Author's Note: I am so sorry that this chapter is incredibly late. Unfortunately, my personal life is finally interfering with my ability to edit this story. I had a small medical scare that left me sick for the last couple weeks (I am fine now). Additionally, I am a teacher who is also in college and the end of the semester is becoming quite busy.
I promise you that I will not abandon this story, but I do ask for some patience and grace with future updates. I might try and get several chapters edited and wait to do a mass update. I am starting to get into the parts of the story where I am adding chapters and trying to integrate it with what is already written seamlessly.
Thank you so much for continuing to read and for the few reviews we have received. They are greatly appreciated ^.^
Please enjoy!
Shepard managed to finally drag herself to a shower after successfully pulling Jack and Miranda off each other. The two feuding women were now on armor and weapon maintenance duty for the next month. They were on alternating shifts of course; Selene could never trust them to play nicely in the confined space of the armory.
Miranda also had her XO duties to attend to, though the crew usually deferred to Garrus in Shepard's absence.
Aboard a military ship, the two women's actions would have gotten them confinement for two months and forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month they were restricted. Some COs still utilized corporal punishment as a means to break recruits that could not get along. It was not strictly sanctioned by the Alliance, but it still happened, especially on back-water planets.
Even though Cerberus was paying the squad a generous salary for their services, Selene never felt comfortable docking pay, considering the nature of their mission. Unfortunately, insubordination had to be delt with somehow. She was constantly reminded through events such as today that she was no longer in the Alliance.
Even though most of the crew came from a service background, she chose not to treat them with the same restrictions as the Alliance.
However, there were still rules and a chain of command aboard the ship. Jack and Miranda had participated in enough fights that their arguments were becoming a distraction to the rest of the team. This, Shepard could not allow. So, manual labor was the ship wide rule for those that could not follow orders or conduct themselves with some semblance of professionalism.
Garrus had offered his views on the matter, stating that he believed Shepard was being too lenient with the crew. It was an unsurprising sentiment considering how turians blended their militant service into the core of their society and culture.
Regardless, Shepard was happy with her solution. The crew usually managed to stay in line for a while before the next altercation, then that person was used as an example for everyone else.
Honestly, with the motley crew she had managed to piece together from the Illusive Man's suggested list of operatives, she counted herself lucky that they chose to listen to her at all.
Under the Alliance, she had her rank to fall back on. On this mission, the titles, "Commander," and "Spector" had little effect on people who she would have hunted two years prior. Thankfully, she had won the loyalty and trust of most of the squad and crew through her actions. Shepard could put up with a little disobedience after asking them all to sign their life away by joining her on their suicide mission.
Once Shepard had properly showered and dressed herself, she made her way to the conference room where Garrus, Mordin, and Tali sat waiting. She listened as the scientist and quarian engineer updated her on the decryption of the reaper IFF they had acquired over three months ago. The device would supposedly allow the Normandy to pass through the Omega-3 Relay safely. Whatever was on the other side would hopefully not register them right away and allow them time to navigate the uncharted area before any fight broke out.
However, the device was extremely complicated and heavily encrypted with software and tech not used by any species in the last several hundred millennia. Shepard had even taken the IFF to Liara back on Illium so they could utilize her prothean expertise. The former archeologist had marveled at the advancement of the device, but had confirmed the Commander's suspicions that the tech appeared much older in origin than the prothean era.
Mordin and Tali assured the Commander that they would figure it out. With the help of EDI, and Legion to Tali's chagrin, the group was making great strides in deciphering the IFF's unfamiliar code. The Collectors had gone silent since the crew's investigation of the derelict reaper, so Selene believed that they had some time available to them.
The suggestion of more time was both a blessing and a tragedy. The crew of the Normandy might have been given the time they needed to crack the code of the IFF, but the poor people from the colonies that had already been abducted were most likely suffering, if not already dead, on the other side of the enigmatic relay.
The unfortunateness of the situation caused Shepard to privately burn with shame and anger knowing that she had been too late in saving half the people on Horizon. The attack on the colony had been too soon in Shepard's mission and the collectors had had them in their possession behind the Omega-3 Relay for months now. Unfortunately, the Commander knew after nine years in the military that not everyone was always going to make it home.
She almost hadn't- if it wasn't for Cerberus' interference, she would still be dead.
From today's update, it sounded like the team working on the IFF were making progress. However, it would still be some time before they could test and integrate it to the Normandy's systems. Shepard nodded along with their report and thanked them for their work. As she dismissed them, the Commander turned her attention to Garrus.
The two discussed the necessary upgrades they still needed to apply to the Normandy the next time they made port. Garrus also took her through a breakdown of his own calibrations of the thanix cannons they had installed while accepting Kolyat as a recruit. The turian believed he had finally tweaked the algorithms enough that the devastating guns should be formidable against the collector's ship.
As the two wrapped up their work in the conference room, they made their way to the crew deck to grab a quick protein bar snack before heading down to the cargo bay to check on squad training. It would be supper time in a few hours and the Commander wanted to make sure everyone obeyed the training policy this time.
Garrus chuckled as they rummaged through the cabinets in the kitchen, commenting that he had noticed she had not assigned Kolyat to kitchen duty after his little stunt the night before.
Shepard could hear the teasing accusation in her friend's voice. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest as she addressed him, "You got something to say about that Garrus?"
Shepard's normally intimidating expression didn't work on the large turian. His blue eyes sparkled with mischief.
"I am just saying, Jacob had only gone over his instruction time by an hour. You had him playing maid to Gardner for four weeks."
"Jacob has been apart of the Normandy significantly longer than Kolyat, and he was unnecessarily drawing out a punishment on a new recruit. Not to mention the handful of times he and Miranda have not-so-subtly tried to take control or ignore orders."
Garrus knew Shepard had a point, but he still suspected his friend of purposefully taking it easy on the blue drell. Turian's had a keener sense of smell than most species; the sex pheromones that Shepard and Kolyat unconsciously released around each other were subtle, but unmistakable. Especially after his years working with alien's in C-Sec.
Kolyat's ogling also made it fairly obvious as well. The longer the two worked around each other, the more Garrus was starting to believe that Selene was not only reciprocating the young drell's crush, but becoming more aware of it herself.
Admittedly, there was a deep part of him that yearned for his suspicions to be proven wrong. Jack's advice about just telling Selene how he felt circled his mind constantly. Unfortunately, Garrus knew that any chance he had with the Commander had flown out the window when Kadian had accused Selene of betraying the Alliance.
Garrus remembered the sharp burn of rejection when Selene had coldly confessed to Garrus that she should have never involved herself with a crew member. She had not loved him, but she had considered Kadian a friend. It was after that statement when Shepard had delivered the killing blow to any possibility of a growing relationship between them: she had thanked him for being a loyal friend.
'A brother she could always turn to.'
Garrus had felt both a swell of pride and a sharp blow to the heart over the knowledge that she might never see him beyond just a friend.
Regardless of the pain he felt at knowing this hard truth, Garrus remained at Selene's side as the loyal friend she described him to be. Her happiness and friendship were far more important to him than any fantastical affection he might still harbor for her.
If Kolyat was able to make her happy, Garrus would only wish them the best.
Before Garrus and Selene could continue their conversation, EDI's voice called from above, sounding throughout the crew deck.
"Commander. I have picked up an anomaly on the planet below. Scans indicate that an archeological dig site exists on the surface. The facility has been invaded by Blue Suns mercenaries." There was a hesitant pause that felt entirely too organic for an AI, before EDI continued, "A prothean signature has been detected inside the dig site, similar to the beacon that you recovered on Eden Prime."
Selene froze, her eyes glossing over as she recalled her discovery of the prothean beacon on her first mission aboard the original Normandy. The mission that had ended with Specter Nihlus Kryik's death, the escape of Saren and the geth, and the distorting of her own mind as the beacon had forced unfamiliar images into her head. Thankfully, she had survived that encounter. However, the visions and subsequent nightmares which followed had been difficult to decipher. With the help of Liara, several other beacons, and even Shiala's shared cipher, Selene had managed to pick apart the prothean warning of the impending reaper envision. However, Shepard had never managed to remain conscious following her contact with a beacon.
The Commander refused to meet Garrus' concerned eye as he grabbed his smaller friend by her shoulders. Garrus could see the Commander's walls slam into place as her silver-green eyes grew detached and cold. Regardless, he made an attempt to dissuaded here from going down to the planet.
"Selene, forget it. You know what happened the last time you came in contact with the last two beacons. You fainted both times and had nightmares for months."
They both knew the reapers were coming and they had their mission against the collectors. What more could the beacons offer them that was worth her mind?
The Commander's steely expression did not change at Garrus' words. Behind her she could hear rushing footsteps.
Thane had sprinted out of life support before his son could ask him what EDI had been talking about. The blue drell followed behind anxiously, confused about the urgency in his father's strides.
Selene glanced over as Thane came into view, her hardened expression revealing the decision she had already made.
Without moving from her position in Garrus' hands, she called to Thane and Kolyat behind him. "Suit up- the both of you. You're both coming with me on this one."
"Shepard, don't do this." Garrus pleaded one last time.
Selene gently removed herself from his grasp, the slight squeeze she gave his wrist softened the hardened expression that met him.
"I'll be fine, Garrus. Don't worry. Keep the ship safe for me while I'm gone."
She turned on her heel, moving past Thane and Kolyat, immediately heading to her rooms to change for the unplanned mission.
"Spirits be fucking damned!" Garrus growled. "Where is Tali?"
Several stunned crewmen shifted awkwardly at the mess tables as the turian stormed past the two unmoving drell toward the elevators. The doors slid closed as he went in search of the only other person, besides Joker and Chakwas, who would truly understand why he was so concerned.
"What is going on?" Kolyat asked Thane softly, breaking the tension left behind from Selene and Garrus' exit.
"Go get ready for the mission," Thane responded quietly. "Our Commander has given us an order."
Kolyat blinked a few times, briefly considering his options. However, the older drell's stern look halted his need to question further. He returned to his room, feeling apprehensive for his first mission for several reasons.
Kolyat sat nervously in the Kodiak, waiting for Shepard and his father. Thane had told him to go wait in the shuttle while he took care of something. Kolyat wondered what he was doing; perhaps he was speaking with Shepard?
The blue drell took a steady breath and exhaled, rubbing his gloved hands over his new armored leather pants. He had yet to use the combat gear that his father had purchased for him back on the Citadel. The pristine shine of the light metal plating caught the light as he shifted nervously.
Kolyat's head jerked up when he heard someone climb into the shuttle, armor boots clanking against the metal. Shepard's dark head of hair appeared and his muscles untensed.
The Commander's long hair had been pulled back into a braid, exposing her lightly scarred face more than usual. Her silver-green eyes swept the Kodiak with a keen gaze.
"I am not sure where he is," Kolyat murmured, answering her unspoken question. "He told me to wait here for his return. I assumed he might be speaking with you."
Shepard's right hand reached for the comm at her ear as she spoke into the mic at her wrist. "Thane, where the hell are you?"
The assassin's answer came quickly: "Forgive me, Commander. I am on my way now. I will be in the elevators in a few moments."
Selene grumbled in irritation at Thane's insubordination, but she begrudgingly chose to let it go. She had her own worries at the moment and did not feel like adding arguing with the cryptic drell to the list.
Kolyat watched the Commander silently for a few beats, taking in the subtle signs of anxiousness that was normally never present when she left for a mission.
Without thinking, he spoke. "Why are you so scared?"
Shepard's eyes flashed in warning as she looked at him, her expression growing guarded. "I am not scared."
"Then, what is wrong? Everyone began to freak out when EDI told you about the prothean beacon. Even Dr. Chakwas ran from the med bay to see what was going on." Kolyat stood from his seat, moving right in front of her. The towering drell once again crowded her space as his large arms held on to the bars above them, a challenging stare as his large eyes trained on her.
Selene refused to back down as he drew close, her jaw setting in a stubborn lock. "It's nothing important, they're overreacting."
Kolyat leaned his head close to her, almost nose-to-nose when he murmured: "Bullshit. You're lying and I can see it in your eyes. What's going on, Selene?"
That had only been the second time Shepard could remember him using her first name. The foreignness and pleasant intimacy of hearing her name roll off his tongue causing her to falter.
Selene bowed her head, breaking eye contact with the bold drell as he continued to gaze down at her. The way Kolyat nudged her, not accepting her refusal to answer and forcing his way past her carefully constructed walls was unsettling. Most of her friends and crew backed down when she shut them out, accepting that she had her own secrets and fears she did not want exposed. Being emotionally challenged was not something Selene had experienced in a long time.
Shepard knew she could physically push him away, kick him from the Kodiak for being too forward with his commanding officer and refuse to allow him on the mission. She could just tell him to mind his own business and sit his ass down. However, there was something about the drell that made her want to open up to him. It was something that went far beyond a simple attraction.
"I've come into contact with other prothean beacons before. If there is a beacon down there, I will have to do it again." Shepard shifted uncomfortably before continuing, "The images I see aren't pleasant and are not designed for a human brain to process. Luckily, I'm able to handle it and take in the information, but the side effects are . . . taxing. I usually pass out. I have nightmares and I lose sleep."
Selene finally raised her eyes, surprised at herself by how much she had actually revealed, but she continued nonetheless. "Garrus, Tali, Chakwas and Joker saw these side effects and they worry for me. Near the end of our mission to catch Saran, I was able to synthesis the images better and the nightmares began to stop. Now I just have to see if I can still do that again."
As she finished, his eyes swept back and forth across her face. Whatever she had seen in the previous beacons must have been truly terrible. He thought of the additional dismissal of the council and Alliance, and the rejection of this information, how stressful that abandonment must feel. How much it must hurt under all that armor.
Kolyat wanted to reach out to her. To give her some kind of comfort, to show that he was there for her if she accepted. He knew nothing he said would change her mind about going to the planet. However, he could offer whatever comfort she would allow or need afterwards.
They sat there for several beats, gazing at one another in silence. Their breathing mingled as they remained close. Kolyat could smell the clean scent of her hair and could count the light freckles across her nose.
"You have to do what you have to do Commander," Kolyat murmured, breaking their silence. "But you know we are all here for you." He shifted closer, if that was possible, before continuing in an even softer voice, "I'm here for you."
Although he spoke on a barely audible breath, Selene heard him clearly in the quite space of the shuttle. A pleasant warmth spread through her body from the intimacy of the statement, her head felt fuzzy with unspoken desire as she peered back at him. It meant more to her than he knew that he was accepting her decision and offering to be there for her when it was finished.
Neither of them moved. It was clear they were on the precipice of something. No one had made her feel so secure but upheaved before, and she wasn't entirely sure how to proceed. A small stab of insecurity kept her rooted in place, though she wanted to press close to his body more than ever. Kolyat looked completely different from the young, lost boy they had taken aboard months ago. His bulk was more prominent, fingerless gloves stretched over more experienced hands, and the charcoal gray drell armor lay over newly formed muscles. The cool confidence he exuded nearly caught her breath every time they were in close quarters.
Before either Kolyat or Shepard could make a move, their third-party member decided to make his appearance. Thane's quiet footsteps outside the shuttle forced Kolyat to hold Selene's gaze only a few moments longer before he subtly shifted away and moved back to his seat. Selene remained standing below the railing Kolyat had been leaning against, her heartrate elevated and her breathing still rattled.
Thane froze in the shuttle doorway, keen eyes picking up on the tension between his son and the Commander immediately. Kolyat's eyes were fixated on the wall next to him, while Shepard turned away quickly to speak to the pilot in the cockpit.
He gave his son a scrutinizing look as he sat in front of the younger man, but remained quiet.
Kolyat could feel his father's stare burning into his skull, but he kept his eyes downcast. His gaze scanned his father's boots, up to the dark red and black outfit clinging to his form.
"Are we a matching set now?" he snorted.
Shepard cut her eyes over to Thane, smirking as she saw he was wearing the new suit she had bought him as well. The vest was the same as Kolyat's, armor-plated with a built-in venting mod so moister would not collect on his vulnerable chest. Thane's suit was still moderately less armored than his son's, the assassin preferred optimal moveability, rather than weighted protection.
As she sat across from him, careful to leave ample amounts of space between Kolyat and herself, she turned her attention fully on Thane. "You didn't want to wear the glasses I got you?"
"As I told you before, I refuse to wear those. You should take them, since you were so fond of them." There was an edge of teasing in his monotone voice.
"Maybe I will. Unless Kolyat want's them?"
Kolyat folded his arms behind his head as he stretched out his long legs, relaxing into the seat. "No, thanks. I'm too pretty to hide my face behind those monstrosities."
Thane shook his head in fondness at his son's ego, noting how much bolder he had become in his pursuit of the Commander's affection, and the small smile that graced Shepard's face.
Thane was almost positive they had not revealed their feeling for one another, but he had surely interrupted a couple charged moments by now. Thane might need to have a talk with his son soon, not certain of the boy's history with relationships and intimacy. With someone of a different race it was even more crucial.
As their relationship was still healing, the conversation was sure to be awkward. He was almost positive Kolyat would reject his meddling in the matter; however, he owed it to Kolyat to warn him of the burdens that might come with such a union if he was determined to pursue any relationship with Shepard.
He also owed it to Shepard to make sure Kolyat would be respectful towards the woman.
The shuttle shuttered as the pilot informed the group in the back they were taking off. The trio buckled up and prepared themselves for the descending fight below.
As the shuttle touched down, the Commander began to bark out orders as she led her team through the doors.
"Thane, sniper out. Get over to the right. Kolyat, assault rifle, move to the left but stay close."
Selene moved behind a center crate as Thane made his way to the far right. Kolyat positioned himself to the left but stuck per her instructions. The Blue Suns soldier that had seen them landing came back out from the prefabricated building in front of them, and he brought some friends along with him. Selene held her fist up, signaling for Thane and Kolyat to hold their fire. The Blue Suns were scattered across the landing zone. The planet's two moons gave off enough light that reflected off the deep blue metal of the enemy's armor as they searched for Shepard's team.
Selene whispered to Thane through her comm to set his sniper to silent and to wait for Kolyat and her to get into position. She took out her own sniper, the soft hiss of it unfolding was lost on the night wind. Kolyat watched her click her own silencer on, sighting the furthest merc.
"Thane, follow after me. Kolyat, stay down."
The Commander moved to a better position before aiming, taking a carful breath as she did. Selene exhaled slowly, squeezing the trigger at the perfect moment. The bullet went right through her target's helmet, dropping him silently over the cliff's edge.
The only other person that could have been there to witness the shooting was unable to call a warning as Thane's bullet struck cleanly between his eyes. He soon followed his friend over the edge. Two more troopers were making their way to where Kolyat crouched in waiting.
Two Legionnaires and a turian Commander covered the entrance while three troopers came slowly up the middle. It was clear none of the mercenaries knew of their exact location. However, there was not enough cover to maneuver around the small landing area and pick them off silently.
Selene switched to her assault rifle quickly, making eye contact with Kolyat and nodding. Once the two chose to expose their cover, they would give away their position and a dangerous fire-fight would ensue. Shepard took a few seconds to pray that she had made the right decision to allow Kolyat on the mission, before springing from her cover, signaling for the drell to do the same.
Selene moved fast, aiming her rifle at the three troopers in the middle walkway. She took out each one with careful bursts of fire from her weapon. The two to her left were unable to respond quickly enough as Kolyat unloaded his own precise shots at them.
The two moved forward together, keeping behind objects and staying out of each other's line of fire. Thane provided enough cover fire to keep the three remaining Blue Suns members from getting a clear shot at them.
Soon, the open space was silent as the last enemy fell to the ground. Shepard gave out a sharp whistle to notify Thane he should join them on the ground. Selene instructed her men to give a quick survey of the area, picking up thermal clips and tagging crates of element zero so it would be sent up to the ship.
The group moved through the rest of the dig site slowly, but relatively smoothly. Selene and Thane had a natural rhythm that they had developed over the half year they had worked together. Kolyat seemed to fit right into their formation.
Selene was impressed at the ease in which the young drell took instruction, moving when she told him to and being mindful of friendly fire. She noticed there were times he adjusted his position naturally, without needing to be ordered. He appeared confident in rotating between his assault rifle, pistol, and occasionally his biotics.
Kolyat did not seem tempted to take the same foolish risks that she had seen so many other rookies make, and he held a calm patience before striking out with a decision of his own. Shepard was sure that Kolyat could be permanently integrated into the mission rotation with little issue.
The final merc fell as Selene swung the butt of her gun into her face, followed by her knife into the opening between the woman's helmet and body armor. Shepard shoved her chest as the woman dropped to the floor, lifeless eyes staring off into nothing.
Shepard cleaned her blade with the small canteen of water at her hip, before taking a drink from it herself. She returned the knife to its home on her thigh and swept several, sweaty strands of dark hair out of her eyes.
The Commander assessed the two drell next to her. "How are we doing?"
Selene noticed a small grimace of pain on Kolyat's face as he lifted his right arm, passing their shared water back to his father.
"What happened?"
He waved his good arm in front of him dismissively. "It's nothing. The damn turian pulled his gloves off and swiped at me with his claws. It was either, take a chunk out of my arm or my face."
Selene walked over and gently took his right arm in her gloved hands. The leather from his elbow to the top of his shoulder was torn, light pink blood seeping through. It was a slow trickle. Regardless, Shepard dug in one of the pouches at Kolyat's hip, looking for a medi-gel applicator. The skin at his neck burned brightly as he shifted awkwardly.
"Always take the time to apply med-gel when you get the opportunity," Shepard mumbled as she stuck him none to gently with the healing device.
Shepard watched the blood stop flowing as the wound clotted immediately, his scales starting to mend back together slowly. She noted that Kolyat would have a decent scar to take back with him to the Normandy.
"Well, you earned your first scar. It's going to be a big one too. Would have been a pity if it had been your face." Shepard teased as she shifted back into a standing position.
"Actually Commander, my first scar was when you chose to shoot me back at the Citadel," Kolyat arched a brow ridge, teasing her back.
Shepard laughed and shook her head as she turned back to the doors that led to the next room. The group carefully walked through with their guns drawn.
The large space they entered was half built into the side of a dirt excavation site. A familiar corner of a prothean pyramid took up much of the room; an equally familiar glowing beacon sat in front of the structure.
Selene's face was guarded as she took a deep breath and stepped towards the beacon with slightly trembling hands.
"Selene." Thane's deep voice was laced with caution.
The woman looked over her shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. "I'll be fine. Don't worry. Just be prepared to carry me back to the ship if I pass out."
Kolyat's eyes were fixed on her back as she pressed the keys on the interface. The text on the keys were not in any language he could read, but Shepard appeared to know which buttons to tap regardless.
Suddenly, Shepard's head was thrown back, her body lifted from the ground as her arms spread out. A fluorescent green glow enveloped her body and her eyes were blown wide, but her gaze flitted around rapidly, watching something only she could see. Time crawled by as Kolyat's anxiety grew, until finally she was released from the beam and he immediately crowded near her.
The Commander swayed on her feet. She gave them a weak smile before she crumbled to the floor.
"Joker, tell Chakwas to be ready with the provisions we set up. Selene has lost consciousness and we are returning now," Thane spoke quickly into his comm.
The green drell turned to the fallen Commander, ready to pick her up, but Kolyat scooped her up in his arms securely first. His son gave him an expectant look to lead the way, leaving no room for argument.
Thane turned for the doors, Kolyat jogging behind him, and they made their way through the facility and back to the ship.
Kolyat walked through the medbay doors behind his father, Selene limp in his arms. As the man entered the room fully, he realized what his father must have been doing before the mission.
The blinds had been drawn shut and a bed was made up with various different monitors and IV packs surrounding it. Both Mordin and Dr. Chakwas were waiting for them and motioned Kolyat to place Shepard on the bed. As Kolyat gently set Shepard down and moved away, Dr. Chakwas pulled a privacy curtain around them and asked the men to wait as she stripped the Commander out of her armor.
Kolyat felt the tension in his muscles clench as Mordin received the bits of armor that Chakwas passed to him from beyond the curtain. The young man felt helpless as he watched Shepard's armor and clothing disappear down two separate chutes: one to the armory and the other to laundry. A stack of clean clothes was given to Chakwas next.
The sound of light water being collected from a bowl set his nerves on edge, and Kolyat watched the shadow of the doctor make several passes with a cloth over the Commander's body before dressing the unconscious woman in her bed clothes.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Chakwas removed the privacy curtain and revealed that she had applied several holo monitors to the Commander's face and body. The small circular blue pads gave out a soft vibration against the center of Selene's chest, temples, and between her eyes.
The two doctors continued to work around the woman for several more minutes, occasionally commenting on Shepard's rapid eye movement. Kolyat's own eyes were transfixed on the soft rise and fall of Selene's chest, thankful for the indication that she was indeed still alive. She had not moved an inch since dropping to the floor at the dig site and the blue drell's nerves were on end.
Kolyat noticed the slight glint of the necklace at the Commander's neck. The gold and red stones of the unfamiliar pendent at her neck a matching set with the ring on her left hand. He had seen the jewelry before on several occasions, Selene only removed the two pieces when she was sparring, but he had yet to ask her about them. He filed it away in his memory to ask her about their importance later.
Seeing her now, without armor or weapons, she seemed so small in the bed surrounded by machinery, the occasional beep of her pulse fading to background noise. The scars from the Lazarus Project, and new ones from recent mission, stood out sharply against the fresh white linen. The bitter realization that every single one of them could lose their life on a mission nearly made Kolyat sick.
His opportunity to know Selene beyond her guarded walls could slip away like water through his fingers.
Chakwas finally stepped back from her patient and allowed Mordin to finish the additional scans on the Commander. A holo brace was hooked to her arm, a device that would allow the doctors to monitor her throughout the night. The device would send an alert to both doctors if anything went amiss.
The gray eyed medic tiredly made her way over to Kolyat and Thane and gave them a reassuring smile.
"Shepard is going to be okay," she offered before they could pester her with hundreds of questions.
"Like always, she is physically fine. We are still taking precautions to limit the neural strain that the beacon forces on her. The muscle massagers that I placed on her body should cause her to relax, instead of tensing up throughout the night. Making sure she is comfortable and monitored is all we can do for her I am afraid; the rest is up to her."
Despite the doctor's assurance, it was clear that Chakwas was bothered by the limited aid they could provide.
"Mr. Krios," Dr. Chakwas addressed Thane. "Thank you for all of your suggestions of setting this up ahead of time. Your proposal to treat her with a small dose of trazodone II might allow her to escape the onset of nightmares she usually experiences."
The older drell only bowed in respect, hoping that their efforts had not been in vain. Out of anyone aboard the ship, Selene deserved the most help in achieving peace.
"What is trazodone II?" Kolyat questioned his father.
"I believe your people call it 'Empty Memories,'" Dr. Chakwas answered. "Human's use it as an antidepressant medication to balance chemicals in the brain. It is found to improve PTSD symptoms in soldiers."
His mother, Irikah, had been a medical research assistant and occasionally he would pickup on the odd bits of information she spoke about her research. He remembered this 'Empty Memories' drug being prescribed to drell who struggled with removing themselves from solipsism.
The blue drell vowed to thank his father for his forethought in helping Selene. Another thought occurred to Kolyat, taking him aback.
"Where are Tali and Garrus? I was positive they would be here when we arrived."
"Garrus is with Tali down in engineering and I am pretty sure Mordin sent Grunt and Zaeed down there as well. We couldn't have them up here and in the way. Joker might be with them as well. Just before you boarded, the crew was told to shut down for the night. Jeff went to the lower deck to wait things out with them I'm sure."
"And the rest of the crew?" Thane asked, cataloging everything he heard to supply Shepard with a thorough report when she awakened.
"Samara is in her rooms meditating or praying. She had stopped in here shortly after your departure to ask if she could be of assistance. We told her Shepard might have need of her asari neural connection later on. When Liara had been with the old crew, she helped Selene's nightmares immensely. It caused her to become weak and a bit ill, but it seemed to help and the nightmares stopped. I just hope it's not as bad this time, she doesn't rest enough as it is and she can't afford to lose more sleep."
The doctor shook her head as she massaged the bridge of her nose tiredly. After Dr. Chakwas informed Thane that the rest of the crew's activities were unknown to her, Mordin finished his work over the Commander and offered to notify the team himself of Shepard's situation. The older salarian briefly paused in his exit to assure the two men that his patient would be fine.
"She has a strong mind. Even stronger will," Mordin offered before sweeping out of the medbay.
Chakwas noticed the troubled look creasing the younger drell's face as he gazed helplessly at the Commander.
"She will wake on her own," she murmured gently in Kolyat's direction. "We can't do anything until then."
She gently squeezed his right bicep, and her eyes locked on the tear in the leather and the drying blood.
"You are hurt, and you did not tell us?" the doctor exclaimed.
"I did not think it was the best time," Kolyat responded without taking her eyes off of Selene's comatose form. "Besides, I'm fine. Selene needed your attention more than I did. She already applied medi-gel to it anyways."
Dr. Chakwas narrowed her eyes at the young man, inspecting the wound through the ruined material of his coat. The claw marks from whatever attacked him were already scarring over. His scales would probably be tender for the next couple days, and there truly was nothing she could do for the mark. All she could suggest was an external medi-gel treatment to help speed up the healing process.
She ordered him to remove the jacket and sit down as she collected the correct tools to clean the outside of the injury and properly wrap it after smoothing gel over it.
"Just like Selene," she grumbled. "Never wanting help. Thinking you're invincible. Don't come crying to me when this leaves a scar. Which it already has."
After his bicep was properly treated, she removed the bandages from his left forearm carefully and inspected the healed scales from last night's debacle with a critical eye. The blue shine of newly grown scales was fit to her liking, and she declared him only partially mauled for the day.
Kolyat huffed a laugh and thanked her, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You need food and rest Mr. Krios," Dr. Chakwas answered the unspoken question in Kolyat's eyes. "You will be no help to her if you are dead on your feet. Go. Gardner prepared dinner early and I believe there is still some warm food on the stove that was set aside for you and your father."
Kolyat debated how effective it would be to argue with the woman. The warning in her stormy eyes made him think better of it. With a discontented huff, Kolyat stood and walked slowly from the room, a nod from his father indicated for him to leave ahead of the older drell.
Chakwas lifted the security blinds from the window and watched as Kolyat ignored the kitchen in favor of going straight to the showers. The doctor shook her head in amusement.
"Your boy is becoming worse than this one. You know that, right?" Chakwas motioned to Selene's sleeping form.
Thane chuckled and scrubbed a hand over his face. "I do believe that Selene is having an effect on my son, though he always was stubborn and rebellious. His mother was the only one who could set him straight. She had a power over him that I never did."
"And what was that?"
"He feared her."
The two shared a laugh, basking in the fond remembrance of parenthood. Thane might not have been present for Kolyat's whole life, and Chakwas may have never given birth to any of the soldiers she considered to be her children. However, the pair understood the love that came with each small moment of caring for a young person and trying their best at steering them towards a better path.
Thane and Chakwas chatted for a few moments longer before the drell took his leave. His son was still missing from the mess hall and he believed it would be wiser to give the younger man his space. He decided he would join the crew in engineering. Hoping to elevate any concerns they might be having.
Selene's eyes fluttered open, her cybernetics allowing her to adjust to the darkness more quickly. The shadowy image of the medical bay came into focus as she gingerly sat up in bed. Memories of the dig site and the beacon came flooding back to her in a distorted scene of chaos.
The appearance of the collectors in the message had already been confirmed to be indoctrinated and mutated protheans by EDI several months ago.
However, there had been a glimpse of untouched alien worlds with familiarly shaped people like the collectors. Their many eyes were different shades of gold, emerald, and crystal blue. Some wore pristine, heavy red and gold armor, while others wore lighter armor with draping layers of cloth and wrappings.
There had been others, foreign alien's among what Shepard guessed were actual protheans. Most had more than two eyes and even some with extra limbs. The natural beaty of the different landscapes and spaces had been a nice reprieve from the usual horrifying mutilation and hopeless war she usually was subjected to. The beacon had still been a clear warning of what was coming, giving a brief picture of what once was, compared to what had come.
Selene was not sure how they were going to beat the reapers, but she knew they had to keep trying. The alternative was not an option for her.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed slowly. Shepard stretched and twisted her back and neck, testing out her mobility and soreness before touching down on the cool metal floor, her socked feet shifting slightly. Usually she felt like she had gone twelve rounds with a raging krogan after coming in contact with a prothean beacon. She was happy to find she had no headache and her body did not feel any more tense than it usually did.
She noted that her armor had been stripped and she was wearing a comfortable pair of her cotton shorts and shirt. Selene rubbed her hands over her exposed arms and legs, trying to get warm. It was freezing down in the med bay during the night cycle. The lights above usually gave off a pleasant heat that regulated the room's temperature a bit more.
Selene started to plan how she was going to make the least amount of noise and escape the medbay once again for the confines of her much warmer room. The light from her holo brace caught her attention before she could put her thoughts into action.
Looks like the doctors finally got smart about trying to keep me from leaving, Selene thought with equal parts amusement and irritation.
She barred her teeth at the innocuous device. Shepard hated when Chakwas put it on her. She felt like she was under house arrest, or a collared animal. The minute she removed the damn thing, alarms would go off on the older woman's omini tool, alerting her to Selene's attempt at escape from the medical room.
Selene continued to glare at the glowing device, trying to figure out if she wanted to take it off and deal with Chakwas fussing over her or just sneak to her room and leaving it on. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of cabinets closing in the mess.
Selene tried to make out the identity of the person in the kitchens, but not even her enhanced eyesight could tell who was shifting around outside.
Shepard ignored the device on her arm and stepped out of the room to investigate the late night snacker. Hopefully, whoever it was would be willing or able to share whatever it was they were making, the Commander thought as her stomach gave an audible growl.
As Shepard moved closer to the kitchen area, she could hear muffled music coming from the direction of the unsuspecting person. The tall frame of Kolyat's blue scaled body came into focus and a pair of holographic head phones around the back of his head explained the music. Selene paused a few steps away from the counter that separated them, observing the man for a moment.
Kolyat only wore a pair of dark gray pants that tapered at his ankles, his wide back exposed to the Commander's gaze. His scales were just as decorative on his back as they were down his front and arms. The black flowing lines reminding her of markings you might find on a beautiful cobalt snake.
The oblivious man swayed back and forth to whatever he was listening to, his naked feet performing a small two-step every few seconds. A pleasant hum came from his lips as he made himself a sandwich to accompany whatever stew Gardner had prepared that evening. When Kolyat's hips gave a light sway, a trickle of laughter escaped Selene's lips. Kolyat remained unaware as the music blared in his ears.
Shepard crept unseen towards the countertop, leaping onto the surface and crossing her legs as she patiently waited for him to turn around.
Kolyat topped off his hearty sandwich with the last of the bread he had found. The man had wedged so much stuff in between the two pieces, that it was almost over flowing. He searched the cabinets in front of him one last time, trying to find the kelp chips that reminded him of the ones back home.
The blue drell turned to search the second set of cabinets below. He nearly leapt a foot in the air when he caught Shepard smiling at him from atop the counter, letting out an embarrassing squawk. His beloved chips dangled from her fingertips in front of him.
Shepard's eyes widened as Kolyat fell back into the cabinets he had just been searching through. She had figured he had been searching for the chips she had hidden. The drell was known to inhale the snacks faster than she could resupply them.
His hand flew to his omini-tool, powering off his headphones and the loud music. She muffled her laughter in her hand and arched a brow.
"Shepard," he sighed, rubbing at the sore spot forming on the back of his head. "How long have you been sitting there?"
"I have been sitting here for only a few seconds. I have been in the room long enough to know you would have made a terrible assassin. Possibly a good dancer though? Muy bueno."
Her playful wink nearly made the skin of his neck erupt in flames. Collecting himself, Kolyat playfully glared at her and snatched the bag of chips from her outstretched arm. "What does that mean?"
Shepard's smile was warm as she replied, "Very good."
"Well, I hope you enjoyed the view, Commander" Kolyat smiled flirtatiously before turning back to his plate.
Selene's own bravado faltered a fraction, her face glowing pleasantly at the low rumble of his voice. Her eyes shifted to the massive sandwich on his plate as he turned to her.
"Want to make me one of those?" she blinked at him demurely.
"That's cute," he commented. "Your trying to act innocent."
Selene's face scrunched in mock defeat, appearing even more endearing to Kolyat.
As he set the plate down next to her on the counter, Kolyat pulled a knife from the cutlery drawer and sliced the sandwich in half. He pushed the plate closer to her, lifting his half up to his mouth and nearly dropped it at the sight of her beautiful, grateful smile.
That smile was starting to be one of his favorite things in the galaxy.
Selene picked up the sandwich and took a massive bite; she was clearly famished. Neither one of them had been present for dinner and Kolyat had been too exhausted and stressed to eat after. However, the fight against the Blue Suns' mercenaries and the fact that the two were both biotics caused them to feel starved.
Selene swallowed her bite, turning her attention on Kolyat. "Thank you for this. I was so hungry."
"No problem. You didn't even eat before the mission, so you should be hungry."
Kolyat noticed she had yet to remove the holo pads on her face. He hid his grin by taking another bite of his meal, passing the large bowl of vegetable stew in Shepard's direction.
Selene gave him another grateful look as she rummaged for a spoon in the drawer near her knee. A peaceful silence descended on them as they ate together alone for the first time.
"How are you feeling, Shepard?" Kolyat's soothing voice washed over her.
"Surprisingly good," Selene answered around a mouth full of bread, greens, and seared fish. She swallowed before continuing. "No headaches, but I still had the dreams. They were not as terrible as before. I actually got to see what the galaxy looked like before the reapers destroyed it 50,000 years ago." She ducked her head and briefly closed her eyes. "It was beautiful, but also a reminder of what's at stake if we fail."
Kolyat finished his dinner, leaving a portion of the stew for Selene to finish herself. The young drell leaned against the counter she sat on, resting his arm close to her exposed leg. His hand itched to reach out and draw her in, but their flirting had yet to go beyond brief teasing and unspoken, charged chemistry.
"If there is anyone in the galaxy that can stop the reapers, Shepard, it's you," he answered honestly. "If we don't, at least we will die knowing we never gave up. Your efforts have given an ungrateful world the chance to live."
Kolyat's comment brought a weak smile to the woman's face as she finished the last bites of her meal. The drell's confidence in her had caused a bit of warm comfort to settle in her chest, but it would take more than pretty words to accomplish what they were trying to do. Selene knew many people were going to lose their lives, maybe even whole planets. The scale in which they were all being asked to fight in was monumental, and she did not know if she could do it.
The blue drell watched as Shepard's thoughts began to consume her, her silver-green eyes growing dull in the wake of her heavy burden. He didn't know what he could do to alleviate the pressure, so he did the first thing that came to mind.
Kolyat reached out a large blue hand and lifted the Commander's chin so their eyes met. His hand shifted to cup the side of her face, lacing through strands of her soft hair while his thumb rubbed over her cheekbone.
Shepard could feel tension and stress melt away slowly at the supportive look he gave her. He did not offer any more words, just his presence and silent understanding.
Without fighting the urge, Selene leaned into his touch. She found the soft scales on the inside of his palm to be warmer than the outside. The contact felt good and for the first time in a long time she did not feel so alone. Sure, she had Garrus, Tali, Thane, and the rest of the squad, but this was different. Kolyat seemed to be offering something more. She was finding it hard to resist the more the two of them spent time together.
Selene watched his eyes flicker across her face, his lips twitching as if he was trying to hold back a smile.
"What?" she asked curiously.
Kolyat couldn't help it. He reached out a hand and skimmed it over the three small holo pads on her head, taking them off and placing them on the counter.
Selene stared down at them and rubbed the places they had been. "That explains why I didn't wake up with a headache. They usually use those on biotics who get migraines or soldiers suffering major body pains."
"Yeah, Chakwas said it would help your body to not tense up. I'm glad it worked."
Kolyat gave her a crooked smile, his eyes passing briefly to the spot his hand had been a few moments ago. He looked like he wanted to reach out again, but he refrained and returned his arm to the countertop next to her leg.
He was happy that the interaction had seemed to break her from her melancholy thoughts. The shine of her necklace caught his eyes in the low glow of the floor lights.
"What exactly does that thing around your neck represent, and the matching ring?"
Selene fingered her cross. "It was my mother's; she never took it off. It's just a small symbol of my faith. Some of these tattoos depict different verses or stories from the text that preserves the word of my God."
"Only one god?" Kolyat asked in surprise.
Shepard nodded, giving him a brief overview of Christianity and how uncommon it would for him to come across any humans outside of Earth that still believed in the faith. Let alone, any form of religion or higher power.
Kolyat also shared his own experience with faith, confessing he had also been one of those people to turn away from the old beliefs. It had only been shortly after meeting her that he had chosen to delve back into his prayer books. His renewal of faith had pleased his father to no end, and sometimes the two drell could be found meditating in life support on different teachings or scripture from one god or another.
"So, what about the ring? Is it also connected to your religion?" Kolyat asked, passing his two middle fused figures over the gold and ruby softly.
Shepard reached out her hand for him to inspect. "This was my grandmothers. She gave it to my mom for her quinceañera." At his confused look, Selene explained the old coming of age ritual in her mother's culture. It was celebrated when young women turned fifteen, signaling their budding entrance into adulthood and it was usually accompanied by making vows to God, a large party and gifts with many other symbolic natures to them.
"Ah, we have something similar. However, all young adults at the age of seventeen come together in the community's plaza and celebrate. It used to be that some would fight and prove their worth as warriors or others would heal them afterwards to show they would be good healers. Now it is more of a festival where we are recognized as adults and given our necklaces as a show of passing into one stage of life into the next." Kolyat lifted his own silver necklace from his chest, before letting the flat, heavy metal fall back into place.
"My mother gave me the ring on my fifteenth birthday. We were too poor to have a quinceañera . . . not like my father would let her give me one anyways."
Her face darkened as she mentioned her father.
Kolyat noticed she usually sounded like that when she spoke of her father. He knew the man had been terrible to her mother and her, but he didn't know the intimate details. Curiosity burned inside him, and some anger, but he didn't want Selene to retreat from this moment.
The drell didn't hesitate this time. He reached out and caught her hand gently in his larger one, the skin contact making them both hold their breaths.
"Why did Kelly say it was on your marriage fingerer? What does that mean?" Kolyat finally choked out.
Selene laughed. "It's the finger my mother put it on. She said something about it only being replaced by my wedding ring." Again, Kolyat seemed lost. "Human's, when they get married, we usually give each other rings to symbolize our commitment to one another. Some cultures also do engagement rings to show that they plan to get married, and then later the wedding band when they perform the ceremony. I'm most certainly not married, so that always confuses people for a bit."
"My people usually participate in something similar, but the trinkets are not only limited to rings. Our necklaces are important, they inform others if we are married, single, or in a committed relationship. To be absent of one usually symbolizes that the person is too young for marriage or not interested in pursuing a relationship."
"Wow, that sounds a lot easier than human forms of dating. Usually you just have to take a guess and hope you don't offend someone." Shepard lightly smiled, not realizing her comment had answered some of the question's Kolyat had been asking himself lately.
"We have other forms of communication that make it a bit easier to figure out if someone likes us, but it does not make the process of talking to them any less stressful." Kolyat was specifically thinking of a lovely orange scaled girl from his school days. The girl had publicly rejected him when he had discreetly communicated his attraction to her through his subvocal. The result of his shame had been to lock himself in his room for the rest of the night.
Shepard's hand tightened around his briefly. "What does your father's necklace signify?"
Kolyat's eyes flickered downward briefly before replying stiffly. "It means he is in mourning for a past spouse."
Selene nodded sadly, kicking herself mentally for asking. Her eyes caught the shine of Kolyat's own necklace and quickly tried to make up for her previous question. "And what does silver mean?"
Kolyat still had her hand in his, his thumb rubbing absent minded circle on the top. His eyes shifted mischievously as he returned his gaze to her.
His voice was lower and gave off that rumble from his subvocal that she was starting to suspect was his way of saying he liked her. "It means I am single."
Something in the conversation had just shifted. A puzzle piece slotted in the correct spot; a completed picture revealed. They had been slowly piecing together parts of an unknown and foreign equation throughout the night. Now, everything had come to a tipping point. They both knew they were single, and obviously they were interested in the other.
The tension thickened as they held each other's eyes, their hands still intertwined. Kolyat's gaze briefly locked on her full mouth, but a soft noise behind them brought their intimate moment to a crashing halt.
"Kolyat?"
His father's gravelly voice, thick with sleep, called from behind his son.
Kolyat nearly felt a growl build in his chest at having been interrupted once again by his father.
The blue drell gave Selene one last meaningful glance, knowing that his body was hiding most of her from his father. He gave her hand a light squeeze before scooping up the holo massagers that he had placed on the counter as he turned around.
Thane had his hands clasped behind his back, now fully awake and realizing that Shepard was the one sitting on the counter behind his son. The two had been very close again, and the older drell had picked up on the warning growl that his son had given before turning around.
"Father. What are you doing awake?" Kolyat managed to school his voice and tone into something that resembled neutrality.
"I woke to find you absent from your bed. I came to search for you here. I did not expect to find you in, conversation, with the Commander."
His hidden apology gained no reaction from the younger man, so Thane quickly turned his attention to Shepard. "Selene, how are you feeling?"
"Fine, actually," Shepard smiled. "I think the holo relaxers helped. I don't think I'll be having a problem with nightmares this time."
"Though it would have been funnier to see her come down at breakfast with them on, I just helped her to remove the holo pads from her face," Kolyat's lips quirked as he gently nudged Shepard's shoulder with his own.
Selene gave him a glare, but she smirked back and jokingly punched him in the shoulder.
Thane was obviously not buying Kolyat's excuse for their being so close. The older drell was unsure how much he should interfere with the pair's growing relationship.
He just hoped neither one would become hurt if the other could not handle the difference in rank. As much as the Normandy functioned as an independent venture, Shepard was still their leader.
Before anything potentially embarrassing could be said, Shepard leapt down from her position on the counter, interrupting the intense staring competition between the father and son.
"Yeah," Selene cleared her throat. "Well, I'm going to get to sleep. I think two trips to the medical bay in less than 48 hours has been enough for me."
She gave Kolyat a smile and thanked him for the meal. She earned a lopsided grin from the young drell and a nod in return. Shepard tried to hide her own smile behind a curtain of hair as she moved quickly past Thane.
"Night, you two." She called over her shoulder, disappearing behind the wall that hid the elevator.
Kolyat's eyes followed her the whole way, only returning to his father's when he heard the soft close of the elevator doors. Thane now had a thoroughly unimpressed expression on his face as he lifted a brow ridge in question, his large arms folded across his chest.
Kolyat picked up the dishes that he had used, placing them gently in the washer for tomorrow. He was doing everything he could to avoid answering questions from the man behind him.
Before Kolyat could turn to retreat to their room, Thane spoke. "I hope you do not plan to continue to stare after her every time she leaves the room. Not even I will be able to convince Ms. Lawson that there is nothing going on between you two. I believe there is already a bet going around on which one of you will confess first. Five hundred credits say it will be you."
It was inevitable really, the crew had little to discuss outside the families they missed and the homes they were worried would be abducted next. Kolyat had never been secretive in his open admiration for the Commander, except maybe when she was around. That had certainly changed in their last few encounters.
"Five hundred credits, huh? Maybe I should place my own bet and collect the reward money." Kolyat crossed his own arms over his chest, attempting to play it cool.
"So, you do plan to reveal your feelings? Or have you done so already? Either way, I feel I need to warn you of the potential burdens you may face choosing to purse Shepard –" the man was cut off by Kolyat's angry snap.
"You don't get to come in after twelve years of being absent and lecture me with dating advice. Besides, what would you know, anyways? It's not like you had a normal life before meeting mom. Are you suggesting that being in a normal relationship will somehow be burdensome like we were?"
It had been over a month since Kolyat had verbally struck out at his father like that. Mostly, the comments had been small curt remarks to stop treating him as a child. This was obviously something the younger drell had been hiding away for some time, and it had to deal with more than Selene.
Thane blinked repeatedly, stunned at his son's remark. Kolyat's words were biting, but the assassin carefully thought over his response before speaking. "Your mother, and you, were never a burden to me, Kolyat. I was the burden. Most of my life until that point had been spent in sleep, disconnected from the world and my place in it. I do not believe that you have ever known such detachment. As angry as you might be, you are still capable of such feeling and liveliness."
Thane fixed his son with a look of deep remorse and pain. The man would never be able to properly apologize for being a poor excuse for a father, but he desperately wanted Kolyat to know how much he loved him. His absence in the boy's life had never been because of his mother and him, it had only been because of his own cowardice and excuses that he convinced himself he knew nothing outside his life as an assassin. That he was incapable of learning anything else.
Thane had been irresponsible and arrogant. Regardless, he still believed what he had to say on the subject of the Commander's and Kolyat's budding relationship was important.
Kolyat had a stubborn lock to his jaw as he stared back at his father. His eyes did not hold the same hatred and resentment they did three months ago, but he was defiantly resistant to the direction the conversation was taking.
"Kolyat, you have always been ruled by your emotions. This has always been clear, even to me. It is what reminds me so much of your mother." Thane breathed a small chuckle of fondness over the similarity between the vibrant, head strong woman who had stepped in front of his sighting laser to protect a complete stranger, and the young man before him now. There was a striking resemblance in the set of their jaws, the fire burning in their eyes. "It is because of this that I fear that you may underestimate the burden that Selene bears and how it effects every facet of her life."
"The fight with the reapers? Why wouldn't I be aware of that? We are all here because of it."
"Not like Selene." Thane pressed, "You have never fallen to battle sleep Kolyat, but Selene has. Her whole life has revolved around violence and fighting. She has had to close herself off to certain emotions in order to preserve herself."
"What do you know of her past?" Kolyat asked quietly.
Thane shook his head. "That is not a story for me to share. To be honest, I do not believe she has shared everything with me; with anyone really."
Kolyat's expression turned crestfallen.
Thane reached out a supportive hand to his son and rested it on the taller man's shoulders, "Kolyat, I do not tell you any of this to deter you. Selene is not so far lost behind her walls that she is incapable of affection and love. I only wish to bring to your attention the overwhelming responsibility the galaxy has bestowed upon her. There may come a time she is forced to choose between the things she loves, and the duty that she has dedicated herself to; it becomes easy to fall into sleep when making the choice between the familiar and the foreign.
"I do not know if she has ever truly loved anyone who was more than a friend or family. The act of committing herself to something other than her job will be unfamiliar. This is the responsibility you will be taking on if you choose to pursue your relationship further."
Kolyat looked thoughtful and a little troubled, the hostility melting. However, the blue drell fixed his father with the same stubborn look that his mother was famous for. "I believe she is worth it. I cannot explain it, father, but she makes me feel . . ." Kolyat struggled for the right word. "Grounded? Anchored? Like I am finding home for the first time in a long time."
Thane's brow ridges lifted in surprise at Kolyat's revelation.
"Well, it sounds as if your mind is made up. I am happy for you, Kolyat, for you both. If Selene chooses to accept you, I know you can make her happy."
Thane squeezed his son's shoulder affectionately, pride swelling in his chest over how much Kolyat had grown.
The older drell indicated that he was going to return to sleep, and turned towards their rooms, but stopped short of rounding the corner. "Kolyat?"
The younger man hummed in acknowledgment.
"I believe she is starting to fall in love with you too. Be careful with her heart." With that last comment, Thane disappeared, leaving a pleasantly hopeful Kolyat behind.
Arashu, goddess of motherhood, protection, and devotion, bless me and aid me in my affection of another. May my intentions be clear, my heart pure, and thoughts selfless . . .
Author's Note: Might be a couple weeks until I can post again. Please see top page notes for an explanation if you have not done so already. Sorry for the interference everyone. Hopefully, during Christmas break I can finish this rewrite up and think about starting a sequel to this story.
Happy Holidays Everyone!