A moment of intense silence.
A quick short breath.
Then….
A rocket shoots passed me, inches in front my eyes, exploding against the bulk head, scattering pieces of scorching metal and melting flesh through the hold. I dive behind the nearest crate, landing hard on my side as I roll into a squat and check my pistol. Heat synched to capacity, God damn it.
A siren wails; hull breach in portside cargo bay, kinetic barriers at seventy percent, depressurisation contained.
Thank Christ for small mercies.
Blood pours from the wound across my temple, seeping into my eyes, a memento from my recent impact with the wall. I shake my head to rid it of cobwebs, collecting myself. The airlock control is on the far wall, it's been disengaged, if I stick to the edges I can reach it, I just have to-
The hold doors open, two figures run in, gun blasting in their hands. Rifle fire, four quick bursts; a muffled scream, then silence.
No, no, damn it no. I told them, stupid bloody fools I told them. The youngest brother's eyes stare at me, bloodshot and hollow.
His rifle is at my side, bloodstained and scorched; I pull it to me.
Taking slow deep breathes I listen to them move, heavy footfalls on the metal floor. I peek over the crate top. Three of them, just three, I can take three. I just need to reach the airlock control….
A head turns towards me, a light catches my face.
Damn it, damn, it, DAMN IT.
I drop back down; close my eyes, cursing myself for not having listened to my instincts sooner. It all started three days earlier with an Irish centurion and a prothean ship that looking back on it were too good to be true, but that doesn't help me now. Closer footsteps, the electronic buzz of rocket launcher readying, it's now or never.
Raising my gun, I roll out from cover and fire.
xXoXx
It started with an Irishman three days ago.
Six feet tall, a hundred and ten years old, as likable as a rabbit in a top hat Jim Ripley is just the kind of man you can't help but love the moment you meet him, and Liara did. As soon as she laid eyes on him I ceased to exist, and who can blame her.
He has a voice that is so rich, so deep, so full of texture and soul that my slightly accented Canadian intonation pales in comparison to it. In his century of life he has visited more worlds, fought against and rallied behind more people than I could ever hope to even meet. He has seen the rise of humanities space exploration, visited the far side of our solar system before any other, set out in the void when we didn't know what lay beyond it. He has more tales to tell, more scars to show, more acquaintances to cite then any other human being I've ever met.
And then of course there's the name of the ship.
"Bubbles." I state, my eyebrow quirked upwards at the transparent orange departure board. "What self-respecting captain names their ship the MSV Bubbles?"
"What exactly is wrong with the name Bubbles?"
I look at Liara aghast. "Bubbles!"
The Balor Interstellar Space Hub expands around us, an amalgamation of dead star-ships welded together to create a passable impersonation of a station. It's late on what would be described on Earth as a Wednesday but in space is the third galactic orbit and the station is buzzing with people. Humans, turians, a few salarians, the occasional Hanar , every species of the galaxy existing together in the civilised way that can only be achieved in transportation ports. Hundreds of frigates and freighters pass through here everyday, carrying thousands of people to every corner of the galaxy thanks to its unique position as a gateway world. We arrived about four hours ago to catch the first transport to asari space only to find that available passage is surprisingly hard to come by.
"I'm not sure that it's being translated correctly." Liara continues, gesturing out of the viewing room window to the ship docked closest to us. "I understand a few phrases in Hanar, although admittedly not this dialect. I think it says 'that which floats freely is fleeting.'" She pauses a moment. "Or perhaps passing wind."
"Passing wind, seriously?" I look at her balefully, her completely neutral expression telling me that this particular idiom does not pass between languages. "Alright, yeah passing wind. Shame it's heading to Artemis Tau, I'd love to fly by passing wind, it's like every eight year old boy's dream." Liara tilts her head to me, brows knitted. "Sorry, bad joke."
"There are times when I think I will never understand the human sense of humour Shepard."
"In this case that's probably a good thing, I feel juvenile for even starting it. Oh, hey, look…." An awaiting transport draws my attention. "A '74 Athabasca class frigate, this is from before they ruined the design by adding all those expandable cargo holds. Coming out of FTL these things look amazing, like an electric manta ray. Course their engines have a tendency of failing during planet side docking and the whole thing just falls out the sky, but they're still cool." Pause. "Let's not get that one."
"I wasn't aware you were such an aficionado when it came to space-ships Shepard."
"Spend enough time on them and you eventually get a sixth sense about these kinda things." Shrugging a little I take a seat on a vacant bench. "I should have just commandeered an Alliance cruiser we'd be halfway there by now."
"You really need to work on this kleptomaniac streak you're developing, people will have to starting watching their things." Liara takes a seat next to me. "The ceremony isn't for another few days, we still have time. And if I'm honest I would rather not arrive too much ahead of time."
Tilting my head slightly I take a moment to study her; I should ask her what is troubling her, I can't bring myself to.
It's taken just under a day to travel to the Balor system, a portal to almost every corner of the Milky Way via numerous mass relays and it occurs to me that we have barely talked. We've spoken of course, of trivial things, the time of the transport, what the weather will be like on Thessia at this time of year, wet apparently, and what things I should bring with me on the trip; but we haven't talked. Not about the things that matter, Benezia's death or the reception we might receive when we arrive; not about the lie I saw in Liara's eyes during the enquiry. Letting out a long, low yawn I look up at the information scrolling around the walls of the port.
"I can't believe it's so busy, you'd think an attack on the galactic heart would put people off flying for a while."
"In times like these I imagine people want to be where they feel safe. " Liara shrugs her slender shoulders, her white and green jacket rising to accentuate the movement. "Do you think any of these ships will have passage left to Thessia tonight or will we need to find accommodation?"
"I really have no idea."
There's the sound of shuffling footsteps behind us.
"I hope you don't mind me interrupting you there lass, but if it's passage to the asari world's you'll be needing, then I think I might be inclined to help you so I might."
And there was Jim Ripley.
xXoXx
The MSV Promethei Planum.
There is something about the name of Jim Ripley's ship that rings in my memory, a distant recollection, a nagging feeling that I know it from somewhere but couldn't quite dig through the recesses of my mind to find it. Of course Liara recognised it instantly.
"I can't believe that you were actually on Mars when they discovered the prothean beacon, do you have any idea how amazing that is? What am I saying? Of course you know, why else would you name your ship after the region of the planet it was found in. I have so many questions."
She practically dances on her feet as we stand at docking bay nineteen, childish excitement over coming her usual collected demeanour. Moving between my side and the ship in eager hops her youthful face is as alive as I've ever seen it; she beams at Ripley who pushes up his woollen hat, scratching at his hair.
"Aye, was a right ri-ra I can tell you. Should have seen young Bowen's face when his rover fell right on top of the fecking thing. Once we get the small matter of your fair sorted out I'll gladly show you me holo-records."
Her eyes widen. "You have actual physical copies of the Mars data? Goddess that is astonishing!"
Unfolding my arms I look back at Ripley with a stern face, not as engrossed by this situation as she is.
"I'm not paying it."
"Come now Gingernut, just because you're as pretty as an Irish rain don't mean I'll go easy on the nicker. It's a fair price for what you're getting, board and passage, food, your own room."
"I could buy a ship for what you're charging us, its robbery." I hand him back the data-pad. "Not to mention you're planned route will take us right through the terminus, adding a day to the travel time. That's with out adding on delays for having to discharge the core thanks to the extra time spent in FTL. We're looking at a trip that should be done in a day and a half taking nearly three. I'm not paying this much for that."
There's a commotion at the airlock to the ship, a crate falls from a hover-dolly, landing on one of the three boarding passengers.
"God damn it San'del." The larger of the three boarding men screams, clutching at his foot, "Watch where you're fucking putting that thing you idiot."
The final member of the trio slaps the younger, San'del round the back of the head and relieves him of the dolly's controls; the three men disappear into the ship.
Ripley smiles at me, a grin full of missing teeth and mischief ignoring the situation with his passengers.
"Aye, perhaps, but you think any of the cheaper boats have the necessary passes to even dock in Thessia? It's a beautiful planet so it is but it's not known for it's tolerance of other species. You go with one o'them you'll be sitting in customs for close to a week, asari forms are murder to get through." He looks to Liara for concurrence.
"He's right. They have very strict regulation on who can and can not enter the planet."
I cast her a dry look, thinking she is not helping the situation but honestly as soon as I saw the light that glowed in her pale blue eyes when Ripley told her of his Prothean roots I knew this was the ship we were going to take. Still it doesn't hurt to haggle as my father would say. Shifting my arms I shrug my jacket to straighten the collar.
"I have your word that your papers are in order?"
"Without a hint o'a fib. We've got business there, my boat has all the necessary documents ready to go, all you'd have to do when we arrive is prove your identity and Miss Liara here will be able to do the rest."
"That all sounds well and good, Ripley, but there is one small problem." A voice says behind us, we all turn to see an asari standing a few feet away, her arms folded at her chest, her matriarchal face stoic. "You are not the captain of this ship. "
"Oh for fecks sake." Ripley covers his eyes with his hand. "Is it too much to hope that one o'these day's you'll get bleedin' lost?"
She smiles at him, walking towards us like flowing water. "You'll have to try harder then this to get rid of me, Ripley."
"I've been trying these past thirty years, when you gonna get the hint?"
The asari regards him coolly before cracking a smile and kissing him a top the head. She turns to Liara and me, extends her hand in our human greeting, an unexpected gesture coming so easily from a matriarch.
"May'ia Leem. Captain of the Promethei, I see you've already met my husband and first mate." She glances at him quickly. "I hope he hasn't been too much of a hassle."
"No, no, Mr Ripley is fascinating; I can't wait to talk to him further about his time on Mars."
"Hear that do you, May?" His cracked lips curve into a satisfied smile. "Fascinating. I still have a way with the young lass's so I do."
"Hmm." She mumbles at him. "Please don't encourage him dear, he's hard enough to live with as it is. So I hear you require passage to Thessia."
xXoXx
The sound of a busy ship is one of my favourite things in this world and the Promethei doesn't disappoint.
A ship of this class, a Kowloon modular conveyor if you at all interested in these things, can hold forty people easily, sixty with difficulty and, as is the case here seventy if you really try. People sat or stood everywhere, in the canteen, the communal lounge, a few in the cargo bays, more in the corridors and one or two, like Liara and myself, in private 'luxury' cabins. Although luxury is the last word I'd use to describe it. It's barely six feet by six feet, meaning that if I were to lay with my back on the floor and stretch my arms above my head I could be walking through the door and in the shower at the same time. It does have the advantage of being the only room on the ship to look out onto the galaxy via a porthole, instead of the glass floor that is present in the rest of the ship even if the window is so small I wouldn't even be able to put my hand through it, if I were that way inclined. Still, I guess it could be worse, it may not have a double bed meaning for the previous night sleep has alluded me; the sound of Liara's gentle breathing on the bunk below is a distraction that's impossible to ignore. It may be over the starboard thrusters and every time we begin our exit from FTL the entire room shakes violently, the noise from the bunks buckle's as they tear and scratch against the wall is deafening and the temperature rises to an unbearable level but it's private, it's ours.
I roll the word around my tongue as I exit the cabin, test the feel of it, the taste, the shape my mouth makes as I say it, something between a pout and a wayward smile. It's nice, I like it, ours.
We're still a day out of asari space, just under an hour away from passing through the Omega relay following our brief layover at the hollowed out asteroid. The number of passengers thinned out there as a few dozen mercenaries and some less then sensible families departed for what ever the station holds for them but the ship is still busy. I duck into an alcove as two children rush past me, narrowly avoiding a collision with the leader. They disappear around a corner, their shouts and laughter echoing against the bulkheads as they entertain themselves on what I know from experience can be a trying trip. Watching after them I allow my face to ease into a small smile, I was just like them at one time, captive on ships with little room to breathe. Made to behave, to act by regulation you have very little knowledge of, feeling like you'd explode from with unspent energy. As their cheers disappear into the ether I move from my alcove and follow the dusty, rusting signs that point me the direction of the canteen. Twenty minutes have passed since Liara headed this way to find us something to drink and never returned, I beginning to think her adoration of Ripley has moved to another level and they've eloped, but as I pass through the battered archway I see that I am mistaken.
It takes less then a second for me to locate her even in the crowd of passengers that have assembled here; I spy her instantly. Pushing my way through the throngs of people, mercenaries in plain clothes, a couple of eclor artists discussing the finer points of Lilitum inks, a human father and daughter playing a hand of Go Fish I make my slow way to the small galley in the corner where one passenger has pinned Liara. He isn't a large man, or a particularly menacing one at that, if he were to try anything on Liara that the asari didn't approve of there is no doubt in my mind he would come off worst, still his presence is clearly making her uncomfortable. She's pressed against the furthest wall, as if she's been gradually trying to step away from him but he has followed her. I don't see any malice in his body language, or his face, in fact if I'm not mistaken it's something entirely different.
"So I take the guy by the throat, big guy, taller than me. Take him by the throat and push his 'gainst the wall. He's all 'Del don't kill me man, I got a wife and kids and that'" He gestures around himself, lowering his voice. "and I'm like, 'you shoulda thought of that before you attacked the Citadel Saren, I ain't letting you outa here alive."
I pause briefly, a couple steps behind him and catch Liara's eye with a quirk of my brow. She smiles at me in passive amusement, trying her best not to let it show on her face, which is locked in a facsimile of astonishment.
"That's amazing Mr Astra, I had no idea that the Saviour of the Citadel was flying with us tonight, what happened next?"
"Yeah well I, like, held him by the throat and squeezed him, but he's, you know, wicked strong and pushes me away. But I'm all 'You ain't getting away that easily, man' and I, like grab a grenade and like throw it and…" He mimes the arc of a perfectly thrown shot. "It hits him right between his creepy ass turian eyes and boom man, like fucking boom." His hands go outwards vigorously, slapping against my shoulder as he does so. "Shit, sorry man."
"Don't worry about it. That was quite a story you were telling Mr….." Tilting my head I give him contrite smile. "I'm sorry I don't think I know your name."
"Err…yeah, San'del….Astra," He rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably, shifting under my scrutiny. "Hey, yeah I should be getting back to my brothers, they'll be, you know, worried and that. Nice talking to you Liara." He scuttles away under my intense gaze, I crack a grin.
"I believe that boy has a crush on you," Moving to her side I lower my voice, touch her gently against her back "Not that I can blame him."
"I do seem to have that affect on humans." Liara grins at me her freckled nose crinkly in such an adorable way it takes all my will not to jump her here and now; I settle for brushing my finger against her lips. She shivers slightly, turning her head away to concentrate on the two cups at her side. "I'm sorry I was so long, I was making you a cup of athial tea when Mr Astra cornered me, I'm afraid its gone cold now."
"I was beginning to think you'd run off with Ripley I've got to admit, but then if I'd known you were talking to the man who defeated Saren…"
She rolls her eyes a little. "Bless Mr Astra he is really very sweet, deluded as an ethical stock broker on Illium, but sweet none the less. If you allowed your face to be put out in the newscasts Eve you wouldn't have these pretenders to the crown."
"Well Miss T'Jol, as long as they fill the forms in for the destruction of a historical artefact so I don't have to I really don't mind."
It was Garrus who suggested that we travel under assumed identities believing that while there isn't a place in this galaxy where we can escape our names our faces might still be unrecognisable enough for us to remain unnoticed. I changed my first name to my middle but kept my last only spelt a different way. There are over six hundred thousand people in the galaxy with my surname, or one of its homophones so hopefully it's a calculated risk. Liara on the other hand chose to keep her first and change her last; apparently T'soni is a high ranking name in the world of the asari.
Leaning over her I look at the pale red liquid in the cups beside her, "I've never heard of athial tea, is it asari?"
"Yes." She nods, picking up the no longer steaming cup and bringing it to her nose, inhaling deeply. "From the region Athaca, not far from my home actually, Benezia used to bring it to me when I was unwell, and I know you haven't been sleeping…." Her words drift slightly, liquid eyes suddenly deepening. After a pause Liara empties the cup into the sink. "As I said, it's cold now."
"Liara…." I begin, wanting to broach the subject we've both been ignoring but still unsure how, not entirely convinced I want to know the answer. There is no manual for this, no standard operating procedure to tell you how to ask your girlfriend how she feels about you killing her mother. If that is even the right word for her. I drop my hand. What is Liara to me? My lover, my partner, my friend? We've slept together once, in troubled times when the weight of what we were about to face was pressing down against us, does that make us a couple, does it mean she even cares for me as I do for her? How do I ask her whether she holds the death of her parent against you, how do I ask her if she hates me for it?
"I wanted to ask you, about…about your mom…."
"I am Shepard!" One of the running children from earlier announces, jumping on to a table, finger pointed in the imitation of a gun at his sister. "I shoot you geth monster! Bam, bam, bam."
"I'm not a geth monster, you're a geth monster." The small blonde pouts, fist balled up in annoyance. "And Shepard is a girl, that makes you a girl."
"Am not!"
"Am to."
"Not."
"Liam! Dina!" A woman yells at them, suddenly appearing in the crowd. "You get back off'a there this instant."
"No-one tells Commander Shepard what to do!" Liam jumps off the table, running from the room, Dina and her mother at his heels. "Bam, bam, bam. Die geth scum!"
"Guess I'm famous." I say quietly, looking back at Liara, suddenly loosing my nerve.
xXoXx
The Tasale relay came and went a day ago, we are now in asari space.
Its night, most of the ship is asleep, Liara being one of them but I find myself walking the halls the same way I do on the Normandy unable to switch the part of me that needs to take control to sleep. It isn't something you can just turn off and on at a whim, being in command, once you take that responsibility upon yourself it changes you immeasurably and I find I can't rest on a ship that isn't under my control.
I tossed and turned in the bunk listening to Liara breathing, wanting to hold her against me like we did the night before Ilos. Things seemed simple then; we were on the brink of certain death, anything we did would inevitably come to nothing so what did it matter? Liara forgave me for Benezia then, maybe she still does I don't know, I can't bring myself to ask her. All I know is that I see her face in that enquiry when I close my eyes, I hear the lie she spoke when so told them that she held me no ill will. Add to the that the guilt I still hold over the Ascension and I know sleep is a far away dream for me tonight.
So I walk the halls.
I'm unsure how long I spent, moving around in the darkness only the lights from distant stars that creep through the floorboard skylight to guide me when I hear voices.
"That redhead looks familiar, you think she's a cop or somin?"
The mention of me peaks my interest, silently I move to where they are coming from, the hold as it turns out.
"'Cause I've seen her somewhere I think, hell you don't think she…"
"Spit it out San'del." Another voice asks, one of the Astra brother's, the eldest, Tanton I think his name is. We passed briefly in the halls a few hours earlier. According to the manifest he's a colonist moving between worlds with his younger brothers but he's no more a farmer then I am a pineapple. Farmers don't carry themselves the way he does, they don't have his vigilant eyes and stilted gate, like he's not quite used to there not being a gun strapped to his back and knife on his hip. I'll cut off my right ear if he's not a mercenary, pirate, or bounty hunter wanted in more then one star system.
"Naw, don't matter."
I peer round the corner to see the three stood around a pile of crates, each with a cigarette in hand. The final brother of the three is sat a top one box, his huge booted feet swinging against them sending resonating thuds through out the hold; Tanton casts a glance at him.
"You want the whole damn ship to know we're in here Kian?"
"Hell maybe I do, maybe I want that mick loving asari to come in show us what's she's made of, maybe she'd bring that other blue bitch make it a right proper party." Kian chews on his cigarette end, grinning. "Wouldn't that be a treat?"
"Hey, yeah, like" San'del bristles his slight frame tensing at his brothers words. "Liara's really nice she ain't…like, I mean…" He shuts up under Kian's gaze.
"Damn 'Del you got the blue itch bad don't ya?" His brother continues to tease, hopping down from his crate like perch. "Tentacle heads do it for you man, like the feel of something wriggly between your fingers 'cause there's a word for that."
"Both you idiots shut up." Tanton snaps forcing his big frame between the two of them. "Anyone catches us in here with this lot, what do you think they'll do? Gives us all fucking medals? Get back to moving these boxes…"
A silent rage rises inside me at their words, but there's nothing I can do about them now, when the opportunity comes tomorrow I'll investigate the crates until then, I suddenly feel very tired indeed.
xXoXx
A day later and the ship sits in orbit around an uninhabited moon while the core discharges. We're deep in asari space now only ten hours away from Thessia if of course we were moving, but unless we want to all be electrocuted in our beds these things must.
Liara, Ripley and a few of the remaining passengers and I are in the mess, drinking coffee and sharing stories. The space to my right is occupied by Liara who sits opposite San'dal Astra and next to Ripley. In the far corner I can feel Tanton and Kian watching us, a pack of cards laid out in front of them and holo-radio open at their side that plays dark, repetitive salarian dance music. May'ia is absent, her presence required in the engine room to monitor the core.
I lean back in my chair, legs crossed on the table edge, arms folded on my lap as I half listen to Ripley recount another tale of adventure but mainly watch the Astra brothers out of the corner of my eye.
"Cause, you would have never been t'earth Miss Liara would you, being young as you are." Ripley leans back in his chair, a wooden pipe hanging from his lips and woollen hat against his ash white hair, every inch the ideal of the old sea dog. "Good thing to, whole place is as gammy as a varren's nest so it is. I used to run with a few gangs back when, got up to all kinda trouble. Nothing too bad, no murder or kidnapping or the like but still not stuff you write home to your missus about."
"I would not have picked you as the type to be in a gang, Mr Ripley."
"Oh, don't let my pleasant Irish lilt fool you, cutie, I may sound like a nice bit of talent but I've got fangs so I have. Not so much any more, I prefer earning my nicker rather then pinching it now, but back when I was a lad. Oh!"
He rears his head back and laughs before launching into another story. Honestly I'm amazed Liara understands a word of what he's saying, I'd love to hear what her translator chip makes of him; even I have trouble following some of it. Her head tilts as she watches Ripley recount some epic story from his youth, studying him the same way she does a prothean artefact, her eyes alight with the exact same fire they had on Ilos. For Liara, who is so inexperienced when it comes to humans, who has spent only a fraction of her life around us, Jim Ripley's must be as exotic to her as she is to me.
"….was as much use as tits on a bull by the end of if, that's when I decided to get off the stinking rock. Volunteered to be one of the first blighters to go live in Lowell City."
"So that's how you came to be on Mars when they discovered the artefact in '48?" Liara's eyes brighten with childish glee, she leans forward in her seat. "I still can't quite believe you were there, if you'll forgive my bluntness, I wasn't aware any of the original human settlers were still alive. You've had an incredible life, Mr Ripley, simply incredible."
Reaching forward I bring my coffee mug to my lips it's surprisingly good considering how far we are from Earth. I grin at Liara.
"Looks like he's the perfect candidate for an in depth study." I tease. "Maybe you should dissect him in a lab somewhere."
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that." Ripley looks between us, his white heavy eyebrows raised. "Spent a few years in a lab so I did, didn't enjoy it all that much."
"Is that what asari do?" San'del asks, breaking his silence and transfixed stare. "Cut people open and stuff?"
"No, Mr Astra." Liara soothes softly, she swats me playfully with back of her hand, looking back at the two men apologetically. "Shepard is just being a brat."
"Ah right, so are you too like….are you…." San'del asks excitedly, rocking backwards and forwards a little in his seat. "Cos I know like, you asari, you go that way don't you. I've seen it, in the vids and that."
Liara's faces furrows. "I'm not sure I understand you, Mr Astra."
"I do." My eyes darken. "I don't think it's any of your business."
"Naw, come on. I ain't, like, asking to join in or nothin'-"
"San'del." His brother barks, beckoning him over with lift of his head. The younger Astra runs his hand over his shaven hair, torn between obeying and continuing his admiration, but he does eventually move.
"Jerk." I mutter under my breath, watching him as he sits, noting how his eyes never leave Liara.
"Ah, yeh get used to that you will, lass. Comes with being an asari. First time I met our May'ia she was fighting off a gang of scallies who thought she owed them some kinda favour. Was 'bout to help her out when she puts a singularity right in the bastard's brain; imploded right there and then. Scariest bint you're ever likely to meet that May'ia is."
"When did you meet her?" I ask, tracing my hand lazily against Liara's lower back. Ripley removes the pipe from his mouth, taps it against the palm of his hand and replaces it. "It can't have been that long ago, we only met the council races a few years after I was born."
"Come now lass, you're making me and young Liara here feel old. But you're right, was bit under thirty years ago, not long after the first contact war. Been trying to get rid of her since of cause, not got lucky yet." He looks up as he hears May'ia entering the room. "Ain't that so May? Try as I might, just can't get rid o'you."
"It is my life's work to make you miserable Ripley." May'ia replies with a wry half smile, her dark blue skin radiant even in the dim interior light. She moves like cool water through the room, effortless and graceful, confident and powerful; it's impossible not the drawn to her. She nods her head in greeting at the two of us and places a small kiss on the top of Ripley's woollen hat. "You'll be glad to know the core has been completely discharged, I've set the auto-pilot, we'll be on our way shortly."
"You girls never did say why it was you were heading to the ol' mother world. As lovely as it is it's not exactly a holiday destination, what with the high security. Enough red tape on that planet to choke an elcor, not that you would. Nice fella's elcor."
"I promised Eve that I would show her the Oluja-tica, Thessian spring is the only time they're in bloom." The ease and sincerity of the lie worries me, she didn't even so much as pause.
"Ah, so you'll be heading Serrice way then will ya, lovely country. Best brandy you can buy anywhere this side'a Belfast."
"Good food to, just watch that you get the 'visitor friendly' option Eve, otherwise you might just end up floating off world rather then flying."
I frown at her a little. "I'll try to remember that."
"It'll be difficult for you lass.." Ripley continues regardless of whether anyone is listening, "Being a human on Thessia, they aren't so fond of us. Just getting through custom'll be difficult."
"Luckily you're travelling with an asari, that will make the process easier."
"Our main story…." The holo-radio changes to a GalaticNews report, "A memorial is being held today for those killed in the devastating geth attack on the Citadel two weeks ago. Most recent estimates put the death toll at the two million mark, not including the fatalities that the Turian, human and asari fleet sustained. In related news, Commander Shepard is to be…."
"That's enough of that I think." With a wave of his hand Ripley closes the radio much to my relief. "Nothing but bad news now a'days."
"You human's are lucky, you humans have such short lives you don't get to see the galaxy descend into chaos all that often." May'ia responds, then looks at her fellow asari. "When you get to my age Liara you'll have seen more violence then you can possibly stand."
"Ripley tells me you used to be a huntress." I reply. "You must have seen quite a few things in your travel."
"Oh I've got stories that make Ripley's tall tales look like bed time vids. The recent events at the Citadel might seem terrible now, but by the time our maidens have become matriarchs it will all have been forgotten."
That's the hope, I think, catching Liara's eye. May'ia's omni-tool blinks at her, beeping three times to draw her attention, she opens it and stands.
"If you'll excuse me…."
"I ever meet that Shepard guy; I'll buy him a beer." Tanton says from his position in the corner, breaking the silence left by May'ia. "Deserve a medal for blowing up that asari ship, 'bout time human's got the respect we deserve."
"Him?" I bristle realising after I've said it that that wasn't the point I should have concentrated on. "You think this Commander's a man?"
"Cause he is. You think they'd send a chick into do this stuff? Only a man would have the balls to do what he did, blow up that Council ship, get humanity put in charge for a change. We've been the council's whipping boys for too long, this'll change it."
"That is a very narrow view to have, Mr Astra. Thousand of people died on that ship, protecting you and others like you."
"Yeah, thousands of blues." Kian scoffs, drawing an icy look from Ripley. "Like there ain't enough of them to go round."
"He didn't do it for people like us." Tanton continues, his eyes moving from Ripley, to me and then Liara. "Alliance bitches like him only serve one master and it sure ain't humans, least this one knows that when he cuts himself it comes out red."
"You don't know anything about it." I finally snap, having heard enough of his bullshit. "You have no idea about any of this, so I suggest you shut the hell up before I put you in the airlock and flush."
"Yeah?" Kian replies standing. "What the hell does this have to do with you? Just 'cause you're getting your nasty with the blue bitch there-"
"What did you call her?" I rage,
"You heard me. What is it? Couldn't get a human guy to sleep with you so you jumped ship to the asari?" He looks at Liara now. "Can't blame you though, heard you girls now all the tricks, after all you get around enough don't ya? How 'bout we go try out some of your famous flexibility?"
"No thank you, Mr Astra." She replies politely, holding onto my wrist to restrain me. "I am more then satisfied where I am."
"I bet you are yeah." he drools, "can bring her to if you like, I ain't fussy."
"Lay one finger on her I'll break you in half."
"Touch my brother and you'll be speaking through broken teeth." Tanton takes a step forward, his huge frame easily dwarfing my slender one, but I've fought far scarier things then him. "Kian, lay off."
"Come now boys and girls, ain't no need for this." Ripley intervenes, rising from his chair stiffly. "We're all citizens of our mother Milky Way, no matter what planet we come from."
"You're gonna let them talk about the asari that way on your ship." I fix the brothers with a stare. "They're nothing more then bigots."
"Don't come that with me lass." Ripley replies quietly, his tone of voice taking a dangerous edge, there's a flare of something unreadable in his eyes. "I've been dealing with this sorta bull crap since before you were born, but nought good comes from violence."
There's a moment in time where I can almost feel the air crackle with tension, the brothers don't move, neither do I, we're locked in a stand off that isn't broken until the entire port side the ship rattles with an explosion.
Liara is knocked off her feet, I stumble into a wall, my head colliding against it painfully.
"What in hell's fire was that?" Ripley swears through my ringing ears. He runs to the intercom. "May, what's going on."
"Thing's moving in the hold….gun fire, I can't-"
The line dies.
Another explosion, biotic this time rather than bombs. I wipe at the blood that is just beginning to ooze from my forehead and draw my pistol, running for the door. Liara joins me on the other side.
The hold door opens.
My heart stops at what exits.
"Christ." I swear slamming my hand into the door control, rolling out of the way of rifle fire as it closes.
Just once, just once I'd like to not stumble into a geth trap.