Chapter 26: Down Time
August 22nd, 15:00, Arcturus Station office of President:
"How long?"
"Just a few moments, madam president." An aid said.
Nader breathed in through her nose and exhaled. She wasn't looking forward to this next meeting with the leaders of the galactic powers. To be frank, she wouldn't be surprised if the words that left their mouth would be to call her insane. Not that she could blame them. What she was proposing was akin to letting the Dragon Orphans back on Earth.
"This will not be easy." She commented aloud.
"Perhaps not." Her aid said. "Madam president, I believe what you're proposing is the right thing. We're giving a dead race a second chance. Isn't that worth trying?"
"Maybe," Nader said. "But what if, in our desire to do right, we put the galaxy in danger. You've read the history of this species. What if they are as malevolent as the historians make them out to be? What if they are as inherently destructive as the dragon orphans? What if we end up unleashing another plague upon the galaxy? We were lucky enough not to catch so much flak for the Dragon Orphans. What if we're not so lucky this time?" There were so many questions surrounding what the Federation was going to propose. The answers to those questions would not come until after they had committed to their course of action and the consequences that came after. By then, it may be too late.
Her aid seemed to consider her worries. "Madam president, I know these aren't easy questions to answer. We're not just talking about some philosophical issue about what is right and wrong. We're wanting to revive a species that once plagued the galaxy thousands of years ago, just to see if they can take a different route than one that led them down to their genocide. These aren't easy issues and should be taken with all the consideration we can."
The President of the United Terran Federation leaned back into her chair. Nader had never expected to deal with such issues when she ran for the presidency. First contact with another species, a new war with the dragon orphans, navigating the issue if aliens should be granted citizenship in the Federation. Certainly, she had expected to deal with a number of issues while in office, ranging from political to social. But never these kinds of issues.
"If only I had known." She muttered to herself."
"Excuse me?" Her aid asked.
She waved the man off. "Nothing." She said. "Just mussing to myself." If she had known she would be dealing with these issues years ago, would she still have run? Nader surprised herself when her answer was yes. "You're right. These aren't easy issues, and they should never be easy."
The aid nodded his head and was about to say something. When he held his hand up to his ear. "Madam President, its time." He said.
Nader nodded. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to make history. Let us make it a good one." She said. "Patch them through."
The aid stepped out of the way in time for three holographic figures to appear. The leaders of the Council races now stood before her. As expected, they were giving her questionable expressions.
Nader took a breath and began the meeting. "Greetings, esteemed leaders. High Matriarch T'moci. Primarch Fedorian. Dalatrass Onisa." To each, she inclined her head. "It is good to see the three of you again."
The Asari leader gave her a well-practiced smile. "It is good to see you as well, Madam President. I trust things are going well in the Federation?"
Nader nodded her head. "They are." She answered.
"And how goes your re-election?" The High Matriarch asked. "Do you believe you will keep the position of the presidency?"
Nader's smile did not falter. "I do have some stiff competition." She replied truthfully. "But I believe I can edge out a win."
Fedorian looked between the two and looked like he was getting impatient with the pleasantries being exchanged. He opened his mouth to speak.
"While I would love to exchange pleasantries all day." The Salarian Dalatrass said, getting no small amount of surprise from the others. "We have more pressing matters to get to."
The Asari leader looked at the Salarian Dalatrass for a moment before nodding. "I suppose you are right. Especially with the subject matter at hand."
All three galactic leaders turned their attention to Nader. "So, are the reports we received true?" Fedorian asked.
Nader nodded, brought an incident report up, and transmitted copies to the three. "On March11th at around eighteen hundred hours, following an ambush near the Batarian border, one of our patrols discovered a derelict vessel orbiting a nearby planet." That ambush was still under investigation as to how it happened. "Records indicated that it was a citadel cargo hauler that was in operation thousands of years ago. A team was dispatched to investigate. Upon boarding the craft, the team discovered that the vessel still had power and that power was being routed to an unknown location." A holographic image of the ship appeared and zoomed in to show the interior. One of the ship's compartments was highlighted. "In what might have been a cargo bay, the investigation team discovered that the power was being routed to a stasis chamber of a sophisticated design."
"How sophisticated are we talking about here?" Fedorian asked.
"Enough to keep its occupant alive for thousands of years." Nader answered.
"And pray to tell who or what was this occupant?" Dalatrass Onisa asked, almost sounding accusatory.
"It was an egg." Nader asked. "A Rachnii egg."
The Dalatrass's eyes narrowed at Nader and the Asari High Matriarch ever so slightly shifted. The Turian Primarch was the only one not to show a visible reaction. "Why did you not destroy the thing?" The Dalatrass asked. "The Rachnii ravaged the galaxy thousands of years ago. Now you have run the risk of them doing it again."
President Nader hides her irritation. "Dalatrass the Rachnii have been dead for thousands of years. This only a single egg."
"A single egg that you believe to be a queen egg." The Dalatrass cut her off."
"Yes, it is. And I would appreciate it if you let me finish." Nader responded.
The High Matriarch looked at the Dalatrass. "Please let her continue."
Nader was thankful for the little help. "Now, as I was saying, there is only a single egg. This egg is still in its stasis chamber under heavy guard and is being monitored around the clock. The odds of anything crawling out of it and escaping are low, to say the least."
"It would still be best to destroy the thing." The Dalatrass said. "Truly rid the galaxy of these monsters."
Nader watched for any signs that the other two agreed with the leader of the Salarain Union. She hoped the lack of it was a good thing. "Esteemed leaders of the galaxy, I have a proposal that I know will be controversial." She said.
"Controversial?" The Asari leader asked.
Nader nodded. "Yes, we now have a decision to make. Regardless of what we choose and the consequences that come with it, it will be debated for centuries and generations to come. Esteemed leaders of the galaxy. I propose that we take the egg out of statis and allow it to hatch. Thereby giving the Rachnii a second chance." Nader paused, letting her statement sink in.
"Explain."
"What?"
"Are you insane?"
The next several hours would be some of the longest in Nader's life.
August 25th, 16:00, Kranas Station:
"I hope to see you soon." Hidaki said.
"Likewise." Olivia said. "The kids are looking forward to seeing you again."
Hidaki smiled. He hadn't seen his children in months now. "I am too." He responded. "I don't get to see them often enough, and it doesn't help that they've grown ten inches every time I turn around."
Olivia shook her head and laughed. "I know the feeling. I didn't believe people when they said that they grow up to fast. But now, the next time I turn around, the both of them will be bringing boys and girls home."
Hidaki rubbed his head. "Good lord, I don't even want to think about that or what it could lead to. I'd rather they stay the way they are forever."
"I would say we have at least a good decade before that happens. But we both know how quickly time can escape from us." Olivia said. "They'll both grow up eventually, find someone to love, and start their own families."
"Yea, well I would like to think that is still a long way off." Hidaki said. "Besides, who says they must settle down with someone. One or both may decide to stay single."
"True." Olivia conceded. "But it will be their choice to make. So how long before you get back to Earth?" She asked.
"About a week." Hidaki answered.
"And how long will you stay before they ship you back to the front lines?"
"Two weeks." Hidaki said. "I know it's not much time. But with the momentum of the war going the way it is. They want to keep the pressure on the Dragon Orphans."
Olivia nodded, showing her understanding. "Tell me, Hida. Is the war really going the way they say it is?" She asked. "I know they tend to exaggerate the details back home."
Hidaki understood where his wife was coming from. She was afraid that the war wasn't going as well as she was hearing. He put on his best smile. "I'll admit maybe they have exaggerated some of the details. But we are winning this war." That much was true. They had driven the Dragon Orphans out of Citadel space, which he had no doubt was celebrated. Though there were still small pockets of Dragon Orphans present, they were contained and slowly being dealt with. The offensive had now spread out into the former territories of the Batarian Hegemony, and they were making good headway. "If the offensive keeps on like this. We believe we'll be over Khar'shan in six to eight months."
"Khar'shan?" Olivia mutters. "Isn't that the homeworld of the Batarians?" She asked, getting a nod from Hidaki. "I see. Are there plans for retaking that planet?"
Hidaki shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Again, he knew what his wife was asking. Were they going to liberate the planet? One thing he knew they hadn't mentioned back home about the war were the orbital bombardments.
Back when they were fighting to reclaim Citadel space, Orbital bombardment was limited to supporting actions for ground forces. Nothing on a large scale that could damage a planet's ecosystem. But now they were fighting Batarian space that had changed. "I'm not sure." Hidaki admitted. "I'm guessing it'll depend on how much of a presence the Dragon Orphans have on the planet."
He knew there was no love lost for the Batarian people among the Citadel Races, and unfortunately, the sentiment had spread to much of the Terran people. Even Hidaki had to keep his bias in check and remind himself that the supposed sins of the Batarians were the actions of a government and not the whole of the species. It was a small comfort to know that enough higher-ups shared his restraint, and most Batarian worlds they came across were liberated with ground forces. But if they did find a heavily infested world, then bombardment was the order of the day. An event that was more frequent than Hidaki would have liked it to be. Again, few would mourn the loss of a world that had belonged to the Hegemony.
Olivia nodded. "I hope it won't come to anything too drastic." She said. "That said, I've heard on the news that our forces have been finding pockets of survivors. Is that true?"
Hidaki nodded, glad they were moving on to a more positive subject. "Yes, we've been finding more survivors than we expected. Refugees have been flooding into Citadel enough that they're having to open more worlds to cope with the influx. Though plenty are choosing to stay and try to rebuild their homes. You got to hand it to the Batarians, their survivors."
"They have to be." Olivia said. "To deal with a Dragon Orphan occupation. I remember reading the memoirs on how people lived in cities occupied by the Dragon Orphans during the second Dragon War." Hidaki remembered reading those too. They didn't exactly paint a pretty picture. "I imagine that they went through much the same. Perhaps when this war is over, we can help them rebuild their lives."
"That might not be a bad idea." Hidaki. 'We might even help them establish a new government. Hopefully, one that is free of the mistakes of the previous." Hidaki knew if a new Batarian state was established, it would likely be a puppet state for one of the Citadel races. His bet was on the Turians. Hidaki looked over at the clock on his desk. "I've got honey. Otherwise, I'll miss my shuttle." He said, getting up. "I'll see you soon, Olivia."
His wife smiled at him. "I'll be waiting. Love you."
"Love you too." Hidaki said, cutting the transmission. He let out a content sigh. It would be good to see his family again. He looked at the clock again, he should get going, or he would miss his shuttle.
He stood up from his seat, stretching out before grabbing his things.
It didn't take too long for Hidaki to arrive at the shuttle bay. He looked around for where his shuttle was. "Come one, where are you. KV-307. KV-307. KV-ah! There you are." Hidaki grinned when he spotted the lane marked KV-307. That would be his ride back to Earth.
The shuttle itself wouldn't take him directly back to Earth. There would be a few stops along the way where he would take another ship. But it would be a start, and so as long he got back home, he didn't mind. Seeing that a long line was already forming, Hidaki moved forward. He did want to get a good seat before all of them were taken.
He only stopped when he saw a familiar face. Standing around, seemingly lost, Saren looked around. Like Hidaki, he has a few bags wrapped around his body. Hidaki's grin grew, wondering if his friend and comrade would be riding the same shuttle as him.
He walked up to the man. "Hey, Saren." He said, getting the turian's attention. "Looks like they gave you some shore leave too."
Saren turned around and quickly recognized who was talking to him. His mandibles gave Hidaki a greeting twitch. "They did." He said.
Hidaki stopped just in front of Saren. "That's good to hear. We all need to rest once in a while, especially in our line of work. I imagine I'll be nice friends and family back home." Hidaki said. "Just a little bit ago, I was talking to my wife. Letting her know we'll be seeing each other soon. She told me that the kids are eager to see me again."
Saren nodded. "That's nice to hear." He said offhandedly.
Keeping the frown from his face, Hidaki asked Saren another question. "How long have they given you for shore leave?"
"I think in your calendar it would be about two weeks when I get back to Palavan." Saren answered.
Hidaki nodded. "So, about the same amount of time I get. That's good to hear. I won't have to worry about missing you when I get back from shore leave. So which shuttle are you taking back to Palavan?"
Saren looked at his Omni-tool. "Shuttle KV-307." He answered.
Hidaki's grin grew. "Nice," he said. "That's the same shuttle that I'm taking. Looks like we'll be sharing the same ride back home, or at least the first leg of it."
"That would be nice." Saren said, again offhandedly, like his mind was elsewhere.
"Come on." Hidaki said, taking his friend by the hand. "Let's get in line before it gets too long. I want to get some good seats."
The turian quickly followed after Hidaki. After a few short moments of cutting across the shuttle bay and showing their passes, the two got in line for the shuttle. "So, Saren." Hidaki said shortly after. "You got any plans when you get back to Palavan?"
Saren gave him a questioning expression. "Plans?"
"Yea," Hidaki responded. "Do you plan to do anything? Like seeing a movie or meet with someone. Like friends or family. Or" A sly grin from across his lips. "Is there a special someone waiting for you back home?"
Saren quickly got what Hidaki meant and rolled his eyes. "You know I have no interest in things like that." He said. "As for my plans when I get back to Palavan. I'm not sure what I'll do. Maybe just train more."
Hidaki frown. That didn't sound much like a vacation to him. "Don't you have anyone to see on Palavan? Friends or family."
Saren remained silent for a moment. "I don't have any friends. Not on Palavan, and my family is always busy. So, I'll probably be spending my shore leave alone."
Hidaki could understand that. He knew what it was like to come from a hardworking family. It sounded like Saren's vacation would be a lonely one. Maybe that's why Saren didn't seem to be looking forward to his shore leave like most others would. No, Hidaki mentally shook his head.
That may be a part of it, but Hidaki suspected that there was more to it. He looked at his friend, trying to discern what could be bringing him down. It was difficult to say. While Saren was open to Hidaki, he was still a private man. Then his eyes landed on Saren's, something connected in Hidaki's mind, and he mentally slapped himself. Of course, how could he have forgotten that?
"They're still not welcoming of ghouls on Palavan, are they?" The same could be applied to most of Citadel space. He knew the governments had officially welcomed them but didn't mean the general population did.
Hidaki was treated to the sight of his friend stiffening. A moment later, he relaxed and nodded. "My people can be stubborn. Most of them still think of people like me as demons." He said. "The soldiers around her might accept me. But that is only because I have fought and bled alongside them. The people of Palavan haven't done that."
Hidaki nodded, conveying he understood. Unlike the terran people, whose history with ghouls that likely went back thousands of years, the Citadel races had around half a decade of experience. He wouldn't be surprised if most still thought they all were mindless flesh-eating monsters. Little better than the monsters they had been fighting.
Hell, there were still a few holdouts that thought like that in the Federation. He can't imagine what Saren would be going through when he set foot on his homeworld. Odds were that he would isolate himself at his home and only venture out when needed.
Hidaki looked down, suddenly finding the floor to be more interesting. "It must be hard. Facing all of that and not having anyone there to help you." Sometimes Hidaki forgot how good he had it. He had friends and family waiting for him back home. He had a loving wife and children who adored him. And for the most part, discrimination had been dealt with back on Earth. But Saren had none of that going for him.
If there was a… way… that… he could help. "I'll deal with it. As I have dealt with it here." Hidaki didn't hear what Saren said as a crazy idea occurred to him.
An idea that might just work. Hidaki looked at Saren. Now all he had to do was convince Saren to go through with it. "Hey, Saren." He said, grabbing the turian's attention. "Do you strictly have to go back to Palavan? Or do you have a choice of where you can spend your shore leave?"
Saren gave him that look asked. "What are you planning?" Hidaki gave him a smile that told him it was nothing bad. Saren looked unconvinced but answered the question. "No, I can spend my shore leave anywhere I wish. Even on Thessia if I choose. But I don't have any reason to go anywhere else. I'll just face all the same problems. Expect I won't have anywhere to get away from it. So, why are you asking?" He asked.
Hidaki's grin widened. "Well," He began as they stepped onto the shuttle. "I just had this crazy idea."
September 1st, 12:00, Armstrong Station in Orbit of Earth:
"Remind me again." Saren began as they stepped out from the airlock and started to go through customs. "How did you convince me to come along with you?"
Hidaki gave him a cheeky grin. "Maybe I have a way with words?" He said.
Saren gave him the turian equivalent of a deadpan look. "Either that or I temporarily went senile."
"Either would have gotten you here." Hidaki responded. They got through customs and started to wander through the station. "Besides, don't you think it's better to spend time with me and my family rather than be coup up all alone on Palavan?"
"I guess." Saren said. He was still left to wonder how in the spirits did he let Hidaki convince him to spend shore leave on Earth with him. Why had he agreed to this? Even before becoming a ghoul, he spent most of his shore leaves alone in his home on Palavan. It was how he spent most of his childhood and adolescence years before signing up for the military.
He had never felt alone, or it never got to him if he did. He had accepted a long time ago that he was not a social person. It was a trait that ran in most of his family. So why now did the thought of being alone disturb him so much? He shook his head, deciding it was best not to dwell longer on the thought. The answer would eventually come to him. Besides, he looked at Hidaki. He suspected that the answer lay there.
With that thought, Saren looked around. "So, this is Armstrong station?" He asked. "I'm surprised at how modern it looks." As he understood it, this station was supposed to have been the first large-scale space station they constructed following the second Dragon War. So, shouldn't the spaces be more compacted and aged?
"It is." Hidaki answered. "It's named after the first human to set foot on our moon. Though if you're wondering. No, this is not the original station. That was decommissioned long before my granddad was born. It's in a museum somewhere." He explained. "I believe this is the third or fourth iteration."
Saren nodded. That made some more sense. They came to a viewport. Looking out it, all Saren could see was blue, and a lot of it. "No matter how many times I see it. I will never cease to be amazed by this sight." Hidaki said with awe in his voice. "Isn't it beautiful?"
Saren looked at the blue orb that hung in the darkness. For a moment, he had to quell an irrational fear from rising up in him. "I think it can use a little less water." He commented."
Hidaki nodded. "Right, I forgot that turians don't like water." He said.
"We just don't have much luck with it." Saren explained. "So, the reports are true. Most of your planet is covered by oceans. The Hanar would feel right at home here. I'm surprised your species didn't develop as an aquatic race."
Hidaki chuckled. "Well, many scientists believe that life on Earth began in the oceans." He explained. "And we have always had a special relationship with the water. Even before science began to progress us towards a better understanding of the world, we instinctively knew that. Where there is water, there is life."
"It would explain your people's talent for naval warfare." Saren commented as he remembered reading about his people's history with naval warfare on the seas of Palavan. As limited as it was, it helped the turian people to build on the concepts needed to operate a navy in space. He could only imagine how much more experience the terrans had by the time they started to build their first starships.
"A lot of our history was shaped by it." Hidaki said. He then pointed at a spot on the blue orb. "That's where we're going." Saren's line of sight followed to where the terran was pointing. It looked like he was pointing to a large island east of the largest of the two landmasses.
"That there is the island nation of Japan." Hidaki said. "Sometimes referred to as the land of the rising sun. We'll be spending our shore leave in its most famous city, Tokyo."
Saren nodded. It would be interesting to see what Hidaki's home was like. "Isn't that where the Dragon Orphans originated from?" He asked.
Hidaki gave him a grim nod. "Yea. It is. Though you won't find any living there or anywhere else on Earth. My ancestors made sure of that." A brief silence fell over the two. Both just watch the planet below slowly rotate. "Come one." Hidaki walks away from the viewport. "We need to get going. Don't want to miss our flight."
September 1st, 15:07, Earth, Tokyo:
"I expected something fancier." Saren said, looking up at the apartment complex.
Hidaki chuckled. "My family, while well known. Do prefer to keep it simple in where we like to live." He pulled the last of his bags from the vehicle behind them. "That said, this area does lean a little more towards the upper-class in terms of residents." He shut the door behind him. "Thanks for the ride." He said to the driver.
"No problem." The river said before speeding away.
"So, where is your apartment?" Saren asked, looking over the complex.
"It's on the third floor." Hidaki said. "I'll show you." Saren followed him. Saren had been to many planets in his service to the Hierarchy. Mostly other Turian colonies, but he had seen some of the worlds belonging to the other races. He had even been to Thessia before the war began.
In some ways, Earth reminded him of his visit to the Asari homeworld. It was so peaceful and idyllic, a far cry from the war-torn worlds he had been to for the past five years. He could see why the humans were so proud of their homeworld.
In other ways, it was very different from Thessia. The buildings lacked the same graceful and beautiful lines that asari architecture had. Not to say they didn't lack in their own beauty. The ARC materials used in the construction almost made the building feel alive. It was unsettling to Saren, but he quickly got used to it.
The flight over the city had been interesting as well. A large sprawling city that could have rivaled any other in Citadel space. Vibrant and almost alive, it was like gazing at a forest of flesh and steel, then an actual city. What had caught his attention was the dark blot that hung on the city's edge, lifeless compared to the rest of the city. It almost looked like a scar on the city.
When he asked Hidaki what it was. He told him it was the ruins from the Second Dragon War. They had been preserved as a memorial, a continued reminder of what his people went through during one of the darkest moments in Earth's history. Hidaki said they would visit it if they had the time.
On the way to the apartment, the two were greeted by the other complex residents. Who were more friendly than Saren had expected them to be. He had expected them to be a little more suspicious of him, with him being an alien on their world.
"Here we are." Hidaki said, stopping in front of a door. By its side and on the door were the numbers 305. On the door below the numbers was the plaque that read "Home of the Kens."
"Home sweet home." Hidaki muttered, pressing a button to the side. Saren heard a quick buzzing sound. A few moments later, the door opened, and a terran woman stepped out.
For a brief moment, the woman looked confused. But then a look of recognition morphed across her face, and she threw her arms around Hidaki. The man quickly returned the gesture and wrapped his arms around the woman. These Terrans seemed to like their physical contact
Saren just stood there, watching them embrace. He felt awkward about it, it felt like to him he was intruding on a private moment. Should he say something?
To his relief, the moment ended, and the two Terrans broke apart their embrace. "It's good to see you again." Hidaki said with a warm smile.
"And it's good to see you, too." The woman, who Saren was guessing was Hidaki's wife, said. Then she leaned in and kissed Hidaki on the lips. "That's for coming back alive."
Thump!
Saren blinked, his mouth hanging low and his mandibles frozen stiff. Hidaki was on his knees, clutching his head. The woman stood over him, fist held out and giving the man a fierce look. "And that's for scaring me." She said. "What in all nine hells were you thinking? Going up against a Dragon General. A full Dragon General. You could have been killed."
Hidaki stood up, still holding a hand on where his head was hit. "In my defense. The thing did attack us without warning. Trust me, Olivia, I wasn't planning to fight that thing that day."
The woman, now named Olivia, glared at him. "That doesn't help. The first thing that should have popped into your mind when that Dragon General appeared should have been how you would get out of there alive." The woman sighed and took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm herself down. "Honestly, Hidaki, you will give me more gray hairs than the kids will when they grow up."
Hidaki rubbed the back of his head. "For what's worth, I am sorry." He said. "I plan to live long to see our kids have grandkids."
Olivia huffed but had a small smile on her lips. "With how reckless you can be, it would be a minor miracle if you did live long enough for that?" She then caressed her hand on Hidaki's cheek. "Still try to be more careful next time."
"I'll try." Hidaki said. "Trust me, you won't be the only one that'll try to skin me if I got myself killed." He looked over at Saren.
Olivia looked over at him as well. "Ah, so you must be Saren." She said, turning to face the turian. She walked up to him and held her hand out. "It's nice to meet the man that saved my dumbass husband's life. He's told me a lot about you."
Uncertain how to react to this woman, Saren took the woman's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well." He said, shaking it. He looked at Hidaki, who was still nursing his head. "Is he going to be, okay?"
"What?" Olivia said, glancing at Hidaki. "Oh," She said with an almost bored expression before looking back at Saren. "Don't worry about him. He's got a thick skull. It'll take a lot more than that to crack it."
"R-right." Saren said. He made a mental note never to cross this woman. "I'm sorry, Hidaki, but if you anger this woman. You're on your own." He decided then that there were things scarier than a Dragon General.
"Don't worry about it." Hidaki said, walking up to the two. "She's given me plenty of thumps on the head over the years. All of them for the stupid shit I've pulled."
"Does that include the time you jumped out of a transport to save my life?" Saren asked.
"You did what now?" Olivia asked, staring at her husband. Saren could have sworn he saw literal fire in her eyes.
Hidaki chuckled nervously. "H-hey, about we go inside now?" He said, turning around. "It's a little rude to be blocking traffic like this." It should be noted that there was no one else in the hallway.
The woman rolled her eyes. "We are talking about this later and anything else you might have forgotten to tell me about." She hissed.
Saren could almost hear his friend gulp. "Yes, dear." He said.
A small smile formed on Olivia's lips. "Come on, you two." She said. "The kids are eager to see their daddy again. And I'm sure they'll be more than happy to meet you, Mr. Saren."
"It's just Saren." Saren responded, following the two. "Ms. Ken."
The woman snorted. "Alright then, Saren." She said. "But only if you drop the Ms. Ken shit. You saved my husband's life, and he considers you a friend. So, you can drop any formalities. So just call me Olivia."
Saren just nodded. He wasn't about to argue against this woman.
The three figures walked into the apartment. Before Olivia had a chance to close the door behind them. Before Hidaki and Saren could react, a shadow darted out from nowhere and impacted against Hidaki's leg, sending him stumbling back.
"Daddy!" An excited and high-pitched voice said.
Saren looked down at the small figure that had latched itself to Hidaki's right leg. He gasped at seeing a miniature Hidaki. Same black hair and single grey eye with a Kakugan next to it. It was surreal seeing a tiny version of Hidaki like this. Shrink the real Hidaki down to the boy's size, and Saren would have difficulty telling the two apart.
Saren had missed most of the little boy's excited babble in his stunned state as a second tiny figure waddled up to them. "Dada. Dada." The little terran girl said excitedly. She looked a lot like her mother, except she had her father's black hair.
Hidaki was quick to recover, and the man formed the biggest smile Saren had ever seen. He picked the boy up, getting a delighted shout. "Hey, there, little man. How have you been doing? Have you been a good little boy? You haven't been giving mommy any trouble, have you?"
The little giggled. "No, daddy. I've been a good boy." He said.
"Oh?" Hidaki said, quirking an eyebrow. He looked over at his wife, who had picked the little girl up. "Is this true? Has our little man been a good boy?"
Olivia smiled at her husband. "You know as well as I do that our little Kaneki is the sweetest little boy in the galaxy. I don't think he has a single bad bone in his body. Unlike you, who constantly gives me a heart attack with the stunts you pull."
Hidaki chuckle. "Well, I hope he stays like that for both of our sakes." Then he glances over at the little girl in his wife's arms. Shifting the boy carefully in his arms, Hidaki held out a free hand and patted the girl on the head. "And how is our little girl doing?"
Both parents looked fondly at the youngest child. "She's almost as sweet as Kaneki."
"That's good to hear." Hidaki said. "I swear she's grown two inches since I last saw her. Was she just walking a moment ago? When did that happen?"
"A couple of months ago." Olivia responded. "She was trying to get to one of her toys when she stood and started to walk to it. Well, stumbled, really."
Hidaki's grin was wide now. "I bet you squealed loud enough for the neighbors to complain." He got a heated glare from his wife. "How come you didn't tell me?"
Olivia's glare was replaced with a soft smile. "I wanted it to be a surprise when you got back." She explained.
Once more, Saren felt like he was an intruder, standing here watching the couple fond over their children. "Maybe I shouldn't be here. It would have been better if I had gone back to Palavan." He briefly wondered if it wasn't already too late to take a shuttle to his homeworld.
He didn't get to think over that thought much when Hidaki looked over at him. "How rude of us." He said. "Sorry that we forgot about you. It's just that I don't get to see my family much with this war." He explained. "It must be awkward just standing there and seeing us act like this."
"It's fine." Saren said. "I could step out for a bit and let you have your moment together." He offers, pointing to the door behind him.
Hidaki would have none of that. "No, no." He said. "You're our guest here. We should be entertaining you. Not letting you stand idle idly by feeling awkward."
The boy in his shoulders was looking at Saren curiously. "Whose that daddy?" He asked.
Hidaki smiled. "I'm glad you asked." He responded to his son. "This is a friend of mine, Saren. Say hi, Kaneki."
"Hi." The little Kaneki said, waving a tiny hand.
"Saren this is my son, Kaneki Ken." Hidaki introduced.
"It's nice to meet you." Saren began, feeling a strange warmth in his chest. "Kaneki?" He then asked for confirmation. That name sound familiar for some reason to Saren.
"We named him after his ancestor." Hidaki explained. "It's actually common to do that in our family." Saren nodded, showing that he understood. He now remembered why the name sounded familiar. To be named after an important figure in their history must be an honor. "And this is my daughter." As he was saying his wife stepped up, holding out the little girl to where Saren could see her. "Hinata. Say hi, Hinata."
The girl might have tried to do as her father said. But the hi, came out as garbled gibberish. Her mother looked down at the girl fondly. "She says it's a pleasure to meet you."
Saren had a smile of his own on, though he didn't know it. "The pleasure is mine." He said.
The boy, Kaneki, was still looking at him curiously. "Are you a dinosaur?" He asked.
Saren was taken aback for a moment. "A what." He asked, confused. It didn't help his confusion when Hidaki and his wife just had knowing smiles on.
"You know." The boy said like that it should explain it all. "A dinosaur, raaugh." The boy held both of his hands up and curled his fingers.
Saren looked to Hidaki wanting to get some answers. The man smiled and mouthed. "I'll explain later."
Saren looked back at the boy. "No, I'm not." He answered the boy's question. "I'm a turian."
The boy tilted his head to the side. "A tu-ran?" He said, trying to say the word carefully. "What's that?" He asked.
"Turian." Saren corrected, knowing that the young boy wouldn't get it right away. "It's what I am."
The boy looked like he was going to ask more questions. But his father preempted him. "He's an alien, little guy, not a dinosaur."
The boy looked back and forth between his father and Saren. "An ale-in?" The boy questioned. Then his face lit up as he seemed to understand what he was being told. "Like the ones on Tv? The blue ladies and lizard people?"
"Yes, that's right." Hidaki said, nodding. "He's an alien from another planet. And he's, my friend."
The little Kaneki nodded, showing he understood or thought he understood. He looked back at Saren. The little boy carefully scanned Saren's face, soaking in every detail. After a moment, Saren began to feel awkward again and started to wonder if he should say anything. "Why do you have eyes like me?" The boy asked.
Briefly caught off guard, Saren wondered what the boy meant. Then his mind caught up, and his hand reached up to his eyes. Sometimes he forgot about that. "That's because I'm a." Saren began to explain. Or tried to. How was he going to explain this in a way that the boy could understand it?
Hidaki once again came to his rescue. "He's a ghoul." He said to his son. "Like us."
The boy looked up at his father with curiosity. "A ghoul like us?" He repeated, getting a nod from his father. "He's an alien ghoul?" He got another nod. The boy again looked back between Hidaki and Saren and occasionally stole a glance at his mother and sister. "There are alien ghouls?" He asked.
"Yes, there are?" His mother answered. "Don't' worry, they're no different from us." She explained.
The boy looked back at Saren. And his face lit like a sun. "That's so cool!" The boy said, almost shouting. "What kind of kag-kagu-gugan-ka." Kaneki stumbled over the word as he tried to pronounce it.
"Kagune." Saren helpfully supplied.
"Yea, that." The boy said brightly. At this time, Hidaki had set the young boy down, and he was standing on his own two feet, looking up at Saren. "What kind do you have? Is it like mine?" To demonstrate, the boy closed his eyes and seemed to focus on something. A moment later, two red tail-like appendages sprouted from the boy's back. Almost as long as the boy was tall, the red tails swished around in the air, exuding the same excited energy that the boy himself was radiating. The boy looked back up at Saren, smiling widely to show his teeth. "Are they like this?"
Saren was momentarily taken back, surprised that the young boy would so openly display his Kagune. Then he had to remind himself that this was not Citadel space. He shook his head. "No," He answered the boy. "Mine's different."
The boy, Kaneki, tilted his head again. A gesture that Saren was quickly found to be enduring on the child. "Different? How? Is it like daddy's or mommy's?"
Saren began to scratch at his chin. Wondering how he was going to explain this to the boy. He wasn't quite comfortable enough to show his Kagune to the boy like he was doing now. "Well, you see." He started.
Yet again, Hidaki came to his rescue. That was twice in one day, must be record. "Now, Kaneki. Don't pressure the man. He's only just gotten here like me." Hidaki looked at Saren and gave him a knowing smile. Saren gave him an appreciative nod. "He'll show you when he's ready."
The little boy looked like he was ready to protest when his mother stepped into the conversation. "Listen to your daddy, Kaneki." She said with a gentle smile. However, there was a firmness in her voice that left no room for argument. "And how about you put those things away?"
Kaneki caught on to the firmness in his mother's voice and wisely did as she said. "Alright." He said, as the red tails receded into his body.
Hidaki shook his head in amusement before looking at Saren. "I'm sorry about that." He said. "Kids can be a real handful sometimes, and my little boy is a tad bit more energetic than most."
Saren let out a small sigh. It was weird being around children like this. Not in a bad way, but it was different. "I don't mind." He said after a moment of thought. "He seems like a good kid. Must take after you."
Hidaki chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "That's nice to know. Though I hope he doesn't take after me in everything. It be better if he got his mother's sense."
Olivia huffed. "For both of our sakes, I hope he does." She said. "If he does become anything like you are now, I'll be getting those gray hairs quicker than I would like. Whoever he chooses to bring home will have my sympathies."
"Bring home?" Saren questions.
"It's an old expression." Hidaki explained. "It means introducing someone to the family as a potential mate."
Saren nodded, showing he understood. "In that case, they also have my sympathies." He commented.
Hidaki looked like he was just shot. "Hey, you're almost as reckless as I am." He said.
Saren smiled with his mandibles twitching. "But unlike you, I have no one to worry about it. Nor do I have an interest in having someone like that." He explained.
All the while, Kaneki was just staring between the adults. Seemingly confused by the conversation they were having. "Daddy, what's a mate? And what does being rackless mean?"
Hidaki and his wife Olivia exchange quick smiles before looking down at their child. "We'll explain that later when you're older." Hidaki said. "But let's just say that a mate is just a very, very, good friend."
"Very." Olivia added.
"As for what reckless means." Hidaki began. "That's also something for when you're older."
Kaneki looked confused for a moment. "When I'm older?" He questioned. "When's that?"
"When it happens." Hidaki answered. "Now then. How about we all step into the living room. I imagine some of us are getting tired standing around like this."
"That reminds me." I need to get around to feeding this little thing." She said, adjusting the little girl in her arms. As though to prove a point, a small grumbling noise escaped from the child.
"Let me." Hidaki said, holding his arms out.
"You sure?" Olivia asked. "You only just got home. You haven't had time to settle in."
"I'm sure." Hidaki confirmed. "I haven't gotten much of a chance to spend time with my little girl. I want to be around her as much as possible while I'm on leave."
"Alright then." The woman said, handing the hungry child over to her father. "The food should be on the counter. All you need to do is warm it up. You got her?"
"I do." Hidaki responds, carefully cradling his young daughter in his arms. "Come on, little one it's time for you to eat." He said to her. Getting a happy cue from the child.
The small group of three adults and two children made their way out from the front entrance. Entering the living area, Hidaki went into another room, taking his daughter with him. Sitting down on a grey couch, Olivia looked at the little Kaneki. "Why don't you go with your father and help him. I want to have a talk with our guest." She said.
"Okay." The boy chirped and darted after his father.
Saren watches the young boy disappear past the doorframe, an unmistakable smile on his face. "I've never seen him so happy." Saren commented, looking at his friend's wife. "Don't get me wrong. He's always in bright spirits when we're not in the middle of a fight. But his smile never seemed so bright, and he's more relaxed. It's almost like I'm looking at a different person."
"That's because he's with his family now." Olivia said. "And he knows he's safe here." She gestured over to one of the grey chairs next to the couch. "Come on, have a sit. You're our guest here, and you shouldn't be standing around."
Saren nodded and walked over to the chair and took a seat. As best he could, for obvious reasons, the chair wasn't designed with Turians in mind.
The woman seemed amused by the small amount of squirming he had to do to get comfortable. "I'm sorry about the chair." She said. "Maybe the next time you visit, we'll have something for you."
Saren shook his head. "No need." He said. "This will do just fine." Besides, it wasn't like he was planning to visit Hidaki's home again. "So, you said you wanted to talk to me?"
The woman nodded. "I wanted to thank you."
"Thank me?"
"For saving my husband's life." Olivia clarified. "If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be here right now. He wouldn't be feeding his daughter right now." There was a slight tremble in the woman's voice. "Hell, he might have never gotten to see her at all. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to him. Not to mention how the kids would have taken it."
"I only did what others would have done." Saren said.
"But not many would have succeeded." Olivia added. "So, thank you for making sure my Hidaki got home safe. For giving our children the chance to grow up with a father who cares about them." The woman let out a breath of air. "I don't know what's he told about me."
"Only that you're the most amazing and beautiful woman he has ever seen." Saren said, recalling all the times his friend told him about his wife and kids. "And that he thinks he must be the luckiest man in the galaxy to have met you."
Olivia smiled and let out a snort. "He exaggerates." She said. "But only a little. But I imagine he hasn't told you much about my past." Saren shook his head. He only recalled Hidaki telling him that she had a difficult childhood. "I won't give you my entire life's story before meeting Hidaki."
The woman sat up straight on the couch. "I never had a father." The woman began. "He was gone long before I was born for what reason I'll never know. As for my mother, well, let's just say she was in no position to be my mother for most of my life." Saren was surprised by the lack of bitterness in her voice. Just a sense of tiredness. "Don't get me wrong, she is a good woman, and nowadays, she makes a better grandmother than she did as a mother. But I digress. For the most part, I had to raise myself. I very quickly learned that the only person that I could depend on was myself."
"That would explain your flowery attitude." Was that the right expression?
Olivia huffed. "True," She said. "Though I have mellowed out over the years. But you should have seen us when we met. I put him through a lot of abuse before it got through my head that he was genuine towards me, and he was exactly what I needed in my life. Still, sometimes I have to wonder how I never had him running away from me with his tail tucked between his legs. He must have been too dense to realize how bad I was, or he had more patience than I deserved." The woman was holding her arms now. "He claims I'm the most amazing woman he has met and that he must have been lucky. Truth is I was the lucky one."
"Maybe you both were lucky." Saren said.
"Maybe," Olivia said. "But the point is that I had to grow up without both of my parents. I don't want our kids to do the same."
"But wouldn't you still be here for them?" Saren said, hating that he was even entertaining the idea that his friend could die in this war.
"Maybe," Olivia said softly. "I would like to think that if something ever did happen to Hidaki. That I would hold strong. I would be there for my kids, and I would be the parent they needed. That they wouldn't have to raise themselves. But the truth is I can't say that with any certainty. No one can know how they'll act in a situation like that until it has happened. Because of you, I may never have to find out." Olivia looked at him; tears were streaming down her cheeks. "And for that, I thank you. And I ask that you continue to do that."
Saren opened his mouth and then closed it. His mandibles twitch in thought. Then he nodded. "You have my word." He said.
The woman nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thank you." She said. "Enough about me." She patted the armrest next to her. "I want to hear something about you. You got to know a little bit about me. Now I want to hear a little bit about the man that saved my husband's life."
"I," Saren began, wondering what he could say. "Alright, what do you want to know?" They talked on like that until Hidaki came back in with the kids. Then continued with the conversation, talking about a variety of things.
By the end of the day, Saren had learned a lot about Hidaki and his family and more about terran society. "I see that you enjoyed yourself." Hidaki said, stepping into the guest room.
Saren was sitting on the edge of the bed. "More than I thought I would." He admitted. He never really expected to enjoy it at all. He had thought it would just be a simple visit. Little different than he would experience if he had gone back to Palavan.
Hidaki smiled. "That's good to hear." He said. "My kids seem to have taken a shine to you. Particularly Kaneki."
That was a bit of an understatement. For reasons that were beyond him, Hidaki's son had started to call him Uncle Saren. "I don't get why he calls me that. We're not even the same species, let alone blood-related."
Hidaki chuckled. "He likes you." He answered. "And family isn't about being related by blood." A loud yawn escaped from the older man. "I think it's time I turned in for the night. I suggest you get some sleep too. We've had a long day."
"Thank you." Saren said before Hidaki could leave the room. "For inviting me over to your home.
Hidaki stopped for the briefest of moments. "What are friends for?" Then he left.
Left alone, Saren looked out the window and up at the night sky. His eyes scanned over the field of stars, and he wondered which one of them belonged to Trebia. Could its light even be seen from here? He began to think about today. How he, for lack of a better word, enjoyed it.
Coming to this world meeting Hidaki's family. It had been more than he expected. On Palavan, he would have felt alone and isolated, and that was before his transformation. Here though, he felt something different. "Perhaps, I'll visit again." He mussed to himself.
September 1st, 23:37, Sur'Kesh:
Toss was not a happy Salarian right now. In fact, he had not been a happy Salarian for some years now. Years ago, he had been the representative for his people on the Citadel Council, a rarity for a male. He had power, he had influence. In a way, he was second only to the Dalatrass of the Union. His future was bright and clear.
Then he had nothing. The Dalatrass, his Dalatrass had reassigned him. Replaced him with a cousin that he hated. The Dalatrass had reassured him that this was not a punishment. She was assigning him to a position fitting his talents. One that would allow him to serve her directly.
He should have known that woman was a master of lies. Sure, his position, Third Adjacent to the Minister of Internal Affairs, was an important position and still afforded him considerable influence. Any male would have been honored to be in his place. Toss was not any male.
He had learned very quickly that while it had its perks, his position was little more than a glorified paperweight. He served directly under the Dalatrass (and serval other females), but he barely got to see her. And when he did, she always gave him this bemused look. It inferiority him.
He wanted so much more. He wanted power. He wanted influence. He wanted to be respected by all that looked to him. He wanted his old position back.
"Damn those batarians." He cursed the current source of his unhappiness. "I should have never trusted them for this job. And damn the Terrans and their demons." He then cursed the source of all his problems.
It was because of the Terrans he was in a position of power. It was because of them that monsters roamed the galaxy. They consorted with monsters and AIs; and the Council and even the Dalatrass let them. Couldn't they see how dangerous the Terrans were? They were reckless and power-hungry. Their arrogance, if left unchecked, would put the galaxy in even greater danger.
"Why couldn't those monkeys have gone extinct on their own planet centuries ago. It would have saved us all a lot of trouble." He took a breath to calm himself.
At least know would ever know that he was one to give away the patrol paths of several Terran patrol groups. He had hoped that the batarians would have been competent enough to destroy at least a few of them and bring back their technologies.
It was clear to him that the Terrans were harboring the best technologies for themselves. Everyone in the galaxy knew it, but no one was willing to do anything about it. No one but him.
Toss smiled to himself, imagining what would have been if the Batarians had succeeded. He imagines himself personally offering rare and valuable technologies to the Dalatrass herself. She would have thanked him professedly for his loyalty and devotion to the Union and to her. Would have praised him for taking the initiative when no one else would.
As thanks, she would have offered him any reward. And being the humble man he was, all he would have asked was to be the Salarain councilor again, so he may continue to serve his people. He would power again. He would have influence. His words would have weight.
His smile turned into an angry frown. If only the batarians had been a little more competent and the Terrans a little less so. With his frown deepening, he brought a display of a terran ship. One of their Carriers. Those things were proving to be a problem and were the chief reason why many Batarian attacks failed.
Toss didn't think much of ships whose main armaments were their strike craft. To him, dreadnoughts were the more fearsome and effective vessels. Now he had to re-evaluate that assessment. He turned the display off and began to think over his options. He was safe. He had made sure that the attacks could not be traced back to him. If the Terrans did find something, he had taken measures to ensure they would lead to someone else.
Still, Toss knew his best option was to wait. The next time he made his move, he would get someone who he knew would do their job right. Maybe the Eclipse of the Blood Pack?
Toss heard the faint chime of the intercom activating. "Adjacent Toss," A voice said.
"Yes, what is it?" He said to his assistant.
"Some guests have arrived to see you, sir."
"Didn't I tell you I didn't want to be disturbed?" Toss reprimanded.
His assistant hesitated for a moment before continuing to speak. "I afraid they were rather insistent, sir. They're on their way to your room now, sir."
Toss frowned. Who could possibly be in such a hurry to see him? "Very well. I'll see to them." He said. Almost on cue, he heard the door to his apartment chime. "I'm coming." He said and hurried to the door. Best not to keep his guests waiting.
He got to the door and opened it. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the ground, a sharp pain shooting through his jaw, and his arms were being twisted around to his back.
Recovering as best as he could, Toss looked up and felt a chill go down his back when he saw his assailants were dressed in STG uniforms. One walked up to him. "Third Adjacent Toss. I am agent H'ress of the STG. I'm afraid that I'll have to place you under arrest."
How could things have gone so wrong?
September 2nd 01;30, Citadel, private chambers of the Salarain councilor:
Councilor Hutow deactivated her Omni-tool after she finished reading the report. She smiled at the holo-image of the ambassador in front of her. "Good news, ambassador. I just word that STG has just taken my predecessor into custody."
Ambassador Goyle nodded. "Good," She said curtly. "My government expects that he be turned over to our custody as soon as possible."
"Of course, Ambassador Goyle." The Salarain said with a well-practiced smile. "I hope that this incident does do anything to harm the already fragile relationship between our two peoples."
"Good," Goyle said. "You have the gratitude of the Federation for helping us uncover this plot against its people, and I assure you that this man will pay for what he has done."
"Of course," Hutow said. "Such behavior is unfitting for a civilized galaxy, and others like him must be made to understand that such behavior will not go unpunished. I hope that my aide will show to you once and for that the Salarian people bare no ill will towards the terran people. We only wish for a peaceful and prosperous relationship." Then she allowed her features to soften. "But I do ask you a favor."
The terran ambassador gave her a questioning look. "Yes, what is it?" She asked.
"Despite what he has done. Toss is still my cousin, and family is family. I ask that whatever sentence he receives; it not be the death penalty."
"I will see what I can do." Goyle said. "But I make no promises. His greed has cost a lot of lives."
Hutow gave the Terran Ambassador a respectful bow. "That is all I ask." She said.
Goyle nodded, and her image flicked out of existence. Now alone in her private chambers, the Salarain councilor allowed her smile to melt away. "Toss you fool. You couldn't be a good little male and stay in your place. Now, look where you have gotten yourself." She snorted, thoroughly displeased with her cousin's conduct. This would reflect poorly on her clan. "At the very least, you could have gotten something for us out of this. Be lucky in your failure you will still serve the Union."
Hutow smiled to herself. Once word got out about this, it would be a blow to the Union's image. But it was nothing the Dalatrasses couldn't mitigate. By handing her foolish cousin over to the Federation, it would pave the way for them to become more trusting and open to the Union. And a more trusting and open Federation would be easier to infiltrate.
Another break from the action, as get see Hidaki and Saren get some much-needed shore leave. And if course Toss makes an appearance, but only for like five minutes. I did say he would be back. But let's be honest here, you were surprised that he would pull something like? And that his succosor would throw him under the Mako?
Well people we're getting to the end here. Just a little one more chapter and an epilogue. I hope you'll stick with to the end on this one. Until then see you in the next update.
