Memento Mori

A Selection of shorts and unrelated one-shots. Mostly stuff that comes to my head while watching the show or things I think should have happened. Things I would like to see. Jane Centric, but there will be shorts about the other characters as well.


Spoilers for the mid-season finale!

...

This is set after the Orion attack and after Remi recruits Nigel (Bordon) into the ranks of the family. This is how she becomes a key member of sandstorm and how she turns against the government that tried to kill her. An explanation to why she was not with her family for the first three years of Sandstorms rise and how she came to hate the government even more. Dark themes.


Remi finally returns to the family


Forged in Fire

They had made it into the city within three days. Three long hot days, most of which were spent in the back of goat filled trucks. It was on the first day that Remi found out, she had a strong dislike for the filthy animals. They stank to high heaven, they were loud and they didn't have any concept for personal space.

By the time the sun had set on the first day, they had found refuge in a small village. She and Nigel spent the night there, managing to take shelter in a barn. The air tense between them as they both stared into the dancing flames of the fire. They didn't eat that night.

They were woken early by the sound of screeching tires, boots on sand, then a chorus of screams and shouts. Remi was the first to the partially open door of the barn. Gazing out through the gap at a small army of soldiers. A few months ago, she probably would have been one of those soldiers, probably on a routine search. 'Keeping the locals safe from any and all terror threats.' A few months ago, she would have proudly believed any bullshit the government had told her. She would have proudly stood her ground as she invaded this small village, but the truth was, those men and woman dressed in green were not protecting this place from terrorists. They were the terrorists.

She felt a surge of anger flow through her at the thought. If this were exactly four months ago, the site of so many marines 'protecting the people' would have made her swell with pride. Now all it did was incite feelings of hate. Hate towards every single marine that stood in that village. Their bodies clad in armour as they blindly followed orders in a place they didn't belong.

They hid as the soldiers searched the small village. A young man, still wet behind the ears stupidly breaking off from his comrades. He entered the barn with his rifle raised, his footing was loud and clumsy.

Remi watched the life drain from his eyes, her knife finding the soft flesh of his neck with ease. Another letter home to a giving mother. Another forgotten flag folded on the mantelpiece and another life lost in a pointless war.

One the second day, they reached the outskirts of the city. Taking refuge in the skeletal remains of a small stone house. Her partially healed spine hurting a lot less as she finally allowed her body to rest. She still walked with a limp however.

As night fell, Remi listened to Nigel talk about his childhood. She avoided questions about her own. They warmed their shaking limbs by the fire, conversing into the early hours of the morning. That was the first time Remi had tried snake. She came to the conclusion that it didn't taste like chicken at all, in fact if she had not seen it slithering about near their camp an hour before, she would be convinced she was actually eating rubber...salty rubber.

On the third day, she and Nigel made it to the city, she covered her face, brilliant green eyes surveying the area. Men, woman and children surrounded by heavily armed strangers from another land. They traded guns for bread and as night fell, they were taken in by a kindly old man and his family. They would share a meal of bread, wine and a delicious goat curry. She would teach his youngest daughter how to draw a tulip and they would swap stories from their childhood. Again, Remi would simply listen, a sad smile painting her features.

They left that morning, the man's wife had packed them both a lunch of bread and olives. She even threw in some of the cheese Remi couldn't get enough of the night before.

Three weeks later, news would arrive that the man and his family had perished in a mortar attack. The government would brush their deaths off as yet another string of 'unavoidable casualties'

She and Nigel had managed to stow away on a cargo ship, trading guns for passage. As soon as they were safely tucked away in their makeshift quarters, the events of the past weeks finely took hold of them. Remi had collapsed as soon as she placed her head on the lumpy pillow. Her broken body giving up the ability to move. Her gun was tucked under pillow, just in case. Nigel thought she was still sleeping as he mourned his wife.

It would be the last time cried about anything.

They had arrived in America a little over three weeks later. Their sun damaged skin sensitive against the biting cold that greeted them. They managed to…obtain a small truck on their way into the city, stopping occasionally to use the lavatory and eat.

They stopped at a diner a few miles from out of the city, their last stop before the three-hour drive to their destination. Nigel ordered an English breakfast, extra bacon, extra sausage, a cup of black coffee and pancakes on the side. Remi was too nervous to eat.

She found herself staring at the family of four at the other end of the diner. A young boy no older than four hiding behind his mother as his slightly older sister flicked peas at him. Remi smiled at the image. The girl turned to face her, grinning at her with a toothless smile.

They left without paying the bill.

It took them less time than expected to reach the last location Remi knew her family to be. The sun sinking below the clump of trees that surrounded the secluded farm. She was half expecting to find the place abandoned. She turned off the engine, her hands knuckle white on the wheel. Her breaths coming out in ragged gasps. She could see Nigel staring at her from the passenger's seat.

"How long has it been?" He asked. "Since you have seen your family."

"Three years." She admitted. The doctor nodded. "We didn't exactly leave on good terms. I wanted to believe that people were generally good…my mother had other ideas."

"You haven't even spoken to them?"

Remi shook her head.

"I tried to contact my brother…but…" She let the sentence linger, taking a deep breath.

"It's alright. Take your time."

Blowing out the breath she didn't realise she had been holding, Remi opened her door, turning on her heel as she heard the other car door open behind her.

"No. You stay here." She ordered.

"Why?"

"My family don't like strangers."

"But-"

"Trust me. If I am not back in an hour, drive away and never come back."

Nigel nodded again, closing the door and resting his hands in his lap. His wide brown eyes gazing at Remi with a hopeful expression.

"See you in an hour then."

It was a short walk to the compound from the road, her heart beating in her chest as she got closer and closer to the old farm. She pushed the bag she wore further up her shoulder, feeling eyes on her as soon as she walked through the gate. The smell of copper invading her nostrils.

She ignored the suspicions glares she got from the men wearing black, holding her head high as she passed. Her heart beat harder and faster in her chest. Her palms began to sweat.

After all, she had no idea how they would react to her return. She had not exactly left things on a good note. There had been screaming, shouting and maybe a few breakable object being thrown at the wall. She had just refused to believe that her government were the monsters her mother had perceived them to be. Refused to turn to violence and terror to fix a country that she believed, was not even broken.

She knew now as she rubbed her aching shoulders and throbbing legs, her fingers brushing over the partially healed burns on her torso, she had been wrong. So very wrong.

She stared down the man that guarded the door, could see a flicker of fear in his eyes as she refused to back down. As he realised exactly who it was he was challenging. He moved to the side when the door opened. A familiar bearded man appearing in the door way. His eyes were soft as he took in her bedraggled appearance, noticing, the way she favoured her right side.

"Let me talk to Shepard." She said. The man mealy nodded, stepping aside.

"I assume you remember the way?"

Remi said nothing. Stepping over the threshold and jumping slightly as the door slammed shut behind her. She heard voices coming from the office. Talking a deep breath, she turned the corner, finely coming face to face with the family she hadn't seen in years.

For a moment, she just stood there, her bag slung over one shoulder. Shepard stood in-front of her desk, her arms crossed over her chest, back straight and head slightly inclined to the side. Her lips were thin as she stared at Remi with cool, calculating eyes. Roman stood behind her, his eyes wide and hopeful, her little brothers face an expression between anger, sadness and adoration. Remi stared Shepard down for less than a minute, before moving her eyes to the floor, her bag slipping from her shoulder and landing with a heavy thud on the ground. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she sighed.

"You were right." She said softly. She clenched her jaw to hold back the tears that threatened to fall, to muffle the sob that so desperately wanted to push its way passed her lips. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Roman shift, almost as if he was fighting the urge to run up to her, take her in his arms and never let go.

"This government doesn't care about me or it's people. It never did." Shepard didn't move from her place at the desk. Her expression never changed. Remi felt the tears finally fall, causing her sun blistered cheeks to burn and tingle.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left the family. I'll understand if you want nothing more to do with me. Just say the word, and I'll go." Her eyes were still cast down to the floor.

Roman's head instantly moved in Shepard's direction, his eyes widening in terror of her answer. For the first time since she had entered the room. Her mother's face softened, her posture relaxing as she took a step towards her daughter, gentle hands moving to Remi's face and lifting her head ever so slightly upwards.

"I'm so sorry you had to see the government for who they really are. So sorry it took your death to realise you were on the wrong side."

Shepard wiped away another tear that fell down Remi's left cheek. Smiling sadly, Shepard's other hand moved to caress her daughters face, placing a soft kiss on the younger woman's forehead.

"My dear sweet Remi. My beautiful girl. Always seeing the good in people…even when there is no good to see. After everything you have been through."

Remi moved her gaze to the floor once more.

"You will always be welcome here and we will make the government pay for what they have done…as a family."

Remi looked back up at her mother, her eyes now bloodshot. Shepard smiled at her.

"The only way to fix this country…" Shepard began. Roman continued the sentence as he took three large strides towards them. His strong arm wrapping around his sister.

"Is to burn it to the ground" He tightened his arm around her, resting his chin gently on the top of her head. Remi nodded. Hardening her expression, finishing the sentence she had heard uttered so many times before.

"And only through the ashes…can we rise again."


I hope you enjoyed it. It's my take on what could have happened during those months Remi was on her way back from the Orion attack. I am still not sure whether or not Remi was part of Sandstorm before she was part of Orion or whether she had abandoned the family to join the military.

But this is my take.

Hope you enjoy!

Please tell me what you think. :)

Just to clarify, I love goats. I think they are awesome!

(Tell me if there are any grammatical errors. :) )

A.W