Andromeda, Day 414
-On our way to the Asari ark, maybe, after a quick stopover on Aya to resupply. And, as always, we scanned a few systems along the way. We are like, always scanning systems, aren't we? I guess that's just part of exploring.
-Note to self: Research shows humans like a form of affection called a kiss, which consists of them pressing their lips together. I do not have lips, and this action, or an alternative, may take time to figure out. Humans also use physical touch, such as wrapping arms around each other, to show support. This makes sense to me. Humans may flirt by referring to the object of their interest in oblique terms. Humans find views from high points aesthetically pleasing. Humans generally have positive views of cuisine. Some humans are known to enjoy daring activities, such as rock climbing, and may find these activities elevating emotions such as love, excitement, and lust. Several human mating rituals involved the preparation and consumption of certain foods. HOLY SHIT I FOUND IT. Several human cultures found a dinner of cow steak to be a high form of luxury, and were known to engage in this behavior with the object of their desire. Humans have been known to try to define relationships, and sometimes, when a relationship reaches a critical point, are known to go steady, or dtr, by asking if a perceived relationship is real. Also something about licking lampposts but I think that was largely a joke. Also the bit about swooping.
-To do: find aesthetically pleasing high point. TRACK DOWN THE HUMAN COW YOU SOLD YOU IDIOT. Practice kissing? You know Sara is into women, and you are a woman, but find out if she likes turians. Specifically if she likes turians with messed up pasts and a penchant for illegal activity. Whose names begin with a V.
Andromeda, Day 415
-Well, the Asari are alive. No M names, at least among the ones I met, fortunately. Cora has, like, an enormous, raging, massive hard on for them. Wait, is she into them? Gotta ask. Still trying to understand humans. But at least everyone's favorite slightly pretentious, sometimes annoying blue species is going to live on. I'm pretty sure I even met an angara who was into them.
-Huh, sorry your idol let you down Cora.
-Ryder kept her in power, but told people about it. That's good, she's got some experience, but it'll keep her honest.
-You know, in retrospect, I guess I kinda do understand Alec Ryder. Well, I will never understand how he was as handsoffish as he was with Sara. I mean she's a wonderful person, and she deserved better, even if he was better than my dad and all his secrets and plans for the galaxy. But at least I understand why Alec Ryder didn't want Cora to be the human Pathfinder. When I first met Sara I thought it was just nepotism that put her in charge. And she's not perfect. She's impulsive, and doesn't always know what she's doing. She doesn't really think through things. You should've seen her shooting the console when bailing Kosta out. But she is going out there, and doing things herself. Cora's just a follower. A good warrior, a brave woman, but still a follower.
-To do: ask Cora about her and the Asari.
Andromeda, Day 417
-I guess we're just waiting for the Moshae to figure out the way to Meridian? Either that or there are plenty of more demanding things for the Pathfinder to do, which, I mean, fair. It's a new cluster full of excitement. And danger.
-Or, wait, actually I think it's just that Tann, Addison and all the rest aren't giving Sara the approval. The bastards. Of course there is bureaucracy tied up all in this. I wonder if I should talk to Kesh?
-Also so much scanning. Looking for iridium is not the most stimulating thing ever. I'd rather be smothered.
Andromeda, Day 418
-Okay, so standard disclaimer, Sid, I know you think you're a big girl, and you think you have contacts, and have shown very little regard for my privacy in the past, but seriously, if you ever read this I will find you, and I will kill you.
-So, I'm standing there, talking to one of the Exiles, about that stupid lamp. I think one of them stole it back before they left the Nexus, when Sara walks in, and we start talking about the lamp. I try to side track the conversation by talking about the Archon, but she brings it back to the lamp. Says it's important to remember where we came from, with this far away look in her eyes. So I actually tell her about the stupid lamp.
-Listen, I have done distasteful stuff. I have been an asshole to keep me and Sid alive. When the lamp went missing I just didn't care. I didn't think we were going to survive. But Sara's made things different. She's shown me that things can be different. We've changed the math. We've made a difference here. Maybe I can change, too. A new beginning.
-And I finish with something about people dreaming again. Trite, maybe, but I am honestly feeling it today. Feeling hopeful.
-And Sara, sarcastic lovable little thing that she is, I swear, says she is dreaming of somebody in particular.
-And on any other day I wouldn't be up to keeping up with her, but I am in rare form today. I am at the top of my game. I am making deals, I am having hopes, I am turning over new leaves, and I am feeling myself. So I throw back at her a little bashful, a little sarcastic, oh, and who are you thinking of?
-And Sara, I swear by all the spirits, says, "Oh, you'll love her, tall, great with guns and getting people to do what she wants."
-So, yeah, I'd say it's mutual.
-Am I alone now? Do I trust this to writing?
-Okay, yeah I do, HOLY SHIT.
-Okay, I've been reserved, and at the risk of sounding like Sid: here's an incomplete list of what I like about Ryder.
-She's making a difference. She cares about me and Sid. She's ferocious in a fight. She's not above it all. She cares about people, and is also trying to figure it out. She's funny. Sarcastic yes, and don't get me wrong, it can be hard to read human voices, they're so flat, but I think I can read her face.
-I guess, I also do kinda like things about her physically. She's small, kinda like a baby animal. Tiny really. She's got those markings, freckles, on her face, which are nice. I like the color of her hair. It's really weird that humans have it. Like, no other sapients do. Well, I've heard quarians do, but who knows? But it makes sense as a decoration. It looks like sunsets. She's incredibly muscled too, I've seen her arms. It's cool that for humans physical strength is externally visible, given how strangely soft they can be, and how twitchy and moveable their faces are.
-Maybe also her voice too, in that weird human way.
-What does she look like under her clothes? I don't know. A beige asari? I can do that. More to discover, you know, more to try.
-To do: try.
Andromeda, Day 419
-We're heading back to Kadara, to find the vault, and hopefully get an outpost there, now that the port is a bit more peaceful, under Sloane Kelly. And I think I have an idea to, how was it, dtr the relationship?
-Remember, humans like views, Sara is sort of... what was it that Gil called her? An adrenaline junkie.
-Note to self: adrenaline is an apparent name for a human hormone released when they are excited. I hope to cause more adrenaline releases in Sara soon.
-Dear Ryder, hey, I want my tongue in your mouth, meet on Kadara? Local tall smuggler with guns. Nope.
-Hey, Sara, wanna find new nerve endings together? Nope.
-My cherished Sara Ryder, Champion of Heleus, Herald of the Milky Way, Hero of the Nexus, it would surprise and and delight me if you would grace me with your presence in a tea party. Tea soon? Maybe with an egg. I hear those are earthly delights. I shall cast a veil of enchantment, yes, enchantment, upon you.
-Ugh fuck that, keep it causal. There, sent.
-To do: do this.
Andromeda, Day 420.
-Drack looked at this, over my shoulder, which, rude, but that's kinda his thing. He then laughed. I asked him to explain, but he told me to ask a human. Oh well.
-Ryder turned on the vault here on Kadara, gonna get the acid off this planet. You know, just like that. Spirits, she is good at this.
-We're out in the wastelands, waiting for the shuttles to come in from the Nexus. Ughhh so close.
Andromeda, Day 421.
-Ditaeon. Good name. Christmas Tate, human custom?
-Setting up prefabs. I'm actually pretty good at making buildings. Before I was a smuggler, or a merc, or a wrangler for the initiative this was how I got my start, and it still shows.
-I almost cannot wait.
-I want to tell Sara. I think this is the planet where I really realized, under the stars, with her, looking up at the sky.
Andromeda, Day 422
-More prefabs.
-Spirits, why can't setting up an independent outpost ever be easy?
-Tomorrow.
Andromeda, Day 423
-Day started easy enough, putting the finishing touches on the landing pads. Late tonight we've got to be back at the Port. Apparently Avitus had a lead on the turian Ark, out on the planet the Krogan settled. But first things first, rocks, and sunset.
-Taking the Nomad out there right now. Sara's driving, pointing out places on Kadara Ditaeon can use, or might expand into. I'm letting her talk. She's helped people, and she cares about them. She cares so deeply. I like hearing her talk. She has a different accent than Suvi. Her voice has less emotion, less information than mine, but it is still pretty, I think, even with only one set of vocal cords. I can see the rocks now, the good ones, with the view of the sky we looked at the first night out here, on the Nomad, with Drack snoring. Looking down on the settlement she helped create. Views and adrenalin, the Vetra Nyx special. I'll finish this tomorrow. Hope it's good news.
