Hopelessly Blue: I wasn't sure when I should do it but I was going to explain the knowing Shepard's mom thing soon. I mean, with everything else Raegas is keeping from Shepard she should get right on telling her the basics. Not to mention Shepard will find out soon anyway since Hannah can now or soon will, call whenever she needs. And with Joker faced with a new rival, I can't help but feel he'll go all out.
Hound Akragth: I find myself agreeing; if Joker does something crazy and Iravina tops him, he'll want to top that and then that could lead to crashing into a meteor or something. Horrible, right? Death by floating rock. Ha! I startled you! I was hoping I surprised someone with that tidbit. I have a few other stories that aren't part of the main storyline though, so you can read 'deleted scenes' and such there. Not to mention the ARC one will have a lot of important details and explanations. Just so you know. ;)
Bluemarlin: Thanks; I tried to make it interesting but it was a little challenging with keeping them in character. Still, it was fun to write. And not to advertise myself, but I have some extra stories on my profile that should give you more information and everything. Along with deleted scenes.
A/N: Please don't hate me.
"You have grown weak, your majesty. You have lost focus." Karamu frowned, staring down at me as I rolled to my side in pain. Again, he had beaten me to a pulp in less than six minutes. I had only managed to pin him three times in the last four days.
"You always say that." I groaned, picking myself up from the slippery ground. The Vertoak didn't believe in padding, unfortunately. Sparring was meant for preparation not recreation. That was what mother always used to say, anyway…
"I say it if it is true." He retorted, allowing me to stand undeterred.
I stiffly straightened my back and stretched my arms out for a moment in order to rid myself of some of the pain. I may have had the ability to heal quickly but it wasn't magic. I hadn't been sleeping well and Karamu's use of suppressors in the floor and walls disrupted it. Think of the healing power as cells in your body that glow. The glow is the healing 'magic'. Suppressors restrict the glow, therefore disabling the power. Temporarily. For a day or two. Or six.
"Right…" I breathed, relaxing into a fighting stance once more. "Well, let me know when I start listening, huh?" I smirked, the two of us exchanging contact of the fists. We held for a moment, me still smirking and breathing hard, him frowning in distaste. Some may think his black eyes, dark purple skin and oversized skull-plate were scary but I found the characteristics familiar. To me, his frown was a smile and his harsh words ways of encouragement.
"I see you still retain humor." He grumbled. We broke fist contact and stepped back in unison.
"I see you still disapprove." I replied.
"Burn such energy in the fight. Spawn-"
"-Do not care to listen or will wait to strike, I know." I cut him off, having had heard this lecture a thousand and one times before.
We began circling each other, gazes never breaking from each other. I could feel his energy thickening the air around us, and my own swirling and pushing against his, like two different currents of a river. We were both as one and one as both. The mere energy intensified, challenging. It was a battle more of the will than of the strength. There was a promise in his black depths. A promise to teach me a lesson I should think.
"Xirna Nenual would be displeased at such treatment." Karamu frowned even deeper, showing his displeasure. I simply sighed through my nose, irritated.
"The Xirna doesn't care." I said, feeling my own energy flare and clash with Karamu's.
"She is your grandmother."
"The large Brogul stated as I stared back in distaste of his methods." I narrated. His energy flared instantly and not a moment after, his fist shot out. With no time to think let alone blink, I ducked and side-stepped. He kept moving with me though, upholding our roundabout of the room.
"Perhaps a simulation of the Adaphal Theatre then." He offered, his slight smirk shocking me. I managed to keep my composure all the same. Karamu only ever enjoyed himself when fighting; whether by power or will. I huffed, returning his smirk. This was a reference to our old days of training.
Karamu. Former clan leader of his people. Former warrior of the Roun-cast. Former bound. Former father.
Current teacher.
He had left everything he lost behind when he agreed to teach the young heir of the royal family. The Warrior had known Empress Terestia for a long period of time, even before she came to rule in place of her parents. He had originally disliked the idea of looking after a child so young in years. He knew his methods were harsh, and to inflict them on such a vulnerable soul was akin to abuse.
He had only changed his mind upon meeting the princess.
She was only four feet tall. Tall for her age. Her shoulder-length hair was messy, and her smile pure. Karamu saw the resemblance to her parents easily, and hoped the girl was as strong as the Empress believed. If she wasn't then him being her teacher would only cause damage.
"I am Karamu, princess. I am to look after you and train you until you are ready." He introduced himself.
It had been the look in her eyes that altered his view of her innocence. "Ready for what?" she asked simply.
He regarded her deeply for a moment before answering, "Many things. I will not be your only teacher. It is my duty however, to instruct you in battle."
The young child stared at him with an unreadable expression before stating, "Against the Spawn monsters. I've had nightmares about them." She held out her hand, "I don't want to be afraid. Can you help me be brave?"
Karamu's teeth moved into alignment together and clenched. She was far too young to have to believe she was expected to die in battle already.
Without a word, he curled his fingers around her small hand. "You already are young one."
The first day of training was spent at the Adaphal Theatre. It was a place that regaled you of ancient battles and moral conflicts. The reality of these stories was both fake and yet taken from things that had happened before. The most famous of these perhaps was called Maelstrom; a story of the ancient race during the time of the Great Revelation. It explained the monster living within each Vertoakan, what they used to be, and how they overcame this inner conflict to eventually gain the strength to hold back the Bloodrage.
"They look like they're dancing!" Raega grinned, watching as the two actors flowed around each other each time one would attack or defend. It was meant to show the eternal battle the Vertoak waged against their instincts, even when they used them in battle.
"It simulates an ancient and everlasting battle you will soon come to understand." Karamu explained. "For now we must study these forms to better protect you in the future."
I blew out a smile, "Do you think I understand now?"
"We are both corrupted, Lixeria. We have both lost many dear things." Karamu replied. "To understand is what we do."
"Then let's not waste any time." In an instant, the battle of wills continued.
But this time, rather than attacking and reacting, we flowed around each other. Karamu would strike forward only to have me slip around his outstretched arm and attack with my own punch. Karamu would then twirl around my own fist to deliver an answering kick to the back of my legs. I then back-flip over his leg before landing on my feet, crouching down and swiping my leg out to catch his ankles.
This battle continued on almost effortlessly, neither of us landing a blow on the other. I had missed these days.
…
On the ground team was Shepard, Kareck, Raja, Miranda, Rota and Kasumi.
Shepard was obviously in command, and Miranda had to come because she just loved to keep a close eye on things. Her biotics might come in handy as well. Rota's tech genius (she had mentioned being a Synchronist, whatever that was) was welcome, especially when a fight with synthetics was inevitable. Kasumi's sneaking prowess would help to ambush Geth squads or counterattack. Kareck wasn't much of a fighter but he really wanted to rescue Tali. Raja's ferocity in battle would help even out the young prince's merciful personality.
At the moment, they were listening to a recording Tali had made. Kareck smiled at the sound of Tali's voice. He missed her so much that he was beginning to worry if he'd be too late to rescue her, or get hurt himself and go blind, unable to ever see her pretty plate-glass again.
His big sister always said that he worried too much but if there really were countless realities like this one then there had to be ones where Tali was already dead. Or where they had never met. Or where he got killed just before seeing her.
His heart ached just thinking about himself in an alternate reality, crying over Tali's lifeless body.
…
"Oh come on, that joke was hilarious!" Joker argued, glaring at Iravina. They were currently on a video feed, talking, although Iravina wondered herself how she could have gotten into this conversation when she had no want to talk to the insulting human.
"I find it rather childish." Iravina replied in disinterest. "Walking into a segregated stall of the opposite sex is simply a mistake, nothing more."
Joker smiled rather strangely, "Oh, I get it. You're defending me from my own humiliation by rationalizing. See, I knew you weren't so bad on the inside."
Iravina frowned at him, "In truth, I don't understand why it's humiliating in the first place."
Joker blinked at her, wearing a confused expression for a moment. "What are you talking about now?"
"In my culture we have very few taboos to speak of, and so rarely segregate the races themselves let alone males from females." She answered. "We have no inequality."
A grin spread on the human pilot's face, "So you guys all shower together?"
Iravina regarded him with a frown, "Did I not just say that?"
"Cool!" Joker burst. "I'm jealous of those lucky bastards on your ship now." He finished with displeasure written all over his face.
"You humans must be very sexually repressed if you find taking a shower with a female arousing." Iravina mused. "Perhaps that is why the human volunteers have acted rather awkwardly around the facilities."
Joker nodded, "Of course they have. The guys barely get any action when we're up in space all the time and the girls feel all awkward getting stared at."
"The females have taken to it with fewer inhibitions, actually." Iravina replied.
"Wait, you mean they're okay with sharing the showers with not only men but aliens too?" Joker asked incredulously.
"They were awkward, as you put it, at first… But after finding the behavior of the rest of the crew rather neutral they seemed to relax. The men, however, appear to be acclimatizing at a slower rate." She explained.
"Of course they are." Joker scoffed. "We're sensitive about our stuff, you know."
Iravina raised a brow. "I did not know." She denied.
"Well now you do. So be nice." Joker said, pointing a finger at her.
Iravina frowned. "I do not take orders from you." she stated, and cut the transmission.
"Oh come on!" Joker yelled at getting hung up on again.
A/N: I should finish Haestrom next chapter and move on to more crew interaction too. –That is, if you want to see the character development. I mean, I do, but if you only want to see the missions then tell me so.
Either way please review (and I'm sorry for taking so long on updating)!