Notes: I forgot this was chilling in my drafts.
Petrichor
Shepard knows the word. She knows exactly what it means. She knows how to use it in a sentence. She's never said it herself. She's never heard anybody say it out loud, so she can't pronounce it, and refuses to embarrass herself by tripping over words. But she knows what it means and as she runs deeper into the canyon, the smell fills the air.
Her boots stick in the red mud, but she keeps running. Aria's has a lot to answer for when she gets off this damn rock. A bit of mercenary work. Pays good. Needs discretion. Only problem is it's in Alliance space.
Another crack of lightning forks through the sky, briefly illuminating rain slick canyon walls. Briefly illuminating her. The footsteps behind her grow faster. She vaults a boulder in her way. She will find a way out of here.
The walls are too slippery to climb. Even if they weren't, her cloak won't last long enough for her to climb out of range.
She doesn't know how the Alliance tracked her here. She'll figure it out when she gets back to the ship. All that matters now is escape. A chase like this should have been a thrill, a chance to show off her skills, but this doesn't feel like worthy challenge. Only a nuisance.
As she runs further, the sound of rushing water grows louder. The river's soaked through her socks and if it grows much wider, she'll run out of space to run. She scrambles over more rocks and a half rotted tree, its soft bark crumbling in her hands. She doesn't break step as she slides into knee deep water on the other side.
A blue bolt flies by her head as she jumps back onto the mud. Barely missed by a stasis field, but it gives just enough light to see the waterfall in front of her.
She skids to a stop just before she runs right over the edge.
"Shepard wait!" The outward anger in Kaidan's voice has dulled since Horizon, but she knows that doesn't mean anything. She doesn't turn around, just stares into the raging water below. Only twenty feet down and it looks deep. "Please."
A faint blue glow illuminates the ground in front of her. Mud sucks at his boots as he comes closer. Close enough so she can hear the crackle of static and if he wanted to, if she'd allow it, he can touch her. The smell of ozone mixes with petrichor.
"Come back with me."
She jumps.