Setting of the Sun (Part 1)

New Hiroshima

Shia'va walked into the kitchen of her family's home. She smiled as she watched her two daughters working on their homework. Leaning against the doorframe, Shia'va remembered back to when her children were born and how it had become one of the happiest days of her life. Mordin still couldn't believe she was able to conceive. But…there was the proof. Both girls, fraternal twins actually. Both looked Turian with a few exceptions. Their eyes while close to looking like Garrus' were narrower, and their eye color was that of their mother's. Their fringes were not as large as a normal Turians. In fact, they were shorter and more jagged, sharper looking. Their skin was softer but still had a plated look. Mordin conjectured that they would be as anatomically correct as a human female instead of Turian in regards to their chests and sexual regions. There were no abnormalities, deformities, or mutations in their genes. They were perfectly healthy children as far as hybrid children go. And as they got older, unlike Turian females, they both had long black hair that grew from under their fringes.

The girls were both twelve years old now, and both quite beautiful. Shia'va and Garrus had spent days deciding on their names after they were born. But Garrus had grown fond of many of the Japanese names he heard. They had decided on the names Mikazuki for the oldest, who was only really older by two minutes, and Kiyoko for the youngest. The two children were truly gifts from God. Both were very much different from the other, but very intelligent in their own ways. Mikazuki was very book smart. She could always see things very logically. She was excellent in math, science, and literature. Kiyoko was the creative one. She loved art, dance, and music. She could see things in a very abstract view and very simplified from her sister. And when the two worked together, they could do things that even some adults couldn't do. Their teachers often approached Shia'va and Garrus about putting them in advanced classes. Shia'va didn't want to rush her children. She wanted them to enjoy everything life had to offer. She wanted them to grow up as children. Not as children pushed to a genius level with no time for fun or family.

Shia'va was shaken from her thoughts as she heard Mikazuki get frustrated with picture she was drawing. "This is stupid. I can't do this." She threw her pencil down. Her mandibles flared in frustration. Shia'va was about to say something when she saw Kiyoko get down from her chair and go over to Mikazuki. She pulled her chair over and sat with her older sister and helped her understand, at least for now, how to draw this particular picture.

Shia'va couldn't help but smile. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she watched her children work together. It wasn't always easy raising these two. Shia'va wanted the children to learn to build on their strengths, but to also rely on their skills or to get better at things by practicing. She learned that her own skills are what helped her. The Reapers weren't going to just let her win. All she had, besides her team, was her skills.

Garrus had finally come home from work. He ran a very well established security and investigation firm for the businesses in the main part of the capital city just outside of New Hiroshima. He walked over to Shia'va and gave her a loving kiss. The two girls giggled as they watched their parents show their affection. Garrus walked over and mercilessly tickled the two girls. The girls screeched in laughter as they ran behind their mother for protection from their father. Shia'va put her hands on her children. "Alright you two, go and get cleaned up for dinner."

"Yes, mama." Both girls answered.

Garrus put his arms around Shia'va as their daughters went off to get cleaned up. "Was everything quiet today?" He touched his forehead to hers.

"For the most part. I can't believe it's been twelve years, Garrus. Twelve wonderful, but quiet years." She ran her hand along Garrus' back. "I just have a really hard time believing that no one has tried to find us. I know we made more than enough enemies."

"Compared to facing Reapers or Collectors, I can understand the feeling of being too comfortable. But is it really so bad, Shia? Even you yourself said that you were tired of fighting. That you wanted to live in peace." He thought for a few moments. "Maybe it's because we live in a community not just filled with humans? The Batarians won't openly attack a community filled with other Council races."

"I know, honey. I just…would have expected something to happen. Remnants of Cerberus cells or…I don't know, something to find us and attack. I know that sounds terrible." Shia'va chuckled. "I really was a soldier way too long, wasn't I?"

Garrus shook his head. "No, but we've both come to expect things to happen. It's just that having children kind of puts us in a more protective mode. We've both tried to avoid becoming complacent." Garrus took Shia'va's hands in his talons. "But I for one have enjoyed the peace of raising a family. And I know you have too."

Shia'va smiled. She couldn't deny that. This family has been her life. And now she knows how her mom felt raising three kids. The joy a family brings into one's life is unmatched. "I have."

Kiyoko was washing her face and cleaning her mandibles when she looked over to Mikazuki. Mika was in deep thought. "Something's bothering you, isn't it?"

Mikazuki knew better than to try and hide that from her sister. "Yeah. Something I heard today in class. One of Jia's parents said he saw a Blue Sun symbol today on someone in a car." Mika took another washcloth and washed her face next.

"Wasn't the Blue Suns one of those Marc bands?" Kiyoko asked.

"Merc. Its Merc bands. And yeah, I know, papa doesn't talk about it. But I found something on the extranet from a few years back. Something about a planet called Zoyra being in control once by the Blue Suns." Mika cleaned off her mandibles. "Both mama and papa were involved. So was grandpa Zaeed."

Kiyoko blinked. "You don't think..?" Kiyoko's mind was already working on the possibility that the Blue Suns were there to go after Garrus and Shepard.

"Dunno. Maybe. But I think we should tell both of them." Mikazuki knew how her mother felt about lying. And withholding information was just as bad if not worse than lying. It was lying by omission.

The family sat and was enjoying a delicious turian dish. Shepard had become accustomed to certain Turian meals that didn't cause cramps. But it was a lot of trial and error on her part. Garrus also had learned which human foods he could and couldn't eat. Some fish was good and some laid him up for days. Both Shia'va and Garrus had to learn if nothing else, for the children. Garrus, as well as Shia'va, had noticed how quiet the two girls were. Usually they were always telling them how their day at school was. Garrus knew something was on their mind.

"You two are quiet tonight. What's going on?" Garrus was the first to ask. Shia'va was just listening.

Mikazuki shifted in her chair a bit. How the hell was she going to tell her parents she had found something she probably shouldn't have seen? "Umm…well…Jia was telling me something and, I wasn't sure what it meant so, I kind of looked up something."

Shia'va leaned forward. "Mikazuki Vakarian, you know how I feel about lying. What aren't you telling us?" She gave Mika a look that Garrus always called the 'Shepard mother look'.

Mikazuki always hated the look. She knew she was going to get in trouble if she didn't tell her mother. She sighed. "Jia told me that her parents saw someone in a car wearing Blue Sun armor. She told me that the Blue Suns had once taken over a refinery on Zoyra. And I looked it up on the extranet."

Shia'va closed her eyes. "Oh God…." She dropped her fork and placed her hands over her face. She didn't want this. She didn't want her children to know about what she did and didn't want to think about what was going to happen next. She was trying to protect her children from learning about too much of what she did. Elysium and the Reapers was one thing, there was no way the children wouldn't know about that. But this was different. And if Mika knew, then Kiyoko knew. "Kiyoko, did you know about this too?"

Kiyoko saw the look that her mother gave Mika. She thought better about trying to claim innocence of just learning about it twenty minutes before. "Yes, mama."

Shepard's mind was racing. She would have to know what the two kids learned. Garrus saw the expression on his lifemate's face. He looked to the girls. "How much do you two know?" Garrus asked firmly.

Kiyoko shifted in her chair this time. "We know you and mama were on the planet with grandpa Zaeed. And that you saved the workers from the place burning up. But also that you and mama stopped the Blue Suns."

Shia'va exhaled heavily. She thanked God that they didn't know that it was Zaeed that had almost destroyed the place trying to get to Vido Santiago.

Mikazuki looked at her mother and father. "Are the Blue Suns going to try to take over our home?"

It was that question that spurned something in Shia'va's mind. If the Blue Suns are here, then that meant that Vido had just come out of hiding. Shia'va looked at her children. "No, they won't, sweetheart." Garrus had already gone over to his terminal and was in contact with the authorities in the city, warning them about the Blue Suns. Shia'va went over and knelt down between her two daughters. "I don't want either of you worrying. The Blue Suns won't hurt anyone. I promise." She kissed her two children.

Later that night, Shia'va and Garrus had finally fallen asleep. Shia'va was worried that someone had leaked information as to where they lived. She was now wishing she hadn't said what she did about things being quiet. Now her children could very well be in danger. Garrus had told her they would talk more about it in the morning. Shia'va reached into her nightstand drawer and placed her gun on the stand next to her. Mikazuki and Kiyoko couldn't sleep. They were even more worried than their mother. Kiyoko was the first one to sit up. "Mika? Are you asleep?"

Mika sat up next. "No. I can't sleep. Thinking the same thing?" She said looking over to her sister. They were speaking in hushed tones so as to not wake their parents.

"Yeah, I really don't like this. Mama is really worried. She hasn't said it, but I can tell." Kiyoko rested her head on her hands.

Mikazuki stood up and went over and took her sister's hand. "Come on." Kiyoko blinked as she was led by her sister. She quietly asked where they were going. "I know mama is worried, and I know she'll be mad. But I would rather her be mad that we did something to make sure everything is safe then do nothing at all and wait for something to happen." The two girls went into Shia'va's study and started to access her terminal. Mika hacked into her system and started to look for a certain person. Kiyoko kept looking behind her to make sure neither parent was going to walk in on them. Shepard had no idea how good of a hacker her daughter was. Not a surprise given how much of it Shepard use to do. And with her daughter's knowledge in science, she was able to hack into most secure databases. Not that their mother had to know that part, yet. The terminal's screen filled with names and binary numbers. Mikazuki looked over the code quickly until she found the name she was looking for.

Samara. With her talons dancing across the interface, Mika deftly typed a letter to their 'Aunt Samara'. The letter read:

Aunt Samara,

Mama doesn't know I'm sending this letter to you. But I know she's worried. The Blue Suns on are Watson and in the city near New Hiroshima. Kiyoko and I are scared that the Blue Suns are coming after mama and chichi (father), again. We don't know where Grandpa Zaeed is. Please help.

-Mikazuki Vakarian

Mika looked over the letter and nodded. That should be enough. She sent the letter hoping Samara would get it in time. She logged out of the system and shut down the terminal. Both girls quietly tip toed back to their room and crawled back into bed. 'God please make sure Aunt Samara gets the letter. Please make sure mama and chichi will be alright.' Mika prayed quietly. Kiyoko had also basically said the same prayer. As the two started to fall asleep. A massive explosion could be heard five miles away. A warehouse at the outskirts of the main city had been bombed. Both children shot up from their pillows.

Shia'va and Garrus were already running into their room. Shia'va knelt down next to Kiyoko and Garrus next to Mikazuki. Kiyoko was already crying. They weren't fast enough to send the message to Samara, she thought. Mika could see the fear in her younger sister's eyes. Shia'va was softly comforting her daughter. Garrus was holding Mika, who soon after felt the same thing her sister did. They were too late.

Vido Santiago sat in his chair looking at the vid screen from his gunship. A cruel smile crossing his lips. With him was a Batarian that Shepard would know all too well. "Think we got her attention, yet?" Vido asked as he took a drag on his cigarette.

"Don't think this is going to draw Shepard out, human. We may need to take a bit more of a…drastic approach." Balak smiled. He was going to make Shepard pay in more ways than one. "But at least she knows that we're here."

A/N: Now the fun begins. Expect the next few chapters to bring back some old familiar faces. And maybe some new ones.