited to get inside. Beyond that the Silversun Strip was aglow with the signs of shops and vendors, well above the usual quality Anderson was used to seeing. There was less foot traffic too. This was clearly a more well off section of the Wards.
All in all, it was a nice place.
They wandered for a bit until the glowing billboard of Tiberius Towers beckoned above a closed off lobby. The Asari at the front desk checked his credentials before smiling.
"Thank you for your purchase, Mister Anderson. Your background check has been processed and your security deposit has been processed. Welcome to Tiberius Towers. We hope you'll enjoy your stay." The line was obviously rehearsed, but she seemed completely genuine. That was Asari for you. Elegant and graceful in everything the did.
The Asari's gaze trailed down to Ruby, who clammed up and tried to scoot behind Anderson. "And who is this?"
"My daughter, Ruby," Anderson replied, fumbling with the unfamiliar word.
"Your daughter?" The Asari gave Anderson a skeptical look. "I may not know much about human skin tones, but you don't really look the same."
"Adopted," Anderson amended himself. "Poor girl was the sole survivor of a pirate attack. I thought I'd take her in."
"Oh dear," the Asari gasped. "Ruby, I am so, so sorry for your loss."
"Uuh…?" Ruby starred up her blankly, a heavy blush on her cheeks. And no wonder; the Asari's neckline plunged almost to her navel. But it was only when her eyes began darting frantically to Anderson did he realize his mistake.
"Ah geez, sorry. She doesn't have a translator. We just arrived, and most of her things were destroyed. We haven't had the time to get replacements."
"Oh you poor thing." Leaning down, the Asari tried again, but this time Anderson could hear a subtle change in her voice, making Ruby jump. "Ruby, I am deeply sorry for what's happened to you."
Ruby spluttered, obviously understanding her and trying to formulate a response. She must have learned English, not surprising for an Asari of her age.
"Uh… t-thank you?" Ruby eventually mustered the courage to say, making the Asari giggle behind a raised hand.
"So precious. Mister Anderson, if there is anything you or your daughter need, be sure to let either myself or my bondmate know. Our contact information is in the packet we sent you."
"Thank you," Anderson stretched out a hand. "I'm sorry, I never caught your name."
"Josyr T'minis," the Asari smiled, taking his hand in a firm grip. "And my bondmate is Ze'yaka. Take care little Ruby!"
Ruby gargled out a response as Anderson led her to an elevator at the rear of the lobby. The doors slid shut, hiding her furious blush from the topaz skinned beauty. She coughed.
"So… aliens have…uh…" She made a motion towards her chest.
Anderson fought to hide a grin at her discomfort, adding more items to a mental checklist. "Yep. You'll have to read up on Asari once we get you a codex. And translator, for that matter." Forget clothes, they needed that first thing.
He should have realized it before but... honestly, who didn't have a translator in this day and age?
The elevator stopped at one of the highest floors and opened into a small vestibule with a locked door leading into the apartment.
Anderson waved his Omni-tool, the door reading his credentials and opened into…
His jaw hit the floor.
Ruby squealed, her earlier discomfort forgotten at the sight before her. She disappeared in a burst of rose petals and darted forward to examine the fireplace—a real gas powered fireplace! After 'oohing' over the crackling flames she darted over to the kitchen, peeked in a few drawers, opened the fridge, then darted off deeper into their new home.
Anderson just stared, blinking dumbly as he brought up his Omni-tool and reread the description. Three bedroom apartment.
Three bedroom apartment!
This wasn't a three bedroom apartment, this was a freaking Penthouse!
"We have a hottub!" Ruby's voice squealed from deeper inside.
"W-Wait, what?!" Anderson pried his eyes from his deed, trying to determine if this was all a joke. "Why do we have a hottub?"
"I don't know but it's awesome!"
Ruby explored the rest of the apartment in delight as Anderson carefully scanned through the documents left to him, searching for even the tiniest detail out of place, and when he still couldn't believe it, searched the apartment himself. Sure enough, they had a hottub. Along with a poker table for whatever reason.
And a piano. Made of real wood.
He trailed a hand across the keys, made of some kind of ivory, marveling at the dark mahogany.
This was real. He sat on the bench, stunned. He had a Penthouse.
Which was good, to be sure, but… was this all for Ruby? The Director was pulling out all the stops for her; he certainly couldn't even hope to meet the mortgage, let alone a down payment on a place like this. And the Director had paid for it in full.
But if Ruby was so important to him, enough to buy a Penthouse to keep her happy, why not just send her home? What were they missing?