Chapter 2:
"Excuse me, Miss al-Jilani?" a taller, lanky man asked as he stepped up to Khalisah as she carried her gear.
"Yes?" she said with her arms still full.
"Um, you knew an Emily Wong before, didn't you?" he continued somewhat sadly.
"Yes, I d- what happened?" she asked, not liking the implications.
The man looked morose. "She was on Earth when the Reapers attacked. She didn't make it."
Khalisah stopped as though she had been struck. Emily? Dead? It couldn't be possible. She was too tenacious of a woman to die. Considering what both of them had been through during their college years, surely she could have found a way to survive this.
The man then pulled out a data disc and put it in the box Khalisah was carrying. "She kept telling me that if anything happened to her, she wanted you to have this." He then shrugged. "I don't know what's on it, all I know is that she wanted you to have it."
When the man left, Khalisah looked to him vanishing within the crowds of people and to the data disc in the box she was now carrying.
She then shook her head to get her bearings back and then hurried on her way to the refugee camp where she was currently staying. In spite of how much was lost, many people still found ways to cope, herself included.
She carefully moved her way past asari, human, turian, and salarian though the camp to the small apartment building she currently resided in. While the tensions were low at the moment, she had no intention of making a scene, even if someone happened to recognize her from her shock jock days. To think that seemed so long ago.
She eased herself into one of the few comfortable chairs in the city, sat the box down and took the data pad from on top of the other miscellaneous items that she had been able to recover. With a small sigh, she activated her omni-tool and the drone came to life. She inserted the disc into the hovering camera unit and sure enough, a projection of her old friend appeared.
"Hey, Khali! How are you? Hope your show's doing ok." she began in her usual overly perky and determined way. However, her voice turned morose as she continued, "Khali, if you're seeing this, then something has happened to me. Not sure if I've disappeared or died, but the fact is that I won't be able to complete the project I wanted to do for the past few years."
Khalisah sniffed, trying to concentrate on the image of her friend as she wiped the gathering moisture at the base of her eyes.
"In this data disc, I've compiled notes and a few interviews for a project that I feel was long overdue. A Biography about Commander Shepard!" she announced with her usual enthusiasm.
Khalisah sighed again, only this time in irritation. Why Shepard? They didn't exactly have the best of working relationships.
"I mean, sure, it seems like a fluff piece, but I wanted to do something for the other council races to show what kind of person that can rise above the average and into greatness. Show them what one of our best looks like. From what I was able to learn about her, she came from pretty humble circumstances and people LOVE those kinds of stories," Emily continued.
Once again, the image became somber. "If you're seeing this, then there's a good chance I won't be able to finish it." The image then smiled, "seems rather familiar, doesn't it, Khali? I always seem to have a great idea, but somehow, I always need your help to bail me out. Well.. for what it's worth, you won't need to bail me out anymore, because... it's probably too late. So, instead of just either one of us doing it, how about making it a collaborative piece?" The image raised its arms and drew them across herself as though she were reading a title. "The Commander Shepard Story; a Biography made by Khalisah bint Sinan al-Jilani and Emily Wong!"
Khalisah blinked. Emily always wanted top billing on the collaborations she did with other students in her class.
As if the recording saw it coming, Emily's image gave her a knowing smile. "Bet you didn't see that coming, eh, Khali?"
She stared for a moment before she broke into chuckles. Emily knew her better than she gave her credit.
"Anyway, I need to conserve room for the rest of the information, so. Khalisah, thank you. And good luck."
With that, the recording stopped and immediately, the projection vanished and was replaced with several layers of information that she had accumulated; in addition, there were paused audio and video files that Khalisah could make good use of.
Well, she wasn't doing anything at the present. However, until she could actually find a platform to put this on, fulfilling Emily's last request would have to wait for a little while. Regardless, she gently took the data disc out and put it with the rest of her belongings. The reconstruction had to come first.
Khalisah looked up to the notifications that another aid ship from the asari colonies was docked and that their crews and supplies were being offloaded.
It was also the transport that held the main reason why she was came to what was left of New York in the first place.
From the belly of the asari ship, troops rolling supplies off of the ships, along with personnel to assist in the logistics moved to mingle with the resident crews. Sure enough the familiar white and red dress, with the silver colored markings on her fringe, stepped off the ship, looked to Khalisah's direction and smiled.
'Khalisah!" Varicia S'Tonu exclaimed with equal parts relief and excitement. She then ran out of the other group of asari and before the former reporter could get a word in edge wise, the asari had thrown her arms around Khalisah's shoulders, held her tightly and kissed her with all the passion that had lost since the war began.
She was not one to skip out on make-up make out, so, she returned the kiss with equal exuberance until another asari grumbled nearby, "unless you're willing to share, get a room."
Varicia broke the kiss to glare at the commando, however, she was already gone to assist her unit with the logistics.
"How'd you make it here so soon? I thought you wanted to stay behind and help with Thessian Republics?" Khalisah asked as she pulled out of the embrace to take the asari's hands in her own.
"I did, however, my supervisor knew that I missed you and helped me finish with my role in the reconstruction. Besides, Madam Polotheas told me that humans often enjoy intimacy after long stretches of separation and frankly, I missed you so much!"
Khalisah chuckled at how her girlfriend could clinically reduce something like sex into something so boring. "So, the battleaxe let you go so you could get some reunion..." she sighed at using a term Emily would have used, "nookie?"
Varicia smiled and nodded. "If it's no problem, I mean."
The reporter's smile grew larger as she reached up to Varcia's neck and pulled her in for another kiss.
The asari's eyes closed and she reveled in the warmth of her lover's lips and touch. After a quiet moan on her part, Khalisah broke the kiss and whispered, "does that answer your question?"
Varicia looked positively dreamy as she blinked once to get her bearings and whispered, "we need to get a room. Now."
Khalisah sighed happily into the rough skin of the back of Varicia's head and stroked her bare stomach as the high of their meld slowly wore off. It was then the former reporter remembered why other races loved the asari so much.
"I'm glad you're alright," Khalisah whispered as she kissed the base of Varicia's neck.
"As am I," she responded softly as her hand reached up to clasp over Khalisah's gently. The time they had spent apart had been difficult, and it wasn't just the Reaper War.
Varicia's home had been attacked by a Cerberus group and for months, she, her mother, and her two sisters had been fighting a guerrilla war while the rest of the galaxy was fighting for its survival. It was only their good luck, if one could call it that, that the Reapers had attacked, which gave herself, and the rest of the refugees the distraction to rush the Cerberus camp, wipe them out and escape to join the rest of the Allied forces.
"So," the asari asked as she gently pulled herself out of Khalisah's grasp, turned around and kissed her human lover on the nose, "since the war's over now, what do you intend to do?"
The smile faded from Khalisah's face as she leaned into her warmth. "I don't know," she whispered in reply, "Westerlund News is gone. It was based in Houston and when the Reapers attacked, well, there wasn't much left of the city when they were done."
With a sad countenance, Varicia inched herself closer and embraced Khalisah warmly, aware that until the general infrastructure of the galaxy was restored, even with the discovery of the quarian Hyperspace tech to replace the defunct Mass Relays, it would take years, even decades, before a position such as hers would ever come around.
Varicia smiled, then offered, "perhaps you could write a book? I mean, while there isn't the greatest amount of communication around, people will still need to read. You said yourself, you wanted to interview Shepard. Why not write that book your friend started?"
The asari never ceased to amaze her. "It's a good idea. Though, it may be a bit difficult, considering she's in the hospital."
Varicia did not seem at all worried. "If your last encounter went as you told me, then perhaps there's a chance and you can start interviewing her when she gets out."
Khalisah's smile grew as she held her asari closer with gentle strokes of her hip and thigh. "Without you, I'd be lost."
The asari tittered a bit and answered, "Of course not. I just happen to think too much."
"Gone?!" Khalisah gaped.
"Yes," the Alliance rep responded flatly, clearly not wanting to deal with the remains of the press, "Commander Shepard was the target of an assassination attempt and she vanished."
"And no one knows where she is?" Varicia asked more tactfully.
The rep nodded. "in case you haven't been reading the news feed, Admiral Balak's body was found-"
Khalisah interrupted him before he could get into the grisly details, "I know that part, however, Shepard was supposed to be recovering. Did she leave any details as to why or where she left?"
The rep shook his head this time. "No. No note, no nothing."
Khalisah's shoulders slumped and she growled at the back of her throat. Here, she wanted to come to Shepard and actually do right by her and the Commander had the audacity to just vanish into thin air. Stupid Batarians.
When they turned and exited the entryway to the Alliance facility, Khalisah had an epiphany.
"You know where the body was found?" she asked Varicia.
"That's morbid, you realize. Batarians believe that the soul leaves the eyes upon death and-"
Khalisah interrupted, realizing she might be onto something. "No, no, no, I mean, the location where the body was found. That means if Shepard left the hospital, it had to be where she would have begun her flight. Wouldn't make much sense for her to head back in after leaving the body where she did."
Varicia turned on her omni-tool and after a few keystrokes later. Varicia pointed to the general direction where Nora Shepard could have escaped. As they moved through the constant stream of people, construction workers, officers, and soldiers that assisted in the reconstruction, they quickly reached the entrance to the alleyway where the body of Balak was not too long ago.
"Ok, from here, she could have gone anywhere. However, if the reports were right, she had a hard time stand up due to the injuries she sustained during the last fight here on Earth before the Reapers were defeated," Varicia read off the details and notes she had been taking.
"Yes, but Shepard rarely goes somewhere without a purpose. And if I miss my guess, she would want to be as far from Alliance power as possible," Khalisah listed as she started to pace on the ruined concrete.
"Offworld?" Varicia offered as she sent a summons for their hovercar.
Khalisah nodded. "The closest working starport is in San Francisco. The only other ones working are in Tokyo, St. Petersberg, and London... or at least, I think they are. They were hit pretty hard."
"Where would she go, though?" Varicia probed, curious as to Khalisah's train of thought.
"Not sure. However, considering she's pretty much gone AWOL and abandoned the Alliance, she would want to get out of Alliance space. Maybe even Council space, for all I know," Khalisah shrugged as their car approached.
"You think she'd actually go to the Terminus again?!" the asari gaped as the car gently landed and opened its doors for them.
"Why not? Considering how little control the Council and the various Council races have now with the all the fighting, what better place to vanish than the Terminus?"
"Oh, goddess, you think she'd have gone to Omega?" Varicia groaned as she took her seat.
Khalisah shook her head as she put her seat belt on, the doors closed, and the car took off. "She wants to hide, not to get killed since she doesn't have the Normandy with her anymore. She's all by herself now. She'd have to know how to sneak past screenings and scanners before she'd be able to get out of Alliance space, since they're still looking for her."
"She'd have to have friends, though. Even if the Alliance command wasn't fond of her, she'd have to have contacts that would help her get past the gates," Varicia noted as the cityscape of New York slowly faded away.
"Shepard's got friends. In and out of the Alliance. For all we know, she still has help from the Council, weakened as they are. It'd be smart to hide behind them if she was so inclined. Disenfranchised and tired of dealing with the Alliance, decides to go full Spectre and operate only for them. I mean, Tevos and Velarn were pretty vocal defending her actions during the war."
"That would make sense, however, from what you've told me of Shepard, she seems to have some sense of tact, so, I don't think she'd ever let herself be seen again, which means she may not even be calling favors from the Council."
"Well, if we ever get that interview, I'll ask her that. Now, I need your help checking the departures from the star port to see if any ships have left already. If we're lucky, we may be able to head her off."
Varicia was about to turn on her omni-tool when a thought came to mind, "what do we do if we find her? I imagine she doesn't want to be found."
Khalisah paused in mid keystroke, aware that the thought had not occurred to her. Shepard was more or less a fugitive. Considering her training, she could easily take both herself and Varcia out if she were so inclined. She saw what Shepard did to Balak.
"Hope she's in a good mood... and we ask nice," Khalisah said without humor.
"Oh no!" Khalisah moaned when they looked at the schedule. They had been too late. Just an hour before, more than a dozen ships, heading everywhere from Rannoch, to Palaven, to Sur'kesh, and to Thessia had already departed and Shepard could have been on any one of them.
Varicia, sympathetic to Khalisah's plight, patted her shoulder and asked, "Think we can find her?"
The reporter took a deep breath and sighed openly. "I have no idea." Nora Shepard was more than capable of hiding if she needed to and certainly out of Khalisah's vision.
"One problem though," she asked, "how are we going to follow where those ships went? Not only are they out of Earth's orbit, they're more likely than not already jumping out of the system."
The asari contemplated a moment. She blinked twice when an idea came to mind. "Think her squadmates would help? While it's understandable they would be hesitant of speaking with the press, you're freelance now, correct?"
"Not by choice, but yes," Khalisah answered.
"Well, we do have access to them, so, we can begin the biography while we're looking for her, picking up as much information as we can along the way," she elaborated with a clap of her hands.
"Are you serious? But she could be halfway across the galaxy by now," Khalisah protested.
Varicia was not deterred from her idea. "So Shepard goes into hiding. If we do find her, she'll be where she is. And maybe, if we're fortunate, we may be able to ask her to meet us in the process!"
"I got a feeling that's not going to happen," Khalisah groaned, not filled with confidence.
"Let's go to the Alliance Headquarters and try and find out who and where her squadmates are," Varicia said as she took Khalisah by the hand and dragged her away from the space port and to the nearby Alliance Base.
"I think you're getting into this more than I am," Khalisah noted with leveled eyes.
"Because this is certainly better than sitting around in the reconstruction feeling sorry for what we've lost!" she protested.
She found it hard to argue with that kind of logic.
"Somehow, I got a feeling that we're going to be doing a lot of waiting for people," Khalisah grumbled as she sat against the wall with Varicia at her side, not as disgruntled as she was, "I had to seek out the people I wanted to interview."
"Well, that was when you were a shock jock. You're not that anymore, remember? Besides, you kept telling me that you were hoping for a break to get out of that business and so you can be a legitimate reporter," she replied.
"True, but I was hoping it involved a bit more investigative reporting instead of sitting around waiting for people in hopes they'll give us the time of day."
"Well, I would imagine that completing a biography would not involve the same type of reporting as your old day job did."
"Fine, but if Shepard's squad so much as raise a fist against me, this whole deal's off. Bad enough getting punched by her, I never lived down getting kicked in the shin by a volus," Khalisah spat.
The smile on Varicia's face slowly faded as she remembered Khalisah having a particularly rough day.
2184
Varicia had come back to their apartment and noticed Khalisah sitting against the headboard of their bed. She was exhausted, by the looks of it. However, what really caught her attention were the black eye, several bruises, and the cast on her leg.
Khalisha looked up to her and attempted a smile. "Evening," she tried to be chipper and enthusiastic about this, however, Varicia knew better.
"Another one of those days?" she asked as she slowly eased herself onto the bed and her arm around Khalisah's shoulders.
She nodded and listed the experience. "A krogan, a turian, a pair of asari, and a volus."
Varicia blinked. "A volus?"
Khalisah nodded and pointed to her shin. "Little runts kick harder than they look."
A sad frown crossed her face as she took Khalisah's shoulders in her embrace. "You got to stop this. This keeps happening to you and the fact that you need to keep using medi-gel to recover from injuries you get from interviews is scaring me."
Khalisah leaned into her embrace. "If only I could. Westerlund News likes me too much. Not to mention every other resume I try to send to other news services gets rejected because of my show. As silly as it sounds, I'm starting to think that Westerlund's paying them to reject me."
"Oh, Khalisah," she almost sobbed and kissed the top of her head.
"I'll get through this. I have to," Khalisah mumbled underneath Varicia's embrace.
"You don't need to. I know you're just doing this because it's your job. However, I've more than enough for us both if you were to leave it. I just don't like seeing you abused like this. It's not right," Varicia whispered into Khalisah's hair.
It caused the reporter to smile a bit and gently caress Varicia's arm. "Keep that option open if I ever get crippled on the job, ok?"
The statement caused Varicia to gasp and she knelt in front of Khalisah, took her face in both hands, and kissed her desperately. When they parted, she answered, "Don't ever joke about something like that! I know you're strong, I know you're brave. And you don't need to prove that to anyone."
"I know I don't. However, I know I can do this. And I was never the type to give up something I knew I could do," Khalisah responded gently, but firmly.
The asari sighed loudly, and then kissed her again. "You stubborn, impetuous human," With a sad smile, she said, "I want to do everything in my power to prevent you from hurting yourself, but that'd make you try all the harder. Maybe that's why I care for you the way I do."
Khalisah matched her smile and answered, "well, with any luck you'll know when to pull me back. Otherwise, I'd really get hurt."
Varicia's smile grew as she leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then her lips again as she slowly lowered herself her on side on the bed, and pulled Khalisah on top of her.
"Ow! Watch the ribs, please," Khalisah begged as they disrobed.
Present Day
"Khalisah al-Jilani. Varicia S'Tonu," an artificial voice intoned as it approached them both.
Both blinked at the appearance of the noted AI from the Normandy in her mobile frame wearing an Alliance uniform.
"We are… um,"Khalisah began, but couldn't bring to mind the name that it was referred to.
"In answer to your question, Ms. al-Jilani, I am usually referred to as EDI, which stands for Enhanced Defense Intelligence," the android filled in for her.
"Charmed," Khalisah responded, hoping that her tone didn't reveal the fact that the AI frightened her.
"I am to understand that the reason why you requested our assistance was because you are requesting interviews with individuals who are close to Commander Shepard, are you not?"
She nodded. "Yes. I'm compiling as much information as I can for a biography for a friend that didn't survive the Reaper War."
EDI seemed to be seriously contemplating her statement, from the files she had received about Khalisah and the information Liara had divulged about her.
"Considering Shepard has vanished, it would be most difficult to create an accurate depiction of whom she was," EDI stated.
"I know. I don't know the whole story, but she's gone. And while I know there's probably dozens, if not hundreds of people that want to speak with her, I want to at least try and finish this for my friend. I don't even know if I'll ever find her, but I got to try," Khalisah pleaded, hoping that the AI would listen to her.
There was another pause before the android nodded. "Very well. We are going to go to make several drop offs of troops to Bekenstein, Tuchaunka, Palaven, and Thessia. There is a chance that she may have escaped there. If you wish, you may accompany Jeff and myself on the way."
"You're one of her squad mates, aren't you?" Varicia asked, surprised.
EDI nodded. "Correct. However, Nora Shepard was often a private person, even among those she considered friends and confidants."
"Weren't you with her after her reappearance and during the Reaper War?" Khalisah continued the train of thought.
EDI nodded again. "Correct, however, our conversations, few as they were in comparison, are very personal to me. And unless you intend to show due respect to those memories, they will remain that way."
Khalisah nodded. "Fair enough. Doubly so since you're being kind enough to take us with you."
EDI turned around and led them back to the summoned transport. "If you have any belongings you wish to bring with you, we will be departing tomorrow morning. We will be waiting for you on runway seventeen."
Varicia smiled genuinely. "Thank you."
The android turned around, somewhat surprised to see a note of appreciation from someone outside of her personal circle of friends and acquaintances. She gave them both a small smile and replied, "One is glad to be of service."
"Ready?" Khalisah asked as she hefted her bag over her shoulder. It contained a few changes of clothes, her data pads, and a few other odds and ends for the trip ahead.
"Yes," Varicia replied as she carried her own bad with similar items inside. "I hope that they won't mind us coming along. Especially when there's so much to be done."
"Me too. However, it'd probably be best if we didn't cause any trouble while we're there. Post war or not, there's still some bad blood going around,"she said as they walked out toward the apartment they had used for the time being and down the several flights of stairs. At one point, Khalisah would have grumbled about the lack of electricity. Yet, after surviving a war on the scale that they did, it seemed so petty in retrospect.
As they came to ground level, Varicia was about to summon their car when a pair of hands grabbed both her and Khalisah and pulled them into the alleyway and out of sight. They tried to struggle, however, found themselves overpowered as they were shoved deeper inside to find a pair of armed and armored Batarians that had seen better days.
"Where is Shepeard, human?" the taller of the two demanded.
"What?" Khalisah asked, incredulous.
"Do not play stupid, human. Where is Shepard?! We know you seek her, so, you must know where she is!" the smaller spat.
"That's an erroneous assumption to make," Varicia protested, "furthermore, we haven't the slightest idea where she is."
"You lie, asari!" the taller growled as he reached out and grabbed Varicia's collar.
Trying to keep her cool, Khalisah interjected, "she's right, though. We have no idea where she vanished to."
"You lie too, human!" the other Batarian growled as the other one shoved Varicia back to her.
Varicia looked to Khalisah, deathly afraid that they were trapped with little avenue of escape as she slowly stepped behind her.
"Well, you can ask all you want," Khalisah answered, despite the shiver in her voice, "but we don't know where she is." As tempted as she was to let them know that if even if she didn't know, she wouldn't tell them, she doubted the Carnifex pistol in her bag would be enough to defend them from the Batarians.
"You will not keep lying to us, human!" the smaller of the two said, "We will find Shepard and avenge Balak!"
Varicia frowned, "After he tried to murder Shepard?"
"It is Shepard's fault we have lost Kar'Shan and our people!" the taller roared.
"How?!" Khalisah shot back, almost insulted at the idea that Shepard, while not overly fond of Batarians, was responsible for their near genocide.
"It was she who led the Reapers to the galaxy! It was she who fed our people to them! She must pay!"
Khalisah frowned outright and said, "If what we've been told is true, it would have happened anyway, with or without Shepard!"
"It does not matter, human! Where is Shepard! She will pay for her crimes against-" he would have continued had both of them not been hit by Varicia's rental car. Immediately, the door opened and both women wasted no time in tossing their luggage into the back seat and leaping inside as the doors closed and lifted off into the air.
"Varicia!" Khalisah said as she threw her arms around the asari's shoulders before kissing her, "you're wonderful! How'd you summon the car?"
"I hid behind you and was able to summon it while you were talking with them;" she replied, slightly blushing at the kiss she was just given.
"Normally, I'd be kind of peeved at you using me as a distraction, but considering we made it, I think I can let it slide," Khalisah said, her smile not at all diminished.
Varicia's smile turned bashful as she said, "you may have to punish me for my indiscretion later."
"You want to go again already?" Khalisah asked, a slight smirk playing on her lips.
The asari then leaned over and kissed Khalisah on the cheek and answered, "your courage was what drew me to you. It's only natural that seeing more of it... um, arouses me."
Already memories of last night flooded back as she smirked and said, "let's hope the Normandy as a bunk we can share."