Chapter 15
Casnar blinked between Braith and Karin's looks, "….What was that statement earlier about not freaking me out?"
"Braith's pregnant," Karin had to raise her voice some from the adjoining room, "….You were the only person sleeping with her?"
Braith gazed at Casnar, her eyebrows wedging together, "….You know I wasn't sleeping with anyone—"
"I know," Braith saw deep into his eyes, Casnar not looking away, "….I—You haven't been with anyone….I know….I've been watching you….No one until….You drank, we showered….I don't see how….Yes, yes, you slept with me….Well….we didn't really 'sleep'—" Karin rolled her eyes from the other room and went out of their view of the doorway….
"I'll let you two talk," she left Braith and Casnar to their privacy.
Braith patted his chest. "….I'll say Thanks for your many-worded answer….Most guys would say 'No, it's not' and walk away."
"Are you sure it's….Does that happen to you often?…." At her look, he switched back to his original question, "….Are you sure it's not a false-positive….That can't be possible…." She watched his hand rub his chin and tebris.
"Doctor Chakwas never makes mistakes….but we can take a sample from you, and my apparently brand-new amniotic—"
"How many tests have already been done?…." She held up two fingers for him to see, and Casnar's mouth was working for a bit with no sound coming out before he actually found words—or a word, "….Really?…." Braith scrunched her nose with displeasure. Casnar's tebris paled quite dramatically from its typical violet iridescence, "….You're pregnant?…." She bit her lip as he repeated the fact to her, "….How?"
"Stranger things have happened…."
"But that doesn't explain the 'course' or 'method' by which you've become pregnant…." He whipped his head from side to side, "….We just slept together—This day!….How can it….How can it happen so soon?….I'm not even the same species."
"Don't sound so thrilled. It's only the latest 'miracle' of the century," Braith drew her hand away from him and turned, Casnar reaching for her elbow, "….Don't worry….I'm going to donate it—"
"Wait," his fingers slid along her forearm, off her elbow joint, "….You are?"
Casnar tailed her into the office-lab, approaching Karin at her desk, "….I'm not 'Mom' material, Casnar," Braith flicked her hair, "….and with the way things are—"
"Shepard," Karin looked over the rim of her glasses, she at her desk and entering her notes into a tablet, looking rather elderly, "….I can't do anything right now for it," she furrowed her eyebrows warningly, "….and you will want to think about it….It's a significant—"
"I'll have the same answer for you in an hour," Braith raised one finger after the other for each time period, "….twenty-four hours, a week if you make me wait that—"
"How did I get her pregnant?…." Casnar's question was ignored by both women.
Karin set her tablet flat on the leather pad-protector on her desk, "….You can't just make this a snap-judgement like you did in war or battle, or….It's peacetime anyway, and you are no longer an active service member….You're not even on the books as being alive, though we'll have to change that and give you all those posthumously-awarded medals and stars and….Anyway, you're an honorary war vet if anything….and though it's your right to decide what to do with your body….Think about what this," she made a circle with her stylus at Braith's belly, "….would mean for you, him even—if it is yours and not some bizarre, unholy, 'immaculate conception' by what's been affecting her," Karin allowed herself to pretend to sound the "skeptic"….What with the bizarre circumstances, she had to at least feign some skepticism, or consider the preternatural, "….Bloody Hell, even standing for the 'benefit of Human-Non-Human' relationships, Shepard!….What could be learned from this conception would open possibilities for other….couples?…." Karin hesitated about the 'accuracy' of the term for these two individuals in her office, "….such as yourselves?"
Braith shook her head, her tresses scattering into her vision, "….I need a bottle of moonshine right now…."
"The least of her being pregnant is she'll have to stop drinking that shit," Karin turned her face towards Casnar and raised an eyebrow at his comment….Casnar folded his arms together over his chest while she then looked to Braith who completed the exchange by looking at Casnar again, "….I….I have a half-brother who….Let's just say I'm pro life as you Humans refer to it—not in the crazy sense, but down the middle…." Braith's gaze hardened, but mellowed….
"You haven't any family you told me isn't out to hurt you or—"
"I haven't really gone into depth with you about my family, Braith," he lowered his arms, hands smoothing down his shirt over his abs, "…..You'd have to….It's a lot, but from what you know….I do love my family….It's ugly, and complicated."
"Fortunately," Braith smirked, "….I have none—"
"Except us," Karin gestured with her hand to the door that was opening at her right, across the room from the exam lab and the WAV Engine, where Kaidan was coming through the door with one other person, "….Shepard, you remember Kaidan obviously….Councilor Hackett….is also here."
"Admiral!…." Braith's eyes widened, her body standing to attention.
She saluted him, standing erect in her whites with a sharp hand to her temple, Councilor Steven Hackett giving her a "tipping" with his fingers, "….It is you….God Almighty, Commander Shepard," he looked at her between him, Karin, and the golden drell behind her….Hackett waved her hand to lower from its rigid salute at her temple, "….No more of that, Shepard….I carry the curse you gave Anderson….Councilor among the galaxy's patrons, and no longer Admiral—not officially," he gave a wolfish-grin, tightening the scar in his aged face, along his eye and lip, though his blue eyes still shown with intelligence, hardness, and discernment….He came farther into the office-lab, Kaidan moving ahead and to the side of him, "….It really is you, isn't it," Braith lowered her arm to her side.
She refused to ease out of her "parade rest"—despite his disregard for ceremony or show….Steve Hackett—to Braith—was well-reputed, well-respected, what with his stout experience among the fleets of the Systems Alliance, "….Admiral-Councilor," she formally gave him a well title, "….I'm in the flesh, with a couple additions."
"So I hear," his grizzled gaze turned to the doctor, "….Doctor Chakwas, your findings?"
"Commander Shepard has a uniqueness about her, but she's healthy, whole, and then some….I've just finished my testing for now and will be analyzing the results with a team. We'll discuss what recommendations to make, but Councilor? She is pregnant," Kaidan's face showed no surprise though Braith wondered if he did know already, since she had been unconscious for more than a few hours, "….and we believe that Drell right there," she aimed her stylus at Casnar's face, which was unsmiling, less-friendly since Kaidan had entered, "….to be the father."
Kaidan forced himself to present a "delayed-surprise" of expression….Hackett was genuinely astonished, "….That's….possible now?"
With a nod from Braith, "….The conundrum of the day."
Casnar felt the need just then to step closer to Braith and put his hand in hers. Hackett appeared to be some form of "fatherly" representation to him, at least with regard to Braith's behavior around the official, uniformed elder "soldier"—so formal and respectful her attitude and mien towards the councilor, and hesitantly Casnar offered to Hackett, "….I'll own it," but to Braith, who was staring at Casnar beside her, this was more directed.
Braith rolled her eyes suddenly, and looked at Hackett and Kaidan.
Hackett turned his silent gaze from Casnar to Braith, "….I had to see for myself," his smile was foregone, a stiffness entering his demeanor, "….You don't look like you came out of a mass wreckage….A little too good to be true, but here you are…."
"Better that Anderson had come out alive, Sir, than me and this—Pardon my French—'shitshow'," and at this comment from her lips, Hackett shook his head slow….Braith had a disturbing memory of the deceased councilor, Donnel Udina, who had betrayed everyone with Cerberus's help, and attacked the Citadel in an attempted coup.
"We have you back, Shepard, or whatever you are," his expression not entirely believing it was her, not completely, but he was not certain he wanted to discredit the doctor's opinion that it was Braith Shepard by all tests' accounts, "….David might have preferred both you returning," he went on, "….but I know he would have been relieved, and glad, to see you'd survived, even if something survived with you…."
"Sir?…." Braith glanced at Karin….
"Here's the deal, Shepard," his grimness was custom, and although nostalgic for Braith in a strangely comforting way, she knew what was coming next—and dreaded it, "….now you're alive, back to Humanity….We have questions….Are you capable of remembering and recounting your memory to a panel?….Tell us what happened once you reached the Citadel and disappeared from 'Ground Zero' in London?"
"Everything, though there were moments during which I was unconscious, and maybe semi-conscious," she looked down from his eyes, "….I can tell you everything that happened to the best of my knowledge, until the end….I don't remember what happened between the final explosions in the Citadel's tower below the Crucible and….my somehow ending up in Cherry Lake."
Kaidan and Karin looked at each other, Hackett furrowing his peppered eyebrows….He stood taller in his grey uniform with its gold, blue, and white piping, stripes and Council logos on the collar, sleeves, legs of his pants, "….Let's get her something to eat, and for her….Shall I call you her 'mate'?"
Casnar nodded, finally remembered by the others he was in the room, "….That's fine….If she's comfortable with it," he looked at Braith, who shrugged and nodded at him, "….She had a husband, deceased, so there are some technical…" He hesitated, "….Maybe now's not the time to discuss it."
His eyes returned to hers from Hackett's, Braith blowing out a breath, "….You hungry?….Not sure what your appetite is after everything."
"I'll eat if you'll eat," Braith nodded at this condition from Casnar.
"Are you coming?…." Braith looked at Karin.
Karin shook her head, still seated, "….Later though," she nodded to Braith, "….I need to run over some ideas with my team, and in the meantime get you your medicine for those seizures, Shepard, here," she handed her a vial that clicked with its contents inside, "….Go and eat, take your medicine with food, and remember: You're eating for two now, and it's growing very fast…."
Braith and Karin embraced once more as the doctor "demanded" it, and then out the door went Hackett and Kaidan, Braith and Casnar following.…Braith saw armed men and women outside in Systems Alliance outfitting, waiting to escort them and the councilor to a meal or wherever they were to be taken….She looked over at Casnar as he walked beside her, and he at her.
They continued down the hall with bland fluorescent lighting overhead, running parallel in the ceiling to the walls, shining down onto the smooth floor sounding with the fall of boots—and Braith's slipper "pats".…They went down turns and arcs of hallways that were busy with Alliance personnel coming and going, waiting for the group to pass through intersections, and through a set of doors into more junctions of halls with offices now. Braith and Casnar gazed about, silent as they followed Hackett, trying to search for signs or symbols that might indicate where they physically had been relocated to since Cherry Lake, outside Verne's.
"Where are we exactly?…." Casnar received a nudge of Braith's elbow, she who knew better than to ask for the location's reveal….along with a "Don't do that" look.
Surprisingly, he also received an answer from Hackett, "….Mars….The archives that were assaulted by Cerberus at the commencement of the Reaper War," he turned his stubbled chin over his shoulder to send an eyeball to Braith, "….We were able to recover most of the data after the attack, and made the decision to renovate the facility, Mister…." His head turned to the drell on his right side….
"Casnar Soterios."
Hackett gave a nod to this information so easily supplied by Casnar (Braith thought), "….Mars….Not Earth?…." Casnar saw Braith smirking beside him, unaware of what she was thinking, but he focused on listening to Hackett.
Hackett turned his head and looked over his shoulder briefly at Casnar again, "….Mars was more appropriate for responding at a moment's notice to Earth….We've a growing concern with populations."
"There are a number of new aliens living on Earth nowadays," Braith glanced at Kaidan before looking to Hackett's blue eye again, turned back to her side of his shoulders.
"Since the war, we've had to relax our standards on immigration protocols for the surge of refugees seeking shelter, moving on from their devastated homes to find a new way of survival—living….People, aliens even, need a place with resources to survive, raise their families, most of which have suffered so much because of the war, and its connected atrocities," Hackett was looking forward again and leading them down through another set of doors, into a lobby where the hint of food tantalized Braith and Casnar, "….There are systems everyone must go through to prove they're 'fit' to live in the new homes they are choosing, and some systems are stricter than others, but on Earth we attempt to help everyone get in where they can….It took a war like the one with the reapers on a galactic scale to shake everyone awake, Shepard," his hand raised as that was "how it was", and cut the air before him, "….and you to convince everyone we're in this galaxy together."
"Is that an admission you believe I'm who I'm supposed to be, Sir?…."
"I'll tell you candidly, Commander, I want to believe, and if I let it slip….For now, that's all you'll have….Anyway, that's why there are aliens among Humans on Earth these days, and yes, maybe why Mars is now a station of readiness, for keeping 'watch' on our bit of space….Maybe that's how it should have been."
With a sigh, "….I'm going to sound a bit Pro-Terran here, Sir," Braith's voice was thoughtful, "….I think having all those aliens on Earth, would force the Systems Alliance to use this station on Mars, refit it for fast action in response to matters arising on the planet and involving other galactic races, now that so many have emigrated from their own homeworlds to Earth….Have any other planets let refugees make such a presence on their soils, seeking new starts?"
Kaidan gave Braith a look and Hackett nodded despite hearing the old sting of Pro-Terran sentiments in her words, "….Commander, I would point out your mate, who is from Rakhana," he paused and heard no corrections from Casnar, "….which did not have much 'good will' to volunteer assets in the war's—"
"Rakhana was scarcely considered 'Council material'," Casnar had resentment in his tone, "….Kahje had the Compact—Your 'assets' from the hanar homeworld were basically conscripted Rakhïk Drells that abandoned Rakhana for a false hope."
"Maybe," Hackett directed them to one more set of doors, identified with the word CAFETERIA glowing above its frame, "….and if you've been paying attention to what's been happening off Earth, Hanar have representation on the Council now with a seat of their own…."
"I heard…."
"They contributed much of their research we now study here, in these archives, and allowed us, along with the remaining Council races, access to their Prothean records….They donated their Drell military in—"
"Hard for me to fathom the fact Drells—Rakhana's Drells—do not have a seat of our own yet among the Council's circle of 'friends'," Casnar stared at Hackett as he gazed ahead and sighed….
"'Contributions', Mister Soterios," Hackett entered the cafeteria between Casnar and a soldier, "….Contributions to the galactic community, and Hanar have shared assets, whereas Rakhana has not."
Braith turned inside the cafeteria and stopped to look at Casnar as the sounds and aromas of kitchen activity filled their heads with yearnings for food, "….It's true….Rakhana offered nothing that I was aware of during the war against the reapers….Any idea why?"
He shook his crests, "….Rakhana's not….Kala, the planet's hardly made it out of its pre-industrial revolution," Casnar put his hands on his hips, facing her, "…Most of the continents are under-developed," Hackett turned an ear to Casnar's accounting of the drell world, "….Rakhana lacks a united system of governance, tech is rare when it is found," he looked away, not sharing more that he knew, "….If I were to be brutally honest with you, Reapers could have given less than a shit about Rakhana, and they're not even organic enough to consider the waste of utility," his tebris flattened with humility for his explanation of his homeworld, "….We're not even space-worthy, not really….We can't use mass relays," he looked at Hackett, then Braith, "….I believe the ability of races to use and rely on the mass relays helped the reapers in determining which ones to focus on 'harvesting', which not to bother with…."
Braith fluttered her eyelashes with a scorn for his words, having known Thane….but then Thane had not told her more of Rakhana than as a place of pilgrimage, a world falling into decay and disorder, "….How the hanar ever considered Drells—" Casnar dropped his arms and took a step towards her, arousing the attention of the men and women at the cafeteria that hour….
"Don't say anything you will regret," he stared at her, mother or not of his potential unborn, "….It was free labor to them, the hanari….Kahje profited with the 'relief funding' they received from the Council for flaws that came up in the Compact's execution, meanwhile those who fled from Rakhana were trapped on the water-world, unable to return because they were considered traitors, or given away because they were 'unwanted'," his teeth showed just below the threatening curl of a sneer in his lips, "….They practically hooked the Council with their 'galactic community outreach' promises—so noble and rainbow-hued," he had the urge to spit the name Kahje out of his mouth, "….and dragged everyone blindly into their plans…."
"If I didn't know a little about Drell history, a certain family in particular," Casnar and Braith turned towards a woman with brown hair to her shoulders and "unclothing" blue eyes coming towards them from a table with several others Braith was beginning to recognize….Hackett and Kaidan (as well as the rest of the men) came to attention of her arrival, "….I'd say you echo the words of a famous, or should I say infamous, Drell demagogue….Casnar."