Chapter 1: Arrival

Sol System, ARV Phoenix

Corava

With the Reaper war coming to a close, the allied fleets of the Milkyway did battle over the human homeworld, Earth. Reapers and an alliance of most of the space faring species were in the middle of what would be the decisive conflict or the war. The collaboration of fleets seemed to renew their attack as their secret weapon that could supposedly defeat the Reapers entered the system.

Corava herself was angry, having to be extracted with the injured on Earth before they were overrun completely. Being brought back to the ship meant her fight was done unless another shuttle left for Earth on another evact mission.

Fate would have it, the medical frigate was damaged and ordered to flee the confrontation that would decide the fate of the galaxy, for their cycle at least. Corava had no choice but to accept that she was out of the fight, but before wondering if she could potentially end up fighting and dying in a last stand, the commander spoke over the ship's intercom.

"The crucible has arrived, we will however continue our course and jump through the relay, returning to a safe and classified location. Once there you will be briefed and given new orders."

With the news given, Corava leaned against the wall and looked down at her hands. Still armoured, she couldn't help but first see the blood on her hands from trying to patch up her comrades during their brief respites during battle. The armour too was scuffed and bloodied, not only from asari blood, but the abominations that were the repurposed Reaper ground forces.

Is that it then? I played my part in the war and now I get to… await the results? She wondered as doctors and nurses moved throughout the hallway she was situated in. Lives were still being lost and fought for, yet all she could think about was the end. Would the crucible actually work, would their cycle be the one to bring an end to the tyranny of the Reapers? She didn't get to think long however as the ship rocked and a loud creaking sound could be heard. A second shuddering moments later and a vibration that Corava knew all too well.

The lights flickered and dimmed, then the warning lights flashed red as the emergency lighting came on. "Those who can, please evacuate. Some escape pods have been damaged, fit as many as you can." It was a different voice than before, not the commander of the medical frigate.

Corava moved quickly, finding her way to the nearest escape pod as the attacks kept landing. Getting lifted off her feet during one impact, she was thrown against the wall before someone helped her up. Her shoulder and hip ached but she was glad for the help. Dying in space wasn't something that she was interested in.

As the ship was beginning to be pulled into the relay's launching area, it began to be ripped apart as the damage became too much. Fire burst from her left and the asari helping her took most of the brunt. "Come on!" She said, forcing herself up and lifting the other. But a quick look showed a large piece of shrapnel lodged in her side. "I'm sorry." The look of fear in the other's eyes was too much and Corava took off, eventually finding herself a pod.

Throwing herself in it and belting in, she felt the pull of the relay as they were launched wherever the pilot had previously plotted, something they usually didn't feel. Her hand was ready to close the door on the escape pod, ready to secure her own life, but a couple of others eventually entered, another soldier and medic in bloodied garbs. That's when the intercom came on again.

"I'm sorry-" Cough "- the ship is… breaking apart. Life support is failing, oxygen-" Cough cough "- depleting. Launching all… escape pods. Good luck, may the-" The voice never came back as all of those waiting did so with baited breath. Then suddenly the door to the escape pod closed.

It wasn't Corava's doing, but the voice over the shipwide intercom said she was launching the pods. Outside two faces came into view, one of an Asari and the other a Turian. Corava along with the two inside tried to open the pod door without success, even the emergency open button failed to work.

"The Commander, she must have-" The asari was interrupted by the sudden jolt as they were launched from the ship.

Being ejected from a failing ship was more than okay with Corava, but they'd been jettisoned during the middle of a jump through space. Holding onto the safety bars around her, she was glad she did so as their pod soon began to spin and turn end over end. She was quickly feeling like she wanted to throw up, but the scream of another occupant drew her dizzied attention. She was moving about, being thrown and crashing into every part of the pod.

"You idiot! Why didn't you-" Corava yelled before the freely moving asari crashed into her, their heads colliding.

She could hear some yelling, more screaming, but she found herself unable to do anything. Eventually she lost herself to the darkness that crept in from the corners of her vision, hearing a final scream as the encroaching darkness claimed her sight and finally consciousness.

Unknown, Unknown

Corava

Everything ached, breathing hurt, her head throbbed and as she blinked opened her eyes. Her vision was slow to focus as all she could see was a blur of darkness and an overly bright light from her left. Groaning as she moved, Corava coughed and blinked, trying to recover her vision quickly. Pain means you're alive… good news I suppose. She could feel her body pressing against the safety mechanism holding her to her seat. Gravity was pointing towards the nose of the pod it seemed.

"You lived… great. That makes… two of us." The voice was soft and weak, startling too. Reacting with a sudden jolt that sent pain coursing through her body, Corava settled and proceeded to investigate the voice. Narrowing her eyes and waiting until her vision returned, Corava saw an asari with a purple skin tone smiling at her.

"Where?" She croaked, looking around trying to see where they landed. The front of the pod was dented but still seemed to be holding the seal. Lying at the base of the pod was a rather twisted body she recognised as the one who had been getting thrown around and knocked her out. Blood and twisted limbs, sharp white bones poked out from a few different breaks, it was the medic.

"I don't… know. But we're… sinking, slowly." The other said, causing Corava to panic a little. "Breath young… one." The inhale from the other, apparently older asari, was raspy and difficult.

Looking to the other survivor again, Corava could make out what was wrong. There was blood streaming from a hand she held to her neck, and a leg painfully twisted even with the armour she was wearing. Then there was the pipe sticking through her lower torso, holding her in place. She had seen worse during her time as a commando, but it was still a terrible sight to behold.

"Hang on, if I can find some medi-gel." Corava said as she moved to support herself and remove her safety belt and padded lock keeping her secured to the seat, something that had definitely saved her life given the evidence of the medic.

"Don't waste… your time, or resources." Meeting with the other's brown eyes, Corava's lips wavered as she could imagine what the other wanted. "Leave me… take what you… can. So long as one… asari lives, we can re…populate."

"Alright." Corava answered, getting out of her seat and falling feet first to the nose of the pod. Headfirst, instructors always said to dive that way. The blood from the surviving asari dripped and joined that of the deceased medic. "What's your name?"

"Keleeso V'tiala."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Corava asked as she began searching the pod for items she could use.

"Help me find… peace. It hurts. It's been so… long since I've… rested." That made her swallow, but she knew what her elder wanted. Packing a hardcased backpack with items she thought would be useful to her, Corava affixed a few weapons to her armour and checking over her shields, Corava started to climb.

The movement was apparently too much as the pod groaned and moved, sinking a little more. Goddess, please. She prayed, climbing further until she was face to face with Keleeso. Her legs trembled as she held herself up awkwardly. She drew a blade from her belt and looked Keleeso in her eyes.

"May you find peace, and whichever Goddess you pray to, take you to her side." Keleeso was smiling as Corava gave her final prayer.

"And may they all… guide you, young one." She removed her hand from her neck allowing the blood to flow more freely. The wound was worse than Corava expected, a deep cut from something sharp. It was amazing that Keleeso had survived for so long without medical aid. Corava didn't count down, nor gave Keleeso warning, not wanting to let Keleeso suffer any longer or have her fear the coming blade.

Returning her gaze to Keleeso and holding it, she pressed and drew the blade across her throat. She could see the relief in other's eyes as her own blurred for a moment with tears. Then they were still and unmoving, staring right through her. Keleeso had been holding on by willpower, and when she was finally given the chance to rest her body easily gave in. Wiping the blood on her armour, Corava would run her hand over Keleeso's face to close her eyes before beginning to climb once more.

Grabbing a helmet, one that suctioned to her lower scalp-crest on either side of her head while covering both spots where human ears would be, as well as her mouth and nose so that she could breath in space, or on an unknown planet surface. Opening the exit to the pod and pulling her aching body out, thick muddy water and bits of earth fell in as the exit began to submerge. She was determined though, and despite getting a bit dirty and smelling like swamp, she found herself standing on the pod as the swamp continued its slow absorption. Pulling the lid closed and hearing the suction lock it in place, she knew it was time. Looking around and seeing that some solid looking ground wasn't far away, she took a breath and leapt. Time to go. One foot found solid ground but the other sank deep, causing her to fall to one knee and the other was colour brown up to her thigh.

"Disgusting." She grumbled, getting herself back to a standing position. Looking back to the pod, all she could see was a few large bubbles forming and popping as she watched the last of the pod sink below. "Guess I'm stuck here until the reapers find me… unless we defeated them in which case…. SOMEONE COME GET ME!" She screamed skywards.

There was nothing but a soft chirp of birds as she paused for a moment. Taking in her surroundings, she could see some kind of landmark in the distance and groaned. "Please be primitive, I don't want to have crashed and then have reapers come." With that small prayer, she headed towards the large tower-like structure after trying to memorise her crash site.

For hours it seemed like she was walking, one foot after the other, trudging through the swampland she'd landed in. Her hip and shoulder were still sore, but the throbbing in her head had cleared up significantly. There were a lot of bare trees about, and those with leaves looked like they were withering. Then there was the wildlife, frogs and insects mostly, but the occasional rabbit or avian creature.

While she made her way through the swampland, she activated her omni-tool and pulled out an atmospheric measuring device. It was something that every escape pod had within them for just the situation she found herself in. Testing the air to see if it was breathable, Corava was relieved when it came back as positive. She didn't remove her breather though, opting to keep it on for the moment.

The deep bluish-purple of her armour was sprinkled with mud both wet and dried, even the pack she had on her back was dirty. Damn weapons better still work. She thought, not wanting to fight any of this planet's unknown wildlife. Unfortunately the planet had other ideas as she started to hear a sound getting closer. It was a mixture, but as it closed in she could tell there was metal, barking, and speech, speech that she could understand.

In the middle of deciding whether to hide or confront these people, she was spotted. A whistle sounded from her left and she found one person, a human of all things pointing a bow with a nocked arrow at her. Primitive weapons… or sport? She wondered, hearing more before seeing them.

Half a dozen, a dozen, more of them. All stopping when they saw her, and she could immediately guess as to why. They were poorly dressed, at least compared to what she knew. Their armour was ancient, technology that had been surpassed thousands of years ago by the asari anyway. She could tell the dangerous ones too, the ones with heavier armour that would be hard to pierce by normal means.

"What in the Maker is that thing?" She heard someone say from the crowd.

Raising her hands slowly, she spoke to them. "Hello, humans." She didn't get to speak more as the reaction she got was a rise in their own voices and more arrows pointed her way. Great, not a recently lost ship then.

"It speaks, it understands our language." A more frightened tone called.

"Shut up you Idiot."

"We could just kill it, doesn't look too dangerous." Another mentioned. That got her smirking though, humans always did think they were amazing creatures, or was that her own sense of superiority.

"You can try." Corava encourage, stepping back into a more combat ready stance and getting her biotics ready. Her body shimmered and glowed a vibrant blue, indicating what she was doing, but these simpletons didn't seem to know.

"Calm yourselves!" A loud and commanding voice called. A man standing a little taller than the rest appeared, flanked by two more, less well armoured men than himself. The armour had a golden tint, and appeared rather heavy, she was surprised he could move in such weight. "Please… creature, I believe I heard you speak." The man stepped forward, the others protesting but allowing him to do so. He didn't come far before stopping. "I am King Cailan, do you perhaps have a name?"

Corava looked him dead in the eyes and then scanned the area around them. He seemed to understand and raised his hand in the air. The bows were lowered but not completely put away, wise considering the unknown which was her. "You may call me Corava, King Cailan." She answered, adding his title since she figured it would be best to address a king in that manner, at least for now.

His eyes lit up and his mouth curled into a large smile she had not been expecting. Raising a brow at this reaction, she made to speak but the king cut in front. "Well then, Ms Corava. Can you tell me what you are and where you came from? I have never heard of… a blue skinned, human-like creature before."

At least his manners are better than the rest. Inquisitive too. Lowering her guard to show the same kindness he showed her, she stood straight, the blue of her biotics fading. "I am what is known as an asari. Another species from somewhere far out there." She pointed to the sky. "If I am the first you've seen, then consider yourself lucky, for you were not part of this cycle." The confusion in his eyes was plenty to let her know that she was in a foreign place.

"From the sky, you said?" Cailan asked.

"Further, from another planet, with another sun." She answered simply.

"She speaks madness, Your Majesty. She's a demon! We should kill her now." Another in heavy armour, dirtied and dented called.

Cailan still hadn't taken his eyes off her and took a further few steps forwards. Corava could tell that he was going to be taller if they stood on the same level. "Is that true, are you a demon?" She just laughed and shook her head.

"No, but then if I was a demon of course I would deny that in the presence of so many… fine, soldiers." She said it with such sarcasm that at first she thought Cailan hadn't realised her insult as he informed his men of what she thought of them. It seemed to ruffle some feathers and hurt some pride, but the soldiers didn't act without their king's command.

"Well, I am no expert on demons myself, but I happen to have a few experienced mages at my camp that could confirm if you are or not." Her head tilted slightly.

"Mages, as in, individuals that use magic?" She asked, getting a puzzled look before the king laughed again. Other biotics or something… unique to this world?

"Yes! Oh this is wonderful. If you are a demon you're doing a fine job of convincing me." He whispered, and remaining in a low voice he made a request. "Ms Corava, please accompany me to my encampment. There we can find out if you really are a demon, and if you're not, then we can have a much more interesting discussion."

She took a moment to think, looked at her surroundings, and remembered where she was. An unknown planet that had primitive life, although the same lifeforms that she somewhat knew in the form of humans. "I look forward to having a discussion with you, King Cailan. And being a king and all, I imagine you have access to a good cook or two?"

Her boldness and confidence had Cailan grinning. "If we make it to the discussion, then I will have my cooks make you the best meal I have to offer."

"Good, I haven't eaten since… since before my last mission." Images of Earth and the reaper invasion flickered at the forefront of her mind as she stepped forwards.

"Easy men, women. She has agreed to come willingly, lay no harm upon her until she is proven innocent or… as demon." He gave her a smile, one that showed a joyous, clueless expression. But Corava was already noticing that this man was smarter than he let on. Leading by conversation instead of falling back on fear, he was someone she could speak to and find out more about the world she was on.

Meeting a king of all creatures, one that understands me. Maybe this… backwater planet won't be so bad. As they made their way towards what tower-like structure she had seen reaching towards the sky earlier. King Cailan had mentioned an encampment and she assumed it was at this tower. Encampment also meant military, a place of strength for the young king. Corava kept her eyes peeled, not wanting anyone to get too close to her, king included, but being able to speak with these different humans was a blessing, one she hadn't expected but was at the least grateful for.