The Faith of a Child

-Aboard the Normandy, in orbit over Palaven-

Garrus and Shia'va stood in the war room with Kolyat, Kaiden Alenko, Kasumi, and EDI. Mikazuki and Kiyoko were sitting at a console just behind them. Garrus was pointing out some areas Jorum Talid's men could possibly be hiding for an ambush. Kolyat then showed the position of his people and how close they were to the Vakarian home. Garrus took a moment to look over his world. Even after twelve years, the Turians were still rebuilding Palaven.

Mikazuki was doing something on her omni-tool. She looked up every so often towards her parents and then back to her omni-tool. She was watching security feed from cameras that Jorum Talid had his people put up. Hacking into the system was easy. The Eclipse mercs were using some very basic command protocols. She watched as she saw an Asari pass by a camera. Mikazuki touched her ear to listen. She couldn't completely make out what was being said, but it sounded like something about the pay being put through. Mika saw her mother turn and shut off her omni-tool. She smiled at her mother who in turn smiled at her and turned back to the group. Mikazuki leaned forward and looked at what Kiyoko was drawing. She kept her voice low. "What's that?" She asked her little sister.

Kiyoko looked at Mika, then towards her mother who was still talking to the group, and then back to Mika. She also kept her voice low. "I'm drawing the layout of what mama and chichi are talking about." She looked up to see Garrus walk over to them.

"What are you two up to over here?" Garrus asked as he sat down with his daughters.

"Nothing, chichi." Kiyoko said smiling.

Garrus looked at what Kiyoko drew and he smiled. "This is very beautiful, sweetheart. You caught Palaven as you see it."

Mikazuki smiled. "Well, I kind of reminded her of what Palaven was like before the Reaper War, chichi."

Garrus couldn't help but smile at Mikazuki. "You know your history well. Your mother and I are both very proud that you girls are doing so well in school. Just promise us one thing, please."

"What is that, chichi?" They asked in unison.

"Promise us you will stay as innocent as you two are. That you don't get involved in the life your mother and I use to live. You both have so much potential." That had been a hope of Garrus' for a long time. That Kiyoko would become a dancer or artist and Mikazuki would become a teacher or scientist.

The two girls both nodded. "We'll make you and mama proud, chichi."

Garrus kissed both his girls on their heads. He watched as Shia'va walked over.

"Mikazuki, Kiyoko, I want you both to stay here on the Normandy and behave for EDI and Joker. Do I make myself clear?" Shia'va asked as she knelt down before the girls.

"Yes, mama." They both answered.

"Don't worry, Shepard. I will make sure the girls don't get into any trouble." EDI smiled at the two.

A couple of hours later, Mikazuki and Kiyoko were up in the loft, both sitting at the coffee table. Kiyoko had finished her drawing and had it lain out on the table. Mikazuki had her omni-tool up and watching the security feeds again. Their parents had left for the planet surface only twenty minutes ago, and they had landed outside of the city limits so as to not attract attention in saving Garrus' mother and sister. But the girls felt something was wrong.

Mikazuki pointed out a few things to Kiyoko. "Look at this. This asari seems to be leading these people. And she doesn't look like a nice person." She opened up a second screen on her omni-tool and narrowed her eyes as she saw who the person was. Her mandibles flexed a bit. "Oh no, it's Jona Sederis."

"Who's Jona Sederis?" Kiyoko asked earnestly.

"She's the leader of the Eclipse mercenaries. She and mom never got along, even after mom got her out of C-Sec custody during the Reaper War." Mika lowered the screen and looked back to the security feed. She placed her arm on the table near the drawing. "Kiyo, can you help me with something?"

"Sure. What can I do?" Kiyoko had a pencil ready in her hand.

"I need you to count out how long it takes for these people to get from here," She points to a building on the drawing. "To here." She points to another.

Kiyoko nodded and watched the feed. "One, one thousand, two, one thousand," She counted aloud. She finished. "I count 30 seconds, Mika."

Mika nodded and typed something into her omni-tool. The two girls continued this for about five minutes. Mika was worried. "I don't like this. Mom and dad are going to get caught by the second patrol coming around here. Uncle Kolyat's people miscounted. We have to warn them!"

"You're right. The heck if we get in trouble. I don't want to lose mom and dad." Kiyoko grabbed her pictured and both girls ran for the lift.

They got to the CIC were EDI and Joker were standing at the comm feed for Shepard's team.

"Aunt EDI! We have to tell you something!" Kiyoko ran over to EDI.

EDI looked down and saw the paper Kiyoko was holding. "You can show us later, little one. I promise after this is all over."

"You don't understand it's really important!" Mika said next.

Joker was up next. "I'm sure whatever it is, your mom and dad can't wait to hear about it."

Kiyoko stomped her foot. This was getting really infuriating. Why is it no one ever listens to the kids? Mikazuki, though, she pushed Joker out of the way and started getting into the comm system.

"Hey!" Joker said as he staggered back.

Kiyoko put the picture upon the comm panel so Mika could read it and placed the notes Mika typed up on the picture. "We don't have time to play this game!" Kiyoko snapped at Joker.

EDI crossed her arms over her chest. "That wasn't very nice, Kiyoko Vakarian."

Mika was focused on what she was doing she only said a couple of words. "So ground us later." She tied her omni-tool into the panel and brought up the security feed.

EDI was amazed at how fast the two girls were working. They weren't even AI. She heard the two chattering to each other in Japanese. "What is going on here?"

"Mom and dad are about to get captured if we don't warn them." Mika had almost grown up right before EDI's eyes. She looked at Joker as both of them watched the two Vakarian children working feverishly. "Mom? Mom this is Mika."

-At that same time-

Shia'va and Garrus were on point. The got to the city limits and hunkered down, getting ready to make their move into the city. If Kolyat's people were right, this should be an easy smash and grab. Kolyat said something into his comm to his people. "My team is in place, Shepard."

Shia'va nodded and looked at Garrus. "Don't worry; we'll get your family out of there, honey."

Garrus nodded. "I know."

Shia'va watched as a patrol of Eclipse went by. As the disappeared from view, she started to order her team to move. But as she did…'Mom? Mom, this is Mika, please respond!' Shia'va stopped the team from moving and got back down to cover. She lowered her voice. "Mikazuki Vakarian! I told you that your father and I cannot speak…" She heard the frustration in Mika's voice. 'God Almighty, mom! There's another patrol coming from the flank of sector 3!' Shia'va looked over the ridge to see a second patrol come around the corner of another building. She felt a lump in her throat. If they had moved…she closed her eyes. "Mika…I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

'It's alright, mom. Look, Kiyo and I have this place mapped out and we know the patrol times. But there's something else. Jona Sederis is planetside. And I think that she is looking to have her shot at you.' Mika said quickly.

Shia'va had the team settle back down in cover and waited. She linked the team so they could all hear Mikazuki and Kiyoko. "Mika, why didn't you tell us about this earlier?"

'We didn't think you would believe us, mom. We know how you hate it when we get involved in the adult things.' Kiyoko spoke up. Shia'va listened as she heard Kiyoko say something muffled to Mikazuki. 'Mom, that trench you're in, you can follow it to sector 5 and come up through an opening into an abandoned building. It should put you close to where you need to be.'

Garrus shook his head. "They are certainly your children, Shia."

Shia'va looked at Garrus and chuckled. "Funny, I thought they took after you, Garrus."

Kaiden spoke up as the team started to follow the trench. "Shepard, why are we listening to two little girls? What do they know about tactics?"

Shia'va kept moving forward. "You don't know my girls, Kaiden. They can do things that would make you wonder how we can't even do what they can do. My babies are very bright. And right now, they are our eyes. I trust them."

"One must have the understanding that the faith of a child, it allows them to see things so much more clearly than you or I. To them, things can happen just because they see the path so clearly. There is no ambiguity in their eyes. That is why they can succeed where we often fail." Kolyat replied.

The group climbed into the abandoned building and hunkered down again. "Sweetheart, we're in the building."

'Hold on, mom. Kiyo, that first group is in position, start the count.' Mika said to Kiyoko. Shia'va listened carefully as Kiyoko counted. As Kiyoko got to thirty, Mika spoke up. 'Ok, move to the building two up from you. Go quickly!'

Shia'va's team moved fast to the building and hid inside. 'That's my girls.' She thought to herself.

The second patrol that came up behind Shia'va's group passed the building they were hiding in. But they stopped at the road Shia'va was supposed to take. Mika watched carefully from her omni-tool. 'They stopped. Something's wrong. Give me a second, mom.'

-On the Normandy-

Mikazuki looked over the picture and then the holographic image. She pointed to something. "Aunt EDI, what's that?"

EDI looked the building Mika was pointing at. "I'm detecting a power source in that building. It is possibly their communications building."

Kiyoko looked at Mika. "What's on your mind, Mika?"

Mika smiled. "I think we can give the Eclipse something to think about." Mikazuki worked quickly. "Kami...! (God…!)" She slammed her talons down.

Kiyoko put her hands on her sister. "Mika, what's wrong?"

Mika threw her talons up. "I can't short out their communications without losing the security feed. I'd be as blind as them!"

Kiyoko looked at the security feed. "Hmm. Well, we if we used that security feed against them?"

Mika looked over at Kiyoko. "What do you mean?"

"Remember that vid that mama showed us about that illusionist from the 20th century? I think his name was David Copperfield. He made things disappear. Everything, though, was just an illusion." Kiyoko recalled.

"Of course! What the eyes see and the ears here, the mind believes!" Mika looked over to EDI. "Aunt EDI, can you do something to alter my voice so I sound like Jona Sederis? And can we loop this security feed so the Eclipse can see what we want them to see?"

EDI smiled. "Of course." It didn't take EDI very long to get control of the security feed on the Eclipse end. "Ready."

Mika cleared her throat. "Attention Eclipse patrols, we've got intruders in Sector 2. Intercept them and stop them quickly."

Kiyoko watched as the Eclipse moved to where Mika, posing as Jona, told them to go. "I can't believe it's working!"

-Back on the ground-

The group watched as the Eclipse ran past the building they were hiding in. Everyone started to wonder what was going on. "Mikazuki, what's going on?"

'Mom, you have to move fast, we can only keep them fooled for a minute before they figure out what's going on.'

Shia'va motioned for the group to move out. They had finally made it to the center of the village and kept low. There were no patrols here. Obviously, the Eclipse would never have thought that anyone would get past their initial patrols.

Jona Sederis cursed and slammed her fist down. "DAMMIT! Who ordered the patrols to Sector 2?"

The mercenary with her swallowed hard. "Apparently, ma'am, you did." He opened the comm channel.

Jona growled. "Son of a...find out who got into our system!"

The merc worked quickly. Whoever it was, they were staying ahead of his attempts to lock them out.

Mikazuki's faced paled. "Oh no…no no no no!" She began typing feverishly on the interface.

Kiyoko ran over. "Mika! What's wrong?"

"The Eclipse are trying to lock me out!" Mika felt like she was losing control of the situation. "I can't keep this up!"

EDI placed her hand on Mika's shoulder. This little girl had just done so much to help her mother. And now she was pushing to keep her mother alive and to keep the bad guys away. But now it was time for EDI to take back over. "Mikazuki, you and Kiyoko have done all you can. Your mother would be so proud of you both. But it's time to let us handle this now. Please."

Mikazuki looked up at EDI with a defeated look on her face. She had felt like she just lost her favorite game, and that she failed her parents. Her mandibles twitched as Kiyoko took her hand.

"Sis, sis, we have to stop. We did all we could." Kiyoko wished she could have believed what she was telling her sister. She even felt there should have been more they could have done.

Mika's hands left the interface. She allowed Kiyoko to take her hand and both of them backed away from the terminal as EDI and Joker took over. Both girls quietly went back to the loft.

Joker watched as both of them left. "Why do I feel like such a heel right now?"

"Jeff, those two girls just did something that even I hadn't considered. As much as I didn't want them to stop, they had reached the limits of their abilities. But no child will ever admit that. We did the right thing." EDI took Joker's hand.

"Yeah, well, if this is the right thing, I'd hate to find out how the wrong thing feels." Joker looked back at his terminal.

Shia'va comm went silent. "Mika? Kiyoko?"

'Shepard, I have relieved them of what they were doing. The Eclipse had pushed them beyond what the two girls could do. They went back up to the loft.' EDI reported.

A pang hit Shia'va's heart. She knew what that felt like, to try so hard and then to feel like you accomplished nothing. She would have to spend time with the girls later. She was going to do something that made them feel like they did so much. "Thanks, EDI."

'Shepard, Garrus' family is being held in their home with two Eclipse. One of them is Jona.' EDI stated.

"I have an idea." Shia'va gathered the group around her and explained the plan.

Jona smiled as the merc reported that he was able to lock whoever it was out of the system. "Excellent work." She patted his shoulder. She turned around to face Garrus' mother and sister. "Well, I guess it's time for all of us to say goodbye. I have so enjoyed our time together."

"Go to hell, Eclipse bitch." Solana spat.

"You first." Jona began to charge her biotics. She stopped and turned her head as she heard Shia'va call her name. "Shepard…"

"JONA! Come out here and face me! I'm the one you want!" Shia'va fired a shot through a window.

The door opened and Jona stepped out with her merc. "Shepard, what a lovely surprise this is. But I have to be honest with you; you're just a bonus to my pay. I'm not the one that wants you."

"Jorum Talid." Shia'va said.

"That's right. Seems you've been a pain in his Turian ass for a bit too long. But I do have to say he pays well. So after I take care of you, I'm going to have a little fun with those two Turians inside." Jona again started to charge her biotics. "Goodbye, Shepard. It really hasn't been nice knowing you." As she got ready to charge, her merc's head exploded. Her eyes going wide. Shepard wasn't alone. "BITCH!" Before Jona could launch an attack, her own head exploded from a sniper shot.

Shia'va saw Garrus standing up from his sniper's nest. He slid down the ladder and ran over to the house, kicking the door in. "Mom? Solana?"

"In here, Garrus!" Solana shouted.

Garrus ran into the room, his mother embracing her son. "Come on, we have to get you both out of here."

Shia'va was already calling for the shuttle.

Shia'va and Garrus stood just outside of the door to the loft. Neither of them upset with Mikazuki or Kiyoko. "Garrus, I know the girls are feeling bad enough already. How do we handle this?"

Garrus took her hands. "We can't deny that they know what they know, Shia. They know about how we lived our lives before. And in truth, they acted as heroes. Without them, this whole operation could have gone another way. Both of them could be sitting in there right now without a mother or father." He pulled out two medals. The Stars of Terra.

Shia'va smiled. He was right. Both of them deserved recognition for what they did. They opened the door and saw both girls sitting on the edge of the bed. She walked over and knelt down in front of them. "Mika, Kiyo?"

Mikazuki looked up. "Kon'nichiwa, haha. (Hello, mother.)" She looked defeated. Kiyoko was quiet.

Shia'va smiled softly. "Hey. I don't want to see any sour faces."

Mika shook her head. "What's to be happy about? The Eclipse beat us."

"Maybe, sweetie. But don't think you didn't give them a run for their credits." She kissed her children on the forehead.

"Exactly. Girls, what you did today…if you hadn't gotten involved, this whole thing could have turned out so much differently. I think I speak for both your mother and I when I say that what you both have done, we are so proud of both of you." Garrus sat on the bed between the two. "And maybe your mother and I should listen to the two of you more. We wanted to keep you two from this kind of life. But I can see that isn't going to happen."

Kiyoko finally spoke up. "We don't want to see the fighting. We just want to have fun, go to school and be with our friends. But we want to be helpful too. And I know it's stupid to think that we can always win."

Shia'va kissed Kiyoko on the mandible. "Remember what Confucius said, pumpkin. A man, who always wins, never learns the lesson of humility and never learns from their mistakes." She lifted the girls' chins. "Even the Samurai knew their limits. Today, you learned yours. But not before being heroes."

Garrus gave both the girls the Stars of Terra.

Mikazuki and Kiyoko both blinked. "But…these are yours." Mikazuki protested.

"You've more than earned them. You saved us, and you saved your aunt and grandmother. Always remember today when you look at these. And never stop trying to do better." Shia'va hugged both children.

After a few minutes; Garrus, Shia'va and the two girls went down to the observation lounge to see Garrus' mother and sister.

A/N: Seems like ol' Jorum is running out of tricks! And what will come of Garrus' father? I thought it would be nice to see what the two Vakarian children could do. They are definitely their parents' offspring.