Shepard recoiled sharply, only just managing to keep her balance as she nearly collided with Liara.
"Have you seen Beni?" Liara's eyes were wide and her skin seemed a little flushed; it was probably nothing more than a sign of her distress, but Shepard had to bite back a flood of frantic questions herself.
"I just got out of the shower. Last I heard, she was preparing to go planet-side."
Liara groaned, spinning on her heel and striding off in the opposite direction; Shepard trotted after her, watching for any further signs of distress.
"It's fine. This isn't the first time we've temporarily misplaced her. Maybe she pestered Garrus or Miranda into letting her off-ship a little early."
"It's not fine. I turn away from the feeds for maybe two minutes and she's vanished completely! Joker said she slipped away before he could ask where she was going and we're on Tuchanka. Is there any worse place for her to be lost?"
Shepard snorted, "I'm pretty sure Wrex would make the connection between us and an unexpectedly adorable asari child running around his turf. Looks a lot like her mother, you know." Shepard smiled disarmingly, but Liara only glared at her and moved faster.
"Speaking of her mother, are you all right? You don't look-"
"Our child is missing and you want to pester me about my appearance this morning?"
"That's not what I-"
"It is exactly what you said."
Shepard threw up her hands in a mocking attitude of surrender, "Fair enough; it's not what I meant. More importantly, she couldn't get out the airlock without clearance, ergo she must be aboard the ship. We'll comm her and she'll come running. Promise."
Liara blinked slowly, eyeing her in that way that suggested she leave the thinking to adults. Shepard had learned to love that look- it typically meant she had won an argument and Liara was simply unwilling to admit as much.
"You may try."
Shepard rolled her eyes, bowing graciously. "Thank you, ma'am." She could hear Liara's teeth grinding with frustration and prayed this mood wouldn't last long. Had she lost an operative? Had some key project gone wrong or was she simply losing too much sleep? Shepard grimaced at the thought of the battle to come when she informed Liara that a visit to the med-bay was compulsory. She didn't doubt Liara had some inkling of what she intended; one of the perils of marrying such a well-informed broker was that she often knew the turnings of her partner's mind sooner than Shepard herself.
The first item of business was tracking down Beni in whatever hole she had managed to squeeze herself into this time; she could tend to Liara afterward while Wrex doted on his honorary niece.
!
!
!
As promised, Beni ran for the CIC at the first echo of her name in the ship's space; she recognized that tone of her papa's voice all too well. It was some combination of annoyance and laughter, with a heavy suggestion that if she didn't hurry annoyance would win out. On another day, she might have ignored the warning for a few more minutes but today was an off-ship day and that meant she could be left behind. There was nothing Beni hated more than being Left Behind.
Beni tripped over her heavy boots, sprawling in the hallway with hands outstretched; Uncle Garrus would not have approved, he said that was the fastest way to break a bone. She hadn't broken a bone before, but Uncle Joker said it Sucked. And when he used that tone, she knew he was serious.
Impatiently she yanked the boots off her feet, tossing them away petulantly. Mama said she had to wear boots in the cargo bay, but this wasn't the cargo bay and she could always come back for them later. She was off and running again in no time, giggling as her bare feet skidded on the smooth floor. She was running so fast she nearly missed it; the model ship was tucked into the corner just at the base of the stairwell, probably knocked there by someone else's careless feet.
Beni slowed and stopped, crouching down to get a closer look at the ship; sometimes papa let her play with the models, sometimes Beni could see her tight lips and worried expression and didn't even bother asking. If the ship were here though then certainly neither mama or papa could have much use for it. She picked it up, turning it in her hands until she could read the name on the side on the side of the ship.
She squinted at the letters, putting them together ever so carefully to be sure she had it right. Mama thought she didn't like reading and made it more difficult than it had to be. Beni hadn't yet figured out how to explain that sometimes after she read a word it became a different word entirely, even numbers played tricks on her sometimes. She took especial care now not to make a mistake even here where no one could correct her.
"SSV Bermuda." She murmured. The name was familiar; it was one of papa's favorite stories; how the Bermuda had snuck behind an attacking fleet with only a basic heat dispersal system and shut down communications so that her allies could pick off attackers one by one. "All hands lost." Papa would say, and then everyone would sit quietly for a moment; it was the sort of silence that obviously was not meant to be broken.
"Benezia. CIC. Now, or we'll leave without you."
Beni winced, it wasn't often she heard her full name but when she did it always meant that papa was Done Playing. Clutching the ship in her hand she bolted up the stairs, other hand serving to balance her.
!
!
The tight knot settling in Shepard's chest loosened when the door slid open and her daughter rushed through. It wasn't until her heartbeat steadied and her breathing evened out that she realized she might have been a little worried. Only a little; this was her ship, after all, and if anyone would be safe here it should be her own child.
Nervous chuckles around her said the crew was every bit as relieved. She glanced to Liara and winked reassuringly; "What did I tell you? She came running."
Liara smiled as she stooped to scoop Beni up. "What's this?"
"The SSV Bermuda." Beni grinned proudly, completely missing the look her parents shared.
"I've been missing that one for a long time. Where'd you find it, kid?"
"Stairs."
Mysteries within mysteries. Shepard had found her models in any number of strange places, but she had thought for sure she had long since collected all of them. Looking up, she caught Liara's pale blush.
"Do you think mama knows how it got there?"
"It was the only one missing and you were so disappointed… I just ordered a new one. They're not terribly expensive and frankly our combined income-"
"You're rambling again." Shepard laughed as the blush deepened. How long had it been since she had seen that? Too long, she decided.
"Never mind that. Beni, where have you been and where are your shoes?"
Shepard couldn't help but pity the poor thing, Liara would have her answer and she hoped for Beni's sake she knew exactly where those shoes were.
"Somewhere."
"Your shoes are somewhere?" Liara's eyebrow slowly climbed.
"I was somewhere. My boots are in the hallway." Beni smiled winningly, knowing full well that was not an acceptable answer.
Liara opened her mouth to press the issue and Shepard jumped in; she was beginning to seriously consider the possibility that she just might be a soft-touch where her family was concerned.
"Cargo bay. Why else would she wear the boots? Besides, I think it was Grunt that left those models scattered everywhere; if she came up the stairs from the cargo bay and he'd left it there…" Shepard shrugged.
Beni scowled ferociously at her and Shepard mock-trembled, shrinking away playfully. Beni's scowl darkened. It was times like these she was convinced Beni was her mother's daughter. Liara was the only other asari she had met that could manage an expression so thoroughly disapproving as that.
"Don't look at your papa like that." Fortunately, the daughter was not quite as practiced as the mother in that regard. Beni quickly rearranged her features into something more amicable. "Better."
"No harm done, Liara. She's just raring to go. I too would like to know why we're still dawdling. Let's begone!"
Beni squirmed out of Liara's arms, reaching for Shepard's hand as the two headed for the airlock. "The Terrible Twosome." Joker had taken to calling them, and Liara was only now beginning to see why. She would have to have a word with Shepard about making Beni answer for herself; it was sweet to watch her try to cover for Beni, but there would come a time when Beni was going to have to speak for herself and it was better she have the practice now.
"Shepard!"
Shepard turned questioningly, Beni taking advantage of the moment to finally seize her hand.
"Take a pack for Beni. She will need water. And shoes."
Shepard threw a playful salute, caught sight of the ship's model in Beni's hand and shook her head, "I suppose you'll be wanting that too?"
"Please?"
She had a replacement after all, and Beni just seemed so attached to it already; "Fine. Keep it in your pack or you'll lose it." Shepard chuckled at Beni's peculiar excited dance.
"Now, where do we keep the small packs?"
"Armory!"
"And where do we keep the canteens?"
"Galley!"
With a last longing look toward the airlock, Shepard hurried for the elevator, Beni jogging to keep up with her long strides.
Liara glanced around, noticing that most of the deck crew was watching her with all the anxious expectation of varren pups waiting for a treat. "Everybody out. Urdnot Wrex would be insulted if anyone stayed behind."
The cheer that greeted that pronouncement was loud enough that she winced, hands half raising to protect herself from the sound.
"You're a classy dame, doctor T'Soni. Asari of the century." That would be Joker, she would have to ask Shepard what he meant by 'dame' later; to her understanding it was a title that had long since died out. Doubtless used as another incomprehensible human slang term now.
!
!
!
It had been too long since they last visited Tuchanka; Shepard had nearly forgotten how very hot it could be. Wrex hardly seemed to notice it, rushing out to greet her like rugged terrain, barking varren and that blasted sun were nothing. Shepard choked a little as he swept her off her feet and into a crushing bear hug. Make that Krogan embrace- bears could have nothing on this.
"Shepard. I was starting to think you were turning down my hospitality."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Wrex." She sputtered, hugs were not something Krogan had ever been meant for. Why Beni had felt the need to teach the gesture to him she would never know, but the key to survival was to pound on his back until he dropped her. She set to with a will, laughing valiantly with the last bit of precious oxygen in her crushed ribcage.
"My turn!" So eager for death. Shepard couldn't fathom where her daughter had learned this reckless disregard for her safety. She watched disbelievingly as Wrex scooped her up, knocking heads with her roughly. Beni didn't so much as flinch. Visions of tap-room brawls and pints of ryncol danced in her head. No. Plenty of time to worry about that later.
Wrex barked a laugh as Beni's arms tightened around his wide neck, "Getting stronger, brat. Ready to join a Krogan clan yet?"
"Not yet." Shepard cut in; the last thing she needed was Beni running around the ship shouting war cries and pretending to be a berserker. They had already been through that phase once and there was still an empty spot on her desk where her favorite mug once rested to prove it.
She relaxed into the hands that pressed gently into her back, leaning into Liara's body.
"You look content, Shepard." Wrex chuckled.
"Hm. Nothing better. Speaking of, where's your-"
Beni pulled a face, kicking the air. "Put me down."
"Bossy." Liara laughed under her breath, whispering in Shepard's ear.
"Wonder where she gets that from?" Shepard yelped as Liara pinched her rudely, another muffled laugh followed.
Shepard spun quickly, startling Liara as she shouted after Beni; "Hey! Not too far! Stay where I can see you!"
Useless. Either Beni hadn't heard or she wasn't inclined to acknowledge. Shepard would have laid credits to the latter.
"She's safe, Shepard. She'll come back as soon as she's hungry." Shepard could hear the smile in her bond-mate's voice.
"Now who's being irresponsible?" Liara had a point though, what could possibly go wrong?
!
!
Beni waited until she she could no longer hear the hum of conversation before she slipped the pack from her shoulders and pulled out her newest toy to admire it. The sun caught its edges and sent bright spots of light dancing along the rocks; Beni chased after them, knowing she could never catch up and not particularly bothered by it. She followed the light this way and that, down into tight crevasses and through doorways.
The last time they had visited Uncle Wrex there had been more dirt and junk to climb on. Tuchanka looked nicer now, neater; Beni missed the old Tuchanka.
She slowed and stopped looking up and up, shielding her eyes from the sun so she could see the face of the krogan standing before her. "Grunt!"
To Beni's mind she had more uncles and aunts than she could count. Papa had explained a long time ago that they weren't really blood family, but something better because they had chosen to stay and help even when it would have been safer not to. The titles then had become Beni's way of offering loyalty and respect in return.
Grunt could only ever be Grunt though; of all her uncles he was the one most willing to play and least likely to tell her to be careful. That was something uncles typically did as a rule, and she was glad at least one of them thought she was big enough to look after herself without the constant warning.
Grunt laughed and Beni shrieked with delight, dropping the model in her excitement. "Shepard let you off the ship, menace?"
"For awhile." Beni clung to his leg, hoping he would pick her up; she wasn't disappointed, he swung her up easily and she clung to the plates of his armor so he wouldn't dare to set her down again.
She could see the little ship had caught his attention, he focused on it, tilting his head slightly.
Beni giggled, "I found it under the stairway. Papa said you probably put it there."
"Ha! No one ever accused Shepard of being…dumb."
Last time they had visited Beni recalled using a word that had made her mama's eyes darken with anger. Papa had laughed, but when mama found out who had taught it to her… Grunt had been careful not to say any similar words again, much to Beni's regret.
"What were you gonna say?"
"I said it."
"Did not." Beni scowled, "Tell me." She ordered in her best impression of her mama. That voice always made papa listen. Grunt however, didn't so much as look at her, still turning the model over in his free hand.
"Shepard will be angry if you break her toy." Grunt grinned widely, "Brave of you to make off with it."
"She gave it to me. It's mine."
Grunt laughed again and Beni giggled, not quite sure what he thought was funny, but she didn't want him to know that.
"Your first ship. There's a thought. You taken her out for a test flight yet?"
Beni recognized the soft growl beneath his words as one of excitement. She shook her head, knowing full well what he was going to suggest.
"That's your first responsibility as captain. Making sure your vessel's in working order." Grunt shook his head, "Shepard would be so disappointed."
"Let's go then."
"Go where?" Grunt chuckled.
"Test it. Now." The two shared a smile of perfect understanding. It was the work of a moment for Beni to scrape off her shoes and use the purchase of her bare feet to scramble onto Grunt's shoulders. Mama wasn't going to be happy about her kicking off another pair of shoes, but she could always come back for them later.
Grunt passed her the model, lowering his head as though preparing to charge. Beni gripped his neck tightly with her free hand, raising her ship in the other.
"Ready." Beni shrieked as he took off at a run, not sure yet whether the speed was exciting or terrifying.
"Something wrong with her engines, captain? I can't hear them."
Beni laughed, doing her best to imitate the rumble of a ship's engines, but having difficulty keeping her breath in check when every pace knocked the wind from her. She felt Grunt's fingers wrap around her ankles, holding her tightly in place and kicked him softly to urge him on.
"I'll kick back, brat." Beni shrieked as he tickled the tops of her feet. "Where's those engines?"
Breathlessly, Beni began to hum again, wondering just how long they could keep up the pace and whether mama might let her stay with the Urdnots for a just a little while longer when she and papa were ready to go.
!
!
Swapping stories with Wrex and listening to his account of the trials of rebuilding Tuchanka, it took Shepard a moment to register the sound of her daughter's squealing approaching at a frankly alarming rate. Liara roused from her half-doze against Shepard's shoulder and tracked the progress of a very happy Beni, draped over a very familiar krogan's head.
"She's lost her shoes again."
Shepard sighed softly, they really needed to have a chat about the importance of coming home with the same amount of clothes you left with.
Grunt slowed and stopped, dust swirling around his ankles. "Down. I'm tired."
Beni slid from his shoulders without complaint, brushing dirt from her face.
"What were you up to?"
"The SSV Bermuda's maiden voyage if I'm not mistaken." Liara smiled.
Beni nodded enthusiastically, "Me and Grunt-"
"Grunt and I" Liara corrected mildly.
Beni rolled her eyes and Shepard stifled an entirely inappropriate urge to join her.
"Grunt and I took it out for a test flight."
"All systems check out?"
Beni nodded, leaning against Grunt's leg heavily; he still hadn't stopped panting. Exactly how far had she run him?
"You're missing something."
Beni's eyes shifted guiltily to her feet before meeting Shepard's again. "What?"
It was Liara's turn to roll her eyes, "Shoes, Beni. What have you done with your shoes?"
Beni gestured vaguely behind them, "They're somewhere over there."
"You're going to have to find them before we leave."
Beni and Grunt shared a look, "Maybe I could stay while you-"
"No. Answer is no." Shepard cut in frantically.
"You didn't even hear the question. And you interrupted me, I thought you said that was rude?"
"She has you there, Shepard." Wrex muttered.
"I'm sorry, what were you saying, Beni?" Shepard smiled disarmingly.
"Can I stay for awhile after you leave?"
"Nope."
Liara prodded her gently, and Shepard added a quick "Not this time." Not any time until she was much older, but Beni didn't need to know that yet.
"No one said we were ready to leave yet, though. If you want to take your ship for another turn."
Grunt narrowed his eyes at her and Shepard grinned unapologetically. "While you're out you might pick up some cargo for me."
Beni perked up immediately. "A pair of shoes, roughly the size of your feet."
Beni snorted, nodding her head in understanding as she began to tug at Grunt's leg once more, "Up."
"Not your pony." Grunt rumbled, but he stooped to pick her up anyway.
Shepard turned back to Liara as they galloped out of sight once more. "Pony. There's an idea."
"And where would we keep a pony, Shepard?"
Shepard sighed, "Point taken. I just think the cargo bay is a little-"
"No, Shepard. No ponies."
Wrex cut in, "Why not take a varren aboard? Kid could do worse than to have one for a playmate."
Liara knew the importance of choosing her battles wisely, and she knew without even speaking that this one was already lost from the wide grin on Shepard's face, and yet she had to try.
"No, Shepard. No."
!
!
!
Now that I have a steady internet connection, updates will resume as per usual. Sorry for the delay!
Credit for that 'pony' ride goes to Planetar because once that image was in my head, it stuck.
Next chapter is a mystery character, though entirely canon. :)